BusinessMirror March 18, 2016

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A broader look at today’s business Saturday, March 19, 2016 Vol. 11 No. 163

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P.  |     | 7 DAYS A WEEK

2MO FPI NET OUTFLOW DOWN TO $60.89M FROM $129.85M IN JAN

PANASONIC DRAWS APPLAUSE, BOOS OVER CORPORATE POLICY ON LGBT

‘Hot’ money flowing back to PHL shores B B C

P

ORTFOLIO investments exiting the country in January flowed right back in February, according to latest data from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP).

INSIDE

GOFFIN UPSETS CILIC

The BSP reported foreign portfolio investment (FPI) transactions for the month yielding overall inf lows of $58 m i l l ion, a reversa l f rom net outf lows in Januar y totaling $129.85 million.

FPI are more popularly known as

A8

E.U. AGREES TO SEND MIGRANTS BACK TO TURKEY The

B2-1 | Saturday, March 19, 2016 • Editor: Lyn Resurreccion

EU agrees to send migrants back to Turkey

At late night talks in Brussels on Thursday, leaders backed a mandate for negotiations with Turkey that they said would not result in mass deportations and some differences were bridged over sweeteners to give Turkey in exchange for its help.

“The 28 have agreed on a proposal,” French President FranÇois Hollande said. “It was late in the evening, but it has been done.”

At the same time, United Nations (UN) chief Ban Ki-moon says build-

ing barriers won’t solve the migrant crisis in Europe.

The UN secretary-general told German daily Bild in an interview published on Friday that “building walls, discriminating against people or sending them back is no answer to the problem.”

Ban praised German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s “human political leadership” in dealing with the migrant crisis and urged other politicians to follow her example.

He declined to comment on speculation that Merkel might be nominated to succeed him in the top UN role when his second term ends on December 31.

But Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said that reaching an agreement had not been easy.

“There, too, it is a complicated process,” he said. “I think we can get a deal out of this, we have to get a deal out of this. But the race is not really finished yet.”

Desperate to ease the pressure placed on Europe’s borders by the arrival of more than 1 million migrants in a year, the EU has turned to Turkey hoping to stem the flow of refugees into overburdened Greece.

The plan would essentially outsource Europe’s biggest refugee emergency in decades to Turkey, despite concerns about its subpar asylum system and human-rights abuses.

Under it, the EU would pay to send new migrants arriving in Greece who don’t qualify for asylum back to Turkey. For every migrant returned, the EU would accept one Syrian refugee, for a total

27M Syrian refugees in Turkey

of 72,000 people to be distributed among European states.

In exchange for the help of Turkey—home to 2.7 million Syrian refugees—the EU will offer up to €6 billion ($6.6 billion) in aid, an easing of visa restrictions for Turkish citizens and faster EU membership talks.

The summit chairman, EU Council President Donald Tusk, and Rutte are scheduled to present Europe’s terms for an agreement to Davutoglu on Friday for his endorsement.

If Davutoglu objects, the heads of state and government of the 28 EU nations will meet again to reconsider their position.

But Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel warned that Turkey must not

expect a free ride.

“An agreement can be no blank check,” he said after the first day of the summit. “A deal is possible but not a certainty. We’d rather have no agreement than a bad agreement.”

Human-rights groups and leading EU legislators have decried the plan as a cynical cave-in, sacrificing universal rights to pander to a restless electorate fed up with hosting people who are fleeing war and poverty.

Even some leaders acknowledged the EU was walking a tightrope.

“It is on the edge of international law,” Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaite said before leaders signed off on the tentative deal.

Some also criticized Turkey, complaining it was cynically trying to exploit the situation to win concessions well beyond its reach under normal circumstances.

Still, many see this potential deal as perhaps the only way to halt the flow by land and sea, especially as the weather turns warmer, and prevent people from turning to unscrupulous smugglers.

Thousands have drowned in the

Mediterranean trying to reach Greek or Italian islands. About 46,000 people are stranded in Greece after Macedonia shut its border to stem the flow along a popular migrantroute through the Balkans. At least 14,000 are camped in the mud at a makeshift tent city in Idomeni, on the Greece-Macedonia frontier.

At one tent, 29-year-old Soukeina Baghdadi warmed herself by a fire shared with neighbors. Like many, she wants to move to Germany and is hoping that Europe’s leaders can help.

“All the people here are waiting for the summit, waiting for the borders to open,” she said.

The threat of a veto by Cyprus did not materialize, as the leaders’ draft statement adroitly avoided explicit mention of any timeline on Turkey’s EU membership. Turkey does not recognize the Mediterranean island’s Greek-Cypriot government; a stance that has been a major obstacle to smooth accession talks.

When asked if he would veto a deal if he had to, Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades told reporters: “If needed, yes.” AP

IGNORING UNITED NATIONS BAN

N. Korea fires ballistic missile into sea S

EOUL, South Korea—North Korea ignored United Nations resolutions by firing a medium-range ballistic missile into the sea on Friday, Seoul and Washington officials said, days after its leader Kim Jong Un ordered weapons tests linked to its pursuit of a longrange nuclear missile capable of reaching the US mainland.

South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement that the missile fired from a site north of Pyongyang flew about 800 kilometers before crashing off the North’s east coast. It was the first medium-range missile launched by the North since it fired two in April 2014, said a South Korean defense official, requesting anonymity citing department rules.

A senior US defense official said the missile appeared to be a Rodong type fired from a road-mobile launcher. The test violated multiple UN Security Council resolutions that ban North Korea from engaging in any ballistic and nuclear activities, said the official, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not

authorized to discuss the matter publicly.

The launch came as North Korea condemned ongoing annual South KoreanUS military drills that it sees as an invasion rehearsal. The two sets of drills are the largest ever, in response to the North’s nuclear test and long-range rocket launch earlier this year.

One of the drills, computer-simulated war games, was set to end later last Friday while the other, field training, is to continue late April.

In recent weeks North Korea threatened preemptive nuclear strikes against Washington and Seoul and fired shortrange missiles and artillery into the sea in an apparent anger over the drills and tough UN sanctions imposed over its nuclear test and rocket launch.

South Korea’s military said its surveillance equipment detected the trajectory of a suspected second missile fired from the same site. A Joint Chiefs of Staff statement said the object later disappeared from South Korean radar at an altitude of 17 km and that it was trying to find out if a missile had been fired or something else

was captured by the radar.

No fresh sanctions on the North were expected for Friday’s launch. The UN Security Council slapped the country with sanctions each time when it conducted nuclear tests and long-range rocket launches, but it usually responded to short- and medium-range ballistic launches with statements criticizing them.

On Tuesday North Korea’s state media said Kim had ordered tests soon of a nuclear warhead and ballistic missiles capable of carrying warheads.

Kim issued the order while overseeing a successful simulated test of a reentry vehicle aimed at returning a nuclear warhead into the atmosphere from space so it could hit its intended target, according to the North’s Korean Central News Agency.

Taewoo Kim, a military expert at the South’s Konyang University, said it is likely that Friday’s launch was a test of a reentry vehicle mounted on the purported Rodong missile.

The North Korean missile fired may not be a Rodong but a long-range missile

whose launch angle was altered so that it didn’t fly its full range, said Kwon Sejin, a professor at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology in South Korea.

He said the missile might have carried an empty warhead, which contains trigger devices but lack plutonium or uranium, to see if it can survive the fiery reentry and detonate at the right time.

Outside experts said it is a key remaining technology that North Korea must master to achieve its goal of developing a long-range missile capable of hitting the US mainland.

South Korean defense officials said earlier this week that North Korea had yet to develop the reentry technology, so it still does not have a functioning intercontinental ballistic missile.

The South Korean defense official said Seoul has no immediate plans to try to retrieve debris of the missile that appeared to have landed in the waters inside Japan’s air-defense identification zone.

South Korea did not retrieve missile parts after the North’s 2014 launches either.

PEOPLE watch a TV screen showing a file footage of a missile launch conducted by North Korea at Seoul Railway Station in Seoul, South Korea, on Friday. The letters on the screen read “North Korea fired a missile against the ongoing joint military exercises, dubbed Key Resolve and Foal Eagle, between South Korea and the United States.” AP/AHN YOUNG-JOON

WORLD North Korea is thought to have a small arsenal of atomic bombs, but South Korean officials and many outside experts say they are not small enough to place on missiles that can strike faraway targets.

Analyst Lee Choon Geun at South Korea’s state-funded Science and Technology Policy Institute said the North can probably place nuclear warheads on its shorter-range Scuds and medium-range Rodong missiles, which would put South Korea and Japan under its striking range.

Other analysts question that.

The North began to develop ballistic missiles in the 1970s by reverse-engineering Soviet-made Scuds it acquired from Egypt. After several failures it put its first satellite into space aboard a long-range rocket launched in December 2012. Its second successful satellite launch occurred this February.

The UN, the US and others say the launches were a banned test of missile technology. Ballistic missiles and rockets used for satellite launches share similar bodies, engines and other technology. AP

P

S “H ,” A

Philippine stocks poised for bull market as global funds pile in T HE Philippines is poised to become the first Asian equity market to crawl back from a bear market this year, rising 20 percent from its closing low reached on January 21.

B21

The Philippine Stock Exchange index climbed 1.3 percent to 7,304.79 in Manila, set for the highest close since October 27, as SM Investments Corp. and Ayala Corp. paced gains. A 20-percent S “S,” A

IP body to pilot inventor-support program in PHL

T

A MAN walks by a Panasonic showroom in Tokyo in this file photo.

For decades, Panasonic Corp. has shaped Japanese corporate tradition—be it morning exercise routines or lifetime employment.

But other Asian businesses are unlikely to emulate its latest policy announcement: Recognizing same-sex partnerships. AP

Philippine shares bought for foreign investors this month

A SYRIAN refugee family tries to warm themselves around a fire in a makeshift camp at the northern Greek border post of Idomeni, Greece, on Friday. AP/BORIS GRDANOSKI

RUSSELS—European Union (EU) leaders have agreed upon a common stance on a plan to send tens of thousands of migrants back to Turkey, something they will propose to Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu later on Friday.

While this was an improvement from net outflows in January, this compared poorly against net inflows of $1.8 billion in the same two-month period last year.

The cumulative net outflows resulted from gross inflows of $2.138 billion diminished sharply by gross

$151.2M

BusinessMirror

World

B

Net foreign portfolio investment inflows recorded in February

FILE PHOTONONIE REYES

SPORTS

“hot” or speculative money, because they easily pull in or out investment platforms at the slightest change in global or local sentiment.

T he improvement in Febr uar y limited the aggregate two-month FPI to net outflows of $60.89 million.

$58M

B C N. P

HE Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (Ipophl) on Friday said the country was chosen as one of the pilot nations for a global, legal-assistance program backed by the World Intellectual Property Organization-World Economic Forum (WIPO-WEF) that seeks to help inventors secure intellectual-property protection.

In a press statement, the Ipophl

said the WIPO-WEF’s inventor-assistance program (IAP) to be piloted in the country will match Filipino inventors with limited resources with global patent attorneys.

Under the program, the patent attorneys will provide pro bono legal services to secure patent protection for local inventors.

According to the WIPO’s web site, the agency facilitates the matching of patent attorneys with applicants for its pro bono legal services, which in-

PESO EXCHANGE RATES n US 46.4430

500

Projected start-up Filipino companies with total funding of $200 million by 2020 clude preparation and filing of patent application, correspondence with the patent office, and general aid in the

process of securing a patent.

The local launching of the IAP took place early this month, with information-technology companies, such as Novartis, Qualcomm and the International Federation of Inventors, gracing the event.

According to the Department of Trade and Industry, the program will facilitate the development of an innovation hub in the country.

T he DTI said the Philippines

ANASONIC, the first major Japanese company to start recognizing same-sex partnerships in its ranks, has gotten both praise and harshly negative responses to the new policy.

“I never felt this much how different a response can get by nation,” Tetsuya Senmatsu, a human-resources manager, told reporters on Friday, while declining to specify the nations where the change was poorly received.

The policy was welcomed in the US and Europe, he said. Panasonic Corp. has offices around the world, including the US, China, Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

The policy, which kicks off on April 1, recognizes samesex partnerships as the equivalent of marriage in Japan, where Panasonic Corp. is headquartered. Details of how the policy will be applied in each nation are still under consideration, he said.

