BusinessMirror April 09, 2019 by BusinessMirror

TENURED N.F.A. EMPLOYEES TO CHALLENGE CONSTITUTIONALITY OF RICE TRADE LIB LAW By Jasper Emmanuel Y. Arcalas @jearcalas & Cai U. Ordinario @caiordinario

T A MAN carries a sack of commercial rice in a store in Parañaque City as the market starts feeling the possible impact of the new law, which liberalizes the importation, exportation and trading of rice. The rice tariffication law has been signed, but tenured employees of the National Food Authority (NFA) are questioning its inclusion of provisions that overhaul the agency, displacing hundreds. NONIE REYES

DEPT. OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

PHILIPPINE STATISTICS AUTHORITY

2018 BANTOG DATA MEDIA AWARDS CHAMPION

ENURED employees of the National Food Authority (NFA) will soon file a petition before the Supreme Court challenging the constitutionality of the new rice trade liberalization law, which could cause thousands of NFA workers to lose their jobs. NFA Employees Association (NFAEA) Central Office President Maximo M. Torda told the BusinessMirror the group will file the petition by May. Torda said the NFAEA will question the legislative history of the law, which started at first as a rice tariffication bill. The bill sought to convert the country’s quantitative restriction (QR)

on rice imports into ordinary customs duties. He said the initial bill had evolved into a measure that affected government safeguards against imports and included the deregulation of the food agency. “The rice trade liberalization law eventually removed all the effective safeguard measures for controlling and supervising the country’s food security,” Torda said in an interview. “From the simple objective of removing the QR, it evolved into an encompassing law which resulted in major changes, such as the revamp and reorganization of the NFA that would now lead to thousands of layoffs,” he added. Torda said NFAEA’s Supreme Court case is only part of a series of legal challenges that See “NFA,” A2

HENRY J. SCHUMACHER discusses in his Integrity Initiative column “Vendors—value, opportunity and risks,” the best practices that you may want to implement when managing data-privacy risk within your vendor network.

See Integrity Initiative on page B3

BusinessMirror A broader look at today’s business

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n Tuesday, April 9, 2019 Vol. 14 No. 181

BIR probes recycled tax stamps on fake tobacco ₧200M T By Rea Cu

A recent DOF executive committee (Execom) meeting tackled the discovery by BIR officials of how some enterprising entities have come up with a supposed promotional scheme in which tax stamps on sold cigarette packs could be

exchanged for a can of sardines or a pack of noodles. Finance Secretary Carlos G. Dominguez III told the BIR to coordinate with the DTI in stopping this so-called practice, especially if it is determined that no permit

was issued for the promo. Illicit tobacco traders could be using the promotional scheme to gather used tax stamps to put on packs of fake cigarettes, according to BIR Deputy Commissioner Arnel S.D. Guballa.

The estimated value of machines for making fake cigarettes, destroyed by the government recently, as certified by legitimate cigarette makers

“You better talk to the DTI and tell them that can’t be allowed,” Dominguez told BIR Commissioner Caesar R. Dulay at the meeting. The finance chief also ordered the BIR to find out who are buying the used tax stamps.

@joveemarie

HE Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) on Monday said $4.5 billion in investment is needed to construct 50,000 new towers that would improve telco services in the Philippines. At a hearing of the House Committee on Information and Communications Technology, Acting DICT Secretary Eliseo Rio Jr. said the Philippines needs an additional 50,000 towers to improve services and to catch up with its Asean neighbors as he admitted that the country has only 18,000 cell towers. He said building 50,000 telco towers will need an investment of $4.5 billion. A construction of a tower will cost P3 million to P5 million. “More or less we need 50,000 towers to catch up [with Asean neighbors] and [support the] 18,000 towers we currently have,” Rio said. According to Rio, the Philippines has the lowest density in the Asean region with 0.14 per 1,000 subscribers—far from 0.5 mark per 1,000 subscribers, and the 50,000 towers will help achieve this mark.

Manny F. Dooc

TELLTALES

ITH the elections barely more than a month away, I remember Lee Atwater who was the youngest political strategist to run two victorious national campaigns in the US. He was only in his early 30s when he masterminded the successful political runs of two American presidents, Ronald Reagan and George H. W. Bush. He was a political brawler known for his aggressive campaign tactics. For instance, he played to racial prejudices and other controversial issues like the Willie Norton ad, which virtually ruined Governor Michael Dukakis’s race for the presidency. Eventually he was named chairman of the Republican National Committee. Even his partymates acknowledged that Atwater was a dirty and ruthless political operator. Continued on A11

See “Tax stamps,” A2

‘Maynilad deal writer not yet off the hook’

50,000

By Samuel P. Medenilla

Additional towers needed to improve services and to allow the Philippines to catch up with its Asean neighbors, according to Acting DICT Secretary Eliseo Rio Jr. Rio said the agency wants to be on a par with Vietnam with its 70,000 cell sites. Moreover, Rio said private firms will be allowed to build new towers so that no fresh funds will be needed from the government. Rio said the country’s three telco players—Globe, Smart and Mislatel Consortium—have already identified 1,000 areas for the common tower projects. He said 19 companies have already signed memoranda of understanding with DICT for such tower projects. For his part, Atty. Vicente Castelo of Globe Telecommunication reiterated the telcos’ concern over the long process entailed to put up a tower. He said telcos have to get approval for at least 25 permits, including from local government units, to get a cell site tower constructed. See “DICT,” A12

PESO EXCHANGE RATES n US 52.1860

BUSINESS NEWS SOURCE OF THE YEAR

How do you legislate honesty?

DICT: $4.5-B investment needed to allow the PHL to catch up with neighbors By Jovee Marie N. dela Cruz

2017 EJAP JOURNALISM AWARDS

P25.00 nationwide | 4 sections 24 pages | 7 DAYS A WEEK

@ReaCuBM

HE Department of Finance (DOF) has instructed the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) to work with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) in curbing a new scheme perpetrated by illicit tobacco traders who are suspected of using recycled tax stamps on fake cigarettes.

SCHUMACHER ON MANAGING DATA-PRIVACY RISK

@sam_medenilla

affirmed that local and foreign investors establish their businesses in the special ecozones “because they get to enjoy a slew of tax incentives that they could not find elsewhere.” These special economic zones, he pointed out, particularly those supervised by the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (Peza), are critical drivers of employment growth in localities hosting them.

HE people responsible for the government’s allegedly onerous agreement with private concessionaire Maynilad Water Services Inc. are still not off the hook yet, Malacañang said on Monday. This even after an official of the water concessionaire said on Monday that they are willing to drop their pending arbitration proceedings against the government if it will address its tariff issue. The case stems from Maynilad’s indemnity claim against the government, which could amount to P3.4 billion, after the latter stopped its tariff adjustment from 2013 to 2017. Chief Presidential Legal Counsel and President ia l Spokesman Salvador S. Panelo said they could still file charges against Maynilad officials responsible for the said agreement. Panelo earlier said they might also have to run after the lawyers who drafted the agreement, since he claimed they might have

See “Ecozone,” A2

Continued on A12

‘HATOL NI JUAN 2019’ The Aliw Media Group chaired by D. Edgard A. Cabangon (sixth from left) formally launched on Monday the “Hatol ni Juan 2019” under which the media units of the group will mount their nationwide election coverage for the May elections. The launch was graced by Comelec Spokesman Director James Jimenez (fourth from left, shaking the hand of Cabangon). Those who joined the launch are (from left) Braggy Braganza of Home Radio, Jill Resontoc of DWIZ, BusinessMirror President Banjamin V. Ramos, Pilipino Mirror General Manager Joy Siddayao, Robertson Ong and Robert Rivera of Radio Phil. Network, BusinessMirror news editor Vittorio Vitug and Ely Aligora of DWIZ-Aliw Broadcasting Corp.

Angara’s plea: Don’t touch ecozone tax perks

EN. Juan Edgardo M. Angara asserted on Monday that tax perks currently enjoyed in economic zones should not be withdrawn in order to lure more investors and create more jobs. The senator stressed the need for the Duterte administration to continue granting tax incentives to investing companies in special economic zones (SEZs) if it wants to “attract and retain large-scale

investments” that create more job opportunities. “If we could provide quality livelihood opportunities and jobs because we have quality investors, we may be able to prevent our kababayan from leaving the country to work overseas,” said Angara, chairman of the Ways and Means committee. Apart from the quality of the work force in the country, Angara

n JAPAN 0.4672 n UK 68.0610 n HK 6.6486 n CHINA 7.7683 n SINGAPORE 38.5108 n AUSTRALIA 37.0521 n EU 58.5318 n SAUDI ARABIA 13.9159

Source: BSP (8 April 2019 )

News

BusinessMirror

A4 Tuesday, April 9, 2019 A2

More BI men being probed for extortion–PACC chief

By Joel R. San Juan

@jrsanjuan1573

HE Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission (PACC) on Monday said more Bureau of Immigration (BI) officers are now under investigation for possible involvement in various illegal schemes in the agency. PACC Commissioner Greco Belgica made the disclosure after wrapping up the investigation on the 18 intelligence division officers of the BI who allegedly extorted a total of P9 million from 15 Korean nationals whom they arrested in Angeles City, Pampanga, on March 6, 2019, despite being documented aliens. On the basis of Belgica’s report and recommendation, President Duterte ordered the suspension, pending investigation, of the BI of-

ficers undergoing investigation. BI Spokesman Dana Krizia Sandoval said the 18 BI intelligence officers have already been summoned to explain their side on the accusation. She said the BI will decide on whether to dismiss the officials within three months, while separate criminal cases will be filed against them before the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and eventually, the Department of Justice (DOJ).

₧9M The total amount allegedly extorted by immigration intelligence officers from 15 documented South Koreans in Pampanga on March 6

“The extortion activity has been going on for some time and is being committed by these corrupt officials with impunity. I really think that we lack laws that would ensure accountability of public officials involved in corruption,” Belgica said. The 18 agents previously made headlines after several Korean victims filed a complaint with the Office of the President and the DOJ against the BI officers. “We have our Board of Discipline

to recommend to the DOJ sanctions against these employees, if proven guilty. We have also requested the NBI to conduct a separate probe against them for filing of criminal charges,” BI Commissioner Jaime Morente assured. Belgica said they are looking into other groups involved in the extortion scheme in the BI. He said the PACC has received information that at least 300 Koreans have been victimized by erring BI officers. “It is common knowledge that BI officials engaged in this moneymaking scheme prey on foreigners who have little knowledge about our laws and threaten them with arrest and deportation should they refuse to give in to their demands,” Belgica alleged. “This despicable act puts our country in a bad light and is damning not only to themselves but to the Filipinos as a nation, as Koreans will think that all Filipinos are the same—corrupt, thieves and kidnappers,” he added.

Going up: Fuel prices, electricity rates for April By Lenie Lectura @llectura

ONSUMERS will pay for higher fuel prices this week and higher electricity rates this month. Oil firms announced on Monday they will increase the price of gasoline by P0.25 per liter, diesel by P0.20 per liter and kerosene by P0.10 per liter. The price adjustment takes effect 6 a.m. of Tuesday, April 9. The oil-price hike was announced by Petro Gazz, Eastern Petroleum Corp., Seaoil Philippines, Total Philippines, PTT Philippines, Unioil Philippines. Other oil firms will follow suit. Meanwhile, electricity rates inched up to P10.5594 per kilowatt hour (kWh) this month from last month’s P10.4961 per kWh. The upward adjustment of P0.0633 per kWh will mean a slight increase of around P13 in the total bill of a typical household consuming 200 kWh. The Manila Electric Co. (Meralco)

attributed the increase to higher spotmarket prices and the peso depreciation. Both pushed up generation rates to P5.6322 per kWh this month, from P5.5973 per kWh last month. “The generation charge increase is primarily due to higher charges from the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market [WESM] and the weakening of the Peso against US Dollar,” the utility firm said. The P1.2815 per kWh increase in WESM charges this April was brought about by tighter supply conditions in the Luzon grid. NGCP placed the grid under Yellow Alert on March 5, 7 and 8, 2019, due to insufficient operating reserves brought about by limited capability of several power plants because of outages and deration. The share of WESM to Meralco’s total requirement this month went down to 10.4 percent. Cost of power from the Independent Power Producers (IPP) also increased by P0.0881 per kWh due to the weakening of the peso against the US dollar. About 95 percent of

Ecozone. . . continued from a1

“Investments in ecozones allow locals to become involved in economic opportunities right on their doorsteps and play an integral part in growing their economy,” adds Angara. In a statement, the reelectionist senator also noted these SEZs benefit not only Misamis Oriental, but also other provinces in Northern Mindanao, recalling that the region registered a high employment rate of 94.7 percent in 2017. In addition, he cited Misamis Oriental’s capital Cagayan de Oro City as the gateway to Northern Mindanao and the leading industrial and trade center in the south. According to Angara, Peza-accredited firms presently enjoy income tax holidays and special tax rate of 5 percent, in lieu of local and national taxes, bringing down the cost of doing business. Moreover, he noted that Northern Mindanao is getting a fair share of the boom in SEZs, adding that based on an economic situationer prepared by the National Economic and Development Authority (Neda), investments in Northern Mindanao are expected to set the pace as billions worth of investments are being poured into the region. Angara also noted that several companies have already started operation or construction within the ecozone supervised by Phividec Industrial Authority in Misamis Oriental, or are finalizing their accreditation with the agency as locators. The senator reported that Neda had also cited fresh business developments in the region: Gardenia Bakeries Philippines, which commenced operation early March this year, and conglomerate San Miguel Corp., which is setting up several projects in the area, including SMC’s second brewery in Mindanao. Angara said other firms which plan to establish an investment footprint in the Southern Philippines include a steelmanufacturing corporation and a tennis ball maker. He added that a $4.4-billion integrated steel manufacturing complex is already in the pipeline, billed to be the largest investment in the region once realized. Angara said the project, to be implemented by Chinese firms and Steel Asia Manufacturing Corp. is expected to generate an additional 20,000 jobs. Butch Fernandez

IPP charges are dollar-denominated. Meanwhile, charges from the Power Supply Agreements (PSA) went down by P0.2796 per kWh. IPPs and PSAs provided 41.4 percent and 48.2 percent of Meralco’s supply needs, respectively. AsapprovedbytheEnergyRegulatory Commission (ERC), the Feed-In Tariff Allowance (FiT-All) was decreased by P0.0337 per kWh, while Universal Charge-Stranded Debts was adjusted by P0.0163 per kWh, resulting in a net reduction of P0.0174 per kWh. Me a nw h i l e , t r a n s m i s s ion charge, taxes, and other charges to residential customers increased by P0.0458 per kWh. Meralco’s distribution, supply, and metering charges have remained unchanged for 45 months, after these registered reductions in July 2015. Meralco reiterated that it does not earn from the pass-through charges, such as the generation and transmission charges. Payment for the generation charge goes to the power suppliers, while payment for

the transmission charge goes to the NGCP. Taxes and other public policy charges like the FiT-All rate are remitted to the government.

Sixth yellow alert

MEANWHILE, the Luzon grid was again placed on yellow alert on Monday afternoon, from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. This is the sixth this month and ninth for the year. The alert notice was issued due to insufficient operating reserves brought about by high system demand and forced outage of SLPGC 2 (150MW) and Pagbilao 3 (420MW). Other generators that are still on unplanned outage are: SLTEC 1 (121MW) and Malaya 2 (350MW). The derated plants that contributed to the thin reserves are Calaca 2 at 200MW from 300MW and Malaya 1 at 150MW from 300MW. As summer arrives, Meralco once again encourages its customers to continue practicing energy efficiency initiatives to help manage their electricity consumption.

Haphazard disposal of toxic e-waste to draw fine, jail time

ONGRESS is being asked to pass a law banning the haphazard disposal of toxic electronic gadgets, with provisions for stiff fines and jail time for violators. Once enacted into law, Senate Bill (SB) 2008 filed by Sen. Nancy Binay, makes it punishable to dispose of electronic devices and gadgets, such as laptops, desktop computers and flat-screen TVs, in any solidwaste management facilities in the country. Citing serious health concerns posed by exposure to such hazardous substances and chemicals found in electronic devices, Binay warned that “exposure to these substances is dangerous and may cause serious health risks to people when improperly thrown out since they do not break down easily and they build up in the environment.” Binay’s SB 2008 proposes a P20,000 fine and one to three months’ jail terms for those found disposing

Tax stamps. . .

any electronic device in mixed solid waste. The bill provides also that solid-waste management facility that “knowingly accept for disposal or incineration any electronic device or any truckload or container of solid-waste which includes electronic device will be meted with a fine of P50,000 and revocation of license.” Under an existing law (Republic Act 9003), solid-waste management facility refers to “any resource recovery system or component thereof; any system, program or facility for resource conservation; any facility for the collection, source separation, storage, transportation, transfer, processing, treatment or disposal of solid waste.” Binay said SB 2008, on the other hand, seeks to protect the people and prevent the proliferation and reduce the amount of hazardous materials being discarded in solid-waste management facilities through recycling and reusing. Butch Fernandez

continued from a1 Dulay said he will be meeting with representatives from Philip to the BusinessMirror. Morris Philippines Inc., Japan Tobacco International (Philippines) Inc. In January this year, the DOF and BIR led the destruction of several and other cigarette companies, as well as the those handling the Inmachines used in the manufacture of illicitly traded cigarettes. ternal Revenue Stamps Integrated System (Irsis), to find out how to The destroyed contraband included units and parts of three filteraddress this new modus operandi in the illicit tobacco trade. maker machines, two packaging machines, and a cigarette-making The BIR earlier formed a strike team to crack down on illicit machine, along with 484 master cases of various finished cigarette cigarette manufacturing and trade, in line with strengthening the brands, and raw materials used in making cigarettes, such as filter campaign against smuggling and tax evasion in the country. rods, tipping papers, packaging foil, acetate tow and other supplies. Asked about the estimated losses to government in terms of tax According to the Bureau of Customs, the estimated value of the revenues from the modus operandi, the BIR said that data has yet to destroyed machines was P200 million as certified by legitimate cigabe made available. rette makers. “No data on that, but the BIR thru the BIR strike team of the op Under the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion law, which erations group continues its drive to uncover, raid if necessary, seize took effect in January 2018, cigarette excise tax rates increased from fake tax stamps, unregistered excisable tobacco products, and mathe current P30 per pack to P32.5 in the first half of 2018, and to P35 chineries,” said BIR Spokesman Marissa O. Cabreros in a text message from July 2018 to December 2019.

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Heeding OFW plea, DOLE seeks another round on SSS law IRR

HE Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) on Monday said it will push for another round of stakeholder consultations for the drafting of the implementing rules and regulations for the Social Security Act (SSA). “There will be a meeting on Thursday. I will suggest that to the SSS commission,” Labor Secretary Silvestre H. Bello III told reporters in an interview. Bello issued the position after learning some migrant advocate groups like Migrante International were unable to attend the consultation held by the Social Security System (SSS) for the IRR last month. “Migrante maintains its assertion that we OFWs were never consulted in the legislation and issuance of this unjust and extortionate policy. It was clear that there was no extensive public consultation conducted by SSS to seek the side of OFWs,” Migrante International said in a statement. If the proposed meeting is approved, Bello, who is a member of the SS commission, said they hope to finally address the concerns of the migrant advocate

groups and recruitment industry on the IRR. Both parties are against the draft IRR of the SSA, which requires aspiring OFWs to pay for their SSS premiums even before their deployment. “I find their position that they are still not considered an OFW until they are issued their OEC [overseas employment certificate] and are deployed in their place of work,” Bello admitted. He said this may be contained in the position paper, which will be submitted by Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) on the matter. An OEC is a documentary proof issued by the POEA to allow a Filipino to work abroad. The draft IRR of the SSA will make premium payment to SSS a condition for the issuance of an OEC. Bello assured workers SSS will not be able to enforce the mandatory collection of premiums from OFW until the IRR is finalized. He said the IRR remains pending due the unresolved reservations of the stakeholder, as well as the recent change in the leadership of SSS. Samuel P. Medenilla

NFA. . . continued from a1

will be made by various rice-industry stakeholders against the new law in the coming weeks. “Our petitions would have different bases and reasons. We want to be apolitical,” Torda said. “Our petition is more of protecting our agency and our employees. We want to protect what is left of the NFA, with our security of tenure being only secondary.”

Election ban

TORDA said that no NFA employee could be displaced until June due to the election ban. This, he said, will give the NFA more time to discuss the reorganization and restructuring of the grains agency to fulfill its new mandate under the new law. “Things are still complicated. There are still a lot of gray areas even in the signed implementing rules and regulations [IRR], particularly the reorganization of the NFA,” he said. Torda cited the commissioning of an independent study that would outline the NFA’s bufferstocking role under the new trade regime as the basis for the agency’s reorganization. This, he said, would allow the NFA to determine how many workers will be displaced. “We think that study would be the basis of a concrete plan for the NFA reorganization. It’s just sad that [the national government] is rushing things and wants to railroad everything.” Torda said some 1,000 employees will be affected by the NFA reorganization mandated by the new law, higher than the initial estimate of 400 made by government officials. The 400 NFA employees that may be displaced are from the industr y ser vices department and security services and investigation department, which are directly involved in the NFA’s previous regulatory functions of licensing importers and retailers and monitoring the country’s rice trade.

‘Not true’

THE National Economic and Development Authority (Neda) said the reorganization of the NFA will affect less than 500 employees. Neda Regional Development Office Assistant Secretary Mercedita A. Sombilla told the BusinessMirror

these employees are involved in the importation and licensing functions of the NFA. The importation and licensing function of the NFA has been repealed under Republic Act 11203. Under the new law, the NFA’s functions have been limited to buffer stocking. “Only 400 plus employees will be affected, those involved in licensing and importation as these are the only functions that were changed in the new law,” Sombilla said. “Their number will not even reach 500,” she added, disputing claims by NFA employees that over a thousand will be affected by the reorganization. Sombilla said the number was based on a survey of employees who wanted to avail themselves of the “retirement package” to be offered by the government. This means the number includes both the affected employees and those who want to leave NFA. The survey was done prior to the signing of the law’s IRR. Under the IRR, NFA employees will receive up to 1.5 times their monthly basic salaries (MBS), depending on their years of service. I n i t i a l l y, S o m b i l l a s a i d this was not the computation o f f e r e d b y t h e D e p a r t m e nt of Bud ge t a nd M a n a ge me nt (DBM). She said deter mining the compensation pack age was one of the reasons the IR R was not sig ned immediately after the law was passed. “I went to DBM to haggle. I asked if they can add to the compensation package since the NFA is considered a state-owned corporation. So finally, after four to five days that the DOF [Department of Finance], Treasury and DBM debated, they finally came up with a rate which is 1.25 and 1.5,” Sombilla said. Under Rule 3.4.1.2, the package of employees who are in their first 20 years of service will be equivalent to their MBS multiplied by their years of service. Howe ver, t hose who h ave reached 20 years and one day to 30 years of employment will receive a package that is equivalent to 1.25 times their MBS for every year of service. Those who stayed longer at 30 years and one day or more, will receive 1.5 times their MBS for every year or service.

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If you have any information / objection to the above mentioned application/s, please communicate with the Regional Director thru Employment Promotion and Workers Welfare (EPWW) Division with Telephone No. 400-6011.

ATTY. ANA C. DIONE, CPA REGIONAL DIRECTOR

A8 Tuesday, April 9, 2019

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In the ad material of Notice of filing of Application for Alien Employment Permits published on March 16, 2019, the Company name and Address of Mr. Zheng, Xiong should have been read as FIRST GREAT COMPUTER TECHNOLOGIES INC. located at Lot 5 Sta. Agueda Cor. Queensway Pagcor Drive, Sto. Nino, Parañaque, Metro Manila and not as published. In the application on published on April 5, 2019, the Nationality of Mr. Ashfaque Ahmed Fakaruddin Kabbinavar under YOKOGAWA PHILIPPINES, INC. should have been read as Singaporean and not as published. In the application published on March 12, 2019, the applicant of GENX SPORTS & MEDIA PRODUCTION CORP. should have been read as Mr. Lu, Qiansi and not as published. While in the application published on April 2, 2019, the Company name and Address of Mr. Jun, Zhong and Mr. Yifan, Lin should have been read as UNI-TECH PHILIPPINES INDUSTRIAL MACHINERY INC. located at Mezzanine Floor Ri-Rance Corporate Center, Block 2 Lot 16, Aseana Business Park, Parañaque City and not as published. If you have any information/objection to the above mentioned application/s, please communicate with the Regional Director thru Employment Promotion and Workers Welfare (EPWW) Division with Telephone No. 400 6011.

