BusinessMirror April 08, 2019

LOCSIN SEES PHL BEING AN O.D.A. DONOR A

By Cai U. Ordinario

S the Philippine economy grows, its dependence on official development assistance (ODA) is expected to decrease as the country transitions into a donor nation, according to the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA).

In his speech at the recent Mission: PHL Envoys&Expats Awards, Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro L. Locsin Jr. said the Philippines will eventually turn the page to a new chapter of helping other countries in their quest for growth and development.

The Philippines has been an ODA recipient since after the second world war. In the past 40 years alone, the country has been a major borrower from multilateral development banks and bilateral donor agencies.

“The story of development should soon be coming to its end here as we cross over into a developed nation. And then another story will begin of the Philippines as a

RECOGNITION for outstanding development cooperation was bestowed by Mission:PHL, the BusinessMirror Envoys&Expats Awards on two institutions and one project in the finale of the culminating rites: the Australian Embassy, represented by Australian Ambassador to the Philippines Steven James Robinson (center); the Japan International Cooperation Agency, for Development Partner of the Year, represented by Jica Chief Representative Yoshio Wada (right); and project of the year, the European Union’s Establishment of Model Recovery Clinics (Voluntary Outpatient-based Medical Treatment Facilities for Drug Users). EU Ambassador Franz Jessen received the last award at the ceremonies held at SM Aura in Taguig City. NONIE REYES

DEPT. OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

PHILIPPINE STATISTICS AUTHORITY

2018 BANTOG DATA MEDIA AWARDS CHAMPION

@caiordinario

LOCSIN

major donor nation. For there is no return on investment, no recompense for good deeds done, that is so satisfying as that which comes of giving with no thought of return,” Locsin said.

The foreign affairs secretary said this is the reason recognizing the development cooperation between the Philippines and its key partner—as Mission: PHL has done, as the country’s first and only recognition awards for the country’s best partner nations and

aid agencies, and best projects—is timely.

“If this initiative had been done, say, two or three decades ago, it would not have made so much sense, nor created much of an impact, for the story of development cooperation and the Philippines was still a work in progress and it still is. And it was marked by hard but crucial lessons for all concerned,” Locsin said.

The Philippines recently tested the waters of being a donor nation when the government extended a $1-billion loan to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to help debt-stricken European countries, including Spain which colonized the country for 333 years.

The government, through the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), assured Filipino taxpayers that the funds will be returned plus interest. Former BSP Governor Amando M. Tetangco Jr., said the country was able to do this given that it has fully paid its loans to the IMF in December 2006.

See “PHL,” A12

BusinessMirror A broader look at today’s business

www.businessmirror.com.ph

n Monday, April 8, 2019 Vol. 14 No. 180

Duterte eyeing another agency on reclamation

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By Bernadette D. Nicolas

@BNicolasBM

RESIDENT Duterte may constitute another agency on reclamation, which he said would be managed by people with unquestionable character.

He made the announcement in a speech on Saturday night at the 25th National Federation of the Motorcycle Clubs of the Philippines

(NFMCP) Annual Convention at the Iloilo Convention Center.

The President had signed in February an executive order (EO)

placing the Philippine Reclamation Authority (PRA) under his office in a bid to fast-track the landreclamation process.

43

Number of reclamation projects lined up for Manila Bay, covering 32,000 hectares “Ang kinuha ko lang ’yung Reclamation Authority kasi matagal at nag-i-squabble ’yan sila diyan sa pera. Tinanggal ko. Nilagay ko sa opisina pero hindi gumagalaw.

Wala akong [I only got the Reclamation Authority because it was Continued on A2

NFA to keep palay buying price at ₧20.70 a kilo, says DA chief

By Jasper Emmanuel Y. Arcalas

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@jearcalas

HE National Food Authority (NFA) will maintain its present buying price for palay at P20.70 per kilogram and continue to sell its stocks at P27 per kilogram as ordered by President Duterte under the new rice trade regime, the BusinessMirror learned.

Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel F. Piñol said the NFA will not remove the current P3-per-kilogram buffer stocking incentive (BSI) being offered by the grains agency to farmers selling their produce to the government.

Furthermore, the government will continue to subsidize the sale of NFA rice in the domestic market to keep the staple more affordable to Filipino consum-

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PESO EXCHANGE RATES n US 52.1050

ers, he added.

“Also, PRRD [President Rodrigo R. Duterte] has directed me to ensure that the P27-per-kilogram NFA rice is available in the market,” the agriculture chief said in an interview on Sunday.

Under the implementing rules and regulations (IR R) of Republic Act 11203, the NFA may dispose of its stock before its qua lit y “ deter iorates/ become unacceptable/unsafe” for human consumption.

The National Economic and Development Authority (Neda) interpreted this provision of the IRR to mean that the NFA could sell its stock to the domestic market “at the prevailing market price or even at a slightly lower rate as long as this would cover storage Continued on A2

‘New BSP law to pave way for RRR cut’

(Excerpts of President Rodrigo Roa Duterte’s speech on April 4, 2019, at the 31st Annual Convention of the Prosecutors’ League of the Philippines, Asturias Hotel, Puerto Princesa City, Palawan)

Continued on A6

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REGAINING PEOPLE’S TRUST IN OUR JUSTICE SYSTEM

XECUTIVE Secretary Salvador Medialdea and the other members of the Cabinet; Executive Officers, Board of Directors and Members of the Prosecutors’ League of the Philippines led by its President Irwin Malaya; Palawan Provincial Governor Jose Alvarez; Prosecutor General [Anthony] Fadullon; I think I saw the city mayor, but I don’t know if he’s here; the other distinguished members of the League; ladies and gentlemen.

I am happy once again to join my fellow prosecutors and other key officials of the Department of Justice in this annual gathering that seeks to unite and strengthen the National Prosecution Service.

Halfway through my term, I am proud to have served our nation with you, the hardworking men and women of the Prosecutors’ League. In the past three years, you have shown your unwavering commitment and wholehearted support for this administration, especially in our campaign against criminality, illegal drugs and corruption.

As a former prosecutor, I understand the very important role that you play in the administration of justice, which unfortunately involves antagonizing lawless elements, hardened criminals and their powerful backers.

The assassination of prosecutors across the country had lighted the danger that prosecutors and their respective families that they endure.

Rest assured that with the help of all our law enforcement agencies, we are expediting the investigation of these assassination cases.

Paano? I was once a prosecutor. In Davao City, I would not want to pull my own chair in front of you, pare-pareho lang naman tayo. But I was assigned to investigate police and military officers during martial law, and high-profile ranking rebel leaders.

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mism those numbers will improve this year, with the full reopening of Boracay, famous the world over for its expansive white beach.

The second phase of the island resort’s reopening will be on April 26, coinciding with the first anniversary of its closure.

The DOT official said a series of celebratory events will be held on the island starting that date until Labor Day, May 1. “It will no

HE New Central Bank Act will give the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) more leeway to cut its reserve requirement rates (RRR) further this year, a private economist said.

Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) economist Emilio Neri Jr. gave this assessment in his recent research note on the Philippine economic dynamics.

“We note that the new BSP charter gives the Central Bank the opportunity to reduce the RRR by more than 2 percent this year,” Neri said.

Earlier in February, President Duterte signed into law Republic Act 11211, or “An Act Amending Republic Act 7653, otherwise Known as the ‘New Central Bank Act,’ and for Other Purposes.”

Among the new provisions in the amended legislation is the restoration of the Central Bank’s authority to issue debt papers as part of its regular operation.

“The RRR has been kept high for two main reasons. First, the BSP did not have the power to issue its own debt which would have provided

Continued on A6

Continued on A2

FAMILIES spend the weekend frolicking in the waters of Manila Bay in Baseco area, Tondo, Manila. The area has been free from garbage since last week, although the DENR still warns people against swimming in the still-polluted water. A new reclamation body may be set up soon, but critics are wary, given the dozens of reclamation projects covering thousands of hectares of the bay. ROY DOMINGO

Boracay closure pulls down W. Visayas arrivals, tourism receipts

By Ma. Stella F. Arnaldo

@akosistellaBM Special to the BusinessMirror

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OURIST arrivals in Western Visayas dropped by 15.33 percent to some 4.96 million in 2018, largely due to the closure of Boracay Island for six months.

Tourism receipts likewise declined by 18.6 percent to some P105 billion in 2018, from P129 billion

recorded by the region in 2017.

Dat a f rom Depa r t ment of Tourism (DOT) Region 6 made available to the BusinessMirror showed a 50.32-percent fall in arrivals in the province of Aklan, where Boracay is located, to 1.1 million in 2018. Similarly, visitor receipts in the province slipped by about 48 percent to P31.5 billion.

DOT Regional Director Helen Catalbas, however, expressed opti-

n JAPAN 0.4667 n UK 68.1481 n HK 6.6385 n CHINA 7.7661 n SINGAPORE 38.4567 n AUSTRALIA 37.0519 n EU 58.4722 n SAUDI ARABIA 13.8939 Source: BSP (5 April 2019 )

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BusinessMirror

A2 Monday, April 8, 2019

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Don’t set ceiling for rice prices, govt told

By Cai U. Ordinario

Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS) Senior Research Fellow Roehlano Briones told the BusinessMirror over the weekend that this was a “losing proposition” for the government.

“This is a losing proposition and prone to corruption. The National Food Authority [NFA] must align with market prices,” Briones said.

STRIVE/SIKAP Foundation Inc. Founding President and Chairman Leonardo A. Gonzales said this contradicts the law of demand and supply, and is still tantamount to a subsidy.

Gonzales said if the government wants to subsidize farmers, it would

be better to do so through a cash transfer. He said the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) can give cash transfers to farmers, a subsidy that is still allowed under the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) rules of the World Trade Organization (WTO).

“It’s the same old thing where you protect the farmers. Let them bite the bullet and let them do other alternatives where they can derive their incomes from. But this is not being promoted. Now, if you want a support price, let DSWD support the farmers as a cash transfer payment.

That’s a subsidy,” Gonzales said.

“Look at the GATT provision, you are allowed to provide subsidy so long as it does not exceed 10 percent of the gross value of the tradable good. How much is the value of total rice transaction? That’s equivalent to billions. Ten percent of that is under de minimis principle. We just don’t have the budget to do that,” he explained.

Meanwhile, under the Rule 8.3.2 of the implementing rules and regulations (IRR) of the rice trade liberalization (RTL) law, NFA will be allowed to sell and distribute its stocks in support of disaster relief programs or to “dispose stocks as necessary before the quality of rice deteriorates/become unacceptable/ unsafe.”

National Economic and Development Authority (Neda) Regional Development Office Assistant Secretary Mercedita A. Sombilla explained that the disposal of these stocks will be done before the stocks are deemed unfit for human consumption.

Sombilla said this will be sold at market prices which the government hopes to be around P32 to P34

By Samuel P. Medenilla

explained what that meant: “the decrease in rehires indicates fewer OFWs were rehired and those who finished their contracts were not rehired and did not return to their jobsites.”

The decline came as the government started repatriating thousands of OFWs from Middle East countries, particularly the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, last year, after they were displaced by the prevailing economic woes of their host governments.

Geslani said the decline in the deployment of OFWs may ultimately mean a plunge in the OFW remittance levels if the trend persists in the coming years.

As for new hires, the initial data

from POEA showed the 2018 figure of 418,918 nearing the 459,080 level of 2017.

The same could be said for seabased deployment in 2018, which was already at 337,502. The seabased deployment in 2017 was pegged at 449,643.

To note, the partial POEA data only covered that of the first semester of 2018.

As of press time, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) and POEA have yet to comment on BusinessMirror’s request for comment. POEA usually advises against comparing whole year data against partial data since the latter could still significantly change once it is finalized.

@caiordinario

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OCAL economists have cautioned the government against setting a floor or ceiling price for rice prices under a post-Quantitative Restriction (QR) regime.

per kilo. She added that the stocks will be distributed to vulnerable areas, even at a loss to the government.

“We also will preposition stocks in vulnerable areas and if needed to lower prices in those areas at government loss, it will still be a good cause because it would have gone to those [who] would need it most. The final scheme will be based on the results of a study,” Sombilla said.

Ateneo EagleWatch Senior Fellow Leonardo A. Lanzona Jr. said this could have been seen more as a compromise to appease those who do not favor passage of the RTL. Lanzona said this provision “creates an illusion” that the government is still in control of the situation, despite the promotion of free trade when it comes to rice importation in the post-QR regime.

“However, without substantial support, the NFA will have no way of replacing market forces. In the end, this measure will be ineffective and will not cause any significant changes in the market,” Lanzona said.

Gonzales said maintaining buf-

fer stocks is expensive and difficult to maintain, especially if the government is not precise in making estimates on the timing of releasing and obtaining stocks.

He said Indonesia, for one, experienced difficulty which led to the spoilage of its stocks. Gonzales said authorities in Indonesia failed to predict the shelf life of their stocks.

Given the history of the Philippine government, Gonzales feared that the same thing could happen to the country’s buffer stock or a glut in market prices. He said the country’s ill-timed importation of stocks coincided with the harvest season which depressed rice prices.

“So the question is, can NFA now do a [better] job than before because its functions have been simplified? But they have a [bad] history, so now, what are the safeguards?” Gonzales said.

Neda said part of the key provisions of the IRR includes a study to be commissioned by the NFA Council chaired by Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol to determine NFA’s optimal buffer stock for emergency and relief purposes.

Prior to the completion of the study, the NFA will continue to maintain its current buffer stock level ranging from 15 to 30 days based on a daily national rice consumption of 32,593 metric tons per day.

The unused grain rice stocks will be unloaded and sold in the domestic market at the prevailing market price or even at a slightly lower rate as long as this would cover storage logistics costs.

The IRR also details the establishment of the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF) and how the P10-billion fund from the General Appropriations Act will be transferred directly to implementing agencies.

Similarly, the document also sets the guidelines on the allocation of the tariff revenues in excess of P10 billion. This will be tapped to provide direct financial assistance to rice farmers adversely affected by the new rice import regime.

While the IRR takes effect 15 days after its publication, self-executing provisions of the law are now being enforced.

Continued from A1

procuring at certain periods when it has sufficient buffer stocks already and is not yet in a position to release rice,” he told the BusinessMirror.

Montemayor, who is also the Philippine Council on Agriculture and Fisheries Committee on Staple Chairman, said there were no clear provisions on the NFA’s buying price for palay and selling price of rice. “[The IRR’s] Rule 3.4.1.1 talks about ensuring NFA’s financial stability, which may mean that NFA will have to buy and sell in a way that will allow it to cover its costs at the very least, meaning with no subsidies from the government,” he said.

Montemayor said rice farmers are clamoring for NFA to hike palay prices to help them recoup expected losses once cheaper imported rice starts to enter the domestic market.

“If NFA tries to match import or market prices for rice, it might incur a loss. But that could be the price to pay during the transition when farmers are not yet competitive,” he said.

“I think NFA will have to maintain a buying program that will prevent palay prices from plunging during the transition. It will not be fair to leave farmers to carry the full burden of liberalization,” he added.

“It appears that the buying price may have to come down to a reasonable P17 per kilogram. If not, the government will have to give the NFA subsidies,” Dy, University of Asia and the Pacific’s Center for Food and Agri Business executive director, said.

“The NFA needs to redo its math if it needs to be financially viable under the new market regime,” he added.

Based on his estimates, Dy said it would cost the government at least P4 billion to subsidize the NFA to maintain a 15-day buffer stock.

D y e x pl a ined t hat pa l ay bought by NFA at P20.70 per kilogram would be sold at a retail price of at least P35.22 per kilogram, considering costs incurred in milling, transporting, storage, and distribution.

Last year, the NFA proposed to increase its selling price for rice to at least P33 per kilogram to narrow its losses from selling the staple way below its operating costs since it hiked its buying price to P20.70 per kilogram.

NFA OIC-Administrator Tomas R. Escarez said the food agency is losing P8 for every kilogram of rice it sells at P25 per kilogram to its authorized retailers.

The NFA spends an additional P12.3 per kilogram to mill, transport and market the palay they locally procured, he explained.

This, according to Escarez, doesn’t even include the P2-per-kilogram overhead costs being shouldered by the NFA. Due to this, the NFA, Escarez added, proposed to sell its stocks at P35 per kilogram to breakeven.

Sharp dip in number of rehired NFA to keep palay buying price OFWs sparks recruiters’ worry at ₧20.70 a kilo, says DA chief

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@sam_medenilla

HE recruitment sector expressed alarm on Sunday over initial 2018 government deployment data showing the number of land-based rehired overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) was cut by almost half.

Citing the partial 2018 deployment figures of the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA), recruitment consultant Emmanuel Geslani said the number of rehires dropped by 46.6 percent to 606,665 from over 1.13 million in the same period in 2017. “ That is quite significant,” Geslani said in a statement, and

Duterte eyeing another agency on reclamation Continued from A1

slow and it had long been wracked by squabbles arising from money.

I took it out. I placed it under my office, but it has not been moving.

I have no….]… I never act on it,” Duterte said.

He continued: “I would maybe constitute another agency [manned by] people with unquestionable character so that it would be clean.”

It is not yet clear what would happen to the PRA. The earlier issuance of the EO on the transfer of PRA came amid the pending land-reclamation projects in Manila Bay, now also the subject of a massive rehabilitationb program led by the national government.

Critics have pointed out that the Manila Bay rehabilitation is a prelude to clearing the way for pending reclamation projects.

Under Executive Order 74, the PRA was placed “under the direct control and supervision” of the OP, while the power of the President to approve all reclamation projects shall be delegated to the PRA Governing Board.

The EO added: “Such delegation, however, shall not be construed as diminishing the President’s authority to modify, amend or nullify the action of the PRA Governing Board.”

The PRA was previously with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).

While Malacañang defended the EO as a means to streamline the services of government agencies, the Palace was also quick to dismiss that the EO was meant to

favor anyone or any group.

‘Suspend bay rehab’

THE Makabayan bloc has already filed a resolution urging the government to suspend the Manila Bay rehabilitation program, saying this could be a prelude to the 43 reclamation projects covering more than 32,000 hectares in the bay under the President’s “Build, Build, Build” program.

According to the lawmakers, the 265-hectare Pasay Harbor City joint venture involving Davaobased businessman Dennis Uy is included in the list of reclamation projects.

Uy w a s one of t he m a i n campaign contributors of President Duterte.

The EO also applies to all reclamation projects, including those initiated by local government units and all other agencies, gover nment- ow ned and -controlled corporations or any government entity allowed under existing laws to reclaim land, for which there are no contracts or agreements yet executed between the government entity concerned and a private-sector proponent prior to the effectivity of the said EO. In November, it was reported that Manila Mayor Joseph E. Estrada and Pasay City Mayor Antonino Calixto signed a memorandum of agreement to pursue together w ith “utmost effort to cooperate with each other and extend mutual assistance” to their separate partnerships with private groups to reclaim huge swathes of the Manila Bay

to develop a valuable coastal real estate, as well as generate employment and other economic opportunities in the two premier coastal cities in Metro Manila.

Meanwhi le, the Pa lace EO stated that pursuant to its mandate to integrate, direct and coordinate all reclamation projects for and on behalf of the national government, the PRA is also “mandated to seek advisory opinions from relevant national government agencies on any proposed reclamation project.”

These agencies include the National Economic and Development Authority (Neda), the DENR and the Department of Finance. The Neda Board approved reclamation projects prior to the issuance of the EO. No reclamation project shall also be approved by the PRA without the required Area Clearance and Environmental Compliance Certificate to be issued by the DENR. All reclamation projects shall also undergo competitive public bidding and shall be evaluated by PRA based on their cumulative impacts rather than on a specific project basis.

The PRA governing board is also enjoined to allot at least 5 percent of its net earnings to develop its capability and expertise to reclaim land, including the modernization of its dredging and reclamation technologies.

The PRA shall also craft and implement a five-year development plan to transform PRA into a premier reclamation authority.

logistics costs.”

Piñol said he is aware that subsidizing the sale of NFA rice in the market would mean additional costs or even losses for the government and emphasized it to Duterte, but the President wanted otherwise.

“I emphasized that to PRRD and he said he was willing to subsidize the NFA rice,” he said.

The IRR has directed the NFA Council to commission a study to determine the grains agency’s optimal buffer stock for emergency and relief purposes no later than December 31, 2019.

Pending the reorganization of the NFA, it must continue to maintain a buffer stock level ranging from 15 to 30 days based on a daily national consumption rate of 32,593 metric tons (MT) per day, Neda said.

Vague

IN a statement on Sunday, the NFA said it would abide by the provisions of the IRR, which was signed and approved last Friday, and would begin necessary changes to fulfill its new mandate under the new rice trade regime.

However, Raul Q. Montemayor, Federation of Free Farmers Inc. national manager, said the IRR provisions on NFA’s buffer stocking role are still vague.

Montemayor added t hat “there could be periods wherein NFA will stop releasing rice” in the market since “its stocks are still in good condition and safe to eat.”

“In the same way, NFA may stop

Billions

ECONOMIST Rolando T. Dy told the BusinessMirror that the NFA should remove its P3-per-kilogram BSI to avoid incurring losses if it continues to sell rice in the domestic market at prevailing retail prices.

‘New BSP law to pave way for RRR cut’ Continued from A1

additional flexibility in the management of liquidity,” Neri said, noting that other central banks in the region have this ability, thus enabling them to keep RRR at a low level.

“Second, using market-based policy tools such as OMO [open market operations] and TDF [term deposit facility] involves costs that require more capital. In contrast, the RRR is a cost-free policy tool.

With more capital and with additional policy tools in its arsenal, we think the BSP can reduce the RRR even further,” Neri said.

Markets have been forecasting a cut in the BSP’s RRR, especially

after new Governor Benjamin Diokno made pronouncements that he will continue the late governor’s plans to reduce the banks’ RRR to single-digit levels.

In May 2018, late BSP Governor Nestor Espenilla Jr. decided to bring down the deposit requirement—or the portion of depositors’ balances that banks are asked to keep idle in the BSP’s vaults as reserves—effectively putting the Philippine banking industry’s RRR to 18 percent.

This RRR cut is the second slash since Espenilla took office in July 2017.

The BSP also made clear that the reductions, past or future, in banks’ RRR are “calibrated ” and

“are not intended to signal any change in the prevailing monetar y-policy stance” all while assuring that the BSP has the scope to offset their potential liquidity impact via an expansion in auction-based monetary operations.

Since the BSP’s shift to the auction-based monetary operations under the interest rate corridor (IRC) framework in 2016, Espenilla —who was then deputy governor of the supervision and examination sector—was vocal on the need to bring down the banks’ RRR. Even at 18 percent, the Philippine banking industry’s RRR is still one of the highest in the region.

Bianca Cuaresma

The Nation BusinessMirror

www.businessmirror.com.ph

He signed it, but Duterte now eyes suspension of motorbike law

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RESIDENT Duterte is eyeing the suspension of the implementation of the Motorcycle Crime Prevention Act, requiring the placement of bigger and readable plates in front and at the back of motorcycles.

The Chief Executive, also a motorcycle enthusiast, made the remark on Saturday night in a speech at the 25th National Federation of the Motorcycle Clubs of the Philippines Annual Convention held at the Iloilo Convention Center.

“I will try to convince the [Land Transportation Office] LTO to maybe hang on to it. I-suspend ko lang muna. Kasi it is not good [I will try to convince the LTO to maybe hang onto it. I will just suspend it for the meantime because it is not good],” Duterte said.

He also said he will talk to Sen. Richard J. Gordon, the author of the law, to seek a “compromise” on the implementation of the measure.

The President said he also sees no need to place a number plate on front of the motorcycle, saying that it would be “dangerous” for riders because of its sharp edges.

“I really know what’s bothering you: it’s the plate number, the....

I think it would not really make a difference because of the.... The criminals of the Philippines have perfected the art of falsifying, fabrication,” he said, in a mix of English and Filipino, referring to the main concern of Gordon in pushing the law—which is, to deter the use of riding-in-tandem for motorcycles for committing crime.

“No more. We cannot stop them all. To get to them at the proper timing to arrest them” is more crucial, he added.

The President instead suggested increasing the size of the plate on the back of the motorcycle by a fourth of its size.

“Lakihan na lang ninyo ang plate number sa likod by one-fourth para makita talaga ’yung number. Ang importante talaga ’yung sa likod [Just increase the size of the plate number at the back by one-fourth for it to be visible. What is important is the one at the back],” the President said.

Moreover, the hefty fines of P50,000 to P100,000 imposed under the law for violators also did not sit well with the President, who deemed them “too high” as it is already equivalent to the price of a motorcycle.

He signed law

“MAYBE as compromise, I’m willing [to lower it to] P10,000 to P15,000,” he said. President Duterte signed Republic Act 11235 on March 8.

The law requires motorcycles to have larger and more readable number plates from a distance as a way to prevent crimes committed by motorcycle riders.

The President also defended signing into the law the measure, saying he just considered the recommendations of the police and military. “ You know what...why I signed that.... The police are my men. The military are under me. What they recommend, I will adopt it as long as they include a rationale,” he said.

Bernadette D. Nicolas

Editor: Vittorio V. Vitug • Monday, April 8, 2019 A3

Fierce AFP campaign forces BIFF, faction to forge alliance

By Rene Acosta @reneacostaBM

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HE sustained operations of the military in Central Mindanao against Islamic State-allied local terrorists and outlawed Moro groups—resulting in the killings of their key leaders—have forced the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) and its remaining faction to enter into a tactical alliance as they attempt to recover lost ground.

But Major Gen. Cirilito Sobejana, commander of the Army’s 6th Infantry Division, said he will never allow the terrorists to recover even an inch of the areas formerly considered as strongholds of the groups which have been captured by soldiers, particularly in Maguindanao, and even sounded positive that he could send the BIFF to its demise within this year.

“We will uphold our focused military operation against the peace spoilers in the Liguasan Marsh, SPMS [Shariff Aguak-Pagatin, Mamasapano and Datu Salibo] and other parts of the area of responsibility to ensure a peaceful and secured community,” said Sobejana, who was personally overseeing the operations against the BIFF and its faction led

by Esmail Abdulmalik, alias Abu Toraife.

The teams under Sobejana, a medal of valor awardee who had led in hunting the Abu Sayyaf Group members in Sulu “like rats,” has already cleared most parts of Liguasan and is now clearing the SPMS Box of BIFF, terrorists and other outlawed groups.

The Liguasan Marsh and the SPMS Box have been considered territories of outlawed Moro groups for years and no military official has ever succeeded in rooting them out there. It was in Mamasapano where more than 40 police

commandos perished in 2015 while operating against Malaysian terrorist Zulkifli bin Hir, alias Marwan.

On Thursday last week, soldiers clashed again with terrorists at Barangay Tina, Shariff Aguak, and the troops recovered an M-203 grenade launcher, a Barret sniper rifle, assorted antipersonnel mines components. They also discovered a gunsmith with assorted parts of firearms and equipment. Two soldiers were wounded.

Sobejana said the sustained operations against the group of Toraife and the main BIFF under Esmael Abubakar, alias Kumander Bungos have forced the two groups to enter into a tactical alliance, the first in years since the BIFF broke away from the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and since the Toraife faction allied itself with the IS in 2014.

The same operations have also forced the other remaining faction of

the BIFF, led by Imam Minimbang, alias Kumander Kagi Karialan, to abandon the two groups, collaborate with Sobejana and his men, and rejoin the MILF. Sobejana launched the operations against the main BIFF group and the Toraife faction in early March, beginning at Barangay Inaladan in Shariff Saydona Mustapha, Maguindanao.

Here, several terrorists were killed, including an Arab identified as Rahman and Toraife’s two deputies, Salahuddin Hasan and Commander Bastardo.

“We are taking the operations against them altogether, [doing it simultaneously so as to end it],” Sobejana said. They were also looking for a shred of evidence that would suggest Singaporean terrorist Mauiyah had survived their operation.

The soldiers have also killed Alih Abdulmalik, Toraife’s brother, during an operation at Barangay Pamalian, Datu Unsay in Maguindanao.

Comelec filing raps vs Tarlac bet who slapped poll official

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HE Commission on Elections (Comelec) is set to file charges against a candidate who allegedly slapped one of its election officers in Tarlac.

In a post in her Twitter account, Comelec Commissioner Rowena V. Guanzon said they will be suing Marty Franz Torralba, a candidate for

Board Member in Camiling, Tarlac, for supposedly hurting Tarlac Election Officer Teddy Mariano for taking down illegal campaign posters on April 6, 2019.

“We will pursue cases against Torralba. I will have you jailed,” Guanzon said.

The poll official said they will

also have Torralba, whom Guanzon claimed is a lawyer, disbarred for the incident.

Guanzon said Torralba is currently detained by authorities in Tarlac.

The Comelec Employees’ Union (Comelec-EU) also condemned Torralba’s action and demanded that he

immediately be investigated.

“We call on the Comelec to make sure that candidate Toralba be made accountable for this barefaced act of aggression against an election worker who is merely doing his duty of enforcing campaign rules in his jurisdiction,” Comelec-EU said in a statement. Samuel P. Medenilla

A4 Monday, April 8, 2019 • Editor: Vittorio V. Vitug

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DTI told to intensify fight vs substandard steel

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By Elijah Felice E. Rosales

@alyasjah

TEEL manufacturers want the government to tighten its market monitoring and standardsenforcement programs to stop the proliferation of substandard steel products, most recently discovered prevalent in the Cordilleras.

“The substandard rebars are definitely unsafe to use. The burden and great effect would be for the end users and consumers that will use the substandard rebars without their due knowledge,” he said in the Pisi report.

Ronquillo appealed to the DTI’s Consumer Protection Group and Fair Trade Enforcement Bureau to initiate a nationwide market monitoring and standards-enforcement campaign.

Moreover, he said market monitoring teams should conduct an actual weighing of rebars to determine safety and quality compliance, as well as checking of logos and markings. Ronquillo also put the government to task in filing cases against stores and manufacturers found violating laws on product standards and fair trade.

He said Pisi is ready to render its services to the DTI should it need help in stopping the proliferation of substandard steel products.

Concrete reinforcing steel bar, also known as rebar, is primarily used for the construction of houses. It functions as a tension device in reinforced concretes that fortifies and supports the concrete under tension.

In a report to the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), the Philippine Iron and Steel Institute (Pisi) claimed substandard rebars are being sold in several ha rdwa re stores in Beng uet, Mountain Province and Ifugao.

The group found this out in the market monitoring and test buys it initiated early this year.

The Pisi said it confirmed with the Metals Industry Research and Development Center that there were really low-grade steel in the Cordilleras, many of which found to be underweight, with low elongation or undersized.

Of the 12 hardware stores vis-

ited by Pisi, four allegedly sold substandard rebars made by Wan Chiong Steel Corp., whose operations were suspended by the DTI last year. Wan Chiong’s 16-mm steel bars sold in La Trinidad, Benguet, reportedly lacked weight and failed in elongation.

Further, Wan Chiong’s 12-mm rebars sold in two stores in Bauko, Mountain Province, were found to be underweight, while those in Lagawe, Ifugao were underweight also and with low elongation.

The Pisi also claimed it found substandard steel bars produced

by Rea l Steel Manufactur ing Corp., United Steel Master Man-

IPOPHL revs up IP training via academy

Labor pact with Thailand to benefit teachers–DOLE

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HE Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL) will be embarking on a wide-scale IP training and information crusade with top Philippine universities in the second half of 2019, in a bid to push intellectual-property training in the Philippine academe.

This is as IPOPHL takes on education and sports as the key theme of the National Intellectual Property Rights Month this April.

“We’re going beyond IP awareness and information, and switching to higher gear with an extensive and systematic approach in teaching and learning intellectual property. We will begin with talking to university officials to impress on them the centrality of intellectual property in law, business, in the sciences, in liberal arts and technology courses. This roundtable with universities will hopefully set the ball rolling on this,” said IPOPHL Director General Josephine R. Santiago in a statement.

“Ultimately, with the endorsement of university officials, we can reach students and emphasize to them that intellectual property is relevant in almost all academic disciplines—seize the opportunity to benefit from it when it is put in action, like if research leads to patentable technology or in marketing a business, how trademarks be strategically used,” she added.

This sweeping campaign is a project under IPOPHL’s IP Academy, and will see IPOPHL engage leading Philippine universities nationwide in a series of two-day, high-level roundtable.

This will serve as the opportunity for IPOPHL to underscore intellectual property’s relevance and value-adding in specific academic disciplines.

“We will invite industry players in this dialogue as well, so we can concretize the many ways by which IP is ‘in action’ in these varied disciplines.

We will be inviting inventors and industry representatives from pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, and data analytics [among others] to impart to the professors in the sciences the significance of protecting their research through the appropriate IP protection,” said IP Academy’s supervising consultant, Dr. Frederick Romero.

By Samuel P. Medenilla @sam_medenilla

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EWLY hired Filipino teachers, who will be deployed under the country’s proposed labor pact with Thailand, will be earning around twice than that of their local counterparts.

The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) said the Thai government will be paying qualified applicants for its

WORKERS install steel bars at a construction site along Aurora Boulevard in Quezon City in this file photo.

ufacturing Corp. and Maxima Steel Mills Corp. sold in Cordillera stores. It spotted, too, the fraudulent selling of 7-mm rebars

“English for All” program with 25,000 baht per month, which is equivalent to P45,000, inclusive of housing allowance.

The amount is almost the same to the P45,269 per month paid by the Department of Education (DepEd) to a Master Teacher II. Starting employees or those with a rank of Teacher 1 hired by the agency get a monthly salary of P20,754.

Aside from high salaries, Labor Secretary Silvestre H. Bello III

as 8-mm rebars in Baguio City, as well as 8-mm steel bars as 9-mm steel bars in Banaue, Ifugao.

Pisi Vice President for Technical

said hired teachers will also get personal accident insurance and round-trip airfare. Work-permit fees will be shouldered by the government of Thailand.

He said successful applicants will be hired by Thailand’s Ministry of Education to teach the English language to students in the primary and secondary levels of its public schools in its Eastern Economic Corridor.

“Filipino teachers are the pre-

Affairs Joel T. Ronquillo said buyers are at the short end of the stick in the proliferation of substandard steel bars in the market.

ferred nationals needed by the government of Thailand because of the excellent English proficiency and competence of our teachers,” Bello said in a statement.

Bello earlier said he will be meeting with Thai officials within a month to discuss other provisions of their proposed memorandum of understanding (MOU).

