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THIS sight of people waiting in line for so-called UV Express to arrive will soon be a thing of the past, according to Code-X Transport Cooperative Chairman Rosalino Marable, with the arrival of his “game-changing” UV Express mobile application Code-X. Photo taken at the TriNoma Transport Terminal in Quezon City, July 28, 2012. Ed Davad

CODE-X OUT TO GIVE UBER, GRAB A RUN FOR THEIR MONEY

Long Taxi Lines?

‘UV-long’ here.

E

By Roger Pe

very commuting person knows that it is tough to get a ride in the metro during rush hours. The agony doubles when it rains. Poor commuters are reduced to urban rats—drenched, standing in cramped waiting sheds, hungry—when they should be home with their loved ones. What a pitiful sight. Is there light at the end of the tunnel?

On an almost daily basis, queues on some LRT and MRT stations spill down to the road walkways. Buses are always full.

Taxis reveal their true colors.

They avoid passengers instead of carrying them, choosy which passengers to take, and even

have the gumption to ask for fare on their own terms. The transport network companies are also fully booked, making you wonder if the app you installed is working.

Tired of all these? “Get ready for the new, much-improved gamechanging UV Express,” said Rosalino Marable, chairman of Code-X Transport Cooperative and a consultant for DOTr (Department of Transportation).

Using the UV Express fleet throughout the country, Code-X, according to Marable, will provide the “total approach” assistance to operators and drivers, like new vehicle acquisition with no downpayment and low interest rates. It will assist in the preparation of legal documents, and many others.

“We would like to provide

commuters with added value while commuting. Like real-time access to news, information, entertainment inside the vehicle, free Wi-Fi that can, hopefully, ease their traffic stress away,” Marable said.

The UV Express is the “vehicle of choice” of young and old professionals, skilled workers, students and dependents of OFWs. People opt to ride the UV Express because of heavy traffic, cost of gasoline and parking. Most of all, they want to free themselves from stress. They can also sleep while going to their respective work or destination, according to Marable.

How it works ROSALINO MARABLE, national president and chairman, Code-X Transport Federation/Cooperative

If you live in a subdivision, just install a Code-X app to book for a seat.

Go to your clubhouse for pickup. A Continued on A2

PDP-Laban firms up proposal for shift to federal system

T

By Jovee Marie N. Dela Cruz

he Legislative and Executive departments have started the process of changing the form of government to a federal system from a unitary one through a constitutional overhaul.

PESO exchange rates n US 50.9130

Leaders of the government said they are pushing for constitutional reform, as it is a definitive pedestal for them to finally address the deeply rooted problems besetting the country, such as poverty, inequality and corruption, among others.

In fact, changing the form of government was President Duterte’s battle cry way back during his campaign for the 2016 elections.

There are already two mea-

sures filed, both seeking to change the 1987 Constitution.

The Resolution of Both Houses No. 8 filed by Deputy Minority Leader Party-list Rep. Eugene Michael B. De Vera of Arts and Business Science Professionals and Rep. Aurelio Gonzales Jr. of Pampanga—already published by the BusinessMirror—and the proposed Constitution of the Federal Republic of the Philippines of the

PDP-Laban Federalism Institute.

The House Committee on Constitutional Amendments has already created four technical working groups (TWG), composed of its members, who will draft the new Philippine Federal Constitution.

The TWG is expected to consolidate the Resolution of Both Houses No. 8 and the proposed changes of the PDP-Laban Federalism Institute submitted by Execu-

tive Director Jonathan E. Malaya and Local Government Development Foundation Executive Director Edmund S. Tayao.

Each of the four groups will handle specific areas to be covered in the drafting of the new Federal Constitution.

Words of caution

However, local and foreign Continued on A2

n japan 0.4504 n UK 67.1695 n HK 6.5194 n CHINA 7.6811 n singapore 37.5465 n australia 38.6328 n EU 59.9297 n SAUDI arabia 13.5765

Source: BSP (17 November 2017 )

NewsSunday BusinessMirror

A2 Sunday, November 19, 2017

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Long taxi lines? ‘UV-long’ here.

Continued from A1

UV Express unit will fetch you and other passengers at designated hours. Not only you save money on tricycle transit, you also don’t get wet when it rains.

A bank will receive all booking transactions, and unlike Uber and Grab, Code-X will not deduct any booking fees. “Up to 20 percent to 25 percent of Uber and Grab fares are retained by them and the remainder is the income of driver/operator. Ang laki ng kaltas [the deduction is big],” Marable says.

“We have over 10,000 members who will be forced to install GPS and Wi-Fi due to the DOTr memorandum circular No. 2017011,” according to Marable. “It will require all PUVs to install these above-mentioned gadgets. We will offer the gadgets to them free of charge and add a free TV set,” he continued.

Marable thinks the current traffic situation in Metro Manila is the worst nightmare of us all. He says Code-X can help because, “We can monitor the movements of all our members. We can discipline

erring members by not permitting them to park in our transport terminals. Our transport association presidents have disciplinary authority over our members. They cannot smoke inside the vehicles, not allowed to wear slippers, wear our green uniform, and must even take a bath every day. The problems are the colorums and other drivers,” Marable proudly said of Code-X.

Helping transport industry

After leaving advertising in 2007, Marable played golf, went fishing and visited his three daughters in America. After six months, he realized that he needed to keep his mind busy. “I wanted to be busy like hell to prevent me from getting old so fast. I wanted to stage a ‘comeback’, so I thought of developing the UV Express as another transport advertising platform,” he relates.

So, together with partners, who are also pioneers in transportbased advertising (MRT and LRT advertising), his company was born. To his surprise, 10 UV Express association presidents, representing some 3,000 members,

came to his office and requested if he could represent them in discussions with the DOTr, the Land Transportation Office and, most of all, with the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB). Marable accepted the challenge.

Soon after, Marable was able to create a loan facility with the Land Bank of the Philippines, preventing a number of people (former OFWs, retired teachers, government employees, who saved money to purchase the phased out Tamaraw FX) to lose their only source of livelihood. To them, operating a PUV was the simplest of business, no inventories, no receivables, and they have money at the end of the day. Some ventured in lending business and operated sari-sari stores. Majority failed due to their inexperience in running even a small business.

Convenience for commuters

Today, Code-X has grown with the following strength: 250 transport terminals and the list is getting longer, 5,000 sari-sari stores in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao; 1,000 public markets in the en-

tire country; more than 150,000 transport operators of UV Express, jeepneys, tricycles, school buses and airport taxis; 1,500 locations for small- and medium-size billboards all over the Philippines with 15,000 barangay halls, where people congregate regularly.

To help marketers and advertisers sell their brands in a captive market, Marable also formed a marketing arm, Razorfish, which he calls “not just your ordinary out-of-home company but the King of POPs [point-of-purchase]. We are a company that can literally move your products in the market.

[Example: as special distributor of oil products: lubricants, tires, batteries and accessories]. Due to the high cost of advertising in the traditional media, we need to find a more cost-efficient way in waging marketing battles in ‘point-ofpurchase’ areas,” Marable added.

His Razorfish, he said, will be a big sales booster.

Marable is optimistic about the UV Express as an advertising platform for the following reasons: “The captive audience stay out of home for more than 14 hours.

Hence, we can ‘catch the customers

on the move’. While TV is still the best medium, the people with buying decision are out of their respective homes from 6 am to about 8 pm. The only ones left at home are the maids and kids below school age,” he emphasized.

Marable is slowly becoming the voice of the voiceless and fought for their plight. He was able to prevent the LTFRB from reducing the UV Express fare from P2 per kilometer to about P1.50 by using his experience as a finance person. Fortunately, he dealt with people who themselves were finance people who understood his reasoning, like higher replacement costs, depreciation and many more.

He, too, fought for the rights, not only of UV Express operators, but also for other PUV sectors. In putting up Code-X, Marable hopes that it will also uplift the image of PUV drivers and operators.

“For example, whenever drivers are asked: ‘What is your work’, the normal reply of people with low esteem is: ‘Driver lang po ako’. We want to gradually change that. We want UV drivers to get the respect they deserve, from traffic enforcers

to the riding public,” he shared.

Marable thinks the government should not only come out with various laws and regulations penalizing offenders, but also transform them into responsible and productive citizens. “They shouldn’t see the transportation institutions as ‘gold mine’, where fees and tong [bribes] can easily be gained,” he lamented.

Marable took his Master in Business Administration in Colegio de San Juan de Letran in 1975 and developed his career by attending many seminars and training programs in management, finance, advertising, marketing, public speaking and public relations.

He was formerly president and CEO of Trackworks Advertising and Promotion, 2004-2007; executive vice president of PublicisAMA, 1999-2003; executive vice president and COO of AMA and DDB Advertising and Marketing Associates, 1964-1999; president and CEO of Queen Frog Print Production Inc., 2012-2013; and president and stockholder of DYMC-Cebu Radio Station/General Santos/ Baguio, among others.

PDP-Laban firms up proposal for shift to federal system Continued from A1

experts, during a recent Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS) forum, said the Duterte administration’s plan to implement a federal government before 2022 is getting dimmer, especially with numerous financial and political considerations.

In a recent BusinessMirror report, PIDS senior research fellow Rosario G. Manasan said the government needs to seriously consider the structure of a federal government because it will entail public funds.

Manasan said shifting to a federal form of government will involve adding to the current legislature a low of 812 new lawmakers and their staff, to as high as 2,830 public officials and workers.

This, she said, carries a price tag of about P30 billion to P59 billion every year.

Australian National University Prof. Paul Hotchcroft said federalism will entail the addition of 10 to 12 agencies or offices, depending on the number of states, adding that expanding government line agencies means not only costs, but also requires additional manpower in each state.

PDP-Laban proposal

Under the proposal of the PDPLaban Federalism Institute, the Philippines will be a democratic Federal Republic.

As a Federal Republic, the proposal added, the regional autonomy shall be recognized within the frame of national unity and the Constitution.

It also said the civilian authority is, at all times, supreme over the military. The government of the Philippines is the protection of the people and the State. The goal of the Armed Forces is to secure the sovereignty of the Federal Republic and the integrity of the national territory.

Federal executive department

The proposal said the President shall be the head of the Federal Republic of the Philippines.

It added that no person may be elected president unless he is a natural-born citizen of the Philippines, a registered voter, able to read and write, at least 45 years of age on the day of the election, a resident of the Philippines for at least 10 years immediately preceding such election, and nominated by at least 20 percent of all the members of the Federal Assembly.

It said the President shall be

elected by direct vote of the people for a term of five years. No person shall serve as president for more than two consecutive terms.

The proposal added that a person who has served as president for two consecutive terms shall not be eligible to be a candidate in any election for any elective position.

The President shall nominate and appoint, with the concurrence of the Senate, heads of the executive departments in foreign affairs and national defense, ambassadors, consuls, or officers of the Armed Forces from the rank of colonel or naval captain, and other officers whose appointments are vested in him in the Constitution.

Except for the appointive power vested in the Constitution, the measure said all appointive powers exercised by the President in the 1987 Constitution and existing laws are deemed amended and vested on the prime minister.

It said the President shall have direct and primary control of the executive departments, bureaus and offices involving foreign affairs and national defense, and he shall attend Cabinet meetings. He has the authority over the prime minister and the Cabinet with regard to the areas where he has been vested primary control by the Constitution.

The proposal added the President shall be the Commander-inChief of all armed forces of the Philippines, and whenever it becomes necessary, he may call out such armed forces to prevent or suppress lawless violence, invasion or rebellion.

The measure said the prime minister may contract or guarantee foreign loans on behalf of the republic, with the prior concurrence of the Monetary Board and subject to such limitations as maybe provided for by law.

Also, the President has the power to negotiate and sign treaties in consultation with the prime minister.

“The President shall have the power to appoint members of the Supreme Court, constitutional commissions, Court of Appeals, Sandiganbayan, Ombudsman and others members of the judiciary,” the proposal read.

It also said the President and the prime minister shall be immune from suit during their tenure.

The PDP-Laban’s proposal said upon every election for all the members of the Federal Assembly or upon the dismissal, death, resignation, inability or disqualification

of the prime minister, the President shall without delay nominate an incumbent member of the Federal Assembly for the position of the prime minister.

The Federal Legislature

Meanwhile, the measure said the legislative power shall be vested upon the parliament of the Federal Republic of the Philippines, which shall consist of two houses, the Federal Assembly, as the national legislative department, and the Senate, as the legislative body representatives of the regions, except to the extent reserved to the people by the provision on initiative and referendum.

It said each region shall have three seats in the Senate. The senators receiving the three highest number of direct votes by registered voters in a region shall represent their region in the Senate.

The term of office of the senators shall be five years and shall commence, unless otherwise provided by law, at noon on the 30th of June following their election.

No senator shall serve for more than two consecutive terms.

On the other hand, the Federal Assembly shall be composed of not more than 400 members, unless otherwise provided for by law.

Also, the measure provides that 60 percent of the members of the Federal Assembly shall be elected by plurality votes. Each legislative electoral district shall have one seat in the Federal Assembly.

The proposal said the remaining 40 percent of the members of the Federal Assembly shall be elected by proportional representation by region, where the registered voters within each region shall be allowed to cast a vote for a political party with a closed list of nominees.

Like in the Senate, the members of the Federal Assembly shall be elected for a term of five years, which shall begin, unless otherwise provided for by law, at noon on the 30th of June following their election. No member of the Federal Assembly shall serve for more than two consecutive terms.

Unless otherwise provided by law, the proposal said the regular election of the members of the Federal Assembly and senators shall be held on the second Monday of May. The Federal Assembly shall be vested with primary legislative power. Every bill shall be initiated and passed by the Federal Assembly.

