BusinessMirror February 04, 2019

PHL RECLAIMS RANK AS 2ND TOP BANANA EXPORTER; GROWERS SEEK GOVT AID

By Jasper Emmanuel Y. Arcalas @jearcalas

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FILE PHOTO

HE Philippines has reclaimed its position as the second-largest exporter of bananas in the world, but Filipino growers urged the government to provide more support to maintain the stature, amid tightening competition with South American producers.

In its preliminary market review report, the United Nations’s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) estimated that Philippine banana exports last year expanded by 77.34 percent to an all-time high of 2.95 million metric tons, from a recorded volume of 1.663 MMT in 2017.

“Banana production in the Philippines had been affected by a series of adverse con-

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ditions between 2015 and 2017, in response to which significant investments were made in area expansion, new technologies and improved inputs,” FAO said in the report published recently.

“Thanks to the strong performance in 2018, the Philippines regained its place as second-largest supplier of bananas behind Ecuador, at a volume share of 16 percent of global shipments,” it added.

The output recovery of the Philippines, which accounts for about 90 percent of the total Asian banana exports, boosted the region’s shipments, which grew by 70 percent in 2018 to 3.2 MMT, from 1.9 MMT in 2017, according to FAO. The rise in the Philippines’s exports coupled by the steady increment of Ecuador’s banana supply, will drive global shipments

to a record-high volume of 19.205 MMT, 4.4 percent over 2017’s 18.401 MMT, the FAO estimated. Ecuador’s banana exports in 2018 was projected to increase by 3.6 percent to 6.646 MMT, from 6.415 MMT in 2017, according to FAO.

Government support THE increase in the country’s shipments would mean“higher revenues, more employment and bigger contribution to the [country’s] gross domestic product,” according to the Pilipino Banana Growers & Exporters Association Inc. (PBGEA).

The country would be able to maintain its commanding position in the global banana market if the local sector would be “more competitive” in its clients, PBGEA added.

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Monday, February 4, 2019 Vol. 14 No. 117

BIR steps up anti-evader drive to meet ₧2.3-T goal 14.2% T

By Rea Cu

@ReaCuBM

HE Department of Finance (DOF) is confident the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) can hit its 2019 revenue collection goal of P2.33 trillion despite the substantial rise of targets, as the bureau’s chief banked on key reforms to make this possible—notably a shift to more law-enforcement campaigns in a bid to push voluntary compliance.

Finance Secretary Carlos G. Dominguez III said he is confident that the BIR will hit its goal of P2.33 trillion this year, despite it being

higher by 14.2 percent from the agency’s 2018 goal of P2.04 trillion.

“This year, even if the goals are set higher, I am confident the bu-

reau will achieve a higher attainment rate,” Dominguez said at the 2019 Tax Campaign Kickoff of the BIR at the Philippine International

The increase in BIR’s revenue goals between 2019 and the 2018 goal of P2.04 trillion

Convention Center on Friday.

In that event, Internal Revenue Commissioner Caesar R. Dulay said, “The BIR will now focus its efforts on law enforcement through intensified audit and investigation; we will continue with our Oplan Kandado and RATE [Run after Tax Evaders] program.”

See “BIR,” A2

By Bianca Cuaresma @BcuaresmaBM

HE Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas’s (BSP) key policy rates are not going down anytime soon, as a senior central bank official told reporters that they are not keen on “immediately reversing the course” of monetary policy.

Despite the falling trend of inflation in recent months, BSP Deputy Governor Diwa Guinigundo said they are not looking to cut rates or shift to a more accommodative stance abruptly, especially after their aggressive tightening moves seen in 2018.

“You don’t immediately reverse course. I think you have to give yourself a few more observations and make sure that what you intend to achieve is in the process of being achieved,” Guinigundo said.

“We want to make sure that we go back to the 2 to 4 percent inflation target, but if you simply reduce the RR [reserve requirement] or reduce the policy rate in order to reverse what you did in 2018, [that] will be bad economic or monetary policy,” he added.

Guinigundo’s statement came just a few days before their first monetary-policy meeting set for

PESO EXCHANGE RATES n US 52.1610

See “BSP,” A2

BUSINESS NEWS SOURCE OF THE YEAR

In true Year of the Pig spirit, 8 holiday hot spots promise more fun in PHL

By Ma. Stella F. Arnaldo

@akosistellaBM Special to the BusinessMirror

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HE Year of the Earth Pig trotters in on February 5, and with it comes abundance and generally good fortune for most animal signs in the Chinese zodiac. Pigs are often described as free-spirited and love being entertained. Traveling and going on vacations are one of the pleasures pigs most definitely enjoy.

While 2019 brings very few holidays to us Filipinos (boo!), one should take a cue from Pigs and indulge in one’s playful side once in a while. After all, we still need periods to de-stress, and spend some quality fun time with our loved ones to clear the mind and calm the emotions. In this

way, we regain our energies to be able to create more wealth and take advantage of the Pig Year’s promise of success.

As is our tradition, we’ve consulted with travel expert Cebu Pacific Airways (born in 1988, the Year of the Dragon!) to find out what are their recommended top 8 holiday hot spots for 2019.

1. SIARGAO, SURIGAO DEL NORTE

CONDÉ Nast Traveler ranked Siargao as the best island in Asia in its 2018 Readers’ Choice Awards survey of the 30 best islands in the world outside the United States. This is why for the second year, it is on Cebu Pacific’s list of recommended holiday hot spots.

Continued on A2

FPI joins bid to halt tobacco tax hike

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“We want to make sure that we go back to the 2 to 4 percent inflation target, but if you simply reduce the RR [reserve requirement] or reduce the policy rate in order to reverse what you did in 2018, [that] will be bad economic or monetary policy.”—Guinigundo

the year. The Monetary Board is expected to set monetary-policy settings again on February 7.

It also answers several statements of different economists and analysts who have issued statements saying the BSP is likely to shift to a more accommodative stance—either in the form of reserve requirement ratio cuts or cuts in the main monetary-policy rate—in as early as the first half of the year to support growth.

In 2018, the BSP made aggressive hikes to their monetary-policy rate for a total of 175 basis points for the entire year’s duration. This was to address the accelerating trend of inflation then. The growth of consumer prices has since been going down after its peak in September and October at 6.7 percent.

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No sudden reversal: Rate cut not likely at next MB meeting

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See “banana,” A2

national budget would ensure enough funds for the conduct of the May 2019 midterm polls.

“We agreed to ratify the national budget this Wednesday,” said Andaya. Congress is expected to take a break starting February 6 to May 19, 2019, for the midterm elections.

HE Federation of Philippine Industry (FPI), alongside other business organizations, have expressed opposition to further increasing the excise tax rates on tobacco products, one of the key additions to the tax reform program that the Department of Finance is pushing.

The FPI’s call for a halt to a new round of excise tax hike comes on the heels of appeals by tobacco farmers, consumers, local officials and business leaders who have cautioned the Senate about the consequences of the tax hike outweighing any gains.

Finance officials and anti-tobacco lobby groups have said the higher excise taxes can substantially boost financing for the soon-to-be-enacted universal health care. Those objecting to it, however, say jacking up rates will further push prices and fuel a demand for illicit tobacco.

In a position paper sent to the Senate Ways and Means Committee, chaired by Sen. Juan Edgardo M. Angara, FPI Chairman Jesus L. Arranza pointed out that higher taxes to be imposed on tobacco products may increase the incidence of illicit trade in the country.

See “Budget,” A8

See “Tobacco,” A2

KIA RELAUNCH The Kia brand was recently relaunched officially by AC Automotive, Ayala Corp.’s automobile business company operating under AC Industrials (ACI), after over two decades in the Philippines. Gracing the relaunch are (from left) Steve Lee, Kia Motors Asia-Pacific COO; Manny Aligada, Kia Philippines president; Ted Lee, Kia Motors Asia-Pacific president; Fernando Zobel de Ayala, Ayala Corp. president; Arthur Tan, AC Industrials Technology Holdings Inc. group president and CEO; H.G. Kim, Kia Motors Asia general manager; and Will Choi, Kia Motors Asia-Pacific marketing manager. Story on page A8. RANDY S. PEREGRINO

House eyes 2019 budget ratification by Feb. 6

By Jovee Marie N. dela Cruz

A

@joveemarie

MID insertion issues hounding the proposed 2019 P3.757-trillion General Appropriations Act (GAA), Congress will attempt to ratify the annual budget by Wednesday. House Committee on Appropriations Chairman

Rolando Andaya Jr., however, admitted that the bicameral conference committee is still working to produce a reconciled version of the proposed 2019 GAA. After the approval at bicameral committee, the annual budget will be transmitted to both chambers for ratification.

Andaya said the passage of the

n JAPAN 0.4790 n UK 68.4300 n HK 6.6472 n CHINA 7.7858 n SINGAPORE 38.7526 n AUSTRALIA 37.9106 n EU 59.7243 n SAUDI ARABIA 13.9088

Source: BSP (1 February 2019 )

News

BusinessMirror

A2 Monday, February 4, 2019

Comelec rushes overseas absentee voters’ ballots

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By Samuel P. Medenilla

@sam_medenilla

HE Commission on Elections (Comelec) is targeting to complete an initial 1.7 million ballots for the Overseas Absentee Voting (OAV) once it starts printing ballots this week.

Comelec Spokesman James B. Jimenez said they opted to prioritize these ballots since the OAV will be held in April—a month before the May 13 regular midterm polls.

Of the 83 countries/posts where the OAV will be held, 41 will hold it

Diokno. . .

Continued from A8

The inserted provision in question, Section 7.3.3 of the Revised IRR, states that: “In order to hasten project implementation, Procuring Entities, which may not have the proficiency or capability to undertake a particular procurement, as determined by the HoPE (Head of the Procuring Entity) concerned, may outsource the tasks by: a) Requesting other GOP agencies to undertake such procurement for them, through the execution of memorandum of agreement containing specific arrangements, stipulations and covenants, in accordance with government budgeting, accounting and auditing rules.”

The BusinessMirror also learned that the funds currently in the PS as of end2018 amounting to P17.4 billion were an accumulation of interagency fund transfers, which started even before the Duterte administration assumed office in 2016.

According to PS data obtained by the BusinessMirror, the agency has been on a negative cash flow every year since 2016 when it recorded P20 billion.

In 2017, it recorded a decrease of P412.6 million as it posted P19.6 billion before contracting to P17.4 billion in 2018.

For this year, P2 billion has been cleared for return to the Bureau of Treasury, while another P6 billion is under reconciliation or cleaning up.

Exports. . .

Continued from A8

The largest receipt increases with the trade benefit in place were recorded in textile (145 percent), leather (77 percent), footwear (74 percent), fish and marine products (71 percent), and animal products (64 percent).

The annual review of the GSP+, which will indicate how the Philippines fared in complying with its commitments, will be issued soon, according to Jessen.

“What we saw in the previous monitoring [were] some good prog-

BSP. . .

Continued from A1

Its latest print is at 5.1 percent in December. The BSP forecasts inflation to settle somewhere between 4.7 percent and 5.1 percent for January.

In their last monetary-policy meeting, the BSP declared that they expect inflation to fall back to the target range of 2-4 percent in as early as the first quarter of 2019.

In their open letter to the President, the BSP said inflation readings as of late have been “encouraging.”

“Looking ahead, we are optimistic that inflation will continue to ease in the coming months given

using the Vote Counting Machines, while the remaining 42 will conduct it manually.

“Since it [OAV] ballots will only contain national candidates, we expect it will be quickly completed,” Jimenez said during a press The PS is also preparing the report on cash receipts every year, including the cash transfers during the time of Andaya as budget secretary, but preliminary data showed that about P8.147 billion were transferred to PS from 2014 and the preceding years.

Procurements during the time of Andaya were also done by contractual personnel, the BusinessMirror learned.

The Letter of Instructions 755, Series of 1978, also states that: “The Procurement Service shall be staffed by persons on detail from agencies or by contractual personnel. The Service shall not have any permanent employee.”

Andaya also said that P4.6 billion of the unused funds in DBM-PS came from the budget of the Philippine National Police (PNP), while P2.4 billion were transferred from the Department of Education.

He added these funds could have been used by the PNP and DepEd for the betterment of police and teachers.

Leyte Rep. Vicente Veloso, a former Court of Appeals justice and a member of Andaya’s panel, has also recommended the filing of criminal charges against Diokno and other government officials involved in alleged technical malversation.

Veloso said the fund transfers are “illegal,” and those responsible for allowing such practice should “be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”

Andaya has since accused Diokno and the DBM of committing “anomalous” practices.

ress in the environmental aspect [and] in labor rights, [as well as] in some other aspects. The overall conclusion is based on a number of factors,” the envoy said.

The country’s trade privilege with the EU was earlier believed to have been put to risk due to the recorded extrajudicial killings under President Duterte’s watch.

The thousands of lives claimed in legal police operations and vigilante executions put on trial the government’s compliance with humanrights conventions. The EU also flagged the plan to reintroduce the death penalty and the lowering of the age of criminal responsibility. our monetary tightening in 2018, as well as the NG’s decisive antiinflation measures, including the liberalized importation of key commodities such as rice, meat, fish, and sugar.”

The BSP is required to issue an open letter for every year that it fails to meet the inflation target.

Despite the optimism in the inflation track, Guinigundo said the BSP will be careful with its next moves, as they do not want to confuse the market with their overall monetary policy track.

“You have to give yourself the time to review how the policy worked itself through the various channels of monetary policy,” he further said.

conference last week.

After the OAV ballots, Comelec will then proceed with the printing of 61 million ballots for the local voters.

“The rest of the ballots will probably be finished by mid-April, which will give us enough time to deliver to where they are going to be used.

But you can see how it is cutting it close,” Jimenez said.

Based on Comelec’s implementatio n calendar of the 2019 polls, the period for the delivery of the official ballots and other accountable forms and supplies to designated areas is from April 20 to May 8.

The Comelec said the ballot printing at the National Printing Office is scheduled to start on February 7.

Tobacco. . .

Continued from A1

“We fear that the high tax proposals under Senate Bills 1599 and 1605 could aggravate the situation and lead to even higher incidence of illicit trade,” Arranza said.

A statement by the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL) last week had reported that an estimated P20 billion worth of fake cigarettes were seized in 2018, adding that cheap fake cigarettes were the most-smuggled goods for the year.

Arranza explained that the proliferation of the untaxed fake cigarettes can be attributed to a rising demand for these, as prices of the genuine but heavily taxed products soar.

7 hikes in 5 years

FOR his part, PhilTobacco Growers Associated (PTGA) President Saturnino C. Distor also pointed out that taxes on tobacco products have already been increased seven times during the last five years. Local tobacco farmers cannot endure further increases in excise tax rates for the product, he said.

“We are struggling and a lot of us already lost their livelihood. We together with the industry pay our fair share of taxes. The government collects no less than P100 billion.

More than any other industry,” Distor said.

Meanwhile, the Pro-Yosi group pointed out that they support the Universal Health Care program of the government, but stated that it does not favor raising more funds for the program by increasing excise tax rates for tobacco products.

“The tobacco industry also deserves equal protection under the law. Tobacco consumers are also taxpayers who deserve the same protection as those who consume alcohol or sweetened beverages,” said Pro-Yosi Group President Anton Israel.

In the 17th congress, two bills were filed in the Senate that propose to increase tobacco excise tax rates: Senate Bill (SB) 1599 from Sen. Emmanuel D. Pacquiao and SB 1605 from Sen. JV Ejercito.

Pacquiao’s SB 1599 proposes to revise the sin tax law and double the excise tax on cigarettes to as much as P60 per pack with an annual increase of 9 percent yearly from the initial 4 percent, while SB 1605 sponsored by Ejercito proposes to increase the price of cigarettes to as

Banana. . .

Continued from A1

“Hopefully, we will be able to sustain good production this year. More so if we improve pest and disease management,” PBGEA Executive Director Stephen A. Antig told the BusinessMirror in an interview. Antig said the country’s exports could decline if output is affected by “destructive typhoons and other disturbances,” that could cause outbreak of diseases.

He warned also that “resurgence of hostilities between government forces and rebel groups”would be detrimental to the country’s banana production.

Furthermore, Antig said they are still seeking the tariff reduction on the country’s banana exports to South Korea in order to remain competitive against South American suppliers.

“We are working closely with the government in finding the right avenues for the reduction/elimination

“The rest of the ballots will probably be finished by mid-April, which will give us enough time to deliver to where they are going to be used. But you can see how it is cutting it close.”—Jimenez

The activity was supposed to start last week, but was postponed since the Comelec was only able to publicly release the final certified list of candidates for the 2019 National and Local Elections on January 31.

Despite the delayed start of the ballot printing, Jimenez they are still hoping to complete the process on time with a “24-hours-a-day and seven-days-a-week” printing shift. much as P90 per pack followed by a 9-percent increment yearly.

The DOF earlier pointed out that it supports the measure of Pacquiao, since the department also included a provision on further increasing excise tax rates on tobacco products under its Package 2 Plus, apart from the provision imposed under the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) law.

Under the TRAIN law, which was implemented in January 2018, cigarette excise tax rates was increased from the current P30 per pack to P32.5 in the first half of 2018, and was increased further to P35 per pack starting July.

In May 2018, the Fight Illicit Trade (Fight IT) movement lauded the efforts of the government to stamp out the proliferation of fake, nontax paid cigarettes, and reiterated that it should remain vigilant against cigarette smuggling. Arranza, who is also the chairman of Fight IT, expressed concern over the growing incidence of illicit cigarette trade in the country, adding that the illegally generated funds from smuggled cigarettes may be financing criminal and terrorist activities.

Yet another position paper submitted to Angara’s committee came from governors of tobacco-producing provinces in the North. They said the almost 3 million Filipinos dependent on the tobacco industry are suffering from the adverse impact of higher taxes.

“From 2013, tobacco-crop production has dropped by more than 20 million kilos or roughly 40 percent of the annual yield. This represents a significant drop in the household income of tobacco farmers,” the governors said.

The local chief executives who signed were Governors Imee Marcos of Ilocos Norte, Ryan Singson of Ilocos Sur, Francisco Emmanuel Ortega of La Union and Faustino Dy of Isabela.

Misamis Oriental Gov. Vicente Emano said he is not opposed to the imposition of tobacco excise tax per se, but considering the series of increases in the past years, he is concerned over the impact on tobacco farmers. Misamis Oriental is one of the provinces in Mindanao that grows tobacco.

“It is inevitable that another round of increase on tobacco excise tax would pose a financial challenge to the tobacco industry, and we are afraid that it will directly affect the livelihood of our tobacco farmers in the event that tobacco factories may choose to close down due to financial difficulties,” Emano said. Rea Cu of tariffs in South Korea,” he said.

Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) data showed that the value of the country’s banana exports in the January-toNovember 2018 period grew by 23.61 percent to $1.345 billion, from $1.088 billion in the same period of 2017.

The value, according to PSA data, is already 19.24 percent over the total export revenue from the banana exports in 2017 of $1.128 billion.

PSA data showed that Japan remained the top importer of Philippine bananas during the 11-month period as it accounted for 34.73 percent of the market share in terms of value.

Shipments to Japan were valued at $509.789 million, 34.85 percent higher than the $378.029-million value recorded in the January-to-November period of 2017, PSA data showed.

The country’s banana production in 2018 grew by 2 percent to reach a record-high of 9.358 MMT from 9.166 MMT recorded volume in 2017, according to PSA data.

www.businessmirror.com.ph

In true Year of the Pig spirit, 8 holiday hot spots promise more fun in PHL Continued from A1

While Siargao gets surfers stoked with its diverse surf breaks, beachcombers will enjoy lazing on beautiful beaches in several outlying islands. Sugba Lagoon in neighboring Del Carmen boasts of warm, clear waters, perfect for swimming and islands teeming with flora and fauna. Check out Sohoton Cove in Bucas Grande, which is also famous for its lagoon full of stingless jellyfishes, rock formations and caves that will satisfy adventure junkies.

the 17th century. Outside its walls is a shrine dedicated to the Nuestro Señora del Pilar.

Beachgoers can take a short boat ride from the mainland to the much-celebrated Santa Cruz Island, popular for its pink sand and clean waters. Those who want to go for a culinary adventure must have a taste of the famous curacha (spanner crab), which is cooked in an earthy, coconut-based sauce. Alavar House is the restaurant that popularized the curacha in Alavar sauce, which you can visit while there.

2. PUERTO PRINCESA, PALAWAN

6. BOHOL

PALAWAN, a mini-archipelago, is ranked third in the same Condé Nast Traveler survey. Its capital, Puerto Princesa, is considered the cleanest and greenest city in the Philippines. Puerto Princesa boasts of a new international airport, making it more hospitable and accessible to local and foreign travelers.

A two-hour land trip away is Sabang, a long stretch of pristine beach and the jump-off point to the Underground River. The short boat ride and trek to the river affords a lot of eye candy with limestone cliffs, lush greenery and endemic fauna that freely roam the area. Honda Bay, on the other hand, boasts of several islands. Among the favorite stops are Cowrie, Starfish, Luli and Pandan islands with their sandy beaches and clear waters with colorful fish and coral reefs best explored by snorkeling.

3. CORON, PALAWAN

ANOTHER jewel is Coron in Northern Palawan, which boasts of an array of natural attractions.

Multiple shipwrecks from World War II have encouraged the growth of coral reefs and make for interesting dive and snorkel spots. Take Instagram-worthy photos against limestone cliffs, secret inlets; or at the scenic Kayangan Lake, just a short boat ride away from Coron town. Islands around Coron offer wonderful beaches perfect for a quiet, lazy day. At dusk, relax at the Maquinit Hot Springs with water as warm as 40 degrees Celsius, while listening to crashing waves.

4. CAGAYAN DE ORO

THE Laguindingan International Airport in Misamis Oriental serves as the gateway to Cagayan de Oro and the rest of Northern Mindanao. Take the thrill of your lives along the Cagayan River, a natural boundary that separates the city from the province of Bukidnon. It boasts of Beginner, Advanced and Extreme rapid runs, with the latter requiring a two-hour trek before starting the adventure. Take a two-hour drive up to Bukidnon to experience the Dahilayan Adventure Park, home of Asia’s longest dual zip lines at 4,700 feet above sea level, where thrill-seekers can rush at speeds of up to 90 kilometers (km) per hour.

5. ZAMBOANGA CITY

DUBBED Asia’s Latin City, Zamboanga has a lot to offer tourists of every persuasion. For history and culture nerds, Fort Pilar is a must-visit. This military fortress was built by the Spanish government in

BIR. . .

Continued from A1

This, he added, “will hopefully lead to increased voluntary compliance among all taxpayers. But at the heart of all these plans are service and integrity the bureau will endeavor to serve you with honesty and efficiency.”

“The year saw the highest collection ever for the bureau,” Dulay pointed out.

“This year our goal is P2.33 trillion, a 14-percent increase from last year’s goal.

But let’s go beyond numbers, our collection will provide for education, health, roads and bridges, our goal is nation building,” Dulay added.

According to Dulay, 97 percent of the bureau’s revenues come from voluntary compliance and 3 percent from lawenforcement activities.

It was reported that the BIR’s RATE program contributed more than P15 billion from the 197 rate cases it filed at the Department of Justice ; and its Oplan Kandado recorded P800 million and closed 233 area establishments nationwide.

Dulay also pointed out that collections from its Large Taxpayer Service accounted for 66 percent of the total collections for 2018, while 3 percent came from the revenue regions.

Shortfall in 2018 THE revenue collections for 2018 represented a 10.1-percent increase over the P1.78 trillion in collections for 2017, but the BIR was 3.9-percent short of its goal of P2.04 trillion.

Nonetheless, the collection was pointed out as already representing

THE new Panglao International Airport has opened up fresh possibilities for touring Bohol.

Blessed with beautiful beaches, heritage homes and centuries-old churches, Bohol ticks all boxes to compose the perfect selfie. Marvel at the mounds of Chocolate Hills that span over 50 square km of land, or take a trip to the mysterious Lamanoc Island in the town of Anda, or cruise along the Loboc River.

(For the Loboc River cruise, packages are available including lunch and entertainment.) For adrenaline junkies, the Eco Adventure Tour in Danao with its zip lines carved into the limestone cliffs will send pulses racing.

7. BACOLOD, NEGROS OCCIDENTAL

THE City of Smiles is a treat for foodies where they can indulge in the original Chicken Inasal (chargrilled chicken marinated in a citrus-based sauce) at Manukan country, and the divine chocolate cake at the popular Calea Cakes and Pastries. Among the more famous cultural sites is The Ruins in neighboring Talisay City—the framework of an old Italian-inspired mansion that was burned down during World War II. The TawHai floating bar in Lakawon Island is the perfect place to chill or have a drink. (The island is off Cadiz City, just a 1.5-hour drive from Bacolod.) Also drop by the Mambukal Hot Springs in the town of Minoyan (25 km away from the Bacolod Airport), which has a sulfur dipping pool that helps in relaxing muscles and stimulating blood circulation.

8. CEBU

THE Queen City of the South is highly urbanized—and just a short ride away from some of the best beaches and historical sites. It also hosts numerous palatepleasing restaurants offering simple sutukil (sugbatusok-kinilaw) budget fare to fine-dining choices whipped up by internationally renowned chefs.

The newest go-to destination is the Cebu Safari and Adventure Park in Carmen, which hosts one of the biggest zoological parks in Southeast Asia and is home to some 1,200 animals and hundreds of thousands of orchids. Also, take a thrill ride on what’s reputed to be the longest zip line in the country.

Further north is an array of pristine beaches, while neighboring islands like Bantayan and Camotes offer laid-back beach getaways, while Malapascua is the jump-off point to scenic dive sites.

Each of these destinations offers unique attractions that will heal the soul and breathe new life into the spirit. For more information about our top 8 holidays hot spots, visit the Department of Tourism web site at www.tourism.gov.ph. For airline schedules, go to www.cebupacificair.com. almost 96 percent of its revenue goal.

“The BIR attained 96 percent of the goal we set for ourselves. Some people are criticizing us that we didn’t meet 100 percent or didn’t exceed it. But I think, in any class, if you hit 96 percent, its already okay,” Dulay added.

According to Dominguez, continuing administrative reforms at the BIR will help it attain its goal for the year, including: the increased availability of electronic payment options; a relentless RATE program and Oplan Kandado campaign; and the broadening of the tax base.

“Last year, we achieved a 10.55-percent increase in the number of active registered business taxpayers. So, congratulations to the private sector there,” he said.

The BIR’s effective implementation of its Centralized Arrears Management system in the revenue regions is also seen to provide the bureau the reengineered processes for managing both accounts receivables and delinquent accounts.

TRAIN law THE Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) law was seen as motivating the government to rapidly develop an electronic filing and payments system, as well.

“The best way to collect the right taxes, however, remains to be voluntary compliance. This is the reason we launch this tax awareness campaign every year. We expect taxpayers to pay their taxes promptly and properly in the same way that they expect us to spend every peso that the Bureau collects in investments that would help make growth truly inclusive for every Filipino,” Dominguez added.

A4 Monday, February 4, 2019 • Editor: Vittorio V. Vitug

Economy BusinessMirror

Electric co-ops chide DOE for ‘baseless’ accusations

By Lenie Lectura

A

@llectura

RECOMMENDATION by the Department of Energy (DOE) to revoke—but later on recalled—the franchise of 17 electric cooperatives has caused significant damage and irreparable negative impression to electric cooperatives, a group representing them said.

“As it turned out, this endorsement was done in haste and in the absence of due diligence on the part of the [DOE], because just recently, the same endorsement was recalled and revoked by Secretary Alfonso G. Cusi himself,” a statement by the Philippine Rural Electric Cooperatives Association Inc. (Philreca) said over the weekend.

As confirmed by Undersecretary Felix William B. Fuentebella last week, the DOE recommended to the House of Representatives through Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo the revocation of the franchise of the 17 electric cooperatives. The DOE said these organizations had been underperforming, are in financial dire straits and technically distressed.

Later on, Fuentebella said the “earlier recommendation to Congress has been withdrawn two days ago,” citing the “need to further

evaluate and assess the present status and performance of the 17 electric cooperatives.”

Philreca said the DOE should have conducted an evaluation and assessment on the status and performance of these cooperatives in the first place.

“While we believe that recalling and revoking the original endorsement is the right thing to do, we cannot help but express our sentiments because his actions have already caused significant damage and irreparable negative impression to the” electric cooperatives.

On the same day the recall was announced, the DOE said it will review the cooperatives’ “compliance to the service requirements of their respective areas,” as part of the agency’s initiatives to improve power services in the provinces by enhancing the performance of these cooperatives.

The DOE noted many electric cooperatives failed to carry out their mandate for various reasons. These include inefficient management, corruption, unnecessary political interference, as well as institutional conflicts.

Philreca noted that the statement of the DOE and the endorsement letter to the House of Repre-

sentatives are meant “to manipulate the mindset of the public for them to think that the electric cooperatives are not performing well.”

“And with this comes the justification on the entry of private, forprofit and zero-experience corporations,” the organization said.

Philreca is hoping that Cusi would be just and fair in assessing the accomplishments and challenges of electric cooperatives.

“We hope that the DOE would see how the electric cooperatives have been operating in areas no private distribution utility has dared to enter before.”

The DOE said it will request the National Electrification Administration to submit the technical and financial performance reports of electric cooperatives for the last five years.

In addition, the DOE said it will ask these cooperatives to submit their road maps and strategies for improving their services, operations and economic viability in the next three years.

“The review will be an inclusive process,” Cusi said. “We will ask the electric cooperatives to identify their main challenges and work with them in determining longterm and sustainable solutions.”

He added that the results of the review will be made available to the public “for transparency purposes.”

Depending on the review’s findings, task forces may be created to assist underperforming electric cooperatives, according to Cusi.

For nonperforming electric cooperatives, on the other hand, the DOE may recommend the cancellation of their franchises.

“Cusi claims that the review will be inclusive; that the electric cooperatives will be asked about their challenges; and that he will help us determine sustainable solutions,” Philreca retorted. “All these claims fall short of what the secretary has been doing for the past months.”

The group also accused the DOE chief as having “consistently declined restoring the budget cuts to the government’s Sitio Electrification Program.” Philreca also said Cusi “has favored the entry of for-profit corporations in the electrification sector versus supporting electric cooperatives who are experiencing different kind of challenges.” The group added that Cusi “has never engaged electric cooperatives on any dialogue or meeting with an open mind so as to come up with solutions.”

