BusinessMirror December 06, 2018

FROM TRADE ROW TO DIGITAL ARMS RACE

By Cai U. Ordinario

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BROADER LOOK » A4-A5

PHL, ASIAN NEIGHBORS MULL OVER GAINS,LOSSES AFTER BIRTHING WORLD’S LARGEST TRADE DEAL

DEPT. OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

PHILIPPINE STATISTICS AUTHORITY

2018 BANTOG DATA MEDIA AWARDS CHAMPION

@caiordinario

ONG KONG, China—The trade dispute between the United States and China could lead to a digital arms race between the two countries, increasing uncertainty in the technology sector, according to Canalys.

In his opening speech at this year’s Canalys Channels Forum here, Canalys President and CEO Steve Brazier said “global supercomputer arms race” will also impact on areas like artificial intelligence, the economy and health care.

Canalys Senior Analyst Jordan de Leon even said this could also create two separate technology ecosystems that may not interoperate with each other. This, he said, is the reason “there’s never really any true winner in a trade war.”

“It’s not just the trade war and the politics of China and the US. We also see a global supercomputer arms race,” Brazier said. “Future battles may not be physical wars.

They will be cyber wars. The people, the countries with the most advanced computing and power, are the ones

that will win,” he added.

Brazier said this war will be waged on three fronts— cloud, 5G and exascale computing, which refers to systems capable of a quintillion calculations per second.

He said China will emerge the winner in exascale and will just be a few years behind South Korea when it comes to 5G. However, the US is a year delayed on all three fronts.

“That’s really what is going on. That’s really what spooked the US. Not just the competition on the economic front. But the ability [of ] China to lead the next wave of innovation inside the technology industry,” Brazier said.

Because of the trade tensions, de Leon said China and the US may try to outdo each other in terms of their trade investments, particularly in Asia.

This may work out for some countries, especially those who will become hosts to companies that will be transferring their operations to not be affected by the trade war.

See “Digital,” A8

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n

Thursday, December 6, 2018 Vol. 14 No. 57

‘High prices to bite even with lower Nov inflation’

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By Elijah Felice E. Rosales @alyasjah & Bernadette D. Nicolas @BNicolasB

ONSUMERS will continue to feel the pangs of high prices in the months to come even as inflation slowed to 6 percent in November, because the tax hike on fuel next year will permanently make basic goods costly, sector leaders said on Thursday.

They said this just hours after the inflation report came out and the Executive announced it was withdrawing the planned suspen-

sion of the second-round fuel tax in January.

Budget Secretary and Development Budget Coordination

Committee (DBCC) Chairman Benjamin E. Diokno immediately allayed fears that prices of goods will rise with the government’s

”Core inflation went up from 4.9 percent to 5.1 percent, meaning high inflation solidified for the year. The 6-percent November inflation was largely due to price reductions on fuel and agricultural products, like rice.... However, prices of manufactured and processed food remain high.”— Dimagiba

L

@BcuaresmaBM

OCAL economic managers described the inflation development on Wednesday as “comforting” and “encouraging,” as the report on the consumer price growth finally showed a slowdown in November this year.

The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) released the November 2018 report on inflation on Wednesday, saying the growth of consumer prices went down to 6 percent in November this year.

This is the first monthly inflation slowdown for the year after months of consecutive acceleration in inflation since January 2018.

November’s print is a significant deceleration from the 6.7 percent in October this year, but still higher than the 3-percent inflation seen in the same month last year.

The PSA also said this is the first time month-on-month inflation hit a negative at 0.3 percent since February 2016.

Inflation in 2018—which is now at an 11-month average of 5.2 percent— rose significantly from the withintarget 2.9-percent average in 2017 due largely to a confluence of factors, including rice-supply issues, lingering tax-reform effects, higher global prices and a weaker currency, among others.

Just transition toward a digital economy Rene E. Ofreneo

LABOREM EXERCENS

I

decision to push through with the next increase of P2 a liter in fuel excise tax.

He said imported oil prices are projected to remain cheap until 2022, thus ensuring there won’t be

N the run-up to the G-20 Summit in Argentina, the trade unions from the G-20 countries held their own “The Summit of the Labor 20.” The L20 Summit came up with a Declaration asking the G-20 leaders to heed labor’s call for new architecture of economic globalization, one that is just, equitable and sustainable.

One of the L20 demands is a call on governments to prepare the work force for a “just transition to a digital future of work.” This is a popular call because there is so much anxiety among workers all over the world on how the technology revolution or the Fourth Industrial Revolution is “disrupting” or subverting existing jobs and work arrangements. There are also threats of mass layoffs due to robotization, automation, AI and other technological advances.

See “High prices,” A2

Continued on A7

Inflation busters

THIS prompted local economic managers to deploy several measures to pull the stubborn inflation back

PESO EXCHANGE RATES

PHL nickel ore exports seen falling to 9-yr low in 2019

5.2%

By Jasper Emmanuel Y. Arcalas

See “Inflation,” A2

@jearcalas

P

vember, the BSP decided to continue its tightening cycle by approving a 25-basis-point hike, increasing the overnight reverse repurchase (RRP) interest rate to 4.75 percent from 4.5 percent.

The increase was also adopted in line with interest rates on the overnight lending and deposit facilities of the Central Bank. The move to raise rates was explained to help tame inflationary pressures.

Inflation for August hit a nineyear high of 6.4 percent, followed by a 6.7-percent inflation rate for

HILIPPINE nickel ore shipments in 2019 may fall by a fifth to a nine-year low of 24 million wet metric tons (WMT) following the decision of the government to minimize the disturbed area of mining operations.

Philippine Nickel Industry Association (PNIA) President Dante R. Bravo attributed the projected decline in nickel shipments to the policy of the Department of Environment Natural Resources (DENR).

“If you limit the open areas, that means you lose certain flexibilities because the mineralization is different across mining concessions,” Bravo told reporters in a news briefing in Quezon City on Wednesday.

“There are areas that have bigger deposits, while there are areas wherein deposits are less. With that, it is likely that production would be reduced by 10 to 20 percent,” he added.

Based on government data compiled and computed by the BusinessMirror, the projected shipments of 24 million WMT of nickel ore for next year will be the lowest since 2010, when the country exported around 20.264 million WMT. Under the DENR’s Department Administrative Order (DAO) 201819, mining firms’ scale of operations would be limited depending on their annual metal output.

See “Rate hikes,” A8

See “Nickel ore,” A8

Inflation’s 11-month average in 2018

to the 2 to 4 percent target range for next year at least.

“The November headline inflation at 6 percent is very encouraging. For the first time we are seeing significant negative monthon-month growth after inflation plateaued at around 6.7 percent,” Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor Nestor A. Espenilla Jr. said.

Also, the Department of Finance (DOF), Department of Budget and Management (DBM) and the National Economic and Development Authority (Neda) said in a joint statement that they are “pleased” with the slowdown, which indicates the “efficacy of the anti-inflationary measures” taken by the government.

“It is comforting for us that the slowdown will alleviate the struggles of poor Filipinos, especially now that the holiday season is just around the corner,” the joint statement read.

Chief Presidential Legal Counsel and Presidential Spokesman Salvador S. Panelo also welcomed the development, attributing the slowdown to the “President’s empathy to public clamor” and his “decisive action” in response.

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Inflation slows to 6% in Nov 2018–PSA

By Bianca Cuaresma

2017 EJAP JOURNALISM AWARDS

CHAMPIONS AGAIN! Ateneo de Manila beats University of the Philippines by a mile, 99-81, in Game Two to repeat as champions in Season 81 of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines men’s basketball action witnessed by a crowd of 23,471 faithfuls from both sides of Katipunan on Wednesday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum. See story on C3. NONOY LACZA

As inflation dips, further rate hikes weighed

By Rea Cu

@ReaCuBM

T

HE rate hikes implemented by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) have managed to anchor the inflation level of the country, but the decision of the Monetary Board (MB) on whether or not to raise rates further at its next meeting has yet to be made based on an assessment of other economic indicators, Finance Secretary Carlos G. Dominguez III said on Wednesday.

“Well, that’s what it seems. So I just

have to say that, using a nautical term, the President as the captain of the ship has seen the headwinds that we are facing and has tacked [it] very well,” Dominguez said.

When asked if the MB will put on hold further rate hikes, especially during its policy meeting on December 13 as inflation is expected to trend downward, the finance chief pointed out that MB members would still have to assess other economic indicators.

“We’ll see what the numbers tell us,” he added.

At the MB’s policy meeting in No-

n US 52.5420 n JAPAN 0.4657 n UK 66.7966 n HK 6.7336 n CHINA 7.6844 n SINGAPORE 38.4979 n AUSTRALIA 38.5396 n EU 59.5826 n SAUDI ARABIA 14.0056

Source: BSP (5 December 2018 )

News

BusinessMirror

A2 Thursday, December 6, 2018

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Lacson bares ₧2.4-B House pork funds in ’19 budget bill

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By Butch Fernandez

@butchfBM

EN. Panfilo M. Lacson Sr., resuming his anti-pork barrel advocacy, bared a P2.4-billion congressional “pork” ostensibly allocated for their House counterparts in the 2019 budget bill.

“It’s all there,” Lacson said in an interview on Wednesday. “Naroon sa document. Makikita naman kung saang district [The document is there. We could easily find out which congressional district I’m referring to].”

He cited, for instance, a P500million allocation from the questionable P2.4-billion appropriation set aside for farm-to-market road projects.

“That’s just part of the P2.4-bil-

High prices. . .

Continued from A1

a repeat of the 2018 scenario, when an unexpected steady rise in world oil prices compounded the impact of the first-round fuel excise tax imposed under the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) law.

Consumer g roups told the BusinessMirror, however, the public must remain wary even if inflation in November was recorded at 6 percent. Inflation, or the general increase in commodity prices, last month was slower than the 6.7 percent posted in October, but faster than the 3 percent recorded in the same month last year.

Louie C. Montemar, convenor of Bantay Konsyumer, Kuryente at Kalsada, said it is “hard to rejoice” over the slower inflation given that President Duterte just approved the continued implementation of fuel tax hike next year.

An excise of P2 per liter will be imposed on petroleum products next year as provided under the TRAIN law.

“We must remain wary given gover nment ’s decision to pu rsue i nc rea sed e xc i se t a x rates on petroleum products for 2019. That hike will only make oil prices permanently costly,” Montemar said.

“It is also hard to rejoice when we expect increased prices in the

Inflation. . .

Continued from A1

Ea rl ier t his yea r, President Duterte issued Administrative Order 13 to remove nontariff barriers and streamline administrative procedures on the importation of agricultural barriers to ease food inflation.

From the legislative side, House Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo also said she was “very happy” to hear about the easing inflation, further saying that the moral of the story is to immediately increase supply as soon as supply-side inflation is detected.

Two of the top 3 inflation influencers showed a significant decline in November, thus bringing overall inflation to a deceleration during the month.

In particular, the PSA said in its briefing on Wednesday that inflation on the heavily weighted food and nonalcoholic beverages went down from 9.4 percent last month to 8 percent this month on account of lower prices of rice, corn, fish, meat, fruits, vegetables and other sugar-based items.

Housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels also declined to 4.2 percent

lion insertions. Nanggaling sa lima ’yan [it came from five], there were five items described as farm-to-market roads. It grew to 69, between the second reading approval and third reading approval that was transmitted to the Senate,” Lacson revealed.

Lacson confirmed that he obtained the list of projects from the budget documents transmitted to the Senate for the upcoming plenary deliberations on the 2019 budget.

He confirmed that the P500holiday season,” he added.

Core inflation

LABAN Konsyumer Inc. President Victorio Mario A. Dimagiba agreed with Montemar’s statement, and argued core inflation accelerated in November.

“Core inflation went up from 4.9 percent to 5.1 percent, meaning high inflation solidified for the year. The 6-percent November inflation was largely due to price reductions on fuel and agricultural products, like rice,” said Dimagiba, a former trade undersecretary.

“However, prices of manufactured and processed food remain high,” he explained.

Both Montemar and Dimagiba pointed to the TRAIN law as one factor stoking inflation again. They said it will not only impose additional duty on fuel next year, but also another P50 per metric ton tax on both domestic and imported coal.

This is the reason Laban Konsyumer on Wednesday filed its second motion in the Supreme Court to stop the TRAIN law. In the motion, the group said the High Court has to step in given the government’s flip-flopping on whether to suspend the next round of fuel excise.

The urgent motion was filed hours before the Cabinet, tackling the economic managers’ move to retract earlier support for a suspension of the 2019 excise tax round, decided to pursue implementation.

“The inevitable crippling burden to low-income and poor consumers on lower rental prices, declines in the fees of electricity, LPG and kerosine during the month.

However, transport prices—the third-largest mover of inflation during the month—showed mixed movements as prices of petroleum and other fuels, as well as domestic airfares, declined during the month while jeepney, tricycle and ferry ship fares rose for the month.

This puts the transport inflation at 8.9 percent, retaining its print from the previous month.

Nonmonetary-policy measures

ECONOMIC managers were, in particular, pleased to hear about the marked deceleration of food inflation during the month and vowed to continue implementing policies to ease food prices further in the coming months up until 2019.

In particular, the DBM, DOF and Neda said it is important to continue working on including the assurance of the timely arrival of rice imports to compensate for the lost palay harvest in the third quarter of the year.

“With the recent passage of the rice tariffication bill in Congress, we expect

million farm-to-market roads allocation was for a “congresswoman” he did not identify by name.

“Yes. Galing sa [it came from] five farm-to-market road items doon sa na-approve nila [which the House members approved] on second reading last October 3. But nagkaroon sila ng [but there were] further amendments before they approved it on third reading. The number grew to 69, so umabot ng 500,” Lacson said.

Asked pointblank if he was directly referring to House Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, Lacson dodged his reply, saying that, “It’s all there. Kung saang district ’yan, sino ang [from which the district is, and who is the] district representative.

I cannot absolutely say na sa kanya ’yan [its hers]. Baka iba ang nag-insert doon para sa [somebody else might have inserted it for that] district. But logic dictates na kung sino, siyempre [whoever it is] you take care of your district ’di ba? [isn’t it?]”

He confirmed there was a sepa-

rate allocation of P1.9 billion but not for Pampanga, home province of Speaker Arroyo.

Lacson added: “Nasa libro, tingnan mo ang [it’s on record and you can check with the] General Appropriations Bill sa [in] Camarines Sur, ’di ko sinasabing kay [I am not saying that it was] Rep. Andaya. Basta nasa [I’m definite it’s] Camarines Sur...may [there’s] P5 million, P10 million.

It’s not just one project. It involves 69 farm-to-market road projects.”

Asked if he found these allocations irregular, the senator told reporters: “Kayo na mag-judge kung masyadong malaki ba P500 million for farm-to-market road in one legislative district [You should judge whether a P500-million allocation for farm-to-market road projects in a single legislative district is exorbitant].”

Lacson said he expects the senators to take up the matter during the forthcoming budget deliberations.

“I think we’ll talk about it before we introduce our amendments. I’m

asking that it be deleted,” he added.

Asked if he was open to a compromise with House counterparts, Lacson replied: “Of course not. I’ve been very passionate about the pork barrel issue. That’s why I brought out excerpts from the Supreme Court ruling. They keep insisting na [that it’s a] simple lang [case of] interpretation…[but] post-enactment, ’yan lang ang pork sa kanila [that may be how simple on how they view it]. But I always maintain ’di ganoon kasimple ang [it’s not that simple to get a] definition [of] pork [from the] Supreme Court. Maraming mga provisions sa ruling [There are a lot of provisions in the ruling whether] in the post-enactment... pre-enactment stages, pwede pa ring pork [it could be pork].… Now if you realign funds from certain agencies to another agency or within the agency but you realign the fund to another project without consultation with the agencies na mag-implement, wouldn’t that constitute grave abuse of discretion?”

caused by the contested provisions, and the implementation of the second tranche in 2019. The economic managers [recommending] the President, and the latter [approving], to withdraw an earlier decision to suspend the excise taxes on fuel on January 2019 of the TRAIN law should enable this Honorable Court sufficient basis to act now,” Laban Konsyumer said.

dicates Dubai crude to cost $59.98 per barrel in 2019, $60.21 per barrel in 2020, $60.13 dollars per barrel in 2021 and $60.53 per barrel in 2022.

Meanwhile, the Department of Energy is forecasting Dubai crude to fall to $55.23 per barrel next year, $55.20 per barrel in 2020, $54.57 per barrel in 2021 and $54.17 per barrel in 2022.

Diokno had said on Wednesday there is no need for the DBCC to change its inflation forecast for next year since prices of goods will still fall within the government’s target range even with the continued implementation of the next round of fuel excise tax hike.

“Before we proposed this, we asked them [Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas] about its impact on inflation.

We are confident that we will not change our forecast. Our forecast for next year is 2 to 4 [percent]. We will stick by that.” he told reporters.

The DBCC last week retracted its earlier recommendation to the President, a month earlier, that they support suspending the next increase in fuel excise taxes as oil futures projection back then indicated the likelihood of Dubai crude prices hitting $80 per barrel for several months.

President Duterte approved at Tuesday’s Cabinet meeting his economic team’s new recommendation, based mainly on the due sharp turnaround in global oil prices.

Even with the additional P2 per liter with the second tranche of oil excise taxes, pump prices will still

be lower by about P10 to P12 compared to its peak in October 2018.

Diesel at its peak was P49.80 per liter. It is projected to be P37.76 per liter in January 2019, inclusive of the second tranche of petroleum excise taxes.

Gasoline (95 octane) at its peak was P60.90 per liter. It is projected to be P50.82 with the additional P2 excise tax in January 2019.

Moreover, Diokno said the condition for suspending the second tranche of oil excise taxes also does not exist, since the TRAIN law states that the scheduled increase in the excise tax on petroleum products can only be suspended when the average Dubai crude oil price based on Mean on Platts Singapore reaches or exceeds $80 per barrel within a three-month period.

Besides, the suspension of the second tranche of oil excise taxes is estimated to result in a full-year net revenue loss of P43.4 billion, assuming Dubai crude oil prices average $65 per barrel in 2019.

“As you know, we are trying to maintain a deficit at a sustainable level of 3.2 percent of gross domestic product in 2019,” Diokno said in a statement. “A loss of P43.4 billion in revenues will lead to a commensurate decrease in government expenditures.”

Lastly, inflationary pressures have subsided with government efforts to boost food supply plus the cumulative interest rate hike of 175 basis points taken by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas.

“Managing inflation expectations, however, is crucial. We ask the business sector to avoid any unwarranted price increases as experienced during the rollout of the first tranche of fuel excise tax increase,” the economic managers said.

Espenilla also said that the 6-percent inflation rate “confirms” that inflation is heading back to the 2-4 percent target range for 2019.

In their latest monetary policy meeting, the BSP said they are looking at inflation to average at 3.5 percent for 2019 and at 5.3 percent for this year.

However, ING Bank Senior Economist Nicholas Mapa said that although Espenilla reiterated a firm watch over inflation, a continued deceleration of price growth could actually revert the BSP’s tightening cycle next year. “[...] should inflation continue to show this kind of stark deceleration over the next few months, we now open up the possibility of a reversal in BSP’s stance as early as the second quarter of 2019. On top of BSP’s widely projected 200-basis-point cut to reserve requirements, the BSP may opt to slash borrowing costs as early as the second quarter of 2019 not only because of slowing inflation but also because Philippine economic growth is expected to slow in the fourth quarter of 2018 and first quarter of 2019,” Mapa said.

Mapa also said that the BSP will watch the US Federal Reserve’s

Overhaul of law

MONTEMAR, on the other hand, has a different proposal in mind.

He wants the government to totally overhaul the TRAIN law, and revise its provisions on consumption taxes, such as on sugar-sweetened beverages, fuel and coal.

“What should be done? The government needs to redesign TRAIN and make it a means to collect more from the richest taxpayers, both individuals and corporations. Such a hike in tax rates will definitely be noninflationary,” Montemar said.

“A total redesign [should be] in effect. The bottom line is increased personal and corporate tax for the highest earners. This cuts across so many provisions. The emphasis is on direct taxes over indirect taxes, like VAT and consumption taxes,” he added.

Oil-price forecasts

ACCORDING to the table of oil price forecasts (as of November 27) provided to reporters by the Department of Budget and Management, oil futures projection inrice prices to go down further still. But this measure, which opens the rice market to qualified players, should be coupled with the full operationalization of the National Window System to allow seamless imports processing and to avoid unwarranted delays,” the joint statement of the three departments read.

Economic managers also called on the Department of Agriculture to fast-track the pending release of the Fisheries Administrative Order 259 to allow the importation of frozen fish and fishery aquatic products for wet markets during closed and off-season or during the occurrence of calamities.

In terms of transport prices, economic managers defended their decision to withdraw the previously announced suspension of the second tranche of increase in fuel excise tax starting January 2019 on account of several price rollbacks in oil prices.

They also cited the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board’s decision on the provisional decrease in the minimum fare for public-utility jeepneys from P10 to P9 in the National Capital Region, Regions 3 and 4.

Monetary-policy implication

BSP Governor Nestor A. Espenilla Jr. also vowed to keep an eye on inflation expectations, all while keeping his still hawkish stance amid the several rate hikes down for the year.

According to the governor, their strong monetary action has significantly reinforced the anti-inflation process through the expectations route and a firmer peso.

“However, its more direct impact on economic activity will take a longer time to take hold. There’s need to pay close attention to the core inflation trend which continue to rise through November at 5.1 percent,” Espenilla told reporters following the PSA’s inflation announcement on Wednesday.

“Monetary policy will need to stay vigilant to keep inflation under firm control amid expected strong economic growth,” he added.

briefs

MADRIGAL JR. IS NEW AFP CHIEF–DND

PRESIDENT Duterte on Wednesday night approved the appointment of Lt. Gen. Benjamin R. Madrigal, commander of the Eastern Mindanao, as the incoming Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief of staff, Vice Gen. Carlito G. Galvez Jr., upon the endorsement of Secretary Delfin N. Lorenzana of the Department of National Defense (DND), the AFP Board of Generals and Galvez.

The rigorous selection of the chief of staff is pursuant to the provisions of Republic Act 8186, as amended by RA 9188.

A member of the Philippine Military Academy “Sandiwa” Class of 1985, Madrigal was not only the most senior of the AFP BOG recommendees, but was also considered as among the most competent in terms of distinct professionalism, leadership and character.

In a news statement, the One Defense Team congratulated Madrigal and assured him of the department’s full support as he takes the helm of the AFP leadership from his predecessor, Gen. Galvez. Madrigal is expected to assume his new post on December 12.

In the same statement, the DND thanked Galvez for his commendable leadership and outstanding military service that inspired professionalism, patriotism and good governance in the AFP, allowing it to reach many milestones in our efforts to achieve just and lasting peace, and promotion of human rights and respect for the rule of law. Rene Acosta

MILITARY REJECTS JOMA’S HOLIDAY PEACE OVERTURE THE military is not inclined to recommend a halt in its operations against the New People’s Army, despite an earlier statement by Communist founder Jose Maria Sison that the rebels will go on a Christmas cease-fire with the government.

Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana rejected any cease-fire with the rebels, meaning there would be no break in the military’s offensive operations against the NPA during Christmas and even on New Year. “That’s their call.

We are not keen on a cease-fire,” the defense chief said when asked about the statement of Sison that the rebels will halt their operations during the holiday season. In the past, both groups have marked the holiday season with a truce, with the government declaring a Suspension of Offensive Military Operations and Suspension of Offensive Police Operations. Rene Acosta

CUSTOMS AGENTS SEIZE SUPPLEMENTS, O.T.P. DEVICES MANILA airport Customs authorities recently intercepted various food and dietary drink supplements and one-time-password (OTP) devices used by cyber criminals to commit bank and computer fraud.

Customs agents found 170 bottles of food supplements and two boxes of dietary drink supplements estimated to be worth half a million pesos at the Paircargo warehouse near the airport. Recto Mercene

stance, with market expectations now showing only two more Fed rate hikes until the end of 2019.

“If a confluence of decelerating inflation, slower GDP and a dovish Fed align, the chances for a BSP twopronged easing increases significantly,” Mapa said.

Manufacturing ...

Continued from A8

“Over the near to medium-term, we see that the ‘Build, Build, Build’ program and the recently signed Regular Foreign Investment Negative List [RFINL] will help in raising the productivity of the manufacturing sector,” Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Ernesto M. Pernia said. This positive outlook for the fourth quarter echoes IHS Markit Economist David Owen’s earlier statement that the manufacturing sector’s performance is a strong indicator for growth in the remaining months of the year.

“Output growth remains sharp in Philippines’s manufacturing sector during November, building confidence for stronger GDP growth in the fourth quarter. The headline Nikkei PMI strengthened even further from October, while production levels rose at the fastest rate in almost two years,” Owen said.

Economy BusinessMirror

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Editor: Vittorio V. Vitug • Thursday, December 6, 2018 A3

Budget chief brushes aside fiscal underspending ‘yarn’

B

By Bernadette D. Nicolas

₧1.3T

@BNicolasBM

UDGET Secretary Benjamin E. Diokno on Monday brushed aside budget underspending allegations thrown by some House members.

“The allegation by some congressmen that this administration is underspending is totally false,” he said.

“There is absolutely no underspending to speak of. The government is

The total amount of budget underspending under the Duterte administration, according to some House members

ahead in its disbursements, [and] in fact, we are slightly overspending.”

The budget chief asserted that the government’s annual underspending rate of 13.3 percent and

12.8 percent in 2014 and 2015, respectively, was cut to 3.6 percent in 2016 and 2.9 percent in 2017. Underspending refers to the difference of

programmed disbursements from actual disbursements.

But for January to September this year, actual government disbursements exceeded the program

by P62.6 billion, or 2.6 percent.

Diokno said it was through the implementation of budget reforms by the Duterte administration that underspending “was gradually eliminated.”

House Speaker and Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo earlier backed a resolution filed by House Minority Leader and Quezon Rep. Danilo E. Suarez seeking

to summon Diokno to a question hour over the alleged massive underspending of the government amounting to P1.3 trillion.

Diokno said they have already front-loaded the projects and fasttracked the implementation and completion of programs, including those of the past administration.

The improved rate of spending indicates quicker delivery of programs in health, education, poverty reduction, and the faster implementation and completion of public infrastructure projects, he added.

Despite the slight overspending,

the budget chief said, he expects government spending to normalize in the fourth quarter so as not to exceed the deficit target of 3 percent of the GDP. The government cannot spend more than what Congress has authorized it to spend, Diokno said.

According to the Department of Budget and Management, Congress’s failure to approve the 2019 budget before year-end will also be a drag to efforts to improve budget utilization and eliminate underspending. This may also result to delay in the delivery of essential public services.

‘Stable’ power Piñol seeks courtesy resignation of PCA board members to pave way for revamp sector outlook for PHL, seven Asian countries A

By Jasper Emmanuel Y. Arcalas

Fund Act. Piñol, however, denied any corruption allegations against the PCA board members that resulted in his demand for their resignation. “[It was] courtesy resignation, but they will work until such time the new board members are reappointed or if they are reappointed,” he told the BusinessMirror via SMS on Wednesday.

“It was I who suggested to give PRRD [Duterte] a free hand in selecting new officials,” he added.

Piñol made the proposal during

@jearcalas

By Lenie Lectura

@llectura

M

OODY’S Investors Service has maintained its “stable” power sector outlook for eight Asian countries, including the Philippines.

“Moody’s outlook is stable for the eight power sectors of China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand, in turn, driving Moody’s stable outlook for the broader Asian power sector,” it said in a report.

The stable outlook was supported by steady cash flows, gradual pace of regulatory changes, a gradual transition to a low-carbon economy and sufficient mitigants against capitalmarket volatility.

“We expect most rated power companies will report stable operating cash flow over the next 12 to 18 months, helped by stable or increasing dispatch volumes or timely cost pass-throughs, amid a gradual pace of regulatory changes, thus supporting their credit quality,” said Mic Kang, Moody’s vice president and senior credit officer.

However, Kang said, regulatory challenges are adversely affecting the credit metrics of Korean and Japanese companies because of prolonged delays in cost passthroughs in Korea, and growing competition amid market deregulation in Japan.

This was contained in its justreleased report on Moody’s outlook for the Asian power sector, titled “Power—Asia: 2019 outlook stable, with steady cash flow offset by regulatory challenges.”

GRICULTURE Secretar y Emmanuel F. Piñol said on Monday he has proposed to President Duterte that the current Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) board members tender their courtesy resignations to give way for a planned revamp of the body.

Piñol, who currently chairs the PCA board, said the proposal was in line with the expected passage of the Coconut Industry Trust

the Cabinet meeting held on Tuesday evening.

T he ag r icu lture chief sa id Duterte is yet to cast his signature on the proposed creation of the Coconut Farmers and Industry Development Act, which outlines the utilization of the coco-levy fund, as well as the Revised Coconut Industry Code, which amends the PCA charter.

Piñol said the two measures are yet to be submitted to Duterte. Congress ratified the twin coconut-levy bills last week.

House panel okays 20% student-fare discount bill

By Jovee Marie N. Dela Cruz

@joveemarie

T

HE House Committee on Transportation approved on Wednesday a substitute measure institutionalizing the 20-percent student-fare discount on land, water and air transportation systems.

Catanduanes Rep. Cesar V. Sarmiento, the panel chairman, said the still-unnumbered substitute bill consolidated nine measures, which the technical working group approved on Monday.

Sarmiento said the passage of the bill will help students enjoy fare discounts, amid “the rising prices of goods and the increasing cost of living.”

To avail of the discount, the bill said a beneficiary needs to present a valid school identification card or validated enrollment form.

However, the bill does not cover students enrolled in postgraduate degree courses and informal short-term courses.

Under the bill, a three-month suspension of driver’s license and a fine of P1,000 to P20,000 would be imposed against violators.

The measure also punishes with possible civil and penal liabilities among those who may present falsified IDs to avail themselves

of the discount.

Quezon City Rep. Alfred Vargas, one of the authors of the measure, said the bill seeks to address economic concerns and the alarming rate of school dropouts.

“This will alleviate the burden of the parents and guardians in the financial support given to the students with due considerations to its continued rise in the cost of education in the country, including their incidental expenses,” Vargas said.

Camarines Sur Rep. Luis Raymund Villafuerte, another author of the measure, said the implementation of the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion law meant an increase in tax for certain goods and services.

“Nonincome earners, such as students, are pressed to shoulder this weight on their finances. Easing the financial burden on services, such as public transport, ensures that our youth are cared for and given the assistance they need,” he said.

“With price increasing for goods and services this year, and school tuition hiking for higher education, a reduction in payment for transport services would be a weight off the shoulders for the youth,” he added.

LTFRB cancels franchise of entire Dimple Star bus fleet after mishaps

By Lorenz S. Marasigan @lorenzmarasigan

T

RANSPORT regulators on late Tuesday canceled all 11 franchises of Dimple Star Bus Co. after it figured into several mishaps over the course of seven years, the most recent of which resulted in the death of 19 persons.

Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) Chairman Martin B. Delgra III said the decision to cancel the franchises of the bus company stemmed after deliberations on the March 20 accident, where a Dimple Star bus fell of a cliff in Sa-

blayan, Occidental Mindoro, that killed 19 people and injured 21 others.

“We are canceling the franchise of the entire fleet of Dimple Star because of repetitive recklessness in their transport service. One death is already one too many,” he said.

To recall, the LTFRB slapped a 30-day preventive suspension order against Dimple Star buses that ply the Manila-San Jose, Occidental Mindoro route. It then suspended the entire fleet of the company that covered 118 bus units after a review of road crashes involving the company.

According to data from the transport regulator, Dimple Star was involved in eight

road crashes from 2011 to 2018.

President Duterte also directed the regulator to impose stiffer sanctions against the company, and to conduct roadworthiness investigations on Dimple Star’s fleet.

Transportation Secretary Arthur P. Tugade said this is just a reflection of the huge need for the Philippines to modernize its public transport sector.

“This is precisely why we are pushing for the Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program. We want to modernize our PUVs to give our citizens a safe, secure and comfortable transport system with disciplined drivers,” he said.

Under the Revised Coconut Industry Code, the present PCA board would be reconstituted and would be comprised of 15 members from the present six officials.

The new PCA board would have eight government officials and seven members coming from the coconut industry.

The agriculture secretary would chair the PCA board, while its administrator would serve as vicechairman. The secretaries of the Departments of Finance, Budget, Science and Technology, Trade, as

Solons. . . continued from a8

He cited projections that oil prices will still go down, to be followed by further rollbacks.

For his part, Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph G. Recto said that while the inflation rate in November was 6 percent, “it is going down but still high.”

“If the Executive increases taxes on oil, it clearly will increase prices and stoke inflation. We can only hope that oil prices will continue to go down,” Recto said in a text message to the BusinessMirror, adding: “Nevertheless, the government should assist those affected immediately and just as fast as they raise taxes.

Equally important is to spend those taxes wisely.”

Angara, Gordon, Honasan

ASKED how much trust can be reposed on the economic manager’s projection about global oil prices steadily declining in 2019 even after admitting earlier their miscalculation of the world market’s volatility in 2018, Sen. Juan Edgardo M. Angara held out hopes they would learn to be “flexible.

“As quick as they were to move for the reimposition of the hike after moving for suspension earlier, hopefully if prices don’t decline as predicted, they will also be flexible the other way,” Angara, chairman of the Senate Ways and Means Committee, said.

Sen. Richard J. Gordon, in a separate text message to the BusinessMirror, said: “The whole world is volatile now, especially with the sanctions like in Iran.”

Gordon added: “It is not farfetched to say that Iraq may react also through Opec with all the criticisms on Khashoggi, the possible clash of Russia and Ukraine.”

For his part, Sen. Gregorio B. Honasan II aired concern that the oil price hike issue may end up in finger-pointing.

“When we were discussing TR AIN 1, we heard the best projections from the best minds from government economic agencies. But there are so many variables in this rapidly changing world.”

Honasan recalled that the global

well as heads of LandBank of the Philippines and Development Bank of the Philippines would sit on the reconstituted PCA Board.

Six farmer representatives would sit in the PCA board with two members coming from Luzon, the Visayas and Mindanao.

The measure strengthening the PCA grants a reconstituted PCA the powers to supervise and manage the P100-billion coconutlevy fund, and the new Coconut Farmers and Industry Development Plan.

oil prices “kept shooting up” just as TR AIN 1’s first round of fuel excise tax hikes “kicked in.”

“So, we can’t make silly predictions that don’t consider everything. The key word is careful. Or caution,” the senator told the BusinessMirror.

House appeal

THE chairman of the House Committee on Ways and Means on Wednesday urged the economic managers to reconsider their recommendation to Duterte to implement the second tranche of fuel excise taxes next year.

“Let the President realize that many people are calling for the suspension of excise tax on fuel,” Rep. Estrellita B. Suansing of Nueva Ecija said.

Under TRAIN, for 2019, the scheduled increase in fuel excise tax is P2 per liter. Currently, one bill and six resolutions filed in the House seek the immediate suspension of the excise tax on fuel.

Suansing said a technical working group has been created to consolidate all the proposals. “I hope to finish it immediately.”

Marikina Rep. Romero Quimbo, author of House Bill (HB) 8171 calling for the automatic suspension of the excise tax of fuel, said he will keep pushing for the repeal of the excise tax on kerosene and diesel, as well as the implementation of a more responsive mechanism for the automatic suspension of fuel excise taxes under TRAIN. HB 8171 seeks to return to zero the excise taxes on kerosene and diesel imposed under TRAIN. It provides for the automatic suspension of the implementation of fuel excise tax increases under TRAIN when inflation exceeds the government’s quarterly target. The bill is a counterpart to Senate Bill 1798 filed by Sen. Paolo Benigno “Bam” A. Aquino IV. During a House hearing, Finance Assistant Secretary Teresa S. Habitan warned that over P40 billion in government revenue will be lost if the House will pass the proposal.

DOLE: Government’s drive against contractualization reaps harvest on decline of underemployment

By Samuel P. Medenilla @sam_medenilla

T

HE Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) on Wednesday attributed a significant decline on underemployment for October to its ongoing campaign against illegal contractualization.

Based from the October round

of its Labor Force Survey (LFS), the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reported underemployment rate dipped to 13.3 percent, from 15.9 percent in the same period in 2017.

The PSA defines underemployed persons as those who desire to have additional hours of work in their present job or an additional job, or to have a new job with longer working hours to raise their income.

In her initial assessment of the latest LFS, DOLE’s Bureau of Local Employment Director Dominique R. Tutay told the BusinessMirror the decline could be attributed to the increasing number of contractual workers, who were absorbed by their companies this year.

Labor Secretary Silvestre H. Bello III said they were able to facilitate the regularization of about 500,000

contractual workers since 2016.

“This means we are able to minimize workers who are in not-sodecent work in the country. This is a positive development,” Tutay said.

Contractual workers usually enjoy fewer benefits and lower salaries compared to their regular counterparts.

The Associated Labor UnionTrade Union Congress of the Phil-

ippines (ALU-TUCP) issued the same assessment.

“If we could translate the commitments and promises of businesses to regularize workers in time, the reduction in underemployed Filipinos will be even greater,” ALU-TUCP Spokesman Alan Tanjusay said in a news statement.

Former Labor Undersecretary and University of the Philippines

economist Rene E. Ofreneo, however, noted the need for a closer study on the underemployment data before such conclusion could be made.

He pointed out most of the underemployed workers belong to the informal economy, while those who are regularized through the DOLE’s intervention are in the formal economy.

TheBroa

Business

A4 Thursday, December 6, 2018 | www.businessmirror.com.ph

PHL, ASIAN NEIGHBORS M AFTER BIRTHING WORLD’

T

By Bernadette D. Nicolas @BNicolasBM & Elijah Felice E. Rosales @alyasjah

HE world’s largest trade deal has been in labor for 72 months.

Nonetheless, its parents—the 16 economies tackling the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership since 2013—remain optimistic the RCEP would be a blessing when it’s finally birthed.

For some experts, the RCEP would help the Philippines become fully liberalized from the shackles that restrict its trade performance—a flashpoint for economic growth.

This hope comes at a time of rising protectionism that challenges multilateral trade policies worldwide.

With the United States backi ng out of t he Tra ns-Pac if ic Partnership (TPP), many econom ies were prompted to set their sights on RCEP. This deal, to note, is not a lightweight.

It has the backing of the 10 member-states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) and their six Asia-Pacific trading partners, which include even the biggest economies, such as China and India.

But everything is easier said than done, especially when it comes to trade in goods and services, as the deadline for the full conclusion of the deal has been pushed back several times since negotiations began five years ago.

Ha lf a decade later, RCEP economies reported in a joint st atement du r i ng t he A sea n Summit in November that they are looking forward to the 2019 conclusion of the deal. The leaders of these economies said they are more than happy with the substantial progress reached for being able to conclude seven out of 18 chapters to date.

However, in his speech as 2018 Asean Summit chairman, Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong warned that further delays will lead to RCEP losing both its credibility and support from its stakeholders.

Storm

FOR Trade Secretary Ramon M. Lopez, the level of negotiations reached for the RCEP is the storm before the calm.

T he 10 member-economies of the Asean, along with Australia, China, India, Japan, New Zealand and South Korea vowed to conclude the RCEP this year, but failed.

Five chapters were inked under Singapore’s leadership, but none of it included the critical provisions of the trade deal, including trade in goods, trade in services and investment.

Lopez confirmed that RCEP leaders are resolved to expedite negotiations to close the free-trade agreement (FTA) next year. The deadline is like a ticking time bomb, as failure to conclude will be to the further detriment of the multilateral trading system, he said.

Lopez argued there is no other time to close the RCEP but next year—for who knows, the trade conf lict involving the world ’s largest economies could worsen.

Understandable

FORMER Tariff Commissioner George N. Manzano believes otherwise. Manzano also disagrees with Lee’s view, noting that RCEP won’t lose its credibility and support from its stakeholders, especially for businesses, because of delays.

“I think in the absence of the TPP, RCEP is the next best thing for as long as business wants to open up, wants to have more access, wants to expand; as long as the regional value chain needs to prosper, there will still be interest, so the credibility will still be okay,” he said.

However, for University of the Philippines Diliman Professor Ramon L. Clarete, who specializes in international economics and multilateral trade policy, the conclusion of the deal next year is a tall order. Nonetheless, Clarete considers the delays “understandable.”

“I think [with] the gravity of the negotiations between those big countries, big economies will take probably two years from now,” he said.