One the issues to be discussed is the number of teachers that will be hired by the Thai government.

The DOLE said other employment opportunities, which will also be made available to Filipinos and other foreign nationals in Thailand, include engineering, architecture, medicine, accounting and dental medicine.

There are currently 16,704 overseas Filipino workers in Thailand.

Over 11,800 of the said OFWs are teachers, musicians and other professional expats working in multinational companies.

‘Pinoy sailors could hike remittances PIDS researcher says education should focus on students’ trainability, soft skills if PHL remains in IMO White List’

specialized agency of the United Nations remains.

Being on the list gives Filipino seafarers a huge adva nt age, a s this reflects that they underwent st r ic t t r a i n i ng and education.

According to Ber t i z, cont inued inclusion in t he l i st mea ns that all IMO member-countries should accept as valid the certificates possessed by Fi l ipino sailors and issued by PhilipCADETS from a maritime school in Dasmariñas, Cavite, listen to a program in their school in this file photo. pine authorities.

“Filipino sailBy Jovee Marie N. Dela Cruz @joveemarie ors will find it easy to get jobs on foreign vessels and to obtain endorsements from other countries, as long as HE ACTS-OFW party-list on Sunday reported we are in the list,” Bertiz said. that overseas Filipino sailors sent home a to Filipino sailors serve on bulk carriers, container tal of $533 million (P27.8 billion) in cash in ships, oil, gas, chemical and other product tankers, January and it is expected to increase monthly as the general cargo ships, pure car carriers, cruise ships and Philippines remains in the “White List.” tugboats around the world.

ACTS-OFW Rep. Aniceto Bertiz III, in a statement, said There are as many as 400,000 Filipino seafarers dethe cash transfers from Filipino sailors are expected to ployed in different parts of the world to date, remitting increase in the months as long as the Philippines would about $5.8 billion annually. keep on complying with global training and certification In 2017, Bertiz said they wired home a total of $6.14 standards for sailors. billion through bank channels in the whole of 2018, up The January remittances were up 12.7 percent from 4.5 percent from $5.87 billion in 2017. $473 million (P24.6 billion) in the same month in 2018.

“We are counting on Marina’s declaration that it is Bertiz, citing Maritime Industry Authority (Marina), taking all the necessary steps to consistently improve the said the Philippines remains in the White List of nations country’s maritime education, training, examination and deemed fully compliant with the International Convention assessment system,” Bertiz said. on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping The lawmaker said graduates of Bachelor of Scifor Seafarers (STCW). ence in Marine Transportation and the Bachelor of He said Marina has vowed to keep the country in Science in Marine Engineering, once licensed and the White List of the International Maritime Orgacertified, may qualify as ship officers, masters, chief nization (IMO). mates, officers in charge of a navigational watch, chief Earlier, the Department of Transportation has inengineers, second engineers and officers in charge of structed Marina to ensure that the country’s status in the engineering watch.

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HE Philippines faces many cha llenges in prepar ing students for future employment, which could be addressed by transforming the educational system to meet the labor requirements of the 21st century, according to a researcher from a government think tank.

Aniceto Orbeta Jr., senior research fellow at the Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS), in a recent presentation gave some recommendations on creating an educational system that effectively equips Filipino workers for the future.

Orbeta suggested that in the face of uncertainty amid rapid technological developments, the Philippines could focus on providing education that gives students not only a degree but, more so, trainability.

“You train not for a degree but actually for trainability because if you are facing an uncertain future, the only thing you can train a child for is that he would learn quickly,” he said in a statement issued by the Philippine Exporters Confederation Inc. He also called for strengthening core school subjects by building a strong foundation in basic science, math, and language, particularly the core courses of science, physics, math and statistics in senior high school.

This, he explained, is “because trainability for the future technologies requires a strong foundation in those basic sciences and skills.”

Orbeta is likewise suggesting developing future workers’ soft skills, noting that several of the required skills in the 21st century are soft, or noncognitive skills.

He said there is yet no program that arms people with soft skills, such as not being easily

discouraged, which studies have shown are important for employment success.

Moreover, Orbeta believes there is a need to “shift skills training toward the shop floor” because schools by themselves would find it hard to keep up with the changing technologies.

“They will always be left behind, so most of the training would have to be done on the shop floor,” he said, noting that the issue of the thin market for firm-based training in the country still has to be resolved.

And on labor market policies, Orbeta recommends that they should be very flexible with few restrictions. He said banning contractualization, for example, may be seen as restrictive because contractual, part-time and other forms of nontraditional work arrangements serve particular needs and are already a recognized part of the labor market.

Further, he suggested taking a look at the country’s social security system and how it could be based not on jobs as it does currently, but on the worker. He said policies on social security have to address issues such as pension systems for those who work on their own so they could look forward to a pension in their old age and not be a burden to society.

Finally, a policy of lifelong learning is also essential. Orbeta said the new definition of illiteracy is no longer not being able to read and write but not being able to change your profession if you need to. He suggested setting up an organized system of lifelong learning in the country to prepare workers for the uncertain future, something that Singapore is already doing.

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US-China to keep working on trade agreement as latest talks wind up

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HINA and the US made progress toward a much-anticipated trade deal in their latest meetings and will keep talking on the remaining issues, the state-run Xinhua news agency reported.

High-level US and Chinese officials met in Washington over the past few days, hard on the heels of discussions in Beijing the previous week.

Future talks will be conducted in “various ways,” Xinhua reported on Saturday, without providing details.

Chinese negotiators, led by Vice Premier Liu He, and their US counterparts wrapped up the latest set of talks on Friday. They discussed the text of an agreement regarding technology transfers, intellectualproperty protections, nontariff measures, services, agriculture, trade balance and enforcement, Xinhua said.

Xinhua said in a separate commentary on Friday that “the remaining issues are all hard nuts to crack.”

Larry Kudlow, President Donald J. Trump’s top economic adviser, said on Friday that negotiators plan to “be in touch” by phone next week. “There is no letup,” he said in an interview on Bloomberg TV.

‘Big success’

THE White House released a statement on Friday evening saying that

while progress had been made, “significant work remains, and the principals, deputy ministers, and delegation members will be in continuous contact to resolve outstanding issues.”

Trump, speaking to reporters on Friday, hailed the latest round of talks as a “big success” but said he didn’t want to predict whether a deal would be reached.

The president said before meeting Liu on Thursday in the Oval Office that the US and China were close to an agreement, with an announcement possible in the next four to six weeks.

A month ago, Trump was touting the idea of a “signing summit” with Chinese President Xi Jinping, which aides suggested at the time could take place at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Florida. Now, there are no assurances. “If we have a deal, then we’ll have a summit,” the president said on Thursday.

The nine-month trade war between the world’s largest economies has disrupted supply chains, whipsawed markets and weighed on the world economy. International Monetary Fund Managing Director Christine Lagarde this week warned both sides to avoid the “self-inflicted” wound of a protracted trade conflict. Bloomberg News

Venezuela street rallies show deep divide in power struggle

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ARACAS, Venezuela—Rival political factions took to the streets across Venezuela on Saturday in a mounting struggle for control of the crisis-wracked nation, where US- backed opposition leader Juan Guaidó is attempting to oust socialist President Nicólas Maduro.

It was the first march Guaidó has led since Maduro loyalists stripped him of legal protections he’s granted as a congressman, opening a path to prosecute and possibly arrest him for allegedly violating the constitution.

The rallies also follow crippling power failures that left most of the country scrambling in the dark for days and without running water or phone service, which Maduro blamed on “terrorists” acts launched by political opponents.

Speaking before several thousand

people who packed a broad Caracas avenue, Guaidó urged them to stay united and to keep up pressure until Maduro leaves power.

“Something is evident today,” Guaidó said. “Venezuela is not afraid and continues taking the streets until we achieve freedom.”

Guaidó tried to channel Venezuelans’ ire by calling crowds in the capital to march to the headquarters of the national power utility, Corpoelec. His supporters said the blackout is another failure of the socialist government.

“This regime has made big mistakes,” said Beatriz Cisneros, a 62, critical of Venezuela’s deteriorated petroleum industry, its broken educational system and hospitals that fail to provide basic care.

“We’re fighting for Venezuela to have liberty.” AP

G-7 ministers reveal ‘clear differences’ on Middle East

JAPANESE Foreign Minister Taro Kono (from left), Canada’s Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland, Germany’s Foreign Minister Heiko Maas, Britain’s Director General for Political Affairs at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office Richard Moore, Italy’s Foreign Minister Enzo Moavero Milanesi, US Deputy Secretary of State John J. Sullivan, French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian and European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini, walk for a group photo on the second day of a G-7 meeting at ministerial level in Dinard, Brittany, on Saturday, April 6, 2019. The G-7 meeting is focused on cyber security, the trafficking of drugs, arms and migrants in Africa’s troubled Sahel region, and fighting gender inequality. AP PHOTO/DAVID VINCENT

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INARD, France—Foreign ministers from the Group of Seven (G-7) nations failed to reach consensus on key Middle East issues on Saturday as they wrapped up a meeting in France that was shaken by the absence of US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.

The diplomats in attendance projected a united front while walking side by side along a seaside promenade before they released the agreement from their two-day meeting in Dinard. The agreement included mildly worded joint commitments on issues such as fighting cybercrime, giving women bigger peacemaking roles, and engaging with countries in Africa’s Sahel region to combat migrant trafficking.

But what was omitted from the G-7’s positions said as much as what was included. The differences could set the stage for tensions at an August summit of the leaders of the G-7 advanced economies—the United States, France, Canada, Japan, Germany, Italy and the United Kingdom.

A European Union official expressed “regret” the document had what she considered to be several glaring omissions that conflicted

with nonnegotiable positions of the EU. They included “no reference to a two-state solution” in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and “no mention” of the UN Security Council resolution in favor of the Iran nuclear deal, she said.

The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because she was not allowed to speak to the news media, said the language used to described the G-7’s deep concern over Iran’s “continuing support for terrorist organizations and armed militias” was not language EU members tend to use. Four of the G-7 nations are in the European Union.

The foreign ministers’ joint statement itself acknowledged “clear differences” on the IsraeliPalestinian conflict after “an exchange of views.”

The agreement included an initiative to help countries share best practices on encouraging responsible online behavior. Also, the group

Thailand anti-junta coalition dented by poll clarification

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HE prospect of many small parties gaining parliamentary seats in Thailand has dented the claim by an anti-junta coalition that it has a majority following March’s general election.

An Election Commission statement on Friday said more than 25 parties will receive lower house seats based on the proportional representation system in the military-backed constitution, implying many small parties will enter the legislature. The agency was trying to address prevailing confusion about how the system

works, but isn’t expected to release official results until early May. T he comment signals that the coalition trying to block the junta’s proxies from retaining power may have overestimated its seat strength, as some will go to the smaller parties, according to Punchada Sirivunnabood, an associate professor in politics at Mahidol University near Bangkok.

The Pheu Thai party, which is linked to exiled former premier Thaksin Shinawatra, said after the election it had formed a seven-party

Editor: Angel R. Calso • Monday, April 8, 2019 A5

coalition that unofficially would have 255 seats in the 500-member lower house.

On Sunday, Pheu Thai Spokesman Ladawan Wongsriwong said in a statement that there were irregularities in the seat calculations implied by the Election Commission clarification on Friday.

Upper hand

THE alliance is seeking to prevent a party carved out of the ruling junta, Palang Pracharath, from retaining power. Palang Pracha-

rath disputes Pheu Thai’s claim of a majority, and has said it’s on course to form a government and return junta leader Prayuth ChanOcha as prime minister.

A junta-appointed 250-member Senate as well as the elected lower house will vote on who becomes prime minister, giving the military’s allies the upper hand in installing their preferred candidate even if they fall short of a lower house majority.

Thailand’s military establishment has been accused of seeking

to blunt the opposition to retain power, most recently via a sedition charge against the leader of Future Forward, a young party that surged in the vote and is a key part of the anti-junta coalition.

Future Forward leader Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit, who expects to face a military trial, has rejected the sedition charge. The military government has said it’s not trying to undermine anybody or any political groups.

In the lower house, 350 seats were contested on a first-past-the-

pledged to encourage the creation of funds to help survivors of sexual violence in danger spots, and to encourage Sahel countries to take steps to end trafficking. It also reaffirmed the G-7’s “commitment to a rulesbased international order.”

Discord is becoming a theme for the group.

Last June, US President Donald Trump roiled the G-7 meeting in Canada by first agreeing to a group statement on trade, then withdrawing support from it and sending a string of negative tweets about the summit and its host, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

On Saturday in Dinard, British Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt was missing from the final group photo after attending Friday’s session.

Combined with Pompeo’s absence, Hunt’s status raised questions about the G-7’s relevance.

US of f icia ls ack nowledged points of discord at the talks hosted

by French Foreign Minister JeanYves Le Drian.

US Deputy Secretary of State John J. Sullivan, who went in Pompeo’s place, said Washington would use the G-7 forum to galvanize support for Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido, whose claim to the presidency is backed by the US and about 50 other countries.

But the meeting failed to change the position of Italy, the sole G-7 member-state not to back Guaido.

“We spoke about it. The Italian position on Venezuela is pretty clear,” said Italian Foreign Minister Enzo Moavero. “It is an extremely difficult situation, especially in light of the humanitarian emergency that weighs the most in our hearts.”

Guaido has set out to topple the socialist administration of President Nicolas Maduro amid deepening unrest in the country, which has been plagued by nearly a month of power outages.

Italy also has irked EU and US allies by becoming the first G-7 member to sign up to a Chinese plan to build a Silk Road-style global trade network, the Belt and Road Initiative.

Any reference to the contentious trillion-dollar plan was missing in Saturday’s texts. AP

post system, with the remaining 150 allocated using a method of proportional representation.

The disputed and inconclusive March 24 election followed five years of military rule. Pheu Thai emerged with the most seats, but Palang Pracharath won the most votes.

The poll agency has until May 9 to certify the results. The seat outlook could change again because of recounts and voting reruns in some areas, sparked by discrepancies between the number of registered voters and ballots cast. Bloomberg News

News

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A6 Monday, April 8, 2019

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REGAINING PEOPLE’S TRUST IN OUR JUSTICE SYSTEM Continued from A1

And I suffered a strafing of my house… so alam ko kung gaano kahirap.

When I was campaigning for the mayorship, I went to the mountains; and I was taken hostage by the NPAs. I said there is always a time for everybody to die. If it’s my time, it’s my time. But let the world know na pinatay ninyo ako dahil sa trabaho ko. Iyon na lang ang consuelo ko. Eh hindi nila ako pinatay, ang mga g***. Eh ’di ngayon balikan ko sila. [laughter] Well, because of that we became friends and actually, during the last election, at least in Mindanao, lahat ng NPA—kasi we became fast friends, so much so that I was the one going in and out of the mountains and ranges of Mindanao retrieving the hostages, soldiers and policemen. And we had a good rapport because pareho ang horizons namin.

And I realized the social ramifications of how a Filipino would have to undergo so many things in his life: go to Mindanao because it is a land of promise when after all there was really none. Because when the Spaniards and the Americans went out, they gave the choicest lands to the elite. I do not hate rich people, but I am sure you have heard me talking about the elite who are abusing our country and taking advantage of their influence. Well of course they had the money getting in their contracts and not doing it—and collecting the people’s money.

I ordered the review of the contracts.

And here comes Drilon saying, “be careful.” Be careful of what? Pareho man kami dumaan ng Department of Justice. Why should I be very careful in reviewing contracts that are not for the interest of the people? And the onerous provisions there that the people have to honor. So? You think that I will allow it just because we cannot impair the obligation of our contracts?

You know, sabihin ko sa iyo, you pushed me—nandiyan ’yung media. I warned them, I have enough problems with criminality, drugs, rebellion and all. Pero ’pag ako ang pinaabot ninyo nang sagad, I will declare the suspension of the writ of habeas corpus; and I will arrest all of you.

I am willing to be hanged. I’m willing to die. Hindi ako kagaya sa kanila just to be in complacent—be careful of legalities of what?

There is a contract that said, the republic—this Republic of the Philippines cannot hinder or interrupt in the matter of the rates. Ano? Kaya ako sabi ko, itinapon ko sa Cabinet. Sabi ko ayusin ninyo ’yan. I will not honor.

Do not push me to the wall. You know in one of the conference namin—command conference with the Police and the entire Armed Forces, galing ako doon solving the Nayong Pilipino. I terminated all board members. Why? Because one, wala silang bidding. I’ve been telling them bidding, bidding, bidding talaga. A bidding that is not rigged, a bidding that is fair and most of all a bidding that will protect government interest. Sinasabi ko ’yan paulit.

So galing ako doon, pagpunta ako doon sa command conference, nakita ko ’yung report na may ghost delivery sa medicines sa AFP hospital. Kaya talaga ako—pumutok, sabi ko…if the Armed Forces major command and their commanders would stand up, I will step down and resign tonight. I will go home to Davao. Bahala kayo.

All those years, nakita naman ninyo

PRESIDENT Duterte interacts with his supporters on the sidelines of the 31st Annual Convention of the Prosecutors’ League of the Philippines at the Asturias Hotel in Puerto Princesa City, Palawan, on April 4, 2019. TOTO LOZANO/PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO

paano naglaro ang droga dito. It was by the thousands, then it became millions. Today, at any given time, tingnan mo ’yung crawler ng television, ’yung tumatakbo.

You see there, there is always a crimerelated incident, criminality and billions na ngayon ang drugs.

Some say are we succeeding? Because if you are succeeding—if we are succeeding, wala na ang droga. That’s too simplistic.

Drug is a world issue. Lahat tinatamaan na ngayon. Even Sri Lanka, gusto niyang sundin ang Pilipinas…

But I never said, you kill Alfredo Santos there or you kill drug lord Ho Chi Ming. Ang sinabi ko, do not destroy my country because if you destroy my country, I will kill you. That’s what I said when I was a new mayor in Davao City. I’m going to build a city, a comfortable one. Not with all the progress at once and develop overnight. But I’m going to build you a city that will be comfortable to all of you.

And I will return the public streets, alleys, plazas and all to you. And I told the police: I want you to ask your wife and daughter to walk about the streets in your area of jurisdiction. If they come home unmolested, unbridled by any whatever, hindi na-rape, hindi nabastos, then that is the standard that I want you to follow. If you fall short of that, then your city is not peaceful.

This is the first time I mentioned revolutionary government. They always do that sa opposition na mag-diktador daw ako.

Doon sa Cabinet meeting sinabi ko, here is a guy, you gave us a sort of a syllabus.

Sabi ko, bakit ’yung delay ganun na lang?

Then when he presented the—ito clearance from the Sanggunian, clearance from the BIR, clearance from…

So while he was presenting to the Cabinet, I stood up and I said: “Look, sir. That is not for me. That is for the next president maybe or two more presidents.”

Iyan ang problema sa gobyerno. It’s really the red tape. It’s the many, so many requirements, and they do not

move on time because you have to—you have to go back until mag-surrender ka, magbigay ka.

Sinabi ko na sa kanila, ayaw ko ’yang ganun. So this time, I would just only give them 15 days and for the Cabinet members 30 days. Kung hindi niyo matapos, whether meritorious or not, itapon mo sa basura ’yang hinahawakan mo na papel.

This is not to offend the prosecutor sa Lapu-Lapu. Are you here? Iyong sa LapuLapu na tinawagan ko. Iyong babae ’yung binalatan ’yung mukha. So I ordered him to arrest the…

You know, there are so many archaic— I would not say obsolete. Because it could apply in areas where it is really appropriate to do it. But itong hot pursuit, tagal na ’yan. Panahon pa ni Kristo ’yan. Kaya siya hinabol ng Hudyo because of the hot pursuit. Hindi pa nga Kodigo Penal ’yan eh.

Look, let us be realistic. Iyang hot pursuit na ’yan, that’s the original case, tingnan ninyo. It was during the time na maghabulan pa kayo ng kabayo, na wala pang tao ang mundo. And the world at that time was so big, there was a space wherever you are, you can be seen.

But hot pursuit now is may patayin ka sa Pasay. Pupunta ka dito sa airport, bili ka ng ticket, maglipad ka ng Davao. Oh how hot pursuit can operate? How would the principle of hot pursuit be applied now?

But it’s in the book and you have to follow the characterization, hindi ’yung definition. The characterization ng hot pursuit. Maghabulan nang walang interruption. That is crazy. Now, it is really a crazy notion.

The world now is so complicated. Simply the archaic hot pursuit, alisin na ninyo ’yan. Do not obey it because if nothing develops in the years to come, it will continue to hound us.

Hot pursuit is if there is a pursuit, for as long as there is an investigator assigned and he studies there and make some projection of probabilities kung saan mo siya makita. And I call the regional commanders there to issue an alert, a lookout.

Tapos eh extrajudicial killing. Look, stupid, as mayor and as President, I can say what I want to say. Pag sinabi kong, papatayin kita. It could be a truism or tinatakot ko ang lahat para mag-tiptoe.

Pero ’yung iba, anong gusto mo, patayin ko o takutin ko? ‘Pag sinabi kong papatayin kita. It might be a deterrent. The word itself. Coming from the mouth of a mayor or a President, baka matakot kita.

There’s the Abu Sayyaf, there’s the ISIS, there’s a rampaging drug problem. What is wrong when I say, do not destroy my country because I will kill you? Tell me what is wrong with that.

Sinong presidente na hindi pwedeng makasabi nang ganun? Taken in the context of what is happening to our country today. If you do that, you say that in Japan or in Norway, Sweden, Denmark, ah wala ’yan.

Pero dito ngayon kung sabihin mo ’yan, sabihin mo ba mali ’yan? If you persist in feeding shabu to our children, I will really kill you. Ang order ko naman sa pulis is go out and destroy the apparatus of the drug industry. It also includes killing people.

Gusto ninyong malaman ilan ang pulis ko na namatay? Almost 1,000 plus. Pagka mayor—ah pagka-Presidente ko? Mga 600.

Akala mo ba patay lang nang patay ang pulis ko? Karami kong pulis kaya namatay, pati sundalo.

Now answer me with a sensible.…

What precipitated the war in Marawi?

Was it an open ceremony of declaring a rebellion or a declaration of a separation as a belligerent country? No. The police were there to serve a warrant of arrest for a Maute member of the family. Then pagdating doon nirakrakan nila ang pulis ng M16, nag-retreat, then the Marines came the following day.

Nine of my Marines that day who crossed the bridge of Pandi died, and that started the war. Then how many were killed, including the Army? It was, I said, started with a drug problem. I’ve been telling you all along that production of shabu is on the high gear because they

are using the money to finance the revolution of the ISIS. Ngayon we talk in reality. Sa Davao magsabi ako may happy-happy ba doon?

Meron. Are there mga chicks? Well, yes. [laughter] They can be found in any city.

But realistically, Davao is the only place na walang vice squad. Tinanggal ko ’yung vice squad kasi pinaghuhuli na lang nila ’yang mga babae diyan. Tapos kinukuha ’yung pera dinadala sa opisina, ginagamit pa.

Oh ngayon itong warning ko, itong Customs sabi ko baka permanente na talaga ’yan, ’yung military kayo diyan. At sabi ko sa military ’pag may magnakaw, magsmuggling, patayin ninyo. That’s my order.

Barilin ninyo. Patayin ninyo. Kung buhay pa paglapit mo, todasin mo.

So kayong magnanakaw, you are free.…

Wala namang pipigil sa inyo eh. No one’s going to stop you from smuggling there.

Pero ’pag namatay ka, do not complain. ’Yan ang order ko. Sabi nila hindi mahinto itong corruption sa Customs, tignan natin. Kasi dito hindi nakataya ’yang bulsa mo, nakataya ’yung buhay mo.

Puro kayo abuso, all these years walang respite sa Pilipino. Eh ako sa panahon ko whatever little that I can do.… Tignan mo itong mga pulis, itong si Acierto, ito ’yung nagpatay ng mga ano—tignan mo ’yung report niya. He’s lying. He forgot that he made a report doon sa drug bust sa Davao.

I also encourage the leadership of the Prosecutors’ League to work with the Philippine National Police, the National Bureau of Investigation and other relevant agencies to come up with solutions on how to better protect our prosecutors and their families.

I am ready for any suggestion. Options, all, are on the table. Anong gusto ninyo…?

Baril? I will allow it. Oo. [applause] Ako, noon, kung magtanong kayo ng mga matatanda, may baril talaga ako. I cannot go out without a gun. Hindi ako komportable. Para akong…. Totoo ’yan. Kaya sabi nila para akong nakahubad. Meron talaga akong baril.

When I became mayor ganon rin. Sabi ko sa kanila—chief of police. Kaya matino talaga ’yan lahat. ’Yan si Bato is really fundamentally honest. Kasi ’yang mga alam mo, magtanggap man ’yan mga lechon, mga Pasko ganon. Pero kung sabihin mo manghingi? Wala.

So I hope that this convention will not just be a venue to forge stronger ties among yourselves but also a platform to discuss ways to create a safer and more productive work environment in the National Prosecution Service.

As you come together as one family, I ask you, my fellow prosecutors, to never waver in supporting the efforts of this administration in instituting the necessary reforms within DOJ and the NPS so that we may regain our people’s trust and confidence in our justice system.

I’d like to thank you for inviting me to talk to you. I’m not into giving speeches actually. I’m more of a talker—I’d like to converse to my audience. Ganun ang style ko. And I hope that I made myself very clear. There are things you might not really like about me. But that is between me and my God. So basta trabaho lang tayo. And I do not ask favors. Kung pagdating sa inyo, ang husga ninyo ganun, I will not go to you. I will face the world and say that. It was because I love my country. I will not allow it as a failed state or a narco state.

Boracay closure pulls down W. Visayas arrivals, tourism receipts Continued from A1

longer be ‘Laboracay,’ but ‘Love Boracay,’” she said, to underscore the government’s thrust for sustainable tourism.

She noted that, while the arrivals in Western Visayas decreased by over 15 percent in 2018, this was “500,000 less” than the original target of arrivals for the region set by the DOT at the beginning of that year, or 5.46 million.

“The other provinces and two highly urbanized cities helped a lot in cushioning the impact of

the six-month Boracay closure to tourism,” explained Catalbas on the sidelines of the launch of Park Inn by Radisson in Iloilo City last week.

The visitor receipts in the region for 2018, for instance, were still the third highest in the last five years, and higher than the P102.27 billion generated in 2015. The 2018 receipts were also just 8 percent less than the P114.12 billion recorded in 2016.

She added, the DOT has targeted arrivals in Iloilo City to reach 1.4 million this year, from

the 1.24 million recorded in 2017 as the city improves its standing as a MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, Exhibitions) destination. Officials of SM Hotels and Resorts Corp., led by its President Elizabeth T. Sy, inaugurated Park Inn by Radisson in Iloilo on April 2, in a bid to capture a slice of the region’s expanding MICE market.

(See, “SM unit allots P8.2-billion capex to expand, renovate hotels,” in the BusinessMirror, April 3, 2019.)

Of the total arrivals in the region last year, tourists in Capiz,

known as the “seafood capital of the Philippines,” increased by almost 16 percent to 265,662; Guimaras Island, a beach destination and major exporter of Philippine mangoes, was up 4.11 percent to 133,525; Iloilo City grew by 15.33 percent to 1.24 million, while the rest of the province was up 11.74 percent to 347,375; and Bacolod City rose 0.45 percent to 835,453, while the rest of Negros Occidental increased by 3.14 percent to 920,242.

Only Antique registered a decrease in visitor arrivals by some 33.6 percent to 108,220. Unlike

the other provinces in the region, there are no direct flights to Antique, with tourists having to pass either through Aklan or Iloilo, about a three- to six-hour ride by public transport.

Domestic tourists made up the bulk of the tourists in Western Visayas at 4.13 million, just 11 percent lower than in 2017. Foreign travelers, however, plunged by 33 percent to 783,732, still reflecting the impact of Boracay’s closure on the overall tourism numbers for the region.

The region’s top 10 tourist

markets last year were: China, with arrivals at 258,579, accounting for 33 percent of market share; followed by South Korea at 216,506 arrivals (27.63 percent); United States at 49,372 arrivals (6.3 percent); Australia at 18,887 arrivals (2.41 percent); Russia at 16,756 arrivals (2.14 percent); Japan at 16,640 arrivals (2.1 percent); Canada at 15,512 arrivals (1.98 percent); United Kingdom at 15,431 arrivals (1.97 percent); Taiwan at 12,507 arrivals (1.6 percent); and Germany at 11,784 arrivals (1.5-percent market share).

The World BusinessMirror

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Lawyer for Nissan’s ex-chair Carlos Ghosn clarifies bail conditions

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OKYO—A lawyer for Nissan former Chairman Carlos Ghosn, who was taken back into custody last week, has outlined the conditions for his initial release on bail in an effort to clarify what he called incorrect speculation in the Japanese media.

Ghosn, accused of financial misconduct, was arrested in November, but released in March. He was detained again on fresh allegations on Thursday.

It is unusual in Japan for a suspect who cleared bail to be arrested again.

Takashi Takano listed the conditions in a blog post late Saturday, which include restricting Ghosn to using only one computer, which is in his lawyer’s office, and one cell phone. It’s the first time such conditions, set by the Tokyo District Court, were disclosed in detail.

Ghosn, 65, who led Nissan for two decades, has said he is innocent.

The conditions also said Ghosn must turn over his passport, have a camera monitoring his apartment doorway and keep a record of his phone calls and people he meets, besides his family and lawyers, Takano said.

Ghosn is forbidden from fleeing or tampering with evidence, and from meeting some people, including Greg Kelly, a Nissan Motor Co. board member suspected of collaborating with Ghosn, Nissan Chief Executive Hiroto Saikawa and others who may be witnesses in the case, he said.

The Tokyo District Court has approved his detention through April 14. His legal

team is seeking to overturn that, arguing he already cleared the conditions for his release. The detention can be extended if the court approves the prosecutors’ request.

Prosecutors say the latest allegations are separate from the earlier charges, and Ghosn may tamper with evidence. Ghosn’s legal team argues that prosecutors have already raided Ghosn’s homes and taken everything.

While prosecutors can interrogate Ghosn daily at Tokyo Detention Center, Ghosn’s time to work on his defense with his lawyers will become limited.

Japan has been criticized for long detentions without convictions, dubbed “hostage justice.” Critics say it tends to lead to false confessions.

Ghosn has been charged with falsifying securities documents and with having Nissan shoulder personal investment losses. The latest allegations center around Ghosn diverting a portion of money paid by a Nissan subsidiary to an Oman dealership business.

Ghosn says the compensation, which was for his retirement, was never decided or paid, the investment losses were never suffered and the payments were for legitimate services.

The date for his trial has not been set and is likely to be months away.

Nissan, allied with Renault SA of France, is holding a shareholders’ meeting on Monday to get approval to oust Ghosn from its board.

Ghosn holds French, Brazilian and Lebanese citizenship. AP

Rival Libyan forces say they have captured Tripoli airport

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ENGHAZI, Libya—Forces loyal to rival Libyan Army Commander Khalifa Hifter said on Saturday they seized control of the main airport in Libya’s capital Tripoli, two days after Hifter ordered his forces to seize the seat of Libya’s UN-backed government.

Hifter’s media office said in a post online that they took full control of the Tripoli international air port and were working to secure the facility. They posted photos of troops apparently inside the air port, saying “we are standing at the heart of the Tripoli international air port.”

Hifter’s offensive on Tripoli could plunge the oil-rich country into another spasm of violence, possibly the worst since the 2011 civil war that toppled and later killed longtime dictator Moammar Gadhafi. The country is governed by rival authorities: The internationally backed government in Tripoli and the government in the east, which Hifter is aligned with.

Each is backed by an array of militias.

Fayez Sarraj, chairman of the Presidential Council of Libya, said his government had offered concessions to Hifter “to avoid bloodshed and to end divisions” and was surprised by Hifter’s order to take the capital.

“We were stabbed in the back,” he said on Saturday in televised comments, adding that his forces would confront Hifter’s troops with “force and determination.”

The Tripoli airport has not been functional since fighting in 2014 destroyed much of the facility.

The media office said that troops also captured the area of Wadi el-Rabeia, south of Tripoli, amid clashed with militias loyal to Sarraj.

Ahmed al-Mesmari, spokesman for the self-styled Libyan National Army led by Hifter, said 14 troops had been killed since Hifter declared the offensive. He said rival militias launched four air strikes on Saturday targeting Hifter’s position in the town of al-Aziziya, but that no casualties had been reported.

Al-Mesmari said Hifter’s forces declared Tripoli a no-fly zone for warplanes.

Hifter announced on Thursday he was deploying his forces toward Tripoli, sparking fears that the tensions could be escalating out of control as militias from the western cities of Zawiya and Misarata said that they have mobilized to confront Hifter.

He also put at risk upcoming peace talks between Libyan rivals brokered by the UN aimed at drawing a road map for new elections.

The UN Security Council on Saturday called on Hifter forces to halt all military movements and urged all forces in Libya “to deescalate and halt military activity.”

The UN envoy for Libya, Ghassan Salame, said the UN is determined to hold the planned national conference later this month to set time for possible elections.

Speaking at a news conference in Tripoli, he said he was striving to prevent the new crisis from getting out of control. “We have worked for one year for this national conference, we won’t give up this political work quickly,” he said. AP

Monday, April 8, 2019 A7

Britain’s May concedes Brexit deal won’t pass ‘in near future’

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ONDON—British Prime Minister Theresa May acknowledged that the government’s strategies to get her Brexit deal approved in Parliament failed, saying on Saturday there’s little prospect that lawmakers will back the thrice-rejected divorce agreement “in the near future.”

With the UK once again days away from a deadline for leaving the European Union, May pressured opposition lawmakers to help her find a compromise agreement instead, saying voters “expect their politicians to work together when the national interest demands it.”

After May’s deal with the EU out for a third time in the House of Commons, the prime minister invited the opposition Labor Party this week to discuss alternatives.

But three days of talks ended with no agreement and the left-of-center Labour accusing May’s Conservative government of not offering real change.

“I haven’t noticed any great change in the government’s position so far,” Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said on Saturday. “I’m waiting to see the red lines move.”

Labour favors a softer form of Brexit than the government has advocated. The party says Britain should remain closely bound to

EU trade rules and maintain the bloc’s standards in areas such as workers’ rights and environmental protection.