The proposal added that all ap-

propriation, revenue or tariff bills, bills authorizing increase of the public debt, bills of local application and private bills shall originate exclusively from the Federal Assembly.

The parliament may not increase the appropriations recommended by the prime minister for the operation of the Federal government, as specified in the budget. The form, content and manner of preparation of the budget shall be prescribed by law.

Also, the rule of taxation shall be uniform and equitable. The Federal Assembly shall evolve a progressive system of taxation.

The parliament may, by law, authorize the prime minister to fix within specified limits, and subject to such limitations and restrictions as it may impose, tariff rates, import and export quotas, tonnage and wharfage dues, and other duties or imposts within the framework of the national development program of the government.

Also, the Federal Assembly may express a vote of no confidence on the incumbent prime minister through a majority of vote of all its members and a motion requesting the President to dismiss the prime minister.

The President shall then dismiss the incumbent prime minister and appoint a new prime minister in accordance with the Constitution, the proposal said.

The measure, however, provides that the prime minister may advise the President in writing to dissolve the Federal Assembly based on a vote of no confidence on the government by majority of all the members of the Federal Assembly, in which case, the President shall dissolve the assembly and call for new election for the positions of the members of the assembly.

Federal Judiciary

Like in the 1987 Constitution, the proposed new charter said the judicial power shall be vested upon one Supreme Court (SC) and in such lower courts as may be established by law. Judicial power includes the duty of the courts of justice to settle actual controversies involving rights, which are legally demandable and enforceable, and to determine whether or not there has been a grave abuse of discretion amounting to lack or excess of jurisdiction on the part of any branch or instrumentality of the government.

The SC shall have administrative supervision over all courts

and the personnel thereof, said the proposal of the PDP-Laban.

It added that the SC shall assign a division of the Court of Appeals to hold permanently in every region while the divisions of the intermediate appellate court shall only take cognizance of the cases arising from within the territorial boundaries of the region to which these are assigned.

The proposal, however, also repealed the provision in the current charter creating the Judicial and Bar Council.

It said the members of the SC and judges of the lower courts shall be appointed by the President from a list of at least three nominees prepared after appropriate public hearings by the Integrated Bar of the Philippines and approved by the Senate pursuant to its rules.

Meanwhile, the Constitutional Commissions, which shall be independent, are the Federal Civil Service Commission, the Federal Commission on Elections, and the Federal Commission on Audit.

Regional and local govts

Under the proposal, the territorial and political subdivisions of the Philippines are regions and autonomous regions created by organic act and ratified under a plebiscite by virtue of the 1987 Constitution; provinces, cities and municipalities.

It said the territorial and political subdivisions shall enjoy regional and local autonomy.

However, the Federal government, through the prime minister, shall exercise general supervision to ensure that the laws are faithfully executed.

It added the regional government shall have just share, as determined by federal law, in the national federal taxes and revenues which shall be automatically released to them.

In addition, specific national taxes collected within the territorial jurisdiction of each region shall be retained and shall accrue exclusively to the regional government.

Under the proposal, the local government shall have just share, as determined by federal law, in the federal taxes and revenues, which shall be automatically released to them.

It added there shall be created regions of the Federal Republic each consisting of provinces, cities, municipalities and barangays, as well as geographical areas with sufficient territories, inhabitants and resources necessary to sustain and

promote a stable and efficient regional government, sharing common and distinctive historical and cultural heritage, economic and social structures, or other relevant characteristics within the framework of this Constitution, national sovereignty, as well as territorial integrity of the republic.

The Bangsamoro and Cordillera shall immediately qualify as regions.

It added that there shall be a plebiscite for the approval of regional units and territories simultaneous with the plebiscite ratifying the proposed amendments to the Constitution.

It also said the federal government shall gradually devolve and decentralize funding, functions and responsibilities in accordance with the financial and organizational capacity of the regions.

Five years after the creation of the region, the measure said each region may opt for an organic act to be enacted by parliament in order to form a regional government with elective legislative and executive departments.

It said the creation of the regions shall not signify the establishment of a distinct sovereignty and the regions shall remain integral of the Federal Republic.

National economy

Meanwhile, the State shall regulate and exercise the authority over foreign investment within its national jurisdiction and in accordance with its national goals.

The proposal said the State shall pursue a trade policy that enhances Filipino competitiveness and serves the public interest, with due regard for equity and reciprocity.

“In times of national emergency, the State may, when the public interest so requires, and under reasonable terms prescribed by it, temporarily direct or take over the operation of any privately owned public utility or business,” the proposal of the PDP-Laban’s institute said.

Also, the proposal said the State shall enhance economic efficiency and promote free competition in trade, industry and commercial activities. No anticompetitive agreement or abuse of dominant position shall be allowed.

Unless parliament otherwise provides, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, operating under existing laws, shall function as the central monetary authority.

The World BusinessMirror

www.businessmirror.com.ph

UK seeks help from German business for Brexit trade deal

U

nited Kingdom Brexit Secretar y Dav id Dav is appealed directly to German businesses to help break the deadlock in the divorce talks as he warned the European Union (EU) not to put short-term politics before the prosperity of its people.

As time runs down for the talks, Davis told an audience of mostly business executives in Berlin that they were not passive observers of the Brexit process, suggesting they should act to help force the pace in the negotiations.

Unless the EU agrees to negotiate a transition period soon, Davis said, companies in Britain and Europe will have to take critical decisions about their future operations before knowing what the final Brexit deal will be.

“There is urgency to this—for all 28 member-states, including the UK and Germany, and for our businesses and citizens,” Davis said.

“My message to you is that when it comes to an implementation period, and our economic partnership, you are not detached observers, you are essential participants.”

The UK wants the EU to agree to allow talks to move from the terms of the divorce to a future trade deal and transition period at a major summit of European Union leaders in Brussels next month. Progress has stalled over the rights of citizens, the Irish border and most critically—money.

To ease the logjam, UK ministers are mounting a hectic round of diplomacy, with Prime Minister Theresa May attending a summit of European leaders in Sweden on Thursday and Friday. Davis flew to Berlin to make his case to a business audience at an event hosted

by Sueddeutsche Zeitung.

Davis used the occasion to set out his most detailed blueprint so far for the new trade deal he wants with the bloc of 27 remaining membercountries. It must include goods, agriculture and financial services, he said. The Brexit secretary warned that an agreement modeled on the EU-Canada trade pact will not be good enough for Britain.

The country’s chief Brexit negotiator also underlined the scale of the trade ties between Britain and Germany, hinting at what will be at stake for German companies if the negotiations fail. He cited figures to make his case, saying 1 in 3 cars sold in Britain comes from Germany, or 810,000 in total per year. Some 220,000 Germans work for 1,200 UK-based companies, he added.

“In the face of those facts I know that no one would allow shortterm interests to risk those hardearned gains,” Davis said. “Because putting politics above prosperity is never a smart choice.”

Bloomberg News

Sunday, November 19, 2017

A3

India 1st upgrade in more than 10 years bets on Modi’s reforms

M

oody’s Investors Service raised India’s sovereign rating for the first time since 2004, overlooking a haze of short-term economic uncertainties to bet on the nation’s prospects from a raft of policy changes by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Rupee, bonds and stocks rallied after the ratings firm upgraded India to “Baa2” from “Baa3” and said reforms being pushed through by Modi’s government will help stabilize rising levels of debt. That’s a one-level shift from the lowest investment-grade ranking and puts India in line with the Philippines and Italy.

W hile government officials hailed the move as long overdue, some investors termed it a surprise, given that India recently surrendered its status as the world’s fastest-growing major economy amid sweeping policy change.

The upgrade could prove to be a big win for the ruling party, which is facing increasing attacks about the economic slowdown before key elections in Modi’s home state next month and a national vote in early-2019.

The upgrade “reflects willingness of Moody’s to look beyond the transitor y disr uptive effects of difficult reforms,” said Sumedh Deorukhkar, a Mumbaibased senior economist at Grupo BBVA. However, he said, there must be “caution that several challenges for the economy, particularly a high debt burden and delayed labor, and land-acquisition reforms leave little room for fiscal complacency, especially ahead of 2019 elections.”

The rupee surged as much as 1 percent to 64.67 per dollar in Mumbai, the benchmark equity index rose 1.3 percent and the yield on the 10-year sovereign bond tumbled 11 basis points to 6.96 percent.

Cheaper borrowing costs will be a relief for the government and companies, according to Nischal Maheshwari, head of institutional equities at Mumbai-based brokerage Edelweiss Securities Ltd. Indian assets had sold off over the past weeks, as rebounding oil prices threaten to worsen Asia’s biggest budget deficit, which would have made it costlier for the

government to raise spending and boost growth.

Expansion in GDP slipped to a three-year low of 5.7 percent in the April-to-June quarter. Growth was hit by Modi’s move last year to invalidate almost 90 percent of currency in circulation and the subsequent implementation of a new consumption tax.

The upgrade “makes a big difference to investors,” said Avinash Thakur, managing director of debt capital markets at Barclays Plc. “We will see more dollar-bond supply from India, like more public-sector undertakings would be printing.”

Big question

The question now is whether S&P Global Ratings and Fitch Ratings will follow, according to Nomura Holdings Inc., which expects the companies to wait for the government’s fiscal position before making any changes.

The view is echoed by economist Gaurav Kapur at IndusInd Bank Ltd., who says they’ll wait until the budget announcement expected on February 1.

Fitch and S&P declined to comment on Moody’s action, and S&P reiterated on October 24 comments that “for an upgrade, India would have to address its weak fiscal balance sheet and weak fiscal performance.” Both companies now rate India a notch below Moody’s.

Moody’s move “is an overdue correction,” Modi’s Chief Economic Adviser Arvind Subramanian said. “This is a recognition of India’s macroeconomic reforms.

But it must be kept in mind that these are external factors. And the government will pursue its own reform agenda. And those will drive our economic development.”

Moody’s action was in line with the Bloomberg Economics model, which predicted an upgrade based on the divergence between actual ratings and CDS implied credit

Narendra Modi, India’s prime minister, gestures as he speaks at the Bloomberg India Economic Forum in New Delhi, India, on March 28, 2016. Dhiraj Singh/Bloomberg

ratings, and could tip the balance toward a rate cut when the central bank decides on policy on December 6, according to Bloomberg economist Abhishek Gupta.

The Reserve Bank of India didn’t immediately reply to an e-mail and text message seeking comment.

Mixed results

Modi has pushed through sweeping reforms, with mixed results.

Moody’s acknowledged that the cash ban and goods and services tax (GST) have undermined growth in the near term. In the longer term, however, the GST will promote productivity by removing barriers to interstate trade, Moody’s said, also citing Modi’s improvements to the monetary-policy framework, measures to clean up bad loans, and efforts to bring more areas into the formal economy.

“While India’s high debt burden remains a constraint on the country’s credit profile, Moody’s believes that the reforms put in place have reduced the risk of a sharp increase in debt, even in potential downside scenarios,” according to the firm’s release.

The government has also won praise from ratings firms for a $32-billion program to recapitalize banks that economists say will revive lending and stoke demand on the ground. However, the “sovereign upgrade in itself will not lead to a blanket upgrade for ratings of the lenders in the country,” Srikanth Vadlamani, a Singapore-based vice president of the financial institutions group at Moody’s, said by phone.

Moody’s forecasts GDP growth of 6.7 percent for the fiscal year through March 2018 with a pick

This is a recognition of India’s macroeconomic reforms, But it must be kept in mind that these are external factors. And the government will pursue its own reform agenda. And those will drive our economic development.”

—Subramanian

up to 7.5 percent in the following year and “similarly robust” levels from 2019 onward. That’s in line with the median 6.8 percent and 7.4 percent estimates in a Bloomberg survey.

Populism’s shadow

The upgrade adds to a string of good news for Modi. The World Bank said it’s getting easier to do business in India, with Asia’s third-largest economy jumping 30 places to rank 100th in the latest ranking released last month. Earlier this week, Pew Research Center said Modi remained a popular leader and public confidence in the economy and the overall direction had improved.

While these burnish Modi’s global credibility, questions have been raised at home about the health of the $2-trillion economy.

Critics have questioned the wisdom of the cash ban and opinion polls show that, while his party will win next month’s state elections, it could be a closer contest than what has been seen in decades.

Moody’s is looking through the near-term political cycle ahead of state polls when “populism may overshadow reform momentum,” according to Vishnu Varathan, Singapore-based head of economics and strategy at Mizuho Bank Ltd. The afterglow from the upgrade won’t last long given the emerging signs of quickening inflation and a widening current account and fiscal deficit, Varathan said.

Bloomberg News

Bitcoin emerges as crisis currency in ‘hot spots’ such as Zimbabwe

A

bout a third of the customers queuing at La Maison du Bitcoin’s teller windows in Paris aren’t speculating on the value of the cryptocurrency.

They’re sending digital money home to Africa.

“In many countries in Africa, there are far more cell phones than bank accounts,” said Manuel Valente, cofounder of La Maison. “For bitcoin, all you need is a phone.”

Zimbabwe, where the price of bitcoin spiked to double the international rate after this week’s military takeover, shows Jamie Dimon, Axel Weber and other cryptocurrency skeptics where the realworld use of bitcoin, and possibly its future, lies. It’s becoming the preferred way for residents of failing economies to transfer money without dealing with banks, protecting their savings from politi-

cal turmoil, and avoiding the local currency when its value declines due to inflation.

There’s no data on how much digital money leaves industrialized nations for the developing world. Part of the allure of electronic cash is the ability to transfer it anonymously. But as events in Zimbabwe have confirmed, bitcoin, the world’s most popular cryptocurrency, is most attractive when confidence in institutions falls.

