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Amid I.S., Maute’s effort to enlist child warriors in Mindanao

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AFP’s ‘war’ in Marawi not totally over

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By Rene Acosta

s the war against the Islamic State (IS), and its local affiliate, the Maute Group, in Marawi City winds down late last year, President Duterte declared that the soldiers would be the last ones to leave the battered city, and he meant it literally, even by coincidence.

When the Commander-inChief made his pronouncement, he was looking at it at the point of view of a still-raging war; that military personnel who were the first ones to set foot in the city to quell the terrorist-inspired rebellion would leave as soon as the operation is finished.

Coincidentally, and just as Duterte had ordered, the soldiers were still in the city, three months after the military operations have ended, and were even faced with daunting tasks that all lead to the political, social,

economic, security and physical rehabilitation of the city.

Currently, the soldiers are doing the triumvirate operations of clearing Marawi from unexploded bombs, helping in the resettlement of the displaced residents while, at the same time, working to counter the spread of violent extremism.

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) is part of the government agencies under Task Force Bangon Marawi.

Clearing operations

The military reported that it has

already cleared more than 30 percent of the city’s most war-affected areas from unexploded ordnance and homemade bombs, as the Joint Engineer Task Group (JETG) continues its rehabilitation efforts in the city.

Maj. Gen. Arnold Rafael Depakakibo, the military’s chief engineer, said the JETG would continue to undertake its main mission until it has completely cleared and rid Marawi of unexploded bombs and ordnance, as the rebuilding and return of the displaced residents hinge on it.

“As of December 15, 2017, a total of 2,853 assorted unexploded ordnance and 415 improvised explosive devices were recovered by the JETG. This was done through the support of Explosives and Ordnance Disposal Company and K-9 teams from the Philippine Army and Philippine Air Force,” Depakakibo said.

Immediately after Marawi was freed from the clutches of terrorists last year, the JETG cleared at least 20 kilometers of primary and secondary roads, three major Continued on A2

Trump’s protectionist policies to slow down BPO expansion in PHL this year–BMI

F

By Bianca Cuaresma

oreign investors looking to put up new ventures in the Philippines— particularly in the business-process outsourcing (BPO) sector—are expected to show a little bit of hesitation before sealing any deal this year, as protectionist policies still hover over the world’s largest economy.

In a recent report on Asia, international think tank BMI Research said emerging markets across the world will be seeing increased investments in service centers, such as in the BPO industry by global multinationals.

The Philippines is among the top 5 emerging markets with the largest market share in the BPO industry. It is also the country with

the fastest growth rate in the years 2012 to 2016 at 63.6 percent. This is followed by Poland’s 28.8 percent and India’s 13.2 percent.

However, BMI Research senior Asia analyst Raphael Mok told the BusinessMirror that BPO companies will be less aggressive in expanding this year due largely to the protectionist stance of

PESO exchange rates n US 50.7550

See “Trump,” A2

President Donald Trump prepares to walk into an Asean Summit dinner at the SMX Convention Center in Manila on November 12, 2017. AP Photo/Andrew Harnik

n japan 0.4570 n UK 70.5139 n HK 6.4927 n CHINA 7.9082 n singapore 38.4420 n australia 40.5837 n EU 62.1241 n SAUDI arabia 13.5343

Source: BSP (19 January 2018 )

NewsSunday A2 Sunday, January 21, 2018

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AFP’s ‘war’ in Marawi not totally over

In this October 17, 2017, file photo, hundreds of evacuees are housed in a multipurpose hall at Balo-i, Lanao del Norte, after fleeing the besieged city of Marawi in southern Philippines. AP/Bullit Marquez Continued from A1

bridges, a school and three places of worship.

This has resulted in the timely conduct of post-conflict needs assessment by the Department of Public Works and Highways.

“We also continue our limited construction support to government agencies involved in supporting the maintenance of evacuation centers,” Depakakibo added.

Aside from construction support, the JETG also assisted the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC) in the construction of 500 temporary shelters for the evacuees in Barangay Sagonsongan, Marawi City, of which 250 units were awarded last December.

The other 250 units have also been occupied, according to Col. Romeo Brawner Jr., deputy commander of the Joint Task Force Ranao.

The HUDCC is eyeing to construct at least 1,700 temporary housing units in Sagonsongan.

More than 500 military engineers are currently deployed in Marawi City as part of the JETG. The task group is supporting the recovery, reconstruction and rehabilitation operations being led by Task Force Bangon Marawi.

Aside from manpower, the military is using its construction vehicles and equipment to clear off rubbles and debris, as well as in the demolition of condemned buildings in the city.

Over the course of the con-

Trump...

flict in Marawi, military engineers provided support to operating troops in the area, which include route reconnaissance and surveys; road- and site-clearing operations; wall breaching and timber-cutting operations; and construction of ramps and flat forms for mechanized assets.

Resettlement

While temporary shelters are being built, other residents who have been displaced by the war have also been returned to their homes.

Brawner said that, by next week, they will be resettling residents of four barangays to their old homes, following the return this week of residents to three barangays, also in the city.

Marawi City is composed of 96 barangays, 24 of which have been directly affected by the war.

According to Brawner, former residents of 27 barangays in Marawi have been returned to their homes.

He said the resettlement of the affected residents is just part and parcel of the complete rehabilitation of the war-torn city, as the government also has to look after the other needs of the affected residents, such as food, water, health and even livelihood sources.

Likewise, the government must bring back trade and commerce in the city in order to make it financially livable and sustain its economy.

Fighting extremism

While all the activities geared to-

₧70,000 The enlistment fee for every child warrior recruited being paid to join the extremists’ fold, aside from a P15,000 to P20,000 monthly pay. ward the rebuilding of the city were being undertaken, a security problem, however, lies that threaten to stunt the rehabilitation of Marawi or even put it in a destructive cycle.

According to Brawner, the IS and the Maute Group are attempting to recruit members, still in the name of violent extremism, and this is what the military is now countering.

The recruitment by the local terrorist group and its master is targeted upon the orphans of the war, those who are currently housed in evacuation centers and even in other areas of Lanao del Sur, exposing their preference to members of vulnerable groups.

The groups also trained their sights on other relatives of the Maute Group.

In their recruitment, the terrorists, who were offering P70,000 as “enlistment” fee and a monthly pay of P15,000 up to P20,000, are picking on children.

“It’s P70,000 per child,” Brawner said.

continued from A1

United States President Donald J. Trump.

“The US is one of the largest investors in the Philippines BPO sector. While Trump’s protectionist rhetoric is unlikely to see US companies reverse their existing investment in the country, it has led to many of them adopting a wait-and-see approach with regards to new ventures in locating their businesses offshore,” Mok told the BusinessMirror.

“We believe that this concern will continue to weigh new invest-

ment commitments into the BPO sector in 2018,” the analyst added.

Despite this looming concern, BMI’s expert said the pull on new investment commitments is likely to gradually ease over the coming quarters, barring any actual protectionist policies against the Philippines.

The rapid expansion of the BPO industry has been a boon to the local economy, providing local employment opportunities for an English-speaking work force, as well as pumping in new dollar revenues to support the local currency

and the country’s balance of payments.

In 2016 data from the IT and Business Process Association of the Philippines reported that the country’s BPO industry was responsible for 1.2 million direct jobs in 2015.

Though competition in the sector is increasing, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas estimated in mid-November last year that the BPO industry would generate revenues of $24.5 billion in 2017, up from the $22.9 billion earned in 2016.

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Trump’s bank regulator flags cyber risks in 1st threat report

U

nited States banks are facing a growing threat from cyber attackers and making defense against them more comple x by rely ing on third-party firms for support, according to a report released on Thursday by Joseph Otting, the Trump administration appointee who took over a key banking regulator last November.

More sophisticated hackers are finding back doors into client businesses through firms they do business with, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) said in its Semiannual Risk Perspective. Attackers are stealing customer information and intellectual property, and are misappropriating funds, the national bank regulator said in the report.

Cyber risk is the one that I think keeps executives and regulators up at night, said Otting, who was

chief executive officer of OneWest Bank when Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin was its chairman. The threat requires constant vigilance, and the OCC has been reviewing banks ability to respond to emergencies, he told reporters on a conference call.

Other developments noted since the last report included an ongoing slide in loan underwriting standards in the face of aggressive competition and increasing concentrations of commercial real estate. Some banks need stronger management of that concentration, the OCC said. And in the wake of Wells Fargo & Co.’s scandals over handling of customer accounts, the agency also noted that “weaknesses in the governance of product sales, delivery, and service result in elevated levels of operational risk for some banks.”

Bloomberg News

IMF calls for global coordination on digital FX as Bitcoin whipsaws

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he International Monetary Fund (IMF) is calling for global coordination on cryptocurrencies as it warned of the risks from surging prices. “Greater international discussion and cooperation among regulators, yes, would be helpful,” IMF Spokesman Gerry Rice told reporters on Thursday in Washington.

While Rice didn’t elaborate on what type of coordination is needed, the push for action comes as digital currencies, such as Bitcoin, become an investment phenomenon and household name.

Bitcoin’s value soared last year and attracted mainstream investors, who are seeing unpredictable gains and losses.

“When asset prices go up quickly, risks can accumulate, particularly if market participants are borrowing money to buy,” Rice said. “It’s important for people to be aware of the risks and take the necessary risk-management measures.”

The IMF is not alone in recommending greater coordination on digital currencies. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin last week called for the Group of 20 nations to prevent cryptocurrencies from becoming the digital equivalent of an anonymous Swiss bank account. The

US wants to ensure “bad people cannot use these currencies to do bad things.”

‘Considerable risks’

While the currencies have potential benefits, such as payment efficiency, their dangers go beyond losses for individual investors, Rice said. “Cryptocurrencies can pose considerable risks as potential vehicles for money laundering, terrorist financing, tax evasion and fraud,” he added.

The Washington-based IMF was conceived during the Second World War to oversee the Bretton Woods system of pegged exchange rates. Though the fund has evolved since its creation into a lender of last resort for indebted nations, its views on currencies still carry special weight, given its traditional role.

Managing Director Christine Lagarde in September cautioned that cryptocurrencies could eventually become a headache for central bankers as they increase in popularity.“Not so long ago, some experts argued that personal computers would never be adopted, and that tablets would only be used as expensive coffee trays. So I think it may not be wise to dismiss virtual currencies,” she said. Bloomberg News

Sunday, January 21, 2018

A3

Rising oil prices buoy Russia’s economy despite sanctions

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OSCOW—In Russia, as in Texas and other energy dependent regions around the globe, a rising tide (of oil) lifts all boats.

That helps explain why on Thursday, as four US senators asked the State Department and other government agencies to blacklist two senior officials, the Russian stock market rose.

It was not the prospect of more sanctions, of course, that was buoying the Moscow markets but the global price of oil, which has been soaring to heights not seen in several years.

“Sanctions are important, that is for sure, especially for the market and for debt and equity investors, but for GDP and the life of ordinary Russians, oil is far more important,” said Vladimir Osakovskiy, chief economist for Bank of America Merrill Lynch in Moscow, referring to Russia’s gross domestic product.

Rising global oil prices, which hit a three-year peak last week above $70 a barrel, are brightening Russia’s once gloomy outlook.

Goldman Sachs has forecast economic growth of 3.3 percent for 2018, well above even the government’s own estimates. Consumer spending is picking up. Inflation has dropped to 2 percent, a level once unimaginable for Russia.

For years, Russian government officials have argued that the country’s pariah status and Western sanctions were not having much effect.

But in a sign of how quickly Russia’s economy has tur ned around, the country’s economic development minister wound up this week actually trying to tamp down what he described as toorosy expectations of a strong recovery, such as the one outlined in the forecast by Goldman.

“I think that, for now, there’s no basis for such optimism,” the minister, Maksim S. Oreshkin, told reporters at the Gaidar Forum, an annual economic conference in Moscow.

To be sure, nobody is predicting a return to the oil-boom years, and sanctions imposed by the European Union, the United States and other nations have hobbled important state-owned companies and banks.

Yet, the oil-price rise in the first weeks of the year, if it persists, could shift the economic landscape for Russia and outweigh the ill effects of sanctions.

The price rise so far, for example, is outweighing any negative effects on the Russian economy from the threat of new sanctions from the United States for the Kremlin’s election meddling.

