BusinessMirror January 28, 2019

7 SENATORIAL ASPIRANTS BARE VIEWS, PLANS ON ISSUES AT CNN PHL FORUM

By Samuel P. Medenilla @sam_medenilla

A SENATORIAL aspirants (from left) Rafael Alunan, Neri Colmenares, Samira Gutoc, Florin Hilbay, Harry Roque Jr., Manuel Roxas II and Erin Tañada are seen onstage at the second Senatorial Forum of CNN Philippines at the Ateneo de Manila University on Sunday. NONOY LACZA

DEPT. OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

PHILIPPINE STATISTICS AUTHORITY

2018 BANTOG DATA MEDIA AWARDS CHAMPION

NATIONAL minimum wage and the junking of existing excise taxes on fuels figure at the top of the list of priorities of senatorial aspirants who joined the second senatorial forum of CNN Philippines on Sunday.

Those who were at the forum at Ateneo de Manila University—former interior and tourism secretary Rafael “Raffy” Alunan; former lawmakers Neri Colmenares, Samira Gutoc, Harry Roque Jr., Manuel “Mar” Roxas II, and Erin Tañada; and former Solicitor General of the Philippines

TRAIN problem

Florin “Pilo” Hilbay—bared their position on different issues.

They fielded questions on how they plan to attack, among others, pressing problems like inflation and low wages, the drug problem, the Mindanao peace, and air traffic congestion and the horrendous road traffic crisis.

Among the most asked questions, CNN Philippines revealed, was on the issue of inflation and how to solve it.

Gutoc said the government should address the “draconian” impact of its economic policies by ensuring there would be enough safeguards to cushion their impact on the poor.

TAÑADA echoed this view and said this was what remains lacking in the government’s implementation of the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) Act, particularly its excise tax, which he blamed for inflation’s breaching targets in 2018.

Inflation rate reached a high of 6.7 percent in October before tapering to 6 percent the following month.

Roxas and Colmenares are both pushing for the repeal of the TRAIN provision imposing excise taxes on fuel products.

See “CNN PHL forum,” A2

BusinessMirror A broader look at today’s business

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Monday, January 28, 2019 Vol. 14 No. 110

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DOF: ₧46-B spending cut to dent Q1 growth T

By Rea Cu

@ReaCuBM

HE delay in the passage of the P3.757-trillion national budget for 2019 results in a reduction in firstquarter government spending by P46 billion, which will affect the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) growth, Finance Secretary Carlos G. Dominguez III has pointed out.

2017 EJAP JOURNALISM AWARDS

BUSINESS NEWS SOURCE OF THE YEAR

P25.00 nationwide | 5 sections 28 pages | 7 DAYS A WEEK

Climate change is a kind of justice

₧500M

The amount that the government cannot spend daily, as it had planned to do, as a result of the 2018 budget’s being reenacted, according to DOF Secretary Dominguez

Teddy Locsin Jr.

FREE FIRE Statement of H.E. Teodoro Locsin, Jr., Secretary of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of the Philippines at the Security Council Open Debate, “Addressing the impacts of climate-related disasters on international peace and security.” January 25, 2019, New York.

Continued from A7

The government is currently operating under a reenacted budget due to Congress’s failure to pass the 2019 money measure before the end of 2018. The delay in the passage was attributed to a number of issues, including the late

Poll: PHL has most favorable business ‘Inflation to change dynamics of local spending’ outlook in SE Asia “I just computed it, the budget delay cost the government P46 billion for the first quarter. In other words, we cannot spend P46 bil-

lion of what we planned to do. You know how much P46 billion is? Half a billion a day,” Dominguez told reporters at the sidelines of the

Annual Reception for the Banking Community on Friday at the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) headquarters in Manila.

See “DOF,” A2

By Bianca Cuaresma

G

By Elijah Felice E. Rosales

@BcuaresmaBM

ROWTH will be better this year, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Deputy Governor Diwa Guinigundo said, as inflation will likely change the dynamics of local spending in the country.

Guinigundo told reporters that the BSP sees the Philippines’s growth story to be better this year, a few days following the Philippine Statistics Authority’s (PSA) announcement that growth slowed down to 6.2 percent for 2018.

“We managed to grow by 6.2 percent [for 2018]. I think 2019 will be a better year because inflation is expected at 3.2 percent for 2019 and 3 percent for 2020. In that case, we expect some sort of expenditure to improve, better than what it was in 2018,” Guinigundo said.

“Now that inflation is down, now that inflation is won, we should be able to see some improvements; better, more significant improvements in consumption.

The same with investments. Investments can be discouraged by high inflation,” he added.

It was in 2018 when economic managers in the country scoured to pull the growth of consumer prices back to a more normalized level. From their target range of 2 to 4 percent for the year, inflation shot up to a peak of 6.7 percent in September and October this year, prompting officials to deploy See “Inflation,” A2

T

MONETARY Board members offer a toast at the 2019 Annual Reception for the Banking Community hosted by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, with the theme “Building on Strong Foundation: Continuity and Progressive Change.” (From left) Juan de Zuñiga Jr.; Felipe Medalla; Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III; Chuchi Fonacier, BSP Deputy Governor of the Supervision and Examination Sector; Peter Favila and Antonio S. Abacan Jr. The Monetary Board exercises the powers and functions of the BSP, such as the conduct of monetary policy and supervision of the financial system. NONIE REYES

VAT-free petro products to fight inflation

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HE Senate Ways and Means Committee, chaired by Sen. Juan Edgardo Angara, is expected to conduct early hearings to front-load plenary consideration of an awaited bill exempting petroleum products from the 12-percent value-added tax (VAT), a move seen to trigger considerable cuts in prices

PESO EXCHANGE RATES n US 52.7350

of basic commodities and provide relief to overtaxed consumers.

In filing the enabling legislation, Sen. Aquilino Pimentel III pressed for quick passage of Senate Bill 2163 to exempt petroleum products from VAT coverage to “help cushion the impact of the implementation of the second tranche of excise tax on

fuel effective this month.” Pimentel pointed out that speedy enactment of the remedial law is one way of “easing the burden on the public.” Pimentel promptly clarified, however, that the proposed exemption will not cover the oil excise tax imposition.

“So as to retain some revenue See “VAT-free,” A2

@alyasjah

HE Philippines has the most favorable economic outlook in Southeast Asia, as firms operating here are expecting their revenues to increase on the back of higher selling prices.

In a survey by professional services network Grant Thornton International, firms based in the country were reported to be the most optimistic of growth within the region. The survey claimed 70 percent of Philippine respondents expect their revenues to go up this year, while 5 percent are staring at a decrease.

On the other hand, 70 percent of Indonesian firms are also anticipating revenues to improve, but 8 percent are preparing for losses.

Further, 65 percent of businesses in Vietnam are presuming revenues will increase; 47 percent in Malaysia; 45 percent in Thailand; and 39 percent in Singapore. The global average was at 53 percent, according to the poll.

Philippine firms are expecting revenues to expand largely because they are planning to hike selling prices this year.

The survey reported 66 percent of businesses operating locally will increase the prices of their goods and services—the highest among the 35 economies polled by Grant Thornton. It also found 64 percent of firms in Indonesia will raise prices; 45 percent in Vietnam; 37 percent in Malaysia; 33 percent in Thailand;

66%

Net overall optimism in the economy, according to the poll. Grant Thornton found this figure in contrast with the more reserved global outlook at net 39 percent, and even in Southeast Asia at net 42 percent

and 28 percent in Singapore.

Upbeat vs reserved

MOREOVER, the poll revealed 52 percent of businesses in the Philippines intend to augment exports this year, 62 percent to employ more workers and 65 percent to increase salaries by at least in line with inflation.

Overall optimism in the economy was at net 66 percent, the poll computed. Grant Thornton found this figure in contrast with the more reserved global outlook at net 39 percent, and even in Southeast Asia at net 42 percent.

Francesca Lagerberg, global leader for network capabilities of Grant Thornton International, said economic fundamentals remain strong and opportunities exist in spite of escalating geopolitical tensions, such as the virtual trade war between the United States and China.

See “Outlook,” A8

n JAPAN 0.4812 n UK 68.8666 n HK 6.7215 n CHINA 7.7694 n SINGAPORE 38.7586 n AUSTRALIA 37.3997 n EU 59.6433 n SAUDI ARABIA 14.0615

Source: BSP (25 January 2019 )

News

BusinessMirror

A2 Monday, January 28, 2019

SEC admitted into global body of audit regulators

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By VG Cabuag

@villygc

HE Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has been admitted as member of the International Forum of Independent Audit Regulators (IFIAR), a group established in 2006 composed of regulators from 55 countries.

The SEC said being a member of the IFIAR would give the agency an opportunity to join the Asean Audit Regulators Group composed of Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and Indonesia, the regional bloc’s largest economies.

SEC Commissioner Antonieta F. Ibe said the country’s entry to the IFIAR is a testament of the work carried out by the agency over the years and a recognition of the de-

velopments that have been made in audit oversight in the Philippines.

“We look forward to contributing to the wider IFIAR membership, as well as learning from the experiences of independent audit regulators from around the world.

We are one with IFIAR’s mission to serve the public interest, including investors, by enhancing audit oversight globally and to proactively influence audit matters worldwide,

CNN PHL forum. . .

“Where in the world could you see a country which taxes all inflationary products like electricity, water, and fuel? If you increase taxes on these, the prices in everything would go up,” Colmenares said.

Roxas said his legislative priority, if elected, would be to junk the excise tax for fuel from TRAIN 1 to stop its “domino effect” in raising the prices of basic goods and services.

Tañada criticized the government for its slow implementation of its cash aid for the affected poor and public utility vehicle drivers.

“Until now these safety nets are still not in place so the people are still struggling,” Tañada said.

Hilbay also tagged TRAIN 1 as the culprit for the sudden rise in the cost of living, together with government’s failure to control the prices in rice, one of the prime local commodities.

Rice connection

COLMENARES said the rice prices remain high due to lack of government support for farmers.

He pitched an additional budget and assistance to local farmers as well as going after the rice cartel.

Roxas agreed with Colmenares, saying the government can still play a big role to boost the harvest yield of local rice farmers by providing them certified seeds, affordable loans, and proper post harvest facilities.

Inflation. . .

Continued from A1

several measures to ease inflation.

Among these measures include a total of 175-basis-point hike from the BSP for the duration of 2018.

In December, the PSA reported a sharp deceleration of inflation to 5.1 percent. Pushing the average 2018 price growth to 5.2 percent.

Guinigundo also said that the Philippines is likely to buck the trend to perform better in terms of growth this year, despite a more dismal growth outlook for 2019.

The more dismal growth outlook for 2019 stems mainly from escalating trade wars between

Continued from A1

“The average [rice] harvest in the Philippines is 4 tons per hectare. This can be raised to 6 to 8 per hectare... this is already being done in Negros Occidental,” Roxas said.

Roque shared the same sentiment as Colmenares on the market tampering, but instead put the blame on the alleged corruption at the National Food Authority (NFA) as the trigger for its insufficient supply of affordable rice supplies last year.

He also took a different approach on Colmenares’s position on focusing too much on local farmers, stating he is in favor of the rice tariffication bill, which will liberalize the importation of rice.

“If we lack the supply, I see nothing wrong in importing rice,” Roque said.

and to shape the future of international dialogue on audit quality and regulatory oversight,” she said in a statement.

IFIAR membership represents Africa, North America, South America, Asia, Oceania and Europe.

“The addition of the Philippine SEC to the IFIAR membership is a statement to IFIAR’s position as a leading international organization on audit quality matters. IFIAR continues to work with its members and prospective members to enhance independent audit oversight globally, and we look forward to working with the team at the Philippine SEC,” IFIAR Chairman Brian Hunt said.

We look forward to contributing to the wider IFIAR membership, as well as learning from the experiences of independent audit regulators from around the world.”—Ibe President Duterte to lay bare his medical records to the public. The two men also replied “no” to the question of whether or not the Philippine media is under threat.

Meanwhile, Colmenares was the only one who said “no” to the question of whether or not they thought the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL) would bring sustained peace and development to Mindanao.

IN the “Yes” or “No” questions, Alunan stood out for being the only one who supports reimposing the death penalty for drug-related crimes.

In another part of the forum, when asked about how he proposed solving the drug problem, Alunan recalled a warning he got way back in 1995, when he was Interior secretary, from the US Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) that the Philippines might go the way of narco states like Colombia if it did not deal with the drug problem more decisively.

Alunan, along with Roque, were the only ones who opposed the notion of Congress compelling

the two economic powerhouses US and China—a row that is expected to push the growth of several economies, both emerging and advanced ones, downward for the year.

But Guinigundo said the Philippines’s story will be different for 2019, as international affairs only make up a small portion of the overall growth numbers of the country.

“For other countries, their reliance on foreign trade is much larger. Our domestic demand is more important in defining economic growth. Consumption expenditure is 70 percent of the total GDP,” he said. “ I t h i n k wh i le t he g loba l

economy would be more challenging in 2019, the fact that our domestic demand remains strong and resilient, we should be able to withstand the headwinds in 2019,” Guinigundo said.

Earlier this month, the BSP published the details of the latest Monetary Board decision to keep its interest rates unchanged. The highlights of the meeting showed that the country’s economic growth —which was found to be easing in recent quarters—played a major role in the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas’s (BSP) latest decision to halt its tightening cycle.

Local economists have argued that for 2019, the monetary policy path is likely to shift to a more acco-

DOF. . .

Continued from A1

transmittal of the measure by the House to the Senate and alleged budget “insertions,” among others.

Congress resumed sessions last January 14 and will be in session until February 8. It will go on recess from February 9 to May 19 for the campaign and midterm elections.

“So that is the amount of money that is not circulating, that is not going to serve the public with infrastructure projects, etc. Half a billion a day. That’s a result of the budget delay. It’s already done. And this is the best time to start projects. So you missed that. So our GDP for the first quarter is certainly going to be affected,”

growth in the countryside as an option for decongesting the metropolis.

Labor laws

ASKED how government can protect workers and ensure they are not denied work opportunities, senatorial aspirant Harry Roque Jr. said he believes Filipinos are keen to get employed to earn a living “but are there enough jobs for them?”

“What jobs are available and how many are needed?”Roque asked, suggesting the need for an inventory, even as he stressed “it is also important to enforce labor laws.”

National minimum wage

SEVERAL of the aspirants supported having a national minimum wage instead of the current approach to having regional wage boards set rates across various regions.

Tañada said having a national minimum wage would, in fact, even help resolve the congestion in Metro Manila and some of the most progressive regions. His argument: if their wages are good where they are, the workers will not go all the way to Metro Manila and add to the traffic and shelter problems. Tañada and Colmenares said the government should focus on improving mass transport means, among others.

“I agree that there is a need for mass transport but the government authorities concerned should also act decisively to decongest Edsa [Epifanio de los Santor Avenue] and improve bus service,” Tañada told the CNN Philippines forum.

Colmenares shared Tañada’s stand that the solution lies in mass public transport, including improving bus service even as he added the government must also promote

‘Yes’ or ‘no’ questions

IFIAR provides a platform for members to exchange information about the audit environment and practical experiences and insights from their inspections of audit firms, enforcement practices, engagement with audit committees, audit quality indicator programs, firm culture reviews and the overall audit market.