Caap to hold exam for air traffic service course in May

T

HE Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (Caap) announced that its competitive examination for its Comprehensive Air Traffic Service Course will be held in May. The Caap said in a statement that the exam is open to young and competent men and women who aspire to be part of the country’s elite line of Air Traffic Management Officers. Starting salary is P40,000 per month.

The C a ap, an attached agency of the Department of Transportation, said application forms are available at its web site or at the Human Resource Management Division (HRMD) at its central office in Pasay City.

The deadline of application submissions are on May 10 at 5 p.m. Applications may be submitted in person or via mail/courier at the HRMD, Caap Central Office in MIA Road, Pasay City, or in any Caap Testing Centers.

Nationwide examinations will be held simultaneously at the Civil Aviation Training Center in Pasay City and in designated testing centers in Baguio, Tacloban, Davao and Zamboanga on May 25. Successful examinees must also pass a panel interview and physical examinations.

The Caap is responsible for implementing policies on civil aviation in order to ensure safe, economical and efficient air travel. As an independent regulatory body with quasi-judicial and quasi-legislative powers, the Caap is mandated to set comprehensive, clear, and impartial rules and regulations for the Philippine aviation industry.

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‘Overseas Filipino workers in Afghanistan may lose jobs’

By Recto Mercene @rectomercene

M

ORE than 2,000 Filipinos working inside the two large bases of the United States in Bagram and Kandahar in Afghanistan could lose their jobs if Washington withdraws some 14,000 US troops in the Taliban-infested country.

In his third year in office, US President Donald J. Trump has expressed an eagerness to withdraw his country’s forces, which make up 14,000 of the 17,000 foreign troops there.

The war in Afghanistan has dragged on for 17 years. Recruitment and migration consultant Emmanuel Geslani noted that in an effort to wind down the conflict, the US engaged the Taliban in peace talks. The two sides discussed the withdrawal of foreign troops.

In a Bloomberg report, the US and the insurgent group struck “agreements in principle on a couple of very important issues” during talks in Qatar, Zalmay Khalilzad, the Trump administration’s special envoy on Afghan reconciliation, said in a news statement. That includes a Taliban pledge not to allow terrorists to use Afghanistan as a base, the withdrawal of US and Nato forces, a ceasefire and direct Afghan-Taliban talks.

Another meeting is set for February.

Filipinos have been working in war-ravaged Afghanistan since 2003, when most of them were transferred there by international contractors from Iraq. Many were also able to get into Afghanistan using Dubai and Kuwait as jump-off points.

The Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) considers these workers as undocumented.

“Every time they would come

home to the country for a brief vacation, like every six months, their return to Afghanistan was a painful financial loss,” Geslani said.

Overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in Afghanistan increased to more than 10,000 as more American troops were deployed by US President Barack Obama and troops from 50 other nations joined them to fight the Taliban.

In 2011 OFWs in Afghanistan were granted documentary privileges by the POEA to allow them to continue working in that country when the US military threatened to kick them out, but thenPresident Benigno S. Aquino III issued an executive order legalizing their stay.

Some 400 Filipinos are also working in Kabul for international organizations, including the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, the US Agency for International Development and the International Red Cross.

Most of these OFWs are inside the “Green Zone” which cannot be penetrated by Taliban suicide bombers.

OFWs also travel with armed convoys.

The US has been in Afghanistan after terroristsattackedtheWorldTradeCenter in New York in 2001. US President George W. Bush ordered the military to invade Afghanistan and pursue Osama bin Laden, the brains behind the attack, who was killed by US Special Forces in 2014.

After bin Laden’s death, Obama started the withdrawal process while the US and its Nato-led allies marked the official conclusion of their combat mission in Afghanistan in 2014.

Obama agreed to leave behind 10,000 US forces to train the Afghan Army. OFWs had to return to the country as international contractors who hired them stopped doing business with the US military.

Land conversion threatens wetlands, DENR official warns

By Jonathan L. Mayuga @jonlmayuga

M

ASSIVE land conversions continue to threaten wetlands, an important habitat for native birds and staging ground for migratory birds, according to an official of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).

CitingthecaseoftheCandabaSwamp, which encompasses 32,000-hectare freshwater ponds, swamps and marshes surrounded by seasonally flooded grasslands, Director Crisanta Marlene Rodriguez of the DENR’s Biodiversity Management Bureau (BMB) said wetlands are among the “most severely” threatened ecosystems in the world.

The DENR-BMB recently held a media tour in the Candaba Swamp as part of the country’s celebration of the World Wetlands Day on February 2.

The Candaba Swamp, situated in the town of Candaba, Pampanga, is an important staging ground of migratory birds. During the rainy season, the Candaba Swamp is submerged underwater but it dries out during the months of November to April.

The DENR noted that many por-

tions of the swamp have been converted into farms by communities so they can cultivate rice and watermelon.

Wetlands, because of the misnomer that they are not important, are usually targeted for land conversion—for human settlement, for a commercial establishment, agro-industrial plantation and for purposes of food production, according to Rodriguez.

Often considered as mere “wasteland,” the DENR official said wetlands are a unique ecosystem with very important ecosystem functions. She noted that wetlands help mitigate the impacts of climate change and protect vulnerable communities from disasters.

“They [wetlands] are kidneys of the Earth,” Rodriguez, a forester, said.

“A well-managed healthy wetlands absorb and store excess rainfall and store it for the dry season, which helps communities cope with extreme weather events protecting them from disasters,” she added.

To protect and conserve wetlands, Rodriguez said the DENR-BMB continues to implement communication, education and public awareness campaigns targeting local government units and the communities where wetlands exist.

Solon wants developers to put up rainwater-harvesting facilities

By Jovee Marie N. Dela Cruz @joveemarie

A

LAWMAKER is pushing for the passage of a measure mandating estate developers to put up rainwater-retention facilities in their upcoming projects in Metro Manila and other major cities.

In House Bill (HB) 8088, Camarines Sur Rep. Luis Raymund Villafuerte Jr. said commercial, institutional and residential estate developers’ rainwater-retention facilities will capture the rainwater, purify it and store it for non-potable uses.

Under the measure, no project design or building permit for a new real-estate project in Metro Manila and other major cities shall be approved by the Housing and Land Use Regulatory Board (HLURB) and local government units (LGUs) unless it includes a rainwater-retention facility.

The bill said an owner or developer

of a new commercial, institutional and residential development project in Metro Manila and other major cities with an area of at least 1,500 square meters is required to develop, and maintain at least 3 percent of the total area, exclusive of roads, service streets and alleys, as a rainwater-harvesting facility.

Under the bill, the owner or developer of an ongoing commercial, institutional, and residential development project in Metro Manila and other major cities that has no existing provision for a rainwater facility is required to build the facility within 3 years from the effectivity of the proposed law.

If the owner or developer fails to comply, he or she “shall suffer the penalty of a fine of not less than P50,000 but not more than P2 million for every year of noncompliance,” the bill states. “[This] will effectively reduce the amount of rainwater that submerges Metro Manila

roads during the rainy season, as well as feed the demand for water in the cities,” Villafuerte said in a statement.

While Metro Manila is annually drenched with some 20,000 millimeters rainwater, he said many parts of the metropolis and other major cities are unable to absorb the rainwater they receive.

“Instead of undergoing the Earth’s natural process of recycling rainwater through its aquifers, the rainwater proceeds to the sewers, polluting the surrounding bodies of water and flooding roads,” Villafuerte said.

“It is lamentable that despite the incessant flooding of major thoroughfares resulting in heavy traffic, the State has failed to come up with measures to address the situation,” he added.

Villafuerte noted that places like Cebu, Baguio and Nueva Ecija have already adopted measures to use rainwater for non-potable uses.

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Soprano Gerodias sings at ‘Dinner with the Cardinal’

L

EADING Filipino soprano Rachelle Gerodias is the featured singer during a fund-raising dinner concert to be

presented today (February 4) by the Catholic Mass Media Awards in line with the yearlong celebration of the CMMA’s 40th year.

The dinner concert, titled Dinner with the Cardinal: Sharing a Moment of Grace will start at 5 p.m. at Citystate Tower Hotel at 1315 A. Mabini Street, Ermita, Manila.

Also to be featured in the concert is Gerodias’s husband, Byeong-in Park, South Korea’s premier baritone.

Joining them are One Voice Choir of Santo Nino de Paz Greenbelt Chapel in Makati City, the Light Side Movement Choir of San Felipe Neri Parish in Mandaluyong City, and some priests who are noted singers.

Gerodias, the country’s best-known opera singer today, is famous for promoting the traditional Filipino vocal music known as the kundiman, aside from winning worldwide acclaim with her rendi-

tion of international opera music.

Cardinal Luis Antonio G. Tagle, Manila archbishop and CMMA honorary chairman, will welcome guests to the event, together with the CMMA board of trustees headed by D. Edgard A. Cabangon, acting chairman.

Proceeds from the ticket sales of the dinner concert will be used to fund the CMMA’s Soup Kitchen for the Poor project, which aims to serve free meals and hand out gifts to less-fortunate residents of a select beneficiary community.

The CMMA was established in 1978 by the late Jaime L. Cardinal Sin, then archbishop of Manila, and is considered the longest-running and most prestigious awards-giving body in the country today.

Thousands of mass media workers in the fields of print, radio, television, cinema, music and the Internet have received the award over the years.

Editor: Vittorio V. Vitug • Monday, February 4, 2019 A5

Casualties in military attacks vs ‘terrorists’ S

ECURITY forces carried out a two-day surgical strike against terrorists in Maguindanao over the weekend, killing at least eight alleged members of the Islamic State (IS)-allied Abu Toraife faction of the Bagsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) and wounding at least 10 others.

According to Maj. Gen. Cirilito E. Sobejana, commander of the Army’s 6th Infantry Division, the casualties were from an air strike at the Abu Toraife’s main camp at Sultan Sa Barongis, Maguindanao. Only three of the dead were identified; among the wounded was Salahudin Hassan, whom the military claims is the right-hand man of Esmail Abdulmalik, alias Abu Toraife. Sobejana said ground operations after the air raids allowed government troops to capture the camp of Abdulmalik and his men.

Military operations continued on Sunday as soldiers pursued Abdulmalik’s remaining crew and cleared the

camp, the location of which was tipped off by Commander Gani Saligan, a brigade commander under the Karialan faction of the BIFF. “They had a rido with the group of Hassan and he was the one who pinpointed the camp,” Sobejana said.

He added military intelligence noted foreigners working with the alleged terrorists included two Malaysians, two Arabs and Jema’ah Islamiyah leader Mauiyah, who is a Singaporean.

“We are still scouring the area to find out whether they were among those hit by our FA-50s,” Sobejana said, adding that Air Force planes dropped 500 pounds of bombs on Sobejana’s camp at Sitio Tatak, Barangay Tugal. The Toraife-led faction of the BIFF pledged allegiance to the IS. It’s among the number of local terrorist groups collectively called as Daulah Islamiyah by the government that operates in the country under the aegis of the IS. Rene Acosta

A6

Monday, February 4, 2019 • Editor: Angel R. Calso

Opinion BusinessMirror

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editorial

Messy but necessary

T

HE earliest known origin of the sentiment “all is fair in love and war” is found in English writer John Lyly’s Euphues: The Anatomy of Wit, published in 1579. The novel recounts the romantic adventures of a wealthy and attractive man, and includes the quote: “The rules of fair play do not apply in love and war”.

On one hand, most of us would publicly say that this is a terrible outlook on life. On the other hand, all is fair when you are fighting for that last parking space close to the elevator at the local mall.

Many if not most of the laws and regulations that we lay down on society are attempts to “level the playing field” and not give one person an undue advantage. In theory, the person at the Land Transportation Office registering his brand new Mercedes has to wait in the same line as the one who owns a 1995 Nissan Vanette. It does not always work that way, but it is supposed to.

Those laws are also designed to help limit our human inclination to get ahead at all cost. Otherwise, “Winning isn’t everything, it’s the only thing” would easily replace “do for others what you want them to do for you.”

We have heard the quote that “integrity is doing the right thing even when no one is watching,” a paraphrase of a line in Charles Marshall’s self-help book Shattering the Glass Slipper.

There may have been a time in the past when many people followed that thought. Or maybe not. However, there is one part of a nation’s life in which winning is the only thing and that is politics, more specifically being elected to office.

If you notice, when politicians are elected to office they often begin their term talking about the honor of being voted by the people. They also often go on to say something about elected office being some sort of “sacred duty.” Nonetheless, many live by the thought that “integrity is doing the right thing when everyone is watching.” It is well to remember that all criminals have clean records until they get caught committing a crime.

The recent Commission on Elections Resolution 10488 promulgated on January 30 is an explicitly detailed set of rules for the campaign period. It said: “Each registered political party and candidate shall register with the agency’s Education and Information Division their Internet, mobile and social-media platforms.” Further, “Any other blog or social-media page which, when taken as a whole, has for its primary purpose the endorsement of a candidate, whether or not directly maintained or administered by the candidate or their official campaign representatives, shall be considered additional official blogs or social-media pages of the said candidate.”

Implementing this rule to further regulate social media is going to be messy, but it is necessary. The public has the right to know who may be behind the false superlative endorsements for a candidate and equally false smear tactics against a candidate’s opponent.

May art unite us and help bring peace Atty. Jose Ferdinand M. Rojas II

RISING SUN

F

EBRUARY is National Arts Month (NAM), implemented by Presidential Proclamation 683 that was signed in 1991. For one full month, the country brims with art shows, festivals, cultural celebrations, workshops and lectures, concerts and many other activities. There are two primary government agencies leading the activities: the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) and the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA).

These agencies are being supported by a number of private and government agencies.

Part of CCP’s celebration was the three-day Pasinaya Open House Festival, which featured workshops and performances in theater, dance, music, film, visual arts, literature, etc. It was held in CCP and partner venues like galleries and museums

Yes to death penalty?

Atty. Lorna Patajo-Kapunan

Since 2005

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on February 1 to 3. More than 3,000 artists participated in the events, which revolved around the theme “Karapatan, Kalayaan, Kultura” (Rights, Freedom, Culture).

The NCCA, on the other hand, also launched a nationwide arts

LEGALLY SPEAKING

T

HE death penalty in the Philippines was first abolished in 1987, making the Philippines the first country in Asia to terminate death penalty. Yet, in less than a year, with the promulgation of a new Constitution after the ouster of the Marcos dictatorship, the military establishment lobbied for its imposition to combat the alleged intensifying offensives of the Communist Party of the Philippines/New People’s Army guerillas.

In mid-1987, a bill to reinstate the death penalty was submitted to Congress, citing recent right-wing coup attempts as example of the alarming deterioration of peace and order. In 1988, the House of Representatives passed the bill that was being promoted as a counterinsurgency bill.

When an ex-military officer, Gen. Fidel Ramos, was elected president in 1992, Republic Act 7659 restoring the death penalty was signed into law. Political offenses, such as rebellion, were dropped from the bill; however, the list of crimes was expanded to include economic offenses such as smuggling and bribery. In 1996, RA 8177 was approved, stipulating lethal injection as the method of execution. Six years after its reimposition, the number of death-penalty convicts increased— indicating that the death penalty is not a deterrent to criminality.

Certain studies cite statistics indicating that there are no signs that criminality has gone down with the reimposition of the death penalty

(http://www.phlsol.nl/AOOa/Pahradeath-penalty-maroo.htm): 1) From 1994 to 1995 the number of persons on death row increased from 12 to 104. From 1995 to 1996 it increased to 182. In 1997 the number of death convicts was at 520, and in 1998 the number of inmates in death row was at 781. As of November 1999 there were a total of 956 death convicts at the National Bilibid Prisons and at the Correctional Institute for Women.

2) As of December 31, 1999, based on the statistics compiled by the Episcopal Commission on Prisoner Welfare of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines, there were a total of 936 convicts interned at the National Bilibid Prisons and another 23 detained at the Correctional Institute for Women. Of these figures, six are minors and 12 are foreigners.

3) A review of death-penalty cases made by the Supreme Court from 1995 to 1999 indicated that two out of every three death sentences handed down by the local courts

month celebration. Its chairman, National Artist Virgilio S. Almario, and NCCA Executive Director Rico S. Pableo Jr., together with Deputy Executive Director Marichu G. Tellano, are leading the monthlong observance of the NAM across various regions all over the country.

NCCA’s NAM celebrations opened in Negros Occidental on February 1, but the commission is holding simultaneous opening events in the National Capital Region (February 3), Luzon (February 11) and Mindanao (February 15). Dubbed “Ani ng Sining: Philippine Arts Festival,” the celebrations feature activities under the commission’s seven national committees—Architecture, Cinema, Dance, Literary Arts, Music, Dramatic Arts and the Visual Arts.

NCCA’s NAM celebrations will close with the “Ani ng Dangal” awarding ceremonies in recognition of artists who have earned international awards in the past year (2018). The closing program will be held at the

Diamond Hotel in Manila on February 27.

All of the cultural and artistic events being launched nationwide this month are meant to highlight the passion and brilliance of the Filipino artist. These will also show that the country is replete with artistic and cultural expressions. Artists and organizers are united in the goal of inspiring more of our people to immerse themselves in the beauty of our own arts and culture, and to learn to appreciate the value, diversity and creativity of the nation’s many artists and cultural workers.

I hope that art lovers from all corners of the Philippines will share their love for the arts with their relatives and friends. I do hope that every Filipino will take part in the celebration of our rich culture and artistry.

And I also hope that art will somehow unite us as a people, and serve as a balm to close some gaps, mend relations and establish peace in our beloved country.

I prefer a discussion on the “pros” and “cons” of reinstituting the death penalty—rather than a debate on lowering the age of criminal liability to 12. I shudder at the thought that our children could be “death eligible” if the death penalty were imposed!

showed that in 1998 more than half of the convicts earned less than the government-mandated minimum wage. In a survey conducted among 425 convicts in 1998, 105 or 24.7 percent were agricultural workers, 103 were construction workers, 73 were transport workers, and 42 were workers in sales and services. Only 6 percent finished college, while 32.4 percent finished various levels of high school, while the remaining convicts did not go to school or have finished only elementary or vocational education.

On June 24, 2006, then-President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, apparently giving in to the call of the Catholic Church, signed into law RA 9346, “An Act Prohibiting the Imposition of Death Penalty in the Philippines.”

All crimes punishable by death were commuted to life imprisonment (reclusion perpetua).

Mayor Rodrigo Duterte, then candidate for president, said in one of the presidential debates that he wants capital punishment for criminals involved in illegal drugs, gunfor-hire syndicates and those who commit “heinous crimes,” such as rape, robbery or car theft where the victim is murdered. He vowed “to litter Manila Bay with the bodies of criminals.” Sen. Grace Poe then also stated that the capital punishment should apply to criminals convicted of drugs and multiple crimes where involved people can no longer be rehabilitated.

Following the election of Mayor Duterte as president, a bill to reinstate capital punishment for certain heinous offenses was swiftly reported out of the Justice Committee into

were found to be erroneous by the Supreme Court. Out of the 959 inmates the SC reviewed, 175 cases were reviewed from 1995 to 1999; three cases were reviewed in 1995, eight in 1996, eight in 1997, 38 in 1998 and 118 in 1999. Of the 175 cases, the SC affirmed with finality and first affirmation only 31 percent or 54 cases involving 60 inmates. Of these cases, 24 were affirmed with finality, while the remaining 36 were given first affirmation. Sixtynine percent or 121 cases were either modified, acquitted or remanded for retrial.

4) A study prepared by the Free Legal Assistance Group (FLAG) on the results of the review of cases done by the Supreme Court “point all too clearly to the imperfections, weaknesses and problems of the Philippine justice system.” Some decisions of the trial courts were overturned for imposing death penalty on offenses that were not subject to death penalty. Other decisions of the lower courts were set aside because of substantive and procedural errors during arraignment and trial. Still others were struck down because the lower court misappreciated evidences.

5) Data from the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines

See “Kapunan,” A7

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Moving forward with Cipag

GOAT employees Siegfred Bueno Mison, Esq.

THE PATRIOT

Joel L. Tan-Torres

DEBIT CREDIT Part Three

I

NNOVATION (the “I” in this Cipag series of articles) should be in the DNA of my fellow professional accountants. I have long been invoking it since 2015, and we should already be adapting to the many innovations brought about by various developments in our digital and learning community.

In my various talks as then-chairman of the Professional Regulatory Board of Accountancy, I have been referring to the catchy phrase “Future is now” to bring the message that the Fourth Industrial Revolution and Age of Technology are now in our midst. I have been citing the many developments that have emerged, such as the Internet of Things, robotics, artificial intelligence, augmented and virtual reality, cloud hosting and computing, technology tools and applications, data analytics, cyber security, sustainability and integrated reporting, blockchain, XBRL reporting and others.

The message is clear: As accountants, we should be updating our learning and competencies to be able to keep up with the fast pace of innovation and advancement.

Though the knowledge and skills that we currently have are still workable for our purpose, we should be aware that it is only a matter of time that these may become obsolete and inadequate. We have been hearing that robots may soon replace accountants in the workplace, but I personally believe that the human accountant will continue to be relied upon in the years to come. However, we should now start embracing the DNA of innovation. Let us initially be aware of the technological developments affecting our profession.

We can simply browse the Internet to read up on what is happening in the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

Thereafter, we can start upgrading our skills based on what we are able to discover—the essential competencies that we must have.

Knowing new skills should not be difficult since we have been used to the habit of continuing professional development and life long learning.

Another area where innovation can present opportunities to the practicing accountant is in the area of providing more value-added services to clients. Many practicing Certified Public Accountants often limit their

Kapunan. . .

continued from A6

the full House of Representatives in February 2017. The death penalty bill died in the Senate.

The recent surge in heinous crimes—terrorist bombings, drug trafficking, plunder, rape, murders, extrajudicial killings, smuggling, kidnaping for ransom, gun for hire —has opened the discussion on reinstating the death penalty. Tabloids, which widely publicize horrific crimes in the front pages, reinforce public fears that lawlessness and criminality have reached unprecedented levels. Certain senatorial candidates (e.g., Raffy Alunan, Harry Roque) in a recent CNN debate indicated a “Yes” vote for the restoration of death penalty.

Is death penalty the antidote to crime? Will criminals be afraid to commit a crime if they see that the government is determined to execute them? Oppositors have cited several studies debunking the deterrence theory.

I agree! What would prevent people from committing crimes is the certainty of apprehension, speedy prosecution and, if warranted, conviction. At present, severe imperfections in our justice system,

As accountants, we should be updating our learning and competencies to be able to keep up with the fast pace of innovation and advancement. Though the knowledge and skills that we currently have are still workable for our purpose, we should be aware that it is only a matter of time that these may become obsolete and inadequate. engagements to providing auditing services. There is a field of opportunity awaiting the innovative CPA who would venture in value-added consulting services. The services can cover the various requirements of businesses, including data analytics, cyber security, digital transformation, data privacy, internal audit, systems and process review, appraisal, due diligence, agreed upon procedures, integrated and sustainability reporting and even compilation. The CPA, of course, should first get the needed expertise to be able to expand his or her service offerings.

The expertise can be derived from training, or by collaborating with experts who are already engaged on these services. Having a spirit of innovation means a brighter future for an accountant.

To my fellow accountants, you should start your journey of innovation now.

To be continued Joel L. Tan-Torres is a Certified Public Accountant who placed No. 1 in the May 1979 CPA Board Examinations. He was the former commissioner of the Bureau of Internal Revenue from 2009 to 2010 and the chairman of the Professional Regulatory Board of Accountancy from 2014 to August 2018. He is a partner of Reyes Tacandong & Co. This column accepts contributions from accountants, especially articles that are of interest to the accountancy profession, in particular, and to the business community, in general. These can be e-mailed to boa.secretariat.@gmail.com

where justice can be bought, could likely result in a situation where the innocent, who cannot afford the services of adequate legal counsel due to poverty, might be executed.

I prefer a discussion on the “pros” and “cons” of reinstituting the death penalty—rather than a debate on lowering the age of criminal liability to 12. I shudder at the thought that our children could be “death eligible” if the death penalty were imposed!

In the midst of a strong outcry from citizens who want the government to stop criminality, let the response be genuine, effective and equitable reforms in our Criminal Justice System. The Five Pillars of the Criminal Justice System—(1) The Community, (2) The Law Enforcement, (3) The Prosecution, (4) The Courts and (5) Corrections —should function like a chain of links. A weakness in any of these links breaks the chain, resulting in a breakdown of the system, inordinate delays in the proceedings, acquittal of the guilty and conviction of the innocent.

But the biggest problem would be, in my view, a people that have become cynical, indifferent, callous, frustrated, hardened and uncaring.

This is one of the bigger challenges facing this government.

W

E almost always associate the letter combination MJ to superior athleticism. After all, most sportswriters will arguably consider retired NBA shooting guard Michael Jordan of the Chicago Bulls as the Greatest Of All Time (GOAT) in the sport of basketball.

In the Legal Affairs Department of Philippine Airlines, we have an MJ whose athletic abilities, though not in the field of basketball, are superior to most lawyers. Some say he is mentally quick because he is physically healthy. He may not be the GOAT among athletes in PAL, but Michael Jourdan “MJ” Navarro has been one of the company’s more productive employees. And in recognition of his performance, he was named one of the finalists in the Individual Contributor of the Year category of PAL’s Shining Through Appreciation and Recognition Awards. Among his 2018 contributions include his tireless efforts in filing the necessary pleadings and presenting compelling arguments before the Civil Aeronautics Board to procure the much-needed fuel surcharge for PAL and his vital role in drafting and

formalizing guidelines in the handling of unruly passengers.

But one of the admirable attributes of PAL’s MJ is his health and fitness regimen. Aside from competing in iron man events, MJ also rides the bike on a regular basis, rain or shine, using state-of-the-art biking gear. A triathlete who recently went vegan, MJ is conscious of what he eats and what he drinks; hence, he opted to have a vegan diet late last year. MJ once brought “meatball” (red beans instead of ground beef) pasta to the office. It tasted almost the same sans the real meat. It is always a challenge to eat healthy, for vegans in particular, due to the unavailability of vegan dishes in the Philippines.

I have often wondered about the difference between a vegan and a vegetarian diet. I was told that while both do not consume meat, vegans

Monday, February 4, 2019 A7

do not eat eggs, milk, honey or any food derived from animals. In contrast, most vegetarians consume dairy (Lacto-vegetarians), while some vegetarians consume eggs as well (Ovo-vegetarian). In my case, I opted to go pescatarian at the start of the year. Similar to a vegetarian, I opted to abstain from all kinds of meat, poultry included, but resorted to just fish and seafood as my sources of protein on top of the usual vegetables. In my first 30 days though, I felt sluggish and lethargic, perhaps due to the lack of carbohydrates. I surrendered.

A healthy worker is a productive worker. Whenever we report to work feeling refreshed and energized, we tend to have the motivation to do more for the company. Ian Larkin, a management professor at the University of California, Los Angeles, said that “showing up feeling better means people work harder on a dayto-day basis.” In one of his studies, Larkin said that employee wellness programs, which help improve their diet and exercise habits, contribute to the reduction of absenteeism. In PAL, our wellness programs include yoga, zumba and even MMA sessions after office hours. I cannot imagine MJ doing zumba, but MJ and I once attended a yoga session initiated by the Human Capital Department of PAL. I think yoga is one exercise that benefits our body, mind and soul. I must go back to yoga soon.

In the Bible, 1 Timothy 4:8 tells us, “Physical training is good, but training for godliness is much better, promising benefits in this life and in the life to come.” Part of employee wellness should also include programs to nourish the soul. Intermittent fasting has become one of the more popular diets in recent years. But, for believers, fasting is not about losing weight but more about connecting to the Spirit within.

When believers deprive themselves of food, they are more mindful that man does not live on bread alone.

Physical wellness is not sufficient for a productive life, as we all need some kind of spiritual nourishment.

In the Legal Affairs Department of PAL, we usually start and end each meeting, however short, with a personalized prayer from one of the lawyers. For the past few months, lawyers and paralegals have participated in a weight reduction wager (“Biggest Loser”) in their attempt to jump-start a healthier lifestyle. Intermittent fasting, vegan, pescatarian or any other disciplined diet will likely lead to a healthy weight loss. A servant leader creates an environment that promotes both the physical and spiritual wellness of employees. By doing so, these leaders produce GOAT employees in the workplace, that is, Godly Overachievers All the Time.

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

Giving hope to 600,000 K-12 graduates who are not job-ready

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By Lovejoice L. Ambabag

HE majority of the 600,000 first batch graduates of the country’s K to 12 program who decided to look for employment right after graduation can’t get the right job for them despite being allegedly equipped with the right values, knowledge and skills under the new curriculum.

The Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) expressed its concern that the first batch of K to 12 graduates are not still ready to work in a professional workplace because the minimum requirement of 80 hours or two weeks of on-thejob training is not enough to prepare them for skilled jobs. “[The] Majority of those 600,000 [graduates], I don’t think they really got sufficient training,” said Alberto Fenix, president of PCCI HR Development Foundation. PCCI also said that this current education system still needs a lot of help and improvement.

A high-ranking Department of Education (DepEd) official explained that the graduates’ job-readiness was not the main focus of the on-the-job training or immersion program in the K to 12 curriculum.

The PCCI was not alone in its assessment. Employment portal

Jobstreet’s 2018 Fresh Graduate Report, which tracked job postings and results of a survey of employers, found 35 percent of the respondents saying they were not ready to employ graduates of the extended basic education program, which was implemented in stages beginning 2011.

According to Jobstreet, 41 percent of the respondents said they were undecided about hiring K to 12 graduates, and just 24 percent replied “yes.” Employers, however, “can only claim to have some knowledge” of the program based on their self-assessment.

The DepEd, meanwhile, said the agency’s strong partnership with different industries around the country will enable K to 12 graduates to land a decent job. With the four exits envisioned for senior highschool graduates—higher education,

entrepreneurship, employment or middle-level skills development— the DepEd reiterated that the K to 12 Basic Education Program would serve to equip graduates with values, knowledge and skills that communities, businesses and industries need.

The DepEd recognizes the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s concern regarding the minimum number of training hours of SHS graduates, according to a DepEd official, who added that Work Immersion is a key subject under the SHS Curriculum that may be conducted in different ways and time frame as needed by SHS learners.

The subject provides learners with opportunities to become familiar with the workplace, under various conditions where they can apply their respective competencies or areas of specialization in an authentic work environment.

