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GMA says efforts ongoing to refresh TV programs amid viewership shift

BW FILE PHOTO

GMA NETWORK, INC. said it is addressing last year’s decline in advertising revenues by refreshing its television programming amid a shift in audience viewership.

“Now, to address this, this has a twofold effect. It’s caused by the programs themselves, and needless to say, the growing or significant shift of viewership from TV to the digital platforms,” GMA Network President and Chief Executive Officer Gilberto R. Duavit, Jr. said during the company’s annual stockholders’ meeting on Wednesday.

“As far as the TV aspect or the core programs are concerned, efforts are underway to effect a meaningful change or cycle in program replacement,” he added.

He said these programs are “envisioned to be more responsive and, moving forward, to be progressively so, given certain efforts that are being exerted now.”

Mr. Duavit said such efforts are intended to optimize advertising revenues on both platforms.

“Now, separately, of course, there are efforts in non-advertising revenue-generating activities. We refer now to film production releasing, content syndication, over-the-top streaming or broadcast, and other non-advertising revenue streams; these efforts, of course, continue,” he said.

For 2024, GMA Network reported a 34.7% drop in its attributable net income to P2.07 billion, mainly due to lower advertising revenues.

However, for the first quarter of 2025, the company saw its attributable net income increase more than threefold to P801.68 million from P204.12 million, as advertising revenues improved.

At the stock exchange on Wednesday, shares in the company declined by 0.18% to close at P5.53 apiece. — Sheldeen Joy Talavera

Dining In/Out (05/22/25)

Haru Afternoon Tea at Yawaragi, Hotel Okura Manila at Newport World Resorts

Tea at Newport World Resorts

YAWARAGI at Hotel Okura Manila presents a Japanese-style afternoon tea through its seasonal Haru Afternoon Tea. This set features prized teas from Fukuoka, Japan, including Yame Sencha and Matcha. Priced at P2,150++ per set (good for two guests), the Haru Afternoon Tea is available until May 31. It will be followed by a summer-inspired version, Natsu, launching in June. Meanwhile, Hilton Manila introduces its Tea Society experience at the Madison Lounge and Bar. The experience includes a choice of two distinctive themes: Gatsby’s Glamour, inspired by the opulence of the 1920s, and Dapper’s Lounge, which captures a more contemporary, polished aesthetic. This is priced at P2,500++ per person with a minimum of 20 guests. The Garden Wing Café offers a daily high tea set that combines sweet and savory selections with a choice of coffee or tea, priced at P750 net per person and available until June 30. For more information on Newport World Resorts, visit www.newportworldresorts.com.

DTI holds food festival

THE DTI (Department of Trade and Industry) will open this year’s DTI Food Festival, themed “Flavors from the Regions,” on May 30, with an opening ceremony at 1:30 p.m., at the Megatrade Halls 1 through 3, at Mega B in SM Megamall. The food fair will run through June 1.

Shake Shack’s newest roadside menu

SHAKE SHACK has released a limited time menu reminiscent of childhood summers. Menu items include Smashed Onion Cheeseburger (thinly sliced onions smashed into a 100% Angus cheeseburger with Dijonnaise and pickles, in between a buttered non-GMO potato bun), Sweet Corn Shake (vanilla frozen custard hand spun with creamed corn and topped with sweet corn kernels and cornflakes), Calamansi Pie Oh My Concrete (vanilla frozen custard blend with Wildflour calamansi pie, with 5% of the sales going to CENTEX, Ayala Foundation’s education program for underserved Filipino communities). Shake Shack also has a line of drinks for the season: limited time-only Cucumber Mint Lemonade with real cucumber and mint mixed with house-made lemonade and ARC Lava Rock Vodka, Shackmade lemonade (blended with ARC Botanical Gin), smaller sizes for shakes, and ShackMeister Ale (available in 330 ml bottles, and packs of four). Follow @shakeshackph on Facebook and Instagram for more details or visit shakeshack.ph.