The group is the only forum for coordinated, sustained dialogue with the largest global network audit firms, international standard setters, audit committees, institutional investors and other international organizations that have an interest in audit quality.

Dominguez stressed.

Earlier, Budget Secretary Benjamin E. Diokno said that they will call for a special session if Congress does not pass the P3.757-trillion national budget by February.

Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph G. Recto also pushed for the early passage of the budget to avert the negative economic implications if the government continues to operate on last year’s budget.

Last week the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reported that the main drivers of growth for the fourth-quarter GDP of 6.1 percent, were Construction; Trade and Repair of Motor Vehicles, Motorcycles, Personal and Household Goods; and Other Services.

For 2018 the country’s GDP settled at 6.2 percent, according to the PSA.

Air traffic

ON air traffic congestion, Colmenares reported they investigated the complaints “in line with air passenger rights” when he was a congressman, and proposed to impose a stiff fine of P10,000 per affected passenger. They then learned later, however, that a good part of the delays in flights was related to the severe runway congestion.

He also suggested that authorities seriously consider relocating the airport outside Metro Manila, “but the government must provide transport to air passengers.

Tañada, for his part, stressed that what is needed is political will. Tañada suggested that instead of drawing up plans for Clark Airport in Pampanga, the Duterte administration should “just do it.” Gutoc said alternative airports like the existing facility at Subic must also be considered.

With a report by Butch Fernandez

modative stance to support growth number—in stark contrast to the aggressive bouts of back-to-back rate hikes just last year.

The analysts, however, are not in consensus on how accomodative the BSP will be this year —with forecast ranging from just a few cuts in the banks’ reserve requirement ratio to actual cuts in the main interest rate in as early as the first half of the year.

BSP’s Guinigundo said that after their strong moves in 2018, and with inflation still at 5.1 percent, their next move will still likely be very carefully calibrated so as not to confuse markets about BSP’s objectives.

“Spare the market,” he said.

Cement. . .

Continued from A8

In accordance with the implementing rules and regulations of the Safeguard Measures Act, the DTI has to make sure the imposition of a safeguard duty will not result in a shortage of the product in the domestic market.

Lopez decided to place a price cap on cement to see how supply will respond to the implementation of a safeguard duty. He said unreasonable price increases are indications of supply shortages. The DTI slapped a provisional tax on imported cement after the domestic industry supposedly got injured from the surge in imports from 2013 to 2017.

Market share of imports rose to 15 percent in 2017, from 0.02 percent in 2013, according to figures from the DTI. Further, sales of the local industry reportedly fell 12 percent, or P11.1 billion, in 2017, as manufacturers were compelled to reduce prices by almost 10 percent to compete with imports.

www.businessmirror.com.ph

‘Charge Marilao mayoral bet with illegal possession of explosives’

C

ONCERNED citizens in Marilao, Bulacan, have asked the police to ensure that detained mayoral candidate Andre Santos, who was arrested in a 20-hour standoff in December last year, be charged with “illegal possession of explosives.”

Santos is detained at the provincial jail in Malolos City for illegal possession of explosive and illegal possession of firearms.

There were reports that the camp of Santos was allegedly trying to downgrade his case to a mere illegal possession of firearms, which is a bailable offense; unlike an illegal possession of explosive, which is nonbaliable.

In detention, Santos was allegedly being given “VIP treatment,”such as being allowed to attend a church service during his birthday last January 6, free use of smartphone and Internet, using a portion of the office of a police officer as his detention cell, among others.

VAT-free. . .

Continued from A1

for the government, excise tax on petroleum products shall still be imposed,” he said.

He explained that the remedial legislation was triggered by the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TR AIN) Act impositions under Republic Act 10963 following implementation of the first tranche of excise tax on fuel in Januar y 2018, and the second tranche this year.

Pimentel recalled that since the implementation of the TRAIN law, “fuel prices and prices of other goods and commodities have steadily risen,” noting that “while the uptick in inflation was anticipated, the sharp rise in global crude oil prices was not.”

As a result, he added, “Filipinos have had to contend with higher prices on both basic goods and transport.”

A s proposed in Pimentel ’s Senate Bill 2163, importation or sale of petroleum products will

Santos was arrested on December 7, 2018, for a 10-million qualified theft case filed against him by Manila-based businessmen.

Following a 20-hour standoff that began on the night of December 6, the cops seized Santos at around 4 p.m. the next day, and two guns and a grenade were recovered from him.

In a report, Santos had been posting videos of standoff on Facebook starting the morning of December 7. The video shows him holding a gun and a grenade as he emotionally spoke about Marilao’s “problems”.

The qualified theft complaint against Santos was filed by the son of gaming consultant Charlie“Atong”Ang, his brother-in-law and a casino partner in Parañaque City.

The warrant of arrest against Santos was issued by Judge Aida Estrella Macapagal Fojas of Parañaque Regional Trial Court Branch 195.

be included in Section 109 of the National Internal Revenue Code of 1997, which already exempts from VAT drugs and medicines prescribed for diabetes, hypertension and high cholesterol.

He said the exemption had been made applicable as well on the sale by manufacturers, distributors, wholesalers and retailers of drugs and medicines prescribed for the treatment and or prevention of diabetes, high cholesterol and hypertension starting January 1, 2019.

Citing earlier reports, Pimentel noted that “consumers, however, are expected to reel from the effects of the additional excise tax on fuel products as the TR AIN law imposes the second tax hike this month: another P2 per liter on diesel and gasoline, P1 per liter on kerosene and P1 for every kilogram of cooking gas or liquefied petroleum gas.”

The senator added that based on earlier reports, the increments, which would become applicable by middle or end of the month, would impact pump prices by around P2 to P3 per liter.

27 killed in twin explosions at Jolo cathedral Continued from A8

Lorenzana said the government will use the full force of the law to bring “to justice the perpetrators behind this incident.” Philippine National Police chief Director General Oscar Albayalde ordered the conduct of a thorough investigation on the twin bombings and the immediate identification and arrest of the suspects. “We extend our sympathy to the families of the victims and we will ensure that all possible assistance to the families will be given.

“We assure the bereaved family and their relatives that we will ensure that justice wil be served in the soonest time possible,” Albayalde also said in a statement.

Palace condemns bombing

M A L AC A ÑA NG strongly condemned the bomb explosions as it vowed that the military will rise to the challenge and crush the “godless criminals.”

“We condemn in the strongest possible term the bomb explosions that occurred inside and outside the Mt. Carmel Cathedral in Jolo this Sunday morning, which left many soldiers and civilians dead and scores injured,” Presidential Spokesman and Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Salvador S. Panelo said in a statement.

Malacañang also said authorities are now investigating the” brazen attacks,” as they are doing everything they can to identify the group behind the blast.

“By their act of terrorism and murder of soldiers and civilians, the enemies of the state have boldly challenged the capability

of the government to secure the safety of the citizenry in that region. The Armed Forces of the Philippines will rise to the challenge and crush these godless criminals,” Panelo said.

The Palace also sent condolences to the families and victims who perished in the tragedy while they also attend to the injured and give succour to their families.

“We will pursue to the ends of the Earth the ruthless perpetrators behind this dastardly crime until every killer is brought to justice and put behind bars. The law will give them no mercy,” Panelo added.

Esperon: No link yet to BOL

Meanwhile, National Security Adviser Hermogenes C. Esperon Jr. said they have yet to establish if the two explosions are related to the BOL. “I have to add that the explosion comes after the success of the plebiscite for the BOL. While the BOL lost narrowly in Sulu, it won 1:7 in the whole region, with Cotabato City even voting for inclusion in [Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao],” Esperon said. “We have yet to establish if the two explosions are related to the all-important BOL.” Despite the tragedy, he still believes that BOL is the way to end the secessionist narrative.

“The BOL signifies the end of war for secession. It stands for peace in Mindanao,” he said. “The perpetrators are mass murderers. They are extremist criminals. We will not allow them to spoil the preference of the people for peace.”

With Bernadette D. Nicolas

Economy BusinessMirror

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Editor: Vittorio V. Vitug • Monday, January 28, 2019 A3

Govt may shutter more Manila Bay establishments

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By Jonathan L. Mayuga @jonlmayuga & Jovee Marie N. Dela Cruz @joveemarie

HE government said it will close more shops and restaurants discharging untreated wastewater into Manila Bay following the launch of an ambitious program to prevent its further degradation on Sunday.

A n interagency task force, led by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), began the operation to save Manila by shutting down three erring establishments.

Environment Secretary Roy A. Cimatu and Laguna Lake Development Authority (LLDA) General Manager Jaime C. Medina issued cease-and-desist orders to Aristocrat Restaurant, Gloria Maris Shark’s Fin Restaurant at the Philippine International Convention Center and Esplanade at the San Miguel By the Bay food plaza in Pasay City.

These establishments were found to have violated the Clean Water Act and the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act. To ensure that these establishments will stop operating, Medina said their water service was cut off.

“This is the first step, to immediately cut their water source. Earlier, we cut their water service so they will no longer have the chance to pollute Manila Bay.” In the last two weeks, he said, the LLDA created special teams to conduct inspections in establishments covered by its mandate and jurisdiction.

“So far, we have inspected 43 establishments and 35 percent were found to be compliant. Fifteen hotels have STPs [sewage treatment plants], while seven other establishments are noncompliant. Twenty-one other establishments are undergoing veri-

fication,” Medina said.

He said the LLDA has inspected and assessed a total of 285 establishments, of which about 42 percent have no wastewatertreatment facilities.

“This means that in the next few weeks, expect us to issue notices of violations,” he said.

Medina said six other companies operating along or near Manila Bay will be issued Notices of Violation.

These are the SM Corporate Offices in the Mall of Asia (MOA) Complex, Aliw Inn Pasay, SM Prime Holdings Inc. in Pasay City, SM Development Corp.-Sea Residences in the MOA Complex, Lola Taba Lolo Pato sa Seaside commercial spaces in Diosdado Macapagal Boulevard, and the SM Ferry Terminal of SM Prime Holdings Inc. in MOA.

Sewage treatment

HOUSE Deputy Minority Leader Jose Atienza Jr. on Sunday urged President Duterte to use his executive powers to compel Manila Water Co. Inc. and Maynilad Water Services Inc. to provide adequate sewagetreatment plants.

Atienza said Manila Water and Maynilad are supposed to collect and then decontaminate Metro Manila’s raw sewage.

“Up to now, everybody is in denial of the fact that pretty much all of Metro Manila’s raw and untreated domestic wastewater, mainly fecal sewage, still gets flushed down the

ENVIRONMENT Secretary Roy A. Cimatu and other government officials joined thousands of participants and volunteers during the Solidarity Walk along Roxas Boulevard to kick off the rehabilitation of Manila Bay on Sunday. Cimatu was joined by Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo Puyat, Public Works Secretary Mark A. Villar, Acting Information and Communications Technology Secretary Eliseo Rio Jr., Metropolitan Manila Development Authority Chairman Danilo Lim, National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon Jr. and Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana. NONIE REYES

toilet that is Manila Bay,” Atienza, former three-term mayor of Manila, said in a statement.

“If the administration is really determined to clean up and renew the bay once and for all, then Malacañang should move to compel the two private water concessionaires in Metro Manila to deliver the sewagetreatment facilities that they were supposed to build and operate a long time ago,” Atienza said.

Sewage treatment is the process of filtering and purifying municipal wastewater generated by households plus commercial and industrial establishments.

It involves the use of physical, chemical and biological processes

to remove contaminants so that the treated water or effluent can be safely recycled or released back into the environment.

“But the problem is, after raking in billions of pesos in sanitation fees from water consumers over the years, both firms have managed to put up only small sewage-treatment plants, mainly for show—so they can make it appear they are complaint,” Atienza said.

During his term as DENR chief, Atienza caused the issuance of a continuing mandamus by the Supreme Court ordering the government, all local government units (LGUs), the private sector and the two water concessionaires to clean

Economic managers want to scrap sugar import fees

By Cai U. Ordinario @caiordinario

& Jasper Emmanuel Y. Arcalas @jearcalas

T

HE President’s economic team is mulling over the removal of fees for importing sugar and to stop the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) from regulating shipments to further open up the Philippine market for the sweetener.

Farmers in Negros warned, however, that opening up the Philippine sugar market could kill their livelihood and lead to another famine, just like what happened in the 1980s.

Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Ernesto M. Pernia said liberalizing the local sugar industry will bring down the cost of the sweetener, similar to what the government intends to do with rice via tariffication.

“The next to be liberalized is sugar,” Pernia said. “[Through liberalization] the users will import directly, they will avoid the importation cost.”

The SRA was created through Executive Order 18 issued by for-

mer President Corazon Aquino. It is “tasked to establish and maintain such balanced relation between production and requirement of sugar and such marketing conditions as will insure stabilized prices at a level reasonably profitable to the producers and fair to consumers.”

National Economic and Development Authority Undersecretary for Planning and Policy Rosemarie G. Edillon said importers are charged around P200 per 50-kilogram bag of imported sugar.

This cost is termed as the certificate of reclassification rights which importers purchase to obtain an import volume allocation. This will allow them to obtain their shipments from the Bureau of Customs.

Edillon said that even if there were already adjustments made by the SRA to cut red tape and release documents needed after one day, the certificate of reclassification rights (CORR) remains expensive. “[This means] the intermediation cost is high. It’s expensive to get the right to import,” Edillon said.

For the sugar import program for crop year 2017-2018, the SRA required interested traders to secure a CORR to regulate importation.

Edillon said the economic development cluster is asking the help of Dr. Ramon Clarete, an economist from the University of the Philippines School of Economics who specializes in international trade, to conduct a study on the impact of liberalizing the industry and the best way to do it.

Pernia said the fight to liberalize the sugar industry will even be a “tougher” battle compared to the liberalization of the rice sector “because there are a lot of lobbyists nationwide.”

‘Dangerous move’

RAYMOND MONTINOLA of the Confederation of Sugar Producers (Confed) said around 200,000 workers in the sugar industry in Negros Island alone could be displaced if the government will allow the unregulated entry of imported sugar.

Montinola said if the liberal-

ization of the sector would push through, which could bring down farm-gate prices below cost-to-produce levels, then it would have an immediate effect on peace and order situation. This, Montinola cautioned, could lead to another famine just like what happened in the 1980s.

The Negros Occidental Provincial Board and the Bacolod City Council recently passed a resolution calling for the scrapping of the proposed industry liberalization, which it argued would lead to “the demise of the sugar industry which is the lifeblood of Negros.”

Also, around 170 leaders of agrarian-reform beneficiaries signed a manifesto that expressed opposition to the economic managers’ plan of allowing unrestricted sugar importation.

“Importing sugar without measures in place to protect the local industry is a dangerous and wrong move, and a great disadvantage to us small farmers, sugar workers and poor agrarian-reform beneficiaries,” the document read.

Manila Bay and revive it to its original pristine condition.

Atienza said Manila Bay, despite the continuing mandamus, has remained a giant depository of household waste.

Solidarity walk

DUBBED the Battle for Manila Bay, around 5,000 officials and employees of various agencies and LGUs took part in a Solidarity Walk from the Quirino Grandstand to Bay Walk along Roxas Boulevard near corner Raja Sulayman Avenue.

