BusinessMirror January 24, 2019

’18 PHL FARM GROWTH, STUNTED

BY TYPHOONS, HITS ONLY 0.56%

By Jasper Emmanuel Y. Arcalas @jearcalas

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YPHOONS, including a super typhoon, made farm production difficult in 2018, causing full-year expansion of the sector to settle at 0.56 percent, lower than the 4 percent recorded in 2017, according to data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).

Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel F. Piñol said the 1.80-percent growth recorded by the sector in the fourth

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Cabinet studies options on Hanjin PHL bailout

See “Farm,” A8

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Gaps in the ILO-DOLE decent work programming

By Rea Cu @ReaCuBM & Bernadette D. Nicolas @BNicolasBM

CONOMIC managers are looking at various options to bail out debtsaddled Hanjin Heavy Industries and Construction Corp. Philippines, the local subsidiary of the Korean shipbuilder whose plea to be placed under receivership has been granted by a court.

While the specifics of the plan are still being threshed out, Budget Secretary Benjamin E. Diokno said on Wednesday the government can financially assist the “white knight” that is interested to take over Hanjin in Subic.

“Maybe we will inject money through DBP [Development Bank of the Philippines] and Land Bank of the Philippines so there will be a takeover but by a private sector or a government corporate sector. But right now, there are

Rene E. Ofreneo

LABOREM EXERCENS

FINANCE Secretary Carlos G. Dominguez III delivers his keynote speech at the Finex Inaugural Meeting and Induction Ceremonies on Wednesday. ROY DOMINGO

no complete details yet,” Diokno told reporters. LandBank has the biggest exposure of the five leading creditor banks of HHIC-Phil.

The four others are Metropolitan

Bank and Trust Co. (Metrobank), BDO Unibank, Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. (RCBC) and Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI).

See “Hanjin,” A2

Tourism may hike France’s need for PHL aircraft parts

See “Aircraft,” A8

Continued on A7

Despite 2018 setback, ‘BBB,’ TRAIN seen to prop up ’19 growth

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@alyasjah

OCAL aircraft parts makers can expect a higher import bill from France on the back of booming global demand for airplanes and helicopters.

As the aerospace industry eyes to hit $2.5 billion in export revenue by 2022, it might find an ally—and a strong buyer—in France. French Ambassador to the Philippines Nicolas Galey argued global demand for aircraft will continuously rise as long as tourism is prioritized by many governments.

“Everywhere in the world, as long as tourism is developing, air traffic is developing, [too],” Galey said in a BusinessMirror Coffee Club Forum held in Makati City on Wednesday.

Local manufacturers of parts and mechanisms are currently supplying to the world’s largest aviation firms, including Francebased Airbus SE and the US’s The Boeing Co.. They mostly produce the galley for A irbus planes, according to Galey.

The galley is the compartment of a transport vessel where food can be stored and prepared.

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HE Manila Office of the International Labor Organization (ILO) and the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) have drafted a Decent Work Country Program for 2018-2024. The overall thrust of the DWCP is to promote full and productive decent work for all Filipinos. The term “decent work” has been defined

by ILO as work obtained in conditions of freedom, dignity, equality and security.

By Cai U. Ordinario

By Elijah Felice E. Rosales

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“We attribute that to the almost monthly tropical disturbances and typhoons, punctuated by Supertyphoon Ompong, which really affected agriculture production,” he added.

In its quarterly report published on Wednesday, the PSA noted that the crops subsector production in 2018, which contributes about half of the total output, declined by nearly 1 percent due to the series of typhoons that battered the country.

BusinessMirror

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quarter was not enough to boost growth figures for 2018. The Department of Agriculture (DA) earlier estimated that agriculture production last year grew by 1 percent, lower than its target of 2.5 percent.

“We were able to recover in the last quarter but it was not enough to make things prettier as we expected it would be.

Obviously, it was a challenging year for Philippine agriculture,” Piñol told reporters in an interview on Wednesday.

EUROPE-PHL BUSINESS European Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines Executive Director Florian Gottein (left) and ECCP President Nabil Francis brief the media during the European Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines Media Roundtable on Wednesday. At the forum, which tackled a wide range of economic issues between Europe and the Philippines, the ECCP officers said that, while they supported the corporate income tax reduction in the second tax-reform package, the removal of tax incentives could hurt the Philippines’s drive to attract more foreign direct investments. See story on A8. NONOY LACZA

Chinese tourists lift 11-month arrivals–DOT

By Ma. Stella F. Arnaldo

@akosistellaBM Special to the BusinessMirror

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HINESE tourists continued to lift the total foreign visitor arrivals in the Philippines, helping overcome the sluggish South Korean market in the 11 months to November 2018.

PESO EXCHANGE RATES n US 52.8870

Data from the Department of Tourism (DOT) showed foreign visitors rising by 7.2 percent to 6.44 million from January to November 2018, mainly powered by the 30-percent growth in Chinese tourists, which reached 1.16 million.

The 11-month performance, however, is a firm indication the DOT

will likely miss its 7.4 million arrivals target for 2018. While December is usually considered a peak season for travel to and around the Philippines, the country would have had to attract at least 960,000 foreign tourists in December to be able to hit said goal.

See “Tourists,” A8

@caiordinario

CONOMISTS said the government likely missed its growth target for 2018, but the Department of Finance (DOF) said Philippine economy w ill bounce back this year on the back of higher infrastructure spending and tax reforms.

The DOF said it will fight to expand GDP by 7 percent this year and is confident that the “Build, Build, Build” (BBB) infrastructure program and collections from the implementation of the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) law will boost growth.

“We are still maintaining a 7-percent GDP growth rate as a fighting target, even as the major multilateral institutions have adjusted global growth projections,” Finance Secretary Carlos G. Dominguez III told reporters on the sidelines of the 2019 Inaugural Meeting and Induction Ceremony of the Financial Executives Institute of the Philippines (Finex) on Wednesday at the Shangri-La the Fort in Taguig City.

“We are building on our own momentum and on the massive economic investments we have programmed for this year. We fully expect to be a growth leader in this

7% The DOF’s fighting target for GDP growth this year, confident that the “Build, Build, Build” (BBB) infrastructure program and collections from TRAIN’s implementation will boost growth

dynamic region,” Dominguez added.

The International Monetary Fund slashed its world growth forecast for 2019 to 3.5 percent, from the 3.7 percent it projected last year, due to heightened trade tensions and rising interest rates. The World Bank and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development have also downgraded their global growth estimates for this year.

“Of course, we are affected by the headwinds but because we have this BBB program, we are sort of… quite insulated. And we have good credit, we have good tax collections, we are quite insulated,” Dominguez said.

See “Growth,” A2

n JAPAN 0.4834 n UK 68.5098 n HK 6.7411 n CHINA 7.7688 n SINGAPORE 38.8818 n AUSTRALIA 37.6291 n EU 60.0426 n SAUDI ARABIA 14.1021

Source: BSP (23 January 2019 )

News

BusinessMirror

A4 Thursday, January 24, 2019 A2

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Senators block P7.42-B fund for video surveillance project in ’19 budget bill

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By Butch Fernandez

@butchfBM

HE Senate moved to block an initial P7.42-billion allocation in the 2019 budget bill for the China-supplied P20-billion video surveillance system proposed to be installed by the Duterte administration in Metro Manila and Davao.

Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph G. Recto reported on Wednesday that senators agreed to include two provisions in the 2019 national budget, which, he noted, “have the effect of law, guide the release of funds for overseas development aid and other foreign-funded activities,” including the so-called “Safe Philippines” video surveillance project.

According to Recto, the first provision, under the Unprogrammed Fund section of the 2019 national budget, specifically states: “No amount appropriated herein shall be utilized for any project intended for public video surveillance and communication system with suppliers or service providers that are considered as serious risks to national security or inter-

Hanjin. . . continued from a1 Also on Wednesday, the Department of Finance (DOF) pointed out that the government is ready to help the creditors of HHIC-Phil, and is just awaiting the five banks’ proposal on how they will go about resolving the debt issue.

Creditors’ move

FINANCE Secretary Carlos G. Dominguez III told financial reporters at the sidelines of the 2019 Inaugural meeting and induction ceremony of the Financial Executives Institute of the Philippines on Wednesday, that the government is ready to help the creditors of HHIC-Phil in line with addressing the debt problem of the company.

“There are many ways to solve this problem. It’s not a problem of ours, it’s still the problem of the banks. As I said we are ready to help, but they have to tell us what they need. The banks are currently examining the documentation, they are talking to Hanjin and whoever else the creditors are.

We’ll wait until they come up with a solution that satisfies them. Remember, it is their problem,” Dominguez said.

Earlier in the month, the DOF reported that LandBank, as well as the other four creditor banks of HHIC-Phil, are working together to address the $412-million debt problem of the company.

The BusinessMirror, in an exclusive story, earlier reported that Hanjin filed for corporate rehabilitation on January 8 at the Olongapo Regional Trial Court, seeking protection from its creditors, as the shipyard operation is known to be struggling to pay hundreds of millions of dollars in loans to some of the Philippines’s leading banks.

The Olongapo court issued an order granting its plea a week later.

LandBank President and CEO Alex V. Buenaventura said that the Bank’s exposure to Hanjin is around $85 million, expressing hope that the bank can recover its exposure.

“You know this Hanjin is of course a concern for some banks, but in the overall, it’s a relatively small amount for the entire economy. It may be a big amount for some banks, but for the entire economy it’s relatively small, and I’m sure the banks can work it out. We’re ready to help them whatever they need,” he added.

Growth. . . continued from a1

In January to November of 2018, the government’s infrastructure spending reached P728 billion, 50 percent higher than the P486.5 billion recorded in the same period last year.

He also said collections from the TRAIN likely reached the government’s target of P63.3 billion for 2018. Collections in January to September amounted to P41.9 billion.

The Duterte administration’s BBB consists of 75 flagship infrastructure projects that are envisioned to usher in the “golden age of infrastructure” in the country.

“We are moving faster than expected. The old problem of absorptive capacity has been overcome,” Dominguez said.

ECCP bullish

THE European Chamber of Com-

est or are involved in cases regarding information leakage, computer or network hacking, and other forms of cyber espionage, whether in the Philippines, or in other countries.”

He added that the second provision enumerates the foreign-assisted projects, which may draw from authorized appropriations for fiscal year 2019. “The Safe Philippines Project is not among the 13 projects listed,” the senator pointed out.

The Senate President Pro Tempore clarified he was not opposing the idea of an ICT-based emergency response system “because the Filipino people need it.”

Recto added: “What the Filipino people do not need is one whose evaluation and approval was hastily done, lacks transparency, no consultations, no independent appraisal, is a tied loan and a donordriven expenditure.”

In a news statement, Recto said the Senate has “plugged a hole” in

DOF, BCDA, DOLE meeting

DOMINGUEZ explained that his agency met with the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) and the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), and a job fair will be mounted in Clark and Subic to help displaced workers.

“We had a meeting with Vince B. Dizon and the DOLE, and they are going to have, I understand, a job fair. Anyway, a lot of jobs are needed in Clark...” he said.

Meanwhile, the government was also pointed out to be supporting the efforts of Hanjin to get back on its feet by helping vet potential white knights, which include two Chinese ship builders. The latter, however, has raised serious concern from several quarters, notably former Philippine Navy chief Alexander Pama, who cited the security implications of giving Chinese entities a strategic toehold in Zambales, given Beijing’s relentless expansion in areas within the Philippines’s exclusive economic zone and its rejection of a United Nations arbitral tribunal ruling favoring Manila.

Like Chrysler

DIOKNO, on Wednesday, compared the Philippine government’s approach to the Hanjin crisis to American automotive company Chrysler’s bailout by the US Federal Government in 1979.

Asked if the government is also eyeing to finance Hanjin’s rehabilitation while a white knight is planning its takeover, Diokno said: “That was done in the US, a bailout of a distressed company, to avert huge employment and output effects. That could be used to justify a policy action to avoid a shutdown of Hanjin’s operations in the country. But as I told you, the specifics are still being crafted.”

The budget chief added, “We will save Hanjin, we will not let it fold without a contingency plan because it has a huge unemployment effect and impact on the economy.”

He said the company’s skilled workers may just leave the country and go abroad, which would be an economic loss for the Philippines.

According to Diokno, another option they are exploring is the tie-up between the private sector and some foreign countries

merce of the Philippines (ECCP) shares the sentiment of Dominguez as it remains bullish about the Philippine economy in 2019.

While it was true that 2019 started off with a lot of uncertainties that were out of the Philippines’s control, the ECCP said there are many growth drivers that would come into play this year.

ECCP President Nabil Francis told reporters on Wednesday that the Philippine economy may be affected by the trade tensions between China and the United States, as well as the slowdown in China’s growth.

However, Francis said the Philippines continues to enjoy strong private consumption and a young population, which ensures that families are able to earn a stable income enough to pay for their needs and

the 2019 national budget, through which multibillion-peso Chinese and other foreign-funded projects unilaterally approved by the executive can be paid.

He affirmed that the “block payment” provision in the Senate version of the 2019 budget bill distinctly names one project only, the Chinese-offered Safe Philippines Project, which will pilot a closedcircuit television-based emergency response system in Metropolitan Manila and Davao.

The senator voiced concerns that the “vetting and approval of the project has all the hallmarks of a behest transaction, lacking in studies, consultations, validation.”

Moreover, Recto expressed disappointment, saying “we have asked for documents from the lead appraisal authority, the Neda [National Economic Development Authority], and they cannot provide us any.” He added: “Manipis na, minadali pa [It lacks

like France or Israel. Last week, Defense Secretary Delfin N. Lorenzana had listed other countries being eyed by economic managers, as well: the United States, Japan, South Korea and Australia.

“They can join forces, and then we will help them through the government banks, but it’s not [full takeover]. If they will be borrowing money, we will provide the money, since there is a return to the government,” he said.

No outright takeover

DIOKNO also told the BusinessMirror that the government is not eyeing to lend money to Hanjin at concessionary rates.

“No, that’s not being contemplated,” he said in a text message.

Asked if the government does not have the capacity to fully take over Hanjin and this is why a takeover by a private sector or a government corporate sector is contemplated, Diokno said a government takeover of a private enterprise is a “major policy shift.”

“Government rescue of a private enterprise, whose shutdown has enormous employment and output effects, may be justified. But an outright takeover goes against the traditional role of government,” he said.

Nonetheless, Diokno said the country also needs shipbuilding here rather than abroad.

“It’s won’t look good if that will be lost,” he said.

Local economists have warned that the State had no business taking over an enterprise than can be efficiently run by the private sector.

DND-endorsed option

THE Department of National Defense (DND) last week said that it favors the proposal for the government to take over the shipbuilding facility so that it can use its site as a major naval base while supplying the government’s requirement for military and civilian ships.

Defense Secretary Delfin N. Lorenzana said the takeover was among the options that he and the country’s economic managers, including Dominguez, discussed when they met with President Duterte last week and Hanjin’s case was raised.

Another option was to offer it to other countries, he said.

wants. Consumption accounts for 70 percent of the Philippine economy.

This is expected to continue to be a major growth driver, especially now that inflation is easing.

“This country has a huge potential. In our opinion, one of the main potentials is the demography. To have a population of 110 million, depending on the statistics with 10 million Filipinos living abroad.

This is a big strength for the Philippines,” Francis said.

Downward revision

ON Wednesday, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) revised its growth estimates downward to 6 percent in the third quarter, from the initial estimate of 6.1 percent.

This will make the third-quarter growth the lowest since the second

details and it was obviously rushed].

Usually the documentation for a project of this size is voluminous. In this case, halos walang maibigay [we can’t obtain justifiable inputs].

According to the Senator, the alarming trend of the Executive bloating the public debt by agreeing to donor-driven loans “must be slowed down, more so if the process lacks transparency.”

He lamented that there are “so many salesmen and agents of foreign projects [such that] instead of asking funds through the appropriations route, uutangin na lang, tapos ang bayad ipapasa sa Kongreso at taxpayers [debts that are incurred are passed on to Congress and the taxpayers as part of the] debt service na [that are] automatically appropriated.” Recto said.

The Senate President Pro Tempore admitted he found it “mysterious” that a P7-billion amount was already earmarked as early

BOL. . . continued from a8

The DILG chief also lauded the 72 police personnel who served as Board of Election Inspectors during the plebiscite after the assigned teachers failed to show up due to security threats.

First COC

THE COC from Cotabato City is the first of the four COCs from the BOL plebiscite. The three others, which will come from Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), province of Basilan and Isabela City, are expected to arrive within the week.

NPBOC Secretary Consuelo B. Diola announced the canvasing will start today at the Comelec main office at 2 p.m. in Intramuros, Manila.

She explained the canvassing of BOL plebiscite took longer compared to the automated election, since it was manually held.

“There is really no delay. It is just the regular course of manual canvass. We don’t think it is a delay,” Diola said.

Low turnout

Citing their initial field reports, Comelec Spokesman James B. Jimenez said Sulu has the lowest voter turnout for the provinces with 80.2 percent. Sulu has a total of 375,087 registered voters.

“For the rest of the provinces, it was high,” Jimenez said in a phone patch press conference.

For cities, Jimenez said Cotabato City has the lowest voter turnout.

“Cotabato City has 113,751 registered voters; 61,674 actually voted, for a voter turnout of 54.22 percent,” Jimenez said in his official Twitter account.

Despite the low voter participation in the city, Jimenez said they are still expecting to achieve to get a voter turnout of more than 75 percent for the BOL plebiscite.

Clerical error

JIMENEZ also addressed the reported “discrepancy” in the reported number of registered voters from Cotabato City.

A Comelec document showed there were only 71,963 voters in Cotabato City, instead of its actual number of registered voters of 113,751.

Jimenez assured the “clerical error” will have no impact on the final results of the plebiscite and will be corrected during the national canvassing.

The poll official, however, said the incident will still go through the necessary investigation from the NPBOC. “I think what happened there is the form was filled up ahead of time,” Jimenez said.

“We live it up for the National Board of Canvassers to decide on the level of discipline will be issued against them,” he added. With Jonathan L. Mayuga

quarter of 2015 when GDP growth was also at 6 percent. January to September 2018 growth will now be pegged at 6.3 percent, slower than the 6.8 percent posted in the same period in 2017. “[This indicates that] we may miss the full-year growth target,” former Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Romulo L. Neri told the BusinessMirror. He also said that, for 2019, “risks come from trade wars, anemic agriculture and current account deficits.”

The PSA said the reduction in growth estimates was due to slower growth in Manufacturing; Trade and Repair of Motor Vehicles, Motorcycles, Personal and Household Goods; and Financial Intermediation.

The PSA also said the Net Primary Income from the Rest of the World was also revised downward

to 4.8 percent from 5.6 percent resulting in the revision of Gross National Income to 5.8 percent from the initial estimate of 6 percent.

Ateneo Center for Economic Research and Development Director A lvin P. Ang told the BusinessMirror that he estimates full-year GDP for 2018 to hit 6.2 percent.

Ang also said attaining the 7-8 percent GDP growth target for 2019 may also not be possible as the economy can only grow by around 6.5 percent at the most this year.

University of Asia and the Pacific School of Economics Dean Cid Terosa agreed and said GDP likely expanded by 6.3-6.4 percent last year, while 2019 growth would be around 6.5 percent to about 6.7 percent at best. “[GDP growth in 2019] will be

as July, even as the supply contract was approved only in November. “Ang misteryo dito, July pa lang, may naka-park nang P7 billion. Pero ang supply contract, November na na-approve. [The mystery here is that, as early as July last year, there exists a P7billion parked allocation for the project, even as the supply contract was approved as late as November]. They [have] put the cart before the horse,” Recto said.

He cited records showing that “it was only on September 20, 2018, that the DILG, the partner agency, was able to transmit the approved budget cost for the Safe Philippines Project to the Department of Finance.”

Recto also noted that the Notice of Award was issued on November 16, 2018, to the chosen bidder, China International Telecommunication Construction Corp., adding that “the supply contract was signed three days later.”

briefs P.N.P. CREATES TASK FORCE TO PROBE CEBU MAYOR’S AMBUSH THE Philippine National Police (PNP) created on Wednesday a special investigation task force in its effort to hasten the resolution of the ambush of San Fernando, Cebu, Mayor Lakambini “Naneth” Reluya on Tuesday that killed her husband and two others.

PNP chief Director General Oscar D. Albayalde said that the Police Regional Office (PRO)-7 through its director, Chief Supt. Debold Sinas, has formed the Special Investigation Task Group Reluya as policemen worked to solve the case and possibly arrest the suspects.

“The national headquarters...is supporting the Special Investigation Task Group created by PRO-7 to synchronize all investigative efforts by different PNP units to piece together the circumstances surrounding the incident and to identify and prosecute the perpetrators,” Albayalde said in a statement. Rene Acosta

GROUPS CONTINUE RANT VS. MARTIAL LAW IN MINDANAO GROUPS claiming to be lumad supporters on Wednesday filed a petition before the Supreme Court to nullify the implementation of President Duterte’s Proclamation 216 that extended the imposition of martial law and the suspension of the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus in Mindanao until the end of the year.

In a 13-page petition, the petitioners, through the Free legal Assistance Group led by human-rights lawyer Jose Manuel Diokno, also asked the Court to issue a temporary restraining order not only to enjoin the implementation of Proclamation 216 but also to direct the police and the military to cease and desist from continuing with its alleged militarization of areas where lumad schools are, the forcible closure of lumad schools and the harassment of teachers and students. Joel R. San Juan

driven by consumption spending and capital formation,” Terosa told the BusinessMirror on Wednesday.

Secretary Benjamin E. Diokno said, however, that the economy likely expanded by 7 percent in the fourth quarter of 2018 and enabled the government to hit the low end of its revised GDP forecast of 6.5 to 6.9 percent.

Diokno said the country’s potential growth drivers will be the continued increase in government spending, consumer spending and the expansion of the services sector.

“Some are saying [the expansion reached] 6.8 percent, but you know the Philippines will still be one of the fastest-growing countries in the fastest-growing region,” he said.

With a report by Bernadette D. Nicolas, Rea Cu

Economy BusinessMirror

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GMA wants DOTr to revise Roro plan, focus on missionary routes

By Jasper Emmanuel Y. Arcalas @jearcalas

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OUSE Spea ker Glor i a M ac apa g a l- A r royo on Wed nesd ay a sked t he Department of Transportation (DOTr) to revise its proposal on the expansion of the roll-on, roll-off (Roro) system after the she found out that most of the agency’s proposed routes are already existing.

During the meeting of the House Oversight Committee on Transportation, Arroyo discovered that most of the 30 proposed new Roro routes under the DOTr’s Maritime Industry Development Plan (MIDP) “have already existing ports or are being serviced by other shipping lines.”

“If there is already an existing port nearby, then maybe you can remove that to lessen the expected expenditures. There are many that you can take out, so maybe you have to refine this plan. It will be a much shorter plan, easier to carry out,” Arroyo said.

For example, it was revealed during the meeting that the proposed Jagna, Camiguin to Ca-

gayan de Oro route by the DOTr is already being serviced by a shipping line.

A r royo recommended t hat the DOTr should consider prov id i ng m i ssion a r y routes to sh ippi ng l i nes for u n ser ved ports because of lack of operations. A missionar y route is an incentive given to a shipping line to ser vice a new route exclusively for five years.

“Giving the missionary routes, I don’t think you need an executive order for that. You know when I was President, not everything was done by executive order. The departments had a lot of leeway because you don’t want to clog Malacañang with executive orders,” she said.

Arroyo convened the oversight committee, which was chaired by Catanduanes Rep. Edgar Sarmiento, to determine how the government could improve the country’s Roro system.

The Roro transport system was established during Arroyo’s administration in 2003 to improve domestic economies by ensuring fast interregional movement of goods and people.

Editor: Vittorio V. Vitug • Thursday, January 24, 2019 A3

Cement makers air diverse views on imposition of safeguard duty

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By Cai U. Ordinario

@caiordinario

HE safeguard duty to be imposed by the government on imported cement is not expected to cause a shortage of the construction commodity in the coming months, according to local cement manufacturers.

On the sidelines of the European Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines briefing, ECCP President and Republic Cement Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Nabil Francis told reporters that the Philippines has everything it needs to produce cement locally.

Francis said many local cement plants have sufficient capacities and that many of them are investing, including Republic Cement. He said producing cement locally will create thousands of jobs and rake in billions in revenues.

“There will be no cement short-

age for two reasons. Today the local players still have enough capacities and also a lot of investments are ongoing,” Francis said.

“The government and the DTI [Department of Trade and Industry] has taken a very positive step.

It’s a good measure that somehow is going to help the industry to recover,” he added.

Francis said local cement plants are in the process of acquiring new equipment, which will be coming in “no later than this year,” which will boost local cement production.

Republic Cement, for its part,

is increasing its grinding capacity and will be commissioning two new mills that will be able to produce over 50 million bags or 2 million metric tons. This will see Republic Cement increase its total capacity to 9 million metric tons.

He said importers only account for 15 percent of market share. Slapping a provisional tax of P8.40 per bag, or a safeguard tax of 4 percent, on imported cement will help protect jobs in the country.

Francis said a regular cement plant would employ some 6,000 to 7,000 employees directly and indirectly, and would amount to around P10 billion worth of investments.

“We have everything here so we need to manufacture our own cement in the Philippines. Why should we capitalize on [imported] goods? This is a good step. It means in this country it will create new investments, we will have additional plants,” Francis said.

Last week Trade Secretary Ramon M. Lopez said the government found the P8.40-per-bag duty the right amount that will ensure prices

and supply are stable while the protectionist measure is in place.

He said imports will still be allowed and should continue to promote competition. He also claimed domestic capacity is at 35 million metric tons and can meet the demand estimate of about 25 million MT. Philcement Corp. President and CEO Eduardo A. Sahagun earlier claimed cement supply could fall short if the DTI places a safeguard duty on imports, as he argued local producers are incapable of supplying the country’s requirement.

Domestic players produced 24.04 million tons of cement in 2015, but the demand was at 24.36 million tons, Sahagun said, citing data from the Cement Manufacturers’ Association of the Philippines, the DTI’s Bureau of Import Services and the Bureau of Customs.

The requirement in 2016 expanded to 25.96 million tons, but production slowed to 23.49 million tons.

The gap further widened in 2017, as demand accelerated to 28.55 million tons, while domestic supply was at 25.57 million tons only.

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Thursday, January 24, 2019

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Jobs under FIRe: Old work ty

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By Samuel P. Medenilla

sam_medenilla

HE so-called Fourth Industrial Revolution (FIRe) has reduced old jobs to ashes while new work categories are rising like the phoenix.

