BusinessMirror February 10, 2020

AIRLINES, HOTELS CUT RATES TO BOOST DOMESTIC TRAVEL AMID NCOV CRISIS

By Ma. Stella F. Arnaldo

@akosistellaBM Special to the BusinessMirror

T

A beach in Boracay beckons in this 2018 file photo. Airlines and hotel industry groups are responding to a call by the Department of Tourism to push domestic tourism in a bid to counter the impact of the novel coronavirus, which has forced massive cancellations of report and hotel bookings as a result of the travel restrictions. BRIX VILLARUEL

w

n

OURISM and travel stakeholders are banding together to cushion the economic impact of the 2019 novel coronavirus (nCoV) by pushing their marketing and sales efforts to domestic travelers.

Tourism Congress of the Philippines (TCP) President Jose C. Clemente III told the BusinessM irror, “We’re moving forward with domestic programs.

A number of hotels and resorts have

already dropped their room rates; we will come out with the rates by [this] week.”

Cebu Pacific Air and AirAsia are also joining the effort, with discounted airfares covering “all [local] destinations,” he noted. CEB already has an ongoing domestic seat sale promo, with fares as low as P99 one way, for the travel period July 1 to December 31, 2020. AirAsia Philippines also has an ongoing promo, with one-way airfare, for instance, as low as P890 from Manila to Iloilo, and P590 from Clark to Iloilo. Travel period is from February 3 to August 31, 2020.

Monday, February 10, 2020 Vol. 15 No. 123

Beyond tourism, virus to cost ₧20B a month T

By Cai U. Ordinario

@caiordinario

HE National Economic and Development Authority (Neda) and local economists said the impact of the novel coronavirus (2019nCoV) on the economy could be larger if the effect on industry, agriculture, and consumption spending will be included.

Neda Undersecretary Rosemarie G. Edillon told the BusinessMirror over the weekend that economic losses due to the nCoV were pegged at a minimum of P20.5 billion a month, but this only accounts for tourism and its multiplier effects.

Economists, such as University of Asia and the Pacific School of Economics Dean Cid Terosa, said the virus could shave off 0.3 percentage points from GDP growth, and this would mean 150,000 job s not c re ate d , a nd P 28 0

billion in goods and services not produced.

“Food exports will go down, gover n ment col lec t ion s w i l l suffer and consumption spending may weaken. I’d like to stress that the multiplier effects of all

“Food exports will go down, government collections will suffer and consumption spending may weaken....

The multiplier effects of all these on household income and employment are notable, as well.”

—Terosa

these on household income and employment are notable, as well,” Terosa said.

Such “negative events,” he added, “can temporarily derail government efforts to fast-track poverty reduction and jump-start economic growth this year. The microeconomic effects are as significant as the macroeconomic effects of the global epidemic.”

Continued on A2

T

@alyasjah

HE Philippine Economic Zone Authority (Peza) is now persuading manufacturing firms in China to move to the country, as the government seeks opportunities from the coronavirus outbreak that is slowing trade and business worldwide.

Peza Director General Charito B. Plaza told the BusinessMirror her agency is now in talks with manufacturers in China for their possible relocation to the Philippines. Firms operating in China have taken measures to protect their workers from infection by temporarily shutting down their factories, leading to a disruption in the global supply chain.

Plaza admitted the operations of Peza locators are feeling the effects of these closures, as

PHL among most at risk from impact of ’19-nCoV

By Bernadette D. Nicolas @BNicolasBM

& Samuel P. Medenilla @sam_medenilla

T

HE Philippines is one of the countries most at risk of suffering the economic impacts from the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) outbreak and a slowdown in the Chinese economy, according to a study by an independent global think tank.

At the same time, less imports coming from Wuhan—the epicenter of the nCoV—may also make a dent on government’s revenue collection, Finance Secretary Carlos G. Dominguez III said.

London-based think tank Overseas Development Institute (ODI) developed a vulnerability index to quantify which low- and

PESO exchange rates n

See “Lockdown,” A2

middle-income countries are most vulnerable based on three main impact channels: health and connectivity; economic links with China and global integration; and resilience or the country’s ability to contain the virus and to do something about the potential effects.

“Taking these indicators together, we present an overall vulnerability index. Sri Lanka, Philippines and Vietnam, followed by Kazakhstan, Kenya, Cambodia and Nepal, top this index as the most vulnerable countries in economic terms,” ODI said in its paper, titled “Economic Vulnerabilities to Health Pandemics: Which Countries Are Most Vulnerable to the Impact of Coronavirus” by Sherillyn Raga and Dirk Willem te Velde.

See “Impact,” A12

‘Pass bill ensuring food is enough in times of crises’

By Jovee Marie N. dela Cruz

“We are contacting our network of Peza investment promotion partners to help us convince these exiting companies to come to Peza’s economic zones.”—Plaza

their shipments are faced with tougher scrutiny in ports here and abroad.

“Our locators are definitely affected with the slow transport of their imports and exports going to China and coming to the Philippines, like their goods have to be quarantined,” Plaza said.

“We are expecting companies from China transferring to the Southeast Asian nations, [and] we hope to get a big number of these industries to transfer in the Philippines.”

See “Domestic travel,” A2

P25.00 nationwide | 5 sections 30 pages |

Lockdown seen to spur factory exodus to PHL

By Elijah Felice E. Rosales

While the Department of Tourism (DOT) has yet to finalize its domestic tourism target for 2020, Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo Puyat believes the actual figure last year already exceeded the 111-million headcount in 2018.

The tourism and travel sectors are estimated to lose about P27 billion in two months—February and March—due to the nCoV outbreak, with China clamping down on outbound travels. (See, “’19 nCoV travel ban could spell P27-B loss for tourism sectors,” in the BusinessMirror, February 3, 2020.)

A

PAG-IBIG’S EXCELLENT YEAR Secretary Eduardo del Rosario of the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development, the concurrent chairman of the Pag-IBIG Fund Board of Trustees, delivers the accomplishment report of Pag-IBIG on Friday (February 7). Del Rosario reported new records posted by the Fund in 2019, an “excellent year.” The 14.69 million active PagIBIG members collectively saved P50.38 billion, the highest on record, or a jump of 25 percent over 2018. NONIE REYES

@joveemarie

LAWMAKER is pushing for the passage of a measure creating a commission that would ensure adequate food supply during natural calamities or crises.

House Deputy Majority Leader Rep. Camille Villar said the Commission on the Right to Adequate Food is among the main features of her House Bill 5785. The bill is pending before the House Committee on Food and Security.

Under the bill, the commission will be the primary policy-making and coordinating body to guarantee the implementation and full exercise of the right to adequate food. It will be directly under the Office of the President.

It will enjoy monitoring and oversight functions, apply human-rights principles, conduct objective impact assessment on all government policies, programs and projects prior to adoption and implementation, work in close cooperation with civil-society organizations, and use all available resources of the government and private bodies or organizations.

See “Food,” A12

US 50.7800 n japan 0.4617 n UK 65.6687 n HK 6.5401 n CHINA 7.2834 n singapore 36.6510 n australia 34.1749 n EU 55.7615 n SAUDI ARABIA 13.5363

Source: BSP (7 February 2020)

News

BusinessMirror

A2 Monday, February 10, 2020

Angkas asks unlisted riders to be patient amid crackdown

A

By Lorenz S. Marasigan

@lorenzmarasigan

NGKAS, whose drivers were apprehended by authorities for operating even if they were not included in the master list of riders for the pilot study, encouraged its members to “wait for a few more days” before they are allowed to ply the roads of Metro Manila.

In a social-media announcement, George Royeca, the majority stakeholder in Angkas, told riders to stay put, as the government regulators finalize the master list of riders for the motorcycle taxi program, explaining that the unfilled slots for its competitors will soon be reallocated to Angkas.

“You have waited for this for years, and now, I am asking you for a few more days,” he said. “It’s

decision of the technical working group to start colorum crackdown operations earlier than the deadline of February 12.”

The BusinessMirror sought a further explanation from Royeca, but he was not responding to mobile phone queries.

Friday saw the technical working group issuing “a stern warning” against the transport network companies participating

in the pilot program, as it found five Angkas riders operating even if they were not included in the master list.

“Those who will insist to operate in the guise of a participant of the study and is not registered in the master list will be apprehended as colorum. We will not have second thoughts to penalize those who defy the authority.

I also appeal to our participating players to please register your participants with the TWG and submit a daily ridership report,” Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) Member Antonio Gardiola Jr. Gardiola, who also chairs the technical working group, said his group has so far apprehended two riders from app-based ridehailing company Sampa, and five belonging to the ranks of Angkas.

Unfortunately, the five Angkas riders are unauthorized to operate, as they are not included in the list of Angkas riders.

Transportation Secretary Arthur

P. Tugade asked other motorcycle ta xi companies to wait for the conclusion of the study and the subsequent results of congressional deliberations, which both aim to legalize the operations of the motorcycle taxis in the Philippines.

“The TWG and the players in the pilot study have been working hard to push for its smooth implementation. ‘Wag kayong makisawsaw sa maayos na pamamalakad sa pag-aaral [Don’t disrupt the orderly conduct of the study]. Do not make livelihood as an excuse to put the lives of our riding public in jeopardy,” Tugade said.

Right now, motorcycle taxis are allowed to operate under the pilot study. Based on a decades-old law on traffic and road usage, motorcycles are not meant for public conveyance. But with the development of technology and vehicles and road congestion, motorcycles are now being used as public transport means in different parts of the world.

Beyond tourism, virus to cost P20B a month If the virus continues to spread for the rest of the year, the Neda estimates the country’s economic growth could slow by nearly 1 percentage point.

If nCoV lasts for three months, this could cut growth by 0.06 percentage points but if the impact lasts up to six months, this could cut 0.3 percentage points from GDP growth.

If the impact lasts for the rest of the year, the virus will cut 0.7 percentage from GDP growth.

Preliminary estimates

The Neda estimates assumed that between February and June, as well as February to December, Chinese inbound tourism to the country would decline by 100 percent and foreign tourist arrivals, 10 percent from baseline.

“These are preliminary, by the way,” Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Ernesto M. Pernia told reporters last Friday. “This would change, of course, depending on how things pan out.”

The government’s outlook is similar to the one recently made by the Ateneo Center for Economic Research and Development (Acerd).

In a recent presentation, Dean Luis F. Dumlao of the Ateneo de Manila University John Gokongwei School of Management said the nCoV could cut GDP growth by 0.4 percentage points. However, such estimate only accounts for the virus’ impact on tourism.

Acerd estimates that full year GDP could average 6.1 to 6.4 percent this year, and the estimate already includes the impact of the nCoV on the economy. This is also below the government’s target of 6.5 to 7.5 percent this year.

First-quarter growth is expected to be the slowest for the year at 6 percent followed by the fourth quarter at 6.1 percent. The second and third quarters, Acerd data showed, would likely post a growth of 6.3 percent.

Countering moves

Meanwhile, Edillon told this newspaper that, despite the grim outlook, the country can still do a lot to counter any negative impact on growth.

Lockdown. . .

Continued from A1

She added, “We are contacting our network of Peza investment promotion partners to help us convince these exiting companies to come to Peza’s economic zones.”

Asked who are some of the firms the Peza is speaking to, Plaza said she cannot yet bare their names until they finalize their intent to locate in the Philippines. Most of the manufacturers that stopped operations in China due to the coronavirus outbreak are engaged in the production of electronic parts and automobile.

“We can’t divulge yet the names of companies until we finalize their intent to locate in Peza’s economic zones,” Plaza explained.

She said the government intends to do this in three phases. The first one is to prioritize the safety of Filipinos by ensuring the observance of quarantine protocols for Persons Under Investigation (PUI).

The second phase involves promoting domestic tourism to include conferences, a move that has begun, with Cebu Pacific and a hotel association taking the lead.

The third phase involves health promotion and the set up of pandemic response protocols.

“This [P20.5 billion a month cost] is the direct and multiplier impact resulting from the tourism ban. Anything more is due to other factors, perhaps fear, and need to be addressed differently,” Edillon told BusinessMirror.

Fighting fear, low spending

As an economy that significantly depends on consumption spending, the Philippine economy is always affected by any decline in household and government expenditures, which account for about 70 percent of GDP. Former Tariff Commissioner George Manzano told BusinessMirror that given the uncertainty caused by the nCoV, it is natural for Filipinos to minimize spending.

If there are Filipinos who will lessen their visits to malls, Manzano said this is a reflection of the virus “scare” gripping the country and this takes times to address.

But in general, Manzano said Filipino consumption is largely dependent on Overseas Filipino Worker (OFW) remittances. He said only when demand for Filipino workers in China, Hong Kong decline could consumption take a hit.

In the same vein, Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS) Research Fellow Roehlano M. Briones said the nCoV will cause restrictions in the movement of Chinese goods, as well as people.

Briones said Filipinos, many of whom frequent malls on their free time, may also avoid these places to prevent any contact with possible nCoV carriers.

“But spending need not go down—other options like online [purchases], or making bulk buying, etc. [There will be] minimal

Largest trade partner

Merchandise trade with China in 2018 jumped 21 percent to $30.83 billion, from $25.48 billion in 2017, making it the country’s largest trading partner. Exports improved nearly 10 percent to $8.81 billion, from $8.01, of which more than half are shipments of electronic parts.

On the other hand, imports surged 26.05 percent to $22.01 billion, from $17.46 billion based on records from the Philippine Statistics Authority.

The Department of Trade and Industry, however, denied that the factory closures in China will seriously dent the country’s trade figures. DTI estimates provided by Trade Secretary Ramon M. Lopez showed 0.5 percent—around $44 million—of Philippine exports go to Hubei province, where the epicenter of the viral outbreak, Wuhan, is located.

On the other hand, 1.2 percent—over $264

impact [on an] annual basis,” Briones pointed out.

At this point, Ateneo Eagle Watch Senior Fellow Leonardo A. Lanzona Jr. said it is important to “get rid of false narratives” that contribute to “panic” which will negatively impact a consumption-driven economy.

Lanzona said as the summer months are just around the corner, any fear of the health crisis from nCoV spreading would dissipate.

The virus, experts have said, only thrive during cold weather.

“Once the panic diminishes, the malls will be back to normal. We just need to wait this out, and get rid of the false narratives,” Lanzona said. “[These false narratives are] the false rumors that are creating disproportionate panic.”

Trade and industry

Given the size and impact of China on global trade, Manzano said this will likely take a hit given the spread of nCoV. This will not only cut global trade but also depress commodity prices.

Manzano added that inputs to value chains, where China is a big player, will also be affected. This will lead to a contraction on export growth, especially for China.

Acerd Director Alvin P. Ang said in his column in the BusinessMirror last Friday, “the China factor” cannot be dismissed easily and will affect countries globally. In the case of the Phillippines, China is the country’s largest trade partner.

Ang said the combined total trade is about 15 percent­, accounted for by 12 percent of exports and 18 percent of imports. The Philippines imports industrial supply, capital goods and parts of capital goods from China which accounts for approximately 70 percent of total imports.

In terms of exports to China, Ang said around 90 percent of it is industrial supply, capital goods and its parts. The country has 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.

million—of Chinese imports originate from Hubei, according to the DTI estimates.

Chinese manufacturers are extending their Lunar New Year holidays to protect their labor force from possible infection. Technology giant Apple, for one, might suffer from parts shortage, as Foxconn and Pegatron, assemblers for iPhone, are based in China.

In South Korea, Hyundai, one of the world’s largest vehicle assemblers, has been compelled to cease production after running out of parts from China.

German Volkswagen and BMW also suspended their operations in China. There are at least 40 German automobile plants in China, resulting in production worth $660 million per day.

There are at least 37,214 confirmed cases and 809 reported deaths—nearly all

www.businessmirror.com.ph

PHL still 2nd top banana exporter in 2019–FAO Continued from A12

The rise in Philippine Cavendish exports caused Asia’s shipments last year to go up by 18 percent to 4.5 MMT, from 3.8 MMT in 2018, according to the FAO report.

“The rise is primarily due to another year of strong production growth in the Philippines,” it said.

“The Philippines ranks as the largest exporter in the region, accounting for approximately 90 percent of total export volumes from Asia.”

The country’s Cavendish exports from January to November 2019 reached 3.963 MMT, eclipsing the previous record shipment of 3.631 MMT in 2014, Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) data showed. This is the first time that the country’s Cavendish exports reached the 4 MMT-mark.

Based on PSA data analyzed by the BusinessMirror, total Cavendish exports in 2019 may breach 4 MMT and hit 4.3 MMT at a monthly shipment of 360,000 metric tons.

Ecuador remained the world’s top exporter of Cavendish bananas last year. The FAO estimated that its total shipments reached 6.685 MMT.

‘Difficult year’ Continued from A1

“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,” Ang said.

Meanwhile, in terms of food and consumption goods, Ang said the country imports about 13 percent of its needs from China. But Manila’s food exports to Beijing are also significant.

P i l i p i n o B a n a n a G ro we r s a n d Exporters Association (PBGEA) Executive Director Stephen A. Antig earlier told the B usiness M irror that Chinese buyers started canceling orders last week, mostly on logistical problems of distributing their goods owing to the virus-induced lockdowns in parts of China. This could cause the Philippine banana industry to lose an estimated $5.5 million a week.

“Cavendish banana exports will get hit.

China is our largest market [and] the sad part is that this is the high price season,” UA&P Center for Food and Agribusiness [CFA] Executive Director Rolando T. Dy said.

Dy said the annual report on banana exports to China showed that the country ships around 1 million tons, the value of which is higher between February and May. Antig told this newspaper that some banana exporters have received notices from Chinese importers that they will stop buying Philippine bananas, and did not indicate when they will resume ordering from local traders.

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.

in China—from the novel coronavirus as of Sunday morning. The respiratory illness first detected in Wuhan has spread throughout many parts of the world, including in Southeast Asia, where there are now 33 cases in Singapore, 32 in Thailand, 16 in Malaysia, 13 in Vietnam and on in Cambodia. In the Philippines, there are three reported cases, all Chinese nationals who flew to Manila.

President Duterte last week issued an order prohibiting the entry of all foreigners from China, Hong Kong and Macau to prevent the further spread of the virus in the Philippines.

Filipino citizens, as well as those holding permanent resident visas issued by the government, may enter the country, but are required to undergo a 14-day quarantine.

Further, travel of Filipinos from the Philippines to China is prohibited as well.

Pilipino Banana Growers and Exporters Association (PBGEA) said the industry has been grappling with a number of challenges even before China—the country’s top market for Cavendish—stopped buying Philippine bananas following the outbreak of the 2019 novel coronavirus.

PBGEA Executive Director Stephen A. Antig said his group estimates that Fusarium wilt, or Panama disease, has already affected about 30,000 hectares to 40,000 hectares of banana plantations in Mindanao.

Antig also disclosed that the Philippines’s market share in Japan and South Korea—two other top buyers of Cavendish ba na nas—continues to shrink amid stiff competition from Latin

American countries that can export the fruit at lower tariffs.

Data from the governments of Japan and South Korea indicated that their purchases of Philippines bananas in Japan fell by 0.20 percent and 13.67 percent, respectively.

The country’s banana output in 2019 fell to a three-year low of 9.157 MMT as fewer fruits were harvested in small and large farms in Davao region due to the Panama disease.

Also, pests and diseases slashed production in Central Visayas and Zamboanga del Norte, according to the PSA. “It’s definitely going to be a difficult year. Even before the 2019 novel coronavirus outbreak (nCoV) started we already have a lot of problems,” he told the BusinessMirror in a phone interview.

“If we cannot fulfill their [buyers] orders based on the agreed volume, then definitely they will source their supply from other countries,” he added.

The local banana sector’s situation may be aggravated by the slowdown in China’s economic activity due to the outbreak of nCoV, which has prompted buyers to stop ordering Philippine bananas.

Antig said Chinese buyers have started canceling orders last week.

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

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.

From January to November 2019, China imported 1.43 MMT of Cavendish from the Philippines, higher than the 1.051 MMT recorded in 2018, according to PSA data.

Antig said PBGEA is now looking at other areas in Mindanao where banana can planted.

“We’re having a difficult time [finding alternative plantations] because no one wants to venture or invest in Muslim areas because of the issue on security of land tenure and the terms and conditions [set] by land owners,” he said.

Domestic travel. . .

As of February 7, “about 20 properties” nationwide have already joined the domestic tourism campaign, with more expected to join this week, said Clemente. “There are many who have already sent in their rates, but it [participating hotels and resorts] keep on increasing.”

Most of the participating establishments are members of the Hotel Sales and Marketing Association Inc., and Philippine Hotel Owners Association (PHOA). Among these are the Discovery Group, Hennan Resorts, Savoy Hotel, Marco Polo Cebu, Bluewater Resorts, he said.

The reduced room rates will be “effective immediately. We’re looking at six months validity,” according to the TCP chief. He cited Discovery Shores Boracay as an example, which will be offering P10,000 per night on its junior suites: “[This] is about 20 percent to 25 percent off their usual rates,” he noted.

Clemente added, the airfare and hotel bookings will be sold separately, with the hotel promos offered as a three-days/two nights package, including a special rate for an extra night.

“The offers will be made straight to the public. If guests book through travel agencies, we will ask for a minimal commission,” he underscored.

The domestic tourism campaign, explained Clemente, was initiated by the CEB and the TCP, and evolved into an industry-wide effort. “Cebu Pac was the one which called for a meeting with the stakeholders,” he stressed.

In an ambush interview after the launch of the Philippine Travel Agencies Association Travel Tour Expo 2020 last Friday, Romulo Puyat expressed confidence domestic tourists in 2019 exceeded 111

Continued from A1

million, “because when we reached 111 million [in 2018], Boracay was closed for six months. Last year, nothing was closed.”

It was also there that she announced that airlines as well as hotels and resorts were going to “drop their prices to encourage domestic tourism. I already spoke with [CEB CEO] Lance Gokongwei and [Air Asia PHL majority owner] Mikee Romero—they are all very supportive.”

It was the TCP which earlier moved for a complete travel ban on China to safeguard the health and safety of Filipinos. The group’s appeal was seconded by the Philippine Tour Operators Association and PHOA. (See, “Temporary ban on Chinese tourists sought by groups,” in the BusinessMirror, January 28, 2020.)

Popular demand owing to the rising number of infected persons in the country, and the death of a Chinese tourist from nCoV, finally pushed Malacañang to implement a ban on persons coming from China, Hong Kong and Macau, except for Filipinos and holders of Philippine permanent resident visas.

The Civil Aeronautics Board, separately, said flights from China and its special administrative regions are still allowed by the Philippines. In a text message, lawyer Wyrlou Samodio, CAB’s chief legal officer, stressed in Taglish: “Please note that the travel pertains to persons coming from China and SARs. It’s not the flights that are banned. So if there are Filipinos or permanent residents who are passengers on the flight, they will be allowed in, subject to the 14-day quarantine.

But if there is a passenger who is not a Filipino, Immigration will not let him in because he came from China.

That’s the scope of the ban.”

The Nation BusinessMirror

A4 Monday, February 10, 2020 • Editor: Vittorio V. Vitug

DOJ resolution seen to clear Robredo, more than 30 others in sedition case

T

By Joel R. San Juan

@jrsanjuan1573

HE Department of Justice (DOJ) is expected to come out with a resolution today clearing Vice President Leni Robredo, and several 2019 senatorial candidates in the sedition complaint filed against them, and more than 30 other opposition personalities and religious figures. Robredo and the Otso Diretso senatorial candidates were allegedly behind the release of the so-called Ang Totoong Narcolist video linking President Duterte, his family members, and close associates in the country’s illegal-drug trade.

Justice Secretary Menardo I. Guevarra confirmed that the resolution was “quietly” released last Friday but did not give further details about it.

However, a person very familiar with the matter said the DOJ panel of prosecutors led by Senior Assistant State Prosecutor Olivia L. Torrevil-

las has found basis to indict former Sen. Antonio F. Trillaness IV, and those directly behind the preparation and circulation of the controversial video including some religious personalities.

Peter Joemel Advincula is also likely to be charged. Advincula allegedly appeared

Lawmaker seeks to limit hours teachers spend pencil-pushing

T

HE chairman of the House Committee on Ways and Means is to file on February 10, a bill seeking to overhaul the education system of the country.

In a statement, Albay Rep. Joey Sarte Salceda said his proposed “Teacher Empowerment Act” will provide free continuing professional development to public school teachers and limit teachers’ administrative functions to eight hours per week.

He added the bill will also allow highly qualified individuals to teach their expertise.

Salceda said the proposed bill is the first of a series of bills under his Comprehensive Education Reform Agenda, which seeks to make the education system more learnercentered and focused on improving learning outcomes.

“I am preparing the country for a series of reforms that I hope will lead us closer to the Finnish model of education—absolutely free, absolutely high quality, light on workload, heavy on critical thinking and comprehension, and with universal access to nutrition,” Salceda said.

“The first building block is the empowerment of teachers.”

Earlier, the Philippines ranked the lowest in reading comprehension and second lowest in science and mathematics among 79 countries according to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. The OECD tested around 600,000 15-yearold students in 79 countries through the 2018 Programme for International Student Assessment (Pisa).

Moreover, the provisions of bill include alternative routes to teaching for highly qualified individuals, a statutory eight-hour weekly limit to teachers’ administrative work and the

creation of support administrative staff, such as school and district statistician and government programs coordinator. The bill also seeks the establishment of an administrative internship program where qualified high-school students may assist in teachers’ administrative functions.

The bill also includes preferential scholarship grants for teacher-deficit and remote areas to ensure that there are available teachers who live near remote schools, and to dispense with the need to assign teachers from far places, free learner-based professional development programs for public school teachers and meritbased grants to create professional development programs.

“Public-school teachers should not be made to pay for professional development programs when the direct beneficiary is the public,” he said. “And besides, most CPD programs for teachers have very little relation to what our learners need.

I want learner-centered professional development for teachers. And they should not have to pay for it.”

Salceda’s bill also creates a scholarship for residents of remote areas so that they can be teachers in their local schools, instead of having to assign teachers who do not live in those areas, often with risks to their safety.

“We tried to reform the system by extending the years of education.

It does not seem to have worked.

We missed the point—we need better schools, not necessarily longer years. And the most important aspect of a good school is its teachers,” Salceda said. “My parents were teachers. I know that the moral and intellectual character of society depends on its teachers. We should support them.” Jovee Marie N. Dela Cruz

as “Bikoy” in the video that linked members of the Duterte family in the narcotics trade.

Members of the Otso Diretso slate included in the complaint by the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) include former Magdalo Party-list Representative Gary C. Alejano, former Sen. Paolo Benigno A. Aquino IV, and former Solicitor General Florin T. Hilbay.

Also included are Robredo’s election lawyer Romulo B. Macalintal, former Quezon Rep. Lorenzo R. Tañada III, Samira Gutoc-Tomawis and humanrights lawyer Jose Manuel I. Diokno.

The complaints were filed on July 18, 2019, by the Philippine National Police- Criminal Investigation and Detection Group-National Capital Region Field Unit (PNP-CIDG-NCRFU).

The DOJ wrapped up its investigation last September.

The complaint alleged that the said personalities planned to “spread false information against Duterte and his family under Project Sodoma to agitate the general population into making mass protests with the possibility of bringing down the President from position, and allow Robredo to succeed” by linking the President’s family members and close associates to the illegal-

drugs trade.

The PNP-CIDG said Project Sodoma was planned as early as August last year also as part of a plan to allegedly “discredit candidates of Hugpong ng Pagbabago while at the same time propping up those from opposition Otso Diretso.”

The complaint said the respondents planned and funded the creation of the Ang Totoong Narcolist video where Advincula appeared.

On top of sedition, the complaints accused those charged with inciting to sedition, cyber libel, libel, estafa and harboring a criminal/obstruction of justice.

The DOJ is expected to utilize Advincula as state witness against those who will be charged before the court.

Advincula first surfaced before the media last May 6, 2019, during a news conference at the head office of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines in Pasig City, where he maintained his accusations in the video.

After several days, Advincula made another public appearance at the PNP headquarters in Camp Crame, where he recanted all his allegations.

He claimed that he was only used by Trillanes and the Liberal Party to launch Project Sodoma.

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Military monitoring patients in V. Luna for ‘possible’ nCoV

By Rene Acosta

@reneacostaBM

T

HE military said on Sunday that it has patients in its principal medical facility being monitored for possible strain of the novel coronavirus (nCoV).

However, Capt. Sherwin Joseph P. Sarmiento said they were not allowed to disclose the number of patients at the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Medical Center, also known as V. Luna General Hospital.

“As of now, we are monitoring [patients] at the infectious ward. They are isolated,” Sarmiento, chief of the public affairs office of the AFP Health Service Command said.

The infectious ward is a building located inside the military’s medical facility.

Sarmiento would not say if the patients are either soldiers, or their dependents. Currently, the V. Luna has two types of patients of which it is monitoring for the nCoV. “We have PUM and PUI. The PUM are person or persons under monitoring and they are the people who have histories of travel to China, Hong Kong and Macau,” Sarmiento, who is also a physician said.

“Those under PUI are patients who have histories of travel [to the three countries], and at the same time, have symptoms for cold, cough, fever, throat pains and difficulty in breathing,” he added.

Sarmiento said PUIs are being treated at the infectious ward, which is a building inside the compound of the medical facility.

“Because we have data privacy and the principle of confidentiality, we could not disclose the number of patients,” Sarmiento said.

Parañaque cancels cityhood day festivities to guard against nCoV

S

TARTING February 13, Parañaque will mark its 22nd cityhood, minus the usual “bang, glitz and glamor” due to 2019 novel coronavirus (nCoV).

The local government has called off 20 of the 24 scheduled activities including the State of the City Address of Mayor Edwin L. Olivarez.

Olivarez said the decision was

prompted by the city health officials’ advice to take care of exposing constituents, particularly children, to crowded places.

Local health authorities said they are implementing the Department of Health’s protocol on dealing with nCoV. They are, likewise, monitoring closely Chinese nationals, espe-

cially those working for Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators in three barangays in the city.

Statistics show that hundreds of them are now working at the Entertainment City along Coastal Road, and living in Parañaque.

The local government unit is still pushing through with the unveiling of a marker on the campaign against

illegal drugs, as well as the blessing of the office for disaster risk reduction management.

The Ospital ng Parañaque 2 building in Barangay Don Bosco, will also be blessed as scheduled on Wednesday.

Malacañang has declared February 13, as a nonworking holiday in Parañaque as it marks the 22nd cityhood anniversary. Roderick L. Abad

Govt, Japanese shipbuilder sign deal to build Coast Guard vessels

C

LARK, PAMPANGA—The capability of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) to secure the country’s waters and coastal areas received a needed boost with the signing on February 7 of a contract for the supply and delivery of two 94-meter multi-role response vessels (MRRVs).

Transportation Secretary Arthur P. Tugade led the signing ceremony between the Department of Transportation (DOTr) and the Mitsubishi Shipbuilding Co. Ltd. (MSCL), which won the contract.

The new MRRVs to be delivered from Japan are part of the second phase of the “PCG Maritime Capability Improvement Project,” which is being funded by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (Jica).

The project’s first phase, also funded

by Jica, was completed in August 2018 with the delivery of 10 MRRVs from Japan.

The 94-meter MRRV features a secured communications system.

It has a capability for Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) surveillance, detection, tracking and interdiction. It can also be used for search and rescue operations and disaster response.

It also has helideck and a han-

PCG Commandant Admiral Joel S. Garcia speaks during ceremonies after the signing of an agreement for the second phase of the “PCG Maritime Capability Improvement Project,” which includes the supply and delivery of two 94-meter multi-role response vessels by the year 2022.

gar for helicopter operations, an underwater remotely operated vehicle (ROV ) for subsurface search and survey, and two highspeed rubber boats. The vessel also has a maximum speed of not less than 24 knots, and an endurance of not less than 4,000 nautical miles.

These new assets will further boost the capabilities of the PCG in responding to offshore and coastal maritime incidents, a statement from the DOTr said.

Tugade said in his message this

development helps in the fulfillment of government’s plan to modernize the PCG. “The modernization of [the PCG] has been going fast and quick and very meaningful,” Tugade said. “In this effort to make it quick, fast, and very meaningful, the government of Japan has contributed very much.”

For their part, Jica Philippines and MSCL assured that they will continue their support and cooperation with the programs and projects of the Philippine government.

“Through the time, Jica partnering with [the] PCG is a testament to the strong friendship between our two nations: Japan and the Philippines—both maritime nations where seaborne trade plays a crucial role in our economic growth,” Jica Chief Representative Yoshio Wada said.

“We look forward to work with you all in this important project and we sincerely appreciate your continuous cooperation to make this project successful,” MSCL President and CEO Koji Okura said.

PCG Commandant Admiral Joel S. Garcia expressed enthusiasm in the delivery of the vessels. Garcia said the vessels will greatly benefit the PCG in delivering its mandate “to enforce maritime laws, safeguard life and property at sea and protect the marine environment.”

“We are making a milestone for the Philippines: acquiring the first-ever biggest ship for the Coast Guard,” Garcia said. “And it is a big stride to the development of this country in the context of maritime security and maritime safety.”

The two vessels are expected to be delivered in 2022.

Americans train law enforcers on using science vs illegal-drug trade, abuse

T

HE Embassy of the United States of America in the Philippines said it is conducting training courses on science-driven drug investigations and substance abuse prevention for Philippine law enforcement agencies.

The first course, provided to 40 members of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), was a five-day training on chemical diversion investigations.

The course, which ran from February 3 to 7, introduced participants to techniques used in the identifica-

tion, investigation, and dismantling of pharmaceutical traffickers and illicit precursor chemical suppliers/ distributors used in the production of illicit drugs. It also includes discussion of drug manufacturing, chemical toxicology, diversion investigative and audit techniques, pharmaceutical trafficking and international controlled deliveries.

Led by experts from the US Drug Enforcement Administration International Training Section, the whole course is designed to provide PDEA members with techniques to safely

conduct precursor chemical investigations. The US Drug Enforcement Agency and the US Department of State’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) have collaborated with the PDEA since 2013 in combatting international narcotics trafficking at airports and now seaports throughout the Philippines.

The second course, which runs from February 3 to 13, is the final session of a specialized training on substance abuse prevention for Philippine law enforcers. The

course is being conducted by the INL in partnership with the PDEA and the Philippine National Police (PNP). Through this three-year initiative implemented by the Sri Lanka-based Colombo Plan, the INL has conducted eight sessions of substance abuse awareness training for more than 200 members of law enforcement since April 2018. Participants include law enforcement officials from Luzon, the Visayas and Mindanao.

For this final iteration, 28 representatives from the PNP, PDEA, the

Bureau of Jail Management and Penology, the Public Safety College and the Davao Anti-drug Abuse Council are participating in the 10-day training. The course enhances the understanding of the participants on the multifactorial nature of substance use and how the criminal justice system can provide community-based support to people with substance use disorders.

“This course totally changed my perspective toward substance use disorders and treatment. I had to unlearn old mindsets and learn new,

valuable concepts essential to my work and future personal endeavors,” a previous course participant was quoted in a statement as saying. On behalf of my agency, PDEA, I thank you very much for offering this training to us.”

The US Embassy in the Philippines said it continues to work with the Philippine government, nongovernment organizations and the private sector to enhance drug demand reduction programs including prevention, treatment, rehabilitation and recovery.

Economy BusinessMirror

www.businessmirror.com.ph

ERC rejects DOE price scheme for renewable-energy auction

By Lenie Lectura @llectura

T

HE Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) does not agree with the Department of Energy (DOE) that there should be a preapproved rate for renewable energy (RE), which will be the cap for the planned auction of 2,000 megawatts (MW).

According to ERC Financial and Administrative Service Head Sharon Montañer, the regulator prefers to conduct its own study on how best to arrive at appropriate rates.

“There is a draft,” Montañer said, referring to the Green Energy Pricing Program (GEPP) of the DOE. “It’s preapproved. In its circular, the DOE wants to impose a preapproved rate. The rate indicated is the cap, it will be the degressed FiT rates.”

The ERC, she added, will come out with its position paper on this. “We will have to do our own study first so we can quote applicable rates. The rate is preapproved so we do not really agree with it. The circular is just a draft so we will submit a position paper.”

Under the draft circular on GEPP, a price would be set. Under which, interested RE developers could offer their capacity, and allocate the capacity to the distribution utilities that are required to purchase RE as mandated by the RPS (Renew-

able Portfolio Standards).

This will be done via a competitive bidding.

The proposed RE capacity auction veers away from the feed-intariff (FiT) program, a system that provides guaranteed payments in the form of power rates given to RE developers for 20 years.

Energy Secretary Alfonso G. Cusi said the rates “shouldn’t be expensive than what we are paying right now.”

The energy chief was referring to the following FIT rates: P9.68 per kWh and P8.69 per kWh under the FiT-Solar 1 and 2; P8.53 per kWh and P7.4 per kWh under the FiT-Wind 1 and 2; P6.63 per kWh for biomass; and P5.9 per kWh for ROR (run-of-river) hydro.

The ERC earlier issued a degressed FiT rate of P5.8705 per kWh and P6.5969 per kWh for hydro and biomass plants, respectively.

However, Montañer noted that the FiT and degressed rates are still expensive.

“First of all, the degressed FiT rates as a cap, the FiT rate where the degressed rates are anchored is based on the 2012 [figures].

Those are higher. Any decrease in the cost of technology will not be taken into account in the degressed FiT rates.

Second point, we only have degressed rates for run-of-river and biomass. We never had degressed rates for solar and wind because we only have round two rates but, not degressed rates,” she said.

Editor: Vittorio V. Vitug • Monday, February 10, 2020 A5

Credit rating upgrade will allow PHL to spend on ‘suprastructure’—Neda

C

By Cai U. Ordinario

@caiordinario

REDIT rating upgrades will allow the country to invest more in research and development (R&D) to boost its competitiveness, according to the National Economic and Development Authority (Neda).

In the recently signed implementing rules and regulations (IRR) of the Innovation Act, the Neda said the government will set up a revolving fund of P1 billion to bankroll interventions prescribed by the law.

Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Ernesto M. Pernia said making these investments is possible through credit rating upgrades that the country receives, including Rating and Investment Information Inc.’s recent upgrade for the Philippines. Tokyo-based R&I upgraded the country’s credit rating to “BBB+” with a stable outlook, from “BBB.” “The credit rating upgrade for the Philippines by R&I will enhance the country’s investment climate and creditworthiness.

