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The 16-decker MS Oasis of the Seas is scheduled to be the first Royal Caribbean cruise ship to include the Subic Bay Freeport on its Asian itinerary.

Subic calling SUBIC FREEPORT BEEFS UP FACILITIES IN BID TO BECOME GLOBAL CRUISE SHIP DESTINATION

By Henry Empeño | Special to the BusinessMirror

advertently became Subic visitors when their ship was diverted from Manila because of some high-level Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation meetings in November 2015. Even the 7107 Islands Cruise, which was billed as the first cruise ship to fly the Philippine flag, did not sail past the first salvo after it announced in February 2009 that Subic would be its home port. Now, Subic’s patience and faith may finally pay off, as it girds to welcome in June one of the world’s largest cruise ships, the MS Oasis of the Seas, to start what is expected to be a regular route that would finally make Subic a global cruise ship destination.

UBIC BAY FREEPORT—Subic has shifted to higher gear its preparations to become a global cruise ship destination, a long-held dream that is fast becoming a reality. Just like the exotic tropics of Bali and Lombok in Indonesia, Phuket in Thailand and Langkawi in Malaysia, the Subic Bay Freeport has much to offer in terms of raw adventure, picturesque landscape and indigenous culture. And then, just like the urban jungles of Hong Kong, Taiwan and Singapore, it also has the man-made allures of theme parks, hotels and shops that the weary world traveler may look for. This combination has fueled hopes that this former American military resupply and rest-and-

recreation facility may one day welcome upon its shores foreign visitors that would come in droves to frolic on its beaches, trek inside its triple-canopied rainforests, or learn the ancient ways of the native Ayta tribe. But cruise ship visits, alas, had been few and far in between. In recent memory, only two small cruise ships had ventured into Subic Bay: MV Spirit of Adventure, which brought in 378 passengers and 201 crewmembers in February 2012; and MV Silver Shadow, whose 700 guests and crew in-

IMPRESSIVE SITES

Subic checked out as a potential cruise ship itinerary during a two-day visit here in December of officials of the cruise vacation giant Royal Caribbean International SBMA Chairman and Administrator Wilma T. Eisma (right) briefs Royal Caribbean president for China and North Asia Pacific Region Zinan Liu and his team during an inspection of the Alava Pier in the Subic Bay Freeport

Continued on A2

2018 should be year of ads that respect consumers

By Roger Pe

The world has heard many culturally, religiously and politically incorrect jokes. Racist, gender and other kinds of jokes proliferate on social media. Physically challenged people are the most common target. The overweight, pug-nosed, dark-skinned, the list could fill up a page. At this age, too, many people still subscribe to the idea that “women with whiter skin are prettier”. Thus, we see too many skinwhitening products surfacing in the local market and Pinays, even

men, gobble them up, all wanting to look like Snow White. Name it, women had been there to sell practically every brand on the planet. Advertisers and their ad agencies will not stop to venture far beyond their imagination, even bordering on the bizarre. Have you heard about using suicide to sell a car? Two well-known brands made global headlines because of the rhubarb their respective ad campaigns created. Not because they swept awards one after the other from

PESO exchange rates n US 49.8790

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ot all jokes are funny. One joke can be funny to Steve, but not to Dave or vice versa. Another joke can be funny to Pietro, but not to Pedro.

the world’s biggest advertising festivals but because their bright ideas spawned controversies. A car brand and its ad agency publicly apologized for a commercial they produced, showing a man trying to kill himself with the exhaust fumes from his new vehicle. The commercial was about the car’s clean-air emission feature. To dramatize it, the ad showed the car windows all taped up and a hose running from the exhaust pipe to the house. Soon, fumes filled it up, but we see the man still breathing hardly without a headache. According to the World Health Organization, one person commits suicide somewhere in the world every 40 seconds. The ad may have triggered some viewers to relive painful memories about loved ones that did the same. This is probably what happened to Holly Brockwell, a Lon-

don advertising copywriter. In her blog, Brockwell said her father killed himself in the same way as was shown in the ad. She posted a photo of her father's suicide note and wrote to the carmaker. Here, we are reprinting it: “I’ve worked on automotive accounts. I actually worked on a Japanese brand. And strangely, not once did it seem that the best way—the most intelligent way, the most creative way—to advertise their products to people was to remind them of the horrendous event that is suicide. Strangely enough, I could— and still can—think of a thousand more interesting, creative ideas that wouldn’t have left me feeling like I’ve just lost my dad all over again. So, I’d like to ask that next time you want to tell the world about a new innovation in car design, you think about it for a little bit longer. Think

n japan 0.4425 n UK 67.6110 n HK 6.3808 n CHINA 7.6808 n singapore 37.5850 n australia 39.2149 n EU 60.2089 n SAUDI arabia 13.3003

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Subic calling Continued from A1

(RCI), Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) Chairman and Administrator Wilma Eisma said. For two days last December, Eisma hosted Dr. Zinan Liu, who is RCI president for China and North Asia Pacific Region, his assistant Anna Lian and company director Antonio Muresu, as they went on to gauge Subic’s potential in the international cruise-tourism scene. RCI, which is a cruise line brand based in Miami, Florida, is reportedly expanding its cruise ship line in view of a growing Asian market. The company is owned by Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. (RCCL), a global cruise vacation firm that operates 24 ships in more than 500 destinations around the world, and controls about 22 percent of the global cruise market. It was after the two-day assessment that Liu had confirmed the June schedule for Oasis of the Seas, with a 12-hour stop for the cruise ship at the Subic Bay Freeport. Liu and his team, along with Isabela Vice Governor Antonio Albano, were in Subic on December 16 and 17 for an ocular inspection of possible places of interests in Subic and nearby Bataan and came out “visibly impressed”, Eisma said. The tour included theme parks like Zoobic Safari and Ocean Adventure, the premier vacation hotel Segara Villas, as well as the Philippine heritage destination Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar in Bagac, Bataan, which are prospective destinations for cruise passengers.

“We were able to show the president of Royal Caribbean how beautiful Subic and the communities around it are, and for that, Subic will be part of the cruise ship’s itinerary,” Eisma said. In particular, Liu noted that the Subic area also has attractions for people interested in culture, history and religion. Eisma said the cruise ship official also saw that the Subic Freeport’s modern amenities gave it a unique quality not found among most free-port zones. Liu’s group also checked out Subic’s Alava Pier, where Oasis of the Seas is set to dock in June. Alava, which is the biggest pier among Subic’s 15 berths, services passenger and military ships during their stay in the Subic Bay Freeport.

PROSPECTS

The MS Oasis of the Seas is said to provide some of the most modern cruise experiences today, with facilities named after famous tourism areas like the Central Park, Boardwalk and Royal Promenade. The ship also has a Pool and Sports Zone, Vitality at Sea Spa and Fitness Center, Entertainment Place, and Youth Zone that features a surf simulator, cantilevered whirlpools suspended 112 feet above the ocean, and zip line. The ship is 1,187 feet in length, has a 216-foot beam and contains 16 passenger decks. It is said to be capable of carrying 6,400 passengers, along with 3,900 officers and crew. Eisma had assured RCI officials during their ocular inspection of Subic that the Freeport will offer the

best tourism facilities and services for cruise ship passengers and crew, tailored tourism experiences and a safe environment conducive to the cruise vacation business. In return for these, Subic and its business establishments stand to gain a huge financial windfall each time that a cruise ship like Oasis of the Seas arrives. Eisma estimated that should each Oasis passenger spend $100 during their stay here, “that would mean at least P40 million in income for local businesses in a single day.” For the SBMA, that would also translate to bigger gains to the port and tourism sectors, which are already the biggest earners in the past several years. According to SBMA figures, the number of visitors to the Freeport increased by 7 percent from the 2016 figure of 7.89 million to 8.43 million in 2017, while tourist arrivals grew from 1.52 million in 2016 to 1.58 million in 2017. Meanwhile, income from Subic port operations increased by 3 percent from P1.137 billion in 2016 to P1.173 billion last year. The cruise ship industry in Subic is expected to provide heftier bulk benefits to both tourism and maritime-related business here starting this year.