ATTY. ANA C. DIONE, CPA REGIONAL DIRECTOR

A10 Tuesday, April 9, 2019 • Editor: Angel R. Calso

Opinion BusinessMirror

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editorial

Let foreign contractors compete in PHL market

HILE we understand the need to prioritize local employment amid fears brought about by the influx of foreign workers in the construction sector, liberalizing the construction industry is not entirely a bad idea. Currently, the law allows foreign contractors to participate in Philippine construction projects, even up to 100 percent, but only for those with equity of P1 billion, or those introducing new/proprietary technology. The Department of Trade and Industry, which oversees the Philippine Contractors Accreditation Board, is reviewing the regulations to allow medium-sized foreign contractors to take part in the country’s construction industry. This could be a good move, particularly for its potential to cut construction costs and as a deterrent against corruption. According to a study by the Philippine Institute of Development Studies, if the Philippines were to open its procurement market to foreign players the government can save about P76 billion a year for various construction projects. In the paper authored by University of the Philippines professor Ramon L. Clarete and UP School of Economics student Gerald Gracius Y. Pascua, the authors said allowing more foreign firms in the construction industry could lead to a cost reduction of at least 10 percent per year. The authors noted that the lack of competition in road infrastructure procurement, for instance, had made it vulnerable to corruption. “The cost of collusion and cartels in the road sector is large and ranges from 8 percent to 60 percent of the total road cost.” “To accommodate the bribes, contractors resort to the use of substandard materials in road projects, thus resulting in higher maintenance costs due to poor road conditions and traffic-flow congestion. Allegations of collusion and corruption have been found in 25 percent of World Bank-assisted road projects,” the authors noted. Data obtained by the authors from the Philippine Government Electronic Procurement System showed that most bidders for local projects are Filipino companies. However, opening up the construction sector to foreign competition might not only be good for public infrastructure but for the private sector as well. We are all too familiar with crooked contractors who connive with corrupt government officials to inflate the cost of public works projects so they can line their pockets and get huge kickbacks. But there are also plenty of crooked contractors who swindle homeowners and other customers by doing substandard and overpriced work, or by disappearing altogether and not doing anything. And their hapless victims often have very little recourse. This is a common problem in the Philippines. We have so many laws and so many lawyers. But laws are just words on paper if not enforced. Swindlers, thieves and cheats in this country know this all too well. They are emboldened by the slow justice system and the poor implementation of laws and they take advantage of this. Sure, construction customers can sue for breach of contract but it is no guarantee they can get their money back. Many contractors would not refund the money they collected. Others would just say “catch us if you can”—knowing all too well that the poor hapless customers would spend more money on lawyers’ fees in a case that could easily be tied up in the courts for years. Most of the victims are ordinary workers and OFWs who can hardly afford a long litigation. This is why crooked and corrupt contractors are legion in this country; why every kind of scam and rip-off proliferate; and why con artists have perfected their game. The honest and innocent are left helpless because government agencies and the industry itself often fail to protect them against the bad guys. There are many opportunities to steal and cheat in the construction industry, and corruption is so endemic that it has eroded the people’s confidence in an industry that also has many honest and decent practitioners. So, sure, let the government open up the construction industry to honest and more efficient builders, regardless of race or color. The competition would surely benefit both public and private infrastructure projects and help protect people by driving crooked contractors out of business.

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Manny B. Villar

THE ENTREPRENEUR

HE sentiments of Filipino businessmen are improving. More companies are turning more bullish this year as inflation rate softened and consumer demand picked up, in line with last year’s forecast. Businesses actually did very well last year and I expect them to do better in 2019 when economic headwinds are not as challenging. Remember that the inflation rate, a major concern in 2018, returned to the government’s target range of 2 percent to 4 percent in the first quarter this year. A survey by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas supports this optimistic view. Results of the quarterly Business Expectation Survey of the BSP show that confidence in the economy improved in the first quarter. The overall confidence index of businessmen climbed to 35.2 percent in the first quarter from 27.2 percent in the fourth quarter of 2018. The index snapped four consecutive quarters of decline, showing the number of optimists increased and exceeded the number of pessimists. Respondents traced their more upbeat outlook this year to expectations of more business activities at the start of the campaign period for the forthcoming midterm elections;

increased orders and consumer purchases with the easing of inflation; higher government infrastructure spending with the “Build, Build, Build” program of the current administration; introduction of new and enhanced business strategies and processes; and expansion of businesses and new product lines. Respondents were also optimistic “their business operations would benefit from the favorable macroeconomic conditions in the country given the lower inflation and interest rates.” The BSP said the sentiment of businesses in the Philippines mirrored the more positive business outlook in Chile, Greece, Israel, Mexico, the Netherlands and South Korea. Business sentiments in Australia, Brazil, China, Hong Kong, Singapore, Thailand, the UK and the US were less buoyant. In terms of outlook, respondents are also more bullish for the second quarter, as the CI rose to 52 percent from 29.4 percent in the previous

Respondents traced their more upbeat outlook this year to expectations of more business activities at the start of the campaign period for the forthcoming midterm elections; increased orders and consumer purchases with the easing of inflation; and higher government infrastructure spending with the “Build, Build, Build” program. survey. “This next quarter reading is the highest since Q4 2016,” the BSP said. With greater confidence, businesses intend to hire more in the next quarter, according to the survey results. The employment outlook index for the next quarter improved to 29.7 percent from 21.8 percent in the previous survey. “This indicates that the number of firms with hiring intentions increased relative to a quarter ago,” the BSP said. I had a chance to talk to several top businessmen and all of them share the same enthusiasm. They are increasing their capital expenditure budget this year to support expansion. Everybody seems to be looking at ramping up their business activities and exploring new areas for growth. In fact, the Board of Investments reported that it approved P243 billion worth of new investment projects in the first quarter of 2019, up 60 percent from P152.1 billion in the same period last year. The BOI now looks at attracting P1 trillion worth of new projects in the whole of 2019. Both foreign and local investors

Yes, inflation is government’s fault

Lorenzo M. Lomibao Jr., Gerard S. Ramos Lyn B. Resurreccion, Efleda P. Campos Dennis D. Estopace

Online Editor Social Media Editor

Chairman of the Board & Ombudsman President VP-Finance VP Advertising Sales Advertising Sales Manager Group Circulation Manager

Business sentiments improving further

John Mangun

OUTSIDE THE BOX

HEN asked about the “Most Urgent National Concern”, the majority of opinion survey respondents will list “controlling inflation” near the top. Of course, that is only when prices are going higher. It is like listing “typhoons” during the rainy season and not during the dry season. Then comes the “Who is to Blame?” type of question and it is the fault of the “administration.” But when people are asked why there is inflation, the answers are varied. In fact—unfortunately—many people believe that inflation is a “natural” economic condition. I say unfortunately because nothing could be farther from the truth. The average inflation rate in England for the 500 years preceding the 20th century was 0.5 percent per year. That means prices of that fa-

mous “basket of goods” from food to land doubled in price every 144 years. Maybe nature has changed in the last 100 years. Global warming? Ancient inflation as in the Roman Empire was only due to currency debasement. That is when successive Emperors gradually reduced the amount of silver in coins from about 80 percent to about 5 percent. Do not think of this in terms of that pseudo-economic babble about “money printing.” It is exactly like going to your favorite fast-food joint where

While temporary “inflation” can occur based on supply and demand, eventually prices will always return to equilibrium based on this foundation. Sellers cannot sell to unwilling buyers and must reduce prices. That is why there was no long-term inflation in England for 500 years. What changed? Government regulations.

the price of the hamburger stays the same. But each time you visit, the size of the meat patty keeps getting smaller and smaller. Eventually, your child says that he is still hungry after one burger and you need to buy one more. Neither is inflation about Central Bank policies—at least not any more. It is true that central banks control the money supply and interest rates. Note though that the Philippine money supply doubled—a 100 percent increase—from 2010 to 2016; the inflation rate as measured by the Consumer Price Index increased by 16 percent. The idea that inflation is pri-

are aggressive this year. Investment pledges from foreign companies surged 3,787 percent in the first quarter to P30.8 billion from only P792.8 million a year ago. Domestic investments approved by the BoI also increased 40 percent in the three-month period to P212.2 billion from P151.3 billion a year earlier. Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez, who also serves as the BOI chairman, said: “After generating a recordbreaking P915 billion in approved investments last year, we are still sustaining the momentum this year due to steady, strong and positive investor sentiment here and abroad.” Some Filipino businessmen even intend to expand overseas, anchored by vibrant businesses in the Philippines. The World Bank, meanwhile, expects the Philippine economy to grow 6.4 percent in 2019, 6.5 percent in 2020 and 6.5 percent in 2021. It said the economy would remain resilient amid the domestic and external headwinds. World Bank Country Director Mara Warwick said the growth outlook for the Philippines remains positive, as higher private consumption due to lower inflation, steady growth of remittances and election spending will fuel growth this year. This, to me, is a sign of a vibrant economy and gives me optimism that we will continue to sustain a high level of growth in the coming years. For comments, e-mail mbv.secretariat@gmail. com or visit www.mannyvillar.com.ph.

marily caused by ‘paper money’ not backed by a hard asset like gold or silver is also incorrect. In 2001, the price of gold was $400 and increased to $2,000 by 2011, a 400 percent increase. US consumer prices increased by only 30 percent. Further, long before the US abandoned backing the dollar by gold, from 1917 through 1920, the average yearly US inflation rate was 16.5 percent. There is no consistent correlation as regards inflation. The Scottish economist Adam Smith wrote a book in 1776 popularly known as The Wealth of Nations. He wrote that if an exchange of goods between two parties is voluntary, it will not take place unless both believe they will benefit from it. That is the foundation of a freemarket economy where buyers and sellers arrive at, and determine, a fair price. While temporary “inflation” can occur based on supply and demand, eventually prices will always return to equilibrium based on this foundation. Sellers cannot sell to unwilling See “Mangun,” A11

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Opinion

How do you legislate honesty?

2019 ‘Cybersecurity Almanac: 100 Facts, Figures, Predictions and Statistics’

BusinessMirror

Manny F. Dooc

Cecilio T. Arillo

TELLTALES

DATABASE

Continued from A1

Part Four

TWATER died on March 29, 1991, in Washington after he was diagnosed of brain cancer. He died while on top of his game. He was the most sought-after political consultant and campaign adviser. Shortly before he died, he wrote an article in Life magazine in the February 1991 where he said: “My illness helped me to see that what was missing in society is what was missing in me: a little heart, a lot of brotherhood. The 1980s were about acquiring wealth, power and prestige than most. But you can acquire all you want and still feel empty.” While he was hospitalized, he converted to Catholicism and publicly repented for his political sins.

YBERSECURITY Ventures predicts that there will be 6 billion Internet users by 2022 (75 percent of the projected world population of 8 billion)—and more than 7.5 billion Internet users by 2030 (90 percent of the projected world population of 8.5 billion, 6 years of age and older).

Prophetically, as if addressing the Filipino electorates of the 2019 election, he added: “I do not know who will lead us through the ’90s, but they must be made to speak to this spiritual vacuum at the heart of American society, this tumor of the soul.” He was dead at 40 from tumor of the brain. nnn

WHO will lead us through the 2020s? The outcome of the forthcoming election will be very critical in the life of our nation. Are we going to get elective leaders who will continue to support the policies and programs of the current administration? Will the drug war be pursued with greater intensity? Will the “Build, Build, Build” remain the centerpiece project of this administration? Do we maintain the China pivot as the cornerstone of our foreign policy? Or are we headed for a change? The answer is in our hands. Let’s actively take part in the electoral process not just by voting but understanding the issues and knowing the platform of the candidates competing for our support. Democracy is not a spectator sport; it is a participatory event. Mayor Sara challenged Senator de Lima to pass a law on honesty. How do you legislate “honesty”? Robert Mueller III who has just completed his investigation report on the alleged Russian intervention in the last US Presidential election and possible collusion between the Russians and President Trump’s campaign team has this to say: “You are only as good as your word. You can be smart, aggressive, articulate and indeed persuasive but if you are not honest, your reputation will suffer, and once lost, a good reputation can never be the same.” Can we legislate honesty? We might as well pass laws banning storms and earthquakes. Billy Joel composed and sang it, condemning a person’s inherent lack of shame. No, he did not dedicate the song, Honesty, to our candidates this coming election. nnn

THE number of international tourists who visited our country hit 7.1 million last year. This translates to 7.7-percent increase over the 2017 figure. The biggest number of tourists came from our neighbors South Korea and China, which together account for close to 3 million visitors. Our pristine beaches, coral reefs, volcanoes (erupting or not) and other natural wonders are not just our attractions. The hospitality, friendliness and the genuine warmth

Mangun. . .

Continued from A10

buyers and must reduce prices. That is why there was no long-term inflation in England for 500 years. What changed? Government regulations. The US pays farmers not to grow food, sets the price of milk and decides where to drill for oil. Canada has strict quotas for imported eggs. The Philippines taxes soft drinks. France subsidizes movies that hire more women in key leadership positions. While all of these may be “in the

and smile of our people add allure to our scenic destinations that perforce include our country in many travelers’ bucket list. The tourism sector significantly contributes to our economic growth. Latest reports provided by the World Travel and Tourism Council show that in 2018, the travel and tourism industry accounted for P4.3 trillion of our economy, which represents nearly a quarter of our GDP. It is also responsible for increasing our country’s employment rate. One out of 10 jobs is found in the travel and tourism businesses. Job opportunities in this sector also favor women, the youth and minorities who are normally uncompetitive in other fields. nnn

OUR next hurdle is to get 10 million tourists a year to close the gap with our Asean neighbors such as Thailand with 36 million, Malaysia with 26 million, and Singapore with 14 million tourist arrivals, respectively, in 2017. Unless we do something, our anemic tourism growth compared to these countries will persist. But how do we do it? Simple. Get at least four tourists to visit each of our 7,100 islands every day. It’s a tall order since some of our islands disappear during low tide. nnn

WOW Philippines! NOW Philippines. It’s more fun! It’s more sun. It’s more tan. It’s more Koreans. Do you know that there were 1.6 million Korean tourists who visited the Philippines last year? This represents 22 percent of our foreign tourist arrivals last year. China comes second, but Chinese “tourists” in Spratly Islands are not yet counted. Summer has been officially declared by Pagasa on March 24. The Pagasa Administrator explained that “the establishment of the high pressure area—a system associated with fair and sunny weather—over the Northeastern Pacific signifies the termination of the northeast monsoon, or cold and dry air from China and Siberia.” So long and complicated a definition, no wonder summer is always late in coming. As far as my grandchildren are concerned, summer is the close of the school year. In the provinces, it’s the time when boys undergo the rite of manhood at the hands of the local barber. It’s the months when we climb the fruit trees of our neighbor when they leave their house. And finally, summer is when you don’t get a drip of water in your faucet. T...u…b…i…g…. public good,” each adds to the cost of consumer goods. The nonprofit Competitive Enterprise Institute estimates that US national government regulations adds $1.9 trillion— about 10 percent of the total GDP— to the cost of goods and services. Inflation is not a government policy. It is a result of government policies. E-mail me at mangun@gmail.com. Visit my web site at www.mangunonmarkets.com. Follow me on Twitter @mangunonmarkets. PSE stockmarket information and technical analysis tools provided by the COL Financial Group Inc.

There were nearly 4 billion Internet users in 2018 (nearly half of the world’s population of 7.7 billion), up from 2 billion in 2015. Gartner forecasts that more than half a billion wearable devices will be sold worldwide in 2021, up from roughly 310 million in 2017. Hundreds of thousands—and possibly millions—of people can be hacked now via their wirelessly connected and digitally monitored implantable medical devices (IMDs)—which include cardioverter defibrillators (ICD), pacemakers, deep brain neurostimulators, insulin pumps, ear tubes and more. For the most recent year reported by the FBI, the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) received nearly 50,000 complaints from victims over the age of 60 with adjusted losses in excess of $342 million—which leads all age groups. The global market for connected cars is expected to grow by 270 percent by 2022—and more than 125 million passenger cars with embedded connectivity are forecast to ship worldwide between 2018 and 2022. This means most drivers will be online and susceptible to auto (cyber) intrusions by 2022, regardless of whether they consider themselves to be “online” or not.

Health-care industry

HOSPITALS are more vulnerable than any other type of organization in 2019. Outdated systems, lack of experienced cyber personnel, highly valuable data, and added incentive to pay ransoms in order to regain patient data are attracting cybercriminals to the healthcare market. Cybersecurity Ventures predicts that the health-care industry will spend more than $65 billion cumulatively on cyber-security products and services from 2017

to 2021. Ransomware attacks on health-care organizations are predicted to quadruple between 2017 and 2020, and will grow to five times by 2021. Personal health information is 50 times more valuable on the black market than financial information, and stolen patient health records can fetch upward of $60 per record (which is 10-20 times more than credit-card information). Cybersecurity Ventures also predicts that health care will suffer two to three times more cyber attacks in 2019 than the average amount for other industries. Woefully inadequate security practices, weak and shared passwords, plus vulnerabilities in code, exposes hospitals to perpetrators intent on hacking treasure troves of patient data.

Cyber-security economy

IN 2004, the global cyber-security market was worth $3.5 billion— and in 2017 it was worth more than $120 billion. The cyber-security market grew by roughly 35 times during that 13-year period—prior to the latest market sizing by Cybersecurity Ventures for the fiveyear period 2017 to 2021. Cybersecurity Ventures predicts that global spending on cybersecurity products and services will exceed $1 trillion cumulatively over the five-year period from 2017 to 2021—and the cyber-security market will continue growing by 12-15 percent year-over-year through 2021. Worldwide spending on information security (a subset of the broader cyber-security market) products and services exceeded $114 billion in 2018, an increase of 12.4 percent from last year, according to the latest forecast from Gartner Inc. For 2019, they forecast the market to grow to $124 billion, and $170.4 billion in 2022.

Tuesday, April 9, 2019 A11

For the most recent year reported by the FBI, the Internet Crime Complaint Center received nearly 50,000 complaints from victims over the age of 60 with adjusted losses in excess of $342 million— which leads all age groups. The global market for connected cars is expected to grow by 270 percent by 2022—and more than 125 million passenger cars with embedded connectivity are forecast to ship worldwide between 2018 and 2022.

Cybersecurity Ventures predicts that the global blockchain market will exceed $40 billion by 2025. Results from one indicate institutional investors from hedge funds, pension funds, and private equity believed that blockchain technology will have the biggest impact on health care, financial services and banking. The study reveals that 39 percent of the investors believe blockchain will do to banking what the Internet did to media. In 2019, Cybersecurity Ventures expects that Fortune 500 and Global 2000 chief information security officers (CISOs) will reduce the number of point security products/ solutions in use at their corporations by 15 percent to 18 percent. Total venture capital funding in the cyber-security space totaled more than $5 billion in 2018, up 20 percent from nearly $4.5 billion in 2017. In 2018, the total amount of funding for Israeli cyber-security companies grew 22 percent yearover-year to more than $1 billion. According to these figures, Israel, the world’s second-largest exporter of cyber technology (behind the US), accounted for roughly 20 percent of all cyber-security funding. Based on venture capital dollars invested in cyber security, the top 4 countries are (in this order): the US, Israel, the UK and Canada. Sixty eight percent of US businesses have not purchased any form of cyber liability or data-breach coverage, showing that businesses are not adopting cyber insurance at a rate that matches the risks they face, according to a Cisco paper. However, a majority of the 25 most populous US cities now have cyberinsurance for more or are looking into buying it, according to a Wall Street Journal survey. Legislation such as 2018’s EU General Data Protection Regulation is helping drive the demand

for cyber insurance as health care providers, financial services firms, and companies in all industries are tasked with keeping user data safe—and recovering from data breaches and ransomware attacks. Market forecasts for cyber insurance policies range from $14 billion by 2022 to $20 billion by 2025, up from less than $1.5 billion in 2016. Singapore announced the launch of the world’s first commercial cyber risk pool, a facility for providing cyber insurance to corporate buyers, as cyber attacks in the Asia-Pacific region become more pervasive. The pool will commit up to $1 billion in risk capacity and will be backed by capital from traditional insurance and insurancelinked securities markets to provide bespoke coverage. The $100-million Hull McKnight Georgia Cyber Center for Innovation and Training in Augusta, Georgia, marks the single largest investment in a cyber-security facility by a state government. The 2019 US President’s budget includes $15 billion for cyber security, a $583.4-million (4.1-percent) increase over 2018. The Department of Defense was the largest contributor to the budget. The DoD reported $8.5 billion in cyber-security funding in 2019, a $340-million (4.2-percent) increase over 2018. A 2018 report estimates that energy companies, ranging from drillers to pipeline operators to utilities, invest less than 0.2 percent of their revenue in cyber security—while the number of hacker groups targeting the energy sector is soaring. Energy networks are vulnerable to cyber attacks, and hackers can cause massive power outages, placing national defense infrastructures at risk and endangering millions of citizens. Estimates placing at least 85 percent of all business assets in digital form, a massive increase of cybercrime, and, into cyber insurance coverage has led Cybersecurity Ventures to predict that future stock prices of publicly traded companies—and valuations of most start-ups and emerging enterprises seeking venture capital—will be influenced by market and investor perceptions of how secure a business’ information systems, data and employees are. To be continued To reach the writer, e-mail cecilio.arillo@ gmail.com.

The draft implementing rules of the tax amnesty law Atty. Irwin C. Nidea Jr.

TAX LAW FOR BUSINESS

HE Tax Amnesty Law is still not in effect until the effectivity of its implementing rules. The BIR has circulated a draft where some provisions may have undermined the true intentions of the law. First, as regards the coverage, the draft IRR has excluded unpaid tax liabilities arising from non-payment of self-declared or self-assessed tax (i.e., unpaid tax due per return filed). The draft IRR only covers assessments that have become final and executory. But the law provides for a broader coverage. It states as follows: “[a] Delinquencies and assessments, which have become final and executory…” If the law wants to cover only assessments that have become final and executory, it should have deleted the word “delinquencies.” But by including delinquencies, the law clearly wants to include all that is covered by the said word, which includes self-assessed tax. Second, the law covers pending

criminal cases with the DOJ/Prosecutor’s office or the courts for tax evasion or other criminal offenses, with or without assessments duly issued. But to avail himself of amnesty, the taxpayer must pay 60 percent of the tax that is being assessed. What if a criminal case that is pending with the DOJ or the courts does not include an assessment? How can a taxpayer pay for amnesty since there is no base amount from which the 60percent amnesty tax due may be derived from? Third, assessments that have become final and executory before the effectivity of the implementing rules are covered by the tax amnesty. What if a taxpayer who protested a final assessment notice decides to

withdraw the said protest before the effectivity of the implementing rules, is he still qualified to avail himself of the tax amnesty? If yes, it is better if the BIR issue a Revenue Memorandum Circular that will affirm this position and lay down the procedure, to this effect. There are cases that are pending before the courts where a taxpayer is only questioning the validity of the warrant of distraint and levy or collection notices. In other words, the BIR has issued Final Assessment Notices where the period to appeal to the CTA has lapsed but the collection has been stalled because of an appeal by the taxpayer questioning the validity of the collection process. Are these types of cases covered by the tax amnesty? Fourth, there is a difference in the treatment of advance payments made for denied application and pending application for compromise settlement. It is better that they are treated the same for easy administration. Also, those with pending compromise applications may be in a more advantageous position. They may end up paying zero tax amnesty due. For example, if a pending application for compromise has paid 40 percent of the P1,000,000 basic tax due, which is P400,000, its amnesty tax due

is zero. On the other hand, a denied application for compromise will still have to pay P240,000, as shown in the example of the IRR. Finally, in the manner of availment, there is no timeline indicated in the procedure. It is better if deadlines within which the BIR officers concerned must act are indicated to guide the taxpayers and the BIR officers alike, on a reasonable expectation when the tax amnesty application is supposed to be completed and approved. The present tax amnesty is a watered-down version as a result of the partial veto by the President. If the implementing rules will further limit the coverage, the success of the law might be undermined. I hope that the implementing rules will leave no stones unturned and will be more comprehensive and inclusive. The author is a partner of Du-Baladad and Associates Law Offices (BDB Law), a member-firm of WTS Global. The article is for general information only and is not intended, nor should be construed as a substitute for tax, legal or financial advice on any specific matter. Applicability of this article to any actual or particular tax or legal issue should be supported therefore by a professional study or advice. If you have any comments or questions concerning the article, you may e-mail the author at irwin.nidea@bdblaw.com.ph or call 4032001 local 330.

