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Philippines posts first two cases of Centaurus variant

PHILIPPINE STAR/ MIGUEL DE GUZMAN

THE PHILIPPINES has detected its first two cases of the Omicron subvariant BA.2.75, according to the Department of Health.

The two patients infected with the variant called Centaurus came from the Western Visayas, Health officer-in-charge Maria Rosario S. Vergeire told a news briefing on Tuesday. Both have recovered, she added.

“The exposure of individuals, travel histories and health status are being verified,” she said, adding that one of the two patients was unvaccinated while the other had been partially inoculated.

The highly infectious BA.2.75 has been detected in several countries. Scientists still do not know how severe it is, Ms. Vergeire said.

She said the Philippine infection rate for COVID-19 had risen to 16.7%, way above the World Health Organization’s ideal threshold of 5%.

Still, the country remains at low risk from the coronavirus, she said. “Nationally, we are still at low-risk classification with a daily average attack rate of 2.9 cases per 100,000 population.”

The capital region remains at moderate risk from the virus, with a daily average daily attack rate of 8.16 cases per 100,000 population.

Ms. Vergeire said 1,015 more BA.5 cases had also been detected in all regions except in the Zamboanga Peninsula and Northern Mindanao. Three returning overseas Filipinos also tested for the subvariant, she added.

Of the new BA.5 cases, 883 have recovered, while 84 were still in isolation. The status of the remaining 48 cases were still being verified.

Ms. Vergeire said there were also 26 new BA.4 patients, six of whom came from Metro Manila, four from Cagayan Valley, three from Western Visayas, two each from Central Luzon, Calabarzon, Bicol, Davao, Soccsksargen and the Cordillera Administrative Region, and one from the Ilocos region.

Twenty-one of the BA.4 patients have been recovered, while two were still in isolation, Ms. Vergeire said.

Meanwhile, 18 more patients have been infected with the BA.2.12.1 subvariant, five of whom came from Metro Manila, three each from the Ilocos and Cordillera regions, two each from Western Visayas, Central Visayas, and Calabarzon and one from Cagayan Valley.

Thirteen of the new BA.2.12.1 patients have already recovered, while four were still in isolation.

The exposures and travel histories of all the newly detected cases of Omicron subvariants were still being verified, Ms. Vergeire said.

Aside from COVID-19, the country is also facing threats from dengue, Ms. Vergeire said, with cases having more than doubled to 82,597 as of July 16. She said 20,261 cases were recorded from June 19 to July 16.

Most dengue cases were recorded in Central Luzon at 13,449, Central Visayas at 8,905 and the National Capital Region at 6,884, Ms. Vergeire said.

She said 10 of 17 regions have exceeded the epidemic threshold in the past four weeks, with Cagayan Valley, the Cordillera Administrative Region and Mimaropa having experienced an increase in cases.

In a statement, the DoH said 319 dengue-related deaths nationwide have been reported so far, 32 of which occurred in July and 72 in June.

The agency said hospitals and clinics have fast lanes for dengue patients in their emergency areas “for prompt diagnosis and management of cases.” — Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza

PHL teams rout Angola, Monaco

GM Banjo Barcenilla — PHILIPPINE STAR FILE PHOTO

Women’s team zooms to top 12, men’s climbs to 18th place

WOMAN Grandmaster (WGM) Janelle Mae Frayna leaned on her endgame creativity in clawing her way out of trouble and into a victory and powered the Philippines to a 3.5-0.5 rout of Angola on Monday night and into the top 12 after four rounds of the 44th World Chess Olympiad in Chennai, India.

After an opening misstep that blew away her early positional edge, Ms. Frayna gave up the exchange and then watched Esperanca Caxita implode in the endgame to carve out a 71-move win of an English Opening that sealed the one-sided win.

Jan Jodilyn Fronda and Marie Antoinette San Diego were quick to hammer out victories on boards two and three while WGM candidate Kylen Joy Mordido couldn’t cash in on her winning chances by splitting the point with Renelsa Taiane Antonio on last board.

The emphatic triumph catapulted the Filipinas, whose participation is sponsored by the Philippine Sports Commission, into 34-country tie for 12th place with six match points to show.

Seeded 39th, they could ram their way into the top 10 if they could sustain their spectacular form and shock the Netherlands, seeded 17th who were smashed by the Poles, 3.5-0.5, in the fifth round at press time.