US Embassy launches adobo cookbook

ON May 15, US Ambassador to the Philippines MaryKay Carlson hosted the launch of the US Poultry Adobo Collection cookbook by “Adobo Queen” chef Nancy Reyes-Lumen to celebrate one of the Philippines’ dishes and showcase the quality of US poultry products. “The US Poultry Adobo Collection is a symbol of the close bond between the United States and the Philippines and our shared love for food as friends, partners, allies, and foodies,” Ms. Carlson said during the launch. With the support of the US Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service in Manila, the USA Poultry and Egg Export Council (USAPEEC), and the United Soybean Board, the cookbook features more than 20 adobo and sauce recipes crafted by Ms. Reyes-Lumen. These recipes pay homage to traditional Filipino regional cooking styles while incorporating modern twists using US chicken, duck, and turkey products that are available in the Philippines. Limited copies will be available to restaurateurs, importers, and other industry representatives during US poultry product promotion events. Select recipes from the cookbook, such as US Chicken Adobo Pastil and US Chicken Adobo sa Kamatis, will be posted on USAPEEC’s Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/USAPEECPHL).

Making NCAP work

PHILIPPINE STAR/NOEL B. PABALATE

With the Supreme Court partially lifting its restraining order on the no-contact apprehension program (NCAP), the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) now faces the challenge of convincing critics that the system can indeed work and significantly improve traffic flow and road safety.

On Tuesday, the Supreme Court granted the government’s request to allow NCAP operations on Metro Manila roads under MMDA jurisdiction. These include major thoroughfares such as EDSA, C5, Katipunan Ave., Marcos Highway, Roxas Blvd., Commonwealth Ave., Quezon Ave., West Ave., E. Rodriguez Ave., and Buendia (Gil Puyat) Ave.

However, NCAP implementation by local government units such as the cities of Manila and Parañaque remain suspended until the Supreme Court issues a final resolution on petitions challenging the constitutionality of no-contact apprehension for traffic violations.

NCAP was initially suspended in August 2022 after several petitions were filed against it at the High Tribunal. In 2023, the Court conducted oral arguments from both sides. To date, the Court has yet to render a final decision but has modified its original restraining order to allow the MMDA to resume NCAP on specific roads.

Petitioners against NCAP include Kilusan sa Pagbabago ng Industriya ng Transportasyon, Inc. (KAPIT), Pangkalahatang Sangguniang Manila and Suburbs Drivers Association Nationwide (Pasang-Masda), Alliance of Transport Operators and Drivers Association of the Philippines (ALTODAP), and the Alliance of Concerned Transport Organization (ACTO). These groups claim that NCAP lacks legal basis.

In convincing the Court to partially lift the restraining order, government lawyers argued that “the right to use vehicles on public roads is a privilege, and that privilege carries with it not only the duty to ensure the safety of pedestrians and travelers but also a collective obligation to ensure that roads continue to serve our national economy and benefit everyone.”

They further argued, “Our concerned national regulatory agencies and local governments have joined hands to ensure this privilege is not abused. Through NCAP, they have established a mechanism to manage traffic and hold accountable those who abuse their privilege to use our roads.”

This point, to me, is the heart of the matter. NCAP is not intended to deprive anyone of their privilege to use public roads. Rather, it provides an alternative method for strictly enforcing traffic regulations designed to ensure safety and order.

This was precisely why, in a column two months ago, I urged the Supreme Court to finally resolve this three-year-old case in favor of upholding NCAP rather than striking it down. I remain convinced that technology-based traffic enforcement represents the future, despite its imperfections.

I also referenced arguments presented in Court by the MMDA and the Land Transportation Office (LTO), which highlighted that the average monthly number of traffic violations recorded by surveillance cameras tripled since NCAP’s suspension in August 2022.

I firmly believe that technology, compared to human enforcers, is dispassionate, impartial, and free from personal discretion when determining violations. While technology cannot be held personally accountable in the same way individuals can, it is also incorruptible. Thus, my continued support for NCAP.