2nd Front Page BusinessMirror

A12 Tuesday, April 9, 2019

Hog raisers back govt plan to fine tourists carrying pork

By Jasper Emmanuel Y. Arcalas

@jearcalas

OG raisers belonging to the Pork Producers Federation of the Philippines Inc. (ProPork) have thrown their support behind the government’s plan to slap fines on tourists who will attempt the bring imported pork products into the country. ProPork also urged government to consider imprisoning erring tourists, particularly those who would violate pertinent laws more than once. “There should really be penalties, or else people would just neglect government warnings,” ProPork President Edwin G. Chen told

reporters in a recent interview. “And if tourists continuously disregard warnings they should be fined say for the second or third offense with imprisonment. This way they would take the law seriously,” Chen added. Chen made the proposal after African swine fever (ASF) was de-

₧50,000

The minimum fine that the government may slap on travelers carrying pork products tected in Cambodia, the second Southeast Asian nation affected by the fatal swine disease. Slapping erring tourists with a fine is part of government efforts to prevent the dreaded ASF from harming the country’s P200-billion hog sector. Countries like Thailand and Taiwan punishes tourists who bring in smuggled pork products with fines and imprisonment to prevent the spread of ASF. The Department of Agriculture (DA) is currently determining the penalties that will be slapped on tourists who will bring meat prod-

ucts, especially from ASF-affected countries, into the Philippines. The government is looking at slapping a minimum fine of P50,000. The amount is in accordance with the provisions of the Food Safety Act of 2013. However, the amount could increase as the decision on the matter rests with the agriculture secretary who will issue the administrative order. The DA’s legal team is now looking into the relevant laws that the agency could invoke in imposing the fine, to further deter tourists from bringing in imported meat products. Tourists who voluntarily surrender meat products will not be penalized under the initial proposal. Ag r icu lture Secretar y Emmanuel F. Piñol earlier told the BusinessMirror that he wants a fine of not lower than P200,000 for the first offense.

www.businessmirror.com.ph

BACK-TO-BACK BALIKATAN: PHL HOLDS SIMULTANEOUS DRILLS WITH WEST, RUSSIA By Rene Acosta

@reneacostaBM

WO large Russian anti-submarine ships, along with their oiler vessel, berthed in Manila’s port in the thick of ongoing war games with Filipino troops on Monday by a multinational force from the west led by the US. The presence of Admiral Tributs and Admiral Vinoragdov and a sea tanker from Russia’s Pacific Fleet based in Vladivostok drew the spotlight as combined Filipino and American troops and their partners were training for the Balikatan military exercise. The warships docked on Monday morning at the South Harbor after being accorded with a customary welcoming ceremony by the Philippine Navy’s ship BRP Ramon Alcaraz in what was widely seen by certain quarteers as President Duterte’s strongest showing yet of his administration’s pivot to the east. “I am glad to note that for the last years, friendly port calls of Russian and Philippine Navy vessels have been taking place on a regular basis, and by now, have become a good tradition,” said Capt. Sergey Alantiev, the head of the naval mission. Alantiev, who was also in the country when two other Russian Navy vessels— the guided missile destroyer Varyag, and the large anti-submarine ship, Admiral Panteleev—moored in Manila in January, said their presence was “clear evidence” of the successful implementation of the bilateral agreement “at the highest level, both military and political.” “Such port calls make a tangible contribution to the peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific region. We strongly believe that only by combining our resources and our efforts can we cope with present day threats and challenges,” he said. Alantiev said their visit was planned ahead of the Balikatan, which is being participated in by Japanese and Australian forces, along with more than 7,500 Filipino and American troops. The military exercise is also being joined by a host of other countries like Japan, Canada, New Zealand, South Korea, Thailand, Vietnam and the United Kingdom as observers. The Russian ships will leave on April 13, a day after Balikatan closes its activities. Alantiev said he found it “highly symbolic” that they are in the country on the eve of the “Day of Valor in the Philippines” and they are honored to pay their deepest respects to Filipino World II veterans. “My country was deeply affected

“We want to inform you that we [the Russians] have outstanding relations and good rapport with the US Navy and all efforts aimed at peace and stability in the region—be it Russian or American—are efforts in the name of peace and stability and serve the same purpose.”—Alantiev by that war and it occupies a special place in our history, and the memory of the veterans and the profound respect for their timeless heroic deeds are among the fundamental values that unite the Russian society at all levels,” he said. While previous ships from other navies only took normal port activities such as resupply and rest for their crews while in the country, the two Russian warships are poised for training with ships and sailors from the Philippine Navy. Alantiev said their own version of “balikatan” with the Philippine Navy will include “joint drills on navigation, communication and special training with quick response forces of the Philippines.” The activities were confirmed by the Navy. “We have an ongoing Balikatan,”he said, referring to the training with Navy forces, adding it is not in any way connected with the Philippines’s bilateral training with the United States. Alantiev said Russia does not see as counterproductive Manila’s holding of the war games while at the same time, it was also hosting Russian ships and training with its forces. “Actually, we don’t think it’s counterproductive in any way. We want to inform you that we have outstanding relations and good rapport with the US Navy and all efforts aimed at peace and stability in the region —be it Russian or American—are efforts in the name of peace and stability and serve the same purpose,” he said. “For instance, if we take a look at the main threats, we think it is international piracy, and of course, international terrorist threat, and especially, in the latter, my country has a great deal of experience and would be more than happy to share it with our Philippine colleagues,” he added. Capt. Constancio Arturo Reyes Jr., who led officials in welcoming their Russian counterparts, said the visit highlighted the continuing efforts of the two countries in further strengthening their relations. “This will further enhance and sustain the promotion of peace, stability and maritime cooperation through naval diplomacy,” he said.

‘Maynilad deal writer not yet off the hook’ Continued from A1

colluded with Maynilad. “Because if a crime has been committed, then we should prosecute regardless of whether the parties involved have withdrawn. Just like when you commit a crime of theft, you return the money, but you can still be prosecuted,” Panelo said. He said they will let the Department of Justice (DOJ) determine if it will still sue the people responsible for government’s agreement with Maynilad. “We will wait for the recommen-

DICT. . .

Continued from A1

Earlier, Nacionalista Party Rep. Luis Raymund Villafuerte of Camarines Sur said the Palace’s directive to DICT to cut the processing time for the construction of cell sites and other telecoms-related infrastructure to a week from the current average of eight months will send another strong signal to investors that the government is serious about cutting red tape. According to Villafuerte, after

dation of the secretary of Justice on that,” Panelo said. On the possibility of renegotiating the government’s terms with Maynilad, Panelo said this may no longer be possible if the water concessionaire drops its arbitration proceedings. “If it’s [arbitration proceeding is] dropped, then there is no need to talk on anything about the same [issue] , except for those who entered into a contract that could be a violation of the law,” Panelo said. slashing the processing time, the next step would be to cut the number of permits, noting the approvals needed for at least 25 permits to get a base transceiver station constructed. He said the government should also heed calls by telcos to standardize fees in securing permits— ranging from P5,000 to P200,000 depending on the LGU—so as to prevent corruption and address concerns involved in setting up telecommunication facilities inside private subdivisions and exclusive villages.

Editor: Efleda P. Campos

Companies BusinessMirror

Tuesday, April 9, 2019

Maynilad opens Putatan Water Treatment Plant 2 in Muntinlupa

By Jonathan L. Mayuga

@jonlmayuga

AYNILAD Water Services Inc., the private water concessionaire of the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) for the West Zone, has formally inaugurated on Monday The Putatan Water Treatment Plant 2 (PWTP 2) in Barangay Putatan, Muntinlupa City. It is the company’s second watertreatment facility that sources raw water from Laguna de Bay. Maynilad Chairman Manuel V. Pangilinan said the new facility is part of Maynilad’s water-security program that aims to minimize dependence on the Angat Dam in Bulacan as the primary source of raw water. “PWTP 2 is a vital component of Maynilad’s plan to develop alternative sources of water to ensure long-

term water security for its customers,” he said in a statement. The company’s first water-treatment facility in the same area, the PWTP 1, became operational in 2009. Tapping water from the Laguna de Bay boosts the company’s capacity to supply its growing customer base. In terms of customer base, serving about 9.5 million people to date, Maynilad is the largest private water concessionaire in the Philippines.

Under current sharing scheme as approved by the National Water Resources Board (NWRB), Maynilad receives 60 percent or 2,400 million liters per day of the total 4,000 MLD of raw water allocation from the Angat Dam. The East Zone concessionaire, , Manila Water Co. Inc., receives 40 percent of the total allocation or 1,600 MLD. The West Zone of the Greater Manila Area, its concession area, is composed of the cities of Manila (certain portions), Quezon City (certain portions), Makati (west of South Super Highway), Caloocan, Pasay, Parañaque, Las Piñas, Muntinlupa, Valenzuela, Navotas and Malabon, all in Metro Manila; the cities of Cavite, Bacoor and Imus, and the towns of Kawit, Noveleta and Rosario, all in Cavite province. “Maynilad has been tapping Laguna Lake as a source since 2009 when our first treatment facility in Muntinlupa became operational,” Maynilad President and CEO Ramoncito S. Fernandez said. “In anticipation of the growing demand for water, we constructed this additional facility, which will

not only increase available supply, but also enable us to better address the variable quality of the raw water coming from Laguna Lake,” he added. As of April this year, PWTP 2 has begun producing 100 MLD of potable water for 1 million Maynilad customers in Muntinlupa, Parañaque, Las Piñas and Cavite. The facility’s output will be expanded in phases until it reaches its full 150-MLD capacity by the latter part of the year, at which point Maynilad’s Putatan Water Treatment Plant 1 (PWTP 1) will be temporarily shut down for rehabilitation and upgrades. “With the completion of this new facility, our priority is to increase service levels for existing customers in the south, who still have a limited supply window until now,” Fernandez said. PWTP 2 uses a multistage process of Dissolved Air Flotation, Biological Aerated Filter, ultrafiltration, reverse osmosis and chlorination to treat the lake water and convert it to a product that complies with the Philippine National Standards for Drinking Water of the Department of Health.

ICTSI lauds govt for clearing ports of overstaying cargo

By Elijah Felice E. Rosales @alyasjah

HE construction of corporate and commercial centers in the Cagayan economic zone will begin this month in anticipation of more investments, mostly on financial technology (fintech) and tourism. In a statement, the Cagayan Economic Zone Authority (Ceza) said work crews will break ground this month for the construction of the Ceza Corporate and Commercial Center. The facilities will be put up on an 11-hectare property in Santa Ana, Cagayan. Ceza Administrator and CEO Raul L. Lambino said the two buildings will be ready for occupancy by early next year, and will be filled with offices of the first 26 fintech principal licensees registered with the economic zone. Commercial banks and a fresh batch of tourism and manufacturing locators are also penciled to set up shops in the Ceza Corporate and Commercial Center. Lambino added the Ceza will also carry on with its improvement and rehabilitation program of Port Irene, with the construction of six new warehouses. This is to ensure enough space will be available for port users importing construction materials and supplies, as well as a variety of loose cargoes.

On top of these developments, Lambino said the Ceza will soon seek the approval of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources for the development of the Nangaramoan Ecotourism Park and the Palaui Island Ecotourism Park. The agency vowed it will also get the insights and work with the local government and progressive groups on the project. “We have to protect and preserve these natural tourism havens from commercial abuse. We will allow Santa Ana and Palaui Island to breathe, not to be choked by exploitation,” Lambino said. Both parks are endorsed to boost tourism in Cagayan, as they are expected to draw thousands of visitors with the unspoiled natural beauty of Santa Ana and Palaui Island. A local firm was also commissioned to prepare a master development plan for the entire 54,000-hectare economic zone, as well as feasibility studies and financial viability, among others, to be assessed by the Ceza board, Lambino said. The master development plan should include the construction of the proposed convention center and sports complex, coastal boulevard, fintech hub and dutyfree mall, power and water plants, Cyberpark, and the programmatic environmental impact and assessment project.

PAL increases services to Bangkok

HILE International Container Terminal Services Inc. (ICTSI) lauds the concrete steps taken by the Philippine government to clear Manila ports of overstaying cargo, a ranking official of the company noted that the real results of these initiatives can only be seen after Easter. Christian R. Gonzalez, ICTSI Global Corporate head, said the company is supportive of the government’s “hard stand in fasttracking the disposal and reduction of overstaying and empty containers at Manila ports.” “The results have been immediate and goes to show what determination and focus of purpose can do,” he said. Gonzales added the overstaying-cargo incident in Manila is a wake-up call to remove this persisting problem. “We are optimistic most have understood the need for containers to move regularly and in a timely fashion,” he said. Gonzales noted the fruits of this initiative can only be seen after Easter—should the government sustain it. “[T]he proof will come after Easter, which historically has seen overstaying boxes surge,” he said. The Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) earlier issued an ultimatum for overstaying containers. Since then, yard utilization at the Manila International Container Terminal (MICT) rapidly decreased by about 20 percentage points, from 90 percent in January this year to 70 percent at the start of April. This despite higher volume handled, which doubled in April. Shipping lines, Gonzales added, have now been able to achieve their weekly empty-container evacuation targets. ICTSI also continues to transfer more overstaying laden containers to Laguna Gateway Inland Container Terminal (LGICT) in Calamba. Lorenz S. Marasigan

Construction of corporate, commercial centers in Cagayan economic zone begins in April

By Lorenz S. Marasigan @lorenzmarasigan

HOME AWAY FROM HOME

Located along the City Road in Santiago City, Isabela, is the Mango Suites Hotel that offers two-star accommodation, free shuttle services, Wi-Fi and flat-screen TV with cable channels in all of its rooms. Continental breakfast is served every morning to each guest. A round-the-clock assistance is likewise ready. CEASAR M. PERANTE

PA Properties breaks ground for new housing project in Calamba, Laguna

AGUNA-BASED developer PA Alvarez Properties and Development Cor p. (PA Properties) bared on Monday the positive take-up on its P475-million St. Joseph Homes Calamba Phase 2 project, following its ceremonial groundbreaking to formally begin its establishment. While construction has just started, PA Properties SVP for Business Development Jonathan Jerusalem revealed that 6 percent of the total 828 housing units are already sold on presale. “The response is highly encouraging given the very warm attendance during its groundbreaking. We sold 27 units in just one day,” he told the BusinessMirror through e-mail. Targeted for completion by 2023, this well-planned 5.8-hectare community is catered to eco-

nomic segment, early nesters and those looking for value for money on their first home, he said. This horizontal project will feature a model house called “Marya,” which is inspired by the rich heritage of Calamba. It boasts of a loft designed for homebuyers who want to maximize space. Each unit will be available either on 36-square-meter and 54-sq-m (end unit) lot areas. St. Joseph Homes w il l offer future tenants modern-day amenities, such as a landscaped gateway; the “Audiencia,” a multipurpose hall inspired by the Filipino-Hispanic court and designed for celebrations and other gatherings; a recreation area for family bonding and recreations; a basketball court; and a jogging path for fitness enthusiasts. Located in Barangay Laguerta

in Laguna, this project is minutes away from the town proper and South Luzon Expressway exit points. It is just a stone’s throw away from schools, hospitals, malls, churches, recreation facilities, retail and commercial rows, and industrial areas. With a capitalization of P3.3 billion as of October 2018, PA Proper t ies h a s a l ready bu i lt around 19,000 housing units in Laguna, Batangas, Bulacan, Cav ite, Pampanga and Metro Manila. The real-estate company continues to embark on strategic expansion efforts to further build 25 additional housing communities in the next five years to help ease the more than 6 million housing backlog in the Philippines and contribute to the growth of the economy, as well. Roderick L. Abad

ANGKOK, Thailand—Legacy carrier Philippine Airlines (PAL) aims to slice a bigger piece of the pie in the PhilippineThailand market in 2019, as demand for flights here continues to increase. Jaime J. Bautista, the company’s president, said his group aims to further increase its share in the Philippine-Thailand market to 45 percent within the year by up-gauging its services to Bangkok. “We currently have 40 percent of the market,” he said. “This year, maybe we can increase that by five percentage points.” The Thai government, he said, is expecting to attract roughly 30 million tourists this year. Bautista said that while his group does not plan to increase the frequency of its 29 flights per week to Bangkok via Manila and Cebu,

the airline will continuously upgauge its existing services as the demand goes up. “The demand for Bangkok is increasing because it’s really a tourist destination,” he said. “What we can do is to up-gauge the airplane to bigger ones like the Airbus A350 Love Bus.” Bautista was referring to PAL’s latest wide-body jet, the Airbus A350, which bears a kiss-mark livery design near its nose to celebrate the 40-year partnership of the Filipino airline and the French aircraft maker. Currently, PAL has a fleet of 98 planes, consisting of five Airbus A350-900 XWB, 10 Boeing 777300ER, two Airbus A340-313, 15 Airbus A330-343, 24 Airbus A321231, six Airbus A321-271neo, seven Airbus A320-214, 12 Airbus A320214, three Bombardier Q400, 10 Bombardier Q400 NG and four Bombardier Q300. PAL flies to 43 international and 35 domestic destinations.

Swedish firms to assist local construction efforts with equipment, services, solutions

WEDISH firms are eyeing to take advantage of the government’s infrastructure program by supplying the needed equipment, solutions and services in the construction of the projects. In a report titled “Philippines Open for Business” by Business Sweden, Swedish firms are looking to provide necessary inputs and technology to infrastructure projects listed under the “Build, Build, Build” program. Known for the quality and advancement of the products, they want to supply both government and private-sector public infrastructure. “Swedish suppliers that can offer equipment, solutions and services for critical applications will be able to find a good, profitable and high-growth market for years to come in the Philippines. Opportunities are divided in three areas: government, private sector via public-private partnership [PPP] and official development assistance funded

projects” the report read. “To tap into the government projects, a strong local partner is necessary, and expect competition as procurement in most cases focus on lower prices,” it added. The report recommended that Swedish firms eye private sector-led projects that “provide larger and more opportunities,” as proponents of PPP projects reportedly quality and the actual business case in procurement. “Swedish companies are well suited because of their high innovation level. Additionally, the importance of adapting to the specific context and getting local partners cannot be emphasized enough. These are long-term and extensive processes, and include partnerships beyond having only an importer, dealer or distributor in the Philippines. Key partners should at least include project owners, advisors and contractors,” the report read. Elijah Felice E. Rosales

Companies BusinessMirror

Tuesday, April 9, 2019

PSE STOCK QUOTATIONS

April 8, 2019

Net Foreign Stocks Bid Ask Open High Low Close Volume Value Trade (Peso) Buy (Sell) FINANCIALS ASIA UNITED BDO UNIBANK BANK PH ISLANDS CHINABANK CITYSTATE BANK EAST WEST BANK METROBANK PB BANK PBCOM PHIL NATL BANK PSBANK RCBC SECURITY BANK UNION BANK BDO LEASING COL FINANCIAL FIRST ABACUS FERRONOUX HLDG IREMIT MANULIFE NTL REINSURANCE PHIL STOCK EXCH SUN LIFE VANTAGE

58.25 130.4 80.8 27.25 6.59 12.04 79.9 13.9 21.4 57.9 57.05 26.1 179 60.9 2.17 19 0.6 4.34 1.4 800 0.93 188 1800 1.15

58.55 130.5 82 27.35 7.57 12.14 79.95 13.96 21.85 58 58.3 26.25 179.7 61.95 2.25 19.2 0.66 4.35 1.43 810 0.96 190 1840 1.19

56.5 131 81.4 27.1 7.57 12.1 79.9 13.9 21.85 58 58.45 26.05 178.4 62 2.26 19.2 0.67 4.5 1.52 800 0.94 196.8 1800 1.13

58.55 132 82.5 27.35 7.57 12.3 80 14 21.85 58.7 58.85 26.3 179.7 62 2.26 19.2 0.67 4.5 1.52 800 0.94 196.8 1800 1.13

56.5 130 80.8 27.1 7.57 12.04 79.45 13.9 21.4 57.8 57 26.05 177.7 61 2.17 19.1 0.67 4.32 1.4 800 0.93 188 1800 1.13

58.55 130.5 80.8 27.35 7.57 12.14 79.95 13.9 21.4 58 57.05 26.1 179.7 61 2.25 19.2 0.67 4.35 1.43 800 0.94 190 1800 1.13

40100 1174260 4107280 52500 300 159800 735310 38500 5200 124370 2560 13300 153780 4210 17000 76200 1000 244000 203000 250 163000 3700 270 7000

2340142.5 153400299 334476009.5 1426000 2271 1939336 58734719.5 536150 111370 7232155.5 147642.5 349225 27528945 256873.5 37700 1459920 670 1071500 289630 200000 152340 700149 486000 7910

INDUSTRIAL ALSONS CONS ABOITIZ POWER BASIC ENERGY FIRST GEN FIRST PHIL HLDG MERALCO MANILA WATER PETRON PETROENERGY PHINMA ENERGY PHX PETROLEUM PILIPINAS SHELL SPC POWER VIVANT AGRINURTURE CNTRL AZUCARERA CENTURY FOOD DEL MONTE DNL INDUS EMPERADOR SMC FOODANDBEV ALLIANCE SELECT GINEBRA JOLLIBEE MACAY HLDG MAXS GROUP MG HLDG PEPSI COLA SHAKEYS PIZZA ROXAS AND CO RFM CORP ROXAS HLDG UNIV ROBINA VITARICH CONCRETE A CEMEX HLDG DAVINCI CAPITAL EAGLE CEMENT EEI CORP HOLCIM MEGAWIDE PHINMA TKC METALS VULCAN INDL CROWN ASIA LMG CHEMICALS MABUHAY VINYL PRYCE CORP CONCEPCION GREENERGY INTEGRATED MICR IONICS PANASONIC SFA SEMICON CIRTEK HLDG

1.4 35.5 0.241 21.9 79.45 374 23.75 6.39 4.23 1.59 11.7 46 7.5 15.5 16.6 14.72 16 5.99 11.66 7.25 105 0.96 29.55 318.8 10.32 15.4 0.19 1.38 13.16 1.68 4.67 2.4 155.9 1.69 68.25 2.04 5.24 15.72 9.66 10.94 22.5 9.25 1.06 1.19 1.95 3.89 3.52 5.35 43.2 2.67 13.12 1.73 6.16 1.3 28.8

ABACORE CAPITAL ASIABEST GROUP AYALA CORP ABOITIZ EQUITY ALLIANCE GLOBAL ANSCOR ANGLO PHIL HLDG ATN HLDG A ATN HLDG B COSCO CAPITAL DMCI HLDG FILINVEST DEV GT CAPITAL HOUSE OF INV JG SUMMIT JOLLIVILLE HLDG LODESTAR LOPEZ HLDG LT GROUP MABUHAY HLDG METRO PAC INV PACIFICA PRIME ORION SOLID GROUP SYNERGY GRID SM INVESTMENTS SAN MIGUEL CORP SOC RESOURCES SEAFRONT RES TOP FRONTIER WELLEX INDUS ZEUS HLDG

0.54 20.05 911 59.95 16.38 6.4 0.79 1.39 1.37 7.63 11.82 15.1 888.5 6.91 65.05 5.1 0.5 5.23 16.68 0.55 4.69 0.039 2.95 1.35 420 949 175.4 0.96 2.38 266 0.233 0.36

1.43 36.2 0.247 22 79.6 378.8 23.8 6.4 4.34 1.6 11.76 46.65 7.59 17 16.62 15.14 16.1 6.19 11.7 7.37 106 0.97 29.6 319 10.6 15.42 0.2 1.4 13.2 1.7 4.79 2.42 156 1.7 74.35 2.05 5.7 15.9 9.67 11 22.55 9.5 1.07 1.2 1.97 3.9 3.65 5.48 43.9 2.69 13.16 1.74 6.55 1.31 29.4

1.4 36 0.243 21.45 79.4 379.2 23.7 6.37 4.37 1.64 11.88 46.2 7.21 16.98 16.52 14.7 15.32 6.2 11.6 7.38 105 0.96 29.3 320.2 10.3 15.38 0.19 1.4 13.38 1.7 4.67 2.4 152.6 1.7 74.3 2.04 5.26 15.7 9.8 11.14 22.1 9.01 1.11 1.23 1.9 3.92 3.52 5.55 43 2.68 12.84 1.76 6.13 1.32 28.8

1.41 36.3 0.249 22 79.9 380.6 23.9 6.43 4.37 1.64 11.98 46.9 7.6 16.98 16.8 15.1 16.4 6.2 11.7 7.38 106 0.99 29.6 320.6 10.68 15.48 0.19 1.41 13.38 1.7 4.68 2.42 157 1.7 74.3 2.09 5.26 15.94 9.91 11.2 22.75 9.5 1.14 1.23 2.03 3.92 3.65 5.55 43.1 2.7 13.24 1.76 6.58 1.32 29.4

1.4 35.5 0.24 21.35 79.35 374 23.7 6.37 4.34 1.56 11.7 46 7.21 16.98 16.52 14.7 15.3 6 11.5 7.24 103.5 0.96 29.2 318.8 10.22 15.16 0.19 1.38 13.1 1.7 4.67 2.4 152.1 1.68 74.3 2.03 5.23 15.7 9.66 10.6 22.1 9.01 1.05 1.16 1.9 3.9 3.52 5.35 43 2.6 12.84 1.72 6.13 1.32 28.8

1.4 35.5 0.247 22 79.6 374 23.8 6.39 4.34 1.59 11.76 46 7.59 16.98 16.62 15.1 16.1 6 11.7 7.25 106 0.97 29.55 318.8 10.6 15.4 0.19 1.38 13.16 1.7 4.67 2.42 156 1.69 74.3 2.04 5.25 15.9 9.67 11 22.55 9.5 1.07 1.2 1.96 3.9 3.65 5.35 43.1 2.69 13.16 1.73 6.55 1.32 29.4