I n compl i a nce w it h a l aw Congress passed last summer, the Treasury Department is expected to release on January 29 a blacklist of Russian businessmen deemed close politically to President Vladimir Putin.

On Thursday four Republican senators, Roger Wicker, Marco

Rubio, Cory Gardner and Lindsey Graham, urged the State Department and other agencies to expand the blacklist with the inclusion of two senior business and government figures—Alisher B. Usmanov, a metals magnate and onetime investor in Facebook, and Yuri Y. Chaika, Russia’s prosecutor general.

But the global price of petroleum products like oil and natural gas, which account for about 50 percent of Russia’s exports, have a greater sway over Russia’s economy than sanctions imposed after the Ukraine crisis and meddling in the US election, economists say.

“Cheap loans are unavailable to most Russian companies,” because of sanctions, Aleksander Y. Abramov, a professor at the Russian Academy of National Economy and Public Administration, said in a telephone interview. “But that is a midterm problem. In the short term, the rising oil prices are a factor for growth.”

A l s o , R u s s i a ’s e c o n o m y g re w l a st yea r des pite a pro duct ion- c ut t i ng ag reement w it h t he O rga n i z at ion of t he Pe t role u m E x p or t i n g C ou n t r ies. T h at dea l rem a i ns i n ef fec t, but r isi ng g loba l oi l pr ices sug gest it cou ld be unwound somet i me t h i s yea r, f u r t her he lpi ng Ru ssi a’s economy.

In Russia, as in other petroleum-dependent countries, high oil prices have often proved to

Cheap loans are unavailable to most Russian companies because of sanctions. But that is a midterm problem. In the short term, the rising oil prices are a factor for growth.”—Abramov

be a curse. With plenty of money, there is no incentive for the government to spur growth in nonnatural resource sectors, while the strong currency that comes with the influx of petrodollars makes it hard for other Russian industries to compete globally.

Historically, periods of low oil prices have been associated with market liberalization in Russia, beginning with the Soviet-era reforms of perestroika and glasnost under Mikhail S. Gorbachev in the 1980s and continuing with the introduction of a f lat ta x and other businessfriendly measures at the turn of the centur y.

High oil prices, in contrast, have correlated with political repression and assertive foreignpolicy moves in Moscow, from the invasion of Afghanistan in 1979 to the war in Georgia in 2008 and the intervention in Ukraine in 2014.

Unfortunately, from a Western perspective, that correlation seems to have broken down lately, with Putin steadfastly refusing to y ield to Wester n pressures despite the three-year slump in oil prices.

The average Russian is expected to benefit from the oilpr ice r ise in one direct way.

After the presidential election in March, the government was expected to announce an unpopular overhaul of the pension system that analysts say is necessary for longer-term growth.

Russia currently has one of the world ’s lowest retirement ages, 55 for women and 60 for men.

(At 71.87 years, it also has one of the developed world ’s lowest life expectancies.)

Under the new rules, the retirement age for both men and women was set to rise to 65. But that now seems less likely, as the government is predicting a budget surplus.

New York Times News Service

‘Star Wars’ toy sales fall as movie-tie fatigue sets in T

he warning signs for the toy industry started last year when Cars 3—considered a surefire success—proved lackluster for licensees like Mattel Inc. Now, toymakers’ big bets on movie tie-ins look downright bleak.

Playthings based on the Star Wars saga—the franchise that kicked off the whole phenomenon four decades ago—were down in 2017 despite a new film, Star Wars: The Last Jedi, last December during the all-important holiday-shopping season.

Call it Star Wars burnout, or better yet “movie fatigue,” said Gerrick Johnson, an analyst for BMO Capital Markets. Hollywood and toymakers have fixated on toy-friendly films at a time when kids are increasingly turning to YouTube, Netflix and social media for entertainment.

More than 20 major films, including The Last Jedi, had robust toy-licensing programs last year.

A decade ago it was about half that. Movie attendance in the US has dropped almost 14 percent in that span.

“There are so many screens now; kids aren’t just at the movies,” Johnson said. “A mov ie doesn’t have the same resonance it used to.”

While Star Wars was still the top-selling toy line during the nine-week holiday period, sales fell from 2016 and the brand lost

its No. 1 position for the year, according to data from market researcher NPD Group shared with Bloomberg News. Full-year 2016 numbers benefited from the pentup demand from Star Wars fans who started buying merchandise after Walt Disney Co. rebooted the franchise with Star Wars: The Force Awakens in December 2015, as well as a second film, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, released a year later.

“Star Wars is a force to be reckoned with in the toy industry,” Disney said in a statement. “It remains the leading film-driven property for the entire year.”

Toymaker stocks declined on Thursday. Hasbro Inc. fell as much as 3.6 percent, its biggest intraday drop in almost three months. Mattel decreased 2.2 percent. Disney shares slipped as much as 0.50 percent to $111.45

Sequel barrage

After a decade without a Star Wars film, Disney has released three movies since December 2015, and another one is coming in May. The latest installment, The Last Jedi, didn’t include many new memorable characters beyond those introduced in the preceding film, Johnson said. That left fans looking for newness elsewhere this year, leading to weaker results than expected, he added.

US sales of the brand ’s toys slowed in late-2017, Drew Crum,

car to a $250 AT-ACT remotecontrolled vehicle that walks and fires Nerf projectiles.

Tracey Gordon, a full-time mom from Glendale, California, shopping at the store, said her three boys, ages 2 to 7, aren’t Star Wars fans even though she wore a Princess Leia costume on Halloween for years when she was younger.

“It’s a generational thing,” she said, adding that her nephew likes the toys largely because his dad “drags him to see the movies.”

A model Storm Trooper stands on display during the “Force Friday” event for the release of new Star Wars: The Last Jedi products at the Walt Disney Co. store in New York, on September 1, 2017. Jeenah Moon/Bloomberg

an analyst for StifelNicolaus & Co., wrote in a note to clients last week. This was despite Last Jedi being the top-grossing film released in the US last year at $596 million.

Adult collectors, who grew up with the brand, are still buying a lot of merchandise when the toys come out, but demand dies down afterward, according to Johnson.

That doesn’t bode well for Hasbro, which has the main Star Wars toy partnership, or Jakks Pacific Inc., which has a secondary license.

Jakks said it couldn’t comment on Star Wars sales, but that merchandise tied to Moana, another Disney film, “remains very strong.” Hasbro declined to comment.

The Star Wars performance

Gigantic boon

could hinder Disney’s bid to revive growth at its consumer products division, where sales fell 13 percent to $4.83 billion for the fiscal year that ended September 30.

Dragged down

The September bankruptcy filing of Toys “R” Us Inc., which makes up about 15 percent of the market, added to the challenges for Star Wars sales growth this year, though the company continued to market the toys.

Visitors to the Toys “R” Us store on Los Feliz Boulevard in Los Angeles recently had plenty of Star Wars merchandise to choose from. A whole aisle included everything from a $3.99 Millennium Falcon Hot W heels

For years, Hol ly wood ’s push i nto com ic- book heroes a nd ot he r c h i ld ho o d f a re w a s a g igantic boon for the toy industr y. In the last decade, enter tainment-related toys grew from 15 percent of the indust r y ’s revenue to 38 percent, according to BMO. T he mov ie tie-ins helped propel the industr y to some of its strongest grow th in decades in 2015 and 2016, when Star Wars merchandise was the top-sel ling brand w ith more than $700 mil lion in sa les.

In the first half of 2017, tough comparisons to previous Star Wars sales contributed to declines in the building products and action figure categories, according to NPD. The market research firm, which is expected to report full-year sales numbers later this month,

said in July that it was projecting 4.5-percent growth overall for the industry in 2017.

The original Cars, the 2006 animated film, was one of the stalwarts. Combining memorable characters with a classic kid plaything—a car—it remained a top-selling licensed brand for years after its release. Disney opened a Cars Land attraction at its California Adventure park in Anaheim, California, in 2012 that drew hours-long wait times for its signature ride.

But the third film came out in a crowded field, followed over the next several weekends by the latest Transformers, Despicable Me and Spider-Man movies. It didn’t help that Cars 3 got an average score of 68 percent from critics at RottenTomatoes.com.

More coming

Even more toy-licensed films are scheduled, including the prequel Solo: A Star Wars Story and new Transformers, Fantastic Beasts, Jurassic World and superhero fare.

The lesson toymakers will draw from the 2017 slate is that they can’t just rely on the movie to do the marketing anymore.

“There is a new paradigm,” Johnson said. “Just because there is a movie with a toy tie-in doesn’t necessarily mean it’s going to work.

It used to mean it would work.”

Bloomberg News

A4

The World BusinessMirror

Sunday, January 21, 2018

Editor: Lyn Ressureccion | www.businessmirror.com.ph

Lebanese intelligence agency turned targets’ cell phones into spy devices

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ebanon’s internal intelligence agency appears to have been caught spying on thousands of people—including journalists and military personnel—in more than 20 countries, according to researchers at the Electronic Frontier Foundation and Lookout, a mobile security company.

The spy operation, revealed on Thursday, is among dozens around the world uncovered by human-rights groups and technical organizations in recent years, as governments and intelligence agencies have started relying more on mobile and desktop spyware than on traditional forms of cloakand-dagger espionage.

T he researchers found what t hey sa id was ev idence t hat L eba non’s i ntel l igence agenc y—ca l led the Genera l Directorate of Genera l Secur it y, or GDGS —spied on their targets’ A nd roid mobi le de v ices a nd desktop computers using var ious methods for more than si x yea rs. T hei r pr i m a r y at t ac k method, researchers said, was through a ser ies of decoy A nd roid apps desig ned to look like w idely used pr ivate, secure messag ing ser v ices, such as W hatsApp and Sig na l.

Once downloaded, the apps allowed spies to steal nearly everything off their victims’ phones, including text messages with one-time pass codes for accessing e-mail and other services, as well as contact lists, call logs, browsing history, audio recordings and photos. The apps also let the spies take photos using the phone’s front or back camera, and turned the device into a silent microphone to capture audio.

The apps were not designed to target Apple iPhone users.

“One of the main takeaways from this investigation is that actors, like Dark Caracal, are shifting away from a pure desktop capability for espionage to now relying heavily on mobile tools to gather their intelligence,” said Michael Flossman, a security analyst at Lookout, referring to the name that he and other researchers coined for the Lebanese spies they said were most likely responsible for the espionage.

GDGS is Lebanon’s main internal intelligence agency, and its director, Maj. Gen. Abbas Ibrahim, a career army general, has a rising profile and a broadening portfolio. The agency oversees residency permits for foreigners, from diplomats and tens of thousands of Southeast Asian domestic workers to more than 1 million Syrian refugees.

The agency’s expertise and clout has traditionally been seen as stemming from its human intelligence, not from high-tech espionage techniques.

Speaking ahead of the report’s publication, Ibrahim told Reuters: “General Security does not have these types of capabilities. We wish we had these capabilities.” GDGS did not return a call for comment on Thursday.

Researchers at the Electronic

Frontier Foundation and Lookout began collaborating to uncover what they believed was a likely nation-state spy campaign in 2016. That year, the Electronic Frontier Foundation released a report documenting a spy campaign against journalists and activists who had been critical of the authorities in Kazakhstan. The campaign inc luded tec hnolog y used to spy on Android users. Lookout, which focuses on mobile device security, offered to help.

Together, researchers tracked the spying to command and control servers operated by the attackers. The researchers looked at who had registered the servers and when, as well as the dates of some of the stolen content.

They deduced that the campaign had been going on for as long as six years.

T he at t ac kers were t a rgeting jou r na l ists a nd act iv ists, a s we l l a s gover n ment of f ic i a ls, m i l it a r y personnel, f ina nc i a l inst it ut ions, defense cont ractors a nd ot hers in 21 cou nt r ies. T hose cou nt r ies i nc lude d t he Un ite d St ates, C h ina, Ger ma ny, Ind i a, Rus sia, Saud i A rabia, Sout h Korea a nd inside L eba non.

The researchers traced the attacks to a building in Beirut that houses Lebanon’s GDGS, using Wi-

fi networks and so-called Internet protocol addresses assigned to attackers’ machines.

