WASHINGTON GRANTS $70 MILLION MORE TO MODERNIZE AFP

The United States will provide $70 million in assistance to the Philippines to bankroll improvements to the country’s military infrastructure over the next two years, on top of the $100 million that the State Department wants to make available to help modernize the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).

US Ambassador to the Philippines MaryKay Carlson said on Wednesday that the US is willing to extend help to the country as it is looking at more ways to expand the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement and directly strengthen the work of both countries.

“These improvements are designed to enhance cooperative defense capacities and support humanitarian assistance disaster response activities, in ways that best meet the needs of the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the alliance,” Carlson said, during a Mangrove Forum held at the US Embassy in Manila.

Carlson said the US is leaving it to the Department of National Defense to decide on what specific projects they want to bankroll with the funds from Washington.

The US will not give a list of what it wants, although it encourages the country’s military to identify projects that will ensure security and territorial integrity.

The US ambassador also observed that despite challenges arising from the COVID-19 pandemic, the military organizations of both countries have managed to maintain their alliance “at the tactical level” of security cooperation.

“In the coming months, we expect to hold our Bilateral Strategic Dialogue (BSD), and a 2+2 Dialogue of our senior-most foreign and defense officials,” the envoy said, adding that these meetings will \explore ways to modernize the alliance of both countries.

The US diplomat said that the improving bilateral relations between the US and the Philippines, which weakened during the previous administration, is not a “counterbalance” to the strengthening partnership between China and the Philippines.

Carlson said the US-Philippines relationship can stand on its own and is “inherently valuable” with the two countries’ 76 years of diplomatic relations that have nothing to do with China.

MARCOS PUSHES GOVERNMENT DIGITALIZATION

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Wednesday emphasized the need to hasten the country’s digital transformation to enable his administration to provide “fast, transparent, and efficient” services to the public.

During the National Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Summit 2022, Mr. Marcos said the government must take “full advantage” of the new technologies and techniques to provide the Filipino people the “best” services they deserve.

“And if we are to succeed in digitalizing our bureaucracy, our government, and to make the way that we do business, the way that we work, the way that we even communicate with one another, we (have) to make it as efficient, as streamlined, and as affordable as possible so that we can provide that extremely important service,” he said in a speech delivered at the Manila Hotel.

“This summit is therefore correct, is apt, is timely for what we will discuss here will be instrumental not only in improving our global standing but most importantly, securing the Philippines’ place in the future,” the President added.

Mr. Marcos admitted that the Philippines is behind other countries in terms of digital transformation despite the innovations and technologies available at present.

Carrying the theme, “Toward a Citizen-Centric, Inclusive, and Sustainable eGovernance Ecosystem”, this year’s national ICT summit seeks to explore developments in the field of ICT, harness innovations in digitalization, and initiate public-private partnerships (PPPs) in using digital tools and resources to provide better services to Filipinos.

The event will also serve as a venue to help the Marcos administration attain its planned digital transformation in national government agencies and local government units.

The President reiterated his plan to make the government “more adaptive to fast-changing developments,” as he lamented that the Philippines has ranked 89th out of 193 countries in the United Nations E-Government Survey.

The Philippines’ current standing is not “encouraging”, he said, adding that this shows that the country is experiencing a “regression”.

“We are already playing catch up in terms of digitalization to the rest of the world. So, it is not as if we have a choice here. We don’t have a choice that maybe we’ll do it, maybe we’ll not,” he said.

“It is simply not the way that the modern world works. We have to digitalize if we are going to keep up all our plans for the transformation of the economy and our continuing redefinition of the Philippines’ place in the community of nations,” Mr. Marcos added.

ENRIQUE RAZON'S PRIME INFRA INKS 20-YEAR POWER SUPPLY DEAL WITH MERALCO

MANILA — The Enrique Razon-led Prime Infa said on Thursday its renewable power subsidiary signed a 20-year power supply agreement (PSA) with Meralco.

Under the deal, Terra Renewables under Terra Solar Philippines will provide 850MW mid-merit supply, which can approximately power 1.55 million houses yearly while displacing 1.4 million tons of coal consumption or 930 million liters of oil per year, Prime Infra said in a statement.

“This contract with Meralco is our response to help meet the increasing demand for power through a more cost-efficient and sustainable manner," Razon said.

"Meeting the power supply needs is of paramount importance to sustain the economic growth of the country, particularly following the challenges we faced through the pandemic and will continue to face in light of the economic headwinds the world is facing today,” he added.