Britain is due to leave the EU on Friday unless May can secure another delay from the EU, which already agreed to postpone the Brexit day originally set for March 29.

May now is asking for Britain’s departure to be pushed back until June 30, hoping to reach a compromise with Labour and a deal through Parliament in a matter of weeks.

“The longer this takes, the greater the risk of the UK never leaving at all,” May said in a statement.

But EU leaders favor a longer delay to avoid another round of cliff-edge preparations and politics. And they say the UK needs to put forward a concrete plan to end the stalemate to get any further postponement.

An extension requires unanimous approval from the 27 remaining leaders,

some of whom are fed up with Brexit uncertainty and reluctant to prolong it further.

Last month, the EU gave Britain until April 12 to approve the withdrawal agreement it reached with the May’s government, to change course and seek a further delay to Brexit, or to crash out of the EU with no deal in place or transition period to cushion the shock.

The leaders of EU member-countries are due to meet in Brussels on Wednesday—two days before the April 12 deadline—to consider Britain’s request for a second extension.

Economists and business leaders have warned a no-deal Brexit would severely disrupt trade and travel, with tariffs and customs checks causing gridlocked British ports and possible shortages of some foods, medicines and other products.

Worries about a chaotic British exit are especially acute in Ireland, the only EU member that shares a land border with the UK. Any customs checks or other obstacles along the currently invisible frontier would hammer the Irish economy and could undermine Northern Ireland’s peace process.

Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar said on Saturday that it was “extremely unlikely” that any of the 27 countries would veto a delay.

“If one country was to veto an extension and, as a result, impose hardship on us, real problems for the Dutch and Belgians and French as neighboring countries (to the UK)...they wouldn’t be forgiven for it,” he told Ireland’s RTE radio. AP

Agriculture/Commodities

A8 Monday, April 8, 2019 • Editor: Jennifer A. Ng

BusinessMirror

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Sugar inventory at ‘all-time high’–SRA

By Jasper Emmanuel Y. Arcalas

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@jearcalas

HE Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) said over the weekend that any increase in the retail price of sugar is caused by traders who want to manipulate the market as the country’s inventory of the sweetener is at an “all-time high.”

SRA Administrator Hermenegildo R. Serafica said there is no reason for sugar prices to go up since sugar stock balance is at 1.152 million metric tons (MMT) as of end-March. The volume is 44 percent higher than last year’s stock balance of 800,587.75 metric tons (MT), SRA data showed.

Serafica also explained that mill-gate prices of sugar have been hovering between P1,450 per 50-kilogram bag to P1,550 per LKg in the past five months.

He attributed the increase in stocks to better output and the remaining volume of unused imported sugar, which stands at 133,500 MT. “There have been very little withdrawals in the mills such that all of their warehouses are full and most of them are already preparing additional spaces for storage. Some have rented additional warehouses

while some have repurposed their other buildings such as basketball courts to hold sugar,” he said in a statement.

“Those who are spreading rumors of sugar prices increasing are trying to manipulate the market so they can increase their profits at the expense of the consumers and producers,” Serafica added.

The country’s sugar output as of mid-March expanded by 14.48 percent year-on-year to 1.662 MMT, according to the latest data from the SRA. SRA data published on April 1 showed that raw sugar output in the current crop year 2018-2019 is already 211,000 MT over the 1.45 MMT recorded in the same period in the previous crop year.

Figures from the SRA indicated that the higher output may have

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Agriculture forum held on November 28 in Canberra.

He said the Philippines currently employs superior banana technologies to address SPS problems compared to Australia.

One of these technologies, Cayanan said, involves the use of plant tissue to eradicate the infestation of the black sigatoka disease.

Cayanan said the country also conducts deleafing of banana trees should there be visual manifestation of sigatoka disease.

The Pilipino Banana Growers and Exporters Association said, however that the reopening of Australia to local bananas would have only a “slight effect” on export receipts as the market is “small.”

ERE’S another ripple from President Donald Trump’s threat to close the United States-Mexico border: the extra price paid for organic avocados is falling.

Prices for avocados moving from top producer Mexico into Texas are up more than 40 percent in the past week, with a 25-pound carton of conventional fruit reaching about $60, according to the US Department of Agriculture. A carton of organic avocado is fetching just $2 more, down from a $3 a week ago and $8 a month ago, according to David Magana, a senior analyst at Rabobank.

“Prices were probably rising too fast that consumers were not willing to pay the extra price, so they switched to the less-expensive option,” Magana said.

Prices paid in Mexico City for Hass avocados from the top-producing state of Michoacan are up 34 percent this week to 390 pesos ($20.43) for a 10-kilogram (22-pound) box.

Domestic prices in Mexico are typically lower as shippers choose higher quality fruit for more lucrative export markets.

In the US, avocados are commonly traded in 25-pound cartons with as many as 84 units and as few as 32, depending on the size. Rabobank tracks 48-piece cartons that contain medium-size fruit.

Mexican avocados account for as much as 80-percent US consumption. Known as a super-food thanks to heart-healthy monounsaturated fats, avocados are now on about half of menus at US restaurants, according to Datassential.

Prices, which have stabilized after the surge earlier this week, had moved up even before the border threats, partly because of a late California harvest.

Avocados feature on almost half of US menus, according to Chicagobased researcher Datassential. Once mainly confined to dips and salads, the fruit is now seen as a super-food thanks to its nutritional characteristics. The dark green-colored, bumpy-skinned Hass variety is preferred in guacamole and avocado toast for its rich, creamy flesh.

Jasper Emmanuel Y. Arcalas

Bloomberg News

DROUGHT-STRESSED CROP Farmer Erning Paragas inspects Bt corn planted in his farm in Bayambang, Pangasinan, which is currently experiencing a dry spell due to the weak El Niño. LAILA AUSTRIA

been driven by higher volume and better-quality sugarcane milled from September 1 to March 17.

During the period, sugarcanes milled reached 17.732 MMT higher than the previous year’s 16.836 MMT. Also, the sugar-milling recovery rate as of March 17 rose by 8 per-

cent to 1.89 50-kilogram bags per ton cane (LKg/TC), from 1.75 LKg/ TC a year ago.

Total raw sugar demand as of March 17 declined by 17.70 percent to 1.002 MMT, from 1.218 MMT a year ago, SRA data showed.

Domestic withdrawals fell by 2.49 percent to 967,188 MT from

991,920 MT recorded in the same period of 2018.

SRA data also showed that refined sugar output grew by 3.46 percent to 28,048.66 MT, from 27,110.21 MMT. Millsite prices of raw sugar declined by 4.72 percent to 1,451.31 per LKg from the previous year’s 1,523.16 per LKg.

Australia begins review of PHL’s banana safety standards

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ANBERRA is now reviewing the documents submitted by Manila to resolve the sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) concerns of Australia in importing Cavendish bananas from the Philippines.

After more than two decades of barring Philippine bananas, Australian Ambassador to the Philippines Steven J. Robinson said Canberra is pushing hard to facilitate the entry of the tropical fruit as technical work over plant health issues has made some progress.

“We’ve got progress. The great thing about all of these is that we have moved from where we were at the end of last year, where there was no progress, to a situation where we are now moving things forward,” Robinson told reporters in a recent

interview.

“I can’t tell you the timeline.

But I can tell you that we are pushing hard, my own government, to advance things,” Robinson added.

Australia’s new envoy to the Philippines said he committed to Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel F. Piñol and Finance Secretary Carlos G. Dominguez III to facilitate the reopening of the Australian market for Philippine bananas. “We are moving things and we hope to come to a positive resolution.”

The BusinessMirror reported that the November bilateral talks between Canberra and Manila yielded “positive results” in terms of the Philippines’s bid to reaccess the Australian market for bananas, which has been closed for more than

As avocados get pricier on border threat, organic premium falls

two decades.

Manila and local banana industry stakeholders submitted technical documents to Australia which they hope would resolve the SPS concerns of Canberra, particularly those related to the sigatoka disease.

Agriculture Undersecretar y Ariel T. Cayanan told the BusinessMirror, that a six-month time frame—which would be from January to June 2019—was set for Australia to evaluate the documents and determine whether these would pass its SPS and quarantine standards.

In December, Cayanan told the BusinessMirror that the government is optimistic that the Philippines will be able to address the SPS

concerns of Australia concerning the entry of locally grown bananas, and even sees the conclusion of Australia’s evaluation earlier than June.

“I think we were able to inculcate and to impress to them that we are doing things right,” he said.

“We didn’t just accelerate the talks but we have made it timebounded, technology and sciencebased. The negotiations were very good and we are very, very happy with how the talks turned out,” Cayanan added.

Cayanan said the Philippines explained extensively to Australia the current SPS measures undertaken by local banana growers and exporters to address various diseases during the 4th Australia-Philippines

Kamico machine complex in PHL Pateros Balut Festival celebrates culinary tourism to feature Korea’s farm technologies

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HE establishment of the Korea AgriMachinery Processing Complex by the Korea Agriculture Machinery Industry Cooperative (Kamico) will further cement the partnership between the Philippines and South Korea in the field of agriculture, Ambassador to South Korea Raul S. Hernandez said.

Hernandez made the pronouncement during the inaugural ceremony of Shin Gil Kim as the 29th chairman of Kamico at the Korea Agricultural Machinery Global Center in Cheonan City, Chungnam province on March 26. He was accompanied by Agriculture Attaché Aleli Maghirang and Attaché Jhoanna Jarasa and other dignitaries and diplomats.

In his congratulatory remarks, Hernandez congratulated Chairman Kim on his successful reelection as the head of Kamico, a prestigious organization of agricultural machinery manufacturers in Korea, and paid tribute to the close friendship and partnership between the Philippines and Korea, specifically in the field of agriculture through active collaboration between Kamico, the Philippine Embassy and the Department of Agriculture.

He also commended Kamico for its invaluable assistance in the mechanization of the Philippines’s agricultural sector through the sharing of Korea’s agricultural technologies and expressed hope to further cement this partnership between the Philippine government and Kamico soon through the establishment of the Korea AgriMachinery Processing Complex in the Philippines, with the generous support of Chairman Kim and CEOs from Kamico’s major companies.

The ambassador further expressed appreciation to Kamico for selecting the Philippines as the venue of Kamico’s seminar for CEOs of member-companies which was successfully held in Cebu and Bohol from June 27 to July 1, 2018.

For his part, Chairman Kim acknowledged with appreciation the speech of the ambassador and conveyed Kamico’s intent to pursue the establishment of the Korea AgriMachinery Processing Complex in the Philippines which he called “one of the promising export countries for Korea in Southeast Asia.”

Kim also expounded on the future plans of Kamico, which include driving innovative growth in the 4th Industrial Revolution in the area of agricultural machineries; extending Kamico’s support for famous agricultural expositions overseas such as the Agrilink exhibit which will be held at the World Trade Center in Manila from October 3 to 5; establishing an Export Promotion Headquarters to provide customized support to Kamico member-companies seeking to expand their business overseas; and establishing agriculture machinery complexes abroad.

Aside from the inaugural ceremony, Kim had a separate meeting with Hernandez and other diplomats, and hosted a luncheon for dignitaries and members of Kamico.

After the luncheon, Hernandez and the Philippine delegation were provided a special tour of the Korea Agricultural Machinery Global Center, which showcased the latest advances in Korean agricultural machineries.

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ALUT is considered as one of the original Filipino exotic food. And when finding the best quality fertilized duck egg, Pateros ranks first, garnering the title of Balut Capital of the Philippines.

The 31st Balut sa Puti Festival, supported by the Department of Tourism (DOT), has been celebrating this iconic delicacy for over three decades now.

“Tourism is all about experience. We want the people to experience something authentic so this is it—the balut of Pateros. We want to push the promotion of balut as a community business livelihood and a culinary tourism product,” DOT-National Capital Region (NCR) Officer in Charge Cathy Agustin said in a statement.

Balut, which has been the centerpiece of the municipality’s food tourism and a viable source of sustainable community livelihood, supports some 20 balut makers whose production reaches thousands per day.

“We may have lost the duck-raising industry but the balut making here in Pateros has been continuous. And we are currently very active in the revival program of our balut industry. I believe that in a year or two, balut will be the main industry of the municipality again,” Pateros Mayor Miguel Fernando Ponce III said.

In an effort to revitalize the balut making industry, the municipal government with the Department of Science and Technology-NCR introduced this year the incubator technology that will compliment and improve the yield of the traditional balut making process.

A Pateros Balut sa Puti Commission will be formed as the responsible body to promote, supervise, move and sustain revival

PATEROS sells the highest quality and cheapest balut at P13 to P15 per piece. DEPARTMENT OF TOURISM PHOTO

projects for the industry. Plans to put up a Pateros Duck Farm in Rizal are also being discussed.

“The tourism industry in Pateros is basically focused on balut, food tourism. Food tourism is well alive here. We may not be known for tourist spots, but it is our balut that makes Pateros stand out,” Pateros acting tourism officer Renato Bade said.

The DOT-NCR pushes for the promotion of the balut and itik or dark-colored duck species specialty dishes as a staple menu in restaurants, local eateries and catering services.

A culinary portfolio featuring the best food finds in every city and municipality in the metropolitan region with balut as the banner cuisine for Pateros will also be published by the said DOT regional office.

The 31st Balut sa Puti Festival celebrated its balut and itik with a culinary contest among the top chefs of local eateries’ rendition of afritadang balut (tomato sauce braised dish) and pickled itik.

Also held was an eating contest of the hottest balut featuring the favorite Pinoy delicacy partnered with variants of hot sauces and boodle fight among participants, municipal officials, Knights of Columbus members, and Pateros residents.

Pandangguhan dance rendition of the students of P. Manalo Elementary School and the drum and lyre performance of the Pateros National High School entertained the festival crowd.

The event was capped by a band competition and singing contest.

The Regions

news@businessmirror.com.ph

Monday, April 8, 2019

A9

PCSO to build centers in Tagum, Davao cities

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By Claudeth Mocon-Ciriaco | Correspondent

HE Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) announced the construction of two Mapagkalinga centers in Tagum City and Davao City, which will house hundreds of waiting patients and watchers seeking medical treatment at Southern Philippines Medical Center (SPMC) and Davao Regional Medical Center (DRMC).

The PCSO Board unanimously approved the construction of an 8-story multipurpose center for the SPMC and a 5-story center for the DRMC, which will cost P268 million.

The proposed project will be submitted to President Duterte and the PCSO hopes to start the project after the election ban and finish it in one year.

PCSO Chairman and Officer in Charge Anselmo Simeon Pinili said the construction was prompted by the overcapacity of the emergency and trauma rooms of the SPMC, the largest government hospital in the Philippines, and at the DRMC. Pinili said there about 650 walk-in patients everyday are being attended alone at the former and 400 more at the latter.

More than half of these patients came from different provinces in

Mindanao as far as Bukidnon and they are just waiting outside the hospital.

“The impression of people on government hospitals is that it’s dirty and inefficient so we wanted to mediate and, through a little help from the PCSO, we will change the impression of people on government hospitals,” Pinili said.

A typical patient seeking medical attention get to spend at least three days at the hospital for check up and follow up while patients undergoing chemotherapy and other serious illnesses spend more days and they would rather stay uncomfortably in the hospital rather than spend on their fare to the province only to return the next day to check on their loved ones.

During his stint as mayor, Duterte has provided a temporary shelter to

waiting patients and watchers. However, this facility is not enough as the number of patients going to the two hospitals have already tripled in numbers.

Gay Alvero, chairman of the Gender and Development Focal Point System (GAD-FPS), explained that the construction of the centers will be piloted in Mindanao because it is the least serviced area of the agency’s hospitalization assistance program.

He added the DRMC and SPMC were selected as pilot beneficiaries of the project due to their strategic role as Mindanao’s leading government tertiary hospital. For their part, the DRMC and SPMC expressed willingness to provide the necessary areas for the PCSO center.

About 300 square meters on both building will be allocated for the branches of the PCSO in Davao and in Tagum while the rest of the space will be allotted for transient facilities for watchers and patients, a space for children’s play area, breastfeeding section, cafeteria and each floor will have respective restrooms with shower rooms, cooking and laundry area. It will have an ample space for parking and two service elevators.

Aside from these the PCSO Board consent that the building will be an ecologically friendly building with a rainwater catchment facility, sewerage treatment plant, solar panels and material recovery facility.

The PCSO said its center, called Mapagkalinga (caring), aims to serve as platform for care giving trainings, women’s skills and livelihood seminars and empowerment activities.

DAR renews agreement with food processing firm

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HE integrated agribusiness and food company of Aboitiz Equity Ventures Inc. said it renewed an agreement with the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) from a project “that aims to promote sustainable agri-livelihood in the country.”

“Following the success of its first year of implementation, the project is expected to continue assisting farmers in increasing their household income through the provision of livelihood packages such as piglets, egg-laying machines and bakery starter kits,” AEV subsidiary Pilmico Foods Corp. (PFC) said. “The

beneficiaries sustain their livelihood through an easy-to-manage business with a quick return on investment.”

PFC said the agreement will leverage on shared strengths to provide agrarian-reform beneficiaries (ARB) “an easy-to-manage, sustainable livelihood program while adding new features to the partnership including the creation of a technical working group for proper monitoring and supplemental interventions to further empower backyard farmers.”

In his keynote message, Pilmico President and CEO Sabin Aboitiz highlighted the positive results of the

partnership, noting that the majority of the recipients had a 20-percent increase in their household income “This is a strong indication that our partnership is working and, I believe that the way forward is to continue providing our backyard farmers the chance to learn, earn and improve their lives which eventually drive progress in their respective communities.”

Two years ago, Pilmico provided 51 livelihood packages to ARBs and cooperatives in the following provinces: Camarines Sur, Capiz, Compostela Valley, Pampanga, South Cotabato and Surigao del Norte.

Capas to host Death March memorial event

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HE Philippine Veterans Affairs Office and the Capas Municipal Government will host again the reliving of the Death March, regarded as among history’s worst war crimes.

The 10-kilometer predawn walk themed “March For A Veteran” is set on April 11 from the People’s Park to the Capas National Shrine where a commemorative program will be held, the Capas Local Government statement said.

The march will be participated in by World War II veterans’ relatives, military personnel, government employees, members of both the Girl and Boy Scouts of the Philippines organizations and various civic groups.

Beginning in 2015, these “Capas Freedom March” events were all led by former President Fidel V. Ramos and Mina Gabor, the event’s project director.

The event commemorates the events that began on April 9, 1942,

SOLDIERS march past a marker on the 88-kilometer route where prisoners of war were forced to march from Mariveles and Bagac towns to the train station in San Fernando, Pampanga, where they were loaded onto freight coaches for a jampacked rough ride to Capas, Tarlac.

when more than 78,000 Filipino and American troops surrendered to Japan after a gallant last stand in Bataan during World War II, in what is now known as Araw ng Kagitingan or Day of Valor.

Two days later, the POWs were forced to walk to the train station in San Fernando, Pampanga, where they were loaded onto freight coaches for a jampacked rough ride to Capas, Tarlac.

A10 Monday, April 8, 2019 • Editor: Angel R. Calso

Opinion BusinessMirror

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editorial

The 21st: China’s century?

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HE 20th century has been called “The American century,” and the period 1815 to 1914 was “Britain’s imperial century.” That’s when one country is dominant in political, military and economic terms.

Is the 21st becoming “the Chinese century”?

There have been billions of words written over the last two decades about China and its increasing influence around the globe. Most of the commentary is, at the most, negative about China’s planetary expansion and at the least, cautious about China’s role on the world stage. Virtually every nation must include in its foreign policies a strong consideration of that country’s stand in relation to the Chinese Dragon, as well as the American Eagle.

This is similar to the Cold War period when the world also had to consider the Russian (or Soviet Union) Bear.

Every nation has its own financial capital apart from (but not always) the political power center. In the Philippines, the capital is the greater Makati City area. Historically, dating back more than 2,000 years ago, there has been a global financial capital along with other minor “capitals.” These come from a natural money focus-point, primarily because of trade. Manila was one of these minor capitals during the Manila Galleon trade, which linked China to Spain through Mexico.

As trade on the “Silk Road” became common around 500 A.D., India was the world’s financial capital as the bridge between China and Europe. Increased ocean shipping moved the center to Istanbul, Turkey, and across Europe to London as England’s trade with its colonies increased.

Eventually, the US and more specifically New York City took on the primary financial role linking all countries in the world.

We are progressively seeing a move of the global financial capital to Asia and specifically China.

All the conversation about a potential “debt-trap” from Chinese loans here in the Philippines is really pocket change in comparison to other places. Italy has just signed onto China’s “Belt and Road Initiative” with a Memorandum of Understanding with an initial potential loan worth up to $23 billion.

Everyone knows that in the face of the European Union ignoring Africa’s need for infrastructure development, China filled that void.

But little is known, particularly here in the Philippines, about China’s expansion into Latin America.

Panama, a country of 4 million but holding one of the most important world waterways, is being actively courted by China. So far, projects awarded to Chinese contractors—the canal bridge, a cruise ship dock and a convention center—have been paid for by the Panamanian government. The country has yet to receive Chinese loans. However, other nations borrowing from China for joint projects include Brazil owing $42 billion; Argentina, $18 billion; and Ecuador, which borrowed $17 billion.

Former French President Charles de Gaulle once said: “China is a big country, inhabited by many Chinese.” Hillary Clinton said, “I think China has a very strong aversion to interference in other’s internal affairs.” With that type of “in-depth thinking,” is it any wonder this may be China’s time?

By contrast, Chinese politician and military leader Chiang Kai-shek said, “Contempt for China on the part of the enemy is his weak point.

Knowledge of this weak point is our strong point.” Welcome to the 21st century.

An alternative summer Atty. Jose Ferdinand M. Rojas II

RISING SUN

I

T is common to see places that are dressed up or cleaned up for the benefit of tourists or visitors, especially those spaces that are not picture-perfect. While it is normal to show the good side of things to people who are visiting, there are those who believe that it is better to get real and show things for what they really are.

According to a recent study done by online travel firm Expedia, more tourists, especially the younger set, are looking for something different.

Millennials, specifically, want to experience local living and discover treasures that can be found “off the beaten track.”

While beach trips and guided tourist travel will always be available, it is good to know that there is a new market for what some

would like to call the “anti-tour,” commonly conducted within cities and which often takes the form of a walking tour. These are alternative city tours that are meant to start conversations, spark debates and encourage participants to learn from each other. These less expensive urban adventures are meant to show the real side of places and to offer a genuine experience.

It would be premature to say that

Child safety in motor vehicles law

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this exact form is already present in this country, but the movement is being started, although in a slightly less radical format, by walking tour guides like Manilakad (see Facebook page Manilakad), which offers walking tours of Intramuros, Quiapo, Makati, Binondo and other Manila spaces. For the Holy Week, incidentally, Manilakad offers Visita Iglesia Manila on April 18 (Holy Thursday) where participants can get the chance to visit 10 Manila churches in one afternoon.

Tourism is indeed good for the economy, but strategizing should not fail to consider the unpleasant effects, which include the displacement of locals, destruction of natural resources (to make way for modern amenities like parking spaces, etc.), destruction of authentic structures (to make way for new establishments like hotels and cafés), and the denigration of self experienced by some locals as they try to make a living by pleasing tourists.

Tours are not just for tourists. In

Atty. Lorna Patajo-Kapunan

LEGALLY SPEAKING

R

EPUBLIC Act (RA) 11229 known as the “Child Safety in Motor Vehicles Act” was signed into law by President Duterte on February 22, 2019, and released by the Presidential Legislative Liason Office only last month.

Under Section 2 of RA 11229, it is the declared policy of the State “to ensure the safety of Children while being transported in any form of motor vehicle. The State recognizes the right of children to protection from all forms of neglect, abuse and other conditions prejudicial to their development, including exposure to safety risks while aboard motor vehicles.”

A “Child” is defined as any person 12 years old and below. “Adult” refers to any person 18 years old and above.

“Covered vehicle” refers to both private and public motor vehicle, publicutility vehicle or vehicle for hire.

“Child Restraint System” refers to a devise capable of accommodating a child occupant in a sitting or supine position (Section 3).

It shall be unlawful for the driver of a covered vehicle not to properly secure at all times a child in a child restraint system while the engine is running or transporting such child on any road, street or highway unless the child is at least 150 centimeters or 59 inches in height, and is properly secured using the regular seat belt.

The child restraint system shall be appropriate to the child’s age, height and weight, and approved by the Department of Trade and Industry in compliance with standards set forth in United Nations Regulations 44 and 129. These requirements shall not apply to circumstances where the child restraint system would put such child in a greater danger, such as: 1. During medical emergencies; 2. When the child transported has a medical or developmental condition; or 3. Other analogous circumstances prescribed under the implementing rules and regulations (IRR).

Notwithstanding the child being secured in a child restraint system, at no instance shall such child be left unaccompanied by an adult (18 years old and above) in a motor vehicle (Section 4).

No child 12 years of age and below shall be allowed to sit in a front seat of a motor vehicle with a running engine, or while such child is being transported on any road, street or highway, unless the child meets the

The World Health Organization lauded President Duterte for signing into law RA 11229, which makes the Philippines among the few countries in Asia to pass child restraint legislation. The WHO cited statistics indicating that in the Philippines, more than 600 children die from road crashes each year. height requirement set forth in Section 4, and is properly secured using the regular seat belt in the front seat (Section 5).

Any driver found violating this law shall be fined P1,000 for the first offense, P2,000 for the second offense, and P5,000 and the suspension of the driver’s license for one year for the third and succeeding offenses.

The law is also in accordance with the international standards set by the UN. All manufacturers, importers, distributors and sellers of child restraint system are required to follow the standards set by the UN on child restraints.

Any driver who allows the use of substandard and/or expired child restraint system or permits the use of child restraint system that does not bear the Philippine Standard mark shall also be slapped with the same penalties. Tampering of the PS mark or Import Clearance Certificate sticker shall be punished with a fine of not less than P50,000 but not more than P100,000 for each and every child restraint system product.

Mandatory compliance with the

fact, the local residents will greatly benefit from truly knowing and understanding the places where they live and work. The Jane’s Walk Movement encourages people to “observe, reflect, share, question and reimagine” these places. This summer would be a good time to do just that. nnn

I WOULD like to invite you, dear readers, to my third solo exhibit, Res Judicata. Opening cocktails will be at 3 p.m. on April 14, 2019, at the Pinto Art Museum in Antipolo, Rizal. The exhibit will run until April 30, 2019. nnn

I WOULD also like to take this opportunity to congratulate the winners in the PCSO Special Maiden Race that was held on March 23, 2019, at the Manila Jockey Club Inc. in Carmona, Cavite. Finishing first was My Sheltex (with jockey JB Guce), Jayz (with JA Guce) on second place and Gintong Tubig (with jockey MB Pilapil) on third. My warm and sincere greetings to all the winners!

law shall only be enforced one year after the effectivity of its IRR. Various government agencies, led by the Department of Transportation shall come up with the IRR six months from the effectivity of the law. The DOTr is also tasked to study and make recommendations on the possible use of child restraint systems in public-utility vehicles.

The law repeals Section 5 of RA 8750 or the “Seat Belts Use Act of 1999” which states that infants and/ or children six years old and below shall be prohibited to sit in the front seat of any running motor vehicle.

The new law has increased this age to 12 years and below.

In a statement issued by the World Health Organization, President Duterte was lauded for signing into law RA 11229, which makes the Philippines among the few countries in Asia to pass child restraint legislation. The WHO cited statistics indicating that in the Philippines, more than 600 children die from road crashes each year (Philippine News Agency, March 13, 2019).

It is hoped that unlike the “Seat Belts Use Act of 1999” which is honored more in its breach than its observance, the “child safety in motor vehicles law” will strictly be followed and enforced, and offenders be penalized for violations thereof.

Our infants and young children deserve to be safe at all times from deaths and serious injuries caused by road crashes and traffic related incidents, such as over speeding, drunk and distracted driving, and lack of discipline.

They have a right to live long!

Opinion BusinessMirror

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A greener Philippines with Green Tax

Fashion and decency Dr. Jesus Lim Arranza

Jeffrey Galang Salazar

DEBIT CREDIT

P

HILIPPINE Clean Air Act of 1999, Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000, and Clean Water Act of 2004 are some of the environmental laws enacted to preserve the country’s natural resources and to balance environmental protection and economic development. It is evident that the Duterte administration is considering this balance with the rehabilitation of Boracay Island and ongoing cleanup drive of Manila Bay. Green Tax also termed as ecotax, environmental tax, carbon tax and pollution tax is levied on consumers or industries that directly or indirectly inflict damage to the environment.

Revenues collected through Green Tax are utilized to fund projects and activities to offset the negative impact on environment brought about by these industries.

The Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion law imposes a higher excise tax on automobiles, petroleum products, coal and cigarettes. Clearly, these increases in taxes would be able to contribute in the promotion of environmental protection and encouragement of the use of renewableenergy sources.

To further expand the efforts of the government to raise revenues to finance its environmental projects and efforts, it’s about time that a Green Tax be introduced in the Philippine taxation system. The following are some of the industries that can be subjected to a Green Tax: Plastic products are one of the greatest pollutants due to improper disposal. There is also a rampant usage of plastic sachets for shampoo and powdered drink that remain as environmental waste. To compel manufacturers of these products to innovate and produce reusable or an eco-friendly packaging, a Green Tax must be imposed on industries engaged in the manufacture or usage of plastic bags, sachet container, plastic tubes, Styrofoam, plastic straws and other plastic related products. These firms can be taxed based on the volume of production or usage.

Green Tax can also be charged to manufacturers of wooden-based products such as furniture, paper and tissues, so as to be able to generate government revenues for the conservation of forests and trees.

Motor vehicles that use fuel resulting in the emission of harmful smoke or carbon monoxide must be subjected to Green Tax. The amount of Green Tax can depend on the engine size of the vehicle.

Electronic gadgets and appliances contain harmful toxic chemicals such as lead, cadmium and toxic flame-retardants. Manufacturers and sellers of these products must be subjected to Green Tax and must be

Green Tax also termed as ecotax, environmental tax, carbon tax and pollution tax is levied on consumers or industries that directly or indirectly inflict damage to the environment. Revenues collected through Green Tax are utilized to fund projects and activities to offset the negative impact on environment brought about by these industries. required to provide facilities where their customers can dispose products for discarding.

Green Tax can be incorporated with excise or “sin” taxes on tobacco-based products. Increasing the price of these products with higher taxes may discourage consumers to patronize them and to promote health and welfare. Further, residues from cigarette butts scattered in the streets will also be reduced.

Other neighboring countries in Asia have been resorting to taxation as a mode to control the impact of pollution and preservation of its natural resources. China has introduced an Environmental Protection Tax law effective 2018 and Singapore legislated its Carbon Tax effective 2019.

These countries can be the benchmark of the Philippines in the enactment of its Green Tax legislation.

In pursuing a Green Tax law, our legislators must avoid the issue of double taxation issues on the overlap of the Green tax with the existing excise or sin taxes.

I appeal to our honorable legislators, Department of Environment and Natural Resources, academicians and various environmental groups to work together and consider the institution of Green Tax in the Philippines not only for revenue generations but to preserve our natural and irreplaceable resources.

This column accepts contributions from accountants, especially articles that are of interest to the accountancy profession, in particular, and to the business community, in general. These can be e-mailed to boa.secretariat.@gmail.com.

Jeffrey Galang Salazar is a Certified Public Accountant and a Master in Business Administration degree holder. He is a PRC-BOA accredited public practitioner and professor.

F

ASHION is indeed a fast evolving industry. And while many Filipino women still maintain decency in the way they dress, there are, however, those who, to be “in” with the daring fashion trend, have become more audacious in their fashion choices.

From the full dress worn by women in the 1940s to the miniskirts and ankle length maxi dresses in the 1970s, I’ve seen some motorbike riding women today with really tight jeans that leaves practically little room for imagination with very revealing fit. I’ve also seen ladies in malls wearing really short shorts that others call pekpek shorts.

Decency in our present society is no longer a major issue that, perhaps, legislators should consider filing a decency law. Moreover, the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board and the Advertising Board should review its policies, if only to strengthen its control over

suggestive and expletive movies and advertisements. And maybe, the Department of Education should also consider putting back the subject of Good Manners and Righ Conduct in its curriculum.

I remember the years when I handled the marketing of Baguio cooking oil, and our TV ad where a young boy would sneak underneath the table and pick a freshly cooked fried chicken without the knowledge of his mom was flagged by the Ad Board as they find it suggestive and which, according to the board, could set a bad example for kids.

Today, you see a skin whitening ad on TV where women in skimpy clothes would dance to a rhythmic

Deeds, not words Siegfred Bueno Mison, Esq.

THE PATRIOT

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Y brother Lt. General Salvador Melchor Bueno Mison Jr. was recently given a testimonial parade on the sacred grounds of Borromeo Field at the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) in Baguio City. He officially retires on June 21, 2019.

There were other honorees on that day, two of them were my PMA 1987 classmates, Ray Malenab (PNP) and Gochin Zaragoza (Army).

In his testimonial speech, my Kuya proudly shared with the Corps of Cadets the fact that we—my father, my brother and myself—have served government for 95 years. Lt. General Salvador Sr. served for 36 years in the Army and four years in the Bureau of Customs; Lt. General Salvador Melchor has served 39 years in the Air Force; and I have served 12 years in the Army and four years in the Bureau of Immigration. Beaming with pride, he also said that both of his fathers have PMA roots as well—our Papa, Class of 1955 and his father-in-law, the late Colonel Wenceslao Elloso, a survivor of the infamous Bataan Death March, Class of 1942.

After thanking everyone who supported him throughout his stellar career in the Air Force, my Kuya imparted three lifelong lessons of wisdom to the Corps of Cadets.

First, he emphasized to the incoming officers of the Armed Forces that there are no rotten units, only rotten officers. Men and women make up any unit but leaders make the difference. General Mison emphatically stressed to the cadets: “Be good officers of competence, character and commitment.” I think PMA, as an institution, makes cadets technically competent in what they ought to do in the uniformed service, but commitment comes from hurdling real life trials that come their way.

We “stay the course” and remain committed to what we do only if we truly comprehend the purpose of why we do it. As to character, leaders are tested when given power over others. In the words of former US President Abraham Lincoln, “Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man’s character, give him power.”

I have yet to see my brother abuse the power given to him ever since he joined the Air Force. I remember one incident where he, as a young pilot of

Trump must choose: Squeezing gas prices or Iran?