‘Safe haven’

“Bitcoin is a safe haven for people around the world who don’t trust their governments,” said Andrew Milne, chief investment officer and cofounder of Altana Digital Currency Fund, a $22-million hedge fund that invests in cryptocurrency assets. “There are many

countries where people are looking for an asset that isn’t vulnerable to banks blowing themselves up.’’

Zimbabwe gave up its own currency in 2009, the same year bitcoin was born, after hyperinflation led to the printing of a 100-trillion Zimbabwean dollar note. The country uses the US dollar, the South African rand and digital money.

People buy and sell bitcoins on a secure peer-to-peer network that doesn’t rely on any government or central bank.

Trying to control it is “ like trying to catch water,” said Alex Tapscott, chief executive officer of NextBlock Global Ltd., a venture-capital firm that invests in start-ups involved in blockchain, the shared digital ledger that records transactions made with cryptocurrency.

Bitcoin skepticism

Leaders of three of the world ’s biggest banks have expressed skept ic ism about t he st abi lity and endurance of bitcoin.

In September JPMorgan Chase & Co. Chief Executive Officer (CEO) James Dimon threatened to f ire any JPMorgan trader foolish enough to bet on it. Weber, who leads UBS Group AG, said last month that bitcoin has no intrinsic value because nothing backs it.

Earlier this month, Credit Suisse Group AG CEO Tidjane Thiam said, “The only reason today to buy or sell bitcoin is to make money, which is the very definition of speculation and the very definition of a bubble.”

R e s i d e n t s , e s p e c i a l l y, o f Z i m b a b w e a n d Ve n e z u e l a , where the annua l accumu lated

inf lation rate is 825 percent, might disagree.

In Africa converting bitcoin to the local currency is often handled by local entrepreneurs, either with licensed change points like Paris’s La Maison du Bitcoin, or, on a smaller scale, an individual with a mobile phone and a pocket of cash, Valente said.

“It’s like a walking exchange point,” Valente added. “It’s very decentralized.”

Buying goods and services with cryptocurrency is still difficult to do, but Valente said he’s heard of shops that accept bitcoin opening in many African countries.

Entrepreneurs have started companies intended to ser ve bigger markets. BitPesa Ltd., a Kenya-based start-up, provides international money transfers and other services in bitcoin in

Nigeria, Tanzania, Uganda and its own country. Unocoin does the same in India, as does Coins.

PH in the Philippines.

Back in Paris, a few blocks from La Maison du Bitcoin is Passage du Grand Cerf, a covered street of shops. They all display a sticker on their windows declaring “We Accept Bitcoin.” The stores sell ever y t hing f rom antiques to designer clothing. Most proprietors said they’ve averaged a few transactions a month in bitcoin, frequently to Africans. “ We’ve m ade about 20 or more sales in bitcoin in the past year,” said Yann Rober t, who r uns a desig ner clothing store. “ T he buyers are usua l ly from Africa, a few from Asia—China, Japan. A nd they’re ver y happy, because not that many stores accept bitcoin.” Bloomberg News

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Sunday, November 19, 2017

The World BusinessMirror

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Mugabe’s defiance of generals leaves Harare in political limbo S

Russia vetoes US plan to extend UN Syria chemical-attack investigation

Z

imbabwe entered a third day of political limbo as talks dragged on between President Robert Mugabe and military generals who took power and want him to end his 37-year rule.

While the military said on Friday at a briefing in Harare, the capital, that it’s in discussions with the president and has made “significant progress” in what it says is an operation to remove “criminals” surrounding Mugabe, it gave no indication of what’s likely to happen to him or who will lead the southern African nation.

T he state-ow ned Hera ld ne wspaper publ i shed photo g raphs on T hu rsd ay show ing Mugabe, 93, meet ing w it h ar med forces commander Cons t a nt i no C h iw e n g a at St at e House. Fr. Fidel is Mu konor i, a prom inent C at hol ic pr iest, is med i at ing t he t a l k s, wh ic h have inc luded of f ic i a ls f rom neighbor ing Sout h A f r ica.

T his militar y inter vention

“may linger on a few days more, but the outcome will remain that this is the final endgame for Zimbabwe,” said Theo Venter, a political analyst at North-West University’s business school in Potchefstroom, west of Johannesburg. “The risk with all wellintended military interventions in politics is that the generals will eventually default to their normal state of command and control. In that case, this will then be a fully fledged coup d’état.”

The new rulers plan to set up a transitional administration until elections can be held to restore stability, according to two people familiar with the situation.

But first they want a deal with Mugabe, whose government oversaw an economy that has halved

in size since 2000 and been hit by a severe cash shortage that’s choking businesses and a collapse in government services.

Political crisis

The military intervention followed a week-long political crisis sparked by Mugabe’s decision to fire his longtime ally Emmerson Mnangagwa as vice president, in a move that paved the way for his wife Grace, 52, and her supporters to gain effective control over the ruling party. Nicknamed “Gucci Grace” in Zimbabwe for her extravagant lifestyle, she said on November 5 that she would be prepared to succeed her husband.

Armed forces generals had been planning their action for weeks but decided to speed up the timetable after Mnangagwa’s dismissal on November 6, according to two people familiar with the situation and who declined to be identified. Opposition leaders and political allies Angola and China were given some warning about the move, they said.

Mnangagwa is a leading contender to head the transitional government, which may include opposition figures, according to the people.

Opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai said he hadn’t been approached by the military rulers for talks on a transitional government, but he’s prepared to hold discussions with them.

“If we’re approached, we’ll participate in that, but for now nothing has been initiated,” he told reporters on Thursday in Harare.

Mnangag wa, who f led t he country, is allied with the military, while his rival Grace heads t he so - c a l led Generat ion- 4 0 faction of mainly younger politicians who didn’t fight in the liberation war against the whiteminority regime of R hodesia.

Grace Mugabe on occasion publicly criticized war veterans.

The police and secret service, where Mugabe has allies, were excluded from the plans of leaders of the 35,000-member military, the people familiar with the situation said. Several senior ruling-party officials, including the head of the police and the deputy director of the Central Intelligence Organisation, have been either arrested or are evading the military, the Harare-based Newsday newspaper said on Thursday morning, citing unidentified people.

Bloomberg News

purning a last-minute appeal from US President Donald J. Trump, Russia vetoed a United Nations resolution that would have extended the run of an investigative team that blamed Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s forces for a chemical-weapons attack that killed more than 80 people.

Russia used its veto in the UN Security Council for the 10th time to defend its ally Assad in the six-year civil war that’s claimed more than half-a-million Syrian lives. Trump’s stance put him at odds with Russian President Vladimir Putin, with whom he’s sought better relations despite the continuing investigation of Russian meddling in the 2016 US presidential campaign.

“Need all on the UN Security Council to vote to renew the Joint Investigative Mechanism for Syria to ensure that Assad Regime does not commit mass murder with chemical weapons ever again,”Trump said in a tweet hours before the vote on Thursday, as the United States and allies sought to avert a Russian veto.

The US resolution received 11 votes in favor, with China and Egypt abstaining and Bolivia joining Russian in opposition. Russia withdrew its own resolution rejecting the panel’s findings after it lost a procedural vote. Bolivia then reintroduced it at the end of the day’s session, to the fury of the US delegation. The Russian-backed resolution was defeated with only four votes in favor.

In its report in October, the investigative panel blamed Assad’s air force for the sarin gas attack on April 4 on a rebel-held village, which left scores dead and 300 injured.

Haley’s warning

The attack triggered global outrage as

images of dying children were broadcast worldwide, and it prompted Trump’s first major use of military power against Syria a few days later. He ordered a predawn missile strike aimed at planes, ammunition, fuel depots and air-defense systems at a Syrian airfield.

“We revised our resolution three times to incorporate Russian concerns,” US Ambassador Nikki Haley said at the Security Council on Thursday. “Russia didn’t hold a single consultation on their draft.”

Haley said the US puts the Assad regime “on clear notice” that it will take military action again if further chemical attacks are launched. “The US does not accept Syria’s use of chemical weapons.”

Russia Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia called the investigative report deeply flawed and tainted by Western political pressure to vilify the Syrian government.

He suggested Western powers had used similar flawed reports to justify the 2003 invasion of Iraq and the 2011 military intervention in Libya.

‘Erroneous’ findings

“From the very outset the report was erroneous,” Nebenzia said. “The testimony from our Russian experts is at odds with” the panel’s findings.

In October Russia vetoed an earlier resolution to extend the panel’s duration, arguing against such a move before the release of the report.

Among ambassadors denouncing Russia’s position was Sebastiano Cardi of Italy, who said the veto “deprives the international community of a crucial tool to fight impunity in some of the most heinous and unacceptable crimes committed in Syria.” Bloomberg News

People watch a television screen showing a news broadcast on North Korea’s nuclear test at Seoul Station in Seoul, South Korea, on September 3. Jean Chung/Bloomberg

North Korean missiles still lack reentry capability, Seoul says

N

orth Korea hasn’t secured the key technologies needed to build ballistic missile that can survive a return through the atmosphere, according to South Korea’s Yonhap News Agency.

A n o f f i c i a l f r o m S o ut h Korea’s top spy agency told lawmakers on Thursday that P y o n g y a n g ’s m i s s i l e p r o gram still faced the barrier, Yonhap reported on Friday, citing a “parliamentary source.”

Building a vehicle that can protect warheads from the heat and stress of a return f light— or reentry capability—is critical for developing functional intermediate-range and intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBM).

The National Intelligence Service told members of the National Assembly’s Intelligence Committee that North Korea’s recent missile engine tests haven’t provided the necessary capability, Yonhap said.

A two-month hiatus in missile launches could be due to economic sanctions and financial con st ra i nt s a f ter f requent rocket tests under leader Kim

Jong Un, the news agency said.

In Ju ly K im dec lared he could strike the entire continental US after test-firing the regime’s second ICBM within a month—a claim disputed by American officials. In a meeting last week with Chinese President Xi Jinping, President Donald J. Trump again called on Beijing to use its leverage as North Korea’s top economic backer to pressure Kim into giving up his quest for a nuclear weapon that could threaten the United States.

Special envoy

Xi is dispatching a special envoy, Song Tao, to visit North Korea on Friday, just a week after hosting Trump. The timing suggests that Song, head of the Chinese Communist Party’s International Liaison Department, may be carrying a message from the Xi-Trump talks.

“China is sending an envoy and Delegation to North Korea—A big move, we’ll see what happens!” Trump tweeted on Thursday.

Yonhap, citing unidentified diplomats in Beijing, said there

was a good chance that Song would meet Kim on Sunday.

The North Korean leader is said to rarely meet with senior foreign visitors.

North Korea’s Choe Ryong Hae, one of the most senior officials in the Workers’ Party of Korea, was likely to attend a party leaders’ meeting in Beijing later this month, Yonhap News reported, citing an unnamed source in the Chinese capital.

Trump would announce next week whether the US will return North Korea to a list of state sponsors of terrorism, White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said. Such a move would trigger more sanctions and represent a shift after a 2008 decision by President George W. Bush to lift the designation as part of an effort to use diplomacy.

Separately, commercial satellite imagery indicates that North Korea is on an “aggressive” schedule to build and deploy its first operational ballistic-missile submarine, according to an analyst’s report on the 38 North web site.

Bloomberg News

Sports BusinessMirror

Editor: Jun Lomibao | mirror_sports@yahoo.com.ph

Sunday, November 19, 2017

A5

NO DOMINANT PLAYER N

By Doug Ferguson

Does golf need dominance to spark interest?

It always helps to have a rivalry, and Woods had a revolving door of them that began with Ernie Els and David Duval, featured Vijay Singh, stretched all the way to Rory McIlroy and always included Phil Mickelson.

But it was always about Woods.

Since his last stay at No. 1 in 2013, five players have been No. 1. McIlroy is the only one so far who has kept it for more than a year, and while men’s golf has great depth at the top, the attention over Woods’s return next month in the Bahamas shows how much golf craves a rock star.

The LPGA had that with Annika Sorenstam and Ochoa. It nearly had it with Ko. With this much parity, the next one will have her work cut out.

The Associated Press

APLES, Florida—Even with five of the biggest prizes still up for grabs at the final Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) Tour event of the year, So Yeon Ryu has set an ambitious goal.

“I want to be a rock star for the future,” Ryu said.

Her smile and infectious laugh kept it all in context on Tuesday.

The LPGA Tour has no shortage of star players this year.

Shanshan Feng set a record last week without even knowing it when she won the Blue Bay LPGA in China and moved to No. 1 in the world, making her the fifth player to be No. 1 this year. That’s the highest number of players to reach the top of the ranking in a calendar year, male or female.

Parity in women’s golf doesn’t end there.

The CME Group Tour Championship will decide who wins the LPGA money title between Ryu and Sung Hyun Park. It will decide who wins the Vare Trophy for the lowest adjust scoring average among Park, Lexi Thompson and In Gee Chun. The pointsbased award for LPGA player of the year comes down to Ryu, Feng, Park and Thompson. Those four players, along with Brooke Henderson, only have to win at Tiburon Golf Club to claim the $1-million bonus for winning the CME Race to the Globe.

It’s one thing to have star players.

But a rock star?

That’s about the only thing the LPGA is lacking after a dynamic season that still has one final act.

The tour had the potential for a dominant figure with Lydia Ko, who won her first LPGA Tour title at age 15 and reached No. 1 in the world for the first time at age 17. Ko won her second LPGA major when she was 18, and she stayed No. 1 in the world for 20 consecutive months.

And then she stopped winning.

Ko changed her equipment, her coach and her caddie this year, and she hasn’t been the same. She lost her No. 1 ranking in June, and that paved the way for a stream of players who have taken their turns at the top—Ariya Jutanugarn, Ryu, Park and Feng. Jutanugarn lasted two weeks at No. 1. Park was there only for a week.

Is one star greater than five?