Wider fiscal space enables the

country not only to spend more on infrastructure but also invest in ‘suprastructure’—quality education, and Science and Technology Innovation ecosystem required for the Philippines to become a globally competitive knowledge economy,” Pernia said.

The IRR of the Innovation Act provides that the Innovation fund should be continuously funded through replenishments or the annual General Appropriations Act to ensure that innovators would be able to tap funds for various projects.

Pernia said the use of the fund will depend on the country’s absorptive capacity when it comes to undertaking R&D projects.

However, Trade Secretary Ramon M. Lopez said a cap will be placed on how much will be given to each

“It really depends on the kind of intervention that will be given to a particular project.

For example also, if it involves the private sector, it’s possible that there would be some co-sharing of investment costs.”

—Lopez

project in order to ensure that the fund is maximized.

Lopez said this will be part of the guidelines that will be set up by the National Innovation Council (NIC) which will be chaired by the President and vice chaired by the Neda Director General.

“It really depends on the kind of intervention that will be given to a particular project. For example also, if it involves the private sector, it’s possible that there would be some co-sharing of investment costs,” Lopez said in a recent briefing.

The trade chief said the government and private-sector entities can tap the fund provided their project is screened and approved by the NIC. T he Ned a, Depa r t ment of Trade and Industry, and the Department of Science and Technology, recently signed the IRR

of the Innovation Act. Pernia said the law and its IRR will help transform the Philippines into a globally competitive economy amid the technological disruptions created by the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

In the 2019 Global Innovation Index, Pernia said the Philippines ranked 54th out of 129 economies, leaping 19 places from the previous year. With this, the country has become a part of the “innovation achievers” cluster.

Last year, Pernia said the passage of the law will pave the way for the country to increase the government’s budget for R&D to 1 percent of GDP. This is the standard set by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization when it comes to R&D investments.

In 2018, the Neda said the Philippines needs to double its efforts in increasing its science and technology investments as the country remains a laggard in R&D initiatives among its peers in Asean.

Pernia said the country continues to invest about 0.15 percent of GDP in Science and Technology, and R&D annually.

The country’s Asean neighbors invest around 0.5 percent to 1 percent of GDP on these initiatives. Most industrial countries invest 2 percent of GDP annually on R&D.

A4 Monday, February 10, 2020 • Editor: Angel R. Calso A6

The World BusinessMirror

www.businessmirror.com.ph

China’s coronavirus death toll passes SARS but new cases fall

IN this Thursday, February 6, 2020, photo, workers in protective suits ride on a truck carrying medical supplies into Huoshenshan temporary hospital built for patients who are diagnosed with 2019-nCoV in Wuhan in central China’s Hubei province. The number of confirmed cases of the new virus has risen again in China on Saturday as the ruling Communist Party faced anger and recriminations from the public over the death of a doctor who was threatened by police after trying to sound the alarm about the disease over a month ago. CHINATOPIX VIA AP

B

EIJING—China’s virus death toll rose by 89 on Sunday to 811, passing the number of fatalities in the 2002-2003 SARS epidemic, but fewer new cases were reported in a possible sign its spread might be slowing as other nations stepped up efforts to block the disease.

Also on Sunday, six more cases were reported among 3,700 passengers and crew aboard the quarantined cruise ship Diamond

Princess in Japan for a total of 70.

South Korea reported a new case in a 73-year-old woman whose relatives visited Guangdong province in

southern China. That raised South Korea’s total to 25. Vietnam counted its 14th infection in the same province where six other patients were sickened.

In China, some 2,656 new virus cases were reported in the 24 hours ending at midnight on Saturday, most of them in the central province of Hubei, where the first patients fell sick in December. That was down by about 20 percent from the 3,399 new cases reported in the previous 24-hour period.

Outside China and Hong Kong, 288 confirmed cases have been reported in 24 countries, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

Experts say the declining daily toll of new cases suggests the virus’s spread might be slowing. They say, however, the total will rise further once Chinese laboratories test a backlog of thousands of samples from possible cases.

“Dramatic reductions” in the spread of the virus within China should begin to appear toward the end of the month if containment measures prove effective, said Dr. Ian Lipkin, director of Columbia University’s Center for Infection and Immunity, who assisted the WHO and China during the SARS outbreak.

Warmer weather will also reduce the ability of the virus to spread and bring people out of enclosed spaces where they are more likely to become ill, Lipkin said.

However, if there is a spike in new cases as people begin returning to work in coming days, then “we’ll know we’re in trouble,” Lipkin told reporters in an online news conference late Saturday from his US home, where he is under 14-day self-quarantine.

The fatality toll passed the 774 people believed to have died of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), another viral outbreak that also originated in China. The total of 37,198 confirmed cases of the new virus vastly exceeds the 8,098 sickened by SARS. Meanwhile, a charter f light carrying Filipinos from Wuhan, the city at the center of the outbreak, arrived in the Philippines.

The 29 adults and one infant will be quarantined for 14 days, the virus’s incubation period.

Elsewhere, France closed two schools and tried to reassure vacationers in the Alps after five Britons contracted the virus at a ski resort.

France stepped up a travel alert, recommending against all visits

to China except for “imperative reasons.” Italy recommended students returning from China stay home from school for two weeks after the government reported three cases.

On Saturday, the US State Department said two more flights from Wuhan with American citizens, permanent residents and close relatives landed in the United States. A spokesman said more than 800 American diplomats and others have been evacuated from Wuhan.

The WHO director-general said it will send experts to China starting Monday or Tuesday.

Asked whether that will include members of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus replied, “We hope so.”

The American Embassy in Beijing said on Saturday a 60-year-old US citizen was among the new fatalities in Wuhan, the first American death reported in the outbreak.

A Japanese citizen being treated in Wuhan who was a suspected case also died.

Elsewhere in China, the industrial metropolis of Chongqing in the southwest told residential communities to close their gates and check visitors for fever. The government said the spread of the virus through “family gatherings” had been reported in Chongqing but gave no details.

Airlines and tourism industries have been battered by the loss of Chinese tourists after Beijing canceled group tours and businesspeople to put of travel in an attempt to contain the disease.

Hong Kong began enforcing a 14-day quarantine for arrivals from mainland China. The territory’s chief executive, Carrie Lam, has refused demands by some hospital workers and others to seal the

border completely.

China’s leaders are trying to keep food flowing to crowded cities despite anti-disease controls and to quell fears of possible shortages and price spikes following panic buying after most access to Wuhan and nearby cities was cut off.

Local authorities have been ordered to speed up food shipments.

Informal roadblocks set up by some villages to block outsiders and possible infection were banned.

Public anger simmered over the treatment of a doctor in Wuhan who was reprimanded for warning about the virus in December. The 34-yearold ophthalmologist died of the disease this week.

Li Wenliang became the face of anger at the ruling Communist Party’s controls over information and complaints that officials lie about or hide disease outbreaks, chemical spills and other dangers.

Users of the Sina Weibo microblog service have left hundreds of thousands of messages mourning Li’s death and criticizing official treatment of him and other whistle-blowers.

While the new virus’ mortality rate is lower than previous pathogens, it is likely to return after the current outbreak is over, Lipkin said.

“I think this one may [come back], and this is an argument that people are using to make for continuing to invest in vaccines and I think it is a reasonable argument,” he said.

Of the extreme measures taken, Lipkin said there was little choice given limited resources and knowledge about the virus.

“It’s sort of like the Titanic going down. You only got a certain number of lifeboats. You have to make some kind of a decision based on what’s best for the country as a whole and for the world.” AP

5 Britons with coronavirus hospitalized Mapping app location data shows how coronavirus spread in China in France after stay at French ski resort

F

RANCE is closing two schools and trying to reassure vacationers in the Alps after five British citizens, including a nineyear-old child, contracted the new virus from China at a French ski resort.

Saturday’s announcement of the five new cases in France at the height of the ski season is the latest example of how the tentacles of the virus can easily spread across multiple borders.

The five British citizens were staying in a chalet in the Alpine ski resort of Contamines-Montjoie near Mont Blanc, and were in close contact with another Briton who apparently contracted the virus in Singapore, traveled to the French Alps and then tested positive for the virus upon return to Britain, French Health Minister Agnes Buzyn told reporters on Saturday.

That brings the total number of virus cases in France to 11. Britain has three confirmed cases.

The new type of coronavirus has infected more than 37,000 people globally and killed more than 800, nearly all of them in China, since the first illnesses were detected in December.

The five British citizens with new cases of the virus are being held in Lyon-area hospitals, along with six other Britons who were in close contact with them and are now being monitored, the French health ministry said.

The chalet where they were staying housed a British family that lives in Contamines and another family of British vacationers. The sickened child lives in Contamines and attends a local school, and took French classes at another local school, regional officials told a news conference on Saturday.

Both schools will be closed, and the pupils will be monitored for signs of the virus.

Local officials sought to reassure tourists descending this weekend on one of the world’s most prized ski areas that all preventive measures are being taken to stem further spread of the virus.

“This cluster of cases in France illustrates how the coronavirus can spread to countries indirectly of China. The French ski resort will have citizens from numerous other countries there, so there are implications for potential onward transmission,” said Dr. Michael Head, senior research fellow in Global Health, University of Southampton.

After a special virus meeting on Saturday, the French government decided to harden its travel warning for China, cautioning against all travel there unless in case of “imperative” need.

The patient in Britain apparently contracted the virus after staying at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in Singapore and attending a business conference there January 20 to 22. There were 94 foreigners in the hotel at the time, including people from Hubei, according to the French minister.

The British citizen then spent January 24 to 28 in the French Alps, and tested positive for the virus after returning home this week.

Singapore, a major southeast Asia transport hub, confirmed seven new local cases on Saturday, including two more citizens who attended the gas industry conference at the Grand Hyatt.

Singapore authorities urged calm amid a wave of panic.

Separately, a British flight carrying some 150 Britons, as well as French citizens from Wuhan is to arrive in the UK on Sunday.

In Germany, the latest case of the virus is the wife of a man previously infected who works for an auto parts supplier near Munich that has accounted for most of the 14 German cases confirmed so far. AP

S

HANGHAI—For weeks after the first reports of a mysterious new virus in Wuhan, millions of people poured out of the central Chinese city, cramming onto buses, trains and planes as the first wave of China’s great Lunar New Year migration broke across the nation. Some carried with them the new virus that has since claimed over 800 lives and sickened more than 37,000 people.

Officials finally began to seal the borders on January 23. But it was too late. Speaking to reporters a few days after the the city was put under quarantine, the mayor estimated that 5 million people had already left.

Where did they go?

AN Associated Press analysis of domestic travel patterns using map location data from Chinese tech giant Baidu shows that in the two weeks before Wuhan’s lockdown, nearly 70 percent of trips out of the central Chinese city were within Hubei province. Baidu has a map app that is similar to Google Maps, which is blocked in China.

Another 14 percent of the trips went to the neighboring provinces of Henan, Hunan, Anhui and Jiangxi. Nearly 2 percent slipped down to Guangdong province, the coastal manufacturing powerhouse across from Hong Kong, and the rest fanned out across China.

The cities outside Hubei province that were top destinations for trips from Wuhan between January 10 and 24 were Chongqing, a municipality next to Hubei province, Beijing and Shanghai.

The travel patterns broadly track with the early spread of the virus. The majority of confirmed cases and deaths have occurred in China, within Hubei province, followed by high numbers of cases in central China, with pockets of infections in Chongqing, Shanghai and Beijing, as well.

“It’s definitely too late,” said Jin Dong-Yan, a molecular virologist at

IN this January 21, 2020, file photo, an official uses an infrared thermometer on a traveler at a health screening checkpoint at Wuhan Tianhe International Airport in Wuhan in southern China’s Hubei province. For weeks after the first reports of a mysterious new virus in Wuhan, people poured out of the central Chinese city, cramming onto buses, trains and airplanes as the first wave of China’s great Lunar New Year migration broke across the nation. AP PHOTO/EMILY WANG

Hong Kong University’s School of Biomedical Sciences. “Five million out. That’s a big challenge. Many of them may not come back to Wuhan but hang around somewhere else.

To control this outbreak, we have to deal with this. On one hand, we need to identify them. On the other hand, we need to address the issue of stigma and discrimination.”

He added that the initial spread of travelers to provinces in central China with large pools of migrant workers and relatively weaker health-care systems “puts a big burden on the hospitals...of these resource-limited provinces.”

Baidu gathers travel data based on more than 120 billion daily location requests from its map app and other apps that use Baidu’s location services. Only data from users who agree to share their location is re-

corded and the company says data is masked to protect privacy. Baidu’s publicly available data shows proportional travel, not absolute numbers of recorded trips, and does not include trips by people who don’t use mobile phones or apps that rely on Baidu’s popular location services.

Public health officials and academics have been using this kind of mapping data for years to track the potential spread of disease.

A group of researchers from Southampton University’s WorldPop research group, which studies population dynamics, used 20132015 data from Baidu’s location services and international flight itineraries to make a predictive global risk map for the likely spread of the virus from Wuhan.

It’s important to understand the population movements out

of Wuhan before the city’s lock down, said Lai Shengjie, a WorldPop researcher who used to work at China’s Center for Disease Control and Prevention.

“Maybe they hadn’t developed symptoms but could transmit the virus. We need to look at destinations across China and the world, and focus on the main destinations and try to prepare for disease control and prevention,” he said.

The last trains left Wuhan the morning of January 23, cutting off a surge of outbound travel that had begun three days earlier, Baidu data shows. Nearby cities rushed to impose travel restrictions of their own. From January 23 to 26, the 15 cities that Baidu data shows received the most travelers from Wuhan—a combined 70 percent—all imposed some level of travel restrictions. AP

www.businessmirror.com.ph

The World BusinessMirror

US says two soldiers killed, 6 wounded in Afghanistan attack

K

ABUL, Afghanistan—Two US soldiers were killed and six wounded in a so-called insider attack in eastern Afghanistan’s Nangarhar province late Saturday when an Afghan dressed in an Afghan army uniform opened fire, the US military said.

A member of Nangarhar’s provincial council, Ajmal Omer, told The Associated Press that the gunman was killed. There have been numerous attacks by Afghan national army soldiers on their allied partners during 18 years of America’s protracted war in Afghanistan.

Six US service members have been killed in Afghanistan since the start of 2020, including Saturday’s casualties. Last year, 22 US service personnel died in combat there.

An Afghan defense ministry official, who was not identified because he was not authorized to speak to the media, said the shooter was an Afghan soldier who had argued with the US forces before opening fire. He was not a Taliban infiltrator, the official said.

In a statement, the US military said “an individual in an Afghan uniform opened fire on the combined US and Afghan force with a machine gun. We are still collecting information and the cause or motive behind the attack is unknown at this time.”

Omer is from Nangarhar province’s Sherzad district, where he said

the incident took place. An Afghan soldier was also wounded, Omer said.

The US military said American and Afghan military personnel were fired on while conducting an operation in Nangarhar province.

Last July, two US service members were killed by an Afghan soldier in the southern Kandahar province.

The shooter was wounded and arrested. In September, three US military personnel were wounded when an member of the Afghan Civil Order Police fired on a military convoy, also in Kandahar.

The incident came as Washington has sought to find an end to the war in Afghanistan.

Washington’s peace envoy Zalmay Khalilzad has been meeting with Taliban representatives in the Middle Eastern state of Qatar in recent weeks. He’s seeking an agreement to reduce hostilities to get a peace deal signed that would start negotiations among Afghans on both sides of the conflict.

In his State of the Union Address on Tuesday, President Donald J. Trump referenced the peace talks, saying US soldiers were not meant to serve as “law enforcement agencies” for other nations.

“In Afghanistan, the determination and valor of our war fighters has allowed us to make tremendous progress, and peace talks are now under way,” he said. AP

Monday, February 10, 2020 A7

Rain extinguishes Australian wildfire and causes flooding

A WOMAN shelters under an umbrella as rain falls in Sydney on Friday, February 7, 2020, while the Bureau of Meteorology issued severe weather warning along the New South Wales state coast. The rain comes as a slight relief for some areas dealing with wildfires that devastated large swathes of land across the state over the last several months. AP PHOTO/RICK RYCROFT

C

ANBERRA, Australia—Torrential rain lashing Australia’s east coast on Sunday has extinguished a major wildfire, and caused widespread flash flooding.

Rain put out the Currowan Fire south of Sydney late Saturday after it destroyed 312 homes and razed 500,000 hectares (1.2 million acres) over 74 days, the New South Wales state Rural Fire Service said.

Rural Fire Service Commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons said he hoped

the heavy rain would move inland from the coast, and drench more major fires that have burned for months.

Fitzsimmons bid farewell at a Sydney Airport hotel on Sunday to 21 American and 21 Canadian firefighters who were heading home after their deployment battling Australian blazes.

A severe weather warning was in place on Sunday along most of the New South Wales coast and parts of Queensland to the north, with heavy rain, damaging winds, abnormally high tides and damaging surf forecast.

The State Emergency Service reported six flood rescues overnight near Grafton, north of Sydney. They were mostly people who became stranded while attempting to drive through floodwater.

Some east coast towns have received, in recent days, their heaviest rainfall in five decades.

On Australia’s northwest coast, Tropical Cyclone Damien made landfall late Saturday as a Category 3 storm and weakened as it moved inland.

Several buildings had lost roofs, but authorities had yet to asses the full extent of the damage on Sunday.

Australian wildfires have killed at least 33, and destroyed more than 3,000 homes in an unprecedented fire season that began late in a recorddry 2019. AP

Soldier kills 26 in bloodiest shooting spree in Thailand Syrian troops gain territory

ARMED commando soldiers carry a person out of Terminal 21 Korat mall in Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand, on Sunday, February 9, 2020. A gunman described as a soldier angry over a financial dispute killed a few people, and then went on a far bloodier rampage on Saturday in northeastern Thailand, shooting as he drove to the busy mall where shoppers fled in terror. AP PHOTO/WASONWANICHAKORN

N

AKHON R ATCHASIMA, Thailand—A soldier with a grudge gunned down 26 people and wounded 57 in Thailand’s worst shooting spree before he was fatally shot inside a mall in the country’s northeast on Sunday, officials said.

Officials said the soldier was angry over a financial dispute, first killing two people on a military base, and then went on a far bloodier rampage on Saturday, shooting as he drove to the mall where shoppers fled in terror.

It took police sharpshooters 16 hours to end the crisis.

Authorities said Sgt. Maj. Jakrapanth Thomma was behind the attack in Nakhon Ratchasima, a hub for Thailand’s relatively poorer and rural northeastern region. Much of the shooting took place at Terminal 21 Korat, an airport-themed mall filled with colorful Lego sculptures, a merry-go-round and huge replicas of landmarks from around the world.

Prime Minister Prayuth Chanocha gave the final tally on Sunday morning after visiting the wounded in hospitals. He said that of the 57

injured, 25 have been discharged.

Video taken outside the mall showed people diving for cover as shots rang out mid-afternoon on Saturday. Many were killed outside the mall, some in cars, others while walking.

Nattaya Nganiem and her family had just finished eating, and were driving away when she heard gunfire.

“First, I saw a woman run out from the mall hysterically,” said Nattaya, who shot video of the scene on her phone. “Then, a motorcycle rider in front of her just ran and left his motorcycle there.”

Hundreds of people were evacuated from the mall in small batches by police while they searched for the gunman.

“We were scared and ran to hide in toilets,” said Sumana Jeerawattanasuk, one of those rescued by police.

She said seven or eight people hid in the same room as her.

“I am so glad. I was so scared of getting hurt,” she said.

Shortly before midnight, police announced they had secured the above-ground portion of the mall, but were still searching for the

shooter. About 16 hours later, officials held a news conference outside the mall to announce the gunman was fatally shot.

Defense Ministry spokesman Kongcheep told Thai media that the first person killed was the commanding officer of the 22nd Ammunition Battalion, in which the suspect also served. He said the gunman had fired at others at his base, and took guns and ammunition before fleeing in an army Humvee.

City and neighborhood police officers, who asked not to be identified because they were not authorized to release information, said the man fired shots as he drove to the mall.

Thai Rath television aired mall security camera footage showing a man with what appeared to be an assault rifle.

The man also posted updates to his Facebook page during the rampage.

“No one can escape death,” read one post. Another asked, “Should I give up?” In a later post, he wrote, “I have stopped already.”

A photo circulated on social media that appeared to be taken from the

Facebook page shows a man wearing a green camouflaged military helmet, while a fireball and black smoke rage behind him. Jakrapanth’s profile picture shows him in a mask and dressed in military-style fatigues, and armed with a pistol. The background image is of a handgun and bullets. The Facebook page was made inaccessible after the shooting began.

Terminal 21 Korat, a multilevel glass and steel mall, is designed to resemble an airport terminal, complete with a mock control tower and departure gates. A large model passenger jet dangles from wires beside one of the main escalators.

Each of its seven retail floors is decorated to represent a different country. A giant replica of Paris’s Eiffel Tower soars to the ceiling, while a model of London’s Big Ben dominates another area, and a massive model of California’s Golden Gate Bridge spans an open courtyard. A two-story golden Oscar statue towers over a food court.

Many malls in Thailand, including Terminal 21’s namesake in Bangkok, have metal detectors and security cameras at entrances manned by uniformed but unarmed security guards. Checks on those entering are often cursory at best.

In Bangkok, the original Terminal 21 in the bustling heart of the city was filled with shoppers as usual on Sunday morning. There were no signs of increased security or commemoration of the tragedy that unfolded a few hours’ drive away.

Gun violence is not unheard of in Thailand. Firearms can be obtained legally, and many Thais own guns.

Mass shootings are rare, though there are occasional gun battles in the far south of the country, where authorities have for years battled a long-running separatist insurgency.

The incident in Korat comes just a month after another high-profile mall shooting, in the central Thai city of Lopburi. In that case, a masked gunman carrying a handgun with a silencer killed three people, including a two-year-old boy, and wounded four others as he robbed a jewelry store.

A suspect, a school director, was arrested less than two weeks later and reportedly confessed, saying he did not mean to shoot anyone. AP

in push to control key highway

TURKISH military convoy drives through the village of Binnish, in Idlib province, Syria, on Saturday, February 8, 2020. Several Turkish armored vehicles and tanks entered rebel-controlled northwestern Syria since Friday, the latest reinforcements sent in by Ankara amid a Syrian government offensive that this week brought the two countries’ troops into a rare direct confrontation. AP PHOTO/GHAITH ALSAYED

D

AMASCUS, Syria—Syrian government forces captured new areas from insurgents in their efforts to control a key highway in the northwest on Saturday, as Turkey sent more reinforcements into the war-torn country, state media and opposition activists said.

The weekslong government offensive has created a humanitarian crisis with about 600,000 people fleeing their homes in Syria’s last rebel stronghold since the beginning of December, according to the United Nations.

Rebels control much of Idlib province and parts of the neighboring Aleppo region that is home to some 3 million people—many of them displaced from other parts of Syria.

The Syrian offensive appears aimed, for now, at securing a strategic highway in rebel-controlled territory, as opposed to an all-out campaign to retake the entire province, including the city of Idlib, the densely populated provincial capital.

“Our aim is to clear the highway and evict terrorists from it,” a Syrian commander on the ground told state TV. He was referring to the M5 Highway, which links the capital Damascus with the northern city of Aleppo.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, an opposition war monitor, said government forces

still have 30 kilometers (18 miles) of the highway to clear before it comes under full control of the army for the first time since 2012.

Syrian state TV reported Saturday that government forces captured four villages in Aleppo province near the highway. It added that Syrian troops and demining experts have cleared explosives, and mines, from the recently captured town of Saraqeb that sits on an intersection where the M5 meets with the M4 highway, linking Syria’s coast with the country’s east.

Syrian state media and the Observatory later reported that government forces captured the village of al-Eis, and its strategic hill just east of the M5.

The new push came as Turkey, a main backer of the opposition, sent more reinforcements into Idlib, according to the Observatory and Idlib-based media activist Taher al-Omar, who is embedded with militants.

The Observatory said a convoy consisting of 430 vehicles entered Syria since Friday night, raising the number of vehicles that entered Syria since last weekend to well over 1,000.

A rare clash on February 3, between Turkish troops and Syrian soldiers left seven Turkish soldiers and a Turkish civilian dead, as well as 13 Syrian troops. AP

A8 Monday, February 10, 2020

The World BusinessMirror

Bitcoin hits $10,000 to reach highest level since October

B

itcoin is back above $10,000. The largest cryptocurrency’s recent upward momentum carried it past that psychologically significant level on Sunday for the first time since October, according to Bitstamp pricing. It rose as much as 2.6 percent to $10,179, capping a gain of about 40 percent, so far, this year.

Its breach of five figures comes amid an equities rally that’s seen the S&P 500 Index reach new highs as fears abate that the coronavirus will dent global growth.

“The rally is a part of a broader appeal for risky assets as optimism grows that the coronavirus impact might be limited to the first quarter, and on optimism that China will play nice with the US on phase two trade talks,” said Ed Moya, senior market analyst at Oanda.

Cryptocurrencies have been on an upward trend all year, with some analysts and digital-asset enthusiasts suggesting they’ve benefited as safe haven plays amid ongoing geopolitical concerns around the globe.

“There’s certainly a narrative in the investment community that Bitcoin is solidifying its place as a store of value, a flight to safety, inflation hedge,” Michael Sonnenshein, managing director at Grayscale In-

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Facebook to improve security after hack of 29 million users

F

acebook Inc. pledged to improve security protocols to resolve a lawsuit blaming the company for a 2018 data breach that exposed personal data of 29 million users.

The company will check more frequently for suspicious patterns of user activity involving access tokens, the key cards that allow users to access their accounts, among other measures outlined in a proposal to settle a class-action suit filed late Friday in San Francisco federal court.

The social network giant was accused in the case of negligently allowing hackers to exploit software bugs to obtain login access to accounts

in what was tagged, at the time, as Facebook’s worst security breach.

Facebook denied wrongdoing, maintaining that the attack resulted from “unknown and unforeseeable vulnerabilities,” and the company responded quickly.

The accord requires approval from US District Judge William Alsup, who previously said that “Facebook’s repetitive losses of users’ privacy supplies a long-term need for supervision.” Alsup ruled in November that the users can’t seek monetary damages because the lead plaintiff didn’t show that he had incurred any out-of-pocket expenses. Bloomberg News

World’s happiest people need financial literacy

vestments, said in an interview at Bloomberg’s New York headquarters.

If history is any guide, the upcoming halving, which is set to happen in May, could also have an impact on the token’s price, he said.

Some Bitcoin enthusiasts are predicting further gains. Fundstrat Global Advisors’ Rob Sluymer, for one, sees it rising through the second quarter this year to trade in a range of $10,000 to $11,000. Mike McGlone, an analyst with Bloomberg

Intelligence, says the 2020 outlook for the largest digital token remains favorable. “Similar to gold, positive fundamentals should extend Bitcoin’s price appreciation,” he wrote in a February 5 note.

Bitcoin peaked at almost $20,000 in December 2017 and finished that year up about 1,400 percent as the cryptocurrency burst into the mainstream. It plunged 74 percent the next year, before rebounding almost 100 percent in 2019. Bloomberg News

Libya’s oil in focus as UN hosts confab in Cairo

T

he United Nations began holding a Cairo conference to discuss Libya’s economy, about three weeks after a blockade of ports sent the Opec nation’s oil production tumbling to its lowest level since the 2011 civil war.

The two-day meeting is the latest in a series of international efforts to end the conflict between eastern commander Khalifa Haftar and the internationally recognized government in Tripoli that’s been the fiercest bout of fighting in the North African nation since longtime leader Muoammar Qaddafi’s ouster almost nine years ago.

Distribution of oil revenues, long at the heart of the turmoil that has divided the country, is among the topics to be discussed in Cairo, according to a copy of the agenda obtained by Bloomberg.

Libya’s crisis escalated in midJanuary, just before a peace conference in Berlin, with Haftar’s supporters forcing oil export terminals to close and prompting the state-run National Oil Corp. to declare force majeure on supplies.

Production in Libya, which has Africa’s largest-proven reserves, has tumbled to about 180,000 barrels a day, the lowest level since the 2011 uprising against Qaddafi, from a daily 1.2 million barrels just before the blockade.

Haftar, whose Libyan National Army controls the oil-rich east and south of the country, in April launched an offensive to take the capital, Tripoli, which has killed more than 2,000 people and displaced tens of thousands. The campaign began just as the UN was laying the ground for a political conference to unite the country.

UN Special Representative Ghassan Salame said last week that he’d asked eastern Libyan tribal leaders behind the closing of the ports to specify their demands before oil revenues were discussed in Cairo. They have been disputing the “unfair distribution of oil,” he said in Geneva on Thursday.

Bloomberg News

T

he most cheerful people on Earth are about to get some help managing their finances.

In Finland, which just topped the United Nation’s World Happiness Index, the central bank is drawing up a financial literacy strategy for citizens.

The idea, conceived in a country that already outperforms much of the rich world in education, is to figure out whether a bit more financial acumen will help Finns borrow less.

Finnish household debt has doubled in the past two decades against a backdrop of falling interest rates, and the gradual obsolescence of cash as a form of payment.

The people of Finland, home to companies, like Nokia and Rovio of Angry Birds fame, are known for being more tech savvy than most.

But their willingness to embrace digital payments over cash has coincided with less discipline in their spending habits.

Now, a record 7 percent of Finland’s 5.5 million citizens can’t pay their bills, up by a third over the past decade. In recent years, the authorities have raised the alarm on growth in consumer credit in particular.

Juha Pantzar, executive director of the Guarantee Foundation, which helps overindebted people regain control of their finances, says the fact that “cash has vanished” has created a new reality that’s “obscuring people’s feel for money.”

“A lot of people have a hard time estimating where their money is spent, how much they will have left at the end of the month and how much they can afford to borrow,” he said.

About twenty years ago, cash was used in 70 percent of payment transactions at stores, with cards accounting for the rest. Now, those metrics have flipped: card, mobile and other digital modes of payment were used in more than 80 percent of the time in 2018, according to data compiled by the central bank.

Olli Rehn, the governor of the Bank of Finland, says, “Consumers have largely already moved to a digital world” when it comes to payments. “People no longer have such physical budget limitations as they used to do, and that makes it harder for people to manage their

finances.” That’s where the central bank hopes to make a difference.

Its first step will be to compile data, and best practices from organizations already working in the field in a bid to scale up their work and ensure all groups in society are getting adequate assistance. Then, it will set national targets for financial literacy, and work with third-party providers to coordinate the rollout of the national plan.

(The central bank is still working on the details of the program.)

Finland has already explored other ways to cut household debt.

The financial regulator has capped home loans at 85 percent of a property’s purchase price, and plans for further restrictions are in the works at the Finance Ministry.

By 2023, the government wants to have a credit registry with records of everyone’s borrowing to help lenders assess whether to grant a new loan. Rules on consumer credit were tightened last autumn.

Finnish authorities are worried about the human cost of debt which, in extreme cases, can even result in people being sidelined from the labor market as employers shun workers with poor credit histories, and because people servicing massive debt loads find little benefit in working.

In Finland’s parliament, there’s a broad consensus that keeping consumers as informed as possible on the dangers of debt is key. The plan also has the backing of the financial sector.

“No one should have to learn to manage their finances by trial and error,” said Piia-Noora Kauppi, managing director of Finance Finland, which represents the industry. “These skills should be taught at school much more and much earlier.” True to style, the Finns are exploring high-tech paths toward educating citizens on how to use their money. In the future, new tools built on machine-learning algorithms will help forecast people’s financial behavior and make personal cash-flow predictions, as well as give advice to consumers on their spending.

The caveat is that “people need to be willing and motivated to use those tools,” Kauppi said. “If you don’t want to face your financial reality, then none of these tools will help.” Bloomberg News

Agriculture/Commodities BusinessMirror

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Editor: Jennifer A. Ng • Monday, February 10, 2020 A9

‘Infected food products caused ASF outbreaks’

F

By Jasper Emmanuel Y. Arcalas

@jearcalas

ood waste of pork products, from areas struck by African swine fever in Luzon and even Indonesia, caused the ASF outbreaks in Davao Occidental, the Department of Agriculture (DA) said over the weekend.

The DA said its initial investigation revealed that the fatal hog virus was able to reach remote towns in Davao Occidental via the ASF-infected pork products from Bulacan, Pampanga and Quezon City brought by returning locals.

“The BAI’s [Bureau of Animal Industry] initial investigation shows the outbreak in Davao Occidental could be that the ASF virus was brought in through swill feeds, or food wastes from pork products brought from ASF-affected Indonesia, or food items brought home by residents working in Bulacan and Pampanga, in Luzon, and in Quezon City, during the Christmas season,” it said in a statement.

The ASF virus has spread to more towns in Davao Occidental, and has reached Davao City since the outbreaks in Don Marcelino, Davao Occidental, were confirmed.

The DA said nearly half, or about 6,903 hogs, out of the total swine population of 14,087 pigs in ASF-affected areas in Davao Occidental have been culled. Don Marcelino has a total population of 7,551 hogs while Malita and Calinan have 4,138 and 2,398 pigs, respectively. The DA also said there are now confirmed ASF outbreaks in two barangays—Dominga and Lamanan—in Calinan District, Davao City.

The DA said ASF reached Calinan via the hogs brought by traders from a livestock auction market in Sulop, Davao del Sur, which

sources hogs from Malita and Don Marcelino in Davao Occidental, where outbreaks of the fatal hog virus were confirmed.

The DA has ordered all Mindanao regional offfices of the National Meat Inspection Service to strictly monitor all pigs and livestock animals for slaughter, ensure that they are disease-free, and conduct appropriate investigations if some show signs of infection, in partnership with BAI, and concerned local government units.Industry sources told the BusinessMirror last week that the confirmation of ASF outbreaks in Davao Occidental may affect Mindanao’s shipment of pork to Metro Manila, and even live hogs to Visayas.

Nonetheless, they noted that pork prices in Metro Manila would not be affected as Mindanao accounts for only a small share of its total supply.

Industry stakeholders also told the BusinessMirror that the government must protect Visayas “at all costs” from the intrusion of the virus to preserve its ASF-free status.

In a separate statement, the DA has confirmed the ASF outbreaks in Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) after samples collected from dead hogs in Benguet and Kalinga tested positive for the virus.

DA-CAR Director Cameron Odsey said the ASF-affected areas are the towns of Tanudan, Bulanao and Tabuk, all in Kalinga; and in Beckel, La Trinidad, and Camp 1, Tuba, both in Benguet.

Climate change is coming for your Oreos

T

Spring in the Midhe latest vicwest has been trendtims of climate ing wetter for 100 change could years, according to be Oreos, as drenched Trent Ford, the Illifields across the United nois State ClimatoloStates make the wheat gist, a position under that’s a key ingredient the University of Illia scarcer commodity. nois. Things are getWinter-wheat ting more acute as plantings fell to their the warming climate lowest levels in more allows the atmothan a century as the sphere to hold more grain got harder to seed. That was espe- Wheat is unloaded from a John Deere & Co. combine harvester in moisture, which can then be delivered cially true for soft red this aerial photograph over Kirkland, Illinois, United States. in fiercer and more winter wheat, with Bloomberg frequent rain events. sowings in critical “The increased precipitation trends in spring, states like Illinois slumping 25 percent. And that including June, is a significant feature for our climight be bad news for snack fans—the variety mate,” Ford said. is used in the flour that forms the base for crackThe drop for plantings is reversing historical ers, biscuits and beloved goodies including Monprice trends. Soft red winter wheat is usually less delez International Inc.’s Oreos and Kellogg Co.’s valuable than its hard red cousin, the variety used Cheez-Its. in bread flour. But with fewer acres, futures for the The warming atmosphere is making the spring first type are now trading at a rare and historic preplanting season a lot wetter and a lot muddier in mium to the latter. Planting woes aren’t the only the Midwest. Last year, things were so bad that threat. With a warmer and wetter weather pattern record rains meant plantings were done at the continuing in the US, there are fears the soggy slowest pace ever. That’s pressuring farmers to conditions could also mean a increase in fungus abandon a strategy known as double-cropping— growth before harvesting starts around June. when the same fields get sown in the spring with Last year, fungus problems lowered crop qualsoybeans, and then in the fall with wheat. Forced to ity and raised prices for supplies good enough to choose just one, growers are giving up on wheat. be used in food. Grain buyers at an elevator in ToChanging weather patterns are wreaking ledo, Ohio, were paying huge premiums, signaling havoc on traditional agriculture calendars all higher costs for a nearby mill—one of the largest over the world. The US is in the midst of what in the country, and where Mondelez International some measures are showing as the secondgrinds wheat into flour to make snacks. On an warmest winter in 70 years, prompting fruit earnings call last month, Mondelez executives plants to bloom weeks early across the South. cited unfavorable commodity costs for the first In Vietnam, earlier than normal saline buildup half of this year, adding that supplies are covered in the Mekong Delta is threatening rice paddies, for most raw materials in 2020. and timing for precipitation is fluctuating across “We have a high level of protection against the the globe. That’s on top of other climate threats price inflation in wheat and are seeing global supto food production like Australia’s wildfires and plies remain comfortable,” Mondelez spokesman drought in Russia.

Tom Armitage said in a statement to Bloomberg.

For America’s breadbasket, record rainfall in Kellogg in a statement said, “We do not anticithe spring of 2019 resulted in unprecedented pate any impact to our ability to produce foods planting delays that pushed harvests deeper into that include soft red winter wheat.” autumn, when farmers would normally want to Luckily for cookie fiends, it takes a lot of comsow winter-wheat seeds. modity-driven inflation before companies gener“Weather dominated the decision-making proally raise costs for their consumer products. Given cess,” said Angie Setzer, vice president of grain at that overall American supplies of wheat are still Citizens Elevator in Michigan, where plantings of relatively ample, there’s likely a big enough cushsoft red winter wheat fell 7 percent, US governion to prevent any major prices spikes for now. ment data show.

That could always change if acres keep shrinking.

Illinois farmer Grant LaForge only managed to “The better producers are still raising wheat plant 75 acres of soft red winter wheat. That’s half and can still make money from wheat,” said Phil of what he had hoped for after he was prevented Needham, agronomist at Needham Ag Technolofrom double-cropping. gies LLC in Kentucky. “The bottom segment of the “I wish I had more put in,” LaForge said by market has been lost.” Bloomberg News telephone.