For one, an official of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) is saying there are signs within the labor market that the FIRe is now altering the labor landscape.

“You would note some jobs are now obsolete or being replaced by new forms or types of jobs,” DOLE’s Bureau of Local Employment (BLE) Director Dominique R. Tutay told the BusinessMirror in an interview.

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) estimated FIRe started in the 2000s, with the introduction of the smartphones.

New labor-saving technologies were introduced later, such as artificial intelligence, robotics, 3D printing, nanotechnology, fully automated vehicles and quantum computing, which further integrated the digital and biological sphere of a workplace.

This gave birth to the popularization of nonstandard forms of employment like the so-called gig economy.

The International Labor Organization (ILO) defines gig economy as labor platforms that make use of technology to connect workers with consumers for one-off tasks.

Technology is also used to connect people to jobs that are completed either virtually or in person by an on-demand work force.

Among the services currently provided by the gig economy are driving, running errands or cleaning houses.

FIRe changes

THE changes caused by FIRe in the workplace, which happened in just over a decade, have alarmed some international organizations.

The World Economic Forum has estimated over 5 million jobs will be lost by 2020 because of these new technologies.

For its part, the World Bank said about two-thirds of jobs

worldwide are vulnerable to automation, although it added less than 20 percent of these jobs will disappear completely.

The impact of FIRe in the workplace, however, differed per country depending on their policies and available technology.

Here in the Philippines, the DOLE reported its first case in recent years of obsolescence in the labor market in 2016. The DOLE said jobs were “destroyed” due to the introduction of new technology and market demands.

Around 7,000 workers in the semiconductor industry were affected by obsolescence that time.

The DOLE said it was later able to facilitate new employment for the affected workers. After that, the agency started to maintain a constant watch on similar cases.

Yet another vulnerable sector to the “impending threat” of FIRe, the Federation of Free Workers said, is the banking industry.

“In the banking industry, check clearing within and across banks both here and abroad has tripled in speed, resulting in the displacement of bank departments in charge of check clearing,” FFW Vice President Julius H. Cainglet said in a text message to the BusinessMirror.

Due to the introduction of more automation in the check processing system, Cainglet said the Philippine Clearing House Corp. reduced its work force from 76 to 25.

Ululating sectors

AS of January, Tutay said they have yet to confirm another instance of obsolescence. However, she said the segmentation of existing jobs to multiple specialized iterations in previous years has caused some of the unprepared workers to become unemployed.

In the 2019 edition of its JobsFit 2022 report, a significant

portion of the 166,721 displaced workers from 2014 to 2017 could be attributed to FIRe. The DOLE’s BLE noted the retrenchment is focused on the following industries that are already affected by FIRe: manufacturing and the information technologybusiness process outsourcing (ITBPM) subsectors.

Over a third or 58,390 of the displaced workers for the four-year period were from the manufacturing subsector, particularly those engaged in computer, electronic and optical products.

They only made up less than 1 percent of the 7.8 million workers in the industry sector as of last year. However, they are slowly increasing by an average of 18.1 percent each year.

Tutay noted workers in the subsector are usually among the most pressured to continue upgrading their skills to catch up with the emerging technology, which are constantly introduced by their management to cut costs and boost profits.

“There is always shifting skills sets [in the subsector] because of the type of the products they have to produce,” Tutay said.

Another third of the displacement in JobsFit were from the administrative and support service activities subsector. This includes the IT-BPM sector, with 42,492 retrenched workers or 0.8 percent of the 23.3 million workers in the service sector in 2018.

Tutay explained the IT-BPM is now moving away from basic voice call services, which are now slowly being taken over by artificial intelligence (AI) and adopting cloud technology, to higher-paying data processing services.

Workers unable to keep up with the shift in terms of skills are left displaced.

Tutay said they are anticipating displacement from FIRe to continue to increase in the next five years.

Tenure, telecommute

INCIDENTALLY, both the manufacturing and administrative subsectors were among the most heavily affected by the government’s three-year drive against illegal contractualization.

While hailed by the government and labor groups for regu-

larizing over 400,000 contractual workers during its current run, the campaign also led to displacement, since some principals were unable to completely absorb their illegally contracted workers.

The government campaign is considered novel since it directly challenged the norm for local companies of outsourcing certain portions of their operations.

New policies, such as DOLE Department Order 174 and Executive Order 51, were implemented by the current administration to restrict the practice of contractualization in the country by further regulating job contractors, amid rising pressure from organized labor union.

Additional controls on contractualization were also put in place under the pending Security of Tenure Bill, as well as in Republic Act (RA) 11165 or the Telecommuting Law.

The DOLE said that, while RA 11165 allows employers and workers to voluntary engage in the new scheme of home-based employment, it must be on condition that there will be no diminution of benefits enjoyed later. This includes security of tenure.

Little protection

OUTSIDE of the Philippines, however, more international companies continue to embrace contractualization as shown by the growing popularity of the gig economy and offshoring, wherein company production is spread out to multiple countries.

In his presentation during the FIRe forum organized by the Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS) last year, University of the Philippines (UP) School of Economics Professor Emmanuel F. Esguerra noted that, while the gig economy provides more flexibility to employers, it remains disadvantageous for workers.

Esguerra said that among the pitfalls of the gig economy is the lack of a direct relationship between employer and an employee, which prevents the latter from accessing basic labor standards.

“Disadvantages include unemployment risk, lack of social protection cover, absence of nonwage benefits and pension,” Esguerra said.

He noted there are currently no official government estimates on the number of Filipino workers engaged in the gig economy. This leaves many of them excluded in many government policies.

Robotic tech

WHILE these effects of FIRe are already being felt, some international organizations project it will take some time before the much feared full impact comes to pass.

For one thing, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) said new technology like robots remains expensive, which makes its use limited to only some subsectors.

Currently, it noted, “industrial robots remain concentrated in capital-intensive sectors where employment shares are relatively small.”

The ADB said most of the companies using robots are in the electronics and automotive industry.

The same goes for fully automated transportation like ships and ports, as observed by the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF).

Aside from being costlier than conventional transportation and facilities, ITF General Secretary Stephen Cotton said many countries still lack the necessary legislation and infrastructure for such innovations.

“We believe that at the moment it is more of product placement strategy by the manufacturers to promote their goods,” Cotton told the BusinessMirror in an interview.

He made the statement, when asked about the impact of Yara Birkeland, the so-called first-ever fully automated ship sailing in the Norwegian Coasts.

The labor leader said he sees no imminent threat for labor when it comes to fully automated vehicles, although he is not discounting it might eventually happen in the future.

Cotton said they established a London-based team tasked to monitor the developments of automation on all modes of transportation so they could make the necessary preparations once it becomes widespread.

Expected displacement

THE ADB said FIRe is not without

its advantages, especially for labor.

It noted new technological advances will boost labor productivity and generate demands leading to the creation of new jobs, which are more than enough to offset the expected displacement it will cause.

“Technology leads to new occupations...but these tend to be non-routine cognitive category,” ADB Chief Economist Yasayuki Sawada said in his presentation at the forum on FIRe organized by the PIDS. The ADB said these non-routine and cognitive jobs, like managers and technical experts, also have the least chances of being replaced by new technology.

In contrast, the ADB noted that routine and manual jobs like those in the plant assembly line and call centers are the most vulnerable to new technology.

Citing the results of comprehensive stakeholder consultations, the DOLE noted the growing number of new job demands from the industry, which are yet to be defined or regulated by the government.

“In the past, the CHED [Commission on Higher Educations] would accomplish an average of 70 to 80 PSGs [policy, standards and guidelines] for new courses,” Tutay said. “Now, it is more than a hundred.”

Work forced

TUTAY added this is also apparent in the latest JobsFit report, which showed that out of its listed 100 in-demand and hard-to-fill jobs, 17 are not even recognized under the Philippine Standards Occupation Classification (PSOC).

The PSOC, which is issued by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), is a statistical classification of the different occupational groups of the working population, including the military work force in the country.

Thirteen of the said 17 jobs are considered emerging jobs—in demand and hard-to-fill occupations, which did not exist in the labor market before.

These include occupations, which if not self-explanatory, are already familiar to the public like electronic mail and chat support agent; mobile application developer; hair transplant technician; search engine optimization ana-

aderLook

sMirror

Editor: Dennis D. Estopace | Thursday, January 24, 2019

ypes burned, new skills rising lysts; social media analysts; and transport network vehicle service (TNVS) providers.

Some are the result of the growing specialization within the company’s operations. Among these are the business process analysts, who are responsible for structuring large amount of information within a process framework; data scientists, who are responsible for creating “machine learningbased tools” in a company; design engineers, who are someone who creates the concept and design for development and management projects; and order tracker, those who oversee the packaging and transfer of goods in an industry.

Opportunities seen

THE most unique of the new jobs are the evisceration processors or those responsible for removing internal organs of processed carcasses; genomicists, or those tasked to analyze DNA data with the help of computer software; and nanotechnologists, or those who manipulate matter on a nano-scale to develop materials, drugs and diagnostic tools.

The addition of these new jobs means more employment opportunities for job seekers.

Tutay, however, said filling up these vacancies will pose a problem, since government education regula-

tors like the CHED are still struggling to catch up with these job demands from the private sector.

She noted they should continue to fast-track the creation of the PSG to ensure more students or trainees will be able to apply for the said positions.

“What is needed is the timeliness in the issuance of their [educational institutions] policy standards and guidelines and the timeliness of their review of curriculum to meet new industry needs,” Tutay said.

Recovery chances

CURRENTLY, government interventions to address the problems caused by FIRe involve giving the students, trainees and even workers up-to-date labor market information so they could be guided on the courses or skills training they would have to get to be hired.

“What is important is the willingness of the supply of labor to upgrade and retool, because the government has many tools to make the necessary adjustments [in the labor market] so they could fit in,” Tutay said.

Aside from the usual focus on science, technology, engineering and mathematics, or so-called Stem subjects, she said equal priority must be given to “soft skills” or

behavioral skills.

For its part, the ILO and the ADB recommended an unemployment insurance mechanism to facilitate the smooth transition for workers who will be displaced because of FIRe.

In the Philippines, there is pending legislation enabling the Social Security System to provide financial aid to unemployed workers.

The reform lacked any provision that will provide its beneficiaries with an integrated employment facilitation and skills training, to boost their chances to recover from their unemployment.

Cainglet said this would provide a “just transition” to the affected workers.

“Just transition measures look at employment security and where applicable re-skilling, and employment and job matching and placement,” Cainglet said.

“It also looks at the socioeconomic impacts on the families of workers and the communities where they live, thus, stressing the need for social protection,” he added.

The ILO fell short of making an official recommendation on how governments could successfully fund the transition programs for FIRe-affected workers.

But based on the results from stakeholders consultations, among

the options that were floated were taxing robots and other technologies or carbon emissions.

Kept updated

TO help address these concerns, the PIDS conducted a scoping study on the growing impact of FIRe in the world of work to provide policy guidance to its stakeholders.

“We are now realizing many of these [FIRe] technologies are already available in the Philippines, but few are aware of these new technologies and, more importantly, not aware of the possible impact of this disruptive technologies to many of the sectors,” PIDS President Celia M. Reyes told the BusinessMirror in an interview.

The PIDS conducted its first forum on FIRe in September last year, where the impact of technology in different industries and human resources were presented.

Another forum was held in the third week of January, where the PIDS determined how FIRe is now affecting government policies.

During the event, some of the presenters noted that some government policies—like regulations on ride-hailing apps and on data privacy—are slow to adapt the changes posed by FIRe due to the fast-changing technologies.

Sen. Sherwin T. Gatchalian,

who gave the closing remarks at the event, took note of the challenge, saying government regulation must keep up with the developments in technology.

He proposed government regulations related to FIRe should be regularly reviewed to keep these up to date.

“Five years [for a reassessment] is too long. Maybe we need a shorter…period like two years. The government needs to respond as quick[ly] as possible,” Gatchalian said. “We could incorporate it in a policy-making law.”

The lawmaker noted the lack of government policy on some new technology is preventing the country from tapping new technology on energy like electric vehicles and peer-to-peer electricity trading.

“Because the government is responding slowly, our constituents are suffering from the slow response,” Gatchalian said.

Sensible schemes

WHILE organized labor recognizes the relevance of such intervention, they are demanding that the government come out with more direct policies to minimize the negative impact of FIRe to workers.

“The DOLE should issue a department order that would ensure that before any automation

A5

or introduction of technology in the production process would take place, a dialogue between the workers and employers should be held in order to address its impact on workers,” Partido Manggagawa Chairman Renato Magtubo said.

Associated Labor Union-Trade Union Congress of the Philippines Spokesman Alan Tanjusay also called for more regulation through a tripartite approach.

“What the tripartite stakeholders can do is to wield and regulate this emerging practice in employment and doing business,” Tanjusay said.

Cotton also made a similar remark citing their experience in the ITF on the successful transition for workers in check-in desks with the introduction of check-in mobile applications.

“That is one simple model the union hasn’t fought against but worked,” Cotton said.

He said similar successful transition relies on one simple rule: “No automation without negotiation.”

“We genuinely believe that automation will see many tasks in a job automated but...we still believe [the] human element is vital,” Cotton said.

And yet, like it or not, the future of work is really and finally here.

A6 Thursday, January 24, 2019 • Editor: Angel R. Calso

Opinion BusinessMirror

www.businessmirror.com.ph

editorial

Sustaining growth in a gloomy world

T

HE global business horizon looks dim in 2019, based on a worldwide survey by consulting firm PwC that was released on Monday, on the eve of the World Economic Forum opening in Davos, Switzerland. PwC said the latest edition of its annual survey of CEOs found that 30 percent of respondents feel growth will decline this year, a sixfold increase from a year earlier—when 57 percent of respondents were more bullish.

PwC Chairman Bob Moritz said the responses from more than 1,300 CEOs worldwide showed that business confidence is waning amid rising trade tensions and protectionism. He said the Trump administration’s trade war with China and similar issues with other US trading partners have taken a bite: The survey found that 98 percent of US CEOs and nine in 10 Chinese counterparts voiced concerns about the US-China trade war.

The PwC survey of CEOs in 91 territories was conducted online, in person and by phone in September and October. It found that the souring mood was most pronounced about the United States, noting a 41-percentage point drop in CEOs choosing the US as a top market for growth. This is bad news for the Philippines because the US is one of our top trading partners.

Moritz cited the diminishing US dominance in world affairs, noting how the center of gravity of capital markets had been the US in the last 50 years. “Now you’ve got it shifting a little bit more east” to China and other parts of Asia, he said.

On the same day that China, the world’s second-biggest economy, reported growth of 6.6 percent in 2018, the weakest since 1990, the International Monetary Fund downgraded its 2019 estimate for global growth to 3.5 percent, from the 3.7 percent. “After two years of solid expansion, the world economy is growing more slowly than expected and risks are rising,” said IMF Managing Director Christine Lagarde as she presented the forecasts at the World Economic Forum in Davos.

Meanwhile, the World Bank, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, and other forecasters have also downgraded their world growth estimates.

These global shakeups will certainly affect many developing countries, including the Philippines. China’s growth slowdown, for one, can disrupt global supply chains that may bring trade uncertainty in Asia, which will dampen investment. With all these bad news plaguing the world economy, what will drive Philippine economic growth in 2019?

The Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry said the Philippines will still remain as one of the more resilient economies in Asia.

It said growth this year will be fueled by robust consumer and government spending. The PCCI projects a 2019 growth rate of 6.7 percent because of the upcoming elections and our hosting of the 2019 Southeast Asian Games.

The country’s largest business organization also listed the following, which will help sustain the growth momentum: The Duterte administration’s “Build, Build, Build” program; growth in tourism following Boracay’s reopening; and the surge in foreign direct investments.

As far as attracting investments is concerned, it said the Duterte administration must continue to ensure a level playing field, simplify business regulations, and reduce red tape in the government. It has to continually find ways to encourage investments that will generate jobs not only in urban centers but also in rural areas.

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Cecilio T. Arillo

DATABASE

C

HINA’s greatest contribution to the American defeat in Vietnam “was its deterrence value,” said Peter Navarro, an economics professor who heads President Donald J. Trump’s White House Trade Council, in his best-selling book, Crouching Tiger, published by Prometheus Books.

Navarro said: “The most direct route to an American victory was for US ground forces to cross the demilitarized zone into North Vietnam, take Hanoi and topple the government.

“America’s political leaders were, however, haunted by the fear that if the US breached the demilitarized zone, millions of Chinese troops might swarm over the border into Vietnam in much the same way they had flooded into Korea.”

“In the end, more than 100,000 Americans lost their lives or were seriously wounded in a conflict doomed to fail—in large part because of China’s ability to prevent the United States from executing the strategy it needed to win,” Navarro said.

He added: “From China’s perspective, this was a textbook case of implementing the principle of the ancient Chinese military strategist Sun Tzu that ‘the highest realization of warfare is to attack the enemy’s plans.’”

The turbulent 1960s also saw an increasingly nationalistic China complained ever more stridently that Czarist Russia had unfairly annexed

Chinese territory during its century of humiliation.

“In 1969, this rising Chinese nationalism would finally boil over into China’s second surprise attack on a former ally, this time the Soviet Union. This particular territorial dispute centered on three small river islands and about 20,000 square miles of territory along the flanks of the ‘roof of the world’— the 25,000-foot-high Pamir Mountain Range.

“It is an episode of violence that pointedly illustrates how a relatively small territorial dispute over several small islands can quickly climb the escalatory ladder of nationalistic furor to the brink of nuclear war. Indeed, the Soviets came ever so close to ‘dropping the big one’ on China.”

Navarro said: “In light of the eerily similar nationalistic territorial claims being made by China today over islands in the East and South China Seas, this is indeed a cautionary tale. In the 1970s, China would turn an important page in its history as a primarily land-based continental power by opening up its first major front in

the maritime domain.”

“This,” he said, “ it did in the South China Sea in 1974 with the taking of the Paracel Islands from a then severely weakened South Vietnam.

In this particular attack—planned

by Chinese premier Zhou Enlai himself—China dispatched troops supported by gunboats to occupy several of the islands claimed by South Vietnam.”

When Vietnamese commandos tried to retake the islands with the support of four small vessels, China responded with its own “shock and awe” armada of missile-equipped warships—along with precision bombing strikes of the islands.

“At the time,” Navarro said, “the United States was neck deep in its Nixonian rapprochement with China and was desperate to extricate itself from its Vietnam morass. As a result, it refused to intervene on South Vietnam’s behalf for fear of offending China, and the outgunned and outmanned South Vietnamese had no other choice but to withdraw.

“In this way, while the battle of the Paracels remains a very small thread in the fabric of Asian history, it offers a clear case of China using its superior firepower to outgun a weaker ally in the absence of US support. In 1979, China would complete its hat trick of surprise attacks on former allies with a blitzkrieg invasion of northern Vietnam involving thousands of troops and hundreds of tanks.

“In fact, this war was the quitepredictable fruit of a centuries-old bitter enmity between the two countries set against the backdrop of an increasingly strong alliance between Vietnam and what was now China’s

mortal foe in the Soviet Union. While China’s Vietnam War was exceedingly short, it was grievously long on casualties.

“In less than one month, China may have lost more troops—some say as many as sixty thousand—than the United States lost in more than a decade in its own Vietnam War. This would not, however, be China’s last armed clash with Vietnam.

In 1988, Chinese and Vietnamese forces would once again come faceto-face over another Chinese territorial grab in the South China Sea, this time in the Spratly Islands in a brutal encounter that quickly came to be known as the Johnson South Reef Massacre.”

The Spratlys are more than 600 miles from the nearest point on the Chinese mainland strategically located off the nearby coasts of Brunei Darussalam, the Philippines, Malaysian Borneo and Vietnam.

Navarro said, “When China sought to assert its historically based territorial claim to the Spratlys by building an observation post on Fiery Cross Reef, Vietnam responded by sending armed ships to the area.

After landing on nearby Johnson South Reef, a number of lightly armed troops then raised the Vietnamese flag in protest of Chinese aggression.

“Chinese warships proceeded to mercilessly train their high-caliber guns on the protesters and slaughtered over 60 of them. After this massacre, China would take control of six more of the disputed Spratly Islands, including Kennan Reef and Hughes Reef.”

To reach the writer, e-mail cecilio.arillo@ gmail.com.

Lourdes M. Fernandez

Online Editor Social Media Editor

Chairman of the Board & Ombudsman President VP-Finance VP Advertising Sales Advertising Sales Manager Group Circulation Manager

China’s deterrence value causes US defeat in Vietnam

Google, Facebook set 2018 lobbying records as techlash grows

By Ben Brody Bloomberg Opinion

G

OOGLE and Facebook Inc. set company records for annual lobbying spending in 2018 as Washington’s scrutiny of Big Tech intensified.

Alphabet Inc.’s Google unit spent more than $21 million to influence Washington, according to federal disclosures, in a year when its chief executive officer, Sundar Pichai, made his first appearance before Congress. The search giant, which spent $4.9 million in the last three months of the year, according to a Tuesday filing, beat its previous record of more than $18 million from 2017.

Facebook spent nearly $13 million on lobbying, the filings say, as it dealt with the fallout from privacy scandals, the congressional testimony of its chief executive officer, Mark Zuckerberg, and data vulnerabilities. It spent $2.83 million during the quarter. In 2017, Facebook spent more than $11.5 million on lobbying, the previous record.

The industry had good reason to up

its influence game last year: It faces a so-called techlash of greater congressional and regulatory scrutiny after numerous privacy breaches and disclosures that Russia used social-media platforms to distribute propaganda meant to influence the 2016 presidential election.

Some industry critics also say it has grown too big and too powerful, leading to suggestions by politicians and organizations, on the left and the right, that the companies should be broken up.

Google usually leads the tech sector in lobbying outlays and often is among the top-spending companies overall in Washington. Pichai was called to testify before a congressional committee in December to answer allegations that the company’s search and news algorithms are biased against conservative opinions, a view President Donald J. Trump has echoed.

Pichai also faced questions about privacy, antitrust and the company’s possible use of a censored search engine to gain access to the Chinese market.

The company’s global policy chief,

Karan Bhatia, who joined Google in June, is considering a shake-up of the Washington lobbying shop amid the backlash. He is said to have circulated an organizational chart with blank boxes for all the positions reporting to him.

Google’s longtime Washington director, former Representative Susan Molinari, a New York Republican, resigned at the end of 2018, although she remains in an advisory role.

Privacy rules

BHATIA’S challenges include responding to possible US antitrust scrutiny, tough new privacy rules in California, a bipartisan congressional push for a new law to protect consumer privacy and attempts to make tech companies responsible for the content disseminated by their services.

Google said it lobbied on dozens of issues, reflecting how integral its services have become to American lives and commerce. The filing cited privacy, data security, antitrust, taxes, tariffs, trade, the opioid crisis, artificial intelligence, cloud computing, autonomous vehicles,

immigration, the future of work, encryption and national security.

Facebook’s Washington office also has undergone a shake-up, including the firing in November of a Republican public-affairs firm. It had distributed information on financial ties between the company’s critics and prominent Jewish philanthropist George Soros, which some Soros aides interpreted as an anti-Semitic attack.

In April, soon after a scandal involving Cambridge Analytica, the political consulting firm that acquired the data of millions of Facebook users without their consent, Zuckerberg endured a marathon grilling before congressional committees.

That month, the social-media giant tapped Kevin Martin, a Republican and former chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, to head its Washington operations. The company has faced calls to oust other top executives, and is in the midst of a Federal Trade Commission inquiry into the Cambridge Analytica matter.

See “Google,” A7

Opinion BusinessMirror

www.businessmirror.com.ph

More cell towers a boon for PHL telco industry

The Spirit-filled for the Spirit-less Msgr. Sabino A. Vengco Jr.

ALÁLAONG BAGÁ

Val A. Villanueva

BUSINESSWISE

I

T’LL be interesting to watch how incoming Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) Secretary Gregorio B. Honasan II will deal with the slow Internet connectivity in the country.

M

OVING on into the Ordinary Time of the Liturgical Year, we get down to the spadework of establishing and deepening our religious foundation. The gospel reading (Luke 1:1-4; 4:14-21) presents Jesus in His distinctive significance to us: the One filled with the Spirit of God, proclaiming and fulfilling the good news of salvation.

In the power of the Holy Spirit For most of their existence, the two telco giants Philippine Long Distance Telephone Inc. and Globe Telecom have been unfairly blamed for the country’s slow Internet.

Why is it, some wonder, that even with the vast war chest and a gigantic bandwidth at their disposal, Globe and PLDT still cannot provide their subscribers with fast Internet connection?

I have been consistent in pointing out that the main reason for this is two-pronged: The insufficient number of cell sites to distribute the needed signal to speed up Internet connectivity in the country, and the red tape in our bloated government bureaucracy.

Just imagine: China has 1.9 million cell tower sites across the mainland. The United States has 10 tower companies having a combined 106,257 cell sites, with Crown Castle having the most at 40,039, and Phoenix Tower International, which is at the bottom of the list, with only 620.

To date, our two telecom companies have only been able to build 16,000 cell tower sites in more than 30 years of operation, with most of them aging and inoperable while undergoing retrofitting.

The DICT is now inviting tower builders and operators to meet the Philippine shortfall of about 50,000 cell towers.

With this in mind, I find it absurd and illogical that there is even this spirited proposal for us to have a common tower policy. We have not even moved forward, and this proposition wants us to take two steps backward. Also, certain provisions in the common tower procedures actually run counter to the open-access scenario that the government wants to push. Aside from the adamant pitch to limit independent tower companies to only two, the guidelines also prohibit telecom firms from building towers near or beside other companies’ towers.

Since the problem is the scarcity of cell towers, the country needs the telecom companies and the viable independent tower companies to build as many towers as they can in the least amount of time in order for more investments to come in. In short, we need an open or unrestricted access to ensure investment and spur industry growth to benefit the public.

This “two-tower company” policy directly contradicts Senate Bill 1763 or the Open Access in Data Transmission Act, which aims to foster competition by opening up different segments of the market to other players in order to break down regulatory barriers, and create an open and level playing field.

It is illogical to limit tower companies to two, and prohibit telcos themselves from building towers.

This is the exact opposite of open access. The Philippines needs more, not fewer, towers.

Deputy Speaker Prospero Pichay of the First District of Surigao del Sur believes that this proposal is likely to be rejected by lawmakers, citing improved business climate and employment opportunity in allowing more firms to put up cell towers.