There’s also a need to amend Philippine laws affecting working minors to accommodate a DepEd order saying that a learner is required to render a minimum of 80 hours for work immersion. Under current laws, a child below the age of 18 but older than 15 must spend a maximum of 40 hours per week and no

more than eight hours per day in the work-immersion venue.

The DepEd issuance does not limit the length of a learner’s practical work experience to 80 hours and offers several delivery models from which schools may choose, based on the number of hours (80 hours, 240 hours, 320 hours); learner’s purpose and needs; school capabilities and in line with the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority, Department of Labor and Employment, and DepEd Work Immersion Guidelines. Schools may also design their own delivery model as they deem fit for a specific situation or concern, subject to the approval of the DepEd Regional Office.

While many K to 12 graduates can’t find job opportunities with their current skills, which can’t meet the needs of the job market, they must not lose hope. For young people like them, the best way to ensure success in the future is to finish college and be truly prepared for a better workplace.

The author is a high-school teacher at Tuao Vocational and Technical School, Main Naruangan, Tuao, Cagayan.

How Donald Trump plays havoc with Opec policy

By Julian Lee Bloomberg Opinion

I

F timing is everything, why does Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (Opec) seem to keep getting it so wrong?

The group’s 2019 oil output cuts got off to a flying start in January, and they’re going to get bigger, just as US sanctions on Venezuela start to bite.

The problem for the producers, and their allies in the wider Opec+ group, is that they don’t wield nearly as much control over the market as some people accuse of them of doing.

And that makes getting the timing of their actions right almost impossible. Unexpected external factors just seem to keep cropping up and, at least recently, many of them seem to originate with Uncle Sam. The surge and then crash in oil prices in the second half of last year is a case in point.

Back in June, President Donald J. Trump tweeted that he had asked Saudi Arabia’s King Salman to boost the country’s production to counter the “turmoil & disfunction [sic] in Iran and Venezuela.” The king duly

obliged, but prices kept on rising, driven in part by Trump’s avowal to cut Iran’s oil exports to zero when sanctions came into effect in early November.

Saudi production levels—which are pretty much locked in at least a month in advance, once customers have submitted their orders for how much they want to buy—hit a record 11.07 million barrels a day to coincide with the start of the Iran sanctions. Imagine their surprise when Secretary of State Michael Pompeo announced that the US had granted waivers from sanctions to eight of Iran’s top customers, allowing them to continue buying more than a million barrels a day of the nation’s crude and condensate.

But that wasn’t the only thing that tipped market sentiment from fear of shortage to concerns about a glut. Much less widely reported was the change in the assessment of US production over the summer. An end-October report, which fed into November projections by the Energy Information Administration, showed output

had increased by 670,000 barrels a day between June and August.

Before those reports, the picture was very different—the data had shown growth slowing to a crawl over the summer.

That may not seem like a huge amount in the grand scheme of things, but it was enough to add more than 45 million barrels of unanticipated supply in the five months to November. That’s more than an entire year’s worth of production from Opec’s smallest member, Equatorial Guinea.

Add that volume to historical balances and the output increases from Saudi Arabia, Russia and the United Arab Emirates, and it’s no surprise that by November the market was starting to look oversupplied.

Roll forward to December, when Opec and friends—after a hefty push from Russia—agreed to pare production by a combined 1.2 million barrels a day from the start of January, with a starting point that was, for most countries, their level in October.

No sooner had they started to implement those cuts than Trump

slapped sanctions on exports of crude from Venezuela and purchases by the Latin American nation of the diluent it needs to blend with its heavy oil to make it flow. The US was the only supplier last year of the heavy naphtha that works best. If President Nicolas Maduro can’t find a replacement somewhere else—and he won’t find one easily— the impact on the country’s output will be swift.

Even if he does find willing suppliers, they will be much further away than the Gulf coast of America.

Given that his country has little diluent in storage, a shortage is almost inevitable. Don’t be surprised if Venezuela’s production falls by another 500,000 barrels a day over the next couple of months under the present government. And if that government is replaced, don’t expect the recovery to be as quick.

And when that recovery does come, don’t be surprised if it follows hard on the heels of a decision by Opec+ to raise output. If the timing goes awry again, we can expect another roller-coaster year for oil prices.

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A8 Monday, February 4, 2019

PHL urged to boost exports to EU to maximize GSP+

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By Elijah Felice E. Rosales

@alyasjah

HE Philippines is most likely to keep its trade privilege with the European Union, but has been advised by the economic bloc to augment its exports to fully exploit the benefit.

EU Ambassador to the Philippines Franz Jessen said exports to Europe might be improving, but they could be at a faster rate only if exporters take full advantage of the Generalized Scheme of Preferences Plus (GSP+). He attributed the slow growth to the decline in agricultural exports to the EU. Citing data from Eurostat, Jessen said Philippine exports to the EU from January to November of last year grew a meager 2 percent to €7.2 billion—an estimated 25 percent of which were goods cov-

ered under the GSP+.

“Exports are basically at the same level, [and] they are not increasing. I would like to see Philippine [exporters] utilize the benefit from the European market more than they are [doing at present],” Jessen said in an interview with reporters.

“We see agricultural exports are going a bit down, and what we can do there is to have a stronger focus on the quality of agricultural exports from the Philippines to the EU, involving also maybe stronger

“Exports are basically at the same level, [and] they are not increasing.

I would like to see Philippine [exporters] utilize the benefit from the European market more than they are [doing at present].”—Jessen

efforts on the trade missions and trade promotions,” he added.

Agricultural exports to Europe in the 11-month period fell 10 percent, according to Jessen. On the other hand, electronic and semiconductor parts remain the country’s top products to the EU. Exporters are in a perfect position to increase receipts to Europe, the EU diplomat argued, as the Philippines is the only country in Southeast Asia with GSP+ status.

“What I would like to see is a sizing up of the potential of the GSP+, [as] it is not used as most as

it could be. It has been used well, but there is a potential for further growth within the GSP+ sectors,” Jessen said.

The GSP+ is a trade privilege that allows the entry of 6,274 Philippine products to EU economies at zero duty.

With this in place, exports can enter the European market at competitive prices. The country, in return, has to implement 27 international core conventions on labor welfare, human rights, good governance and environmental concern to keep its GSP+ status.

In January of last year Jessen said about P120 billion worth of exports benefited from the GSP+— mostly in the food and agricultural sectors—in 2017.

This made the EU the country’s second top export market, following Japan and ahead of the United States and China.

See “Exports,” A2

Diokno refutes Andaya on ‘₧50-B’ idle funds

By Bernadette D. Nicolas

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@BNicolasBM

HE plot thickens as Budget Secretary Benjamin E. Diokno belied technical malversation accusations hurled against him by some lawmakers, including House Appropriations Committee Chairman Rolando G. Andaya Jr. Andaya, a former budget chief under the Arroyo administration, has claimed that an estimated P50 billion in public funds has been accumulated in “two little known government offices” and remain

unused for one to five years.”

Andaya said the Commission on Audit (COA) revealed that at least P17 billion of public funds transferred by other departments to the Department of Budget a nd Ma nagementProcurement Service (DBM-PS) “remain idle and unaudited” as of December 2018 while another P31.6 billion is “lying idle” for years in Philippine International Trading Corp. (PITC)—attached office of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI)—also from the transfer of funds from other departments and agencies.

NORTHEAST MONSOON AFFECTING THE WHOLE COUNTRY as of 4:00 am - February 3, 2019

However, Diokno told the BusinessMirror that it is “misleading” to add the two amounts together because PITC is under the DTI and PS is an attached but independent agency under the DBM. Citing statements from COA officials, Andaya said the funds, which were called interagency fund transfers, ballooned to billions of pesos after new provisions were included in the implementing rules and regulations (IRR) of Republic Act 9184 or the Government Procurement Reform Act. Diok no d isputed A nd aya’s claim that the revised IRR provi-

sion paved the way for the alleged “anomalous” practice.

“Everything is above board.

By law, the GPPB [Government Procurement Policy Board] is allowed to amend the IRR. [The] PS did an excellent—quantum jump in its performance. Why vilify the men and women of PS? Don’t we want things done quicker?” he said in a text message to the BusinessMirror.

“Again, PS is not DBM. GPPB is a collegial body. While I chair it, its decisions are approved by the Board,” he added.

See “Diokno,” A2

Kia brand relaunched under Ayala subsidiary

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HE Kia brand was officially relaunched by AC Automotive, Ayala Corp.’s automobile business company operating under AC Industrials (ACI) in recent ceremonies at the Makati Shangri-La Hotel after over two decades in the Philippines. Kia Philippines now operates under AC Industrials, a wholly owned subsidiary of Ayala Corp.

Established in 1944, Kia Motors Corp.

(KMC) is the oldest and second-largest automobile seller in South Korea—selling 2.81 million vehicles in 2018 in 185 countries through 24 sales offices and over 6,000 dealers. To prove that Kia has been growing in the last decade, they decided to export the all-new Kia Soluto as their first export market, which was introduced during the event.

The Soluto offers an array of value-formoney features, powered by the 1.4-liter Dual-CVVT gasoline engine that produces 95 PS of power and 132 N-m of torque, combined with a spacious interior as well as standard 7-inch Touchscreen Audio with Android Auto and Apple Carplay, six-speaker system, rearview camera and steering wheel controls with EX-exclusive features such as leatherette seats and rear parking distance warning.

The retail prices of the four variants of the Soluto range from P625,000 to P735,000 and are available in Clear White, Titanium Silver, Aurora Black Pearl, Blue Stream and Marcato Red colors.

The new Soluto joins the familiar Kia Philippines’s roster of vehicles, the trendy subcompact hatchback Picanto and Rio, the technology-laden Sportage SUV, the powerful yet comfortable Sorento SUV, the versatile and spacious Grand Carnival MPV and dependable workhorse K2500.

www.businessmirror.com.ph

LACSON DARES ARROYO: JUST RETURN THE PORK

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ARRYING criticisms for an alleged double standard in revealing alleged multibillion-peso pork-barrel funds in the proposed 2019 budget for leaders and members of the House of Representatives, Sen. Panfilo M. Lacson Sr. on Sunday dared Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to set an example by “returning the money.”

Responding to Rep. Rolando Andaya’s reaction that his anti-pork barrel stand was “misplaced generosity,” Lacson also took issue with Andaya’s claim that Arroyo did not get the “biggest insertion” of pork barrel distributed to congressmen.”

“If it was misplaced gesture of generosity [by the House leadership], would it be better for them to show genuine display of good faith? Isauli nila o kaya sulatan nila ang chairman ng finance committee ng Senado o kaming lahat at sabihin nila pakitanggal niyo ’yan, kasi ‘di namin alam ’yan, pinaglalagay ’yan ng aking mga kasamahan [Return the money and write to the chairman of the Senate finance committee and ask that the allocation be removed because they did not know about it],” Lacson said in a radio interview on Sunday.

Lacson also clarified that Arroyo was not being “singled out” on the issue because the period of interpellation in the Senate budget deliberation is not yet over.

He disputed Andaya’s assertion that the pork-barrel fund was fairly distributed to House members. The senator said he was informed that this “did not happen.”

“We still have to start tackling the government agencies budget.

Remember, only policy questions were raised last Tuesday in my interpellation. It is not yet done because

we rushed the research and that is what came up because the amount was ballooning,” the senator said in a mix of English and Filipino.

He hinted that he has yet to reveal names of other congressmen and “also a senator” said to have pork allocations. He noted premature claims that “a senator made a huge amendment” to transfer budget funds “but we are not yet in the period of amendments so what they are saying has no basis.”

At the same time, Lacson signaled that a formal motion can be made in the period of amendments to delete the pork-barrel allocations —or what virtually partake of the nature of pork barrel.

He, however, clarified that not all suspected pork items will be deleted. “Of course, not everything because some items there are included in the National Expenditure Program. The amount only swelled after the approval on second reading, and then they held what was called a small group committee. That’s where they inserted the amendments that, according to some congressmen, were not taken up in plenary. It seems the small group committee did its own tweaking. I don’t know how many members are there.”

Lacson added this was admitted by House panel Senior Vice Chairman Maricar Zamora and Rep. Anthony Bravo. “I suppose Majority Leader Andaya is part of this group and it was supervised by the Speaker. So, if this was not returned to plenary for discussions anew, and so that the revision process can be done through interpellation and amendments, there’s an apparent flaw in their procedure.”

Butch Fernandez

After 4 oil-price hikes, a rollback

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HOENIX Petroleum Corp. led the first oil-price rollback for the year.

It announced over the weekend a price cut of P0.65 per liter in gasoline and P0.35 per liter in diesel last Friday. The price adjustment took effect 6 a.m. of February 2.

The price rollback comes after four consecutive price increases since the start of the year.

Other oil firms are expected to announce their respective price adjustments by Monday.

The price rollback reflects the week-on-week movement of MOPS

Budget. . .

Continued from A1

According to Andaya, the members of the bicameral panel are still identifying possible sources of the P200billion realignments in the national budget as well as the beneficiaries of the adjustments.

To break the impasse on the proposed P3.757-trillion General Appropriations Act for 2019, the Senate and the House of Representatives last week agreed to increase the cap of lawmakers’ “re-prioritization” fund at P200 billion from P50 billion.

However, lawmakers clarified that these realignments are not the unconstitutional “pork barrel.”

For his part, Majority Leader of the House of Representatives Fredenil Castro said that there is also no itemized allocation for the P190-billion amendments introduced by the Senate to the budget.

Earlier, Andaya revealed that senators introduced almost P190 billion in so-called insertions while the House has P51 billion under the proposed 2019 budget.

Andaya has said the failure of 22 senators to itemize their insertions has stalled the passage of the 2019

and foreign-exchange rate.

While the fuel prices are down, the price of cooking gas has increased over the weekend.

Petron Corp. implemented a P3.88 per kilogram (kg) increase in liquefied petroleum gas effective February 1. It also increased auto LPG by P2.17 per liter.

Eastern Petroleum also increased the price of EC Gas by P3.40 per kg or P37.40 for an 11kilo tank on February 3. “The latest price adjustment reflects the increase in contract price and the second tranche of the TRAIN law,” it said. Lenie Lectura national budget.

Moreover, Castro said that the lump sum has been highly contentious because it is unclear what the funds are being allocated for.

Castro affirmed the House’s opposition to a reenacted budget of 2019, citing statements by economic managers that the growth rate of the Philippine gross domestic product will drop by anywhere from 1.0 to 2.6 percent under reenacted budget in 2019.

Castro gave assurances that, while calling for a special session may be unlikely especially when the campaign period begins, House members will nonetheless attend.

Lacson has insertions–Castro HE claimed that anti-pork barrel crusader Sen. Panfilo Lacson has introduced P50 billion of his own allocation into the 2019 budget.

Unlike the line item or itemized amendments of the members of the Lower House in the budget, however, Lacson has yet to give the specific details of where his P50 billion will go, making it like a lump-sum appropriation or pork barrel, Castro said.

He said Lacson had refused to call it pork barrel or insertion but “institutional amendments.”

Editor: Efleda P. Campos

Companies BusinessMirror

Monday, February 4, 2019

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PLDT hikes 2019 capex by over 25% to ₧70B

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By Lorenz S. Marasigan

@lorenzmarasigan

ELECOMMUNICATIONS titan PLDT Inc. is ramping up its capital expenditures for 2019 by a little over a fourth to roughly P70 billion from P58 billion in 2018, as it embarks on another network transformation initiative that now involves 5G. In a chance interview on Friday, Manuel V. Pangilinan, the company’s chairman, said his group is increasing its capital outlays for 2019 to further extend its foothold in the fixed-line business

and to take a more aggressive stance on the mobile business.

“It will be used mainly for fiber to the home on the fixed side and for wireless, we will complete substantially our 4G and start

building our 5G network. It’s a continuous exercise,” he said.

Known as the fixed-line king, the company has been aggressive in rolling out its fiber network to capture significant portions of the market. And while it is considered the leader in the fixed-line market, there is a huge portion of the broadband consumer market that is highly unsaturated.

Its fiber coverage—at 2.25 million ports as of end-September— had reached 5.75 million homes in the third quarter of 2018.

For its mobile business, the company is also putting high premium in expanding the coverage and capacity of its network to regain the huge market share that it lost to its competitor.

Today, it has so far completed

its three-year rollout plan for 4G deployment, with 90 percent of municipalities and cities in the Philippines now covered with 4G. Likewise, the telco giant has been aggressively deploying carrier aggregation in its base stations, an initiative that has so far resulted in better mobile Internet speeds in certain areas in the country.

Its latest move involves the deployment of 5G base stations in its cell towers. This year, the company is expected to launch its 5G services, initially to its enterprise customers.

Over the past eight years, PLDT has continuously increased its capital requirements, resulting in a whopping total of P435 billion.

PSE to introduce new indices

By VG Cabuag @villygc

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HE Philippine Stock Exchange Inc. (PSE) said it will introduce new indices this year to cater to the index-service requirements of a broader investor base.

Among the new indices is the PSEi Total Return Index or PSEi TRI, which will measure the overall return on t he inde x, factor ing bot h capita l gains and dividend payments, if these dividends are reinvested back into the index.

“We have always been focused on investment gains from price appreciation. As done in other markets, we want to show the bigger picture on the profitability of stock and index investing,” PSE President and CEO Ramon S. Monzon said.

To calculate the PSEi TRI, the ex-

change used 1,000 as base value with December 28, 2007 as base year.

For instance, the PSEi TRI closed at 2,771.01 on December 28, 2018.

This represents a 10-year cumulative gain of 417.6 percent compared with a 298.6-percent rise in the PSEi from 2008 to 2018.

A five-year computation of the PSEi TRI shows a growth of 38.7 percent compared with a 26.8-percent increase in the PSEi. The PSEi TRI has the same constituents as the PSEi, and integrates regular and special cash dividends of index components on ex-date. If there are changes in the composition of the PSEi, the same will be reflected in the PSEi TRI. The PSEi TRI will be available on the exchange’s web site no later than 5 p.m. of each trading session, it said.

Aside from the PSEi TRI, the ex-

change is also reviewing the current sector-index classification.

“We want our sectoral indices to be more representative of the industries they belong to. This will be beneficial to fund managers in planning and executing their investment strategies. We hope to announce the new sector classifications by midyear,” Monzon said.

All PSE indices are available for index licensing. The exchange will begin charging license fees to collective investment schemes that track PSE indices or use the PSE indices as the underlying index for their fund. The charging will be fund specific and the license fee will depend on the size of the fund’s net asset value.

“Index licensing is not something unique to the PSE. Several other exchanges globally charge for the intellectual property of the indices they develop and maintain,” Monzon said.

Foreign biz seeks easier entry into PHL data transmission

By Elijah Felice E. Rosales @alyasjah

F

OREIGN businesses on Sunday appealed to senators to pass a bill that will open up the data-transmission industry to more players by removing barriers to entry and prohibiting anticompetitive practices.

Legislators were urged by the Joint Foreign Chambers of the Philippines (JFC) to approve Senate Bill (SB) 1763 before they go on break for the midterm polls in May. Authored

by Sens. Paolo Benigno A. Aquino IV and Sherwin T. Gatchalian, the measure will lift barriers to entry, including the certificate of public convenience, in the data- transmission industry.

“The Open Access in Data Transmission bill [SB 1763] aims to improve access, affordability and quality of data-transmission services, such as the Internet, by lowering barriers to entry and leveling the playing field for a more diverse set of service providers, promoting the sharing of infrastructure and resources,” the JFC said in a statement with civil society groups.

“The Open Access [in Data Transmission] bill will provide a clear and

appropriate regulatory framework for data services consistent with how the Internet works—decentralized, distributed and redundant. It clarifies and strengthens the role of [the] National Telecommunications Commission [NTC] in the broadband and digital age, which existing laws do not provide for,” the statement read.

Under SB 1763, the four segments of data transmission—international gateway, core network, middle mile and last mile—shall be competitive and open.

Data-transmission players will not be required to secure from the NTC a certificate of public convenience and necessity or provisional authority, nor a congressional franchise, to build, install and operate networks for the services they provide. SB 1763 will also grant industry participants direct access to any satellite with a Philippine footprint.

They, however, will be mandated to register with the NTC to state the segment they are participating in and indicate their schedule of rates.

The bill will also penalize anticompetitive practices, such as the refusal to plug and play, paid prioritization, throttling, refusal to provide information and cross subsidization, in a bid to create an en-

vironment conducive to competition and for new entry players. Violators can face a penalty of up to P5 million daily until they fully comply.

“We believe the Open Access in Data Transmission bill is a reform that will not only make the telecommunications and data-services sectors more dynamic, but will also improve the country’s competitiveness as it prepares for the Fourth Industrial Revolution,” the statement read.

The House of Representatives approved their version of the bill in 2017. SB 1763, however, is far from reaching the Senate plenary, as it is pending second reading.

In his sponsorship speech in March of last year, Aquino said his measure will open up all the layers of data transmission to more players with the objective of improving the quality and lowering the cost of Internet in the Philippines.

“We need to dispel the idea that a single company or only a limited few can provide services in all of these four segments [of data transmission]. Different companies in different segments should be encouraged to enter our market and interconnect, so we can enjoy improved Internet services,” Aquino said.

PRSP CONCLUDES 54TH ANVIL AWARDS

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HE Public Relations Society of the Philippines (PRSP) concluded last night the 54th Anvil Awards with 181 Anvil trophies presented to outstanding public relations programs and tools in 2018.

Andy Saracho, chairman of the 54th Anvil Awards, announced that 121 Anvils were awarded to campaigns under the PR Programs category, while 60 awards were handed to entries under PR Tools.

The Anvil Awards, considered to be the “Oscar” of the PR industry in the Philippines, is presented annually by PRSP to recognize excellent PR campaigns that have impact on their target audience and the society in general. The 54th Anvil Awards was highlighted by the digitization of the awards process, a first in the Anvil’s 54-year history. Under the new digital system, submission of entries, screening, judging and payment were undertaken electronically.

ANDY SARACHO Under the PR Programs category, 33 campaigns won the Silver Anvil while 88 programs got the Gold.

The Grand Anvil awarded to the entry “STI Mobile School: Driving Education Where IT Matters in the Age of K-12” of STI ESG and PageOne Inc. Continued on B2

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Monday, February 4, 2019

Companies BusinessMirror

STOCK-MARKET OUTLOOK LAST WEEK

SHARE prices gained last week, with the main index closing at the 8,100-point level, but trading was sideways almost all week long as investors were looking for guidance overseas.

The benchmark Philippine Stock Exchange index (PSEi) gained 90.96 points to close at 8,144.16 points.

The main index started to gain momentum starting on Thursday, the end of the month, and on Friday, the start of February, as investors prepare for the Lunar New Year break.

“Overall, we had a good week. The PSEi ends the month of January up 7.3 percent, which is the best performance since March 2016,” said Christopher Mangun, head of research at Eagle Equities Inc. Value of trade averaged at P8.18 billion for the week, with Thursday's value shot at P10.33 billion. Foreign investors were net buyers at P5.79 billion.

With the exception of the Property index that fell 7.44 points to 4,005.76 points, all other subindices gained.

The broader All Shares index gained 55.89 to 4,909.51; the Financials index rose 29.6 to 1,854.34; the Industrial index added 45.57 to 11,824.03; the Holding Firms index surged 177.64 to 8,105.23; the Services index expanded 25.2 to 1,606.2; and the Mining and Oil index was up 93.32 to 8,549.68.

Gainers led losers 126 to 99, and 23 shares were unchanged.

Top gainers were Premiere Horizon Alliance Corp., Zeus Holdings Inc., Holcim Philippines Inc., Greenergy Holdings Inc., Xurpas Inc. and Cemex Holdings Philippines Inc. Top losers were Vitarich Corp., Grand Plaza Hotel Corp., PH Resorts Group Holdings Inc., NiHAO Mineral Resources International Inc., ArthaLand Corp. and Marcventures Holdings Inc.

THIS WEEK

SHARE prices may trade the range this week as most investors were out during the holiday, but the main index is expected to remain at the 8,000-point level.

This will be a four-day work week as Tuesday is Chinese Lunar New Year holiday.

“With the Chinese Lunar New Year break, steer clear of possible supply pressure that might come out from the market’s strength. Anticipate breathers, and weigh in on prospects of recovery from these dips. Challenges are still in place, and a trading range strategy fits best in weathering out volatility,” broker 2TradeAsia said.

It sees immediate support of the main index at 8,100 and resistance at 8,200 to 8,250.

Mangun sees the prices may go lower this week, but the key is for it to stay at the 8,000-point level.

“If we continue to see heavy foreign inflows, then the market may sustain its current momentum. Local investors have started taking some risk off the table, and currently, foreign money is supporting the market,” he said.

STOCK PICKS

BROKER Regina Capital and Development Corp. recommended to cut losses on the stock of Robinsons Land Corp. (RLC) after heavy selldowns in the last two sessions.

“Unfortunately, the selling pressure is not yet done, as there are no significant levels for the stock until as low as P21.87. But even that support remains a weak one,” it said.

RLC closed the week at P22.35 per share.

The broker recommended to take profit on the stock of Bloomberry Resorts Corp. after it reached a year-to-date high during last week's trade.

“Nonetheless, it remains high above its support at P10.52 after several days of consolidation. Indicators are pointing that the 11.13 resistance might be the psychological limit, as all of them are nearing overbought levels,” it said.

Bloomberry's shares closed Friday at P11.10 per share. VG Cabuag

Editor: Efleda P. Campos

Rethink Pogo investments, real-estate firms advised

By Roderick L. Abad

most Pogo offices are located and many of their Chinese employees reside.

“Prices are at around P300,000 per square meter, and that’s comparable to Makati and Bonifacio Global City,” JLL Philippines Research and Consulting Head Janlo de los Reyes said during the recently concluded Lamudi press briefing.

“What’s happening is the Bay Area is pushing the domestic market away from that community, not only in terms of the sale, but also in terms of the rents,” he added.

Recent estimates have pegged the current number of Chinese Pogo employees in the country to as high as 450,000.

This figure is projected to increase to about 2 million over the next five years.

Following their talks to building operators to do a reference check on Chinese Pogo laborers as their tenants, Vicic emphasized that real-estate companies must learn how to invest in them.

“If I were a landlord I would not rely on Pogo for a long-term strategy only because it’s highly visible and politically charged because of the nature of the industry,” he said.

Dubbed “Out look Med ia Roundtable Series 2019: An Excellent 2018 for Philippine Real Estate and Raising The Bar in 2019,” Lamudi’s event offered a glimpse of the trends that defined the country property industry in the past year and what the future might hold for the sector.

MUTUAL FUNDS

February 1, 2019

Contributor

P

ROPERTY developers who want to venture into the growing Philippine Offshore Gaming Operations (Pogo) market are advised to rethink their investment.

JLL Philippines Country Head Christophe Vicic suggested that landlords must keep a balanced mix of tenants in their properties.

This is because the Pogo market does not represent the entire anticipated Chinese investment that will enter the country, Keller Williams Regional Controlling Principal Steve Chien said.

Strong demand from gaming workers, mostly foreign nationals from China, pushes up property rates.

Case in point is Bay City, where

briefs

D.O.T.R. TO FINISH REVIEW OF APPLICATIONS TO P.I.T.X.

THE Department of Transportation (DOTr) is working to finish the evaluation of the franchise applications for the new routes it created for the Greater Manila Area that were aimed at addressing issues on the Parañaque Integrated Terminal Exchange (PITX).

In a statement issued in response to a social-media post by Cavite Gov. Jesus Remulla, the DOTr said the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board is currently “evaluating the documents submitted by applicants to ensure that the selected operators will be able to properly serve the routes.”

Lorenz S. Marasigan

D.O.L.E. TO SEEK REVERSAL OF C.A. DECISIONS ON MIESCOR, P.L.D.T.

THE Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) said it will be seeking the reversal of the decision of the Court of Appeals (CA), stopping it from awarding P2.36 million to contractual workers of PLDT. Last week, the DOLE was hit by another setback at the CA after the appellate court ruled in favor of the petition of Meralco Industrial Engineering Services Corp.

(Miescor) and PLDT to overturn the DOLE decision to declare 279 contractual workers as regular employees and award them back wages.

The concerned contractual workers were Miescor employees, who were deployed to work for PLDT to do line installation. Samuel P. Medenilla

SENATORS TO LIMIT S.P.S.B. FRANCHISE TO UNSERVED AREAS

LAWMAKERS are inclined to craft a compromise version of Solar Para Sa Bayan’s (SPSB) franchise to construct, install, establish, operate and maintain distributable power technologies and mini-grid systems.

“We have to make sure at the end that the original intention of this franchise will be met, and the original intention is really to go into the underserved and unserved areas,” said Senate Energy Committee Chairman Sherwin T. Gatchalian. Lenie Lectura

P.R.S.P. CONCLUDES 54TH ANVIL AWARDS Continued from B1

For PR Tools, 43 Silver and 17 Gold Anvils were awarded.

Adjudged Platinum Anvil Awardees were the entries “On the March: the Jesuits in the Philippines Since the Restoration” of Media Wise Communications Inc. and “OMGeo Vlog Series: the Geothermal Effect” of Energy Development Corp. and PageOne Inc. The Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co. was awarded Company of the Year, while PageOne Inc. won the Agency of the Year Award.

Dr. Alfredo Pascual, chief executive officer of the Institute of Corporate Directors, chaired the multisectoral Panel of Judges that evaluated the short-listed Anvil entries.