Senmatsu said the main reason for the policy is that the company opposes all forms of discrimination. The possibility that it might be a plus for recruiting talent was not what drove the decision, he said. The new policy could help when an employee in a same-sex partnership gets moved to another city or nation on assignment, according to Senmatsu.

He said the company does not know how many employees might be affected by the new policy. “In general, it’s said that might be 7 percent of the population,” he said.

In China, South Korea, the Philippines and much of the rest of Asia, “coming out of the closet” still has serious consequences, for individuals and also for family members who might become targets of abuse and ostracism.

It’s an act that takes courage in Asian cultures that value conformity, traditional family structures and harmony.

Panasonic has handled media queries on the samesex marriage policy in a low-key way, declining interview requests. The media opportunity with Senmatsu, which covered general personnel policies, was the first since the new policy was disclosed.

Among other changes, the company also will start encouraging employees to take more time off work, both paid and unpaid for longer periods, to pursue studies and other interests outside work.

“We think our workers need to go outside the company and learn about the world,” Senmatsu said.

Osaka-based Panasonic has had job cuts in recent years, but, for decades after the original company’s founding by humanitarian Konosuke Matsushita in 1918, it had stuck to the practice of lifetime employment once prevalent in Japanese corporate culture.

Japanese companies tend to foster extreme loyalty; many workers keep long hours, sometimes dying from overwork; and “salarymen” tend to make their jobs the center of their lives. AP

S “I-,” A

n JAPAN 0.4168 n UK 67.2309 n HK 5.9892 n CHINA 7.1721 n SINGAPORE 34.3997 n AUSTRALIA 35.4592 n EU 52.5688 n SAUDI ARABIA 12.3855

Source: BSP (18 March 2016 )

A2 Saturday, March 19, 2016

BMReports BusinessMirror

US job market’s Jan fall likely to prove temporary

T

HE US job market stumbled a bit in January, yet data released on Thursday suggests the slowdown was likely temporary.

Total hiring fell sharply that month, the Labor Department said, and the number of people quitting their jobs also dropped.

Yet, businesses posted more open jobs, a sign they are still interested in bringing more workers on board, according to the Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey, or JOLTS. And in a separate report, the

Stocks. . .

C  A

gain from the low at the close of the day is considered by many to be a bull market. Other benchmark indexes in Asia are close behind Manila, as emerging markets recover from a 22-percent drop from a November peak. Taiwan and Indonesia benchmark indexes are up 19 percent from last year’s lows, while Thailand equities have jumped 13 percent from a January low. The MSCI Emerging Markets Index is

number of people seeking unemployment aid ticked up but remained at a very low level. Applications for unemployment benefits are a proxy for layoffs, so those figures indicate that companies are cutting few jobs. That suggests they remain confident enough in the economy to hold onto their workers.

Job openings jumped 4.9 percent to 5.5 million in January, the most

since July, the Labor Department said. And weekly applications for unemployment aid rose 7,000 to a seasonally adjusted 265,000.

Applications have remained below 300,000, a historically low level, for 54 straight weeks, the longest streak since 1973.

Total hiring, meanwhile, fell 6.9 percent to 5 million. And the number of people who quit their jobs dropped from just over 3 million in December to 2.8 million in January.

Quits are a sign of confidence in the job market, and can also lead to higher pay, because most Americans leave a job for a higherpaying position.

The figures are an echo of previ-

ous data that showed the job gains slowed in January, likely in part because of harsh winter weather.

Net hiring, as reported in the separate monthly jobs report, fell in January before rebounding in February. The JOLTS data include raw hiring figures, which are offset by quits, layoffs and retirements to produce the net data.

Federal Reserve Chairman Janet Yellen has said she watches the quits and hiring data closely for additional signs of the job market’s health. The Fed decided to keep the short-term rate it controls unchanged after a two-day meeting on Wednesday, after raising it for the first time in nearly a decade in December. AP

up 19.5 percent after reaching a nearly seven-year low in January.

Overseas investors have bought $151.2 mi l lion of Phi lippine shares this month, poised to end 11 months of withdrawals that saw them pull a record $2.39 billion. Filipinos will go to the polls on May 9 to elect the replacement of President Aquino, who is limited to a single six-year term that ends on June 30. Aquino boosted growth in Southeast Asia’s fifthlargest economy as he raised taxes and increased infrastructure spending to a record. Southeast

Asian stocks are bouncing back from a bear market, outpacing global indexes as foreign investors pour in amid recovering economies.

The MSCI South East Asia Index is up almost 20 percent from a closing low on January 21. Leading the way is Philippine shares, also on the brink of entering a bull market, considered by many to be a 20-percent rebound based on closing prices.

Southeast Asian markets are rebounding as accelerating economic growth and calmer currencies attract investors seeking refuge from the volatility rocking markets in Chi-

na and Japan this year. That’s a reversal of fortunes from 2015, when the region’s equity gauge plunged 21 percent as prospects for higher US rates spurred capital outflows.

“The risk-on trade is back on.

This is a short-term rebound after a tumultuous fourth quarter,” Geoffrey Ng, director at Fortress Capital Asset Management Sdn. in Kuala Lumpur, which oversees about $238 million, said by phone. “This is fueled partly by greater certainties of the path of US interest rates.”

Southeast Asian assets have stabilized after Federal Reserve

news@businessmirror.com.ph

Inventor-support. . . recently surged 17 notches on WIPO’s Global Innovation Index.

This should give impetus to the growth of the country’s innovation ecosystem.

On a regional scale, the country ranked second for both patent protection and IPR protection in 2014. Through innovation, the DTI now aims to develop small

‘Hot’ money. . .

C  A

and medium enterprises with competence and skills in the digital space.

According to the digital start-up road map, the country expects to see 500 start-up companies with a total funding of $200 million by year 2020. These start-ups could have a cumulative valuation of $2 billion, the DTI said.

C  A

outflows of $2.199 billion during the two-month period.

“Outflows for the month grew by 6.4 percent from the January figure due to profit-taking, lingering concerns on the slowdown of the Chinese economy, and oil- price uncertainties,” the central bank said.

Around 77 percent of portfolio investments in February were for the purchase of listed securities traded at the Philippine Stock Exchange. The stock pickings included holding firms; food, beverage and

tobacco firms; property companies; banks; and telecommunication companies. Nearly 23 percent of those purchases were in localcurrency government securities.

The United Kingdom, Singapore, the United States, Luxembourg and Belgium were the top 5 investor cou nt r ies for t he month, with combined share to total of 79.5 percent.

The United States continued to be the main destination of outflows, receiving 89.6 percent of total.

(the Fed) Chairman Janet Yellen signaled in early February policymakers won’t rush to raise rates, amid turbulence in global markets. The Fed earlier this week scaled back expectations for interest-rate increases this year.

“This rally looks sustainable,” said Soo Hai Lim, a Hong Kongbased money manager at Baring Asset Management, which oversees about $41 billion. “In the run-up to the elections, Philippine consumer stocks will benefit from increased spending. We remain positive on the Philippines. We’re not really

too concerned about the outcome of the elections as long as the new government pushes through with infrastructure projects.”

Other benchmark indexes in Asia are close behind Manila, as the MSCI South East Asia Index recovers from a 31-percent drop from an April peak. Taiwan and Indonesia benchmark indexes are up 19 percent from last year’s lows, while Thailand equities have jumped 13 percent from a January low. The broader MSCI Emerging Markets Index is up 19 percent from a January low. Bloomberg News

A BusinessMirror Special Feature

Earth Hour

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Saturday, March 19, 2016 A3

EARTH HOUR SHINES A LIGHT ON CLIMATE ACTION

I

B L R. G

F there is a global movement that is highly supported around the world both by known organizations and celebrities, it must be the Earth Hour.

It’s just a one-time, one-hour event in the year when million homes and businesses worldwide turned their lights off for an hour to make their stand against climate change.

Indeed, that issue on climate change—Mother Earth is warming faster than ever—unite all races and nationalities. According to the United States Environmental Agency (EPA) the earth’s average temperature has risen by 1.5°F over the past century, and is projected to rise another 0.5 to 8.6°F over the next hundred years.

EPA said small changes in the average temperature of the planet can translate to large and potentially dangerous shifts in climate and weather. Already evidences are all over us now. Rising global temperatures have been accompanied by changes in weather and climate.

Many places have seen changes in rainfall, resulting in more floods, droughts, or intense rain, as well as more frequent and severe heat waves. The planet’s oceans and glaciers have also experienced some big changes—oceans are warming and becoming more acidic, ice caps are melting, and sea levels are rising.

As these and other changes become more pronounced in the coming decades, they will likely present challenges to our society and our environment according to EPA.

EARTH HOUR IN HISTORY

CONFRONTED with scientific findings, World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), Australia’s idea of a largescale switch off, was coined and developed in 2006, and took place on March 31, 2007 in Sydney, Australia,

at 7:30 pm (local time). Immediately a year after, the 2008 Earth Hour became a global sustainability movement with more than 50 million people across 35 countries participating.

Global landmarks, such as the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, Rome’s Colosseum and the Coca Cola billboard in Times Square, all stood in darkness as symbols of hope for a cause that grows more urgent by the hour. In 2009 Earth Hour was adjudged as the world’s largest global climate-change initiative, while a record of 128 countries and territories took part and iconic buildings and landmarks from Asia Pacific to Europe and Africa to the Americas stood in darkness in 2010.

In 2011 Earth Hour asked people to go beyond the hour to encourage people to take their commitment to the cause beyond the 60-minute event.

Earth Hour 2012 took place in more than 7000 cities and towns across 152 countries and territories, making it the biggest growth year for the campaign since 2009. It was also the first year that Earth Hour was celebrated in space, with Dutch astronaut André Kuipers tweeting at various moments during the event’s trek around the globe In 2013 Earth Hour organizers noted that many countries and territories began producing environmental outcomes through the event.

In 2014 Earth Hour Blue was launched as a global crowdfunding and crowdsourcing platform for the planet. More than $60,000 was raised on the Earth Hour Blue platform for grassroots environmental projects run by WWF. The movement

also saw campaigns to help protect Australia’s Great Barrier Reef, the launch of a Blue Sky App in China, and the delivery of thousands of wood efficient stoves to communities in Madagascar.

For the second year, Earth Hour Blue 2015 aimed to raise funds for WWF-organized climate-focused projects on a crowdfunding platform.

This year crowdfunding projects include solar-light distribution in the Philippines and India, and wildlife based projects from Colombia, Uganda and Indonesia.

SYMBOLIC ACTION

THE official Web site of Earth Hour Global states that Earth Hour does not purport to be an energy/carbonreduction exercise. It is a symbolic action. Therefore, organizers do not engage in the measurement of energy/carbon-reduction levels for the hour itself. Earth Hour is an initiative to encourage individuals, businesses and governments around the world to take accountability for their ecological footprint and engage in dialogue and resource exchange that provides real solutions to our environmental challenges.

A 2014 study published in Energy Research and Social Science compiled 274 measurements of observed changes in electricity demand caused

by Earth Hour in 10 countries, spanning six years, and found that the events reduced electricity consumption an average of 4 percent. The study noted the policy challenge of converting Earth Hour’s short-term energy saving into longer-term actions, including sustained changes in behavior and investment.

WORLDWIDE SUPPORTERS

EARTH Hour has been supported around the world by Nelson Mandela, supermodel Miranda Kerr, cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar, footballer Lionel Messi, the United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, Greenpeace International Executive Director Kumi Naidoo, former US Vice President Al Gore, the President of Fiji Ratu Epeli Nailatikau, André Kuipers and the International Space

THOUSANDS PEDAL FOR THE PLANET

B

ICYCLES, electric vehicles, renewable energy technologies plus other climate-change solutions shall highlight this year’s main Earth Hour switch-off.

The event shall be held at the Quezon City Memorial Circle today. Thousands are expected to come and celebrate climate solutions with WWF-Philippines Ambassadors Marc Nelson, Rovilson Fernandez, Mikee Cojuangco-Jaworski, plus other personalities and acoustic performers from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m.