Global experience demonstrates that camera-based traffic enforcement can significantly enhance compliance with traffic rules, reduce accidents, and increase transparency in administrative processes. Consequently, it can be expected to lower traffic-related fatalities and violations.

When implemented effectively, automated camera-based enforcement ensures impartiality and consistency. In a country like the Philippines, cameras can enforce traffic rules uniformly, disregarding motorists’ socioeconomic or political backgrounds. At the point of apprehension, political influence can be minimized.

Moreover, cameras operate continuously, accurately documenting violations and providing reliable evidence for adjudication. They run 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Unlike human enforcers, they do not tire and can cover broader areas. Algorithms can efficiently handle enforcement tasks.

However, to prevent future disruptions and address legal shortcomings, Congress should consider passing national legislation institutionalizing NCAP for national use. Concurrently, lawmakers can improve the legal framework by establishing specialized traffic adjudication boards and dedicated traffic courts.

Congress can further define the range of penalties by updating the existing Land Transportation Code to accommodate enforcement via NCAP. Amendments to traffic and transportation laws should reflect emerging technologies and set clear national standards for road use and enforcement.

Additionally, lawmakers should rationalize and harmonize existing laws, policies, and regulations governing all road users — motor vehicles, pedestrians, motorcycles, bicycles, scooters, electric vehicles, personal mobility devices, and all others.

One aspect requiring in-depth analysis is establishing scientifically based, data-driven standards for uniform and consistent traffic penalties that apply to all road users, across all local government units. Traffic fines must not remain static but should be periodically adjusted for inflation and evolving driver behavior.

Ultimately, NCAP aims to enhance traffic flow, public safety, and overall quality of life. As the government argued before the Court, roads must “serve our national economy and benefit everyone,” and NCAP, in my opinion, can be an effective mechanism “to manage traffic and hold accountable those who abuse their privilege to use our roads.”

 

Marvin Tort is a former managing editor of BusinessWorld, and a former chairman of the Philippine Press Council

matort@yahoo.com

Southeast Asia’s first HP OMEN Playground store opens in SM Megamall

The HP OMEN Playground store in SM Megamall is the first of its kind in Southeast Asia. — HP PHILIPPINES

HP PHILIPPINES on May 16 unveiled the first OMEN Playground concept store in Southeast Asia in SM Megamall.

The store will be launched with a three-day celebration event from May 23-25 where the brand will offer promos and hold activities for customers, HP Philippines said in a statement

“The gaming industry in the Philippines continues to grow at an exciting pace, with over 43 million gamers driving demand for high-performance and personalized experiences,” Ida Evina Ong-Co, managing director of HP Philippines, said. “We’re seeing strong growth for our Gaming business. We hope that through the launch of the first HP OMEN Playground in Southeast Asia, we will bring Filipino gamers a space where they can explore our full gaming ecosystem, and discover how our innovations in performance, personalization, and AI (artificial intelligence) can transform the way they play.”

The company said the opening of the OMEN Playground store in the country aims to help boost the local gaming scene.

“The move comes at a time when the country’s esports market is booming — valued at $26.60 million in 2024 and projected to double by 2033. As the local gaming community grows more sophisticated and expansive, HP aims to meet players where they are: with powerful devices, high-performance gear, and experiences that elevate the way they play.”

The concept store is meant to be a hub to showcase the future of gaming technology via HP’s gaming brand OMEN. It will feature the brand’s full ecosystem of laptops, desktops, monitors, and peripherals, as well as HyperX accessories.

“What sets OMEN and Victus apart is their ability to deliver top-tier gaming performance at competitive prices — featuring advanced processors, powerful graphics, and fast-refresh displays — all designed to provide an immersive gaming experience. This combination of high-performance specs and affordability makes premium gaming more accessible to Filipino gamers,” HP Philippines said. “With OMEN, HP isn’t just entering the game — it’s redefining it for Filipino players everywhere.”

