Businessmirror december 10, 2017

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‘COFFEE FROM EARTH TO CUP’ A FAMILY’S QUEST TO REKINDLE FILIPINOS’ PASSION FOR ‘BARAKO’S PERFECT BREW

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Story & photos by Jonathan L. Mayuga

HE matriarch of the Umali clan of Lipa, Batangas, moved to Baguio City in 1948 during the liberation era at the close of the last global war.

THE Olarte couple at Kape Umali’s cupping room.

Arsenia, wife of the late businessman Silverio Olarte, first brought the barako coffee to Baguio City as a distributor, thus, becoming the city’s first barako coffee trader in Baguio City.

It was in 1951 when the Arsenia Umali Coffee Store was established at the Baguio Public Market, thus, becoming the first store selling barako coffee­—a combination of roasted excelsa and robusta— from Lipa, Batangas.

Before focusing on the coffeetrading business, Arsenia and her son Alberto were selling garments and assorted goodies for pasalubong, said businessman Rondel Salcedo Olarte, owner of Kape Umali Coffee, a pioneer in the coffee-shop business in Baguio City, where the first Coffee Conference was held in 2013.

Interviewed by the Business-

Mirror, the 38-year-old Baguio City-born licensed physical therapist, artisan roaster, barista, bass player and vocalist, shared his family’s origin and passion for coffee, as well as his determination to revive the family business in the province of Batangas, well-known for its barako coffee brew, and recognized as the Coffee Capital of the Philippines.

“When my grandmother remarried to Nicholas Latayan, she eventually moved to Baguio City with my father,” Olarte said.

Batangas origin

BACK in the days before the country earned its independence, the Philippines ranked fourth globally in terms of coffee production. It is known for its barako coffee produce, or simply called the Batangas Continued on A2

RONDEL OLARTE demonstrates how an old roasting machine is used. The family keeps its old coffee equipment at the coffee shop in Shangri-La Village, Baguio City, for its sentimental value.

Yes, we can make Philippines safest for tourists

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By Roger Pe

NYWHERE in the world, tourists experience some of their best and worse moments. Let’s talk about the latter. Even some of the most visited places in the world like Paris, New York, London, Sydney, Barcelona, Manchester, Istanbul, Chicago and Bangkok, among others, have hogged the headlines because of bad elements in society.

In a domino effect, other countries whose tourism industries are fragile are also affected, either by unfair travel advisories, overblown stories, magnified news that barely touches the surface and biased opinions on social media.

In spite of that, tourism remains resilient. People continue

to travel in spite of threats to world peace. In a report issued by the World Travel and Tourism Council, it calls on governments to work hard and adopt stringent measures to prepare countries affected by travel disruptions. It emphatically said: “The global impact of these destructive acts has been

PESO EXCHANGE RATES n US 50.7410

DOT-NCR OIC Director Ina Zara-Loyola

rising over the past decade.”

The Institute of Economics and Peace puts the cost at over $52 billion for the year 2014 alone. The New York Times also reported that the economic impact of 9/11 attacks in New York and Washington came closer to $3.3 billion when indirect and long-term expenditures were included.

What is our Department of Tourism (DOT) doing in light of this?

Meet the DOT TOP COPs. They are the finest men and women of the Philippine National Police (PNP) and they will be stationed in the country’s popular tourist sites to assure that the country remains a safe haven or one of the safest places for international and local tourists to visit.

“While the continuous influx of foreign guests attests to our image as a safe tourist destination, we must enhance security and preventive measures through police presence and visibility,” Tourism Secretary Continued on A2

n JAPAN 0.4487 n UK 68.3938 n HK 6.4999 n CHINA 7.6717 n SINGAPORE 37.5637 n AUSTRALIA 38.1166 n EU 59.7577 n SAUDI ARABIA 13.5302

Source: BSP (8 December 2017 )

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‘COFFEE FROM EARTH TO CUP’ Continued from A1

coffee because of its strong coffee flavor and aroma.

During that time, Batangas was the single major producer of coffee. “That is why it has always been known as the Coffee Capital of the Philippines,” Olarte added.

“Later, Batangas coffee production dropped and Silang, Cavite, took over. Recently, Benguet overtook Silang, Cavite, and is now the top producer of coffee.”

In the next few years, he predicted that Davao would likely emerge as the top coffee producer.

It will also host the next Coffee Conference this year or next.

Family of farmers

ACCORDING to Olarte, his grandmother’s family members were farmers back in Batangas.

“They own several farms in Lipa before the war,” he said. Unfortunately, all those farms were eventually lost and the family could no longer regain possession because all documents, including land titles back then, were burned or destroyed during the war, Olarte narrated.

Arsenia’s first husband, Silverio, and four children perished during the war, a reason Arsenia and son Alberto found their way to the City of Pines to start a new life.

“The war was not yet over in Baguio when she moved here, she told us. Americans were still hunting for [General Tomoyuki Yamashita],” Olarte said.

The surging demand and opportunity to make it big in the barako coffee-distribution business prompted Arsenia to focus on coffee.

The Umalis’ coffee business

thrived in the 1970s, distributing premium coffee beans and roasted coffee in the city that extended to other areas in Northern Luzon.

Like most businesses, the coffee-distribution venture of the family had its own ups and downs, he said.

In the 1990s Olarte’s brother took over, but it did not go well. He said he had to start from scratch to revive the business.

“The family then concentrated the business at the Baguio Public Market,” he narrated.

“By the time I took over in 2007, the business is already bankrupt because the competition was very stiff,” Olarte said.

Love for coffee

SO how did he manage to revive the family business?

“Marketing,” he said. “We did a lot of marketing.”

He confided, though, that not being an Igorot is a disadvantage for him.

“But because I was born in Baguio City, we were able to cope,” he said.

When the family started selling barako coffee at the Baguio Public Market, even before, they knew it was the love for strong coffee like barako that would make the business click, Olarte added.

“Here, people really love barako coffee, that’s why the family started to venture more into the coffee business,” he said.

Baguio City’s pioneer in the coffee business is now back on its feet under new management.

In its own little way, Kape Umali is helping revive the coffee industry in the Philippines by enhancing awareness about coffee

through the seminars it offers— from farming to roasting, and even barista training.

Olarte said Kape Umali is famous because it lives up to its business concept of offering “coffee from earth to cup,” perfecting the process every step of the way, from farming coffee, harvesting, roasting and brewing.

ed from the family’s consolidated farms, then roasted and packed for distribution to perfection.

Reviving the industry

Coffee trader

HE recalled that the Umali family started as farmers in Lipa and raising coffee beans is embedded in the family’s genes.

“Our farm is still there. It’s now owned by the Levistes, I think,” he said. “When you speak of barako, it is always robusta and excelsa. Liberica during those times is not popular. It is always robusta and excels.”

In Benguet, because of its high altitude, some of the consolidated farms supply Kape Umali its arabica coffee.

Now known as Kape Umali Coffee, the business that all started with Arsenia, it is a major distributor of premium barako coffee—extending beyond Baguio City to Northern Luzon, back to the Tagalog region, particularly Silang, Cavite, and Metro Manila.

The company also exports coffee to Hungary and Denmark in Europe; Houston, Los Angeles and North Carolina in the United States of America; and Korea and Japan in Asia.

Coffee-shop pioneer

OLARTE and wife Sheila Marie Gumban now run the family business and are keeping the tradition alive—even expanding from being a mere distributor of coffee from

OLARTE shows off the fruit of an arabica coffee-bean plant at the Kape Umali Coffee shop at 1 Shangri-La Village in Baguio City.

Batangas to consolidating farms, including in the hinterlands of Benguet, and running three coffee shops while doing retail and wholesale, import and export of premium quality roasted coffee beans.

To help enhance the Filipinos’ appreciation of coffee, particularly barako coffee, Kape Umali is providing coffee business-related services like seminars and training about coffee, from farming to roasting and brewing, with Baguio City as its base of operation.

The coffee shops-cum-coffee stores in Shangri-La Village, Mines View Plaza and the Public Market are offering espressobased latte, cappuccino, Americano, macchiato and mocha, and are selling roasted-coffee products—retail and wholesale—like excelsa and robusta, arabica, even liberica, grown and harvest-

ACCORDING to Olarte, there is a big opportunity in venturing into the coffee business, but the industry and all stakeholders, including the government, farmers, roasters, traders, and even the barista or coffee shops, must put their acts together.

He said Kape Umali aims to bring back the Filipinos’ passion for barako coffee—a reason it is in the business of conducting seminars and training about coffee.

According to Olarte, annual coffee production is still short of the estimated demand. The annual production of coffee in the Philippines is 72,000 tons, even as the demand is about 90,000 tons.

“That is why we still import coffee.”

The government, he said, is not doing badly in helping revive the coffee industry. “But it is not doing so good either.”

Farmers, he added, need to be taught the right way to produce coffee, saying that the knowledge about the commodity is essential.

Farmers, he said, should stick to farming. “If you have the skills in farming, concentrate on farming.”

“The money is there. Coffee farming is not taxable. We have the lands and we have existing farms. And they have government support. So all they have to do is to make coffee farming work.”

According to Olarte, rejuvenating old farms is the key. “They are rejuvenating farms now in Silang. It takes two to three years to do that,” he said.

The government, he added, can help farmers revive coffee farms to

increase production.

Meanwhile, roasters and traders, he noted, should not be greedy by paying the farmers the right price and selling the products fairly.

“Don’t be greedy. Give justice. Don’t overprice. Buy at the right price, sell at the right price,” he said.

Last, he urged coffee shops to continuously train their barista or coffee makers.

He said baristas should undergo training and learn more about coffee—to give justice to the price of coffee.