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By Julian Lee | Bloomberg Opinion

HE deadline for the US administration to decide whether to extend sanctions waivers granted to buyers of Iranian oil is now less than a month away, and President Donald J. Trump faces a tricky decision. He undoubtedly wants to increase pressure on the Persian Gulf nation, but in doing so he risks stoking oil prices and with them those all-important gas prices in swing states back home.

Brian Hook, the US Special Representative for Iran, believes oil market conditions are better this year than they were in 2018 for accelerating the goal of “zeroing out all purchases of Iranian crude,” or so he told reporters last week. But the numbers tell a different story. That is going to make it more difficult for Trump to go in hard on the remaining buyers of Iran’s oil. Crude prices have risen nearly 50 percent since Christmas, with WTI popping above $62.50 a barrel last week for the first time in almost five months. Retail gasoline

prices are on a tear, too. The latest data from the Department of Energy show gas prices up by 18 percent since late February, bringing them back to where they were this time last year.

Meanwhile, in the Persian Gulf, Iran’s visible exports of crude and condensate—a light form of oil produced from gas fields—have been rising steadily since the start of the year. Part of this increase may be due to more of the nation’s oil tankers sending out the radio signals that allow them to be tracked, after much of the fleet turned off transponders to

disguise their movements immediately after sanctions were reimposed.

But customs data from importing nations show a similar upward trend.

America’s squeeze on Iran nevertheless allowed some nations to purchase its oil, under a series of six-monthlong waivers. These were granted to eight countries, including China, South Korea, Iran, Japan and Turkey, as the restrictions were imposed in November. An estimated 1.76 million barrels a day of crude and condensate left Iran for those five countries in March, up from 1.42 million in February, according to Bloomberg tanker tracking.

This trend contradicts Hook’s assertion that the US is “on the fast track to zeroing out all purchases of Iranian crude.” Three countries that got waivers have cut their purchases to zero, he added. In fact, those three countries—Taiwan, Greece and Italy—haven’t exercised their wavers at all since they were granted. Refiners

in Greece and Italy have not received any Iranian cargoes since October, while Taiwan took its last delivery in September.

President Trump’s sanctions have been only slightly tougher than those imposed by his predecessor, despite offering fewer waivers. That will no doubt act as an additional spur for him to heap pressure on the country.

But he is going to face difficulties if he wants to get much tougher on Iran next month. Gas prices remain important to the president and their recent rise must be a source of concern.

The deteriorating situation in two of the “Shaky Six” oil-producing countries I identified a couple of weeks ago is also going to make toughening up the Iran sanctions more difficult.

Venezuela’s oil production is said to have plunged by half during blackouts that rolled across the country last month. Heavy tar-like oil began to solidify in pipelines and tanks af-

Monday, April 8, 2019 A11

Today, you see a skin whitening ad on TV where women in skimpy clothes would dance to a rhythmic beat and spread their legs suggestively, if not seductively, at the end of the commercial. I have yet to reconcile the relevance of the suggestive pose to the skin whitening product. And yet the Ad Board allows it. beat and spread their legs suggestively, if not seductively, at the end of the commercial. I have yet to reconcile the relevance of the suggestive pose to the skin whitening product.

And yet the Ad Board allows it.

No wonder some men, especially those high on drugs, commit the crime of rape and even murder if they can’t control temptation.

Temptation, after all, is the desire to do something, especially something wrong or unwise. And if left unchecked and uncontrolled, this could mean a lot of trouble.

As Billy Sunday, the popular American baseball outfielder who became a most celebrated and influential evangelist, says, “Temptation is the devil looking through a keyhole. Yielding is opening the door

and letting him in.”

Indeed, temptation is the devil within man that is only waiting for the time and opportunity to let go.

This can, however, be controlled by a decency law that will prohibit women from wearing very seductive clothes.

The law should not allow the safety of Filipino women, especially the young, to be compromised because of fashion, lifestyle and the absence of decency rules.

The rape and murder of 16-yearold Christine Lee Silawan where a suspected drug-crazed criminal even skinned the face of the teenager after raping and killing her, should prompt legislators to pass a decency law that will define appropriate dressing, and prohibit men and women from wearing very seductive clothes.

The decency law should be able to tame the temptation in man, as even the Catholics’ “Our Father” prayer ends with the line, “And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.”

The prayer itself manifests that people who wear seductive clothes are the temptation and the evil, which the benediction seeks to deliver.

Decency begets respect, much like respect begets respect.

the C-130 transport aircraft, had to practically bawl out a few dependents of officers who wanted boarding priority over Army soldiers. At that time, Captain “Badong” asserted his authority to impose discipline and insure that soldiers board first in a military flight from Cebu to Manila, ahead of all others. While he may look fierce from the outside, my brother, deep inside, has the soft heart for those under him.

Second, my brother Salvador Jr. admonished the cadets to “work hard and good things will just follow.” He continued to say that cadets should never rest on their laurels. For instance, graduating from PMA is good but such accomplishment will never be enough to advance in their profession. In my brother’s case, he went on to take a Masters’ Degree in Public Administration at UP Diliman where he got an astonishing average grade of 1.04! In my recollection, he always topped all of his Air Force training classes. He excels because he works the hardest! “There is no substitute for hard work,” Thomas Edison once said. My brother is a shining example of how good things happen to those who work hard. After all, he was promoted, out of sheer merit, ahead of most, if not all, of his classmates and even some of his upperclassmen.

Third, he said, “never, never, never give up.” Failures are part of our lives, no matter how hard we try to prevent them. My brother told the cadets that they should never give up on themselves, on the organization, and most especially, on our country, regardless of the leaders who run it

for the time being. In any organization, it is always difficult to exert the extra effort when others don’t, yet they get the same wages, or worse, they even get the promotion or recognition. Although he has been the most senior Lieutenant General for the past two years, he was bypassed at least twice in the selection for the Chief of Staff. He might have told himself to “soldier on” regardless.

In the Bible, Galatians 6:9 tells us, “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”

Believers will struggle to remain in faith, even to the point of death in the same way early followers of Christ were persecuted, crucified and stoned to death. Knowing my brother’s work ethic, he will never back down from any fight. He might be frustrated at times but he will never walk away. Growing up as a child, he is most fearless when it comes to those petty challenges we all experienced while growing up.

In sum, General Mison Jr. said: “Be good. Keep on doing good. Never give up.” The PMA motto of Courage, Integrity, Loyalty was exhibited in the professional life of Salvador Melchor Bueno Mison Jr., the 47th Vice Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. He didn’t just say it; he showed it and lived it.

If you want to know how he did it, just ask his wife Cherry or his children, Luis and Maria.

He personified deeds, not words.

ter heating systems lost power, causing substantial damage that could take months to fix.

Sanctions imposed on Venezuela’s state oil company have accelerated the output decline, depriving Petroleos de Venezuela of its biggest buyer and the supplier of the light oil it needs to dilute the extra-heavy crude it produces. Output will fall further as the political crisis drags on.

Libya’s production is also at risk again as forces loyal to strongman Khalifa Haftar advance on the capital, Tripoli, threatening a major escalation in violence. Output rose above 1 million barrels a day last month for the first time this year, after the country’s biggest oil field was restarted following a threemonth armed occupation. That recovery is now at risk again. There are two things Trump can do, and his national security team is divided on the course he should follow.

He can allow the unused Iran

waivers to expire, claiming a tougher stance without actually affecting oil flows, and perhaps trim the volumes that the remaining countries are permitted to import. Expect particular pressure on Japan and South Korea, who may be more willing than the others to acquiesce to US demands.

He can also continue to lean on Saudi Arabia and the rest of the Opec+ group to raise output. The Saudis would be very happy to boost production at the expense of their rival, but they will be much less willing than they were last year to do that before seeing Trump actually impose tougher sanctions.

If he has to choose between lower gas prices and tougher Iran sanctions, domestic considerations will probably hold sway. Expect more tweets aimed at Saudi Arabia and Opec, followed by an extension of five of the eight waivers, probably permitting reduced volumes of purchases for some, if not all.

For questions and comments, please e-mail me at sbmison@gmail.com.

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PHL insurance firms improve in Asean index

By Rea Cu

I

@ReaCuBM

NSURANCE companies and mutual benefit associations (MBAs) in the Philippines have shown an improvement in terms of corporate governance for the year 2018, based on a regional scorecard tracking such entities in Southeast Asia, according to the Insurance Commission (IC).

Insurance Commissioner Dennis B. Funa announced that the based on the 2018 Asean Corporate Governance Scorecard (ACGS) Report, the local insurance industry posted an average score of 41.34 points, or higher than the 39.73 points it recorded in 2017.

“Based on the 2018 ACGS Report for Insurance Industry, the insurance industry recorded an average score of 41.34 points. This is a 1.61-point increase from the 2017 result,” Funa said.

Funa, however, noted that, while

the Philippine insurance sector’s ACGS scores improved, its average score “is still considered low in comparison with the banking sector.” He urged the industry players to review their current governance practices including the utilization of technology.

For the 2018 assessment, the IC assessed 116 insurance companies and MBAs comprising 30 lifeinsurance companies, 56 nonlifeinsurance companies, and 14 MBAs and 16 Micro-MBAs. Of the 116 companies, Pru Life

PHL. . .

Continued from A1

From recipient to giver

THE National Economic and Development Authority (Neda) believes the Philippines is on track to becoming an upper middle-income country. This will allow the country to graduate from being an ODA recipient.

Multilateral agencies such as the Asian Development Bank (ADB) have a graduation policy where countries that have reached a certain level of development will no longer qualify as a recipient of concessional loans, making loans from these institutions expensive.

Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Ernesto M. Pernia said in May last year that this was simply the “price to pay” for development.

Finance Secretary Carlos G. Dominguez said in November that this is the reason the country

must maximize the opportunity it has to borrow now at concessional rates.

To date, no country has graduated from ADB assistance, despite the presence of large economies among its developing membercountries (DMCs). However, there are countries classified as having grant-only, concessional and market-based lending.

This classification is based on the percapita income, economic situation and debtrepayment capacity, among others. These are carefully calibrated such that as DMCs improve their economies, the interest payments they make for loans they secure also increase.

BusinessMirror Envoys&Expats Awards

ON Thursday (April 4), this newspaper recognized donor countries, multilateral development banks and bilateral donor agencies for their help and assistance to the

“This should be taken as an opportunity for them to review their current governance practices for further improvement, including the utilization of technology, and a challenge to ensure that their corporate governance practices are on a par with regional standards.”—Funa

Insurance Corporation of UK (Pru Life UK) obtained the highest score of 105.19 points, followed by Insular Life Assurance Company Ltd. (Insular Life) with 104.53 points, while seven companies— five life-insurance companies, one nonlife-insurance company and one MBA—scored 80 points to 99.99 points.

“This shows that there is a continuous improvement in the performance of the life insurance, nonlife insurance and MBA sectors since the adoption of the ACGS in 2015.

For four years, the insurance industry showed an average increase of 2.28 points,” Funa added.

The life-insurance sector con-

tinues to perform better compared with the other sectors with 56.98 average points for 2018, while the average scores for the nonlife insurance sector and MBA sector are 33.57 points and 40.28 points, respectively.

The top 5 life-insurance companies with governance scores ranging from 105.19 points to 86.92 points are: Pru Life UK, Insular Life, FWD Life Insurance Company, Sun Life of Canada (Philippines) Inc., and Philippine American Life & General Insurance Company.

The top 5 nonlife-insurance companies with governance scores ranging from 82.07 points to 59.29 points are: Pacific Cross Insurance Inc., National Reinsurance Corporation of the Philippines, MAA General Assurance Philippines, Inc., BPI/MS Insurance Corporation and Pacific Union Insurance Company.

The top 4 MBA companies with scores ranging from 80.60 points to 71.60 points are: CARD Mutual Benefit Association, Praxis Fides Mutual Benefit Association, Kasagana-Ka MBAI and Knights of

Columbus Fraternal Association.

Out of the five core principles of corporate governance, the industry showed good performance in the area of equitable treatment of shareholders, with 8.76 points out of 15 maximum points in the 2018 assessment.

The 2018 ACGS report also pointed out that, while other areas need to be improved, disclosure of corporate governance-related documents should be given special attention, including Notice of Annual Stockholders/General Meeting, Minutes of Annual Stockholders/ General Meeting and Annual Report with section on suitability.

“I would like to commend the insurance industry for the increase in the ACGS average score, which serves as a testament to the commitment of the insurance industry to improve its governance practices.

While this is a notable accomplishment, the insurance industry’s average score it is still considered low in comparison with the banking sector. This should be taken as an opportunity for them to review their current governance practices

for further improvement, including the utilization of technology, and a challenge to ensure that their corporate governance practices are on a par with regional standards,” Funa said.

The ACGS was developed based on international benchmarks such as the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Principles of Corporate Governance, the International Corporate Governance Network (ICGN) Governance Principles, as well as industry-leading practices from Asean and the world.

In line with the ACGS report, the IC earlier issued Circular Letter 14-2013, mandating all insurance companies and MBAs to adopt the ACGS and enjoining covered companies to develop their company web sites and post their responses to the ACGS questionnaire with supporting documents.

The Institute of Corporate Directors (ICD), currently headed by its CEO Dr. Alfredo E. Pascual, was accredited by the IC to conduct the yearly assessment of the covered companies.

Philippines in the many decades it has been a recipient of their generosity.

B usiness M irror Publisher T. Anthony C. Cabangon said the awards was inspired by his late father, former Ambassador to Lao PDR and BusinessMirror Chairman Emeritus Antonio L. Cabangon Chua.

“The past nearly half a century or so of development cooperation has seen economists, government planners, aid agencies and our foreign government friends, civil society, all whipping up one project after another in an effort to uplift human lives. But it’s only now that we’ve given ourselves a chance to look back and recognize the ones that exemplify our best hopes in what development cooperation an achieve,” Cabangon said in his welcome remarks at the ceremony held at SM Aura in Taguig City.

“The awards are in recognition of the strong and enduring partnerships fostered between the Philippines and a nation or

FROM left, BusinessMirror President Benjamin V. Ramos, Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro L. Locsin Jr. and BusinessMirror Publisher T. Anthony C. Cabangon lead the toast to the Philippines’s development partners during the culminating ceremony of Mission: PHL, the BusinessMirror Envoys&Expat Awards on April 4, at SM Aura in Taguig City. NONOY LACZA

EASTERLIES AFFECTING THE WHOLE COUNTRY as of 4:00 am - April 7, 2019

embassy in particular areas of growth. They are also in recognition of specific projects that boost the Filipino people’s aspirations for a truly progressive and developed Philippines,” he also said.

Australia, Embassy of the Year

THE top prize of Embassy of the Year was awarded to Australia, a major provider of education grants, including scholarships to thousands of Filipinos.

The Australian embassy also bagged the Embassy Award for education, and Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) won the agency of the year for the same category.

Based on the 2017 ODA Portfolio Review released by Neda, the Australian embassy is the fifth-largest donor to the Philippines with $648.7 million composed of 60 grants. Australia does not extend loans to the country, only grants.

ODA grants from Australia also had the largest utilization level, second only to the United States with 60.76 percent. The US had a utilization rate of 76.84 percent.

“Our relationship with the Philippines has been longstanding. As I said to the President when I presented my credentials 10 weeks ago, it [relationship] is broad and deep. But that relationship depends on a whole range of work that goes on here with our counterparts across the Philippine bureaucracy and in the embassy.

And I’d like to recognize our partners in the Philippines for their outstanding work and their contribution with us and also my colleagues in the mission, particularly the Philippine staff.

I’ve worked in lots of missions overseas before, but I’ve never worked with a group of more dedicated, talented people. And its a pleasure to work with them,” Australian Ambassador to the Philippines Steven James Robinson said in his acceptance speech.

Jica, Development Aid Partner of the Year

MEANWHILE, the Japan International Cooperation Agency (Jica) was recognized as

Development Aid Partner of the Year. It has been a major source of ODA loans and grants for the Philippines.

It also garnered quite a number of category awards, recognition primarily bestowed by the 10 Philippine government departments that partnered with the BusinessMirror for Mission: PHL. Jica won agency of the year for Science, Technology and Innovation; Infrastructure Support; Transportation Infrastructure Support; and Trade and Investment.

“Jica would like to take this opportunity to thank the BusinessMirror, our friends from media, and our partner government agencies for your trust and partnership with Jica all these years.

This award inspires us to continue supporting the Philippines in building a future for the next generation of Filipinos. We share this recognition with our friends and partners from government, international community and local communities who are also working make likes better for everyone. Jica truly values our relationship with the Philippines, and we hope to deepen this relationship in the years to come,” Jica Chief Representative Yoshio Wada said.

Japan top ODA source

THE Japanese embassy was also recognized as embassy of the year for Infrastructure Support; Transportation Infrastructure Support; Agriculture and Fisheries; and Trade and Investment.

The Japanese government has been the top source of ODA loans and grants for the Philippines for many years. In the 2017 ODA Portfolio Review, Japan, through Jica, provided the bulk of ODA assistance to the country, accounting for 36 percent of the total or $5.33 billion covering 36 loans/grants of the active ODA portfolio.

“This award is such an honor,”Ambassador Koji Haneda said. “This is another accolade validating our collaboration with the Philippine government and steer it to the right direction. We take pride in our partnership with the Philippines.”

Project of the Year: EU model recovery clinics

THE project of the year was European Union’s Establishment of Model Recovery Clinics (Voluntary Outpatient-based Medical Treatment Facilities for Drug Users). The clinics are for the non-severely addicted drug users, who form the majority of drug users.

The EU said the key feature of the Recovery Clinic is that drug use is viewed as a chronic relapsing medical disorder to be treated repeatedly, without penalties or prejudice.

Further, the EU said the recovery clinics offer evidence-based drug-abuse medical treatment in a voluntary outpatient setting that preserves human dignity via medical-record privacy and confidentiality protections under Philippine law.

“It’s a great honor to receive this award on behalf of the many colleagues who have worked on the recovery clinics that we tried to establish around the country. For me, it is one of the examples of how we worked very closely, hand in hand, in fact, with the government on the key priority, which is the fight against drugs, and we do that by bringing in European experiences to try to show how we are fighting similar issues in Europe,” EU Ambassador Franz Jessen said in his acceptance speech.

UK, Korea, US, UNDP, World Bank

APART from these, other embassies and donor agencies recognized by Mission: PHL include the Embassy of the United Kingdom as the Embassy Awardee for Science, Technology and Innovation; Korea for Visit Philippines; the United States for Biodiversity; GEF-UNDP as the agency of the year for Biodiversity; and the World Bank as the agency of the year for Agriculture and Fisheries.

Conceptualized in 2017, Mission: PHL is a corporate social responsibility project of the BusinessMirror in partnership with 10 key government agencies.

Editor: Efleda P. Campos

Companies BusinessMirror

Monday, April 8, 2019

B1

Megaworld Corp. net income grows 17% to ₧15.8B in 2018

M

By VG Cabuag

@villygc

EGAWORLD Corp. said its net income grew 17 percent in 2018 to P15.8 billion, from P13.6 billion in the previous year as its rental business soared.

Consolidated revenues grew 15 percent to P57.4 billion in 2018 from the previous year’s P50 billion, which excluded P113 million in nonrecurring gain.

The company’s rental businesses, comprising of office and commercial leasing, grew 21 percent to P14.3 billion in 2018, from the previous year’s P11.8 billion. This accounts for about a quarter of the total consolidated revenues during the year.

In 2018 alone, Megaworld already achieved over 70 percent of its rental income target of P20 billion by end of next year.

“We have already secured multiple pre-lease deals for our office buildings as well that are in the pipeline until next year. Same goes to our mall and commercial spaces that are set to open in our various townships. For our residential properties, we continue to see strong take-up especially in our mature townships, and there is already a consistently growing interest in our newly launched townships,” said Kevin L. Tan, the company’s senior vice president for commercial division.

Megaworld’s residential business

grew 11 percent to P38 billion, from P34.1 billion during the same period the previous year. This contributed to 66 percent of the total consolidated revenues in 2018.

The company launched 25 residential projects in 2018, with a total sales value of around P106 billion.

The company also achieved P135 billion worth of sales reservation during the year.

Revenue of Megaworld’s hotel business grew by 14 percent to P1.5 billion, compared to P1.3 billion in 2017. It launched two new hotels last year, the 684-room Savoy Hotel Manila in Newport City and the 126-room Twin Lakes Hotel in Twin Lakes in Batangas. This brought the number of its hotels to seven by end-2018.

“We have gained the fruits of our expansion in the regions as we saw continuing growth in the demand for residential units, as well as office and commercial spaces in our various townships across the country. As we built these townships, people saw

the advantage of living where they work, and living where everything is just within reach. This model makes every aspect of our business viable and expandable, and we continue to spot for opportunities where we can further grow and innovate our offerings,” Tan said.

Last year, Megaworld opened its biggest mall development outside of Metro Manila, the Festive Walk Mall in Iloilo Business Park, offering around 90,000 square meters (sq m) in gross floor area. It also opened two new community malls, the San Lorenzo Place in Makati City, and the Village Alabang in Las Piñas.

Also last year, the company closed a historic deal in Philippine real estate when it bagged the long-term lease contract to build the 25-story Philippine Global Service Center of JPMorgan Chase Bank NA. It was regarded as the country’s biggest single-lease transaction to date, with around 70,000 sq m of “buildto-suit” office spaces for a single company alone.

Nestlé launches ₧2.8-B plant in Tanauan

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ESTLÉ Philippines inaugurated on April 4 a brandnew plant at its Tanauan, Batangas, factory with investments in the facility totaling P2.8 billion.

Attending the event were Trade Secretary Ramon M. Lopez, Tanauan City Mayor Jhoanna CoronaVillamor, and Nestlé Philippines officials led by Chairman and CEO Kais Marzouki.

The plant, with an area of 14,688 square meters (sq m) manufactures Nestlé Chuckie, the leading chocolate milk ultra-high temperature (UHT) brand in the country. By midyear, the plant will also start producing Nestlé A ll-Pur pose Cream, the country’s No. 1 cream brand.

Marzouki said the company’s capital expenditure from 2014 to 2018 totaled P13.7 billion, averaging P2.7 billion per year. The bulk of these investments were spent to upgrade manufacturing at Nestlé’s four factories in Cabuyao, Cagayan de Oro, Lipa and Tanauan. Investments were also made to enhance distribution capabilities. The company employs 3,700 people.

“Our investments demonstrate our faith in the Philippines over the long term, and express our commitment to participate in economic growth and nationbuilding as we have done for more

CUTTING the ceremonial ribbon at the inauguration of the new P2.8-billion ready-to-drink (RTD) plant on April 4 at the Nestlé Tanauan factory complex are (from left): Batangas Provincial Administrator Levi Dimaunahan, Project Engineering Manager Jose Peito, Production Manager Regina Tart Flores, Chairman and CEO Kais Marzouki, Tanauan City Mayor Jhoanna Corona-Villamor, Trade Secretary Ramon M. Lopez, Technical Director Adnan Pawanteh and Factory Manager Faisal Nadeem.

than a hundred years,” said Marzouki. “These investments, particularly in our manufacturing capabilities, meet the ever-growing demand for our products in the market, as we pursue the Nestlé purpose of enhancing quality of life and contributing to a healthier future for Filipinos.”

“At Nestlé Philippines, we prioritize local manufacturing over product importation. When we manufacture in the country, we bring in technology, generate employment, pay taxes, contribute to the further development of the manufacturing sector and create a positive ripple effect in the economy,” he added.

Among its contributions to the economy of the province and the city, the Nestlé Tanauan factory will be paying additional taxes starting next year. The RTD plant, which generated 2,000 jobs during its construction, will have a headcount of some 80 employees. The entire Tanauan factory complex, with its advanced automation, will have 346 employees, plus indirect employment from materials and services suppliers.

Nestlé Chuckie, a chocolate milk drink UHT for children well-loved by mothers, contains Calci-N that provides a natural source of calcium from milk which contributes

to strong bones and teeth in children. A joint study by Nestlé Research, and the Food and Nutrition Research Institute revealed that only one out of 10 Filipino children meets the recommended calcium intake per day. Chuckie also contains Opti-Grow, a combination of nutrients including iron and zinc that helps improve not only physical, but mental growth and development of children, as well. Since 2005, the sugar content of Chuckie has been reduced by almost 60 percent, making it an even healthier choice for children.

The plant is currently manufacturing Chuckie 250 ml and will produce the 110 ml variant in the future.

Nestlé All-Purpose Cream is a highly versatile staple in Filipino kitchens that is ideal for desserts, cream-based savory dishes, pasta sauces, dips, dressings, soups and even beverages. Over the years, Nestlé All-Purpose Cream has consistently delivered unmatched superior creamy texture and taste, elevating dishes to creamy goodness. The new manufacturing capability for Nestlé All-Purpose Cream will ensure an enhanced local supply of this favorite go-to product, delighting Filipino families during any occasion for years to come.

3 Ayala firms top FinanceAsia’s 19th Best Companies in Asia Poll

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HREE Ayala companies have been named among the top Philippine winners in FinanceAsia’s 19th Best Companies Poll, beating 240 other entrants. Ayala Corp., Ayala Land (ALI) and Globe Telecom (Globe) all received top citations in multiple categories.

Ayala Corp. placed first in Best Managed Company with Ayala Chairman and CEO Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala as Best CEO, and Ayala Chief Financial Officer Jose Teodoro K. Limcaoco as Best CFO. AC also ranked first in Best Growth Strategy, first in Best Environment, Social and Governance, and third in Best Investor Relations.

By the end of 2018, AC’s net income grew to P31.8 billion, up 5 percent from the previous year with strong earnings contributions from ALI, Globe and AC Energy. AC invested P43.7 billion in capital expenditure in 2018, and is set to spend P22.6 billion in 2019 primarily to grow business in AC Energy, AC Infra and AC Health.

Over all, the Ayala group maintains its capital spending level this year at P262 billion, with a bulk allocated to ALI and Globe, which have set aside P130 billion and P63 billion, respectively.

“The aggressive growth strategy that we embarked on over a decade ago has been unprecedented for the Ayala group. Over the past 10 years, we spent close to P200 billion in capital expenditure at the parent level alone to support the investment programs of our various business units, including our new growth platforms in power, industrial technologies, infrastructure, education and health care. Our profitability has also improved steadily over the past 10 years, growing at a compounded annual rate of 15 percent,” Ayala President and COO Fernando Zobel de Ayala said.

Ayala Land ranked second in Best Growth Strategy, fourth in Best ESG and third in Best Managed Company.

“As we celebrated our 30th year in 2018, we

remained focused on developing more sustainable communities that enrich the lives of Filipinos. We introduced two new estates to bring our total to 26, registered the highest level of residential sales in our history and stayed on track to open more commercial developments.

These led to strong financial results and positioned our company for continued growth in the coming years,” ALI President an CEO Bernard Vincent O. Dy. Last year, robust property development and commercial leasing fueled ALI’s net earnings, which grew 16 percent to P29.2 billion. Of its record P110.1 billion in capital expenditures in 2018, ALI spent 41 percent on residential projects, 23 percent on commercial projects, 15 percent on land acquisition, 12 percent for the development of estates and 9 percent for investments.

Globe Telecom came in third place in Best Managed Company and sixth in Best Growth Strategy.

Globe’s 2018 net profits were boosted to P18.6 billion in 2018 by the sustained demand for data-related services, which accounted for 61 percent of total service revenues last year.

It invested P43.3 billion in capital expenditure in 2018, equivalent to 32 percent of its service revenues, and is set to spend P63.0 billion in capital expenditure in 2019 for continued network expansion. Globe continues to develop new products, services and partnerships to further enhance the Filipino digital lifestyle.

“We will continue to put Filipinos at the forefront of digitalization by delivering a differentiated level of customer experience as we constantly improve the performance of our network," said Globe President and CEO Ernest Cu. Other winners in these categories include SM Investments Corp., San Miguel Corp., Metro Pacific Investments Corp., Megawide Construction Corp., Megaworld, First Gen Corp., Aboitiz Power Corp. and D&L Industries.

Meralco generation rates to go up in April

By Lenie Lectura @llectura

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ELLOW alert incidents and a weaker peso will push generation rates up this month, an official of the Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) said.

There is upward pressure on generation charge that will be reflected in the April power bill.

“We had three days of yellow alerts in the first week of March. Also, the peso was weaker in March versus February. For both factors, there is a tendency for generation charge to go up,” Meralco Utility Economics Head Lawrence Fernandez said.

Generation charge is a major component of an electric bill. Meralco will release this week the power rates for April.

“It’s a mix of factors and we don’t know what will prevail. So far right now, with the info we have, there is pressure for the generation charge to go up,” he said.

For April, the Luzon grid was placed on yellow alert for five straight days because of thin power reserves.

A yellow alert is issued when operating reserves have dropped below the required 647 megawatts contingency in Luzon, or equivalent to the largest unit in Luzon, which is the 647-MW coal-fired power plant in Sual, Pangasinan.

“Every time there is a reduction in the reserves, there is also pressure in the spot market prices. We’ve had five consecutive days of yellow alerts, there is a corresponding effect in the spot market prices,” added Fernandez.

Meralco partly sources its power requirements from the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market. Any adjustment in the cost of power purchased by Meralco is reflected in the generation component of an electric bill. Whenever a yellow alert is issued, this has an impact on WESM prices.

“We would like to provide the assurance that Meralco, as far as our distribution system is concerned, is ready to be able to provide 24/7 services during elections. We have contingency measures, as well. Just like in the 2016 national elections, we deployed several generation sets in strategic areas. In case there will be isolated issues or outages, we will be able to provide what is needed in terms of supply through our mobile generator sets,” Meralco Spokesman Joe Zaldarriaga said.

Meralco will also activate its ILP (Interruptible Load Program) when reserves reach zero.

“ILP will only be activated when there’s a red alert and the National Grid Corp. of the Philippines will instruct us to reduce load. We have 500 MW of capacity from 126 companies,” Fernandez said.

Aside from generator sets and ILP, Meralco continuous to seek additional power supply from power firms via interim power supply agreement (Ipsa).

“We are exploring to secure interim power supply agreements. So far, we haven’t closed a contract yet, but we are in talks with several generators,” he added.

Power rates in March increased

by P0.0894 per kilowatt hour mainly due to higher spot market prices and cost of power purchased from Independent Power Producers (IPPs).

The utility firm reported then that charges from the WESM went up by P0.5178 per kWh due to tighter supply conditions in Luzon with higher demand for power and more frequent plant outages.

As a result, consumers paid P10.4961 per kWh in overall power rates in March compared to February’s overall electricity rate of P10.4067 per kWh. The upward adjustment resulted in an increase of around P18 in the March total bill of a typical household consuming 200 kWh.

DPWH to submit feasibility study of QBEx to Neda by H2

By Lorenz S. Marasigan @lorenzmarasigan

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HE Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) may submit to the National Economic and Development Authority (Neda) the feasibility study for the Quezon-Bicol Expressway (QBEx) by the second half of 2019.

Public Works Secretary Mark A. Villar said his group is set to release the feasibility study for the undertaking in the third quarter, and will submit it to Neda soon after.

“Once we have finished it, we will submit it to Neda. It’s a big project at 220 kilometers (km) in length, but we don’t have the cost

estimate yet,” Villar said.

The project is expected to be implemented under the PublicPrivate Partnership (PPP) Program, a document from the DPWH indicated.

It will most likely run from Pagbilao, Quezon to the existing Maharlika Highway in San Fernando, Camarines Sur. Once completed, the expressway will be a faster alternative option of travelers from Quezon and Bicol Provinces to the congested Maharlika Highway, which is also more than 200 kms.

Based on an indicative timeline, the public works department expects to start the construction of the highway in the first quarter of 2022.