The RCEP negotiations are said to be easier for Asean countries but not for those outside the bloc, as some countries are about to forge their first free-trade agreement with each other.

“The problem is the bilateral between India and China, India and Japan, China and Japan,” Clarete said. “These are very big countries, economies, and they will be negotiating their first bilateral.”

He also noted these countries have large constituencies to please, which adds to the pressure to finish negotiations on time.

Chapters

THE Asean-led proposal for a reg iona l f ree-trade area w i l l comprise the 10 Asean memberstates and economies the regional bloc has existing FTAs with: Australia, China, India, Japan, South Korea and New Zealand.

Figures from the Australian gover nment ’s Depar tment of Foreign Affairs and Trade show that last year, RCEP economies accounted for a combined gross domestic product of $25.4 trillion and GDP per capita of $7,146.

They also accounted for almost half of the world ’s population, over 30 percent of global GDP, and more than 25 percent of world exports.

The RCEP will cover trade in goods, trade in services, investment, economic and technical cooperation, intellectual property, competition, e-commerce, dispute settlement and other issues.

Lopez said that, as of November, seven chapters in the draft RCEP were concluded.

Two chapters—on small and medium enterprises and on economic

CONTAINER vans pile up in Manila North Harbor being readied to go to their destination. NONIE REYES

and technical cooperation—were finalized in 2016.

The chapters in customs procedure and trade facilitation, in government procurement, in sanitary and phytosanitary measures, in standards, technical regulations and conformity assessment, and in institutional provisions were concluded this year under Singapore’s chairmanship.

Platform

STILL, Clarete warned that further delays in the implementation of RCEP may negatively affect the economic growth of East Asian countries as he noted a solid correlation between trade and growth.

“I think we would have, of course, dampened the growth in East Asia if we delay the implementation of RCEP,” Clarete said.

“You cannot have sustained high growth without trade,” he added. “Number one, being open

means you have the wider market in the world, you can avail of scale economies. Number two, you can access materials you can’t produce here so that you can use for your businesses. And you can source your products with open trade most competitively.”

Although Manzano agreed that the delays are natural in the process of new free-trade deal negotiations since the countries are entering the more difficult stages of negotiations, he said he will not be very worried about its impact.

“It gets delayed because they are entering...a phase which is difficult, which is market access, which means you have to negotiate with India [which] is usually more protective compared to others. That is more difficult than customs administration, especially those on rules of origin, so they have to also go to the intellectual property, which is also not easy to do,” Manzano

told BusinessMirror. “We trade with a lot of Asean countries, so if this one would not get concluded soon, the opportunity loss will not be that very great.”

Nevertheless, he said it would still be better if its gets concluded soon, as it will simplify trade facilitation.

“The benefit there is facilitation because you have one rule for all,” Manzano said. “Right now you have Asean-India, Asean-Japan, so each one with its own rules, with its own rules of origin. This mega free-trade agreement will put them all in one platform and that will hopefully simplify, and if it simplifies, then hopefully it simplifies things, it will facilitate more trade.”

Gains

W ITH more trade a lso come more gains, especia l ly under RCEP, according to Manzano.

This, as he explained that trade

in services will also follow trade in goods, since transportation, insurance, handling of import facilities and trade financing all demand movement of goods.

However, Clarete conceded that RCEP is not a one-size-fits-all solution, as it may also come with the harsh reality that less competitive economies will be forced to exit and workers being displaced.

With these downside risks, RCEP economies are now more challenged to come up with better ideas of inclusion—more than what the TPP has come up with.

“It is e x pected t hat t here will be industries that will exit because they are not competitive anymore. So it is important therefore to have programs that would address the adjustment of the displaced industries of the displaced workers,” he said.

“Among economists, we teach that there are gains from trade, meaning to say, the gains are

aderLook

sMirror

www.businessmirror.com.ph | Thursday, December 6, 2018

A5

MULL OVER GAINS, LOSSES ’S LARGEST TRADE DEAL dergone substantial negotiations and are also almost within the set parameters of the framework.”

“Negotiations are ongoing in the areas of market access, including trade in goods, investments and services, and rules, such as intellectual property,” Lopez argued. “These are usually the most difficult to conclude in any FTA negotiations.”

He added the difficulty in concluding the RCEP lies in the economic differences of the negotiating economies.

“The challenge of completing RCEP negotiations is compounded by the sheer size of the RCEP being a 16-party mega-regional free-trade area with countries at varying levels of development, diverse interests and domestic sensitivities,” Lopez explained.

He pointed as another hurdle the non-Asean negotiators, as some do not have existing bilateral FTAs with each other.

Details

BUT just like in any other deal, the devil is in the details.

Manzano said more than the tariff reduction, the Philippines should also look into the nontariff barriers within RCEP economies, which he said is one of the usual pitfalls in negotiating a freetrade pact.

“The tariffs are easy because it’s visible but the nontariff barriers, their safety [nets], they might sell it very high so there is basically a barrier already,” he said.

He also said the Philippines should also be conscious on how other countries do their investments and their creation of profits. “There are pros and cons on being too open and too closed,” he said.

Although the RCEP economies are still not yet done negotiating on the deal’s chapter on trade in services, Clarete said he knows for a fact that a lot will change.

But for the country to maximize the gains especially on trade in services under RCEP, more still needs to be done especially on relaxing the restrictions.

Competitive

larger than the losses. But there is still a loss, and there are people in that loss. We sort of rest our advocacies for open trade with that net positive loss.”

Losses

THE net positive loss, according to Clarete, could somehow be addressed with the country being more open for investments which will create more opportunities for those who may lose their jobs.

Despite these risks, Clarete stood firm that the pros still outweigh the cons.

Although RCEP seems to be the jewel now, he still believes that it is better for the country to not restrict itself from joining other trade deals that would make it lose access to other markets.

Clarete said he will also support the government’s plan to join TPP in the future.

“While we negotiate with those mega-free trade deals, we should

continue negotiating also [with other countries],” he added.

Not even the ongoing trade war between the United States and China should hold back the Philippines from joining RCEP. “The trade war and the protectionism are temporary phenomena. If somebody is swimming against the current he will get tired,” Clarete explained. “The US economy and the Chinese economy will start to feel the disadvantages of that war so eventually they have to negotiate a deal; that won’t be for long.”

Still, he admits there is sentiment that globalization is not inclusive.

“We have to address that. I admit, in the process of globalization, displacement is there, the smaller ones, the less competitive lose jobs; then that is a problem alright,” Clarete said. “But you don’t solve that kind of problem by protecting because you are also

punishing your consumers and the other industries that utilize imported materials. You have to change the solution. Bring down the protection but at the same time address the displacement problem.”

Deficit

ALTHOUGH some sectors are worried about their country’s widening trade deficit, Clarete said this should also not be used to justify the Philippines’s retreating from RCEP negotiations.

Due to the 2.6-percent contraction of exports to $5.827 billion and imports growth of 26.1 percent to $9.753 billion—the highest since July 2018, the country’s trade deficit grew 124.1 percent to $3.927 billion in September, from $1.752 billion in September 2017. This was also higher than the $3.494 billion in August.

“Not really because the trade deficit can be managed by man-

aging your fiscal deficit,” he said, adding that the government can either reduce its fiscal deficit, let its exchange rate depreciate or produce more exports.

“You can do that by being more open so you can bring the Philippines to more value chains,” he said.

Progress

LOPEZ told the BusinessMirror that “RCEP negotiations made substantial progress this year and are poised for conclusion next year.

“Other chapters that are still under negotiation include trade in goods, rules of origin, dispute settlement, investment, trade in services, competition, e-commerce and intellectual property,” he said.

The trade chief insisted, however, that the conclusion of the remaining chapters is within reach.

He said these chapters “have un-

ALTHOUGH the government has recently released the 11th Regular Foreign Investment Negative List reflecting the amendments in existing laws such as reciprocity provisions on certain laws on professions, Clarete said the country should still ramp up its efforts to ease restrictions.

“I think we miss a few opportunities because we are still restrictive in services trade,” he said.

“Our laws are very strict on foreigners practicing their professions here. Why is that not good? We could have been a hub for internationalization of education. We are but natural because we speak in English; but we lost that to Malaysia.”

Aside from education, he said the country is also competitive in business-process outsourcing (BPO) and tourism.

But the Philippines should also be wary of its competitors, especially on trade in services.

For example, Manzano said that although BPO and tourism industries are the strong suits of the Philippines, Thailand is also competitive in those sectors as well as in financial services.

Pressure

FINALIZING the RCEP next year is a daunting task, but Lopez said it must be done to put pressure on

large economies to return to free trade and globalization.

This is especially true as one of the RCEP negotiators, China, is engaged in a virtual trade war with the US. Last September the US slapped a 10-percent tariff on $200 billion worth of Chinese exports until the end of 2018. The tariff will increase to 25 percent later on.

Before that, the US had imposed tariffs left and right on products “offensive” to China’s export interests, including steel and aluminum.

China, for its part, is not taking the tariff war sitting down. It retaliated a couple of times, including raising import duties on $60 billion of US goods in September in response to the 10-percent tariff on $200 billion of their products.

“No, the US-China trade war is not affecting the negotiating dynamics,” Lopez replied, when sought if China’s involvement in trade tensions is taking a toll on the negotiations.

Crucial

LOPEZ argues that the trade conflict is even working to the benefit of RCEP negotiations.

“On the contrary, the RCEP participating countries are encouraged to fast-track the final stage of the negotiations to support the path toward globalization,” the trade chief explained. “ T he trade dea ls—such as RCEP—would instill discipline and ensure that markets remain open and transparent, amid overall uncertainty in economic and financial prospects and anxiety in the global trading system caused by trade wars and protectionist tendencies, are expected to contribute to the promotion of free and open trade,” he added.

Lopez said it is crucial for RCEP economies, especially the smaller negotiators, to have a safeguard in trade at a time the free trade is challenged.

“Concluding the RCEP is given impetus especially if current conditions persist,” he added.

Hopes

THE Philippines, too, is looking forward to the conclusion of the RCEP, as it hopes partners will liberalize both their trade and services sectors.

As negotiations on the unfinished chapters continue, the country is seeking the more aggressive liberalization of RCEP economies on labor and employment. Lopez said this is to provide more overseas opportunities for Filipino skilled and nonskilled workers.

“The Philippines seeks to improve its position as a service supplier, as well as to deflect possible discrimination vis-à-vis competitors, through increased breadth [coverage] and depth in the services commitments of RCEP countries,” Lopez said in explaining the Philippine position on the trade in services chapter.

“The Philippines as a services exporter is pushing for the liberalization of sectors, such as computer-related services, health services, recreational services, business services, professional services, among others, that have not been opened up under the Asean FTAs. The Philippines is also looking at improving existing market access commitments in terms of depth in modes of supply,” he added.

The Philippines wants “greater transparency, streamlined processes and recognition of qualifications and standards” in the chapter on services, Lopez said.

A6 Thursday, December 6, 2018 • Editor: Angel R. Calso

Opinion BusinessMirror

www.businessmirror.com.ph

editorial

Keeping hope alive

W

E live in a world where bad news sells. In all media platforms, we need to exert some effort to find the good things going on around the world. Take, for example, this news item: “FDA approves new drug for blood cancer.”

The news story, buried beneath “bigger” news items, said “the United States Food and Drug Administration has approved a new drug, Xospata, for the treatment of adult patients who have acute myeloid leukemia [AML].”

AML is a rapidly progressing cancer that crowds out normal cells in the bone marrow and bloodstream, resulting in low numbers of normal blood cells and a continuous need for transfusions. The new drug gives hope to people with leukemia, as “21 percent of patients achieved complete remission with partial hematologic recovery with treatment. Of the 106 patients who required red blood cell or platelet transfusions at the start of treatment with Xospata, 31 percent became transfusion-free for at least 56 days,” according to the FDA. Among local news, this headline was hardly noticed by major news outlets: “Cancer among adults preventable, expert says.” Written by Ma. Teresa Montemayor of the Philippine News Agency, the news story quoted Dr. Dennis Sacdalan, head of the Cancer Center of Manila Medical Center, saying cancer can be prevented through proper screenings and healthy lifestyle.

This is important news for about 60 million adult Filipinos, considering the fact that seven adult citizens die of cancer every hour, according to the Department of Health.

Sacdalan said the creation of better cancer-prevention programs could decrease the emergence of new cancer cases. “For example, tobacco control for lung cancer, and promotion of vaccination for Hepatitis B and HPV [human papillomavirus]. Cervical cancer and liver cancer are two cancers that are mainly associated with viral infections. If you do effective vaccination programs, you can dramatically decrease the number of patients with cervical cancer,” he said.

There are also secondary preventions “to keep cancer from being the third-leading cause of death in adults.” Sacdalan said these include screenings, like colonoscopy for colon cancer, pap smear for cervical cancer and mammography for breast cancer. He explained: “If you could create programs that will ensure the target population, meaning those who are in their 40s and 50s, they could receive these services and you’ll be able to see a drop in cancer deaths in the future.”

The cancer expert stressed the importance of having a healthy lifestyle for adults. “We need to promote better nutrition and ensure that the agriculture sector could provide healthy foods for the general population, promote physical activity, because it is greatly associated with the drop in cancer cases.”

Although cancer is a deadly disease, it pays to remember that it does not develop overnight. Adult Filipinos can do something to reduce their cancer risk. For example, they can follow these cancer-prevention tips issued last week by the US-based Mayo Clinic: n Don’t use tobacco. Smoking has been linked to various types of cancer—including cancer of the lung, mouth, throat, larynx, pancreas, bladder, cervix and kidney. n Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables. n Maintain a healthy weight and be physically active. Maintaining a healthy weight might lower the risk of various types of cancer, including cancer of the breast, prostate, lung, colon and kidney. n Get regular medical care. Regular self-exams and screenings for various types of cancers—such as cancer of the skin, colon, cervix and breast— can increase your chances of discovering cancer early, when treatment is most likely to be successful.

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Can people readily accept robots in their lives?

Cecilio T. Arillo

DATABASE

A

S robotics starts to spread, the success of countries in the robot era will depend in part on culture and how readily people accept robots into their lives, said Alex Ross, former US State Department advisor on innovation, in his best-selling book, The Industries of the Future.

“Western and Eastern cultures are highly differentiated in how they view robots. Not only does Japan have an economic need and the technological know-how for robots, but it also has a cultural predisposition,” Ross said.

According to him, “The ancient Shinto religion, practiced by 80 percent of Japanese, includes a belief in animism, which holds that both objects and human beings have spirits. As a result, Japanese culture tends to be more accepting of robot companions as actual companions than in Western culture, which views robots as soulless machines. In a culture where the inanimate can be considered to be just as alive as the animate, robots can be seen as members of society rather than as mere tools or as threats.”

“In contrast,” he said, “fears of robotics are deeply seated in Western culture. The threat of humanity creating things we cannot control pervades Western literature, leaving a long history of cautionary tales.

Prometheus was condemned to an eternity of punishment for giving fire to humans. When Icarus flew too high, the sun melted his ingenious waxed wings and he fell to his death.

In Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, Dr. Frankenstein’s grotesque creation

wreaks havoc and ultimately leads to its creator’s death—and numerous B-movie remakes.”

In Eastern culture though, this fear is not as pervasive as it is in the Western culture. “The cultural dynamic in Japan is representative of the culture through much of East Asia, enabling the Asian robotics industry to speed ahead, unencumbered by cultural baggage,” Ross pointed out.

He explained: “Investment in robots reflects a cultural comfort with robots, and, in China, departments of automation are well-represented and well respected in the academy. There are more than 100 automation departments in Chinese universities, compared with approximately 76 in the United States despite the larger total number of universities in the United States.

“In South Korea, teaching robots are seen in a positive light; in Europe, they are viewed negatively.

As with eldercare, in Europe robots are seen as machines, whereas in Asia they are viewed as potential companions. In the United States, the question is largely avoided because of an immigration system that facilitates the entry of new, low-cost labor that often ends up in fields that might, otherwise, turn

The ‘Next America’

I

By Thomas L. Friedman | New York Times News Service

HAVE this feeling that the 2020 presidential election in the United States will be unlike any in my lifetime, and not only because it will likely involve Donald J. Trump running as an incumbent—he alone is a one-man, three-ring circus—but also because the huge issue that should have been the focus of the 2016 election will be unavoidable by 2020. That is: How do we govern the “Next America?”

“You know William Gibson’s line, ‘The future is already here, it’s just not evenly distributed’? Well, the future is here, and now it’s starting to really get distributed. This is the Next America.

But our institutions and political parties have not adapted to it,” Gautam Mukunda, a Harvard Kennedy School Research Fellow and the author of Indispensable: When Leaders Really Matter, remarked in an interview. By 2020, it will be impossible to ignore the Next America. “The

basic premises of how the economy works have shifted under our feet and the government will have to respond.’’

This Next America will raise a whole web of new intertwined policy, legal, moral, ethical and privacy issues because of changes in technology, demographics, the environment and globalization that are reaching critical mass.

Where do I start? A good place is with 5G—fifth-generation wireless systems.

With the two telecom giants Verizon

to service robots. In the other parts of the world, attitudes often split the difference. A recent study in the Middle East showed that people would be open to a humanoid household-cleaning robot but not to robots that perform more intimate and influential roles such as teaching. The combination of cultural, demographic and technological factors means that we will get our first glimpse of a world full of robots in East Asia.”

Meanwhile, Dr. Earl H. Kinmonth, professor emeritus at Taisho University, reacted to my column last Tuesday (Will robots replace caretakers in Japan?), thus: “With Japan’s persistently strict immigration policies curtailing the number of workers in the country, there will not be enough humans around to do the job at all.”

EHK: “Not strict at all. Extremely open for skilled workers. Increasingly open for unskilled workers.”

“Japan allows only 50,000 work visas annually, and unless something drastic changes, the math does not work.”

EHK: “Not true. Unlike the US, Japan does not have strict numerical quotas and there is no such thing as a ‘work visa.’ There are many different categories that allow work but no one work visa.”

“The robots depicted in the movies and cartoons of the 1960s and 1970s will become the reality of the 2020s,” Ross said.

EHK: “Extremely unlikely.”

“In response, Honda has created Asimo [the Advanced Step in Innovative Mobility robot], a fully functional humanoid that looks like a 4-foot-tall astronaut stuck on Earth.

Asimo is sophisticated enough to interpret human emotions, movements and conversation.”

EHK: “Asimo was not created in response to the Toyota creations

which are not robots but rather androids.

EHK: “Asimo is not autonomous.

I have seen Asimo in action. There is one operator and several support people. In other words, no labor saving at all.”

EHK: “Further, Honda has stopped production and development of Asimo.”

EHK: “Everything you have cited in your article is hype, not reality.

“How do I know?

“My original training was in electrical engineering and I closely follow geriatric care issues in Japan where I have lived for more than 25 years.

“I track developments in Japanese eldercare through Japanese language sources and personal observation.

“I’ll say it again.

“Everything you have cited in your article is hype, not reality.”

and AT&T now beginning to deploy 5G technology across the country, the metabolism of business, entertainment, education and health care will dramatically accelerate in the Next America, beginning around...2020.

Getting the most from artificial intelligence and machine learning—like deploying self-driving vehicles—requires quickly transmitting massive amounts of data with very low latency. We will have that capacity in the Next America.

With 5G, a Hollywood movie that now takes six or seven minutes to download onto your iPad will take six or seven seconds and microsensors in your shirt will gather intelligence and broadcast vital signs to your doctor.

As AT&T notes in one of its 5G ads, “Think of this as the next frontier in untethering, giving you the ability to take the ultrafast experience you have in your home or business with you

virtually anywhere.’’

It could be as revolutionary as the Internet. But it will require all kinds of new regulations to govern applications from self-driving cars to drone delivery systems to robots that will work as security guards and home health aides.

An Associated Press report on Monday said that the government estimated there were currently “about 110,000 commercial drones operating in US airspace, and the number is expected to soar to about 450,000 in 2022.’’

All of this new technology will have important implications for the education-to-work pipeline. My friend Heather E. McGowan, a future-of-work strategist, puts it this way: “The old model of work was three life blocks: Get an education.

Use that education for 40 years. And then retire. We then made the faulty assumption that the next new model

Humanizing robots

ROSS explained further: “The first wave of labor substitution from automation and robotics came from jobs that were often dangerous, dirty, and dreary and involved little personal interaction, but increasingly, robots are encroaching on jobs in the service sector that require personalized skills. Jobs in the service sector that were largely immune from job loss during the last stage of globalization are now at risk because advances in robotics have accelerated in recent years, due to breakthroughs in the field itself, as well as new advancements in information management, computing and high-end engineering.

Tasks once thought the exclusive domain of humans—the types of jobs that require situational awareness, spatial reasoning and dexterity, contextual understanding, and human judgment—are opening up to robots.”

To reach the writer, e-mail cecilio.arillo@ gmail.com.

See “Friedman,” A7

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Opinion

Chinese invasion

Prepare the way!

BusinessMirror

Msgr. Sabino A. Vengco Jr.

Val A. Villanueva

BUSINESSWISE

T

HEY’RE almost everywhere now, and the discomfort they bring to the community where they have descended upon is becoming a source of strife for many.

Horror stories of how Chinese mainlanders are slowly encroaching on the Filipinos’ way of life have become a hot topic among distressed locals who have become victims of the arrogance and uncivil ways of these “visitors.”

They’re easy to spot: in shopping malls, supermarkets and other places where they can earn a little cash.

They have been described as boorish, ill-mannered and annoyingly noisy.

Technically, they are tourists in the country, but by some twist of suspicious fate, they have been given the freedom to take on jobs that Filipinos are capable of doing.

A good friend personally witnessed how Chinese mainlanders have practically taken over the wet market in Cartimar, Pasay City. They spit phlegm anywhere, without regard for proper hygiene, and act as if they own the place. This “possible ownership,” my friend worries, may not be far-fetched. Vendors with whom he has talked to have told him that many Chinese are studying how business is done here. “With wads of cash that they bandy about, these mainlanders are offering to take over other vendors’ businesses with the promise that they can keep their jobs. Is this some sort of grassroot integration?”

If the government’s foreign policy on China does not change, my friend warns, we shouldn’t be surprised if we wake up one day with only business crumbs left for us to content ourselves with. No wonder then why these Chinese visitors are viewed by many Filipinos with caution and contempt.

The low level of Filipinos’ trust in China is telling. Based on the latest Social Weather Stations poll results released on November 20 of this year, the Filipinos particularly dislike President Rodrigo Duterte’s cozying up with the Philippines’s richest neighbor. China recorded a “poor” -16 net trust rating among Filipinos in the SWS survey conducted between September 15 and September 23—far below the “very good” + 59 net rating of the United States, the country’s treaty ally; and the moderate +28 net rating of Japan.

Just over a week ago, the Senate Labor Committee made the Bureau of Immigration (BI) finally admit that it gave working visas to 119,000 Chinese nationals in the Philippines who entered the country with tourist visas this year.

The shocking revelation came as the Department of Labor and Employment called for a thorough investigation of why so many Chinese tourists have been given a 9G or the special working permit (SWP), considering that none of these Chinese citizens have passed any rigorous requirements imposed by the DOLE on foreigners who apply for a working visa in the country.

The revelation in the Senate followed a quiet investigation ordered earlier by Justice Secretary Menardo I. Guevarra based on a request by Labor Secretary Silvestre H. Bello III for the Department of Justice (DOJ). The investigation aimed to look into the possible involvement of two police officers assigned to the Office of the Commissioner.

Sources said Secretary Guevara ordered the investigation of Atty.

Alex Recinto, technical assistant of Jess Castro who is the chief of staff of Commissioner Morente, and a certain Attorney Maminta, also of Morente’s office, to determine their possible involvement in the syndicate behind this apparent irregular issuance of working visas to more than 100,000 Chinese nationals. The DOJ is also investigating allegations

that the 9G visas were processed in the BI’s office in SM Aura in Taguig, instead of in the BI’s central office in Intramuros.

The two police officers had already been under scrutiny earlier over the issue of double compensation because they allegedly received salaries both as Morente’s aides and as members of the Philippine National Police (PNP). Their promotion to colonels early this year when they joined the BI from their rank as police major also became controversial because police officers could not legally be promoted while detailed to another government agency.

Recinto also faces administrative cases with the PNP for alleged graft charges involving his former boss General Purisima. It appears that Bello’s concern has solid basis. The Immigration Bureau admitted during the Senate hearing last week that up to 119,000 Chinese nationals who entered the country using tourist visas were issued SWPs that allowed them to work for three to six months.

The DOLE, on the other hand, said it only issued 115,000 Alien Employment Permits, which the DOLE ensures would not be for jobs in competition with Filipino workers, and only for supervisory or managerial positions. The DOLE also publishes the names of the AEP applicants in widely circulated newspapers to determine if there are objections from local workers or the applicants.

A gaming analyst has revealed to the BusinessWise that there could be as many as 300,000 Chinese nationals, not just 119,000, currently working in the Philippine Online Gaming Operations or Pogos. This means that more than double the initially established count of these Chinese nationals are working in the country with no government permit or visa and remain undocumented.

This is another black mark for the Immigration Bureau under President Duterte. Since the BI’s issuance of SWPs to that many Chinese nationals did not go through the rigorous DOLE procedure, Secretary Bello did the right thing, albeit too late, when he asked his DOJ counterpart to conduct an investigation into this Chinese “invasion.”

The Senate Labor Committee, chaired by Sen. Emmanuel Joel J. Villanueva, initiated its own investigation after the DOLE officials discovered that dozens of Chinese nationals were working on Chinese-funded infrastructure projects and the gaming industry without the required DOLE permits.

Villanueva raised the specter of Chinese nationals stealing jobs from Filipinos, aided and abetted by the BI’s lax implementation of immigration laws and working visa rules. He noted that the BI has no jurisdiction to issue work permits since only the DOLE has the “technical knowledge” to assess if allowing foreigners to work here will be detrimental to local workers. The BI had been in the center of controversy early in the Duterte administration when disgraced Immigration Deputy Commissioners Al Argosino and Michael Robles were videotaped in a hotel receiving bags of money from lawyers of gaming tycoon Jack Lam. The involvement of the two deputy commissioners, who had already been fired by President Duterte, was the first controversy that weakened the credibility of the administration’s declared campaign against corruption.

For comments and suggestions, e-mail me at mvala.v@gmail.com

ALÁLAONG BAGÁ

T

HE Second Sunday of Advent traditionally gives focus on the figure of John the Baptizer. As Jesus’ precursor calling on the people to prepare the way, he is of special relevance to us in our own time (Luke 3:1-6).

Salvation in Jesus for all humankind FOR Saint Luke the setting for the coming of Jesus is human history benchmarked by the “fifteenth year of the rule of Tiberius Caesar, when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea...,” explicitly tying up the history of salvation with secular history. It is the coming of salvation to humanity in history.

And John turns the world around him toward the advent savior. The quotation from the prophet Isaiah (40:5) emphasizes the universal dimension of what is to happen: “All flesh shall see the salvation of God.” The full realization of the mission of Jesus means that all humankind

shall see salvation.

And all need to make the necessary preparation for the one who comes. “The word of God came to John the son of Zechariah in the desert.” A prophet has been summoned, a vocation given out. And John’s ministry is to be “a voice crying out in the desert,” according to the description by Isaiah. His task is to remind and challenge all to be sensitive to the will of God, to share in the approaching time of fulfillment by reforming their lives.

Facilitate the coming of the savior.

Remove whatever hinders His approach. What is crooked must be made straight.

Thursday, December 6, 2018 A7

Making straight his paths THEN “every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be made low. The winding roads shall be made straight, and the rough ways made smooth....” Change and conversion are irreplaceable if betterment is to begin to happen. The apocalyptic language of the sun failing to shine and the stars falling off the heavens simply means that, at the coming of Jesus, things cannot just continue as before without upheavals and radical changes. Where and when the reign of God begins, things can really get upside down.

John the Baptizer is immediately concerned about the first coming and manifestation of Jesus who comes right after him to inaugurate the Kingdom of God that must be responded to with transformation.

This first coming is to be followed by the second at the end of time in full glory and power. In the meantime Jesus comes to humankind in history here and now in the mystery of his mystical body, the Church, in her life and mission as especially expressed in her sacred liturgy.

That is why we celebrate particularly the Season of Advent in cycle, because we need to persevere and

Just transition toward a digital economy

For the reality is that just transition entails a number of just transformation measures, at the national as well as industry and firm levels.

At the national level, just transformation would involve an unavoidable review and reassessment of the existing industrial development blueprint. For example, there is so much emphasis being given by the DTI on increased Philippine participation in the global value chains in electronics, auto parts and so on.

The Philippine participation has always been at the low end or lowvalue-adding segments of the GVCs, mainly in the labor-intensive assembly of GVC parts or components. With automation and robotization, the threat of job displacements in these industries in the foreseeable future is very real. In fact, some economists have already coined a word for what is likely to happen—“reshoring,” meaning industrial work outsourced to developing countries in the name of the GVCs can be brought back to the home countries of the GVC players, the multinationals from Europe, America and Japan. community college at any time. Tennessee has already done that.

These same technological transformations mean the Next America will require changes in antitrust policy. Since the 1980s, antitrust policy judged if a company was getting too big largely by one question: Was the loss of competition hurting consumers through higher prices or fewer services?

“But that definition is increasingly irrelevant in an age in which the most powerful companies in the world offer products and services for ‘free’ in exchange for personal data,” Rana Foroohar, the Financial Times technology columnist, noted in a June 24 essay. “This has provoked calls for a return to the definition of monopoly in the 1890 Sherman Antitrust Act, which emphasizes the need to ensure that the economic power of large companies does not result in the corruption of the political process.”

That’s because we are more than consumers, “we’re citizens,” notes Mukunda.

“We have interests that stretch far beyond consumer pricing, and it’s the job of the government to protect citizens’ liberty, not just consumers’ interests.

It says so right in the Constitution, and we’ve forgotten that.’’

Just one person—Mark Zuckerberg—controls Facebook, WhatsApp and Instagram. The fact that he has shown himself to be much more interested in scaling his platforms than combating those who abused them for political and economic gain—and that his lieutenants were ready to go after their high-profile critics, like George Soros—should make breaking up or regulating Facebook a front-and-center issue in 2020. But just the raw political weight of behemoths like Facebook, Amazon, Google, Microsoft and Apple needs a closer look.

The Next America is more than technology. It literally will be born in 2020.

The US Census Bureau has predicted that by 2020, for the first time, “more

than half of the nation’s children are expected to be part of a minority race or ethnic group.” That will begin a process by which by 2044, “no one racial or ethnic group will dominate the US in terms of size,” NPR reported.

Alas, though, the fiscal tools we need to build the Next America have been weakened by Trump’s tax cuts.

The federal deficit was not supposed to hit $1 trillion until 2020, but the White House now says it will hit that number in 2019. We’ve had deficits this size in response to the 2008 financial crisis, but we’ve never run one so huge during a boom.

That means the Next America may have to be built in the face of higher interest rates on more debt, with less fiscal ammunition to stimulate the economy should it slow down or face a crisis. So the Next America may very likely have to raise taxes or trim military spending, or Social Security or Medicare—just when all the baby boomers are retiring.

Continued from A1

T

HE unions seek social dialogue on how technology is deployed without displacing workers, on how social protection can be strengthened in the digital era, and how the circumvention of workers’ rights can be prevented when employers adopt new technologies. They declared: “Rapid technological change requires new regulations and investment in jobs, and a just transition framework to ensure full employment”.

continued from A6

would be: Get an education. Use it for 20 years. Then get retrained. Then use that for 20 more years and then retire.’’

But in fact, in the Next America, argues McGowan, the right model will be “continuous lifelong learning’’—because when the pace of change is accelerating, “the fastest-growing companies and most resilient workers will be those who learn faster than their competition.”

That means that, in addition to our traditional big safety nets—Social Security and Medicare—we will need new national trampolines.

We will need to make some level of postsecondary education free to every American who meets a minimum grade and attendance requirement, so that every adult and every high-school graduate can earn an associate degree or technical certificate free of tuition at a

Join me in meditating on the Word of God every Sunday, from 5 to 6 a.m. on DWIZ 882, or by audio streaming on www.dwiz882.com.

undertook a series of consultation meetings with industry and the National Trade Union Congress. The tripartite parties came up with a number of readiness programs.

At the center of Singapore’s comprehensive readiness program is the Future Skills for Digital Workplace (FSDW), a program which provides skills-upgrading opportunities to adult citizens, employed or retired, complete with training allowances and a well-researched menu of training modules. The program, now running for at least two years, helps individual workers understand the emerging technologies, how they impact work, how to collate and interpret data, and how to adopt a positive mindset for change and innovation. The program is also beamed at employers, especially the SME players. They are oriented on how to understand and manage technological changes at the workplace and how to take advantage of opportunities in the cyber era.

The FSDW is fully budgeted. Every interested Singaporean is given the opportunity to upskill himself/ herself regardless of his/her employment status, meaning he/she can be prepared to pursue a possible alternative future career. In short, no one need to worry if he/she loses a job because there is an opportunity for a second career path.

On the other hand, should there be displacement in an industry due to technological change, the Singapore tripartite system is always there to discuss problems in a proactive and constructive way.

At any rate, the question being raised by this article needs some answers from the policy-makers: Does the Philippines have a realistic, doable and people-centered transition program toward a digital future?

LABOREM EXERCENS

Friedman . . .

Alálaong bagá, we are on the way to that salvific end of what was begun in us Filipinos 500 years ago when we accepted the Christian faith—the salvation of all of us in Jesus Christ. May the call of the voice in the desert, John the Baptizer, lead us to that path of conversion and moral renewal so urgently needed by our people. We cannot just go on careening from one crisis and excess to another. We should not stand anymore on the wayward politics of vested interests and institutionalized corruption. We must stop the drug culture and the endless violence that make mockery of human life. Let us renew our baptismal consecration as God’s sons and daughters. Let us seek more integral obedience to God’s commandments.

Let each of us honestly strive to follow the Gospel way in the family and in the public and private spheres of life. Let us make straight the path of the Lord!

As pointed out in an earlier article, reshoring is now a viable and realistic option to the MNCs. This was amply illustrated by the action of Adidas of Germany. This shoe manufacturer used to have a giant factory in Novaliches. This was closed down due to an industrial strike staged by the KMU in the 1980s. Adidas then transferred part of its production to China. But last year, Adidas announced it is now able to operate, profitably, a factory in Germany and a new plant in America. According to some informants, Adidas, through the 3D technology, is able to manufacture shoes on demand, meaning it can produce a pair of shoes based on a customer’s wishes (design, color, etc.) and deliver the order within two days.

The reshoring threat also applies to the call center/BPO sector. One informant manager informed this writer that jobs in the call centers, not so much in the higher-valueadding BPO segment, are likely to decline, by as much as 50 percent in five years, due to advances in AI-assisted interactive communications, DIY instruments and various types of software automation.

Should we then fold our arms and wait for a job Armageddon?

The answer is a clear “no.” But our government officials, along with their industry and labor partners, should get their act together. They should go beyond discussing, sometimes endlessly, what is the Fourth Industrial Revolution and what are the threats to jobs and businesses the said Revolution poses. There should be doable and actionable road maps.

Along this line, one can learn some pointers from Singapore.

Alerted some years ago that its industries are highly vulnerable to the disruption impact of the technology revolution that is rolling all over the world, the Singapore government

Dr. Rene E. Ofreneo

The above issues were the same topics tackled in the recent Asean Regional Tripartite Social Dialogue Conference held in Singapore. The Tripartite Conference, which succeeded in getting the participation of the Asean Services Employees Trade Union Council and the Asean Confederation of Employers, came up with a declaration stressing the importance of social dialogue and sustained information sharing and consultation between and among the tripartite social partners on the social, economic and labor impact of technological changes. The idea is for the parties “to come up with measures to minimize the pains of disruptions, maximize the gains from technological advances and share the benefits from such advances for the good of the whole community.”

The above are music to the ears of the trade union movement. The problem is whether Asean governments and employers are prepared to walk the talk, that is, for the parties to sit down and come up with doable or implementable road maps to make the just transition happen.

work regularly on our conversion to Jesus and His Gospel.

2nd Front Page BusinessMirror

A8 Thursday, December 6, 2018

Solons urge caution on 2019 fuel tax hike, push ‘brake’ bills

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By Butch Fernandez @butchfBM & Jovee Marie N. dela Cruz @joveemarie

AWMAKERS in the Senate and the House of Representatives moved on Wednesday to ask President Duterte to reconsider the decision to proceed with the second-round fuel excise tax hikes in January, or at least allow for mechanisms to apply the brakes on such once prices jump anew in a volatile world market. They said that, despite projections of declining global oil prices, the specter of sudden spikes compounding the additional tax would burden an inflation-weary public.

Sen. Francis G. Escudero filed Senate Resolution 64 prodding President Duterte to “reconsider the implementation of the second tranche of excise tax on fuel, or at least consider its immediate suspension when inf lation becomes uncontrollable again anytime in 2019.”

Escudero’s resolution reminded Malacañang that “inflation already reached a nine-year high in September at 6.7 percent.”

He rec a l led t h at t he eco nomic managers projected last October that the price and multiple estimates of crude oil from Dubai would stay at an average price above the $80 per barrel threshold for the next two months.

However, the price of Dubai crude oil went down in November. “Considering the previous erroneous

projection in October, certainty becomes nil at best, and no assurance can ever be had either by the President or the public itself that high prices of goods and services will never happen, not to mention the fact that election spending will definitely exacerbate inf lation in 2019, an election year, where demand-pull inflation may likely occur,” said Escudero.

He said postponing the next round of tax hikes will unburden consumers affected by the high prices of goods that began just after the first round of oil tax hike this year.

He cited Section 43 of Republic Act No. 10963 or the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) law, which provides that implementation or suspension of the excise tax on fuel depends

“As quick as they were to move for the reimposition of the hike after moving for suspension earlier, hopefully if prices don’t decline as predicted, they will also be flexible the other way.”—Angara

upon the recommendation of the Department of Finance (DOF) and the Development Budget Coordination Committee (DBCC) to the President.

‘Premature, impulsive’

AKBAYAN Sen. Risa Hontiveros said Duterte’s decision to proceed with the collection of the second round of excise tax on petroleum is “premature and impulsive,” and exposed the government’s “wobbly policy” in protecting the public from the negative impact of unstable oil prices.

“President Duterte claimed that we are powerless to respond to the impact of the rise of oil prices in the world market. He also said that we are at the mercy of the international oil market. Then why lift the suspension on the fuel excise tax collection, one of the few safety nets that protect the public from the volatility of the international oil market?” Hontiveros asked.

Hontiveros cited basis to suspend the second round of excise tax on petroleum. She explained that value-added tax (VAT) revenues on various petroleum products have risen and exceeded projected revenues for 2018.

She said that despite the series of oil price rollbacks, the peso cost of petroleum products has been and remains quite high as a result

of the depreciated peso and the still high international price of petroleum products.

“During the October 24 hearing of the Senate Committee on Economic Affairs, the Department of Finance admitted that the excess in VAT revenues is indeed substantial.

Why then collect more indirect tax revenues via the petroleum industry?” Hontiveros asked.

For 2019, Hontiveros estimated that excess VAT collection will probably be around P10 billion given the lower expected oil prices. The windfall revenue from the VAT on transactions related to high-priced petroleum was never contemplated when the TRAIN law was passed, she said.

Mixed reactions

SOME senators, however, gave mixed reactions on Wednesday to Duterte’s decision approving the higher fuel tax.

Senate President Vicente C. Sotto III said he understood the situation then was that imported oil prices were skyrocketing, thus justifying the earlier decision in October to suspend the 2019 round of oil tax hikes. “But now, we have had successive rollbacks,” Sotto said. “The tax will be raised only

by P2.50, but the cumulative rollbacks are now about P10. So it’s not surprising that a decision was made to add on the next tranche.”

Sotto urged critics of the move to consider the role of “profiteers” and certain businessmen in fueling inflation. He wondered aloud why, after invoking rising oil prices as basis for jacking up prices of their goods, these businessmen did not roll back prices when the oil prices declined.

See “Solons,” A3

Nickel ore. . .

EASTERLIES AFFECTING THE WHOLE COUNTRY as of 4:00 pm - December 5, 2018

Manufacturing sector to sustain growth on govt’s infra ramp-up

By Bianca Cuaresma

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@BcuaresmaBM

HE Philippine government on Wednesday reported that the performance of the manufacturing sector remained strong, as output and sales expanded for the 10th straight month in October.