“They should not be contented with a Tesda [Technical Education and Skills Development Authority] certification. They should learn and continue to learn because, right now, it is not the farmers, the roasters or traders and barista who know coffee, but the consumers. They know coffee more because they drink coffee and they know coffee,” he said.

He added that he imports coffee from other countries to compare the price and the quality of imported coffee with locally produced beans, and learn more about coffee and their origins.

Keeping the price of the coffee low, he noted, will help ensure the industry will continue to grow, citing the case of the Benguet coffee, which is being marketed at a very high price today. “Coffee traders should do justice to the farmers and to the customers.”

Like farmers, Olarte said, the government can do better by learning more about coffee to help roasters improve their craft and baristas and coffee shops to prepare and serve the best coffee—at the right price.

Yes, we can make Philippines safest for tourists Continued from A1

Wanda Corazon T. Teo said. “Needless to say, they serve not only as protectors of our foreign guests and the general public, but also as diplomatic hosts in the tradition of Filipino hospitality,” she pointed out.

At least 46 personnel from the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) formally joined the ranks of the Tourist Police Unit (TPU) after recently completing a seminar-workshop on Tourism-Oriented Police for Community Order and Protection (TOP COP) conducted by the DOT-NCR in cooperation with the PNP. Teo said other DOT regional offices and local police units are jointly preparing to implement the TOP COP program.

“In Metro Manila alone, the DOT-NCR will hold a series of TOP COP seminar-workshop to produce 200 more tourist police officers by 2017,” DOT-NCR OIC Director Ina Zara-Loyola said. Loyola spoke at the graduation of the first batch of TOP COP, citing the vital role the policemen performed in facilitating, as well as securing, major international events like the recent Asean Plus-3 Summit.

PNP chief Supt. Emmanuel Luis D. Licup, who is also a PNP deputy director for operations, addressed the TOP COP graduates, saying the program is an opportunity for them to show the outstanding qualities of police officers. “Let us put our best foot forward and earn the respect that we, uniformed men and women, so deserve,” Licup stressed.

The weeklong seminar-workshop covered the following topics:

Tourism Basics and Trends; Child Safe Tourism/Child Protection Laws, Tourist Behavior Patterns and Market Profiles; Local Products and Services; Basic Investigation Procedure and Security and Safety Protocols; CommunityOriented Policing System (COP); Incident Command System; Immigration Laws and Procedures and Crisis Incident Management.

The new TOP COP graduates inducted were PSSupt. Chito G. Bersaluna of NCRPO Regional Training and Education Division, PSSupt. Rudolph B. Dimas of the Public Safety Division, DOT-NCR Chief Tourism Operations Officer Catherine C. Agustin and DOTNCR Training Director Mariville Ramos.

“As this developed, more policemen will also be deployed to patrol malls and other crowded areas in Metro Manila leading to the holiday season. We are watching and monitoring these places and other areas of public convergence to maximize police visibility in the above-mentioned areas,” National Police chief Director General Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa said in a news briefing.

In Central Luzon more police officers will also be assigned on foot patrol and be seen in the streets to bolster public safety, newly installed Central Luzon regional police director Chief Supt. Amadro V. Corpuz stressed, after assuming the top regional police post.

Meanwhile, Alexander Waltner, in his “Swedish Nomad,” blog continues to plug the Philippines worldwide. “Curious about the

Philippines? I was there last year, and I loved it. The vibe is amazing, and there are just so many things to see and do. There are few places on Earth and the country is one of them,” he said. He went on to say that there are 25 reasons people should visit it. Jenn Brown of The Huffington Post, for her part, wrote in her column that the Philippines is a safe place to visit, saying: “There is no single word that can sum up the Philippines but there are seven reasons why you should definitely experience this country with a spectacle of contrasts.”

Patrolling the country’s over 7,100 islands is a daunting task and it is not easy. So is it safe to travel to the Philippines? Of course, it is.

Like many other countries, the US and Europe, in particular, the Philippines has areas where troubles tend to occur and areas that are generally considered safe.

Investopedia, the world’s leading source of financial content on the web ranging from market news to retirement strategies to investing in education, says, “While it is important to be aware of threats, it can be inaccurate to label the entire country as dangerous because it has known trouble spots.”

To illustrate it, it said that it would be misleading to label the entire United States as dangerous because of the violent crime statistics of Detroit and East Saint Louis.

Last, it provided the clincher—it’s always difficult to use the word “safe” about travel because the word implies you will be protected from or not exposed to any danger or risk. This is never the case, no matter where you travel.

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Curb your enthusiasm: Experts see muted 2018 credit returns

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he easy-money days are coming to an end, Wall Street credit strategists say. And they mean it this time.

After an unprecedented run, where clipping junk-bond coupons has meant annualized returns of 13 percent since the end of 2008, the tone’s about to change, according to the outlooks of strategists at five US and European banks.

No one’s predicting a credit Armageddon, and the good times could keep rolling for a bit longer. But with the Federal Reserve (the Fed) raising interest rates and shrinking its $4.5-trillion balance sheet and the European Central Bank (ECB) starting to trim its asset purchases, 2018 is likely to be the year that the tide starts receding, they say.

What will that mean for returns next year? JPMorgan Chase & Co. sees total returns paring to 2 percent in investment-grade US credit and 5.5 percent in high yield. Bank of America Merrill Lynch is projecting a slightly better return of 2.2 percent for IG and 6.5 percent for junk bonds. Europe’s red-hot junk-bond market will churn out just a 4.5-percent gain next year, Bank of America said. And UBS AG is projecting that Asia’s investment-grade market will produce 1.3 percent returns and 5.1 percent for high yield.

“We probably will not see recordlevel type returns, but returns should nonetheless be steady absent any external shocks,” Howard Lanser, head of the global debt advisory practice at Robert W Baird & Co., said in an interview. With valuations at highs,

Europe:

any unforeseen catalyst in markets will be painful, he added. “The faster and higher you climb, the quicker and further you’re going to fall.”

Here are some of the Street’s return predictions for the US, Asia and Europe.

United States:

JPMorgan’s analysts see “more of the same, but with higher risk.” They forecast foreign demand for US investment grade bonds will decline as ECB purchases fall, though they predict yields will stay above returns for sovereign and corporate issues outside the United States. They are “constructive” on the riskier debt, but see more downside than upside risk, triggered by aggressive central bank policies. Bank of America’s team said that after a big rally in credit for the past two years, “we’re entering an environment similar to 2004-2007. The upside will likely be more limited, and technicals will become more challenging in the second half of the year,” the analysts said in their outlook report. They see risks to corporate debt if there’s no tax reform and a potential threat in increased foreign inflation. Morgan Stanley is predicting “significantly lower” US returns in 2018, expecting a negative excess return of 1.4 percent for high-grade debt and minus 2.9 percent for riskier bonds. The lender sees late-cycle risks “popping up all over the place in the US” with fundamental problems becoming more apparent in sectors as the Fed withdraws liquidity. “As is often the case near a top, these risks are being rationalized as purely idiosyncratic

problems. We view them as fault lines that can expand quickly,” Morgan Stanley analysts said. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. is predicting modest-to-flat spread tightening. “With valuations at the tight end of their historical range, the risk of a correction is elevated, though supportive macro fundamentals will likely limit the magnitude of the spread widening,” the strategists wrote. US highyield debt has returned 7.3 percent so far this year through Wednesday, while investment grade has gained 6.2 percent, according to Bloomberg Barclays indexes.

Asia:

Fa ding t a i lw ind s of higher China import demand, strength

“We probably will not see recordlevel type returns, but returns should nonetheless be steady absent any external shocks. The faster and higher you climb, the quicker and further you’re going to fall.”—Lanser in commodity prices and benign US inflation that led to decent performance this year mean “we might not see a repeat,” according to UBS. They see headwinds as faster than expected US rate hikes or faster slowdown in Chi-

nese growth. JPMorgan sees low volatility and moderate spread tightening for investment-grade debt with return expectations of 3 percent to 3.5 percent in 2018.

Asia high-grade debt has returned 1.9 percent in 2017, the data show.

Bank of America is cautious on companies in the peripher y of Europe, given the big decline in quantitative easing from the ECB. The weight of central bank inter vention on euro cor porate bonds resulted in “anything but nor ma l times for investors.”

The analysts expect more European companies will leverage up ba lance sheets next year.

JPMorgan sees supply-demand balance triggering market indigestion, and some spread widening in investment-grade credit.

For high yield, the analysts see investor demand waning as ECB purchases slow, noting that the asset class has become more sensit ive to f ut u re interestrate volatility. They see a small pullback as likely and forecast a 1-percent total return for high yield and 3.5 percent for loans.

Morgan Stanley is predicting a “partial reversal ’ of the gains of 2017, seeing a negative excess return of 0.1 percent for investment grade and minus 0.8 percent for junk. It notes that improvement in European credit fundamentals is not uniform, particularly in the high-yield market, with about 20 percent to 30 percent of 115 issuers in its universe not seeing improvement in their coverage ratios or leverage despite easy financing conditions. Junk debt has in Europe climbed about 6.4 percent this year, while investment grade is up about 2.5 percent.

Bloomberg News

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Sunday, December 10, 2017

The World

AP Interview: GOP senator faults China on North Korea

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ASHINGTON—China is more of an adversary than an ally on North Korea, according to a leading Republican senator and staunch supporter of President Donald J. Trump who declared during a wide-ranging interview on Thursday that Pyongyang’s push for an atomic arsenal actually benefits Beijing.

Sen. Tom Cotton of Arkansas told The Associated Press the United States should expand its military presence on and around the Korean Peninsula to pressure China into being a serious partner in the campaign to defuse North Korea’s nuclear program.

He said the Defense Department should move the families of American military personnel out of South Korea as North Korea pushes the US closer to a military conflict.