467000 850000 2950000 1070900 34240 152080 1221000 1103300 12000 27163000 222400 149800 552400 1000 441700 1500 2150100 48400 4180900 175100 310220 1423000 62800 493570 6000 1430100 70000 3428000 360100 4000 14000 50000 1078890 844000 10 10603000 70200 74700 258900 3395000 4663400 15200 1270000 4665000 1415000 99000 15000 52400 3400 8821000 482800 621000 21600 8000 53300

653880 30564430 727360 23440465 2722053 57149932 29090755 7055360 52110 43401310 2616264 6975870 4118627 16980 7357572 22480 33770994 290480 48692428 1271059 32737496 1382050 1847680 157618072 62740 22008932 13300 4750290 4754840 6800 65390 120300 167519797 1425800 743 21797940 367842 1187774 2529183 36882064 105425635 142366 1364540 5573020 2771670 387180 54050 280610 146450 23530180 6323068 1078890 138786 10560 1550275

HOLDING & FRIMS 0.55 20.25 914 60 16.4 6.5 0.81 1.4 1.4 7.65 11.84 15.14 889.5 6.98 65.5 5.15 0.52 5.24 16.8 0.57 4.7 0.04 2.97 1.36 438 953 175.5 0.97 2.44 273 0.24 0.365

0.56 20.5 919 60.4 15.96 6.35 0.82 1.38 1.38 7.75 11.76 15.04 897 6.95 64.65 5.08 0.52 5.22 16.54 0.55 4.6 0.039 2.93 1.33 418 944 176 1.05 2.38 262.4 0.244 0.37

0.56 20.55 919 60.6 16.5 6.5 0.83 1.4 1.4 7.75 12.02 15.28 905 6.98 65.85 5.1 0.52 5.28 16.8 0.55 4.74 0.04 2.97 1.36 439 966 177.1 1.05 2.38 273 0.244 0.375

0.52 20.05 907 59.95 15.96 6.35 0.79 1.36 1.38 7.6 11.74 15 885.5 6.92 64.55 5.08 0.5 5.2 16.54 0.55 4.6 0.039 2.83 1.33 410 944 174.9 0.97 2.38 262.2 0.231 0.36

0.54 20.05 911 60 16.4 6.5 0.79 1.39 1.4 7.63 11.84 15.14 889.5 6.98 65.5 5.1 0.51 5.23 16.8 0.55 4.7 0.039 2.97 1.36 420 953 175.5 0.97 2.38 273 0.24 0.365

20044000 24300 254440 643200 15595200 211500 816000 3921000 413000 914100 4459500 691000 116060 81200 1769410 3900 687000 203800 1261700 3000 23464000 9600000 1449000 47000 1620 181630 275290 3298000 3000 820 380000 17950000

10838940 489045 231822545 38763311.5 255544214 1374525 651450 5423960 571590 6989199 52903090 10495044 103367595 564392 115296529.5 19852 344920 1065625 20994646 1650 109843940 375800 4206360 62990 683324 173221975 48375131 3266120 7140 219724 88600 6576850

2164549 -536038 23477281 -464892 -71103 395696 -296750 12401796 -65270 -92190 123690 163800 -4449820 296450 12816925 669473.5 5093812 -7582090 402121 -34720 2334170 -207530 4153195 -70380 4938182 2751322 -279520 18437202 -43548 1265784 -2880 458520 38073010 17010968 391330.0003 -660000 36300 65096472 -1331210 19400 -7928098 36446290 31800 -162000 646090 -280055 21550 -1523590 -1027264 -90465 333920 -87785750 18394479 135277496 975000 -56700 99970 2816405 -9872188 396976 -41510340 67951052 186179 7079784 1650 -2829800 170240 559640 107016705 7287678 194500 -694950

PROPERTY

ARTHALAND CORP 0.77 0.78 0.79 0.79 0.77 0.78 954000 738450 1540 ANCHOR LAND 11.52 11.88 10.92 13.46 10.92 11.88 100600 1176354 -99462 AYALA LAND 44.9 45 45 45 44.85 45 9190300 413162565 -27172160 ARANETA PROP 1.97 2 2 2 2 2 6000 12000 BELLE CORP 2.42 2.43 2.37 2.42 2.36 2.42 620000 1488640 -57670 A BROWN 0.78 0.79 0.81 0.81 0.78 0.79 313000 247250 CITYLAND DEVT 0.89 0.9 0.94 0.94 0.89 0.9 1302000 1160100 2700 CROWN EQUITIES 0.243 0.244 0.246 0.246 0.244 0.244 160000 39110 CEB LANDMASTERS 4.16 4.21 4.17 4.19 4.12 4.16 440000 1830630 80110 CENTURY PROP 0.53 0.54 0.53 0.54 0.52 0.54 11617000 6161340 32860 CYBER BAY 0.4 0.42 0.42 0.42 0.42 0.42 70000 29400 DOUBLEDRAGON 22.95 23 22.4 23.35 22.4 22.95 378100 8652500 386735 DM WENCESLAO 11.54 11.56 11.4 11.56 11.1 11.56 887900 10058734 203728 EMPIRE EAST 0.52 0.53 0.51 0.53 0.51 0.53 2683000 1411160 8840 EVER GOTESCO 0.124 0.125 0.125 0.125 0.125 0.125 180000 22500 FILINVEST LAND 1.51 1.52 1.52 1.53 1.5 1.52 10529000 15972200 -8338750 GLOBAL ESTATE 1.38 1.39 1.36 1.42 1.35 1.38 5910000 8222460 8990 HLDG 13.04 13.06 13.26 13.48 13 13.06 1723200 22641660 2335588 PHIL INFRADEV 1.74 1.75 1.68 1.77 1.68 1.74 2012000 3473280 -426240 MEGAWORLD 5.74 5.75 5.7 5.78 5.68 5.74 25092200 143474770 26505014 MRC ALLIED 0.365 0.37 0.355 0.37 0.355 0.37 12080000 4394600 173850 PHIL ESTATES 0.5 0.52 0.49 0.52 0.485 0.52 1470000 750800 -359900 PRIMEX CORP 2.56 2.57 2.5 2.58 2.5 2.57 431000 1105750 ROBINSONS LAND 24.1 24.15 24.45 24.5 24.05 24.15 1500800 36265675 25293800 PHIL REALTY 0.42 0.425 0.42 0.425 0.42 0.425 300000 126500 ROCKWELL 1.99 2 2 2 1.98 1.99 196000 391380 -230000 SHANG PROP 3 3.05 3.05 3.07 3 3 185000 556210 STA LUCIA LAND 1.6 1.63 1.63 1.63 1.59 1.63 252000 406000 SM PRIME HLDG 39.2 39.3 39.1 39.8 39 39.3 4653400 182656340 -13860735 STARMALLS 7.09 7.1 6.9 7.13 6.8 7.09 718500 5050568 163160 SUNTRUST HOME 0.74 0.76 0.76 0.76 0.74 0.74 115000 86700 PTFC REDEV CORP 45.3 53.45 53.45 53.45 53.45 53.45 20 1069 VISTA LAND 7.24 7.25 7.24 7.3 7.22 7.25 2141700 15566357 -1440065 SERVICES ABS CBN 19.9 19.98 20 20.05 19.72 19.98 211100 4207197 GMA NETWORK 5.79 5.8 5.8 5.82 5.78 5.8 2987700 17324862 MANILA BULLETIN 0.71 0.72 0.68 0.74 0.67 0.71 15041000 10606690 MLA BRDCASTING 15.6 16.9 15.46 15.46 15.46 15.46 300 4638 GLOBE TELECOM 1911 1923 1908 1936 1900 1923 23010 44121870 3696625 PLDT 1150 1153 1140 1160 1135 1150 276855 318264875 -1662250 APOLLO GLOBAL 0.041 0.042 0.041 0.042 0.041 0.042 400000 16700 DFNN INC 6.78 6.8 6.77 6.78 6.77 6.78 12500 84747 IMPERIAL 1.87 2.07 1.86 1.87 1.8 1.87 36000 65880 16200 ISLAND INFO 0.128 0.13 0.128 0.13 0.128 0.129 920000 118510 ISM COMM 4.83 4.85 4.92 4.95 4.8 4.83 1262000 6126600 244000 JACKSTONES 3.06 3.14 3.06 3.06 3.05 3.05 99000 302470 NOW CORP 2.52 2.53 2.54 2.59 2.51 2.52 451000 1143050 2540 TRANSPACIFIC BR 0.39 0.395 0.39 0.4 0.39 0.395 3000000 1176400 PHILWEB 2.86 2.87 2.74 2.87 2.74 2.86 862000 2440110 -28600 2GO GROUP 12.5 12.64 12.7 12.7 12.5 12.5 13000 163274 1250 ASIAN TERMINALS 16 16.66 16 16 16 16 2900 46400 CHELSEA 5.33 5.38 5.4 5.4 5.25 5.38 485700 2571657 667725 CEBU AIR 84.5 84.8 86 86 84.45 84.8 50400 4285925.5 149895.5 INTL CONTAINER 129.5 129.6 123 129.6 123 129.6 1209660 155193577 61195409 LBC EXPRESS 15.4 15.76 15.4 15.4 15.4 15.4 300 4620 LORENZO SHIPPNG 0.91 0.92 0.98 0.98 0.91 0.92 2435000 2269270 139000 MACROASIA 22.9 22.95 22.7 23 22.2 22.95 1045200 23896340 3780025 METROALLIANCE A 1.69 1.77 1.71 1.79 1.69 1.79 92000 156710 METROALLIANCE B 1.71 1.98 1.7 1.7 1.7 1.7 5000 8500 PAL HLDG 10.22 10.28 10.1 10.28 10.1 10.22 31700 321612 HARBOR STAR 3.02 3.03 3.02 3.09 3.01 3.03 1885000 5750440 -36600 BOULEVARD HLDG 0.072 0.073 0.071 0.073 0.071 0.073 25600000 1844140 194399.9999 DISCOVERY WORLD 2.06 2.15 2.18 2.18 2.18 2.18 1000 2180 GRAND PLAZA 9.92 11.38 9.92 9.92 9.92 9.92 100 992 WATERFRONT 0.71 0.72 0.7 0.72 0.7 0.71 1526000 1084310 FAR EASTERN U 890 895 890 890 890 890 10 8900 IPEOPLE 11.1 11.8 10.8 11.8 10.8 11.5 153100 1748840 1713160 STI HLDG 0.66 0.67 0.68 0.68 0.67 0.67 6005000 4027180 890710 BERJAYA 2.49 2.5 2.52 2.54 2.49 2.49 254000 634060 -29980 BLOOMBERRY 12.8 12.82 12.84 12.94 12.7 12.8 31298100 402149498 -83440354 PACIFIC ONLINE 4.47 4.5 4.5 4.5 4.43 4.5 37000 166290 LEISURE AND RES 3.86 3.9 3.95 4.06 3.81 3.9 5973000 23816020 -2091650 PH RESORTS GRP 4.7 4.71 4.5 4.7 4.5 4.7 11000 49700 PREMIUM LEISURE 0.84 0.85 0.85 0.86 0.84 0.85 7109000 6038140 485440 TRAVELLERS 5.64 5.65 5.65 5.67 5.63 5.65 138500 783124 -94362 METRO RETAIL 3.35 3.36 3.3 3.4 3.29 3.36 2898000 9678360 640020 PUREGOLD 49.5 49.55 48.25 49.85 48.25 49.5 2725800 134279780 70989675 ROBINSONS RTL 79.9 80 79.8 80.15 79.8 80 503880 40306607 -19217079 PHIL SEVEN CORP 118 119.3 121 121 117 118 1730 203489 -42029 SSI GROUP 2.46 2.47 2.45 2.48 2.44 2.46 2799000 6885310 699480 WILCON DEPOT 15.4 15.56 15.5 15.72 15.18 15.4 1723100 26750762 2850476 APC GROUP 0.425 0.44 0.44 0.44 0.43 0.43 1220000 530850 EASYCALL 10.12 10.26 10.4 10.5 10 10.26 107700 1096008 -372348 GOLDEN BRIA 390 399 399.8 400 385 399 450 177028 IPM HLDG 7.1 7.11 7.09 7.1 7.09 7.1 11000 78090 PAXYS 3.09 3.2 3.19 3.32 3.19 3.2 17000 54690 -6140 PRMIERE HORIZON 0.96 0.97 0.96 0.99 0.92 0.97 33197000 31781440 -2182820 SBS PHIL CORP 8.81 8.94 9 9 8.94 8.94 23700 212584 -45000 MINING & OIL ATOK 12.1 12.92 12.9 12.96 12.26 12.94 17000 218696 193500 APEX MINING 1.35 1.36 1.37 1.38 1.34 1.35 1619000 2184640 -262050 ABRA MINING 0.0019 0.0021 0.0021 0.0021 0.002 0.0021 112000000 225100 ATLAS MINING 2.94 2.98 2.94 2.94 2.93 2.94 121000 354850 -8810 BENGUET A 1.33 1.48 1.41 1.5 1.4 1.48 13000 18540 BENGUET B 1.33 1.51 1.31 1.33 1.31 1.33 39000 51270 COAL ASIA HLDG 0.295 0.3 0.295 0.295 0.295 0.295 200000 59000 CENTURY PEAK 2.69 2.7 2.69 2.72 2.68 2.7 1341000 3612490 -999100 DIZON MINES 8.2 8.25 8.26 8.36 8.07 8.25 9500 78482 FERRONICKEL 1.6 1.61 1.62 1.63 1.58 1.61 7776000 12459240 187620 GEOGRACE 0.255 0.26 0.26 0.265 0.25 0.26 3190000 809050 38500 LEPANTO A 0.116 0.118 0.118 0.118 0.117 0.118 1380000 162280 MANILA MINING A 0.0084 0.0086 0.0086 0.0086 0.0085 0.0085 2000000 17100 MARCVENTURES 1.05 1.09 1.07 1.07 1.05 1.05 84000 88460 NIHAO 1 1.03 1.04 1.04 1 1.03 18000 18100 NICKEL ASIA 2.57 2.6 2.59 2.6 2.54 2.57 1180000 3033170 -497100 OMICO CORP 0.59 0.6 0.6 0.61 0.6 0.6 60000 36100 ORNTL PENINSULA 0.91 0.92 0.91 0.91 0.9 0.91 199000 180550 PX MINING 3.38 3.39 3.38 3.4 3.37 3.39 183000 618110 16900 SEMIRARA MINING 22 22.05 21.75 22.3 21.75 22 2365700 52043340 31829855 UNITED PARAGON 0.0069 0.0073 0.007 0.007 0.007 0.007 7000000 49000 ORNTL PETROL A 0.012 0.013 0.013 0.013 0.012 0.013 3000000 38000 PHILODRILL 0.011 0.012 0.011 0.012 0.011 0.011 16400000 180800 PHINMA PETRO 3.03 3.15 3 3.01 3 3.01 10000 30060 PXP ENERGY 8.86 8.87 9.52 9.65 8.85 8.87 4513800 41204861 1707110 PREFFERED HOUSE PREF A 94 95 95 95 95 95 750 71250 19000 AC PREF B1 467.2 478.8 478.8 478.8 478.8 478.8 100 47880 AC PREF B2 481 495 481 485 481 481 700 336740 SMC FB PREF 2 975 981 980 981 980 981 100 98050 FGEN PREF G 100.9 104.2 104.3 104.3 104.3 104.3 500 52150 FPH PREF C 450.6 474.8 450.6 450.6 450.6 450.6 400 180240 GTCAP PREF B 902 924.5 924 924.5 924 924.5 1000 924215 LR PREF 1 1.01 1 1.01 1 1.01 680000 685000 MWIDE PREF 100 102.7 101.2 101.2 100 100 10000 1002288 20080 PNX PREF 3B 104 106 106 106 106 106 20 2120 PCOR PREF 2A 971 1000 1000 1000 1000 1000 20 20000 20000 PCOR PREF 2B 990 1040 1040 1040 1040 1040 5 5200 SMC PREF 2B 74.9 75 75.2 75.2 75 75 20290 1521784 SMC PREF 2C 75.75 76 76.5 76.5 75.75 75.75 26670 2023360 30400 SMC PREF 2D 71.8 72.85 73.7 73.8 71.7 72.85 82850 6001313 SMC PREF 2E 72.5 74.15 74.15 74.15 74.15 74.15 30 2224.5 SMC PREF 2F 74 74.75 74.75 74.75 74.75 74.75 310 23172.5 SMC PREF 2G 73 73.5 73.5 73.5 72.75 72.75 410 29977.5 14700 SMC PREF 2I 73 73.95 73.95 73.95 73.95 73.95 900 66555 -

PHIL. DEPOSITARY RECEIPTS ABS HLDG PDR GMA HLDG PDR

19.52 5.61

19.76 5.64

19.12 5.61

19.52 5.61

19.1 5.61

19.52 5.61

88300 3900

1687726 21879

WARRANTS LR WARRANT

1.91

SMALL & MEDIUM ENTERPRISES ITALPINAS 4.85 XURPAS 1.35

1.97

1.96

2.09

1.9

1100000

2219940

4.86 1.36

4.86 1.19

4.89 1.37

4.85 1.18

4.86 1.35

146000 45676000

708550 58889870

-6075480

EXHANGE TRADE FUNDS FIRST METRO ETF

117.6

-819914 -

118

117.3

118

117.3

118

10280

1212033

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Gokongwei, Consunji groups form JV to develop Las Piñas land By VG Cabuag

@villygc

HE property-development arm of the Gokongwei and Consunji groups on Monday said it formed a joint-venture firm to develop pieces of land in Las Piñas. In its disclosure to the Philippine Stock Exchange, the two firms are forming RLC DMCI

Property Ventures Inc. for the purchase, lease and development of some properties in the city.

The proposed project is intended to be a multitower residential condominium and may include commercial spaces, the companies said. The joint-venture entity has an initial capitalization of P500 million. “This joint-venture between RLC and DMCI PDI will combine the experience and expertise of two of the leading real-estate developers in the country. The combination of the vision of RLC and DMCI PDI’s construction

expertise is expected to result into a well-planned residential development,” it said. Robinsons Land Corp. is the property arm of the Gokongwei, while DMCI Project Developers Inc. will be the vehicle for the Consunji group. “Profit sharing shall be in accordance with the shareholding of each party. The JVC shall be managed by the board of directors composed of six members, three directors from each party,” it said.

NGCP partners with local designer for community livelihood project By Lenie Lectura @llectura

HE National Grid Corp. of the Philippines (NGCP) is collaborating with renowned fashion designer Rajo Laurel for the former’s sustainable livelihood project. Officials of NGCP’s Project Baro, one of the company’s corporate social responsibility (CSR) projects, signed an agreement with Laurel to use the project’s products for NGCP’s corporate uniform in 2020. Project Baro is a sustainable livelihood project that aims to promote and sustain the indigenous art of weaving in the country. It hopes to improve the economic conditions of its partner communities by building their capacities. Aside from the provision of trainings on various weaving techniques, raw materials and equipment to weavers, the project will also help increase their income through market linkage and access. “It is important for the project to go full circle as the equipment and trainings will find no use if there is no market for them to sell their goods,” the NGCP said. The collaboration between NGCP and Laurel will see the use of Iloilo’s

Hablon fabric, produced by memberweavers of the Miagao Weavers’ Association (MWA), in NGCP’s corporate uniforms. Laurel’s company, Laurel et Ross, which has been in the business of masterfully crafting uniform designs since 2001, will oversee the design and production of said uniforms. “We believe we should not stop our efforts by just giving them tools and trainings, but also keep them relevant by linking the communities with local and international entrepreneurs who are able to see the quality and design of Filipinos,” the NGCP said. Laurel expressed his excitement over the project. “Weaving is a very strong, significant symbol of our country. Miagao is one of the most popular weaving communities and it is very important to not allow this identity to disappear. I’m very happy that NGCP got me for this project as this will help a lot of weavers,” Laurel said. Around 75 weavers are expected to benefit from the project. Aside from the MWA, the NGCP also supports member-weavers of Kalinga Indigenous Weavers’ Association Etnika in Kalinga and Buhi

Mastercard revolutionizes consumer engagement through its symbol and sonic tune

ETTING a new tempo for brand expression, Mastercard has evolved its logo into a symbol and sonic tune. Wherever consumers engage with Mastercard across the globe—be it physical, digital or voice environments—the distinct and memorable Mastercard melody provides simple, seamless familiarity. In Asia, Mastercard is leveraging the new symbol and tune to bridge differences in culture and language across the region, and build a deeper connection with the growing number of mobile and digital consumers. In January Mastercard introduced the new symbol logo which helps to simplify, modernize and optimize the Mastercard logo across all platforms. The interlocking red and yellow circles, referred to as the Mastercard Symbol, represents the logo better than any word could. The simplicity of the iconic symbol followed global market research, which found that 80 percent of consumers recognized the logo without any words, giving the company the confidence to evolve into being a symbol. The introduction of Mastercard’s sonic tune came on the heels of the symbol. To ensure the Mastercard melody would resonate with people the world over, Mastercard tapped musicians, artists and agencies from across

the globe. The result—a distinct and memorable melody with adaptations across genres and cultures, making it locally relevant while maintaining a consistent global voice. In addition, the use of varying instruments and tempos help to deliver the Mastercard melody in several unique styles, such as operatic, cinematic and playful, as well as a number of regional interpretations. The Mastercard melody was recently unveiled in a commercial starring Cuban-American pop star Camila Cabello in the lead-up to the 61st Annual Grammy Awards in 2019. Together, the symbol and sonic tune have beautifully preserved Mastercard’s iconic foundations and have set the tone for our digital future, where people of all backgrounds can recognize the brand across various platforms. “Mastercard has evolved the logo to offer consumers a multisensory experience. The symbol and sonic tune are all about anticipating what the future has in store for consumers in the Philippines as they embrace the new realities of digital commerce. Mastercard is confident that we can offer Mastercard cardholders safe, secure and trusted payment options and features that complement their modern lifestyles,” said Rowell del Fierro, country manager Philippines, Mastercard.

OTOP Key Players Association in Camarines Sur. Both associations supply NGCP with their products and are linked to socio-ethical enterprises through the project. “Through the support we give to our communities and local industries, we not only enable their craft to mature, but also give them

MUTUAL FUNDS

better opportunities to showcase what Filipinos are capable of,” the NGCP said. In addition to sustainable livelihood projects, NGCP’s CSR Program puts prime concern on environmental conservation and the continuous development of its host communities through various initiatives.