National women’s team coach and non-playing captain GM Jayson Gonzales could stick with Mses. Frayna, Fronda and San Diego and possibly send in Shania Mae Mendoza in the 19-year-old Ms. Mordido’s place as they go all out for nothing less than a win against the mighty Dutch.

MEN’S SQUAD
Equally impressive were the Filipinos, who slammed Monaco, 3.5-0.5, on a win that was sealed by GM Banjo Barcenilla escaping defeat with a marathon 80-move standoff of a King’s Indian Attack with Ukrainian-born WGM Tatiana Dornbusch on top board.

GMs John Paul Gomez and Darwin Laylo and International Master Paulo Bersamina all had easier paths in outclassing their respective opponents from boards two to four to lift the country to a 23-nation logjam at 18th spot also with six points.

The GM Eugene Torre-mentored 52nd-seeded squad was clashing with 31st pick Sweden at press time with GM Mark Paragua back on board one in Barcenilla’s place. — Joey Villar

Rookie swimmer Alegarbes splashes to record-breaking golden double in Para Games

ARIEL Joseph Alegarbes proudly displays the two gold medals he won in the swimming competition of the 11th ASEAN Para Games on Monday at the Jatadiri Sports Complex pool in Semarang, Indonesia.

SURAKARTA, Indonesia — Ariel Joseph Alegarbes made a splashing debut in the 11th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Para Games on Monday, capturing two gold medals in record-breaking style at the Jatidiri Sports Complex pool in Semarang.

In front of a lean yet animated Filipino crowd, among them his father Abner, Mr. Alegarbes had an unforgettable outing in ruling the men’s 100-meter backstroke S14 event in thrilling fashion, surging in the last 10 meter to win the race by a touch in one minute and .03.01 seconds.

He nipped Malaysia’s Muhammad Imaan Aiman, who had wrested the lead at the 75-meter mark but lost team and settled for silver in 1:03.20, while Thailand’s Mrjirachot Chuvong was a distant third and took the bronze medal (1:11.68).

Barely taking a breather, the 18-year-old Victoria, Negros Oriental pride was back at the pool, but this time led from start to finish in handily winning the men’s 50-butterfly S14 in 26.43 seconds, completing a golden double in his rookie stint in the biennial meet.

On top of being the country’s first double gold medalist in the meet, Mr. Alegarbes established new meet records in both events, first smashing the five-year-old mark of 1:03.60 in the 100-meter backstroke set by Indonesia’s Muhammad in the 2017 Kuala Lumpur ASEAN Para Games.

He also bested by nearly four seconds the joint record of 30.01 seconds held by Malaysian W.Y. Chung and Indonesian D. Nugruho also set in the same Games held in the Malaysian capital.

“I feel like I am about to explode because I was not expecting this. This is for my father who led me into swimming. Without him, I wouldn’t be here,” said Mr. Alegarbes, who suffers from ADHD with learning disability with dyslexia, while handing both mints to his delighted father.

Mr. Alegarbes’s success was a brilliant follow-up to his winning one gold and one silver medal in the 100-meter butterfly S14 and 100-meter backstroke S14, respectively, in the Asian Youth Para Games held in Manama, Bahrain last December.

Veteran Ernie Gawilan, who won the men’s 400-meter freestyle S7 event last Monday, settled for silver in the men’s 100-meter backstroke S7 in 1:21.13 for the other swimming medal of the day in the stint supported by the Philippine Sports Commission.

The country’s track and field team likewise continued to have a productive campaign on Tuesday morning at the Manahan Stadium with runner and newcomer King James Reyes and veteran thrower Jesebel Tordecilla in boosting the athletic haul to four golds and counting.

Mr. Reyes topped the men’s 5,000-meter race T46 event, his time pending confirmation from meet officials, while Ms. Tordecilla took the gold with her heave of 14.21 meters on her third attempt.

A gold medalist in the women’s javelin throw T54 last Monday, Cendy Asusano added a bronze to her collection in the women’s discus throw, which was the same medals won by Ron Russel Mitra and Evaristo Carbonel in the men’s long jump T20 and men’s discus throw F11-13, respectively.

With the production of swimming and athletics combined for the day, the PH para-athletes had nine gold, six silver and 15 bronze medals as they pressed to eclipse the tally of 20 golds, 20 silvers and 29 bronzes in winding up fifth overall in 2017.

There might be more golds in the offing later in the day in athletics as well as chess where FIDE Master Sander Severino winning their fifth and penultimate round matches to virtually ensure the country of at least four mints in the P1 and B2-B3 classes.