Cotton, a member of the Armed Services and Intelligence committees, also said US allies in Europe have their “head in the sand” on the Iran nuclear deal. They need to realize that Trump will pull the US out of the landmark accord unless they agree to his demand for changes aimed at making the pact more stringent, he said.

Cotton said Chinese diplomats are lying when they tell their Western counterparts that Beijing shares their goal of convincing North Korea to abandon its advancing nuclear weapon and ballistic missile programs. Pyongyang last week test-fired a long-range ballistic missile that experts said could hit Washington. A nuclear-capable North Korea draws attention away from Beijing’s misbehavior that includes “economic warfare” against the US, island building in the disputed South China Sea and its “atrocious treatment of Christians,” Cotton said in an AP Newsmaker interview.

“As long as North Korea is a nuclear country, the time and energy and effort of US policy-makers must be focused on North Korea, not on China,” he said.

“That’s why they’ve been playing both sides of the street, saying one thing to Western officials in public but doing nothing to stop North Korea from getting nuclear weapons or now to get them to denuclearize.”

Cotton’s stance on China is more strident than the approach the president has taken with Beijing.

Although Cotton is a junior senator—he was elected just three years ago—his words carry weight.

He’s close to Trump and senior White House officials said Cotton is considered to be a leading candidate to run the CIA should Trump decide to shake up his national security team.

Cotton said in one conversation with the president, he recommended that he nominate current White House Chief of Staff John Kelly to be secretary of state.Trump eventually tapped RexTillerson for the job and named Kelly secretary of homeland security.

But on other issues covered in the interview, Cotton emphasized that no evidence has so far been found that Trump colluded with Russia to influence the outcome of the 2016 election.

He shrugged off as “idle speculation”talk of him eventually replacing CIA Director Mike Pompeo if Pompeo were to move to another administration post.

On North Korea, Trump has tried to cajole and flatter Chinese President Xi Jinping, seeking to make him an ally in the effort to pressure North Korea to abandon its nuclear weapons program.

During the presidential campaign, Trump accused China of “raping” the United States on trade. But during a visit to Beijing last month, he abandoned the confrontational posture, saying he didn’t blame China for taking advantage of the US. Cotton appears to be much more in line with Steve Bannon, the former Trump adviser who has called for the United States to be“maniacally focused” on an economic war against China to narrow the trade deficit and pull manufacturing jobs back to the United States.

The interview also delved into the sexualharassment politics roiling the United States, from Hollywood and corporate executive offices to campaigns and Capitol Hill, as Sen. Al Franken said he will resign his seat following a wave of sexual misconduct allegations and the loss of support from his Democratic colleagues. AP

BusinessMirror

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Palestinians protest Trump move, more unrest feared

By Josef Federman

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The Associated Press

ERUSALEM—Thousands of Palestinian protesters clashed with Israeli forces in east Jerusalem and the West Bank, demonstrators in the Gaza Strip burned United States flags and pictures of President Donald J. Trump, and a top Palestinian official said Vice President Mike Pence would not be welcome in the West Bank, in a show of rage on Thursday over the American decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.

Israeli forces were bracing for the possibility of even stronger violence on Friday, when tens of thousands of Palestinians attend weekly prayers at Jerusalem’s Al Aqsa Mosque, the city’s most sacred Islamic site.

In Gaza the supreme leader of the Hamas militant group called on Palestinians to launch a new uprising against Israel.

The Palestinians were blindsided

by Trump’s move to depart from decades of US policy on Jerusalem and upend long-standing international assurances that the fate of the city would be determined in negotiations.

The Palestinians seek east Jerusalem, captured by Israel in 1967, as their capital. Israel claims the entire city, including east Jerusalem, home to sensitive Jewish, Muslim and Christian holy sites, as its undivided capital. The opposing claims lie at the heart of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and have often spilled over into deadly violence.

The Palestinians declared three “days of rage,” shuttering schools and businesses, and staging angry demonstrations at Damascus Gate, one of the entrances to Jerusalem’s Old City, and cities across the West Bank and Gaza.

“We are here. We believe in our rights and one day it [will] become Jerusalem, the capital for the Palestinian people,” declared Rania Hatem, a protester outside the Old City.

The Israeli military reported demonstrations in some 30 locations across the West Bank on Thursday, saying Palestinians had hurled stones and firebombs at troops. A military official, speaking on condition of anonymity under briefing guidelines, said troops were instructed to use minimal force and avoid live fire to avoid escalating tensions.

In the West Bank troops fired water cannons and tear gas to disperse a crowd in Bethlehem, the biblical town of Jesus’ birth, just weeks before thousands of foreign tourists are expected to visit for Christmas celebrations. In Ramallah, the seat of the Palestinian government, protesters set tires on fire, sending thick plumes of black smoke over the city.

Palestinian officials said dozens of protesters were slightly wounded, most from tear gas inhalation. Spontaneous protests also took place in Gaza, with angry youths burning tires, American and Israeli flags and Trump posters.

A senior Palestinian official said the Palestinians would not meet with Pence during his visit to the region later this month when Pence is expected to visit Israel and make a stop in the Palestinian city of Bethlehem. “We will not receive him in the Palestinian territories,” said the official, Jibril Rajoub.

However, a White House official said Pence still plans to meet with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas as scheduled, adding that it would be “counterproductive” to cancel. The official spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss upcoming plans.

Israeli security officials were preparing for more unrest on Friday. In a preemptive move, the

Palestinians burn posters of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and United States President Donald J. Trump during a protest against the US decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel's capital, in Gaza City on December 7. AP Photo/ Khalil Hamra

military said it would deploy several battalions to the West Bank, while other troops were put on alert.

Israeli officials said Friday prayers at the Al Aqsa Mosque, along with the expected unrest in the West Bank, would set the tone for the coming days.

Palestinian officials in the West Bank said they had no interest in bloody violence, but warned that individual attacks were possible.

Israeli police were considering whether to impose age restrictions on worshippers at Friday’s prayers, but as of Thursday evening, had made no changes.

In Gaza Ismail Haniyeh, the Hamas supreme leader, called on Palestinians to launch a new uprising. “We want the uprising to last and continue to let Trump and the occupation regret this decision,” he said.

Hamas, which seeks Israel’s destruction, killed hundreds of Israelis in suicide bombings and other attacks during the second Palestinian uprising in the early-2000s.

However, the Islamic militant group, which seized control of Gaza in 2007, has been weakened by a decadelong Israeli blockade and three painful wars with Israel.

Nonetheless, it still has cells in the West Bank and possesses a large arsenal of rockets in its Gaza stronghold. Late Thursday Israeli tanks and aircraft attacked two military posts in Gaza, following a series of rocket attacks, including one that landed in southern Israel. There were no reports of casualties on either side.

Trump’s decision had no immediate impact on daily life in Jerusalem, which already is the seat of Israel’s government.

While Trump insisted that the move was meant to acknowledge the current reality, and not prejudge negotiations on Jerusalem’s status, it carried deep symbolic meaning and was seen by the Palestinians as siding with Israel.

And even if Trump’s move cannot singlehandedly determine Jerusalem’s status, policies of the US, the lead mediator for over two decades of unsuccessful peace talks, carry special weight.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Trump “bound himself forever” to the history of Jerusalem and maintained other countries were already interested in following suit.

Abbas suggested that Trump’s move disqualified the United States from continuing as an exclusive broker. He met with his closest Arab ally, Jordan’s King Abdullah II, in Amman on Thursday, saying that he was ral-

lying international opposition to Trump’s move, which he called an “unacceptable crime.”

The king could play an important role. He is one of Washington’s most dependable partners in the battle against Islamic extremism in the region, and his country is the custodian of Muslim holy sites in Jerusalem, making him an influential player.

Abbas said he was also speaking to countries in Europe and Africa. International opposition has been widespread, including America’s closest allies in Europe. “Fortunately, there was a positive response from all the countries in the world,” Abbas said.

On Thursday the Palestinians asked the Security Council to take urgent action and demand that Trump’s decision be rescinded. The council scheduled an emergency meeting on Friday.

Meanwhile, anger at the US rippled across the Arab world.

Saudi Arabia condemned Trump’s decision in a rare public rebuke by the US ally. The regional powerhouse, which could help the White House push through a Middle East settlement, said it had warned against the step and “continues to express its deep regret at the US administration’s decision,” calling it “unjustified and irresponsible.”

The Arab League, which represents most states in the Middle East and North Africa, was to meet on Saturday. Next week Turkey will host a gathering of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, which has 57 Arab and Muslim memberstates.

Despite the verbal support, Palestinian officials are concerned the Arabs will not provide the sustained backing Abbas needs. While quick to condemn Trump’s decision, Arab leaders have not threatened to reduce ties or take any other action against the US or Israel.

There were also feelings of resignation from many in the region who said they have long given up on their leaders standing up to either Israel or the United States.

Preoccupied with their own tribulations, there were barely any protests in capitals like Beirut, Baghdad or Damascus.

“People are tired, exhausted. Personally I feel that we are doomed anyway and nothing we do makes a difference,” said Ghinwa Barakat, a 43-year-old shopper in Beirut.

“Who’s going to support the Palestinians? Syria is destroyed, Iraq is destroyed. The Gulf countries are fighting each other and competing over who will normalize relations with Israel first. So, who?”

People are tired, exhausted.

Personally I feel that we are doomed anyway and nothing we do makes a difference. Who’s going to support the Palestinians? Syria is destroyed, Iraq is destroyed. The Gulf countries are fighting each other and competing over who will normalize relations with Israel first. So, who?”—Barakat

Science

BusinessMirror

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Sunday

Sunday, December 10, 2017

A5

Ateneo, London’s Queen Mary Univ partner for postgrad degree for Filipinos

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By Rizal Raoul Reyes

@brownindio

teneo de Manila University (Admu) and Queen Mary University of London (QMUL) recently launched a landmark partnership that will offer postgraduate degree programs to Filipino students on data science innovation, media and arts technology.