El Niño, storms slashed abaca output in 2019–PhilFida

T

he country’s abaca production last year fell by almost 8 percent to 70,000 metric tons, from 76,000 MT in 2018 due to unfavorable weather conditions, the Philippine Fiber Industry Development Authority (PhilFida) said.

PhilFida Executive Director Kennedy T. Costales told the BusinessMirror that El Niño and typhoons reduced the country’s abaca output last year.

Costales said a lot of abaca-producing provinces, particularly those in the Visayas, were hit by El Niño last year. Even government-held nurseries, he said, were not spared from the dry spell.

The PhilFida official added that some farmers did not harvest during the midterm elections in May. “I think we can recover the loss this year.

If the weather would be favorable, say there’s fewer typhoons, then we might be back at the 76,000 MT-output level,” he said in a phone interview on Sunday.

PhilFida earlier anticipated that 2019 abaca output would reach an all-time high of 80,000 MT. Costales said he remains optimistic that the historic target is still attainable this year if planting conditions would be better compared to last year.

Under a road map prepared by PhilFida, an attached agency of the Department of Agriculture, the government is targeting to hike abaca output to 221,238 MT by 2022.

This BusinessMirror file photo, shows men weaving abaca by hand in a shop at a village in Santa Fe, Nueva Vizcaya. Nonie Reyes

In the Philippine Abaca Roadmap 2017 to 2022, a copy of which was obtained by the BusinessMirror, the government would have to spend P7 billion to expand abaca plantations to 231,859 hectares, from 181,859 hectares.

PhilFida wants to expand plantations in the Davao region by 13,000 hectares and by 8,530 hectares in Northern Mindanao.

These additional plantations would be concentrated in lowland areas.

The increase in output is expected to boost the country’s annual abaca fiber exports by 10 percent to 15 percent

annually starting this year until 2022, according to the road map.

The country’s abaca fiber exports in 2018 declined by 11.5 percent to 16,143.875 MT, from 18,243.375 MT in 2017, PhilFida data showed. Also, earnings from abaca fiber shipment fell 14 percent to $111.661 million, from $129.773 million.

The Philippines is the world’s top producer of the natural fiber, also known as Manila hemp. The country accounts for about 87 percent of total global supply.

Jasper Emmanuel Y. Arcalas

‘Landless planters donated goods to Taal victims’

By Jonathan L. Mayuga @jonlmayuga

S

everal sacks of fruits and vegetables donated to the victims of the Taal Volcano eruption came from poor and landless farmers who continue to assert their rights for land under the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP).

Danilo Ramos, Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP) national chairman said a relief operation organized by Sagip Kanayunan and Tulong Anakpawis networks compelled even poor farmers with no farm of their own to chip in.

“We poor farmers are familiar with the disaster faced by our fellow Filipinos near Taal as we suffer from rural poverty, and the increasingly erratic climate,” said Ramos.

The beneficiaries of the relief operations are evacuees from Lemery and Agoncillo towns who are now clustered in evacuation centers in Barangay 1 and Barangay Timbain in Calaca, Batangas.

The Taal eruption caused at least P3.06 billion worth of damage in agriculture.

Most severely affected were coffee and fruit farms but it also damaged fisheries and livestock.

“In the long run, farmers and fisherfolk would need economic rehabilitation and assistance from the government to help them get back on their feet, and normalize their lives,” he said.

The agricultural products KMP brought were harvested from the bungkalan land cultivation farms collectively tilled by farmers from Alyansa ng Magbubukid sa Bulacan (AMB) in San Jose del Monte and Samahang Magsasaka ng San Mateo (SAMA-SAMA) in Norzagaray.

AMB Leader Cecil Rapiz said the activity paved the way for farmers from Bulacan to express their support, and exchange views and stories of their struggle for a land of their own with those affected by the Taal Volcano eruption.

Members of SAMA-SAMA in Norzagaray, Bulacan, face themselves the constant threat of eviction from their farmlands as some 75.5 hectares of productive agricultural land in Norzagaray are being claimed by a real-estate company which plans to convert it into a private real estate and subdivision.

Ramos notes that the bungkalan or collective cultivation campaign has effectively galvanized farmers’ unity and conviction, while being a substantial source of livelihood, not just in Bulacan but in other provinces. Last October 2019, KMP also launched Bagsakan, a mobile pop-up market for the organic products of farmers launching collective land cultivation efforts.

The farmers were also with artists, cultural workers, students and land reform

advocates from the Sama-samang Artista para sa Kilusang Agraryo, Sining na Naglilingkod sa Bayan, Unyon ng mga Manggagawa sa Agrikultura, Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya, Anakpawis

Party-list and the United Council of Churches in Philippines. The groups distributed 250 relief packs and hygiene kits, and farm tools and school supplies to the communities in Calaca, Batangas.

A10 Monday, February 10, 2020 • Editor: Angel R. Calso

Opinion BusinessMirror

www.businessmirror.com.ph

editorial

NCoV and the stock market

I

N the sport of baseball, the batter or hitter is given three opportunities to try to hit the ball. Each time the batter swings and misses, it is called a “strike.”

After three misses, the batter is “out.” Three strikes, and you are out.

China’s first strike came in 2003 when an epidemic of SARS affected 26 countries, and resulted in more than 8,000 cases of infection.

On November 16, 2002, an outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) began in China’s Guangdong province, bordering Hong Kong. Tracing back, it appears that a farmer in the Shunde district of Foshan County was the first case of infection. The World Health Organization (WHO) was notified on February 10, 2003, and the Chinese government then reported 305 cases and five deaths.

Beijing also said that the outbreak was confined to Guangdong and had peaked. Except, there were then another 806 cases reported and another 34 deaths. Eventually, deaths were reported in 17 countries. On March 12, 2003, the WHO issued a global alert, followed by a health alert by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Local transmission of SARS took place in Toronto, Ottawa, San Francisco, Ulaanbaatar, Manila, Singapore, Taiwan, Hanoi and Hong Kong. Strike “one.”

In early December 2019, a new coronavirus, designated as 2019nCoV, was identified in Wuhan after 41 people developed pneumonia without a clear cause. As of February 8, 2020, some 34,922 cases have been confirmed.

Citing 7,711 cases essentially in China and 83 cases abroad across 18 countries as of January 29, the WHO declared the novel coronavirus outbreak to be a Public Health Emergency of International Concern on January 30.

Yet, by January 23, a quarantine was placed on travel in and out of Wuhan, and Beijing had confirmed 830 cases and more than 1,000 were under observation. The first death was reported on January 9. NCoV has now spread to 27 countries. Strike “two.” The world may not allow a strike “three.”

The Beijing government, regardless of its virtually unlimited financial, political, and domestic military power and authority, is not capable of properly managing the country. Excuses can be made because of its huge population, and a per-capita GDP in purchasing power that is the same as Iraq and, in nominal terms, the same as Cuba. But a failure is a failure.

US President Abraham Lincoln said: “You can fool all the people some of the time, and some of the people all the time, but you can fool stock market investors only a little bit of the time.”

That might not be totally accurate. But already, local investors are moving away from listed companies that depend on China for a substantial part of the revenues or to produce the company’s products.

While not necessarily even a minor part of the local stock market, companies in tourism and gambling will see lower prices. While it is yet too early, property companies that have revenues from Chinese POGOs are concerned about the future of that revenue stream. A potential global economic hit from nCoV may lessen the value of other property companies that need overseas revenue from buyers. If a general slowdown due to nCoV hits the Philippines, consumer companies may also be affected.

The stock market and investors’ money always look to the future, not the current headlines. Maybe the worst is over; or maybe not.

Global and individual efforts for Mother Earth Atty. Jose Ferdinand M. Rojas II

RISING SUN

O

n the global scale, the primary effort needed to decarbonize the planet is to move from fossil fuels to cleaner energy sources, like wind or solar power. This, according to experts that published the PNAS report, is the most important action the world could take to stop climate change. According to the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States, or the PNAS report, it is not too late to stop climate change.

Expectedly, it is going to take a lot, but these scientists say that it can be done. “It rests on all of us changing how we think and act, and doing it fast.”

Currently, industries use fossil fuels because it is cheaper. If it is made less economically attractive, the scientists believe that it will start the trend

toward rapid societal and technological change. One way is to remove the subsidies on fossil fuels, and to make clean-energy production and storage more economically competitive. Another is to encourage financial markets to move assets and investments linked to fossil fuels toward lesspolluting technologies.

BusinessMirror A broader look at today’s business Founder Publisher Editor in Chief Associate Editor News Editor Senior Editors

Online Editor Creative Director Chief Photographer Chairman of the Board & Ombudsman President VP-Finance VP Advertising Sales Advertising Sales Manager Group Circulation Manager

T. Anthony C. Cabangon Lourdes M. Fernandez Jennifer A. Ng Vittorio V. Vitug Lorenzo M. Lomibao Jr., Gerard S. Ramos Lyn B. Resurreccion, Dennis D. Estopace Angel R. Calso Ruben M. Cruz Jr. Eduardo A. Davad Nonilon G. Reyes Judge Pedro T. Santiago (Ret.) Benjamin V. Ramos Adebelo D. Gasmin Marvin Nisperos Estigoy Aldwin Maralit Tolosa Rolando M. Manangan

BusinessMirror is published daily by the Philippine Business Daily Mirror Publishing, Inc., with offices on the 3rd floor of Dominga Building III 2113 Chino Roces Avenue corner De La Rosa Street, Makati City, Philippines.

Tel. Nos. (Editorial) 817-9467; 813-0725. Fax line: 813-7025.

(Advertising Sales) 893-2019; 817-1351, 817-2807.

(Circulation) 893-1662; 814-0134 to 36. E-mail: news@businessmirror.com.ph.

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Printed by brown madonna Press, Inc.–Sun Valley Drive KM-15, South Superhighway, Parañaque, Metro Manila MEMBER OF

of using single-use plastic packaging, we will also shift our habits and routines toward more environmentally responsible behavior.

In Quezon City, Akbayanihan Ecostore recently opened at 51-C Tandang Sora Avenue, Culiat, Quezon City. Dubbed as the “tindahang walang tapon,” it sells nontoxic and eco-friendly products, like cooking oil, soy sauce, vinegar, laundry products, dishwashing liquid, shampoo and other uwrapped basic household items. Customers come in with their containers, and refill them with products they need for their homes. The business advocates zero-waste lifestyle, especially among poor communities and lower middle-class consumers, and minimizes trash, especially singleuse packs, like sachets and bottles.

I am, therefore, inviting my readers to patronize refilleries like this one in Quezon City, and to support efforts that aim to help the global campaign on climate change.

Sexual trafficking, POGOs and the coronavirus

Since 2005

✝ Ambassador Antonio L. Cabangon Chua

Second, the move to build sustainable cities powered by renewable energy, like what the government has planned for Clark, is one of the six interventions identified in the report. The list also includes disclosing the moral implications of using fossil fuels, as well as information about greenhouse-gas emissions. It all seems part of the final item on their list, which is all about strengthening climate education and engagement.

These are huge efforts meant for governments, and industry movers and shakers. However, the campaign and action must trickle down to the individual. The businessman, and even his employees, are now faced with choices and decisions to make, and every day they/we must make choices that are going to help save our planet.

One recent development that caught my eye is the establishment of refilleries across the nation. They are very few right now but, hopefully, as we start becoming aware of the perils

Atty. Lorna Patajo-Kapunan

legally speaking

A

S early as September 2019, PS Resolution 131 was filed in the Senate by Sen. Risa Hontiveros, urging a Senate investigation in aid of legislation on the recent rescues of sexual trafficking victims, and probe into prostitution rings in the country and “to examine the circumstances that push women from vulnerable sectors of society to work under exploitative conditions.” Hontiveros cites the following factual circumstances: Last September 6, six Vietnamese women were rescued in a condominium in Makati City. They were held in what was allegedly a prostitution den managed by two Chinese women named Kuang Meiting and Li Xiumei.

The rescued victims and arrested suspects are in the country only with travel visas, and already have departure tickets before their visas’ expiry.

Foreigners, particularly Chinese men working in nearby Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs), were the main clientele of the prostitution ring. The transactions with the prostitution ring also took place in a Chinese social-media app.

Promotions by the prostitution ring shows that the trafficked women, mostly Vietnamese, Chinese and Malaysian, could be chosen in a “show room.”

The trafficked victims could be hired for at least P9,000 for “to-go” services. The costumers could also rent the condominium units for

P4,500 per night.

The suspects—Kuang Meiting and Li Xiumei—were detained at the NCRPO headquarters and are facing charges for violating RA 10364, or the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act of 2012.

Last August, 34 Chinese women who are believed to be human trafficking victims were rescued from a KTV bar in Cebu City. The victims were allegedly promised legitimate work in an offshore gaming company in Cavite, but were coerced into working in a KTV bar in Cebu.

The trafficked victims have tourist visas that are only valid for three months. The NBI investigation of the incident revealed that the victims were “working” as high-class prostitutes.

The NBI arrested four Chinese women during their operation in the KTV bar. Their identities are: Zeng Dan, Quan Yiqing, Xiuzhu Weu and Xiushen Wei. There are also four

At the Senate hearing on January 28, 2020, Sen. Hontiveros showed photos depicting women and their “menu of services” that are being passed around in socialmedia chat groups. The senator urged the Senate to look into suspending POGO operations because they attract Chinese criminals into our country.

other suspects that acted as managers and supervisors that were still being hunted down.

During the course of the NBI investigation, it appears that the KTV bar where the victims were rescued were exclusive to Chinese nationals because the Filipino NBI informant was denied access when he tried to enter the said bar. The bar charges P6,000 for the use of an exclusive VIP room, and P7,500 for a female entertainer.

The arrested Chinese women were charged for the violation of the AntiTrafficking in Persons Act. A special report of The Philippine Star on June 17, 2019, revealed that Filipinas are being employed by POGOs as card dealers in virtual casinos. Some POGOs have Filipina card dealers clad in shorts.

Hontiveros claims that “the objectification of women in the gambling industry as evidenced by the Filipinas in POGOs, and the more serious problem of sexual slavery experienced by human trafficking victims here in the Philippines that coincidentally have POGO operators as clientele are problems that have

underlying roots in the misogyny that have been normalized by a president who has delivered sexist remarks without care or remorse.”

At the Senate hearing on January 28, 2020, Hontiveros showed photos depicting women and their “menus of services” that are being passed around in social-media chat groups.

The senator urged the Senate to look into suspending POGO operations because they attract Chinese criminals into our country.

Joining the call of Hontiveros, Quezon City Councilor Winnie Castelo has called for a hiring freeze on people coming from China for POGO operations in Quezon City as these operations have allegedly led to the proliferation of prostitution. Worse, with the suspected number of coronavirus infections increasing each day, Castelo expressed concern that the virus can easily spread though the POGO establishments.

Most of the victims in these Chinese-run prostitution dens are minors.

With sexual trafficking, prostitution, exploitation of minors and imminent spread of the coronavirus in these POGO establishments, my view is that these POGO establishments must be immediately closed and all POGO operations in the country declared illegal.

A billion-dollar industry will never outweigh the wreckage it is doing to our women and minors, to society and the country as a whole. Will we wait again until it is too late just to spare the feelings of omnipotent/ omnipresent China?

Opinion BusinessMirror

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Bringing our esteros back to life

Decision-making 101: WWGD Siegfred Bueno Mison, Esq.

THE PATRIOT

Thomas M. Orbos

STREET TALK

M

anila, not Bangkok in Thailand nor the village of Zhujiajiao in China, was in the past called the “Venice of the East.” This was less than a century ago when most of the more than 50 esteros and estuaries in Metro Manila were the main thoroughfare carrying passengers and cargo up to the plains of what is now Quezon City and Rizal province. As these were connected to the bay, the esteros would bring in tidal salt water, bringing with them an abundance of sea life that fishing nets would capture at that time.

Mansions side by side with commercial houses lined up these waterways, like those along Estero de Reina, Estero de Bilibid, Estero de Aviles, Estero de Binondo, Estero de Magdalena, some of which we could still see today. For the Filipinos at that time, the esteros provided much of life’s needs—transport, food and flood control. People near esteros would do laundry in these waterways, and teach children how to swim.

Those esteros are a far cry from today’s esteros. Polluted and filthy, our esteros and waterways today contribute to the blight of our cities. Along their easements are informal settlers, mostly migrants into the big city who have nowhere else to go. These communities are virtually no man’s land to authorities and bill collectors. In some areas, unscrupulous businessmen, in connivance with local authorities, managed to put up structures that practically reclaimed these esteros. All these, plus the shallowing of the waterways due to unmonitored dumping of waste materials, have contributed to the worsening floods in Metro Manila in recent years. In 2019 alone, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) collected almost 4,000 tons of garbage from our esteros and waterways. And for a many of us, we turn a blind eye to their existence, quickly holding our breath when crossing them because of their stench.

However, bringing back life to these waterways is a necessity that is primordial to all Metro Manilans. And for many reasons, aside from our historical responsibility to preserve our heritage that is intertwined with these waterways. These esteros are our natural floodways, carrying excess water to Manila Bay. They can provide a viable alternative transport system similar to what we see in other countries. Transport of passengers and cargoes may be accomplished more efficiently in some areas given the congestion we have right now.

Our tourism industry will benefit from this, as well. Imagine, other countries create similar waterways as a tourist attraction while we already have them here, complete with their unique and rich history.

Thankfully, our government has, in recent years, started to give needed

There is more work to be done.

And, this can be accomplished successfully with a participative private sector, ever conscious of preserving not just our heritage but to restore them for future generations. We cannot anymore afford to turn a blind eye to the state of our waterways. attention to these esteros. The late Gina Lopez initiated the waterway renewal and brought it back to our consciousness some years ago. Recently, the World Bank granted a $200 million loan package to the MMDA and the Department of Public Works and Highways for flood control management, of which a portion of the funds will be for the cleanup of the waterways, as well as the rehabilitation of our decades old floodgates. The Department of Environment and Natural Resources on its own has been giving due notice and penalties to pollutant establishments along the riverbanks. The National Housing Authority, together with the concerned local government units, has been resettling a good number of the informal settlers along esteros. And the Department of the Interior and Local Government together with the Metro Manila mayors have started clearing the waterways more aggressively than in the past.

There is more work to be done.

And, this can be accomplished successfully with a participative private sector, ever conscious of preserving not just our heritage but to restore them for future generations. We cannot anymore afford to turn a blind eye to the state of our waterways every time we pass by them even in our air-conditioned cars. The private sector must do its part and not just demand that government will do this alone. Generations will come after us to benefit from the work that we do now for our waterways. These waterways are our city’s lifeblood, and it is our responsibility to bring them back to life.

Thomas “Tim” Orbos was former DOTr undersecretary for roads and general manager of the MMDA. He is currently undertaking further studies at the McCourt School of Public Policy of Georgetown University. He can be reached via e-mail at thomas_orbos@sloan.mit.edu

Monday, February 10, 2020 A11

W

e are gifted with the free will to decide. Our choices can be as simple as which movie to watch, what dress to wear, what food to eat, or can be as complicated as which school to attend, what job to apply for, and who will be a life partner.

For simple choices, the outcome may not be as catastrophic. After all, watching a bad movie can be shaken off by a nightcap of good food or wine. But when it comes to major decisions with consequences that leave an indelible mark in our lives, the process needs deliberate and reflective thinking. For instance, the hasty decisions to invade Russia on separate occasions by two military tacticians, Napoleon Bonaparte and Adolf Hitler, served as the start of the downfall of their respective empires. Our greatest regrets in life can be traced back to the decisions we wished we never made.

A few minutes after the death of NBA superstar Kobe Bryant, Camus High School Principal Liza Sejkora recklessly tweeted, “seems to me that karma caught up with a rapist today.”

Moments after the tweet, she was vilified by many students in her school, and had to delete such insensitive remark at a time when most of the world was in mourning. In the Philippine setting, President Duterte has threatened and allegedly ordered the termination of the United States Visiting Forces Agreement, the one key instrument that allows joint military exercises between US and Filipino troops in the country. Such presidential remark was in retaliation to the cancellation of the US visa of Sen. “Bato” de la Rosa for his involvement

in the war on drugs. Perhaps, most of my former colleagues in the military would better understand the benefits of the VFA in terms of our national security. But, as I know it, the VFA allowed the fast response of US relief operations during Typhoon Ondoy inasmuch as the US military had a more open access than other countries that did not have a VFA with the Philippines. As it stands now, quite a few government officials have expressed concern over Duterte’s seemingly hasty decision to terminate the VFA, an agreement that definitely went through some deliberate process before its signing.

Though we are free to make choices, there are no emotionally neutral decisions and, for the most part, we

are left to live with the consequences of our decisions, both good and bad.

Bonaparte, Hitler and Sejkora did.

Almost always, many of our regrettable decisions are anchored on our impulsive emotions. In hindsight, we always tell ourselves, “I wish I did not pursue this...do this...choose this...”

Self-control is both a gift and a skill we all need to make well thought out decisions. Every time we act on impulse, chances are, we will end up making bad decisions.

Andy Stanley, an inspirational author and speaker in the field of leadership and management, suggested four questions to ask ourselves before making any life-changing decision.

Of the four questions, I think the very first captures it all. “Are we being completely honest to ourselves, really?” When faced with tough choices, some espouse the creed “follow your heart”—as in follow what feels right. Fulfill your desires, after all, you only live once. Others say that if our hearts are like compasses, they are like Jack Sparrow’s in the movie Pirates of the Caribbean! They will lead us nowhere and astray.

Stanley says that most people keep on selling bad ideas to themselves, following their inherently deceitful heart for it is written that “the heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure” (Jeremiah 17:9). But, in truth, our hearts were not designed to be followed, but to be led. While the Bible tells us that our hearts are “beyond cure”, Jesus Christ, in the same Bible tells us, “Do not let your hearts be troubled.

You believe in God; believe also in me.” (John 14:1). And whenever we

Moving up the career ladder Joel L. Tan-Torres

DEBIT CREDIT

Y

ou have been working for your company for three years already. Each year, you had been given good ratings for your work performance evaluation by your supervisor. You have been promoted once since you started with the company. Recently, you have been thinking about your career track and opportunities.

“How can I speed up my advancement in my company?” “What additional learning should I get to add to my skills set that will assist me in my work?”

Taking up postgraduate studies may be the answer to these questions. As dean of the University of the Philippines’s Virata School of Business (UP Business School), I recommend this approach of moving up the career ladder. Taking up studies, in particular a Master in Business Administration, has been tried and tested for career progression by many who are now holding high level responsible positions in their respective companies. The MBA can provide the learning and the credentials for one to stand out, and be

recognized for faster advancement in a workplace.

Let me share more details about this MBA option—I will be citing mostly information of the UP Business School MBA program.

As early as 1951, the UP Business School had offered a graduate program in business. Presently, the MBA is offered in a new location in Bonifacio Global City. Classes are held after office hours to allow those working to take up the program after work. The class hours and the location of the school provide

a convenient opportunity to take up MBA studies for those working in the business centers of Makati and BGC. As cited in the UP Business School brochure, the UP MBA is “an innovative program that enables its students to make decisions with an integrated perspective anchored on solid knowledge and skills in the key functions of management and strategy.” The program seeks to prepare its students to function adeptly and strategically in a business environment that has grown complex. The program provides an “encompassing view ranging from basic managerial skills to practical decision-making skills in a highly competitive and changing environment.” In a recent forum in BGC, I cited the value of the UP MBA with its focus on the traditional areas of management, finance, marketing, HR and strategy, as well as on the emerging relevant areas of “sustainability management, business analytics, regulatory compliance, tax management, techno entrepreneurship, business and finance innovation trends, and global management.” Those pursuing the UP MBA program can enjoy the unique advantage and benefit of availing

believe in Him, we follow Him. The hearts of many only tell them what they want, not where they should go. For government leaders, decision-making is not as simple as doing what is good for the country and the people. It must be more about the question, WWGD—what would God do—since our leaders were sworn to implore the aid of Almighty God “in order to build a just and humane society, and establish a government that shall embody our ideals and aspirations...” (Preamble, 1987 Philippine Constitution). Whenever a leader asks himself, “am I being honest to myself?,” he should pay more attention to the voice from above instead of his heart from within.

I recently had to grapple with such question as I had to decide on which professional adventure to take after resigning from a respectable company, whose owners treated my father and my family very well for 30 years. I resorted to prayer and fasting in my desire to follow His plan for my life. I sought the advice of family, friends and church people knowing that God sends messengers to validate His message to me. In the end, it was His word that told me to choose one offer over the other. After asking myself WWGD, I unfollowed my heart and chose challenge over comfort, difficulty instead of delight.

Difficult decision-making processes necessarily require the aid of Almighty God by asking ourselves first—WWGD. For questions and comments, please e-mail me at sbmison@gmail.com.

themselves of the network of services and resources of the entire UP system.

The program can be completed in eight trimesters of three months each, or in about two-and-a-half years. Aside from the MBA, the UP Business School also offers a Masters in Science (Finance) for those specializing in finance.

Cost-wise, the UP MBA programs have the lowest tuition fees among the comparable business schools in the Makati and BGC areas. The application for admission is still ongoing.

Details on the UP graduate program can be accessed here: http://vsb.upd. edu.ph/mba-msfinance-program.

Move up faster in your career.

Take the MBA route.

Joel L. Tan-Torres is the Dean of the University of the Philippines Virata School of Business. He was the former Commissioner of the Bureau of Internal Revenue, the chairman of the Professional Regulatory Board of Accountancy and partner of Reyes Tacandong & Co. and the SyCip Gorres and Velayo & Co. He is a Certified Public Accountant who garnered Number 1 in the CPA Board Examination of May 1979.

This column accepts contributions from the business community. Articles not exceeding 600 words can be e-mailed to boa.secretariat.@ gmail.com

Doctors in China say they’re not protected from coronavirus infection

M

edical workers at the epicenter of the coronavirus outbreak say overwhelmed services and a dearth of protective equipment are putting them at risk of the infection, which claimed the life on Friday of the heroic doctor chastised for warning about the SARS-like virus.

A respiratory physician working at Renmin Hospital, in the central Chinese city of Wuhan, took to Weibo, and other social media, in the past week to post videos and comments about his illness, which he said, came close to killing him. His wife caught the so-called 2019-nCoV virus while she was caring for him in a hospital lacking frontline health workers, he said.

China is bolstering medical support, especially intensive care unit (ICU) nurses, the government’s National Health Commission said on Friday. Reports circulated on social

media earlier in the week showing the Wuhan virus was transmitted among 15, or more patients and staff, in 13 of the city’s hospitals. Dozens were infected in four weeks at one hospital alone, according to a study published on Friday.

“It appears that the involved hospital had a serious challenge with infection control,” said James M. Wilson, a former chief of operations with the Department of Homeland Security’s National Biosurveillance Integration Center, in a text message on Saturday.

Wilson, a pediatrician who has monitored health-security threats for 25 years, said he’s gauging the severity of the epidemic by how well ICUs cope. So far, he’s not seen any reports of them collapsing, he said.

Almost 35,000 cases have been reported in more than two dozen countries. Wuhan accounts for more than a third.

About 82 percent of cases are mild, 15 percent are severe, and 3 percent are critical, the World Health Organization (WHO) told reporters during a briefing on Friday. Of the more than 700 fatal cases, most have been in older patients, and those with underlying medical conditions, such as diabetes and hypertension.

Disease trackers are focusing on the spread of 2019-nCoV in hospitals because they were implicated in the amplification and spread of the coronaviruses that cause both SARS and Middle East respiratory syndrome, or MERS, during the past two decades.

Most infections are occurring in the community, with health-care workers making up less than 10 percent of cases, Benjamin Cowling, head of epidemiology and biostatistics at the University of Hong Kong, told a forum on the new coronavirus at Melbourne’s Peter Doherty

Institute for Infection and Immunity on Thursday. That compares with about 25 percent in SARS and MERS cases, according to Cowling, who assisted the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) last month with analyses of transmission dynamics.

Hospital infections

Still, some examples of hospitalassociated infections are emerging, including a study at Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University. Among 138 patients with 2019-nCoV, 57 were probably infected in the major teaching center—including 17 patients hospitalized for other reasons and 40 health-care workers—in the first four weeks of 2020.

Of the medical staff infected, more than three quarters worked on general wards, with 18 percent of cases occurring in the emergency department, and 5 percent in the ICU,

according to the study published on Friday in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

The epidemic response in the city of 11 million people has since been strengthened with more than 11,000 medical staff, including 3,000 ICU doctors and nurses, the National Health Commission said on Friday, adding that the government is trying to reduce infections among health workers.

Wuhan Union Hospital may have had as many as 262 such cases since January 11, according to a photo circulating on social media of a presentation slide bearing the logo of the Chinese CDC. Staff at the city’s Union Hospital, which was founded in 1866, say they have been stretched by the addition of a medical shelter opposite to the hospital, as well as a shortage of medical supplies.

Face masks and protective gear

are used longer than they should be, adding to the risk of exposure to virus, they said.

Mask shortage

The WHO is taking an unprecedented step of negotiating directly with suppliers to improve access to gloves, face masks, and other forms of personal protective equipment, the Geneva-based agency said on Friday. Demand for face masks has increased as much as 100-fold, and prices are up to 20 times higher than normal, Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said.

The shortfall has been exacerbated by “widespread inappropriate use” of protective gear outside of patient care, leaving less for health workers at the front line of the epidemic in China, he said. “As a result, there are now depleted stockpiles and backlogs of four to six months.”

Bloomberg News

A12 Monday, February 10, 2020

PHL still 2nd top banana exporter in 2019–FAO T

By Jasper Emmanuel Y. Arcalas

@jearcalas

HE Philippines was the second-largest exporter of Cavendish bananas for the second consecutive year in 2019, with total shipments reaching a record high 4 million metric tons (MMT), the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) said.

However, industry stakeholders sounded the alarm that it may be difficult to surpass or even match the sector’s performance last year due to a number of factors, including the spread of the dreaded Fusarium wilt to other banana plantations.

“Thanks to the significant recovery in supplies in 2018 and 2019, the Philippines regained its place as second-largest global exporter of

bananas behind Ecuador, accounting for an estimated 20 percent of global shipments in 2019,” the FAO said in its preliminary annual report on global banana markets published recently.

The FAO estimated that Philippine Cavendish exports last year expanded by 17 percent to an “unprecedented record” of almost 4 MMT, from the 3.38 MMT posted in 2018.

Continued on A2

PACC forges MOA with NYC; IBP is next T

The PACC’s Atty. Manuelito Luna (at rostrum) gives his remarks at the recent anniversary of the 1987 Constitution. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

NORTHEAST MONSOON AFFECTING LUZON as of 4:00 am - February 9, 2020

HE Office of Presidential AntiCorruption Commission (PACC) Commissioner Manuelito Luna plans to forge a memorandum of agreement (MOA) with the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) headed by its national president, Atty. Domingo Egon Cayosa.

“During the commemoration of the effectivity of the 1987 Constitution on February 2, 2020, at the Manila Hotel, the two of us agreed in principle to join hands in fighting graft and corruption in the public sector, acknowledging the detrimental effects of the scourge upon the country’s development and progress; and the need to strengthen citizen engagement in connection with the war on corruption,” Luna said.

The draft MOA, said Luna, “is now being considered and finalized to realize this critical collaboration between our respective bodies; and as soon as we’re done fine-tuning it then signing will follow.”

The PACC has existing action-driven MOAs with the Anti-Money Laundering Council, Commission on Audit and the National Union of Career Executive Officers (Nuceso).

The office of Luna inked a similar pact with the Fraternal Order of Eagles-Philippine Eagles on January 17, 2020. It executed MOAs with the National Press Club and the Office of National Youth Commission Commissioner Victor del Rosario at the National Press Club office in Intramuros on February 7.

The execution of such agreements is in line with the Philippine Development Plan (2017-2022) which, among others, calls for increased citizen engagement in the government’s war on corruption.

Luna, spokesman and in-charge of Visayas and Mindanao for the PACC, is concurrently the commissioner overseeing the commission’s Technical and Monitoring Office.

Impact. . .

Continued from A1

The overall vulnerability of a country to the economic shock that emerged as a result of the nCoV can be described as a combination of exposure to China through trade, finance and migration linkages, and indirect exposure and resilience.

The Philippines and Vietnam are the most affected in terms of visible health impact and direct flight cancellations. They are also among the Asian countries that are most exposed to the coronavirus through economic channels, considering the significant percentage of these countries’ total exports to China.

“The economic impact of the coronavirus outbreak will be mostly felt by countries with close links to China either through trade, investment or the movement of people.

Mongolia, Cambodia and Lao [PDR] are the most exposed Asian countries, followed by Myanmar, the Philippines and Vietnam,” ODI said. “The majority of these countries export more than one-sixth of their total exports to China—and in some cases 90 percent.”

How PHL can cope

Since the country was mentioned as one of the top countries at risk, Dominguez said in a Viber message to reporters that the country must maintain a vigilant stance to assure biological

Food. . .

Continued from A1

The bill said the commission—in coordination with the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC)—should ensure that the government’s food emergency responses sufficiently cover both early warning responses and disaster preparedness; and that food responses are organized and managed efficiently, effectively, and are compliant with the right to adequate food and relevant international standards.

The measure also intends to steadily increase the percentage of development of ancestral lands; percentage of rural population with access to productive resources; share of budget spent on programs aimed at creating access to productive resources; budget spent on agri-research, agriextension, irrigation, training, technology, credits

THE QUICK BROWN FOX JU OVER THE LAZY DOG. THE LAZY DOG In this handout photo released by the Department of Foreign Affairs, men in protective suits check repatriated Filipinos as they arrive on a chartered flight at Clark Air Base, Pampanga, on Sunday, February 9, 2020. The 29 adults and one infant will be quarantined at New Clark City for 14 days, the virus’s incubation period. Department of Foreign

DFA-LED TEAM BRINGS BACK 30 PINOYS FROM WUHAN

By Recto Mercene @rectomercene

T

HEDepartmentofForeign Affairs (DFA) brought back to the country early Sunday morning the first batch of Filipinos from Wuhan City in China, ground zero of the 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV), and whisked them from Clark International Airport to New Clark City in Capas, Tarlac, for a 14-day quarantine.

T he re pat r i ated Fi l ipinos—29 adults and one infant—took a chartered Airbus that parked at the Haribon Hangar in Clark Air Base, the DFA said in a statement.

Together with the repatriates were a 10-member team from the Philippine Consulate General in Shanghai, three members from the DFA Office of the Undersecretary for Migrant Workers Affairs (OUMWA), and five others from the Department of Health (DOH).

“Upon their arrival, the Filipinos were safely and swiftly transferred from the plane into their dedicated buses, and

brought to the Athletes’ Village in New Clark City in Tarlac which will be their home for the 14-day quarantine period,” the DFA said.

The DFA made an initial call for the repatriation of Filipino nationals in China on January 28, 2020, which was facilitated by the Philippine Embassy in Beijing and the Philippine Consulate General in Shanghai, and the Foreign Service Post with jurisdiction over Wuhan City in Hubei province.

The embassy and the consulate liaised with Chinese authorities to facilitate the operation.

This past week, two representatives from the consulate general in Shanghai had to hurdle several border provinces’ clearances for their arduous two-day land travel to Wuhan City to coordinate with the Filipino community and the Foreign Affairs Office in Hubei province.

Meanwhile, the team from the DFA Home Office in Manila flew into Wuhan City Saturday night, completing the team ensuring the safe return of the Filipinos.

safety and good health of the population. It must also be ready to implement monetary and fiscal tools to counter potentially adverse economic fallout.

Aside from this, Dominguez said the country must also continuously monitor developments of trade and tourism, and prepare marketing and finance programs to assist industries that may become distressed.

For its part, ODI said the coronavirus outbreak reminds countries of the importance of diversifying export partners and funding sources beyond China.

“Countries should continue to lower economic exposure and increase resilience to the outbreak moving forward. Economic vulnerability to external shocks stems from heavy exposure to just one country or sectoral activity,” Raga said.

Meanwhile, Dominguez said revenue collection of the country can also be affected with less imports coming from Wuhan, China.

Preliminary estimates by the National Economic and Development Authority (Neda) released on Friday showed a 0.3-percentagepoint reduction in the country’s GDP growth if nCoV lasts up to June.

“The estimates I have seen is that if it really turns out bad, we would probably see a hit of about three-tenths of 1 percent of our GDP growth. But again, we are not teetering at the edge of bankruptcy. We have a very resilient economy,” he told reporters on Friday.

Aside from tourism, Dominguez earlier said the country’s exports could also suffer a temporary, slight decline due to the temporary closures of factories in China, and possible disruption in global supply chains because of the nCoV outbreak.

“We will probably see a hit in some manufacturing especially those manufacturers who export to the Wuhan area. Maybe the factories are going to close. We don’t know how much of the factories there are really closing because that will affect sales. We might have some less imports from the Wuhan area so that will affect our revenues too,” he said.

For his part, Customs Commissioner Rey Leonardo Guerrero also said they have already received reports from some importers that they could not ship exports from China going to the Philippines because of lack of manpower.

“You have to remember, this February we were experiencing the effects of the Chinese New Year. So we were told that after the Chinese New Year, people from China should be reporting for work already. But because of the nCoV, some had to extend their vacation for another 10 days,” Guerrero explained.

In 2018, merchandise trade with Beijing jumped 21 percent to $30.83 billion from $25.48 billion in 2017, making it the country’s largest trading partner.

The virus has so far killed more than 800 people worldwide and infected more than 37,500, according to international reports.

and rural development; and percentage of rural female-headed households, or rural women, with legal title to agriculture lands.

It also aims to raise the percentage of public budget allocation for social transfer programs to those unable to feed themselves; coverage of marginalized and disadvantaged population taking part in social transfer programs; percentage of marginalized and disadvantaged population covered by a public nutrition supplement program; percentage of population aware of available food and nutrition programs; and coverage of school feeding programs.

“Adequate food is not a matter of charity, but a legal entitlement. Hunger is inconsistent with human dignity and human rights, and must be eliminated.

The State shall provide for a framework to address and eliminate hunger in an organized manner,” said Villar.

“Once established, the commission will act as

an additional safety net for people living in highrisk areas since they are the most vulnerable when it comes to natural calamities and disasters. The eruption of Taal Volcano in Batangas last month showed that the government should always be prepared to handle mass evacuations and to provide adequate nourishment for the displaced families until the situation goes back to normal,” she added.