The DICT has gone along this pathway to sign up with, at the very least, five firms to build the country’s common telco infrastructure network. On Friday, a fifth tower builder formalized its intent to join a government-led initiative to build shared cell towers in the country.

On Friday, the DICT inked a memorandum of agreement with China Energy Equipment Co. Ltd. that will help the latter enter into commercial agreements with telco clients. Under the MOA, the government offers to provide China Energy with full support in facilitating permits and the use of government assets.

Pichay explains: “If one tower firm invests P100 billion over a seven-year period resulting, still, in a shortfall of how many towers needed to be built, what about five tower companies, both foreign and local, spending altogether a total of P500 billion at P100 billion each?

What a windfall will that be for the country, and a much improved Internet service and shorter span of time!”

Sen. Aquilino “Koko” L. Pimentel III said he does not and will not agree to a “stupid proposal.” Sens.

Grace Poe and Francis G. Escudero also have the same opinion, with Poe even threatening legal action against the proponent if such policy would be pursued.

In the meantime, the DICT under Acting Secretary Eliseo M. Rio Jr. continues to sign agreements with tower builders, starting with ISON, ECP and ISOC Infrastructures Inc. in December. Memoranda of understanding with Nigeria’s HIS Towers and Malaysia’s Edotco Towers are likewise in the works.

Now, how would Honasan—a former mutineer and Edsa Revolution of 1986 “hero”—fit in all this?

He has admitted to be taking a crash course in information technology, having little knowledge about the operations and management of the industry.

Perhaps he should be reminded that, while having more cell towers is the only way for the industry to move forward, government red tape should also be vigorously addressed.

The road to providing excellent Internet service has not been easy for PLDT and Globe, and they are helpless in dealing with bottlenecks in securing the much-needed government permits to offer quality service to their customers.

Prolonged license tenders and corruption on the local government level weigh down the rollout of essential telco infrastructure.

For the longest time, telcos have to endure the lengthy method of applying for the ridiculous expanse of certifications that the local government units require. Compared with other countries where digital processing takes only a day, it takes at least 24 stages and close to 100 days to secure a construction permit, and the process is bogged down 10 times more by corruption and inefficiency.

I have written earlier that the telecom companies’ woes start with site acquisition. They have to disabuse the minds of the people in an area they wish to put up their cell sites on that cell towers will negatively affect their health. Should a telecom firm succeed in getting the right location and securing the approval of its owner, there are still the neighbors in the vicinity to contend with, and the right-of-way problem is often laden with graft. The nightmare doesn’t stop there. In a perfect world, it takes two years for a single tower to be put up. In the Philippines, where bureaucratic red tape rules, constructing a single tower takes an eternity.

For comments and suggestions, e-mail me at mvala.v@gmail.com.

Thursday, January 24, 2019 A7

IN Saint Luke’s purported intention of putting together a catechesis (an orderly sequence of teachings) regarding Jesus for the assurance of those already initiated in the faith, one certain tradition is that Jesus was led by and filled with the Holy Spirit.

He was anointed with the Spirit after His baptism at the JordanRiver (Luke 3:22); He was led into the desert by the Spirit (4:1), where He vanquished the devil. He began His Galilean ministry empowered by the Holy Spirit, going all over Galilee and teaching in the synagogues. As the news of Him spread throughout the whole region, all praised Him for his Spirit-filled preaching and activities.

He returned to His hometown Nazareth, and as His inaugural declaration there, He asserted during the Sabbath morning liturgy of the Word that in Him was already being fulfilled what the prophet Isaiah foretold: the coming of the awaited one on whom the Spirit of the Lord rests. In the Spirit, Jesus is like a sunburst of divine power drawing in everyone. The previously quenched Spirit now returns to God’s people in and through the Anointed One, the Christ or Messiah, introducing the salvation of humankind.

For the liberation of the people

A COMBINATION of texts from Isaiah (61:1ff and 58:7ff ) serves the

evangelist well as a magna carta of a liberation program by Jesus.

Spelling out for what purpose the Spirit of the Lord is upon Him, Jesus specifies His mission as the heralding of the good news to the poor, liberty for captives, sight for the blind, release for prisoners and a jubilee year or a year of favor for all. The preaching of the good news of salvation to the poor is one of the signs of the coming Reign of God. Hope and joy amidst the world of sin and evil, very much like liberty and release for sinners who are for practical purposes captives and prisoners; or, sight for those who are blind and live in a world of darkness.

Jesus has brought about the ultimate jubilee year by his preaching of freedom and restoration and

by His healing, both physical and spiritual, in the power of the Holy Spirit. In the Old Testament according to the law of Leviticus (25:8-17, 23-55) every fiftieth year (seven cycles of seven years, or seven sabbatical years) the Israelites should free their slaves, erase all debts, return landed property to its original owner, let the earth rest without seeding or harvesting. The jubilee year as a year of grace is a symbol of the time of salvation brought about by the Anointed One.

Alálaong bagá, in the humanness of Jesus as the One Anointed with God’s own Spirit, the time of grace and salvation has dawned for all who believe even as they struggle against sin. Jesus’ mission of liberation is ongoing, still being achieved. The jubilee year has been proclaimed already in our Christian Philippines. We have been anointed already with the Spirit of God made available by Jesus Christ. Our proclamation of the good news to the poor and the little ones, our striving for freedom for all especially those enslaved and oppressed, for light for those in the darkness of pain and poverty, and forgiveness from sin, are all but extension of what Jesus has begun. But, we are still a long way from being released as a people from our many forms of captivities and oppressive sociocultural structures and practices that pin us down in violence, injustice and poverty. We exist in the contradiction of being supposedly Spirit-filled in a world of our making that is Spirit-less. A radical transformation is necessary if we really are to enjoy Jesus’ fullness of life in the Holy Spirit.

Join me in meditating on the Word of God every Sunday, from 5 to 6 a.m. on DWIZ 882, or by audio streaming on www.dwiz882.com.

Gaps in the ILO-DOLE decent work programming

the situation of the informal sector is the well-entrenched system of tripartism in industrial relations and in the ILO system itself. As a backgrounder, tripartism is a product of the Second Industrial Revolution. The ILO founders then imagined that the then emerging industrial society based on mass production would be represented by only three major social partners— the government, industrial employers and organized industrial workers.

However, the world of work has not developed this way. Instead, what we see is the uneven and segmented development of the economy and labor market in almost all countries. Thus, western scholars are now talking of “varieties of capitalism” and “varieties of trade unionism.”

In the Philippines, we have the formal/informal divide in the labor market, with each sector divided further into so many distinct segments. The 2017 ILO Diagnostics on Decent Work in the Philippines is quite telling: Just a little over 200,000 workers, out of a labor force of 42 million to 43 million in 2016, were covered by collective bargaining agreements. Hence, large segments of the formal labor market are invisible in the tripartite system.

More so the workers in the huge informal labor market. Many employers, mostly those belonging to the MSME galaxy (99.6 percent of the registered enterprises), are also not represented in the tripartite system.

However, DOLE and ILO need not abandon or set aside tripartism to be

able to reach out to the formal and informal sectors of the labor market and all major segments of the labor force under each sector. What is needed is to set up new institutions or mechanisms of consultation, dialogue and representation that will allow workers in all these sectors and segments of the labor force to have a voice. A system of multipartism is clearly in order.

In this regard, the DWCP authors should have looked into the proposed Magna Carta for Workers in the Informal Economy, a bill pending in Congress. It provides, among other things, for a system of recognizing the rights of informal workers and a system of registering informal worker associations.

The Philippines should also learn from India, which has recognized the rights of women in the informal economy to associate and has allowed them to register their organizations as unions.

Thus, the biggest unions in India today are non-factory associations, such as the Self-Employed Women Association based in Ahmedabad. The International Trade Union Confederation has now recognized these associations of home-based workers, street vendors, noncorporate construction workers and waste recyclers as unions.

As to labor market governance in the formal sector, the system of representation and social dialogue can be improved, broadened and deepened.

First, in the case of the public sector, it is about time that an enabling law on public sector industrial relations be enacted. Unionism and collective negotiations in the public sector are relatively ineffective because there are no enabling laws, especially on grievance and dispute settlement.

Second, there should be a system of recognizing the rights of non-regular workers to form associations and bargain. The non-regulars, including the endos and the numerous agency and project workers, easily outnumber the regulars. In Japan, they now have unions of dispatched and parttime workers.

Third, there is a provision in the Labor Code, which states that “workers shall have the right…to participate in policy- and decision-making processes of the establishment where they are employed insofar as said processes will directly affect their rights, benefits and welfare.” (paragraph 2, Article 255 [renumbered as Article 267]). In short, all major establishments, unionized or not,

are mandated to develop a system of employee consultation in the formulation of personnel policies. To make this provision work, the DOLE secretary can issue the needed rules and regulations, as indicated in the said Article. But what will prevent the DWCP authors from pointing this out in the draft program and even suggesting an enabling law?

There are also some points raised in the DWCP, which need to be fleshed out or clarified. For example, job creation is often equated to increased participation in the global value chains. Is this really the way forward to job creation? Are GVCs, including the offshored business processes, not in danger of shrinking under the Fourth Industrial Revolution due to the rise of the robots, artificial intelligence and other technological advances? Are the DWCP authors aware that labor-market analysts are now discussing the phenomenon of “reshoring,” meaning outsourced industrial facilities being brought back by the multinationals to their home countries because the technology revolution is making global outsourcing superfluous? Thus, by 2024, it is possible that the country might even see less, not more, GVC jobs.

On another front, the DWCP hails the jobs creation potential of the “Build, Build, Build” infrastructure program with its trillion-peso budget. But should the BBB program not be subjected to the parameters of decent work standards? For example, are there guarantees that BBB construction workers shall be given decent wages and decent work conditions?

Will there be BBB projects for the urban poor and rural poor communities? And yes, are we building infras mainly for the benefit of the rich and developed communities? If so, how will Philippine society look like in 2024 or in 2030 or in 2040, when the country is supposed to become a developed middle-class economy?

Finally, to make jobs decent for as many, if not all, Filipino workers, the government should also pay attention to urgent social and economic reforms such as agrarian reform, aquatic reform, housing reform, education reform and so on. These socioeconomic reforms are most needed in the informal economy to make jobs and livelihoods decent and sustainable. Again, discussion of these reforms in the DWCP is minimal.

minister, Nick Clegg, to run its global lobbying efforts.

In the fourth quarter, Facebook lobbied on issues, including cyber security, privacy, government surveillance and immigration, according to the filings.

The Internet Association, a trade group that represents companies including Google and Facebook, spent $840,000 in lobbying in the fourth

quarter, a group record, according to the filings.

A spokesman for the group, Noah Theran, said in a statement that it is “committed to working with policymakers and other stakeholders and are aligning resources in pursuit of a national privacy law.”

Amazon.com Inc. reported spending $3.7 million in the fourth quarter, bring-

ing its total to $14.2 million for the year, more than the record $12.8 million the company spent in 2017.

Although the online retailer has faced less ire in Washington than Facebook and Google, it’s had its share of criticism, including allegations by Trump that it doesn’t pay its fair share of US Postal Service costs to deliver its packages.

Dr. Rene E. Ofreneo

LABOREM EXERCENS Continued from A1

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HE ILO’s Decent Work Agenda was launched in 1999-2000 by then-ILO Director-General Juan Somavia. It was partly a response to the rising tide of labor anger against the excesses of neoliberal globalization. A vivid expression of this anger was the riotous collapse of the 1999 Ministerial Conference of the World Trade Organization in Seattle. Trade unions, civil society organizations and governments of a number of developing countries opposed to imbalances under global free trade shut down the Seattle Ministerial and the succeeding WTO Ministerial Conferences (in 2003 in Cancun, in 2005 in Hong Kong, etc.).

The goals of the DWCP are laudable—creation of jobs for all workers, guarantees in the exercise by all workers of their rights, extension of social protection to all workers and productive social dialogue for the benefit of all workers. As the authors of the DWCP put it, the appropriate development approach in achieving the foregoing is through the adoption of the wholeof-government or whole-of-society approach. Inclusive. Walang maiiwan at walang makakaligtaan.

The problem is how to translate the foregoing into reality. A perusal of the draft DWCP and the accompanying draft priority matrices indicates that there are gaps, serious gaps in the decent work programming undertaken

by DOLE and the ILO Manila Office.

First, the DWCP is overwhelmingly focused on the traditional target of the DOLE work program: the paid workers in the narrow formal labor market.

The large informal economy or sector, which accounts for at least two-thirds of the labor force per estimate by the Employers Confederation of the Philippines, is given only marginal attention. For example, there is hardly any discussion on the recognition of the rights of informal sector workers’ associations, such as those formed by transport workers, vendors, fisherfolk, farmers, home-based workers and so on and so forth. Where is the wholeof-government or whole-of-society approach to development?

One ready explanation for the failure of the DWCP authors to consider

Google . . .

continued from A6

The company’s chief operating officer, Sheryl Sandberg, also testified before Congress in September, and in October, the company hired Britain’s former deputy prime

2nd Front Page BusinessMirror

A8 Thursday, January 24, 2019

‘Trabaho bill removal of tax perks to hurt bid to hike FDI’

By Cai U. Ordinario

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@caiordinario

F the government wants to continue increasing its foreign direct investments (FDI), removing tax incentives under the Tax Reform for Attracting Better and HighQuality Opportunities (Trabaho) bill will not help achieve this goal, the European Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines (ECCP) said.

In a briefing with reporters on Wednesday, ECCP Executive Director Florian Gottein said incentives remain an important consideration for investments. This, he said, has made Singapore and Malaysia attractive investment destinations for the European Chamber.

Gottein said removing tax incentives can only be considered if a country has sufficient infrastructure that allows businesses to thrive. This, he said, is not the case in the Philippines.

“Normally you give incentives when there is not enough infra-

Farm. . .

Continued from A1

Total palay output last year fell by 1.09 percent to 19.066 million metric tons, from 19.276 MMT recorded in 2017. Rice production in the fourth quarter alone declined by 2.20 percent to 7.156 MMT, from 7.317 MMT in the same period of 2017, according to the PSA. “This was attributed to the reduction in area harvested brought by the effects of Habagat in Ilocos region and Central Luzon, and the damages caused by typhoons Henry, Inday, Josie, Luis,

structure; maybe there’s high energy prices, there is more expensive telecommunication sector, the Internet so that’s why you give incentives—to attract companies to invest in the Philippines,” Gottein said. “Why are we cutting down incentives in the Philippines when we have not reached [a high] level of infrastructure?”

Gottein said the government does not need to come up with new taxes to raise revenues for infrastructure programs such as the “Build, Build, Build” (BBB). He said the government can just improve tax administration.

Ompong and Rosita in Northern Luzon,” it added.

Filipino farmers lost 1.8 MMT of crops valued at P36 billion last year due to 13 tropical storms, according to the DA’s assessment. Production losses caused by Ompong, which battered Northern Luzon farms in September, reached around P27 billion. The figure was largest since Supertyphoon Yolanda wrought havoc in Philippine farms in 2013.

Data from the PSA also indicated that 11 more crops, including corn and some high-value crops, recorded production declines. The PSA attributed this to the reduction in harvest area and unfavorable weather conditions.

He added that the government must also find ways to better communicate its plans regarding incentives. He said this contributes to the uncertainties for businesses that prevent them from making the decision to increase or make new investments.

CIT cut backed

HOWEVER, ECCP President Nabil Francis said the chamber supports the reduction of corporate income tax (CIT) under the Trabaho bill.

He said this will make the country more competitive compared to its neighbors.

Nonetheless, Francis said they would recommend that the reduction of the CIT to 20 percent from 30 percent be done “as soon as possible.” He said reducing the CIT to 20 percent will make the Philippines competitive in the region, saying that CIT in other countries like Singapore is actually lower at 17 percent.

“We are at 30 percent. We want it to go down as quickly as possible,” Francis said. “The direction is the right one. We are supporting any kind of liberalization of the economy, making it attractive to foreign investors.”

The fisheries subsector failed to recover last year as output declined by 1.14 percent, according to the PSA. Fisheries production in 2017 fell by 1.68 percent.

The PSA also reported that the livestock and poultry subsectors expanded by 1.89 percent and 5.75 percent, respectively. The DA earlier said it missed its production targets, except for poultry.

Rebound

DESPITE the lackluster performance of the sector last year, Piñol said Philippine agriculture will rebound this year with the expected rollout of the P10-billion

Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF) and the availability of the coconut-levy fund.

The DA is aiming to expand farm output by at least 3.5 percent this year. The crops subsector is expected to remain as the main growth driver.

For rice alone, the DA is targeting to produce 20 MMT, 5 percent higher than the 19.066 MMT recorded last year.

“For 2019, our early projections indicate that we will have a better year, especially for crops. I have made rounds in the country and reports given to me by field officers indicated that our rice crops are standing very well,” Piñol said.

“So far we do not have any serious tropical or climatic problems and there is no report of diseases. We are banking so much on the RCEF and the release of coco-levy funds for agriculture to be able to bounce back in 2019,” he added.

Aircraft. . .

Continued from A1

TAIL-END OF A COLD FRONT AFFECTING SOUTHERN LUZON AND VISAYAS NORTHEAST MONSOON AFFECTING THE REST OF LUZON as of 4:00 pm - January 23, 2019

NATIONAL CANVASSING TO START ON B.O.L.VOTE

By Samuel P. Medenilla @sam_medenilla

Plans on hold

GOTTEIN said the ECCP conducted a survey among its members, which showed that many are putting their investments on hold while others are relocating their investments due to uncertainties created by the proposed Trabaho bill.

He said some companies have relocated their investments to Vietnam and China, which was a natural reaction given the reality of the competition among businesses.

The ECCP executive director said that firms which put their plans on hold may decide their course of action in the middle of 2019.

Apart from the Trabaho bill, the ECCP’s advocacy priorities include the amendments to the Public Services Act and Retail Trade Liberalization Act of 2000.

It will also be supporting the Philippine Contractor’s Accreditation Board Licensing for fully-owned contractors.

The ECCP said its conferences a nd e x h ibit ions w i l l inc lude those on safer mobility; smart or future cities; natural resources; and agriculture.

“These parts of the aircraft are fixed on the Airbus A350, [of which] four were delivered to PAL [Philippine Airlines] last year. For this now globalized world, they [parts] were built here in the Philippines, sent to France, assembled in France and are now back in the Philippines,” the diplomat noted.

Last year PAL ordered from Airbus six A350900s to be used for its nonstop flights to Europe and North America, including its longest route of over 8,000 nautical miles to New York.

Galey said it will be up to Airbus if it will increase purchases of parts and mechanisms from the Philippines. However, he is optimistic the firm will, as the demand for aircraft is always there—expanding by the minute.

Airbus on Monday secured a deal with aircraft leasing firm SMBC Aviation Capital for the procurement of 65 planes from the A320neo family.

The order, made up of 50 A320neo and 15 A321neo single-aisle aircraft, amounted to $7.47 billion. This brings to 71 the total number of planes from that bracket procured by SMBC since last year.

Cebu Pacific also on the same day received its first Airbus A321 new engine option (neo) that augmented its fleet count to 72 aircraft.

After receiving the first of 32 orders, the budget carrier is expected to get another five A320 neos from Ireland-based aircraft leasing firm Avolon. The additional aircraft are seen to boost the flight services of Cebu Pacific, which flew its highest number of passengers in a single day in the country last December 21.

Airbus finished 2018 with 800 commercial vessels delivered, slightly behind US rival Boeing that sold 806 aircraft.

Domestic aircraft parts manufacturers seek to breach $2.5 billion in export revenue by 2022, after posting a compounded annual growth rate of 4.2 percent from 2012 to 2016. In 2016 Europe was the country’s largest export destination for aircraft parts with a share of 45.8 percent, followed by the Americas with 40.8 percent and Asia-Pacific with 12.8 percent.

www.businessmirror.com.ph

& Manuel T. Cayon @awimailbox

Mindanao Bureau Chief

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OUR days after the first leg of the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL) plebiscite, the National Plebiscite Board of Canvassers (NPBOC) will finally start its canvassing on Thursday.

This after the NPBOC finally received the Certificate of Canvass (COC) and its supporting Statement of Votes (SOV) from Cotabato City at 4:49 p.m. on Wednesday.

The results of Cotabato City appear, this early, headed for a longdrawn tug-of-war, however.

The hotly contested Cotabato City voted to be included in the emerging political unit to be called the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), despite a strong rejectionist campaign mounted by city government officials.

The decision came at 8:45 p.m. on Tuesday when city canvassers tallied 36,682 votes for yes, or inclusion into the BARMM as against 24,994 no votes. Only 54 percent of the total registered voters took part in the polls last Monday.

The “yes” proponents cheered, with about a thousand of them chanting “Allahu Akhbar” (God is great). They mounted a motorcade parade around the kilometer-long road from the national highway of Sinsuat Avenue going to the fenced regional government center.

They later feasted on grilled chicken and rice after keeping a daylong vigil outside the compound of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).

The city mayor, Cynthia GuianiSayadi, said she will file a protest at the Commission on Elections (Comelec), citing alleged poll irregularities. She said yes proponents, including the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), “intimidated” the voters outside and inside the polling places.

Cotabato City is one of two cities outside the ARMM where the plebiscite was held to ratify the BOL, which gives the legal clout for the establishment of the BARMM. The other place is Isabela City, the capital of Basilan, which is part of the ARMM.

Tourists. . .

Continued from A1

Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo Puyat earlier admitted the 2018 arrivals target would likely not be reached, given the six-month closure of Boracay, and predicted the yearend performance at “possibly 7.2 million.” Even then, arrivals last December would have had to reach 760,000 to hit 7.2 million. On a monthly basis, foreign visitor arrivals averaged 580,000, with the highest at 732,000 attained in January 2018.

The difficulty in hitting the inbound arrivals target is due, for one, to the lagging South Korean market, which slipped by 2.7 percent to some 1.42 million during the 11-month period in 2018. South Koreans have been bypassing the Philippines, not only due to the closure of Boracay, but also because of personal safety concerns. The Embassy of South Korea in Manila has repeatedly raised the issue of the killings of its citizens in the country. (See, “South Korea visitor market, tops for tourism, softens,” in the BusinessMirror, October 24, 2018.)

The market continues to be a top source for tourists at 22.03 percent in the 11-month period, although this was lower than the 24.3-percent share it accounted for in the same period in 2017.

In second place was China, with a market share of some 18 percent, an improvement from its 14.8-percent share in 2017. In third place was the United States, which sent 929,808 tourists, up 8.12 percent from the same period

The “no”votes initially dominated the tally throughout Isabela City but the canvassing was stopped after 10 precincts were asked to be deferred for exclusion. The unfinished canvassing has to be submitted to the Comelec national office to be debated and decided upon during the national canvassing.

As of 5 p.m. on Wednesday, canvassed results in Isabela City showed the no votes leading with 22,441, and the yes votes with 19,032.

Technically, the 10 precincts would still allow the yes vote to overtake the no vote, but a Comelecaccredited citizen arm said it would be up to the lawyers to argue.

Partial and unofficial tally showed a wide margin in the ARMM areas.

In Maguindanao yes got 558,489, against 6,400 voters who wanted to be excluded.

Lanao del Sur voted an overwhelming yes, with 503,626 votes, with only 9,816 for no. Tawi-Tawi posted 143,443 yes votes against 9,419 on the contrary side.

While Isabela City was in a deadlock tilting toward the exclusion side, its mother province of Basilan voted overwhelmingly for yes, at 138,569 votes versus only 6,589 for no.

Sulu was the only contrary side, with a yes vote of 137,891 against a much higher no vote of 152,493.

The Monday’s plebiscite involved only ARMM, with registered voters of 1,980,441, Isabela City with 71,124 registered voters and Cotabato City with 113,751 voters.

The second phase of the plebiscite on February 6 will be held for areas outside the ARMM but which petitioned for inclusion in the BARMM. These are in the 67 barangays in the Lanao del Norte towns of Balo-i, Munai, Nunungan, Pantar, Tagoloan, and Tangkal, and in the North Cotabato towns of Aleosan, Carmen, Kabacan, Midsayap, Pigcawayan, Pikit and Tulunan.

Interior Secretary Eduardo M. Año, meanwhile, thanked the police and military for acting as peacekeepers during the Monday’s poll exercise.

Despite isolated incidents, he said, the plebiscite was generally peaceful. A total of 6,698 police personnel were deployed for the first BOL plebiscite.

See “BOL,” A2

in 2017; followed by Japan at 577,955 (+7.9 percent); and Australia at 242,827 (+6.64 percent).

Taiwan, while ranking sixth among the top sources for tourists for the Philippines, saw a 0.23-percent dip to 221,365. A public opinion survey by a private foundation in Taiwan indicated that the Philippines is the second most hated countr y after North Korea, but failed to indicate the source of the disgruntlement. The last known diplomatic issue between Taipei and Manila was the accidental shooting of a Taiwanese fisherman by members of the Philippine Coast Guard in 2013.

Other major tourism markets for the Philippines last year were Canada at 196,768 (up 12.07 percent); the United Kingdom at 179,261 (+9.72 percent); Singapore 158,011 (+2.74 percent); Malaysia 133,625 (+1.23 percent); India 112,919 (+14 percent); and Hong Kong 110,040 (+7.8 percent).

Tourism authorities project an increase in Indian tourists this year with the resumption of direct flights by Philippine Airlines to New Delhi this April.

The DOT considers India a key growth market due to its strong historical and cultural ties with the Philippines.

Many Indian families settled in the Philippines after centuries of trading.

There is some scientific research that indicates as many as 1 million Filipinos have Indian ancestry. The DOT has requested the Department of Justice to give Indian tourists visas upon their arrival in the country.

Editor: Efleda P. Campos

Companies BusinessMirror

Thursday, January 24, 2019

Tanglawan plans to put up LNG terminal in Batangas

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By Lenie Lectura

@llectura

ANGLAWAN Philippines LNG Inc., a joint venture between Philippine fuel retailer Phoenix Petroleum and China’s largest LNG importer and terminal operator CNOOC Gas and Power Group Co. Ltd., is seen putting up its liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal in Anilao, Batangas.

Tanglawan was earlier considering two sites in Batangas. One used to be the refinery location of Chevron (Caltex) in San Pascual, Batangas, and the other is a former project site of AG&P in Anilao, Batangas.

Energy Undersecretary Donato D. Marcos said Tanglawan and AG&P have already reached an agreement.