PREPARATIONS

To gain the expected bonanza, Subic has to step up its services and offerings to make it competitive with other global cruise ship destinations. Eisma said the arrival of Oa-

SBMA Chairman and Administrator Wilma T. Eisma, Royal Caribbean president for China and North Asia Pacific Region Zinan Liu and Isabela Vice Governor Antonio Albano check out the Ocean Adventure theme park as a possible destination for cruise ship passengers in the Subic Bay Freeport.

sis of the Seas would require a lot of preparations on the part of the SBMA, as well as other stakeholders in the Subic Bay area, and enjoined the cooperation of the local community and business establishments. According to RCI officials, Subic is the only port in the Philippines that could accommodate the firm’s Oasis or Quantum-class cruise ships because of their gigantic size. Even then, Eisma said that the Alava Pier area had to be dredged

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and its pilings strengthened to make it suitable for cruise ship landing. Last July, RCCL Vice President for New Business Development John Tercek also visited Subic to assess its readiness as a cruise ship destination, and while citing the potential of Subic as a cruise ship stop, had advised the SBMA to further develop port facilities to address the demand. Last year, the Subic agency announced that it would embark on a program to rehabilitate the 15

American-era piers that still exist in the Freeport. But Eisma said an estimated P2.46 billion would be needed for this project, which is why the SBMA is requesting for national funding to jump-start the repair program. “Six months is not a long time and we have a lot of things to prepare for,” Eisma said after Liu’s visit last month. “But this is our best shot and we have to make sure they will enjoy their stay in Subic and come back again and again,” she added.

continued from A1

about me. Think about my dad. And the thousands of other suicide victims and the families they left behind. My dad never drove a car just like yours. Thanks to you, neither will I.” A multinational ad agency in India also received a lot of flak for a sexist campaign it did for another car brand. Both agency and client apologized to the public, and soon after, the agency’s chief creative officer was axed. One ad featured a caricature of three scantily clad women gagged and bound in the trunk. A second showed Paris Hilton winking from the driver’s seat, while Kim Kardashian and two others were similarly gagged behind the car. In a statement, the car manufacturer said that, “the posters were contrary to the standards of professionalism and decency within the company and our agency partners. Together, we are reviewing approval and oversight processes to help ensure nothing like this should ever happen again.” The timing of the campaign was interesting, according to an Indian newspaper. Obviously, it was being readied for “The Abbys”, an Indian awards show where print ads are dominated by scam ads (produced without prior approval by clients). Mumbrella Asia, the region’s most provocative online advertising online magazine (www. mumbrellasasia.com) once voted Singapore Army’s direct mail “Recruitment” ad as Asia’s Most Sexist Ad for targeting women with makeup and mirror. It came under fire for what a gender equality advocacy group believed to be sexist to enlist women. The front of the pack read: “Discover shades of green that bring out the best in you” next to an image of a makeup brush. A couple of years ago, a donut brand in Thailand stirred the marketing world and the controversy reached more than just skin deep. Complaints circled around the globe and some people called it “racist”. Clients immediately pulled out the ad and issued an apology

for their new charcoal donut line. The ad featured a Thai woman with stylized black hair and makeup. She was shown holding a black donut with a bite out of it. In a statement to the Daily News, the chief communications officer said the campaign for the dark chocolate donuts was “insensitive”. “On behalf of our Thailand franchise and our company, we apologize for any offense it caused,” the statement said. The TV spot was also immediately pulled out. On that year, NineMSN News Australia also listed Australia’s 10 Most Offensive TV Ads. Here they are: 1. An energy drink TV commercial poking fun at the sinking of the Titanic. 2. A restaurant TV commercial showing Zimbabwe president Robert Mugabe frolicking with dead dictators Muammar Gaddafi, Saddam Hussein and Idi Amin. 3. A feminine napkin ad showing a woman repeatedly using the words “vaginal discharge”. 4. An insurance ad for discriminating toward obese people. It also found the chainsaw scene in the ad very suggestive of violence. 5. A viral video showing a member of a stunt crew taping five firecrackers to his face and lighting them. Miraculously, the man wasn’t hurt in the next few seconds of the explosion. 6. Two distracted women in a car ad crashing into water. It was banned for depicting situations contrary to prevailing community standards on health and safety. 7. A TV commercial showing a baby at the wheel of an SUV. It sparked outrage causing it to be issued a cease-and-desist-to-air order. 8. A deodorant for its double entendre, banned for discriminating against old men. 9. An entrepreneur promoting a wide range of products and boisterously caricaturing boat people and containing inappropriate phrases. 10. A Tampon maker, branded as “transphobic” and for saying transgender people are not real women because they do not menstruate.

What happens when we don’t have an industry that self-regulates? Angry citizens, chaos, complaints and could also mean loss of business. “Advertisers should not only sell but uphold truth in advertising and protect the interest of consumers,” says a Philippine university communications professor. “All over the world, creative people are idolized and regarded as rock stars by impressionable advertising freshmen. They wield so much power to influence because of their creativity. Creativity put to good use can change the world. But they should not take offense,” says an award-winning Filipino advertising copywriter. Do you advertise frequently? Do you work in an advertising agency? Are you fond of using superlative words such as “the best”, “the fastest”, “the most preferred”, “win millions of cash” and other words that can create confusion and may mislead? To back up your claims and not trick consumers is responsible advertising. Think not only about sales and creativity. As ASC* (Ad Standards Council) says: “Think within the context of the local environment, the community where you live and within the constraints of the laws of the land.” Think like Bill Bernbach, the man who revolutionized advertising in the ’60s and who said: “All of us who profess to be in media have a responsibility to our society. We can vulgarize it or lift it onto the highest level.” * The ASC is a non-stock, non-profit organization, which aims to promote truth and fairness in advertising through self-regulation of advertising content. Established by the Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas, Philippine Association of National Advertisers and the Association of Accredited Advertising Agencies Philippines, it started operations in March 31, 2008, taking over the function of Advertising Content and Review Committee of the Advertising Board of the Philippines.