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Companies BusinessMirror

Monday, April 8, 2019

MUTUAL FUNDS

April 5, 2019

NAV ONE YEAR THREE YEAR FIVE YEAR Y-T-D

PER SHARE RETURN* RETURN STOCK FUNDS ALFM GROWTH FUND, INC. -A 262.33 -3.75% 1.09% 1.36% 4% ATRAM ALPHA OPPORTUNITY FUND, INC. -A 1.6212 -0.26% 10.42% 4.38% 12.52% ATRAM PHILIPPINE EQUITY OPPORTUNITY FUND, INC. -A 4.0798 -5.23% 1.5% 0.37% 4.53% CLIMBS SHARE CAPITAL EQUITY INVESTMENT FUND CORP. -A 0.932 -1.87% N.A. N.A. 4.66% FIRST METRO CONSUMER FUND ON MSCI PHILS. IMI, INC. -A 0.8603 N.A. N.A. N.A. 4.83% FIRST METRO SAVE AND LEARN EQUITY FUND,INC. -A 5.4631 -2.29% 1.23% 1.3% 3.64% MBG EQUITY INVESTMENT FUND, INC. -A 127.18 9.2% N.A. N.A. 9.2% ONE WEALTHY NATION FUND, INC. -A 0.8717 -4.64% -4.38% N.A. 4.72% PAMI EQUITY INDEX FUND, INC. -A 51.7622 -1.73% 1.96% N.A. 5.2% PHILAM STRATEGIC GROWTH FUND, INC. -A 540.49 -2.01% 0.95% 1.15% 5% PHILEQUITY DIVIDEND YIELD FUND, INC. -A 1.3031 -0.85% 2.65% 4.23% 3.92% PHILEQUITY FUND, INC. -A 38.5217 -0.8% 3.51% 3.55% 5.16% PHILEQUITY MSCI PHILIPPINE INDEX FUND, INC. -A,3 1.0313 N.A. N.A. N.A. N.A. PHILEQUITY PSE INDEX FUND INC. -A 5.2396 -1.31% 2.88% 3.56% 5.66% PHILIPPINE STOCK INDEX FUND CORP. -A 874.58 -1.2% 2.56% 3.49% 5.56% SOLDIVO STRATEGIC GROWTH FUND, INC. -A 0.9207 0.51% 1.6% N.A. 6.91% SUN LIFE PROSPERITY PHILIPPINE EQUITY FUND, INC. -A 4.2854 -0.29% 2.86% 2.47% 5.58% SUN LIFE PROSPERITY PHILIPPINE STOCK INDEX FUND, INC. -A 1.0056 -1.68% 2.57% N.A. 5.38% UNITED FUND, INC. -A 3.6863 0.39% 4.49% 3.41% 5.29% EXCHANGE TRADED FUND FIRST METRO PHIL. EQUITY EXCHANGE TRADED FUND, INC. -A,C,2 116.9977 -0.86% 3.64% 4.57% 5.64% ATRAM ASIAPLUS EQUITY FUND, INC. -B $1.0388 -6.3% 7.37% 1.63% 11.81% SUN LIFE PROSPERITY WORLD VOYAGER FUND, INC. -A $1.2838 2.29% N.A. N.A. 16.17% BALANCED FUNDS PRIMARILY INVESTED IN PESO SECURITIES ATRAM DYNAMIC ALLOCATION FUND, INC. -A 1.717 -2.71% -0.35% -1.16% 3.98% ATRAM PHILIPPINE BALANCED FUND, INC. -A 2.3103 -1.99% 1.45% 1% 4.58% FIRST METRO SAVE AND LEARN BALANCED FUND INC. -A 2.6348 -1.05% -0.71% -1.08% 3.58% GREPALIFE BALANCED FUND CORPORATION -A 1.3493 -3.06% N.A. N.A. 3.45% NCM MUTUAL FUND OF THE PHILS., INC. -A 1.9123 0.45% 1.35% 1.46% 3.75% PAMI HORIZON FUND, INC. -A 3.6642 -1.72% 0.03% 0.56% 3.82% PHILAM FUND, INC. -A 16.5459 -0.79% 0.23% 0.6% 4.01% SOLIDARITAS FUND, INC. -A 2.1378 -0.39% 1.55% 2.17% 3.16% SUN LIFE OF CANADA PROSPERITY BALANCED FUND, INC. -A 3.8326 0.42% 1.27% 1.59% 4.96% SUN LIFE PROSPERITY ACHIEVER FUND 2028, INC. -A,D,4 0.9957 N.A. N.A. N.A. N.A. SUN LIFE PROSPERITY ACHIEVER FUND 2038, INC. -A,D,4 0.9944 N.A. N.A. N.A. N.A. SUN LIFE PROSPERITY ACHIEVER FUND 2048, INC. -A,D,4 0.9921 N.A. N.A. N.A. N.A. SUN LIFE PROSPERITY DYNAMIC FUND, INC. -A 0.9759 0.49% 1.25% N.A. 5.88% PRIMARILY INVESTED IN FOREIGN CURRENCY SECURITIES COCOLIFE DOLLAR FUND BUILDER, INC. -A $0.03602 1.67% 0.43% 1.58% 2.18% PAMI ASIA BALANCED FUND, INC. -A $1.0017 -5.13% 4% -0.06% 7% SUN LIFE PROSPERITY DOLLAR ADVANTAGE FUND, INC. -A $3.6991 1.71% 6.34% 2.71% 11.81% SUN LIFE PROSPERITY DOLLAR WELLSPRING FUND, INC. -A $1.0871 0.06% N.A. N.A. 7.63% BOND FUNDS PRIMARILY INVESTED IN PESO SECURITIES ALFM PESO BOND FUND, INC. -A 347.36 2.79% 2.12% 2.09% 1.16% ATRAM CORPORATE BOND FUND, INC. -A,1 1.8815 0.6% -0.18% -0.12% 1.2% COCOLIFE FIXED INCOME FUND, INC. -A 3.0087 5.35% 5.25% 5.28% 1.28% EKKLESIA MUTUAL FUND INC. -A 2.1577 2.45% 1.1% 1.83% 1.28% FIRST METRO SAVE AND LEARN FIXED INCOME FUND,INC. -A 2.261 2.08% 0.51% 0.9% 2.34% GREPALIFE FIXED INCOME FUND CORP. -A P 1.6018 0.23% -0.91% 0.2% 2.39% PHILAM BOND FUND, INC. -A 4.0258 1.26% -0.36% 0.62% 2.7% PHILEQUITY PESO BOND FUND, INC. -A 3.614 3.56% 1.04% 1.19% 2.76% SOLDIVO BOND FUND, INC. -A 0.9196 1.22% -0.19% N.A. 3.02% SUN LIFE OF CANADA PROSPERITY BOND FUND, INC. -A 2.8842 4.19% 1.25% 1.69% 4.28% SUN LIFE PROSPERITY GS FUND, INC. -A 1.6016 3.81% 0.7% 1.28% 4.01% PRIMARILY INVESTED IN FOREIGN CURRENCY SECURITIES ALFM DOLLAR BOND FUND, INC. -A $453.61 2.42% 1.86% 2.92% 1.19% ALFM EURO BOND FUND, INC. -A Є215.99 1.5% 1.42% 1.64% 1.57% ATRAM TOTAL RETURN DOLLAR BOND FUND, INC. -B $1.1649 4.2% 1.56% 2.25% 3.47% FIRST METRO SAVE AND LEARN DOLLAR BOND FUND, INC. -A $0.0252 1.61% 0.81% N.A. 1.61% GREPALIFE DOLLAR BOND FUND CORP. -A $1.7131 -1.14% -1.24% 0.92% 1.35% MAA PRIVILEGE DOLLAR FIXED INCOME FUND, INC. N.S. N.S. N.S. N.S. N.S. MAA PRIVILEGE EURO FIXED INCOME FUND, INC. ЄN.S. N.S. N.S. N.S. N.S. PAMI GLOBAL BOND FUND, INC -A $1.0615 1.32% -0.68% -2.16% 2.3% PHILAM DOLLAR BOND FUND, INC. -A $2.2536 2.65% 0.5% 2.88% 3.8% PHILEQUITY DOLLAR INCOME FUND INC. -A $0.0580384 2.05% 1.17% 1.76% 1.86% SUN LIFE PROSPERITY DOLLAR ABUNDANCE FUND, INC. -A $2.9728 0.94% -0.03% 2.14% 3.51% MONEY MARKET FUNDS PRIMARILY INVESTED IN PESO SECURITIES ALFM MONEY MARKET FUND, INC. -A 122.28 3.47% 2.19% 1.76% 1.19% FIRST METRO SAVE AND LEARN MONEY MARKET FUND, INC. -A,5 1.0067 N.A. N.A. N.A. N.A. PHILAM MANAGED INCOME FUND, INC. -A 1.1943 2.67% 1.1% 0.74% 1.05% SUN LIFE PROSPERITY MONEY MARKET FUND, INC. -A 1.2321 3.18% 2.46% 1.82% 1.07% PRIMARILY INVESTED IN FOREIGN CURRENCY SECURITIES SUN LIFE PROSPERITY DOLLAR STARTER FUND, INC. -A $1.0225 2.07% N.A. N.A. 0.65%

* - NAVPS AS OF THE PREVIOUS BANKING DAY ** - NAVPS AS OF TWO BANKING DAYS AGO *** - LISTED IN THE PSE.

**** - RE-CLASSIFIED INTO A BALANCED FUND STARTING JANUARY 1, 2017 (FORMERLY GREPALIFE BOND FUND CORP.).

***** - LAUNCH DATE IS NOVEMBER 6, 2017 ****** - LAUNCH DATE IS JANUARY 08, 2018 ******** - RENAMING OF THE FUND WAS APPROVED BY THE SEC LAST APRIL 13, 2018. ********* - BECAME A MEMBER SINCE APRIL 20, 2018. ******* - ADJUSTED DUE TO CASH DIVIDEND ISSUANCE LAST JANUARY 29, 2018

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MWSS: No deal with Razon on Wawa Dam Project unless CA restraining order is eliminated

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By Jonathan L. Mayuga

@jonlmayuga

ETROPOLITAN Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) Administrator Reynaldo V. Velasco said he expects businessmen Enrique K. Razon Jr. and Oscar I. Violago to eliminate legal hurdles to proceed with the implementation of the 500-million-liters daily (MLD) Wawa River-New Montalban Dam Project.

A technical working group of project proponents - Prime Infra together with Manila Water Co. Inc.—will present on April 16 its proposal to the MWSS, for the technical and financial viability of finally developing the new dam project in Montalban, Rizal.

Velasco said he was promised by Razon Jr., who now has a controlling stake in Prime Infra, that legal hurdles such as the pending case on water rights filed against MWSS by Violago, who used to own the franchise for the project that hampered the dam’s development, should be eliminated first.

Razon had since acquired an 82-percent stake in the project, leaving the former owner with 18 percent.

“By that time, the restraining order in the Court of Appeals caused by Violago should be gone. Although

Violago is no longer a controlling stakeholder…Razon is. Razon assured me it will be eliminated. Otherwise, there will be no deal,” he said.

As early as last year, Velasco has called on Razon and Violago to withdraw a legal case to ensure the smooth implementation of the Wawa Dam Project.

Violago heads the San Lorenzo Ruiz Water Development Corp., which has been in partnership with Prime Infra for the Wawa Dam Project.

It was in 2010 when Violago accused Ayala-led Manila Water Co. Inc., the National Water Resources Board and the MWSS of blocking his company’s bid to develop the Wawa dam project.

Upon the prodding of Velasco last month, Manila Water formed a technical working group to look

PCC charges developer with ‘abuse of dominance’

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HE country’s antitrust regulator has charged a mass housing developer for engaging in an exclusive Internet service tie-up on its property in Manila that prevented unit owners and tenants from availing themselves of alternatives.

The Philippine Competition Commission (PCC), through its Enforcement Office, filed a case against Urban Deca Homes Manila Condominium Corp. and 8990 Holdings Inc. for “abuse of dominance” by imposing a sole Internet service provider on its residents. The agency said this prevented unit owners and tenants from availing themselves alternative fixed-line ISPs. The exclusive deal between Urban Deca Homes Manila and iTech-RAR Solutions Inc. as ISP violated Section 15 of the Philippine Competition Act, which prohibits abuses of dominant position.

Investigation by the PCC’s Enforcement Office found the exclusive tie-up hindered the entry and access of other ISPs in Urban Deca Homes Manila. Further, the condominium’s property manager blocked other ISPs from installing fixed-line Internet on units and from marketing their services to interested residents.

The PCC probed the case after receiving several complaints from unit owners and tenants that they were restrained from looking for another ISP, even as the in-house service was “slow, expensive and unreliable.”

Residents complained the in-house service charges P1,249 for 2 megabits per second, nearly equivalent of a 5 Mbps plan from other ISPs, and P2,599 for 5 Mbps. Its 6 Mbps service costs P2,949, almost the same price of a 50 Mbps plan from one ISP and of a 100 Mbps plan from another.

PCC Enforcement Office Director Orlando P. Polinar warned firms abuse of dominance is in violation of and is punishable under the competition law.

“This is a fair warning to businesses that resort to exclusive partnerships to corner profit and hinder the entry of other competitors in exercise of its market power. This act of abuse of dominance limits the choices made available to residents and is a violation of the competition law,” Polinar said.

“Through this case, the PCC Enforcement Office intends to stop the property manager and developer from limiting the market for fixed-line Internet so third-party providers may enter such market under reasonable terms and offer choices to the residents,” he added.

The PCC has yet to indicate the penalty for Urban Deca Homes Manila and 8990 Holdings.

However, under the law, an entity found guilty of abuse of dominance could be fined up to P100 million. Elijah Felice E. Rosales

briefs GOVT ALLOTS P500M TO DEVELOP SANGLEY

THE government has finished the extension of the runway of the Sangley Airport and is now working to improve the land-side infrastructure of the facility to easily accommodate general aviation operations.

Department of Transportation Undersecretary Manuel Tamayo said the government has programmed a P500-million spending program to develop Sangley as a general aviation hub.

“The runway is back to 2,300 meters again. We finished that in January. Now, we’re constructing the hangars and passenger terminal building, and we will also be setting up a new tower,” he said. Lorenz S. Marasigan

CIRTEK U.S. UNIT SIGNS DISTRIBUTION DEAL OF SMALL CELL ANTENNAS IN NORTH AMERICA THE US unit of Laguna-based Cirtek Holdings Philippines Corp. has signed a distribution deal with a Japanese firm to sell small cell antennas in North America, a device to be used by telecommunication companies for the roll out of 5G network.

The company said its unit Quintel USA Inc. concluded the deal with Denki Kogyo Co. Ltd (DKK) for a portfolio of small cell antennas, part of an integral infrastructure for telco carriers transitioning to 5G, or the fifth generation of cellular mobile communication. VG Cabuag

into the viability of partnering with Prime Infra on the Wawa Dam project. It was not immediately known whether Manila Water and Prime Infra together with San Lorenzo Ruiz Builders have already forged a deal for the project.

The Wawa Dam project involves the construction of an 82-meter dam capable of supplying 500 MLD of raw water to augment the supply for the East Zone concession area, which is currently experiencing supply gap of 150 MLD to adequately provide 24/7 water supply to its more than 6 million customers.

The construction and operation of a water-treatment plant are where Manila Water can come in, should the partnership with Prime Infra push through.

Earlier, Manila Water President Ferdinand de la Cruz said the company is willing to work with Prime Infra for the development of the Wawa Dam, with the hope of addressing Metro Manila’s water-supply woes in the short and medium term.

East Zone water consumers have started to experience severe waterservice interruption on March 6 as years of increasing demand for water in its concession area peaked to 1,740 MLD, exceeding its supply allocation of 1,600 MLD from Angat.

The company has been drawing water from La Mesa Dam since 2016 to cope with the supply shortage, but months with no rain since December caused water at the reservoir to reach the critical level, thereby resulting in the severe supply shortage that triggered public outcry.

Manila Water is currently draw-

ing water from deep wells and has recently started operating its Cardona Water Treatment Plant in Cardona, Rizal, drawing water from the Laguna de Bay to augment its limited water allocation.

Velasco presented the new MWSS Water Security Roadmap in a Cabinet meeting on April 1, 2019, including much-needed complementary projects. He said the Wawa Dam Project is being eyed as a medium-term water-source project from 2023 to 2027.

Along with the Wawa Dam Project, the MWSS is also eyeing the 350-MLD Bayabas Dam, 550-MLD Angat-Norzagaray Phase 2 Project; 250-MLD East Bay Project; 750-MLD Sierra Madre Project; and 1,900MLD Kanan River Phase 1 Project.

For the short-term projects, MWSS and its partners are fasttracking the 150-MLD Putataan Project of Maynilad, the 100-MLD Cardona Water Treatment Plant of Manila Water; 188-MLD Sumag Project, which is expected to be commissioned by 2020; 50-MLD Rizal Wellfield Project; Calawis-Wawa Project, which will provide 80-MLD by 2021; 100 MLD Putatan 3 Project, which will be operational in 2022; 250-MLD Lower Ipo Project, and 600-MLD Kaliwa Dam Project; which will be operational in 2023.

Velasco said to complement the New Water Security Roadmap 20192022, the Aqueduct 6 and Tunnel 4 projects would have to be fasttracked. Both projects were started during the Duterte administration by the present MWSS Board and Management.

STOCK-MARKET OUTLOOK LAST WEEK

SHARE prices fell last week as trading was subdued despite the lower inflation rate, which failed to improve investor sentiments.

The benchmark Philippine Stock Exchange index dropped 47.75 points to close at 7,840.31 points. “The PSEi would be trading at lower levels if not for all the foreign money that has been supporting our market. Local investors have been sitting on the sidelines for several weeks now,” said Christopher Mangun, research head at Eagle Equities Inc. The main index was only down on Monday and on Thursday, but the gains made on the other three days were lower, thus failing to lift the market by the end of the week.

“Several concerns are spooking investors. One of them is concern on global growth, but more important are the local concerns like the budget impasse and the coming elections. On top of that, government treasury bonds were the world’s best-performers in the first quarter as investors are anticipating a rate cut from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, which could be sucking up all the liquidity that would have gone to the stock market,” Mangun said. Foreign investors were still net buyers at P2.86 billion, but average trading value for the week was only at P4.7 billion.

Among the subindices, only the Industrial index posted gains of 20.63 points to 11,740.98 points, while all others ended on the red.

The broader All Shares index was down 17.18 to 4,846.99; the Financials index dropped 20.54 to 1,742.17; the Holding Firms index declined 3.51 to 7,732.86; the Property index shed 40.5 to 4,075.07; the Services index fell 16.87 to 1,591.47; and the Mining and Oil index plunged 196.49 to 7,734.29. Losers edged gainers 123 to 98, and 25 shares were unchanged.

Top gainers were Manila Broadcasting Co., Phinma Energy Corp., Panasonic Manufacturing Philippines Corp., Benguet Corp. A, Philippine Racing Club Inc. and Max's Group Inc. Top losers were Cemex Holdings Philippines Inc., PXP Energy Corp., Grand Plaza Hotel Corp., Easycall Communications Philippines Inc., Berjaya Philippines Inc. and Chemical Industries of the Philippines Inc.

THIS WEEK

TRADES are expected to be lackluster during the week as investors still digest on the lower inflation figures released last week.

There will be a four-day work week as Tuesday is a public holiday for the Araw ng Kagitingan.

“Trading will likely remain subdued next Monday, especially if we draw on Friday's muted reaction to the well-received inflation print. A holiday on Tuesday could also contribute to another quiet day,” said Gabriel Jose F. Perez of Papa Securities Inc. Broker 2TradeAsia said there will be lulls during the coming weeks as investors will still digest the buildup in the coming May elections and bond float of some of the listed companies. “Special emphasis could divert part of liquidity on coupon returns from corporate bond floats, especially for investors that have little appetite for risk. Yet, given the limited available window for these offerings, lulls would be a good advantage to position in equities, especially those who remain optimistic on second-half prospects,” it said.

The broker gave the main index an immediate support of 7,800 and resistance at 8,000 to 8,200 points.

STOCK PICKS

BROKER Regina Capital and Development Corp. gave a “cut-loss” recommendation on the stock of Bank of the Philippine Islands after a heavy selloff last week, sending its share price to its lowest level in six months.

“At this point, the next stable lower limit goes as low as P79.85, followed by its yearsupport at P79.10. However, indicators are showing the sell down might be far from over,” it said. BPI shares closed Friday at P81.05 apiece.

The broker sees continued upward trend on the stock price of Holcim Philippines Inc. “The upward trend for Holcim since the beginning of the year is apparent, even if there are some consolidation along the way. If behavior since the year began will persist for Holcim, expect some brief sideways movement this week before momentum would keep it on its upward ascent. All indicators are on the green,” it said.

Holcim shares closed last week at P11.10 apiece. VG Cabuag

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Banking&Finance BusinessMirror

Government borrowed lower in February, BTr data bares

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HE national government has reported a total of P60.333 billion in gross borrowings for the month of February, lower by 44.58 percent from last year’s P108.87 billion, data from the Bureau of the Treasury (BTr) showed.

Based on the data, the gross borrowings for February had domestic borrowings comprising a higher share than that of borrowings from foreign entities.

Domestic borrowings for the month amounted to P59.438 billion, which is higher compared to last year’s local borrowings that reported

a contraction of P1.469 billion.

Broken down, fixed rate Treasury bonds formed bulk of domestic borrowings at P30 billion, while net of Treasury bills amounted to P29.438 billion for the month.

The government reported foreign borrowings amounting to P895 million for the month, showing

a 99.19-percent decline from last year’s P110.339 billion external borrowings. Project loans covered the whole of external borrowings for the month totaling P894.82 billion.

From the January-to-February period this year, the government registered total gross borrowings at P309.131 billion, which increased by 99.7 percent compared to the P154.829 billion recorded in the same period for 2018.

Broken down, domestic borrowings for the two-month period amounted to P192.615 billion, while external borrowings totaled P116.516 billion.

For this year, the national government has programmed its gross borrowings for both domestic and foreign IOUs at P1.19 trillion, which is higher by 20.7 percent from the 2018 level of P986 billion.

Broken down, external borrowings will account for P297.2 billion and domestic borrowings at P891.7 billion of the total. The government was said to be eyeing a borrowing mix of 75:25 for this year with domestic borrowings accounting for 75 percent and foreign borrowings at 25 percent.

Last month, the BTr reported that the government’s gross borrowings for January amounted to P248.798 billion, expanding by 441.34 percent compared to the P45.959 billion recorded in the same month for 2018.

The increase in the gross borrowing for January this year came on the back of higher domestic borrowings at P133.177 billion, while external borrowings only represented P115.621 billion of the total. Rea Cu

Dominguez: We’ll use tech to cut SSS’s overhead spend

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INANCE Secretary Carlos G. Dominguez III, who is also the new chairman of the Social Security System, believes technology and innovation can reduce the overhead expenses of the SSS. “We need to be very prudent in managing expenses because we are talking about the hard-earned savings of Filipino workers. The new SSS law has provided the means to beef up the pension fund through contribution rate adjustments,” Dominguez said.

“Our role now is to digitize processes that will make it easier for members to access services. Modernizing systems will also eventually

save on costs and other operating expenses.”

Under the Social Security Act of 2018 or Republic Act (RA) 11199, the SSS is allowed to spend 12 percent of the total yearly contributions plus 3 percent of other revenues for administrative and operational expenses, such as salaries and wages, supplies and materials, depreciation and the maintenance of its offices.

Based on the financial statements of the SSS, the pension fund utilizes an average of 5 percent of its total revenue for annual operating expenses since 2016. Operating expenses of SSS amounted to P9.48

billion in 2016, P9.54 billion in 2017 and P9.76 billion in 2018.

The finance chief also wants to see more investments in information technology in support of the planned digital transformation of the pension fund.

“We have to do some serious investments in technology because it will not only save us money, but will also save time for the transacting public. Online transactions are easier and more convenient,” Dominguez added. “But I directed the SSS management at the same time to be clear as to when exactly we are supposed to see the returns of our investments in electronic services.”

The electronic services offered by the SSS at present include: online application for SSS number issuance, application for member data amendment, payment reference number inquiry and generation, employment report submission, submission of contribution (R-3) and loan collection list (ML-2), salary loan application, certification of salary application, filing of maternity and sickness notification, among others.

The contribution collection of the SSS in 2018 amounted to P181.92 billion, up by 13.89 percent from the P159.72 billion recorded in 2017. Rea Cu

Perspectives Consumers get price savvy

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AYING less for more and bragging about it has become a trend in itself. Consumers are educated on pricing strategies and are now prioritizing value.

With more options and information at their disposal, consumers prefer to do their own product research.

This is because consumer values now encompass a variety of attributes. Consumers now expect the price to reflect their mission: value(s), convenience and experience.

The traditional path to purchase has changed and now includes extensive research. Eighty-one percent of shoppers do online research before committing to the purchase. Eighty-nine percent of these customers begin their buying process with a search engine. In just a few clicks, consumers can gauge whether they are overpaying and explore alternatives until consumers achieve their missions.

Seventy-five percent of people don’t think that quality necessarily goes hand in hand with high prices. The proof is in the rise of alternative brands that may not have the cache of their established competitors but come in at a lower price point or offer another unique selling point.

The introduction of smartphones, which coincided with a global financial crisis, enabled consumers to become more price savvy and informed than ever before. Modern shoppers don’t want to pay full price and they aren’t afraid to share their opinions through reviews. Thirty-six percent of 25 to 34 year olds in the United Kingdom use review sites such as TripAdvisor and Yelp. Cost transparency will continue to climb in consumer priorities in 2019. The modern shopper will only be willing to pay full price if their other missions are fulfilled.

John Watton, director Digital Marketing EMEA at Adobe Systems says: “Consumers have become savvier, they want, and have the ability, to get the best offers, products and price wherever they go, not just on one channel or in one store. This puts the pressure on brands to ensure customer experience is optimized for every channel.”

The excerpt was taken from the publication, titled “Retail Trends 2019.”

R.G. Manabat & Co., a Philippine partnership and a member-firm of the KPMG network of independent member-firms affiliated with KPMG International Cooperative (“KPMG International”), a Swiss entity. For more information on KPMG in the Philippines, you may visit www.kpmg.com.ph.

MARKET WATCH Commuters ride a subway train in the Queens borough of New York on March 29. Stocks climbed to round out a strong quarter and Treasuries fell amid hopes for a trade deal between the world’s two largest economies. BLOOMBERG

Monday, April 8, 2019 B3

BARMM launches ‘full disclosure’ portal on official financial deals

By Manuel T. Cayon @awimailbox Mindanao Bureau Chief

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AVAO CI T Y—T he new Bangsamoro government has opened an online portal showing its financial operation and transactions, from budgeting to income expenditures, in a step toward full disclosure.

According to the Bangsamoro government’s Bureau of Public Information, the portal called the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao-full disclosure policy (BARMM-FDP) was launched on Thursday in Cotabato City.

The BARMM-FDP portal is the first program launched by the Bangsamoro government through its Ministry of Local Government.

The disclosure portal is designed to enable constituents to understand government financial transactions and how the local government budget is spent and managed, according to Chief Minister Al Hajj Murad Ebrahim, who led the launching of the FDP portal.

It is based on the national government’s full disclosure policy, the BARMM said.

The BARMM added that the policy was adopted from the implementation of the Department of

the Interior and Local Government Memorandum Circular 2010-83.

“This is in line with our policy of moral governance and transparency of all the activities and also the transparency in handling financial matters and other related activities,” Ebrahim said.

It said the portal provides a full disclosure budget, finances, bids and public offerings of the local government units (LGU).

“The summary of income and expenditures as well as the budget process of the participation of representatives from the civil society are also part of the postings in the FDP,” it added.

Ebrahim said all LGUs are mandated to comply and adhere with the policies of the program as he warned that noncompliance to the policy “may face administrative charges that could result to their suspension or removal from office.”

“We are imposing this and enforcing them to comply with it because it is provided under the law,” he said.

The information office said the Bangsamoro government “has the authority to regulate the affairs of its constituents over the transactions of the LGUs” as provided by the Bangsamoro Organic Law or Republic Act 11054.

Lawmaker seeks body to reform veterans’ pension management

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VICE chairman of the Special House Committee on Senior Citizen on Sunday urged the government to create a prototype financial institution that will implement reforms in the veterans pension system.

Senior Citizen Party-list Rep. Francisco Datol Jr. said a joint subsidiary of the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) and the Philippine Veterans Bank (PVB) could be created to develop and initially implement reforms of the veterans’ pension system.

Datol, also a member of the House Committee on Veterans Affairs and Welfare, said the reforms should include new entrants or retirees and another for older retirees.

“The groundwork for reforming and updating the military and uniformed personnel pension and benefits system can be done by the GSIS and the Veterans Bank,” Datol said. “By groundwork, I mean a joint subsidiary of the two government financial institutions. This subsidiary can be tasked to set up the mechanisms, tools, and processes needed for an updated pensions system for the veterans of our armed services.”

Datol added the subsidiary and

its results “would be effective ways to prove to Congress that the new system put forward in the administration-endorsed Recto bill (SBN 1451) will work as designed.”

“The proof of the pudding is in the eating so the old adage goes. Serve the pudding first,” Datol said. “If it tastes good, looks good, and nutritious, then Congress will authorize by law its continuity.”

According to the lawmaker, the legal cases of the proposal can be laid out in an executive order.

“For initial legal authority to create the joint subsidiary, the DOF [Department of Finance] and DBM [Department of Budget and Management] can have President Duterte issue an executive order,” Datol said.

“This way, we quickly produce results which veterans themselves can directly evaluate.”

The lawmaker said the provisions of the bill “look good on paper but will look even better if the DOF and DBM will show how it works in real life, not just in theory.”

Datol said the GSIS-PVB subsidiary can “test drive the front end and back end of the changes before massive rollout on a national scale.”

Jovee Marie N. Dela Cruz

Credit info regulator to onboard microfinance, GOCC data soon

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HE Credit Information Corp.

(CIC), the regulator of credit information, announced it expects to onboard data from microfinance and government-owned and -controlled corporations (GOCCs) like itself, within the next 18 months.

In a statement on April 3, the CIC said this will make the data more robust and representative of the greater population with access to credit.

“However, access to CIC’s database is based on the principle of reciprocity,” the regulator said.

Likewise, the CIC said it will come out with a list of compliant institutions that are compliant to submitting requirements, and may also post a list of entities that actually use credit data in their loan evaluation process. This is in line with the CIC’s support to compliant Submitting Entities (SE) as well as a form of consumer protection by way of

informing the borrowing public of institutions that, with credit data, they may be able to offer better credit options. As part of the orientation on data-driven lending, two of the accredited credit bureaus of CIC, namely, the CIBI Information Inc. and CRIF Corp., have successfully developed usage models using the CIC data.

These units were tapped to present their analysis on the CIC data’s usability and predictive nature. Both credit bureaus also note the upward trajectory of data collections and quality of the CIC data while emphasizing that an increased number of data contributors could only improve the predictive nature of the data.

“Significant talking points were case studies showing improvements in the onboarding of borrowers that have otherwise been rejected while still improving default rates by a sig-

nificant amount,” the CIC said in the statement. “Other interesting features of the data were related to the ability to map areas of credit concentration, high default, areas, and other information that could be inferred by potential users of the data while maintaining a high level of compliance to data privacy principles.”

The CIC is a GOCC established in 2008, following the enactment of Republic Act 9510, otherwise known as the Credit Information Systems Act. The CIC’s primary mandate is to establish a comprehensive and centralized credit information system for the collection and dissemination of fair and accurate information relevant to, or arising from, credit and credit-related activities of all entities participating in the ecosystem.

The CIC issued its statement after a four-day forum among financing and lending firms to promote and discuss

the existing requirement for compliance to Republic Act 9510 also known as the Credit Information System Act. The CIC said the forum promoted the use of its “substantial and fastgrowing” database of credit information to improve the speed, security and profitability of their business while complying with the law. The forum was attended by 211 financing and lending companies and 254 individuals.

The CIC is the country’s one and only public credit registry with 7 million data subjects and close to 30 million contracts in its database. The demographics portion of the data enable rapid and accurate “know-yourclient” (KYC) and identity confirmation while the transactional portions, which records positive and negative payment behaviors, provides statistical data that can improve the granting of credit to those new borrowers.

B6 Monday, April 8, 2019

HEARTWARMING STORIES OF AUTISM UNRAVELED IN AUTHORED BOOK

NESTLÉ PHILIPPINES EXECUTIVE IS MANSMITH MARKET MASTER AWARDEE

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EING authentic and striving to turn your challenges into your finest hour are two of my most favorite lessons in leadership. As Winston Churchill has put it: ‘Success always demands a greater effort.’ Mentorship, likewise, demands effort, authenticity and genuine care. As we mentor young talents, we are making a difference not only in business, but also in our mentee’s lives.”

Her outstanding performance in the marketing industry and succesful Mansmith mentoring through Kakam Gabunada, consumer marketing team lead, has what made Nestlé Philippines Inc. food and dairy culinary business executive Rosa Limba deliver to this year’s roster of Market Master awardees. She received the award in ceremonies held on March 1 at the Edsa Shangri-La. Her career at Nestlé spanning over two decades—from being assistant brand manager to business executive officer to senior vice president—was vital in giving her a citation, highlighting how she effectively spearheaded the turnaround of the Nestlé food business in Malaysia and the Philippines, with the successful launch of leading all-in-one seasoning granule Maggi Magic Sarap in the country as key factor.

T he awa rd a lso ac k nowledged L i mba’s keen ness i n de ve lopi ng

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ONEST, freely told, candid and loving, imparting a hopeful and even celebratory spirit, [and effortlessly educational].”

That’s how national social scientist Dr. Honey Carandang describes in her foreword the narratives of Growing Up with Autism: Journeys of Love, Devotion, and Hope, an anthology on confronting and managing Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).

Caring for children with autism is a challenging task to most parents. The book reveals stories of pain, struggles and joy in the families’ daily lives together with their kids suffering from ASD. With their experiences come the wisdom of animal

individuals across her team, as seen in her mentoring of Kakam.

With numerous local and international development opportunities, Nestlé ensures their employees’ access to talent development programs that fit their needs.

The company believes in holistic development that includes education via classroom sessions, and an even heavier focus on development through professional relationships and handson experience.

The Mansmith Market Masters award is the first and only recognition

for senior marketers that is based not just on corporate performance, but on mentoring of Mansmith Young Market Masters winners.

Over the past decade the Mansmith Young Market Masters award has celebrated the remarkable talent and creativity of the Filipino youth in the fields of marketing and sales.

Joining Limba on the list are Google Philippines country head Ken Lingan, Max’s Group President and Chief Executive Officer Robert Trota and Dragon Edge Group CEO Dennis Balajadia.

biologist and most well-known austistic person Dr. Temple Garin: “If you’ve seen one autistic person, you’ve seen one autistic person; if you’ve seen one autism family, you have seen one autism family.”

In light of celebrating those unique experiences, parents and authors were in attendance on April 6 at the Unilab Bayanihan Center Annex in Mandaluyong City, for a reading session of selected segments from Growing Up with Autism: Journeys of Love, Devotion, and Hope.

Themed “Sharing Autism Lives: A Book Reading”, the reading session was lead by the Association for Adults with Autism and cosponsored by the Unilab Foundation.

FIRST NATIONAL OUTPATIENT TOMOGRAPHY CENTER AT CENTURIA MEDICAL MAKATI

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ENTURIA Medical Makati, the country’s first and largest medical mall designed to address the needs of the growing medical-tourism industry in the Philippines, now houses the Makati positron emission tomographycomputed tomography (PET-CT) center, the first outpatient cancerimaging center in the country.

The center’s top-of-theline machine combines PET-CT diagnostics, which yields “hybrid imaging”; and provides higher accuracy results rather than doing PET or CT alone. Since diseases often begin at a cellular level, requiring PET is important to diagnose metabolic changes. The CT, on the other hand, shows formative or anatomic changes as the disease alters the structure of organs and tissues.

Not only does the combined diagnostics cut the patient’s many trips to the hospital for various tests.

More important, the doctor will be able to administer or advise proper treatment for the patient, upon knowing the result of the combined PET-CT. This gives the patient a better-quality and cost-saving treatment. And as an outpatient-diagnostics center, the Makati PET-CT center affords a relaxing nonhospital setting to its patients, plus the service of its caring, competent and dedicated staff put the patients at ease.

“Having the best of both worlds in diagnostic medicine at the Makati PET-CT center at Centuria helps our patients relax and lessen the stress that comes when getting tested.

Our patients usually come to us for—but not limited to—

cancer staging, assessment of treatment response and disease monitoring/surveillance....,” shares Dr. Raymund Augustus O. Conlu, medical director at the Makati PET-CT center.

Moreover, the PET-CT machine can be a stand-alone CT scan, thus, catering to patients needing CT scans of different body parts for various illnesses; and those referred for sectional CT scan procedures that are not necessarily cancerrelated, such as of the brain, neck, chest or abdomen.