According to Villar, the proposed commission can work hand in hand with the envisioned Department of Disaster Resilience (DDR), and even relieve the latter of a huge workload and allow it to focus on other important disaster response mechanisms.

The commission is likewise tasked to ensure the compatibility of food supply responses with the right to adequate food and international standards regulating emergencies, as well as to properly supervise the distribution of food to the intended recipients.

Companies BusinessMirror

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Monday, February 10, 2020

B1

AyalaLand firm to start Reit listing in PHL

By VG Cabuag

A

@villygc

N Ayala Land Inc.-led company has filed a registration statement on what could be the country’s first Real Estate Investment Trust (reit) listing at the Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE), which will use the revised rules.

AREIT Inc., previously known as AyalaLand REIT Inc., and One Dela Rosa Property Development Inc., has applied to sell some 478.64 million shares to the public. Its shares consist of 47.86 million new common shares, 430.77 million shares and up to 23.93 million optional shares for overallotment.

AREIT set the maximum price

of the offer at P30.05 per share to raise a total of P1.43 billion to be used for future investments in real-estate properties in Metro Manila and other key regions in the Philippines.

Currently, the company’s portfolio consists of three commercial buildings in Makati, including Solaris One, Ayala North Exchange and McKinley Exchange.

AREIT said it will use the proceed s to f u nd f ut u re investment in real-estate firms including its intended acquisition of the mixed-use development of Teleperformance Cebu from ALO Prime Realty Corp., a wholly-owned subsidiar y of AyalaLand.

Teleperformance Cebu consists of t wo Peza-accred ited BPO offices, completed in 2010 with a combined gross leasable area of 17,947.96 square meters, constructed on a 3,621 square meter parcel of land owned by AyalaLand.

“Our company intends to provide a competitive investment return to investors through execution of a careful investment strategy focused on producing a secure and growing income. Our company’s principal investment strategy is to invest in incomegenerating real-estate properties that meet a select set of criteria,” it said.

BPI Capital Corp. has been as-

signed as the deal’s issue manager, bookrunner and lead underwriter.

The Department of Finance in January has approved the amendments to the implementing rules and regulations to the REIT Act of 2009.

Among others, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) lowered the minimum public ownership requirement, while the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) removed the 12-percent value-added tax previously imposed on the transfer of properties to a REIT in exchange for its shares, provided the exchange should result in an acquisition by the transferor of at least 51 percent of the outstanding voting capital stocks of the transferee.

The PSE also issued amendments to the listing rules for REITs 20 to provide for the appropriate mechanism, internal controls and procedures to monitor the compliance of REITs with the rules and regulations.

Electronic firm gets $12M from Navegar

By Elijah Felice E. Rosales

250+ brand clients in partnership with Navegar,” Sy said in a statement last week. “To dominate the market here in the Philippines, we will work closely with Navegar, whose vast experience in building high-growth companies will ensure the continued expansion of our business.”

Great Deals, an e-distributor in the Philippines catering to international brands, offers end-to-end services from digital content, Web design, analytics and chat support to warehousing and fulfillment.

In 2018 it dispatched a record-

breaking 114,165 orders in one day. It has since surpassed its own record by facilitating 233,038 orders last year.

On the other hand, Navegar is a Manila-based private equity fund that invests exclusively with exposure to the Philippines.

It was founded in 2012 by its Managing Partners Nori Poblador and Javier Infante. The private equity firm manages two pools of money, Navegar Fund I and Navegar Fund II. The total assets under the two funds amount to close to $300 million.

LOCAL electronic distributor has secured $12 million from private equity firm Navegar, raising capital for the improvement of its infrastructure and capabilities.

Great Deals E-Commerce Corp., an e-commerce enabler in the Philippines, is receiving funding worth $12 million—around P12 million—from Navegar. Great Deals Founder and CEO Steve Sy said the firm hopes to improve services for

its over 250 clients worldwide with the money it got from the private equity company.

Great Deals will use the proceeds of the fund on capital investments to bankroll enhancements of its information technology, infrastructure, warehouse capabilities and technology solutions—all aimed toward turning the firm into the country’s own Alibaba and Baozun.

“We are ecstatic to continue building and implementing successful online retail, distribution and marketing strategies for our

Zen Rooms ties up with eZee to modernize travel in Asean amid nCoV, other threats

IC chief calls on preneed firms to secure Filipino families’ future

@alyasjah

A

A

T the height of natural disasters like the Taal eruption and growing health concern on the 2019-novel coronavirus (nCoV), accommodation providers like Zen Rooms need to shift to digitization to continue to compete and succeed.

The leading budget and midrange hotel group in Southeast Asia and eZee, an end-toend hospitality technology provider worldwide, executed an agreement to deploy the latter’s hospitality software in 1,000 plus properties under the Zen umbrella in the region.

This, officials said, will create a “unique, flexible and affordable product” for the market that, in turn, will help hoteliers maximize their profitability by increasing the revenue streams and improving operational efficiency.

Such deal is the largest, so far, for hospitality technology deployment in Southeast Asia, where the number of international visitors is expected to increase up to 155.4 million in 2022.

“We are excited to announce the partnership with eZee. In today’s increasingly demanding and competitive market, technology is the way to improve the industry, make it safer and more affordable, benefiting the travelers and the well-being of hoteliers,” said Nathan Boublil, the cofounder and chief executive officer (CEO) of Zen Rooms.

Today, eZee supports more than 13,000 hotels and restaurants in over 160 countries. This could be attributed to its deep understanding of the pain points of market players and goal to offer a solution to users.

Continued on B2

P

RENEED companies offering education, pension and memorial life plans have been encouraged to keep persevering in their work of providing products that help Filipino families cope with future needs.

In a message to the 19th anniversar y celebration of PreNeed Consciousness Week last Thursday (February 6), Insurance Commissioner Dennis Funa said he witnessed the perseverance of the industry in overcoming challenges that it faced in the recent past.

In the message delivered for him by Insurance Deputy Commissioner Erickson Balmes, Funa said the preneed industry demonstrated the “importance of unity in achieving goals.”

Every Filipino family, said Funa, “needs a preneed plan because life is so full of uncertainties.”

He exhorted preneed companies to continue with their “noble mission and serve the Filipino family. You are not just selling products, you are offering our countrymen peace of mind.”

He looked forward to the continued strengthening of the preneed industry, advising preneed companies to come up with “novel ideas that encourage the public

Philippine Federation of Preneed Plan Cos. President Elmer Lorica greets Insurance Deputy Commissioner Erickson Balmes at the Preneed Consciousness Week Forum, at the Shangri-La Makati Hotel, Makati City.

to patronize the industry, seek innovative solutions” to help Filipinos meet the future with confidence.

Elmer Lorica, president of the Philippine Federation of PreNeed Plan Cos., and of Eternal Plans Inc., expressed optimism that the industry will achieve its goal of providing a secure future for Filipino families.

“Let’s be united and courageous, it’s the way to go. We may be challenged but we are 21 members—strong, united and committed to serve the Filipino

family,” Lorica said.

T he industr y, Lorica said, shou ld pursue its mission— col lec t ive ly a s a federat ion and ind iv idua l ly as preneed companies—“of educating our people on the value of preparing for certain future needs, such as retirement, education and, ultimately, memorial services.”

Preneed Consciousness Week was declared by then-President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on May 30, 2001, to increase awareness of the concept of preneed planning among Filipinos.

Banzon appointed new SMDC president

S

M Development Corp., (SMDC) the residential property business of the SM Prime Holdings Inc., has appointed Jose Mari Banzon as its new president.

Banzon was previously the firm’s executive vice president, where he led its customer growth.

Under his leadership, SMDC expanded its product portfolio into new real-estate formats that span vertical and horizontal residential projects, commercial buildings and mixed-use developments. His determination to maximize the company’s operational efficiency and his drive to provide professional customer management solidified SMDC’s strong presence in the Philippine real-estate market, the company said.

“Mr. Banzon’s new position puts him at the forefront of SMDC’s aspiration to establish new markets in the Philippines and in Southeast Asia. His unique experience and broad outlook of an international executive and a global Filipino makes him well-placed to lead SMDC moving forward,” SM

Prime President Jeffrey Lim said.

Lim himself was SMDC president before he was promoted to lead the entire SM Prime, known for its chain of shopping malls in the Philippines and in China.

SM Prime also recently appointed Steven Tan as president of Shopping Center Management Corp., the mall management unit of the company.

Tan was recently the mall’s chief operating officer. “His new position underscores the rapid and dynamic changes in the Filipino consumer behavior. Tan’s focus on building meaningful shopping experiences consistently throughout his career prepares him for this next phase,” Lim said.

Tan led the launch of SM Prime’s premium malls, including the SM Mall of Asia in Pasay in 2006, as well as SM Aura Premier, the company’s foray in upscale mall, in Taguig in 2013. He has been the head of operations for SM Supermalls in both Philippines and China in his capacity as senior vice president and as chief operating officer. VG Cabuag

B2

Companies BusinessMirror

Monday, February 10, 2020

Solons probe spot market operator’s accord with PEMC for irregularities

By Lenie Lectura

L

@llectura

AWMAKERS are looking into the irregularities within the Independent Electricity Market Operator of the Philippines (Iemop), operator of the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market (WESM).

Rep. Jericho Nograles of Puwersa ng Bayaning Atleta Partylist, also the vice chairman of the House Energy Committee, questioned Iemop’s role and the operating agreement with the Philippine Electricity Market Corp. (PEMC).

PEMC used to be the WESM operator.

“Look ing at the operating agreement between Iemop and PEMC, I find it highly irregular that the incorporators are also

the signatories [of the operating agreement],” Nograles said at a recent House hearing.

He said the selection for an Independent Market Operator (IMO) to manage the W ESM w a s conduc ted w it hout a ny competitive selection process.

Moreover, Iemop grew “from a P7,000 capitalization to become a multimillion-peso outfit with a total declared income of more than P100 million for the end of 2018.”

Nueva Ejica Rep. Rosanna Vergara said Congress should have been involved in the creation of the Iemop, and should have undergone public bidding.

“Do a public bidding, transparent and accountable, so that the Filipino consumers know that there is no such thing as lu-

tong macao [the local lingo for a crooked deal] happening in our industry,” Vergara said.

Vergara observed the conflict of interest involving Iemop President and Chief Executive Officer Richard Nethercott, who was appointed at the start of the year.

Nethercott admitted during the hearing that he is married to an assistant secretary of the Department of Energy (DOE), but claimed that there is no conflict of interest, saying a legal opinion from Iemop was sought on the matter.

He also admitted that National Transmission Corp. President Melvin Matibag was also married to one of the incorporators of Iemop, but has since resigned.

However, Vergara, said the relationships cast doubts on

Iemop’s independence and could be in violation of the RA 3019, or the anti-graft law. “The independence is already subject to question, whatever you say,” Vergara told Nethercott.

The DOE, PEMC and Iemop earlier said that the latter was created by virtue of the enactment of DOE Department Circular 2018-01-0002 dated January 17, 2020, and, consequently, the IMO Transition Plan, which are based on Section 30 of the Elec tric Power Industry Reform Act (Epira), which were jointly approved by the DOE and the Electric Power Participants.

Also, the DOE said a competitive bidding was required only for foreign participants as an option under the Epira if the IMO was created in 2007.

Zen Rooms ties up with eZee to modernize travel in Asean amid nCoV, other threats Continued from B1

“With this, our up-to-date products running on the latest technology is what made Zen Rooms select us as their tech-

nology partner,” said Aeijaz Sodawala, CEO of eZee. Together with Yanolja, the No. 1 Travel Group in South Korea, they also announced the development of “Y Flux” at ITB Asia in

mutual funds

STOCK-MARKET OUTLOOK Last week

SHARE prices rebounded last week, with the main index gaining 4 percent and going back to the 7,500-point level, but trading remained volatile.

The benchmark Philippine Stock Exchange index (PSEi) gained 306.41 points to close the week at 7,507.20 points.

The index continued its weakness during Monday’s trade, closing at thr 7,100-point level, but it went up for four straight trading sessions after China central bank pumped in money into the system to counter the effects of the novel corona virus. The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, meanwhile, cut its borrowing rates by 25 basis points last week, which was taken as a positive note by the investors as it is meant to pump prime the local economy.

Average trading value was still low only at an average of P6.2 billion for the week. Foreign investors were net buyers at P736.29 million.

All other sub-indices went up with the exception of the Mining and Oil index that fell 3 percent or 279.79 points to close the week at 7,383.47 points. The broader All Shares index gained 130.43 points to close at 4,422.64, the Financials index rose 66.16 to 1,791.09, the Industrial index soared 470.24 to 9,391.68, the Holding Firms index was up 245.70 to 7,146.01, the Property index climbed 198.06 to 4,036.80 and the Services index added 27.71 to 1,502.87.

Losers still led gainers 111 to 105 and 29 shares were unchanged.

Top gainers were IPM Holdings Inc., Jackstones Inc., SFA

2019, promising a fully integrated and automated environment in hotels.

Zen Rooms-owned and partner properties will be the first to start using this technology in the first half of 2020.

Semicon Philippines Corp., Alliance Select Foods International Inc., Fruitas Holdings Inc. and Macroasia Corp.

Top losers, on the other hand, were Agrinurture Inc., Liberty Flour Mills Inc., ISM Communications Corp., DFNN Inc., Holcim Philippines Inc. and Euro-Med Laboratories Inc.

This week

Trading will remain volatile this week but the recent actions by the local central bank to boost the economy could help in improving sentiment.

“Given most seasoned fund managers’ weak tolerance for nCov’s unknown risks, expect liquidity to flock into fixed income instruments for now, especially with several firms floating their respective corporate notes,” broker 2TradeAsia said.

It said that for now, investors’ sentiment would ride on the release of the corporate earnings for last year, as well as the recalibration of the 2020 outlook for the economy that will now include the effects of the Wuhan virus, Taal eruption and even the Asian swine fever.

It advised trading the range and position gradually on bargains. Immediate support for the main index is seen at 7,400 points and resistance at 7,600 to 7,650 points.

Stock picks

Broker Regina Capital and Development Corp. advised taking profit on the stock of Manila Water Co. Inc. after its share price was seen on an upward trend.

“MWC is getting an additional boost from the formation of a strong support at the 50-day moving average at P12.72 that served as a jumping board and rallied 10 percent in (last week’s) trade. Participants can lock-in gains near-term until MWC reinforced current support and gain enough momentum for another assault upwards,” it said, placing a resistance price on the stock at P16.35.

Manila Water’s shares closed last week at P13.28 apiece.

Meanwhile, the broker gave the same advice on the stock of Manila Electric Co. “Despite the strong rally in (last week’s) trade, MER still fell short of its ongoing resistance level at P296.00, which has limited MER’s movement in the previous weeks. Now this leaves MER highly susceptible to profittaking in the coming days, especially since the established support goes as low as P275.55,” it said, adding that its technical reading shows indicators remaining within bearish territories.

Meralco’s shares closed Friday at P288.80 apiece. VG Cabuag

“We’re looking forward to working with Yanolja and Zen Rooms, and bring forth a brand-new technology experience for the hotel industry in the region,” he said.

Roderick L. Abad February 7, 2020

NAV One Year Three Year Five Year Y-T-D per share Return* Return Stock Funds Primarily invested in Peso securities ALFM Growth Fund, Inc. -a 243.14 -9.94% -1.43% -2.35% -3.47% ATRAM Alpha Opportunity Fund, Inc. -a 1.2587 -20.28% -3.52% -5.25% -8.92% ATRAM Philippine Equity Opportunity Fund, Inc. -a 3.3885 -19.08% -5.81% -5.55% -7.88% Climbs Share Capital Equity Investment Fund Corp. -a 0.85 -11.52% n.a. n.a. -5.25% First Metro Consumer Fund on MSCI Phils. IMI, Inc. -a 0.8217 -7.16% n.a. n.a. -3.25% -2.5% -3.93% First Metro Save and Learn Equity Fund,Inc. -a 5.1188 -8.93% -0.19% First Metro Save and Learn Philippine Index Fund, Inc. -a,6 0.817 -8.62% -3.91% n.a.

-4.29% MBG Equity Investment Fund, Inc. -a 95.87 -22.67% n.a. n.a.

-7.22% PAMI Equity Index Fund, Inc. -a 49.1658 -7.13% 0.57% n.a.

-4.13% Philam Strategic Growth Fund, Inc. -a 512.77 -6.94% -0.28% -2.12% -3.76% Philequity Alpha One Fund, Inc. -a,d,8 1.0052 n.a. n.a. n.a.

-2.42% Philequity Dividend Yield Fund, Inc. -a 1.242 -6.92% 0.51% -1.02% -3.49% Philequity Fund, Inc. -a 36.4362 -7% 1.38% -0.91% -3.85% -6.22% n.a. n.a.

-3.17% Philequity MSCI Philippine Index Fund, Inc. -a,1 0.9858 Philequity PSE Index Fund Inc. -a 5.0105 -6.3% 1.27% -0.27% -4.08% Philippine Stock Index Fund Corp. -a 836.62 -6.34% 1.21% -0.41% -4.07% Soldivo Strategic Growth Fund, Inc. -a 0.7877 -14.22% -2.7% -4.37% -7.48% Sun Life Prosperity Philippine Equity Fund, Inc. -a 3.9936 -8.13% 0.39% -1.24% -5.12% Sun Life Prosperity Philippine Stock Index Fund, Inc. -a 0.9602 - 6.6% 1.07% n.a. -4.06% United Fund, Inc. -a 3.5159 -5.91% 2.23% 0.49% -3.76% Exchange Traded Fund First Metro Phil. Equity Exchange Traded Fund, Inc. -a,c 112.2374 - 6.06% 1.91% 0.52% -4.03% Primarily invested in foreign currency securities ATRAM AsiaPlus Equity Fund, Inc. -b $1.002 0.65% 3.81% -0.07% -2.57% Sun Life Prosperity World Voyager Fund, Inc. -a $1.4137 15.66% 9.74% n.a.

2.54% Balanced Funds Primarily invested in Peso securities ATRAM Dynamic Allocation Fund, Inc. -a 1.5344 -11.66% -3.87% -4.93% -1.82% ATRAM Philippine Balanced Fund, Inc. -a 2.1088 -9.08% -2.66% -2.62% -3.31% First Metro Save and Learn Balanced Fund Inc. -a 2.5704 -4.19% 0.8% -2.52% -2.32% First Metro Save and Learn F.O.C.C.U.S. Dynamic Fund, Inc. -a,5 0.2207 n.a. n.a. n.a.

-3.41% Grepalife Balanced Fund Corporation -a N.S. N.S. N.S. N.S. N.S. NCM Mutual Fund of the Phils., Inc. -a 1.9378 0.91% 1.82% 0.02% -1.29% PAMI Horizon Fund, Inc. -a 3.7131 1.46% 0.75% -1% -2.01% Philam Fund, Inc. -a 16.6135 0.27% 0.64% -1.05% -2.05% Solidaritas Fund, Inc. -a 2.086 -3.85% 0.3% -0.04% -1.87% Sun Life of Canada Prosperity Balanced Fund, Inc. -a 3.7402 -2.79% 0.97% -0.76% -3.2% Sun Life Prosperity Achiever Fund 2028, Inc. -a,d,2 0.9957 n.a. n.a. n.a. -1.97% Sun Life Prosperity Achiever Fund 2038, Inc. -a,d,2 0.9647 n.a. n.a. n.a.

-3.18% Sun Life Prosperity Achiever Fund 2048, Inc. -a,d,2 0.9602 n.a. n.a. n.a. -3.32% Sun Life Prosperity Dynamic Fund, Inc. -a 0.9368 -4.06% 0.15% -1.98% -3.9% Primarily invested in foreign currency securities Cocolife Dollar Fund Builder, Inc. -a $0.03863 8.33% 3.17% 1.89% 1.05% PAMI Asia Balanced Fund, Inc. -a $1.0203 5% 3.67% 0.41% -1.7% Sun Life Prosperity Dollar Advantage Fund, Inc. -a $3.9884 12.06% 7.62% 4.32% 1.98% Sun Life Prosperity Dollar Wellspring Fund, Inc. -a,7 $1.1441 8.5% 4.57% n.a.

1.36% Bond Funds Primarily invested in Peso securities ALFM Peso Bond Fund, Inc. -a 358.44 3.83% 2.71% 2.17% 0.18% ATRAM Corporate Bond Fund, Inc. -a 1.9065 1.86% 0.26% -0.91% 0.24% Cocolife Fixed Income Fund, Inc. -a 3.1318 4.86% 5.14% 5.17% 0.5% Ekklesia Mutual Fund Inc. -a 2.2339 3.98% 2.08% 1.78% 0.4% First Metro Save and Learn Fixed Income Fund,Inc. -a 2.359 5.47% 2.07% 1.19% 0% Grepalife Fixed Income Fund Corp. -a P N.S. N.S. N.S. N.S. N.S. Philam Bond Fund, Inc. -a 4.3827 11.64% 2.33% 1.36% 0.22% Philequity Peso Bond Fund, Inc. -a 3.7759 5.5% 2.7% 0.57% -0.32% 0.9677 6.24% 1.12% -0.09% 0.35% Soldivo Bond Fund, Inc. -a Sun Life of Canada Prosperity Bond Fund, Inc. -a 3.0762 8.53% 4.02% 1.95% 0.01% Sun Life Prosperity GS Fund, Inc. -a 1.6941 7.35% 3.43% 1.31% -0.41% Primarily invested in foreign currency securities ALFM Dollar Bond Fund, Inc. -a $470.52 4.43% 2.71% 2.64% 0.49% ALFM Euro Bond Fund, Inc. -a Є220.4 2.96% 1.85% 1.27% 0.3% ATRAM Total Return Dollar Bond Fund, Inc. -b $1.212 6.02% 3.09% 2.26% 0.4% First Metro Save and Learn Dollar Bond Fund, Inc. -a $0.0259 3.6% 1.46% 1.45% 0.39% Grepalife Dollar Bond Fund Corp. -a N.S. N.S. N.S. N.S. N.S. PAMI Global Bond Fund, Inc -a $1.1049 5.71% 1.49% -0.34% 0.89% Philam Dollar Bond Fund, Inc. -a $2.4354 9.9% 3.58% 2.7% 1.31% Philequity Dollar Income Fund Inc. -a $0.0606722 5.87% 2.32% 1.81% 0.59% Sun Life Prosperity Dollar Abundance Fund, Inc. -a $3.235 10.95% 3.33% 2.58% 1.88% Money Market Funds Primarily invested in Peso securities ALFM Money Market Fund, Inc. -a 126.22 3.87% 2.9% 2.21% 0.35% First Metro Save and Learn Money Market Fund, Inc. -a,3 1.0255 2.46% n.a. n.a.

-0.08% Philam Managed Income Fund, Inc. -a 1.2528 5.7% 2.97% 1.62% -0.31% 3.65% 2.92% 2.42% 0.3% Sun Life Prosperity Money Market Fund, Inc. -a 1.2684 Primarily invested in foreign currency securities Sun Life Prosperity Dollar Starter Fund, Inc. -a $1.0391 2.03% 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."

www.businessmirror.com.ph

PSE STOCK QUOTATIONS

February 7, 2020

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

BDO UNIBANK 153 155.4 150.5 155.4 150 155.4 618,390 94,991,986 38,871,186 BANK PH ISLANDS 85.95 86 85.9 86.1 84.85 86 1,188,530 101,992,714.5 41,959,030.5 25.05 25.1 25.05 25.1 25 25.05 192,100 4,810,370 609,675 CHINABANK 11.2 11.22 11.48 11.48 11.2 11.2 124,800 1,409,748 (265,500) EAST WEST BANK METROBANK 60.85 60.9 60.95 61.3 60.8 60.9 1,514,740 92,489,485.5 ( 28,033,358.5) PHIL NATL BANK 32.05 32.2 31.6 32.9 31.6 32.05 115,900 3,716,875 (1,294,760) 175 175.1 179 179 173.9 175 1,072,590 187,626,849 (24,279,426) SECURITY BANK 59.5 60.7 61.5 61.5 59.5 60.7 3,780 228,001.5 (25,659) UNION BANK BRIGHT KINDLE 0.81 0.88 0.81 0.81 0.81 0.81 10,000 8,100 COL FINANCIAL 18.1 18.5 18.1 18.5 18.1 18.5 26,800 495,348 3.81 4 3.82 4.1 3.82 4.1 2,000 7,920 FERRONOUX HLDG IREMIT 1.15 1.18 1.15 1.15 1.15 1.15 5,000 5,750 MEDCO HLDG 0.385 0.41 0.385 0.42 0.385 0.41 180,000 72,150 NTL REINSURANCE 0.75 0.77 0.77 0.77 0.75 0.77 69,000 52,170 2,250 172.5 176 176 176 176 176 200 35,200 PHIL STOCK EXCH SUN LIFE 1,836 1,887 1887 1,887 1,887 1,887 15 28,305 VANTAGE 1.04 1.07 1.07 1.07 1.07 1.07 1,000 1,070

INDUSTRIAL AC ENERGY 2.1 2.14 2.16 2.16 2.09 2.14 5,277,000 11,142,980 6,141,460 1.19 1.25 1.19 1.25 1.19 1.19 30,000 35,760 ALSONS CONS ABOITIZ POWER 33 33.05 32.75 33.15 32.7 33 514,200 16,967,195 2,479,315 BASIC ENERGY 0.212 0.226 0.22 0.227 0.22 0.22 280,000 62,930 FIRST GEN 21.1 21.2 21.3 21.3 20.6 21.2 569,500 12,040,640 (4,441,780) 66.8 66.85 66.65 68 66.65 66.85 123,370 8,244,243 (6,972) FIRST PHIL HLDG 285.6 288.8 286 288.8 282.8 288.8 106,690 30,513,644 6,788,230 MERALCO MANILA WATER 13.28 13.34 14.06 14.12 13.14 13.28 44,257,900 600,558,474 (146,171,312) PETRON 3.49 3.5 3.55 3.56 3.48 3.5 649,000 2,273,120 80,699.9997 3.9 4.08 3.87 3.9 3.87 3.9 16,000 62,280 PETROENERGY PHX PETROLEUM 11.6 11.94 11.6 11.94 11.6 11.94 142,000 1,674,810 (820,162) PILIPINAS SHELL 31 31.9 30.6 32 30.6 31 126,000 3,925,440 (1,358,700) SPC POWER 9.1 9.18 9.1 9.2 9 9.1 209,300 1,891,902 6.49 6.5 7.8 8.09 6.37 6.5 8,995,500 62,414,580 (28,064,450) AGRINURTURE AXELUM 3.04 3.07 3.14 3.16 2.99 3.04 3,687,000 11,202,030 423,700 CNTRL AZUCARERA 15.6 16.02 16.02 16.02 16.02 16.02 500 8,010 15.1 15.36 15 15.4 15 15.1 67,300 1,020,594 882,262 CENTURY FOOD 4.56 4.7 4.6 4.7 4.6 4.7 45,000 209,090 23,050 DEL MONTE DNL INDUS 8.99 9 9 9.08 8.95 9 375,400 3,382,906 859,299 EMPERADOR 7.26 7.32 7.26 7.49 7.25 7.26 3,414,500 24,763,851 19,578,713 76.8 77.9 75.9 77.9 75.75 77.9 36,250 2,808,415 (484,196.5) SMC FOODANDBEV 0.61 0.62 0.58 0.65 0.57 0.61 4,318,000 2,662,970 ALLIANCE SELECT FRUITAS HLDG 1.94 1.95 1.94 1.98 1.88 1.94 43,647,000 84,548,130 7,047,170 GINEBRA 35.3 36.55 35.1 36.9 35.1 36.9 200 7,200 192.4 192.5 193 194 192.3 192.5 283,570 54,687,761 (23,490,491) JOLLIBEE 6.52 6.79 6.53 6.79 6.52 6.79 12,200 80,741 MACAY HLDG MAXS GROUP 9.97 10 10 10 9.97 10 62,200 621,379 (298,747) 1.82 1.83 1.8 1.83 1.8 1.82 864,000 1,571,340 (27,250) PEPSI COLA 9.43 9.44 9.49 9.49 9.25 9.44 38,900 362,898 57,089.9999 SHAKEYS PIZZA ROXAS AND CO 1.62 1.66 1.62 1.7 1.62 1.66 158,000 260,210 RFM CORP 5.25 5.29 5.25 5.29 5.25 5.29 14,563,800 76,459,994 (0) 1.51 1.68 1.68 1.68 1.68 1.68 2,000 3,360 ROXAS HLDG SWIFT FOODS 0.115 0.12 0.115 0.115 0.115 0.115 350,000 40,250 UNIV ROBINA 157.9 158.9 153 158.9 153 158.9 957,230 151,476,207 37,499,189 VITARICH 1.15 1.16 1.17 1.17 1.13 1.15 2,617,000 2,990,820 26,189.9999 58.85 64.9 58.85 58.85 58.85 58.85 750 44,137.5 CONCRETE A CEMEX HLDG 1.47 1.48 1.5 1.5 1.44 1.47 4,725,000 6,909,880 (1,752,270) EAGLE CEMENT 12.36 12.7 12.36 12.72 12.36 12.36 2,500 31,384 (1,236) EEI CORP 8.6 8.8 8.55 8.92 8.55 8.8 720,900 6,169,019 (5,925,150) 10.14 10.2 10 10.4 10 10.14 4,587,600 46,455,196 (4,996,140) HOLCIM 14.4 14.6 14.3 14.6 14.3 14.6 1,646,400 23,904,496 (22,892,284) MEGAWIDE PHINMA 9.8 9.97 9.99 9.99 9.8 9.97 5,000 49,261 0.94 0.96 0.94 0.98 0.93 0.98 12,000 11,500 TKC METALS VULCAN INDL 0.98 0.99 1.04 1.05 0.98 0.98 2,906,000 2,886,190 CHEMPHIL 165.3 199.6 165 174 165 174 420 72,074 CROWN ASIA 2.11 2.12 2.11 2.11 2.11 2.11 9,000 18,990 1.98 2.05 2.03 2.15 1.98 1.98 575,000 1,172,060 EUROMED LMG CHEMICALS 4.12 4.34 4.5 4.5 4.09 4.12 24,000 103,210 MABUHAY VINYL 3.07 3.17 3.1 3.1 3.1 3.1 5,000 15,500 (15,500) PRYCE CORP 4.71 4.72 4.9 4.9 4.71 4.71 16,000 76,920 1.67 1.69 1.79 1.83 1.67 1.67 6,387,000 11,222,700 4,964,940 GREENERGY 6.69 6.7 6.89 6.89 6.66 6.7 88,400 591,718 91,239 INTEGRATED MICR IONICS 1.3 1.34 1.31 1.35 1.28 1.34 243,000 317,960 SFA SEMICON 1.2 1.21 1.33 1.36 1.19 1.2 5,076,000 6,294,950 (73,200) 10.1 10.12 10.82 11.16 10.06 10.1 3,695,000 39,297,340 (489,176) CIRTEK HLDG

HOLDING & FRIMS

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

0.88 10.06 750 51.8 10.68 2.77 6.1 0.67 0.9 0.91 6.3 6.1 12.02 0.221 740.5 4.95 72.85 0.48 3.78 10.46 0.56 3.2 1.12 1.11 171 1,000 134.4 0.78 173.5 0.206 0.195

0.9 10.34 755 52.15 10.7 2.78 6.34 0.69 0.92 0.94 6.39 6.11 12.68 0.236 741 5 73.9 0.5 3.8 10.48 0.58 3.21 1.15 1.18 185 1,003 134.5 0.81 174 0.224 0.199

0.88 10.26 760 50.3 10.48 2.79 6.2 0.67 0.89 0.94 6.32 6.19 12.7 0.22 740 5.01 73.1 0.5 3.73 10.5 0.56 3.21 1.11 1.1 180 1000 132.5 0.81 174 0.215 0.199

0.9 10.48 765 52.4 10.76 2.81 6.2 0.69 0.92 0.94 6.4 6.19 12.7 0.238 745 5.01 74 0.5 3.78 10.54 0.58 3.25 1.15 1.18 185 1,004 136 0.81 174 0.224 0.199

0.86 10.1 750 50.3 10.48 2.73 6.1 0.67 0.89 0.94 6.19 6.04 12.68 0.22 725 5 72.05 0.48 3.73 10.36 0.56 3.19 1.1 1.1 175 998.5 132.5 0.8 174 0.206 0.195

0.9 10.1 750 52.15 10.7 2.78 6.1 0.69 0.92 0.94 6.3 6.1 12.68 0.221 741 5 73.9 0.5 3.78 10.48 0.58 3.2 1.12 1.18 175 1,000 134.5 0.8 174 0.206 0.198

6,755,000 9,500 201,530 569,490 4,474,500 888,000 21,300 39,000 773,000 5,000 1,445,000 6,964,600 7,700 520,000 176,010 17,000 1,217,500 153,000 32,000 3,774,600 43,000 22,439,000 134,000 17,000 100 121,415 49,180 7,000 100 60,000 620,000

5,965,050 97,794 152,759,795 29,584,877.5 47,529,470 2,462,500 130,050 26,600 699,750 4,700 9,186,353 42,477,026 97,650 119,190 129,646,850 85,020 89,098,878.5 74,235 119,560 39,533,480 24,100 72,292,630 151,920 18,860 17,950 121,443,610 ( 6,612,321 5,620 17,400 12,630 121,000

(490,630) (24,538,600) 5,420,664.5 22,817,116 468,030 122,610 (1,380) 2,116,369 (23,608,852) (17,680) (7,171,190) (85,020) 28,687,561 82,260 (1,529,338) 14,290,790 22,599.9999 12,886,542.5) (129,995) (1,740) -

PROPERTY ARTHALAND CORP 0.79 0.81 0.79 0.81 0.79 0.81 542,000 429,430 43.35 43.4 43.45 43.45 42.6 43.35 7,912,200 342,509,400 232,265,800 AYALA LAND 1.65 1.72 1.66 1.66 1.63 1.65 108,000 178,470 (82,500) ARANETA PROP BELLE CORP 1.52 1.53 1.57 1.57 1.51 1.53 862,000 1,315,350 3,070 A BROWN 0.63 0.66 0.65 0.67 0.63 0.66 131,000 84,510 0.78 0.82 0.8 0.8 0.8 0.8 4,000 3,200 CITYLAND DEVT CROWN EQUITIES 0.176 0.178 0.185 0.185 0.178 0.178 1,360,000 242,500 CEBU HLDG 6.18 6.3 6.65 6.65 6.2 6.3 5,500 34,255 CEB LANDMASTERS 4.5 4.54 4.5 4.54 4.48 4.5 200,000 898,760 255,360 0.49 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.485 0.5 9,988,000 4,956,235 CENTURY PROP CYBER BAY 0.37 0.38 0.38 0.38 0.38 0.38 40,000 15,200 DOUBLEDRAGON 17.94 17.96 17.4 17.96 17.18 17.96 626,700 11,088,874 ( 330,888.0003) DM WENCESLAO 9.01 9.14 9 9.15 9 9.15 97,700 879,455 (823,640) 0.385 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.39 0.4 120,000 47,000 EMPIRE EAST FILINVEST LAND 1.44 1.45 1.45 1.45 1.44 1.44 7,166,000 10,360,930 (5,276,170) GLOBAL ESTATE 1.04 1.08 1.06 1.06 1.04 1.04 2,010,000 2,095,430 14.72 14.86 14.72 14.76 14.72 14.72 409,000 6,021,586 384,624 8990 HLDG 1.08 1.1 1.12 1.13 1.02 1.1 1,462,000 1,566,240 8,800 PHIL INFRADEV CITY AND LAND 0.74 0.76 0.77 0.77 0.74 0.76 21,000 15,830 MEGAWORLD 4.07 4.08 4.03 4.07 3.98 4.07 20,935,000 84,722,610 (7,686,870) 0.199 0.203 0.203 0.203 0.199 0.199 5,770,000 1,154,790 MRC ALLIED PHIL ESTATES 0.39 0.405 0.385 0.39 0.385 0.39 20,000 7,750 PRIMEX CORP 2.03 2.04 2.06 2.06 2.03 2.04 207,000 421,590 ROBINSONS LAND 25.25 25.6 25.9 25.9 25.25 25.25 960,000 24,336,110 (9,075,470) 0.305 0.31 0.305 0.31 0.305 0.31 150,000 45,850 PHIL REALTY ROCKWELL 2.08 2.13 2.07 2.08 2.07 2.08 14,000 29,070 SHANG PROP 3.08 3.15 3.04 3.15 3.04 3.15 13,000 40,660 2.46 2.52 2.46 2.52 2.46 2.52 104,000 261,340 STA LUCIA LAND SM PRIME HLDG 42.2 42.35 41.05 42.8 40.7 42.35 13,350,300 563,486,585 238,512,750 VISTAMALLS 5.3 5.39 5.28 5.45 5.06 5.39 73,000 385,380 SUNTRUST HOME 1.86 1.88 1.95 1.99 1.85 1.86 7,162,000 13,584,020 6.53 6.54 6.55 6.6 6.53 6.54 713,900 4,702,872 (2,498,278) VISTA LAND