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World’s most valuable airport operator is now in Thailand

fter strong international tourist arrivals in 2017, Airports of Thailand Pcl., surpassed Spain’s Aena SA as the world’s most-valuable airportservices company. Powered by a 75-percent gain since May 1, the operator of Thailand’s main international airports also passed the 1-trillionbaht, or $31-billion, marketcapitalization mark, joining only state-controlled energy company PTT Pcl above that milestone. Shares of Airports of Thailand jumped 9.2 percent in December— rallying for a 10th consecutive month—as government data showed international tourists last November jumped 23 percent. The stock’s surge was by far the best performer in Bloomberg’s Asia-Pacific Infrastructure Top Peers gauge, with Shanghai International Airport Co. a distant second at 29 percent in the same period. Airports of Thailand gained 4.4 percent in the first two trading sessions of 2018. Even so, analysts aren’t convinced: Their consensus forecast suggests shares may fall 12 percent over the next 12 months. The stock has 14 buy recommendations, 10 hold and eight sell ratings. Bloomberg News

Sunday, January 7, 2018

US Congress may need stopgap even with a budget agreement

ongressional leaders pursuing a deal to lift budget limits on defense and domestic spending face a January 19 deadline that may force them to seek yet another a stopgap funding measure to avert an election-year government shutdown. The Republican and Democratic leadership emerged from a meeting with W hite House officials on Wednesday signaling progress on an agreement and commitment to reaching one without giving any indication that either sides had budged much from the positions they held going into the talks. “ It i s i m p o r t a nt t h at w e achieve a t wo-year agreement that f unds our troops and prov ides for our nationa l secur it y a nd ot her c r it ic a l f u nc t ions of t he federa l gover n ment ,” Senate Major it y Leader Mitch

McConnel l and House Spea ker Pau l Ryan said in a news statement issued joint ly w ith the W hite House. “It a lso remains i mp or t a nt t h at me mb e r s of Congress do not hold f unding for our troops hostage for immigration polic y.” Sen at r Democ rat ic leader C h a rles Sc hu mer a nd House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi, who are pushing to raise domestic spending and resolve the status of undocumented immigrants brought to the US as children, issued a terse statement calling the meeting “positive and productive.”

Discretionary spending

T h e ne got i ator s a re t r y i n g to reach a spending deal that would increase the $1.2-trillion federal discretionary budget by about $100 billion this year and a comparable amount next year. Republicans want to increase defense spending—which accounts for almost half of the discretionary budget—by $54 billion this year and nondefense programs by $37 billion. Democrats want equal increases in both. Congress was unable to address the budget caps or a host of other issues before the end of 2017 and punted by passing two temporary spending measures. The last of those runs out on January 19. Even if the leaders reach a deal to lift the spending limits in the next two weeks, they likely won’t have enough time to write all the spending items to carry the government through the rest of the fiscal year. David Reich, a senior fellow at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities who spent 17 years on the staff of the House Appropriations Committee, said working

out the numbers for a detailed spending plan would take about a month once the overall budget amount is agreed to. But there are also policy issues related to funding, including an immigration deal that can be affected by how federal money is allocated.

Getting to agreement

“It’s very difficult to make any progress on working out the detailed numbers until you have a topline,” Reich said in a telephone interview. “If everyone’s extremely agreeable, maybe they could do it in three weeks. But we’ll see how agreeable people are feeling.” Sen. John Cornyn of Texas, the No. 2 Republican leader, said the debate feels like “Groundhog Day.” “Every day we wake up and nothing seems to change around here,” he said on Wednesday before the meeting in Ryan’s office. “I don’t see how things get any better if we kick the can down the road any further.” Even though Republicans control both chambers, Democrats have leverage because any resolution will need at least 60 votes to

get through the Senate. And now there are two groups within the GOP raising potential roadblocks to a deal that would meet Democratic demands for more funding of domestic programs.

Spending sevels

GOP fiscal conservatives want to cut government spending rather than raise it, even though many of them voted for a tax cut last month that is projected to add at least $1 trillion to federal deficits over the next decade. The other group includes the defense hawks who usually oppose temporar y funding bills that leave the militar y operating at current budget levels. Ryan of Wisconsin was able to persuade many of them to vote for last month ’s stopgap measures with an appeal to stick toget her whi le t he GOP was working on final passage of the ta x overhaul. But some of them felt burned by Ryan’s last-minute decision to not force a vote on full defense funding for the rest of the fiscal year. Bloomberg News

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Sunday, January 7, 2018

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Trump’s break with Bannon over book forces GOP to choose sides

By Jennifer Jacobs & Justin Sink | Bloomberg News

resident Donald J. Trump’s forceful denunciation of his former chief strategist Steve Bannon finalized a divorce that was months in the making, and will force a reckoning within the Republican Party. Candidates, donors and party leaders must now choose sides— between Bannon, the blustery face of far-right populist nationalism, and the president who elevated that ideology to the Oval Office. The breakup is primed to benefit establishment Republicans led by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, who’s long argued that Bannon’s promotion of fringe ca nd id ates hur ts Republ ica n chances to retain control of Congress. McConnell’s allies openly cheered Trump’s break with Bannon, after excerpts from a forthcoming book emerged in which the strategist attacks Trump’s family and other advisers. The book, Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House portrays the president as paranoid, erratic and often inept, and his administration as riven by petty rivalries that often made accomplishing anything impossible. At the heart of it is Bannon, whom author Michael Wolff quotes discussing his concern that any attempt by Trump to fire special counsel Robert Mueller over his Russia investigation “just brings the impeachment quicker,” according to a copy of the book obtained by Bloomberg. Trump says Bannon “lost his mind ” in dramatic break with ex-aide. Bannon recounts telling Trump that not only would Attorney General Jeff Sessions leave, but also other Trump justice-department appointees. “We’ll be digging down into Obama career guys. An Obama guy will be acting attorney general,” Bannon says. He calls one member of Mueller’s team, Andrew Weissmann, “the LeBron James of money-laundering investigations,” a sign to Bannon that was a primary focus of the probe. He also makes clear that he considers Trump’s son at risk of indictment—saying Mueller

will “crack Don Junior like an egg on national TV” over his meeting with a Russian lawyer at Trump Tower in June 2016. Bannon called the meeting “treasonous” and “unpatriotic.” He also considers son-in-law Jared Kushner at risk for “greasy” deals. Wolff asserts that Trump had to be talked out of appointing Kushner to be White House chief of staff and elevating Rudy Giuliani, the former New York mayor and an early supporter, to the Supreme Court. Bannon declined to comment. White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders denounced the book as “tabloid fiction.”

Grinning McConnell

Republican strategists see Bannon’s removal from Trump’s orbit as improving the odds the president takes a more traditional role in helping congressional Republican leaders to protect their majorities in the House and Senate, and hope he’ll be less likely to resort to his more combative instincts. “That outside antagonist is now gone, making it more likely we’ll see a Republican president do what he can to protect the Republican majorities that he has worked with to deliver tax reform, judges, regulatory reform,” said Scott Jennings, a Republican operative close to McConnell. The Senate leader’s campaign staff tweeted a GIF video of the Republican leader sitting silently at his desk, grinning, after the White House released Trump’s statement on Bannon.

Steve Bannon, chief strategist for United States President Donald J. Trump, speaks during a meeting with Trump, not pictured, and manufacturing executives in the State Dining Room of the White House in Washington, D.C., US. Olivier Douliery/Bloomberg

Sti l l, Tr ump has reg u larly turned to his populist base when under political pressure, working to avoid any erosion among his most loyal followers while his popularity sits at historic lows for a first-year president, ending the year with a 40-percent job approval in Gallup’s daily tracking poll. Mueller’s ongoing investigation presents a constant peril.

