Cebu Sun.Star

OPERATIVES of the Philippines Drug Enforcement Agency in Central Visayas (PDEA 7) together with members of the Mabolo Police Station in Cebu City raided a suspected drug den in Sitio Abellana, Barangay Luz at 2:49 p.m. Saturday, July 1, 2023.

They arrested suspects Genewin Peoner Romano, the 38-year-old alleged operator of the drug den; Bridget Dawn Ferarren Ontoy, 23; and Lefty Luke Noval Lao, a 37-year-old construction painter.

They seized two packs of shabu weighing 11 grams with a street value of P64,800 and several drug paraphernalia.

A few meters away, they found five more persons inside another suspected drug den.

They identified the suspects as Faustino Alburo San Roque Jr., the 29-year-old alleged operator of the drug den; Rojar Alburo, a 44-year-old construction worker; Antonio Masbag Medilo Jr., 31; Redan Austria Rellesiba, a 25-year-old welder; and 34-year-old Jovelyn Abregondo Roldan.

PDEA 7 operatives seized seven packs of shabu weighing 15 grams with a street value of P102,000.

According to Leia Alcantara, PDEA 7 information officer, it took almost two months for them to conduct a case build-up against the two suspected drug dens after receiving information from a concerned citizen.

She said the eight suspects will be charged with violating Republic Act 9165, or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002. (AYB)

TWO barangays in Talisay City, Cebu may soon be declared “drug-cleared.”

This was announced by Mayor Gerald Anthony “Samsam” Gullas Jr.

The two barangays are waiting for members of the Regional Oversight Committee on Barangay Drug-Clearing Program to issue a certification on their status.

The committee, which is chaired by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency in Central Visayas, is composed of provincial representatives of the Department of the Interior and Local Government, Philippine National Police, Department of Health and local government units.

The committee had already declared Barangays Maghaway, Biasong, Candulawan, Manipis and Jaclupan as “drug-cleared.”

The mayor said his aim is to have all the city’s 22 barangays declared “drug-cleared” by the end of the year. (BBT)

THE Visayas Command (Viscom) of the Armed Forces of the Philippines has announced that 156 members of the New People’s Army (NPA) have been neutralized between Jan. 1, 2023 and June 30.

The military also seized 223 firearms and 82 anti-personnel mines during the same period.

Among those neutralized were 12 high-value individuals, one of whom was identified as Rogelio Posadas, the noted secretary of the Negros, Cebu, Bohol, Siquijor Regional Committee.

Posadas was killed in an encounter last April 20 in Binalbagan, Negros Occidental.

“I would like to congratulate everyone for a very good job for the first semester of 2023. The exceptional performance that you have shown manifests your strong desire and motivation to serve and protect our people and end the local communist armed conflict in this part of the country,” according to Army Lieutenant General Benedict Arevalo, Viscom commander.

Arevalo said 942 civilian organizations that cooperate with the military’s community program have been created.

He said they will be of great help in the Viscom’s preparations for the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections on Oct. 30.

“The support of our people is vital in our campaign to end the reign of terror in the region. As we sustain our focused military operations to prevent the CPP (Communist Party of the Philippines)-NPA from taking advantage of the upcoming Barangay and SK Elections, let us also continue engaging our people. Let us enlighten them on the evils brought by the CPP-NPA. Let us encourage them to cast their vote on someone who advocates peace and development, who values the ideals of family, and someone who can lead them to prosperity and progress. Not those who sow terror and violence and support the false ideology of the CPP-NPA,” he said. (AYB / PJB)

THE Visayas Command (Viscom) of the Armed Forces of the Philippines has announced that 156 members of the New People’s Army (NPA) have been neutralized between Jan. 1, 2023 and June 30.

The military also seized 223 firearms and 82 anti-personnel mines during the same period.

Among those neutralized were 12 high-value individuals, one of whom was identified as Rogelio Posadas, the noted secretary of the Negros, Cebu, Bohol, Siquijor Regional Committee.

Posadas was killed in an encounter last April 20 in Binalbagan, Negros Occidental.

“I would like to congratulate everyone for a very good job for the first semester of 2023. The exceptional performance that you have shown manifests your strong desire and motivation to serve and protect our people and end the local communist armed conflict in this part of the country," according to Army Lieutenant General Benedict Arevalo, Viscom commander.

Arevalo said 942 civilian organizations that cooperate with the military’s community program have been created.

He said they will be of great help in the Viscom’s preparations for the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections on October 30.

“The support of our people is vital in our campaign to end the reign of terror in the region. As we sustain our focused military operations to prevent the CPP (Communist Party of the Philippines)-NPA from taking advantage of the upcoming Barangay and SK Elections, let us also continue engaging our people. Let us enlighten them on the evils brought by the CPP-NPA. Let us encourage them to cast their vote on someone who advocates peace and development, who values the ideals of family, and someone who can lead them to prosperity and progress. Not those who sow terror and violence and support the false ideology of the CPP-NPA,” he said. (AYB)

THE Visayas Command (Viscom) of the Armed Forces of the Philippines has announced that 156 members of the New People’s Army (NPA) have been neutralized between Jan. 1, 2023 and June 30.

The military also seized 223 firearms and 82 anti-personnel mines during the same period.

Among those neutralized were 12 high-value individuals, one of whom was identified as Rogelio Posadas, the noted secretary of the Negros, Cebu, Bohol, Siquijor Regional Committee.