According to the Philippine Statistics Authority’s (PSA) Monthly Integrated Survey of Selected Industries (Missi), the local manufacturing’s Volume of Production Index (VoPI) in October rose by 3.9 percent, while its Value of Production Index (VaPI) climbed by 3.3 percent.

While the rates of increase were slower than the September print, the figures were significant improvements from those seen in October last year.

In particular, the VaPI grew 4.5 percent in September this year, faster than October’s 3.3 percent.

Compared to the 2017 print, however, the latest figures were a turnaround from the 6-percent contraction recorded last year.

The same trend was seen in the VoPI, where it grew faster at 4.2 percent in the previous month. Last year’s VoPI fell by 6.6 percent.

Both the VoPI and the VaPI were in positive territory for 10 consecutive months.

Missi is a monthly report that monitors the production, net sales, inventories and capacity utilization of select manufacturing establishments to provide flash indicators on the performance of the manufacturing sector.

The rise in the manufacturing sector’s volume and value of production mirrors the country’s recent purchasing managers index (PMI) performance, where the sector grew

Continued from A1

Under the order, a mining firm producing a million WMT or less would be allowed to extract ore in a maximum of 50 hectares, while those producing 9 million WMT and above would have a maximum disturbed area of 100 hectares.

Bravo, who is also the president of the Global Ferronickel Holdings Inc., projected that nickel exports for this year would settle at around 30 million WMT, 20 percent lower than last year’s 40 million WMT. Philippine nickel shipments have been declining for the past three years. The country ships around 90 percent of nickel ore shipments to China.

Latest data from the Mines and Geosciences Bureau of the DENR showed that the country’s nickel exports from January to September fell slightly to 22.170 million dry MT, or around 34.107 million WMT, from 22.401 million dry MT recorded in the same period last year.

In terms of value, Bravo expressed optimism that revenues from nickel shipments would expand next year due to the projected recovery in international prices. However, he did not provide an estimate as to the rate of increase of receipts from nickel exports.

“Like any other commodities, I’m just saying that [prices] may go up if and when the direction we have is like this. We have the [USChina] trade war, elections, the ‘Build, Build, Build’ program—there’s growing consumption for nickel,” he said.

Nickel firms may still continue to ship medium to higher grade of ores rather than low grades to take advantage of better global prices, according to Bravo.

Bravo said those shipping medium and higher grade of ores are benefiting from the recovery of international nickel prices. The value of the country’s nickel shipments in January to September rose by 25 percent to P24.57 billion, from P19.731 billion recorded a year ago, due to higher global prices.

Rate hikes. . .

Continued from A1

September, and remaining steady at 6.7 percent for October.

The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) on Wednesday reported that the country’s inflation rate dropped to 6 percent for November. The BSP earlier predicted a slowdown for the November inflation due to recent oilprice rollbacks, a stable supply of rice, as well as a stronger peso.

In line with the continued implementation of the fuel excise tax in-

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3.9%

The rise of local manufacturing’s Volume of Production Index (VoPI) in October 2018, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority’s Monthly Integrated Survey of Selected Industries the second fastest in the region for November.

In October the Philippines had the fastest-growing manufacturing sector among Southeast Asian nations in terms of its PMI performance.

The government attributed the positive performance during the month to increases in the production of petroleum, export-oriented products and non-metallic mineral products, which drove the expansion of manufacturing output in October.

For the rest of the fourth quarter of 2018, the government expects the sector to sustain its expansion, as strong consumer demand and an optimistic business outlook would provide a boost to the sector during the holidays.

The National Economic and Development Authority (Neda) said in a statement on Wednesday that it expects the manufacture of construction-related products—such as iron and steel and cement—to be driven by government’s spending on infrastructure.

The sustained growth in private construction activities is also seen to keep manufacturing numbers up.

See “Manufacturing,” A2

Digital. . .

Continued from A1

He said companies are moving away from China to Vietnam and Cambodia, while others are moving to Malaysia. This is true even for the Apple companies that assemble Mac books, which is also moving out of China. Nonetheless, this will create opportunities, particularly for technology firms. When these companies move, they will be building “smart factories” that will require investments in robotics, software and automation.

“Now, it is a time of uncertainty. You need to be prepared for this uncertainty, and you need to help your customers be prepared for this uncertainty. And take advantage of the opportunities that will come along the way,” de Leon told participants.

Earlier, the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (Unctad) said the trade war between the United States and China could undermine the strong economic growth prospects of Southeast Asian countries like the Philippines.

In its Trade and Development Report, Unctad said Asean countries are poised to register high economic growth on the back of strong demand, rising private consumption and infrastructure investments, especially in the Philippines and Indonesia.

After posting GDP growth rates of 5.7 and 5.5 percent in 2016 and 2017, Unctad said developing countries in Asia are expected to sustain that rate in 2018, as well. Trade war between China and the US will likely cause China’s economic growth to slow to 6.7 percent this year, India’s growth is expected to average 7 percent in 2018.

crease in 2019 affecting inflation, Dominguez said he expects the impact of the fuel and other taxes to still be within expectations, as the main contributors seen right now for inflation are fish and rice.

“There are many factors that are playing into the inflation number, and what we have identified even now, is that one quarter of the inflation comes from fish and rice, so we have to focus on that. The inflation contribution of fuel and, of course, the taxes I think are within what we expected and are going to be within what we expected,” Dominguez said.

The President on Tuesday approved his economic team’s recommendation to push through with the next tranche of fuel excise taxes taking effect in 2019, seeing the sharp turnaround in world oil prices.

Under the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion law, the scheduled increase in fuel excise tax for 2019 is P2 per liter. It called for an excise tax of P2.50 per liter on diesel, with an additional P2 to be imposed next year and P1.50 per liter in 2020.

This brings the excise tax on diesel to P4.50 per liter in 2019, and P6 per liter in 2020.

Editor: Efleda P. Campos

Companies BusinessMirror

Thursday, December 6, 2018

B1

First Gen, Tokyo Gas partner for LNG plant

By Lenie Lectura

L

@llectura

OPEZ-LED First Gen Corp. announced on Wednesday its partnership with Tokyo Gas Co. Ltd. for the liquefied natural gas (LNG) project to be located within the Lopez Group’s clean-energy complex which houses its other gas plants.

Both signed a Joint Development Agreement to pursue development of FGen’s LNG terminal project to be developed by its unit FGEN LNG Corp. and Tokyo Gas, which will

Melco public ownership falls below requirement after tender offer

By VG Cabuag @villygc

M

ELCO Resorts and Entertainment (Philippines) Corp., the operator of City of Dreams Manila, on Wednesday said its public ownership will fall to just 3.9 percent after the tender offer it conducted during the previous months.

As a result, its public float will fall below the minimum required 10 percent imposed by the regulators. In its tender offer report, some 1.33 billion common shares, out of the 1.57 billion common shares being held by the public, were tendered during the offer period.

The tendered shares will be crossed at the Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE) on Monday, December 10.

MCO (Philippines) Investments Ltd. now owns 96.1 percent of the City of Dreams Manila operator or about 5.46 billion common shares.

Melco, however, is still silent on its plan after its public float already fell below the minimum requirement.

The PSE earlier asked Melco Resorts to disclose its course of action or compliance plan in the event its public ownership, currently at 27.05 percent, falls below the minimum requirement.

Melco already withdrew its plan to delist from the PSE and continued with its plan for the tender offer of all shares held by other owners.

“The change of purpose for the tender offer is aimed at alleviating certain investors’ concerns that the potential delisting may exert undue pressure on their decision process related to the acceptance of the tender offer. Investors are assured that they are free to conduct their evaluations and arrive at a decision whether to tender their shares at their absolute discretions,” it said.

It offered to buy 1.57 billion shares at P7.25 apiece, or just about half of its initial public offer price of P14 per share. As a result, some of the shareholders questioned how the company came about the tender offer price.

“If any MRP shareholder does not believe that the offer price of P7.25 per tender offer share is attractive, they may choose not to tender their MRP shares. Even if an MRP shareholder believes that the offer price is at or above fair value, they still have no obligation to participate in the tender offer,” it said.

Melco claimed its tender offer price still offer a premium of about 14 percent based on the threemonth volume weighted average share price.

take a 20-percent participating interest in said project. Tokyo Gas is also expected to provide support in development work to achieve a Final Investment Decision. Upon reaching

FID under the JDA, the parties will enter into a definitive agreement to proceed with the construction of the FGEN LNG Project.

“First Gen is excited to partner with Tokyo Gas, a world-class natural gas and LNG company with vast experience in the development, financing, construction and operations of LNG storage and regasification facilities.

First Gen and Tokyo Gas share the common belief that the country needs clean natural gas to produce power, which is not only cost-competitive but, given its flexible operations, is the perfect complement to a growing renewable-energy industry.

“We both share the vision of the Department of Energy in the imple-

mentation of LNG projects in the Philippines. First Gen and Tokyo Gas intend to cooperate with all relevant stakeholders who share the same vision to participate in making LNG viable for the Philippines,” First Gen President Giles B. Puno said.

In previous interviews, First Gen official said the planned LNG terminal will have a capacity to supply a minimum 5 million tons of natural gas equivalent to 5,000 megawatts (MW) and is targeted for construction next year. It is envisioned that the $1-billion facility will be finished in four years.

First Gen is one of the biggest independent power producers in the country and the leading gas power generation company in the

Grab ties up with SMIC to boost use of GrabPay among Filipinos

By Lorenz S. Marasigan @lorenzmarasigan

G

RAB has struck a partnership deal with SM Investments Corp. (SMIC) to accelerate the growth of digital wallet service GrabPay in the Philippines.

Through the partnership, Grab will be able to expand its e-money service by integrating the platform to SM’s huge network of merchants.

Under the partnership, Grab users will be able to use their GrabPay mobile wallets to pay for their retail purchases, food orders, cinema tickets, groceries and even services.

The deal will also allow users to top-up their GrabPay accounts

through SM Business Centers, their BDO bank accounts, BDO automated teller machines and through 2GO’s retail network. So-called Green Lanes will also be set up for GrabPay users in SM establishments. These are express checkout counters that will allow GrabPay users to skip the regular payment queues.

These services will be available starting next year.

Ooi Huey Tyng, who sits as managing director of GrabPay for Malaysia, Singapore and the Philippines, said the partnership with the Philippines’s largest retail company will help expand cashless opportunities to more Filipinos.

“This partnership calls to at-

tention the size of the opportunity Grab’s Asean-wide user base offers, even to leading conglomerates and financial institutions like SM and BDO,” she said.

So far, Grab has clocked in 125 million downloads in the region. At home, Grab is present at one in two smartphones with partnerships with over 60 financial institutions.

“SM is committed to applying digital innovations in its businesses. We are mindful of the evolving online-to-offline landscape, especially in retail, and continue to branch into new solutions that will unlock more benefits to our consumers,” SMIC President Frederic C. DyBuncio added.

2ND PAG-IBIG LOYALTY CARD PARTNERS SUMMIT Eduardo Mapa Jr.,vice president of Internet and Mobile Marketing Association of the Philippines, delivers an overview on how to engage with connected customers in this age of digital transformation during the second Pag-IBIG Loyalty Card Partners Summit held on Tuesday at Century Park Hotel in Malate, Manila. ROY DOMINGO

PSALM prequalifies 4 firms to bid for Malaya thermal plant

T

HE Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corp. (PSALM) has prequalified four firms vying for the sale of the Malaya Thermal Power Plant, the land underlying the facility and all other assets associated with the plant’s structures.

PSALM President Irene Joy Garcia identified AC Energy Inc., DM Wenceslao & Associates Inc., DMCI Power Corp. and FGen Reliable Energy Holdings Inc. as “real serious bidders.”

“They submitted documents and when we checked their documents, they qualified. It was quite a surprise for us because while there were 11 bidders who signified intention, the others did not submit documents,” Garcia said.

The other interested bidders who earlier expressed interest

but did not submit the necessary documents were Panasia Energy Inc., Quezon Power (Philippines) Ltd. Co., Crown Investment Holdings Inc., Energy World Power Operations Philippines Inc., Pan Pacific Renewable Power Philippines Corp., Phinma Energy Corp., Korean firm STX and SMC Global Holdings Corp.

The plant, which consists of a 300-megawatts unit with a oncethrough type boiler and a 350-MW unit fitted with a conventional boiler, is a must-run unit (MRU) that provides backup power in instances when supply is deficient or unavailable in the Luzon Grid.

The PSALM board recently allowed the privatization of the Malaya complex without the MRU requirement.

PSALM will tap a third-party

evaluator to assess the power plant.

The valuation would then be the basis setting the floor price.

However, PSALM has yet to conduct another bidding for the selection of the valuator.

“No one submitted because we were told by the interested companies we are giving the winning bidder a short time to do the valuation. But the reason for that is for the privatization bidding for the Malaya plant to not be delayed,” the PSALM official said.

The PSALM board, she said, eventually agreed to revise the bidding schedule for the consultancy services in order to accommodate the requests of interested bidders. Consequently, the bidding for the Malaya privatization would have to be moved, as well from the original date which is December 14. Lenie Lectura

Philippines with approximately 2,000 MW in operating gas assets composed of four gas-fired power plants—the 1,000-MW Santa Rita Power Plant, the 500-MW San Lorenzo Power Plant, the 414-MW San Gabriel Power Plant and the 97-MW Avion Power Plant.

Tokyo Gas, headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, is a leading LNG player with 130 years of experience and more than 50 years of experience in the LNG business. It is one of the largest purchasers of LNG in the world with an annual volume of 14 metric tons. It has over 63,000 kilometers of gas pipelines serving more than 11 million customers.

“Tokyo Gas is pleased and delighted to have signed the agree-

ment with First Gen, the leading company utilizing environmentally friendly natural gas in the Philippines, and which has been contributing to realize a low-carbon society. Tokyo Gas would like to be instrumental in introducing LNG to the Philippines by pursuing the FGEN LNG Project and developing a safe and stable energy infrastructure system, taking advantage of its LNG expertise accumulated for half a century,” said Takashi Uchida, president of Tokyo Gas Co. Ltd. The Philippine government has determined that LNG represents vital national infrastructure needed to maintain and enhance the country’s energy security when the Malampaya gas field is eventually depleted.

Greenpeace cites 5 tuna canneries in Asean for ‘green performance’

By Jonathan L. Mayuga @jonlmayuga

E

NVIRONMENTAL group Greenpeace on Wednesday named five tuna canneries in Southeast Asia as overall green performers based on their policies on sustainability, transparency and equitability.

These tuna canneries are the Alliance Select Foods International (Philippines), PT International Alliance Foods Indonesia (Indonesia), PT Samudra Mandiri Sentosa (Indonesia), PT Purefoods International (Indonesia) and Tops Supermarket (Thailand).

The five were among 23 canneries and brands from the Philippines, Thailand and Indonesia that were evaluated by Greenpeace as part of the tunaranking assessment made by the environmental group, Ephraim Batungbacal, Regional Oceans Research Coordinator for Greenpeace Southeast Asia, said in a statement.

“The Sea to Can: 2018 Southeast Asia Canned Tuna Ranking Report” was released by Greenpeace as a result of three years of proactive engagement.

“After three years of proactive engagement, brands and canneries in the region are now more open and collaborative to work with Greenpeace and consumers on fixing their supply chains. But, unfortunately, they are still not transitioning swiftly enough in response to the alarming state of our oceans,” Batungbacal said.

Tuna continues to be the most economically valuable fish in the world. Southeast Asian countries Thailand, Philippines, Indonesia and Vietnam are among the top 10 exporters of processed canned tuna, with a combined income of $3.016 bil-

lion. A total of $7 billion worth of canned tuna products was exported in 2017, Greenpeace said.

The Greenpeace report comes at a time when tuna stocks globally are experiencing intense pressure from destructive fishing practices and overfishing. Illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing remains rampant in this part of the world. For this reason, the European Union—one of the biggest importers of tuna from the region—issued a yellow-card sanction against Thailand in 2015 and Vietnam in 2017 for failing to combat IUU, which remains in effect pending these countries’ compliance.

Greenpeace’s tuna rankings evaluate canneries by checking the company’s performance against a seven-point criteria on their tuna sourcing practices.

The companies are strongly encouraged to favor and source tuna from lower-impact fishing methods, including pole and line, handline, troll or Fish Aggregating Devices (FAD) free purse seining.

This year, there were notable improvements in the sector.

Specif ica l ly, Greenpeace said more companies now have tighter policies on traceability and sustainability, resulting in increased procurement of sustainably caught tuna, with 11 companies sourcing using pole and line, and 11 companies sourcing FAD-free purse seine.

There is also a heightened awareness of issues on slavery at sea and improved measures to avoid inadvertently sourcing tuna associated with human rights and labor abuse.

Last, consumers now have access to more product information, with improved labeling at the point of sale for the public to identify the species and how tuna is caught.

NTC wins FOI Award for transparency

T

HE National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) won a Freedom of Information (FOI) award for transparency through the electronic FOI (e-FOI) portal.

In a statement, the telco regulator said the Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) during the FOI Summit and Awards recognized the agency as one of the top requested and top performing agencies in the e-FOI portal of the government.

Since the program was implemented, the commission received a total of 97 requests from the public

that were acted upon within 15 days, a deadline set in the FOI program.

It was acknowledged as “compliant and eligible for performancebased bonus” for 2018 because of its on-time submission and posting of FOI Program requirements in its web site. “The NTC will continue to adhere to President Duterte’s call for transparency in all of the agency’s tasks by strictly abiding with the FOI Program,” NTC Commissioner Gamaliel A. Cordoba said.

A total of 305 government agencies participated in the development of the government’s transparency program. Lorenz S. Marasigan

B2

Companies BusinessMirror

Thursday, December 6, 2018

PSE STOCK QUOTATIONS

December 5, 2018

Net Foreign Stocks Bid Ask Open High Low Close Volume Value Trade (Peso) Buy (Sell) FINANCIALS

ASIA UNITED 58.5 59 60 60 59 59 60 3560 BDO UNIBANK 134.5 134.8 135 135.5 134 134.8 2431720 327945156 BANK PH ISLANDS 93.5 93.9 93 93.95 92.05 93.5 2863390 266988192 CHINABANK 27.7 27.75 27.65 27.8 27.5 27.75 168900 4660990 EAST WEST BANK 12.1 12.14 12.2 12.2 11.94 12.1 661000 7979598 METROBANK 78.8 79.5 78.6 79.5 77.45 79.5 3456080 271999449 PB BANK 11.02 11.4 11 11.4 11 11.4 54900 623504 PHIL NATL BANK 43.85 44 42.85 44.4 42.5 44 612700 26623600 PSBANK 71.3 73.1 71.25 71.3 71.25 71.3 240 17111 RCBC 29 29.4 29.3 29.4 29 29 38800 1133385 SECURITY BANK 159 159.1 164.9 164.9 159 159 452970 72920624 UNION BANK 66.9 66.95 67.6 67.6 66.6 66.95 2762190 183969239.5 BDO LEASING 2.3 2.34 2.3 2.34 2.3 2.34 23000 52940 COL FINANCIAL 15.8 15.92 15.9 15.9 15.9 15.9 7100 112890 FERRONOUX HLDG 3.88 3.89 3.82 3.93 3.75 3.89 113000 434930 FILIPINO FUND 7.23 8.78 7.19 7.99 7.19 7.99 1800 13902 IREMIT 1.37 1.41 1.42 1.45 1.36 1.36 25000 34890 MEDCO HLDG 0.45 0.47 0.48 0.48 0.45 0.45 110000 50700 NTL REINSURANCE 0.87 0.88 0.8 0.88 0.8 0.88 1134000 968920 PHIL STOCK EXCH 179 179.1 179.8 179.8 175.2 179 1350 238076

INDUSTRIAL ALSONS CONS 1.25 1.28 1.25 1.27 1.25 1.25 295000 368890 ABOITIZ POWER 32.95 33 33.3 33.3 32.8 33 1062600 35056445 BASIC ENERGY 0.248 0.249 0.25 0.25 0.245 0.249 2730000 676110 FIRST GEN 18.3 18.34 17.88 18.64 17.78 18.3 7300200 131872086 FIRST PHIL HLDG 62.95 63 63.35 63.45 62.2 63 120050 7580419.5 PHIL H2O 5.15 5.28 4.82 5.37 4.82 5.28 265000 1346140 MERALCO 383 385.2 385.8 387.8 380.2 385.2 187010 71835494 MANILA WATER 28 28.05 28 28.25 27.9 28 729300 20428550 PETRON 8.39 8.4 8.48 8.48 8.23 8.39 1173800 9752559 PETROENERGY 3.97 4 4.04 4.04 3.96 3.96 14000 55640 PHINMA ENERGY 0.9 0.91 0.89 0.91 0.89 0.91 2307000 2087970 PHX PETROLEUM 10.96 11 11 11.1 10.9 11 308200 3391060 PILIPINAS SHELL 47 47.7 46.2 47.8 46.2 47 243800 11443455 SPC POWER 5.51 5.53 5.45 5.52 5.45 5.51 900400 4951412 VIVANT 16.06 17 16.04 17 16.04 17 1400 23224 AGRINURTURE 17.46 17.58 17.62 17.62 17.48 17.58 787800 13828682 CNTRL AZUCARERA 17.1 17.7 17.9 17.9 17.1 17.1 200 3500 CENTURY FOOD 15.18 15.4 15.12 15.6 15.12 15.4 67300 1038006 DEL MONTE 6.61 6.65 6.72 6.74 6.63 6.65 30600 205210 DNL INDUS 10.3 10.44 10.5 10.5 10.3 10.3 2508700 26113300 EMPERADOR 6.97 6.98 6.99 6.99 6.97 6.98 60900 425128 SMC FOODANDBEV 84.2 84.25 84.4 84.45 84.15 84.25 1633250 137681571.5 ALLIANCE SELECT 1.02 1.03 1.02 1.04 0.98 1.02 11801000 11956560 GINEBRA 24.15 24.45 24.15 24.5 24.15 24.15 2600 62860 JOLLIBEE 294 294.2 289 297 288.8 294 735640 215614144 LIBERTY FLOUR 50.05 58.5 50.1 58.5 50 58.5 121400 6091467.5 MACAY HLDG 8.52 9.89 8.6 8.61 8.52 8.52 2700 23220 MAXS GROUP 9.98 9.99 10 10.1 9.99 9.99 636100 6361561 PEPSI COLA 1.38 1.4 1.39 1.4 1.38 1.38 586000 819760 SHAKEYS PIZZA 10.32 10.34 10.68 10.68 10.34 10.34 182000 1888298 ROXAS AND CO 1.87 1.95 1.92 1.96 1.87 1.95 222000 427980 RFM CORP 4.8 4.81 4.81 4.81 4.8 4.81 4254000 20461630 ROXAS HLDG 2.81 2.85 2.8 2.85 2.8 2.85 100000 283000 SWIFT FOODS 0.123 0.128 0.128 0.128 0.128 0.128 10000 1280 UNIV ROBINA 129.8 129.9 129.9 129.9 129.3 129.9 860680 111735148 VITARICH 1.84 1.85 1.8 1.85 1.7 1.84 13624000 24395370 CEMEX HLDG 1.68 1.69 1.7 1.72 1.67 1.68 6290000 10633480 DAVINCI CAPITAL 6.01 6.02 5.54 6.02 5.54 6.01 151000 879090 EAGLE CEMENT 15.02 15.32 15.3 15.44 15 15.02 247200 3757360 EEI CORP 8.51 8.55 8.6 8.6 8.5 8.55 64600 550896 HOLCIM 6.18 6.19 6.1 6.18 6.1 6.18 75500 464290 MEGAWIDE 18.72 18.78 18.5 19.4 18.02 18.78 11606500 217913934 PHINMA 8.25 8.77 8.25 8.26 8.25 8.25 5100 42080 TKC METALS 0.83 0.87 0.87 0.87 0.87 0.87 11000 9570 VULCAN INDL 1.8 1.81 1.75 1.86 1.71 1.8 16438000 29559620 CROWN ASIA 1.65 1.71 1.61 1.79 1.6 1.65 216000 354410 LMG CHEMICALS 4.2 4.48 4.62 4.62 3.99 4.48 267000 1096520 PRYCE CORP 5.4 5.5 5.33 5.33 5.33 5.33 18600 99138 CONCEPCION 37.25 37.5 37.25 37.5 37.25 37.5 3600 134800 GREENERGY 2.13 2.14 2.18 2.23 2.14 2.14 8359000 18094030 INTEGRATED MICR 9.45 9.46 9.49 9.51 9.2 9.46 1140400 10741130 IONICS 1.77 1.8 1.78 1.8 1.74 1.8 489000 866000 PANASONIC 5.86 6 6 6 6 6 10900 65400 SFA SEMICON 1.4 1.43 1.36 1.43 1.3 1.43 191000 261770 CIRTEK HLDG 31.9 32 32.75 33 32 32 300300 9654535

HOLDING & FRIMS ABACORE CAPITAL 0.63 0.64 0.62 0.64 0.6 0.64 27700000 17179600 ASIABEST GROUP 21.5 22.15 24 24.15 21.5 21.5 155300 3484900 AYALA CORP 956.5 960 954.5 968.5 949 960 381020 364743060 ABOITIZ EQUITY 53.55 53.6 53.3 53.9 52.05 53.6 10964830 572730298.5 ALLIANCE GLOBAL 11.88 11.9 11.72 11.96 11.6 11.9 8134000 96397574 ANSCOR 6.4 6.42 6.4 6.4 6.4 6.4 10300 65920 ANGLO PHIL HLDG 0.82 0.86 0.8 0.89 0.8 0.81 60000 48660 ATN HLDG A 1.41 1.42 1.44 1.47 1.4 1.41 18794000 26700650 ATN HLDG B 1.41 1.42 1.44 1.47 1.41 1.42 4203000 5993540 COSCO CAPITAL 7.3 7.35 7.25 7.35 7.11 7.3 767100 5623170 DMCI HLDG 12.8 12.92 12.82 12.92 12.72 12.92 4048800 51775318 FILINVEST DEV 10.06 10.1 9.95 10.1 9.9 10.06 1754800 17549492 FJ PRINCE A 4.61 5.2 4.58 5.4 4.58 5.2 24000 128560 GT CAPITAL 972.5 974.5 960 975 942 974.5 138680 134379700 JG SUMMIT 51.85 52.4 51.05 52.7 51 52.4 2910450 151410651 LODESTAR 0.53 0.55 0.55 0.55 0.53 0.55 6000 3260 LOPEZ HLDG 4.1 4.11 4.14 4.15 4.07 4.1 13849000 57136420 LT GROUP 16.7 16.98 16.9 17.28 16.7 16.7 4743200 80371920 MABUHAY HLDG 0.6 0.61 0.58 0.6 0.58 0.6 252000 150160 METRO PAC INV 4.86 4.87 4.86 4.89 4.77 4.87 64487000 313792740 PACIFICA 0.037 0.038 0.038 0.04 0.038 0.038 13100000 502700 PRIME ORION 2.4 2.42 2.37 2.4 2.36 2.39 402000 957050 PRIME MEDIA 1.23 1.24 1.23 1.24 1.21 1.24 84000 102620 REPUBLIC GLASS 2.51 2.69 2.69 2.69 2.69 2.69 1000 2690 SOLID GROUP 1.29 1.33 1.33 1.33 1.33 1.33 8000 10640 SYNERGY GRID 541 560 474.8 609 473 560 2900 1587782 SM INVESTMENTS 960 965 941.5 976.5 941.5 960 341880 330327500 SAN MIGUEL CORP 169 170 173.4 173.8 169 169 973080 166082790 TOP FRONTIER 275.8 280 275.2 280 275.2 280 40 11056 WELLEX INDUS 0.248 0.25 0.255 0.255 0.248 0.25 4070000 1016450 ZEUS HLDG 0.2 0.224 0.224 0.224 0.224 0.224 80000 17920

PROPERTY ARTHALAND CORP 0.58 0.59 0.6 0.6 0.57 0.59 509000 294400 AYALA LAND 42.3 42.5 42.1 42.5 41 42.5 11548500 486821655 ARANETA PROP 1.76 1.77 1.77 1.79 1.76 1.76 376000 665650 BELLE CORP 2.36 2.37 2.3 2.43 2.25 2.37 4230000 9,964,530( A BROWN 0.79 0.8 0.79 0.8 0.77 0.8 595000 470470 CITYLAND DEVT 0.87 0.88 0.88 0.88 0.88 0.88 3000 2640 CROWN EQUITIES 0.223 0.224 0.224 0.226 0.222 0.224 570000 127830 CEBU HLDG 5.85 6 5.85 6 5.85 6 6300 36870 CEB LANDMASTERS 4.04 4.06 4.09 4.09 4.02 4.04 52000 210710 CENTURY PROP 0.405 0.41 0.405 0.41 0.405 0.41 2070000 840200 CYBER BAY 0.325 0.33 0.345 0.35 0.33 0.33 2940000 984450 DOUBLEDRAGON 18.28 18.3 18.36 18.38 18.2 18.3 152600 2791746 DM WENCESLAO 8.03 8.06 8.1 8.13 8.06 8.06 390900 3154647 EMPIRE EAST 0.485 0.51 0.485 0.53 0.48 0.53 880000 436400 EVER GOTESCO 0.108 0.116 0.106 0.116 0.106 0.116 110000 12660 FILINVEST LAND 1.47 1.49 1.47 1.49 1.47 1.49 1430000 2118040 GLOBAL ESTATE 1.1 1.12 1.13 1.14 1.06 1.12 2906000 3167100 8990 HLDG 7.6 7.65 7.58 7.75 7.56 7.75 2853600 21698935 PHIL INFRADEV 2.44 2.45 2.43 2.46 2.4 2.45 4023000 9810620 MEGAWORLD 4.79 4.8 4.74 4.8 4.71 4.8 18271000 87464440 MRC ALLIED 0.39 0.395 0.395 0.4 0.39 0.395 19860000 7829200 PHIL ESTATES 0.475 0.48 0.495 0.495 0.475 0.475 2630000 1262350 PRIMEX CORP 3.7 3.76 3.75 3.79 3.7 3.76 226000 846590 ROBINSONS LAND 21.3 21.5 21.5 21.65 21.05 21.5 5581500 119360795 PHIL REALTY 0.385 0.39 0.39 0.39 0.375 0.385 970000 371150 ROCKWELL 2 2.02 1.97 2.05 1.97 2.02 314000 631190 SHANG PROP 3.1 3.12 3.12 3.12 3.12 3.12 45000 140400 STA LUCIA LAND 1.17 1.19 1.19 1.19 1.17 1.19 1069000 1264390 SM PRIME HLDG 36.75 36.8 36.55 36.95 36.3 36.8 21546100 789,972,030( STARMALLS 5.7 5.79 5.67 5.85 5.61 5.7 627300 3589562 VISTA LAND 5.2 5.21 5.24 5.24 5.2 5.21 2927100 15249588

SERVICES ABS CBN 20.3 20.4 19.8 20.4 19.7 20.4 165500 3304876 GMA NETWORK 5.23 5.34 5.33 5.35 5.23 5.23 176000 927409 MLA BRDCASTING 16 17.98 15.52 15.78 15.5 15.78 65100 1009094 GLOBE TELECOM 2098 2100 2080 2108 2044 2100 25125 52592890 PLDT 1196 1207 1190 1207 1189 1207 44425 53324530 APOLLO GLOBAL 0.038 0.039 0.039 0.039 0.038 0.038 1300000 49600 DFNN INC 7.41 7.78 7.15 7.92 7.15 7.78 3000 22326 ISLAND INFO 0.112 0.115 0.116 0.116 0.109 0.116 660000 74140 ISM COMM 5.98 6 6.13 6.41 5.92 5.98 16260400 99720301 NOW CORP 3.71 3.72 3.68 3.79 3.6 3.71 2001000 7378520 TRANSPACIFIC BR 0.39 0.395 0.4 0.4 0.39 0.39 32020000 12605400 PHILWEB 3.21 3.25 3.33 3.36 3.12 3.21 2024000 6514270 2GO GROUP 11.72 11.74 11.2 11.8 11.2 11.72 175300 2032168 CEBU AIR 72.1 73.85 75 75 72.1 72.1 94450 6905158 CHELSEA 6.76 6.77 6.81 6.98 6.75 6.77 1921400 13091385 INTL CONTAINER 94.3 95 94.6 95 93.5 95 799830 75530836 LBC EXPRESS 14.02 14.1 14 14.3 14 14.1 1200 16930 LORENZO SHIPPNG 0.75 0.79 0.79 0.79 0.79 0.79 3000 2370 MACROASIA 14.66 14.68 14.58 15.1 14.48 14.68 1048200 15589934 METROALLIANCE A 2.35 2.37 2.18 2.37 2.07 2.37 2927000 6586610 METROALLIANCE B 2.27 2.32 2.18 2.32 1.85 2.32 199000 443140 PAL HLDG 7.65 8.25 8.26 8.26 8.26 8.26 12900 106554 HARBOR STAR 3.33 3.34 3.29 3.4 3.29 3.34 1139000 3804180 ACESITE HOTEL 1.38 1.44 1.27 1.44 1.26 1.44 3454000 4352250 DISCOVERY WORLD 2.11 2.4 2.36 2.4 2.36 2.38 33000 78170 WATERFRONT 0.7 0.71 0.71 0.73 0.69 0.7 5462000 3833970 FAR EASTERN U 892 920 920 920 920 920 200 184000 IPEOPLE 10.62 10.9 10.54 10.54 10.54 10.54 700 7378 STI HLDG 0.64 0.65 0.62 0.68 0.61 0.64 44734000 28921060 BERJAYA 2.53 2.54 2.5 2.64 2.41 2.53 10875000 27474570 BLOOMBERRY 8.45 8.46 8.5 8.55 8.37 8.45 8151500 68953751 PACIFIC ONLINE 9.98 10.08 10 10.36 9.52 10 8500 85788 LEISURE AND RES 3.53 3.56 3.63 3.63 3.51 3.53 875000 3092850 MANILA JOCKEY 5.36 5.52 5.48 5.54 5.37 5.52 88300 476428 MELCO RESORTS 6.97 7.09 6.95 7.1 6.95 7.09 270000 1904883 PREMIUM LEISURE 0.74 0.75 0.68 0.77 0.68 0.75 35495000 26011660 TRAVELLERS 5.26 5.28 5.25 5.28 5.25 5.26 619500 3262650 METRO RETAIL 2.29 2.3 2.28 2.32 2.26 2.3 1523000 3498840 PUREGOLD 42.45 42.5 42.5 42.75 42.4 42.5 3703600 157364215 ROBINSONS RTL 74.6 75 77 77 74.5 74.6 1077220 80448620.5 PHIL SEVEN CORP 113.1 118.3 119.5 119.5 111 118.4 25160 2990563 SSI GROUP 2.34 2.35 2.35 2.35 2.3 2.34 10206000 23833540 WILCON DEPOT 12.28 12.32 12.38 12.48 12.24 12.28 515300 6329514 APC GROUP 0.38 0.39 0.375 0.39 0.375 0.39 950000 362550 EASYCALL 19.02 19.2 20 20.9 19 19.2 774500 15358613 GOLDEN BRIA 318.2 325 318.2 325 318.2 325 610 197560 PRMIERE HORIZON 0.315 0.325 0.32 0.325 0.31 0.325 560000 178000 SBS PHIL CORP 7.5 7.6 7.2 7.6 7.2 7.6 43700 328128

MINING & OIL ATOK 15.02 15.58 15.3 16.2 15 15.68 27500 427696 APEX MINING 1.66 1.68 1.65 1.7 1.64 1.66 9132000 15374320 ABRA MINING 0.002 0.0021 0.002 0.0021 0.0019 0.0021 801000000 1552000 ATLAS MINING 2.54 2.59 2.67 2.7 2.54 2.54 277000 735290 COAL ASIA HLDG 0.295 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.3 230000 69000 CENTURY PEAK 1.9 1.94 1.9 1.9 1.9 1.9 60000 114000 DIZON MINES 7.27 7.3 7.73 7.73 7.11 7.32 700 5129 FERRONICKEL 1.7 1.71 1.7 1.71 1.69 1.71 16235000 27604390 GEOGRACE 0.203 0.206 0.206 0.206 0.202 0.205 70000 14260 LEPANTO A 0.1 0.101 0.096 0.106 0.096 0.101 53970000 5344780 LEPANTO B 0.103 0.106 0.103 0.108 0.102 0.106 1630000 172090 MANILA MINING A 0.0076 0.0078 0.0073 0.0076 0.0073 0.0076 25000000 189000 MARCVENTURES 1.07 1.13 1.08 1.15 1.07 1.07 55000 59250 NIHAO 1.05 1.07 1.05 1.06 1.03 1.06 128000 134390 NICKEL ASIA 2.35 2.36 2.36 2.41 2.32 2.36 5656000 13345400 ORNTL PENINSULA 0.9 0.91 0.91 0.91 0.9 0.9 231000 208310 PX MINING 2.81 2.82 2.7 2.85 2.7 2.81 3255000 9156890 SEMIRARA MINING 25.2 25.25 26 26 25.2 25.2 1916900 48640160 ORNTL PETROL A 0.012 0.013 0.013 0.013 0.012 0.012 85700000 1038400 ORNTL PETROL B 0.012 0.013 0.012 0.012 0.012 0.012 200000 2400 PHILODRILL 0.012 0.013 0.012 0.012 0.012 0.012 9500000 114000 PHINMA PETRO 3.19 3.5 3.15 3.5 3.14 3.5 39000 128900 PXP ENERGY 15.88 15.9 14.92 16.1 14.88 15.9 7594400 119230064

PREFFERED AC PREF B1 AC PREF B2 DD PREF GLO PREF P MWIDE PREF PNX PREF 3B PCOR PREF 2A SMC PREF 2C SMC PREF 2D SMC PREF 2F SMC PREF 2I

460 476 98.5 460 99.7 102 930.5 76.2 73 74.5 73.45

PHIL. DEPOSITARY RECEIPTS ABS HLDG PDR GMA HLDG PDR

19.1 5.07

2.05

SMALL & MEDIUM ENTERPRISES ITALPINAS 4.62 MAKATI FINANCE 2.65 XURPAS 1.35

112.6

431960 18240 -82196210 28092197 36545986 65920 -16000 1848020 151939 10546 608164 38364430 19721265 762340 4049824 120000 -77989990 23800 55017520 -93370767 64702165 6,106,959.9995) -7604.9999 4019.9999 -283500 -918450 494102 24180 394930 -131820 -46335 -2316510 33168910 -216850 -247740 -4225160 -99500 8,216,400.0002) -11310 -9106289 12010070 -14644580 -3315346 -345430 35550 -2225170 -46120 -2846475 58589 23239220 -2809820 16520 320610 -63060 184000 -19290110 303760.0002 -18763772 35300 1074629 -316970 -624362 -362590.0001 -117113355 -52450623.5 215455 2179990 1145730 -78750 10000 -99320 -52190 -270770 10500 -132300 2468420 840460 -14559110 -3212144

460 489.8 98.25 474 99.5 102.2 990 76.3 73 74.9 73.5

460 489.8 98.9 474 99.7 102.2 990 76.3 73.95 75 73.5

460 489.8 98.25 460 99.5 102.2 990 76.05 72.8 74.9 73.45

460 489.8 98.9 460 99.7 102.2 990 76.3 73.95 75 73.45

4560 10 11470 4000 2850 8150 2250 98770 7500 5500 21500

2097600 4898 1129525 1859220 284015 832930 2227500 7522417.5 549750 412000 1579925

38150 -

19.18 5.15

19.1 5.06

19.4 5.07

19 5.06

19.18 5.07

161800 102000

3099760 516140

-3099760 -

2.07

2.11

2.13

2.05

2.05

558000

1154650

10350

4.64 2.97 1.37

4.65 2.67 1.35

4.66 2.67 1.44

4.51 2.67 1.29

4.64 2.67 1.37

162000 1281000 12009000

744490 3420270 16533890

-13760 -2949750

EXHANGE TRADE FUNDS FIRST METRO ETF

-8063170 470800 -29326750 -2778342 -9036642 17354295 310114 -1896790 -1450870 817420 -13600 -60788 315710 -320524 -389487 69491701.5 85980 117741150 3440 -1139040 -706820 -1057630 38190 -9610 -57000 -45498918 -1180680 -5113490 -453440 -3345540 148320 9660 99138 787360 -64719 -117260 96525

470 490 98.9 475 101.9 107 1007 76.3 73.95 75 73.5

WARRANTS LR WARRANT

52423231 29952742.5 -63480 85846 74672567 25300 -963100 -684225 -17553701 -184262 24280 -

113.2

113.8

113.8

111.6

113.2

17970

2019008

14794

Editor: Efleda P. Campos

PHL’s 1CISP among top insurance co-ops in Asia

By Rizal Raoul S. Reyes

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Contributor

@brownindio

HERE is money at the bottom of the pyramid and businesses can thrive in serving the marginalized, the largest insurance cooperative in the country said.