Keeper of promises

Bannon and his allies view the Breitbart News chief as the keeper of promises Trump made to the white working-class voters who helped elect him and believe the president was already falling victim to the establishment he vowed to overturn—for example, by abandoning his promise to force Mexico to pay for a border wall and by signaling a willingness to protect undocumented immigrants brought to the country as children from deportation. Bannon joined Trump’s presidential campaign late, but steered it t h rou g h it s c r it ic a l f i n a l months, taking over as chief executive in mid-August 2016, when Trump trailed opponent Hillary Clinton by 7 percentage points in national polls. He was the president’s chief strategist and, perhaps, most visible adviser in the frenzied opening months of the Trump administration. Bannon

Bannon provided Trump with one of his convenient shields that could be discarded in case of emergency.”—Watts

was fired last August, weeks after John Kelly took over as White House chief of staff. The split with Bannon provides an opportunity for Trump, but not without risk. Breaking from the strategist, who boasted privately last September that he still spoke with the president two to three times a week, could help Trump reset his presidency with a symbolic division from the fringe elements of his base that dragged down his approval rating among moderates.

Fall guy

But the president has also lost a fall guy for devastating political miscalculations, like his decision to criticize “both sides” after last summer’s violence at a white supremacist demonstration in Charlottesville, Virginia. “Bannon provided Trump with one of his convenient shields that could be discarded in case of emergency,” Republican strategist Doug Watts said. The divide between the two men began after Bannon endorsed former Alabama Supreme Court Chief Justice Roy Moore for the Senate over Trump’s preferred candidate, incumbent Luther Strange. Moore defeated Strange, but lost to Democrat Doug Jones last December after several women alleged that the Republican had engaged in sexual misconduct with them while they were teenagers and he was an adult. Trump has said he always expected Moore to lose, despite endorsing him before the election, and blamed Bannon for the defeat in his statement on Wednesday.

High-stakes conundrum

The president aligned himself

more closely to McConnell after the December passage of a sweeping tax overhaul that represented Trump’s last shot to sign major legislation in his first year in office. “I would like to congratulate @SenateMajLdr on having done a fantastic job both strategically & politically on the passing in the Senate of the MASSIVE TAX CUT & Reform Bill,” Trump tweeted last December 20, using McConnell’s Twitter handle, after the bill passed the Senate. “I could have not asked for a better or more talented partner.” The break with Bannon will present a high-stakes conundrum for Republicans, such as investor Robert Mercer, who has bankrolled both Trump’s campaign and Bannon’s media projects. A spokesman for Mercer’s political operation didn’t respond to a request for comment. Far-right Republican candidates hoping to harness both Bannon’s political operation and Trump’s coattails in elections this year also must recalibrate.

Creating distance

In Arizona a spokesman for US Senate candidate Kelli Ward issued a statement d ista ncing herself from Bannon, a featured guest at the October kick-off for her campaign to replace retiring incumbent Sen. Jeff Flake. Bannon was “only one of many high-profile endorsements” she had received, Ward said. Quotes in Wolff ’s book also raised questions about the future of Katie Walsh, a former White House deputy chief of staff. She left the administration last summer to start America First Policies—an outside nonprofit organization supporting Trump. Some top Republicans see the Bannon breakup as bolstering that group’s prospects, with the group no longer competing with Bannon for the money and loyalty of Trump supporters. Others say that critical comments on Trump attributed to Walsh in Wolff ’s book—she said that working for him was “like trying to figure out what a child wants,” Wolff reported—could mean her exile from the president. Walsh denied making the remarks. Four Republicans close to the White House said on Wednesday that Walsh remains in good standing with the Trump team and in her job at the Republican National Committee.

Nokor keeps sneaking in oil with ship-toship transfers

onald J. Trump’s desire to squeeze Kim Jong Un’s regime risks being undermined by the furtive maneuvers of oil tankers at sea. The enforcement of international measures limiting sales to North Korea— part of an effort to force Kim to abandon nuclear weapons—is becoming near impossible because suppliers of illicit fuel are using an old oil-trading practice that helps obscure its origin and destination. Ship-to-ship (STS) transfers, when cargoes are pumped from one tanker to another in the ocean, are legal and typically used to break up large oil shipments into parcels on smaller vessels. But they can also be used as a trick that makes it difficult to track supplies, and have been barred by the United Nations for sales to North Korea. And even if the tankers can be identified, seized and inspected, culprits are hidden under layers of ownership. A controversy that erupted last week over a shipment of fuel to the rogue nation has so far entangled the world’s third-biggest independent oil trader, a Hong Kong-based commodity company and mysterious shipping firms in Taiwan and the Marshall Islands. South Korean authorities have failed to identify the perpetrator, and on Thursday said they are still investigating who owned the cargo. “These STS transfers can happen 200 nautical miles or more out at sea, as long as conditions are calm, where no one’s looking,” said Rahul Kapoor, an analyst with Bloomberg Intelligence in Singapore. “It’s very easy to black out a ship and hide it.” All ocean-going ships are equipped with a beacon that broadcasts their location around the world, so if a vessel tried to directly load or discharge oil in a sanctioned countr y, it could be identified. To get around that, t wo tankers can turn off their transmitters, known as the automatic identification system, rendezvous in secret and transfer the cargo, masking the true origin and destination of the shipment. A vessel, the Lighthouse Winmore, is said to have transferred 600 tons—about 4,000 barrels—to a North Korean vessel, the Sam Jong 2, last October 19. Ship -tracking data compiled by Bloomberg showed Lighthouse Winmore making trips between Kaohsiung in Taiwan and Yeosu in South Korea during September and October. The vessel data, which are broadcast by ships voluntarily and cannot be independently verified, showed it south of Yeosu, with its destination listed as Taichung, Taiwan, last October 15. The ship stopped reporting its location for the next 10 days, virtually disappearing during the period of the alleged transfer. The next transmission was last October 25, further to the south near Jeju Island. Bloomberg News

As chaos, despair widen in Libya, Gaddafi’s son Seif eyes comeback

he fugitive son and onetime heir apparent of Libya’s late Muammar Gaddafi is planning a comeback. Seif al-Islam “decided to run in presidential elections, and I see a big chance for him because all the big tribes are supporting him,” said Abdel Majeed al-Mansouri, who headed Libya’s economic development board before 2011 and was close to him. “People are frustrated. Even those who were against the old regime will side with him as he’s not coming back representing the old regime. He’s coming with his plan for Libya’s future.” Most Libya analysts disagree, d ism issing Seif ’s c ha nces in a potential presidential election this year. Yet, the return of Gaddafi loyalists to the pol it ic a l a ren a si x yea rs a f ter the Nato-backed uprising that killed him exposes the depth of public anger over insecurity and economic decay in the oncewealthy oil exporter. It will feed inter national concer ns about

the spread of Islamic State militants across North Africa and the tide of migrants clamoring to reach Europe. “It’s a sign the Gaddafists are mobilizing, trying to have their say” for the first time since 2011, said Issandr El Amrani, North Africa project director at the International Crisis Group. “Libya’s getting more complicated. A breakthrough doesn’t seem imminent.”

UN process

Since Gaddafi’s ouster, Libya has been carved up among dozens of militias and rival administrations in the east and in Tripoli. Libya ns l ine up for hours outside banks to obtain paltr y sums. T he wea kening of the dinar on the black market has fueled inf lation that has impoverished wage earners and enriched speculators. A United Nations-brokered unity deal concluded in 2015 failed to heal the country’s divisions. The government it para-

chuted into Tripoli, led by Fayez al-Sarraj, struggled to impose its authority over armed factions and the administration in the east. A new UN envoy appointed in June, Ghassan Salame, unveiled a revised plan, but the December 17 expiry of Sarraj’s mandate came and went without a final deal. W h i le Sa r raj cont inues to be recog nized inter nationa l ly, the peace process has been declared a dead letter by K ha lifa Haftar, the commander of the s e l f - s t y l e d L i b y a n Nat ion a l A rmy who controls much of the oil-r ich east. Haftar’s bid to become militar y r u ler of Libya pending elections has faltered, though, as he labors to win suppor t outside his base. Something, Libyans say, has to give. “We’ve lost confidence in all the political figures in parliament, in the two governments, east and west,” said Waheed Jabu, who works at the chambers of commerce in Tripoli. “Libyans

now live in poverty. The banks are empty. People are unable to buy medicine, food or anything. There are gasoline shortages, electricity failures, water disruptions and general insecurity.”