“That’s a tough question, because it could be really

LADIES Professional Golf Association players (from left) Sung Hyun Park, So Yeon Ryu, Lexi Thompson, Shanshan Feng and Brooke Henderson pose before a glass case reflecting the $1-million cash bonus up for grabs at the CME Group Tour Championship at Tiburon Golf Club in Naples, Florida. AP

great to see a lot of players have the opportunity being No. 1,” Ryu said. “Because every single player just really loves this game and they do their best to be No. 1. But at the same time, it could be like we might need a rock star, win the tournament more than five times in the year, being in contention pretty much every tournament.”

Not this year.

The LPGA Tour season began with 15 players winning the first 15 events on the schedule.

Ryu won the ANA Inspiration in a playoff over Lexi Thompson in a major best remembered for Thompson incorrectly marking her ball on the green in the third round and getting docked four shots in the final round

when the infraction was discovered. Ryu became the first multiple winner in June, and she hasn’t won since.

Rock-star status will have to wait.

Women’s British Open champion I.K. Kim has three victories, tied for the most this year with Feng, who has won the last two weeks in Asia. Park has won the US Women’s Open and the Canadian Women’s Open.

Thompson has won twice but no majors.

“There are so many great players out here,” Thompson said. “It’s been a different winner every week seems like for the majority of this year. It’s great to see. A lot of people don’t realize how tough it is to win every single week and have a dominant player on tour.”

It didn’t stop Ko, who won five times in 2015 and four times in 2016 until she went into her tailspin. Before Ko, dominance came from Lorena Ochoa. The Mexican star won 21 times in three seasons, and then she abruptly retired in 2010.

The year Ochoa walked away, the No. 1 ranking changed nine times among three players, and no one held it longer than nine weeks.

It’s a question that has come up over the years, mainly on the PGA Tour, and most recently involving Tiger Woods.

Park has eye on youth development

ATENEO VS FEU IN FINAL FOUR A

TENEO de Manila hopes not to play with a limp as it faces Far Eastern University (FEU) in the Final Four of the Season 80 University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) men’s basketball tournament today at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Their winning run halted last Sunday by the De La Salle Green Archers, the Blue Eagles hope to get back on track as they brandish a twice-to-beat advantage over the No. 4 Tamaraws in the match set at 4 p.m.

Ateneo failed to sweep the 14-game eliminations after absorbing a 76-79 setback to De La Salle. The loss also foiled the Blue Eagles’ bid to advance outright to the finals.

“It would have been nice to have a sweep. So now, we just have to take a different route to try and do what we really want to do,” Ateneo Coach Tab Baldwin said.

“But things like a sweeps and undefeated seasons are things you dream about. But you got to leave them behind pretty quick. Even if we win today, we got to leave it behind because the golden apple that we’re after is still in front of us.”

Baldwin added his wards—led by Thirdy Ravena, Matt and Mike Nieto, Isaac Go, Chiz Ikeh and Anton Asistio—are ready for the Tamaraws.

“I don’t have any doubts about our players’ mentality. We

understand the importance of being ready for the next game.

That’s not going to change. We’ve set that template, we’ve adhered to it all year long. We’re not going to stray from that now,” he said.

The Tamaraws, the winningest in the UAAP with 20 titles, are expected to come out fuming and extend their season to another game—and avenge their 82-94 and 59-70 in the first- and secondround eliminations, respectively.

FEU Head Coach Olsen Racela, in his first Final Four appearance as a collegiate coach, wanted his players to play inspired and display a never-say-die attitude. Lance Agcaoili

Russia lowest-ranked team in draw for home World Cup

Z

URICH—Russia will be the lowest-ranked team in the draw for the World Cup it is hosting after Peru sealed the last qualifying spot.

Fifa uses its October rankings for the December 1 draw in Moscow, which means No. 65 Russia is two places below Saudi Arabia, which will be lowest-ranked nation in the pot of fourth-seeded teams.

Despite the rankings, Russia will be the top seed in Group A—the status Fifa gives all World Cup host nations.

The No. 10-ranked Peru clinched the last place in the 32-team tournament when it beat No. 122 New Zealand in an intercontinental playoff late Wednesday in Lima.

Peru’s win pushed No. 38 Serbia down into the fourth-seeded pot as a dangerous outlier. Serbia is likely to be drawn in a tough group with Brazil or Argentina, the only top-seeded teams from outside Europe.

Fifa limits each of the four-team groups to a maximum of two European teams. No two teams from any other continental confederation can be drawn together.

Potentially tough draws could group Brazil, Spain, Egypt and Serbia, and Germany with England, Costa Rica and Nigeria.

Fifa has changed how it allocates teams in the draw and now uses rankings alone for all four pots. At previous World Cups, only pot 1 was for seeded teams, and the other three pots were decided by a geographical spread.

Russia will play the tournament opener on June 14. The 2018 World Cup final will be held on July 15. Both showpiece games are at the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow. AP

PHILIPPINE Sports Commission (PSC) Commissioner Arnold Agustin joins young student-athletes from Bacoor City during the closing ceremony of the event.

‘Iwas-Droga’ sportsfest kicks off in Cavite

M

EMBERS of the Bacoor National High School (BNHS)-Molina Main and Zapote Elementary School dominated badminton to lead the winners’ roster in the First Kabataan Iwas-Droga: Start on Sports tournament recently at the Theresian School of Cavite.

BNHS-Tabing-Dagat and Mabolo Elementary School, meanwhile, topped the table tennis competitions of the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC)-initiated event, led by Commissioner Arnold Agustin.

Gawaran Campus of BNHS also came up big in secondary level of chess, while Aniban Elementary School and Niog Elementary School fought tooth and nail in the elementary division of the tournament that drew 158 students from 14 public schools as part of the PSC’s grassroots sports development program.

Angelo Bajamudin was the biggest winner. Right after bagging the secondary badminton singles, a scout from University of Perpetual Help-

Dalta System immediately offered him a scholarship to play for the school in the National Collegiate Athletic Association.

“This is my dream, to use badminton for me to get myself through college,” the 16-year-old Bajamudin said.

Before the tournament, a four-week sports clinic was conducted at STRIKE Gymnasium at the Bacoor City Hall. More than 600 kids from 38 public schools joined the weekend trainings conducted by the PSC, City Government of Bacoor through Mayor Lani Mercado-Revilla and the Department of Education.

Agustin said the program is part of the government’s campaign to bring the youth away from illegal drugs.

“We want the kids to use their free time for worthwhile activities— be fit and healthy, have them focus on sports rather than taking part in negative behaviors and activities,” Agustin said.

Park Ji-sung is embarking on what he considers his biggest challenge yet: helping to take South Korea to the highest levels of world soccer.

S

EOUL, South Korea—Park Ji-sung has achieved plenty of personal accolades, winning English Premier League and UEFA Champions League medals with Manchester United, and appearing at three World Cups.

What he’s embarking on next, however, is what he considers his biggest challenge yet: helping to take South Korea to the highest levels of world soccer.

It was once expected that Park would swap his boots for a seat on the coaching bench after playing under world-famous figures, such as Guus Hiddink at the 2002 World Cup— when South Korea made a remarkable run to the semifinals—or his time in England with Sir Alex Ferguson.

What he learned from those men, though, have taken him on a different path.

“I watched Hiddink and Ferguson at close quarters, and realized that I am not a coach,” Park said. “To become a good coach, it is important to be equipped with tactics and strategy. But, first of all, you need to have strong leadership. In terms of that, I cannot be exactly the same as Hiddink or Ferguson.”

Instead of taking on the head coach’s role, Park has joined the Korea Football Association to take charge of the country’s youth development. South Korea has enjoyed more success at the World Cup than any other Asian nation and its club have won the most continental club titles, but there are concerns for the future.

“The reason that Korea has been a strong nation in Asia was because we produced strong young players,” Park said. “These days people can’t see this, and so there is a feeling of crisis.”

There has been growing debate within Korean soccer circles on how to improve youth development.

Cha Bum-keun, South Korea’s most successful export to Europe before Park when he played in the Bundesliga from 1979 to 1988—winning UEFA Cups with Bayer Leverkusen and Eintracht Frankfurt—is among those voicing an opinion.

Cha, who has coached the national team, believes South Korea should follow the model that took Germany to the 2014 World Cup title.

“South Koreans don’t give up easily and have the strength to fight until the end,” he said. “They are also similar to Germans’ fighting spirit, and that’s why I believe German football is suitable for us.”

There may be stronger influences than Germany. Before heading to Manchester United, Park played in Japan and the Netherlands, and officials at the KFA expect the former international midfielder to draw on his experience in those two countries, both of which have established notable youth development programs.

In September former KFA officials, including president Cho Chung-yon, were charged by police with misappropriating funds in 2011 and 2012.

So for South Korea, the new football focus is not just about lifting standards on the field. The arrival of Park at the KFA, as well as 2002 World Cup captain Hong Myong-bo, the newly appointed general secretary, is part of an effort to increase the organization’s transparency and improve its reputation.

“The reshuffle shows the KFA’s will to find talented people with expertise in football,” the KFA, desperate to signal a turning point, said in a statement.

Even the one piece of genuine good news, September’s qualification for a ninth successive World Cup, was a struggle with just four out of 10 games won in the last round.

Technical director and KFA Vice President Kim Ho-gon quit earlier this month, less than five months after Uli Stielike was fired as head coach. AP

Faith A6 Sunday, November 19, 2017

Sunday

www.businessmirror.com.ph • Editor: Lyn Resurreccion

Bishop lauds Asean pact on migrant workers’ rights

A

Catholic bishop has lauded the Association of Southeast Asian Nations in its bid to protect and promote the rights of migrant workers across the region.

The leaders of the 10 Asean member-states gathered in Manila for a summit this past week and signed on Tuesday a landmark document on the protection of migrant workers.

Balanga Bishop Ruperto Santos, chairman of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines Episcopal Commission on Migrants on Itinerant People (CBCP-ECMI), described the agreement as “caring and helpful” initiative of the Asean leaders.

“This manifests their concern and compassion of the plight of our migrant workers,” Santos said.

With common and unified stand of the Asean leaders, he said the rights and privileges of all migrant workers would be “protected, promoted and respected.” “ Their decision is the best and ver y beneficial to all mig r a nt workers reg a rd less of their nationalities,” he said.

The Philippine government said that the signing of the document

“Asean Consensus on the Protection and Promotion of the Rights of Migrant Workers” is the “centerpiece” of the Philippine chairmanship of the 10-nation bloc.

Foreign Affairs Acting Spokesman Robespierre L. Bolivar said one of the key features of the agreement is for the host country to afford the same level of protection to migrant workers as they do to their own citizens.

He added this include protection in terms of labor contracts, labor standards, access to legal representation, especially access to consular representation. The Department of Foreign Affairs has said the landmark document

Balanga Bishop Ruperto Santos, CBCP-ECMI chairman Analyn Perucho/CBCPNews

would further strengthen social protection, access to justice, humane and fair treatment and access to health services for the migrant workers in the region.

A b out 7 m i l l io n m i g r a nt workers employed within Asean

Their [Asean leaders’] decision is the best and very beneficial to all migrant workers regardless of their nationalities.”—Santos

member-states will be covered by the agreement. It will benefit over 200,000 overseas Filipino workers employed in Singapore and Malaysia.

T he s i g n i ng of t he do c u ment came 10 years after the regional bloc adopted the Asean Declaration on the Protection and Promotion of the R ights of Migrant Workers.

The Asean is composed of Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. CBCPNews

Saint Raphael of Saint Joseph Kalinowski, Carmelite friar, priest

By Corazon Damo-Santiago

moved to Paris, France. He accepted the offer to tutor Augustus, son of Prince Ladislaus Czartoryski, who lives in Paris.

D

eath by firing squad. This was the verdict given Josef Kalinowski after a formal declaration of his participation as war minister of Vilna (Lithuania) in the insurrection against Russian occupation in Poland.

Russia, not wanting him to be considered martyr, commuted the sentence to 10 years imprisonment at the Siberian Labor Camp.

On April 15, 1865, after nine months on foot, Josef reached the Salt Labor Camp of Usol.

Saint Raphael of Saint Joseph Kalinowski

Engineer at heart, soldier by necessity

Polish Lithuania in 1795 was divided by three foreign powers, Russia, Prussia and Austria.

Considered as injustice, patriots of Poland and Lithuania never accepted this. “As long as we live, Poland is not dead,” was a battle cry. This was the historical context when Josef was born to a noble family in Vilna.

Vilna was part of the Russian Empire when Josef was born on September 1, 1835. His father, Andrew, was assistant superintendent and professor of math at the local Institute of Nobles. His mother, Josephine Polonska, died a few months after Josef was born.

They belong to szlachta, a noble family with high patriotic ideals in the kingdom of Poland.

Skillful in math, Josef wanted to become a civil engineer.

Since Polish universities were closed, he had to pursue studies in Russia. Enrol lment in engineering course was full, so he enrolled in Saint Petersburg School of Military Engineering.

Uprooted from his cultural and religious environment and studying at the military school was an emotional ordeal. He experienced a “crisis of faith searching for the meaning of life.”

Religious indifference prevailed, too. In 1853 he changed his course and attended Nicholayev Engineering Academy and Rus-

Saint Raphael of Saint Joseph Kalinowski Wikimedia Commons

sian Army. Three years after, he was promoted second lieutenant.

In 1857 he graduated in Russian Engineering Corps and worked as associate professor in math, and was promoted as full lieutenant.

Polish revolutionary

For decades in Russia, thousands of Catholics, priests and religious were persecuted, imprisoned or killed because of their faith. In 1863 and 1864 the tsar of Russia exiled in Siberia about 40,000 Poles, mostly Catholics.