Posadas was killed in an encounter last April 20 in Binalbagan, Negros Occidental.

“I would like to congratulate everyone for a very good job for the first semester of 2023. The exceptional performance that you have shown manifests your strong desire and motivation to serve and protect our people and end the local communist armed conflict in this part of the country," according to Army Lieutenant General Benedict Arevalo, Viscom commander.

Arevalo said 942 civilian organizations that cooperate with the military’s community program have been created.

He said they will be of great help in the Viscom’s preparations for the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections on October 30.

“The support of our people is vital in our campaign to end the reign of terror in the region. As we sustain our focused military operations to prevent the CPP (Communist Party of the Philippines)-NPA from taking advantage of the upcoming Barangay and SK Elections, let us also continue engaging our people. Let us enlighten them on the evils brought by the CPP-NPA. Let us encourage them to cast their vote on someone who advocates peace and development, who values the ideals of family, and someone who can lead them to prosperity and progress. Not those who sow terror and violence and support the false ideology of the CPP-NPA,” he said. (AYB)

LAUGHING, running, and playing.

This was how 80 children, who were given a new lease on life with free congenital heart defects (CHDs) surgeries, bonded together on Saturday, July 1, 2023, at a fast food restaurant in Cebu City.

A year ago, these children were suffering from a debilitating illness that would have placed them in a lifetime of pain.

Yet with the help of Rotary Club Cebu’s “Gift of Life” program, which has provided free open heart and noninvasive heart surgeries for the last 12 years, these children will lead normal lives.

During the celebration of the group’s new fiscal year on Saturday, Rotary Club president Walter Yap Cang said it was a tradition to bring together the beneficiaries of the Gift of Life program to be symbols of hope.

“By tradition, on the first day of the rotary year (or the group’s fiscal year), we host an event [that] allows children to be gathered,” he told SunStar Cebu.

The civic group is composed of Cebu-based business leaders. It was established in 1932, making it the second oldest club in the country after the Rotary Club of Manila.

Gift of life

The Gift of Life is a program created in partnership with the group’s founding organization — Rotary International, which aims to provide free operations to children with CHDs in Cebu in the past 12 years.

CHDs are present at birth and can alter a baby’s heart’s shape and the way it works. It may have an impact on how blood moves from the heart to the rest of the body.

Aside from the funding from Rotary International, its club members also contribute money out of their pockets to enable the children’s operations.

Cang revealed that they used to bring the patients to the United States for their operations before deciding to have these done in Manila.

“We realized that if we keep continuing that, we can only assist a few children due to how huge the budget is allocated in every trip outside the country, so we decided to just do it here,” he said.

In total, they were able to conduct heart surgeries for around 300 children since the project’s inception in 2011.

Cang said that the cost of heart procedures in private hospitals can range from P500,000 to P1.5 million, depending on the complexity of the procedures.

Lives changed

A 37-year-old father from Consolacion town in northern Cebu is among the grateful parents whose kids received free heart surgeries.

Jomar Galang is a father of four children. Three of his kids had CHDs and were beneficiaries of the Gift of Life program.

Galang said he and his second child Yohan were flown to Dallas, Texas in 2017 for the operation. Yohan is now a healthy and robust seven-year-old.

A year later, his third child was diagnosed with the same disease. Natalie Rose, who is now five years old, was brought to San Antonio, Texas in 2018 to have her open-heart surgery there.

And just recently, Jomar’s youngest baby, Andre, who is just barely a year old, was born with the same disease. He underwent noninvasive heart surgery last January.

“I am very grateful to them. They are really of big help. Now, I am happy to see my kids functioning just like the other normal kids,” he said.

AROUND 1,000 households in Lapu-Lapu City will enjoy a more stable water supply as the Metropolitan Cebu Water District (MCWD) commissioned two wells on Monday, June 26, 2023.

With the new wells, the water district can accommodate additional new service connections to around 1,000 households that still rely on artesian wells for their water supply.

The wells, located in Barangays Bankal and Agus, are among several water sourcing projects of MCWD that are seen to improve the water supply of Lapu-Lapu City in preparation for the El Niño phenomenon.

MCWD general manager Edgar Donoso said the water district has been relentless in its efforts to find new sources of water in Mactan to make the island self-sufficient and no longer dependent on mainland Cebu for its water supply.

The commissioning and blessing were attended by Lapu-Lapu City Mayor Junard ‘Ahong’ Chan, MCWD directors Jodelyn May Seno and lawyer Earl Bonachita, and the MCWD managers.

Chan thanked MCWD for providing the city additional water sources.

“On behalf sa mga taga Lapu-lapu, dako ang atong pasalamat sa MCWD sa ilang gihatag karong adlawa nga duha ka well. Hinaut pa unta daghan pa nga tubig nga moabot sa Syudad sa Lapu-Lapu,” Chan said. (On behalf of the residents of Lapu-Lapu City, I thank MCWD for the two wells that they provided us. Hopefully, our city will get other water sources in the future.)

The two wells, which will serve around 4,000 individuals, are among several projects that MCWD has lined up to improve the supply and distribution of water in Lapu-Lapu City.

Recently, MCWD signed a contract with Philkonstrak Development Corp. to implement a P100-million transmission and distribution pipeline project, with a length of 3,440 meters, along Agus to Mactan Circumferential Road in Lapu-Lapu City.

MCWD also has an ongoing pipeline expansion project at the General Aviation Road and Bangkal Road.