Roy S. Miclat, president and CEO of the 1Cooperative Insurance System of the Philippines (1CISP), said on Tuesday it surpassed the P2-billion mark in terms of total assets in the third quarter of the year. Moreover, he said the insurance cooperative posted total assets of P2.04 billion as of end-September, a huge 50-percent growth from the P1.36billion asset level in the same period last year.

“We are serving the grassroots market and it has been beneficial to us,” Miclat told reporters in a press briefing on Tuesday in Makati City.

With this asset surge, 1CISP outpaced the 18-percent to 20-percent overall growth of the local insurance industry, Miclat said.

“We are projecting a 35-percent to

36-percent growth in assets in 2018,” Miclat said. “1CISP, in comparison to corporate insurance counterparts, is growing at a remarkable rate, and believe it or not, this is not an isolated phenomenon in the country. It is a lot more common across the world than previously thought, with a precedent since 2007,” Miclat explained, citing the ICMIF outline of industry trends.

At present, 1CISP is the largest cooperative insurance organization in the country and one of the 10 fastest-growing insurance cooperatives in the world, based on the prestigious International Cooperative and Mutual Insurance Federation’s (ICMIF) 2018 rankings. 1CISP has a total 2,861 member-cooperatives around the country. “It is growing at an aver-

Ayala Group to reintroduce Kia Motors cars in Philippines

A

C Industrial Technology Holdings Inc., a wholly owned unit of Ayala Corp., on Wednesday said it signed an agreement with Kia Motors Corp. to distribute the Kia brand in the country.

The company said it will reestablish the Kia brand in the Philippines, by forming a joint venture company—with AC Industrials as majority stockholder—with Columbian Autocar Corp., Kia’s former distributor in the country.

“A comprehensive transition is currently ongoing in line with a targeted relaunch under AC Industrials by January 2019,” it said.

“We are very excited to partner with Kia Motors in reintroducing the Kia brand to the Philippine market. With Kia’s dominant position globally, this partnership will undoubtedly boost AC Industrials’s automotive portfolio and enhance its position in the domestic automotive space,” Ayala Chairman and CEO Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala said.

“Together, we will offer a refreshed, competitive model lineup and an outstanding sales and service experience. We also look forward to gradually bringing to the Filipino market many of the disruptive technologies now reshaping the

future of the automotive industry,” said a joint statement of Ho-Sung Song, EVP and COO of Kia Motors headquarters in Seoul, South Korea; and Steve Lee, president of Kia Motors Asia Regional office based in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Kia will be the sixth brand under AC Automotive, AC Industrials’s vehicle distribution and dealership unit. AC Automotive currently distributes Volkswagen and KTM in the Philippines and is also a co-dealer for both the Honda and Isuzu brands.

Across all four brands, AC Automotive oversees and operates a nationwide network of 27 company-owned and 30 third-party-owned dealerships.

In September 2018 AC Automotive also formalized a partnership with SAIC, China’s largest automaker, to distribute the Maxus commercial vehicle brand beginning in 2019.

Kia Motors was established in Korea in 1944 and an affiliate of the Hyundai Motor Group since 1998. KMC sold 2.76 million vehicles in 2017 in 185 countries through 24 sales offices and over 6,000 dealers.

Collectively, the Hyundai-Kia group is the world’s third-largest automotive manufacturer, producing 7.25 million vehicles in 2017. VG Cabuag

Toyota inaugurates 1-MW solar array in Laguna

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OYOTA Motor Philippines Corp. (TMP) on Wednesday inaugurated its 1-megawatt (MW) solar array estimated to reduce the firm’s carbon emission by 790 tons annually.

Situated in the Toyota Special Economic Zone in Santa Rosa, Laguna, the solar array is one of TMP’s initiatives to trim its carbon footprint, as well as mitigate the effects of climate change.

These objectives are envisioned under the Toyota Environmental Challenge 2050.

The solar array is penciled to supply 4 percent of TMP’s annual power requirements. As a result, it will be able to cut down the firm’s carbon emission by 12 kilogram for every vehicle produced, or around 790 tons of carbon annually, resulting to energy cost savings of around P10 million per year.

The solar array is among the first batch of projects that qualifies under the Joint Crediting Mechanism (JCM) signed by the Philippine and Japanese governments last year. The JCM is one of Tokyo’s ways to address climate change by funding leading low-carbon technologies and systems in developing economies and purchasing the carbon

credit from the project. The Japanese government will subsidize TMP under the JCM. It will cover 30 percent of the total cost of solar panels, inverters and monitoring devices.

Toyota also partnered with Spectrum, a subsidiary of the Manila Electric Co., which provided technical expertise and installed the solar array.

The power facility consists of 2,640 pieces of 385watt peak capacity photovoltaic panels and 22 units of 42-kilowatt Huawei inverters.

In a speech at the inauguration, TMP President Satoru Suzuki said the project came a long way since its conceptualization in 2016. He added the solar array project came in no better time, as the TMP is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year.

“While attaining zero carbon footprint in business operations is a great challenge, which other people even consider impossible, we, at Toyota, will continue to challenge ourselves in making our impossible, possible.

I believe that this is the only way for us to make a contribution towards a sustainable future,” Suzuki said. Elijah Felice E. Rosales

age of five cooperatives a month.”

ICMIF’s Key Statistics Report published on November 20 said 1CISP emerged among the top performers, placing eighth for fastest-growing life insurer, and 17th overall for emerging markets, at a 23.8-percent premium growth in 2016-2017.

Out of ICMIF’s network comprised of 197 members worldwide, 1CISP is among only a handful of Asia-based members with growth stacking up against the international rankings. “ICMIF is one of the industry benchmarks we hold ourselves to, as the only global representative body of the cooperative and mutual insurance sector,” Miclat shared. “And their 2018 report validates the sustained momentum 1CISP has achieved.”

Based on ICMIF analysis over a 10-year period (2007-2017), ICMIF members not only experienced exponential growth, but also outperformed the overall insurance industry average, including noncooperative insurers.

The Key Statistics Report out-

MUTUAL FUNDS

lines, “ICMIF members have grown at a significantly faster aggregate rate than the global insurance market as a whole. During this 10-year period, ICMIF members increased their collective premium volume by 39.3 percent, considerably greater than the total market average, which grew by a total of 16.8 percent.”

“These numbers speak for themselves and support 1CISP’s mission— a prosperous Philippines is a cooperative Philippines,” Miclat stressed.

“While we take pride in reaching greater heights together with our peers in cooperative insurance, we are even happier that cooperatives are getting the credit they deserve.”

Miclat said 1CISP is also bullish in 2019, projecting an upward trajectory in the wake of their P2-billion asset milestone.

“Cooperatives have been succeeding away from the limelight all this time, but our time to shine is now.

We want to show everyone that Philippine cooperatives are making their mark both here and on the world stage, as globally competitive organizations,” he said.

December 5, 2018

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

PER SHARE RETURN* RETURN STOCK FUNDS ALFM GROWTH FUND, INC * 258.56 -6.98% 1.32% 2.72% -11.81% ATRAM ALPHA OPPORTUNITY FUND, INC.* 1.4194 -9.57% 5.49% 2.99% -11.11% ATRAM PHILIPPINE EQUITY OPPORTUNITY FUND, INC.* 4.0167 -7.88% 2.57% 1.44% -12.54% CLIMBS SHARE CAPITAL EQUITY INVESTMENT FUND CORP.* 0.9119 -9.14% N.A. N.A. -10.33% FIRST METRO CONSUMER FUND ON MSCI PHILS. IMI, INC. * ********* 0.8556 N.A. N.A. N.A. N.A. FIRST METRO SAVE AND LEARN EQUITY FUND,INC.* 5.4133 -6.19% 0.37% 2.25% -9.97% MBG EQUITY INVESTMENT FUND, INC. * ****** 115.61 N.A. N.A. N.A. N.A. ONE WEALTHY NATION FUND, INC.* 0.8604 -12.15% N.A. N.A. -13.33% PAMI EQUITY INDEX FUND, INC.* 50.7978 -4.93% 2.64% N.A. -9.92% PHILAM STRATEGIC GROWTH FUND, INC.* 529.78 -5.34% 1.41% 2.16% -9.97% PHILEQUITY DIVIDEND YIELD FUND, INC.* 1.2913 -3.76% 3.01% N.A. -8.05% PHILEQUITY FUND, INC.* 37.6666 -3.8% 3.44% 4.91% -8.34% PHILEQUITY PSE INDEX FUND INC.* 5.119 -4.5% 3.34% 4.66% -9.78% PHILIPPINE STOCK INDEX FUND CORP.* 855.01 -4.32% 3.1% 4.71% -9.59% SOLDIVO STRATEGIC GROWTH FUND, INC. * 0.8854 -3.99% 0.85% N.A. -8.45% SUN LIFE PROSPERITY PHILIPPINE EQUITY FUND, INC.* 4.2061 -3.58% 2.97% 3.07% -8.17% SUN LIFE PROSPERITY PHILIPPINE STOCK INDEX FUND, INC.* 0.9852 -4.74% 3.13% N.A. -9.89% UNITED FUND, INC.* 3.6045 -2.42% 4.37% 3.49% -7.44% EXCHANGE TRADED FUND FIRST METRO PHIL. EQUITY EXCHANGE TRADED FUND, INC.* ***114.2078 -4.03% 4.25% N.A. -9.33% ATRAM ASIAPLUS EQUITY FUND, INC.** $0.9818 -9.72% 2.81% 0.14% -11.41% SUN LIFE PROSPERITY WORLD VOYAGER FUND, INC.* $1.2277 -1.43% N.A. N.A. -2.96% BALANCED FUNDS PRIMARILY INVESTED IN PESO SECURITIES ATRAM DYNAMIC ALLOCATION FUND, INC.* 1.6821 -6.2% -1.14% -0.91% -9.73% ATRAM PHILIPPINE BALANCED FUND, INC.* 2.2385 -6.16% 1.27% 1.05% -8.89% FIRST METRO SAVE AND LEARN BALANCED FUND INC.* 2.5715 -4.75% -2.08% -1.28% -7.16% GREPALIFE BALANCED FUND CORPORATION* **** 1.3265 -5.99% N.A. N.A. -8.83% NCM MUTUAL FUND OF THE PHILS., INC* 1.8654 -3.07% 1.32% 1.96% -6.38% PAMI HORIZON FUND, INC.* 3.5928 -5.28% 0.24% 1.25% -8.3% PHILAM FUND, INC.* 16.1637 -4.93% 0.31% 1.11% -7.94% SOLIDARITAS FUND, INC.* ******** 2.099 -3.57% 1.48% 2.79% -6.38% SUN LIFE OF CANADA PROSPERITY BALANCED FUND, INC.* 3.7413 -3.25% 1.3% 1.47% -6.38% SUN LIFE PROSPERITY DYNAMIC FUND, INC.* 0.9474 -4.03% 0.6% N.A. -7.14% PRIMARILY INVESTED IN FOREIGN CURRENCY SECURITIES COCOLIFE DOLLAR FUND BUILDER, INC.* $0.03491 -3.4% -0.5% 1.3% -3.3% PAMI ASIA BALANCED FUND, INC.* $0.9649 -7.06% 2.51% -0.96% -7.84% SUN LIFE PROSPERITY DOLLAR ADVANTAGE FUND, INC.* $3.5401 -1.93% 3.94% 2.35% -3.08% SUN LIFE PROSPERITY DOLLAR WELLSPRING FUND, INC.* $1.0445 -5.53% N.A. N.A. -6.09% BOND FUNDS PRIMARILY INVESTED IN PESO SECURITIES ALFM PESO BOND FUND, INC.* 342.65 1.79% 2.04% 1.73% 1.64% ATRAM CORPORATE BOND FUND, INC.* ******* 1.8536 -2.55% -0.78% -0.62% -2.05% COCOLIFE FIXED INCOME FUND, INC.* 2.9606 5.45% 5.35% 5.24% 4.91% EKKLESIA MUTUAL FUND INC.* 2.1282 1.03% 1.47% 1.17% 1.24% FIRST METRO SAVE AND LEARN FIXED INCOME FUND,INC.* 2.206 -0.42% -0.01% 0.13% -0.46% GREPALIFE FIXED INCOME FUND CORP.* P 1.5658 -2.94% -0.48% -1.05% -2.72% PHILAM BOND FUND, INC.* 3.9084 -3.77% -0.55% -0.42% -3.5% PHILEQUITY PESO BOND FUND, INC.* 3.4936 0.11% 0.29% 0.09% -0.32% SOLDIVO BOND FUND, INC. * 0.8912 -3.29% -0.89% N.A. -3.47% SUN LIFE OF CANADA PROSPERITY BOND FUND, INC.* 2.7689 -0.38% 0.99% 0.46% -0.29% SUN LIFE PROSPERITY GS FUND, INC.* 1.539 -0.79% 0.48% 0.02% -0.69% PRIMARILY INVESTED IN FOREIGN CURRENCY SECURITIES ALFM DOLLAR BOND FUND, INC. * $447.35 0.47% 2.26% 3.02% 0.32% ALFM EURO BOND FUND, INC. * Є212.55 -0.58% 0.95% 1.54% -0.55% ATRAM TOTAL RETURN DOLLAR BOND FUND, INC.** $1.1239 -0.89% 0.85% 1.88% -0.9% FIRST METRO SAVE AND LEARN DOLLAR BOND FUND, INC.* $0.0249 - 0.4% 0.82% N.A. -0.4% GREPALIFE DOLLAR BOND FUND CORP.* $1.6884 -4.72% -0.55% 1.11% -4.69% 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* $1.027 -4.75% -0.63% -2.59% -4.33% PHILAM DOLLAR BOND FUND, INC.* $2.1511 -4.19% 0.49% 2.49% -4.44% PHILEQUITY DOLLAR INCOME FUND INC.* $0.0569499 -0.84% 0.87% 1.82% -0.44% SUN LIFE PROSPERITY DOLLAR ABUNDANCE FUND, INC.* $2.8689 -4.72% 0.26% 1.58% -4.78% MONEY MARKET FUNDS PRIMARILY INVESTED IN PESO SECURITIES ALFM MONEY MARKET FUND, INC.* 120.49 2.58% 1.81% 1.52% 2.45% PHILAM MANAGED INCOME FUND, INC.* 1.1787 1.88% 0.52% 0.46% 1.84% SUN LIFE PROSPERITY MONEY MARKET FUND, INC.* 1.2158 2.57% 2.23% 1.52% 2.56% PRIMARILY INVESTED IN FOREIGN CURRENCY SECURITIES SUN LIFE PROSPERITY DOLLAR STARTER FUND, INC.* ***** $1.0148 1.57% N.A. N.A. 1.61%

* - 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

www.businessmirror.com.ph | Editor: Angel R. Calso

The World BusinessMirror

Thursday, December 6, 2018

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China swings to trade action as ‘Tariff Man’ Trump continues to ratchet up pressure

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HINA swung into action to start delivering on the trade commitments that led to its weekend truce with the United States, even as uncertainty over what was agreed lingers.

Beijing will start to quickly implement specific items where there’s consensus with the US and will push forward on trade negotiations within the 90-day “timetable and road map,” the Ministry of Commerce said in a statement on Wednesday morning in China.

Hours later, Bloomberg News

reported that officials have begun preparing to restart imports of US soybeans and liquefied natural gas—the first sign confirming the claims of President Donald J. Trump and the White House that China had agreed to start buying some US products “immediately.”

Global markets cheered the

wee kend accord on Mond ay, only to reverse course on Tuesday as doubts emerged over exactly what the world ’s two largest economies had agreed on.

W hile Asian equities dropped on Wednesday in the wake of the biggest slide in stocks on Wall Street since the mid- October downdraft, US futures advanced after the statement from China echoed Trump’s optimism over bilateral trade talks.

The Ministry of Commerce statement described the meeting with the US as “very successful” and said China is “confident” of implementing the results agreed upon at the talks, but didn’t provide any further details on the outcome. It was the first official confirmation from China that there’s

a 90-day window for the talks.

China and the US announced a truce in their trade war after t he meet ing bet ween Tr ump and X i Jinping on Saturd ay, but that quickly descended into confusion, with both sides announcing different statements on what was ag reed. T here’s also been confusion just on the US side, with the W hite House, Trump and his advisers making conf licting statements as to the details of a deal.

The W hite House statement listed what it claimed China had promised to do. The most detailed explanation of what the Chinese say they agreed to came from Foreig n Minister Wang Yi on Saturday in Argentina.

He told reporters that China

had said it was willing to “expand imports according to the needs of its domestic market and people, including importing marketable products from the US to gradually ease the trade imbalances,” adding that both sides had agreed to open their markets to each other.

Chinese officials have been told to take necessary steps for the soybeans and liquefied natural gas purchases, according to two officials with knowledge of the discussions. It wasn’t clear whether the preparations meant China would cut the retaliatory tariffs it imposed on those products, or when the purchases would happen.

Chinese purchases of the goods collapsed after Beijing imposed

tariffs on them in retaliation for US import taxes.

China also announced an array of punishments that could restrict companies’ access to borrowing and state-funding support over intellectual-property theft. It set out a total of 38 different punishments to be applied to IP violations, starting this month. The document, dated November 21, was released on Tuesday by the National Development and Reform Commission and signed by various government bodies, including the central bank and Supreme Court.

Trump, who on Tuesday described himself as “Tariff Man,” continues to ratchet up pressure on China, saying there will be a “REAL DEAL with China, or no deal at all.” Bloomberg News

Oil halts advance as al-Falih says White House intensifies confusion and fear on US-China trade truce Opec deal remains unresolved

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IL retreated after the biggest two-day gain since June as investors grapple with doubts over whether the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (Opec) and its allies will curb production.

Futures slipped as much as 2.1 percent in New York, paring gains of 4.6 percent in the previous two sessions. Saudi Energy Minister Khalid al-Falih said it’s “premature” to say whether the producer group will agree on efforts to stabilize the oversupplied market and walked back recent statements about the size of any supply reduction. Meanwhile, industry data signaled crude stockpiles in America expanded last week.

Crude breached $53 a barrel for the first time in almost two weeks after Russian President Vladimir Putin and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman agreed they would cooperate on managing the oil market. But in talks between officials after that meeting, Saudi Arabia argued Russian proposals, which implied Moscow would cut by a maximum of 150,000 barrels a day, would leave the kingdom shouldering too much of the burden.

“Al-Falih’s comments came only days before the actual meeting, creating uncertainties that are keeping the market unstable,” said Hong Sungki, a commodities trader at NH Investment & Securities Co. in Seoul. “It also shows Saudi Arabia is unhappy with Russia’s reluctance to actively support the group’s effort to curb production to bolster prices.”

West Texas Intermediate for January

delivery dropped as much as $1.09 to $52.16 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange, and was at $52.34 at 2:05 p.m. in Seoul. Futures closed at $53.25, up 30 cents, on Tuesday. Total volume traded was about 76 percent above the 100-day average.

Brent for February settlement fell $1.16 to $60.92 a barrel on London’s ICE Futures Europe exchange, after rising 39 cents on Tuesday. The global benchmark crude was at an $8.38 premium to WTI for the same month.

In an interview with Bloomberg, al-Falih said Moscow backs curbs “in principle,” but it’s too early to say what they will agree to. On the size of cuts, he said the group still needs to “figure out what needs to be done and by how much.” The comments were less definitive than those made last month, when he called for a reduction of 1 million barrels a day.

The world’s two top oil exporters will have another chance to hammer out a deal when al-Falih and his Russian counterpart Alexander Novak attend the Joint Ministerial Monitoring Committee’s meeting in Vienna on Wednesday, a day ahead of the full Opec gathering on December 6. The panel oversees compliance of the 2016 output pact between Opec and its partners.

President Donald J. Trump’s constant pressure on the Opec to lower prices may further complicate the deliberations in Vienna. Trump is seen as one of Prince Mohammed’s few remaining allies in Washington after the murder of Jamal Khashoggi generated intense criticism from American lawmakers. Bloomberg News

Malaysian fugitive financier, 4 others face new 1MDB charges

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UALA LUMPUR, Malaysia—Malaysian police said on Wednesday that they have filed new criminal charges against fugitive financier Low Taek Jho and four others over the multibillion-dollar looting of state investment fund 1MDB. Low is wanted for his alleged role as the mastermind in a massive money laundering and bribery scheme that pilfered billions of dollars from the indebted 1MDB fund. He remains at large but maintains his innocence.

Malaysian authorities charged Low and his father for money laundering in August. Last month, US prosecutors charged Low and two former Goldman Sachs bankers with conspiracy to launder 1MDB money.

Malaysian police chief Mohamad Fuzi Harun said Low and four others, mostly former 1MDB employees, were charged on Tuesday with 13 new money laundering and criminal breach of trust offenses involving losses of $1.17 billion of 1MDB funds.

He said on Wednesday that arrest warrants have been issued for the five, who had fled Malaysia. If they are found in any country, the government will request their extradition so they can be brought back to Malaysia to face charges in court, Fuzi said in a statement.

Former Prime Minister Najib Razak started the 1MDB fund when he took power

in 2009 to promote economic development but it accumulated billions in debts, and is being investigated in the US and several other countries. Anger over the huge scale of the scandal led to the shocking election ouster of Najib’s coalition, and ushered in the first change of power since the country’s independence from Britain in 1957.

The new government reopened the probe into 1MDB that was stifled under Najib’s rule. Najib and his wife have been charged with multiple counts of corruption over the scandal and slammed the charges as political vengeance. His lawyer, his former deputy, two ex-senior government officials and a former chief state minister have also been charged with graft.

Fuzi said Low, 36, was charged with five counts of money laundering involving transfers totaling $1.03 billion into a Swiss bank account between September 2009 and October 2011. Low and his aide, Eric Tan Kim Loong, face two more money laundering charges for receiving $126 million in a Singapore-based bank account, he said.

1MDB’s former lawyer Jasmine Loo Ai Swan, its ex-business development director Casey Tang Keng Chee and former finance director Terence Geh Choh Heng were also charged. AP

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A S H I N G T O N —T h e Trump administration raised doubts on Tuesday about the substance of a USChina trade cease-fire, contributing to a broad stock market plunge and intensifying fears of a global economic slowdown.

Investors had initially welcomed the truce that the administration said was reached over the weekend in Buenos Aires between Presidents Donald J. Trump and Xi Jingping—and sent stocks up on Monday. But on Tuesday, after a series of confusing and conflicting words from Trump and some senior officials, stocks tumbled, with the Dow Jones shedding about 800 points, or 3.1 percent.

W h ite House a ides have struggled to explain the details of what the two countries actually agreed on. And China has not confirmed that it made most of the concessions that the Trump administration has claimed.

“The sense is that there’s less and less agreement between the two sides about what actually took place,” said Willie Delwiche, an investment strategist at Baird.

“There was a rally in the expectation that something had happened. The problem is that something turned out to be nothing.”

Other concerns contributed to the stock sell-off, including falling long-term bond yields. Those lower rates suggested that investors expect the US economy to slow, along with global growth, and possibly fall into recession in the coming year or two.

John Williams, president of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, also unnerved investors by telling reporters on Tuesday that he supports further Fed rate hikes. His

remarks renewed fears that the Fed may miscalculate and raise rates so high or so fast as to depress growth.

The disarray surrounding the China deal coincides with a global economy that faces other challenges: Britain is struggling to negotiate its exit from the European Union. Italy’s government is seeking to spend and borrow more, which could elevate interest rates and stifle growth.

And in the United States, home sales have fallen sharply in the past year as mortgage rates have jumped.

Trump and White House aides have promoted the apparent USChina agreement in Buenos Aires as an historic breakthrough that would ease trade tensions and potentially reduce tariffs. They announced that China had agreed to buy many more American products and to negotiate over the administration’s assertions that Beijing steals American technology. But by Tuesday morning, Trump was renewing his tariff threats in a series of tweets.

“President Xi and I want this deal to happen, and it probably will,” Trump tweeted. “But if not remember, I am a Tariff Man. When people or countries come in to raid the great wealth of our Nation, I want them to pay for the privilege of doing so.”

Trump added that a 90-day timetable for negotiators to reach a deeper agreement had begun and that his aides would see “whether or not a REAL deal with China is actually possible.”

The president’s words had the effect of making the weekend agreement, already a vague and uncertain one, seem even less likely to produce a long-lasting trade accord.

“We expect the relationship between the world’s two largest economies to remain conten-

tious,” Moody’s Investors Service said in a report. “Narrow agreements and modest concessions in their ongoing trade dispute will not bridge the wide gulf in their respective economic, political and strategic interests.”

Among the conflicting assertions that White House officials made was over whether China had actually agreed to drop its 40-percent tariffs on US autos.

In addition, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said on Tuesday on the Fox Business Network that China agreed to buy $1.2 trillion of US products. But Mnuchin added, “if that’s real”—thereby raising some doubt—it would close the US trade deficit with China, and “we have to have a negotiated agreement and have this on paper.”

Many economists have expressed skepticism that very much could be achieved to bridge the vast disagreements between the two countries in just 90 days.

“The actual amount of concrete progress made at this meeting appears to have been quite limited,” Alec Phillips and other economists at Goldman Sachs wrote in a research note.

During the talks in Buenos Aires, Trump agreed to delay a scheduled escalation in US tariffs on many Chinese goods, from 10 percent to 25 percent, that had been set to take effect January 1.

Instead, the two sides are to negotiate over US complaints about China’s trade practices, notably that it has used predatory tactics to try to achieve supremacy in technology. These practices, according to the administration and outside analysts, include stealing intellectual property and forcing companies to turn over technology

to gain access to China’s market.

In return for the postponement in the higher US tariffs, the White House said China had agreed to step up its purchases of US farm, energy and industrial goods. Most economists noted that the two countries remain far apart on the sharpest areas of disagreement, which include Beijing’s subsidies for strategic Chinese industries, in addition to forced technology transfers and intellectual-property theft.

Kudlow acknowledged those challenges in remarks on Tuesday morning. “China’s discussed these things with the US many times down through the years and the results have not been very good,” he said.

“So this time around as I said, I’m hopeful, we’re covering more ground than ever... So we’ll see.”

Complicating the challenge, Trump’s complaints strike at the heart of the Communist Party’s state-led economic model and its plans to elevate China to political and cultural leadership by creating global champions in robotics and other fields.

“It’s impossible for China to cancel its industry policies or major industry and technology development plans,” said economist Cui Fan of the University of International Business and Economics in Beijing.

Trump had tweeted on Sunday that China agreed to “reduce and remove” its 40-percent tariff on cars imported from the US. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said on Monday that there was a “specific agreement” on the auto tariffs.

Yet Kudlow said later that there was no “specific agreement” regarding auto trade, though he added, “We expect those tariffs to go to zero.” AP

EXPECTATIONS LOW AS YEMEN’S WARRING PARTIES MEET FOR TALKS

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AIRO—Yemen’s warring parties will meet in Sweden this week for another attempt at talks aimed at halting their catastrophic three-year-old war, but there are few incentives for major compromises, and the focus is likely to be on firming up a shaky de-escalation.

UN officials say they don’t expect rapid progress toward a political settlement, but hope for at least minor steps that would help to address Yemen’s worsening humanitarian crisis.

Both the internationally recognized government, which is backed by a US-sponsored and Saudi-led coalition, and the Iran-aligned Houthi rebels say they are striving for peace. A Houthi delegation arrived in Stockholm late Tuesday, accompanied by UN envoy Martin Griffiths. The government delegation and the head of the rebel delegation were heading to Sweden on Wednesday.

Confidence-building measures before the talks included a prisoner swap and the evacuation of wounded rebels for medical treatment. The release of funds from abroad by Yemeni President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi to pay state employees in rebel-held territory is also in the works.

Yemeni scholar Hisham Al-Omeisy, who has written extensively about the conflict, said the talks would focus on “de-escalation and starting the political process.”

“It’s not much, but given the humanitarian situation and toxic political atmosphere currently prevalent in Yemen, it’s better than nothing.”

The conflict began with the Houthi takeover of the capital, Sanaa, and much of northern Yemen in 2014. The Saudi-led coalition went to war with the rebels the following March.

The war has claimed at least 10,000 lives, with experts estimating a much

higher toll. Saudi-led air strikes have hit schools, hospitals and wedding parties, and the Houthis have fired long-range missiles into Saudi Arabia and targeted vessels in the Red Sea. The fighting in Yemen has generated the world’s worst humanitarian crisis.

The executive director of the UN’s World Food Program, David Beasley, said on Tuesday that 12 million people suffer from “severe hunger.”

“I’ve heard many say that this is a country on the brink of catastrophe,” Beasley said. “This is not a country on the brink of a catastrophe. This is a country that is in a catastrophe.”

The mounting humanitarian needs, and outrage over the killing of Saudi writer Jamal Khashoggi, have galvanized international support for ending the war. The United States has called for a cease-fire and reduced some of its logistical aid for the coalition.

Iran has also signaled support, urging

all sides “to have constructive and responsible participation in the talks.” But previous peace efforts have failed, with neither side willing to compromise.

Saudi Arabia is unlikely to tolerate what it views as an Iranian proxy on its doorstep, and the Houthis have little incentive to withdraw from the capital and other territories they have captured and held at great cost. Other armed groups taking part in the chaotic civil war, including southern separatists and local militias, will not be taking part in this week’s talks. AP

B4 Thursday, December 6, 2018

BDO FOUNDATION IMPROVES CEBU HEALTH CENTER NO CHILDREN SHOULD BE LEFT BEHIND

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FIRE that gutted more than 20 homes in the municipality of Minglanilla, Cebu, this year was a wakeup call for the town’s health workers. The incident made them realize the crucial role they play as first responders in the community. It motivated them to find ways to improve the emergency assistance and primary health-care services they provide to constituents affected by disasters.

Helping the health workers deliver high-quality patient care is BDO Foundation, the corporate social-responsibility arm of BDO Unibank. The foundation recently renovated Minglanilla Rural Health Unit 1 in line with its rehabilitation program for disaster-stricken or economically disadvantaged communities.

Working with the local government unit and Minglanilla municipal health officer Dr. Jonah Maja Damazo, BDO Foundation significantly improved the health center’s various rooms and spaces for the benefit of mothers and infants, children, senior citizens, persons with disabilities and other

patients. New furniture and fixtures were also installed. The initiative is expected to help improve the health and wellbeing of more than 130,000 people from 19 barangays.

According to Dr. Damazo, “From the bottom of our hearts, I would like to express my gratitude to BDO Foundation and the BDO branch in Minglanilla for working with us to turn our old rural-health unit into a modern health-care facility.” Built in the 1940s, the structure was last renovated in 1999. “In a very short period of time, you completed the renovation. Every time we enter the health center, we will always remember you.”

The newly rehabilitated Minglanilla Rural Health Unit 1 was turned over to local government leaders in inaugural ceremonies led by BDO Foundation President Mario Deriquito and BDO Foundation program director Rose Espinosa. The health facility in the first-class municipality was graciously accepted by the local government unit led by Mayor Elanito Peña and Vice Mayor Robert John Selma.

ROUND 1.5 million Filipino children go to sleep hungry e v e r y n i g ht . I f l u c k y o n Christmas day, some of them will be able to get by with help from people who in the spirit of Christmas share what they can give.

Save the Children believes no child should be left behind. All children, especially the poorest, should have fair and equal access to food and nutrition.

This is what the #LahatDapat campaign aims to achieve—public awareness on the alarming status of child hunger and malnutrition in the country.

“Inflation hits the more than 8 million food-poor families in the Philippines,” said Save the Children Philippines Chief Executive Officer lawyer Alberto T. Muyot. “Our campaign gives everyone an opportunity to make a difference in the lives of children, particularly those in disadvantaged communities in the Philippines.”

By supporting the #LahatDapat campaign, the donor helps in Save the Children Philippines’s Nurture Project, which aims to reduce the number of deaths among children under 5 years old, due to malnutrition-related diseases.

The project is currently being

implemented by the local government of Navotas City, in eight barangays, among 373 children from 6-59 months old who are either moderately or severely acute malnourished; among mothers/ caregivers of malnourished kids; and among pregnant mothers and lactating women who are nutritionally at risk.

Save the Children Philippines supports the local government’s nutrition program, including the supplementary feeding program, by providing technical and logistical support, as well as additional funding, equipment and capacity building.

In 2016 Save the Children Philippines started the community-based management of acute malnutrition (CMAM) project in Navotas City. The CMAM aims to help malnourishedchildren“graduate”fromtheir condition, gradually going from severely malnourished to moderate to normal.

T his year under the Nur ture Project, the Conditional Cash Transfer component for nutritious food and technical vocational skills was integrated in the interventions.

Before Navotas City, the CMAM was implemented in Mindanao in 2008 following the effects of the armed conflict between the military and Moro Islamic Liberation Front, and in the Visayas

soon after.

“By supporting the #LahatDapat Christmas campaign, we ensure a healthy start for Filipino children,” said Riel Andaluz, Save the Children Philippines head of Strategic Partnerships.

LIGHTING ‘WHIMSICAL WINTERLAND’ AT MARCO POLO ORTIGAS MANILA

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HE season of joy has officially begun, as the Forbes Travel Guide 5 -Star award w inner unlocked the doors to Winterland with the golden key, in a ceremonial tree lighting on November 21.

This year’s theme comes from the classic tale that brings a magical journey. Guests were welcomed by the voices of a choir group with a set of Christmas carols. Afterward, general manager Frank Reichenbach we lcomed cor porate c l ient s, i nhouse guests and media partners for gracing the event.

“Christmas is a time for family and true friendship. This year’s theme ‘W himsical Winterland ’ brings to

life the Lewis Carroll’s classic Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. We are pleased to present how the world can and is, indeed, more vibrant, enc ha nt ing a nd del ight f u l when v iewed through the eyes of [the innocent]. It is by reveling in childlike wonder, like [what] Alice did in the beloved children’s stor y, [which] we may begin [by] fully embracing what this season means for all of us,” Reichenbach said.

Of f icer in c harge and cit y administrator of Pasig City lawyer Dianeth Valencia graced the event to celebrate with the hotel. “We are happy to take part in this event, as the hotel and the city’s goals are

GIVE LAB ON CHRISTMAS DAY

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ITH Christmas fast approaching, most of us are seriously thinking of what gifts to give our loved ones. Shall we opt for the biggest, brightest, and most expensive items in the store? Or shall we share something sentimental that is sure to elicit much love? But beyond the material or emotional presents, there is one gift that we may not immediately think about, something that is usually taken for granted, but something that we should definitely give ourselves too. It’s the gift of good health, something that is of great value, and one that will ensure more quality time with our family and friends.

Now, how will we know if our health is at the optimum?

Maybe we watch what we eat, we exercise regularly, and we feel great. But we can’t really say what goes on inside our body.

And especially during the holidays, when we will most likely feast on lots of sweet, salty, and other sinful food, it would be good to know how our bodies can handle all that indulgence.

The best way to know for sure is still by getting ourselves tested. So, give ourselves the gift of a lab test this Christmas.

But, of course, we’d like to have those tests done by a most modern, reliable, and trusted diagnostics laboratory in the country – Hi-Precision Diagnostics.

With over two decades of excellence and expertise in its field, Hi-Precision Diagnostics (HPD) continues to provide the highest

quality in medical laboratory services in the Philippines. Because it firmly believes that “everybody deserves hi-quality healthcare,” HPD offers a whole range of affordable tests in its over 40 branches nationwide, all of which can aid in diagnosing patients’ health concerns. Among these comprehensive tests are fully automated laboratory exams, X-ray, ECG, 2D Echo with Doppler, ultrasound, CT scan, digital mammography, drug testing, and some that are not readily available in the country or those that are esoteric or difficult to perform. Also available are multi-specialty doctors’ clinics, outpatient endoscopy, and surgeries.

With its clients’ comfort and convenience in mind, HPD offers home service and mobile on-site services not only to individuals but also to a wide array of clientele that includes corporations from various industries.

HPD continues to be a pioneer in the industry by acquiring technologically-advanced machines and software.

HPD is the first medical laboratory in the Philippines that allows patients to access and download their results online. They can also download the HPD mobile app to access their results and get updated with the latest news, promos, and events.

One promo right in time for the season is happening right now until Dec. 31, 2018 at its Vertis North branch (call 09177071955; 0933-8690061). The offer is for a 10% discount on all laboratory tests (except imaging services and special tests).

HPD is ISO 9001:2008 Certified and its Main Office is accredited to PNS ISO 15189:2010. The company is licensed by the Department of Health (DOH), and accredited with the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) and by the Dangerous Drug Board (DDB), DECS, Philippines National Police (PNP), SOSIA, and FED to do their drug testing requirements.

Aside from being accredited and licensed by local and international agencies, HPD continuously undergoes international quality assurance programs to make sure that its test results are at par with international studies.

For more information about HiPrecision Diagnostics, call its Customer Care hotline: 741-7777. Or visit its website: www.hi-precision.com.ph.

the same in terms of celebrating Christmas. We really can feel and smell the Christmas at Marco Polo,” Valencia said.

Sharing the spirit of Christmas, the children of Riversprings School were gathered to light up the 25-foot Christmas tree together with the owning company Xin Tian Ti, officially starting the magical journey. The spectacle of lights bringing wonders to the whimsical decorations brought guests a nostalgia of the classic book.

T he hotel ’s assoc i ates su r pr ised everyone with a performance over a classic holiday song.

Just as the season of giving is around the corner, the hotel also marked the third year of the Wings of Hope program. This year guests are encouraged to adopt an eagle stuffed toy for a minimal fee of P650, with proceeds supporting the Philippine Eagle Foundation’s efforts in preserving and looking after the national bird.

Resident manager Roel Constantino concluded the event with a few words, “Fueled by the spirit of discovery and the heartfelt commitment to serve, Marco Polo Ortigas Manila is proud to be among the most recognized institutions in the hospitality and travel industry.

We hope today’s celebration inspires everyone here today, to make real what others deem impossible and remain as curious as ever.”

SM CITY TARLAC’S BELENISMO ENTRY SHOWCASES DIVINE LOVE

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M City Tarlac’s entry to this year’s Belenismo showcases not only a display that pleases the eyes, but a centerpiece that refreshes one’s spirituality.

Ta k i ng i n s pi rat ion f rom t he church—the house of God—the Belen sits on a backdrop of stained glass, reminiscent of the devotion we have as we submit in prayer before the Almighty.

The multicolored panels, 16 feet to 20 feet in height, refract light adding a whole new dimension to the display.

Sourced from discarded stained glass windows of different churches in Luzon, the colorful backdrop was carefully put together. Augmenting some panels and mending broken ones, the Belen made use of sugar, one of Tarlac’s main produce. The melted- then-hardened crystals resulted to faux glass panels.

The Holy Family, the Three Kings

and the angel were swathed in textured fabrics, which added to the appeal of the display. Noteworthy is the sinamay fabric—an indigenous material made from abaca—that was used in the sacred characters’ clothes. The three characters—Mary, Joseph and baby Jesus—were brought to life through robotics, thus, gives life to the display.

The base of the platform, on which the display sits upon, was made of more than 3,000 recycled glass bottles, reflecting off the light from the stained glass panels. This artistic alignment of the elements would symbolize the Almighty’s grace casting colors on His creations, so they may shine as a testimony to His greatness.

The platform was wrapped with hundreds of green flowers handcrafted from the collected 10,000 pieces of green plastic bottles through the

Trash to Cash initiative of the mall.

These recycled pieces symbolize the simplicity and humility of Christ when He was born. The Belen also displays four transl at ions of t he “Prayer before the Belen” in English, Filipino, Kapampangan and Ilocano.

T he 32-foot Belen is a g rand showcase of the versatility of indigenous materials, as well as recycled ones. It is also the tangible testimony of the hard work invested by 30 artistic hands and minds to deliver this holiday display for a month.

The Belen is open for viewing and photo sessions from November 5 until the Epiphany of 2019. Continuing to spread God’s love for humanity, the stained glass panels shall be turned over to Monasterio de Tarlac, a well-known monastery where the sacred relic of the Holy Cross can be found.