W hile researchers said they could not be sure whether the attacks were the work of the GDGS or rogue employees, many of the attacks appeared tied to an e-mail address—op13@mail. com —that had been linked to various online personas, including “Nancy Razzouk ” and “Rami Jabbour.” All of the physical addresses listed with registrations made by that e-mail account were clustered around the GDGS building in Beirut, according to the user’s wireless activity.

E-mails sent to that e-mail address were not returned.

As part of their work, researchers found evidence that Lebanese spies were directing victims to install the spy apps through WhatsApp messages that began innocuously with a “How are you?” Those then linked to the spy apps with additional messages like “You can download from here to communicate further.”

In other cases, the spies found their targets on Facebook, inviting them to Facebook groups, where they posted links to their decoy apps, which they often referred to by names like “WhatsApp plus.” The spies also directed victims to fake login sites for social-media services like Twitter

One of the main takeaways from this investigation is that actors, like Dark Caracal, are shifting away from a pure desktop capability for espionage to now relying heavily on mobile tools to gather their intelligence.”—Flossman

and Facebook to steal their credentials, hijack their accounts and push out trick messages to more people.

Researchers also found evidence that Lebanese officials had previously used FinFisher, a product manufactured by the British company Gamma International, which sells sur veillance tools that let customers t u r n computers a nd phones into listening devices to monitor a target’s messages, calls and whereabouts. Increasingly, researchers discovered that the spies had built their own custom mobile spy tools that were less sophisticated than FinFisher but as effective in getting the intelligence they were after.

Martin J. Muench, the managing director of Gamma International, has told The New York Times that his company only sells surveillance tools to governments for criminal and terrorism investigations. The Times has covered several instances in which Muench ’s tools have popped up on devices used by journalists and activists. Gamma Group did not respond to a request for comment on Thursday.

Researchers also uncovered ev idence that Lebanese of f icials deployed several variants of malware to victims’ desktop machines; the malware was designed to work across several operating systems, including M ic rosof t W i ndow s, A p ple’s Mac and Linux. That malware could steal screenshots of vict i ms’ computer sc reens, u se the victim’s webcam to spy on their physical whereabouts, record sound, grab photos and any Skype activity, file listings and files, and even iPhone backups.

In the hours after researchers published their report on Thursday, the servers conducting the spying went dark.

New York Times News Service

‘Erotica’ dance in dorm nearly gets Russian cadets expelled

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OSCOW—An underwear dance video filmed in a college dormitory nearly got some Russian cadet pilots expelled and sparked a discussion among Russia’s political elite.

The mock striptease recorded by cadets at the Ulyanovsk Civil Aviation Institute went viral earlier this week. Some Russian politicians called on the public training school in Lenin’s birthplace to expel the students. The Federal Agency for Air Transportation decried the video as an “immoral incident” and an “insult to civil aviation professionals.”

The students’ all-male rendition of the official video for Benny Benassi’s “Satisfaction” showed a dozen freshmen wearing boxer shorts, boots, chest straps and cadet caps, thrusting their hips to the beat as they walked around the dorm, mopped the floor and ironed their shirts.

The college video looks lighthearted, but the outcry over it highlights Russian unease with gay visibility.

Following legislation in several regions, Russia adopted a federal law in 2013 prohibiting the dissemination to minors of “propaganda of nontraditional sexual relations.” The law has been condemned as an outright ban on public discussions of LGBT issues, but authorities defend it as being in the interest of children.

Students at colleges elsewhere in Russia recorded their own videos as tributes to the one made by the Ulyanovsk cadets. Two posted on Thursday on YouTube showed students at an agriculture college and at school affiliated with the Russian Emergency Situations Ministry also dancing to “Satisfaction.”

Earlier this week, Ulyanovsk Gov. Sergei Morozov ordered an investigation of whether the future pilots who reportedly filmed the video in the dorm violated the institute’s charter. But Morozov disagreed that the students deserved to be expelled. AP

Trump tests political strength, clout in bellwether House race

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resident Donald J. Trump waded into a Pennsylvania special election that Republicans are calling a bellwether for their prospects of holding onto majorities in the House and Senate in the 2018 midterms.

Trump put his political capital to the test with a visit on Thursday to a Pittsburgh suburb after suffering an embarrassing defeat late last year in Alabama, where he backed two losing candidates and the state elected its first Democrat to the Senate in a quarter century.

Trump applauded Republican candidate Rick Saccone as “someone people are hearing more and more about” at a rally at H&K Equipment Co., an industrial equipment supplier in Coraopolis, Pennsylvania.

“Rick is a great guy. I think he’s going to do really well,” Trump told reporters during a tour of the facility, promising to return to campaign on his behalf and “fill” a stadium.

The House Republican leadership has urged Trump to pay attention to the election in Pennsylvania’s 18th congressional district, scheduled for March 13, to help bolster Saccone’s profile, according to two people familiar with the matter. Democrats didn’t even field a candidate there in the last two elections, showing that Republicans and the White House acknowledge the 2018 stakes.

“There’s no question that this election is a referendum on Trump and it’s his to lose,” said G. Terry

Madonna, a prominent Pennsylvania pollster and Franklin & Marshall political science professor. “The Republicans have taken this very seriously. And it’s a situation where the Democrats need a perfect storm of circumstances to win—they need the white working-class voters who went for Trump to stay home.”

Official travel?

Republican prospects for holding their congressional majority are running up against Trump’s record-low approval ratings, signs of a highly motivated Democratic base, and history. Since the end of World War II, the party in control of the White House has lost an average net of 26 House seats.

Democrats can seize control of the House by winning a net 24 seats in November.

The Pennsylvania seat was vacated last year when the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported that Rep. Tim Murphy, the Republican incumbent, suggested abortion as an option for a woman with whom he was having an extramarital relationship. The last time Murphy ran against a Democrat— in 2012—he won with 64 percent of the vote. Trump won the district by 20 percentage points in 2016.

Saccone has fully embraced Trump and his administration’s record. “Will be going to Pennsylvania today in order to give my total support to RICK SACCONE, running for Congress in a Special Election (March 13). Rick is a great

United States President Donald J. Trump listens during a meeting with bipartisan members of Congress on immigration in the Cabinet Room of the White House in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday. Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg

guy. We need more Republicans to continue our already successful agenda!” Trump said on Twitter on Thursday.

T h e p r e s i d e n t ’s p o l i t i c a l party is supposed to pay for campaign travel, but US taxpayers will pick up the tab for the Pennsylvania trip.

“While the President has made clear his support for Republican candidates throughout the country, including in Pennsylvania, the purpose of today’s visit is to promote the President’s successful agenda, especially on taxes,” White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said in a news statement issued more than three hours after Trump’s tweet.

In July 2016, Trump criticized former President Obama’s travel for campaign purposes.

“Taxpayers are paying a fortune

for the use of Air Force One on the campaign trail by President Obama and Crooked Hillary. A total disgrace!” he said on Twitter at the time.

Marine veteran

Saccone is up against Conor L a mb, a 33 -yea r - old Ma r i ne veteran and former assistant US attorney who is trying to appeal to centrists. Lamb won the party’s nomination by promising to oppose or work with Trump whenever it’s in the interest of his district. He’s also said he wouldn’t vote for House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi to become speaker if Democrats win a majority.

Public polls show that Saccone, a state legislator and Air Force veteran, has a 12-point advantage, but internal Republican surveys put

his lead in the single digit, a person familiar with the numbers said.

One strategist close to the Saccone campaign noted that the GOP can’t count on Murphy’s strong margins since he ran noncompetitive races for so many years. If Democrats win the seat, they could paint it as an early ripple in the coming midterm wave, said the strategist.

If Republicans win, they could say it proves that their loss in Alabama’s Senate race was an outlier, the strategist said.

W hile Republicans are still con f ident t he y ’ l l ret a i n t he seat, special elections tend to favor the party whose voters are more fired up, which appears to be the Democrats this year, the person said.

‘Lean Republican’

Late last year Democrats won gubernatorial elections in New Jersey and Virginia and knocked out Republican of f iceholders in both state legislatures. The biggest electoral surprise came when Democrat Doug Jones won a Senate special election in Alabama over a flawed Republican candidate who nonetheless had Trump’s endorsement.

Polls show that Trump has been losing support among college-educated female Republicans who live in southern parts of Allegheny County, outside Pittsburgh, according to Madonna, the Pennsylvania political sci-

entist. “They’ve been deserting Republicans,” he said.

The Cook Political Report, an election forecaster, last week ranked the district as “lean Republican,” affirming that there is a chance for a Democratic upset.

That marked a shift from a December 8 report that had the district solidly in Republican hands.

Yet, the spate of Democratic upsets, including a candidate for a Wisconsin state Senate seat this week that had been in Republican hands for 17 years, has prompted the GOP to put more energy into races that were once considered locked up.

O n t o p o f Tr u mp ’s v i s it , Vice President Mi ke Pence is sc hedu led to ra ise money for Saccone, a nd House Spea ker Pau l Rya n a nd cong ressiona l leadersh ip w i l l host a f u ndra iser for h im in Wash ing ton ne x t mont h. He’s a lso get t ing money from the Congressiona l L eadersh ip Fu nd, a pol it ica l ac t ion com m it tee con nec ted to Rya n.

Rep. Tom Marino, a Pennsylvania Republican who was one of candidate Trump’s earliest backers, says he does not think the president is worried about Republican election prospects in a state Trump still considers a personal victory.

“I just think he just wants to show he hasn’t forgotten the important support our state gave him,” in 2016, Marino said.

Bloomberg News

Sports BusinessMirror

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

Sunday, January 21, 2018

A5

SIGNIFICANT INVESTMENT M

ELBOURNE—The Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) has signed a long-term deal to move its season-ending WTA Finals to Shenzhen, China, in 2019 and will increase total prize money to $14 million, double the previous purse.

The move represents a significant investment in the China market at a time when the sport is aggressively expanding its reach in the country, with the addition of a number of new tournaments in recent years. The WTA signed a 10-year deal to stage the finals in Shenzhen—double the length of the current commitment in Singapore, the host since 2014.

The prize money for the top 8 singles players and top 8 doubles teams is also a major upgrade from the current purse of $7 million and is nearly double the $8 million in total prize money on offer at the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) Finals in London.

The WTA said the Chinese real-estate developer Gemdale Corp. submitted the winning bid and will build a 12,000-seat stadium in downtown Shenzhen.

“We are very excited about the opportunity I think that Shenzhen brings,” Steve Simon, the CEO of the WTA Tour, said at the Australian Open on Thursday. “With the new arena that’s being built, it will be built in the downtown district, which hasn’t been done. Most of the time it’s on the outskirts, and now it’s there.”

Attendance has been a concern at ATP and WTA events in China in recent years, particularly at tournaments in cities such as Wuhan and Tianjin, but Simon believes the WTA Finals will attract a sizable audience in a major metropolitan region like the Pearl River Delta.

“When you have 20 million people in that downtown district, plus 68 million in the entire delta region,” he said, “we feel confident we’re going to be able to fill [the arena].”

The 10-year commitment is also far longer than the WTA has signed in previous host cities, a cause for possible concern if attendance figures don’t reach initial expectations.

Simon said, however, that time is needed to build a successful event in a new market. He spoke in 2016 of finding a more permanent home for the finals, saying at the time that Singapore was a city “we’d be very proud to call home.”

In a statement on Wednesday, the Singapore Tourism Board said it had evaluated a possible extension of the WTA Finals hosting agreement with the national agency Sport Singapore and “decided not to pursue this.” It did not elaborate on the reasons.

Simon said the WTA would evaluate whether it could bring another tournament to Singapore in the future.

“We have created a good market down there, and I would hate to see it get vacated,” he said. “I don’t have one to put there today, but it’s something we will certainly look at.”

Shenzhen already hosts a WTA tournament in early January, one of the tune-up tournaments for the Australian Open.

Maria Sharapova, who played in the Shenzhen Open at the start of this season, said the WTA was making a good strategic move to partner with “a place that’s willing to invest in women’s tennis.”

“They were the ones that put the money on the line,” Sharapova said. “They are willing to grow our sport. They’re willing to build a stadium, willing to accept the game and its level and the players.” AP

Maria Sharapova takes a selfie with spectators at the Australian Open. AP

WEALTH GAP GROWS AMONG EURO CLUBS G

ENEVA—Elite European soccer clubs will get even richer than rivals by cashing in on their global brands, Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) has warned as it studies ways to help make the Champions League more competitive.