Josef witnessed the injustices done to his people. He wrote: “I was no longer capable of wearing the Russian uniform while my heart was sick with the knowledge that the blood of my countrymen was being shed.”

Josef resigned from the Russian army in 1863 and joined the Polish insurrection against Russian occupation. He agreed to be the war minister of the region of Vilna. Aware of the power of the military forces of the tzar, he avoided military confrontations to prevent loss of lives among his people.

Arrested on March 24, 1864, he did not deny his participation in the uprisings, was incarcerated on April 9, 1864, and sentenced to death.

But since he might be considered a hero by the people, his life was spared. To the labor camp of Siberia, he was deployed to work for 10 years.

On exile, he developed a profound interior life. He became prayerful and became an inspiration to his fellow workers. He was considered by others as an angel to help them bear sufferings and loneliness. In the camp, he became sure of his true vocation—to be a religious.

He was assigned to work in the construction of the Kurs-Kiev Odessa Railway, then transferred to Brest, Litovsk, in 1860. He was promoted as captain in the Russian Army in 1862.

In 1871 and 1872 he was involved in the meterological research of a Russian Geographical Co., and in a research expedition to Kultuk in Lake Baikal.

He was released from Siberia in 1873 but exiled in Lithuania. He

In 1877 Saint Raphael of Saint Joseph, the name given him as a religious person, was admitted to the Carmelite Priory in Linz and was ordained priest on January 15, 1882, at Czerna by the bishop of Krakow.

In 1883 he became the prior of the convent at Czerna. The following year, he founded a Discalced Carmelite Monastery in Premislia and another in Ukraine in 1888.

After he was named visitator and vicar provincial in 1889, he established a college, a church, monastery and convent in Wadowice, Poland. He also started to organize Catholic organizations.

As a contemplative, he reminded his brethren on the hallmarks of their serious formation and obligation, “to converse with God in all our actions, build a Carmelite life in Poland in solid bases of true prayer nourished by authority, silence recollection, realities that He first loved us.”

Fr. Raphael of Saint Joseph Kalinowski died on November 15, 1907, in Wadowice, Poland. Fourteen years, later Karol Wojtyla, now Saint John Paul II, was born in the same place.

Saint Raphael of Saint Joseph Kalinowski was beatified on June 22, 1983, and canonized on November 17, 1991, by then-Pope John Paul II. He was the first friar to have been canonized in the Order of Discalced Carmelite since Saint John of the Cross (1542-1591).

His feast day is November 19.

Santiago is a former regional director of the Department of Education National Capital Region. She is currently a faculty member of Mater Redemptoris Collegium in Calauan, Laguna, and of Mater Redemptoris College in San Jose City, Nueva Ecija.

Lebanese Christian leader makes rare visit to Saudi

R

IYADH, Saudi Arabia—The Maronite Christian patriarch of Lebanon met with K ing Salman of Saudi Arabia in the Saudi capital on Tuesday during a rare visit by a Christian leader to the Islamic kingdom that ended up being as much about politics as religion.

The patriarch, Bechara Boutros al-Rai, arrived in Riyadh amid escalating tensions between the two nations over the surprise resignation of Lebanon’s prime minister, Saad Hariri, and Saudi threats against Hezbollah and Iran.

While few details were released on what the patriarch discussed with the king, the visit pleased many Lebanese and seemed to calm the situation. The recent episode started when Hariri fled to Riyadh, the Saudi capital, and announced his resignation from Lebanon’s government on November 4, shocking even to his closest aides and raising suspicions that the Saudis had forced him to quit.

Blaming Iran for meddling in Arab countries, he said its “hands” in the region “will be cut off,” apparently intended as a threat against Hezbollah, the Lebanese militant group that also has ministers in Lebanon’s government. A few days later, Saudi Arabia told its citizens to leave Lebanon, raising fears of war. The rumors about Hariri’s status persisted, and a television interview this week meant to show that he was a free man failed to quiet them.

Patriarch Rai told reporters before traveling to the kingdom on Monday that the situation had left many Lebanese “not at ease” and that he would raise the issue with the king.

On Tuesday, dressed in red and black clerical robes and with a large gold cross around his neck, he met with King Salman, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Hariri, according to Saudi state news media. After the visit, Hariri posted a message on Twitter for the first time in more than a week, saying he would return to Lebanon in the coming days.

For Saudi Arabia, a monarchy long defined by an ultraconservative interpretation of Islam often hostile to other religions, the decision to receive the patriarch seemed intended to show a new openness.

Since his father became king in 2015, Crown Prince Mohammed has sought to moderate the kingdom’s religious rhetoric. He has stripped the power to arrest from the religious police, arrested dozens of hard-line clerics and

Maronite Patriarch Bechara Boutros al-Rai Wikimedia Commons

pushed for social changes, including promising women the right to drive starting in June.

Earlier this month, he told a n i nter n at ion a l i nvest ment conference in Riyadh that the kingdom needed a “moderate, balanced Islam that is open to the world and to all religions and all traditions and peoples.”

For Lebanon, the visit cast Patriarch Rai in the role of unofficial ambassador, seeking clarity about the status of the prime minister and seeking to calm tensions that could endanger Lebanon and the hundreds of thousands of Lebanese living and working in Saudi Arabia and other Persian Gulf countries.

The remittances they send home are essential to Lebanon’s economy.

Thousands of Maronite families live in Saudi Arabia, which has no churches and bans the public observance of any religion other than Islam. “There is no life here as a Christian, or as a Catholic; life here is either as a neutral person or as a Muslim,” said Danny Nasrallah, a Lebanese Catholic who has worked in the kingdom in the field of business development for eight years. “You have to pray in your heart when you want to pray.”

While he and others did not expect any immediate changes after the patriarch’s visit, they saw it as a good omen of where the kingdom is headed.

“What’s important is that the line between Lebanon and Saudi Arabia remains open,” said Johnny Tannoury, a mechanical engineer who is Maronite. “There is a unique relationship between the Lebanese people and Saudi Arabia and we don’t want that to change.”

The Maronite church is found in Lebanon, Syria and Cyprus, and follows the Eastern Rite of the Roman Catholic Church.

Patriarch Rai is the second Christian patriarch to visit the kingdom; the last such visit was in 1975, Reuters reported.

New York Times News Service

Pope to auction Lamborghini to help rebuild Christian Iraq

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A T I C A N C I T Y— P o p e Francis got the keys to a fancy new Lamborghini on Wednesday—but he won’t be tooling around the Vatican gardens in it.

Instead, the special-edition Huracan will be auctioned off by Sotheby’s, with the proceeds going to charities, including one aimed at helping rebuild Christian communities in Iraq that were devastated by the Islamic State (IS) group.

Of f ic i a l s f rom t he lu x u r y s p or t s c a r m a k e r prese nte d Francis with the sleek white car with papal yellow-gold detailing on Wednesday, outside the Vatican hotel where he lives. The pope promptly blessed it.

Base prices for the Huracan, which was first introduced in 2014, usually start at around €183,000 ($217,000.) A special edition built for a papal charity would be expected to fetch far more at auction. Francis got around his native Buenos Aires

on public transport and has long railed against people who buy the latest model cars or cell phones.

As a pope, he uses a blue Ford Focus inside the Vatican walls, and he has made a statement on all his foreign trips by shunning fancy, bullet-proof sport-utility vehicles and opting instead for modest Fiats or KIAs. Some of the funds raised from the auction will go to rebuilding homes, churches and public buildings in Iraq’s Nineveh Plains that were devastated during three years of fighting by the IS group.

The Vatican said the aim is to allow Christians, who were forced to flee Nineveh, “to finally return to their roots and recover their dignity.” Other funds will go to charities that help women who are trafficked and forced into prostitution, and those that provide medical care in Africa.

T he Sant’Agata Bolog nesebased Lamborghini is owned by Germany’s Volkswagen. AP

Tourism&Entertainment BusinessMirror

Editor: Carla Mortel-Baricaua

Sunday, November 19, 2017

A7

River Deep: An afternoon cruise along the Nasipit River in Sorsogon

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Story by Celine Reyes

Photos by Tophee Marques

alfway up the inclined path to Castilla’s municipal hall, the engine died again.

I was getting frustrated over our ride—a motorcycle lent to us by the provincial tourism office.

I was on edge. Even with the coaching of the construction workers dangling from the side of the building, I couldn't get the engine to stay on. I let out an annoyed sigh before proceeding to haul the heavy vehicle up the rest of the way, to the parking lot further ahead.

Motorcycle parked and helmets secured, I checked my phone for the time. We were 30 minutes late. Alarmed, I herded Tophee back to the half-unfinished building. We spotted Sarah, Castilla’s Tourism officer, looking out of the glass windows of the pure white house-like structure that was Castilla's Tourism office. She spotted me approaching. I waved.

Sarah wasted no time and told us we should get going. We fetched our ride, trailing behind another motorcycle carrying Sarah and one of her staff as the driver. We made a quick stop at their Municipal Nursery in Barangay Cumadcad where demos on organic farming were conducted and strawberries were being grown.

One of the local government projects, called Adopt-a-farm, creates a partnership between the local government, private individuals and a community that she

referred to as the “beneficiary.” In this initiative, the local government will help the private land owners to develop their property, employing and training members of the beneficiary community in the process. Once the farm is operational, the local government will hand over management to the land owners and the community. It sounded like a win-win arrangement. Tourists, too, get to benefit from the program, as this will establish more vacation destinations in the region.

It occurred to me then that, of all the towns in Sorsogon, Castilla seemed to be lagging when it comes to tourism—not that it didn’t have anything to offer. The town’s terrain is blessed with a mixture of plains and mountainous regions, giving shape to natural attractions like waterfalls and caves. Its southern point is bordered by Sorsogon Bay—a gateway to yet-to-be-explored islands along the Ticao Pass. Another one of the places being tapped to be Castilla’s flagship tourist attraction is the Nasipit River.

From the nursery, we veered from the main thoroughfare and peeled across paved roads flanked by coconut trees before heading

A seafood fiesta is possible after a Nasipit River cruise.

The sparkling waters of Nasipit River are teeming with life

Kunaw is a shellfish that thrives in Nasipit River.

up a small housing project by the Gawad Kalinga Community Development Foundation. The GK Village was established in 2015 and currently has a population of about 20 families. This community has been enlisted to help manage the activities in the Nasipit River.

We descended a stone stairway, getting a glimpse of a glittering ribbon of turquoise. We then boarded a floating cottage made of bamboo and thatched palm fronds, and went to see what Nasipit River has in store for us.

Boats haul the floating cottage across the river.

Adopt a #PhilEagle at Marco Polo Ortigas Manila

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his festive season, make a difference for nature by adopting a Philippine Eagle Stuffed Toy, available at five-star award-winning first and only sky hotel, Marco Polo Ortigas Manila.

One of the wildlife conservation crises that the Philippine Eagle Foundation is facing today is the survival of the national bird, the Philippine Eagle. With its possible extinction in the future, if not taken care of, would be a decrease not just in the culture but also in the quality of Philippine environment. With this, Marco Polo Ortigas Manila takes part in taking an action in wildlife conservation as it invites its hotel guests to adopt a #PhilEagle stuffed toy.

By purchasing a stuffed toy, guests can take part in this movement, as the proceeds will go directly to Philippine Eagle Foundation’s conservation projects. The goal of this partnership is to raise funds for campaigns that will help in the survival of the species of the national bird, as well as to raise awareness for the foundation so more people can participate in protecting the national bird.

With P600, help the Philippine Eagle Foundation and delight an indigent child in Pasig with a stuffed eagle toy to cuddle. Guests who opt to participate in this initiative can buy the toy at the Front Desk, on the 24th Floor, Marco Polo Ortigas Manila, and they will be given a card where guests can write a personal

letter for the kids and, afterward, they can put in on the Wings of Hope tree. All the donated stuffed toys will be given to the chosen charity after the run of the campaign.

To know more information about the Philippine Eagle and this campaign, visit www. philippineeaglefoundation.org.

The walkway to Nasipit River

This watercourse, Sarah informed me, traverses the barangays of Poblacion, San Isidro and Libtong. It is part of the larger Du l a nga n-Nasipit-Pi l i Estuary. The water here is said to be one of the cleanest, home to an abundance of the shellfish locally known as kunaw. Mangroves are aplenty here, and there are plans to plant more of it. In the distance, the outline of the Bulusan Volcano can also be traced.

The cruise covered most of the runnel in less than an hour. The ride is currently the only tourist

activity that is permitted in the river, but plans to include low-impact ones, such as kayaking is being considered. Fireflies also come here in herds, so firefly watching is another possible activity. Safety gears, such as life vests, will be provided soon. The local government is also currently formulating standard tour rates.

After the cruise, we were treated to a lavish seafood fiesta for lunch. Prepared by the residents of the GK Village, who cooks with fresh hauls from Castilla’s waters, it was probably the best part of the

tour. Crabs, shrimps and an assortment of fish graced our table.

I was suddenly very hungry. Walkin guests could request a similar meal, but they might need to wait, and the menu might be different depending on what’s available.

Tourism, like all things, has always been a double-edged sword.

From where I sat, Nasipit River looked raw. Beautiful. I was wary of how tourism would eventually change this place, but I’ve always believed in sustainable development, of making a place valuable to the locals.

The strawberry farm in Castilla’s Nursery.

Mimaropa festival showcases Romblon as tourist haven

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omblon, the “Marble Capital of the Philippines,” will prove to be a promising tourist destination, as it hosts the third Mimaropa Festival in Odiongan town from November 18 to 25. Tourism Secretary Wanda Corazon T. Teo said, “Region 4-B’s best-kept secret, Romblon, will be unraveled as a world-class tourist attraction like its neighboring provinces.” Region 4-B is comprised of Mindoro Occidental, Mindoro Oriental, Marinduque, Romblon and Palawan (Mimaropa).