Sports BusinessMirror

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| Thursday, December 6, 2018 mirror_sports@yahoo.com.ph Editor: Jun Lomibao

OPPROBRIUM IN AN INSTANT P

ARIS—First, the good news: In 2018, a man can no longer disrespect a trailblazing sportswoman on global TV without incurring instant opprobrium.

French DJ Martin Solveig learned this to his discomfort when he asked Ada Hegerberg to twerk just after she became the first female winner of the Ballon d’Or and used her victory speech to appeal to girls everywhere to “please, believe in yourself.”

Immediately after the awards ceremony ended, with outrage already frothing on social media, Solveig still couldn’t see why his inappropriate suggestion to the 23-year-old Norwegian was causing such upset.

“It was a joke. You must have a bit of a sense of humor,” he told The Associated Press as gala guests filed out of the domed Grand Palais in Paris on Monday and Hegerberg posed for photos with her heavy golden trophy.

But then, as a video clip showing Solveig’s interaction with Hegerberg started to rack up millions of views on Twitter, he understood. Solveig sought out Hegerberg to explain himself and tweeted “sincere apologies.”

“I didn’t mean to offend anyone and I didn’t know that this could be seen as such an offense,” he said in a video message.

The bad news, as the whole sorry episode showed, is that in 2018, the behavior of men is still overshadowing the achievements of women.

And Hegerberg’s achievements are immense. The steely forward is a three-time winner of the Women’s Champions League with French club Lyon. Given her young age and current fearsome pace of 41 goals in 41 games in the tournament, she seems likely to make history like Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi on the men’s side. Already, she set a tournament record with 15 Champions League goals last season—including in Lyon’s 4-1 victory over Wolfsburg in the final.

Hegerberg appeared visibly miffed, shaking her head, responding with a firm “Non” and then turning away after Solveig asked her on stage in French, “Do you know how to twerk?”

Had Messi or Ronaldo been standing beside him, it’s hard to imagine the DJ asking them to shake their backsides in the twerking dance made famous by singer Miley Cyrus rubbing against Robin Thicke at the 2013 MTV Video Music Awards.

That Solveig did so with Hegerberg immediately struck many as icky.

“Why do woman still have to put up with that [expletive]?” tennis player Andy Murray wrote on Instagram.

“To everyone who thinks people are overreacting and it was just a joke, it wasn’t. I’ve been involved in sport my whole life and the level of sexism is unreal.”

At the gala for her daughter’s prize moment, Hegerberg’s mother, Gerd, said the impropriety of Solveig’s remark was initially lost on her.

“Let him dance with the queen tonight, I was thinking,” she told the AP. But when the meaning of twerk was then explained to her, she reacted with dismay, with an expletive.

Hegerberg herself didn’t let the uproar mar her evening. After meeting with Solveig and hearing his apology, she was determinedly cheerful by time she came to speak to waiting reporters.

“I wasn’t upset,” she said. “I got to dance a bit and I got the Ballon d’Or.” The visibility and status that comes with that trophy will give Hegerberg more power to push the cause of women’s soccer. She is already putting that leverage to use. She told the AP in an interview shortly before she picked up her trophy that she won’t play in the Women’s World Cup in June in France because of a dispute with the Norwegian federation. Hegerberg hasn’t played for the national team since last year because of what she perceives to be a general disregard for women’s soccer in Norway.

“It’s all about how we respect women’s football. I don’t think the respect has been there,” she told the AP. “Sometimes you have to take tough decisions to stay true to yourself.” AP

FOR RAHM, BEATING TIGER’S SO SPECIAL TIGER WOODS (left) congratulates Jon Rahm during the trophy ceremony after the European team won the 2018 Ryder Cup goat Le Golf National in Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines in France in September. AP

By Doug Ferguson

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The Associated Press

ASSAU, Bahamas—Three victories in three countries against fields large and small, strong and weak, couldn’t make Jon Rahm’s year any better. Nothing could top one win that offered no money, no world ranking points or even a trophy to call his own.

He beat Tiger Woods in the Ryder Cup. “I don’t think there’s anything I can do in the game anytime soon that’s going to mean more than that,” Rahm said.

When he spoke late Sunday afternoon after a four-shot victory in the Bahamas, the Masters was still 130 days away. That’s the next major, and majors are the greatest achievement for any player. Rahm is no exception.

But yes, that Ryder Cup was special.

If his tears that Sunday at Le Golf National didn’t show that, Rahm spoke for just over four minutes and used 638 words to explain.

His year ended with Woods presenting him the trophy from the Hero World Challenge, but really that was the start of his

FRENCH DJ and musician Martin Solveig (left) talks to Ada Hegerberg during the Ballon d’Or award ceremony at the Grand Palais in Paris. AP

story. As they looked at the trophy, where Woods’s name first shows up in 2001, Rahm said Woods asked, “How old were you?”

Rahm was 7.

“I saw him win a great deal of events, grew up with a dream of someday beating him, and to do it on the Sunday or a Ryder Cup...it was extremely special,” he said.

Seve Ballesteros inspired him, and still does. Woods motivated the 24-year-old Spaniard, as he did for so many other young players from Rahm’s generation. He studied Woods, including a recent documentary for the British Open that helped on Sunday at Albany.

“He said once he got in the lead, his goal was to never go back to the field, to have the field catch him,” Rahm said.

That wasn’t the only film Rahm has watched.

He says he probably has seen every video on Woods and Ballesteros that can be found on the Internet. And that’s probably how his fiancée learned the game.

“She had no idea about golf, and I would just get the laptop and make her watch all the highlights of Tiger,” Rahm said. “I’ve seen Tiger’s final round at Pebble in 2000 about 150 times.”

And that brings him to Saturday night outside Paris.

Europe had a 10-6 lead with Rahm contributing a point

in his first Ryder Cup. “Kind of felt like I was letting the team down,” he said. Rahm knew he would be in the No. 4 spot for Europe, and then the US lineup was revealed. He was expecting to see Woods toward the back because that’s where he had been the last two times he played, at No. 8 in Wales and No. 12 at Medinah.

This time, Woods was at No. 4 against Rahm.

“I’m like, ‘Great.’To me, the greatest golfer of all time that I’ve been able to see, he just won at East Lake, he’s 0-3, I was 0-2. I’m like, ‘He really wants to win this, for sure, and I’m not playing my best.’ So that was my first train of thought,” Rahm said.

He spent time that night and the next morning talking to his mental coach, European captain Thomas Bjorn and Tommy Fleetwood, who had experience playing Woods, including all three of Woods’s losses that week. He thought about a strategy, which turned out to be the easy part.

Woods doesn’t make a lot of mistakes, so the Ryder Cup rookie better be close to flawless.

The gallery was the largest on the course, and not because Rahm was playing.

Turns out it was Woods who made the mistakes, with bogeys on the 13th and 14th holes to fall two down. Rahm missed a short putt on the 16th hole, giving him a 1-up lead

with two to play. He responded with a shot into 5 feet on the 17th and a chance to close out his golfing idol.

Rahm never lacks for emotions, and by now they were raging.

His grandfather died on the Sunday of the Professional Golfers’ Association Championship and was on his mind.

As he settled over the putt, he heard a Spanish voice in the gallery yell, “Do it for Seve!” Rahm could picture both of them watching and thought to himself, “There’s no way them two are going to allow me to miss the putt.”

He dropped his putter and lost his mind when the putt went in.

“It’s all that feeling, right?” Rahm said. “I tried to stay as balanced as possible, I never got mad, even after missing the putt on 16. Making the putt to beat Tiger Woods, my all-time hero...man, it was hard.”

He was screaming and hugging and forgot for a moment that Woods had walked across the green to congratulate him.

“He came to me with a smile,” Rahm said. “He said, ‘Man, don’t even worry, you played great.’ And I started crying in front of Tiger. It was such an emotional moment.”

That’s how much it meant to him, because that’s how much Woods means to him.

Korean curling official quits post over abuse suspicions

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EOUL, South Korea—A beleaguered South Korean curling official says he and his family will leave the sport for good as the government investigates their alleged abusive treatment of the “Garlic Girls,” the country’s hugely popular Olympic silver medalists.

Former Korean Curling Federation Vice President Kim Kyung-doo said on Tuesday he offers a “sincere apology” to the athletes and also for causing “great disappointment” to the public.

Kim admitted to accusations that he verbally abused members of the team, saying he had been “unskilled” in expression. However, Kim has been denying more serious accusations, including holding back donations and prize money from the team. Kim’s statement was sent to reporters hours before the Sports Ministry decided to extend its inquiry into the allegations by two weeks until December 21 to look deeper into the suspicion of financial wrongdoings.

Kim and his family had extensive control over the team with his daughter, Kim Minjung, being the head coach and her husband the mixed doubles coach.

“We dedicated ourselves to curling for 25 years, sacrificing our family and friends for the development of the sport,” Kim said in the statement. “But it was our great failure that we were unable to look around and properly consider those around us. I would like to say once more that I and my family will completely leave curling.”

The five-member women’s curling team became an overnight sensation after their improbable silver medal run in February’s Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea. Their nickname is a nod to the famous garlic produced in their hometown in Uiseong, in southern South Korea, where they met and began playing together as teenagers.

But an inner-conflict was exposed last month when Kim Eun-jung, Kim Seon-yeong, Kim Cho-hee, and sisters Kim Yeong-ae and Kim Yeong-mi sent a letter

to the Korean Sport and Olympic Committee accusing Kim of verbal abuse and team coaches of giving unreasonable orders and excessive control. The curlers also said the coaches withheld money and tried to sideline the married captain Kim Eun-jung after learning of her plans to start a family.

They said the coaches also tried to force Kim Cho-hee off the team ahead of the Olympics to open a spot for Head Coach Kim Min-jung to participate as an athlete, and that Kim Kyung-doo responded with a tirade after they decided to stick with their teammate.

South Korea, which has long associated Olympic achievements with national pride, has struggled to root out abuse and corruption bred by factionalism and nepotism from its highly competitive elite sports scene, where such problems have often been overlooked as long as the athletes produce. AP

KIM EUN-JUNG (second from right) speaks during a press conference in Seoul. AP

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Business

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Eaglets capture jrs baseball title

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TENEO carved out a 2-0 win over National University (NU) to rule the University Athletic Association of the Philippines Season 81 juniors baseball tournament on Tuesday at the Rizal Memorial Baseball Stadium.

The Blue Eaglets won the best-of-three series, 2-0, with pitcher Zach Urbina named as the Finals Most Valuable Player (MVP).

The other Ateneo individual awardees were first base Matthew San Juan (Most Runs Batted In), second base Dax Fabella (Most Home Runs) and center field Marcel Guzman (Most Stolen Bases).

The Eaglets lost to the Bullpups twice in the short double-round eliminations, but emerged victorious in the games that mattered.

Ateneo won last Saturday’s championship opener, 6-3.

NU’s Kiel Olazo bagged the season MVP award, to go with the Best Hitter and Best Slugger plums. Rezel Esqulito took the Most Home Runs honors.

Zobel bets near girls’ volley plum

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E LA SALLE-ZOBEL nipped National University (NU), 25-23, 28-26, 13-25, 1925, 15-13, to move closer to annexing the girls’ crown in University Athletic Association of the Philippines Season 81 high-school volleyball Finals on Wednesday at the Filoil Flying V Centre.

Angel Canino scattered all of her 18 points through spikes while Alleiah Malaluan chipped in 16 points and 14 digs as the Junior Lady Spikers snatched a 1-0 lead in the raceto-two series.

Game 2 is on Sunday at the San Juan Arena with De La Salle-Zobel hoping to clinch its first title since completing a “three-peat” in 2013 with a powerhouse roster led by Kim Kianna Dy and Dawn Macandili.

The Junior Lady Spikers are gunning for a record 10th title.

Sheena Toring and Evangeline Alinsug each scored 16 points while Faith Nisperos and Mhicaela Belen contributed 13 and 12 points, respectively, for the Bullpups.

Lady Realtors seek stunner

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TA. LUCIA clashes with Petron hoping for a major stunner in a sudden-death quarterfinals duel in the Philippine Superliga All-Filipino Conference on Thursday at the Batangas Sports Coliseum in Batangas City.

Action starts at 7 p.m. with the Lady Realtors looking to spoil the Blaze Spikers’ march to the crown in the women’s club tournament bankrolled by Isuzu, Mikasa, Senoh, Asics, Mueller, UCPB Gen and Bizooku with Genius Sports as technical partner.

Also shooting for a spot in the semifinals are Generika-Ayala and Smart, which collide in the 4:15 p.m. match of the season-ending conference that has ESPN5, Hyper HD and Aksyon TV as broadcast partners.

After Filipino-American spiker MJ Philips and Chin Basas were ruled out for the rest

SEASON Most Valuable Player Bright Akhuetie of University of the Philippines (UP) is joined by fellow Mythical Five members (from left) Juan Gomez de Liaño (UP), Jerrick Ahanmisi (Adamson University), Alvin Pasaol (University of the East) and Justin Baltazar (De La Salle). NONOY LACZA

AKHUETIE SHINES BRIGHT WITH SEASON M.V.P. TROPHY

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NIVERSITY of the Philippines’s (UP) Nigerian big man Bright Akhuetie officially lifted his Most Valuable Player (MVP) trophy in Season 81 University Athletic Association of the Philippines in ceremonies held before the Game Two of the men’s basketball Finals between UP and Ateneo at the Smart Araneta Coliseum on Wednesday.

Akhuetie, a 6-foot-8 center, averaged 18.9 points, 14.6 rebounds and 2.8 assists in 14 games for a front-running 82.50 statistical points (SPs).

Joining Akhuetie in the Mythical Five were University of the East’s Alvin Pasaol (74.57), UP’s Juan Gomez de Liaño (63.86), De La Salle’s Justine Baltazar (61.29) and Adamson University’s Jerrick Ahanmisi (53.38).

Akhuetie became only the second Fighting

CHAMPI

Maroon MVP since Eric Altamirano, who bagged the award in 1986 when UP won its first crown in the league.

Ateneo’s Angelo Kouame, of Ivory Coast, actually ranked second in SPs with 72.2 but was disqualified for an individual award. The UAAP allows only one foreign student-athlete in the first team.

No regrets though as Kouame took the Rookie of the Year honors.

Completing the top 10 were University of Santo Tomas’s rookie sensation CJ Cansino (57.3 SPs), Adamson University’s Sean Manganti (56.85 SPs) and Papi Sarr (55.64 SPs) and Ateneo high-flyer Thirdy Ravena (55.23 SPs).

Ramon Rafael Bonilla

By Ramon Rafael Bonilla

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TENEO de Manila University showed who’s boss—and who has the experience and materials—and won Game Two over University of the Philippines (UP) by a mile, 99-81, to capture a second consecutive men’s basketball crown in Season 81 University Athletic Association of the Philippines.

The Blue Eagles were methodical in posting the lopsided victory witnessed by a crowd of 23,471 faithfuls from both sides of Katipunan at the Smart Araneta Coliseum and thousands more in both campuses where video walls were set up by their respective administrations.

And the man of the hour? Thirdy Ravena.

Perlas Spikers zero in on 3rd spot

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ANKO-PERLAS broke away from a tight duel midway in the fourth set and fashioned out a 25-14, 26-28 10-25, 25-19 victory over PetroGazz to zero in on third-place honors in the Premier Volleyball League Season 2 Open Conference at the Filoil Flying V Centre in San Juan on Wednesday.

Dzi Gervacio unleashed a 19-kill game and finished with 20 points while Nicole Tiamzon and Sue Roces took over at endgame to deliver the victory for the Perlas Spikers reeling from a sudden-death setback to the upstart Ateneo-Motolite Lady Eagles in the Final Four last Sunday.

But they came out fighting against the Angels, dominating the first set and pulling through in an extended second set skirmish before rebounding from a lackluster showing in the third with a big run

in the next to complete the victory.

“We talked after that loss [to Ateneo] and vowed to end the season with a win,” said Gervacio after claiming the game’s top honors.

“Though we failed to make it to the finals, at least we’d finish third.”

The Spikers actually trailed by two in the early going of the fourth but strung up a series of hits while pouncing on the Angels’ miscues to seize a commanding 18-12. Tiamzon then hammered in a spike to end a long rally for a 23-17 BanKo lead then the former University of the Philippines stalwart put the team at match point with a through-the-block hit before Roces finished off their rivals with her patented running attack.

The Spikers go for the clincher on Saturday at the Batangas City Coliseum.

of the season because of injuries, the Lady Realtors crashed in all of their 10 matches to finish last in the preliminaries and book a quarterfinal duel with unbeaten Petron.

But head coach George Pascua challenged his wards to come up with a strong fight not only to change their fortune but also block the Blaze Spikers’ bid to duplicate a clean sweep of the tournament.

“We don’t want to end up winless,” said Pascua, whose crew bowed to Petron in nailbiting fashion in their previous meeting, 18-25, 25-27, 17-25.

“I told the players to give their all. We don’t want this to be our last game.

We will play our hearts out no matter who’s on the other end of the court,” he added.

Petron is looking to rewrite history by coming up with a sweep, a feat it achieved in 2015 with a core composed of Dindin Manabat, Rachel Anne Daquis and Aby Marano.

Interestingly, Pascua was the head coach of that record-setting squad with incumbent Petron coach Shaq Delos Santos and Foton deputy Edjett Mabbayad serving as his assistants.

“Yes, I still

THIRDY RAVENA puts an exclamation point to the Blue Eagles’ title conquest.

NONOY LACZA

RICA RIVERA keeps the ball in play for Sta. Lucia during the Lady Realtors match with the Foton Tornadoes on Tuesday. The Tornadoes won, 25-23, 23-25, 25-20, 25-18.

won the title,” Pascua said.

But beating Petron is easier said than done.

The Blaze Spikers are playing flawless volleyball lately and lost only one set in the second round of the preliminaries.

Delos Santos said their morale is high and are very much ready for the quarterfinals.

“We worked hard in the preliminaries so expect us to work harder in the quarterfinals,” said Delos Santos, who will bank on middle blockers Mika Reyes and Remy Palma anew with Rhea Dimaculangan, Aiza Maizo-Pontillas, Sisi Rondina and Bernadeth Pons backing them up.

remember that. We had a very strong team before and nobody beat us until we

Man says he will prove he didn’t kill Michael Jordan’s dad

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UMBERTON, North Carolina—For more than 25 years, the man identified as the triggerman in the death of Michael Jordan’s father has repeatedly declared his innocence in the murder.

Now he’s going before a judge to lay out evidence he says proves that although he helped dispose of the body, he didn’t kill James Jordan in the early-morning darkness one July day in 1993.

“I had nothing to do with this man losing his life, period. I wasn’t connected to the murder. I came in after he was already dead. ... The way I look at it is: I denied his family the right to a proper burial because of what I did,” Daniel Green said last week in an interview at the Lumberton Correctional Institution in Robeson County, the same county where Jordan was killed.

Jordan was killed July 23, 1993. His body was found 11 days later in a South Carolina swamp. It wasn’t identified until dental records confirmed it was James Jordan. His body had been cremated except for his jaw and hands, which were saved for identification.

On Wednesday, Green goes to court, where defense attorney Chris Mumma and

prosecutors from the state attorney’s general office will argue whether he deserves an evidentiary hearing that could lead to a new trial. Mumma says this is the first time a judge will hear all evidence gathered by the defense. The state Court of Appeals upheld his conviction in 1996, as did the state Supreme Court in 1999.

Green was convicted of first-degree murder. His friend, Larry Demery, testified that Green pulled the trigger and killed Jordan in a roadside robbery gone wrong. Both are serving life sentences.

Green, 44, was 18 when Jordan was killed.

He’s probably best remembered for a video in which he rapped while wearing a National Basketball Association All-Star ring and gold watch that Michael Jordan gave to his father.

Green says he got the jewelry from the car console two days later.

Superior Court Judge Winston Gilchrist will hear the arguments in Lee County court in Sanford. Defense filings make various claims.

Several people say they saw Green at a family cookout at the time Jordan was killed. Other issues deal with blood-evidence testimony, the handling of Jordan’s shirt, and ineffective

IN this February 17, 1989, file photo, the Chicago Bulls’ Michael Jordan serves his father, James, a slice of birthday cake as his mother, Doloris, watches during a party in honor of Jordan’s 26th birthday in Chicago, Illinois. AP

trial and appellate counsel.

Green said Demery left the cookout to meet someone for a drug deal and he refused an invitation to accompany Demery. Green

said he was just out of prison for a conviction that was later vacated, and a girl “was kissing on” him so there was no way he’d abandon that opportunity.

Demery returned hours later, Green said, and told him he approached Jordan at a motel parking lot because he mistakenly thought Jordan was the drug connection he was supposed to meet. He said Demery told him the two had an altercation and Demery killed Jordan.

If that’s true, then much of what people think they know about the murder is wrong, starting with the notion that James Jordan was killed as he slept in his parked Lexus along Interstate 95.

“I don’t think anybody knows the truth about what happened to James Jordan—the state or the defense,” Mumma said.

Attorney Hugh Rogers, who represented Demery, said no physical evidence tied either man to the shooting.

“It became ‘he said, he said,’” Rogers said. “I guess looking at the various versions each one gave, once Larry got to his ultimate version, there was more corroboration there than there was to Daniel’s ultimate version.”

Green said he and Demery became friends in third grade, when they got into a playground fight and a teacher made them apologize and read books together. When he found out Demery had accused him, Green said, he couldn’t believe it.

As he wore the jewelry and drove around in the red Lexus, Green said he thought he was using the possessions of a drug dealer. He

Ravena didn’t make Season 81’s Mythical Five who were awarded their trophies before tip off. But he sure dished out a hell of a game that knocked the title aspirations off the heads of the Fighting Maroons.

The wingman scored a career-high 38 points he decorated with six rebounds, six assists and three steals.

Ateneo Head Coach Tab Baldwin couldn’t hide his satisfaction after bringing the team to its second title—and 10th overall—that he finally made his voice heard in the cavernous coliseum.

“I feel so blessed to have my players,” Baldwin said. “Dignity, class and servanthood, that’s what we teach in our team.”

Against a UP squad that persevered and dead-set at ending a 32-year title drought, Ateneo never wavered and made sure there will be no Game Three.

Bright Akhuetie couldn’t stamp the form that

Samsung extends IOC sponsorship

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EOUL, South Korea—Samsung has extended its International Olympic Committee (IOC) sponsorship deal through the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, making it 30 years of Summer and Winter Games support.

The IOC says the South Korean technology firm will give limited-edition phones to all Olympic and Paralympic athletes.

The value of the deal was not stated. The IOC’s 2017 annual report showed $493-million revenue from 13 top-tier sponsors.

The deal was signed on Tuesday in Seoul by IOC president Thomas Bach and Samsung Electronics vice chairman Lee Jae-yong, known in business circles as Jay Y. Lee. Samsung was roiled by corruption scandals in national politics before the 2018 Pyeongchang Olympics. Lee was convicted of bribery and served several months in prison until an appeals court suspended his sentence in February. AP

believes he learned he had helped dispose of the body of James Jordan when he read that in news stories.

By that time, Michael Jordan had helped the North Carolina Tar Heels win the 1982 NCAA championship and led the Chicago Bulls to three NBA titles. He would win three more titles with the Bulls; he now owns the Charlotte Hornets.

A spokeswoman for Michael Jordan declined to comment on Green’s attempt for a new trial.

In addition to evidence in the defense filings, Green’s lawyers will contend that no one was convicted of actually killing James Jordan. Demery accused Green, but jurors found in the sentencing phase that Green didn’t kill or intend to kill Jordan, and didn’t plan to use deadly force.

The state attorney general’s office says jurors’ opinions at sentencing aren’t relevant to the conviction of first-degree murder under the felony murder rule, which means someone died during the commission of another crime.

The district attorney who prosecuted Green said he doesn’t believe it matters who shot Jordan, although he’s confident the evidence showed Green pulled the trigger.

“If you ask me who killed James Jordan, I’m going to say Daniel Green and Larry Demery,” said Johnson Britt, who retires at the end of the year. AP

orts

sMirror

Thursday, December 6, 2018

NBA RESULTS Indiana 96, Chicago 90 Orlando 105, Miami 90 Dallas 111, Portland 102 Sacramento 122, Phoenix 105 Utah 139, San Antonio 105

M

IONS AGAIN! made him the best individual player of the season, while his Ateneo counterpart, Angelo Kouame, made a statement and proved why he is the Rookie of the Year.

Kouame had a monstrous 22-point, 20-rebound, two-block performance, more than enough to complement Ravena’s explosion that all but silenced all dreams by their foes for a Cinderella finish.

Akhuetie finished with 19 polints and grabbed seven rebounds in the match.

Ravena is waxing too hot in the final quarter by unloading 18 points that helped give Ateneo its biggest lead at 81-59 in the 6:52 mark Matt Nieto capped with a completed fastbreak.

The match was delayed for some 10

minutes when the Ateneo bench called the game officials’ attention on Akhuetie’s heavily braced left knee which he hyperextended in Game One. The Nigerian was obliged to take off the brace.

Juan Gomez de Liaño scattered 24 points and seven rebounds to lead UP, while Paul Desiderio and Javi Gomez de Liaño added 15 and 11 points, respectively.

Jun Manzo, who had 19 in Game One, was scoreless in 17 minutes of action.

With the repeat, calls for a “five-peat” which Ateneo pulled off from 2009 to 2013, have resonated.

“I have no idea what presents itself next year. We want to build the team for another championship,” Baldwin said.

Anton Asistio is the only graduating player in the Ateneo roster, while at UP, team skipper Desiderio, Diego Dario, Christopher Vito and Jarrell Lim played their final year in the league.

Desiderio said there is nothing to be ashamed of.

“We are happy because we made it to the Finals and no one expected us to be here,” he said.

National University, meanwhile, beat Far Eastern University, 67-61, to keen the women’s basketball crown. Rhena Itesi topscored for the Lady Bulldogs with 17 points and also hauled down 10 rebounds.

NU extended its win streak to a league-record 80 games.

THAIS SHOW WAY IN LUBAO T

HAILAND’S Pimpadsorn Sangkagaro closed out with three straight birdies to shoot a five-under 67 and force a three-way tie for the lead with Yupaporn Kawinpakorn and erstwhile solo leader Ornicha Konsunthea as the Thais looked to dominate the International Container Terminal Services Inc. (ICTSI) Pradera Verde Ladies Classic on Wednesday in Lubao, Pampanga.

But Dottie Ardina kept the troika within sight, her bogey-free 70 pulling her to within one off the leaders at 140 heading to the final 18 holes of the P1-million championship serving as the second leg of the 2019 Ladies Philippine Golf Tour (LPGT).

The Ladies Professional Golf Association Tour-bound Ardina, however, will not only have to chase three Thais in front of her at 139 but also try to fend off five others behind her, including Chakansim Khamborn (71-141), Waralee Atcharerk (71-142), Trichat Cheenglab (72-142), Chommapat Pongthanarak (72-142) and Chonlada Chayanun (73-143), as the other local aces failed to make their move in the second round of the 54-hole event put up

by ICTSI and organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments Inc. Princess Superal blew a two-under card after five holes with three bogeys the rest of the way, finishing with a 73 in another windy day at the Pradera Verde layout. She dropped to joint ninth with Chayanun at 143, four strokes behind the leaders.

Cyna Rodriguez fought back from a twoover card with birdies on Nos. 8 and 15 but bogeyed the next and dropped two strokes on No. 17, needing to birdie the last to save a 74. She slipped to joint 13th at 146 with 2018 LPGT Mount Malarayat leg winner Onkanok Soisuwan, who bounced back with a 70.

Last year’s champion Pauline del Rosario hardly recovered from a bogeybogey mishap from No. 5, dropping three more strokes at the back against a lone birdie and skied to a 76 for a 148, the same output put in by many-time LPGT

winner Chihiro Ikeda, who rebounded from an opening 77 with a 71.

Though they failed to match the 29-year-old Sangkagaro’s scorching windup, Kawinpakorn and Konsunthea both made their charge at the backside of the flat but challenging course with Kawinpakorn birdying two of the last seven to fire a 69 and Konsunthea hitting three birdies in the same stretch to salvage a 71 on her 22nd birthday.

“Everything is good, including my irons, short game and putting,”said Sangkagaro, who started at joint 12th with del Rosario and Rodriguez at 72 but moved into contention with three birdies after 13 holes. The Chiang Mai native bogeyed the 14th but birdied the last three inside 15 feet to move closer to snapping a two-year title spell on the LPGT.

PIMPADSORN SANGKAGARO leads the Thais’ charge in the Pradera Verde Ladies Classic.

INNEAPOLIS—With a baseline drive by Chris Paul and a bounce pass into the paint to Clint Capela, the Houston Rockets had what appeared to be an uncontested dunk early in the fourth quarter that would have cut Minnesota’s lead to five points.

Robert Covington closed in from behind, stopped the 6-foot-10 Capela cold and, managing to avoid the body contact that would have drawn him a foul, tied up the National Basketball Association (NBA) most accurate shooter last season to earn a jump-ball call.

Yes, the Timberwolves are playing legitimate defense these days, even after trading their best defensive player.

They erased a 19-point deficit in the final minute of the second quarter

Wolves, finally, getting defensive rhythm running on Monday night and outscored the high-octane Rockets, 55-29, in the second half to notch one of the most remarkable victories in three seasons under coach Tom Thibodeau. That was the fewest points allowed in a second half by the Timberwolves in almost 11 years.

“We’ve got to change things,” said center Karl-Anthony Towns, who had a plus-17 rating in the game. “We’ve got to be the team that wants it more, and I think everyone in the building saw that. We came out with an edge to us and a fire to us to get back in the game. The one thing I’m real proud of us is that not only did we come in here and talk about it, we came and did it.”

Since the forced departure of AllStar shooting guard Jimmy Butler, the Timberwolves are 8-3 with 102 points (under the average of the NBA’s stingiest team, Oklahoma City) or fewer allowed in eight of those games. They’re also giving up the least amount of points in the paint in the league during this span.

For the season, they’re 13th in the NBA in points allowed per game, up from 17th last season. Their defensive rating, an advanced metric calculated by the league, is 16th, up from 25th. They’re also second in the NBA with an average of 15.8 deflections per game, up from fifth.

Solid defense is about so much more than simply height, strength or quickness. It starts with effort and mindset. Then there’s communication and positioning. Finally, there’s the basic ability to get hands in the passing and shooting lanes and to pick up more loose balls than are lost, a significant area of emphasis for Thibodeau.

“Now we’re starting to do that, so I think that’s a big step for us,” Thibodeau said after practice Tuesday. “The challenge never stops. You have to keep doing it day after day. You can’t be bored with any of the process of going through what it takes to build a great defense.” AP THE Timberwolves’ Robert Covington celebrates one of his baskets against the Houston Rockets in Monday’s game in Minneapolis. AP

BAGTAS

Wilder wants rematch ASAP

M

Luisita hangs on, carries 9-shot lead with a round to go

B

AGUIO CITY—Luisita Golf and Country Club hung tough with a nine-point entering the final round of the Senior Fil Championship of the 69th Fil-Am Invitational Golf Tournament on Thursday at the Baguio Country Club (BCC).

Luisita submitted 102 points for a three-day total of 351 to stay clear of surprise second-placer Megafiber, which benefited from a stiff penalty slapped on Manila Southwoods during the second round on Monday.

Chino Raymundo had 28, Rodel Mangulabnan posted 27 and Eddie Bagtas and Raffy Garcia added 26 and 21 points, respectively, for Luisita in the third round.

Megafiber carded a flight best 103 for 342 points with Rolly Viray scoring 28, Jose Mari Hechanova 27 and Abe Rosal and Dave Hernandez 23 each.

Rene Unson did not count with his 23.

“It’s not a comfortable lead and we will treat tomorrow as if all scores are even,” Garcia said.

Manila Southwoods made 102 with Raul Minoza shooting 30 for a 337 total at third spot.

Southwoods should have been two down going into the third round but Sang Jin Lee, who scored 30 points, was disqualified after signing a wrong card that made Bong Sison’s 18 count.

Southwoods’s Day Two score was thus corrected to 115 instead of 127 and their total went down to 235, instead of 247.

“We are very fortunate to still be in the lead so we will play tomorrow to win,” Garcia added.

Okinawa made 94 for 297 to crash out of a podium finish.

Silicon Valley Golfers Link Club saved its best for last by shooting 80 big points for 287 total to overhaul a 14-point deficit and win the Senior Fil D title by five points.

ONTGOMERY, Alabama—World Boxing Council (WBC) heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder says he wants a rematch with Tyson Fury “ASAP.” Wilder said in a conference call on Tuesday that he’s “ready and willing to give Tyson Fury the opportunity ASAP.” The two heavyweights fought to a split-decision draw on Saturday night in Los Angeles in one of the biggest heavyweight bouts in America in years.

“I’m ready whenever he’s ready,” Wilder said. “I’m ready whenever he’s ready to do it.

I’m ready to give the fans what they want to see and end this talk once and for all.”

Afterward, the British challenger said the two would “100 percent” meet again in the ring. Wilder said he doesn’t want to fight anybody else before a rematch.

“Everyone is talking about this fight.

It’s only right for us to go back in and do it again,” Wilder said. “I don’t want any other fights to happen between him and I [meeting again].”

Wilder (40-0-1) knocked Fury (27-0-1) down twice late in the fight, including once in the final round. He was outboxed much of the way at Staples Center but was still surprised when Fury rose from that 12thround knockdown—and that the referee didn’t end the fight.

“I saw his eyes roll slowly in the back of his head,” Wilder said. “Many people felt that should have been waved off. Nine out of 10 refs would have waved that off.”

He indicated the rematch might happen as early as March or April.

Showtime Sports President Stephen Espinoza said May or June might be more likely, giving the fighters more time to recover.

In the first meeting, Wilder said he let the pressure of being in his first pay-perview fight affect him.

“I wanted to end it on a great note,” he said.

“I wanted to end it on a devastating knockout and I pressed that. I pressed that too much.” AP

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TESSA JAZMINES tessa4347@gmail.com

PART OF THE GAME

Destiny’s child?

IT’S a historic season for the University of the Philippines (UP) Fighting Maroons. The UP Men’s Basketball Team (UPMBT) have defied all odds to not just barge into the Final Four that has eluded them for more than two decades, but to land in the biggest stage of all: the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Finals.

The last time the entire UP community was in this kind of frenzy, the whole roster of this Season 81 UP team hadn’t even been born yet. As a matter of fact, maybe their parents still had to find each other in the dating maze.

For years and years since UP bagged that 1986 UAAP crown, the UP faithful have thinned, dwindled and virtually disappeared. On regular UAAP game days you would be very lucky to count 20 UP supporters in the crowd.

People in Maroon stood out like pork in a can of pork and beans.

But now, wow! This special UP team of six graduating seniors (Paul Desiderio, Gelo Vito, Jarrell Lim, Diego Dario, Jerson Prado and Jj Española), a super sophomore, a big man who was crowned league Most Valuable Player on Wednesday and a fighting bunch of rookies, sophomores and juniors has achieved what seemed an impossible feat in the first round of the season.

UP is back in the finals after a whopping 32 years. And the effect of it on the UP community, ticket sales and crowd control in the venue is the diametrical opposite of those lonely years of empty Maroon galleries and seats.

In Game One of the UAAP Finals on Saturday at the MOA Arena, the numbers stood at 21,608 paying fans inside the venue. Shockingly, the UP crowd totally outnumbered the perennially robust Ateneo crowd. The sight was, to say the least, something new. Here are some things I learned after witnessing and being part of that UAAP Finals audience:

1. An Ateneo-La Salle Finals isn’t the only box office success for the league.

In fact, there are other finals scenarios that make for good box office. An Adamson-Ateneo finals would have been interesting, as it was the Falcons that had first shocked the Eagles on opening day. A Far Eastern University (FEU)-Ateneo duel would have been intriguing as well, because there is a grudge-match angle to it, with graduating Tamaraw Arvin Tolentino right smack in the middle. FEU was the other school that had handed Ateneo its only other loss in the elims this year, so it would have been interesting to see how that competition would be extended. But the UP-AdMU finals is what was destined, and the Battle of Katipunan theme—played for the very first time on the big stage—is the stuff of blockbuster movies. Along with the territorial battle, there is the biblical David vs. Goliath storyline. There is the fascinating juxtaposition of System vs. Heart, and the polished, disciplined veneer of the Boys from Loyola vs. the folk hero-like character of the Boys from Diliman. Thus, the mad scramble for tickets, the viral nature of content about either team, and the crowds, the crowds, the huge, eager crowds.

2. UP can summon up a multitude. Call them starved, call them newbies to this sort of outcome. They really are. Thus, when properly stoked, as they are with a great season run such as this, UP fans can bring it as well to the game venues. The days of the scanty UP crowd are long gone. The #nowheretogobutUP group have been ensuring that UP supporters would find it easier to watch the games since 2014 and 2015. But the Maroon crowds in Season 81 are nothing short of phenomenal—big, loud, passionate and very vocal. They can fill up the Arena or the Coliseum too, to the point of SRO tickets being printed just to accommodate the numbers.

Finally, the sleeping giant has awakened and UP alumni, students, fans and family are giving other big crowds a run for their money. They are, in millennial terms, woke.

3. If you build it, they will come. UP fans have been scarce in the past because, let’s face it, everybody loves a winner. And UP hasn’t been. It has suffered dark days, no—dismal days—when it ended up with 0-14 records for three separate seasons, curiously three years apart. UP has always grinded through its government-run nature, limited not just in resources, but in initiatives that have to go through Commission on Audit scrutiny and bureaucratic red tape.

Thus where other schools could recruit so-called blue chip rookies and spend for all the perks, facilities and training needed to come out on top, UP had to just accept its unique nature and do its best despite the odds. Well, until those embarrassing 0-14 years, which ultimately turned out to be blessings in disguise after all, as alumni groups took over and took care of initiatives that would put UP in step with other schools, somewhat. Now, with a Coach everyone Bo-lieves in, a legit lineup with phenomenal players leading the way, and an upbeat performance that has landed them on centerstage in Season 81, the UP Fighting Maroons have captured the collective imagination of the UP community, media and casual fans, as well. Just like that baseball field in The Field of Dreams, the fans are coming, everyone is watching, and everybody is interested to see how this Cinderella team is going to play out its brief, shining moment in the Finals spotlight.

4. Everybody loves a winner. Who watches teams with a losing record?

Only the most loyal of fans, the friends and supporters for all seasons, the diehards. Win a little, win consistently, win a lot and the fan base grows.

The tickets get scarce. Those who don’t even want to accept a free ticket in the past to watch the team’s games are making a mad rush for tickets this time around. Nothing bad, really. It’s human nature. That is why teams with winning programs like Ateneo, La Salle, FEU, UST, and more recently Adamson and National University have big fan bases. UP has just discovered that it has a fan base pala. The University of the East, which is in last place this season, is going to get back all the fans and followers it had in its heyday very soon when it starts winning again.

5. Everybody loves the underdog, too. Remember that ad that says “Don’t hate me ‘cause I’m beautiful”? It’s human nature as well to hate or not side with the person or the team that has it all. Most everybody, Pinoys especially, go for the underdog. That’s why not a few are charmed by UP’s rags to riches story. If they can do it, why can’t we? They are inspired and fascinated by this team that almost didn’t make it to the Final Four, that plowed through ADU’s twice to beat challenge and are now fighting for life in the Finals. Whether or not UP makes it over the favored Blue Eagles in Game Two of the UAAP Season 81 Finals, they’ve already made big waves.

Whether they defy the odds to win all the marbles in the end, makes them Destiny’s Child indeed.

I.A.A.F. TO RUSSIA: SETTLE DEBT M

ONACO—The International Alliance of Athletics Federations (IAAF) extended its ban on Russia’s participation in international competitions on Tuesday, with no clarity on whether the suspension may be lifted before next year’s world championships in Qatar.

Sticking to a harder line than the World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) and the International Olympic Committee (IOC), a meeting of the IAAF council wasn’t prepared to draw the line under the scandal of Russian doping and cover-ups.

The IAAF still has two remaining conditions for Russia to be reinstated. It wants the country to pay its substantial costs, including legal costs, incurred from dealing with the Russian doping crisis.

“This debt must be settled,” said Rune Andersen, who heads the IAAF task force dealing with Russia. While Russia has promised to pay, “We need to receive the money.”