Mr. Severino, who bagged four golds in the 2018 Jakarta Asian Para Games, bested fellow FIDE Master Maksum Firdaus of Indonesia while rookie Darry Bernardo repulsed Vietnam’s Duong Hien Vuong to seize top spot in their respective classes with 4.5 points apiece.

Mr. Severino was up against National Master Henry Lopez while Mr. Bernardo was taking on teammate Arman Subaste in the final round scheduled in the afternoon.

Let the PBA semifinals hostilities begin

JUNE Mar Fajardo (second from left) and Chris Newsome (third from left) lead their respected team. — PBA MEDIA

A CHAMPION out to extend its reign. A bridesmaid raring to go all the way. An old ruler intent on regaining lost glory. A contender bent on scoring a breakthrough.

All hungry and determined, holder TnT, last season’s runner-up Magnolia, former five-peat king San Miguel Beer (SMB) and titlist-wannabe Meralco crank up their bids as the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) blasts off its Philippine Cup semifinals on Wednesday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

The Tropang Giga and the Hotshots fire the opening salvo at 3 p.m. in a livewire best-of-seven series pitting the victors of the All-Filipino finale in Bacolor, Pampanga against their vanquished opponent.

The Beermen and the Bolts battle for a 1-0 head start in their own race-to-four affair at 6 p.m.

“It’s going to be a dogfight,” said Magnolia coach Chito Victolero.

Though the Tropang Giga dominated their last title confrontation, 4-1, and prevailed in their lone encounter in the tournament, 78-72, coach Chot Reyes reiterated this Final Four is a whole different ball game.

“They’re the hottest team right now; they’ve won nine of their last 10 games. It will take our best to be competitive against them,” said Mr. Reyes.

TnT vanguards Mikey Williams, Jayson Castro, RR Pogoy, Troy Rosario and Kelly Williams are up against Magnolia counterparts Paul Lee, Mark Barroca, Ian Sangalang, Calvin Abueva and Jio Jalalon in this marquee matchup.

Meanwhile, SMB, with its high-powered roster, takes the next step in its journey to reclaim the jewel it last held in 2019.

On the other side are the charging Bolts, who are gunning for SMB’s scalp after giving old tormentor Barangay Ginebra the boot in the quarterfinals in their continuing quest for a historic PBA crown.

“San Miguel’s the No. 1 (seeded) team. They’re a different animal altogether with June Mar Fajardo, Mo Tautuaa, Vic Manuel, CJ Perez, Marcio Lassiter, Chris Ross; they’re going to be a handful,” said Luigi Trillo, who is pinch-hitting for on-leave coach Norman Black.

“But I’m confident our guys can put up a good fight. We have guys all around who can chip in,” he added, referring to the likes of Chris Newsome, Aaron Black, Cliff Hodge, Allein Maliksi and Raymond Almazan. — Olmin Leyba

UP battles CSB; Adamson faces Perpetual Help

UNDEFEATED University of the Philippines (UP) and Adamson University aim to firm up grip on Pool A leadership when they go separate ways against gritty counterparts in the Filoil EcoOil Preseason Cup at the Filoil EcoOil Centre in San Juan.

At 3-0, the Fighting Maroons aim to widen their gap from the Group A pack against College of St. Benilde (CSB) (1-1) at 5 p.m., while the Soaring Falcons (2-0) seek to stay within striking distance versus University of Perpetual Help System DALTA (1-1) at 3 p.m.

Lyceum of the Philippines University (LPU), meanwhile, shoots for a solo lead in Group B against Santo Tomas (1-0) at 9 a.m. followed by the clash of winless University of the East (UE) (0-3) and Arellano University (0-3) at 11 a.m.

In the middle of the loaded five-game schedule is San Beda’s bid to hand newly-minted mentor Yuri Escueta his first coaching debut against Far Eastern University (FEU) (1-2) at 1 p.m.

The spotlight, however, is on reigning University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) champion UP that has stamped its class in the 17-team preseason tilt with an unblemished campaign so far against Mapua, Perpetual Help and UE.

Led by Gilas Pilipinas stalwart Carl Tamayo, the Fighting Maroons took care of their first three assignments by an average winning margin of 19.3 points for a rousing start in their UAAP title defense buildup. — John Bryan Ulanday

Red Bull crowns winner of Dance Your Style Philippines

THE Filipino dancing community saw an incredible display of moves and passion with every battle between the country’s best dancers on July 23rd at the Bonifacio High Street Amphitheater during the National Finals of Red Bull Dance Your Style. Out of the Top 16 dancers, Mickey Yatar came out on top and will represent the Philippines at the World Finals.

