BusinessMirror February 07, 2020

nCoV FALLOUT: CHINESE BUYERS HALT ORDERS FOR PHL BANANAS

By Jasper Emmanuel Y. Arcalas @jearcalas

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ANANA exporters may soon feel the pinch of the slowdown in China’s economic activity due to the outbreak of the 2019 novel coronavirus (nCoV), as Chinese buyers have stopped ordering Philippine bananas.

Pilipino Banana Growers and Exporters Association (PBGEA) Executive Directotr Stephen A. Antig told the BusinessMirror that Chinese buyers have started canceling orders

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last week. This could cause the industry to lose an estimated $5.5 million a week.

Worse, some banana exporters have received notice from some Chinese importers that they will stop buying Philippine bananas and did not indicate when they will resume ordering from local traders, Antig said.

He also said exporters who wish to ship bananas to China are having a difficult time finding a vessel that can transport the orders.

The cancellation of orders stemmed from the lockdown of cities in China to control the spread of the virus, which

has killed 563 and infected 28,000 people, according to international reports.

Antig said supermarkets have started reducing their orders as the supply will not reach them due to the lockdown.

“The big buyers from China have already sent notice to suppliers that they will either reduce or totally stop the purchase of bananas for a certain period of time. And they did not say how long this will be,” he said in a phone interview.

See “Bananas,” A2

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Friday, February 7, 2020 Vol. 15 No. 120

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URBULENT events that threaten the economy—eruption of Taal Volcano, outbreak of the 2019 novel coronavirus (nCoV), and lingering geopolitical tensions— have prompted the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) to cut rates to help the country weather economic headwinds.

Lifestyle diseases still top killers–PSA

By Cai U. Ordinario caiordinario

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ESPITE the implementation of policy interventions, such as the hike in the taxes of alcoholic beverages and cigarettes, the latest data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) revealed that lifestyle diseases remained the top killers of Filipinos in 2018.

PSA data released on Thursday showed a 2-percent increase in the number of Filipinos who died in 2018. A total of 590,709 deaths were registered in 2018, higher than the 579,237 recorded in 2017.

The list showed that Ischaemic heart diseases, Neoplasms, and Cerebrovascular diseases (including stroke and aneurysm) were the top 3 causes of death in 2018. These are known noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) which are linked to the consumption of “sin” products—alcohol and cigarettes. “ The number of deaths from 2009 to 2018 showed an increasing trend except in the year 2017.

The increase during the 10 -year p e r io d i s 2 2 . 9 p e rc e nt , f rom 480,820 in 2009 to 590,709 in 2018,” the PSA said.

See “PSA,” A2

PESO EXCHANGE RATES

3.25 percent, respectively.

The decision, according to Diokno, is a “preemptive” move to “support market confidence.”

Diokno said the Monetary Board noted that prospects for global economic have weakened further due to geopolitical tensions. “[Also,] there continues to be the burden on the economy posed by the ongoing Taa l Volcano

3.75%

The new interest rate on RRP after Monetary Board delivered another 25-basis-point cut

eruption and the aftermath of Typhoon Tisoy,” he added.

The Monetary Board also noted that the spread of nCoV would have an adverse impact on economic activity and market sentiment in the coming months.

“W hile recent demand indicators still point to a firm outlook for the domestic economy, the Monetar y Board believes that a polic y rate cut wou ld See “Rate cut,” A2

A GUARD at a Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (Pogo) office checks the temperature of Chinese workers before they enter the building as part of precautions against the spread of the 2019 novel coronavirus. The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) has given employers guidelines on how to protect employees from the 2019-nCoV. NONIE REYES

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CORONAVIRUS IMPACT ON PHL ECONOMY: LOWER GROWTH, TAMER INFLATION–DIOKNO

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ANGKO Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Governor Benjamin Diokno on Thursday said the 2019 novel coronavirus (2019nCoV) may cut the country’s growth numbers by about a third of a percentage point, but will also push down inflationary pressures down the line.

Diokno confirmed that the preliminary assessment done by the country’s central monetary authority showed the 2019-nCoV could shave off 0.3 percentage points from the country’s growth this year. Asked on the drivers behind the forecast, Diokno said: “Tourism is a large part but not limited to it.”

China was the second top country source for tourists to the Philippines in 2019, after South Korea. In the first 11 months of

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of Economics and Ateneo Center for Economic Research and Development (ACERD) that it is time to make the necessary changes.

Mapa said the revision will include changing the definition of the poverty threshold and revising the menu of basic items used to compute whether a person is poor or not.

“It depends on the menu and how it will be changed, as well as the price. But definitely, if you change

prices, the threshold will really increase because it will adjust,” he said.

“But on the question earlier of whether the items will be changed, first we have to look at the new data from the National Nutrition Survey [NNS] and then identify whether this menu is still being consumed at the provincial level. We need to prioritize research to obtain the data from the ground,” he added.

See “Poverty,” A2

2019, Chinese tourists to the Philippines were recorded at around 1.6 million.

The government forecasts growth to hit 6.5 to 7.5 percent on average for 2020. Just recently, global think tanks and credit watchers weighed in on the effect of the virus outbreak on the regional economy.

In separate assessment pieces, Fitch Solutions—the research arm of Fitch Group, Moody’s Analytics—the research arm of Moody’s Group and S&P Global ratings all agree that some sort of contagion from the virus will shave off growth percentage points in the Asia-Pacific region.

Aside from growth effects, Diokno also said the 2019-nCoV will likely have an impact on the See “Diokno,” A8

MILE LONG PROPERTY TO FUND MILITARY, POLICE PENSION–A.O.

By Samuel P. Medenilla

PSA eyes changes in computing poverty level HE Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) said it is seeking to amend the methodology for computing the poverty threshold, which could result in an increase in the amount needed by individuals to stay out of poverty.

National Statistician and Civil Registrar Claire Dennis S. Mapa told reporters at the sidelines of a seminar on poverty organized by the Ateneo de Manila University Department

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BSP: Rate cut to insulate economy from headwinds

In the first meeting of the Monetary Board for the year, BSP Governor Benjamin E. Diokno announced that they have decided to cut the interest rate on the BSP’s overnight reverse repurchase (RRP) facility by 25 basis points to 3.75 percent.

The interest rates on the overnight lending and deposit facilities were reduced to 4.25 percent and

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HE government on Thursday said the pension of the military and uniformed personnel will come from the revenues of the 2-hectare Mile Long property in Makati City.

President Duterte issued Administrative Order (AO) 21, which gave the go-ahead to the Privatization and Management Office (PMO) to enter into an agreement with the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) for the redevelopment of Mile Long.

The PMO is tasked to manage the 2-hectare parcel of land in the Makati Central Business District. The BCDA was tasked to “administer, manage and redevelop the Mile Long property prior to eventual disposition.”

“The development of the Mile Long property, considering its location in one of the country’s premier business districts, will greatly contribute to the generation of revenues for priority programs of the government, including among others, the pension program of military and uniformed personnel,” Duterte said in the twopage AO signed on January 29.

He said revenue from the property will also be used to fund other priority programs of the government, as recommended by the Department of Budget and Management (DBM).

A technical working group (TWG) with representatives from the Department of Finance (DOF), DBM, Bureau of the Treasury, PMO and

BCDA will formulate the redevelopment and privatization plan for the Mile Long property.

Finance Secretary Carlos G. Dominguez III said on Thursday they will abide by the President’s order to redevelop Mile Long property.

“We are ready to implement the instructions of the President to redevelop the Mile Long property.

The TWG will be convened next week to finalize the plans & timetable for this project,” Dominguez said in a Viber message to reporters.

Last year, the DOF said the government plans to redevelop the property owned by the national government into a mixed-use, high-rise area. It said some portion of the property will also be sold to the private sector.

The property was previously leased to Sunvar Realty Development Corp. of the Prieto family for 35 years before it was ordered by the court to vacate the property. Sunvar insisted its lease contract for the property was above board and should have been honored by the government until its supposed expiration in 2027.

It became the subject of a court case after the Solicitor General accused Sunvar of owing the government P1.66 billion worth of rentals for the property.

Duterte became vocal about his opposition to Sunvar’s lease of the Mile Long property in 2017 and accused the firm of failing to pay the necessary fees for it.

At that time, the President said he will sell the property so he could use the proceeds to build houses for uniformed personnel.

n US 50.8410 n JAPAN 0.4630 n UK 66.1136 n HK 6.5499 n CHINA 7.2887 n SINGAPORE 36.8093 n AUSTRALIA 34.2923 n EU 55.9302 n SAUDI ARABIA 13.5525 Source: BSP (6 February 2020 )

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Friday, February 7, 2020

Risks from nCoV spur ERC to defer genco inspections

By Lenie Lectura

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@llectura

HE Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) will defer inspection of the facilities of certain power generation firms because of the coronavirus outbreak.

The inspection is necessary before the ERC can act on the applications for new and renewal of Certificate of Compliance (COC).

“NCoV affects inspection of facilities for renewal and new application of COCs. We have schedules but we need to be concerned on the effects of nCoV because everybody is concerned about that. So, in areas where the government has identified that there is a possibility of the spread of the virus, we can, to our level, defer the inspection until better times,” said ERC chief Agnes Devanadera.

Another ERC official later explained that while most of the facilities for inspection are “sani-

tized,” most of them require long journeys to reach—with f lights and land travel that could expose the ERC teams.

Devanadera said there are “1,000 plus sites, including SPUG [Small Power Utilities Group] areas” that are up for inspection by ERC’s technical team.

The ERC has received applications for new COCs involving 46 power plants in the main grid and 137 power plants in offgrid. The generating capacity is 3,219 megawatts and 267MW, respectively.

For COC renewal, the ERC has received applications for 59 power plants, with a total

capacit y of 7,673MW, in the main grid. For off-grid areas, there are 27 power plants, with a capacity of 83.93MW, seeking for CoC renewal.

Among the power plants seeking COC renewal are Ilijan, Masinloc, Sem-Calaca, San Bueneventura Power Ltd. and SNAP-Magat.

On top of these, the ERC also needs to inspect 1,276 metering points of the National Grid Corp. of the Philippines (NGCP).

“But it does not mean that these plants will not be able to go online considering the acute supply. Now, we can see that the coronavirus is affecting the movements of people, especially.

“Even the trainings that we’re supposed to send our people to are being put on hold. At least for the first quarter, we will not send people for training abroad,” added Devanadera.

In order not to affect the power supply, the ERC will issue temporary permits valid for six months.

“Only those up for renewal will be given provisional [permits]. [The] duration of the provisional approval is [only for six months]. If certain gencos already

have testing results na they can also be given provisional approval,” she added in a mix of English and Filipino.

ERC Commissioners Josefina Patricia Magpale-Asirit said affected gencos seeking for COC renewal should apply three months before the expiration of their certificates.

Normally, she said, inspection takes place after the agency has been notified that the power plant is ready for commissioning and testing. From that time on, as long the records are complete, no other requirements will be sought. “It can already go up to the ad hoc in two to three weeks, then it can go to the commission in another two weeks,” Asirit said, referring to how long the process takes place.

The suspension of inspection is only temporary. “We will assess these first three months.

The risk ng exposure is not in the actual areas of the power plants because most of these are sanitized. But before [our teams] can reach those sites is a long journey.

They would have to take an airplane and land travel combined,” explained Asirit.

2 navy ships in Oman for Mideast OFW repatriation

By Rene Acosta

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@reneacostaBM

WO Phi lippine Nav y ships sent to the Middle East to help in the repatriation of Filipinos in the tension-gripped states in the reg ion, especia l ly Iraq, have already arrived in Oman.

The BRP Davao Del Sur (LD 602) and BRP Ramon Alcaraz (PS 16) carrying the Naval Task Force (NTF) 82 contingent docked at the Sultan Qaboos Port in Muscat, Oman, late on Wednesday afternoon.

The vessels were sent to the Middle East to help bring home Filipinos from Iraq and Libya who have been affected by tensions brought by the recent killing of Iranian General Qassem Soleimani

by United States forces in Iraq.

The head of the Philippine mission, Marine Col. Noel Beleran, along with the commanding officers of the LD 602 and PS16, called on Philippine Ambassador to Oman Narciso Castañeda upon their arrival in Muscat. “ The two nav y vessels will ser ve as a sea-based platform

Poverty. . .

Rate cut. . .

M a p a s a i d t h e re v i s i o n o f t h e p o v e r t y t h re s h o l d d e f i n i t i o n a n d methodology will be done after the PSA updates other data such as the Consumer Price Index (CPI), which will be rebased to 2018.

H o w e v e r, i n t e g r a l t o t h e C P I revision and, consequently, the poverty threshold revision, is the commodity outlet survey (COS) which requires the PSA to go back to the outlets where households are buying their food and nonfood needs.

The COS is supposed to be conducted this year. As it was not given a budget, Mapa said the PSA will have to realign funds from its 2020 budget to finance the survey.

“We need to [make changes] because the 2018 consumption pattern would be different [from that of ] 2012,” he said.

The poverty threshold is the minimum amount that can buy basic needs such as food, health, education, housing, and “other essential amenities of life.”

Based on the 2018 poverty data, PSA estimated that the poverty threshold per family a month is P10,727, a 13.5-percent increase from P9,452 posted in 2015.

However, the amount varies per region. The highest poverty threshold is in Metro Manila at P11,951 in 2018 followed by Calabarzon with P11,604; Caraga, P11,482; Ilocos, P11,237; and Central Luzon, P11,161.

The lowest pover ty threshold is in Mimaropa at P9,679 followed by Bicol with P10,168; Western Visayas, P10,197; Northern Mindanao, P10,333; and Cordillera Administrative Region, P10,364. Cai U. Ordinario

provide additional policy support to ward off the potential spillovers associated with increased external headw inds,” the governor said.

Lower interest rates could spur economic growth as this signals lower financing costs for banks who take a cue from the BSP. An accommodative monetary policy environment encourages lending and investment among local businesses and consumer spending.

Earlier this week, Thailand also decided to cut its rates to record lows, also to boost their ailing economy that is being threatened by the outbreak of nCoV. Last month, Malaysia cut its benchmark interest rate to bolster its economy amid global uncertainties.

Continued from A1

Continued from A1

Stable inflation

“THE Monetary Board concluded that the manageable inf lation

PSA. . .

Continued from A1

Deaths caused by Ischaemic heart diseases—the top killer of men and women—rose by 5 percent to 88,433 deaths in 2018 compared to 84,120 in 2017.

Filipinos who died of cerebrosvascular diseases rose by 3.66 percent to 61,959 in 2018, from 59,774 in 2017.

In contrast, deaths due to neoplasms fell by 1.05 percent

for the government to process and facilitate the repatriation of displaced OFWs,” Navy Public Affairs Director Lt. Commander Maria Christina Roxas said.

“Specifics and other details about the repatriation are expected to be finalized after the scheduled joint AFP-PNP command conference to be presided by the Commander In Chief, President Rodrigo Roa Duterte in Malacañang in which NTF 82 will take part via video teleconferencing together with Amb. Castañeda,” she added.

According to Roxas, Beleran reported that the Navy contingent is “safe and sound” in Oman and “the troops were very happy and in high spirits since this event serves as another milestone for our Navy that we can a lready transcend across the deep waters of Indian ocean or the Arabian Sea.” Beleran gave assurances that the sailors and marines “are ready to assist and support the government’s effort in repatriating our unsung heroes, the OFWs from the Middle East conflict.”

environment allowed room for a preemptive reduction in the policy rate to support market confidence,” said Diokno.

BSP Deputy Governor Francisco Dakila said their recent numbers, as discussed during the latest Monetary Board meeting, show a slight uptick in inflation for this year.

The BSP revised its inflation outlook to 3 percent for 2020, up from the 2.9 percent in their previous meeting. For 2021, the BSP retained its forecast of 2.9 percent.

The BSP’s target range remains at 2 to 4 percent for both years.

“It can be noted that the only adjustment is in the forecast for this year and that is because when you look at the factors that have led to the change in the forecast, they are really very short term and they are coming mostly from the actual inflation rates that we have seen for December and January,” Dakila said.

Diokno said risks to the inflation outlook continue to tilt slightly toward the upside in 2020 and toward the downside in 2021.

“Upside risks to inflation over the near term emanate mainly from potential upward pressures on food prices owing in part to the African swine fever outbreak and tighter international supply of rice,” Diokno said.

to 63,454 in 2018, from 64,125 in 2017.

The other top causes of deaths in the Philippines are pneumonia, diabetes mellitus, hypertensive diseases, chronic lower respiratory infections, respiratory tuberculosis, other heart diseases, and the remainder of diseases of the genitourinary system.

However, data from the PSA showed that the top killers of Filipino males differed from that of females. In 2018, transport accidents barged into the list of the

top killers of Filipino males, and accounted for 10,381 deaths.

The top 3 regions in terms of deaths by usual residence—Calabarzon, National Capital Region (NCR), and Central Luzon—were all in Luzon. These regions were also the top sources of income and economic g row th in the Philippines.

The three regions accounted for nearly 40 percent of total deaths. In terms of GDP the three accounted for 60 percent.

More rate cuts

Following the BSP’s announcement, local economists said Diokno will probably push for another rate cut this year. “ The still benign inf lation outlook affords the Central Bank proper scope to continue easing monetar y policy with Diokno primed to carry out a second rate cut sometime within the first half of the year,” said ING Bank Manila economist Nicholas Mapa.

“We think the BSP still has enough policy space left and will not be afraid to inject more stimulus should the need warrant it,” Security Bank economist Chief Robert Dan Roces added.

Diokno earlier said he is looking to cut rates by a total of 50 basis points this year.

See “PSA,” A8

www.businessmirror.com.ph

BI: 177 stranded Chinese nationals have left PHL

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HE Bureau of Immigration on Thursday disclosed that a total of 177 Chinese nationals who got stranded in the country after the government imposed a travel ban on Sunday due to 2019-nCoV virus were already able to leave the country.

BI spokesman Dana K rizia Sandoval said the 177 Chinese nationals left at 9:06 p.m. last Wednesday via chartered Flight No. RW410 Royal Air from the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (Naia) Terminal 1.

The Chinese nationals, who were mostly tourists, arrived in the countr y prior to the imposition of the travel ban by President Duterte.

The 177 Chinese nationals who wished to return to their homeland were able to depart via a chartered flight,” said Sandoval.

Bananas. . .

Continued from A1

“China has been [the Philippines’s] No. 1 market since 2018.

This [outbreak] has a huge impact on us,” he added.

Excess Cavendish

A N T IG sa id t he reduct ion in t he pu rc hases of C h inese buyers may force loca l g rowers to c ut out put. However, he sa id product ion in t he f irst qu a r ter may r ise due to favorable weat her cond it ions a nd t h is cou ld lead to a ba na na glut.

This, he said, would add to the woes of banana growers and exporters as they would have to look for other buyers of excess bananas.

“The problem is Filipinos do not buy Cavendish,” said Antig.

Antig said diverting Cavendish exports to other Asian countries like Japan and South Korea is no longer an option since these countries, which are the Philippines’s second- and third-top buyers, are already mature and saturated.

The PBGEA official estimated that banana exporters are losing a minimum of $5.5 million weekly based on a low price of $5 per box and annual shipments of 60 million to 65 million boxes.

“I don’t want think about the repercussions or the implications of a prolonged lockdown or shutdown in the Chinese market. Imagine, we are exporting something like 60 million to 65 million boxes to China. [Losing millions of dollars] is not far-

VFA. . .

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have become first responders, dispatching entire carrier groups to our aid during the powerful typhoons of the past decade, like Frank, Milenyo, Yolanda.”

Military issue

FOR his part, Senator Richard Gordon asserted that the VFA abrogation involves foreign policy that must be dictated by need, adding that the country’s security “ultimately matters,” conceding that the VFA exists because “we don’t have a military that can defend us.”

The country’s foreign policy, he said, “must not be dictated by whim or caprice but by the need of the armed forces.”

Gordon raised the question in a mix of English and Filipino: “Is it a national interest to abolish the VFA at this point in time? We don’t enter into agreements because we want to, but because we need to.

If we don’t need it, let’s disengage.

But we have to be on our own.”

In a separate statement, Gordon stressed the importance of the VFA, declaring he is against its removal because of the Philippine

The ban had been imposed for travelers to and from mainland China, Hong Kong or Macau.

“They were experiencing difficulty in booking tickets because there were no longer any outbound flights. The airlines have canceled commercial flights to and from Manila and China,” Sandoval said.

Some of t hem a r r ived in t he cou nt r y where t hey spent t he Lu na r New Yea r l ast Ja nu a r y 25, but fa i led to sec u re bookings going bac k to C h ina due to t he t ravel ba n a nd f l ight ca ncel l at ions by a irl ines.

Sandoval said it is possible that another chartered f light back to China will be arranged if there are still Chinese nationals who wish to go home.

The Chinese Embassy paid for the chartered f light of their nationals. Joel R. San Juan fetched if this will continue,” Antig said.

Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) data showed that from January to November 2019, the Philippines exported 1.428 million metric tons of bananas worth $599.216 million to China.

On average, the Philippines earns at least $11 million weekly from Cavendish exports to China, based on PSA data analyzed by the BusinessMirror.

Impact on small growers

SM A L L HOL DER S a nd me d i um-size growers are the ones who w il l immediately feel the i mpac t of C h i n a’s e conom ic slowdow n as they supply most of the bananas shipped to the East A sian nation.

Antig said the use of better farming technology has allowed small- and medium-sized growers to export at least a container of Cavendish banana to countries like China.

China has been the country’s top Cavendish market in the past two years after it ended Japan’s 30-year reign as top buyer in 2018.

Cavendish bananas were the country’s fourth-top export product to China in January to November 2019, PSA data showed.

Aside from bananas, economist Pablito M. Villegas said shipments of Philippine pineapples and coconut oil to China may also go down in the coming months.

Villegas said exporters may consider redirecting these products to Taiwan, Hong Kong, or even the Middle East, which is a growing market for Philippine Cavendish. military’s “unreadiness.”

Warning that “the military will be all air and no force, and all coast and no guard” if the agreement is abolished, Gordon asserted that “the people must know that our military has been bereft—leaving us dependent on our relationships with other countries. Strengthen the military, enrich the country.

We have to look at the interest of our nation.”

The senator added that more equipment from other countries could have been bought when the US military was still in the country, and which could have strengthened the armed forces’ capabilities.

Recalling that the VFA between the Philippines and the US was established in 1999 upon ratification by the Senate of the Philippines, Gordon said the agreement allows defense forces’ cooperation between the two nations and permits the US military to participate in the training programs of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

He added that since the creation of the VFA, the US has been providing military support to the Philippines in countering threats such as terrorism, and assisting in the country’s internal security operations.

A4 Friday, February 7, 2020 • Editor: Vittorio V. Vitug

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Lower generation charge brings down Feb power rates–Meralco

By Lenie Lectura

@llectura

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LECTRICITY rates in February declined to P8.8623 per kilowatt-hour from P9.4523 per kWh, mainly due to lower generation charge.

The P0.59 decrease will result in a P118 reduction for household consumers with an average consumption of 200 kWh, the Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) said Thursday.

The rate is also lower in the same per iod 10 years ago at P9.0331 per kWh. “The reduction is mainly due to a lower generation charge after the implementation of new power- supply agreements [PSAs] starting last December 26 last year,” it said.

Commuter group

urges govt to allow Metro carpooling

By Lorenz S. Marasigan @lorenzmarasigan

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HILE the mass transportation systems in the Philippines remain inadequate and inefficient, the government should promote the practice of carpooling among individuals and should stop apprehending them, a commuter group said on Thursday.

The Passenger Forum Convenor Primo Morillo said the government should formulate guidelines to allow carpooling in the Philippines to work. Regulations, he said, should come in once the status quo on public transit has been addressed.

“Our idea is to provide guidelines on carpooling, as it is not explicitly prohibited by our laws,” he said in a phone interview. “There needs to be a guideline to ensure that carpooling will not be abused.”

Carpooling is the practice of hitching a ride with either a friend, a family member or even a stranger. Usually, the passengers and the driver split the cost of gas for a ride.

“During the first phase, we think it is best to be more liberal on carpooling in order to popularize it. Once we achieved efficient and sufficient public transportation, we can regulate carpooling by requiring at least one of the passengers to have a driver’s license,” Morillo said.

The BusinessMirror sought for comments from the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) and the Inter-Agency Council on Traffic, but officials have yet to reply as of writing.

“We have received reports on social media that there are operations against colorum vehicles, and the officers are also apprehending people practicing carpooling,” Morillo said. “For us, we think the government should have full support on carpooling because it removes one person from the already-crammed public transportation.”

He also noted that the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority last year even suggested carpooling, especially during the time when it was campaigning for the implementation of a “driver-only car-ban.”

“We are hoping that the LTFRB agrees with us that carpooling helps in easing traffic. As such, apprehending carpoolers is counterproductive to our objective of lessening private cars on the road,” he said. “We are also hoping that they will be as empathic to carpoolers as they are to motorcycle taxi riders.”

These PSAs were secured after a successful competitive selection process (CSP) under the guidance of the Department of Energy (DOE) and the expeditious provisional approval of the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC).

From P4.9039 per kWh last month, the generation charge for February decreased to P4.5090 per kWh, a reduction of P0.3949 per kWh. Generation charge is a major component of an electric bill.

T he new ba seload PSA s— with San Miguel Energy Corp., South Premiere Power Cor p., and AC Energ y—registered a significantly lower generation cost of P4.0372 per-kWh average and contributed 21 percent to

Meralco’s supply requirements.

Meanwhile, charges from the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market also decreased this month, driven by lower power demand and improved supply conditions in the Luzon grid. The WESM rate for February is P3.0529 per kWh. The share of WESM to Meralco’s supply needs increased to 23 percent.

These offset the cost of power from Meralco’s independent power producers (IPPs) and old PSAs, which increased by P0.7429 per kWh to P5.2920 per kWh, mainly due to lower average plant dispatch resulting from the scheduled outage of Quezon Power and First NatGas-San Gabriel from January 17 to 25 and January 4 to 23, respectively.

The IPPs and old PSAs accounted for 56 percent of total supply.

Meanwhile, taxes and other charges registered a decrease of P0.2839 per kWh. The feed-in-tariff allowance went down by P0.1731 per kWh after the ERC approved a lower FiT-All rate of P0.0495 per kWh, as compared with the previous subsidy of P0.2226 per kWh. Contributing to the decline was the P0.0543 per-kWh reduction in the Universal Charge after the Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corp. said that it completed the collection of National Power Corp.’s stranded contract cost recovery.

These cushioned the impact of a P0.0888 per-kWh increase

in the transmission charge for residential customers, which was a result of higher National Grid Corp. of the Philippines (NGCP) ancillary service charges.

Meralco’s distribution, supply and metering charges, meanwhile, have remained unchanged for 55 months, after these registered reductions in July 2015.

Meralco reiterated that it does not earn from the pass-through charges, such as the generation and transmission charges.

Payment for the generation charge goes to the power suppliers, while payment for the transmission charge goes to the NGCP. Taxes and other public policy charges, like the UC and the FiT-All, are remitted to the government.

Gov. Dennis Pineda: Pampanga is ready to accept OFWs from virus-hit countries

By Ashley Manabat Correspondent

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ITY OF SAN FERNANDO­— Pa mpa nga Gov. Dennis “Delta” Pineda has assured that the provincial government is ready to accommodate returning overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) from virus-hit countries, like China.

“We are very much willing to help OFWs who are returning from novel coronavirus-affected areas, as well as individuals with travel history who are voluntarily going on self-quarantine,” the young governor declared.

He assured that the province is prepared for such an accommodation, saying the province has the right quarantine facilities identified by the Department of Health (DOH), as well as trained personnel to handle the cases.

He added that it also has adequate funds to provide needed additional facilities and equipment to better handle possible cases.

“For those who will undergo the 14-day quarantine, we will provide them with the right facility in coordination with the DOH, Bureau of Quarantine [BOQ] and the Jose B. Lingad [JBL] Regional Medical Center,” Pineda said.

The governor also said there is no problem when it comes to monitoring of patients under investigation, or PUIs, since hospitals in Pampanga are capable of hosting them.

Meanwhile, he added that OFWs

PAMPANGA Gov. Dennis Pineda during a recent speaking engagement. Pineda has assured that the provincial government is willing to accommodate returning overseas Filipino workers referred by the Department of Health amid the Wuhan coronavirus threat. PAMPANGA PIO

with symptoms of the virus will be brought directly to the JBL Regional Medical Center here.

The governor assured the public that there is no cause for alarm because the province is in full control of the situation, despite the number of PUIs reported in the region.

Pineda also expressed confidence that until the end of the month, the number of PUIs in the region will not increase since the Clark International Airport had already banned f lights to and from China, and its special administrative regions, starting last Sunday.

In a related development, the Luzon International Premiere Airport Development (Lipad),

which operates and maintains the Clark International Airport said in a news statement issued on Thursday that they are ready in terms of procedural readiness.

However, Lipad spokesman Teri Flores said, “we are still awaiting instructions from the Department of Health and Department of Foreign Affairs. Hopefully, we can have the final details today [Thursday],” she added.

The Lipad statement said the management of Clark International Airport (IATA code: CRK) met on Wednesday (February 5, 2020), together with representatives from the BOQ, Bureau of Immigration, Bureau of Customs and the Philippine Air Force to discuss the news published in several media outlets

regarding the repatriation of Filipinos coming from China.

It added that “CRK is prepared to put together the necessary arrangements as soon as we get the directive from the government regarding this event. As of today, all agencies present in the meeting are still waiting for final instructions from their superiors.”

Meantime, about 100 health workers in the province were trained on how to respond and manage possible cases of the Wuhan coronavirus.

Medical personnel from the different district hospitals, and health representatives from Angeles City and Clark Development Corp., who will serve as frontline personnel when the need arises, were trained with the basic knowledge and protocols to assist patients who will be infected with the virus.

Pampanga Provincial Health Officer Marcelo Jaochico said the training will, likewise, give participants the knowledge they could use in treating and managing other epidemic diseases.

During the training, group team leader Jay Rivera assured the participants that all necessary equipment and assistance would be provided by the provincial government.

“The provincial government has committed to provide all your personal protective equipment, like gloves, N95 masks, gowns, and goggles for your safety and protection,” he said.

End of the line for top NPA leader in Mindanao

By Rene Acosta @reneacostaBM

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TOP leader of the New People’s A r my (NPA) whose group operates in the tr i-boundar y of Davao, Caraga and Nor ther n Mindanao reg ions was k il led dur ing a joint lawenforcement operations by policemen, and soldiers, in Butuan Cit y.

Manuel G. Magante, alias Jino and Saldo, died after he traded shots with the arresting team along Rosales Street, Barangay 15, San Ignacio, Butuan City, at around 11 a.m. on Wednesday, according to Lt. Col. Ezra Balagtey, spokesman of the Armed Forces of the PhilippinesEastern Mindanao Command.

Magante was the finance officer of the Regional Operations Command and head of the Intelligence Special Operations Group, both of the NPA’s Southern Mindanao Regional Committee.

Balagtey said Magante was killed when he fought it out with a combined team of policemen and soldiers who were about to serve warrants of arrest against him for cases of robbery with homicide issued by Executive Judge Hilarion P. Clapis Jr. of the 11th Judicial Region, Branch 3 of Nabuturan, Davao de Oro. The arresting officers recovered a .45 caliber pistol, a magazine, seven rounds of ammunition, an XLR 200 Honda motorcycle with plate number MO 4686, a Nokia cell phone and a Lenovo laptop.

Balagtey said Magante was also involved in the murder of Datu Ruben Labawan in 2015, abduction of a jail warden of Compostela in 2015, and in the aduction and murder of Loreto, Agusan del Sur, Mayor Dario O. Otaza, and his son Darryl O. Otaza, in Butuan City last 2015.

He was also involved in the disarming of the peace and order personnel of Barangay Mahingcog, Magpet, in 2016, and in the torching of heavy equipment of a construction company in Barangay Callawa, Davao City, in 2018.

Neda pushes sanctions against LGUs with no land-use plans

By Cai U. Ordinario @caiordinario

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HE National Economic and Development Aut hor it y (Neda) has recommended the imposition of sanctions against local government units (LGUs) who fail to formulate and implement Comprehensive Land Use Plans (CLUPs).

Neda Undersecretary for Regional Development Adoracion M. Navarro told the BusinessMirror this was recommended during the recent Cabinet meeting where she also made a presentation on the proposed executive order on National Land Use. The Neda official added the sanctions against erring LGUs could be imposed through the newly created Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD).

While Navarro said the President and the Cabinet deferred their decision on the proposed EO to obtain comments from agencies, sanctions were part of the Neda’s recommendations.

“We also recommended that DHSUD formulate sanctions for LGUs when they fail to formulate and implement their comprehensive land use plans. We also recommended that DA [Department of Agriculture] craft and implement a land consolidation and utilization program for agri-industrial development,” Navarro said in a text message.

Navarro said the sanctions will be consistent with the powers of the DHSUD as stated in Republic Act 11201, or the DHSUD Act. Under the law, the DHSUD can impose fines and penalties as part of its general powers.

The Neda earlier explained that the proposed EO was initially drafted to implement existing laws related to land use without having to wait for legislation.

The only things the government cannot implement under an EO are the additional sanctions, restrictions, and additional programs which need funding.

Apart from the sanctions, Navarro said, the Neda also pushed for the reduction of members for Neda Board-National Land Use Committee (NLUC) and expansion of LUCs at regional level.

Neda’s proposal will trim the current composition of the NLUC to include Neda as chairman and DA, DHSUD, Departments of Agrarian Reform and Environment and Natural Resources as members.

The Neda also recommended

the reconstitution of lower-level land use committees, particularly those at regional and LGU levels.

“At the NLUC level, it will be easier to get a quorum and deliberations will be faster. At the lower-level LUCs, since we recommended that certain national agencies be represented there, we hope that we would be able to check in a timely manner the compliance of LGUs and private individuals/firms with land use-related rules, even those which are not yet contained in laws,” Navarro explained.

The National Land Use Act (Nalua) has been languishing in Congress for the past 30 years, which means four administrations have failed to pass the law.

Neda identified it as a priority bill of the Duterte administration and said the government is

keen on having the law passed despite sug gest ions of some Cabinet members to create an EO first.

Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Ernesto M. Pernia said passing the Nalua has been deemed a priority by the President in his State of the Nation Address since assuming office in 2016.

Navarro said while the legislature will ultimately decide on the fate of the Nalua, the Neda’s draft EO, which was crafted with other agencies will contain the executive’s input on the Nalua.

The Neda assured that it will do its best to argue in favor of the Nalua’s key features and ensure that provisions pertaining to land-use conversion, hazard sensitive landuse planning, and a longer term view of land-use planning will be retained.

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BusinessMirror Friday, February 7, 2020 A5

DOLE’s Bello okays partial lifting of OFW deployment ban to Kuwait

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By Samuel P. Medenilla

@sam_medenilla

VERSEAS Filipino workers (OFWs) of all categories, except for household service workers (HSWs), will now be allowed to return to Kuwait after the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) partially lifted the deployment ban to the Arab country.

On Thursday, Labor Secretary and POEA governing board Chairman Silvestre H. Bello III announced the downgrading of the total deployment ban for Kuwait after the Kuwaiti government finally signed a document implementing the harmonized standard employment contract (SEC) for Filipino HSWs. “This is a measure that will provide effective protection for our overseas workers. The harmonized contract of employment contains all the provisions that our President wanted to agree upon,” Bello said in a news conference on Thursday.

The harmonized employment contract should be retroactive and effective immediately after it was signed on February 3, 2020.

Protective provisions

AMONG the salient provisions of the SEC, is making it mandatory for Kuwaiti employers to allow their OFWs to keep their passports and cell phones, setting their meal and rest time, and banning their relocation in Kuwait without authorization from the Philippine posts.

It also entitled Filipino HSWs to a paid full day per week break and must not work for more than 12 hours a day. The worker should be allowed to have no less than an hour break after five consecutive hours of work, and the right to at least eight hours of consecutive night rest.

The SEC also mandated employers in Kuwait to provide the medical treatment and nursing by registering them in the health system applicable in Kuwait.

Accountable parties

BELLO said the new contract provisions should be signed by the Filipino HSWs, their employers, Philippine Recruitment Agency (PRA), and Foreign Recruitment Agency (FRA).

“In this way, we will know who to go after if something goes wrong [with the implementation of the SEC],” Bello said.

To ensure full compliance with the SEC, Bello said he is proposing to making it mandatory for PRAs to conduct periodic of visitation of their deployed OFWs to check on their status.

“After that verification [visit], they should come up with a report to be validated by our labor attache. And failure for them to do that will become basis for summary suspension [of their operation],” Bello said.