The Battle for Manila Bay, a term coined from the historic “Battle of Manila Bay” is likened to the government launching an epic battle

to save Manila Bay. Cleaning up Manila Bay will require a budget of P47 billion and will run for seven years. The rehabilitation will affect establishments along a 190-kilometer coastline from Cavite to Bataan; a total of 128 LGUs in eight provinces in Regions 3, 4A and the National Capital Region.

Aside from the DENR, officials and employees of the so-called “mandamus agencies” named as respondents in the 10-year old Supreme Court continuing mandamus to clean up the historical water body, took part in the event.

The other mandamus agencies are the Departments of Agriculture, Public Works and Highways, the Interior and Local Government, Education, Health, and Budget and Management, the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System, Local Water Utilities Administration, Metropolitan Manila Development Authority, Philippine Coast Guard, Philippine National PoliceMaritime Group and the Philippine Ports Authority.

Also joining the event are officials and employees of non-mandamus agencies, namely, the Department of Tourism, Department of Information and Communications Technology, Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Presidential Commission for the Urban Poor led by Chairman Alvin Feliciano.

During a brief program, Philippine National Police Director Oscar Albayalde, former AFP Chief of Staff- now-National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon Jr., and Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana issued statements affirming their support to the program.

“I am committing the entire 192,000 personnel of the PNP to help save Manila Bay,” Albayalde said.

Public Works Secretary Mark A. Villar said he will prioritize allocating budget for heavy equipment to help clean up waterways, esteros, and rivers that lead out to Manila Bay.

Senate panel backs flexible working sked

By Butch Fernandez @butchfBM

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HE Senate Committee on Labor, Employment and Human Resources is endorsing early enactment of a law granting an option for flexible working arrangements between employers and their employees.

Sen. Joel Villanueva, panel chairman, has submitted for plenary consideration Committee Report 554 on Senate Bill 1571 amending Article 83 of the Labor Code of the Philippines that mandates employees to work “eight hours a day for five days.”

In sponsoring the measure, Villanueva clarified that “this is a relatively simple and straightforward bill” that seeks to amend Article 83 of the Labor Code by making an exception to the normal eight hours of work a day when the exigency of business operations or national emergency requires the adoption of a mutually agreed voluntary work arrangement between the employer and the employee.”

Villanueva said the bill proposes a

mutually agreed voluntary work arrangements between the employer and the employee, “provided that, hours of work shall not exceed 48 hours a week and there is no diminution of existing benefits.”

He, however, made it clear that the proposed legislation also provides that health personnel in cities and municipalities with a population of at least 1 million, or in hospitals and clinics with a bed capacity of at least 100 should “hold regular office hours for eight hours a day, for five days a week.”

Villanueva said the bill further provides that, in case the employee is required to work for six days or 48 hours, the personnel is entitled to an additional compensation of at least 30 percent of his regular wage for work on the sixth day.

The senator added: “We believe that alternative working arrangement or flexible working is not just a fad but a necessity.

We strongly believe that every Filipino worker deserves that we recognize it under our laws.”

The Nation BusinessMirror

A4 Monday, January 28, 2019 • Editor: Vittorio V. Vitug

2 dead, thousands flee homes in E. Mindanao due to ‘amihan’

By Manuel T. Cayon

D

@awimailbox Mindanao Bureau Chief

AVAO CITY—At least two people died and nearly 10,000 residents were evacuated following the stronger surge of the northeast monsoon in the eastern section of Mindanao.

The two fatalities reported in Compostela Valley and the evacuated individuals were those reported in Davao City. More casualties due to the northeast monsoon are expected from the rest of Mindanao.

The mapping of affected areas indicated that the rain-carrying northeast monsoon, locally called amihan, shows the affected area reaching as far as the Lanao provinces and farthest to the southwestern island provinces of Basilan, Sulu and Tawi.

The weather map shows that Davao region is under red warning, indicating a severe weather impact.

Citing a report from the Compostela Valley Provincial Disaster Risk-Reduction Management Office (PDRRMO), a Philippine Information Agency posting indicated that a certain Dennis Pesadilla died in a landslide in Purok

24, Barangay Ngan in Compostela town at 4:30 p.m. on Saturday.

The PDRRMO report also said a certain Krisel Hermosora, 12, was reported missing and was allegedly carried away by the waters of Handorumog R iver in Nabunturan town. She was reported missing since 12 p.m. on Saturday. The PDRRMO said Hermosora’s grandmother attempted to rescue her but she was injured and sent to the Cabrera Hospital in Nabunturan.

Also on Saturday here, the search, rescue and retrieval teams of the anti-terror units, Task Force Davao and Joint Task Force Haribon, assisted in the preemptive evacuation of residents of Jade Valley and barangays San Rafael, Lower Madapo, Bacaca, Grabahan, Lasang, Bunawan and other low-lying areas as flood waters

continue to threaten these areas.

The evacuated residents reached almost 10,000. These were the residents in the downtown areas of Barangay 2A (300 residents), Barangay 5A in Bankerohan (170), Barangay 8A (593) and Barangay 19B in Barrio Obrero (739).

Residents in San Rafael area (822), Barangay Maa in Sanggilangan (1,908), Barangay Tigatto (987) and Barangay Waan (17 families) in Buhangin area, Barangay Lasang in the Bucana and Sto. Niño areas (2,750) and Barangay Bunawan in Inabanga area (201) were also evacuated.

Reports are yet to be gathered in the Caraga region, Northern Mindanao, Central Mindanao and the Lanao areas.

Flood waters have begun to recede by Sunday morning but monitoring teams said evacuated families have remained in various evacuation centers. These evacuation centers are the Navarro National High School, Lasang Barangay Hall, and the Bunawan covered court in Bunawan district, Maa Elementary School gym and Maa National High School in Maa district, Barangay 74-A barangay hall and Gravahan ICC chapel in the Bucana area, Barangay 19-B hall in Barrio Obrero and El Rio Village covered court near the Diversion Road.

There were also evacuation centers in Barangay Tigatto, Juliville Subdivision covered court, Km. 8 covered court, Oyanguren Tigatto covered court and the Buhangin Gym. The weather bureau Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said the strongest cold surge of the northeast monsoon was accompanied with a tail end of a cold front that has extended into most of Mindanao.

This weather episode would bring moderate to heavy rainfall across Dinagat Island, Siargao Island, Surigao del Norte, Surigao del Sur, Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur, Camiguin Island, Misamis Oriental, Bukidnon, Misamis Occidental, Zamboanga del Sur, Lanao del Norte, Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao, Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, South Cotabato, Sarangani, Davao Occidental, Sarangani Island, Davao del Sur, Davao del Norte, Samal Island, Compostela Valley, Davao Oriental and the Sulu Archipelago.

Pagasa warned that the rains on Sunday would be more frequent along the coastal and mountain slope areas of these affected provinces.

“Residents are advised to take precautionary measures against possible flash floods and landslides,” it said.

www.businessmirror.com.ph

BOC seizes smuggled oil in Surigao del Norte

By Rea Cu

@ReaCuBM

A

CTING on a tip via the g o v e r n m e nt h o t l i n e , the Bureau of Customs (BOC) intercepted and seized eight drums of smuggled oil at Taganito Special Economic Zone in Claver, Surigao del Norte.

The BOC said, the liquid content inside the drums, which were intercepted by the bureau on January 24, was initially suspected as palm oil upon inspection. The samples were then submitted for laboratory analysis to determine the contents.

Initial investigation showed that the eight drums were discharged from MT Southern Narwhal on January 13. Upon checking the Inward Foreign Manifest and Stowage Plan submitted by the captain of the vessel, it was discovered that the eight drums were not listed as cargoes.

T he u nd o c u me nt e d it e m s were seized in violation of Section 113 of the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act, which states that imported or exported goods without going through a customs office is subject to seizure and forfeiture.

The BOC reported that an anonymous informant called its 8888 Citizens’ Complaint Hotline, which was received by BOCCARES, the bureau’s first contact of interaction manning the bureau’s hot line.

T he t ipster re vea led t h at

eight smuggled blue color drums were discharged from a vessel at Taganito HPAL (THPAL) Nickel Corp., Taganito Special Economic Zone in Claver.

On January 23, acting on the tip off, Jeffrey Tacio, director of Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service (CIIS) informed Joseph Romano, supervisor of CIIS at the Port of Surigao.

Romano immediately relayed the information to the District Collector of Surigao Ciriaco Ugay, who in turn, formed a composite team to be dispatched at Taganito Economic Zone to monitor the place and conduct inspection the following day.

Following the operation, Customs Commissioner Rey Leonardo B. Guerrero urged all ports to be “relentless” in stopping all forms of smuggling.

Last week, it was reported that in line with its border-security mandate, Guerrero said the bureau will organize its own Customs borderpolice force this year, which will comprise of 1,500 new recruits hired and trained by the BOC. Also, the Department of Finance said that it is targeting to roll out the fuel marking system in March as part of the government’s revitalized bid to curb fuel smuggling into the country.

According to Finance Undersecretary Karl Kendrick T. Chua the government loses P27 billion to P44 billion in revenues due to oil smuggling.

CA upholds firing of BI officer over Bill lowering age of criminal liability up for House OK special permits for foreign students

By Jovee Marie N. Dela Cruz

@jrsanjuan1573

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HE Court of Appeals (CA) has affirmed the dismissal from the service of a ranking officer of the Bureau of Immigration (BI) in connection with an anomaly involving the issuance of the special study permits (SSP) for foreign students.

In a 10-page decision penned by Associate Justice Nina Antonio-Valenzuela issued on January 22, the CA’s Eleventh Division dismissed the petition filed BI-Baguio Acting Alien Control Officer Antonio Prieto seeking the reversal of the Ombudsman’s ruling issued on July 18, 2011, which found him guilty of dishonesty and ordered his removal from office.

While it upheld Prieto’s dismissal, the CA modified the Ombudsman’s findings saying that the petitioner was guilty of gross neglect of duty and not dishonesty.

“Due to the petitioner Prieto’s reliance on the work of his subordinates, the petitioner Prieto did not notice the irregularities in the special study permits, indicating the reuse of the official receipts. The petitioner Prieto’s acts showed a thoughtless disregard of his duty as the issuing officer and ranking officer of BI-Baguio, and the lack of even the slightest care in the issuance of the special study permits,” the ruling said.

Under Rule 10, Section 50 of the Civil Procedure, gross neglect of duty is categorized as a grave offense punishable by dismissal from the service.

The case stemmed from the complaints filed by a certain Jose Yu Jr. against Prieto and his subordinates, Myra Santiago and Verna Soriano, accusing them of repeatedly reusing the same official receipts as supporting documents for applications for SSP at the BI and pocketing the money actually paid by the foreign students.

For his part, Prieto admitted signing the permits after the payments were made but said he did not have direct participation in the preparation of the SSP and did not collect payments for it.

Prieto added that his only participation was merely affixing his signature on the SSP and that he relied on Santiago and Soriano that the permits presented to him for signature were in order.

The Ombudsman subsequently found Prieto and Santiago guilty of the offense and ordered their dismissal from the service.

“A head of office who did not prepare an official document, but merely signed based on the recommendation of his subordinates, which official document turned out to be containing false information, is liable for gross neglect of duty,” the CA ruled.

“The petitioner Prieto was guilty of gross neglect of duty when the petitioner signed and issued the special study permits, and did not detect that the officials receipts indicated in the special study permits were reused,” it added.

Concurring with the ruling were Associate Justices Ricardo Rosario and Perpetua.

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HE House of Representatives is eyeing the approval of a bill lowering the minimum age of social responsibility from 15 to 12 years old and a measure legalizing medical marijuana on Monday.

Majority Leader Fredenil Castro, chairman of the House Committee on Rules, said the lower chamber will approve House Bill (HB) 8858 seeking to lower the minimum age of social responsibility from 15 years old to 12 years old on January 28.

“We will try to pass the bill on minimum age of social responsibility on Monday,” Castro said.

The bill expands the scope of the juvenile justice and welfare system and strengthens the social reintegration programs for children in conflict with the law, amending Republic Act (RA) 9344, or the Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act of 2006.

Under the provisions of the measure, a child under 18 years old who commits a petty crime shall not be subjected to mandatory confinement in a Bahay Pag-asa facility.

The bill also ensures funding for the development of Bahay Pag-asa, a 24-hour child-caring institution to provide short-term residential care for children in conflict with the law.

Mandatory confinement shall be implemented if the crime committed by the child in conflict with the law is a serious offense; if they are neglected children, meaning they do not have a family; or if it is a case of recidivism.

FILE PHOTO

By Joel R. San Juan

@joveemarie

If there is no Bahay Pag-asa facility in the area to cater to the child, they will be temporarily released on recognizance to their parents, the bill said.

Medical cannabis

ISABELA Rep. Rodolfo Albano III, principal sponsor of HB 6517, or the Compassionate Use of Medical Cannabis, said the lower chamber is also eyeing the passage of the measure on Monday.

“This week [the bill will be approved on third and final reading], I hope [Monday or before the break on February 6],” he said.

According to Albano, Sen. Joseph Victor Ejercito, who chairs the Senate Committee on Health, also vowed to conduct hearings on the proposal.

Congress is expected to take a break starting February 6 to May 19, 2019, for the midterm elections.

However, Albano said the measure can still be refiled in the 18th Congress should they fail to approve it.

Castro also confirmed that the House may pass the medical marijuana bill this week.

The bill seeks to amend RA 9165, or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.

A t p re s e nt , m a r i j u a n a i s tagged as a prohibited substance, just like methamphetamine hydrochloride or shabu, cocaine and heroin, under the Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.

Albano said his proposal seeks to provide compassionate and

right of access to medical cannabis and expand research into its medicinal properties.

However, he said the bill should not be deemed in any manner to advocate, authorize, promote, or legally or socially accept the use of cannabis or marijuana for any nonmedical use.

Albano called on his colleagues “to decide based on evidence” citing the numerous clinical trials around the world that have shown the safety and efficacy of cannabis and its therapeutic and palliative effects.

Earlier, Buhay Rep. Lito Atienza warned that the legalization of medical marijuana would open the floodgates to abuse and addiction and create an unwanted public health emergency in the country.

‘Ambitious’ reclamation projects killing Bacoor’s ‘tahong’ industry—Pamalakaya

By Jonathan L. Mayuga @jonlmayuga

A

NATIONAL organization of small fishermen has accused the Revilla clan of Cavite of “killing” the local tahong industry in Bacoor by pursuing ambitious multibillion-peso land-reclamation projects.

The Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) chided Bacoor Mayor

Lani Mercado Revilla for trying to reclaim a total of 420 hectares of Manila Bay in the town of Bacoor, Cavite.

“Whatever dream the Revilla political clan has in Bacoor, they should spare our mussel [tahong] farms and moreover, our fishing rights and community,” Fernando Hicap, national chairman of Pamalakaya, said in a statement.

Last Thursday, Pamalakaya’s municipal chapter, the Alyansa ng mga

Magdaragat sa Bacoor picketed the Public Scoping assembly held by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources at the Bacoor City Hall Gymnasium to protest the planned land reclamation.

The proponent presented two reclamation projects; the 100-hectare Diamond Reclamation and Development Project that costs P13.5 billion, and the 320-hectare Bacoor Reclamation and Development Project amounting to P42 billion.