Indications for PET-CT scanning includes early detection of cancer, staging of cancer, assessment or monitoring treatment response, detection of recurrent malignancy, confirmation or detection of neurodegenerative disorders, such as Alzheimer’s and dementia, as well as detection of infection or inflammation.

The Makati PET-CT center is on the ground-floor level of Centuria Medical Makati in Century City, Barangay Poblacion, Makati City. For more information, e-mail makatipetct. centuria@gmail.com. The center is open from Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

THE PURSUIT TO ROMANTIC STORYTELLING

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RECIOUS Hearts Romances (PHR) is bringing a treat to loyal readers on the upcoming Dito Ka Masaya Grand Fans Day 2019, as it forges stronger relationship with its community through fun activities, meet and greet, and exclusive performances.

Since inception PHR has always been dedicated in bringing stories that capture the Filipino’s taste for entertainment. With time, that Filipino taste evolves—as younger audience prefers a different way of storytelling.

Instead of a cul-de-sac, PHR has seen an opportunity. Wattpad, a popular online platform for authors, has lead to the discovery of promising talents in the country. With a similar purpose, PHR has given birth to Booklat, another online-literary outlet specifically targeting Gen Z and millennial readers who are familiar with the brand.

PHR has searched wide for these platforms to find writers of quality stories, regardless of their fan base.

With its new set of writers, it has proven that PHR stands the test of time and is still on the game of pulling

Filipino readers’ heartstrings.

PHR helps its authors build their craft. Every year PHR holds two-day brainstorming sessions for selected contract writers. On top of this, their creative group also sits together to come up with plots that will be offered to willing writers.

Sometimes, authors are commissioned to write for them.

Writing workshops are given for free for aspiring PHR authors. You may send your manuscript through ed2rialstaff@ gmail.com, and be the next best-selling Filipino romance author in the country!

ACRYLIC BAG PAINTING WITH PLAYCRAFTS

PHILIPPINES AT SUNSHINE PLACE

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UNSHINE Place hosts another one-day workshop with Beth Robles of PlayCrafts Philippines. The class is at the primary level where medium, tools and techniques will be discussed. Beth Robles of PlayCrafts Philippines will share her expertise on flower painting, such as anemones, dahlias, peonies, hydrangeas and roses on bags. She has conducted calligraphy workshops and floral-painting workshops using different media, such as watercolor, gouache, soft pastels and acrylic, at the Sunshine Place.

The workshop will be held on April 27 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

For details, e-mail at playcrafts.ph@gmail.com.

A BUMP. A FOUL. A NO-CALL. REFEREES DECIDE OUTCOME!

Sports BusinessMirror

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| Monday, April 8, 2019 mirror_sports@yahoo.com.ph Editor: Jun Lomibao

FINAL A CLINIC ON DEFENSE M

INNEAPOLIS—Slap the floor, bend those knees and get both hands up.

This national championship game is going to be a clinic on defense.

Virginia and Texas Tech are the last two teams alive in the NCAA Tournament, and they’re here because they barely let their opponents breathe with the ball.

Two of the three best defenses in the nation will meet for the title on Monday night, the first appearance in the final for each program. So after surviving a low-scoring semifinal on Saturday, here come the Cavaliers and the Red Raiders for another clash of the paint packers and ball hawkers.

Virginia stunned Auburn, 63-62, when Kyle Guy sank three free throws with 0.6 seconds left after a late foul call. Then Texas Tech grinded past Michigan State, 61-51, buoyed by 22 points from Matt Mooney and bolstered by Coach Chris Beard’s smothering defensive approach.

“I have a lot of respect for Virginia,” Beard said.

“I watch them on TV all the time, and we study the things they do defensively.”

The Red Raiders are now PhD-level defenders, too.

No matter the number of shots made, the trophy will be lifted and the confetti will be dropped either way at US Bank Stadium, where 72,711 fans packed the three-year-old football facility for the semifinal games. The last time the national title was awarded in Minneapolis was in 2001, when Duke beat Arizona at the Metrodome.

The chance of Virginia and Texas Tech establishing a similar feat will be slim at best, considering the record for combined points in an NCAA championship game is 182, when Kentucky beat Duke, 94-88, in 1978. The Cavaliers (55.4) and Red Raiders (59.0) entered the Final Four ranked first and third, respectively, in the country in average points allowed per game.

To no surprise, gamblers seized on the under.

The projected scoring total for this NCAA final opened at 121, and bettors quickly drove it down to 117 1/2 within an hour. Virginia opened as a two-point favorite, and early action tightened the spread to 1 over Texas Tech.

“We just want to continue to be the underdog,” Red Raiders backup guard Brandone Francis said.

Virginia has been a fixture in the top 10 of basketball data expert Ken Pomeroy’s defensive efficiency rankings since the team’s breakout 2014 season under coach Tony Bennett. The Cavaliers entered the weekend fifth nationally with 88.7 points per 100 possessions, a metric factoring out their slower offensive pace and offering a sharper measure of performance than scoring averages depressed by lowpossession games.

Texas Tech has made a rapid rise in three seasons under Beard, entering the Final Four with the best defensive efficiency

“Hopefully we won’t have to have a close game like that on Monday, but if we do, we have experienced it and I feel like we’re going to be ready,” Virginia’s De’Andre Hunter said.

The last big-time sporting event held in this building was the Super Bowl just 14 months ago when the Philadelphia Eagles beat the New England Patriots 41-33 in the second-highest-scoring NFL title game in league history.

rating (84.0) ever recorded in the KenPom ratings that date back to the 2002 season.

Virginia, the No. 1 seed from the South Region, gives the Atlantic Coast Conference a representative in the championship game for the fourth time in five years.

Even with this six-year run as one of the best teams in the country, the Cavaliers don’t have that Duke-North Carolina cachet. They’re best remembered for losing to UMBC last season, the only No. 1 seed to ever be beaten by a No. 16 seed. They’re also the program guilty of one of the biggest regular season upsets in history, when the Cavs lost to tiny Chaminade in 1982 as the No. 1 team in the Associated Press poll with all-time great Ralph Sampson in the paint.

Bennett beamed next to guards Kyle Guy and Ty Jerome at the podium afterward, recalling the pain of one year ago. AP

JARRETT CULVER celebrates Texas Tech’s victory. AP

VIRGINIA’S Kyle Guy (5) takes the three that eventually decides the outcome as Auburn’s Samir Doughty is called for foul. AP

By Aaron Beard

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The Associated Press

INNEAPOLIS—Virginia looked done.

Everything changed with one slight bump, one whistle and three clutch free throws—along with a pretty big no-call moments earlier.

Kyle Guy hit three free throws with 0.6 seconds left to help the Cavaliers beat Auburn, 63-62, in a wild, controversial finish on Saturday night that put the refs at the center of the national semifinals of the NCAA Tournament.

It’s the result of a sequence that will be long discussed, with official James Breeding whistling Samir Doughty for a bump on Guy’s desperation three-point shot, and a no-call moments earlier on what many Auburn fans say was a double dribble.

“Survive and advance,” Virginia Coach Tony Bennett said, “I guess that’s taking on a new meaning.”

Doughty’s torso made contact with Guy’s right thigh as he elevated for the twisting shot, even as Doughty extended his arms skyward and he almost leaned backward in an attempt to avoid the contact.

It was too late.

Guy’s shot bounced off the rim as the horn sounded in what appeared to be an Auburn win. Guy even began to cover his face with his jersey as the shot missed as though thinking his season was over—though he said afterward he heard the whistle immediately.

“That was me focusing,” Guy said.

Still, it took a few confusing moments before it was clear there had been a foul call, prompting a wave of stunned cheers from Virginia fans and furious boos from Auburn supporters.

“I thought it was going to be a no-call,” Auburn center Austin Wiley said, “but he made the call.”

Doughty said he was focused on trying to stay close

to Guy—who had made a key three-pointer moments earlier—but not fouling him.

“They missed some calls and they made some calls, but like I said, that’s why they’re reffing the Final Four because they’re the best of the best,” Doughty said. “You’ve got to trust their decision that they make on that floor.”

Officials reviewed a replay and confirmed Guy’s feet were behind the arc. Guy made the first two free throws to tie it, then came out of an Auburn timeout to hit the third and put Virginia ahead.

The Tigers’ final heave downcourt for a desperation catch-and-shoot three from Brown wasn’t close.

This time, however, it was the end.

“NCAA needs to get some new refs,” Auburn guard Bryce Brown said after as the team made its way back to the locker room.

In a statement, national officiating coordinator JD Collins said that Breeding had ruled that Doughty moved into an airborne shooter while crowding into his landing spot to violate a rule governing “verticality.”

Virginia players mobbed Guy on the court and Cavaliers fans celebrated wildly, continuing their rise from the rubble following an unprecedented 16-vs-1 upset loss to UMBC last season. It was also the Cavaliers’ second straight tournament escape, following Mamadi Diakite’s buzzer-beating shot to force overtime on the way to beating Purdue in last weekend’s South Region final.

Auburn fans, however, were irate.

Auburn Assistant Coach Steven Pearl, son of Head Coach Bruce Pearl, ran part of the way across the court after the buzzer, shouting at the officials before departing. The officials soon sprinted off to the tunnel for their exit amid a few obscene gestures and insults hurled their way from the nearby Auburn student section, where shock had given way to fury.

Police escorted away a few of the most unruly fans.

Others walked away from floor seats in tears.

There was frustration, too, that a key non-call went against the Tigers only moments earlier.

Virginia’s Ty Jerome dribbled a ball off his ankle while trying to go behind his back. He picked up the ball, then kept dribbling with about three seconds let near halfcourt in what CBS rules official Gene Steratore declared a missed double-dribble during the broadcast. Yet replays also showed Brown as

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the defender snagging Jerome’s jersey as the Tigers were trying to foul and disrupt Virginia’s offense with plenty of fouls to give.

Collins declined comment on that play.

The plays turned out to be the cappers of a wild tournament run for the fifth-seeded Tigers that had seen them take down bluebloods Kansas, North Carolina and Kentucky in succession to win the Midwest Region and reach their first Final Four.

INNEAPOLIS—Just about everything Zion Williamson did at Duke created a highlight or headline in a spectacle of a season.

The soaring dunks.

The open-court moves more nimble than his 6-foot-7, 285-pound frame should allow. Even the freak occurrence of one of his feet tearing through its shoe in a fall to the court.

Handling all that attention became maybe the biggest lesson for the freshman, who quickly became the face of college basketball and the game’s biggest star in years—then fittingly finished as The Associated Press (AP) men’s player of the year.

“I was comfortable with it because you don’t really have a choice,” Williamson said in an interview with the AP earlier this week. “I think if you try to force it out, then it’s going to bother you.... My mom just told me to look at it as a lot of kids would wish to be in my position, so if it does bother me, I just think about it like that.”

Williamson claimed 59 of 64 votes from AP Top 25 voters before the NCAA Tournament in results released on Friday. Freshman teammate RJ Barrett earned two votes as a fellow AP first-team All-American, while Virginia’s De’Andre Hunter, Michigan State’s Cassius Winston and Murray State’s Ja Morant each earned one vote.

Williamson had hoped to be in Minneapolis preparing for Saturday’s national semifinals like Hunter and Winston. But the Blue Devils fell to Winston’s Spartans in the Elite Eight as the top overall seed.

“I was just telling [teammates] don’t let nobody tell you this season was a disappointment, because people have got to understand it’s March Madness,” he said, adding: “I mean, winning the championship is not a cakewalk.” AP

Yet that tournament run very nearly ended in the first round with an eerily similar foul call.

It was in Salt Lake City where Auburn fouled a threepoint shooter for New Mexico State while protecting a slim lead with 1.1 seconds left. That time, though, Terrell Brown missed two of three free throws to help Auburn survive 78-77.

The foul happened again. This time, the free throws fell through to end the Tigers’ romping ride.

Duke’s Williamson player of the year

ZION WILLIAMSON is the Associated Press’s choice. AP

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Business

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OLD COAST, Australia—Seven-time world champion Stephanie Gilmore lost her quarterfinal on Saturday to 17-year-old Florida surfer Caroline Marks in the World Surf League (WSL) season opener.

Marks surprised the big crowd on Duranbah Beach with 8.33 and 8.47 point scores while the Australian could only manage 7.17 and 1.60.

“Just mistake after mistake basically,” Gilmore said. “Being my home break—I surf this beach every day when I’m home— you’d think I would’ve been able to figure it out a bit more.”

Marks said she couldn’t believe she’d beaten Gilmore.

“Steph’s my idol, been my idol since I started surfing and still is,” Marks said. “I’m still starstruck by her, so to be like competing against her and beating her is insane. I’m super humbled. It definitely gives me tons of confidence.”

It was the second major upset at the event, which is also the start of qualifying for next year’s Tokyo Olympics, where surfing will make its debut.

On Thursday, 11-time world champion Kelly Slater lost his second-round elimination heat.

The Quiksilver Pro men’s event and women’s Boost Mobile Pro are the first elite events where men and women will receive equal prize money.

The top 10-ranked men and eight highestranked women on the 2019 WSL tour will be among those qualifying for the Tokyo Games.

Paris Councillor Danielle Simonnet, meanwhile, has called for a referendum on whether the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games should be held in the French capital after a recent survey found that 62 percent of 6,612 voters claimed they are in favor of them being cancelled.

In response to the survey, conducted by mobile network operator company Orange, Simonnet sent out a tweet asking Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo, Île-de-France President Valérie Pécresse and French President Emmanuel Macron what they are waiting for in organizing a referendum in the Paris region.

BFM TV reports that Simonnet, the coleader of France’s Left Party with Eric Coquerel, made the proposal as part of her La France Insoumise candidature in next year’s municipal elections.

She said it was in the interests of the climate and social justice.

“With this goal of Paris 2024, we are in the process of prioritizing equipment that does not meet the urgent needs of the population,” Simonnet said.

“We are trying to impose a great metro to connect Charles de Gaulle [Airport] and the center of Paris, while it is absolutely necessary to split the RER B [one of the five lines in the RER rapid transit system]. The daily transport in the Île-de-France region is a disaster.”

According to Simonnet’s support, cancelling Paris 2024 is an ecological necessity.

It is not the first time she has called for a referendum having also done so in February 2017, during the bidding process for the Games. AP and Insidethegames

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STEPHANIE GILMORE: Just mistake after mistake basically.

NETS BOLSTER BID M

ILWAUKEE—Jared Dudley brought a veteran’s presence and poise to a tense situation, helping the Brooklyn Nets to a crucial win in their bid for the

playoffs.

Dudley’s offensive rebound set up Joe Harris’s go-ahead three-pointer with 1:24 left in Brooklyn’s 133-128 victory over the short-handed Milwaukee Bucks on Saturday.

Brooklyn (40-40) made 19 three-pointers and placed eight players in double figures.

D’Angelo Russell had 25 points and 10 assists, reserve Caris LeVert scored 24 points and Dudley collected 14 of his season high-tying 16 points in the second half.

The Nets, who had dropped four of five, moved into sixth place in the East. Orlando also is 40-40, and Detroit is a half-game back with a 39-40 record.

The Nets have tiebreakers with both the Magic and Pistons.

Milwaukee played without MVP candidate Giannis Antetokounmpo, who was sidelined by a leftcalf injury. The Bucks (59-21) clinched the

Wozniacki takes on Keys in Charleston netfest final

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HARLESTON, South Carolina—Caroline Wozniacki and Madison Keys will play for the title in Charleston after posting straight-set wins on Saturday.

The fifth-seeded Wozniacki advanced with a 6-3, 6-4 victory over No. 16 seed Petra Martic of Croatia. The eighth-seeded Keys outlasted Monica Puig of Puerto Rico, 6-4, 6-0, winning eight of the final nine games following a 70-minute rain delay at the season’s first claycourt tournament.

Wozniacki will be making her third appearance in the Volvo Car Open final. The Dane lost in 2009, but took home the title two years later.

Keys is into her second Volvo final, losing the 2015 championship against Angelique Kerber.

Neither Wozniacki nor Keys has won this season, continuing a curious trend on the WTA of a different winner each week. So far, there have been no multiple winners through 14

Player dies in hotel room, fourth round of golfest canceled

Seven-time surf champ Gilmore upset in Gold Coast quarterfinals

tournaments.

Wozniacki, the 2018 Australian Open champion, has now beaten Martic all six times they have played.

No. 1 seed John Isner, meanwhile, has withdrawn ahead of the US Men’s Clay Court Championship because of an injured foot.

Isner was hurt in the final of the Miami Open last week while playing Roger Federer.

Isner has played in the US Clay Court Championship every year since 2008 and won the title in 2013.

The American said “it is very disappointing to not compete there this year. I am hopeful that I will be back on the court in a few weeks.”

His withdrawal leaves Steve Johnson as the top seed in the tournament. Johnson will try to become the first player to win three straight titles at the event since Bobby Riggs did it from 1936-38. AP

MILWAUKEE’S Eric Bledsoe drives against Brooklyn’s Spencer Dinwiddie during the first half of their game on Saturday. AP

National Basketball Association’s best record with a road victory against Philadelphia on Thursday night.

“It was tough, even without Giannis,” Dudley said. “I know that helped us. We just got key stops at the very end.

“I was playing center. They were going small ball. We wanted them to feel a little uncomfortable, having [Brook] Lopez having to guard a little more.”

Nets Coach Kenny Atkinson called Dudley “the X factor” and said his instincts and understanding of the league contributed to Brooklyn’s first win in four meetings with Milwaukee this season.

Eric Bledsoe had 33 points and 11 assists for Milwaukee, and Khris Middleton finished with 24 points.

Bledsoe’s two foul shots made it 128-126 Bucks with 2:30 left, but the Nets closed the game with a 7-0 run. Russell made two free throws, Harris drilled his tiebreaking three and Russell drove for a basket with 59.1 seconds remaining.

“It was a room-and-rhythm look,” Harris said of his triple.

“Sometimes the best opportunity to get a three off is on an offensive rebound.”

Bucks Coach Mike Budenholzer said Antetokounmpo was kicked or hit in the calf against the 76ers and understood sitting out could help him get ready for the playoffs next week.

“There has been a significant amount of success and winning that has helped him be less difficult,” Budenholzer said. “I have flashbacks to the first couple games; he was upset every time I took him out of the game.

When I think about that to where we are today, it has been great.”

Brooklyn shot 52 percent from the field and scored 36 points in the paint on its way to a 66-65 halftime lead. Russell had 18 points on 8-of-10 shooting and LeVert added 14 points on 6-of-7 shooting.

Bledsoe, who played a team-high 33 minutes, said the team would love to reach the 60-victory mark.

“We want to achieve it but at the same time we want to play the right way,” Bledsoe said. “I thought we did a great job of doing that tonight.

“It was a big game for them. So

we’ve just got to move on.”

Joel Embiid, meanwhile, had 20 points and 10 rebounds and JJ Redick scored 23 and the Philadelphia 76ers hit the 50-win mark for the second year in a row with a 116-96 victory over the Chicago Bulls also on Saturday night. AP

KUPCHO PREVAILS AT AUGUSTA

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UGUSTA, Georgia—The charge on the back nine at Augusta National was among the best, this one by a woman.

NCAA champion Jennifer Kupcho, trailing by two shots and coping with remnants of a migraine on Saturday, hit hybrid to 6 feet on the par-5 13th for an eagle and finished with three birdies on the last four holes to become the first woman to win at the home of the Masters.

The Wake Forest senior closed with a five-under 67 for a four-shot victory over Maria Fassi in the inaugural Augusta National Women’s Amateur.

“You’re now part of the history at Augusta National,” club Chairman Fred Ridley told her in Butler Cabin, where Masters champions receive their green jacket.

Kupcho hit the opening tee shot on Wednesday at Champions Retreat, where the opening two rounds were played. More importantly, she hit the final shot with a 20-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole at Augusta National to cap off a big week for her and for women’s golf.

The club didn’t have a female member until 2012, and now there are six. Ridley announced last year the creation of the Augusta National Women’s Amateur to provide a spark for women’s golf.

“I think we’re going to really start something great in women’s golf,” Kupcho said at the trophy presentation.

It featured all the heritage of Augusta National, including honorary tee shots by Nancy Lopez, Lorena Ochoa, Se Ri Pak and Annika Sorenstam. The crowd was larger than any of the 30 players who made the cut had ever experienced.

Kupcho did her part with a bold finish at perhaps the most iconic venue in golf.

“Just to play here at Augusta and have that kind of treatment, I think the woman’s game is really going to

WOODS TO DESIGN FIRST GOLF COURSE IN HAWAII H ONOLULU—Tiger Woods is designing an Oahu golf course, according to resort officials.

Woods will design his first golf course in Hawaii as part of a $300-million development for the Makaha Valley Resort, the Honolulu Star-Advertiser reported on Thursday.

Woods and his TGR Design Company were

chosen to develop one of two courses, while the second course will be designed by golf architect Gil Hanse, designer of the Olympic course in Rio de Janeiro, resort officials said.

A timeline for opening the courses on property owned by Pacific Links International of Toronto was not disclosed by resort officials.

The mixed-use development will include

a golf club, arts and community center, and a health and wellness center in a first phase.

A second phase will include a timeshare, golf villas and multifamily residential units, according to officials.

Pacific Links owner and founder Du Sha developed a relationship with Woods that led to Wednesday’s announcement, said

real-estate developer Stanford Carr, who has worked with Pacific Links on the project in recent years.

The project was originally touted featuring a renovation of the Makaha Golf Club West by Greg Norman Golf Course Design, but Carr said factors led to that effort growing too costly. AP

ANYA, China—Officials at the Sanya Championship said on Sunday that 28-yearold Malaysian golfer Arie Irawan died in his hotel room from “apparent natural causes,” and the Professional Goflers’ Association (PGA) Tour SeriesChina canceled the final round of the tournament.

The PGA Tour Series-China said in a statement that Irawan missed the 36-hole cut on Friday in the tournament at Sanya Yalong Bay Golf Club. It said the official coroner’s report had not been completed.

“The PGA Tour and the China Golf Association grieve at this loss of one of our members and share sincere condolences with Arie’s wife, Marina, and his parents, Ahmad and Jeny,” the tour said. “When something of this magnitude occurs in the golf world, we all grieve at the same time.

“Out of respect for the family, officials canceled the final round of the Sanya Championship ... it’s a true tragedy what has happened. Sometimes, though, things happen in life that are bigger than a sporting event.”

The PGA Tour China had an “In Memorium” photo of Irawan prominently displayed on its web site Sunday.

American Trevor Sluman led after 54 holes with an 18-under total of 198 and was declared winner of the tournament. Three Americans—Matt Gilchrest, Max McGreevy and Michael Perras—were tied for second, two strokes behind.

Going into the tournament, Sluman, who finished ninth on the China Tour’s 2018 Order of Merit, was seeking his first win in a four-day professional event since graduating from the University of Louisville in 2015.

“My heart goes out to Arie’s family and his beautiful wife, Marina,” Sluman said. “Along with the rest of the tour, we are thinking about them at this time. It’s very bittersweet today, and I think the rest of the year will be dedicated to Arie and the impact he had on this tour.” AP

JENNIFER KUPCHO is the first woman to win at the home of the Masters. AP

come out stronger,” she said, adding later that “there’s no bigger stage than this for amateur golf.”

Kupcho, the No. 1 player in the women’s amateur ranking, finished at 10-under 206 and won a silver bowl as the trophy, along with a piece of crystal—another Masters tradition—for making the only eagle of the tournament.

Sorenstam and Lopez say they had to fight tears when they walked to the first tee and soaked up the reality of a tournament for women at Augusta National. The crowd featured more women than typically seen during the Masters, especially young girls with their parents. Sorenstam and her daughter walked with the final group.

The golf was superb, at least at the top of the leaderboard.

Only six women finished under par, and no one challenged Kupcho or Fassi, a senior at Arkansas from Mexico. Both sent a message of their own long before the tournament by earning LPGA Tour cards last year and deferring until after they finished college.

Fassi, who started one shot behind, took her first lead with a pitch over the mounds to 2 feet for birdie on the par-5 eighth. Kupcho had reason to believe she was in trouble when a migraine surfaced, causing vision so blurry she couldn’t see the line she marks on her ball while putting. She three-putted the 10th to fall two behind, and sat on a bench at the 11th tee to gather herself.

“It started to go away, and I was able to see,” she said. “I knew I was going to be able to do it.”

She learned in the practice round on the 13th fairway that even with the ball above her feet on the severely sloped fairway, the shot tends to go straight. From 211 yards with a 3-hybrid, she took dead aim and the shot settled 6 feet above the hole for eagle. AP

orts

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Monday, April 8, 2019 C3

STAR-STUDDED CAST SEES ACTION IN MANILA GOLF LADIES CLASSIC

A

PRINCESS SUPERAL hopes to flaunt her shotmaking skills on a course that suits her standards.

TEAM PASS FOR GILAS WORLD CUP MATCHES

G

ILAS Pilipinas takes on the world’s best nations in the upcoming 2019 Fiba Basketball World Cup in China, and fans could make their voices heard at the venue by purchasing tickets through the official Fiba web site.

Fans could follow each of the national team’s first steps in Fiba’s flagship competition by purchasing the Team Pass. The Team Pass allows the holder to secure a ticket to games of the selected team during the competition.

The “Group Phase” Team Pass guarantees tickets to all five games of the selected team during the Group Phase. The Group Phase consists of all three first-round games and two second-round games.

Results in the first round of the Group Phase will determine whether or not a team advances in the tournament or proceeds to the classification round in the second round.

For the Philippines, a “Group Phase” Team Pass will allow the holder to catch all three games of Gilas Pilipinas in Foshan in the first round and two (2) games in either Wuhan (if qualified) or Beijing (for classification round) in the second round.

The first round at Foshan pits the Philippines against Italy on August 31, Serbia on September 2 and Angola on September 4.

A “Group Phase” Team Pass could be purchased for as little as 1,530 Chinese yuan or $228.

An “All Games” Team Pass is also offered under the “Group Phase” Team Pass, which gives the option to secure tickets for three additional games of the Final Phase—in the event that the selected nation makes it beyond the group stage.

Team Passes are available for purchase online on a first-come, first-served basis until April 12, or until supply lasts. For more information and purchases, visit the official Fiba web site http://www.Fiba. basketball/basketballworldcup/2019.

POWER-PACKED cast—headed by the cream of the country’s pro crop—three of the leading players on the Ladies Professional Golf Association of Taiwan (TLPGA) and a crack Thailand crew gears up for a fierce showdown in the International Container Terminal Services Inc. (ICTSI) Manila Golf Ladies Classic beginning on Wednesday at the Manila Golf Club inside the posh Forbes Park.

Reigning Ladies Philippine Golf Tour (LPGT) Order of Merit (OOM) champion Princess Superal hopes to flaunt her shotmaking skills on a course that suits her standards as she spearheads the locals’ title drive in the 54-hole championship serving as the seventh leg of the LPGT’s seventh season and the fifth stop of this year’s TLPGA. She will be joined by 2017 OOM winner Pauline del Rosario, fellow Symetra Tour campaigners Mia Piccio and Cyna Rodriguez, multi-titled Chihiro Ikeda, Daniella Uy, Marvi Monsalve, Alex Etter and Gretchen Villacencio, all upbeat of their chances at the relatively flat but tight par-71 layout hosting an LPGT/ TLPGA event for the first time.

But the locals will be in for a tough challenge with No. 3 Babe Liu and joint No. 5 Lin Tzu-Chi and Hsin Lee bannering the 25-strong Taiwanese side that also includes former LPGT/TLPGA leg winner Ching Huang, Chen Hsuan, Chen Meng-Chu, Tsai Hsin-En, Yu Pei-Lin and Shih Chen-Hsuan.

Thailand also boasts of a slew of aces ready to cash in on their winning run in the circuit put up by ICTSI and organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments Inc., led by Thanutra Boonraksasat, who outdueled Superal to

win by one in the last LPGT event at Manila Southwoods last month, and many-time champion Yupaporn Kawinpakorn.

Others tipped to contend in the $100,000 event, sanctioned by TLPGA and backed by Custom Clubmakers, Meralco, K&G Golf Apparel, BDO, Sharp, KZG, PLDT, Empire Golf and Sports, and MY Shokai Technology Inc., are LPGT leg winners Onkanok Soisuwan, Supakchaya Pattaranakrueang and Wannasiri Sirisampant, along with Chatprapa

Siriprakob, Saraporn Chamchoi and Ornnicha Konsunthea.

Japanese Yui Noritomi, Sarah Yamaki, Airi Tsujioka, Mina Nakayama, Mika Yamashita, Mayumi Chinzei, Wakana Kinjo, Yoshimi Tamura, Mayuna Furukawa, Ami Sonodo, Mimori Shii, Minami Oshiro, Aya Ishikawa and Ayano Mochizuki along with Isabella Leung of Hong Kong, Singapore’s Amelia Yong and Sock Hwee Koh, and Malaysia’s Genevieve Ling are also among the early favorites in one of the strongest casts assembled in the circuit.

(third from left) poses with his trophy and with (from left) Solaire Resort & Casino President and COO Thomas Arasi, low amateur Jolo Magcalayo and National Golf Association of the Philippines President Martin Lorenzo after ruling the 101st Solaire Philippine Open at The Country Club last Saturday.

By Ramon Rafael Bonilla

D

E La Salle cruised past Adamson University, 25-15, 25-18, 25-16, to step closer to the Final Four of University Athletic Association of the Philippines Season 81 women’s volleyball action on Sunday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

The Lady Spikers faced little resistance from the Lady Falcons with rookie Jolina de la Cruz making an impact for the Taft-based squad, which improved to eight wins against three losses.

The victory enabled the defending champions to solidify their hold of second spot and an almost guaranteed ticket to the semifinals.

De la Cruz scored 13 points off nine spikes two blocks and two aces, while Des Cheng added 11 points highlighted by 10 attacks.

“It was a good game because we’re finally seeing the fruits of training,” de la Cruz said.

“We saw the big improvement in our blocks and services. Those were the areas that we really practiced during training,” said setter Michelle Cobb, who had 18 excellent sets in the match.

Cobb said the victory warmed them up against rival and league-leader Ateneo, which they play on Saturday.

The Lady Spikers gave the Lady Eagles a four-set beating in the season-opener. Since then, Ateneo rolled to nine straight wins to occupy the top spot.

“We handed them their lone lose this season and we know they will be ready for us,” Cobb said.

LADY SPIKERS IN EASY WIN De La Salle had an 8-1 start to easily take the first set. Adamson University tried to rally in the second set and took a 16-15 lead, but the three-time champions quickly regained their footing.

Trisha Genesis and Bernadette Flora each had seven points for the already ousted Lady Falcons, who absorbed their 10th loss in 11 matches.

National University (NU), meanwhile, moved closer to completing a successful comeback in tennis tournament after its men’s and women’s teams advanced to the championship round on Saturday at the Colegio de San Agustin courts in the City of

San Jose del Monte, Bulacan.

The Bulldogs booked the first finals seat after dethroning University of the East, 3-0, in the league’s first-ever Final Four.

Not to be outdone were the Lady Bulldogs, who outlasted the Lady Eagles, 3-2, in the door-die playoff for the last championship berth.

NU will face Ateneo, which booked a second straight Finals appearance with a 3-2 decision over University of Santo Tomas in the other semifinal, in the best-of-three series starting on Sunday.

The Lady Bulldogs, on the other hand, will take on De La Salle in the Finals starting on Sunday.

Wilson Oblea overcame a second set loss to beat RJ Saga, 6-3, 3-6, 6-3, in the second singles to seal the deal for NU. The Final Four loss ended the Red Warriors’ two-year reign.

Mae Bornia and Alliah Ragunton won the deciding doubles over Jana Hernandez and Titan Llavore, 6-0, 6-3, to clinch the tie for the Lady Bulldogs, while frustrating the Lady Eagles’ bid to make it to the championship.

Ateneo’s men’s squad won’t be denied for another Finals trip as Iyo Canlas towed the team for a showdown with NU following a 6-1, 6-4 conquest of Jaffary Cariaga.

Arespacochaga appointed as Batang Gilas head coach

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AMAHANG Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) President Al Panlilio has named Sandy Arespacochaga as the new head coach of Batang Gilas that will see action in the Fiba World Cup Under-19 tournament this June, as well as the Fiba Asia Championships under-16 slated this year.

Arespacochaga isn’t new in handling a team as chief bench tactician, since he coached the Ateneo Blue Eaglets that won the University Athletic Association of the Philippines juniors championship in 1999 and 2000.

Over the years, Areapacochaga has developed a reputation as one of the best motivators and teachers among young players. A soft spoken and mild mannered person, his style of coaching is expected to provide a great impact on the Batang Gilas players as the under-19 team, which includes Kai Sotto, is set to compete in the World Cup 2019 in Heraklion, Greece.

“Sandy has proven his worth as a youth basketball coach. He has won championships in the high-school level and has been an active member of the highly successful Ateneo college basketball program,” Panlilio said.

“Batang Gilas U-19 has performed well. It is important that we give them a great fighting chance to win games and get the valuable experience necessary to be competitive in that

age group consistently.

“Sandy’s demeanor is perfect for our young players. He is a natural teacher whose method of teaching is what our young players will embrace and appreciate. He uses his strong communication skills and low-key personality to get the best out of his personnel,” he added.

Areapacochaga joined Ateneo’s men’s team as part of the coaching staff of Coach Joel Banal in 2002 that won the UAAP title, and with Coach Norman Black that bagged five straight UAAP crowns from 2008 to 2012, and the school’s back-to-back titles so far in 2017 and 2018 under Coach Tab Baldwin.

Areapacochaga also worked with different Philippine Basketball Association teams as part of the coaching staff of Black at TNT, Coach Yeng Guiao at NLEX and at the moment with Coach Bong Ravena of TNT. “It is important that we teach our young players to not only play good basketball but, more importantly, conduct themselves positively inside and outside the basketball court. With his focus on a strong and wholistic values enrichment program, we in the SBP are confident that the success of the Batang Gilas program will be sustained and will eventually benefit even our Gilas Men’s program,” Panlilio concluded.

BLEACHERS’ BREW

The pursuit of mental toughness

PHL OPEN CHAMP Clyde Mondilla

RICK OLIVARES bleachersbrew@gmail.com

DE La Salle’s Tin Tiamzon has two tough customers in Adamson University’s Mary Jane Igao, Mary Joy Dacoron and Bernadette Flora. NONOY LACZA

IN quite a few of my postmortems about University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) volleyball matches, I have cited certain teams’ lack of mental fortitude in getting the job done.