An LED map of the Philippines shall belit by volunteers pedaling on 10 stationary bamboo bikes attached to energy generators, which convert ‘pedal power’ to electricity. Over 500 bikers will converge at the venue before the switch-off, which happens from 8:30 pm to 9:30 pm. “All participants will get a chance

to pedal for the planet and show the world that human power can light up the Philippines and the world,” says Earth Hour Philippines Director Atty. Gia Ibay.

Electric vehicles such as e-jeeps and e-trikes shall also be on display. “Our aim is to showcase lowcarbon alternatives which all Pinoys can embrace,” Ibay adds. “These range from alternative modes of transport to energy-efficient technologies like portable and household solar kits. The event will also be partially powered by renewable energy–particularly solar, wind and biogas.”

Many more Earth Hour events are being staged across the Philippines. “We are elated at the massive outpouring of support. Government agencies, media allies, corporations, schools, civil society groups and individuals have all pledged to shine a light on cli-

mate action through Earth Hour,” WWF-Philippines CEO Joel Palma says. “We encourage participants to upload their Earth Hour videos and photos on social media using the hashtag #EARTHHOURPHILIPPINES. The most meaningful and unique celebrations shall be featured on our social media platforms.”

“Even more important than observing the switch-off is each group’s commitment to Go Beyond the Hour when the lights are switched back on,” concludes Ibay. “Earth Hour is symbolic. We’re not going to stop climate change just by switching-off our lights for 60 minutes—but if we collectively reduce our energy use by shifting to renewable energy and energy-efficient technologies, we will definitely change climate change and secure the low-carbon future we need.”

Station, actress Isabel Lucas, TV stars Bill and Giuliana Rancic, Yoko Ono, Stephen Fry, Cate Blanchett, Coldplay, among many others. In 2014, Earth Hour was supported

by Sony Pictures and the cast of The Amazing Spider-Man 2, including actors Andrew Garfield, Emma Stone, Jamie Foxx and director Marc Webb.

Actress and co-founder of The Honest Company, Jessica Alba, was the Earth Hour 2013 global ambassador. Supermodel Miranda Kerr served as global ambassador in 2011

and 2012, helping launch Earth Hour’s “I Will If You Will” platform.

Chinese actress Li Bingbing has been a longtime supporter of the campaign, attending WWF-China’s Earth Hour events each year. Supermodel Gisele Bündchen is also a longtime supporter of Earth Hour, taking to social media to encourage fans in Brazil and around the world to switch off.

Meanwhile, global brands and organizations around the world supporting the Earth Hour include Woodland CBRE Group, the National

Hockey League, Fédération Internationale de Football Association Union of European Football Associations, Manchester United, Hilton Worldwide, Girl Scouts of the US, World Organisation of the Scouts Movement, United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, the UN Environment Program, the International Trade Union Confederation, HSBC, World Association of the Girl Guides and Girl Scouts, Philips, Ikea, The Body Shop, ING Vysya Bank and the list goes on every year.

A4 Saturday, March 19, 2016 • Editor: Angel R. Calso

Opinion BusinessMirror

editorial

Is China taking over Panatag Shoal?

I

T was only a matter of time. While the nation’s focus is on the money-laundering scandal and the administration spending its time campaigning for its anointed candidate, China is completely taking over the Panatag Shoal.

The head of US naval operations, Adm. John Richardson, said the US military had seen Chinese activity around the Panatag (Scarborough) Shoal, which could be a precursor to more land reclamation. As if it was not bad enough that China could be building a military base some 200 kilometers from the island of Luzon, Richardson also expressed concern that an international court ruling expected in coming weeks on a case brought by the Philippines against China over its South China Sea claims could be a trigger for Beijing to declare an exclusion zone in the busy trade route.

And this is the “official” US response: “We will just have to see what happens,” he said. “We think about contingencies and responses.”

Meanwhile, 2,500 km away, North Korea has launched at least one and, perhaps, two more medium-range ballistic missiles in to the Sea of Japan.

Actually, the name “Sea of Japan” is in dispute, since both North and South Korea call that ocean area the “East Sea.” The US State Department responded forcefully to the North Korean action by sending a message on social-media platform Twitter, saying, “We call again on North Korea to refrain from actions that further raise tensions in the region.” The US government released a statement: “We are closely monitoring the situation on the Korean Peninsula.”

President Aquino and his administration are not solely to blame for this situation. On two previous occasions, the Philippines reached out to China in hopes of trying to smooth relations and build closer ties. China reacted with its usual “take or leave it” attitude.

However, the administration must take responsibility for escalating the rhetoric when on two occasions it compared China’s actions in the region to Nazi Germany. That is not the proper language of diplomacy when you are the underdog. But President Aquino and his advisors counted on Uncle Sam to come to the rescue. Instead of “coming,” the US is thinking and monitoring.

It was and still is unrealistic to expect our allies to do anything substantial to stop this stealing of Philippine territory. But complaining about the current government’s actions is a waste of time. What we need to hear from each of the presidential candidates is their specific framework to resolve these issues. To this point, they have all ignored speaking of the problem.

We cannot blame them. When Vice President Jejomar C. Binay tried to discuss joint development, he was met with a firestorm as public opinion is so angry with China.

One thing is certain, though. In the coming months after the election, the Philippines is going to need strong and competent leadership that will be forced to make difficult decisions that the public may not always agree with.

Since 2005

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Follow the peso to follow the PSE John Mangun

OUTSIDE THE BOX

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F you have followed this column for the last few years, there have been two particular ideas that I have tried to explain and emphasize. The first is that the global economic system can be tracked by capital flows. The “global economic system” encompasses everything—stock markets, interest rates, commodity prices —and has little to do with the economic production of a particular country or region.

The first great global financial center was India, as the center point in the Silk Road trade between the East and the West. Over the centuries, that center point of finance moves farther and farther West through Europe, and then to the United States. Now, it has progressed to East Asia. The financial center moved as money moved to specific geographical points. India was followed by the Ottoman Empire, then Austria, Germany and England, and so on.

The second idea was that you could track, even on a short-term basis, where the capital flows were

going by looking at the currencyexchange rates. Follow the money by following the exchange rates.

Global funds cannot flow into a nation without first being converted into local currency. Therefore, a strong currency indicates positive cash flow.

There are several factors that determine why money flows in or out, including trade, interest rates and the potential profitability of investments in that country, such as the stock market. These factors are not weighted equally, and sometimes one of those factors will dominate. Governments can

Islamic State gone global

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B J J C | TNS

ITH Paris still recovering from the horrific November attack that killed 130 people, France is on high alert again after the arrest of four extremists reportedly planning another round of terrorist strikes.

Welcome to the new normal.

The Islamic State (IS) is popping up everywhere. The list of places reporting threats from the group, from America’s West Coast to East Asia, is growing.

What makes their activities difficult to track, anticipate and prevent is how they manifest themselves differently in different places.

Revelations from IS documents recently obtained by the British press help explain why, by far, the most troubling networks right now are in Western Europe. The number of extremists rooting in across the continent is daunting. The range of juicy targets is tempting.

This explains why, in part, the refugee flow into Europe is such a significant security concern. It’s not simply that the odd terrorist or two may be hiding in the flow of migrants. Terrorists can find many ways to travel from one country to another. The problem for Europe is that terrorists traveling there can readily join existing networks.

In some cases, these human webs develop when fighters return home from Iraq and Syria, or when foreign fighters still in the theater reach back to tighten connections with home-town extremists. In other cases, IS organizers are simply plugging into standing extremist communities.

Sweden, for example, recently acknowledged it had 300 soldiers leave to fight for the IS in Syria and Iraq, a big number for a small country. The numbers from France and Belgium are even more troubling.

The links between terrorists in Syria and Iraq and other countries isn’t just a European problem. These networks are popping up worldwide, from Australia and Indonesia in the Far East to Tunisia in the North Africa and Trinidad in the Caribbean.

In the US the number of Islamistrelated plots has spiked in recent months. In India law-enforcement officials recently arrested 14 youths for forming an IS cell.

For the most part, these look like

There are several factors that determine why money flows in or out, including trade, interest rates and the potential profitability of investments in that country, such as the stock market. These factors are not weighted equally, and sometimes one of those factors will dominate. Governments can also manipulate currencies on a short-term basis to encourage or discourage capital flows.

also manipulate currencies on a short-term basis to encourage or discourage capital flows.

The Philippine peso reached its low point against the US dollar in late-2008, even as the Philippine stock market reached its low point. Likewise, net capital inflow to the Philippines was $3.7 billion in 2008, jumping to $9.5 billion in 2009.

I wrote on January 23rd: “When and at what point will the coming capitulation [stock-market bottom] happen? You wouldn’t believe me if I told you.” The reason you would

The danger of terrorist networks is also reflected in their use of the Internet. Much is made of how the Islamic State uses social media and the dark Web to reach out and recruit, as well as to incite and coordinate their deadly activities. But it is where they tweet, rather than how much they tweet, that matters. Where social networks are layered over existing human webs, the Internet provides a powerful additive to what terrorists can do. random efforts of IS wannabes. This is not to argue that these threats aren’t threats. Roaming rogue terrorists can be just as deadly as extremists taking orders from terror central. But the fact remains that there is no universal pattern to how they spread.

The danger of terrorist networks is also reflected in their use of the Internet. Much is made of how the IS uses social media and the dark Web to reach out and recruit, as well as to incite and coordinate their deadly activities. But it is where they tweet, rather than how much they tweet, that matters. Where social

probably not believe is that it was simple to discover. When the peso bottomed out, so would the stock market. As it turned out, the market hit its bottom on January 21st and the peso reached its low on January 26th. Likewise, when the Philippine stock market hit its historic high in April 2015, that was also the time when the peso started moving from the 44 area to the 48 level.

Stock-market prices are determined by capital flow. Currencyexchange rates are determined by that same money flow.

You can put all kinds of spin behind it. The market is going up on foreign buying. The global situation is changing. Interest rates in the US may go up. Local corporate earnings came out at the end of January.

But if you take the time to lay a chart of the peso over a chart of the Philippine Stock Exchange Composite Index, the correlation is beyond coincidence. Markets move on money flows, and you measure money flows by the currency.

E-mail me at mangun@gmail.com. Visit my web site at www.mangunonmarkets.com. Follow me on Twitter @mangunonmarkets. PSE stock-market information and technical analysis tools provided by the COL Financial Group Inc.

networks are layered over existing human webs, the Internet provides a powerful additive to what terrorists can do.

So while the IS is now a global phenomenon, how it presents itself locally looks different in different places. In some countries recruiting in mosques and prisons is a big problem. In others, not so much.

Though the IS may have a different face in different parts of the world, what is clear is that as long as the core thrives, there is every reason to expect that the networks will grow or that, if cut back, they will be able to regenerate. The core, of course, is the IS’s self-proclaimed caliphate.

Crushing it might take the foot off the pedal fueling the global Islamist insurgency. But it also might not be enough. The IS has already made a move to establish Libya as an alternative base of operations if it loses too much territory in Iraq.

Further, in the shadow of the IS, al-Qaeda has made a comeback. It’s just waiting for the IS black flag to falter to reclaim the allegiance of the disparate Islamist networks around the world—giving them a new neural center.

The fight against terrorism can be won, but it’s obvious that it will take a long, determined and nimble effort.

Opinion BusinessMirror

opinion@businessmirror.com.ph

Good times, not anger, led to Trump’s rise B J B Bloomberg View

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CATCH of the Day to Kevin Drum at Mother Jones for pointing to polling showing that, no, Republicans in 2016 aren’t especially angry about the economy. And HuffPollster notes that Republicans aren’t really angry, period, at least compared with the 2012 cycle. Drum puts it this way: People aren’t more angry, or more bigoted, or more scared than usual.

It’s just that we didn’t have a guy like Trump fanning these flames quite so crudely in past elections. This year we do.

My view is that Trump is doing well precisely because things aren’t particularly bad for the US right now. In difficult times, voters take their responsibilities more seriously, and wouldn’t embrace the buffoonery of a reality-television star. People can indulge in Trump’s fantasies in a period of (more or less) peace and (sort of) prosperity.