“While Mayor Mercado-Revilla has bragged about the ‘development’ these reclamation projects would bring to her town, she forgot to mention the devastating impact it will inflict to thousands of fishing and coastal families who will be displaced in exchange for her dream to install a commercial and business district [CBD] in Manila Bay that according to her, would be bigger than the Bonifacio Global City [BGC],” Hicap said.

Pamalakaya lamented that only

300 hectares of Bacoor’s 700-hectare municipal waters will be left once the reclamation pushes through.

In a separate statement, Myrna Candinato, president of Alyansa ng mga Magdaragat sa Bacoor and a mussel grower in Barangay Maliksi III said with the planned reclamation, the local government unit will “kill” the tahong industry in the town.

“The Revillas are literally killing the tahong industry in Bacoor by planning a massive ejectment of mussel farms and

displacement of thousands of mussel growers to pave way for reclamation projects,” Candinato said.

“We don’t want to be relocated to far-flung settlement areas where there are no livelihood and basic social services nearby. We call on the public to support the struggle of Bacoor fishers and coastal residents against this evident sellout and destruction of our municipal waters being carried out by the local government unit itself,” she added.

The World BusinessMirror

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Editor: Angel R. Calso • Monday, January 28, 2019 A5

WTO expected to probe Hope turns to anguish after Brazil dam blocking mine waste collapses Trump’s China tariffs

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ENSIONS between the US and China are about to get more complicated, with the World Trade Organization (WTO) poised to begin an investigation into President Donald Trump’s tariffs on $250 billion of Chinese goods.

On Monday the Geneva-based arbiter of trade disputes will likely launch an inquiry into whether the US duties run afoul of a requirement that all WTO members give each other the same tariff treatment, as China asserts.

The investigation comes at a delicate moment between the world’s two largest economies. A new round of trade talks is scheduled to begin on January 30, and if a deal isn’t reached by March 1, the Trump administration has threatened to raise the tariff rate on $200 billion in Chinese goods to 25 percent from 10 percent.

“This WTO case is especially significant because it deals with the central international legal issue in the US conduct of its trade war with China—whether the US can impose trade restrictions on China in response to alleged Chinese WTO violations without first seeking dispute

settlement in the WTO,” James Bacchus, a former Democratic congressman and onetime head of the WTO’s appellate body, said in an e-mail.

“I believe these US tariffs are inconsistent with WTO obligations, but it will be left to my successors on the WTO appellate body to decide.”

Existential threat

THE WTO is already facing an existential threat over a hold the US has placed on new appellate judge nominations. Absent any reforms, the decision-making wing of the organization will have too few judges to rule on cases by the end of the year. This new investigation could further antagonize the US, which sees the WTO as overstepping its authority.

This is China’s second request for an inquiry on the matter, the first one last month was vetoed by the US. The investigation is likely to move

ahead on Monday because WTO rules prevent members from blocking a dispute inquiry a second time.

But China won’t be expecting a resolution to the investigation any time soon due to a backlog in the WTO dispute settlement system. So far, 23 disputes have been brought against the current US administration, including an EU inquiry into tariffs levied against aluminum and steel imports.

“These trade tensions are not only a threat to the system, they are a threat to the entire international community,” Roberto Azevedo, the director general of the WTO, said on a panel in Davos on January 24.

“The risks are very real and there will be economic impacts.”

Intellectual property

THE case cuts to the heart of the USChina trade conflict because Trump says the tariffs are necessary to counter an alleged Chinese campaign to steal American intellectual property.

China’s dispute alleges the US tariffs violate the WTO’s most favored nation provision because the measures fail to provide the same tariff treatment that the US offers to imports of all other WTO members.

The US counters that the tariffs fall outside the WTO’s remit because they address trade issues that are not specifically covered under WTO rules. Bloomberg News

B

RUMADINHO, Brazil—Hope that loved ones had survived a tsunami of iron ore mine waste from a dam collapse in Brazil was turning to anguish and anger over the increasing likelihood that many of the hundreds of people missing had died.

By Saturday night, when authorities called off rescue efforts until day break, the death toll stood at 40 dead with up to 300 people estimated to be missing. Throughout the day, helicopters flew low over areas buried by mud and firefighters worked to get to structures by digging.

“I’m angry. There is no way I can stay calm,” said Sonia Fatima da Silva, as she tried to get information about her son, who had worked at Vale mining company for 20 years. “My hope is that they be honest. I want news, even if it’s bad.”

Da Silva said she last spoke to her son before he went to work on Friday, when around midday a dam holding back mine waste collapsed, sending waves of mud for kilometers and burying much in its path.

Employees of the mining complex owned and operated by Brazilian mining company Vale were eating lunch Friday afternoon when the dam gave way.

Throughout Saturday, scores of families in the city of Brumadinho desperately awaited word on their loved ones as Romeu Zema, governor of Minas Gerais state, said that at this point most recovery efforts would entail pulling out bodies.

The flow of waste reached the

EMERSON DOS SANTOS stands on the debris of her mother’s house in Brumadinho, Brazil, on January 26. Rescuers in helicopters on Saturday searched for survivors while firefighters dug through mud in a huge area in southeastern Brazil buried by the collapse of a dam holding back mine waste, with at least nine people dead and up to 300 missing. Dos Santos’s mother was not in the house and survived the tragedy. AP

nearby community of Vila Ferteco and an occupied Vale administrative office. On Saturday, rooftops poked above an extensive field of the mud, which also cut off roads. After the dam collapse, some were evacuated from Brumadinho. Other residents of the affected areas barely escaped with their lives.

“I saw all the mud coming down the hill, snapping the trees as it descended. It was a tremendous noise,” said a tearful Simone Pedrosa, from the neighborhood of Parque Cachoeira, about 8 kilometers from where the dam collapsed.

Pedrosa, 45, and her parents dashed to their car and drove to the highest point in the neighborhood. “If we had gone down the other direction, we would have

died,” Pedrosa said.

“I cannot get that noise out of my head,” she said. “It’s a trauma....I’ll never forget.”

In addition to the 40 bodies recovered as of Saturday night, 23 people were hospitalized, said authorities with the Minas Gerais fire department. There had been some signs of hope earlier Saturday when authorities found 43 more people alive.

The company said in a statement last Saturday that while 100 workers were accounted for, more than 200 workers were still missing. Fire officials at one point estimated the total number at close to 300.

Vale CEO Fabio Schvartsman said he did not know what caused the collapse. About 300 employees were working when it happened. AP

A6

Monday, January 28, 2019 • Editor: Angel R. Calso

Opinion BusinessMirror

www.businessmirror.com.ph

editorial

The myth of inclusive growth

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VERY time gross domestic product growth data come out, one hears numerous comments saying this growth is not “inclusive,” meaning “excluding some sections of society”.

Is there something inherently wrong with our economic growth?

Perhaps this is best illustrated in the social-media comment “Why our lives are not improving when there is economic growth?”

In reality, Filipinos’ “lives” have improved. In 2000 for example, the mean years of schooling was 7.6, and in 2017 it was 9.3 years. The gross national income—by 2011 purchasing power parity—was $4,972 and is now $9,154. The PHL Human Development Index has risen from 0.624 to 0.699.

Nonetheless, we understand the frustration because we strongly believe that if one child goes to bed hungry tonight or cannot attend school tomorrow, that is totally unacceptable.

However, there is also the myth that there is an economic growth rope hanging from economic paradise that pulls people up. The bigger the rope, the more people that can hang on and be brought to prosperity heaven. Implied also is that the economic growth does not benefit everyone equally. That is absolutely true, but not for the reasons we are told.

The reason that some—if not many—people are not seeing their lives improve as the country’s economy improves is that they are not part of the economy. In order to be included in the economic growth, you must first be included in the economy.

You saved enough money to own and operate a siomai kiosk. You hire three people to run it. After a year or so, you have retained enough profit to own and operate another kiosk, hiring three more employees.

Running the business well, at the end of five years you have 25 kiosks and 80 employees. You continue to reinvest profits and expand so that at year 10 you have 50 kiosks and 175 employees, including supervisors and managers above the supervisors.

After 20 years, your business has expanded to 300 stores with 1,200 employees. One day you are visiting your first kiosk in a small out-ofthe-way mall and are approached by a security guard. He says he was there on your first day, and even though you now have 300 individual businesses, he is relatively not making any more money than he was on Day One. You tell him he is not included in you company’s “economic growth” because he is not part of nor did he contribute to that growth. There was no “economic rope” that pulled the security guard up. The first three employees of your business started the growth that led to more employees participating that led to more growth and more employees.

There are tens of millions of able-bodied Filipinos who do not contribute to the nation’s economic growth and therefore do not reap the rewards of that growth. They are not included. You created your siomai “empire,” and now 1,200 Filipinos grow the economy daily and benefit.

And it all started with your capital investment and an unbroken chain of more and more investment.

The business-process outsourcing business started with a few Filipinos investing in “mosquito call centers.” Then bigger capital investment came in over two decades and reinvested more and more over time to now employ over 1 million.

One reason was because of the income tax holiday, which made more capital available for expansion, which was more than offset by the taxes paid by these new employees. You want “inclusive economic growth?”

Then make it more financially attractive to put money in a business than in a bank deposit.

Davos: Everyone must work harder to save the planet Atty. Jose Ferdinand M. Rojas II

RISING SUN

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AST week, the United Nations warned the world that it is “losing the race” against climate change. Essentially, it means governments and businesses are not doing enough to save the world.

Chief of UN Antonio Guterres delivered a strong speech last week in front of business and political leaders who attended the World Economic Forum in Davos. He said that climate change “is the most important global systemic threat in relation to the global economy.”

Specifically, he said that while the business community and civil society are increasingly engaged, “the political will is still very slow.” He was apparently referring to climate doubters US President Donald J.

Trump, who earlier withdrew from the Paris climate accord, and Brazil’s new leader Jair Bolsonaro, who is now threatening to do the same.

John Kerry, former US secretary of state, signed the Paris accord in 2016. Today he is saying that despite Trump’s withdrawal, there are still 38 out of the 50 US states that are implementing their own climate policies.

Kerry warned that the world is heading toward a 4.0-degree-Centigrade temperature increase this century. Plus, there is the growing

Children are not criminals

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LEGALLY SPEAKING

T

HE Revised Penal Code of the Philippines and Presidential Decree 603 (The Child and Youth Welfare Code of 1994) both exempt nine-year-old children from criminal liability.

Under Republic Act 9344 (Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act of 2006), which envisions a holistic and restorative justice approach, the minimum age of criminal responsibility (MACR) is 15 years of age. This means that those aged 15 and below who commit crime are exempt from criminal liability but are instead subjected to intervention programs. The exemption also applies to those older than 15 but under 18, unless they “acted with discernment.”

The United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child recommends an “absolute minimum” age of 12 for criminal responsibility. And yet several countries are below the recommended MACR. Senate Bill 1603 of Sen. Francklin M. Drilon cites that Scotland can hand out criminal convictions to eight-yearolds. In the rest of the United Kingdom, ten-year-olds can be tried for a crime. This British colonial legacy is also apparent in the relatively low MACRs seen in South Africa, Australia and New Zealand. Similarly, Nigeria, India, Pakistan and Bangladesh are among the 21 countries that set a MACR of seven years old, the lowest national age globally (Explanatory Note, SB 1603).

Likewise, SB 2026 of Sen. Vicente C. Sotto III cites a study conducted by the Child Rights Internation-

al Network where the threshold age for criminal responsibility is lower than the Philippines. The average MACR in the African region is 11, as well as in the Asian region; while for the American and European regions, it is 13. Furthermore, the minimum age of criminal liability is set at the federal and state level in the United Sates. At the state level, 33 states set no minimum age of criminal penalties at any age. Of the States that do set a MACR, North Carolina has the lowest at seven years, while Wisconsin has the highest at 10 years old (Explanatory Note, SB 2026).

Similarly, in the House of Representatives, Rep. Victor A. Yap in House Bill 505 states that in England and Wales, people of offending age are classed as those aged 10 years or older. In the US, the youngest age

frequency of extreme weather events all over the globe. There is no doubt that governments, the private sector and the general public should all work together now to take on more measures to mitigate climate change and “adapt to it.”

Meanwhile, in the Philippines, there are still many entities and organizations that appear clueless and are going about their business like there is no global crisis. You see it everywhere, every single day.

If the government is not prioritizing this, I do believe we need to take it upon ourselves to educate others and change our own lifestyle to help the global cause. Every effort counts, let us not waste any more time because we are right in the heat of a climate emergency. nnn

THE 2019 Philippine Racing Commission (Philracom) Awards was held recently at the San Lazaro Leisure and Business Park in Carmona, Cavite.

During the simple rites, honorees, led by the Philippine Racing Club Inc. and the Manila Jockey Club, were given

for juvenile delinquency is six years old in the State of North Carolina, seven years old in Maryland, Massachusetts and New York and State of Arizona at eight years old (Explanatory Note, HB 505).

It is apparent from the foregoing that there appears to be no global consensus as to the minimum age which a person may be charged with and convicted of criminal offense. In the Philippines, the proposal to amend our existing laws to lower the MACR has drawn a divide between child advocates who underscore rehabilitation and reintegration for child offenders versus reformers of the youth justice system who want to lower criminal liability to ensure that the Filipino youth would accept responsibility for their actions, consistent with President Duterte’s goal to curb criminality in this country.

HB 2009 of Rep. Romeo A. Acop cites a report from the Council for the Welfare of Children, which shows that more than 52,000 children from 1995 to 2000 were reported to be in conflict with the law. Separate data from the Department of Welfare and Social Development (DSWD) disclose that from 2001 to 2010, there were close to 64,000 children in conflict with the law served by the government, an indication that the problem has persisted through the years despite the passage in 2006 of Republic Act 9344 or the Juvenile Welfare and Justice Act (Explanatory Note, HB 2009).

Both the Senate and the House are expected to tackle the lowering of criminal liability. House Speaker

recognition for their contributions to the horse-racing industry last year.

MJC was awarded Racing Club of the Year, based on the total amount of horse prizes, while Philracom was given the same recognition based on total gross sales of the day.

The other awardees were: SC Stockfarm Inc.’s Oliver Velasquez (Philracom Stakes Races Horse Owner of the Year); the latter’s stable’s Sepfourteen (Top Earning Horse of the Year); Leonardo Javier Jr. (Horse Breeder of the Year); Narciso Morales (Top Earning Horse Owner of the Year); Ruben S. Tupas (Philracom Stakes Races Trainer of the Year and Top Earning Trainer of the Year); Smart Candy tied with Pride of Laguna (Philracom Stakes Races Horses of the Year); O’Neal Cortez (Top Earning Jockey of the Year); Jessie Guce (Stakes Races Jockey of the Year); and the 11th Manila Horse Power Organization Inc. Anniversary Racing Festival (Most Successful Racing Festival of the Year).

Congratulations to all the awardees!

Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo wants to lower the age to nine. The Senate wants to lower it to 12. For the heinous crimes of (1) parricide, (2) murder (3) infanticide (4) kidnapping and serious illegal detention where the victims are killed or raped (5) robbery with homicide or rape or serious physical injuries (6) destructive arson (7) rapes (8) carnapping where the driver or occupant is killed or raped (9) offenses under RA 9165 “Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002” punishable by 12 years imprisonment, the child above nine years of age up to 15 is NOT exempt from criminal liability.