It has also issued notices of award for other transmission and distribution pipeline projects to be implemented in Barangays Basak and Marigondon, and on P. Rodriguez St.

The bidding process for another transmission pipeline project on P. Rodriguez St. is also ongoing.

MCWD is also preparing the detailed engineering design for 10 distribution line expansion projects that can serve more than 15,000 new service connections, in anticipation of the additional volume of water from the desalination plants in Barangays Canjulao and Catarman in Cordova town.

The Cordova project will supply at least 20,000 cubic meters of desalinated seawater daily and is expected to deliver a partial volume of 5,000 cubic meters per day within the year.

The Canjulao plant is expected to deliver 25,000 cubic meters of water daily within 24 months from the contract signing.

MCWD has also finished the bidding process for a bulk water supply project in Basak, Lapu-Lapu City, which will be capable of delivering up to 15,000 cubic meters of water per day.

The new transmission and distribution lines are necessary to reach more households within Mactan Island and increase MCWD’s demand coverage in the area, the water district said. (PR)

TO ADDRESS the flooding problem in communities near the Bulacao River, the Talisay City Government is planning to install sheet piles along the river.

The sheet piles will prevent water from spilling over during heavy rains.

Talisay City Mayor Gerald Anthony “Samsam” Gullas Jr. told SunStar Cebu in an interview on Thursday, June 29, 2023, that the City’s flood-control program will focus on constructing sheet piles along the Bulacao River, which will start next year.

Gullas said it is more important to build flood-control structures along the rivers to prevent water from overflowing, which causes inconvenience and danger to the residents.

“Ang importante is mabutangan jud og sheet piling para ang tubig klaro ang agianan, dili magpakilid and that’s what is going on in Mananga river also,” Gullas added. (The important thing is to put sheet piles so that the water has a clear path to follow, and it will not spill to the sides, which is what’s going on in the Mananga River also.)

Gullas said the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) has already put up sheet piles along the Mojon-Biasong River in Talisay, and they will do the same along the Bulacao River.

As for the clearing of the three-meter easement from the riverbanks, the mayor said the City prefers to take things slowly.

The City Government has yet to determine the number of residents who will be displaced when it is fully implemented. “The DPWH will follow easement as far as the sheet piling is concerned and it will be the DPWH who will identify the residents with the help of the City Government of Talisay,” he added.

With regard to solid waste management in the rivers of Talisay City, people who collect their wastes properly will receive rice and school supplies as incentives.

Gullas said incentives may not be the solution to the problem, but for the mayor, it is important to educate the people not to throw their trash anywhere, and the government should set an example.

LOCAL government units (LGUs) that prohibited the entry of pigs and pork products from Cebu are expected to lift their executive orders (EO) patterned after the Department of Agriculture’s Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) zoning or color-coding policy.

Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia appealed to them to recognize the Court of Appeal’s (CA) issuance of a temporary restraining order (TRO) to halt the implementation of the BAI’s culling and color-coding policy in the province to contain the spread of the African swine fever (ASF).

Garcia announced on Friday, June 30, 2023, that the CA granted their petition to issue a TRO against the enforcement of BAI’s ASF containment policies in the province, citing that its continued implementation will cause grave and irreplaceable damage to Cebu’s P11-billion hog industry.

The news was welcomed in Carcar City, where Cebu’s first ASF case was detected last March.

Mayor Mario Patricio Barcenas told SunStar Cebu on Saturday, July 1, that they have not recorded any new ASF cases lately, saying that normal day-to-day operations have long since resumed in the city.

He said sales of the city’s famous lechon or roasted pig and pork chicharon have returned to pre-ASF levels and remain stable.

He assured that strict biosecurity measures continue to be enforced in the city’s pig farms, slaughterhouses and wet markets.

According to the BAI’s latest report on June 14, ASF had spread to 12 local government units (LGUs) in Cebu, namely the cities of Bogo, Carcar, Cebu, Lapu-Lapu, Mandaue and Talisay, and the towns of Cordova, Liloan, Minglanilla, San Fernando, Sibonga and Tuburan.

Jonathan Young, president of the Central Visayas Pork Producers’ Cooperative, told SunStar Cebu on Saturday that the latest development is good news for hog farmers.

Once the court ruling is imposed, local hog farmers can resume distributing and shipping live hogs outside of Cebu, he said.

He pointed out that the BAI’s ASF policies significantly affected the market value of swine in the province after their products were not accepted by other regions due to the imposed bans.

This resulted in an oversupply of live hogs in Cebu due to the limited market, Young said, adding that the situation also caused the drastic decrease of live weight price of hogs per kilogram from P170 down to P140 to P150 per head, or a loss of P1,000 to P2,000 per swine.

However, Young wondered why the price of pork in the public markets is high despite the drop in the live weight price.

Opening borders

Meanwhile, Young welcomed the collaboration of the Cebu Provincial Government and the Negros Oriental Provincial Government, which agreed to open their borders for the entry and exit of live hogs.

On Thursday, June 29, Garcia and Negros Oriental Gov. Manuel “Chaco” Sagarbarria teamed up to form a unified policy to contain hog-related diseases.

Both officials also agreed to lift their existing EOs banning the mobility of pigs and pork-related products due to the presence of ASF.

Young said Negros Oriental also suffered from an oversupply of live hogs, which resulted in a drastic drop of the live weight price per kilo to around P85 and P90.