He said labor attaches, who will fail to validate the reports, will be recalled from their assigned Philippine Overseas Labor Offices (POLO).

Permanent ban?

BELLO ordered the imposition of the total deployment ban to Kuwait last month after learning of the failure of the Kuwaiti government to disclose in its autopsy report that Jeanelyn Villavende, a Filipino HSW, was also sexually abused.

Villavende was killed in Kuwait allegedly be her employer in December 2019.

Bello said he will only fully lift deployment restrictions for Kuwait once they confirmed that necessary charges against Villavende’s killers have been filed.

“I don’t think I will be contented with murder [alone]. It should be murder with rape or homicide with rape,” Bello said.

The labor chief, however, said they are also considering of imposing a permanently ban for HSWs for Kuwait due to the considerable number of abused OFWs in the Arab country.

“This will be studied carefully because there is a school of thought that I permanent maintain the ban for HSWs,” Bello said.

“In fact, when I was there [in Kuwait] meeting the wards at the bahay kalinga [half-way home], when I asked if they want me to continue the ban for HSWs, [they] 100 percent supported it,” he added.

Bacoor mayor sticks to Manila Bay reclamation plans despite oyster, mussel farmers’ opposition

By Jonathan L. Mayuga @jonlmayuga

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ACOOR Mayor Lani MercadoRevilla has assured various stakeholders that the city’s oyster and mussel industry will not perish under her watch.

This as Revilla, wife of Sen. Ramon “Bong” Revilla, said environmental protection and sustainable development are the paramount considerations in pursuing two development projects that will involve the massive land reclamation of coastal and marine areas in Manila Bay. The mayor is pushing for the implementation of the Bacoor Reclamation and Development Project (BRDP), consisting of a total of 320-hectare island, and the Diamond Reclamation and Development Project (DRDP), consisting of one 100-hectare island via publicprivate partnership under the PPP Code of Bacoor.

Residents of coastal barangays in Bacoor City, however, strongly oppose the development projects, saying it will affect around 100 hectares of existing oyster and mussel farms in Manila Bay. The Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas-Cavite Chapter, through its spokesman Joel Falcis, said the twin land-reclamation projects will surely cause the death of the already threatened industry which suffered a severe blow with the construction of the Cavitex R-1 Extension Road Project several years back.

The local government of Bacoor earlier boasted that these two projects are the only projects along Manila Bay that carry with it a program for relocation and resettlement of squatters.

Bacoor City, considered as the birthplace of mussel farming in the

Philippines, produces around 6,000 gallons of mussels daily.

She assured that the city’s oyster and mussel industry would continue to thrive along with the promised economic benefits of the land-reclamation projects.

“It is not true that the oyster and mussel industry in Bacoor will die,” she said, explaining that Bacoor has 750 hectares of offshore municipal waters and only 330 hectares of these will be reclaimed. She said 90 hectares of the foreshore, or coastal areas, will be reserved for mangrove plantation, while the remaining 330 hectares will be set aside for growing oysters and mussels.

Revilla said the preservation of the city’s mangrove plantation is important not only in reducing the pollution in the Manila Bay area, but also in ensuring sustainable fisheries in the area.

Sustainable fisheries are another priority measure the National Economic and Development Authority pinpointed under its Manila Bay cleanup master plan, she noted.

According to Revilla, mangroves, specifically the underwater habitat their roots provide, offer critical nursing environments for juveniles of thousands of fish species. She added that mangroves also help prevent erosion by stabilizing sediments and maintaining water quality and clarity as they filter pollutants and trap sediments originating from land.

According to Revilla, water pollution had triggered episodes of algal blooms known as “red tide,” that threatened the mussel and oyster industry in the country.

From January to May 2019 alone, the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources has issued eight bulletins indicating shellfish in the covered areas are contaminated with organisms carrying paralytic poison, making them unsafe for

human consumption.

Facing this challenge, Revilla assured the mussel and oyster farmers of continued support through the City Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Management Council (CFARMC) of Bacoor.

Moreover, she said, the reclamation plans designed with the help of leading European engineering firms and scientific consultants, pose no significant adverse impact on the ecology of the adjacent areas, including the Las Piñas-Parañaque Critical Habitat and Ecotourism Area (LPPCHEA).

Scientific studies note the nearest project site of the proposed reclamation is about 500 meters away from the protected area.

The development projects, which integrate environmental protection measures, are expected to provide Bacoor with an additional P1.8 billion annual revenues from tourism activities alone and create about 700,000 jobs for its residents and the entire province of Cavite, according to Revilla.

Aside from creating new jobs, the proposed projects incorporate incity relocation, assuring the directly impacted informal settler families (ISFs) and fishermen against dislocation of job or livelihood.

Under the proposed projects, affected squatter residents would be relocated at Ciudad Kaunlaran in Molino II where a livelihood center will also be established. On the other hand, Fisherman’s Village would be built in Barangay Alima for the affected fisherfolks. A wharf will be developed along the coast for their fishing activities.

Moreover, Revilla said the city government would bring to the resettlement sites its institutionalized “Alagang Ate Lani” program, which includes various forms of social services, including job fairs and free livelihood skills training.

A6

Friday, February 7, 2020 • Editor: Angel R. Calso

Opinion BusinessMirror

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editorial

nCoV: Planning for the future

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ASED on the ever-increasing official numbers on the nCoV infections coming out of China, this is going to be a long haul. The likelihood is that those numbers are being massaged to avoid absolute panic and to “prove” that the Beijing government has things under reasonable control.

As the world isolates China and begins strong quarantine protocols based on the numbers of recent travelers to China, at least the growth of infections outside of China seem somewhat contained for now. Certainly “now” can turn for the worse almost instantly, so no one—as individuals or as a country—can afford to let down his guard even slightly.

However, on the economic front, we need to start thinking ahead now.

Local companies that are at least partially dependant on getting supplies from China are already beginning to feel the pressure, according to “coffee shop conversations.” It is likely that this is going to continue for some time, and apparently few had given any thought to a “Plan B” if China shuts down its production.

Industry groups with the strong support of the relevant government agencies should be starting to sit down and discuss what can be done in the way of planning and incentives to provide homemade parts, materials, and supplies that could be provided domestically. Depending on China­—or anyone else—is foolish if “import substitution” is possible.

The first thought will be to look for other foreign suppliers, but in the longer term we need to produce more here in the Philippines.

The sector of most concern is going to be international tourism. We—as the others—can probably expect international arrivals to drop by more than 50 percent. There is almost nothing that we can do about that.

While there were probably be those that complain that government should never have encouraged tourism, the fact is international tourism is a great moneymaker. Thailand built its economic base on tourism, subsidizing the airlines and discovering that every dollar spent on global advertising generated $1.30 in tourist revenues. Further, the capital required to build a large hotel resort generates thousands of direct and indirect jobs immediately and for the life of the property.

But that is no comfort if the tourists do not come. There will be employment losses, which will definitely have a farreaching economic multiplier effect. Here also, there is almost nothing that can be done about that situation.

This situation with the nCoV virus outbreak is a “Black Swan” event. It obviously could happen but no one expected it, and certainly not on the magnitude that we are currently experiencing.

What we can do is learn how to be prepared if and when a similar situation happens in the future. We can hope that on the health side, government will have protocols in place that can be implemented more rapidly and more effectively.

On the business side, while no nation is an ‘island’, we have to be more self-sufficient. We need better planning and better preparation, both publicly and privately.

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Sonny M. Angara

BETTER DAYS

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HE issue of our changing climate can be a matter of a few degrees—specifically, about 1.5 degrees Celsius. A report from the United States National Aeronautics and Space Administration (Nasa) said that at only 1.5 degrees Celsius warmer across the world, about 14 percent of the global population will experience severe heatwaves once every five years, with the hottest days going 3 degrees warmer than previous records. Even worse, megacities like Metro Manila will most likely become stressed by the elevated temperatures.

This will have a serious impact on the population, particularly those who are more vulnerable to extreme weather.

Climate change, however, is not something that goes away with the seasons, or can be avoided with lip service. In his presentation during the 2nd Sen. Edgardo J. Angara Public Lecture on Public Policy at San Beda University, Senior Fellow on Climate Change at the Manila Observatory and Professor of Law Antonio Gabriel La Viña stressed that our country would be significantly hit by climate-change, and that we should emphasize climate-change adaptation and mitigation measures for our own country. In so doing, we would also be able to encourage other countries to act. Though the larger, more well-developed countries must still take the lead, La Viña said that other countries should also do their part to reduce

pollution emissions and work on their own climate-change agenda.

Thankfully, in the Philippines, we have already started with some pieces of legislation that will move the country forward when it comes to addressing climate change.

In 2017, Congress raised taxes on coal—from P10 per metric ton at the time, to P150 by this year. This tax increase was meant to help reduce the emissions that coal as an energy source causes. Yes, the issue triggered a heated debate, but in the end, the increase pushed through.

In 2016, Republic Act 10771, otherwise known as the Philippine Green Jobs Act, which we sponsored, was signed. This Act affects most establishments engaged in production, manufacture, and sales of goods and services, including service oriented

enterprises. The Climate Change Commission (CCC) and the Department of Finance (DOF) will have their roles in fulfilling the guidelines for the Act, with the CCC certifying which businesses have jobs that are “green,” and with the DOF administering incentives for these jobs.

This law also mandates that the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) coordinate with other agencies to come up with a National Green Jobs Human Resource Development Plan, which will enhance and utilize the labor force with sustainability in mind.

The main goal will be to move toward a green economy, complete with the education, training, and creation of opportunities required for a green economy.

Finally, just as we have “Build, Build, Build,” we also have “Green, Green, Green,” a program launched in 2018 by the Department of Budget and Management, under thenSecretary Ben Diokno. The DBM Program aimed to develop public open space projects that will make cities become more sustainable and livable through the expansion and rehabilitation of institutional open spaces, public squares, plazas, parks, streetscapes, waterfronts, and even mangrove parks. The program was envisioned as a complement to Build, Build, Build, to improve the quality of life in cities, and at the same time balancing the Build programs with corresponding “green” ones.

Climate change may move in terms of degrees on a thermometer,

but the actions we need to address it comprise the work of generations. My father saw how important such issues would become and in 2008 authored the Renewable Energy Act, which, if properly implemented, would have encouraged the then-fledgling renewable-energy projects to develop as a way to face the issues of climate change and fuel scarcity.

The time for action on climate change is now. After all, it is in our culture to try and make sure that our children will have a brighter future.

We shouldn’t wait for them to find the solutions to the issues of our rapidly heating planet, especially when it was those who came before them that caused the problem in the first place. We should address it now, as much as possible with stakeholders and industry leaders—all for the sake of intergenerational justice.

Greta Thunberg, the famous teenage climate-change activist and Time Magazine’s Person of the Year for 2019, sums up what we should be doing: “Humans are very adaptable: we can still fix this. But the opportunity to do so will not last for long. We must start today. We have no more excuses.”

E-mail: sensonnyangara@yahoo. com|Facebook, Twitter and Instagram: @sonnyangara Sen. Sonny Angara has been in public service for 15 years—nine years as Representative of the Lone District of Aurora, and six as senator. He has authored and sponsored more than 200 laws. He recently won another term in the Senate.

Fight against the spread of false information about coronavirus

Jennifer A. Ng Vittorio V. Vitug

Senior Editors

Creative Director Chief Photographer

An intergenerational response to climate change

Rev. Fr. Antonio Cecilio T. Pascual

SERVANT LEADER

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ROTHERS and sisters, for some of us, worrying about the outbreak of the 2019-novel coronavirus or nCoV is unavoidable. Everywhere, we see fellow Filipinos wearing face masks as precaution against the deadly virus. It is said that the nCoV originated from Wuhan, China, and as we write this column, 500 Chinese citizens have perished while 28,000 people globally have contracted this virus. The World Health Organization has alerted that all governments must take action to prevent further spread of this virus. Earlier, the Department of Health has confirmed the first case of nCoV death in the Philippines.

The DOH reminds everyone to remain calm but cautious. It is also important to be clean, especially with the hands. If experiencing coughs and colds, we must cover our mouths and noses. We should also avoid anyone manifesting these symptoms. Although, the nCoV was said to have come from bats, it can spread through human to human contact. We also

have to strengthen our immune system to better fight infections. The best way to prevent coronavirus infection is to wash your hands as often as possible, and keep your hands away from your eyes, nose and mouth. These are easy and simple ways that we have to do even if there is no nCoV outbreak in our country.

But aside from preventing the

spread of nCoV, we must also remain vigilant and fight the spread of false information about coronavirus. In a world where communication can be done with a press of a button on our smartphones or computers, it is also easy for people with bad intentions to spread fake or wrong information to confuse and scare people.

Many different conspiracy theories about where the nCoV came from have begun to surface. There are also those who say that nCoV was devised by companies to be able to market vaccines. It is also said that nCoV is part of China’s biological weapons program. There is also a story spreading that there are about 90,000 cases of nCoV in China already, but it was revealed that the one responsible for spreading this news is not a medical professional. If we are not observant enough, we can be easily fooled by false information.

For the Church, communications must always be truthful. Any form of communication must be true. This is truly a challenge for this current generation, because even the institutions that we trust and depend on to deliver to us the right and correct in-

formation, like the government and media, are also becoming avenues for spreading the wrong information.

Brothers and sisters, our deep caution is accompanied by an advice­— be careful about the information we share. Compassion for our fellowmen and women is needed now that there is a dangerous disease in our surroundings, and love is the primary component of this compassion. According to the book of 1 Corinthians 13:6, “Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.”

We must not help spread false and malicious information about the nCoV. Let us be responsible in sharing information, especially on social media, so as not to cause alarm and panic among our fellow citizens.

Make it a habit to listen to Radio Veritas 846 Ang Radyo ng Simbahan in the AM band, or through live streaming at www.veritas846.ph and follow its Twitter and Instagram accounts @ veritasph and YouTube at veritas846. ph. For your comments, e-mail pr.veritas846@gmail.com.

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The economic extent of nCoV

The revelations of January 2020

The government scolds the Filipino people about being “bigoted,” and are asked to think kindly of China.

A global crisis is transformed into a rom-com of understanding and love.

And yet, in churches, the faithful are asked to refrain from holding each other’s hand during certain parts of the Mass. Soon, we will not be witnessing the party atmosphere in some churches as elite families and their members hug each other when the priest merely calls for a peace-be-with-you gesture.

It is just the beginning of the 2020, and we are all already facing all these calamities and world crisis.

8 million cases. After a sector in the government has spread fake news about the ill effects of polio vaccine on children, the Philippines disclose some 16 polio cases.

Still, in the Philippines, Taal Volcano erupts. The volcano that is touted to be the smallest is revealed to be wider and, it seems, more vehement than the other active volcano in Bicol, the majestic Mayon.

Modifiers about the volcanoes become the turfing debates as to which is more splendid.

Still, in the Philippines, politicians travel to a place located near Taal to hold their sessions. For what reason, only the gods and spirits would know.

The declaration of emergency due to the eruption jacks up the price of

quoted as saying “The main reason for this declaration is not what is happening in China, but what is happening in other countries.” After all the fear, the crisis is no more in the disease but in the economic well-being of the country confronting the virus. Other countries—and there are many—with inefficient and less evolved health systems are expected to suffer from the virus when it afflicts the said sites.

Racism takes center stage as the discourse on health prevention prevent Filipinos from pointing to China as the source of the scourge. The Internet contributes to this warped sense of world brotherhood and sisterhood. The critic of health protocols in the country is threatened and maligned online.

The events have overtaken all our consciousness that we do not have time to ruminate on the manifestations of climate change.

Was it Sun Tzu, a military strategist and philosopher, who warned that, until death comes, we should not fear any calamities? Well, even before the deaths, I wait for religions to burst forth because terrible tragedies always bring us back to the Divine, even back to those who urge us to buy candles instead of specific masks, to those who blackmail us into prayers rather than contemplate and critique policies. As for the geomancers, it seems the Metal Rat has proven to be made of weak plaster. As for me, I look at the color of the skies and the swirl of clouds, and read therein the onset of floods, and tempests, and temptations.

Kudos to Health Secretary Duque

We should stop the practice of issuing visas upon arrival to Chinese residents. By now, Filipinos in Wuhan should be repatriated, forcibly if warranted, to keep them safe. As of this writing, the virus has already claimed the lives of over 400 people, including the first reported nCoVrelated death in the Philippines on February 1. We appreciate Duterte’s move to ban all travels from mainland China and the regions of Macau and Hong Kong to further contain the spread of nCoV. As they say, “an ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure.”

in Europe at that time. This number, however, was disputed by some scholars. The devastation indisputably was so great that there were fewer farmhands to till and fewer industrial workers to man the factories in Europe. Historians averred that this was one factor that led to the Industrial Revolution centuries later.

In the case of nCoV, the bats are considered the main culprits instead of rodents, but coronavirus is as deadly as the plague. Note that the bats also caused the severe acute respiratory syndrome, which accounted for hundreds of deaths in 2003. Let’s pray that an antidote or cure for the nCoV will be discovered in time before this disease can reach pandemic proportions—that will be the scourge of mankind in the coming years. With a volcanic eruption, a series of earthquakes and other disasters, natural and man-made, crippling us, and now this bat-caused pandemic, I wish we can just sigh with relief and exclaim: “Bahala na si Batman.”

Tito Genova Valiente

ANNOTATIONS

EAGLE WATCH

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As of 2018, the number of outbound Chinese tourists is about 150 million. Excluding its administrative regions and Taiwan, the following countries are the top 10 tourist destinations of the Chinese (in terms of percentage to total)—Thailand (7 percent), Japan (5 percent), South Korea (2 percent), Vietnam (3 percent), the United States, Singapore (2 percent), France, Malaysia (2 percent), Germany and Indonesia. The average expenditure per tourist is $3,150 per capita in 2017. The total external tourism spending of the Chinese is about $280 billion with the US, a far second with $144 billion. These Chinese tourists also prioritizes shopping (25 percent), accommodations (19 percent) and dining (16 percent) for their spending.

This is only outbound tourism, domestic tourism is much larger reaching 5 billion trips in 2018.

With the current lockdown of a number of cities in China, about 10 percent of China’s GDP is at risk, together with approximately 28 million jobs.

The Unctad ranks China as the largest manufacturing output producer in the world. It said 27 percent of its national output is manufacturing, and this represents 20 percent of global manufacturing output. About 128 million Chinese, representing 17 percent of its work force, are working in the manufacturing sector. With areas around Wuhan on lockdown, major international manufacturing companies are also closed. Wuhan is the home of the Chinese steel industry, and is the Chinese manufacturing base of many auto companies, such as General Motors, Nissan and Honda. It is also a critical China hub for Renault, Peugeot, IBM, HSBC, Walmart, among others. The closure of these businesses have already resulted to a significant decline in China’s demand for oil, estimated to have fallen by 20 percent already.

This is also the case with other commodities, such as copper.

Thus, for tourism and manufacturing alone, about 35 percent of China’s economy is at risk of a severe slowdown. Estimates by international banks suggest that about 2 percent of growth will be lost for the first quarter, making China’s potential growth to max at 4 percent—this will be the slowest in more than two decades of growing above 6 percent. These estimates are conservative in the sense that we have yet to take into consideration the value chain impact on global logistics, which can be substantial.

The China factor is so large that it will affect every country in the world, even if there is no confirmed coronavirus in that country. The Philippines, with its size and its rising economic foundations, is as exposed with the virus as with the economic repercussions that will come with it. For instance, even if the Philippines is not part of the top 10 destinations of the Chinese tourists, they are the second-biggest tourist groups that entered the country in 2019. Approximately 1.8 million Chinese tourists entered the country, or roughly about 150,000 per month. Using the average tourism expenditure from the Department of Tourism of $150 a day, and average number of nights at 6.24, this translates to $936 per-capita spending or about $140 million per month. If the lockdown continues for the next

For tourism and manufacturing alone, about 35 percent of China’s economy is at risk of a severe slowdown.

Estimates by international banks suggest that about 2 percent of growth will be lost for the first quarter, making China’s potential growth to max at 4 percent—this will be the slowest in more than two decades of growing above 6 percent. These estimates are conservative in the sense that we have yet to take into consideration the value chain impact on global logistics, which can be substantial. two months (based on the airlines’ flight reopening), the country is going to lose conservatively about half a billion dollars from tourism receipts alone.

Manufacturing impact, on the other hand, is linked with the trade sector where the Philippines plays a major role in the global value chain.

China is our largest trading partner where our combined total trade is about 15 percent­—12 percent of exports and 18 percent of imports.

The composition of Philippine imports to China is primarily industrial supply, capital goods and parts of capital goods (or approximately 70 percent of total), and about 13 percent is food and consumption goods. In turn, exports to China is 90 percent industrial supply, capital goods and its parts. We have a deficit of about $10 billion, with China. In value terms, our total trade with China is about $25 billion, or roughly the total value of OFW remittances. In the world of global value chains, our exports to China are mostly inputs for their manufacturing sector. If China facilities continue to close for another month, expect a significant impact to exports exposing as much as $6 billion. This is more worrisome since the export sector is also our local manufacturing base. As we have seen last year, the trade war already provided a glimpse of what a Chinese slowdown can do to our manufacturing and exports. Both slowed down and pulled investments with it too.

All told, these exposures to Chinese trade and tourism are part of the global value integration.

We benefit and we also take risks with it. What is critical is that this virus be managed and controlled soon through a global coordinated approach, and a strong local support. The longer it lingers—it will expectedly pull with it sectors that are contributing to the inherent strength of the economy— trade, tourism, and even the OFWs. The second week of February will be critical as it is the end of the 14-day maximum incubation period of the virus from the start of the lockdown of Wuhan and Hubei provinces on January 23.

If the number of infections start to fall, then we can say that the lockdown was successful, and we can expect to see a decline in infections soon. Let us hope and pray for the best and get our act together as a nation.

A7

face masks. Commerce not compassion dominate the landscape of this accursed republic. Not even the gods and spirits­—or perhaps, they know —would anticipate an emergent need for face masks.

As the ashes—or the battle smokes—settle, the coronavirus is finally clarified as having reached a scary proportion. It would take more weeks, after a man dies of the virus, that the World Health Organization declares the coronavirus outbreak as a global health emergency.

As carried by news bureaus, “WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus is

Alvin Ang

HE novel coronavirus (nCoV) that is currently pummeling China and 28 countries around the globe is raising a lot of questions on the world’s economic stability, and among individual economies. The concern is primarily because China is the world’s largest tourism market, and is the largest producer of manufactured products in the world.

Friday, February 7, 2020

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HE year 2019 concludes in December with floods and heavy rains in Rwanda, Indonesia, Mozambique, among many other places. In Bangladesh, 50 people perished after a cold wave swept across the country. People were dying of pneumonia, with the world not aware that soon a heavier cause for the same disease would be identified.

Northern Syria is flooded in the month of December, with children already casualties of war caused by humans being the first victims. In Fiji, a cyclone brings destruction to the small island.

By mid-December, not rains nor wet storms would ravage Australia but fires. The deadliest days of the inferno would take place between December and the coming of the New Year. The opposition in nature would not escape the observant human groups.

By the second week of January of 2020, South Africa feels below-average rainfall. Experts predict that this onset of drought may extend up to the end of the month. Zimbabwe is having the same climate. In the same continent, in Kenya, rainfall continues threatening a massive flooding.

In the same week, locusts attacked the plants and surroundings in Somalia, Sudan and other parts of Africa.

But as there is strong, persistent rain in Somalia, entomologists and other agricultural experts fear the weather will enable breeding of more locusts.

By the middle of January, the death toll of animals in the burning forests and woodlands in Australia totals a billion.

In Greece, a rare strong cold front covers the glorious country with snow.

The wintry conditions dispel the common adjective about the country as balmy and sunny.

It is in the first week of January that the Chinese health authorities call attention to a cluster of pneumonia cases in Wuhan. Soon, the world health authorities label this new coronavirus a “novel” type. Health experts would disclose that, after several testing, they are ruling out SARS-CoV, MERS-CoV, influenza, avian influenza, adenovirus and other common respiratory pathogens that remain the scourge around the globe.

Meanwhile, in Burundi, the data report malaria incidence breaching

Manny F. Dooc

TELLTALES

E

VERY country in the world is making all efforts to contain and prevent the spread of the dreaded novel coronavirus (nCoV), and the Philippines is no exception.

Leading our gallant efforts is the Department of Health, led by Health Secretary Francisco Duque III, my former chairman at the PhilHealth when I was an ex-officio member of its Board of Directors.

Duque is undoubtedly one of the hardest working members of President Duterte’s Cabinet. Dedication to work and deep abiding concern for his constituents have been the secretary’s trademark in all the senior government posts entrusted to him by three presidents of our republic.

His staying power and the complete trust given to him by our presidents speak volumes of his competence and worth, in public service. He’s truly a worthy son and namesake of a worthy father, the late and revered former secretary of health department and former governor of Pangasinan, Dr. Francisco T. Duque Jr. The diligent and effective surveillance and monitoring of suspected nCoV cases, particularly tourists coming from Wuhan City and Hu-

bei province, the epicenters of the disease, have been paying off. They should also be commended for issuing timely health advisories to help guide the public, instead of getting misguided false information shared by trollers on social media.

The safety and preventive measures put in place by our authorities have given us less sleepless nights.

With the coordination and support of the other government agencies, like the Department of Foreign Affairs and the Department of Transportation, the Philippines is better prepared to confront nCoV. But we should not stop there. We need to implement more drastic actions similar to what other countries have been doing. For instance, deporting tourists who succeed in gaining entry through our ports should be implemented.

Likewise, denying entry of tourists from China and other countries with high incidence of the epidemic on Philippine-bound cruise ships should be strictly enforced.

nnn

The current nCoV hysteria reminds us of the Black Death, which was one of the most horrible pandemics in the history of mankind.

This plague claimed the lives of 100 million people, more or less, in the continents of Europe and Asia during the 14th century. When left untreated, up to 90 percent of those afflicted died within five days after catching the disease. The Black Death was caused by a bacteria, which was spread by fleas after picking up the germs from infected animals, like rats and mice. Then the disease was spread by fleas biting people, causing fever, chills, prostration and buboes.

Infected persons can also pass the bacteria to other people. The bubonic plague had caused more deaths than the total casualties of all great wars.

It killed more than 50 million people in Europe alone, wiping out more than 60 percent of the population

nnn

Last February 4 was the 118th birthday anniversary of Charles Lindbergh who made history by making the first successful transatlantic solo flight from New York to Paris in 1927. His incredible feat made him a household hero around the world, and virtually opened up the skies to commercial aviation. Many years later, he boarded a New York to London Boeing 747 flight. After taking his seat, he had a problem fastening his seat belt. A flight attendant came over to buckle it, and kindly asked him: “Is this your first crossing, Sir?”

A8

BusinessMirror

Friday, February 7, 2020

www.businessmirror.com.ph

VFA exit ‘up to Duterte,’ but Senate sees no rush to junk it

By Butch Fernandez

F

@butchfBM

OREIGN Affairs Secretary Teodoro L. Locsin Jr. said on Thursday it is up to President Duterte to scrap the RP-US Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) even as senators reiterated there was no urgent need to rush its abrogation, and that such decision required involvement of the Senate as the treaty-ratifying body.

Locsin made the remarks before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee reviewing the Philippines-US Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT), the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (Edca) and the VFA. The Senate hearing was called in the wake of the President’s recent threat to cancel the VFA, which was put in place several years after the Philippine Senate voted against extending the RP-US bases treaty in 1991.

Despite saying the authority to cancel the VFA rested with the Chief Executive, Locsin acknowledged to senators the key role of

the VFA in the entire rubric of the defense cooperation between the Philippine and American, with the 1952 MDT as the main agreement.

He outlined US assistance not just in helping train the Philippine military but also fighting terrorism including cyberterrorism, transnational crime and in disaster response and humanitarian action.

In the same hearing, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana also affirmed the value of such agreements. He told senators the US had given a total of $1.3 billion in defense-military assistance since 1998.

Don’t rush to scrap

AT the same time, Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto cautioned against rushing moves to trash the VFA. “The VFA-exit could come later,” Recto said, adding: “This is not yet time to do a Pelosi and rip up the VFA.” He was referring to Speaker Nancy Pelosi being seen

tearing up her copy of President Trump’s State of the Nation Address before the US Congress right after he delivered it on February 4.

Recto said a VFA-exit could come later, “in a manner that is not rushed, but planned and programmed, and not out of pique.”

He added: “Certainly not this time when an intruder has built and continues to build what have become the bases of our insecurity right under our belly,” in apparent reference to China which had been accused of encroaching on Philippine territory.

Power to review

SEN. Grace Poe asserted the Senate’s constitutional mandate and power to review treaties being entered into by the government.

Poe affir med her stand at Thursday’s hearing of the Foreign Affairs committee, chaired by Sen. Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III, to review the VFA. “It is our Constitutional duty to uphold the principle of separation of powers, especially checks

and balances which gave rise to the need for Senate action on treaties. This not just our privilege. It is our duty to review the treaties entered into and exited from by the Philippines,” said Poe. She stressed that the V FA should be assessed based on its own merit and beyond political noise. “In two decades of VFA, has it been good for us? “If we are to withdraw from any bilateral agreement, let it be with basis. If we are to concur in any executive action, let it be ultimately for the interest of the people.”

Fielding questions from senators at the hearing, Locsin commended Sen. Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa, recalling that the neophyte senator “never whined and did not complain” after the US embassy in Manila confirmed his visa, valid until 2022, had been canceled.

Some senators signaled they were not inclined to take it lightly.

Asked by Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon if the administration is mulling over options to terminate the VFA, Locsin said it is the “subject of consultations.”

Saying the matter is “up to President Duterte,” Locsin said “the President can initiate moves as principal architect of foreign relations.”

Recto noted, however, that while the VFA is “far from a perfect agreement [with] kinks to our disadvantage too many to count,” such flaws are “compensated, in part, by the help we get from the United States in times of natural disasters, of which we are one of the world’s most prone.”

The senator added: “They [US] See “VFA,” A2

FOREIGN Affairs Secretary Teodoro L. Locsin Jr. (right) answers questions from Sen. Richard J. Gordon at Thursday’s Senate hearing on the review of the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) and related alliances. ROY DOMINGO

nCoV-afflicted Pinoy on cruise ship in stable condition–DOLE

L

ABOR officials on Thursday said the Filipino seafarer infected by the 2019-novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) in a cruise ship in Japan is now in stable condition.

In an ambush interview, Philippine Overseas Employ ment Administration (POEA) administrator Bernard P. Olalia said the manning agency of the Filipino waiter who was afflicted by the disease met with Labor Secretary Silvestre H. Bello III. “They explained they are already taking care of the OFW (overseas Filipino worker) as we speak,” Olalia said.

He said the manning agency subm it ted t he necessa r y re port, stating that the concerned OFWs is now in stable condition as of Thursday.

Pending repatriation

BELLO said they will wait for the OFW to make a full recovery from the 2019-nCoV before he is repatriated.

“He will be given all the assist a nce [upon h is a r r iva l],” Bello said.

The Filipino seafarer is among the 10 people on board the cruise ship, Diamond Princess, who were afflicted by the 2019-nCoV.

SOME EVENTS IN PASAY RESET ON VIRUS FEAR Diokno. . .

S

OME of the concerts and events that will be held in Pasay City, including the Korean hit variety show “Running Man,” have been postponed as part of precautions against the 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) outbreak.

The Seventeen K-Pop boy band, however, will push through with their concert on February 8.

With this, Pasay Mayor Emi CalixtoRubiano tasked the organizers of the Seventeen K-Pop as well as of other big events scheduled in the city to help ensure the safety of patrons, performers and all other persons involved in these events.

“Pasay, a Travel-and-Destination City, is a regular host-city of big local and international events such as concerts, stage acts, conventions and others which are usually attended by thousands of people. We must therefore exert all efforts to ensure safety as well as convenience for everybody involved in these events,” Calixto-Rubiano said.

Meanwhile, the Running Man (A Decade of Laughter) is moved to June 21, 2020; 98 Degrees is moved to May; The Acer Predator League has been canceled until further announcements; Tzu Chi Convention is also canceled. Concerned parties are advised to wait for further announcement.

The Mayor gathered the organizers of the said events at City Hall on Thursday and discussed the measures to be implemented at these events.

Among the recommended measures are: the use of forehead thermometers and provision of hand sanitizers in strategic locations throughout the event venues, as well as the maintenance of cleanliness in their premises and the proper disposal of garbage. Claudeth Mocon-Ciriaco

Continued from A1

countr y’s inf lation path.

“It will ease inflationary pressure via lower crude oil prices.

Dubai oil is now below $54/barrel. China is a huge importer of oil. With a sharp drop in China’s demand for oil owing to slower economic activity, that would put pressure on the price of oil in the world market,” Diokno told the BusinessMirror.

“In addition, imagine the impact of reduced trade and movement of people by air, sea and land transport. The wider and longer this coronavirus catastrophe lasts, the greater its impact on global oil prices, and the lower inflation would be,” he added.

PSA. . .

Continued from A2

The number of deaths in Calabarzon reached 85,816, or 14.5 percent of the total followed by Metro Manila with 74,934 or 12.7 percent, and Central Luzon with 70,706, or 12 percent.

The three regions that recorded the least number of deaths were the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (3,703), Cordillera Administrative Region (8,576), and Caraga (15,348).

The total accounted for only 4.7 percent of total deaths in the country.

18 months only

HOUSE Committee on Ways and Means Chairman Joey Sarte Salceda said that by his own reckoning,

The cruise ship docked off the port of Yokahama earlier this week before it was quarantined by the Japanese government after some of its passengers tested positive for the 2019-nCoV. Aside from the infected Filipino, there are over 500 other Filipinos on board Diamond Princess.

Unconfirmed strain

ASIDE from the Filipino seafarer, Olalia said they have yet to receive reports of other OFWs abroad who were infected by the 2019-nCoV. Bello, however, reported that a 58-year old OFW from General Santos died in Dubai from an undetermined strain of coronavirus on Sunday.

“I met the daughter a while ago. They are going there [to get the remains in Dubai]. Since it [involves] coronavirus, the body will be cremated,” Bello said.

Bello said he was unable to confirm what strain of coronavirus afflicted the Dubai-based OFW. There are currently at least six strains of coronavirus, including the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome-related Coronavirus (MERS-CoV) and Severe Acute Respirator y Syndrome-related Coronavirus (SARS-CoV).

Samuel P. Medenilla

As with the time line of the virus’s effects, BSP Deputy Governor Francisco Dakila said the impact will not likely linger in the economy and sentiment can revert quickly once the situation is under control.

“The impact of nCoV is also likely to be short term because if we base it on our previous experience with SARS, it really lasted for just a few months. If I can recall, two quarters in 2003. So the impact of nCoV will be on expectations and confidence on the time when there is not yet any cure for the disease and the time when cases are still going up,” the deputy governor said.

“But once it turns out to be under control then the sentiment can shift quite quickly to the other direction.”

Republic Act 11467, which amended the country’s tax code and raised taxes on cigarettes and alcohol, will have an impact on consumption for only 18 months.

With this, Salceda said it is important to conduct a review of the review of the rates after the third year of implementation of the new rates.

Action for Economic Reforms (AER) Coordinator Filomeno Sta. Ana III said the demand for sin products has become inelastic, which means people will continue to buy these products regardless of the price.

If incomes increase in the next few months, those who cut back on their consumption of alcoholic beverages will have the purchasing power to be able to buy more or at the same rate they did before the law was passed.

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Any person in the Philippines who is competent, able and willing to perform the services for which the foreign national is desired may file an objection at DOLE NCR Regional Office located at 967 Maligaya St., Malate, Manila, within 30 days after its publication.

Please inform DOLE NCR if you have any information on criminal offense committed by the foreign nationals.

ATTY. SARAH BUENA S. MIRASOL REGIONAL DIRECTOR

BusinessMirror

www.businessmirror.com.ph Republic of the Philippines

DEPARTMENT OF LABOR AND EMPLOYMENT Regional Office No. IV-A 4th Flr. Andenson Bldg. II, Brgy. Parian, Calamba City Telefax No.: (049) 545-7362

39

MOA CLOUDZONE CORP. Brgy. Binakayan, Kawit, Cavite

Mr. XIN WANG / Chinese

Chinese Customer Service Representative

40

MOA CLOUDZONE CORP. Brgy. Binakayan, Kawit, Cavite

Ms. XIMAN XU / Chinese

Chinese Customer Service Representative

41

MOA CLOUDZONE CORP. Brgy. Binakayan, Kawit, Cavite

Mr. CHAOHUA CHEN / Chinese

Chinese Customer Service Representative

42

MOA CLOUDZONE CORP. Brgy. Binakayan, Kawit, Cavite

Mr. ZI FU / Chinese

Chinese Customer Service Representative

43

MOA CLOUDZONE CORP. Brgy. Binakayan, Kawit, Cavite

Mr. HENG DUAN / Chinese

Chinese Customer Service Representative

44

MOA CLOUDZONE CORP. Brgy. Binakayan, Kawit, Cavite

Mr. JIE LIAO / Chinese

Chinese Customer Service Representative

45

MOA CLOUDZONE CORP. Brgy. Binakayan, Kawit, Cavite

Mr. BIN DONG / Chinese

Chinese Customer Service Representative

February 07, 2020

NOTICE OF FILING OF APPLICATION FOR ALIEN EMPLOYMENT PERMIT (AEP) Notice is hereby given that the following employers have filed with this Regional Office application/s for Alien Employment Permit/s.