Fr. Jose R amon Vi l lar in, SJ, president of Ad mu, sa id t he transnational education (TNE) prog ra m wou ld not on ly i nvolve the exchange of students a nd fac u lt y bet ween t he t wo educ at ion a l i nst it ut ions but wou ld a lso eva lu ate bi l atera l a nd mu lt i l atera l prog ra ms.

“The students and faculty must confront the realities of geopolitical challenges,” Villarin said in an interview with the media after the program launch held in the Admu campus in Quezon City. “ The QMUL partnership is not only founded on a commitment to academic excellence in

emerging fields. It is, more important, grounded on similar ethos of service and inclusive development. With a shared vision, we bring together the strengths of these two institutions to help students become groundbreakers and thought-leaders of the digital age,” Fr. Jose M. Cruz, SJ, vice president for university and global relations at Admu said in a news statement.

TNE includes joint and dualdegree programs that are jointly developed and delivered by partner universities.

In a dual-degree format, such as that env isioned by Admu

Prof. Colin Bailey (left), Queen Mary University of London president and principal, and Ateneo de Manila University President Fr. Jose Ramon Villarin, SJ, brief the media on the partnership between the two universities. R.R. REYES

and QMUL, a student spends 12 months in the Philippines and eight months in London. In the end, the student gets two degrees from both institutions.

“I am delighted that Queen Mary University of London will be deepening its relationship with Ateneo de Manila University, one of the top universities in the Philippines. This partnership supports our plans to diversify Queen Mary’s international partnerships activity and signifies our growing links in the Asean region. The programs that we are developing with Admu, in the areas of big data science and digital

innovation, will equip students with the digital skills they need to navigate a more knowledgebased global economy,” QMUL President and Principal Prof.

Colin Bailey said in his remarks during the event.

Bailey also pointed out that both universities are committed and passionate to help in making the world and society a better place to live in.

He said that the two programs to be offered, in essence, would help introduce and solve some of the world ’s problems like climate change.

“W hat’s unique here is the

way we build our partnership not just thinking about education but actually thinking about research addressing challenges in the current environment,” Bailey explained.

Villarin said Admu is excited on the partnership because it showcases the best educational practices of the two universities. He added the partnership would be a big boost to AdMU’s of promoting TNE. “This also gives a new dimension to our slogan of men and women for others. It is also an opportunity for us to embrace it on a global scale,” he said.

He added the two programs were designed to fit in the requirements of the Fourth Industrial Revolution: to develop graduates with skills in problem solving, communication and creativity.

“We need to train students with the skills and make sure they are adaptable to the changing job market. We also need to train the existing work force to ensure they will be continually employed,” Villarin said.

The fist batch will be composed of 10 scholars initially funded by the Commission on Higher Education (CHED). Moreover, the program will accept paying students later.

The programs will start in school year 2018-2019.

“I would like to grow this to 100 students very quickly,” Bailey said.

Eventually, Villlarin said they hope the programs can be offered to undergraduate students.

The CHED and British Council (BC) played a major role in forming the par tnership bet ween Admu and QMUL through the latter’s initiative Partnership under the Joint Development of Niche Programs.

Under this initiative, the CHED and BC provided seed funding and capacity building for 10 Philippine universities to partner with United Kingdom institutions for the development and delivery of TNE in niche areas critical to national and regional development.

QMUL is one of the leading higher-education institutions in the UK. It has over 130 years of teaching excellence and ranks in the top 25 in the world for its international outlook.

The university is part of the Russell Group, a self-selected organization that gathers 24 world-class research-intensive universities in the United Kingdom. It is one of few universities in the world that offers a master’s degree in media, arts, and technology and data science.

Farm tourism seen as path to inclusive, sustainable agriculture

Nuclear energy on the spotlight Philippine Nuclear Research Institute Director Dr. Carlo A. Arcilla (left) and Party-list Rep. Ron Salo of Kababayan in a huddle during the opening ceremonies of the recent Atomic Energy Week NONOY LACZA

F

a r m tourism opens up a whole new perspective for inclusive and sustainable agricultural and rural development (Isard) and provides hope for revitalizing the sector as a sunrise, if not a sunshine industry in Southeast Asia.

Dr. Gil C. Saguiguit Jr., director of the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (Searca), gave this reflection as the center opened the five-day “Exposure Workshop on Farm Tourism Practices in Southeast Asia” on December 4 at the Searca headquarters in Los Baños, Laguna.

Designed as a platform where different stakeholders from the across the region may share, learn and update themselves on the varying states of and trends in farm tourism in Southeast Asia, the exposure workshop had participants representing six countries in the region—Cambodia, Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand, Timor-Leste and Vietnam—and Taiwan as represented by a resource person.

Saguiguit related Searca’s efforts to establish a Southeast Asian AgriMuseum and Learning Center in Agricultural and Rural Development, saying that both initiatives place agriculture and its exciting prospects at center stage. This is toward the greater appreciation of agriculture, not just for the youth in their career choices but also for other important sectors and the general public as a whole.

At the grassroots level, Saguiguit said farm tourism is one pathway to Isard, as it opens possibilities for diversification of income for small-scale farmers, while promoting sustainable agricultural systems and community involvement and participation. The Center also sees it as an effective means to showcase agriculture as a productive business endeavor, as well as an exciting field of study among young people.

Searca’s workshop-organizing team recognized the strides made by the active farm-tourism industry in the Philippines, led by the Department of Tourism (DOT) and initiatives of the International School of Sustainable Tourism (ISST), both of which were tapped by Searca as knowledge partners in this event.

“These two institutions have been very busy making great progress in advancing farm tourism in the Philippines, along with partner agencies like the Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Training Institute of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority and Department of Trade and Industry, with the active engagement of farm-tourism operators,” Saguiguit noted.

He also acknowledged the Office of Sen. Cynthia A. Villar in guiding Searca’s efforts in organizing the workshop. In 2016 the Philippines, with a push from the senator, signed into law the Farm Tourism Development Act, effectively institutionalizing the Philippine government’s farm tourism programs in helping raise farmers’ incomes and increase players in the rural tourism industry.

In 2012 Searca spearheaded the First Philippine National Agritourism Research Conference. It then aimed to identify research gaps and policy implications that can help develop agritourism in the country.

The exposure workshop featured presentations led by ISST President and former Tourism Secretary Dr. Mina T. Gabor, on global and regional trends in farm tourism; presentations by experts from the University of the Philippines Los Baños; the DOT; Maejo University in Chiang Mai, Thailand; Chung Hsing University in Taiwan; various leaders and CEOs in farm-tourism practice in the Philippines and in Thailand, Central Bicol State University of Agriculture and agriculture consultants.

Faith A6 Sunday, December 10, 2017

Sunday

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

AS BISHOP CONDEMNS KILLING

Cabinet member seeks probe into killing of priests, IPs

A

By Elijah E. Felice Rosales

@alyasjah

left-leaning leader in the Cabinet has urged authorities to investigate the murder of religious figures and indigenous peoples (IPs) in the past days, which came after peace talks between the government and communists was terminated.

At the same time, Bishop Roberto Mallari of San Jose, Nueva Ecija, has expressed alarm and condemned the killing of retired priest Fr. Marcelito “Tito” Paez in his diocese.

Four men in two motorcycles ambushed Paez at about 8 p.m. while he was driving his vehicle in Jaen town. He was rushed to the Gonzales General Hospital in the nearby town of San Leonardo but he died around two hours later. He sustained two bullet wounds in his body.

National Anti-poverty Commission lead convenor Liza L. Maza said she is gravely concerned over the recent spate of killings involving clerics and indigenous peoples.

“The poor now live in fear of going back to the ‘dark days’ and this is not what the [Duterte] administration has promised,” Maza said in a statement.

“The growing tally of deaths and displacement in rural communities sends a chilling effect to both the democratic process and nation-building,” she added.

She took note of the murder of eight lumad in South Cotabato and of Paez.

Human-rights group Karapatan reported eight lumad were

killed last Sunday in Lake Sebu, South Cotabato. The indigenous peoples were reportedly occupying an ancestral land and now used as a coffee plantation.

Bayan Muna Party-list group also condemned the killing of Paez and of religious leader Leovelito Quiñones in Mindoro Oriental province last Sunday. “ These attacks against the people who are only defending and asserting their rights must be stopped,” Party-list Rep. Carlos Zarate of Bayan Muna said in a statement.

Mallari said in a statement: “We strongly condemn the unjust and brutal killing of Fr. Tito Paez.”

He added: “We call on the authorities to conduct an investigation and give justice to his death.”

The bishop also asked the faithful to pray that justice be served immediately.

Paez, 72, had served the diocese for more than 30 years since it was established in 1984. He retired from priestly ministry in 2015.

He was a former parish priest in Guimba town and currently the coordinator of the Rural Missionaries of the Philippines in Central Luzon.

In his service to the Church, he

Fr. Marcelito “Tito” Paez CBCP Photo

was known for his active involvement in social-justice advocacy, particularly on human-rights issues affecting the poor.

For many years, he also had been part of the diocese’s socialaction commission, wherein he led the justice and peace office.

In the 1980s he was also a leader of the Central Luzon Alliance for a Sovereign Philippines, which campaigned for the removal of the US military bases in Central Luzon and other parts of the country.

Earlier in the day, Paez assisted in facilitating the release of political prisoner Rommel Tucay who was detained at a jail in Cabanatuan City.

No group has claimed responsibility for the killing.

A ccord i ng to P resident i a l Spokesman Harry L. Roque Jr., the government will look into the murder of Paez and determine whether it was a case of political killing. In the meantime, Roque asked the public to allow authorities to investigate the killing before making a conclusion.