I personally disagree with both the House and Senate moves. Children who are in conflict with the law are not criminals. Our lawmakers and our government should instead focus on the root cause of why youth offenders are on the rise. They should focus instead on addressing poverty and other issues that force children to be in conflict with the law. I agree with Unicef Philippines’s position that these bills lowering the age of criminal responsibility are “an act of violence against children.”

At least 55 percent of Filipinos in a March 2017 survey believe that the MACR should be kept at 15 years old (Rappler.com) I read a post that has become viral.

The following was copied from Patty Sison-Arroyo, a known advocate and currently a member of the Council for the Welfare of Children, an attached agency of DSWD: “Here are the little known consequences of lowering to 9: See “Kapunan,” A7

Opinion BusinessMirror

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Moving forward with Cipag

Climate change is a kind of justice Teddy Locsin Jr.

FREE FIRE

Joel L. Tan-Torres

DEBIT CREDIT Part Two

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HE Filipino Certified Public Accountant continues to be recognized in the global accountancy profession and the local business community. In these two sectors, our CPAs play leading and important roles and responsibilities. For us to maintain and even move forward, we should focus on five priority attributes of compliance, innovation, professionalism, advocacy and globalization, with the appropriate acronym of Cipag.

On the first attribute of compliance, our CPAs should be familiar and disciplined in complying with the many regulatory measures that impact their practice and that of their stakeholders, including their clients, employers, staff and many others.

These regulatory measures include the more common rules and laws on doing business, taxation, auditing, accounting and corporate reporting.

CPAs should also start learning the newer government requirements on data privacy protection, anti-money laundering, corporate governance and fair competition.

The Board of Accountancy had instituted major regulatory programs on the Quality Assurance Program for auditors, the accreditation of CPAs in the various sectors, the imposition of the compilation guidelines, and inspection of establishments were implemented. The BOA had been active in pursuing closer collaboration with the other government regulators, including the Commission on Audit, Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Bureau of Internal Revenue, Anti-Money Laundering Council, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas and other agencies. The CPAs’ professional responsibility is to comply with the relevant issuances issued by the government regulatory rules.

A number of the measures adopted by the BOA were disputed in the judicial courts. In the past recent years, there were four court cases filed against the Professional Regulations Commission and the BOA contesting some BOA regulatory measures. These include: 1. New Excelsior General Merchandising, et. al. docketed as Civil Case 16-137284 of Regional Trial Court (RTC) Manila, on the implementation of BOA Resolution 3-2016 on accreditation of CPAs in commerce and industry and the submission of the compilation

Kapunan. . .

continued from A6

“1. Your child’s misbehavior will become a misdemeanor. hurt someone during rough play = physical injuries take someone else’s things without permission = theft say something bad about another kid = slander break another kid’s gadget = malicious mischief hurt someone by accident = reckless imprudence And the list goes on.

“2. Your child may be arrested on the spot even without a warrant of arrest if your child has just committed, is actually committing, or is attempting to commit a ‘crime.’

“3. Your child may be detained in a detention cell, possibly with adult detention prisoners, if there is no childcaring institution in your locality.

“4. If there is ‘probable cause’ (i.e., it looks like your kid committed the crime), a criminal case will be filed against your child, and your child will have to go to court for trial or ‘diversion’ (an alternative way of finding guilt), which may take years to resolve.

“5. If you’re lucky, the case may end up with a child-friendly court— i.e.,

services certification; 2. SGV case docketed as CA-GR SP 154778 and Civil Case 16-432 of RTC Makati providing for the implementation of BOA Resolution 295, Series of 2015, on the registration and accreditation of all Partners and CPA staff members in partnerships and firms engaged in the public practice of accountancy; 3. Caluya, et. al. docketed as Civil Case 1028 of RTC Caloocan on the Quality Assurance Program; and 4. Dollisen, et. al docketed as CASP 153836 and SCA 16136907 of RTC of Manila on the bridging program offered by Trece Martirez City College and Center of Excellence for Review and Training Services.

The various courts of these cases all ruled in favor of BOA on the legality of the measures adopted by the regulator. It is now incumbent the affected CPAs to comply with these.

It is also noteworthy that CPAs know that the RTC Davao nullified the SEC-imposed mandatory accreditation of CPAs in public practice with its decision on Civil Case R-DVO 15-0229-SC. This case was filed by a group of CPAs based in Davao and the 1Accountants Party-List Inc. Knowing these developments affecting CPAs is the path toward compliance of Cipag. .

Monday, January 28, 2019 A7

Continued from A1

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R. President, Humanity is facing the ultimate challenge to the life of the planet and the penultimate challenge to the survival of mankind: the imminent prospect of ecological collapse. This won’t be another Ice Age in the course of nature but a dead certainty generated entirely by human activity—and inaction. Science proves it. Experience shows it. The increasing ferocity of storms demonstrates its certain advent. Only mumbo jumbo disputes it.

The devastating effects of climate change are suffered the most severely in especially vulnerable countries like mine. Sea levels have risen 60 centimeters—more than three times the global average of 19. This puts 60 percent of localities nationwide at grave risk of flooding and saltwater intrusion. It will require the relocation of 14 million Filipinos.

We have 7,107 beautiful islands; we will have much less.

Not all these losses will be regretted. We have so many islands and maritime features that they defy effective patrolling. They are havens for massive drug trafficking: the scourge of mankind and the death of nations as evident in the desperate flight of populations from narco-states.

Should global warming not be arrested, 98 percent of our coral reefs—rich fields for fishery—will die out by mid-century, becoming extinct by the end of it. To be sure, we would welcome the evaporation of territorial disputes when the reefs

Gig time Siegfred Bueno Mison, Esq.

THE PATRIOT

To be continued

Joel L. Tan-Torre is a Certified Public Accountant who placed No. 1 in the May 1979 CPA Board Examinations. He was the former commissioner of the Bureau of Internal Revenue from 2009 to 2010 and the chairman of the Professional Regulatory Board of Accountancy from 2014 to August 2018. He is a partner of Reyes Tacandong & Co. This column accepts contributions from accountants, especially articles that are of interest to the accountancy profession, in particular, and to the business community, in general. These can be e-mailed to boa.secretariat.@gmail.com

there’s a stuffed toy in the waiting room, some crayons and coloring books, the judge will not put on the black robe, and your kid can testify in front of a video camera from the judge’s chambers right beside the court room.

“6. If your child is convicted, he or she will not be imprisoned but will remain in the custody of a child-caring institution until the court is satisfied that your child has reformed.

“7. After having gone through all of the above, a process which has the potential to destroy the soul and spirit of a full-grown adult, your child will be released back to you.

“Do we really want to subject our children to this?” (posted in Viber).

We hear horror stories about congressmen, senators and public officials stealing billions of our people’s money. They are the true criminals, since public funds which should be devoted to social services, poverty alleviation, education, food, clothing and shelter are siphoned into their private pockets.

Why not focus on sending them all to the gallows?

They have stolen our monies, now they want to call our little children criminals. They are stealing our children’s innocence.

To me, that is the heinous crime.

Shame on all of you!

they concern vanish completely beneath the rising sea, along with the structures built on them. Every cloud has a silver lining.

As Supertyphoon Haiyan powerfully showed, storm surges wipe out coastal communities in a matter of minutes—erasing decades of economic progress and social improvement; leaving perdurable misery in their wake. The 2018 Global Climate Rate Index shows that our country lost an annual average of 1 percent of our GDP in the last two decades.

World Resources Institute predicts the Philippines will experience a “high” degree of water shortage by 2040. Our country ranks 57th among 167 countries most water stressed by then. Agriculture will be all but wiped out.

Climate change has generated civil strife and foreign wars; it will get worse, and there will be more.

A new Dark Age will descend on most of the planet as never before in breadth. And unlike in the past, the darkness will never be lifted.

G

IG, as we know it now, means an event for a musician/ band or, in a more generic sense, some piece of work/job on a temporary or project basis. Having gigs, from time to time, gives workers some kind of refreshing relief from their usual and day-to-day activities in their regular jobs. In my case, my teaching gigs keep me updated with trends in the law. It also gives me the opportunity to interact with future lawyers coming from the millennial generation.

In the Philippine Airlines (PAL), an all female group of millennials has organized a gig every Thursday lunch. This gig, however, was conceptualized not to generate material wealth, as in extra compensation, but to boost spiritual wellness for each participant. For these ladies, GIG stands for Girlfriends in God. The fellowship over lunch break allows participants to share testimonies as to how their trials have turned or

can turn into victory. In the words of one participant Faye, they “talk about God’s forgiveness, favor and, most of all, Jesus.”

These workers from the Human Capital (HC) Department (Patty, Buds, Elkah, Kon, Mitchi, Steph, Donna, Cris and Faye) first met middle of 2017 to read and study the Bible. These millennials were emotionally elated during that first meeting as their individual yet

No age of enlightenment will follow.

Human life won’t be worth living except for brutes. And there are quite a few of those already in countries denying climate change and refusing its challenges.

For less developed countries that trace their condition to the depredations of developed ones, it will be a self-destructive retribution. If all mankind cannot have this planet on the same terms; no part of mankind should. Misery quite rightly craves company. It is a kind of justice.

We must develop better risk assessment and mitigation strategies for climate-related disasters.

Although we emit less than half of 1 percent of global emissions, the Philippines has put itself firmly on the path of low-carbon development. Far better-off societies will not, from greed and self-serving ignorance. But Filipinos are different: Whatever is the right thing for everyone to do, Filipinos will do it; even if no one else does. This is why we were the only country to take in refugees during the Holocaust; and the offer stands for others today.

We have adopted, kept improving and are actually implementing a comprehensive National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Plan. But climate change knows no boundaries and we are, each of us, at the mercy of actions and inaction beyond our borders.

Therefore, stronger synergies among states and deeper international cooperation are imperative.

In 2009 the Asean Agreement on Disaster Management and Emergency Response was adopted. In 2014 the Philippines hosted the Asia-Europe Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction and Management extending collaboration and strengthening coordination. And we are committed to the work of AHA and the

singular collaboration of One Asean, One Response.

Globally we are committed to the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction and above all to the Paris Agreement on Climate Change. We will never see a reason to abandon the latter. In that sense, we share the intelligence of everyone who continues to adhere to it.

Support for developing countries in terms of financing, technology transfer and capacity-building should be strengthened—while respecting the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities.

Mr. President, The climate-driven conflicts and desperate mass population movements we see today are what we will see more of tomorrow. No country will be safe. Some can retreat behind walls, but they cannot thereafter venture beyond them. And sooner or later, the chaos will scale any wall.

Countries of wealth and power may have a brief respite from the final catastrophe, but their lives will be very much diminished.

But those with the intelligence and caring to do something about climate change should not beg for cooperation from those who lack both. In the end we shall have the sad but real satisfaction of a common fate.

But we might suggest that the Security Council chisel the climate change challenge on granite as its first, foremost and last security concern. When the end finally comes and all social bonds are severed, all the conflicts of the past will seem like sports competitions by comparison. And that includes the far more horrendous first two decades of the 21st century; which cannot plead ignorance as an excuse—with the horrors of the 20th still fresh in its mind. Thank you.

innermost prayers were somehow answered. On their own volition and unknown to each other, these ladies fervently prayed to have a venue at work where they can individually encourage and be reminded of God’s love. GIG was thus founded on the desire of some employees to love and be loved in faith. Growing in numbers and gaining traction from other believers in Christ, these ladies invited me to be part of this weekly activity.

In one of the GIG fellowship gatherings, I noticed how bodies and souls were nourished. These Girlfriends in God enter and leave the HC venue with giggling (sic) encouragement at the fact that they are strengthening their own faith and of others out of love for one another.

GIG’s mission statement or petition this year is (1) to shine our light in our workplace, (2) to let God’s love be known especially to leaders in PAL, (3) to have more and regular number of GIG attendees, gentlemen included, and (4) to strengthen GIG’s relationship and to never cease to meet and talk about Him. In the Bible, Matthew 18:20 tells us, “For where two or three gather

in my name, there am I with them.”

When I attended one GIG lunch, I truly felt God’s presence among the participants as I heard powerful and compelling stories of struggles turning into victories. This GIG in the HC Department of PAL will hopefully influence other departments to come up with small groups. Who knows, future GIG can help PAL turn its trials into victories.

Inasmuch as a significant majority of my colleagues in PAL are believers, it would be a matter of time when GIG groups will spread like mushrooms in the forest, that is, effortless and all over. I learned that a few executives already met as a group, similar to GIG, with the hope of spreading His word through lunch fellowship meetings.

In the Bible, Psalm 133:1 says, “How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity!” And one of the strongest unifying forces in PAL and elsewhere in most companies in the Philippines is faith in God. Let’s make more GIG (or BIG for the guys) time at home and at work. This kind of gig is truly refreshing.

Thai property can stay hot in chillier times

By Ronald W. Chan Bloomberg Opinion

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HAILAND’S booming property market is at risk of cooling this year as rampant construction threatens an oversupply of apartments amid increasing global economic headwinds.

The country has been a relative bright spot in an otherwise lackluster Southeast Asian real-estate market. Thai residential property has experienced substantial growth in recent years, much of it fueled by buyers from China, Japan and Singapore. The thriving hospitality sector has also drawn money from foreign and local investors to fund the building of many new hotels and resorts.

Mainland Chinese have poured roughly $10 billion into condos in Thailand over the past three years, helping to drive annual price increases of 20 percent

in major cities such as Bangkok. Japanese investors have spent $8 billion and Singaporean buyers $2 billion.

At a time when Beijing and Washington are still locked in a trade dispute, affluent mainland residents consider Thai real estate a safe place to park their money. Rental yields in Bangkok can be more than 4 percent—far more appealing than socking money away in domestic savings accounts that offer less than 2 percent. Analysts estimate that one out of every five condos in Thailand is sold to a Chinese buyer. As mainland economic forecasts grow stormy, more people are likely to gravitate to a country known in tourist brochures as the “Land of Smiles.”

With Thailand’s benchmark interest rate at 1.75 percent and inflation at about 0.4 percent, developers are able to obtain construction loans at a reasonable cost.

As a result, they are flooding the market with projects. The Bank of Thailand

expressed concern on January 10 that a condo surplus amid a global downturn could adversely affect the Thai economy.

The central bank has tightened mortgage lending rules to tame speculation and the government may take measures to clamp down on excessive construction if the situation worsens.

Moreover, bank representatives are worried that foreign buyers who have already put down a deposit might get cold feet and pull out, leaving properties empty. However, as the Chinese middle class continues to grow and accumulate wealth, the volume of people purchasing should remain steady. Though developers may ease up on new construction projects, demand—especially at the high end—will stay strong among Chinese home buyers.

Tourism, meanwhile, which represents almost one-fifth of Thailand’s economy, will remain robust. The

Tourism Authority of Thailand has predicted 40 million international tourists will flock to the country in 2019. A sizable number are expected to celebrate Chinese New Year there on February 5.

The Thai government recently announced that it expanded its visa-free entry policy through April 30 to include visitors from China. That was partly a bid to entice visitors scared off by the deaths last summer of 47 Chinese tourists after their boats capsized in Phuket. Arrivals from the country dropped an estimated 20 percent after the accident, but the visa waiver alone is expected to boost tourism by 30 percent.