The company will provide a two-year home service warranty across its OMEN product lineup, it added. — BVR

Sun Life posts P15.13-B premium income in Q1

SUN LIFE of Canada (Philippines), Inc. (Sun Life Philippines) remained the top life insurer in the country in terms of premium income in the first quarter, it said on Wednesday.

Sun Life Philippines booked a premium income of P15.13 billion in the first three months of 2025, it said in a statement.

“Maintaining our number one position in the Philippine life insurance industry is a testament to our enduring commitment to our clients. We are immensely grateful for their continued trust, and we remain steadfast in our promise to be their partner for life,” Sun Life Philippines Country Head and Chief Executive Officer Benedict C. Sison said.

The company added that its network of financial advisors and its various insurance and investment solutions helped it maintain its top spot in the life insurance sector.

“This sustained leadership reflects trust and confidence of Filipinos in Sun Life’s ability to deliver reliable and innovative financial solutions. The company’s consistent performance underscores its deep understanding of the evolving needs of its clients, and its commitment to providing products and services that empower them to achieve their financial goals,” it said.

Sun Life Philippines posted a premium income of P57.16 billion in 2024, topping the life sector.

The life insurance industry’s premium income rose by 13.96% year on year to P99.9 billion in the first quarter, driven by variable life products, latest Insurance Commission data showed. — A.M.C. Sy

SM Prime eyes Q1 2027 completion for SMXCITE trade hall

BW FILE PHOTO

LISTED real estate developer SM Prime Holdings, Inc. expects to complete the construction of the P1.7-billion SMX Center for International Trade and Exhibitions (SMXCITE) trade hall venue in Pasay City by the first quarter (Q1) of 2027 as it expands its convention portfolio.

SMXCITE will double the current footprint of SMX Convention Center Manila, adding more than 18,000 square meters (sq.m.) of leasable trade hall space, SM Prime said in a regulatory filing on Wednesday.

Located within the SM Mall of Asia complex, SMXCITE will feature two buildings constructed simultaneously — each capable of hosting over 18,000 guests.

Together with SMX Convention Center Manila, the development will offer over 35,000 sq.m. of combined space. It will cater to international trade shows, product launches, corporate gatherings, and large-scale consumer exhibitions.

SMXCITE will also include sustainability features, such as design elements that maximize natural daylight to reduce energy consumption.

“This expansion reflects our confidence in the Philippines’ growing stature in the meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions (MICE) space,” SM Hotels and Conventions Corp. Executive Vice-President Peggy E. Angeles said.

“With world-class infrastructure and a strategic location, we believe Manila can rival regional peers as a go-to venue for international trade events,” she added.

Once completed, SM Prime’s total convention portfolio will grow to nearly 60,000 sq.m. of gross leasable area across eight venues nationwide — including SMX Aura in Taguig, SMX Bacolod, SMX Davao, SMX Clark, SMX Olongapo, Sky Hall Seaside Cebu, and Megatrade Hall in SM Megamall.

SM Prime increased its first-quarter attributable net income by 11% to P11.7 billion. Revenue rose 7% to P32.8 billion, led by its malls and residential segments.

On Wednesday, SM Prime shares declined by 1.91%, or 45 centavos, to close at P23.05 apiece. — Revin Mikhael D. Ochave

Comic actor George Wendt, Cheers barfly, 76

George Wendt (R) with John Ratzenberger in a scene from the TV show Cheers.

COMIC ACTOR George Wendt, best known for his Emmy-nominated supporting role as the beer-bellied barfly Norm on the long-running hit NBC television sitcom Cheers, died on Tuesday in Los Angeles. He was 76.

The passing of the Chicago-born performer was announced in a statement from his publicist, Melissa Nathan, who said his family confirmed that he died peacefully in his sleep in the early morning at home.

No other details about the circumstances or cause of his death were given.

“George was a doting family man, a well-loved friend and confidant to all of those lucky enough to have known him,” the statement said. “He will be missed forever.”