A group of 12 clubs is best placed to attract sponsors and commercial deals that are driving up income faster than domestic broadcasting rights and UEFA prize money, according to the European soccer body’s analysis of 681 clubs’ accounts in the 2016 financial year.

UEFA must “remain vigilant and true to our values” as top clubs’ income grows fastest, President Aleksander Ceferin wrote in an introduction to the 126-page document that detailed another boom year for European soccer.

“As the guardians of the game, UEFA must ensure that football remains competitive even as financial gaps are augmented by globalization and technological change,” said Ceferin, who has stated his aim to keep a competitive balance on the field.

The annual UEFA research was released on Tuesday, six weeks before Ceferin could expand on policy ideas to increase fairness when he addresses member-federations at their congress in Slovakia.

Salary caps, luxury tax and enforced squad limits have previously been raised by the UEFA leader, who has called on European lawmakers to look at waiving some business competition laws to help the sport.

Restricting agent fees, clubs loaning out players, and owners having stakes in multiple clubs are also options put up for debate by Ceferin.

The UEFA research confirmed a rising trend for European clubs to see total income grow on average 10 percent year-on-year through a troubled decade for the world economy.

A total of 48 clubs had income of at least €100 million ($122 million) in 2016—topped by Manchester United’s €689 million ($845 million).

The top 30 clubs—down to Aston Villa in 30th place—earned a combined €9.1 billion ($11.16 billion) in the last financial year, almost matching the other 651 clubs combined.

Still, UEFA suggests just 12 of the “most global clubs” are in a different financial class.

“Only the largest clubs have the scope to take full advantage of the increasing international media profiles of the top leagues,” the report said.

The wealthy dozen have raised their income from “sponsorship deals and commercial activities” by €1.58 billion ($1.94 billion) since 2010. All other European toptier clubs combined for a €700-million ($858-million) increase, UEFA said.

UEFA has compiled the annual study since 2009 when it launched the Financial Fair Play (FFP) project to monitor, regulate and sanction clubs for overspending on buying and paying players.

Paris Saint-Germain is currently under investigation after lavish spending, including a world-record €222 million ($272 million) on buying Neymar from Barcelona.

Total net losses in 2016 of €269 million ($330 million) are one-sixth of the sum when FFP took effect in 2011.

Though 10 clubs, including five English teams, had wage bills of more than €200 million ($245 million), all were below UEFA’s recommended wages-to-revenue ratio of 70 percent.

Other details in the report, which analyzed all aspects of clubs’ business, included: n Zenit Saint Petersburg reported the largest bottomline profit of €77 million ($94 million) in 2016. n Of 96 players transferred for at least €15 million ($18.4 million) last summer, only four went to clubs outside the big-5 leagues. Three went to Zenit and one to Porto. n In 32 transfers where the player cost at least €1 million ($1.2 million), the agent was paid a higher fee. n Bournemouth was 20th in a league table of European clubs with highest TV revenue—€99 million ($121 million). n Just 15 percent of top-tier European clubs own their stadium. n Gambling firms are the most common shirt sponsor—19 percent of 268 clubs across top leagues. n Young Boys of Switzerland sold the most expensive replica shirt on any club web site—the equivalent of €102 ($125). AP

Canada chasing fifth straight gold under former player

L

aura Schuler always wanted to coach hockey. A member of Canada’s first women’s national team, she just never thought she would get the chance to coach her nation’s team on the world’s biggest stage.

She was wrong.

Schuler is the first former national team player to coach the Canadian women. On a one-year break from her job coaching Dartmouth, Schuler will try to lead Canada to a fifth straight Olympic gold medal next month in South Korea. Not bad for someone who didn’t see many role models when playing for Canada’s first Olympic team in 1998.

“It just was never a viable option back then, so I feel so blessed to [have] kind of rolled along with the growth of women’s hockey and after my career to get into coaching right away and to be with the national team since 2008 and continuing to learn and grow,” Schuler said. “It’s just been a great blessing for me.”

Canada always has led the way in opportunities for women in hockey.

Schuler played in Nagano in 1998 for Shannon Miller, who in 1997 became the first full-time, salaried coach of a women’s national team. Now Schuler follows in the coaching steps of Miller, Daniele Sauvageau (2002) and Melody Davidson (2006 and 2010), who’s now general manager for the team.

A native of Scarborough, Ontario, Schuler started playing at Northeastern in Boston in 1989. Schuler also was on Canada’s first women’s national team, helping win world championships in 1990, 1992 and 1997. When women’s hockey made its Olympic debut in 1998, Schuler helped Canada to silver—the only time Canadians have gone home with any medal other than gold.

Schuler will make her Olympic debut as a coach on February 11 in the team’s opener against Russian athletes.

“Pressure is pressure,” Schuler said. “That doesn’t matter what position you’re in, and I think that’s a good thing because it helps to make sure you have a good plan in place as you go forward. And I think the one thing I do bring to the girls is just the experience of being there and understanding all the distractions that can happen at the games and again making sure that you have a good plan in place so you can get the best out of your players.”

Now 48, Schuler has gone from coaching midget teams in Ontario in 1998 to being head coach at MassachusettsBoston and Northwestern and an assistant and recruiting coordinator at Minnesota-Duluth. She also worked her way up through Canada’s women’s programs, eventually becoming national team head coach in 2015. After her first season at Dartmouth in 2016-2017, Schuler was named Canada’s coach for the 2018 Olympics in May 2017.

Schuler won’t be the only woman coaching hockey in Pyeongchang. Sarah Murray, a Minnesota native who played at Minnesota-Duluth, is coaching South Korea and Daniela Diaz is coaching Switzerland.

Harvard coach Katey Stone, who led the Americans to silver in 2014 in Sochi, has been the only woman to coach the United States in the Olympics; this year’s coach is Robb Stauber. Stone said she was honored to be the first but hopefully not the last. She sees Katie Crowley and Courtney Kennedy at Boston College and Julie Chu at Concordia as just part of a rapidly growing pool of American coaching candidates for the future.

“It’s the natural progression,” Stone said. “And there are a lot of young women on these teams that have become coaches, head coaches, and been very involved in each of their country’s systems.”

For now, it’s Team Canada with the coach experienced in what the maple leaf means.

“Obviously for her, every time she gets to coach she almost feels the same way that we feel every time we put on the jersey,” Canadian forward Natalie Spooner said. “We’re so honored to just be out there and to be able to represent our country. We want to play with pride and represent Canada well every time we play, and she wants to do the same.” AP

A member of Canada’s first women’s national team, Laura Schuler just never thought she would get the chance to coach her nation’s team on the world’s biggest stage. AP

Faith A6 Sunday, January 21, 2018

Sunday

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

Support group for Baguio’s ‘future priests’ launched

B

AGUIO CITY—As a concrete initiative for the Year of the Clergy and Consecrated Persons (YCCP) that was declared by the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) for 2018, the faithful of the cathedral parish in this diocese formed an organization to support future priests and to raise awareness about the priestly vocation.

L a u n c h e d t h i s y e a r, O u r L ad y of t he A tone me nt C a t hedra l Par ish A ssociation of Sem ina r i a ns a nd Pa r t ners (Ol ac-A sap), a ims to involve t he people of t he d iocese to act ively promote a nd suppor t vocat ions to t he pr iest hood.

“To promote, strengthen and suppor t [pr iest ly] vocat ions, there must be a dynamic and vibrant move to inspire the young and the seminarians to become priests. This necessitates the creation of a group to raise awareness of the priestly vocation and to support future priests by journeying with them, by providing support in all ways that may be necessary,” Fr. Felimon William, parish priest of Our Lady of the Atonement Cathedral told CBCPNews, explaining the urgent need to form Ol ac-A sap.

Full support needed

A cco r d i n g t o t h e p r i e s t , while the need for pr iests is

PHLPost releases stamps on centenary of the apparition of Our Lady of Fatima

T

he Philippine Postal Corp. (PHLPost) released se-tenant block of four stamps to commemorate the 100 years of the apparition of Our Lady of Fatima.

The Blessed Virgin Mary first appeared to three small shepherd children on May 13, 1917, in Fatima, Portugal, and unleashed a flood of grace in the midst of a world shattered by World War I. The stamps have four designs of the Our Lady of Fatima, namely: the first apparition, the Our Lady of Fatima herself, the last apparition which is the Miracle of the Sun and the three small shepherd children—Lucia dos Santos, Francisco Marto and Jacinta Marto.

PHLPost has printed 80,000 copies of the P12-denomination of the block of four stamps, which is available until December 13, 2018. The layout of the stamps was done by in-house graphic artist Eunice Beatrix Uy Dabu.

The stamps and official first- day cover are now available at the Post Shop, Central Post Office, Door 203, Liwasang Bonifacio, Manila and area post offices nationwide.

i nc rea si ng , voc at ions to t he pr iesthood is dw ind ling.

“Furthermore, if there are vocations, they sometimes lack the support of the community. Thus, among those who hardly cope with the expenses some get weary and leave the seminary,” William said.

He a lso noted how the promotion of the priestly vocation h a s u su a l ly been l i m ited to parents of seminar ians, suppor t ive par ish pr iests and a few par ishioners.

Our Lady of Atonement Cathedral Parish Priest Fr. Felimon William addresses the initial group of Our Lady of the Atonement Cathedral Parish Association of Seminarians and Partners. CBCPNews

In a decree issued on November 26, 2017, at the diocesan launching of the YCCP on the Solemnity of Christ the King, B a g u i o B i s ho p V i c t o r B . B e n d ico e x hor te d t he l ay f a it h f u l “to g ive their f u l l suppor t to the c lerg y and relig ious men and women in the d iocese by pr ay i ng a nd show i ng t he i r ac t i v e g e nu i n e s u p p o r t i n a n y for m that w il l streng then hea lthy col laboration and g e nu i n e i nt e r a c t i o n .”

To promote, strengthen and support [priestly] vocations, there must be a dynamic and vibrant move to inspire the young and the seminarians to become priests.”

—William

Four objectives

William said Ol a c - A s ap’s four main objectives are: to promote awareness among the people and strengthen the desire of priestly vocations among seminarians in the Diocese of Baguio; to accompany by guiding, caring for and attending to the needs of seminarians in their priestly formation; to recruit members as lay partners in the O l a c - A s a p; and to contribute to the financial obligations of seminarians in the seminary.

The parish priest invited the faithful to become members of Ol ac-A sap by filling out an Ol acA sap membership form and attend the seminars; by praying the Prayer for Vocations regularly; and by making a monthly, quarterly, or yearly pledge, in cash or in kind.

“The call for this endeavor is urgent. It cannot be delayed.

It must be done ‘ASAP.’ Hence, Ol a c - A s ap!” the priest said.

Fr. Mickey Cardenas/CBCPNews

Detroit church shields man from deportation to Albania D

ETROIT—A Detroit church is providing sanctuary for a man in the country illegally who was ordered deported to Albania even though he says that he is the sole caretaker of his wheelchair-bound wife.

Cent ra l Un ited Met hod i st Church officials announced at a news conference on Tuesday that the church is offering sanctuary to Ded Rranxburgaj, 48, of Southgate, who is scheduled to be deported on January 25. The Rranxburgaj family will stay at an apartment in the church indefinitely, church leaders and Michigan United officials said.

Immig rat ion of f icia ls told Rranxburgaj last October that he was going to be deported. The administration of President Donald J. Trump has cracked down on illegal immigration since he took office last January.

“This person is not a terrorist.

He’s not a threat to your country.

He’s trying to make a better life,” said the Rev. Jill Hardt Zundel, senior pastor of Central United Methodist. “I follow a man named Jesus who flipped tables over, who tried to stop oppression. And that’s what we’re doing here.”

This is the first time a metro Detroit church has announced it’ll be providing sanctuary to an immigrant facing deportation under Trump, according to advocates.

United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) policy advises against targeting houses of worship and schools for enforcement actions. The church declared itself a sanctuary in

Ded Rranxburgaj holds his wife Flora’s hand during a news conference after taking sanctuary at Central United Methodist Church while facing deportation in Detroit on January 16.

Romain Blanquart/Detroit Free Press via AP

2017 and gave an African family seeking to remain in the country sanctuary last year before Trump was elected, church officials said.

Rranxburgaj came to the US with his wife 17 years ago. Rranxburgaj said he was granted temporary humanitarian status after his wife was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis more than a decade ago.