While Thailand’s residential property market may cool slightly, it’s hardly likely to slump. The combination of buoyant tourism and Chinese demand should mean that the market will weather 2019’s dreary global economic forecasts.

2nd Front Page BusinessMirror

A8 Monday, January 28, 2019

www.businessmirror.com.ph

27 killed in twin explosions at Jolo cathedral

A

By Rene Acosta

the cathedral.

As a result, five Army personnel were killed along with 12 civilians.

At least 44 others, including 15 soldiers were also wounded.

Officials did not discount the possibility that the number of casualties could still rise.

The explosions that were believed to have been caused by homemade bombs occurred just as the cathedral was to hold its second Mass for the day.

@reneacostaBM

T least 27 people were killed, including seven soldiers and three police and coast guard personnel, while 77 others were wounded after two successive explosions rocked the Jolo cathedral in Sulu on Sunday morning.

Seven of the dead were Army personnel who were responding to the first blast, said Lt. Col. Gerry Besana, spokesman of the Armed Forces Western Mindanao Command.

Defense, military and police officials quickly condemned the twin bombings which came just days after the first phase of the plebiscite for the Bangsamoro Organic Law, wherein Sulu was the only province that registered a “no”—meaning, it wanted to be excluded from the coverage of the BOL. The second phase of the plebiscite will be held on February 6.

The BOL, which was signed by President Duterte last year, seeks

No word on culprits

“I have directed our troops to heighten their alert level, secure all places of worships and public places at once, and initiate proactive security measures to thwart hostile plans.”—Lorenzana

to end the decades-long conflict in Mindanao.

Besana and police officials said the first explosion happened inside the Roman Catholic cathedral at Barangay Walled City, Jolo at past 8 a.m. and was immediately followed by another blast at the entrance of

IN this photo provided by the Western Mindanao Command of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, a soldier views the site inside a Roman Catholic cathedral in Jolo, the capital of Sulu province, after two bombs exploded on Sunday, January 27, 2019. The Philippine government says it will “pursue to the ends of the Earth the ruthless perpetrators” behind bomb attacks that killed 27 people during a Sunday Mass at a cathedral on the restive southern island. WESMINCOM ARMED FORCES OF THE PHILIPPINES VIA AP

INVESTIGATORS refused to identify the groups behind the twin bombings, as well as the bombs that were used as investigation is continuing.

“We strongly condemn the bombing at the Jolo cathedral in Brgy.

Walled City, Jolo, Sulu, at 8:15 a.m. today just before the start of the Holy Mass that killed and wounded soldiers and civilians,” said Defense Secretary Delfin N. Lorenzana.

“I have directed our troops to heighten their alert level, secure all places of worships and public places at once, and initiate proactive security measures to thwart hostile plans,” he added.

Continued on A2

Tax on imports to go if cement prices rise EX-HANJIN WELDERS CASUALTY OF U.S. BAN ON PHL WORK VISAS C

By Elijah Felice E. Rosales @alyasjah

EMENT manufacturers were required by the gover nment to keep their prices below P225 per bag, or else the provisional tax on imports will be lifted.

Trade Secretary Ramon M. Lopez said the government can remove the safeguard duty on imported cement should local prices breach the price cap. The Department of Trade

and Industry (DTI) will maintain a price cap on cement to ensure there is sufficient supply while the provisional import duty is in place.

The prevailing price of cement in December of last year will be the basis for the price cap, Lopez told the BusinessMirror.

“We are asking them to use [their] December pricing. If prices generally go up, we can suspend the safeguard,” Lopez said.

In a document obtained by the BusinessMirror, prices of local

TAIL-END OF A COLD FRONT AFFECTING MINDANAO NORTHEAST MONSOON AFFECTING LUZON AND VISAYAS as of 4:00 am - January 27, 2019

cement in Metro Manila range from P220 per 40-kilogram bag to P225 per bag last December.

Holcim-Excel, Republic and Mayon were priced at P225 per bag, while Rizal and Advanced Eagle were sold at P220 per bag in Metro Manila. Prices, however, were lower in Cebu and Davao, but higher in La Union.

December per-bag prices of Apo were at P203 in Cebu and P205 in Davao; Holcim-Excel at P245 in La Union, P195 in Cebu and P220 in

Davao; Republic at P235 in La Union, P185 in Cebu and P212 in Davao; Northern at P245 in La Union; and Mindanao at P165 in Cebu.

Under the DTI’s Department Administrative Order 19-02, an import duty of P210 per metric ton was imposed on cement. The protectionist measure will take effect for a period of 200 days, 15 days after the publication of the DTI order in two newspapers of general circulation.

See “Cement,” A2

Andaya prods Senate to open budget bicam to the public

By Jovee Marie N. de la Cruz @joveemarie

A

S the leadership of the lower chamber wants to increase the budget for some agencies, the House of Representatives said the Senate should agree to open to the public the bicameral conference committee hearing on the proposed P3.757-trillion General Appropriations Act for 2019.

In a statement, House Committee on Appropriations Chairman Rolando G. Andaya Jr. said all amendments to the proposed budget must be discussed in the bicameral conference and must be known to the public.

“If we don’t see it in the bicam, it’s pork. If we don’t approve it in the bicam, then it’s also pork,” he added.

The Senate and the House will resume bicameral session on the proposed 2019 national budget at 10 a.m. on Monday at the Manila Polo Club.

“The bicam technical working group has prepared the matrix, which shows the differences in the Senate and the House versions. This will be the baseline of our discussion,” Andaya said. “ The House contingent will request the senators to open the bicam discussion to the public. We stand firm in our earlier position to allow the media to cover the bicam proceedings,” he added.

House Speaker Gloria MacapagalArroyo on Sunday asked the bicameral conference on the proposed 2019 budget to increase the budget for the Department of Health by P10 billion to improve health facilities and to retain more health personnel.

F

ILIPINO welders rendered jobless with the closure of Hanjin Shipyard in Zambales and who were about to be deployed by the Department of Labor and Employment to the United States were unable to proceed following the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) ban on H2A and H2B visa.

Included in the ban are Filipino students performing on-the-jobtraining (OJT) at major US hotels.

Citing industry sources, recruitment and migration consultant Emmanuel Geslani said highly skilled Filipino welders from Hanjin Shipyards, numbering in the hundreds, were laid off due to the shipyard’s declaring bankruptcy.

“These Filipino welders were already recruited for a pipeline project in Houston, Texas, by one of the largest oil companies in the world but because of the ban on H2B visas, they were not allowed to go to the US,” Geslani said.

Geslani said the high-paying jobs may instead go to India.

“These are highly experienced welders, but the closure of business at Hanjin had forced them to look for other overseas destinations,” he noted. The ban announced last week effectively closes the door for the welders, including many graduating college students from top tourism, culinary and hotel management colleges and universities in the Philippines, he said. He added these students are top candidates to undergo OJT training in many hotels in the US mainland.

He said the decision of the Department of Homeland Security was prompted by the Philippines labor attaché in the US “who wrote a letter to the DHS

Outlook. . .

Continued from A1

“As the economic cycle cools, it’s clear that business globally won’t have it as good as they did in 2018.

However, with the IMF [International Monetary Fund] predicting global economic growth of 3.7 percent, predictions of a recession are the exception rather than the rule,”

questioning the allowances, living quarters and work conditions of the OJT students.”

The DHS has stopped issuing the visa while looking into allegations of slave-like conditions.

The labor consultant said the Filipino OJT students do not pass through the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) and are given by the US Embassy a different visa unlike the H2B visa for workers who have to present work contracts for their Overseas Employment Certificates.

Meanwhile, he said Filipino workers will still be allowed to enter Guam where there is a massive construction boom by the US Armed Forces in preparation of the transfer of 30,000 troops and their families from Okinawa.

The construction entails new roads, buildings, barracks, a larger base hospital, and new runways at Andersen Air Force Base, where some Filipino construction workers can fit in. The H2B visas have been the ticket to bringing in hundreds of workers from the Philippines for construction jobs and for certain workers in the health-care field to Guam. H2A visas are for agricultural workers.

As of 2017, total deployment of Filipino workers to the US base in Guam was 1,902, according to Geslani. Geslani noted that the propensity of Filipinos to “overstay” with their H2B visas in Guam is one of the main reasons the DHS recommended the ban.

“Many of them do not return to the Philippines when the time for them to return expires and they end up as tago-ng-tago [always hiding] workers in the USA.” Recto L. Mercene

Lagerberg argued.

She added tensions will ease soon and the global economy will “return to normality with more balanced and sustainable growth for economies.”

The Grant Thornton survey tallied the views and expectations of more than 5,000 business leaders across 35 economies, including the Group of 20. The poll covered 73 respondents from the Philippines.

Editor: Efleda P. Campos

Companies BusinessMirror

Monday, January 28, 2019

B1

DOE wants plan before Malampaya maintenance

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By Lenie Lectura

@llectura

HE Department of Energy (DOE) is asking the operator of the Malampaya gas facility to come up with a contingency plan prior to the plant’s maintenance shutdown in October to avoid a spike in power rates.

“Late November last year, I asked Undersecretary Donato Marcos to write Shell and ask for the maintenance schedule of Malampaya for 2019. We don’t like to be surprised again. They said it would be in October this year,” Energy Secretary Alfonso G. Cusi said.

“What preparatory measures will be undertaken? Will there be fuel for plants dependent on Malampaya? I told the Service Contract 38 consortium, ‘Don’t we produce condensate?’ and they said yes. So, why don’t they prepare for it now?” he asked.

NGCP defers IPO

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HE National Grid Corp. of the Philippines (NGCP) is seeking deferment of the public offering of its shares.

The NGCP is required to comply with the statutory requirement to make a public offering of at least 20 percent of its outstanding capital stock as mandated by Section 8 of its charter, Republic Act 9511, signed into law last December 1, 2008. It had 10 years or until last year within which to comply.

Energy Secretary Alfonso G. Cusi said the government was contemplating on participating on the supposed public offering.

“Let’s say there will be a pubic offer the government can buy and we could have sat on the board. That’s an option available to the government and all of us,” Cusi said.

In a filing with the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC), NGCP cited the pending arbitration case it initiated against the Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corp.

(PSALM) and the National Transmission Corp. (Transco) before the Singapore International Arbitration Centre as reason to postpone its initial public offering (IPO).

The grid operator said the pending case would adversely affect its IPO plans as this may have a “speculative effect on the valuation of NGCP’s shares.” It said an unfavorable arbitral award would likely pull down the market value of NGCP’s shares.

The NGCP is requesting the IPO be postponed until after arbitration proceedings are terminated.

The NGCP cited the absence of regulatory revenue for the 4th Regulatory Period (2016 to 2020) due to the deferment of the regulatory reset. This delay, it said, may affect the valuation of its shares since potential investors do not have visibility as to its future earnings.

The NGCP won the concession to operate and manage the grid system in December 2007 for $3.95 billion.

Transco still owns the assets. It is only the NGCP that operates the country’s power transmission network for 25 years. The parties are in a dispute involving, among others, P57.88-billion prepayment of concession fees in July 2013. At the time of NGCP’s prepayment, there was still an unpaid concession fee amounting to P3.9 billion. Lenie Lectura

A source from Shell confirmed a scheduled maintenance shutdown (SMS) in the fourth quarter of the year that will last less than a week.

“We want to make the shutdown duration as short as possible to minimize the impact on the natural gas supply. This shutdown is relatively short compared to previous ones,” the source said.

SC 38 was awarded to the Malampaya consortium that operates the Malampaya Deep Water Gas-toPower project, a joint undertaking

of the Philippine government and the private sector.

The project is developed and operated by SPEX (Shell Philippines Exploration B.V) with a 45-percent stake on behalf of joint-venture partners Chevron Malampaya Llc.— also with a 45-percent stake—and PNOC-EC (Philippine National Oil Co.-Exploration Corp.), which holds the remaining 10 percent.

The gas facility fuels the following gas plants: the 1,000-megawatt Santa Rita, the 500-MW San Lorenzo, the 1,200-MW Ilijan, the 97-MW Avion and the 414-MW San Gabriel.

Malampaya has been providing a stable supply of energy, meeting 40 percent of Luzon’s power needs.

In previous maintenance shutdowns, the plant uses alternative fuel to continue operation and generate electricity. However, this is more expensive than natural gas. Natural gas as fuel only costs around P4 per kWh, while replacement fuel, such as diesel, costs around P6 to P8 per kWh. The DOE is seeking other alter-

natives that do not involve shifting from a cheaper source of fuel to a more expensive one.

Unlike the Ilijan plant, the other gas plants can use condensate to keep the plants running during the Malampaya shutdown.

“So that there will be no interruption, what’s in the contract? We are just looking forward to what can happen and what can be done,” Cusi said.

The Shell source said that as per contract agreements with gas-plant customers, Malampaya is allowed to do scheduled maintenance shiutdowns without any obligation to supply alternative fuel.

“Since we have advised our customers and the DOE early, hopefully they are preparing early also such as already sourcing their backup fuel,” the source added.

This year’s Malampaya SMS will cover technical work at offshore platform (West Philippine Sea) and at onshore gas plant (Batangas); repair of equipment; installation of critical spare parts; and check of instrumentation and controls.

Protest brewing vs proposed SMC projects in Quezon

By John Bello Correspondent

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UCENA CITY—A protest rally is brewing against the Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP) resolution approving several development projects of San Miguel Corp. (SMC) in Pagbilao and Sariaya, Quezon.

Fr. Warren Puno, director of Ministry of Ecology at the Diocese of Lucena; and Jay Lim, constituency building program director of Tanggol Kalikasan, have filed at the SP a manifesto expressing the opposition of the church and several nongovernmental organizations against the SP resolution approved on December 17.

Rushel Jusi Cabana, an employee from the Records division of SP, received the manifesto on January 18, for inclusion in the agenda of the SP’s regular session.

“It is sad that our elected officials themselves—our representatives at the Sangguniang Panlalawigan and even the governor—appear to side with big corporations like SMC instead of protecting the rights of

the residents who elected them to power,” the letter-manifesto, signed

by Puno, said in Filipino.

The manifesto added the SP did not give the local communities a forum such as a public hearing to express their opposition. It also asked the SP members headed by vice governor and presiding officer Samuel Nantes if they adequately deliberated on the issue which the SP approved in SP resolution 2018847, “expressing the full support of the provincial government of Quezon by approving the list of proposed projects of SMC in the province and interposing no objection to its implementation and operation.”

Ramon Ang, president and COO of SMC, has written Gov. David Suarez with the list of projects and requested the latter to facilitate the favorable endorsement and approval by the SP. The proposed projects to be established in Pagbilao include the 2-milllion tons per year cement plant with Co-gen plant, up to 1.200-megawatts CFB power plant (clean coal technol-

ogy), deep sea port, all with the proposed location in Barangay Ibabang Polo; dressing plant, slaughterhouse, ready-to-eat (RTE) plant to be located in Barangay Ilayang Palsabangon; logistics center and quarry to be located in Barangay Ilayang or Ibabang Palsabangon and Barangay Ilayang Bagumbungan.

Those to be set up in Sariaya include a tank farm, brewery, feedmill and cement grinding plant, pier and port facilities all proposed to be located in Barangay Castañas or Barangay San Roque Guisguis.