Mr. Wendt got his showbiz start in the Second City improvisational comedy troupe of his native Chicago in the 1970s and went on to appear in small roles in various prime-time TV series during the 1980s, including M*A*S*H, Taxi, and Soap.

He landed his first gig as a TV series regular in 1982 on the short-lived CBS comedy Making the Grade, which lasted just six episodes before it was canceled.

But he was most famous for his signature role as the beer-quaffing accountant Norm Peterson — as amiable as he was portly — during the entire run of Cheers, which aired in US prime time from 1982 to 1993.

Set in a fictional Boston neighborhood bar “where everybody knows your name,” the series launched the careers of such stars as Ted Danson and Woody Harrelson, and spun off another long-running NBC sitcom, Frasier, starring Kelsey Grammer.

Norm was often the good-natured comic foil of his bar-stool companion and drinking buddy, the know-it-all mailman Cliff, played by John Ratzenberger. The Norm character earned Mr. Wendt six consecutive Emmy Award nominations.

Just months before the show ended its run, Mr. Wendt and Mr. Ratzenberger sued the show’s producer, Paramount Pictures, challenging a licensing deal that sought to market their likenesses as a pair of chatty life-size robots in a chain of Cheers-like airport bars.

The case, pitting intellectual property rights claimed by the studio against the actors’ rights to exclusive control over use of their own likenesses for profit, bounced through the federal court system for years before being denied a hearing by the US Supreme Court in 2000. The case ultimately was settled for undisclosed terms.

The popularity of the Norm character helped fuel Mr. Wendt’s career for decades to come, as he appeared in dozens of supporting roles or guest spots in film and TV shows, mostly comedies, sometimes as himself or reprising his Norm character.

Among the most memorable of his off-Cheers body of work were eight appearances as a Chicago sports superfan in a recurring sketch on Saturday Night Live, employing a spot-on South Side accent to humorous effect. — Reuters

1 in 5 Gazans face starvation. Can the law force Israel to act?

PALESTINIANS, mostly children, wait in long lines with empty pots in hands to get a warm meal distributed by charitable organizations. — REUTERS

As Israel continues to pound Gaza with airstrikes, killing scores of people a day, the two-month ceasefire that brought a halt to the violence earlier this year feels like a distant memory.

Israel’s overall military and political objective in Gaza hasn’t changed after 19 months of war: it is still seeking the absolute defeat of Hamas and return of the remaining Israeli hostages.

But it is unclear how Hamas will ever be militarily defeated unless there is a complete and unconditional surrender and the laying down of all arms. This appears unlikely, despite the success of Israel’s so-called “decapitation strategy” targeting the Hamas leadership.

And Hamas continues to hold an estimated 57 Israeli hostages in Gaza, of which up to 24 are believed to still be alive. The group is insisting on guarantees that Israel will end the war before releasing any more hostages.

AN ONGOING BLOCKADE FOR 18 YEARS
Israel announced Sunday it will allow a “basic” amount of food to enter Gaza after a nearly three-month blockade of the strip. It was not clear when or how the aid would resume amid “extensive” new ground operations the military said Sunday it had also just begun.

Israel first imposed a land, sea, and air blockade of Gaza in 2007 after Hamas came to power. These restrictions have severely limited the movement of people and vehicles across the border, as well as the amount of food, medicine and other goods that have been permitted to go into and out of Gaza.

These controls increased significantly after Hamas’ attacks on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. They’ve been maintained at heightened levels ever since.

The January ceasefire temporarily increased the flow of food, medical aid and other support into Gaza. However, this came to an end in early March when Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu cut off aid again to pressure Hamas to extend the ceasefire and release more hostages. Hostilities resumed soon after.