Name and Address of Company/Employer

Name and Citizenship of Foreign National

Position and Brief Description of Functions

Friday, February 7, 2020 A23

1

HYS METAL PLASTIC AND ELECTRONICS (PHILIPPINES), INC. LTC, Lipa City, Batangas

Mr. GUIHUA TU / Chinese

Production Consultant

2

RMS COLLECT PHILS. INC. Brgy. Tagapo, Santa Rosa City, Laguna

Mr. KAPIL GOEL / Indian

Director for Operations

3

CAL-COMP PRECISION (PHILIPPINES), INC. FPIP II-SEZ, Sta. Anastacia, Santo Tomas, Batangas

Ms. REN-JHIH LI / Taiwanese

Human Resource Manager

46

MOA CLOUDZONE CORP. Brgy. Binakayan, Kawit, Cavite

Mr. WIN MIN TUN / Burmese

4

ONE’S FABRICATION AND STEEL TRENDS MANUFACTURING Brgy. Punta, Calamba City, Laguna

Mr. SHINGO OKAZAKI / Japanese

Sales and Marketing Director

47

MOA CLOUDZONE CORP. Brgy. Binakayan, Kawit, Cavite

Mr. PENG LI / Chinese

5

KARUMONA NAGANO SEIKO, INC. PTC-SEZ, Carmona, Cavite

Mr. YUTA ONO / Japanese

HT Technical Advisor

48

MOA CLOUDZONE CORP. Brgy. Binakayan, Kawit, Cavite

Ms. PHAM THI BAO YEN / Vietnamese

6

KARUMONA NAGANO SEIKO, INC. PTC-SEZ, Carmona, Cavite

Mr. FUMIHARU ITO / Japanese

Production Technology Officer

49

MOA CLOUDZONE CORP. Brgy. Binakayan, Kawit, Cavite

Ms. MIAO HE / Chinese

Chinese Customer Service Representative

7

AAC OPTICS PHILIPPINES INC. Gateway Business Park, General Trias, Cavite

Mr. LESLIE LOW CHEN CHEONG / Malaysian

Quality Manager

50

MOA CLOUDZONE CORP. Brgy. Binakayan, Kawit, Cavite

Mr. ZHENGKANG XU / Chinese

Chinese Customer Service Representative

8

MOA CLOUDZONE CORP. Brgy. Binakayan, Kawit, Cavite

Ms. NA YANG / Chinese

Chinese Customer Service Representative

51

MOA CLOUDZONE CORP. Brgy. Binakayan, Kawit, Cavite

Mr. GUOHENG MENG / Chinese

Chinese Customer Service Representative

9

MOA CLOUDZONE CORP. Brgy. Binakayan, Kawit, Cavite

Mr. LIANGXIN YU / Chinese

Chinese Customer Service Representative

52

MOA CLOUDZONE CORP. Brgy. Binakayan, Kawit, Cavite

Mr. YANGTAO LAI / Chinese

Chinese Customer Service Representative

10

MOA CLOUDZONE CORP. Brgy. Binakayan, Kawit, Cavite

Ms. MENGNA MA / Chinese

Chinese Customer Service Representative

53

Mr. JUN YANG / Chinese

Chinese Customer Service Representative

Mr. TENG WANG / Chinese

Chinese Customer Service Representative

11

MOA CLOUDZONE CORP. Brgy. Binakayan, Kawit, Cavite

MOA CLOUDZONE CORP. Brgy. Binakayan, Kawit, Cavite

12

MOA CLOUDZONE CORP. Brgy. Binakayan, Kawit, Cavite

Mr. WEIGUO SU / Chinese

Chinese Customer Service Representative

54

MOA CLOUDZONE CORP. Brgy. Binakayan, Kawit, Cavite

Mr. DAWEI FANG / Chinese

Chinese Customer Service Representative

13

MOA CLOUDZONE CORP. Brgy. Binakayan, Kawit, Cavite

Mr. LELE LIU / Chinese

Chinese Customer Service Representative

55

MOA CLOUDZONE CORP. Brgy. Binakayan, Kawit, Cavite

Ms. FANFAN MA / Chinese

Chinese Customer Service Representative

14

MOA CLOUDZONE CORP. Brgy. Binakayan, Kawit, Cavite

Mr. LONGHAI LI / Chinese

Chinese Customer Service Representative

56

MOA CLOUDZONE CORP. Brgy. Binakayan, Kawit, Cavite

Mr. NAY LIN AUNG / Burmese

15

MOA CLOUDZONE CORP. Brgy. Binakayan, Kawit, Cavite

Mr. YANGYANG SONG / Chinese

Chinese Customer Service Representative

57

MOA CLOUDZONE CORP. Brgy. Binakayan, Kawit, Cavite

Mr. LONG LIAO / Chinese

Chinese Customer Service Representative

16

MOA CLOUDZONE CORP. Brgy. Binakayan, Kawit, Cavite

Mr. CHAO MA / Chinese

Chinese Customer Service Representative

58

MOA CLOUDZONE CORP. Brgy. Binakayan, Kawit, Cavite

Mr. YOUJIANG TIAN / Chinese

Chinese Customer Service Representative

17

MOA CLOUDZONE CORP. Brgy. Binakayan, Kawit, Cavite

Mr. ZAILONG LI / Chinese

Chinese Customer Service Representative

59

MOA CLOUDZONE CORP. Brgy. Binakayan, Kawit, Cavite

Mr. WENPENG XIAO / Chinese

Chinese Customer Service Representative

18

MOA CLOUDZONE CORP. Brgy. Binakayan, Kawit, Cavite

Mr. ZHIQIANG LUO / Chinese

Chinese Customer Service Representative

60

Mr. WEIBO WANG / Chinese

Chinese Customer Service Representative

Mr. KAI WANG / Chinese

Chinese Customer Service Representative

19

MOA CLOUDZONE CORP. Brgy. Binakayan, Kawit, Cavite

MOA CLOUDZONE CORP. Brgy. Binakayan, Kawit, Cavite

61

Mr. ZHI WANG / Chinese

Chinese Customer Service Representative

Mr. JIACHAO PEI / Chinese

Chinese Customer Service Representative

20

MOA CLOUDZONE CORP. Brgy. Binakayan, Kawit, Cavite

MOA CLOUDZONE CORP. Brgy. Binakayan, Kawit, Cavite

21

MOA CLOUDZONE CORP. Brgy. Binakayan, Kawit, Cavite

Mr. HAN WANG / Chinese

Chinese Customer Service Representative

62

MOA CLOUDZONE CORP. Brgy. Binakayan, Kawit, Cavite

Mr. JINHE YU / Chinese

Chinese Customer Service Representative

22

MOA CLOUDZONE CORP. Brgy. Binakayan, Kawit, Cavite

Mr. YINGLAI ZHOU / Chinese

Chinese Customer Service Representative

63

MOA CLOUDZONE CORP. Brgy. Binakayan, Kawit, Cavite

Ms. QING XU / Chinese

Chinese Customer Service Representative

23

MOA CLOUDZONE CORP. Brgy. Binakayan, Kawit, Cavite

Mr. LIHAI ZHONG / Chinese

Chinese Customer Service Representative

64

MOA CLOUDZONE CORP. Brgy. Binakayan, Kawit, Cavite

Ms. XIAOHUA WANG / Chinese

Chinese Customer Service Representative

24

MOA CLOUDZONE CORP. Brgy. Binakayan, Kawit, Cavite

Mr. YANG LI / Chinese

Chinese Customer Service Representative

65

MOA CLOUDZONE CORP. Brgy. Binakayan, Kawit, Cavite

Mr. ZHIHUI HE / Chinese

Chinese Customer Service Representative

25

MOA CLOUDZONE CORP. Brgy. Binakayan, Kawit, Cavite

Mr. MUSHENG WANG / Chinese

Chinese Customer Service Representative

66

MOA CLOUDZONE CORP. Brgy. Binakayan, Kawit, Cavite

Mr. XIAOLU NIE / Chinese

Chinese Customer Service Representative

26

MOA CLOUDZONE CORP. Brgy. Binakayan, Kawit, Cavite

Mr. ZHAO FANG / Chinese

Chinese Customer Service Representative

67

MOA CLOUDZONE CORP. Brgy. Binakayan, Kawit, Cavite

Mr. GUANGWEN CHEN / Chinese

Chinese Customer Service Representative

27

MOA CLOUDZONE CORP. Brgy. Binakayan, Kawit, Cavite

Ms. XIAOYAN YANG / Chinese

Chinese Customer Service Representative

28

MOA CLOUDZONE CORP. Brgy. Binakayan, Kawit, Cavite

Mr. HAO KANG / Chinese

Chinese Customer Service Representative

68

MOA CLOUDZONE CORP. Brgy. Binakayan, Kawit, Cavite

Mr. YE WU / Chinese

Chinese Customer Service Representative

29

MOA CLOUDZONE CORP. Brgy. Binakayan, Kawit, Cavite

Mr. YAOYAO NIE / Chinese

Chinese Customer Service Representative

69

MOA CLOUDZONE CORP. Brgy. Binakayan, Kawit, Cavite

Mr. ZHANGUO QU / Chinese

Chinese Customer Service Representative

30

MOA CLOUDZONE CORP. Brgy. Binakayan, Kawit, Cavite

Mr. FEI PEI / Chinese

Chinese Customer Service Representative

70

MOA CLOUDZONE CORP. Brgy. Binakayan, Kawit, Cavite

Mr. HAODONG XIANG / Chinese

Chinese Customer Service Representative

31

MOA CLOUDZONE CORP. Brgy. Binakayan, Kawit, Cavite

Mr. XINGLONG LI / Chinese

Chinese Customer Service Representative

71

MOA CLOUDZONE CORP. Brgy. Binakayan, Kawit, Cavite

Ms. HUIMIN JU / Chinese

Chinese Customer Service Representative

32

MOA CLOUDZONE CORP. Brgy. Binakayan, Kawit, Cavite

Mr. PAN XU / Chinese

Chinese Customer Service Representative

33

MOA CLOUDZONE CORP. Brgy. Binakayan, Kawit, Cavite

Mr. ZEMING YANG / Chinese

Chinese Customer Service Representative

72

MOA CLOUDZONE CORP. Brgy. Binakayan, Kawit, Cavite

Mr. JINGQIAN CHANG / Chinese

Chinese Customer Service Representative

34

MOA CLOUDZONE CORP. Brgy. Binakayan, Kawit, Cavite

Mr. WANFU XU / Chinese

Chinese Customer Service Representative

73

MOA CLOUDZONE CORP. Brgy. Binakayan, Kawit, Cavite

Mr. CI CHEN / Chinese

Chinese Customer Service Representative

35

MOA CLOUDZONE CORP. Brgy. Binakayan, Kawit, Cavite

Mr. HONGYANG FAN / Chinese

Chinese Customer Service Representative

74

MOA CLOUDZONE CORP. Brgy. Binakayan, Kawit, Cavite

Mr. LIWEI SUN / Chinese

Chinese Customer Service Representative

36

MOA CLOUDZONE CORP. Brgy. Binakayan, Kawit, Cavite

Mr. YULU LI / Chinese

Chinese Customer Service Representative

75

MOA CLOUDZONE CORP. Brgy. Binakayan, Kawit, Cavite

Mr. XIAOLI WEI / Chinese

Chinese Customer Service Representative

37

MOA CLOUDZONE CORP. Brgy. Binakayan, Kawit, Cavite

Mr. JUNXIAO MA / Chinese

Chinese Customer Service Representative

76

MOA CLOUDZONE CORP. Brgy. Binakayan, Kawit, Cavite

Ms. JIANGXIAO XIONG / Chinese

Chinese Customer Service Representative

38

MOA CLOUDZONE CORP. Brgy. Binakayan, Kawit, Cavite

Mr. KUN ZHOU / Chinese

Chinese Customer Service Representative

77

MOA CLOUDZONE CORP. Brgy. Binakayan, Kawit, Cavite

Mr. FAZHENG LIU / Chinese

Chinese Customer Service Representative

Myanmari Customer Service Representative Chinese Customer Service Representative Vietnamese Customer Service Representative

Myanmari Customer Service Representative

Name and Address of Company/Employer

Name and Citizenship of Foreign National

Position and Brief Description of Functions

Name and Address of Company/Employer

Name and Citizenship of Foreign National

Position and Brief Description of Functions

78

MOA CLOUDZONE CORP. Brgy. Binakayan, Kawit, Cavite

Ms. XIAOXI WANG / Chinese

Chinese Customer Service Representative

98

MOA CLOUDZONE CORP. Brgy. Binakayan, Kawit, Cavite

Mr. PENGNAN LI / Chinese

Chinese Customer Service Representative

79

MOA CLOUDZONE CORP. Brgy. Binakayan, Kawit, Cavite

Mr. ZHONGWEI YUAN / Chinese

Chinese Customer Service Representative

99

MOA CLOUDZONE CORP. Brgy. Binakayan, Kawit, Cavite

Mr. LIANLIAN WANG / Chinese

Chinese Customer Service Representative

Mr. HAO ZHANG / Chinese

Chinese Customer Service Representative

100

80

MOA CLOUDZONE CORP. Brgy. Binakayan, Kawit, Cavite

MOA CLOUDZONE CORP. Brgy. Binakayan, Kawit, Cavite

Mr. GUANGTONG WANG / Chinese

Chinese Customer Service Representative

101

MOA CLOUDZONE CORP. Brgy. Binakayan, Kawit, Cavite

Mr. DEHUAN HUANG / Chinese

Chinese Customer Service Representative

102

MOA CLOUDZONE CORP. Brgy. Binakayan, Kawit, Cavite

Mr. ZHIHONG MA / Chinese

Chinese Customer Service Representative

103

MOA CLOUDZONE CORP. Brgy. Binakayan, Kawit, Cavite

Mr. ZAW MIN LWIN / Burmese

Myanmari Customer Service Representative

MOA CLOUDZONE CORP. Brgy. Binakayan, Kawit, Cavite

Mr. YUBO QIAO / Chinese

Chinese Customer Service Representative

82

MOA CLOUDZONE CORP. Brgy. Binakayan, Kawit, Cavite

Mr. CHUANLONG ZHANG / Chinese

Chinese Customer Service Representative

83

MOA CLOUDZONE CORP. Brgy. Binakayan, Kawit, Cavite

Mr. XIAOHU TAN / Chinese

Chinese Customer Service Representative

104

MOA CLOUDZONE CORP. Brgy. Binakayan, Kawit, Cavite

Mr. AUNG MYINT / Burmese

Myanmari Customer Service Representative

84

MOA CLOUDZONE CORP. Brgy. Binakayan, Kawit, Cavite

Mr. BINGCHEN ZHU / Chinese

Chinese Customer Service Representative

105

MOA CLOUDZONE CORP. Brgy. Binakayan, Kawit, Cavite

Ms. DONGYAN LU / Chinese

Chinese Customer Service Representative

85

MOA CLOUDZONE CORP. Brgy. Binakayan, Kawit, Cavite

Mr. HONGCAI ZHANG / Chinese

Chinese Customer Service Representative

106

MOA CLOUDZONE CORP. Brgy. Binakayan, Kawit, Cavite

Mr. ERYANG JIN / Chinese

Chinese Customer Service Representative

86

MOA CLOUDZONE CORP. Brgy. Binakayan, Kawit, Cavite

Ms. NGUYEN THI UT / Chinese

Chinese Customer Service Representative

107

MOA CLOUDZONE CORP. Brgy. Binakayan, Kawit, Cavite

Mr. ZHIHUI CHEN / Chinese

Chinese Customer Service Representative

87

MOA CLOUDZONE CORP. Brgy. Binakayan, Kawit, Cavite

Mr. ZEHONG WU / Chinese

Chinese Customer Service Representative

108

MOA CLOUDZONE CORP. Brgy. Binakayan, Kawit, Cavite

Mr. LIANG LUO / Chinese

Chinese Customer Service Representative

88

MOA CLOUDZONE CORP. Brgy. Binakayan, Kawit, Cavite

Mr. QI LEI / Chinese

Chinese Customer Service Representative

109

MOA CLOUDZONE CORP. Brgy. Binakayan, Kawit, Cavite

Mr. PHAN DINH DAT / Vietnamese

Vietnamese Customer Service Representative

89

MOA CLOUDZONE CORP. Brgy. Binakayan, Kawit, Cavite

Mr. THACH VAN NHAT / Vietnamese

Vietnamese Customer Service Representative

110

MOA CLOUDZONE CORP. Brgy. Binakayan, Kawit, Cavite

Mr. JINPING SHENG / Chinese

Chinese Customer Service Representative

90

MOA CLOUDZONE CORP. Brgy. Binakayan, Kawit, Cavite

Mr. LEI ZHAO / Chinese

Chinese Customer Service Representative

91

MOA CLOUDZONE CORP. Brgy. Binakayan, Kawit, Cavite

Ms. MENGCHI CHEN / Chinese

Chinese Customer Service Representative

92

MOA CLOUDZONE CORP. Brgy. Binakayan, Kawit, Cavite

Mr. JIABIN ZHANG / Chinese

Chinese Customer Service Representative

93

MOA CLOUDZONE CORP. Brgy. Binakayan, Kawit, Cavite

Ms. HUI LIU / Chinese

Chinese Customer Service Representative

94

MOA CLOUDZONE CORP. Brgy. Binakayan, Kawit, Cavite

Mr. WENXIA BAI / Chinese

Chinese Customer Service Representative

95

MOA CLOUDZONE CORP. Brgy. Binakayan, Kawit, Cavite

Mr. SUWEN HU / Chinese

Chinese Customer Service Representative

96

MOA CLOUDZONE CORP. Brgy. Binakayan, Kawit, Cavite

Ms. YUEZHU ZHOU / Chinese

Chinese Customer Service Representative

97

MOA CLOUDZONE CORP. Brgy. Binakayan, Kawit, Cavite

Mr. YUNTONG ZHANG / Chinese

Chinese Customer Service Representative

81

MITSUWA CHEMICAL PHILIPPINES, 111 INC. CEPZ, Rosario, Cavite

Mr. HIROBUMI MIYAKAWA / Japanese

ASIA SCOPRO OPTICS CO., INC. 112 CIP I, Canlubang, Calamba City, Laguna

Mr. SHIH-CHI HUANG / Chinese

Development Section Manager PCMC Department Manager

Any person in the Philippines who is competent, able and willing to perform the services for which the foreign national is desired may file an objection at the DOLE Regional Office within 30 days from the date of publication.

Please inform the DOLE Regional Office if you have an information of any criminal offense committed by the foreign nationals.

HENRY JOHN S. JALBUENA Regional Director

To avail of free job referral, placement, and employment guidance services, visit the nearest Public Employment Service Offices (PESO) or log on at http://www.philjobnet.gov.ph AEP20201007333

Companies BusinessMirror

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Friday, February 7, 2020

B1

Ayala lets Razon group have 51% voting rights in Manila Water, yielding control of East Zone

C

By VG Cabuag

@villygc

ONGLOMERATE Ayala Corp. has allowed the group of billionaire Enrique K. Razon Jr. to have majority voting rights in Manila Water, effectively relinquishing control over the East Zone concessionaire.

In its disclosure to the Philippine Stock Exchange, Ayala said its board has approved Razon’s

Tr ident Water to have prox y rights over the preferred shares owned by its unit and enable the

group of the billionaire to have a 51-percent voting interest in Manila Water. “ This arrangement aims to strategically rationalize the economic and voting stakes between Ayala and Trident Water as strategic partners in Manila Water,” the company said in its disclosure.

According to the deal, Ayala’s water unit Philwater Holdings Co. will assign its preferred shares holdings to Trident water to enable it to achieve a 51-percent voting interest in the company.

Philwater owns some 4 billion in preferred shares in Manila Wa-

ter, or about 65.95 percent voting shares.

Upon the grant of proxy rights to Trident Water, Ayala’s effective voting interest in the East Zone concessionaire will be reduced to 31.6 percent.

“The shareholders’ agreement will become effective after the closing of the subscription agreement, which will occur after certain conditions are met, including required lenders’ consent and regulatory approvals,” the company said.

A voting right is the right of shareholders to vote on matters

of corporate policy, including decisions on the makeup of the board of directors, issuing securities, initiating corporate actions and making substantial changes in the corporation’s operations.

Razon’s Trident Water is expected to own 25 percent of Manila Water after buying some 820 million common shares at P13 apiece, in a deal worth about P10.7 billion.

Manila Water shares closed Thursday at P14.96 apiece.

The board of Manila Water recently increased its authorized capital stock by 900 million common shares and Razon will gobble

up most of those unissued shares.

Ayala still remains the biggest shareholder in Manila Water with a 38.6 percent stake.

“Across all our partnerships, Ayala values the complementary strengths and expertise that we can leverage off a team-based approach, which has been a hallmark of our many joint undertakings with both local and international groups. Both Ayala and Razon share a deep commitment to contributing to the country’s water infrastructure development,” Ayala chairman and CEO Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala said in a statement.

Philip Morris’s heat-not-burn Iqos product available in PHL in Q2

By Lyn Resurreccion

Z

URICH, Switzerland—An alternative to cigarettes, the heat-not-burn tobacco product Iqos, will soon be available in the Philippines. Its manufacturer Philippine Morris International (PMI), through Philip Morris-Fortune Tobacco Corp. (PMFTC), announced a second-quarter launch in a media briefing here.

PMFTC is making representations with the Bureaus of Internal Revenue, and Customs for the marketing of Iqos in the country, Dave M. Gomez, communications director of PMFTC, told Filipino journalists during a recent briefing at the company’s research and development

facilities in Neuchatel, Switzerland.

PMI first launched Iqos in Nagoya, Japan, and in Milan, Italy, in 2014.

It is now available in 48 markets worldwide as of 2019, a company report said.

Gomez said there are an estimated 10,000 Iqos users in the Philippines who purchase their devices and the Heets—the tobacco sticks heated by the device—from countries where Iqos was already launched, such as Japan, Malaysia, Korea and Europe. “[Filipino] Iqos users buy their supply when they visit other countries or ask friends to buy them when they travel to markets where Iqos is available,” Gomez told the BusinessMirror.

He added that the company’s

survey showed there are approximately 225,000 users of smoke-free products in the country, including Iqos and electronic cigarettes (ecigarettes). E-cigarettes use nicotinelaced liquid. PMI data cite estimates of 12.4 million Iqos users globally— of whom 71 percent, or 8.8 million, have stopped smoking and switched completely to Iqos.

The US Food and Drug Administration approved the sale of Iqos in US in 1917.

Although many say that Iqos is quite more expensive than cigarettes, Gomez said PMFTC is still working on the pricing scheme to make it more affordable when it is launched in the Philippines.

The Philippines is deemed a heavy

Smart: Mobile 5G a boon to games, eSports market

S

MART Communications Inc. said its mobile 5G could benefit the mobile games and eSports market, when the new mobile data technology becomes commercially available in the Philippines sometime this year.

Alfredo S. Panlilio, the company’s president, said his group has found in its “market insights” that 5G can help provide better experiences for eSports, a budding industry that has become very popular nowadays.

“We have always been a staunch supporter of this growing industry, and part of this commitment is making the best of our technologies available for the advancement of eSports in the country,” he said.

Panlilio explained that 5G technology affords users the lower latency that they need in order to optimize

their gaming experience, adding that the group had deployed the country’s first 5G-powered eSports exhibition match recently.

Smart is also set to deploy indoor 5G coverage to support the training grounds of various eSports teams under The Nationals.

“5G is very promising and I am very excited to know that it will be promising for The Nationals.

The athletes would surely love the lower latency which would allow them to maximize their response times and teams will benefit from other use cases like instant download of replays and access of videos-on-demand for their reviews and strategy phases,” The Nationals Commissioner Darren Vitug said. Lorenz S. Marasigan

cigarette-smoking country, with BIR 2019 cigarette production figures of approximately 70.5 billion sticks.

Of these, approximately 49.7 billion sticks were produced by PMFTC, or an industry share of 70 percent.

PMFTC’s cigarette products in the Philippines are: Marlboro, Fortune, Philip Morris, Jackpot, More, Hope, Champion, Mark and Boss.

Scientific researches

PMI explained that scientific researches show the main cause of the harm from smoking cigarettes comes from the toxic chemicals emitted by smoke generated by burning tobacco—not from nicotine.

Continued on B2

MARIO BARRETO, PMI senior manager for global communications, explains to journalists from the Philippines the features of Iqos, the company’s heat-not-burn tobacco product. PMI is campaigning for cigarette smokers to “unsmoke” cigarettes and switch to noncigarette products like Iqos to prevent getting ill. With him is PMI Scientist Nuno Fazenda. LYN RESURRECION

B2

Companies BusinessMirror

Friday, February 7, 2020

PSE STOCK QUOTATIONS

February 6, 2020

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

ASIA UNITED BDO UNIBANK BANK PH ISLANDS CHINABANK CITYSTATE BANK EAST WEST BANK METROBANK PB BANK PHIL NATL BANK PSBANK PHILTRUST RCBC SECURITY BANK UNION BANK BRIGHT KINDLE COL FINANCIAL MEDCO HLDG MANULIFE NTL REINSURANCE PHIL STOCK EXCH SUN LIFE

53.25 152 85 25 7.02 11.3 61.3 11.9 31.6 51.85 110.1 20.7 178 59.5 0.82 18.18 0.385 841 0.75 176 1850

53.75 153 85.5 25.1 8.47 11.32 61.55 12 31.9 54.9 129.6 21.9 179 59.95 0.88 18.3 0.43 869.5 0.79 176.8 1887

53.85 152.5 85 25.1 7.02 11.12 60 12 31.7 51.5 110.1 20.65 176 60 0.85 18.12 0.385 869.5 0.75 176 1887

53.85 153 85.95 25.1 8.47 11.4 61.55 12 32 51.75 110.1 20.7 179.9 60 0.85 18.48 0.385 869.5 0.79 177 1887

50.8 150.6 84.55 25 7.02 11.12 60 11.9 31.5 51.5 110.1 20.65 176 59.1 0.81 18.1 0.385 869.5 0.75 176 1830

53.25 153 85.5 25 8.47 11.32 61.55 11.9 31.6 51.75 110.1 20.7 179 59.95 0.81 18.1 0.385 869.5 0.79 176 1830

480 1731720 1562480 473100 200 67000 2325010 60000 136400 620 50 13000 267470 4120 42000 3800 70000 10 137000 310 20

25547 263236446 133297028.5 11833900 1549 761364 142029543 719020 4331105 32030 5505 268690 47808032 245269.5 34290 68876 26950 8695 106670 54829 37170

-1065 160822721 8509519.5 -36220 18626772.5 -1253905 -268690 8735019 4050 18120 17250 5280 -

INDUSTRIAL AC ENERGY 2.16 2.17 2.18 2.19 2.14 2.16 1887000 4092180 ALSONS CONS 1.19 1.25 1.2 1.25 1.2 1.25 3000 3650 ABOITIZ POWER 32.9 33 32.3 33.2 32.3 33 853100 28053405 BASIC ENERGY 0.218 0.22 0.21 0.222 0.21 0.22 740000 160790 FIRST GEN 21.2 21.3 21.35 21.45 21 21.2 659300 14043755 FIRST PHIL HLDG 66.65 67.35 67.4 67.4 66.65 66.65 48990 3273824 MERALCO 286 291 275 291 275 291 263080 75428152 MANILA WATER 14.94 14.96 13.58 14.96 13.3 14.96 21082700 301292068 PETRON 3.5 3.55 3.5 3.59 3.5 3.5 795000 2802890 PETROENERGY 3.87 4.11 4.08 4.09 4.08 4.09 36000 147090 PHX PETROLEUM 11.54 11.84 11.84 11.84 11.56 11.84 76400 901540 PILIPINAS SHELL 30.65 30.9 30.6 30.85 29.85 30.65 125300 3820520 SPC POWER 9.1 9.2 9.2 9.29 9.1 9.1 52000 480840 AGRINURTURE 7.5 7.68 12.06 12.06 6.94 7.5 6995000 58780634 AXELUM 3.13 3.14 3.16 3.23 3.01 3.14 6629000 20786180 CENTURY FOOD 15 15.1 15 15.1 15 15 940800 14116336 DEL MONTE 4.64 4.8 4.6 4.88 4.46 4.7 57000 262660 DNL INDUS 8.95 9.05 8.9 9.08 8.9 8.95 2019000 18119301 EMPERADOR 7.24 7.26 7.34 7.34 7.25 7.25 8446800 61241562 SMC FOODANDBEV 75.9 77.35 77 77.55 75.1 77.35 65920 5043103 ALLIANCE SELECT 0.57 0.59 0.59 0.59 0.56 0.59 983000 569360 FRUITAS HLDG 1.87 1.88 1.95 2 1.87 1.87 91169000 177558240 GINEBRA 36.2 36.5 36.45 36.5 36.45 36.5 200 7295 JOLLIBEE 191.9 192 190.8 194.3 190.8 191.9 1475450 283107244 LIBERTY FLOUR 34.2 42.95 27.05 27.05 27.05 27.05 100 2705 MACAY HLDG 6.53 6.84 6.84 6.84 6.53 6.53 1100 7214 MAXS GROUP 9.98 10 10.06 10.12 9.97 9.98 170800 1708276 MG HLDG 0.17 0.179 0.179 0.179 0.179 0.179 960000 171840 PEPSI COLA 1.8 1.81 1.75 1.81 1.75 1.8 3978000 7136540 SHAKEYS PIZZA 9.22 9.49 9.11 9.3 9.11 9.22 97600 903082 ROXAS AND CO 1.66 1.67 1.67 1.67 1.62 1.66 123000 201510 RFM CORP 5.05 5.29 5.29 5.29 5.29 5.29 200 1058 SWIFT FOODS 0.114 0.12 0.116 0.116 0.115 0.115 1460000 167960 UNIV ROBINA 156.8 156.9 153 156.9 152 156.8 1124870 174076328 VITARICH 1.16 1.17 1.17 1.2 1.16 1.17 3840000 4526180 CONCRETE A 59 68.95 59 59 59 59 100 5900 CEMEX HLDG 1.5 1.51 1.45 1.52 1.45 1.51 8373000 12544810 EAGLE CEMENT 12.08 12.7 12.06 12.2 12.06 12.08 75200 912962 EEI CORP 8.5 8.55 8.51 8.99 8.5 8.55 3733100 31909372 HOLCIM 10 10.08 10.1 10.44 9.96 10 1803100 18046540 MEGAWIDE 14.3 14.36 14.78 14.78 14.3 14.3 464200 6670906 PHINMA 9.81 9.95 9.96 9.96 9.8 9.94 9000 89146 TKC METALS 0.94 0.97 0.99 0.99 0.92 0.94 129000 121540 VULCAN INDL 1.03 1.04 0.98 1.08 0.98 1.03 6483000 6731330 CROWN ASIA 2.1 2.11 2.09 2.11 2.09 2.11 65000 136250 EUROMED 2 2.03 2.15 2.16 1.97 2.03 643000 1308970 LMG CHEMICALS 4.38 4.5 4.85 4.85 4.5 4.5 31000 144530 MABUHAY VINYL 3.08 3.23 3.29 3.29 3.29 3.29 1000 3290 PRYCE CORP 4.71 4.89 4.7 4.75 4.7 4.71 22000 103720 CONCEPCION 30.05 31.9 30.1 30.1 30.05 30.05 700 21055 GREENERGY 1.79 1.8 1.91 1.91 1.79 1.8 6690000 12218010 INTEGRATED MICR 6.68 6.76 6.81 6.95 6.66 6.77 257700 1740171 IONICS 1.31 1.36 1.3 1.42 1.3 1.31 1073000 1461640 SFA SEMICON 1.33 1.35 1.38 1.43 1.3 1.33 5961000 8107050 CIRTEK HLDG 10.68 10.7 10.06 11 9.87 10.7 5459600 57876273

265320 578545 -10009180 378792.4997 29838570 55084460 258780 -66164 -1041170 11055.9999 -35162896 1590460 12679684 46080 3410288 44195485 -1652706.5 9109260 -98499138 -455619 171840 2789100 -622239 28004468 -47200 -2060760 -891116 -31362683 -1809260 -3548730 205850 -21100 -21600 -3290 -4822570 -0 11250 1935039

HOLDING & FRIMS ABACORE CAPITAL 0.87 0.88 0.88 0.9 0.87 0.88 9004000 7951500 ASIABEST GROUP 10.12 10.26 10.38 10.4 10 10.24 16400 167174 AYALA CORP 760 760.5 748.5 761 745.5 760 479840 361620955 ABOITIZ EQUITY 52 52.4 51.25 52.4 51.15 52.4 419450 21867038 ALLIANCE GLOBAL 10.5 10.52 10.46 10.62 10.44 10.5 6977000 73296842 AYALA LAND LOG 2.77 2.78 2.66 2.77 2.66 2.77 1012000 2781070 ANSCOR 6.2 6.24 6.2 6.2 6.01 6.2 333600 2045041 ANGLO PHIL HLDG 0.67 0.69 0.68 0.69 0.67 0.67 148000 100090 ATN HLDG A 0.9 0.91 0.89 0.91 0.88 0.91 287000 257020 COSCO CAPITAL 6.35 6.5 6.58 6.58 6.32 6.5 125800 808703 DMCI HLDG 6.19 6.2 6.19 6.27 6.12 6.19 3593200 22233695 FORUM PACIFIC 0.221 0.222 0.218 0.239 0.218 0.222 780000 174000 GT CAPITAL 735 740 725 740 717.5 740 321460 234727610 JG SUMMIT 73 74.75 72.7 74.75 72.55 74.75 902570 66872553.5 LODESTAR 0.485 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.485 0.5 69000 33945 LOPEZ HLDG 3.73 3.8 3.72 3.84 3.72 3.72 18000 67080 LT GROUP 10.48 10.5 10.2 10.56 10.2 10.48 4524200 47315548 MABUHAY HLDG 0.55 0.59 0.57 0.59 0.55 0.59 424000 236580 METRO PAC INV 3.21 3.22 3.27 3.29 3.19 3.21 50718000 164175460 PACIFICA HLDG 4.71 4.99 5 5 4.7 4.99 12800 61049 PRIME MEDIA 1.15 1.17 1.14 1.18 1.11 1.18 395000 464090 SOLID GROUP 1.13 1.18 1.1 1.18 1.09 1.18 9000 9950 SYNERGY GRID 172 185 185 185 185 185 40 7400 SM INVESTMENTS 1000 1004 1000 1014 996 1000 1,339,330 1 ,345,082,952.5 SAN MIGUEL CORP 132.3 133.7 132.2 138 132.2 132.3 119740 16057830 SOC RESOURCES 0.8 0.82 0.78 0.84 0.78 0.82 379000 304510 TOP FRONTIER 174 175.8 176 176 170 175.8 5740 994538 WELLEX INDUS 0.215 0.225 0.21 0.225 0.206 0.225 330000 69160 ZEUS HLDG 0.195 0.2 0.195 0.199 0.195 0.199 180000 35300

-1361700 79699590 3706624.5 11476640 -291360 371671 153784 -4659187 44567465 9408550.5 -3720 7301314.0004 -23575790 -54590 -8770 938462252.5 -8912688 -354736 -9750