There will also be proposed access road and site development and relocation/resettlement sites for target areas in both towns.

The move was initiated by SP member Ferdinand Talabong and unanimously seconded by his colleagues. The resolution cited for its reason that “the establishment and development of various industries and businesses will provide employment and additional revenue that would accelerate and ensure the growth of the province and directly benefit the people of Quezon.”

EDC continues ₧10-M rehab of wetland in Boracay

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OPEZ-LED Energy Development Corp. (EDC) is on its second year of implementing a P10-million rehab work program of its adopted wetland in Boracay island.

“The first-year spending is P3 million for planting, signage, walkway and view deck. For this year, our target is to have a tourist info center for around P3 million,” said Allan V. Barcena, EDC Corporate Social Responsibility head.

The EDC adopted the 7.79-hectare Wetland No. 2, one of the nine wetlands in the island identified by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources where environmental rehabilitation is needed.

It is developing Wetland No. 2 into the Boracay Wetland Conservation Park (BWCP) to serve as an arboretum for threatened nativetree species under the Binhi refor-

estation and greening initiative.

The project was inaugurated in October 2018, coinciding with the island’s reopening.

Just southwest of Diniwid beach is a brackish water swamp that has been turned into a construction dump over the years.

In support of the government’s continuous rehabilitation efforts as well as to further stimulate ecotourism, EDC has entered into a partnership with the DENR to bring the geothermal energy leader’s flagship environmental program Binhi to Boracay.

“Our agreement with DENR is to rehabilitate the area in three years then turn it over to the DENR which will then manage it together with the LGU [local government unit].

The BWCP is a three-year project.

We plan to invest P10 million during this period,” added Barcena.

The EDC is the largest diversified renewable-energy firm in the country, with installed total capacity of 1,456.8 megawatts (MW) of purely renewable energy. Binhi is the company’s forest-restoration program that prioritizes the propagation of 96 identified rare and threatened native-tree species.

Now on its 10th year, the Binhi program has reforested 9,196 hectares across EDC’s geothermal sites in Leyte, Bicol, Negros Oriental and North Cotabato. Additionally, to help further propagate these native-tree species, Binhi now has 162 partners across 16 regions in the country.

As of 2018, Binhi has effectively helped EDC attain a carbon-negative status. In its sustainability report, EDC’s geothermal reservations have effectively absorbed 970,472 tons of carbon dioxide. Lenie Lectura

Labor group proposes settlement options to protect Hanjin workers

By Roderick L. Abad @rodrik_28 Contributor

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HE Bukluran ng Mangagawang Pilipino (BMP) said the government should place the welfare of the displaced workers of heavily indebted Hanjin Heavy Industries and Construction Philippines (HHIC-Phil) above other considerations.

The BMP expressed fear on Saturday that a takeover by the state of the shipyard only to sell it to local and foreign investors may result in not rehiring tenured employees and forcing them to accept a partial settlement of their money claims.

BMP Chairman Leody de Guzman recommended settlement options in the Hanjin case in favor of the affected work force and the national economy.

The ideal scenario, he said, would be a government takeover for the nationalization of Hanjin and for workers’ control of its operations.

“By doing so, we not only prevent massive job displacement but more so, the country could gain an essential requirement in the industrialization of the local economy,” he said.

“Workers could do a better job at administering plant operations, which was appalling for the past 13 years as it incurred numerous occupational deaths and workplace accidents,” he added.

Employees’ control is also costeffective because it cuts down the perks and benefits given o middle managers, he noted.

“It is in the interest of the former Hanjin workers to revitalize the company by increasing productivity and by cutting down unnecessary costs. Nationalization is, likewise, better if the corporate board in a state-owned company would forego of their hefty bonuses and salaries,” the labor leader said.

De Guzman said billions of pesos in royalties paid back to Hanjin’s mother company in Korea could also be tapped to help elevate the workers’ living standards and to expand on related-industries for national industrialization.

The group came up with the proposal following Budget Secretary Benjamin E. Diokno’s revelation of the government’s openness to the bailout idea and that it may lend funds coursed through the Land Bank of the Philippines or the Development Bank of the Philippines to interested foreign firms.

“The government should learn from its sorry lessons in Hanjin, which enjoyed billions in tax incentives and yet, continued to pay their workers starvation wages,” he added.

In view of HHIC-Phil’s sudden bankruptcy and closure, the labor chairman and senatorial aspirant from Partido Lakas ng Masa called for the quick review of tax and labor policies in special economic zones.

Based on documents obtained by the BMP, Hanjin paid taxes amounting to P4.65 billion or an average of P387.5 million annually, from 2007 to May 2018. This is a “tiny fraction compared to its profits,” the labor group said.

The export and import value of HHIC in 2017 alone reached $1.25 billion and $388 million, respectively, or P51.25 trillion and P19.4 billion at 50 to a US dollar.

The BMP expects the government to propose a private-public partnership to run the shipyard.

“They may argue that we lack the state funds for a complete takeover of the HHIC. For the workers, this option could only be a permissible compromise provided their rights are not sacrificed to entice the entry of a private investor,” de Guzman said.

Here are the conditions: Affected workers receive their separation pay in full from their former employer; workers should be automatically rehired without loss in seniority rights in whatever course the government takeover will take; the immediate return of the 3-percent bond, which were deducted by HHIC from workers’ wages; issuance of an unemployment subsidy to cover the basic expenses of the workers and their families as they await the reopening of the shipyard under new management; granting of an extension and reconsideration of the workers’ housing loans under Pag-IBIG at the Hanjin Village; workers representation in the management committee, which would decide for the liquidation of HHIC and the transfer of the ownership; and guarantee that these demands are set in a legally binding agreement between all the parties involved.

De Guzman said these demands are pushed by the Hanjin workers themselves and shows the decades of experience by the labor movement, where displaced workers were the last to benefit during bankruptcy and closure despite the Labor Code provision that labor should be paid first before the suppliers and creditors of an insolvent firm.

Last January 8, HHIC-Phil filed for insolvency before the court in Olongapo due to liquidity problems to repay its debts. This move was to seek protection from local banks that lent the Korean shipbuilder loans amounting to about $400 million and South Korean lenders that lent it another $900 million. With Henry Empeño

Companies BusinessMirror

Monday, January 28, 2019

B2

78% rise in 4G use noted in Smart telco network

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MART Communications Inc. has noted an uptick on 4G-capable devices within its network, with a senior official citing the company’s partnerships with smartphone manufacturers as the main driver for the increase.

Mario G. Tamayo, the company’s senior vice president for network planning and engineering, said the number of LTE-capable devices within Smart’s network grew by 78 percent annually, while those that

Davao City govt, biz want flight to Japan-Davao

By Manuel T. Cayon @awimailbox

Mindanao Bureau Chief

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AVAO CITY—The city government here and the Davao City Chamber of Commerce and Industry are negotiating with an airline company to field a direct flight to Japan, citing increasing frequency of inquiries among Japanese business groups on investment prospects here.

Lemuel Ortonio, head of the City Investment and Promotion Center, confirmed talking with an airline company he said had earlier indicated interest in mounting that flight in late 2017. He said the city government held a series of meetings with the Japanese counterpart, who also expressed the desire to mount a direct flight from Davao to Japan.

Japanese tourists were second in the number of foreign nationals visiting this city. Last year, they logged 12,800 visits, second to US nationals with 21,324 visits. Chinese nationals were third, with 10,827.

Ortonio said that aside from Japanese tourists, several potential investors have explored Davao City.

“This will be a gateway for the investors to explore the city and eventually invest here,” he said.

“There are already a few Japanese investors, who look at the potential of Davao City in the agriculture and tourism aspects, but the scope can still be widened if we will push through with the Davao-to-Japan direct flight,” Ortonio said.

receive LTE-Advanced (LTE-A) signals also rose by 72 percent.

“Alongside our accelerated network rollout, we are also partnering with device manufacturers to help our customers access capable devic-

es, in order to take full advantage of the network that we are putting in place,” he said.

So far, Smart has partnered with Samsung, Oppo and Starmobile to get more affordable 4G handsets out in the market. High-end devices such as Huawei Mate 20, iPhone XS and Samsung Galaxy Note 9 can also receive 4G signals.

“Today, the quality of customer experience dependent not only on the network but also on the devices being used by our customer. To fully utilize the network we are rolling out—whether it’s LTE, LTE-A today or 5G in the future—it is important for customers to adopt the devices that can fully tap the network’s ca-

STOCK-MARKET OUTLOOK LAST WEEK

SHARE prices closed slightly higher last week, but trading was lackluster as volume slid despite the announcement of the country’s economic performance for 2018.

The benchmark Philippine Stock Exchange index (PSEi) gained 6.08 points to close at 8,053.2 points.

“After several exciting weeks, the PSE had a boring one as it traded sideways on low volumes. Our market did better than equities markets in the west as it ended the week above with a slight positive bias above 8,000,” said Christopher Mangun, research head at Eagle Equities Inc. The market traded within 7,900 and 8,100 the whole week, and even the country’s gross domestic product of 6.1 percent for the fourth quarter of 2018, which fell below analysts’ forecast, failed to excite investors to trade.

Trading volume fell to an average of P6.09 billion for the whole week, but foreign investors were still net buyers at P3.05 billion.

All other subindices ended mixed, but the biggest loser was the Mining and Oil sector that fell 365.41 points to 8,456.36; the broader All Shares index was up 48.7 to 4,853.62; the Financials index rose 9.11 to 1,824.74; the Industrial index gained 127.61 to 11,778.46; the Holding Firms index declined 75.6 to 7,927.59; the Property index shed 4.15 to 4,013.2; and the Services index climbed 20.87 to 1,581.

For the week, gainers trailed losers 107 to 119, and 21 shares were unchanged.

Top gainers were Premiere Horizon Alliance Corp., PAL Holdings Inc., Keppel Philippines Properties Inc., Liberty Flour Mills Inc., PTFC Redevelopment Corp., and F and J Prince Holdings Corp. A. Top losers were Xurpas Inc., MJC Investments Corp., Benguet Corp. A, Global Ferronickel Holdings Inc., Crown Equities Inc., and BDO Leasing and Finance Inc.

THIS WEEK

SHARE prices may continue their sideways movement this week, though there may be some buying activity as investors may fill up their portfolio ahead of the Chinese New Year break from February 4 to 10.

“The coming week will mark fund managers’ month-end portfolio closing for January,” broker 2TradeAsia said.

“Some will heed for 2019’s fiscal budget approval, ahead of the local congressional session on February 9 adjournment,” it said Meanwhile, Mangun said the main index is already up 7.8 percent for the month, and even if it drops between 1 percent and 2 percent during the week, it will still end as one of the best months the PSEi had for a while.

“However, if we see a pickup of trading volumes and foreign inflows, it may just defy gravity and break through resistance at 8,100 and perhaps end the month as one of the best in history,” he said.

STOCK PICKS

TRADER Regina Capital and Development Corp. gave a buy recommendation, especially during price dips on the stock of Metro Pacific Investments Corp. (MPIC).

“MPIC finally found the bottom of its sell-down at P4.86, witness how the stock has used that support to propel itself upward again. The sell-down is following MPIC’s attempt to breach the 5.08 resistance level. After three failed attempts, the stock has since fallen into a strong sell-off. Currently, the stock was sold down toward a weak interim resistance at P4.99,” it said.

It added its technical indicators showed it remains high on bullish ground.

MPIC’s shares closed on Friday at P4.95.

It gave a sell recommendation during rallies on the stock of LT Group Inc. (LTG), whose share price is currently on the rise after bouncing from its P14.63 support level “The concern now is how strong the bullish momentum for LTG will be, in order to breach weak interim resistance as it goes back toward the strong resistance of P16.07, its 50-day moving average,” it said.

The trend will likely push LTG higher until its resistance price of P16 per share is established near-term, it said.

LTG shares closed at P15.06 apiece last week. VG Cabuag

pabilities,” Tamayo noted.

He observed Smart has increased its 4G base stations in the Philippines by 65 percent as of last year, and has already fulfilled its commitment to the National Telecommunications Commission to cover at least 90 percent of cities and municipalities in the country with 4G signals.

“These continuous network improvements are part of our nationwide efforts to provide world-class mobile Internet connectivity for our customers, who need it to stay in touch with their families, boost their businesses on social media or access other important online services such as banking and shopping,” Tamayo said. Lorenz S. Marasigan

OTC to fast-track approvals process for PUV program

By Lorenz S. Marasigan @lorenzmarasigan

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HE Office of Transportation Cooperatives (OTC) is committed to hasten the approvals process for transport cooperatives applications to further fast-track the implementation of the government’s Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program (PUVMP).

OTC Chairman Medel H. Afalla said his group will now conduct a bimonthly review of the applications filed to his office, in response to Transportation Secretary Arthur P. Tugade’s order to expedite the approvals process.

“We recognize the important role of cooperatives in the success of the PUVMP. We will work on this, and we will waste no time,” he said.

As this developed, the same office approved 36 new transport cooperatives, increasing the number of consolidated transport groups to 681.

“The increasing number of transport cooperatives qualified to participate in the implementation of the PUVMP is testament that the PUVMP is very much alive,” Tugade said. “We want these transport cooperatives to become highly competitive business organizations with stable livelihoods.”

The Philippines is in the middle of the implementation of a six-year PUV-modernization plan, which aims to replace old jeepney units with low-emission and fuel-efficient vehicles to help reduce air pollution and provide better transportation means for commuters. Aside from the consolidation of fleets, the modernization agenda aims to effect a transition from current vehicles plying the road to “high-quality public-transit requisites.”

The transportation department listed these items as follows: “higher capacity vehicles, low-emission vehicles, fleet consolidation, reformed business model and an effective information-technology system.”

Initial benefits of the program to commuters are easier access to public transport due to an expanded network that connects different routes and establishments, and the availability of “more reliable” public transportation means.

Also included in the program are the reduction of the amount of carbon footprint that the Philippines produces annually, and the education of drivers to improve their driving methods and techniques.