“Tanglawan already signed a conditional sale with AG&P. It was submitted to us,” Marcos said on Wednesday.

The Department of Energy official said no similar agreement between Tanglawan and Chevron was submitted to the DOE. “The National Development Co. did not submit yet. Actually, it’s AG&P for the site, but Tanglawan is also looking at NDC,” Marcos said.

State-owned NDC owns the land that used to house Chevron’s refinery.

When sought for comment on Wednesday, Phoenix officials did not

reply to confirm the conditional sale agreement between Tanglawan and AG&P. Tanglawan was earlier issued a Notice to Proceed (NTP) permit from the DOE, signaling the start of the process to put up its capital-intensive LNG project.

Marcos said Tanglawan has six months from the issuance of an NTP to obtain other permits such as environmental compliance certificate from the Department of Environmental and Natural Resources, National Commission on Indigenous People clearance, and a local government unit endorsement, among others.

Financial closure is also expected to take place within the six-month period. Upon compliance, Tanglawan can proceed to construct the project.

“In six months, the NTP states we should see seriousness on their part to put up the power plant,” Marcos said.

Tanglawan plans to break ground by 2019 for the regasification and receiving terminal with a capacity of 2.2 metric tons per annum, with commercial operations targeted to start by 2023.

The LNG facility will help support the demand for a clean, low-cost and environment-friendly energy source in Luzon and contribute to the sustainable development of the Philippine economy.

The integrated long-term project plan also aims to develop a gas-fired power-generation facility with up to 2,000 megawatts (MW) of installed capacity.

Marcos said Tanglawan’s LNG project will initially consist of a 1,000-MW gas plant. “ That’s the initial. But the design is for third-party access, meaning they will target the commercial, industrial and ultimately the household users. We don’t issue own-use permit. We always issue third-party access permit. They have to look for offtakers but, at least, one of their off-takers could be Meralco. They have to coordinate. Otherwise, the market or the commercial viability of the project will not push through,” Marcos said.

Aside from Tanglawan, two more firms filed their respective applications for a notice to proceed with the DOE. US floating LNG player Excelerate Energy filed early this month an application for a permit to proceed with its plan to construct a proposed floating LNG terminal.

Office market still bullish amid projected slowdown in take-up

By Roderick L. Abad

@rodrik_28

Contributor

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ILIPINO real-estate services firm Pronove Tai International Property Consultants (PTIPC) sees a slowdown in the absorption of office space in Metro Manila this year given a small number of buildings certified by the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (Peza).

PTIPC CEO Monique Pronove said that out of 45 new buildings expected to be completed this year, only eight are Peza-accredited.

“There were only six IT [information technology] centers and parks proclaimed in 2018, a measly number compared to 2017’s 26,” she said. “We hope the proclamations will be sped up this year.” All the buildings in the pipeline—inventory-wise—have a total of 1.04 million square meters (sq m) of office space.

A quarter or 264,000 sq m has already been pre-leased as of December 2018.

Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (Pogo) cornered a lion’s share

of 45 percent of pre-rented space.

IT-business process management follows at 36 percent. Traditional offices got 19 percent of the supply.

“While we are positive on 2019, we encourage our clients to diversify their tenancy mix and consider competitive pricing, especially in districts with high vacancy,” Pronove said. Last year, 32 new buildings completed, marking an overall unhealthy vacancy level of 4 percent in the metropolis. A robust vacancy level is at 5 percent to 7 percent.

Muntinlupa City recorded a 3-percent vacancy level, with Makati City and Ortigas Center both at 1 percent.

The Bay Area, however, booked the tightest vacancy at 0.4 percent on the back of strong Pogo take-up.

Meanwhile, Quezon City and Mandaluyong City continued to see the biggest number of space for rent at 13 percent and 10 percent, respectively. “We would like to draw attention to Quezon City, which ended 2018 with the highest vacancy,” Pronove said.

“In 2019, Quezon City is slated to deliver the highest supply of 343,000 sq m of new office buildings developed largely by SM, Ayala, Eton and the Araneta Group. As such, we see rents and capital values in the district to be pressured,” she added.

Established in 2002 by principals with a combined 40 years of experience in the Philippine and Asian real-estate industry, PTIPC has been providing its expertise and quality services that include research and consultancy, landlord and tenant representation, property sales and purchasing and property portfolio management for the past 15 years.

Throughout this time, it has catered to the real-estate needs of government agencies, diplomatic missions, multinational, foreign and local organizations.

To date, the company has had P13 billion worth of transactions in various market segments, such as office, retail, industrial and petrol with over 1.2 million sq m of rentable space transacted.

Stocks of PAL’s largest shareholder surge on ANA investment report

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HILIPPINE Airlines Inc.’s (PAL) largest shareholder jumped the most in more than five years after the Nikkei reported ANA Holdings Inc. is considering investing in the Southeast Asian carrier.

ANA, Japan’s biggest airline, is considering purchasing 10 percent of PAL for ¥10 billion ($91 million), the Nikkei reported on Tuesday. PAL Holdings Inc., which owns most of Philippine Airlines, closed 42 percent higher in Manila trading on Wednes-

day, the biggest gain since July 2013.

The Philippine benchmark stock index fell 0.2 percent.

ANA is in talks with PAL Holdings, but no concrete decision has been made yet, the Japanese company said in an e-mailed response.

PAL remains in talks with potential investors, and a deal may happen in the first half of the year, PAL President Jaime Bautista said by phone, adding he could neither confirm nor deny the report, citing confidential-

ity agreements signed with parties.

An investment in PAL, controlled by billionaire Lucio Tan, would provide PAL with funds to expand in a market where a rash of low-cost carriers have encouraged more people to fly for business and leisure in the past decade. ANA has been looking to enhance its footprint in the region after decades of near duopoly in Japan, where an aging population threatens to reduce the number of air travelers. Bloomberg News

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The pioneer and market leader in innovative floating LNG solutions is planning to construct the facility in Batangas.

Aside from Excelerate, the DOE has received a similar application from Lopez-led First Gen Corp.

First Gen’s application stated it will construct an LNG terminal in Batangas City with its partner Tokyo Gas Co. Ltd. Tokyo Gas will take a 20-percent participating interest in the First Gen LNG project and provide support in development work to achieve a final investment decision. Then the parties will enter into a definitive agreement to proceed with the construction of the FGen Batangas LNG terminal project.

Marcos said their NTP applications are still under evaluation. The agency will determine if there is overlapping of captive market among aspiring LNG players.

“If the market they will declare is not an overlap to the market of the other one if First Gen will be issued a similar permit,” he said. “The evaluation is not yet finished, but Tanglawan is not saying that First Gen is its captive market.”

MPTC completes 20 enhancement projects for Nlex and SCTEx in 2018

By Lorenz S. Marasigan @lorenzmarasigan

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ETRO Pacific Tollways Corp.

(MPTC) completed 20 projects for both the North Luzon Expressway (Nlex) and the SubicClark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEx), which helped decongest traffic and enhance its services to motorists, a company official said.

MPTC President and CEO Rodrigo E. Franco said Nlex Corp.—operator of both Nlex and SCTEx—ended 2018 “on a positive note,” citing enhancement initiatives for the two expressways.

“For us, 2018 was a productive year, as we were able to build more roads that helped us provide travel convenience and establish stronger relationships with our stakeholders,” he said.

Franco listed three projects that were most notable in 2018: the New Mabiga Interchange, Santa Ines-Magalang Exit and the additional lane in San Fernando Northbound Exit.

Last year, the company transformed Mabiga into a full diamond interchange, which helped in curbing traffic congestion in the area. It also constructed the Santa Ines-Magalang Exit to provide direct access to local roads in Magalang, Pampanga. It also added one lane at the San Fernando Northbound Exit, which has since prevented traffic bottlenecks, especially during rush hours.

Franco also cited the construction of the new pedestrian and tri-

cycle overpass in Mapulang Lupa that helped ease mounting traffic issues at the Valenzuela Interchange, while also improving the mobility of commuters coming to and from barangays Paso de Blas and Mapulang Lupa.

To mitigate flooding along the roadway, Franco said, drainage enhancements were undertaken in Balintawak and Meycauayan in 2018. Overpasses, interchange bridges in Santa Rita and San Simon, including the Candaba Viaduct, were also repaired to boost motorists’ safety.

Nlex Corp. also upgraded SCTEx and Nlex with more features such as LED lights, variable message signs, emergency call boxes, impact attenuators or crash cushions, and reflective delineator plates for motorists’ protection and guidance, Franco said.

Other initiatives involved the integration of RFID payments system in the expressways, pavement maintenance and corporate social responsibility endeavors.

“Continuous improvement, whether in infrastructure or service, has been and will always be our focus. Twenty ninteen will be even better for everyone as bigticket projects are set for completion this year,” Franco said.

For 2019, the company plans to add toll lanes in San Fernando, Mexico and Angeles, and to expand the connecting ramps of Nlex and SCTEx. It also plans to build a “drive and dine service facility,” and complete the Nlex Harbor Link Segment 10. With Ashley Manabat

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Thursday, January 24, 2019

Companies BusinessMirror

New generation of super-rich Americans is surprisingly young C

Editor: Efleda P. Campos

China companies suspected of buying own bonds to spur demand

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HE rich in the US are getting richer, and younger. A survey of US investors with $25 million or more finds their average age dropped by 11 years since 2014, to 47.

These fabulously rich Americans, whose ranks have more than doubled since the depths of the Great Recession, are younger than less wealthy millionaires. The average age of those with at least a mere $1 million is 62, a number that hasn’t budged in years.

The finding suggests a “vast generational transfer of wealth” is “just beginning,” said George Walper Jr., president of the Spectrem Group, which conducted the study. The sample size was small—185 Americans with more than $25 million in net worth—but the findings are

consistent with other economic research on the top 0.1 percent.

Those over 65 hold more than a third of US wealth, a number that hasn’t risen as quickly as the share of elderly Americans in the population, University of California Berkeley economists Emmanuel Saez and Gabriel Zucman found in a 2016 paper. In fact, the very wealthiest group of Americans “is actually getting younger.”

Where is this new money coming from? A new generation of millionaires and billionaires probably owe as much to inheritances

as to self-made fortunes. “ T here may be more Mark Zuckerbergs at the top of the wealth distribution than in the 1960s, but also more Paris Hiltons,” Saez and Zucman wrote.

About 172,000 US households have net worths of at least $25 million, Spectrem estimated last year.

That’s up from 84,000 in 2008.

About nine in 10 investors under 38 attributed their success to “inheritance” and “family connections” in the Spectrem survey. But the same proportion also said “hard work” and “running my own business” played a role. About 70 percent of the richest investors said they’re still working.

Even as more young people entered the top 0.1 percent, most of their millennial and Generation X compatriots were struggling.

Americans 75 and older are the only age group whose median net worth rose from 2007 to 2016,

according to the Federal Reserve Survey of Consumer of Finances released in July 2018. Typical Americans age 35 to 54 saw their wealth—heavily concentrated in housing—plunge by more than 41 percent in that time frame.

Meanwhile, the richest Americans are using complex estate-planning techniques to transfer wealth to their children, grandchildren and beyond. Ninety-one percent of investors with $25 million or more keep assets in a trust, Spectrem found, and half have three or more trusts set up.

Charity is getting less attention. Although nearly 200 of the world’s richest people have signed the Giving Pledge, the Spectrem survey suggests the typical rich person is much less generous, at least so far. Of respondents with at least $25 million, just 15 percent give away $100,000 or more annually. Bloomberg News

Nayong Pilipino Foundation elects new executive director

By Ashley Manabat Correspondent

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LARK FREEPORT—After sacking Nayong Pilipino Foundation (NPF) officials last year, President Duterte has appointed a new board of trustees for the foundation that subsequently elected its executive director.

Capampangan Michelle Aguilar-Ong took her oath before Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo Puyat on Monday as a new trustee of the NPF, which manages and operates the Nayong Pilipino Clark Cultural Theme Park (NPCTP) here, among other functions.

After taking her oath, Ong was immediately elected executive director by the NPF board of trustees.

On Wednesday, Ong received a warm welcome from NPF employees, as well as indigenous people—Aytas and Ifugaos—at the NPCTP on her first day in office.

A statement from NPF said, “Ong was immediately in fifth gear when she entered the premises of Nayong Pilipino Clark, inspecting the tourist attractions like the katutubo village and amphitheater.”

After inspecting different sections of the NPCTP,

Ong proceeded to her office at the Administration Building, where she was interviewed by the media.

Ong said the goal of her administration is to revive Nayong Pilipino.

“We all know that Nayong Pilipino has been a very silent cultural agency for like a decade, so kailangan talagang ibalik siya sa forefront ng culture tourism at culture education. I think iyon ang pinaka-malaking challenge sa amin ngayon: Kung paano ibalik ang Nayong Pilipino sa pagkakaalam ng lahat ng tao sa Nayong Pilipino Pasay,” Ong said.

She also said one of her priorities is to identify the problems of Nayong Pilipino and look for longterm solutions.

When Ong was asked about the Nayong PilipinoLanding Resorts Philippines Development Corp. controversy, she maintained that NPF will abide by the opinion of the Department of Justice (DOJ).

“Nagbigay na ng opinion ang DOJ and Office of the Government Corporate Counsel [OGCC], which is the legal counsel of government-owned and -controlled corporations because Nayong Pilipino is a governmentowned and -controlled c orporation,” she said.

Palawan hybrid-power facility set to start commercial operation in Q2

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HE planned hybrid-power facility in Palawan, which combines a 1.4-megawatt peak solar photovoltaic (PV) plant with a 2.3-megawattper-hour battery storage system and 1.2-MW diesel generators will be ready for commercial operation in the second quarter of this year.

“This is an important contribution to green-growth development and the fight against climate change. The project should be operational in the second quarter of 2019,” renewable-energy (RE) developer Sabang Renewable Energy Corp. (SREC) said. The project broke ground in April 2018.

The solar PV/Battery system enables SREC to provide an average of 50-percent clean energy to the grid. Also, the Philippine government will save

P298 million to P527 million in subsidy meant for rural electrification projects.

This is because the solar and batteries components in the hybrid system will reduce diesel consumption and make power cost less dependent on the price of oil.

These savings will enable the government to accelerate its rural electrification program while promoting RE. SREC’s hybrid power-generation technology will not only provide round the clock electricity, but will also avoid about 25,700-metrictons of CO2-equivalent emissions over a 20-year lifetime.

The total carbon avoided can be compared to saving approximately 9.1 million liters of gasoline or 7,136 hectares of carbon-sequestering forests.

SREC is a joint venture company of Singaporebased WEnergy Global Pte Ltd., Gigawatt Power Inc. and Vivant Corp. WEnergy, ICMG Partners Pte Ltd. and Greenway Grid Global (GGG) Pte Ltd. have formed a Singapore-based investment entity of $60 million that will finance and operate RE projects in Southeast Asia.

This newly formed Singapore company, CleanGrid Partners Pte. Ltd., aims to build and manage a portfolio of electrification projects valued at about $100 million within three to four years.

WEnergy Global, one of the principal shareholders of the new company, has already set the stage by being an initiator for a microgrid project in Palawan, to be part of this electrification plan.

CleanGrid Partners is aiming at enabling a rapid replication of the Palawan project in several other places in Southeast Asia to meet the demand for off-grid and decentralized electrification. Lenie Lectura

HINESE companies challenged by policy-makers’ determination to tamp down leverage in the country’s financial system have found some creative ways to secure funding.

One of the least transparent mechanisms to emerge so far is a tactic where bond issuers are indirectly buying their own bond offerings, according to investors and credit analysts. The idea is to inflate issuance sizes, creating the image of greater access to capital than might otherwise be true—and leading to lower coupons in subsequent sales.

Market players began picking up on the practice, known as structured issuance, when the deleveraging drive intensified a couple of years back. While loath to name names, some warn that the practice increased late in 2018 as default fears spread. For investors, it’s one more idiosyncrasy in the world’s thirdlargest bond market to consider when moving beyond government debt.

“The motive of using the structured financing method is to boost market demand for bonds the issuer is selling—and it will benefit future issuance as well,” said Li Chang, an analyst at S&P Global Ratings in Beijing.

The practice is one of several strategies for debtors to enhance their appeal to creditors, including one where borrowers guarantee each others’ debt. Use of stock as collateral for loans has also sown the seeds for volatility in stocks.

MUTUAL FUNDS

The National Association of Financial Market Institutional Investors, a regulator of China’s bond market, didn’t reply to an e-mailed request for comments by Bloomberg.

The China Securities Regulatory Commission didn’t respond to faxed inquiries. The National Development and Reform Commission didn’t immediately reply to a faxed request for comment.

Lower-rated private companies and local government financing vehicles, or LGFVs, have been the main users of structured issuance, observers say. One popular method is for the borrower to put up the money for the subordinated tranche—the first to absorb losses—of the assetmanagement vehicle that buys the bonds. Li at S&P said this then exposes buyers of the senior tranche to greater risk in case of default.

The overseers of the asset management vehicle benefit from the arrangement because it helps expand their products and boost fees, Everbright Securities Co. analyst Zhang Xu wrote in a research note.

The mechanism has been “crucial to restore market confidence” for some weak issuers, Zhang wrote, declining to specify the names of any companies involved. Zhou Hao, president of China Chengxin International Credit Rating Co., also declined to name names, but said many private firms had drawn money from “their own pockets” to help sell their bonds— leading to less net proceeds being raised. Bloomberg News

January 23, 2019

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

PER SHARE RETURN* RETURN STOCK FUNDS ALFM GROWTH FUND, INC * 267.04 -11.98% 6.61% 3.56% 5.87% ATRAM ALPHA OPPORTUNITY FUND, INC.* 1.4834 -8.74% 14.36% 3.5% 2.96% ATRAM PHILIPPINE EQUITY OPPORTUNITY FUND, INC.* 4.1434 -13.07% 9.11% 1.95% 6.16% CLIMBS SHARE CAPITAL EQUITY INVESTMENT FUND CORP.* 0.9463 - 6.94% N.A. N.A. 6.27% FIRST METRO CONSUMER FUND ON MSCI PHILS. IMI, INC.* 0.8746 N.A. N.A. N.A. 6.57% FIRST METRO SAVE AND LEARN EQUITY FUND,INC.* 5.5639 -9.83% 6.23% 2.72% 5.55% MBG EQUITY INVESTMENT FUND, INC. * 122.87 3.45% N.A. N.A. 5.5% ONE WEALTHY NATION FUND, INC.* 0.8894 -13.3% -3.08% N.A. 6.85% PAMI EQUITY INDEX FUND, INC.* 52.6776 -10.41% 8.49% N.A. 7.06% PHILAM STRATEGIC GROWTH FUND, INC.* 547.13 -10.7% 6.45% 2.78% 6.29% PHILEQUITY DIVIDEND YIELD FUND, INC.* 1.3234 -8.56% 7.69% N.A. 5.53% PHILEQUITY FUND, INC.* 38.944 -8.67% 9.06% 5.34% 6.31% PHILEQUITY MSCI PHILIPPINE INDEX FUND, INC.* **** 1.0488 N.A. N.A. N.A. N.A. PHILEQUITY PSE INDEX FUND INC.* 5.3172 -10.29% 9.43% 5.39% 7.23% PHILIPPINE STOCK INDEX FUND CORP.* 888.23 -10.09% 9.43% 5.43% 7.21% SOLDIVO STRATEGIC GROWTH FUND, INC. * 0.9084 -9.52% 5.82% N.A. 5.48% SUN LIFE PROSPERITY PHILIPPINE EQUITY FUND, INC.* 4.303 -9.95% 8.79% 3.89% 6.01% SUN LIFE PROSPERITY PHILIPPINE STOCK INDEX FUND, INC.* 1.0226 -10.41% 9.16% N.A. 7.16% UNITED FUND, INC.* 3.7003 -7% 10.68% 4.33% 5.69% EXCHANGE TRADED FUND FIRST METRO PHIL. EQUITY EXCHANGE TRADED FUND, INC.* ***^ 118.7545 -9.75% 10.62% 6.52% 7.23% ATRAM ASIAPLUS EQUITY FUND, INC.** $0.9692 -17.86% 7.66% 0.41% 4.32% SUN LIFE PROSPERITY WORLD VOYAGER FUND, INC.* $1.1891 -10.34% N.A. N.A. 7.6% BALANCED FUNDS PRIMARILY INVESTED IN PESO SECURITIES ATRAM DYNAMIC ALLOCATION FUND, INC.* 1.7293 -9.77% 2.11% -0.29% 4.73% ATRAM PHILIPPINE BALANCED FUND, INC.* 2.2981 -8.48% 5.15% 1.62% 4.02% FIRST METRO SAVE AND LEARN BALANCED FUND INC.* 2.6489 -5.8% 2.82% -0.53% 4.13% GREPALIFE BALANCED FUND CORPORATION* 1.3614 -8.86% N.A. N.A. 4.38% NCM MUTUAL FUND OF THE PHILS., INC* 1.9099 -6.29% 4.29% 2.44% 3.62% PAMI HORIZON FUND, INC.* 3.625 -10.17% 2.82% 1.38% 2.71% PHILAM FUND, INC.* 16.4313 -8.85% 3.1% 1.47% 3.29% SOLIDARITAS FUND, INC.* 2.1508 -6.25% 4.45% 3.38% 3.79% SUN LIFE OF CANADA PROSPERITY BALANCED FUND, INC.* 3.8131 -7.43% 4.58% 2.38% 4.43% SUN LIFE PROSPERITY DYNAMIC FUND, INC.* 0.966 -7.77% 4.1% N.A. 4.81% PRIMARILY INVESTED IN FOREIGN CURRENCY SECURITIES COCOLIFE DOLLAR FUND BUILDER, INC.* $0.03544 -1.61% 0.04% 1.72% 0.54% PAMI ASIA BALANCED FUND, INC.* $0.955 -12.75% 5.53% -0.7% 2.01% SUN LIFE PROSPERITY DOLLAR ADVANTAGE FUND, INC.* $3.4846 -7.72% 6.38% 1.54% 5.33% SUN LIFE PROSPERITY DOLLAR WELLSPRING FUND, INC.* $1.0432 -8% N.A. N.A. 3.29% BOND FUNDS PRIMARILY INVESTED IN PESO SECURITIES ALFM PESO BOND FUND, INC.* 344.33 2.04% 2.15% 2.04% 0.28% ATRAM CORPORATE BOND FUND, INC.* ^^ 1.8585 -2.02% -0.49% -0.36% -0.04% COCOLIFE FIXED INCOME FUND, INC.* 2.9817 5.49% 5.4% 5.28% 0.37% EKKLESIA MUTUAL FUND INC.* 2.1412 1.53% 1.69% 1.78% 0.5% FIRST METRO SAVE AND LEARN FIXED INCOME FUND,INC.* 2.2229 0.19% 0.34% 0.62% 0.62% GREPALIFE FIXED INCOME FUND CORP.* P 1.5886 -1.67% 0.03% 0.28% 1.55% PHILAM BOND FUND, INC.* 3.8774 -4.32% -0.71% 0.15% -1.08% PHILEQUITY PESO BOND FUND, INC.* 3.5621 1.63% 1.13% 1.07% 1.28% SOLDIVO BOND FUND, INC. * 0.9089 -1.7% 0% N.A. 1.83% SUN LIFE OF CANADA PROSPERITY BOND FUND, INC.* 2.8125 0.9% 1.76% 1.43% 1.68% SUN LIFE PROSPERITY GS FUND, INC.* 1.5649 0.57% 1.39% 0.97% 1.62% PRIMARILY INVESTED IN FOREIGN CURRENCY SECURITIES ALFM DOLLAR BOND FUND, INC. * $449.45 0.9% 2.29% 3.05% 0.26% ALFM EURO BOND FUND, INC. * Є213.13 -0.34% 1.18% 1.55% 0.23% ATRAM TOTAL RETURN DOLLAR BOND FUND, INC.** $1.1341 0.35% 1.1% 2.01% 0.74% FIRST METRO SAVE AND LEARN DOLLAR BOND FUND, INC.* $0.0249 - 0.4% 0.82% N.A. 0.4% GREPALIFE DOLLAR BOND FUND CORP.* $1.6927 -4.13% -0.56% 1.07% 0.15% MAA PRIVILEGE DOLLAR FIXED INCOME FUND, INC. N.S. N.S. N.S. N.S. N.S. MAA PRIVILEGE EURO FIXED INCOME FUND, INC. ЄN.S. N.S. N.S. N.S. N.S. PAMI GLOBAL BOND FUND, INC* $1.0374 -2.57% -0.7% -2.3% -0.02% PHILAM DOLLAR BOND FUND, INC.* $2.1934 -2.05% 1.01% 2.79% 1.02% PHILEQUITY DOLLAR INCOME FUND INC.* $0.0571135 0.13% 0.94% 1.83% 0.23% SUN LIFE PROSPERITY DOLLAR ABUNDANCE FUND, INC.* $2.8942 -3.59% 0.38% 1.79% 0.77% MONEY MARKET FUNDS PRIMARILY INVESTED IN PESO SECURITIES ALFM MONEY MARKET FUND, INC.* 121.34 3.09% 1.98% 1.64% 0.41% PHILAM MANAGED INCOME FUND, INC.* 1.182 1.96% 0.76% 0.52% 0.01% SUN LIFE PROSPERITY MONEY MARKET FUND, INC.* 1.2219 2.76% 2.31% 1.66% 0.24% PRIMARILY INVESTED IN FOREIGN CURRENCY SECURITIES SUN LIFE PROSPERITY DOLLAR STARTER FUND, INC.* $1.0174 1.83% N.A. N.A. 0.15%

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

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

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

From success in selling shoes to building business empires...

We thank you for being an inspiration; a role model in valuing diligent work and having a heart for the common Filipino.

The Cabangon family, ALC Group of Companies, and the management and staff of the BusinessMirror salute a man of vision and courage.

Henry Sy Sr.

Chairman Emeritus and Founder, SM Group 1924 - 2019 Interment is secheduled today, January 24.

B4 Thursday, January 24, 2019

Refresher course on business English

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N corporate setting, mastery of the English language can open new doors for you and your organization.

The Center for Global Best Practices (CGBP) will host a training, titled “Refresher Course on Business English”, on February 28 and March 1 at the Marriott Hotel. Visit www.cgbp.org for a complete list of Best Practices programs.

This two-day back-to-basics intensive program will help you resharpen your English skills to master the world’s language for business. This training is guaranteed to bring back that zing, whether you are writing an article, composing a letter, crafting a proposal, editing a document, doing a sales presentation or making a speech.