He said he has no criminal record and has been working with immigration officials to gain legal status.

ICE Spokesman Khaalid Walls says Rranxburgaj currently is considered a fugitive after not reporting to ICE as instructed last October.

Walls says Rranxburgaj was ordered removed by an immigration judge in 2006, and in 2009 the Board of Immigration Appeals dismissed his appeal of that decision, affirming the removal order. He says ICE allowed Rranxburgaj to remain free from

custody while making preparations for his departure, “which he had satisfactorily done.”

“ICE does not exempt classes or categories of removable aliens from potential enforcement,” Walls said in an e-mail. “All of those in violation of the immigration laws may be subject to immigration arrest, detention and, if found removable by final order, removal from the United States.”

Flora Rranxburgaj, 44, who is married to Ded R ranxburgaj, isn’t facing deportation because of her condition confined to a wheelchair, said Caitlin Homrich-K nieling, immigrant f a m i ly defen se orga n i z er at Michigan United, a group that advocates for immigrant rights and other issues.

The couple’s oldest son has qualified for the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, while their youngest son is a US citizen. AP

Saint Agnes, virgin and martyr

By Corazon Damo-Santiago

D

ismal and pathetic it was to be a woman before the advent of Christianity.

Dreary and frightful, as well. In societies where husbands enjoy patria protestas (paternal power) as head of a family or families, they had the power of life and death over their wives and children.

Leonard Hobhouse in Morals in Evolution, a comprehensive study of 500 primitive societies concluded that in 492 societies, polygamy was a standard except in the eight societies where there were few women.

G. May in Social Control of Sex Expressions, complimenting Hobhouse, noted, “Woman is almost universally considered a property.”

In Old India widows burned themselves alive in the funeral pyre of the husband. A woman’s role was relegated to child bearing in Old India, classical China, ancient Rome and Greece.

The New Catholic Encyclopedia espouses that the birth of Jesus Christ ushered the importance of the female specie, “the turning point in the history of women.”

A spiritual unity was professed.

“There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free person, there is not male and female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:28).

The double standard of morality, citing adultery, was condemned (Mk.,10:11-12). And equality was emphasized when Christ accepted women as apostles and disciples.

The first to see him resurrected from the dead was accorded to a woman—Mary of Magdala, the Apostle of the Apostles.

In choosing a state of life, an unmarried woman and virgin can dedicate a life of virginity to Christ—as his bride “anxious about the things of the Lord, so that she may be holy in both body and spirit (1 Corinthians 7:34).

However, virginity as an option is a “radical subversion against the Roman state,” according to Gilbert Marcus in Radical Tradition.

Marriage and family were the basis of imperium—the guarantee of the gods that Rome would continue, as cited by Kathleen Norris in The Cloister Walk.

Single blessedness was considered a “radical subversion” against the Roman State. Thus, a woman’s refusal to get married and beget children who will defend the Roman empire is equated to a soldier’s refusal to fight. Both acts were considered treasonous offenses.

But to be a virgin is an idealized state, intensified by church teachings. To value the body, and its human worth is a cultural and honorable claim of sexual identity. The vow of chastity is an honor attached to the word virgin. Innumerable were virgin martyrs in the primitive church.

Saint Agnes was given two options to live. Denounce Christianity or get married. Neither did she choose.

Destined for virginity

Agnes, which means chaste in Greek, was born in the City of Rome in 304 or 305. Rich and beautiful, many noblemen from the best families rivaled for her in marriage. But so resolute was her determination to remain single, because of her vow of chastity.

Immediately after the declaration of the Imperial Edict aga i n st C h r i st i a n s, she voluntarily declared herself as a Chr istian, according to Pope Da masc us. Emperors Dioc le tian, Maximian and Galerius in 303 “rescinded the legal rights of Christians, demanding they comply with traditional Roman religious practices.”

Denounced as a Christian by a suitor, she was brought before a judge who showed her instruments of torture to change her mind. But unshakeable was her resolve to remain a virgin.

Saint Agnes (c. 1620), oil on canvas painting

by Domenichino. Wikimedia Commons

She was then sent to a house for prostitution. Agnes calmly listened and, with confidence, proclaimed God would rescue her.

Disrobed before an audience of unbelievers, she remained calm.

Saint A mbrose, wrote that “when her hair was loosed, God gave such length and thickness to her flowing tresses that covered her completely.”

When Agnes entered the prison cell, an angel surrounded her with blinding light that no one could look, moreso touch her. As she knelt to pray, the Lord appeared and handed her a snow-white robe.

The son of Symphonianus, who condemned her, came with some friends to heap insult. But Symphonianus’s son immediately fell on his face, dead, while the others fled.

Agnes prayed and restored him to life, which led to his conversion.

Symphonianus resigned his post and Aspius took over the trial.

Deputy Prefect Aspius commanded that she be burned in a great fire in Piazza Navona. The f lames divided and scorched the people on both sides. Considered as a witchcraft marvel, and excited over screams of “Away with the witch!” Aspius ordered her execution.

Saint Ambrose narrated that Agnes approached death more cheerfully than ladies who go to their wedding.

Saint Ambrose claimed Agnes was 12 when she died, but Saint Augustine stated she was 13 years old.

Saint with a lamb

One of the seven women commemorated by name in the Canon of the Mass, Saint Agnes is the patron saint of the children of Mary, engaged couples, virgins, rape survivors and gardeners.

She was buried in Via Nomentana and those who prayed in her grave were harassed. Her foster sister, Saint Emerentiana was stoned to death.

Constantia, daughter of Emperor Constantine, built the Saint Agnes Basilica over her grave, where the relics of Saints Agnes and Emerentiana, given by Pope Paul V (1605-1621), were deposited.

In the Tridentine Calendar, her feast day is January 28, but it was moved to January 21 in the 1969 based on the Revised Calendar of Saints.

On her feast day, two lambs are blessed in Saint Agnes Basilica. They are cared for until they could be sheared. The wool of the lambs are woven into pallium, or rectangular mantle.

On June 29, on the vigil for the feast of Saints Peter and Paul, the pallium is laid on the main altar of the Saint Peter’s Basilica. The pallium is given by the holy father to archbishops as a sign of their sharing with the pope the fullness of the pontifical office.

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.

Tourism&Entertainment BusinessMirror

Editor: Carla Mortel-Baricaua

Sunday, January 21, 2017

A7

Answering the call of adventure on Tarak Ridge

The author enjoys the view from near the peak of Tarak Ridge.

E

Story & photos by Marky Ramone Go with added images from BaseKamp

ver since I left my college mountaineering club in the University of Santo Tomas, I have trekked to the mountains few and far between.

It felt like a romantic separation that left me searching for ways to reconnect with. I would plan hiking trips here and there, only to shelve it in favor of a trip to the beach.

Despite my deep interest in hiking taking a backseat, the call of the great outdoors remained loud and I know that it was just only a matter of time before I stepped on the jagged Philippine mountains again.

Rekindling my love of the mountains

Then it happened. On a recent weekend, I went on a trek to Tarak Ridge in Bataan, upon the invitation of an outdoor outfitter brand Basekamp to test out some of their

products. Situated in the dense mountains of Barangay Alas-asin in Mariveles, the jagged trails of Tarak Ridge proved to be the perfect opportunity to bond with old travel-writer friends.

A week before our hike, Basekamp trained mountaineers conducted a Basic Mountaineering Course at the Base Kamp Biker’s Pit Stop in San Mateo, Rizal.

Photographer, travel writer and Basekamp Social Media Manager/ adventure guru, Jed Rosell assured to us, “Chill hike lang ang Tarak Ridge guys [Tarak Ridge is just a chill hike]”, as he demonstrated the essential Basekamp products we were about to road test.

Tarak Ridge becomes a playground for these fun-loving hikers.

The Tarak Ridge crew pose for a photo together.

The whole trail appeared magical just like it was torn from the pages of a fantasy book set in a piece of woodland swarming with fairies. It was only at Tarak Ridge that we saw circling tree branches, turning into mini canopies along the way. A lush family of vegetation, consisting of various plants and foliage, is laid out beautifully on the ground, with green and yellowish shrubberies reinforcing a fanciful notion.

It took us a couple of hours before we reached the Papaya River, where we made camp and prepared for lunch.

Fallen logs lay over gargantuan rocks, surrounded by a shallow stream that leads to a couple of waist-deep natural pools. While we waited for our Basekamp adventure buddies to cook our meals, I joined my fellow travel-writer friends, Celine, Kara and Christine, for a soothing dip.

Ranked with a 4/9 difficulty and a trail classification of three, Tarak Ridge turned out to be what Rosell described to us; mostly a relaxed hike. However, he forgot to inform us of one important detail—the punishing steep trail leading to the campsite.

Battling exhaustion, our party

Our Basekamp tents; Basekamp Ridge 2, Basekamp Frog 2 and Basekamp Rays 2—all spacious two-person, waterproof and ultra-light tents

of seven persevered and overcame that difficult part of the hike.

“This part is supposed to take us two hours, but we finished it in an hour,” Rosell proudly told us.

As the cool wind gushed over our relieved faces, we witnessed the sun set spectacularly as it slides behind the mountainside of Mariveles. A few moments later, darkness took over and ushered a night sky illuminated only by the shy moon and a handful of scattered stars.

Watching the Earth spins from where I lay in my tent, I took an ex-

Circling tree branches along the trail

tensive gaze at the constellations, and in between quiet breaths, I silently renewed my love affair with the mountains.

Promoting the Leave no Trace policy

Most outdoor outfitter brands rely on visual advertising to send their message across. They will bombard you with images of lush forests and azure colored seas to entice you to give outdoor exploration a try. It was an effective approach as I was initially lured into mountain climbing

through this marketing strategy.

Basekamp Tramper Retailers Inc. innovates its strategies by incorporating the experiencecentric method. Utilizing its numerous store branches to adventure centers, Basekamp has been actively persuading adventurous individuals to embrace the mountain hike. By organizing climbing expeditions and conducting Basic Mountaineering Courses, the company fulfills its mission by advocating a more active lifestyle set in the mountainous region of the country.

“Every month, Basekamp branches organize two climbs per month; a major and minor climb.

Before every climb, we invite participants to attend our basic mountaineering course and inform them of the proper hiking guidelines, such as LNT [Leave no Trace policy] and other basic mountainhike training,” says Greg Galicia, Basekamp store manager of Market Market branch in Taguig.

Now, Basekamp stores function not just merely an outdoor shop, but also a center where kindred souls answer the call of adventure, meet and get together on hiking trips across the Philippines.

The writer sits on one of the log near Papaya River.

Lima Park Hotel to showcase weekend family packages at SmartKids

F

ind out why Lima Park Hotel is the best choice for parents looking to spend a fun getaway with their kids at the biggest family event in the country, the SmartKids Asia Philippines (SKAP).

A mom-and-dad approved staycation venue, Lima Park Hotel allows kids to connect with nature in a safe and comfortable environment.

Kids are free to roam around the expansive hotel complex and play at the pocket gardens. On a clear night, the whole family can go stargazing.

Located inside Lima Commercial Center, a business and commercial

The Lima Park Pavilion is the perfect venue for conventions and social events.

hub in Malvar, Batangas, Lima Park Hotel provides guests quick access to natural and timeless tourist attractions. Lima Park Hotel’s family tour package includes a tour of Lake Taal, where guests get to ride the Lady of the Lake, the hotel’s 30-seater catamaran. The tour also includes the Lava Walk, where guests can trek on dried basalt rock formations and a visit to the bird sanctuary in San Nicolas.

For those seeking to go on a family retreat can avail themselves the hotel’s religious tour. Its itinerary features a visit to several old

churches and Marian Orchard, a prayer garden in Balete, Batangas.

The first and only four-star hotel in Batangas, Lima Park Hotel received the Tourism Excellence award at the recent fourth Calabarzon Tourism Summit, an initiative of the Department of Tourism.

Lima Park Hotel is also a three-peat recipient of the TripAdvisor Excellence award from 2015 to 2017.

Lima Park at the biggest family extravaganza

Learn more about the award-winning hotel at SKAP on January 27

and 28 at the SMX Convention Center, SM Mall of Asia Complex, Pasay City. Lima Park Hotel is set to offer fun activities and games for both parents and kids. Last year it rolled out a cupcake-making party, where participants designed and took home their own baked goodies.