Maza asked the military to deal with civilians with extreme caution during operations. She also

called on the national government to “investigate cases of injustices.”

A s a former leftist leader, Maza said she is disappointed the government canceled the peace talks with the National Democratic Front, the negotiating arm of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) and the New People’s Army (NPA).

She added that the termination of the peace talks also means the cessation of negotiations for socio-economic reforms needed to address the root causes of the armed struggle.

“The people’s participation in the democratic process and dissent are invaluable in poverty eradication by addressing its root causes, as well as attaining peace and justice. Only through vigilance can we achieve both,” Maza said.

President Duterte has ended the peace talks with the communists and on Tuesday placed the CPP-NPA on the terrorist list.

The government is set to file a petition before a regional trial court to declare the CPP and NPA as terrorist organizations.

With Roy Lagarde/CBCPNews

Vatican heading for review of money laundering efforts

By Corazon Damo-Santiago

O

n Oc tober 25, 1970, Pope Paul VI canonized 40 saints of England and Wales. During the November 1969 deliberations, Dr. Michael Ramsey, archbishop of Canterbury, said the proposed canonization might rekindle animosity, which is detrimental to ecumenism efforts.

However, reactions from both Anglican, Catholics and lay people did not support his claim. Eightyfive percent of the huge number of materials established clear historical situations that the 40 blessed martyrs deserved to be canonized.

Likewise, 40 cardinals of the Roman Curia and from other countries took part in the Consistory and judged the cause of 33 priests and seven laymen favorably.

The 33 religious men consisted of 13 secular priests, 10 Jesuits, three Benedictines, three Carthusians, two Franciscans and one each of Brigittine and Augustian.

The canonization brought to a total 284 beatified or canonized martyrs during the English Reformation. Among the 40 saints was Saint Polydore Plasden whose feast day is December 10.

Reign of two queens

The Church of England broke away from the Roman Catholic Church during the English Reformation.

When Queen Mary I ascended to the throne in 1553, she reconciled England with the pope. Her reign ensued 283 Protestants burned at stake for heresy. “Bloody Mary” died in November 1558.

Elizabeth, her half-sister, the daughter of King Henry VIII and Ann Boleyn, succeeded Mary I. Queen Elizabeth reigned from November 17, 1558, to 1603.

Determined to “rule by good counsel,” she convened a group of trusted advisers. The Act of Supremacy of May 8, 1559, accorded her the title, Supreme Governor of the English Protestant Church of England, and required all public officials to swear oath of loyalty to the queen. Since the Act did not indicate the direction of the church, there was difficulty stopping support for Catholics.

During the first decade of her reign, according to some historians, the Catholics did not suffer much despite their antagonistic attitude toward “Good Queen Bess.”

Reigning on high

V

ATICAN CITY—The Vatican is heading into a regular review of its efforts to fight money laundering, amid a mysterious firing at its bank and ongoing questions about Pope Francis’s ability to reform the Holy See’s finances.

The Council of Europe’s Moneyval committee is expected to issue a progress report on the Vatican’s compliance with international norms to fight moneylaundering and terror financing, particularly at its bank. A week before the Moneyval report, the Vatican abruptly fired the bank’s respected deputy manager, Giulio Mattietti, who had been instrumental in getting the Vatican its initial passing grade with Moneyval in 2012.

No reason was given. The bank , known as the Institute for Religious Wo r k s , h a s o n l y i s s u e d a c r y p t i c statement saying Mattietti left “after d u e c o n s i d e r at i o n” a n d a s p a r t o f “normal administration procedures.”

While unconnected, the firing followed the mysterious departure of the Vatican’s first-ever auditor general, Libero Milone, in June. The Vatican initially said Milone had resigned, albeit two years into a five-year term. Only after Milone claimed the Vatican made trumped-up charges against him did the Vatican accuse him of having hired an outside firm to spy on Vatican officials.

No replacement has been named. And in another blow to Francis’s financialreform plans, the Vatican’s finance minister, Cardinal George Pell, took a leave of absence in July to face historic sex-abuse charges in his native Australia. Pell denies the allegations. AP

Saint Polydore Plasden and 39 companions: Priests and martyrs

‘Light the world’

In celebration of Christmas, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (LDS) held its annual Temple Lighting, dubbed “Light the World,” on December 1 at the Temple grounds in Greenmeadows, Quezon City.

Putting on the Christmas lights was led by (from left) lawyer Manny Imbong; lawyer Jo Aurea Imbong, CBCP legal counsel; LDS Elder Shayne Bowen, area president; LDS Sister Lynette Bowen; Mrs. Barbaydo; and Prof.

Pablito Baybado, coordinator of Uniharmony Partners Manila. The celebration was attended by more than 200 guests, including former Supreme Court Chief Justice Hilario Davide, Catholic priests, Hindu and Catholic lay leaders, and LDS friends. It was preceded by family activities, such as Christmas-card making and art activities by children, giftwrapping of toys and dinner. Lyn Resurreccion

Queen Elzabeth’s antagonistic attitude toward Catholics started when Pope Pius V issued Regnans in Excelsis (Reigning on High). The Papal Bull (papal decree) called Elizabeth the “false Queen of England and the servant of crime.”

The Bull, likewise, released all her subjects from any allegiance to her. The February 25, 1570, Bull called the queen as heretic, and excommunicated anyone who obeyed her orders.

The queen considered the Catholics as a major threat and started to issue anti-Catholic decrees. Attendance and celebration of Catholic Mass and all forms of religious practices were considered illegal.

A l l sacramenta l, or sacred signs which bear a resemblance to the sacraments, were banned.

Nonattendance at the Church of England and educating children with teachers not licensed by the Anglican diocesan bishop were considered crimes.

Getting ordained overseas was punishable by death. In 1585 all Catholic priests were driven out of England. So, the Catholic church went underground.

Mass at Gray Inn Fields

Polydore Plasden, a great patron of the Blessed Sacrament, was born in 1563. He learned how to play musical instruments in his father’s horner shop in London.

He studied in the English College of Reims, where he met Edmund

Jennings, a thoughtful, serious fellow who converted to Catholicism at 16. Faith in God was their favorite topic of conversation.

After their ordination they returned to England, went on separate ways to evangelize, hear their confessions and counsel people to be faithful to God, despite threats to life. Swithum Wells, a protestant schoolmaster who converted to the faith, was a constant supporter in their religious pursuits to convert their countrymen to the Catholic faith. A member of the cultured Elizabethan Society, he was a traveled man known for sports and hunting.

After the November 28, 1570, meeting at Gray Inn Fields, the home of Wells, it was agreed that Jennings would officiate the Mass.

Fr. Eustace White of Lincolnshire, who was disowned by his father when he converted to Catholicism, would be with the group.

John Mason, a convert, was assigned to be at the door of the room.

Sydney Hodgson, a lawyer and a convert, too, was to assist Mason.

Tortured, executed

During the consecration, loud knocks at the door startled the group. Hodgson blocked the door.

The priests made sure no fragments of the Eucharist were left for desecration.

Plasden left the room and talked with Richard Topcliffe, the queen’s chief enforcer of law against Catholicism and torture master. Plasden assured him that they would all surrender after the Mass.

Arrested, they were all thrown in the dungeon and tortured. Their lives would be spared if they request for clemency and deny their faith. However, no one was willing to do so. At the time of the execution, on December 10, 1591, Plasden acknowledged Elizabeth as the lawful queen, would “defend to his best of his powers against enemies, but he opted to forfeit a thousand lives than deny or fight against his religion.” He was hanged at Tyburn until he died.

Jennings was dragged along the streets of London after his heart was removed. He was hanged at Gray Inn where he celebrated Mass.

Although Wells was not present during the Mass, he boldly declared he wished he was. On the way to the gallows, he saw a friend in the crowd—“Farewell my dear.

Too, to our hunting parties.”

Stripped of his clothes as he suffered the bitter cold, Wells told Topcliffe: “Hurry up please, Mr. Topcliffe. Are you not ashamed to make a poor old man suffer in his shirt in this cold?”

At the scaffold, he said, “I pray God to make you a Paul of Saul, a bloody persecutor, one of the Catholic Church’s children.” His wife, Alice, was reprieved and died in prison in 1602.

Pope Paul VI cited the ecumenical value of the cause for canonization. The L’Observatore Romano on October 29, 1970, said “not only Christian,” religion is still exposed to persecution in the world, but also because of the prevalence of materialism and naturalism, which “threaten to destroy the spiritual heritage of our civilization.”

The 40 saints were commemorated by the Catholic Church on October 25, which is also the feast of Saint Crispin and Crispinian, but are now celebrated with the 284 canonized or beatified martyrs of English Reformation on May 4.

In the Wales Catholic Church, October 25 is kept as the feast of the six Welsh martyrs and their 34 companions who were martyred on December 10, 1591.

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

Sports BusinessMirror

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

A5 Sunday, December 10, 2017 A7

CONCERN RAISED ON BRAZIL SECURITY MeRcedes’s lewis hamilton gets the checkered flag to win the chinese Formula One Grand Prix at the shanghai International circuit in shanghai in April. AP

Singapore revokes citizenship of suspected football match-fixer

S

INGAPORE—Singapore authorities revoked the citizenship of a man who allegedly belonged to a major syndicate, which rigged football matches around the world.

The 43-year-old man, who was not officially identified, was an “active and trusted member of an international match-fixing syndicate, which was created in and took root in Singapore,” the Ministry of Home Affairs said in a statement on Thursday.

“While a Singapore citizen, the individual conspired with his syndicate members to fix football matches in various countries through corruption of officials and players.”

The man was also accused of traveling for “major global match-fixing activities,” and moving money used as bribes into and out of Singapore.