Prime Infra said the project is powered by a combination of 2,500 to 3,500MW solar photovoltaic (PV) system and approximately 4000MWh to 4500MWh energy storage.

A 600MW supply will be available by 2026 for the Meralco PSA, while the additional 250MW will be delivered in 2027, the company said.

Terra Renewables President and CEO Guillaume Lucci said Prime Infra and its partners plan to further invest P200 billion in developing Terra Solar.

"As a company pursuing economically critical and socially relevant infrastructure, Prime Infra is committed to do its part in accelerating the clean energy transition and strengthening the country’s energy security,” Lucci said.

Razon said Terra Renewables' further investments in infrastructure aim to bring down costs of power while creating long-term economic and environmental values.

Razon has also secured the nod of the Department of Energy for the acquisition of Shell's 45-percent interest in the Malampaya Service gas project.

MARCOS DEFENDS EX-TOP COP CASCOLAN'S APPOINTMENT TO DOH

MANILA — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. stood by his appointment of former Philippine National Police chief Camilo Cascolan saying that the top cop “doesn’t have to be a doctor” as he would not be overseeing health issues at the Department of Health.

“He doesn’t have to be a doctor. He’s going to look at the function of the DOH,” Marcos told reporters Wednesday, adding that Cascolan would be dealing with “rightsizing” and “structural changes” at the department.

“We need someone to examine what has been going on. What is good, what is not and what can be fixed. That would be his function,” Marcos continued partly in Filipino.

The DOH confirmed that Cascolan has been appointed by Marcos as undersecretary at the department after his appointment papers surfaced on social media.

This ignited a firestorm of criticism questioning why the former top cop, one of the architects of the brutal anti-illegal drugs program Oplan Double Barrel, was appointed to the health department even if he had no medical experience.

"Cascolan's appointment is a huge insult to our health experts who are most qualified to administer and run the affairs of the DOH," the Alliance of Health Workers said in a statement.

STUDENT REPORTERS RECEIVE THREATS, HARASSMENT IN PH

Students from the University of the Philippines - College of Mass Communications call for press freedom during a protest action at the Palma Hall in UP Diliman on January 16, 2018. Gigie Cruz, ABS-CBN News

Student journalists in the Philippines are under mounting pressure — last month, police were deployed to two campuses in the north of the country after student journalists reported receiving threats of death and physical harm.

Polynne Dira, former editor of the Philippine Collegian, the official publication of the University of the Philippines (UP) Diliman, told DW that she had faced online attacks before. The experience has left her rattled.

"I'm just at home. What if someone on a motorcycle passed by to shoot at me?" she says. "Accountability is hard. Most online threats are by trolls who have a hidden or fake identity."

Belle Mira, associate editor for the student publication of UP Baguio, told DW that she had a bad experience involving police officers who surrounded and blocked her when she was covering a protest.

"From then on, I get really scared whenever I see the police," she told DW. "My media ID will not protect me. The police have no respect even for us campus journalists."

Campus publications have played an important role in the Philippines by exposing issues marginalized or ignored by the mainstream press. Student newspapers also have an advantage of not being beholden to corporate interests that can sway or influence coverage of larger news outlets.

PLOT THICKENS ON LAPID MURDER

Senator Risa Hontiveros on Wednesday disclosed audio recordings and screenshots of text messages made by an anonymous caller who tagged one “General Bantag” as having a hand in the killing of broadcaster Percival Mabasa, also known as Percy Lapid.

In a press conference, Hontiveros played the recording where the caller can be heard saying: “Involved si General Bantag sa pagkamatay nitong si Lapid. Kasali si General Bantag (General Bantag is involved in the death of Lapid. General Bantag is part of this).”

Hontiveros said she has yet to talk to suspended Bureau of Corrections chief Gerald Bantag over the recording, but said the official is part of the 160 persons of interest in the case.

The caller told Mabasa’s daughter he earlier warned Percival that he might be killed, but the latter did not believe him.

The caller can also be heard in the recording as saying that he also warned Mabasa’s brother, Roy, who is also a journalist, as well as Mabasa’s son, Mark, that their lives are also at risk.