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

PER SHARE RETURN* RETURN STOCK FUNDS ALFM GROWTH FUND, INC * 267.84 -9.77% 4.18% 3.71% 6.19% ATRAM ALPHA OPPORTUNITY FUND, INC.* 1.5089 -8.42% 13.47% 4.29% 4.73% ATRAM PHILIPPINE EQUITY OPPORTUNITY FUND, INC.* 4.1443 -11.12% 5.94% 2.15% 6.18% CLIMBS SHARE CAPITAL EQUITY INVESTMENT FUND CORP.* 0.9563 -4.48% N.A. N.A. 7.39% FIRST METRO CONSUMER FUND ON MSCI PHILS. IMI, INC.* 0.874 N.A. N.A. N.A. 6.49% FIRST METRO SAVE AND LEARN EQUITY FUND,INC.* 5.5625 -8.24% 4.12% 3.05% 5.53% MBG EQUITY INVESTMENT FUND, INC. * 121.72 1.07% N.A. N.A. 4.52% ONE WEALTHY NATION FUND, INC.* 0.8885 -11.28% -3.11% N.A. 6.74% PAMI EQUITY INDEX FUND, INC.* 52.6472 -8.44% 5.48% N.A. 7% PHILAM STRATEGIC GROWTH FUND, INC.* 546.85 -8.68% 3.98% 2.95% 6.24% PHILEQUITY DIVIDEND YIELD FUND, INC.* 1.3234 -6.76% 5.64% N.A. 5.53% PHILEQUITY FUND, INC.* 38.887 -6.96% 6.45% 5.6% 6.15% PHILEQUITY MSCI PHILIPPINE INDEX FUND, INC.* **** 1.0441 N.A. N.A. N.A. N.A. PHILEQUITY PSE INDEX FUND INC.* 5.3148 -8.39% 6.2% 5.6% 7.18% PHILIPPINE STOCK INDEX FUND CORP.* 887.85 -8.17% 6.04% 5.64% 7.16% SOLDIVO STRATEGIC GROWTH FUND, INC. * 0.9098 -7.77% 3.6% N.A. 5.64% SUN LIFE PROSPERITY PHILIPPINE EQUITY FUND, INC.* 4.3072 -7.8% 5.79% 4.09% 6.12% SUN LIFE PROSPERITY PHILIPPINE STOCK INDEX FUND, INC.* 1.0219 -8.55% 5.94% N.A. 7.08% UNITED FUND, INC.* 3.706 -5% 7.33% 4.46% 5.86% EXCHANGE TRADED FUND FIRST METRO PHIL. EQUITY EXCHANGE TRADED FUND, INC.* ***^ 118.7254 -7.86% 7.2% 6.76% 7.2% ATRAM ASIAPLUS EQUITY FUND, INC.** $0.9907 -15.85% 8.3% 1.52% 6.63% SUN LIFE PROSPERITY WORLD VOYAGER FUND, INC.* $1.1936 -10.67% N.A. N.A. 8.01% BALANCED FUNDS PRIMARILY INVESTED IN PESO SECURITIES ATRAM DYNAMIC ALLOCATION FUND, INC.* 1.7297 -7.91% 0.99% -0.19% 4.75% ATRAM PHILIPPINE BALANCED FUND, INC.* 2.3062 -6.92% 3.53% 1.78% 4.39% FIRST METRO SAVE AND LEARN BALANCED FUND INC.* 2.6571 -4.9% 1.42% -0.33% 4.45% GREPALIFE BALANCED FUND CORPORATION* 1.3627 -7.64% N.A. N.A. 4.48% NCM MUTUAL FUND OF THE PHILS., INC* 1.9128 -4.94% 2.86% 2.64% 3.78% PAMI HORIZON FUND, INC.* 3.632 -8.51% 1.36% 1.6% 2.91% PHILAM FUND, INC.* 16.4601 -7.21% 1.71% 1.66% 3.47% SOLIDARITAS FUND, INC.* 2.1543 -4.92% 3.16% 3.53% 3.96% SUN LIFE OF CANADA PROSPERITY BALANCED FUND, INC.* 3.8195 -5.94% 2.93% 2.49% 4.6% SUN LIFE PROSPERITY DYNAMIC FUND, INC.* 0.967 -6.11% 2.43% N.A. 4.91% PRIMARILY INVESTED IN FOREIGN CURRENCY SECURITIES COCOLIFE DOLLAR FUND BUILDER, INC.* $0.03553 -1.11% 0.1% 1.89% 0.79% PAMI ASIA BALANCED FUND, INC.* $0.9667 -11.93% 5.27% 0.05% 3.26% SUN LIFE PROSPERITY DOLLAR ADVANTAGE FUND, INC.* $3.5 -7.9% 5.88% 1.98% 5.79% SUN LIFE PROSPERITY DOLLAR WELLSPRING FUND, INC.* $1.0488 -8.01% N.A. N.A. 3.84% BOND FUNDS PRIMARILY INVESTED IN PESO SECURITIES ALFM PESO BOND FUND, INC.* 344.9 2.19% 2.15% 2.08% 0.44% ATRAM CORPORATE BOND FUND, INC.* ^^ 1.8708 -0.92% -0.29% -0.25% 0.62% COCOLIFE FIXED INCOME FUND, INC.* 2.9835 5.4% 5.36% 5.27% 0.43% EKKLESIA MUTUAL FUND INC.* 2.1444 1.45% 1.58% 1.78% 0.65% FIRST METRO SAVE AND LEARN FIXED INCOME FUND,INC.* 2.23 0.53% 0.38% 0.59% 0.94% GREPALIFE FIXED INCOME FUND CORP.* P 1.5922 -1.65% -0.26% 0.15% 1.78% PHILAM BOND FUND, INC.* 3.9026 -3.6% -0.78% 0.17% -0.44% PHILEQUITY PESO BOND FUND, INC.* 3.5685 2.15% 1.02% 1.02% 1.46% SOLDIVO BOND FUND, INC. * 0.91 -1.11% -0.33% N.A. 1.95% SUN LIFE OF CANADA PROSPERITY BOND FUND, INC.* 2.8213 0.97% 1.48% 1.38% 2% SUN LIFE PROSPERITY GS FUND, INC.* 1.5689 0.59% 1.07% 0.93% 1.88% PRIMARILY INVESTED IN FOREIGN CURRENCY SECURITIES ALFM DOLLAR BOND FUND, INC. * $450.14 1.24% 2.18% 3.08% 0.41% ALFM EURO BOND FUND, INC. * Є213.74 0.15% 1.22% 1.58% 0.51% ATRAM TOTAL RETURN DOLLAR BOND FUND, INC.** $1.1394 1.1% 1.13% 2.16% 1.21% FIRST METRO SAVE AND LEARN DOLLAR BOND FUND, INC.* $0.0249 0% 0.68% N.A. 0.4% GREPALIFE DOLLAR BOND FUND CORP.* $1.694 -3.29% -0.82% 1.09% 0.22% MAA PRIVILEGE DOLLAR FIXED INCOME FUND, INC. N.S. N.S. N.S. N.S. N.S. MAA PRIVILEGE EURO FIXED INCOME FUND, INC. ЄN.S. N.S. N.S. N.S. N.S. PAMI GLOBAL BOND FUND, INC* $1.0436 -1.59% -0.6% -2.32% 0.58% PHILAM DOLLAR BOND FUND, INC.*

$2.2081 -0.68% 0.89% 2.94% 1.7% PHILEQUITY DOLLAR INCOME FUND INC.* $0.0572532 0.54% 0.99% 1.88% 0.48% SUN LIFE PROSPERITY DOLLAR ABUNDANCE FUND, INC.* $2.905 -2.52% 0.16% 1.9% 1.15% MONEY MARKET FUNDS PRIMARILY INVESTED IN PESO SECURITIES ALFM MONEY MARKET FUND, INC.* 121.43 3.06% 2% 1.65% 0.49% PHILAM MANAGED INCOME FUND, INC.* 1.1839 2.05% 0.8% 0.56% 0.17% SUN LIFE PROSPERITY MONEY MARKET FUND, INC.* 1.223 2.78% 2.33% 1.67% 0.33% PRIMARILY INVESTED IN FOREIGN CURRENCY SECURITIES SUN LIFE PROSPERITY DOLLAR STARTER FUND, INC.* $1.018 1.87% N.A. N.A. 0.21%

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

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

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

Agriculture/Commodities BusinessMirror

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Editor: Jennifer A. Ng • Monday, February 4, 2019

B3

PHL abaca production up 6% in 2018

By Jasper Emmanuel Y. Arcalas @jearcalas

A

BACA output in the Philippines, the world’s top producer of the natural fiber, rose by 6 percent year-on-year in 2018, as planters sought to meet the rising global demand for the commodity.

Data released by the Philippine Fiber Industry Development Authority (PhilFida) showed that abaca production last year reached 76,259.38 metric tons, 4,313.34MT over the 71,964.04 MT recorded in 2017.

PhilFida Executive Director Kennedy T. Costales attributed the increase in output to higher buying prices for the natural fiber, which are now at an “all-time high” due to supply shortage.

The hike in buying prices encouraged farmers planting copra to harvest abaca to boost their income.

“The demand for abaca is so

high, and the prices are high at the same time, [which would drive production to increase].

A lso, we are now campa ig ning for the production of goodquality fibers, which are being bought at better prices compared to copra now,” he said in an earlier interview.

“You can earn as much as P120 per kilogram in abaca now, which is a clear at least P1,000 income for every 10 kilos harvested per day,” Costales added.

The PhilFida executive said there is a supply shortage of at least 25,000 MT, which the Philippines is trying to fill up.

PHILIPPINE Fiber Industry Development Authority officials led by its executive director, Kennedy T. Costales, inspect approved abaca bales in one of the grading and baling establishments in Legazpi City in this file photo. PHILFIDA PHOTO

A round 90 percent of t he country’s abaca output is shipped as pulp, cordage, fibercraft and raw

Govt to tighten watch on shipments of farm goods

By Rea Cu

@ReaCuBM

T

HE Bureau of Customs (BOC) and the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) will issue a joint policy calling for strict monitoring of shipments containing products from countries struck by the deadly African swine fever (ASF).

The BOC and the BAI said in a statement over the weekend that they want to further strengthen the monitoring and control of shipments of agricultural products, particularly live swine and meat, from ASF-affected countries.

The Customs bureau also said it will work closely with the Association of International Shipping Lines to disseminate its directive to thwart the dischrage of all shipments of meat products from countries that recorded ASF outbreaks.

BOC Manila International Container Port District Collector Erastus Sandino B. Austria and representatives from the National Veterinary Quarantine Service of the BAI were at the meeting held on January 29.

Also in attendance were representatives from the Philippine Ports Authority, Bureau of Plant Industry, Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, Philippine Coast Guard, International Container Terminal Services Inc., Maritime Industry Authority and other government authorities.

Belgium, Bulgaria, China, Czech Republic, Hungary, Latvia, Moldova, Poland, Romania, Russia, South Africa, Ukraine and Zambia confirmed the reported outbreaks

of ASF within their borders.

Manila launched an ASF awareness campaign to enjoin the public, particularly arriving passengers and importers, to comply with the policies and regulations set by the BOC and BAI. Arriving passengers in the country are required to obtain clearances for the agricultural products they are carrying into the country, to ensure the safety and welfare of the general public.

Last month, the DA appealed to traders to avoid importing pork products from countries near those affected by ASF to protect the local hog industry.

The government has intensified its biosecurity measures to prevent the entry of ASF in the country. These include the installation of foot baths in all international land ports and seaports, as well as the mandatory inspection of luggage and shipments for pork products from ASFaffected countries.

The livestock subsector, including hog production, was the second-biggest contributor to farm output in 2018. According to data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), the subsector’s output rose by 1.64 percent year-on-year and contributed 17.74 percent to the total agricultural production.

Hog production accounted for the lion’s share of the subsector’s output last year.

Figures from the PSA indicated that hog production in 2018 went up by 2 percent to 2.31 million metric tons, from the previous year’s record of 2.26 MMT.

Govt inks fisheries deal with Papua New Guinea

T

HE Philippines and Papua New Guinea signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on fisheries cooperation, which will promote fishing ventures in their waters and encourage the conduct of joint research activities.

Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel F. Piñol led the Philippine team from the Department of Agriculture (DA) and its attached agency, the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), into forging stronger ties on fisheries development with the National Fisheries Authority of Papua New Guinea.

Piñol and Papua New Guinea’s Minister for Fisheries and Marine Resources Patrick Basa signed the MOU on Fisheries Cooperation in Quezon City on February 1.

The MOU follows the first MOU signed by the two governments in 2009, which state provisions on mutual cooperation, consultation and exchange of technical assistance in fisheries research and development in the Philippines and Papua New Guinea.

The DA said in a statement that the MOU also identifies several areas of cooperation, including the promotion of fishing ventures in both countries’ waters, postharvest and fish-processing development, training and technology transfer and joint research activities.

To ensure the implementation of the MOU, a Joint Committee on Fisheries Cooperation composed of representatives from both countries was established. The DA said the MOU will remain in force for a period of five years and will be reviewed for renewal.

Fisheries management

CONSERVATION advocacy group Oceana Philippines supported the BFAR’s move to declare the country’s major fishing grounds as fisheries management areas (FMAs).

Oceana Philippines issued the statement after the BFAR issued Fisheries Administrative Order 263 establishing 12 FMAs on January 28.

The order also seeks to provide a science-based and participatory governance framework for the management of these FMAs. “In the past, the government divided our waters into fishing grounds. The primary focus then is exploitation patterns. Now, by declaring FMAs, we are focusing on conservation and participatory management. That is, if this order is properly implemented,” Oceana Philippines Vice President Gloria Estenzo-Ramos said in a statement.

An FMA is delineated based on approximate stock boundaries, range, distribution and structure. Jasper Emmanuel Y. Arcalas & Jonathan L. Mayuga

fiber, according to Costales. “The momentum in demand is there, hence, prices would not drop in

10 to 20 years’ time.”

“Everybody right now, most especially the First World countries,

are conscious of the environment and are looking for substitutes for petroleum-based products.

And they are looking for abaca,” he added.

The latest data released by the PhilFida showed that the Bicol region remained the top producer of the natural fiber, as it accounted for 33.78 percent of 2018 output last year.

However, production in the region fell slightly to 25,767.92 MT, from the previous year’s 25,798.77 MT. Davao region was the secondlargest producer of abaca, accounting for 18 percent of total output.

Output in the Davao region grew by 10.2 percent to 13,728.57 MT from 12,460.20 MT. Last year, the PhilFida said it would need some P5.6 billion until 2022 to fund programs and interventions aimed at tripling the country’s abaca output to 221,238 MT. In the Philippine Abaca Roadmap 2018-2022, a copy of which was obtained by the BusinessMirror, the government said it intends to expand abaca plantations to 239,666 hectares from the current 180,302 hectares.

B4

Monday, February 4, 2019 • Editor: Angel R. Calso

The World BusinessMirror

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Russia suspends nuclear treaty after US withdrawal

R

USSIA withdrew from a landmark 1987 nuclear disarmament treaty as President Vladimir Putin signaled he’s open to new talks, the Kremlin said, a day after Donald J. Trump announced the US is pulling out of the agreement citing years of Russian violations.

Putin discussed the plan to suspend the Ronald Reagan-Mikhail Gorbachev agreement during a working meeting on Saturday with Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, according to the Kremlin.

Russia is open to further negotiations and promised a “mirror answer” to Trump, Putin said, without elaborating, according to the Kremlin. Putin said the country also is suspending work on a hypersonic ground-based rocket of medium range. China urged both nations to resolve their differences through talks.

Trump said on Friday that the US was suspending its obligations

under the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty, starting the clock for withdrawal six months from now, unless Russia “comes back into compliance by destroying all of its violating missiles, launchers and associated equipment.”

The suspension is another flashpoint in US-Russia relations and another repudiation by Trump of international agreements, from the nuclear deal with Iran to the international climate change accord. Friday’s action had been all but guaranteed after Trump set a 60-day deadline two months ago for Russia to destroy all of its groundlaunched cruise missiles, known as 9M729s.

ing threat from China, which isn’t a signatory.

‘Change course’

RUSSIAN President Vladimir Putin (center), attends a meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, and Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu in the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia, on Saturday, February 2. Putin said that Russia will abandon the 1987 Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces treaty, following the footsteps of the United States, but noted that Moscow will only deploy intermediate-range nuclear missiles if Washington does so. ALEXEI NIKOLSKY, SPUTNIK, KREMLIN POOL PHOTO VIA AP

“The United States has fully adhered to the INF Treaty for more than 30 years, but we will not remain constrained by its terms while Russia misrepresents its actions,” Trump said in a statement. “We cannot be the only country in the world unilaterally bound by this treaty, or any other.”

Russia has denied violating the INF treaty, accusing the US of breaking its terms and warning that withdrawal from the Cold War-era accord signed by the Soviet Union would trigger a new arms race.

Putin said his country should not and will not be drawn into the expensive arms race, but left open the door for negotiations.

“We will wait until our partners are ripe in order to conduct an equal and meaningful dialogue with us on this important topic—both for us and for our partners, and for the whole world,” he said.

He said the US statement about continuing research and development work means “we will do the same.”

‘Key pillar’

THAT fear was echoed by analysts and Democratic lawmakers, who agreed that the Russian missiles pose a threat but said the administration appeared to have no strategy

for how to constrain it.

“Russia’s brazen noncompliance with this treaty is deeply concerning, but discarding a key pillar of our nonproliferation security framework creates unacceptable risks,” House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said in a statement.

“Of course, if the US withdraws from the treaty, Russia won’t continue to observe it unilaterally,” said Frants Klintsevich, a member of the Defense Committee in the upper house of Russia’s parliament.

“The US is pulling out in order to legitimize putting its missiles in Europe. Well, we have what we need to retarget, such as sea-based missiles,” he said.

The US has no immediate plans to deploy new missiles to Europe when the withdrawal takes effect in August, according to two administration officials involved in the deliberations who briefed reporters on condition of anonymity. It would take considerable time to test, purchase and deploy such missiles, and the administration currently is only considering nonnuclear, conventional options, the officials said.

Russia won’t station any short and medium-sized missiles in Europe and other regions unless the

US does, the Foreign Ministry in Moscow said in a web site statement.

Notifying Russia

WRITTEN notification to Russia and other Soviet-successor states was to be delivered on Saturday, according to the administration officials, who said there’s little optimism that Russia will destroy its missiles as demanded.

China is opposed to the US’s decision to withdraw from the treaty with Russia and urged the two countries to “resolve differences through constructive dialogue.”

This pact is an important bilateral treaty for arms control and disarmament that has contributed to reducing tensions between major powers, enhancing international and regional peace, Geng Shuang, a Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman, said in a statement on Saturday.

While Europeans had hoped to preserve the treaty to stem proliferation of ground-launched, intermediate-range nuclear missiles, the Trump administration argued that Russia has been in violation for years anyway. White House National Security Adviser John Bolton has called the treaty outdated and one that doesn’t address the ris-

Feud between US allies deepens as Donald Trump sits on sidelines

P

RESIDENT Donald J. Trump’s desire to put “America First” has fostered new disputes between the United States and its allies. In Asia, old rivalries are also roaring back.

Ties between Japan and South Korea—two of the US’s closest security partners—have arguably turned their most hostile in more than half a century over a series of diplomatic disputes. Now, there are signs that the feud, fueled by disagreements over Japan’s colonization of the Korean Peninsula decades ago, is beginning to damage economic and military relations between the neighbors.

During previous nationalistic flare-ups, US administrations normally intervened to make sure such grudges don’t spin out of control. Not any more.

“There’s no leadership from above in the US administration to act in the way we have in the past,” said Daniel Sneider, a lecturer in international policy at Stanford University and author of books on Northeast Asian relations. “At moments like this, it’s been the role of the US to sometimes quietly step in and help to restore communication and sometimes to find solutions.” The episode in Northeast Asia illustrates how Trump’s skepticism of traditional US alliances and preoccupation with a rolling series of political crises in Washington may be quietly reshaping the postwar geopolitical landscape.

Old grievances

THE US State Department didn’t respond to requests for comment on Thursday and Friday.

While ties between Japan and South Korea run deep—each is the

other’s third-largest trading partner—they’re laden with centuries of grievances, especially Tokyo’s 19101945 colonization of the peninsula.

Disputes over whether Japan has sufficiently atoned for its actions returned to the fore after Moon Jae-in won the South Korean presidency in 2017 and pushed back against Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s efforts to put the war disputes to rest.

In recent weeks, Japan has reacted angrily to South Korean court efforts to seize assets from companies found to have used forced Korean labor in the colonial era, saying the move violates the 1965 treaty that established relations between the two sides. They’ve also sparred over the issue of women forced to work in Japanese military brothels, with Moon vowing after the death of a “comfort woman” campaigner last week to do everything in his power to “correct the history.”

Military disputes

PERHAPS most consequential to the US is the deteriorating ties between the Japanese and South Korean militaries—something that could undermine American efforts to counter a rising China. Both defense ministries have accused each other of endangering their personnel after Japan said a South Korean naval vessel used a weapons-targeting radar on one of its military planes in December.

After Japanese Defense Minister Takeshi Iwaya highlighted the radar incident during a visit to the base where the jet was stationed, his South Korean counterpart Jeong Kyeong-doo ordered the navy to “deal sternly” with anymore low-flying planes. Kyodo News and other media

have said that defense exchanges are being postponed, increasing the potential for misunderstanding during unplanned encounters.

Neither Abe nor Moon have much domestic incentive to settle, with nationalist sentiments running high. A Nikkei newspaper poll published on Monday found 62 percent of Japanese respondents supported a tougher stance against South Korea over the radar incident. That compared with 24 percent who said the Abe administration should watch developments cautiously. “We cannot see where the bottom is,” said Lim Eunjung, an assistant professor at College of International Relations at Ritsumeikan University in Kyoto, Japan.

Economic impact

ALTHOUGH Tokyo and Seoul have managed to keep their feuding from turning violent over the years, economic risks are growing, including possible Japanese countermeasures against South Korean companies. The number of South Koreans visiting Japan fell 5.5 percent year-on-year in November to 588,000, according to the Japan National Tourist Organization, even as the overall number of inbound tourists rose 3.1 percent.

In the past, the US has used its leverage as chief security guarantor to keep the rivalry in check, helping to broker their 1965 treaty despite domestic opposition on both sides.

Former President Barack Obama’s administration played a key role in getting Tokyo and Seoul to sign a comfort women pact in 2015 and a military-intelligence-sharing agreement in 2016—high-water marks for the relationship. Bloomberg News

“THE onus is on Russia to change course from a pattern of destabilizing activity,” Secretary of State Michael Pompeo said. “We’ll continue to have conversations with them.

We hope they’ll come back into compliance.”

Trump indicated in October that he wanted to pull out, but after consulting with German Chancellor Angela Merkel and other allies decided to delay the suspension.

Pompeo said in early December that the US was giving Russia two more months to get back in compliance with the treaty.

Nato support

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said in a tweet after the announcement that Nato fully supports the US action. “Russia is in material breach of the #INFTreaty and must use [the] next 6 months to return to full and verifiable compliance or bear sole responsibility for its demise,” he said.

But comments from some European nations suggest allies aren’t fully in agreement with the decision.

“Without the INF treaty, there will be less security,” German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas told reporters on Friday in Bucharest.

“But we have to take note that the INF treaty is being violated by the Russian side.”

The US argues that Russia has jeopardized the INF treaty for years by deploying ground-launched missiles that fall within the banned range of 500 kilometers (311 miles) to 5,500 km.

“My strongest criticism is that the US and Nato have absolutely no Plan B,” said Daryl Kimball, executive director of the Arms Control Association in Washington. “The reality is that pulling out of the INF treaty in protest of Russia’s violation isn’t going to prevent Russia from deploying more of these missiles.” Bloomberg News

GM plant closings hit parts suppliers

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OLEDO, Ohio—The sting from a major restructuring at General Motors and its planned closings of five North American factories in the coming months is putting thousands of jobs at auto parts suppliers at stake, as well.

While GM expects nearly all its US blue-collar workers whose jobs are being eliminated to have an opportunity at relocating to factories that are adding jobs, that won’t be the case for many in the supply chain who make parts, drive trucks, work in warehouses and keep GM’s plants operating.

For most of them, there is no safety net.

“There’s nowhere to transfer.

They’ve got nowhere to go. They’re just out of work,” said Dave Green, a union leader near Youngstown where GM in early March plans to shut down its factory that makes the Chevrolet Cruze compact car.

GM’s labor agreements guarantee its workers transfer rights and relocation money, but that’s not true for the wide majority of suppliers, even where the workers are represented by unions.

“We’ve been lost in the shuffle,” said Brian Shina, who lost his supplier plant job when GM cut a shift at its Lordstown factory in May, months before announcing plans to close it.

“We don’t have any leverage here.”

The dominoes already are starting to fall. A plant that makes seats for the Cruze and another business that does logistics and warehousing work for GM in Ohio will close in March, too. Just three years ago, those two had a combined 800 workers. AP

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Monday, Febuary 4, 2019

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Green Monday BusinessMirror

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Save Taal Lake to save the ‘tawilis’ ‘G Story by Jonathan L. Mayuga @jonlmayuga

He noted that in 2017, funding or budget allocation specifically for activities meant to help save the Taal Lake ceased.

“This is the right time to review what we have started in the TVPL,” he said in a telephone interview on January 29.

ULAY, bangus, tilapia kayo diyan [Please buy vegetables, milkfish, tilapia]!” shouted Jose (not his real name) as he passed by a group of people just outside a flea market in General Trias, Cavite.

Jose, an ambulant vendor, was asked by a customer if he is selling tawilis (bombon sardines).

“Not anymore,” he said. “There’s no more tawilis. You have to go to Batangas. If you are lucky, you might find some in the fish landing. What you see in the market today are most probably salinyasi. They are not from Taal [Lake]. They are saltwater fish,” Jose laughed. “They are not tawilis.

They are fake,” he insisted.

‘Endangered’

THE population of the tawilis that is endemic only in Taal Lake has been in the decline for more than a decade now. Recently assessed as “endangered” after it was included in the Red List of Threatened Species of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) in February 2017, the clamor to save it from extinction reverberated anew.

Officials of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) of the Department of Agriculture, and the Biodiversity Management Bureau (BMB) of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) have agreed with the observation of the IUCN that the tawilis—the only freshwater sardine in the world—is becoming scarce because of various threats.

Overfishing, pollution and the problem brought about by invasive alien species have been identified as the threats to the tawilis, which is exclusively found in Taal Lake, a unique ecosystem which forms part of Taal Volcano Protected Landscape (TVPL).

Experts believe that to save the rare tawilis, the government intervention should also focus on saving the Taal Lake, which is itself an “endangered” ecosystem.

The TVPL is classified as highly urgent for biodiversity conservation by the DENR-BMB based on the results of the National Biodiversity Conservation Priority Setting Project jointly undertaken by the agency, in partnership with the University of the Philippines Center for Integrative and Development Studies, and Conservation International-Philippines.

Tawilis is also being showcased as part of food tourism in towns around the lake, including the popular Tagaytay in Cavite, where tawilis delicacies are sold to local and foreign tourists eating in high-end restaurants or some small carinderia or eatery.

Temporary tawilis-fishing ban

OCEANA Philippines is calling on the DENR and the BFAR to impose a temporary fishing ban on tawilis in Taal Lake, to protect the species and save the livelihood of small fishers.

“The Protected Area Management Board of Taal Volcano Protected Landscape has already endorsed seasonal closure of tawilis to give it time to reproduce. The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources proposed a three-month fishing ban on tawilis since 2013. The DENR and BFAR must join forces to curb the major threats to the survival of tawilis and to ensure that there is sustainable management of this species,” said lawyer Gloria Estenzo Ramos, vice president of Oceana Philippines, an international organization working to protect and restore the world’s oceans.

Ramos added that while seasonal closure will contribute to reviving the stock, it must be supported by other

fisheries management measures to ensure long-term sustainability of the area, such as tight control on fish pens, regular monitoring of water quality, prevention of invasive species and no-nonsense enforcement of environmental laws.

“Demand for tawilis has driven the fish to near extinction and this must be carefully studied by both scientists and resource economists,” Ramos said.

Pablo Rosales, chairman of Progresibong Alyansa ng mga Mangingisda sa Pilipinas, said the overfishing of tawilis can be addressed by regulating the fishing activities of commercial fishers.

“The ban must focus on the commercial fishing sector. Their boats are large, and their gears are very efficient, so they catch majority of the stocks. At the same time, municipal fishers are also displaced, and left with lesser catch,” Rosales added.

He said that illegal fishers in Taal Lake which operate without licenses and use destructive gears, and establishments which cause marine pollution in the area must also be held accountable.

Rosales urges the adoption of a national management framework to sustainably utilize and manage all sardine species in the country.

Data from the National Stock Assessment Program show that aside from tawilis, other sardine species which are harvested in the ocean, such as Sardinella lemuru and Sardinella gibbosa, or more commonly known as tamban, tuloy and tabagak, are also overfished.

“There’s an urgent need to implement a science-based sardine management framework that will address issues on the overfishing of sardines, regulate the catch of juveniles, and allow sardine stocks to spawn and reproduce. The continuous encroachment of commercial fishers in municipal waters must also be addressed,” Ramos said.

Oceana also welcomed the stoppage of production and voluntary withdrawal of tawilis products of certain companies in the market.

“This goes only to show that the business sector is open to integrating sustainability as a corporate philosophy and is a much-lauded move,” Ramos added.

Biodiversity loss

BESIDES tawilis, about 87 percent of fish species in Taal Lake had disappeared as of 1996, according to a study conducted as early as the 1920s, said AA Yaptinchay of the Marine Wildlife Watch of the Philippines.

“There was even a bull shark in the lake but it is now extinct,” he said.

Yaptinchay said Taal is faced with problems caused by invasive alien species—both plant and fish. He noted that the major culprits are tilapia and water hyacinths. Others are the Thai catfish and Chinese soft-shelled turtles.

“Either they compete with space and food resources of the tawilis, or prey on them,” he said.

According to Yaptinchay, the government should step in and put in place stricter regulations to address the various problems besetting the TVPL. “There are many threats besides fishing, such as pollution and invasive species, which need to be addressed,” he said, adding that all hopes are not lost in saving Taal Lake.

Punitive action

THE now-endangered tawilis ARVEL MALUBAG PICTURE-PERFECT crater lake of Taal Volcano, as viewed from the Balete view deck TAAL VOLCANO PROTECTED LANDSCAPE/DENR-SCIS.

“If it undergoes ecological restoration, meaning clean up the pollution, remove invasive species and regulate fish catches, there is hope,” he said.

‘Abused, neglected economic resource’

BEING a watershed, the Taal Lake is an important economic resource for many people, particularly in Tagaytay City in the province of Cavite, and Taal lakeshore towns in the province of Batangas.

Besides its being a popular tourist destination, Taal Lake and its surrounding environment provide the people important economic resource like land for agriculture, and the lake itself for fisheries— both for small fishermen and small fish-cage operators.

The lake has a total surface area of 24,356.4 hectares, the country’s third-largest lake next to Laguna de Bay and Lake Lanao.

There are close to 6,000 fish cages in various parts of Taal Lake where tilapia and bangus are being raised.

Around the lake are farms that make use of various pesticides and fertilizers. These agrichemicals all drain into the lake during heavy rains.