April 8, 2019

NAV ONE YEAR THREE YEAR FIVE YEAR Y-T-D PER SHARE RETURN* RETURN STOCK FUNDS ALFM GROWTH FUND, INC. -A 263.1 -3.65% 1.3% 1.46% 4.31% ATRAM ALPHA OPPORTUNITY FUND, INC. -A 1.6372 0.53% 11.01% 4.32% 13.63% ATRAM PHILIPPINE EQUITY OPPORTUNITY FUND, INC. -A 4.0984 -5.25% 1.67% 0.48% 5.01% CLIMBS SHARE CAPITAL EQUITY INVESTMENT FUND CORP. -A 0.9389 -1.07% N.A. N.A. 5.44% FIRST METRO CONSUMER FUND ON MSCI PHILS. IMI, INC. -A 0.8621 N.A. N.A. N.A. 5.04% FIRST METRO SAVE AND LEARN EQUITY FUND,INC. -A 5.4745 -2.46% 1.32% 1.28% 3.86% MBG EQUITY INVESTMENT FUND, INC. -A 127.35 7.51% N.A. N.A. 9.35% ONE WEALTHY NATION FUND, INC. -A 0.8737 -4.65% -3.94% N.A. 4.96% PAMI EQUITY INDEX FUND, INC. -A 51.8826 -1.55% 2.22% N.A. 5.44% PHILAM STRATEGIC GROWTH FUND, INC. -A 541.93 -1.69% 1.16% 1.17% 5.28% PHILEQUITY DIVIDEND YIELD FUND, INC. -A 1.3069 -0.76% 2.87% 4.26% 4.22% PHILEQUITY FUND, INC. -A 38.6257 -0.82% 3.68% 3.54% 5.44% PHILEQUITY MSCI PHILIPPINE INDEX FUND, INC. -A,3 1.0328 N.A. N.A. N.A. N.A. PHILEQUITY PSE INDEX FUND INC. -A 5.252 -1.38% 3.06% 3.52% 5.91% PHILIPPINE STOCK INDEX FUND CORP. -A 876.66 -1.26% 2.74% 3.45% 5.81% SOLDIVO STRATEGIC GROWTH FUND, INC. -A 0.9275 1.07% 2% N.A. 7.7% SUN LIFE PROSPERITY PHILIPPINE EQUITY FUND, INC. -A 4.3004 -0.34% 3.09% 2.49% 5.95% SUN LIFE PROSPERITY PHILIPPINE STOCK INDEX FUND, INC. -A 1.008 -1.74% 2.74% N.A. 5.63% UNITED FUND, INC. -A 3.6943 0.57% 4.87% 3.46% 5.52% EXCHANGE TRADED FUND FIRST METRO PHIL. EQUITY EXCHANGE TRADED FUND, INC. -A,C,2 117.2808 -0.92% 3.83% 4.54% 5.9% ATRAM ASIAPLUS EQUITY FUND, INC. -B $1.0418 -5.74% 7.84% 1.71% 12.13% SUN LIFE PROSPERITY WORLD VOYAGER FUND, INC. -A $1.2815 2.34% N.A. N.A. 15.96% BALANCED FUNDS PRIMARILY INVESTED IN PESO SECURITIES ATRAM DYNAMIC ALLOCATION FUND, INC. -A 1.7184 -2.46% -0.53% -1.17% 4.07% ATRAM PHILIPPINE BALANCED FUND, INC. -A 2.3133 -1.95% 1.26% 0.98% 4.71% FIRST METRO SAVE AND LEARN BALANCED FUND INC. -A 2.6374 -1.17% -0.51% -1.03% 3.68% GREPALIFE BALANCED FUND CORPORATION -A 1.3508 -3.16% N.A. N.A. 3.57% NCM MUTUAL FUND OF THE PHILS., INC. -A 1.9141 0.38% 1.23% 1.46% 3.85% PAMI HORIZON FUND, INC. -A 3.6683 -1.58% -0.15% 0.57% 3.94% PHILAM FUND, INC. -A 16.5673 -0.56% 0.14% 0.62% 4.15% SOLIDARITAS FUND, INC. -A 2.1407 -0.36% 1.67% 2.25% 3.3% SUN LIFE OF CANADA PROSPERITY BALANCED FUND, INC. -A 3.84 0.35% 1.39% 1.61% 5.17% SUN LIFE PROSPERITY ACHIEVER FUND 2028, INC. -A,D,4 0.996 N.A. N.A. N.A. N.A. SUN LIFE PROSPERITY ACHIEVER FUND 2038, INC. -A,D,4 0.9955 N.A. N.A. N.A. N.A. SUN LIFE PROSPERITY ACHIEVER FUND 2048, INC. -A,D,4 0.9933 N.A. N.A. N.A. N.A. SUN LIFE PROSPERITY DYNAMIC FUND, INC. -A 0.9782 0.58% 1.4% N.A. 6.13% PRIMARILY INVESTED IN FOREIGN CURRENCY SECURITIES COCOLIFE DOLLAR FUND BUILDER, INC. -A $0.03604 1.89% 0.44% 1.59% 2.24% PAMI ASIA BALANCED FUND, INC. -A $1.0013 -4.32% 4.28% -0.1% 6.95% SUN LIFE PROSPERITY DOLLAR ADVANTAGE FUND, INC. -A $3.6943 1.77% 6.29% 2.84% 11.66% SUN LIFE PROSPERITY DOLLAR WELLSPRING FUND, INC. -A $1.0868 0.08% N.A. N.A. 7.6% BOND FUNDS PRIMARILY INVESTED IN PESO SECURITIES ALFM PESO BOND FUND, INC. -A 347.36 2.79% 2.1% 2.11% 1.16% ATRAM CORPORATE BOND FUND, INC. -A, 1 1.8813 0.73% -0.19% -0.28% 1.19% COCOLIFE FIXED INCOME FUND, INC. -A 3.011 5.41% 5.24% 5.29% 1.35% EKKLESIA MUTUAL FUND INC. -A 2.1571 2.44% 1.09% 1.79% 1.25% FIRST METRO SAVE AND LEARN FIXED INCOME FUND,INC. -A 2.2589 1.97% 0.49% 0.91% 2.25% GREPALIFE FIXED INCOME FUND CORP. -A P 1.6018 0.23% -0.93% 0.23% 2.39% PHILAM BOND FUND, INC. -A 4.0242 1.59% -0.73% 0.69% 2.66% PHILEQUITY PESO BOND FUND, INC. -A 3.6134 3.57% 1.02% 1.22% 2.74% SOLDIVO BOND FUND, INC. -A 0.9191 1.46% -0.78% N.A. 2.97% SUN LIFE OF CANADA PROSPERITY BOND FUND, INC. -A 2.8816 4.09% 1.19% 1.73% 4.18% SUN LIFE PROSPERITY GS FUND, INC. -A 1.6002 3.71% 0.66% 1.29% 3.92% PRIMARILY INVESTED IN FOREIGN CURRENCY SECURITIES ALFM DOLLAR BOND FUND, INC. -A $453.62 2.44% 1.75% 2.89% 1.19% ALFM EURO BOND FUND, INC. -A Є215.98 1.49% 1.4% 1.6% 1.57% ATRAM TOTAL RETURN DOLLAR BOND FUND, INC. -B $1.1652 4.22% 1.5% 2.27% 3.5% 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 $1.7128 -1% -1.41% 0.9% 1.34% 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 $1.0619 1.46% -0.71% -2.18% 2.34% PHILAM DOLLAR BOND FUND, INC. -A $2.254 2.74% 0.3% 2.82% 3.81% PHILEQUITY DOLLAR INCOME FUND INC. -A $0.0580377 2.05% 1.12% 1.73% 1.85% SUN LIFE PROSPERITY DOLLAR ABUNDANCE FUND, INC. -A $2.9721 1.06% -0.27% 2.08% 3.48% MONEY MARKET FUNDS PRIMARILY INVESTED IN PESO SECURITIES ALFM MONEY MARKET FUND, INC. -A 122.29 3.47% 2.16% 1.76% 1.2% FIRST METRO SAVE AND LEARN MONEY MARKET FUND, INC. -A,5 1.0068 N.A. N.A. N.A. N.A. PHILAM MANAGED INCOME FUND, INC. -A 1.1947 2.71% 1.11% 0.74% 1.08% SUN LIFE PROSPERITY MONEY MARKET FUND, INC. -A 1.2323 3.19% 2.46% 1.83% 1.09% PRIMARILY INVESTED IN FOREIGN CURRENCY SECURITIES SUN LIFE PROSPERITY DOLLAR STARTER FUND, INC. -A $1.0225 2.06% 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

The World BusinessMirror

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US to designate Iran Revolutionary Guard a terrorist group

ASHINGTON—In an unprecedented step to ramp up pressure on Tehran, the Trump administration is planning to designate Iran’s Revolutionary Guard a “foreign terrorist organization.” The move is expected to further isolate Iran and could have widespread implications for US personnel and policy in the Middle East and elsewhere. The Trump administration has escalated rhetoric against Iran for months, but this will mark the first such designation by any American administration of an entire foreign government entity. Portions of the Guard, notably its elite Quds Force, have been targeted previously by the United States. Officials informed of the step said an announcement was expected as early as Monday. Two US officials and a congressional aide confirmed the planned move. They were not authorized to discuss the matter publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity. Iran’s foreign minister, Mohammad Javad Zarif, seemed to anticipate the designation, saying in a tweet on Sunday aimed at President Donald Trump that Trump “should know better than to be conned into another US disaster.” This would be just the latest move by the Trump administration to isolate Iran. Trump withdrew from the Obama administration’s landmark nuclear deal with Iran in May 2018 and in the months that followed, reimposed punishing sanctions including those targeting Iran’s oil, shipping and banking sectors. The Revolutionary Guard designation, planning for which was first reported by The Wall Street Journal, comes with sanctions, including freezes on assets the Guard may have in US jurisdictions and a ban on Americans doing business with it or providing material support for its activities. Although the Guard has broad control and influence over the Iranian economy, such penalties from the US may have limited impact. The

designation, however, could significantly complicate US military and diplomatic work, notably in Iraq, where many Shiite militias and Iraqi political parties have close ties to the Guard. And in Lebanon, where the Guard has close ties to Hezbollah, which is part of the Lebanese government. Without exclusions or waivers to the designation, US troops and diplomats could be barred from contact with Iraqi or Lebanese authorities that interact with Guard officials or surrogates. The Pentagon and US intelligence agencies have raised concerns about the impact of the designation if the move does not allow contact with foreign officials who may have met with or communicated with Guard personnel. Those concerns have in part dissuaded previous administrations from taking the step, which has been considered for more than a decade. It was not immediately clear whether the designation would include such carve-outs. In addition to those complications, American commanders are concerned that the designation may prompt Iran to retaliate against US forces in the region, and those commanders plan to warn US troops remaining in Iraq, Syria and elsewhere of that possibility, according to a third US official. This official was not authorized to discuss the matter publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity. Aside from Iraq, where some 5,200 American troops are stationed, and Syria, where some US 2,000 troops remain, the US 5th Fleet, which operates in the Persian

Gulf from its base in Bahrain, and the Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, are potentially at risk. A similar warning is also expected from the State Department of possible Iranian retaliation against American interests, including embassies and consulates, and anti-American protests, the first two US officials said. Similar alerts were issued at the start of the Iraq War in 2003 and more recently when the Trump administration announced it would recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital. Despite the risks, Iran hardliners on Capitol Hill, such as Sens. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., and Ted Cruz, R-Texas, and elsewhere have long advocated for the designation. They say it will send an important message to Iran, as well as deal it a further blow after Trump pulled out of the 2015 nuclear deal and reimposed economic sanctions. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and national security adviser John Bolton have taken up the call and have in recent months spoken stridently about Iran and its “malign activities” in the region. Pompeo has made clear in public comments that pressure on Tehran will only increase until it changes its behavior. Just last week, Pompeo’s special representative for Iran, Brian Hook, accused Iran and its proxies of being responsible for the death of 608 US troops in Iraq between 2003 and 2011. He cited newly declassified Defense Department information for the claim, which is expected to be used in the justification for the Guard designation. “Secretary Pompeo will continue to use all the tools at our disposal to press the regime to change its destructive policies for the benefit of peace in the region and for the sake of its own people, who are the longest-suffering victims of this regime,” Hook said, in an indication that new action is coming. The department currently designates 60 groups, such as al-Qaeda and the Islamic State and their various affiliates, Hezbollah and numerous militant Palestinian factions, as “foreign terrorist organizations.” But none of them is a state-run military. Once a designation is announced by the secretary of state in coordination with the Treasury secretary, Congress has seven days to review it. If there are no objections, it then will take effect. AP

UK holds out hope for Brexit compromise by Friday deadline

ONDON—Cross-party talks to jump-start plans for Brexit are expected to resume before the UK’s Friday deadline for leaving the European Union (EU), and the opposition Labour Party is hopeful the country’s political impasse can be resolved, a party negotiator said on Sunday. British Prime Minister Theresa May reluctantly reached out to Labour lawmakers on Tuesday after Parliament voted down her divorce deal with the EU for the third time. The move infuriated pro-Brexit lawmakers in her Conservative Party, and three days of bargaining with the opposition didn’t yield a compromise agreement. While Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn faulted the government, saying it showed no willingness to budge from its previous Brexit positions, Labour business minister Rebecca

Long-Bailey held out hope and said further talks are expected. The discussions’ “overall mood is quite a positive and hopeful one” despite the government’s “disappointing” failure to shift its stance on several issues, she said. “The sad thing is at the moment, we haven’t seen overall any real changes to the deal, but we are hopeful that will change in coming days, and we are willing to continue the talks as we know the government are,” Long-Bailey told the BBC. “We are currently waiting for the government to come back to us now to state whether they are prepared to move on any of their red lines,” she added. May acknowledged on Saturday that the government had failed to get the withdrawal deal she struck with the EU through Parliament despite her best efforts, and “there is no sign

it can be passed in the near future.” That left her with no choice but to reach out to the opposition, the prime minister said. May warned that any Brexit could “slip through our fingers” unless a cross-party compromise was found. Labour’s key demand is for a customs union with the EU post-Brexit to protect the flow of goods. Hard-line Brexiteers vehemently oppose any proposal that would continue to bind the UK to EU tariff rules and restrict Britain’s ability to strike its own freetrade deals around the world. Long-Bailey insisted that Labour wants to avoid a no-deal Brexit “in any situation” and was prepared to cancel Brexit rather than see Britain crash out of the EU with no agreement in place, an outcome expected to wreak havoc on businesses and disrupt travel throughout Europe. AP

Editor: Angel R. Calso • Tuesday, April 9, 2019

Vendors–Value, opportunity and risks By Henry J. Schumacher

ORKING with vendors and third parties is an inherent part of doing business— they provide tremendous value and opportunity. While they may be indispensable to the daily operations of businesses, vendors also present significant risks. These risks are of growing concern, particularly when it comes to privacy. International privacy laws and regulations such as the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), the Philippine Data Privacy Act (DPA), and others in the region and beyond, have specific provisions that address vendors and extend companies’ dataprivacy obligations throughout their supply chains. In addition, many vendors fail to meet risk-management guidelines and requirements, and may not implement privacy-management best practices despite the expanding regulatory environment and related risks. And as more personal data is transmitted and processed outside the traditional boundaries of a company’s walls through services such as SaaS (Software as a Service), PaaS (Platform as a Service) and IaaS (Infrastructure as a Service), managing data privacy throughout vendor networks is even more critical to address. You do not have to look far to find examples in the news of data breaches that vendors caused. Additionally, Forrester research found that thirdparty attack or incident caused 21 percent of confirmed security breaches in 2018. In addition, the cost of data breaches is estimated by Ponemon to be between $750,000 and $35 million, with the global average cost in 2018 at $3.86 million and increasing each year. Assuming that you are managing data-privacy risk within your vendor network and either building or carrying out your vendor-management program, the following are some best prac-

tices that you may want to implement: n Map your data to identify data movement and vendors. n Classify vendors based on your data classification for risk. n Identify places in your vendor network where privacy threats can hide and address them. n Build partnerships across the organization to have visibility into vendor activity. n Work with your procurement and legal teams to set vendor review thresholds. n Collaborate with your information security team to gain a complete view of your vendor posture. n Ensure your organization understands vendor risk—this is particularly important as you consider the risk of free vendors. n If clauses are added to vendor contracts that vendors need to take action around, make sure there is a consistent way to follow up with the vendor and take action if necessary (including terminating the relationship). A vendor privacy-management program should be tailored to the risk profile of your data and the risk tolerance of your organization. In general,

vendor management should start before vendor onboarding—it should start when you are deciding if certain activities should be outsourced and developing the requirements for doing so. In this context, it may be worthwhile to consider a management tool for data privacy and protection. The Data Protection Management System (DPMS), for instance, is a Saas platform to support the journey to legal and operational compliance of your organization to the Data Privacy Act of the Philippines, as well as the General Data Protection Regulation of Europe. It is a compliance collaboration and management tool to effectively manage the process of governance, risks and compliance. DPMS allows companies to immediately start a privacy-management program across the organization and translate their privacy vision to operations down to every employee in the company. It is a platform to protect organizations from data breaches, which carry heavy fines and jail-term that could well affect brand and reputation. The DPMS is ideal for: n Companies that are already familiar with data-privacy laws but need automated tools to manage the compliance process; and n Enterprises that need to track compliance across multiple lines of business or business entities. This software follows the five-pillar framework of the National Privacy Commission (NPC). 1. Commit to comply: Governance structure and DPO. 2. Know your risk: Inventory, assessment and PIA. 3. Be accountable: Privacy-management program. 4. Demonstrate compliance: Implement measures. 5. Be prepared for breaches. Feedback is welcome; assistance is available; you can contact me via e-mail at Schumacher@eitsc.com

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REMEMBERING THE HEROIC LEGACY OF CORREGIDOR AND BATAAN

S the Philippines celebrates its heroes—April 7 is Veterans’ Day and April 9 is the Day of Valor—it is good to remember Corregidor Island and Bataan Peninsula, both being synonymous with Filipino and American courage and determination in protecting our freedom. Both Bataan and Corregidor are legendary in the history of war. Despite relentless attacks by Japanese forces in 1942 and, without reinforcements coming from the United States, Filipino and American troops fought back for several months. Bataan fought from January 7, 1942, until April 9, 1942, after being overwhelmed by superior Japanese firepower and troop numbers. After some 76,000 Filipino and American troops surrendered, they were forced to walk around 96 to more than 100 kilometers from Bataan to Capas, Tarlac. This was the infamous Bataan Death March. From December 29, 1941, until May 6, 1942, the Japanese Imperial Army attacked Corregidor and dropped thousands of bombs on the island. On May 6, the leader of all US and Filipino allied forces in Asia, Lieutenant Gen. Jonathan Wainwright led his men in their surrender to the Japanese. They fought as long and as hard as humanly possible. Famous sites in Corregidor include

WHAT A BETTER WAY TO SAVE THE EARTH In your own way, how will you save the Earth? Commitment boxes were made in order to see the most numbered and favorable way to save the Earth. Shoppers and attendees from the Earth Hour campaign filled these boxes—use reusable straws, use of eco bags, plant trees, eat organic food, join sustainability groups—and all blushed in different colors as the clock striked at 8:30 p.m.

SHOP AND DRIVE YOUR DREAM RIDE WITH WILCON! the Pacific War Memorial, which has the Dome of Peace; and a sculpture called the Eternal Flame of Freedom is still intact to this day. There’s also the Pacific War Memorial Museum that houses World War 2 memorabilia, which is now considered as one of the world’s biggest war museum. Corregidor is now an eco-tourism site managed and operated by the Corregidor Foundation Inc., under current chairman and Chief Executive Officer Cynthia Carrion. It is strongly supported for development and marketing by the

Tourism Promotions Board, under the aegis of Department of Tourism. Currently, it is undergoing more improvements following a 10-month tourism master plan by Palafox Associates. Corregidor is not just a repository of history but an island full of fun and excitement. A fully functional beach resort and camp sites are available for families and friends to relive history, relax and unwind. Indeed, history is made more fun in the Philippines! For more information, visit https:// corregidorphilippines.com/.

ILCON Depot, the country’s leading homeimprovement and construction-supply retailer, launched its newest promo tagged “Wilcon Win Your Dream Ride Promo.” Attended by industry and media partners, the launch was held at the Makati Shangri-La Hotel on March 26. With over P12 million worth of prizes to be given away, Wilcon is making home shopping more enjoyable for its valued customers when they shop from April 1 to June 30. Customers will get one electronic raffle entry for every P5,000 worth of online or in-store purchase from Wilcon. Discover the wide range of high-quality product categories Wilcon has in store, from tiles, sanitary wares, plumbing, tools and hardware, paints and sundries and automotives, building materials and doors and mouldings, house wares, electrical, furniture, outdoor living, appliances and home interior. “Aside from providing them top-notch and highcaliber products of trusted local and international brands,

Wilcon always comes up with promotions, such as “Win Your Dream Ride Promo”, as a means of Thanksgiving to our loyal customers,” Wilcon Senior Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Rosemarie Ong said. Shop now for your home-improvement needs and be one of the six lucky winners to drive your dream ride with Wilcon. Two lucky Wilcon shoppers from Metro Manila, one each from North Luzon, South Luzon, the Visayas and Mindanao will win a brand new Toyota Fortuner! Shop now at any Wilcon branch nationwide and earn your electronic raffle entry. Register at Wilcon’s Web site www.wilcon.com.ph, where you can submit your entries until July 5. Grand electronic raffle draw is scheduled on July 9. With 52 retail outlets across the country, you can enjoy a superior shopping experience of its endless product choices and unparalleled services. You can also shop online with Wilcon by visiting www.shop.wilcon.com.ph.

VATEL REAFFIRMS COURSE CONTRACT WITH BENILDE

HE world’s premier hospitality institution Vatel International Business School Hotel and Tourism Management commits to seven more years of partnership with the De La Salle University College of Saint Benilde (DLSU-CSB). The collaboration was sealed in the renewal of memorandum, recently signed by Vatel Group Founder-President Alain Sebban, DLSU-CSB President Br. Dennis Magbanua, FSC, DLSU-CSB School of Hotel, Restaurant and Institution Management dean Angelo Marco Lacson and Honorary Consul of the Philippines in Lyon Hervé de Malliard at the Vatel Corporate office in Lyon, France. Vatel, a worldwide hospitality-and-management network for nearly 40 years, stands as the leading business school that equips and produces industry leaders fit for the global scene. Recognized as the Best Hospitality Management School at the 17th Worldwide Hospitality Awards 2017, it continues to share the art of French hospitality with 50 other campuses in 32 countries, one of which is the DLSU-CSB. Through this cooperation, the DLSU-CSB has been known as Vatel Manila, which offers Bachelor of Science in International Hospitality Management (BS IHM), a transnational course that grants graduates with a Philippine and French degrees, as well.

The college also enjoys the vast network of Vatel schools along with several projects offering experiential opportunities for its students, such as the Marco Polo program, which sends BS IHM students to train from six months to a year in establishments, including Vatel Paris in France, Vatel Martigny in Switzerland and Vatel Bangkok in Thailand. The program was recognized in 2018 as the Best Innovation in an Educational Program Award by the Worldwide Hospitality Awards. BS IHM students can also broaden their knowledge and experience in the industry through various engagements in Vatel schools in France, including a series of comprehensive wine studies and tours in the vineyards and cellars of Saint Emillion, through Vatel Bordeaux and monthlong summer internship in Vatel Nimes. In addition, faculty members and industry practitioners of Vatel schools gather in an annual convention of constructive academic exchange through the Magellan online network program. DLSU-CSB educators continue to participate in Vatel’s initiatives, such as the Center for International Research Vatel Tourism and Hotel Managemen (CirVath), which aims to develop fundamental and applied research in the fields of tourism and hotel management.

KO WINS ANA INSPIRATION FOR FIRST MAJOR TITLE

JIN-YOUNG KO (center) jumps into the pond with caddie David Brooker and her agent Soo Jin Choi. AP

ANCHO MIRAGE, California—Jinyoung Ko won the ANA Inspiration for her first major title, celebrated with the traditional winner’s leap into Poppie’s Pond and will jump to No. 1 in the world ranking. The woman who said this year that her goal was to be the happiest player on the course was thrilled about the first two. “I still can’t believe,” Ko said. “I’m really happy.” She wasn’t all that excited about the No. 1 spot in the world. “I just try to focus on my game on the course,” Ko said. “It doesn’t matter about world ranking. I don’t like numbers like No. 1 or No. 2. I’m just playing on the course.”

uesday, April 9, 2019 mirror_sports@yahoo.com.ph Editor: Jun Lomibao

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JENNIFER KUPCHO (right) and her caddie Brian McKinley walk past a pond to tee off the 16th hole in the final round of the Augusta National Women’s Amateur. AP

She did that better than anyone else over four days on the Mission Hills course made more difficult by thicker rough, tighter fairways and some longer holes. On Sunday, the 23-year-old South Korean closed with a two-under 70 in hot and mostly calm conditions for a three-stroke victory over Mihyang Lee. “If ball goes right or left it doesn’t make me happy, but I’m still trying to be happy,” Ko said. “Also, I really try, don’t think about future,

doesn’t matter. Just focus on my swing, on the putting. That’s why I win this week.” After bogeys on 13 and 15 cut her lead to a stroke, Ko made a 6-foot birdie putt on the par-4 16th and closed with a 15-foot birdie putt on the par-5 18th. She also had a rough back-nine stretch on Saturday, allowing In-Kyung Kim to cut a fivestroke deficit to a single shot going into the final round. “Yesterday was a little bit hard for me,” Ko said. “I’m not robot. We are human.”