Or perhaps, it’s just a consequence of cartoonish characterizations of the Barack Obama administration. Republican politicians (and talk-show hosts and pundits) have been telling their constituents for seven years that Obama is a fullfledged disaster. Yet, unemployment is way down since he took office, and tangible signs of foreign-policy losses are difficult to identify.

For people with a strong ideological point of view, Obamacare—with its principle that access to health care is a responsibility of the federal government—represents a disaster by itself, but most voters don’t care about the principle. They care about health care and, for the most part, they are unaffected by the Affordable Care Act. This doesn’t mean you can’t make a sensible case against some results of Obama’s policies. It’s just that the apocalyptic view of Republican and conservative leaders doesn’t correspond to the lived experience of most Americans, including Republicans. So if you’re going with a fictional portrait of America, you might as well, (perhaps) go with a candidate who does fiction well.

Of course, this isn’t a joke.

Some real bigots are on Trump’s bandwagon—no surprise given his rhetoric. And some voters are genuinely furious about the nation’s direction. There’s some evidence that voters going through personal hard times are more drawn to Trump.

Overall, however, the Obama years haven’t resulted in recession, soaring inflation or a foreign misadventure with major American casualties—in other words, anything that produces serious political reaction. Barring that, an entertainment version of politics has some appeal.

And Trump puts on a good show.

Nice catch!

China’s schoolyard defense B M S Bloomberg View

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VER since global investors began questioning the competence of Chinese policy-makers last summer, the latter have repeatedly fallen back on a familiar schoolyard defense: “I know you are, but what am I?” No matter how poor their judgment, egregious their miscues or dismal China’s economic results, Chinese leaders argue, the US economy and its stewards can hardly claim to have performed any better.

Just last week, in a rare press conference, Chinese’s Finance Minister Lou Jiwei tried to deflect a question about China’s worrying explosion of debt by comparing his country to the US. “Its current debt level is a lot higher than its 2008 standard but its economy is still recovering,” Lou contended. “So we can’t generalize the theory that high debts must lead to a crisis.”

Similarly, at a conference ahead of the G-20 meeting in Shanghai in February, Chinese Vice Finance Minister Zhu Guangyao couldn’t resist a swipe at US policy-makers. Perhaps, Chinese leaders did have to do a better job of explaining their economic decisions to the world, he admitted, but so did the Americans. Last August Zhu used the same tactic when defending his government’s much-criticized, heavyhanded intervention in the stock market, arguing the US had employed similar methods before. “Other countries [did] the same thing,” he said. “You can see the case in [the] US.” Such retorts are all too familiar to anyone writing critically about China’s economy. Negative critiques are often dismissed as sour grapes or Chinabashing. The US economy isn’t in such great shape either, China’s defenders snap, so what right do you have to tell anyone else what to do?

In picking up the refrain, Chinese policy-makers may believe they’re exposing the West’s hypocrisy. While Americans like to think of their economy as a model of free-market virtues, in fact, US policy-makers do fool with market forces when they feel the need.

Why should China be held to standards to which Westerners don’t adhere themselves? And for that matter, why are China’s mandarins expected to be any less fallible than their counterparts in the US or Europe?

Those are fair points. However, by engaging in finger-pointing, leaders in Beijing suggest they’re either not taking seriously the issues that worry the world, or they don’t really under-

stand the scope of their problems. That does little to restore faith in Chinese regulators or policy-makers or markets, which should be the leadership’s main goal.

The problem is that Beijing’s comparisons are ill-conceived. It’s simply laughable to equate the sledgehammer China wielded to prop up the Shanghai stock market last year— banning short-selling, suspending trading of many shares, forcing government-linked players to buy—with the minor, temporary intervention by US regulators in 2008. Nor does claiming the US has the same communications problems as China make any sense. Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen routinely holds press conferences and appears at congressional hearings. Until very recently, her counterpart, Zhou Xiaochuan, governor of China’s central bank, has operated in inscrutable silence.

The comparison of China’s debt problems to America’s doesn’t hold up, either. Looking at total (not government) debt—which is what concerns investors most in China—US levels appear to be on a healthy trend. Meanwhile, China has witnessed the largest buildup of debt, relative to the size of its economy, in the emerging world over the past decade.

Chinese leaders are missing the point of their own examples. Instead of seizing on US failings as a cover for its own, China would be better served by learning from them. For instance, a more careful study of US regulators’ suspension of certain short-selling during the 2008 financial crisis would have made clear that such measures wouldn’t work in China either. In his rosy assessment of China’s debt levels, Lou, seems to have forgotten that a mountain of risky debt flattened the US economy only seven years ago, a disaster it’s still paying for today.

In fact, the US may be the world’s best laboratory for studying not just how to create economic mayhem, but how to restore stability. America’s economy has endured all sorts of bubbles and booms created by irrational exuberance, made worse by policy missteps, throughout its history—not all that different from what China is facing today. But each and every time, the US has rebooted, reformed and recovered precisely because it’s been willing to confront its mistakes honestly and quickly. (In his press conference, Lou admitted as much when he praised the US bank bailout after the 2008 crash.)

China would be wise to emulate America’s resilience, not just its problems.

Saturday, March 19, 2016 A5

Caritas sa Veritas Telethon 2016 for Alay Kapwa Rev. Fr. Antonio Cecilio T. Pascual

SERVANT LEADER

“It is, therefore, our hope that we will be more generous in our almsgiving this Lent.”—Cardinal Tagle

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N Holy Monday, March 21, from 6 in the morning till 6 in the evening, Caritas Manila, in partnership with Radio Veritas 846, will conduct its Alay Kapwa telethon to raise awareness and funds for Caritas Damayan (Preventive Health and Disaster Management Program).

The Philippines is one of the most disaster-prone countries in the world. Each year, an average of 20 storms and typhoons hit the Philippines. During this time, many people, especially the poor, need help and assistance. Caritas Manila, the lead social services and development ministry of the Church, responds to crises and calamities through Caritas Damayan, providing emergency and relief assistance, humanitarian aid to victims and educates disasterprone communities by conducting pre-disaster trainings and help in the restoration and rebuilding of communities.

In 2015 Alay Kapwa funds were exhausted in Caritas Damayan’s relief operations to help our brothers and sisters affected by typhoons (Egay, Ineng, Lando and Nona), and other minor disasters in urban-poor communities, such as fires, floods and tropical depressions. Caritas Damayan also extended its help to the internally displaced lumads.

With the increasing number of disasters and crises being responded to, Alay Kapwa funds get immediately depleted.

As a response, Caritas Manila and Radio Veritas will conduct Alay Kapwa Telethon 2016. The program

is meant to support social services of the poor and most in need, especially during times of disaster.

Veritas 846 will start its special programming at 6 a.m. through the news and public-affairs program Veritas Pilipinas. Anchors Jing Lanzona, Fr. Nono Alfonso and guest anchor Fr. Ric Valencia, priest in charge of Caritas Damayan, will talk about the mission of Alay Kapwa program of Caritas Manila. It will also feature interviews of Caritas Manila Executive Director and Radio Veritas President Rev. Fr. Anton C.T. Pascual and Sis. Sonia Hernandez, assistant of the social action director of San Fernando, La Union.

The public-affairs program Barangay Simbayan will give way to the special interviews with Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle, DD, 2012 Goldman Prize recipient Fr. Edu Gariguez, Social Action Center of Pampanga Director Fr. Kenneth Alde and Social Action Center of the Prelature of Infanta, Quezon, Director Fr. Israel Gabriel about the spirituality of Alay Kapwa.

From 10 a.m. to 12 noon, the magazine program, Pamilya Mo, Pamilya Ko will be preempted with a special program that will feature interviews with Caritas Visayas and Mindanao

Appreciating FVR @ 88

B M T. V | Special to the BusinessMirror

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OT all are privileged to work with a former Philippine president.

But for over 15 years now, I’ve had the blessing of serving alongside former President Fidel V. Ramos, who turned 88 on March 18, whose love for our country and heart for good governance still ring a bell.

FVR, as fondly called by his peers and constituents, is known not just for his thumbs-up sign, “Kaya Natin Ito” slogan, his ears or his tobacco, but also for his push-ups and crunches and the programs of his administration, especially with Philippines 2000. At a very ripe age of 88, he still plays golf and proudly displays his pacemaker that, he declares, makes him live longer by 25 more years.

Even in his octogenarian years, he has never failed to carry on what he has started, always a good soldier who likes to say that he would rather die serving his country with his boots on than sit idly to enjoy his retirement. He continues to inspire and stimulate, stir and enthuse, define and redefine, challenge and defy.

Sixteen years after he finished his term as president, Fidel V. Ramos, FVR or Eddie, the private citizen, refuses to be “tired even while retired.” He continues to be “a reformer despite being a former president,” and “ex” but not excess and not yet expired.

Other former chiefs of state write their memoirs and then fade into the sunset. He has written close to 30 books while in retirement and through keynote speeches, roundtable discussions, university convocations, etc., keeps reminding his successors and other leaders of the urgent things that need to be done for our country and people to achieve a better future.

Our relationship can be described as a wonderful journey that transcends beyond the books we have done together.

Since 2000, FVR has commissioned me to write on the biographies of his loved ones: Enduring Legacy, on his father Foreign Affairs Secretary Narciso Ramos; In A Class of Her Own, on his mother Angela Valdez Ramos; Mommy: The Pillar of Social Work on mother-in-law Josefa Jara Martinez; Simply Ming, on First Lady Amelita “Ming” M. Ramos; Uncle Sim

on Simeon Marcos Valdez; and Colors of Light on his artist, poetess auntie Lucia Mangapit Valdez.

Among the best book projects we worked and produced together are Silver Linings, a story on the 25 years of the 1986 Revolution; and Teamwork for Enduring Peace and Sustainable Development, chronicling 10 years of the Ramos Peace and Development Foundation (RPDEV), a nonprofit, nonpolitical, nonpartisan, non-governmental organization where he acts as chairman, and then several books later.

It’s not only a singular honor and privilege writing books with him but I always consider it as a gift and a blessing from the Almighty and from FVR himself, who has served as a constant guide, inspiration, editor and prime mover of our book projects.

The past 15 years and the several book teams formed have been a great journey of rediscovering FVR and RPDEV. Together, we now form part of a new group called Fidelistas, ardent students of Fidel V. Ramos. Working with him has allowed my team to experience some core values, such as Completed Staff Work, Caring, Sharing and Daring, and Unity, Solidarity and Teamwork—all advocated by FVR. FVR has also become my loving mentor and my second father, having earlier lost my own when he succumbed to cancer in 1994. He scolds me when he needs to, especially when I’m late for our appointed meetings; reprimands me when I was not up to his standards; and he pats my back for every good work done.

During regular visits to his office, he personally sees to it that my team is served with his “coffee royale” laced with virgin coconut oil because, according to him, it does well for the health and vitality. We all have to agree. After coffee, he treats us either with a glass of red wine

operation officer in charge Fr. Emerson Luego and Diocese of Bayombong Social Action Director Fr. Enrique Tiongson. They will also talk about typhoon incidents in the Philippines, together with representatives from the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa).

Meanwhile, in lieu of the daily public-service programs Caritas sa Veritas and Tagumpay sa Kalusugan, talks and interviews with Fr. Fortunato Estrillore, Indigenous People’s apostolate director of Tandag Diocese, and Fr. Dan Cansino, executive secretary of Episcopal Commission on Health Care programs, about Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao conflict, health issues and climate change, with reference to His Holiness Pope Francis’s encyclical Laudato Si, will be aired.

The public-service programs Health Advocacy Programs at 3 p.m. and Usapang KKK with Dr. Irene Lim, from 4 to 4:30 p.m., will be preempted with discussions led

by Veritas 846 advocates Riza Mendoza and Reyn Letran, about fire incidents in Metro Manila and the onslaught of El Niño phenomenon affecting our country, with guests from Quiapo Disaster Risk Reduction Management, Social Action Director of Archdiocese of Cotabato Rev. Fr. Clifford Baira, a representative from Caritas Manila’s Social Services and Development Ministry and Fr. Rey Yatco, parish priest of Our Lady of Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish, Mandaluyong.