However, he hopes the situation will be rectified within a few weeks as cross-province livestock trading resumes.

Glaisa Ersan, who has been selling lechon in Carcar City for 10 years, told SunStar Cebu in a text message that since most if not all of their pigs were sourced from Negros Oriental they had a hard time looking for replacements when the ban took effect due to the ASF.

“Apan karon nga gisabotan na nila pagbalik ni Governor Gwen, mas nigaan ang amoang pamati kay dili na kaayo mi magkara-kara og palit sa bisan asa kay pwede na kaayo mi modiretso sa taboanan which is didtos Mantalongon,” Ersan said.

(Now that Governor Gwen has agreed to allow the entry of live pigs from Negros, we no longer have to worry about looking for a supplier since we can go directly to the farmer’s market in Mantalongon, Barili.)

The Mantalongon livestock facility is the biggest livestock market in Cebu, where traders from other towns in the province as well as from other provinces like Negros and Leyte sell their products.

During Garcia’s meeting with Governor Sagarbarria last Thursday at the Capitol, the latter said he and Garcia agreed to come up with a memorandum of agreement (MOA) to make sure proper protocols and up-to-standard biosecurity are followed.

Garcia had earlier requested the mayors of various localities in Central Visayas and other parts of the country to open their ports and allow their products to enter Cebu as long as they follow the correct method and joint biosecurity measures through a MOA.

Negros Oriental was the first locality to declare its desire to negotiate with Cebu Province.

“We need to know where the pig comes from to make sure it is not infected. As to national standards, that way we can secure our borders more. But this is not just about securing borders, this way we can also support our local farmers because at least now the products can cross borders. Our products that are live, their products that are processed can now cross borders so this is what we are aiming for,” Sagarbarria said in Bisaya.

The MOA is expected to be finalized next week and once signed, it will be implemented immediately. (EHP / ANV, TPT)

THE continued growth in real estate activities in Cebu has prompted a group of young lawyers to expand their services and venture into realty and brokerage.

In an interview Friday, June 30, 2023, Tierra Pro Real Estate Solutions Inc. president Atty. Nestor Crispin Miguel Lumapas said this new venture will allow young professionals to tap into the opportunities in real estate. This also complements the company’s already existing real estate services.

Lumapas said that while they have been in the business of real estate for the last four years, they have yet to introduce the younger generation to the opportunities they can avail themselves of when they become licensed salespersons and eventually become licensed brokers in the industry.

Tierra Pro Real Estate Solutions is a real estate services company based in Cebu that has been offering Cebuanos its expertise in real estate due diligence, admin titling, transfer of title, building administration, parking administration, acquisitions, land use conversion, Department of Agriculture clearance processing, and settlement of estate.

The company is composed of young lawyers led by Lumapas and his co-founders Atty. Paul Danico Blanco, Atty. John Michael Fiel, Atty. Jo. Kristian Borbajo and real estate broker Lovelyn Castañeda.

Tierra Pro currently has seven partner developers and 12 licensed salespersons. The company is accepting more brokers and salespersons.

“We are in Cebu. We are considered as one of the major real estate hubs in the country. We see this as both an opportunity to earn but more so a golden opportunity to educate our younger generation by teaching them about how to think about money, how to invest what they earn, and empowering them with financial literacy,” Lumapas said.

Recently, property advisory firm Colliers Philippines said Cebu’s residential market has remained resilient amid economic uncertainties. It remains as one of the most attractive and largest residential hubs outside Metro Manila.

National developers continue to launch in Metro Cebu as they are optimistic about the locale’s potential for growth post-Covid.

“In our view, the improving sentiment from businesses and individual investors and end-users will likely support the Cebu residential sector’s growth,” the firm said in its latest market report.

It added that the launch of higher-priced condominium units outside Metro Manila also indicates national property firms’ confidence in Cebuano investors’ purchasing power and rising affluence.

“As demand recovers and businesses start to rebound from the adverse impacts of pandemic, now is an ideal time for developers to launch projects that will cater to the demand of both end-users and investors,” the firm said.

In the first quarter of 2023, Colliers recorded take-up of 1,100 condominium units in Cebu, while 420 house-and-lot units were sold in the same period this year.

MICRO, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) are advised to prepare for and recover from disasters to ensure continuous delivery of products and/or services.

“We needed to strengthen the preparedness of MSMEs, many of whom are part of the supply chain of larger corporations and our vendors, so if they fail, we fail in our philosophy so we need to also focus on MSMEs,” Guillermo Luz, chief resilience officer of the Philippine Disaster Resilience Foundation (PDRF), said in a webinar.

Luz said the PDRF has programs built around community resilience, disaster recovery, research and communication, and special projects amid several risks the country is facing.

He said it conducts training for resilience and provides advanced information for the business community.

“You need to have a lot of advanced information, data, (and) follow the news so that you can prepare and anticipate what’s gonna happen. So we do this for companies, in exchange they also band together to be able to help each other, and help the community and help the country,” Luz said.

“So just like the weather forecast, early warning is so important for all our businesses if we want to be prepared. And it is a necessary investment but we think that it’s going to pay its way because we can save a lot of lives, you save a lot of property lost,” he added.

The PDRF has digital tools to help small businesses prepare for disasters and build their resilience -- the Disaster Risk and Disaster Preparedness Needs Assessment Tool and the Business Continuity Capability Assessment Tool.