The United Nations’ humanitarian efforts in Gaza have now come to a “near-standstill.” On May 13, Tom Fletcher, the UN emergency relief coordinator, addressed the UN Security Council, stating: “For more than 10 weeks, nothing has entered Gaza — no food, medicine, water or tents. […] Every single one of the 2.1 million Palestinians in the Gaza Strip face the risk of famine. One in five faces starvation.”

Israel denies there are food shortages in Gaza. It has said it wouldn’t permit any trucks to enter the strip until a new system is in place to prevent Hamas from siphoning supplies.

INTERNATIONAL LAW IS CLEAR
Both the 1949 Geneva Conventions and customary international law make clear: “The use of starvation of the civilian population as a method of warfare is prohibited.”

In addition, the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC) makes starvation of civilians a war crime.

Under international humanitarian law, Fletcher noted, Israel has the responsibility to ensure aid reaches people in territory it occupies. However, Israel’s method of distributing aid, he said, “makes aid conditional on political and military aims” and “makes starvation a bargaining chip.”

WHAT HAVE THE COURTS FOUND?
International courts have not ignored Israel’s obligations on this front.

In November 2024, the ICC issued arrest warrants for Hamas leader Mohammed Deif (one of the masterminds of the Oct. 7 attack), in addition to Netanyahu and former Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant.

In relation Netanyahu and Gallant, the ICC’s pre-trial chamber found: “there are reasonable grounds to believe that both individuals intentionally and knowingly deprived the civilian population in Gaza of objects indispensable to their survival, including food, water, and medicine and medical supplies.”

As Israel is not a party to the Rome Statute, there is no obligation on the government to act on the arrest warrants. Both men remain free to travel as long as they do not enter the territory of a Rome Statute party. (Even then, their arrest is not guaranteed.)

The ICC warrants will remain in effect unless withdrawn by the court. The arrest in March of former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte highlighted that while ICC investigations may take time, those accused of crimes can eventually be brought before the court to face justice.

This is especially so if there is a change in political leadership in a country that allows an arrest to go ahead.

Meanwhile, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) is hearing another case in which South Africa alleges Israel has committed genocide against the Palestinian population in Gaza.

The case began with high-profile hearings last year when the court issued provisional measures, or orders, requiring Israel to refrain from engaging in any genocidal acts.

The most recent of those orders, issued last May, called on Israel to immediately halt its offensive in Rafah (in southern Gaza) and maintain the opening of the Rafah border crossing with Egypt to allow “unhindered provision at scale of urgently needed basic services and humanitarian assistance.”

These orders remain in effect. Yet, Rafah today is a “no-go zone” that Gazans have been ordered to evacuate. And Israel’s blockade of the strip and restrictions on aid and food entering the territory have clearly been in defiance of the court.

Late last month, the ICJ began hearings to form an opinion on Israel’s duties to allow aid to enter Gaza. Israel’s foreign minister, Gideon Saar, criticized the ICJ’s hearings as “another attempt to politicize and abuse the legal process in order to persecute Israel.”

The court’s advisory opinion on this issue is not expected for several months. A final decision on South Africa’s broader case may take years.

SO, WHAT CAN BE DONE?
Reflecting on the situation in Gaza, Fletcher observed at the UN: “This degradation of international law is corrosive and infectious. It is undermining decades of progress on rules to protect civilians from inhumanity and the violent and lawless among us who act with impunity. Humanity, the law and reason must prevail.”

Yet, while the Security Council continues to have the situation in Gaza under review, it has proven incapable of acting decisively because of US support for Israel.

The Biden Administration was prepared to use its veto power to block binding Security Council resolutions forcing Israel to respond to the humanitarian crisis. The Trump Administration would no doubt do the same.

However, as Duterte’s arrest shows, international law sometimes does result in action. The finding by another UN body last week that Russia was responsible for the 2014 downing of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 over Ukraine in 2014 is another case in point.

As the Dutch foreign minister pointed out in that case, the finding sends a message that “states cannot violate international law with impunity.”

THE CONVERSATION VIA REUTERS CONNECT

 

Donald Rothwell is a professor of International Law at the Australian National University. He receives funding from Australian Research Council.