From 4:30 to 6 p.m., an interview with representatives from the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority and the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology about earthquake and other disaster threats will be aired, instead of public-service programs Dok Alternatibo and Kalusugan at Kabuhayan, respectively. They will also talk about the Damay Kapanalig, the Disaster

Communication program of Veritas 846 that provides real-time communication linkages between dioceses and relief rehabilitation agencies of the Church before, during and after calamities. The special programming will be concluded with a message from Caritas Manila.

All throughout the day, testimonies from the beneficiaries of Alay Kapwa activities will also be featured. A special page about the Alay Kapwa program is also available on the web site veritas846.ph/ alaykapwa2016.

Archdiocese of Manila, His Eminence Luis Antonio G. Cardinal Tagle, DD, appealed for support to Alay Kapwa in his pastoral letter for Alay Kapwa 2016.

“Once again, we appeal to you, my brothers and sisters, to support Alay Kapwa. In this Extraordinary Jubilee Year of Mercy, let us heed the call of Pope Francis to practice mercy through concrete acts of charity,” Cardinal Tagle said.

Listeners can participate and donate in the telethon by calling 925-7931 to 39. Phone lines will be open throughout the live broadcast on Radio Veritas 846 and also via livestreaming at www.veritas846.ph.

Donations are accepted through our peso bank accounts: n Account Name: Caritas Manila Inc. n BPI Account Number: 30635357-01; n BDO Account Number: 560045905; n Metrobank Account Number: 175-3-17506954-3; and n any Cebuana Lhuillier branch (free of charge).

or his special “FVR cocktail drink” invariably laced with soda, rum, cognac, whiskey or brandy while watching some documentaries or FVR taped interviews showcasing his milestone presidency and continuing work as senior statesman.

As for his many sorties overseas, he continues to be admired, respected and adulated as former president and head of state. But there’s one unforgettable experience I had with him that showed the stuff he is really made of. I remember one incident in June 2013, when we staged the Pilipinas Roadshow with my cobook authors former Interior Secretary Rafael M. Alunan III and Gen. Reynaldo V. Velasco, featuring our book Silver Linings: 25 Years of the 1986 People Power Revolution, and Tagaligtas: A Documentary on the Special Action Force (long before the Mamasapano massacre happened) in eight key cities in the United States to promote Filipino values and instill patriotism to the Fil-Ams in time for the Independence Day celebration.

In spite of the debilitating pain on his back and leg when he injured himself in San Diego, California, while doing his usual crunch with some Fil-Ams, FVR, who was very well beyond his years, withstood the pain and committed to continue the tour to Atlanta, Georgia, Washington, D.C., Virginia, New Jersey and New York without any complaints or grievance. Beyond the pain, the show must go on. Such a kindred and brave soul, and he taught the Pilipinas Roadshow Team a lesson on pain management, mind over matter, professionalism and honoring one’s commitment.

Through the years that I’ve known him, the many young and not so young writers who have been involved with the book projects have also seen the other human side of FVR—comical, witty and a tad bit serious when needed. I recall when he shook the hands of one lady writer and FVR feigned sickness to the lady’s great concern. Fortuitously, he was just joking. Such incidents would make most everyone wonder how, at his age, he still continues to work and contribute to nation-building with his wealth of ideas, wisdom and experience.

Unfortunately, for the many national leaders who came after him, both in the executive and legislative, they didn’t seem to take the golden opportunity of

tapping his vast reservoir of wisdom and experience, particularly in the areas of good governance and global diplomacy.

I believe FVR is one of the greatest Philippine presidents. As the 12th president of the Philippines, from 1992 to 1998, FVR is best remembered for promoting the principles of people empowerment, a culture of excellence and global competitiveness, focusing on programs to alleviate poverty and improve the lives of ordinary Filipinos. This is evident in the 229 structural/reform laws enacted by the 9th and 10th Congress during his term, achieved principally by building unity, solidarity and teamwork among government and civil-society leaders.

As a soldier who served for 42 years, including stints in Korea, Vietnam and in the counterinsurgency campaign, FVR retired as a four-star general and chief of staff of the Armed Forces. He served as defense secretary from 1988 to 1991. As president and thereafter, he is better known as a peace builder with the forging of the peace agreement with the rebel-soldiers in 1995 and with the Moro National Liberation Front in 1996.

The former president, who has been in public service since beginning his career as a cadet in the US Military Academy in 1946, continues to practice his distinct brand of public service through the nongovernment RPDEV Foundation, which he and key members of his former presidential family organized months after they left office.

And it’s quiet unfair to lump him among the underachievers in the last 30 years owing to his legacy of service before, during and after his six-year presidency: West Point honor graduate, Korea and Vietnam War veteran, Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) vice chief of staff, PC-INP chief, Edsa 1 hero, AFP chief, defense secretary, Philippine President, RPDEV and Boao Forum chairman, Edsa 2 hero and senior statesman.

My only prayer for him is that he lives longer and at 88, I know he still can do more for the country.

Truly, Fidel V. Ramos has left an endearing legacy and continues to give his imprints on patriotism that celebrate a milestone of life, love, learning for his people and service to our beloved Philippines.

To know more about Caritas Manila, visit www. caritasmanila.org.ph. For your donations, please call our DonorCare lines 563-9311, 564-0205, 09997943455, 0905-4285001 and 0929-8343857. Make it a habit to listen to Radio Veritas 846 in the AM band, or through live streaming at www.veritas846.ph. For comments, e-mail veritas846pr@gmail.com.

A6 Saturday, March 19, 2016 • Editor: Dionisio L. Pelayo

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Abu bandits tagged in several killings captured in Sulu

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B R A

HREE Abu Sayyaf bandits, who were allegedly involved in several killings in Sulu, were captured on Thursday as military operations and police action were intensified in the province owing to the coming elections.

Brig. Gen. Alan Arrojado, commander of the military’s Joint Task Group Sulu, identified those arrested as Jemar Asgari, 22, and Alden Asmad, 29, both residents of Barangay Darayan, Patikul; and Dems Abtal, 28, of Barangay Lower Sinumaan, Talipao.

Arrojado said the three were collared in Patikul by personnel of the Jolo Internal Defense Force (JIDF) led by Maj. Ibni Saddama

and composed of Army troops, members of the Patikul police station and Sulu police command’s Provincial Public Safety Company, following a brief chase at around 11:40 a.m.

“These individuals were seen carrying short firearms tucked in their shirts while riding in tandem in a Kawasaki Fury motorcycle with license plate number 7260 JD. They were chased by the joint

Nlex, SCTEx now fully integrated B L S. M

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ABALACAT CITY, Pampanga—The multimillion-peso integration of the North Luzon Expressway (Nlex) and the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEx) was completed ahead of the expected surge of vehicles during the Holy Week.

Motorists can now expect a more seamless connection between the two tollways, as toll-collection stops have been lessened and additional payment options have been introduced.

“The integration speeds up the queues at toll plazas. Motorists, who will drive from Manila to Subic, will just have to stop for toll payments at Balintawak, and Subic or Tarlac. This will save them up to 40 minutes of travel time,” Manila North Tollways Corp. President Rodrigo E. Franco said on Friday.

The P650-million toll linkage project involves the conversion of separate Nlex and SCTEx tollcollection schemes into a single

Coal still dominant source of electricity

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HE country’s total installed and dependable capacity in 2015 slightly increased to 18,695 megawatts (MW) and 16,451 MW, respectively, owing to the entry of new power plants that added 751 MW to the installed capacity and 818 MW in dependable capacity, Department of Energy (DOE) records show.

Installed capacity in Luzon totaled to 13,598 MW, or 72.7 percent of the total installed capacity, mix followed by the Visayas with 2,683 MW, or 14.4 percent.

Mindanao has 2,414 MW, or 12.9 percent.

In terms of dependable capacity, 12,179 MW, or 74 percent, is accredited to Luzon grid; 2,228 MW, or 13.5 percent, is in the Visayas; and 2,044 MW, or 12.4 percent, is in Mindanao.

In Luzon new plants were commercially operational, such as the 135-MW SLTEC Puting Bato coal plant, the 13.2-MW Sabangon Hydroelectric Plant; the 20-MW Isabela bagasse-fired power plant; the 13MW Bataan Rice Husk Cogeneration Plant; the 10-MW Pampanga solar power plant; the 4-MW Burgos solar power plant; the 13.2-MW Pampanga solar plant; and the 54-MW Pililia wind project.

In the Visayas the power plants that were completed in 2015 include the 83.7MW Toledo power plant expansion; the 46-MW URC bagasse-fired cogeneration power plant; the 8-MW HPco bagasse power plant; the 3-MW VMC bagasse plant; the 30-MW Soleq solar plant; the 23-MW Sacasol 1 solar power plant; and the 36MW Nabas wind power plant.

In Mindanao power plants that went online last year are the 150-MW Therma South coal plant; the 20.9-MW Peak Power Socsargen diesel plant; the 5.2-MW Peak Power San Francisco diesel plant; 12.5MW Kirahon solar power plant; and the 6.2-MW Centralla solar power plant. The data also indicate that coal power plants captured bulk of the installed capacity in the country at 5,893 MW, that is equivalent to 31 percent.

Oil followed at 3,610 MW (19.3 percent), hydro at 3,600 MW (19.3 percent), natural gas at 2,862 MW (15.3 percent), geothermal at 1,917 MW (10.3 percent), wind at 427 MW (2.3 percent), biomass at 221 MW (1.2 percent) and solar at 165 MW (0.9 percent). Coal is dominant in the Luzon and the Visayas grids.

In Luzon coal-fired plants make up 4,742 MW, or 34.9 percent of installed capacity. In the Visayas the installed capacity of coal stood at 769 MW, or 28.7 percent. Lenie Lectura

system that allows more efficient toll collection and faster movement of traffic for motorists.

It also involved the installation and removal of temporary plazas and the construction of interchange plazas, which also required the widening of existing entry or exit ramps.

Seven new toll plazas were constructed, as well.

The integration of the two expressways speeds up the queues on the exit plazas of the North Luzon and the Subic-Clark Tarlac expressways, increasing the amount of transactions per hour to 800, from the current 200.

“It’s the first integration among expressways in the country, and we are happy to be part of it and set the bar for others to replicate for the benefit of the public,” Bases Conversion and Development Authority President Arnel Paciano D. Casanova said.

The integration was completed ahead of the expected surge in traffic on the two expressways during

the Holy Week exodus.

Hopefully, Franco said, the two tollways will be integrated to the San Miguel Corp.-operated TarlacPampanga-La Union Expressway in the future. “That would be the natural next step—to try to talk to the concessionaire and operator to see if an integration is possible. Maybe something that is something that we’ll eventually explore,” he said.

“Integration is not a simple matter. It’s not a matter of joining and removing toll plazas.”

Franco noted that vehicle volume will likely rise by as much as 15 percent during the Lenten season.

To prevent congestion, the tollways company will implement its annual “Safe Trip Mo, Sagot Ko” campaign, which will enhance the traffic management and tollcollection services during the Holy Week rush.

From March 18 to 28, additional patrol vehicles and enforcers will be fielded to immediately respond to distressed motorists. Ambulant toll tellers equipped with portable

toll-collection gadgets will be deployed, and additional traffic informatory signs will be installed in strategic areas.

Road works w i l l a lso be suspended to ensure smooth traffic flow.

Like in previous holidays, the program will provide free first-aid treatments and basic mechanic services to motorists in designated locations along the two thoroughfares.

This program is expected to help motorists save fuel and time for the 200,000 vehicles that use Nlex, and the over 30,000 vehicles that ply the SCTEx daily. “Beyond the Lenten season, we are hoping we can do our part to help lessen the travel time of motorists who ply our expressways daily,” Franco said. “Less time on the road means more time for productive work, or more quality time for the family.”

Metro Pacific Tollways Corp. operates the two tollways along with the Manila-Cavite Toll Expressway, and several other tollways in other countries.

MMDA starts cleanup of Metro waterways B C M

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HE Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) has collected since the start of the month almost 3,000 cubic meters of garbage from different creeks and waterways in the yearly cleanup drive of the agency, Estero Blitz 6, in preparation for the onset of the rainy season.