These are practical checklists for MSME owners to help them determine their readiness for different kinds of disruptions and to measure the effectiveness of having a business continuity plan (BCP).

Luz said the Foundation’s corporate members can avail themselves of the Hazard and Disaster Analysis for Business Resilience (Handa) app.

Handa serves as a unified platform that enables member companies to report, monitor and manage incidents and hazards, enabling them to assess and reduce their risk prior to potential disasters.

“Then, we engage in disaster recovery efforts whether its education, livelihood, environment, shelter, or water sanitation help. This is gonna be a post-disaster kind of activity...,” he added.

Luz said the PDRF has also provided a handbook so firms can follow a template to build their BCPs.

The MSME Guide to Disaster Resilience also includes sample toolkits and exercises which can help them develop their own emergency preparedness. / PHILEXPORT

THE highly anticipated Race for Wellness: The Beauty Adventure was successfully brought to Cebu City by Watsons Philippines on June 24, 2023, leaving the Queen City of the South humming with excitement.

The event, which took place at SM Seaside City Cebu, provided a distinctive fusion of sports, excitement, beauty and wellness. It left attendees with priceless memories and a renewed commitment to their health and well-being.

The race exceeded all expectations, offering an enthralling setting, surprises and a ton of freebies. Giant beauty obstacles that were put strategically throughout the race course to offer an interesting touch were eagerly conquered by beauty fanatics. Participants actually had a beauty adventure unlike any other, navigating their way through enormous blenders and make-up brushes.

The inflatable tunnel filled with foam, which gave the race a fun and immersive element, was one of the event’s highlights. Running through the tunnel, feeling the foam engulf them in an exciting and exhilarating moment, the runners couldn’t contain their joy.

“Watsons is your partner in attaining your health, wellness, and beauty goals. We all share the same passion to get active and to achieve for ourselves a healthier and more beautiful lifestyle. We hope that we’re able to put smiles on our customers’ faces through the Watsons Race for Wellness: The Beauty Adventure. We also hope that everyone enjoyed all the exciting booth activities and performances. As we want all our customers to look good, do good and feel great!” said trading beauty director of Watsons Philippines Kim Reyes.

Along with a unique experience, participants received complete race kits that included singlets, bibs, finisher’s medals and gift bags. In addition to providing a variety of product freebies and samples during the race, Watsons’ partner brands and exhibitors also added to the excitement by making the participants’ journey and enjoyable experience even better.

People from various walks of life were able to connect through Watsons’ Race for

Wellness: The Beauty Adventure, which also highlighted the distinctive identities and

individualities of each participant. On the race tracks, many groups, like the Mandaue PWD

(Persons with Disabilities) Community, Petlovers and LoveYourself Cebu, could be seen having a good time.

Mark Mahinay and Evamie Villarin took first place in the 5K Male & Female category as the overall champions. Dhem AJ Monton and Art Joy Torregosa took first place in the 10K category.

“The event was fun. Though I haven’t beaten my personal best, I still did all my best on running the 10 kilometer run category,” Torregosa said.

“We are thrilled to have successfully brought the Race for Wellness: The Beauty Adventure to Cebu City. This event truly embodies our dedication to providing our customers with countless ways while staying beautiful. We believe in a holistic approach to health care that goes beyond traditional norms. The Race for Wellness: The Beauty Adventure is a perfect example of that,” said senior assistant vice president for marketing at Watsons Philippines Sharon Decapia.

For its significant contributions to the resounding success of The Race for Wellness: The

Beauty Adventure in Cebu City, Watsons Philippines expresses its sincere gratitude to the outstanding participants, committed volunteers, priceless partners and supportive local government.

UNDEFEATED prospect Regie Suganob attempts to become a world champion as he challenges International Boxing Federation (IBF) light flyweight titleholder Sivenathi Nontshinga on Sunday, July 2, 2023, at the ICC Centre in East London, South Africa.

Suganob is known for his technical boxing skills and he’ll use that as his main arsenal against Nontshinga.

“Our game plan is calculated boxing. The opportunity for a knockout is always there but we want to stick with our game plan, wear down Nontshinga and wait for him to make a mistake then go for the knockout,” PMI Boxing’s head Floriezyl Echavez Podot, Suganob’s handler, told SunStar Cebu.

Filipinos rarely come out victorious in South Africa against a South African in a title fight. However, Podot is confident the judges will give it to the rightful winner if the fight reaches a decision.

“Scoring points is Regie’s bread and butter in his fights. We are not also afraid of the officiating because the officials that are assigned are fair,” said Podot.

The judges assigned to this fight are Filipino Gil Co, South African Deon Dwarte and American Lisa Giampa.

The 25-year-old Suganob earned a world title shot after winning an eighth-round technical decision over fellow Pinoy Mark Vicelles in an IBF light flyweight title eliminator last Feb. 25 in Bohol.

On the other hand, the 24-year-old Nontshinga just won the vacant IBF light flyweight belt after a split-decision win over Hector Flores in Mexico.

Suganob is 13-0 with four knockouts, while Nontshinga is 11-0 with nine knockouts.

If victorious, Suganob joins World Boxing Association and International super bantamweight king Marlon Tapales as the country’s world champions. (EKA)

TAXPAYERS engaged in exports and e-commerce should this early start preparing to comply with electronic invoicing requirements as the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) broadens the coverage of its electronic invoicing system (EIS) implementation, according to a tax expert.