Gaddafi comeback?

Into this murky political landscape wades Seif. Nothing has been heard from him directly, but a man identified as the family spokesman told the Egypt Today magazine that he plans to run. Mansouri, now living in Turkey, confirmed the plan. He offered no details about Seif ’s plan to reconcile Libyans and rebuild the battered economy, but said he thinks he will play an economic role if Seif wins. The 45-year-old, London-educated Seif was captured in 2011 by rebels, and the International Criminal Court issued a warrant for his arrest the same year, accusing him of crimes against humanity during the rebellion against his father. He was never extradited. In 2015 a Tripoli

court sentenced him to death for crimes committed in the revolution, but last June, his captors announced he’d been freed. It is unclear whether he faces outstanding charges, which would disqualify him, and his whereabouts remain unknown. Mansouri said he communicates with Seif via an intermediary.

Election hopes

Elections could be held in 2018 if rival factions agree on a blueprint. In a December 17 speech, Haftar said he would only answer to the Libyan people, an indication he may run. Sarraj is expected to contend, as are several prominent figures during the transitional period. Mindful that Sarraj was perceived as foreign-imposed, Salame will hold a national conference bringing together a broader cross-section of society to endorse a new deal. It’s a delicate balancing act in a country where many demand a Libyan solution while complaining the international

community helped them oust Gaddafi, then abandoned them to chaos. “ The international community has lacked someone who can rein in the spoilers,” said K ar im Mezran, senior fellow at the Atlantic Council ’s R afik Hariri Center for the Middle East. “I’m not saying an elect ion wou ld br ing resolut ion, but it could be a last attempt. If it fails, Libya will be another Somalia, fragmented, with citystates and militias.” On the street, it is local militia leaders, smugglers and black-market kingpins who hold sway. That’s pushing Libyans to contemplate once-unimaginable choices. Seif would be the right choice if he’d concentrate on security, peace and national reconciliation,” said Ahmed Wajej, a municipal worker in Tripoli. “Libyans hate all the political faces that are now on the scene. They want new faces that respect the will of the people and results of elections.” Bloomberg News

Sports BusinessMirror

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

Sunday, January 7, 2018

POP’S 5TH-WINNINGEST COACH IN NBA HISTORY N

EW YORK—He’s now the fifth-winningest coach in National Baskteball Association (NBA) history, though there are some things Gregg Popovich still doesn’t know. Like what everybody was yelling about after Manu Ginobili sank an overthrown pass for a threepointer, for example. He was just as fooled initially as the referees and didn’t realize the ball had gone in the basket, the most bizarre bucket of San Antonio’s 100-91 victory over the New York Knicks on Tuesday night. “I did not, in all honestly. I did not,” Popovich said. “Then everybody started grabbing me and saying the ball went in. I said, ‘Yeah, the ball went in!’ I acted like I knew what was going on.” He almost always does. Popovich earned his 1,176th victory, all with the Spurs. The five-time champion broke a tie with his friend George Karl. LaMarcus Aldridge scored 29 points and Kawhi Leonard had a season-high 25 for the Spurs. Ginobili finished with 12 points—three of them coming on what appeared to be a pass that went into the basket without everyone noticing. “He makes magic happen,” Aldridge said. “He’s the only 40-year-old that can make plays like he does every night.” The Spurs beat the Knicks for the second time in six days and won for the fourth time in five games. They beat New York, 119-107, last December 28. Michael Beasley had 18 points for the Knicks, who were playing one of just four home games this month. They play 12 times on the road. Kristaps Porzingis shot just 5 for 19 and was one of three Knicks to finish with 13 points. “They just for 48 minutes played consistently,” Porzingis said. “They talk on defense. And they also know when they need to push the pace and when they need to slow it down.” The Knicks led 29-25 after one quarter but couldn’t break 20 points in either of the next two. The Spurs began to pull away midway through the third, which ended with confusion. Ginobili, the Argentine veteran who got some loud cheers as he often does while playing in New York, appeared to be attempting a lob pass from beyond the three-point line to Aldridge, but the pass went over his head. Beasley grabbed it and began dribbling up the court as Ginobili and other Spurs waved frantically to the officials that the ball had actually gone into the basket. “It went so clean that nobody saw it, and I went crazy because, once you make a shot like that, you want it to count,” Ginobili said. “So yeah, it was very awkward, but common sense, I guess. The refs reviewed it, and we got it.” Referees eventually credited the basket to Ginobili—but only for two points. The basket was reviewed after the quarter ended and counted as a three-pointer, giving San Antonio an 81-67 lead. Leonard played 30 minutes for the first time this season. It was just his seventh game after his return from a quadriceps injury. He shot 8 for 20 and grabbed eight rebounds. “I felt good,” he said. “Still got a little bit of ways to go as far as my conditioning, legs, just the whole rhythm of the game, figuring out things.” AP

Silva says M son ‘fighting day by day’

ANCHESTER, England— Manchester City playmaker David Silva says his son is “fighting day by day” after being born prematurely. The Spain international missed two of City’s four games over the festive period to return to his native country for what the Premier League club said were personal issues. In a post on his Twitter account last Wednesday, Silva thanked City for “understanding my situation” and said his son, Mateo, “was born extremely preterm and is fighting day by day with the help of the medical team.” Silva played in City’s 3-1 win over Watford in the Premier League on Tuesday. After the match, City manager Pep Guardiola said Silva would be free to set his own schedule to deal with his family situation. Guardiola added “he wants to stay because he enjoys it a lot, but family is the most important thing in life. It doesn’t matter if we drop a lot of points because he is not here. I will never push him.” AP

Manchester City’s David Silva (right) vies for the ball with Watford’s Ben Watson during their English Premier League match early last week. AP

Balls in Lithuania to play for Prienai

LiAngelo Ball (right) and his brother, LaMelo,pose for a photo upon their arrival at the international airport in Vilnius, Lithuania. AP

ILNIUS, Lithuania—The brothers of Los Angeles Lakers point guard Lonzo Ball landed in rainy Lithuania on Wednesday night to start their career at a local basketball club. The 19-year-old LiAngelo and his younger brother LaMelo, who is 16, signed professional one-year contracts with BC Prienai last month. “It’s surely no California, and it’s cold, but I think we will like it here,” LeMelo told reporters as they walked through the crowd toward the “Party Bus,” which was to take them to Prienai—around 110 kilometers south of Vilnius, the capital. The brothers arrived with their father, LaVar Ball, an American media personality and businessman, and the

creator of Big Baller Brand. LiAngelo and LaMelo are expected to make their debut on January 9, when BC Prienai hosts Tsmoki-Minsk in a Baltic league game. Most tickets for that night at the 1,200-seat arena have already been sold, according to the box office. BC Prienai, which was the only team in the league without foreign players, finished sixth in the Lithuanian league last year. In basketball-crazy Lithuania, the game

is often dubbed the “second religion” and attracts huge crowds to arenas even at small towns. There have been several Lithuania players in National Basketball Association teams, including Portland Trail Blazers center Arvydas Sabonis and Zydrunas “Big Z” Ilgauskas at Cleveland Cavaliers. The national team has claimed numerous titles including winning the International Basketball Federation EuroBasket three times and has three Olympic bronze medals. AP