In a summary report as of March 17 to MMDA Chairman Emerson Carlos, Director Baltazar Melgar, head of the agency’s Flood and Sewerage Management Office (FSMO), said that a total of 2,989 cubic meter, or 288 truckloads of refuse and

silt have been scooped out of five major esteros and sewers in Manila.

Armed with heavy equipment, such as crane, dump trucks and spider backhoe, FSMO personnel started cleaning up creeks mostly in severely silted and clogged up waterways on March 1.

Those already declogged by the FSMO teams are the North and South Antipolo Open Canal, Estero de Kabulusan, Estero de Magdalena, Estero de San Miguel and Estero de Quiapo.

MMDA personnel even had to use small boats or bancas to fish out f loating debris and

refuse from the waterways.

Carlos said MMDA’s annual clean up activity aims to minimize the massive flooding being experienced

by Manileños owing to the clogged up waterways attributed mainly to tons of garbage and heavily silted creeks.

“With this regular cleanup, we expect that floods in low lying areas of Metro Manila would quickly subside after heavy rainfall,” the MMDA chief said, noting that agency personnel, along with barangay officials, should keep these waterways clear of any debris.

security elements until they were arrested,” he said.

The three were were tagged in the liquidations of police personnel at the Jolo Airport and for the ambush of intelligence personnel of the Army’s 10th Infantry Battalion (IB) on March 15 in Patikul.

The arrest of the three Abu Sayyaf gunmen came amid the ongoing military operations against the bandit group in Sulu in order

to rescue their eight remaining hostages, most of them foreigners.

Similar operations were also being conducted against the group in Basilan.

The operations comes hand in hand with the stricter security being implemented in Sulu and Basilan, as the government works to prevent the Abu Sayyaf and other groups from creating trouble to disrupt the holding of the elections in May.

South Luzon tollways operators prepare for Holy Week traffic

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KYWAY O&M Corp. (Somco), Manila Toll Expressway System Inc. (Mates) and Star Tollway Corp. (STC), the operators of the Skyway System, the South Luzon Expressway (Slex) and Star Tollway, respectively, are prepared to handle the influx of motorists going to places south of Metro Manila through the southern toll road network in observance of the Holy Week.

While Somco, Mates and STC expect traffic to peak on Holy Wednesday, March 23, and Maundy Thursday, March 24; and on return trip to Metro Manila by Sunday, March 27, until early Monday, March 28, they will implement a proactive operational plan on traffic, security, toll collection and motorist assistance as early as March 18, for motorists who opt to travel during off-peak days to avoid delay and inconvenience and be with families and relatives for a longer period of time.

The South toll road operators’ Oplan Ligtas Biyahe Kwaresma 2016 starts on March 23, in cooperation with concerned government and police agencies, like the Department of Public Works and Highways, Toll Regulatory Board, Land Transportation Office, National Police-Highway Patrol Group, Metro Manila Development Authority and the local government.

With other support facilities, like Lifeline ambulances, Automobile Association of the Philippines tow trucks and the quick response teams, Oplan Ligtas Biyahe Kwaresma 2016 aims to provide prompt assistance to motorists in distress and deploy additional field personnel in areas where traffic is expected to build up.

Ligtas Biyahe Assistance Centers, in strategic locations of the toll road, will provide, among others, drinking and radiator water, towing service to the nearest exits and latrine facilities. To ensure safer and more pleasant trips of their motoring patrons, the south tollway operators will intensify their

patrol operations and motorist assistance effort, cancel days-off of their field personnel and closely coordinate with the Highway Patrol Group and the local police to curb possible criminal activities.

Additional toll-collection personnel, including ambulant tellers, will also be deployed to speed toll transactions, especially in busy toll plazas.

In anticipation of the Holy Week traffic, and to better serve the increasing number of radio-frequency identification (RFID) subscribers, additional electronic toll-collection lanes have been opened both on the Skyway System and Slex. Motorists may still get their RFID stickers at the customer service centers in Skyway Bicutan Office and Mates Office in Silangan Slex northbound toll plaza, from Monday to Saturday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.; at the northbound and southbound toll plazas of Southwoods and Santa Rosa and the Ayala Greenfields, and at Petron San Pedro on Slex southbound toll booth. RFID subscription can also be processed on Saturday and Sunday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Petron service stations in Malvar and Star Tollway in Batangas.

Mates suggests that motorists going to Tagaytay during the Holy Week use the Southwoods, Carmona, Santa Rosa and Eton exits and those coming from Batangas to exit via Tanauan. On return trip to Manila on Sunday or Monday (March 27 or 28), motorists should anticipate heavy traffic at Santo Tomas, Lipa-Tambo (East/West) and Batangas exit plazas.

Motorists are also reminded to make sure that their vehicles’ cooling system, brakes and tires are functioning well and that fuel and oil are sufficient. For their own safety and those of others, they must strictly observe all tollway traffic rules and regulations, especially the speed limit rule—100 kilometers per hour (kph) maximum for cars; 80 kph maximum for buses and trucks; and 60 kph minimum for all vehicles.

Marcos calls for integration of govt climate-change mitigation programs

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EN. Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Friday called forthe integration of climate-change mitigation in all aspects of governance.

Marcos aired the call in the wake of the visit to the country of environment advocate former US Vice President Al Gore, who has been calling for united global action to mitigate the effects of climate change.

“It is imperative for us to consider the effects of climate change in the planning and implementation of practically all government programs,” said Marcos, chairman of the Senate Committee on Public Works.

In particular, Marcos said government infrastructure projects should be designed and implemented to mitigate the effects of natural calamities brought about by climate change.

He cited the 2015 report of the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction saying the Philippines was the fourth in the world

among countries hit by the highest number of disasters.

Marcos, who is running for vice president, said “we should use the lessons learned from Supertyphoon Yolanda to enable us to build structures that are designed to withstand natural disasters such as typhoons and floods.”

He noted that many of the casualties of Yolanda perished in evacuation centers that collapsed owing to strong winds or were submerged in the storm surge.

“We should make a careful study to determine what needs to be done for disaster mitigation, so that our infrastructures would be able to withstand natural calamities that could strike our country,” Marcos said.

Likewise, Marcos added that all concerned government agenc ies must i mprove t hei r pre paredness to launch relief and rescue operations during times of natural calamities.

ANOTHER FEATHER

The Cardinal Santos Medical Center Reseach Ethics Review Committee (CSMC-RERC) received its certificate of accreditation during the 34th Anniversary celebration of the Philippine Council for Health Research and Development held in a hotel in Makati City. Show displaying the Certificate of Accreditation are (from left) Janice Bacarisas, committee secretary; Dr.Anita Matilda Poblete, RERC vice chairman; Dr. Pura Caisip, chairman of CSMC-RERC; Dr.Zenaida Javier-Uy, CSMC chief medical officer; and Conchita Esmao, staff supervisor of CSMC-RERC. The CSMC-RERC in late November last year received another certification at the 15th Forum for Ethical Review Committees in Asia and the Pacific International Conference in Nagasaki, Japan. ROY DOMINGO

Sports BusinessMirror

mirror_sports@yahoo.com.ph | sports@businessmirror.com.ph

Saturday, March 19, 2016 A7

BRONZE FOR

FOCUSED CLARICE PATRIMONIO aims for a

return shot against Khryshana Hitosis during the Peugeot Philippine Tennis Open 2016 at the Valle Verde Country Club. Patrimonio prevailed, 6-2, 6-1.

NONIE REYES

FILIPINA RIDER M

ARELA SALAMAT lived up to her billing as the country’s top female rider by bagging bronze behind double-gold medal winner Romy Kasper of Germany on Friday in the World University Cyling Championships in Tagaytay City.

Salamat, gold-medal winner in the women’s individual time trial (ITT) of the Singapore Southeast Asian Games (SEAG) in June last year, could have clinched the silver but yielded in a sprint battle with Poland’s Nikol Plofaj in the 80-kilometer race won easily by Kasper.

Kasper virtually led all the way from the Nasugbu start to the Tagaytay City finish in front of the Tagaytay International Convention Center, clocking 2:42:48 over a highly tricky course.

Plofaj was a far second with four minutes and 12 seconds behind Kasper, who completed a Germany sweep in the women’s road events of the discipline conducted by the Le Tour de Filipinas organizer Donna Lina in the women’s criterium at Canyon Woods on Thursday.

Salamat, fresh from her stint in a UCI race in Vietnam, was a mere second behind to settle for the bronze medal.

“Pinilit kong kunin ang silver pero naipit ako ng magrematehan,” said Salamat, who complemented the gold medal won by another Filipino, boots Ryan Cayubit, in men’s criterium also on Thursday at Canyon Woods.

Twenty-six cyclists from 12 countries answered the gun but half of them completed the race. Among those who did not finish were the entire Korea team (three members) and China (four).

Marela’s teammate Avegail Rombaon finished 27 minutes behind, while Ana Katrina Angelo rode the Sag Wagon.

NIKOL PLOFAJ (from left) of Poland (silver), Germany’s Romy Kasper (gold) and Filipina Marela Salamat (bronze) bite their respective medals during the awarding

Lady Eagles eye Final Four berth

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LEE REPEATS

ceremony of the World University Cyling Championships in Tagaytay City.

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Manila 10s International Rugby unfurls with 36 teams competing

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HE 28th Manila 10s International Rugby Festival unfurls on Saturday with 36 teams vying for the coveted crown at the Nomads Sports Club in Parañaque City.

The two-day tournament gathered several local clubs from different provinces, with foreign squads also seeing action in the event presented by the Philippine Rugby Football Union (PRFU), Manila Nomads Sports Club and ANZCHAM Philippines.

“I know this is a basketball-crazed country, but I believe that by working and playing hard, the Philippines can make a statement each and every time we play rugby against other competitive nations,” PRFU President Rick Santos said during the tournament launch on Friday at the Manila

Marriott Hotel in Pasay City.

“It’s one of the fastest-growing sports in the country, with clubs rising in all parts of the regions,” Santos added.

Dubbed by ESPN as the “best social rugby tournament in the world,” the Manila 10s will also be joined by New Zealand powerhouse North Harbour Rugby team.

Hong Kong, Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Japan, the United Kingdom, New Zealand, Australia and the United States are among the countries that will send clubs to the Manila 10s.

A total of 54 matches will be played on Saturday starting at 8 a.m., with the winners going into the crossover knockout rounds on Sunday. Ramon Rafael Bonilla

Undermanned Azkals face tall order against No. 2 Uzbekistan

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N undermanned Philippine Azkals side will be facing a tall order in keeping the third spot in Group H as they take on powerhouse Uzbekistan in the resumption of International Football Federation (Fifa) Asian World Cup Qualifying on March 24 in Tashkent.

The Azkals will miss several key players, either due to injuries or sanctions, but Philippine Football Federation SecretaryGeneral Ed Gastanes said that the team needs to make some adjustments for their upcoming match.

“The core of the team is there but in football, as always, after each match a new team composition maybe expected, it depends on the coaching staff who to call up,” Gastanes said. “Coach [Thomas] Dooley called up about 35 players in the pool including some local players from UFL [United Football League] but before they leave for Tashkent coach will be only nominating 23 players.”

Among those who were called up were UFL standouts Dominic del Rosario, Jim Ashley Flores, OJ Clariño, Kouichi Belgira and Jorrel Aristorenas, who will fill the big shoes of Manny Ott and Misagh Bahadoran, both suspended

after picking up their second yellow card during their 0-1 loss to Yemen last November.

Skipper Phil Younghusband can now return after sitting the game against Yemen, but his status is uncertain as he’s nursing a knee injury.

Younghusband incurred his second yellow card in the PHl XI’s match versus Bahrain.

Kevin Ingreso is also injured while Stephan Palla is also doubtful for the March 24 match.

Gastanes still believes that the Azkals will put up a good showing in Tashkent.

“We hope that the team will perform better even in an away match. Our team is really hardworking even during away matches,” he said.

Dooley will choose 23 players before leaving the country for Tashkent via Incheon, South Korea, on Sunday.

The Azkals lost to Uzbekistan, 1-5, in their home game at the Philippine Sports Stadium last September. They are currently at No. 3 in the group with seven points behind North Korea (16) and Uzbekistan (15).

After the road match, the Azkals will play a home game against North Korea at Rizal Memorial Football Stadium on March 29.