PROPERTY ARTHALAND CORP 0.8 0.81 0.8 0.81 0.79 0.81 783000 625480 AYALA LAND 42.8 43.35 42 43.35 42 43.35 9796400 416599530 ARANETA PROP 1.68 1.72 1.66 1.68 1.66 1.68 38000 63660 BELLE CORP 1.57 1.59 1.57 1.61 1.57 1.59 1018000 1625210 A BROWN 0.66 0.67 0.67 0.68 0.66 0.67 636000 426100 CROWN EQUITIES 0.178 0.186 0.177 0.185 0.177 0.185 7100000 1262430 CEBU HLDG 6.18 6.2 6.66 6.66 6.2 6.2 103500 641889 CEB LANDMASTERS 4.52 4.55 4.52 4.58 4.52 4.55 159000 723670 CENTURY PROP 0.495 0.5 0.5 0.51 0.495 0.5 1912000 954350 CYBER BAY 0.37 0.375 0.37 0.375 0.37 0.375 150000 56000 DOUBLEDRAGON 17.3 17.34 16.52 17.34 16.52 17.34 299500 5160696 DM WENCESLAO 9.02 9.04 9 9.2 9 9.04 11200 102022 EMPIRE EAST 0.39 0.4 0.39 0.4 0.39 0.4 430000 167800 FILINVEST LAND 1.44 1.45 1.46 1.46 1.44 1.45 24541000 35585320 GLOBAL ESTATE 1.06 1.07 1.06 1.06 1.06 1.06 215000 227900 8990 HLDG 14.84 14.86 14.72 14.84 14.72 14.84 375000 5524552 PHIL INFRADEV 1.09 1.11 1.09 1.14 1.08 1.11 1160000 1278670 CITY AND LAND 0.74 0.77 0.77 0.77 0.77 0.77 5000 3850 MEGAWORLD 4.05 4.08 4.08 4.11 4.03 4.05 24823000 100865310 MRC ALLIED 0.201 0.203 0.205 0.21 0.201 0.201 7010000 1423790 PRIMEX CORP 2.03 2.04 2.04 2.06 2.02 2.04 480000 975280 ROBINSONS LAND 25.5 25.9 25.5 25.9 25.25 25.9 807900 20662905 ROCKWELL 2.08 2.13 2.08 2.09 2.08 2.08 186000 386980 SHANG PROP 3.04 3.22 3.22 3.22 3.22 3.22 30000 96600 STA LUCIA LAND 2.52 2.54 2.46 2.54 2.46 2.54 446000 1129180 SM PRIME HLDG 41.15 41.95 39.8 41.95 39.65 41.95 9637400 395725350 VISTAMALLS 5.29 5.43 5.4 5.4 5.28 5.29 92000 488238 SUNTRUST HOME 1.95 1.98 2.01 2.17 1.95 1.95 32709000 67624880 VISTA LAND 6.59 6.6 6.59 6.67 6.57 6.59 1177500 7770939

146970005 -394380 50050 -35000 838602 -4519.9999 -34287130 668402 22537679.9999 40200 103789.9997 -12282375 -64400 146209375 -3515200 525565

SERVICES ABS CBN 17.32 17.5 17.74 17.74 17.32 17.5 136000 2382700 GMA NETWORK 5.27 5.28 5.23 5.29 5.23 5.28 25700 135592 MANILA BULLETIN 0.435 0.46 0.435 0.435 0.405 0.435 710000 305750 GLOBE TELECOM 1990 1998 1963 1998 1962 1990 21935 43560300 PLDT 1093 1094 1050 1109 1041 1093 224960 244769795 APOLLO GLOBAL 0.047 0.049 0.049 0.049 0.047 0.049 11500000 561600 DFNN INC 4.05 4.24 4.13 4.24 4 4.24 75000 314100 IMPERIAL 1.56 1.62 1.56 1.62 1.56 1.62 23000 37140 ISLAND INFO 0.1 0.103 0.101 0.103 0.101 0.103 1010000 103530 ISM COMM 2.73 2.74 3.05 3.05 2.73 2.74 47706000 135835960 NOW CORP 2.2 2.21 2.22 2.28 2.19 2.21 1391000 3092480 TRANSPACIFIC BR 0.25 0.255 0.25 0.26 0.245 0.25 3120000 787900 PHILWEB 3.84 3.85 3.65 4.03 3.65 3.84 6457000 25077540 2GO GROUP 8.95 9 9.7 9.7 8.95 9 48900 442645 ASIAN TERMINALS 17.5 18.58 17.5 17.5 17.5 17.5 2200 38500 CHELSEA 4.85 4.86 4.91 4.95 4.82 4.86 1472000 7226860 CEBU AIR 82.25 82.3 80 84 80 82.3 69210 5684787 INTL CONTAINER 127.6 128.4 128.7 129.4 127 127.6 1107130 141425344 LORENZO SHIPPNG 0.88 0.96 0.96 0.98 0.96 0.98 2000 1940 MACROASIA 10.48 10.5 11.18 11.24 10.3 10.48 3868000 41526654 METROALLIANCE A 0.97 1.02 0.96 1.02 0.95 1.02 12000 11580 PAL HLDG 7.2 7.4 7.3 7.4 7.1 7.2 8700 62500 HARBOR STAR 1.22 1.23 1.18 1.24 1.16 1.23 1228000 1480220 ACESITE HOTEL 1.33 1.4 1.35 1.4 1.35 1.4 2000 2750 WATERFRONT 0.59 0.6 0.59 0.6 0.59 0.59 147000 87490 CENTRO ESCOLAR 6.52 6.99 6.52 6.52 6.51 6.51 5000 32579 FAR EASTERN U 890.5 900 890.5 890.5 890 890.5 1250 1112550 IPEOPLE 7.97 9.19 8.99 9.19 8.99 9.19 4100 36899 STI HLDG 0.59 0.61 0.62 0.62 0.59 0.6 5332000 3183720 BERJAYA 2.63 2.67 2.63 2.65 2.61 2.63 190000 500430 BLOOMBERRY 9.02 9.09 9 9.1 8.94 9.02 10567400 95281558 PACIFIC ONLINE 2.05 2.1 2.09 2.1 2.04 2.1 60000 124920 LEISURE AND RES 2.16 2.25 2.2 2.2 2.16 2.16 475000 1034020 PH RESORTS GRP 4.03 4.64 4.55 4.55 4.55 4.55 5000 22750 PREMIUM LEISURE 0.495 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.495 0.495 1870000 931500 PHIL RACING 8 8.69 8.97 8.97 8 8 3400 27394 ALLHOME 10.02 10.1 10 10.16 9.96 10.1 1953300 19557666 METRO RETAIL 1.89 1.9 1.92 1.92 1.87 1.9 1230000 2325920 PUREGOLD 38.5 38.8 38.5 38.8 38.2 38.5 3713400 142861215 ROBINSONS RTL 76 77.6 75.75 77.6 75.75 77.6 413980 31698179.5 PHIL SEVEN CORP 145 145.4 145 145 144 145 196180 28446085 SSI GROUP 2.23 2.25 2.25 2.3 2.23 2.23 1433000 3249950 WILCON DEPOT 18.54 18.64 18.88 18.88 18.24 18.54 1334500 24841432 APC GROUP 0.385 0.395 0.375 0.405 0.375 0.39 1970000 768600 EASYCALL 7.36 7.5 7.6 7.97 7.36 7.5 43800 327011 GOLDEN BRIA 423.4 424 424 430 424 424 2840 1204526 IPM HLDG 5.41 6.49 6.49 6.49 6.49 6.49 1300 8437 PAXYS 2.67 2.96 2.93 2.96 2.93 2.96 2000 5890 PRMIERE HORIZON 0.335 0.34 0.33 0.345 0.33 0.335 5650000 1912750 SBS PHIL CORP 8.75 9.04 8.99 8.99 8.99 8.99 18600 167214

928415 -25570860 2648070 125599.9999 -367030 -406630 38500 299800 972847.5 -29749196 -2131744 -97900 18908 -1023500 -1572110 18550 -1443616 -334650 -10861444 -253200 -33717780 -19750248 26085 84510 -921860 1153586 -

MINING & OIL ATOK 10.02 11.44 11.68 11.68 11 11.44 800 8912 APEX MINING 1.01 1.03 1.01 1.04 1 1.01 516000 522150 4040 ABRA MINING 0.0015 0.0016 0.0015 0.0017 0.0015 0.0016 5633000000 8861800 18300 ATLAS MINING 2.35 2.4 2.34 2.4 2.3 2.35 40000 94650 -11650 COAL ASIA HLDG 0.27 0.275 0.27 0.27 0.27 0.27 50000 13500 CENTURY PEAK 3 3.02 2.99 3.04 2.99 3.02 439000 1328250 DIZON MINES 6.53 6.8 6.54 6.79 6.53 6.53 3600 24152 FERRONICKEL 1.47 1.48 1.45 1.49 1.43 1.47 1040000 1522280 5770 GEOGRACE 0.199 0.204 0.203 0.203 0.198 0.199 170000 33820 LEPANTO A 0.093 0.095 0.094 0.094 0.094 0.094 3000000 282000 LEPANTO B 0.092 0.095 0.095 0.095 0.091 0.095 580000 55060 MANILA MINING A 0.0078 0.008 0.0078 0.0078 0.0078 0.0078 2000000 15600 MARCVENTURES 0.78 0.79 0.76 0.79 0.76 0.78 78000 60880 NIHAO 0.99 1.03 1.03 1.03 0.99 1.03 55000 55010 -4120 NICKEL ASIA 2.77 2.78 2.71 2.84 2.71 2.78 5010000 14006490 -4004830 OMICO CORP 0.435 0.46 0.45 0.45 0.45 0.45 20000 9000 ORNTL PENINSULA 0.67 0.69 0.68 0.68 0.67 0.67 94000 63000 PX MINING 2.85 2.89 2.88 2.9 2.83 2.85 174000 495860 SEMIRARA MINING 20.35 20.45 20.5 20.6 20.3 20.35 316600 6450775 -4426600 UNITED PARAGON 0.0054 0.0056 0.0055 0.0056 0.0055 0.0056 12000000 66200 60700 ACE ENEXOR 7.45 7.65 7.61 7.9 7.45 7.65 602500 4551965 -28525 ORNTL PETROL A 0.01 0.011 0.011 0.011 0.011 0.011 6600000 72600 PHILODRILL 0.01 0.011 0.011 0.011 0.011 0.011 10000000 110000 PXP ENERGY 8.7 8.71 8.64 8.9 8.64 8.7 170800 1493642 40000

PREFFERED HOUSE PREF A 99 101 100 100 100 100 10500 1050000 AC PREF B1 505 506 505 505 505 505 60 30300 AC PREF B2R 490 495 495 495 495 495 240 118800 -108900 CPG PREF A 101 102 101 101 101 101 500 50500 DD PREF 100.1 100.9 100.8 101 100.8 100.9 38040 3836056 SMC FB PREF 2 1000 1022 1000 1000 1000 1000 1010 1010000 GTCAP PREF B 970 990 990 990 990 990 1000 990000 MWIDE PREF 100 100.4 100 100.5 100 100.1 26200 2629010 PNX PREF 3B 106.1 109 108.9 108.9 108.9 108.9 500 54450 11979 PNX PREF 4 1032 1045 1037 1037 1033 1033 795 823235 PCOR PREF 3A 1040 1050 1050 1050 1050 1050 1010 1060500 -10500 PCOR PREF 3B 1061 1069 1061 1061 1061 1061 50 53050 SMC PREF 2C 76.9 77 77 77 77 77 8110 624470 SMC PREF 2F 76 76.2 76 76.1 76 76 62400 4742500 SMC PREF 2H 75 75.4 75.05 75.3 75 75 268050 20104690 SMC PREF 2I 75.8 76 75.9 76 75.8 76 91800 6973820

PHIL. DEPOSITARY RECEIPTS ABS HLDG PDR 15.62 15.7 15.7 16.12 15.6 15.7 163300 2569340 -2478176 GMA HLDG PDR 5.1 5.19 5.15 5.15 5.1 5.1 55000 283005

WARRANTS LR WARRANT 1.08 1.17 1.08 1.19 1.07 1.18 32000 34930

SMALL & MEDIUM ENTERPRISES ITALPINAS 3.51 3.61 3.54 3.68 3.51 3.61 141000 500540 KEPWEALTH 9.89 9.9 9.63 10 9.63 9.89 113000 1106579 19479 XURPAS 0.81 0.82 0.81 0.82 0.8 0.81 1124000 905710 55450

EXHANGE TRADE FUNDS

FIRST METRO ETF 111.9 113.3 110.8 112.4 110.8 111.9 15460 1727415 22422

www.businessmirror.com.ph

SMC files for shelf registration of ₧60 billion worth of bonds

C

ONGLOMERATE San Miguel Corp. (SMC) on Thursday filed for P60 billion worth of bond shelf registration with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

In its filing, the conglomerate said it intends to initially offer some P20 billion worth of one-year,

fixed-rate commercial papers; some P15 billion will be the primary offer and the rest will be its oversub-

scription option.

The said debt papers will be listed at the Philippine Dealing and Exchange Corp.

BDO Capital and Investment Corp., BPI Capital Corp., China Bank Capital Corp. and SB Capital Investment Corp. were chosen as the deal’s arrangers, underwriters and bookrunners for the series A papers.

The paper will have a maturity of 365 days from the date of issue,

and will be issued in minimum denominations of P50,000 and multiples of P10,000 thereafter.

“The entire proceeds of the offer will be used to partially fund the redemption of Series I preferred shares of SMC to be redeemed at a redemption price of P75 per share,” it said. The company plans to launch the commercial papers by late March if it secured approvals from the regulators by middle of next month. VG Cabuag

Anchor Land breaks ground on its 10th project in Manila’s Chinatown B OUTIQUE property developer Anchor Land Holdings Inc. on Thursday said it broke ground on its 10th condominium project in Manila’s Chinatown.

The company said its top officials launched One Legacy Grandsuites, a 69-story residential development on Benavidez Street in Binondo.

Anchor Land expects some P13.1 billion from the project, which is the first skyscraper to rise along Benavidez Street that stretches right at the heart of Manila Chinatown. It is parallel to Masangkay Street where the Chinese schools are located.

“In line with the developer’s expansion in Manila Chinatown, One Legacy Grandsuites will offer unique collections of premium residences befitting the lifestyle needs of business owners and their families,” it said.

The building offers units with two to five bedrooms, and bi-level

condo units with four to five bedrooms. Each residential floor will have only eight to 10 units, with access to seven passenger elevators and one service elevator.

The 10th floor will have a gym with views of the city, adjacent to a yoga area and a badminton court; an entertainment area with KTV rooms and a billiard room; a lawn next to a barbecue place and sunken sofa; a children’s reading room; a kid’s play area; pool areas for children and adults; and a bar.

The highlights of these amenities include the Zen square located in the middle of the entertainment area, the fountain plaza between the gym and the children’s reading room, and the glass lounge that hangs above the 30-meter pool area.

Meanwhile, the 69th amenity floor will have function rooms, meeting rooms, and a sky bar with an overlooking view of the city. VG Cabuag

Philip Morris’s heat-not-burn Iqos product available in PHL in Q2 Continued from B1

However, it is recognized that nicotine is addictive.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence in the United Kingdom said in a 2013 report on harm reduction that “nicotine is not the primary cause of smoking-related diseases. It is primarily the toxins and carcinogens in tobacco smoke—not the nicotine—that cause illness and death.”

Mario Barreto, PMI senior manager for global communications, explained tobaccos emit toxins when they burn at more than 800 degrees Celsius.

Iqos is heated at a lower temperature of only 300 degrees C, making it emit lesser toxins.

The findings on the ill effects of cigarette smoking to people’s health made the PMI resort to its $6-billion research and development on lessharmful smoke-free products for more than a decade.

Although PMI officials and scientists admitted that based on the company’s research Iqos still emits toxins, they explained that it is at a very low level of 90 percent to 95 percent less than that of cigarettes.

E-cigarettes have 95 percent less toxins than cigarettes.

Barretto said at the same briefing that Iqos provides an alternative to smokers who could not yet quit.

He said people are given a choice.

“For everyone concerned [about] their health, the best choice is always to give up any nicotine products. That is very clear. But even though it is clear that

nicotine is addictive, that tobacco is not risk free, people are still smoking,” he added.

‘Unsmoke’ HE cited PMI’s message: “If you don’t smoke, don’t start; if you smoke, quit; if you don’t quit, change [to a noncigarette product].” Barretto said it is PMI’s “ambition” to do away with cigarettes.

“We want to transform our business into a more sustainable one.”

He said PMI is “transitioning” from being a cigarette company to stop selling its original product but could not say when. “But we would like to, in a day not too distant from now, to finish [manufacturing] cigarettes.”

He said PMI wants the world to “unsmoke,” adding, “We realize that the best is [smoking] prevention and cessation.”

He said PMI created a grassroots movement for people to “unsmoke” but they do not want to own it, being a “general principle” to “unsmoke the streets.”

“Even if you’re not a smoker or if you know of someone who smokes, talk to the smoker about this. If you know of an NGO [nongovernment organization] working in this area, have the NGO own this. We don’t want to be the owners of this.”

The word unsmoke was coined by PMI Senior Vice President Marian Salzman and is now part of the lexicon, being listed in the Urban Dictionary. com in April 8, 2029, and recognized PMI as its owner.

Barretto added: “PMI wants the world to unsmoke at a faster pace.”

MUTUAL FUNDS

February 6, 2020

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

PER SHARE RETURN* RETURN STOCK FUNDS ALFM GROWTH FUND, INC. -A 238.8 -11.5% -1.74% -2.7% -5.2% ATRAM ALPHA OPPORTUNITY FUND, INC. -A 1.2614 -18.8% -3.52% -5.21% -8.73% ATRAM PHILIPPINE EQUITY OPPORTUNITY FUND, INC. -A 3.3325 -20.37% -6.13% -5.87% -9.4% CLIMBS SHARE CAPITAL EQUITY INVESTMENT FUND CORP. -A 0.8345 -13.12% N.A. N.A. -6.98% FIRST METRO CONSUMER FUND ON MSCI PHILS. IMI, INC. -A 0.8014 -9.29% N.A. N.A. -5.64% FIRST METRO SAVE AND LEARN EQUITY FUND,INC. -A 5.0304 -10.41% -0.61% -2.84% -5.59% FIRST METRO SAVE AND LEARN PHILIPPINE INDEX FUND, INC. -A,6 0.8005 -10.56% -4.4% N.A. -6.22% MBG EQUITY INVESTMENT FUND, INC. -A 95.45 -22.81% N.A. N.A. -7.63% PAMI EQUITY INDEX FUND, INC. -A 48.1756 -9.14% 0.29% N.A. -6.06% PHILAM STRATEGIC GROWTH FUND, INC. -A 503.43 -8.66% -0.53% -2.48% -5.51% PHILEQUITY ALPHA ONE FUND, INC. -A,D,8 0.9875 N.A. N.A. N.A. -4.14% PHILEQUITY DIVIDEND YIELD FUND, INC. -A 1.2175 -8.79% 0.04% -1.42% -5.39% PHILEQUITY FUND, INC. -A 35.7565 -8.79% 0.98% -1.28% -5.65% PHILEQUITY MSCI PHILIPPINE INDEX FUND, INC. -A,1 0.9617 -8.68% N.A. N.A. -5.54% PHILEQUITY PSE INDEX FUND INC. -A 4.9084 -8.34% 0.89% -0.68% -6.03% PHILIPPINE STOCK INDEX FUND CORP. -A 819.57 -8.38% 0.83% -0.82% -6.02% SOLDIVO STRATEGIC GROWTH FUND, INC. -A 0.7757 -15.34% -2.85% -4.66% -8.89% SUN LIFE PROSPERITY PHILIPPINE EQUITY FUND, INC. -A 3.9177 -9.82% 0.02% -1.62% -6.92% SUN LIFE PROSPERITY PHILIPPINE STOCK INDEX FUND, INC. -A 0.9407 -8.63% 0.68% N.A. -6.01% UNITED FUND, INC. -A 3.447 -7.73% 1.95% 0.09% -5.65% EXCHANGE TRADED FUND FIRST METRO PHIL. EQUITY EXCHANGE TRADED FUND, INC. -A,C 109.9564 -8.09% 1.53% 0.11% -5.98% ATRAM ASIAPLUS EQUITY FUND, INC. -B $0.9982 0.62% 3.79% -0.15% -2.94% SUN LIFE PROSPERITY WORLD VOYAGER FUND, INC. -A $1.4052 16.14% 9.63% N.A. 1.92% BALANCED FUNDS PRIMARILY INVESTED IN PESO SECURITIES ATRAM DYNAMIC ALLOCATION FUND, INC. -A 1.5264 -12.11% -3.93% -5.03% -2.33% ATRAM PHILIPPINE BALANCED FUND, INC. -A 2.0875 -9.87% -2.9% -2.82% -4.29% FIRST METRO SAVE AND LEARN BALANCED FUND INC. -A 2.5459 -4.88% 0.59% -2.71% -3.25% FIRST METRO SAVE AND LEARN F.O.C.C.U.S. DYNAMIC FUND, INC. -A,5 0.2183 N.A. N.A. N.A. -4.46% GREPALIFE BALANCED FUND CORPORATION -A N.S. N.S. N.S. N.S. N.S. NCM MUTUAL FUND OF THE PHILS., INC. -A 1.9229 0.11% 1.68% -0.14% -2.05% PAMI HORIZON FUND, INC. -A 3.6719 0.45% 0.56% -1.22% -3.09% PHILAM FUND, INC. -A 16.4381 -0.73% 0.55% -1.26% -3.08% SOLIDARITAS FUND, INC. -A 2.0661 -4.59% 0.13% -0.23% -2.81% SUN LIFE OF CANADA PROSPERITY BALANCED FUND, INC. -A 3.696 -3.87% 0.74% -1% -4.34% SUN LIFE PROSPERITY ACHIEVER FUND 2028, INC. -A,D,2 0.9847 N.A. N.A. N.A. -3.05% SUN LIFE PROSPERITY ACHIEVER FUND 2038, INC. -A,D,2 0.9484 N.A. N.A. N.A. -4.82% SUN LIFE PROSPERITY ACHIEVER FUND 2048, INC. -A,D,2 0.943 N.A. N.A. N.A. -5.05% SUN LIFE PROSPERITY DYNAMIC FUND, INC. -A 0.923 -5.31% -0.18% -2.27% -5.31% PRIMARILY INVESTED IN FOREIGN CURRENCY SECURITIES COCOLIFE DOLLAR FUND BUILDER, INC. -A $0.03868 8.5% 3.26% 1.92% 1.18% PAMI ASIA BALANCED FUND, INC. -A $1.0182 4.69% 3.58% 0.37% -1.9% SUN LIFE PROSPERITY DOLLAR ADVANTAGE FUND, INC. -A $3.9714 12.31% 7.56% 4.23% 1.55% SUN LIFE PROSPERITY DOLLAR WELLSPRING FUND, INC. -A,7 $1.1423 8.73% 4.57% N.A. 1.2% BOND FUNDS PRIMARILY INVESTED IN PESO SECURITIES ALFM PESO BOND FUND, INC. -A 358.35 3.85% 2.69% 2.16% 0.15% ATRAM CORPORATE BOND FUND, INC. -A 1.9064 1.88% 0.39% -0.91% 0.23% COCOLIFE FIXED INCOME FUND, INC. -A 3.1315 4.91% 5.15% 5.17% 0.49% EKKLESIA MUTUAL FUND INC. -A 2.232 3.93% 2.19% 1.76% 0.31% FIRST METRO SAVE AND LEARN FIXED INCOME FUND,INC. -A 2.3577 5.54% 2.06% 1.18% -0.06% GREPALIFE FIXED INCOME FUND CORP. -A P N.S. N.S. N.S. N.S. N.S. PHILAM BOND FUND, INC. -A 4.378 11.71% 2.39% 1.34% 0.12% PHILEQUITY PESO BOND FUND, INC. -A 3.7753 5.53% 2.65% 0.57% -0.34% SOLDIVO BOND FUND, INC. -A 0.9673 6.26% 1.28% -0.1% 0.31% SUN LIFE OF CANADA PROSPERITY BOND FUND, INC. -A 3.0748 8.63% 4.04% 1.94% -0.04% SUN LIFE PROSPERITY GS FUND, INC. -A

1.6928 7.45% 3.44% 1.29% -0.49% PRIMARILY INVESTED IN FOREIGN CURRENCY SECURITIES ALFM DOLLAR BOND FUND, INC. -A $470.61 4.48% 2.74% 2.65% 0.51% ALFM EURO BOND FUND, INC. -A Є220.45 3.06% 1.88% 1.28% 0.33% ATRAM TOTAL RETURN DOLLAR BOND FUND, INC. -B $1.2118 6.01% 3.09% 2.26% 0.38% FIRST METRO SAVE AND LEARN DOLLAR BOND FUND, INC. -A $0.026 4% 1.59% 1.53% 0.78% GREPALIFE DOLLAR BOND FUND CORP. -A N.S. N.S. N.S. N.S. N.S. PAMI GLOBAL BOND FUND, INC -A $1.1063 5.72% 1.56% -0.32% 1.01% PHILAM DOLLAR BOND FUND, INC. -A $2.4352 9.97% 3.74% 2.7% 1.31% PHILEQUITY DOLLAR INCOME FUND INC. -A $0.0606997 5.95% 2.35% 1.82% 0.64% SUN LIFE PROSPERITY DOLLAR ABUNDANCE FUND, INC. -A $3.2426 11.53% 3.52% 2.63% 2.12% MONEY MARKET FUNDS PRIMARILY INVESTED IN PESO SECURITIES ALFM MONEY MARKET FUND, INC. -A 126.21 3.89% 2.91% 2.21% 0.34% FIRST METRO SAVE AND LEARN MONEY MARKET FUND, INC. -A,3 1.0249 2.42% N.A. N.A. -0.14% PHILAM MANAGED INCOME FUND, INC. -A 1.2521 5.67% 2.96% 1.61% -0.37% SUN LIFE PROSPERITY MONEY MARKET FUND, INC. -A 1.2683 3.66% 2.93% 2.42% 0.29% PRIMARILY INVESTED IN FOREIGN CURRENCY SECURITIES SUN LIFE PROSPERITY DOLLAR STARTER FUND, INC. -A $1.0391 2.05% N.A. N.A. 0.18% FEEDER FUND PRIMARILY INVESTED IN FOREIGN CURRENCY SECURITIES ALFM GLOBAL MULTI-ASSET INCOME FUND INC. -B,D,4 $0.99 N.A. N.A. N.A. 0% A - NAVPS AS OF THE PREVIOUS BANKING DAY. B - NAVPS AS OF TWO BANKING DAYS AGO. C - LISTED IN THE PSE. D - IN NET ASSET VALUE PER UNIT (NAVPU).

1 - LAUNCH DATE IS JANUARY 3, 2019. 2 - LAUNCH DATE IS JANUARY 28, 2019. 3 - LAUNCH DATE IS FEBRUARY 1, 2019. 4 - LAUNCH DATE IS NOVEMBER 15, 2019.

5 - LAUNCH DATE IS SEPTEMBER 28, 2019. 6 - RENAMING WAS APPROVED BY THE SEC LAST OCTOBER 12, 2018 (FORMERLY, ONE WEALTHY NATION FUND, INC.).

7 - ADJUSTED DUE TO STOCK DIVIDEND ISSUANCE LAST OCTOBER 9, 2019. 8 - LAUNCH DATE IS DECEMBER 09, 2019.

"While we endeavor to keep the information accurate, the Philippine Investment Funds Association (PIFA) and its members make no warranties as to the correctness of the newspaper’s publication and assume no liability or responsibility for any error or omissions. You may visit http://www. pifa. com.ph to see the latest NAVPS/NAVPU."

Banking&Finance BusinessMirror

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Friday, February 7, 2020

B3

7 charged for failing to pay ₧825M in taxes

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By Bernadette D. Nicolas @BNicolasBM

he East National Capitol Region (NCR) office of the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) announced the filing of charges against five companies and two proprietors for their alleged failure to pay taxes amounting to a total of P825 million.

said Firotech is primarily engaged in the business of providing maintenance services and consultancy services with regards to fire alarms.

Cristimar, engaged in the business of trading and services, together with its responsible officers, are being sued for a total deficiency tax liability for taxable year 2011 amounting to P27,379,345.84, inclusive of increments, according to the BIR-East NCR. The government unit said it is suing Fourthwave for a total deficiency tax liability for taxable year 2012 amounting to P14,453,394.04, inclusive of increments, together with its taxable partners. The statement said Fourthwave is engaged in buying, selling, distributing, marketing and wholesale and retail of goods, commodities, wares and merchandise.

Along with its responsible officers, construction firm

In a statement, BIR Region 7B-East NCR said it filed on Thursday seven separate criminal complaints with the Department of Justice for the firms’ “willful failure” to pay taxes for taxable years 2008, 2010, 2011 and 2012.

The BIR-East NCR identified the five companies charged for violating Section 255 in relation to Section 253 (d) and 256 of the Tax Code as: Body Needs and Basic Inc., Firotech Fire Protection Inc., Cristimar Corp., Fourthwave Global Inc., and Asiatech Construction and Industrial Corp.

Body Needs, a domestic corporation engaged in buying, selling, distributing, marketing and wholesale and retailing, together with its responsible officers, are being sued for a total deficiency tax liability for taxable year 2010 amounting to P40,388,516.78 inclusive of increments, according to the BIR-East NCR. Respondent Firotech, together with its president, Oliver Cababa, were sued for a total deficiency tax liability for taxable year 2011 amounting to P26,603,390.00 inclusive of increments, the BIR-East NCR said. The statement

Rice farmers in 7 provinces yet to secure loan as prices plunge

Filinvest to raise P15B in fixed-rate bonds

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he Department of Agriculture (DA) on Thursday said rice farmers in seven provinces have yet to secure the loan that should have helped them cope with the plunge in farm-gate prices caused by the surge in imports last year.

In a statement, the DA said about P251 million is expected to be released once the processing of additional loan applications from seven provinces is completed. The DA identified these provinces as: Cagayan, Isabela, Quirino, Nueva Viscaya, Sorsogon, Albay and Eastern Samar.

The DA said its attached agency Agricultural Credit Policy Council (ACPC) is currently processing about 16,755 applications, of which 1,645 are for validation, 4,125 for certification of ACPC regional executive directors and 10,985 loan applications with respective LBPLending Centers are up for processing and/or releasing.

The DA said that as of end-January, the ACPC has disbursed P2.249 billion, or 90 percent of its P2.5 billion loan fund, to about 150,000 rice farmers who borrowed under the government’s “Expanded Survival and Recovery Assistance Loan Assistance for Rice Farmers” (Esralarf) program.

The DA added that about 149,910 rice farmers out of the 166,665 targeted potential borrowers have received their respective P15,000 cash assistance through distributed cash cards from the Land Bank of the Philippines.

The Esralarf program allows farmers tilling 1 hectare and below to borrow P15,000 from the government at zero interest and payable in eight years. The program was launched in September of 2019 as one of the government’s mitigating measures to help rice farmers, particularly marginalized ones, to cope with the sudden drop in the farm-gate prices of palay.

The average farm-gate price of palay has sank below P16-per-kilogram level, markings its lowest quotation in eight years, following the implementation of the rice trade liberalization law that deregulated the rice industry.

Aside from pulling farm-gate palay prices down, the surge in rice imports last year brought down the average retail price of regular-milled rice to its lowest level of six years of around P36.42 per kilogram, according to latest government estimates.

The DA said a total of P45.06 million of cash assistance has been given to 3,004 rice farmers in Mindanao province.

Jasper Emmanuel Y. Arcalas

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By VG Cabuag

@villygc

ONGLOMERATE Filinvest Development Corp. plans to raise some P15 billion in fixed-rate bonds, which will be listed at the Philippine Dealing and Exchange Corp.

In its filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Filinvest plans to launch some P8 billion in primary offer and oversubscription option of P7-billion worth of bonds. Its offer consists of five year bonds and seven-year bonds.

Most of the proceeds of the offer of some P14.6 billion will be used by the company to refinance its maturing obligations this year and some P0.2 million will be for working capital.

BDO Capital and Investment Corp., BPI Capital Corp., China Bank Corp., East West Banking Corp. and First Metro Investment Corp. were appointed as the deal’s joint underwriters and bookrunners.

Meanwhile, the SEC also received registration statement of Tagum Global Medical Center Inc. for a primary offer and sale of 36,000 common shares equivalent to 3,600 blocks at an offer price ranging from P200,000 to P400,000 per block for a total of P1 billion. The securities will be traded over the counter.

The 3,600 blocks will be offered in tranches, through a series of offerings at an offer price in progressive amounts. The first 1,400 blocks will be sold at the price of P200,000 per block, the next 600 blocks at

the price of P250,000 per block, another 700 blocks at the price of P300,000 per block, next 900 blocks at the price of P400,000 per block.

“The blocks will be sold on a first come, first served basis, subject to prequalification procedures,” the company said in its application.

“The net proceeds that will be generated from the offer shares will be used to construct and develop Tagum Global Medical Center and for pre-operating expenses.

Building and installation of all necessary facilities, utilities and amenities for the use and benefits of the holders of common shares and the public,” the company said.

The construction and development cost of the hospital is estimated at P664.39 million, while the rest will be spent mostly for medical equipment and other pre-operating expense.

The construction of Tagum Global Medical Center was led by its Chairman Amado Manuel C. Enriquez Jr. to allow doctors to build, own and manage their own hospitals since they understand their patients’ needs better.

“Majority of its founders and stockholders are experienced hospital build-

Asiatech, is being sued for a total deficiency tax liability for taxable year 2011 amounting to P10,113,403.10, inclusive of increments, the BIR-East NCR said.

Meanwhile, proprietors Donato Pe Benito Bautista and Digna Garrovillas Francisco were also charged for violating Section 255 of the Tax Code.

Bautista of Maerdi Foods/ Bestlink Trading, a meat dealer and importer, is being sued for a total deficiency tax liability for taxable year 2008 amounting to P698,475,273.43, inclusive of increments. The BIREast NCR said Maerdi Foods/ Bestlink Trading listed its principal address at 707 Saint John Palmera 4, Taytay, Rizal.

Lastly, proprietress Francisco of Dimicor Trading and General Merchandising is being sued for a total deficiency tax liability for taxable year 2012 amounting

S

“If you think there is a provision in the Tax Code that is unfair, or a problem with tax administration–meaning the law is okay but

said that the respondents, however, had no properties that may be distrained or levied and no bank accounts that may be garnished. “Demands Before Suit,” likewise, proved futile, the BIR-East NCR said.

“Consequently, the respondents failed to file or pay the corresponding taxes due for the taxable period,” the BIREast NCR said. “Thus, a ‘First and Final Notice, Preliminary Collection Letter,’ ‘Final Notice before Seizure’ and ‘Final Demand before Suit’ were issued

by BIR-East NCR and served to them.”

“However, despite repeated demands, the taxes due on the subject tax returns remained unfiled or unpaid,” the BIREast NCR said.

It added that “the respondents’ failure and continued refusal to file or pay their long overdue deficiency taxes, despite repeated demands, constitute willful failure to file or pay the taxes due to the government.”

CASH PLAY Actors of Tanghalang Pilipino act out the Lukot-lukot, Bilog-bilog, a short play that emphasizes the value of making wise financial decisions. Visa Inc. said this skit that is part of a three-year-old financial literacy program has reached over 36,000 students and teachers in 30 cities of the country. Photo courtesy of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas ers and administrators involved in various hospital projects,” the company said.

The hospital will be a tertiary medical center with a 179-bed capacity, nine-storey Level II Hospital to be constructed on a 5,000-square-meter lot located at Barangay Visayan Village, Tagum City, Davao del Norte.

‘PHL has to be competitive in terms of tax incentives’ PEAKER Alan Peter S. Cayetano has stressed the importance of the country being competitive with its Southeast Asian neighbors in terms of tax and other fiscal incentives.

Cayetano issued the statement after meeting with Finance Secretary Carlos G. Dominguez on Wednesday to discuss taxes in general and business incentives in particular.

He said taxes are the lifeblood of the government, which it uses to fund the delivery of basic services.

“The key is to make taxation equitable, progressive.

This means that the poor should pay less, while the rich and businesses should pay more,” Cayetano said. “But that is not that simple, because it is important that the country remains competitive. Even our own regions have to compete with each other.”

Cayetano recalled there were hundreds of manufacturing corporations in his home city of Taguig in the 1980s to 1990s.

“Later, they transferred to Cavite, and eventually to China. So the reality is we have to look at the incentives offered by Vietnam, Thailand and the rest of Southeast Asia,” he said. “We have to look at how attractive our own incentives are for business to come into the country.”

In the latter part of 2019, the House of Representatives had passed a bill containing its version of “time-bound and performance-based” tax incentives. The measure has since been pending with the Senate.

The proposed law also seeks to reduce corporate income tax from 30 percent to 20 percent over 10 years.

Dominguez is supporting the House version, but Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez and the Philippine Economic Zone Authority have asked the Senate to introduce changes, according to Cayetano.

“So we are looking at corporate income tax and incentives after the enactment of the sin tax law,” Cayetano said.

He called on the Senate to act on the bill, saying Congress has “limited time” and will adjourn for its Holy Week recess middle of next month.

Cayetano also urged citizens to communicate to their representatives any proposal they have on taxation.

to P34,708,837.86, inclusive of increments. Primarily engaged in trading, Dimicor Trading and General Merchandising listed its principal address at 544 Martinez Street, San Juan, Morong, Rizal.