Pop was once unwanted–by Spurs fans

regg Popovich was the coach nobody wanted. It’s hard to fathom now, after five National Basketball Association (NBA) championships as coach of the San Antonio Spurs and with him now alone in fifth place on the league’s all-time victory list. But it’s true—Popovich’s decision to fire Bob Hill and make himself coach and general manager in December 1996 was horribly received at first, leaving even some of his own players baffled. The San Antonio Express-News took a poll after that season and found that 92 percent of Spurs fans wanted Popovich fired. As Popovich would suggest now (on politics, one of his favorite topics), sometimes voters get it wrong. “The pressure is always there for any coach,” Popovich said. “You’ve got to get the job done. If you don’t, you’re not there. If you do get it done, you get to stay.” He said those words in 1997. He was right. Popovich now has 1,176 wins. He’s 34 away from No. 4 Pat Riley, 45 shy of No. 3 Jerry Sloan, and should catch both next season. He would need 156 to catch No. 2 Lenny Wilkens and 159 to match No. 1 Don Nelson’s record of 1,335. “Doesn’t mean anything, except I’ve had good players and I’ve been coaching for eons,” Popovich said. AP

Ex-box champ Paz accused of assault P

Gregg Popovich is now the fifth-winningest coach in National Baskteball Association history. AP

ROVIDENCE, Rhode Island—Ex-boxing champion Vinny Paz, who’s accused of biting a man, knocking out his teeth and sending him to a hospital, appeared in court on a felony assault charge on Wednesday and was released. Paz, a five-time world champion who broke his neck in a car crash, is known for his comeback story, which was dramatized in the 2016 film Bleed for This, starring Miles Teller. He appeared in Providence District Court on Wednesday morning, not long after

turning himself in on a warrant issued by police on Tuesday. Paz, who appeared in court with black eyes, did not enter a plea and was released on personal recognizance. He was ordered to have no contact with the man he’s accused of beating and was scheduled to appear in superior court last April. Witnesses told police that Paz accused the man of stealing $16,000. Outside court, the retired champ maintained his

innocence, telling reporters, “I got robbed.” He called himself the victim and said he planned to go to a hospital after leaving court. Asked if he regretted taking the law into his own hands, he replied, “No.” Paz, 55, retired from boxing in 2004. Since then, he has had several brushes with the law, including a 2012 no-contest plea to disorderly conduct for a fight with two women at a Providence bar. He also pleaded no contest in 2007 to drunk driving. AP

Science

BusinessMirror

A6 Sunday, January 7, 2018

Sunday

PHL Science dept bares 5 major achievements in 2017

esearch and technology assistance are the major highlights of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) for 2017. Science Secretar y For tunato T. de la Peña told the Philippine News Agency (PNA) what he considers the five major accomplishments of the DOST in 2017.

R&D assistance

De l a Peña said the DOST assisted more than 1,000 Resea rc h a nd Development ( R & D) p r o j e c t s a l l o v e r t h e c o u n t r y, w i t h 6 5 p e r c e n t a lready completed. The 1,057 R&D projects are bei ng m a n aged by DOS T-attached agencies and councils, such as the Philippine Council for Industry, Energy and Emerging Technolog y Research and Development and the Philippine Council for Health Research and Development. In terms of technology transfer, the DOST-Technology Application and Promotion Institute guides investors regarding the intellectual-property system. The agency also provides them with

patent consultations, as well as grants for the payment of Intellectual Property Office fees. According to de la Peña, 165 patents have been filed at the I nte l lec t u a l P roper t y O f f ice this year. Three Technolog y Transfer Days were a lso organized in 2017, and 30 technology fairs were conducted. Te c h no l o g y Tr a n s f e r D a y a ims to ensu re tec hnolog ies or inventions are ma ximized for the benefit of society and industries. Locally developed technologies supported by the DOST a re showc a sed du r i ng this activity. T he a ge nc y a l so prov ides precommercialization support. A tota l of 17 inventions it has promoted were a lready commercia lized this year.

Assistance to MSMEs

For this year alone, 574 firms were provided with hardware and software to upgrade their technology capacity, according to de la Pena. These micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) have received the Small Enterprises Technology Upgrading Program

(Setup) innovation fund. Set up is a DOST prog ra m that aims to encourage MSMEs to adopt technological innovations to improve their products and services. The program aims to help MSMEs improve their competitiveness by providing them with a loan that is payable in three years.

Assistance to start-ups

The DOST has assisted almost 400 start-ups in 2017. “ We h a v e p r o v i d e d t h e m w it h a l l t y pes of assist a nce — money, ser v ices, ca l ibrat ion, etc.,” de l a Peña sa id. To further help the start-ups and MSMEs, the DOST offers the OneStore, a web site where their products are displayed and can be purchased. Close to 11,000 products have been uploaded in the OneStore web site this year.

Human-resource development

De l a Peña noted t h at, i n 2017, t he DOST has prov ided scholarships to more than 22,0 0 0 st udents. Of the said figure, 7,881 are scholars of the Philippine Science

High School. Close to 1,000 are taking their PhDs, while 2,700 are taking Master of Science. The rest of the scholars are taking undergraduate courses.

Additional radars

To further improve weatherforecasting capability and disaster-risk reduction in the country, four Doppler radars, which could measure the rain volume, and two flood-forecasting and -warning centers have been completed this year. T he DOST sa id t hat, to d ate, t he countr y has 13 Doppler rad a rs a nd t h ree X-B a nd rad a rs i n t he cou nt r y. “ T hese radars have contr ibuted to low forecast track er ror,” the science agenc y said. The Doppler radars are in Iloilo, Palawan, Guian, Subic, Tagaytay, Mactan, Hinatuan, Tampakan, Basco, Zamboanga, Aparri, Virac and Baguio. The three X-Band radars, on the other hand, were placed in t he Ph i l ippi ne At mospher ic, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration central office in Quezon City, Mindanao, and Baler in Aurora province. PNA

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

Why the big chill in a warmer world?

Is it just the US?

ASHINGTON—Anchorage, Alaska, was warmer on Tuesday than Jacksonville, Florida. The weather in the United States is that upside down. That’s because the Arctic’s deeply frigid weather escaped its regular atmospheric jail that traps the worst cold. It then meandered south to the central and eastern US. And this has been happening more often in recent times, scientists say.

Pretty much. While the US has been in the deep freeze, the rest of the globe has been toastier than normal. The globe as a whole was 0.9 degrees (0.5 degrees Celsius) warmer than normal on Tuesday, and the Arctic was more than 6 degrees warmer than normal (3.4°C), according to the University of Maine Climate Change Institute’s analysis .

Why is it so cold?

What’s next?

Super cold air is normally locked up in the Arctic in the polar vortex, which is a gigantic circular weather pattern around the North Pole. A strong polar vortex keeps that cold air hemmed in. “Then, when it weakens, it causes like a dam to burst,” and the cold air heads south, said Judah Cohen, a winter-storm expert for Atmospheric Environmental Research, a commercial firm outside Boston. “This is not record-breaking for Canada or Alaska or northern Siberia, it’s just misplaced,” said Cohen, who had forecast a colder than normal winter for much of the US Is this unusual? Yes, but more for how long—about 10 days—the cold has lasted, than how cold it has been. On Tuesday Boston tied its sevenday record for the most consecutive days at or below 20 degrees that was set exactly 100 years ago. More than 1,600 daily records for cold were tied or broken in the last week of December, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. For Greg Carbin of the National Weather Service’s Weather Prediction Center, the most meaningful statistics are how last week’s average temperature was the second coldest in more than a century of record-keeping for Minneapolis, Chicago, Detroit and Kansas City, third coldest in Pittsburgh and fifth coldest in New York City.