The IAAF also is pressuring for its antidoping unit to get access to data and drug-test samples from a Moscow laboratory that could help identify more Russian athletes suspected of doping.

“Russian athletes cannot return to international competition unconditionally until that such issue is resolved one way or another,” he said.

The IAAF stance won outside praise.

British sports minister Mims Davies said it sent “a clear message that Russia must co-operate fully before it can be back in the fold.”

The US Anti-Doping Agency said upholding the ban “is a refreshing reminder that anti-doping decision-making should always be built on principles. We all hope a clean Russia returns to the international sporting community, but not at the expense of clean athletes.”

The Moscow lab data could reach the

IAAF via the Wada, which has set a year-end deadline to receive it. Track and field’s antidoping unit would then have to analyze the information to satisfy the IAAF that it “hasn’t been tampered with,” Andersen said.

Unclear was how long all this might take.

IAAF President Sebastian Coe noted the next IAAF council meeting is scheduled for March.

The world championships open in Doha in late September.

In a statement, Russian Athletics Federation president Dmitry Shlyakhtin said “regulating our debts financially requires a lot of work and in-depth consideration. We need to draw up various legal documents and discuss the payment arrangements.

We’re also talking with the IAAF about possibly paying in instalments over six months.”

Russian media have reported the debt is around $2.75 million.

Shlyakhtin also said providing Wada with access to the Moscow laboratory samples “will obviously take some time, we recognize that.”

The IAAF has allowed dozens of leading Russians to compete as neutrals if they can show an extensive history of passing drug tests. These include athletes such as Maria Lasitskene, who next year will look to defend the high jump world title she won in 2017.

The IAAF also announced that Budapest will host the 2023 world championships, after Doha next year and Eugene, Oregon, in 2021. The decision was expected because the IAAF had already said the Hungarian capital was its preferred choice.

Russian curling medalist Alexander Krushelnitsky, meanwhile, was banned for four years on Tuesday in a doping case which cost Russia the right to fly its flag at the Winter

Sports

Olympic closing ceremony this year.

Krushelnitsky won the bronze medal in mixed doubles with his wife Anastasia Bryzgalova—the first medal for Russian athletes at the Pyeongchang Games—but they were stripped of the result after he tested positive for the banned substance meldonium.

Krushelnitsky argued that he was spiked with meldonium by an unnamed third party but the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) ruled the “arguments were not supported by reliable or credible evidence.”

CAS didn’t give Krushelnitsky any reduction on the standard four-year ban

BusinessMirror

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| Thursday, December 6, 2018 mirror_sports@yahoo.com.ph Editor: Jun Lomibao

DIVING KIWI New Zealand’s

Trent Boult dives to catch the ball against Pakistan in their test match in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, on Wednesday. AP

because he “could not establish that his use of meldonium was non-intentional.”

Russian athletes were not allowed to

compete under their own flag in Pyeongchang as punishment for past doping offenses. They had to pass extra vetting before the games and competed in neutral uniforms as “Olympic Athletes from Russia.”

Krushelnitsky’s doping case and another involving a bobsledder helped delay the lifting of the sanction until after the closing ceremony.

Russian Curling Federation President Dmitry Svishchev said Krushelnitsky planned to appeal. AP

‘U.S. SOCCER NEEDS DIRECTION’ N

GREGG BERHALTER (second from right) poses at a news conference on Tuesday with (from left) US Soccer Federation President Carlos Cordeiro, General Manager Earnie Stewart and CEO Dan Flynn. AP

EW YORK—Gregg Berhalter promises to transform the US national team into a pressing, attack-minded group the Americans rarely have been.

“We want to see ball circulation, breaking lines, creating goal-scoring opportunities,” he said at his introduction on Tuesday. “That should be the DNA of this team.”

The 45-year-old is the first American to coach the national team after playing for it at a World Cup. He spent the last five years coaching Major League Soccer’s Columbus Crew, which reached the playoffs four times despite a small payroll but failed to win any titles.

“Greg isn’t just the right choice, Greg is the best choice,” US Soccer Federation (USSF) President Carlos Cordeiro said. “He will push our men’s team forward and with an identity

and approach that will be uniquely and fiercely American.”

The job had been held by Dave Sarachan on an interim basis for 14 months since Bruce Arena quit after the shocking failure to qualify for this year’s World Cup. Sunil Gulati made the decisions to hire Bob Bradley in 2006, Jurgen Klinsmann in 2011 and Arena in 2016 after consulting within the USSF, but the federation established new procedures after Cordeiro replaced Gulati last February.

Former midfielder Earnie Stewart, who played alongside Berhalter on the national team, was hired in June for the new position of men’s national team general manager.

Stewart started his job in August and picked Berhalter, a decision ratified on Saturday by the USSF board.

“Today for us is another example of the

change that we’re bringing to US Soccer. That includes making sure that soccer operations are run by soccer experts,” Cordeiro said.

The US often has resorted to counterattacking to go along with a nevergive-up attitude and superior conditioning.

Persistence and perseverance dissipated among an aging core in the last four-year cycle.

Sarachan gave debuts to 23 players in 12 matches, and Berhalter will decide what veterans to integrate among the team’s emerging core of Christian Pulisic, Tyler Adams and Weston McKennie, all 20 and younger, and even rawer players such as Tim Weah and Josh Sargent, both 18.

Stewart said part of success will be “making sure that the way we play, that it’s identified to our fans so that what they see on the field is what they want to see.” AP

Man City faces repercussions for misleading UEFA on finances L

ONDON—European soccer’s leadership has an initial conclusion on leaked Manchester City correspondence: The club has been misleading UEFA over its finances.

With the power to ban clubs from the Champions League, the consequences from UEFA could be severe for the Premier League champions.

UEFA discovered from reading internal e-mails from City, which were published by German media outlet Der Spiegel last month, the extent of schemes by the club to allegedly cover up the true source of income in a bid to comply with Financial Fair Play (FFP) regulations, a person with direct knowledge of the situation told The Associated Press.

The person spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the situation publicly while UEFA conducts a review of the City case.

City has been transformed into an English soccer power in the decade since being bought by Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, a deputy prime minister of the United Arab Emirates and a member of Abu Dhabi’s royal family, winning the Premier League three times since 2012. But unfettered spending on players has been restricted by European soccer’s governing body—regardless of the owners’ wealth.

City has already been punished by UEFA for violating FFP, striking an agreement in 2014 that saw the team fined rather than banned from the Champions League for inflated sponsorship deals with companies linked to the club or its ownership.

UEFA publicly said last month that evidence from “Football Leaks” could lead to past cases being reopened. The person with knowledge of the situation said it was more feasible to use the leaks to reassess the candor of club executives and as a basis to judge City’s compliance with FFP in the current three-year assessment period.

MANCHESTER City players celebrate after winning their English Premier League match with Watford at the Vicarage Road Stadium in Watford, England, on Tuesday. AP

That covers 2015 when Der Spiegel said e-mails were being sent internally at City showing the manipulation of sponsorship revue from Etihad Airways, the state-owned airline from Abu Dhabi, which is the naming rights sponsor of City’s stadium and training campus as well as appearing on jerseys. The sponsorship

was said to generate £67.5 million (about $85 million) annually for City. But City’s holding company—the state-backed Abu Dhabi United Group—channeled £59.9 million back to Etihad, according to Jorge Chumillas, the club’s chief financial officer, in an internal e-mail to club director Simon Pearce.

Given the fresh insight into City’s financial dealings, UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin has said there was a “public interest” in the correspondence being leaked, while questioning how it was obtained.

“We are assessing the situation. We have an independent body working on it,” Ceferin said on

Monday. “Very soon you will have the answers on what will happen in this concrete case.”

City, which not disputed the authenticity of any e-mails published by Der Spiegel over the last month, has left manager Pep Guardiola to discuss the ongoing controversy in public.

“UEFA is doing what I think it has to do,” Guardiola said on Tuesday after a 2-1 victory at Watford sent the Premier League leaders five points ahead. “If it finds something the club will make a statement, and I’d like to do that because we would know exactly we are going to finish with these voices.”

FFP was the flagship policy of Michel Platini, Ceferin’s predecessor as UEFA president, and introduced at the height of the global financial crisis in attempt to prevent clubs from becoming unsustainable.

Since July 2011, UEFA has monitored the accounts of all clubs entering its two club competitions. The first period UEFA assessed clubs for compliance with FFP was 2011-13, when owners were allowed to cover losses up to €45 million.

The leaks showed how City allegedly tried to artificially raise its revenue, in one case by €30 million, according to e-mails from 2013 reported by Der Spiegel. Abu Dhabi United Group was alleged to be sending cash to a shell vehicle which was created to supposedly buy the right to use players’ images in marketing campaigns.

There were further examples that Sheikh Mansour could have been the source of sponsorship revenue for Abu Dhabi state-owned companies like investment firm Aabar. Der Spiegel cited a 2010 e-mail to Aabar from Pearce, the City director who also works for Abu Dhabi’s Executive Affairs Authority.

“As we discussed, the annual direct obligation for Aabar is GBP 3 million,” Pearce wrote. “The remaining 12 million GBP requirement will come from alternative sources provided by His Highness.”

Seeing internal City correspondence has given UEFA a greater insight into the conduct of the club and its officials. A 2014 e-mail from City lawyer Simon Cliff to a colleague showed the death of UEFA’s lead FFP investigator being celebrated: “1 down, 6 to go.” AP

All powerful God

A

LL powerful God, You are our tower of strength.

We trust in You and pray: God our Savior, hear us. Prosper collaboration and dialogue among women and men in Your Church. Give public servants the graces they need to advance the common good and serve with honesty and integrity. Lead children and young people to know their precious worth and goodness. May God enlighten the eyes of our hearts so that we may see anew the presence of Christ in our brothers and sisters.

Amen!

GIVE US THIS DAY, SHARED BY LUISA LACSON, HFL Word&Life Publications • teacherlouie1965@yahoo.com

Editor: Gerard S. Ramos • lifestylebusinessmirror@gmail.com

Life BusinessMirror

Five things to bring on every long �light useful device to have while traveling after your phone itself. These let you charge on the go and extend your phone’s battery life for hours.

Wirecutter, The New York Times company that reviews products, has reviewed and selected extensive options for chargers, cables and batteries.

ILLUSTRATION

BY LARS LEETARU FOR THE NEW YORK TIMES

NOISE-CANCELING HEADPHONES

NOISE-CANCELING headphones reduce steady droning sounds like airplane engines. They’re not a cone of silence but can make flights can go from “clamorous and tiring” to “loud, but tolerable.” At least, the best ones can. For the past several years, I’ve reviewed every major noise-canceling headphone on the market, and even though there are dozens to choose from, the vast majority reduce very little actual noise.

My favorite is also the in-ear noise canceling pick from Wirecutter: the Bose QuietComfort 20. They’re small and light, and you can somewhat-comfortably sleep with them on (at least, better than with many other options). Most important, they reduce an incredible amount of noise. If over-ear headphones are more your speed, Wirecutter suggests the Bose QuietComfort 35 Series II. You could, if you want to go the really budget route, just use earplugs (which many airlines provide in amenity kits). However, those rely on getting a good seal between the plugs and your ear canals which, on some people (like myself), isn’t easy. Plus, even if you get a good seal, the sound of an aircraft engine probably isn’t going to be reduced, as well as it would be with a good pair of noise canceling headphones.

LAYERS

I’VE never been on a flight that had a steady or predictable temperature. It’s pretty much impossible, given the cold air outside, the humid, heat-producing mammals inside, and that pesky ball of fusion in the sky (or the lack thereof, depending on the time and weather). Layers are key. Some airlines will give you a threadbare blanket to “warm” yourself if it gets really cold, but I’ve never regretted bringing a hoodie or pullover. Worst case, it doubles as a pillow. I’ve had good luck with Smartwool outer layers, but they’re expensive and, really, anything easily removable will work here. I also tend to never wear shorts since I’ve been cold on planes more regularly than I’ve been hot, but you know your body best.

Different parts of the plane will also have some effect on the temperature. Window seats are likely cooler than aisles, and exit rows cooler than all others.

BY GeoFFReY MoRRiSon

T

New York Times News Service

HERE are long flights and there are long flights. Singapore Airlines has the longest haul currently, with nearly 19 hours from Newark, New Jersey, to Singapore. But that’s bound to be eclipsed soon as airlines and aircraft manufacturers vie to be the first to pull off the last major nonstop air route: Sydney to London, estimated at over 20 hours.

As an inveterate traveler, I fly multiple long flights a year. My personal longest was 17 hours from Johannesburg to Atlanta, but 10-12 hour flights are my norm. But then, I’ve been on sub-five hour flights with fellow passengers lamenting how it was “such a long flight.” It’s all relative. No matter your definition, there are two keys to making any long flight seem short: comfort and distraction. Here are five(ish) items to help pass the time and miles.

MOVIES, MUSIC AND MORE

EVERY major airline, and most of the smaller ones, have seatback entertainment. Generally these are of the on-demand variety, letting you choose from a variety of movies and TV episodes. But will they be the movies and TV shows you actually want to watch?

You’re probably better off bringing what you want. Netflix, Amazon, iTunes, Vudu and others all have mobile apps that let you download content to watch offline. If you paid for the movie or episode, you shouldn’t have an issue downloading it. If it’s

REELING: LESSONS FROM HALLYU-WOOD D4

Netflix, or included with Amazon Prime streaming, there’s no guarantee, though, and you should check well before your flight.

You will not be able to stream anything from these services on the plane, even if you pay for the in-flight Wi-Fi. You’ll probably have a hard time downloading at the airport too, so this is all something best done at home.

A growing number of airlines are doing away with seatback entertainment and instead offer the same content via their own app, streamed internally on the plane’s Wi-Fi to your phone or tablet.

Check if your flight has this beforehand or be prepared to download the app at the airport before you board.

CHARGING CABLE AND BATTERY

SINCE you’ll likely use your phone or tablet for a good chunk of the flight, you’re going to need to keep it charged. Long-haul flights usually have an airline’s oldest planes, so you can’t be sure if there will be a power or charging outlet available at your seat.

SeatGuru will help with this. The site gives you information about your specific plane, and even about the seat you’ve selected or been assigned. Sometimes there’s a USB port next to the seat back screen. Other times there’s a regular power outlet under the seat.

No matter what’s available, you should keep a portable charger with you. A cable, perhaps a bit longer than you normally use, should be enough to let you use your device while it’s charging, no matter where the plug is at your seat.

Even if there is an outlet, a rechargeable USB battery is the most

ANYTHING YOU NEED FOR YOUR PERSONAL COMFORT

THERE is a massive market for in-flight comfort products. Most are pretty useless. For example, if you only fly once or twice a year, spending money on a travel pillow probably isn’t worth it. Before you’re tempted to spend money on things you’ll use once or twice, consider saving that money for a seat upgrade.

However, other things may be good to pack in your carry-on.

Most airlines on long, overnight flights will give you a sleep mask and a small tube of moisturizer, both of which you might find handy to bring yourself if you have a mask or brand of lotion you prefer.

Airplane air gets very dry, and even at night there are lights around the cabin you might find distracting.

Usually you’ll get a bottle of water for free, but if you’re the thirsty type, bring an empty water bottle and fill it before you board. A snack won’t hurt either; just keep in mind that many countries, especially smaller island types, won’t let you enter with fresh fruit.

If you’re on the older or huskier side, consider compression socks. These should help keep the blood from pooling in your lower legs and feet, which can cause blood clots or uncomfortable swelling.

But really, everyone should get up and walk around every few hours, especially on those long-haul flights. Safe rule of thumb, if one of your seatmates gets up to use the bathroom, you should go too. Even if it’s just to walk around and stretch your legs.

Lastly, as we’ve mentioned before, a pen is handy. If you’re on a long flight, chances are you’ll need to fill out some sort of customs or immigration form, and airlines never have pens. 

Thursday, December 6, 2018

D1

Grand launch of the 2018 Baguio Creative Festival BAGUIO City recently launched its first-ever Creative Festival, which celebrates Baguio’s artistry and creativity as the first Unesco Creative City in the country. Dubbed ENTAcool 2018, the weeklong event opened at the renowned Dominican Hill Heritage Site followed by a series of creative activities including a city-wide creative crawl tour, cultural presentations, gallery exhibits, art discussions and demos, and workshops by local artists and master artisans. Organized by the Tourism Promotions Board (TPB) and the Department of TourismCordillera Administrative Region (DOT-CAR), in partnership with the Baguio Arts and Crafts Collective Inc. (BACCI) and the University of the Philippines (UP) Baguio, the festival aims to explore and raise awareness on what and who made Baguio City a creative city. Gracing the event were (front row, from left) TPB COO Marie Venus Tan, Philippine National Commission for Unesco Secretary-General Lila Ramos Shahani, Baguio City Councilor Mylen Yaranon, (second row) Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) Chairman Margie Moran, DOT Undersecretary Edwin Enrile, Baguio City Mayor Mauricio Domogan, Rep. Marquez “Mark” Go, Gov. Crescencio Pacalso, and Baguio Arts and Crafts Collective Inc. Chairman Adelaida Lim-Perez.

Discovery properties earn more kudos from TripAdvisor PREFERRED Hotels & Resorts, the world’s largest independent hotel brand, has earned the prestigious distinction of being named the No. 1 “Most Excellent” large hotel chain in the world by TripAdvisor. For its first-ever Most Excellent awards, TripAdvisor selected the winners based on which brands have the highest percentage of Certificate of Excellence recipients globally for 2018. With 532 distinctive properties within its global brand portfolio boasting this prominent seal, Preferred Hotels & Resorts made the top of the list in the “large hotel chains” category.

Discovery Primea, Discovery Shores Boracay and Discovery Suites are all a part of the Preferred Hotels & Resorts portfolio, in the L.V.X., Lifestyle and Connect Collections, respectively. All three were among the 532 member hotels receiving the prominent TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence seal in 2018, which brought Preferred Hotels & Resorts to the top of the list in the “large hotel chains” category.

“Being a part of the Preferred Hotels & Resorts brand is already an accomplishment in itself,” says Jun Parreño, Discovery World Corp. president. “This recognition by the TripAdvisor community, and the 2018 Certificate of Excellence seal, strengthens the world-class standing of The Discovery Leisure Co. Inc. properties. Our guests can continue to experience the luxury and award-winning service the Discovery properties are known for.”

“This Most Excellent award is testament to the dedication of our incredible member hotels that continuously inspire travelers by delivering genuine and memorable hospitality experiences in a way that only independent hotels can,” said Lindsey Ueberroth, CEO of Preferred Hotels & Resorts. “We are incredibly proud to receive this recognition by the TripAdvisor community, and look forward to connecting even more travelers to the unique story that each of our hotels has to share.”

The Preferred Hotels & Resorts (www.PreferredHotels.com) is the world’s largest independent hotel brand, representing more than 700 distinctive hotels, resorts, residences and unique hotel groups across 85 countries. Properties that are part of the Preferred Hotels & Resorts brand assure discerning travelers that only the highest standards, unparalleled service, and a singular luxury hospitality experience is to be expected in the property they are staying in—qualities that Discovery Primea, Discovery Shores Boracay and Discovery Suites are known for.

Okada ushers in the Yuletide season with unveiling of The Garden, 28-foot capiz Christmas tree

BY PAuLine JoY M. GutieRReZ THE leisure destination Okada Manila welcomed the Christmas holidays in the Philippines with the recent unveiling of The Garden, an outdoor green space inside this 45-hectare lifestyle nexus in Entertainment City, Pasay City. Alongside the big reveal was the official lighting of its 28-foot Christmas tree made of 38,000 capiz shells from Cebu. “[The Garden] is an extremely beautiful and multifunctional area with a magnificent view of Manila Bay. Moreover, it adds to the very unique resort-feel of the property,” said Okada Manila Vice President for Hospitality Ivaylo Ivanov at the November 17 launch.

Ivanov said this latest attraction adds to the

destination’s list of amenities, such as The Fountain, Cove Manila and PLAY, positioning Okada at the forefront of entertainment destinations in Manila when it completes construction by the fourth quarter of 2019.

He said, “Okada Manila is a very special project because it’s not only an integrated resort. We have a number of offerings from entertainment to dining. We have three swimming pools, the largest accommodation space and plenty of banquet rooms. This is also the most technologically advanced property in the country.”

For its principal year of operation, the casino and hotel complex opted to highlight traditional Filipino decorative items for the holiday season, such as the capiz most commonly used in windows and is the inspiration behind this year’s Christmas tree theme, which was launched at the

Crystal Corridor parallel to the fountain foyer. Here, guests were serenaded by Chorus Vocales Philippines, Hazel Faith and Monique Lualhati.

“The property is well-decorated, with one of the largest gingerbread houses in the country. We have 12 signature restaurants offering Christmas menus and there are lots of events happening at Cove Manila, starting now because it’s celebrating its anniversary, so there are a number of international DJs coming in,” said Ivanov.

Moreover, for the duration of the holidays the award-winning group Himig Rizalia is performing Christmas songs on all weekends of December until the 23rd. Meanwhile, Retreat Spa offers exclusive Yuletide packages, while guests can indulge on the homemade

treats created by Executive Pastry Chef Josef Teuschler arrayed in the life-sized gingerbread house.

Okada is also hosting a number of events for children, starting with a meet and greet with Saint Nick at Santa’s Cabin by the Crystal Corridor junction on selected dates until December 25, as well as storytelling time activity with Santa, Christmas caroling and fun games at PLAY. Cove Manila, on the other hand, is carrying out a three-part party series through Crescendome, an event which will bring in world-renowned DJs for three consecutive weeks: Tiesto on November 30, DJ Snake on December 7 and Afrojack on December 15.

The culminating fireworks spectacle will be held on New Year’s Eve.

D2

Thursday, December 6, 2018

Entertaining BusinessMirror

Still a kitchen newbie? Make your cooking debut this Christmas. Yes, really

Mozzarella cheese or any

melting cheese

Olive oil or butter

Preheat a panini pan/machine, slather dinner rolls with olive oil or butter then toast in the panini maker/machine until crisp and golden brown.

Let the bread cool slightly until manageable, spread marinara sauce and top with prosciutto, roasted cherry tomatoes and mozzarella cheese. Broil in the oven or toast using a kitchen torch to melt the cheese, place fresh basil leaves before serving.

STRAWBERRY CAKE PETIT FOURS Yield: 25 petit fours

I

F your Christmas meals have always been about eating at family and friends’ homes or laying out a table spread consisting of specialties from your favorite caterer, switch things up this year by inviting loved ones over for a holiday lunch or dinner you prepared yourself from scratch—yes, from scratch!

For anyone who can’t cook to save his or her life, this ambitious undertaking is entirely possible thanks to Maya and The Maya Kitchen, with dishes that are not only easy to prepare but made up of readily available ingredients. Build your kitchen confidence by mastering dishes with simple-to-follow instructions and gradually work your way up from there.

Who knows? By next Christmas, your home could be the place to go to for a delicious Noche Buena!

Too intimidated to make an entire pizza yourself? Then make a mini version. Basil Prosciutto and Cherry Tomato Mini Pizzas are a convenient appetizer for guests: prepared on whole wheat dinner rolls, these scrumptious starters require no forks or knives to enjoy—just grab one and take a bite like a regular slice of pizza.

It may be meat-free but the Roasted Zucchini and Aubergine Lasagna is still a mouthwatering alternative to the usual pasta dish. This dish consists of layer upon layer of roasted diced summer squash, eggplant and herbs over

strips of cooked lasagna noodles, rich tomato basil and creamy béchamel sauce (made with Maya All-Purpose Flour). Serve toasted bread on the side of the filling dish that’s good for 10 (not counting seconds!).

End your first crack at cooking on a sweet note. Strawberry Cake Petit Fours (which uses Maya Cake Flour to dust the small petit four pan) will look impressive and irresistible on a clear glass serving plate, with red strawberry jam oozing from the dessert.

These deliciously gourmet holiday recipes are so simple that you definitely won’t look like a novice in cooking and baking. Find more easy and yummy recipes and kitchen solutions on themayakitchen.com.

BASIL PROSCUITTO AND CHERRY TOMATO MINI PIZZAS Yield: 3-4 servings 10-12 slices whole wheat dinner rolls 1/2 - 1 cup prepared marinara sauce 10 – 12 pieces roasted cherry tomatoes

Prosciutto, cooked

Fresh basil leaves

1 ½ cup Maya Cake Flour 1/2 teaspoon baking powder 1/4 teaspoon fine iodized salt 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened 1 cup white granulated sugar 4 pieces eggs 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1/2 cup frozen or fresh strawberry puree 1/4 cup strawberry jam 1/4 cup all-purpose cream 1/2 - 1 teaspoon red liquid food coloring

Strawberry jam, as needed for topping.

Preheat oven to 350°F/177°C. Grease with non-stick cooking spray and dust lightly with Maya All-Purpose Flour, a small petit four pan with indented bottom. Make sure to tap off excess flour. Set aside.

Sift together cake flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.

In a mixer bowl, cream together butter and sugar until pale and fluffy.

Add in eggs one at a time. Mix well until all eggs are combined.

In another bowl, stir together strawberry puree, strawberry jam, allpurpose cream and vanilla extract.

Add in dry ingredients and wet ingredients alternately in two batches.

Add food coloring to desired shade.

Bake in the preheated oven for 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from the pan and let cool. Trim the bottom part if needed.

Place ample amount of strawberry jam to fill the hole. Serve.

Continued on D3

Jolly delights for the season of cheer

RICHMONDE Hotel Ortigas’ holiday goodies

IT’S the best time of the year and Richmonde Hotel Ortigas (www.richmondehotelortigas.com.ph) has created a collection of freshly baked treats for the sweetest taste of bliss you can relish and give this holiday season.

From now until January 6, 2019, you can couple your well-wishes to family and friends with boxes of yummy pastries from the hotel’s Lobby Café. Ease your gift-shopping woes and order instead from Richmonde’s assortment of lip-smacking goodies from the sweet to the savory at very reasonable prices and packaged with pretty Christmas trimmings. Your sweet-toothed friends will love the mocha-flavored Coffeeholic Cake, the cinnamon spiced Apple Jalousie, and a can of assorted cookie nibblers (white cranberry, rocky road, peanut butterscotch). Add to holiday feasts scrumptious specialty breads like Pistachio Double Cream Cheese, Banana Walnut, Cinnamon Cluster, Salted Swirl and Pane Bianco. Of course, not to be forgotten are the irresistible signature pastries, namely the oversized Richmonde Ensaymada, which also comes in ube, salted egg and and quezo de bola flavors, and now also in mini sizes for easy sharing; and the Richmonde Chocolate Cake decked in holiday designs.

Make this a scrumptious holiday season indeed.

Gringo launches special holiday offerings THE holidays just got more muy delicioso. Gringo, along with his amigos Noel and Feliz, has just released his all-new offerings for the holidays: the aptly named Hola-day Boards.

Whatever you—and up to five of your amigos—are craving for, there’s a board that’s perfect for you.

Craving for chicken and ribs? Get The Classic. Hungry for some seafood, let Feliz’s Board satisfy you. In a group of meat lovers? Noel’s Board has everything you need. Each Hola-day Board features a super special dish from Gringo and his closest amigos. The Classic Board has Gringo’s world-famous juicy, tangy, lemony, roasted chicken and fall-off-the-bone baby back ribs drenched in home-style BBQ sauce.

Feliz’s Board features her signature Seafood Skillet loaded with shrimp, cream dory, potatoes, tomatoes and, to give it a bit of kick, bell

www.businessmirror.com.ph

z

Today’s Horoscope

By Eugenia Last

CELEBRITIES BORN ON THIS DAY: Lindsay Price, 42; Judd Apatow, 51; Tom Hulce, 65; JoBeth Williams, 70.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY: Emotions will take over this year, sending you on all sorts of adventures that can bring good and bad results, depending on how gullible and trusting you are. Don’t be too eager to take anyone’s word as gospel. Take action based on what you know is factual, and you will build a positive and solid future with dreams of progress. Your lucky numbers are 4, 13, 18, 25, 31, 44, 47.

a

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Look for a way to make your money grow. Get your investments in order before the end of the year. Don’t let someone mislead you when dealing with your financial affairs. Take care of personal business yourself. HHHHH

b

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Let the changes going on around you inspire you to get things done. Taking action now will lead to greater stability as you head into next year. Make improvements to important relationships by extending a helping hand, good advice and honesty. HHH

c d

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Don’t be anyone’s fool. Assess situations and do your due diligence to ensure you have your facts straight. Situations will spin out of control easily if you aren’t current on what’s true and what isn’t. HHH CANCER (June 21-July 22): Stay on course and get things done. Once you feel satisfied with what you’ve accomplished, you’ll enjoy downtime with friends. A change of pace toward the end of the day will be relaxing and give you something to look forward to. HHH

e f

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): You can get your gift-buying out of the way if you hit the online shops or head to the mall. Have a budget in mind and a well-thought-out list that will please all the people you want to spoil. HHHHH VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Problems at home will mount if someone is overspending or playing emotional mind games with you. Ask someone you know you can confide in for suggestions, and you’ll find a solution that works well for you. Positive change is apparent. HH

g

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Learn from mistakes, and don’t fall for a sales pitch that is built on empty promises. If you want to make physical improvements, start with revising your diet and exercise routine. Good health leads to greater vitality. HHHH

h

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Love is on the rise, but that doesn’t mean you don’t have to be careful. Emotional vulnerability can put you in an awkward position. Don’t be too revealing or move too fast. Make romance meaningful and lasting. HHH

i

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Look over your options carefully and decipher what’s fact and what’s fiction. Don’t let emotions interfere with the decisions you make about what you should be doing. Listen to reason and avoid indulgent behavior. A change of attitude is apparent. HHH

j

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Evaluate what’s transpired and consider what you would like to see unfold. An unexpected change will turn out to be in your best interest. Keep a close watch over what others do, and if something doesn’t feel right, distance yourself. HHH

k

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Focus on getting things done. How you earn your living should be your priority. Don’t make physical changes or back yourself into a corner when dealing with someone who is manipulative. Put your responsibilities and your health first. HHHH

peppers and a special blend of spices.

Finally, Noel’s Board has his unbelievably savory premium USDA steak—made extra special with sautéed bell peppers with a hint of sour cream—as its centerpiece.

All boards are good for four up to six muy hungry amigos and come with a host of the favorites on Gringo’s menu, along with his freshly blended house-brewed iced tea and the all-new sweet and heavenly holiday exclusive Coffee Mango de Crema.

Gringo’s Hola-day Boards are available for a limited time only at the following branches: SM North Edsa, The Fort BGC, Palanca Street Makati, SM Megamall, MAAX MOA Arena, UP Town Center, SM Sucat, Ayala Malls The 30th, SM CDO Downtown, O Square 2, Greenhills, SM Marilao, Festival Mall, SM Manila, SM Legazpi, SM Santa Rosa and Ayala Malls Feliz.

l

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Stick close to work or home. Travel will be met with unexpected expenses or delays. If you want to do business, use technology to converse. A problem with an authority figure, institution or government agency will set you back. HH BIRTHDAY BABY: You are intuitive, supportive and spirited. You are proactive and ambitious.

‘in the be-inning’ BY TIMOTHY E. PARKER The Universal Crossword/Edited by Timothy E. Parker

ACROSS 1 General meaning 5 Extract forcibly 10 All the ___ (nevertheless) 14 Subject of study 15 Gold quantity 16 Lot developer’s map 17 Like active general managers 20 Prepare to be knighted 21 Most nimble (var.)

22 Yarn lump 25 Bank deposit 26 Erie Canal mule 29 Airport guesses 31 Human waste 35 Amazement 36 Axes 38 Approached retirement 39 Be oh so obvious 43 Comparable 44 Civil Rights org. since 1909 45 Be prone 46 Six-line poem 49 Instant or sec kin

0 Suffix with “command” 5 51 Is regretting 53 Capped body part 55 Rejected and how 58 Hotels’ sun providers 62 “OK, kid, here’s a treat” 65 Sailing direction 66 Salad fishes 67 Predatory whale 68 Sport or don 69 “Satyagraha,” for one 70 Rewarding coal site DOWN 1 Stare at 2 Links choice 3 Plagued by drought 4 Director’s reshoots 5 Beat everyone 6 It may be swept under?

7 Noted space chimp 8 Porgies in pans 9 Some tropical fish 10 Place for racing 11 Pitiful me word

12 Brewery supply 13 Little aliens?

18 Most sick 19 Celebrate Thanks-giving 23 Beehive state 24 Eggs complement 26 Long, drawn-out tales 27 Opened one’s eyes 28 Late comic Jerry 30 Gull relatives 32 Like acrobats 33 Lamp dweller 34 Lawn tool 37 Reeked 40 Unwelcome guest 41 Check the price 42 Become visible 47 Continental dollar 48 Musical note held full time 52 Arrange 54 Set of guiding beliefs 55 Shoe part 56 Defendant’s answer 57 Force unit

9 Very lightly cooked 5 60 Peru natives 61 Comedian Sandler 62 Fumbling verbal hesitation 63 Blade in the lake 64 Place in crusade?

Solution to yesterday’s puzzle:

Show BusinessMirror

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Thursday, December 6, 2018

Lessons from Hallyu-wood REELING

TITO GENOVA VALIENTE

titovaliente@yahoo.com

F

IRST, it was India’s film industry that earned the monicker, “Bollywood,” a bow to the commercial success of its films with a nod to the strength of Hollywood.

Now, it’s South Korea, noted for the Hallyu wave—the rise of South Korean films and images and voices in the commercial and cultural consciousness of the world.

My short trip to Busan proved one big thing: the South Korean prepared well for its film festivals and prepared well for its global exposure.

Busan looked like it was constructed—maybe “conjured” is the better term—ßto exhibit South Korean films to the city and the world. The city is a handsome locale, with huge hotels scattered all over, the towering condominiums the setting of many dramas about loves that are, it seems, always conflicted and impossible in the South Korean narrative. Then there is the beach, the Haeundae Beach, which we all know simply because of its appearance as the locale in many melodramas.

If there is a corollary to this realization, it is that the famed Busan International Film Festival is really about South Korean films, with the films from the

other countries as participants and the world as the captive audience.

In the last Busan International Film Festival, there were magazines and other documents abounding—all informing us of the achievements of South Korea and its film industry.

Reading the articles and reports tell us there are many lessons to be learned indeed from this burgeoning film industry.

One interesting report by Na Won-jeong, a film journalist, is on the Entertainment Intellectual Property market. The paper mentions how at the 2015 edition of the Busan International Film Festival, the Asian Film Market (AFM) included in its program the E-IP market. This move led to several sessions among investors, film studios and other identified stakeholders. The result was the said market, which serves now as a trading place for intellectual properties, creating the environment for the adaptation of original creative works into different media forms. The focus is on film and video content.

The article articulates what the E-IP market aims to achieve: “While major international film markets have expanded their domains to include TV series and Web series, the AFM opted for a rights and licensing market to differentiate itself from its competitors.”

The article continues: “In this era when Hollywood and the world pull out all the stops to find unique works they can turn into media franchises, the AFM is actively doing its part for the development of transmedia strategies.”

Exciting examples are the Korean novel The Untouchables, an adaptation of the 1987 American film this time set in the Korean Joseon Dynasty, which was pitched at the E-IP. There is also the TV series based on the webtoon Item.

The E-IP market has two pitching events: Book to Film Pitching for original novels and E-IP Pitching for Web creative works.

The E-IP market has also served as a barometer for audience preference and taste. It is observed that there were periods when the pitching was dominated by historical dramas, romances and thrillers. This year appears to have arrived at more diversity to include fantasy and drama.

Busan 2018 noted the strong representation of women. Daniel Kim, general manager of the AFM, explained the preponderance of narratives with female protagonists, or “romantic stories conveying feminine sensibility.” Kim talks of how the “screening was based solely on the stories. It just so happens that many works from female writers were selected this time. The screening process was conducted by industry professionals active in film investment, distribution and TV production.” An important element was underscored by Kim: “Since one of the most important criteria is the feasibility of the projects, this outcome simply reflects the current tendencies in the market.”

The essay on E-IP market also talks of the broader search for original stories, which seems to be one of the reasons for the appearance of companies focused on film investment and distribution. Mentioned was Naver webtoon, reputedly the largest digital comics company in South Korea which has set up its own comics-tofilm unit, called Studio N. In the context of readership and book publishing, the E-IP is a significant phenomenon. The essay discusses, for example, how while there are already book fairs which organize events that will lead to the licensing of audiovisual adaptation rights, few of these

book fairs showcase original works.

Many South Korean companies are participating in the E-IP market, indicating its reach and impact. New Entertainment World, of the four major film studios in the country, has created a NEW Creator Award, which comes with a $9,000 grant (almost P5oo,ooo) in each of the book to film and E-IP pitching.

In 2018, Torycomics, a global webtoon platform, joined the E-IP market as one of the sponsors. The company is behind a webtoon app available in countries, like the United States, Russia, Turkey, Spain, Vietnam and Indonesia. Torycomics also hands out an award worth $4,500 (more than P200,0o0) to four projects under the E-IP. According to the article, the winning projects are expected to be translated into 12 languages and promoted in some 141 countries. Kim enthused how they “expect the participation of diverse platforms such as Netflix, YouTube and Universal Japan on top of film companies.”

The E-IP market is seen as extending its boundaries to include IPS, or intellectual properties, from the other parts of Asia. It looks to work with Japanese manga, Chinese Web novels and even remake films from Southeast Asia.

In a related development, Netflix has opened an office in Seoul. The news said that following Bong Joon-ho’s film Okja, released online in 190 countries and brought for competition in Cannes, Netflix is set to release Kingdom, a zombie drama set in Joseon Dynasty, in December. For the record, Netflix presented the TV series Stranger in 25 languages and in 190 countries. Stranger is said to be the only Korean series that made it to the New York Times list of the 10 best international series of 2017. 

Kanye West apologizes for using phone during Cher musical NEW YORK—Kanye West has apologized for his lack of phone etiquette while he and his wife, Kim Kardashian West, attended opening night of The Cher Show on Broadway.

Jarrod Spector plays Sonny Bono in the musical.

He thought it was cool West was in the audience but not cool that the rapper was looking at his cell phone.

Spector tweeted: “If you look up from your cell phone you’ll see we’re doing a show up here.”

West later apologized in a reply on Twitter for his “lack of etiquette.” He wrote “the dynamics of Cher and Sonny’s relationship made Kim and I grab each other’s hand and sing ‘I got you babe.’”

Kardashian West is a huge Cher fan. AP

Jose Mari Chan performs at new St. Padre Pio Church, Parañaque BEST-SELLING music artist Jose Mari Chan will stage a fund-raising concert at the new Saint Padre Pio Church. Titled Jose Mari Chan: Going Home to Christmas, the concert is scheduled on December 15, 7:30 pm, at the Saint Padre Pio Church on Garnet Street, Severina Subdivison, Km. 18, West Service Road in Parañaque City.

Known for his classics such as “Constant Change,” “Tell Me Your Name,” “Beautiful Girl,” “Please Be Careful With My Heart,” as well as the Christmas staple “Christmas in Our Hearts,” Jose Mari promises the audience a night full of songs they’d love to hear and some new songs from his recently released Christmas album.

The new Saint Padre Pio Parish Church is being completed in Severina Subdivision,

Barangay Marcelo Green, Parañaque. The construction of the church is now at the homestretch and is expected to be completed by next year. And to ensure that adequate funds are on hand, the parish has lined up various fundraising events, one of which is the special concert topbilled by Jose Mari Chan.

The ongoing construction of the new Saint Padre Pio in Parañaque is expected to comfortably seat at least 600 persons and shall service the pastoral needs of about 23,000 parishioners. It aims and envisions itself to be declared a Diocesian Shrine in the future. Rev. Fr. Marcelo Arturo Morota is the parish priest.

For those interested to watch Jose Mari Chan’s fund-raising concert, contact Nenita Ayon at 0917-8349300.

PARAÑAQUE City officials, headed by Rep. Gus Tambunting and Eric Olivarez with Mall Manager Nori Mizoguchi, led the lighting of the 30-foot red and gold Christmas tree of SM BF Parañaque.