Lance Agcaoili

EE JEONG-HWA put on another comeback worthy of another International Container Terminal Services Inc. (ICTSI) Champion Tour trophy in a victory that was more a triumph of the spirit and character of an emerging Korean star.

Four down with nine holes to play, Lee rattled off five birdies, including three straight from No. 13, to close out with a five-under 67 in scorching heat and nip Mia Piccio by one to rule the Manila Southwoods leg presented by Champion and Taiwan Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) Tour at the Legends course on Friday in Carmona, Cavite.

Unlike in her Splendido win last week where she battled from two shots down in the last eight holes to edge Japanese Fumika Kawagishi, the 21-year-old Busan native needed to overhaul twice a deficit this time but proved up to the task just the same, winning it all with a fiery 31 for that 67 and 54-hole total of 11-under 205.

“I didn’t expect to win but I was lucky I made it,” said Lee, who pocketed another $15,000 from the total pot of $75,000 put up by ICTSI. “My putting did it for me.”

Piccio did play good, too, closing out with a bogeyfree 69 with an eagle to boot, but Lee, who turned pro at 18 after winning the Philippine Ladies Open at Wack Wack in 2012, proved better and finished stronger.

“I played relatively good. I could have won it outright had I made my four birdie putts at the back,” said Piccio, referring to her flubbed chances on Nos. 11, 15, 16 and 17 inside 6 feet.

The last could’ve forced a playoff but the Bacolod ace, who earlier buried a 20-footer for birdie on No. 2 to move two-up and hit a solid 3-wood second shot from 250 yards to set up a 5-foot eagle putt to pull away by four, had to settle for runner-up honors at 206 worth $7,500.

“Golf is like that—you are not sure of winning until the last hole. Maybe the tournament wasn’t meant for me,” Piccio said.

Amateur Sam Martirez held her ground against Lee and Piccio in the featured flight, fighting back into contention with three birdies in a four-hole stretch from No. 11, finishing with a 68 for solo third at 207.

Pauline del Rosario, Martirez’s teammate in The Country Club stable, also stayed in the hunt in second-to-last flight but ran out of holes and ended with a 69 for fourth at 210, while Thai Kanphanitnan

Muangkhumaskul also shot a bogeyfree 68 to tie Korean amateur Hwang Min-jeong, who also carded a four-under card, at 211.

Kawagishi turned in a 71, while compatriot Senno Yasufuku fired a 69 as they shared seventh place at 212; while Dottie Ardina finally broke par after two 72s, shooting a 69 to salvage a share of ninth with Taiwanese Wu Yi-ching, who made a 69, and Chen Yu-ju, who carded a 71, at 213.

Tumbling down the leaderboard with back-to-back bogeys from No. 3, Lee put on a comeback to remember, birdieing seven of the next 14 holes to rally from four down and snare the victory, completing a remarkable sweep of the second leg of the ICTSI Ladies Philippine Golf Tour and the sixth stage of the Taiwan LPGA. She launched her fightback with a birdie on No. 10, then strung up three straight from No. 13 inside 8 feet. As she waxed hot with her putter, Piccio groped with hers, missing key putts that would’ve stymied the Korean’s rally.

After birdieing the par-5 17th for the second straight day and watching Piccio squander another birdie chance to finally wrest the lead, Lee closed out with a routine par to cap her stirring win in the event organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments Inc. and, backed by adidas, Custom Clubmakers, KZG, TaylorMade, Champion, Summit Natural Drinking Water, Pacsports, Sharp and Rustans Supermarket.

JEONGHWA celebrates her second straight win afterLEEholing out with a routine par. ROY DOMINGO

Petron, RC Cola-Army try to keep leadership

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OLEADERS Petron and RC Cola-Army try to close out their preliminary round of the 2016 Philippine Superliga (PSL) Invitational Conference women’s volleyball tournament on a high note as they face separate foes on Saturday at the Filoil Flying V Center in San Juan.

The Lady Troopers clash with Cignal in the main game at 3 p.m., right after the duel of the Tri-Activ Spikers and Foton at 1 p.m., in the interclub tourney bankrolled by Asics, Mueller, Senoh, Mikasa and Grand Sport with TV5 as official broadcast partner.

Petron and RC Cola-Army are already safe in the final round with identical 4-1 win-loss slates.

The HD Spikers are in a must-win game to clinch the last spot in the final round, where the three PSL squads face the Est Cola of Thailand.

Cignal kept its hopes alive after back-toback rousing wins from a five-set conquest of Petron on Tuesday and a three-set victory over Foton on Thursday, 25-20, 25-18, 25-18.

Now owning a 3-2 card, the HD Spikers just need to win their final match to advance to the next stage.

But they will be facing a reeling Lady Troopers squad, which absorbed its first loss in the tournament at the hands of Petron on Tuesday in five thrilling sets.

“Whatever happens, we really want to win,” Cignal Head Coach Sammy Acaylar said. “We will analyze the strong and weak points of RC Cola-Army since we all know that they are one of the winningest teams in this league. So, whatever happens, we will ambition to beat them.”

A loss by Cignal will give F2 Logistics a free ticket to the next round.

The Est Cola club will be bannered by Chatchu-on Moksri, a 16-year-old open hitter from Buriram who campaigned in the Asian Volleyball Confederation Asian Cup, International Volleyball Federation (FIVB) World Championship and the FIVB World Grand Prix. Also in the Thai squad are 23-yearold middle blocker Jarasporn Bundasak and 20-year-old setter Parinya Pankaew, who both saw action in the Asian Championship in Tianjin, China, Summer Universiade in Kazan, Russia, and the Asian U23 Championship in Manila. Lance Agcaoili

TENEO de Manila guns for a Final Four seat with a win against University of Santo Tomas (UST) in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Season 78 women’s volleyball tournament at the PhilSports Arena.

But the Lady Eagles have to do it minus middle hitter Maddie Madayag, who was declared out of the season for tearing an ACL during their Tuesday practice at the Blue Eagle Gym. Ateneo faces the Tigresses at 4 p.m., while National University (NU) and Far Eastern University (FEU) clash in a crucial match to strengthen their Final Four chances at 2 p.m.

Lady Eagles Manager Tony Liao said Madayag will undergo surgery after the Holy Week and will most likely miss the remainder of the tournament.

Minus Madayag, the top server in the first round, Amy Ahomiro and Bea de Leon have to step up to fill in the big shoes and provide support to ace player Alyssa Valdez, rising attacker Jho Maraguinot and setter Jia Morado.

Ateneo is currently tied with rival De La Salle for top spot with 8-2 win-loss card apiece and they are two games ahead of third-running University of the Philippines at 6-4.

UST is also in a must-win game, as the España-based squad is in a triple tie with FEU and NU for fourth spot with similar 5-5 slates.

“In our situation right now, we have to strive harder,” UST Head Coach Kungfu Reyes said. “We will try to match the intensity of Ateneo.”

Reyes will bank on again on sophomores EJ Laure and Cherry Rondina, as well as veterans Carmela Tunay and Jessey de Leon, who led UST to a 25-21, 17-20, 20-25, 25-23, 15-12 victory over Adamson University last Wednesday.

Meanwhile, the Lady Tamaraws and the Lady Bulldogs are in a crucial face-off with the winner getting the separation in what could be a tight race for the No. 4 spot.

FEU seeks to bounce back from a frustrating 17-25, 10-25, 21-25 loss to Ateneo on Sunday, while NU, which lost four of the five last games, kept its bid alive after a 25-15, 25-12, 25-11 thumping of winless University of the East.

In men’s tourney, Ateneo faces UST at 10 a.m.

La Salle tries to continue its winning run versus Adamson at 8 a.m. Lance Agcaoili

Lady Falcons complete 6-peat

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UEENY SABOBO and Annalie Benjamen ended their collegiate careers as champions, as Adamson University nipped University of Santo Tomas (UST), 5-3, to complete a six-peat in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Season 78 softball tournament on Friday at the Rizal Memorial Baseball Stadium.

“It’s not all about talent, it’s all about heart and mental,” a jubilant Lady Falcons Coach Ana Santiago said.

Adamson prevailed the best-of-three series, 2-1, to annex its 15th crown overall.

The Lady Falcons ended their remarkable string of 73 consecutive victories this season after losing to the Tigresses at the end of the eliminations and lost again to the España-based batters in Game Two, which forced the decider.

But in the end, Adamson’s desire to win another championship prevailed.

“This is the biggest challenge for me. Unlike sa past five years na nag-champion kami na masasabi kong easy eh. This year napakahirap ng pinagdaanan pinaka-sweetest victory namin,” namin pero ito na ang pinaka Santiago added.

Sabobo and fellow graduating player Annalie Benjamen homered for a 4-2 lead in the third inning.

Sabobo was not yet done as the 21-year-old short stop slammed another home-run in the fifth inning to give the Lady Falcons a 5-2 advantage.

“Kinausap ko ‘yung tatlo [Sabobo, Benjamen and third base Krisna Paguican] at sinabi kong ito na ang huling beses kayong tutuntong sa Rizal Memorial as Adamson player at mag-step up. Kayo ang magsimula at susunod mga kasama ninyo,” Santiago said.

Sabobo and Benjamen were named co-Finals Most Valuable Players.

Despite its failure to regain the title it won six years ago, there’s nothing to be ashamed of for UST. Among those who shone for the Tigresses this season, were CJ Roa and pitcher Mary Ann Antolihao, Santiago’s aces in the national team.

“Well deserved na nandito sila sa finals,” Santiago said about UST.

Sports BusinessMirror

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Doping, Russia’s absence headline world indoor tilt

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ORTLAND, Oregon—The face of Ashton Eaton is plastered on walls and buildings all over the city as the poster athlete for the world indoor championships.

For the next few days, this is his town—he’s from the area— and the Olympic decathlon champion has one request: Stop focusing on doping.

“I just care about competing on the track,” Eaton said.

That cloud hanging over the meet, though, is hard to ignore. The Russians aren’t here because of pending doping and corruption charges. This could be a glimpse of what the Rio Olympics might be like without one of track’s top powers should the country not be reinstated.

Not only that, but a few prominent athletes are not competing after using the drug meldonium, which enhances blood flow.

These have been some dark days for track. Its leader, Sebastian Coe, even acknowledged as much. But he’s hoping to rebuild trust in the sport—what the 7,000 fans at the Oregon Convention Center witness this weekend can actually be trusted.

“I sincerely hope so,” Coe said. “I think the very fact they’re coming shows there’s a strong loyalty to the sport. It’s our responsibility to make sure it’s not just the fans, but the athletes, the media, our partners that we are looking to invest in the sport, the parents that we want to encourage their kids into our sport. That trust is across a wide bandwidth.”

The International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF), the sport’s governing body, could decide in May if Russia’s track and field program has done enough to repair its anti-doping measures and can be reinstated for the Summer Games.

Russia is not alone. Coe recently said that Ethiopia, Morocco, Kenya, Ukraine and Belarus are in “critical care” and also must seriously improve their anti-doping programs.

“We can’t demand trust. It’s not going to just return because people suddenly think we have reforms in place,” Coe said. “Unless we start right where we are at the moment, it’s unlikely to happen.

“The sport is strong. But we are in a process of change. We have to make those changes.”

Things to watch on the track at the world indoor championships this weekend:

| SATURDAY, MARCH 19, 2016 mirror_sports@yahoo.com.ph sports@businessmirror.com.ph Editor: Jun Lomibao Asst. Editor: Joel Orellana

NBA RESULTS Toronto 101, Indiana 94, OT Charlotte 109, Miami 106 Chicago 118, Brooklyn 102

YOUNG & TALENTED

MAYBE for now, American teenager Vashti Cunningham is best known as the daughter of longtime National Football League quarterback Randall Cunningham. That soon could be changing because the 18-year-old is one of the world’s top high jumpers. She’s not the only up-and-comer making a mark: Qatari Abdalelah Haroun is a rising force in the 400 meters.

Same with Ethiopia’s Habitam Alemu in the women’s 800, and Poland’s Konrad Bukowiecki, who will try to end a streak of six straight titles by the Americans in the men’s shot put at the world indoors.