“Owing to its relative isolation, Romblon province has quietly preserved its lush, mountainous greenery, hidden valleys, waterfalls, pristine waters, white-sand beaches, diving sites, Spanishera relics and many more,” Teo pointed out.

The tourism chief went on to say, “But it’s more fun in Romblon because of the local people’s hospitality and, of course, the delectable, authentic dishes and exotic fruits served with that infectious smile.”

The weeklong festivities will be participated in by delegations from Mimaropa’s provinces and will be highlighted by pageantry, sights and sounds of authentic ethnic performances, and display of abundant local farm produce, said Department of TourismMimaropa Regional Director Danilo Intong.

The opening ceremonies will be led by Romblon Gov. Eduardo Firmalo, followed by events featuring drum and lyre competition, Marble Festival, agri fair, cookfest, kite boarding, bicycle marathon, regatta, float parade and the Mimaropa King and Queen pageant.

Slated as the festival’s main events are the street dance and the showdown competition among the groups of 1000 cultural performers from the five provinces and the two cities of Calapan and Puerto Princesa.

“All roads lead to Odiongan, Romblon, for an exciting and funfilled Mimaropa 3 festival, which will surely be the next big-thing in Philippine tourism,” Intong exclaimed.

Science

BusinessMirror

A8 Sunday, November 19, 2017

Sunday

www.businessmirror.com.ph • Editor: Lyn Resurreccion

Radiated carrageenan as plant-growth promoter shows promising results

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hree years after its implementation, the research and development (R&D) program on radiation-modified carrageenan (RMC) as plant-growth promoter (PGP) produced beneficial effects as shown in the program’s review and evaluation held recently.

The program, “Plant Bio-stimulants and Elicitors from Radiationmodified Natural Polymers,” aims to use RMC in integrated nutritionmanagement designs, improve plant health and induce resistance to increase crop productivity

in peanut, mungbean and rice.

Dr. Lucille V. Abad of the Philippine Nuclear Research Institute of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) presented the accomplishments and key findings of the project in the

DOST showcases breakthrough technologies and programs at National Biotechnology Week

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he Department of Scie nce a nd Te c h nolo g y (DOST ) joins the 13th National Biotechnology Week (NBW) celebration starting this Monday.

The NBW kicks off on November 20 at the Expo Hall 1, fourth floor, Fisher Mall, Quezon City.

It has the theme, “Bioteknolohiya para sa Kalikasan, Kalusugan, Kagandahan, Kabuhayan at Kaunlaran: Lamang ang Masa at Magsasaka sa Limang ‘K’ ng Bioteknolohiya!”

A s pa r t of t he ce lebration, the DOST showcases its brea kthrough technolog ies and programs in biotechnology, such as the Philippine Council for Health Research and Development’s BiotekM, a cheaper, yet accurate, confirmator y test for dengue diagnosis; Forest Products Research and Development Inst it ute’s Bioac t ive Bamboo, a study to screen the phy tochemica l compo nents of ethanolic and aqueous extracts of kauayan tinik, kauayan kiling and bolo; and Philippine Nuclear Research Institute’s Mutation Breeding and Tissue Culture for Mangosteen which aims to obtain varieties with increased yield and improved fruit quality.

The DOST will also feature the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development’s genomics R&D programs on rubber, cacao and coffee and food; and Nutrition Research Institute’s R&D program on Nutrigenomics, Industrial Technology Development Institute’s edible mushroom collection and National Research Council of the Philippines’s member-experts in biotechnology research.

Among the weeklong activities of the DOST are health forum, career talk, biotechnology forum, agriculture and aquatic forum, film-showing and science journalism workshop.

This year’s weeklong celebration also highlights the beneficial application of biotechnology in food and agriculture, health, environment and industry. It will showcase the applications of biotechnology in food production, health and wellness and environmental conservation

through technology exhibits, trade fair, seminars and forums for teachers, students, farmers and consumers.

Also part of NBW activities is the Jose G. Burgos Jr. Awards for Biotechnology Journalism.

It will award individual journalists and media agencies for their outstanding contribution to the promotion of biotechnology.

Cash prizes, trophies and cer t if icates of recog nit ion will be given for Best News Story and Best Feature Story, with second and third prizes for each category. Three media outfits that published the most number of biotechnology stories will also be recognized.

This year’s awarding ceremonies will be held on November 22, at 5 p.m.

This year’s Filipino Faces of Biotechnology will be recognized on November 23 at 4 p.m. This will be the second year the recognition will be bestowed on Filipinos who promoted the advancement of biotechnology in the country.

The 12 acr ylic paintings of Jose “Sonny” T. Burgos III, farmer-visual artist and eldest son of press-freedom icon Joe Burgos Jr., will also be showcased at NBW starting November 20.

Dubbed “Linang: Agriculture biotechnology and art”, Sonny Bu rgos pa i nted h is thoughts on agriculture biotechnology which he believes is the solution to the problem that farmers face nowadays.

He has been painting for 38 years now.

The NBW—which is being led by the Department of Agriculture (DA) this year—is held annually based on the mandate from Presidential Proclamation 1414 issued in 2007 declaring every last week of November of every year as NBW. A n interagenc y committee composed of the depar tments of Agriculture, Education, Env ironment and Natura l Resources, Hea lth, the Inter ior and Loca l Gover nment, Science and Technolog y and Trade and Industr y was for med to integrate and harmonize respective activities of par ticipating agencies and organizations for the celebration of the NBW.

report, titled “Evaluation of the Effects of Radiation-modified Carrageenan on the Growth and Yield of Mungbean and Peanut.”

Abad reported that field experiments in the regions of Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon and in Calabarzon resulted in 16-percent to 51-percent increase in yield at RMC-PGP concentration of 50 parts per million (ppm) to 200 ppm.

Abad added that variation in the optimum concentration of RMC-PGP depend on the varieties of mungbean and peanut suited in the regions.

Leylani M. Juliano of the Philippine Rice Research Institute presented the second project, titled “Elucidation of Growth Promotion Mechanisms of Radiation-modified Carrageenan on Rice.”

The project aims to study the

synergistic mechanism of RMC in its growth, promoting effects on rice under greenhouse and field conditions.

Ju l i a no repor ted t hat t he application of 300 ppm to 400 ppm RMC-PGP showed promising beneficial effects in rice, such as higher seed-germination rate, more tillers and panicles, and higher yield compared with other treatments.

Meanwhile, Dr. Gil L. Magsino, director of the National Crop Protection Center of the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB), presented the potential use of RMC-PGP to induce resistance against major pests and diseases in rice under greenhouse and field conditions.

Magsino noted that the application of RMC-PGP induces resistance against tungro virus

in inbred r ice and bacter ia lleaf blight in hybrid rice under field conditions. He also cited that applying RMC-PGP could be an innovative approach to combat pests and diseases of rice, thereby improving crop productivity.

Dr. Jocelyn E. Eusebio, director of Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development (PCAARRD) Crop Research Division (CRD) led the terminal review and evaluation along with Dr. Pompe C. Sta. Cruz, director of the Institute of Plant Breeding of the College of Agriculture and Food Science (CAFS) at the UPLB and Dr. Erlinda S. Paterno, professor emeritus of the Agricultural Systems Institute of CAFS-UPLB. T he tec hnica l eva lu ators suggested the holding of a separate study on the role of R MC-

PGP in enhancing the plants’ physiological processes.

The project, as suggested, is deemed to be a crucial parameter in explaining how RMC-PGP affects the growth, yield and resistance of selected agricultural crops.

The R&D Program on carrageenan is one of the programs under the PCA ARRD Industry Strategic Science and Technology Program for Rice with the main goal of increasing rice productivity by 34 percent from 4.02 tons/hectare to 5.40 tons/hectare by 2020.

Held at the headquarters of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST)-PCA ARRD, the program’s review and evaluation was attended by other DOSTPCAARRD staff from CRD, Applied Communication Division and Technolog y Transfer and Promotion Division. S&T Media Service

DNA laboratory set for researches, trainings

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he Ph i l ip pi ne S c ie nce High School-Eastern Visayas C a mpus (PSHS E VC) has received t he c ha nce of a l ifet ime to produce sc ie nt i f ic re s e a rc he s, cou r te s y of t he Brea k t h rou g h Ju n ior C ha l lenge (B JC) DNA Molec ul a r Biolog y l aborator y.

Dr. Dave Micklos of Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, and who set up the laboratory, told the BusinessMirror he is in PSHS-EVC to train its students and teachers on experiments in DNA and in basic methods to study and understand genetics and the possible breakthrough solutions for genetic diseases.

Micklos said the Philippines has a growing population and needs to feed its people by producing good rice breeds that could be developed through researches in the laboratory.

The state-of-the-art laboratory worth $100,000 was won by PSHS-EVC student Hillary Diane Andales for her school when she was adjudged the 2016 BJC Special Prize Top 6 finalist and the winner of Most Popular Vote Challenge.

Her winning video explained Feynman’s Path Integrals.

The Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory is an affiliate of Breakthrough Prize Foundation of Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg and his wife Priscilla Chan.

The BJC—founded by Breakthrough Prize Foundation Google cofounders Sergey Brin and Anne Wojcicki; and physicist and venture capitalist Yuri Milner and Julia Milner—aims at recognizing the best scientific work in fundamental physics, life sciences and mathematics.

Andales told the BusinessMirror that the DNA laboratory is now open to Eastern Visayas students, teachers, researchers and scientists. It is expected to benefit students for their molecularbiology research and for training of teachers.

Andales said: “The biggest benefit of the [BJC] DNA molecular-biology laboratory is for students of [PSHS-EVC] to initiate researches to help public and private sectors, and to conduct research in DNA biotechnology, research on genetics and to analyze DNA samples.”

Director Reynaldo Garnace of PSHS-EVC told the BusinessMirror, the laboratory will be useful for DNA tests and experiments.

He said it is the thrust of the school to connect with the community to conduct studies and researches, and accept tertiary

Dr. Dave Micklos (left) of Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory sets up the DNA Molecular Biology Laboratory in Philippine Science High School-Eastern Visayas Campus. With him is Alec Micklos.

students and secondary students to conduct experiments.

“Through the DNA molecularbiology laboratory, researches on environment, genome, bacteria and cures for diseases in the locality will provide students possible simple and breakthrough solutions,” Garnace said.

“It would also invite industries to find concrete solutions on research problems,” he added.

“With the PSHS-EVC school outreach activity, the research laboratory is open to schools in the region in molecular-biology research,” he said.

“We are capable of developing new technologies and new inventions. Filipinos are embarking on that stage to cure cancer and infectious diseases, and doing studies to cure HIV patients,” Garnace said.

Andales said she is interested in finding answers to some problems in science with the use of the DNA laboratory. She and her classmates are planning to do a research to identify the DNA of the tawa-tawa plant to treat dengue.

Possible cure for genetic diseases and cancer

Andales said Diana See from Singapore showed in her winning video in the BJC 2017, the bacteria resistant to antibiotics, which is a threat to world health today.

She said genetic diseases and cancer are caused by damage in DNA. Thus, researches using the

DNA molecula-biology laboratory can help cure cancer, developmental disorders and could prevent genes of mental disorders from expressing.

She told the BusinessMirror that, in genetics, the bacteria that are resistant to antibiotics can get inside the plasmid. Recent researches discovered new ways to potentially kill antibiotic-resistant bacteria by destroying the DNA of the bacteria, she said.

She added that there is a need to do further researches on the target genetic material of bacteria in order to replicate the result of recent researches.

Andales excels in math and physics

Garnace said Andales’s video on Feynman’s path integrals that earned her a finalist prize in BJC 2016 is a difficult subject in physics. Simply explained, it says that the world is in harmony, and everything is in harmony.

He said Andales achieved the BJC award through her sheer interest in science and mathematics.

She excels in math, wrote a book on math and represented her school in mathematics competitions and brought home awards and medals.

Physics, one of the subjects in the curriculum, is her core in math.

“I moved heaven and earth to promote her video, spread, like and share, giving it the highest votes [in BJC],” Garnace said.

“We are grateful she made it, her winning brought home the $100,000 DNA laboratory, equipment and training of our teachers,” he added.

Nurturing a gifted child

Imelda A ndales, the mother of Hilar y A nda les, told the BusinessMirror of how Hilar y began her interest in science. A s enthusiasts in science and math, she and her husband, Roy, pasted on their bedroom w a l l some te x t a nd colore d pic t u res of pl a nets, nu rser y rhy mes and shapes.

When Hillary was 1 year old, she received a gift of an astronomy book about solar system, which began her love in science.

From a telescope in their place in Abuyog, Leyte, they saw planets like Saturn and binary stars, also inspired Hilary to pursue science and physics.

Imelda Andales said, “The culture in our family, including her brother, is that we talk about science. My husband Roy and his siblings are teachers who are into chemistry. I am a certified public accountant and an informationtechnology expert, and my siblings are into science.”

Andales intends to study physics in the University of the Philippines Diliman, in Harvard University for Physics or in Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Vanessa M. Puno

Journey

»life on the go

BusinessMirror

Editor: Tet Andolong

Sunday, November 19, 2017

A9

Hobie cats in action at the 17th Philippine Hobie Challenge

Race, relax, recharge

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By Bernard L. Supetran

IRST, there was staycation, or a domestic vacation at home or trips to nearby hotels or resorts.

But then, the evolving lifestyle of active people has given birth to another recent variant of the well-deserved break—race-cation, which combines participation in a race of a family member and a vacation for the rest of the gang.

The concept of race-cation has been around though for quite some time, as well-off participants of marathons, bikathons and other sporting tournaments bring along their entourage in the out-of-town venue for a post-event unwinding.

