BusinessMirror December 13, 2019 by BusinessMirror

Friday, December 13, 2019 Vol. 15 No. 64

BSP pauses rate cuts on benign inflation T By Bianca Cuaresma

@BcuaresmaBM

HE Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) kept its policy levers unchanged in its last monetarypolicy setting meeting for the year, as growth accelerated and inflation has remained within target range.

BSP Governor Benjamin E. Diokno announced on Thursday that the Monetary Board has decided to maintain the interest rate on the

BSP’s overnight reverse repurchase (RRP) facility at 4 percent. Accordingly, the interest rates on the overnight deposit and lending facilities

were kept unchanged at 3.5 percent and 4.5 percent, respectively. “The Monetary Board’s decision is based on its assessment of a be-

“Notwithstanding the weak global growth outlook, prospects for the Philippine economy continue to be robust on the back of firm domestic demand.” —Diokno

nign inflation environment,” said Diokno. “Notwithstanding the weak global growth outlook, prospects for the Philippine economy continue to be robust on the back of firm domestic demand. Sustained policy support from increased See “BSP,” A2

‘Bangkota’ is PHL’s pavilion for World Expo By Elijah Felice E. Rosales

@alyasjah

UBAI—The Philippine government is spending about P300 million to build its coral reef-themed pavilion for the prestigious World Expo 2020 to be held here. Trade Secretary Ramon M. Lopez told reporters the government is shelling out roughly P300 million to build the Bangkota—the ancient Filipino word for coral reef—which is the country’s pavilion for the World Expo. The government is estimated to pour in a total of P520.26 million for the design, construction and maintenance of the structure. “The Philippines is funding over P300 million to build the structure for 2020. That’s what I remember that is in the budget that got approved,” Lopez said. “It’s really modest because it will run the whole time—[for] six months—and you have to build that structure.” Continued on A6

PESO EXCHANGE RATES n

THE Philippine organizing committee for the World Expo 2020 unveils the scale model of the country’s pavilion, dubbed Bangkota, on Thursday in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Leading the unveiling are (standing left and right of the scale model) Trade Secretary Ramon M. Lopez and Dubai Expo 2020 Bureau Executive Director Najeeb Al Ali.

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‘Mitsubishi Ryokō’ caMpaign coMMences in bohol

HOUSE PANEL BACKS PLENARY APPROVAL OF CHARTER CHANGE By Jovee Marie N. dela Cruz

@joveemarie

HE House Committee on Constitutional Amendments has endorsed for plenary approval the proposed amendments to the 1987 Constitution, including the lifting of the restrictive provisions of the 32-year-old charter. Cagayan de Oro Second District Rep. Rufus Rodriguez, in an interview, said the resolution was approved during his committee’s executive session last Wednesday. He said they approved the unnumbered Resolution of Both Houses (RBH) in an executive meeting as they already conducted several public consultations in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao and “there were no more resource persons to hear.” According to Rodriguez, the House of Representatives will begin the plenary debates of the RBH next week. The RBH is principally authored by Rodriguez, Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano, Majority Leader Martin Romualdez, Isabela Rep. Antonio Albano and Marinduque Rep. Lord Alan Velasco. The measure seeks to amend Articles VI (Legislative Department), X (Local Government),

X II (National Patrimony), XIV (Education, Science and Technology, Arts, Culture and Sports) and XVI (General Provisions) of the 1987 Constitution of the Republic of the Philippines. The resolution seeks to amend the provisions of the Constitution, particularly Section 2, Section 3, Section 4, Section 7, Section 10, Section 11, of Article XII, or the National Patrimony and Economy, by inserting “unless otherwise provided by law.” These amendments seek to relax the restrictive foreign ownership to attract more foreign investments. Earlier, the Joint Foreign Chambers of the Philippines (JFC), which threw its support behind the economic Cha-cha, said restrictions on foreign investments make the economy less competitive by imposing constraints to growth that result in lower investments, fewer jobs, poorer infrastructure and less inclusive development.

Ease of doing business

RODRIGUEZ said these constitutional amendments will further improve the rank of the Philippines in the World Bank Ease of Doing Business report See “Charter change,” A2

US 50.7630 n JAPAN 0.4677 n UK 67.0579 n HK 6.5012 n CHINA 7.2121 n SINGAPORE 37.4055 n AUSTRALIA 34.9351 n EU 56.5551 n SAUDI ARABIA 13.5365

Source: BSP (12 December 2019 )

News

BusinessMirror

A2 Friday, December 13, 2019

Unconstitutional budget items to face line veto, says Palace

By Bernadette D. Nicolas @BNicolasBM & Butch Fernandez @butchfBM

RESIDENT Duterte is prepared to veto unconstitutional provisions in the P4.1-trillion 2020 national budget, Presidential Spokesman and Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Salvador S. Panelo said on Thursday. Panelo issued the statement as Sen. Panfilo M. Lacson urged the President to exercise his veto power just like what he did in the 2019 national budget. “Provisions in the budget that run counter to the Constitution will be vetoed by the President, there is no change in that policy,” Panelo said on Thursday. On Thursday, Lacson continued his attack on what he deemed questionable items in the bicameral conference committee version ratified by both chambers on Wednesday afternoon. Lacson is questioning what he found to be “double-funding” and “vague” provisions in the budget bill, sending signals this could be included among those items Malacanang could opt to line-veto when President Duterte signs into law the annual money measure passed by Congress. Asked if he was referring to an P83-billion funding item he had earlier found to be dubious, Lacson said he raised the same issue in plenary debates on the multibillion-peso budget of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), where pork funds are usually parked. “These were the same things I saw in the plenary debates on the DPWH budget. There were apparent double projects, while some were vague. Others had no clear stationing. They didn’t indicate which kilometer post. So I questioned them and the DPWH withdrew them,”

Lacson recalled, in a mix of English and Filipino. The senator recalled that he himself grilled DPWH officials who admitted they did not know nor had plans about the vague funding items, getting no assurance nor clarification on where the public funds would be spent and how these would be implemented. “I also asked them [DPWH] then, ‘did you plan these?’ They either said no or did not reply. So I asked, ‘can you implement this?’ The reply was no. So what should we do, delete?” Lacson said, adding: “They said they’ll review it, and so they deleted P45 billion.” Lacson pointed out that on top of that, the DPWH submitted through an “errata” at least P47.56 billion worth of new projects that senators agreed to block, following a consensus to disallow budget amendments that were not introduced in the Senate and the House. The senator said the dubious items they opted to be deleted are the ones that were not tackled— neither in plenary nor committee deliberations on the budget bill. “Meaning, these were not part of discussions or deliberations of the House of Representatives and the Senate. These are new,” Lacson added.

BSP. . .

Continued from A1

fiscal spending, as well as improved domestic liquidity conditions owing to recent monetary adjustments, is also expected to support growth in the coming months,” he added. The Monetary Board also retained all inflation projections made during the November policy meeting. In particular, for this year, BSP

House and Senate versions of the budget bill. The BCC, he recalled, informed them Tuesday night that “this is the reconciliation of the disagreeing provisions of the House and Senate versions” and gave them a USB, “and this is what we found.” The senator’s office reportedly received a USB drive containing a list of 1,253 budget items worth P83.219 billion that was allegedly used as the congressmen’s “source” of their “list” of 742 projects worth P16.345 billion that were inserted in the bicameral report. He said that a review of the list file showed institutional amendments providing “additional budgets for DICT [Department of Information and Communications Technology] and PGH [Philippine General Hospital] that were found to be okay.” However, he said, they saw some other items that were dubious. “For example, Repair Rehab of Road Network 2nd District, 50 million. Where is that. The 2nd district of Marikina is very big. There’s an item for P50 million asphalt overlay of Catbalogan City, Samar. But Catbalogan City is too big for us to know exactly where that project is,” Lacson said. Lacson lamented this means that the budget deliberations in the Senate and the House were effectively erased because pork items deleted in the plenary sessions of both chambers were restored. “We all deliberated in the Senate and they did the same in the House, but it seems all of that was erased because what we took out were later restored. Their main issue now is that, they’re saying it only becomes pork barrel if the identification of the project was part of post-enactment.”

Lacson promised to make public a list of what he described to be “a list of highly questionable” funding items, citing for instance “a concreting widening in Tumauini, Isabela, P30 million, where is that? Construction of roads, Apalit, P18 million, where in Apalit is that? Same for Candaba —contruction of roads, there are so many roads in Candaba, P22 million?” This means, he said, that the apparent intention is to have the “congressman or whoever” identity the P22 million worth of project in Candaba after the President signs the budget law. Lacson, likewise, noted that projects in the list file did not even provide any preliminary explanation, adding that other “questionable” items include flood control projects, which, he observed, are reputably prone to corruption. He said they saw eight flood control projects in Sorsogon and Compostela Valley that were all the same, adding, “there is clear abuse of discretion here.”

Ratified

DESPITE Lacson’s concerns on alleged last-minute insertions, the Senate and the House of Representatives separately ratified on Wednesday the final version of the 2020 budget bill, paving the way for its early submission to Malacañang for signing into law by President Duterte before the year ends. Lacson skipped the signing of the bicameral report on Wednesday because of the alleged insertions on the money measure. In a bid to avert last year’s scenario of having the government operate under a reenacted budget, the budget bill was certified as urgent by the Chief Executive, doing away with the three-day interval in the second and third reading approval. The 2020 national budget of P4.1 trillion, which is cash-based, is 11.8 percent more than the 2019 budget and is equivalent to 19.4 percent of the country’s gross domestic product. Social and economic services will receive the largest chunk of the 2020 budget.

DOJ chief plays down Usec Villar’s role in water deals review By Joel R. San Juan @jrsanjuan1573

& Butch Fernandez

@butchfBM

HE Department of Justice (DOJ) on Thursday denied insinuations that the government is favoring certain groups to take over the water supply distribution in Metro Manila. Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra also maintained that he was the one who led the review of the contracts of the water concessionaires Manila Water Co. Inc. and Maynilad Water Services Inc. which have been found to be onerous and disadvantageous to the government. “As SoJ [secretary of Justice] I am the head of the review team and the those who assisted them are naturally from the legal staff of the DOJ or the Office of the State Counsel,” Guevarra said. Guevarra made the statement following reports that there could be conflict of interest considering that DOJ Undersecretary Emmeline Aglipay-Villar heads the legal staff of the Office of the Justice Secretary. Villar is married to Public Works Secretary Mark A. Villar, whose family owns water utility Prime Water Infrastructure Corp. The latter is engaged in water supply distribution outside Metro Manila. Guevarra said Undersecretary Villar’s participation in the review was merely “coincidental” because the members of the review team, namely the Office of the Government Corporate Counsel (OGCC) and the Office of the Chief State

conservation programs. In its second year of participation, public school Imus National High School in Cavite was given the Special Citation-Public School for remarkable improvements made on its electrical facilities. The school’s strong leadership held close ties with the local government and Meralco, allowing it to raise funds for the rehabilitation of the school’s electrical system. Imus National already completed the second of a four-phase program which includes upgrading substandard transformers and rewiring the whole school’s power grid. There were three awardees in the K-Ligtas’ Large Industrial Category. Ibiden Philippines Inc. (IPI) won for its strong compliance to labor standards, and a strong commitment to safety and health, and electrical safety. The company benefits from the absolute support

from management with regard to its ESH (Environment, Safety and Health) Programs, and maintains healthy lines of communication between top brass, and rank and file, as demonstrated by its regular “Coffee with President” initiative. Located in Batangas, IPI is a wholly owned subsidiary of Ibiden Co. Ltd, Japan, and is engaged in the production of semiconductor packages for computers, communications and other application specific devices. Per its sector requirements, IPI follows stringent cleanroom specifications, a standard that appears to have extended to electrical facilities kept spotlessly clean and compliant. The second winner is Laguna’s STMicroelectronics. A company that delivers intelligent and energy efficient products and solutions that power the electronics at the heart of everyday life, the global semiconductor leader won on the merits of concrete programs on

safety and health, emergency preparedness, energy efficiency and conservation, and electrical safety. Winning the third K-Ligtas Award under Large Industrial Category is Froneri Philippines, Inc., makers of Nestle Ice Cream and Nobrelli Ice Cream with products like Nestle Temptation, Oreo, Drumstick, Kit Kat, Cadbury and Nestle Yoghurt. Froneri won for its management’s strong commitment to safety and health, in particular to the implementation of safety practices where machines and equipment are concerned. Last, the 2019 K-Ligtas Award for LGU City Category was bestowed on Quezon City. With 142 barangays and six districts, Quezon City is the largest city in northeastern Manila; making it that much more remarkable it won due to an extensive implementation of a City Ordinance on the safe installation and maintenance of poles and distribution lines.

officials announced at the postmonetary meeting press briefing that inflation is expected to average at 2.4 percent. For both 2020 and 2021, inflation projection has been set at 2.9 percent Diokno said the balance of risks to the inflation outlook continue to lean slightly toward the upside in 2020 and toward the downside in 2021. “Upside risks to inflation over the near term emanate mainly from potential volatility in international

oil prices amid geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, as well as from the potential impact of the African swine fever outbreak, and recent weather disturbances on domestic food prices,” he said. “However, uncertainty overtrade policies in major economies continue to weigh down on global economic activity and demand, and could thus mitigate upward pressures on commodity prices,” Diokno added. With two back-to-back pauses in monetary policy easing, economists believe that the BSP will continue

to cut rates by next year. “The Philippines is expected to post a relatively disappointing growth print for 2019, given the government budget delay and meltdown in capital formation, and we expect this to prompt the selfprofessed pro-growth governor to come out with additional easing to open 2020,” said ING Bank Manila economist Nicholas Mapa. “GDP growth will likely cling to the lower-end of the government’s 6-percent to 6.5-percent target, with the Philippine economy needing

stimulus from both the fiscal and monetary sides of the fence. Given this outlook, we expect the BSP to cut its policy rate by 25 basis points as early as the February 2020 meeting and ease by a total of 50 basis points next year,” he added. Security Bank Chief economist Robert Dan Roces said, “better credit growth and possible resumption of monetary easing in 2020 should positively affect domestic economic growth.” J PMorga n econom i st Nu r Raisah Rasid also expects the

Bicam panel mandate

LACSON asserted that the mandate of the bicameral conference committee (BCC) is to reconcile disagreeing provisions in the

Continued from A16

Counsel (OCSC), are both under the jurisdiction of DOJ Undersecretary Villar. “Believe me when I say that any good lawyer will see the inequitable provisions in the water concession agreements, and the fact that Undersecretary Emmeline Villar is part of the DOJ review team is totally irrelevant,” he said. For her part, Undersecretary Villar also dismissed possible conflict of interest due to her involvement in the review of the contracts of Manila Water and Maynilad. “It was the secretary himself who conducted the review and who issued the memorandum regarding that to the President. So prior to that review, there were already several provisions that were identified as being onerous and that were reported in the broadsheets and news; and that’s why the President had asked the DOJ to conduct a more thorough review which was headed by the secretary, not me,” Villar said. Among the provisions in the contractors which have been found to be onerous include those barring government interference in rate-setting and the provision on government’s liability in case the corporations suffer losses. Guevarra said that they also found irregular the extension of the 25-year contract until 2037, which is years before the original contract ends in 2022. Regulator Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) this week said it revoked the contract extension of the concessionaires. Continued on a6

Charter change. . . as proven by the 29-notch leap from 124th to 95th in the 2019 edition of the report. “These [amendments] will lift all these restrictions so we can pull in more investments in the country,” he said. With the current growing global interest in Asia, the resolution noted that it now becomes an “imperative response” to further enhance the country’s economic policies which will allow the Philippines to compete for more foreign investments. Also, under the resolution, the president and the vice president shall be elected as a team. A vote for the presidential candidate shall be counted as a vote for his or her vice presidential candidate. For the legislative department, the resolution said there shall be 27 (from 24) senators who will each get a five year-term from the following regions: Capital Region, northern Luzon, southern Luzon, Bicol region, Eastern Visayas, Western Visayas, Northern Mindanao, Southern Mindanao and Bangsamoro Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao. The resolution noted that no senator shall serve for more than three consecutive terms. For the lower chamber, members of the House of Representatives shall

K-Ligtas Awards. . . up to six. This is a positive indication that the best practices on electrical safety are becoming more universally adopted,” said Meralco K-Ligtas Awards 2019 Chairman Antonio M. Abuel Jr. There are four categories on the K-Ligtas Awards: a citation given for Large Commercial Category, one for Large Industrial Category, one for LGU City Category, and a Special Citation-Public School. For the Large Commercial Category, the lone K-Ligtas Award recipient was the Milano Residences Condominium. The high-rise residential condominium in Makati won due to a strong commitment to general safety and health, and electrical safety backed by documented company policies and programs, welldefined and faithfully practiced work processes, and a solid implementation of energy efficiency and

“We all deliberated in the Senate and they did the same in the House, but it seems all of that was erased because what we took out were later restored.”—Lacson

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Continued from A1

be elected for a term of five years, while no member shall serve for more than three consecutive terms. It also extends the term of local government unit officials from three years to five years. Also, the RBH said all congressional lawmakers and LGU officials would be eligible to be reelected twice, but it will not cover incumbent lawmakers and elected local officials. “It behooves upon the members of the Congress to respond and initiate the crafting of the needed institutional reforms that would bring in vibrant economic environment, improved quality of life for our people, and the fulfillment of one long-standing desire to provide inclusive growth and prosperity to the entire segment of our society,” the resolution read. Under the resolution, the proposal shall be approved by a vote of three-fourths of all its members, each House voting separately. For his part, Bayan Muna Rep. Carlos Isagani Zarate described the closed-door approval as a “very dangerous action.” However, Rodriguez said the clamor and sentiment from a broad cross-section of society seeking a review of certain provisions in the Philippine Constitution have been sustained.

resumption of cuts in key rates in the early part of 2020. “We expect some recovery in GDP growth from 5.8 percent this year to 6.1 percent next year. However, this implies an undershooting of the government’s 6.5-percent to 7.5percent medium-term GDP growth target range. Thus, we maintain our policy call for a 25 basis points easing for the first quarter of 2020,” the economist said. The next policy meeting of the Monetary Board is scheduled on February 6, 2020.

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The Nation BusinessMirror

It’s a Chinese affair: PNP-AKG rescues kidnapped casino gambler, nabs two suspects in Parañaque

HE Philippine National Police-Anti-Kidnapping Group (PNP-AKG) rescued a Chinese national and arrested two kidnapping suspects during a police operation in Parañaque City. PNP-AKG Director Brig. Gen. Jonnel Estomo identified the victim as tourist Wang Hong, alias Lee, 29, married, native of Chongqing, China, and who is temporarily residing at Strata Gold Condominium, Ongpin Street, Binondo, Manila. The suspects, on the other hand, were identified as Wan Rehong, 32, native of Qingshanhu District, Nanchang City, China, and Wan Liang, 36, native of Jiangxi, China. Both suspects are tourists. Estomo said that in the sworn statement of Wang, the victim went to Solaire Resort and Casino on December 4 and gambled. When he lost all his money, a group of Chinese men offered him a loan of P1 million, which he accepted. The group lent him another P1 million as capital, but he lost again, prompting the group to take the key of the car that he borrowed from a friend and asked him to go with the suspects. The two suspects took him to Okada Hotel and Casino, and while inside a room, they forced him to make a letter stating that he borrowed from them P2 million and forced him to sign the letter. On December 8, at around 2 p.m., Wang and the two suspects boarded a taxi wherein he managed to send a message to a friend that they are billeted at Room 505 of Baymont Hotel in Parañaque City. While inside the room, the kidnappers instructed him to ask money from his family or friends for him to pay the P2 million because, if not, “they will kill him and be thrown at cemetery.” The victim’s friend notified the PNP-AKG

about the incident that prompted operatives to launch a rescue operation which resulted in the arrest the two suspects. Meanwhile, the PNP has alerted its units in tourist destinations in Luzon and Visayas to provide security to members of SEA Games delegations who are expected to extend their stay in the country as the 30th SEA Games officially culminated on Thursday. PNP Spokesman Brig. Gen. Bernard Banac said they were notified by protocol officers of delegations who have made travel arrangements for some athletes, game officials and guests who signified intention to visit other destinations in the country. Banac also said that the suspension of gun carrying privileges by virtue of Permits to Carry Firearms Outside Residence (PTCFOR), remain suspended until Saturday in Central Luzon, Calabarzon, Metro Manila and La Union. The suspension of permit to carry firearms were among the security measures implemented by the PNP for the SEA games. As the games officially closed at the New Clark City in Capas, Tarlac, the PNP reported that no major untoward incident were noted during the entire duration of the Games from November 30. Except for a minor vehicular collision at North Luzon Expressway between two buses ferrying athletes, no other major incidents were reported to the PNP Command Center in Camp Crame that is providing 24/7 real-time monitoring of the 30th SEA Games security related activities. “The Philippine National Police is proud of the role that we performed in the successful hosting of the 30th SEA Games by the Philippines,” PNP Officer in Charge Lt. Gen. Archie Gamboa said.

Editor: Vittorio V. Vitug • Friday, December 13, 2019 A3

Fact-finding report revives rights accusations against Duterte admin

By Rene Acosta

@reneacostaBM

HIGH-LEVEL delegation of foreignled human-rights advocates on Thursday reported that the Duterte administration has allegedly continued to countenance extrajudicial killings, harassments and gross violation of human rights. A news statement from the Asia Pacific Coalition for Human Rights in the Philippines (APCHRP), whose members visited the country early this month for a fact-finding investigation, also called on President Duterte to stop such cases of attacks. The delegation included church, union, political and foundation officials from Australia, New Zealand, South Korea and Hong Kong. Its report would be filed to the United Nations Human Rights Council, particularly to the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR). The delegation declared that many indigenous people (IP), including Aetas and Lumads, have become “refugees in different parts of the Philippines as they flee from escalating violence,

rape and harassment by mining and other business interests taking over their ancestral land.” “Development aggression is the cause of many of these crimes against indigenous people. The Duterte administration is overseeing a development agenda that favors the Filipino rich and international corporate interests at the expense of indigenous communities, urban poor and other disadvantaged people,” it said. The delegation added that a number of IP and environmental defenders have been “targeted by military used by big plantation and mining companies to carry out extrajudicial killings and disappearances.” The members of the delegation, which included former Australian Sen. Lee Rhi-

annon, said the administration’s war on drugs should be recognized as a crime against humanity because of the scale of its killings. “The need for a top-level international investigation of the extrajudicial punishments [killings and disappearances] is underlined by the findings of Human Rights Watch that Filipino police are falsifying evidence to justify the unlawful killings they have been involved in. The call to investigate human-rights violations in the Philippines was made, as well, by the National Union of Peoples’ Lawyers [NUPL] in a report they submitted to the OHCHR on December 9, 2019,” it said. The delegation also scored the administration over its habit of “jailing people for no reason other than that they expose human-rights violations and oppression, or they are political opponents.” “Political prisoners include prisoners of conscience who have expressed views that the Duterte administration disagrees with. They are usually arrested on trumped-up charges. There are numerous incidents of the police planting evidence on people to justify their arrest and imprisonment,” it said. During the fact-finding mission, members of the delegation met with IPs, vulnerable communities, leaders of civil society groups and unions, some members of the House of Representatives, and of the Senate and the Commission on Human Rights.

The Nation BusinessMirror

A4 Friday, December 13, 2019

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PDEA chief to Leni: We’re ready for your ‘bombshell’ By Bernadette D. Nicolas @BNicolasBM

FTER more than three years of waging a bloody war against illegal drugs, Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) Director General Aaron Aquino has admitted that they still lack the clear baseline data on the number of drug users in the country. While Aquino said he shares the

same opinion with his former cochairman of Inter-Agency Committee on Anti-Illegal Drugs (Icad), Vice President Ma. Leonor “Leni” Robredo, he said the Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB) is already conducting a survey to address this and he expects the results of the survey to be released by first quarter of 2020. “Tama ’yun discovery niya [Leni] na ’yun na walang scientific baseline data ’yung ating drug users and

that’s the reason why the Dangerous Drugs Board is doing something about that,” Aquino told reporters during the Real Numbers Press Briefing in Malacañang. Aquino said the survey started around August this year, even as he declined to elaborate further on how DDB is conducting the survey. The Icad chairman also admitted that it came to a point where he was also confused with the dif-

ferent estimates on the number of drug users in the country. “We have. We have 4 million, kaya lang hindi siya masyadong scientific, hindi ganun ka-accurate and that’s the reason why the DDB is doing something to have a better and more accurate and more scientific way of getting the figure,” he said. In 2017, President Duterte claimed that there were around 4 million drug users in the Philippines.

But in February this year, Aquino said there are now 7 million to 8 million drug users, without saying where he got the latest figures. Robredo is expected to divulge her findings on the Duterte administration’s drug war by early next week. Meanwhile, Aquino said he sees nothing wrong with Robredo’s recommendations to strengthen Icad, saying he even told all Icad members

to comply with the recommendations of the Vice President. Aquino said he will not even stop Robredo in revealing her findings, even if this would not bode well for the image of the Duterte administration. “If there is, I urge her to open up. Hindi kailangan itago, kung ano iyong discoveries na nakita niya whether it’s good or bad for the administration, then go,” he said.

DPWH completes tourist road in Santol, La Union Six flood-control projects completed in Sarangani

OURISTS can now explore more places in La Union as Public Works Secretary Mark A. Villar announced the recent completion of an access road leading to various tourist destinations in the town of Santol. Particularly known for its scenic spots, Santol is home to natural destinations such as the Municipal Tree Park, Sasaba Rice Terraces, Bimmulalakaw and Pimmalangka Waterfalls, Native Tomb and Amburayan River. To further ensure the safety of tourists and residents, Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Region 1 Director Ronnel M. Tan mentioned that the department also built a slope protection structure along the access road. With the now smoother and safer travel to and from Santol town, Villar is optimistic that the 3-kilometer access road will not only boost tourism in the municipality; but also enhance the delivery, and trade of goods and services. “The town thrives in the industry of agriculture. More than the boost in tourism, we also want to assist the public in economic opportunities, while guaranteeing their safety,” Villar added. With a total budget of P93 million, the project was funded under the 2019 General Appropriations Act and implemented by the La Union First District Engineering Office.

S part of the department’s nationwide floodmitigation initiatives, Public Works Secretary Mark A. Villar announced the recent completion of six floodcontrol structures in Sarangani province. Built along low-lying areas of Kalaong River and Upo River in Maitum; Glan River and Big Margus River in Glan; Lun Padidu River in Malapatan; and Tinagacan River in Malungon, these flood-control structures will provide protection to residents who frequently experience heavy flooding during strong typhoons. Villar added that the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) is working on more flood-control projects in

the coastal province that are all targeted to finish construction before the year ends. “It is always better to come prepared for storms and torrential rains that cause waterways to overf low. At present, we are fast-tracking the completion of 11 more f lood-control structures for the protection of the people in the municipalities of Alabel, Malungon, Kiamba, Maitum, Malapatan and Maasim,” Villar added. Implementation of these projects has a total funding of P300 million from the 2019 General Appropriations Act and implemented by DPWH Sarangani District Engineering Office.

Newly renamed expressway link connects Cavite and Muntinlupa By Roderick L. Abad

Contributor

@rodrik_28

WD Life Philippines (FWD Insurance) and AC Infrastructure Holdings Corp.(AC Infra) has officially launched the newly renamed FWD-Muntinlupa-Cavite Expressway (MCX). “The partnership, it’s really us two organizations that share the same value. In terms of commitments, I guess what FWD is really looking for is to create a touch point with their customers and, at the same time, for us, I guess, to uphold that value of safety and basically good service to our motorists. Together, we see that there’s a lot of opportunity to achieve those goals,” AC Infra Chief Operating Officer Noel Kintanar told reporters in an recent interview following the kickoff event held at the Acacia Hotel in Alabang, Muntinlupa City. Formally just called the MCX, it serves as a crucial artery between Muntinlupa and Cavite. It connects the South Luzon Expressway (Slex) to Daang Hari, Cavite. The FWD-MCX, he added, now serves around 35,000 motorists and commuters daily from just an average of 12,000 in 2015. The toll road has also shortened what

was once a 20-minute drive from Daang Hari road to Slex to only a three-minute journey. “What we translate to that is because their travel time is fast, they are not stuck in traffic. Actually, they can save about 200 million liters of fuel [annually]. So even aside from the time and the convenience, there’s an environmental impact in a positive way that we’d like to believe at MCX. And that’s a big thing,” said Kintanar, who is also president of MCX Tollway Inc. The road users not only have benefited from these, but also the enterprises and industries that abound in the area. “The FWD-MCX contributes to economic progress by enabling businesses to expand their geographic market reach outside of Metro Manila,” said Jose L. Cuisia Jr., FWD Insurance chairman of the board and former ambassador to the United States. “The expressway serves as a critical route for their operations and opens up opportunities for them to serve immediate local communities.” This Expressway Sponsorship Program deal, per FWD Insurance President and Chief Executive Officer Peter Grimes, is “an exciting new venture,” such that it’s a pioneering initiative for a local insurer.

“We’re excited to touch more lives as we play a role in building a more connected and progressive society,” he said. “Much like how the newly unveiled FWD-MCX stands as a symbol of progress—now and in the future—we aim to encourage Filipinos everywhere to progress by empowering them to live life to the fullest, covered by our customer-led product innovations as part of our vision to change the way people feel about insurance.” As part of this initiative, FWD Insurance will be providing a oneyear P500,000 worth accidental insurance coverage to 500 customers. They just need to go to bit.ly/SignUpForOffer and enter their details to qualify for the special offer, subject to terms and conditions. “But as we move to next year, there will be programs that are really tailored-fit for the toll-road users. This is because our immediate goal is really helping the community within that area and then helping them to be progressive in terms of their lives,” added Rochelle R. Vandenberghe, vice president and head of marketing at FWD Insurance. The commercial partnership between FWD, which is part of panAsian FWD Group, and AC Infra, a fully owned unit of the Ayala Corp., is good for about 10 to 15 years.

LRT 1 extends service by 1 hr for holidays

HE Light Rail Transit Line 1’s (LRT 1) schedule has been extended by an hour to accommodate more passengers during the holiday season. In a message to reporters on Wednesday, Jacqueline Gorospe, Light Rail Manila Corp. head of communications, said the new schedule stems from the multiple feedback from passengers to extend the train service due to the 11 p.m. mall closing hour this holiday season and other Christmas events that usually end late at night. “Madami kaming nakukuhang feedback or requests na sana i-extend [We are receiving a lot of feedback and requests asking us to extend the schedule] more to accommodate

the surge of pax, especially this time around,” Gorospe said. Some 30,000 more passengers are expected to be accommodated with the extension of the train schedule, which took effect on Wednesday and will end on December 31. Under the new train schedule, the LRT 1 would send out its first trains from both Baclaran and Roosevelt Stations at 4:30 a.m., while its last trains would leave at 11 p.m. from the Baclaran Station and 11:15 p.m. from the Roosevelt Station. However, the LRT 1 would retain its original Sunday schedule of 4:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. northbound (from Baclaran) and 9:45 p.m. southbound (from Roosevelt). The extended train service would

also not be applicable during holidays: December 24 —8 p.m. last train from Baclaran and Roosevelt; December 25—9:30 p.m. last train from Baclaran, 9:45 p.m. from Roosevelt; December 30—9:30 p.m. last train from Baclaran, 9:45 p.m. from Roosevelt; and December 31—7 p.m. last train from Baclaran and Roosevelt. In October, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority and representatives of Metro Manila malls agreed to open their shopping establishments not earlier than 11 a.m. to help reduce traffic congestion during the holiday season. Malls are also not allowed to close between 7 p.m. and 8 p.m., while mall schedules during weekends remain at the management’s discretion. PNA

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Paris-based FIABCI to hold property conference in Philippines next year By Roderick L. Abad

Contributor

@rodrik_28

HE Philippines has been chosen for the first time as venue for an international property summit next year on the back of constant economic growth and strong realestate market. The Paris-based Federation Internationale des Adminstrateurs de Biens et Conseils Immobiliers (FIABCI) is set to stage it’s 71st World Congress at the Marriott Convention Center from May 26 to 30, 2020. This was announced by Dr. Reghis M. Romero II and Arch. Nestor Mangio, chairman and president of the Philippines chapter of the FIABCI, respectively. Romero said their mother organization has picked the Philippines due to its “fastest-growing economy and real-estate sector in Asia.” He added that FIABCI-Philippines can help make the 2020 World Congress “an unforgettable experience, definitely showcasing the hospitality that Filipinos are known for.” The event is also timely to the election of FIABCI-Philippines Chairman Emeritus Florentino Dulalia Jr. as president of this world body. “Dulalia will formally assume the presidency of FIABCI International during the world congress, making it the first time for a Filipino to hold the reins of this huge global industry organization established way back in 1951,” said Romero, who is also the chairman of the 2020 FIABCI World Real Estate Congress. Themed “Urban Revolution,” the five-day event mirrors the various developments now taking place in the country. “The same phenomenon is happening in the different regions of the Philippines right

now, driven by the proliferation of BPO offices, commercial and industrial hubs, and the rise of master-planned residential communities in the provincial suburbs around Metro Manila and the regional centers in the Visayas and Mindanao, bringing about the so-called next-wave of emerging cities like Laoag, Vigan, Puerto Princesa, Zamboanga, Balanga, Lucena, Iloilo, etc., which have demonstrated the ability to generate employment, sustain a healthy work force, make effective use of land and provide the necessary support infrastructure,” Mangio said. Part of the conclave is a conference featuring the who’s who in the international construction and real-estate industries, such as global speaker Daniel Watch of Harvard University, Global Design Director Anthony Cuthbertson of Topshop London and Roland Schnizer of Foster + Partner UK; as well as the country’s top developers like Megaworld President Kevin Tan and Robinsons Land Corp. President Frederick Go, among others. The topics to be discussed are the future and leadership in real estate, township and urban development, digital technology’s huge role in transforming cities, insights on the current and looming prospects of the industry, and its many challenges. Other congress activities include leadership training sessions, exhibits, general assembly, board and professional meetings, and such ticketed events as the Prix d' Excellence, Medal Holders Dinner, International Young Members Party, Study/Social Tours and the Gala/Farewell Dinner, each generating business networking opportunities on a global scale for local participants. FIABCI is an international real-estate federation of more than 2,300 members in 70 countries.

Editor: Vittorio V. Vitug • Friday, December 13, 2019 A5

DOLE resumes talks to open more OFW job placements in China, Yukon in 2020

By Samuel P. Medenilla

@sam_medenilla

HE Philippine government is set to resume its labor bilateral talks with China and the Canadian territory of Yukon next year. In an interview, Labor Secretary Silvestre H. Bello III said the two countries are among those, which he considers as “prospects” for 2020 in terms of opening new employment opportunities for overseas Filipino workers (OFWs). The government has been trying to negotiate with the Chinese government since last August for a new accord that will allow more Filipino workers to be employed there.

Currently, the country only has bilateral labor agreement with China, which covers the deployment of English teachers. “We also want other skilled workers aside from teachers with English proficiency to be able to work in China,” Bello said. For Canada, the labor chief said, they could finally proceed to formal bilateral talks in 2020 after completing the necessary preparations this year, including the signing of joint communique.

Bello earlier said skilled workers are in demand in Yukon, particularly those in the mining industry, like machine operators and engineers, since it is a mining territory. He said another potential bright spot for aspiring OFWs next year is Germany, which is now in need of at least 30,000 foreign medical workers. “Filipinos are No. 1 in their list of preference,” Bello said. Last month, the Department of Labor and Employment said the German government will be hiring at least 1,000 Filipino nurses next year. Based from the latest deployment data of the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration, deployment of OFWs in China increased to 9,369 in 2017 from 9,166 in 2016. In the case of Canada, the deployment dropped to 6,386 in 2017 from 7,033 in 2016.