To play consistent for an entire game is rare and what in all probability is the perfect game. That is few and far in between. More often than not, in the space of two hours— the average time of a ball game—there is that ebb and flow.

I have wondered how a team can look so imperious one moment then lose the plot in the next breath.

Okay. I am not forgetting that these are college kids who aren’t fully mature. Heck, we even have folks in their 30s and 40s who aren’t mature yet. So maturity, elusive or not, is also key.

Having observed a lot of coaches in a variety of sports up close, I notice that many of them don’t really understand the importance of mental strength and training. They talk about it, but don’t really understand or teach it. Is experience enough?

Again, if it isn’t solely age, experience isn’t enough. You head coaches say something to effect, “Ang tanda mo na ganyan pa rin laro mo.”

Obviously, it is a combination of a lot of things.

Watching Anusorn Bundit bring meditation into the regimen of the Ateneo Lady Eagles was good, and you see other teams do it now. But in my opinion, watching them employ that technique during games, the inability to converse fluently in English didn’t help at some point.

There is something I tell athletes who I mentor about the value of communication and leadership. You see athletes talking during the huddle or on the court. That’s good, but that isn’t everything either. I tell them that leadership and communication begins off the court and not during a game. If a team captain hardly talks outside the court, what makes people think the others will listen during game time?

Yes, lead by example. That is right, but again, it isn’t everything. A team is made up of disparate individuals; each with different traits, ways of thinking or value systems. I think for a coach or someone in authority to tap into that, they have to understand each and every person on that team. That way, you know what to say, how to motivate and what buttons to push.

I have heard one coach dismiss mental strength training because when he was playing, they never had any such thing and they won without it.

Obviously, this person doesn’t understand how times change. Does he even know how the game that he professes to love has grown so much that it hardly resembles the game when it was first drawn up with a peach basket by James Naismith?

One time, a player for this team also brushed aside the teachings of a sports psychologist.

“They just mess with my head, especially during a game,” this female athlete said.

Point taken. I think that sports shrinks should also be sensitive enough to understand not only the game and its nuances, but also the team.

I believe that sports teams, coaches and athletes should really look into the mental aspect of the game. Just as much as skills training or strategy.

As the ultimate NBA winner Bill Russel once said, “Concentration and mental toughness are the margins of victory.”

Imagine if people could bottle the secrets of mental toughness, everyone would be at their best. Impossible, right?

Yet on the flipside, this arena of flawed people trying to be the best they can be is what makes sports fascinating. Because it is about people that strive for greatness and even perfection.

That is why when you have people like Michael Jordan, Pelé, Roger Federer, Jack Nicklaus and others who sit on the Mount Olympus of sports, they are celebrated and feted as GOATs. I will discuss this with some winning coaches and try to get their take on it in the next column.

Sacrament of Reconciliation

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EAR God, thank You for knowing the essential elements of the sacrament of Reconciliation: The acts of the penitent who comes to repentance through the action of the Holy Spirit, and the absolution of the priest who in the name of Christ grants forgiveness and determines the ways of making satisfaction. May we be strong to resist temptations and sin no more especially during the Lenten Season. Amen.

GIVE US THIS DAY, SHARED BY LUISA LACSON, HFL AND CHILDREN’S ROSARY FOUNDATION

Word&Life Publications • teacherlouie1965@yahoo.com

Editor: Gerard S. Ramos • lifestylebusinessmirror@gmail.com

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Our elegant heritage OLE’ MORABE

TOTA PULCHRA

MISS CHARLIZE @misscharlize

MODEL: Jasmine Maierhofer PHOTOGRAPHER: Angelo James Patrimonio

I

N a first of a series of fashion shows, Barbara’s Heritage Restaurant presented Herencia, a lavish showcase of Filipino elegance, ingenuity and glamour.

“Herencia is a Spanish word which literally means ‘heritage.’ Ang ating sinauna, ang ating pinanggalingan, ang ating roots. It’s a Filipiniana fashion show highlighting our heritage, featuring the art and fashion of the late 19th century,” said Barbara de los Reyes, the owner of her eponymous restaurant. “As I have lived for the past three decades in Intramuros, which is the heart of Manila, I have been so inspired to pursue the art and culture of the Filipino soul as expressed in our cuisine, enhanced in the ambience which now surrounds all of us.”

De los Reyes, Restaurant Manager Winn Mondoñedo and banker Ron Merk (who is currently refurbishing the interiors of Barbara’s and curating the Attic Museum above it) tapped veteran designer Tony Cajucom to organize the fashion event, with the idea of reviving the legendary luncheon shows at the Hyatt and Hilton hotels in the ‘70s and ‘80s.

“We decided on the Filipiniana theme to complement the essence of the restaurant, the décor and ambience and the lavish buffet spread everyday of Filipino dishes,” explained Cajucom, the cocreative director with Mike Guizon.

Cajucom thought it would be meaningful if they chose fashion designers whose forte is strongly Filipiniana and have advocacies regarding Filipino culture, traditions, local industries and economies. So they chose Philip Torres of Angeles, Pampanga; Ole’ Morabe of Rosario, Cavite; Gerry Ereñeta Sunga of Metro Manila; and Rholand Roxas of Queson Province.

Torres is a firm proponent of the pidayit, a Kapampangan term that means an approach to garment production whose basic principle is based

AND THEN SOME: A RELATIONSHIP THAT WORKS D4

GERRY EREÑETA SUNGA

on the traditional home economics maxim of zero wastage of materials.

For supermodel Jasmine Maierhofer, Torres created a red pidayit cape dress, which he said is “an inspiration of how love is the intangible weave that binds us together.” The piece is indicative of how he utilizes retazos to create haute couture creations, breezy pret-a-porter and fashion accessories.

Morabe is one of my all-time favorite designers. A past president of the Fashion Designers Association of the Philippines, when the group still mattered, he created a gold terno with trellis of dull satin adorned with palay stalks “beadery” over a serpentine silhouette in silk gazar with the same embellishments. Also worn at the show by Jasmine, this gown previously won “Reina de las Flores” at the 2018 Mall of Asia (MOA) “Flores de Mayo.”

“From the traje de mestiza to carnival queen to peacetime to glam ‘50s to the present were what I had in mind for Herencia. It’s a dream concept I have been longing to do. Sadly due to limited time and workload due to client orders allowed me no time to successfully put together the whole idea, but at an opportune time, I hope to stage this dream show,” Morabe mused.

Roxas is the president of the Quezon Province Fashion Designers Association, the group that stages the annual Parikitan pageant during the May 15 Feast of San Isidro in Lucban, Quezon, utilizing indigenous materials and farm produce to create fantastic costumes for the parade. The prolific designer showed an intricate Maria Clara creation that also won accolades at the annual Flores de Mayo at the MOA.

“Opulent, decadent and massive” are the suitable terms for Sunga’s haute bijou pieces. He calls the jewelries worn by Jasmine as sinta, or “beloved.”

It’s a limited-edition collection featuring 18K gold Sampaguita florettes, butterflies and leaves encrusted with white diamanté with sprays of golden-hued freshwater and South Sea pearls.

“Fiercest. Strongest. Indestructible. Timeless,” the outlandish designer said of his equally gorgeous jewelry that he creates with assistance from his life partner George Yano.

“Personally, Herencia is Barbara’s fitting tribute to all of us Filipinos, both young and old, to be cherished, remembered and revered for all generations to come,” Barbara de los Reyes said.

“If we succeed in this endeavor, we have on our list the names of Steve de Leon, Edgar Madamba, Barge Ramos, Edgar San Diego, Ditta Sandico, Patis Tesoro and others,” said Cajucom. “We can dream naman, ‘di ba?”

PHILIP TORRES

Monday, April 8, 2019 D1

RHOLAND ROXAS

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Monday, April 8, 2019

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Unilever commits to purpose-led, future-fit beauty

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z

By Pauline Joy Gutierrez

AST year Dove and Cartoon Network collaborated to create a series of advertisements using Steven Universe characters for the “Dove Self-Esteem Project,” a body positivity campaign that started in 2004. Among the six clips, which can be found on www. stevenuniverseselfesteem.com.ph, one is a music video, titled “We Deserve to Shine.” Here, the Crystal Gems, along with some friends, sing: “We’ll figure it out, there’s plenty of time. For everybody and every mind! And every facet to finally find, that we deserve to shine!”

The idea behind the initiative, according to the Dove web site, is to help young people overcome body image issues and fulfill their potential by building confidence and self-esteem. The Steven Universe series has a collective viewership of 5.4 million and has been continually praised for its themes of inclusion.

In 2013, Dove also partnered with The World Association of Girl Guides, Girl Scouts and Girl Scouts of the Philippines to develop and deliver self-esteem education through the nonformal educational tool “Free Being Me” and the “Uniquely Me” modules developed for 7- to 14-year-olds. The project was able to reach out to millions of young people across 168 countries, including the Philippines, which recently hosted the #ConfidentGirl forum.

“Each brand under the Unilever Beauty and Personal Care category has its own thrust, acting as a compass for all its campaigns and innovations,” said Dorothy Dee-Ching, Unilever Philippines vice president for Personal Care, during a recent beauty summit. “It’s not just about what products we put out, but also why we develop them at all. We want Filipinos to feel they are being cared for by the brands they love.”

She added that the “Beauty That Cares” philosophy is grounded to care for the people, the society and the planet through campaigns that aim to help young people develop their self-esteem at an early age, support a positive change in society by encouraging people to fight for their right to love whom they wish, and by pushing for sustainability in the beauty business.

Meanwhile, Closeup Philippines’s “Free To Love” commercials, which featured the stories of siblings Joey and Angie Mead King, newlywed couple Tim Yap and Javi Martinez Pardo, and longtime partners Beauty Gonzalez and Norman Crisologo, underscore Unilever’s second thrust: acceptance of all relationships, because, as Unilever believes, while getting close to someone you love is a universal instinct, it is not yet a universal right.

In a 2018 study by the brand, “Will Love Always Win, A Close-up on the Freedom to Love,” it states that 53 percent of youths are afraid of discrimination, judgment or public shame, while 47 percent are hiding their relationships for fear of family or peer disapproval. Despite this, three in four youths interviewed had pursued unconventional relationships, yet one in two of those youths kept their unconventional relationships a secret.

It also said that nine in 10 youths wish for a society where people are free to be with the person they are attracted to, but fewer than three in five youths feel they actually have that freedom. “At the heart of everything we do as a company is our consumer,” said Dee-Ching, “Every product and campaign we develop stems from an insight, a desire they’ve expressed and espouses our thrust of Beauty That Cares.”

The Unilever executive also talked up the company’s latest efforts in protecting the environment: The Unilever Sustainable Living Plan.

Part of this initiative was the launch of the company’s first-ever refilling center. To be introduced in three Ayala Malls this summer for its pilot run, the All Things Hair Refillery station is a new way for consumers to get Unilever hair-care brands without the additional packaging waste.

Today’s market, Dee-Ching said, is becoming increasingly sensitive to ethical and environmental issues. She argued that social media can potentially act both as a bullhorn and tallying system needed to show that not only are people demanding positive change for the environment but also encourage more people to live consciously by leaving a lesser and lesser waste footprint.

By going to the Refillery station, consumers can get discounts for their preferred shampoo or conditioner. They just need to bring their own empty bottle, and simply pay for the weight of the product they restock on. In case they don’t have one on hand, they can purchase a 100-percent recyclable bottle from the Refillery for P10.

If consumers have old plastic bottles or sachets they want to dispose of, they can leave them at the refillery station, and Unilever Philippines will take care of upcycling them with its partners, Linis Ganda Recycling Network and Villar SIPAG Foundation.

“This is just the beginning,” Dee-Ching adds. “We hope to be able to roll out the Refillery in more areas in the Philippines, as well as extend it to our other brands.”

Sustainable beauty is also about the end-to-end process—from product manufacturing to marketing. The beauty giant’s new vegan and ethical brand, Love Beauty and Planet, addresses this new consumer needs with a special focus on millennials.

Two new collections under the brand were introduced during the summit: the Coconut Oil and Ylang-Ylang collection, and the Coconut Water and Mimosa Flower collection. Love Beauty and Planet is certified vegan and cruelty-free, with zero silicones, dyes, parabens or colorants. The brand also infuses fast-rinse technology into their conditioners, which means that it will break down and wash off faster, leading consumers to use less water in the shower. Each bottle is made with 100 percent post-consumer recycled plastic and is 100 percent recyclable, too.

Today’s Horoscope

By Eugenia Last

CELEBRITIES BORN ON THIS DAY: Taylor Kitsch, 38; Patricia Arquette, 51; Robin Wright, 53; John Schneider, 59.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY: The best opportunities are the ones you research and make happen yourself. Consider the possibilities; take the most natural approach to reaching your objective. Staying on course and making changes along the way that promote success are encouraged.

If you let someone interfere or take over, you will lose momentum, as well as control of the outcome. Your lucky numbers are 5, 12, 17, 21, 26, 38, 42.

a

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Change the way you handle money matters or earn your living.

A chance to do something physical for extra cash will be rewarding and boost your confidence. Don’t let a change someone makes ruin your plans. Do your own thing. «««

b

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Don’t hesitate to make a change. Seize the moment and go after what you want. Put everything in order before you share you plans. Being fully prepared will prevent someone from meddling in your affairs. Be proactive, not stubborn. «««

c IAN CALIMBAHIN, senior assistant brand manager and project lead for All Things Hair.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Be sensitive to other people’s concerns and issues. You can make suggestions, but don’t take over or take on something that isn’t your problem. Don’t offer to pay for someone else’s mistake or let anyone take advantage of you. «««

d

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Partnerships should be a priority. Much can be accomplished at work or at home if you work alongside others. Your input, memory and experience will serve you well when trying to bring about positive change. Romance is on the rise. ««««

e

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Don’t be surprised if someone makes an unexpected change or decision. Look at your options, but don’t react until you have a plan in place. Network or attend a conference or meeting that will give you the chance to make suggestions. ««

f

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Share your thoughts and intentions, and be open to suggestions. A change can be made that will encourage progress if you take your time and don’t respond with criticism or anger. Give others a chance to express new possibilities. «««««

g

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): You may feel like getting away, but before you do, be sure to take care of your responsibilities. Don’t let a challenge get you down or stand in your way. Approach problems head-on to keep moving forward. «««««

h FROM left: Paolo David, marketing director for Skincare; Cara Favila, marketing director for Oral Care and Deos; Dorothy Dee-Ching, vice president for Beauty and Personal Care; Apples Aberin, Head of PR; Ann Esteves, marketing director for Haircare; Clint Raypon, Premium Business Group manager

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Don’t let what’s happened in the past weigh you down or hold you back. Concentrate on the present and the people you enjoy being around. Good relationships will develop if you surround yourself with creative people. Love and romance will improve your life. «««

i

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Listen carefully and don’t respond in haste. Mull over what’s being said or offered, and consider what’s good for you and what isn’t. Stick to the ideas and plans that won’t jeopardize your reputation or important relationships. «««

j

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Work from home if possible, or take care of business you’ve left undone. Don’t give anyone access to personal information or passwords. A domestic project will add to the value of your place and please someone you love.

Romance is highlighted. «««««

k

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Don’t let the changes going on around you stress you out.

Pay close attention to what it is that will make you happy, and head in that direction. Making personal improvements to your environment and supporting causes you believe in will be rewarding. ««

l

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Mix the old with the new in order to come up with something worthwhile. Get involved in an event that gives you a chance to voice your opinion and bring about positive change. Personal improvements and romance are favored. «««« LOVE Beauty and Planet’s first three collections: Tea Tree Oil and Vetiver, Murumuru Butter and Bulgarian Rose, and Argan Oil and Lavender.

BIRTHDAY BABY: You are secretive, adaptable and open-minded. You are ambitious and playful.

‘many happy returns’ BY HELEN T. VERONGOS AND WILL NEDIGER The Universal Crossword/Edited by Timothy E. Parker

ACROSS 1 “Law & Order” spin-off, briefly 4 Radio options 8 Sean Lennon, to Elton John 14 She lays eggs 15 Grain structure 16 Egyptian sun deity 17 *Metaphorical coin that returns at the worst moments 19 Yesterday, today 20 Heads the cast of 21 Pottery shard, perhaps 22 Antacid brand 23 *Weapon that returns to its thrower 27 Before, in verse 28 “___ Thrills” (2016 Sia hit) 30 Heavy British weight 31 It’s parted in the Bible 33 Vardalos or Long 35 ___-to-know basis 36 *Weed that returns when you mow it down 39 Bhutan’s continent 42 “Comp” follower, at college

3 Playwright Eugene 4 47 Rock fans with spiky hair, maybe 49 Showing no feeling 51 ___ de Janeiro 52 *Dog that returns with game 54 Take Marie Kondo’s advice 55 Fencing swords 56 Cards ___ Humanity (party game) 59 Fundamentals 61 *What the starred answers do (Hint: Read them right-to-left!)

62 Noisy crib toy 63 Singers’ club type 64 Docs’ grp.

65 Sad-faced hound 66 Journalist’s focus 67 Badminton barrier DOWN 1 Pettifogging lawyer 2 Risky undertaking 3 Like a secret Santa 4 Egyptian cobras 5 Knee-covering skirt 6 Projecting rim

7 Angry crowd 8 Fortnite pro, e.g.

9 Folded brunch dish 10 Literally “half world” 11 Frozen, colorful treat 12 Former Bruin Bobby 13 Opposing vote 18 Hosp. areas 21 Speedy 24 2018 Hannah Gadsby special 25 Young toddler’s age 26 Place to dream 28 Top exec 29 Pellets that pelt 32 Chaotic, dangerous places 34 Secret author: Abbr.

37 Menus 38 Anagram of 13-Down 39 Car loan initials 40 Take legal action 41 Buys funds, say 44 Tony Stark’s alter ego 45 Like a gymnast 46 Telephone pole sign

8 Fin de ___ 4 50 Prophet 53 Briefly unplug, perhaps 54 Tether 57 Greek earth mother 58 “Wanna make ___?”

59 Texter’s “Just a sec” 60 Tire-changing org.

61 The Americans spy grp.

Solution to Friday’s puzzle:

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Monday, April 8, 2019

D3

It’s official: Derek Ramsay signs with GMA

FROM left: EVP and CFO Felipe S. Yalong, President and COO Gilberto R. Duavit Jr., Derek Ramsay, Chairman and CEO Atty. Felipe L. Gozon, SVP for EG Lilybeth G. Rasonable and Jojie Dingcong

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FTER months of rumors swirling around the matter, April 3 brought about the confirmation: Derek Ramsay—matinee idol, sex symbol, multi-awarded actor, and major box-office draw—has signed an exclusive contract with media giant GMA, the latest chapter in the actor’s high-flying career that will see him headline some of the network’s major series offerings, along with a slew of movies.

Present during the signing were GMA Network Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Atty. Felipe L. Gozon, President and Chief Operating Officer Gilberto R. Duavit Jr., Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Felipe S. Yalong, GMA Worldwide Inc. and GMA Network Films President Atty. Annette Gozon Valdes, Senior Vice President for Entertainment Group Lilybeth G. Rasonable, First Vice President for Program Management Jose Mari R. Abacan, Chief Risk Officer and First Vice President for Corporate Strategic Planning and Program Support Department Regie C. Bautista, Vice President for Drama Productions Redgie A. Magno, Vice President for Corporate Affairs and Communications Angela Javier Cruz, Senior Assistant Vice President for Alternative Productions Gigi Santiago-Lara, Assistant Vice President for Drama Cheryl Ching-Sy and Senior Program Manager Camille Hermoso-Hafezan.

Joining Derek in the signing were his mother Remedios Ramsay, Manager Jojie Dingcong and Atty.

Maria Falcon.

Derek, who began his career as a host in hit noontime show Eat Bulaga, expressed his gratitude to GMA for warmly welcoming him home: “It feels so surreal. During our first meeting, we had a great time. They really looked at who I was and it was all about getting to know me and my family. They understood that this was a big transition for me and gave me the time to prepare my mind and body. I’ve been waiting for this for a long time.”

The actor added that he is eager to start working in GMA, feeling truly excited for this new chapter in his career. “What I noticed sa Kapuso, they always take risks. They don’t just

serve the same thing on the table all the time. And that’s the way I am: I like taking risks. The bigger the risk, the bigger the possible success. It’s gotten me to where I am now. I like challenging projects and that’s what I found here at GMA. I’m working on a new series which I think is very different and very exciting,” he shared.

With almost two decades in show business, Derek is considered as one of the entertainment industry’s very talented actors. He is at the top of his game and continues to deliver solid performances both in the small and big screens. He has unquestionably cemented his dramatic chops with notable performances in various films which earned him two Best Actor awards and other recognitions.

During the contract signing, Atty. Gozon enthusiastically welcomed Derek to its roster of talents, “We are pleased to have you in the Kapuso Network. With your exceptional talent, we believe that you can achieve greater heights with us. Congratulations on being a Kapuso. Welcome to GMA,” he said.

Yalong, in turn, expressed his happiness to have Derek in the network, “Derek, I’d like to welcome you as our newest Kapuso. We wish you the best of luck as you begin your journey with us. We’re looking forward to your projects with the leading network in the country.

Congratulations, Kapuso.

Meanwhile, Gozon Valdes is happy that Derek is now with GMA: “Having you in the Kapuso Network is truly an honor. We can’t wait to see you accomplish many more milestones in your career with us. I want you to know that you have our full support. Welcome to GMA,” she said.

Rasonable gave hints on Derek’s first project as GMA star. “We wanted to make sure that everything is ironed out with Derek. And now that it is, he’s going to star in an exciting prime-time program, The Better Woman, with Andrea Torres.”

At present, Derek is one of the most in-demand endorsers, most admired male personalities, and most bankable leading men in the country. With his undeniable talent and gorgeous looks, Derek is no doubt a perfect fit for GMA.

Dingdong Dantes, another top GMA star, is delighted to have Derek in the network and happy that he decided to have GMA as his permanent home, “Alam mo dito sa (GMA), very warm kasi lahat ng tao sa isa’t isa. Para bang hindi trabaho ang ginagawa mo. Para talagang pamilya pero Kapuso. I’m sure Derek is going to look forward to his every working day here. Finally, nandito ka na. Masayangmasaya ako na dininig mo ang sinasabi ng ‘yong puso. So, welcome Kapusong Derek!” he said.

Derek’s longtime friend and fellow GMA actor John Estrada is likewise very happy to welcome him to the network. “Derek is very professional. He comes to the set prepared. He does his homework. Magaling din makipagjoke ’yan. So, I don’t think anybody or ’yung mga costars ni Derek will really have a hard time dealing with him kasi masarap s’ya kasama. Welcome to GMA, Derek. I’m really sure that they will take care of you,” he shared.

One of GMA’s top female stars, Jennylyn Mercado, who has worked with Derek on two very successful movies, is thrilled to be able to work with him again as a GMA star. “Si Derek sobrang saya katrabaho.

Mapag-bigay siya— kumbaga tutulungan ka niya sa lahat ng mga eksena. Very friendly din.

Iba ‘yung foundation ng friendship namin.

Magaan siya ka-trabaho at very understanding.

Sana makatrabaho kita again soon. Good luck sa bago mong show,” said Mercado.

‘The Aces’ concert lives up to expectations ALL ACCESS RICKY GALLARDO

rickygallardoTFI@gmail.com

DESPITE the heavy traffic we encountered, we made it on time to the Araneta Coliseum to catch the start of the much talked-about concert of Lani Misalucha, Jona and Darren Espanto. Billed as The Aces, the triumvirate exploded immediately as soon as they entered the wonderfully designed stage and opened with “Everybody Wants to Rule the World,” popularized by the now iconic Tears for Fears.

Although the venue wasn’t filled to the rafters, the energy that night reached the ceiling of the Big Dome, with each of the three singers giving their very best to regale the crowd. Their follow-up number “Don’t Stop Me Now” was also warmly received by the crowd.

But the individual showcase came quite early in the program with Darren vocally slaying the song “Never Enough.” Then, all of Araneta was in suspended disbelief when the diminutive Jona rendered the classic “Somewhere Over the Rainbow,” perhaps the best number of the entire evening.

Jona, who used to carry the name Jonalyn Viray, is a product of the now-defunct talent search of GMA, called Pinoy Pop Superstar. Only 15 at that time, she was the grand winner in 2005, taking the title based on pure vocal merit alone and very fair judging.

Many started to get impressed by her very clean and clear vocals but her career was

FROM left: Lani Misalucha, Darren Espanto and Jona

neither here nor there after she won. When she made the big move to ABS-CBN in 2016, her star started to shine brighter. She eventually launched her album which scored gold and platinum certifications.

During The Aces concert, Jona held her very own against the more experienced Lani Misalucha. She also surprised us with her rendition of Jennifer Lopez’s “Love Don’t Cost a Thing,” complete with very sleek dance moves.

Misalucha, meanwhile, wowed the audience with her effortless but powerful rendition of “Bridge Over Troubled Water.”

She also soared very high with “Let It Be,” a classic of The Beatles; and “How Can You Mend a Broken Heart,” an original of the ‘70s band Bee Gees.

Espanto had his share of big moments, too. We were hooked on the 17-year-old when he sang “Shallow” (from the movie A Star is Born) and his part in The Phantom of The Opera

medley. His legion of fans were cheering his every song and every move.

There was also a good selection of original Filipino songs like “Kathang Isip” (Ben & Ben), “Tagpuan” (Moira de la Torre) and “Di Na Muli” (Itchyworms). The trio also had so much fun with its amazing version of the Sampaguita classic “Nosi Balasi.” As expected, they also sang their signature anthems: Espanto with “Alam,” Jona with “Maghihintay Ako,” and Misalucha with “Bukas na Lang Kita Mamahalin.”

It was also announced that the show will have its Canadian tour in September, a deal which makes producer Calvin Chua of CCC Productions very happy.

“All we wanted was to give the audience a very good show, with world-class artists.

Lani, Darren and Jona certainly lived up to our expectations! And we are simply grateful to everyone who doesn’t get tired of supporting our local talents,” said Chua.

D4 Monday, April 8, 2019

Style

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A relationship that works

ACTRESS Sylvia Sanchez

AND THEN SOME DINNA CHAN VASQUEZ @dinnachanvasquez luckydinna@gmail.com

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HE relationship between Beautederm Corp., founded and established in 2009 by President and Chief Rhea Anicoche-Tan, and actress Sylvia Sanchez goes beyond business.

“Sylvia is a good friend. She also owns a Beautederm franchise in Butuan, where she is from,” said Rhea during the renewal of the actress’ contract as the brand’s endorser.

Rhea was also always asked why she chose Sylvia when there are so many younger celebrities.

“Sylvia is a beautiful and accomplished actress. In the provinces, there is no problem about recognition because everybody knows her. Sylvia represents so many working mothers who are balancing both career and family. She is also trusted by countless Filipinos and as a brand ambassador of Beautederm, I must say she has really helped the company in its success today.”

Sylvia’s career has spanned over three decades, during which she has appeared in over 50 mainstream films of various genres such as drama, comedy, action, and horror, including the upcoming Jesusa and OFW, both of which she is the lead star. On television she has appeared in more than 40 series and drama anthologies

BEAUTEDERM Corp. President and Chief Rhea Anicoche-Tan

until her breakthrough role as Teresita on the daytime, romantic-comedy Be Careful With My Heart, which led to her first-ever lead role as Gloria in The Greatest Love, which ran with phenomenally high ratings on ABSCBN from September 2016 to April 2017, and won critical acclaim.

Married to businessman Art Atayde, Sylvia is the mom of five children, including Arjo and Ria who are both also in show business.

“Beautederm has been part of my daily regimen for many years and it never fails to refresh and invigorate my skin. I am very thankful to Beautederm and Rei for trusting me with the brand. Beautederm has opened so many doors to a lot of people. It has given a lot of women the opportunity to be financially independent and I’m not just an endorser because I am also depot seller in my hometown of Butuan City. The brand has given many women jobs they can be proud of, enabling them to help their families,” said Sylvia.

She swears by Beautederm’s day and night creams to keep her skin supple and soft. At almost 48 years old, Sylvia’s skin is enviable.

“Peace of mind is one of my beauty secrets,” she said.

Beautederm believes in safety and effectiveness, and its FDA-Notified products only use plant-based ingredients that are “synergized to deliver the fastest and most effective long-term and sustainable results.” Some of the flagship brands of Beautederm are Beautederm Skin Care Sets for both the face and body; Reverie by Beautederm Home, which includes a collection soy candles and room sprays; and Beautederm’s perfume collection which includes Origin Senses perfumes for men, among many others—all top-selling products. Currently, the brand has over 40 physical stores throughout the country, and over 100 resellers both locally and internationally.

Newest ‘gym to street’ styles from Skechers WHETHER you’re a sports and fitness junkie, or just starting to draft your health and fitness goals, get yourself geared up and motivated to stay active with Skechers Sport—the top-of-mind choice for athletic lifestyles and activities.

Skechers’s latest Sport collection also elevates one’s game beyond

the gym with trend-right sneaker styles that work just as well across workouts, hangouts and weekends. Join the fray and step it up with Skechers Sport for men and women where you can skip, jump, squat, lift, pull, and simply go out and about in any of these latest designs that combine function, comfort and style!

All Skechers Sport sneakers carry the trademark key features of a performance and fashion-enhancing sport shoe.

Skechers Air Cooled Memory Foam Insoles provide instant comfort cushioning and impact absorption as it contours to your foot shape while staying cool and breathable even through the most heated workouts. Lightweight construction of the midsole, outsole and the upper makes for an even more comfortable and flexible pair of shoes.

With so many choices—from the FOR men: (from left) Skyline in Black & White and Bounder in Navy trending knitted uppers to soft mesh, from traditional laces to bungee-type slip-ons, from neutral and minimalist looks to the bright and bold—there’s something for everyone in Skechers Sport’s latest collection.

Skechers Sport also launches its fitness webisodes featuring Sanya Lopez that includes fitness workouts viewers can try both inside and outside the gym. Catch Sanya’s fitness webisodes at Facebook.com/ SkechersPhilippines.

FOR women: (from left) Skyline in Brick and Skech-Air Element Walkout in Navy Pink

BusinessMirror

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Monday, April 8, 2019 E1

Young people are leading the way on climate change

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FROM BAD BOSSES TO CAREER CHANGES: THE HOSTS OF ‘DEAR HBR:’ ON ONE YEAR OF ANSWERING LISTENER QUESTIONS

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By Alison Beard & Daniel McGinn

YEAR ago, we began cohosting “Dear HBR:” a podcast in which the two of us (with help from an expert guest) answer questions from listeners struggling with workplace problems. After 28 episodes we’ve decided to take a step back and outline the recurring themes and takeaways we’ve seen.

Your relationship with your boss really matters. In the 84 questions we’ve featured on the show, the phrase “my boss” appears 55 times.

Job crafting can take you only so far. In theory, the solution at work is to find a way to do more of the stuff you enjoy, and less of the stuff you don’t. There’s a word for this—job crafting—and a lot of our answers tend to lean on this strategy. Still, we recognize that it’s not always realistic.

It’s hard to “swim in your lane.”

We give this advice often, but we

recognize it’s hard to do—and sometimes we aren’t very good at doing it ourselves.

Experts often disagree. Even when we disagree with our guests, and each other, we try to offer value by helping people learn how to think through all aspects of a dilemma.

People are looking for empathy, not just answers. Not every problem has a perfect do-this-anddon’t-do-that solution.

Negative situations really resonate. To date, our most popular episode is “Toxic Workplaces.”

Those who work behind the scenes need more credit. One of life’s greatest frustrations is not feeling appreciated or recognized.

And, unfortunately, this seems to happen all the time at work.

New projects run better when you do them with a friend. We couldn’t imagine doing the show with anyone but each other.

We invite you to check out “Dear HBR:” on your favorite podcast app.

Alison Beard and Daniel McGinn are senior editors at Harvard Business Review.

By Andrew Winston

N one of the many oddities of biology, kids hear differently than the rest of us. Lately it seems that the under-20 crowd is hearing one particular high pitch much better than the rest of us, including most business leaders: the alarm that climate scientists have been sounding.

Consider Greta Thunberg, a Swede who turned 16 in January. Last year she stopped going to school to protest inaction on climate change, saying there was little point in studying for a future that may not exist. Within months, Thunberg urged immediate action from business leaders at the World Economic Forum and told the United Nations secretary-general and others at the global climate summit in Poland that they are “stealing [children’s] future in front of their very eyes.” She’s been nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize for her efforts.

Will this climate movement end up as significant as the antiwar, civil rights and gay rights movements? It’s hard to predict. But what’s clear is that we’re in the middle of a major realignment of values around climate. It’s now unacceptable to young activists, and the millions of people they inspire, to espouse climate denial or play the “let’s go slow” card.

This brings me to business, and a warning: No organization can avoid values shifts. Remember, there were moments in history where it was generally acceptable to use slave labor or children in supply chains, to wink at rampant sexual harassment in offices and to freely dump pollution in rivers and the air. And while executives do increasingly seem to be moving toward action on climate change, with public pronouncements to cut their own emissions or buy renewable energy becoming the norm in large companies, it’s not clear whether those actions are enough to satisfy this next generation of customers and employees.

But that needs to change now. It’s time, in the words of US Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, for “corporate good guys” to “show up in Congress to lobby for climate action.” We need CEOs in the halls of power at the state and federal level pushing for aggressive policy. In practice, this will mean disagreeing with politicians, up to and including the president, who say it’s too expensive to act, or that climate change is a hoax.

It may just take the youngest Americans to get companies to take a real and public stand for aggressive global action on climate change; after all, if they don’t, they risk getting out of step with an entire generation of employees and customers.

Andrew Winston is the author, most recently, of “The Big Pivot.”

Stop eliminating perfectly good candidates Corporate boards are pessimistic about by asking them the wrong questions trade between the US and China

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By Nilofer Merchant

COULD tell right away from the tone of his voice that the vice president of engineering wasn’t happy. He practically growled at me. He had just finished interviewing a job candidate named Anand, who I had directed his way, and was calling me to say he was going pass.