Investigation records of BIR-East NCR showed respondents failed to either pay or submit relevant supporting documents to either substantiate their claims or refute said assessments or to file an appeal with the Court of Tax Appeals, hence making the said assessments final, executory and demandable.

The BIR conducted collection and enforcement strategies with the issuance of the “Preliminary Collection Letters and Final Notices Before Seizure” that proved futile as the afore-cited assessments remained unpaid. Likewise, Warrants of Distraint and/or Levy and Garnishment were issued and served, the BIR-East NCR said. The government agency

implementation or revenue collection is not right—let us know, so we can take action,” he said. Jovee Marie N. dela Cruz

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Friday, February 7, 2020

Asian economies seen cutting rates to blunt impact of virus

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ANGKOK—Thailand’s central bank cut its benchmark interest rate and other Asian countries look set to follow suit as they seek ways to soften the impact of the outbreak of a virus in China that has killed more than 560 people.

The Bank of Thailand cut the prime rate to a record low 1 percent from 1.25 percent on Wednesday to help the economy weather a series of setbacks.

Many of China’s neighbors are reeling from plunging tourist arrivals and other adverse impacts from the outbreak that has spread from the central Chinese city of Wuhan to more than 20 countries.

Governments and central banks have indicated they’re prepared to act to prevent the outbreak from throwing regional economies into

chaos.

The Bank of Thailand said the softer credit policy would help businesses and households cope as risks rise from mounting debt.

A severe drought and uncertainties brought on by the trade war between China and the US are also casting a shadow over the outlook for one of Southeast Asia’s biggest economies.

“The Thai economy would expand at a slower rate in 2020 than previously forecasted and much further below its potential due to the impact of the outbreak of

coronavirus,” a delay in enacting the annual budget and the drought, the central bank said in a statement. “Exports of goods would decline in line with trading partner economies and potential impacts of regional supply chain disruptions,” it said.

Analysts are predicting that the central bank will cut the benchmark rate by another 0.25 percentage point, perhaps as soon as March.

Singapore, the Philippines and Indonesia are among other countries that have signaled a readiness to adjust policies if need be.

The Monetary Authority of Singapore said on Wednesday that it had “sufficient room” to ease the exchange rate “in line with the weakening of economic conditions as a result of the outbreak.”

The Philippine central bank is due to update its monetary stance on Thursday.

About 10 percent of Thailand’s economy hinges on exports to China. The share of such exports is even higher for Vietnam, Taiwan, South Korea and Malaysia.

Exporters of major commodities

like oil, coal and iron ore also are vulnerable to shocks from a further slowdown in China’s economy.

The trend toward easing credit began last year as relations between China and the US dipped to their worst in decades and is expected to continue.

Analysts at Fitch Solutions Macro Research said on Wednesday that they estimate regional growth could slow to 4.0 percent from 4.3 percent in 2019 if the outbreak leads to a much slower rate of growth for China.

Economists already are forecasting that China’s economy, the world’s second largest, will expand at about a 5 percent pace in 2020, down from 6.1 percent last year.

The Fitch report reckons that China accounts for more than two-thirds of growth for developing economies in Asia and for almost 80 percent of travel.

Apart from the interest rate cut, Thai authorities have taken a series of steps to ease conditions for businesses, including tax cuts, easing loan repayment terms and extending the deadline for filing personal income tax from March to June. AP

10 MORE SICK WITH VIRUS ON ONE OF TWO ISOLATED CRUISE SHIPS

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EIJING—Ten more people were sickened with a new virus aboard one of two quarantined cruise ships with some

5,400 passengers and crew aboard, health officials in Japan said Thursday, as China reported 73 more deaths and announced that the first

group of patients were expected to start taking a new antiviral drug. The ships in Japan and Hong Kong are caught up in a global health

emergency that seems to worsen by the day.

In the port city of Yokohama, just outside Tokyo, health workers said 10 more people from the Diamond Princess were confirmed ill with the virus, in addition to 10 others who tested positive on Wednesday. The latest infections included four Japanese, two Americans, two Canadians, one New Zealander and one Taiwanese.

Most were in their 60s and 70s.

They were dropped off as the ship docked and transferred to nearby hospitals for further test and treatment.

The 3,700 people on board faced a two-week quarantine in their cabins. The ship had 2,666 passengers and 1,045 crew members. More tests are pending on 171 others who had symptoms or had contact with a man who was diagnosed with the virus after leaving the ship in Hong Kong, the Health Ministry said.

The 3,600 people aboard the Hong Kong ship, the World Dream, were also being screened after three passengers on a previous voyage were diagnosed with the virus. The territory’s beleaguered leader, Carrie Lam, announced that two terminals—including one where the cruise ship is currently quarantined—will be shut down.

The director-general of the World Health Organization, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, on Wednesday asked for $675 million to help countries address the expected spread of the virus. He acknowledged that the sum is a lot, but told a news briefing that “it’s much less than the bill we will face if we do not invest in preparedness now.”

Tedros said that in the last 24 hours, the UN health agency has seen the biggest jump in cases since the start of the epidemic. According to the latest figures early Thursday, the number of confirmed cases jumped by 3,694 to 28,018, and the death toll rose to 563. The number of those “discharged and cured” stood at 1,153.

Outside mainland China, at least 240 cases have been confirmed, including two fatalities, one in Hong Kong and another in the Philippines.

South Korea reported four more cases for a total of 23. They included a Chinese tourist and South Koreans whose relatives were infected or were in contact with patients.

The official Xinhua News Agency said clinical trials for the antiviral drug Remdesivir have been approved and the first group of patients are expected to start taking the drug on Thursday.

The stock price of the drug’s maker, American biotechnology company Gilead Sciences Inc., has enjoyed a boost from word of the trials.

A senior health official in Thailand said that “at the moment, there is no vaccine and no specific treatment, but there are several regimes” that are being tried out.

Antivirals and other drugs can reduce the severity of the virus, but “so far, no antivirals have been proven effective,” said Thanarak Plipat, a doctor and deputy director general of the Disease Control Department of the Health Ministry.

He said Gilead’s Remdesivir was among several options.

“There are several other antivirals although there are a lot of unknowns. But we have a lot of hope, as well,” Thanarak told reporters Tuesday.

AP

The W

Business China to reduce tariffs on $75-billion US goods

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HINA will halve tariffs on some $75 billion of imports from the US later this month, reciprocating a US action and likely satisfying part of the interim trade deal.

The cut will be effective from 1:01 p.m. on Februay 14, Beijing time, according to a Ministry of Finance statement on Thursday, the same time as when the US will implement reductions in tariffs on Chinese products. Chinese punitive tariffs on American goods that were adopted from September 1 last year will be lowered, with the rate on some dropping to 5 percent from 10 percent, and the others to 2.5 percent from 5 percent.

Both nations said they would cut tariffs on the others’ goods as part of the phase one deal which was signed last month. The world’s two biggest economies paused their trade war in January, although even with these changes, tariffs are in effect on large parts of the bilateral trade and there are numerous other points of friction in the relationship.

Other retaliatory tariffs China has imposed on US goods will remain, according to the statement. In the meantime, China will continue processing applications for tariff exemptions, it said.

“We don’t see any impact from this tariff cut—the measures are in line with what the US side is doing,” said Li Qiang, head of Shanghai JC Intelligence Co. While China will continue to process waivers on farm product imports, it won’t remove its punitive tariffs if the US maintains its

duties, he said.

The yuan extended gains after news of the tariff reduction, with the offshore rate advancing as much as 0.26 percent to 6.9573 per dollar. Soybean futures traded in Chicago hardly moved following the news, trading 0.6 percent higher. Brent futures in London inched up, rising as much as 2.4 percent.

In the deal, China agreed to increase its imports from the US, including agricultural products and services, from 2017 levels by no less than $200 billion over the next two years. China is set to release January trade data on Friday, providing a first glimpse of this year’s imports from the US. Economists estimate overall trade in January likely contracted due to the Lunar New Year holiday, while the outbreak of the coronavirus casts a cloud over the outlook for the coming months.

After the reduction, retaliatory tariffs on American crude oil will be lowered to 2.5 percent from 5 percent. Punitive tariffs on soybeans will go down to 27.5 percent from 30 percent, and to 30 percent from 35 percent for pork, beef, and chicken.

These rates are higher as these goods were also hit with tariffs in 2018, which will remain in place.

“China hopes that both sides can comply with and implement the agreement to enhance market confidence, promote development of bilateral economic ties and facilitate global economic growth,” according to the statement.

Bloomberg News

How to avoid coronavirus on flights: Forget masks, says top airline doctor

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ORGET face masks and rubber gloves. The best way to avoid the coronavirus is frequent hand washing, according to a medical adviser to the world’s airlines.

The virus can’t survive long on seats or armrests, so physical contact with another person carries the greatest risk of infection on a flight, said David Powell, a physician and medical adviser to the International Air Transport Association. Masks and gloves do a better job of spreading bugs than stopping them, he said.

As concern mounts about the scale of the outbreak, carriers from United Airlines Holdings Inc. to Cathay Pacific Airways Ltd. have scrapped thousands of flights to China. Here is an edited transcript from an interview with Powell.

IATA represents about 290 airlines and more than 80 percent of global air traffic.

Q: Is there a risk of becoming contaminated with the virus on a plane?

A: The risk of catching a serious viral infection on an aircraft is low. The air supply to a modern airliner is very different from a movie theater or an office building. The air is a combination of fresh air and recirculated air, about half each. The recirculated air goes through filters of the exact same type that we use in surgical operating theaters. That supplied air is guaranteed to be 99.97 percent (or better) free of viruses and other particles. So the risk, if there is one, does not come from the supplied air. It comes from other people.

Q: What are the chances of getting the virus by touching the seats, armrest or any of the objects on a plane?

A: Viruses and other microbes like to live on living surfaces like us. Just shaking hands with somebody will be a greater risk by far than some dry surface that has no biological material on it.

The survival of viruses on surfaces isn’t great, so it’s believed that normal cleaning, and then the extra cleaning in the event that someone was discovered to be contagious, is the appropriate procedure. Will people stop getting together inside an airplane? I would respond by asking: Will I stop going to the movies, or sports games, or concerts or conferences? I don’t think so.

Q: What’s important if you are on a plane to ensure you don’t get infected?

A: Hand hygiene—because contrary to what people think, the hands are the

way that these viruses most efficiently spread. Top of the list is frequent hand washing, hand sanitizing, or both.

Avoid touching your face. If you cough or sneeze, it’s important to cover your face with a sleeve. Better yet, a tissue to be disposed of carefully, and then sanitizing the hands afterward. Washing your hands and drying them is the best procedure. When that’s not easy to do, alcohol-based sanitizer is a good second-best.

Q: Does wearing masks and gloves help prevent infections?

A: First of all, masks. There’s very limited evidence of benefit, if any, in a casual situation. Masks are useful for those who are unwell to protect other people from them. But wearing a mask all the time will be ineffective. It will allow viruses to be transmitted around it, through it and worse still, if it becomes moist it will encourage the growth of viruses and bacteria. Gloves are probably even worse, because people put on gloves and then touch everything they would have touched with their hands.

So it just becomes another way of transferring micro-organisms. And inside the gloves, your hands get hot and sweaty, which is a really good environment for microbes to grow.

Q: Is shutting borders the answer to containing the spread of the virus?

A: One thing that’s changed in the world is the ability for infections to travel rapidly from one location to another and it’s true that aviation is part of that. At the same time, aviation is essential to dealing with outbreaks like this. And this is why we have collaboration with the World Health Organization and IATA that’s been in place for several years. If countries just shut down during disease outbreaks, as happened in west Africa with Ebola, that can make things much worse. During that outbreak, the country struggled, WHO couldn’t get their people in, they couldn’t get biological samples out. The economic impact of being shut off made things worse. General travel bans can make things worse. It can encourage people to travel in secret, which means you lose control of it.

Q: When can we safely say that the worst may be over?

A: The number of cases have continued to increase at around about 16 percent to 20 percent each day. Until we get to the point where those numbers are declining, we couldn’t say we turned the corner. Bloomberg News

World

sMirror

Editor: Angel R. Calso

Chinese scientists ask for patent on US drug to fight coronavirus

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EIJING— Scientists in the city at the center of China’s virus outbreak have applied to patent a drug made by US company Gilead Science Inc. to treat the disease, possibly fueling conflict over technology policy that helped trigger Washington’s tariff war with Beijing.

THIS March 12, 2009, file photo shows Gilead Sciences Inc. headquarters in Foster City, Calif. Scientists in the city at the center of China’s virus outbreak have applied to patent a drug made by US company Gilead Science Inc. to treat the disease, possibly fueling more of the conflict over technology policy that helped trigger Washington’s tariff war with Beijing. AP PHOTO/PAUL SAKUMA

The government-run Wuhan Institute of Virology said this week it applied for the patent in January along with a military laboratory. An institute statement acknowledged there are “intellectual property barriers” but said it acted to “protect national interests.”

Granting its own scientists a patent might give the Chinese government leverage in negotiations over paying for the drug. But it also might fuel complaints Beijing abuses its regulatory system to pressure foreign companies to hand over valuable technology.

On Thursday, the official Xinhua News Agency said clinical trials of the drug, remdesivir, were due to start.

Gilead, headquartered in Foster City, California, said it applied in 2016 for a Chinese patent on use of remdesivir against coronaviruses and is waiting for a decision. The coronavirus family includes the novel coronavi-

rus, or 2019-nCoV, blamed for the outbreak in Wuhan.

“Gilead has no influence over whether a patent office issues a patent to the Chinese researchers,” said a company spokesman, Ryan McKeel. “Their application has been filed more than three years after Gilead’s filing and will be considered in view of what is already known about the compound and pending patent applications.”

The institute said its application was filed on January 21. Two days later, Chinese authorities suspended most access to Wuhan, a city of 11 million people.

That lockdown has expanded to surrounding cities and some in other provinces, isolating a total of about 60 million people in the most sweeping anti-disease measures ever imposed.

China has the right under World Trade Organization rules to declare an emergency and compel a company to license a patent to protect the public. It would be required to pay a license fee that is

deemed fair market value.

The government might be able to avoid that fee if the patent were granted to the Wuhan institute, part of the elite Chinese Academy of Sciences.

The institute said it applied for a “use patent” that specifies the Wuhan virus as the drug’s target. Gilead’s patent application, filed before the virus was identified, cites only the overall family of coronaviruses.

The Chinese researchers made their patent application “from the perspective of protecting national interests,” said the institute statement.

“If relevant foreign companies plan to contribute to China’s epidemic prevention and control, we both agree that if the state needs it, we will not require enforcement of rights given by the patent,” it said.

Gilead said last week it was working with US and Chinese health authorities on studying remdesivir. The company said it has provided the drug for emer-

World’s top steelmaker sounds alarm as coronavirus spreads through China

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HE world’s largest steelmaker has sounded the alarm about the outlook as the coronavirus crisis rips through Asia’s top economy, with China’s premier industry grouping warning of transport snarls, weaker demand, and a situation this quarter that “does not look optimistic.”

“Companies are facing restrictions in logistics and transport, trades have been muted, prices of raw materials and steel have slid, which is causing the market’s value to decline,” the China Iron & Steel Association said. The group, which represents the biggest suppliers, gave a green light for lower production, while flagging potential for stimulus-aided demand later in the year.

Com mo d it ies h ave b e e n rocked by China’s health crisis, which has killed hundreds, sickened thousands, and hurt the outlook for raw material demand as company activities are suspended and transport barred. The country is the top buyer of iron ore from shippers

including BHP Group, Rio Tinto Group and Vale SA. Conditions in China’s steel industr y— which accounts for more than half global output—set the tone for producers and users around the world.

The virus’s impact on the steel industry will be concentrated in the first quarter, the association said in a statement.

“Steelmakers should appropriately adjust production schedules based on orders, finances, ability to transport materials,” it said. The sector should “avoid malignant competition, manage traders, and strictly not sell at low prices and disrupt the market.”

Iron ore has slumped this year amid the health crisis, which has escalated during an annual, nationwide vacation when mills and steel users scale back operations. Given the outbreak, most of China’s provinces—including areas where steel production is concentrated— have extended the break.

Iron ore has sagged 15 percent in Singapore in 2020, and last

traded at $78.62 a ton as mostactive futures pared an intraday loss following a statement from China’s central government that it planned to halve tariffs on some US imports. Steel prices are also lower this year.

The steel association urged producers to analyze trends rationally, and flagged the possibility of an improving outlook in the second quarter on stimulus, according to the statement.

The steel sector’s performance this year would still improve compared with last year, it said.

I n 2 0 19, C h i n a’s m i l l s churned out almost 1 billion tons of steel, and they accounted for about 70 percent of global seaborne iron ore demand.

A few hours after the statement from the China mills’ grouping, Luxembourg-based producer ArcelorMittal struck an upbeat tone as it reported earnings. “We believe the effect of the coronavirus will likely have a short-term negative demand impact in China and to a lesser degree elsewhere,” it said.

Bloomberg News

gency use in a small number of patients with the Wuhan

virus “in the absence of any approved treatment options.” AP

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Taiwan blasts WHO for saying it’s part of China in virus report

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AIWAN’S foreign minister criticized the World Health Organization for referring to the island as part of China amid a worsening coronavirus outbreak. “@WHO, what’s wrong with you? First you called us ‘Taiwan, China,’ then you changed to ‘Taipei.’ You misreported the confirmed cases, & now you call us ‘Taipei & Environs.’ Look!

Taiwan is #Taiwan & not any part of the #PRC,” Foreign Minister Joseph Wu wrote in a sharply worded tweet on Thursday.

As a United Nations body, the WHO treats the separately governed island as part of China, a view Taiwan’s government rejects. The WHO was forced to correct its coronavirus situation report on Monday after erroneously saying there were 13 cases in Taiwan. Taiwan’s Centers for Disease Control says there have been 11 confirmed cases of the virus in Taiwan so far.

Other WHO reports have referred to Taiwan as its capital “Taipei & environs.”

The tweet was posted to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’s official account and signed “JW,” indicating it came directly from the minister.

Wu isn’t the only one to have challenged the WHO’s treatment of Taiwan. US politicians, including Republican Senators Mitt Romney and Cory Gardner, have in the past week called for Taiwan’s immediate inclusion in the WHO, the International Civil Aviation Organization and the International Criminal Police Organization, known as Interpol.

While Taiwan’s government was a founding member of the United Nations, the People’s Republic of China took its seat in the body, and all subordinate organizations, in 1971. China considers Taiwan a part of its territory despite the People’s Republic never having controlled the island. Bloomberg News

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B6 Friday, February 7, 2020

Editor: Angel R. Calso

Trump wins acquittal, but Ukraine saga far from over

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ASHINGTON— The impeachment of President Donald J. Trump is over, but it’s far from case closed on Ukraine.

A full accounting of Trump’s dealings with Ukraine, stemming in large part from the foreign policy entanglements pursued by personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani, remains unfinished despite Trump’s acquittal on Wednesday in the Senate.

As the president launches into his reelection campaign, pushing past the charges that threatened his legacy, it’s only a matter of time before fresh details, documents and eyewitnesses emerge, including revelations in a new book from John Bolton, the former national security adviser.

The result could be the start of

a prolonged investigation with no clear endpoint, keeping questions about the president’s conduct alive through the election in November. It’s the kind of prolonged fallout that Trump and his GOP allies sought to avoid as they rejected a lengthy impeachment trial.

“More is going to come out every day, indeed it has come out every day and every week,” said House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff in an interview on Wednesday with The Associated Press.

Schiff, the House’s lead impeachment manager, said that no final decisions have been made

Senate Minority Leader Sen. Chuck Schumer of N.Y., speaks during a news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington on Wednesday, Feb. 5, 2020, following a vote in the Senate to acquit President Donald J. Trump on both articles of impeachment. AP Photo/Susan Walsh

on whether to subpoena Bolton in the House after the Senate voted not to hear his testimony.

“The president’s basic lack of character, his willingness to cheat in the election—he’s not going to stop,” Schiff said. “It’s not going to change, which means that we are going to have to remain

eternally vigilant.”

Bolton, who was in the room as Trump made key decisions, will be telling his story soon, possibly in testimony, if House leaders decide to subpoena him, or in a book that is scheduled for release in March.

And it’s not just Bolton.

Giuliani associate Lev Parnas, a Florida businessman who claims to have been working for Trump on Ukraine, has said he is eager to testify before Congress and tell his side of the story. Indicted on campaign finance charges last year, he has been providing documents and messages to impeachment investigators.

Meanwhile, thousands of pages of Ukraine-related documents are slowly emerging in response to Freedom of Information Act lawsuits filed by watchdog groups. The Justice Department disclosed in a court filing last weekend that it has 24 e-mails related to Ukraine that it has not produced.

Rep. Eliot Engel, the House Foreign Affairs chairman, said the Ukraine story “is definitely not over.” His committee was one of several that worked on the impeachment inquiry.

“I can tell you we’re not going to let the issue drop,” Engel said. “I think there are a lot of unanswered questions that the American public deserves to know.”

Connecticut Rep. Jim Himes, a member of the intelligence panel, said the House will need to be “more vigorous than ever for abuses of power” as Trump is likely to be emboldened by his acquittal. “Even if the president continues his obstruction, the facts will come out,” he said.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell acknowledged in the minutes after the vote that “the investigations will go on,” adding “that’s sort of what Congress does.” But Republicans said it’s time for Congress to move on.

South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham, the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee and one of Trump’s fiercest GOP defenders, said the “the cloud over the presidency has been removed.” But at the same time, he announced that his own committee would continue to investigate Hunter Biden, the son of former Vice President Joe Biden who was the target of Trump’s Ukraine push.

The will-he - or-won’t-he saga of Bolton’s testimony has been running since October, when he was invited to testify voluntarily in the House’s impeachment inquiry and declined to show up. Democrats opted against a subpoena as Bolton’s attorney threatened time-consuming litigation.

In January, after the House voted to impeach Trump, Bolton made a surprise announcement that he would testify in the Senate trial if called. Since then, House Democrats have pushed off questions

about whether they would try again.

Schiff said that Democrats would “canvas as a caucus and our leadership to discuss next steps” on Bolton. House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y., was less cautious, saying it was “likely” Bolton would be subpoenaed by the House.

If House Democrats do subpoena Bolton, it’s unclear how he will respond.

His lawyer, Chuck Cooper, did not immediately return an e-mail message seeking comment on Wednesday.

Beyond Ukraine, Democrats are expected to revive investigations that they were conducting before Congress in September was first alerted to Trump’s overtures to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy.

They will likely continue their push to obtain Trump’s taxes, look into his financial dealings and examine his most controversial policies, including child separation at the border. They are also expected to continue to push for legislation passed by the House that would attempt to combat foreign interference in elections, using Trump’s efforts in Ukraine as a touchstone.

“We’re going to spend a lot of time focusing on election security,” said Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer in an interview with the AP on Wednesday.

“It’s clear that Trump would intervene in elections, and it’s clear to many of us that he would not be chastened.”

Democrats could also look for other ways to constrain the president. The House could try and curtail dollars for certain programs, and though the process is long, continue to fight for witnesses in court. Democrats sued former White House counsel Don McGahn last year after he refused to testify before the Judiciary panel on special counsel Robert Mueller’s report, and that case is ongoing.

“In effect, he’s said he’s above the law.

What guardrails are there?” asked Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn. “One is the power of the purse. Another is to continue to go to court.”

Yet Democrats concede that defeating Trump in November is their shot at achieving what impeachment could not.

“This is a president who is now completely unleashed, and it’s going to be very difficult to hold him accountable,” said Maryland Sen. Chris Van Hollen. “Between now and then you are going to see a steady drip, drip of documents that will shed a light on the president’s abuse of power.” AP

UK and Australia commit to free trade negotiations

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ANBERRA, Australia—British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab made his first overseas trip since Brexit on Thursday to faraway Australia, where he reaffirmed Britain’s desire for a free trade deal and gave assurances that the countries’ differing views on Chinese tech giant Huawei would not stand in the way of closer relations.

Raab’s first stop was the capital Canberra on a trip that will also take him to Japan as well as former British colonies Malaysia and Singapore.

Both Raab and Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne reaffirmed their commitment to start negotiations on a bilateral free trade deal as soon as possible. They also agreed to find opportunities for engagement in the Indo-Pacific region.

“We’ve recommitted today to launching negotiations on an ambitious free trade agreement between our countries as soon possible,” Raab said.

“Australia would hopefully be part of that first wave of high-priority deals that we’re pursuing,” he added.

Raab said he also discussed with Payne Britain’s decision this week to let Huawei have a limited role supplying new high-speed network equipment to wireless carriers.

Britain’s decision is the first by a major US ally in Europe, and follows intense lobbying from the Trump administration as the US vies with China for technological dominance.

Australia angered China, it biggest trading partner, by banning Huawei on security grounds from involvement in its national broadband network and the rollout of new 5G networks.

Raab assured Payne that Britain’s decision would not affect its intelligence-sharing relationship with Australia, the United States, Canada and New Zealand, which form the Five Eyes partnership.

“We were absolutely clear and looked at it very clearly and there is nothing in the decision that we took that would inhibit or disrupt in any way

Britain’s Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab (left) and Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne pose for photographs ahead of a bilateral meeting at Parliament House in Canberra on Thursday, February 6, 2020.

Lukas Coch/Pool Photo via AP

whatsoever the Five Eyes intelligence sharing and there’s nothing in the approach that we are taking that would have an impact on, for example, the sharing of sensitive data,” Raab said.

Payne said she was confident Australia could strike a free trade deal with Britain.

“We are...at opposite ends of the world, yet we are very ready and able to grab a new era of opportunity for enhanced strategic and economic cooperation,” Payne said. “We also look forward to an early, comprehensive and ambitious free trade agreement because we both believe in rules-based markets for trade and investment,” she added.

Australia also accepted Britain’s offer for cooperation between the countries’ space agencies so that high-resolution satellite imaging could help Australia prepare and respond to wildfires.

An unprecedented wildfire season has killed at least 33 people and destroyed more than 3,000 homes since September. AP

www.businessmirror.com.ph

The World BusinessMirror

Friday, February 7, 2020

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Opec+ response to coronavirus outbreak pushes crude prices up

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IL surged for a second day on optimism Opec+ will agree on deeper cuts in response to virus-led demand destruction, and as China signaled it will cut tariffs on $75 billion of imports from the US later this month.

While Saudi Arabia and Russia are split over the threat the outbreak poses to global consumption, talks between experts from the Opec+ coalition have been extended into a third day as they seek to determine the impact on demand. China said it will halve tariffs on $75 billion of US imports, including oil, from February 14 following the phase-one trade deal signed last month.

Crude is still down around 18 percent since early January as the spread of the virus curtails travel and fuel consumption, upending trade flows worldwide.

While BP Plc expects the crisis to wipe out one-third of global oil demand growth in 2020, Opec is predicting a more modest hit, even in a worst-case scenario.

“Investors are turning optimistic that Opec+ will deliver an appropriate response to alleviate concerns stemming from the spread of the virus,” said Stephen Innes, chief market strategist at AxiCorp. Still, prices are likely to resume declines due to the hit to Chinese consumption, he added.

West Texas Intermediate crude added $1.25, or 2.5 percent, to $52 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange as of 2:43 p.m. in Singapore after gaining as much as 2.9 percent earlier. The contract climbed 2.3 percent on Wednesday, the biggest jump since Jan. 3. Brent rose 2.1

percent to $56.43.

Russia would be willing to extend the current output cuts, which were agreed in December and are due to expire in March, but doesn’t want additional measures, according to one delegate. Russia and Saudi Arabia have often disagreed about whether to reduce production since the Opec+ alliance was formed, but have ultimately found a way to compromise.

The Chinese tariff cut will be effective from 1:01 p.m. on Februay 14 in Beijing, the Ministry of Finance said in a statement. That’s the same time the US will implement reductions in levies on Chinese products. The duties on American goods imposed on September 1 last year will be lowered, with the rate on some dropping to 5 percent from 10 percent, and the others including crude to 2.5 percent from 5 percent.

However, it remains to be seen whether the reductions will lead to increased Chinese purchases of American oil and other commodities given how weak demand is.

“With millions in quarantine due to the coronavirus and its economic slowdown, China is going to be cutting back on oil imports anyway, making the cut in tariffs less significant in lifting oil purchases,” said John Driscoll, chief strategist at JTD Energy Services Ltd. Bloomberg News

Not total break, but fissures in US-Iraqi military alliance

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AGHDAD—A new watchtower rose over an American military base in northern Iraq, and cranes lifted hefty slabs of concrete to reinforce the barricades in beefed-up protections. The danger, soldiers there said, came not from the constellation of militant sleeper cells embedded in the landscape but further afield in Iran.

US forces in Iraq have been on guard for retaliation

by Iran or its Shiite militias allies since the US killed Iran’s top general in Iraq with an airstrike in Baghdad last month. The January 3 strike also fueled a wave of outrage among Iraq’s Shiite leadership and intensified demands that American troops leave the country.

Since then, Iraqi leaders have scaled back the saber-rattling rhetoric. But behind closed doors, the bitterness has poisoned the partnership. The government told the Iraqi military not to seek US help in operations fighting the Islamic State group, two senior Iraqi military officials told The Associated Press—a sign that authorities are serious about rethinking the strategic relationship.

At stake are vital US-provided weapons, military technologies and aircraft that have been key in countering the threat of Islamic State group militants trying to make a comeback in northern and western Iraq.

The prospect of losing that help is one reason why Iraqi politicians have cooled their demands for American forces to go immediately. Senior Iraqi military officials oppose a withdrawal.

“To us the American presence is like the electricity network in a house,” said a brigadier general stationed in western Iraq, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to media.

“If the light is turned off the whole place goes dark.”

In the wake of the US strike that killed Iran’s Gen. Qassem Soleimani and a senior Iraqi militia commander, Iraq’s parliament passed a non-binding resolution demanding the government force out the Americans.

Tens of thousands marched in an anti-US rally inspired by a radical cleric, while Iraq’s outgoing premier, Adel Abdul-Mahdi, openly stated that the troops must go.

American forces had to halt joint operations with Iraqi military against IS after the strike, a pause that would last for three weeks. In the interim, the US troops fortified bases against potential retaliation by Iran or Iraqi Shiite militias—like the new tower and beefed-up barricades at a base visited recently by the AP in the northern Iraqi city of Irbil.

About 5,200 US soldiers are stationed in Iraqi bases to support local troops fighting IS militants, part of a larger international coalition invited by the Iraqi government in 2014.

But since then, Western officials say Iraqi authorities have taken no concrete measures to hasten a withdrawal plan.

“I’d say with virtually all of the Shiite political party leaders there’s been behind closed doors and in private meetings a much more thoughtful approach on how they deal with this and a desire on their part to maintain a relationship and a coalition partnership that they regard as essential for Iraq,” said a US official, who spoke on condition of anonymity in line with regulations.

In a Cabinet session, Abdul-Mahdi said it was up to the next government to see through Parliament’s resolution. Prime Minister-designate Mohammed Allawi, a former communications minister, has not made his policy known.

Western diplomats were told that Iraq had formed a committee to study the issue of America’s troop presence in Iraq, but two Iraqi officials said there was no official sign off from Abdul-Mahdi formally creating such a committee. James Jeffrey, special envoy for the global coalition to defeat IS, said, speaking of the committee, “there has not been any real engagement,” in remarks to reporters in Washington on January 23.

Washington has responded to Iraq’s requests to initiate troop withdrawals with blunt refusal, even threatening sanctions that could cripple Iraq’s economy.

Instead of directly pushing for US withdrawal, Iraq’s government appears to be quietly distancing itself on the ground. Though the US announced joint operations against IS had resumed, Iraq has been unclear. The Iraqi military announced the end of the pause on January 30, but a military spokesman rescinded the claim in remarks to state television. It was not followed up with a clarification. On at least two occasions in January, US officials said they expected the pause would be lifted imminently.

Two Iraqi military officials and a militia commander said this week that the government told its military not to seek assistance from the US-led coalition in anti-IS operations and to minimize cooperation. The three spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to talk to the press.

“Until now, we have not asked the Americans to provide assistance, we rely on our capabilities to pursue IS elements. The presence of the Americans in the joint operations is only formal,” a senior military intelligence official told The Associated Press.

Another of the officials, a commander in Iraq’s elite US-trained Counter-Terrorism Services in western Anbar province, said some training continues, but “as for military operations and carrying out operations, there is no support.”

No coalition airstrikes have been carried out against IS since the killing of Soleimani, said coalition spokesman Myles Caggins. In contrast, 45 strikes were conducted in Iraq in October and November. “The Iraqis have not requested assistance with airstrikes in recent weeks while our operations are paused,” Caggins said. AP

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Hyundai starts CNY with a bang with Hyundai Baguio City launch

Gracing the Hyundai Baguio City launch were (from left) Hyundai Baguio City Dealer Principal Archimedes J. Go, Hyundai Asia Resources, Inc. (HARI) President & CEO Maria Fe Perez-Agudo, Speaker of the House of Representatives Hon. Alan Peter S. Cayetano, Baguio City Representative Hon. Marquez O. Go, HARI Chairman Emeritus Richard L. Lee, and Grit Motors Corporation President Soledad Go.

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N the Eve of Chinese New Year, Hyundai, the No. 1 Korean automotive brand in the Philippines, unveiled Hyundai Baguio City, its first-ever full-service passenger car (PC) dealership in the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR).

The Summer Capital of the Philippines is an acknowledged center of tourism, business, commerce, and education in Northern Luzon. Recently, Baguio City bagged the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Clean Tourist City award for

outstanding performance in its conservation and beautification campaign. It was also honored as a UNESCO Creative City under the Crafts and Folk Arts category in 2017.

“We start the year and the new decade strong by proudly hoisting the Hyundai flag in Baguio City, fortifying our growing Hyundai dealership network and reiterating that Hyundai continues to reach out to provide Filipinos better automotive products, better after-sales services, and ultimately, better journeys,” said Hyundai

Asia Resources, Inc. (HARI) President and CEO Ma. Fe Perez Agudo, Hyundai Baguio City, managed by Grit Motors Corporation, takes pride in its being a pioneer Hyundai PC dealership in CAR. Said Dealer Principal Archimedes Go, “Grit is our main message. This is what Hyundai Baguio stands for. Blessed with supportive family, friends, and colleagues, we shall work with grit and grace, excellence and honesty, to make Hyundai No. 1 in Baguio.”

Hyundai Baguio City complies with Global Dealership Space Identity (GDSI) standards, the modern design philosophy of Hyundai Motor Company (HMC) that mirrors and complements its top-performing vehicles, such as the Reina, Accent, Kona, Tucson, Grand Starex, and Santa Fe. Hyundai Baguio City is part of HARI’s aggressive PC and Commercial Vehicle (CV) network expansion into the country’s high growth corridors. Last 2019, HARI sold 33,763 units (full-year figures) and generated 2.9% growth in December versus the same month in 2018, enabling it to maintain its position in the market as one of the top automotive brands in the Philippine market.

Customers can now visit Hyundai Baguio City which is located along C. M. Recto St., Baguio City.

PHILIPPINE INTERNATIONAL FLOWER SHOW 2020. Jerry Sibal (right) is joined by Roberto Garcia, Deputy General Manager of the Philippine International Convention Center, during the launch of the First Philippine International Flower Show, scheduled on Oct 15-18, 2020 at the PICC. The four- day event is slated as an international horticulture and floriculture extravaganza which will feature various industry suppliers and stakeholders. It is envisioned to spur interest in developing the flower industry and generate jobs and a sustainable platform to significantly contribute to the economy. PICC has initiated the government oriented partnership which is seen to include other government agencies and the private sector. Photo/ROY DOMINGO

Celebrate Sikhayan Festival 2020 at Enchanted Kingdom

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ET into the festive mood this 2020!

Include Sta. Rosa City in your travel itinerary this February and witness the colorful celebration of the 21st Sikhayan. Complete your visit to the City by heading over to the first and only world-

class theme park in the Philippines— Enchanted Kingdom!

Choose from the two of EK’s special festive offerings. Regular Day Pass Rate starts at P640.00 on weekdays, and P720.00 on weekends from February 7 to March 1 2020.

The promo is open to ALL walk-in GUESTS. Promo tickets are available at Makati Sales Office, Front Gate Ticket Booths, and the Group Sales Office.

Purchased tickets cannot be rebooked and are not valid in conjunction with other special discounts such as Junior, Senior Citizen, and PWD rates.

For inquiries, please call 0939-9353535/(+632) 8 830 3535 or send an e-mail to ekcorpmarketing@gmail.com.