SERVICES ABS CBN 17 17.06 17.5 17.5 16.9 17 287,500 4,947,556 5.24 5.29 5.28 5.3 5.22 5.3 212,900 1,120,427 GMA NETWORK MANILA BULLETIN 0.43 0.435 0.41 0.435 0.41 0.43 200,000 83,950 GLOBE TELECOM 1,980 1,995 1990 2,008 1,970 1,980 30,785 61,322,280 (1,949,185) PLDT 1,064 1,065 1085 1,085 1,059 1,064 97,485 104,036,595 (61,846,410) 3.6 4.19 4 4.24 4 4.24 156,000 632,320 DFNN INC IMPERIAL 1.56 1.6 1.56 1.56 1.56 1.56 3,000 4,680 ISM COMM 2.42 2.43 2.74 2.74 2.24 2.43 123,156,000 298,169,700 4,128,660 NOW CORP 2.19 2.2 2.2 2.27 2.18 2.2 1,659,000 3,657,370 21,360 0.248 0.25 0.255 0.255 0.248 0.25 1,660,000 416,290 TRANSPACIFIC BR PHILWEB 3.54 3.55 3.84 3.94 3.54 3.55 3,692,000 13,524,920 199,480 2GO GROUP 8.95 9 9 9 8.95 9 54,400 487,735 60,084.9999 ASIAN TERMINALS 17.5 18.58 17.5 17.5 17.5 17.5 1,000 17,500 17,500 4.67 4.68 4.86 4.86 4.67 4.67 1,069,000 5,050,220 (37,910) CHELSEA CEBU AIR 79.5 79.6 84 84 78.5 79.5 92,660 7,392,617 1,810,276.5 INTL CONTAINER 127.8 128 127.1 128.5 127.1 128 1,132,620 145,010,375 (1,099,621) 12.14 13.48 12.12 12.12 12.12 12.12 200 2,424 LBC EXPRESS LORENZO SHIPPNG 0.87 0.95 0.96 0.96 0.96 0.96 5,000 4,800 MACROASIA 10.6 10.68 10.76 11.06 10.1 10.6 4,298,900 45,574,728 (3,212,490) METROALLIANCE A 0.96 1 0.95 1.05 0.95 1 33,000 32,240 0.99 1.07 0.96 0.96 0.96 0.96 18,000 17,280 METROALLIANCE B PAL HLDG 7.1 7.39 7.4 7.4 7.4 7.4 400 2,960 HARBOR STAR 1.18 1.19 1.23 1.27 1.19 1.19 949,000 1,157,980 (25,000) ACESITE HOTEL 1.35 1.4 1.34 1.4 1.34 1.4 6,000 8,300 10.02 13.34 12.5 13.48 12.5 13.48 200 2,598 GRAND PLAZA WATERFRONT 0.57 0.58 0.59 0.59 0.57 0.58 2,904,000 1,679,190 STI HLDG 0.59 0.6 0.6 0.6 0.59 0.59 1,154,000 685,680 (188,400) 2.64 2.69 2.63 2.7 2.61 2.65 219,000 579,020 5,260 BERJAYA 9.05 9.06 9.01 9.1 9 9.06 1,794,200 16,166,764 383,293 BLOOMBERRY PACIFIC ONLINE 2.05 2.08 2.14 2.14 2.03 2.05 57,000 116,730 (71,400) LEISURE AND RES 2.15 2.16 2.16 2.17 2.14 2.16 277,000 598,200 226,810 2.95 3.05 2.95 2.95 2.95 2.95 7,000 20,650 MANILA JOCKEY PH RESORTS GRP 4.01 4.69 4.8 4.85 4.69 4.69 3,000 14,340 PREMIUM LEISURE 0.485 0.49 0.495 0.5 0.485 0.485 3,910,000 1,912,800 (470,150) ALLHOME 10.02 10.1 10.1 10.1 9.8 10.02 1,001,200 9,996,430 (1,449,806) 1.89 1.9 1.9 1.91 1.89 1.9 1,065,000 2,022,870 25,050 METRO RETAIL 38.65 38.7 38.8 39.35 38.6 38.65 3,034,800 117,325,305 9,508,290 PUREGOLD ROBINSONS RTL 77.05 77.55 76.5 77.65 76.5 77.55 539,290 41,780,630.5 10,063,628 PHIL SEVEN CORP 146 146.5 146 146 146 146 5,270 769,420 769,420 2.16 2.19 2.23 2.26 2.13 2.19 676,000 1,465,970 (339,500) SSI GROUP 18.82 18.84 18.54 18.84 18.54 18.82 260,000 4,842,504 968,022 WILCON DEPOT APC GROUP 0.39 0.4 0.39 0.39 0.385 0.39 1,720,000 670,600 7.5 7.79 7.36 7.96 7.36 7.84 22,700 170,934 EASYCALL GOLDEN BRIA 422 430 430 430 423.4 423.4 170 72,110 PAXYS 2.67 2.96 2.96 2.96 2.96 2.96 1,000 2,960 PRMIERE HORIZON 0.325 0.33 0.335 0.34 0.325 0.325 4,010,000 1,319,700 (55,250) 8.8 8.9 8.8 8.9 8.8 8.9 1,100 9,690 SBS PHIL CORP

MINING & OIL ATOK 10 10.3 9.91 11 9.85 10.3 11,900 118,564 1 1.01 1.01 1.01 1 1 666,000 670,370 APEX MINING ABRA MINING 0.0014 0.0015 0 0.0015 0.0016 0.0014 0.0015 2 ,208,000,000 3,282,400 1,500 ATLAS MINING 2.36 2.38 2.4 2.4 2.38 2.38 12,000 28,780 BENGUET A 1.05 1.15 1.05 1.05 1.05 1.05 1,000 1,050 0.27 0.275 0.27 0.27 0.27 0.27 10,000 2,700 COAL ASIA HLDG CENTURY PEAK 2.99 3.01 3.05 3.05 2.98 2.99 1,062,000 3,206,350 DIZON MINES 6.42 6.43 6.54 6.77 6.42 6.43 21,000 135,634 FERRONICKEL 1.43 1.44 1.46 1.47 1.43 1.43 1,419,000 2,045,620 (422,500) 0.197 0.2 0.207 0.207 0.197 0.197 410,000 81,130 GEOGRACE LEPANTO A 0.094 0.095 0.095 0.095 0.095 0.095 350,000 33,250 MANILA MINING A 0.0078 0.008 0 0.0078 0.0078 0.0078 0.0078 2,000,000 15,600 MARCVENTURES 0.76 0.78 0.76 0.79 0.7 0.78 265,000 195,710 0.99 1.02 1.03 1.03 0.98 1.02 240,000 236,520 (2,060) NIHAO NICKEL ASIA 2.73 2.74 2.78 2.83 2.71 2.74 3,676,000 10,133,100 (405,310) ORNTL PENINSULA 0.66 0.67 0.67 0.68 0.67 0.67 102,000 68,360 2.81 2.84 2.86 2.89 2.84 2.84 290,000 826,380 PX MINING SEMIRARA MINING 20.5 20.8 20 20.8 20 20.8 137,300 2,817,535 531,400 UNITED PARAGON 0.0052 0.0054 0 0.0054 0.0054 0.0053 0.0053 4,000,000 21,500 ACE ENEXOR 7.3 7.48 7.45 7.6 7.28 7.48 444,300 3,273,583 (54,482) 0.01 0.011 0.011 0.011 0.01 0.011 20,000,000 210,000 PHILODRILL PXP ENERGY 8.65 8.66 8.67 8.74 8.61 8.65 153,700 1,331,754 ( 501,584.9999)

PREFFERED

HOUSE PREF A 98.85 101 100 100 98.85 98.85 500 49,462 500 506 505 505 500 500 8,350 4,178,500 AC PREF B1 ALCO PREF B 101 103.2 103.2 103.2 103.2 103.2 130 13,416 ALCO PREF C 100.9 106.9 103 103 103 103 2,500 257,500 AC PREF B2R 493 504 490 490 490 490 100 49,000 100.9 102 102 102 100.9 100.9 20,230 2,060,207 CPG PREF A DD PREF 100.2 100.9 100.9 101 100.2 100.9 30,830 3,110,043 GTCAP PREF B 972 990 988 990 988 990 1,250 1,237,480 MWIDE PREF 100 100.3 100.2 100.2 100 100 14,000 1,401,231 101.5 102.3 102.3 102.3 102.3 102.3 400 40,920 PNX PREF 3A PNX PREF 4 1,031 1,040 1033 1,033 1,033 1,033 350 361,550 PCOR PREF 3A 1,050 1,051 1050 1,050 1,049 1,050 1,160 1,217,950 (10,500) SMC PREF 2C 77.2 77.5 77.2 77.5 77 77.5 64,140 4,939,004 75.2 75.5 75 75 75 75 39,300 2,947,500 SMC PREF 2E SMC PREF 2F 76.2 76.5 76.2 76.5 76.2 76.5 4,800 367,140 SMC PREF 2G 75.1 75.5 75.5 75.5 75.1 75.1 13,250 996,115 76 77 76 76 76 76 143,000 10,868,000 SMC PREF 2I PHIL. DEPOSITARY RECEIPTS ABS HLDG PDR GMA HLDG PDR

15.5 5.08

15.94 5.2

15.7 5.15

16 5.15

15.62 5.1

16 5.1

51,400 65,000

813,808 331,750

WARRANTS LR WARRANT 1.09 1.15 1.08 1.16 1.08 1.15 34,000 37,590

SMALL & MEDIUM ENTERPRISES

ITALPINAS KEPWEALTH XURPAS

3.42 9.84 0.81

3.45 9.9 0.82

3.51 9.89 0.81

3.64 9.98 0.83

3.43 9.8 0.79

3.43 9.9 0.81

295,000 79,000 2,079,000

1,023,910 780,363 1,666,280

EXHANGE TRADE FUNDS FIRST METRO ETF

112.9

113

111.9

112.9

111

112.9

5,940

666,256

(561,504) (331,750) (1,977) -

-

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Banking&Finance BusinessMirror

RCBC partners with online mortgage broker for loans

Govt battle vs oil smuggling gets boost from private sector

T Photo shows Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. Consumer Lending Group Head Rommel S. Latinazo (left) and Nook Inc. CEO Chris Elder.

R

IZAL Commercial Banking Corp. (RCBC) announced it has partnered with Nook Inc., an online mortgage broker platform, to ease the process of home loan application.

“Through this partnership, Nook acts as an intermediary between borrowers and the bank, allowing Filipinos to choose and evaluate their options carefully,” a statement from RCBC said. “In turn, the universal bank will process and evaluate applications coursed through Nook.”

“We look forward to bringing this convenient banking solution to our clients that will help fast track their dream of buying a home,” RCBC Consumer Lending Group Head Rommel S. Latinazo was quoted in the statement as saying.

Nook is an online platform that offers clients an end-to-end home purchase process, from choosing a home to approval of a loan. It guides the users through the application process where prequalification can be completed within a few minutes.

The platform facilitates submission of required documents online, significantly shortening the loan application process.

“We understand RCBC’s loan requirements,” Nook CEO Chris Elder said. “With our technology and team of Nook home loan consultants, we can help clients secure a housing loan quickly without ever leaving their home and with free assistance the entire way through to loan completion.”

RCBC is one of the eight banks utilizing this platform.

Perspectives Protect your data as the asset that it is

F

inancial services providers recognize data as an asset that increasingly needs protection via robust data governance and controls across their organization and through to third parties.

Data is constantly collected, monitored, used, and shared though it is the quality of the data and its ethical uses that are key to protecting proprietary, operational, and customer information. Continued data breaches and data sharing incidents are influencing public and regulatory expectations for increasingly stringent data privacy and security requirements ensuring public policy and enforcement will continue at the local, federal, and global levels.

Technology transformation

Technology advances allow for more granular data classifications that permit tracking for sourcing, retention, access, use, and disposal via business functions and thirdparty relationships.

Dependence on third-party vendors for rapid deployment or scalability of technology applications can give rise to governance and accountability risks.

To keep pace with evolving technology, regulators expect cybersecurity strategies to be forwardlooking and to address data protection, cloud security, threat simulations, and a layering of solutions.

Customer interaction

Public policies and regulatory supervision and enforcement are focusing on strong data governance and controls, including know-yourcustomer, suspicious activity, and fraud while customers focus on ownership and control, including collection, storage, use, disposal and portability.

Some organizations, independent of regulatory requirements, are reconsidering policies regarding opt-in and opt-out procedures, the scope of data to be collected, how and by whom it is accessed, and how it will be used or shared.

Payments modernization The push toward faster payments reduces the time available to detect fraud and suspicious transactions, potentially compromising data privacy/security and financial crimes compliance and increasing the need for strong third party risk management. Technology leveraging biometric authentication (i.e., fingerprint, face features, heart rate) may assist in establishing a more secure payments environment but may also carry new privacy and data security risks.

Market expansion

Organizations must understand the source and content of data used to personalize customer experience, including data derived from social media sources or AI (artificial intelligence) data sets, to proactively address unintended bias and reputation or strategic risk and abroad. Increasingly, brands are differentiating based on transparency of data collection and use.

The threat of cyber-attacks is global in scope and can be motivated by theft, destruction, or disruption of proprietary or consumer data.

Cost efficiencies

Increased awareness, governance and reporting of reputational and third party risks in data privacy and data protection will influence business model, process and automation changes.

Data-reliant technologies, including AI and robotics, as well as relationships with third-party technology providers such as cloud servicers are increasing cost and process efficiencies.

The excerpt was taken from the KPMG article “Emerging Trends in Infrastructure.” © 2020 R.G. Manabat & Co., a Philippine partnership and a member-firm of the KPMG network of independent member-firms affiliated with KPMG International Cooperative, a Swiss entity. All rights reserved. Printed in the Philippines.

For more information on KPMG in the Philippines, please visit www.kpmg.com.ph.

Monday, February 10, 2020 B3

By Bernadette D. Nicolas @BNicolasBM & Samuel P. Medenilla @sam_medenilla

he government has so far marked a total of 2.79 billion liters as part of its fuel-marking program, citing cooperation from more oil companies.

A statement from the Department of Finance (DOF) said that as of February 7, the Bureau of Customs was able to inject markers on 2.148 billion liters of fuel while the Bureau of Internal Revenue was able to do the same with 642 million liters of fuel.

The statement noted that six companies based in Subic participated recently in the program.

These are Microdragon Petroleum Inc.; High Glory Subic International Logistics Inc.; Marubeni Philippines Corp.; Goldenshare Commerce and Trading Inc.; Jadelink Subic Inc.; and

Era1 Petroleum Corp.

Early participants to the program include Unioil Petroleum Philippines Inc.; Chevron Philippines Inc.; Phoenix Petroleum Philippines Inc., Seaoil Philippines Inc.; Pilipinas Shell Petroleum Corp.; Insular Oil Corp.; Filoil Energy Co. Inc.; PTT Philippines Corp.; Petron Corp.; and Warbucks Industries Corp.

Finance Undersecretary Antonette C. Tionko told reporters on Friday said most of the oil companies are cooperating, adding that there was an increase in the declared volume of fuel even prior to

the full implementation of the fuel marking system.

“Even before [the program] was fully implemented, I think [there was the] ‘fear factor’ or [the companies know it’s [going to] come resulted in more, a better reporting of volume; so there was an increase,” Tionko said.

“So even without the full implementation, [the anticipation of the program] resulted in higher reporting of volumes.”

Customs Assistant Commissioner Vincent Philip C. Maronilla said there was a 2-billion increase in the declared volumes from about P12 billion in 2018 to around P14.5 billion in 2019.

“That alone we’re seeing because we already announced [last year] that the fuel-marking program will be implemented. It’s just that we had some technical issues that we needed to deal with,” Maronilla said. “And again, if you look at our collections; our collections from oil also increased last year.”

The government expects to collect at least P20 billion this year with the full implementation of the

fuel-marking system. This is half of the estimated amount of revenue losses from fuel smuggling, which could go as much as P40 billion, according to various independent studies.

“That’s our suspicion: that not everybody was paying the right amount of tax,” Finance Secretary Carlos G. Dominguez III said. “That’s why we put it [fuel markers] there because we suspected that some people were not fully disclosing or fully paying the taxes.”

Fuel marking makes use of a unique chemical marker capable of being embedded at a molecular level in petroleum products—gasoline, diesel and kerosene—thereby enabling authorities to test, identify and distinguish fuels being sold in the market.

For the first year of implementation, a fuel marking fee of P0.06884 per liter of fuel shall be paid by the government to the fuel marking service provider.

The joint venture of Switzerlandbased Sicpa SA and SGS Philippines secured the fuel marking project.

CIC’S accredited bureaus increase access to credit database in 2020

T

he state-run Credit Information Corp. (CIC), along with its two accredited credit bureaus—CIBI Information Inc. and CRIF D&B Philippines Inc.—reported an increase in credit report inquiries for financial and loan purposes.

CIC President and CEO Jaime Casto Jose P. Garchitorena said this is in line with CIC’s long-term expectation. The CIC has the largest credit database and the most diverse set of contributors in the country with 9,021,803 unique data subjects and 81,364 companies and 56,481,088 contract data as of December last year, according to Garchitorena.

CIC’s accredited credit bureaus, also known as Special Accessing Entities (SAE), are duly accredited private corporations engaged primarily in the business of providing credit reports, ratings and other similar credit information products and services.

Per Republic Act 9510 or the Credit Information System Act (CISA), they are entitled access to the CIC’s pool of consolidated basic credit data, subject to security requirements.

CIBI, the Philippines’s first and leading credit bureau, has indicated an increasing amount of usage in the automotive sales industry, as well as the more traditional financial service companies such as lending institutions, banks and credit-card companies.

CRIF Philippines, the CIC’s second-most active credit bureau, has reported similar increase in activity with financing companies.

“We are pleased that CIBI and CRIF, as well as their clients, are finding the usability of our credit data. Bulk of the CIC data is accessed through them,” Garchitorena added.

Supporting the underserved

Credit report inquiries are made through accredited credit bureaus to evaluate credit applications of newto-credit borrowers.

New-to-credit validations allow even the government lending institutions to push for expanding financial services to the previously underserved sector of the population.

Another feature of the CIC system is allowing lenders to monitor existing accounts to assist in determining expansion or restriction of existing lines of credit.

Garchitorena further enjoined qualified financial institutions to go beyond compliance and start accessing the CIC database, especially given the introductory price of P10 per credit report/inquiry as approved by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) until March 31, 2020.

“You can do this by entering an agreement either directly with the CIC or through our SAEs’ CIBI and CRIF Philippines’provided, of course, that you meet the minimum standards of compliance by having at least six months’ continuous submission, and by completing all necessary documentation,” Garchitorena explained. Financial institutions that are also directly accessing the CIC database include banks, credit card issuers, financing, and lending companies.

Security as CIC’s primary concern

IN response to the increasing security needs of a growing database, the CIC’s accredited credit bureaus or SAEs are, likewise, bound by a subscription agreement that requires the assurance and confidentiality of accessed information or data.

This is implemented by strict internal control procedures and application of relevant security processes involved in the access, retrieval, use, and transfer of information or data accessed from the CIC. “We recognize CIBI and CRIF for having completed the CIC-mandated security audit in 2019. This speaks of their commitment to ensure that disclosure of consolidated credit data does not breach any obligation of confidentiality under the law,” Garchitorena said.

CIC’s two other accredited credit bureaus—Transunion Information Solutions Inc. and Compuscan (which was recently acquired by Experian)— are in the process of completing the audit requirements and are yet to access the CIC credit data.

“In the end, our goal and that of our SAEs is to use credit information for the benefit of both the lender and the borrower: the lenders can lend more to more clients with lower investment risk; and the borrowers—those new-to-credit and the underserved—can gain access to credit facilities and other financial services,” Garchitorena said.

Credit reports and emerging needs

For its part, exit surveys of CIC’s

direct clients indicate that a growing number of credit reports are being used for job employment purposes.

CIC Senior Vice President for Business Development and Communications Aileen Amor-Bautista welcomes this development as one of the goals of the CIC is “to allow customers to gain full value from their own credit report.”

Amor-Bautista also cited instances of foreign nationals previously employed in the Philippines and are applying to work abroad.

“They are required by their new employers abroad to provide a CIC Credit Report to show that they have no outstanding obligations in the Philippines,” she added.

The CIC Credit Report is a compre-

hensive view of an individual’s positive and negative credit exposures and can be used for personal and institutional purposes in various risk management applications.

“From a risk perspective, this isn’t surprising,” Amor-Bautista said.

“Employers that require high levels of trust and confidence or indicators of personal stability may look into personal indebtedness as either positive or negative markers.”

She clarified, however, that it was the customers who transmitted their own credit reports to their prospective employers: “The CIC does not deal with employers because they are not accessing entities of the CIC,” Amor-Bautista said.

Green Monday BusinessMirror

B4 Monday, February 10, 2020

www.businessmirror.com.ph

January 2020 was Europe’s hottest on record Skiers abound in January in this alpine mountain resort of Zermatt, in Valais, Switzerland. Many skiers from other parts of Europe, such as the Netherlands, flock to this area because snow appears late, if ever in their respective country. Lyn Resurreccion

S

cientists confirmed last week what struggling European reindeer herders and disappointed skiers already suspected: unusual winter heat just broke another temperature record.

Last month was the hottest Januar y ever in Europe, t he C o p e r n ic u s C l i m ate C h a n ge Ser v ice repor ted.

Surface temperatures were 3.1

degrees Celsius (5.6 degrees Fahrenheit) warmer than average and were 0.2 degrees C hotter than the previous record in 2007.

Globa l temperat u res were

similarly “substantially above average,” accord Coper nicus, which uses billions of measurements from satel lites, ships, aircraft and weather stations around the world to publish monthly climate updates.

Northeastern Europe was particularly hot, with some areas from Norway to Russia more than 6 degrees above the 1981-2010 January average.

Nor way ex per ienced its war mest Januar y d ay on record—25 degrees C hotter than normal—leading to reports of people swimming in normally ice - covered f jord s. “ Wa r mer than average temperatures east

of Green land e x tend ing to t he northwest of Svalbard coincide w it h below-average sea-ice cover t here,” Coper nicus sa id in t he statement. “ Te m p e r a t u r e s w e r e a l s o much above average over most of the US and eastern Canada, over Japan and parts of eastern China and Southeast Asia, over the state of New South Wales in Australia and over parts of Antarctica,” the statement added.

C o p e r n i c u s re p or t e d l a s t month that the last five years on Earth have been hotter than at any time since the industrial revolution kicked off almost two centuries ago. Bloomberg News

US states join global push to ban 8.9K waterbirds in S. Kudarat wetland documented animal-tested cosmetics

L

AS VEGAS—A growing number of US states are considering a ban on the sale or import of cosmetics that have been tested on animals, as advocates argue testing products, such as lotions, shampoos and makeup on rabbits, mice and rats is cruel and outdated.

The cause has gained support from consumers and many cosmetics companies, but the biggest hurdle is China, which requires that cosmetics sold in its large, lucrative market undergo testing on animals.

California, Nevada and Illinois all saw new laws take effect this year that ban the sale or import of animal-tested cosmetics.

Th e l aw s, w h i c h a p p l y to te s t s p e r f o r m e d a f te r J a n u a r y 1 , a re n’t expected to cause much disruption for the industry because many companies already use nonanimal testing.

Instead, they draw a line in the sand that puts pressure on the US government to pass a nationwide ban and help end China’s requirement that most cosmetics sold in that nation of more than 1.4 billion people undergo testing on animals by Chinese regulators.

China’s policy applies to all imported cosmetics, including makeup, perfume and hair-care products, along with some “special-use” goods produced in China, such as hair dye, sunscreen and whitening products that make functional claims.

Animal-tested cosmetics already are banned in Europe, India and elsewhere.

A ban in the United States, one of the world’s largest economies, would put further global pressure on China to end its policy and push Chinese cosmetics companies to rely on nonanimal tests if they want to sell their products in the US. “We’re not trying to create an island out here in Nevada,” said state Sen. Melanie Scheible, who sponsored Nevada’s law.

“We are trying to join a group of other communities that have stood up and said, ‘We don’t support animal testing.’”

Animal-rights groups like Cruelty Free International and the Humane Society of the United States hope to get more states to pass bans this year.

Legislation has been introduced or will soon be made public in Hawaii, Maryland, New Jersey, New York and Virginia, according to Cruelty Free International, and a national ban has been introduced in Congress since 2014, though the bipartisan measure has been slow to advance.

The most recent version introduced in November marks the first time the country’s leading cosmetics trade group, the Personal Care Products Council, has become a vocal backer of the ban, support that should ease lawmaker concerns about business opposition.

The California, Nevada and Illinois laws create exemptions for any cosmetics that were tested on animals to comply with regulations of a foreign government—an exception that acknowledges the reality that most companies will see their products tested on animals if they sell in China.

China is a “big complicating factor,” said Monica Engebretson, who leads public affairs for Cruelty Free International in North America. “That’s put companies that want to enter that Chinese market in a real bind.”

Scheible said her aim in Nevada was not to punish those multinational corporations

but to raise awareness and put pressure on other governments, like China, to act.

“A lot of people thought that we no longer tested on animals at all,” she said.

“They thought that this was already a thing of the past.”

The bans in all three states require cosmetics sellers to use nonanimal tests to prove their products are safe.

Many international companies are already doing that after the European Union passed a series of similar bans on animal testing, culminating with a 2013 ban on the sale of animal-tested products.

Suppor ters note that science has advanced, allowing companies in most cases to use nonanimal alternatives—such as human-cell cultures or lab-grown human skin and eye tissue—to test whether a product or ingredient is safe.

For example, EpiDerm, a synthetic skin tissue made by Massachusetts-based MatTek Corp., is created from cells taken from skin donated during procedures, such as breast reduction surgery, circumcision and tummytuck procedures.

Products can be applied to synthetic tissue to determine whether they cause skin irritation, damage, sensitivity or other issues. That can be used in place of a testing a product on the back of a shaved rabbit, animal rights supporters say.

Some of the biggest names in personal care and beauty, including Avon, Unilever and Procter & Gamble, have used MatTek’s tissues for testing.

Carl Westmoreland, a safety scientist with Unilever, said the European Union ban drove more innovation in nonanimal testing.

Companies like Unilever, trade groups and advocates are among those working with Chinese regulators and scientists to push for new rules, helping to familiarize them with procedures and results from nonanimal tests.

“They have been changing and are continuing to change,” he said, noting China in recent years has allowed some cosmetics produced within the country to avoid animal testing.

Francine Lamoriello, executive vice president for global strategies at the Personal Care Products Council said it’s a slow process, but Chinese regulators are working to accept nonanimal tests.

“They’re having conferences. They really seem to be quite motivated to do as best as they can to accept and validate certain methods,” she said.

The Personal Care Products Council supports most of the state legislation but is pushing for a nationwide law instead of a patchwork of rules across the country.

Similar to the state laws, the proposed ban before Congress would exempt cosmetics required to undergo testing in China. It would allow those products to be sold in the US as long as sellers relied on additional, nonanimal tests to show they are safe.

California was first to pass the legislation in 2018, a move that’s part of the state’s pattern of wielding its status as the world’s fifth-largest economy to push change.

“That’s the beauty of doing things in California,” said Judie Mancuso with the group Social Compassion in Legislation who pressed for that state’s ban. “You set the stage, you set the standard, and others grab it and grow.” AP

C

OTA BATO CIT Y—Env ironment of f icia ls have monitored t housa nds of waterbi rd s f ree ly mov i ng around the wetlands of Sultan Kudarat province.

Dr. Sabdullah C. Abubacar, executive director of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) 12 (Soccsksargen), said the big number of waterbirds were found in the marshland and inland waters of Sultan Kudarat during the census of waterbirds in the region that began on January 23.

The birds were monitored and sighted in the 6,300-hectare Lake Buluan in Lutayan, Sultan Kudarat, Abubacar said in a statement last week.

During the conduct of the annual Asian Waterbird Census (AWC), personnel of the environment offices of Tacurong City and Sultan Kudarat documented some 8,928 species in the lake and its environs.

Among the documented waterbi rd s pec ies, a l so k now n a s “aquatic birds,” were the great bittern, cinnamon bittern, blackcrown night heron, Rufous Nh, cattle egret, little egret, intermediate egret, great egret, purple heron, grey heron, javan pond heron, white-breasted waterhen, barred rail, banded rail, water rail, common crane, Philippine duck, lesser whistling duck, serpent eagle, Brahminy kite and wandering duck.

The census was conducted by

A rare purple heron was seen by personnel of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources 12 (Soccsksargen) at Buluan Lake in Lutayan, Sultan Kudarat. The DENR-12 said thousands of waterbirds were monitored roaming freely in the adjoining wetlands of Sultan Kudarat and Maguindanao provinces since January 23 following the conduct of a census. DENR-12

personnel of Tacurong’s Community Environment and Natural Resources Office (Cenro), Sultan Kudarat’s Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office (Penro), Tacurong City’s Protected Area and Wildlife Section (PAWS), and the local government of Lutayan. “ We a r e c o n d u c t i n g t h i s act iv it y ever y yea r so t hat we ca n compa re t he c u r rent cond it ion a nd popu l at ion of va r ious waterbird s to ou r d at a in the prev ious years,” said Mama Mu l impay, c h ief of Tac u rong’s Cenro -PAWS.

Forester Sa i nod i ng Hadjimanan of Penro-Sultan Kudarat said that besides bird counting, the AWC also helps the DENR in monitoring possible illegal activities, such as bird hunting, in the marshland.

“The DENR, in cooperation with the local government units of Lutayan and Buluan, Maguindanao, conducts regular monitoring in the area not only during the celebration of AWC. We are doing this to protect and preserve the various species of waterbirds in the lake,” Hadjimanan said.

Mulimpay said the DENR has

embarked on massive information dissemination around Lake Buluan to increase public awareness of the importance of the waterbirds.

Abubacar again reminded the public and the local residents living near the wetlands not to harm and capture the birds “because they contribute a lot to a balanced ecosystem.”

Soccsksargen comprises the provinces of South Cotabato, North Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, and Sarangani, and the cities of Cotabato, Kidapawan, Tacurong, Koronadal and General Santos. PNA

U.K. boosts climate effort, plans to ban new gas vehicles by 2035

L

ONDON—Britain announced last week that it plans to ban the sale of new gas and diesel cars by 2035—five years earlier than its previous target—in a bid to speed up efforts to tackle climate change.

The announcement was timed to coincide with the launch of Britain’s plans for the United Nations’ Climate Summit, known as COP26, which is scheduled to be held in Glasgow in November.

But the UK government’s commitment to reducing greenhouse-gas emissions was questioned by the woman who was appointed by Prime Minister Boris Johnson to head the Glasgow climate summit—and then was fired last week.

Sacked conference President Claire O’Neill said Britain’s efforts to fight climate change were “miles off track.”

Britain has pledged to reduce its net greenhouse-gas emissions to zero by 2050. But the government’s advisory Committee on Climate Change has warned that the country’s action to slash carbon dioxide and other gases that contribute to global warming is lagging far behind what is needed.

The UK’s new 2035 target for ending gas and diesel car sales is one of the world’s more ambitious.

Several countries, including France, plan to stop by 2040.

Norway—one of the most aggressive early adopters of electric cars—has a goal, but not a requirement, to eliminate petrol and diesel cars, excluding hybrids, by 2025.

Britain’s Prime Minister Boris Johnson (right) and Italy’s Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte attend on February the launch of the upcoming UK-hosted COP26 UN Climate Summit in London that will take place in autumn 2020 in Glasgow, Scotland. Chris J Ratcliffe/Pool via AP

The UK says it will bring in a ban on fossil-fuel cars and vans even earlier than 2035 “if a faster transition is feasible.” The ban will also include hybrid vehicles.

But environmental groups said Britain’s goal was not ambitious enough.

Rebecca Newsom, head of politics at Greenpeace UK, said “phasing out the internal-combustion engine faster is an important piece of the puzzle.”

“However, pushing the date later than 2030 would vastly reduce the chances of meeting our climate targets, and the potential to deliver thousands of electric vehicle manufacturing jobs,” she said.

The auto industr y reac ted coolly to the announcement. Mike Hawes, chief executive of the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, said the

automakers were already moving toward “a zero-emissions future,” and said the government had “moved the goalposts for consumers and industry.”

Johnson kicked off a year of buildup to the climate conference last Tuesday alongside naturalist David Attenborough and Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte at London’s Science Museum. Italy is hosting a preparatory meeting for the conference.

The British prime minister said the world had seen “a catastrophic period of global addiction to hydrocarbons that got totally out of control.”

“We have to deal with our CO2 [carbondioxide] emissions. And that is why the UK is calling for us to get to net zero as soon as possible, for every country to announce

credible targets to get there—that’s what we want from Glasgow,” Johnson said. “And that’s why we have pledged here in the UK to deliver net zero by 2050.”

Britain’s tenure at the helm of COP26 is getting off to a rocky start. On Friday, Johnson sacked O’Neill, a former British government minister appointed last year to head up the event.

The Conservative government said it had decided that a current government minister should fill the role, but gave no reason for the change of heart. A replacement has not been announced.

O’Neill strongly criticized the prime minister in a letter published last Tuesday in the Financial Times.

“When you asked me to be your COP President...you promised to ‘lead from the front’ and asked me what was needed: ‘money, people, just tell us!’” she wrote.

“Sadly, these promises and offers are not close to being met.”

O’Neill said the Cabinet subcommittee on climate that Johnson promised to chair has not met even once.

“You had a vision for Brexit and you got Brexit done. As I write, we have less than 7,000 hours before the start of COP26, where we have a chance to set a new global vision for climate recovery and build a new consensus for global climate action. Please get this done too,” O’Neill wrote.

The prime minister’s spokesman, James Slack, declined to respond to O’Neill’s criticisms. AP

Biodiversity Monday BusinessMirror

Asean Champions of Biodiversity Media Category 2014

Monday, February 10, 2020

Editor: Lyn Resurreccion

B5

2019-nCoV outbreak sparks calls to step up measures vs wildlife trade

A

mid the outbreak of the novel coronavirus (2019nCoV) and the World Health Organization’s (WHO) declaration of a global emergency, the Asean Centre for Biodiversity (ACB) called the attention of the public to the need for intensified, and focused campaigns to protect wildlife, and safeguard public health in the Asean region.

This illustration provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in January 2020 shows the 2019 novel coronavirus. Health officials hope to avoid stigma and error in naming the virus causing an international outbreak of respiratory illnesses. But some researchers say the current moniker, 2019-nCoV, probably won’t stick in the public’s mind. CDC via AP

“Protecting wildlife, and improving animal health and welfare are also important in safeguarding public health. The ACB promotes ef fect ive measures to conserve wildlife and their habitats,” ACB Executive Director Theresa Mundita Lim said in

together to regulate trade of the world’s species and provide varying degrees of protection to thousands of species to ensure their survival.

The AMS are also ensuring the implementation of the Chiang Mai statement on illegal wild-

light of the coronavirus outbreak, which began at an animal market in Wuhan, China.

As parties to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (Cites), the Asean memberstates (AMS) have been working

life trade, a joint commitment among AMS issued in March 2019 to crack down on illegal wildlife trafficking, Lim added.

Lim, a wildlife expert, said e v i d e n c e s h o w i n g l i n k s o f 2019 -nCoV to t he consu mp tion of wildlife meat cast light

on the adverse consequences of wildlife trade, apart from its environmental impacts.

The executive director advised ACB staff members and organizations involved in the rescue of wild animals to take extra precautions, and follow the WHO’s recommended measures to avoid contracting the virus.

“While wild animals can carry organisms that could be pathogenic to humans, some can still appear healthy, especially if they are the natural hosts,” Lim, former chairman of the Asean Wildlife Enforcement Network, and former director of the Philippines’s Biodiversity Management Bureau under the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, said.

She added that human exposure to pathogens (bacteria, virus, or other microorganisms that can cause disease) may begin from the moment the animals are caught to their slaughter and processing.

Lim cautioned that anima ls

under stress while in captivit y may shed more pathogens, i nc rea si ng t he l i ke l i hood of transmission to humans.

Scientists have linked the 2019-nCoV to a seafood market selling exotic live mammals, including bats and civet cats, which have previously been linked to the 2003 severe acute respiratory syndrome outbreak.

Bats—some species of which are vulnerable, and even endangered—are known to be hosts of viruses that cause zoonotic diseases, she said.

“But bats have roles in the environment, particularly for pest control and pollination. This gives us more reasons to protect them, and keep them in their natural habitats,” Lim said.

The ACB is an intergovernment organization created by all AMS to facilitate the cooperation, and coordination among member-states in the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity.

Scientists dive into ‘Midnight Zone’ to study dark ocean

A diver helps a crew member onboard Limiting Factor submarine, part of sea trials of the Nekton Mission begins in mid-March. A team of scientists is preparing to dive deep into the depths of the Indian Ocean, into a “Midnight Zone,” where light barely reaches, but life still thrives. Scientists from the British-led Nekton Mission plan to survey wildlife, and gauge the effects of climate change in the unexplored area. Nekton via AP

B

ARCELONA, Spain—A team of scientists is preparing to dive deep into the depths of the Indian Ocean—into a “Midnight Zone,” where light barely reaches, but life still thrives.

Scientists from the Britishled Ne k ton M i ssion pl a n to survey wildlife and gauge the effects of climate change in the unexplored area.

Working with the Seychelles and Maldives governments, the five-week expedition is targeting seamounts—vast underwater mountains that rise thousands of meters from the sea floor.

To explore such inhospitable depths, Nekton scientists will board one of the world’s most advanced submersibles, called Limiting Factor.

“W hat we do know is that beneath 1,000 meters [3,280 feet], there’s no light down there, but a lot of animals…are bioluminescent. It’s life that glows,” says Nekton mission director Oliver Steeds.

“The area that we’re going to be researching, it’s one of the most biodiverse parts of the world’s oceans. So what we’re going to find there is unknown,” Steeds recent ly told T he A ssociated Press in Barcelona, Spain, before sea trials for the submersible and its mother ship.

The AP will be covering the expedition exclusively from start to finish.

Last August, the Limiting Factor

completed the Five Deeps Expedition, diving to the deepest point in each of the world’s five oceans. The deepest was almost 11,000 meters (36,000 feet) down—deeper than Mount Everest’s height.

To w ithstand such cr ushing pressures, the sub’s two-person crew compar tment is w rapped in a 9 - cent imeter (3. 5 -inc h) titanium cocoon. It a lso carr ies up to 96 hours’ wor th of emergenc y ox ygen.

“There are only five vehicles in the world that can get below 6,000 meters [19,685 feet], and only one that can get to the bottom half,” said Expedition Leader Rob McCallum. “So everything we do is new. Everything we see is virtually a new discovery.”

Using sampling, sensor and mapping technology, scientists expect to identify new species and towering seamounts, as well as observe man-made impacts, such as climate change and plastic pollution.

Last May, when Limiting Factor descended to the bottom of the Pacific Ocean’s Mariana Trench, the ocean’s deepest point, its pilot spotted a plastic bag.

“W hen we actually think of the living space on the planet for species, over 90 percent of that living space is in the ocean and most of that ocean is unexplored,” says Dan Laffoley, a marine expert for the International Union for Conser vation of Nature. AP

MIGRATORY BIRDS A flock of egrets

congregate on a newly plowed rice field in Solano, Nueva Vizcaya. The migratory freshwater birds feed on aquatic organisms like fish or worms. Ceasar M. Perante

‘Reducing demand for pangolins nips trade in the bud’

T

he Asean Centre for Biodiversity (ACB) commended the rescue of pangolins, and other threatened species, in Palawan and South Cotabato in the Philippines, citing the role of communities in combatting wildlife trafficking.