DND lauds Senate commitment to pass tougher anti-terror law

HE Department of National Defense (DND) on Thursday welcomed the Senate’s commitment to pass a stiffer anti-terrorism law. “I am grateful to the Senate for heeding our call. We at the DND are happy with the reassuring pronouncement of Senate President Vicente Sotto III that they will pass the bill into a law expanding the definition of terrorism among other amendments,”

Defense Secretary Delfin N. Lorenzana said in a news statement. Lorenzana also lauded the prolonged detention period for suspected terrorists under the proposed measure. “While we are batting for a 30-day period of detention for suspected terrorists to allow the government to build its case, the period of 14 days in the Senate’s proposed amendment is far better than the maximum

three days under the present Human Security Act,” he added. The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) also lauded the Senate over the matter. “We thank the Senate for taking concrete steps toward amending the Human Security Act to better capacitate and empower government security forces to combat terrorism,” said AFP Spokesman Marine Brig. Gen. Edgard Arevalo in a message to reporters. PNA

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DOT’s fun shopping nationwide sale seeks to raise tourist count By Ma. Stella F. Arnaldo

@akosistellaBM Special to the BusinessMirror

T’S MORE fun shopping in the Philippines.

Especially in March 2020, when the Department of Tourism (DOT) holds a monthlong shopping festival, which is the first of its kind in the country. “By March we will have the first ‘Philippine fun sale.’ For the first time, all malls will hold a sale at the same time. Nationwide,” said Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo Puyat at the Kapihan sa Café Adriatico on Wednesday. The concept was inspired by the The Big Davao Fun Sale, which the DOT Region 11 launched in 2014. That, in turn, was patterned after the annual Great Singapore Sale in September. DOT Undersecretar y for Tour ism Regulation Coordination and Resource Generation Arturo P. Boncato Jr. told the BusinessMirror huge discounts await tourists flying in for the shopping sale in the malls, as well as in the hotel bookings. “[Hotels] will provide rates, with Philtoa [Philippine Tour Operators Association] members packaging the trips for the Philippine fun sale…. So there will be tour packages, experiences and the like,” Boncato, a former DOT regional

director for Davao, was instrumental in getting more tourists into Davao during the Big Davao Fun Sale held every December, increasing arrivals by as much as 15 percent. For nationwide fun sale, he noted there will be a special focus on “Filipino crafts and food.” The mall companies that have signified their intention to participate in the fun sale are SM, Ayala Malls, Power Plant, Shangri-La Plaza, Megaworld, Stores Specialists Inc., Vista Land, Robinsons, Ortigas and Co. (Shoppesville/ Virra Mall), and The Araneta Group. Boncato underscored though, “regional brands can also participate, like the Gaisanos of Cebu.” The DOT official said they are still finalizing the details of the country-wide fun sale but in their next meeting, they will call on not just the malls, but the airlines, as well. Arrivals and revenue targets for the fun sale month will also be determined after the meeting. Asked why the shopping sale would be held in March, considering this is still peak

season for inbound arrivals in the country, Boncato said it was the decision of the malls. Earlier, the malls had eyed January for the shopping fun sale so they could pave the way for new stocks to come in by February. There had also been suggestions that the fun sale be held during the low season, anywhere from July to September, but there were concerns that the monsoon season would put off tourists. In March 2019, foreign tourist arrivals grew by 11.13 percent to 714,309. Meanwhile, Romulo Puyat assured the media that the DOT will be able to exceed its targeted visitor receipts for 2019, even if inbound arrivals may falter with only 6.8 million coming in from January to October. Under the National Tourism Development Plan (NTDP) for 2016-2022, foreign tourists arrivals were targeted to reach 8.2 million this year, up 15.5 percent from 7.1 million in 2018. “I don’t want to commit that we will reach that number [8.2 million], but I can commit that revenue will be higher than the previous year,” she said. Under the NTDP, the agency is targeting an increase in inbound revenue to P564 billion this year, up 39 percent from 2018. From January to September 2019, visitor receipts were up 25.8 percent to some P380 billion. For 2020, the DOT seeks an increase in arrivals to 9.2 million and inbound visitor receipts to P661 billion.

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OP to fund portion of ₧3B allotted for palay purchase By Bernadette D. Nicolas @BNicolasBM

RESIDENT Duterte has directed the Department of Budget and Management to partly source the initial amount of P3 billion for local palay purchase from the Office of the President’s (OP) contingency fund. This, after his verbal order to buy the produce of rice farmers affected by the implementation of the rice trade liberalization law, even if it means the government spending billions and losing money. Acting Budget Secretary Wendel E. Avisado said they are already working for the release of the fund through the issuance of a Special Allotment Release Order since the Department of Agriculture (DA) and Department of Finance (DOF) has already submitted their formal joint request. “As directed by the President, we might resort on really using the contingency fund [of the Office of the President], among others,” he told the BusinessMirror in an interview. Asked whether the fund would be released within the week, the budget chief said: “Well, it depends. But we are working on it now since the request has come to our office.” Meanwhile, Agriculture Secretary William D. Dar confirmed to the BusinessMirror that they had already made the request for the P3-billion fund release along with the DOF. In a text message, Dar said they are planning to use the fund to buy more palay “this December.” Although the administration will no longer suspend rice imports during harvest, the

President wants DA to tighten the guidelines for importing rice, among other directives. Analysts earlier interviewed by the BusinessMirror said the President’s order would distort market dynamics. While he said there is nothing inherently wrong with the move as an immediate response to farmers’ needs, lawyer Michael Yusingco, a nonresident research fellow of Ateneo School of Government, said this cant be applied as a long-term policy and that the government’s ultimate goal should be to make farmers competitive. For economist Maria Ella C. Oplas, economics professor of De La Salle University, the directive will not only create an artificial floor price which could lead to market distortion but it will also make room for corruption as the government can sell rice at a lower price. Various groups have since urged the government to repeal the rice trade liberalization law for they are already suffering significant losses due to the passage of the measure. The surge in rice imports brought about by the opening up of domestic market was said to be the culprit of the earlier decline in palay prices. Palay prices this year sank to an eight-year-low of P15 per kilogram. The BusinessMirror reported last month that planters lost at least P61.77 billion due to the continuous drop in the farmgate price of unhusked rice, according to a policy brief prepared by the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice). This could even worsen to as much as nearly P130 billion if prevailing farm-gate prices will continue to fall below production cost, the PhilRice paper added.

Senate urged to begin deliberations on single-use plastics Tesda eyes increase

EN. Francis Pangilinan on Thursday urged the Senate to begin deliberations on proposals seeking to impose an excise tax on single-use plastics bags. Pangilinan made his call after the House of Representatives Committee on Ways and Means approved House Bill 178 which seeks to impose a P20 excise tax per kilo-

gram of single-use plastic bags on December 10. “Now that budget hearings are over, there are still few days left where we could start hearing the proposed measures on single-use plastics here in the Senate,” Pangilinan said in a news statement. “Malacañang itself is studying ban on single-use

plastics, so it’s imperative that the Senate start the hearings,” he said. Pangilinan added that passing measures that will tax or ban single-use plastics is also a “step in the right direction” in helping mitigate the effects of climate change. PNA

DOJ chief plays down Usec Villar’s role in water deals review. . . “The Cabinet discussion on the concession agreements was spurred solely by the water crisis, and not by any premeditated intent to bring in a supposedly new concessionaire,” Guevarra stressed, apparently alluding to speculation in some quarters that Duterte might be paving the way for the Villars’ Prime Water’s entry just because the President cited the business acumen of Villar’s father, the former Senate President Manuel Villar.

Review pressed in Senate

MEANWHILE, senators on Thursday pressed for a review of existing water contracts in a move to protect public intertest. Sen. Sherwin T. Gatchalian called for a renegotiation of the existing business agreements forged by the state-run Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS), with private concessinaires Manila Water Co. Inc. (Manila Water) and Maynilad Water Services Inc. (Maynilad), citing complaints that the two concessionaires violated public trust. In a Senate Public Services Commit-

tee hearing on the creation of the Water Regulatory Commission, Gatchalian slammed officials of Manila Water and Maynilad for “passing on to consumers company expenses that are not related to water distribution, such as charitable contributions, expenses for basketball games, sports clinics and other forms of donations,” among others. He criticized the water companies, as well, for overestimating the cost of their projects which he said will be the burden of every Juan de la Cruz. “Even if you say you are not a public utility, your business is akin to a public utility. And when you are a public utility, that involves public trust. And because you also included among those expenses you passed on to the public the costs for hosting basketball and your charitable events, how then can we still trust you concessionaires? It’s as if, try it and see if they catch us. But the thing is, you got caught,” he added, in a mix of English and Filipino. The lawmaker, likewise, questioned the inclusion of the business tax provision in the agreement that the MWSS made with Manila Water and Mayni-

lad, pointing out that such provision somehow enabled the two water concessionaires to skirt payment of their tax obligations. Gatchalian prodded the regulatory body to renegotiate its agreement with the two concessionaires to make it advantageous to water consumers. Gatchalian specifically wants the business tax provision under the water concession agreement scrapped.

Imee files resolution

MEANWHILE, Sen. Imee Marcos filed Senate Resolution 259 to examine which provisions in the original and extended concession agreements were “contrary to government interests” and why the water companies “failed to meet their public service obligations.” The senator filed SR 259 even as the two water firms “continue to draw the ire of President Rodrigo Duterte, even after they backed down from claiming more than P10 billion in business indemnities from his government and insisting on water-rate hikes in January.” In a statement, Marcos pointed out that the water concession agreements

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required both companies to ensure an uninterrupted supply of drinking-quality water “not later than June 30, 2000,” or three years after the government privatized water services. She added, however, that daily water interruptions since October have become “the rule, rather than the exception.” At the same time, the lady lawmaker lamented what she described as the apparent “social inequality” in water rationing schedules imposed by Manila Water and Maynilad. She noted, for instance, that exclusive residential villages in Metro Manila have only four-hour interruptions starting late at night, while lower-income areas in Quezon City, Caloocan, Valenzuela, Manila and the neighboring cities of Bacoor and Imus in Cavite have 19-hour to 21-hour interruptions that run through the day. The lawmater added that “by their own admission, Manila Water and Maynilad have also failed to install adequate sewage treatment systems, causing 86 percent of wastewater to continue spilling untreated into rivers and bays.”

‘Bangkota’ is PHL’s pavilion for World Expo. . . The Bangkota occupies 3,180.50 square meters of space in what is being branded as the world’s largest expo to date. It is larger in size compared to the pavilions of countries like Sweden, Austria, Luxembourg, Monaco, Ukraine, Finland, Poland, Czech Republic and even New Zealand. In total, the Philippine government is spending a total of P820.49 million for the country’s participation in the World Expo. Aside from the construction of the Bangkota, the government is utilizing P109.23 million for pavilion operations, P78 million for marketing and promotions, and P107

million for the accompanying events. Another P6 million was set aside as contingency funds. According to Lopez, the government expects the country’s participation in the World Expo to improve its profile to the international community, especially after it completed its hosting of the 30th Southeast Asian (SEA) Games. “[We’re expecting] good image for the Philippines, especially right after the successful SEA Games [hosting]. It will put the Philippines on the map, that’s why the President’s decision to participate is okay. I think there were times that we didn’t join the expo. I think it’s a really good move that we did because

our growth story right now is respectable,” Lopez said. The Bangkota, the trade chief disclosed, will not only house export products of the Philippines as in usual trade shows, but its technology, heritage story, arts and culture as well—renditioned in physical and visual mediums. Once the World Expo ends in 2021, the government will ship the pavilion to the Philippines and place it in New Clark City. Lopez said this would allow Filipinos who can’t come here for the World Expo to see the Bangkota themselves. “After the six-month expo, we will bring it to the Philippines.

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We have discussed this with Vince Dizon [of the Bases Conversion and Development Authority], who offered a place in Clark so we can mount it again for Filipinos to see it. It will be our exhibit,” Lopez explained. The Bangkota is designed by renowned architect Royal Pineda and Budji Layug. The contents that will be featured in the Bangkota, on the other hand, are curated by Marian Roces. World Expo 2020 will run from October 2020 to April 2021 here. Organizers are projecting over 25 million visitors in what they branded as the world’s greatest show.

of training partners by at least 20% yearly

HE Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (Tesda) is eyeing to raise the number of its training partners by 20 percent yearly, an executive said on Tuesday. These are the agency’s partners in the dual training system (DTS), as well as in the enterprise-based training program. To help achieve this goal, Tesda gathered about 120 partners and potential partners at the Tesda Women’s Center in Taguig City on Tuesday, to discuss the industry’s concerns, and how they could work better with Tesda in developing training curriculum. “The government [Tesda] cannot create quality training alone. The industry is the one who needs quality graduates. Thus, from the very start, the industry should help us develop the right curriculum,” Tesda Partnership and Linkages Office Executive Director Sonia Lipio said during a seminar at its main office on Tuesday. She explained that if Tesda doesn’t have in its curriculum what the industry needs, then that would be a problem. Partnership with Tesda, she said, is important “so that in the future, they wouldn’t complain that they still need to train Tesda graduates and that it would be an additional cost for them,” Lipio said. DTS combines theoretical training in schools and practical training in companies. A Dual Training System Act (RA 7686) was signed in 1994. Last January, the Tesda Board has approved the revised implementing rules and regulations (IRR) of DTS. Among the amendments were: the normal number of hours in the training regulation shall be the minimum duration of training (40 percent in school, 60 percent in the company); training allowance of at least 75 percent of the minimum wage will be given in full to the trainees; and that DTS shall be included in the scholarship programs. Chief Tesda Specialist Floramel Joy Songsong earlier explained that DTS brings better chances of employment. “The employability is higher because the partner companies are involved in the DTS training plan. This means the trainees learn the industry requirements,” she said. Lipio, meanwhile, noted that Tesda is also pushing for the enterprise-based training program. This includes various programs, such as: Apprenticeship—covers a minimum of four months and maximum (of) four months. This is designed to benefit both the employer and apprentice, ensuring availability of qualified skilled workers, according to Tesda. Learnership—any practical training on non-apprenticeable occupation which may or may not be supplemented by related theoretical instruction. Supervised-Industry Learning —also known as onthe-job training, designed to complement the training gained in the institution. These are basically industry-driven programs, said Lipio. Lipio said that since 2015, there are only 367 DTS partner companies, and about 2,500 partners in the enterprise-based training. “We target to increase these figures by 20 percent every year,” she reiterated. PNA

Agriculture/Commodities

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BusinessMirror

Editor: Jennifer A. Ng • Friday, December 13, 2019 A7

Govt trains more rice farmers under RCEF-backed program

HE Department of Agriculture (DA) said 22 batches of rice planters are currently undergoing training on seed production and machine operation to improve their productivity and help them compete against their Southeast Asian counterparts. The government is training farmers through the Rice Extension Services Program (RESP), a key component of the Rice

Competitiveness Enhancement Fund. Republic Act (RA) 11203 had mandated the set up of the P10-billion RCEF, which consists

BUSINESSMIRROR FILE PHOTO

UN: Asia-Pacific countries must take urgent steps to meet zero-hunger goal

OUNTRIES in Asia-Pacific, including the Philippines, must work double time if they are to meet the United Nations’ goal of wiping out hunger by 2030, according to a new report which examined the food security and nutrition in the region. UN agencies said 3 million undernourished people in Asia-Pacific must be lifted out of hunger each month from now on to meet Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 2. With nearly 500 million of the world’s undernourished people living in Asia-Pacific, and with the 2030 deadline for zero hunger just a decade away, UN agencies, including the Food and Agriculture Organization, are calling for “urgent actions” to address hunger and malnutrition. The report’s latest figures relating to hunger, including micronutrient deficiencies also known as hidden hunger, child stunting and wasting make for grim reading amid the emerging nutritional complications brought forward by a crisis of overweight and obesity also sweeping the region. “The prevalence of stunting and wasting in the region remains high, with stunting rates exceeding 20 percent in a majority of the region’s countries. An estimated 77.2 million children under five years of age were stunted in 2018, and 32.5 million suffered from wasting,” the report read. It also noted that overweight and obesity are also rising among both children and adults in Asia-Pacific, negatively affecting health and well-being. The resultant burden of diet-related noncommunicable diseases like diabetes, high-blood pressure and respiratory problems, is placing great strain on national health-care budgets and causing productivity losses. “In many countries in the region, child undernutrition, overweight, obesity and micronutrient deficiencies are converging at the national level, in individual households,

and even, in some cases, in the same person. A multi-stakeholder approach is needed to address the multiple burdens of malnutrition,” the report read. To help reduce inequality and mitigate the impacts of disasters, the report said “nutrition-sensitive” programs must be implemented to accelerate progress in eradicating hunger and malnutrition. Such specific nutrition principles, UN agencies said, should be applied to the design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of social protection programs, both in normal times and in the face of shocks. The report also acknowledged that some progress has been made in the region to improve food security and nutrition. “Some of these developments—such as national legislation on food fortification and the implementation of fiscal policies to promote healthy diets—could prove beneficial. Continued economic growth also has the potential to improve food security and nutrition,” it read. “Nevertheless, growing inequality undermines such positive developments, as do climate and conflict-related shocks and disasters,” it added. The report evaluated cash-transfer programs, including the one currently being implemented by the Philippine government dubbed Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program. It noted that participants in such programs have increased their spending on protein-rich food and poor households have reported increases in the consumption of more nutritious food by their children. Although social protection has “great potential” to help eradicate hunger and malnutrition, the report said there is a need for more research into the impacts of social protection programs on the health and nutrition of the poor, especially women and children, people with disabilities, and indigenous people.

of tariffs from rice imports. Since the implementation of the RESP, the DA said 77 batches of rice planters have completed the training. Aside from farmers, the training program also covers regional focals, agricultural extension workers, farmers and farmworker, including members of cooperatives and associations. Of the P10-billion RCEF, the DA said 10 percent or P1 billion was allotted to skills training in developing new education modules, and other related extension efforts. The money is being used by implementing agencies that include the Agricultural Training Institute (ATI), Philippine Center for Postharvest Development and Mechanization (PhilMech), Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice), and Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (Tesda). The DA said 70 percent of the extension funds go to Tesda, while PhilMech, PhilRice, and ATI get 10 percent each to carry out their tasks related to the rice fund program. Among the topics covered for the training include high-quality inbred rice production, farm mechanization, high-quality rice seed production, seed certification and analysis, rice machinery operation

and maintenance, and management of agri-machinery pool. “We are conducting the training using a top-down approach, meaning we train the specialists first, these are experts who will then train the agricultural extension workers who will later become the ‘trainers’ who will teach the farmers and farmworkers on the ground,” Agriculture Secretary William D. Dar said in a statement. Also under RESP, communication campaigns, accreditation of farm schools, and granting of scholarships are being undertaken. To date, 96,382 copies of information, education and communication materials have been reproduced and distributed including farmer’s guides and references. Technical briefings were also conducted for 154 batches of participant-beneficiaries. Out of the 43 farm schools targeted for this year, 20 have already been accredited. Tesda is implementing the scholarship program for farmers and farmworkers listed in the Registry System for Basic Sectors in Agriculture to enroll in a farmers’ field school which is being conducted by the accredited farm schools. To date, 8,945 scholarships have been granted. “We see to it that training modules are harmonized to ensure the timely delivery of

services intended for the rice farmers under RCEF,” said Dar. Aside from rice extension service, the other three components of RCEF are rice seed development, propagation and promotion; rice farm machinery equipment; and expanded rice credit assistance. The training program was rolled out after RA 11203, which removed the quantitative restriction on rice, took effect on March 5. The law also eased the rules on importing rice and limited government intervention in the domestic rice market.

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A10 Friday, December 13, 2019

The World BusinessMirror

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Fed leaves low rates alone and sees no moves in near future

ASHINGTON— Chairman Jerome Powel l made clear on Wednesday that the Federal Reserve is prepared to keep its benchmark interest rate very low through at least next year—and possibly longer. Fueling that expectation is the growing belief of Fed officials that inflation will remain tame even as the economy keeps growing modestly and the job market remains solid. The lowest unemployment rate in a halfcent u r y—3. 5 percent—won’t necessarily fan high inflation as it might have in the past, Powell suggested at a news conference. On Wednesday, the Fed left its key short-term rate in a low range of 1.5 percent to 1.75 percent after having reduced it three times this year. Powell had previously characterized those rate cuts as “insurance” that would offset the drags from the US-China trade war and global slowdown. But on Wednesday, he boldly suggested that the

Fed wouldn’t likely reverse those cuts for the foreseeable future. “Inf lation is barely moving up, notwithstanding that unemployment is at 50 -year lows and expected to remain there,” Powell said at his news conference. “We have learned that unemployment can remain at quite low levels for an extended period of time without unwanted upward pressure on inf lation.” In a further sign of its confidence, the Fed’s latest policy statement dropped a phrase it had previously used that referred to “uncertainties” surrounding the economic outlook. This change suggested that the Fed is now less worried about economic risks from the trade fights or global slowdown. With the Fed ’s key rate likely to stay where it is, consumers interested in buying a home or car should continue to enjoy low borrowing costs. Businesses will likely also enjoy lower in-

terest rates. Savers, though, will struggle to earn a return above the inf lation rate. Powell signaled that persistently low inflation is allowing the Fed to pursue low interest rate, or “accommodative,” policies to sustain the 11-year economic expansion and try to create the conditions for more people to find jobs. “Even though we are at 3-and-ahalf percent unemployment, there is actually more slack out there in a sense,” Powell said. “And the risks of using accommodative monetary policy, our tool, to explore that, are relatively low.” The chairman expressed optimism about the economy and satisfaction that the Fed’s rate cuts this year may have helped prolong growth. “Both the economy and monetary policy are in a good place,” he said. Many analysts note, though, that the economy faces threats from the trade conflicts, a stumbling manu-

facturing sector and cutbacks in business investment. Some say the Fed may feel compelled to cut rates at least once next year. Still, in updated forecasts the Fed issued on Wednesday, no officials penciled in a rate cut in 2020. Instead, four Fed officials said they expected a rate increase next year. The remaining 13 officials projected no change to rates. “If I were Powell, I would say I have things exactly where I want them,” said David Jones, an economist and author of five books on the Fed. “Despite all the people who criticized Powell for not easing sooner or not easing more, it looks like this midcourse correction of three rate cuts was almost perfect in keeping the economy growing on a sustained basis.” For now, the chairman has managed to draw his colleagues on the Fed’s policy-making committee fully into his corner. No Fed of f icia ls d issented f rom Wednesday’s decision to keep

rates unchanged—the first time in five meetings that a vote was unanimous. Powell has suggested that this year’s rate cuts have helped lower mortgage rates and spurred growth in home purchases. Auto sales have also remained healthy as more Americans have borrowed to buy cars. St i l l, Powel l ’s sat isfact ion with the Fed’s policies comes after the central bank executed a Uturn this year. The Fed raised its benchmark short-term rate four times in 2018 after growth began the year at a healthy pace. But as the trade conflicts intensified, the stock market fell at year’s end and inflation slowed rather than picked up as expected, the Fed reversed course and cut rates three times. “Toward the end of 2018, there was still a sense that the economy was growing at around 3 percent, and it didn’t,” he said. “I didn’t expect to face the challenges, but

I think we did face them, and I’m pleased that we moved to support the economy in the way that we did. Fed policy-makers have been weighing their options to stabilize short-term lending in money markets. In late September, overnight lending markets seized up, and banks and other financial institutions struggled to find short-term loans. This problem briefly lifted the Fed’s benchmark rate out of its target range. Powell said that the Fed’s efforts to boost banks’ cash reserves by purchasing Treasury bills and its own short-term lending have been effective. “For the last couple of months, [short-term lending] markets have been functioning well,” he said. In t he longer r u n, Powe l l said that the Fed is consideri n g “ f a i rly s t r a i g ht for w a rd , noncontroversial changes” to financial regulations to make it easier for large banks to provide short-term loans. AP

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Friday, December 13, 2019

A11

Carbon market rules divide envoys at UN climate talks

ITH two days to go before the scheduled conclusion of the United Nations climate talks in Madrid, envoys from almost 200 nations remain divided about how to bring market mechanisms into reducing greenhouse-gas emissions.

THIS photo provided by Time magazine shows Greta Thunberg, who has been named Time’s youngest Person of the Year on Wednesday. The media franchise said on its web site that Thunberg is being honored for work that transcends backgrounds and borders. TIME VIA AP

THUNBERG ‘A BIT SURPRISED’ TO BE ‘TIME’ PERSON OF THE YEAR

A D R I D — Te e n a g e c l i m a t e activist Greta Thunberg said she was surprised and honored on Wednesday to be named Time’s youngest Person of the Year, while adding that others in the global movement she helped inspire deserve to share the accolade. The 16-year-old Swede has become the face of a new generation of environmental activists, drawing large crowds with her appearances at protests and conferences over the past year and a half. Some have welcomed her work, including her speeches on challenging world leaders to do more to stop global warming. But others have criticized her sometimes combative tone. “For sounding the alarm about humanity’s predatory relationship with the only home we have, for bringing to a fragmented world a voice that transcends backgrounds and borders, for showing us all what it might look like when a new generation leads, Greta Thunberg is Time’s 2019 Person of the Year,” the media franchise said on its web site. As she left a UN climate conference in Madrid, Thunberg told The Associated Press that she was “a bit surprised” at the recognition. “I could never have imagined anything like that happening,” she said in a phone interview. “I’m of course, very grateful for that, very honored,” Thunberg said, but added: “It should be everyone in the Fridays for Future movement because what we have done, we have done together.” Thunberg said she hoped the message being pushed by her and other activists— that governments need to drastically increase their efforts to combat climate change—is finally getting through. The “Greta effect” has already been linked to a rise in support for environmental parties in Europe. But she insisted that the media should also pay attention to other activists, particularly indigenous people, whom she said “are hit hardest by the climate and environmental crisis.” Her concern over the slayings of indigenous Brazilians in the Amazon drew a harsh rebuke from the Latin American nation’s president Tuesday. “Greta said that the Indians died because they were defending the A m a zo n ,” J a i r B o l s o n a ro s a i d. “ I t ’s impressive that the press is giving space to a brat like that,” he added, using the Por tuguese word pirralha. Thunberg responded by changing her bio on Twitter, where she has over 3 million followers, to say Pirralha. The teenager has also been a strong advocate of science, regularly citing complex studies about the causes and impacts of climate change. On Wednesday, Thunberg used her address at the UN’s annual climate summit to accuse governments and businesses of

misleading the public by holding talks that she said aren’t going to stop the world’s “climate emergency.” “The real danger is when politicians and CEOs are making it look like real action is happening, when in fact almost nothing is being done, apart from clever accounting and creative PR,” she said. Thunberg cited scientific repor ts showing that national pledges to reduce planet-warming greenhouse-gas emissions aren’t enough to meet the ambitious goal set in the 2015 Paris climate accord of keeping temperatures from rising by more than 1.5 degrees Celsis (2.7˚Fahrenheit) by the end of the century. “This is not leading, this is misleading,” she told officials, adding that “every fraction of a degree matters.” Thunberg said the youth climate movement, which has staged repeated worldwide protests attended by hundreds of thousands of people, has managed to spread awareness about the need to urgently emissions and help those already affected by global warming. “To get in a sense of urgency in the conversation that is very needed right now to be able to move forward,” she said. “That, I think, is our biggest success.” Asked whether she thought world leaders were beginning to respond to this message, Thunberg told the AP: “They say they listen and they say they understand, but it sure doesn’t seem like it.” “If they really would listen and understand then I think they need to prove that by translating that into action,” she added. Thunberg said the experience of the past 15 months, going from solo-protester outside the Swedish parliament to speaking in front of world leaders at the UN General Assembly, had changed her. “I think life is much more meaningful now that I have something to do that has an impact,” she said. Thunberg has tried to preserve some privacy despite the relentless interest she’s received from media and adoring fans. She was mobbed on her arrival in Madrid last week and the attention paid to her appearances at the climate conference has far outstripped that of other events, save for Hollywood stars like Harrison Ford. “I would like to be left alone,” Thunberg said when asked about her immediate plans. But before heading home to Sweden, to spend Christmas with her family and dogs, she will attend a climate protest on Friday in Turin, Italy. “After that, I have no school to return to until August because I’ve taken a gap year,” she said. “I will probably continue a bit like now, travel around. And if I get invitations, to come. And just try everything I can,” she added. AP

T he delegates a re work ing on r u les t h at wou ld gover n carbon markets under the 2015 Pa r is A g reement, where a l l nat ions pledged to reduce fossil fuel pollution blamed for wa r m ing up t he at mosphere. Industrial nations and environmental groups want a system with strict rules that guarantee genuine reductions. Countries from Brazil, to Australia and Saudi Arabia are digging their heels in on the same technical issues that have dogged these annua l gat her ings for years. They want more f lexibility for the mechanism to draw in investment. Obser vers are concerned these disputes may not be resolved in time. “Where we need to be is to prevent loopholes in the Paris Agreement, and to me, having this highlevel pressure on the deal is a risk,” Gilles Dufranse, policy officer at Carbon Market Watch, a Brusselsbased research group. “If we have a deal for the sake of a deal, it will destroy the Paris Agreement.” The debate all concerns Article 6 of the Paris deal, a section of the 27-page pact that made way for carbon market mechanisms without setting out how they will

work. Here are the main issues that still need to be resolved before the meeting wraps this weekend:

Worthless Kyoto credits

COUNTRIES like Brazil, Australia and India are sitting on credits representing millions of tons of carbon emissions left over from an old program created in the 1997 Kyoto Protocol. Those credits are now virtually worthless after the price collapsed. Nations that still have those securities should want those Clean Development Mechanism credits to be recognized under the new system. But opponents say that carrying-over old credits would dilute the new framework and undermine efforts to slash emissions.

Double-counting

COUNTRIES and companies can trade credits representing emission reductions in order to hit their targets. The country that sells the credit then has to make an adjustment to its accounting to reflect the sale. Some countries—led by Brazil—are pushing for the sale to be counted by the seller. That might allow sellers to get credit twice for the work they did on a single project, which would weaken efforts to cut pollution.

DEMONSTRATORS scuffle with UN security staff members during a protest at the COP25 summit in Madrid, Wednesday. World leaders agreed in Paris four years ago to keep global warming below 2 degrees Celsius (3.6 degrees Fahrenheit), ideally no more than 1.5˚C (2.7˚F) by the end of the century. Scientists say countries will miss both of those goals by a wide margin unless drastic steps are taken to begin cutting greenhouse-gas emissions next year. AP/BERNAT ARMANGUE

“Article 6 is about doublecounting, no cheating, and it has to be rightly drafted. We should not organize a trade-off between Article 6 and ambition,” said Laurence Tubiana, chief executive officer of the European Climate Foundation, and one of the architects of the Paris deal.

Overall cuts in global emissions

UN carbon markets have until now worked under the logic of offsetting—if a country without targets cuts one ton of carbon emissions somewhere, a rich nation could by the rights to that reduction help comply with its own pledges. That worked when only industrial nations had targets. Now all nations have limits, envoys are seeking to tighten the system so that reductions are actually made instead of passed around between nations. One idea is to cancel a portion of credits if they are arriving from outside the industries covered by Paris pledges. Countries cannot agree on which section of the deal overall reductions should sit.

What else?

NONGOVERNMENT organizations were alarmed when they found that language detailing human rights protections were removed from a draft text this week. The function of that is to ensure that renewable energy projects don’t harm vulnerable communities. Jake Schmidt, managing director of Natural Resources Defense Council’s international program, said there are two credible options that could emerge by the weekend. Politicians could decide it’s just too difficult to get an agreement this year and push the matter off for another year. The other alternative is for negotiators to set out a broad set of principles which they will make more detailed over the next few years. “ Some m ag ic pol it ic a l dyn a m ic m ay m ater i a l i z e, but we’ l l come out of here w it h a p u n t o n d e f i n i n g r u l e s ,” Schmidt said. “A nd then you’re k inda punting it dow n the road but you’ve kept hope a l ive.” Bloomberg News

CORAL GARDENERS BRING BACK JAMAICA’S REEFS, PIECE BY PIECE

C H O R I O S , J a m a i c a — Eve r t o n Simpson squints at the Caribbean from his motorboat, scanning the dazzling bands of color for hints of what lies beneath. Emerald green indicates sandy bottoms. Sapphire blue lies above seagrass meadows. And deep indigo marks coral reefs. That’s where he’s headed. He steers the boat to an unmarked spot that he knows as the “coral nursery.” “It’s like a forest under the sea,” he says, strapping on blue flippers and fastening his tank before tipping backward into the azure waters. He swims down 25 feet (7.6 meters) carrying a pair of metal shears, fishing line and a plastic crate. O n t h e o ce a n f l o o r, s m a l l co ra l f r a g m e n t s d a n g l e f ro m s u s p e n d e d ropes, like socks hung on a laundry line. Simpson and other divers tend to this underwater nursery as gardeners mind a flower bed—slowly and painstakingly plucking off snails and fireworms that feast on immature coral. When each stub grows to about the size of a human hand, Simpson collects them in his crate to individually “transplant” onto a reef, a process akin to planting each blade of grass in a lawn separately. Even fast-growing coral species add just a few inches a year. And it’s not possible to simply scatter seeds. A few hours later, at a site called D i c ki e’s R e e f, S i m p s o n d i ve s a g a i n and uses bits of fishing line to tie clusters of staghorn coral onto rocky outcroppings—a temporar y binding until the coral’s limestone skeleton grows and fixes itself onto the rock. The goal is to jump-start the natural growth of a coral reef. And so far, it’s working. Almost everyone in Jamaica depends on the sea, including Simpson, who lives in a modest house he built himself near the island’s northern coast. The energetic 68-year- old has reinvented himself

several times, but always made a living from the ocean. Once a spear fisherman and later a scuba-diving instructor, Simpson started working as a “coral gardener” two years ago—part of grassroots efforts to bring Jamaica’s coral reefs back from the brink. Coral reefs are often called “rainforests of the sea” for the astonishing diversity of life they shelter. Just 2 percent of the ocean floor is filled with coral, but the branching structures—shaped like everything from reindeer antlers to human brains—sustain a quarter of all marine species. Clown fish, parrotfish, groupers and snappers lay eggs and hide from predators in the reef ’s nooks and crannies, and their presence draws eels, sea snakes, octopuses and even sharks. In healthy reefs, jellyfish and sea turtles are regular visitors. With fish and coral, it’s a codependent relationship—the fish rely upon the reef structure to evade danger and lay eggs, and they also eat up the coral’s rivals. Life on the ocean floor is like a slow-motion competition for space, or an underwater game of musical chairs. Tropical fish and other marine animals, like black sea urchins, munch on fast-growing algae and seaweed that may, otherwise, outcompete the slow-growing coral for space. When too many fish disappear, the coral suffers—and vice-versa. After a series of natural and man-made disasters in the 1980s and 1990s, Jamaica lost 85 percent of its once-bountiful coral reefs. Meanwhile, fish catches declined to a sixth of what they had been in the 1950s, pushing families that depend on seafood closer to poverty. Many scientists thought that most of Jamaica’s coral reef had been permanently replaced by seaweed, like jungle overtaking a ruined cathedral. But today, the corals and tropical fish are slowly reappearing, thanks in part to

a series of careful interventions. The delicate labor of the coral gardener is only one part of restoring a reef—and for all its intricacy, it’s actually the most straightforward part. Convincing lifelong fishermen to curtail when and where they fish and controlling the surging waste dumped into the ocean are trickier endeavors. Still, slowly, the comeback effort is gaining momentum. “The coral are coming back; the fish are coming back,” says Stuart Sandin, a marine biologist at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography in La Jolla, California. “It’s probably some of the most vibrant coral reefs we’ve seen in Jamaica since the 1970s.” “When you give nature a chance, she can repair herself,” he adds. “It’s not too late.” Sandin is studying the health of coral reefs around the world as part of a research project called the 100 Island Challenge. His starting assumption was that the most populated islands would have the most degraded habitats, but what he found instead is that humans can be either a blessing or a curse, depending on how they manage resources. In Jamaic a, more than a dozen grassroots-run coral nurseries and fish sanctuaries have sprung up in the past decade, supported by small grants from foundations, local businesses such as hotels and scuba clinics, and the Jamaican government. At White River Fish Sanctuary, which is only about two years old and where Simpson works, the clearest proof of early success is the return of tropical fish that inhabit the reefs, as well as hungry pelicans, skimming the surface of the water to feed on them. Jamaica’s coral reefs were once among the world’s most celebrated, with their golden branching structures and resident bright-colored fish drawing the attention

of travelers from Christopher Columbus to Ian Fleming, who wrote most of his James Bond novels on the island nation’s northern coast in the 1950s and 1960s. In 1965, the country became the site of the first global research hub for coral reefs, the Discovery Bay Marine Lab, now associated with the University of the West Indies. The pathbreaking marine biologist couple Thomas and Nora Goreau completed fundamental research here, including describing the symbiotic relationship between coral and algae and pioneering the use of scuba equipment for marine studies. The same lab also provided a vantage point as the coral disappeared. Peter Gayle has been a marine biologist at Discovery Bay since 1985. From the yard outside his office, he points toward the reef crest about 300 meters away—a thin brown line splashed with white waves. “Before 1980, Jamaica had healthy coral,” he notes. Then several disasters struck. T h e f i r s t c a l a m i t y w a s 1 9 8 0 ’s Hurricane Allen, one of the most powerful cyclones in recorded history. “Its 40-foot waves crashed against the shore and basically chewed up the reef,” Gayle says. Coral can grow back after natural disasters, but only when given a chance to recover—which it never got. That same decade, a mysterious epidemic killed more than 95 percent of the black sea urchins in the Caribbean, while overfishing ravaged fish populations. And surging waste from the island’s growing human population, which nearly doubled between 1960 and 2010, released chemicals and nutrients into the water that spur faster algae growth. The result: Seaweed and algae took over. “There was a tipping point in the 1980s, when it switched from being a coral-dominated system to being an algaedominated system,” Gayle says. “Scientists call it a ‘phase shift.’” AP

A12 Friday, December 13, 2019

The World BusinessMirror

Editor: Angel R. Calso

serves notice that British voters decide who they Erdogan new rate cut looms in Turkey want to resolve Brexit impasse P

ONDON—UK voters were deciding Thursday who they want to resolve the stalemate over Brexit in a parliamentary election seen as one of the most important since the end of World War II. Voting was under way across the country in a contest that pits Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who says he will take Britain out of the European Union by January 31, against opposition leader Jeremy Corbyn, who promises another referendum on Brexit. Johnson voted at Methodist Central Hall in London, accompanied by his dog, Dilyn. Corbyn was greeted by supporters as arrived to cast his vote in his north London constituency. With so much at stake, political parties have pushed the boundaries of truth, transparency and reality during five weeks of campaigning. Johnson’s Conservative Party was criticized for using misleading tactics on social media, while Corbyn’s Labour Party sought to win votes by promising to tax the rich, boost government spending and nationalize industries, such as railroads and water companies. One of the focal points of the ugly campaign was the National Health Service, a deeply respected institution that has struggled to meet rising demand after nine years of austerity under Conservative-led governments. Jill Rutter, a senior research fellow at UK in a Changing Europe, said one of the things that stood out during the campaign was the shamelessness of the politicians.