Lawyer Rule Oporto, senior director for business tax services at SGV & Co., said that after launching the pilot EIS implementation among 100 large taxpayers in July 2022, the agency is now poised to roll out the project to all other covered taxpayers.

The BIR has identified an additional 100 taxpayers for this year’s rollout, which will cover not just the large taxpayers but also those engaged in the export of goods and services and those engaged in e-commerce.

Moreover, the agency has identified an additional 500 taxpayers for inclusion in the pilot by the fourth quarter, said Oporto in a recent webinar conducted by the American Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines.

The EIS is an electronic platform developed by the BIR with the capability to receive, process and store data from taxpayers.

BIR issued last year the Revenue Regulations (RR) 8-2022 on policies and guidelines for the use of EIS and RR 9-2022 on the admissibility of sales documents in electronic format.

She said the agency will be issuing revenue memorandum circulars (RMCs) to clarify RR 8-2022 and provide guidelines to covered taxpayers on EIS implementation.

RR 8-2022 states that taxpayers mandated to comply with e-invoicing are the following: those engaged in the export of goods and services, those engaged in e-commerce, and large taxpayers.

Taxpayers not mandated to issue e-receipts/e-invoices and/or transmit sales data to the EIS may continue to use manual receipts/invoices or issue computerized accounting system (CAS) or point-of-sales (POS)-generated receipts/invoices based on existing revenue issuances, said Oporto.

However, taxpayers who opt to issue e-receipts or e-invoices and transmit sales data to the EIS may comply with the provisions of these regulations, she continued.

Opporto clarified that what should be transmitted to the EIS are the sales data and not the source documents.

According to the guidelines issued to the pilot taxpayers, sales data required for transmittal include document number, issuance date, unique ID number, seller information, buyer information, details of items/nature of service sold, sales amount, value added tax, discounts, correction code/reasons, withholding tax and other taxable/non-taxable revenue, she said.

Source documents of the sales data include sales invoices, official receipts, service billings, debit memo/debit note, credit memo/credit note and other adjustment documents.

BIR also prescribes that sales reporting must start the day after the PTT is issued, and that transmission must be done in real time or near real time, which is within three calendar days from the transaction date.

Taxpayers face penalties for late or no transmission of sales data. For each day of violation, the penalty is one-tenth of one percent of the annual net income for the second year preceding or P10,000, whichever is higher. If the days of violation exceed 180 days, the penalty is a permanent closure. / PHILEXPORT

The Supreme Court (SC) decision suspending the law license of Lorenzo “Larry” Gadon proves that there are limits to the kind and amount of muck or dirt one can throw during an election campaign.

The campaign is unfortunately considered a free-for-all where anything goes to ensure the victory of a candidate. The message of the Supreme Court (SC) is that it is no longer true. There are limits to the throwing of insults even in a campaign.

Gadon was a senatorial candidate under the lineup of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in the May 2022 elections. He was appointed by Marcos as presidential adviser on poverty alleviation with the rank of secretary at the end of the one-year ban on those who unsuccessfully ran during the May 9, 2022, national and local elections.

Despite his disbarment, Gadon was not removed from his anti-poverty post, although he was absent from the first meeting held Saturday, July 1, 2023, by Marcos for the National Anti-Poverty Commission.

The SC disbarred Gadon for his “misogynistic, sexist and abusive remarks” against female journalist Raissa Robles, South China Morning Post correspondent in Manila. At one point Gadon had shouted that Robles should go f___ a dog.

The SC said Gadon’s actions against Robles were “indisputably scandalous that it discredits the legal profession.” A total of 15 justices voted for his disbarment, making the decision unanimous.

But for Gadon, he succeeded in making Marcos win and that was all that counted. He said in an ANC report, “If I did not counter those acts of Raissa Robles, then people would’ve or might have believed her. Then, my President might not have won.”

This is what the election campaign in the country has come to — with muckraking or dirt being thrown at candidates, their camps, or the media regardless of the truth.

It was in December 2021 when Gadon posted a video of himself answering allegations of Robles against Marcos on his tax returns. It was for Gadon “valid” muck or dirt he threw at Robles in the heat of the campaign season.

The electorate can only hope the next general elections would have a limit to the muck-raking and a leveling-up in the quality of political discourse on platforms of government and plans for the next years.

The SC is telling future candidates and their handlers or “bulldogs” they should put the leash on those who can only damage their campaigns. There are limits to the amount and kind of muck one can throw at a rival candidate’s camp or the media whose job it is to raise questions as part of the campaign discussion.

It is not clear if Gadon is still the presidential adviser on poverty alleviation because he was not present in the Saturday anti-poverty commission meeting. What is clear is that it is risky to have him in anybody’s election campaign and he should be restrained if he goes too far again.

I spotted them on my first run here. I actually thought someone was raising ducks in the development.

In the beginning, they seemed wary of me which should have raised a red flag they were not domesticated creatures. When I ran past them the first few times on the trails, they seemed to cautiously retreat to the trees.

I didn’t think about it then but now, I remember the rangers in Africa telling us about the wildlife and their charging distance.

You have to keep a certain distance between yourself and the wildlife or they will charge at you. Breaching that distance intrudes upon their personal space and territory. This intrusion will be interpreted as an attack and they will be compelled to defend themselves.

On a walking safari in Botswana, we saw a herd of elephants in the distance. We were not walking towards them but walking on the same fields with them somehow agitated them. They suddenly gave off an angry sound.