Worse, a total of 37 small rivers drain into Taal Lake, originating from Tagaytay Ridge, Talisay, Balete, Mataas na Kahoy, Alitagtag, Agoncillo and Laurel. Only one river, Pansipit River, about 8.2 kilometers long, drains Taal Lake at San Nicolas into Balayan Bay. T hese r ivers are a l l sources of pol lution, par ticu larly untreated wastewater from households w ith no sewer treatment plants or not connected to proper sewer lines, thereby, ag g ravating the

deg rad at ion of t he i mpor t a nt water body.

Protected area

PERHAPS the most popular tourist destination in the Southern Tagalog region, the TVPL was established by virtue of Proclamation 923, Series of 1996 signed on November 19, 1996.

The municipalities of Talisay, Malvar, Tanauan, Laurel, Agoncillo, Santa Teresita, Cuenca, Alitagtag, Mataas na Kahoy, Balete, San Nicolas, Lemery and Taal, and Lipa City, all in Batangas province, and Tagaytay City in Cavite province share jurisdiction and mandate over TVPL under the National Integrated Protected Areas System (Nipas) Act. Being a protected area and a source of income and livelihood of many fishermen, including fishcage operators, the BFAR and BMB exercise joint regulatory powers over TVPL. A former director of the DENRBMB, Theresa Mundita S. Lim, said she is not surprised tawilis is already considered endangered.

“It has a limited range and there is anecdotal information from local folks that the fish is not as frequently seen or caught nowadays compared to more than decades ago,” Lim, currently the executive director of the Asean Centre for Biodiversity (ACB), said.

Stronger protection

DECLARING an area as a protected, like the Taal Landscape, should not be the end of the protection measure, the biodiversity conservation expert said.

Instead, Lim said it should give more reason for additional efforts to strengthening its protection, and the campaign to save the tawilis is one of those measures.

This cannot be done by a single sector or entity alone.”—Lim

“As a protected area, your main goal is to maintain the ecological integrity of the landscape. And to do this, you must ensure that the various species that make the ecosystem function and sustain its capacity to provide the services the way it does, continue to exist and to thrive,” she explained.

To save the tawilis, she said there is a need to address the various threats, holistically.

“This cannot be done by a single sector or entity alone,” she noted.

“The management plan of TVPL already seeks to do this. But we need also the public, the consumers, to be more aware that if they want to continue to enjoy the scenic Taal, along with the unique taste of its endemic tawilis and the maliputo, they can also play a role by demanding for responsibly sourced/ cultured fishery products from the lake,” she explained.

Such public involvement, Lim said, can help make it easier to limit the fish cages and reduce unsustainable aquaculture practices, as well as illegal fishing.

In addition, she cited that pollution must also be addressed at the source.

“The LGUs [local government units], communities and the industries around the lake can also work alongside each other to keep the water quality up to standard.

So perhaps we just need a rallying point for concerted action for TVPL, it could just be ‘to save the tawilis.’ The continued existence of the tawilis can, thus, be considered a good indicator for successful management efforts in the TVPL,” she said.

Writ of Kalikasan

THE TVPL is the subject of a continuing mandamus issued by the Supreme Court in February 2012. Filed by then-Agham Party-list Rep. Angelo Palmones, the complaint aims to protect the lake from human activities, including fish-cage operation.

The Supreme Court, deciding in favor of the petition filed by the veteran radio broadcaster, referred the continuing mandamus to the Court of Appeals, which approved a memorandum of agreement reached

by Palmones and the DENR. These include strictly regulating fish-cage operation and monitoring of water quality in the lake.

Sought for comment, Palmones told the BusinessMiror the decline of the rare tawilis and other fish in the TVPL is a result of decades of neglect and abuse. The government intervention and program implemented in the TVPL appeared to be inadequate, Palmones said, and was not sustained.

ACCORDING to Palmones, to save the rare tawilis from extinction, it would require drastic measures and the complete support of various stakeholders.

The former lawmaker said overfishing, particularly by companies engaged in bottling sardines, including small and medium enterprises (SMEs), should stop. “ The continued depletion of tawilis, considered as an endemic treasure of the Philippines, clearly demands for punitive action on LGUs and businesses within the TVPL,” he said.

According to Palmones, residents and establishments, especially livestock farms around TVPL never ceased on discharging pollutants and untreated wastewater to tributaries of the lake.

“The DENR must resume funding and empowering the PASu [Protected Area Superintendent] of TVPL to fully implement the continuing mandamus issued by the Court of Appeals in 2012 to save Taal Lake, and our tawilis,” he said.

Rehabilitation, other measures

ACCORDING to Jose Elmer C. Bascos, Batangas Provincial Environment and Natural Resource Officer (Penro) and concurrent TVPL Protected Area superintendent, part of the continuing effort to save the tawilis is protecting and conserving the TVPL, particularly the Taal Lake’s ecosystem.

The rehabilitation of Taal Lake, he said, is no letup even as he admitted that they need to step up measures to save the tawilis from extinction.

Various measures, he said, have also been introduced by concerned government agencies, including strictly limiting the number of fish cages in Taal.

Interviewed by the BusinessMirror via telephone on January 28, Bascos said as far as fisheries is concerned, the DENR-BMB, through the management of the TVPL, is working with the DA-BFAR and LGUs in implementing the Unified Fishery Rules and Regulation.

“On Thursday, we will have a stakeholders’ meeting to discuss how to strengthen our protection and conservation measures for the TVPL and how to save the tawilis,” he said.

“We are also planning to declare three areas in Taal Lake as tawilis conservation areas, where fishing will not be allowed,” he said. The areas are the fishing grounds in Balete, San Nicolas and Cuenca town.

According to Bascos, starting this year, the management of the TVPL—which includes the various heads of agencies and LGUs comprising the Protected A rea Management Board—will implement a tawilis closed season every March and April, the months they are known to breed, to allow the rare fish species to reproduce and replenish the lake with new stocks.

Confirming that the many rivers drain to Taal Lake, he said so far, the pollution level of Taal Lake is not as alarming as in Laguna de Bay. He said they now limit the number of fish cages in the lake to a maximum of 6,000 units and allow only f loating fish feeds to reduce potential pollution.

He said he will recommend the massive rehabilitation of Taal Lake, similar to that in Boracay and Manila Bay, to further boost efforts in preventing the dumping of solid waste and untreated wastewater that find their way into rivers that drain into the lake.

Biodiversity Monday BusinessMirror

Asean Champions of Biodiversity Media Category 2014

Monday, February 4, 2019

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

Biodiversity expert to private sector: Take part in global effort vs plastic pollution

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HE head of Asean Centre for Biodiversity (ACB) Executive Director Dr. Theresa Mundita S. Lim called on other private companies in Southeast Asia to flight plastic pollution following the launch last month of a $1-billion initiative by some 30 major industrial and consumer goods companies around the world for the purpose.

Lim said, “The private sector’s commitment through the AEPW [Alliance to End Plastic Waste] is a very laudable action. At the present rate of threats to biodiversity, and with global Sustainable Development Goals to be met, the private sector has a huge role to play in biodiversity conservation.”

Lim expressed “I hope other multinational companies, especially in the Asean region, could emulate this initiative. This move against plastic pollution by the private sector is a concrete example of integrating or ‘mainstreaming’ biodiversity conservation in the business sector, which is among the major thrusts of ACB.” The AEPW, which was convened by the World Business Council for Sustainable Development, will fund initiatives in waste management and recycling infrastructure worldwide.

The alliance will support innovative technologies that could offer solutions to the large and growing issue of plastic pollution. A mong the members of AEPW are Proctor and Gamble, Lyondell Basell, BASF, Dow and Mitsui Chemicals, Exxon Mobil, Total and Shell.

The AEPW announced that it would invest in an incubator network, run by Circulate Capital, which will help to develop innovative technologies and business models to prevent plastic waste.

It would support Renew Oceans, an India-based organization that

aims to divert plastic waste from rivers.

A 2016 report from the World Economic Forum estimated that at current rates, the total weight of marine plastic will be greater than that of the fish in the oceans. Microplastics—invisible fragments of plastic waste—have been detected in many marine species, and are now in the human food chain.

Earlier in 2018, Lim lauded the Asean member-states in their continued efforts in reducing plastic wastes in the region. She cited ACB’s hometown, Los Baños, Laguna, as the first-ever municipality in the Philippines to regulate use of plastic materials.

“I am happy to report that each Asean member-state has its own initiative in dealing with plastic wastes. For example, Brunei Darussalam has a campaign to stop the use of plastic bags in supermarkets by the end of 2019. In Cambodia, major supermarkets charge KHR 400 [$0.10] per plastic bag to reduce its wasteful use.

Lao PDR also encourages the public to use recyclable bags, which are being sold in downtown cafés and markets. Malaysia, Myanmar and Indonesia also implement bans and taxes on the use of plastic bags,” said Lim. Lim also reported that in Singapore, one of the world’s giant players in the fast-food chain industry with 84 restaurants in the country banned the use of plastics for dine-in customers last year.

In Thailand, the government is promoting the importance of reducing the number of plastic bags to lessen the harmful effects to the environment. Large businesses and enterprises in Vietnam have introduced eco-friendly bags for shoppers, and the government imposes environment tax on plastic bags, at VND 40,000 ($1.76) per kilogram.

MALAYSIA’S ASEAN BIODIVERSITY HERO BAGS MIDORI PRIZE FOR BIODIVERSITY

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SEAN Biodiversity Hero from Malaysia, Prof. Emeritus Dr. Zakri Abdul Hamid, was one of the awardees of the prestigious 2018 Midori Prize for Biodiversity.

The Midori Prize awarded Zakri among “three individuals who have made outstanding contributions to conservation and sustainable use at local and global levels, and who have influenced and strengthened various biodiversity-related efforts, as well as raised awareness about biodiversity.”

The Asean Biodiversity Hero, a program of the Asean Centre for Biodiversity, headed

by Executive Director Dr. Theresa Mundita S. Lim, recognizes outstanding achievers in biodiversity conservation in the 10 Asean member-states.

“My involvement with biodiversity has been a lifelong preoccupation,” Zakri said in his remarks when he received the Midori Prize.

“Appreciation of nature and biodiversity comes naturally. The sound of birds in the morning, the soft rustling of the leaves blown by the wind and the freshness of the air are all too familiar to me since I was young. It was only later in life that I discovered that I was living in one of the greatest biology laboratories on the surface of the planet—Southeast Asia. I believe that sustainable development and the future of human civilization hinges heavily on biodiversity—our web of life.”

Zakri was a former science adviser to the Malaysian prime minister, and is considered a key actor in the development of biodiversity conservation governance in Malaysia and in the international arena, particularly with the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD).

He was the first Asian to become the chairman of the CBD’s Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice, an open-ended intergovernmental scientific advisory body that provides the CBD Conference of the Parties with timely advice relating to the implementation of the Convention.

He cochaired the Board of the landmark UN Millennium Ecosystem Assessment, which

is one of the world’s largest-ever scientific collaborations involving over 2,000 leading scientists in a comprehensive synthesis and analysis of the state of the Earth’s ecosystems, representing a groundbreaking scientific assessment of their services, causes of changes and consequences to humanity.

Zakri was elected as the founding chairman of the UN-affiliated Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services, an independent body that bridges the gap between science and policy, and provides impartial, accurate and up-to-date data and scientific information to assist in policy-making related to biodiversity management.

One of the leading spokesmen of developing countries in the negotiating sessions in the CBD, among his numerous notable international roles were being appointed by then UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon as one of the 26 eminent scientists in his inaugural Scientific Advisory Board.

The other Midori Prize awardees were Kathy MacKinnon, chairman of the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s World Commission on Protected Areas; and Assad Serhal, director general of the Society for the Protection of Nature Lebanon. Each awardee received a plaque, a commemorative gift, and a monetary prize of $100,000 to support their work.

CBD Executive Secretary Dr. Cristiana Pașca Palmer said the works of the three awardees represent the kind of energy, action and inspiration needed to improve the relationship between humans and nature, and that they have made outstanding contributions to the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity and the fair and equitable sharing of its benefits.

The Midori Prize is cohosted by AEON Environmental Foundation and the CBD Secretariat. The award aims to raise public awareness on the importance of biodiversity and to contribute to the objectives of the United Nations Decade on Biodiversity 2011-2020.

B7

Fighting insects with insects

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By Michael A. Bengwayan | Special to the BusinessMirror

HANHUA, Tainan, Taiwan— People tend to think of insects and bugs with the words “harmful” and “pests,” unaware that worldwide, just a little bit of fraction, no more than 20 percent of all insects, cause harm to humans or damage crops.

There are far more in the insect population that can help in many ways and benefit mankind enormously.

Insects are one of the many components of an agroecosystem and many entomologists, the people who study insects, say humans are not fully aware of the huge diversity of insect species, especially in farms and their functions in the ecosystem.

Farming created pests

THE intensification of agricultural production is the main reason why many insect species have become pests, environmental horticulturist Laura Anne Sanagorsky of the University of Florida said.

How? The agricultural scientist explained that it was through co-evolutionary process driven by reduc t ion of biod iversit y (monocropping) and conventional agricultural production. The former provides perfect environment for one or few insect species to thrive, and the latter helps drive the evolutionary selection of new populations of phytophageous species as the use of pesticides and inorganic fertilizers give rise to insect populations that are tolerant and resistant.

In short, Sanagorsky said, “We created our own insect pests.”

T he increasing difficulties humans face in controlling insects is the best argument for the drastic change in the world’s agricultural system. The approach then should not only minimize the damage caused by insects but also unlearn the old approach of protecting crops by focusing on pest control, and instead look at the interactions where farmers and nonfarmers can benefit from the insects, she said.

She said many insects, besides bees, are pollinators. Others improve soil fertility while many more are parasitoids that naturally kill harmful insects. The height of agricultural pesticide use killed

HUNTING FOR PREY Apparently

enthralled by a bunch of orchids at a farm in Bayombong, Nueva Vizcaya, a native bird perches on a dry wood. The good weather provides the bird the chance to hunt for its prey of insects. CEASAR M. PERANTE

many beneficial insects, mostly natural enemies of harmful insects, she lamented.

Because of the absence of natural enemies, many insect pests became tolerant to some pesticides, creating a new breed of “Frankenpests” due to biological magnification. It is the increasing concentration of a substance, such as a toxic chemicals, in the tissues of tolerant organisms at successively higher levels in a food chain, she expounded.

Helping those that help us

THERE are ways that insects can be helped to be beneficial. This author together with Prof. N.S Talekar of the Taiwan-based World Vegetable Center (or AVRDC) here and Prof. Eulogio Cardona and Dr. Lucy Villanueva of the Benguet State University did just that and solved one of the worst insect pest infestations in the Philippines that costs farmers millions of US dollars annually.

Working as a team for several months, the team bred and reared the beneficial insects Diadegma eucerophaga and Apanteles plutellae at AVRDC’s laboratory.

The insects are natural enemies of Plutella xylostella or diamondback moth (DBM), the worst insect pest of crucifers like cabbage, brocolli, cauliflowers etc.

After mass producing the natural enemies, we brought them from Taiwan to the Cordillera region of the Philippines, convinced farmers to stop spraying insecticides—because the beneficial insects will die—released the beneficial insects and let them hunt and kill the DBMs. The procedure solved the diamondback infestation.

Diadegma eucerophaga and Apantele plutellae, are by God’s design, natural enemies of DBM but since they were wiped out in the Philippines due to overuse of insecticides, we had to go breed and mass rear them at the World

AN insect is killing another insect.

Vegetable Center to reintroduce the population. They are parasitoids, meaning, they hunt their DBM prey, lay eggs on the bodies of their prey, and their eggs hatch and feed on the prey.

In Cuba, w it h t he help of the Ministry of Agriculture, 200 insect breeding and rearing centers called Centros de Introduction de Entomofagos Y Entomophatigenos were built. The centers raise 9 million Trichogramma wasps yearly to combat insect pests in rice, corn, sugar cane, vegetables and pasture lands.

Cuba also mass rears the parasitoids Bracomidae, Chalcididae, Anthocorida, Entophidae and predators Coccinilidae, and Anthocorridae to fight insect pest larvae.

On-fa r m rea r ing sites a re also encouraged. Banana planters, while they were raising bananas, multiply colonies of the predator ants Phidole megacephala, which are brought to sweet potato fields to kill the insect pest sweet potato weevil.

Luis Vasquez, agricultural researcher of Cuba’s Instituto de Investigaciones de Sanidad Vegetal, said farmers in Central Cuba tolerate the weed sourbroom (Partenium hystophorus) because the plants host Coccinilidae which is a predator of destructive aphids.

“Our farmers also take care of the bush Pinon florido [Gliricidia sepium], called kakawate in the Philippines, because it is host to 21 entonomophagous insects that kill 19 known deadly insect pests of vegetables,” Vasquez, who is on a visit to Benguet’s vegetable fields, revealed.

Learning from insects, increasing diversity

ENTOMOLOGIST Bony Ligat, a professor at Beng uet State University, said humans must adopt environmentally friendly and sustainable methods in dealing with insects.

“We must learn to scout insect activities in the field and set action thresholds based on regular monitoring to prevent pest outbreaks.

Agriculturists can train farmers to detect early pest infestation for the use of less toxic management options. We have to study and learn insects’ behavior,” he added.

Frowning on deadly chemicals as the only means to control insect pests, Ligat explained that it is important to manage the presence of nondestructive insects to see if these can prevent destructive insects.

Tomato farmers in the United States use this approach resulting in 80 percent dependence on chemicals to get rid of tomato insect pests, he added.

Scientists at the World Vegetable Center said it is critical to increase plant diversity to bring back the balance of destructive and beneficial pest populations.

Dr. Romeo Opena, who headed the Center’s Africa program, said plant diversity adds stability to an ecosystem. “ The more diverse an agricultural ecosystem is, the more resistant it is to the damage caused by pests, diseases and severe weather caused by climate change,” he said.

“We know that monocrops are risky in many ways. Consider the Irish Potato Famine which was the result of just one clonal variety, while in Bolivia and Peru, some 4,000 potato varieties are planted,” he explained.

Planting one single crop may seem most productive and beneficial but most insects prefer single specific plant host, so diversity can reduce the amount of damage they do, he added.

Diversity in crops provide more blooms at different times of the year, something that attracts more diverse population of insects.

If at all, however, we still have a long way to go to really know insects because all the time, we were busy killing them.

Bengwayan has a master’s degree and PhD in Development Studies and Environmental Resource Management from the University College Dublin, Ireland, as a European Union fellow. He is currently a fellow of Echoing Green Foundation in New York.

B8 Monday, February 4, 2019

MIDORI CLARK TO STAGE TABLE-FOR-TWO VALENTINE DINNER MERALCO GROUP STRONGLY SHINES AT 54TH ANVIL AWARDS

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ELEBRATE the love of life, joy and everything that’s good in the world. On February 14 Midori Clark Hotel once again makes this day extra special with a well-planned “Table for Two: A Romantic Dinner”.

Dinner starts at 7 p.m. at Toscana Dining and the Midori garden, with dimmed lights and cozy atmosphere making the place a perfect venue for a candle-lit dinner.

The Table for Two: A Romantic Dinner at Midori will feature a five-course meal, which includes prosciutto in blue cheese and honey, citrus and beetroot salad, cream of pumpkin soup with salmon tapioca and center-cut steak and sea scallop as the main course. An ordinary muscat on notes of mango and passion fruit Eclat de Rose will complement the sumptuous meal. Lemon-cream cheesecake-mousse tart will be served for the finale.

For an additional romantic vibe, pocket

events are available on the side, adorned with extra romantic feels and your favorite love songs played in violin, piano and guitar the by Beyond Strings Band.

Couples can also get a chance to win an overnight stay at a superior room with breakfast buffet for two, a weekend buffet dinner for two at Toscana Dining and Aqua Planet tickets for two.

“For years now, Midori Clark Hotel became the haven for couples. We turn out to be one of the top destinations for lavish events and memorable happenings for couples just like Valentine’s Day. This even inspires us to provide a luxurious, one-of-a-kind and, definitely, remarkable Valentine ’s Day for our guests.”

Table for Two: A Romantic Dinner at Midori is priced at P1, 999 net per person, with limited seats and guaranteed reservations only.

E-mail at restaurants@midorihotel.com for reservations and inquiries.

MÖVENPICK CHAIN OF BUSINESSES RECEIVE DISTINCTION FROM TRIPADVISOR

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HE ManilaElectricCo. (Meralco)and its corporate social-responsibility arm One Meralco Foundation (OMF) were among the top recipients of this year’s 54th Anvil Awards organized by the Public Relations Society of the Philippines (PRSP), held on January 30 at the grand ballroom of Marriott Hotel.

Meralco and OMF took home a total of

two Gold and two Silver Awards.

Winning the Gold Anvil Awards were Meralco’s entry “Powering Up CustomerCentric Service Communications” and OMF’s “Power Pack: The One Meralco” back-to-school program. Taking home the Silver Anvil Awards were Meralco’s “Putting Things in Perspective: Meralco Benchmarks Electricity Rates with the

Global Market” and “The Quarterly Meralco Operating and Financial Media Briefings: Keeping our Stakeholders Enlightened.”

Seen in photo are OMF President Jeffrey O. Tarayao (seventh from left)and Meralco head of public information Joe Zaldarriaga (sixth from left) leading the Anvil trophies.

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ÖVENPICK Hotel Mactan Island Cebu receives another TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence, as the Ibiza Beach Club and The Sails (the hotel’s all-day dining and buffet outlet) were also recognized with the same accolade.

TripAdvisor celebrates customer experiences and various establishments that have consistently received strong praise and ratings on the world’s largest travel site. The recognition honors

businesses that are actively engaging with customers, and using feedback to help travelers identify and confidently book the perfect trip.

Recipients of the certificate also include attractions, restaurants and accommodations located all over the world that have continually delivered quality customer experience.

The 2018 Certificate of Excellence accounts for the quality, quantity and recentness of reviews submitted by travelers on TripAdvisor over a 12-month period. To qualify, a business must maintain an overall TripAdvisor bubble rating of at least four out of five; have a minimum number of reviews; and must have been listed on TripAdvisor for at least 12 months.

SHOWCASING WORLD-CLASS FILIPINO PRODUCTS

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PVTOP International Inc., founded by husband and wife Brick and Leila Agcopra, offers world-class products made by and for the Filipino people.

Multipurpose flash drive G-Flash protects your home from electrical surges and lowers power consumption by fixing losses on lines, removing electromagnetic flux and reducing wire heating; and also speeds up PC and laptops units.

Can be downloaded for free and used for up to eight hours, without charge upon registration, the G web-phone app is a perfect companion for overseas communication.

Leraning has been made faster with G-Minds— helping kids sharpen their minds and be on top of the class—which is naturally safe and effective. Done in two days, kids fastly learn colors and shapes even when blindfolded. This program started in Japan and has now been used in different countries.

Over the years the company introduces more products to help Filipino people lift their own brand. Noted actor Ricardo Cepeda, and beauty-queen-turned-actress Marina Benipayo are the company’s product endorsers.

The company is currently on the mission to help families in conflict on the armed struggle in Mindanao.

As part of the Arm To Farm program, rebel returnees and their families earn a living and, with the help of the government, become a part of the peace process in the region.

For inquiries, visit spvtop.com.

For product purchase, visit spvtopmarket.com.

LIVE ENTERTAINMENT REINVENTED AT THE ONE 690

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UCCESSFUL businessman and Mr. Gay World Philippines 2009 Wilbert Tolentino recently launched the evolution of entertainment bar highlighted by the one-of-a-kind production number he and his creative team has conceptualized.

The world-class fabulous performances, featuring the Pink Mannequins, the country’s international drag queens, together with young, handsome and muscular men, in an elaborate song-dance numbers, had a press preview at The One 690, fronting the Amoranto Sports Complex.

Since 1972, Club 690’s entertainment showcases quality diversion and recreation, but is not open for female audiences. Founded by Boy Fernandez and managed by Raoul Barbosa, the entertainment club temporarily closed, until Wilbert, with Genesis Gallios as co-owner/manager this time, revived the brand name. The new business partners have become the brains behind the concept of (r)evolution since then.

“Boy Fernandez agreed for me to re-open the bar in 2004, perhaps, because he has seen my passion for the entertainment industry, and the

rest is history! By that time, women also started to patronize the bar and other clubs with similar theme. Today our club is for general patronage, by people of all gender and from all walks of life. Our club features Las Vegas-type shows and numbers that are comparable to Broadway [in New York] and Moulin Rouge [in Paris]. Of course, our hunky and good-looking male models are still here. The entertainment bar business has definitely evolved and is in tune with the modern times,” Wilbert said.

Wilbert is gearing up to come out more establishments that will cater to the general public and will surely add glitter to the field of entertainment this 2019.

Moreover, his team promises to innovate on their shows and materials, and to be always on the lookout for best talents, comedians, performers and interesting personalities for his existing and upcoming entertainment bars.

The One 690 also has a regular Girls’ Night Out, which is trending among female millennials. It also caters for bridal showers and other parties!

For more details, visit www.690manila.com.

Sports BusinessMirror

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| Monday, February 4, 2019 mirror_sports@yahoo.com.ph Editor: Jun Lomibao

MAGNET OF VEGAS L

By Regina Garcia Cano The Associated Press

AS VEGAS—Thousands of football fans from around the country converge at Las Vegas casinos every February to place their bets on the Super Bowl’s winner, Most Valuable Player, first touchdown scorer and hundreds of other outcomes. They cheer, boo and hold their breath as they watch every moment of the game at sportsbooks, VIP parties and other gatherings.

If they’re lucky, they then get in long lines to cash out.

That enthusiasm is worth hundreds of millions of dollars to Las Vegas, and for the first time on Sunday, it will face legal competition outside Nevada as casinos in seven more states have opened sportsbooks since the US Supreme Court issued a relevant ruling in May. But the race for the betting dollars is not worrying officials or casino operators. This Super Bowl, they say, will be business as usual.

Their confidence comes from the magnetism of Las Vegas: Storied casinos, superb hospitality and dining, plus a growing list of world-class entertainment options that together create the Sin City vibe that draws millions every year. Seldom do people come to this desert oasis nowadays exclusively to bet.

“People come to Vegas for four-five hours around the Super Bowl, but they come for a lot more to fill the other 48 hours that they are here in town for that weekend,” said Jay Rood, who heads sports betting operations for MGM Resorts International. “I really don’t think that Vegas, or Nevada, has anything to worry about in the future.

I think it’s only going to increase our customer base and probably deliver more people to our doorstep.”

Tourism officials expect 306,000 people to travel to Las Vegas for Super Bowl weekend, with a projected economic impact of $426 million. The figures from the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority represent a $1.4 million year-over-year increase in economic impact with about the same number of visitors.

Gamblers wagered a record $158.6 million on the big game at Nevada’s nearly 200 sportsbooks last year, over $20.1 million more than in 2017. But the sportsbooks made a profit of only about $1.2 million, as some reported six- and seven-figure losses in part because of a seemingly deep-pocketed mystery bettor.

Nevada’s effective monopoly on sports betting ended last spring, when the Supreme Court struck down a federal ban on that form of gambling. Casinos in seven other states—Rhode Island, Delaware, Mississippi, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, West Virginia and New Mexico—are accepting wagers on the game between the New England Patriots and Los Angeles Rams. And by 2020, the list could be longer with lawmakers in two

PEOPLE make bets in the sports book at the South Point hotel and casino in Las Vegas. AP

dozen states thinking about allowing sports betting.

The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, which is responsible for promoting the destination, estimates that 93.5 percent of the city’s roughly 147,000 available rooms will be booked this weekend.

“In addition to weather that’s better than most of the country right now, we have so many other amenities you can build out a full weekend,” said Jacqueline Peterson, the authority’s chief communications officer. “Yes, you can sit down and watch the big game and have a great time. But before and after, we have the best clubs and bars and restaurants in the world. Some amazing shows are in town this weekend.”

Lady Gaga, American rock band ZZ Top, George Strait

and Van Morrison are among those with shows scheduled.

MGM Resorts anticipates the majority of its Las Vegas Strip properties will be sold out. Rood said he has already taken several six-figure wagers and anticipated he will get three or four wagers topping $1 million each. He expects Rams supporters from nearby southern California to start showing up in Las Vegas by Friday afternoon.

MGM and the Westgate Las Vegas casino-hotel had the Patriots as 2 1/2-point favorite on Thursday.

The Westgate Las Vegas casino-hotel expects to be at capacity, too. It will host a gathering for 1,200 of its VIP customers, a private event for over 2,000 people and a party for about 1,500 people that’s open to the public at the theater where Elvis Presley once performed.

A satellite betting station will be centrally placed to allow partygoers to bet without missing much of the game.

Longtime Las Vegas oddsmaker Jay Kornegay believes bettors in Nevada will set another record this year. He said some of the big bettors have made arrangements to wire money ahead of the game, with 80 to 85 percent of all the bets historically coming in the last two days before the game.

“It’s an important weekend for us, and when I say us, I’m talking about the city of Las Vegas because we have to put on our best show to keep them coming back not just for next year’s game, but throughout the entire year,” said Kornegay, the Westgate’s vice president of race and sports book operations. “It’s all hands on deck throughout the entire city.”

NEVER MISS A SUPER BOWL CLUB A

NEW England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady looks to pass during practice. AP

TLANTA— Don Crisman knows precisely when the streak began: January 15, 1967. The ticket price for the Super Bowl at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum was $12.

“Good seats,” Crisman, 82, said. “You could buy $6 tickets, and $10. There were three prices.”

On Sunday, Crisman, Gregory Eaton and Tom Henschel will attend Super Bowl 53. They’re the last surviving members of the Never Miss a Super Bowl Club, the only known fans with a perfect attendance record for the National Football League’s biggest game.

“I’ve missed weddings, I’ve missed funerals, but I’ve never missed a Super Bowl,” said Eaton, 79, from Lansing, Michigan. “Anyone in my family knows don’t plan anything because I’m gone that week.”

Ticket prices have soared through the years.

Eaton said he paid $2,000 for his ticket

Patriots have habit A of Super Bowl trips, Rams newcomers

to Sunday’s Rams-Patriots game. The most he paid was $3,000 for Super Bowl 48 in East Rutherford, New Jersey, in 2014.

Now, as the Rams prepare to face Tom Brady and the Patriots on Sunday, preserving the streak is more important than the cost. And it has not been a smooth ride the whole way.

Henschel, 78, a Steelers fan who lives near Pittsburgh, had his near-miss in New Orleans for Super Bowl 6 in 1972.