“Noong una tinatawagan ko si Percy na mag-iingat ka dahil papatayin ka na. Ayaw niyang maniwala. Ngayon si Roy naman. Ayaw maniwala ni Roy sa akin…Maliit na halaga lang hinihingi ko kay Roy para lang isend ko sa kanya ang ‘Ocho Boys’ ni General Bantag (Before, I called Percy and told him to be careful because he will be killed. He did not want to believe me. Now it is Roy. Roy does not want to believe me…I am only asking for a small amount for me to send to Roy the ‘Ocho Boy’s of General Bantag),” the caller said.

Hontiveros said the calls and text messages happened between Oct. 22 to Oct. 24.

The Mabasa family has already coordinated the anonymous call with the Department of Justice and the Commission on Human Rights, Roy told Manila Standard.

Asked whether authorities are looking into Bantag’s alleged involvement, Roy said: “There are things that are happening as we speak but I am not at liberty to say yet…We also have to unmask the sender of the text.”

Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla said authorities now have at least eight “persons of interest” in connection with Mabasa’s murder.

But Remula said he is not discounting the possibility that the numbers may go up to 10 persons.

Asked if government investigators have established the mastermind in the killing, Remulla said: “We cannot conclude yet. Unless we are conclusive, I’d rather not speculate.”

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., for his part, said he is not convinced the alleged middleman in the murder case died of natural causes.

“There’s no poison or medicine that was given to the said dead middleman. But I’m still not satisfied that it’s natural causes. I told them to investigate further because there are ways to kill a person that do not show up in the medico legal,” Mr. Marcos said.

“The investigation continues, and more importantly, is to really trace who gave the order to the shooter to kill Lapid and why. That is what we are working on now,” the President said.

The alleged middleman, Jun Villamor, died inside the New Bilibid Prison on the same day that Joel Escorial confessed to killing Mabasa.

The NBP is under the Bureau of Corrections that Bantag previously headed.

A second sister Villamor is now under the witness protection program of the DOJ, Remulla said on Wednesday.

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18K DAILY COVID CASES SEEN IF PH LIFTS MASK RULE INDOORS - DOH

MANILA — The country's daily COVID-19 cases may reach as high as 18,000 towards the end of the year should government make indoor mask-wearing voluntary, the Department of Health said Thursday.

According to DOH officer-in-charge Maria Rosario Vergeire, coronavirus infections are expected to increase amid relaxed pandemic protocols.

"Meron ho tayong scientific projections na nagawa kung saan sinasabi sa projections towards November and December of this year kung magtatanggal tayo ng mask, maaaring tumaas ang kaso natin from 2,500, that's the lower limit, to as high as 18,000," she told TeleRadyo.

While the DOH has illustrated all potential scenarios to the Inter-Agency Task Force on Friday regarding the use of face masks, Vergeire reiterated that the IATF is a collegial body that takes into consideration the concerns of all sectors.

"Ang atin lang pong pinaalala, naging parang compromise natin is that there would be a unified messaging wherein dapat ang tao tuturuan natin na this is an informed choice," she said.

"Alam nila kung ano ang risk nila. They know when to wear their mask. Kailangan sa public transport [at] health facilities ay highly encouraged 'yung mga mask and also for the vulnerable," she added.

OPTIONAL MASK USE INDOORS GET MIXED REACTIONS

Health professionals and lawmakers split Wednesday over the government’s decision to make the wearing of face masks voluntary even indoors, amid warnings that this could bring a new spike in COVID-19 infections.

Dr. Rontgene Solante, an infectious diseases expert, said with new variants on the rise, COVID-19 cases could rise again as the country eases its mask mandate.

Solante said that while the announcement that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is set to issue an executive order easing the face mask mandate indoors did not come as a surprise, he remains skeptical about it, especially with the recent detection of the Omicron XBB subvariant and XBC variant.

“When you make face masks optional indoors, then there is really a risk,” Solante said in a public briefing.

Solante said there is always a possibility of infections in indoor settings, especially if they are crowded. This could also be risky for those who are unvaccinated and the vulnerable sector if they decide not to wear their face masks, he added.

A former adviser to the government response to COVID-19, Dr. Tony Leachon, also said it was too early for the Philippines to lift mask mandates in indoor spaces.

“I don’t think we are ready, I think it’s still premature,” Leachon told ABS-CBN TeleRadyo, speaking in Filipino.

Leachon said, on top of the presence of the XBB subvariant and XBC variant in the country, many people are also expected to head out this weekend to commemorate the All Saints and All Souls Days.