Now on its fourth run in the country, SKAP is one of the most sought-after education and entertainment (edutainment) family event. SKAP aims to help parents discover the talent and interest of their child, and create memories that include play and learning.

Take a relaxing swim or play water games with the whole family at Lima Park’s Horizon Pool, situated in the middle of the hotel’s restaurants, garden and play area.

Auspicious Lunar New Year delicacy at Lung Hin

E

mbrace the new year with great abundance through auspicious and traditional glutinous rice cakes, freshly made

by Lung Hin’s expert chefs.

With a history that spans over thousands of years, the glutinous rice cakes, or known as nian gao, have always been present in Chinese New Year ceremonies and festivities. The sweet, sticky delicacy is believed to bring prosperity, and promises a better year. Whether it is enjoyed with the family, or given as gifts, they are truly perfect staples to celebrate new beginnings.

Indulge in this symbolic delicacy from the finest ingredients with a stylish collection to enjoy. Choose between the Double Happiness Koi Nian Gao, which includes two pieces of the cake in orange and coconut flavor at P1,388; and the Traditional Round Nian Gao, with a choice of ube or brown-sugar flavor, for one piece per box, at P988. These delights are available until February 21, 2018.

Attract prosperity with the auspicious Lunar New Year delicacy at Lung Hin restaurant in Marco Polo Ortigas Manila.

Science

BusinessMirror

A8 Sunday, January 21, 2018

Sunday

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

No more ‘Filipino time’; it should be on time

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By Stephanie Tumampos

s the hands of the clock turn to a new day in the new year, Filipinos are reminded of how important it is to keep track of time and be on time.

Filipinos have been known for the cliché “Filipino time,” which meant being late. But as the world moves to better and improved timekeeping, people have to catch up with being on time.

The need for Filipinos to be mindful of time through the National Time Consciousness Week was emphasized by the D e p a r t me nt of S c ie nc e a nd Technolog y (DOST).

Through Republic Act (R A) 10535, the National Time Consciousness Week is celebrated every first week of the new year, and it reminds each and every Juan of the value of accurate time in sync with global time.

“Discipline on time is valuing on time,” said Lita Suerte-Felipe, chief of the DOST Department Legislative Liaison Office.

“We can now sync the Philippine Standard Time [PhST] with American time because we, together with our fellow Filipinos, are now time conscious.”

Implementation of RA 10535

T he PhS T A c t a i med to set the standard time all over the countr y. It provided funds to install, operate and maintain synchronized time devices to be displayed in offices down to the local level using the network of time protocol.

I n 2 0 17 P 8 m i l l i o n w a s included in the budget of T he Phi l ippine At mospheric, Geophysica l and A stronomica l Ser v ices Administ r a t i o n’s R e g i o n a l S e r v i c e s Div ision for supplies, deliver y ser v ices, integ rat ions, testings, trainings and commissioning of four r ubid ium osci l lator and masterc lock net work time d isplays.

At least once a month, the offices should coordinate with Paga sa to s y nc hron i ze t hei r timepieces and devices to keep the time accurate and precise.

A ccord i ng to D iv i sion C h ief A r istot le Carandang of DOST

Science and Technolog y Information Institute (STII), the office, through the leadership of STII Director R ichard Burgos, has been constantly doing steps in ma k ing Filipinos aware of the sy nchronized time.

“We want to let everyone know that, since 2014, after the implementation of the law, the first government office that adopted this [PhST Act] is DOST Region 11, which is Davao region,” Carandang said in Filipino. “Also in 2014, the first local government unit [LGU] that adopted this and displayed timepieces in the public plaza and capitol building was San Pablo City in Laguna.”

Carandang added that in 2016, the first LGU to implement PhST in all of its barangays is Kawayan City in Isabela.

“We’ve been monitoring this and we’ve been doing some advocacy work,” Carandang said. “But, of course, our office can only do so much, so we really need your [news media] support.”

Carandang noted that, if support continues, “slowly but surely, we will reach down to the grassroots [level] until the time when each Filipino will value time.”

He said the LGUs have a big role in making their constituents follow accurate time.

Even in the industry, certifications for clock manufacturers are now being monitored before companies could distribute clocks.

Certifications are also required before they could join biddings.

History of the PhST system

The Philippine standard-time system started in 1949 when time service was established by the then-Weather Bureau.

A U. Nardin Marine Chronometer with pendulum regulators as dispatch clocks was used as the master clock. Chronometers were designed to address the need to measure time on board a ship and determine the location.

Shortly after, a short synchrome ensemble replaced the marine chronometer in 1951.

The ensemble was not used for long. In 1965 it was again replaced with a crystal oscillator interfaced with a digital clock.

In a ser ies of repl acements, the gover nment issued a law in 1977 dec l a r ing t he newly est abl ished Pagasa as t he of f ice responsible for t he est abl ishment, maintenance and operat ion of t he nat iona l st a nd a rd for t ime.

This was followed with the issuance of Presidential Decree 1149 in 1978, which assigned Paga sa a s t he of f ic i a l t i me ser vice agency in the countr y.

Throughout the years, Pagasa, under the DOST, has made efforts in putting time as a priority for the country.

Later in 2013, after “Filipino time” has put the country and

each Filipino in many regrettable situations, the government finally established and implemented RA 10535, or the PhST Act.

Where do we base accuracy of time?

In the early civilization, humans determined time by observing the sun and the movement of stars.

The earliest known in civilization who used a timepiece according to historians were the Egyptians in 1500 BC, said John Stevenson, City University of London’s Communication officer, in his article, “A Brief History of Telling Time.”

The Eg y ptians used a sundial and have equally divided sunrise and sunset in 12 parts.

The sundial was improved centuries later by the Greeks and then the Romans.

T he Romans have used water c loc k s ca l led c lepsyd ra, where cont a iners f i l led w it h water w e re s lo w l y d r a i ne d e v e n l y w it h ma rk ings used to show t he passage of t ime.

Centuries later, humans developed time measurement. In the 18th century, the clock was already being considered as a scientific instrument, and a lot have been invented—the pendulum and the marine chronometers, to mention a few.

In the 20th century, time definitely changed since the invention of the atomic clock in the 1950s

and lasers in the 1960s.

“Lasers can produce pulses of a duration of a few attoseconds—10¹⁸ seconds—and the accuracy of international time measurement must reflect this,” Stevenson said.

Atomic clocks are the most accurate today, with the level of accuracy measured in seconds for many millions of years.

St e v e n s on e x pl a i ne d t h at b a s e d o n t he at om i c c lo c k , t he t i me t o d ay i s me a s u re d b y at om ic f re q ue nc y of e l e c t ron ic t r a n s it ion s or s pi n e ne r g y of at om s t o me a s u re a se cond . A tom ic c lo c k s most ly u s e c a e s iu m at om s .

In an interview with the BusinessMir ror , Pagasa’s Space Sciences and Astronomy Section Chief Engr. Dario de la Cruz said, “Atomic clocks are accurate that it would take a million years before it can create an error of 1 second.”

W it h t he he lp of t e c h nol o g y, m o s t o f t h e s e a t o m i c clocks, according to de la C r u z , “a re s y nc h ron i z ed t h rou g h t he Glob a l Nav i g a t ion S at e l l it e Sy s t e m .” T h i s i s i n co ord i n at ion w it h t he Ne t w or k T i me P rot o col .

In t he Ph i l ippine set t ing , “ The heart of the timing system in the country is here in the Pagasa central office,” de la Cruz said. “ This is where our servers are connected.”

Los Baños launches science-tourism project

A

niche tourism brand for students budding scientists, or even armchair Einsteins is currently in the works in Los Baños.

The Los Baños Science Community Foundation Inc. (LBSCFI) launched the “Development of Science Tourism in Los Baños” project with the signing of a memorandum of agreement with the Calabarzon branches of the Department of Tourism (DOT) and Department of Education.

The project aims to promote science and technology (S&T), increase the number of tourists in Los Baños and boost the engagements of local stakeholders and enterprises.

According to LBSCFI President A lex ander R . Madr iga l, who is also the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) 4-A Regional Director, the project also aims to “promote S&T as a career path among students.”

A s an emerg ing niche-tourism concept, “there is no body of k nowledge yet i n sc ience tourism,” said Forester Roberto P. Cereno, chair man of the LB SCFI Tour ism Committee and director of the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB)College of Forestr y and Natural Resources Training Center for Tropical Resources and Ecosystems Sustainabilit y.

Cereno, however, emphasized the scopes of science tourism, which are “science in tourism” and “tourism in science.”

T he for mer showcases S&T innovat ions a nd inter vent ions, wh i le t he l at ter pac kages a nd promotes S&T ideas, d iscover ies and laborator y brea k t h roughs i nto “awe -i nspir ing” a nd “m ind-blow ing” tou r ist at t ract ions.

DOT Region 4-A Regional Director Rebecca V. Labit expressed support to science tourism. She

What the marijuana-genome map means for pot’s future

JP Noda stocks cannabis at The Apothecarium shortly before the store opened for its first day of recreational marijuana sales on January 6 in San Francisco. The announcement that the US Department of Justice would no longer adopt a “hands off” approach to states that have legalized marijuana use initially sent some in the industry into a tailspin, just days after the $7-billion California recreational weed market opened for business. AP/Noah Berger

describes the undertaking as “timely, needed and speaks well of the sustainability for tourism.”

Also present during the launch were Los Baños Mayor Caesar P. Perez, Lopez Elementary School Principal Bernon Abellera, members of the national and local media and representatives of LBSCFI member-agencies.

Los Baños was designated as the “Special Science and Nature City” of the Philippines in 2000 based on Proclamation 349.

Visitors flock to the university town to see the scientific out put s of L B SC FI member agencies, which include UPLB, the International Rice Research Institute, Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development, DOST 4-A and other institutions and organizations, besides its natural wonders and other tourist attractions.

Butch S. Pagcaliwagan/S&T Media Services

T

he fledgling cannabis industry is full of wide-eyed claims about what pot can do. Outperform your favorite energy drink? Maybe. Cure cancer? Worth a try.

The biggest believers and entrepreneurs make the plant sound almost magical. Now, one start-up has the key to keep the science from the hype: the first-ever full map of the cannabis genome.

“DNA, of course I’m biased because it’s what I do, but it doesn’t lie. It really is a way to just sort of clear a lot of the b.s.,” said CJ Schwartz, CEO of Sunrise Genetics, the Fort Collins, Colorado-based company behind the map. “The excessive claims are really doing a disservice to the plant or the potential of the plant and the science surrounding that.”

A deeper understanding of genetics means companies will be able to figure out which parts of cannabis’s makeup drive different func tions, making it easier to test for strain continuity and breed plants more quickly and effectively.

Schwartz said the genome research can allow for more targeted recreational products by specifying exactly how a product might affect the body or mind, for instance, by making a consumer feel tired or energized.

But knowledge of the full genome itself, which was presented for the first time at the Plant and Animal Genome Conference in San Diego on January 17,

The Los Baños Science Community Foundation Inc. (LBSCFI) launched the “Development of Science Tourism in Los Baños” project through the signing of a memorandum of agreement with the Department of Tourism (DOT) and Department of Education (DepEd) branches in Calabarzon. Seated, from left, are LBSCFI President Alexander R. Madrigal, DOT-Calabarzon Regional Director Rebecca V. Labit and Lopez Elementary School Principal Bernon Abellera, representing DepEd Los Baños District Supervisor Allan Hostalero. Standing from, left, are LBSCFI Tourism Committee Chairman Roberto P. Cereno and Los Baños local government representative Janis S. Delfino. Butch S. Pagcaliwagan/PCAARRD

also opened the door to the prospect of making good on some of the loftier possibilities for legal marijuana.

A cannabis-based energy drink or sleepy-time tea could be on the horizon.

Research aided by the genome map might identify potential cannabis-based medicine for further testing, bringing about a marijuana-derived painkiller or alternative to Viagra. (Another application: higher-tech breeding for industrial hemp, a variety of cannabis plant that can be used in clothing, insulation, food or lighterweight concrete.)

This map isn’t the first attempt to suss out the genetic makeup of cannabis; previous efforts lacked the coordinated research resources and stable plant population to make the picture clear.