She cited Johnson’s claim that the Conservatives would build 40 hospitals. In fact, that number includes many existing facilities that will be renovated. “Normally, if you point out to people that something doesn’t stand up, it’s actually sort of fiction, you slightly expect them to start...replacing that with a different new fact,” Rutter said. “But here, actually, you’ve seen this from No. 10 under Johnson that they’re prepared to run a deeply manipulative operation.” All 650 seats in the House of Commons are up for grabs in the election, which is being held more than two years ahead of schedule. The prime minister called early elections in hopes of breaking a logjam in Parliament that stalled approval of his Brexit agreement in October. Johnson didn’t have a majority in the last Parliament and was stymied once he lost the support of the Democratic Unionist Party because of concerns about how Northern Ireland would be treated under his deal with the EU. Opinion polls have consistently showed Johnson’s Conservative Party in the lead, but recent surveys suggest the margin may have narrowed in the final days of campaigning. While Corbyn’s Labour is unlikely to win an outright majority, smaller opposition parties hope to win enough seats so they

can team with Labour to block Johnson’s Brexit plans. All of the parties are nervous about the verdict of voters who are more willing to abandon longheld party loyalties after three years of wrangling over Brexit. Photos of lines outside of polling stations suggested a brisk early morning turnout. In Glasgow, Simon MacFarlane, a 49-year-old trade union worker, said the election was about more than just Brexit. “The issues facing the poorest people in Glasgow are no different from the poorest people in Liverpool, Manchester, or elsewhere around the whole of the country and Belfast,” he said. “So, we need to tackle those issues. We have had enough of constitutional politics at this point in time.” The Conservatives have focused much of their energy on trying to win in a “red wall” of working-class towns in central and northern England that have elected Labour lawmakers for decades, but also voted strongly in 2016 to leave the EU. Polls suggest that plan may be working, and the Conservatives have also been helped by the Brexit Party led by Nigel Farage, which decided at the last minute not to contest 317 Conservativeheld seats to avoid splitting the pro-Brexit vote. Labour, which is largely but ambiguously pro-EU, faces competition for anti-Brexit voters from the centrist Liberal Democrats, Scottish and Welsh nationalist parties, and the Greens. One of the campaign’s defining images was a photo of a sick fouryear-old boy sleeping on a hospital floor because no beds were available. Johnson’s initial failure to even look at the photo in an oncamera interview put the prime

minister on the defensive because he was seen as being insensitive to the child’s plight. T he photo, i n it i a l l y pu b lished by the Yorkshire Evening Post, swept across social media like a firestorm, injecting an explosive jolt into the political war of information in the final days of the election. Social-media platforms were a critical battleground during t he campa ig n, w it h pol itica l mudslingers waging cyber war with few legal constraints after the government failed to act on calls for a new law to protect democracy in the Internet age. Just t wo years af ter Br ita in found itself at the epicenter of a global scandal over the misuse of Facebook data by political campaig ns, the par ties bombarded voters with social-media messages—many of which were misleading. The Conservative Party circulated a doctored video that made it look as if an opposition leader had been stumped when asked about his position on Brexit. Then during a television debate the party rebranded its press office Twitter account as a fact-checking service. The Labour Party also sought to co-opt the roll of independent fact-checker, rolling out a web site called The Insider, which called on voters to “trust the facts.” The Conservative Party, with a dy na m ic on l ine ca mpa ig n, found itself in the crosshairs of many media critics. Some, such as R asmus K leis Nielsen, director of the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism at the University of Oxford, wondered why Johnson, who has been in the lead, would feel compelled to be at the forefront of pushing the edge of accepted norms. AP

Nobel laureate Suu Kyi defends Myanmar army in genocide case

HE HAGUE, Netherlands— Nobel Peace Prize winner and former political prisoner Aung San Suu Kyi denied on Wednesday that Myanmar’s armed forces committed genocide, telling the United Nation’s top court that the mass exodus of Rohingya people from the country she leads was the unfortunate result of a battle with insurgents. The image of the former prodemocracy icon appearing before the International Court of Justice to defend the army that kept her under house arrest for 15 years was striking. Suu Kyi, who as Myanmar’s state counselor holds an office similar to prime minister, was awarded the 1991 peace prize in absentia for championing democracy and rights under the nation’s then-ruling junta. My a n m a r ’s a c c u s e r s h av e d e s c r i b e d a d e l i b e r at e c a m paign of ethnic cleansing a nd genoc ide t h at d rove more t ha n 70 0,0 0 0 Rohing ya to ne i g h b or i n g B a n g l a d e s h . Addressing the world court in The Hague in her role as Myanmar’s foreign minister, Suu Kyi calmly attempted to refute allegations that army personnel killed civilians, raped women and torched houses in 2017. She sa id t he a l legat ions s t e m me d f rom “a n i nt e r n a l armed conflict started by coordinated and comprehensive armed attacks...to which Myanmar’s defense services responded. Tragically, this armed conflict led to the exodus of several hundred thousand Muslims.”

MYANMAR’S leader Aung San Suu Kyi waits to address judges of the International Court of Justice for the second day of three days of hearings in The Hague, Netherlands, on Wednesday. Suu Kyi will represent Myanmar in a case filed by Gambia at the ICJ, the United Nations’ highest court, accusing Myanmar of genocide in its campaign against the Rohingya Muslim minority. AP/PETER DEJONG

Rohingya representatives and rights group said they were appalled by Suu Kyi’s testimony. “The world will judge their claim of no genocide with evidence,” said Mohammed Mohibullah, chairman of the Arakan Rohingya Society for Peace and Human Rights. “A thief never admits he is a thief, but justice can be delivered through evidence.” The African nation of Gambia brought t he lega l act ion against Myanmar on behalf of the 57-country Organization of Islamic Cooperation. Gambia alleges that genocide occurred and is still ongoing. It requested an emergency legal

hearing asking the International Court of Justice to take action to stop the violence, including “all measures within its power to prevent all acts that amount to or contribute to the crime of genocide” in Myanmar. Suu Kyi insisted that Gambia provided “an incomplete and misleading factual picture” of what happened in Myanmar’s northern Rakhine state, saying developments in one of Myanmar’s poorest regions were “complex and not easy to fathom.” She detailed how the army responded on August 25, 2017, to attacks by insurgents trained by Afghan and Pakistan extremists.

Suu Kyi said the armed forces had tried “to reduce collateral damage” during fighting in 12 locations. Conceding that excessive force might have been used and that one helicopter may have killed “noncombatants,” she said Myanmar is investigating what happened and should be allowed to finish its work. “Can there be genocidal intent on the part of a state that actively investigates, prosecutes and punishes soldiers and officers who are accused of wrongdoing?” she asked the court. Rights groups joined Rohingya representatives in slamming the claims Suu Kyi and Myanmar’s legal team made in The Hague. George Graham, humanitarian advocacy director at Save the Children, said Suu Kyi’s remarks “fly in the face of all the evidence gathered by the UN, and the testimony our own teams have heard from countless survivors.” “Rohingya families have faced patterns of unimaginable horrors in a campaign of violence. Children and their parents have been systematically killed, maimed and raped,” he said, adding that “the government of Myanmar has failed at every turn to punish those responsible.” Amnesty International’s Nicholas Bequelin, accused Suu Kyi of trying to downplay the severity of crimes committed against the Rohingya and “wouldn’t even refer to them by name or acknowledge the scale of the abuses. Such denials are deliberate, deceitful and dangerous.” AP

RESIDENT Recep Tay yip Erdogan is taking deeper cuts in Turkish interest rates for granted, and so is the market. Just as he’s done ahead of all three policy decisions since installing a new central banker in July, Erdogan sounded off on monetary matters again in the days before this week’s meeting, saying “we will be moving to single digits in interest rates in 2020.” It’s a ritual the central bank completed each time by decreasing rates. And while most economists disagree with Erdogan’s view that lower borrowing costs bring down inflation, not one in a Bloomberg survey doubts that the march of rate cuts will continue on Thursday. The only disagreement is about the boldness with which the Monetary Policy Committee might act at its last scheduled meeting this year: expectations for a rate cut range between 50 and 200 basis points. Governor Murat Uysal has exceeded forecasts at every meeting he’s led since taking the job, delivering 10 percentage points of easing that brought the benchmark to 14 percent. Erdogan’s fixation on low rates is hardly the only reason for easing, with the economy just beginning to gain momentum after a recession. Even as inflation bounced back in November, it didn’t heat up as much as expected, ensuring that Turkey still boasts one of the highest real rates in emerging markets. Inflation began to soar in June 2018 after a crash in the lira touched off a surge in domestic prices across the

import-dependent economy. After peaking at 25.2 percent last year, it plunged into single digits before a pickup to an annual 10.6 percent in November. Among the few brakes on Turkey’s easing cycle is Uysal’s pledge to preserve “a reasonable rate of real return” for investors, a guideline he’s declined to make more specific. Given that the central bank projects inflation will end this year at 12 percent and then continue to accelerate through the first quarter, the space for monetary easing could be limited. Policy-makers have also increased the number of their meetings next year to 12, from eight in 2019, a decision that could allow them to move in smaller steps if they chase Erdogan’s goal of single-digit rates. Should the central bank act in line with most forecasts and cut its benchmark by 150 basis points, Turkey’s real rate will drop to 1.9 percent—still in line with most peers—but then likely fall below 1 percent after December, according to Phoenix Kalen, a strategist at Societe General SA in London. Turkey’s currency is already on track this month for the worst performance in emerging markets against the dollar with a loss of almost 1 percent. “The plunge in Turkey’s real policy rate may leave assets vulnerable to capital flight, quickening the pace of the lira’s spot deterioration in 2020,” Kalen said. “The more frequent opportunities to revise the monetary policy stance mean that there are fewer compelling reasons to take actions that may be difficult for the market to digest.” Bloomberg News

US envoy warns: North Korea may return to launching ICBMs

HE US sees “deeply troubling indications” that North Korea is poised for a major provocation, UN Ambassador Kelly Craft warned, as Kim Jong Un’s year-end deadline for concessions approaches. “In practical terms, this would mean that the DPRK could launch space vehicles using long-range ballistic missile technology, or that they could even test-launch intercontinental ballistic missiles, which are designed to attack the continental United States with nuclear weapons,” Craft told the United Nations Security Council on Wednesday, referring to North Korea’s formal name. Kim’s regime has repeatedly threatened to take a “new path” in nuclear talks unless President Donald J. Trump makes it a more favorable offer by the end of the year. Russia and China have called for a partial easing of US sanctions. Without backing off from the US insistence that North Korea commit to total denuclearization first, Craft sounded a note of conciliation. “We remain ready to take actions in parallel, and to simultaneously take concrete steps toward this agreement,” Craft said. “We are prepared to be flexible in how we approach this matter. And we recognize the need for a balanced agreement that addresses the concerns of all parties.” Russian envoy Vasily Nebenzya told Security Council members on Wednesday that diplomacy should be a give-and-take,

and that “ it’s impossible to get something when you can’t offer something in return.” Reversing some sanctions “may encourage the parties” to “go forward in the right direction and it may also create a more favorable environment,” Chinese Ambassador Zhang Jun told reporters after the meeting. “No matter what we do, it should be conducive to reducing tension, to promoting dialogue, and thus prevent from falling back into confrontation,” Zhang said, according to the official Xinhua News Agency. Trump has held back from responding for months as North Korea carried out short-range missile tests, some in violation of UN resolutions. But he also has revived his “Rocket Man” nickname for Kim and boasted that “we have the most powerful military we’ve ever had” and if necessary “we’ll use it.” A return to intercontinenta l ba llistic missile launches or nuclear tests could send USNorth Korea ties back to where they were in 2017, when tensions between the historic enemies surged and analysts worried about a military conf lict. It would also undermine what Trump considers one of his key foreign policy achievements as he faces impeachment proceedings and heads into an election year. While emphasizing that the US hopes to keep diplomacy alive, Craft warned that “ if events prove otherwise, we, this Security Council, must all be prepared to act accordingly.” Bloomberg News

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New Zealand planning retrieval of bodies on volcanic island

HAKATANE, New Zealand—A team of eight New Zealand military specialists will land on a small volcanic island just after first light Friday to attempt to retrieve the bodies of eight victims of an eruption that claimed eight other lives. New Zealand police said late Thursday the recovery attempt will go ahead even though scientists believe another eruption is possible on White Island. Steam and mud are emitting from its active vents and volcanic tremors are rising, volcanologists said. Police, military, volcano experts and others will monitor the recovery attempt from the HMNZS Wellington, which will be stationed nearby, authorities said. Police Deputy Commissioner Mike Clement told reporters the recovery operation is “not without risk. “They will go onto the island and they will make every effort to recover all of the bodies,” Clement said at a news conference. The continuing volcanic activity has delayed the recovery of the last victims since Monday’s deadly eruption, which occurred as 47 tourists were exploring the island. In addition to the bodies left on the island, eight other people were killed and dozens were severely burned by the blast of scalding steam and ash. Police have cited the need to preser ve evidence that would help identify the victims as a reason to take a methodical approach, but the decision to commit to a faster recovery attempt appeared to have been partly motivated by weather forecasts. R ain mixing with the heav y volcanic ash lying on the island could encase the bodies in a cement-like substance, making recover y more difficult. “ My concer ns rem a i n t he weather, the direction of the wind, the sea state because they all bring risk and add complexity,” Clement said. New Zealand medical staff were working around the clock to treat the injured survivors in hospital burn units. The enormity of the task was

clear when Dr. Peter Watson, a chief medical officer, said at a news conference that extra skin has been ordered from American skin banks. Hospital personnel anticipated needing an extra 120 square meters (1,300 square feet) of skin for grafting onto the patients, Watson said. Australian tissue banks have sent 20,000 square centimeters (2.4 square yards) to New Zealand to help the sur vivors. “Sk in is predominant ly used in patients who have the most l i fe -t h reaten i ng bu r ns, u sually if they have more than 50 percent burn over their body,” said Stefan Paniatowski, head of Donor Tissue Bank Victoria. A patient with that amount of burned skin doesn’t have enough of their own healthy skin to transplant onto the wounded area, he explained. Additionally, in patients with an infection, creating a new wound to transfer their own skin is too risky, Paniatowski said. Authorities say 24 Australians, nine Americans, five New Zealanders, four Germans, two Britons, two Chinese and a Malaysian were visiting the island at the time of the er uption. Many were from a Royal Caribbean cruise ship that had left Sydney two days earlier. Austra lian Pr ime Minister Scott Morrison said 10 Australians were presumed among the dead. Twelve of the injured Australians were being medically evacuated to Australian hospitals for further treatment with one Australian patient staying in a New Zealand hospital, he said at a news conference on Thursday. Volcanologist Nico Fournier warned earlier that White Island remained “highly volatile.” The GeoNet seismic monitoring agency has maintained the island’s volcanic alert level at 2, noting there’s been no eruption since Monday. On the scale, 2 signifies unrest while 5 signifies a major eruption. White Island is the tip of a mostly undersea volcano that’s about 50 kilometers (30 miles) off New Zealand’s North Island and has been visited by thousands of tourists each year. AP

ISRAELIS GIRD FOR UNPRECEDENTED THIRD ELECTION IN A YEAR

ERUSALEM—Israelis grappled on Thursday with the confounding reality of unprecedented third national e l e c t i o n s i n l e s s t h a n a y e a r, a f t e r Parliament was dissolved and the date for the next vote was set—fur ther ex tending m o nt h s o f p o l i t i c a l p a r a l y s i s t h at h a s gripped the countr y. Legislators passed a motion earlier to hold elec tions on March 2, hours after the deadline to form a coalition government expired. The motion passed with a 94-0 vote in the House. That now triggers a nearly three month-long campaign ahead of the vote that most polls predic t will not produce dramatically different results than those that led to the current logjam. “This nightmare, in which we’re heading into elec tions once again, the third within the space of a single year, is neither a p a ra b l e n o r a d re a m . I t i s co m p l e te l y real,” wrote Sima Kadmon in the leading Yediot Ahronot daily. “There aren’t words left that can express the public ’s disgust w i t h a n d m i s t r u s t towa rd s i t s e l e c te d representatives. As in each previous round, the largest par ties, Likud and Blue and White, blamed each other for the impasse and tried setting the narrative for what is likely to be a grueling and caustic campaign. “The politicians were unable to decide

and so it goes back to the people. And it’s a shame. There weren’t big differences,” Foreign Minister Israel Katz, a Likud lawmaker, told Israeli Army Radio. Israel has been mired in political deadlock for months, after two inconclusive elections and failed attempts by both Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his chief rival, former army chief Benny Gantz, to cobble together coalition governments. The costly election campaigns, government work on indefinite hold and t h e p e rc e i ve d o b s t i n a c y o f b o t h s i d e s has frustrated Israelis, who are used to f ra c t i o u s p o l i t i c s b u t h ave n e ve r s e e n repeat elec tions. “It’s very disappointing. Terrible, in my opinion. It’s also a waste of resources and energy. The public is tired of it and I think there’s anger at all sides that can’t reach any kind of agreement,” said Malka Miller, walking along Tel Aviv’s beach-side boardwalk. During government negotiations, both sides professed eagerness to reach a power-sharing agreement, but could not agree on its composition nor who would lead it. Netanyahu insisted on ser ving as prime minister, where he is best positioned to fight his recent indictment on a series of corruption charges. Gantz has refused to ser ve under a prime minister with such serious legal problems and called on Likud to choose a different leader. AP

Friday, December 13, 2019

A13

Europe moves to expand trade arsenal with focus on Trump

UROPE is arming itself for a more lawless world of trade—and the bloc’s sights are on the US.

European Union trade chief Phil Hogan on Thursday sought an upgrade to EU legislation on enforcing international commercial rules. His proposal would allow the EU to impose sanctions against countries that illegally restrict commerce and simultaneously block the World Trade Organization’s dispute-settlement process. The timing of the initiative in Brussels is no coincidence. On Wednesday, the W TO’s muchprized appellate body ceased to be able to handle new cases because a US veto of any appointments to the panel left it without the minimum three members required for verdicts. The body is the WTO’s supreme authority, issuing binding decisions that give winning parties in disputes the right to apply trade penalties such as higher tariffs against law-breaking countries. Since before Dona ld Tr ump’s presidency, the US has accused the appeals panel of overstepping its mandate and has demanded changes to the body’s practices.

The EU is asserting itself more in a bid to prevent Trump’s “America First” agenda and protectionism from undermining the rules-based global order to which Europe is committed. Over the past three years, Trump has angered Europe by hitting its steel and aluminum with tariffs based on controversial national-security grounds, dangled the threat of similar levies on foreign cars and drawn up plans to target French goods with levies as retaliation over a digital tax in France. T he US president has also sought to restrict European trade with Iran after pulling out of an international agreement to control the country’s nuclear activities and backed out of a landmark United Nations accord to fight climate change. The US steel and aluminum duties, introduced in 2018, prompted the EU to complain to the Genevabased WTO. The bloc also scrambled to put its own trade defenses in place for steel to prevent the

American levies from diverting global shipments to the European market and flooding it. The amended EU legislation that Hogan put forward comes less than two weeks after he took office as part of a new leadership team at the European Commission, the bloc’s executive arm, under President Ursula von der Leyen. The proposal, which requires the support of EU governments and the European Parliament in a process that will last into next year, has political momentum. At a scheduled meeting in the Belgian capital on Thursday afternoon and Friday, the bloc’s national leaders will ask its legislative actors “to examine, as a matter of priority, the commission’s proposal,” according to a draft summit statement seen by Bloomberg. The government chiefs are also due to express support for a stopgap arbitration system that the commission is pursuing with EU trade partners such as Canada and China pending any revival of the WTO appellate body. The proposal from Hogan—an amendment to 2014 European legislation—would effectively serve as a third line of defense for the EU as it seeks to uphold the WTO system.

T he e x t ra tool wou ld come into play in a scenar io in which the W TO appellate body is still sidel ined a nd t he bloc w ins a c a se aga i n st a cou nt r y t h at doesn’t accept t he init i a l r u ling a nd ha sn’t sig ned up to t he stopgap a r ra ngement for ha nd l ing appea ls. In that event, the EU would be in a position to impose countermeasures. The planned change to t he Eu rop e a n le g i s l at ion would also empower the commission to calculate the level of penalties—a ceiling normally set by the W TO. In that context, the proposal may encourage more countries to join the makeshift appeals system that the commission is advocating. That model would essentially replicate the work of the defunct appellate body. Jacques Pelkmans, a trade expert and senior fellow at the CEPS think tank in Brussels, said the EU would likely be prudent about deploying any new sanctions tool in its policy arsenal. “When it comes to partners, the approach will undoubtedly be based on the primacy of consultation and peer pressure,” Pelkmans said. “In the extreme the EU might want to have the option of using it.” Bloomberg News

India’s Parliament passes contentious citizenship bill

EW DELHI—Indian lawmakers approved legislation granting citizenship to non-Muslims who migrated from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan, even though critics said it undermines the country’s secular constitution. The Citizenship Amendment Bill seeks to grant Indian nationality to Buddhists, Christians, Hindus, Jains, Parsis and Sikhs who fled the three countries because of religious persecution before 2015. It does not, however, extend to Rohingya Muslim refugees who fled persecution in Myanmar. The upper house of Parliament passed the bill 125-105 on Wednesday night. The lower house had approved it on Monday. It now needs to be signed by the country’s ceremonial president, a formality before becoming law. The bill was introduced by the Hindu nationalist-led government

of Prime Minister Narendra Modi following his resounding election victory in May. Modi said it was a “landmark day for India” and the law would “alleviate the suffering of many who faced persecution for years.” But Indian newspaper opinion writers said it was yet another effort by the Modi administration to marginalize India’s 200 million Muslims. Introducing the bill in the upper house, Home Minister Amit Shah said it was not anti-Muslim because it did not affect the existing path to citizenship available to all communities. Several opposition lawmakers who debated the bill in Parliament said it would be challenged in court. “ Today marks a dark day in the constitutional histor y of India,” said Sonia Gandhi of the main opposition Congress party. “ The passage of the Citizenship Amendment Bill

PROTESTORS shout slogans as they face security officers during a protest against the Citizenship Amendment Bill (CAB) in Gauhati, India, on Wednesday. Protesters burned tires and blocked highways and rail tracks in India’s remote northeast for a second day Wednesday as the upper house of Parliament began debating legislation that would grant citizenship to persecuted Hindus and other religious minorities from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan. AP/ANUPAM NATH

marks the victor y of narrowminded and bigoted forces over India’s pluralism.” Protests erupted in India’s remote northeast in response to the bill. Its passage follows a contentious citizenship registry exercise in the border state of Assam intended to identify legal residents and weed out illegal immigrants. Shah has pledged to roll it out nationwide, promising to rid India of “infiltrators.” Nearly 2 million people in Assam were excluded from the list, about half Hindus and the other half Muslims, who were since asked to prove their citizenship or else be rendered stateless. India is constructing a detention center for some of the tens of thousands the courts are expected to ultimately determine came to the country illegally. The Citizenship Amendment Bill could provide protection and a fast track to naturalization for

many of the Hindus left off Assam’s citizenship list. Protesters say they oppose the legislation out of concern that migrants will move to the border region and dilute the culture and political sway of indigenous tribal people. Protesters burned tires and blocked highways and rail lines for a second day on Wednesday. Police fired rubber bullets and used batons and tear gas to disperse protesters in Dibrugarh district in Assam, the Press Trust of India news agency said. State police official Mukesh Aggarwal said a curfew was imposed in Gauhati, the state capital, and soldiers were standing by in case the violence escalated. Street protests continued in Guahati, w ith young demonstrators making bonfires across the city. Police used tear gas and batons to disperse hundreds of protesters who tried to march to the office of the state’s top elected official. P T I s a id t he federa l gover nment was a irl if t ing about 5,0 0 0 pa rami l ita r y sold iers to t he reg ion. The US Commission on International Religious Freedom criticized the bill as going against “India’s rich history of secular pluralism and the Indian Constitution,” and sought American sanctions against Home Minister Shah if the bill is approved. Indian External Affairs Ministry Spokesman Raveesh Kumar said the US commission’s statement “is neither accurate nor warranted.” “The bill provides expedited consideration for Indian citizenship to persecuted religious minorities already in India from certain contiguous countries. It seeks to address their current difficulties and meet their basic human rights,” Kumar said in a statement. “Such an initiative should be welcomed, not criticized by those who are genuinely committed to religious freedom.” AP

A14 Friday, December 13, 2019 • Editor: Angel R. Calso

Opinion BusinessMirror

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editorial

US Senators Durbin and Markey: What about our veterans?

T is certainly the right of any legislature in any country to form an opinion and pass a resolution calling for another nation to take a particular course of action. Of course the United States Congress is a bit more aggressive in doing this as if it seems to display the idea that it sits on a moral high ground far above the rest of the world. A US Senate committee has passed a resolution calling for the release of Sen. Leila de Lima and the dropping of charges against Maria Ressa. The resolution called on the Philippine government to “drop all charges” against Ressa and de Lima, and allow the senator to “fully discharge” her legislative mandate. It also called on US President Donald J. Trump to “impose sanctions” against security forces and officials responsible for de Lima’s arrest. While that is all well and good—and we have no intentions in weighing in on the merits—it would be nice if that same US Foreign Relations Committee might take up an issue that would actually affect the lives of some ordinary Filipinos. It might also be nice if the two mentioned in that resolution would respond on this issue. More than 250,000 Filipinos served under the US flag during World War II. As citizens of a US commonwealth—read colony—during the war, Filipinos were promised full veterans benefits for serving in the US Armed Forces. However, the Rescission Act of 1946, passed by that same US Congress retroactively annulled the benefits that would have been payable to Filipino troops because of their military service. The rational for this decision was that the US gave the Philippines $200 million after the war. The only problem with that reasoning is that the allocated $200 million was never actually given. The opening text of the act should really make all Filipinos’ blood boil even 73 years later. “The organized military forces of the Government of the Commonwealth of the Philippines, while such forces were in the service of the Armed Forces of the United States pursuant to the military order of the President dated July 26, 1941, shall not be deemed to have been active military, naval, or air service for the purposes of any law conferring rights, privileges, or benefits upon any person by reason of the service of such person or the service of any other person in the Armed Forces.” The bottom line is simple. Filipino blood and lives are not as valuable as “real” American blood. However, the “Hmong Veterans’ Naturalization Act of 2000” gave special citizenship privileges to those who fought alongside US troops against the army of North Vietnam. Since 1993 in nearly every session of Congress, versions of the Filipino Veterans Fairness Act of 2019 have been introduced in the US House of Representatives. Most died in committee before even being scheduled for debate. The most recent version, introduced in 2007, is in committee, has never been voted on. The Facebook group Justice for Filipino American Veterans has kept this issue alive and has fewer followers than any company selling condominiums. How about some concern from the US Senate for Filipinos that actually served in a war zone or were death marched to a Japanese prison camp? Or are you simply waiting for the remaining Filipino vets to die? Since 2005

BusinessMirror A broader look at today’s business ✝ Ambassador Antonio L. Cabangon Chua

Rising to the challenge of making PHL education world-class Sonny M. Angara

BETTER DAYS

Y now, more details about the PISA (Programme for International Student Assessment) results for the Philippines have been bandied about in various media channels. The results, for example, showed that around 80 percent of our students had low scores in reading, such that they would have difficulty identifying the main idea of a given text, making comparisons between pieces of literature, and figuring out what is relevant in a certain passage. Moreover, of our students, only 0.05 percent are at Level 5 proficiency for reading—meaning that they can comprehend long texts and can figure out what information is relevant from it. As I’ve written in my article last week, rather than see such results as part of a series of losses, we should now come together as a nation and rise to the challenge of raising the quality of our education and finally making it world-class. I am happy to say that many education stakeholders are taking this matter very seriously and are willing to act—especially since our education faces some very serious problems. For instance, in 2018, the enrollment ratio for junior high school was only at 81.4 percent, and for senior high, it was at 51.2 percent. For junior high-school students in 2017,

completion rate was only at 84.3 percent. Meanwhile, the passing rate for licensure exams across the board was only at 37.9 percent in 2018. On top of all of that, there is still a chronic shortage of teachers and classrooms, combined with large class sizes and difficulty in learning. Clearly, solving these problems will take a lot of unpacking and critical self-assessment. And, while various groups from the public and private sector have already been studying and working on reforms to our education system, it is imperative that a comprehensive, system-

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targets, curriculum and program development, financing, and convergent actions that will include all departments and sectors that have a stake in human-resource management and development on a national scale. In this way, we can properly strategize and put a proper budget together for the improvement of ongoing projects and services, as well as starting up new ones. Through this Edcom, we hope to give proper attention to all the changes and improvements that need to be done in our current educational systems, so that we can not only address the challenges that PISA has presented us, but to also develop our country’s human resources into a work force that is not only skilled and prepared for future economic developments, and their skills will become known as world-class as a whole, once again. The goal is not only to rise in the country ranks for the PISA. Our true goal is to make sure that Filipinos will be globally known as highly skilled workers and brilliant professionals. Sen. Sonny Angara has been in public service for 15 years—nine years as representative of the Lone District of Aurora, and six as senator. He has authored and sponsored more than 200 laws. He recently won another term in the Senate. E-mail: sensonnyangara@yahoo.com|Facebook, Twitter and Instagram: @sonnyangara.

Sgt. Jason Magno lived honorably and died gallantly

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wide initiative is launched toward finding solutions. And that’s why we recently filed a Senate resolution with fellow Senators Drilon, Gatchalian, Poe, and Villanueva to establish a Congressional Oversight Committee on Education. In many ways, this effort will mirror the Edcom launched by my father, Senate President Edgardo J. Angara, some decades back, which, among other things, resulted in the “trifocalization” of our education system into portfolios managed by the Department of Education, the Commission on Higher Education, and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority. Our Edcom—or Edcom 2 if you will—will be composed of 10 members, evenly divided between members of the Senate and the House of Representatives. It will review, assess and evaluate all learning systems that are existing in the country, especially those underpinned by recently enacted laws, such as the Enhanced Basic Education (K to 12 law) and the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act (Free College law). From this, Edcom 2 will produce a report that will include short- and long-term policy and, program recommendations. Recommendations will touch on sectoral plans and

TELLTALES

N the wake of the drug scandal involving the police, the heroic act of Police Senior Master Sgt. Jason Magno clearly stood out. Sgt. Magno responded to a distress call about a man going amok, and wielding a knife and a hand grenade, threatening people inside the Initao College in Initao, Misamis Oriental. A female colleague of Magno, Sgt. Alice Baludo grappled the suspect but the latter pulled the grenade’s pin and lobbed it to the crowd. Magno, an explosive ordnance disposal specialist, threw himself onto the grenade to shield the people around him. He was killed instantly by the blast. Several people, including the suspect, suffered various injuries from the explosion, but only Magno died. President Duterte visited his wake and presented to the fallen hero the PNP Medal of Valor, and conferred on him through his family the Order of Lapulapu Magalong Medal. For its part, the Senate adopted a resolution honoring Magno for his glorious death, which protected teachers and students from fatal injuries. Sen. Panfilo Lacson hailed his former police officer by saying that “the selfless act of

Police Master Sgt. Jason Magno should be emulated and recognized not only by the Philippine National Police, but by the entire country. The Senate honors and commends the late Police Master Sgt. Jason Magno for his extraordinary bravery, heroism and instinct to protect and save the lives of his fellow men at the cost of his own going beyond his sworn duty to serve and to protect.” nnn

HE definitely did not know it, but puppeteer Caroll Spinney created

the two most adorable and wellloved iconic characters on television. Who wouldn’t recognize Big Bird and Oscar the Grouch of the all time great Sesame Street? My four daughters, who grew up watching these lovable characters when we were living in exile abroad, found great companionship with the two characters, one a towering yellow bird with a heart of gold and the other, a grumpy, green persona dwelling in a trash can. Spinney “was an artistic genius” whose “enormous talent and outsized heart were perfectly suited to playing the largerthan- life yellow bird who brought joy to generations of children and countless fans of all ages around the world, and his lovably cantankerous grouch gave us all permission to be cranky once in a while.” In 2000, he was recognized by the US Library of Congress as a “Living Legend.” He also earned a “Star” on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. These are among the coveted awards he won. He died on the Feast Day of the Immaculate Conception on December 8, at the age of 85. nnn

TWO contrasting deaths, but both achieving immortality. A person may die peacefully or violently, but his memory will stay if he lived a life that is worth remembering.

Spinney led a long life and died at age 85. Not a minute of his existence in this world was wasted. Big Bird and grouchy Oscar had entertained generations of children around the world with simple life’s lessons. With the Oscar character, he taught young minds that not all people are nice and that everyone inevitably encounters such mean character in his life’s journey. He devoted all his working life in regaling and educating the millions of muppets who never missed watching Sesame Street every second of their waking hours. The unforgettable characters of Big Bird and Oscar the Grouch are two of the most popular residents of Sesame Street, the most successful children’s show in TV history. He left a legacy that will live forever in the hearts and minds of all youngsters regardless of color and creed. He’s a gift to the kids of this world. Immortality, however, is not a gift; it is an achievement. Magno was 46 years old when he died and was survived by his family. He was a hero cop whose supreme sacrifice had done much to redeem the tarnished image of the police forces. His act epitomizes unadulterated courage. In the words of the current Acting See “Dooc,” A15

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Opinion

Falling, falling…falling

Primer for the poor Filipino reader

BusinessMirror

Alvin Ang

Tito Genova Valiente

EAGLE WATCH

ANNOTATIONS

HE Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) released two important data last week that were drowned by the euphoria of the Southeast Asian (SEA) Games and the President’s statement on the Metro Manila water concessionaires. These are the 2018 full poverty statistics and the results of the October 2019 round of the Labor Force Surveys.

EAD this paragraph: One of the most severe effects of poverty in the ________is that poor children enter school with this readiness gap, and it grows as they get older. Children feel alienated from society; suffer insecurities because of their socioeconomic status; fear the consequences of their poverty; endure feelings of powerlessness; and are angry at society’s inability to aid in their struggles.