“I partied a lot on Bourbon Street and woke up at 5 or 6 in the morning and couldn’t breathe,” Henschel said.

“I was on all fours. I finally got outside on the street and a police officer took me to a hospital. The next thing I know I’m in the ER with an IV in me and oxygen.

“They rolled me into a room and I’m feeling good, and a nun came in and said, ‘You’re going to be under observation the next 24 hours.’ I said, ‘Sister, you don’t understand, I’ve got to go to this game.’ She said ‘No, you’ll be able to see the game on TV.’ Right after she walked out, I took my IV out and oxygen off and I left.

They’ve never seen me since.”

Crisman almost missed Super Bowl 2 in Miami when a storm forced his private plane to land at an abandoned Air Force base in South Carolina. He finally had to take a 24-hour train ride before arriving in Miami only a couple hours before the Packers-Raiders game.

“My streak almost ended before it began,” he said.

Crisman distributed Super Bowl 53 club shirts to Henschel and Eaton when they met at a luncheon in

TLANTA—Hey, have you guys been here before?

If you’re a New England Patriot, the answer pretty much is “all the time.”

If you play for the Rams, the reply basically is “never in my life.”

So if experience is a factor in Sunday’s Super Bowl, the overwhelming edge is with the 2½-point favorites from Foxborough who are 5-3 in National Football League (NFL) title games with Tom Brady at quarterback and Bill Belichick in the hoodie on the sideline.

The Rams, whose past two Super trips were representing Saint Louis in 2000 and 2002, have four players who have gotten this far. New England has four on its defensive line alone.

“Probably, throughout the week, it

MEMBERS of the Never Miss a Super Bowl Club (from left) Tom Henschel, Gregory Eaton and Don Crisman, pose for a group photograph during a welcome luncheon in Atlanta. AP

downtown Atlanta on Friday. It’s a unique club for the three who become mini-celebrities once a year.

Crisman, a Patriots fan from Kennebunk, Maine, offered a toast to former members who have died, including Larry Jacobson six months ago.

Crisman said Jacobson was a “one of a kind” fan who also had streaks of attending 54 consecutive

gives them an advantage,” Rams tackle Andrew Whitworth says—and he’s finishing up his 13th NFL season, though it’s his first that ends in February.

“They kind of know this week. They know when things are a little anxious, when to kind of, ‘Hey, turn it on and get ready to play.’ They probably have a process and plan for the week.”

Athletes in every sport talk about how helpful a comfort zone can be. It’s even more pronounced when it accompanies events such as the Super Bowl, which, for better or worse, transcends football.

Brady and most of his teammates, in their third straight visit, barely flinch at all the attention, media demands and alterations to the norm they encounter during Super Bowl week—although they were taken aback somewhat by the cacophony and circus atmosphere of opening night on Monday. Aside from Aqib Talib, CJ Anderson, Brandin Cooks and Sam Shields, for the Rams this is uncharted territory.

Rams Coach Sean McVay tends to dismiss that theory, however. Using

Rose Bowls and 15 Summer Olympics.

As a Patriots fan, Crisman has had much to cheer about in recent Super Bowls. He said New England’s comeback win over the Atlanta Falcons two years ago is his favorite Super Bowl memory.

“I had that one in the loss column at halftime,” he said. AP

quarterback Jared Goff as an example, McVay could have been speaking for his entire squad, which has made a sensational turnaround in his two seasons in charge.

“He’s an unfazed quarterback,” McVay says. “I think his way to have success and handle adversity the same demonstrates that poise and confidence you want from your quarterback.”

Nowhere is the experience matchup more uneven than at QB. At 41, Brady already is the oldest quarterback to start a Super Bowl. Goff is 24 and one of the youngest.

Well, maybe nowhere is an exaggeration, because Belichick, at 66, could become the oldest coach to win a Super Bowl. He has worked 41 postseason games, with 30 victories, most among head coaches in NFL history. He’s the only head coach with five Super Bowl rings.

McVay is half his age, and in his first NFL title game, the youngest Super Bowl head man. AP

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CHAMPIONS OF ASIA L

ONG scorned for a lack of soccer pedigree, Qatar will enter the 2022 World Cup as the champion of Asia.

The Asian Cup was lifted by Qatar for the first time on Friday after a series of victories on the field just as improbable as winning the vote in 2010 that secured the Fifa showpiece for the small, super-rich Gulf nation.

While Japan entered the Asian Cup hotly tipped to win a fifth title, the Qataris hadn’t even reached the semifinals before.

But confounding the disparity in the Fifa rankings—with Qatar at 93 and Japan at 50—the Gulf nation won the final 3-1 to claim its first major soccer title.

The strong attacking display was a reflection of Qatar’s remarkable run over the last month in the United Arab Emirates, scoring 19 goals and conceding only once in

winning all seven games.

“Qatar today is a top Asian team,” goalkeeper Saad Al Sheeb said. “We wrote history.”

After upsetting the final favorite, players wrapped themselves in Qatari flags in a display of patriotic furor that will have resonated far beyond the stadium in Abu Dhabi.

Since joining other Arab countries in cutting diplomatic, economic and travel ties with Doha in 2017, the UAE warned residents that expressing sympathy for Qatar could lead to fines and imprisonment. The UAE is among a quartet of nations accusing its regional foe of supporting extremists, which Qatar denies, and even prevented the team from traveling direct to Abu Dhabi for the tournament.

There was even an attempt by the UAE to get Qatar disqualified after losing their semifinal.

Tournament organizers confirmed only hours

before the final they dismissed a challenge by the UAE against the eligibility of two Qatar players who were born outside Qatar.

One of them, Almoez Ali, scored the opening goal against Japan in the 12th minute with an audacious overhead kick. That gave him an all-time tournament record nine goals, surpassing Ali Daei’s previous record tally of eight with Iran in 1996.

Abdulaziz Hatem doubled Qatar’s lead with a curling strike in the 27th.

While Qatar conceded its first goal of the tournament in its seventh game when Takumi Minamino netted in the 69th, Akram Afif restored the two-goal cushion in the 83rd from the penalty spot.

“It’s a huge disappointment,” Japan captain Maya Yoshida said. “But we have to learn from this defeat.”

Victory will give Qatar renewed hope of

being able to compete against the globe’s best teams when it qualifies for the first time for the World Cup—as hosts—in 2022.

“This result doesn’t come from nothing,” said defender Bassam Al-Rawi, the other player whose eligibility was questioned by the UAE. “It came with lot of effort. It came from determination. It came from immense hard work on the pitch. We were able to win today because we took all the chances.”

There is an even stronger test for the squad in June when Qatar joins Japan as guest nations at the Copa America. Qatar is in a group with Argentina, Colombia, and Paraguay.

“This is one step more to continue developing the team to play another tournament in the summer and to be ready for 2022, to represent Qatar as a very competitive team at the World Cup,” Qatar coach Felix Sanchez said. AP

THOMPSON LIFTS WARRIORS AGAINST JAMES-LESS LAKERS

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AKLAND, California—DeMarcus Cousins provided an emphatic dunk that might have been the timeliest play of the night and ignited the fiery big man’s new home crowd.

Klay Thompson’s steady hand did much of the rest in a strange game when it took Stephen Curry more than three-and-a-half quarters to finally make a basket.

Thompson returned from a one-game absence with an illness to score 28 points and light up the Lakers for the second time in 13 days, leading the Golden State Warriors to a 115101 victory on Saturday over a Los Angeles team again missing LeBron James.

“Luckily the sickness is nearly gone,” Thompson said. “I felt very refreshed.”

Curry missed his first eight shots before a lay-up with 6:20 remaining and still wound up with 14 points, two days after going off for 41 in a loss to the 76ers when he hit 10 three-pointers.

The other Warriors picked up the slack.

Andre Iguodala hit a go-ahead three in the final minute of the third, two more early in the fourth as Golden State pulled away and finished with 17 points. Cousins contributed his first double-double with 18 points and 10 rebounds in his second home game and seventh in all since coming back from a nearly yearlong recovery from surgery for a ruptured left Achilles tendon.

Kevin Durant added 21 points and 11 of the Warriors’ 31 assists.

The Lakers hung tough without James just as they did here in a 127-101 victory Christmas night. They lost James in the third quarter of that game to a strained left groin. He returned from a 17-game absence on Thursday night against the Clippers only to sit again on Saturday.

James’s rest was for what Coach Luke Walton called “load management.” The fourtime MVP had been set for his second game back but woke up Friday “very sore” after playing 40 minutes in the 123-120 overtime win against the Clippers. He finished with 24 points, 14 rebounds and nine assists.

“It took us some time to adjust to what the new game plan was,” Walton said.

Cousins drove for a filthy one-handed slam against Kyle Kuzma at the 5:28 mark of the third then stared him down and trash-talked to pick up a technical.

“I thought his dunk brought the arena to life and brought the team to life,” Warriors Coach Steve Kerr said. “We were searching for energy and emotion up until that point. This was a typical game where you let your guard down a little because the other team’s best player’s not playing, so there was no life in the building and our guys weren’t generating any energy. That play changed all of that.”

Golden State had its 11-game winning streak, longest in the NBA this season, snapped with a 113-104 loss to the 76ers

NBA RESULTS LA Clippers 111, Detroit 101 Charlotte 125, Chicago 118 Milwaukee 131, Washington 115 Orlando 102, Brooklyn 89 Dallas 111, Cleveland 98 Indiana 95, Miami 88 Golden State 115, LA Lakers 101 San Antonio 113, New Orleans 108 Atlanta 118, Phoenix 112 Denver 107, Minnesota 106

three-point range—going 10 for 11 from deep overall and hitting seven in the third quarter—on the way to 44 points in the Warriors’ 130-111 win.

Thompson doesn’t worry a bit about Curry’s shooting touch, impressed at how he keeps firing.

“The man is not immune from an off night, even though it’s very, very rare,” Thompson said.

“Even when he’s 0 for 8 he’s going to have that gunner mentality, and I think he’s earned that over his career.” AP

Houston 125, Utah 98 Sacramento 115, Philadelphia 108 on Thursday night in Cousins’s home debut.

The Warriors missed Thompson in that one.

He connected on his first four shots on Saturday with a three and finished 10 for 15.

On January 21 at LA, Thompson tied an NBA record by making his first 10 attempts from

KLAY THOMPSON returns from a onegame absence with an illness to score 28 points and light up the Lakers for the second time in 13 days. AP

AFTER upsetting the final favorite, players wrapped themselves in Qatari flags in a display of patriotic furor th

MIGHTY IN QUARTERS OF DUBAI CAGEFEST F

ORMER Los Angeles Lakers star Lamar Odom struggled for the second straight game but Mighty Sports-Philippines still had enough firepower to overcome United Arab Emirates (UAE) national team, 86-78, on Saturday night and secure its seat in the quarterfinal round of the 30th Dubai International Basketball Championships in Dubai.

Reinforcements Justin Brownlee and Randolph Morris delivered solid numbers, while playmaker Jason Brickman and Juan Gomez de Liano provided stability and fellow Fil-Am Roosevelt Adams emerged as the sparkplug off the bench for Mighty Sports which booked a fitting follow up to its 87-58 win over American University in Dubai in the opener on Thursday.

More important, the accessories and apparel team backed by SMDC, HealthCube Medical Clinics, Go for Gold and Oriental Game already surpassed its one-win showing in 2017 and, in the process, secured the first ticket to the next round of the most prestigious invitational cage tournament in the Middle East.

The 6-foot-10 Morris led the attack with 20

points, including two triples, while Brownlee tallied a double-double of 18 points and 11 rebounds that more than made up for Odom’s scoring dud in 13 minutes of action at the Shabab Al Ahli Gymnasium.

Not to be outdone was the 6-foot Brickman, who set the tone with his crafty playmaking and finished with a game-high seven assists he highlighted by a no-look feed to Brownlee for a tomahawk dunk in the crunch.

But it was the 6-foot-5 Adams who impressed Mighty Sports Coach Charles Tiu the most. The College of Idaho standout sizzled with 18 points on a near flawless 7-of-8 shooting off the bench and proved solid on the defensive end in 18 minutes of play.

“I like the way Adams played today. He was solid defensively. He played excellent, played so hard, hustle so hard,” Tiu said.

Tiu, however, admitted his charges still have plenty to work on as they plunge back to action for the third straight time on Sunday night against formidable Homenetmen-Lebanon at 9 p.m. (1 a.m.

Monday, Manila time).

PAMPANGA, CEBU DRIBBLERS PREVAIL

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OST team Pampanga and Cebu pulled off contrasting crucial wins on Saturday night to boost their playoff chances in the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League Datu Cup at the Angeles University Foundation Arena in Angeles City.

The ADG Construction-backed Lanterns outlasted the Mandaluyong El Tigre-Dataland, 90-85, a victory that put Pampanga back in the hunt for a top eight berth in the tough northern division of the tournament put up by Sen. Manny Pacquiao with former Philippine Basketball Association MVP Kenneth Duremdes as commissioner.

Ex-pros Michael Juico, Levy Hernandez and Juneric Baloria conspired for the Lanterns, who now improved to 9-12 won-lost.

Juico, who played briefly for the GlobalPort, exploded for 29 points in powering the Lanterns to winning back-to-back games at home. Hernandez, a

Crucial stretch for Liverpool RICK OLIVARES | bleachersbrew@gmail.com

BLEACHERS’ BREW WATCHING all the football pundits, they have pegged Liverpool to win the Premier League title; their first in the PL era. Whether genuine in their opinion or with the intent to increase pressure on the Reds, I think this is the best time to win it. There is next season and the next after that, but how long will that window be open?

The last time they raised the domestic trophy was in the 1989-1990 season and right before the kick-off of the organized Premier League.

While they are—as of this writing—four points ahead

of Tottenham and five versus Man City—the season is far from over with 14 matches to play. I thought they bungled a magnificent opportunity to go seven points clear last weekend but they settled for a 1-1 tie against dangerous Leicester.

But it is what it is—an ulcer inducing, seat squirming season. While some expect Liverpool to win it, others are waiting for the rotten luck that has dogged them in the past 29 years.

There have been three PL seasons when they finished second—2001-2002 where they finished 24-8-6, 2008-2009

former TNT Ka Tropa, added 19 points.

Baloria, who saw action for NLEX, had a doubledouble of 16 points and 13 rebounds to complete Pampanga’s three-pronged attack.

The loss was a big blow for Mandaluyong, which dropped to 8-13, the same record held by Valenzuela.

But the Classic will assume the No. 10 spot while the El Tigre the No. 11 position, putting both squads in a must-win situation in their remaining four games.

On the heels of Pampanga’s latest triumph was Cebu’s upset of Bulacan, 70-54.

The Casino Ethyl Alcohol-supported squad turned to former Far Eastern University stalwart Joel Lee Yu, who scored a career-high 18 points for the Sharks.

Currently at sixth spot in the southern division, Cebu is in a better position but still need to win its last two games to avoid complications. with a record of 25-11-2, and most recently, 2013-2014 where they posted a 26-6-6 slate.

The Reds led the league in the early part of the season but lost points in December, January and early February ultimately told on their chances.

2008-2009 (25-11-2) A 3-1 WIN over Blackburn Rovers was sandwiched by back-to-back scoreless draws with Fulham and West Ham to bridge November and December, and draws with Hull (2-2) and Arsenal (1-1). Come January, they had three successive draws (0-0 with Stoke City), 1-1 versus Everton, and 1-1 versus Wigan Athletic.

2013-2014 (26-6-6) BACK-TO-BACK losses in December—2-1 to Man City on the 26thand 2-1 to Chelsea on January 29. Then they drew Aston Villa 2-2 and West Brom 1-1 in February.

While ultimately, the loss to Chelsea 0-2 (the Steven Gerrard slip) and the 3-3 draw with Crystal Palace killed their titled challenge, it was those lost points

orts

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Monday, February 4, 2019

RAMIREZ

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HE Mindanao leg of the 2019 Batang Pinoy went full blast on Sunday with Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) Chairman William “Butch” Ramirez citing the importance of sports in achieving a lasting peace.

In a press conference at the Davao del Norte Sports and Tourism Complex in Tagum City in Davao del Norte, Ramirez said the ultimate goal of this multisport tourney for athletes 15 years old and below is to develop peace and camaraderie among children of Mindanao.

Close to 3,000 athletes from as far as Cotabato, Tawi-Tawi and Zamboanga are tipped to see action in this eight-day athletic conclave.

RAMIREZ: PEACE THROUGH SPORTS

They will vie in 20 sports where 729 gold, 729 silver and 1,063 bronze medals are at stake with the winners advancing to the national finals in October either in Tagbilaran City in Bohol or Ormoc City in Leyte.

Ramirez said he is glad to see these young athletes from various tribes, ethnicities and religions coming together not only to compete, but also to develop friendship and camaraderie.

“If children can play together without the biases of who they are, then achieving peace is very possible,” said Ramirez, who was given a marching order by no less than President Duterte to make sports accessible to everyone, especially to children

in far-flung areas.

“Peacemaking is vital to our country. This is not about championship or gold medals; this is about our children and how they can embrace unity, peace and tolerance without any bias.”

Also in attendance during the press briefing held hours before the opening ceremony were Davao del Norte Gov. Anthony del Rosario, Batang Pinoy head of secretariat Teresito Fortaleza and Davao del Norte chief on youth and sports development Giovanni Gulanes, who made an assurance that the eight-day sports festivity will be safe for thousands of delegates.

In fact, they are in close coordination with

Marcial beats Czech in Europe vs Asia slugfest

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UMIR FELIX MARCIAL bucked below zero cold and scored a sensational third-round Referee Stopped Contest victory over hometown boy Milos Bartl in the Europe versus Asia Boxing Tournament at the Prague Hilton on Saturday night in Prague, Czech Republic.

Marcial, the 23-year-old from Zamboanga City, dropped his middleweight (75 kgs) twice, once in the dying seconds of the first round and then again in the third with sharp left-right combinations that forced referee Tomas Smid of the host country to stop the fight amid protests from the hometown crown.

Marcial was awarded a beautiful handcrafted trophy made by the famous crystal and glass artisan of Prague.

hat will have resonated far beyond the stadium in Abu Dhabi. AP

Oranza leads Navy’s charge in Panay Island UCI bikathon

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STANDARD Insurance-Philippine Navy’s Ronald Oranza will defend his crown against a foreign riders-laced race this time.

ANY-TIME champion Philippine Navy-Standard Insurance will try to defend their turf and lead the hosts against an expectedly strong foreign challenge in the five-stage LBC Ronda Pilipinas 2019 set to start on Friday in Iloilo, Guimaras, Roxas City and Antique.

The Navymen will have a chance to compete against the best of them after lording over the past few editions of the annual race and help the country earn vital Olympic qualifying points for the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo.

Navy will be spearheaded by a loaded roster headed by reigning Ronda king Ronald Oranza, two-time champion Jan Paul Morales and last year’s third-placer and many-time King of the Mountain winner Junrey Navarra.

Navy also boasts of Ronald Lomotos, Rudy Roque and El Joshua Carino, who are all consistent top 10 finishers in the past, making them one of the teams to watch out in the race.

“This is our chance to show we can also compete against strong international teams,” said Morales, the Navy skipper. For Oranza, who beat Morales last year claim his first Ronda crown, it will be about for country and pride.

“In the past, we race to win for our Navy team and ourselves. This year, it will be for the country,” Oranza said.

Sanctioned by the world governing Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) for the first time in its nine-year history, race drew 15 teams including seven local squads— Navy, Army Bicycology, Go for Gold, 7-Eleven Cliqq-Air21 by Roadbike Philippines, Team Franzia, Team Tarlac and Bike Xtreme.

The international challenge will come from Matrix Powertag Japan, Nex Cycling, Korail Team Korea, PGN Road Cycling Team, Sri Lanka Navy Cycle Team, Customs Cycling Indonesia, Terengganu Cycling Team and Cambodia Cycling Team.

The race opens with the 197.6-kilometer Iloilo-Iloilo Stage One on Friday proceed with the 101.8-km Guimaras-Guimaras Stage Two the next day.

The cavalcade will then go back to Iloilo for the 179.4-km Iloilo-Roxas City Stage Three on February 10 followed by the 146.9-km Roxas-Roxas Stage Four on February 11.

It will conclude with the 148.9-km Roxas-Antique Stage Five on February 12. The awarding ceremony will be held in Boracay on the same day.

GOLFEST PRESENTER

Jasper Tiu (seated, center), vice president for Sales and Marketing, and Carlos Bacani (second from right), marketing director of Peerless Products Mfg. Corp., makers of Champion Detergent, sign the contract with Women’s Golf Association of the Philippines (WGAP) President Anna Haurie (second from left), making Champion the presenter of the 57th Philippine Ladies Open set from February 19 to 21 at the Manila Golf and Country Club. With them are (from left) WGAP board member Greely Oposa, Vice President Susan San Pascual and board members (standing, from left) Detsy Laurel, Corazon Suntay, Cora Sy, Cielo Fregil, Kathy Uy and Evelyn Alcantara.

during that late year and mid-season span that really gave them fits. If they had won those fixtures, then they wouldn’t have been in that predicament against Chelsea and Crystal Palace.

So it is with keen interest that I followed the months of December to January and now, February.

This is a stretch that has been their Waterloo in these title challenges of past. It is also in the stretch where players went down with injuries. Given current manager Jurgen Klopp’s frenetic style, Liverpool needs healthy bodies on the pitch.

I thought that the loss to Man City and the draw with Leicester is worrisome and might come to haunt them late in the season. And that makes the upcoming match with West Ham even bigger.

They need to get a win.

This 2018-2019 season, Liverpool accounted for seven wins in December but opened 2019 with a 2-1 loss to Man City at Etihad. They posted two wins after that before the draw with Leicester to close out January.

I thought it was good for the PL that Leicester City won it all three seasons ago. A supporter of West Ham opined in an interview with fan site This is Anfield that LFC winning it will be healthy for the league as should it happen, then there would have been four different winners in the past four seasons.

In contrast, the last six Bundesliga winners have all been Bayern Munich. The previous champions? Klopp’s Borussia Dortmund.

Over in Spain, since the 2004-2005 season, Barcelona and Madrid have exchanged titles.

Atletico Madrid was the sole one to spoil the twohorse race when they crashed it in 2013-2014.

Over at the Ligue 1, Monaco broke Paris Saint Germain’s stranglehold when they stopped cold a chance for five straight titles by the latter. However, last season, PSG was back atop the summit.

In the Serie A, Juventus has come away champions eight consecutive years.

If you root for those clubs, it’s great. But for

the others, it’s boring.

I always felt that the Premier League was the one European football league that offered variety where on any given night, even the clubs at the bottom of the table can upset the ones on the top.

At this stage, Liverpool has been handed a gift—last week by Newcastle when they defeated Man City, 2-1. It is up to them to win this now because Man City, as inconsistent as they have been, can go on a win streak. That much is proven. As for Liverpool, they haven’t really proven anything other than playing beautiful football. Winning it is something they have yet to do.

And now enters February where they take on West Ham and Bournemouth in the space of a week. In the lone non-PL match of the month, LFC host Bayern Munich in Champions League play. Then it is red-hot Man United on the February 24 and Watford on February 27.

This is as crucial a stretch as any in seasons past.

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“ I’m still not in top condition coming off the Christmas break,” said Marcial after the fight in the posh hotel where the boxers are billeted by the organizers. “I also hardly had any sparring sessions since there is no one else in the team in my weight division.”

Alliance of Boxing Associations of the Philippines Secretary-General Ed Picson, who

was at ringside, revealed that plans are afoot for the former World Junior champion (2011) and two-time Southeast Asian Games gold medalist and bronze winner in the Asian Games to spend “a lot of time abroad” with other national hopefuls for training and competition in preparation for the World Championships in October and the Philippine SEA Games in December.

SEAG SWIMMING QUALIFIER FOR TOKYO

T

HE International Swimming Federation or Fina has sanctioned the Philippine 30th Southeast Asian Games as a qualifier for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

Fina made the declaration through a letter from its Executive Director Cornel Marculescu

to the Philippine Swimming Inc. (PSI), the national sports association for swimming.

Fina said the local federation should communicate the official results right after the SEA Games.

The SEA Games swimming competitions are

uniformed personnel to make sure that there will be no untoward incident following the twin bombing in Jolo last week.

“The PNP [Philippine National Police] and AFP [Armed Forces of the Philippines] are already in heightened alert,” Gulanes said. “We will implement tight security measures not only in competition venues, but also in all choke points and billeting areas of our delegates. Everything is under control as far as security is concerned.”

A total of 18 sports, including medal rich archery, karatedo, taekwondo and pencak silat, will come off the wraps on Monday in various venues around the city.

Elite team Head Coach Ronald Chavez, who won a gold medal in a tournament in Prague in 1994, said Marcial proved his class in the fight but was still working on his stamina and timing.

“A little more conditioning and sparring and Eumir will get his usual form back,” said the 1992 Barcelona Olympics veteran Chavez.

The unique match organized by the Czech Boxing Federation featured 16 bouts between boxers of the two continents. The match ended even at 8-8.

scheduled from December 2 to 6 at the Aquatics Center of the sprawling New Clark City.

PSI President Lani Velasco said the SEA Games will be a golden opportunity for Filipinos to punch their tickets to Tokyo.

“We are very grateful that Fina has approved the 30th Southeast Asian Games as a qualifying meet for the Tokyo Olympics,”Velasco said. “This is unprecedented.” Ramon Rafael Bonilla

Sports BusinessMirror

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| Monday, February 4, 2019 mirror_sports@yahoo.com.ph Editor: Jun Lomibao

FOR FOWLER, IT’S TIME TO FINISH OFF

S

By John Marshall The Associated Press

COTTSDALE, Arizona—Rickie Fowler had the lead heading into the final round last year at the Phoenix Open, only to see the title slip through his grip for a second time.

He will have a big cushion in his third bid to win the championship following a stellar display of golf.

Fowler had eight birdies in a seven-under 64 on Saturday at TPC Scottsdale to take a four-shot lead over Matt Kuchar into the final round.

Fowler opened with four birdies in six holes and navigated a difficult two-putt on the par-4 18th hole to reach 20-under 193.

Now it’s time to finish it off.

“This one is definitely high on the list, another being Torrey Pines,” Fowler said. “I would say between here and there, those would be the two highest on the list other than a major.”

Kuchar shot a bogey-free 65 to put himself in position for his third victory of the wraparound Professional Golfers’ Association (PGA) season. He has been par or better in all 19 rounds this season, winning the Mayakoba Classic and Sony Open.

Justin Thomas, who started one behind Fowler, shot 65 and was five back of his friend and desert roommate.

Branden Grace and Byeong Hun An were at 13 under on a day golf said goodbye to one of its most distinctive voices.

Saturday’s third round was the broadcasting finale of NBC lead golf analyst Johnny Miller’s career.

Miller followed a Hall of Fame playing career with three decades of calling it the way he saw it, regardless of what the players thought of him. Wanting to spend more time with his family, the 71-year-old Miller decided to call it quits after the Phoenix Open, where he won twice to help earn the nickname “Desert Fox.” NBC played multiple tributes to Miller during Saturday’s coverage and on-course announcer Roger Maltbie’s voice cracked as he talked about his friend.

“I appreciate the people out there. I do my commentating for you,” Miller said. “I’m glad you accepted my form of commentating, which was not normal. It was a little rough at first, but it’s just been a pleasure, the friendships I’ve made.”

Fowler had the 54-hole lead at last year and fell flat in the final round, shooting 73 to finish six shots behind champion Gary Woodland. He also lost in a playoff in 2016.

Fowler put himself in position for a third run at the title with a superb round of golf.

He had a one-shot lead over Thomas after closing with four birdies for a six-under 65 in Friday’s second round. Fowler made an 8-foot birdie putt on 18 to reach 13 under and quickly added to it on Saturday, dropping in an 18-foot birdie putt on the par-4 first hole.

Fowler, who shot 64 in the opening round, added birdies on Nos. 3, 5 and 6 to reach 17 under, but had a par putt lip out after he hit into the greenside bunker at the par-3 seventh. He hit his approach to 2 feet for birdie at No. 9, turning in 4-under 31, and followed a birdie at the

RICKIE FOWLER (left) had eight birdies in a seven-under 64 on Saturday to take a four-shot lead over Matt Kuchar into the final round. AP

difficult 11th with a two-putt birdie on No. 13.

Fowler reached 20 under with a birdie on the short par-4 17th for a nice cushion heading into what’s expected to be a rainy final round.

“I’ve done a good job of kind of everything this week,” he said. “Nothing’s standing out as super special, just playing solid golf and when I’ve gotten into trouble, being able to get up and down most of the time.”

Playing in the group ahead of Fowler, Thomas and Grace, Kuchar had three birdies for a three-under 32 on the front nine and rolled in a 9-foot birdie putt on the 167-yard 12th hole. He two-putted for birdie on the par-5 13th and made a 5-foot birdie on 15 to reach 16 under.

Kuchar missed a good opportunity on No. 17, sliding a 6-foot birdie putt past the hole, but finished with a nice save from the greenside bunker on No. 18.

“It would be amazing to get three wins this early,” Kuchar said. “It had been a number of years since I found the winner’s circle, so to have gotten two in this year has been amazing.”

It may take an amazing round of golf to catch Fowler.

NEW GOLF RULES: WORK IN PROGRESS

S

COTTSDALE, Arizona—Professional Golfers’ Association (PGA) Tour players and caddies have spent the first part of the season sorting out golf’s new rules.

The confusion continued at the Phoenix Open.

Among the new rules, caddies are no longer allowed to stand behind players as they line up shots not on the green. In Friday’s second round, Denny McCarthy was initially assessed a two-shot penalty after his caddie briefly stood behind him to discuss a shot at No. 15. McCarthy did not address the ball and backed off to line up his shot after his caddie stepped away.

The PGA Tour, with support of the US Golf Association (USGA), reversed the penalty Saturday following a review of the interaction, changing McCarthy’s 67 to a 65. He was eight under after a third-round 71.

“If he was in there deliberately looking at where I’m lining up and I’m setting up to the ball and not backing away, yeah, I could see how that’s a two-shot penalty,” McCarthy said. “But in no way, shape or form did I think what I did was a penalty. A similar situation with Justin Thomas and his caddie in the second round also was deemed not to be a penalty. The USGA said in a statement the rule will be enforced similarly going forward.

“We saw the video many, many times and we just felt like we needed to look at it a little more with the interpretation,” PGA Tour rules official Slugger White said. “It’s a new rule. We agree with the rule, it’s just the interpretation is a little difficult now.”