There are 10 pieces that make up the genome, and Sunrise’s higher-resolution sequence can see what those strings are made of and where on those pieces the genes are located, said Chris Grassa, the company’s consulting director of bioinformatics.

Grassa compared the Sunrise genome to having both a topographical map of the US and an annotated map with city names and the ability to predict the driving distances between two locations. “We can basically have a 23andMe for cannabis,” he said, referring to the popular human-genetic testing company.

Sunrise was founded by Schwartz, a plant scientist, who recruited his brother and his brother’s brother-in-law and a family friend in 2014—the year pot became legal in Colorado—with the idea to take well-established genetic tools used for other crops and apply them to cannabis.

Sunrise identifies strains and specific traits within plants to develop breeding programs for cannabis companies.

“We’re their outsourced R&D program,” said Jason Schwartz, Sunrise’s CFO. While the cofounders had previously discussed the importance of a genome map, they assumed someone else was going to get to it first. And then they decided to do it themselves, assembling a crew of scientists and cannabis-industry veterans to combine the plant populations and genomic sequencing chops.

“We pretty much waited as long as we could, but it was really necessary for us to get this assembly to be able to move on with efficient gene discovery,” CJ Schwartz said. “Without this information, it just takes too long, it’s too expensive.”

Using genome maps for breeding purposes isn’t a new concept. Big agricultural companies have long done so for crops, such as corn, wheat and tobacco.

“At Monsanto, they do the same thing,” said Todd Michael, professor and director of informatics at the J. Craig Venter Institute in La Jolla, California. “They want to breed

better corn, so they want us to make the corn map and then find very specific differences between them so then we can breed them.”

Michael, who previously led the Genome Center at Monsanto, is a scientific adviser to Sunrise and his lab did a portion of the physical sequencing.

The reason it’s taken so long to get to this point with cannabis is largely due to the regulatory difficulties. The plant is still classified as a Schedule 1 drug by the US Controlled Substances Act, meaning marijuana is ranked in the same category as heroin under federal law.

Many research universities and scientists depend on government grants.

“We endured many years of ridicule and neglect” George Weiblen, a professor in the plant biology department at the University of Minnesota, may know the difficulty of working with cannabis better than anybody.

His lab has been researching the plant since 2002, when it was the only facility in the country that had the US Drug Enforcement Administration’s permission to study the genetics of marijuana.

That meant Weiblen had to figure out how to create a compliant research environment, without any previous guidance. He had limited access to seeds, received minimal funding and had to set up prison-level security for the lab.

Bloomberg News

Journey

»life on the go

BusinessMirror

Editor: Tet Andolong

Sunday, January 21, 2018

A9

Codog

Flying in style with FoilaFly W Story & photos by Bernard L. Supetran

ITH the onset of a new year, it has become an obligatory ritual for every jaded traveler or adventurer to try something new or visit a unique and remote destination, away from the madding crowd of commercial tourist zones.

Those who have the moolah and the grit to take their passion to greater heights, quite literally, can either fly a private plane, own one or ride one, at the very least.

Taking to the sky used to be a pie in the sky just a few decades ago, with the prohibitive costs involved of pilot schooling. Well, not anymore with FoilaFly, which aims to revolutionize air travel and usher in a new era in personal transportation.

The official distributor and ser-

Pegasus Hangar in Bulacan

vice center of Cirrus Aircraft in the country, it is much like a one-stop shop for aviation aficionados who once dreamt of rekindling their childhood fascination for flying.

“We are committed to the future of aviation through smart, safety, ease of operation and, most important, continuous innovation. Our aim is to bring flying closer to bigger spectrum of the target market. This is a lifestyle and business-oriented flying club,” Cirrus brand ambas-

sador and FoilaFly CEO Lester Codog enthused.

The firm has partnered with Cirrus Aircraft, a trusted global brand in producing all-composite personal aircraft that incorporates advanced electronic and standard safety technologies.

The firm’s standard planes are single-engine four-seater Cirrus SR20s and SR22s, which are equipped with safety features like Cirrus Perspective by Garmin avionics and the Cirrus Airframe Parachute System, the only one of its kind among the current crop of aircraft that will enable it to land even under an extreme emergency.

Surprisingly enough, they can be had for just about the cost of a luxury sports car.

These sleek, fully automated aircraft are capable of short takeoffs and landings even in unpaved airstrips, which gives travelers access to remote destinations not serviced by commercial airlines.

This flexibility enables pilots and passengers opt for the more exciting “air odyssey,” where they can hop around the country’s airports that are gateways to popular and up-and-coming destinations without passing through the con-

Cirrus cockpit

AN SR22 over water

gested airports.

Its panoramic interiors also enable passengers to admire the scenic spots from above and take Instragram-worthy photos.

Codog said the firm has formed the FoilaFly Aero Club, a unique group of pilots that provides aviation enthusiasts the privilege of enjoyable traveling across the archipelago through safe and inexpensive flying.

“As a member of the Philippines’s premier flying club, you can

share with everyone your love and great enthusiasm of flying, and along with many, a colorful story of important events in your life and you have the freedom to fly as often as you want because you own the airplane,” he added.

The Aero Club conforms with Cirrus Standards and is undergoing certification by the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines to operate domestic flights.

With facilities in Manila, Bulacan and Clark, FoilaFly is a Flight

View from the wings

Training Center that provides aircraft rental/ownership for recreational pilots.

Every member undergoes flight training of up to 50 flying hours with the user-friendly Cirrus before being allowed to fly his own aircraft.

The Aero Club also offers services to those members who previously own Cirrus aircraft, such as tie-downs, 24-hour fuel availability and a guarded hangar.

FoilaFly is an expansion binge with the acquisition of more planes, including the Vision Jet, which raises the bar in aviation with its introduction of the “personal jet” lifestyle.

Down the road, the aviation firm intends of integrate air, land and sea vehicles, as well as board and lodging for a seamless tour package.

“When you become a Cirrus owner, you aren’t merely taking up a hobby, you are choosing a whole new lifestyle full of freedom, choices and responsibilities,” Codog concluded.

With all these advantages working to your favor, having your own plane will never be like flying on a wing and a prayer again.

Journey

»life on the go

BusinessMirror

A10 Sunday, January 21, 2018

Editor: Tet Andolong

An Underwater Tryst T

By Lorenz S. Marasigan Photos by Dave Haas

HE sun has just touched the line separating the sky and ocean when we boarded the boat. The horizon was showing off with a majestic mix of orange, pink, violet and blue. It was almost dark when we descended with only torches as our source of light.

I took a deep breath from my regulator and pressed deflate, and slowly, I was down to about 8 meters below, seeing only a wreckage of hard corals. It was not how I expected it to be but I still tried to enjoy the dive.

Two minutes passed and our dive guide signaled for us to stay in a portion of the reef, about 10 meters below the surface. He ordered us to dim our torches, and wait for the magic to begin. In just a few seconds, two small creatures —vivid with colors of turquoise, purple moss green, electric blue and mandarin—fluttered up from the dead corals, mating.

Their eyes were perpetually squinted—reminding me of a lady being playfully naughty and demure at the same time—as they ascended by about a foot from their nests. Their pectoral fins fluttered like a humming bird’s wings, dancing to a cadence almost as fast as drum rolls.

In just a few seconds, they disengaged, quickly hiding into their dens, as if they are ashamed for being viewed during a tryst.

A mandarin fish, which looks like an offspring of a magnificent spiny dragon with the body of a tiny frog, is amazing by itself. It is part of the family of literally “beautiful name” (callionymidae) tropical sea creatures in the western Indo-Pacific.

We stayed there for more than 45 minutes, and watched countless of other mandarin fishes play, swim, hide, flirt and make love.

And in that full time frame, my heart fluttered with excitement, my voice was frail from the regulator, and I can only shout words of amusement that were incomprehensible to my two Chinese mates, and my Filipino dive guide.

That was the finale of my fourday holiday in Dauin, Negros Oriental, last November, when I returned to the sleepy town to cap my year off with another dive trip.

For my second visit, I stayed, dined and dived in one of the more well-known and luxurious resorts in Dauin—Atlantis Dive Resorts and Liveaboards, a lovely escape from all the buzz and stress in the capital city of the Philippines.

a School of fish in Apo Island

Tucked in a small unnoticeable green and brown spot along the highway of Lipayo, the resort is known to locals and visitors as a humble but upscale home to travelers. Coconut trees, different species of orchids, ferns and vines fence in the whole resort, where rooms are mostly brown and beige that exude the unique Southeast Asian architectural design.

Spires, spikes, and symbols on the roof and the wall speak of Balinese and indigenous Filipino.

The resort offers a wide range of room types, depending on the view that appeal to the visitors. I opted for the garden view as I like to be with the sea for the whole duration of my stay.

The suite was luxuriously huge.

The focal point of the suite, of course, is the very comfortable king-sized bed with four marshmallow-soft down pillows and a duvet, which was just perfect for a good night sleep after three to four dives a day. The room also has a large ensuite bathroom equipped with a lovely hot and cold shower, and towels for the beach and for the room.

Inside, the room has touches of Filipino interior design: a big ceiling fan, rattan drawers and vases with bamboos. The garden view room was both modern and traditional, with a powerful air-conditioning unit, a sofa for guests and a big television (which, frankly, I did not bother turning on during my stay).

The porch, a perfect spot to read a book or the morning paper, has a table and two chairs, where I enjoyed my early-morning coffee made from my ensuite coffee maker. With birds chirping gleeful melodies, and the ocean slowly calling on me to have a quick, satisfying dip, it felt like I was in paradise.

After coffee, I would usually go to the restaurant to have my breakfast. It has a wide array of choices, but my go-to menu was omelette with different kinds of cheese, a side of crispy bacon and freshly baked bread (which was too delectable that I had to stop my ketogenic diet during my stay).

Mandarin fish are known to come out of their homes during dusk.

A green frog fish

But what made me more in love with the restaurant, named Toko’s after the Asian lizard, is the wine and spirit bar. Toko’s offer glasses (and bottles) of different scotch, brandy, whiskey, red and white wines from

all over the world.

Toko’s is right beside the beach, perfect for moon watching and stargazing, while the ocean sings the guests to comfort— each wave kissing the shoreline soothing and calming guests who

Different kinds of shrimp that strike a pose to photographers who dive in Dumaguete

just had a merry night of wine and dine.

Atlantis also has a spa that offers up to six hours of pure relaxation, and a pool that is used for both recreational swimming and diving classes. Beware, though, as the pool is too inviting that you might spend a lot of time there because it was so relaxing to float with eyes wide open, seeing birds fly from one tree to another, creating a dancing shadow of leaves and branches among the trees.

During my four-day stay in Dauin, I was able to dive seven times in two days. The first diving day was my Apo Island trip.

I joined a group of foreigners in diving three sites in the area.

The first one was at Chapel Point, popular for its turtles and magnificent walls, and the second one was in Rock Point West, which, maybe, is my most favorite site for coral viewing.

The third dive was at Coconuts, a new diving spot for me.

We jumped right off the large boat that can carry more than 15 divers and a couple of snorkelers at a time to tempestuous waves.

Descending, I felt the current forcing its strength on my body.

In just a matter of minutes, we saw a family of jacks swimming.

My estimate was they were about 20 in total.

But after a few seconds, I couldn't believe what my eyes just saw: they were not just a family—they were a huge school!

I screamed and screamed in awe,

my heart pounding wildly at the magnificent view right in front of me.

The school surrounded us, with scales glimmering and shimmering silver against small rays of light that pass through the surface.

The following day, we went into four different sites in Dauin, where we found critters hiding and camouflaging within corals.

Combined with Apo Island, there are about 30 dive sites near Atlantis, according to its resident marine biologist Marco Inocencio.

“The Dauin coast is popular because of muck diving. There are uncommon fish, such as ghost pipe fish, seahorse, frog fish and different kinds of octopus that can be seen regularly in the area,” he said over a cup of coffee.

Dauin is a gold mine for photographers and enthusiasts, as the creatures that live in its many reefs are somehow used to posing for pictures.

And because of this, Atlantis created a dedicated camera room for photographers. It can house up to 15 big camera setups.

But what made me more satisfied during my stay was how the dive masters shared their knowledge about marine life before, during and after the dive.

“Most of the time, dive masters will just point you to a fish, but the guest doesn’t know what kind of fish that is. So, we trained our dive masters to identify marine life,” Inocencio explained.