Because of his involvement in match fixing, the man was arrested and detained without trial before being released, the statement said. For now, he was under police supervision.

The ministry did not give further details on the

countries where matches were fixed. But it said witnesses were afraid of testifying against him and other syndicate members in court.

Local media identified the man as Gaye Alassane, who originated from Mali and used to play in the local S-League.

“Yes, I did those things, but everybody make mistakes, no? I thought I paid for mine already. I don’t know what to say now,” The Straits Times quoted Alassane as saying.

He has 21 days to refer his case to a citizenship committee of inquiry. He can gather and submit a report, which will be considered by the minister of home affairs.

Alassane was reportedly in a syndicate led by businessman Dan Tan, who is accused of coordinating a global crime syndicate that made millions of dollars betting on rigged Italian matches and other games around the world.

Tan was arrested in 2013, released and rearrested by the police. He has not been charged with a crime. AP

FITNess TAKes ceNTeR sTAGe

P

By Jerome Pugmire The Associated Press

ARIS—Formula One (F1) races in Bahrain and China will swap places early in the season as initially planned following approval of the 2018 F1 calendar on Wednesday.

Motor sport’s governing body FIA confirmed the proposed switch, with Bahrain taking place at the Sakhir circuit on April 8 and the Chinese Grand Prix (GP) in Shanghai a week later.

As usual, the F1 season begins with the Australian GP in Melbourne on March 25.

All the other races in the 21-race calendar were confirmed from the original plan set out in June, with the exception of the United States GP in Austin on October 21 being subject to confirmation. Brazil (November 11 at Interlagos) and Abu Dhabi (November 25 at Yas Marina) are the last two races.

Questions were raised about the Brazilian GP being held next year in São Paulo after serious security scares last month.

Members of Lewis Hamilton’s Mercedes team were robbed at gun point in their minivan while leaving the track. Valuables were stolen but there were no injuries reported.

Street crime is endemic in Brazil, which has been battered in the last several years by its worst recession in memory. Thieves at the F1 race often target cars stuck in

traffic jams at the exit of the circuit about 30 kilometers (20 miles) south of São Paulo city center.

At this year’s race, FIA Spokesman Matteo Bonciani said the car in which he was leaving the track was assaulted by gun-wielding assailants who attempted to smash in the bullet-proof windows with the vehicle stuck in traffic.

In response to these latest incidents, new security measures were proposed on Wednesday.

The FIA directly urged that the race promoter uses an “independent security expert to evaluate and advise on security plans,” while implementing a police reporting hub at the circuit and improving “overall communication between the promoter security, police and F1 stakeholders.”

The French GP, meanwhile, returns after a 10-year absence and will be hosted at the iconic Paul Ricard circuit, also known as Le Castellet, in southern France on June 24.

Paul Ricard last hosted the French GP in 1990. The race was then organized at Magny-Cours from 1991-2008 but was dropped from the calendar in 2008 because of financial issues.

The German GP, which has struggled with attendances and track fees, was scrapped this year but will return at Hockenheim on July 22.

The Azerbaijan GP has been moved forward to April 29, making it the fourth race of the season. The Russian GP in Sochi, held this year at the end of April, shifts to September 30. That late-September slot was

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March 25 April 8 April 15 April 29 May 13 May 27 June 10 June 24 July 1 July 8 July 22 July 29 August 26 September 2 September 16 September 30 October 7 October 21

Melbourne, Australia Sakhir, Bahrain Shanghai, China Baku, Azerbaijan Barcelona, Spain Monaco Montreal, Canada Le Castellet, France Spielberg, Austria Silverstone, England Hockenheim, Germany Budapest, Hungary Spa-Francorchamps, Belgium Monza, Italy Singapore Sochi, Russia Suzuka, Japan Austin, United States (subject to confirmation) October 28 : Mexico City, Mexico November 11 : São Paulo, Brazil November 25 : Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

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designer royalty Sam Richelle; Miss Earth 2015 Angelia Ong; Mr. World Philippines 2016 Sam Ajdani; volleyball superstar Rachel Daquis; actress Maricar de Mesa; Miss World Philippines 2015 Hillarie Parungao; model-mom Angel Jones; singer-actress Ana Roces; and model June Macasaet.

Team Nico eventually emerged as winner, but Team Solenn did not give up without a fight. The celebrities tried out various workout activities like the Heart Pumps!

Plyometric Box Jumps; Heart Skips! Low Hurdles; Heart Beats! Agility Ladders; Elastic Heart! Fitness Band; Heart Swing! Kettle Bells; and Heart Waves! Battle Ropes.

As early as 5 a.m., scores of young professionals who

2018 schedule : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : :

Developer gets 3-year jail term

FORMeR Azkals member Anton del Rosario watches on as his fiancée samantha Richelle tries out the heart Waves Battle Ropes during the Golden Fiesta heart healthy camp as actress Maricar de Mesa from Team solenn participates in the elastic heart Fitness Band activity.

OWER couple Solenn Heussaff and Nico Bolzico of the wildly popular “hubby vs wifezilla” videos took their “feud” to the Golden Fiesta Heart Healthy Camp Celebrity Edition as they led other stars and fitness enthusiasts in trying out various fitness routines at the Bonifacio Global City (BCG) recently.

The celebrities were split into two groups—Team Solenn and Team Nico—as they engaged health buffs, competed in circuit training and sweat it out with camp participants.

The second leg of the free-admission Golden Fiesta Heart Healthy Camp was also graced by former Azkals player Anton del Rosario and his fiancée, fashion

normally reserved for the Malaysian GP, which has been dropped.

There were doubts over the Singapore GP, subject to commercial rights holder confirmation, but it will go ahead on September 16.

aspire to be heart-healthy trooped to the camp to interact with their celebrity fitspirations as they learned and enjoyed new fitness techniques—all for free.

Aside from joining various stations of workout activities manned by professional coaches and trainers, participants were also treated to a live cooking demo—using hearthealthy Golden Fiesta Canola Oil—by celebrity chef and fitness buff Jose Sarasola. The chef-actor taught participants how to prepare simple but healthy recipes at home, like Golden Fiesta Lettuce Salad with Guyabano Vinaigrette, Golden Fiesta Bangus Back Fillet and Adobong Kangkong Duo and Golden Fiesta Japanese Chicken Katsu in Curry Sauce. A food sampling will follow.

“It’s not every day that we get a chance to train with our celebrity idols and fitspirations, not to mention jump-starting a new fitness regimen with them—for free. This is why we are so happy that our participants took this chance to sign up for the Golden Fiesta Heart Healthy Camp,” said Carl Constantino, category marketing manager at NutriAsia.

“It is a great opportunity for you to evaluate your lifestyle and initiate positive changes, including making the right food choices. After all, it’s an event made possible by heart-healthy Golden Fiesta Canola Oil.” After the BGC leg, the Golden Fiesta Heart Healthy Camp was held at Eton Centris Walk in Quezon City.

RIDGEPORT, Connecticut—A developer convicted of defrauding taxpayers out of hundreds of thousands of dollars in a failed effort to build a professional soccer stadium in Connecticut has been sentenced to three years in federal prison.

James Duckett Jr. was sentenced on Wednesday on 12 counts of wire fraud, conspiracy and money laundering. He was found guilty in July.

Duckett and another developer had been hired by Hartford to oversee development of a $12-million, 9,000seat stadium.

But prosecutors allege Duckett and his partner never paid subcontractors and directed more than $1 million from the city to support a lavish lifestyle for Duckett and expenses unrelated to the stadium project.

The Major Arena Soccer League dropped the team before a game was ever played.

Duckett’s lawyer says the payments to him were compensation for his work.

A8

BusinessMirror

Sunday, December 10, 2017

www.businessmirror.com.ph

LIGHTS OF DIFFERENT

COLOURS C

The refrigerator noise used to rob her of sleep. But it’s become a symbol of the importance of her job, of her ability to feed her family back in the Philippines

By Erwin Cabucos

hristy dabs her eyes to dry her tears with the flannelette sheet as she pulls it up to her neck, tucking herself in tightly against the creeping chill of Hong Kong’s winter. From her space under the laundry bench, between the washing machine and the refrigerator, she can see the kaleidoscopic glow reflected on Kowloon Bay, especially if she tilts her head up from her pillow. She inhales the peace of the moment, disturbed only by the intermittent whirring of the refrigerator motor, but she has learned to love the noise as a symbol of where she is and what she is doing for her family.

When she started work five years ago as a maid for the Chen Family, on the twenty-ninth floor of a building in Admiralty, the refrigerator noise used to rob her of sleep. But it’s become a symbol of the importance of her job, of her ability to feed her family back in the Philippines, to send her daughter to study nursing at the Davao Doctors’ College and to save money so she can send her son to a university soon. She has learned to accept the things she used to hate.

She yawns and rubs her feet together for warmth as she does ever y night before she falls asleep. Then she makes the sign of the cross – something she’s done all her life as she thinks of the people she loves and prays for their safety.

Finally, she looks at the picture of her family on her iPhone.

It is the last image she wants to be imprinted on her mind as she closes her eyes. As she outlines the faces of her loved ones with a finger, the latest FaceTime messages from her daughter Melody pop up: “I love you, Mang. Indi lang magkabalaka sa amon dire, kay okay lang kami, don’t worry about us, we are fine here. Mag capping na ako sa sunod bulan, I’ll start my work experience next month. Love you man dawsiling ni Papang kag ni JunJun. Didto ko kaina sa Carmen, Papang and Jun-Jun say “I Love You”, I was at home with them earlier today.”

“I love you too, Melody,” Christy whispers. She feels her eyes start to water again. But before the flood of tears can come she stands to get some cold water from the fridge and gulps the liquid down, staring at the shimmering lights that filter between the buildings and the bay.