The results of these reports are unprecedented. The poverty rates for 2018 has fallen to 16.6 percent of the population, from 23.3 percent during the last Family Income and Expenditure Survey in 2015. The fall is spectacular considering that from 2003 to 2012, poverty rates have fallen only by about 5-percentage points from 30 percent to 25.2 percent. It should be noted also that the 2015 result was 21.6 percent but the PSA said that it was adjusted upward to consider the rebasing of the consumer price index from 2006 to 2012 and the results of the 2015 Population Census. Likewise, inflation rates spiked in 2018, which means that if that did not happen, the poverty rate could have been much lower than 16.6 percent. Our colleague and Senior Fellow of Eagle Watch, Dr. Cielito Habito, wrote in his Inquirer column that the steep drop in poverty rates was due to the strong growth of the manufacturing sector since 2010 and the accompanying double-digit growths in investments during the same period. Habito also cited that the conditional cash transfers also contributed to this faster decline. At this rate, the government is well in line or is even possible to overperform its target of bringing down poverty to 14 percent by 2022. This result is complemented by the lowest recorded unemployment rate of 4.5 percent and 13 percent for underemployment in the last 14 years. Indeed, the low poverty rate is seen to have come primarily because more people have jobs and, therefore, income. The low underemployment rate is most encouraging because, like the poverty rate, it has stubbornly been in the high 25 percent for the most of the 1990s to 2010. This implies that lesser working people are looking for more hours of work. The fall in these numbers are indeed welcome development for our country and this is something that we have been waiting to see in the last two decades. We want to see these “falls” to continue at their current pace. We are, however, challenged by another set of falls. The same factors that Habito pointed out to be the source of falling poverty have recently reversed their increasing trend. In particular, the contribution of manufacturing to gross domestic product growth has fallen to 0.5 in the third quarter of 2019. This is the lowest since the third quarter of 2011 when it contributed only 0.4. This is way below

Dooc. . .

continued from A14

PNP Chief, General Arnold Gamboa: “He did not die in vain. His death gave new meaning to the undying line in the PNP Hymn Ihandog Ang Iisang Buhay, which is exactly what Magno did.” If you are familiar with the place, there’s a quaint little marker in front of the Manila Police Headquarters,

its average contribution of roughly 1.5 in the last 30 quarters. Similarly, investments posted its two consecutive quarters of decline from growing by an average of more than 12 percent during the same period. The last times investments also posted declines were also during the third and fourth quarters of 2011. If this pattern is to be followed, the rate of decline of poverty from 2009 to 2012 was only 1.1 percent, from 26.3 percent to 25.2 percent. This could mean that the rate of decline of poverty might also slow from 2018 to 2021. We, therefore, need to address the fall in manufacturing and investments soonest if we want to maintain the decline in poverty. Our challenge with the fall in manufacturing is that a portion of it is externally driven due to the trade war of the US and China. With a significant portion of our manufacturing linked to the global value chain, the decline of trade between the two affects us both ways. Another aspect of the decline of manufacturing is also related to our capacity constraints. The infrastructure program of the government might have suffered from delayed approval of the budget, but it also suffers from manpower capacity in terms of skills to implement these huge projects. This might have also contributed to the decline in investments as logistics and traffic management remain to be clogging the flow of economic activity. (We are not yet talking about the results of the PISA, which will be part of the work force in about five years from now). This is why it is imperative for the government to show that it has the capacity to address the traffic and logistical challenges. At the rate we are going, infrastructure projects need to be facilitated to the extent that construction is done three shifts for those not requiring special skills or working 24 hours not only in Metro Manila but all over the country. This approach could help sustain lower skilled jobs and, thereby, supporting income. This should be complemented by a traffic management that is incentivized by better flow rather than by violations. We are getting there, let us do some more. Acerd invites you to our 2020 Philippine Economic Outlook Eagle Watch Economic Briefing on January 16, 2020, at the Ateneo Rockwell Campus featuring Dr. Cielito Habito and Dr. Luis Dumlao. For more details please contact sales. cce@ateneo.edu

which arrests everyone’s attention. It reads: “Go spread the word, tell the passersby that in this little world men knew how to die.” Sgt. Jason Magno lived honorably and died gallantly, affirming those words. As Henry Wadsworth Longfellow reminds us in his poem “A Psalm of Life,” he said: “Lives of great men all remind us, We can make our lives sublime, And, departing, leave behind us, Footprints on the sands of time.”

Friday, December 13, 2019 A15

Please continue reading: Children from lower-income families are more likely than students from wealthier backgrounds to have lower test scores, and they are at higher risk of dropping out of school. Those who complete high school are less likely to attend college than students from higherincome families. For some children, the effects of poverty on education present unique challenges in breaking the cycle of generational poverty and reduce their chances of leading rewarding, productive lives. After reading the first paragraph and confronting the blank, you know that you can easily fill out the blank. That country is…the Philippines. Your country. Mine, too. Then you continue reading. If you can read the second paragraph the way you could the first, and if you read it smoothly, without stumbling on polysyllabic words, then you can read. If, after finishing the second paragraph, you can explain concepts like “generational poverty,” then accept my congratulations. You are a reader. You could also be a writer. You complete the tandem qualities of the educated person: one who can read and one who can write. Did you even notice that what you just read was in another language? That it is not in the language you dream and curse and love? Or maybe, I should correct that: you must be one of the many Filipinos who dream and plan in the English language. Then welcome to the club. You and I must have attended one

of the better schools. You and I must have spent hours in classrooms using the English language, taking a break without being worried where we would get our snack. We belong to families with clean toilets or, at least, in households with toilets. Among us, we do not talk about surviving because it is given that we will all live. Comfortably. We also read. There are the papers rationed each day. There are books on the shelves. There are magazines in our rooms. Our classrooms are clean and big. We have functioning libraries. Our high schools or colleges and universities have Reading Centers. We may not learn from these reading centers that are not really meant to cultivate reading skills but to show to the accrediting organizations we “belong.” In elementary schools, we read America, the Plymouth Rock and the Pilgrims. We talked about snow and apples. There with our happy, clean teachers, we read the ABC using lovely letters. In high school, we read on and on. We memorize speeches. In college, there are additional requirements: values and value formation. There, reading comes naturally as breathing. Comfortably again. We need not read much because being secure, we naturally become good and fast readers. In that environment. Then comes this news: The Filipinos are at the bottom of the list of nations of poor readers.

This is the first time that we see that list. There is a reason for this late realization: This is the first time that we joined this group. It is called PISA, for Programme for International Student Assessment. It directly assesses the knowledge and skills of students in the area of reading, science and mathematics. We are shocked. I thought we are “world-class?” Careful there. We are world-class laborers and entertainers. No one ever called us world-class readers. And that label about being world-class?—that came from us. We have been measuring us. We have not used any external examiner. But let us not condemn our schools. Let us not even condemn our teachers. The latter is underpaid, overworked and, this we have to stress, over-seminared. Those who are shocked and that is us, good readers, will never understand the poor reader. They belong to a group we can never understand because we are watching them from afar. This is no more physical distance than a social distance. They are in that state of poverty where we will never try to be. We belong to schools of immersion. You know those programs where we spend days with the poor because that is how we can empathize with them. The problem with immersion is that we can always leave that abject poverty and return to our comfortable rooms where we are sheltered from dismal scenes.

Bloomberg Opinion

HIS week, a core function of the World Trade Organization—founded in 1995 to govern the rules of trade between 164 countries—ground to a halt. The reason for that was US President Donald J. Trump, who has never really had much time for multilateral institutions. The WTO has been on

his hit list for some time as an entity that he says has taken advantage of the US and favored China, and now he has successfully moved to paralyze one of its most critical mechanisms: Dispute settlement. After repeatedly blocking new appointments to the seven-member body that decides on appeals at the WTO, the Trump administration has rendered it basically unworkable. Without an effective appeals process, why file a

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Develop ‘family farming’ in the Philippines Rev. Fr. Antonio Cecilio T. Pascual

SERVANT LEADER

ROTHERS and sisters, are you able to eat three times a day? Is the food you have enough for your family? Have you ever felt hunger even for a moment? If you say yes to these questions, you are not part of the 795 million people around the world who, according to the Food Aid Foundation, barely have enough food. Many of these people live in poor countries where almost 13 percent of their population are devoid of food. From the records of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations, 80 percent of the poor in the whole world live in rural areas, which is familiar to us in the Philippines. These poor people usually rely on food coming from farmlands or seas, and if there aren’t any produce or catch, they would go hungry. This is a problem especially for farmers and fishermen who don’t have the capability to start their own business. The FAO added that over 90 per-

cent of farmlands in the whole world are being developed by farmer-families that supply over 80 percent of food in the world. Ironically, the little farmers and their families are the ones who usually have shortage of food. This is the context of the declaration by the UN Decade of Family Farming, starting in 2019. Members of the UN submitted a resolution to recognize the role of family farming in the development and advocacy for a rich and healthy world, wherein communities in rural areas and cit-

ies have equal share of freedoms in life from hunger and suffering, and to live with dignity. There are seven pillars that determine the success of the UN Decade of Family Farming’s goals. First is having policies that strengthen family farming. Second, the support of the youth to ensure the continuous farming of their families. Third, promote equality of men and women in the agricultural sector. Fourth, reinforce the unions of farming families. Fifth, improve and fortify the life status of farming families. Sixth, support in continuing farming families and in being capable of enduring through the changes in climate. And lastly, to build up the different aspects of family farming in order to develop their ways and systems of production and to also preserve their culture and environment. Like what Pope Francis has emphasized in his message regarding the UN Decade of Family Farming, we witness the significance within families and humanity, all creations, and agriculture. And since it is within families where we first learn how to live well and right with others and with our environment, family farming serves

The Trump (and Brexit) World Trade Disorganization By Lionel Laurent

For us, it is still a matter of class distinction. But Spivak clarifies for us that class does not function anymore to clarify a group of people. “Class” generalizes and we are made insensitive to the particularities of people with wants and needs. And so, we remain in a state of shock. We hang ourselves in shame. Now, this is a problem: the people who will come up with solutions to this situation are people who will never understand that poverty and poor reading go together. They may sound trite but the words of Amartya Sen should remind us that the problem of our being last in the list of PISA goes beyond the skills of reading and counting. In the Nobel laureate’s words: “Education makes us the human beings we are. It has major impacts on economic development, on social equity, gender equity. In all kinds of ways, our lives are transformed by education and security.” As for that blank in the first quoted paragraph of this essay, it is not the Philippines but the United States. The two paragraphs are lifted from the web page of ChildFund, an international developmental nongovernment organization. If that is the truth about the most powerful country in the world, imagine the truth and lie we can make about our very own country, the Philippines.

complaint at all? You could forgive the average person on the street for shrugging their shoulders at the thought of a dysfunctional WTO, which, over the past two decades, has had its fair share of messy moments. Negotiations in 2001 to lower trade tariffs around the world, called the Doha round, went nowhere. China’s entry into the club has neither opened up its economy, nor created a level playing field when it

comes to potentially market-distorting subsidies. And as for the appeals process, the WTO’s most famous recent case—Airbus versus Boeing—has lasted 15 years without a clear winner. In 2016, Airbus’s boss at the time said the spat had only really benefited “the armies of lawyers” paid to fight it. All that said, there is a real and serious significance to the gridlock. Whatever the WTO’s flaws, and the obvious need for re-

form, Trump’s campaign has moved beyond constructive criticism and into assault. His weapon of choice is the punitive tariff and his target of choice is China, creating precisely the kind of bilateral trade war that the WTO works to avoid. Indeed, for all of the WTO’s failures to rein in China or deliver tariff agreements, its chief success has been convincing members to stick to a common legal framework rather than fight trade

a primary role in developing the agriculture that binds the people that do not destroy the environment. In helping family farming improve in the rural areas, we will see an important principle from the social teachings of the Church—subsidiarity. In subsidiarity, we recognize the abilities of those from the lower levels of social class—like families—to enhance the order of society. Brothers and sisters, it is important to give attention to Filipino farming families, particularly because they not only strive at their work, they are also included in those who severely experience hunger. As Christians, we must understand it is inhuman to let our fellow people starve. In the book of John 6:5-13, we witnessed that Jesus did not allow 5,000 people to starve even if they only had five loaves of bread and two small fish. May this also be our goal this UN Decade of Family Farming. Make it a habit to listen to Radio Veritas 846 Ang Radyo ng Simbahan in the AM band, or through live streaming at www.veritas846.ph and follow its Twitter and Instagram accounts @veritasph and YouTube at veritas846.ph. For your comments, e-mail veritas846pr@gmail.com.

wars. Ralph Ossa, a professor at the University of Zurich, estimated in 2015 that this success was worth $340 billion annually to the world economy. Couple this with the impending departure of the UK from the European Union, which would create new potential barriers between Britain and its biggest trading partner, and this is a true milestone in the backlash against the post-Cold War order.

A16 Friday, December 13, 2019

Duterte has final say on truce, goodwill steps pre-peace talks

By Samuel P. Medenilla

@sam_medenilla

ILL he or won’t he? Government Peace Panel Chief Negotiator and Labor Secretary Silvestre H. Bello III said on Thursday President Duterte will have the final say on whether to approve or scrap the possible unilateral cease-fire and other terms for the resumption of peace talks with the communist rebels. “He will be the one to make the announcement. I don’t want to preempt him,” Bello said in an ambush interview. He said Duterte gave him the specific instructions during their

meeting on Wednesday evening, where he presented the result of his talks with Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) Founder Jose Maria “Joma” Sison during the weekend.

“He will be the one to make the announcement. I don’t want to preempt him.”—Bello

In a radio interview, Bello said among the “goodwill measures” up for consideration for Duterte is the possible unilateral ceasefire of the government, which is scheduled on either December 20 or 21, in time for the Christmas holiday, and the release of arrested communist consultants. He also said the President has yet to decide on the venue for the

VIETNAM AIR’S DAMAGED PLANE STILL STRANDED, ATHLETES FLOWN HOME

peace talks. As of press time, Malacañang has yet to issue a statement on the matter. Duterte earlier said he wants the negotiations to be held in the country, while Sison insists it should still be done overseas. Bello said currently what is certain is Sison’s willingness to personally meet with Duterte. Duterte ordered the termination of the panel-to-panel peace negotiations with the CPP in 2017, after it allegedly continued its attacks against government uniformed personnel even while the peace talks were being held. Bello said they hope to go back to the negotiating table with the CPP by next month.

‘Pagcor’s ID plan to track Pogo workers better’ By Jovee Marie N. dela Cruz

@joveemarie

VICE CHAIRMAN of the Hou s e Com m it te e on Games and Amusement on Thursday said the plan of the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (Pagcor) to start issuing in January Gaming Employment License (GEL) identification cards to all foreigners working for

Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (Pogo) will help government monitor better the rising number of such workers. “I was told by Pagcor that they will start issuing GEL ID by January,” Ang Probinsyano Rep. Ronnie Ong said in an interview. Besides the GEL ID, Ong said a proper Filipino culture education for Pogo workers will be undertaken. With the GEL ID, Ong said work-

NORTHEAST MONSOON AFFECTING LUZON as of 4:00 pm - December 12, 2019

ers can be properly documented and protected at all times from extortionists. “We cannot pretend anymore that the Pogo industry is small. We should have a system to monitor them. That’s why we are pushing for the GEL ID,” he added. The recent kidnapping incident involving Pogo workers in Makati could have been avoided, he said, “if we have a monitoring system and if they have GEL ID...we can

address this immediately [with proper monitoring of workers].” Apart from allowing the government to properly monitor the increasing number of Pogo employees in the country, the issuance of the GEL IDs would also help the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) in its tax mapping for the Pogo sector, he said. “Also, somehow this GEL ID will benefit the country because if we can monitor them, they will be able to pay the right taxes,” Ong added. Currently, Pagcor issues the GEL to gaming industry employees except for those working in Pogos, who are mostly Chinese. According to Ong, the GEL ID cards that are being issued at a cost of P4,000 per individual are mere certificates and not physical IDs which can help immigration and law-enforcement personnel distinguish those who are licensed and those who are not. “These Pogo personnel can be seen practically everywhere [such] that there are even instances where you would think that you are in China. I think that through Pagcor, these Pogo employees should be fully documented and identified not only for the good of the country but also for their own protection,” Ong said. The Department of Finance, citing its initial list, said there are some 138,000 foreigners working in the Pogo sector, of whom 54,241 have been given alien employment permits and another 83,760 hold special working permits.

Taxes

MEANWHILE, House Committee on Games and Amusement Chairman Eric Yap said it was confirmed that only 10 out of 62 Pogo operators are paying taxes. “It is high time we address this issue because of the increasing number of Pogos in the country. Their contributions to our coffers pale in comparison with their income from this industry. Whether offshore or [operating inside the] Philippines, they should pay,” Yap said. Yap added that representatives from Pagcor, the Department of Labor and Employment and the Bureau of Immigration also gave conflicting figures as to the actual number of foreign Pogo workers in the country. “To a certain extent, the discrepancy is understandable because the numbers are coming from different sources. Pagcor gets it from the figures declared by licensees, Immigration has figures based on those issued with working visa while DOLE is getting data from its list of those issued Alien Employment Permit,” he said. Yap asked these agencies to consolidate their data for proper identification of Pogo workers.

THE Vietnam Air A321 chartered flight, showing the two big dents on its side, below the pilot’s window. RECTO L. MERCENE

By Recto Mercene

@rectomercene

VIETNAM Airlines Airbus 321 remains stranded at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (Naia) since December 10, after it sustained two fist-size dents on the left hand fuselage, just below the pilot’s window last Tuesday morning. The 200-plus seat, twin-engine plane was dented after striking the passenger loading bridge. It was empty at the time and was being towed by a tug to parking berth No. 4 in preparation for takeoff, according to airport insiders. Vietnam Air Flight HN9654 arrived at the Naia last December 10, and spent the night at the Naia Parking Bay 1. It was supposed to fly home the Vietnamese delegation on December 11, after they participated in the Southeast Asian Games 2019. Parking Bay 4 is under repair and was supposed to be unserviceable at the time of the incident, according to airport sources. The ground-handling service provider Dnata, (acronym for Dubai National Air Travel Agency) was servicing the plane when the accident happened. The BusinessMirror tried to get the side of Dnata head, but was told by her secretary that she was busy. Airport General Manager Ed Monreal said the Manila International Airport Authority is still waiting for an official report of the incident, “but I was advised the error was the GHA [ground-handling service]. Let’s wait for the final report.” Following regulation, the Vietnam Air pilot reported the incident to the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (Caap). The pilot had to abandon their flight back home on December 11. On Wednesday morning, the Caap sent representatives of the AAIB who conducted a visual inspection of the plane and declared that it was not fit to fly. The Caap usually issues an official explanation of the accident after it is through with an investigation. Former pilot and chief of the Naia 1 Ramp Control Alger Ramo told the BusinessMirror that the damaged A321 would be brought to the Lufthansa Teknik hangar at Villamor Air Base where it will undergo thorough repair and inspection. “After the damage was repaired, the A321 will be subjected to test flights and if there are no further complications, the Caap will issue an ‘airworthiness certificate’ to prove that the plane is now airworthy to continue its commercial operation,” Ramo explained. The Vietnamese delegation was brought home by several chartered Vietnam Air flights, involving seven B787 flights and two A321 flights, which took off at the Naia last December 10 and 11. Vietnam beat Indonesia in the final games of the SEAG 2019 men’s football game tournament to clinch the gold medal at the Rizal Memorial Stadium.

Best electrical safety schemes at Meralco K-Ligtas Awards

OR the fourth year in a row, the Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) held its annual recognition of organizations that have instituted power safety protocols as a part of their daily processes. The country’s first and only industry awards program for electrical safety best practices, the Meralco Kuryenteng Ligtas (K-Ligtas) Awards is an advocacy program of Meralco through its learning and development arm, the Meralco Power Academy (MPA). “As power is a pervasive commodity that has to be used safely,” said Meralco Power Academy President Ramon B. Segismundo. “The

K-Ligtas Awards recognize entities who place a premium on safe energy practices.” Like in previous years, the 2019 K-Ligtas Awards was held at the SMX Convention Center in Pasay City, and was in joint celebration with the 43rd Institute of Integrated Electrical Engineers of the Philippines (IIEE) National Convention. The roster of K-Ligtas Awards 2019 awardees is a diverse mix of institutions from both the private and public sectors. “Last year, we had four awardees. This year, that number went See “K-Ligtas Awards,” A2

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In the ad material of Notice of filing of Application for Alien Employment Permits published on November 15, 2019, the Position of Mr. Mccreery, Scott under MC CONNELL DOWELL PHILS., INC should have been read as Project Manager and not as published. If you have any information / objection to the above mentioned application/s, please communicate with the Regional Director thru Employment Promotion and Workers Welfare (EPWW) Division with Telephone No. 400-6011.

ATTY. SARAH BUENA S. MIRASOL REGIONAL DIRECTOR

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Friday, December 13, 2019

DOE inspects LNG sites that have gotten NTPs

HE Department of Energy (DOE) on Thursday inspected the LNG (liquefied natural gas) sites that have been issued a Notice to Proceed (NTP) by the agency. The agency said the inspection was “part of the agency’s monitoring activities on the developments so far undertaken by the projects’ proponents.” The DOE-Oil Industry Manage-

ment Bureau’s (OIMB) Natural Gas Division conducted site and aerial inspections of various proposed integrated receiving terminals of LNG, the DOE’s Facebook page stated. Among the sites visited are Tangl-

awan Philippine LNG Inc.’s Site No.1 (AG&P, Buan, Batangas), proposed sites for Excelerate Energy’s West and East Floating Storage Regasification Units and First Gen Corp.’s LNG site in the First Gen Clean Energy Complex in Batangas. DOE Undersecretary Donato Marcos led the inspection team composed of members from the DOEOIMB’s Philippine Downstream Natural Gas Industry Regulation contingent. The DOE has yet to release its inspection report, saying it has yet to collate all assessment made on

the sites. Thereafter, a report will be submitted to Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi. Tanglawan is a joint venture between Dennis Uy-led Phoenix Petroleum and China’s largest LNG importer and terminal operator, China National Offshore Oil Corp. (CNOOC) Gas and Power Group Co. Ltd. It received its NTP from the DOE on December 21, 2018. The NTP was later renewed for another six months. Lopez-led First Gen Corp.’s NTP took effect on March 7, 2019. FGen

OpenSignal tags Smart as lead provider in 4G M OBILE analytics company OpenSignal has named Smart Communications Inc. as the leading provider in the Philippines in terms of 4G availability. From September to November, Smart scored an average of 70.1 percent in terms of 4G availability on rural areas, beating Globe Telecom Inc.’s 64.8 percent score, while averaging 82.5 percent availability in urban areas, or over two points higher than that of Globe’s 80.3 percent.

“Splitting by operator, while we found a tremendous difference in 4G availability—the time users spend connected to 4G—between rural and urban, we also found notable differences between Smart and Globe in our users’ 4G availability in both types of area,” the report read. Likewise, the analysis found that Smart is ahead in terms of Download Speed Experience in both rural and urban areas, posting download speeds of 8.8 Mbps (versus Globe’s 6.2 Mbps) and 10.5 Mbps (ver-

sus Globe’s 7.8 Mbps), respectively. “Our users on Smart enjoyed a Download Speed Experience of almost 3 Mbps faster in both rural and urban parts of the country, or 38-percent faster than our users on Globe,” the report read. Aside from these, the report also concluded that Smart offered faster Download Speed Experience in the National Capital Region and in both rural and urban areas in Ilocos, Central Luzon, Cagayan, Davao, Northern

Mindanao, Soccsksargen, Western Visayas and Central Visayas. “Smart users’ faster speeds made it untouchable in 10 urban regions, including the National Capital Region, where our users on Smart benefited from an impressive 15.2 Mbps, an enviable 5.6 Mbps faster than the speeds our Globe users saw in the capital,” OpenSignal said. As of end-September, Smart had 21,700 4G base stations nationwide. Lorenz S. Marasigan

PAL and Smart link up to provide exclusive, co-branded tourist SIMs

By Recto L. Mercene @rectomercene

LAG carrier Philippine Airlines (PAL) and wireless subsidiary Smart Communications Inc. (Smart) have teamed up to provide exclusive, co-branded tourist SIMs to travelers arriving at the country’s major airports. Under the agreement, Smart will provide Smart PAL Travel SIMs to international passengers of select flights arriving at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (Naia), Clark International Airport, Cebu International Airport, Caticlan Airport and Davao International Airport. The all-in-one Smart PAL Travel SIM is pre-loaded with 1 GB of openaccess data, unlimited texts, and unlimited calls to Smart, TNT and Sun subscribers, valid for one day. In-flight vouchers for the Smart PAL Travel SIM will be distributed to travelers, who can then claim them for free at the Smart booths located at the airport arrival area.

Under the partnership, Smart, Sun and TNT subscribers can also look forward to exclusive seat sales and other promos, as well as free access to PAL’s hot line, web site and app. The program partnership was launched on Thursday (December 12, 2019) at the arrival lobby of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 1, with PAL, Smart, Manila International Airport Authority officials and program partners in attendance. “We are happy to work with the country’s flag carrier in ensuring that our international visitors have access to the Philippines’s fastest network while they are traveling around the country,” said Manuel V. Pangilinan, PLDT chairman and CEO. “Philippine Airlines is delighted to forge a program partnership with Smart Communications Inc. as it enables our travelers to experience the benefits of a local SIM card—convenient connectivity

and saving on hefty roaming charges. We look forward to sustaining this worthwhile collaboration,” said PAL President and COO Gilbert Santa Maria. “ With this agreement, our friends from other countries who are visiting our islands can share their travel experiences while onthe-go using the Smart PAL Travel SIM on the Smart LTE network that we have put in place across the country,” said Alfredo S. Panlilio, PLDT chief revenue officer and Smart president and CEO. Shortly after the partnership was announced, a “Grand OFW Salubong” was held at the same venue (arrival lobby of Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 1). As passengers from Riyadh and Doha stepped into T-1’s arrival lobby, PAL and Smart officials distributed premium items. The event was capped by a miniconcert by Asia’s Songbird Regine Velasquez to the delight of returning OFWs.

LNG Corp., a subsidiary of First Gen, is the project proponent of the LNG terminal. US-based firm Excelerate Energy LP was issued the green light to proceed with the development of an LNG floating storage and regasification facility in Batangas. The DOE issued an NTP on September 20, 2019. The NTP is valid for six months only. It may be extended for another six months subject to DOE’s evaluation. Within six months from the issuance of the NTP, the LNG firms must comply with the Permit to

Construct (PTC) requirements— the submission of permits from various government agencies and endorsements from local government units. They are also required to submit to the DOE the proof of financial closing. Subsequently, the DOE will issue the PTC authorizing the actual construction of the LNG facility, in accordance with the Department Circular 2017-11-0012, or the “Rules and Regulations Governing the Philippine Downstream Natural Gas Industry,” upon compliance with the PTC requirements. Lenie Lectura

ABS-CBN files $4-M piracy suit vs US tech firm and 1 individual

BS-CBN Corp. has sued an individual and a tech company in the United States for $4 million for alleged content pirating and trademark infringement. In a statement, ABS-CBN Head of Global Anti-Piracy Elisha Lawrence said her group filed the complaint against a certain Anthony Brown and 1700 Cuts Technology for allegedly selling illegal set-top boxes on social media. “Beware of these operations that are not licensed or affiliated in any way with ABSCBN. We will continue to protect customers by shutting these opera-

tions down,” Lawrence said. The only genuine ABS-CBN Internet subscription services are TFC on cable and satellite, IPTV and TFC.tv. “We remain steadfast in protecting the content from ABS-CBN’s team of hardworking creative and technical people who need to be rightfully acknowledged and compensated for their work,” ABS-CBN Managing Director for North and Latin America Jun del Rosario added. ABS-CBN is represented by Steven Abbott and Stephen M. Gaffigan and Christine Daley of Stephen M. Gaffigan, PA. Lorenz S. Marasigan

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Friday, December 13, 2019

PSE STOCK QUOTATIONS

December 12, 2019

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

ASIA UNITED BDO UNIBANK BANK PH ISLANDS CHINABANK EAST WEST BANK METROBANK PB BANK PHIL NATL BANK PSBANK PHILTRUST RCBC SECURITY BANK UNION BANK COL FINANCIAL FIRST ABACUS FERRONOUX HLDG IREMIT MEDCO HLDG NTL REINSURANCE PHIL STOCK EXCH

53.25 158.6 90.45 24.9 12.84 66.2 12.7 36.85 57.8 112.3 24.05 198.6 57.8 18.2 0.53 3.91 1.15 0.375 0.78 173

54 158.8 90.5 25 13.04 67.45 13 36.9 58.5 128 24.6 200 58.4 18.46 0.6 4.08 1.31 0.4 0.83 174

54 157.9 89 25.1 13 68.15 12.7 36.3 58 112.1 23.9 199.5 57.3 18.46 0.6 3.92 1.15 0.4 0.84 174

54 159.9 90.85 25.1 13.04 68.15 12.7 37.5 58.5 112.1 24.8 200 58 18.46 0.6 4.08 1.15 0.4 0.84 174

54 156.5 89 24.9 12.8 66.2 12.7 36.3 57.7 112.1 23.9 194.4 57.3 18.2 0.6 3.88 1.15 0.4 0.78 174

54 158.8 90.5 25 13.04 66.2 12.7 36.9 58.5 112.1 24.05 200 57.8 18.2 0.6 4.08 1.15 0.4 0.83 174

10 1727420 1989050 197400 459300 2717470 5800 111600 11880 400 13100 786030 2440 1600 2000 76000 1000 10000 108000 940

540 273674864 179610077.5 4932415 5944176 182090157 73660 4,121,350( 694617.5 44840 316585 156050353 140784 29146 1200 297320 1150 4000 85190 163560

INDUSTRIAL AC ENERGY ABOITIZ POWER FIRST GEN FIRST PHIL HLDG MERALCO MANILA WATER PETRON PHX PETROLEUM PILIPINAS SHELL SPC POWER AGRINURTURE AXELUM BOGO MEDELLIN CNTRL AZUCARERA CENTURY FOOD DEL MONTE DNL INDUS EMPERADOR SMC FOODANDBEV ALLIANCE SELECT FRUITAS HLDG GINEBRA JOLLIBEE MACAY HLDG MAXS GROUP MG HLDG PEPSI COLA SHAKEYS PIZZA ROXAS AND CO RFM CORP ROXAS HLDG SWIFT FOODS UNIV ROBINA VITARICH VICTORIAS CONCRETE A CONCRETE B CEMEX HLDG EAGLE CEMENT EEI CORP HOLCIM MEGAWIDE PHINMA TKC METALS VULCAN INDL CHEMPHIL CROWN ASIA MABUHAY VINYL PRYCE CORP CONCEPCION GREENERGY INTEGRATED MICR IONICS SFA SEMICON CIRTEK HLDG

HOLDING & FRIMS ABACORE CAPITAL ASIABEST GROUP AYALA CORP ABOITIZ EQUITY ALLIANCE GLOBAL AYALA LAND LOG ANSCOR ANGLO PHIL HLDG ATN HLDG A ATN HLDG B COSCO CAPITAL DMCI HLDG FILINVEST DEV GT CAPITAL HOUSE OF INV JG SUMMIT JOLLIVILLE HLDG KEPPEL HLDG A LODESTAR LOPEZ HLDG LT GROUP METRO PAC INV PACIFICA HLDG PRIME MEDIA REPUBLIC GLASS SOLID GROUP SYNERGY GRID SM INVESTMENTS SAN MIGUEL CORP SOC RESOURCES TOP FRONTIER WELLEX INDUS ZEUS HLDG

-8564598 66763116 -602740 1199290 -3208918.5 1,457,234.9997) -16875 10521646 7800 15660

2.24 33.55 24.35 70.6 310 11.02 4.31 11.1 33.5 7.84 13.4 2.91 88.25 19 15.16 5.02 8.55 7.19 87.45 0.54 1.08 40 213.8 7.15 11.28 0.153 1.88 9.9 2.13 5.33 1.88 0.116 142.5 1.11 2.43 74 80 2.09 14.52 10.1 13.54 16.7 9.75 1 0.87 165.4 2.01 3.08 5 28.1 1.93 7.7 1.28 0.86 4.14

2.25 33.75 24.5 70.8 312.4 11.04 4.34 11.3 33.55 7.85 13.5 2.92 100 19.8 15.36 5.16 8.61 7.2 88.5 0.56 1.1 40.5 216 7.79 11.3 0.17 1.89 9.98 2.15 5.35 1.94 0.125 143.5 1.14 2.55 78 81.9 2.1 14.56 10.18 13.9 16.78 10 1.05 0.88 169.5 2.06 3.39 5.14 28.2 1.94 7.8 1.39 0.9 4.17

2.26 33.9 24.3 72.75 324 12 4.3 11 33.5 7.85 13.58 2.77 88.15 19.9 15.2 5.03 8.5 7.24 87.9 0.56 1.1 40.75 207 7.7 11.9 0.153 1.92 9.98 2.13 5.4 1.88 0.115 141.5 1.15 2.55 64.7 66.55 2.16 14.56 10.26 13.9 16.56 9.89 1 0.9 165.2 2.06 3.25 5 26.3 1.92 7.6 1.28 0.9 4.31

2.32 34.4 24.5 72.75 324 12 4.37 11.3 33.55 7.85 13.6 2.92 88.15 19.9 15.4 5.18 8.62 7.25 88.5 0.56 1.15 40.75 216 7.95 12.36 0.153 1.92 9.98 2.15 5.4 1.88 0.12 143.8 1.15 2.55 83.5 86 2.16 14.6 10.26 13.9 16.9 10 1.05 0.9 169.5 2.06 3.25 5 28.25 1.95 7.7 1.39 0.94 4.5

2.21 33.55 24.05 70.6 310 11.02 4.27 11 33.3 7.83 13.3 2.77 88.15 19 15.02 5.03 8.5 7.17 86.5 0.54 1.07 39.2 205.8 7.7 11.3 0.153 1.87 9.9 2.12 5.34 1.88 0.115 141.2 1.11 2.55 64.7 66.55 2.09 14.52 10.1 13.52 16.56 9.89 1 0.85 165.2 2.01 3.25 5 26.3 1.91 7.57 1.28 0.86 3.99

2.25 33.55 24.5 70.6 310 11.04 4.34 11.3 33.5 7.85 13.5 2.91 88.15 19 15.32 5.16 8.6 7.2 88.5 0.54 1.08 40.5 216 7.8 11.3 0.153 1.88 9.9 2.15 5.35 1.88 0.116 143.5 1.11 2.55 78 81.9 2.1 14.52 10.1 13.9 16.78 10 1.05 0.88 169.5 2.01 3.25 5 28.1 1.95 7.7 1.39 0.86 4.17

1418000 915100 1809900 187630 234100 7509000 643000 135100 1189900 17500 351000 4412000 90 33400 5340000 244300 547100 202300 33940 225000 20786000 1500 806660 7100 373300 10000 57076000 213500 2065000 23400 20000 1410000 718210 1159000 4000 17510 30490 672000 37000 429400 81200 408900 109500 16000 741000 1020 245000 4000 31100 65200 4559000 355300 6000 237000 372000

3201700 30852355 44180780 13307465 73368420 86088522 2766670 1523024 39824005 137365 4739934 12639660 7933.5 648310 81375280 1263876 4694779 1454413 2983093.5 122990 22916360 60170 171970776 54795 4300710 1530 107955440 2123297 4433610 125240 37600 163240 102674242 1305530 10200 1324922 2423056 1414250 537430 4351354 1127040 6,877,734( 1094862 16050 650410 171618 496900 13000 155500 1803135 8814590 2734596 7790 211100 1526080

491990 -17364575 -9970925 -5961252.5 -12603086 -5353894 -727010 -14434 19630250 247314.0001 3942800 378604 404200 -77859 -562406.5 336410 -3920 80661356 1184 -14971740 -1165541 10750 -109120 -25587962 40020 -79882 -32333.9997 -572240 2,085,759.9997) -764170 -27160 129292 61920

0.74 11.28 778 51 11.1 3.06 6.4 0.68 0.93 0.88 6.71 5.05 13 890.5 5.25 81.6 5 5.2 0.485 3.78 11.9 2.69 4.24 1.33 2.7 1.22 195 1059 152 0.75 204.8 0.213 0.2

0.75 11.6 779.5 51.1 11.12 3.07 6.72 0.71 0.94 0.97 6.91 5.1 13.26 891 5.44 81.65 5.35 5.69 0.5 3.8 12 2.7 4.63 1.37 2.99 1.24 200 1070 152.1 0.81 210.8 0.223 0.213

0.75 11.8 784.5 51.8 11.12 3.05 6.36 0.72 0.92 0.95 6.8 5.19 13.22 874 5.3 79.2 5 5.2 0.5 3.76 11.84 3.19 4.6 1.37 2.95 1.25 200 1055 156 0.83 214 0.213 0.2

0.76 11.98 788.5 51.8 11.16 3.11 6.36 0.72 0.94 0.95 6.99 5.44 13.26 895 5.3 82.05 5 5.78 0.5 3.8 12 3.29 4.62 1.37 2.99 1.25 208 1078 158 0.83 214 0.213 0.216

0.74 11.28 777.5 50.5 11.1 3.05 6.35 0.69 0.91 0.95 6.7 5.05 13 872 5.3 79.2 5 5.2 0.485 3.76 11.84 2.69 4.22 1.37 2.95 1.22 190.2 1055 152 0.73 205 0.213 0.2

0.75 11.6 778 51.1 11.1 3.07 6.35 0.71 0.94 0.95 6.91 5.05 13.26 891 5.3 81.65 5 5.69 0.5 3.78 12 2.69 4.28 1.37 2.99 1.22 200 1059 152 0.81 210.8 0.213 0.215

1223000 42100 529700 2466810 7520700 444000 5700 78000 436000 54000 799100 31347200 61500 99120 14800 3835460 400 3100 3000 75000 1337300 226937000 107000 20000 151000 201000 7110 261830 165960 359000 380 10000 50000

911590 489042 413075665 126114916 83553614 1360270 36225 54170 405610 51300 5463969 164766023 809542 87545060 78440 310525190 2000 16459 1485 283220 15989782 681978590 481140 27400 446010 245250 1430088 278626885 25419462 268610 80010 2130 10310

-1500 -11800 -91272780 -14603632.5 -27234792 -12440 -51300 -221180 8867039 11790805 7066840 -15150 -9678202 -239935350 -92000 -72323490 -8270753 7600 10934 -

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Metro Pacific Hospital completes purchase of Butuan hospital

By VG Cabuag

@villygc

ETRO Pacific Hospital Holdings Inc. (MPHHI) has completed the share purchase agreement with the Santos, Vesagas, and Villareal families to acquire a minimum of 576,257 shares, representing at least 67 percent of Santos Clinic Inc., owner and operator of the Manuel J. Santos Hospital (MJSH) in Butuan, Mindanao. The three families, scions of Founder Dr. Manuel J. Santos, collectively owned approximately 75 percent of Santos Clinic. Metro Pacific Hospital also offered

to purchase the shares of other clinic shareholders for P563.77 per share. MJSH is a 100-bed Level 2 hospital located along Montilla Boulevard corner National Highway in Butuan

City. It was founded in 1933 by the late Dr. Manuel J. Santos and his wife, the late Amparo Lopez, at the prodding of Santos’s brother, the late Cardinal Rufino J. Santos, the first Filipino priest to be elevated to Cardinal. MJSH started as a 12-bed hospital and has continually expanded and upgraded its service capabilities, serving not just Butuan but the whole of Agusan, thereby establishing itself as the premier hospital of Northeastern Mindanao. “We, the scions of Dr. Manuel J. Santos, are very pleased and excited to partner with MPHHI, the largest private hospital network in the country, and we welcome the MVP Group to Butuan City,” said Dr. Terence “Ompet” S. Vesagas, one of the representatives of the partner families. “We want to elevate further the health-care services provided by MJSH by partnering with no less than the Metro Pacific Hospital Group. We chose a partner that we know

preserves and enhances the legacy of the hospitals in its portfolio. We appreciate their thrust to always work with local stakeholders, understanding that a hospital will always be a local community’s anchor service. We look forward to increasing our footprint in Northeastern Mindanao and further continuing the mission of my late grandfather.” Ompet said. Ompet will continue as a director in the Santos Clinic board, while the Metro Pacific Hospital’s business development head for Mindanao, Celso Bernard “Oslec” G. Lopez, will become president and CEO of Santos Clinic. “We are confident that with Oslec and Dr. Ompet leading the management team, together with MJSH’s excellent doctors and staff, Butuan, Agusan and its surrounding communities will continue to have access to the best and most complete array of health-care services,” Metro Pacific President and CEO Augusto P. Palisoc Jr.