Journey

»life on the go

Editor: Tet Andolong

BusinessMirror

Sunday, January 21, 2018 A11

Sarangani’s shining silver year

Gawad Manlilikha ng Bayan Estelita Bantilan

Kiamba wins street-dancing tilt at MunaTo Festival

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ARANGANI has the unusual distinction of being one of the country’s youngest provinces and, at the same time, one of the oldest.

Youngest because it was carved out of the coastal municipalities of South Cotabato in 1992 to become the 75th of the 81 provinces, and oldest because it is home to one of the archipelago’s oldest prehistoric settlements in the remote caves in Maitum town, where 2,000-year old anthropomorphic burial jars were unearthed.

Fragments of the said jars can still be seen inside Pinol Cave, while an archaeological diorama is on display at the Maitum Municipal Hall.

This Old World charm was showcased once more as Sarangani held the 15th MunaTo Festival to mark its 25th founding anniversary. MunaTo was derived

from the B’laan phrase Muna Toh, or “first people” who inhabited the area.

The locus of the festivities is the street-dancing competition that was topped by the James L. Chiongbian High School in Kiamba who presented the town’s Timpuyog Festival. The dance routine is based on the tri-people culture of the T’boli tribe, the Sangir Islamic community and the Visayan lowland settlers, particularly on the harvest and warrior and hunter way of life of the natives.

The celebration also highlighted the exquisite culture and traditional weaving of its indigenous peoples—the B’laan, T’boli and Tagakaolo, as well as the Maguin-

danaon and Maranao Moro communities. Taking the spotlight is B’laan master igem (mat) weaver Bai Estelita Bantilan, recipient of the 2017 Gawad Manlilikha ng Bayan or National Living Treasure accolade.

“MunaTo celebrates the province’s rich cultural heritage, adventure destinations and natural wonders, which are wonderfully interwoven together,” Sarangani Gov. Steve Solon said.

He noted that the recent festival was special, as 2017 has been a banner year for the province in the fields of businesses, agriculture and tourism.

Sarangani was named as the country’s sixth-most competitive province in the 2017 Cities and Municipalities Competitiveness Index, 18 notches higher from its 23rd position the previous year.

Organized by the National Competitiveness Council with the Regional Competitiveness Committees and the United States Agency for International Development, local governments are ranked based on their scores on economic dyna-

Gov. Solon at the 4th Sarangani IP Congress

mism, government efficiency, infrastructure and resiliency.

The province was also recognized by Secretary Emmanuel F. Piñol as the most successful Special Area for Agricultural Development Agriculture Project of the Department of Agriculture because of its efficient implementation.

“Tourism is a bright spot in the local economy, as we registered 980,972 day visitors and 107,730 overnight guests in 2016,” Solon said. He pointed out that the province has also gained recognition as the country’s paragliding capital, with some flyable 300 days a year because of good winds and fair weather.

Located at the peak of Maasim, the Safi Ranch Fly Site has been identified by aerosports aficionados as among the archipelago’s best fly sites, having hosted the International Paragliding Accuracy Competition (IPAC) in 2014, and the prestigious Paragliding Accuracy World Cup (PGAWC) in 2015.

Meanwhile, Sarangani Bay was declared by the Department of Tourism as the scuba diving haven of Soccsksargen region following a safari that gathered the country’s leading dive tour operators and underwater photographers.

Spicing up the fete was the Pearl of Sarangani pageant won

by Kiezel Mellado of the municipality of Alabel, who was awarded by former actress and Region 11 tourism officer Juliana Palermo and Pearl 2016 winner and Eat Bulaga Miss Millennial contestant Maria Carmela Villaruel.

Top band Rivermaya brought festivities to an end, as they rocked the night away with their well-loved hits before an adoring crowd at the Provincial Capitol grounds in Alabel.

barLO Resto Lounge reopens at Two Seasons Boracay

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WO Seasons Boracay’s beachfront location, tastefully appointed rooms, high-level service and world-class amenities make it one of the top choices for those looking for a tropical destination in the island.

Now, it has upped the ante in resort offerings with the recent renovation of some rooms and its popular barLO Resto Lounge.

The mere mention of the restaurant’s name conjures up images of bare feet touching Boracay’s white powdery sand, chilling out and watching the magnificent sunset with a refreshment or a cocktail in hand. This, plus its famous (and often posted on Instagram)

Hit the road worry-free with Smart Traveller Four Cheese Pizza and the Oyster Sisig, make every visit a delight.

Now, after being closed for renovation for three months, barLO is open once again to serve guests and offer more excitement.

It sports a fresher look, with a new cabana that can accommodate 20 to 25 people. Its bar is now situated between the dining area and the kitchen, allowing for more space and airy ambiance. Industrial-inspired lamps hang above the wooden ceiling, while drop lights line up the walls and corners to brighten up the dining area. A wide-screen TV provides added entertainment.

“Because of the increasing vol-

ume of guests, we decided to renovate barLO. It now has an improved kitchen layout, a bigger prepping area, plus additional storage and additional seats to accommodate more people,” founder and owner John Peñaloza said.

Trust its in-house chefs and culinary team when it comes to pleasing the guests’ palate—from an all-day breakfast menu to gambas, lechon kawali, truffle fries, and new offerings like the Crispy Tentacles, gambasetti and Lengua Sisig Roll.

Indulge in an extensive roster of meat dishes, vegetables, sandwiches, pastas and more exotic fare like Crocodile Barbecue,

Crocodile in Coconut Milk and Stir-fried Crocodile Strips.

Two Seasons Boracay has also refurbished and repainted the guest rooms and building exterior and changed the veranda furniture; upgraded amenities, including its Bluetooth speakers, TV sets and LED lighting, among others, to serve guests better.

Take that trip to Two Seasons Boracay Resort as a mélange of flavors and exciting activities await you in an exceptional destination worth taking the trip to Boracay for. www.twoseasonsresorts.com.

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F you’re planning to go out of town, ensure your peace of mind by protecting yourself and your loved ones from unexpected setbacks. Whether you are going on a business trip or a well-deserved vacation, make it a part of your pre-trip checklist to get protection.

Smart Traveller from Charter Ping An is a travel insurance package that comes with a wide range of benefits, including 24hour medical assistance, personal accident coverage, liability and personal safety coverage, protection of personal belongings, and even refunds for travel inconveniences—allowing you to concentrate on having fun and living the life you choose. Application is easy.

Visit the AXA web site (www.axa.com.ph/charterpingan/ smart-traveller) and choose the ideal coverage for your trip. Eligible applicants must hold Philippine identification documents like birth certificate, long-term visa pass, dependent or student pass, and employment certificate for adults 18 to 70 years old.

Enjoy hassle-free holidays and avail yourselves of Smart Traveller now. For more information, visit www.axa.com.ph/.

Journey BusinessMirror

»life on the go

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BusinessMirror

Sunday, January 21, 2018

Editor: Tet Andolong

When business is leisure: Business Highlights of Travel 2017

lim Bon Liong

Reyes

Tiongson

Choa-Uy

Magsaysay

Masigan

best place for relaxation amid our traffic and urban pollution in Manila.”

Ida Ceniza Tiongson

Champion of good corporate governance; trustee, Institute of Corporate Directors; president, OPAL Portfolio Investments (SPV-AMC)

THE TOURISM ADVOCATE

W

Conclusion

HEN you are in business, the idea of traveling for leisure is almost unheard of. We spoke to some of these trailblazers in business and lifestyle as to how they’ve managed to combine business with leisure.

What is fulfillment anyway with the alignment of your business and life goals?

Henry Lim Bon Liong

Chairman and CEO of the Sterling Paper Group of Cos.

“My most memorable trip in 2017 is within our country the Philippines. The indisputable

site for our future tourism boom is Palawan and the beautiful Long Beach in San Vicente is mesmerizing, 15 kilometers of white-sand beach, three times longer than Boracay facing the West Philippine Sea. The beautiful sunset and the tranquility ambiance can really calm a tired soul. This is the

I’m used to lecturing but this time it was different. It’s my first to lecture for the World Bank group and this happened in September of 2017. It was such an honor to have been chosen and the only Asian lecturer to be part of the IFC-World Bank Masterclass on Risk and Audit Governance two-day lecture, which took place in Thailand.

The audience was mainly board of directors of various corporations in Asia and the Pacific.

What made this memorable? I remember college in Australia when the teacher said accounting maybe not for me. I strived for learning... and now I am considered a finance guru local and now overseas.

Gerard Cedric Reyes

Chief operating officer, Skin Station

“My trip to Peru was memorable in 2017. Not just for the bucket list-worthy Macchu Picchu, but more so for the Mines of Maras. It is a wonder similar to our renowned Banaue Rice Terraces. Instead of carving the mountains to produce rice, they instead produce a unique pink salt. Imagine mountains that look like stacks of Brie cheese that existed during Incan times.

But even with the influx of mil-

lions of tourists there annually, not much of the tourism money trickle down to the farmers. In fact, it is the middlemen who do. This really stressed the importance of practicing fair trade in me. This is our mission in the Ylang Ylang foundation, which we founded to revive the industry. We aim to uplift the life of the Ylang Ylang farmers by buying their produce at right prices.”

Gretchen Choa-Uy

Cebu lifestyle maven and agricultural advocate, The Camden Trading Group

“Visiting France just me and my father, at the beginning of fall, touring Saint Malo, Brittany and Renne were the highlights for me not only for 2017 but in my lifetime. Each place was uniquely beautiful and the people were very warm and friendly.

My Dad and I spent a little over a week just immersing ourselves with learnings and technology being done in the agriculture industry over there. It was very inspiring to see their standards against artificial growth of animals; and really creating an ethical market and system to give value ultimately to the food we eat. I came back home full of hope that the Philippines will get there someday.”

Jose “Jomag” Magsaysay

Partner ng Bayan, champion of microenterprises, president of Potato Corner

“My most memorable trip for me in 2017 was just a three-hour drive

Del Rosario

from my home in Quezon City.

Once the home of a sailing fleet, once a sport fishing haven, once where personal watercrafts came in droves and once a place where everyone from Metro Manila wanted to be on weekends—Lake Caliraya. Yes, once.

I went to Lake Caliraya with the family to fish with Tony Barrios, one of the avid sports fishermen there in the late-1970s and early1980s. I found Lake Caliraya like a ghost town. Not completely a ghost town as there are some good finds there, like some good resorts with activities and good food worth going back to. Since that time I went with Tony Barrios, I returned and I enjoy going there on a motorcyle because of the twisting roads.

I am in the food and hospitality business and I have taken it as a challenge to bring to Lake Caliraya what I do and my challenge now is how to help revive tourism in the area by putting a stake there. Funny thing is that you do not have to travel far to have a memorable trip and a trip where you not only want to come back every month, but find a place where you can start a new business with partners helping out and reboot Lake Caliraya.”

Andrew Masigan

Champion of heritage cuisine, economist, president of Advent Manila Hospitality Group

“My most memorable trip last year was to Cordova and Cadiz.

We chose these cities in Andalucia for several reasons—to research on regional tapas for

our upcoming restaurant, Oye! Andalucia has one of the richest culinary traditions in Spain—so distinct given the mooring influence; to appreciate the sites on offer (Mezquita in Cordova and Castillo de Santa Catalina in Cadiz); to appreciate the different regional cultures of Spain.

Andalucia is quite unique from Catalonia, Pais Vasco, Castilla Leon and Madrid. Personally, to recover from empty-nest syndrome having just dropped our daughter off to university.

There is a “Plaza de Filipinas” in Cadiz. It is a typical park but the walls and surrounding edifices were patterned after Puerto Real in Intramuros.”

Melody M. del Rosario

Water and environmental advocate, vice president of Metro Pacific Investments Corp.

“Amid all the travels throughout 2017, nothing compares with heading to Mabini in Batangas along with many weekend warriors for scuba diving. Two to three hours travel by land, Mabini is the nearest scuba diving destination from Metro Manila with over 30 dive sites to boot.

It is blessed with vast coral reefs and rich marine biodiversity, making each dive truly unique.

Haybols Scuba Hub in Barangay Solo, a homey bed-and-breakfast place with its own diving facility is our second home. It’s where most of our friends come over so we can travel by boat to the different dive sites and explore its wonderful areas.”