That was the ominous warning that got us scrambling to walk in another direction. As we walked farther and farther away from them, the elephants calmed down.

So, did the ducks scare me? Not really. Though, they were plenty. At least 30 on their first appearance. But probably more. I had never seen them before. But I had never ventured into the trails, either.

I did not approach or try to pet them. I knew better. All those trips to Africa got me safari-trained.

When I excitedly told my siblings about them, they laughed and told me I was probably hallucinating. No one was raising ducks in the development. They told me they needed proof of life.

To my dismay, I found no sign of them in my succeeding runs. I began to wonder if I had hallucinated. After all.

In my earnest search for the ducks, I began to notice a pond beyond the trees where I saw the ducks retreat when they first saw me running through the trails. When I told my sibs about the pond, my brother said there was now a possibility that I was not hallucinating. After all.

Obviously, these ducks were wildlife. No one was raising them.

To my delight, I, eventually, saw them again. I provided proof of life via videos and photos. It was then when my sister identified them as Canadian Geese.

They’re all over North America and can be found close to water, feeding typically in open grassy areas. They’re rarely aggressive to people unless nesting their young. And they’re one of the most intelligent birds having great memory of people, animals and situations.

In the succeeding runs, they no longer retreated when I ran past them. They must have recognized me then and knew I posed no threat. Just when we were starting to grow on one another, things had to end. And that’s why you have to bolt your heart shut. Sometimes.

They came to see me on my last run. I will hold on to the memories till I see them again.

In a captivating display of creativity, sustainability and sheer beauty, the Bezza Santorini Cruise Collection made its grand debut at Kandaya Resort in Daanbantayan, Cebu on May 23, 2023.

Claudia Bezza Yeung, the talented designer and former fashion model, unveiled her fifth collection, which consisted of 55 remarkable pieces inspired by the enchanting colors and captivating atmosphere of Santorini, Greece.

As the sun began its descent over the horizon, casting its warm glow upon the ocean, 15 top professional and celebrity models graced the longest catwalk in the country — a mesmerizing fourth of a kilometer-long stretch right on the edge of the breathtaking resort. Against this stunning backdrop, Bezza’s creations took center stage, exuding elegance and versatility.

What sets Bezza’s designs apart is her unwavering commitment to sustainability. With a dedication to reducing fashion waste, she sources discarded fabrics from China and Dubai, breathing new life into them through her ingenious craftsmanship. For this collection, fabrics acquired at different times were meticulously stored since the pandemic, awaiting their transformation into Bezza’s Santorini-inspired vision.

The one-size-fits-all concept is beautifully realized throughout Bezza’s creations. Loose and flowing on some bodies, while embracing and accentuating curves on others, the designs celebrate individuality and offer endless possibilities. Each garment is ingeniously constructed to transform effortlessly, allowing the wearer to curate an entire wardrobe with a single dress — an embodiment of Bezza’s design mantra.

Bezza’s creative process, deeply rooted in her fashion journey, speaks volumes about her dedication to her craft. Drawing inspiration from her mother, she honed her sewing skills at an early age, adorning her dolls with scraps of fabric. Her experience as a globetrotting fashion model compelled her to reimagine her wardrobe, repurposing and customizing garments to create unique looks. Eventually, her creations gained recognition and found a home with fellow models.

Dispensing with traditional sketching methods, she finds solace in manipulating fabrics directly on the body. Draping and sewing on her own physique, she discovers new possibilities for transformation. This intuitive approach infuses her designs with an organic, personalized touch, ensuring that each piece is a testament to the wearer’s individuality.

A pivotal moment during the fashion show was when the sun gracefully descended into the horizon, casting its fiery colors upon the runway. As the radiant hues danced on the models’ garments, an ethereal ambiance engulfed the venue, perfectly encapsulating the harmonious blend of nature and fashion that Claudia Bezza Yeung envisioned.

The Bezza Santorini Cruise Collection has surely marked a new chapter in sustainable fashion.

@SKYWALKER: Early this year, there was a big issue in the office. Because we were supposedly brainstorming, I was so candid to point out the lapses of our boss that contributed to the situation. Well, I was right in the points I made. But I think I was wrong for putting her on the spot. Our relationship went downhill from there. She gave me a rating as a performer corresponding to a very minimal raise even if I was performing, overall, higher than my peers. And she does not hesitate to highlight everything she thinks were wrong with my job to the point like she’s already singling me out. I love working for this company. Can I still recover from this situation?

DJ: It is a delicate situation. Given the limited information, I can’t absolutely say what you did was right or wrong. Let me tell you this though — timing and manner make a huge difference. A private setting is preferred. Unless it’s a life and death situation. Doing it in front of others can be embarrassing. I’m sure you’ve heard about the adage that people can forget what’s said but not how it made them feel. Did you carefully frame your claim in a respectful manner? Did you offer suggestions or solutions instead of just attacking the decision? Were you calm and not emotional?

I was also the straight-forward type when I was a corporate guy. We were told we had a culture of straight talk. Through time I realized there is more to it than what meets the eye. One still needs to observe the boss’ communication style and adapt accordingly. We want to envision bosses as servant leaders. But keep in mind that they are humans too. Some prefer direct and assertive communication. Others respond better to a subtle and diplomatic approach. Thus, the need to customize our approach. It increases the likelihood of a positive outcome.