Eastern Communications powers telco needs of hospitality industry at a time when hotels can no longer afford to have slow Internet speeds or unreliable services,” said The Manila Hotel President Atty. Joey Lina. Radisson Blu Cebu General Manager Stephan Sieberg also believes that digital transformation in hotels

MUTUAL FUNDS

can guarantee customer satisfaction. “Our customers expect a highlevel organization with a sorrowless package; meaning we need to choose first-class partners like Eastern to ensure a high-end experience for all stakeholders,” he said.

December 12, 2019

PROPERTY

ARTHALAND CORP 0.83 0.84 0.84 0.86 0.84 0.84 544000 458100 AYALA LAND 45 45.35 45 45.5 44.55 45 5887500 265207005 -37115305 ARANETA PROP 1.38 1.45 1.43 1.45 1.43 1.45 30000 43150 -8580 BELLE CORP 2 2.02 2.01 2.02 2 2 124000 249000 -106250 A BROWN 0.7 0.72 0.71 0.72 0.7 0.72 481000 336970 CITYLAND DEVT 0.83 0.86 0.84 0.86 0.84 0.86 13000 10940 CEBU HLDG 6.34 6.45 6.43 6.47 6.33 6.45 69200 446498 140141 CEB LANDMASTERS 4.73 4.76 4.74 4.77 4.7 4.74 522000 2469180 -4700 CENTURY PROP 0.54 0.55 0.56 0.57 0.54 0.55 4942000 2673500 CYBER BAY 0.39 0.415 0.39 0.39 0.39 0.39 20000 7800 DOUBLEDRAGON 19 19.16 19.28 19.28 19 19.16 136600 2617644 300716 DM WENCESLAO 10.2 10.22 10 10.2 10 10.2 97000 985280 -9000 EMPIRE EAST 0.415 0.42 0.42 0.42 0.42 0.42 90000 37800 FILINVEST LAND 1.49 1.5 1.51 1.52 1.5 1.5 5655000 8509190 -80620 GLOBAL ESTATE 1.18 1.19 1.18 1.18 1.17 1.18 251000 295960 8990 HLDG 14.78 14.82 14.84 14.84 14.78 14.78 611700 9063454 -1410530 PHIL INFRADEV 1.25 1.26 1.25 1.29 1.25 1.26 864000 1082530 206630 KEPPEL PROP 4.11 4.12 4.12 4.12 4.12 4.12 32000 131840 CITY AND LAND 0.67 0.77 0.73 0.73 0.73 0.73 2000 1460 MEGAWORLD 4.22 4.25 4.34 4.34 4.21 4.25 15460000 66205700 10556660 MRC ALLIED 0.201 0.202 0.196 0.202 0.196 0.201 11510000 2302150 401050 PHIL ESTATES 0.445 0.46 0.42 0.46 0.42 0.46 3340000 1479750 685650 PRIMEX CORP 2.01 2.02 2.01 2.02 2.01 2.02 195000 392010 ROBINSONS LAND 26.3 26.5 26 26.6 26 26.5 1961000 51969155 33331335 PHIL REALTY 0.33 0.345 0.335 0.335 0.33 0.33 50000 16650 ROCKWELL 2.11 2.15 2.1 2.15 2.1 2.11 224000 474690 139980 SHANG PROP 3.15 3.25 3.25 3.25 3.25 3.25 21000 68250 STA LUCIA LAND 2.35 2.44 2.46 2.46 2.36 2.45 91000 218440 SM PRIME HLDG 40.6 40.75 41 41.9 40.6 40.6 6356800 259965200 11103725 VISTAMALLS 5.31 5.48 5.5 5.5 5.49 5.49 400 2199 SUNTRUST HOME 1.12 1.13 1.1 1.15 1.08 1.13 2648000 2984420 VISTA LAND 7.46 7.47 7.48 7.48 7.45 7.47 4800400 35842313 -14219183 SERVICES ABS CBN 16.4 16.5 16.32 16.8 16.3 16.4 186400 3083168 GMA NETWORK 5.25 5.27 5.24 5.25 5.2 5.25 96300 504787 MANILA BULLETIN 0.385 0.395 0.39 0.39 0.39 0.39 40000 15600 GLOBE TELECOM 1934 1950 1940 1965 1934 1934 60305 117564015 34197685 PLDT 998 1006 1003 1013 998 998 64820 64883215 -25382445 APOLLO GLOBAL 0.042 0.043 0.043 0.043 0.041 0.042 11800000 500300 DFNN INC 5.13 5.59 5.1 5.76 5.09 5.13 474000 2687936 IMPERIAL 1.66 1.81 1.66 1.66 1.66 1.66 1000 1660 ISLAND INFO 0.098 0.099 0.1 0.102 0.099 0.099 4110000 408560 109450 ISM COMM 3.37 3.4 3.35 3.4 3.19 3.4 4352000 14413300 -362100 NOW CORP 2.54 2.55 2.48 2.56 2.36 2.54 2407000 5930790 37340 TRANSPACIFIC BR 0.28 0.29 0.29 0.295 0.28 0.29 2100000 588550 5600 PHILWEB 2.55 2.6 2.64 2.64 2.55 2.6 360000 923890 -23260 2GO GROUP 9.62 9.7 9.7 9.7 9.62 9.7 2400 23256 ASIAN TERMINALS 18 18.5 18 18 18 18 10000 180000 180000 CHELSEA 4.9 5 5.21 5.25 4.73 5 4306800 21143401 176587 CEBU AIR 89 89.85 90 90.45 89 89 107940 9693584 -6414893 INTL CONTAINER 120.4 121.4 120 121.4 117.5 121.4 4270550 512152423 -44829996 LBC EXPRESS 12.82 13.5 13.5 13.5 13.5 13.5 400 5400 MACROASIA 16.86 16.9 17.2 17.2 16.68 16.9 400800 6785402 -3629606 METROALLIANCE A 0.99 1 0.98 1 0.98 1 7000 6900 PAL HLDG 7.3 8 7.5 7.5 7.3 7.3 5900 43240 HARBOR STAR 1.16 1.19 1.16 1.2 1.16 1.16 652000 766380 274440 WATERFRONT 0.6 0.61 0.6 0.6 0.6 0.6 1366000 819600 CENTRO ESCOLAR 6.9 7.08 7.08 7.08 7.08 7.08 300 2124 IPEOPLE 7.8 8.19 7.78 8.19 7.78 8.19 2200 17198 STI HLDG 0.64 0.66 0.66 0.66 0.64 0.65 207000 133620 -32250 BERJAYA 4.12 4.15 4.12 4.18 4.1 4.12 2386000 9879930 -122999.9999 BLOOMBERRY 10.9 10.92 10.86 10.94 10.56 10.9 4283000 46163316 1267296 PACIFIC ONLINE 2.5 2.57 2.5 2.5 2.5 2.5 10000 25000 -25000 LEISURE AND RES 2.66 2.68 2.69 2.69 2.65 2.66 358000 953350 MANILA JOCKEY 3.39 3.4 3.39 3.39 3.39 3.39 20000 67800 PH RESORTS GRP 4.4 5 4.46 5 4.45 5 17000 81210 PREMIUM LEISURE 0.57 0.58 0.59 0.6 0.56 0.57 1493000 859600 -208000 ALLHOME 11.44 11.5 11.46 11.5 11.44 11.5 2305700 26504066 -2336 METRO RETAIL 2.09 2.1 2.11 2.13 2.09 2.1 431000 905750 -275100 PUREGOLD 39.35 39.45 39.5 39.5 39 39.45 926900 36206045 -2298330 ROBINSONS RTL 74.3 75 74.9 75 74.3 75 31920 2393486.5 -863293 PHIL SEVEN CORP 140 149.9 149.9 149.9 149.9 149.9 50 7495 SSI GROUP 2.49 2.5 2.5 2.52 2.49 2.5 1838000 4589690 3428540 WILCON DEPOT 17.96 18 17.96 18.06 17.94 18 802900 14452336 1785622 APC GROUP 0.43 0.44 0.425 0.44 0.42 0.44 1280000 546750 -38100 EASYCALL 8.1 8.2 8.2 8.45 8.2 8.2 8600 71375 GOLDEN BRIA 417.6 425 425 425 425 425 190 80750 IPM HLDG 5.36 6 5.3 5.35 5.3 5.35 1100 5835 5835 PRMIERE HORIZON 0.42 0.43 0.425 0.43 0.425 0.43 510000 218300 -17200 SBS PHIL CORP 8.76 9.09 8.78 9.14 8.74 9.09 1025100 9255510 MINING & OIL ATOK 10.02 10.96 11 11 10 10.96 10200 102438 APEX MINING 0.96 0.98 0.98 0.98 0.96 0.96 1476000 1431410 -474080 ATLAS MINING 2.4 2.49 2.4 2.41 2.4 2.41 59000 142140 -9640 COAL ASIA HLDG 0.275 0.28 0.275 0.275 0.275 0.275 30000 8250 CENTURY PEAK 2.69 2.74 2.76 2.76 2.66 2.69 27000 72450 DIZON MINES 7.11 7.12 7.11 7.32 7.11 7.12 1900 13542 FERRONICKEL 1.53 1.54 1.5 1.55 1.5 1.54 3645000 5580770 1201780 GEOGRACE 0.2 0.206 0.199 0.206 0.199 0.206 290000 57850 LEPANTO A 0.096 0.097 0.097 0.097 0.097 0.097 80000 7760 MARCVENTURES 0.93 0.94 0.92 0.94 0.92 0.93 1153000 1080620 NIHAO 1 1.03 1 1.03 1 1.03 2000 2030 -1030 NICKEL ASIA 2.89 2.9 2.92 3 2.89 2.9 3198000 9349680 -2072900 OMICO CORP 0.425 0.46 0.445 0.445 0.44 0.44 130000 57300 ORNTL PENINSULA 0.76 0.77 0.77 0.77 0.76 0.77 76000 58150 PX MINING 2.93 3.05 2.91 2.92 2.9 2.9 132000 383220 8700 SEMIRARA MINING 20.15 20.2 20.45 20.6 19.9 20.15 2332000 47082379 -22705402 UNITED PARAGON 0.0054 0.0059 0.0058 0.0058 0.0058 0.0058 2000000 11600 AC ENEXOR 6.75 6.85 7.17 7.35 6.73 6.85 535300 3711524 150133 ORNTL PETROL A 0.011 0.012 0.011 0.012 0.011 0.011 10200000 117300 ORNTL PETROL B 0.011 0.012 0.011 0.011 0.011 0.011 600000 6600 PHILODRILL 0.01 0.011 0.01 0.011 0.01 0.011 16200000 177000 2000 PXP ENERGY 8.95 9 9.08 9.08 8.8 8.95 1072500 9625797 -91152.9999 PREFFERED HOUSE PREF A 97.75 99.6 99.6 99.7 99.6 99.7 10000 996453 AC PREF B1 500.5 501 500 500 500 500 360 180000 ALCO PREF B 101.3 103.3 101.3 101.3 101.3 101.3 73100 7405030 ALCO PREF C 100.6 105.4 100.7 100.7 100.7 100.7 40100 4038070 AC PREF B2R 501 503 501 501 501 501 6000 3006000 DD PREF 100.7 100.9 100.6 100.9 100.6 100.7 70300 7082670 SMC FB PREF 2 997 997.5 997 997 997 997 1120 1116640 FGEN PREF G 108.1 112.9 108.1 108.1 108.1 108.1 40000 4324000 GTCAP PREF B 963 1000 1000 1000 963 963 14000 13685500 LR PREF 1 1.03 1.01 1.01 1 1 630000 630330 MWIDE PREF 98.1 100 100 100 98 98.05 86250 8461465 PNX PREF 3A 100.6 102.3 100.6 100.6 100.6 100.6 10300 1036180 PNX PREF 3B 105.2 109 105.1 105.1 105.1 105.1 49670 5220317 PNX PREF 4 1023 1027 1020 1028 1020 1025 285 291870 20400 PCOR PREF 2B 1026 1049 1026 1026 1026 1026 10 10260 PCOR PREF 3A 1025 1035 1025 1025 1025 1025 1040 1066000 PCOR PREF 3B 1055 1065 1059 1060 1055 1055 7770 8200930 SMC PREF 2C 78.25 78.4 78.4 78.4 78.4 78.4 4020 315168 SMC PREF 2D 75.2 75.45 75.25 75.25 75.25 75.25 24700 1858675 SMC PREF 2E 75.95 76.1 75.95 75.95 75.95 75.95 5490 416965.5 SMC PREF 2F 77 77.9 77 77 77 77 241900 18626300 SMC PREF 2G 75.5 76.7 75.5 75.5 75.5 75.5 10 755 SMC PREF 2I 76 76.75 76.1 76.1 76 76 264630 20113010 -

PHIL. DEPOSITARY RECEIPTS ABS HLDG PDR GMA HLDG PDR

15.52 5.04

15.8 5.19

15.7 5.18

15.8 5.2

15.5 5.17

15.8 5.19

183800 58200

2885440 301949

WARRANTS LR WARRANT

1.33

SMALL & MEDIUM ENTERPRISES ITALPINAS 4.1 KEPWEALTH 9.79 XURPAS 0.86

1.44

4.19 9.8 0.87

4.4 10.16 0.87

4.4 10.18 0.87

4 9.62 0.86

4.19 9.79 0.87

821000 237400 1147000

3506720 2310481 989290

2398820 -44720

EXHANGE TRADE FUNDS FIRST METRO ETF

116.1

286516 262949

116.2

116.8

116

116.2

4770

555221

23240

EASTERN Communications team together with Hitap President Raffy Zacarias and Hotel IT Managers

ASTERN Communications, one of the premier telecommunications companies in the country, is boosting its partnership with Hotelier Information Technology Association of the Philippines (Hitap) in a bid to provide innovative, faster, and more reliable Internet connection in the hospitality industry. Because a strong Internet connection is one of the factors tourists consider in choosing hotels to stay in, Eastern Communications, as part of its extensive expansion this year, said it continues to provide its business-grade connectivity solutions to hoteliers in partnership with Hitap. Eastern Communications now provides the Internet services of popular hotels, including Holiday Inn Baguio and Radisson Blu Cebu.

Moreover, the telco has also been the provider of The Manila Hotel for 23 years. “The demand in strong Internet connection could be met if hotels improve or invest on three things: IT infrastructure, security, and technology,” said Hitap President Raffy Zacarias, “We’ve been with Eastern for two decades and their services have been incomparable.” For years, Hitap has been helping hoteliers in the country in their decision-making process when it comes to their IT infrastructure to cater to the transforming needs of their guests. “The Manila Hotel needs to supply our clientele with up to the global standards of Internet services. Eastern Communications provides this service. It is a very crucial service

US firm Biocleaner sets its sights on expanding local market share

IOCLEANER Inc., which offers more energy-efficient, nonchemical solutions in treating wastewater and organic waste, has set its sights on expanding its local market share. According to the company’s CEO Kaw, “the main thing we want to do in the Philippines, outside of NCR, is to make our system available, accessible and, most important, affordable for the water districts. We would like to offer a sewerage system at a price of P25 per cubic meter of water and septage treatment at P2 per cubic meter, approximately a third of the costs of other systems.” Biocleaner was launched in 2009 and sold its first unit to Tagaytay Highlands. With their sewerage treatment broken down, Tagaytay Highlands installed the portable Biocleaner unit to test the system’s efficiency. “From an electrical consumption of 129HP, their energy requirement was reduced to 2HP and the system treated the wastewater without the use of chemicals. It worked well and, 10 years later, it is still in good

working condition,” claimed Kaw. Since its introduction to the market, the Biocleaner system has been utilized to clean water not only in the Philippines, but also bodies of water in Indonesia, China and the US. Through public-private partnerships, the local government does not have to buy a unit. “We want the local communities to keep the sovereignty of their local water rights. In certain places, that is more urbanized and in downtown areas, we are willing to invest for the long term. The local government doesn’t even have to turn over their water distribution rights to us. We are looking for partners in the local government and other corporate investors, as well. We want to be the economical and green alternative,” Kaw added. With a US Green Patent A, Biocleaner is regarded as a product that is energy- efficient and brings benefits to the environment. Biocleaner is the first nonchemical water cleaning facility that provides a biological solution in treating wastewater and different types of organic waste.

NAV ONE YEAR THREE YEAR FIVE YEAR Y-T-D PER SHARE RETURN* RETURN STOCK FUNDS ALFM GROWTH FUND, INC. -A 250.98 -0.38% 0.69% -0.56% -0.48% ATRAM ALPHA OPPORTUNITY FUND, INC. -A 1.3943 1.26% 1.35% -2.32% -3.23% ATRAM PHILIPPINE EQUITY OPPORTUNITY FUND, INC. -A 3.6782 -5.34% -2.26% -2.81% -5.76% CLIMBS SHARE CAPITAL EQUITY INVESTMENT FUND CORP. -A 0.8931 0.31% N.A. N.A. -0.88% FIRST METRO CONSUMER FUND ON MSCI PHILS. IMI, INC. -A 0.8501 2.73% N.A. N.A. 3.58% FIRST METRO SAVE AND LEARN EQUITY FUND,INC. -A 5.3067 1.21% 2.07% -0.4% 0.63% FIRST METRO SAVE AND LEARN PHILIPPINE INDEX FUND, INC. -A,6 0.8512 1.82% -1.8% N.A. 1.73% MBG EQUITY INVESTMENT FUND, INC. -A 105.77 -8.11% N.A. N.A. -8.95% PAMI EQUITY INDEX FUND, INC. -A 51.1257 4.04% 3% N.A. 3.86% PHILAM STRATEGIC GROWTH FUND, INC. -A 531.5 3.39% 1.76% 0.04% 3.26% PHILEQUITY ALPHA ONE FUND, INC. -A,D,8 0.9996 N.A. N.A. N.A. N.A. PHILEQUITY DIVIDEND YIELD FUND, INC. -A 1.2862 2.37% 2.58% 1.13% 2.57% PHILEQUITY FUND, INC. -A 37.8383 3.34% 3.45% 0.99% 3.29% PHILEQUITY MSCI PHILIPPINE INDEX FUND, INC. -A,1 1.0174 N.A. N.A. N.A. N.A. PHILEQUITY PSE INDEX FUND INC. -A 5.2078 5.19% 3.75% 1.98% 5.02% PHILIPPINE STOCK INDEX FUND CORP. -A 868.71 5.06% 3.63% 1.93% 4.86% SOLDIVO STRATEGIC GROWTH FUND, INC. -A 0.8529 -0.77% 0.75% N.A. -0.83% SUN LIFE PROSPERITY PHILIPPINE EQUITY FUND, INC. -A 4.1952 2.92% 2.92% 1.06% 3.36% SUN LIFE PROSPERITY PHILIPPINE STOCK INDEX FUND, INC. -A 0.9973 4.68% 3.45% N.A. 4.51% UNITED FUND, INC. -A 3.6492 4.27% 4.81% 2.74% 4.24% EXCHANGE TRADED FUND FIRST METRO PHIL. EQUITY EXCHANGE TRADED FUND, INC. -A,C 116.4735 5.41% 4.36% 2.92% 5.17% ATRAM ASIAPLUS EQUITY FUND, INC. -B $0.9801 5.61% 3.95% -0.15% 5.49% SUN LIFE PROSPERITY WORLD VOYAGER FUND, INC. -A $1.3427 15.55% 8.79% N.A. 21.49% BALANCED FUNDS PRIMARILY INVESTED IN PESO SECURITIES ATRAM DYNAMIC ALLOCATION FUND, INC. -A 1.5566 -5.78% -2.76% -3.87% -5.73% ATRAM PHILIPPINE BALANCED FUND, INC. -A 2.1871 -0.59% -0.77% -1.07% -1% FIRST METRO SAVE AND LEARN BALANCED FUND INC. -A 2.6216 3.89% 2.31% -0.89% 3.09% FIRST METRO SAVE AND LEARN F.O.C.C.U.S. DYNAMIC FUND, INC. -A,5 0.2291 N.A. N.A. N.A. N.A. GREPALIFE BALANCED FUND CORPORATION -A 1.329 1.91% N.A. N.A. 1.89% NCM MUTUAL FUND OF THE PHILS., INC. -A 1.9585 6.47% 2.83% 1.33% 6.26% PAMI HORIZON FUND, INC. -A 3.7772 7.05% 1.93% 0.48% 7.02% PHILAM FUND, INC. -A 16.8987 6.37% 1.84% 0.41% 6.23% SOLIDARITAS FUND, INC. -A 2.119 3.02% 1.64% 1.01% 2.41% SUN LIFE OF CANADA PROSPERITY BALANCED FUND, INC. -A 3.8468 5.06% 2.72% 0.81% 5.35% SUN LIFE PROSPERITY ACHIEVER FUND 2028, INC. -A,D,2 1.0115 N.A. N.A. N.A. N.A. SUN LIFE PROSPERITY ACHIEVER FUND 2038, INC. -A,D,2 0.992 N.A. N.A. N.A. N.A. SUN LIFE PROSPERITY ACHIEVER FUND 2048, INC. -A,D,2 0.9891 N.A. N.A. N.A. N.A. SUN LIFE PROSPERITY DYNAMIC FUND, INC. -A 0.9704 4.67% 2.02% 0.02% 5.28% PRIMARILY INVESTED IN FOREIGN CURRENCY SECURITIES COCOLIFE DOLLAR FUND BUILDER, INC. -A $0.03813 8.91% 2.95% 1.94% 8.02% PAMI ASIA BALANCED FUND, INC. -A $1.0009 7.28% 3.54% 0.46% 9.54% SUN LIFE PROSPERITY DOLLAR ADVANTAGE FUND, INC. -A $3.8408 12.31% 7.03% 3.74% 16.09% SUN LIFE PROSPERITY DOLLAR WELLSPRING FUND, INC. -A,7 $1.1163 9.3% 4.26% N.A. 11.07% BOND FUNDS PRIMARILY INVESTED IN PESO SECURITIES ALFM PESO BOND FUND, INC. -A 357 4.15% 2.72% 2.28% 3.94% ATRAM CORPORATE BOND FUND, INC. -A 1.9293 4.03% 0.72% -0.28% 3.77% COCOLIFE FIXED INCOME FUND, INC. -A 3.1125 5.04% 5.22% 5.22% 4.58% EKKLESIA MUTUAL FUND INC. -A 2.2184 4.21% 2.16% 1.87% 4.19% FIRST METRO SAVE AND LEARN FIXED INCOME FUND,INC. -A 2.3515 6.56% 2.17% 1.52% 6.64% GREPALIFE FIXED INCOME FUND CORP. -A P 1.6068 2.74% 0.66% -0.34% 2.71% PHILAM BOND FUND, INC. -A 4.3513 11.23% 2.43% 1.67% 11.01% PHILEQUITY PESO BOND FUND, INC. -A 3.7569 7.7% 2.68% 1.34% 6.82% SOLDIVO BOND FUND, INC. -A 0.9582 7.52% 1.24% N.A. 7.52% SUN LIFE OF CANADA PROSPERITY BOND FUND, INC. -A 3.0581 10.58% 4.41% 2.42% 10.57% SUN LIFE PROSPERITY GS FUND, INC. -A 1.6908 9.94% 3.84% 1.87% 9.8% PRIMARILY INVESTED IN FOREIGN CURRENCY SECURITIES ALFM DOLLAR BOND FUND, INC. -A $467.59 4.46% 2.69% 2.75% 4.28% ALFM EURO BOND FUND, INC. -A Є219.72 3.53% 1.71% 1.34% 3.31% ATRAM TOTAL RETURN DOLLAR BOND FUND, INC. -B $1.2049 7.18% 3.06% 2.55% 7.04% FIRST METRO SAVE AND LEARN DOLLAR BOND FUND, INC. -A $0.0258 3.61% 1.46% 1.37% 4.03% GREPALIFE DOLLAR BOND FUND CORP. -A $1.7089 1.2% -0.19% 0.08% 1.11% PAMI GLOBAL BOND FUND, INC -A $1.0931 6.14% 1.24% -0.88% 5.48% PHILAM DOLLAR BOND FUND, INC. -A $2.4014 11.43% 3.47% 2.91% 10.62% PHILEQUITY DOLLAR INCOME FUND INC. -A $0.0602992 5.86% 2.28% 1.95% 5.79% SUN LIFE PROSPERITY DOLLAR ABUNDANCE FUND, INC. -A $3.1741 10.57% 2.95% 2.51% 10.51% MONEY MARKET FUNDS PRIMARILY INVESTED IN PESO SECURITIES ALFM MONEY MARKET FUND, INC. -A 125.6 4.16% 2.82% 2.16% 3.9% FIRST METRO SAVE AND LEARN MONEY MARKET FUND, INC. -A,3 1.0304 N.A. N.A. N.A. N.A. PHILAM MANAGED INCOME FUND, INC. -A 1.2534 6.26% 2.86% 1.67% 6.05% SUN LIFE PROSPERITY MONEY MARKET FUND, INC. -A 1.2626 3.78% 2.87% 2.31% 3.56% PRIMARILY INVESTED IN FOREIGN CURRENCY SECURITIES SUN LIFE PROSPERITY DOLLAR STARTER FUND, INC. -A $1.0364 2.1% N.A. N.A. 2.02% FEEDER FUND PRIMARILY INVESTED IN FOREIGN CURRENCY SECURITIES ALFM GLOBAL MULTI-ASSET INCOME FUND INC. -B,D,4 $0.99 N.A. N.A. N.A. N.A. A - NAVPS AS OF THE PREVIOUS BANKING DAY. B - NAVPS AS OF TWO BANKING DAYS AGO. C - LISTED IN THE PSE. D - IN NET ASSET VALUE PER UNIT (NAVPU). 1 - LAUNCH DATE IS JANUARY 3, 2019. 2 - LAUNCH DATE IS JANUARY 28, 2019. 3 - LAUNCH DATE IS FEBRUARY 1, 2019. 4 - LAUNCH DATE IS NOVEMBER 15, 2019. 5 - LAUNCH DATE IS SEPTEMBER 28, 2019. 6 - RENAMING WAS APPROVED BY THE SEC LAST OCTOBER 12, 2018 (FORMERLY, ONE WEALTHY NATION FUND, INC.). 7 - ADJUSTED DUE TO STOCK DIVIDEND ISSUANCE LAST OCTOBER 9, 2019. 8 - LAUNCH DATE IS DECEMBER 02, 2019. "While we endeavor to keep the information accurate, the Philippine Investment Funds Association (PIFA) and its members make no warranties as to the correctness of the newspaper’s publication and assume no liability or responsibility for any error or omissions. You may visit http://www. pifa. com.ph to see the latest NAVPS/NAVPU."

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Banking&Finance BusinessMirror

Friday, December 13, 2019 B3

Dutch financial services’ PHL unit banks on digitization’s benefits for business, public

By Bianca Cuaresma

@BcuaresmaBM

BRANCHLESS business model for a banking institution will give depositors more value for the money they put in, ING Bank said on Thursday, as the bank will not have to shoulder the operational costs of running a traditional bank branch.

ING Philippines Hans B. Sicat, country head of the Dutch multinational banking and financial services corporation’s Philippine unit, said they are likely to offer more interest to their depositors’ savings, as well as shoulder the fees of online transactions as long as their operations are fully digital in the country. “That is the difference for full digital banking. We don’t have a brick and mortar proposition,” Sicat told reporters in a meeting they organized on Thursday. “Here we are demonstrating the digital proposition. We are paying out multiples

Pag-IBIG Fund unveils online portal

TATE-RUN Pag-IBIG Fund on Thursday unveiled its online portal, which seeks to make it easier for its members to avail of loans, make their monthly payments and inquire about its other services. According to Human Settlements and Urban Development Secretary Eduardo D. del Rosario, the Virtual Pag-IBIG is a longterm project of the government-owned and controlled corporation. “Before launching, we made sure that support systems have been prepared and that the security of our database has been put in place. We are happy that our longterm plans to provide our members with a more efficient and accessible service have aligned with President Duterte’s call to make government service responsive to the needs of the public through technology,” said del Rosario. “We embrace technology for the main purpose of providing better service to every member,” he added. Pag-IBIG Fund Chief Executive Officer Acmad Rizaldy Moti said members can immediately enjoy the agency’s services, such as securing a Pag-IBIG membership ID

number, taking initial step to enroll for an MP2 savings account and monitoring their loan application status. The Virtual Pag-IBIG also features an online payment facility that allows members to pay for their loans and rent their monthly payment through PayMaya or with their Visa, Mastercard or JCB credit cards. It also has a real-time chat facility that allows members to talk to the agency’s representative. “We know that members have been clamoring this kind of service, so we are glad that we can finally unveil our systems, migrate records, rework our web site and do a lot of work in between,” said Moti. Pag-IBIG Fund members can create an account in three ways. Holders of its Loyalty Card Plus can activate an account using their card numbers. Members without loyalty cards were advised to open an account online. “With this new service, it’s like having your own personal Pag-IBIG Fund branch at your fingertips. With just a smartphone and an Internet connection, our members can now do their transactions online, and wherever,” said Moti. Jove Moya

Hualien catches up on MICE

WAS invited by the Taiwan’s MICE promoTaiwan E x ter nal tion program called “Meet Trade Development Taiwan” to steer its MICE Council (Taitra) to make industry to shine on the a presentation on Philipglobal stage. Walter Yeh, Association World Taitra president and pine incentive travel at its workshop on meetCEO, is spearheading Octavio Peralta ings, incentives, conventhis MICE promotional tions and exhibitions campaign. (MICE) in Hualien. I immediately accepted Since last year, Meet Taiwan representathe invitation for two reasons: one, it will tives have been making promotional tours be my first time to travel outside of Taipei to a number of Southeast Asian countries City and, secondly, I was confident to speak and MICE markets, such as the Philippines, on the topic, having ample references from Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand, with good the Tourism Promotions Board (TPB), which results. This was one of the reasons Taitra supports our organization: the Philippine invited me and Anthony Wong, group manCouncil of Associations and Association aging director of Kuala Lumpur-based Asian Executives (Pcaae). Overland Services Tours and Travel Sdn. Bhd., Hualien’s name is derived from the word to share our insights on the MICE industry huilan, referencing to the swirling currents in the Philippines and Malaysia, respectively. of the Hualien River where it meets the sea. For my part, I presented the Philippine On the east coast of Taiwan and the largest National Tourism Development Plan 2016county by area, Hualien has a mountainous 2022, which was adopted in April 2017 in terrain and has one of the lowest populations, pursuant to Republic Act 9593, “The Tourism with about 332,000 as compared to Taipei Act of 2009.” I also showed the latest video of City’s 2.7 million. With its natural beauty, as our tourism campaign, “It’s More Fun in the well as its cultural diversity and friendly kind Philippines,” and highlighted top MICE citpeople, Hualien has become one of Taiwan’s ies and destinations outside Manila, such as top travel destinations for local and overseas Cebu, Boracay, Palawan, Bohol, Davao, Baguio visitors alike. Of late, it is positioning itself and Banaue, Vigan and Laoag, Bacolod, Iloilo as a MICE—destination. and Guimaras. Hualien’s MICE positioning augurs well According to a new report published by with Taitra’s mandate to develop secondAllied Market Research, the global MICE intiered cities for MICE and bring more events dustry size was $805 billion in 2017 and is to destinations other than Taipei, among projected to reach $1.4 trillion in 2025, with others. Founded in 1970, Taitra is Taiwan’s a compound annual growth rate of 7.6 percent foremost nonprofit trade promotion organifrom 2018 to 2025. So there’s indeed a lot of zation which assists enterprises to expand MICE to catch up on for Hualien! their global reach. It has a team of 1,300 specialists and operates five local offices The contributor, Octavio Peralta, is concurrently the secreand 60 branches worldwide. Taitra is also tary-general of the Association of Development Financing Inamong the top 10 exhibition organizers in stitutions in Asia and the Pacific, Founder and CEO of the PhilAsia. Each year, it organizes over 40 profesippine Council of Associations and Association Executives sional exhibitions in Taiwan which has been and president of the Asia-Pacific Federation of Association steadily increasing over the years. Organizations (Apfao). The purpose of Pcaae—the “associaSince 2009, the Bureau of Foreign Trade tion of associations”—is to advance the association manage(BOFT) under the Ministry of Economic ment profession and to make associations well-governed and Affairs (Moea) has dedicated its efforts sustainable. Pcaae enjoys the support of Adfiap, the Tourism to improve Taiwan’s MICE industry. As Promotions Board and the Philippine International Convensuch, it has mandated Taitra to manage tion Center. E-mail: obp@adfiap.org

of brick and mortar banks.” Among the bank’s flagship programs is their 4-percent per annum interest rate for new and existing depositors. Any amount deposited to ING until the end of January 2020 will earn 4 percent in interests, while most savings accounts’ interest in the local scene hovers at around 1 percent. The bank is also giving a rebate of P100 per transaction with every successful electronic bank transfer to ING. All fees for the interbank transfer are also being waived by the bank. In November last year, ING

launched its new business model in the Philippines as the first alldigital bank in the country. For next year, Sicat said more digital products are in the pipeline, such as the launch of the payments platform in the first half of 2020 and the takeoff of their consumer lending scheme by the second half of the year—all via their digital platforms. Sicat said they are looking to grow their client base this year through more digital products that will benefit consumers more not only via convenience, but also via payouts and more

competitive prices. As of this year, Sicat said they saw over 1 million downloads of their ING Bank app, and more than half of this is being translated to actual bank account holders. “Being the first digital bank in the Philippines, we will not be surprised if our customers will initially think that we are a bank composed of machines and chatbots,” Sicat said, adding that their upcoming events, such as their newly launched Christmas installation in Bonifacio Global City will allow them to interact with their customers in a “different way.”