This emerging niche is one new sector of the travel market, which Pico de Loro Beach and Country Club is trying to entice by bundling race-related activities into an irresistible package.

“We make an effort to accommodate guests and give them the best experience possible. So we have various packages from rooms to spa to sports packages for those on a racecation,” Club General Manager Maggie Garcia said.

Named after the iconic mountain in Nasugbu, Batangas, Pico de Loro is the core of Hamilo Coast, a 5,800-hectare master-planned property that blends the sea and mountains, and everything in between.

With an unspoiled development, this leisure enclave is the consummate getaway for people

Stand-up paddling and kayaking by Roxy Fitness

engaged in outdoor sports, as well as for relaxation and quality time with family and friends.

As part of its race-cation thrust, the club has been hosting the Aboitiz Tri, a prestigious triathlon that started as Pico Tri, which was attended by corporate executives-weekend warriors.

Organized by Bike King Philippines, it is comprised of a 1.5-kilometers swim at the Pico de Loro Cove, a 40-km bike course around the scenic meandering roads of Nasugbu, and a 10-km run to the finish line within Hamilo Coast.

“Pico de Loro Cove has a 1.5-km shoreline, mountainous terrain and well-manicured landscape that make it ideal for an event of such nature (a triathlon) or any nature that would involve the use of the beach primarily, and the terrain,” Garcia added.

She noted that with its proximity to the metropolis and the resort’s comfortable amenities, it is a visually relaxing drive and a comfortable dwelling place for participants and their companions.

Early this year it became the takeoff point of the 17th Philippine Hobie Challenge, a weeklong extreme international sailing competition that hops around the country’s gorgeous remote islands. Organized by the Philip-

Pico de Loro Beach and Country Club

pine Sailing Federation (Phinsaf), it is a fun yet competitive regatta, which draws the world’s best sailors of the Hobie 16 catamaran, a sleek twin-hulled wind-powered sailboat that can glide through the water.

With its good winds along the Nasugbu Bay, long beach and remarkable facilities, Pico de Loro may yet be venue of another Phinsaf sailing event that usually wraps up with a luau-themed party.

Last summer leading Australian sportswear brand Roxy conducted its annual fitness camp, which included a yoga retreat and close-to-nature aquasports miniraces, around the bay. Called Roxy Fitness, it is toured in different countries, and is the first time to be held in the Philippines.

Batangas Special Bulalo at Pico Restaurant

Just last week the Club hosted Fun Drive in the South, a fun drive exclusively for Volkswagen Philippines’s Jetta Club and Golf GTS Club members showcasing the sophisticated and easy driving experience of the German-engineered family car models.

Volkswagen Club Members had a short program on the road-safety features of the Jetta and Golf GTS, and spent leisure time at the resort for a sought-after beach time.

While the racers’ family members or friends are taking on the great outdoors, the rest of the gang can do recreational activities at the resort’s beach, pool, activity areas for basketball, badminton, bowling, tennis, and even video games, videoke lounge and play area for young children.

After a grueling contest, athletes and their group can pamper themselves at the Rain Spa, which fuses traditional and progressive therapeutic practices in health and well-being. Its treatments make use of vegan and organic products derived from plants, flowers and fruits grown in China, India and Egypt.

Meal time is something to look forward to at the resort’s numerous food and beverage outlets. Pico Restaurant specializes in Mediterranean cuisine and signature Batangueño delicacies, such as bulalo, tulingan, Taal’s beef tapa and longaniza, tawilis and maliputo, and kapeng barako and tablea chocolate to perk up breakfast.

Lagoa, the spacious main dining outlet, whips out Asian-inspired dishes and all-time Filipino

favorites, and often goes on buffet for lunch and dinner.

For a nightcap, the resort has three beverage outlets—Pico Bar, Lagoa Pool Bar and Reef Bar, which serve a wide range of spirits, Mojito blends, smoothies and cocktails.

The resort also offers a bevy of water sports, such as kayaking, stand-up paddle and scuba diving around Nasugbu Bay, most notably at Santelmo Cove, declared a marine-protected area (MPA), that teems with lush aquatic and reef life.

Aside from its powdery sands and crystalline water, the resort is a nesting ground for endangered sea turtles or pawikan, specifically the Olive Ridley Turtles, the smallest specie of its kind in the world. Giant clams or taklobos are also bred in this area, which act as natural filters under water.

Along with two other MPAs— Pico de Loro and Etayo, these coves form part of the Verde Passage, known as the center of world’s marine biodiversity, which is habitat to the most number of fish species and corals within the Coral Triangle.

The Club also offers tours around the various coves and mangrove forests, trek around the Santelmo Eco Trail and pony ride around the resort. Guests who are itching to scale Mount Pico de Loro can be referred to local guides for their conquest of a greenhorn’s mountain.

With a rich ridge to reef ecosystem, the options are infinite for race-cation themed events, such as mountain climbing, trail running, surfing and kayaking.

And for the rest, they can simply relax and recharge.

the 1.5-kilometer swim course of Aboitiz Tri by Bike King Philippines

Journey

»life on the go

A10 Sunday, November 19, 2017

Editor: Tet Andolong

Beeffalo by Hotrocks brings American comfort food to San Juan

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By Nana Nadal

HEN Beeffalo by Hotrocks first opened its doors in 2013, it changed the landscape of a dark, deserted strip in Marikina.

Despite its remote location, diners flocked for a taste of the American comfort fare that the establishment offers. Through word of mouth, their market grew, inspiring similar businesses to pop up in the vicinity. Beeffalo was the pioneer of what has now burgeoned into a restaurant row.

Four years down the line, the owners of Beeffalo thought they’d challenge themselves anew, and conquer another territory. “We felt it was time to grow the business and reach out to a wider market,” said Louie Abad, who acts as Beeffalo’s general manager and runs the business with his wife Girlie who plays executive chef and friend Caren Diaz who takes charge of finance.

Their search led them to the city of San Juan, the site beside a car wash, which is not quite off the beaten track since its right along a busy artery of Addition Hills. But being away from the commercial centers, it still has that vibe of being in the middle of nowhere, away from the urban madness. “The Marikina branch was like a roadhouse in the

beginning. We’d like to think of our San Juan outlet as some sort of stopover,” Louie described.

They fired the grill of this second outlet in July. Customers have been trickling in, discovering the specialties of the house. The steaks and ribs are still the best-sellers. My top choice is the fall-off-the-bones, slow-cooked Baby Back Ribs. A full rack costs P825. If you’re alone, a single serving with Java rice is only P345. For a 250-gram T-bone steak with sidings of mashed potatoes and vegetables, you only need P390. If you shell out P725, you can upgrade to a 450-gram Porterhouse. “We’re very affordable, our average check is P350 per head,” Louie emphasized.

Don’t be surprised to see Pork Liempo and Isaw, Tenga and Bulaklak on the menu. Those are remnants of their old restaurant, Hotrocks. Sounds familiar? It’s that hole-in-the-wall in Ortigas Center (which later moved to Libis) that made waves between 2004 and 2012.

Beeffalo recently added Buttermilk Fried Chicken to their roster.

Beeffalo by Hotrocks in San Juan

It’s tender, tasty and hefty. “All these years, we’ve maintained the same menu and served the same dishes that have earned us a following. But now, we are working on adding a few items. Soon we will also have Grilled Salmon,” Louie promised. Meanwhile, you can go for the Grilled Blue Marlin or Seafood and Chips. The pasta options are nonmeat-eaterfriendly too—Seafood, Putanesca, and Garlic Shrimp.

But don’t jump straight to the mains, you have to try their

appetizers. Available are typical American cuisine staples, such as fries, onion rings and nachos. I have been convincing them to sell their Spinach Dip by the bottle, it’s really good. The soup selection includes Seafood and Corn Chowder, Roasted Pumpkin, BroccoliCheese and Roasted Tomato. For salad, you can choose between Caesar and Taco BBQ. The Beeffalo Chicken Wings (in hot and sweet variants) consistently receive raving feedback.

Slow-cooked Baby Back Ribs served with house blend BBQ sauce

Margherita Biscuit Pizza

Newest business and leisure destination

I always order what they call the Biscuit Pizza. The crust is extremely thin so I consume the slices in pairs. I get two and fold them together so it looks like I’m eating a quesadilla. Flavors are Pepperoni, Three-Cheese, Margherita and Garlic and Mushroom. They also offer sandwiches and burgers. Highlighted on the list is the Beeffalo Burger with Cheese and Bacon strips.

The 50-seater dining space gets packed on most weekends and evenings are starting to become hectic.

Fortunately, parking is not a problem and turnover of guests is pretty quick. Those who linger order coffee and dessert, favorites are the Brazo de Mercedes and Dulce de Leche Cheesecake. “The people who come over want the same things that we do. They just want to chill, have good food,” Louie said.

Visit Beeffalo by Hotrocks in San Juan, #135 Hoover Street, Addition Hills. The Marikina branch is at Blk 6 Lot 3 Gil Fernando Avenue, Sto. Niño.

Buttermilk Fried Chicken

PHL-Taiwan tourist exchange to double by 2020

By Roderick Abad

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NEW addition to Quezon City’s vibrant commercial and leisure circles is now ready to cater to a growing group of business travelers and visitors, as the new Prime Hotel recently launched and opened its doors at 70 Sgt. Esguerra Street. Prime Hotel is near Edsa, walking distance to the MRT Quezon Ave Station—walking distance from ABS-CBN, Eton and Vertis North.

“Quezon City is Metro Manila’s largest city, and is fast-becoming an important destination for business and leisure travelers,” said Marvin Tiu Lim, vice president for Marketing of Prime Hotel. “We want our hotel to become a watering hole for people, who want a different kind of business traveling and leisure experience.”

The new hotel boasts of its ballrooms that can be used as venues for all occasions. Among these is the Grand Ballroom that features an elegant design, high ceiling and wide space, suited for formal gatherings or big business conferences or large wedding celebrations.

For banquet dinners, it can accommodate up to 200 persons, and can be extended to fit up to 250. There are also two other ballrooms that can accommodate 100 persons and 70 persons, respectively. These halls are also perfect venues for smaller business meetings, as well as for hosting banquets or activities for smaller groups. All function rooms come with state of the art audio-visual equipment.

For smaller events, Prime Hotel also has several function rooms to choose from that can be utilized for photo shoots and other more intimate activities.

Meanwhile, the 39 hotel rooms offer patrons several sizes to choose from. The room sizes range from 12 square meter (sq m) to 15 sq m for the Traveler’s room to a spacious 38-sq-m floor area for the Two-Bedroom suite. For those who need a more convenient space for themselves or their families, Prime Hotel also has other rooms, such as the Superior and De Luxe, as well as the Premium and the Presidential suite.

All of these rooms and suites are appointed,

beautifully, with the most modern furniture, fixtures and amenities with the guests’ comfort and relaxation in mind.

Moreover, the rooms are affordably priced starting at P2,500 per night for the Traveler’s room; P3,000 for the Superior room; P4,000 for the De Luxe room; P5,500 for the Premium suite; P6,500 for the Presidential suite; and P15,000 for the Two-Bedroom Suite.

Finally, aside from the well-appointed rooms, guests can also avail themselves of the hotel’s several amenities. After having their meetings and events, the hotel offers these other features to help them relax and unwind, like the Nautilus Rooftop Whisky Bar with one of the best designed bars in the Metro, KTV room, a fitness center and the first hotel in the Philippines with a Game Room that offers virtual reality or augmented reality for guests.

To know more about the Prime Hotel, as well as for inquiries and reservations, please visit their official Facebook page (@primehotelph), visit their web site at www.primehotel.com.ph.

@rodrik_28

OURIST arrivals between the Philippines and Taiwan are expected to double by 2020, following the recent approval of the visa-free status for Filipinos.

According to Taiwan External Trade Development Council Chairman James C.F. Huang, the influx of travelers for both countries has increased between “70 percent and 80 percent in the past three years.”

“We are hoping that the number [of] the tourists between our two respective countries can be doubled in the next three years,” he told reporters during the Taiwan Expo 2017 held recently in Pasay City.

The top executive expects the tourist exchange to improve further since Taiwan Premier Lai Ching-te green lighted on September 27 the visa-waiver program to Philippine nationals on a trial basis of up to 14 days of stay “to promote people-to-people, tourism and commercial exchanges” between the two allied nations.

While the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Mofa) of Taiwan has yet to reveal the details, the new measures are expected to be implemented soon—this month being the earliest.

Prior to the visa-free policy's approval, the Taiwanese government has already adopted a number of visa-liberalization measures since August of last year for Filipino and other nationalities in South and Southeast Asia as part of its “New Southbound Policy.”

The Philippines was included in Taiwan’s electronic visa program on October 7, 2016.

In April the Mofa convened an inter-ministerial meeting to discuss the possibility of further relaxing visa rules for countries targeted by such

Taiwan thoughtco.com

policy, including a visa-free status plan for the Philippines with an implementation on June 1.

It was postponed, however, so as to complete relevant administrative procedures and inter-agency coordination.

Now that that visa-free status is finally granted to Filipinos, the Travel Agent Association of the Republic of China, Taiwan projects that it will attract 33 percent more Philippine visitors to Taiwan next year and create an additional NT$2 billion (P3 billion) in tourism revenue to the estimated NT$7 billion (P11 billion) this year.

Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in the Philippines bared that there were 430,000 combined visitors from both sides last year, of which around 180,000 were Filipino outbound tourists.

Meanwhile, data from the Department of Tourism showed that there were 108,643 Taiwanese who visited the Philippines from January to May, making them the sixth source of arrivals in the country.

They took a share of 3.77 percent of the total inbound traffic during the first five-month period of this year.

With the promising gains of the visa-waiver program, the Taiwanese government looks forward for its Philippine counterpart to also grant their people visa-free privileges “based on the principle of reciprocity.”