To get fresh updates, don’t forget to like Enchanted Kingdom’s facebook page at www.facebook.com/enchantedkingdom.ph.

See you at Enchanted Kingdom – where the magic lives forever!

Delta sales team extends help to Taal evacuees

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N January 21, Manilabased Sales team of Delta Air Lines, organized a relief operation in Batangas City where more than 460,000 Filipinos have been displaced due to the hazardous volcanic activity of Taal. The team mobilized relief efforts in three schools located at Barangay Lodlod and Bolbok in Lipa City Batangas which shelter 300 families or more than 750 individuals. Through the Delta team’s outpour of support

and immense dedication, they were able to gather and provide mattresses, woven mats, blankets, face masks, baby bottles, and sets of underwear as well as hygiene kits for the evacuees. They also served hot porridge, rice cakes, and bread, and took time listening to the stories of the evacuees.

Delta Air Lines (NYSE: DAL) is the U.S. global airline leader in products, services, innovation, reliability and customer experience.

Giving back to the community has been core to Delta’s culture for more than 90 years. Delta is committed to being a strong partner and giving back to the communities where we live, work and serve, contributing 1 percent of net income to charitable organizations each year.

State volcanologists from the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) lowered Taal Volcano’s alert status to Level 3 on January 26, Sunday.

SM Foundation bags DSWD’s Panata ko sa Bayan Award from DSWD

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M Foundation was named one of 2019 recipients of the Pagkilala sa Natatanging Kontribusyon sa Bayan or PaNaTa Ko sa Bayan Awards, an annual activity of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) that recognizes efforts of individuals, groups, and organizations whose panata (vow) is to share their resources, time and selves in providing for a better opportunity for disadvantaged sectors and for the promotion of inclusive growth.

The awarding ceremony coincided with the 69th anniversary celebration of DSWD. Awardees are chosen based on their significant contributions to the DSWD in fulfilling its mandate of improving the quality of life of the poor and disadvantaged sectors.

SM Foundation, established in 19983 by SM founder Henry Sy Sr. and his wife, Felicidad T. Sy undertakes SM group of companies’ corporate social responsibility. The Foundation is committed to serve by supporting and empowering host communities through education,

healthcare, shelter, disaster response, farmer's training, environmental programs and care for persons with special needs inspired by the principle of People Helping People espoused by its founder.

SM Foundation was represented by its AVP for Livelihood and

Outreach Programs, Ms. Cristie Angeles in the awarding ceremony.

The awarding ceremony also served as a venue for sharing and learning the best practices, technologies and system of governance for individuals, organizations and LGUs.

ASHINGTON—The head of the US Anti-Doping Agency (Usada) urged Congress on Wednesday to pass a bill criminalizing international doping conspiracies before this summer’s Tokyo Olympics, saying it would be a strong deterrent in the absence of adequate punishment for past Russian doping.

Usada CEO Travis Tygart testified before the Senate Commerce Committee. The House has unanimously approved the Rodchenkov Anti-Doping Act, named for the Moscow lab director who blew the whistle on Russia’s state-sponsored doping at the 2014 Sochi Olympics, and the bill—which also includes protections for whistleblowers—has bipartisan support in the Senate.

“We all now have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to fix the global anti-doping system,” Tygart said. “We host the LA Olympic Games in 2028, and we want it real, not rigged.”

The World Anti-Doping Agency, which receives more funding from the United States than from any other country, is lobbying for extensive changes to the bill. In a letter to the Senate this week, Wada said the bill would “have the unintended consequences of shattering the antidoping system” if passed without changes.

The bill would allow US prosecutors to go after doping schemes at international events in which Americans are involved as athletes, sponsors or broadcasters. Wada has concerns about the “extraterritorial” jurisdiction the bill proposes. Many US corruption laws, including those used to prosecute Fifa executives in the soccer-bidding scandal, also allow charges for crimes committed overseas.

“Currently, there are elements of the Act that could backfire and be counterproductive for the protection of clean sport around the world,” Wada Director General Olivier Niggli said Tuesday.

Asked after the hearing whether he felt greater urgency to pass the bill before the Olympics, which begin in July, Sen. Roger Wicker, a Mississippi Republican and the committee chairman, said, “I think so.”

Tygart said the bill is consistent with Wada’s antidoping regulations and that Wada’s opposition shows the organization’s conflicts of interest.

“It’s clear that the [International Olympic Committee] runs Wada and they’ve turned into a shameless political organization, using misinformation and scare tactics,”Tygart said. “The IOC is scared because of the level of corruption that’s been exposed.”

Tygart and Usada, along with anti-doping agencies from dozens of other countries, have argued for a fully independent Wada that does not include officials who benefit financially from the sports they are supposed to be policing.

Tygart also criticized Wada for its actions in the longrunning Russia case. Russian athletes were allowed to compete at the 2018 Pyeongchang Olympics under a neutral flag, and Wada has issued the same sanction on Russia for Tokyo—disappointing some anti-doping advocates who called for a blanket ban on all Russian competitors.

Russia has appealed the new sanctions to the Court of Arbitration for Sport. The US government provides about $2.5 million annually to Wada, and Tygart said drug-free athletes are owed an explanation on why the Russia case has taken years to resolve and why Wada is using taxpayer money to lobby against reforms.

“I would urge you to have another hearing and bring in the president of the IOC, bring in the president of Wada and ask the tough questions about why this is taking so long,” Tygart said.

Wada said in a statement that Tygart’s claims about its failure to respond quickly to the Russian doping scandal were “simply untrue,” and the agency noted it had not been invited to participate in Wednesday’s hearing.

“Since Wada’s first investigation into the matter, and at every point since, the agency moved decisively to bring the guilty parties to justice in accordance with due process,” the statement said. AP

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US Congress urged to pass anti-doping bill before Olympics

HE Badminton World Federation (BWF) promised there will be no restrictions on entry for Chinese athletes competing in international competitions following the outbreak of coronavirus in the country.

So far the disease has killed 490 people with over 24,000 people infected—the vast majority in the city of Wuhan where the outbreak began.

Flights in and out of China have been suspended by a number of airlines, with nations, such as the United States and Australia, closing their borders to Chinese arrivals.

The BWF is looking for solutions in these nations where travel restrictions may affect players set to compete in BWF-sanctioned competitions.

Member-associations were asked to contact their health authorities to make them aware that international players will be arriving in their country.

“The BWF would like to make it clear, however, that it will not be restricting participation of Chinese players and officials, or any other players or officials, at international badminton and Para badminton tournaments,” a BWF statement said. “Chinese athletes are free to enter events and we trust tournament hosts will provide full assistance and treat all athletes from all member-associations equally.”

“In the meantime, all normal tournament conventions and etiquette will still apply at badminton events, such as the coin toss, shaking of hands and medal ceremonies,” the statement added.

Last week, the BWF announced the Lingshui China Masters set in Hainan from February 25 to March 1 was canceled because of the crisis.

Wuhan is set to host the Badminton Asia Championships in April and officials claim they are optimistic that the event will take place as planned.

It was revealed that 10 people on a cruise ship docked in Yokohama in Japan tested positive for the virus after an 80-year-old man from Hongkong fell ill with the symptoms while on board with nearly 300 of the 3,700 on board having been tested so far.

So far, 26 countries have confirmed cases of the disease.

Snooker star Liang Wenbo pledged his prize money winnings to charity Huizhou Red Cross in the upcoming World Grand Prix in aid of treatment for the disease.

riday, February 7, 2020 mirror_sports@yahoo.com.ph Editor: Jun Lomibao

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THE Hong Kong Sports Institute prohibited athletes from training in China amid concerns over the coronavirus outbreak.

The Hong Kong Sports Institute is the latest to temporarily prevent athletes from traveling to China.

“This has been implemented because of health reasons,” a spokesman told the South China Morning Post.

“We all know it is not the appropriate time to attend any form of activities in China as you may be exposed to dangerous conditions.”

“Although it is easy to find top-quality training partners in the mainland, athletes’ health should come first and remains our biggest concern,” the spokesman added.

Athletes from Hong Kong regularly train in China as part of their preparations for the Olympic Games.

Members of Hong Kong’s cycling team were reportedly

RESTRICTION ON HONGKONG ATHLETES

HONG KONG’S Lee Wai Sze will defend her world title at the Track Cycling World Championships in Berlin, five-time world champion Li Dan will not be banned from international tournaments and the archery World Cup in Shanghai will go on as scheduled in May.

CHINESE athletes will not take part in this weekend’s Paris Grand Slam judo competition.

The French Embassy in China is currently shut as a result of the outbreak, making it impossible for the Chinese delegation to obtain the necessary visas.

JUDOKAS SKIP PARIS EVENT

THE Shanghai Sports General Association instructed sporting bodies to suspend all events in the city until further notice due to the coronavirus outbreak.

“All sporting bodies should suspend sport events until the threat is over and formulate a plan for epidemic prevention to avoid internal infections,” a Shanghai Sports General Association notice said. “Organizations should also implement a daily hygiene management system and strengthen health education to urge employees to protect themselves.”

Several sporting events due to be held in China have been postponed because of the coronavirus.

SHANGHAI SUSPENDS SPORTS EVENTS

the last group to train in China last month, where they were based at altitude in the Yunnan province.

The cyclists since traveled to Europe in preparation for the Track Cycling World Championships in Berlin.

The Hong Kong Sports Institute is now reportedly considering inviting European teams to Hong Kong for training as they step up their preparations for Tokyo 2020.

WORLD Archery said there are no plans to postpone or cancel the World Cup in Shanghai due to coronavirus.

The event, the second leg of the 2020 World Cup circuit, is set in the Chinese city from May 4 to 10.

Tom Dielen, World Archery’s secretary-general, said the governing body was “confident” the crisis will have resolved itself by then. Dielen said this follows advice from the World Health Organization.

“At this time, we see no reason to postpone or cancel the tournament,” said Dielen. “Unless there is a significant change in circumstance, World Archery will issue its next official update at the end of February.” Insidethegames

ARCHERY WORLD CUP ON

“The entire judo family extends its deep sentiments and positive wishes to the Chinese people, its judo team, athletes, officials and citizens,” said an International Judo Federation (IJF) statement.

“The IJF is working internally and consulting with stakeholders to identify a model to support the Chinese teams targeting the Olympic qualification in overcoming the restraints that are out of their control,” the statement added.

“The main concern of the IJF is the welfare of its members, without exception. The entire Judo family hopes that the Chinese athletes will be able to participate soon in the World Judo Tour events and wishes that this worldwide crisis will soon be behind.”

Some 740 Judoka from 121 countries are registered to take part in the Paris Grand Slam, which features seven men’s and seven women’s weight categories.

The event forms part of the IJF World Judo Tour and begins on Saturday.

CORONAVIRUS CONTINUES TO HOUND SPORTS WORLD T

Badminton world body: All normal tournament conventions and etiquette will still apply at badminton events, such as the coin toss, shaking of hands and medal ceremonies

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Iguodala getting traded to Miami

$154.7-million bet on Super Bowl 54 at Nevada books

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TLANTIC CITY, New Jersey—Gamblers in Nevada wagered $154.7 million on this year’s Super Bowl, an increase from last year but still below the high set in 2018.

The Nevada Gaming Control Board released its Super Bowl betting figures on Tuesday, a day later than expected, because of technical difficulties with one of its licensees collecting and reporting betting data.

The Nevada totals were the highest in the nation, where 14 states now offer legal sports betting. The 190 sports books there won nearly $18.8 million, for a hold percentage of 12.1 percent.

The amount wagered in Nevada represented an increase from last year’s figure of $145.9 million, but it still trailed the $158.5 million that was bet on the 2018 Super Bowl.

The amount bet on the Super Bowl in Nevada, known as the “handle,” was three times higher than in New Jersey, the second-largest sports betting market. New Jersey’s casinos and horse tracks took in $54.2 million, up from $34.8 million. But New Jersey’s 10 retail sports books and 19 sports wagering mobile applications lost $4.28 million on the game, for a negative hold percentage of 7.8 percent.

Pennsylvania, which released its own figures Tuesday, handled $30.7 million in Super Bowl wagers, leading to a $3.3-million loss for sports books.

Mississippi regulators reported taking in $6.7 million worth of bets on this year’s game, but they did not immediately calculate how much of that was paid out to customers who made winning bets.

In Rhode Island, with the New England Patriots not in the Super Bowl for the first time in four years, gamblers showed less interest in betting on someone other than Tom Brady. The $5.5 million wagered was about 84 percent of the $6.5 million wagered last year when the Patriots beat the Los Angeles Rams.

Rhode Island’s sports books had a hold percentage of 14.6 percent. That worked out to a hold of about $805,000 for the sports books, about half of which goes to the state. Last year when the Patriots won, the sports books lost $2.3 million.

West Virginia took in nearly $3.9 million in bets on the big game, up from $2.8 million a year ago. It did not immediately provide hold percentage information.

Delaware lost $229,000 on the $2.1 million in bets it handled. Oregon took in nearly $2 million in bets and kept about $150,000.

Several other states, including New York and New Mexico, said they do not calculate Super Bowl bets separately. AP

KOBE’S BOOKS SURGING IN POPULARITY

THE Chiefs’ cheerleaders add color and spice to the victory parade. AP

‘ONE MORE TIME BABY!’ K ANSAS CITY, Montana—Hundreds of thousands of Kansas City Chiefs fans braved sub-freezing wind chills on Wednesday to celebrate the team’s first Super Bowl victory in 50 years, and if Coach Andy Reid is to be believed, they’ll be back for an encore next year.

Fans lined the 3.2-kilometer parade route to thank their football heroes for bringing the Lombardi Trophy back to Kansas City and ending a Super Bowl drought that began after the Chiefs won Super Bowl IV in 1970.

Reid thanked the fans for their continued support and for attending the parade.

“Next year, we’re coming right back here,” Reid said in a brief speech. “One more time baby, one more time.”

Quarterback Patrick Mahomes, the Super Bowl Most Valuable Player who has captured the fans’ devotion in only his third National Football League (NFL) season, struggled with a strained voice but said the championship fulfilled two goals he set when he became the team’s starter.

First, he said, he wanted to bring the Lamar Hunt trophy for winning the American Football Conference championship back to Kansas City. The late Lamar Hunt and the Hunt family founded the team as the Dallas Texans in 1960 before moving the team to Kansas City in 1963

and changing the name.

“The second most important thing I wanted to do was get the Lombardi Trophy for the greatest coach of all time, Andy Reid,” he said.

Hunt’s son, Clark Hunt, said his father told him before he died in 2006 that the parade and celebration after the 1970 Super Bowl was the best day of his life because of the joy of the fans.

“Thank you for giving my dad and I some the best days of our lives,” he told the fans.

“We love you.”

Tyreek Hill, the speedster wide receiver, also promised fans the team would be back for more Super Bowl parades. He told the fans that their support and love fueled the team’s success.

“That’s what makes us ball everyday,” Hill said. “Get your tickets, you are going to be in this same spot next year.”

During the parade, several players, including Chris Jones, Tyrann Mathieu and Travis Kelce, got off their double-decker buses to high-five fans and dance down the street.

Reid left his bus to show the Lombardi Trophy to fans along the route. Other players sprayed fans with champagne and some, including Mahomes, chugged beer. At one point, Mahomes was seen pouring a beer from the top of a double-decker bus into the mouth of Kelce,

who was in the street.

The event was nearly marred about three hours before the parade began, when an impaired driver broke through a barrier and sped along the parade route. Stop Sticks were thrown and patrol vehicles put the car into a forced spin, stopping it near a crowd of fans. The driver and another person were arrested at gunpoint, according to officials and video footage of the incident.

No one was injured. Police said in a news release the driver is under investigation for impairment. No weapons were found in the vehicle and there were no indications of terrorist activity, said police, who were trying to determine the suspect’s motive.

Mayor Quinton Lucas told WDAF-TV he was proud of the quick response of officers, who were cheered by fans who witnessed the incident.

“We have even more heroes to cheer today,” Lucas said.

Some fans slept overnight and others began arriving in downtown Kansas City in the early hours Wednesday to reserve choice viewing spots.

“This is so awesome,” said Shauntel Lyons, 40, of Kansas City, who was a Chiefs cheerleader from 2003 to 2005. “I learned so many great lessons from my time with the team. To see

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SPECTATORS pay tribute to Kobe Bryant before the start of the Italian Basketball second division match between Rieti and Scafati in Rieti’s PalaSojourner, Italy, on Wednesday. AP

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OOKS created by Kobe Bryant’s content company soared in popularity in the days following the basketball legend’s death in a helicopter crash.

A trio of the books created by Bryant’s Granity Studios will occupy the top 3 spots on the Middle Grade Hardcover portion of The New York Times’ best-seller list for February 16. Epoca: The Tree Of Ecrof will be No. 1 on that list, followed by Legacy And The Queen and The Wizenard: Training Camp.

All three of the books were written for children between the ages of 10 and 14. Bryant, in an interview with The Associated Press in 2018, said his mission for the books was “to combine education and inspiration and build around the concepts of what kids go through when they are playing a sport.”

them bring home that trophy after 50 years is so gratifying. I’m just glad to be part of it.”

Fans bundled up for chilly conditions but the forecast for 2 to 3 inches of snow did not materialize, with only light snow falling intermittently.

Wind chills in the teens didn’t deter fans like Dana Reynolds, of Holt, who has been a Chiefs fan for more than 30 years. She and others arrived at 5 a.m. and were taking shelter under a canopy, complete with electric hand warmers, food and everything needed to survive the hours-long wait.

The Kansas Legislature took the day off to celebrate and their Missouri counterparts scheduled a light workday. Many area businesses also planned to close or open on a reduced schedule. At Children’s Mercy Kansas City, the emergency room at the main downtown hospital was open, but appointments and some surgeries were rescheduled or moved.

The Chiefs Super Bowl win came five years after the city’s Kansas City Royals baseball team won a World Series. An estimated 800,000 people flocked to that victory parade, shattering expectations in a city with a population of about 470,000 and a metropolitan area of about 2 million. There was no immediate estimate of the crowd size of Wednesday’s rally. AP

Another of Bryant’s books, The Mamba Mentality: How I Play has also reached No. 1 on Amazon’s nonfiction sales charts this week.

Bryant released that book in 2018, the same year that he won an Academy Award in the best animated short film for his ode to the game called Dear Basketball.

Granity additionally produces a podcast series called “The Punies,” tales about a boy who plays sports with friends. Bryant was also the creator and writer of the “Detail” sports analysis series of programs on ESPN, and Granity has said it will continue as Bryant wanted—“using creative education to inspire people to be the best versions of themselves.”

Bryant, his 13-year-old daughter Gianna and seven others were killed on January 26 when the helicopter they were riding in crashed into a hill

in Calabasas, California. The group was on its way to a basketball tournament at Bryant’s Mamba Sports Academy.

Bryant played 20 seasons in the NBA, all with the Los Angeles Lakers, winning five championships and being selected as an All-Star 18 times.

ITALIAN TEAM RETIRES NO. 24

THE first Italian basketball team that Kobe Bryant’s father played for retired the Lakers superstar’s jersey to the rafters in a pregame ceremony Wednesday in Rieti, Italy.

“You began to play here and as an adult you made us dream. Our colors are with you in the sky,” read a huge banner in Italian that fans of NPC Rieti held up before the game against Scafati in Italy’s second division.

Then a gold Lakers’ jersey with Bryant’s No. 24 was lifted to the ceiling of the PalaSojourner arena as a recording of Bryant’s lineup introduction from his NBA playing days was played.

Rieti was where Joe Bryant, Kobe’s father, made his Italian basketball debut in 1984.

Kobe was six at the time. Joe went on to play for three other teams in Italy and Kobe grew up in the country until moving back to Pennsylvania for high school.

Kobe Bryant died last month with his 13-year-old daughter, Gianna, and seven others in a helicopter crash near Calabasas, California.

He was 41.

At the start of the ceremony, the arena announcer read off the names of all nine victims of the crash. Afterward, two seats were draped with Kobe’s No. 24 and Gianna’s No. 2. AP

OS ANGELES—Once the Los Angeles Clippers figured out Miami’s zone defense, their three-point barrage was on.

Paul George and Landry Shamet each scored 23 points to lead eight Clippers in double figures, and Los Angeles beat the Heat, 128-111, on Wednesday night for its third consecutive victory.

“We were moving the ball against the zone, getting the right shots. We just weren’t making shots,” said Shamet, who was 1 of 7 in the first half. “It all started to come together in the second half.”

The Clippers made a franchise-record 24 3-pointers, their most since hitting 20 against Houston on January 18, 2016.

“It was a deluge, avalanche in that second half of threes and we just couldn’t get a handle on it,” Heat Coach Erik Spoelstra said. “It was one of the better three-point shooting displays I’ve been on the other end of. Probably the biggest one.”

Jimmy Butler didn’t play in the fourth quarter for Miami after straining his right shoulder. He’ll have an MRI on Thursday.

“Just hope it ain’t nothing major,” he said. “I want to be out there again on the wood with my guys.”

Shamet’s points were a season high and his most with the Clippers. He scored 14 off the bench in the fourth, pouring in 10 straight for Los Angeles.

“For whatever reason, out of all the firepower we have on the floor, they allow him to take the majority of the shots and he’s made them pay both games,” said teammate Lou Williams, who had 14 points.

Kawhi Leonard added 14 points, nine assists and seven rebounds for the Clippers, who trailed by 12 in the first half before taking control over the final two periods.

Shamet wasn’t the only Los Angeles shooter to get hot in the fourth. JaMychal Green hit three 3-pointers, the last one extending the lead to 107-92.

“After the initial shock of the zone, we held them very well. We spaced the floor and we got great shots,” Clippers Coach Doc Rivers said. “At halftime they said, ‘Maybe we should drive more.’

IAMI—A person familiar with the negotiations says Andre Iguodala is headed to Miami after the Heat and Memphis Grizzlies agreed Wednesday night on his long-awaited trade.

As part of the deal, Iguodala agreed to a two-year extension, with the second of those years being a team option, according to the person who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the trade has not been finalized.

The person also said Miami and Memphis were still working to complete terms of what the Heat are giving up in the deal, and that a third team—Oklahoma City, in a package that would include Danilo Gallinari potentially headed to the Heat—was still in play.

Oft-injured forward Justise Winslow said he was part of the deal and was headed to Memphis, the former Heat starter reaching out to fellow former Duke players Tyus Jones and Grayson Allen with a message.

Jones and Allen are both members of the Grizzlies.

Winslow has missed much of this season with a bone bruise in his back.

Iguodala, speaking to The Undefeated, said he was eager to play alongside Jimmy Butler and Miami’s young core while helping mentor them, as well.

“Jimmy Butler...he’s looked at as different but [is] very well-respected in terms of the passion and the hard work that he brings to the game,” Iguodala said. “I feel like his temperament and values that he has really resonates with the Miami Heat. They’re very well aligned. I think he’s brought out the best in those young guys.”

Butler cited Iguodala’s reputation as a winner in what he brings to a team.

“He’s super-smart. There’s nothing that he cannot do,” Butler said. “When I get to learn from him, when everyone gets to learn from him, that winning level, that meter, is going up in everyone’s mind.”

Iguodala specifically mentioned Heat center Bam Adebayo, a first-time All-Star this year.

“Bam, I’m really looking forward to playing with him,” Iguodala said.

Adebayo feels the same way about Iguodala and values his playoff experience.

“He’s been there a lot times, so you know he’s going to bring a lot of knowledge,” Adebayo said.

Holding the team option for 2021-22 is a critical component for Miami, which intends to have maximum flexibility for free-agent shopping in the summer of 2021 and made clear to all teams in recent days—and even last summer—that it would not compromise those plans.

The 36-year-old Iguodala was the 2015 National Basketball Association (NBA) Finals MVP for Golden State and was traded to Memphis last summer. He did not play for the Grizzlies, after he and the team agreed that it would be best if he was sent elsewhere. It took several months, but Miami became that destination.

“He won, what, three championship rings?” Heat guard Goran Dragic said. “Happy to have him. Can’t wait to pick his brain. He’s going to do great things for us.” AP

Clippers ride big 4th qtr to beat Heat I said, ‘You’re wide open, shoot them.’”

Derrick Jones Jr. paced six Heat players in double figures with a career-high 25 points and nine rebounds.

Bam Adebayo added 22 points and 11 boards. The two of them combined to score all but six of Miami’s 31 points in the fourth.

Jones opened the fourth with a huge one-handed dunk, and Adebayo followed later with a jam of his own.

The Heat closed within six just before Shamet scored the next 10 points for the Clippers. After that, George added a 3-pointer of his own to go with Shamet’s long-range barrage.

“When they needed to keep us at bay they made two or three in a row, it seemed like at every sequence, to keep the distance,” Spoelstra said.

Miami tied the game for the last time on a basket by Kendrick Nunn early in the third. From there, the Clippers outscored the Heat, 26-15, getting six threes in a spurt that gave them a 92-80 lead going into the fourth. George scored eight straight points as part of the run. AP

THE Clippers’ Rodney McGrude shoots against the Heat’s Kendrick Nunn. AP

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Friday, February 7, 2020

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Lady Generals, finally, snap 16-game skid; ‘Lyce’ gals win

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New Clark City to serve as quarantine center for Filipino repatriates from China

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HE Athletes’ Village in New Clark City will be used for our repatriated Filipinos from China as they undergo a mandatory 14-day quarantine period.

New Clark City was designed to be a resilient metropolis, and is ready for any and all situations— including those that concern public health—a statement from the Bases Conversion and Development

Authority said on Thursday.

“The country is fortunate that President Rodrigo Duterte fast-tracked the development of New Clark City as part of the administration’s infrastructure development program,” the statement said. “ The facilities in the Athletes’ Village will provide the best conditions for our overseas workers returning from China.”

A polyclinic operated by the Philippine General Hospital is located inside New Clark City, just two minutes away from the Athletes’ Village. It is equipped with a 24-hour Emergency Room Facility, Primary Care and Sports Medicine, Imaging Center (x-ray and Ultrasound), Diagnostic Laboratory and Pharmacy.

New Clark City is located 30 minutes away from the

Clark International Airport where the repatriated Filipinos will land from China.

As such, the Department of Health has put the New Clark City on lockdown starting on Thursday until further notice.

“All preventive and precautionary measures are being put in place for our repatriated kababayans, as well as the entire area of New Clark City and its adjacent communities,” the statement furthered.

PHILIPPINE Sports Commission Chairman William Ramirez (center) calls an emergency press conferenve to address the coronavirus crisis. With Ramirez are (from left) PSC Deputy Executive Directors Atty. Guillermo Iroy Jr. and Dennis Rivera, Executive Director Merlita Ibay, Commissioner Ramon Fernandez, PSC Commissioners Arnold Agustin and Charles Raymond Maxey, Philippine Olympians Association board member Stephen Fernandez and PSC’s Chief of Staff and National Training Director Marc Velasco.

P.S.C. POSTPONES

MAJOR EVENTS

By Ramon Rafael Bonilla

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HE Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) put utmost premium on the safety and health of all stakeholders—especially athletes—in the local sports community by postponing major events amid the novel coronavirus crisis.

PSC Chairman William Ramirez also advised officials of the Philippine Paralympic Committee (PPC) to consult with its world governing body on whether or not to pursue the country’s hosting of the Asean Para Games next month.

Ramirez told a press conference at the Rizal Memorial Sports Coliseum on Thursday morning that the National Sports Summit 2020, Philippine National Games (PNG), Batang Pinoy and Children’s Games are postponed indefinitely following the coronavirus outbreak that already claimed one Chinese in the country and continues to pose a threat.

“Yesterday [Wednesday] morning, the board

discussed the current situation, and we have decided that we are postponing major events of the PSC as a safety measure against the novel coronavirus,” said Ramirez in the press conference where he was joined by other top PSC officials and PPC President Mike Barredo.

Ramirez said seminars and other events that will have groups of people exceeding 40 are shelved indefinitely in strong consideration of the human-to-human transmission of the virus.

The PSC head also urged the postponement of the Asean Para Games that the country is hosting from March 20 to 28 at the New Clark City, Subic and Metro Manila.

“We have a board resolution advising the Paralympics body to postpone the games,” Ramirez said.

The postponement of the Para Games became more likely following the announcement that the Athletes’ Village at the New Clark City would be converted to a temporary quarantine center.

Barredo told the same press conference that he

is bound for Bangkok on Friday and would advise the Asean Para Sports Federation on the possible postponement of the Games.

“We are afraid of the contamination, it is really our concern right now,” Ramirez said.

The National Sports Summit, only the second to be staged since 1992, is set February 27 and 28 at the Philippine International Convention Center, while the Philippine National Games are set in May at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex and PhilSports. The Batang Pinoy is set later in the year.

PSC officials also advised national sports associations (NSAs) to be meticulous at these times in sending their athletes for training and competition overseas.

PSC Commissioner Ramon Fernandez said they strongly advised NSAs against foreign travel for their athletes and coaches although he said the decision would be “for the NSAs to make.”

Gymnastics, bannered by world champion Carlos Yulo, and weightlifting, top-billed by

Olympic silver medalist Hidilyn Diaz, have reconsidered their plans to train in mainland China.

“We have Europe, and also America. While we chase for medals, we cannot risk their safety,” Ramirez said.

“In terms of preventive measures, we have put out information materials for our national athletes and coaches. The PSC Board will not approve any foreign trips and exposures to China,” PSC Chief of Staff and National Training Director Marc Velasco said.

“Caution will be exercised on allowing athletes and coaches traveling to other countries for international competitions,” Velasco added.

The Philippine Sailing Association, headed by Standard Insurance head Ernesto “Judes” Echauz, voluntarily canceled its annual Subic Regatta off Subic Bay and the Philippines’s western coast also because of the outbreak.

Yachts from Hongkong, Macau and other parts of China and Asia are the regular participants of the yacht race that used to trace a course from Subic to Boracay.

An international cycling race, the Pru Ride, is also scheduled in March in Clark, but organizers have yet to make any announcements. The race attracts professional cycling teams mostly from Asia and around the world.

PSC Deputy Executive Directors Atty.

Guillermo Iroy Jr. and Dennis Rivera, Executive Director Merlita Ibay, PSC Commissioners Arnold Agustin and Charles Raymond Maxey, and Philippine Olympians Association Board Member Stephen Fernandez also graced the press conference.

BARANGAY Ginebra San Miguel big man Greg Slaughter is seen in action against Meralco import Allen Durham during their Finals series for the Governors’ Cup.

SMB FACES TOUGH CHALLENGE S

AN Miguel Beer (SMB)—largely behind June Mar Fajardo—was in the upper echelons in almost all statistical departments in its twinkill in the 44th season of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA).

With the sidelining of the 6-foot-10 Cebuano behemoth because of a shin injury, the other SMB stars and the rest of Coach Leo Austria’s players certainly have to step up to keep their winning edge.

But not a few believe Fajardo’s absence will have a big implication in the league’s balance of power.

For one, there’s Barangay Ginebra, the other powerhouse team which will now be the biggest team with a frontline led by Greg Slaughter, Japeth Aguilar and Prince Caperal.

Even before Fajardo’s exit, Coach Tim Cone

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THLETES from the country’s first and only franchisebased eSports league The Nationals joined the country’s first 5G-powered eSports exhibition match at the PLDT Headquarters in Makati City recently.

Armed with the latest 5G handsets, athletes from PLDT-Smart Omega and Cignal Ultra Warriors battled it out on Mobile Legends using Smart’s 5G network.

Showcased during the event were the Huawei Mate 5G, Oppo Reno 5G and ZTE Axion 5G handsets.

Smart is also set to deploy indoor 5G coverage to support the training grounds of various eSports teams under The Nationals.

This comes at the heels of the country’s successful eSports debut at the 30th Southeast Asian Games where the country bagged several gold medals in various eSports events in Dota 2, Mobile Legends and StarCraft 2.

“We have always been a staunch supporter of this growing industry, and part of this commitment is making the best of our technologies available for the advancement of eSports in the country,” PLDT Chief

had declared they would go all out in chase of the crown missing in their resume—the Philippine Cup. League officials, meanwhile, noted the improvement of the other teams and the league competitiveness, mentioning Phoenix Pulse’s No. 1 finish in the last Philippine Cup eliminations and NLEX’s similar showing in the recent Governors Cup. “Teams are improving—the so-called underdogs before are really playing and winning.

That’s something not usual. Teams are improving, and hopefully that includes us,” Phoenix Pulse governor Raymond Zorrilla said.

“The competitiveness of the teams is improving. The recent draft was rich in talent even though they [Gilas] took the five players. By and large, the competitiveness of the league has vastly

improved,” Columbian Dyip’s Bobby Rosale said.

It’s not lost on the SMB coach, and he believes his other key players will step up if they are to have a shot at a sixth straight all-Filipino crown.

“Mo [Tautuaa] has started to step up, and he’s trying his best to help the team. And the good thing is everybody is willing to help,” Austria said.

With Fajardo’s dominant presence, the Beermen topped the charts in scoring and blocks last campaign. They ranked in the top 5 in rebounds and assists and No. 7 in steals.

SMB was No. 1 in scoring with 102.8 points per game, followed by Columbian Dyip (101.5), NorthPort (101.1), TNT KaTropa (99.1), Blackwater (98.2), NLEX (97.9), Ginebra (97.3), Phoenix (96.2), Meralco (94.9), Alaska (92.2), Magnolia (90.6) and Rain or Shine (89.8).

But the Beermen were a bit bad on defense, giving away 100.5 points per game. They were at No. 9 behind the Hotshots (89.5), the Elasto Painters (89.8), the Aces (94.6), the Fuel Masters (95.5), the KaTropa (96.0), the Bolts (96.4), the Kings (96.6) and the Batang Pier (99.0).

Although not too big a team, the Fuel Masters were the rebounding kings (54.8). Runners-up were the Hotshots (53.3), Batang Pier (51.74) and Dyip (51.7).

Tops in the business of playmaking was Ginebra (25.6), followed by NLEX (24.3), NorthPort (22.2) then San Miguel (21.4).

Fajardo and his teammates ruled the shotblocking department with 5.4 per game while the Batang Pier were the best in steals with 9.1 per outing.

Smart sees mobile gamers benefiting from 5G Revenue Officer, and Smart President and CEO Alfredo Panlilio said.

In the SEA Games, Smart partnered with the national eSports team Sibol and offered incentives for gold medalists. PLDT and Smart also mounted a special 5G showcase at New Clark City to demonstrate to Filipino fans the exciting new applications by 5G. “5G is very promising and I am very excited to know that it will be promising for The Nationals. The athletes would surely love the lower latency which would allow them to maximize their response times and teams will benefit from other use cases like instant download of replays and access of VODs for their reviews and strategy phases,”The Nationals Commissioner Darren Vitug said.

THE Nationals Commissioner Darren Vitug and Smart Consumer Wireless Head Jane Basas join Mobile Legends eSports athletes from PLDT-Smart Omega and Cignal Ultra Warriors for the country’s first-ever eSports exhibition match powered by Smart 5G.

YCEUM of the Philippines University got back on the winning track by beating Mapua University, 25-21, 25-11, 25-16, as Emilio Aguinaldo College (EAC) snapped a winless run that spanned two years on Thursday in the National Collegiate Athletic Association Season 95 women’s volleyball tournament on Thursday at the Filoil Flying V Centre in San Juan.

The Lady Pirates improved to a 3-4 won-lost card, and they would need to beat the San Sebastian College Lady Stags (1-6) and San Beda University Red Lioness (4-2) to stay in strong contention for the No. 4 spot in the semifinals.

Three players finished in double figures for the Lady Pirates with Ciamelle Wanta leading her team with 12 points and 10 excellent digs; Alexandra Rafael adding 11 points and 10 excellent digs; and Monica Sevilla chipping in 11 points.

Venice Puzon contributed nine excellent digs and seven excellent receptions.

“We’re really just chasing [for the playoffs],” Lady Pirates Coach Emilio Lontoc said. “We lost games in four and five sets that we should’ve won.”

“My team can really win against any team.

My expectation with them is also high that they can win against any team. But my team’s maturity still needs improvement,” he added.

Alissa Magallanes had six points and two aces for the Lady Cardinals, who fell to their fifth straight loss. Lorainne Barias added three points, three aces, eight excellent digs and three excellent receptions.

The day’s biggest winner, however, was EAC, which snapped its 16-game skid since Season 94.

Catherine Almazan posted a 30-point game to help the Lady Generals squeeze out a five-setter over the Lady Stags, 25-21, 23-25, 22-25, 25-18, 15-8.

Almazan led the rookie-laden Lady Generals with 12 excellent digs, and four excellent receptions, while Krizzia Reyes added 13 points and Dhariane Gallardez chipped in 14 points.

“We prepared so hard for this,” said Almazan, a sophomore but one of the two oldest players on the team. “We said that we will not accept a winless season.”