This unique program will feature Prof.

Lucris Carina Agnir-Paraan, PhD, course director at the CGBP. She finished her doctorate degree majoring in English Studies at the University of the Philippines Diliman, where she was awarded the Outstanding Dissertation of the College of Arts and Letters.

She conducts regular public and inhouse English refresher workshops, and

seminars on business communication and verbal skills. Among her recent clients are 3M, Aboitiz, American Peace Corps, American Embassy, Anflocor, Chevrolet, Coke, Japan Tobacco Inc., Lifebank, Medicard, PJ Lhuillier, Savant Technologies, UCPB Gen and the offices under the executive secretary in Malacañang.

This English masterclass is open to the general public. The CGBP is an accredited training provider of the Civil Service Commission. Attendees from the government can earn points for their career advancement and is exempted from the P2,000 limit when attending training conducted by the private sector, based on Department of Budget and Management Circular 563 dated April 22, 2016. Interested participants are encouraged to avail themselves of the early-bird and group discounts for three or more attendees. Seats are limited and preregistration is required.

This program is accredited by the Professional Regulations Commission.

Accountants attending this program will earn CPD credit units.

Philippines’ s largest forex-education company cleared of NBI charges

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PASIG city prosecutor junked the charges filed by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) against a global foreign exchange (forex) education company for alleged securities trading and online fraud last year.

In a resolution signed by assistant prosecutor David Michael Go, the Pasig Office of the City Prosecutor said they “found that the allegations were not only unwarranted, but the NBI did not follow due process in its investigation against Learn To Trade [LTT] Philippines, and the arrest of the company’s executives has no basis.”

The NBI raided the office of LTT last September 26, based on the complaint of Katherina Angelica Garcia and Katrina Michelle Labrusca that the firm was engaged in trading and selling electronic platforms without the authority of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

Acting on the complaint, the NBI applied for a search warrant with the Pasig Regional Trial Court.

In the implementation of the warrant, NBI agents alleged that the respondents were caught in control of their computers and actively engage in foreign-exchange trading.

The respondents were arrested and charged

with violation of the Securities Regulation Code.

Go said, “The NBI merely made a conclusion without explaining what exactly is happening when they seized the computers. In fact, two of the respondents that were arrested were the company lawyer and a human resource manager.”

LTT Philippines continues to work with the SEC in respect of forex education, with which it is registered and licensed to do business.

Said lawyer Herschel Magracia, spokesman and legal representative of LTT, “We are delighted with the OCP findings, however, it is worth noting that this unlawful raid has hurt the reputation and financial stability of an organization that provided over 300 jobs to locals; and whose charitable foundation was responsible for [constructing] an entire village of 100 homes in Iloilo [and] rehousing 586 survivors of [Super]typhon Yolanda [international code name Haiyan].”

Founder Greg Secker said, “Learn to Trade and the Greg Secker Foundation will continue to support multiple charitable initiatives across the Philippines and will not let this isolated incident distort our view or love for the country.”

IBARRA’S GARDEN OFFERS OLD-WORLD CHARM OF EVENTS

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ITH more weddings happening in Manila decades ago, there was a growing need for venues that were outside of the usual function rooms. This was why Ibarra’s Garden was conceptualized by Jeannette Macasieb in 2001.

It was designed to cater as a charming alternative for wedding receptions and big parties; as a venue that offered an enchanting ambience among lush foliage, making any event seem even more magical. The mix of interior elements range from polished wooden floors to marbled tiles and artful brick walls bedecked with homey elements, such as colorful window panels and panes. Everything is designed to look picture-pretty for couples to have a truly romantic reception.

The venue itself exudes old-world charm, with it being a restored 1920s art-deco home, spacious and ideal for special celebrations and functions. Guests are grandly greeted by a Romanesque fountain leading to a porticoed entrance. Upstairs, there are two balconies to gaze down from with columns and balusters adding to the romantic effect. Surrounding the venue are lush gardens, and inside the function rooms are FilipinoSpanish elements for picture-perfect moments.

The old-world beauty of the venue is well complemented by world-class intercontinental Spanish-Filipino cuisines offered at the banquets, with their carefully curated set menus. Even meal connoisseurs are sure to be delighted by the array of well-prepared dishes, such as Ibarra’s paella, mi xed seafood brochette, roast-beef carving and homegrown favorites, such as karekare and lechon kawali.

Through the years, Ibarra’s has grown to include venues in other locations. Today it has newly opened its Casa Ibarra at the MOA Complex in Pasay City, in addition to Plaza Ibarra and Bella Ibarra in Quezon City; and Villa Ibarra in Tagaytay. Catering is also available to bring the Ibarra’s brand of exquisite cuisine to those who want to hold their corporate parties and milestone receptions in other areas.

For more information on Ibarra’s Garden and its other venues, visit www.ibarraspartyvenues.com.ph.

Sports ANOTHER ONE BusinessMirror

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| Thursday, January 24, 2019 mirror_sports@yahoo.com.ph Editor: Jun Lomibao

By Howard Fendrich The Associated Press

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ELBOURNE, Australia—Four times, Serena Williams was only one point—a single point—from closing out a victory in the Australian Open

quarterfinals.

On the first such chance, at 5-1, 40-30 in the third set, she turned her left ankle awkwardly. The owner of the best serve in the sport would lose every point she served the rest of the way.

And so it was that a startling reversal and result would follow on Wednesday at Melbourne, with Williams dropping the last six games of a 6-4, 4-6, 7-5 loss to No. 7 seed Karolina Pliskova of the Czech Republic.

“I can’t say that I choked on those match points,” Williams said. “She literally played her best tennis ever on those shots.”

The 37-year-old American didn’t call for a trainer during the match and later wouldn’t blame the ankle for the way everything changed down the stretch, saying afterward that it “seems to be fine.”

But instead of Williams moving closer to an eighth championship at the Australian Open and record-tying 24th Grand Slam title overall, it is Pliskova who will continue the pursuit of her first major trophy.

“I was almost in the locker room,” Pliskova told the Rod Laver Arena crowd, “but now I’m standing here as the winner.”

In the semifinals, Pliskova will face No. 4-seeded Naomi Osaka, who advanced by beating No. 6 Elina Svitolina, 6-4, 6-1, earlier on Wednesday. The other women’s semifinal will be two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova against unseeded American Danielle Collins.

In men’s action on Wednesday, No. 28 Lucas Pouille of France reached his first Grand Slam semifinal by beating 2016 Wimbledon runner-up Milos Raonic of Canada, 7-6 (4), 6-3, 6-7 (2), 6-4. Pouille, who is coached by two-time major champ Amelie Mauresmo, had been 0-5 for his career at the Australian Open until last week. His next opponent will be 14-time major champion Novak Djokovic or 2014 US Open finalist Kei Nishikori, who were scheduled to play at night.

Williams’s surprising departure scuttled what would have been a much-anticipated rematch against Osaka, who beat her in the chaotic US Open final last September.

This defeat is the earliest in Australia for Williams since way back in 2014, when she exited with a fourth-round loss to Ana Ivanovic. Since then? She won the tournament in 2015, lost in the final in 2016, and won again in 2017 while pregnant, before missing last year’s edition a few months after the birth of her daughter.

As for chasing Margaret Court’s all-time mark of 24 Slam trophies in singles, Williams said: “It hasn’t happened yet, but I feel like it’s going to happen.”

The match against Pliskova was played under a stifling sun, with the temperature around 80 degrees (25 Celsius). Williams—coming off an intense three-set victory over No. 1 Simona Halep in the fourth round—often stepped into the patches of shade behind each baseline.

She did not start well, not well at all. Her mistakes were mounting and deficit was growing.

In the first set alone, Williams made more than twice as many unforced errors as her opponent, 11-5, a pattern

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ELBOURNE, Australia—Fifty years after Rod Laver won the last true Grand Slam in men’s tennis, he’s fairly confident the feat will be replicated one day, unlikely as it may seem.

“It’s got to happen again,” the Australian lefthander said on Wednesday at the Australian Open.

While Steffi Graf won all four major tennis tournaments in one season in 1988, no man has done it other than Don Budge in 1938, and Laver in 1962 and 1969.

Serena Williams and Novak Djokovic each managed to collect four major trophies in a row, but spread out over two seasons.

Laver’s first calendar-year Grand Slam came during the amateur era. He then turned pro—”I said, ‘I can’t afford to stay this way. I haven’t made anything out of the game,’” Laver explained—and so was barred from entering the majors until the Open era began at Roland Garros in 1968.

The following year was the debut of professional tennis at the Australian Open, and he was eager to compete again.

“You don’t say, ‘I’m going to win the Grand Slam.’

It’s a nine-month title,” said Laver, who turned 80 last year. “I told my wife, ‘I want to enter all four of them.’

And she says, ‘Well, go ahead. It’s your life with tennis.’

And so I arrived down here, and she called me up and said she was pregnant. The due date was the exact date of the US Open final.”

He wound up winning the Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon and US Open—and his

that would continue throughout. By the end, the margin was 37-15.

Looking increasingly frustrated, Williams would yell at herself after mistakes or gesture as if to say, “That’s not how I should be hitting the ball!” Add it all up, and Pliskova led by a set and a break at 3-2 in the second.

Only then did Williams get going. From there, she immediately earned her first break point of the match and converted it to get to 3-all, beginning a run in which she claimed nine of 11 games.

“You don’t really feel,” Pliskova said, “like you’re going to win this match.”

Serving for the victory at 5-1, 40-30, Williams was called for a foot fault— reminiscent of an infamous such ruling at the US Open a decade ago. During the ensuing point on Wednesday, Williams twisted her left ankle and dumped a forehand into the net.

She grabbed at her foot afterward, then double-faulted and would go on to cede that game.

Not a big deal, right? She still had a sizable lead.

Except that three more match points would follow while Pliskova served, and she saved each one.

“There’s nothing I did wrong on those match points. I didn’t do anything wrong. I stayed aggressive,” Williams said. “She just literally hit the lines on some of them.”

Williams would again serve for the match at 5-3—and again get broken. The owner of the most feared and respected serve in women’s tennis was broken for a third time in a row at 5-all, and Pliskova was on her way.

“She got a little bit shaky in the end,” Pliskova said. “So I took my chances. And I won.”

Osaka will carry a 12-match Grand Slam winning streak into the semifinals.

The 21-year-old from Japan moved closer to a second consecutive major championship by parlaying her aggressive and powerful style into a 31-11 edge in winners against Svitolina.

“For me, right now, I just try to keep looking forward. So I’m not really satisfied. Like, I am happy that I’m here, but at the same time, I want to keep going,” said Osaka, who never had been past the fourth round at the Australian Open. “There is more matches to win.”

BITES THE DUST! INSTEAD of Serena Williams moving closer to an eighth championship at the Australian Open and record-tying 24th Grand Slam title overall, it’s Karolina Pliskova who will continue the pursuit of her first major trophy. AP

Nadal ends Tiafoe’s Australian Open run

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LAVER: IT GOT TO HAPPEN AGAIN son was born three weeks late, so there was no conflict in New York.

Completing the second Slam, against professionals, “gave me the satisfaction... that I could do it with all the players at the tournament,” Laver said.

Back then, three of the four majors were played on grass. The French Open, on clay, was the exception, and Laver entered in as many tournaments as he could on that surface that year so he could watch players more successful on it and learn.

“And bit by bit,” he said, “I found some of the secrets that they did.”

It was, of course, quite a different sport back then.

“A different world,” as Laver put it.

He would use four rackets over the course of an entire season; today’s players can go through that many in a match these days.

A pair of shoes would last him six months; today’s pros sometimes change their footwear between sets.

“If you wear out a pair of shoes in a match,” Laver said with a smile, “I’m thinking, ‘Was that because of a lot of running? Or is it just not a very good shoe?’” AP

RAFAEL NADAL is back to feeling healthy. AP

ROD LAVER addresses a press conference at the Australian Open on Wednesday. AP

ELBOURNE, Australia—Rafael Nadal is back to feeling healthy. Probably not a coincidence that he’s back in the Australian Open semifinals.

Playing his familiar brand of courtcovering, ball-bashing, opponentfrustrating tennis, Nadal claimed 20 of his first 23 service points and saved the only two break chances he faced, ending American Frances Tiafoe’s best Grand Slam run with a dominating 6-3, 6-4, 6-2 victory on Tuesday night.

“I feel lucky to be where I am after all the things I went through,” said Nadal, who quit during his quarterfinal at Melbourne Park a year ago because of a right leg problem, again during his semifinal at the US Open in September because of a painful right knee, and then had off-season surgery on his right ankle.

“Not easy situations,” he said, summing it up.

Nadal, 32, reached his 30th major semifinal and prevented Tiafoe from getting to his first, two days after he turned 21.

“I knew he was going to bring crazy intensity. I knew the ball was going to be jumping. I knew if he got hold of a forehand, it was going to be barbecued chicken,” Tiafoe said. “But point in, point out, I’ve never seen someone so locked in.”

The two hadn’t played each other before, though they did practice together at Roland Garros back in 2014, when Tiafoe was a teen in the junior competition.

Entering this year’s Australian Open, the 39thranked Tiafoe had never been past the third round at a major. But he knocked off two-time Slam runner-up Kevin Anderson and 20th-seeded Grigor Dimitrov on the way to the quarterfinals, drawing plenty of attention for his play—and his bare-chested, bicepsslapping celebrations inspired by LeBron James.

As usual, Tiafoe was animated and talkative on Tuesday. He lamented missed shots with a selfadmonishing “Oh, Frances!” He marked good ones with a shout of “Let’s go!”

But it all came to a screeching halt against Nadal, a 17-time major champion.

Tiafoe, who is from Maryland, was broken the initial time he served in each set, which was all Nadal needed, given how well he handled his own service games. He’s been reluctant to go into detail about a recent tweak he made to his serve, saying it’s “nothing drastic, nothing dramatic.”

He spoke after Tuesday’s win about going for winners on his first forehand following a serve, something he called “very important...at this stage of my career.”

Whatever he’s doing is working. And how. Nadal has won every set he’s played in the tournament, the first time he’s done that en route to the semifinals in Australia since 2009, the only time he won the championship.

“I am playing well,” he said. “I did a lot of things well during the whole week and a half.”

Now Nadal goes up against another opponent much younger than he is, 20-year-old Stefanos Tsitsipas, who upset Roger Federer in the fourth round.

The 14th-seeded Tsitsipas became the first player from Greece to earn a semifinal berth at a major, beating No. 22 Roberto Bautista Agut, 7-5, 4-6, 6-4, 7-6 (2), earlier on Tuesday. AP

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Business

C2 Thursday, January 24, 2019

DESERT BLOWOUT P HOENIX—Two days earlier, the shorthanded Phoenix Suns gave Minnesota everything it could handle in a two-point road loss to the Timberwolves.

On Tuesday night, it was no contest. A Minnesota blowout in the desert.

Karl-Anthony Towns had 25 points, 18 rebounds and seven assists, rookie Josh Okogie scored a career-best 21 and the Timberwolves rolled, 118-91.

“It’s a great thing to have a rookie like Josh play as well as he did,” Towns said. “He came in and played with a lot of energy and gave us a spark and you can’t ask any more from him. He’s doing a great job all year.”

Minnesota needed Derrick Rose’s driving bank shot at the buzzer to beat Phoenix, 116114, in Minneapolis on Sunday.

In both games, Phoenix was without centers

Deandre Ayton (left ankle sprain) and Richaun Holmes (right foot sprain).

To make matters worse for the Suns, T.J. Warren didn’t play in the second half due to a sore right ankle.

And there’s Devin Booker, who scored 14 for Phoenix before he and Minnesota’s Gorgui Deng were ejected with 5:24 left in the third quarter.

Phoenix already trailed by 20 by then.

Josh Jackson had a season-high 27 points and 10 rebounds for Phoenix, which lost its fifth straight. Kelly Oubre Jr. added 13 and Dragan Bender, who started at center, had 13 points and 10 boards.

Andrew Wiggins scored 17 and Jared Bayless 14 for Minnesota.

It was a far cry from the tight game the teams played two days earlier.

The Suns never led and were down by as

many as 30 in the second half.

“I think that was the first time since I was moved into this role that I was able to sit down toward the end [of the game] a little more,” said Minnesota interim Coach Ryan Saunders, who took over when Tom Thibodeau was fired just over two weeks ago.

Phoenix trailed only 44-42 after Bender’s three-pointer midway through the second quarter but the Timberwolves outscored the Suns 20-7 the final 6:33 of the half to lead 64-49 at the break. Towns had 20 points and 11 rebounds in the first quarters.

Minnesota stretched it to 80-60 on Bayless’s fourth three of the night with 6:52 left in the third quarter.

“I felt we were just too late to the game,” Jackson said. “They were into a rhythm.”

A renewed focus on defense, meanwhile,

I.O.C. INQUIRY ON BOXING FEDERATION ONGOING

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COMMITTEE tasked with overseeing an inquiry into the International Boxing Association (Aiba) has held its first meeting since it was established in December, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has confirmed.

A spokesman for the IOC said the meeting took place in Lausanne recently and that the probe, initiated because of ongoing issues with Aiba’s governance, financial management and integrity of its competitions, was “progressing.”

It comes after Aiba raised concerns over the delay in the IOC formalizing the next steps in its inquiry, including the confirmation of the qualification process for a possible Olympic boxing tournament at Tokyo 2020.

Aiba Chief Executive Tom Virgets told insidethegames last week that the boxers were “suffering” as a result.

Aiba President Gafur Rakhimov, whose

election to the top job at the embattled organization is the principle issue outlined by the IOC because of his name featuring on a United States Treasury Department sanctions list as “one of Uzbekistan’s leading criminals,” had requested a preliminary “kick-off” meeting with the Inquiry Commission.

Insidethegames understands the IOC has not responded to the request and officials from Aiba were not present at last week’s meeting.

The Inquiry Committee, led by IOC Executive Board member Nenad Lalovic, will assess Aiba’s progress in addressing the concerns highlighted by the IOC and will make a recommendation to the Executive Board, which is not due to hold its next meeting until the end of March.

The group also includes double Olympic ice hockey bronze medalist Emma Terho, an athlete representative elected as an IOC member at Pyeongchang 2018, and Richard Carrion, Thomas

Bach’s closest challenger in the Presidential race in 2013 and now the executive chairman of Popular Inc. the parent company of Banco Popular de Puerto Rico and Popular Bank.

The inquiry could lead to Aiba losing the right to organize the Olympic boxing event at Tokyo 2020, which is expected to take place with or without the input of the sport’s governing body.

IOC officials are hopeful final confirmation of whether there will be an Olympic boxing competition at Tokyo 2020—and who will organize it—will come at the Session in Lausanne in June.

IOC President Bach reassured athletes that a boxing event will be held in some form at the Games in two years’ time but its exact nature continues to remain unclear, which Virgets claimed was unfair on the athletes in the sport.

In a statement released today, Aiba said 2019 would be a “a year of action and of renewal for Aiba.” Insidethegames

KARL-ANTHONY TOWNS has 25 points, 18 rebounds and seven assists as the Timberwolves roll past the Suns. AP

has the Oklahoma City Thunder on another winning streak.

Paul George had 36 points, eight rebounds and five steals, Russell Westbrook had a triple-double of 29 points, 14 assists and 10 rebounds and the Thunder beat the Portland Trail Blazers, 123-114, on Tuesday night.

Steven Adams and Terrance Ferguson each added 14 points for Oklahoma City, which snapped a three-game losing streak to Portland at Chesapeake Energy Arena. After a stretch of losing five of six games, during which they gave up 154, 142 and 138 points in defeats, the Thunder have won three straight and moved back into third place in the fluid Western Conference standings.

Damian Lillard had 34 points and eight assists, and CJ McCollum scored 31 for Portland, which committed 19 turnovers—five more than its average—and had a three-game winning streak

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Toronto 120, Sacramento 105 Oklahoma City 123, Portland 114 Dallas 106, LA Clippers 98 Minnesota 118, Phoenix 91

JOC head denies bribery charges snapped. Jusuf Nurkic had 22 points and 15 rebounds.

Sixteen of those Portland turnovers came on Thunder steals. George—who ranks second in the National Basketball Association (behind Westbrook) in steals at 2.33 per game—led the way, and Ferguson added four steals, many of which led to points at the other end for Oklahoma City. AP

South Korea’s human-rights body to interview sexual-abuse victims EOUL, South Korea—South Korea’s humanrights commission plans to interview thousands of adult and child athletes about a culture of abuse in sports after a wave of female athletes came forward to say they had been raped or assaulted by their coaches.

The yearlong investigation will cover 50 sports and include children competing for elementary, middle and high schools, Park Honggeun, an official from the National Human Rights Commission, said on Wednesday.

He said the commission aims to interview all minor and adult athletes competing for scholastic and corporate league teams in speedskating and judo, which have been marred with sexual-abuse allegations. The investigation, pushed by dozens of government officials and civilian experts, could start as early as next week and could extend beyond a year if needed.

The commission plans to issue guidelines when it concludes its largest-ever inquiry into sports, but it also could forward evidence to police for further investigation and possible criminal prosecution.

“Education processes will be a key part of the investigation because there are situations where athletes find it hard to disclose what they have been through or even recognize they had been

NBA RESULTS

abused or sexually harassed,” Park said. “We will have to discuss with the schools and teams to figure out how to proceed with the investigation in each sport, but we plan to build it mostly around face-to-face interviews.”

South Korean competitive sports in recent weeks have been hit by a growing #MeToo movement, which highlights deep-rooted problems over a brutal training culture and highly hierarchical relationships between coaches and athletes.

It began with two-time Olympic shorttrack speedskating champion Shim Suk-hee accusing her former coach of repeatedly raping her since she was 17. The coach, Cho Jae-beom, was the national team coach shortly before the Pyeongchang Olympics last year and is now serving a 10-month prison term for physically assaulting athletes, including Shim. Cho’s lawyers said he denies sexually assaulting Shim.

A group representing speed skating athletes said on Monday there were at least five more female skaters saying they were sexually abused by their male coaches, but did not reveal their names because of privacy concerns. Encouraged by Shim, female athletes in judo, taekwondo, soccer and wrestling have also accused their male coaches of sexual harassment or assault since. AP

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APAN Olympic Committee (JOC) President Tsunekazu Takeda has denied knowledge of links between Singaporean company Black Tidings and Papa Massata Diack, who is at the center of a French corruption investigation.

Takeda became embroiled in an alleged votebuying scandal related to Tokyo’s successful bid for the 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games earlier this month.

The Japanese official, considered a wellrespected and influential International Olympic Committee (IOC) member, was indicted on corruption charges in France in December.

He is suspected of authorizing the payment of bribes in order to help the Japanese capital secure the hosting rights for the Games.

Takeda denies wrongdoing and claimed he was “never involved in any decision-making process” relating to payments worth $2 million made to Black Tidings.

The payments were made before Tokyo was awarded the 2020 Olympics and Paralympics at the IOC Session in Buenos Aires in 2013.

The account holder has been closely tied to Papa Massata Diack, son of the disgraced former International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) President and IOC member Lamine Diack, currently being held in France and facing corruption charges.

According to Agence France-Presse, Takeda told investigators last month that he was unaware of any business relationship between Black Tidings owner Tan Tong Han and Papa Diack at the time of the payments.

He also claimed he had played no role in selecting the consultancy firm, alleging Black Tidings had been recommended by Dentsu.

The Japanese advertising firm are Tokyo 2020’s marketing agency, while they also oversee the IAAF’s marketing strategy. Papa Diack was formerly the IAAF marketing consultant.

“At the time that the contracts were signed, neither the bid committee nor I knew of the existence of these links,” Takeda told investigators, according to AFP. Insidethegames

AUSTRALIAN players celebrate after scoring the winning penalty against Uzbekistan. AP

AUSSIES, JAPANESE SEEK IMPRESSIVE RESULTS

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BU DHABI, United Arab Emirates— South Korea, defending champion Australia and Japan made it through to the Asian Cup quarterfinals knowing there is much room for improvement as the continental tournament enters its finals stages.

Even with the arrival of Son Heung-min from Tottenham, South Korea, struggled to get past Bahrain, ranked 60 places lower by Fifa at 113, in Tuesday’s second-round game in Dubai.

It needed an extra-time goal from Kim Jin-su to settle the encounter and book a quarterfinal with Qatar.

“It was a tough game,” Son told reporters.

“It’s all about attitude as well, and I’m a bit unhappy with our performance. I think we’re better than that.”

Australia, which beat the South Koreans in the 2015 final on home soil, needed a penalty shootout to get past Uzbekistan after 120 minutes of action ended goalless.

Japan was also below its best in eliminating Saudi Arabia, 1-0, leaving Iran and Qatar as the best performers so far.

The quarterfinals take place on Thursday

and Friday with the final held in Abu Dhabi on February 1.

One of two big-name coaches will likely finish their current job after Thursday’s showdown in Abu Dhabi. Carlos Queiroz has been in charge of Iran since 2011 and has led the team to become the highest-ranked in Asia.

The contract of the former Real Madrid coach ends after the tournament and the 65-year-old Queiroz has been widely linked with the vacant Colombia job.

Iran, the most consistent of the continental teams so far, is expected to record its fifth straight victory at the tournament.

Marcello Lippi will step down as China’s head coach after the team’s exit. The 2006 World Cup-winning coach has struggled at times but victory over Iran would be the Italian’s best result in his two years in charge of China’s national team.

Japan, seeking a fifth title, has won all four games so far. A second round 1-0 win over Saudi Arabia came as a result of a solid defensive performance from the team which has fewer big stars such as Keisuke Honda, Shinji Kagawa and

Shinji Okazaki than in the past.

Japan, which reached the second round at last year’s World Cup, has yet to find its fluency in attack under Coach Hajime Moriyasu but will still be expected to win against Vietnam in Dubai. AP

ODOM’S IN TOWN

Former LA Lakers star Lamar Odom (right) and Mighty Sports team manager Wowie Evangelista pose at the lobby of a Makati hotel. Odom will play for Mighty Sports in the 30th Dubai International Basketball Championship set from February 1 to 9 in the United Arab Emirates. He arrived from the US on Wednesday.

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PBA eyes building it could call ‘home’

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HONLADA CHAYANUN birdied two of the last four holes to card a 69 and lead the crack Thai charge, but Princess Superal and Chihiro Ikeda stayed in the mix with 70s in the opener of the International Container Terminal Services Inc. (ICTSI) Beverly Place Ladies Classic on Wednesday in Mexico, Pampanga.