“The recent rescue of wild animals demonstrates the seriousness of the Philippine government, with the help of community organizations, in enforcing its wildlife trafficking law and its commitment to strengthening cooperation with fellow Asean member-states in campaigns to end wildlife trafficking,” said ACB Executive Director Theresa Mundita Lim. Tw e n t y l i v e p a n g o l i n s ( M a n i s culionensis) were reportedly recovered from a wildlife trafficker over the weekend in El Nido, Palawan.

According to reports, the joint operation was conducted by the Palawan Council for Sustainable Development, Bantay Palawan Task Force, Naval Forces West, Joint Task Force Malampaya, third Marine Co. of Marine Battalion Landing Team 3, local environment office, and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.

Philippine pangolins Gregg Yan

Pangolins, which are found throughout Southeast Asia, are considered one of the world’s most trafficked mammals.

“Stopping the poaching of pangolins, which is an Asean-wide problem, entails the reduction of the demand for it. There is no scientific evidence that shows pangolin scales have high medicinal value,” Lim said.

Lim stressed the need to raise public awareness on the important roles of pangolins, which provide pest control and improve soil quality in ecosystems.

In a separate incident, an adult male tarsier that found its way into the hands of children in Koronadal City, South Cotabato, was rescued by a villager.

The Philippines is enforcing the Republic Ac t 9147, or the Wildlife Resources Conservation and Protection Act, which provides for the conservation and protection of wildlife, and their habitats and prohibits trade, and transportation, of wildlife species.

“On several occasions, members of communities have become first responders in the rescue of wild animals. The success of wildlife conservation greatly depends on the people’s awareness of and attitudes toward wildlife conservation,” Lim, former chairman of the Asean Wildlife Enforcement Network, and former director of the Philippines’s Biodiversity Management Bureau under the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, said.

The Philippines, and the rest of the Asean member-states, are parties to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, an international agreement among governments, aimed at ensuring that international trade in specimens of wild animals and plants does not threaten their survival.

B6 Monday, February 10, 2020

A Cake for a Special Date Philippine R&B King Jay-R Joins Santinos Supreme Slice Wishclusive Supreme Love Month Serenade

S

ANTINO’S Supreme Slice Celebrates Yet Another Santino's Supreme Slice Supreme Wishclusive Roadshow On The 3Rd Successful Year Of Its Battle Of The Supreme Campaign: Team Pineapple Vs. Team Anti-Pineapple! This Love Month Of February, Santino’s Supreme Slice In Partnership With Wish Fm 107.5 Celebrates The Santino's Supreme Slice Supreme Love

Month Special That Will Hit The Road On February 25, 2020 Featuring No Other Than The King Of Philippine R&B, Jay R! Love A Supreme Duet With The R&B King? Or Want To Be Serenaded By Him? Here’s How: Send A 30-Second To 1-Minute Clear Video Clip Of Yourself Singing A Supreme Opm Song Of Your Choice To Santino’s Supreme Slice Official Facebook

Page. It Can Either Be The Original [Team Pineapple] Or A Revival [Team AntiPineapple]. Example, “Bakit Pa Ba” By Jay R, Or “Say That You Love Me” Cover By Jay R. At The End Of The Video, Mention Your Team Of Choice, “I Am Team Pineapple Or I Am Team Anti-Pineapple. I Am Supreme!”

Sending Of Entries Is From February 10 Until February 18 Only. Official Entries Will Be Posted On Santino’s Supreme Slice Official Facebook Page. Video With The Most Loves Wins! Winner Gets To Sing Or Be Serenaded By Jay R At The Santino’s Supreme Slice: Supreme Love Month Celebration Which Will Be Happening On February 25, 2020.

Which Slice Are You On? Be Part Of The Battle Of The Supreme By Visiting Santino’s Supreme Slice Social Media Pages [Facebook, Instagram, And Twitter] Santino’s Supreme Slice Is The Philippines’ Largest And Fastest Growing Pizza Kiosk Chain With Over 300 Supreme Outlets Nationwide. For A Supreme Business Opportunity, You Can Reach Us Thru These Hotlines: Manila [02] 8442-9444; Cebu [032] 520-8811; Davao [082] 295-7943 Or 0925-511-9444 For Mobile Users. Be Sure To Follow Us On Our Social Media Pages For Supreme Updates: Facebook [Facebook.com/ Santinossupremesliceofficial; Instagram [@Santinos_supremeslice], And Twitter [@ Stnsupremeslice] Live Life Supreme!

A

S we celebrate the month of love. Goldilocks, the country’s number one bakeshop, is happy to showcase their heart melting limited edition Valentine’s season lineup! Treat yourself and your significant other to Goldilocks’ romantic valentine’s themed unicorn and greeting cakes along with sweet cake pops made exclusivelyfor this

special once a year occasion.

Fall in love this season with Goldilocks themed cakes and cake pops!Grab these and othergoodies from any Goldilocks Bakeshop stores nationwide.

For more information, you may follow @ GoldilocksPH on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, or visit the official Goldilocks website at www.goldilocks.com.ph.

Sun Life launches SUN Cancer Care

I

N a bid to help Filipinos achieve a healthier life while securing financial protection against cancer, Sun Life of Canada (Philippines), Inc. launches Sun Cancer Care, a specialized health insurance plan that provides benefits in every stage of one’s health journey.

Sun Cancer Care provides access to a wellness program that will allow one to pursue a healthy lifestyle and avoid illnesses. However, should cancer occur, lump sum cash benefits will be provided for any of the covered early and late-stage cancer conditions. These will help replace the funds spent on diagnostic investigations, as well as initial expenses on treatment. In addition, a special one-time cash benefit will also be given in the event of surgical excision of a covered benign tumor.

Meanwhile, an additional monthly treatment support benefit will also be given for 12 consecutive

months after the approval of a major cancer claim. In the event of an untimely passing during this period, any unpaid monthly benefit will be provided to the insured’s loved ones in the form of a compassionate death benefit.

However, if no cancer benefit has been paid out, Sun Cancer Care’s life insurance component guarantees life protection equal to 100% of the original coverage, allowing one to secure his loved one’s future.

Sun Cancer Care premiums may be paid in 5, 10, 15 or 20 installments with a fixed amount throughout the chosen period. Installments can be paid annually, semi-annually, quarterly or monthly for a more affordable payment option. A special bonus at the end of the premiumpaying period plus annual dividend earnings afterwards, may be received in cash or left with Sun Life to accumulate. In case of an emergency,

a policy loan can be taken out from the plan’s cash value to support the immediate need.

“Given how cancer remains to be among the leading causes of death in the country, Sun Life created Sun Cancer Care because we want Filipinos to have a partner in battling the illness. This way, they may receive the care they need, while also securing their families’ future,” Sun Life Chief Marketing Officer Mylene Lopa said.

Sun Cancer Care is one of Sun Life’s latest offerings, as it celebrates its 125th anniversary in the Philippines. “This is a testament to our commitment to being the Filipinos’ lifetime partner for a brighter future. Sun Life has remained true to this promise ever since our pioneers introduced life insurance in the country in 1895, and we look forward to fulfilling it for more years to come,” Lopa added.

“All is Well” is SITEL’s new total rewards program

S

ITEL’s new and improved total rewards program offers mental health services, samesex partner benefits, HIV/AIDS coverage, and coverage for over aged dependents amongst its many bestin-class features Through a series of fun and informative roadshows across all of Sitel’s 13 customer experience centers in the Philippines, Sitel launched its new Total Rewards program.

Aptly entitled “All is Well”, the newly designed Total Rewards program takes Sitel’s existing comprehensive employee benefits package and expands it even further.

“Our associates spoke, we listened.” said Haidee Enriquez, CPO Sitel PHANZ. “We made sure that our new benefits offering are aligned to our belief of promoting inclusivity and providing meaningful experiences to our associates, and that they are truly best-in-class.”

Under the newly expanded program, “All is Well”, are 4 Pillars representing the different facets of Sitel’s Total Rewards philosophy – Get Well (health and wellness), Well Done (performance-based rewards and incentives), WellBeing (work environment), and Well Rounded (personal and

professional development).

The first phase to be rolled-out was Get Well. Apart from expanding the coverage of the health plan to include same-gender partners and common-law partners, Sitel’s HMO offering now includes unlimited access to formulary medicines, free consultations and free diagnostic procedures, through its partner, Maxicare. Option to enroll overaged dependents up to 80 years old is also one of the differentiating features of the program.

“Our associates power our journey towards becoming a global center of excellence. If ‘All is Well’ with them, then All is Well at Sitel,” shared Ravi Iyengar, Chief Operating Officer- APAC. In addition to increased health benefits and dependent coverage, Sitel also unveiled its partnership with financial services firms Uploan, Unionbank, and Security Bank, to provide financial wellness education and extensive loan options to its associates.

Sitel with its employee benefit partners (from left,) Roger Padillo, Channel Manager, Union Bank; Haidee Enriquez, Chief People Officer, Sitel PHANZ; Reginald Baste Taar Jr., Account Manager, Corporate Salary Loans, Security Bank; Josh Relucio, Team Head CSL-North, Corporate Salary Loans, Security Bank; Ravi Iyenger, Chief Operating Officer, Sitel PHANZ; Matija Karaula, Head of Business Development, Uploan; Fiona Victoria, SAVP Group Head Corporate Sales, Maxicare, Michael Marinque, AVP Sales, Maxicare; and Alex Borja, Business Development Manager, Maxicare

NIKE, ADIDAS YIELD TO CORONAVIRUS Nike has 11 contracted factories and hundreds of thousands of workers in China, which produces around 23 percent of the company’s footwear and 27 percent of its apparel.

N

IKE’S new Chief Executive John Donohoe, who has recently visited China, admitted that sales and production there had been affected by measures introduced to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.

There are now 31,424 confirmed cases of coronavirus worldwide and at least 638 people have died, according to the latest figures from the World Health Organization (WHO).

Nike generated $6.2 billion in sales in the region last year, up from $2.6 billion in 2014.

“Now, consistent with what’s going on right now, roughly half of our stores in China, both our Nike-owned stores and partner stores, are temporarily closed and those that are open are operating under reduced hours,” Donohoe told Sara Eisen on CNBC’s Closing Bell program.

“And so, there’s lower traffic, and that’s why we announced there will be a reduction in our China results this quarter,” he said. “But what I will tell you from my time there only three weeks ago is the Chinese consumer has a deep connection with Nike, and a deep connection with our innovation.”

“And so, we remain very confident around China as an important opportunity and market in the medium to long term. And we’re hopeful that the situation there resolves itself over the coming weeks, and we’ll stay close,” he added.

Nike has 11 contracted factories and hundreds of thousands of workers in China, which produces around 23 percent of the company’s footwear and 27 percent of its apparel. Donohoe claimed, so far, the crisis had not hit Nike’s production, yet.

“Well, not significantly yet,” he said. “But we’re keeping a close eye on it. As you said, we have a global supply chain. And so, we’re just looking to see how we can balance that supply chain with the various demand factors around the world.”

Nike’s big rival Adidas has also closed stores in China.

The German company claimed it is too early to assess the negative impact on its operations there.

Fide: FROM CHINA TO U.A.E.

THE World Chess Federation (Fide) relocated its Presidential Council from China to the United Arab Emirates due to the outbreak of coronavirus.

The meeting will take place alongside the Fide General Assembly in Abu Dhabi on February 28 and 29.

“We are constantly monitoring the situation, and I am in permanent touch with our ambassador to China,” Fide President Arkady Dvorkovich said. “Many Chinese chess players are participating in our tournaments, and we have Chinese colleagues in the federation.”

“We had a scheduled presidential council session in China in late March, but we decided against taking the risks and relocated it,” he added. “It will be held in late February on the sidelines of the General Assembly’s meeting in Abu Dhabi.”

Dvorkovich also revealed the main issues at the General Assembly would be the Federation’s new charter and a new budget.

A large number of sporting events in China have already been canceled or rescheduled.

Sports affected include boxing, football, wrestling, basketball, tennis, hockey, badminton, diving, equestrian, golf and biathlon.

The World Athletics Indoor Championships, initially scheduled for March in Nanjing, is the most high-profile sporting event to be postponed because of the virus, so far.

It has been delayed by a year until March 2021.

The opening test event for the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics, an Alpine Skiing World Cup in Yanqing, was also canceled.

This year’s SportAccord World

Sports BusinessMirror

C1

| Monday, February 10, 2020 mirror_sports@yahoo.com.ph Editor: Jun Lomibao

Sport and Business Summit in Beijing, scheduled for between April 19 and 24, is another major gathering under threat.

TRIP TO MALAYSIA CANCELED

IRELAND’S women’s hockey team have canceled their planned trip to Malaysia in light of growing fears around the spread of coronavirus in the nation.

The trip was set for next month as part of their buildup for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, with Hockey Ireland now looking at an alternative destination for warm weather training.

The slot, from mid-March to early April, needs filling, with one possibility being a return to South Africa, where Ireland recently played against the hosts, as well as Germany.

Other nations are also relocating their training sessions ahead of the Games—where the Emerald Isle’s women’s team will be competing for the first time.

Ireland qualified after two 0-0 draws against Canada resulted in a shoot-out, which they won on home soil in Dublin.

Their first Olympic group match will be against South Africa, having been drawn in a group with The Netherlands, Britain, India and Germany also.

Malaysia has also been impacted by the virus, with the total number of people infected in the nation rising

to 15 after a 59-year-old woman from Wuhan tested positive for coronavirus after holidaying in the country.

This comes on the same day that Malaysia announced plans to close all travel to and from any Chinese provinces to contain the spread.

VIETNAM STRICT ON HOSTING

ASIAN Football Confederation (AFC) Cup matches involving Vietnamese teams have been relocated after the country’s government banned the hosting of sporting events in the country due to the coronavirus outbreak.

Two AFC Cup 2020 group stage matches featuring Vietnamese teams—Ho Chi Minh City and Than Quang Ninh—are affected with the home fixtures being switched to away ties.

Ho Chi Minh City’s match first meeting with Burmese club Yangon United will now take place in Myanmar on February 11, with the return fixture provisionally scheduled for Vietnam on April 29.

Than Quang Ninh’s first match with Filipino side Ceres-Negros will now take place in the Philippines on February 25, with the return match provisionally scheduled for Vietnam on May 13.

Other matches impacted by the coronavirus outbreak were the AFC Cup preliminary round two

of Central and East zone ties between FA Ahal of Turkmenistan and FC Neftchi of the Kyrgyz Republic, and the fixture between Ulaanbaatar City of Mongolia and Taipower Co. of Chinese Taipei which did not take place on February 5.

Regarding those matches, an AFC spokesman said: “Both matters will be considered, and appropriate action will be taken in due course.”

AID FOR CHINESE JUDOKAS

INTERNATIONAL Judo Federation (IJF) President Marius Vizer is set to ask for an increase in the sport’s quota for this year’s Olympic Games in Tokyo to ensure that Chinese competitors are not disadvantaged by the coronavirus crisis which is having a major impact on sport, he revealed here.

Chinese judoka are missing from the IJF Grand Slam, which has started, because the French Embassy in Beijing is closed as a result of the outbreak. That made it impossible for the Chinese delegation to obtain the necessary visas to travel to France.

It means they will miss out on the opportunity to gain valuable ranking points to help them qualify for Tokyo 2020.

Vizer chaired an emergency meeting of the IJF Executive Committee in the French capital last night to discuss the situation.

He has already contacted the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to try to find a solution to ensure Chinese judoka do not miss out on Tokyo 2020 as a result of the crisis.

“Since the beginning [of the coronavirus outbreak], we are developing the matter with Chinese [Judo] Federation and the event organizers,” Vizer said.

“In Paris, the Chinese delegation can’t participate because of visa issues, and it’s set to be the same for the Grand Slam in Germany later this month,” he said. “We are in discussions and even negotiations with the IOC on how to find a solution to show solidarity, humanity, and support to our Chinese colleagues and to protect the IJF community.”

“It is a serious issue and a special situation which at the moment cannot be solved,” he added.

China won two Olympic medals at Rio 2016, both bronze thanks to Cheng Xunzhao in the men’s 90 kilograms and Yu Song in the women’s over 78 kg.

Insidethegames

Ireland’s hockey team cancels its trip to Malaysia because of the coronavirus threat.

Hungarian Olympic gold medalist banned for offensive social-media post about China Csaba Burján is suspended by his country’s federation.

H

ungarian Olympic short track gold medalist Csaba Burján has been banned from the sport for a year after he was ruled to have made offensive comments about China on social media.

The 25-year-old, a member of Hungary’s 5,000-meter relay team that won the gold medal at Pyeongchang 2018, was suspended following an investigation by the Hungarian National Skating Federation’s (MOKSZ) Ethics and Disciplinary Committee.

Burján posted a picture on Instagram following his arrival at Shanghai Airport on December 3 for an International Skating Union Short Track World Cup

event in the city.

It showed a long line of visitors waiting to enter the country with the caption, “F*ckin China.”

The original post quickly disappeared from the page and Burján apologized, but was still ordered home from China by the MOKSZ. Chinese head coach of the Hungarian team, Zhang Jing, resigned from her position when she saw the post.

Zhang told Chinese television company CGTN that she “can’t tolerate that a Hungarian speed skater, who is also an Olympic champion, is making racist comments about China.”

Zhang’s resignation was refused, however, and

she agreed to stay after the MOKSZ decided to take disciplinary action against Burján.

“The Board found that the competitor had committed a disciplinary and ethical violation by his post published on social media on December 3,” a statement published on the MOKSZ’s web site said.

Burján is now “banned from participating in the short track speed skating team, national team training and training camps, and competitions on the MOKSZ racing calendar for a period of one year”.

Burján has also apologized to Zhang.

He has 15 days to appeal the decision.

Insidethegames

Spo

Business

C2 Monday, February 10, 2020

SWEDE SETS POLE VAULT RECORD

Fiba brass confident 3x3 would make big impact at Tokyo 2020

I

nternational Basketball Federation (Fiba) Secretary-General Andreas Zagklis says preparations are on track for basketball and 3x3 basketball to make a “big impact” at Tokyo 2020.

Tokyo 2020 will see 3x3 basketball make its debut at the Olympics, after Fiba successfully applied to have the event included as an additional discipline.

Both the men’s and women’s 3x3 tournaments will feature eight teams, with half of the field already determined.

Hosts Japan will be joined by China, Russia and Serbia in the men’s tournament, while China, Mongolia, Romania and Russia have qualified for the women’s event.

The next three qualification spots for both events will be earned next month at Bengaluru in India, before a Fiba Universality Olympic qualifier determines the final qualifiers.

Zagklis, speaking at Global Sports Week Paris, said Fiba was aware of strong desire from broadcasters to show coverage of the Olympic 3x3 tournaments.

The Fiba secretary general added that ticket sales were going very well for both the 3x3 and basketball tournaments.

“We are very excited that for the first time we will have our second discipline in the Olympics,” he said. “We have received very positive feedback from the IOC [International Olympic Committee], Tokyo 2020 and broadcasters regarding the desire to broadcast 3x3 in their programs.

“I think we will see some great basketball in those five days of 3x3,” he added.

“Tokyo 2020 is a big opportunity and we know Japan loves basketball.

The Tokyo 2020 3x3 tournaments are set from July 25 to 29, at the Aomi Urban Sports Park. The temporary sports park will also be the venue for sport climbing competition. Insidethegames

T

ORUN, Poland—Swedish pole vaulter Armand Duplantis broke the men’s world record on Saturday.

Duplantis jumped six meters and 17 centimeters (20 feet, 2.9 inches) at the indoor meet in Torun, Poland, beating by 1 cm the record set by France’s Renaud Lavillenie in 2014.

It’s a strong statement ahead of the pole vault competition at the Olympics in Tokyo, in August.

“It’s something that I wanted since I was three-year-old,” Duplantis said of his record, according to World Athletics. “It’s a big year, but it’s a good way to start it.”

Nicknamed “Mondo,” Duplantis broke the world record in his second attempt on Saturday after earlier winning the meet with ease. He attempted the record without success at another meet in Germany four days ago.

The 20-year-old Duplantis, who was born and raised in the United States, was a child prodigy who broke age-group records on his way to joining the pole vaulting elite. He chose to compete internationally for Sweden, his mother’s home country. He won the silver medal at last year’s world championships.

The record needs to be officially ratified by World Athletics, which doesn’t approve records until it receives confirmation of a clean doping test from the event.

The Philippines’s EJ Obiena, already a Tokyo 2020 qualifier, has a personal best 5.71 meters—an Asian championships record he set last year. AP

Gayle King is facing death threats—one of them from Snoop Dogg—following a social-media backlash caused by an interview with retired WNBA star Lisa Leslie that concerns the late Kobe Bryant. AP

CBS’S KING GETS DEATH THREATS N

Armand Duplantis makes a strong statement ahead of the pole vault competition at the Olympics in Tokyo, in August.

EW YORK—The CBS News chief called threats against journalist Gayle King “reprehensible” Saturday as backlash grew against rapper Snoop Dogg, and others critical of King for an interview where she asked about a sexual assault charge against the late Kobe Bryant.

Snoop Dogg issued a warning to King online this week following her interview with WNBA player Lisa Leslie about Bryant, the former Los Angeles Lakers star killed in a helicopter crash with his young daughter, and seven others on January 26.

“We fully support Gayle King and her integrity as a journalist,” CBS News President Susan Zirinsky told The Associated Press. “We find the threats against her or any journalist doing their job reprehensible.”

CBS would not discuss the nature of any private threats against King. Her friend, Oprah Winfrey, said in an NBC interview that King had received death threats, and was traveling with security.

The rapper had joined with others, including LeBron James, 50 Cent and even Bill Cosby, in criticizing King for asking Leslie whether Bryant’s legacy had been complicated by the accusation that he raped a woman at a Colorado resort in 2003. Bryant said the two had

consensual sex, but he later apologized for his behavior and settled a civil suit against him.

In a profane video posted on Instagram and shared on other social-media platforms, Snoop Dogg criticized King for attacking “your people.” He told her to “back off...before we come get you.”

King’s questions had attracted little notice as part of a wide-ranging interview shown on “CBS This Morning.” But then CBS—mistakenly, it said later—posted a video online that focused strictly on the discussion about the assault case.

“The interview with Lisa Leslie was comprehensive and thoughtful,” Zirinsky said.

“We are a country where differences of opinion are welcome, but hateful and dangerous threats are completely unacceptable.”

King’s critics essentially voiced some variation of what Leslie answered—that the media should be more respectful of Bryant so soon after his death and not discuss this stain upon his record—although usually in sharper terms.

Besides her boss, other people have begun coming to King’s defense, including Sen. Cory Booker, former US Ambassador Susan Rice and NBC morning show host Willie Geist.

“For those threatening her and inciting violence, stop it immediately,” the New Jersey senator tweeted. “This is unacceptable. We must do better.”

Rice, on Twitter, said Snoop Dogg’s video was despicable and she told him to back off.

“You come against Gayle King, you come against an army,” Rice wrote. “You will lose, and it won’t be pretty.”

On Saturday, Snoop Dogg posted a message on

Probe: Bryant helicopter 100 feet from clear skies

L

OS ANGELES—A witness to the deadly crash of a helicopter carrying Kobe Bryant and eight others said it sounded normal just before slamming into a hillside and wreckage examined by experts at the scene showed no sign of engine failure, federal investigators said in a report released Friday.

The January 26 crash occurred in cloudy conditions and aviation experts said the “investigative update” from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) reinforces the notion the pilot became disoriented and crashed while trying to get to clear skies around Calabasas, northwest of Los Angeles.

The veteran pilot, Ara Zobayan, came agonizingly close to finding his way out of the clouds.

He told air-traffic control he was climbing to 4,000 feet (1,219 meters). He ascended to 2,300 feet (701 meters), just 100 feet (30 meters) from what camera footage later reviewed by the NTSB showed was the top of the clouds.

But rather than continuing higher Zobayan began a high-speed descent and left turn in rapidly rising terrain. He slammed into the hillside at more than 180 miles per hour (290 kilometers per hour), and was descending at 4,000 feet (1,219 meters) per minute.

“If you exit the bottom of the clouds at 4,000 feet per minute at that high speed, you’ve certainly lost control of the aircraft,” air safety consultant Kipp Lau said. He said Bryant’s chopper could have emerged from the clouds in just 12 more seconds, assuming it was ascending at 500 feet (152.40 meters) per minute.

“Once you break out of the clouds it’s clear.

Everything lines up with the body,” Lau said.

“Now you have a real horizon.”

Mike Sagely, a helicopter pilot in the Los Angeles area with 35 years of flying experience, said the aircraft’s last moments suggest Zobayan had started to execute a maneuver designed to pop above the clouds by flying up and forward.

“When he went into the clouds, he had a full on emergency,” Sagely said.

When pilots try to turn instead of sticking with the pop-up maneuver, “probably in the neighborhood of 80 percent to 90 percent of the time, it’s catastrophic,” he said.

The crash occurred as the group was flying to a girls basketball tournament at Bryant’s Mamba Sports Academy. He coached his 13-year-old daughter Gianna’s team. She and two teammates were among the nine people killed.

The deaths shook Los Angeles, and the sporting world. Within hours, thousands had gathered outside Staples Center, where Bryant starred for the Lakers, and began a makeshift memorial that became a massive display of flowers, candles, personal notes, basketballs, and other mementos.

A public memorial for Bryant and the other victims is scheduled for February 24 at Staples.

The date 2/24 corresponds with the No. 24 jersey he wore and the No. 2 worn by Gianna.

The NTSB’s report was a compilation of information and data about the flight, helicopter and pilot. It’s likely to take a year for the NTSB to issue a report about the cause.

Zobayan was a regular pilot for Bryant and the chief pilot for Island Express Helicopters, with more than 8,200 hours of flight time. He was certified to fly solely using instruments—a more

difficult rating to attain that allows pilots to fly at night and through clouds when the ground isn’t visible—and was a pilot to other celebrities including Los Angeles Clippers star Kawhi Leonard and Kylie Jenner.

During the flight with Bryant’s group, Zobayan did not report any equipment problems and sounded calm while communicating to air-traffic controllers. His final transmission said he was going to climb above the clouds. Eight seconds after reaching peak altitude, he started the fateful descent.

An unidentified witness told the NTSB the hillside where the crash occurred was shrouded in mist when he heard the helicopter approaching.

It sounded normal, and he then saw the blue and white aircraft emerge from the fog moving forward and down. Within two seconds it slammed into the hillside just below him.

Former Island Express pilot Kurt Deetz, who regularly flew Bryant to games at the Staples Center, said reading the NTSB’s report reinforced how dangerously fast the helicopter was traveling in conditions that had prompted the Los Angeles Police Department, and the county sheriff to ground their copters.

“Normally in those conditions, you’re pretty cautious. You’re proceeding slowly,” Deetz said.

The impact tore the helicopter apart and all aboard died from blunt force trauma. The aircraft’s instrument panel was destroyed and most of the devices were displaced. The flight controls were broken and suffered fire damage.

Investigators believe that since a tree branch at the crash site was cut, the engines were working and rotors turning at the time of impact.

his Instagram that said he meant King no harm.

“I’m a nonviolent person. When I said what I said, I spoke for the people who felt that that Gayle was very disrespectful toward Kobe and his family,” he said. “I didn’t want no harm to come to her, I didn’t threaten her.”

He added: “We speak from the heart. Some of you who have no heart don’t understand that.”

Geist, from the Today show and MSNBC’s Morning Joe, tweeted that “the threats against Gayle King for asking a fair question in the course of a long interview are absolutely disgusting.

Gayle is one of the most thoughtful people in our business.”

New Yorker writer Jelani Cobb tweeted that there was a way to disagree with King’s questions “without lapsing into misogyny, threats and ignorance.”

In an essay posted on the web site The Undefeated, Morehouse College journalism professor David Dennis Jr. wondered why it was two black women—King and Leslie—who were the ones publicly wrestling with this aspect of Bryan’t legacy.

“We, myself included, have to take time in our healing to try to understand why we either forgave Bryant, or never bothered to hold him accountable,” Dennis wrote. “It’s fair to believe that the work Bryant put in for women in sports in the years since the rape allegation have shown true contrition and rehabilitation, but nothing will erase that night.... To demand silence over the case does an injustice to the victims of sexual violence, as well as the work Bryant did to try to make it right.” AP

All four of the helicopter’s blades had similar damage, the report stated.

The 50-year-old Zobayan’s most recent flight review included training on inadvertently flying into bad weather conditions. It covered how to recover if the aircraft’s nose is pointed too far up or down, and what to do if the helicopter banks severely to one side. He earned satisfactory grades in the review, which took place in May 2019.

Deetz said Zobayan previously had told him that he did not have actual experience flying in clouds, despite being certified. Deetz said that isn’t uncommon.

Bryant’s helicopter did not have a device called the Terrain Awareness and Warning System, known as TAWS, that signals when an aircraft is in danger of hitting ground. The NTSB has recommended the system be mandatory for helicopters but the Federal Aviation Administration only requires it for air ambulances.

The United States Sen. Dianne Feinstein and Rep. Brad Sherman, both California Democrats, have called for the FAA to mandate the devices.

While NTSB member Jennifer Homendy has said it’s not clear if the warning system would have averted the crash, aviation expert Gary Robb said Friday’s report highlights the need to equip all helicopters with the warning system.

“If this helicopter had TAWS, Bryant and the rest of the passengers would be alive today,” said Robb, a lawyer who has written a textbook about helicopter crash litigation.

The others killed included Orange Coast College Baseball Coach John Altobelli, his wife, Keri and daughter Alyssa; Bryant’s friend and Assistant Coach Christina Mauser; and Sarah Chester and her daughter Payton, 14. A public memorial for the Altobelli family will be held Monday at Angel Stadium, in Anaheim. AP

James, Lakers beat Warriors

S

AN FRANCISCO—Steve Kerr’s instructions for Andrew Wiggins before his first game with Golden State were simple and basic—Sprint the floor.

No requirements or rules about shots. Just some good old hustle.

“I told him, ‘No matter what happens we need you to sprint the floor, both ways,’” Kerr said after Wiggins scored 24 points in his impressive Warriors debut Saturday night, a 125-120 loss to LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers.

James leaned on his supporting cast to carry the load until he heated up in the second half, and finished with 22 points, 11 assists and eight rebounds.

Wiggins shot eight for 12 with three 3-pointers and accounted for five the Warriors’ 15 steals.

Golden State acquired him from the Minnesota Timberwolves before Thursday’s deadline in exchange for D’Angelo Russell, Jacob Evans III and Omari Spellman.

Kerr also appreciated having Wiggins to defend James “and at least match up physically.”

“It’s the hardest position to guard these days in the NBA,” Kerr said.

Wiggins knew his job on night No. 1 was to “compete” and focus on playing fundamental basketball. Now, he is ready to embrace a new start out West with some sunny California weather and

Stephen Curry as a cheerleader on the sideline as the two-time MVP works back from a broken left hand.

“I was like if it happens it happens, it’s going to be a blessing either way,” Wiggins said. ”This whole thing didn’t really feel real until they announced my name.”

Avery Bradley added 21 points with five 3-pointers, and Anthony Davis had 27 points and 10 rebounds for Los Angeles on a night the Warriors honored Kobe Bryant, his daughter, Gianna, and the other seven helicopter crash victims during Golden State’s first home game since the deadly accident January 26, in Southern California.

The Lakers, who had lost three of their previous five including a 121-111 defeat at home to Houston on Thursday, tried to pull away in the third against the new-look Warriors but Golden State stayed just close enough to make it interesting down the stretch.

Marquese Chriss shot 12 for 15 on the way to 26 points, and grabbed nine rebounds for the Warriors, who got within 116-111 on Eric Paschall’s dunk with 3:13 to play. Ky Bowman contributed 10 assists and Jordan Poole scored 19 points off the bench.

Wiggins’s addition meant a lot to the young Golden State core that is still around on the league’s last-place team at 12-41.

“That is who he is,” Chriss said. “He’s one of those people you could consider a professional scorer.” AP

THE Lakers center Dwight Howard shoots against the Warriors’ Alen Smailagic. AP

Jones fends off challenge at UFC 247 in disputed decision

H

OUSTON—Jon Jones retained his title at UFC 247, beating Dominick Reyes by unanimous decision.

After the bout, opinions on the outcome were anything but unanimous.

Jones retained his light heavyweight belt Saturday night following a surprisingly strong opening by Reyes. The unanimous decision of 48-47, 48-47, 49-46 was met with scattered applause and loud boos from the crowd, as many felt the challenger had proven enough to take the title.

UFC President Dana White addressed what turned out to be a disputed decision.

“The scoring was all over the map,” said White, noting that he thought Reyes had a 3-1 edge entering the final round. “My kids are terrorizing me that, ‘The fix is in, how did this happen?’”

“People had it all over the place, but the reality is...we’re not judges. The judges call the fight, and that’s that. As far as the judging and the reffing tonight, do I think it was perfect? I do not. We need to do some work down here.”

White said UFC can work with the Texas

commission to help improve the quality of judging and officiating.

“I do feel disrespected,” Reyes said. “One of the judges had it 49-46. Who are you? I might want to have a word with you. I know I won that fight.”

White said he believes Reyes deserves a rematch.

Jones faced his most serious challenge in years.

“I wasn’t always confident that I was winning the fight,” Jones said. “I was confident that I wasn’t going to give up or slow down. I think I displayed the difference between a champion, and an extraordinary contender. Something special happens when it’s time for the champion to present himself, and you guys saw it tonight in the fifth round.”

Jones (26-1-1) handed the fourth-ranked Reyes (12-1) his first loss, improving to 14-0 in title fights. He became the all-time leader in UFC title defenses, breaking the record previously held by Georges Saint-Pierre.

“I don’t think he was disrespected,” Jones said of Reyes. “I’ve got to watch the fight though.

It’s hard to speak with confidence when I haven’t watched the fight.” AP

orts

sMirror

Monday, February 10, 2020

C3

Mighty Sports brass dismisses stint in PBA

W

Mighty Sports players and coaches strike a pose during the team’s victory party on Thursday night in Makati City. They are (from left) Assistant Coaches Paolo Layug and TY Tang; and players Isaac Go, Thirdy Ravena, Beau Belga, Joseph Yeo, Jarrell Lim, Jamie Malonzo, Juan Gomez de Liaño, Javi Gomez de Liaño and Jelan Kendrick.

Make way for Alaska’s Teng-led youth brigade in 45th season of PBA

A

NEW era at Alaska dawns this coming Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) 45th season as the franchise’s emphasis will be on junior guard Jeron Teng and its youth brigade.

Team board governor Richard Bachmann said Teng is expected to take a more active role as he begins to inherit the mantle of leadership for the Aces under the first full season of coach Jeff Cariaso.

“The plan is to revolve the team around Jeron (this season).

We expect big things from him,” said Bachmann, stressing the Aces are putting premium on youth following the acquisitions they’ve gotten from last conference all the way to the off season.

Veterans Vic Manuel and JVee Casio along with Kevin Racal and the retiring Sonny Thoss will still play a huge part in Alaska’s season campaign beginning with the Philippine Cup. But it’s clear Teng will now be the take charge guy for one of the most accomplished teams in PBA history.

Teng played huge in the Aces advancing to the quarterfinals of the last Governors Cup where the team began its campaign losing its first five games and the sophomore guard from La Salle out with an injury.

But when he came back, the Aces won four of their last five outings to make the playoffs, although Teng went down with a knee injury and missed Alaska’s last two games, including a 94-84 loss in the quarterfinals against Meralco.

Teng will have plenty of help from a team that will be parading one of the youngest rosters for the coming season.

During the off season, Alaska signed up rookies Barkley Ebonia, Jaycee Marcelino, and Rey Publico, while acquiring Mike Digregorio from TnT Katropa for Simon Enciso.

Outside of this young core, the Aces had also gotten the services of big man Abu Tratter, Maverick Ahanmisi, and the duo of Robbie Herndon and Rodney Brondial in a spate of trades they did during the season-ending Governors Cup. Bachmann is quite thrilled having two top gunners in Digregorio and Herndon manning the wings for the Aces.

Herndon showed exactly what he can do for the Aces when he tallied 21 points in leading the team to a 115-100 win over Blackwater in their recent tune-up outing at the Gatorade Hoops Center.

With the 38-year-old Thoss, meanwhile, signed up only until the all-Filipino conference, a lot will be expected from Tratter, Brondial and beanpole Yutien Andrada at the post.

And then there’s Manuel, who is coming off an impressive run in the last 30th Southeast Asian Games as part of the Gilas Pilipinas team that won the men’s basketball gold.

With Manuel playing his best basketball and complementing the Aces’ young turks that also includes sophomore Jesper Ayaay, Abel Galliguez and Gideon Babilonia, Bachmann is optimistic about Alaska’s coming campaign.

“We’ll be competitive,” the Alaska team manager said.

N

the first-ever non-Middle Eastern squad to win the crown.

Before crowning itself UAE champions, Mighty Sports won two Jones Cup titles in 2016 and 2019 and that a return to the prestigious annual Taiwan tournament remains a possibility this year.

Ryan Gregorio, the special assistant to Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) President Al Panlilio said Mighty Sports is one of the teams they may consider for the upcoming Jones Cup. “They have been supportive to the programs of the federation. It’s just overwhelming that they were able to win the Dubai Cup, the first ever for a non-Middle Eastern country,” said Gregorio who attended the victory party. “In the future tournaments we’re going to align with them, partner with them, to bring more trophies for the country.”

Champion coach Charles Tiu welcomes the idea of returning to the Jones Cup. “Anytime that we will have a chance to represent the country, we would love to do that and try to form the best team possible,” Tiu said.

GREG TAKES A BREAK

By Ramon Rafael Bonilla

B

ARANGAY Ginebra San Miguel bid goodbye to 7-foot center Greg Slaughter who announced his decision to go on “indefinite break” from the game on Saturday night.

The FIlipino-American out of the Ateneo Blue Eagles said he is taking a break after his contract expired with Barangay Ginebra.

With his future still uncertain, the Ohioborn Slaughter said he needed “to gather himself for his next endeavors.”

“Six years, four championships, a lifetime of experiences and memories. It’s been a fun ride being with this team. I will forever be proud to have played for Ginebra,” Slaughter told his team which drafted him first overall in 2013.

“With that, now that my contract has expired, I’ve decided to take a break to be able to work on myself in all aspects,” he added. “I may not know what the future holds, but one thing is for sure, the best is yet to come.”