If indeed the relationship has turned sour, can you still recover? Your points were right. If, however, you think you made a misstep in your timing and manner, take responsibility. It shows maturity and a willingness to learn from the experience. Let her know you understand the impact of your action. No need to make excuses. I’m sure you know that an apology with an excuse is a case of sorry but not sorry. Ask for her input on how you both can rebuild trust. It demonstrates sincerity to learn from it and to repair the relationship. Having a coach, preferably outside your company, to navigate the situation helps. Patience, resilience and dedication to move this forward can get you through.

Trust is both earned and given. Keep that in mind. No matter how hard you work on earning it again, she must do her part as well. Now that’s beyond your control. Other factors are also coming into play like the nature of your relationship with her prior to the incident, your track record, the strength of the foundation of trust, her management style, not to mention her willingness as a person to forget and move forward. From the experiences of people I know, a soured relationship with the boss can hardly be made sweet again. Who knows? Your case might be among the few exceptions. You can give this about a year or so. Then decide from there.

Everyone makes mistakes. It does not define your worth or capabilities. I also made some missteps with bosses in the past. But things still turned out for the better. Everything we go through — both good and bad — are opportunities for growth and learning. I wouldn’t have the insights that can fill a Sunday column if not for a couple of mistakes made! No regrets. Just lessons learned. You can’t undo what happened. No use dwelling on it. I suggest you shift your attention towards finding solutions, both inside and outside the company. You are much stronger than your circumstance. You can rise from this better, stronger and wiser. All the best!

I came across a video recently that warns people to not “wish on a false star.” It was one of those videos that teaches important life lessons in the guise of mystical and strange short stories. In this one, the narrator warns how wishing on a false star can make your wishes go wrong and how it eventually steals all hope. This sheds light on how one is forced to make big life decisions by those around oneself which just drains anyone. While many look up to the stars for guidance and protection, one must forget the strength and certainty of oneself.

There is strength and certainty within everyone. It just needs to be found and brought out by the right people. In my line of work, a specific factor of Human Success, Heaven Luck, can find strength and direction. Heaven Luck deals with everything and anything about a person. From their possible future jobs, to who they are, to their future prosperity, nothing can hide from Heaven Luck. With Heaven Luck, one would not need the stars for guidance and direction.

Although knowledge is power, without the force or the action behind it, it is as strong as having no knowledge at all. With our Man Luck, another factor of Human Success that deals with our actions, one is able to make their dreams and goals a little bit closer. However, Man Luck isn’t just our hard work, but it is also our preparation for it. Making plans, acquiring more knowledge and finding the right time. Though one needs to act, one must not forget to be smart in our actions for the maximum rewards to be reaped.

Despite these two factors being substantial and reaching what one wishes for, one last factor is what can seal the deal. That factor is our Earth Luck, which deals with the energy of an environment. Knowing one’s Heaven Luck, one can be quick to realize how the environment is not favoring oneself, however, to change it is easier said than done. Heaven Luck and Man Luck must be used in harmony so that the ideal Earth Luck may be achieved.

One detail I intentionally left out are the external factors that can make this more difficult. Those factors can be societal expectations, loved ones, and even our own confidence. While there are many case by case situations to consider, what I know is that, would you rather live a life where you never did the things you loved to do? To do the things one loves and to shine beautifully while doing it isn’t just something one benefits from, because with our shine, one can be the real star people can wish on.

The senior years can become fertile soil for the Boredom Grass to sprout on and thrive.

July is “National Anti-Boredom Month,” a celebration created by Alan Caruba in 1980. Caruba wanted to pull people away from twiddling their thumbs or doing Marites stuff (gossiping) or doing a Karen (entitled complaining and the like) for lack of better acts to do.

There is a phobia associated with the fear of boredom: thaasophobia. Now I can go back to CodyCross to fill in the last blank in the puzzle.

The fact that boredom has a “medical” twang means it is serious, and the fact that I play CodyCross means I am seriously nearing the Marites or Karen level of boredom.

Many seniors in my neighborhood look out of their windows, waiting for the second tranche of their pension to come. Others sit by pawnshop benches, watching the world go by.

If boredom was not even defined by the Greeks because they considered it “as natural as breathing” (from National Today, my source), should we be concerned?

Yes. According to my source, researchers have shown how too many empty hours can give rise to psychological symptoms such as anxiety, depression, aggression, and even heart ailments among other issues.

If you are getting bored with this, here’s a bit of history (never get bored with history; we are all part of it).

In the 2nd Century A.D., a Roman chief saved a town from boredom. In 1852, in his book “Bleak House,” Charles Dickens used boredom for the first time.

For the first time in Prose-Sake, it is cited that seniors can be hard hit by boredom, partly for being housebound with nothing to do.

But even non-seniors can struggle with boredom. Believe the Greeks. We all breathe.

Fight boredom. Maybe that neighbor of mine is on to something as she passes her time in front of the village pawnshop. She gets to meet people she knows to get the latest Marites topic or add to Karen issues.

The point in first aid to boredom is to get off your butt, and go out, force yourself if need be, to take a walk, talk to people to redirect focus away from yourself. If you can’t get out, maybe CodyCross and other game apps can lessen the edge of doing nothing.

Share your skills. A senior who goes by the name Thelma frequently holds free quilting sessions in her church’s social center to teach young and old this fabulous craft. She expands her circle of friends and comes home refreshed.

Give yourself a treat. Go to the new milk tea kiosk in your village. Get flavors you have never tried before. Make activity as normal as breathing to fight boredom.