Mookharin Ladgratok and Ornnicha Konsunthea also hit late birdies to match Chayanun’s twounder-par effort at the short, flat but tricky Beverly Place’s par-71 layout with tough pin placements, giving the Thais early control of the P750,000 event serving as the third leg of the new Ladies Philippine Golf Tour (LPGT) season.

Ladgratok checked a bogeybogey skid from No. 15 with a birdie on the 17th, while Konsunthea, who tied for sixth with Chayanun in the last LPGT stop at Pradera Verde, birdied the par-5 closing hole as the Thais set in motion their bid to extend their domination after winning five of the 12 tournaments in the previous edition of the circuit put up by ICTSI. “The pin placements are difficult, placed near the edge of the greens,” said Chayanun, who also bucked the wind that blew from various directions that bedeviled the games of the other fancied players in the fold.

But the local aces didn’t stray too far behind the Thais, although Ikeda needed to birdie the last hole to save a 71 after blowing a sterling threebirdie splurge after five holes. The many-time LPGT winner bogeyed Nos. 7 and 9, birdied Nos. 12 and 16 to atone for a double-bogey blunder on No. 15 then recovered from a bogey on the 17th with that closing birdie for a 33-37 card.

Thursday, January 24, 2019

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HE Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) hopes to finally build a huge office building that will house all the amenities the league needs.

PBA Board of Governors Chairman Ricky Vargas said that they are taking the initial steps of building a massive multiple-floor office that they would consider their “own home.”

“There is the major matter of fulfilling our dream with the PBA at 44 years old to stop renting office space,” Vargas said.

Superal, who scored back-toback title romps at Highlands and Riviera on her way to claiming the Order of Merit title, failed to really get going, settled for an up-anddown pair of 35s made up of four birdies against three bogeys.

“You have to be precise with your approach shots to get a chance for birdies,” said Superal.

Another Thai, Punpaka Phuntumabamrung, also squandered an eagle-spiked threeunder card after nine holes with three bogeys in the first four holes at the back and needed to birdie the 17th in the last flight to join Ikeda and Superal at fourth.

Narisara Kerdrit, also from Thailand, also holed out with a birdie to salvage an even-par round for solo seventh, while fancied Dottie Ardina and Pauline del Rosario rebounded late to wheel back into contention after a shaky start in the early going of the event organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments Inc. Ardina, using the event as part of her final buildup for her Ladies Professional Golf Association Tour campaign starting next month in Australia, dropped strokes on Nos. 7 and 8 and birdied No. 16 to save a 72, while 2017 OOM titlist del Rosario struck back from a double bogey on No. 6 and a bogey on the 13th with birdies in the last two holes, a comeback she hopes to sustain as the race to the top 15 plus ties spots heats up in today’s pivotal second round.

Other one-over-par scorers were Thais Jaruporn P Na Ayutthaya, Tiranan Yoopan and Aunchisa Utama along with Filipina Daniella Uy while three more Thais turned in identical 73s, including Kamonwan Lueamsri, Wannasiri Sirisampant and Nattapan Siritrai.

Since its birth in 1975, the PBA has always rented its headquarters and for the past decade or so, the league is occupying a small office in Libis, Quezon City.

Part of the plan is to build an office that will have all the functions of a main office, fitness gym, training facilities and a chapel.

The location is yet to be identified.

“The board has started talking on building its own home. The home of the PBA, which we are all excited about,” Vargas said.

Commissioner Willie Marcial said that a

PBA building in Quezon City would be strategic for the league.

“Chairman Vargas has already announce the plan but it is still under review, especially the cost and the location,” Marcial said.

Marcial, however, said a PBA arena is not in the board’s plans but stressed the league headquarters will include a practice gym.

“It will be our permanent home,” he said, adding that they hope to break ground this year. Ramon Rafael Bonilla

FILIPINAS IN THE MIX

the country’s cream of the crop, including the likes of Samantha Dizon, Mafy Singson, Eagle Ace Superal, Arnie Taguines, Laia Barro, Angela Legaspi, Monica Mandario, Junia Gabasa, Kyla Nocum and top jungolfer Nicole Abelar.

But no one packs a credential as imposing as Saso, who also powered the Philippines to the team and individual gold in the World Junior Girls Championship in Canada in 2016. She also boasts of two victories in the local pro circuit, the last at Ayala Greenfield last year, where she bested the likes of LPGA Tour-bound Dottie Ardina and a host of strong Thai players before beating Mikha Fortuna by two to rule the 56th Philippine Ladies Open at the Orchard.

That makes the Fil-Japanese ace the player to beat in the event, organized and

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HE Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) and Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) plan to revive the cadet program for a “long haul preparation” for the country’s cohosting of the Fiba World Cup 2023.

PBA Chairman Ricky Vargas expressed optimism that the pro league and SBP would put premium on developing young players for the team to the World Cup the country is cohosting with Japan and Indonesia.

The cadet program is intended to complement the current pool of pros, who are vying in the qualifiers for this year’s Fiba World Cup China is hosting from August 31 to September 15.

“We need to strengthen our commitment to the national team. We have worked closely with the SBP to allow PBA players to be part of the national team,” said Vargas, also the president of the Philippine Olympic Committee.

“I’m happy to report that the PBA and SBP have achieved a level of production collaboration. I’m also proud to say that we are now installing long-term programs for identifying cadets,” he added.

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ATIONAL University (NU) turned back a hard-fighting De La Salle-Zobel, 82-67, to claim the first Final Four berth on Wednesday in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines Season 81 juniors baskettball tournament at the Filoil Flying V Centre.

The Junior Archers were in the game in the first three quarters until Gerry Abadiano took over for the Bullpups in the payoff period by dropping 11 of his game-high 20 points.

Abadiano also pulled down 15 rebounds and dished out four assists for NU, which chalked up its 10th win in 11 contests.

Unbeaten in the second round, the

CHIHIRO IKEDA is in the hunt with a first-round 70.

conducted by the Women’s Golf Association of the Philippines and sponsored by EVA Air, San Miguel Corp., Cherrylume, Philippine Daily Inquirer, Pascual Laboratories, Group Management and Development Inc., G&W Clubshares Inc. and the National Golf Association of the Philippines.

The upcoming championship, backed by the ladies chapters of Alabang, Forest Hills, Tagaytay Highlands, Sta. Elena, Canlubang and Manila Golf clubs with Vermogen, Sports + Action and Sports U channels of ABS-CBN, also marks its return to its old home at the posh Forbes Park layout, which is expected to provide a tough test for the competing field with its tight fairways and sleek putting surface.

Velez, Milliam start year right OHN DAVID VELEZ and Alexa Milliam opened the new Palawan PawnshopPalawan Express Pera Padala (PPS-PEPP) tennis season the way they ended it last year—in winning fashion—as they scored contrasting victories each in the Actifit Open national age-grouper at the Actifit Sports Center in Valenzuela City recently.

Velez held off a tough Abraham Lawyer, 6-3, 6-4, to claim the boys’ 16-under crown then survived Loucas Fernandez, 3-6, 6-1, 105, to pocket the 18-under diadem in the Group I tournament that served as the kick-off leg of this year’s circuit sponsored by PPS-PEPP. Milliam, on the other hand, dominated her side of the event presented by Dunlop, blasting top seed Marielle Jarata, 6-1, 6-1, in the girls’ 14-under finals and thumping Renee Esteban, 6-1, 6-0, for the 16-under plum in the event co-organized by John Mari Altiche.

“Velez and Milliam continue to serve as inspiration to their fellow players, particularly to the younger ones with their work ethics and determination coming off the holiday break,” said Palawan Pawnshop President and CEO Bobby Castro, who has lined up a record 70-leg circuit this year.

PBA, SBP LOOKING TO REVIVE CADET POOL FOR PHL TEAM

The SBP maintained a cadet pool two years ago, led by Mac Belo, Matthew Wright, Jio Jalalon and Roger Pogoy; early last year, the federation named 23 youngsters who will be trained for the 2023 World Cup. The 2023 pool includes CJ Perez, Robert Bolick, Javee Mocon, Abu Tratter and Jayjay Alejandro. But like their predecessors, they turned pro, leaving the cadet program crashing.

Collegiate standouts Thirdy Ravena, Juan Gomez de Liano, Kobe Paras and Matt Nieto remained in the pool, but the SBP doesn’t have any absolute hold on these players.

Now, the PBA and the SBP pondered a long-term solution to let the players finish their national team duties before turning pro.

“They will be drafted to the national team program, returning to the PBA only after they complete their tour of duty. Remember, we will host the World Cup in 2023,” Vargas said.

Tapping pros for the national team remain as the SBP’s biggest woe considering the current format the Fiba adopted for the World Cup that clashed with the PBA’s schedule.

Ramon Rafael Bonilla

Bullpups advance to Final Four; Blue Eaglets, Baby Tams prevail

SASO OUT TO DEFEND OPEN CROWN A SIAN Games gold medalist Yuka Saso expects to draw much attention as she sets out for her title-retention drive in the Champion Philippine Ladies Amateur Open set from February 19 to 21 at the Manila Golf and Country Club.

The talented 17-year-old Saso, who anchored the Philippines’s incredible comeback in the final round to sweep the individual and team gold medals in the Asian Games in Jakarta last August, has confirmed her participation in the 57th staging of the annual championship that drew an early roster of 94 players, including 54 foreign bets.

They include the top and rising shotmakers from Taiwan, Singapore, Japan, Australia, Korea, Thailand and the US, all eager to slug it out with

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Meanwhile, top seed Jason Patrombon and No. 2 Johnny Arcilla trounced their respective rivals to lead the march of the fancied bets in the Open men’s singles, including Rodolfo Barquin, Fritz Verdad, Rolando Ruel Jr. and Deo Talatayod.

Milliam and Velez’s romps came on the heels of their impressive feats last year with the former from Pontevedra, Negros Occidental and the Davaoeño ace dominating the last quarter of last year’s edition of the country’s biggest talent search.

Other winners in the event, backed by Liquid Gold Wine & Spirits, Ayala Amity Centennial Lions Club, Skin Rejuve and Calle Café, were Xavier School’s Agustin Bartolome; Santa Rosa, Laguna’s Frank Dilao; San Favian, Pangasinan’s Jeowny Pascua; La Union’s Marielle Jarata; and San Carlos City’s Bliss Bayking.

Bartolome toppled Christella Lamera, 4-1, 4-1, in 10-unisex; Dilao edged Zandre Mina, 6-4, 7-6(6), in boys’ 12-under; Pascua crushed Carlo Solo, 6-0, 6-2, in boys’ 14-under; Jarata whipped Sophia Moreno, 6-0, 6-1, in girls’ 12-under; and Bayking ripped Denise Bernardo, 6-1, 6-0, in girls’ 18-under.

Bullpups won despite the ejection of Terrence Fortea late in the first period.

Titleholder Ateneo and Far Eastern University (FEU)Diliman handily hurdled their lowerranked foes to stay level in the chase for the No. 2 seed in the

semifinals.

Kai Sotto had 18 points, 11 rebounds and five assists before sitting out the fourth quarter, as Ateneo overwhelmed University of the Philippines Integrated School, 115-68, while FEUDiliman, with Xyrus Torres leading the way with 24 points, made quick work of University of the East, 99-82.

Ateneo and FEU-Diliman improved to 8-3 won-lost and assured themselves of a semifinals playoff berth.

The Blue Eaglets exploded for 44 points in the first period to put the game beyond reach and post the highest scoring output this season.

“I challenged our boys and I told them we’re dead last in threepoint shooting, percentage-wise, so they did the extra work,” said Coach Reggie Varilla whose wards nailed 16 triples. “It showed in the first quarter and that was a big boost.”

Forthsky Padrigao also had a double-double of 17 points and 10 rebounds to go with seven assists and two steals for the Blue Eaglets.

JB Sajonia, RJ Abarrientos and Mario Barasi combined for 47 points for the Baby Tamaraws.

Joem Sabandal had 23 points and 11 rebounds as Adamson University opened a two-game lead over University of Santo Tomas in the race for the last Final Four berth with a 69-67 victory.

The Baby Falcons, coming off a 71-112 trashing at the hands of the Bullpups, overcame a dismal eightpoint fourth quarter to improve to 7-4 and dropped the fifth-running Tiger Cubs to 5-6.

ASIAN Games gold medalist Yuka Saso is a favorite to keep her title in the Philippine Ladies Amateur Open.

FACE-OFF ONE flyweight world champion Geje Eustaquio (left) and

former titlist Adriano Moraes stare at each other as ONE Championship Chairman and CEO Chatri Sityodtong stand between them during Tuesday’s kick-off press conference at the City of Dreams Manila.

Eustaquio and Moraes will clash in the ONE: Hero’s Accent at the Mall of Asia Arena this Friday.

THAI LIFTERS BANNED

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UDAPEST, Hungary—Two world champion weightlifters and an Olympic gold medalist are among four Thai weightlifters to test positive for banned steroids, the International Weightlifting Federation announced on Tuesday.

Thunya Sukcharoen and Sukanya Srisurat risk being stripped of the world titles they won in November after each testing positive for at least one anabolic steroid and artificial testosterone. If found guilty, Srisurat faces a potential eightyear ban for a second offense.

The 2016 Olympic champion at 48 kilograms, Sopita Tanasan, also tested positive after finishing fourth at the world championships.

Sixth-place finisher Chitchanok Pulsabsakul also failed a drug test.

The failed tests are another embarrassment for weightlifting, which is under pressure from the International Olympic Committee to crack down on doping. Weightlifting is on the Olympic program for next year’s games in Tokyo, but only provisionally for 2024. AP

Sports BusinessMirror

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| Thursday, January 24, 2019 mirror_sports@yahoo.com.ph Editor: Jun Lomibao

SHORT SHELF LIFE TIGER WOODS and Rory McIlroy emerge from a horde of fans on their way to the 18th green during the final round of the Tour Championship in Atlanta in September. AP

By Doug Ferguson

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SHOWN above is a piece of scientific equipment in Russia’s national drug-testing laboratory in Moscow. AP

‘Fool us again, and we can bar you from Olympics’ T HE World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) straddled the wide gulf between vindication and capitulation on Tuesday, agreeing to keep Russia’s anti-doping operation in business after receiving much-sought-after lab data that could be used to prosecute hundreds of cheaters.

But the decision came with a warning: Fool us again, and we can bar you from the Olympics.

Wada officials accumulated the data more than two weeks after the December 31 deadline they had insisted upon. The delay came due to an unexpected roadblock set up by Russian authorities.

But they did, in fact, receive it, and Wada President Craig Reedie—lambasted over the years for being too soft on Russia and too soft on cheaters—made a not-so-subtle plea for this to be framed as a victory for clean competition.

“If you think I’ve been vindicated, I’d be very happy if you’d say so,” he said.

There are many who will simply never agree with that. They believe Wada’s decision to reinstate the country’s anti-doping agency before Russia had adhered to a number of requirements was a grand betrayal of athletes who were cheated by the Russians at the 2014 Sochi Games and elsewhere while the country’s state-sponsored doping conspiracy ran amok over the Olympic movement.

“Clean athletes have suffered many bad days, but I hope today’s decision represents the straw that broke the camel’s back,” said Jim Walden, the attorney for former Moscow lab director Grigory Rodchenkov, whose information helped blow the lid off the Russian scandal. “Make no mistake about it, there are two standards of doping justice: one for Russia and one for the rest of the world.”

But the acquisition of the data is what Wada was after when it made its disputed decision in September, and that’s what it got.

“We’re in good position,” said Gunter Younger, who led the Wada delegation that gathered the data from the Moscow anti-doping

laboratory. “We know what we’re looking for.

We’ve identified the most suspicious cases. We need complementary data to go forward.”

Wada’s director general, Olivier Niggli, estimated the number of outstanding cases is “in the line of [ a] hundred or hundreds, but we’ll see.”

Wada said it will need two to three months to authenticate the data. Eventually, it will also need urine samples, many of which still reside in the Moscow lab that had been, until recently, sealed off by Russian law enforcement.

The chairman of Wada’s compliance review committee, Jonathan Taylor, made it plain that if any evidence has been tampered with, the committee will meet “without delay” to review the facts and can propose consequences that could include Russia’s ouster from next year’s Olympics.

“No decision can or should be made now, but the CRC wants to put that on the record,”Taylor said.

Rusada’s new leader, Yuri Ganus, welcomed Tuesday’s news, even though it could lead to unwanted results.

“It’s completely possible we could lose something from the medal table,” Ganus said, “but no one can take the legacy of the Sochi Olympics away from us. It was a great Olympics and one of the best organized. So I sincerely hope that we can turn this page and resolve all the issues, but we can’t simply turn it over and forget.”

The Court of Arbitration for Sport has already exonerated 28 Russians accused of doping at the Sochi Games, and it’s unknown how those cases might be impacted by the acquisition of further data.

One of Wada’s leading critics through this process, US Anti-Doping Agency CEO Travis Tygart, said the decision “was unfortunately expected.”

“It is, of course, good that data was obtained, but there is still a long way to go for justice to be served,” Tygart said.

He called for changes to a system “that holds athletes strictly accountable but allows states to corrupt the Olympic Games and perpetuate massive fraud on athletes and the public.” AP

The Associated Press

AN DIEGO—Rarely in sports has such a big moment had such a short shelf life.

Even one involving Tiger Woods.

With respect to Brooks Koepka and his two majors, or Francesco Molinari with his claret jug and 5-0 mark in the Ryder Cup, no moment last year captivated golf as much as Woods finishing off his improbable comeback by winning the final Professional Golfers Association (PGA) Tour event of the season at the Tour Championship.

And then it was time to move on.

Twelve hours later, Woods and the American team arrived in Paris for the Ryder Cup. That week was all about team and trying to win on European soil, both ultimately failures. And then Woods was out of public view for two months, returning only for a pair of exhibitions in Las Vegas and the Bahamas.

Publicly, the moment was gone. Privately, Woods took time to reflect.

First, it was the reaction from his family and friends, those who had seen him at the lowest of low points when he was searching for answers to his ailing back through four surgeries, and when a reliance on pain medications led to the public embarrassment of his arrest on a DUI charge.

“I got back home and I got a chance to be around my friends and my family, to hear some of the stories of how nervous they were and how emotional they were,” Woods said on Tuesday.

“Players, friends, people who saw what I went through at home, saw the difficult times and just to see that I made it that far back, that was touching to me because I didn’t really expect that, because I’m inside the ropes.

“I know what it took for me,” he said. “But I didn’t know it would have affected anyone else like that.”

Then, it was seeing the final round on a video screen.

The highlights of that Sunday at East Lake were so much like the Woods of old. He had a 54-hole lead, mapped out what it would take to win and was so methodical in his execution that he never gave anyone else much of a chance.

“It’s about the grind, and that’s what I did,” he said. “I didn’t really have it in drive, I just had it in neutral all day.”

What made his spine tingle was what everyone remembers about that day.

Was there a more indelible image than Woods walking up to the 18th green, red shirt blazing, as thousands of fans rushed under the ropes and followed him down the fairway to create a stage worthy of the occasion?

“It gives me chills almost every single time

I see it,” Woods said. “At the time, it didn’t seem like that because I didn’t really look back. I only looked back a couple times over my right shoulder.... I got on the green, I looked and I’m like, ‘Holy cow, there’s a lot of people out there.”

“But the rush and the commotion that happened...I’ve experienced things of that nature, but not that energy.”

It was like that at the Western Open in 1997, the year he changed the face of golf. It was like that when he won the British Open both times at St. Andrews. That was when he was expected to win all the time. And maybe that’s why he says East Lake had “its own aura and its own energy.”

It was so great that Woods isn’t sure he’ll ever feel that again.

“Maybe one day it might, who knows?” he said.

“All I know is that it was really loud and very special.”

Tommy Roy won’t forget it for other reasons, mostly an interview that nearly brought him to tears.

Roy is the lead golf producer at NBC, and the network usually asks three or four contenders after the third round for a quick interview with host Dan Hicks, which then would be aired at appropriate moments during the Sunday telecast.

For the better part of two decades, NBC asked Woods to come in for the brief interview, and Woods always politely declined.

“Except for Saturday night,” Roy said. “Dan

ended up doing this quick interview, and Tiger was unbelievable. He’s usually so guarded, but this included a sound bite about wanting to win again for his kids. I got tears in my eyes it was so powerful.”

Roy wanted to save it for the right moment, when Woods was assured of winning.

Billy Horschel made a late run to get within two shots, and Woods was in trouble on the 17th hole, enough to make Roy wait. But then Woods saved par, and he cleared the last trouble with an approach on the par-five 18th over the water and into the bunker.

Roy gave the order to cue the tape and for Hicks to set it up.

But then he saw on his monitor the chaotic celebration unfolding, and he urgently shouted, “Stop!” to play the minute-long interview clip about winning for his two children would have meant losing images of fans’ reaction to a moment they weren’t sure they would ever see again.

“We never aired the sound bite,” Roy said.

Roy couldn’t think of big moments with so little bounce, except for perhaps the Olympics.

Gold medalists are celebrated for their greatest feats, and then largely forgotten for the next four years.

Four months is better than four years.

Woods makes his 2019 debut this week at Torrey Pines.

Ronaldo finally ends tax ordeal in Spain

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ADRID—With a guilty plea and a huge fine, Cristiano Ronaldo finally put an end to his tax ordeal in Spain.

Nearly four years after an investigation was opened, Ronaldo appeared at a court in Madrid on Tuesday to plead guilty to tax fraud and agree to a fine of nearly €19 million ($21.6 million).

The Juventus forward, who was facing charges stemming from his days at Real Madrid, spent about 45 minutes in court to sign the agreement. He was also given a two-year suspended sentence.

Ronaldo will not have to serve time in prison because judges in Spain can suspend sentences for two years or less for first-time offenders.

The Portugal star smiled broadly after leaving court despite the unwanted trip back to Madrid, where he played until last summer.

“It’s done,” he said briefly as he walked past some of the hundreds of journalists outside the court house.

He later posted a photo on Twitter of himself smiling while apparently taking a selfie inside an airplane. The picture was accompanied by emoticons that included a “thumbs-up.”

Ronaldo arrived in court in a black van and was wearing sunglasses, a black sports coat, black pants and white tennis shoes. He stopped to sign an autograph before walking up some stairs leading to the court house. He was accompanied by his lawyers and his partner, Georgina Rodriguez. Police officers escorted him.

The court had dismissed Ronaldo’s request to enter the building directly from the parking

lot, which would have allowed him to avoid the media. The request was made for security reasons, but the court said it didn’t think the measure was needed despite the player’s notoriety.

Court officials said Ronaldo didn’t make any comments while in the courtroom to sign the agreement.

On his way out of the court house, he again stopped to sign autographs for a few fans who were wedged among the journalists. He also made a thumbs-up sign as people gathered near the court.

Ronaldo made the deal to plead guilty with Spain’s state prosecutor and tax authorities last year.

The investigation reportedly began in 2015, and two years later a state prosecutor accused Ronaldo of four counts of tax fraud from 2011 to 2014 worth €14.7 million ($16.7 million).

Ronaldo was accused of having used shell companies outside Spain to hide income made from image rights.

The accusations didn’t involve his salary from Real Madrid, his club from 2009 until joining Italian champion Juventus last year. Ronaldo played for Juventus the night before his court appearance in Madrid, helping the Serie A leader earn a 3-0 win against last-place Chievo Verona.

In 2017 Ronaldo spent about 90 minutes answering questions in court and told a judge he never tried to avoid paying taxes.

Separately, Ronaldo is facing a rape allegation in the United States.

Kathryn Mayorga filed a civil lawsuit in Nevada in September claiming Ronaldo raped

her in his Las Vegas hotel room in 2009.

Police reopened an investigation into the allegation at her request. Ronaldo has denied any wrongdoing.

Former Real Madrid player Xabi Alonso also was in court in Madrid on Tuesday. He is accused of defrauding tax authorities of about €2 million ($2.3 million) from 2010-2012.

The retired Spain midfielder denied any wrongdoing after spending nearly three hours in the court house. AP

RONALDO

Provident God

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EAR God, You show us faithful love and save us on the day we call. In company with Saint Anthony we pray: Come, Oh God, and set us free. Make Your Church a place of welcome for all who seek communion in Christ. Prosper negotiations for peace, unity, solidarity, compassion, and bring an end to the production of war weapons and its utilizers. Help us to reach out to those who suffer loneliness, sickness or grief. May God inspire and strengthen us to fix our resolve on that which lasts forever, through the love of Christ. Amen.

GIVE US THIS DAY, SHARED BY LUISA LACSON, HFL Word&Life Publications • teacherlouie1965@yahoo.com

Editor: Gerard S. Ramos • lifestylebusinessmirror@gmail.com

OTHER PHOTOS COURTESY OF MÖVENPICK BORACAY

Life BusinessMirror

MOMMY NO LIMITS: STRONG BELIEFS, PURPOSEFUL ACTION, AND ‘THANK YOU, TATANG!’ D3

Thursday, January 24, 2019

The state of Boracay and swanning around Mövenpick I TexT & phoToS by MaGnolIa SIlVeSTre

WENT to Boracay for the first time in 1994.

One of my college friends, Olga, hailed from Aklan, and she and her friend and groupmate were going to do their thesis, a documentary on the Moriones Festival. The rest of our college crew of three were there to help them out, returning the favor, having assisted us on our Ibalong Festival documentary in Legazpi City, Albay, the year before.

If you’re already in Aklan, it was impossible not to go to Boracay, which is a hop and a skip away.

We rented a small hut with basic amenities and did all the things you were supposed to do there at the time: dance at the Beachcomber, have drinks at Cocomangas and, even after only precious little sleep, get up for the large fruit shakes at Jonah’s, which at the time was still a tiny hut. Boracay was already famous, but it was hard to imagine the kind of industrial commercial behemoth it was going to become. There were none of the huge hotel chains back then, and there was not going to be for awhile. The most posh was Club Panoly (we will go back to that later), and it was in an enclave far away from the main beach, which took on a more elusive and exclusive quality.

While I have been to the island several times, a recent visit has dredged up a lot of memories from earlier trips because the Boracay of now is a work in progress and literally being dug up all over. Nobody knows when things are going to settle down, but while everybody is in agreement that Boracay needed rehabilitation, which has not been without hiccups, there are arguments as to how to currently manage this ongoing project. There are concerns there may have been an overcorrection, or that the current feel is too draconian, like armed guards on the beach at night, I was told, and where the kind of easygoing island vibe that made it a popular destination in the first place will be gone. Personally, I

found the people at the Caticlan port a lot less friendly than previous visits. Maybe because Boracay had just reopened and it was a little chaotic, but your arm had to be stamped, and it all felt like you were being processed instead of being welcomed. I remember how much more friendly it was back then: the minute you got to Caticlan, everyone was all smiles and it felt like they were glad to have you. This visit is where my Boracay past met Boracay present. Once you get to the island, however, the people are as warm and welcoming as ever.