The R&A and USGA overhauled the rules of golf for 2019 in an attempt to make them easier to understand.

The most comprehensive change to the rules since the first set was published in 1744 dropped the number of rules from 24 to 34 and “The Official Guide to the Rules of Golf” replaced about 1,300 examples in the Decisions book.

Among the changes were switching penalty drops from shoulder height to knee-high length, no penalties if a golf ball accidentally moves on the green or if a club touches the ground in a hazard. There’s also no penalty if the ball hits a flagstick that is not being tended on the green. AP

PRESIDENT Donald Trump arrives at his private club in sunny Jupiter after he escapes the bitter cold and snow in Washington a day earlier. AP

Trump plays with Nicklaus, Woods J

UPITER, Florida—President Donald Trump played golf on Saturday in Florida with two of the game’s greatest champions, Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods.

Trump arrived at his private club in sunny Jupiter after he escaped the bitter cold and snow in Washington a day earlier. He later tweeted a photo

of him standing next to them on a tee box and said it was a “great morning.”

The weekend trip is Trump’s first to his Florida home and properties since Thanksgiving. The president had limited his travel during the record 35-day partial federal shutdown that ended last week.

Both Nicklaus and Woods are among Trump’s

regular golf partners. Nicklaus also designed the Jupiter club’s 18-hole course.

Nicklaus and Woods are defined by their major championships. Nicklaus holds the professional record with 18, while Woods has been stuck on 14 for the past 10 years.

Saturday’s pairing was believed to be the first time

Garcia disqualified for damaging greens at Saudi tournament

K

ING ABDULLAH ECONOMIC CITY, Saudi Arabia—Sergio Garcia was disqualified from the Saudi International tournament on Saturday for damaging greens in frustration during his third round, and the Spaniard said he has apologized to fellow players for his actions.

In an eventful third round of the new event in the Middle East, Li Haotong of China made four eagles, including two in his last two holes and three of them on par 4s, to share the lead with Dustin Johnson.

Just as Li was finishing his round of eight-under 62, the European Tour released a statement saying former Masters champion Sergio Garcia was disqualified for “serious misconduct.”

Garcia said “in frustration, I damaged a couple of greens, for which I apologize for, and I have informed my fellow players it will never happen again.”

It wasn’t immediately clear what the extent of the damage was, and on which greens it took place.

Garcia shot a 71 and was even par—16 shots off Li and Johnson—at the time of his DQ. Li, who had his own disciplinary issues in Dubai last week when he received a two-shot penalty for having his caddie line up a putt, said he was “very, very lucky” to become the first player since Mark Pilkington (Singapore Masters, 2007) to make four eagles in one European Tour round.

He chipped in for eagle at No. 1, did the same at No. 10 from about 20 yards, and then drove to within 6 feet of the pin at the par-4 17th. At the par-5 18th, he holed an eagle putt from 8 feet to tie with Johnson (65) on 16 under.

“Those eagles, especially the last couple shots, were really solid,” Li said, “but except [from] that, honestly, my play wasn’t that good.”

Johnson, who had a three-stroke lead overnight, made four straight birdies from No. 9 to move to five under for his round. He made par in his final six holes.

“If I want to get it done tomorrow, I’m going to have to play really good golf,” the No. 3-ranked Johnson said.

“Haotong is a good player and he’s been playing well. So I’m looking forward to it.”

On Li’s round, Johnson added: “Yeah, that’s pretty impressive. Four eagles in a golf tournament is pretty good, but four in one round—take that any day.”

The Saudi International is new to the European Tour and is being held amid scrutiny of Saudi Arabia’s human-rights record and condemnation following the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. AP

Nicklaus and Woods have played together since 2002 at a Monday night exhibition called “Battle at Bighorn” in California. Nicklaus and Woods were teammates in a match against Lee Trevino and Sergio Garcia.

The last time Nicklaus and Woods played together in an official event was the 2000 Professional Golfers’ Association Championship. AP

Sovereign God

D

EAR God, You are worthy of all praise. In faith and hope we pray to You: Teach us to live Your word, oh God. Heal us of all that hinders our growth in faith, hope, love and charity. Make us mindful of those among us who have special needs in mind, body, heart and soul. Forgive our weakness and help us to extend forgiveness to those who have offended us and vice versa. May God give us joy for the days of our affliction and lead us to walk in newness of life, through Christ Jesus our peace. Amen.

GIVE US THIS DAY SHARED BY LUISA LACSON, HFL Word&Life Publications • teacherlouie1965@yahoo.com

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

Life

AND THEN SOME: THE BEST OF IT COSMETICS D4

BusinessMirror

Monday, February 4, 2019

D1

Harvest of love for the arts NATIONAL Commission for Culture and the Arts Chairman Virgilio Almario is flanked by Miss Universe 2015 Pia Wurtzbach, singer KZ Tandingan and actor/painter Ian Veneracion.

FAITH YANGYANG

TOTA PULCHRA MISS CHARLIZE

@misscharlize

F

EBRUARY is not just about Love. It’s also about Art. And it is not some lovelorn fool’s wishful thinking, it is actually designated by law—specifically Presidential Proclamation 683 signed in 1991, declaring February as National Arts Month (NAM) in the Philippines.

The Subcommission on the Arts (SCA) of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) leads the annual celebration with its seven national committees—Architecture and Allied Arts, Cinema, Dance, Literary Arts, Music, Dramatic Arts and Visual Arts.

This year’s festivity, theme “Ani ng Sining,”

emphasizes the richness of artistic endeavors and the passion of Filipino artists and cultural workers.

This year’s National Arts Month celebrations have opening ceremonies all over the country—Binondo and Rizal Park in National Capital Region on February 3; Bagac, Bataan, in Luzon on February 11; on February 1 in Bago, Negros Occidental, in the Visayas; and then Koronadal, South Cotabato, in Mindanao on February 15. Various activities will also be held across the country in collaboration with local government units and private entities.

Miss Universe 2015 Pia Wurtzbach and GMA actress Heart Evangelista are this year’s Arts Ambassadors. They are joined by actor Ian Veneracion and singer KZ Tandingan. Talk show host Boy Abunda continues his role as promoter of arts and culture to the public, which he has been advocating as NCCA ambassador since 2010.

“Such an honor to have this role and there’s much for me to learn. Exciting times ahead! Let’s all support [the NCCA’s] programs and activities for Arts Month this February,” Pia encouraged her 7.6 million followers on Instagram.

Continued on d2

D2

Style

BusinessMirror

Monday, February 4, 2019

www.businessmirror.com.ph

z

Today’s Horoscope

By Eugenia Last

CELEBRITIES BORN ON THIS DAY: Oscar De La Hoya, 46; Gabrielle Anwar, 49; Clint Black, 57; Alice Cooper, 71.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY: Show how innovative you can be this year. Try something new; take a unique approach to handling both personal and professional responsibilities. A change will do you good and help you develop new skills. Nurture important relationships, and put more time and effort into mental and physical improvements. Evaluate your goals, interests and your concerns. Romance is highlighted. Your lucky numbers are 7, 15, 24, 26, 32, 41, 48.

a

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Refuse to get bogged down with tedious details. Be open to suggestions, but do what feels right. A physical change will turn out better than anticipated. Go somewhere you’ve never been, and it will encourage you to do something unique. HHHH

b MAXIMALIST Pleated Skirts: NA-KD PHOTOS: WORLD GLOBAL STYLE NETWORK (WGSN)

GRAPHIC Garden Sweatshirt: Vogue Japan

RUFFLE Dress: Vogue China

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Consider what’s worked for you in the past and rearrange your day to ensure you don’t fall behind. Dedication and loyalty will make a difference to the outcome of an important deal. HH

KNOT Top: Where to Get It

What’s in for 2019: Self-expression, streetwear and the new color of the year

F

ASHION is a kind of language, and as we know it, style is the ultimate form of selfexpression. This 2019 the fashion industry once again celebrates individualism as we welcome new trends that will continue to radiate character and confidence.

Fashion expert Christine Benet, who is also the chairperson of De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde’s Fashion Design and Merchandising Program, revealed 2019’s style necessities based on giant trend forecast web site World Global Style Network (WGSN).

With over 250 trend experts and data scientists catering to an immense number of insights and inspirations on fashion, lifestyle and retail, WGSN has become one of the best trend forecasters in the world.

Benet explained that the prevailing 2019 trends deals with how Generation

Z, present themselves.

“Streetwear and opulence combined with graphics will continue to be the vibe next year,” she stated.

“Generation Z, the demographic following the millenials, is the most tech savvy, social-media dependent, and very much into self-expression.

The combination of their high awareness of what’s fashionable in the West and their patronizing Instagramfamous brands results to the opulent, very Rococo-like streetwear, similar to what Gucci and Fendi have released recently,” she spilled.

In the men’s market, streetwear will level up with hi-lo styling, where luxury pieces are paired with more casual clothes.

Denim will once again exhibit youthful attitude with room for playing around with volumes of oversized garments and twists on

established shapes. Meanwhile, knits will prove to be a refined year-round must-have.

In the women’s shelf, zip-through sweatshirts with dropped shoulders and relaxed silhouettes will give a nod to masculine dressing, and the classic rugby top will make a comeback with elbow-length sleeves and wide collars.

Streetwear in general will continue to break the contemporary design rules through “bad designs,” illustrating the banal and the mundane with subversive low-definition graphics, blurred photoprints, distorted logo lockups, and pixelated and stretched typefaces reminiscent of the pre-digital 1990s.

Also from last year’s spring/ summer trends are ruffles and ribbons, which will continue to make a statement this year, but with a more simple yet sophisticated touch.

Must-haves are tie-waist knot details and stylized ruffles that accentuate asymmetrical fronts and silhouettes.

Layers, too, will once again reign in runways and stores with maximalist pleated skirts, deconstructed wrap dresses, dramatic paneled dresses with extra-long ribbed cuffs and central rib panel, and graphic garden sweatshirts with chiffon overlay that elevate the style.

For those who religiously follow Pantone’s Color of the Year: Living Coral is the general color of 2019, Cavern Clay is hot in interior design, and Fiesta is for the wardrobe. “Fiesta is much more appropriate for our country given that our weather only goes around Spring and Summer,” Benet shared. “It will very much be reflected through streetwear with all the graphics and details that most Filipinos are into right now.” n

National Artist for Literature Virgilio Almario, NCCA chairman, believes Pia being a popular beauty queen and actress can be a big boost: “With this influence, I can see that she has the ability to profoundly promote the arts and culture of the Philippines to the world, especially to the young generation. She is also a perfect icon of determination that can motivate aspiring artists not to give up on their passion.”

Heart is a passionate painter, having done a sold-out solo show in 2014 I am Love Marie: The Art and Works of Love Marie Ongpauco, exhibitions at various galleries, and putting her artistic imprints on luxurious Hermès Birkin bags.

Incidentally, her Follow Your Heart artwork is featured in a fullpage spread in this month’s Harper’s Bazaar US issue.

“My story as an artist began with self-acceptance, and as a country we need to know we don’t have to be like any other country because ours is a story that is not like any other. We can give so much to this world just by being who we are. This month let’s harness national pride, national identity, national

d

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Don’t let what others do influence you. Aim to stabilize your life, not disrupt it. Concentrate on the things and the people you enjoy most. Learn from mistakes, and keep what’s important to you moving along at a steady pace. HHH

e

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): You need a change. Consider what stimulates you mentally and physically and head in that direction. Love and romance will enhance your life and lead to new and exciting opportunities. HHH

f

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Settle into a routine that makes you feel at ease.

Knowing what’s expected of you and how best to use your skills and experience to come out on top will enable you to outmaneuver any competition you meet along the way. HHH

g

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Socialize, network and keep busy doing the things you do best. Spend time with people who share your interests. A suggestion someone makes will help you bring about a positive financial change.

HHHHH

h

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): You’ll be torn between what you should do and what you want to do. Get organized, take care of your responsibilities and move on to the things you enjoy most. HH

i

Harvest of love for the arts Continued from D1

c

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Pour everything you’ve got into getting ahead, pumping up your reputation and connecting with people who have something to contribute that will help you reach your goal. A change made to a contract or joint endeavor appears to be beneficial. HHHHH

unity through the power and the eloquence of the arts,” Heart said in a statement.

Before Ian enjoyed a career resurgence as a leading man, he was already an accomplished visual artist. As the son of influential abstract painter and the pioneer of contemporary aesthetic syncretism, Roy Veneracion, Ian was always surrounded by art growing up and eventually mounted his own exhibitions.

Chairman Almario said of Ian, “Growing up and having someone to look up to as an artist really helped Ian to hone his ability and have his own view on art. He is significant to the earlier and younger generation, with this, along with his standpoint in the arts, he can impact a lot of artists of different generations.”

KZ, X Factor Philippines 2012 grand winner, is tapped as the newest Music ambassador. She will render her own take on the NAM theme song, “Ani ng Sining,” composed and originally sang by Joey Ayala.

“Her creativity and unique musical ability caught the Commission’s attention on considering her to be one of the Arts Ambassadors. Having her as an ambassador for the

arts can be an inspiration to young and aspiring singers and artists to make their own identity and embrace their distinct style,” SCA Commissioner Teddy Co said.

“The Arts and Music Ambassadors of the NCCA were chosen by the Artistic Committee of the National Arts Month based on their positive image, influence to the youth, and advocacy to support the cause of NCCA in terms of arts and culture promotions,” said Public Affairs and Information Section Head Rene Napeñas.

Dingdong Dantes, Lucy Torres-Gomez, Ogie Alcasid, Piolo Pascual and Enchong Dee have also been tapped by the NCCA in the past.

“They are not really bound by certain duties and responsibilities, but NCCA cleared it with them that their presence in promotional activities like press conferences and opening ceremonies would greatly help raise awareness not just about NCCA or the National Arts Month celebration,” Napeñas noted, “but more so on arts appreciation and respect for our culture which brings about pride in national identity that serves as a strong force for nation-building, the very mandate of NCCA.” n

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Trust will be difficult when dealing with someone using emotional blackmail. Don’t believe everything you hear. Look at every angle, and let your gut feeling lead you in the right direction. HHHH

j

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Don’t make a move because someone else does and prompts you to follow suit. Being a friendly observer will serve you well and offer insight into the changes needed to ensure you are successful. HHH

k

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Check the online job market or consider offering your skills and services to organizations you’d like to work for. Someone you have collaborated with in the past will offer information that will encourage you to try something new. HHH

l

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Put more time and effort into the way you do things. Details will make the difference when you present what you have to offer. Someone who owes you a favor will offer good advice and hands-on help if you ask.

HHH BIRTHDAY BABY: You are outgoing, innovative and flexible.

You are friendly and helpful.

‘for starters’ BY ROSS TRUDEAU The Universal Crossword/Edited by David Steinberg

ACROSS 1 Clumsy sort 4 Latvia’s capital 8 Criticize harshly 14 Certain sculptor 16 So last year 17 One with a 1.0 18 X-ray vision and others 19 Get all misty 21 Peter Pan girl 22 All-ages video game descriptor 26 Like a generic brand 27 Do great, slangily 30 Small songbirds 31 Doolittle of My Fair Lady 33 “I pity the fool!” speaker 35 Manning of the NFL 36 Top-tier celeb 38 More, to a musician (anagram of “UPI”) 39 Sleep cycle inits.

40 Scoundrel 41 Remove from power 42 Scarcity

4 Serenaded 4 46 Desk implement, or a hint to the starts of 17-, 22-, 36- and 55-Across 49 Bar scenes?

52 Steamy spa spots 53 Liabilities’ opposites 55 What violent movies might receive 59 Skilled NBA player 60 Cover in suds 61 Tiny bathing suit brand 62 Defeat, as a dragon 63 “___ questions?”

DOWN 1 Checking condition, for short 2 Sounds of relief 3 In good shape 4 Cash in 5 Words in many wills 6 Comedy or horror 7 Pianist Rubinstein 8 Soak (up) 9 “Packed” circus vehicle 10 Marketing magazine 11 Now and ___

2 Like boozy cider 1 13 Custom quilt site 15 Buddha’s sermons 20 Fool’s gold 22 Go inside 23 Thwarted 24 Not late 25 Move like molasses 28 Call into question 29 Sad, in Sevilla 31 Figure-skating figures 32 Tigers’ southern sch.

34 One-on-one instructor 36 Taken into custody 37 Ex-senator Trent 41 Toddler’s bodysuit 43 Mutated gene 44 Beethoven’s “Moonlight ___” 45 What causes some not to vote 47 Lords above viscounts 48 Far from urban 49 Short punches 50 “Stat!”

51 Tahiti or Capri

4 Sellout sign abbr.

5 56 Org. for hunters 57 Hot glue dispenser 58 James Bond, e.g.

Solution to Friday’s puzzle:

Show BusinessMirror

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Monday, February 4, 2019

In perfect Company ALL ACCESS RICKY GALLARDO

rickygallardoTFI@gmail.com

MAHERSHALA ALI and Viggo Mortensen

‘GREEN BOOK’ CHARMS ITS WAY WITH TOP OSCAR NOMS

IN black and white, Green Book clearly made it as one of the front-runners for Best Picture at this year’s Oscar race, nabbing a slew of nominations in various categories including Best Actor in a Leading Role (Viggo Mortensen), Best Actor in a Supporting Role (Mahershala Ali), Best Original Screenplay and Best in Film Editing.

Academy Award nominee Viggo Mortensen (Captain Fantastic, The Lord of the Rings trilogy) and Academy Award winner Mahershala Ali (Moonlight, Hidden Figures) star in Participant Media and DreamWorks Pictures’s Green Book.

In his powerful foray into dramatic work as a feature director, Peter Farrelly helms the film, inspired by a true friendship that transcended race, class and societal constraints of the early 1960s. When Frank Anthony Vallelonga, a.k.a. Tony Lip (Mortensen), a New York City bouncer from an ItalianAmerican neighborhood in The Bronx, is hired to drive and protect Dr. Don Shirley (Ali), a world-class black pianist, on a concert tour from Manhattan to the Deep South, they must rely on The Green Book—a travel guide to safe lodging, dining and business options for African Americans during the era of segregation and Jim Crow laws—to steer them to places where Shirley will not be refused service, humiliated or threatened with violence.

Set against the backdrop of a country grappling with the valor and volatility of the civil-rights movement, two men will be confronted with racism and danger, and be comforted by generosity, kindness and humor.

Together, they will challenge long-held assumptions, push past their seemingly insurmountable differences, and embrace their shared humanity. What begins as a two-month journey of necessity will establish a friendship that will endure for the rest of their lives.

Mortensen says the power of Green Book comes not just from the fact that it’s a true story, but from Farrelly’s strengths as a writer-director, which are grounded in sensitivity and realism. “You have to see these characters as real people, in real settings and Pete managed to do that,” Mortensen says. “The period details, the dramatic aspects of the story are so well-handled. There are funny bits, but it’s not funny in the way his other movies are. The humor comes more out of situations and the contrasts between the characters. There’s a lot of attention to detail, an authenticity that helps you to believe.”

Mahershala Ali adds that it’s the balance of humor and real drama that makes Green Book powerfully authentic. “It rings true because it is a mix,” Ali says. “The way Peter Farrelly, Brian Currie, and Nick Vallelonga sculpted this script, it pulls you to the heights of laughter and plunges you to the depths of struggle and pain.”

Green Book opens on February 6 from Pioneer Films.

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T’S Chinese New Year tomorrow and it’s Valentine’s Day a week later. And for those who choose to celebrate love, it’s a good time to plan where to go, what to watch and who to be with.

If you are a music lover and you want a two-in-one kind of a treat for February 14, then we suggest you consider getting your tickets this early for a special concert featuring The CompanY and Jamie Rivera.

Billed as Jamie in Perfect CompanY, the show to be staged at the Music Museum will easily answer one’s question on why only very few artists like them stand the test of time.

We have always revered and respected the country’s unparalleled vocal group that has seen many changes in its composition through the years. From the 16 original members in the ’80s that dwindled down to eight, then to six, then to five, The CompanY has recently downsized into a quartet, when one of its well-loved original members, Cecile Bautista-Reynoso, took a sabbatical because of personal reasons. The group now bank on its fabulous four members: Moy Ortiz, OJ Mariano, Sweet Plantado and Annie Quintos-Uy. Their songs have remained timeless. Some of the group’s original songs that have become our personal favorites include “Muntik na Kitang Minahal” and “Baka Ikaw.” The members work hard and train hard to always give their followers a good show.

It’s the group’s first time to have back-to-back concert with Jamie Rivera, herself a time-tested singer. She started her rise to fame in the mid-1980s with easy-to-sing love songs, like “Hey It’s Me,” “I’m Sorry,” “Pangarap Ka na Lang Ba” and “I’ve Fallen for You.” In the early-1990s, Jamie took a leap of faith, auditioned and bagged the plum role of Kim in the musical Miss Saigon in London before settling back in Manila. “I was accompanying a friend and then suddenly decided to audition. I wasn’t prepared, so I did not sing any of the Saigon songs,” she recalled, adding, “I sang a Barbra Streisand song called ‘A Piece of Sky’ from the movie Yentl. And the next thing I know, I was requested to fly overseas to do more auditions, and then the rest was history.”

Rivera, who is 53, believes that everything happens at the right time. When she came back from her Saigon stint, she sang a few religious-themed songs and she

GMA’s timely political rom-com series marks world premiere tonight FANS of the well-loved GMA onscreen pair Kylie Padilla and Ruru Madrid need not wait any longer as the KyRu love team banners GMA News and Public Affairs’s election offering and latest political romantic comedy series, TODA One I Love, which makes its world premiere tonight, February 4, on primetime on GMA. Like the jeepney, the tricycle is a popular means of transportation in the Philippines that reflects the culture and identity of Filipinos. Aside from playing a major part in the daily commute of many Pinoys, the tricycle is also used as a vehicle to promote various products and even political candidates. TODA One I Love revolves around the family, dreams, and loves of three lead characters: Gelay, Emong and Kobe. They find themselves tangled in the topsy-turvy politics of the Tricycle Operators and Drivers’ Association, or TODA, as well as the local mayoral elections.

The series gives viewers a glimpse of Philippine local politics—all presented with a sprinkling of comedy and romance. At the center of this latest GMA offering is the strong-willed, independent young woman Angela “Gelay” Dimagiba, played by Kylie Padilla.

An engineering student, Gelay is the daughter of tricycle driver Mang Tolits and Aling Lea. Family is everything for Gelay; she is willing to sacrifice her own happiness for them.

She has a childhood friend, Emong, whom she has been crushing on since they were young. But Emong only sees her as a younger sister.

Playing Raymond “Emong” Magsino is Ruru Madrid. He is the son of Aling Jane and Mang Jessie, the incumbent TODA president. A hardworking lad, Emong is determined to better his life. With his Tesda course under his belt, he goes abroad to work as a mechanic.

This temporarily cuts his friendship with Gelay. But when his employer closes shop, Emong has no choice but to go back to the Philippines. Upon his return, Emong discovers that Gelay is still the tough girl he knows—only she has transformed into a beautiful lady. Emong now finds himself head-over-heels with his childhood friend.

But Emong faces competition when it comes to winning Gelay’s heart: the handsome and prince charming-material Kobe Generoso, played by David Licauco. Even though Kobe is the son of the incumbent Mayor Migs and ex-mayor

KYLIE PADILLA and Ruru Madrid

Mayora Dyna, he still wants to make a name for himself.

Joining Kylie, David and Ruru in this political rom-com series are Gladys Reyes, Victor Neri, Jackie Rice, Kim Domingo, Tina Paner, Maureen Larrazabal, and Raymond Bagatsing, with the special participation of Allen Dizon. Also in the cast are Cai Cortez, Buboy Villar, Archie Alemania, Kimpoy Feliciano, Ayeesha Cervantes and Bruce Roeland.

TODA One I Love is written by Volta de los Santos, Robert Raz, Mario Banzon, Lei Chavez and Aya Anunciacion, with direction by Jeffrey Hidalgo and Nick Olanka. Viewers abroad can catch TODA One I Love on GMA Pinoy TV.

found her niche in the music industry, eventually being labeled as “the inspirational diva.” Rivera has sang for the Pope and some of the highest-ranking foreign dignitaries that have come to the country for official state visits.

This special Valentine concert has a few musical surprises up its sleeves. Quintos-Uy, who is more popular as Teacher Annie in show business, shared, “I am very excited because Jamie and The CompanY coming together is new to us. So there is a lot of experimenting going on. There will definitely be hitsswapping and there’s a lot of new approaches to old songs, too!”

Ortiz, the leader of the famed group, added, “We will be giving our audience songs from the stage, both classics and contemporary, and our respective hits, too, with a twist. It will be a night of love, wonderful music and lasting memories.”

Rivera, who knows she is definitely in perfect music company, is thankful that rising concert producer Calvin Chua’s CCC Productions teamed up with ABS-CBN’s Star Events to make sure this dream musical collaboration see the light. She hopes that this show will have a repeat and wishes that it can be brought to the other key cities of the country so more people can watch this special concert. n

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D4 Monday, February 4, 2019

Style

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The best of IT Cosmetics AND THEN SOME DINNA CHAN VASQUEZ @dinnachanvasquez luckydinna@gmail.com

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T Cosmetics is a brand that I have been using for around two years now. I have gone through three tubes of their phenomenally popular Your Skin But Better CC+ Cream with SPF 50+. I also use their Celebration Foundation, a powder that looks good when worn alone or over a light foundation.

I have the CC Cream in Medium and Rich, the latter for mixing with lighter foundations.

I understand why it is the brand’s best seller.

Unlike other products with a high SPF, Your Skin But Better CC+ Cream with SPF 50+ does not have any flashback.

It looks good in person and in pictures. The finish is just really “good skin” as opposed to the usual light, medium or full coverage.

The CC Cream has many claims, including moisturizing and healing skin and broad spectrum protection. For the most part, it delivers. I really really love it and would gladly repurchase over and over. Thankfully, it is now available here via Sephora.ph.

By the way, it comes in 12 shades. I suspect Medium is too light for me and Neutral Tan

would be more suitable.

The brand very kindly sent me five of their best-selling products, including Your Skin But Better CC+ Cream with SPF 50+, and I am very excited to try them.

Bye Bye Under Eye Full Coverage AntiAging Waterproof Concealer is another awardwinning product from IT Cosmetics. I am not a big concealer fan. In fact, I hardly use concealer but this is a very interesting product. I have read reviews about it being very thick and requiring only a pinprick (as opposed to pea size) for application. But the reviews also said it really makes you look youthful.

Brow Power Universal Eyebrow Pencil is another IT Cosmetics best seller. I love that it has a spoolie on the other hand, which makes it very handy. In the brand’s tradition, it is not only long-lasting and waterproof but has conditioning properties.

Superhero Elastic Stretch Volumizing Mascara has Elastic Stretch Technology that claims to “stretch the look of your lashes wider and longer and wrap each individual lash in a volume-boosting, lengthening, ultraconditioning black cape of power and color for your strongest, thickest, most defined results.”

The product I am most interested in is Bye Bye Pores Poreless Finish Airbrush Powder because it claims to smooth away the appearance of wrinkles, unlike other powders which can emphasize them.

IT Cosmetics is a brand that is very interesting to explore because their products are not what they originally seem to be. They make you look good and take care of your skin at the same time. n

Level up your makeup game

USE highlighter over foundation for skin that glows from within.

DARE to be different by experimenting with new makeup routines and looks for an upgraded version of you. EB Advance, the premier line of Ever Bilena Cosmetics, provides some helpful makeup tips. n HIGHLIGHT OVER FOUNDATION FOR SKIN THAT GLOWS FROM WITHIN. The usual step that most follow is to apply primer then foundation. But if you want to achieve natural looking glowy skin, switch up your makeup routine a bit and brush on EB Advance Glow Out Highlighter on the high points of your cheeks, bridge of your nose, temples, Cupid’s bow and chin right after priming. Dab on your favorite foundation, then proceed with the rest of your routine. You can opt to intensify your highlighter by adding another layer after finishing your makeup. You can also use highlighter on your body such as your collarbones, shoulders and legs for that sunkissed glow. n SMUDGE EYELINER FOR AN EFFORTLESSLY COOL SMOKY EYE. Want to have a subtle glam look but lack the time and skill to do it? A smudged eyeliner will do the trick. It’s easy—simply apply a thick line of EB Advance Eye Define Waterproof Matic Liner above your upper lash line and use a brush to smudge out your eyeliner.

For your lashes, use EB Advance Lash Define Waterproof Mascara for an edgy, smoky eye look. n EXPERIMENT WITH COLORS. It’s all about playing with eyeshadow colors that you don’t normally go for. If you’re the “no makeup makeup” type, maybe you can try adding a pop of color like the blood red matte or the shade in EB Advance Uncover 2 palette. If you’re the adventurous type who prefers loud colors, this time around maybe you can try the muted, neutral ones.

Leveling up your makeup game for the new year does not necessarily mean completely altering your usual makeup looks. Making subtle changes or switching up your usual routine automatically upgrades your whole makeup game.

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How trade secrets hurt innovation O

BusinessMirror

Monday, February 4, 2019 E1

WHAT IS A BUSINESS MODEL?

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By Andrea Contigiani & David H. Hsu

NE of the primary ways that employers seek to protect trade secrets is by having employees sign noncompete contracts and nondisclosure agreements.

In a recent study, we examined this issue, and found that strengthening employers’ trade-secrecy protection can backfire by dampening inventors’ productivity and hurting innovation in the long run.

A lot of innovation research suggests that innovation comes from recombining ideas from different fields, experiences and organizations. To the extent that a more employer-friendly trade-secrecy regime limits employee mobility across companies, the opportunities for idea circulation in the economy could be curtailed, thus potentially harming innovation.

Another set of theories also suggests that stronger trade-secrecy protections may diminish innovation, but for an entirely different reason.

This view says that if it’s harder for employees to switch firms, they have less incentive to drive up their market value by demonstrating their productivity—and this reduced incentive could result in dampened innovation.

To find out what actually happens, we focused on a specific change in the legal environment surrounding trade-secrecy protection: the adoption of the inevitable disclosure doctrine, or IDD, in some US states and not others, starting in 1994. The IDD allows a company to seek an injunction in court to prohibit a former employee from working for a competitor for a certain period of time, if they can show it would not be possible for the employee to perform her job without “inevitably disclosing” the company’s trade secrets.