Jamille Carreon paced the Lady Stags’ with 19 points, while Kamille Tan had 11 and Shannai Requierme had 12 points with 14 excellent digs. Alexia Sison assisted with 12 excellent sets, and Jewelle Bermillo made 19 excellent sets and 10 excellent receptions.

Mapua, EAC and San Sebastian now share the cellar with 1-6 cards.

Mapua, meanwhile, swept Lyceum, 27-25, 25-18, 25-18, to notch its fourth straight win after a 0-3 start in the men’s tournament.

Alfredi Pagulong, John San Andres, and Raje Hizon had 12 points each for the Cardinals. Karl Tabios made 14 excellent sets and John Evan Silva delivered nine excellent sets for Mapua, now 4-3.

Juvic Conoia finished 11 points, Kier Tibayan added nine, Joshue Velasco had six and Deon Colorado 19 excellent receptions for the Pirates. Ryniel Berlanga

Globe joins regional PVP eSports championships hosted by Singtel

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INGTEL’S PVP Esports is back with its community leagues this year, and on a bigger scale than before following its launch at the Thailand Game Expo in Bangkok.

The regional community leagues—PVP Esports Corp. Championship and PVP Esports Campus Championship—will scale up, and feature, two exciting seasons of eSports action and more game titles.

Building on its efforts in 2019, Singtel, together with its regional associates Globe, AIS and Telkomsel, will continue providing opportunities for the gaming community to flourish at both the local and regional levels in 2020.

Through the PVP Esports community leagues, Singtel hopes to provide amateur gamers with a platform to hone their skills and promote sportsmanship, teamwork and healthy gaming as they connect over their shared passion.

“PVP Esports has proven to be a great platform for gamers and enthusiasts from Southeast Asia to

come together, and engage, in competitive play,” Arthur Lang, CEO of Singtel’s International Group, said.

“The strong response to our 2019 leagues signals a demand for more high-quality community tournaments in the region, and this year, we are excited to expand our community leagues to give gamers even more opportunities to do what they love,” Lang added.

“We continue to see an enthusiastic response from Filipinos to games and eSports in our country, and we are looking forward to further affirming its legitimacy as a sport, as well as growing the eSports community as a whole,” Jil Go, vice president for portfolio and partner management, Content Business Group at Globe, said.

“Globe has blazed the trail in this regard with the creation of the Corporate League as part of our Philippine Pro Gaming League, and the gold medal secured by Team Liyab, our professional eSports organization, at the 2019 Southeast Asian Games held in the Philippines,” Go added.

French ice skating head denies protecting coach accused of rape P BusinessMirror ARIS—The French skating federation’s longserving president says he “absolutely did not protect” a coach accused of rape and sexual abuse by former figure skaters who were coached by him in their teens.

Didier Gailhaguet spoke at a news conference Wednesday, one day after Paris prosecutors opened a criminal investigation following accusations from 10time French champion Sarah Abitbol that she was raped by skating Coach Gilles Beyer from 1990 to 1992, when she was a teenager. Abitbol is now 44.

Two other former skaters have also accused Beyer, and denounced a lack of support from the federation.

The accusations have led to calls for Gailhaguet to resign as Beyer was allowed to continue having roles at the French skating federation until 2018 despite having been let go by the French sports ministry in 2001 following a report highlighting repeated “serious acts” committed against young skaters.

But Gailhaguet defended his actions, and instead placed the blame on former sports minister Marie-George Buffet, saying she allowed Beyer to continue working despite evidence against him.

“In order to resign I would have had to be at fault,” he said. “I certainly committed errors, several of them, but I am not at fault.... I absolutely did not protect Gilles Beyer.

I am even the one who asked for the investigation with the minister [Buffet in 2001].”

Buffet has said she had sent Beyer’s case file to prosecutors, but that they did not follow up on it.

The Associated Press does not normally name sexual assault victims. But Abitbol accused Beyer in a book published last week, and has also spoken about her personal experience on television.

Other figure skaters have come forward, as well.

Helene Godard says she was sexually abused by Beyer when she was 13 and 14, in her room at the National Institute of Sport in Paris, where she resided, and later in his apartment.

Laure Detante says she was sexually abused by Beyer when she was 13.

Gailhaguet was in charge of the skating federation when Beyer was named France’s team leader during the 2011 Junior World Championships held in Gangneung, South Korea. Gailhaguet said it was “probably through naivety or trust” that he allowed Beyer to be given that role, given serious allegations against him previously.

Gailhaguet was pressed as to whether he spoke to

Sports

Women strike threat in Spain

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| Friday, February 7, 2020 mirror_sports@yahoo.com.ph Editor: Jun Lomibao

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ADRID—Women’s soccer in Spain could face a second strike in less than three months after players said they will take action if a collective agreement is not formalized by Thursday.

Players said they will “take measures” if they don’t get a “satisfactory answer” regarding the delay to formalize the agreement.

The women went on strike for a round of matches in November over wages and working hours. They reached a deal for the collective agreement in December, but the agreement is yet to be made official.

The delay was mostly related to unresolved details concerning television rights.

“The players have been patient,” Spain’s players’ association said in a statement on Wednesday. “But without a deal...they are being harmed.”

Women’s soccer has grown rapidly in Spain since the 2015 World Cup, when the country made its first appearance in the showcase tournament. Calls for greater equality for men and women in the sport have increased significantly since then. AP

FRENCH Ice Skating Federation President Didier Gailhaguet takes a drink as he speaks to the media during a press conference in Paris, on Wednesday. AP

parents of the junior skaters involved in the 2011 worlds, out of a responsibility to warn them about Beyer, but said he did not.

Gailhaguet served a first term as FFSG president 1998 to 2004 and started his second stint in 2007. Four members of the FFSG’s executive office, including a treasurer, resigned on Tuesday night.

Another figure skating coach was jailed for 10 years in 2003. Pascal Delorme was sentenced after skater Anne-Line Rolland said she was raped by him in 1993, at the age of 12.

Rolland said that Gailhaguet did not attend the trial

in 2003, and that she never received any sign of support from the federation, in the form of a letter, or otherwise.

Rolland said that she felt neglected and ignored and that other scared skaters retreated into a shell of fear and silent self-censorship.

“Of course we were aware that there was at least one coach who was dangerous. If we’d been listened to, maybe other women, and other young girls would have spoken out,” Rolland told BFM TV channel on Wednesday. “In the past three days, four days, I’m getting calls from women, ex-skaters, who say they were also victims [of Delorme] and that no one [from the federation] phoned them.”

Detante said this week that she thinks Beyer has been protected by the skating federation, notably because he was allowed to resurface in different roles after being dismissed in 2001.

“In my opinion, yes, by Didier Gailhaguet. He [Beyer] was removed from the federation, then he comes back in through another door,” Detante said.

“He [Beyer] still in charge of a club, he had a troop of skaters. That’s not acceptable.”

France’s current sports minister, Roxana Maracineanu, has asked Gailhaguet to resign, saying he “cannot absolve himself of his moral and personal responsibility.” AP

SPOTLIGHT ON HUMBLE STAR

By Anne M. Peterson

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The Associated Press

ARSON, California—Christine Sinclair says she’s sorry she hasn’t gotten back to all the well-wishers who reached out after she set the international goals record.

Canada’s veteran striker didn’t get much time to celebrate or reflect last week after she scored a pair of goals in an Olympic qualifying tournament match.

For Sinclair, there’s a bigger task at hand at the moment—leading Canada back to the Olympics.

Canada is among the teams that will play Friday in Carson, California, in the semifinals of the Concacaf Women’s Olympic Qualifying tournament. Canada won its group and will face Costa Rica, while runner-up Mexico will face the defending World Cup champion US team.

The winners Friday will earn the region’s two berths in this summer’s Tokyo Games. The championship match is Sunday.

Sinclair, 36, has 186 career goals, now an ongoing record after she passed American Abby Wambach’s previous mark (184) among men and women last week.

The accolades flooded in from an

CHRISTINE SINCLAIR feels a responsibility to be an ambassador for the sport that has given her so much.

array of admirers, from Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to former National Basketball Association guard Steve Nash to tennis great Billie Jean King. Nike designed a special pair of Canadian red soccer cleats, complete with maple leaf accents. Fifa President Gianni Infantino penned a congratulatory letter.

And of course, Wambach sent Sinclair a video tribute.

“I still have people to get back to, I hope they understand. I’ll get back to them over the next couple of days,” she said. “A big thank you to everyone that reached out, I’ll get back to you, I promise.”

It was a lot of attention for the softspoken Sinclair, who famously prefers staying out of the spotlight.

Canada Coach Kenneth HeinerMoller said part of the reason Sinclair is so effective is that she’s unassuming on the field, too.

“You don’t really notice her too much until she puts it in the back of the net. If you go to some of our [training] sessions you can see how hard she is working to be that unnoticeable player that puts a good shift in and then all of a sudden, turns up in the penalty area,” Heiner-Moller said. “I think a big part of our success, her success, our team’s success has been that she’s had a lot of our

last touches that she puts in the back of the net, but if you count her assists, you’ll see that she is a major key to Canada’s national team and our success.”

Sinclair is probably America’s bestknown non-US women’s soccer player.

She was on the University of Portland’s two NCAA championship teams and has played since 2013 for the Portland Thorns of the National Women’s Soccer League.

She’s widely known in Canada. She’s been a standout on the Canadian national team since 2000, when she led it with three goals

French soccer club head in hot water

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NGERS, France—The president of French soccer club Angers was questioned by police Wednesday about allegations he sexually assaulted an employee.

Said Chabane was taken into custody after prosecutors opened an investigation based on an employee’s complaint, the club said in a statement.

“Said Chabane formally contests all the allegations brought against him,” the club said, adding that Chabane met with police early Wednesday to answer a summons sent in late January.

French broadcaster RMC reported the preliminary investigation related to complaints filed by three people.

The club president “is confident in the outcome of the investigation in which he fully cooperates,” Angers said.

Chabane, a businessman in the food industry, became club president in 2011.

Angers returned to the top division in French soccer four years later.

The team from northwest France is currently in 13th place in the 20-team league. AP

in the annual Algarve Cup tournament in Portugal. She’s a veteran of five World Cups and three Olympics.

Canada surpassed expectations with a bronze medal at the 2012 London Games.

Sinclair set a record with six goals in the tournament, including three goals in a heartbreaking 4-3 semifinal loss to the eventual gold medalist US, to win the tournament’s Golden Boot.

Four years later in Brazil, the Canadians captured the bronze again by defeating the home country. Afterward, it was revealed that Sinclair had lost her father just a few months before the tournament. Intensely private, she hadn’t spoken about it.

Canada was knocked out of last summer’s World Cup in the round of 16 after making the semifinals in 2015—when Canada hosted the event.

Along the way, the goals kept coming.

“It was probably about two years ago when I thought, I’m healthy, the team’s doing really well, that I started to realize, ‘Wow this actually might happen—unless I go into a massive slump, which happens for a striker,’” she said after breaking Wambach’s record. “But yeah, I’d probably say about two years ago that it started to hit me that this was something that was possible and might happen.”

Sinclair said the attention she received is indicative of how far women’s soccer has come since she was a fresh-faced newcomer on the national team 20 years ago.

She feels a responsibility to be an ambassador for the sport that has given her so much.

“For me, the biggest thing has been the opportunities that are now available for female soccer players. I think for the longest time, especially in North America, you went to college and that was it. And professional leagues have come and gone.

But now there’s opportunities, all over Europe, the NWSL, Asia,” she said.

“It’s obviously nowhere near being on a par with the men’s game, but it’s growing and evolving in the right direction. And just to have been a small part of that is very special.”

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Trust

EAR God, when did we not trust You, oh Lord?

“For the Lord God is a sun and shield, the Lord will give grace and glory, no good thing will be withhold from them that walk uprightly. Oh Lord of hosts, blessed is the man that trusteth in thee,” Psalms 84: 11,12.

We continue to seek Your guidance daily, our confidence rest in You, oh Lord. Inspire us to follow Your paths, and we live our trust in You, oh God. Amen.

GIVE US THIS DAY SHARED BY LUISA LACSON, HFL Word&Life Publications • teacherlouie1965@yahoo.com

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

Life BusinessMirror

SOMETHING LIKE LIFE: WHY IT MAY NOT BE SUCH A GREAT IDEA TO BE A DOG OWNER D3

Friday, February 7, 2020

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HILLARY CLINTON DOES SUNDANCE HILLARY CLINTON attends the premiere of Hillary at The Ray Theatre during the recent 2020 Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah. AP

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By JaKe CoyLe The Associated Press

ARK CITY, Utah—Since losing the 2016 election to Donald J. Trump, Hillary Clinton has released a memoir about that defeat, launched a political action committee and penned another book about “gutsy women” with her daughter, Chelsea. But Clinton’s most prominent return to the public eye came at the Sundance Film Festival, where the former Secretary of State unveiled a candid four-hour documentary series, Hillary.

Clinton is aware that some thought she would slink away after 2016.

“Yes, they did, didn’t they?” Clinton said in an interview in Park City. “Well, that was never an option.”

Nanette Burstein’s Hillary, which Hulu will debut March 6, is a more direct and long-form portrait of Clinton than has ever been done on camera. You might say it’s a bid for Clinton to reassert her legacy, to tell the story of a career and life that, she feels, has often been distorted by scrutiny, notoriety and scandal.

Still, Clinton isn’t ready to contemplate her legacy.

What she does think is important is situating her story in a larger narrative.

“What Nanette does really well is to place my story in the larger arc of women’s lives, women’s history, women’s movement, and also the political system,” said Clinton, speaking alongside Burstein. “It seems to me that part of the reason I became controversial is because I was thrust into the public spotlight as a different kind of first lady.

“And, particularly, when I took on the work of health-care reform, trying to get us to universal, affordable health care, I was being burned in effigy, which I had forgotten,” Clinton said. “But she found footage of it, which says more about the times and the expectations about what women and, certainly, first ladies should or shouldn’t do.”

Clinton’s return to the spotlight, in the midst of a competitive Democratic primary, has already caused waves. In the documentary, she disparages Sen. Bernie Sanders, saying, “Nobody likes him. Nobody wants to work with him.” It’s a small moment—15 seconds, Clinton points out—from some 35 hours of conversation recorded more than a year ago when she wasn’t thinking about the 2020 election. She was thinking about the 2016 election.

“I will do whatever I can to support that person, because that wasn’t my experience in 2016,” says Clinton, adding that she will “absolutely” endorse a Democratic candidate at some point.

Though Clinton stumped for Barack Obama after he won the nomination on delegates (but, Clinton reminds, not in votes), Sanders’s support for Clinton, she feels, was minimal after their race.

“That didn’t happen in 2016,” said Clinton. “And I’m just trying to sound the alarm that we need to unify if we’re going to defeat Donald Trump and what he stands for and the danger he poses to undoing so much of what we as a nation have achieved through lots of struggle over 235 years.”

That Sanders has become the most headlinegrabbing part of Hillary is ironic. For Burstein, one of the focal points of Hillary is to not only represent Clinton as a human being, rather than a political caricature, but to contextualize her, and the polarizing effect she has inspired, in the politics of gender.

“There is this criticism that she’s always known and calculated that she’s going to be president. Which, A, is not a bad thing, and, B, is actually not true,” Burstein said. “There is an interview in the film with one of her colleagues at Yale Law School who says in the early 1970s the idea that a woman could be president was just so off the radar.”

At Sundance, Clinton was a regular presence.

She attended the premiere of the Jamal Khashoggi documentary The Dissident, which she calls terrific.

Experiencing a film festival, she says, has been thrilling. But Clinton’s mind is mainly on the

You might say that Hillary is a bid for Clinton to reassert her legacy, to tell the story of a career and life that, she feels, has often been distorted by scrutiny, notoriety and scandal. Still, she isn’t ready to contemplate her legacy. What Clinton does think is important is situating her story in a larger narrative.

upcoming election. One of her chief concerns is that the vote won’t be carried out properly.

“It is a concern because once the Supreme Court gutted Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act, they took away one of the most useful tools for holding states and local jurisdictions accountable for what they did around elections,” Clinton said. “And I was the first candidate running for president on the Democratic side who faced both the gutting of the Voting Rights Act and Citizens United. So I saw firsthand the concerted effort to purge voters and suppress voters.

That’s still going on.”

Clinton, who beat Trump in the popular vote, favors the abolition of the Electoral College. “The person who gets the most votes should win,” she said.

“The Electoral College is an anachronism that foils the rights of the majority of Americans to choose our leaders.”

Clinton also cited the role of social-media platforms and, in particular, Facebook, in a potential repeat of Russian interference.

“The attacks on the fundamental right to vote and run our elections free from illegal, unconstitutional and, certainly, foreign interference is going to be even more sophisticated today than it was four years ago,” Clinton said.

But Clinton does think some things have changed in the last four years, especially for Trump.

“I think there’s a story now to be told. Before he was a blank slate. He was a guy that people saw on their TVs. As you know, he was a reality TV star,” Clinton said. “Now I think there’s a record that he’s going to have to be held accountable for.”

In Hillary, all questions were on the table, Burstein says. Clinton grants that Hillary isn’t something she ever expected to do.

“I am a little bit surprised to be sitting here talking about a documentary of four hours about my life and my times,” said Clinton, laughing. “But I’m really glad I did it. I am incredibly grateful. But I also think a lot of what’s in it is relevant to today.” n

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Friday, February 7, 2020

Society BusinessMirror

www.businessmirror.com.ph

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Today’s Horoscope

By Eugenia Last

CELEBRITIES BORN ON THIS DAY: Ashton Kutcher, 42; Chris Rock, 55; Garth Brooks, 58; James Spader, 60.

SHANG Properties’ Noel Bobong (from left), Miguel Feuermann, Rajeev Gar, Milen Treichler and Rose Santos

HAPPY BIRTHDAY: Take on something new this year.

How you wheel and deal will keep you in the running for a big change you’ve been working toward for years.

Trust yourself and believe in your abilities to make gains that will allow you to enhance your lifestyle. Romance is highlighted and will encourage you to relax and enjoy life. Your lucky numbers are 6, 14, 21, 26, 30, 38, 43.

SHANG’S Blessie Rosales, Tin Tiongson, Gaita Fores (Cibo) and Shang’s CJ Jesena

a

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Look at every angle before making a decision. Don’t count on anyone for help. Empty promises will leave you in a predicament. Concentrate on personal changes that will make you feel good. Don’t share secrets or plans prematurely. HHH

b

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Use your imagination to come up with a plan that makes sense and will take care of any concerns you have moving forward. A personal change will give you the push you need to pursue something you want. HHHH

c

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Be careful who you trust. Someone will offer you something that isn’t feasible. Ask questions and get to the bottom of any situation that could end up costing you emotionally or financially. Walk away from indulgent situations.

HHHH ATTY. KARLO ESTAVILLO, Emerson Yao (Lucerne) and Lala Fojas

ATTY. KARLO ESTAVILLO of SPI, Johnny Cobankiat (CB Bar and Restaurant) and Lala Fojas

d

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Let your creativity lead the way. Don’t be shy when it comes to expressing your feelings and what you would like to see happen. A make-or-break situation should be handled with care. HHHHH

e

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): You’ll thrive on change. Don’t let boredom set in when it’s up to you to make your life better. Satisfy your needs by taking action and finding positive alternatives to your current situation. HHH

f

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Follow through with your plans. Now is not the time to waffle or to give someone the wrong impression. Be precise and make your move with confidence. You can have what you want if you take a stand and make it happen. HHH EVENT hosts Markki Stroem and Bianca Valerio

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LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Don’t rely on someone who complains all the time. You need to surround yourself with positive people who are willing to help, not criticize. Change begins within, so stop procrastinating or waiting for someone else to make a move. HHH

IÑAKI GARCIA (Tieline) and Shang’s Lala Fojas

Loyal retail partners honored at annual Appreciation Party T HROUGH the years, Shangri-La Plaza has been the mecca for shopping, dining and entertainment—thanks in large part to the continued support and loyalty of its mall tenants. As 2019 drew to a close, Shang held its annual Retail Partners’ Appreciation Party to honor the mall’s retail partners that have helped shape the mall into the premier lifestyle destination it is today.

“We wish to express our deepest gratitude to our tenants for your steadfast trust and faith in ShangriLa Plaza all these years,” said Lala Fojas, Shangri-La Plaza executive vice president and general manager, in her opening remarks.

“We look forward to more years together as we continue to strengthen our successful partnership to achieve our mutual objectives—the longevity and sustainability of our businesses.”

Held at Shangri-La at the Fort, the soiree treated guests to a night of sumptuous food and good company, highlighted by great performances from Lani Misalucha with the Manila Philharmonic Orchestra, emerging group The Male Ensemble Nine, and the Philippine Madrigal Singers-trained Mini Madz.

Plaques of appreciation were given to retail partners that included CB Bar and Restaurant, Fino Leatherwear, Gaeacrafts, PNB, Potato Corner, Reyes Barbecue, and Tieline for their 25 years of loyalty, and Anne Klein, Armani Exchange, Calvin Klein Underwear, Ariston, Bowmanbear Hair Cuttery and Spa, Cibo Nuovo, Kookie Korner, Lucerne, Max’s Restaurant, Muhlach Ensaymada, Stardust Fine Jewelry, Swatch, The Blue Kitchen, The Body Shop, The Travel Club and Time Depot for their 20 years with Shang. n

h

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Follow your heart and pursue creative dreams. A chance to revisit something or someone that used to be a big part of your life will be revitalizing.

Love and romance will enhance your personal life.

HHHHH

i

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Trust your knowledge and ability to get to the bottom of things, not what someone tells you. If you want to make a change, do the legwork and research, and follow through on your own. HH

j

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Stick to what you know. Don’t take a risk or follow others.

Do your own thing and focus on personal improvements and financial gains. A physical change will boost your confidence and result in unexpected compliments. HHHH

k

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Keep moving forward. Refuse to let anyone get in your way or talk you into something you don’t really want to do. Emotional manipulation can lead to loss. Focus on what you want and how you can improve your life. HHH

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PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Offer help, and you will impress someone skeptical of what you are trying to achieve. A change will turn out to be more favorable than you anticipate. Don’t lose sight of what’s important or become involved in excessive behavior. HHH

POWERHOUSE superstar Lani Misalucha serenaded guests.

BIRTHDAY BABY: You are steadfast, ambitious and intelligent.

You are benevolent and imaginative.

‘international man of mister-y’ BY PAUL COULTER The Universal Crossword/Edited by David Steinberg

ACROSS 1 Next in line for a throne 5 On the Origin of Species author 11 Criticize harshly 14 ___ facto 15 “Me! Me!” 16 Game with +2 cards 17 Spanish guy who plays a certain basketball position?

19 Word after “living” or “dead” 20 Small couch 21 Some Mad magazine pieces 23 Like the math problem 1+1 26 Fedora, for one 27 Playwright-turned-president Vaclav 30 Dorm VIPs 32 Ones with “superior” taste 35 “Garfield” dog 36 Move with stealth 38 King, to Brigitte Macron 39 German guy who fixes things up?

42 Decide 43 Smart ___ (know-it-alls) 44 Almondlike color 45 What minimalists have a minimal

amount of 7 Every other hurricane 4 48 Lip application 49 Work of ___ 50 Bicker 52 Actress Flockhart 56 Pressing 60 “Uh-huh” 61 French guy who’s a pool shark?

64 Absorbed, as a cost 65 Capers 66 People want to receive bills from them 67 “As if!”

68 Brother’s daughters 69 Disorderly crowds DOWN 1 Blow off steam?

2 Blunted blade 3 Fails to be 4 Dad’s product 5 Chops into cubes 6 Citrus drink suffix 7 Director Howard 8 Clever types

9 You may bounce one off of someone 10 View from Edinburgh 11 Island near Dominican Republic 12 Author Rice 13 Silent signals 18 Authentic 22 “At Seventeen” singer Janis 24 Floral painting by Van Gogh 25 Personal check?

27 Santa’s favorite snacks?

28 Highly skilled 29 Digital dog, e.g.

31 Furnace feeder 33 Ill-mannered sorts 34 Skull cavity 36 Abbr. before a number 37 Sterile workplaces, briefly 40 River worker....or, if “C” is added, trade worker 41 Old-fashioned message 46 Part of TGIF, briefly 48 Expert 51 Answer you’re not confident about 52 Printer’s blue hue 53 One for the road?

54 Braxton who sang “Un-Break My Heart” 55 A chip, maybe 57 Opposite of endo 58 Deaden 59 Working Girl girl 62 (Not my error) 63 “On the rocks” rocks Solution to yesterday’s puzzle:

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Relationships BusinessMirror

Friday, February 7, 2020

CHILD RIGHTS, BUSINESS PRINCIPLES AND SUSTAINABILITY UNICEF signed a memorandum of understanding with the Ateneo Human Rights Center to deliver training to Philippine private-sector companies on children’s rights and business principles, as well as to working toward the integration of child rights into sustainability programming and reporting.

In the photo are Unicef Philippines Partnerships Manager Cristina Bertolino (from left), Unicef Philippines Representative Oyun Dendevnorov, and Ateneo Human Rights Center Executive Director Ray Paolo Santiago.

Why it may not be such a great idea to be a dog owner

BECCA JOSE (seated, from left) and Tessa Tayag, with Cora Corpus (standing, from left), Sylvia Singson, Coroy Diaz, Luisa Valdes, Tessa Mortensen, Evelyn Forbes, Ging Naguiat and Chona Mercado

‘BIRDS IN PARADISE’ SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM IN 2004, a group of dedicated women from the Assumption College San Lorenzo high-school class 1968 (ACSLV68) established a scholarship program to help economically disadvantaged students earn their college degrees. Sharing the conviction that education is one way out of poverty, they have persevered in finding ways to sustain the program.

To date, 26 students have successfully completed their college degrees in various fields, such as chemistry, civil and electronics engineering, accountancy, physics, education, political science and journalism. Some have graduated with honors: magna cum laude (chemistry, physics and education), and cum laude (accountancy, education, HR development management and journalism).

Seventeen scholars are currently enrolled in various colleges and universities in Metro Manila, Pampanga, Los Baños and Batangas.

Now on its eighth year, the pop-up “Birds in Paradise” has become a much-anticipated annual event in Makati. On sale are exciting, unique and exquisite merchandise sourced from countries in Europe and Asia. The pop-up provides financial support to the ACSLV68 education assistance program.

On February 13 to 15, Birds in Paradise unfolds more at the Makati Garden Club (10 am to 5 pm, Recoletos Street corner Ayala Avenue, Makati City).

More information is available at 0998-9989195.

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OR most of my life, growing up in my parent’s home, we’ve always had dogs.

Papa raised them primarily as guard dogs.

So unlike the fur babies today who have the run of their owner’s entire house, our dogs were usually just a few steps outside the front door, or tied at the back door which opened into our backyard of jac fruit, star apple and avocado trees.

It was the 1970s, and we were still under Marcos’s martial law, so the crime rate, especially in Santa Mesa Heights where I grew up, was next to nil. So I never really understood why Papa felt a need to secure our house that way.

As a toddler, however, I was quite afraid of our dog. He was a Doberman named Brutus, and because he was tied by the back door, I would sweat buckets before running out to go to my yaya who stayed at a separate little house in the backyard with the other househelp.

Whenever Brutus stood on his back paws (on hindsight, it was probably just the way he greeted people), he appeared more like Godzilla tearing through Tokyo, ready to unleash his atomic heat beam on little me.

His bark was also loud and deep, as if coming from the greatest depths of his being, which scared not only the bejeezus out of me but also the many visitors to our home. Brutus, it seemed, was also particularly annoyed when Mama and her gang would play mahjong at home. With the living area’s window just above his station, he could hear the tiles being shuffled around on the mahjong table after every set, and he would growl and bark, signaling his displeasure.

One of my irritated titas would then shout back at him, “Quiet, Brutus!” but he paid her no attention. He would only calm the hell down when the shuffling was finished, and the players would arrange the tiles signaling a new set of play. This barking-silencebarking-silence habit of Brutus would go on for some time until the players stopped for dinner or finally went home.

After Brutus, we had a parade of calmer dogs, ones I could actually pet. Or maybe I had just gotten older and taller, so I was no longer afraid to reach out and touch them.

We also had a stray Siamese cat named Miminggoy who, at first, was allowed to roam inside the home, but when she started sharpening her claws on our sofa, Mama was so incensed that Miminggoy was kicked out—not literally, of course, but she spent the rest of her lazy days in the backyard.

These days, I am fortunate to play Tita Stella to my Chow Chow nephew Jethro, who lives in Big Sister’s home in the South. No matter how long my absence, he always remembers me and starts jumping, his tail wagging, as he snorts his excitement in greeting me. He’s super adorable, but often lazier than a cat.

So after his short burst of energy in welcoming me, he then splats down on the floor, and just watches everyone go about their business or falls asleep.

Jethro is so spoiled, he sleeps in the upstairs sala adjacent to the bedrooms, where the air-conditioner is turned up, especially during summer. Big Sister switches on an electric fan, as well, to ensure he is cool and comfortable as he sleeps.

When I’m not at Big Sister’s, I mildly obsess over puppy videos and photos (and those of kitty cats, too), just so I don’t miss Jethro too much. These are just some of the best gifts of the Internet, and I watch them just to keep my brain from overloading on current events that do nothing except raise my blood pressure, making me want to throw the remote at the TV. Sometimes, I think about actually getting myself a pet dog, but I can hardly take care of myself. I ponder the question “Why do I need/want a dog?” whenever I start messaging dog sellers whose fur babies catch my fancy. I usually have no answer for it, except having him or her around for my amusement. Which is a bit unfair. A pet isn’t a toy, after all, that you can just forget about or leave behind when it no longer entertains you. Just look at all the videos of poor, neglected doggies in the news.

I also think of the stress of having to leave him or her behind if I have to work outside the home, or attend out-of-town/country press events. I’ve checked; there are no pet hotels in my neighborhood, so I will likely have to travel all the way to the South to have him cared for at Big Sister’s.

And certainly, it takes quite a small fortune to have a pet. I listen to my nieces and their exchanges with Big Sister on how much was spent for Jethro’s food, vitamins and grooming, and I think it might be cheaper to raise a human child instead.

So...I guess until I have a firmer or credible reason to own a doggie, I will have to stick with watching videos of the cuties on the Internet. Or maybe visit Big Sister more often. Hehehe. n

Planners for memorable weddings MEMBERS of the Philippine Association of Wedding Planners Inc. (PAWP) were recently treated to historical and gastronomic delights during a luncheon event at Palacio de Memoria, a superbly restored prewar mansion that survived the 1945 Battle of Manila, and now one

of the premier wedding and events venues in Metro Manila.

They were also shown around the vast, sprawling gardens of the Palacio, where a huge crystal-clear tent can be erected for beautiful alfresco weddings.

Other outdoor attractions include

the Mosphil Lounge, and the Palacio’s own chapel-museum which also houses religious antiquities from different centuries.

Present during the luncheon were Palacio de Memoria General Manager Camille Lhuillier, Monchet Y Compania curator Jose Ramon

“Monchet” Olives, PAWP Assistant Secretary John Llona, board member Angel Ortiz, president Majelle Magpantay, board member Liza Alviedo, board chairman Celia Cunanan, member Ralph Jason Copiaco and board member Marex Gaba.

Jeff Bezos sued by girlfriend’s brother for defamation

By Joseph Pisani The Associated Press NEW YORK—Michael Sanchez, the brother of Jeff Bezos’s girlfriend, is suing the Amazon founder for defamation, alleging that Bezos and his team falsely told reporters that Sanchez provided nude photos of Bezos to the National Enquirer.

In the complaint filed on January 31 in Los Angeles, Sanchez, a Hollywood talent manager, says he has lost clients and has been shunned by family and friends.

The lawsuit doesn’t specify how much money he is seeking. The lawsuit says Bezos began his affair with Sanchez’s sister, Lauren, in 2017, when her production company was hired to do work for Bezos’s space

exploration company. The couple kept the relationship secret based on advice from a psychic in New Mexico, according to the complaint.

The lawsuit alleges that in 2018, Lauren approached her brother, who was her manager at the time, about leaking information about the affair to gossip web site TMZ as a way to get ahead of the media and limit any backlash.

Michael says he advised his sister against the move but after quashing rumors about the affair by multiple tabloid reporters, he entered a deal with the publisher of the National Enquirer, in which he “agreed to corroborate the existence of the relationship under conditions that would help Mr. Sanchez manage the timing of the story, and the way in which the affair

was portrayed.”

Shortly after the National Enquirer ran a story on the affair early last year, Bezos published a blog post alleging that the tabloid tried to blackmail him with embarrassing photos that he sent to Lauren.

He also suggested that the Enquirer had ties with Saudi Arabia, which was upset with coverage in The Washington Post, which Bezos owns. The Post had been harshly critical of the Saudi government after the killing of columnist and Saudi critic Jamal Khashoggi.

A lawyer for Bezos said his client will address Michael’s lawsuit in court “very soon.”

In a prepared statement provided by her lawyer, Lauren said her “family is hurting over this new baseless and untrue lawsuit, and we truly hope my

brother finds peace.”

Last month, two human-rights experts at the United Nations said that Bezos’s iPhone was likely hacked through a file sent from an account used by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman. But the UN experts did not tie the hack to the Enquirer. The experts called for an “immediate investigation” by the United States. Michael alleges in the lawsuit that Bezos and his security consultant, Gavin de Becker, spread false statements to reporters saying that he had provided the photos to the tabloid. Michael says he never had possession of the photos.

De Becker is listed as a defendant in the lawsuit.

His security firm did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Monday.

D3

D4

Show BusinessMirror

Friday, February 7, 2020

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Kathryn’s got rice KATHRYN BERNARDO

GAB FAB JET VALLE

@jetvalle

GMA RECLAIMS NO. 1 SPOT IN NATIONWIDE RATINGS, OPENS 2020 WITH STRONGER VIEWERSHIP

GMA Network’s 70th anniversary celebration begins on a high note as it clinched the top spot in the nationwide television ratings competition anew.

Latest data from Nielsen TV Audience Measurement show that for January 2020 (with January 26 to 31 based on overnight data), GMA reigned supreme with an average total day people audience share of 34.7 percent in the National Urban Television Audience Measurement (Nutam), outscoring ABS-CBN’s 31.7 percent.

The network’s Nutam victory was a result of its impressive performance across all day parts. Providing a head start in the morning block, GMA recorded 28.8 percent people audience share versus competition’s 27.4 percent. GMA’s strong afternoon block brought in the biggest lead with 37.7 percent against ABS-CBN’s 31.4 percent.

Continuing well into the evening block, which includes the hotly contested prime-time block, the network posted 34.8 percent while its rival got 33.6 percent.

GMA, likewise, ruled in all time blocks with wider margins in both Urban Luzon and Mega Manila, which respectively account for 72 percent and 57 percent of all urban viewers in the country. GMA registered an average of 36.7 percent total day people audience share in Urban Luzon, beating ABSCBN’s 29.1 percent. With official data from January 1 to 25, the network kept its winning streak in Mega Manila with 37.1 percent, which was way ahead of ABS-CBN’s 27 percent.

Similarly, more GMA shows made it to Nutam’s list of top programs for January. Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho (KMJS), which was the undisputed No. 1 show in 2019, still remained in the top spot. GMA also took the lion’s share in the Urban Luzon and Mega Manila top programs lists where it respectively grabbed 19 and 20 spots out of the overall top 30. Aside from KMJS, the network’s ratings drivers for January were Magpakailanman, 24 Oras, Pepito Manaloto, Daig Kayo ng Lola Ko, Daddy’s Gurl, The Gift, Beautiful Justice, Amazing Earth, One of the Baes, Prima Donnas, Eat Bulaga, Kapuso Movie Night, 24 Oras Weekend, Magkaagaw, Wowowin, Bubble Gang, Madrasta, Tadhana and Imbestigador.

Nielsen TV Audience Measurement’s client pool covers a total of 37 clients/subscribers consisting of local TV networks, regional clients, blocktimers, advertisers and agencies.

K

ATHRYN BERNARDO was known as the Teen Queen.

Why so? Her breakout role in Mara Clara was a TV smash. She then followed this up with another phenomenal TV show, Princess and I, where her tandem with Daniel Padilla was first introduced. The rest, as they say, is history.

Currently, Kathryn holds the distinction as being the first actress who has two movies under her belt that have breached the P800 million mark. The first was in 2018 for The Hows of Us, and the other one is Hello, Love, Goodbye just last year. The latter is actually the highest-grossing Filipino film so far.

Definitely her achievements are fitting for a queen, although it should be said the “Teen Queen” moniker has to go if it hasn’t, yet. It’s past inappropriate already because Kathryn turns 24 next month.