Slaughter thanked his bosses, the San Miguel Corp. management, along with Coach

Tim Coach who led the squad to four titles.

The team, however, has yet to decide whether to release him or trade his rights for a deal with other teams.

In his final eight games with the Gin Kings in the season-ending conference, Slaughter averaged 10.6 points, seven rebounds and 1.5 blocks.

The first to react was fellow big man Japeth Aguilar.

Aguilar, the Governors’ Cup Finals Most Valuable Player, took his response to social media where he expressed his heartfelt reaction to the departure of Slaughter.

“Gonna miss you brother,” the 6-foot-9 forward wrote on Instagram. “But I know the best is yet to come for you. Love you.”

Slaughter responded: “It’s been a pleasure hooping beside you this past decade.”

GREG SLAUGHTER: I’ve decided to take a break to be able to work on myself in all aspects.

Lady Altas, Letran gals target tickets to semis

U

NIVERSITY of Perpetual Help and Letran try to hitch on the semifinals bus against separate foes on Monday in the National Collegiate Athletic Association Season 95 women’s volleyball tournament at the Filoil Flying V Centre in San Juan.

Coming off a 25-21, 25-15, 25-22 loss to No. 3 San Beda University Lady Red Spikers (5-2), The No. 4 Lady Altas (5-3) try to regain their winning form against the cellar-dwelling Emilio Aguinaldo College Lady Generals (1-6) in the 12 noon match.

The Lady Atlas’ mettle will get tested against The Lady Generals, who recently notched their first and morale-boosting win—led by sophomore player Catherine Almazan’s huge 30-point performance—over San Sebastian College Lady Stags (1-6) last Thursday.

The No. 5 Lady Knights (3-3), fresh from a 25-14, 26-28, 25-19, 25-16 loss to the defending champion UNIVERSITY of Santo Tomas’s Jullana Carreon leaps high for a point.

Nazareth-NU, UST advance to semis of UAAP high-school beach volleyball azareth School of National University and University of Santo Tomas (UST) booked the first two Final Four slots in the girls division of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines Season 82 high-school beach volleyball tournament at the Sands SM By The Bay on Sunday.

NU’s Kathrina Epa and Chantal Rodriguez beat De La Salle-Zobel’s Irah Jaboneta and Gerzel Petallo, 21-11, 21-13, and survived University of the East’s Chris Ann Susbilla and Dea Villamor, 22-20, 19-21, 15-13, to stay perfect in five matches.

UST’s Vanessa Bangayan and Jullana Carreon carved out a 21-17, 21-17 victory over Far Eastern University (FEU)-Diliman’s Nikka Medina and Mary Melony Amaro and later ended their eliminations stint with a 21-18, 2110 win over Adamson University’s Mary Grace Borromeo and Ayesha Juegos.

UST tallied a 5-1 record.

Epa and Rodriguez rallied from 4-8 and 8-11 deficits in the deciding set to turn back the hard-fighting duo of Susbilla and Villamor in the day’s most exciting match.

Aside from claiming the top 2 spots, UST and NU also secured the twice-to-beat bonus in the semifinals.

With Lorien Gamboa replacing Jaboneta to join forces with Petallo, De La Salle-Zobel hacked out a 21-14, 21-13 victory over FEU to move closer to the semifinals with a 3-2 card in third place.

INNING its third international title in the last four years may still not be enough for Mighty Sports to consider a jump to the country’s premier play-for-pay league.

Days after copping a historic title in the United Arab Emirates, Mighty Sports opted to relish its latest conquest by celebrating their victory in Makati City.

But the question about a possible stint in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) seemed too tempting to ask during a press conference held before the victory party.

“We have no plans of joining local tournaments. We just build a team when there is an invitation. So no plans of putting up a PBA team, 5-on-5 or 3x3,” Mighty Sports founder and sports benefactor Caesar Wongchuking said.

Mighty Sports beat Al Riyadi of Lebanon, 92-81, in their title faceoff to clinch the 31st Dubai International Basketball Championship two weeks ago at the Shabab Al-Ahli Club in UAE. The team was led by former PBA import Renaldo Balkman, naturalized player Andray Blatche and was also beefed up by collegiate standout Thirdy Ravena and PBA veteran Beau Belga.

Mighty Sports’s title-winning effort in Dubai made the team

The Junior Warriors, who earlier beat Ateneo’s Celina Vergeire and Ady Lasala in the morning session, 21-14, 2114, fell to 2-3 card alongside the Baby Falcons in fourth spot.

The Baby Tamaraws took their fourth loss in five matches to miss the next round.

In the boys division, UST and FEU defeated their respective foes to claim the twice-to-beat Final Four incentive.

The Tiger Cubs’ Jay Rack de la Noche and Alexander Iraya topped UE’s Francis Babon and JM Apolinario, 2114, 21-13, to stay perfect in six matches while the Baby Tamaraws’ Jelord Talisayan and Carl Cabatac improved to 5-1 following a 21-9, 21-11 romp of Ateneo’s Mikka Mendoza and Anjo Almadro.

UE dropped to 3-3 in a tie with NU and Adamson University, making the race for the two remaining slots too close to call.

The Bullpups’ Jann Mark Pijo and Reymart Reyes overpowered UP Integrated School’s Brett Borja and Miguel Castro, 21-7, 21-14, while the Baby Falcons’ Jefferson Marapoc and Evander Novillo downed De La Salle-Zobel’s Andre Espejo and Leinuel Crisostomo, 21-9, 21-16.

With their fourth loss in six matches, the Junior Green Spikers and the Blue Eaglets are on the brink of missing the semifinals.

Arellano University Lady Chiefs (6-1), go for a potential playoff spot as they square off with the No. 7 Jose Rizal University Lady Bombers (3-5) at 2 p.m.

The Lady Bombers will play with no remorse as they recently bowed out of the playoff race after yielding to the No. 1 College of Saint Benilde Lady Blazers (7-0), also last Thursday.

The unbeaten Lady Blazers are the first to secure a semifinals seat and a nine-game win-streak would give them an outright finals slot with a thrice-to-beat advantage.

In men’s action, two undefeated teams—the No. 1 Generals (7-0) and the No. 2 Altas (6-0)—battle for supremacy in the 10 a.m. match.

Letran (1-5) clashes with JRU (1-7) at 4 p.m. in the other men’s match. Ryniel Berlanga

Rick Olivares bleachersbrew@gmail.com

Bleachers’ Brew

A calling

I sometimes pick out and mentor kids in different basketball teams. I pick out the struggling players and not the star players. After all, what does the latter need? Plus, I see a lot of these kids get a raw deal. Many people see these kids as a meal ticket and while I do understand, they lose something early—values and proper guidance. I cannot even believe some of these kids who get managers very early.

I’ve sat with some of these kids who went undrafted in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) and cast aside by their agents. Some we are able to get tryouts for teams.

Some we move to other schools. There are kids I talk to on Ateneo, University of the East, San Beda, Mapua, College of Saint Benilde, National University (NU), Jose Rizal University, Adamson University, etc.

I guess it started when I sort of managed Ateneo’s Team B (and helped three players move up to the UAAP team). That was a time when Team B players almost never moved up to Team A. And one time, a PBA coach asked me to sort out one of his problematic players. I am pleased to say that it worked.

I choose kids who have good characters and attitudes; those who are willing to listen. And for the most part, they take heed. Many of them, we talk the evening prior to their games to help them with their mindset, visualization, or just plain giving them a pep talk. Does it help? Yes, it does.

Are all the kids able to do well? Not all. Most do but not all for many reasons and not all of it their own doing. When it doesn’t work, it makes me redouble my efforts to help. Oh, it has helped even a few pro players. To be honest, I enjoy it.

Their success makes me happy.

Do I manage these kids? No. I don’t ask for tickets or what.

Several years ago, after following the Batang Gilas U-16 team that won the Seaba, I befriended University of Santo Tomas (UST) Tiger Cub Bismarck Lina. I had watched him go through that first round of his first year with UST where the ball routinely went to CJ Cansino. Nothing wrong with that except the ball hardly rotated.

After one game, I spoke to him. Gave advice that wasn’t easy to dispense, given that he didn’t know me from Adam.

I did share one bit. The Tiger Cubs were up against NU in their next match. You’re going to be matched up against this player. I said this guy will try to bully his way in. Bump and push back. Don’t bump back because you will get whistled for a foul. Wait for him upstairs, and you’ll block his shot.

That is exactly what happened the next game. Rejected the opposing Bullpup thrice. They still lost the game, but the match was close and Bismarck played really well.

Now there was buy in on his part. We had a simple game plan the rest of the way—don’t ask for the ball. Rebound, put back, if not pass the ball out to a teammate. He does that and the ball will eventually go back to him.

UST nearly made the finals. The ushered Adamson University and Far Eastern University (FEU) out of the stepladder format before falling once more to a stacked NU team in the semis. Lina continued to play well despite being a far second fiddle.

Unfortunately for Bismarck, he was cut from the next Batang Gilas tournament. The kid felt so bad. We had lunch with the family at KFC at MCS in Makati and well, I gave him a prized Kobe Bryant Redeem Team jersey. That brought a smile to his lips.

We outlined his goals (knowing Mark Nonoy was coming in for UST). Along with his Uncle Jong, we did some skills training at an arena for several weeks (outside his usual UST training) at 6:30 a.m. We worked on some post moves and drills that I know. I might have not played varsity ball, but I do play the game a lot, study it intently, and watch a lot of games. So I figure, I know a thing or two about training and basketball). Including free throws and attacking that basket and a spin move as well.

The kid has an excellent attitude toward the game. Even before he was made team captain, I do not know of any player (especially one who has played for the youth national team) to be handing out water cups to teammates during timeouts when he was on the bench. That shows a humility and a willingness to help his team (even if the ball wasn’t going his way).

Game-wise—it was still the same but with an eye for attacking that board. Three rebounds per quarter isn’t so bad. If he could do that, it means he’ll finish with 12. The idea was to rack up double doubles. If by any chance this will help UST and win his spot on Batang Gilas. We wanted him in the conversation for the National Basketball Training Center All-Star Game.

The result? He did return to Batang Gilas for one more tourney. Furthermore, Bismarck was the MVP of the Breakdown Basketball Invitationals Summer League—his first individual award ever and a spot of the UAAP Juniors Mythical Five Selection. This year, even in spite of missing four games, Lina was in the conversation. He narrowly missed a second straight Mythical Five selection by a mere seven points. The loss to FEU hurt his chances.

While that was good, what was important was for him to help UST to a play-off for the fourth and final seed. Unfortunately, their fate wasn’t in their hands as Adamson defeated Ateneo and UST’s win over DLSZ was inconsequential.

Now the kid is on his way to college and the next phase of his basketball career. And I for one am excited for him. Oh, and it isn’t all sports. We do talk about schooling as well.

Will continue to help the kid and his family. And honestly, I also can’t wait to help the next kid.

Sports BusinessMirror

C4

| Monday, February 10, 2020 mirror_sports@yahoo.com.ph Editor: Jun Lomibao

Ernie Els says he’s done as Presidents Cup captain. AP

JASON DAY MAKES MOVE, THREATENS TAYLOR Jason Day looks over the 18th green as Nick Taylor waves after making a birdie putt on the same hole. AP

By Doug Ferguson

Tour rookie who played Pebble Beach for the first time in a practice round Wednesday, and really had a blast in his round of 64 on Friday, that put him four shots behind, along with Charl Schwartzel (66 at Pebble).

Of the top 5 players, only Mickelson was not at Pebble Beach.

Monterey Peninsula played about two shots under par, while Pebble’s average was nearly one under.

Spyglass Hill was nearly a stroke over par, so it was no surprise that only one player from the top 20—Matt Every—was at Spyglass on Friday.

Dustin Johnson, a two-time Pebble Beach winner who finished runner-up to Ted Potter Jr. two years ago, appeared to be hitting his stride with great control of his irons and usual power off the tee. He lost a little ground on the final hole when he three-putted for bogey from about 25 feet on his final hole at Monterey Peninsula, missing a 3-footer.

That happens on poa greens with foursomes in each group, and Johnson shrugged it off. He’s used to odd things happening, even when it’s not all his doing.

Day was feeling particularly optimistic, especially after the year he had. His back gave him so much trouble that one of his routines is to blow into balloon for some 20 minutes to help get his rib cage aligned properly. He

used to spend hours chipping and putting. He found it a small victory when he was able to putt for an entire hour.

“It’s hard because...you expect so much of yourself, and everyone does,” Day said. “But sometimes when you’re injured, like for the most part I was all last year, it gets frustrating. And not only do you get frustrated, you don’t get the results and you lose confidence, and then you’re...just trying to find a solution into why I’m not playing well and why is this happening. And you feel like your world is kind of crumbling.

“It’s not a good feeling because there’s some dark moments in there that you got to kind of fight through.”

There were no dark moments Friday, not in weather like this. Day and Taylor now move over to Spyglass Hill on Saturday morning, while Mickelson, Johnson and the celebrities head to Pebble Beach.

EBBLE BEACH, California—Jason Day received a warm reminder Friday at Pebble Beach how good it feels to hit shots the way he wants, make a bunch of putts and see his name high on the leaderboard.

Day made two long birdie putts across the green, holed a 40-yard wedge for eagle on the dangerous par-five 14th, made a couple of big par saves and moved into contention with an eight-under 64 in the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am. He was two shots behind Nick Taylor of Canada, who birdied four of his last five holes at Pebble Beach, for a 66 to take his first 36-hole lead on the Professional Golfers Association (PGA) Tour.

Taylor was at 14-under 129.

“I feel like it’s been a long time since I’ve actually been out there and felt the way that I felt out there today, and played well like that,” Day said.

Defending champion Phil Mickelson also got in the mix with aburst of four straight birdies after the turn at Monterey Peninsula. He made bogey on the long par-3 ninth to finish his round of three-under. He was three shots behind.

Mickelson has not had a top 10 on the PGA Tour since winning at Pebble Beach last year, though he finished third last week at the Saudi International, and carried a little momentum into the event he has won five times.

Day knows the feeling. Since last year at Pebble, the former world No. 1 has recorded just three top 10s, none since last June. He has not seriously contended.

His back troubles have been so frustrating that at times he wondered how much longer he wanted to play. He described those at “dark times.”

His outlook Friday was as bright as the sunshine over the Monterey Peninsula, at least until a light marine layer, or parts of the courses lowered the temperature.

Day birdied the par 5s and made a 45-foot putt from the fringe on the par-3 fifth at Pebble. He holed a 50-foot birdie putt on the par-three 12th, another bonus. And then he surged into contention by holing out for his eagle on the 14th, and following that with a 15-foot birdie on the 15th.

There’s still one more round before this tournament played over three courses takes shape, and there’s no better place to be in relative calm than Pebble Beach.

“If you have really good weather, you can go low at Pebble,” Day said.

That’s what Taylor did, making birdie on all the par 5s for his 66. Ditto for Chris Baker, the 33-year-old PGA

S

Women’s Apac golf postponed due to virus

P

The Associated Press

AINT ANDREWS, Scotland—The Women’s AsiaPacific (Apac) Amateur has been postponed next week in Thailand because of the new virus from China.

That makes three golf events canceled or rescheduled because of the coronavirus that has infected more than 34,800 people worldwide, and killed more than 700— nearly all in China—since the first illness was reported in December.

The Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) Tour previously canceled the Blue Bay LPGA scheduled for the first week of March, in Hainan Island, China. The PGA Tour China Series moved its qualifier at the end of February from China to Singapore.

The Women’s Apac Amateur, organized by the R&A and the Apac Golf Confederation, was to be played next week at Siam Country Club. The winner receives exemptions to the Women’s British Open, the Evian Championship, and the Augusta National Women’s Amateur.

“The decision has been taken amid serious concerns for the safety of players and officials traveling during the current coronavirus outbreak,” R&A chief Martin Slumbers said. “Our utmost priority is to ensure their safety, and the advice we have received in the last 24 hours is that we should not ask them to travel at this time.”

Slumbers said the R&A would assist players with travel arrangements and hopes to reschedule the event later this year.

Ayean Cho, meanwhile, shot a two-under 70 on a difficult day for scoring to take a one-stroke lead over Madelene Sagstrom after three rounds of the LPGA’s Vic Open in Barwon Heads, Austria.

The tournament at the 13th Beach Golf Links also feature a European Tour men’s tournament running alongside the women’s event.

Choi had a three-round total of 12-under 205.

Canada’s Alena Sharp was in third, two strokes behind Cho after a 70.

In the men’s event, Min Woo Lee eagled the 18th hole for four-under 68 to take a three-stroke lead over threetime European Tour winner Marcus Fraser, and fellow Australian Travis Smyth.

“I knew it was going to be difficult coming in, it was going to be a grind today,” Sagstrom told a television commentator before completing her round. “I am going to be tired after this.”

After Saturday’s third round, the men’s and women’s fields were reduced to 35 players each plus ties. The final round will be played on the Beach course. That course and the Creek course were used for the first two rounds of the tournament.

“There is so much wind, it’s so hard to figure out when to pull the trigger, I think it might be one of the best rounds I have ever played, regardless of the score,” Lee said.”

Lee had a three-round total of 15-under 201. Fraser shot 69 and Smyth 72.

Fraser said the windy conditions bordered on unplayable.

“My old man plays off 14, he’s a good golfer, and I think he would have struggled to break 110 out there,” said Fraser. “I think that’s as strong a wind as I’ve played in anywhere.”

The tournament is also sanctioned by the Australasian PGA men’s tour and European Tour, and the European and Australian women’s tours. AP

ELS: ONCE IS ENOUGH

P

EBBLE BEACH, California—Ernie Els brought big changes to the International team in the Presidents Cup, and then he added one more he wants to see. He doesn’t think someone should be captain more than once.

Els tells the golf blog “Morning Read” that he will not return as captain for the 2021 matches.

“That’s as good as I can do,” Els said. “I gave it all. This is another change I wanted to make in our team. I get one opportunity, win or lose. You don’t get a second chance.”

The South African spent two years trying to make his International players—from countries from everywhere outside Europe—feel more like a team. Among his biggest change was ditching the Professional Golfers’ Association (PGA) Tour-branded flag, and creating his own logo for the International team.

It still lost to the Americans at Royal Melbourne in December, but the International team built an early lead, and had a 10-8 advantage going into singles The Americans, led by playing captain Tiger Woods, rallied to win.

The Americans now have an 11-1-1 lead in the Presidents Cup, having won the last eight times.

Els says he told his team on Sunday night after the matches he would not return. He met with PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan in January, and was asked to reconsider. Els said he would decide after making his PGA Tour Champions debut in Hawaii, where he lost in a playoff.

He chose not to do it next year.

“There is is so much of me that wants to do it, but I know the hardest thing is to step away,” Els told Morning Read. “I can understand why people become dictators. You can get hooked on that power.”

The 2021 matches will be at Quail Hollow Club in North Carolina. Woods has not said if he is interested in returning. Among the vice captains for Els at Royal Melbourne were Trevor Immelman, Mike Weir and Geoff Ogilvy. Weir would be an option for 2023, the next time the International team is host. The expected venue is Royal Montreal.

The Presidents Cup has a history of repeating captains. Peter Thomson, Gary Player and Nick Price all were captains for three matches, with Greg Norman doing it twice. For the Americans, Jack Nicklaus and Fred Couples each served three successive terms.

An announcement of the next captains is expected in the spring. AP

The Lord is king; let the many isles be glad!

S

ING to the Lord a new song, for He has done wondrous deeds; His right hand has won victory for Him, His holy arm. The Lord has made His salvation known; in the sight of the nations He has revealed His justice. He has remembered His kindness and His faithfulness toward the house of Israel. All the ends of the Earth have seen the salvation by our God. Sing joyfully to the Lord, all you lands; break into song; sing praise. All day, all night, Lord, we sing our praise to You. Amen.

GIVE US THIS DAY SHARED BY LUISA LACSON, HFL Word&Life Publications • teacherlouie1965@yahoo.com

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

Life

AND THEN SOME: MAINE TO RELEASE NEW LIPSTICK FOR MAKEUP BRAND D4

BusinessMirror

National Arts Month 2020: Catriona’s grace ARTS Advocate Catriona Gray PHOTO: PAUL SUGANO

P

UERTO PRINCESA, Palawan—With her infectious enthusiasm, Miss Universe 2018 Catriona Gray galvanized the 5,000-strong crowd at the city coliseum to patronize and to participate in this year’s National Arts Month.

She’s the latest high-profile and influential celebrity tapped by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) to promote NAM’s monthlong, country-wide festivities.

By virtue of Presidential Proclamation 683 issued in 1991 by then-President Corazon Aquino, February has been dedicated as National Arts Month every year to celebrate arts and culture in the country.

“I believe the arts allow us to tell stories. They tell the stories of all those who came before us. They tell stories of who we are, how we express ourselves, what we will be, our human experiences that we have today. Going into Miss Universe, I wanted to tell the story of how strong, how unique, how creative our Filipino talent is. I did that through our textiles telling the story about ‘LuzViMinda’, my national costume,” Catriona said through ear-splitting squeals of delight from a crowd of mostly students.

Indeed, in her well-documented preparations in pursuit of our country’s fourth Miss Universe crown, Catriona traveled around the archipelago and enlisted the help of local artisans for their inputs for her epic national costume, which was created by Mindanaoan

CONTINUED ON D2

Monday, February 10, 2020

D1

D2

Monday, February 10, 2020

Style

BusinessMirror

www.businessmirror.com.ph

National Arts Month 2020: Catriona’s grace CONTINUED FROM D1 designer Jearson Demavivas.

At the launch, Catriona was dressed in another Demavivas design, a one-sided pantsuit with a terno sleeve in Pis siyabit. In her public appearances of late, she seems to favor this “handwoven cloth made of silk or cotton, and square in form with geometric patterns.

It is originally used as a multipurpose headdress. It may be worn on the shoulder, knotted around the hilt of the sword or kris, or tied around the head among the Tausug men in Sulu.�

This paradise province, which is also celebrating its Sikatugyaw Festival (a portmanteau for sining, kanta, tugtog and sayaw), was chosen by the NCCA as the venue for the Luzon launch of NAM, with the theme “Ani ng Sining.� “We are indeed honored and proud to be part of [NAM’s] noble intention to conserve, promote, and popularize the nation’s historical and cultural heritage and resources, as well as its artistic creations,� said Puerto Princesa Vice Mayor Maria Nancy M. Socrates. “This is also an opportunity for our indigenous

groups [Bataks, Tagbanuas and Palaw’an, which are the three ethno-linguistic groups, and the Christianized groups Cuyunons, Agutaynons, and Cagayanons] to enhance their talent and sharpen their skills, and we encourage them to be instruments in the promotion and preservation of our priceless cultural and unique traditions.�

The vice mayor, together with NCCA Executive Director Al Ryan S. Alejandre and Sikatugyaw Project Manager Ceasar Sammy A. Magbanua, handed out Gawad Parangal Para sa mga Pambansang Alagad ng Sining plaques to outstanding PalaweĂąo artists.

Among the awardees were movie directors Auraeus Solito and Dante Nico Garcia. Bea Zobel Jr. and daughter Paloma were cited for their innovative Kalye Artisano, an artisan ecotourism village in El Nido.

On the fashion front, the Alagad ng Likhang Palaweùo awardees were Eva T. Valledor, whose Binuatan Creations are export-quality handloom woven products (bracelets, bags, bangles) made from Palawan’s indigenous fibers and grass; and Czarina R. Lim, whose Rurungan sa Tubod Foundation creates livelihood for poor women by honing their weaving skills using tepiùa fiber (piùa mixed with silk) and

Bin’Al Kay (Palaw’an for “gawa natin�), experimental weaves made of banana fiber, cotton and silk while also mixing different techniques, such as batik, handpainting and silkscreen).

Catriona’s ardent support for Filipino designers who use indigenous materials make her a suitable arts ambassador. “Such an honor to be recognized as the 2020 Ambassador for the Arts by the [NCCA]. I believe artists always create with intention. And in my pursuit to conquer my universe and to achieve my dream, I sought to take the opportunity to celebrate our Philippine heritage, art, history, textiles, music and dance to bring forth a newfound interest in Philippine arts among the younger generation. It brings me great pride to continue sharing our unique Filipino heritage in the arts to my universal platform as it has become my advocacy, aside from advocating for education and HIV/AIDS,� she gushed in her Instagram page after her appointment in January.

As an ambassador, Catriona’s tremendous impact on the youth is expected to further popularize the arts month activities happening around the country (see ncca.gov.ph for details). â–

Seeing red TOD’S 2020 VALENTINE’S DAY DELIGHTS EXCLUSIVELY distributed by Stores Specialists Inc., Tod’s presents its limited-edition offerings for Valentine’s Day, with two bracelets in gold with charms dedicated to love, and a little pouch bag with a sparkling T accessory.

It’s definitely an excellent way to celebrate a special day. Tod’s has stores in Greenbelt 4, Rustan’s Shangri-La and Shangri-La Plaza.

FASHION and film ultimate icon Audrey Hepburn once said, “There’s a shade of red for every woman.� Which is no surprising as red is associated with power, passion and strength, as well as a certain energy or panache.

Singapore-based fashion label In Good Company lets you get a fresh start this year as its Capsule 18 showcases brilliant colors which include vibrant scarlet and rouge hues. This comes

at a time when flame scarlet is trending in runway color palettes and V-Day is just around the corner.

Red dresses exude a bold, bright, and warm energy in contemporary yet classic designs. There are knit dresses with relaxed yet flattering fits, also cotton dresses with geometric or draped accents. Versatile tops, sleek trousers and fluid jumpsuits also highlight the collection. Revel in In Good Company’s array of red selections at its stores in SM Makati, Power Plant Mall and SM Aura Premier.

Today’s Horoscope

By Eugenia Last

CELEBRITIES BORN ON THIS DAY: Chloe Grace Moretz, 23; Emma Roberts, 29; Elizabeth Banks, 46; Laura Dern, 53.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY: Get ready to think and act responsibly. Make this a busy year filled with ideas and plans that will help you get closer to your goal. Don’t waste time debating or spending impulsively. Calculate every step you take to maximize your chance to achieve what you set out to do. Don’t make promises you cannot honor. Your lucky numbers are 7, 15, 23, 26, 32, 37, 43.

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Take stock of how you go about maintaining mental, physical and emotional wellness. Improve your health and well-being. Avoid discussions that could lead to discord. Participate in something you feel passionate about achieving. A personal situation will confuse you. ★★★

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Discuss sensitive issues. Deal with people you work with, and pick up information and skills that will help you advance. The more you improve your image, qualifications and relationship with your contemporaries, the better. Make positive changes. ★★★★★

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Do what’s best for yourself, not what someone is pushing you to do.

The best way to get what you want is to do the work yourself. A love relationship will improve if you are attentive. ★★

CANCER (June 21-July 22): You have more options than you realize. Don’t settle; look for something better. You may not like change, but a different approach to life will stimulate your mind, imagination and desire to make personal improvements.

Take better care of your health. ★★★★

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Be realistic about what you can. Leading someone on who is counting on you will end up being costly.

Personal gains are within reach if you are aggressively active in pursuing your goals. ★★★★★

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Look for the less obvious, and you will understand what’s possible. Leave nothing to the imagination.

Add as much detail to everything you do, including updating your appearance and your attitude. Build greater confidence in yourself and what you have to offer. ★★★

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Strive to reach your goal and to help those who have something to offer in return, but don’t take on the impossible.

Someone will take advantage of you and your generosity if you are too accommodating. ★★★

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Explore lifestyles and pastimes. A tweak here and there to the way you’ve been living will help you appreciate what you have already accomplished.

An offer is heading your way. ★★★★

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): A change may summon you, but before you take off or sign up for something, tie up loose ends. Redtape issues can hold you hostage if not handled quickly. ★★

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Avoid getting duped by a fast-talking individual trying to part you with your hard-earned cash. Being generous doesn’t mean you have to pay for others; you can be generous with your time, affection and services. ★★★★★

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Plan every move you take, and pay close attention to detail. Leave nothing to chance, and you will get what you want. Helping others is honorable, but don’t let anyone take advantage of you emotionally or financially. ★★★

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Someone will have a hidden agenda. Whether dealing with a colleague, friend or family, look for ulterior motives. Make changes based on what will benefit you.

People-pleasing will not help you get ahead. ★★★ BIRTHDAY BABY: You are diligent, a humanitarian and resourceful.

You are practical and intense.

‘ruh-rooh!’ BY ERIK AGARD & NEVILLE FOGARTY The Universal Crossword/Edited by David Steinberg

ACROSS 1 Catcher’s face protector 5 Thing changed by a pit crew 9 Congressional channel 14 Prayer-ending word 15 Admired figure 16 Large group of people 17 Roots Emmy winner Olivia 18 Partner of glitz 19 “The game is ___!�

20 Have complete control 23 Cry before “Blastoff!�

24 ___ a Wonderful Life 25 Hall of The Hate U Give 29 Flashing light 31 Steals from 33 Furious 34 Washed off 36 Puts into words 37 Pick up an audience’s vibe 40 Cincinnati’s state 42 Be less strict 43 Line on a garment 44 Do really badly on Broadway 46 Within reach

50 52 53 54

George Takei’s Star Trek role Subj. with labs Salmon eggs Dance by pushing both hands upward 58 Shakespearean feet 61 “Superfood� berry 62 German auto company 63 Soccer shoe gripper 64 ___ guard (soccer equipment) 65 Santorini, for example 66 Ovens for firing pottery 67 ___ Kong 68 Not just want DOWN 1 Computer shortcuts 2 Quantity 3 Buyer’s counterpart 4 Body part with a cap 5 Hybrid offensive position in football 6 Doesn’t do anything 7 (Don’t mess with the lion king!)

8 Red resident of Sesame Street 9 Tries to catch 10 First sound of “gerbil� but not “goat�

11 12 13 21 22 26 27 28 30 31 32 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 44 45 47 48 49 51 52

Con’s opposite Much ___ About Nothing Volleyball court divider Second-longest human bone Spherical object Muslim leader No, in a vote YouTube annoyances “Wonderfilled� cookie Physical therapy, e.g.

Poems often “to� things Narrowest part of a champagne flute Second yr. of high school Features of some eyeglasses Successfully contacting Protruding navel Unit of electrical resistance She/___ pronouns Big explosions “Yes,� in Paris Awaken feelings in Chicken ___ soup Stood up to ___ Outfitters Splotch

55 56 57 58 59 60

Scout’s garment Bounce, as a sound Wet forecast “Gross!�

Boxer Laila “First name� of two Spice Girls

Solution to Friday’s puzzle:

Show BusinessMirror

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Monday, February 10, 2020

Viva’s betting on Marco Gallo and Xian Lim T

HE top honchos of Viva Entertainment recently shared their visions for 2020 with their media friends, suppliers and advertisers. The highlight of these plans is that the family owned entertainment outfit will be bankrolling a whopping P1 billion for the 34 movies it will be releasing this year.

According to president and CEO Vincent del

Rosario, 15 of these movies are already in can and are just awaiting date assignments for commercial exhibition. “We churned out 19 films in 2019, and I can say that it was indeed a very good year. We ended very profitably with the local adaptation of the Korean movie Miracle in Cell No. 7, which topped the box-office race during the Metro Manila Film Festival.”

Among the films that have been given the green light is Sigrid Andrea Bernardo’s UnTrue, with Cristine Reyes and Xian Lim. Shot in Tbilisi, Georgia, the movie was the opening film of the 2019 QCinema International Film Festival last November.

It is scheduled for its commercial run starting February 19. Hopefully, the movie makes an ROI, given that it will be shown during the period of the coronavirus scare.

There is an apparent major rift between Lim and the lady director of the movie, but he need not worry.

The tall and handsome leading man seems to be the apple of Viva’s eye at the moment, after entrusting

the company to take over the management of his seemingly lackluster career with his former mother studio. And things are looking brighter than ever for Lim. “We believe in his potential as an artist—aside from acting, Xian also paints, sings and hosts. He can also be a very good spokesperson for any brand that he chooses to endorse,” said Veronique del Rosario, who calls the shots for the talent management arm of the company.

After UnTrue, Lim will start facing the cameras for a new movie project with Ryza Cenon, tentatively titled Sa Muli, to be directed by Fifth Solomon, who also wrote the screenplay.

Lim is also included in the main cast of Love Thy Woman, the new afternoon drama series produced by Dreamscape Entertainment and ABS-CBN. His acting chops will be tested because he and his reel- and reallife love interest Kim Chiu share stellar billing with the likes of Eula Valdez, Christopher de Leon and Zsa Zsa Padilla.

Another actor to watch out for is Italian-Filipino Marco Gallo, a product of Pinoy Big Brother who is now also under contract with Viva Artist Agency.

We had a quick chat with Gallo recently and we’re quite impressed how smart, grounded, straightforward and pleasant he is. Not to mention that he is such a looker. È un ragazzo così adorabile!

Gallo once had a short-lived romance with Juliana Gomez, the unica hija of Richard and Lucy Gomez. He told us that he has mellowed as a young man when he started to live alone and he has become more focused on things that truly matter.

Gallo is aware that after James Reid left the Viva camp, he is now being touted as the next best bet to young superstardom, but he just shrugs off all the hype for now. “There will only be one James Reid, and I don’t think it is a good strategy to aim to be the next such and such actor. I feel that I have to take it step by step, work hard on becoming a competent actor and a reliable celebrity, because that’s all that matters.” n

‘Descendants of the Sun’ premieres tonight on GMA prime time GMA Network’s local adaptation of one of Asia’s most well-loved drama series, Descendants of the Sun (DOTS), makes its highly anticipated debut on Philippine TV screens today, February 10.

The series is headlined by Dingdong Dantes and Jennylyn Mercado who bring to life the romantic story of alpha team leader Captain Lucas Manalo and cardiothoracic surgeon Dr. Maxine dela Cruz.

“Matagal na rin naming hinihintay na mapanood ito ng mga viewers natin. Story-wise, may tweaks ito make to it more Pinoy, pero hindi nawawala ’yung mga elements na nagustuhan ng tao. We’re very excited for this series, and we’re very proud of it,” shared Dingdong.

Jennylyn echoed his sentiments: “Excited kaming lahat kasi talagang napakalaki ng bawat eksena. Ang hirap niyang gawin pero worth it kasi lahat nagtitiyaga at nagtutulong-tulong. Mula sa direktor, sa mga artista, ’yung buong production team, lahat kumikilos para mapaganda ’yung show.”

From the very beginning, their relationship was off to a rocky start. As part of the Armed Forces of the Philippines’s Special Forces, Lucas is always sent off to various missions that last from days to weeks.

And with shifts as long and as busy as Maxine’s, the right timing was never on their side. She tries to distance herself from him and his dangerous job, but instead finds herself unable to resist him. One disaster after another befalls upon them, but their love stands stronger than anything that comes their way.

Reporting with them for duty are award-winning actors Rocco Nacino and Jasmine Curtis-Smith as Technical Sergeant Diego Ramos and Captain Moira Defensor, respectively. Much like Lucas, Diego is brave, noble and willing to sacrifice his own happiness for others—even if that includes letting go of his girlfriend, Moira. But Moira is tough, headstrong, and won’t go down without fighting for the both of them.

Last August, GMA’s Entertainment Group inked a partnership with the Armed Forces of the Philippines which sealed the network’s commitment to accurately represent the country’s military forces.

Playing hardworking doctors and nurses are Pancho Magno, Renz Fernandez, Chariz Solomon, Andre Paras, Nicole Donesa, Reese Tuazon, Jenzel Angeles and Bobby Andrews.

Essaying characters in the the military unit are Antonio Aquitania, Ricardo Cepeda, Paul Salas, Jon Lucas, Lucho Ayala and Prince Clemente.

The drama is made more intense by the rebel characters played Neil Ryan Sese, Ian Ignacio, Rich Asuncion and Carlo Gonzales. The cast includes of Roi Vinzon, Hailey Mendes and Marina Benipayo.

In a series of exciting cameo roles are Tonton Gutierrez, Sophie Albert, Kim Rodriguez, Addy Raj, Ronnie Henares, Mark Herras, and Gabby Eigenmann as Sen. Ricardo Sintallan.

The series is under the helm of director Dominic Zapata, who promised not to disappoint viewers. “I may have made some compromises in making this show, but I promise you, our viewers, that I am not compromising your trust in the craft. I will not compromise the quality and your expectations of Descendants of the Sun, and I will not compromise us Filipinos doing a Filipino adaptation of this widely loved Koreanovela,” he said.

With Julie Anne San Jose singing the theme song of the series, titled “You Are My Everything,” the series is headed by the SVP for Entertainment Group Lilybeth G. Rasonable and VP for Drama Redgie A. Magno.

Catch the world premiere of Descendants of the Sun (The Philippine Adaptation) tonight, after Anak ni Waray vs. Anak ni Biday on GMA.

Jennylyn MERCADO

DINGDONG DANTES

JASMINE CURTIS-SMITH

D3

D4

Style

Monday, February 10, 2020

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Maine to release new lipstick for makeup brand

T

HERE is no doubt that @mainedcm was MAC Cosmetics’ best-selling lipstick in the Philippines in 2018.

Stores could not keep the peachy beige shade in stock longer than an hour. In some stores, the lipstick was sold out in minutes. On the e-commerce platform Lazada, @mainedcm sold out in one minute.

People lined up outside SM Megamall the night before the actual release of the lipstick to get first dibs on the product.

MAC Cosmetics fittingly chose TV star and online sensation Maine Mendoza, the owner of the @mainedcm name on social media and creator of the lipstick, as the first Filipino #MACMaker because of her popularity. Aside from that, Mendoza is a known MAC user. At one point, as she played the role Yaya Dub on a noontime show, Mendoza’s signature lipstick was MAC’s iconic red matte Ruby Woo. When MAC was set to release @mainedcm, many people assumed it would be a red. Never one to be predictable, Mendoza surprised everyone with the peachy beige.

During an interview, she said red was Yaya Dub’s color. Maine, as a person, preferred more neutral tones. That was in 2018.

As a person and artist who continues to grow, Mendoza, again, surprised everyone as she announced the launch at her second collaboration with the makeup brand. “So thrilled to officially announce my collaboration with MAC Cosmetics once again! This time it’s different.” Mendoza told her millions of followers on social media. “Sharing with you my chosen color for this collab—a matte, deep red lipstick; and a bold red Lipglass. Always and forever a fan of red lippies, and I couldn’t be more proud to have my very own shade of red,

in a special gold packaging that makes it,” said Mendoza.