The colours that pierce the darkness give her a sense of triumph, knowing that, despite their poverty and her having to work as a domestic helper far from home, she is able to pay the expensive tuition fees and textbooks needed for her daughter’s education – which only the well-to-do can afford in her hometown. Holding the glass, Christy leans on the washing machine and stares at the City, hoping that one day her hard work will pay off and Melody will be the one to send her brother to college. Then, at last, she and her husband will be able to retire with a little help from their two children.

She sighs at the thought that behind the array of buildings, the two-hour flight from this island-city, her family is also going to sleep. She wishes she were there now to advise JunJun, her sixteen-year-old son, to stay away from bad influences, especially drugs.

The knock on the door jolts her. Christy puts on her slippers and slides her jumper over her shoulders as she walks through the kitchen and lounge room to get to the front door. She thinks

it must be Kwok Wei, Chen’s only child, who always ignores his parents’ instruction to study hard and to come home on time.

He’s always been a concern for Mr and Mrs Chen and was even suspected of having been involved in illegal drugs last year, at the age of only fifteen.

The teenager’s body rolls on the floor as Christy swings the door open. “Kwok Wei, are you okay?”

His eyes are half-open. He struggles to stand, then he braces himself with one hand as he sits on the floor.

Before Christy finishes her sentence a pinkish goo escapes from his mouth, spilling on his shirt and onto the carpet.

Christy’s eyes go wide. “Ay, yudiputa nga bata ni a, pa kuskusun pa gidko sang carpet”, cursing the prospect of de-staining and deodorizing the carpet – one of many things she hates about this job.

“Sorry, Auntie Christy.” He grabs the side of the door to pull himself upright and wobbles towards his bedroom.

Mrs Chen appears, trembling in anger. “Could you be any more stupid? Drinking at fifteen is not only illegal but extremely dangerous. You could have died!”

Her high-pitched voice pierces Christy’s ears. Mrs Chen’s hand flies onto her son’s head; his face twists from the impact. “Clean yourself. You are grounded! No more Internet. No more games.

No more pocket money…”

Christy starts to sweep up the slime, trying not to gag from the smell.

“M-ma, it was only because of my friend’s request. I couldn’t reject him. He only turns eighteen once,” the teen mumbles.

He slips to the floor, leaning on the side of his bed.

Mr Chen comes out in his boxer shorts. “Alright, listen,” he says, pointing at his son.

“This should be the last time I see you drunk. None of this stupid thing from now on, do you understand?”

Kwok Wei nods while looking down.

Mr Chen shakes his head.

“It’s probably bad inf luences from those friends of yours. Stop hanging out with them – kids.

They don’t do you any good.” “ It ’s n o t a b o u t h i s friends, lóuhgùng. I know their families.” Mrs Chen scuttles towards the teenager, avoiding the spot Christy is trying to clean.

She stabs his head with her forefinger. “It’s his stupid head!” She crosses her arms and breathes rapidly. “Christy, can you also help him clean himself? She asks in a way that makes it an order. “He’s a mess!” Mrs Chen hurries back to their bedroom,

muttering and cursing at why, despite the other things she has to worry about, what with the budgeting and forecasting she has to submit to her company tomorrow, the heavens also saw fit to give her a child that brings hell into her life.

“Get your act together, son!”

Mr Chen says as he follows his wife to their bedroom.

After drying the floor, Christy now sprays the spot with a carpet deodorizer. She hurries to the bathroom and turns on the water before going to the teenager’s bedroom to undress him. She pinches the hem of his shirt, pulls it up and throws it in the washing basket. Kwok Wei stands up, holding on to the side of his bedroom door, and pushes his jeans and underpants down.

She hasn’t helped him undress or change for years but tonight is different, confirming the fact that parenting teenagers do bring unpleasant surprises at times. She cannot help but notice his uncircumcised penis on the patch of black pubic hair he has grown since she last saw him naked, and she hands him a towel to cover himself. When he was young she would wrap him in the towel, but now the teenager snatches it from her fingers, realising the awkwardness of exposing himself to her.

As she follows him to the bath, Christy recalls her son and the time she has lost in not being there to care for him, and perhaps to get angry with him when she needs to, like most parents do when their children misbehave.

Why she asks herself, does she have to lease her love to others to show its genuineness?

Kwok Wei hands the towel to her and dunks himself in the bath. He stretches his legs while resting his head on the tiles, letting out a groan as the warm water soothes him. He closes his eyes and cups some water in his hands to pour on himself. Steam bellows to the ceiling. Christy lets some air in, conscious not to open the window widely.

She squirts liquid soap onto a sponge and hands it to the boy.

He simply dangles it, dripping soap over the edge of the bath.

She takes it and rubs it on his chest, neck and face. He closes his eyes and moves his chin as she scrubs his skin.

“Thank you, Auntie Christy,” Kwok Wei’s voice is still slurred.

He lifts his hands and wraps them around Christy‘s shoulders, wetting her blouse as he pulls her close. “Thank you very much; you’re always here for me, more so than my mother.”

Christy sees the redness and the brimming with tears in his half-closed eyes. She is touched

by the words of her employers’ son who she feels could easily be her own over the years she has spent helping bring him up.

“Don’t cry, Kwok Wei. That’s what I’m here for. Your parents pay me to do this. Wipe your tears.” She stands up to get his toothbrush and squirts some toothpaste on it before handing it to him. C’mon, brush your teeth before going to bed.”

“You may just be doing your job here for money but what you do goes far beyond what Ma’s and Pa’s money could buy.” He pours some more water on his chest.

“You’re more than that. A-and, thanks for being here.”

“That’s okay, Kwok Wei. I guess your parents are right.

Don’t drink, you’re too young for that.”

“You know my friends didn’t really force me to drink. You have no idea how much I hate my stupid life! I don’t think there is any purpose to it.”

“Don’t say that.”

“I left the party and walked and walked, feeling sorry for myself and thinking about ending everything. You know…”

“Oh, Kwok Wei.” “I called my friends but they were busy.” He splashes some water on his face and sweeps it down with his palm. “I didn’t realise I was walking along the busway at Harcourt Road. I was beeped at. I thought I was going to get run over.”

“Really?”

“I was pulled over by the police near Admiralty. Luckily they didn’t arrest me. Then I paid someone to buy me some beer and I sculled a few more bottles of San Miguel on my way home.”

“You know my son is roughly in the same age as you. He wants to be a police officer after hearing that our new president will increase the salaries of the police.” She wipes the boy’s feet but looks at his face. “If you want, you can come with me to the Philippines during my next holiday. But it’s very hot there.”

“I like being in warm places.”

“Not only that; we are also poor. Our house is very poor.

You know – no flush toilets, no hot water. We only have hard beds made of bamboo.”

“My teacher said it doesn’t matter whether you are rich or poor. What matters is you’re happy. Are you happy, Auntie Christy?”

“Yes, Kwok Wei, I’m generally happy. I feel sad too, but more happy than sad. I’m happy because I can support my family in the Philippines out of poverty. At least they have something to eat.”

“That’s really good. I’m sure your kids are really proud of you,

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and your husband, too.”

“Yep.” “And you shouldn’t worry about being poor then. You know what you ought to do in your life.

You make others happy. Really, you are doing things that make you happy.”

“I guess so. I guess that’s life.”

Christy smiles and breathes in deeply.

“I don’t know what I want, Auntie Christy. What do you think I should do? I am pretty good at Math.”

“You have plenty of opportunities, Kwok Wei. Your parents

have money, your country is rich and you have access to good education. Use these things to your advantage, to make good future.

Stop thinking of negative, nonsense things.”

Christy mentions about possible courses he should consider, and she makes him agree to see his school counsellor the following day. Eventually, she tucks him into bed and turns the lights off before walking back to her narrow mattress.

She hears the tell-tale moans of pleasure from Mr and Mrs Chen’s room at the far end of the

apartment and thinks about her husband, and how she wishes she could be with him right now. She wraps herself once more with the flannelette sheet before spreading the quilt on top of her and ducks her head under the covers before checking the photograph of her family one last time on her iPhone. It’s 1.50 am; in four hours she has to get up again to make her employers” breakfast before they go to work. She thinks about what she will wear to take Kwok Wei to the school counsellor. Perhaps she shouldn’t go for a motherly look, just jeans and a white

top – the one with “Undefeated” printed on it that Melody sent her last Christmas. Kwok Wei’s words to her tonight are like a balm that massages her aching back and feet, giving her warmth and strength in the isolation from those she loves.

Unexpectedly her phone vibrates softly and a text comes up.

It is her husband, Lando: “I miss you, Chris. I love you, palangga.”

She presses the auto response button that returns her usual message to him – her love. She hugs the phone to her chest and closes her eyes.

Sunday, December 10, 2017

She is already asleep as the image of her family fades from the screen. Streaks of Kowloon light reflect on her face from the side of the fridge as its motor runs once more, unnoticed in the night.

Erwin Cabucos is a teacher of English and Religious Education at Trinity College, Beenleigh, Queensland. He received High Commendation literary awards from Roly Sussex Short Story Prize and Queensland Independent Education Union Literary Competition in 2016.

His short stories have been pub-

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lished in Australia, Philippines, Singapore and USA, including Verandah, FourW, Philippines Graphic Magazine and Quarterly Literary Review Singapore.

Erwin was born and raised in Cotabato Province, Philippines before entering Australia first on an AusAid Scholarship program, then through his Australian wife.

He completed Master in English Education from the University of New England, Australia. ‘Lights of Different Colours’ first appeared on FourW28 anthology.

His email address is erwincabucos@gmail.com.