So while we look for a more suitable “title” for her, maybe she can settle for now to be a Rice Queen? Or Kanin Queen?

Now before you think I’m belittling this young actress who has achieved more than I can in 200 lifetimes (for those who doubt about Kathryn’s place as an actress, you have to watch Hello, Love, Goodbye and the issue will quickly be put to rest, as she was phenomenal in that movie, giving a whole cornucopia of emotions as she took audiences on a journey in learning to say hello, learning to love and definitely not saying goodbye), hear me out. You see, Kathryn was tapped by Rice in a Box (RBX) to be their very first endorser.

Kathryn didn’t have any hesitation in accepting the offer of RBX to be their muse, as in her own words: “I am grateful that I have come home to RBX. We grew up together, we both came from humble beginnings.

Somehow RBX and my career are parallel—slowly but surely we have been able to build something, and until now I am a fan of the brand. It’s something that complements my on-the-go lifestyle.”

RBX, led by one of the country’s youngest and most successful entrepreneurs Lester Pimentel (and actually a talented TV director), remains true to its commitment of food convenience, accessibility and affordability to consumers, which it will sustain in the years to come.

From its first branch in what used be the Masagana Mall in Pasay City, it is now a sprawling business with numerous branches covering much of Mega Manila and key cities in Luzon.

The familiar handy packaging is becoming more synonymous with the Pinoy’s on-the-go lifestyle, whatever his life status may be.

“We are happy that RBX has been embraced by our

kababayans for two decades now, maybe because we understood the need to be the companion to every onthe-go student, working professional, even families who do not have time to prepare their meals the traditional way,” Lester shares.

“As the years progressed, we have committed to providing quality, filling meals without hurting their wallets.”

With the use of locally sourced premium rice, the freshest ingredients, and bespoke sauces exclusively made by its longtime partner, Lee Kum Kee, RBX has strengthen the belief of many Filipinos—that rice is life.

“New upcoming variants and new branches are some of the things that we have to watch out for on our 20th anniversary,” Lester shares.

“We will be introducing new flavors to be abreast with the current food trends without sacrificing the quick, enjoyable experience that our customers have with every box. On the other hand, we are expanding further to make sure that we become more and more accessible to the busy Filipino.”

RBX has now 200 branches nationwide. You can visit www.rbx.com.ph for updates on the brand or the new Rice Queen, Kathryn Bernardo. n

Indicted K-pop star Seungri may face military court RACHELLE ANN GO

WITNESS RACHELLE ANN’S ‘THE HOMECOMING’ THIS VALENTINE’S DAY

FRESH from her stint in the award-winning hit musical Hamilton, Rachelle Ann Go brings the Broadway and West End experience this Valentine’s Day to Resorts World Manila’s (RWM, www.rwmanila.com) Marriott Grand Ballroom in her upcoming The Homecoming concert on February 14 at 8 pm.

Go began her career by joining several talent competitions in variety shows, including Eat Bulaga! when she was as young as 11. However, the talented singer first got her taste of the limelight when she won the Search for a Star competition in 2004 and, from then on, made a flourishing career in local showbusiness.

The following year saw her winning silver at the Shanghai Music Festival for her song “From the Start,” and then later being awarded for the song “Isang Lahi” in the 2005 Astana International Song Festival in Astana, Kazakhstan.

Her international popularity grew via her collaboration with artists Lexi Lawson, Arianna Afsar, Julia Harriman and Shoba Narayan for “First Burn,” which topped the iTunes US charts at No. 1.

After spending years performing in Manhattan and London, mainly playing her iconic roles as Gigi van Tranh in Miss Saigon and Eliza Schuyler in Hamilton, which earned her a BroadwayWorld UK best actress plum in 2018, the Philippines’s pride returns to the country to wow her Filipino fans anew with her own repertoire of theater hits.

Joining Rachelle will be no less than Lea Salonga herself as special guest, together with Erik Santos and Zephanie, with the musical accompaniment of the Manila Philharmonic Orchestra. The Homecoming also features the musical direction of Marc Lopez and the overall direction of Paul Basinillo.

Tickets are now available at the RWM Box Office and all TicketWorld outlets.

By HyUnG-Jin KiM The Associated Press SEOUL, South Korea—A K-pop star charged with violating South Korea’s anti-prostitution law may have to join the country’s army and face trial in a military court.

Last week, prosecutors indicted former Big Bang member Seungri, whose real name is Lee Seunghyun, on charges of violating laws on prostitution, illegal gambling and foreign currency trading.

The state-run Military Manpower Administration said Tuesday it sent Seungri documents asking him to report for 21 months of mandatory military service, a requirement for all able-bodied men in South Korea, because prosecutors had ended their investigation of him.

It said in a statement that it was concerned a protracted trial in civilian courts would hamper its effort to equally apply the military obligation on Seungri, 29.

It said Seungri’s case will be handed over to a military court if he joins the military.

Men eligible for military service in South Korea are allowed to delay their conscription five times under certain conditions before they become 31, but the accumulated delayed time cannot exceed two years.

Seungri postponed his conscription in March 2019.

The draft agency said it won’t disclose whether he delayed his conscription again, or when he is expected to join the military, citing privacy regulations.

South Korean media said Seungri is expected to enter the military in late February or early March.

Yonhap news agency said it’s unlikely that the draft agency will accept another request by him to postpone his conscription over future trials in civilian

SEUNGRI (center) member of a popular K-pop boy band Big Bang, arrives at the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency in Seoul, South Korea, in March 2019. AP

courts. Prosecutors gave no details about the charges.

South Korean media reported that Seungri was accused of buying prostitutes for himself and business investors from Taiwan, Japan and Hong Kong, engaging in illegal gambling overseas, and failing to report to South Korean authorities about money he borrowed abroad to use in gambling. Seungri has previously denied most of the allegations.

Big Bang has been one of the most successful K-pop bands since its debut in 2006, attracting huge, loyal followings in Asia and around the world. Forbes

magazine reported in 2016 that it took home $44 million in pretax earnings the previous year. Big Bang has been on a temporary hiatus as other members served in the military.

Seungri’s case is one of several scandals that have roiled South Korea’s entertainment industry in recent years. In November, singer-songwriter Jung Joonyoung received a six-year prison term, and former boy band member Choi Jong-hoon a five-year term, after they were found guilty of illicit sexual relations with a woman who was unable to resist.

Motoring BusinessMirror

Henry Ford Awards Best Motoring Section 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010 2011 Hall of Fame

Editor: Tet Andolong

Friday, February 7, 2020 E1

ISUZU TURNS OVER THE 3RD BATCH OF MODERNIZED PUVs TO PASANG MASDA

IPC President Hajime Koso poses in front of their latest offering, the Isuzu Traviz Class 1 PUV.

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Story & Photos by Patrick P. Tulfo

SUZU Philippines Corp. (IPC) continues its streak as it turned over 30 brand-new modernized public-utility vehicles (PUVs) to the Pangkalahatang Sanggunian Manila and Suburbs Drivers Association or Pasang Masda, among the country’s biggest transport groups, during the formal ceremony held on January 22, 2020, in Meycauayan, Bulacan.

The turnover was the third batch of modern PUVs Pasang Masda acquired from the Japanese truck manufacturer (The first batch of 15 units were turned over in October 29, 2018, the second batch of 15 units on November 7, 2019).

The well-attended event was graced by Transportation (DOTr) Secretary Arthur Tugade together with Undersecretary Mark de Leon, Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) Chairman Martin Delgra, Meycauayan City Mayor Ruth Villarica, IPC top executives led by its President Hajime Koso and Joseph Bautista, representatives from Inteco Quezon Avenue and body builder partner Almazora, representatives from Coolaire and officers of Pasang Masda led by its President Obet Martin.

In his speech, Koso said, “As the No. 1 local one-stop shop for trucks in the Philippines, Isuzu is proud to offer its end-to-end services from delivering the vehicle units to giving our clients outstanding aftersales services.”

The Isuzu PUVs will not only benefit the commuters but also the drivers and operators, as well as it also increases the quality of their livelihood. Isuzu modern PUVs are very versatile, allowing for customization that any PUV operations may require.

The 30 units will ply the busy route between the growing cities of Malolos and Meycauayan in Bulacan province.

During the turnover ceremony, IPC also showcased its newest addition to its PUV lineup, the Isuzu Traviz Lightweight truck with Util-

THE traditional turnover of key with DOTr Secretary Arthur Tugade (center), IPC President Hajime Koso (sixth from left), Meycauayan Mayor Ruth Villarica (fourth from left), LTFRB Chairman Martin Delgra (seventh from left) and Pasang Masda President Obet Martin

ity Van for the Class 1 category of the PUV modernization program of the DOTr Omnibus Franchise Guidelines. The Class 1 Isuzu PUV is suitable for crowded inner-city road, and Isuzu Traviz Class 1 PUV is a good alternative to have a modernized jeepney for transport cooperatives.

The modernized PUVs, assembled using the Isuzu QKR77 platform, and the rear body designed and manufactured by Almazora Motors Corp., are air-conditioned Class 2 PUVs assembled in the Philippines and is equipped with Euro IV-compliant 4JH1-TC diesel engine that delivers excellent fuel economy. The air-conditioning system developed and provided by Coolaire Consolidated Inc.

INSIDE the Isuzu Traviz Class 1 PUV with Isuzu President Hajime Koso, Joseph Bautista, Robert Carlos and Conrad Almazora of Almazora Body Builders.

boasts ducted airflow and a highcooling capacity to keep commuters comfortable regardless of outdoor temperature.

The body of the Isuzu PUV is compliant with Philippine National Standards (PNS 2126:2017), with the passenger

cabin providing more space for passengers to move easily inside. The passenger door is safely situated on the right-hand side, facing the sidewalk. Other design features of the body include panoramic windows and windshields, full-body insulation with GeneQ shield, automatic door closer, high-grade air conditioners with equal cooling distribution, and provisions for persons with disabilities.

Completing the modernized look and features of the new PUVs are the LED electronic signages for vehicle route information, fire extinguishers, CCTV, dashcam and back-up cameras, and the automatic fare collection provided by Euodoo Technologies Inc. These accessories are geared for passengers’ safety, entertainment, added convenience in fare collection and in compliance with LTFRB and DOTr regulations.

Meanwhile, Tugade in his speech praised Pasang Masda for complying with the government’s PUV Modernization Program and extolled other transport groups to do the same. He also asked Koso to lower the price of the recently introduced Isuzu Traviz Class 1 PUV to less than a million to make it more affordable to operators. This pronouncement was met with a thunderous applause by all those who attended.

Koso, when asked later in an interview if the request was possible, said “we will see” with his trademark smile.

For more information, log on to www.isuzuphil.com.

Moto

MOTORING ’MINDER

P384-B INFRA UNDER WAY

TO BRING EDSA TO NORMAL TRAFFIC

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N t he coming year s , mor e r o ad spaces will be construc ted to provide motorist s alternative routes to the heavily congested 23.8-kilometer Epifanio de los Santos Avenue (Edsa).

Public Wor k s S e c re t ar y Mar k A .

V illar s aid t ha t t he D e p ar t m en t o f Public Works and Highways (DPWH) is implementing a massive decongestion program amounting P384 billion, in an ef for t to bring back Edsa to normal traf fic flow level.

“In close coordination with national government agencies, loc al government unit s and the private sec tor, we are pushing for the swif t completion of our flagship infrastruc ture projects that will provide lasting solution to gridlocks in the National Capital Region [NCR],” said Villar.

According to Villar, DPWH right-ofway Task Forces for flagship projec t s were already direc ted to intensif y ROW acquisition ef for t s to ensure timely completion of projec t s in Mega Manila.

Major road and bridge projec ts that are aimed for completion this year include—the 2.60-km Nlex Harbor Link, R-10 Exit Ramp which will reduce the one hour and 30 minutes travel from Por t Area to Nlex toward the nor thern provinces of Luzon to 10 minutes; 3.2km Mindanao Avenue Extension Segment 2C which will reduce travel time between Quirino Highway and General Luis Road of the cities of Quezon, Valenzuela and Caloocan from the one hour and 30 minutes to 20 minutes; 18.30-km Metro Manila Skyway Stage 3 that will cut the two hours travel from Buendia, Makati City to Balintawak, Quezon City to 15 to 20 minutes; 6.94-km Laguna

Lake Highway to cut travel time from Taytay, Rizal to Bicutan from one hour to 30 minutes; 3.3-km For t BonifacioNichols Road (Lawton Avenue) Widening to accommodate more vehicles; and the Bonifacio Global Cit y-Or tigas Center Link Road Projec t that will reduce to 12 minutes travel time between BGC and Or tigas Central Business Distric t.

DPWH is also set to begin civil works on the following projects this year—8.35km Nlex Harbor Link Segment 8.2 that will cut the 45 minutes travel time from Mindanao Avenue to Commonwealth Avenue in Quezon City to 10 minutes; and the Pasig River and Manggahan Floodway Bridges Construc tion Projec t inclusive of five bridges namely: Nor th & South Harbor Bridge, Palanca-Villegas Bridge, and the Eas tbank-Wes tbank Bridge 2 crossing Manggahan Floodway.

Based on DPWH’s projected schedule, the public may expect the opening of 8-km Nlex-Slex Connector Road that will shorten travel time from Clark to Calamba from three hours to one hour and 40 minutes; 680-meter Binondo-Intramuros Bridge connecting Intramuros and Binondo, and 506-meter Estrella-Pantaleon Bridge connecting Estrella, Makati City to Barangka Drive, Mandaluyong in 2021; Nlex Harbor Link Segment 8.2; 2.39-km Section 1 Phase 1 of the 32-km Southeast Metro Manila Expressway, C6 in 2022; 2.02-km Nor th & South Harbor Bridge connec ting nor th and south harbor, 438-meter Palanca-Villegas Bridge connec ting A .

Villegas and C arlos Palanc a Street s, an d 9 29 - m e t er E a s t b ank- We s t b ank Br idge 2 connec ting E as tbank dike road and Westbank dike road at Cainta, Rizal by 2023.

HYUNDAI TURNS OVER CLASS 2 MODERN JEEPNEYS TO MINDANAO CO-OPS

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YUNDAI Asia Resources Inc. (Hari), in its unflagging suppor t for the country’s public-utility vehicle modernization program (PUVMP), of ficially turned over the initial batch of Hyundai HD50S Class 2 Modern Jeepneys to the Public Transpor t Alliance of Gensan, led by PTAG President Rober t N. Cang. Fif teen out of the 326 units ordered

by PTAG were turned over during the event.

PTAG, one of the countr y’s major transpor t cooperatives, comprising 11 groups and around 2,000 individual members, is the first Mindanao transpor t cooperative to comply with the national PUVMP. The turn over ceremony took place in Gener al Santos Cit y Oval Plaza in the presence of Land Transpor tation Franchising and Regulator y Board Chairman At t y. Mar tin B. Delgr a III, Tr anspor t ation (DOTr) A ssis t ant Secretar y for Road Transpor t and Infras tructure At t y. Mark Steven Pas tor, LTFRB Region 12 Direc tor Col. Paterno Reynato Padua (Ret.), C ang, and represent atives from Hari Commercial Vehicles Division.

In his speech, Pas tor expres sed confidence that the government progr am is gaining trac tion as operators, drivers and commuters alike are realizing the economic, social and environmental benefits of modernizing the local public transpor t system. Pastor fur ther repor ted: “Sa huling datos natin nitong Disyembre 2019, lumalabas na 1,030 na mga kooperatiba na binubuo ng 104,000 na miyembro ang accredited ng Of fice of the Transpor tation Cooperatives [OTC]. Umabot na rin sa 562 ang authorized routes sa ilalim ng programa na may 15,650 authorized units.

NISSAN INTR ‘SERVICE ON

Business

E2 Friday, February 7, 2020

Sa bilang na ito, 4,120 ang operational na.”

The assistant secretar y ended with a rallying call to continue suppor ting the widespread implementation of PUVMP. Echoing the DOTr ’s call, Cang confirmed, “Dati nasubukan namin ang e-jeep at nakita namin ang epekto nung paggamit ng bagong unit. Pero sa modernized jeepney unit s, nakikita namin na bukod sa maayos na public transpor t system at mas convenient ito sa mga commuter, malaki ang benepisyo nito sa mga kooperatiba kaya buo ang supor ta namin sa programa ng LTFRB.” The event also saw strong suppor t from the local government with the presence of General Santos Cit y Mayor Ronnel Rivera who hailed the progress of PUVMP in his cit y; while Delgra expressed hope that the program would reach the far thest corners of the countr y.

The 15 Hyundai HD50S Class 2 Modern Jeepney unit s will oper ate under L agao Drivers Operators Transpor t Cooperative and will tr aver se three routes— Doña Soledad to L agao Public Market , C alumpang to L agao Public Market , and C alumpang to San Jose.

Hari President and CEO Ma. Fe Perez-Agudo sent her warm congratulations to the PTAG and reaffirmed solid support for the PUVMP: “We are happy to start 2020 strong in our commitment to support the PUVM. We made sure that the units reached GenSan safe and sound through their 1,230-km journey from the Hyundai Logistics Center in Laguna. Kaya ang ating King of the Road ay maari na ring mabansagang King of the Roro—now at the service of this region. Gawang Pilipino, para sa Pilipino!”

N

Story & photos by Randy S. Peregrino

ISSAN Philippines took its after-sales program to a whole new level by introducing the “Service on Wheels” program. This brilliant move is deemed as a mobile solution for vehicle service demands. The objective is to perform scheduled on-site after-sales services and repairs, such as house calls or service caravans. Of course, this would transcend customer expectations when it comes to providing excellent vehicle care and services to customers outside Nissan service centers.

None other than Nissan Philippines Inc. (NPI) President and Managing Director Atsushi Najima presented the model unit—a converted Navara pickup—equipped with the necessary equipment needed to service any Nissan vehicle in need. “Service on Wheels is a way for Nissan to extend our

SERVICE equipment are also well-organized

NPI President and Managing Director Atsushi Najima presenting the Navara pickup Service on Wheels

expertise in vehicle care outside our service centers. This gives a new and exciting dimension to our reliable services by delivering satisfaction to our customers, wherever they are,” said Najima.

Imagine a customized Navara pickup fully equipped with the tools and equipment capable of

FULLY equipped and capable to service any Nissan vehicles anytime and anywhere

MG PHILIPPINE

T

H E C ov enan t C ar C o. In c . ( TCCC I) — M G Philippines enters a new year and a new decade grateful and ultimately humbled by the positive feedback it has received from the Filipino motoring p u b l i c i n 2 019.

Un der s c or in g t hi s over w helmin g r e sponse to the MG br and is a tot al sales achievement of 5,085 new MG unit s sold on the brand’s first year of operations (or over 400 unit s per month) —led by the s tatementwor thy MG Z S Crossover SUV, which gener ated over half of MG Philippines’s tot al vehicle sales in 2019.

A side from the ZS Crossover SUV, MG Philippines also launched three more all-new vehicles in 2019, namely: the spacious and versatile R X5 SUV; the spor t y MG 6 Fastback sedan; and the brand’s latest of fering, the MG 5 sedan—a class leader in its segment that is big in both size and features. MG vehicles

oring

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Friday, February 7, 2020

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THE RISE OF GEELY IN THE PHILIPPINES

select Nissan dealerships across the country.

Nissan Philippines achieves 22.2-percent growth in 2019

performing services such as periodic light maintenance, vehicle diagnosis, replacement of consumable items, such as tires, brakes and batteries; light repairs; and emergency roadside assistance.

More so, operated by two Nissancertified technicians to attend to your vehicle’s needs. That’s like Nissan Philippines telling you that “we got your back.”

Nissan customers can contact the Nissan Customer Assistance Center Hot line at (+632) 8403-6593 or 0927-600-9557 or their nearest Nissan dealership to inquire more about Service on Wheels. The service is available in

MEANWHILE, NPI closed 2019 strong with a growth rate of 22.2 percent (compared previous year) translating to 42,694 total units sold. This positive sales performance enabled Nissan to retain its third ranking in the top automotive brands in the country, according to the Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers of the Philippines Inc. (Campi). 2019 also saw Nissan broke two of its own sales records, selling 4,616 units in March and 4,768 units in September, respectively.

“Nissan’s continued growth annually is the result of the company’s focus on the fundamentals.

We aim to sustain our growth in the years to come with innovative products, reliable services, a strong dealer network, and a vibrant company culture of talented people. As always, our customers are our first priority, and we’d like to thank our Filipino customers for their continued support,” said Najima.

Still reigning as the brand’s best seller, the Navara pickup significantly contributed an impressive 19,034 total units sold for 2019, accounting to 44.6 percent of total sales. The Terra SUV, meantime, also has its share of contribution with 10,469 total units sold. As Nissan’s first entry in the segment, the Terra is ranked third among Campi brand’s bestselling midsized SUV by the end of 2019. Another contributor was Urvan light commercial van contributing 7,157 total units sold.

NPI also received the Nissan Global Award for Financial Year 2019 as a top sales performer for the brand worldwide.

L

AST year was just a prelude to what’s brewing for Geely this 2020 onward. With the astounding introduction of Coolray into the Philippine automotive market last September 2019, Geely has undoubtedly set its bar high on both technology and style.

This 2020, Geely is star ting to build it s nationwide dealership net work according to plan, making it more convenient for Filipinos nationwide to be able to experience it s produc t s and ser vices. Thir t y new dealerships are set to rise this year until next year. Fif teen outlet s are expec ted to be operational this 2020, while the remaining 15 are eyed to be up and running in 2021.

GEELY’S FLAGSHIP TECHNOLOGY Geely Dealerships 2020 METRO MANILA Geely Greenhills Geely Quezon Avenue Geely Manila Geely Shaw Geely Marikina

AREAS OUTSIDE METRO MANILA Geely San Fernando Geely Bacoor Geely Davao Geely Cagayan de Oro Geely Cebu

ES REPORTS A MILESTONE-FILLED 2019 continue to grow in popularit y among Filipinos because of their high value-for-money proposition, at tainable prices, modern driving aids and safet y features, all while being backed by a rich British heritage.

These vehicles and their respective model variants are currently available at any of the 24 MG dealerships found nationwide. These are: MG Alabang, MG Araneta-Cubao, MG BF Parañaque, MG Commonwealth, MG Edsa Centris, MG Makati, MG Marikina, MG Pasig, MG Shaw, MG Quezon Avenue, MG Batangas, MG Cabanatuan, MG Carmona, MG Dasmariñas, MG Lipa, MG Pampanga, MG. Sta. Rosa, MG Cebu-Mandaue, MG Bacolod, MG Iloilo, MG Tacloban, MG Cagayan de Oro, MG Davao, and MG Zamboanga.

The expansion of the MG Philippines nationwide dealer ship net work will, like wise, continue in 2020, with a minimum of seven new MG dealer ships opening in key loc ations nationwide.

MG Philippines’s main after-sales complements were promptly ac tivated in 2019, and these will continue on in the year ahead, providing owners with a pleasant MG ownership experience. These include a five-year or 100,000-km warranty (whichever comes first), and one-year free periodic maintenance ser vice (PMS) for worr y-free assurance. Aside from these, MG owners can also download the My MG mobile app (Android, via Google Play) which allows them to easily schedule vehicle servicing appointments, make parts inquiries, and locate MG dealerships near them from the convenience of their smar tphones.

MG Philippines is also ultimately thankful for the over whelming suppor t it has received from various local motoring media out fit s, having received numerous recognitions in it s first year. These include receiving the Best Subcompac t SUV (MG ZS) for the 15th Annual C! Awards, the Best Value for Money

Compac t Sedan of the Year (MG 6) for the 2019 Auto Focus People’s Choice Awards, and the 2019 Breakout Brand of the Year for the 2019 Top Gear PH Awards. “ We at MG Philippines are thank ful to our client s, our executive commit tee, dealer par tners, media friends, our par tners from SAIC Motor International, our bank par tners, and the numerous agencies who worked with us, for making 2019 such a breakout year for the brand,” said At t y. Alber to B. Arcilla, president and CEO of MG Philippines. “ We are ver y grateful for each and ever y one of you; for the contributions you have made in making MG Philippines what it is today, and for your continued suppor t of this British heritage brand. We have exciting things in store for 2020 and we eagerly enter this new year and decade with renewed anticipation and excitement, bolstered by all the positive indicators we received in the past year.”

body modules, which can be freely combined to create variety of vehicles.

6-core technology

Geely Dealerships 2021 METRO MANILA Geely Makati Geely Alabang Geely Libis Geely Pasay

AREAS OUTSIDE METRO MANILA Geely Angeles Geely Marilao Geely Bacolod Geely Bataan Geely Pangasinan Geely Lipa Geely Cebu Geely Cabanatuan Geely Tacloban Geely Legaspi Geely Zamboanga

BMA platform

IN 2018, B-Segment Modular Architec ture (BMA) was developed for small compact cars like the Coolray. This was patterned after Volvo’s Compact Modular Architecture (CMA). The new BMA platform maintains the high flexibility and scalability of power, electrical, chassis and

A TYPICAL three-cylinder engine is known to produce excessive vibration. But for Geely, not all.

Geely has incorporated a six-core technology in its three-cylinder­—low inertia turbo charger, 200 bar high pressure direct injection system, DVVT (Dual Variable Valve Timing), dual mass flywheel, single balance shaft, long life/low noise serpentine timing belt. This combination of technologies produces the smoothest and vibration-free three-cylinder engines.

Mild hybrid technology

GEELY is definitely taking the quality of China brand cars up a notch by offering more in all of its future models in the months and years to come. One of the exciting things that everyone has to watch out for is the arrival of Geely’s mild hybrid electric models.

As of 2018, Geely Auto ranks 13th among global automotive brands. To date, it remains to be the best-selling Chinese brand in the world. Geely eyes to maintain its momentum by becoming a significant player in the Philippine automotive industry in the future.

As a newcomer in the Philippine auto market, Geely has yet to prove its worth as it rolls out new models that meet global standards. And as far as expansion is concerned, Geely is looking forward to reaching out to more Filipinos, one dealership at a time.

DRIVE HOME A HONDA THIS FEBRUARY

H

EVEN the second row was converted into parts drawers

Geely Batangas Geely General Santos Geely Imus Geely Tagum

ONDA Cars Philippines Inc. (HCPI) Honda’s automobile business unit in the Philippines is pleased to announce its promotion this February entitled Drive to 2020.

This month’s promo covers the City, BR-V, Brio and CR-V with the following cash discounts and all-in low down payment offers: The City 1.5 VX+ Navi CVT, New BR-V 1.5 S CVT, and all-new Brio 1.2 S MT are all available through a 10-percent special all-in cash-out with payment terms of 36 up to 60 months through BPI Family Savings Bank, RCBC, Security Bank Corp., China Bank Savings, and Bank of Commerce only.

The CR-V V Diesel 9AT is available through 15-percent or 20-percent low net cash out with payment terms of 36 up to 60 months through BPI Family Savings Bank, RCBC, Security Bank Corp., East West Banking Corp., Philippine National Bank, Philippine Savings Bank, China Bank Savings, Bank of Commerce, Sterling Bank

Model with Variant

Suggested Retail Price

Cash Discount

All-in downpayment for as low as

City 1.5 VX+ Navi CV T

P1,068,000

P24,000

P10,000

New BR-V 1.5 S CV T

P1,035,000

P30,000

All-New Brio 1.2 S MT

P598,000

-

P10,000

CR-V V Diesel 9AT

P1,688,000

P75,000

of Asia, Maybank Philippines Inc., BDO Unibank Inc., United Coconut Planters Bank, and Robinsons Bank only.

Other financing promo option offers are the Free One Month Amortization, available for 60 months payment term only and the Low Monthly Amortization, available for 15-percent and 20-percent all-in down payment for 36 to 60 months payment term.

P28,000 P35,000

All these offers include three (3) year LTO Registration and Chattel Mortgage. Free one-year Comprehensive Insurance with Acts of Nature is also available through select bank partners.

To learn more about the latest news and promos, visit your nearest Honda dealership, or Honda Cars Philippines Inc.’s official web site at www.hondaphil.com. Hurry, offers are available until February 29, 2020, only.

Motoring BusinessMirror

E4 Friday, February 7, 2020

Last decade tested industry’s resilience–Ty

I

N its recent Media Thanksgiving dinner, Toyota Motor Philippines (TMP) made the night filled with love and caring as it donated P2 million for the victims of the Taal Volcano eruptions.

What a commendable show of charity, indeed.

In his speech, TMP Chairman Alfred Ty also thanked the motoring media “for what we have accomplished together.” Touching. His speech in full: “Good evening and Happy New Year! It is my pleasure to see all our good friends from the media join us here today, to celebrate what we have accomplished together.

“A full decade has passed, and the Philippine automotive market

grew by 140 percent to 410,000 units in 2019. The last 10 years could be characterized as a period that tested the industry’s resilience, at the same time, we saw trends of technological advancements not only in cars but also in the way we communicate.

“Among other things, the industry owes its growth to the support given by motoring journalists. Your honest reviews and stories, as well as the discussion forums generated by your articles, motivate us to do

better every day. For this, I would like to express my deepest thanks to all of you.

“Recognizing the significance of its responsibility as industry leader, Toyota Motor Philippines beefed up its efforts to stimulate the market through various customer service and value-added activities, resulting in sales of 162,011 units and a share of 39.5 percent for the year.

Of this number, 54,028 were produced locally in its Santa Rosa manufacturing plant, furthering our commitment to the development of the local automotive industry.

“TMP’s locally assembled flagship passenger car, the Toyota Vios, which is entered under the Comprehensive Automotive Reform program, remained as the country’s best-selling vehicle with 33,181 units sold. This puts Toyota on track to deliver its commitment under the program.

“With our 2019 momentum, we are moving forward with cautious optimism. While experts anticipate an economic rebound in 2020, many of the projections are built on volatile environments—global financial conditions, US-China trade negotiations and consumer-spending behavior.

“In the domestic front, the Philippine economy is expected to grow at a faster pace backed by government spending, better inflation

rates, and monetary settings.

“However, for the automotive market, we project a modest, single-digit growth for the first half but, as in the past, we remain optimistic for a stronger second semester.

“As industry leader, it is Toyota’s role to drive the industry back to sustainable growth. We will continue to be this country’s solid partner in nation-building. In fact, as of end 2019, TMP has paid a cumulative total of P384.3 billion in duties and taxes since the start of our operations.

“Despite the downturn of 2018, Toyota Motor Philippines maintained its work force of 2,195 Filipinos, on top of thousands employed by its network of 71 dealers nationwide.

“Toyota will lead the transformation toward the future of mobility, while enriching lives with safest and most responsible ways of moving people.

“Before I end, allow me to request everyone in this room to continue inspiring everyone with your positive stories to highlight the automotive industry’s positive contribution to the country.

“Finally, may I ask everyone to please show the real meaning of Filipino hospitality to our new president, Mr. Atsuhiro Okamoto.

“Friends from the media, please

raise your glasses and join me in this toast: Cheers to a more prosperous 2020!”

Echoing the essence of Ty’s speech, Sherwin Chualim, first vice president for Marketing Division, said: “We sincerely thank the media and the motoring public for their trust and confidence in Toyota throughout the years.”

Skyway update

SINCE February 1, the Skyway ramp from Alabang-Zapote road has been opened from 5 to 9 a.m. only to give way to construction work in the area.

Ramon S. Ang, president and CEO of San Miguel Corp. (SMC), said this was done to facilitate speedy work in time for the December 2020 opening of the Skyway extension.

The scheme was agreed upon

by Skyway, the Muntinlupa Traffic Management Bureau and Filinvest Alabang Inc., said SMC’s Jon Hernandez.

This plan was scrapped last December due to high traffic volume in the weeks leading up to Christmas.

SMC also said that personnel on the ground can make judgment calls on suspending construction work, and reopening the lanes if traffic volume is extremely high.

“We understand that this is

an inconvenience for many of our motorists, and we’d like to, again, ask for your patience and support.

We monitor traffic 24/7, and we assure you we will do all we can to make traffic manageable,” said Ang. “However, we all know that we have a big task at hand here, and that is to build a long-term solution to the traffic situation in the South. Your cooperation and continued observance of traffic rules and safety will be a big help toward realizing this goal,” he added.

Earlier, Skyway served advance notice to the public for the closure of one southbound lane of Skyway at grade, the northbound lane of the West Service Road, and the Alabang southbound exit and Bunye southbound exit toll plazas, starting February 16. The lane closures will last up to March 30.

This is to give way to bored piling and column installation, which were also deferred from the original December 2019 schedule.

PEE STOP

Paulo Subido has resigned as Top Gear Philippines editor in chief after replacing Vernon B. Sarne in 2017…Rosemary Cruz is also leaving Mitsubishi Motors PHL on February 14, creating a void too hard to fill as she did a splendid job attending to media concerns for many, many years. Sigh….

FORD RANGER ACHIEVED ALL-TIME RECORD SALES IN 2019

F

ORD Philippines today announced the Ford Ranger delivered record sales in 2019, with full-year retail sales rising 27 percent to 14,759 vehicles, bringing overall full-year retail sales to 21,900 vehicles.

December retail sales hit best monthly performance in 2019, increasing 14-percent year-on-year to 2,214 vehicles, driven by the Ford Ranger with its all-time best monthly performance with sales growing 35-percent year-on-year to 1,656 vehicles.

“The Ford Ranger successfully drove our retail performance last year, hitting another all-time record high in vehicle sales.

Truly, the demand for the segment-defining pickup truck has grown to an exponential

level with its “Built Ford Tough” capabilities that remain unmatched in the Philippine market,” shares PM Umashankar, managing director, Ford Philippines.

Ford is offering one of the widest lineups of pickup trucks in the country with 11 available variants, which include the Ranger Raptor, Ranger Wildtrak, Ranger XLT and Ranger XLS, with every Ranger product complementing a customer’s need, budget and lifestyle. In 2019, Ford made its base Ranger manual variant more accessible and competitively priced by bringing its price below the P1-million mark, allowing more customers to experience its versatility, toughness and worldclass capability.

The Everest midsize SUV delivered full-year sales of 4,165 vehicles, with December sales increasing by 32 percent from previous month to 304 vehicles.

Ford launched the new Ford Everest last year, offering the midsize SUV with the new-generation 2.0L Bi-Turbo diesel and 2.0L Turbo diesel engines with the advanced 10-speed automatic transmission. The Ford Everest continues to pioneer the midsize SUV segment as a highly advanced and technology led SUV, with

driver-assist technologies, such as Keyless Entry & Push-Button Start, Handsfree Power Liftgate, Active Park Assist, and Autonomous Emergency Braking with Pedestrian and Vehicle Detection.

With the new power train, customers driving the Ford Ranger and Ford Everest can enjoy lower service maintenance costs with a once a year scheduled service interval instead of twice a year.

The EcoSport mini-SUV delivered sales of 2,138 vehicles in 2019. The

EcoSport boasts of an improved driving performance with the 1.0L EcoBoost engine with auto start/stop technology, and a new and more powerful 1.5-L TiVCT engine with six-speed automatic transmission for a more powerful yet fuel-efficient drive.

Ford launched the all-new Transit in 2019, offering work-ready performance capability to bring maximum productivity for any business’ transportation and mobility needs. It is powered by Ford’s proven 2.2-L Duratorq Diesel engine. The all-new Transit also offers space efficiency with its generous size and 15-seating capacity.

Ford also continued the expansion of its dealer network last year with the opening of a new dealership facility in Marikina, bringing the total number of Ford dealers across the country to 49 outlets. Ford Marikina is one of the biggest dealerships of the automotive company, and one of the first facilities to follow the new Ford global dealership branding standards.

“The year 2020 is going to be an exciting year for Ford Philippines. Customers can expect new Ford vehicles in our showrooms this year. We will also continue to work with our Ford dealers to enhance the ownership experience, with increased focus on parts supply and availability. With these priorities, we can only look forward to strengthening the Ford brand in the country this year,” added Umashankar.

BRAND FINANCE GLOBAL 500 NAMES FERRARI AS THE WORLD’S STRONGEST BRAND FOR SECOND CONSECUTIVE YEAR

F

ERRARI has been awarded the title of the world’s strongest brand for the second consecutive year by Brand Finance, the leading international independent brand valuation and strategy consultancy.

With a Brand Strength Index (BSI) score of 94.1 out of 100, Ferrari tops the rankings of only 12 brands to be awarded the highest AAA+ rating.

Presented during the World Economic Forum at Davos, the Brand Finance Global 500 2020 report calculates the value of the Ferrari brand at $9.1 billion with year-on-year growth of 9 percent, boosted by positive sales and overall brand strength.

Brand Finance determines brand value by estimating the net economic benefit to the brand owner of licensing the trademark on the open market.

It measures brand strength on the basis of the efficacy of a brand’s performance on intangible measures compared to its competitors.