‘American Idol’ alum Jessica Sanchez leads holiday celebrations at SM’s South Metro Malls JOSE MARI CHAN

Still a kitchen newbie? Make your cooking debut this Christmas. Yes, really Continued FRoM d2 ROASTED ZUCCHINI AND AUBERGINE LASAGNA Yield: 8-10 servings 3 pieces large onions, diced 500 grams zucchini, diced 500 grams aubergine, diced 1-2 tablespoons garlic, minced 1 teaspoon each dried basil, thyme and oregano Salt and pepper to taste Enough oil to coat the veggies 9-12 pieces cooked lasagna noodles Parsley, finely chopped Parmesan cheese, grated Red Tomato Basil Sauce: 1/4 cup olive oil 1/4 cup butter 2 pieces medium-sized onions, finely chopped 2 tablespoons garlic, minced 1 can (800g) crushed tomatoes 1 piece bayleaf Handful of basil leaves, cut chiffonade style Salt and pepper to taste Bechamel Sauce: 1/3 cup Maya All-Purpose Flour

3/4 cup butter 3 – 3 ½ cups milk 1/2 cup heavy cream 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese Pinch of nutmeg Salt and pepper to taste In a clean bowl, mix together onions, zucchini, aubergine, garlic, dried herbs and seasonings until well-blended. Drizzle enough olive oil to coat the rest of the mixture. Pan roast or place in an oven tray and roast in a preheated oven (375°F/191°C) until roasted Prepare Tomato Basil Sauce: In a saucepan, heat up oil and butter and pan sauté the onions and garlic until aromatic and translucent. Add the rest of the ingredients and bring to a boil then put in a simmering stage until lightly reduced. Set aside for later.

Prepare Bechamel: In another saucepan over medium heat, lightly toast flour before adding the butter. After the butter is well incorporated with the flour, pour in the milk, cream and cheese. Season to taste.

Continue cooking while stirring constantly. Don’t bring mixture to a rough boil. Cook until mixture lightly thickens and cheese is melted.

Cover and set aside.

To assemble: In a glass serving dish, spread at the bottom of the dish a little amount of both tomato basil and béchamel sauce, then neatly arrange on top of it the cooked lasagna noodles. Pour and spread at least 3/4 cup of red sauce on top of noodles then top with your roasted vegetables. Smother the top of the roasted vegetables with béchamel and grated parmesan cheese. Repeat the same procedure with the rest of the ingredients until you manage to make four layers of lasagna. Bake in a preheated oven (350°F/177°C) until cheese on top melts and turns golden brown. 

AMERICAN Idol Season 11 runner-up Jessica Sanchez and Chino Roque, the first Filipino astronaut, brought a lot of merriment and cheer— as well as Filipino pride—when they led their respective Christmas launches at SM’s supermalls in the South Metro area—SM BF Parañaque, SM Southmall and SM City Sucat.

It was “A Merry Magical Christmas” at SM BF Parañaque as it lighted its 30-foot red and gold Christmas tree while no less than Jessica Sanchez serenading the audience with Christmas carols.

Performances from SM Little Star Grand Winner Gaea Mischa Salipot, St. Paul College Parañaque’s Himig Bulilit and the Bedanz Dance Troup likewise left shoppers entertained by the program hosted by Miss World Philippines 2017 Laura Lehmann.

SM City Sucat, on the other hand, traveled through space and time as the mall revealed “RoboCarnival: An Out of This World Christmas.”

No less than Chino Roque, the first Filipino astronaut, graced the intergalactic-inspired launch with mesmerizing lights and a giant red robot with a special hologram room. The Voice of the Philippines Season 2 Grand Winner Jason Dy showed the once

AMERICAN Idol Season 11 runner-up Jessica Sanchez serenaded shoppers with Christmas carols at SM City BF Parañaque, bringing the joys of the holidays to the mall.

and future Yuletide spirit with his performance of well-loved Christmas songs.

SM Southmall was transformed into an “Enchanted Woodland” with magical gnomes who remind us to embrace who we are—our talents and capabilities, and to pay it forward especially during this season of giving. The joyous voices of the Las Piñas Boys Choir filled the air as the mall’s dazzling Christmas tree was lighted.

In this season of giving, make a less-fortunate child happy with SM’s Bears of Joy. Get one bear for you and donate the other for just P200.

SM Little Star Grand Winner Gaea Mischa Salipot with Santa Claus

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Parentlife BusinessMirror

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My ‘holiday must-do list’: Part II COUNTER Clockwise: After college with “Pizza hut buddies” Reena, Joey, me and Mel; last year “Pizza hut buddies” get-together; early Christmas with my best friend Liza on my recent Taipei trip; Meagan with fellow “Mafia” kid, Isaiah, with their finished word cloud art activity last Christmas; throwback photo of the “Mafia kids”; our most recent “Mafia” get-together with the original members Fongs, Tatay, me, Bens and Rhett.

MOMMY NO LIMITS

MAYE YAO CO SAY

mommynolimits@gmail.com

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AST week I shared mental notes on my “holiday must-do list.” The list includes three things: family quality time, meaningful get-togethers and I-Christmas time. I started with Family Quality Time and recalled the year I learned to have an “unwired Christmas.” This week let me share the other two.

MEANINGFUL GET-TOGETHERS MY friends are the most understanding people in the world. I consider them part of my “true family.” I wrote an article on this a while back, “relationships without masks,” without judgment, and with similar treasured values. True Family is my evolving circle of “sacred connections.” It’s not about “blood.” It is a haven of natural laughter. It is a casual couch conversation. It is having “no makeup on” (both literally and figuratively). It’s respect for all of our pasts, presents and futures. At the heart of these relationships is the genuine desire for each other’s best.

Through the years, I have grown with multiple sets of friends. From my perennial “classmate” (since we were nursery) Bing Tan, my “Pizza hut buddies” since Grade 4, my best friend since 10th grade Liza Ang (@shoptaiwanph), my Amis Pour Jamais highschool friends, my “Mafia” Management Engineering college group and to my postgraduate friends in law school, it’s funny to see all of our “throwback” photos. I can’t help but remember everything we had to go through together. I’m also very fortunate that because my husband and I share the same sentiments on friendships, we have continuously found deep connections as a couple after we got together.

For much of the year, my friends and I barely see each other because of how busy all our schedules are. We understand that if we have any time outside of work, our family is our first priority. And yet it’s amazing how there exists that natural alarm clock that calls us to converge once in a while for our occasional “unloading.” So, the holiday season is a “must-see” season for us. It is a time to be grateful for priceless friendships. It’s a time to catch up and share both the joys and fears in our lives, without fear of judgment and with utmost trust.

It is also great to see bonds build among our own kids. In our recent “Mafia” get-together, we didn’t even have to prepare games and activities like we used to. They just naturally meshed together playing cards, memory game and just chatting with each other. The older kids knew how to team up with the younger tots. They even wanted to stay

longer past midnight than the “aging” adults.

I-CHRISTMAS TIME DURING the holiday season, I always carve out time for “mindful” reflection. I love rewatching movies and listening to familiar songs that trigger past moments of sadness. I would providentially pick a random nonbusiness book from my small library. I love going through a past entry in my journal and see if I’d still react the same way.

I do this not because I like to dwell on sadness.

I do this because I believe it makes me appreciate the present. There’s a distinct welcomed awareness of the poignant points in our journey leading up to today. I believe re-facing our past with our “eyes of the present” is a great test of our gratitude and contentment. And in some years when I still feel the hurt of a past memory, I might still shed the same tears. I might journal away the same sorrows. But I’d continue to hope that life will one day grant me the wisdom with regards to a lingering issue.

Below is the past journal I reflected on last 2015: “It’s been one of those demanding weeks… Tons of pressure...tons of opportunities...Great to have cooked as a family tonight. Meagan on the crostini with young cheddar and mushrooms, Marcus and I on the asparagus, and my husband on the steak.

“We played Keep it Steady Haba Game, Sequence, Animal Kaiser cards and the culmination was Meagan doing Melissa & Doug temporary tattoos on her dad and brother. Marcus asked to put a smiley face tattoo on his heart because he said he has a happy heart : ) “A�ter game night, everyone is asleep. I �inished my work and look forward to another night with poetry…

Steps to leaps Leaps to bounds No shortcuts No over steps We listen, not speak We digest, not refute Then we hear that reference, And that reference is us.

So build you, Build your beliefs.

Judge you, Judge who you are Not relatively But genuinely.

No guarantees…

Only passions No false hopes…

Only faith That each step of self-truth, Brings a future of lightness And each view in our mirror, Re�lects a joy within.

“In a world where perceptions and expectations sprawl indeterminately, it is important to be your own stable scale.

‘Mirror up’. It is good to ‘see’ our positives and our mistakes with our own ‘lens’. Egos might be bruised but our character, de�initely strengthened. So hopefully when we reach our golden age, and see our re�lection on the mirror, we feel genuine joy, not regret, for the person we have become.” 

For homemakers, a celebration of living innovations ANY wise parent would know the importance of giving the family a home they would look forward to returning to at the end of the day.

An Italian brand known for its sophisticated approach to furniture and interior design, Minotti knows the value of family, as well. Founded by Alberto Minotti in 1948, the brand continues to be a family affair: Alessio, Alessandro and Sandra Minotti are the third generation to manage the business, proving that good taste and an eye for detail runs in the blood, and these close family ties are what sustain the brand.

The company celebrates its 70th anniversary this year, commemorating the occasion with a collection that puts the Minotti spin on the word “global”—a milestone that also marks an opportunity to celebrate Ferdie Ong, who first got the idea to bring in the luxe furniture brand to Manila more than a decade ago.

“I heard about them through Francois Kellenberger. We had a common friend, Antonio Marelli, who happened to be the representative of Minotti. He told me about the brand and the collection and the next day we immediately met with them,” recalls Ferdie.

What he loves about Minotti is its clean and contemporary lines. “You are able to combine pieces from previous collections, not like other brands that are too trendy. Minotti is brand people don’t buy just as a piece of furniture, but they purchase the ‘Minotti look’.”

Ferdie has worked with the Minotti family for 16 years and admires how passionate and hardworking they are. “They would ask me what I think about a collection and saw my input as important.”

Design remains to be an integral part in the DNA of Minotti (www.livinginnovations.ph).

Coordinated by Rodolfo Dordoni, this year’s collection highlights designers from across the world. The result is an entirely multifaced collection: while maintaining the elegant shapes, discreet designs and continuity deeply embedded in the company’s DNA, the design language is distinctly international.

From Japan, Studio Nendo brings a comprehensive range of seats in a collection called Tape, armchairs with and without armrests, lounge armchairs, bergeres, two- and three-seater sofas and ottomans.

TAPE is designed by Japanese studio Nendo and features a couture detail, conceived as a piece of ribbon that holds the metal feet to the chair.

Meanwhile, taking inspiration from the minimalist movement, French designer Christophe Delcourt created a series of pieces for the living, dining and night areas. These include: the Dan table, which combines Minotti’s savoir-faire with his attention to all the details of a project; and Granville, a seating system which focuses on an interplay of curves.

Inspired by the classic teak duckboard used in yachting to facilitate the outflow of water, Brazilian architect Marcio Kogan developed Quadrado, a modular system consisting of suspended square platforms that furnish outdoor spaces with exceptional lightness and flexibility. As a new product typology, Quadrado enriches the Minotti Outdoor collection, broadening the company’s offer with a young and contemporary concept that provides new informal solutions.

These and other furnishings in Minotti’s 2018 collection is a sign that the 70-year-old brand will be around for many years to come. It’s a collection which speaks to the quality and integrity of the brand, while also embracing the most exciting design trends of the future.

FERDIE ONG has been the sole distributor of Minotti for 16 years.

ALEXANDER is a seating system with different forms that can be combined with each other. Squared and curved elements can be used together in the same composition to create areas with an intimate and enveloping atmosphere.

Envoys&Expats BusinessMirror

www.businessmirror.com.ph | Thursday, December 6, 2018 E1

Industry expert with the heart of a local

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NLY four months into his current post, Daniel Wee affirms that he has fully settled into his new role as country general manager of The Ascott Ltd. Philippines.

It helps that his local team has been a breeze to work with, as everyone is “just smiling all the time,” Wee said.

“By my first week here, I was already very charmed by everyone’s friendliness and sincerity,” he added.

Having been assigned into different locales, however, hardly seems to be a challenge for this well-traveled hotelier. Hailing from Singapore, Wee shared that the multiracial and ­multicultural society he grew up in has worked to his advantage for overseas postings.

“Good communication helps all parties understand where problem solving is required without wasting precious time ‘bumping our heads

around,’” the general manager revealed. “In my business, guests and travelers come from everywhere and every walk of life. Requirements are always changing. So, understanding and adopting strategies ahead is like being the early bird who gets the worm.”

A graduate of the National University of Singapore where he obtained a bachelor’s degree in Estate Management, Wee has been with The Ascott Ltd. for the past eight years.

He first joined the company as residence manager for Somerset Xu Hui Shanghai, where he became city manager in Tianjin and subsequently, area general manager in West China.

PHL: Global destination

IN charge of ensuring operational efficiencies and financial performances of the company’s eight existing properties here in the Philippines, and responsible for the progress and timely opening of 12 more under development, Wee believes that aside from focusing on innovation, grooming future talents is just as important, which he does by cultivating honesty within his team.

“Having integrity helps me build sincere relationships,” he averred.

Aside from the country’s people, Wee believes the Philippines is a global destination, given its many beautiful islands; hence, The Ascott Ltd.’s plans of opening 50 more properties here in the country, which will include hotels, student accommodations and lodging for independent seniors who are looking for an active lifestyle with a community, on top of their current serviced apartments.

The company’s existing brands in the country are Ascott, for prime central-business district

locations; Somerset, which caters more to long-stay guests with their families; Citadines, which is ideal for young individual business travelers; and the soon-to-open lyf for millennial and millennial-minded guests who are looking for a new way of living and collaborating with their peers and with the community. (The first lyf setting in the Philippines will open in Cebu in 2021.)

The company has been in the Philippines for the past 18 years, with eight operating serviced apartments and 12 properties underdevelopment, or a total of over 4,300 units.

Unveiling properties

JUST recently, The Ascott Ltd. opened Citadines Bay City Manila at the newly developed Bay City district along Macapagal Avenue in Pasay City. The 212-room property features spacious accommodations with first-class hotel amenities for both short or extended-stay travelers such as an all-day café, swimming pool, fitness center and spa,

24-hour front desk and housekeeping, Wi-fi access, as well as function rooms for events, including corporate and social functions.

“We have projects lined up in Metro Manila, as well as other key cities such as Cebu, lloilo, Davao, and Bacolod. The northern part is being explored as well, like Subic and Clark, as these are high-potential areas because of developments lined up in the coming years,” the Singaporean executive revealed.

“In the Philippines, we see Citadines as the brand with the most growth opportunities as it is able to capture a good mix of corporate and leisure markets.”

He further stated: “Tourism is still the main thrust in terms of progress, as destinations like Boracay, Cebu, Bohol and Palawan manifest a steady growth over the years. The local folk also serve as a major factor that makes the country attractive. The warmth and friendliness of the Filipinos [as well as] their strong English proficiency are some of the pillars here.”

These plans form part of The

Ascott Ltd.’s global expansion: an aggressive growth target of 160,000 units by 2023. With recent developments within the company such as the acquisition of Indonesian brand TAUZIA Hotel Management and its chain of hotels, Ascott is expanding beyond its core of serviced-residence business, and scaling up its overall lodging portfolio with wider product offerings.

Having quite a number of major global chains rapidly expanding their portfolios in the Philippines, Wee was asked how Ascott stands out from the competition: “Our company primarily caters to the corporate market, which provides a more stable business base. Our international exposure, strong management expertise coupled with cluster operations support offer a more profitable and sustainable business model to property owners.”

“With these new developments and our established track record in the Philippines, we are confident that we can achieve our growth targets nationwide,” Wee declared.

Envoys& BusinessMirror

E2 Thursday, December 6, 2018

EFFORTS IN EDUCATION

EU honors young PHL essay writers

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ORKS of the winners in the “What’s EUr Story?” essay-writing competition were recently published into a booklet courtesy of the European Union (EU) Delegation, which was launched by Ambassador Franz Jessen in a ceremony.

Jessen said the Philippines is a unique melting pot of cultures, and that Filipino youth easily embrace new trends and technologies. Because of these traits, the essayists were able to come up with colorful narratives that reflect the cultures of both Europeans and Filipinos.

“The power of the written word is enormous,” Jessen averred, as he encouraged the essayists to make better use of their skills, as well as help in connecting and strengthening people-to-people links.

Featured writers were Salem Rangiris Jr. (grand winner), Hannah Joy Ibarra and Joshua Paguia (winners for college and highschool categories, respectively), Joseph Galaura, Marie Sybil Tropicales, Lorenz Dantes Paison, Patricio Dumlao IV, Brynn Jonsson Julia, Serina Mara Alonzo, Marvin de la Cruz, Rona Parducho, Natazia

Grimares and Jason Occidental.

Rangiris, a native resident of Lanao del Sur and a graduate of Bachelor of Science in Hotel and Restaurant Management from the Mindanao State University, interestingly talked about European cuisine and its similarities with Filipino cooking.

The “What’s EUr story?” essaywriting competition was opened to Filipino youth from 16 to 35 years old. The tilt encouraged them to share their narratives associated with the EU that documented their travels, impressions or insights about the bloc or any of its member-states.

The grand jurors included Jessen and Filipino literary great F. Sionil Jose. Entries were judged on the basis of substance, content, originality, analysis and adherence to the theme (65 percent); logic, organization and coherence (20 percent); as well as style and presentation (15 percent).

AMBASSADOR Franz Jessen (second from right) hands over the “What’s EUr story” compilation to college category winner Hannah Joy Ibarra (right) at the awarding ceremonies of the essay-writing competition.

Filipino students train at Italian culinary institute

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EN aspiring chef-students from the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde School of Hotel, Restaurant and Institution Management were blessed with an opportunity to demonstrate their commitment, adaptability, flexibility and ability to work with a team of experts, as well as satisfy curiosity and prepare for the demands of working in a professional kitchen.

Accompanied by Faculty Chef Jester Arellano, the selected culinary students recently returned from a three-month hands-on training at the Italian Culinary Institute for Foreigners (ICIF) in d’Asti, Italy.

Founded in 1991, the ICIF enhances the image of Italy’s cuisine and products among professionals who work in restaurants abroad.

Since its inception, the learning institution has conducted short courses for cuisine and wine, plus master courses on various specialty fields.

Culinary lectures, lessons

THE Filipino students opted for the “Short Course in Italian Cuisine and Oenology” composed of lectures, laboratory discussions, as well as theoretical and practical lessons on the excellence of fresh ingredients;

CULINARY students from the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde School of Hotel, Restaurant and Institution Management, with their mentor

filled, dried pasta and its sauces; plus the different types of pizza. It included training on the traditional and modern menu preparation of freshwater and saltwater fish.

They also had demonstration lessons covering preparation of basic breads, pastry and confectionery art, Italian-style creams, cake design and manual chocolate-tempering methods.

To supplement the trip, the students visited the Grana Padano Cheese Factory in the commune of Piacenza inside the Emilia-Romagna region, where they witnessed the en-

ADMU-NOVA MOU The Ateneo de Manila University (AdMU) formally signed a

memorandum of understanding with the Universidade Nova de Lisboa, one of the most prestigious universities in Portugal. This academic effort emphasizes collaborative learning as it strengthens the bonds of friendship and cooperation between the Philippines and Portugal.

Ambassador of the Philippines to Portugal Celia Anna M. Feria (from left), AdMU President Fr. Jose Ramon T. Villarin, SJ, “Nova” History Department Chairman Dr. Pedro Cardim and Honorary Consul of Portugal to the Philippines Antonio A. Rufino were on-hand during the signing.

tire process of making cheese. The name Grana was popularly bestowed upon the cheese made from unpasteurized, semi-skimmed cow’s milk because of its grainy consistency, markedly different from the other cheeses known.

Wine education

THE apprentices, likewise, spent some time at the Banfi Winery in the province of Strevi within the Piedmont region, where they studied the different types of wine.

(Banfi Vinters, ranked as North America’s leading wine importer for

more than three decades, is the sole importer of the Mariani family’s internationally renowned wine estates in Italy.) In the months that ensued, the learners served as interns at the Da O Vittorio, a hotel with a restaurant that offers Ligurian cuisine, popular for the flavors of fresh produce, pasta and their signature selection of dishes.

During the practicum, the undergraduates learned about different techniques in preparing food and basic kitchen-equipment skills, including proper food sanitation and workplace cleanliness.

BIZ EXPERT PREACHES INNOVATION International consultant and researcher Prof. Keith Goffin, BSc, MSc, PhD from the Stockholm School of Economics in Sweden and the Cranfield School of Management in the United Kingdom shared the secrets to innovation and competitive advantage with professionals and students from the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde’s School of Management and Information Technology, who attended the Creativity in New Product Development symposium held at the Hotel Benilde Maison De La Salle. The scholar stated: “Innovation is not just about ideas and brainstorming, but the generation of deep customer identification and insights to their hidden needs—the necessities toward remarkable breakthroughs in product development.”

British Council delivers computerized IELTS

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VER the years the British CouncilPhilippines, through the delivery of the International English Language Testing System (IELTS), has been providing new opportunities and helping make dreams come true for Filipinos who wish to go overseas.

As the needs of test takers change, the British Council continuously enhances the way it delivers the IELTS to make the test experience as convenient as possible.

Proof of this is the recently introduced computer-delivered IELTS test. With this new platform, test takers now have more test dates to choose from, with at least three test dates per week. In addition, they now have the choice of taking the test on paper or via a computer.

The paper-based and the computerdelivered test both adhere to the same security, trust and integrity of the British Council’s approach in the delivery of the IELTS. Both are also the same in terms of content, scoring, level of difficulty and test format. Test takers will undergo the same test sections: listening, reading, writing and speaking.

Whether test takers choose the standard or computer-delivered IELTS, they will be able to access the British Council’s various resources all the same—online and offline—at the British Council’s Learning Hub. Taking the computer-delivered IELTS has its own advantages, though, especially for those who are more savvy and literate with computers. Another benefit of taking such is the quick turnaround time for the test results, which are delivered within seven days after testing day.

The computer-delivered IELTS is available in Manila at the British Council office in Taguig City, and in Cebu at SMEAG Global Education Inc.

Applications open for JET Program-ALT

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HE 2019 Japan Exchange and Teaching (JET) Program is now accepting applications for Assistant Language Teacher (ALT) positions.

ALTs will work in Japan’s public schools or local boards of education in the prefecture or municipality they will be assigned to. Their primary task is to assist in classes led

by Japanese teachers of the English language.

Applicants must be Filipino citizens; possess an excellent command of oral, as well as written English; physically and mentally fit to work abroad; and hold bachelor’s degrees or higher, or be able to obtain such qualifications by their designated arrival date in Japan.

The JET Program was introduced in 1987 to help deepen mutual understanding between the Japanese people and those of other countries through foreignlanguage exchange and cultural immersion at the local level. Around 68,000 participants from more than 73 different countries have already been admitted since its launch.

JET was first offered in the Philippines in 2014. Since then the

embassy in Manila has already sent a total of 94 participants as ALTs to Japan. From only two and eight participants for 2014 and 2015, respectively, the number of accepted participants grew to 28 in 2016, then 16 qualifiers in 2017.

The figure more than doubled in 2018, with a record number of 40 Filipino ALTs admitted. The Japanese Embassy expects this positive trend in the number of Filipino JETs to continue in the 2019 run of the program.

Program guidelines, application forms and details on other requirements can be obtained from the Embassy of Japan web site. All application materials required are due on January 7, 2019, and must be submitted personally or via courier to the Japan Information and Culture Center, Embassy of Japan in the Philippines, 2627 Roxas Boulevard, Pasay City, 1300.

For more information about the JET Program and the ALT position, visit www.jetprogramme.org or the Culture and Education section of the Embassy of Japan web site.

Applicants may also contact the Commission on Higher Education at ias@ched.gov.ph or call 441-0750.

FIRST LOCAL COFFEE ACADEMY Together with officials of the Ueshima Coffee

Company (UCC) Philippines, Ambassador of Japan to the Philippines Koji Haneda (center) led a ribbon-cutting ceremony to officially open the company’s Coffee Academy. In his congratulatory remarks, Haneda mentioned that the deep, mutual ties shared between Japan and the Philippines were something to be savored, “just like perfectly brewed coffee.” Located at the third floor of the Uptown Bonifacio Mall, the UCC Coffee Academy is the first coffee institute outside Japan.

&Expats

envoys.expats.bm@gmail.com | Thursday, December 6, 2018 E3

EMBASSIES, EVENTS, ETC.

OUTGOING ENVOY President Duterte poses with outgoing Ambassador of the Czech

Republic to the Philippines Jaroslav Olša Jr. (third from left), who paid his farewell call on the Chief Executive at the Malacañan Palace on November 23. KARL NORMAN ALONZO/PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO

FAREWELL CALL Duterte confers the Order of Sikatuna-Rank of Grand Cross, Silver

Distinction on outgoing Ambassador of Malaysia Dato’ Razlan Abdul Rashid, who also made his farewell call to the President on the same date and venue. ALFRED FRIAS/PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO

ORDER CONFERMENT The President also bestowed the similar order on outgoing

Ambassador of Australia Amanda Gorely (second from left) during her farewell call on the same occasion. ALFRED FRIAS/PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO

ADB allots grants, loans for Marawi rehab

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ARAWI CITY—The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has allotted an estimated $400 million (about P20 billion) worth of grants and loans to the government for the rehabilitation of this city.

In his visit, ADB Vice President Stephen Groff and his team assessed the most affected areas of the Lanao del Sur capital.

“It is important that we get the real picture of the situation [in] Marawi, and talk to government officials [as well as] beneficiaries to ensure that the package we are putting forward to our directors [will] provide the necessary kind of support,” Groff said.

The executive confirmed that the ADB is in the process of preparing for the rehabilitation program focusing on the city’s 24 barangays heavily damaged by the strife.

As part of the process, Groff and other ADB officials met with local counterparts and interacted with displaced families still housed in a temporary relocation site in Barangay Sagonsongan.

He said the ADB’s rehabilitation pack-

age includes infrastructure projects, such as roads and bridges, as well as water supply and sanitation, social infrastructure, reconstruction of schools, health centers and hospitals.

“This is a major undertaking and we are encouraged by the dedication of the local government of Marawi and of Lanao del Sur on their focus of putting this reconstruction effort,” he said.

The ADB official then proceeded to the most affected area in the city, or what is known as “ground zero,” to inspect the proposed roads, bridges and other infrastructure totally damaged by the siege.

“Our assistance [will concentrate] more on infrastructure elements,” Groff noted, and added they are leaving the housing projects to the government, as well as other partner agencies. Divina Suson and Irma Boza/PNA

OFFICIALS of the Asian Development Bank, headed by Vice President Stephen Groff (second from right), inspect the Baloi/Mapandi Bridge in Marawi City. DIVINA M. SUSON

European Union seeks to fast-track free-trade talks A

MBASSADOR of the European Union (EU) Delegation Franz Jessen said he wants to hasten discussions for the free-trade deal with the country to improve the economic ties between the bloc and the Philippines.

“A free-trade agreement [FTA] with the Philippines is clearly one of my objectives,” Jessen said in his speech during the recent EU-Philippines Business Summit.

He mentioned, however, that pursuing FTA talks in the past years “was not always easy” because it was overshadowed by other issues.

In the last two years, President Duterte has been criticizing the EU for issuing statements against his administration’s war on drugs.

FTA negotiations between the EU and the Philippines have been stalled for more

than 20 months.

The first round of formal discussions for the EU-PHL FTA kicked off in Brussels in May 2016, and the second round was held in Cebu City in February 2017.

“FTA is something that will bring us closer together,” the envoy pointed out.

“We need, for example, the economic and trade group to meet, so that they can sit down and see what can we do in the EU side to improve trade and investment in the Philippines, and vice versa. That would be the prospect, and we need to take [action] quite fast,” Jessen emphasized, and added that both sides need to move the negotiations “faster than other countries in the region.”

He mentioned that two-way trade in goods between the EU and the Philippines reached €14 billion in 2017.

The EU delegation reported that merchandise trade between the 28 memberstates of the EU and the Philippines grew by 11 percent from 2016.

Jessen attributed this growth to the increased utilization rate of the Generalized Scheme of Preferences Plus, or GSP+. Philippine exports to the EU improved by 13 percent year-on-year, which accounted for €7.6 billion in 2017.

Philippine shipments to the EU also posted the highest value during the said period in the past five years. The country exported €5.1 billion in 2013, €5.7 billion in 2014, €7 billion in 2015 and €6.7 billion in 2016.

The country’s top exports to the EU last year were electrical machinery and equipment; machinery and mechanical equipment; as well as animal, vegetable fats and oils, among others. Kris Crismundo/PNA

PHL, Switzerland sign new air-services accord

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HE governments of the Philippines and Switzerland recently signed a new airservices agreement, which is expected to lead to a notable increase in flights between both countries.

Transportation Undersecretary for Aviation Manuel Antonio L. Tamayo and Ambassador of the Swiss Confederation (Switzerland) to the Philippines Andrea Reichlin signed the agreement in ceremonies witnessed by Trade Secretary Ramon M. Lopez and a Swiss business delegation.

The new air-services agreement was designed to comply with the current regulations of the International Civil Aviation Organization and pacts the Philippines had entered into with other countries over the past years.

“Capacity and route-network provisions had to be brought up to speed with our current policy on improving connectivity and our carriers’ international expansion plans,” Tamayo said in a text message to reporters.

Both countries are working to increase direct flights within a year after the date of the signing of the memorandum of understanding (MOU).

“The delegations agreed that the designated airlines of both parties may exercise unlimited direct flights, with third and fourth freedom traffic rights between Switzerland and the Philippines; [with the exception of] Zurich and Manila, with which seven frequencies per week, per side was agreed on. These will be increased to 14 frequencies each side, one year after the date of signing of the MOU,” according to Tamayo.

The negotiation for a new air agreement was commenced in July and formally concluded with its signing on November 20.

The Department of Transportation undersecretary likewise said Switzerland may become a viable origin or destination for fifth freedom operations that will cover flights to at least 17 European, Middle Eastern or Asian

countries, with which the Philippines has air agreements.

The Philippines and Switzerland are negotiating for an efficient way of operating the flying rights through the implementation of code-share agreements, which may be done between airlines of the same party, of both parties, or even airlines of either party, and third countries.

“These arrangements are conditioned on all participating airlines having the appropriate route and traffic rights. In case of third country-code sharing, the third country airline should only fly direct flights between Switzerland, and its home country [the third country] should allow similar agreements with Switzerland and the Philippines,” Tamayo stated.

The Philippines’s air-services agreement with Switzerland was originally executed on March 8, 1952, and last amended in 1994. Aerol John Pateña/PNA

BusinessMirror

Health&Fitness December 6-12, 2018

DIABETES

ON THE RISE Â DIABETICS ENJOY THE SWEET LIFE WITH DIABETAMIL

Canadian group addresses hearing problems in PHL A CANADIAN group has raised awareness about the large number of Filipinos who are afflicted with permanent disabling hearing loss and if this is not addressed, especially among children, it will have a big impact on their well-being.

Citing statistics from the World Health Organization, earAccess Inc., a Canadian manufacturer of high-quality and affordable ACCESS hearing aids, noted that 8.8 percent of Filipinos have permanent disabling hearing loss, much higher than the global average of 5 percent. This means that over 9.2 Filipinos are affected by disabling hearing loss. For cases of temporary and permanent hearing loss, the University of Santo Tomas found that as many as 28 percent of Filipinos are affected at one time or another, or 1 in 4 people with some kind of hearing loss.

For people with permanent hearing loss, 94 percent of these cases can be helped with hearing aids. But in many countries like the Philippines, fewer than 1 in 40 people who need a hearing aid, whether for communication or general safety, have access to one.A child with unaddressed hearing loss is likely to have delayed language development, academic under achievement, increased poverty, higher risks of injuries and social isolations.

“Deafness can cut people off from their families, their communities and their loved ones, and ultimately lead to isolation and depression,” said Esther Jamieson, project manager for earAccess, who spoke about “Hearing Loss and Innovation in Hearing Care” at the recent Philippine Hospital Association Convention at The Manila Hotel. “[The] most frightening case is with children where if a child is deaf or hard of hearing and does not receive intervention before passing the critical language-learning period in the first year of life or at least before the age of seven, they may never develop the ability to speak or communicate in general, even by sign language,” she added.

In fact, there might be more people who are afflicted with the problem because deafness is an invisible disability. It is often misdiagnosed as developmental delays, attention disorders and speech disorders, or it is just assumed that the one who has a hearing problem is rude or disoriented when, in reality, he just cannot hear.

Recent studies at Johns Hopkins University have even shown that unaddressed hearing loss is correlated with early Alzheimer’s, dementia and cognitive decline. The findings suggest that the sooner hearing aids are used by people, particularly the elderly, the better and the chances of slowing down the aging process. For the young, early access to hearing aids can help increase educational attainment and even earning potential.

2 Health&Fitness December 6-12, 2018

“What we have noted in the countries we have a presence in is that there is a pattern of gaps: gaps in awareness, gaps in services and gaps in affordability,” Jamieson said. “This pattern of gaps is one that is consistent across most countries in the world when it comes to hearing care, including the Philippines.”

To address these, Jamieson said they came up with innovative screening and training.

With their local distributor Fine Nutrition, headed by Imelda M. Tesalona, earAccess had the opportunity to work with the Persons with Disability Affairs Division of Mandaluyong city to develop solutions for adaptation in the country. “We developed the first-ever protocol and complete training to build up a screening team specialized in using play audiometry techniques to screen children under five,” she said. So far, the team has screened 3,000 daycare and 5,000 kindergarten and elementaryschool children for hearing loss.”

The team also trained clinical audiology students in the UST Department of Audiology on this protocol. It was used in Batangas in a partnered mission with the UST to screen 6,000 children EarAccess has also come up with a training module specifically for midwives, nurses and even teachers “to capacitate them with the skills and knowledge needed to identify the signs and confirm with equipment-independent tests to ensure that people, especially children, are identified as early as possible.”

Jamieson added that, to address the gap in affordability and accessibility of hearing aids and services, this can be made available through settings outside of the clinics. “Our expertise is that we provide hearing aids and care in innovative contexts. We work with partners in nonclinical settings to provide services,” she explained. “Additionally, we provide high quality ACCESS hearing aids at an affordable price as part of our social mission to keep hearing aids affordable for the end patient.”

EarAccess conducts regular free hearing screenings at Watsons where the ACCESS hearing aid products are being sold. The free hearing screenings are held every day, except Mondays and Wednesdays, at Watsons Philippines in Robinsons Place Manila, SM Megamall and SM Fairview, and everyday except Mondays and Thursdays at SM Manila and SM North Edsa For more information about earAccess and its ACCESS®1 and ACCESS®2 hearing aids, like the earAccess Facebook page ear access Philippines or visit https://earaccess.com.

ESTHER JAMIESON, project manager for earAccess Inc., conduct the hearing screening during a social mission with Rotary International District 3800, for Rotary on Wheels medical and dental program at Barangay Cupang, Antipolo.

Health&Fitness

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DIABETES WWW.FREEPIK.COM

ON THE RISE

By Henrylito D. Tacio

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ORE than 3/4 of the respondents (77 percent) from the Philippines believe that diabetes is inherited from their parents.

About 32 percent of those who were included in the survey are willing to change their diet to support a member of their family with diabetes, and 47 percent are willing to exercise with a diabetic family member.

These findings were part of the five-year Sun Life Financial Asia Diabetes Awareness Study in the region.

It was conducted in October 2018 through online interviews with 3,860 respondents aged 25 years old and above in Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines and Vietnam.

“The study aims at understanding the public’s awareness of diabetes and identify the gaps in preventive measures they are willing to take to combat this prevalent health challenge,” said Jeremy Young, Sun Life Financial Asia’s chief marketing officer.

To think, the Philippines has one of the highest number of diabetics in the region. “The number of Filipinos with diabetes is growing at an alarming rate,” wrote Anne Ruth dela Cruz in an article published in the BusinessMirror. “The numbers, however, could be higher than reported

4 Health&Fitness December 6-12, 2018

because there are Filipinos who have not been diagnosed with the disease.”

The Philippines ranks fifth behind China, Indonesia, Japan and Thailand in the number of diabetes cases, according to the Western Pacific Region of the International Diabetes Federation, an umbrella organization of over 230 national diabetes associations in 170 countries and territories.

With the current population at over 100 million, the Philippines has more than 5 million diagnosed with diabetes.

The foundation noted that some 50,000 diabetic Filipinos died in 2017 due to diabetes-related complications like heart attack, stroke, and kidney and heart failure.

“If nothing is done to stem the alarming trend,” de la Cruz wrote, “the prevalence of diabetes is expected to soar to 20 percent by the year 2045, and more than 100,000 Filipinos would be dying every year due to its complications.”

Diabetes, as defined by the Merck Manual of Medical Information is “a disorder in which blood sugar

[glucose] levels are abnormally high because the body does not produce enough insulin.”

Before probing deeper, let’s discuss first this hormone released from the pancreas called insulin. “Insulin controls the amount of sugar in the blood,” explains the Merck Manual.

“When a person eats or drinks, food is broken down into materials, including sugar that the body needs to function.

“Sugar is absorbed into the bloodstream and stimulates the pancreas to produce insulin,” the manual further explains. “Insulin allows sugar to move from the blood into the cells. Once inside the cells, sugar is converted to energy, which is either used immediately or stored until it is needed.”

The levels of sugar in our blood vary normally throughout the day.

“They rise after a meal and return to normal within about two hours after eating,” the Merck Manual informs.

“Once the levels of sugar in the blood return to normal, insulin production decreases.”

But with diabetes, something goes awry, health experts claim. The pancreas becomes irresponsible. It either stops producing the hormone completely or else produces too much, which leads to insulin resistance.

Either way, concentration of sugar in the blood shoots sky-high.

Of course, the body tries to eliminate the sugar. “The best way to do that is via the urine,” says Dr. Isadore Rosenfeld, author of The Best Treatment. “But since the kidneys can’t excrete sugar in lump form, the body must provide enough water to dilute or dissolve the sugar in order to flush it out.”

The net result of all this is that the person will spend more and more time in the bathroom to void the sugar and at the water tap to drink the much-needed extra water. This is the basis of why the cardinal signs of untreated diabetes are frequent urination and great thirst. In women, the urine rich in sugar provides a good medium for fungus to grow in the vagina, hence the vaginal itching.

Actually, there are two forms of diabetes. Type 1 diabetes (also known as insulin-dependent diabetes) is caused by a reduction in the level of insulin. The body’s immune system

destroys the insulin-producing cells in the pancreas, causing insulin deficiency. As a result, individuals with this type of diabetes need regular insulin injections to maintain glucose control.

In contrast, type 2 diabetes (also called as non-insulin-dependent diabetes) arises in the first instance not because there is a lack of insulin, but because the body fails to respond to circulating insulin effectively.

This condition is known as insulin resistance. For this reason, newly diagnosed individuals do not require insulin injections.

“If you look at the spread of the scourge around the world, type 2 diabetes occurs as a country advances technologically, when people come out of the fields to sit behind desks,” notes Dr. Irwin Brodsky, director of the Diabetes Treatment Program at the University of Illinois in Chicago.

Type 2 is the strain most people fear. This is the real epidemic, accounting for 85 to 90 percent of diabetes cases in the country. “Getting diagnosed early is important because most of its serious complications are preventable,” assures Dr. Marie Yvette Rosales-Amante, who had her fellowship in endocrinology, diabetes and metabolism at the University of Massachusetts.

Diabetes is associated with a range of complications that are largely related to damaged blood vessels and nerve cells caused by consistently high blood glucose concentrations.

These complications include: retinopathy (eye problems, in some cases leading to blindness), nephropathy (kidney disease), neuropathy (nerve disease, which can lead to the need for amputation), heart attack, stroke, frequent infections and impotence.

The Philippine Diabetes Association, an umbrella organization of all associations involved in the care of the diabetic patients, attributes the increase of diabetic incidence in the Philippines to the lifestyle and culture of Filipinos. “For one, Filipinos love to eat,” it says. “Rice is the Filipinos’ staple food.”

The Sun Life survey found out that most Filipinos know that a highcarbohydrates diet (76 percent), in addition to lack of exercise (65 percent), is a high-risk factor for diabetes.

Health&Fitness December 6-12, 2018 5

FITNESS RULES

By Greggy H. Romualdez

Breakthrough lung-cancer medication shows promise

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For some of us, steering clear of life-threatening illnesses is a priority, most especially if we have a particular family history that may predispose us to certain specific illnesses.