B4 Friday, December 13, 2019

Share the Love in Child Haus this holiday season! CORPORATE EXCELLENCE AWARD. Independent power producer Global Business Power Corporation (GBP) was recently bestowed the prestigious Corporate Excellence Award under the Mining/Energy Industry at the 2019 Asia Pacific Entrepreneurship Awards (APEA) organized by Enterprise Asia, a non-governmental organization in pursuit of entrepreneurship development across the region. The Corporate Excellence award is given to companies who have shown exemplary results in key audit areas, namely people management, value creation, business growth, continuous improvement, corporate social responsibility, and operation excellence. GBP is the only awardee in the mining and energy category. In photo during the awards night are (from left) Enterprise Asia president William Ng, GBP president Jaime T. Azurin, first vice president for Cebu operations Leah G. Diaz, first vice president for Panay operations Petronilo R. Madrid, and Enterprise Asia chairman Tan Sri Dr Fong Chan Onn.

Win Big at the Metro Christmas Rush Sale

W S

TILL have some last-minute Christmas shopping to do? Why not look for gifts that also give back? As the anticipated holiday celebrations draw near, you can make the season even merrier for cancer-stricken children and their families by supporting the Share the Love in Child Haus Christmas Bazaar at SM City North EDSA ongoing until December 24, 2019. Child Haus is an organization that provides temporary shelter to children with cancer and their families from the different

provinces who have no place to stay while undergoing medical evaluation or treatment in Metro Manila. Mallgoers can shop for one-of-a-kind pieces created by the parents of the children at the shelter. Items that will be up for sale at the Share the Love in Child Haus Christmas Bazaar include Christmas decorations, native handbags, sandals, abaca bag organizers, and paintings. "The true spirit of Christmas is all about compassion and generosity. By setting up a

selling exhibit at one of our malls, we hope that we can provide a platform where our shoppers can help children and families at Child Haus centers who are in need," said SM Supermalls COO Steven Tan. Part of the proceeds of the bazaar will be donated to Child Haus, which also extends help to other people in need of a home. To know more about the Share the Love in Child Haus Christmas Bazaar and other exciting SM events this Holiday, visit www. smsupermalls.com.

Shopping made more rewarding with Century City Mall’s Shopaholic Promo

AUGHT in the holiday rush? If you’re in the middle of buying things for the home and shopping for presents for loved ones, make sure you visit Century City Mall from December 13 to 15 to score rewards for yourself, too. Shopaholic All In 2019, Century City Mall’s holiday tradition that keeps on giving is back with rebates, raffle prizes, and more reasons to shop. Customers who purchase a minimum of Php1,000 up to a maximum of Php50,000 per day from December 13 to 15 are guaranteed to get 10% rebate in the form of gift vouchers, which they can redeem at the Century Prime Rewards Concierge after registering. The gift vouchers can be used in the mall for food and non-food items from December 16, 2019 to March 17, 2021. Are you ready to shop and fly? For every Php10,000 worth of purchase, a customer is entitled to one raffle coupon for a chance to win round trip economy airfare tickets for two to Japan or South Korea. There will be four winners for the raffle draw – two winners for round trip economy airfare tickets for two each to Tokyo, Japan and two winners for round trip economy airfare tickets for two each to Seoul, South Korea. Visit https://www. centurycitymall.com.ph/ for more details.

Mariwasa to launch its own tile adhesive

ARIWASA Siam Ceramics, Inc., the country’s largest ceramic tile manufacturer for more than 50 years, continues to help improve the quality of life of Filipino families with top-of-the-line products. Its latest line, the Mariwasa Tile Adhesive, which is set for official launch in March

2020, draws upon the skills, discipline and creativity of the Filipino artisan. The Mariwasa Tile Adhesive is a ready-made mixture of hydraulic binding agents, aggregates and organic additives carefully formulated to perform above quality tests and standards. This 25kg cementitious adhesive promises a strong bond for ceramic tiles, mosaic and natural stones when mixed with water. It has a tensile adhesion strength of more than or equal to 0.5 megapascal and an open time of 20 minutes. It complies with the Department of Trade and Industry Philippine National Standard (DTI-PNS) ISO Standard 1300-1. "This new set of adhesives is a result of our efforts to strengthen our commitment of delivering uncompromising product quality while heeding to the growing demand of Filipinos for reliable products for use with tiles,” Mariwasa President Jakkrit Suwansilp shares. Mariwasa products stood out in terms of slip resistance, adhesion strength and compatibility with other materials such as porcelain tiles and hollow blocks in recent qualitative tests conducted against other existing brands in the market, further cementing the company’s position as a leader supplier of ceramic products that meet world-class beauty and durability. Mariwasa Tile Adhesive will soon be available in leading depots nationwide. More information can be accessed through the Mariwasa official website and Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube pages.

ITH Noche Buena and Christmas Day just around the corner, Metro Retail (www.metroretail.com.ph), is not yet done giving out exclusive deals and promos to make this holiday even better! As the perfect shopping destination even for those last-minute trips, Metro Department Store and Supermarket have you covered with its wide assortment of gift items at discounted prices. But that&#39;s not all you can look forward to. Happening this December 14, 2019 at all Metro Store branches, customers can expect huge price markdowns across departments of up to 50% off on select items. Metro Rewards Club Cardholders can even expect freebies with their MRC Special. Only for one day, MRC Cardholders will receive freebies with a P2,500 single receipt purchase be it cash or credit, at Metro Supermarket. On the other hand, qualifying purchase for Metro Business Club members will be a minimum

P5,000 to avail of the free items. Meanwhile, a raffle promo that will be open to all customers with a minimum single receipt purchase of P1,000 will surely leave shoppers rewarded on the day. Any purchase from Metro Stores which include Metro Department Store, Metro Supermarket, Wholesale Mart, Fresh n&#39; Easy, Royal Gem, Pharmacy, Suisse Cottage, Food Avenue, and Metro Cafe will automatically give you a raffle ticket. It&#39;s that easy to join! The raffle draw will happen twice on the same day so be sure to check out the redemption booth at the Metro Stores. Prizes will include Metro Gift Certificates that amount to a whopping P1.7M worth! Everyone has a chance of winning with hourly raffles where customers will get Php 5,000 worth of Metro Gift Certificates, too! Enjoy one more hurrah this Yuletide season of 2019 by heading to Metro today.

RUSSIAN BOXERS EYE BOYCOTT OF TOKYO 2020

Sports BusinessMirror

| Friday, December 13, 2019 mirror_sports@yahoo.com.ph Editor: Jun Lomibao

By James Ellingworth The Associated Press

USSIAN boxers will only take part in the Tokyo Olympics if doping sanctions forcing them to compete as neutral athletes are overturned, the general secretary of the Russian Boxing Federation told The Associated Press on Wednesday. Umar Kremlev said he has spoken with the Olympic boxing team and they “unanimously” rejected the conditions laid out by the World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) as punishment for manipulating doping data. The Wada sanctions, announced on Monday, ban the use of the Russian team name, flag or anthem at a range of major sports competitions over the next four years, including next year’s Olympics. “They said we won’t go without our flag and anthem,” Kremlev said. “We aren’t going for medals, but for that feeling that I brought the highest honor home for my country.” Separately, the speaker of Russia’s upper house of parliament said Russia could create an alternative to the Olympics. “This ruling show the clear crisis in international sports institutions. I believe that

THE Russian national flag lies next to the Olympic flag during the closing ceremony of the 2014 Winter Olympics, in Sochi, Russia, as Veleriya Obarevich (right) and Yan Shamilov carry a Russian flag with the message “Thank you, Putin!” written across it in Russian through Olympic Park in 2014. AP

Russia could host its own games at home,” Valentina Matvienko said in comments reported by the Interfax news agency. There is a precedent. After the Russian Revolution of 1917, the Soviet Union refused to compete in the Olympics and hosted its own Spartakiads—named after the ancient rebel slave Spartacus—with a strong socialist slant. However, the

Soviet Union began competing at the Olympics in 1952, and Russians generally take great pride in the country’s Olympic achievements since then. If the sanctions aren’t overturned, Kremlev said Russian boxers would prefer to turn pro rather than compete at the Olympics. “A world champion [in professional boxing] is better known than an

Russia doping saga likely heads back to Switzerland’s courts

ENEVA—Sports punishments imposed on Russia this week closed one big body of work for the World AntiDoping Agency (Wada). Now, the sports lawyers can enter the field—yet again, in a doping scandal that has raged since 2014. A Russian legal challenge seems certain after Russia’s anti-doping agency was suspended by the global watchdog Monday using powers gained only last year. Russian President Vladimir Putin already said “we have the grounds to appeal,” and Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev urged national sports authorities to take up the fight. A four-year ban on Russia’s identity at Olympic Games and world championships is the main sanction for state tampering with data from the Moscow testing laboratory. Athletes implicated in doping or whose data was manipulated will be barred from those major events. Russia also cannot bid for or be awarded rights to host those events, Wada’s executive committee agreed. A hearing before the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS)

is expected early next year in Lausanne, Switzerland.

THE LEGAL PROCESS

THE next step is by Rusada, the Russian anti-doping agency ruled “noncompliant” by Wada. Its supervisory board meets December 19. That’s within a 21-day deadline to accept or dispute Wada’s decision. Everything points toward a dispute for Wada to notify at the highest court in sports. Each side gets to choose one judge from the CAS list of sports lawyers worldwide. The most in-demand judges typically have worked with each other in several previous cases. Those judges selected have three days to pick a third judge to lead their panel. If they can’t agree, the pick falls to the CAS Ordinary Arbitration Division president—Carole Malinvaud, a Harvard Law School graduate who played junior golf for France. Wada’s compliance rule book says the panel should then give a detailed verdict within three months. That should be in March or April, said Wada’s compliance panel chairman,

Jonathan Taylor. The Tokyo Olympics open July 24. Wada rules also give CAS judges power to decide which of Monday’s sanctions to enforce. Any verdict that goes against Russia starts the four-year sanctions clock.

THE CASE AGAINST RUSSIA

RUSSIAN doping tainted 2012 London Olympics results and corrupted the 2014 Winter Games in Sochi, where the home team topped the medals table. Wada-appointed investigations and media reports have for years detailed state-run cheating and cover-ups. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) resisted Wada’s call for a blanket ban of Russia at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Summer Games. The IOC appointed its own panel that verified the evidence weeks before the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Games. Hundreds of Russians competed at both Olympics after their personal anti-doping histories were vetted.

Olympic champion,” Kremlev said, adding the Russian anthem would be played before pro title fights. Kremlev said boxers are being asked to shoulder the blame for offenses committed in other sports. He said they would still stay at home even if Russia’s athletes in other sports decided to take part. “If other sports are guilty and people have breached the Wada

NEW ALLEGATIONS

RUSSIA’S route to closure in the saga was Wada reinstating Rusada, in September 2018. A key condition was to hand over data and doping samples from the Moscow lab, shut down in 2015 and sealed by state security forces. Wada finally got the data in January. Forensic analysis compared it to previous evidence and a database copy provided by a whistle-blower in 2017. The IOC agreed that Wada proved data was deleted and altered, including fake evidence planted to shift the blame on whistle-blowers. Tampering continued into January 2019—creating a new rules violation, even if some of the athletes implicated had previously been prosecuted.

NEW RULES

WADA has used new compliance rules, and a broader slate of punishments, updated in April 2018, to handle the latest case. “The rules are tougher and tighter because we learned from some of the difficulties that were caused the first time round,” Taylor said Monday.

code, why are we punished?” he said. “We are for honest sport and against doping. We want our sport to be clean...if someone breaks the rules, we push them out.” Russia is a major power in amateur and Olympic boxing. It hosted both men’s and women’s world championships this year, finishing at the top of the medals table at the women’s event and second in the men’s championships. The International Olympic Committee has taken direct charge of boxing at the Tokyo Olympics after criticizing chronic financial problems and infighting at the International Boxing Association. Russian Sports Minister Pavel Kolobkov talked up Russia’s chances of overturning the Wada sanctions. “I think that there is every basis to appeal the decision, because our experts have presented their position, and they have the same database as Wada does,” Kolobkov said in comments reported by state news agency Tass. “There is an answer to every question and the whole process is ahead of us.” The official decision on whether to dispute the sanctions will be made on December 19, by the Russian anti-doping agency’s supervisory board, but senior figures, including Russian President Vladimir Putin, have signaled their preference for taking the matter to the Court of Arbitration for Sport. Still, Putin questioned if these sanctions are valid because the Russian Olympic Committee is not directly implicated in tampering. “It means that Wada decision contradicts the Olympic Charter,” Putin said in Paris on Monday. However, Section 11 of the compliance document detailing “consequences” does let Wada do what it did, to “athletes and athlete support personnel affiliated to that country” under investigation.

OTHER CASES

THE Olympic Charter helped Russia at a previous CAS hearing involving Vitaly Mutko. The IOC’s life ban from the Olympics for the long-time Russian sports minister, now deputy prime minister, was overturned at CAS. The Olympic body was judged to lack jurisdiction over government officials. Russia also got some Sochi medals back at CAS, days before Pyeongchang opened, when 28 of 39 athletes won their appeals against Olympic life bans and disqualifications. CAS rulings can be appealed to Switzerland’s supreme court on limited grounds, though rarely succeed. AP

Spo

Business

Friday, December 13, 2019

RLANDO, Florida—There were still a few boos when Dwight Howard checked into the game in Orlando for the first time, a few reminders of how every Magic fan still hasn’t forgotten or forgiven him for the way his stint with his first team ended. He doesn’t mind anymore. There was a time when these things would have bothered him. No more. He just turned 34. He’s in his 16th season. And by all accounts, Howard—in his second stint with the Los Angeles Lakers, his sixth different franchise—has finally seen the light. “This is a new day. This is a new moment,” Howard said. “I think it’s best if we all get out the past and focus on the moments we have in front of us.” There’s a maturity to Howard now that frankly hasn’t always been there throughout his career. He’s on a team expected to compete for an NBA title. He’s earned the trust of LeBron James and Anthony Davis, the stars who collaborated in a quest to bring the Lakers back to prominence. He’s a role player, averaging career lows in minutes, points and rebounds. He’s handled it perfectly. This isn’t his second chance. It’s more like a sixth chance. “He’s thriving,” James said. “He’s thriving. It’s going to add more years on his career and it’s going to add an ingredient to our team for success because of the role that he’s accepting and he’s just making the most of it every single night. Defending at a high level, rebounding, blocking shots, catching lobs and with zero ego. Zero ego.” This is Howard’s role now. He played in Orlando for the 10th time as an opponent on Wednesday night, he and the Lakers coming in and beating the Magic, 96-87. Howard wasn’t called upon to do

much; the Lakers were up 26-9 when he checked in for the first time, and he finished with two points and six rebounds in 18 minutes. The other 30 minutes he spent on the bench, cheering and coaching. Past versions of Howard wouldn’t have done that. “I never would have been the person I am today if I would have stayed here,” Howard said, sitting at his locker. “So I’m very thankful that everything that has transpired and it’s made me the best version of Dwight Howard.” James and Davis will be the primary focus of this Lakers season, of course. Howard is one of many subplots, but so far, he’s been exactly what the Lakers wanted. He’s not a star anymore; he’s a guy who does dirty work. “He’s at a place in his career where he had to adjust some things with regard to the role that he’s going to play on a team,” Lakers Coach Frank Vogel said. “To me, it really fit what we were looking for. Had a great meeting in the summer. He’s really bought in and [is] bringing a seriousness about his business and his approach.” Wednesday was a homecoming of sorts for Vogel, too, his first time back in Orlando, since the Magic fired him after two seasons where the team had just about as many injuries as wins. Vogel said he hadn’t set foot in the arena since; he’s not bitter, he just turned the page. Howard is taking the same tact. The Lakers are his fifth team in five years— Houston, then Atlanta, then Charlotte with current Magic Coach Steve Clifford, then Washington for nine games in what became a lost season a year ago, and now back in Los Angeles. AP

A NEW DAY, A NEW MOMENT

DWIGHT HOWARD is thriving in his smallest role yet. AP

INTERNATIONAL TEAM SEEKING INSPIRATION M ELBOURNE, Australia—Ernie Els wanted to inspire his International team at the Presidents Cup, and he found the one video that might do the trick. Then again, there wasn’t a lot to choose from. Els is the lone person on this team, including his four assistants, who was at Royal Melbourne in 1998, for the only International victory. They took the lead after the opening session and never were challenged the rest of the way. At the time, it was the biggest loss an American team had ever endured. “I watched a couple times because I love it,” said CT Pan, one of seven rookies on the International team who certainly didn’t play like one Thursday. “It’s been 21 long years. I know it’s day one, we still have a lot of work to do. That video definitely pumped and excited everyone on the International team.” It sure looked that way. Tiger Woods did his part, at least as a player. The first playing captain in 25 years, he opened with two birdies for a two-up lead and finished with two more birdies as he and Justin Thomas won the opening fourballs match at Royal Melbourne. And then he resumed his role as captain and watched the International team post one victory after another, hitting all the right shots in the two matches that went to the 18th hole. When it was over, the International team had a 4-1 lead, its first time in front since 2005. “I didn’t envision 4-1, no,” Els said. “So it’s a nice start. We haven’t had a a start like this for many, many years.” That was the extent of his optimism, as much as Els would allow himself. He already was looking ahead to the five matches of foursomes on Friday, an American strength while winning the last seven times. During that stretch, the Americans have outscored the International team 50.5 to 22.5 in foursomes. At Royal Melbourne in 1998, the International had an 8-2 advantage in the alternate-shot format. More memories. More hope. On the first tee for the start Thursday was Craig Parry and Carlos Francos, two players from the 1998 team. All were invited to take part in these matches, a reminder of what can happen. Half of the team was able to make the long trip. “It was great to see the guys in ‘98 giving us a bit of advice and how it felt for them starting the week back then, and what it feels like winning a Cup,” Louis Oosthuizen said. “We have a few boys of ‘98 in the team room, as well, and I think we are in a really good place. But we are set on what we want to do. We have a massive goal.” And the International team still has a long way to go. Els stuck to his plan, which is geared around analytics. Even a resounding start was not enough to tempt the International captain to keep partnerships that were so successful in the opening session. He broke them all up, just like he planned.

US team trailing on foreign soil

TIGER WOODS reacts after winning the fifth hole with a birdie during the fourball match. AP

who has received praise all week for his fire and confidence, opened with five straight birdies in a crushing defeat over the American power duo of Dustin Johnson and Gary Woodland. But it was just a start. “Keep the jets down,” Els said. “There’s a long way to go. Don’t get too excited. This is a strong team, and they’re going to come back strong.” Woods was so strong that he decided to play again in Friday foursomes, again paired with Thomas. Woods kept two other teams together— Patrick Cantlay and Xander Schauffele, and Reed and Simpson—even though both lost. Els is sending out five new partnerships, sticking to a plan that so far is working quite well. “He had a system going in. We are his soldiers, so we follow his instruction, and that’s what we did today,” CT Pan said. “And it works great.” AP

INTERNATIONAL team captain Ernie Els (right) and Taiwan’s CT Pan talk during their fourball match at the Royal Melbourne Golf Club, in the opening rounds of the President’s Cup golf tournament, in Melbourne. AP

Abraham Ancer and Oosthuizen birdied the opening five holes for a four-up lead that Dustin Johnson and Gary Woodland could not overcome in a 4-and-3 victory. Adam Scott and Byeong Hun An—the replacement for Jason Day—never trailed in beating Tony Finau and Bryson DeChambeau. Hideki

Matsuyama delivered the clutch putt from 25 feet on the 17th hole as he and CT Pan beat Patrick Reed and Webb Simpson, 1 up. Scott will have Oosthuizen for foursomes. Ancer will play with Marc Leishman. Matsuyama plays with An. “We’ve gone this route, and we keep

No. 1 Barty chosen WTA Player of the Year

AINT Petersburg, Florida—Add another accolade to Ashleigh Barty’s breakthrough 2019: WTA Player of the Year. The Australian was announced Wednesday as the winner of the top yearend award for the women’s professional tennis tour, following her finish at No. 1 in the singles ranking and her first Grand Slam title at the French Open. Barty won a total of four tournaments and was the only woman to reach the second week at all four major

championships this season. She also led the tour with 57 match wins. Her Coach Craig Tyzzer, was honored as WTA Coach of the Year. Other winners of voting by media members included US Open champion Bianca Andreescu as top newcomer, Sofia Kenin as most improved player, Belinda Bencic as comeback player and, Timea Babos and Kristina Mladenovic as doubles team of the year. US Open winner Bianca Andreescu, on the other hand, is Canada’s athlete of

going.” Els said. “The guys played well today in their respective pairings, and tomorrow we’ve got whatever pairings we have. We’ll feel comfortable with them.” There is a quiet confidence, much like International captain Peter Thomson had in 1998. AP

the year, the first tennis player so honored. She won the 2019 Lou Marsh Trophy on Monday after becoming the first Canadian to win a Grand Slam singles title, defeating Serena Williams in the Open final. The 19-yearold soared to a No. 5 ranking after starting the year at No. 152. She also won at Indian Wells, California, and earned more than $6.5 million for the season. “I can’t wait for what 2020 will bring and am always proud to represent Canada, at the highest level,” she said. She beat out golfer Brooke Henderson, sprinter Andre de Grasse, Atlanta Braves pitcher

ELBOURNE, Australia—Tiger Woods lightly pumped his fist with another birdie. He raised his hands over his head in applause to salute a brilliant play by Justin Thomas that led to another hole won. He thoroughly enjoyed his return to competition in the Presidents Cup. His match won, Woods took the radio and inserted the ear piece as he resumed his role as US captain. And there was little else to cheer. Ernie Els and his inspired International team won the day, and won it big. Els got solid performances from Adam Scott and Louis Oosthuizen and remarkable play from his rookies that led to a 4-1 lead after the opening session of fourballs Thursday. “I didn’t envision 4-1, no,” Els said. It was the first time the International team won the opening session since 2005, which also was the last time it led after any session in an event the Americans have won 10 out of 12 times, including the last seven in a row. Woods assembled the strongest US team ever for the Presidents based on the world ranking. The first playing captain in 25 years, he inserted himself in the first match and made six birdies, the most of anyone at Royal Melbourne. When it was over, the US team found itself in foreign territory—trailing for the first time in 14 years. “We have to earn this cup,” Woods said, perhaps a reminder that history means little inside the ropes. “Just because we lost the session doesn’t mean the Cup’s over. There’s a long way to go, a lot of points available. The guys will regroup, and we’ll come out tomorrow ready to go.” That was a message Els preached to his team after a dynamic performance. Scott overcame a snap hook on the opening hole to make five birdies as he and Byeong Hun An—the replacement for Jason Day—won in 17 holes. Hideki Matsuyama holed a 25-foot birdie putt on the 17th hole that carried the Japanese star and CT Pan to a 1-up victory over Patrick Reed and Webb Simpson. Oosthuizen and Abraham Ancer, the Mexican rookie

Mike Soroka and St. Louis Blues goaltender Jordan Binnington. The winner of the Toronto Star award is selected annually by a panel of Canadian sports journalists. The trophy has been awarded annually since 1936 with a three-year gap during World War II. Marcos

Baghdatis, the 2006 Australian Open runner-up, meanwhile, is going to start helping coach top-10 player Elina Svitolina. Baghdatis wrote Wednesday on Twitter that he was “glad to announce the next chapter of my life.” Svitolina posted the same picture he did on social media, showing the two of them and others at a tennis court. Baghdatis played the last match of his career in July at Wimbledon, where he lost in the second round. Svitolina, a 25-yearold from Ukraine, finished the year ranked No. 6. AP ASHLEIGH BARTY wins a total of four tournaments this season. AP

orts

sMirror

Friday, December 13, 2019

SEAG eSports sets record stream numbers

SEAG NOW, ASIAN GAMES TOMORROW PEOPLE take photographs one last time at the New Clark City, in Tarlac, on Wednesday. NONIE REYES

By Ramon Rafael Bonilla

N astonishing performance by the athletes and a successful hosting of the 30th Southeast Asian Games—what more could you ask for? For House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano, the ante goes much higher—host the Asian Games.

CTION resumes in the 70th Fil-Am Invitational Golf Tournament on Friday, at the Camp John Hay and Baguio Country Club (BCC) courses with some 700 players mixing it up in six days of competition. Fil-Am Cochairman Tim Allen of John Hay and Anthony de Leon of BCC, who hit the ceremonial balls on Thursday, said they expect another exciting week of action in the biggest and oldest amateur golf event. “We will have another exciting week of golf and with the good weather, we expect happy players every after playing date,” Allen said. Attention, however, will be on Saturday when the country’s top young parbusters start their bid for the Fil and Am Championship trophies. Leading the race is defending champion Manila Southwoods which is expected to be led by 15-yearold Sean Ramos, who helped Team Philippines to a bronze medal finish in the team competitions of the recent 30th Southeast Asian Games. Out to foil the Carmona team’s bid are former winner Forest Hills, Royal Northwoods and Team Time Cargo Logistics. Southwoods is also the reigning champion in the Am Championship flight and the team will expect stiff opposition from Islander Mizuno, Forest Hills and Batangas Barakos.

In his last speech as chairman of the Philippine SEA Games Organizing Committee during the closing ceremony on Wednesday night at the Athletics Stadium of the New Clark City, Cayetano aimed for the country hosting only its second Asian Games after 1954. “We will host the Para Games next month, the Asian Swimming Championships in 2020, the Fiba World Cup in 2023. We have 10 years to prepare for the Asian Games,” Cayetano told athletes, officials and

Fil-A will have eight teams with X1R Mizuno, Silicon Valley Golfers Link I, Che Lus I, E. Sparta, Team Surigao I, Uragun Golf, Tsikoy and Club Salami. Am A will have seven teams—Leeward Fil-Am, Philippine Navy Sunrisers, Benlife Producers Bank Liloan, Greenwater Golfers, Sultan Kudarat Miners, Bulakenyos 2.0 and Mabalacat City/ JA Global. Fil B will have cohost BCC, Central Florida, FilAm Japan, Venturelink-Robros-Jayworx Golf Team, Summit Point Golf and Country Club, Cool Jocks, Team Brookside and Rural Bankers II. Am B will have Benlife Villa Cacho, Crown Legacy, Srixon IMG, Camp John Hay Manor, Team City of Vallejo, X1R Mizuno, TGIS Davao and Kiss Juice Apple. It will be a full house Fil C with 12 teams, namely Batch 92 GC, Fil-Am League of Golfers Chicago, Dugong Bughaw, PhilCan Torotno, Royal Northwoods-El Masfino, GMJ 2005 Const & Dev’t Corp., GOC Kuyangs, Fil-Golfers of New York, Ultraflite GC I, Che Lus II, Filgolfers of Hawaii and Mountaineers GT 1. Am C will also have the same number with Team Toyota, Green Jacket GC, Mountaineers GT II, CJH, BCC, Benlife GT, Silicon Valley Gilfers Link II, Team Surigao Ulopan, FilGolfers of Honolulu, Waterlympics Clark, Monterey and Tiyo Paeng Golfers of Davao.

fans who flocked to the Capas facility that was the premier hub of the 11-day Games. The Asia Games is the Olympics of Asia. It features powerhouse teams China, Japan and Korea. Hangzhou will host the 2022 while Nagoya will take its turn in 2026. The Philippines hosted the Asian Games only once in 1954 at the historic Rizal Memorial Sports Complex with 14 countries participating. Japan topped the medals table of the eight-sport Games with 38 gold medals with the Philippines finishing second with 14 golds—its best-ever in the quadrennial competition. The Asian Games, hosted last year by Indonesia in Jakarta and Palembang, was the benchmark of the Philippine hosting of the SEA Games. “This is the first SEA Games [we adapted a higher standard]—the standard of the Asian Games,” Cayetano said. “Hindi lang natin kaya, we did it with world-class quality.” Cayetano’s announcement for the Philippine bid for 2030 drew applause from Olympic Council of Asia Vice President Wei Jizhong, who observed the country’s hosting of the Games in the Philippines convincingly topped with 387 medals—149 golds, 117 silvers and 121 bronzes. Vietnam was a far second with a 98-85-105 (gold-silver-bronze) haul, followed by Thailand (92-105-123), Indonesia (72-84-111) and Malaysia (55-58-71). The 30th SEA Games was the biggest in terms of sports, 56, and events, 529. “If the Lord gives us Asian Games, we will have 10 years to build facilities in Luzon, the Visayas and Mindanao. We will have 10 years to show our athletes na mahal namin kayo,” Cayetano added.

Fil-Am invitational golf tournament on in Baguio City

DSCPI President Rebecca Garcia said Pagcor’s financial support enormously helped in training the athletes. “All our four couples who dominated the Dancesport’s Standard and Latin categories benefited from Pagcor’s aid. We were able to send

SPIA Asia 2019 VINCENT JUICO @VJuico, Instagram vpjp_j, vince.juico@gmail.com

SPORTS WITHOUT BORDERS ERIC GOTTSCHALK is the CEO of SPIA Asia. I got to have a conversation with him about what SPIA (Sports Industry Awards and Conference) Asia is all about—what their future plans are and what are the challenges facing the organization. They recently held a conference and awards program paying tribute to those who have contributed immensely to the sports industry here

in Asia. The conference was held December 2 and 3, at the Grand Hyatt Hotel at Bonifacio Global City, in Taguig. The conference was made up of a series of panel discussions highlighted by the presence of football icon Ronaldo and, track and field legend Edwin Moses. I was able to attend only Day 2 of the conference. The subjects ranged from “Business

platforms registered 20 million impressions with 90,000 concurrent viewers. The fans also spent more than 200,000 hours watching the streams on YouTube, making it one of the top 10 trending gaming videos worldwide on the platform. “We’ve seen some pretty exciting gameplay and a superb level of competition among the SEA Games eSports athletes. A formidable force, these youths have shown grit, resilience and a tremendous respect for their craft and supporters,” Alvin Juban, Philippine SEA Games Esports Union said. “We’re proud to host them and we hope to see them celebrating again in the next SEA Games.” Razer Receives Honorary Recognition from Phisgoc for conceiving and supporting the event for its efforts in helping eSports receive the same recognition and coverage as traditional sports, Razer has been given an honorary recognition by the Phisgoc. “Phisgoc recognizes Razer, the official eSports partner, for being the originator of the push for eSports to be included in the 30th SEA Games, through their co-founder and CEO, Min-Liang Tan, and our Speaker of the House of Representatives of Philippines and chairman of Phisgoc, Alan Cayetano,” Juban said.

POL SCI DEGREE Boxing legend and Sen. Manny Pacquiao receives his Bachelor of Arts in Political Science degree from the University of Makati, on Wednesday. The fighting senator majors in Local Government Administration.

CYCLING IN THE CITY

Participants in the Sun Life Cycle PH tackle the uphill portion of Kalayaan Flyover during the annual event put up to promote wellness activity and family bonding through cycling graced by former threetime Tour de France green jersey winner Robbie McEwen and a number of celebrities.

Campaign launched highlighting efforts of athletes in SEAG

DANCESPORT TEAM HAILS PAGCOR SUPPORT HE Dancesport Council of the Philippines (DSCPI)—winner of 10 gold and two silver medals in the 30th Southeast Asian Games—expressed its gratitude to the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (Pagcor) for its support to dancesport athletes.

AZER is celebrating six hugely successful eSports tournaments as part of the recent 30th Southeast Asian (SEA) Games—the first major sporting event to include eSports as a medal competition. Before its appointment as the official eSports partner of the SEA Games, Razer has been on a decade-long mission to legitimize eSports. With the success of the Games eSports events, Razer is now placing its focus on the Olympics. “The eSports event was a resounding success and the games are a testament of our esports talent in the region,” David Tse, Razer Global Esports Director, said. “While we may have achieved success in the SEA Games, this journey to legitimizing eSports is not over. We will continue to strive for eSports’ inclusion in the Olympics and we look forward to the next SEA Games in 2021.” As the first eSports medal event, fans from all walks of life watched the competition at the San Juan Arena. On the first day alone, Razer’s streaming platforms recorded over 1 million views with approximately 70,000 concurrent viewers. At its peak, the San Juan Arena was filled to maximum capacity and Razer’s streaming

them to Italy to attend a rigid dance training as part of their preparations for the SEA Games,” Garcia said. Among the dancesport athletes who trained in Italy were Sean Mischa Aranar and Ana Leonila Nualla who bagged three gold medals in the Tango,

Viennese Waltz and Five Dance Steps events; and Mark Jayson Gayon and Mary Joy Reginen, who snatched two gold medals in Standard Waltz and Slow Foxtrot, and a silver medal in Quickstep. The pairs in the Dancesport’s Latin Category trained abroad with the stategaming agency’s support. Wilbert Aunzo and Pearl Marie Cañeda won three gold medals in Samba, Chacha and Rumba.

Michael Angelo Marquez and Stephanie Sabalo added two more golds in Paso Doble and Latin Five Dance event. The pair also snagged a silver medal in Jive. The athletes also trained under Polish Coach Alina Nowak, a certified world dancesport champion, and Alexander Melnikov, a Russian dancesport athlete and adjudicator. Both dancesport experts flew into train the winning pairs.

of Sports: Asian Sponsorship and Events Association” where Gottschalk was one of the presentersm to “Business of Sports: SPIA Asia ‘Icon 2 Icon’,” where the two of the legends in sports, Ronaldo and Edwin Moses were the participants. Ronaldo, whose real name is Ronaldo Nazario de Lima, is now the owner of Spanish football club Real Villadolid while Moses is the chairman of Education at the World AntiDoping Agency (Wada) and Founding Global chairman of the Laureus “Sport for Good” Foundation. Gottschalk told me a story about Ronaldo, upon retirement, going back to school, getting his education and getting his college degree. The humility of this man is remarkable, to have the humility to go back to school and earn his college degree, learning a few more

practical, theoretical and life lessons along the way. It shows that you are never too famous or too legendary to learn. Gottschalk says that they’re looking at the Philippines once again for next year’s edition of SPIA Asia. Vietnam is another option as they would like to link the conference and awards program with the Southeast Asian Games. The SPIA Asia is looking at honoring and paying tribute to athletes both active and retired, who have done humanitarian work without any fanfare or media attention. The organization is also looking to recognize more differently abled athletes. The recently concluded SPIA Asia event had 60 speakers and 600 delegates from all over Asia. According to their web site, “The SPIA Asia Awards have become the most credible awards platform in Asia, focused on

recognizing and celebrating the achievements of the Asian Sports Industry.” SPIA Asia 2019 features a total of 25 award categories: 3x Public voting categories, 4x Philippines categories, and 15x Asian categories. For the first time SPIA Asia will celebrate the “Best Asian Sportsman of the Year,” “Best Asian Sportswoman of the Year” and the “Best Asian Sports Team of the Year” to bring even more glamor and excitement to the event. Past winners range from the Australian Grand Prix, National Basketball Association, La Liga, HSBC, Women’s Tennis Association, World Badminton, Visit Victoria, Arabian Gulf League in UAE, Standard Chartered KL Marathon, with brands, such as Nike, Adidas and Puma, and sports agencies Lagardère Sports and IMG also celebrating wins.”