SWEEP DREAMS

THE Kenyans have a good chance to go 1-2-3 in the men’s 3,000 meters.

Augustine Choge will lead the charge, but will be pushed by teammates Isiah Koech and Caleb Ndiku, the defending champion. Like sweeps? The US women have a chance in the 60-meter hurdles. Nia Ali is the defending champion, with Brianna Rollins and Kendra Harrison also representing the red, white and blue. The biggest threat could be Tiffany Porter of Britain.

DIBABA’S DAY

THE good news for runners in the 1,500 is that Genzebe Dibaba of Ethiopia will concentrate on the 3,000. That’s bad news for those entered in the longer event. Dibaba is the defending champion in the 3,000.

Her biggest adversaries will be four-time world indoor champion and teammate Meseret Defar, and possibly Shannon Rowbury of the US.

TEAM EATON

ASHTON EATON and his wife, Brianne Theisen-Eaton, were introduced to the crowd at a gathering on Thursday as the “closest thing we get to athletic royalty.”Eaton and Theisen-Eaton met at the University of Oregon and remain crowd favorites. Ashton Eaton is the world-record holder in the decathlon (outdoors) and heptathlon (indoors). Theisen-Eaton competes for Canada and won a silver medal in the pentathlon at world indoors two years ago. “I love sport because you get to travel the world...be more of a global enterprise,”Eaton said. “But you have a lot of pride when you bring somebody to your home. That’s what I’m doing here.”AP

B B H

Milwaukee 96, Memphis 86 Atlanta 116, Denver 98

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San Antonio 118, Portland 110

BELARUS’S Victoria Azarenka returns a shot from between her legs to Magdalena Rybarikova of Slovakia. AP

FIL-AUSSIE’S BIG FINISH GIVES HIM BAY HILL LEAD

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B D F The Associated Press

The Associated Press

NDIAN WELLS, California—David Goffin defeated Marin Cilic, 7-6 (4), 6-4, on Thursday to reach the semifinals of the BNP Paribas Open, the best result so far of the Belgian’s career.

Cilic was the second higher-seeded player to lose to 15th-seeded Goffin, who upset No. 3 Stan Wawrinka in the fourth round. Cilic lost to Goffin nearly two weeks ago on clay in Belgium during first-round Davis Cup play.

Goffin needed a third-set tiebreaker to beat Wawrinka after the 25-year-old Belgian served for the match at 5-3 in the second and third sets.

The 10th-seeded Cilic fell to 0-8 in quarterfinals at Masters 1000 events.

Goffin, a slender 5-foot-11, withstood the power of Cilic, who is 6'6" and outweighs Goffin by 46 pounds.

“I knew that on my serve I had to battle to win every service game because sometimes he can serve bombs and in 10 seconds can win his games,” said Goffin, who fell down at 5-4 in the first set.

“It was just bad for me, but at the end I stayed focused in the tiebreak. It was the key of the match to win the first set and be more relaxed in the second to play much better.”

Another bigger and taller opponent awaits Goffin in the semis, Milos Raonic, who is 6'5". Raonic served and volleyed his way to a 7-5, 6-3 victory over Gael Monfils.

“It’s good in tennis that you don’t have to be big or a tall guy to be good.

Otherwise, I had no chance to get in the

Utah 103, Phoenix 69

JAMAICAN RULE?

QUICK, name the last Jamaican man to win a world indoor title in the 60 meters. Usain Bolt? Nope. It’s never happened, despite the country’s dominance in the sprints at other major meets. Asafa Powell will try to end that streak (Bolt isn’t competing). The Jamaican women, though, have won the last three titles in the 60 meters. The favorite is Dutch sprinter Dafne Schippers.

GOFFIN UPSETS CILIC

Washington 99, Philadelphia 94

top 20,” said Goffin, ranked 18th. “Maybe I’m quicker.

I can take the ball earlier than a big guy. Of course I don’t have a big serve. I have other weapons. That’s why tennis is a nice sport.”

Victoria Azarenka shut out Magdalena Rybarikova, 6-0, 6-0, in 67 minutes to reach the women’s semifinals. She will play Karolina Pliskova, who beat 18-year-old Russian Daria Kasatkina, 6-3, 6-2, in an hour.

Azarenka broke Rybarikova six times and connected on 60 percent of her first serves.

Rybarikova had 25 unforced errors and just nine winners. After losing the first set, she took a medical time-out to have her upper thigh taped heavily.

Azarenka has dropped one set in four matches so far; when she won Indian Wells in 2012, she also dropped just one set. She has won 11 of 12 matches this year.

“Confidence for me this year comes from being very well prepared and feeling healthy,” she said.

“What I want to do on the court is apply things I have been working on on the practice court and bring it to the matches because I feel that was going to push me to get better results.”

Pliskova had 30 winners and 10 unforced errors. She fired nine aces and won all six of her points at net.

About an hour later, Pliskova teamed with Julia Goerges to reach the doubles final, defeating Sara Errani and Oksana Kalashnikova, 6-4, 6-3. “[I’m] happy also for the doubles [win], because it’s one of the biggest tournaments in the world,” Pliskova said. “It’s my first biggest final in the doubles, and especially happy to be there with my partner Julia.”

Pliskova ended last year at a career-high No. 11 in the Women’s Tennis Association rankings.

Her semifinal singles showing here is her first at a Premier Mandatory event.

“I played some good tennis this week, and especially there is Miami [next week],” she said, “and so I have chances to go and improve the ranking and get close to top 10 again.”

JASON’S DAY Rory McIlroy made a pair of double bogeys and opened with a 75, leaving him in danger of missing his second straight cut against a full field.

He hit his opening tee shot out-of-bounds and made his other double bogey with a shot into the water on No. 8. McIlroy hit two other shots into the water and escaped with par, and he made par putts of 10 feet, 15 feet and 25 feet.

“It probably could have been a few worse,” McIlroy said.

“I end up shooting this. I’ll get some good work done on the range tonight and come out tomorrow and play a good round of golf to get myself into the red numbers, at least be here for the weekend [and] I can make a charge.”

Henrik Stenson, Marc Leishman, Brendan Steele and Troy Merritt also were at 67. The group at 68 included the resurgent K.J. Choi and Justin Rose, who made two eagles.

Day doesn’t have a great history in his limited time at Bay Hill. Going into Thursday, he had broken 70 only three times in 14 rounds, nothing lower than 68. He only had one bad swing, a tee shot that soared right and out of bounds on the ninth hole for a double bogey. But he played the last seven holes in five under, including the 6-iron he hit to within 10 feet on 16.

Equally satisfying were the par saves from the bunker on the par-3 17th, where he blasted out to 5 feet, and a par on the final hole when he chipped to 10 feet.

Day has Bay Hill and the Dell Match Play next week before preparing for the Masters.

“I’m just trying to win a tournament right now,” Day said. “I’m really thinking about this week and not

RLANDO, Florida—Jason Day felt he was playing better. He finally had a score to show for it on Thursday at Bay Hill.

Day one-putted his last seven holes, including a 10-foot eagle putt on the par-5 16th to take the lead and two tough par saves at the end for a six-under 66 and a one-shot lead in the Arnold Palmer Invitational.

Among those one shot behind was Adam Scott, which was no surprise. Scott is the hottest player in golf, coming off two straight victories at the Honda Classic and the Cadillac Championship at Doral, and he played bogey-free in benign weather and on a course where no blade of grass seems to be out of place.

Day hasn’t played enough to have serious problems with his game, though he missed the cut at Torrey Pines and finished a combined 35 shots out of the lead in the other three tournaments he entered this year. In the five tournaments since his last victory in September, he hasn’t finished within seven shots of the lead.

“There was no sense of urgency at all for me, really,” Day said. “I just kept on saying, ‘Just make sure you stay patient and things will happen, it will happen.’ I just got to make sure I get the reps under my belt and hope it will work. This is one good round, one good round in the right direction.... So that helps.”

trying to think about too far ahead with what’s coming up with the Match Play and obviously Augusta. It’s good to shoot the score that I did today because it does a lot for my confidence, and I’m just hoping that I can keep it going for the next three days after this.”

Scott wasn’t sure if he hit the ball badly, or it just seemed like that because the way he has been playing.

“I hit so many good shots the last few weeks,” he said. “Didn’t hit terribly bad shots today. My short game was there. That’s the kind of days you’re almost most satisfied with are days like today when you shoot your lowest.”

But he doesn’t suspect that will last, especially with the course in such great shape and so many scores in the 60s.

“On one day, that’s OK,” he said. “But I’m going to have to sharpen up, I think, to contend this week. The course is so pure, conditions are really good. Someone who is hitting it good is going to make a lot of putts because the greens are rolling pure. If you can get it inside 20 feet you’re feeling like you’re going to make everything.”

DIVOTS: Matt Kuchar had three of his fingernails painted green in honor of Saint Patrick’s Day.... Ian Poulter was challenging for the lead until making two double bogeys over his final four holes. Poulter is the first alternate for the Dell Match Play next week.... Former British Open champion Ben Curtis, playing for the first time since August, opened with an 82. He is playing on a sponsor’s exemption.... Maverick McNealy of Stanford had a 69.

Jason Day tees off on the ninthFILIPINOAUSTRALIAN hole during the first round of the Arnold Palmer Invitational. AP

Fifa paid Blatter $3.76M in 2015, reports $122-M loss Z THE International Football Federation, now under the leadership of Gianni Infantino, has reported a $122-million loss in 2015. AP

URICH—Cash, crime and punishment issues from the old International Football Federation (Fifa) regime marked new president Gianni Infantino’s first day at the head of its ruling executive committee on Thursday.

Finally dealing with a key complaint about the former Fifa leadership, Sepp Blatter’s secret pay deal was revealed to be $3.76 million in 2015.

Blatter would have earned more but he got no performance bonus as soccer’s embattled governing body reported a loss of $122 million for a year marred by a corruption crisis.

Infantino and his executive colleagues signed off on the accounts just as the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) confirmed Blatter filed his appeal against a six-year ban from soccer for financial conflicts of interest. CAS said Blatter seeks to annul the ban.

Yet, another dramatic day for Fifa was capped when Blatter

was joined under formal criminal investigation by his longtime right-hand man Jerome Valcke, who was fired in January.

Swiss federal prosecutors said they “conducted searches and interviews” and opened a case against Valcke for suspected “criminal mismanagement.”

Still, Infantino has no responsibility for the legal problems confronting the longtime public faces of Fifa.

Elected last month to revive Fifa, Infantino is likely to use his first formal news conference on Friday to set the scandal-scarred organization on a new path.

Dealing with the past on Thursday meant disclosing the disgraced former Fifa president’s pay package three weeks after his employment officially ended.

Blatter, who was suspended on full pay last October and later banned for unethical conduct, had a base salary of 2,964,379 million Swiss francs ($3 million) but no bonus

in 2015. The total included a payment of almost $450,000 in “variable compensation”—a long-service entitlement for reaching 40 years employment at Fifa.

Fifa’s loss, its first since 2002, was expected after failing to sign any new World Cup sponsors.

Despite the corruption crisis, Fifa’s total income was $1.152 billion in 2015. Expenses of $1.274 billion included spending $61.5 million on “legal matters.”

That helped ensure that Fifa’s reserves fund fell by $183 million to $1.34 billion.

Fifa spent $27.9 million last year paying executive committee members and senior management, including Blatter and Valcke, who got 2.125 million Swiss francs ($2.2 million). That total had been $39.7 million in the successful 2014 World Cup year.

Each executive committee member—including

US Soccer Federation President Sunil Gulati—received $300,000 last year, and Senior Vice President Issa Hayatou of Cameroon was also handed an additional $500,000 for chairing the finance committee.

Fifa agreed to start publishing executive pay in modernizing reforms, approved last month, as a response to American and Swiss federal investigations of corruption implicating dozens of soccer officials.

“With the recently approved reforms, I believe that we have turned a corner and that Fifa is poised to emerge stronger than ever,” Infantino said in a statement.

Fifa has acknowledged that potential commercial partners were put off by fallout from the scandals.

Top-tier sponsors Sony and Emirates Airlines have not been replaced since the 2014 World Cup, and 27 of 34 commercial slots remain unsold for the 2018 tournament in Russia. AP