The cold will continue and could actually worsen for much of the East Coast this weekend because of a monster storm that’s brewing in the Atlantic and Caribbean, what meteorologists are calling a “snow hurricane” or “bomb cyclone.” But forecasters don’t think the storm will hit the East Coast, keeping most of the snow and worst winds over open ocean, although parts of the Northeast are still likely to get high winds, waves and some snow. “For the Northeast, this weekend might be the coldest of the coldest with the storm,” said Jason Furtado, a University of Oklahoma meteorology professor. “We could be ending [the cold snap] with a big hurrah.”

How can it be so cold with global warming?

Don't confuse weather—which is a few days or weeks in one region—with climate, which is over years and decades and global. Weather is like a person's mood, which changes frequently, while climate is like someone's personality, which is more longterm, Furtado said. "A few cold days doesn't disprove climate change," Furtado said. "That's just silly. Just like a couple down days on the stock market doesn't mean the economy is going into the trash.” AP

Tourism&Entertainment BusinessMirror

Editor: Carla Mortel-Baricaua

Sunday, January 7, 2018

Sojourning in Sorsogon: the seductions of six natural attractions Story by Celine Reyes

Photos by Dennis Murillo & Tophee Marquez

he Bicol region's allure is more than just its spicy food and the Mayon Volcano.From ridges to reefs, summits to seas, the province of Sorsogon has an array of attractions that best cater the dynamic topography of the region.

To kick-start your wanderlust this 2018, we dare you to visit these six destinations when you’re a nature lover in Sorsogon.

Bulusan Lake

Located in the heart of Bulusan Volcano Natural Park, the crater lake has such a quiet charm to it that you’d think you’ve been transported into another world. The water, placid and a glittering emerald, serves as a mirror for the thick forest that circle it. It lies at the foot of the active Bulusan Volcano and is home to many endemic species of freshwater fish. Jade Vine, a sought-after flower that can only

be found in the Philippines, also blooms here. There is an entrance fee of P15 per person so one can get to enjoy kayaking, boating and trekking through the many forest trails in the park.

Malawmawan Island

One of the Scattered islands that dot the Sorsogon Bay is the Malawamawan Island (also spelled Malaumauan). This uninhabited island shaped like a tadpole boasts a stretch of pristine beach with chalky, ochre sands. The whole island can be explored in a single day and there’s a lot to see here. Aside from its pristine waters,

Paguriran Island's lagoon features crystalclear waters where one can swim with fish.

The hot and cold springs of San Mateo

migratory birds frequent the area so prepare for a bird show come dusk. Since people have yet to discover this destination, there’s a great chance you wouldn’t have to battle for space. To reach the island, head over to the port in the village of Macalaya in Castilla, Sorsogon. Boats can be chartered for P500 for a two-way trip.

Nasipit River

Nasipit River is one of the newest ecotourism destinations in the province of Sorsogon. Located in the town of Castilla, this tributary is part of the larger DulanganNasipit-Pili estuary. This waterway runs along three villages: Poblacion, Libtong and San Isidro. It features a ribbon of cerulean for its waters, rich and teeming with the local shellfish called kunaw. Swarms of fireflies also frequent the mangroves

that flank its banks—a sign of how pristine the place is. The outline of the Bulusan Volcano can also be seen in the distance. Cruising aboard a floating hut can be done here, as well as feasting on fresh sea hauls prepared by the locals.

the rainy season, danum gets filled with water. The locals believe that if the crater overflows, all of Bacon will be submerged. It takes about six hours to complete the backtrail of Mount Pulog. The trail head is at the upland village of Sta. Cruz.

can swim with colorful fish and do some cliff-diving. On a clear day, you get to stand on a sand bar that connects the lagoon to the beach. You might even get to see the Mayon Volcano in the background.

Mount Pulog

Paguriran Island

Popular among both tourists and locals for its rumored healing waters, the springs of Irosin are fed by the active Bulusan Volcano. Since the waters are sulfuric, the place smells a bit like rotten eggs. But once you get in, you’d immediately forget about the odor and feel your ails flow away. The fact that these springs are nestled within a forest also doesn’t hurt. An entrance fee of P35 per head is collected to gain access to the springs. Cottages, bathrooms and changing rooms, a canteen and grilling stations are also available in the premises.

Another one of Bacon’s contributions to Sorsogon’s horde of natural attractions is Mount Pulog (not to be confused with Mount Pulag). This hiking destination is part of Bicol’s Pocdol volcanic mountain range. It looms above all of Bacon (pronounced buh-kuhn), with the Pacific Ocean on one side. Its trail is barely touched, thick and overgrown with vegetation. The trees here are tall and various animal sounds can be heard along the trail. On its summit is a crater called danum by the locals. During

A beautiful beach surrounded by pebbly, cream sands and crystalline waters lays nestled in the charming town of Bacon. Located in the village of Sawangga, the beachcum-island offers a somewhat raw experience because of its almost bare shores. Cottages with thatched roof line are there, yes, but there are limited options for lodgings. Most opt for bringing a tent and camping under the stars. As for the “island,” it actually is lagoon rimmed with limestone formations set a few meters from the shores. Here, you

San Mateo hot and cold springs

Faith A8 Sunday, January 7, 2018

Sunday

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

Church’s New Year wish: ‘Enlightened’ PHL, committed to uphold human rights

he Catholic Church, through its national social action arm, the National Secretariat for Social Action (Nassa)/Caritas Philippines, has high hopes that in 2018, more Filipinos will be “bold enough to do what is morally right.” In his 2018 New Year’s message, Nassa/Caritas Philippines’ National Director Archbishop Rolando Tria Tirona said: “We pray and work for a Philippines prosperous in human and spiritual values, committed to eradicate poverty and corruption, dedicated in upholding human rights and the sacredness of life, unflinching in its fights against illegal drugs and human trafficking, enlightened to choose

worthy leaders, and a Philippines proud of its heritage, yet open to the family of nations.” The prelate further said that though 2017 was full of challenges, “which almost divided us as a nation, we have many other things to be thankful of.” First of these is the resilient Fi l ipi no s pi r it t h at e n a ble s many to r ise above disasters like the many t y phoons that hit the countr y.

“Despite the many environmental struggles we have faced, our efforts to protect the environment, especially against mining, have been sustained and produced positive results. The antidrug campaign has endeavored us to stand up for life and uphold human rights,” he explained. Tirona still believes that there is hope because of “many beautiful things” happening. “Social media is springing with viral posts of Filipinos doing good deeds. This is what we need to spread. Instead of negative news and hate, let us make it a habit to share the good news, and do good things no matter how small. From hope, we can make love, compassion and Caritas viral in our homes,” he said. Nassa/Caritas Philippines is the humanitarian, development and advocacy arm of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines. CBCPNews

Archbishop Rolando J. Tirona, OCD, DD

Confraternity of the Most Holy Jesus Nazareno on April 21, 1621. Other histor ians maintain that it was Pope Innocent X who recognized the lay confraternity of Santo Cristo Jesus Nazareno to strengthen devotion on April 20, 1650. The image was first enshrined in Saint John Baptist Church in Luneta, then transferred to Recoletos Church, also known as Saint Nicholas of Tolentino, a larger Recollect Church inside Intramuros.