Tourism&Entertainment Agal-Agal Festival A Vibrant Celebration of Tawi-Tawi’s Culture A10 Sunday, December 10, 2017

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expressive fingers with pointed long fingernails and sinewy arm movements are some of the features of a traditional Sama dance.

Story & photos by Marky Ramone Go

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s I stood on the deck of BRP Capones, a spanking new Japanese-made Parolaclass patrol vessel of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) where we hitched a ride going to Tawi-Tawi, I quickly surveyed my surroundings.

I saw the sacred mountain of Bud Bongao lording it over a picturesque landscape and covered by the morning mist, yet I was still able to spot the silhouette of the town’s Mosque and the outlines of a modest village with fishing boats and passenger ferries that are starting to stir with the day’s activities. And then it dawned on me, I finally reached the southernmost province of the country. Tawi-Tawi, I have arrived!

Festive revelry in Languyan

The Philippines, as an archipelagic nation, possesses a diverse set of culture that differs from one region to another, thus it came as no surprise to discover a fascinating one even in the Philippines’s southern-

most province of Tawi-Tawi.

Agal-Agal is a local term in the Sulu archipelago, which means seaweed. It represents the importance of the seaweed cultivation in the flourishing seafood industry reigning in the province of TawiTawi. To most people, it became a way of life and embodied much to their culture.

Tawi-Tawi’s culture, adorned with intrigue and allure, was showcased through a vibrant celebration that culminated this year’s Kamarhardikaan sin Tawi-Tawi, a celebration of the province’s 44th founding anniversary, which coincides with the Agal-Agal Festival.

It is already amazing to have gone here on a regular day, but to

Editor: Carla Mortel-Baricaua

Participants from the town of Sapa poses for a photograph.

travel all this way to witness a festival makes the experience more outstanding.

This year’s festival took place in the town of Languyan. For tourists, the town appeared like it was just founded recently because of newly constructed structures along unfinished dusty roads. We later learned that Languyan was once an impoverished fishing town until a mining company tapped into its natural deposits of nickel ore.

The mining activities brought residents employment opportunities and that subsequently raised Languyan’s annual income, skyrocketing its classification to a first-class municipality.

Mining activities come with a price and at the expense of the environment. The first thing we saw when the PCG’s BRP Capones approached the coast of Languyan is the massive denudation of a hill fronting the sea, due to the quarrying operations. One could only hope that the local government is addressing the situation to mitigate the effects of mining in the eco-balance of the region.

A celebration of the Sama people

Just when I was starting to conclude that most of the Philippine festivals are starting to look and feel the same, the Agal-Agal Festival left me a different vibe.

Showcasing the rich Muslim

kulintang musical instruments.

The gist of the street-dance competition depicted the Sama people’s way of living and beliefs by dramatizing the seaweed farming and courtships, as well as staving off pagsuran, a term for demonic or spiritual possession believed to be caused by a sting of a tawti (catfish), by performing the traditional tawti dance.

This year nine out of eleven municipalities of Tawi-Tawi participated in the street-dancing competition which paraded around the town and concluded at the gym of Languyan. The municipalities of Simunul, Sapa-Sapa and Bongao bagged the top 3 spot and went home with a cool P1-million cash prize.

One of the many pretty faces who performed in the street-dance competition

culture of the Sama people, as well as traditional influences from the Tausugs, Badjao and Jama Mapun, a stunning display showed flamboyant native costumes, skillful playing of upbeat native music and graceful dance performances. I was particularly impressed by the ensemble of unique dance choreographies. The Sama style of dancing involves expressive fingers and pointed long fingernails with sinewy arm movements, the highlight of the performances from the nine municipal contingents of the province.

On the eve of the festival’s street

A woman adorned with starfish as earrings

parade, a show was held at the town’s gymnasium, where performers from the other municipalities of Tawi-Tawi showcased various cultural performances after which both local residents and visitors feasted on a sumptuous set of local cuisines.

Aside from the flamboyant costumes patterned from traditional designs and made from local materials, such as rattan, dried seaweeds, seashells and even starfishes used as earrings, the performers also showed local dances, such as the igal ma lan and pangalay to the beat of the

A cure for my unfounded notion

While admittedly, prior to my trip to Tawi-Tawi, I have preconceived notion of a province marred in conflict and of a volatile situation.

Experiencing the Agal-Agal Festival not only gave me with a new perspective about the rich culture reigning in this province, I also witnessed the warmth of the people of Tawi-Tawi, saw many stunning islands and beaches, and felt an overall sense of well-being that is anything but troubled. After an almost weeklong trip, I went home with a fresh and factual concept of TawiTawi, where fear will only deny you another off-the-beaten-track worthy of discovery.

Dine this Christmas the Italian way PACO PARK PRESERVATION EFFORTS Agnello Alla Scottadito

Filetto Di Carne Con Prosciutto

Grilled Bistro Steak

Mamma’s Roasted Chicken

Mixed Grilled Seafood Platter

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ishing for an authentic Italian dining experience? Mamma Mia, the newest Italian restaurant to open in Uptown Mall in Bonifacio Global City, promises just that: a delicious dining experience with authentic Italian dishes and loads of fun drinking moments from daytime until past midnight.

In Italy it is a common practice for diners to spend an extended amount of time in a restaurant from morning till night, and it is Mamma Mia’s mission to introduce that kind of dining culture to Filipinos by serving authentic Italian dishes and drinks all day and night delivered with motherly warmth and hospitality.

“Mamma Mia is just like a cool mom with a tattoo and a bottle of wine, who greets everyone with a smile. She’s the mom who loves to party with good food and good company. Mamma Mia warmly welcomes diners, especially those in big groups, who are out to eat good food, share few drinks and have a good time under mama’s care and service. When you enter our premises, it’s almost like you had stepped inside an Italian home with a mother figure ready to serve you and your loved ones wholesome fun any time of the day. That is exactly the scene and feels that we want to recreate in Mamma Mia, something I know Filipino diners can easily get used to,” shares Giulius Iapino, president of Rigatoni Corp.

Mamma Mia embraces the all-day and allnight concept by combining the restaurant and bar service in a single venue seamlessly. Mamma Mia carries a variety of menu items (coffee, pastries, pasta, pizza, anti-pasti, bar chow, fish

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Diners can enjoy al fresdco dining in Mamma Mia, Uptown Mall

and meat dishes), complemented with a long list of wines, liquors, Italian beers and special cocktails. And for that added enjoyment of diners, Mamma Mia offers these dishes in familysize portions that are perfect for sharing with friends and family members.

Unique to Mamma Mia, the Italian restaurant has a wide array of authentic Italian dishes with a modern twist. “We make sure all dishes taste good by using imported ingredients and adding that modern twist in flavors. For example, our carbonara is cooked the traditional way, and is topped with a parmigiano cheese crust and cooked in a brick oven, while our pizza crust is filled with ricot-

ta cheese that leaves it soft, moist and tasty,” shares Chef Salvatore de Vincentis, director of Culinary Operations.

“To fully enjoy our dishes, we are offering a 30-percent discount to our diners until December 22. It’s our holiday treat this Christmas season. We, in Mamma Mia, would like to be your host so we take care of you with good food and good times,” Iapino says with an inviting smile.

“To avail themselves of this promo, we highly recommend that clients contact us for reservations. We are really looking forward to serve you, the Mamma Mia style,” Iapino adds.

For more information abuot this promo, simply go to Mamma Mia’s Facebook page.

scuela Taller de Filipinas Foundation Inc. (ETFFI) and the National Parks Development Committee (NPDC), supported by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA), recently launched a campaign to cultivate public involvement in the use and the preservation of Paco Park in Manila.

The NPDC allotted P12 million for the overall conservation program of the heritage site.

At present, ETFFI graduates, under the supervision of industry experts, are working on the restoration of Paco Park’s ossuary. This section was once a cemetery during the colonial period. The restoration project is expected to be completed by March 2018.

The campaign kicked off in Paco Park with the unveiling of a banner that stated “MAY PAKI ALAM AKO SA PACO PARK” (I Care AboutPaco Park), a declaration of the continuing support of Manila’s communities for the landmark.

“May pakialam ako sa Paco Park sapagkat isa rin ako sa mga nakasaksi o naka-receive ng biyayang pamana [I care about Paco Park because I also received or inherited part of its heritage],”NPDC Executive Director Penelope Belmonte shared. “Kailangan nating ipaglaban ang pangangalaga ng ating pamana para madatnan pa ng susunod na henerasyon [at] makita nila kung ano tayo noon. [We need to fight for the preservation of our heritage so that we have something to leave behind for the next generation, something that will

let them know who we are back then.] The youth plays an important role in these efforts because they will be the future users and custodians of these sites, and it is necessary that we get them involved in these initiatives,” EscuelaTaller Executive Director Carmen Bettina Bulaong said.

In cooperation with the NPDC and the NCCA, ETFFI also spearheaded a series of seminars and workshops held at the Saint Pancratius Chapel, under the theme“Safeguarding the Past, Ensuring the Future of Filipino Heritage.”

In his opening message, National Youth Commission Undersecretary Aiza Seguerra said, “Mahalaga ang pagpapalaganap ng kamulatan tungkol sa pamana ng ating lahi. Ang mga pamanang ito ang ating inspirasyon na dakila sa ating pagiging Pilipino. [Spreading awareness about our Filipino heritage is important. These sites serve as our inspiration that convey the greatness of being a Filipino]. As future custodians of our heritage, the youth must be aware and be involved in conserving the cultural treasures of our country.”

Built in the 1800s, Paco Park is one of the country’s last remaining colonial cemeteries that remain intact. It was declared as a National Park in 1966 and is known as the burial site of Dr. Jose P. Rizal after his execution in Bagumbayan, as well as the resting ground of martyred priests Fathers Mariano Gomez, Jose Burgoz and Jacinto Zamora (Gomburza).