Living up to the hype, each and every one of the 16 competitors left it all on the dance floor during the National Finals. In the end, Mr. Yatar and Carlos “Taz” Naval, Jr. were the two dancers left standing. Following two intense rounds of pure skill and adaptability, Mr. Yatar won the hearts of the crowd and was crowned the champion and the representative of the Philippines.

PGA Tour announces record prize money for upcoming season

NEW YORK — The Professional Golfers’ Association (PGA) Tour announced record prize money for the 2022-2023 season on Monday, with eight invitationals offering “elevated” purses between $15 million and $25 million.

The move comes as the circuit is fighting back against the Saudi-backed LIV Golf Invitational Series, which has led to the defection of several high-profile players on multimillion dollar deals, including six-times major winner Phil Mickelson.

The total value of the purses for the 43 non-majors is $428.6 million, an increase of $68.3 million from the previous season, according to the tour.

“We’ve heard from our fans and the overwhelming sentiment was that they wanted more consequences for both the FedExCup Regular Season and the Playoffs, and to further strengthen events that traditionally feature top players competing head-to-head,” PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan said in a statement.

Just 70 players will earn a start to the first FedExCup Playoffs event, with the Tour Championship set to begin Aug. 21 in Atlanta. The tour moves to a calendar-year season in 2024.

Last month, the PGA Tour sent a memo to players outlining a new ranking called the “FedExCup Playoffs and Eligibility Points List” that omits players who have been suspended but not resigned from the circuit.

The move ensured those who joined the LIV Golf Invitational Series do not negatively impact others’ eligibility.

The 2022-23 PGA Tour season will include 47 tournaments and begins September 12 with the Fortinet Championship in Napa, California. — Reuters

Free agency violations

There was a time when the start of free agency in the National Basketball Association coincided with significant announcements on the status of marquee players. Social media would be abuzz with signings left and right as soon as the minute hand reached 12 on the clock. It was supposed to be the moment team officials could begin reaching out to talents they wished to keep or add to their stable. Instead, it became the signal for deals to be announced, in direct contravention of existing policy on the matter. Rules were being followed in the breach, and no one batted an eyelash because, well, everyone crossed the line. Not doing so was tantamount to accepting a significant handicap; truancy meant just keeping up.

In 2019, the front office had enough. In yet another instance of the league highlighting the importance of regulations, it announced that it would be cracking down on free agency violations. Not long after, its probes led to penalties being imposed on such notables as the Bucks and Heat. Fast forward to 2022, and investigations are again under way.

For the Sixers, on tap are agreements they forged with veterans P.J. Tucker and Danuel House that could not have been possible without resident All-Star James Harden taking a pay cut. Which was all well and good, except that the latter hadn’t done so yet at the time his former Rockets teammates were welcomed into the fold. Meanwhile, the Knicks find themselves needing to explain the manner in which they were able to secure the services of erstwhile Maverick Jalen Brunson, who just so happened to be a former client of president Leon Rose, and who just so happened to be the son of newly minted assistant coach Rick Brunson.

There is, to be sure, something to be said about the NBA being selective in its exercise of control. After all, other examples of infringements abound. Take the Nuggets, who announced that they inked bench fodder DeAndre Jordan to a contract in no time at all. Not that de facto flouting of the law excuses the action; the fact that everybody’s guilty does not exonerate those who were caught. Needless to say, the intent of the league is to send a message.

In this regard, commissioner Adam Silver’s intent is not to be punitive; his aim is to curb the practice through prevention, and making examples of a handful should be enough for the purpose. It’s why the penalties look good on paper, but are meted with caution. That said, the efficacy of docking offending parties with second-round draft picks as opposed to going full tilt with $10-million fines and suspensions of executives remains to be seen.

Interestingly, affected protagonists don’t seem to be crying foul — at least not publicly. Mavericks owner Mark Cuban, for instance, characterized Brunson’s change of address as “perfect. I saw nothing wrong at all. That’s just the business. That’s just the way it works.” The NBA is contending that it shouldn’t be, and time will tell if it will win the argument in the end.

Anthony L. Cuaycong has been writing Courtside since BusinessWorld introduced a Sports section in 1994. He is a consultant on strategic planning, operations and Human Resources management, corporate communications, and business development.