Mövenpick Resorts and Hotels is where Club Panoly used to be. The resort is a beautiful and lush tropical paradise. You might think: But of course, this is Boracay! But real estate is so precious that most hotels only have room for, well, rooms. And they probably say to themselves that, anyway, the beach is what people go there for. This is one of their major advantages Mövenpick has over the other resorts—the greenery—a legacy of Club Panoly. There is a natural meandering quality to the property and captures that lazy bohemian vibe of the past but with the most modern amenities. The pool, which is the largest in the island at 3,300 square meters, winds around like a river and is visible from whatever restaurant you’re eating at and always seems to beckon.

You are surrounded by verdant foliage, lots of trees, lots of lounge areas, couches and egg chairs.

The resort beckons you to lie down. When Mövenpick bought and renovated the property, it was before the closure of Boracay was ordered, and they like to joke about the many times they have had to reopen. It is impossible to talk about the resorts without the larger picture and issues of Boracay. The employees of the hotel continued to be paid for the six months it was closed, but of course a larger portion of their income comes from the service charge, and so everyone is heaving a collective sigh of relief that Boracay is now open. The ongoing roadwork is the concern of many

hotels and it is a bit of a challenge to get there. For instance, Movenpick is still waiting for their boat permits to be approved. It used to be that when you booked an exclusive resort, the minute you get to the Caticlan port, you are then zoomed into the pier where you were greeted with cocktails and leis. I personally did not mind the circuitous route of having to stop at Cagban port and then riding another van to get to the resort because it allowed us to look at the how the city is being rebuilt. All the roads are dug up and there is a lot of pipe laying everywhere, large and small. It would normally be a quick drive but the rough roads made for a bumpy ride that seemed longer. To a van of journalists, it is a point of curiosity, but maybe other tourists won’t be as patient.

Someone on TripAdvisor reportedly wrote that, while he gave the resort high marks, the roads were like Syria. Personally, what I felt that was like Syria is the “enhanced security” at the airport. Perhaps that is because there are now direct flights to Caticlan from abroad, but it still felt a tad excessive.

The clearing of everything 30 meters from the beach really brought out the shoreline, which has always been the best thing about the island. I have yet to walk on pillow soft sand as wide and as expansive as Boracay’s. Our country is teeming with beaches, but Boracay’s expanse of white sand is unparalleled.

It remains breathtaking and beautiful. The sparkling sapphire striations glisten from a distance; up close, the clear blue waters invite you to plunge, or, you know, dip your feet. I didn’t realize how much how I had missed it. Amid everything else, the beach will always be one of intense beauty and accessibility. You feel like you can walk the beach forever and the sand will never run out. The affable and charming André Brulhart, general manager of Mövenpick Boracay and one of the most entertaining managers you will ever meet, said, “The smiles are here.... I’ve been to all the beaches, and this is the most beautiful.”

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nnn THERE is nothing like a gorgeous plate of sushi and slabs of sashimi over prosecco to greet you after that aforementioned bumpy ride.

Mövenpick Executive Chef Ameer Jordan introduced to us the menu at Ssäm, which is alliteratively translated from the Korean word “wrapped,” referring to the samgyeupsal practice of wrapping grilled meat in a leaf and then eaten. Ssäm serves traditional and modern Japanese and Korean cuisine. The food flowed like a dégustacion except they were all jumbo size, like the prawn tempura and the huge slabs of Galbi-jjim, which was as tender as they come. The ramen bowl had springy noodles and lots of kelp, which I love. Ssäm also makes really good banchan, like a sweetish eggplant, and kimchi that just tasted wonderfully fresh. You know that if a restaurant bothers to make the banchan really good, the rest of the meal is going to be excellent, which it was. “Now you’re going to make me look like the bad guy,” jested Chef Ameer when we said we probably couldn’t eat any more.

Because Mövenpick is a Swiss brand, the hotel has a nummy sounding chocolate hour, where the hotel serves some chocolate goodies in various forms such as brownies, an array of chocolate covered snacks and fondues at the Café. In Switzerland, the Mövenpick brand is also synonymous with their fabled ice cream, which is available even in convenience stores there.

The resort said they are actively working on bringing the famed ice cream to their restaurants.

A romantic al fresco dinner under the large talisay, as well as the moon and the stars, framed a decadent dinner that saw lobster as the main dish. It really got us in the mood of to have a quick stroll on the beach and then we had after-dinner drinks at the Sol Marina Beach Club.

ConTInueD on D3

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Thursday, January 24, 2019

Entertaining BusinessMirror

Cheesy Pork Steaks are quick to make and delicious to eat

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Text & photo by Sara Moulton The Associated Press

THE fiveingredient Cheesy Pork Steaks in New York. This dish is from a recipe

by Sara Moulton.

AP

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HE appeal of a dish consisting of just five ingredients is pretty obvious—it’s easy to make and it takes almost no time to land on the table. Even so, it helps to start with a quick-cooking and naturally tender protein such as the pork tenderloin at the center of this recipe for Cheesy Pork Steaks.

Like beef tenderloin, pork tenderloin is the most tender cut of meat on the animal because it’s a muscle that’s not used very much. And pork tenderloin will stay tender when you cook it—as long as you don’t overcook it. Keep in mind that this is a lean cut of meat, meaning that it lacks the internal fat that could keep it juicy. Accordingly, you want to be vigilant about the prescribed cooking times and then, afterward, allow the steaks enough time to rest, meaning enough time for the internal juices to redistribute. (If you serve the pork without allowing it to rest, all the juices will stream out and the meat will be dry.)

Also, to be sure the cheesy crust stays firmly glued onto the pork, use a nonstick—and properly heated—pan before putting in the pork. (When the oil is properly hot it will start shimmering; that’s when you can reduce the heat to medium and add the meat.)

Finally, don’t attempt to flip the pork until the time is up and you can see that it has browned.

Grating the cheese and prepping the other ingredients will only take about 10 minutes. Cooking the meat, likewise, takes 10 minutes. Given, then, how quick they are to make—and how delicious they are to eat—don’t be surprised if these cheesy pork steaks become a permanent part of your weeknight lineup.

The crispy cheesy coating alone makes it a crowdpleaser. You can serve it straight up with a spritz of lemon, but you’re welcome to dress it up a bit, topping it off with a marinara or mushroom sauce.

CHEESY PORK STEAKS Start to finish: 20 minutes.

Makes 4 servings.

Today’s Horoscope

By Eugenia Last

CELEBRITIES BORN ON THIS DAY: Mischa Barton, 33; Tatyana Ali, 40; Ed Helms, 45; Neil Diamond, 78.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY: Slow down and stick to what’s most important to you. If you scatter your energy, you will end up running in circles. Look at your personal and professional relationships and consider who you have time for. Clear your slate of excess debris, and set your sights on what you want to accomplish. Your lucky numbers are 4, 15, 23, 28, 30, 33, 45.

a

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Personal gains look promising. Expand your interests and skills, but don’t buy in to someone else’s scheme. Spend time looking and being your best and concentrating on advancing your ideas and plans.

Romantic spending should not be wasted on someone with ulterior motives. HHH

b

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Don’t let your personal life disrupt your business affairs.

Stick to what needs to be accomplished, and don’t stop until you’ve reached your goal. How you handle your responsibilities will make a difference in the way your colleagues and superiors view you. HHHHH

c

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Use your knowledge and expertise to help bring about positive change. Refuse to let someone trying to use you for something throw you off guard. Choose your friends and your lover carefully. Emotional deception is evident. HH

d

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Make some changes at home that will allow you to pursue a creative hobby or entertain more. Set a high standard, and live by your rules. Personal gains look promising if you lead instead of follow. HHHH

1 pork loin, trimmed (1 to 1 1/4 pounds) 1/2 cup seasoned Italian bread crumbs 1 ounce finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese (a scant cup using a microplane) 1 large egg 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil Lemon wedges for garnish Slice the pork diagonally at a 45-degree angle into 8 pieces, each about 3/4-inch thick. Don’t worry if the pieces aren’t all the same size. Just make sure they are all 3/4-inches thick.

In a shallow bowl combine the crumbs and cheese.

In another shallow bowl lightly beat the egg with 1 tablespoon water. Dip each piece of pork into the beaten egg, letting the excess drip off and then into the crumbs, packing the crumbs on all sides.

In a large skillet, heat 1 1/2 tablespoons of the oil over high heat.

Reduce the heat to medium and add the pork pieces. Cook for 3 minutes. Turn the slices, add the rest of the olive oil to the pan, and cook 3 minutes longer until the pork is golden.

Transfer the pork to a plate and let rest for 5 minutes. Transfer two pieces of pork to each plate and serve with a lemon wedge. n

Brera Delicatessen opens flagship store in Park Terraces Makati THE new branch of Brera Delicatessen is only a few steps from the mall yet it feels a continent away. Patterned after Italian markets, this flagship outlet at Park Terraces in Makati is spacious, the mood casual and relaxed. “We envision the customers to come in and select what they want to eat, then sit down and dine,” says Paolo Durante, the deli’s general manager.

If you are lucky to catch him on duty, he can give you a special tour of the store and walk you through their extensive selection of cheeses, charcuteries and wine. “We have over 100 charcuteries from all over Europe—Spain, Italy, France, Germany, and also from Greece and Turkey. We have 250 plus cheeses, from soft to the hardest cheese. The most aged, at 36 months, is the Parmigiano. We have five different types of blue cheese, which is the widest available variation of blue cheese in the Philippines.”

“We have 98 different labels of wine from Italy, Spain, France, New Zealand, Australia, United States and Greece, and we’re still adding. We sell by the bottle but also serve some by the glass. We also carry Efes beer from Turkey, one of the best beers in the world,” he says. Weekday Happy Hour is from 3 to 6 pm—unlimited pour of wines of the month (red, white, and rosé) for P695 with complimentary chef’s sampler.

Brera Delicatessen Park Terraces also has a counter dedicated to appetizers. “We sell in-house made Mediterranean dips like hummus, tzatziki, baba ghanoush and tabbouleh. On our display are Arancini from south of Italy — balls of rice with cheese which you can stuff with whatever you want and then deep-fried. You’ll also find croquettes,

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which we can make with chicken and ham or mushroom and onions. We have olives, dried figs, marinated figs, dates, peach infused with Moscato wine and rosemary,” the Italian gentleman points out.

If you would rather order from a menu, you can flip through lists of soups, salads, charcuterie platters, sandwiches, crostini and pasta dishes.

There is a page dedicated to pizza, which are cooked in a woodburning stone oven. “In Italy, every city has a different way of preparing pizza. We make it like in Rome—thin and crunchy,” says Durante.

You must not skip the skewers and steaks cooked in their indoor charcoal grill. “We bring in meats from very select ranches in Australia where the cattle are grass-fed and milkfed, and the meats are salt-aged. Our partner goes there and really inspects these butcheries and he gets all these things from the best slaughterhouses,” he guarantees.

Brera Delicatessen Park Terraces takes pride in being the only restaurant in the Philippines with a proper dry aging room for meats where the temperature is always floating between 0 and 4 degrees Fahrenheit and humidity is really high. For dessert, Brera offers cheesecakes and pies made at their commissary in Tagaytay using ingredients from the deli and their farm.

Brera Delicatessen Park Terraces can comfortably seat 50 persons, perfect for intimate gatherings. They accommodate exclusive functions. Besides the flagship outlet in Park Terraces Tower, there is also a branch at Molito Lifestyle Center, Madrigal Avenue, Ayala Alabang and Muntinlupa.

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LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Be open to new beginnings or starting something unusual with someone you enjoy spending time with. A change will do you good and give you access to people and places that will stimulate you mentally. Love is in the stars. HHH

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VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Don’t waste time on someone or something that isn’t good for you. Avoid excessive situations and people who skirt issues or mislead you. The best changes you can make are the ones you take control of physically and financially. HHH

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LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Listen carefully and base your decisions on what you verify, not what someone tells you. Problems with an older relative will add to your responsibilities. Be kind, but don’t make unrealistic promises. HHH

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SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Think before you respond. Someone is probably asking for too much or trying to push you in a direction that isn’t in your best interest. Let your instincts lead the way to avoid getting involved in someone’s trap. HHHH

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SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Don’t make too much noise or someone will complain. Moderation will be necessary if you want to avoid a stressful situation. Avoid indulgent individuals, as well as playing mind games. HH

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CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Consider what you want and what you can afford before you sign up for something that could turn out to be a scam. Abide by the rules and regulations when dealing with institutions and government agencies.

HHHHH

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AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): It’s important not to reveal secrets if you want to keep things moving along smoothly.

Sharing too much personal information will put you in an awkward position. Uncertainty and inconsistency will make it difficult to make a decision. Sit tight. HHH

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PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Emotional matters will escalate if you sit around and stew about what’s happened. Focus on giving back, doing something nice for someone or taking better care of your needs. Someone with greater life experience will offer a wise alternative. HHH PREMIUM aged beef with various sidings and a bottle of superior Barolo wine

BIRTHDAY BABY: You are engaging, thoughtful and original.

You are intuitive and robust.

‘activewear’ BY SUSAN GELFAND The Universal Crossword/Edited by David Steinberg

ACROSS 1 Agree 5 New jersey?

9 Bottle stoppers 14 Fan favorite 15 Humpty Dumpty’s shape 16 Sports stadium 17 Small inventions?

18 ___ sapiens 19 Make an offer for 20 Watch chain 21 Rodeo performer starts up a computer?

23 They go in and out 25 Stir up 26 Beachgoer’s acquisition 29 Wedding spinner 33 Squash, for one 35 Velvet barriers 37 World Cup cheer 38 Violin section 39 Danger 40 Clickable image 41 Show curiosity

2 Swimmer’s woe 4 43 Makes cookies 44 Split from the band 46 Bagel type 48 Furry feet 50 Classes that are smooth sailing 53 Pugilist destroys a circuit?

58 Former forensic TV series 59 Peace goddess 60 Leave out 61 Senate contest 62 Core belief 63 You only live ___ 64 Atop 65 Flies high 66 Stadium level 67 “Como ___?”

DOWN 1 Instants 2 Birdbrain 3 British policeman punches?

4 Windy City trains 5 Fellow emcee 6 Declare

7 Woolly babe 8 Elevator stop 9 Taxi drivers 10 Baltimore baseballer 11 Change the décor 12 Shoelace bump 13 Without 21 One-tenth of a dime 22 Alpine call 24 Skulk 27 Bay ___ (Berkeley’s region) 28 Standards 30 Professional rider sets limits?

31 Soothing succulent 32 Cravings 33 Hosiery flaw 34 Cuban currency 36 Frosty accessory 39 Locations for figureheads 40 Purina competitor 42 Some reds 43 Sheep cries 45 First game of the season 47 Hunting canine

9 Photograph 4 51 Horse course near Windsor Castle 52 Tuscan city 53 Smidgens 54 Sweet sandwich 55 ‘90s Warrior Princess 56 Upscale hotel chain 57 Paella ingredient 61 Regret Solution to yesterday’s puzzle:

Parentlife BusinessMirror

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Thursday, January 24, 2019

D3

BOOKS like The Celestine Prophecy and The Griffin & Sabine Trilogy helped strengthen my core beliefs.

Post-holiday treats LEADING specialty retailer SSI Group Inc. celebrates its 30th anniversary with an exclusive Lucky Holiday Promo in partnership with Citi (www.citibank.com.ph/ ssilucky), valid until January 31.

Citi credit cardholders will get a chance to win generous prizes with every straight retail transaction, or zero-percent Citi PayLite purchase at any SSI Group stores. Purchases made using Citi Visa credit card can win P30,000 SSI Purple eGifts. Moreover, purchases made using Citi Visa or Mastercard credit cards may win P300 or P3,000 SSI Purple eGifts. Winners with a qualified purchase will receive an instant notification and instructions on how to redeem the eGifts—valid for use in over 100 SSI Group stores/premium brands and other Giftaway merchants.

With the 30th anniversary theme “The Curated Life,” SSI is a distributor of top international brands in fashion, cosmetics, home furniture and more, including MAC, Zara, Calvin Klein Jeans, Givenchy, Gucci, Pottery Barn, Muji, SaladStop! and TWG Tea.

THE STATE OF BORACAY AND SWANNING AROUND MÖVENPICK ConTInueD FroM D1 At Brezza, Mövenpick’s Italian restaurant, we were treated to an array of Chef Francesco Leone’s pizzas, cooked from a large wood-burning oven.

Chef Francesco first encouraged us to an aperitif of crema di limone, a delicious lemon curd drink with a dash of alcohol, said to be his mother’s recipe.

The risotto was so perfectly cooked, creamy and plump. A wonderful grilled salmon and tiramisu rounded out a perfect lunch. Other dining outlets at the resort include The Market, which offers international all-day dining, and where we had our breakfast; Fun Pub, a sports bar and the sunken Pool Bar. Because Mövenpick is in the tucked-away Punta Bunga cove, Brulhart and the general managers of the neighboring resorts (Crimson and Shangri-La) intend to make this section a culinary destination and create events exclusively for that area, which is a good idea. This will make pockets of Boracay hives of activity instead of things just being concentrated on the main beach.

It won’t be a vacation resort without time at a spa, and Mövenpick’s Sagay Spa offers signature treatments. It is named after the island’s history of sagay shells being crushed into powder by nature, making up the legendary white sand that defines Boracay. The resort’s signature spa treatment involves the heating of sagay shells which they apply to your whole body, from fingertips to toes.

The calcium content in the shells is said to relax muscles, and at the same time is good for skin regeneration.

Our final night was marked by conversations over barbecue featuring all kinds of meat—a churrasco basically—at the Presidential Villa, a grand affair with its own infinity pool and a beach entrance. The villa is generally booked by people who may arrive in helicopters. We ended the night soaking our feet in the pool, wine in hand, chatting about a million things.

Perhaps my favorite corner of the ultra-luxe Sol Marina Beach Suite where I was billetted was the balcony, which has a captivating view of the beach and the gardens. I sat there whenever I could, and watched and listened to lapping of the waves. It was like having the beach on speed dial.

As we made our way to the airport for our flight back to Manila, I could just see glimpses of the beach in between buildings amid the chaos of construction. I spied a sailboat and as the aqua blue waters sparkled and glistened in the sun, I said to myself: The beach is still the thing. n

Strong beliefs, purposeful action, and ‘Thank you, Tatang!’

MOMMY NO LIMITS

MAYE YAO CO SAY

mommynolimits@gmail.com

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AST week, I shared my journey of defining my faith. For me, my faith is not merely my religion or words of prayer. I believe that true faith is how we choose to live it out in our everyday lives. It is trust and toil for our rightful future.

I remember leaving university with a commitment to concretely manifest my faith, to be a “man for others.” I also wanted to seek more knowledge to deepen my beliefs. I wanted to continue the sideby-side philosophical and theological exercise I experienced in Ateneo. I remember valuing the insights from our exegesis, alongside learning true prayer in the Christ Youth in Action group. An exegesis, according to Oxford Dictionary, is a critical explanation or interpretation of a text, especially of scripture. So this seeking of depth led me to going to Church more often, as well as immersing myself in philosophical books like The Celestine Prophecy and The Grifin & Sabine Trilogy.

At the time, we were living in San Antonio, Pasig.

I remember attending a human resource seminar at Edsa Plaza Hotel one time. I met a member of the Opus Dei. She invited me to attend Sunday Mass and other activities at her Church, which coincidentally was within San Antonio, Pasig. I never officially joined Opus Dei but I am grateful for the lesson of “True Solemnity”—to learn to “quiet down” so we can listen more effectively.

By my early 20s, I had gained a firm grasp of my Catholic faith by knowing who Christ was in my life. I found the balance of not wanting to join any subsects and focus on my personal faith, but ensuring the solemnity of attending Church sacraments. When I reached my mid-20s, married life was just around the corner. Given how I work on “plans,” I found myself immensely overwhelmed. I still had a lot of “to do’s”

in my life. I wanted to be a good wife, build a family, finish my master’s degree and do a lot more things.

I was lucky that a friend, Cecil, introduced me to Noel Resella, a mediation teacher. His method involved clear lectures, homework and practical tools.

On my first class, I asked him a candid question: “Will this affect my Catholic faith?” I told him if that would be the case, I preferred not to proceed. His explanation was clear. What he would teach me were life tools; it was my choice on what would be my center of reference.

I started from basic “Ohm,” then transcendental meditation, to learning reiki. I had weekly classes for about two years. It was like taking another degree. I enjoyed learning theories and applying them to my week. Later on, I went to the classes less. Noel assured the classes were not meant for me to depend on but to know when I was ready on my own. In my 30s, I was attending class twice a year.

I had two important takeaways. First, I should credit my “sensitivity” as a gift and learn to use my intuition toward my life’s purpose, despite what I was taught in my childhood. Second, setting benevolent affirmations and living a good life may lead to many “purposeful” surprises.

In my late 30s, extremely pivotal situations were happening in my family life. A friend of mine introduced me to Kabbalah. I attended the first series.

My main takeaway was the Pro-Active Formula. This allowed me to be more equipped when challenging situations arose.

Sometimes I ask myself, with all the things that need to be done daily, is there really a need to pursue all these? My personal conclusion is the busier we get, the more we need to seek knowledge and the tools to ground us. I realize that “faith” knowledge and tools are equally important as any book I read on business principles and innovation. It led me to find my God-given core and purpose; fuels me to do the work needed to achieve it; and continues to open me up to learn from great people around me.

Last Saturday, a great man, Henry Sy Sr., passed away. He is most known for building the SM retail empire. I admire him most for loving the Filipino people and embodying “majority deserves better”—in products, services and even practices. I admire him for bearing and professing such a strong vision, which has been embraced so clearly by his children. Today, this attitude has expanded beyond retail, from real

THE late Henry Sy Sr., who built SM into an economic powerhouse.

estate to banks, schools and other industries; and has definitely bettered so many people’s lives. My sister Joan proudly points out the new escalator practice at SM malls, which teaches everyone the international practice in riding it. This prepares everyone regardless of income class when they travel abroad.

All of us have been and will continue to be touched

by Henry Sy Sr.’s vision. Those close to him or who have worked with him are lucky to have experienced all his guidance and his example of greatness, simplicity and authenticity. He will be remembered by all of us with utmost gratitude and salutation.

God bless, Tatang! You truly embody that strong beliefs partnered with purposeful action and hard work yield positive transcendental effects to lives beyond one’s own. n

Megaworld to host biggest events of Dinagyang Festival 2019 ALL roads lead to Megaworld Iloilo Business Park (www. facebook.com/IBPofficial) as the township hosts the grandest celebrations of this year’s much-anticipated Dinagyang Festival. A total of 19 events are set to take place in different areas all over Iloilo Business Park.

The grand coronation night of the Miss Iloilo Dinagyang beauty pageant, one of the biggest highlights of the annual festival, will be held on January 25, Friday, 6 pm, in front of Casa de Emperador along Megaworld Boulevard.

Hosted at Megaworld Boulevard on January 24, Thursday, 5 pm, will be the Philippine Airlines Dinagyang Party.

The same venue will also host the Viva Music Festival, an all-night dance and music party, from January 25 to 27.

Headlining the list of performers during the three-day event are iconic rock group Kamikazee, international DJ Jetfire, and celebrity love team Nadine Lustre and James Reid.

On the 26th, the much-anticipated Dinagyang Lights Parade, which will feature more than 20 colorful floats, kicks off at 6 pm at Festive Walk Parade. This will be followed by the grand Dinagyang Fireworks Display at 9 pm.

Festive Walk Parade is about to become an all-out party venue the entire Dinagyang week beginning January 24. Local rock group Urbandub performs on January 24, while local indie band Ransom Collective takes the stage on January 25.

Both performances will begin by 11 pm.

Also taking part in this year’s festivities are some of the biggest GMA stars who will be bannering the GMA Kapuso Mall Show on January 25, 6 pm.

On January 26, Ilonggo bikers are set to gather together for the Honda Riders Meet Up with Orange and Lemons at 10 am. The Apartel, headlined by legendary Filipino music icon Ely Buendia, will surely be another highly anticipated

act as they perform before the crowd on January 26, while Up Dharma Down adds more to the revelry with a live performance on January 27.

From January 21 to 27, shop for pasalubongs and everything Ilonggo at the Pasalubong Center at Festive Walk Mall. You can also score discounted items at the Dinagyang Festival Sale happening at Festive Walk Mall/Parade/Annex.

Operating hours of the mall will be extended from 10 am to 12 midnight from January 25 to 27.

Tourists and locals alike can sample the best Ilonggo street delicacies at the strEAT Party Food Festival by the Iloilo Hotel Restaurants Association happening from January 24 to 27, 4 pm onward, at Festive Walk Parade.

Those visiting Festive Walk Mall from January 25 to 27 can also catch the Dinagyang Warriors Parade featuring Tribu Bola-Bola at 4 and 7 pm.

D4

Show BusinessMirror

Thursday, January 24, 2019

www.businessmirror.com.ph

‘Mary Poppins’ is still ‘supercalifragilisticexpialidocious’ REELING

TITO GENOVA VALIENTE

Chris Brown detained in Paris after rape complaint PARIS—Singer Chris Brown and two other people are in custody in Paris after a woman filed a rape complaint, French officials said on Tuesday.

The Grammy Award-winning singer was detained on Monday on potential charges of aggravated rape and drug infractions and remained in custody on Tuesday, a judicial official said. Investigators have another two days to decide whether to let him go or file preliminary charges.

Brown’s publicists at Sony Music would not immediately comment on the complaint or say what Brown, 29, was doing in Paris.

Brown has been in repeated legal trouble since pleading guilty to the felony assault in 2009 of his then-girlfriend, Rihanna. He completed his probation in that case in 2015, but has continued to have run-ins with police.

The woman who filed the complaint said she met Brown and his friends overnight on January 15 and 16 at the club Le Crystal in the 8th arrondissement near the Champs-Elysees, and then they all went to the Mandarin Oriental Hotel near the Concorde Plaza in central Paris, according to the official.

One of Brown’s bodyguards is among the others detained in the Paris investigation, according to the official. Neither official was authorized to be publicly named discussing the investigation.