AI poses a bigger threat to women’s work than men’s, says report

WANGXINA-FREEPIK

GENEVA — Jobs traditionally done by women are more vulnerable to the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) than those done by men, especially in high-income countries, a report by the United Nations’ International Labor Organization showed on Tuesday.

It found 9.6% of traditionally female jobs were set to be transformed compared with 3.5% of those carried out by men as AI increasingly takes on administrative tasks and transforms clerical jobs, such as secretarial work.

Human involvement will still be required for many tasks — and roles are more likely to be radically changed rather than eliminated, the report said.

Jobs in the media, software and finance-related roles are also at the forefront of change as generative AI expands its learning abilities.

“We stress that such exposure does not imply the immediate automation of an entire occupation, but rather the potential for a large share of its current tasks to be performed using this technology,” the report said.

It called on governments and employers’ and workers’ organizations to think about how AI can be used to enhance productivity and job quality. — Reuters

BSP to ask trust entities for more data to strengthen industry monitoring

THE BANGKO SENTRAL ng Pilipinas (BSP) wants to add supplemental data requirements for trust entities to enhance its monitoring of the sector.

In a draft circular posted on its website, the central bank said it is looking to amend portions of the Manual of Regulations for Banks and Manual of Regulations for Non-Bank Financial Institutions on the submission of supplemental data for trust entities.

“As part of the BSP’s continuing enhancement of the supervisory framework for trust entities (TEs) and strengthening of the monitoring and surveillance of the trust industry, the Supplemental Data Requirement for Trust Entities (SDR) has been developed,” it said.

“This regulatory report will complement the data currently submitted by TEs under the Financial Reporting Package for Trust Institutions (FRPTI).”

The requirements seek to obtain more granular information related to the movement of accounts and distribution channels; risk profiles of clients; nonresidents’ funds managed by the TE; unit investment trust fund structures; and trust and agency accounts not specifically identified under the FRPTI.

If the circular is approved, the SDR will undergo a pilot implementation covering the reference quarter of June this year.

“Subsequently, the report will be formally submitted by all TEs on a quarterly basis until an enhanced FRPTI incorporating the additional data requirements has been rolled out,” it added.

Trust entities would need to submit the SDR through the BSP’s Prime Reporting Innovation and Monitoring Engine system and shall be due within 30 banking days from the end of each reference quarter. — Luisa Maria Jacinta C. Jocson

DITO ‘confident’ in DICT probe amid cybersecurity, visa allegations

FACEBOOK.COM/DITOPHOFFICIAL

DITO TELECOMMUNITY CORP. said it is confident that the government’s investigation into allegations involving some of its foreign employees or partners will confirm the company’s compliance with national cybersecurity standards.

In a statement on Wednesday, DITO Chief Corporate Communications Officer and Chief Revenue Officer Adel A. Tamano said the company is confident that the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) investigation will reaffirm the findings of a joint audit conducted in April.

He said the joint audit found that DITO “has passed the government standards for cybersecurity and has safeguarded its network facilities and information assets by establishing a robust security system and infrastructure.”

“In fact, DITO undergoes periodic cybersecurity audits as a requirement of its franchise and as a critical infrastructure under the Public Service Act. This post audit report of the recent joint audit of the DICT, NSC (National Security Council) and NTC (National Telecommunications Commission) is valid until April 2027,” Mr. Tamano said.

Mr. Tamano also said that issues concerning the legal status of non-Filipinos working at DITO have previously been addressed in congressional hearings related to the renewal of its franchise.

Regarding visa matters, he said the company “has always been fully compliant with all requirements for employment of foreign nationals.”

Mr. Tamano described the latest allegations as “rehashed” and said the company continues to draw support from the “nearly 15 million Filipinos” who have subscribed to DITO since its commercial launch in 2021.

“Along with our over a thousand Filipino officers and staff of DITO, we take very seriously the trust given by our 15 million subscribers,” Mr. Tamano said.