It’s not surprising that she is releasing another #MACMaker shade. Mendoza is the face of MAC’s Studio Fix line in the Philippines, the first celebrity to be accorded that honor.

As #MACMaker, she is the only celebrity to be tapped for the second time.

Aside from Mendoza, the other #MACMakers for 2020 are the Instagram account Barbie Style; Brazilian singer Iza; makeup artists and content creator Sam and Nicola Chapman; Jordanian makeup artist and beauty influencer Hindash, Chilean beauty María José López; Kuwaiti social-media celebrity Farah Al-Hady; Colombian TV presenter Maleja Restrepo; Kuwaiti makeup artist and YouTuber Lujain Al-Dhafery, YouTuber Rosy McMichael; actress Bonnie Strange; Lebanese model Nour Arida; blogger and makeup artist Natalina; Canadian ice dancer Tessa Virtue; Iraqi socialmedia influencer and blogger Dima Al-Sheikhly; content creator Lamuqe; and Dubai-based Lebanese content creator Maya Ahmad.

Back to Mendoza, I am glad that her new lipstick for MAC is a red that’s unlike Ruby Woo. It’s a dark red that’s so vampy, it looks almost maroon. The great thing about the release is that it will come with a matching Lipglass.

The two lip products will be available at all MAC stores nationwide and online at Lazada. ■

The ladies of Kathryn Bernardo’s glam team THE Keds Champion, the iconic shoe that started it all.

A QUICK scroll through Kathryn Bernardo’s Instagram account shows the star’s impeccable style. Whether it’s for a campaign, an official appearance or a simple relaxed day, fans are always treated to Kath’s eyecatching outfits.

A style icon in the making, Kath makes sure to only work with the best in the industry. For her first campaign with women’s sneaker brand Keds (www.

keds.com.ph), Kath was glammed up with her everreliable team which is mostly made up of women.

Save for her trusted hairstylist John Valle, Kath’s female glam powerhouse is composed of makeup artist Justine del Rosario, celebrity fashion stylist Jan Aranilla and photographer Charisma Lico. Kath’s Keds campaign, as well as the rest of the brand’s projects and efforts, resonate well with the 100-year-old Keds’s dedication to supporting ladies through the decades.

Kath and her glam team wear the Keds Champion, the iconic shoe that started it all. This is the very shoe that defines the term “classic sneaker;” after all, it was Keds who invented the term sneaker. Like Kath, the Champion is a symbol of style and classic elegance.

It is an American classic introduced in 1916, and is still popular today. Iconic women, including Audrey Hepburn, Marilyn Monroe, Yoko Ono and Taylor Swift have all worn the Champion, proving the shoe’s legacy of putting women first—one classic sneaker at a time.

BusinessMirror

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Monday, February 10, 2020

Constraints don’t have to be constraining T

How schmoozing helps men get ahead

By Zoë B. Cullen & Ricardo Perez-Truglia

C

By Laura Huang

The goal of the session was for students to hone their entrepreneurial instincts by trying to identify opportunities. But which teams made the most in profit?

Those that didn’t use the $5 at all.

We have a tendency to focus on constraints, and to think of them as a kind of adversity. But, in fact, constraints can be a form of advantage. When we own our constraints, magical things can happen—and the constraints can become tools to propel us forward.

So what kinds of companies did these teams who ignored the $5

and, therefore, saw themselves as “constraint agnostic” are?

One of my favorites was a team who hosted a “moving dinner:” each course—appetizers, main course and dessert—was at a different location, with a different set of people. Participants paid a flat fee in advance, which covered the preset menus that my students had arranged with each establishment. The students kept the profits. The problem that they had identified and aimed to solve? Networking isn’t always fun, and meeting new people isn’t

Skypixel | Dreamstime.com

here’s an exercise I used to do with students in my entrepreneurship course: I would give each team of students an envelope with $5 inside, and tell them that this was money they could use as start‑up capital to create any type of profitgenerating venture. At the end of one week, they would present their venture to the rest of the class, and reveal how much they had earned in profit.

always easy.

Constraints are inevitable, yes.

But rather than accepting them, we can discover and pay attention to them. We can recognize their value.

In many ways, we need them. When we notice constraints but we don’t let them define our possibilities, we can actually flip them to create an advantage.

A few weeks after the course ended, I received an invitation from one

of my students: The moving dinner had been such a success that they decided to make it a monthly event.

They were in the process of coordinating the next one, and they wanted me to attend. They charged me the discounted price of $5—and I had a wonderful time.

Laura Huang is an associate professor of business administration at Harvard Business School.

What will it take to stop coronavirus?

By Ranu S. Dhillon & Devabhaktuni Srikrishna

A

new respiratory coronavirus, 2019-nCoV, is rapidly spreading throughout China, where authorities have imposed an unprecedented travel lockdown in 16 cities with a combined population of over 50 million.

With no vaccine or treatment, the most effective way to stop 2019-nCoV’s spread is to limit t ra nsm ission by ident if y ing infected individuals as quickly as possible, and isolating them for treatment before they can infect others. Because 2019 nCoV, like SARS, causes common symptoms, such as a fever and coughing, and can only be distinguished from more routine illnesses with laboratory testing, the same playbook used against SARS could be adapted to counter 2019-nCoV:

concerning symptoms. Those who screen positive should be isolated and treated until tested and, if positive, quarantined until they are no longer capable of transmitting infection.

These strategies are already being implemented. However, if it turns out that asymptomatic transmission—transmitting the disease by someone who displays no symptoms—is possible, all contacts and people who have been exposed to areas with known transmission would also need to be tested, regardless of whether they show any signs

of illness. If people without symptoms are capable of transmitting the virus, it would be impossible to test entire city populations. These daunting challenges could be mitigated by using additional approaches not employed during the SARS crisis:

Home-based isolation

A system could immediately be established to take test samples from patients with concerning symptoms who are not severely ill and then send them home with protective respirator masks, instructions on hand-washing to prevent the further spread of the disease and or-

Rapid diagnostics

Another measure that could prove essential is the development of rapid, “point-of-care” diagnostic tests that do not require specialized equipment or technicians, and can provide results within minutes.

The 2019-nCoV epidemic is evolving by the hour. We need to move swiftly to respond to this threat.

By Will Tabor & James Vardaman

A

Ranu S. Dhillon is an instructor at Harvard Medical School. Devabhaktuni Srikrishna is the founder of Patient Knowhow.

© 2020 Harvard Business School Publishing Corp. (Distributed by The New York Times Syndicate)

Valeriy Kachaev | Dreamstime.com

People who have been around someone with a confirmed infection should be identified and monitored. If they develop any symptoms, they should be isolated and treated until laboratory testing can be done to determine if they have 2019-nCoV.

Because there are likely many unreported cases, we need to use a clinical case definition, a checklist of symptoms and risk factors suggestive of infection, to screen people not known to be contacts of infected people but who have

onsider the significant gender gap in promotions in companies around the world. McKinsey data shows that in the United States, 48 percent of entrylevel employees are women, but female representation falls to 38 percent at middlemanagement, 22 percent at the C-suite level and 5 percent at the CEO level.

Anecdotal accounts suggest this gender gap arises, at least partly, because men can schmooze with more powerful men in ways that are less accessible to women.

According to the old boys’ club hypothesis, a male employee transitioning to management should advance more quickly, because he’d have better access to a valuable network of male leaders.

Our evidence was consistent with this: Male employees advanced further in an organization after they were assigned to male managers, relative to how they would have fared if they were instead assigned to female managers. In contrast, a manager’s gender had no effect on female employees’ careers, and female employees assigned to female managers didn’t seem to enjoy the same advantage.

Were men able to advance faster under male bosses because they were able to schmooze more easily? Evidence suggests this was the case. We also collected sur-

vey data on how employees and managers socialized.

Did male employees interact with their managers more after they got assigned to a male boss? The data says yes.

The problem with this male-male advantage is it can generate a self-perpetuating cycle: Men are more likely to be promoted under male managers, hence they are more likely to become managers themselves and pass on the same advantage to their male subordinates.

Our back-of-the-envelope calculations suggest that schmoozing with the manager may be responsible for one-third of the gender gap in promotions.

Be aware that your relationship with your manager may affect your chances of being promoted. Make an effort to engage with your manager whenever you get the chance, and even create those opportunities if possible. If you’re shy, you’ll have to make an effort. If you’re a woman, you might have to try even harder.

Some advice if you’re managing an organization: To run a profitable business, you probably want to promote the employees who are best at their jobs, not just those who are best at schmoozing with their bosses.

Zoë B. Cullen is an assistant professor at Harvard University. Ricardo Perez-Truglia is an assistant professor at the University of California, Los Angeles.

How family businesses can attract nonfamily talent

ders to remain at home until the test results come back.

Contact tracing

Screening with clinical case definition

E1

lthough family members are often committed to the family business, they sometimes lack the skills and fortitude necessary to maintain it across generations. In response, family firms are increasingly hiring nonfamily employees to help their businesses survive and grow.

How can family businesses attract quality nonfamily employees?

Contrary to the conventional wisdom, our findings suggest that the answer is not to rely on traditional corporate hiring practices.

Our findings suggest that a winning strategy for family businesses is to embrace their inimitable familiness and highlight those cultural aspects that positively differentiate them, such as caring, trust and loyalty. Our research points to three specific ways family businesses can leverage this familiness to attract quality nonfamily personnel:

Leverage networks

Because of the family’s ties, and history, in a community or industry, family business leaders typically have vast social networks.

Instead of relying on the latest recruitment fads and trends, family businesses should look to these networks to identify like-minded, industrious recruits who share the family’s values.

Build a family

Integrity. Tradition. These qualities embody many family firms. By leveraging these cultural identities, family firms can gain a competitive advantage in hiring. Family businesses often go above and beyond to create a culture of caring, and concern, for all employees.

Signal stability and longevity

While some prospective employees may be concerned by the limited promotional opportunities within family firms, the family’s involvement may reassure others of the firm’s strength and permanence.

By highlighting their strengths instead of attempting to mitigate their weaknesses, family businesses can attract talented employees and avoid human capital deficits.

Will Tabor is an assistant professor at Belhaven University. James Vardaman is an associate professor at Mississippi State University.

Education BusinessMirror

E2 Monday, February 10, 2020

Editor: Lyn Resurreccion

As it aims to grow profitability with expansion in the Philippines and abroad

Phinma Education seeks to benefit more students

P

By Roderick L. Abad @rodrik_28 Contributor

hinma Education is targeting to educate about 88,000 Filipino youth by 2021, with its aggressive expansion in key cities nationwide.

According to Phinma Education President and CEO Chito B. Salazar the company set to open a new campus for the third outlet of their pioneering school, the Phinma Araullo University in San Jose, Nueva Ecija, in June.

“We hope to serve that market and the southernmost market of Nueva Vizcaya,” he said during a news briefing held at Phinma headquarters in Rockwell, Makati City.

For the third branch of Phinma Cagayan de Oro College, Salazar said the education firm is looking for a property to acquire in Iligan City to build the campus next year.

The upcoming academic insti-

tutions form part of the firm’s pl a n to acqu i re a nd operate schools in strategic urban areas in the Philippines, and in other Southeast Asian countries.

“We intend to use the fund we’ve raised to help continue in expanding our capacity,” Salazar said of the P1.875-billion investments from foreign investors, such as India-based private equity firm Kaizenvest, the Dutch entrepreneurial development bank, and Asian Development Bank.

“Our academic and business model is designed primarily to cater to the needs, challenges and aspirations of underserved youth. The

PHINMA Education President and CEO Chito B. Salazar (left) presents to the guests and members of the media the company’s milestones during a briefing held at their headquarters in Rockwell, Makati City.

company brings in partnerships that will support our mission in the Philippines, and in the rest of the region, as well,” said Phinma Corp.

President and CEO Ramon R. del Rosario Jr. The company is currently operating a total of seven educational institutions in 10 campuses in the cities of Manila, Quezon, Cabanatuan in Nueva Ecija, Cebu in Cebu province

in the Visayas, Cagayan de Oro, Dagupan in Pangasinan, and Iloilo in Iloilo province on Panay Island— serving a total of 74,000 students.

Among them is the Republican College in Cubao, Quezon City, which the company bought in December of 2019.

The second school of Phinma Education in the National Capital Region, next to Phinma Saint Jude

College in Dangwa, Manila, will later be renamed as Phinma College Quezon City.

“We actually hope to have a total of 30,000 students in Metro Manila alone,” Salazar said. “We believe we can do the same in Laguna.”

According to Salazar, the company is in negotiation with two schools in Laguna, which he refused to name yet. He said: “We hope to close the deals in the next three months.”

Phinma Education is also eyeing to penetrate Davao “over the next few years,” Salazar disclosed.

While the firm is confident of the future of the local education sector, it is also bullish on the growing academic requirement in the Asean region.

Initially, the firm has set up a training center in Myanmar.

It has also ventured in Indonesia with its first purchased school called Stikes Kharisma Karawang, which is mainly focused on health services or nursing and information technology.

“We are also in negotiation for our second school in Indonesia, the Universitas Kartini in Surabaya,”

Salazar said.

He added that they work with an Indonesia nongovernment organization, Horizon Educational Foundation, to acquire schools and to act as their management-partner.

“Our vision is actually [to have] 100,000 to 150,000 students in Indonesia in 10 to 12 years. We have identified key provinces we’d like to be in—Medan, Karawang, Jakarta, Semara and Surabaya,” he said.

He said the education firm also aims to enter Cambodia, Lao PDR and Vietnam in the next five years.

Profit-wise, he disclosed that the company is seeking to generate close to P3 billion in revenue, and earn about P685 million in net income this fiscal year ending in March, or 20 percent and 12 percent higher than the same period last year, respectively.

As to the company’s managed schools in other Southeast Asian markets, Phinma is also expected to produce the same level of returnon-investments (ROI). “[The board] expects us to be [doing a] ’double-digit’ ROI in three to five years,” del Rosario said.

DOST offers scholarships to grad students from Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar 396 3rd year college students

qualify as DOST-JLSS Scholars

T

he Department of Science and Technology extended its scholarship program to its Southeast Asian neighbors through the “DOST Scholarship Offerings for Asean Researchers in Cambodia-Lao PDR-Myanmar [CLM].”

Under the program, graduate students from the three Asean member-states may apply for scholarship, and pursue their masters and doctorate degrees in various fields of science and engineering at partner universities (De La Salle University, University of the Philippines Diliman, UP Los Baños and UP Manila).

Current CLM scholars were welcomed by Science Secretary Fortunato de la Peña in a get-together held on January 22, at the DOSTScience Education Institute (DOSTSEI) office in Taguig City.

This was the second time DOST and partner university officials met with CLM scholarship recipients.

The students thanked the DOST and the government and talked about their experiences as scholars in the country.

De la Peña emphasized the importance of friendship in the Asean, and reminded the scholars that they have a mission to fulfill.

“We are very happy that we continue to make an impact in the Asean region by having this international scholarship program. This program is actually a pioneering one, maybe not just for the DOST, but for the Philippine government, as well. We are happy to assist our Asean counterparts, and exemplify what the mantra ‘Asean helping Asean’ truly means,” the chief executive said.

T

DOST and university officials feted new and current DOST scholars from Cambodia, Lao PDR and Myanmar on January 22, at the DOST Compound, in Taguig City. DOST-SEI

Also, present at the event were Science Undersecretary for Scientific and Technical Services Dr. Renato Solidum Jr.; Assistant Secretary for International Cooperation Dr. Leah Buendia; Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development Executive Director Dr. Reynaldo Ebora; Science Education Institute Director Dr. Josette Biyo; SEI Deputy Director Engr. Albert Mariño, and representatives of the universities.

Solidum said science, technology and innovation are the three most important pillars that can drive the Southeast Asian countries to achieve global competitiveness and sustainable growth.

“To strengthen our efforts, we need all the help we can get from our people and our partners from the international scientific community,” he said.

Since the program’s inception in 2017, SEI acts as implementing agency and visits the three countries to hold applicant screening sessions.

On its first year of implementation, 14 masters students and four doctorate candidates passed.

Now on its second year, the number of scholars increased to 25, with 20 taking their MS and 5 pursuing their PhD in genetics, entomology, environmental science, environmental engineering, agronomy, public health, clinical medicine,

electronics and communications engineering, civil engineering, energy engineering, mechanical engineering, and chemical engineering, among others.

Eleven scholars are from Cambodia, 11 from Myanmar and three from Lao PDR. Biyo encouraged the scholars to finish the program and give back to their respective countries.

“Be an inspiration to others who wish to pursue graduate studies in the Philippines. Hopefully, we’ll be able to accommodate more CLM scholars in the future.”

SEI will visit CLM embassies in March to interview applicants for the next batch of scholars. Lovely B. Aquino/S&T Media Service

hree hundred ninety-six third-year college students enrolled in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) degrees across the country qualified for the Junior Level Science Scholarship (JLSS) of the Department of Science and Technology-Science Education Institute (DOST-SEI).

The successful examinees include 41 Bicolanos who took the scholarship examination held on June 2, 2019.

DOST-JLSS is an undergraduate scholarship program aimed to provide scholarships to finance the education of talented and deserving students in their third year of college, as they pursue STEM degree programs, and ensure a steady and adequate supply of qualified human resources who can steer the country toward national progress.

JLSS has three scholarships schemes mandated by law: 1. Republic Act (RA) 10612 aims to strengthen the country’s S&T education by fast-tracking graduates in STEM who shall teach in secondary schools throughout the country.

2. RA 7687 (“S&T Scholarship Program of 1994”) provides scholarships to talented and deserving students whose families’ socioeconomic status does not exceed the set cut-off values of certain indicators.

The qualifiers pursue priority fields of study in the basic sciences, engineering, other applied sciences, and science and mathematics teaching.

3. RA 2067 (Merit Scholarship) is awarded to students with high aptitude in science and mathematics

and are willing to pursue careers in the fields of S&T. The 41 Bicolano JLSS qualifiers has their Scholarship Orientation and Signing of Scholarship Agreement on January 31, at the DOST V Conference Room, Rawis, Legazpi City.

Most of the student-qualifiers are enrolled in state universities and colleges (35), community colleges (three) and private higher education institutions (three), and taking up BSE Biological Science, Mathematics and Biology; and BS Information Technology, Computer Science, Engineering (Civil and Electronics) and Geology.

RA 10612 and RA 7687 scholars enjoy the scholarship benefits for two to three years until graduation, including tuition subsidy, monthly stipend and book allowance, among others.

Merit Scholars, on the other hand, are provided with same benefits, except for the prorated monthly stipend based on the scholar’s family socioeconomic status.

The DOST family, through Science Secretary Fortunato T. de la Peña and Emelita P. Bagsit, OIC, Office of the Regional Director, DOST V, congratulated the student-qualifiers, and their equally proud parents and welcomed them as DOST Scholars of the Nation.

As the country’s future scientific work force, DOST scholars serve as role models and inspire their peers as they exemplify the core values of academic excellence, professional integrity and leadership. Dr. P.O. Lucena/Ms. R.A. Asuncion/Mr. M.F.L. Miranda, DOST V/S&T Media Service

Searca Director’s Choice and DepEd Secretary’s Choice received $500, and the People’s Choice Award, $200.

The winning photos and the rest of

the finalists may be viewed at https:// photocontest.searca.org/.

The Searca photo contest is annually held and is launched every September.

Filipinos sweep Southeast Asian-wide photo contest

F

our Filipinos won five of the six top prizes in the 13th Photo Contest of the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (Searca) with the theme “Cultivating Southeast Asia’s Youth Agripreneurs.”

The winners are Mariano Sayno, first prize; Phan Thi Khanh of Vietnam, second prize; Jose Ramos, third prize; and Christopher Andres, People’s Choice Award.

Jaime Singlador bagged the Searca Director’s Choice and the Philippine Department of Education Secretary’s Choice, both new special prize categories.

Sayno’s photo shows a mother-and-

son tandem in the town of Laguna, which is known for its duck-raising cottage industry.

The photo that bested 761 other entries depicts a young boy cheerfully holding a duck as he watches his mother place freshly laid eggs in a basket.

Phan’s photo captured a grandmother-granddaughter team patching a fishnet in the coastal city of Hue, Vietnam.

Ramos’s winning entry is of a brighteyed young boy who appears to be listening to an adult man as they gather weeds in a rice paddy.

Andres, which garnered over 1,400 likes on Facebook, shows two young

men, the older one teaching the other how to plant seedlings.

The photo that bagged the Searca Director’s Choice, Dr. Glenn Gregorio, is a refreshing image of two young girls and their grandmother in a cut flower farming scene.

For the DepEd Secretary’s Choice, Dr. Leonor Magtolis Briones selected a photo of children studying outdoors in a rural farming community.

With the contest, Searca hopes that more young people would be inspired to involve themselves in agricultural pursuits.

Gregorio said Searca wants young Southeast Asians to see the agriculture sector as an attractive business

proposition that will earn for them a decent living, allow them to stay with their families, and one that will create a vibrant rural economies in their communities.

The winning photos were among the 762 entries submitted by 235 professional and amateur Southeast Asian photographers from 10 countries from September to November 2019. Although most of the entries were from the Philippines, Myanmar, Indonesia and Vietnam, entries from Thailand and Lao PDR were also among the top 15 finalists.

The top 3 winners received cash prizes of $1,000, $800 and $500, respectively, while the winners of the

Marketing BusinessMirror

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Monday, February 10, 2020 E3

Communications in the age of coronavirus

F

PR Matters

By Millie F. Dizon

Movie Review: The First Big Action Film of 2020 is ‘Birds of Prey’ by Director Cathy Yan, And Here’s Why

MANILA, PHILIPPINES—When Harley Quinn was first introduced in Batman: The Animated Series in 1992, she was just supposed to be a throwaway character, a henchman for the Joker that just supposed to be cast aside. Somehow, through the voice acting of Arleen Sorkin, the animation and stories of Paul Dini and Bruce Timm, and just her interactions with other characters, Harley became popular. She even found her way from TV to comics, one of the unusual instances when that has happened because, usually, the crossover goes the other way around. Twenty-eight years after her debut, Harley is the undisputed lead character in her own motion picture, Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn).

Following the events of 2016’s Suicide Squad, the Joker breaks up with Harley (Margot Robbie) and kicks her out of their house. Despite the toxic nature of their relationship, Harley doesn’t tell everyone about the breakup because she’s practically untouchable in Gotham’s criminal underworld as the Joker’s girlfriend.

At a nightclub owned by sadistic mobster Roman Sionis (Ewan Mc-

n 9 a.m. The mainland China death toll increased by 65 for Tuesday to 490 all in Hubei province. The number of confirmed cases shot up by 3,887, a record, to 24,324. n 8:32 a.m. Japan’s health ministry said 10 people on a cruise liner docked off the port of Yokohama have tested positive for the virus. n 7:30 a.m. Disney says it expects its theme parks in Shanghai and Hong Kong to be shut for two months. The company said it has not seen evidence of the Tokyo Disney operation being impacted by the outbreak.

On January 30, 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) labeled coronavirus a global health emergency. And from the way face masks are flying off the shelves, and major events are being canceled, the coronavirus has deeply affected our everyday lives.

In an article, The Implications of Coronavirus for Communicators, on prnewsonline. com, Seth Arenstein says that “the virus is now a PR story. It involves internal and external communications, as well as reputation management.”

Similarly, in an article, Coronavirus: Keep Calm and Carry On? on PRWeek, Jonathan Owen says that, “what began as a handful of cases of pneumonia in Wuhan City—in China’s Hubei province—less than a month ago, is now a major health emergency and a critical comms challenge as global, public and private-sector organizations seek to strike the balance between keeping people informed and avoiding panic.”

Owen also quotes the WHO’s comms advice to governments that effective comms and engagement work “builds trust in the response and increases the probability that health advice will be followed. It minimizes and manages rumors, and mis-

Gregor), Harley meets lounge singer Dinah Lance (Jurnee Smollett-Bell).

When a drunk Harley injures Sionis’s driver and is threatened by Sionis’s thugs, Dinah saves Harley and impresses Sionis who, in turn, makes Dinah his new driver.

Hours later, Det. Renee Montoya (Rosie Perez) of the Gotham City Police Department (GCPD) arrives at Ace Chemicals after Harley blows it up since it was a special place for her and the Joker. Montoya theorizes that every crook in Gotham will now hunt Harley down as revenge for her many crimes against them.

Meanwhile, young pickpocket Cassandra Cain (Ella Jay Basco) steals a diamond from Sionis’s henchman Victor Zsasz (Chris Messina) and swallows it, not realizing the significance of the gem.

When Zsasz tells Sionis about Cass’s theft of the gem, the latter places a bounty on the kid, who Montoya has just arrested. One of those going after the bounty is Helena Bertinelli (Mary Elizabeth Winstead), someone dubbed “the crossbow killer,” who has her own reasons for going after the diamond.

In the middle of all this chaos is Harley, struggling to find her place in the world post-Joker, and wondering if she still wants to be a villain or might want to turn over a new leaf.

In just her fifth film as a director, Cathy Yan becomes the first Asian woman to direct a superhero film and it’s a doozy. Completely nonlinear in its storytelling (mirroring Harley’s own nonlinear thinking and possible schizophrenia), Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation

Deyangeorgiev | Dreamstime.com

OR the past few weeks, the coronavirus has swept headlines. Nikkei Asian Review, which is tracking the spread of the new coronavirus, gave the following updates on February 5:

understandings that undermine responses and may lead to further disease spread.”

With this, even iconic global brands have let the public know about their safety precautions, which in a sense is PR. Arenstein says that during an Apple earnings call on January 29, CEO Tim Cook said that the company is “conducting temperature checks for [China-based] employees” and “frequently deep-cleaning our stores.” It’s also closed several outlets in China.

He notes that Amazon’s response also emphasized staff.

“We place tremendous value, and focus on the well-being and safety of our employees,” the Amazon official told Business Insider. “Out of an abundance of caution, we are restricting business travel to and from China.”

While Facebook was one of the first companies to make virus-related headlines, restricting nonessential travel to China from January 27, it did not make this directive public.

Bloomberg instead got the story.

For some PR pros, there’s no reason to broadcast internal

of One Harley Quinn) is a completely different entry into the current decade plus of superhero and comic book-based motion pictures.

After sharing top billing with Will Smith and Jared Leto in Suicide Squad, Robbie is the undisputed center of attention this time around.

She is clearly having fun bringing Harley to life, perhaps, allowing Robbie to not be pigeonholed as the beautiful ingenue that Hollywood tends to cast her as. Also, acting as one of the film’s producers proves how invested Robbie is in this. The mere title of the movie should give people a clue on how relatively light and unserious Birds of Prey is, especially in the wake of last year’s critically acclaimed Joker. With the #MeToo movement generating steam for the past few years, having Harley free herself from the toxic nature of her relationship with the Joker was quite refreshing but it was also honest in presenting how difficult it was for Harley to get her ex out of her mind.

It also goes against type by casting Smollett-Bell as Dinah a.k.a. the Black Canary since Katie Cassidy and Juliana Harkavy have portrayed the character very differently in the DC TV universe for the past eight years. Smollett-Bell’s Canary is mired in the underworld and is a police informant, as well as someone who hesitates to reveal the extent of her own powers. In the case of Winstead’s Huntress, who was previously played by Jessica de Gouw on TV’s Arrow, the tragedy of the Bertinelli family murders and the quest for revenge remains, although Winstead’s

directives. Hannah Patel, the United Kingdom director of the firm Red Lorry Yellow Lorry, recommends that companies avoid “making a proactive comment unless this could directly impact their customers or staff.”

When you determine that you need to comment, she says, “release the facts you have quickly and clearly—making the information as accessible as possible.”

She adds that, “while some media are sensationalizing the issue, our advice is to stick to the facts. Admit what you don’t know, as well as what you do.

There’s no room for opinion in situations like this.”

Hinda Mitchell, president and founder of the Inspire PR Group, says that “communicating on public health issues is a balance between transparency, and avoiding unnecessary panic where none is warranted.”

In places where there could be more risk, such as in the travel industry where large groups gather, “straightforward, fact-based communication and links to relevant

version still seems lighter and more open to working with a team.

Montoya was first seen in live action form played by Victoria Cartagena in Gotham. Her role there was pretty minor though, almost forgettable compared to her characterization in comics. With Perez as Montoya, there’s more weight to the role as this is someone who was an effective cop but was passed over for promotion by her glory hound partner. Newcomer Basco’s Cassandra Cain is probably the most different from her comic counterpart as she is nothing close to the hero that Cassandra has been in the source material. That doesn’t mean Basco isn’t any good though, she brings a youthfulness, a slight innocence, yet still with some swagger, thus causing Harley’s maternal instincts to kick in.

The most underrated performance in the film, in my opinion, is Messina as Victor Zsasz. With his colored hair and goatee, Messina looks completely different than he has in previous prominent roles like in You’ve Got Mail, The Newsroom, The Mindy Project and Sharp Objects. His Zsasz is still a bloodthirsty killer, just not as obsessed with weapons as Anthony Carrigan was on Gotham but remains a nutjob in Messina’s version. McGregor also seems to love playing the over the top maniacal villain in Sionis after being such a good guy and tortured soul for most of his film and TV work. It does go into ham acting territory for McGregor, but that’s okay since a personality like Harley

third-party experts will help assure accuracy,” Mitchell adds.

Arenstein also quotes Matt Yemma, SVP of Peaks Strategies, who says “companies and governments would be wise to learn from the Boeing example [the 737 Max air disasters], and lead the conversation with facts and assurances they are doing everything possible to keep people safe and healthy.”

Owen, on the other hand, quotes some comms experts who spoke to PRWeek. Alex Davies, director at Hanover Health, says that “public agencies need to tackle people’s initial cynicism, and explain why it could be a real health emergency.” And when communicating, “keep it clear, make it tangible and explain the risks.”

Mike Birtwistle, founding partner of Incisive, says that health comms “will need to provide clarity about what is a rapidly evolving situation.

Updates should be timely, but must focus on facts rather than speculation.”

Ranjeet Kale, director of comms and stakeholder engage-

needs somebody almost as big as McGregor’s Sionis to play off of.

That then might be the key to appreciating the performances of the actors in Birds of Prey, most if not all of them played against type in their roles here. It would probably be easier to just assemble a team of female superheroes fighting against a mobster and his henchmen but this motion picture instead goes the other way. A team composed of a psychologist turned nutty super villain, a lounge singer hiding her powers, a daughter of a crime family looking for revenge, a cop who doesn’t play well with others, and an Asian-American teen with itchy fingers are brought together to face a nightclub owner/ mobster with a fixation on African tribal gear. That’s quite an entertaining way to open the superhero/ comic film genre for 2020.

Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn) opens on February 6, in Philippine cinemas.

Brand & Business: UltraSuperNew Gets its House in Order for 2020 and Opens New Office in Taiwan

SINGAPORE—Twenty-twenty has begun with a bang for independent creative hot shop UltraSuperNew (USN). The Singapore office has hired a wealth of talent and promoted internally to support its flourishing growth, and the independent network expands with a brand-new office in Taiwan.

Sarah Emmanuel-Cheong who

ment at South West London and St. George’s Mental Health NHS Trust, has remarked that “with the emergence of any new disease, it is a fine balance that has to be struck by public health communicators. We have to make sure people have access to the facts quickly, while being mindful not to add any underlying anxiety.”

And social media, with its speed and reach, “can be a key tool in sharing fact-based information that can dispel any myths.”

PR Matters is a roundtable column by members of the local chapter of the United Kingdom-based International Public Relations Association, the world’s premier association for senior professionals around the world. Millie F. Dizon, the senior vice president for marketing and communications of SM, is the former local chairman.

We are devoting a special column each month to answer the reader’s questions about public relations. Please send your comments and questions to askipraphil@gmail.com.

joined from TBWA a year ago has been promoted to the role of general manager, while previous MD, Jean-Francois Thery, moves to grow the agency’s business across the Asia-Pacific region. Both will report directly to cofounder Marc Wesseling.

The creative department welcomes senior art director, Widad Ismail from TBWA, and in account management, Mohammed Haziq joins from Tribal DDB, while Jerald Chan steps up to an account manager role.

UltraSuperNew Gallery—USN’s noncommercial creative playground—welcomes Nerissa Tan as gallery curator and manager. A Winston Oh Travelogue Award Winner, Nerissa recently oversaw USN’s participation in Singapore’s ArtWalk Little India, and curated a new mural by the artist, Jaba. She will continue to showcase young Singaporean talents with a focus on experimental work.

The Taiwan office opened its doors this January with Shan Yu Chia, associate creative director, heading up the creative department. The new office kicks off by creating campaigns for Uber Eats, in partnership with Special Group.

Emmanuel-Cheong, general manager, UltraSuperNew Singapore said: “The UltraSuperNew team has grown so much in such a short time, and I am privileged to be tasked by Marc with this responsibility to lead us in the new decade. Twenty-twenty is going to see lots of growth for the agency, and everyone is fired up to show that underdog spirit.”

Perspective BusinessMirror

E4 Monday, February 10, 2020

www.businessmirror.com.ph

FIGHTING CORONAVIRUS FEAR WITH EMPATHY

Lessons learned from how Africans got blamed for Ebola

By Kevin J.A. Thomas Pennsylvania State University

THE CONVERSATION

W

Based on research I conducted for a book about the Ebola crisis and prejudice against certain groups of people associated with it, I fear that Americans might make immigrants the villain instead of the virus during the coronavirus epidemic.

There’s reason for concern.

Since the first case of the coronavirus was discovered in December 2019, it has affected more than 20,000 people, including 11 in the US.

If the US’ experience with epidemics tell us anything, it is that these events will be followed by increased public attention aimed at immigrants from China. This is because during epidemics, attention is typically focused on groups from countries where they started. And, this attention is rarely accompanied by an understanding of immigrants’ complicated experiences.

More often, it is about blame.

Chinese immigrants in Canada already are reporting examples of xenophobia. Several students at the University of California, Berkeley complained about what they considered to be a xenophobic Instagram post from the university after news of the coronavirus; the university deleted the post.

As I argue, based on research presented in my book Global Epidemics, Local Implications: African Immigrants and the Ebola Crisis in Dallas, the experience of African immigrants during the Ebola epidemic in 2014 can provide us with important lessons about how the US and its people should respond.

This does not imply that the Ebola virus and the new coronavirus are similar. Yet, there are important facets of African immigrants’ experiences during the Ebola crisis that can inform how Americans think about the current experiences of Chinese immigrants.

Fear and concern for loved ones far away

FOR starters, the public tends to ignore the fears and traumas experienced by immigrants who see epidemics unfolding in their origin countries.

Some immigrants experience the devastation firsthand, because they had traveled to their countries of origin when the outbreak occurred. During the 2014 Ebola epidemic, for example, African immigrants visiting West Africa when the outbreak began lived through the ensuing social disorder, witnessed the rising death toll and feared infection from the deadly virus.

SKYPIXEL | DREAMSTIME.COM

ITH corona­ virus cases exploding in China, the US is once again re­ sponding to a glob­ al epidemic. Five years ago, when the Ebola virus in­ fected more than 28,000 people in 10 countries, many people were sur­ prised to learn that four of these cases were diagnosed on US soil.

More often, however, immigrants experience outbreaks from afar. During the Ebola epidemic, my research shows that immigrants who remained in the US were not spared from these emotional experiences. While advances in global travel and communications technology have helped immigrants maintain connections with these countries, they also provide channels through which the consequences of disease outbreaks abroad are experienced.

News of the mounting deaths of family members created a paralyzing feeling for immigrants in the US who knew that they couldn’t risk traveling to the endemic countries abroad. At the same time, they felt being guilty about their inability to participate in customary burial rites.

But worst of all, blame

IN addition to fear and guilt, however, immigrants often experience a great deal of blame. During the Ebola crisis, negative responses from Americans who used caricatures of immigrants’ ethnicity to stigmatize them as carriers of disease only worsened immigrants’ stress and fear. For example, many

heard racist tropes about Africans’ presumed penchant for kissing corpses and their habit of consuming exotic beasts.

In this current coronavirus epidemic, we have already begun to see the rise of xenophobia and the use of ethnic stereotypes about Chinese consumption of exotic meats to link the presumed cultural practices of Chinese immigrants with the spread of the virus.

Such negative reactions are not new. They are similar to past public reactions that blamed Russian Jews for the 1892 typhoid epidemic and Italians for the spread of polio in 1916.

Stigmatizing immigrants does nothing to contribute to the fight against epidemics. Instead, such actions are usually counterproductive because they fail to incorporate immigrants into broader efforts to combat the spread of disease.

How immigrant communities help

IMMIGRANT communities provide a critical line of defense for detecting, monitoring and preventing the spread of the disease, as I discuss in my book. With Ebola, these included the development

of strategies to prevent the spread of the virus and improve public health by African immigrants after the first case of Ebola was discovered in the US. Accordingly, African immigrant communities promoted initiatives to discourage travel to affected countries. They also helped develop systems for ensuring that Africans returning from these countries abide by quarantine period required by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Beyond these actions, West African immigrants took other practical steps to reduce personto-person transmissions of Ebola, while also supporting efforts to address the consequences of the disease abroad. In addition, these immigrants promoted the practice of frequent hand-washing with chlorine-based solutions and discouraged social norms of hand-shaking withing their communities. These actions were complemented by efforts to assist in contact tracing, the identification of people who may have come in contact with infected persons.

Building on these initiatives, they also collaborated with local businesses and other mainstream

institutions to care for families affected by Ebola and assisted humanitarian organizations working to combat the spread of disease in West Africa.

When a nation responds to epidemics by stigmatizing immigrants, it misses opportunities to build strategic coalitions for preventing the spread of viruses. Now that the first person-to-person transmission of the coronavirus has been confirmed in the US, the need for such coalitions has become more urgent.

In my view, our nation’s response to Chinese immigrant communities should be based on actions informed by facts and not fear. Without such actions, we risk failure in our attempts to build the resilient communities needed to prevent the occurrence of a greater public health emergency within our borders.

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article here: https://theconversation. com/fighting-coronavirus-fearwith-empathy-lessons-learnedfrom-how-africans-got-blamed-forebola-130997.

In this current coronavirus epidemic, we have already begun to see the rise of xenophobia and the use of ethnic stereotypes about Chinese consumption of exotic meats to link the presumed cultural practices of Chinese immigrants with the spread of the virus.