LDT, its wireless subsidiary Smart Communications Inc., and the MVP Sports Foundation have launched a campaign to highlight the efforts and accomplishments of Filipino athletes in the recent 30th Southeast Asian Games. The campaign starts off with a 60-second video feature entitled, “Winner.” It features athletes like rising badminton star Bianca Carlos, world champion gymnast Carlos Yulo, three-time University Athletic Association of the Philippines Finals MVP Thirdy Ravena and the multi-medaled arnis team. The video captures the struggles and triumphs of the young winners and the fulfillment of their dreams for their families. “We are very proud of these young talents who break barriers and continuously strive for excellence despite hardships and trials. Their love for their family, for their sport, and for the sacrifices they made to make their country proud, truly inspire us,” Manuel V. Pangilinan, PLDT chairman and chief executive officer, said. The whole MVP Group has been a consistent supporter of Philippine sports, from the grassroots to collegiate leagues, to professional organizations, up to national representatives in international events. Smart has also poured its support behind sports where Filipino athletes excel, such as badminton, boxing, basketball, weightlifting and eSports. “We have always believed in the power of sports to make the lives of Filipinos better. The values that we learn from it—teamwork, mindfulness, patience, grace under pressure, and discipline, among others—are important elements to the formula of success,” said Alfredo Panlilio, PLDT chief revenue officer and Smart president and chief executive officer.

CRICKET BRINGS UNITY C4

Sports

| Friday, December 13, 2019 mirror_sports@yahoo.com.ph Editor: Jun Lomibao

BusinessMirror

NFL brass sees ‘angst’ with interference rules

RVING, Texas—Amid the concern and controversy over coaches challenges and video reviews of pass interference, the National Football League (NFL) plans a hard look at the rules adjustment instituted this season. The change was for the 2019 season only and the 32 team owners would have to ratify it again—on a temporary or permanent basis—for it to be continued. Thus far, inconsistencies in how the penalties are being called and with decisions made after video reviews have plagued the system. “There’s no question there’s been angst,” Rich McKay, president of the Atlanta Falcons and head of the NFL’s powerful competition committee said Wednesday at the league meetings. “I’ve felt the angst. I felt the angst with our team, feel the angst of others. But it’s a new rule. It’s a big change. It’s something we haven’t done before. So I don’t want to prejudge what the outcome could be.’’ McKay and league football operations chief Troy Vincent said the subject will be “a point of discussion’’ in the off-season. “I think from the committee’s standpoint, what we typically do is we’ll go back and we’ll look at every single review and we will look at it from the standpoint as a committee, ‘Would we have reversed that? Would we not have reversed that?’” McKay explained. ”After you do that, which is what we did last year with use of helmet—I think we looked at 120 use of helmet plays. You get a good sense of, ‘Can we do this better? Does this have a path to get better and more efficient and more effective and more predictable? And what are the challenges?’” Commissioner Roger Goodell said “consistency is the No. 1 thing we’re always trying to achieve.” “And we every year have engaged in changes that have been designed to make us more consistent and better,” Goodell said. “Obviously, the standard keeps getting higher as we add new elements. But I think what people see nowadays with technology is much greater than it was even five years ago. “I think our officials do an outstanding job, but we always seek to improve and we will engage in that. We have engaged in that. And I promise you that will continue.” Vincent emphasized that his job is to evaluate all officiating matters. “My role is to gather all the information and evaluate it, myself included,” he said. “What are we doing? When you look at officiating this year, there’s a cloud over PI. We had, once Week 1 through 3 were in, there was a substantial amount of holding penalties that caused the penalty count to spike. “We’ll look at everything. I’ll provide all of the data with how the committee comes in in February, this is where we are, from a people standpoint, a process standpoint, here’s how we fared among crews, among refs. That is something that we do each and every year. “But my role is to evaluate and inform the committee, inform the commissioner, this is the state of officiating. We’ll come up with the best outcome from what’s best for the game.” In other topics: n Goodell said the league wouldn’t make any judgments until the investigation is complete into the New England Patriots inappropriately filming the Cincinnati sideline during Sunday’s game in Cleveland. The club has acknowledged that a three-person crew producing a Web series, titled “Do Your Job” didn’t properly inform the Browns. The Patriots said they turned over all the footage to the league after being confronted. New England plays at the Bengals on Sunday. In 2007, the Patriots were fined $250,000 and lost a first-round draft pick for violating NFL rules against using video to steal signals in a scandal dubbed “Spygate.” Coach Bill Belichick was also fined $500,000. Asked if New England’s side of the latest story was believable, Goodell said, “One of the things I’ve learned is you don’t draw conclusions until you have all the information. Once we have all the information, then we draw conclusions. We’re not going to draw conclusions along the way.” Goodell said the previous incident did affect the current situation, “But I think the key things are the new information that we have. I think the issue is what information do we have from this incident?” n Goodell said owners discussed the ongoing negotiations for a new labor agreement for about an hour but didn’t have much else to report. The collective bargaining agreement expires in March 2021. “I know that we’ve committed to work hard and to try to keep the issues at the table and try to see if we can reach an agreement,” Goodell said. AP

Fifa committee wants to recover cash from Platini

SRI LANKAN and Pakistani players shake hands after exchanging caps ahead of their first test match. Earlier, police commandos escort vehicles carrying the Sri Lankan cricket team as they arrive at the Pindi Stadium in Rawalpindi, Pakistan. AP

Sri Lanka was the last team to play a test match in Pakistan, in a series in 2009 when terrorists attacked the touring team’s bus in Lahore. The ambush killed eight people and left several Sri Lankan players and officials injured.

By Rizwan Ali

The Associated Press

AWALPINDI, Pakistan—Cricket-starved fans in Pakistan had to wait in long lines for stringent security checks before entering the stadium for the first test match in the country in more than a decade. The 17,000-seat Pindi Cricket Stadium was heavily guarded by police and army personnel on Day 1 of the match between Pakistan and Sri Lanka on Wednesday. By stumps, the stadium was half-full and containing mostly youngsters as Sri Lanka reached 202-5. “I didn’t mind that I waited for around four hours [to get in] when I compare it with Pakistan’s 10 years of isolation from hosting a test match,” said Dayan Mehdi Butt, a 20-year-old student. “I will definitely come tomorrow, too, no matter how long I have to wait in queue.” Sri Lanka was the last team to play a test match in Pakistan, in a series in 2009 when terrorists attacked the touring team’s bus in Lahore. The ambush killed eight people and left several Sri Lankan players and officials injured. Pakistan has since played its home test matches in neutral territory, mostly in the United Arab Emirates, because international teams didn’t want to visit Pakistan for security reasons. It was symbolic that Sri Lanka was the first team to play a test back in Pakistan after a 10-year absence, with the stadium in Rawalpindi hosting its first major international match since India played a test match in the city in 2004, which Pakistan lost by an innings. “I came straight from the school because I have been waiting for so long to see Pakistan batsman Babar Azam live in action,” said Usama Bhatti, a college student who came with his friend. “But it’s not just Babar. We also want to support both teams, no matter who wins or loses.” After a wicket-less opening session, witnessed by only a few spectators, when Sri Lanka cruised to 89-0 against the new ball, Pakistan had its most productive period between lunch and tea as the visitors lost four wickets for 31 runs and slumped to 137-4. Sri Lanka captain Dimuth Karunaratne (59), who scored his 24th test half century, and Oshada Fernando (40) saw off the threat of the new ball with a 96-run opening stand.

Karunaratne, who opted to bat first after winning the toss, hit nine boundaries before he was undone by Shaheen Afridi’s yorker and was out lbw. Karunaratne said he didn’t think about the context of the match when he faced the first ball, just about providing a good start for his team. “At that time I was thinking about how to survive,” Karunaratne said, “and once I get the start, I know how to get runs as well.” Karunaratne was impressed with the appreciation his team received from fans. “The spectators gave us good support and I also saw some boards, telling us welcome,” he said. Fernando took an hour to register a run, scoring off his 20th ball, before edging 16-year-old paceman Naseem Shah, who was the most impressive bowler with 2-51. Pakistan surprisingly left out veteran leg-spinner Yasir Shah and instead handed left-arm paceman Usman Shinwari a test debut. Shinwari bowled to a better line and length after lunch and was rewarded with his first test wicket when Kusal Mendis edged to wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan for 10. Pakistan’s most experienced bowler, Mohammad Abbas, finally got a first wicket in his 14th over by having Dinesh Chandimal (2) clean-bowled with a delivery that just moved enough to knock back the off-stump. Former Sri Lanka captain Angelo Mathews (31) added 62 runs with Dhananjaya de Silva before Shah returned after tea and got the breakthrough. Mathews, who was in the middle for two hours, 20 minutes, played a reckless drive and was neatly caught by Asad Shafiq. Dhananjaya was unbeaten on 38 while Nirsoshan Dickwella was not out on 11 when play was called off early because of bad light, with Pakistan bowling only 68.1 overs. Shah, who made his debut against Australia at Brisbane last month, said he was excited to play at home. “I enjoyed a lot when the crowd supported me today and appreciated me whenever I bowled good deliveries,” he said. “I was very excited because I was playing at home. I am thankful to the crowd that they spared time and came to the stadium today.”

ONDON—The Fifa governance committee has told the soccer body’s leadership to pursue legal action against Michel Platini to recover the 2 million Swiss francs ($2 million) that led to the former UEFA president being banned from the sport. The payment was exposed in 2015 as having been approved by Sepp Blatter, which led to the Swiss official being ousted as Fifa president. Fifa governance committee Chairman Mukul Mudgal wrote to Fifa Deputy Secretary-General Alasdair Bell saying the body had passed a resolution over the wrongful payment. “The Fifa administration [should] take the necessary steps before the relevant authorities in Switzerland against both Mr. Blatter and Mr. Platini with a view to ensuring that the CHF 2 million unduly paid by Mr. Blatter to Mr. Platini is returned to Fifa [together with interest, at the appropriate rate] and the disciplinary fines and costs imposed are recovered,” Mudgal wrote in a November 25 letter seen by The Associated Press. Platini can work again in soccer because his four-year ban expired in October. But any comeback into a senior role would likely force him to first pay Fifa a fine of 60,000 Swiss francs ($60,300) that is three years overdue. Legal action would also seek that fine to be paid up. Platini was the heir apparent to Blatter as Fifa president in 2015 until they were both toppled from power. Blatter is still serving a six-year ban, upheld by the Court of Arbitration for Sport after being imposed in 2015, for authorizing the payment to Platini in 2011 as backdated salary for work as his adviser a decade earlier. Blatter also approved extending his former protege’s Fifa pension plan. Last month, a lawyer for Platini said the former France great was going to court to receive payments allegedly due in his UEFA employment contract worth 3 million Swiss francs ($3 million) in annual salary and bonus. Lawyer Vincent Solari said UEFA paid Platini for only one year after he was suspended—in October 2015—and began challenging a ban by the Fifa ethics committee. Platini’s contract called for two years of pay “in case of incapacity to perform his tasks,” Solari said. AP

God of everlasting goodness

EAR God, Your faithful love endures forever. With awe we pray: God in Your wisdom, hear our prayer. Expand our sense of wonder at the glory of the universe and the giftedness of the Earth. Help us to steward our resources with justice and love. Give insight and humble love to counselors, spiritual companions, and pastoral care workers. May God accomplish all good things in us, through Jesus and by the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen. GIVE US THIS DAY SHARED BY LUISA LACSON, HFL Word&Life Publications • teacherlouie1965@yahoo.com

Editor: Gerard S. Ramos • lifestylebusinessmirror@gmail.com

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GAB FAB: UAAP STARS TELL THEIR STORIES IN ‘DAYORIES’ D4

BusinessMirror

Friday, December 13, 2019

Controversy, criticism and Clint Eastwood A newspaper criticizes Eastwood’s new film, ‘Richard Jewell,’ and its take on the 1996 Olympic bombing coverage DIRECTOR Clint Eastwood speaks with actor Paul Walter Hauser as they work during the filming of the movie Richard Jewell. AP

BY KATE BRUMBACK The Associated Press

TLANTA—After a bomb exploded in a downtown Atlanta park midway through the 1996 Olympics, a security guard initially cast as a hero was recast as a villain virtually overnight. More than 20 years later, a movie to be released later this week, Richard Jewell, explores the roles played by law enforcement and the media in the guard’s ordeal. Now the movie is drawing its own share of criticism. Kevin Riley, the current editor of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, is disputing the film’s depiction of the newspaper’s reporting and decision-making processes, especially the portrayal of reporter Kathy Scruggs, who the movie implies traded sex with an FBI agent for a tip on the story. In an op-ed, Riley wrote that there’s no evidence Scruggs committed the breach of journalistic ethics implied in the movie and disputed implications that the newspaper’s reporting was sloppy. In an interview with The Associated Press, director Clint Eastwood dismissed the criticism of his movie, which is based on a 1997 Vanity Fair article by Marie Brenner, by saying the paper likely is looking to “rationalize” its actions. Jewell’s saga began on July 27, 1996, when he spotted an abandoned backpack during a concert in Centennial Olympic Park shortly before 1 am and helped clear the area as federal agents determined it contained a bomb. The explosion about 20 minutes later killed 44-year-old Alice Hawthorne of Albany, Georgia, and injured 111 people, some of them seriously. A Turkish television cameraman died after suffering a heart attack while running to film the explosion’s aftermath. Jewell, who likely helped prevent many more

casualties, was initially hailed as a hero but a few days later was reported to be the focus of the FBI investigation, and the public quickly turned on him. The park reopened within days, the games continued and Jewell was publicly cleared three months later. But he grappled with the fallout for the rest of his life, and Atlanta lived with the fear and unease of a bomber still at large. A new book, The Suspect, attempts to bring clarity to the aftermath of the bombing. Its authors were in the thick of it: Kent Alexander was the US attorney in Atlanta when the bombing happened and Kevin Salwen led The Wall Street Journal’s southeastern section. In the frantic days after the bombing, Scruggs confirmed with law enforcement sources that the FBI was focusing on Jewell. The paper published that information three days after the explosion and scores of reporters descended on the apartment complex where Jewell lived with his mother, leaving them feeling as if they were under siege for months. Jewell had made clear his dream of working in law enforcement and was endlessly mocked as an overzealous but bumbling wannabe cop. It’s easy to say in hindsight that the investigation focused too heavily on Jewell, Alexander said. But some of Jewell’s actions and tips from people who knew him raised serious questions, the former prosecutor said. There was also the memory of a police officer at the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles who was celebrated for disarming a bomb until it emerged that he’d planted it. Doubts about Jewell’s guilt surfaced quickly, especially once it became clear he couldn’t have made a 911 call reporting the bomb from a pay phone blocks away. In late October 1996, Alexander took the unusual step of sending a letter to one of Jewell’s attorneys saying Jewell was not a target of the investigation.

“His name had been so badly muddied and tarnished that it just seemed like we should do something, so I did,” Alexander said. That left authorities sifting through dozens of possible suspects—the actual bomber, antigovernment extremist Eric Rudolph, not among them. Rudolph, who was behind two more bombs in Atlanta in early 1997 and another in Alabama in January 1998, was eventually captured in 2003 and pleaded guilty in 2005. The media frenzy surrounding Jewell drew backlash, and the Journal-Constitution was criticized for the “voice of God” style in its initial story, which carried no attribution and left the origin of the information unclear. Ron Martz, who shared a byline with Scruggs on the scoop, said questions and rumors swirled in the wake of the horrific attack and he saw it as a public service to let people know where the investigation stood. Scruggs had solid sources and the story had been through several editors, Martz said. Editors even had him take the highly unusual step of reading the entire story to an FBI spokesman to confirm that the information was correct and to make sure it wouldn’t jeopardize the investigation. But Martz said he regrets not pushing for clearer attribution on the original story, which could have spared the paper much grief with the addition of just five words: “according to law enforcement sources.” Once he was effectively cleared, Jewell’s lawyers filed libel suits against numerous news outlets. Most settled, but the Journal-Constitution didn’t. The legal battle continued for more than a decade, beyond Jewell’s death in 2007 at age 44. The courts ultimately ruled the newspaper’s stories weren’t libelous because they were substantially true when published. Criticism of the newspaper, and particularly

Scruggs, was devastating to her, Martz said. “She felt very hurt by the way she was being portrayed and the fact that this was to be the shining moment of her career and people were going after her personally to get at her professionally,” he said. Scruggs was a “wild child,” loud, foul-mouthed and often provocative, Martz said, but she was also relentless, hard-nosed and one of the best reporters he ever worked with. She died at 42 in 2001 from an overdose of prescription drugs. Eastwood defended the depiction of Scruggs, saying he’d “read a lot of material” on her that seemed to “corroborate the fact that she was somewhat on the wild side.” He also said the news media sometimes rushes because of competition to be first, and “they pull the trigger before they’re dialed in.” In a letter sent on Monday to Eastwood, a Warner Brothers lawyer and others, a lawyer for the newspaper demands a public statement that dramatization was used in the film’s portrayal of events and characters, and asks that a “prominent disclaimer” to that effect be added to the film. “It is highly ironic that a film purporting to tell a tragic story of how the reputation of an FBI suspect was grievously tarnished appears bent on a path to severely tarnish the reputation of the AJC,” lawyer Martin Singer wrote. Warner Brothers fired back, saying that the newspaper’s claims are baseless, that the film seeks to confirm Jewell’s innocence and restore his name. “It is unfortunate and the ultimate irony that the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, having been a part of the rush to judgment of Richard Jewell, is now trying to malign our filmmakers and cast,” the studio wrote in a statement. n The Associated Press reporter Marcela Isaza in Los Angeles contributed reporting.

Friday, December 13, 2019

Society BusinessMirror

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Today’s Horoscope By Eugenia Last

CELEBRITIES BORN ON THIS DAY: Taylor Swift, 30; Jamie Foxx, 52; Wendie Malick, 69; Christopher Plummer, 90. HAPPY BIRTHDAY: Relive what’s happened in the past, let go of what you cannot change and move forward. Be disciplined when choosing associates, and spend your money wisely. Protect your possessions and your reputation. Reduce your overhead to ease your stress. It’s time to decrease indulgent behavior and free yourself of things that tie you down. Minimize waste, and implement time management. Your lucky numbers are 3, 16, 22, 25, 31, 36, 48. FROM left: Marcel van Mierlo, New World Hotels and Resorts regional vice president; Pinky Fabro, New World Manila Bay Hotel director of finance; Jane Paulino, NWMBH director of sales and marketing; Nantha Kumar, New World Makati hotel manager; Mark Heywood, NWMBH general manager; Tina Uy, NWMBH director of rooms; and Maui Lagarto, NWMBH director of human resources

CAPT. Shohei Teranishi (from left), Shohei Yamazaki and Masaki Tabata

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Keep your life simple, your attitude jovial and your relationships amicable. If you want to discuss change, be willing to compromise. Don’t offer pretenses or trust someone who hasn’t kept his or her word in the past. HH

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Visit an unfamiliar place or do something you’ve never done; it will change the way you live, the people you hang out with or the path you follow. HHHH

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Verify everything you hear, go directly to the source and don’t decide until you are sure it’s what you want. Someone will tempt and entice you to get involved in something that will benefit him or her more than you. HHH

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Put the drama aside, and focus on being creative. How you do things will make a difference in the way others treat you. A positive attitude will encourage others to follow your lead. HHH MARCEL VAN MIERLO (from left), Bianca Valerio and Mark Heywood

ABBY ESPIRITU (from left), Hatti Fausto, Alu and Adolf Aran, and Marlon Aldenese

Toast to 15 inspiring years N EW World Manila Bay Hotel (manilabay. newworldhotels.com) marked a memorable milestone during the appreciation event recently held for its clients, guests, partners and friends from the media at the ballroom in celebration of its 15th anniversary. With the theme “15 Years of Inspiring Excellence,” New World Hotel showcased extensive wine and food pairing stations, well-applauded entertainment, and exciting raffle prizes and giveaways. New World Hotel General Manager Mark Heywood expressed his appreciation for making the

hotel the No. 1 hotel in Manila on TripAdvisor, and for the trust through these years: “Thank you for your confidence in us and for making us No. 1. We believe that more than this recognition, what matters most is the kind of relationship we have with our guests, clients and the community. Guided by our principles that are inspired by our guests and partners, we continue to do our best and excel in what we love to do for the last 15 years.” The main highlight of the event focused on the recognition of the top corporate and travel partners of the hotel for their continued patronage and business through the years.

Guests were entertained by the performances of the jazz band Brass Munkeys and The Voice of the Philippines Season 2 finalist and member of the current Rak of Aegis ensemble, Leah Patricio. Exciting raffle prizes were also given away, including dining gift certificates, overnight stays in New World Hotels and Resorts properties in Manila and abroad; and a getaway in Saigon, Vietnam, inclusive of roundtrip airline tickets for two courtesy of Philippine Airlines, stylish Samsonite Harlan 68 cm Luggage courtesy of Rustan Marketing Corp., and a stay at New World Saigon Hotel. n

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): What you do will make a difference. A change you implement will be well-received if you put some thought into what others want and build in incentives to ensure that everything runs smoothly. Romance is encouraged. HHHH

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Be observant, watch the people closest to you, take care of your responsibilities and live up to your promises. How you handle others and what you say to keep the peace will determine what changes take place. HH

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Take a break, visit someone you enjoy spending time with or do something that makes you happy. Attend a venue that stimulates you emotionally and physically. HHHHH

i j

Brightening up the season with giant trees ARANETA City continues to brighten up the season with the unveiling of its giant Christmas tree at the Times Square Food Park last November 8. It also launched the iconic Christmas Animated Display in the same area on November 13. Celebrations continue as the three popular malls in Araneta City lit up their own towering Christmas trees in each of the mall’s activity areas. Snow showered at the Gateway Mall activity Area as Matteo Guidicelli with Morriel Abogado, vice president for operations and property general manager of Gateway Mall, led the lighting of the 40-foot Christmas tree. On November 16, Ali Mall followed suit in lighting its towering tree with Viva recording artist Janine Teñoso serenading the crowd. Ali Mall General Property Manager Manny Fabian lead the launch with Janine and Ali Mall officials. And on November 17, mall goers and fans got wild when GMA hunk Jak Roberto rocked the New Farmers Plaza during the lighting of the giant Christmas tree. New Farmers Plaza Property General Manager Ceasar Valencia led the ceremonies. Araneta City has plenty more holiday activities lined up throughout the season. More information is available at www.aranetacity.com.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Don’t get angry over petty differences. Instead of ruining your day, make plans that will be fun for you and someone you love. Work with what you have and be fun to be around in order to avoid getting into a senseless spat. HHH

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): You are heading in the right direction. Don’t let anyone cut you off or distract you from finishing what you set out to do. Holding your own will leave anyone who wants to manipulate you at arm’s length. HHH CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Discuss your thoughts and feelings with someone you love, and make suggestions regarding lifestyle changes you want to make. An affirmative plan that encourages more time for living, laughing and loving will lead to a brighter future. HHH

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Do whatever you can to help those less fortunate. The time spent will open your eyes to existing problems and trigger some viable solutions that will help your community and give you the incentive to do more for others. HHH

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Mix business with pleasure if possible. Getting together for a little festive cheer will give you a chance to discuss an idea you have that can help you advance. Creativity and youngsters will inspire you. HHHHH FROM left: Gateway Vice President for Operations and Mall Property General Manager Morriel Abogado, Gateway Mall Marketing Officer, Matteo Guidicelli and Gateway Administration

FROM left: The Ali Mall Christmas Tree all dressed up with General Property Manager Manny Fabian, Janine Tenoso and Ali Mall officials

BIRTHDAY BABY: You are fun-loving, kind and emotional. You are unpredictable and intense.

‘i’m gone!’ BY CHASE DITTRICH The Universal Crossword/Edited by David Steinberg

ACROSS 1 ___ Rich Asians 6 Courtroom figs. 9 Big name in electric rides? 14 Precise beam 15 College e-mail address ender 16 Not cool 17 Neighborhoods 18 Rude infants? 20 Give out, as hands 21 A bank may waive one 22 Before, to a poet 23 What a derrick pumps 25 Fertile places in deserts 27 Machines that jumble pennies? 32 Subway stop, briefly 34 Kitchen gadget brand 35 Part of a flower or a glass 36 Legendary Native American athlete Jim 39 Netflix alternative 41 Aroma-therapy venue 43 Putting to work 44 Doles out 46 Shorten, as a beard 48 The Matrix role

9 Asian New Year 4 50 Fuel for the Greek gods? 53 Unprocessed 23-Across 55 Love poem? 56 Part of what makes you, you 58 Supplies the food for 61 Pond amphibian 65 Complicated explanation interruption, and a hint to 18-, 27- and 50-Across 67 Playful swimmer 68 German steel city 69 Ambulance letters 70 Back in fashion 71 Glossy finish 72 Snitch 73 Beagle, e.g. DOWN 1 Dressed (in) 2 Far from well-done 3 Not on land 4 Extreme fan 5 Soph. and others 6 Sleep ___ (busy student’s woe) 7 DeVine or Lambert 8 Teach in place of 9 What posters ship in

0 Composer Brian 1 11 Thin fry type 12 Conveyance to the Hamptons, for short 13 Church recess 19 Fermenting agent in beer 21 Touched down 24 “No more, please” 26 Those, in Barcelona 27 “Enjoy ___-Cola” 28 Lionize 29 Good thing to dedicate oneself to 30 Voting marks 31 Like some nests and threats 33 Sleep issue 37 Like August on the East Coast, typically 38 Haters may bruise them 40 Tolkien trilogy, for short 42 Triceps spot 45 Pops 47 Causes for excitement at the NYSE 51 Y or N 52 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s position 54 Sch. with a Hartford campus 56 Salon supplies

7 Have a quick bite 5 59 Actress Stone 60 Do nothing 62 “Novel” suffix 63 ___ Off to See the Wizard 64 Walked 66 Greta of Russian Doll 67 Earth, e.g., in poetry Solution to yesterday’s puzzle:

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It’s time to let go of shame over your debt MANY of us feel bad about our debt. Most of us probably shouldn’t. Three-quarters of US households owe money, but the vast majority pay their bills on time and have debt loads that are reasonable given their incomes. But many people still report being embarrassed about owing money. In one study, nearly everyone with debt believed they would be happier without it. Researchers have also found a “strong relationship” between debt and several mental-health issues, including depression. Sometimes, stress and anxiety over debt is perfectly appropriate. If you’re about to lose your home, have more student loan debt than you could pay in a lifetime or are headed to bankruptcy court, some angst is understandable. Being ashamed of having debt, though, can be counterproductive. Debt shame could make you want to hide from your situation, potentially making it worse. Or you could panic and try to get rid of debt at any cost, potentially at the expense of long-term financial security. DEBT HAS A ROLE IN OUR ECONOMIC LIVES BORROWING a reasonable amount of money to get an education or buy a house often makes economic sense. The education can deliver increased income, while the house can build wealth over time as the mortgage is paid down and home prices rise. Ideally, we would save to buy the other things we want or need. In reality, many households borrow when money is tight and pay it back when their cash flow increases. Economists call this “consumption smoothing,” as households try to maintain a stable living standard. (It’s also consumption smoothing when you save money for retirement to avoid a steep drop in your living standard after you quit work.) Furthermore, borrowing takes a predictable pattern over people’s lifetimes. The amount we owe tends to peak in our middle years, when we’re buying houses and raising families, then declines as we age. Raising kids seems to be a particular risk factor in credit-card debt: A NerdWallet study found 80 percent of parents with children under 18 carried credit-card balances, compared with 58 percent of survey respondents who don’t have children. As well, 1 in 10 of those indebted parents expected it would take more than 10 years to pay off credit-card debt. REPAYING DEBT THE RIGHT WAY THAT’S obviously not a great place to be. Unlike mortgages or student loans, credit-card debt can’t be seen as an investment—just an expense. Interest rates are typically high, and it’s money better spent, or saved, elsewhere. So if you’ve got credit-card debt, getting rid of it should be a high priority. Paying off your cards is the equivalent of getting a risk-free return of 17 percent (or whatever your prevailing interest rates happen to be). That’s pretty spectacular, since other risk-free investments, such as Treasury bills, currently pay less than 2 percent. Paying off student loans or mortgage debt early also gives you a risk-free return equivalent to the effective interest rate you’re paying. That rate is usually low enough, however, that you’re better off contributing to retirement funds, especially if you get an employer match. Of course, you could do both—once you’ve maxed out your retirement savings, you can start throwing any extra money at your lower-rate debt. A smart goal for most people is to be debt-free by the time they’re ready to retire. Carrying debt into retirement can be dangerous, since making the payments on a fixed income can strain finances and cause you to run through your savings faster. All this assumes that your debt load is currently manageable. It may not be if you’re spending 40 percent or more of your income on debt payments, including your rent or mortgage. That’s the level the Federal Reserve says is indicative of financial distress. If debt payments are eating too much of your earnings—or if you’re missing payments, borrowing from one card to pay another or being sued over your debt—you probably need help. Consider contacting both a credit counselor and a bankruptcy attorney to understand your options. The important thing is to act. Allowing your situation to deteriorate because you’re too embarrassed to seek help would be a real shame. AP

Friday, December 13, 2019

Bono, up close SOMETHING LIKE LIFE

MA. STELLA F. ARNALDO

@akosistellaBM

OST journalists live by a strict code of ethics and professional behavior. We are guided by five values, such as honesty and integrity, independence and objectivity, fairness, diligence and accountability. But I’m guessing all these got tossed out of the window for many of us who attended the press conference of the Philippine Red Cross last Tuesday, featuring U2 lead vocalist Bono. Hahaha. (See related story on D4.) I kid, of course. It’s just that many of the journalists covering the event, including myself, have been super fans of U2 for the longest time. Strictly speaking, I know that many of them, including myself admittedly, don’t cover the Red Cross as a beat, even during times of disasters, but were there just to get a glimpse of Bono. (Of course, in my defense, I am a staunch support of the organization, and make it a point to donate to them in times of calamities. OK, OK, doth thou protest too much.) For those who have been unfortunate to have been the subject of a press briefing, or have put together a media event, dealing with journalists is not an easy task. But at Red Cross’s event, we were oh so patient and so well-behaved. We didn’t do any bitching even if we had to wait more than hour just for the briefing to start. I know journalists who have walked out on press briefings that don’t start on time. But such was the pull of this man, Bono, and U2’s songs. So we stayed. And we were not disappointed. For those who would be unable to watch U2’s concert, being in the same room as Bono was the next best thing. Many have said U2’s songs have been the anthem or songbook of their lives. The songs he has composed for the band are an incredible collection ranging from in-depth insights on socioeconomic and political developments (“Sunday Bloody Sunday”), wistful musings on personal love and loss (“Sometimes You Can’t Make It On Your Own”), as well as his attempts to connect to a higher power (“I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For”). And, when Bono tells us he would have been a journalist if he were not a musical artist, he scored even bigger points with us. “As it happens I have a very deep conviction about journalism; I probably would have been a journalist if I wasn’t a singer,” he told the assembly of media, diplomats, and other guests. At the same time, he underlined the

PHOTO: BERNARD TESTA

importance of an unhindered press: “So safety of journalists is very important. I think a democracy requires a free press and I find some journalists a total pain in the arse, but I’m really glad they’re here.” We, of course, applauded and cheered so loudly, I thought the roof was going to cave in. Aside from coming to Manila for U2’s first-ever concert in our neck of the woods, Bono helped launch Philippine Red Cross’s partnership with Zipline, the world’s first and only national scale drone delivery service. The musician sits on the board of Zipline, representing The Rise Fund, which invests in companies that have measureable social and environmental impact. (See, “Bono, Red Cross join hands for medical delivery service,” BUSINESSMIRROR, December 10, 2019.) The fund manages about $4 billion, and its cofounders include Richard Branson, James Coulter, Lynne Benioff, Anand Mahindra and Pierre Omidyar, among others.

Asked why he constantly involves himself in humanitarian causes and social justice issues, and especially thanking Australian firefighters when he chanced upon them at the Melbourne airport, he said: “[We’re] in a roomful of guys that you can ask that question to. I don’t think it’s a surprising thing when people want to salute others for their work. The firefighters in Australia, are unbelievable men and women. And they’re volunteers as well, by the way, and the people on the phones here for Red Cross, these are heroes.” He emphasized, “I am overreported, overregarded, and I have an overinflated opinion of myself [as a] rock star, and I know that I am not a hero. I am delighted to be the lead singer of U2 and, I am not giving it up easy. If you know what real heroes look like, that’s what real heroes look like.” Bono may have an overinflated view of himself as a rock star, but he still knew his place. Can you blame us for adoring this man? n

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ideas for the ladies available at The SM Store.

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There’s a gift or two for everyone WITH Christmas fast approaching, spread the magic and prep for holiday gift-giving with a little help from The SM Store. Glorious gifting ideas for everyone spread cheers as you enter the store. This year promises an extra-magical shopping experience: from the wide merchandise selection, to the cool window displays, and festive decorations, customers will

surely have all the happy holiday feels. Here, you can find best gifts for your loved ones: jewelry to cherish for her to gifts of time in dapper designs for him. There are fragrances and gifts of style—clothes, accessories, shoes and bags—plus cute bling for kids and kids-at-heart. There are coffee makers for coffee lovers and other

home entertaining picks. The SM Store’s holiday gift guide catalog filled with the best giftables in-store, plus a naughty or nice checklist for the kids, should ease some more what holiday shopping anxiety you may be feeling. Don’t forget the voucher next time you’re in the store to get the special discount.

UNHCR, Unicef support Zamboanga City in pilot birth registration project MORE than 200 Sama Bajaus have been provided with birth certificates, in a pilot birth registration project spearheaded by the Zamboanga City local government and supported by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (Unicef). The distribution is the culmination of a pilot birth registration project for Sama Bajaus. Due to their itinerant way of life and because of generations of non-registration among families, the Sama Bajaus face documentation

issues, which in turn lead to their being at risk of statelessness. It is thought that there are 10,000 Sama Bajaus living in Zamboanga alone, around 85 percent of them without birth certificates. UNHCR and Unicef are providing technical assistance to the project under the UNHCRUnicef Joint Strategy for Addressing Childhood Statelessness. The pilot registration initiative also supports the Sustainable Development Goals, and is a significant advance toward leaving no one behind. “The Philippines, a signatory to the 1954

Convention relating to the Status of Stateless Persons, has identified the Sama Bajaus as a population at risk of statelessness. After a series of consultations with Sama Bajau communities, UNHCR, as a leading UN agency toward ending statelessness by 2024, arrived at a recommendation to conduct a birth registration to address their documentation issues,” said Shinji Kubo, UNHCR representative to the Philippines. “A birth certificate will help the community assert their rights. Ensuring birth registration also supports

our global initiatives to prevent statelessness. This pilot birth registration demonstrates the commitment of the Government of the Philippines toward achieving the SDGs, ‘leaving no one behind.’” A pilot registration project which commenced last October, it seeks to register 1,500 people in the community under the leadership of the Department of Justice. This project, which is also in line with the Philippine Development Plan 2017-2022, is a concerted initiative involving the National

Commission on Indigenous Peoples, the Department of Social Welfare and Development, the Commission on Human Rights, and the Barangay Council of Kasanyangan, Zamboanga City. By year’s end, the pilot activity aims to provide birth certificates to a total of 412 Sama Bajaus. The project aims to reach more communities in need of birth registration documents in 2020. More information is available at www.unhcr. org/ph or www.unicef.ph.

gifting points this Yuletide season with presents that will wow loved ones.