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Ko won for the fourth time on the LPGA Tour, completing a desert sweep after taking the Founders Cup two weeks ago in Phoenix. She leads the money list and has five top-3 finishes in six events this year. Is she surprised by her start? “No, no, no,” Ko said. “I had really hard practice in winter training offseason in Palm Springs.” Ko gave caddie David Brooker his third victory in the event. The Englishman also leaped into Poppie’s Pond with Grace Park in 2004 and Lorena Ochoa in 2008. “He knows this course,” Ko said. “He helps me all the time on the course. So [I] really say thank you for my caddie.” She finished at 10-under 278. Lee parred the final six holes in a 70. “This is really good momentum for me,” said Lee, also from South Korea. “I’m so happy with this week.” Ko had a three-stroke lead at the turn and faced little pressure until stumbling with the two bogeys. Her drive on the par-4 13th jumped into the thick

right rough and her long approach ended up short of the green in the left rough. After missing a 12-foot birdie putt on the par-3 14th, she hit into the left greenside bunker on the par-4 15th and missed a 12-foot par try. “I had couple miss shot, but I think it will be fine,” she said. It was. Lexi Thompson was third at six under after a 67. “My caddie, Benji [Thompson], helped out tremendously,” Thompson said. “I was getting down a little bit, but he just kept me right in there playing aggressively the whole day—making those birdies and just firing at every pin I could.” Kim closed with a 74 to tie for fourth at five under with Carlota Ciganda. The 30-yearold South Korean lost a chance to win the event seven years after missing a 14-inch putt on the final hole of regulation and losing on the first hole of a playoff. Kim declined to comment after the round. Ciganda finished with a 68. AP

The Associated Press

By Doug Ferguson UGUSTA, Georgia—Only when Nick Faldo took a break after playing nine holes on Sunday at Augusta National did he look differently. At least to Matt Wallace. Faldo was asked to present prizes for the Drive, Chip and Putt National Finals, and he had to look the part. The three-time Masters champion headed upstairs to his locker, slipped on his green jacket and returned to the trophy presentation. Wallace, making his Masters debut, rushed over to Faldo and rubbed the sleeve of his jacket with his fingers. “I love it,” Faldo said. “I come here, open my locker, there’s my jacket. I’ve got to tell you, it’s pretty cool. It’s a pretty special thing.” It’s what everyone wants a week from Sunday, perhaps the most significant piece of clothing awarded in sports. And the race for it is as open as ever against the smallest field of the four majors. Tiger Woods is going for his first Masters title in 14 years. Rory McIlroy is going for his first, which would be the last leg of the career Grand Slam. The last seven Masters champions were among the top 25 in the world, and six players from the top 10 in the world arrive at Augusta National having already won this year. Players began filtering in at Augusta National in the last few days even as they had to share the golf course. The inaugural Augusta National Women’s Amateur was held the previous two days, with 72 players practicing on Friday and the 30 players who made the cut competing on Saturday. On Sunday, parts of the practice facility, the putting green and the 18th green were occupied by kids ages seven through 15 for the sixth Drive, Chip and Putt. “With yesterday and today, the buzz is unbelievable,” Adam Scott said. “The kids are amazing, and it makes me feel like a kid again. As long as they’re still finding it fun, these kinds of things are so good. Just wait—one day, a Drive, Chip and Putt champion will be a Masters champion.” Unique about the Masters, among many things, is that it’s the only major organized and hosted by a private club. Members can play the course through Sunday, and they often do. Only past champions, like Scott and Mike Weir, are allowed to bring guests. Scott has been bringing his father, Phil, since winning in 2013. Faldo, who won his first green jacket 30 years ago and now is the lead analyst for CBS Sports, couldn’t think of a better place to be. “There’s nothing like this,” he said. “Sure, we’re biased because we’re in golf, but you tell me what sporting event is better than this, especially for a week? You’ll get amazing matches at Wimbledon and all sorts of things. But this, for like 10 days, there’s nothing, I don’t think. You tell me what sporting event can top this.” One veteran European writer suggested the Tour de France. Faldo pointed to umbrella-covered lawn tables and chairs outside the clubhouse, where visitors sipped on lemonade across from the putting green and first tee. “You don’t have this ambiance,” he said. “Tour de France, you sit at a cafe and whoosh! There they go. And everyone says, ‘Ooh-la-la!’ And then what do you do?” Nothing moves quickly at Augusta National except time. Even as Sunday drew closer to the start of Masters week, so much of the chatter was on the Augusta National Women’s Amateur, heralded as a wildly successful debut, especially with the way Wake Forest senior Jennifer Kupcho took on the par 5s and played the final six holes in five under to win. Kupcho dreads going back to school next week. She was back on the course on Sunday soaking up a win she considered bigger than her NCAA title last year, mainly because of the stage she was on and the effect on her sport. “To get all the support that we’ve gotten from all the fans, all the press, it’s unbelievable for the women’s game,” she said. “It was just unreal. I definitely had nerves, butterflies. And there’s no words to describe it. It was just a great round, and it’s probably the most fun I’ve ever had on a golf course.” By day’s end, as no more than five players were on the range in late afternoon with no one around, the Masters started coming into view. “Rory wins, it’s the Grand Slam,” Faldo said. “If Tiger wins, my goodness, what’s that going to be? It might make the morning papers for three months.”

MASTERS A COMES INTO VIEW

| Tuesday, April 9, 2019 mirror_sports@yahoo.com.ph Editor: Jun Lomibao

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CLASH OF FIRST-TIMERS M

INNEAPOLIS—For Virginia and Texas Tech, doing something that had never been done before took hard work, dedication, determination—

and vision. The Cavaliers and Red Raiders meet in the NCAA Tournament championship game on Monday night. Neither program has ever been this close to a title, making it a rare matchup of first-timers to the final game of the college basketball season. The last time both teams in the championship game had never been there before was 40 years ago, when Magic Johnson and Michigan State beat Larry Bird and Indiana State. Between the Red Raiders (31-6) and Cavaliers (34-3), a first-time champ is guaranteed. The last one of those was crowned in 2006, when Florida won the first of back-toback titles. College basketball’s hierarchy, blue bloods in an array of shades from Duke to Kentucky, North Carolina to Kansas, is difficult to crack. Getting here started with Virginia Coach Tony Bennett and Texas Tech’s Chris Beard believing it could be done. “Then you’ve got to get people on board that really believe it and believe it in front

of you, behind your back, believe it at 10 o’clock when they’re out of town, on the road somewhere. Believe it in the morning, believe it when they’re talking to their wife, their kid,” Beard said on Sunday at US Bank Stadium. “They’ve got to really believe it.” In less than a decade, Beard has gone from coaching in the semi-pro ABA to Division III, then II, and then a couple of seasons at Arkansas Little Rock before landing in Lubbock. The Red Raiders basketball history is solid but unspectacular. Texas Tech was where Bobby Knight landed after the volatile Hall of Fame coach wore out his welcome in Indiana. He took Texas Tech to the NCAA Tournament four times in the 2000s. Pretty good, but Beard expected much more. “Our goal has never been to make a tournament. It’s been to win the tournament,” Beard said. “It’s easy to talk about, and really, really hard to do. But that’s where we started this whole thing, was just trying to have the expectations and the vision where we could be relative.” Texas Tech reached the Elite Eight for the first time last season. This season, with a mostly rebuilt team around star Jarrett Culver, the Red Raiders shared the Big 12 regularseason title for the first time and are now on

the cusp of an unlikely championship. Bennett’s belief he could challenge the Atlantic Coast Conference’s (ACC) Tobacco Road powers came from his father, Dick Bennett. The Badgers hadn’t been to a Final Four in more than 50 years, when Dick Bennett coached them there in 2000 using a methodical style. “Can you go and take a team and build your program in a way that you think is best and compete against the best?” said Bennett, in his 10th season at Virginia. “There’s a way that I know works—or that I believe works. So when you get in those spots, you hope, you have a vision and you hope, but you never truly know. When you come in and say, ‘This is going to happen. We’re going to be a Final Four team, or we’re going to win the ACC.’ You believe it, and you hope it, and then you just go to work.” Tony Bennett took his father’s blueprint and turned Virginia into a perennial ACC contender, going toe-to-toe with Duke and North Carolina, but not until this season were the Cavaliers able to break through— doing so on the strength of two improbable last-second plays. And just a year after suffering the most stunning upset in NCAA Tournament history, losing as the top overall seed to No. 16 seed UMBC. AP

Keys overpowers Wozniacki to dominate Volvo Car Open C HARLESTON, South Carolina—Madison Keys got much more than she expected at the Volvo Car Open, leaving with her first championship in two years and a successful reunion with Coach Juan Todero. Keys was unsure how she would handle the season’s first clay-court event—clay is not among her favorite surfaces—or if she’d mesh again with Todero, who had worked with her in 2013 and 2014 and was back in her corner this week after five years apart. Any concerns were allayed when the 24-year-old American overpowered the normally steady Caroline Wozniacki, 7-6 (5), 6-3, on Sunday. “It was a really good first week,” Keys said with a smile. “I hope we keep this up.” If they can, who knows what Keys might

accomplish? Keys, seeded eighth and ranked 18th in the world, continually hit big serves—she reached 121 mph—and overwhelming forehands to wear down the fifth-seeded Wozniacki of Denmark and win her fourth career WTA event. The match turned after Wozniacki rallied from 0-30 down and survived three deuces to move in front 6-5 in the opening set. Keys steadied herself and won four straight points to set up the tiebreaker. Keys fell behind 2-0, then won six of the next seven points including a backhand winner that Wozniacki let land inside the baseline while in good position for a shot. Keys closed the set with a crisp forehand. Wozniacki said she believed Keys’s shot was

VIRGINIA Head Coach Tony Bennett (left) and Texas Tech Head Coach Chris Beard engage in a light moment before an interview for CBS Sports Network’s We Need to Talk ahead of their championship showdown on Monday. AP

drifting long. “Sometimes you miscalculate in a bad moment,” the former world No. 1 said. The second set was more of a runaway for Keys, who won four of the final five games. She won four consecutive points to break Wozniacki’s serve, then won four more points to lead 5-2. Wozniacki could not respond. Keys was “just too good for me,” said Wozniacki, who had beaten Keys in their only two previous meetings. Keys beamed and bent her knees and elbows in celebration after putting away Wozniacki’s return at the net on match point. Her first win of the season continued a curious trend on the Women’s Tennis Association of 15 different winners for the tour’s first 15 tournaments this season. It had been a disappointing stretch for

Keys, whose best showing so far was reaching the round of 16 at the Australian Open. She spent about 10 days working with Todero on clay before arriving in Charleston and believed their reunion might lead to positive results. Not even she envisioned this run, in which she defeated 2017 US Open champion Sloane Stephens in the quarterfinals, 2016 Olympic champion Monica Puig in the semifinals and Wozniacki, the 2018 Australian Open winner, for the title. “I try not to put expectations as far as results on myself,” Keys said. “I just really wanted to play the right way and have a really great week of practice and trying to get some matches, and then obviously as time went, feeling more and more confident out there and walking away as the winner.” AP

VARGAS IN FORUM P

HILIPPINE Olympic Committee (POC) President Ricky Vargas will be the special guest in today’s Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) Forum at the Amelie Hotel-Manila. Vargas is appearing in the session presented by San Miguel Corp., Tapa King, Amelie Hotel and the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. along with Ed Picson, secretary-general of the Alliances of Boxing Association in the Philippines, of which Vargas is also president. The two are expected to discuss the training of the athletes and the preparations being undertaken by the country’s Olympic governing body regarding the hosting of the 30th Southeast Asian Games later this year. Also invited in the 10:30 a.m. public sports program are POC Chairman Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino and SecretaryGeneral Patrick Gregorio. Shortly after the Forum, Vargas will induct into office the new set of PSA officers led by President RICKY VARGAS will give an update on the 30th Southeast Asian Games preparations. Tito S. Talao of the Manila Bulletin.

VICTORY NO. 60 FOR MILWAUKEE M

ILWAUKEE—Giannis Antetokounmpo is in a perfect position to put the Bucks’ 60-win season in perspective. Antetokounmpo scored 30 points and Khris Middleton added 21 to send Milwaukee to a methodical 115-107 victory over the Atlanta Hawks on Sunday night, giving the Bucks 60 wins for the first time since 1981. “Six years ago, my first year here, we won 15 gams,” said Antetokounmpo, who was a 19-year-old rookie in 2013-2014. “Now, we have four times that amount. It’s big. Our goal coming into the season was to get 60 wins. You definitely have to appreciate it because it’s pretty special. “Now, we have to refocus and look forward to the playoffs,” he added. The Bucks, who have clinched the best record in the Eastern Conference, led from the outset as the Hawks rested leading scorers John Collins and Trae Young.

Milwaukee led 85-72 entering the final period, but Atlanta pulled to 101-98 on a drive by DeAndre’ Bembry with 3:28 left. Middleton countered with consecutive three-pointers and Antetokounmpo connected from beyond the arc to put Milwaukee up 110-98. “It was great for them to close it,” said Bucks Coach Mike Budenholzer, who coached Atlanta to 60 wins in 2014-15. “Khris has a knack for hitting those big shots and it’s great of Giannis to see a three go down to kind of finish the night. Those two guys are special. It makes a big difference.” Alex Len had a career-high 33 points for Atlanta, including a career-best six three-pointers. “I was wide open. I was surprised,” Len said. “After I made like three or four, they were still letting me shoot. All the power to my teammates. They found me on open shots and I knocked them down.” None of the Bucks’

MILWAUKEE’S Giannis Antetokounmpo drives against Atlanta’s Alex Len during the second half of their game on Sunday. AP

NBA RESULTS Toronto 117, Miami 109, OT San Antonio 112, Cleveland 90 Oklahoma City 132, Minnesota 126 Charlotte 104, Detroit 91 Brooklyn 108, Indiana 96 Dallas 129, Memphis 127, OT Houston 149, Phoenix 113 Milwaukee 115, Atlanta 107 New York 113, Washington 110 Orlando 116, Boston 108 Golden State 131, LA Clippers 104 New Orleans 133, Sacramento 129 Portland 115, Denver 108 LA Lakers 113, Utah 109 starters played more than 27 minutes, and 11 of 12 available players each logged at least 19 minutes. “It’s almost exactly what we wanted,” Budenholzer said. “It was good. We have depth. We have a lot of guys that can play. A lot of guys stepped up.” Milwaukee led 28-21 after one quarter and pushed it to 46-30 before the Hawks trimmed it to 54-45 at halftime. Vince Carter hit two free throws to cap a 10-point run that pulled Atlanta to 78-71, but the Bucks pushed the lead to 85-72 entering the fourth. Milwaukee, which lost in the first round of the playoffs each of the last two seasons, has not advanced past the opening round since making the Eastern Conference finals in 2001. The 1980-81 Bucks team that finished 60-22 under Coach Don Nelson included Sidney Moncrief, Marques Johnson, Junior Bridgeman and Bob Lanier. “It’s a special season,” Middleton said. “From the beginning of training camp until now. The ups and downs, the injuries, our guys stayed with it. It was a collective effort from everybody. It’s definitely a special moment, but we want to do more.” AP

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Tuesday, April 9, 2019 C3

TIGHT DUEL UP AT MANILA GOLF

NU zero in on completing anew golden double in UAAP tennis

ATIONAL University (NU) moved closer to completing a golden double after its men’s and women’s teams won their respective Finals openers on Sunday in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines Season 81 tennis tournament at the Colegio de San Agustin courts in City of San Jose del Monte, Bulacan. The Bulldogs turned back Ateneo 3-1, while the Lady Bulldogs outlasted De La Salle, 3-2. Tie No. 2 of the men’s and women’s finals will be at 8 a.m. on Tuesday with NU seeking to put the finishing touches on its comeback after skipping last year’s competitions. The last time the Bulldogs had a championship double was in 2016. Marcen Gonzales drew first blood for the Blue Eagles with a 6-3, 6-3 win over Wilson Oblea in the opening singles, before Rucel Cero and AJ Alejandre came back to win the first doubles over Bong Gonzales and Julian Dayrit, 3-6, 7-6, 6-3, for the Bulldogs to level the tie. Allen Manlangit put NU ahead after Gab Tiamson retired in the deciding set of the second singles, 6-7, 6-2, 1-0, before the second doubles pair of Jeric Accion and Justin Prulla prevailed over Erj Gatdula and Luke Flores, 4-6, 7-5, 6-4, to clinch the tie. Jzash Canja delivered in the deciding singles match for the Lady Bulldogs with 6-4, 2-6, 6-2 victory over Aubrey Calma to cap an energy-zapping 12-hour women’s tie. The Lady Archers, the elimination round topnotcher, tried to clinch the Finals opener, but the second doubles of Kiezel Diaz and Jenni Dizon lost to Mae Bornia and Alliah Raguinton, 3-6, 1-6. Former Most Valuable Player Clarice Patrimonio survived Akiko de Guzman, 5-7, 6-3, 6-4, in the two-and-half-hour first singles match to put NU ahead, before De La Salle made it 1-1 as the first doubles pair of Jed Aquino and Arianne Nillasca won over Giza Antalan and Zam Dumlao, 6-2, 6-3. Angel Santiago bucked a first set loss and fought off cramps to beat Annie Tumanda, 5-7, 6-4, 6-1, in the second singles to give the Lady Archers a 2-1 lead.

TAIWAN tour No. 3 Babe Liu and Philippine pride Princess Superal are two of the ladies to watch out for.

ATENEO’S Kat Tolentino bags her second Player of the Week award.

WHERE TO, RAY PARKS? R

SPOTLIGHT AGAIN ON KAT

AT TOLENTINO’S consistent firepower for the Ateneo Lady Eagles catapulted them to their 10th-straight Final Four appearance in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Season 81 women’s volleyball tournament. Despite Ateneo delivering a balanced scoring effort in its most recent games, the Lady Eagles continued to rely on Tolentino’s scoring which merited her second UAAP Player of the Week title. The 24-year-old spiker powered the Lady Eagles with 11 points off nine attacks and

two blocks in a straight-set win over Season 80 runner-up Far Eastern University (FEU). Last Sunday, April 7, Tolentino tallied 13 points to lead the Lady Eagles past the gritty National University Lady Bulldogs that allowed Ateneo to become the first team to nail a Final Four spot. There’s no reason for Ateneo to be complacent despite securing a semifinal berth, so the Fil-Canadian will make sure that Ateneo will finish strong in their remaining games of the season. “We have to challenge ourselves, it doesn’t

AY PARKS JR.’S future remains a big question as the second overall pick in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Draft ponders his next move after saying farewell to Alab Pilipinas. Uncertainty beckons the son of the late seven-time PBA Best Import Bobby Parks Sr. after his stint with Alab in the Asean Basketball League (ABL). Parks Jr., a two-time Most Valuable Player and one-time champion of the ABL, had his final game with Alab as the team kneeled to the Hong Kong Eastern in their quarterfinal series. One of the most decorated players of his generation, the 26-year-old dribbler was actually picked by Blackwater in last year’s rookie draft. The team let Parks finish his commitment with Alab and although the Elite hold the rights over Parks, he is mum on his next move and insisted that he is on vacation mode after a long campaign with Alab. “It’s been good. Tough stint in the ABL. But I need to rest right now. I’ve been playing three years straight so I needed break,” Parks said. Parks said that even though Blackwater matter who we’re playing and I think we just always have to win convincingly and we’ll learn from this,” promised Tolentino. Tolentino is also one of the Most Valuable Player candidates of the season as she emerged as the league’s second-best blocker behind teammate Maddie Madayag while running in fifth in the best spiker category. Ateneo’s leading scorer also edged out her own teammate Deanna Wong and FEU’S Heather Guino-o for the weekly plum handed out by print and online scribes covering the beat.

acquired him during the draft, he has the last word on which path he will take. “That’s what we’re still trying to figure out right now, whatever the next chapter is,” he said. “I’m still pondering my thoughts, trying to figure out the best situation not only for me

to emerge as top seed in the quarterfinals, made short work of Sta. Lucia to become the first team in the best-of-three semifinal series. The Blaze Spikers’ main rival—F2 Logistics—was not as fortunate as it suffered a nail-biting five-set loss to Foton in the other quarterfinal battle. That makes Tuesday’s explosive doubleheader more exciting as both Generika-Ayala and United VC are optimistic that they can forge a rubber match if they play superb volleyball from start to finish. United VC will be bringing in a new

import in Thai star Sutadta Chuewulim to revive its title hopes after failing to clinch the quarterfinal bonus. Chuewulim, who arrived on Sunday and joined United VC in practice on Monday, is tipped to hit the ground running as she is no stranger to Philippine brand of volleyball. She saw action for Cagayan Valley in the Shakey’s V-League before campaigning for guest team EST Cola in the Superliga Invitational Conference in 2016. Although the Thai juniors team fell prey to veteran-laden RC Cola-Army in the finals,

but for my family.” The player’s statement contradicts those of his agent, Charlie Dy, who earlier assured that Parks will attend the team practice after Blackwater dropped out of the Philippine Cup playoff race. Ramon Rafael Bonilla

RAY PARKS JR. ponders his next move after leaving Alab.

PLDT, Cignal eye semifinals berths vs separate rivals P LDT and Cignal try to join Petron in the semifinals when they collide with separate foes in the quarterfinals of the Philippine Superliga Grand Prix on Tuesday at the Filoil Flying V Centre in San Juan. Armed with a twice-to-beat advantage, the Power Hitters aim to book a return flight to the semifinals when the clash with dangerous Generika-Ayala at 4 p.m. Cignal, meanwhile, faces United VC in the 6 p.m. main encounter. Petron, which swept the classifications

T will be a toss-up among the leading players of Taiwan, Thailand and the host country as they set out for a duel of shotmaking, iron play and putting in the International Container Terminal Services Inc. (ICTSI) Manila Golf Ladies Classic which gets going on Wednesday at the Manila Golf Club inside Forbes Park. Babe Liu, the No. 3 player in the current Ladies Professional Golf Association of Taiwan ranking, along with joint No. 5 Hsin Lee and Lin Tzu-Chi and last year’s Ladies Philippine Golf Tour Midlands leg winner Ching Huang banner the 25-strong player roster from Taiwan, all ready to slug it out with the best in the $100,000 championship put up ICTSI and serving as the seventh leg of the LPGT seventh season and the fifth stop of this year’s TLPGA. Thailand has also underscored its readiness to go for the crown, sending 39 players, led by veteran Yupaporn Kawinpakorn, who is seeking a second LPGT crown after dominating the Pradera Verde leg of the circuit last December. Thanutra Boonraksasat, who turned back Princess Superal to snare the last LPGT crown at Manila Southwoods last month, is also back for a shot at a second straight championship in the event organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments and sanctioned by the TLPGA. LPGT leg winners Onkanok Soisuwan, Supakchaya Pattaranakrueang and Wannasiri Sirisampant along with Chatprapa Siriprakob, Saraporn Chamchoi and Ornnicha Konsunthea are also coming

Chuewulim still made her presence felt as she brought home the Best Outside Spiker award. “With Sutadta on board, we will have another potent scoring option,” said Ylaya, adding that the Thai will replace American Tai Manu-Olevao in their rotation. “We played without an import for four games. We could have bagged a twice-to-beat edge had we played with an import in our past few games,” Ylaya added. “But now that Sutadta is here, we expect to be competitive to give Cignal a very good fight.” But bringing down the HD Spikers is

easier said than done. Cignal is beaming with confidence as imports Erica Wilson and Anastasiya Artemeva are playing beautiful music with local stars like Rachel Anne Daquis, Acy Masangkay, Mylene Paat and Janine Navarro. Cignal Coach Edgar Barroga said they will do their best to win over United VC because yielding their twice-to-beat edge will only put pressure on them in the sudden-death. “I don’t want to focus on that [twice-tobeat advantage]. We will play as if it’s a do-ordie match,” said Barroga, who knows that they have to neutralize Alohi Robins-Hardy, Kalei Mau and import Yaasmeen Bedart-Ghani if they want to advance.

into the event in top form and brimming with confidence, guaranteeing a spirited battle for top honors in the event backed by Custom Clubmakers, Meralco, K&G Golf Apparel, BDO, Sharp, KZG, PLDT, Empire Golf and Sports, and MY Shokai Technology Inc. But a compact nine-player local side will be more than ready to defend its turf with Superal hoping to recall her fierce form on a course that best suits her game with the backing of fellow former Symetra Tour campaigners Mia Piccio and Cyna Rodriguez along with Chihiro Ikeda, Daniella Uy, Marvi Monsalve, Alex Etter and Gretchen Villacencio. Though relatively flat, the par-71 MGC is expected to provide a different kind of challenge for the competing 97-player field, including seven amateurs, with its narrow fairways, hazards and fairways, and greenside bunkers that come into play in most holes. But out to spoil the Taiwanese, Thais and locals are 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.

SPORTS WITHOUT BORDERS VINCENT JUICO @VJuico Instagram vpjp_j, vince.juico@gmail.com

Torquay United ONE of my favorite episodes from Netflix’s Losers documentary was about an English football club on the verge of extinction if not for a bite from a police canine. According to an English football historian, “The 1986–87 season saw automatic relegation to the GM Vauxhall Conference introduced into Division Four for the first time. With the final game of the season to go, Torquay were third from bottom on 47 points; below them were Burnley on 46 points and Tranmere Rovers, also on 47 points but with an inferior goal difference. Lincoln City had 48 points and seemed in least danger.” The final game of the season was against Crewe Alexandra, featuring a young David Platt, at Plainmoor. At half-time Crewe were leading, 2–0, and things looked bad for Torquay, two minutes into the second-half Torquay’s centrehalf, Jim McNichol, scored from a free kick but despite an all-out attack, Torquay seem unable to get the equalizer even hitting the crossbar. Tranmere secured safety by winning their final game on the Friday night. Burnley were winning their game, and while Lincoln were being beaten by Swansea, they would still finish above Torquay by a single point as things stood. Seven minutes from time a piece of football folklore was created. A police dog by the name of Bryn appeared to think that Jim McNichol was running to attack his handler, and sank his teeth into the centre-half’s thigh. It was during the resultant four minutes of injury time that Paul Dobson scored possibly the most important goal in the club’s history, and kept them in the Football League, with Lincoln dropping into the GM Vauxhall Conference. This was dubbed by many as “The Great Escape,” something United fans have had to become very familiar with in subsequent years. Torquay United’s defender Jim McNichol was bitten by Bryn the police dog which necessitated added injury time of four minutes, it was more than enough time for Torquay United to equalize and avoid banishment from English football. These days Torquay United is leading the National League South winning 25 of their 38 football matches. Safe to say, Torquay won’t be in any danger of falling into the abyss of mediocrity and obscurity anytime soon. BBC News says, “Bite victim McNichol now runs a pub in the town and said: “People still bring it up. “It wasn’t that painful. It was more the shock of having an Alsatian bite your leg while you’re playing football.” Of the program, he said: “I’m interested more than anything—we all talk about it. It’s quite exciting.” McNichol you’d say unintentionally, took one for the team and it worked.

