Staycation ruse

Scam artists have targeted Solaire Resort leisure hubs, which have been subject to unauthorized sales of hotel rooms on social media, mainly offering “comped” or complimentary rooms.

Solaire issued a statement warning the public that “complimentary rooms may not be transferred, assigned or sold to any party without the consent and approval of Solaire Resort.”

Moreover, it said that it reserved the right to “suspend, revoke or withdraw any entitlements granted to a patron.”

The scammers sell hotel rooms at Solaire Resort Entertainment City in Parañaque City and the newly opened Solaire Resort North in Quezon City to the public through Facebook, particularly under the account Staycation@PH.

Solaire Resort said it is not in any way connected to or affiliated with the racket. “Any bookings made through these unauthorized sellers and/or channels will not be recognized or accepted by Solaire Resort,” it said.

Those who patronize the operation do so at their own risk, Solaire added.

NCAA’s 100 Greatest

As Season 100 of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is set to unfold, the league is looking to honor 100 athletes who stood out in the league.

One of the potential candidates is weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz-Naranjo, who obtained her business administration degree from the College of Saint Benilde, an NCAA member school.

While weightlifting isn’t part of the oldest collegiate competition, she did win the gold medal in the women’s 55-kilogram event at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, the first gold in the Philippines’ history, while a student at Saint Benilde.

Nothing is final yet as the list of candidates has yet to be finalized, the source said.

Athletes such as volleyball players Grethcel Soltones of San Sebastian College and Jheck Dionela of University of Perpetual Help System Delta and basketball legends such as Freddie Webb of Letran College and Caloy Loyzaga of San Beda University first made their mark in the NCAA before making an impact in their respective fields.

Meralco hates

power trippers

Manuel V. Pangilinan’s power distributor, Manila Electric Co., is blowing a fuse over the flak it has been receiving lately over its power supply agreements.

It suggested that its detractors build their own power plants so they could see for themselves how the “open” and “transparent” competitive selection process (CSP) works.

An official of the company said recent tirades against the power giant were baseless.

“They should just build their own power plants. Our CSP is a government-mandated bidding to ensure that only suppliers that offer the least cost supply will be contracted by a distribution utility to protect consumers against high power rates,” the power firm’s representative said.

“The terms of reference considered suggestions of the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) before these are published. The official indicated that to further ensure transparency and fairness, CSP observers, including the Department of Energy and consumer groups, witness the submission and opening of bids. The proceedings are also live-streamed.”

In its recently completed CSP for its 1,200-MW baseload requirement, Meralco awarded the power supply agreement to South Premiere Power Corporation, which submitted the lowest offer of P7.0718 per kWh. It bested the P7.1006 per kWh offer of the joint venture of Limay Power Inc. and San Roque Hydropower Inc. for 150MW capacity; and First Natgas Power Corporation’s bid of P8.4489 per kWh.

First Natgas, which uses the indigenous Malampaya gas for the San Gabriel power plant, was deemed non-compliant as the offer went beyond the reserve price set for the bidding.

For Meralco’s 600-MW requirement, eight companies, including First Gas Power Corp. and First NatGas Power Corp., which sources fuel from Malampaya, expressed interest in submitting offers.

The other generation companies are Mariveles Power Generation Corp., Masinloc Power Co. Ltd., GNPower Dinginin and Therma Luzon Inc., Southwest Luzon Power Generation Corp., and Quezon Power (Philippines) Limited Co.