C a nd id ates a re too of ten screened out because they don’t fit a particular pattern; one survey found as many as 75 percent of résumés don’t make it past applicant tracking systems. The VP thought Anand had the right skills and experience but found Anand’s questions annoying. His assessment that Anand was a “bad fit” was really code for “I don’t want to feel uncomfortable.”

Leaders need to build teams that

can both define the right questions and then discover new answers. Here are the types of questions the VP might’ve asked—and the ones you should ask—if you want to avoid screening out perfectly good candidates based on the wrong criteria.

Questions that uncover capabilities, not just experience

ARE you asking questions that get to someone’s capabilities or are you seeking confirming data that someone has done exactly what you have already scoped? Unfortunately, an estimated 77 percent of all jobs (60 percent in the US and 80 percent worldwide) require little to no creativity, decision-making or independent judgment.

Questions that assess whether they can cocreate on a team

TEAMS need to figure out new

© 2019 Harvard Business School Publishing Corp. (Distributed by The New York Times Syndicate)

terrain together. You want to find people who can play together, filling in the gaps between predefined roles to get the work done.

Questions that uncover the kinds of things they love to work on

IF you’re hiring for innovation, you need to ask what this person authentically brings to work. Ideas, after all, are not invented and grown in a vacuum; they grow and evolve by connecting previously separate elements.

It’s easy to forget that the job of a leader isn’t to know all the answers but to create the conditions by which the entire team gets to learn and innovate.

Nilofer Merchant’s latest book is “The Power of Onlyness: Make Your Wild Ideas Mighty Enough to Dent the World.”

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By Michael Witt

HE US trade fights and UK’s Brexit are the most salient and recent symptoms of a decade of retreat from globalization that has international business apprehensive about the future. My research has shown that many corporate leaders believe this strategic rivalry could develop into a situation reminiscent of the Cold War, in which much of the world is divided into two spheres of influence, this time the US and China.

In a recent study I led at INSEAD we surveyed 109 board members from around the globe about the likelihood of this “new Cold War scenario.” Almost three quarters of respondents in primary industries and manufacturing—and 50 percent of those in service industries—believe that such a scenario is likely.

Our survey shows that multinational firms faced with this scenario are contemplating or adopting one of two major strategies in response: One option is to withdraw from some terri-

tories to focus operations in only one of the two spheres. Given Asia’s dominance in global supply chains, and the likelihood that large parts of East Asia would be in the Chinese sphere, the necessary adjustments for Western firms would be significant.

The other option is for a firm to continue to operate in both spheres using a decentralized and locally embedded approach. While this approach may help firms preserve some of the benefits of global reach, it would be much more difficult to implement and would be contingent on several conditions:

tensions to continue to escalate, governments might similarly expropriate firms, even in the absence of military conflict.

n Feasibility of increased localization. Localized supply chains may be eco-

mately futile if companies cannot bring profits home to deploy them elsewhere or distribute them to shareholders.

Faced with these conditions, and the understanding that a localization strategy is vastly more complex and riskier to execute, many firms may opt for a withdrawal strategy.

nomically suboptimal. And introducing distinct brands reduces economies of scale and scope.

n Legality. Either of the two powers could legally bar companies from operating in certain jurisdictions. n

Property rights.

Were Sino-US

n Headquarters control. For most multinational firms, success abroad requires that local offices draw on the wider firm’s unique competitive capabilities. The challenge is that the more a branch and its products become localized, the less advantage these capabilities confer. n Feasibility of profit repatriation. Doing business internationally is ulti-

Michael Witt teaches and researches international business at INSEAD.

E2 Monday, April 8, 2019 • Editor: Efleda P. Campos

Education BusinessMirror

MCM robotics boot camp shows huge untapped Filipino talent D

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DLSU is sole PHL university in inaugural Times Higher Education Impact Rankings

By Manuel T. Cayon @awimailbox

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Mindanao Bureau Chief

AVAO CITY—The second technology boot camp hosted last week by a Mapua school here showed consistent indication of a huge Filipino talent pool in electronics prototyping platform and creative construction technology that remained untapped due to the inaccessibility of the technology.

Rodelas-Angelia, MCM dean of the College of Arts and Sciences.

She is also director of the Learning Environment and Innovation center.

Angelia said the MCM has acquired the two technologies and installed them in the school’s Robotics Laboratory.

The first technology is used to construct prototypes of what students would want the technology applied to their communities; the other one to recreate or redesign prototypes or existing gadgets to fit the needs of the communities.

In the first boot camp in summer last year, also held in the MCM, “it was wonderful to see students applying sensors to gadgets that would detect flood and calamities and to send the alarm signal to the affected communities,” Angelia said. “While we were surprised about their familiarity with the technology, we also have them placed in a competition at the end of the boot camp to see how they would apply their knowledge of the technology,” she added. The second boot camp was held on March 30.

Frias said the students were asked to develop technologies that would help their communities. In the first boot camp last year, he said there were prototypes on managing solid waste, even traffic.

Frias said the Philippines has lagged behind in the use and application of the emerging technologies. “Schools and other institutions should not continue to dwell on the hesitation that technologies are expensive. No, it’s not expensive. Technologies available can al-

ways be tailor-made to each school that needs to equip its students. A lot of our schools are still relying heavily on books and pay lip-service only to technology.”

In a statement, the C&E Educational Solutions Group, Arduino and LJCreate said it was “overwhelming to feel when we are flooded with too many ideas about the way 21st-century Philippine learning environments should look like and given the advent of so many technological advancements waiting for our commands.”

The MCM said its acquisition of the two technologies would be used by its senior high-school learners and its engineering and computer science students.

“These technology equipment would be used to bolster their skills in solving real-world problems using a combination of programming and design skills,” said engineer Dodjie S. Maestrecampo, the MCM EVP and COO. The MCM is the first Philippine university to acquire the IOTenhanced engineering construction kit and the CTC101 Creative Technologies.

“MCM students would be much benefited by being the first in the Philippines to utilize these tools to enhance even further their critical thinking, creativity and collaborative skills,” he added.

Angelia said the trailblazing effort of the school in terms of robotics technology would be seen in the future, “especially for Mindanao, to have much impact on helping improve agriculture and the other industries here.”

Organizers of the second Malayan Colleges Mindanao (MCM) Tech Boot Camp said the revelation came as early as during the filing of applications from students in many parts of Mindanao who want to be selected to compose the teams in the workshop and presentation of prototype gadgets.

“Some parents would tell us their children were already constructing some gadgets and thus, they should be included. But for many others, they were surprised and very glad that this particular technology we are introducing is already here and they could get their hands on it,” said Rock Raymund Frias of the C&E Educational Solutions Group, Arduino and LJCreate.

“This indicates that Filipino children are already familiar with the different technology widely used outside, but which are no-

where to be accessed, even by schools that offer sciences and technology subjects in the Philippines,” he added.

His company tied up with the MCM to host the robotics boot camp for students in different sc hools in Mind a nao, whose students are engaged in schoolbased or individual construction of gadgets as application of the technology.

The MCM and the C&E Educational Solutions Group, Arduino and LJCreate featured the new Internet of Things, or IOT-enhanced engineering construction kit and the CTC101 Creative Technologies in the boot camp “initially as our way of introducing the technology to students in Mindanao. It turns out that we are surprised at how familiar many of them are with the technology,” said Abigail Joy

Cagdianao Mining, St. Paul University tie-up to offer mining degree to employees

National winners of 2019 Metrobank Math Challenge awarded

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FIRST for the Philippine mining industry, Cagdianao Mining Corp. (CMC), a subsidiary of Nickel Asia Corp. (NAC), will offer a Mining Engineering degree, as a second course, to qualified employees. Classes will be conducted inside the CMC minesite in Dinagat Island.

CMC has tied up with St. Paul University of Surigao (SPUS) to offer Bachelor of Science in Mining Engineering at the minesite starting with school year 2019-2020.

Dr. Antonio P. Talamayan, SPUS VP for Academic Affairs, confirmed this special program in partnership with CMC has been approved by the Commission on Higher Education (CHED).

“This curriculum will innovate and deliver quality education. SPUS and CMC instructors will coordinate and communicate with each other throughout the course to produce topnotch engineers. This is the first time we are partnering with the mining industry because I believe CMC is a responsible mining company,” Talamayan said.

In Caraga region, a mining engineering course is offered only at St. Paul in Surigao City and the Caraga.

Salvador C. Cabauatan, CMC administrative group manager, said the onsite classes present a huge opportunity for employees to pursue a dream of becoming mining engineers without having to leave the workplace.

To be eligible for the course, Cabauatan said, applicants must have already completed basic subjects based on the SPUS prospectus for BS Mining Engineering.

Cabauatan said SPUS is banking on CMC’s generic resources especially a solid lineup of mining engineers, geodetic engineers, geologists and chemical engineers, who can teach the subjects specified in the mining engineering curriculum and an array of state-of-the-art computer software for mining engineering courses.

“CMC mining experts will be accredited by CHED as instructors, plus the materials are already on site, and the actual operations is a natural laboratory for the course,” Cabauatan said.

The course is initially offered to interested and qualified employees, but CMC is hoping the huge opportunity can be extended to members of the mining communities in the province of Dinagat.

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HE country’s young math geniuses competed during the national finals of the 2019 Metrobank-MTAP-DepEd Math Challenge (MMC) National Finals, held on March 30, 2019, at the Metrobank Plaza Auditorium in Makati City.

Out of the 403,707 students who competed in the nationwide elimination rounds, 22 students representing 10 regions qualified and made the cut for the opportunity to advance in the final leg of the math competition.

The national finals showcased the mathematical proficiency of Grades 6 and 10 students who competed in individual and team categories. The challenge consisted of solving complex mathematical problems mentally within 15 seconds and additional rounds of 30-second and one-minute questions using pen and paper.

Winners were awarded by the guest of honor, Education Secretary Leonor Magtolis Briones, who also delivered a message to inspire the young audience.

“The food that you eat, the clothes that you wear, the chairs that you sit on, the buildings that you occupy, and the houses that you live in are made by people who took up mathematics,” the secretary said. “Congratulations to Metrobank Foundation, to the Mathematics association; the students are really in your

hands. We look forward to building a better world, a better country, a better Philippines for all of us,” she added.

Mohammad Nur Casib of My Precious Child Learning Center (Marawi City) was the first placer in the Grade 6 Individual Competition, while Tracy Lauren Lei of Saint Jude Catholic School Manila (City of Manila) and Miguel Cayetano of Tuguegarao West Central School (Tuguegarao City) were second and third placers, respectively.

For the Grade 6 Team Competition, Tracy Lauren Lei and Nicholas Marcus Lua of Saint Jude Catholic School (City of Manila) were the first placers while Francis Rafael Flor and Muhammad Farouk Tan II of Silangan Elementary School (Taguig City) placed second.

For the Grade 10 Individual Competition, Bryce Ainsley Sanchez of Grace Christian College (Quezon City) was the first placer, while Stephen James Ty of Zamboanga Chong Hua High School (Zamboanga City) settled at second and Kiel Sam Talosig of Bataan National High School (Balanga City) placed third.

In the Grade 10 Team Competition, Stephen James Ty and Aiman Andrei Kue of Zamboanga Chong Hua High School (Zamboanga City) were the first placers. Paul Samson Topacio and Al Patrick Castro of Makati Science High School (Makati City) placed second,

while Charles Dwight Pelaez and Joerenz Espillardo of Quezon Science High School (Tayabas, Quezon) were third.

“This year, we celebrate Metrobank Foundation’s 40th anniversary with the theme ‘Puso at Sigasig.’ Our mathletes have certainly displayed the zeal to persevere throughout the competition. All of them have dedicated many hours to train and get to where they are now” said MBFI President Aniceto Sobrepeña. “We thank our implementing partners—the Department of Education under the leadership of Secretary Briones and the Mathematics Teachers Association of the Philippines headed

by Sr. Coronel. I would also like to thank our judges, our school administrators, teachers, coaches and parents for your continued support,” he added.

Grade 6 and Grade 10 national winners received trophies, medals and cash prizes of more than P500,000. Meanwhile, all of the participants received giveaways sponsored by Casio Philippines and Manila Tytana Colleges.

Now on its 18th year, MMC is the most widely participated math competition in the country among elementary and highschool students. Over the years, MMC has produced national winners who get to compete and eventually win in international competitions.

Creba hosts 5-day international property course on June 3

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HE Chamber of Real Estate and Builders’ Associations Inc. (Creba), NAR’s exclusive bilateral cooperating association in the Philippines, is hosting the sixth Manila offering of the Certified International Property Specialist Institute, known worldwide as the CIPS brand, from June 3 to 7, 2019.

Themed “Capture the Global Market,” the five-day course licensed by the Chicago-based National Association of Realtors (NAR) will be held at the Metropolitan Club, Rockwell Center, Makati City.

CIPS course instructor is Furhad Waquad from Michigan, a multi-awarded Realtor, educator and NAR leader for 30 years.

The CIPS curriculum covers international real-estate trends and transactions, regionspecific laws including currency and exchange rate issues, cross-cultural relationships, and intercontinental market conditions and investment performances in the Americas,

Europe, Asia and Oceania.

Creba national President Noel Toti M. Cariño encourages Filipino real-estate professionals to be part of the elite CIPS designees’ group which exists in 45 countries around the world so they can benefit from the growing cross-border influences in real-estate markets.

“The ability to assist global clients depends heavily upon your professional networking efforts—both in personal connections you’ve already established and your ability to quickly identify new resources,” he said. Creba national Chairman Charlie A. V. Gorayeb affirmed that “applying a ‘no borders’ mindset expands opportunities with buyers and sellers around the world exponentially, knocking down every conceivable barrier.”

“Global real-estate opportunities are everywhere. Investors in your current market may look to invest in property overseas. No matter which audience you cater to, the CIPS

designation will provide the knowledge, network and tools to globalize and expand your business,” he said. Gorayeb served as NAR’s international director in 2016.

The right to use the Realtor brand name and logo in the Philippines is exclusive to PRC-licensed real-estate professionals who maintain their active status as International Realtor Members or IRMs through Creba.

A Cebu edition of the CIPS Course will be held from June 10 to 14, 2019, at the Sacred Heart Center, Cebu City.

As Creba and NAR gears up for these major events, a gathering of current Filipino CIPS designees will be held on April 11, 2019, at the Metropolitan Club with Janel Muhammad of “Destination Own” based in Pennsylvania as guest.

Interested parties may contact tel. nos.

373-2270 or send an e-mail to crebanar@ yahoo.com.

E La Salle University (DLSU) is the lone Philippine university included in the inaugural Times Higher Education (THE) University Impact Rankings, placing 301+ in the overall standings.

The rankings recognize universities around the world for their social and economic impact, based on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

DLSU ranked high in the top 3 SDGs, namely, Quality Education (301+), Sustainable Cities and Communities (201+), and Decent Work and Economic Growth (201+).

DLSU is ranked in the other SDGs; 201+ in Responsible Consumption and Production, Climate Action, and Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions and placed 301+ in Partnership for the Goals.

For the impact rankings, THE assessed universities from 76 countries. Key indicators used are research, outreach and stewardship.

With five decades of experience as a resource for analysis and insight on higher education, THE is regarded by some of the most prestigious universities in the world as a reputable and highly influential ranking body.

Adamson bags short eco-film award

S

TUDENTS from Adamson University won the highly coveted prize in the first eco-film search of technology giant Epson for their entry titled “#CantYouSee,” which showcases the distressing effects of plastics on the human food chain.

Their entry’s portrayal of a student trying hard to have a sustainable lifestyle bested those of the nine other finalists from different schools in the National Capital Region, Regions 3 and 4A to bring home the P100,000 cash prize.

“The pioneer batch of the EcoVision Short Film Competition [PSA Edition] presented inspiring work from student visionaries,” Epson Philippines Brand and Communications Head Donna Ferro said.

Ateneo de Manila University’s “Wake-Up Call” and Polytechnic University of the Philippines’s “Para sa Ikabobote ng Lahat” were cited first and second runners-up, respectively, during the EcoVision Film Competition Screening and Awards Night held at Ayala Malls The 30th in Pasig City.

The winning films were picked based on their story and content, technical execution, social-media engagement and adherence to the theme “Green Solutions for Everyday Life at Home, School or Office.”

The competition also feted Best

Production Design to “Pagsapit ng Ala Sais ng Umaga ng Hating Gabi” from Far Eastern University, Best Cinematography to “Paso” from Polytechnic University of the Philippines, and Best Sound Editing to Ateneo’s “Wake-Up Call.”

Globally acclaimed filmmaker Brillante Mendoza, a member of the selection committee, urged the participants to continue exploring the visual medium as a creative tool to spread awareness and inspire action for environmental protection and preservation. The contest is Epson’s environmental initiative aimed at raising public understanding of the environment and its conservation through informational or PSA (public service announcement) videos.

“As a company fully committed to environmental sustainability, the EcoVision Short Film Competition serves as our little contribution for a greener Philippines,” Ferro said.

“We are grateful to the students, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources-Environment Management Bureau and GREENducation Philippines for their passion and support toward this project,” she added.

The 10 final entries will serve as an informational tool for Epson’s partners for their ongoing and future environmental awareness projects.

Roderick L. Abad

Best Practices in Corporate Secretaryship, Housekeeping

L

AWYERS, accountants, consultants and compliance officers can add profit to their practice by adding corporate housekeeping as part of the services they offer to their valued clients.

The term “corporate housekeeping” refers to the multitude of services that a corporate secretary (who could be a lawyer or a non-lawyer) who needs to perform for a corporate entity. For every corporation, it is a must to master, and perform its function well.

To upgrade the skills of corporate and assistant corporate secretaries, the Center for Global Best Practices will host a special training entitled “Best Practices in Corporate Housekeeping: The Experts’ Guide on How to be an Effective Corporate Secretary” on Thursday and Friday, May 23 and 24, 2019, at the Makati ShangriLa Hotel, Mandaluyong City.

Whether you are a lawyer servicing a corporate client, a professional or a family member assigned by the board as a corporate secretary, a board director or an owner of a corporation, you must know how corporate housekeeping should be executed properly. This unique program is tailored best for those who want to professionalize and establish their roles in the company, for organizations who want to offer corporate housekeeping services, and for professionals who want to take on the role of corporate secretary of the board. Learn about the principal areas of housekeeping services, corporate housekeeping as risk management, the best methods of managing risks and many more in a comprehensive discussion and

interaction with the speakers.

This program will teach board directors, secretaries, and lawyers the knowledge and professional skills on how to be an effective corporate secretary and how to perform the functions of corporate housekeeping. Sample forms, resolutions, documents, contracts and other useful reference materials will be provided.

CGBP is an accredited training provider of the Civil Service Commission.

Attendees from the government can earn points for their career advancement and are exempted from the P2,000 limit when attending training conducted by the private sector based on DBM Circular 563 dated April 22, 2016. Interested participants are encouraged to avail themselves of the early registration savings and group discounts for a group of three or more.

Preregistration is required for this limited-seats-only event.

This kind of SEC-accredited training is not available and not taught in any school in the country. For details and a complete list of SEC-accredited corporate governance programs such as Corporate Governance Board Effectiveness Best Practices, How to Create a Working Board, Best Practices on Sustainability Reporting, Certification Course for Compliance Officers, How to Use Parliamentary Procedures in Meetings, Masterclass on Writing Minutes of Meetings, How to Really Read Financial Statements, Manager and many more, visit our web site at www. cgbp.org or call Manila lines: (+63 2) 842-7148/ 59 and 556-8968/ 69, Cebu lines: (+63 32) 512-3106 or 07 or Legazpi line: (+63 52) 736-0148.

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Marketing BusinessMirror

Editor: Efleda P. Campos • Monday, April 8, 2019 E3

When PR encounters politics PR Matters

By Bong R. Osorio

The SIRS Principle

TODAY, to be effective in propaganda or political PR work, your program must carry the basic communication elements of simplicity, imagery, repetition and sentiment (SIRS). Simplicity requires crafting messages that connect with, or are readily understood by the masses. Imagery is projecting pictorial or descriptive images that can evoke emotions and provoke actions.

Repetition is the continuous propagation of selling propositions to promote collective consciousness. Sentiment is bringing an emotion-led projection that attracts a strong feeling like empathy, sympathy, anger, support or love. These political PR elements dovetail what veteran international political consultant Joseph Napolitan said: To win every campaign, “decide what you are going to say, decide how you are going to say it and say it.”

There are seven propaganda techniques identified by the Institute for Propaganda Analysis, and by researchers and authors on the subject like Carl Dorje, Alfred McLung Lee and Elizabeth Bryan Lee. The current proliferation of multimedia political communication applications in the forthcoming midterm election can be scrutinized against these identified methods. n Fake or semi-fake assertions.

The political candidate claims full or half-lies. This technique requires a lot of declarations. It is an enthusiastic or energetic statement presented as fact, although it may not necessarily be true. It often implies that the declaration requires no explanation or support for any claim, but that it should merely be accepted without question.

Talk about badgering your way in, armed with half-truths and half-lies.

Political advertising and PR, unlike brand communications, does not pass through a review by the Philippine advertising standard council.

Thus, there is no way to check the veracity of any protestation used by a candidate. A big TV network though has created a team of internal reviewers who evaluate political ads before they are allowed or disallowed to air.

A challenger has, of course, the opportunity to confront a questionable claim by making a statement contrary

WWW.FREEPIK.COM

T

HE current political air in the country brings back to the consciousness of the electorate the word “propaganda.” The term is generally defined as the dissemination of information or a means to generate awareness, education and persuasion.

It is oftentimes used interchangeably with the practice of PR. But to be more specific, propaganda connotes the distribution of data—truthful or otherwise—with the goal of persuading people about a commercial brand or a political product, or an advocacy of an issue, a position or a program.

In the 2016 presidential debate, the name of Joseph Goebbels, a universally famous or infamous German propagandist—depending on your appreciation of what he has done in his communication career—surfaced.

One presidential contender accused another of using “Goebbels-like” tactics in running his campaign against the accuser.

To put things in perspective, Goebbels has been written about as “the most brilliant propagandist” of Adolf Hitler during his run as chancellor of Germany.

He turned the Germans against their “enemies” by creating and spreading lies and hatred. He depicted the Jews as subhuman creatures who were the Germans’ greatest enemies. Goebbels thought that people would only believe lies if they were repeated often enough, and that the bigger the lie, the greater the chance it would be believed.

When Hitler won, he named Goebbels, a trusted friend and colleague, to the key post of minister for public enlightenment and propaganda. Since then, Goebbels’s name has been associated with campaigning and winning elections. One of his most notable quotes reads: “The most brilliant propagandist technique will yield no success unless one fundamental principle is borne in mind constantly—it must confine itself to a few points and repeat them over and over.” The theory of repetition in communication is at work here.

to what has been communicated. n Glittering generalities. This method entails the use of words that have different positive meanings for individual voters, but are linked to highly valued concepts, such as honor, glory, love of country and freedom.

When these words are used, they demand approval without much rationalization simply because such an important concept is involved. This approach helps in making messages resonate with constituencies, but only if the goose bumps they get from hearing or seeing a highly charged message is translated into concrete, realistic and applicable platforms. n Using name-calling and derogatory language. This scheme requires

the use of disparaging language or words that carry a negative connotation when describing an enemy. It attempts to arouse prejudice among the public by labeling the competitor with something that the public dislikes— that he or she is a liar, an opportunist, incompetent or foul-mouthed.

Most often, it is implemented using sarcasm or ridicule, and shows up in online memes and video clips, editorial cartoons, radio commentaries or column mentions. When examining name-calling propaganda, the electorate must be able to separate feelings about the name and impressions about the manifested idea or proposal. n Pinpointing the enemy, simplifying or stereotyping. This scheme tries

to simplify a complex case by presenting one specific party or person as the enemy. Although there may be other factors involved, the public is urged to merely view the case in terms of clear-cut right or wrong, black or white. No middle ground.

No gray area. In this case, the audience is encouraged to seek more information or clarify hazy pronouncements. An informed choice usually results from an accurate understanding of key messages. n Transferring blame and ill feelings.

It attempts to make the target voter view a certain item the same way a candidate sees the same item. In politics, it is called transference, which is most often used to move away blame and bad feelings from one politician to another of his friends or party mates, or even to the party itself. In the end, the political product is sheltered from getting stained and is protected from negative associations. n Generating testimonials and borrowing values and interest. This

mode uses quotations or endorsements—in or out of context—striving to link a famous or credible person with a political candidate. The use of celebrities in mainstream, or political advertising and PR is a common communications strategy. The brand or candidate gets a lot of help from personalities that possess certain phenomenal characteristics to tell the story. All the popularity, glamour and charisma attached to a movie star, a sports hero, a TV personality or even a co-politician are sold and bought as the candidate’s own. There are upsides and downsides to using testimonials, but the technique has been proven to be effective in increasing a candidate’s

ranking in surveys, and more important, win the election. n Jumping on the bandwagon. A bandwagon is a form of information that exploits the desire of most people to join the crowd or community or be on the winning side, and avoid winding up on the losing side. It is essentially trying to convince people that one side is the winning side, because more people have joined it. People are meant to believe that since a large majority has thrown in the much-needed support, that victory is inevitable, and

defeat is impossible. Literally, a bandwagon is a wagon that carries the band in a parade. Riding on its popularity, one can enjoy the music, conveniently without walking. The phrase “jumping on the bandwagon” is therefore used in the sense of “joining an increasingly popular need.”

In modern-day practice, “bandwagon” has taken on a new twist. The public is to be convinced that since everyone else is jumping in, they will be left out if they do not hop in. This is effectively the opposite of the earlier practice, but usually precipitates the same results. It is also seen as an appeal to buyers or voters, authority of the many, argument by consensus, a plea to the gallery, a supplication to popularity or an “argumentum ad populum.” Voters support those candidates or parties that are likely to succeed.

Fund contributors put their money on seemingly winnable seekers. They are called llamadistas—those who bet on aspirants who lead in credible surveys, have a consistent following or who project stable political machinery.

In the 2019 Philippine midterm election, the use of the bandwagon is a major propaganda tool. It is aimed at three types of bandwagon fans: the frontrunner, the follower and the uncommitted. The frontrunner switches gleefully from candidate to candidate, always in search of an opportunity to associate themselves with a winner. Any political PR aimed at them must provide assurance that the candidate being projected is a victor that they must support. The follower is

somebody who has already invested a lot emotionally in the candidate.

Any propaganda material directed at them should strengthen their resolve to help bring the candidate to the political office they aspire to. The uncommitted or the undecided need to be guided and enlightened into making the choice. Their support can be earned if a candidate brings to the fore their vision and program of action.

Goebbels said that propaganda is good which leads to success, and that is bad which fails to achieve the desired result. It is not propaganda’s task to be intelligent; its task is to lead to success.

Political PR, in whatever form, provides the additional fuel for the grueling political dash. Let’s see which among the current crop of communication and merchandising materials and social-media campaigns can bring an aspirant to political triumph.

PR Matters is a roundtable column by members of the local chapter of the United Kingdom-based International Public Relations Association (Ipra), the premier organization for PR professionals around the world. Bong R. Osorio is a communications consultant of ABS-CBN Corp., SkyCable, Dentsu-Aegis Network, government projects among others, after retiring as vice president and head of the Corporate Communications Division of ABS-CBN. We are devoting a special column each month to answer our readers’ questions about public relations. Please send your questions or comments to askipraphil@ gmail.com.

Perspective BusinessMirror

E4 Monday, April 8, 2019

www.businessmirror.com.ph

The surprising (and Long) story of the first use of ether in surgery

REENACTMENT of the first public demonstration of general anesthesia by William T. G. Morton on October 16, 1846, in the Ether Dome at Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston. Surgeons John Collins Warren and Henry Jacob Bigelow are included in this daguerrotype by Southworth & Hawes.

By Roger K. Thomas | University of Georgia

I

N the small town of Jefferson, Georgia, about 20 miles from the University of Georgia in Athens, a 26-year-old physician named Crawford Williamson Long removed a tumor from the neck of a man named James Venable while Venable was anesthesized with ether. The date was March 30, 1842.

THE CONVERSATION

More than four years later, in Boston, Massachusetts, on October 16, 1846, Thomas Morton, a dentist using ether, served as anesthesiologist while Dr. John Warren, a surgeon at Boston’s Massachusetts General Hospital, performed surgery on a patient’s neck.

A physician observer rushed the news to local newspapers and medical journals, and thus history was written—inaccurately.

For years, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston’s storied hospital that is Harvard’s main teaching hospital, has featured “the Ether Dome,” the site of what many believed was the first surgery using ether. A donor provided money to the city of Boston to erect an “Ether Monument,” which was installed in 1868. And for years, medical historians credited Morton with the accomplishment of being the first person to use ether to anesthetize a patient.

But it wasn’t true. Crawford Long deserved the credit.

Morton toiled unsuccessfully for years to get the US Congress to recognize his “discovery” and grant him a monetary award. He tried to disguise his ether with odorants

and coloring agent, even naming it “Letheon,” after the river in Greek mythology believed to induce forgetfulness, in his unsuccessful effort to patent it. “Letheon” was quickly identified as ether, which was in the public domain.

I became interested in the story of Long and ether while I was teaching “History of Psychology” in a building at the University of Georgia that bore a plaque commemorating Long’s discovery of anesthetic ether. The textbook I was using did not mention Long but credited Thomas Morton of Boston. Naturally, that aroused my curiosity, and I have been interested in Long ever since.

While most academics are well aware of the warning to publish or perish, you could say that Long’s case was an example of publish or almost relinquish your place in history. Long delayed publication for seven years for what he considered to be very good reasons, but by delaying, he gave Morton a chance to try to steal his priority.

A painful procedure

IN the early 19th century, there were few options for pain-free sur-

gery. Mesmerism, or hypnosis, was used, and some medical schools offered instruction for inducing mesmerism. However, mesmerism was considered unreliable.

The discovery of something to prevent horrible pain during surgery was thus hailed as almost a medical miracle.

After Long earned his degree at the University of Georgia, he apprenticed in medicine with Dr. George Grant in Jefferson. Long then studied medicine at Transylvania University in Lexington, Kentucky, and at the University of Pennsylvania. After gaining further surgical experience in New York City, Long considered joining the US Navy as a surgeon. However, his father persuaded him to return to Georgia, and Long purchased Dr. Grant’s practice in Jefferson.

Long got the idea to use ether in 1842, and Venable was likely convinced to try it, because both had participated in the recreational use of ether in what was known at the time as “ether frolics.” The frolics, which were socially acceptable even for the physicians and pharmacists who provided the ether, involved inhalation of ether, but not to the extent of unconsciousness. Long observed that he had falls and blows during ether frolics without the pains that were likely when one had not inhaled ether.

Long’s surgery on Venable was successful, but he delayed publication in the Southern Medical and Surgical Journal until 1849.

Yet medical historians, some as recently as the 1990s, diminished Long’s discovery. Some historians even suggested wrongly that Long did not realize the significance of what he had done.

In 1912, famed physician Sir William Osler, credited with helping to create modern medical education practices, wrote:

“Long of Georgia made patients inhale the vapor until anesthetic and had performed operations upon them in his state, but it was not until October 16, 1846, in the Massachusetts General Hospital, that Morton in a public operating room, rendered a patient insensible with ether and demonstrated the utility of surgical anesthesia.”

In 1997, V. C. Saied wrote:

“It is significant that Dr. Crawford Long of Jefferson, Georgia… had been using ether anesthesia in 1842, 4 years before Morton’s public demonstration…However, his [Long] keeping it isolated…and failing to promote ether as anesthesia only prolonged worldwide suffering.”

Long’s seven-year delay in publishing, apparently, biased the historians. When he finally did publish in 1849, Long wrote that he had not wanted to inflict possible misinformation upon the world if he was wrong about ether.

He cited three reasons for his delay.

First, he noted although he was not a believer in mesmerism, he needed more cases to ensure that somehow the patient had not selfmesmerized. In his small country practice, it took several years to accumulate sufficient evidence.

Second, when Long read of Morton’s claim of first use of ether, he felt it was prudent to see if other claims would be forthcoming that predated his.

Third, he finally accumulated enough cases, including controls.

In one case, three tumors were removed from a patient on the same day. Tumors one and three were removed without ether, and tumor two with ether. Only the removal of tumor two was painless.

Two years later, Long amputated two fingers from a boy on the

THE Ether Monument in Boston’s Public Garden. WIKIMEDIA COMMONS, CC BY-SA

same day, one with and one without ether, and only the amputation with ether was painless.

Long also reported a few other cases before 1849 where surgery involving ether was pain free.

Above it all

IN 1846, when Morton administered ether to the patient at Massachusetts General Hospital, the surgical theater was on the top of the building under a glass-covered dome for its optimal lighting. Today, MGH maintains the “Ether Dome” as a museum, saying that it was the site of the “first public demonstration” of anesthetic ether. There is also a monument in Boston’s Public Garden, on one side of which is the inscription, “To commemorate the discovery that the inhaling of ether causes insensibility to pain. First proved at Mass. General Hospital in Boston October AD MDCCCXLVI.” The claim on the monument is untrue, but it’s hard to change something carved in granite. I also question Mass. General’s claim for the “first public demonstration” of

the use of anesthetic ether. Long’s use of anesthetic ether in 1842 was conducted in his public access office, and he had six witnesses. Regardless of any controversy, Friedman’s and Frieldland’s Medicines 10 Greatest Discoveries (1998), Chapter 5 is “Crawford Long and Surgical Anesthesia.”

In its early days, the ether monument raised controversy.

Morton and his chemist, Dr. Charles T. Jackson, had long argued over credit for the discovery, with Jackson denouncing Morton as a “swindler.” Morton even refused half of a 5,000-franc prize from the French Academy of Medicine awarded jointly to him and Jackson because he insisted the award was his alone.

Mark Twain and Dr. Oliver Wendell Holmes weighed in on the matter, with Holmes writing that the monument was to “ether or either.” Twain opposed Morton’s claims, writing that “the monument is made of hardy material, but the lie it tells will outlast it a million years.”

A statue of Long was installed March 30, 1926, in Statuary Hall in the US Capitol. Each state may have two statues in Statuary Hall, and Georgia’s other statue is of Alexander H. Stephens, Long’s former roommate at the University of Georgia who served as vice president of the Confederate States of America.

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article here: http://theconversation. com/the-surprising-and-long-storyof-the-first-use-of-ether-in-surgery-113340. The Conversation is an independent and nonprofit source of news, analysis and commentary from academic experts.