Friday, December 13, 2019

Show BusinessMirror

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UAAP stars tell their stories in ‘Dayories’ GAB FAB

‘THE TWO POPES’ ON NETFLIX ON DECEMBER 20

JET VALLE

FROM Fernando Meirelles, the Academy Awardnominated director of City of God, and three-time Academy Award-nominated screenwriter Anthony McCarten come an intimate story of one of the most dramatic transitions of power in the last 2,000 years. Frustrated with the direction of the church, Cardinal Bergoglio (Jonathan Pryce) requests permission to retire in 2012 from Pope Benedict XVI (Anthony Hopkins). Instead, facing scandal and self-doubt, the introspective Pope Benedict XVI summons his harshest critic and future successor to Rome to reveal a secret that would shake the foundations of the Catholic Church. Behind Vatican walls, a struggle commences between both tradition and progress, guilt and forgiveness, as these two very different men confront elements from their pasts in order to find common ground and forge a future for a billion followers around the world. The winner of five audience awards, including Audience Award for US Cinema, Mill Valley Film Festival; Audience Award for Best Narrative Feature, Hamptons International Film Festival; and Audience Award for Best Narrative Film, Middleburg Film Festival, The Two Popes will be available for streaming to Netflix subscribers on December 20.

@jetvalle

VID readers of this column (yes, all three of you) would remember that I wrote about how I attempted to play basketball when I was young. As I’ve written, I can’t exactly remember what happened during these attempts, but I’m pretty sure their number couldn’t have exceeded the fingers of one hand. I tried, I swear. But maybe I must have slapped the behinds of my teammates, or gave them a glance that lingered a second longer, making them uncomfortable to invite me to play. Kapal nila! I was too young back then! Hahaha. Good thing Ricci Rivero of the UP Fighting Maroons didn’t become my teammate then. He is not the most handsome but oooh...does he ooze sex appeal. You would have to pick my mind from the gutter a billion times if I stare at him. My poor sister would have had to bail me out of jail for attempting to harass him. Thank God we didn’t cross paths, or else Ricci wouldn’t have been able able to tell his inspiring story of passion and sacrifice. You see, Ricci, along with Rhenz Abando of the UST Growling Tigers and Ange Kouame of the Ateneo Blue Eagles, are the focus of the iWant original sports documentary Dayories, which features the grit and grind of these stellar athletes and what it took for them to make an impact in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP), the country’s premier collegiate league. “We were naturally excited because iWant and ABS-CBN Sports have a similar objective in giving sports fans stories that inspire. It was also a great next step since iWant already provides the livestream UAAP experience. Fans will now get to know UAAP players through deeper storytelling,” shared ABSCBN Sports Digital Head Mico Halili. The first episode, which is now streaming on iWant, focuses on the big man from the Ateneo de Manila University. Born and raised in Ivory Coast in Africa, Ange has been living in the Philippines since 2016 to get his education and pursue his NBA dream. The 21-year-old immediately won the respect of the UAAP community in UAAP Season 81, where he won Rookie of the Year and helped his team defend their title, overcoming the language barrier and the difficulty of being away from his mother. This season, he has been an unstoppable force inside the paint, and one of the main reasons behind Ateneo’s unblemished record in the recently concluded UAAP men’s basketball tournament. The second episode features highly touted

small forward Ricci, who shares the challenges he encountered transferring schools from the De La Salle University to the University of the Philippines Diliman, starting all over again in terms of his academics and adjusting his game to fit in a team loaded with talent and alphas in the court. Outside the court, the spotlight continues to focus on the Tourism major, who’s also a product endorser, and a budding actor and host. Viewers will also get to know more about Rhenz, a La Union native whose meteoric rise from being an unknown recruit to one of the league’s most exciting players is one of this season’s best storylines. The

rookie’s rumored transfer mid-season gave him his first taste of the downside of fame, but with the help of his team he was able to regain his focus and made it to his first finals appearance. They all left home, sacrificed comfort, put in extra work, in pursuit of a goal and a lifelong dream. Along the way, they found success and, more importantly, they found a new home and new family. Watch Dayories, which is available now on ABSCBN’s streaming platform iWant. I plan to watch this weekend and my remote control better be prepared for a beating, as I am sure I would keep on pressing the rewind button just to bask on Ricci. n

Bono: ‘I’m not a hero’ BY JT NISAY ROCK and roll legend, global philanthropist, cofounder of multiple humanitarian movements, National Journal’s “most politically effective celebrity of all time” and overall generational icon Bono said he is no hero. The U2 frontman deflected the tag during an event on Tuesday (December 10) at the Philippine Red Cross (PRC) headquarters in Mandaluyong, saying he knows a true hero when he sees one. “I am—in an overregarded, overinflated opinion of myself—a rock star. I know that I’m not a hero. I am delighted to be the lead singer of U2, and I’m not giving it up easy, but I know what a real hero looks like,” Bono said. “The firefighters in Australia, those unbelievable men and women who are volunteers, as well as the people on the phones here for Red Cross, they are the heroes.” Bono and his U2 bandmates Larry Mullen Jr., Adam Clayton and The Edge were in Melbourne last month as part of their ongoing The Joshua Tree Tour 2019 when they ran into Australian firefighters, who were off to respond to several cases of wildfires across New South Wales. The band performed the Manila leg of the tour last night at the Philippine Arena. “I’m very excited to be playing in the Philippines for the first time ever,” Bono said. The Irish music icon attended the signing ceremony between the PRC and delivery drone service Zipline, which Bono said is the only company where he is a board member. The partnership is set to roll out on-demand and emergency blood deliveries by autonomous drones across the country. According to Zipline Cofounder and Chief

PHOTO: BERNARD TESTA

Operating Officer Keller Rinaudo, the company would not exist if not for the inspirational humanitarian efforts of Bono. “He has been fighting social injustice and working on global public health since before I was born,” the 32-year-old CEO said. “Bono led the way in terms of combating the HIVAIDS pandemic. There are not very many people, I think, who have really talked the talk and walk the talk as he has for an entire lifetime.” “Music’s my passion,” Bono said, “but Zipline is

where all my other passions come together, which is the idea that commerce should serve people, not people should serve commerce.” The collaboration between the PRC and Zipline is set to become the largest drone delivery operation in the Asia-Pacific region. Expected to launch in the summer of 2020, the 24/7 service will initially deliver blood from the PRC to three distribution centers in Visayas. It will then expand to include over 150 lifesaving medical products.

Top 6 of GMA’s ‘The Clash’ revealed THE twists and surprises keep coming as GMA’s original musical competition, The Clash, unveils its final six “Clashers.” Last weekend’s intense “Clash Back” gave eliminated contestants a chance to challenge the remaining Clashers for a spot in the top 6. And after singing their hearts out, one lucky challenger stood out and reclaimed a place in the competition. Vying toward becoming this season’s champion are Aljon Gutierrez, Antonette Tismo, Jeniffer Maravilla, Jeremiah Tiangco, Nef Medina and Thea Astley. Aljon hopes to make his hometown proud by winning the competition, “Iniisip ko na lang po na challenge ’to na binigay sa akin ni Lord. Gusto ko mapatunayan sa sarili ko na deserving ako makapasok sa Grand Finals. Makakapasok tayo, mga taga-Mindoro, at makikilala tayo, mga tagaMindoro.” Antonette, who successfully replaced Janina Gonzales in the Clash Back round, made sure to give her very best to be part of the top 6. “Nung tinawagan po ako na may Clash Back, sobrang nabuhayan po ako. May chance na ulit. Sabi ko ibibigay ko lahat, wala nang pagkakamali.” Meanwhile, Jeniffer is out to prove she is worthy of her place in the competition: “May mga moments talaga na we fall pero ang importante is we stand up, work harder and believe in ourselves. I am inspired to keep going and do my best palagi.” On the other hand, Jeremiah is grateful to have made it this far: “Sobrang blessed po ako na nandito ako at hindi ko sasayangin ’yung opportunity. Lalaban po ako hanggang dulo.” Nef, who sang “Warrior Is a Child,” chose the song to convey his fighting spirit, “Pag sinabi nating warrior, alam nating fighter ’yan, lumalaban ’yan. Ganun rin po ako dito sa The Clash.” For Thea, music has always been her strength, and she remains grateful to have come so far in the competition. “Music really saved me,” she said. “Nung nagsimula po ang The Clash, marami talaga akong doubts pero ngayon pa lang, masasabi ko na ang layo na nang narating ko, nakaya kong makipagsabayan sa kanilang lahat, nakaya kong lumaban.” The “Clash Panel” is composed of acclaimed vocal powerhouse Lani Misalucha, romantic balladeer Christian Bautista and top comedienne Ai-Ai delas Alas; and hosted by “Clash Masters” Rayver Cruz and Julie Anne San Jose, together with “Journey Hosts” Rita Daniela and Ken Chan. Under the helm of director Louie Ignacio, the finale of The Clash plays out on December 14 after Daddy’s Gurl and on December 15 after Daig Kayo ng Lola Ko on GMA.

THE remaining aspirants for the top prize in GMA’s The Clash

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Editor: Tet Andolong

Friday, December 13, 2019 E1

ISUZU FURTHER EXPANDS

DEALERSHIP NETWORK

Story & photos by Randy S. Peregrino

SUZU Philippines Corp. (IPC), the country’s leading brandnew truck manufacturer and distributor, continues to expand its nationwide dealership network with the inauguration of a new dealership outside Luzon and the opening soon of another branch in the Southern Tagalog region. This would also further strengthen IPC’s retail presence in the country.

First-ever Isuzu dealership in Oriental Mindoro

RECENTLY inaugurated was the new dealership in Oriental Mindoro. As the first-ever branch in

province, it would bring huge convenience to Isuzu customers in the locale. Situated in Km. 9 Nautical Highway, Putting Tubig, Calapan, the newly facility is owned and operated by Mina de Oro Inc. As Calapan, is the center of trade and commerce, agriculture industry, transport and commu-

ments of Mindoro most especially for trucks and LCVs,” he said. Also present was president of Mina de Oro Motors Inc. Daniel Uy who shared that the opening of Isuzu Calapan dealership will bring huge demand in the business, particularly in the area and in the sector of fleet and commerce industry. “We are happy to further boost the Isuzu brand and provide easier access for the residents who wants to use dependable and economical vehicles, both for personal and business use,” said Uy.

THE first-ever Isuzu dealership in Calapan, Oriental Mindoro

nication in Oriental Mindoro, the dealership guarantees to cater to the growing business of the province. Aside from the first-ever dealership in the area, the facility now carries the new corporate identity design. From the usual red and white color theme, the new building façade showcases a modern architectural design highlight-

ed by grayish with red accents color palette. Boasting an expansive showroom, the area is spacious enough to even accommodate two trucks and four passenger vehicles. There’s also a wide side entrance to fit vehicles in all sizes. As for the service area, aside from service bays for passenger vehicles, there are also bays for

heavy-duty trucks. The facility is ready to service Isuzu vehicles using only genuine Isuzu spare parts. Present during the inauguration was no less than IPC President Hajime Koso. “We at Isuzu Philippines are very happy to establish our presence here in Calapan City, in response to the growing transportation require-

Isuzu Bacoor opening soon

MEANWHILE, IPC also recently held the formal groundbreaking ceremony for its upcoming Isuzu Bacoor. Strategically located 15 kilometers southwest of Manila, Bacoor City in Cavite has been considered as one of the fastest-growing gateways to metropolitan Manila. Continued on E1

Business

E2 Friday, December 13, 2019

MOTORING ’MINDER

WAZE SHARES NIFTY DRIVING HACKS THAT WILL HELP US THIS HOLIDAY SEASON

AZE, the world’s largest community-based traffic and navigation app, is anticipating a more grueling gridlock this festive Season of Yule as many Christmas parties, shopping trips, and other activities that require travel from one location to another will happen. Waze data shows that from November to December 2018, there’s a 10-percent increase in the amount of Waze active users on the road which means more people are expected to be on the road this time of the year. With this, Waze shares nifty driving hacks that will help drivers ease their stress out of traffic this holiday season.

Planned drives

FOR a foolproof Christmas gathering, reserve ahead of time or travel early as much as possible. Plan your route and prevent being stuck— or worse, celebrating Christmas on the road. This feature will help you know exactly when to leave your place in order to be at your desired destination on time.

Use the right vehicle type

YOU can choose between private for cars with no special restrictions, taxi to get routes great for taxis and motorcycle to get fast routes with roads that are too narrow for cars. Using the correct category of vehicle type will help you navigate through your destination while avoiding possible traffic violations.

Roadside assistance

SPENDING Christmas outdoors? Be sure to gas up and check your gears before your trip. Waze offers roadside assistance which users enjoy along with last-minute promotions and sales from partner establishments, such as gas stations, restaurants and retail brands. You can also report real-time accidents, police traps, blocked roads, weather conditions and more that will help fellow Wazers get the most optimal route to their destinations without hassle.

Select routes

EVEN though Waze is set to automatically

Moto ‘MITSUBISHI R

pick the fastest route, it is best to check all available route options possible. This way you could personally pick the route that avoids roads you don’t want to take or add a stopover that you’ll be navigated to for your last-minute Christmas shopping without canceling your trip. include a stop you need for your lastminute Christmas shopping.

Share your ETA

IN case you have a Christmas party and you’re arriving late, inform your friends that you are really on your way! Tap “Send ETA” at the bottom of the Waze map to let them follow your drive in real time via text or any messaging app so they will know when to expect you.

Voice direction

ANOTHER exciting Waze voice option to try starting this Christmas season is from our ver y own Mimiyuuuh. Made possible by Lazada, her voice is now available on the app to make rides more enjoyable with her unique voice and witty directions. Her voice will be available on the app only until March 2020. To make Mimiyuuuh your new Waze voice, simply go to Settings > Voice Directions > Mimiyuuuh for Lazada. According to Waze data, people tend to drive longer during the Christmas season to go to shopping centers, restaurants, hotels, banks, and supermarket s/groceries, and similar trends have been observed during seasonal holidays. In fact, just for shopping alone, around 2 million navigations were made monthly. During weekdays, drives start to increase at 7 a.m. and peak from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. While for weekends, drives start later at 10 a.m. and peak from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. Highest navigations are during Valentine’s Day, Backto-School season, and of course, Christmas. With drivers spending an average of five mins/km on the road during the holiday season, you can be sure that Waze has your back. Avoid road mishaps, know which roads are passable, and bring lots of patience as you drive your way to your destination. Have a Happy Holi-WAZE!

COMMEN M

Story & photos by Randy S. Peregrino

ITSUBISHI Motors Philippines Corp. (MMPC) recently hosted the first of its series of drive events dubbed as “Mitsubishi Ryokō.”

POWERFUL 2.4-liter MIVEC turbodiesel

Not known to many, ryokō simply means travel in Japanese. MMPC’s drive is to promote this campaign in order to highlight its tough and reliable utility vehicles by driving it through exotic tourist spots in the country. For the campaign’s maiden event, the destination was the regal island of Bohol. As for the vehicle of choice? Of course, it was none other than one of the brand’s best-selling model—the new Montero Sport. Fresh from its recent debut, the brand’s signature Dynamic Shield front-end design concept now made the latest edition Montero Sport more consistent with the other models,

CHEVROLET INTRODUCES ALL-NEW 2021 TAHOE AND SUBURBAN

TAHOE

SUBURBAN

HEVROLET’S iconic people and cargo haulers begin a new chapter today with the introduction of the all-new 2021 Chevrolet Tahoe and Suburban. Each has been redesigned to be the ultimate SUV—offering the most interior space of any SUV, exclusive technologies and features, and the best driving dynamics in the full-size segment. “There are no vehicles like Tahoe and Suburban, which have starred in Hollywood movies, carried military heroes and world leaders, and helped create countless family memories,” said Barry Engle, executive vice president and president, General Motors North America. “We’ve taken what people love about these pioneering SUVs and made them even better—adding more room for people and cargo, more advanced technology and an unrivaled driving experience.” This was achieved through a complete

transformation of Chevrolet’s full-size SUVs, combining the strongest aspects of its new full-size truck architecture with entirely new systems tailored to the needs of today’s SUV drivers and passengers. These changes result in: Class-leading interior space: n Sixty-six percent more cargo room behind the third row for Tahoe, and 19 percent more maximum cargo space behind the first row for Suburban—both best-in-class n Ten additional inches (254 mm) of thirdrow legroom for Tahoe Dramatically improved driving dynamics: n The most advanced suspension in the segment, with an independent rear suspension paired with available Magnetic Ride Control and first-in-class Air Ride Adaptive Suspension n New Air Ride Adaptive Suspension o f f e r s load leveling at all four corners of

the vehicle, and up to 4 inches (102 mm) of ride-height adjustment An entirely new SUV-specific interior offering up to five display screens in total: n Standard 10-inch (254 mm) diagonal central color touch screen, the largest in its segment n Available 8-inch (203 mm) diagonal instrument cluster n Available 15-inch (381 mm) Head-Up Display, which no competitor offers n Available dual 12.6-inch (320 mm) diagonal rear-seat LCD displays, part of the segment’s most advanced rear-seat media system n Thirty safety and driver convenience features, highlighted by standard Automatic Emergency Braking and new features, including HD Surround Vision and Rear Pedestrian Alert Technologies to optimize performance and efficiency, including: n All-new 3.0L Duramax turbo-diesel engine, delivering an unprecedented combination of refinement, performance and efficiency n Updated V-8 engines with Dynamic Fuel Management, including the available 6.2L V-8 offering best-in-class 420 horsepower n Standard 10-speed automatic transmission for all engines with push-but ton electronic shift Best-in-class nine camera views and new trailering features designed to help improve the driver’s experience and confidence, including trailer profiles, trailer tire pressure/ temperature monitoring and Side Blind Zone Alert for trailering “With an increasing number of SUVs on the market, we knew the all-new Tahoe and Suburban needed to reach higher than ever,” said Tim Herrick, vice president, global product programs. “We transformed Tahoe and Suburban to offer all-new technologies and features and deliver a better driving experience, while staying true to the versatility and capability that have earned people’s trust for generations.”

particularly its platform sibling— the Strada pickup truck. With emphasized sense of wideness, those sharp-looking headlights that are aligned to the grille are now complemented by those new combination lamps at the bumper corners. As a result, the already imposing look became more striking than ever.

Onto the Chocolate Hills viewing spot

AS soon as we landed on the newly opened Panglao airport, waiting for us to board were six brand-new units of the latest Montero Sport (GT and GLS variants). The initial drive was set to traverse through the long well-paved road

THE top spec GT 2WD variant with exterior add-ons at the famous Chocolate Hills viewing spot

THE FINEST NAME IN AUDIO SYSTEM IS NOW IN

SAMUEL TAN, chief technical officer, Nir Paz, director of sales and marketing and Rod Chiong of GW2 Trading

THE Ultimo subwoofer

Story & Photos by Patrick P. Tulfo

HE entertainment system of a vehicle is one of its major features, and people will usually browse on the specs of the vehicle on the manufacturer’s web site when purchasing one. This feature is explicitly detailed not only the head unit itself, but on how many speakers that it has. Motoring journalists reviewing test units will always include a short review on how the music comes out of the stock speakers that came with the model. After all, no matter how hi-tech the head unit is, it will all go to waste without the right speakers that come with it. L a s t N ovemb er 4, M or el Philippine s held a seminar on Audio Tuning at the Se quoia Hotel in Quezon Cit y. It s purpose is to educate us about the company’s of ferings in the market. But before that, we were given a brief backgrounder about the company which was founded by Meir Mordechai, whose love for music inspired and motivated him to create a loudspeaker that would capture the magic of music in the most natural way about four decades ago. This was the guiding principle of the company that resulted in successive generations of speakers and audio drivers that has consistently set standards in sound qualit y. Thus,

MOREL speakers and tweeters galore

has become an annual recipient of awards for home and mobile sound reproduc tion. Most of those who attended including this writer are ignorant about the brand, but Morel is quite popular among tuning enthusiasts, car manufacturers and even audio manufacturers in the world. Its list of clients includes some of the best brand names in the industry, such as Avid Hifi, KEF, Spendor, Pure Audio Project, CAV just to name a few that uses Morel components in their products. They also installed the audio system for Pagani and Karma Hypercars.

In a lecture presided by Samuel Tan, chief technical officer of Morel Asia, he enumerated the four factors that customers want when buying audio speakers for their cars and these are, “Sound Quality, Volume, Power Handling and of course, Fit.” These guides had helped them in coming up with products that not only meets the satisfaction of their clients, but has surpassed their varied expectations, as well. And to be able to do all these he said, “Morel’s secret lies in the fact that all of Morels product are assembled by hand and undergoes extensive testing,

oring RYOKŌ’ CAMPAIGN

sMirror

Friday, December 13, 2019

NCES IN BOHOL networks within the island, including difficult twisties ahead. Our team boarded the top-ofthe-line GT 2WD variant dressed in sleek Jet Black Mica shade. The redesigned interior received a refreshed floor console and soft padded interior door handles. These elements further enhanced the overall quality and comfort inside. What we really liked was the car-like layout, which conveyed a more comfortable feel. From the well-padded and leather-wrapped sporty seats with eight-way power adjust, to the elevated center console. Moreover, there are storage tray underneath that are easily accessible. When it comes to loading our luggage, everything was easy thanks to the new hands-free power tailgate function. A s a passenger, we were able to play around with the fresh eight-inch Smar t Display Audio (SDA) touch screen infotainment system, which is compatible with Apple Carplay and Android plat forms. Another added convenience is the Mit subishi Remote Control smar tphone application, which of fers a number of func tions that facilitate ease of access and added securit y. This new proprietar y smar tphone app sends notification to the driver in case forgot to lock the doors. Likewise, the power tailgate operates through the smar tphone app. The comfy ride made the entire trip blissful enough that we reached the picturesque Chocolate Hills feeling relaxed.

A QUICK stop at the man-made forest

Uphill climb to the sea of clouds

NE X T des tination was to climb the uphill roads leading to the high grounds where touris t s c an see formed clouds below. But the drive to this end point proved to be more challenging as the weather s t ar ted to unleash heav y downpour s. Roads ahead were filled with puddles. Never theless, tire grips with the help of Ac tive St abilit y and Tr action Control (M- A S TC) gave us the needed

N THE COUNTRY

WIN A BRAND

NEW VIOS

EVEN against the light, the New Montero Sport still strikes with its Dynamic Shield front design

THIS DECEMBER

E seven quality tests to be exact, to ensure that it meets the highest standards.” The company uses the knowledge gained over the years of experimenting with sounds to come up with outstanding products. Tan said that they also pay attention to the smallest details in designing a product. He showed a speaker cover design called “the Lotus grill” which not only looks good but greatly aids in transporting the sound coming out of the speaker, as well. In another illustration, Tan showed a cut out of speaker and explained the innovations that went with its design, such as shallow cone profile, the materials used, under and over hung voice coils, powerful and compact magnet just to name a few. He explained that “Morel is not just a speaker company, we are a technology company, we constantly developed new ways to overcome physical barriers and meet the requirements of our customers.” A side from audio speakers, Morel other of ferings that were par t of the seminar were also on display for us to see, such as the MPS amplifiers that were designed to deliver a fine balance of qualit y, sonic per formance and af fordabilit y. And hi-tech t weeters as well were on display that are guaranteed not only to provide the best sounds, but to last long, as well as giving it s buyers real value for their money.

NDING the year strong by getting your dream car this December? Get even more reasons to choose a Toyota with Toyota Motor Philippines (TMP)’s “Epic YearEnd Blowout” happening exclusively from December 9 to 20. A total of 12 brand-new Vios units will be given away to 12 lucky Toyota customers who will win the raffle after purchasing any of the participating models within the promo period. To qualify for the raffle, customers only need to purchase a Vios, Fortuner, Hilux (except Cab & Chassis), Rush, Hiace (FMC GL Grandia & Commuter Deluxe and Pre-FMC Commuter), Innova, Wigo, Altis (FMC & Pre-FMC) or Avanza (MC & Pre-MC) from any of Toyota’s 70 dealerships nationwide. On top of the chance to win a Vios, all customers who will reserve an Innova (all variants), Wigo (all variants), Avanza MC (E A/T and E M/T) and Pre-MC (all variants), Hiace GL Grandia and Commuter Deluxe will also be eligible to pick an instant prize in the form of cash discounts as much as P50,000. Aside from these special treats, flexible payment deals and options are also available for several participating Toyota models: Vios (FMC), Fortuner, Hiace (Pre-FMC), Hilux and Rush from December 1 to 31; and Wigo, Avanza

(MC), Hiace (FMC) and Innova from December 9 to 20. Details can be read online at http://toyota.com.ph/ yearendblowout/. “December has traditionally been a time for many Filipinos to reward themselves and their families by finally deciding to get the car they’ve been eyeing. We want to make this car purchase experience merrier and even more gratifying for our customers through Toyota’s Epic Year-end Blowout,” said Ma. Cristina Arevalo, TMP’s first vice president for brand and product planning. “And with the Toyota Sure Advantage that guarantees our customers enjoy Toyota’s quality, durability and reliability, fulfilling ownership, great value, and technologies that matter, there’s no doubt that choosing Toyota is always a wise, and winning investment,” she added. Take advantage of this limited-time promo by visiting the Toyota dealership near you. You may also inquire online via Toyota’s official web site http:// toyota.com.ph. For more information on Toyota and its range of products and services, follow its social-media accounts at http:// facebook.com/ToyotaMotorPhilippines, http://twitter.com/ToyotaMotorPH and http://instagram.com/ toyotamotorphilippines.

THE New Montero Sport’s redesigned interior

assur ance to go through the hurdles ahead. During the constant climbs was when the 2.4-liter Mivec turbodiesel engine truly shines. Dishing out 179 hp and 430 N-m of maximum torque, all we did was to step on it whenever necessary and the mill easily propelled the vehicle. Torque delivery was absolutely linear and even unrelenting when we had to push hard during our climb. What also contributed to the effortless climb was the mated and smooth shifting eight-speed automatic transmission. The shifting points was always within the optimum range that we ended up using the paddle shifters for engine braking alone. Momentarily, we reached the destination just in time.

Zigzagging our way to the resort

AFTER showcasing the might of New Montero Sport’s power train, it was time to test its han-

dling and control. The next stretch had more twisties going down, not to mention, the sun was already starting to set. But before we drove off, we had the chance to tinker with the GT variant’s new and exclusive easy-to-read 8-inch LCD Instrument Meter cluster. You have the option to choose the display layout to suit your driving moods. Regardless, information is clearly displayed. While the entire convoy was racing against time, we had to carefully maintain the pace as not to leave any vehicle behind. On this par ticular drive, the paddle shif ter became beneficial in doing cons t ant shif ting for engine braking and over taking. The chunky three-spoke helm had good steering feedback that you’ll know the exact amount of stroke when attacking ever y cur ve. But it was during slicing through tight

cur ves when the vehicle exhibited it s handling prowess. Impressively, the feel during tight turns was close to that of driving a car with lower center of gravit y. Safe to say, the vehicle’s over all dimension, its ground clearance, wheelbase all contributed to the nimbleness we felt while at tacking tight turns. Even so, there was still enough tranquilit y inside the cabin during the long stretch. Rear passengers had no complain about ambient temperature as there are enough ceilingmounted air vent s. We also liked the ample cup holders ever y where and extra compar tment s for gadget s and smar tphones. By the time we reached the resort, everyone was still feeling relaxed before settling. There we realized that the New Montero Sport was not only a reliable vehicle on road trips but also can also elevate you journey experience.

Motoring BusinessMirror

E4 Friday, December 13, 2019

Toyota president delivers touching final farewell

T’S goodbye time again as we bid farewell to Satoru Suzuki, who will soon abdicate his lofty post as president of Toyota Motor Philippines (TMP). He will leave behind a yawning gap too difficult to close, as he leaves behind an indelible imprint in the car world for his sterling stewardship of TMP during the industry’s most perilous times, particularly during the last two years when major players grappled with government-imposed monster excise taxes to jack up the nation’s sagging revenues. Suzuki-san more than passed the acid test as he even racked up four straight years of the coveted Triple Crown Affair in topping the sales of passenger cars, SUVs and commercial vehicles—making TMP the undisputed leader for 17

consecutive years now. Here’s Part One of Suzuki’s poignant farewell piece, delivered at the swanky Grand Hyatt Manila at BGC: “To our dearest friends from the media, TMP Chairman Mr. Alfred Ty and Vice Chairman Dr. David Go, fellow TMP officers and team members, good afternoon. “Before we close the last chapter of 2019 and open a new decade full of opportunity, I would like to personally express my sincerest gratitude for your help in making the Toyota brand No. 1. “Thank you very much for the extensive press coverage you have

SATORU SUZUKI

dedicated to Toyota Motor Philippines throughout the years, the impact of which is vital to our success as an automaker. “From broadsheets to magazines, radio to television, digital news and social media, all of you have supported to the growth of Toyota as the local market leader and as a global mobility provider to millions of people. We highly appreciate the media’s full support and active participation in all of our events. “Together with you, Toyota Motor Philippines was able to achieve major milestones in its 31-year run as a Southeast Asian manufacturing powerhouse. “Since my appointment as TMP president in 2016, all of our officers, team members, and dealers have tirelessly worked hand-inhand to give customers the best products and services.

“Allow me to recollect our achievements, which are the result of extraordinary teamwork, decisive action and malasakit. I am both proud and humbled to be at the helm of TMP as we accomplished these victories as one family, over the course of four fruitful years. “The sales and marketing of vehicles have never been this challenging even for TMP, as a combination of socioeconomic factors made the entire auto industry vulnerable in the last two years. Nevertheless, Toyota achieved its 17th consecutive Triple Crown and retained its Top 9 position in the Toyota global distributor rankings. “TMP remains steadfast, reaching a year-to-date market share estimated at 39.3 percent. This shows steady growth from the dip of 38.2 percent back in 2018. As further proof of our fast recovery, last October, we garnered an uncontested 43.6-percent market share, Toyota’s highest in months. “Toyota has become the fastest-growing car brand, with the number of Toyota dealerships all over the country, reaching 71 outlets, including Lexus Manila. This coincides with key model introductions, such as the full model change Innova and Fortuner in 2016, minor change Wigo in 2017, the new Toyota Rush and the all-new Vios in 2018.

“This year’s key model introductions, however, have been the most impactful with our three consecutive, groundbreaking local introductions. Twenty-nineteen is a year of firsts for TMP and the Philippine motoring public. “To start is the All-New Hiace World Premiere, held last February. The Philippines is the first country to have this model, as we are the top market for the utility van globally. “The second is the all-new GR Supra last July, marking the very first time that the legendary nameplate Toyota Supra is made available for retail here in the Philippines. “Last, is the Corolla Altis hybrid electric variant last September, which solidifies our call for cleaner energy. This is the first mainstream model in our local lineup to have an electrified version. “TMP’s combined efforts for a greener environment is encapsulated by the Toyota Environmental Challenge 2050, aimed at reducing our carbon footprint and exploring the use of alternative energy for more sustainable operations. “Just this year, TMP invested P60 million in a 1-megawatt Solar Array project, in cooperation with the Japanese government and Spectrum, a renewable-energy subsidiary of Meralco. This solar array is able to offset 12 per-

cent of our manufacturing and office operations’ energy requirements, saving almost P9 million annually and reducing carbon emissions by 4 percent. “Last May, TMP hosted the Toyota Hybrid Electric Technology Conference, which openly discussed the beneficial effects of HEVs and Toyota’s role in improving local transportation. The event was supported by over 400 delegates from the government, academe, NGOs and the media. “To further raise awareness and educate the public, TMP has also teamed up with several universities in its continuous Hybrid Campus Tour series. To date, Toyota has partnered with Mapua, De La Salle University, Don Bosco and UP Diliman, with more schools to follow in the coming year.” His final chapter will be printed next week.

PEE STOP If there is one promi-

nent sector in our society that religiously holds Christmas parties for their friends, it is the motoring industry. I salute the car companies who never forget in this season of revelry, loving and forgiving. Several of them may have forgotten, but that is no reason to whine. Amid the noise and frenzy of the joyous celebration, there would always be glitches along the way. Human nature.

VESPA PRIMAVERA S SPECIAL EDITION

N 1968, the first version of Vespa Primavera arrived on the market and immediately became a revolution for scooter’s industry: small, nimble, propelled by a perky engine, Primavera gave freedom to several generations and remained in continuous production until 1982. Today, Vespa Primavera embodies all the values that, half a century ago, made it successful. Young, innovative, technologically avant-garde, agile and dynamic, and environment-friendly, Vespa Primavera is a modern bike, inheriting the freshness and joie de vivre of its progenitor. Following the success of Vespa Primavera 50th Anniversary and Vespa Primavera Yacht Club, this year, Vespa is launching a new Special Edition of its most stylish version. Primavera S shows sportier and

brave characteristics that are further stressed with this model, born for those that want to live with more zest. Based on the classical and elegant originality of the Primavera family, this exclusive edition is adding a modern dynamic touch, representing a more refined personal taste, a flavor of reserved luxury, which is not only a desire of women but also attracts the strongest men toward unisex beauty. The steel body of Primavera S has a stunning dedicated color range: Orange Tramonto (Glossy) and Grey Stile (Matte). This outstanding and sophisticated Vespa is strongly characterized by the dark gray shield edge, crest, rims, tie, rear and front light frames. More charm is further added by the sporty stickers contrasting with the color of the body: dark/light gray

on the Orange Tramonto and orange/gray on Grey Stile. The boldness of the vehicle is stressed by refined statement-making specifics, as the black saddle with orange stitching and the orange horn cover. Vespa Primavera S Special Edition is equipped with 12-inch wheel rims, made of aluminum alloy and with a five-spoke design. This provides greater stability, improved safety, and better holding on all surfaces and in all road conditions. LED front and rear lamps, together with LED daytime running light, anti-theft system (Immobilizer) and ABS front disc brake compose the safety equipment of this amazing product. As the Primavera S range, this version is equipped with a USB charging port that enhances convenience for users in a need of charging for phone, tablet and small electronic devices.

The new Primavera S is driven by modern one-cylinder four-stroke 150 cc i-Get engines, air-cooled and equipped with electronic injection and three-valve distribution. Each detail from the exhaust to the inner structure of the transmission casing was designed to provide a smooth, quiet and comfortable ride. The engines are absolutely environment-friendly and perform at the top of their category, with extremely low-fuel consumption. Vespa Primavera S SE 2019 will soon be available at the Vespa Showrooms located at Greenhills, San Juan, and Eastwood, Libis, QC.

ISUZU FURTHER EXPANDS DEALERSHIP NETWORK

MINA de Oro Board Members Agustin Uy (from left), Geronimo Rueda, Perla Perez, IPC Sales Division Head Joseph Bautista, IPC President Hajime Koso, Mina de Oro President Daniel Uy, Mina de Oro Board Members Carolyn Sze, Atty. Vic Ruskin Ong and Ma. Erika Jouiealyn A. Mendoza ISUZU PHILIPPINES Continued from E1

The rapid socioeconomic developments between the National Capital Region and Cavite made Bacoor City the ideal location for businesses which aim to reap the benefits of heightened economic activities in both Metro Manila and the Calabarzon (Cavite-Laguna-Batangas-Rizal-Quezon) economic growth corridor. Soon to rise along Molino Boulevard, the upcoming dealership will be operated by Isuzu Automotive Dealership Inc. (IADI). Boasting a total land area of over 4,000 square meters, the facility will also showcase Isuzu’s latest showroom design to accommodate light commercial vehicles and trucks. The service area will also be that expansive to accommodate even heavy-duty trucks. IADI is also wholly owned by Ayala Au-

IPC President Hajime Koso during the groundbreaking ceremony of Isuzu Bacoor ISUZU PHILIPPINES

tomotive Holdings Corp. IADI has been IPC’s partner since 1996 and covers a nationwide network of nine dealerships. IPC President Hajime Koso was also present during the ceremony. “I see the current potential of Bacoor. Business activities are booming, especially in retail, banking,

service and manufacturing sectors. That is why Bacoor has the highest family income in the province of Cavite, making the city an ideal place to establish small- and medium-sized businesses. I also see the city’s future potential. I believe Bacoor is not just the gateway to NCR. Soon, Bacoor itself will become a strong city, conducive to the IT-BPO and manufacturing industries,” he said. He also added that once Isuzu Bacoor becomes fully operational, the dealership could be the city’s invaluable partner to further progress. “This groundbreaking ceremony marks the construction of our new dealership here in Bacoor City, which demonstrates our dedication and commitment to create tailored transport solutions that make the greatest difference to individuals and businesses in the Philippines,” Koso added.