The detention was originally reported by French gossip magazine Closer.

Brown is best-known for hits in the 2000s such as “Run It” and “Kiss Kiss.” He retains a hard core of fans, including nearly 50 million followers on Instagram.

He posted an Instagram photo on Monday from Paris appearing to show him at a night club.

He released a new single earlier this month and has a new album coming this year. Six of his albums have gone platinum. AP

FACEBOOK APOLOGIZES FOR SHOWING PARENTING ADS TO BEREAVED MOTHER FACEBOOK Inc. is facing criticism in the United Kingdom after it continued to show ads for baby products to a woman who’d posted on the site that the baby she had been expecting was stillborn.

Anna England-Kerr said that after sharing the news on the social network, she continued to see ads for cots, baby blankets and bottles, and more recently IVF treatments, despite changing settings on Facebook that should have blocked such appearances.

“The onus should really be on Facebook to fix this, and not on bereaved parents to remove themselves from social spaces that help them deal with their grief,” England-Kerr said in an interview.

She explained the experience in detail as part of an open letter to the company. A Facebook spokesman said in a statement that the company had discovered a bug and an issue with its machine learning models in the Hide Ad Topics feature that England-Kerr had tried to use.

“We are working to address this and improve our product,” the company said in the statement.

“We’re continuing to invest in our machine learning models to improve detection and prevention of these ads. We’ve spoken to Anna and expressed our deep sympathy for her loss and the additional pain this issue may have caused her.” The controversy comes as the company tries to regain trust with its users after personal information was transferred by an app developer to Cambridge Analytica, a political consulting firm that worked for Donald J. Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign.

In September it said hackers had exploited several software bugs to obtain login access to as many as 50 million accounts. Last week Facebook said the hack had resulted in the theft of intimate information, including search results, recent locations and hometowns, from 14 million users.

England-Kerr said she received a call on Wednesday from Nicola Mendelsohn, Facebook’s vice president for the Europe, Middle East and Africa region. She said the executive had expressed her condolences, “and that she was very sorry about how using Facebook had made me feel in the wake of her death.” BLOOMBERG

titovaliente@yahoo.com

‘I

NEVER thought I would see Mary Poppins again.”

Those were the words of Michael and Jane Banks, but they were also my words when the film about the return of the most magical (and that is not saying much) nanny in the world started to play onscreen.

I was in grade school when I first watched Mary Poppins.

There were no movie guides then. I doubt if parents were conscious about what we watched and what we should not watch. If there were rules, they were a bit muddled and not clear to our child’s mind. Perhaps, there were some rules: I remember now how I was not allowed to go with my aunt to watch Moment to Moment with Jean Seberg. But I was already in high school then.

I recall Mary Poppins was shown in this art-deco moviehouse called Alex Theatre in Naga City. Owned by the Bicharas, the movie house was dedicated to screening films on gladiators and strong heroes, like Hercules, Maciste, etc. However violent those films were, they were, I believe, deemed good for children, as they taught heroism and evil deeds separated clearly in black and white. Now, what was more appropriate for children and young viewers than a story about a nanny, the perfect one with a perfect voice no less!

Musicals were not new in our dear old city. But I did not know Julie Andrews then. I do not know if the parents who went to see Mary Poppins were aware of this actress, too. It was in 1966 or 1967—a full year or two years after its release in the US—when The Sound of Music came to our city. That was the film that made us all aware of this Julie Andrews.

As Julie Andrews sang her way perfectly to our memories, Mary Poppins and “Maria” became part of our lovely collective memory.

It was therefore with much trepidation when I learned about the release of Mary Poppins Returns. The prognostic in me worried how that film would be a failure; the sentimental in me got anxious at the thought that my memory would be robbed of its golden quality—with this film turning out be a dismal failure compared to the original. And then I looked again: it is Mary Poppins returning. This is not a remake but a sequel.

The film will dare to tell us what happened when Mary Poppins returned to the life of the two Banks children. But more than that, the film and its story will dare tamper with our dearest memory. It is easy to do the first; it is murder to accomplish the second.

And so there I was, with the strongest desire not to like the film. Some 20 minutes or so into the film, I found myself, however, in a fixed happy grin. I was liking the film. I was not hating Emily Blunt. I was loving her the way I loved the notion of a nanny whose psychosis was in creating magic and enchantment in one’s childhood.

There was no time to wallow in tropes and metaphors.

The film was charming and it did not demand unconditional love. The setting is the mid 1930s. Michael, the boy in the first Mary Poppins, lives alone with his three children— Annabel, John and Georgie—and a nanny. His sister Jane helps him raise the children. Michael has borrowed a loan from the Fidelity Fiduciary Bank. And the film opens with two representatives of the bank telling Michael that if he is not able to settle the debt within Friday, till midnight of that day, then he will lose his home. Michael looks for a way out of the debt.

In the end, of course, Michael and his children will not leave their home.

It is Mary Poppins who will leave again as she left the Banks children in the first story.

But I really did not care about the meanness of the bank

and the debt and the future sufferings of Michael. I was caring about the songs and the persons who will play Mary Poppins and the lamplighter.

If there was one unforgettable character in the original Mary Poppins (other than Mary), it was the lamplighter and chimney sweeper. Played by Dick van Dyke, Bert was this character who was lovable because he seemed to be the key to the person of Mary Poppins. Bert could stand to Mary Poppins and her charm. But Bert was also this man who sang “Chim Chim Cher-ee” with such unexpected poignancy. But if we are ready to forget for awhile the actress who played Mary Poppins, then we are also disposed to embrace the apprentice of Bert. In the person of Lin-Manuel Miranda, Jack, the lamplighter, gets to sing and swing to the sharp music of the new narrative. Miranda’s Jack has the face of a dreamboat, the ease of one who sees the bright side of things always. In the voice of Miranda, Jack soars with the songs not about chimneys but about skies and hope.

For people asking who is this Jack, then documents available online will tell us of a great actor, playwright and composer and many more noted for his works In the Heights and Hamilton. At a young age, he was recognized in 2018 in The Kennedy Center Honors plum.

Directed by Rob Marshall, Mary Poppins Returns surprises us with wonderful cameos of Angela Lansbury and Dick van Dyke himself playing the owner of Fidelity Fiduciary Bank. A showstopper is the song sung by Mary Poppins’

cousin, Topsy, played by a flamboyant and totally engaging Meryl Streep.

But where Mary Poppins Returns is expected to fail, it rises full to the occasion with the actress brave enough to step into the huge, gilded, royal shoes of Julie Andrews. Emily Blunt may not have the legendary four-octave range of Dame Andrews, but she surely has the voice, the drama to hold that voice, and the ability to sing and act the role that we thought will never be played again. At certain points, Emily Blunt’s voice and inflection remind us of Julie Andrews in her prime, with a speaking voice that was interchangeable with the singing voice. Emily Blunt, like Julie Andrews, could talk and make it sound as if she is singing.

Time will tell whether the songs sung by Emily Blunt and the other characters in the film will last for many decades.

What we are certain right now, as the songs still echo in our ears and hearts, that the songs were the right songs to carry the new story. We also know that the dance are so updated, we feel the young audience will understand the story better.

Forget nostalgia for that will appeal to the older generations.

Think of myths and remember we get to know them in different forms in altered media. There is hope in this world for stories about hope and goodness, and about women who fly using only umbrellas into our dreams and our childhood.

Mary Poppins hopes we never forget the good we learned as small children. That is one spoonful of advice that can go down in the most delightful way anytime, anywhere. n

GMA Artist Center talents learn from famed acting coach Anthony Vincent Bova INTERNATIONAL acting coach Anthony Vincent Bova flew back to the Philippines and led the culminating activity of his successful training program with the various talents of GMA Artist Center which showcased what they have learned throughout the year.

GMA Artist Center (GMAAC) has tasked the New York City professional acting teacher and his coteacher, actress Ana Feleo, to supervise more thoroughly the education and growth of the artists.

During the culminating activity held on January 15, Bova praised the GMAAC stars for their willingness to improve on their craft, and their “bravery” to tackle their emotional and psychological being in their character portrayals.

“I am very proud of them. Now, I can say that they are not afraid to take their space on set and take their space in life. No matter what training you have, if you don’t feel entitled to take your space, that training will not help too much. They are very brave artists,” he noted.

Ana echoed his sentiments and added that the artists are now more equipped to take on different and challenging roles: “I have seen them grow in a short time, at ngayon nakilala nila ang sarili nila at mas naging confident sila na mag-explore ng iba’t-ibang roles at emotions.”

Meanwhile, multiawarded director-actress Laurice Guillen emphasized the importance of workshops, especially for young artists, “It’s really on equipping the actors na pumasok sa industriyang ito na hindi naman lahat may training. This will

help them become fully professional actors na kahit saan sila isalang, equipped sila to deliver remarkable performances.

Acting is painstaking work, taking them step-by-step through the process.”

GMA Entertainment Group Senior Vice President Lilybeth G. Rasonable commended the positive results of the program, and the commitment of the artists to showcase what they have learned. “I would like to congratulate GMA Artist Center, most especially Anthony Bova and Ana Feleo, because they did an excellent job. Over the past year, we’ve seen the great improvement of our artists, and it is because of all these efforts that they have been pouring into the project, and of course ’yung dedication din ng mga artista natin,” she said. GMA Senior Assistant Vice President for Alternative Productions Gigi S. Lara, in turn, is delighted with the success of the training program, “We’re very happy that we were able to partner with Anthony Vincent Bova. Hindi lang acting ang itinuro niya. He really communicated with the artists and explored their personalities and capabilities.

Nakita ko sila from the first day na nag-start sila, ang daming improvements sa acting, ang daming openness na nangyari, at mas matapang na sila ngayon in attacking their roles.”

Also an actor, writer, and artistic director, Bova is a protégé of famed acting coach Eric Morris, who has taught some of the best actors in the Philippines, including Laurice Guillen, Johnny Delgado, Leo Martinez, Michael de Mesa, and Joel Torre, among others.

GMA Artist Center talents learn valuable acting lessons from famed acting coach Anthony Vincent Bova

EMILY BLUNT as the title character in Mary Poppins Returns may not have the legendary fouroctave range of Julie Andrews, but she surely has the voice, the drama to hold that voice, and the ability to sing and act the role that we thought will never be played again.

Envoys&Expats

www.businessmirror.com.ph | Thursday, January 24, 2019 E1

BusinessMirror

New ambassador to foster broader, deeper ties with PHL, Asean

J

ANUARY has always been an auspicious time of the year for the Commonwealth of Australia, with the New Year ushering in after just a couple of weeks the annual celebration of its nationhood.

Locally, the “Great Southern Land” is also into great beginnings, as it introduces its latest representation in the diplomatic community in the person of its new ambassador to the Philippines, Steven J. Robinson, AO. In its web site, the Australian Embassy describes Robinson as “a senior career officer [deputy secretary level] in the Foreign Affairs and Trade portfolio.”

Throughout his extensive career, “he has developed and expanded Australia’s relationships with a broad range of countries, with a particular focus on the Southeast Asian region.

He has served in Australia’s embassies in Jakarta, Yangon and Bangkok and has held a range of senior positions in Canberra across operational and corporate areas.”

In 2009, Robinson was decorated with the Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) “for service to Australia’s international interests through a significant and sustained contribution.”

His Twitter post (via @AusAmbPH) on January 15 documented his credentials presentation to President Duterte, as he stated his excitement to be the ambassador to the Philippines—“a long-standing and important partner to Australia.”

Envoys&Expats was privileged to conduct Robinson’s breakthrough interview with the Philippine media through the following exchange:

ENVOYS&EXPATS: Welcome to the Philippines, Your Excellency!

How has it been since you came to Manila?

ROBINSON: Thank you! It has been a bit of a whirlwind since my wife Rhonda and I arrived. I have been here a little less than two weeks.

On my first day, I had meetings with Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) chief Teodoro L. Locsin, Chief of Protocol Jun Mayo and other senior DFA officials.

I then began preparations for the presentation of my credentials to President Duterte, which occurred on January 15, then I had the honor to hold discussions with him, (Locsin, other senior DFA officials and government secretaries). Since then, I have been trying to meet as many people as possible to learn as much as I can about the issues confronting the Philippines, and where Australia can provide support.

Have you ever been to this country before?

I am pleased to say that I have a long history with the Philippines, which I first visited nearly 40 years ago when I was a university student.

I accompanied my parents for a holiday and spent New Year in Zamboanga, (and) also travelled to Cebu and Manila.

Since then, fortunately, I have had the opportunity to return at fairly

regular intervals due to my work in government. I have always found it a pleasure to visit the Philippines. The people are so warm and friendly, and I just find the country fascinating.

On this occasion I have really been struck by the large amount of construction work being undertaken in Manila. It suggests of a country that has strong confidence in its future.

Please share your deep experience working in the Asean. What issues or concerns would Australia exert efforts on in the region?

Southeast Asia has always been my passion. Stimulated by travel throughout the region with my somewhat adventurous parents, at least for that time, I decided to focus my career on (regional) issues and obviously, Asean has been a big focus.

My first posting was in Thailand, then (in) Myanmar—or Burma, as it was called then. My last was in Indonesia.

Lately, I have been working on security issues, particularly focused on fighting terrorism, which has a deep Asean focus. I was strongly involved in Australia’s support to the Philippines during the Marawi City siege. The fight against terrorism is critical to, and a paramount consideration for, Southeast Asia’s stability and security. We are committed to work with the Philippines to help thwart terrorist intent.

What areas of our countries’ bilateral ties would you be concentrating on?

As I said to President Duterte when I presented my credentials, Australia’s relationship with the Philippines is broad and deep. During my posting, we will mark the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between our two countries, which

will be a significant milestone; it’s something to really celebrate.

We have a strong friendship between our peoples and a comprehensive partnership between our two countries. That doesn’t mean we always agree on issues, but as friends, we can express our views directly and try to work through problems in a collaborative and cooperative way.

While I am (here), beyond maintaining our close defense and security relationship, I am very keen to develop our trade links. While they are good, they could be better: both Australia’s investments in the Philippines, and Philippines’s in Australia.

The comprehensive partnership agreement that was signed a few years ago should be a good foundation on which to build stronger commercial linkages.

Education is another area of interest. About 11,000 Filipinos travel to Australia each year to study. More would be welcome, so I will be working on that.

Finally, Australia has always been a key aid donor to the Philippines. This year, about A$85 million will be provided to support the country. More than half of those funds will be directed to support development and reconstruction in the South, but our projects operate throughout the country.

Using our aid monies to best affect both for the Philippines and Australia will also be an important focus for me.

What is the state of our commercial and trade relationship? What aspects are worth commending, and which ones need to be worked on? Any changes in the priorities of Australia’s official development assistance?

Interestingly, bilateral trade has

expanded by over 70 percent since the Asean-Australia-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement entered into force in 2010. We can do more, however, and there is an appetite on both sides to boost two-way total trade and investments, currently valued at A$4.7 billion (P179 billion) and A$10.2 billion (P387 billion), respectively.

There are huge opportunities for the Philippines to collaborate with innovative Australian companies. It can gain access to advanced products and technology, as well as secure supply chains—including in the areas of food, agribusiness, infrastructure, energy and education.

How are Australian businesses doing in the local front? What industries are they present in?

We are proud to have over 300 Australian companies employing 40,000 Filipinos operating locally, tapping into a young, well-educated, English-speaking talent pool.

Australian firms are operating in sectors such as business-process outsourcing, financial services, education, technology and mining.

Companies such as ANZ, Telstra, QBE and Macquarie, among others, have strong market presence. Many are continuing to expand beyond Metro Manila to Cebu, and more recently in Clark.

Australia was a big supporter of the Philippines on education.

Why is it a major area of partnership?

Education drives development.

It contributes to economic growth and to peace and stability. Australia is the third-largest provider of education to international students in the world. Our academic and vocational educational programs, as well as training, are all recognized

internationally.

Since the 1950s, we have provided scholarships, fellowships and shortterm training to close to 4,000 Filipinos. We have now come full circle, as Australia sends its best and brightest to the Philippines under the New Colombo Plan.

Each year my country welcomes 11,000 Filipino students. More than 30 partnerships have also successfully been established between Philippine and Australian providers to deliver quality and practical training within both countries.

There are opportunities for further collaboration, including in the introduction of complementary curriculum in new fields such as data science, data analytics, cyber security and blockchain.

Australia, likewise, worked closely with the Department of Education on the critical K to 12 reforms, and continues to support improvements in teaching quality.

(We have) also supported education in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao for more than 20 years. Our Education Pathways to Peace in Muslim Mindanao program works with a wide range of local partners: the ARMM and national government, the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, as well as local nongovernment organizations, to achieve a more equitable participation of boys and girls in quality early-grade education in the region.

In all, what are you looking forward to during your tenure as ambassador to the Philippines?

Personally, I want to travel extensively and see as much of the Philippines as I possibly can. I am delighted to be here, and am proud to be the Australian representative to the Republic of the Philippines.

Envoys&Expats

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Business

Thursday, January 24, 2019 | www.businessmirror.com.ph

New Australian Ambassador: I mean b

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By Steve Robinson AO Ambassador of Australia to the Philippines

HEN I first visited the Philippines as a university student nearly 40 years ago I was struck by those things that greet most new visitors.

I saw the archipelago’s natural beauty, experienced the warmth of the Filipino people, and felt the dynamic energy of the cities of Manila, Cebu and even Zamboanga.

It was enough to seize my attention, and I’ve since made several return visits to the country—though never long enough to get to know it deeply.

In fact, I spent many years

working elsewhere in Southeast Asia.

But to best represent one’s country to a neighbor, there is no substitute for spending time on the ground.

So it is a great honor and a privilege to return here as Australia’s new ambassador to the Philippines.

My positive early impressions as ambassador take me back to my student years; some things don’t change. However, one thing

AMBASSADOR Steve Robinson AO presents his credentials and President Duterte reaffirms the broad and deep ties between Australia and the Philippines

that has matured over time is the strength of the relationship between our countries.

In diplomatic terms, we call it a “comprehensive partnership.”

That means we share common

interests and views.

We are tackling regional and global challenges that are better resolved by working together.

And we are cultivating deeper links between our peoples, to the extent that

over a quarter of a million Filipinos now call Australia their home—thanks to long-term skilled migration.

We have much to be proud of as two countries with 70 years of official cooperation, forged in wartime, on

top of unofficial ties that reach much further back into history.

As we look ahead, however, what is clear to me is that we can do more to build on the big opportunities in our trade and investment links.

ECA ANNOUNCES OFFICIAL

PROJECTS FOR 2019

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DUCATION Centre of Australia (ECA) announces several major partnerships for 2019 that will further promote Philippine education to global standards.

According to ECA, the offerings they have for this year include the Short Study Program/Study Tour, Graduate Diploma, and the Dual Degree and Pathways program.

Short Study Program

THIS program allows students from participating institutions— Far Eastern University, MAPUA University, and St. Scholastica’s College of Manila—to go to

Sydney, Austraila for a week-long study tour. In that period, students will attend classes, visit establishments and businesses relevant to their industry of interest, as well as enjoy the sights and experience what the local community has to offer.

With this experience, students can look forward to have a much wider understanding of the demands in their chosen fields. It could also help them gain a clearer perspective as to the options available to them out in the real market, armed with their course diploma.

ECA aims to add more local institutions in their roster of partners within the year, as well as offer the program to schools nationwide.

Graduate Diploma

IN the Graduate Diploma learning, a blended learning system is provided.

Here, classes will be conducted locally but also, at the same time after successful completion, allow students the opportunity to go to Australia to pursue further studies.

St. Scholastica’s College of Manila has

partnered with ECA to deliver graduate diploma programs to Filipinos. The partnership was made official upon signing of the Memorandum of Understanding in December 2018.

Dual Degree and Pathways Program

FOR this program, ECA and MAPUA University work hand in hand to provide students with a postgraduate dual degree. MAPUA students will first take the course locally, but may then later opt to complete it in Australia.

Much more can be expected from ECA as 2019 unfolds. Their continued pursuit of educational excellence for the Filipino students starts with establishing strong foundations locally. With this, they aim to find ways to better forge productive relationships for their students and, ultimately, viable opportunities globally.

pecial Feature

DAY 2019

sMirror

www.businessmirror.com.ph | Thursday, January 24, 2019

business We start on solid ground.

AUSTRALIA is now the top destination for tertiary students from the Philippines who choose to study abroad. Philippine investments in Australia is growing fast, especially in agriculture and renewable energy, while Australian investment in this country are worth over A$9.7 billion.

The trade relationship is valued at around A$4.7 billion, yet that still puts the Philippines outside of Australia’s top 20 trade partners.

We can do more, which is why doing more business between our countries is a top priority.

I’m happy that many of my favorite Australian brands are available here, but I’d love to see more Australian fresh food and produce available to consumers in local supermarkets and grocery stores.

Australian firms have much

to offer in this country’s building and construction boom: from sustainable materials and design, to managing complex projects.

The local mining sector—is familiar with Australia’s expertise in the minerals sector.

Australia will continue to be a reliable supplier of energy to power rising demand.

There’s scope to deepen partnerships in the health-care sector, an area where Filipino professionals are making their mark across the world.

I can name other sectors too, but the bottom line is this: A growing Philippine economy will need more of the kinds of goods, services and investment that Australia is well-placed to provide.

I first came here as a traveler, and I’m delighted to return as ambassador, because this time, I mean business.

TRADE TIES A

USTRALIA is a prime destination for tourism, education and training, and investment. As close neighbors in the region with similar open economies, the Philippines and Australia are natural trade partners.

Trade and investment flows have significantly increased since the Asean Australia NZ Free Trade Agreement (AANZFTA) came into force, including in the food and beverage, infrastructure and services sectors. A number of major Philippine conglomerates are also investing in Australia to secure their supply chains and access advanced products and technology.

With the Philippines embarking on an exciting digital transformation, Australia has partnered with the government, industry and academia to share knowledge around cyber security, fintech, blockchain and digital health.

There are more than 300 Australian companies in the Philippines directly employing over 40,000 Filipinos, significantly contributing to the country’s socioeconomic growth. A number of these global Australian companies are showing their support behind the Australia Day celebration this year, and are helping to make the event a success. These include ANZ Bank, Austal, Crone, GHD, Greenstone, IDP, Macquarie, Oceanagold, Qantas, QBE, Site Skills, Telstra and TWPS. ANZ BANK. ANZ Philippines is a world-class international bank, helping institutional customers to find efficient and innovative solutions for managing and moving their goods and capital both within the Philippines and internationally.

AUSTAL. Austal is a global shipbuilder, defense prime contractor and maritime technology partner of choice; designing, building and supporting highspeed commercial and military vessels for the world’s leading operators.

CRONE. Crone established a presence in Manila in the late 90s, undertaking a number of major masterplanning projects. In the last 10 years Crone has designed numerous Premier Grade high-rise towers in both Manila and Cebu.

GHD. GHD has had a permanent presence in the Philippines since 1998 and operates in an extensive range of market sectors including water, energy and resources, environment, property and buildings and transportation.

GREENSTONE. Greenstone Resources Corp. is a registered Philippine company and an affiliate of Red 5 Ltd., a Western Australia-based gold exploration company whose shares are traded in the Australian Stock Exchange. GRC has interest in the Siana Gold Project (MPSA 184-2002-XIII) and the Mapawa Gold Project (MPSA 280-2009-XIII), both located in Surigao del Norte, Philippines.

IDP. IDP is a global leader in international education services and co-owner of IELTS. In 50 years of experience in the industry, they’ve helped over

400,000 students study in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the United States. They also have a network of more than 100 international student placement centers in at least 32 countries.

MACQUARIE. Macquarie Group Ltd. (Macquarie) is a diversified financial group providing clients with asset management and finance, banking, advisory, and risk and capital solutions across debt, equity and commodities. Founded in 1969, Macquarie employs 14,869 people in 27 countries. At September 30, 2018, Macquarie had assets under management of $A551.0 billion.

OCEANAGOLD. OceanaGold is a multinational, midtier gold mining company with significant global operating development and exploration experience for over 27 years. They are a strong operation with high-quality assets in New Zealand, the United States of America and in the Philippines with their flagship operation in Didipio, 270 Kilometre north of Manila.

QANTAS. Founded in regional Queensland in 1920as the Queensland and Northern Territory Aerial Service-Qantas is one of Australia’s most iconic brands and has played a central role in the development of the Australian and International aviation industry. Today, the Qantas Group is a diverse global aviation business, comprising Qantas Domestic, Qantas International, the Jetstar low-cost carrier group and Qantas Loyalty.

QBE GROUP. QBE Insurance Group is one of the world’s top 20 general insurance and reinsurance companies, with operations in all the key insurance markets. QBE is listed on the Australian Securities Exchange and is headquartered in Sydney. They employ more than 12,000 people in 31 countries.

SITE SKILLS. Site Skills Training is part of Site Group International Ltd., an ASX-listed company that delivers a range of Australian accredited and internationally recognized training programs tailored to the needs of the mining, oil and gas, engineering and construction industries.

TWPS. With current contracts at 34 sites with total more than 12,000 megawatts of generation, TWPS is a major independent operations and asset services provider to the power generation market in Australia, New Zealand and Southeast Asia.

This operational depth gives TWPS the ability to leverage from multiple sites and deep technology knowledge, to provide the latest in innovation and best practice for its clients TELSTRA. Telstra is a leading telecommunications and information services company. They offer a full range of services and operate the largest mobile and Wi-Fi networks in Australia. Globally, Telstra provide’s end-to-end solutions, including managed network services, global connectivity, cloud, voice, colocation, conferencing and satellite solutions.

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N 2019 Australia is engaging and connecting youth audiences across Southeast Asia through Australia now. A yearlong series of events in the Asean countries including the Philippines will showcase the vitality, diversity and innovative capability of our youth and connect future leaders across the region.

The personal links lie at the heart of the modern Australia-Philippines relationship. The close bonds stem from having around a quarter of a million people, born in the Philippines, who have become part of Australia’s diverse society, through migration and work.

Australia is the country of choice for over 10,000 Filipinos who study at Australian

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universities. And there’s a growing number of Australian students who study and work in the Philippines through the Australian Government’s New Colombo Plan.

Australia now 2019, with its focus on youth, is an exciting opportunity to involve a new generation in the Australia—Philippines relationship.

The Philippines is a young nation, and with a median age of 24 and millennials making up a third of the population, Filipino youth describe themselves as confident, passionate and ambitious. They are focused on building their careers and following their dreams. They are innovators but are also keen to involve themselves in projects which support a social cause.