“We will always provide our customers with the best possible service, protect the privacy of their data, and will never allow our company to be used for any activity that would be detrimental to the interests of our country and its people.”

The statement was issued in response to recent social media posts questioning the presence of Chinese nationals working at a telecommunications firm. — Sheldeen Joy Talavera

Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs took ecstasy shaped like Obama’s face, jury hears

Sean “Diddy” Combs — WIKIPEDIA

NEW YORK — Sean “Diddy” Combs once took an ecstasy pill shaped like President Barack Obama’s face, the hip-hop mogul’s former personal assistant testified on Tuesday at Mr. Combs’ racketeering and sex trafficking trial.

David James, who worked for Mr. Combs from 2007 to 2009, told jurors during the second week of the trial in Manhattan federal court that he frequently saw Mr. Combs take drugs, including opiates during the day and ecstasy at night. Mr. James said he sometimes picked up drugs for Mr. Combs and his friends, and often brought narcotics and other personal items like lubricant and condoms to Mr. Combs’ hotel rooms.

He said he once saw Mr. Combs take an ecstasy pill shaped like a “former president’s face.” When prosecutor Christy Slavik asked him which president, Mr. James responded, “President Obama.”

Prosecutors say Mr. Combs, the founder of Bad Boy Records, forced women to take part in days-long, drug-fueled sexual performances known as “Freak Offs” from 2004 to 2024. They say his employees helped by buying drugs, booking and stocking hotel rooms, and giving Mr. Combs cash to pay male sex workers to take part in the parties.

Mr. Combs, 55, has pleaded not guilty. His lawyers have acknowledged that Mr. Combs had substance abuse issues and was an abusive romantic partner, but say the sex acts described by prosecutors were consensual.

Last week, jurors heard testimony from prosecutors’ star witness: Mr. Combs’ former longtime girlfriend Casandra Ventura, a rhythm and blues singer known professionally as Cassie. Ms. Ventura said she took part in Mr. Combs’ Freak Offs for about a decade, first to please him and later because he blackmailed her with videos of the encounters.

Ms. Ventura’s mother, Regina Ventura, testified on Tuesday that Mr. Combs in December 2011 demanded $20,000 to recoup money he had spent on Ms. Ventura after discovering she had a relationship with another man.

Jurors saw photographs Regina Ventura took around that time of her daughter with bruises on her legs and back, as well as an e-mail in which Casandra Ventura told her mother that Mr. Combs had threatened to release sex tapes of her and have someone hurt her.

“I was scared for my daughter’s safety,” Regina Ventura said.

Regina Ventura said she took out a loan against her home to pay Mr. Combs, but that the money was returned days later. Mr. Combs’ defense did not cross-examine her.

EXOTIC DANCER TESTIFIES
Mr. Combs’ legal team has sought to show jurors that his relationship with Ms. Ventura was complicated. Last week, the defense showed jurors e-mails and text messages in which Ms. Ventura said she was always ready for a Freak Off or sex.

On Tuesday, a male exotic dancer named Sharay Hayes testified that he engaged in sexual activity with Ms. Ventura while Mr. Combs watched in hotel rooms in Manhattan several times between 2012 and 2016. He said Ms. Ventura would pay him between $1,200 and $2,000 in cash.

Mr. Hayes, who performs under the stage name “The Punisher,” said Ms. Ventura would sometimes sigh as Mr. Combs directed her what to do with her body. But he also said Ms. Ventura at times appeared to enjoy the encounters.

“It seemed like there was consent there as far as I was concerned,” Mr. Hayes said under cross-examination by defense lawyer Xavier Donaldson.

Known also during his career as Puff Daddy and P. Diddy, Mr. Combs helped turn artists like Notorious B.I.G. and Usher into stars. In the process, he elevated the role of hip-hop in American culture, and became a billionaire.

He has been held in federal lockup in Brooklyn since his September 2024 arrest. — Reuters

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