“We hope that the Filipino government can also grant a visa-free status to the Taiwanese citizens so as to further enhance our culture, economic and trade ties,” Huang stressed.

Journey

»life on the go

Editor: Tet Andolong

Sunday, November 19, 2017 A11

Lanuza emerges as Mindanao's

new surfing haven

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Shortboard champion Neil Sanchez PSCT

Seda Hotels executives Jeffrey Enriquez (from left), Joseph del Rosario, Christian Canda, Andrea Mastellone, Armand Angeles, Kennedy Kapulong and Ron Manalang are among those who passed the Certified Hotel Administrator (CHA) program with high remarks. CHA program, the most prestigious certification for hotel managers and top executives in the hospitality industry, is developed by the American Hospitality and Lodging Educational Institute.

HE coastal town of Lanuza in Surigao del Sur emerged as the new surfing haven of Mindanao with the successful conclusion of the 15th Lanuza Surfing Festival.

The event is the second leg of the Philippine Surfing Cup Tournament, which goes around the country’s surfing circuit in search for national athletes who will compete in the Asian Games in 2018 and the Tokyo Olympics in 2020.

Located at the mouth of Doot Poktoy River, the Surfing Paradise spot is noted for having one of the country’s longest right-hander waves on the Pacific Ocean seaboard.

According to Lanuza Mayor Salvacion Azarcon, the sporting event aims to make the town as the surfing haven and sports adventure tourism spot in mainland Caraga region. She said that the tourney is an avenue to promote the town’s attractions, such as Magkawas Falls, Campamento Cave, Marine Sanctuary, and the Herrera Ancestral House, which make Lanuza a consummate ecotourism getaway.

In addition to Doot Poktoy, the town still has pockets of lesserknown surf spots known only to

avid waveriders.

The weeklong surfing fest included fringe activities such as an agri-aqua trade fair, coastal cleanups, evening concerts, beach-dance contests, surfing clinics, and the Miss Surfing Lanuza pageant, which selected Kylah Sanchez of Cebu City as the town’s ambassadress of goodwill and tourism.

Waveriders from Baler and Siargao defied the odds and came up with upset victories as they topped the recent tourney.

Nineteen-year-old Neil Sanchez of Baler delivered the biggest surprise by topping the Men’s Shortboard Open (Grade 2), who is just in his second national tournament, walking away with the P80,000 grand cash prize.

He edged Philmar Alipayo of Siargao, a grizzled veteran of various national and international cups, who settled for second place. Jay-R Esquivel of La Union and PJ Alipayo of Siargao were on equal third place.

Seda executives certified for exemplary leadership

S Campamento Cave

Longboard Men’s Open (Grade 1), newcomer Mark Aguila of Baler broke into the winning circle to grab top honors and the P50,000 prize.

Homegrown Loinex Ruina showed his mastery of Lanuza’s waves as he bagged second place, followed by La Union’s Benito Nerida and Jeff dela Torre who were tied at third. In the women’s category, surfers from Siargao dominated the field with Nilbie Blancada, regarded as the top Filipina surfer, leading the charged in the Women's Shortboard Open (Grade 1). Fresh from her stint at an international cup in Bali, she duplicated her last year’s feat.

Diane Nogalo, Pinky Alipayo and Jolina Uriarte won second and third places, respectively.

Meanwhile, Daisy Valdez of La Union Women’s Longboard Open (Grade 1) made a successful defense

of her first-place win last year, edging perennial rival Ikit Agudo of Siargao.

Strengthening Siargao’s dominance were Aping Agudo and Maricel who shared third honors.

It was a shutout in the Grommet (under-16 division) for Siargao as it bagged all the awards, with Gabriel Lerog as champion, and Christian Araquiel and John Carlos Nogalo, as runners-up. Aram Laudes of Lanuza salvaged local pride as he shared third-place finish.

Organized by the municipality of Lanuza, the annual event is supported by the Department of Tourism, province of Surigao del Sur, Pichay Initiative, Office of Sen. Juan Edgardo M. Angara, the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority, San Miguel Corp. and Skyjet.

EDA Hotels executives, led by senior group General Manager Andrea Mastellone, have been certified by the American Hotel and Lodging Educational Institute (Ahlei) for their exemplary leadership and managerial abilities. The team took the Certified Hotel Administrator (CHA) certification program and passed the culminating exam with high marks, receiving some of the highest scores in Asia.

The CHA program is the most prestigious certification available to general managers and top executives in the hospitality industry. It was developed by AHLEI, the training and education arm of the largest hotel industry association in the world.

Wilma Estaura, group director of Human Resources of AyalaLand Hotels and Resorts Corp. (AHRC), explained that the certification program ensures that top Seda executives remain familiar with the latest practices and trends in their field. Topics covered include sales and marketing, operations, leader-

An urban oasis for a free quick getaway with your family

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MID the noise and chaos of Metro Manila lies a pristine nature sanctuary that is home to hundreds of rare flora and fauna and is the key pit stop for migrating birds.

The 175-hectare Las Piñas-Parañaque Critical Habitat and Ecotourism Area (LPPCHEA) is a gem of a space in the metropolis as the zone comprises a mangrove forest with eight species, 114 hectares of tidal mudflats, secluded ponds and a coastal lagoon.

It is a haven for indigenous and migratory birds that use the mangrove trees as roosts and nesting areas and the beach and the mudflats as their feeding grounds.

Over 80 rare bird species have been recorded at LPPCHEA by the Wild Bird Club of the Philippines (WBCP), which has been doing the annual census of waterbirds in coordination with the Department of Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) for 12 years now.

Among the species documented

here are Philippine Duck, which is endemic to the Philippines; the equally vulnerable Chinese Egret with a dwindling population of 10,000 adults; and the Black-winged Stilt. The presence of these endangered bird species make LPPCHEA a globally relevant site.

Migrating birds within the Manila Bay use the LPPCHEA as their pit stop, highly dependent on the mudflats for their rest and food.

Thinking of a place to bring your family during weekends? Try bringing them to the Las PiñasParañaque Critical Habitat and EcoTourism Area.

Sen. Cynthia A. Villar, who has been leading the fight to protect and preserve the area, is now promoting the concept “voluntourism” to increase awareness of this natural oasis amid a highly urbanized area.

“Apart from having leisurely walks along the coast and getting the chance to see colorful birds, families, students and communities can also do other activities, such as coastal cleanups and tree-

planting activities at the wetland park,” Villar said.

Villar stressed that park is a critical site needs special protection, especially from man-made threats.

“Not only is it home to various species of birds, the area also serves as first-line of defense against storm surges and other natural disasters.”

LPPCHEA’s 36 hectares of mangrove forest is the thickest and most diverse among the remaining mangrove areas in Manila Bay. There are currently 11 mangrove species growing in the area. “These mangroves serve as spawning and nursery grounds for coastal fishes. The more mangroves we have, the better for the fish population in the area, thus providing a vital source of livelihood for more than 300,000 fisherfolk in Manila Bay,” Villar said. Apart from mangroves, Villar also opened a bambusetum or a bamboo museum inside the park.

In 2013 LPPCHEA was included as one of the world’s most important wetlands in the world by the

Ramsar Convention. Other worldrenowned sites in the Philippines that made it in the list include the Tubbataha Reef National Marine Park in Sulu and the Underground River in Palawan.

Villar continues to organize site visits, cleanups and tree-planting activities in LPPCHEA. Recently, she hosted a tour and bird-watching activity for the participants of the 12th Session of the Conference of Parties to the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals or CMS-COP12.

Villar, chairman of the Committee on Environment and Natural Resources, presented to the delegates the conservation efforts at the wetland park, including the facilities that now make visiting the park more convenient.

“After successfully protecting this area from various threats, including reclamation, we are now working to letting other people see and experience its natural biodiversity as an ecotourism destination,” Villar said.

Wetland center with exhibit

Lagoon and migratory birds

ship, revenue management and related subjects. “It’s a wholistic program that combines experience and new knowledge to ensure that our leaders are always equipped with the skills needed to run a successful hotel business.”

Mastellone and his hotel managers have been successful in leading Seda hotels in Bonifacio Global City, Cagayan de Oro, Davao, Laguna and Iloilo to the top of their respective markets. As well, Seda’s guest satisfaction ratings register at 86 percent, substantially higher than the industry average.

Estaura added that, under their leadership, Seda’s employee engagement rate is a high 94 percent, a clear indication that they are satisfied and are happy to work in the company. The most recent survey was conducted middle of this year.

Seda Hotels is wholly owned and managed by AHRC. It is embarking on an aggressive expansion program that will see its current room inventory grow to more than 3,500 by 2019.

Journey BusinessMirror

»life on the go

A12 | Sunday, November 19, 2017 • Editor: Tet Andolong

My love affair with Baguio in full bloom

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THE TOURISM ADVOCATE

VERYONE has had a fling with Baguio, whether it’s a fleeting summer, or a recurring holiday tryst.

Mine is a little bit more complex and long-standing.

Beyond the childhood memory that is we all collectively shared, my love for Baguio and the strategic role it plays in two industries I am active in—agriculture and tourism—has been cemented by the infectious and passionate commitment of Regional Director Venus Marie Tan. Together with her, we brought together some of the leading luminaries in agriculture, such as Unibersal Harbester, Pilmico, Food and Hospitality, Max’s Group, Henry & Sons and Chef Tony Boy Escalante; and logistics, The Air 21 group, to Benguet a little more than

a year ago to celebrate sustainable agriculture and tourism.

This year Baguio joins Seattle and Kansas City in the US, Mexico City, Chiang Mai in Thailand, Yamagata in Japan and Istanbul in Turkey among the new batch of United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (Unesco) Creative Cities Network.

The city is well known for its artistic heritage—from Cordilleran indigenous woven art, handicraft, wood carvings, to the contemporary works of homegrown artists BenCab, Kidlat Tahimik and the weaves of Narda.

No wonder the greatest minds in

media, led by MSAP (Media Specialist Association of the Philippines) Chairman and CEO of IPG Mediabrands Philippines Venus Navalta, held The MSAP Media Congress in Camp John Hay. The event proper was a huge success, and kudos to the people of Baguio for being such wonderful hosts.

The event brought in more than 2,000 delegates, and made the 2017 Media Congress the biggest to date.

The congress brought in region influencers from blogging, media, tech giants as Google, Facebook and CNN. Leading this year’s Media Congress as chairman is Venus R. Navalta, IPG Mediabrands CEO and a proud daughter of Baguio.

“This is the year that we cement the leading role of media agencies on navigating this interconnected world to drive business growth for clients and real value to people. This is what Ascendant is all about—on how we rise and embrace this new level of influence. The whole board of the 2017 Media Congress sets high standards with our careful selection of relevant, impactful content, a fresh speaker lineup that is inclusive, and the overall congress experience.”

The ultimate MICE destination

The venues for the business sessions and the sponsored dinners were on a par with the best the Philippines has to offer, and the hotels and party venues were really nice, as well. The overall experience of the delegates was superb, and moving from one place to another was not an issue due to the cool and comfortable weather.

Navalta

RevBloom

Aside from the business sessions, there were other activities on the side, like exhibits, sports and other events.

However, I was immediately convinced when DOT-CAR Regional Director Venus Tan passionately explained what it was about.

Basically, the project is DOTCAR’s answer to the growing need to rehabilitate Baguio City’s tourism through creative activities that are intended to re-green, rejuvenate and re-bloom Baguio and its surrounding municipalities, such as La Trinidad, Itogon, Sablan, Tuba, and Tublay. But this was more than just a beautification project. RevBloom aims to create an ambiance that feels like a “season of blooming,” which will bring back Baguio’s image of being a city of flowers, fostering a living environment that enhances the city’s claim as the Summer Capital of the Philippines.

Some of the delegates experienced the activities firsthand, as RevBloom and MSAP partnered

together and did two key activities that helped restore Baguio. The first was Project Puraw, where the participants all worked together and painted the roofs of the homes white for a cooler Baguio. The second was in La Preza, where some of the delegates planted trees to help ensure Baguio’s greener future.

Baguio as a MICE destination and a tourist favorite

Scenic views, sumptuous food, cool temperature—these are just a few reasons tourists flock to Baguio City. For the longest time, Baguio has been a favorite venue for big conferences and conventions because of its sought-after attractions, excellent infrastructure, operational excellence, the cold weather and the warmth of the people. Indeed, Baguio is one of the few cities in the country that has the capability to offer a holistic MICE (meetings, incemtives, conventions and events) experience to companies and organizers, making their business trips meaningful and memorable.

More than just an excellent events host, Baguio City is a place that is easy to fall in love with.

Aside from the cool weather and its pine-scented air, there are a lot of other reasons that make the city so endearing. Tourist parks are everywhere and the most popular ones would be Burnham Park, where you can row a boat in the lake, and Mines View Park, which is famous for the perfect view of the old gold and copper mines, as well as the souvenir shops.

Baguio is big on flora, as evidenced by the popularity of Panagbenga, Orchidarium and the Botanical Garden.

All of these sites showcase different kinds of plants and flowers.

Another popular tourist spot is the Mansion, which is the official summer residence of the President. It is smaller than the Malacañan Palace, but it is probably more elegant.

The city also has its fair share of museums, from traditional to contemporary. The Baguio Museum highlights the art and artifacts of the native tribes of the Cordillera region. The pieces convey the early life of each tribe before being colonized by the Americans. Then there is the BenCab Museum, which houses the art collection of National Artist Ben Cabrera. It showcases both contemporary art, as well as authentic “old Baguio” art.

Overall, Baguio is a really charming place. From the people who are so hospitable, to the artsy and colorful culture, to the amazing air—it really feels like an entirely different country at the heart of Luzon.

What’s your Baguio love story?