Election watchdog questions choice of Comelec chief amid credibility issues 

PHILIPPINE STAR/ MICHAEL VARCAS

THE APPOINTMENT of George Erwin M. Garcia, a former election lawyer of the President, as chair of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) does not temper credibility issues faced by the agency, an election watchdog convenor said on Tuesday. 

“His appointment is a little surprising and alarming since we know the Comelec has trust and credibility issues due to the documented cases of fraud and other irregularities, and this recycled appointment does not help,” Danilo A. Arao, lead convenor of election watchdog Kontra Daya, told ABS-CBN TeleRadyo in mixed English and Filipino.

Mr. Arao also questioned why a shortlist of candidates was not released to the public as a transparency measure in the appointment process. 

Mr. Garcia previously lawyered for President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr, who faced several lawsuits seeking to disqualify him from the presidential race.

During his brief stint as election commissioner in March to April, he had inhibited himself from deliberations involving his former clients.

Mr. Arao added that Comelec should be led by a person with a proven track record of independence. 

“Inhibiting yourself is not a sign of independence, well at the most is a sign of prudence, which is commendable,” he said. 

“What we need at this point is for Comelec not to compromise its image, especially since we came from an election with a result that is generally in doubt.” 

Sought for comment, Mr. Garcia said in a Viber message to BusinessWorld: “From the point of view of law and jurisprudence, there is no conflict of interest. But I do give due respect to this argument. 

 In a statement on Monday evening following the announcement of his appointment, he said Comelec under his watch “will aim for meaningful reforms that will resolve issues identified by stakeholders and the voting public.” 

“Rest assured that I will remain impartial and independent as a Comelec Chairman. The will of the people will be the supreme law.”  

Last month, the International Coalition for Human Rights in the Philippines (ICHRP) said the May national and local elections did not meet the standards of free, honest, and fair voting due to various reports of human rights violations pointing to fraud.  

ICHRP also urged the election body and lawmakers to review the automated election system and introduce reforms that would discourage political dynasties from being elected.  

Acting Comelec Spokesperson John Rex C. Laudiangco disagreed with the group’s report, citing a lower number of election-related violent incidents. He asserted that Comelec did everything “according to the law and in fact above and beyond the call of the law.”  

Meanwhile, Mr. Garcia on Tuesday inspected the Comelec Information Technology department office in Manila, which caught fire on Sunday evening, Mr. Laudiangco said in a statement.  

The agency spokesperson noted that the Comelec chief said he would work on enhancing the health and occupational standards of the Comelec departments.  

Comelec earlier said election and voter registration data remained intact despite the fire that took place on the 7th floor of Palacio del Gobernador in Manila. — John Victor D. Ordoñez 

Over 48,000 still displaced with aftershocks, monsoon rain affecting earthquake-hit areas 

TEMPORARY shelters are being set up on Aug. 1 in San Quintin, Abra as residents were forced to evacuate due to a landslide threat triggered by the July 27 earthquake. — PIA-ABRA VIA OCD-CORDILLERA

MORE than 48,000 people remain displaced in the aftermath of the magnitude 7 earthquake that struck northwestern Luzon on July 27, according to the latest report from the national disaster management agency.  

The 48,379 displaced are among the 404,370 affected by the earthquake, which had been followed by at least 2,286 aftershocks, as of the Aug. 2 monitoring report of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology.    

Some earthquake-hit areas are also affected by landslides triggered by the tremor and compounded by continued southwest monsoon rains, said the Office of Civil Defense’s (OCD) Cordillera regional center.  

OCD-Cordillera announced on Tuesday the opening of the newly-built warehouse in Tabuk City, Kalinga.   

“With the exigency of the situation and following the magnitude 7 Northwestern Luzon Earthquake that affected most of the Cordillera, the Cordillera RDRRMC (Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council) has opened its newly constructed OCD-RDRRMC Inter-Agency Warehouse in Tabuk City, Kalinga,” it said.   

“This is important as our goal is to further develop and maintain primary and secondary logistics hubs in the region to be used for the prepositioning of food and non-food items and to support the needs and augment the resources of our provinces in the northern part of the region.”  

Aid has also been coming in from local and international sources.   

The government of Japan has sent relief goods, including generators, camping tents, sleeping pads, water containers, and tarpaulins, the Japanese Embassy said on Tuesday.  