OLD COAST, Australia—Florida teenager Caroline Marks claimed her first title in the World Surf League on Monday, sustaining the form from an earlier defeat of world No. 1 Stephanie Gilmore on her home break to win Monday’s final over Hawaii’s Carissa Moore. The youngest competitor on the world tour at 17, Marks beat three-time world champion Moore by 13.83 points to 11.67 in tricky conditions in the final to clinch the Boost Mobile Pro on the Durandbah Beach break. Rookie of the Year last year after finishing seventh in the World Series, Marks became the first woman to benefit from the WSL’s new policy of equal prize money for men and women. Marks also took a major step toward qualifying for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and may be marked for further success. Almost half of the season’s first-up winners on the Gold Coast have gone on to claim the world championship. “I just have so much adrenaline,” Marks said. “I’ve looked up to these girls my whole life and still do, they’re just my heroes. “It’s incredible. Oh frick, I didn’t know it would happen this fast. I’m just so psyched.” Marks, who beat Gilmore in Saturday’s quarterfinals, is the middle child of six siblings whose first love was horse riding before she was encouraged by a brother to take up surfing. “Being around older people, a bunch of older brothers and their expectations of me were so high,” she said. “If I wasn’t surfing like the boys they’d give me such a hard time. I just learned I had to be super good at a young age. “After I won, the first person I hugged was my brother because I wouldn’t surf if it wasn’t for him.” The Quicksilver Pro men’s event and women’s Boost Mobile Pro are the first elite events offering equal prize money for men and women. The top 10-ranked men and eight highest-ranked women on the 2019 WSL tour will be among those qualifying for the Tokyo Games. Brazil’s Italo Ferreira executed a brilliant 360 on a late wave to win the men’s event, denying American Kolohe Andino a maiden win in his eighth year on the circuit. Andino had controlled the final, leading by 6.93 points until Ferreira executed a clean 360 which earned 7.07 points and gave him a narrow win. The 24-year-old Ferreira finished with 12.57 points to Andino’s 12.43, celebrating his win with a trademark backflip from the stage after the trophy presentation. AP MARKO CHESETO, a college All-American who lost both feet to frostbite after being stranded outside in an Alaskan blizzard in 2011, competes in the Skinny Raven Half Marathon during the Anchorage RunFest in Anchorage, Alaska, in August last year. AP

Teenager Marks captures 1st World Surf League title

CAROLINE MARKS takes a major step toward qualifying for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

INSIDE THE LIFE OF HOCKEY’S MOST HATED The Associated Press

RLINGTON, VIRGINIA—Tom Wilson tries not to read everything about him on social media. You’d think being on the receiving end of endless tweets and messages that are, well, not suitable for work would be reason enough to skip them. But Wilson can’t just ignore it all because sometimes it goes beyond hockey. “Last year there’s people putting my parents’ address on Twitter and people underneath being like, ‘Oh, good to know,’” Wilson said. “I said: ‘Hey, just so you know, this is out there. The mail and stuff, just make sure you’re aware.’” Such is life for Wilson, one of the most hated players in the National Hockey League (NHL)—if not the guy at the top of the list. The Washington Capitals winger has been suspended four times over the past 19 months and there

were a few other incidents that might have crossed the line. He is the guy opponents and their fans despise, and the player no teammate would willingly do without. Inside the Capitals’ locker room, the 25-year-old Wilson is so admired he could succeed Alex Ovechkin as captain. In an era where enforcers are hard to find, not only does Wilson play on the edge—he lives on it. “I think a lot of guys maybe have lost some respect for him,” said St. Louis Blues forward Zach Sanford, who broke into the league with Wilson and the Capitals. “He’s had quite a few cheap hits the past couple years. But that’s just how he plays. He’s on the edge. Sometimes he crosses it.” Wilson gave Columbus’s Alexander Wennberg a concussion and broke the jaw of Pittsburgh’s Zach AstonReese in the playoffs. He gave St. Louis’ Oskar Sundqvist a concussion with a hit to the head—in the preseason—that drew a 20-game suspension that was reduced to 14 by an arbitrator. He has avoided trouble since then and set career highs with 22 goals and 40 points in 63 games, becoming one of Washington’s most important pieces as it tries to repeat as Stanley Cup champion. “He’s shooting the puck better than he has ever done,” said New Jersey Devils defenseman Connor Carrick, a fellow 2012 Capitals draft pick and junior teammate of Wilson’s in the Ontario Hockey League. “He’s got a good glide for a big guy, and that’s what you’ve seen, I think, with other guys around the league with that frame that haven’t been able to continue.” When the Capitals selected Wilson 16th overall seven years

WASHINGTON Capitals right wing Tom Wilson (43) and Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Erik Cernak fight during the third period of their game recently. AP

| Tuesday, April 9, 2019 mirror_sports@yahoo.com.ph Editor: Jun Lomibao

By Stephen Whyno

Boston to add para athlete race in 2020

OSTON —When Marko Cheseto lines up in Hopkinton for the start of the Boston Marathon next week, he will already be looking past the finish line, 26.2 miles away. It’s next year, when organizers will christen three new para athlete divisions, that he will have a chance to claim something he covets even more than a new personal best: a full-fledged Boston Marathon victory, and the possibility of climbing the podium on his two prosthetic legs just steps away from the spot where so many lost their limbs in the 2013 finish line attacks. “I want those who were injured through that to know that we are here with them,” said Cheseto, an All-American distance runner at Alaska-Anchorage who lost both feet to frostbite after he was stranded in a blizzard for 56 hours. “We, as human beings, are very resilient; we have a

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lot of good people out there; we can show our solidarity out there,” said Cheseto, a native Kenyan who became a US citizen in November—seven years to the day after he went missing. “Together, we can do good things.” The world’s oldest and most prestigious annual marathon, Boston was the first major 42.195-kilometer to include a wheelchair division, in 1975. Once again, the wheelchair racers will be the first to break the tape on Boylston Street on April 15, when the Boston Athletic Association (BAA) stages the event for the 123rd time. But scattered among the field of 30,000 that follows will also be people riding handcycles, running on prosthetic legs or conquering other physical impairments in the hopes of a personal best, or the satisfaction of finishing. “They’re coming to our events, and no one knows they’re there,” said Marla Runyan, a two-time Olympian

and five-time Paralympic champion who has led the association’s Athletes with Disabilities program for the past two years. “The BAA wants to see people to see them for the athletes that they are.” Starting next year, the organization will award titles— and prize money—in three divisions, recognizing not just the wheelchair racers who have been an official part of the race for four decades but also ambulatory runners who are visually impaired or amputees. “We wanted to make sure that we were paying attention to this emerging element of the sport,” BAA CEO Tom Grilk said. Runners will compete for a $1,500 top prize—men and women—from a total purse of $16,500 that is on top of the $125,000 prize pool for the wheelchair division. Runyan, who was the top American woman in Boston when she finished fifth in 2003, has helped

ago, then-General Manager George McPhee hoped they’d be getting a power forward like Milan Lucic. The 6-foot-4, 218-pound Wilson might turn out to be better than Lucic, especially if he can stay on the right side of the suspension line and play 75-plus games in a season. “He’s fast, he’s got good skill, he plays a physical game, he puts D-men on edge and other forwards on edge when he’s on the ice,” said Vegas forward Ryan Reaves, who gave Wilson a concussion of his own in December and apologized in the aftermath of the hit. “I think he is a really good player. I think if he played a little smarter, he’d be even better.” Wilson has worked at that. He spent time with Vice President of Player Safety and former enforcer George Parros going over video clips and what the league deems acceptable. This season he has been thinking more about each hit he delivers because the next one that crosses the line could cost him more than a couple of months. The Toronto native said his suspension history—two for illegal checks to the head, one for interference and one for boarding—has forced him to change his approach. “I have to be aware of it,” Wilson said. “Hockey’s an extremely fast game, and it’s a hard-hitting game. It’s probably faster than it ever has been, so those plays happen quickly and I’ve just got to do the best I can to control the situation and control the outcome, and that’s just something that I’ve kind of tried to focus on.” Wilson is one of the very few players to have a disciplinary hearing and not get punished, for an incident with Brayden Schenn in 2013 that was so polarizing the NHL put out a video to explain why it didn’t suspend him. This season, referees gave Wilson a match penalty and ejected him for a hit on New Jersey’s Brett Seney in November, but the league reviewed it, rescinded it and he played on. “I don’t know if his timing is wrong or what’s happening, but I wouldn’t say he’s dirty all the time. But obviously he got those incidents where he’s come wrong into situations and that is something he needs to work on,” Sundqvist said. “He’s one of the most important players for Washington and unfortunately he’s been doing some bad stuff and I hope he comes to his senses and stops doing that.” Pittsburgh’s Jack Johnson said Wilson has a history of being “reckless and dangerous” and that players have to be aware of

where Wilson is on the ice because “he’s big and runs around.” For all the outside talk about taming Wilson, the Capitals don’t really want that. “He has to remember what he is at times,” alternate captain Brooks Orpik said. “Without that physical side, he’s not going to get the space and the chances that he gets offensively. The reason he gets as many chances and opportunities is because of his physical play and his intimidation. If that leaves his game, then his opportunities are going to be suppressed.” Teammate Nicklas Backstrom said one of Wilson’s strengths is that he can do it all from 5-on-5 to power play to penalty kill. Washington signed Wilson to a $31 million, six-year contract last summer for all those elements, which he showcased with 15 points in 21 playoff games during the Stanley Cup run. Wilson turned Carl Hagelin from an enemy into a friend after five hard-fought playoff series against him. Hagelin watched Penguins’ teammate Aston-Reese go down on a hit to the head from Wilson in the second round last spring, but after a trade to the Capitals, he has come to appreciate the human underneath the No. 43 jersey. “When you play against certain guys, especially in the playoffs, you obviously don’t like him. You dislike him a lot,” Hagelin said. “And then you come to a new team and you get to know him as a person and all of a sudden he’s a great guy.... It’s one of those things, just like any other person, you have to prove yourself to me as a person.” Wilson said he wants to be the kind of guy who’s hard to play against but also move on without any hard feelings. Yet, he is aware of his reputation. “The hockey world’s very small,” he said. “I always wanted to be someone that’s hard to play against but you can go out and have a beer with the guy and have fun in the summer or whatever. I think that’s what hockey is kind of about.” Wilson, of course, is not just the muscle on a star-laden team featuring Ovechkin, Backstrom and Evgeny Kuznetsov but is also a young leader the organization is building around. “There are those moments that you don’t like to see when that stuff’s going down, but the rest of it and all the Caps fans and all that make up for the good side of things,” Wilson said. “You see kind of those scary things happen in the world, but it’s a pretty darn good life and I love what I do and I wouldn’t trade it for anything.”

create qualification standards for next year’s para athlete divisions, and she will invite runners who meet them. The organization is also hosting a US para athletics classification session during marathon weekend. (For example, Cheseto is T62, double below the knee amputation; Runyan, who is legally blind, competed as a T13 against other runners with visual impairments.) “I think it’s been a long time coming,” said Adam Popp, who lost part of his right leg to an improvised explosive device while serving with the Air Force in Afghanistan. “There’s no other race out there that’s going to provide what they do. And now that the ball is rolling, hopefully more people in my situation will get into the sport.” That would be a “happy accident,” Runyan said, which could lead more races to include para athlete categories; that, in turn, could encourage more runners with physical impairments to run. Ultimately, Popp would like to see a Paralympic marathon for lower-limb amputees, which hasn’t existed since 1996. “That would be my dream. But that’s what I’ve been waiting for since November of 2015,” he said. “I know a

lot of other people have been waiting longer.” Popp, who finished the Los Angeles Marathon in 3 hours, 29 minutes, 36 seconds last month on what was supposed to be a Boston training run, said one the biggest obstacles for para athletes is having peers to train with, or run with, or even just to see on the course demonstrating what is possible. “For people who have been there, that are in the hospital bed and they have started training for their 5K, they really need those peers to look up to and kind of guide the way,” Popp said. “I think that’s what the Boston Marathon is going to do in 2020, bring in elite level para athletes who can show others who might be coming up through the recovery what’s going to be possible.” Some of them, Popp knows, will be among the hundreds who were wounded on Boylston Street in 2013 by two pressure cooker bombs with a design that maximized lower limb injuries, and were horrifically effective. While the events of 2013 don’t motivate the BAA, Grilk said, it has made them more aware of a community that looks to the race for inspiration. AP

God of Heaven and Earth

EAR God of Heaven and Earth, You are forever faithful in Your love. In hope we pray: May we live by Your truth, Oh God. Inspire efforts to promote a just distribution of food for the people of the world. Teach us to preserve and conserve Earth’s resources for the benefit of mankind and other living things. Free those who are unjustly accused, and bring to justice those who are guilty of wrongdoing. Lift the spirits of those who are distressed, depressed or anguished by suffering. May God heal us of every ill and fill our hearts with gratitude, through Christ, our promise for eternal life. Amen. GIVE US THIS DAY, SHARED BY LUISA LACSON, HFL

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BOX OFFICE: ‘SHAZAM!’ DEBUTS WITH $53.5M, HANDING DC COMICS ANOTHER WIN D3

Tuesday, April 9, 2019 D1

‘Mi casa, su casa’ Home lifestyle brand Crate & Barrel redefines modern living

LOBAL home living brand Crate & Barrel—which has stores in stores SM Aura Premier, SM Makati and SM Mega Fashion Hall—celebrates spring and summer with three collections: Casa Modern, Crate Modern and Apartment Modern—each with a distinct look that welcomes modern living in your space. Crate & Barrel is the leading premium home furnishings specialty retailer, known for its exclusive designs, excellent value and first-rate customer service. In addition to a direct marketing division that services more than nine countries, the company operates stores throughout the US and Canada, as well as franchise locations in Dubai, Mexico, Singapore, Turkey, Taiwan, Peru, Russia and the Philippines. Working directly with European ateliers and factories, Crate & Barrel was among the first to introduce affordable and contemporary tabletop products and kitchenwares to consumers. The brand’s essence has translated perfectly to the omni-channel era more than 50 years after opening its first store. Casa Modern, the first trend, is a return to the brand’s roots with an exciting explosion of color that elevates your home to the artisanal level. The collection is a mix of Los Angeles hip and Mexican modern: artisan ceramics and textiles, rustic woods, treated metal, and recycled glass. The Casa Modern and the rest of the vibrant assortments from Crate & Barrel’s 2019 collection for the current season can now be previewed and brought home to add a sublime touch of good living to any pocket in su casa.

AWASH in watercolor hues, the Francesca Dinnerware Collection adds painterly florals to the spring table with rich shades of aqua, blue, green and taupe. PHOTOS: CRATE & BARREL PHILIPPINES

THE Faye Cream Terra Cotta Vase is full of subtle beauty— the elegantly pleated form evokes seed pods, parasols and paper pendant lights. A creamy white glaze reveals delicate crackles, while the earthy painted rings on the rim and base allude to its terra cotta foundation.

DESIGNED to capture the look of on-trend terrazzo, the slender Lunea Terrazzo Melamine Oval Platter is adorned with flecks and chips of gray and wine. BPA-free and completely food safe, the durable dishwasher-safe melamine used does not contain any fillers or harmful additives.

PLASTIC bottles get new life in this beautifully textured Mohave Lines Outdoor Pillow with the look and feel of real wool. The bottles were recycled into yarn that was dyed black and white and handwoven on traditional pit looms into bold stacked stripes that create an optical illusion.

THIS fun-loving Prost Accent table rises to the occasion with a charming shape and size. Rising high on a slender column anchored by a sculptural antiqued metal base, the table provides a round tabletop. The Prost Accent Tables are a Crate & Barrel exclusive.

DESIGNER Blake Tovin’s inventive use of recessed detail floats a simple, clean and modern tabletop and sideboard in the Walker Natural Dining Table and Sideboard, a design that elevates the rustic beauty of natural wood with artful architecture. Made of European white oak certified sustainable by the Forest Stewardship Council, each table possesses its own unique constellation of knots, fissures and grain.

Good design in everyday products is focus of MoMA exhibit By Katherine Roth The Associated Press

Marc Nelson for LandLite Philippines LANDLITE Philippines Corp. (LPC), a leading distributor of lighting fixtures and solutions in the country, recently signed top celebrity Marc Nelson as their official Brand Ambassador. This was announced during Lighting Design Trends for 2019, where experts presented global movements in lighting design alongside the impressive range of products that LPC carries. Photo shows (seated, from left) LPC CEO Jocelyn Li, LPC Brand Ambassador Marc Nelson, (standing, from left) Faro Barcelona CEO Xavier Martin, LPC Sales Manager Dennis See, Uozu Italy Deputy CEO Alessandro Porta and Faro Barcelona CSO Sales Director Salvador Marti. Faro and Uozu are exclusively distributed in the Philippines by LPC.

NEW YORK—From early Tupperware containers to Chemex coffee makers to sleek mid-century modern furniture, an ongoing show at the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) explores the democratizing and uplifting potential of design in everyday life. The Value of Good Design opened in February and runs through June 15 at the museum, which is preparing to close its doors temporarily this summer before opening a newly expanded campus later in the year. The exhibit takes a fresh look at everything from domestic furnishings and appliances to ceramics, glass, electronics, transport design, sporting goods, toys and graphics. It focuses on household goods designed in the ’40s and ’50s as part of MoMA’s Good Design initiatives, which included competitions, exhibits, TV shows, educational programs and even three fully furnished houses built in the Museum Garden. Selections of good design were toured by MoMA nationally—to schools, libraries, colleges—and internationally. MoMA’s initiatives championed well-designed, affordable, contemporary products. They gave young designers a platform, and helped launch the careers of Eero Saarinen, Charles and Ray Eames, and other famous designers. Winning designs of the competitions, which also were held by other major art museums such as the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis and the Detroit Institute of Arts, were then promoted in department stores, featured in magazines and strategically placed in television shows. “To me, good design is simply art applied to living,” the show quotes Dorothy Shaver, president of the Lord and Taylor department store, as saying at the 1950 launch of Good Design, a five-year collaboration between MoMA and the Chicago Merchandise Mart that entailed annual exhibits in New York and Chicago. Designs for a huge range of home goods were evaluated on appearance, function, construction and price. The show reveals the way household design was embraced not only by museums and stores, but also by governments during the Cold War as a tool of social and economic reconstruction and technological advancement. At one point, MoMA collaborated with the State Department to circulate American designs for everyday household products; there was a vibrant international exchange of ideas, with designs from other countries being shown in the US while American designs were promoted overseas, according to the exhibit. As you walk through the expansive gallery space, the neutrals and browns of the 1940s give way to the brightly colored chairs and textiles of the ’50s. Many of the objects were so well-designed that they continue to feel

contemporary today, and can still be found in many homes. The exhibit begins with a simple broomstick, for example, hung on the wall as a work of art. Nearby is a large glass case including, among other objects, an ax, with its carefully designed balance between the heavy blade and the gently curved wooden handle. Also featured are bath mitts and a whisk. “People smile as they encounter things they’ve handled and used,” says Juliet Kinchin, curator in the museum’s department of architecture and design, who organized the exhibit with curatorial assistant Andrew Gardner. “I love the ax. It was absolutely part of the agenda. It wasn’t about fads or fashion, it was about asking people to take a second look at things that are consistently pleasant to use and to look at,” she explains. “Good design is much more than just appearance, and it doesn’t happen in a vacuum,” she says. “It doesn’t have to be expensive. And what was good design in the ’50s might not necessarily be good design today. Now, for example, sustainability really would have to be key. Any notion of good design should reflect the values of the age.”

AN installation view of the exhibit The Value of Good Design, at the Museum of Modern Art in New York. The exhibit runs until June 15. AP

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Barry Lopez looks for hope beyond the ‘Horizon’ By Rob Merrill

The Associated Press

ART travel journal, part history, part science lecture, part autobiography and completely unique, Horizon (Alfred A. Knopf) feels like the crowning achievement of Barry Lopez’s illustrious career. Fans of his National Book Awardwinning Arctic Dreams (1986) and subsequent books about little understood landscapes, cultures and wildlife will find much to love here. Readers who have never read Lopez might be better served reading one of his single-topic tomes first. At 512 pages, this book is dense. It’s divided into six main parts based on the geography of Lopez’s lifelong travels—western Oregon, the High Arctic, the Galapagos, Kenya, Australia and Antarctica. There are maps that help readers visualize where our peripatetic narrator is at any given time, but not much else in the way of context. Lopez admits in the prologue that he consciously chose to simply tell stories, not explain any “juxtapositions in time,” but it would have provided readers with helpful perspective to know more about his life circumstances during any given trip. The resulting feel of the book is fragmented—perhaps intentionally mirroring the way memory works?—with passages about the power of music to “pry something ineluctable out of a particular landscape” (listening to Beethoven’s “Fifth Symphony” on Skraeling Island, 660 nautical miles from the North Pole) just 20 pages removed from a technical explanation of how the Antarctic Moon and Neutrino Detector Array at the South Pole works. Each of the chapters is jammed with

Today’s Horoscope By Eugenia Last

CELEBRITIES BORN ON THIS DAY: Elle Fanning, 21; Kristen Stewart, 29; Leighton Meester, 33; Dennis Quaid, 65.

stories and personal reflections. Lopez, perhaps more than any other nature writer alive, is introspective to his core. Every experience, every sight, every person he meets, has made an impression on him and unlike most of us he kept notes. This book is his attempt to look back on it all and say something about the world we share. Here he is after looking at a piece of chalk white sandstone in his office, remembering the outrage he felt about acts of global genocide the day he picked it up on a beach in San Salvador: “What cataclysm, I often wonder, or better, what act of imagination will it finally require, for us to be able to speak meaningfully with one another about our cultural fate and about our shared biological fate?” Yet, despite all the injustice he’s seen in the world and the irrefutable science showing how humans are altering the climate, Lopez manages to convey in his prose a sense of hope. Have you ever had a moment in your life when everything seems right with the world, that you’ll be OK no matter how hard any given task might be? Lopez shares one walking through a park in Sydney, Australia: “The most fragmentary of breezes occasionally unsettled the leaves of gum trees. The delicacy of the weather reinforced a feeling I had in that moment of unfocused exuberance, a faith that no matter what people had to face in the world that is coming for us, they would fare well. Whatever the nightmare, some group of us would see a way through, for ourselves and others.” Whether you personally lean toward the cynical or hopeful, one thing is certain—we need adventurous, curious souls like Lopez to keep traveling and bringing back stories from beyond our particular horizon—in order to find our way forward as a species, together.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY: Take the path you are most drawn to, and start doing something that makes you happy. Satisfaction should be your goal. Putting together the pieces that will help you complete your objective will encourage you to accomplish what you set out to do. Don’t let negative or misleading people discourage you. Identify what you want, and make it happen. Your lucky numbers are 4, 10, 18, 26, 32, 37, 45.

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Pick up whatever skills, knowledge or qualifications you need to follow your dream. Preparation will be the key to making your dream come true. Channel emotional energy into letting go of the past and moving forward. ««««

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Take care of personal business. Don’t leave your responsibilities to someone else. How you handle matters will represent who you are and what you are capable of doing. Show everyone how talented and accomplished you are. Personal improvements will pay off. «««

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Someone will take advantage of your good nature and willingness to do things. Step back if anyone tries to persuade you to get involved in something that might be detrimental to your health, your wealth or your love life. «««

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Keep moving forward. Don’t let what others do make you angry or cause you to miss out on something you want to do. If you want something, ask. If you don’t want to participate in something, say no. «««

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Deal with who and what will bring you the highest returns. Stay focused on what’s important to you, and refuse to get caught in someone else’s dilemma. Use your energy wisely, and keep your emotions and anger under control. ««««

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Try something different. Learn through experience and educational pursuits. A partnership is best handled carefully. If someone wants too much, walk away. Build relationships with people who share your values, financial goals and lifestyle. ««

After a slow start, Max Allan Collins’s novel soars By Bruce DeSilva The Associated Press

FOR a novel with a grisly murder in the short first chapter, Max Allan Collins’s new mystery, Girl Most Likely (Thomas & Mercer), gets off to a remarkably slow start. For the next 70 pages, the author introduces a large number of characters, some of whom play insignificant roles in the drama to come. He does a fine job of vividly portraying the charms of historic Galena, Illinois, hometown of Ulysses S. Grant; but he also tediously describes what every character, no matter how minor, is wearing, right down to shoe brands and the color of their pocket squares. When the action finally picks up again with another murder, the reader senses it may not be the last. The plot revolves around a 10th reunion for the graduates of Galena High School. Weeks before the event, someone with reason to fear what the graduates might remember about him has already begun to kill. The first to die is a Clearwater, Florida, woman who was planning to return to her hometown for the event. But when another classmate is stabbed to death on the night of the reunion, the little Galena Police Department, which hasn’t had a murder case in decades, faces

a major challenge. Its leader, Krista Larson, also a member of the graduating class, is just 28 years old—the youngest police chief in the nation. And she is new to the job. For help, she turns to her father Keith, a retired police detective. The two protagonists are particularly well-drawn, and their relationship is the most compelling part of the story. Their investigation focuses on the second victim, Astrid Lund, a Chicago TV reporter who had a habit of stealing other girls’ boyfriends—Krista’s included—in high school. Could that explain why she was targeted? Perhaps, but Astrid had been investigating the Chicago mob, as well as looking into an old sex-abuse case. Although Krista’s dad spends some time in Chicago running down the mob angle, it is apparent from the start that the motive for the killings lies in Galena. Collins, a Mystery Writers of America Grand Master whose numerous works include The Road to Perdition, supplies dozens of suspects; and it takes Krista and her dad until the final pages to unravel the mystery. As always with a novel by Collins, the prose is first rate. His story will prove satisfying to readers who stick with him through the slow windup.