We conducted an empirical analysis to understand how IDD affected the innovative productivity of inventors. In all, our sample spans 1976 to 2003 and analyzes the patenting outcomes of over 350,000 distinct inventors over that time period, for a total of over 2.5 million inventoryear observations. We found that IDD had a negative effect on innovation, and specifically on innovation quality.

We also found that after an inventor is exposed to a stronger tradesecrecy regime, that inventor systematically produces inventions that are more general-purpose (applicable to a wider spectrum of uses and industrial contexts) and thus, less subject to the IDD. We interpret this to mean that if an individual can’t move to direct competitors, they may reduce effort in their current area of focus areas in which they can signal their (leading to the documented innoinnovation quality. vation slowdown) and find other Overall, our study suggests that,

while firms lobby for a strengthened trade-secrecy environment, this may ultimately backfire in the long

Pricing needs to reflect who people want to be

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By Roger L. Martin

HEN are people willing to pay a super-high price premium for something? The answer is all about identity. Buying these goods both helps you reinforce to yourself who you are, and encourages others come to the same conclusion about you. Decades ago I saw that the phenomenon is not restricted to luxury goods. It happens in very low price, nonluxury categories—for example, in magazines.

When I was working on the turnaround strategy of The New Yorker magazine in the mid-1990s, the magazine business was in a mode of lowering newsstand and subscription prices in order to increase paid circulation, because the bigger money came from advertisers. The pressure in this direction was especially strong at The New Yorker because it had been purchased a decade earlier by the magazine-publishing giant Condé Nast, which was probably the leading pro-

ponent of the strategy of driving down the cost to readers to increase paid circulation.

But when we took a really deep dive on the nature of The New Yorker reader, we concluded that this strategy was counterproductive. For our readers, The New Yorker wasn’t just a source of news and good writing. It was a key part of their identity. They were intellectuals who were interested in what the thinking person needed to know. That is how they wanted to perceive themselves and that is how they wanted to be perceived by others. Though it is hard to say for sure, my belief was that some of them may have actually liked paying more!

The lesson here extends beyond magazines and luxury goods to a wide array of business domains. When you’re designing a product or setting a price, don’t just think about what customers want, but who they want to be.

Roger L. Martin is the director of the Martin Prosperity Institute.

© 2019 Harvard Business School Publishing Corp. (Distributed by The New York Times Syndicate)

run by leading to lower innovation.

Andrea Contigiani is a doctoral

candidate at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, where David H. Hsu is a professor.

By Andrea Ovans

N The New, New Thing, Michael Lewis refers to the phrase “business model” as a term of art.

And like art itself, it’s one of those things many people feel they can recognize when they see it but can’t quite define.

A look through HBR’s archives shows the many ways business thinkers use the concept and how that can skew the definitions.

Lewis himself echoes many people’s impression of how Peter Drucker defined the term—“assumptions about what a company gets paid for”—which is part of Drucker’s Theory of the Business.

Citing as a sterling example one of the most strategically nimble companies of all time — IBM — he explains that sooner or later, some assumption you have about what’s critical to your company will turn out to be no longer true. In IBM’s case, having made the shift from tabulatingmachine company to hardware leaser to a vendor of mainframe, minicomputer and even PC hardware, Big Blue finally runs adrift.

Joan Magretta, too, cites Drucker when she defines what a business model is in Why Business Models Matter, partly as a corrective to Lewis.

Magretta, like Drucker, is focused more on the assumptions than on the money, pointing out that the term “business model” first came into widespread use with the advent of the personal computer and the spreadsheet. A business model, she says, has two parts: “Part one includes all the activities associated with making something: designing it, purchasing raw materials, manufacturing, and so on. Part two includes all the activities associated with selling something: finding and reaching customers, transacting a sale, distributing the product or delivering the service.”

Once you begin to compare one model with another, you’re entering the realms of strategy, with which business models are often confused.

Magretta goes back to first principles to make a simple and useful distinction, pointing out that a business model is a description of how your business runs, but a competitive strategy explains how you will do better than your rivals.

Introducing a better business model into an existing market is the definition of a disruptive innovation.

Knowing you need one and creating one are, of course, two vastly different things.

Andrea Ovans is a senior editor at Harvard Business Review.

Preparing for Brexit—and bracing for the worst

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By Paul Maidment

IKE the rest of Britain, if to a lesser degree, UK businesses are divided in their views on continued EU membership.

Large exporting manufacturers, financial and professional services firms and those needing to compete for scarce skilled or cheap labor would, by and large, have preferred to remain. So, too, would have UK subsidiaries of multinationals for which Britain provided an accommodating base for their EU operations.

However, small, domestically focused UK businesses more often found EU red tape burdensome without being able to benefit from the free movement of goods, services, people and capital across EU member-states’ borders, and thus put themselves in the “Leave” camp on the initial Brexit vote.

It is important to remember that there were two parts to the Brexit negotiations: the binding agreement covering the narrow departure terms, and a broader nonbinding document that

set out the aspirations for the future trading arrangements still to be negotiated.

There were a kaleidoscope of possible Brexits that sought to align the UK economically with the EU to the maximum extent imaginable, short of political membership. However, the major options fell along a spectrum with a “hard” Brexit at one end and a “soft” Brexit at the other.

There is no majority in the UK parliament or among the voting public for any one of these models. The only outcome that commands majority support is avoiding a no-deal Brexit.

That is also what business sees as most disruptive as it would mean falling back to trading on World Trade Organization rules, unknown custom and tariff arrangements and maximum legal uncertainty.

The degree of interlinkage between London’s financial services firms and the economies of the EU is substantial and intricate in its regulatory and legislative interfaces. The gulf between what the industry wanted and what it looks as

if it will end up with is vast. In particular, it will lose what’s known as “passporting,” the ability of financial firms to operate throughout the EU or the basis of being regulated in any one EU member state. The proposed substitute regimes for regulatory equivalence are still up in the air.

A similar story of slow attrition and new investment going elsewhere is playing out in the manufacturing industry. Japanese multinationals, including Nissan, that have built manufacturing plants in the UK as the basis of their operations in the EU, have said that continued new investment can no longer be guaranteed.

Paul Maidment is the director of analysis and managing editor at Oxford Analytica.

E2 Monday, February 4, 2019 • Editor: Efleda P. Campos

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FAITH Colleges organizes 4-nation Asean Convergence Secondary Schools Summit

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ECONDARY schools from Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and the Philippines are set to meet from February 21 to 23, 2019, at Lima Park Hotel in Batangas for the first Asean Convergence Secondary Schools Summit #AC3S organized by FAITH Colleges.

The Asean Convergence Secondary Schools Summit (#AC3S) is a three-day summit that aims to bring together secondary schools across Asean to collaborate and build a regional mindset. The summit also aims to make Asean relatable and tangible to the youth.

This program is supported by the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) and embassies of Asean member-states in the country.

Holcim launches Young Builders Challenge

Jolly U opens application for Year 5 culinary cook-off

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ITH the construction sector seen to sustain its upward thrust, cement maker Holcim Philippines Inc. is pushing for the country’s aspiring builders to have a sustainability mindset to help the industry have a more positive impact on development.

To advocate this perspective, the company launched in December the Young Builders Challenge (YBC), a design competition for engineering and architecture students where projects are assessed not just on their aesthetic elements and financial feasibility, but also on their positive environmental and social impact.

The YBC is inspired by the awards of the LafargeHolcim Foundation for Sustainable Construction, the leading global competition in this field. Since its launch in 2008, this competition has led to numerous ideas from building industry professionals worldwide for addressing some of society’s most pressing sustainability challenges.

“The building industry has always been a partner for progress since its produces essential structures for society, but it can have a more positive impact if it balances economic considerations with environmental and social aspects. The YBC aims to steer the minds of the next generation of builders to this viewpoint so they can make a bigger difference. This is very relevant and timely for our country, especially with the sustained building boom,” Holcim Philippines Vice President for Communications

Cara Ramirez said.

The Philippine Statistics Authority said the construction industry was among the drivers of the economy in 2018 as it surged by 21 percent, powered by the healthy rise of public and private sectors.

The industry’s strong growth is expected to continue in the medium term amid the current administration’s infrastructure upgrade program valued at P7 trillion ($137 billion) until 2022.

Fitch Solutions, a research unit of the New York-based Fitch Group, also forecasted in December that the Philippine construction sector will have an average growth rate of 9 percent until 2027 as regional partners invest in the country.

Holcim Philippines is currently visiting colleges and universities to promote YBC. It will also hold a symposium on February 28 at the UP David M. Consunji Theater featuring experts on sustainability to help guide interested students in the competition, which will close in April.

“We at Holcim Philippines are very serious about our sustainability commitments as seen by our community development programs and investments to improve operational efficiency and development of new products with lower environmental footprint. The YBC is and extension of this Holcim helps mindset as we seek to influence other stakeholders to join in the efforts for the construction industry to have a stronger impact on the country’s development,” Ramirez said.

Poverty does not deter Claire from writing her success story

By Liberty Sino Cruz Casaclang, Maria Cristina Lomibao Dela Masa, Master Teacher I; and Al A. Villanueva, Teacher III Pangasinan National High School DepEd-Region I

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HILE most students enjoy their weekends at home, Claire Ann Taboy, a Grade 6 student from Pagudpud South Central Elementary School in Ilocos Norte, uses this time to sell lumpiang shanghai on the streets to earn money for her and her siblings’ school allowance.

Her mother cooks the lumpia, which she sells around their neighborhood with the help of her father who is a tricycle driver. This firsttime National Schools Press conference (NSPC) qualifier does not mind the scorching heat of the sun nor the inviting laughter of her friends who are playing Chinese garter. Her priority is to help her family.

Poverty did not deter Claire from maintaining a good standing in class. She believes that her decision to join campus journalism two years ago brought about significant changes in her elementary life. For one, it allowed her to discover her talent and passion in writing.

She also learned to love reading, particularly newspapers, and realized that through writing, she has the freedom to express her views.

She also became more aware of social issues.

Claire did not only gain knowledge and skills, but also a lot of friends.

When asked about her most challenging

CLAIRE ANN TABOY

moment in campus journalism, Claire recalled her experience at the start of their training workshop in preparation for the Regional SPC. Hardly making both ends meet, her parents were hesitant to let her join the event.

Fortunately, her school, coaches, and other stakeholders helped her pull through until she finally made it to the national level in Lingayen, Pangasinan, this year.

“Joining NSPC is a dream come true. I believe that I already brought honor to my school, and to my family. With this, I will continue writing.

Of course, I will still sell lumpia for my family,” she said.

Truly, poverty did not stop Claire from writing her own success story.

FAITH Colleges, an institution of higher learning and research in the Philippines, has been active in promoting Asean awareness through its different activities.

In 2007, when the Asean Secretariat held a tour across secondary schools in the region, SecretaryGeneral Ong Keng Yong visited FAITH Colleges which represented the Philippines.

For the summit’s inaugural run, FAITH Colleges was able to

get the support of Diwa Learning Systems, Bato Balani Foundation, and other like-minded organizations and corporations to sponsor the delegates of this year’s summit.

Among the schools attending are SMP Negeri 6 Makassar of Indonesia, Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan (SMK) Guar Perahu of Malaysia, Raffles Institution of Singapore; and for the Philippines, Lyceum of the Philippines University-Batangas, Miriam Col-

lege Quezon City and Nuvali campuses, Nord Anglia International School, University of Perpetual Help System-L ag u na, FA I T H Catholic School, and Fidelis Senior High School.

Set to give talks at the Summit are Director Aian Caringal of the DFA, Jeroen Schedler of Passage to Asean (P2A), Clarissa Delgado of Teach for the Philippines, Jam Acuzar of Bellas Artes Projects and Ruel Amparo of Cropital.

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HE search is on for the next elite culinary student champions as the country’s much-anticipated and longrunning competition for young talented cooks and future food entrepreneurs, Jolly University (JU) stages a grand comeback this year and is now calling on applicants for its upcoming Year 5 edition.

Focusing on elevating one’s culinary passion and recreating everyday dishes with this year’s theme “Innovate. Create. Share,” JU Year 5 aims to test the kitchen skills and creativity of challengers in coming up with their best dish creations under the modern Filipino and fusion categories.

Open to all college students age 16 and above from Metro Manila, South Luzon and Central Luzon, JU offers delegates an unforgettable learning experience that will greatly develop their cooking, entrepreneurial, and leadership skills as future culinary and industry leaders.

An advocacy program that began in 2013, JU encourages diversity as well as collaboration across and beyond academic borders while effectively transferring key skills to talented young students. Serving as a springboard to prepare aspirants in their future careers, the highly successful campus-wide competition nurtures cooperative relationships among students and

STAKEHOLDERS in the Jolly University Year 4 culinary cook-off gather for a photo opportunity last year.

institutions in promoting culinary excellence and food business innovation in the Philippines.

After successfully passing the initial screening and elimination process, two of the chosen top 20 JU finalists can advance immediately to the final round during the cook-off via the Golden Ticket mechanics: First, through the “Most Liked Photo” rule wherein the finalist whose dish photo garnered the highest number of likes and shares will win a Golden Ticket and advance to the final round. Liking

and sharing of the top 20 finalists photos will be from February 22 to March 8 and will be posted on the official Jolly Eats Facebook page.

Second, under the “Most Label Collected” rule wherein one of the top 20 schools may advance to the final round if they are able to collect the most number of Jolly Food Line product labels. A corresponding point is assigned per can size.

Additionally, all schools that participate in Jolly University Year 5 have the chance to win P50,000 worth of prizes for the most can labels collected. Participating schools

can start collecting labels from January 15 until March 6, 2019.

This label collection promo has no bearing in the selection of the top 20 finalists.

The grand cook-off among the top 20 finalists will be on March 15.

To know more about the JU Year 5 Search and Golden Ticket Mechanics, follow the official Jolly Eats Facebook Page (facebook.com/ JollyFoods) for application requirements and downloadable entry forms which are now available.

Deadline of submission of application forms is on February 15.

Professionalize your Family Business–The Right Way

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OU are a start-up success.

But if you want to achieve your bigger ambitions and sustain the continued growth of your family business, you need to professionalize it the RIGHT way.

Dr. Eric Flamholtz, author of the book Growing Pains said businesses go through stages of development: new venture, expansion and growth stage and professionalization.

The new venture and expansion stages constitute the entrepreneurial phase of an organizational development. It is during this phase when the need to make the transition from entrepreneurship to a professionally managed, entrepreneurially oriented organization begins to occur. Those family businesses who were able to transition successfully experience a more rewarding and fulfilling journey in growing their businesses. However, to most families, this becomes a challenge.

To address the clamor of founders, family members of second,

third, and fourth generation, business owners, entrepreneurs and anyone who want to learn the science of professionalizing family businesses, the Center for Global Best Practices will host a pioneering training, entitled “Professionalizing the Family Business-The RIGHT Way” to be held on March 8, 2019, at the Manila Marriott Hotel, Pasay City.

This special program is designed to help founders, family business owners, business consultants and successors understand the challenges and the changes that must be implemented to professionalize their companies effectively. As the company cannot merely add people, money, equipment, and space to cope with its development, it must undergo a transition or metamorphosis to a more improved organization. This way, business owners can confidently turn over its business to the next generation of owners and to ensure the longevity of one’s organization.

This special program will feature Jacob Cabochan, the director of the Family Business Development Center of John Gokongwei School of Management at the Ateneo de Manila University (2012-2013). He specialized in family enterprise management, professionalizing the family business and crafting family constitutions. He completed his Bachelor of Science (magna cum laude) in Management from the Ateneo de Manila University. He also holds a certificate on Family Business Advising from the Family Firm Institute Boston, Massachusetts, and on Family Dynamics and Counseling from the Center of Family Ministries, Ateneo de Manila University.

Whether you are a single-family or multi-family business structure, a start-up or an established family business, this program will help you professionalize it the RIGHT way.

Registration is open to the general public. CGBP is accredited by the Civil Service Commission. Attend-

ees from the government can earn points for their career advancement and are exempted from the P2,000 limit when attending training conducted by the private sectors based on DBM Circular 563 dated April 22, 2016. Interested participants are encouraged to avail themselves of the early registration savings and group discounts. Preregistration is required.

Check www.cgbp.org for a complete list of Best Practices programs including “Manager Effectiveness Program,” “Best Practices in Managing Cost and Profit,” “Best Practices in Implementing Effective Business Controls,” “Best Practices in Managing Financial Performance,” “How to Use Parliamentary Procedures for Effective Meetings” and many more. You may also call landlines in Manila (+63 2) 842-7148/59 and (+63 2) 556-8968/69, in Baguio (+6374) 423-2914, in Cebu (+6332) 512-3106 or 07, or Legazpi City (+63 52) 736-0148.

SECURITY BANK FOUNDATION AIDS TYPHOON-DAMAGED SCHOOL IN TARLAC

S

ECURITY Bank Foundation replaced the school chairs, tables and electric fans of the Voice of Truth Foundational Learning Center in Camiling, Tarlac, that were damaged by the flooding caused by the recent typhoons that hit Northern and Central Luzon.

The foundation also distributed bags filled with brand-new school supplies to the 75 students of the beneficiary school.

The turnover ceremony was graced by the presence of Patricia Capwell, national director of the Institute for Foundational Learning, the organization running the beneficiary school; and Melissa Aquino, Trustee of Security Bank Foundation. Also present to witness the turnover were Security Bank Business Managers Roselyn Arato of the Tarlac branch and Angelica Liwanag of

Tarlac-Tañedo branch.

Through a presentation, the students expressed their gratitude and joy after receiving brand-new school supplies and furniture, which will enable them to comfortably continue their classes free from worry about damaged classrooms or incomplete resources.

“Security Bank Foundation is a big help and a great blessing to all—providing a project that up-

lifts and gives hope to people who are devastated by unexpected calamities. It is our prayer that this project of assisting calamity-affected schools will continue,” said Veronica Zacarias, principal of the Voice of Truth Foundational Learning Center.

The foundation’s assistance to calamityaffected schools reaffirms its commitment to uplift the quality of life in communities that Security Bank serves.

Marketing BusinessMirror

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Editor: Efleda P. Campos • Monday, February 4, 2019 E3

NEW YEAR, NEW GOALS

AND HOW TO GET THERE O

By Millie F. Dizon

n Start very small. In the post, Babauta first described how he radically improved several areas of his life by making just one small change at a time. For example, he began his journey to marathon running by running for 10 minutes every day.

Then he made this rather radical statement: “And then I gave up goals.” It turnerd out, he explained, that you can accomplish the same progress by making incremental small changes in the direction you want to go as by having an overarching goal you’re working toward. n Do only one change at a time.

This is important because “if you plan to make several changes at once or your changes are on some sort of grand schedule where you’ll run 10 minutes this week, you’re setting yourself up to get overwhelmed and do nothing about it.” Yes, being overwhelmed can make one immobile at times. n Be present and enjoy the activity. (Don’t focus on results.) This is

all about living in the present moment. If you think that running will help you lose weight, but hate it, don’t do it. Life is too short. Instead, find a way to achieve the same purpose with a different activity. n Be grateful for every step you take.

Babauta said he was grateful for every run he was able to make, and every healthy meal he ate. Gratitude is an important way to increase our own happiness, studies have shown.

If you can’t feel thankful for the changes you’re able to make, then don’t make them. Instead, make a change that will make you feel satis-

tical steps you can take to safeguard yourself and move from powerless to powerful, and fearful to fearless.”

As with many situations, “perception is key and that begins in your mind. So, next time you find yourself in a situation where you have no control, take some time to change your thinking and be pleasantly surprised that changes will follow.”

All in all, “remember there’s nothing magical about January 1 and New Year’s resolutions. Every week, and every day presents a new opportunity for change. So, get started today.”

WWW.FREEPIK.COM

PR Matters

UR last few columns on cautioning PR professionals about using outdated words, as well as that of social-media trends to prepare for in 2019 have prompted readers to ask many questions about goal setting.

Taken all together, they know that the New Year is a great time to reboot, refresh and reassess ourselves. We all have goals in life and work—losing weight, getting rich, starting a passion project and many more. But when we look at resolutions of years past, did we get to achieve them?

With that, they would like to know what we could realistically do to achieve our goals for the year.

For that, we got some help from our friends in Inc.com with Jonathan Alpert’s “4 Practical Steps to Reach Your Goals in 2019,” and Minda Zetlin’s “A Zen Blogger’s 4-Step Process in Changing Your Life.”

Minda Zetlin’s “8 Years Ago, a Zen Blogger Revealed a 4-Step Process for Changing Your Life. It’s Even More Relevant Today” said that the problem sometimes is that “we start out with big plans and multiple goals that we can’t immediately reach and they quickly get swept away in the pressures and commitments of the complicated, over-scheduled lives we already have. Soon, we’ve fallen way behind our ambitious plans and we’re annoyed at ourselves for having yet failed again.”

How true and how sad, but then again, “it doesn’t have to be that way.”

Eight years ago, Zen Habits blogger Leo Babauta described “a simple and powerful process for changing that dynamic and actually accomplishing major life changes.” That blog post is still very relevant today at a time dominated by social media and struggles for work-life balance and complexity of every kind.

Incidentally, Babauta’s life journey from overweight couch potato to marathon runner is the best showcase that his four-step formula— which he calls an algorithm—works in getting it done.

fied and fulfilled.

Likewise, in his book Be Fearless and Change Your Life in 28 Days, Jonathan Alpert provided the readers pragmatic tools to “develop a positive mindset, create a clear and realistic action plan, develop a support team and lead a healthy lifestyle.

Here, he provided us with four tips as we move forward our goals for the New Year. n Make social media less significant in your life. While Alpert said

there’s no doubt that technology and social media have made life easier by affording many conveniences and instant access to the world, “they’ve effectively also made us more reliant on machines and less reliant on our own brainpower.”

While he was in no way suggesting that we part with these, he is “urging you to be more aware of how they might be hurting rather than helping your brain and look at ways to strike a balance between social media and real life.”

Some tips: “While at social and professional events, get back to good old-fashioned communication and have a conversation, sans phone, and don’t let your desire to send a text or snap a picture prevent you from enjoying a priceless moment in time that can only be captured with your naked eye at the moment.” n Say ‘no’ more often. So often, we prioritize other people’s needs before our own, Alpert said, that that’s sure to lead to anxiety, resentment and falling behind on what’s truly important to you. If you prioritize that person’s need over yours, you’ll find your productivity will suffer and resentment will mount. By saying “no” more often, you might actually feel better and do better. n Optimize your time. How often do we hear people ranting “I’m so busy” and “I don’t have time for anything”? These are negative comments that will surely keep one overwhelmed and other people away from them. And I can only sigh.

There is a saying, though, that if you want anything done, ask a busy person to do it. It seems that very busy people who just go on with their work without ranting actually get to achieve more than those who complain.

Their secret? “Making a distinction between tasks and activities that are vital and those that are optional, you’ll be able to optimize your time,” Alpert said. “Schedule your day by doing the most important tasks first— the time you are freshest and most energetic.” n Gaining control. Alpert said that gaining control is actually being realistic and simply recognizing that there are actually things that you

can change and control. For example, one person can’t change the economy, but there are many things you can do to ensure you are financially sound by being a smart consumer, saving

and investing wisely.

Rather than feeling victimized and helpless in certain situations, “open your mouth, take action and do something. Think about the prac-

PR Matters is a roundtable column by members of the local chapter of the United Kingdom-based International Public Relations Association (Ipra), the world’s premier association for senior professionals around the world. Millie Dizon, the senior vice president for Marketing and Communications of SM, is the former local chairman.

We are devoting a special column each month to answer the reader’s questions about public relations. Please send your comments and questions to askipraphil@gmail.com.

Perspective BusinessMirror

E4 Monday, February 4, 2019

www.businessmirror.com.ph

From corn to Apple: The cases behind the US-China standoff

IN this August 23, 2017, file photo, a visitor looks at a robotic hand powered

by Kinfinity Glove, developed by the German Aerospace Center, on display at the World Robot Conference at the Yichuang International Conference and Exhibition Center in Beijing. China’s government has appealed to Washington to accept its industrial progress after US intelligence officials said Beijing helps to steal and copy foreign technologies. AP/ANDY WONG

By Paul Wiseman & Michael Liedtke

W

The Associated Press

ASHINGTON—The Trump administration’s case against Beijing is blunt: The Chinese have gone on a commercial crime spree, pilfering trade secrets from seed corn to electronic brains behind wind turbines.

China has stripped the arm off a T-Mobile robot, the US says, and looted trade secrets about robotic cars from Apple.

The alleged victims of that crime spree are individual American companies, whose cases lie behind the Trump administration’s core complaint in the high-level US-China trade talks going on in Washington: That Beijing systematically steals American and other foreign intellectual property in a bid to become the world’s technology superstar. Yet the odds of a resolution to the trade dispute this week—or anytime soon— appear dim, in part because China’s drive for technology supremacy is increasingly part of its self-identity.

The six-month standoff has shaken financial markets and likely weakened the global economy. The United States has imposed taxes on $250 billion in Chinese imports; Beijing has lashed back by taxing $110 billion in American products.

Determined to attain dominance in cutting-edge fields from robotics to electric cars, US officials charge, Beijing is not only stealing

trade secrets but also pressuring American companies to hand over technology to gain access to the vast Chinese market.

US intelligence officials told Congress this week that China poses the biggest commercial and military threat to the United States. A separate report this week said Beijing will steal or copy technologies it can’t make itself.

Geng Shuang, a spokesman for the China’s Foreign Ministry spokesman, retorted that it’s “totally unreasonable to make random accusations.”

Beijing counters that the United States is just trying to suppress a rising competitor.

US business groups broadly support the Trump administration’s decision to confront China over its strong-arm tech policies.

But they mostly object to the administration’s weapon of choice: Steep tariffs, which are taxes on

importers and are usually passed on to consumers to pay.

Rooting out theft could prove impossible. Beijing typically doesn’t dispatch spies on missions of commercial espionage. Rather, it encourages Chinese who study and work abroad to copy or steal technology and rewards them when they do. So US companies might have no reason to suspect anything—until a Chinese employee leaves and the employer discovers that trade secrets have been compromised.

Most US companies are reluctant to voice specific complaints about their encounters in China.

Rather, most choose to speak through trade groups to avoid retribution from Chinese regulators.

Last year, for example, the European Union Chamber of Commerce in China found that one in five foreign companies says it feels compelled to transfer technology to the Chinese as the price of market access.

Individual examples tend to surface only when the complaints wind up in court—often in cases brought by US prosecutors. Consider: • Federal prosecutors charged in an indictment unsealed this week that the Chinese tech giant Huawei stole trade secrets from US cellphone company T-Mobile and offered bonuses to employees who managed to swipe technology from other companies.

US authorities said Huawei was obsessed with a T-Mobile robot nicknamed Tappy that could detect problems in cellphones by mimicking how people use them.

T-Mobile was letting Huawei engineers into the Tappy lab to test

their phones. In 2013, according to the indictment, a Huawei engineer spirited a Tappy robot arm out of the lab in a laptop bag. Questioned

by T-Mobile, he returned it the next day. Prosecutors allege that the Chinese company hungered for T-Mobile technology to use on its own phone-testing robot.

• Apple would collect less revenue without China, the country where its iPhone is assembled and the market that accounts for the most sales of that device outside the US. But a secretive project that could become a future gold mine has been infiltrated by thieves trying to steal driverless car technology for a Chinese company, according to criminal charges filed in Silicon Valley. The FBI seized the latest suspect, Apple engineer Jizhong Chen, this month after he bought a plane ticket to China.

Chen and the other suspect charged in July, Xiaolang Zhang, were part of an Apple project focused on self-driving cars, according to the sworn affidavits from FBI agents. The two are accused of using their access to labs where only 1,200 of Apple’s 140,000 employees were allowed to enter to steal trade secrets.

Chen took dozens of photos of confidential work on an iPhone 6 Plus, according to court records.

One photo was taken last June just a week after Chen attended Apple’s secrecy training seminar for employees, the court records show.

Zhang stored Apple’s trade secrets on various devices before being caught by the company’s security team last spring, the FBI alleged.

The alleged theft occurred

while Zhang was preparing to defect to Xiopeng Motors, or XMotors, a Chinese startup specializing in electric cars and self-driving technology. XMotors’ backers include Alibaba Group, China’s largest e-commerce company, and Foxconn, one of Apple’s major contractors in China. Zhang was arrested last year as he prepared to board a flight to China in San Jose, California, the FBI said.

The FBI also alleged that Chen was stealing Apple’s trade secrets while interviewing for a job at a Chinese company that wasn’t named in the court documents.

Daniel Olmos, an attorney for both Chen and Zhang, declined to comment on the allegations. Apple said it’s working with US authorities on the cases, both of which remain open.

• In November, the Justice Department charged a governmentowned Chinese company, Fujian Jinhua Integrated Circuit Co., and co-conspirators with stealing trade secrets from the US semiconductor company Micron Technology. According to the indictment, the Chinese hoped to break into the market for a technology called dynamic random access memory, or DRAM, that’s used in computer electronics.

“China, like any advanced nation, must decide whether it wants to be a trusted partner on the world stage or whether it wants to be known around the world as a dishonest regime running a corrupt economy founded on fraud, theft and strong-arm tactics,” then-Attorney General Jeff Sessions said at the time.

The US has barred Fujian Jun-

hua from importing US components, an action that threatens to put the Chinese company out of business.

• A year ago, a Chinese company, Sinovel Wind Group, was convicted in a federal court in Wisconsin of stealing technology—the electronic brains that run wind turbines—from its American partner, AMSC, formerly known as American Superconductor Inc. “We believe that over 8,000 wind turbines—an estimated 20 percent of China’s fleet—are now running on AMSC’s stolen software,” CEO Daniel McGahn told US government investigators. “AMSC has not been compensated for its losses.”

The damage from that betrayal was severe: American Superconductor stock lost $1 billion in value, and the company slashed 700 jobs, more than half its global workforce. It was, McGahn said, a case of “attempted corporate homicide.”

• A Chinese businessman, Mo Hailong, who had been caught rummaging through an Iowa cornfield was sentenced to three years in prison in 2016 for pilfering trade secrets from US seed corn companies. Five years earlier, DuPont Pioneer security guards had caught Mo and other Chinese men digging in a cornfield that contained test plots of new seed corn varieties. The other suspects fled the United States before they could be arrested.

Prosecutors said Mo had traveled to the Midwest while working for Kings Nower Seed, a subsidiary of the Chinese conglomerate Beijing Dabeinong Technology Group Co., to acquire corn seed and ship it to China so scientists could try to reproduce its genetic traits.