“At present, we are planning to deliver the emergency relief goods to disaster-hit areas including Abra. The specific destinations are still currently under coordination with DSWD (Department of Social Welfare and Development),” the embassy told BusinessWorld in an email.  

Temporary shelter materials were also turned over on July 31 by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), and the United Nation’s International Organization for Migration in Abra province, the earthquake epicenter.   

The death toll from the earthquake has reached 10 while 394 others were injured, as of the August 2 report of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC).  

There were 413 totally destroyed houses while 28,702 were partially damage, NDRRMC said.   

BILL ON NDRRMC
Meanwhile, Senator Francis Joseph “Chiz” G. Escudero on Tuesday pushed for the creation of a new government office, either a department or an agency, that will address red tape in disaster response operations to ensure faster delivery of needed aid and services.    

“The law creating a strengthened disaster response agency should have an anti-red tape provision and must ban complex rules that impede the flow of rehabilitation funds to calamity-stricken areas,” he said in a statement.  

Senator Maria Imelda “Imee” R. Marcos has filed a related bill seeking to expand the authority of the NDRRMC.  

The NDRRMC is an inter-agency body under the Department of National Defense. Its role was expanded under Republic Act 10121, the law passed in 2010 strengthening the Philippine disaster management system.   

Mr. Escudero, citing his experience as a former governor of Sorsogon, said the release of funds during emergencies was always delayed due to the cumbersome process and voluminous documents required by the national government from the local government units.  

“There is room for improvement that can speed up the process,” he said.  

A bill creating a new department on disaster management was approved by the House of Representatives in the 18th Congress but did not pass the Senate as several legislators questioned its cost and practicality. — Marifi S. Jara and Alyssa Nicole O. Tan  

Social pension for poor senior citizens increased to P1,000 monthly with new law 

PHILIPPINE STAR/MIGUEL DE GUZMAN

THE MONTHLY social pension of indigent senior citizens will soon increase to P1,000 from P500 as the approved bill on additional benefits for those at least 60 years old lapsed into law on July 30, according to a letter sent by the Presidential Palace to the Senate.  

Republic Act (RA) 11916, which amends RA 7432, also encourages the hiring of seniors through a tax incentive to employers.

It provides that private entities that will employ senior citizens will be entitled to an additional deduction from their gross income equivalent to 15% of the total cost of salaries and wages to seniors employed for at least half a year. 

“The increase in the pension of indigent senior citizens is a timely response to catch up with the urgent and real needs of our indigent elderly,” Senator Mary Grace S. Poe-Llamanzares, primary author of the bill, said in a statement on Tuesday.

Under the new law, indigent senior citizen refers to “any elderly who is frail, sickly or with disability, and without pension or permanent source of income, compensation or financial assistance from his or her relatives to support his or her basic needs, as determined by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) in consultation with the National Coordinating and Monitoring Board.” 

The law also provides additional social safety assistance to seniors to cushion the effects of economic shocks and disasters, to be sourced from calamity funds of local governments.

There are about 4.1 million indigent seniors, according to DSWD data. 

The implementation, distribution and management of the social pension will be transferred from the DSWD to the National Commission of Senior Citizens within three years from the effectivity of the law. — Alyssa Nicole O. Tan 

Trade union spokesperson appointed to social welfare post for ex-rebels 

PRESIDENT Ferdinand “Bongbong” R. Marcos Jr. has appointed Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) spokesperson Alan A. Tanjusay as Social Welfare Undersecretary for Inclusive and Sustainable Peace. 

Mr. Tanjusay confirmed his appointment in a statement sent via Viber. 

“I am, therefore, relinquishing my post as spokesperson and advocacy director of the Associated Labor Unions-TUCP,” he said. 

With his new post, Mr. Tanjusay is expected to oversee the government’s psycho-social and welfare services to former rebels and extremists and their families. 

Meanwhile, Press Secretary Trixie Cruz-Angeles said Mr. Marcos is already considering someone to lead the Presidential Legislative Liaison Office (PLLO). 

“Someone is already being considered. We cannot disclose it yet. So, let’s just wait. We will not deny it,” she told a televised news conference. 

Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero earlier urged Mr. Marcos to immediately appoint a “high-caliber Cabinet member” as head of the PLLO after the President vetoed five measures approved by the 18th Congress. 

The measures vetoed by Mr. Marcos included a bill that would have created a special economic zone and freeport in San Miguel Corp.’s airport project in Bulacan province and a tax break for teachers in their service as election officers. — Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza 

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