Refuge of the poor

Marshals in yellow lift the Black Nazarene onto its ándas at the start of the Traslación. Wikimedia Commons

The Black Nazarene By Corazon Damo-Santiago

illions of Filipinos venerate the Poong Itim na Nazareno (Black Nazarene), a life-sized statue of Jesus fallen under the weight of the cross on his way to calvary. A sea of humanity honors Poong Nazareno in a procession from the Quirino Grandstand in Luneta Park or Rizal Park to the Basilica Minor in Quiapo. The Traslación (solemn transfer) is held every January 9, which is not its feast day of the Nazarene as popularly believed, but the reenactment of the image’s Traslación in 1787, to the Minor Basilica from its original shrine inside Intramuros. The feast day of the Nazarene is on Good Friday, which culminates the Passion of Christ. The 4.3-kilometers. route takes 20 or more hours to navigate. Ardent followers, mostly men, pass through narrow streets from its original shrine in Bagumbayan (Luneta) to the Basilica, its permanent home since January 9, 1787. It was transferred on the orders of the Archbishop of Manila to the church of the Camisa, the original name of Quiapo Church.

Procession in frenzy

Early on January 9, people patiently wait in line for hours to kiss or touch the image before the Traslación. The religious frenzy starts as

soon as the Nazarene is placed on the carriage for the procession. Barefooted Hijos de Nazareno (Sons of the Nazarene) clad in t-shirt with the image of the Nazarene act as honor guards and marshals of the Nazarene. T hey help pious fol lowers climb the carriage to touch the Nazarene or the cross, wipe them with handkerchiefs or towels, believing that the holy objects have curative powers. The weight of the people on the carriage is borne by men who pull the carriage with big ropes on its way. Women, and even children, clad in maroon and white with gold trimmings follow the carriage. The banners they carry identify their places of abode. Cries of “Viva Nazareno” and prayers fill the air. The crowds move slowly. Moreso when the carriage tilts because of the uneven weight of people on top of the carriage. Men also take turns in pulling the rope of the carriage. Most prefer to be on the right side because Jesus carried the cross on his right shoulder. The heat, hunger and pressure often cause others to collapse, lose consciousness or get hurt. But, Samaritans are always on the lookout, rescue and succor. Once, I joined the procession, and positioned myself on the outer most lane. The sudden surge of people, akin to unexpected wave

of the sea, caught me by surprise. And I was no longer walking on my feet but pushed forward by the people around me.

The Nazarene: A provenance

The Nazarene is brought out of the Basilica thrice a year: on Good Friday to commemorate its feast and the Passion of Christ; on New Year’s eve, which is the first day of the novena for the Traslación; and on January 9. It is believed the Black Nazarene was originally a fair-complexioned Jesus Christ and turned black because of a fire on board in a galleon trade, according to the Festivals and Holidays.com. However, Msgr. Sabino Vengco, who made a personal research in Mexico, however, attested that the Nazareno is truly black. Carved by an unknown Mexican, it is made of mesquite wood, which is a popular medium during the 16th century. The Virgin of Antipolo is of allied provenance. A similar image of Cristo Negro is venerated in Portobelo, Mexico. Transported in a galleon from Acapulco, Mexico, the Nazarene arrived in Manila on May 31, 1606, with the first group of Augustinian Recollects. It was welcomed by Basilio Sancho de Santos Justa y Rufina, archbishop of Manila and Recollect priests. To promote devotion to Jesus Nazareno, the Roman Catholic Church granted approval to the

The Philippine Economic Profile for 2017 reported that poverty affects 20 percent of the Philippine population of more than 100 million. Sixty percent of them live in rural areas where health and economic needs are more severe and challenging. The problems of the poor are plenty, diverse and heart-breaking. Bro. Valentin Valdonato, a devotee of the Black Nazarene and a lay minister of the Lady of Abandoned Parish, said that for four decades, he was a member of a counseling group that advices devotees who seek guidance and solutions to problems during the period when Msgr. Josefino Ramirez was the rector of Quiapo Church. The guidance is now provided by priests through the daily confessional. The playfulness of fate, though, continues. Valdonado said when a problem devotees bring to the Nazarene’s merciful gaze is solved another dilemma occurs. To aug ment supplications, there are women willing to pray the rosary with the devotee. Although already a rare sight, some devotees still walk on their knees from the door of the church to the altar as they plead for a specific intention or to give thanks for an answered prayer. However, outside the Quiapo Church, fortune-tellers and card readers abound for a fee. Religious medals, charms, amulets and herbal medicines are peddled, as well. A replica of the Nazarene are also displayed in many churches in the country. Indeed, God is the shepherd and refuge of the poor and the needy. Loyal followers of the Nazarene attest that He upholds their causes and hears pleadings for succor. Santiago is a former regional director of the Department of Education-National Capital Region. She is currently a faculty member of Mater Redemptoris Collegium in Calauan, Laguna, and of Mater Redemptoris College in San Jose City, Nueva Ecija.

Faithful reminded: ‘Life is meaningless without God’

local priest elaborated on the Blessed Virgin Mary’s role of reminding the faithful about how life has no true meaning apart from God, during a Mass on the eve of the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God, on December 31, 2017. “….In Mary’s life, the one thing she cannot go without is God. This is why she is the ‘God Bearer,’” said Fr. Xavier Balbuena, a guest priest at Saint Peter Parish Shrine of Leaders on Commonwealth Avenue in Quezon City. “For Mary, if there was no God, life will have no meaning, no sense and no value.” A ccord i ng to Ba lbuen a , it is only when a person lives in the presence of God can he find meaning. “Man’s life loses its meaning without God.”

Mary, the ‘God-bearer’

“People nowadays have come to think that ‘I will be happy, I will be successful even without God…I can live life even without God!’ But is that so? Mary tells us, ‘No! And it can never be.’” The Blessed Virgin Mary’s title as Mother of God, which means “God-bearer,” he said suggests that “she always lived with the presence of God.” He also noted that the very name “Emmanuel,” which means “God is with us” actually instructs Christians to “live in the presence of God.”

Balbuena lamented the reality that people nowadays have more time for the nonessentials than for God. “You have a lot of time for Facebook. You have a lot of time for your cell phone. You have a lot of time for mall. You have a lot of time for your work. You have a lot of time to engage in rumormongering. You have a lot of time for drinking bouts. Yet your time for God is very little. That cannot be!” he stressed.

Best New Year’s resolution

The priest emphasized the need to have more time for God and to become a contemplative like Mary who “pondered everything in her heart”—two virtues he hoped the faithful could resolve to do this 2018. “That’s why I hope that these are the first things we desire to do this 2018: I have to spend more time with God…in prayer. That’s the most beautiful New Year’s resolution,” Balbuena added. “I also hope that you would put in your mind and heart that ‘life can only be lived meaningfully if our life is lived in the presence of God. Having God in our life makes life meaningful and worth living.’” he said. He later asked those present to seek the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary for these graces in the coming year. Minnie Agdeppa/CBCPNews

Fr. Xavier Balbuena of Saint Peter Parish Shrine of Leaders on Commonwealth Avenue in Quezon City encourages the faithful to spend more time with God, during a Mass on New Year’s Eve. MINNIE AGDEPPA