Sometimes, no matter how hard we try to avoid getting sick, life throws us a curve ball, and we have no choice but to deal with our condition. Perhaps one of the most dreaded diseases to inflict itself on mankind is cancer. We all have a friend or relative who has had to go through it—with varying results. Among the various forms of cancer, lung cancer is one of the most prevalent. It is the most commonly occurring cancer in men and the third-most commonly occurring in women.

One thing that may surprise us is that, according to a 2015 study by the European Respiratory Journal, 25 percent of lung cancer cases are not related to smoking. This means that even nonsmokers can fall prey to this particular cancer.

Chemotherapy is usually thought of as the only treatment for cancer.

However, according to Dr. Maria Luisa Abesamis-Tiambeng of Cardinal Santos Medical Center, various treatment options are now available.

Among the options are: surgery to remove affected lung tissues, radiation therapy and targeted drug therapy.

Targeted drug therapy is an option that may be pursued in certain cases as can be determined by biopsy findings. Through biomarker testing, the biopsy can reveal genetic mutations in cancer cells that can be targeted

6 Health&Fitness December 6-12, 2018

by drugs designed to zero in on those cellular abnormalities.

Therapeutic advances have made targeted drug therapy the standard of care for personalized medicine in the fight against certain lung cancers. One breakthrough is Tagrisso (Osimertinib), an oral tablet from a class of drugs called tyrosine kinase inhibitors that target tumors with epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations.

Tagrisso has shown better precision and power at stopping lung cancer growth and improving patient survival. The breakthrough drug reduces the risk of lung-cancer metastasis on the central nervous system by 52 percent, and lowers the risk of death by 37 percent based on its preliminary data.

“These results have made Tagrisso the recommended and preferred first-line treatment by international guidelines for advanced and metastatic non-small cell lung cancer—the most prevalent type of lung cancer— that tested positive for EGFR,” said Dr. Donald Ray Josue, Medical Affairs head of AstraZeneca Philippines.

So while lung cancer and other forms of the big C may strike someone we know, we can somehow take comfort in the knowledge that science has made great advances to fight this disease and enable the human body to cope with it, and hopefully beat it completely one day.

Research has also shown that regular exercise may have important benefits for cancer patients and survivors

WWW.FREEPIK.COM

E try to work out and follow an exercise program not only to look good but to have an enhanced quality of life where are able to stay active and pursue activities that require a certain level of fitness as we age—traveling, trying out new sports and outdoor activities, keeping up with our kids and grandkids.

regardless of disease stage.

And to further help Filipino patients and their loved ones deal with the challenges of lung cancer, AstraZeneca has partnered with the Philippine Society of Medical Oncology, along with local support groups such as the Cancer Coalition Philippines, and the Philippine Alliance of Patient Organizations to launch LVNG With Lung Cancer, an online resource portal for patients across all stages of the disease.

“Being diagnosed with lung cancer can make patients feel anxious and hopeless, which is why support is vital,” explained Dr. Josue. “LVNG With provides support by forming a community of patients and their loved

ones so they can inspire one another and exchange helpful information about their treatment. Through the network, patients may realize that while lung cancer is not yet curable, it is very treatable. There’s still so much more for them to look forward to in their lives.”

In our quest to stay fit and reach out fitness goals, it is essential to surround ourselves with the right people who can motivate us to reach our destination. This applies as well when we are going through and recovering from a life-threatening illness. When we are able to lean on each other, it makes things more bearable and the prospect of success brighter.

ENTERING THE AGE OF STONED STEAKS

By Cesar Cruz Jr.

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OTHING quite satisfies a man’s appetite like a huge chunk of good ‘ol steak cooked to one’s preferred level of doneness. For hardcore carnivores, steaks are top contender for the ultimate comfort food.

Throw in a party of side dishes and sauces and complete the entourage to this VIP protein dish.

When you absolutely have to give in to your steak craving, it is good to know that there is a steakhouse that does not disappoint. Stoned Steaks steakhouse, a 30-seater dining spot at 55 Scout Rallos in Quezon City, has been carving a name for itself for almost a year now with the reverence it shows toward handling its high-quality steaks. Without doubt, it is the place to impress a date, celebrate life’s victories and splurge on the good stuff.

How many steakhouses do you know that has its own dry-aging machine for its Angus and Wagyu steaks? Dry aging makes the meat more flavorful and thereby taste better due to the evaporated moisture from the muscle. As a result, weight is lost the longer this kind of beef is aged. To understand dry aging, think of the funky characteristic that time imparts to charcuterie and blue cheese. For a dryaged steak newbie, start with the 28 day steak. For long time steak lovers, try the 45-day dry-aged steak.

Not all steaks here, though, are dry aged. A regular Wagyu, which is known for its tenderness, and likewise—a rib eye Angus, which has a reputation for flavor—

can be had in various levels of marbling, as well. Thus, the higher the grade, the higher quality the steak is accorded with.

While top-notch steak quality is

already a given, its lineup of exciting promos can certainly rival the irresistible aroma of steak fat turning into vapor. If quantity to you is as important as quality, visit Stoned Steaks from Monday to Wednesday and avail yourself of its unlimited steak promo. On Thursdays, slash 50 percent off Wagyu steaks. On the weekends, cut 40 percent off on all dry aged steaks.

Moreover, a huge fun factor one gets from dining at Stoned Steaks is the fact that the steaks are served on a lava-rock plate. It cooks in front of you in all its sizzling glory. The crucial part diners should pay attention to is the right moment to take off your steak from the 350 degree Celsius hot plate, as it cooks fast. You don’t want all the steak juices to go up in smoke!

The steak place has done away with trimmings associated with your grand daddy’s steakhouse. In fact, it marches to its own beat as its ambience exudes

a fresh and clean vibe with the use of marble tops, Tolix chairs, black hanging light fixtures and a faux grass-covered accent wall with the word ‘Stoned’ across it. It has that Big Apple feel that millennials resonate with. Nevertheless, the service one gets here is akin to fine dining—thanks to its well-trained, wellmannered staff.

On a lighter note, staring at the accent wall gave this writer the crazy assumption that Stoned Steaks come from “grass-fed” cows. After all, this is a steak “joint.”

With a commitment to high standards in handling its premium steaks, served on a hot plate that cooks in front you, in a modern setting, coupled with inviting promos and polished service, what more could a steak lover ask for? It is an open invitation to indulge in the good stuff and be deliriously satisfied as one enters the age of Stoned Steaks.

Health&Fitness December 6-12, 2018 7

By Pauline Gutierrez

ON YOUR GET SET, FOR WEL

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N the morning of October 24, the sun rose against a barren cerulean sky in Balesin Island despite the iffy rainfall and strong wind arising from the west the other day. The Lamon Bay illuminated the horizon where the ocean met the sun off the eastern coast, while the amihan gust brought sand dusts in a quiet yet harmonically choreographed pirouette.

Along the winding cobblestone roads of the Mykonos Village, people have warmed up to log miles before the rest of the world has even hit the snooze button.

It was, after all, a perfect day for the Balesin Adventure Trail Run. Launched in 2017, the sports event is now on its second iteration courtesy of Alphaland Corp., the real-estate company behind the 500-hectare development, Aegle Wellness Center, its medical division, and RunRio Events Inc., a marathon-organizing firm founded by elite and celebrity runner Rio de la Cruz.

The 21K and 5K races were carefully mapped to pass through the properties dotting the coastline. Registration for the run included flights per pax to and from Balesin Island Club and a three-day/twonight accommodation from November 23 to 25 in one of Balesin’s villas.

Suffice to say, the P20,000 fee availed runners more than participation privileges but also access to the exclusive-only, millions-membership-fee island club venue.

Here, they were given the chance to tour Balesin’s seven coastal villages, modeled after the world’s most famous tourism architectures—Bali, Indonesia; Costa del Sol, Spain; Mykonos, Greece; Phuket, Thailand; Toscana, Italy; Saint Tropez, France; and, with the Philippines as inspiration, a Balesin village.

Coach Rio, who was himself present at the event, shared that “he was very lucky” to be tapped as the run’s coordinator. “Generally, the biggest challenge in organizing runs like this is the venue, mainly because of the congestion in Manila. There are also a lot of races happening every week. This is a privately owned property, so I think it has a lot of potential in terms of attracting runners

8 Health&Fitness December 6-12, 2018

who want to get away from the everyday bustle of city life.”

He added, “Hopefully, our participants will continue to join the race, as every year we offer something new. Moving forward, we’d also like to open this to international runners to showcase the best of the Philippines.”

The second edition concluded with more than 600 runners, as compared to last year’s 200 count.

For this year’s finishers under the 21K category, there’s Ericson Pan (who completed the course in a duration of 1:55:54 minutes) and Candy Lee (2:12:50), both of whom placed first. Remus Romero and Maybel Lastimosa finished second, while Latrell Fenzon and Teresa Regis finished third.

Richie Fariñas covered the full 5K course under the men’s division in 0:26:06, while Beatrice Liu, 0:31:07, won first in the women’s category. Connar Homan and Melannie Reyes were named 2nd placers and Rhon Cribe and Lorna Vejano were 3rd.

More than marathon

MORE than a marathon for adventure junkies, the event is also geared toward raising awareness on the benefits of running and preventive health.

“We regularly hold activities that can entice and encourage everyone to pick up a sport or exercise they can continue doing as part of their lifestyle,” said Dr. Benedict Valdecañas, the medical director of Aegle, which is touted as the Asia-Pacific region's most comprehensive wellness facility set within the island complex.

According to Valdecañas, or “Doc Ben,” the Balesin Trail Run aims to underscore the concept of preventive health, with proper diet, exercise and correct supplementation, as a primary focus of their well-

DR. Benedict Valdecañas, Medical Direc

Coach Rio de la Cruz, celebrity runner a

ness practice—a campaign that the center has mounted since it set up operation in January 2016.

In addition, he added: “Here we have a lot of services the runners can avail pre- or post-run—be it nutrition, detoxification, sports boost and immune boosts. Our Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy is quite popular, in fact, it’s also what I do after a long run to diminish the inflammation and help the body heal faster.”

This particular treatment comprises of hyperbaric oxygen therapy, which enhances the body's natural healing process by inhalation of 100-percent oxygen in a total body chamber, where atmospheric pressure is increased and controlled. Oxygen is normally transported in the body through red blood cells. Through HBOT, oxygen is dissolved into all of the body's fluids, the plasma, the central nervous-system fluids, the lymph and the bone, and can be carried to areas

R MARK, T, RUN LLNESS!

ctor of Aegle Wellness Center and

and President of RunRio Events, Inc.

where circulation is diminished or blocked.

Another signature treatment of Aegle is the thalassotherapy. From the Greek word for “sea,” this unique therapy makes use of the components of seawater for medical treatments including weight loss, detoxification, antiaging and regeneration; these components include the seawater itself, mud and silt, algae and seaweed, as well as coralline minerals. ​Aegle's Balesin facility is the only one in

the Philippines and one of very few in Asia to offer thalassotherapy, benefiting from its location surrounded by the vital waters of the Pacific Ocean.

The idea of utilizing this technology came to Doc Ben when he saw its potential in the country’s health-care landscape: “Before, ancient civilizations would use the elements of the earth for natural healing.

Thalassotherapy here in Aegle has been advanced and modified for modern use.”

There are six specialty thalasso pools on the top floor of the center, namely: Heal, which utilizes natural seaweed antibacterials and helps regenerate external tissue; Detox, a thalasso pool chemically treated to draw out toxins from the bloodstream and replace them with essential minerals and elements; Soothe, for anti-inflammatory purposes, mainly for musculoskeletal conditions such as arthritis and sprains and strains; Energize, which stimulates the natural production of endorphins; Relax, which helps bring down stress-induced neurotransmitters to calmer levels, and, finally, Balance, a thalasso pool that aims to regain the body’s natural electrolyte balance through osmosis.

Apart from HBOT and thalassotherapy, there are also a wealth of treatments offered by Aegle, like clinical services and diagnostics, intravenous therapies, aesthetic services, nutrition management, colon hydrotherapy and light therapy.

Sports Medicine Programs, on the other hand, are offered to regular athletes.

The program includes Functional Exercise, Sports Performance Enhancement and Facilitated Recovery.

“A lot of centers like this are heavy on spa/relaxation/pampering services, whereas we’re basically a medical facility.

We start with diagnostics and blood tests.

We have a purely blood-based examination system, which does not stop with your blood chemistries. We also do routine hormone and neurotransmitters tests.

We use tumor marker [biomarker] not just for monitoring cancer but detecting, it as well” Doc Ben added.

He cited the importance of teaching a person what they can do to keep themselves healthy instead of simply prescribing medication for disease symptoms.

With this in mind, the next time you want a natural remedy for your health issues, simply take a look outside. It might be a good day for a run.

Health&Fitness December 6-12, 2018 9

BULLETIN BOARD

SPREADING THE SPIRIT OF CHRISTMAS

AT PARK INN BY RADISSON DAVAO IT was a blissful celebration as Park Inn by Radisson Davao held its fifth Christmas tree-lighting ceremony. The event was graced by the city’s VIPs, friends from media, affiliates and corporate clients. The ceremony started with messages from the General Manager, Emelyn Rosales, followed by SMHCC’s Executive Vice President Ms. Peggy Angeles and Davao City Vice Mayor Bernard Al-ag.

“This year, we opted for a contemporary and funky approach on Christmas to spread the spirit of fun not only within the hotel but also for the community which we are part of Christmas, as we all know, is a time of the year that we associate with joy and wonder. It brings with it a warm glow that lights up the faces of everyone and makes our thoughts turn to family, friendship and happy memories,” shares GM Emelyn Rosales.

Lighting the Whimsical Winterland at Marco Polo Ortigas Manila THE season of joy has officially begun as the Forbes Travel Guide Five Star Award winner unlocked the doors to Winterland with the golden key with the ceremonial tree lighting on November 21.

This year’s theme comes from the classic tale that brings a magical journey. Guests were welcomed by the voices of a choir group with a set of Christmas carols. Afterward, General Manager Frank Reichenbach welcomed corporate clients, in-house guests and media partners for gracing the event.

“Christmas is a time for family and true friendship. This year’s theme, Whimsical Winterland, brings to life the Lewis Carroll classic, Alice’s adventures in Wonderland. We are pleased to present how the world can [be] and is indeed more vibrant, enchanting and delightful when viewed through the eyes of innocence. It is by revelling in childlike wonder, like Alice did in the beloved children’s story, that we may begin fully embracing what this season means for all of us,” said Reichenbach.

Guest of honor, Officer in Charge and City Administrator of Pasig City Atty. Dianeth Valencia, graced the event to celebrate with the hotel.

10 Health&Fitness December 6-12, 2018

“We are happy to take part in this event as the hotel and the city’s goals are the same in terms of celebrating Christmas. We really can feel and smell the Christmas at Marco Polo,” says Atty. Valencia.

Sharing the spirit of Christmas, the children of Riversprings School were gathered to light

up the 25-foot Christmas tree together with the owning company, Xin Tian Ti, officially starting the magical journey. The spectacle of lights bringing wonders to the whimsical decorations brought guests a nostalgia reminiscent of the classic book. Afterward, the hotel’s associates surprised everyone with a performance over a

classic holiday song.

Just as the season of giving is around the corner, the hotel also announced the third year of the Wings of Hope program. This year, guests are encouraged to adopt an eagle stuffed toy for a minimal fee of P650, with proceeds supporting the Philippine Eagle Foundation’s efforts in preserving and looking after the national bird.

Resident Manager Roel Constantino concluded the event with a few words, “Fuelled by the spirit of discovery and the heartfelt commitment to serve, Marco Polo Ortigas Manila is proud to be among the most recognized institutions in the hospitality and travel industry. We hope today’s celebration inspires everyone here today to make real what others deem impossible and to remain as curious as ever.”

Experience a classic tale told in a magnificent way through a menagerie of curious characters, sweet parties and wonderful things at Whimsical Winterland. To know more about the hotel, visit www.marcopolohotels.com.

Make reservations at (+632) 720-7777. Follow the hotel on Facebook at facebook.com/MarcoPoloOrtigasManila or @MarcoPoloManila on Twitter or Instagram.

HEALTH MONITOR

‘BPRECISE’ AWARENESS CAMPAIGN LAUNCHED H YPERTENSION represents a major burden in Asia and in many parts of the world. This disease comes with a high prevalence rate and, unfortunately, poor levels of awareness and control in many countries.

Hypertension is also the leading preventable cause of premature deaths worldwide, afflicting an estimated 1.4 billion people in 2010, and contributing to 10.5 million deaths each year. By 2030, it is estimated that almost 23.6 million will die from cardiovascular diseases.

In the Philippines, a 2013 study shows that while 75 percent of patients receive treatment for hypertension, only 27 percent of those achieve adequate blood pressure (BP) control.

Disparities in hypertension prevalence, awareness, treatment and control rates have increasingly been more evident, with significant rises in hypertension prevalence during the past 30 years.

The Philippine Society of Hypertension (PSH), a 2000 plus-strong association of health providers from various disciplines committed to the diagnosis, management, treatment and prevention of hypertension, has recently partnered with Omron Healthcare in an effort for better guided hypertension treatment.

Banneringthe important message of keeping a constant tab on one’s blood

pressure, this ‘BPrecise’ partnership, is centered on the pursuit of accuracy in home blood pressure monitoring.

Home BP monitoring is a complementary tool to clinic BP measurements and ambulatory BP monitoring. It can help identify masked hypertension and improve treatment adherence by allowing patients with hypertension and their family members a more active role in the management of the disease.

Omron has led the way in its advancement, allowing people to make conscious effort and take necessary measures in preventing heart disease and strokes.

An organization that is fully dedicated to help realize healthy and comfortable lives for people around the world, Omron Healthcare provides a wide range of health and medical care products for households and professionals. It boasts of creative technologies and equipment that serve as the perfect partner of medical care providers.

Omron monitoring gadgets are the only such instruments clinically validated as accurate and reliable

measures of blood pressure by the Philippine Society of Hypertension, thus serving as relevant guides in hypertension treatment. Omron’s automated BP monitoring devices provide an easier and more convenient way for patients to do their self-measurement compared to the standard mercury sphygmomanometer.

And with self-measurement and home monitoring of blood pressure now recommended by most guidelines for BP management, digital BP monitoring devices have become the practical and less-prone-toerror option.

Among these precision instruments is the Omron Blood Pressure HEM-7120, a portable, easy-to-use home BP monitor that comes with many helpful and unique features.

It detects irregular heartbeat and records previous measurement for health purposes. Highly recommended by doctors for providing accurate results, it is compact and fully automatic, which works on the oscillometric principle to measure blood pressure and pulse rate without fuss. The device comes with an extralarge LCD screen that displays stable and clear numbers, making it easy to read.

It uses an advanced “IntelliSense” technology for comfortable and controlled inflation without the need of pressure pre-setting or re-inflation. The heart beat symbol display

flashing indicates a blood pressure out of recommended range, and activation of irregular heart beat symbols indicate irregular heart beats.

Omron’s other popular Blood Pressure monitor, the HEM-7130 model, is capable of storing 60 sets of readings with their corresponding date and time. It can also provide an average of the last three readings taken within the last 10 minutes.

The HEM-7130 is, likewise, powered by the Enhanced Intellisense Technology and employs a Body Movement Detector. This feature prompts user to retake measurement when an error is detected due to the movement of the body during measurement.

Championing the growing acknowledgment from the health and medical industry for the role of home blood pressure monitoring in the management of hypertension, the BPrecise partnership aims to achieve “Zero Events,” that is, reducing the incidence of life-threatening diseases such as strokes and heart attacks to zero. This is fully aligned with PSH and Omron Healthcare’s mission to considerably improve hypertension outcomes all over the world.

For more information on the BPrecise partnership of PSH and Omron Healthcare, like https://www.facebook.com/OMRONHealthcarePH/on FB. You may also visit http://www. omronhealthcare.com.ph/.

AFFORDABLE AND WORRY-FREE WAY TO BE HAIR-FREE

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HERE is a one-stop shop for hair-removal concerns and other beauty treatments that are affordable and reliable—HairX Removal.

Launched in August 2015, it is a local concept that was inspired by Musee, Japan’s No.1 Hair Removal salon. With branches at Conrad S Maison, Marina Way, MOA and Eight Forbes Town Road, BGC, it is managed by highly trained aestheticians

using the latest equipment, techniques and procedures in a clean and relaxed environment.

HairX Hair Removal ensures that each procedure is as painless as possible, combining modern services with the latest state-of-the-art technology, such as IPL hair treatments, Diode Laser machine, Lycon wax and threading procedures for hair removal that is effective with long-term reduction results without the pain and distress.

The IPL hair treatment (Intense Pulsed Light) uses a broad-spectrum, visible light that’s devised to remove shorter wavelengths and target the melanin pigment in the hairs located on specific areas of the body.

HairX also offers Power Brows Microblading, Body Massage and Foot Reflexology (in its S Maison branch only), plus facial services (Glow, AquaFacial and Pristine Facial) and skin-lightening treatments (AquaLite,

PristineLite, IV Glutathione, IV Placenta and IV Cinderella). All procedures are reasonably priced, making them more accessible for those who want to look and feel good about themselves without straining their budgets. It caters to men and women from 14 to 40 years old.

For more information, visit HairX Hair Removal at the 2nd Level, Conrad S Maison, Marina Way, Mall of Asia Complex.

Health&Fitness December 6-12, 2018 11

Fast-growing Taiwanese food chain opens in BGC Contributed by Berlin Domingo-Maynigo

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NE of the world’s best-loved cuisines, the delicate yet intense flavors of Taiwanese food can now be found at the heart of Bonifacio Global City.

Fat Fook at BGC FAST-GROWING Taiwanese chain, Fat Fook announced the opening of its newest branch tucked in the heart of Bonifacio Global City in Taguig, marking the company's fifth location in the country. Located at The Globe Tower, 32nd Street, the restaurant brings favorite dishes Pork Xiao Long Bao, Oyster Omelette and Stinky Tofu without having to spend for airfare, lodging and other expenses that go with traveling. This Taiwanese restaurant is owned and managed by the same group that operates Ramen Nagi. It was conceptualized by the group’s executive chef, Rachel Kao, who was born in Taiwan and grew up in the Philippines.

The expansion in the CBD of BGC is part of the brand’s development plans for this year.It also looks forward to opening two or three more shops by the first quarter of next year. The first branch opened in SM North Edsa in 2016 then followed

by Robinsons Galleria in 2017. A branch in SM Megamall and also in Glorietta both opened in 2018.

What makes Fat Fook different from other Taiwanese diners is its take-out counter that offers some of Taiwan’s best street-food delicacies and milk tea. The street food are all sourced from Taiwan.

Fat Fook modern, authentic Taiwanese dishes FAT Fook stems from the Chinese word for “Fa” (gaining”) and “Foo” (Taiwanese term which means prosperity or auspicious).

It can be literally translated to “increasing luck.”

Taiwanese food is a bit close to Filipino cuisine in terms of how the dishes look. But concerning flavor profile, Taiwanese

dishes tend to be a bit salty, sweet and sometimes spicy. Even if you've never been to Taiwan, sampling the food at Fat Fook will surely pique your culinary curiosity.

To remain modern, authentic and suit the Filipino millennial palate, Fat Fook adjusts some of its dishes. However, there are certain dishes like the stinky tofu, for example, that retains its strong smell—exactly how it’s served in Taiwan.

Most of the recipes are from Chef Rachel’s home, inherited from her parents and have been refined for Fat Fook. They also guarantee that the food is as close to the Taiwanese versions because the owners go to Taiwan regularly to taste and source ingredients.

Fat Fook’s cozy and inviting dining experience is an entirely value-for-money—from its warmly lit interiors to the appetizing Taiwanese meals with a twist meticulously prepared by its resident chef. The restaurant itself exudes a modern vibe but still maintains touches of Asian appeal with chromatic cherry architectural accents and porcelain bowls used as light fixtures.

Fat Fook is also quite an innovator when it comes to their food. They make sure to add something new, making it more appealing to the local palate and to the style and taste of the millennial, yet you can still find the essence of home cooking.

Fat Fook house specialties FAT Fook is known for their house specialties like their bestselling Chicken Chops, Pork Xiao Long Bao and Taiwan Beef Noodles. Sophisticated palates will appreciate how Fat Fook’s Chicken Chops aroma wafts up and bursts in the mouth. The crunch of the special breading, alongside the crunchiness and

juiciness of the chicken, make for an exciting mix of textures. It will definitely be love at first bite; with just the right amount of breading and seasoning. With their Chicken Chops, you’ll really get to savor the unmistakably Asian flavor.

Another Fat Fook house favorite is the Oyster Omelette. This classic Taiwanese street food has a lot of great flavors coming from the oyster, Taiwanese pechay and the thick egg wrap. The savory sauce drizzled on top of the omelette provides an added sweet-savory umami taste and all the more makes the dish beautiful to look at.

The traditional Pork Xiao Long Bao is definitely impeccable. It surely does not disappoint. In the steaming xiao long lie broth-filled steamed pork dumplings oozing with rich and warm flavor.

Another classic Taiwanese must-try dish would be the Taiwan Beef Noodles. Though looks like a simple dish, the ingredients are made sure they are in their best state. The noodles are light and cooked firm but remain chewy and sweet, while the beef fork-tender almost melt in your mouth with its intense flavoring.

Other interesting dishes on the menu are Taiwan Sausage, Tofu Century Egg, Beef Tendon, Black Pepper Beef, Pork Radish Soup, Oyster Misua, Truffle Xiao Long Bao and String Beans with Minced Pork.

Fat Fook dining experience

CELEBRATIONS BUFFET Get together for the holidays in style at Makati Diamond Residences. Enjoy

bottomless bubbly and other beverages from the wine and gin bar. Buffet offers traditional treats such as Roast Beef, Raclette, Jamon Serrano and more. The Celebrations Buffet at Alfred is available on December 7 and 14, 2018, from 6 to 9 p.m. for P2,500 net per person. Place your table reservation by calling (02) 317-0999 local 1113, (0917) 636-4875 or e-mail dine@makatidiamond.com.

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THE dining experience in Fat Fook is, likewise, leisurely and unhurried, just as it should be when you want to have an enjoyable meal. It’s also not unusual to spot high-powered politicians and popular celebrities dining there. But you’ll probably be enjoying your food too much to even care. It also saves one the hassle of traveling to Taiwan and get a visa to eat modern, authentic Taiwanese food. Who knew Taiwanese food was this easily accessible? Thank God for Fat Fook! Your tummies will surely thank you when you come and visit.

Fat Fook has an exciting news for all its followers and patrons. Its milk tea will be updating its look and packaging, thus there is something to watch out for in a few months.

You may visit Fat Fook at The Globe Tower, 32nd Street, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig. It opens from Sunday to Saturday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Follow it on social media: Instagram @FatFookManila and Facebook: (FatFookManila).

Striegl launches Active Lifestyle Summit

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LOBAL MMA superstar Mark Striegl led a roster of athletes and fitness influencers for the first-ever Active Lifestyle Summit.

The Summit aims to promote a fitter lifestyle by creating awareness on different modes of fitness, health and wellness activity.

One of A Kind Marketing have lined up several speakers and fitness

advocates for the event. The event also supported several advocacies of Striegl, World Jiu-Jitsu Champion Meggie Ochoa and Fitness Ambassador Emmanuelle Adda.

Held at Edsa Shangri-La Marquee Tent in Mandaluyong City, fitness enthusiasts got to enjoy a day packed with different activities brought by One of A Kind Marketing

with Edsa Shangri-La Manila, Sanctband, Chic N Honey, Lightwater, Vitamin Boost, Toby’s District Imus and Unilab Active Health as event partners with Hyper and Cignal TV as media partners.

Dr. Ben Valdecanas kicked off the Active Lifestyle Summit with a talk on Sports Medicine and Wellness.

Instructors from Mindful Move-

ment gave the participants a round of Pilates powered by Sanctband Resistance Band, which can be an allaround fitness tool. Allan Enriquez then gave a talk on identifying pain points, as well as explaining the benefits of IASTM Blading Therapy.

Ochoa shared her advocacy, Fight to Protect, which is a movement to promote awareness on child sexual violence. She also demonstrated several practical self-defense techniques to the participants. Striegl also shared his fitness regimen and how he manages his weight before and after his fights. Mark also gave the participant a four-minute fitstrong core workout, which is part of his 28 Days Fitstrong Challenge.

Adda, on the other hand, shared her post-workout recovery regimen to the participants. Adda also promoted her own advocacy, Pinoy It Forward, which is a movement rallying Filipinos from all over the world to build sustainable communities throughout the Philippines.

Tin Majadillas of One of A Kind Marketing said the next Active Lifestyle Summit would be in April 2019.

Health&Fitness December 6-12, 2018 13

HEALTHY FINDS

n THE PERFECT HOLIDAY TABLE AT DIAMOND HOTEL

WITH just a few weeks left before the merriment, Diamond Hotel Philippines is ready to serve you with the perfect holiday table. Have memorable and stress-free Yuletide festivities with family and friends, and let the hotel's talented chefs do their magic in the kitchen for a well-curated holiday feasts from buffets, set meals and extraordinary culinary selections in the hotel's restaurant.

Savor a smorgasbord of appetizers, meats, seafood, pasta, salads and desserts set in a divine spread of deliciousness at the Corniche buffet restaurant. Lunch Buffets are available for only P2,980 net per person with entertainment by a pianist on December 24, and a trio instrumentalist and a magician on December 25. Christmas Eve is made more exciting with a Dinner Buffet at P3,380 net per person with entertainment by a trio instrumentalist and a magician. On Christmas Day, savor the tastes of the holiday with a luscious Dinner Buffet for only P3,380 net per person with entertainment by a pianist at the Upper Lobby.

Have a merry and bright Christmas at the Yurakuen Japanese Restaurant. Appreciate the simplicity and intricacy in presentation and taste of authentic Japanese cuisine that is just wonderful for celebrations. On December 24 and 25, have an incredible get-together with family or friends with a Japanese Lunch or Dinner Set Menu at P7,980 net for 4 persons and P10,880 net for 6 persons. Experience a truly Japanese culinary feast through the finest ingredients, detailed preparation and attentive service staff.

At the Lobby Lounge, have an unforgettable celebration in a relaxed setting and enjoy a delightful respite in between Christmas shopping.

Indulge while you make the best of the season with a cup of drip coffee, fragrant teas, selection of wines and an assortment of pastries and dessert. Have a hearty fill of a satisfying Lunch or Dinner Set Menu for P1,680 net per person on December 24 and 25. Be entertained by a magician and experience the splendid food and impeccable service that the Lobby Lounge has to offer. It’s the ideal spot for tête-à-tête during this time of togetherness.

The party never stops at the Bar 27. Located

14 Health&Fitness December 6-12, 2018

up high at the hotel’s 27th floor, it is the ideal place to chill with a cold bottle of beer or a refreshing cocktail while you gaze at the fantastic view of the glimmering city. Party in style on Christmas Eve and on Christmas Day with its consumable holiday treat for only P1,100 net per person. Enjoy a night full of singing and dancing with the bar's special live entertainment during the season.

For queries and reservations, call Diamond Hotel at (632) 528-3000 ext. 1121.

Diamond Hotel Philippines is on Roxas Boulevard corner Dr. J. Quintos Street, Manila.

For inquiries, call (632) 528-3000 or e-mail guestservices@diamondhotel.com. For more information on Diamond Hotel Philippines, visit www.diamondhotel.com. For hotel updates and special offerings, follow the hotel on Facebook, YouTube and Google+ at Diamond Hotel Philippines, and Instagram and Twitter at DiamondHotelPh.

n ‘JOLLY HEART MATE CANOLA OIL BRINGS HEART-HEALTHY DISHES TO THE RANIAG FESTIVAL’

JOLLY Heart Mate Canola Oil and Chef Donita Rose went to celebrate the brightest festival in Northern Luzon—Ilocos City’s Raniag Festival—a bright, joyful and colorful weeklong experience of festivities that are filled with fun and food!

Every year, Ilocanos go home to celebrate and offer thanksgiving packed with exciting experiences of candle floaters, street dancing, sky lanterns and an electric parade of floats.

For many Ilocanos, the Raniag Festival is also a time to enjoy homegrown and all-time favorite Ilocano delicacies as the delicious centerpiece.

Recently, Jolly Heart Mate Canola Oil graced the Higalaay Festival in Cagayan de Oro wherein Chef Donita Rose shared her healthy

take on famous Higalaay dish of Sinuglaw.

This time, another classic Ilocos region’s dish of Beef Pigar Pigar was made more flavorful, healthier and perfect for all families with the use of Jolly Heart Mate Canola Oil. Furthermore, Chef Donita Rose went to Robinson’s Supermarket and JTC Supermarket in Vigan to sample her own rendition of Beef Pigar Pigar recipe. Together with other Kapuso stars, Jolly Heart Mate Canola Oil delighted locals on October 20 at the Plaza Burgos wherein she shared another recipe that calls for “good for the heart” ingredients which inspired both foodies and home cooks to recreate it in their own kitchen.

“Going around the Philippines during these wonderful festivals and sharing my twist on their local recipes is always such a fun and fulfilling experience for me. It’s truly an honor to be part of what Jolly Heart Mate Canola Oil has been doing in providing healthier and affordable food choices in local communities and helping spread the heart-healthy goodness of home cooking,” said Chef Donita.

“We are thrilled to bring Chef Donita and Jolly Heart Mate Canola Oil to our local festival activations,” said Fly Ace Corp.

Group Product Manager for Edible Oils, Zen Prudentino. “We want to continue educating Filipinos nationwide about the importance of using heart-healthy cooking oil in everyday cooking. We don’t need to sacrifice the taste and flavor of our meals; it’s definitely possible to always prepare inexpensive healthy and tasty meals with Jolly Heart Mate Canola Oil,” she added.

Chef Donita Rose, together with GMA and Jolly Heart Mate Canola Oil, will also surprise the Aklanons with heart-healthy, heartwarming dishes at the highly anticipated Ati-atihan Festival in January 2019.

For more information on Jolly Heart Mate Canola Oil, visit their Facebook page on www. facebook.com/JollyHeartMateCanolaOil.

n SATISFY YOUR CHEESE CRAVINGS WITH NANAY LUISA’S QUESO DE BOLA SPREAD

AS the modern Filipino’s palate expanded and gained access to cheese of all types and from many parts of the world, enjoying queso de bola any time of the year has become an expec-

HEALTHY FINDS

tation. But—no matter how good, the simple slice of this cheese could never equal a serving of Nanay Luisa’s Queso de Bola Spread.

This cheese is prepared following consistent quality standards and sealed with happy memories and much loved recipe of a grandmother. Loaded with pure edam cheese and seasoned with a well-balanced mix of pickle relish, pimiento and mayo, the creamy texture brings the sensory taste of sweet and savory chasing each other. Part of its charm is the recipe that was brought to life by the late Nanay Luisa in whose senior years dedicated her life to care for her family especially her grandchildren, always ensuring that everyone has good food to eat.

When the family began giving the spread as a holiday gift, the response was an everincreasing number of friends clamoring for jars of the spread that they can take at home.

In 2017 one of Nanay Luisa’s grandchildren, Julian and girlfriend Angel, took the step of selling the spread for after all they believe that “what their family enjoys must be something that other families should also enjoy.” This belief is fortified by their own conviction that they have a good product and they will not short change the tradition and legacy of Nanay Luisa by offering less than what she has served them. Now being sold at weekend pop-up bazaars like Shangri-La Food Forum, Central Square BGC and SM Aura, they’re also a mainstay at Trinoma second level on weekends. The homemade spread is a constant hit.

Nanay Luisa’s Queso de Bola Spread is delicious in its simplicity. Cheese enthusiasts and food lovers found this a welcome departure from the usual spreads. It goes well with homemade recipes like omelets, baked mussels, pizza, and macaroni salad among others.

The spread will keep in the fridge for three months, size options are 80 g small (P150), 200 g big (P280), family 400 g (P540), and GIAnt 850 g (P1,100). Aside from online orders on Facebook, Instagram and e-mail, Nanay Luisa’s Queso de Bola Spread is also available at selected Metro Manila branches of All-Day Panaderia, Connie’s Kitchen and at the Mindanao Butcher’s and Co. in Lanang, Davao City.

For orders and inquiries, e-mail nanayluisas@gmail.com.

n WATERPROOF YOUR ROOF DECK RIGHT FROM THE START OF CONSTRUCTION WITH JDI’S OPTIMUM FLEX

ROOF Decks, verandas, and balconies lend a tropical vibe to your homes and give multistorey dwellings a vantage point from which to look out on a nice garden or stunning cityscape—or simply a place to chill and enjoy an evening under the stars with your family.

However, these are parts of the house

deemed extremely vulnerable to damage caused by constant movement and exposure to water and moisture. And with heavy rainfall or supertyphoons now a recurring threat in the country, these areas must undergo waterproofing right from the start of construction with Optimum Flex, a sturdy and flexible cement-based waterproofing solution from Jardine Distribution Inc. (JDI). Doing so will help waterproof these structures against potential damage and save you from costly and time-consuming repairs.

Optimum Flex is the most suitable type of waterproofing for your concrete roof decks because it is flexible and cementitious. It seeps into, and permanently bonds with concrete to seal off pores and spaces where water may enter, while its optimum flexibility keeps concrete surfaces sealed against moisture despite frequent movements and tremors.

Optimum Flex, likewise, allows the surface to breathe, prevents the buildup of vapor pressure, and does not trap moisture, which is the cause of leaks.

Waterproofing occasionally requires back jobs because of errors in mixing and measurement, but JDI’s Optimum Flex leaves no room for this. It is very easy and convenient to use owing to its prepackaged and premeasured components of liquid polymer or emulsion and premixed powder. Simply mix these together to produce a brushable slurry. Optimum Flex is set to dry and bond permanently with the concrete—in 20 minutes.

Optimum Flex is manufactured by BASF, a global leader in construction supplies. For more information, visit www.jardinedistribution.com.

to make its impact bigger and its reach wider in order to eliminate kuto by educating the public about the problem. They will be visiting different schools in Luzon, the Visayas and Mindanao.

Here are some problems that head lice can cause if left untreated:

IT CAN CAUSE OTHER SERIOUS INFECTIONS ACCORDING to Dr. Arlene Bertuso from University of the Philippines Manila College of Public Health, while lice itself can’t cause infections, “severe scratching caused by allergic reactions to the insects’ saliva can cause the scalp to break, therefore increasing the chance of a secondary bacterial infection.”

IT CAN DECREASE SELF-CONFIDENCE IN A CHILD AND THE PARENTS HEAD lice or kuto often has a negative connotation due to its association with poor hygiene and low social status, which can cause a child to lose confidence, especially around his or her peers. However, the child isn’t the only one affected as the parents can also experience loss of confidence. Parents whose child has been infected with head lice feel embarrassed since they feel like they exhibited poor parenting by letting their child get head lice infestation.

IT DECREASES ACADEMIC OR WORK PRODUCTIVITY ITCHINESS and inflammation are effects from the bites of head lice. The irritation caused by the bites of the head lice can disrupt concentration in school or at work, hence affecting productivity.It can also cause loss of sleep, which can then lead to irritability, short attention span and lack of focus.

MISINFORMATION CAN CAUSE MORE DAMAGE

n KILUSANG KONTRA KUTO

AS pediculosiscapitis or head lice infestation continues to be a concern in public schools in the Philippines, Lamoiyan Corp.’s Licealiz has led the nationwide rollout of Kilusang Kontra Kuto or KKK. As a part of the mission to create a kutofree Philippines, Kilusang Kontra Kuto, a coalition of head lice prevention experts and advocates led by Lamoiyan Corp.’s Licealiz, the Department of Education, UP Manila College of Public Health, Mommy Bloggers Philippines and Drugstores Association of the Philippines, was created. Now on its third year, they want

MYTHS and superstitions are already ingrained in Filipino culture and society. Kuto is surrounded by several of these myths and misconceptions that can be harmful to the infested such as the use of mayonnaise or kerosene and wrapping the child’s head with plastic overnight. Incorrect information like these can lead to untreated head lice, which can spread quickly to the whole family or to the whole class simply through physical contact with one infested person.

Head lice is often overlooked or disregarded despite its many negative impacts, but this problem can be solved with correct information and appropriate control methods. Licealiz Head Lice Treatment Shampoo is an effective solution to eliminate and prevent head lice.

To know more about the activities of Kilusang Kontra Kuto led by Lamoiyan Corp.’s Licealiz, visit www.facebook.com/licealiz.

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