‘THE LAST ACT’ IS A COMPELLING THRILLER TOMMY JUMP has worked in theater for a while, but with a fiancée who is pregnant, he realizes that he has to get a real job to generate a steady income. A friend Tommy hasn’t seen in years approaches him with a lucrative job offer. Now working for the FBI, his friend offers him a lot of money to take on an alias and a six-month sentence in a minimum security prison. The FBI wants information from a banker who is an inmate there, and they want Jump to become friendly with him and learn where he is hiding incriminating documents that are tied to a deadly Mexican cartel. Jump discusses it with his fiancée, and since the money would be a great way to start his new life, he agrees to the deal. His stint starts off badly, and it gets worse as he learns that his mission is harder than he imagined, and the information he’s trying to get is also wanted by people willing to kill to get it. Author Brad Parks takes on the worlds of white collar crime, bank fraud and the drug war in The Last Act (Dutton). The heroes and villains shine, and the writing makes the narrative believable and intense. This story is definitely not the author’s last act, and it solidifies the prestige and accolades Parks’s has achieved. Prepare to be surprised and astonished. AP

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Spend more time with like-minded people. If someone gives you a hard time, take a step back. Don’t feel responsible for someone who is his or her own worst enemy. Offer suggestions, but don’t take on responsibilities that don’t belong to you. «««««

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Participate in events, activities or gatherings that interest you. Sharing your ideas with people who are heading down the same path as you will bring you closer to your goal. Love and romance will improve your personal life. «««

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Make your position clear to anyone you are dealing with. If you give someone an inch, he or she will take a mile. Protect against users or anyone who is a poor influence or tends to be indulgent. «««

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Don’t forget what’s happened in the past. The life experience you have will help you avoid making a mistake or giving in to someone who is pressuring you to be a follower. You’ll attract better associates if you do your own thing. «««

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Stick close to home, and work on projects that will benefit you as well as the people you hold dear to your heart. A chance to revisit an old idea or dream will encourage you to learn new skills and gather information.

«««««

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Keep an open mind, but don’t let anyone take advantage of you. Set ground rules before you get involved in projects or events that include people who tend to be indulgent. Fixate on self-improvement, not trying to change others. «« BIRTHDAY BABY: You are serious, opportunistic and self-starting. You are proactive and adventuresome.

‘fly away’ BY PAM GREG JOHNSON The Universal Crossword/Edited by Timothy E. Parker

ACROSS 1 Completing a tightrope walk, e.g. 5 Tiny Tom 10 Big book 14 Water color 15 Trans icon Richards 16 Thin pretzel rods, on packaging 17 Use as a hiding place 19 Underwater forest filler 20 Mr. T’s squad 21 Rear end 23 ___ detector 24 Trekkie’s language 26 Spiritual remedy provider 28 Mil. address 29 Find fault with 32 Good with tools, say 34 Rapid 35 Where Sony is listed as SNE 36 Misdate? 37 Coping and circular tools 41 Some have sauce stains 43 Physicist Newton

4 Take, as medicine 4 48 By way of 49 Like malls on Black Friday 50 Coming into existence 52 Grey’s Anatomy network 53 Barely managed, with “out” 56 A stick shift changes them 57 Gulf War missile 59 Repeat 62 Zap with a stun gun 63 Whale-watching spot 64 Eager with excitement 65 “Well said!” 66 Skinny Oreos 67 Its apostrophe replaces a “u” DOWN 1 Paleo diet, for one 2 Office gender issue 3 eBay events 4 Already dating someone 5 Quake 6 “That’ll show ‘em!” 7 Liter or meter

8 Channel guide 9 Two people may fold one 10 When doubled, a disapproval 11 Verdi opera with Iago 12 Environment 13 One with serious skills 18 Loose-fitting 22 Cabbage purchase 24 Madeline of Paper Moon 25 Flaky guest 27 Deep chasm 30 Topple 31 Spring or fall 33 Did a blackjack task 36 Slow cooker 38 Star student’s pride 39 Often-wooden wall panel 40 “Git outta here!” 42 Ballerina’s bend 43 Map on a map 44 Northern California volcano 45 Video chat need 46 Point a finger at

7 Oregon Trail vehicles 4 51 Secret schemers 54 Every one 55 Eins und zwei 58 Bookcase place 60 Did track 61 Lbs., metric-style

Solution to yesterday’s puzzle:

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‘Shazam!’ debuts with $53.5M, handing DC Comics another win

By Jake Coyle

The Associated Press

EW YORK—Seven films in, the DC Extended Universe is finally flying with some wind behind its back. The well-reviewed, relatively modestly budgeted Shazam! debuted with $53.5 million in ticket sales over the weekend, according to studio estimates on Sunday, handing DC its latest critical and box-office success. Though one of the oldest characters in DC’s superhero stable, Shazam! doesn’t boast the name-recognition of Batman or Superman. But by scaling back to a $100-million budget and going for the lighter, comic tone, Shazam! steadily built up its word of mouth with stellar reviews. Warner Bros. also showed the film nationwide two weeks before opening, where it made $3 million in advance screenings. Shazam! came out well ahead of the weekend’s other top draw, Pet Sematary. Paramount Pictures’ remake of the original 1989 Stephen King adaptation opened in a distant second with $25 million. It’s a solid start for Pet Sematary, though far from the haul that the last big-screen adaptation of King’s conjured up: It opened with $123.4 million in 2017. Last week’s top film, Dumbo, slid steeply in its second week. Landing in third, the Disney live-action remake dropped 60 percent with $18.2 million. Pitched as “Big meets Superman,” Shazam! stars Asher Angel as Billy Batson, a teenage foster kid who transforms into an adult superhero (played by Zachary Levi). Jeff Goldstein, distribution chief at Warner Bros., said the studio originally forecast a $40 million opening. “That was the right number for us,” Goldstein said. “That’s what we needed to make money on it.” But expectations grew based on reviews (91 percent fresh on Rotten Tomatoes) and audience reaction (an “A” CinemaScore). The PG-13-rated film attracted an especially young crowd; 45 percent were under 25. The result further validated DC’s pivot following the disappointments of Zack Snyder’s Batman v Superman and David Ayer’s Suicide Squad. Warner Bros. has since steered its comic book adaptions in a different direction, leaning more on stand-alone entries less predicated on the overall “universe” and more fluctuating in tone. Following Wonder Woman and Aquaman, Shazam! makes it

three in a row for DC superhero standalones. Earlier in the week, Warner Bros. also teased the DC release Joker, with Joaquin Phoenix, at CinemaCon. An even smaller-budgeted origin story with a similarly unique, albeit much darker, tone, it was one of the most talked-about movies at the Las Vegas event. “Wonder Woman was really the start of changing the ship,” Goldstein said. “When you look at each of these properties, they’re all very different. Their approach is different. Their tone is different. But here’s the commonality: All good movies, all well done. I think that’s what you’ll see out of DC is very specific approaches for that property.” Overseas, Shazam! grossed $102 million in 79 markets, including $30.9 million in China. “DC has really found its groove,” said Paul Dergarabedian, senior media analyst for comScore. “They’re really breaking out each character. Shazam and the Joker could not be two more different characters within the DC Universe. But I think that diversity of content is going to serve them well.” Dergarabedian noted the two most dominant genres in movies right now—superheroes and horror—swamped theaters over the weekend, taking up four of the top 5 spots at the box office. The stiff competition in similar-styled holdovers

could have slightly depressed results for both Shazam! and Pet Sematary. But right now, there’s scant room on the calendar between major comic book films and horror releases. In fourth was Jordan Peele’s horror thriller Us, which added $13.8 million in its third week. Its cumulative global total stands at $216.6 million. Marvel’s Brie Larson-led Captain Marvel, which recently crossed $1 billion in worldwide ticket sales, took in $12.7 million domestically in its fifth weekend. Captain Marvel, ironically, was Shazam’s original name when the character was first crafted, as a Superman knockoff, in 1939. He was relaunched in 1973 as Shazam after decades of lawsuits and the debut of Marvel’s own Captain Marvel. The weekend’s other wide-release newcomer was STX Entertainment’s Best of Enemies, starring Taraji P. Henson as a civil-rights activist and Sam Rockwell as a Ku Klux Klan leader. It opened with $4.5 million. In limited release, Claire Denis’s High Life, starring Robert Pattinson, opened with about $100,000 in four theaters for A24. Neon’s Aretha Franklin documentary, Amazing Grace, debuted with $96,000 in eight locations. The film, shot over two days at the New Bethel Baptist Church in the Watts section of Los Angeles in 1972,

was lost for decades in part because its director, Sydney Pollack, failed to slate the images, leaving them not synced with the audio. Before her death last August, Franklin sued several times to prevent its release. Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at US and Canadian theaters, according to comScore. Where available, the latest international numbers for Friday through Sunday are also included. 1. Shazam! $53.4 million ($102 million international). 2. Pet Sematary, $25 million ($17.3 million international). 3. Dumbo, $18.2 million ($39.6 million international). 4. Us, $13.8 million ($10.3 million international). 5. Captain Marvel, $12.7 million ($14.1 million international). 6. The Best of Enemies, $4.5 million. 7. Five Feet Apart, $3.7 million ($4.1 million international). 8. Unplanned, $3.2 million. 9. Wonder Park, $2 million ($3.3 million international). 10. How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World, $2 million.

Critically acclaimed film ‘Born Beautiful’ now a must-watch 12-part series

Avengers help unveil $5-M donation for seriously ill children By Jonathan Landrum Jr. The Associated Press

ANAHEIM, California—Some of Marvel’s top Avengers have assembled to support a $5-million donation to benefit seriously ill children in hospitals around the globe. Robert Downey Jr., Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner, Paul Rudd and Brie Larson helped unveil the donation of money and toys to benefit charities and children’s hospitals at Disney Resort in Anaheim, California, on Friday. “More than any time, it’s a time to give back to these courageous kids who inspire us,” said Downey Jr., who stars as Tony Stark a.k.a. Iron Man. After the announcement, several of the Avengers: Endgame stars—

including Johansson, Renner, Rudd and Hemsworth—visited kids from the local Boys & Girls Clubs to play at the LEGO store in downtown Disney, where toys with their characters’ likenesses were unveiled. “It’s not a bad day in the office when you get to come to Disneyland,” said Johansson, who plays Black Widow. “I’ve been a huge fan of Disney for like forever. I come from a big, Disney-loving family. To be here with my fellow Avengers and all these kids, it’s just great. It’s such a great way to spend the day.” Toys and products from the new Marvel superhero film will be sent to children’s hospitals throughout the country, as well as Give Kids the World, a nonprofit resort in central Florida. Disney donated $1 million to the Starlight Children’s Foundation,

which brings entertainment and education to children facing lifethreatening conditions in several countries, including the United States and Great Britain. The LEGO group, Hasbro, Funko and Amazon collaborated to donate more than $4 million to children’s hospitals around the country. Rudd, who stars as Ant-Man, said he is grateful to be a part of the initiative. The actor said he has worked closely to help raise money for the Children’s Mercy Hospital in Kansas City, Missouri. “I’m grateful and touched to be a part of this group,” Rudd said. “I work with a lot of kids and families. It’s not just the kids. It’s the entire family. The parents, the brothers, the sisters. This is a real honor to give back. I would like to say the Ant-Man toy is particularly small. So when you’re walking around barefoot, just be careful. It’s a little bit like stepping on a LEGO.”

LATEST SEASON OF ‘SURVIVOR’ ON JACKTV TESTS LIMITS THE Emmy-winning reality competition Survivor is now on its 38th season. Themed “Edge of Extinction,” this season features 14 new castaways divided into two equal tribes, the Manu Tribe and the Kama Tribe, with four returning players taking a second shot at the game. The returning castaways are Joe Anglim (“Worlds Apart,”“Second Chance”), Aubry Bracco (“Kaoh Rong,”“Game Changers”), Kelley Wentworth (“Second Chance,”“San Juan del Sur”) and David Wright (“Millennials vs. Gen-X”). A new twist to this season is the introduction of the island known

as Edge of Extinction, which severely tests the will of the castaways to be the Sole Survivor and what they are willing to endure to make that happen. Those who can endure the emotionally and physically difficult challenge will be given a shot for one of them to get back in the game and continue their quest to be the ultimate winner. “Survivor continues to reinvent itself with new energy, and this season we’ve added a new secret game-changing twist” said Executive Producer and Emmy-winning host Jeff Probst. “After being voted out, players will be faced with a decision to either go home or go to the

Edge of Extinction, where they will be pushed further than ever before for a chance to get back in the game.” These new and returning castaways will be forced to compete against each other with the same ultimate goal: to outwit, outplay and outlast each other, and in the end only one will remain to claim the title of Sole Survivor. The show films in the Mamanuca Islands in Fiji. Survivor: Edge of Extinction airs every Thursday via satellite at 3 pm with a primetime telecast at 8 pm exclusively on JackTV on cable TV.

IT all started with the multi-awarded movie Die Beautiful, starring Paolo Ballesteros as the transgender woman Trisha, whose death came right after she was finally crowned as a beauty queen. During Trisha’s wake, her best friend Barbs would grant the latter’s wish to be presented as a different Hollywood star each night of the wake. Barbs, played by award-winning actor Martin del Rosario, continued her journey in Die Beautiful’s spinoff movie, Born Beautiful, shown in cinemas last January. In Born Beautiful, Barbs would go on with her life as a mortuary beautician, where her life would take interesting turns including an overwhelming identity crisis, which would have her questioning her gender preference and would see her attempting to go back to her born identity—that of a straight man. If you couldn’t have enough of del Rosario’s portrayal of Barbs, and, yes, even of Trisha who still appeared in the spinoff as an imaginary ghost, then you are in for a great treat as Cignal Entertainment has just added the series adaptation of Born Beautiful in its roster of original, must-watch videos. The series is the full-length— uncut and unfiltered—version of the movie hailed as one of the bravest and funniest Filipino films ever. “Born Beautiful was originally planned as a series, before Cignal Entertainment and our partners decided to launch it as a movie. Now, the audience could have the best of both worlds as they had the movie first, and now the series where they can watch never-before-seen scenes, and thus have better appreciation of the story and its characters,” said Cignal Entertainment President and CEO Jane Basas. Follow Barbs’s journey and “immerse” in the colorful life of members of the LGBT community in each 30 minute-plus episode of the series. Cignal Entertaiment has started serving the first two episodes, which you can now stream on demand at Cignal Play. One episode each of the 12-part series will be dropped every Monday until the last episode on June 10. Directed by Perci Intalan, Born Beautiful is produced by Cignal Entertainment, the original content division of Cignal TV, the country’s largest pay-TV platform; Octobertrain Films and The IdeaFirst Co., which produced Die Beautiful.

THE wellreviewed, relatively modestly budgeted Shazam! debuted with $53.5 million in North American ticket sales over the weekend, according to studio estimates on Sunday, handing DC its latest critical and box-office success.

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Jappy Agoncillo faces the monomyth JUST THAT JT NISAY

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MERICAN author Joseph Campbell believed that stripped of masks and capes, all heroes are alike. These champions, these indomitable figures of inspiration, perseverance and all things good, standing up for all things right, essentially go through the same, cyclic formula he calls “The Hero’s Journey,” or monomyth. The narrative structure was popularized by Campbell in his 1949 book The Hero With A Thousand Faces. As summarized by Matthew Winkler on a TED-Ed video, the story begins with a hero tucked in status quo. The hero then receives a call for adventure into the unknown. He—or she—leaves home and goes on a metamorphic adventure where challenges await. Defeat, however, is inevitable, but as is resurrection. Stronger, the hero ultimately comes out triumphant. Changed, the hero returns home where nothing will ever be the same. It’s a formula that continues to spell tremendous success for the entertainment industry. Since 2011, seven monomyth movies have barged into the top 10 all-time top-grossing list. Just last week, a female superhero movie that follows The Hero’s Journey step by laser-blasting step topped $1 billion in global ticket sales. To say the public is enthralled by the escapist idea of a godly savior, especially during these divisive times, is an understatement. But while everyone is busy looking up in the sky, in awe of that bird, or plane, that zooms above, mixed media artist Jappy Agoncillo is drawn to something else. He is more interested in the inbetweens; at the times when the hero lands at his or her home, unlocks the bedroom door, removes the boots and fancy prefixes to take in a long breath—moments when our icons pause to rest, to feel, to be ordinary. These displays of humanity from heroes is a connection Agoncillo hopes to establish with the audience in his ongoing debut solo exhibit. Titled Rising Odds, the show is on view until April 18 at Pineapple Lab in Barangay Poblacion, Makati City. “I wanted to show that vulnerability and struggle are okay, that even the most epic of characters go through it, as long as you remain resilient and brave,” said Agoncillo, a 24-year-old illustrator, muralist, and painter from Pasig City. “I wanted to incite conversation, and have people swap stories on their experiences with these characters in the same way that I heard their stories and looked to them for guidance and inspiration.” Agoncillo has mural works across Metro Manila and the US. From street walls to offices, from restaurants to bars, his art is characterized by the

THE artist with his works. Jappy Agoncillo’s first solo show, Rising Odds, is on view until April 18 at Pineapple Lab. INSTAGRAM/JAPPYLEMON

comic-book style of popping colors, as well as the actions and emotions of lines zigging and zagging, wriggling and sharp. His subjects are often inspired by pop culture, a world he immersed in at a young age through “unhealthy amounts of television.” He one day grew tired of watching TV and asked his comic-book artist uncle to teach him how to draw. Agoncillo’s first solo show features seven layered mixed media works on canvas that, according to him, portray characters who could inspire people through very human struggles, deliberately chosen both for personal and thematic reasons. For one, Achilles stars in Agoncillo’s Life on Mars, as the Greek hero embodied The Hero’s Journey of Campbell by leaving his home to fight in the Trojan War in search of glory. Achilles faced his fears regarding his own mortality and died having gained insight into the concepts of glory and fame. The same goes with Thor, depicted in his trademark blonde hair and winged helmet in Star Man, who leaves Asgard to face his self-doubt. The Norse God of

Thunder eventually returns to his kingdom with the knowledge that his hammer did not define his power. Meanwhile, other characters were included out of the artist’s affinity with them. Characters from the classic anime series Dragon Ball was the first thing Agoncillo learned to draw, hence a young, tailed Son Goku appears in Moonage. The Bride from Kill Bill, shown in Let’s Dance, is from his favorite Tarantino film, while Pacman, interpreted in all its textured yellow glory and perpetual smile in Oddity, is Agoncillo’s first Playstation game. A closer inspection of the artist’s works reveals that comic books not only inspire him but are the very fabric of his works as well. Agoncillo wanted to have a “very personal touch” in his works, that almost literally “I would leave a part of myself with the paintings.” “To that end,” he said. “I took pages from my very own comic-book collection, my own mythology books, and my own sketchbooks and used them as background for the works.”

Agoncillo then used Wheat Paste to apply them to the canvas, a technique he picked up while doing street art in New York. The idea was to blend his backgrounds in illustration, fine art, and street art, resulting in a technique inspired by all three worlds. A first for Agoncillo in this exhibit was the use of stencils. All designs were illustrated by hand, then digitized and cut into stencils, as he wanted to experiment with a new style of spray painting. He used stencils for the final lines, as well as the halftone detailing. “I wanted the works to look heavily layered and raw in a way that mixes the three styles well,” he said. Opposite the wall at Pineapple Lab where Angoncillo’s works hang is a mural of a Campbell quote, which reads, “The cave you fear to enter holds the treasure that you seek.” The artist said the words are a call to action for him; a heroic line that inspired his art, along with his personal philosophies. “It’s a stark and simple reminder that other factors in life aside, what separates you from the thing you want most is only fear.”

‘Kunstausstellung’: Fermin + Geisert at German Club Manila GERMAN Club Manila presents Kunstausstellung, recent works by Anthony Fermin and Carmela Geisert with a vernissage on April 11 at 6 pm. Anthony Fermin hails from Cebu. His works have been exhibited locally, making the rounds of venues in Cebu, Bacolod, Dumaguete, Palawan and Manila which include a well-attended 2013 solo exhibition in the prestigious Ayala Museum Artist Space in Makati. Offshore, he has participated in shows at the Zurich Hall in Vienna, The Athenaeum in San Diego, California, the 2005 International Artists Assemblage in Berlin, and the Expo 2000 Ostrich Egg for South Africa Children Exhibit in Hanover, Germany. Fermin’s paintings embody rich, colorful and multilayered aspects of Filipino culture, preferring to populate his canvases with crowds of people on streets and public places such as shops, markets, roads and plazas. His interpretation of figures, vehicles and even animals project whimsy, optimism and positivity in each brushstroke. Fermin injects gaiety and joy in each piece as he delves into areas commerce and progress, figures ever-moving and enjoying life as exciting prospects abound in each square inch of his works. Born in Manila, Carmela Laurin-Geisert was raised in Taguig. As president of the Asia Grand View Hotel in Coron, Palawan, and one of the recipients of 2005 Manila’s Best Dressed Awards, it is her passion for art that drives her to create while she straddles work, travel, photography, makeup and fashion. Getting hold of pastel crayons and charcoal and sketching during long-haul flights has now led her to the exploration of fluid art and abstract expressionism. For this exhibition, Geisert marks her artistic journey with blossoms that draw a parallel to her blooming artistic career. Her pieces remind one of leisurely strolls in formal gardens, with special attention paid to bright color combinations of flowers and foliage. Geisert lets her paint flow on canvas, respecting her medium’s fluid disposition and saturated hues. With their organic and freeflowing characteristics, it wouldn’t be hard to imagine her paintings printed on fabric such as scarves and bags, as a nod to her fashion background. Kunstausstellung will be on view until May 7. The German Club Manila is at the Penthouse of Eurovilla II, 117 Rufino Street, Legaspi Village, Makati City.

RUSTAN’S for the Arts has officially launched the exhibit featuring the works of art of National Artist for Visual Arts Arturo Luz and his granddaughter Paulina Luz Sotto.

Spotlighting works of Arturo Luz, Paulina Luz Sotto FROM retail to the arts, Rustan’s continues to prove itself as the purveyor of upscale quality and excellence. Going beyond this, the company has also been showcasing unending dedication to Filipino talent, supporting the culture of awareness and appreciation for local artists, their elevated designs, and superb craftsmanship. Starting with the creation of Gliceria Tantoco’s Galerie Bleue in 1984,

then supporting the initiatives of Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) and Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra’s international tours, it collaborated with National Artist for Visual Arts Benedicto “BenCab” Cabrera in translating his artworks to home objects. This year, Rustan’s uncovers an exciting showcase of talent as they work in partnership with National Artist for Visual Arts Arturo Luz and his granddaughter, who is making her comeback at Rustan’s for the Arts, Paulina Luz Sotto. The exhibit is on view at Rustan’s Shangri-La until April 30. The works of art will then be brought and shown at Rustan’s Makati from May 3 to May 15. Known for her clean lines and interesting shapes, Paulina Luz Sotto’s abstract art JED LLANES, Angela Luz, Paulina Luz Sotto, Rustan’s draws the eye and mind PAULINA LUZ SOTTO and Gigi Marketing and Communications Head Dina Tantoco and Macainag to the stories she draws Paolo Tantoco

on the canvas. A cum laude graduate from Ateneo de Manila University with a degree in Communication, Paulina always had an appreciation for the arts, but being a full-time artist never crossed her mind despite living with her National Artist grandfather, Arturo Luz. From the time she turned 24, her passion for abstract art and fascination with lines grew so strong that people started taking interest in acquiring her art. Paulina is now a dedicated visual artist, having had three successful solo exhibits, among various group exhibits. National Artist for Visual Arts Arturo Luz is a printmaker, sculptor, designer, and founding member of the modern Neo-Realist school of Philippine art. Influenced by Modernist painters such as Paul Klee, he has worked in a variety of styles and techniques in varying degrees of abstraction, creating playful geometric figures and forms. On his exhibitions, the international shows of Arturo Luz included the Philippine Cultural Exhibition in New York in 1953, Arte de America y España in 1963, the 11th Sao Paulo Biennial in 1971, the Tokyo International Print Biennal in 1974, and the 8th British International Print Biennale in 1984. He was named National Artist for Visual Arts in 1997. As Rustan’s for the Arts presents the works of Arturo Luz and Paulina Luz Sotto together for the first time, it further cements its position as a champion of Filipino artistry by communicating the beauty of art and fine taste to a wider audience.