“I think we should wait two weeks after the entry of the XBB subvariant and XBC variants, and after the All Souls Day commemoration before we impose aggressive measures,” Leachon said.

PAL ANNOUNCES DIRECT FLIGHTS BETWEEN BAGUIO, CEBU

MANILA—The country’s flag carrier will soon have direct flights between Baguio City and Cebu.

Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong on Wednesday relayed Philippine Airlines’ announcement on Wednesday.

The upcoming direct flights will bring passengers to and from the Summer Capital of the Philippines and the Queen City of the South for only two hours.

The airline’s Baguio-Cebu flights will start operating on December 16. It will operate four times weekly with morning departures.

PAL said Baguio is the latest addition to its growing network of domestic flights from Cebu.

“We’re happy to be back in Baguio, PAL’s very first destination! Our Manila-Baguio flight on March 15, 1941 marked the dawn of the aviation age for the Philippines – and for Asia,” PAL said.

SIGNAL NO. 1 HOISTED IN PARTS OF SAMAR, AS PAENG PICKS UP

Tropical depression Paeng has slightly intensified as it moved west-northwestward over the Philippine Sea, PAGASA announced on Thursday.

At 4 a.m. Thursday, the weather disturbance was located 660 km east of Borongan City, Eastern Samar, with winds of 55 kph and gusts up to 70 kph. It was moving WNW at 10 kph.

In anticipation of Paeng’s approach, Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal No. 1 has been hoisted over the northern portion of Eastern Samar and the eastern portion of Northern Samar.

These areas will start experiencing strong winds within the next 36 hours.

SPORTS

PHOENIX DEF. RAIN OR SHINE, 92-83 (PBA) OCTOBER 26

Phoenix Super LPG (4-3) defeated Rain or Shine Elasto Painters (3-4), 92-83 to grab their fourth straight win in the 2022-23 PBA Commissioner's Cup on Wednesday, October 26 at the Ynares Center in Antipolo.

Kaleb Wesson led the Fuel Masters in scoring with 21 points (8/13fg, 2/5 3pts, 3/5ft) along with 17 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 steal and 5 blocks in 32 minutes of play. Encho Serrano with a solid game of 18pts (7/10fg, 2/3 3pts, 2/4ft) to go with 5 rebounds, 5 assists and a block.

The Scores:

PHOENIX 92 - Wesson 21, Serrano 18, Jazul 11, Anthony 9, Pascual 8, Manganti 7, Mocon 5, Tio 5, Rios 4, Adamos 2, Robles 2, Lojera 0, Camacho 0, Lalata 0, Garcia 0.

RAIN OR SHINE 83 – Taylor Jr 16, Mamuyac 14, Nambatac 12, Asistio 9, Belga 8, Caracut 5, Demusis 5, Norwood 5, Ponferada 5, Santillan 2, Borboran 2, Nieto 0.

Quarters: 19-22, 48-42, 72-59, 92-83.

SAN MIGUEL DEF. NORTHPORT, 104-86 (PBA) OCTOBER 26

San Miguel Beermen (3-3) defeated NorthPort Batang Pier (3-4), 104-86 to grab their third win in the 2022-23 PBA Commissioner's Cup on Wednesday, October 26 at the Ynares Center in Antipolo.

Devon Scott led the Beermen with a double-double performance of 25 points (9/18fg, 7/10ft) along with 16 rebounds, 6 assists in 46 minutes of play for SMB's two-game winning streak. CJ Perez with a solid game of 15 points, 6 rebounds and 3 assists while Jericho Cruz (6/11fg) and Simon Enciso (4/7 3pts) added 14 points each.

The Scores:

SAN MIGUEL 104 - Scott 25, Perez 15, Enciso 14, Cruz 14, Herndon 11, Tautuaa 9, Zamar 6, Manuel 6, Canete 2, Brondial 2, Faundo 0.

NORTHPORT 86 – Ibeh 16, Navarro 14, Bolick 10, Balanza 8, Ayaay 8, Tolentino 6, Ferrer 6, Chan 5, Salado 5, Caperal 3, Santos 3, Calma 2, Taha 0, Vigil 0.

Quarters: 26-16, 47-32, 78-61, 104-86.

INDICATORS

FOREX $1 = P 58.43

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

A man's life always starts today. Every morning is a beginning, a fresh start, and a man needn't be hog-tied to the past. Whatever went before, a man's life can begin now, today. - Louis L'Amour