Editor: Efleda P. Campos

PSE STOCK QUOTATIONS

January 25, 2019

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

ASIA UNITED 59.6 59.7 58.2 59.6 58.2 59.6 15000 880000 BDO UNIBANK 135.2 136.5 135.2 137.9 135.1 136.5 3289600 449168188 BANK PH ISLANDS 91.15 91.4 92.95 93.6 91.05 91.15 1959530 179995914.5 CHINABANK 27.95 28 28 28 27.85 27.95 62300 1743365 EAST WEST BANK 12.52 12.56 12.5 12.68 12.44 12.56 832000 10462580 METROBANK 82.9 83.35 84 84.3 82.7 83.35 1530920 127594347.5 PB BANK 12.52 12.68 12.42 12.7 12.42 12.5 72200 909556 PBCOM 20.5 21 23 23 21 21 1900 43080 PHIL NATL BANK 43.9 44.5 44 44.5 43.9 44.5 175000 7702150 PSBANK 60.15 60.25 59.75 60.3 59.75 60.25 12870 772961.5 RCBC 26.85 27 27 27 26.75 26.8 5300 141950 SECURITY BANK 174.2 174.9 178.4 178.4 174.2 174.2 156920 27618739 UNION BANK 64.5 64.55 64.55 64.55 64.35 64.5 34200 2203752.5 BRIGHT KINDLE 1.48 1.5 1.54 1.54 1.41 1.5 489000 711910 BDO LEASING 2.17 2.23 2.15 2.17 2.13 2.17 53000 113790 COL FINANCIAL 16.2 16.5 16.48 16.5 16.2 16.5 156700 2584482 FERRONOUX HLDG 4.78 4.86 4.7 4.88 4.65 4.86 202000 968900 FILIPINO FUND 8.01 8.92 7.58 8 7.58 8 800 6148 MEDCO HLDG 0.45 0.47 0.445 0.45 0.445 0.45 150000 67000 NTL REINSURANCE 1.06 1.07 1.06 1.08 1.02 1.07 2141000 2265640 PHIL STOCK EXCH 181 184.5 185 186 180 184.5 2980 545595 SUN LIFE 1800 1810 1800 1800 1800 1800 1250 2250000

INDUSTRIAL ALSONS CONS 1.36 1.4 1.4 1.4 1.36 1.4 40000 54520 ABOITIZ POWER 37.7 38 37.25 38.1 37.25 38 1615300 61234230 BASIC ENERGY 0.238 0.245 0.245 0.246 0.245 0.246 140000 34410 FIRST GEN 20.45 20.5 20.55 20.75 20.5 20.5 1800600 37021210 FIRST PHIL HLDG 74.45 74.7 75 75.5 74.4 74.45 30550 2284819 MERALCO 371 372 380 380 370.2 372 219380 81980892 MANILA WATER 27.1 27.45 27.3 27.5 27.1 27.1 633300 17366135 PETRON 7.8 7.81 7.85 7.86 7.78 7.8 3576100 27947681 PETROENERGY 3.64 3.72 3.72 3.72 3.63 3.63 210000 767250 PHINMA ENERGY 1.29 1.3 1.29 1.31 1.27 1.3 22260000 28819430 PH RESORTS GRP 6.8 6.82 7.5 7.93 6.8 6.8 10829200 79384130 PHX PETROLEUM 10.7 10.8 10.86 10.9 10.7 10.7 7000800 74918250 PILIPINAS SHELL 47.1 47.4 47.4 47.45 47 47.1 348200 16427325 SPC POWER 6.25 6.4 6.4 6.4 6.22 6.4 78000 494564 AGRINURTURE 16.06 16.18 16.16 16.3 16.02 16.2 631600 10235422 CENTURY FOOD 15.72 15.9 15.92 15.94 15.88 15.9 463100 7365896 DEL MONTE 6.41 6.67 6.4 6.42 6.4 6.4 44200 283695 DNL INDUS 11.66 11.68 11.66 11.76 11.54 11.68 5477900 63684668 EMPERADOR 7.43 7.55 7.5 7.51 7.4 7.43 1680200 12583466 SMC FOODANDBEV 94.35 94.45 92 94.5 92 94.45 611420 57543440 ALLIANCE SELECT 1.02 1.03 1.02 1.05 1.01 1.02 5827000 5995200 GINEBRA 27 27.75 27 27.95 27 27.85 1699800 46741615 JOLLIBEE 322.6 323.6 315.8 325 315.8 323.6 383120 123568078 LIBERTY FLOUR 38 57.5 53 53 53 53 1430 75790 MACAY HLDG 10 10.5 10.98 10.98 10 10 22100 221298 MAXS GROUP 12.36 12.48 12.52 12.66 12.36 12.36 379600 4736592 MG HLDG 0.176 0.181 0.18 0.18 0.18 0.18 80000 14400 PEPSI COLA 1.38 1.4 1.4 1.42 1.38 1.4 7150000 9985540 SHAKEYS PIZZA 12.02 12.04 12.06 12.06 12 12.02 40900 491254 ROXAS AND CO 1.87 1.89 1.91 1.91 1.85 1.89 227000 426440 SWIFT FOODS 0.125 0.126 0.126 0.126 0.126 0.126 10000 1260 UNIV ROBINA 149.3 149.5 149 149.8 147.8 149.3 2186330 326410452 VITARICH 2.11 2.12 2.09 2.12 2.09 2.12 8925000 18854900 VICTORIAS 2.36 2.4 2.4 2.4 2.36 2.36 30000 71200 CEMEX HLDG 2.32 2.33 2.38 2.43 2.32 2.32 15457000 36506900 DAVINCI CAPITAL 6.11 6.24 6.24 6.24 6.11 6.12 42300 258716 EAGLE CEMENT 15.62 15.8 15.8 15.8 15.58 15.8 177100 2784918 EEI CORP 8.15 8.18 8.35 8.35 8 8.18 400100 3268450 HOLCIM 6.34 6.35 6.37 6.45 6.32 6.34 473300 3004603 MEGAWIDE 18.08 18.1 17.9 18.38 17.72 18.1 7704000 139024312 PHINMA 9.1 9.29 9.3 9.3 9.1 9.1 3200 29180 TKC METALS 0.96 0.97 0.96 0.97 0.92 0.97 1175000 1112860 VULCAN INDL 1.55 1.57 1.59 1.6 1.55 1.55 4942000 7772240 CHEMPHIL 133.3 140 133.1 140 133.1 140 260 35296 CROWN ASIA 1.73 1.79 1.78 1.79 1.72 1.79 158000 276270 MABUHAY VINYL 3.1 3.14 3.14 3.14 3.1 3.1 13000 40670 CONCEPCION 41.2 41.4 41.5 41.5 41.4 41.4 1400900 57997370 GREENERGY 2.18 2.22 2.25 2.26 2.18 2.18 5229000 11585780 INTEGRATED MICR 11.8 11.9 12.04 12.12 11.7 11.8 1555500 18468894 IONICS 1.71 1.74 1.79 1.79 1.68 1.74 296000 504800 PANASONIC 5.87 6.12 6.14 6.14 6.13 6.13 10400 63842 SFA SEMICON 1.37 1.44 1.36 1.48 1.35 1.47 251000 343360 CIRTEK HLDG 30.25 30.9 30.75 30.9 30.1 30.9 170000 5191360

HOLDING & FRIMS ABACORE CAPITAL 0.66 0.67 0.66 0.68 0.65 0.66 14797000 9809030 ASIABEST GROUP 26.2 26.45 26.45 26.55 25.9 26.45 68400 1786870 AYALA CORP 921 921.5 917 926.5 915.5 921.5 818100 752709625 ABOITIZ EQUITY 62.3 64.4 67 67 62.3 62.3 2428360 157080978 ALLIANCE GLOBAL 14.36 14.38 14.24 14.4 14.2 14.38 6339900 90965098 ANSCOR 6.5 6.55 6.55 6.55 6.55 6.55 3000 19650 ANGLO PHIL HLDG 0.75 0.8 0.8 0.8 0.8 0.8 1000 800 ATN HLDG A 1.44 1.45 1.48 1.48 1.44 1.45 6139000 8877740 ATN HLDG B 1.44 1.45 1.47 1.47 1.44 1.44 3735000 5416270 COSCO CAPITAL 7.45 7.48 7.49 7.49 7.46 7.46 1088700 8128180 DMCI HLDG 12 12.1 12 12.12 12 12 2095900 25234840 FILINVEST DEV 12.2 12.46 12.34 12.62 12.2 12.48 534200 6688874 FORUM PACIFIC 0.215 0.227 0.217 0.227 0.213 0.227 210000 45220 GT CAPITAL 1020 1030 1040 1049 1020 1020 42745 44066250 HOUSE OF INV 5.95 5.98 5.98 5.98 5.93 5.95 4800 28628 JG SUMMIT 64.1 64.65 66.5 66.7 64 64.65 1303080 84470481 JOLLIVILLE HLDG 5.51 5.8 5.6 5.83 5.6 5.8 44600 259360 LODESTAR 0.62 0.63 0.64 0.64 0.6 0.63 108000 66570 LOPEZ HLDG 5.48 5.49 5.5 5.6 5.47 5.49 747400 4121448 LT GROUP 15.64 15.66 15.5 15.66 15.48 15.66 1951700 30487200 MABUHAY HLDG 0.59 0.6 0.6 0.61 0.58 0.59 1107000 651640 METRO PAC INV 4.94 4.95 5.01 5.02 4.93 4.95 11079000 54941600 PACIFICA 0.04 0.041 0.041 0.042 0.04 0.041 36400000 1491800 PRIME ORION 2.42 2.43 2.5 2.5 2.42 2.43 398000 978050 PRIME MEDIA 1.16 1.23 1.24 1.24 1.16 1.16 69000 81280 REPUBLIC GLASS 2.55 2.66 2.6 2.6 2.56 2.56 17000 43640 SOLID GROUP 1.34 1.35 1.38 1.38 1.33 1.35 681000 922710 SYNERGY GRID 455 465 465 465 465 465 300 139500 SM INVESTMENTS 989 990 990 995 978 989 419830 415741655 SAN MIGUEL CORP 168.5 169.5 170.5 172 168 168.5 519830 87791228 SOC RESOURCES 0.81 0.82 0.81 0.82 0.81 0.82 35000 28400 TOP FRONTIER 262.2 276.8 275 277 275 277 3710 1020290 WELLEX INDUS 0.246 0.25 0.247 0.255 0.245 0.25 1890000 465030 ZEUS HLDG 0.221 0.228 0.227 0.228 0.227 0.228 60000 13660

PROPERTY ARTHALAND CORP 0.97 0.98 0.88 0.98 0.88 0.97 7907000 7462600 AYALA LAND 44.6 44.65 44.35 44.9 44.2 44.6 8118100 361233315 ARANETA PROP 1.67 1.7 1.67 1.67 1.66 1.67 19000 31650 BELLE CORP 2.48 2.49 2.5 2.52 2.41 2.48 3372000 8316600 A BROWN 0.81 0.82 0.81 0.82 0.81 0.81 857000 698620 CITYLAND DEVT 0.87 0.89 0.87 0.89 0.86 0.89 72000 62220 CROWN EQUITIES 0.237 0.24 0.234 0.242 0.234 0.24 4260000 1020680 CEBU HLDG 6.12 6.3 6 6.3 6 6.3 21100 128530 CEB LANDMASTERS 4.2 4.26 4.23 4.28 4.2 4.26 484000 2057480 CENTURY PROP 0.47 0.48 0.455 0.485 0.45 0.475 46760000 22149000 CYBER BAY 0.375 0.395 0.375 0.395 0.375 0.395 770000 295150 DOUBLEDRAGON 20.75 20.8 20.45 20.95 20.45 20.8 341700 7096005 DM WENCESLAO 8.67 8.8 8.84 8.88 8.67 8.67 108800 949238 EMPIRE EAST 0.5 0.51 0.52 0.52 0.5 0.5 216000 108750 EVER GOTESCO 0.118 0.125 0.119 0.119 0.118 0.118 160000 19030 FILINVEST LAND 1.51 1.52 1.54 1.57 1.52 1.52 10997000 16892680 GLOBAL ESTATE 1.17 1.18 1.17 1.19 1.17 1.18 433000 507770 8990 HLDG 8.73 8.75 8.7 8.78 8.55 8.78 616800 5375250 PHIL INFRADEV 2.42 2.44 2.45 2.52 2.36 2.44 26018000 63755750 CITY AND LAND 0.79 0.8 0.8 0.8 0.8 0.8 73000 58400 MEGAWORLD 5.24 5.26 5.29 5.29 5.2 5.26 10302500 54177376 MRC ALLIED 0.42 0.43 0.42 0.43 0.42 0.43 13040000 5537450 PHIL ESTATES 0.46 0.465 0.465 0.465 0.465 0.465 60000 27900 PRIMEX CORP 3.3 3.33 3.19 3.3 3.19 3.3 233000 757000 ROBINSONS LAND 22.85 23 22.95 23.4 22.75 23 1466500 33773410 PHIL REALTY 0.41 0.425 0.41 0.425 0.41 0.425 210000 86250 ROCKWELL 1.95 2 1.99 2 1.95 2 316000 621980 SHANG PROP 3.1 3.13 3.12 3.12 3.1 3.1 188000 584510 STA LUCIA LAND 1.34 1.37 1.37 1.37 1.34 1.37 383000 520110 SM PRIME HLDG 39.5 39.9 39.65 39.9 39.5 39.9 8382300 333068035 STARMALLS 5.94 6 6.1 6.1 5.89 5.94 401200 2382409 SUNTRUST HOME 0.71 0.73 0.73 0.73 0.73 0.73 1000 730 PTFC REDEV CORP 44.15 50 43.75 55 43.75 50 13000 654585 VISTA LAND 5.87 5.9 5.97 5.97 5.86 5.9 5257200 31019779

SERVICES ABS CBN 24.8 24.95 24.9 25.15 24.75 24.95 190300 4748400 GMA NETWORK 5.72 5.73 5.76 5.76 5.72 5.73 137600 790101 GLOBE TELECOM 2100 2120 2100 2130 2092 2120 43830 92760250 PLDT 1325 1328 1286 1329 1285 1328 254160 335327540 APOLLO GLOBAL 0.039 0.04 0.04 0.04 0.04 0.04 3100000 124000 DFNN INC 6.71 7.38 7.1 7.4 7 7.39 50400 353920 ISLAND INFO 0.123 0.125 0.121 0.125 0.12 0.125 5780000 698020 ISM COMM 5.97 5.98 6.12 6.15 5.65 5.98 11894600 70490740 NOW CORP 3.63 3.65 3.8 3.84 3.63 3.63 2986000 11144220 TRANSPACIFIC BR 0.45 0.455 0.445 0.46 0.44 0.455 38870000 17635150 PHILWEB 3.07 3.11 3.12 3.16 3.06 3.11 1244000 3843010 2GO GROUP 13.9 13.92 13.5 14 13.5 13.9 70300 970558 CEBU AIR 85.7 85.75 84.05 85.8 84.05 85.7 391320 33386124.5 CHELSEA 6.52 6.56 6.58 6.6 6.4 6.52 1064300 6924651 INTL CONTAINER 107.5 107.7 106 108 106 107.5 2336400 251038317 LORENZO SHIPPNG 0.8 0.83 0.8 0.81 0.8 0.81 45000 36330 MACROASIA 18 18.04 17.94 18.14 17.9 18 1022200 18444438 METROALLIANCE A 2.19 2.2 2.48 2.48 2.15 2.19 2222000 4963210 METROALLIANCE B 2.08 2.45 2.2 2.5 2.08 2.08 42000 94740 PAL HLDG 13.94 13.96 16 16.38 13.94 13.94 1611900 23404738 HARBOR STAR 2.99 3.03 2.99 3.05 2.99 3.03 699000 2097900 ACESITE HOTEL 1.33 1.38 1.39 1.39 1.39 1.39 1000 1390 BOULEVARD HLDG 0.053 0.055 0.053 0.055 0.052 0.053 22040000 1192580 WATERFRONT 0.7 0.71 0.69 0.71 0.69 0.7 3252000 2277130 CENTRO ESCOLAR 7.76 7.99 7.65 8 7.65 8 300 2365 FAR EASTERN U 890 950 893 893 893 893 600 535800 IPEOPLE 10.66 11.16 11.16 11.16 10.64 10.64 200 2180 STI HLDG 0.75 0.76 0.75 0.76 0.75 0.75 3135000 2359050 BERJAYA 3.02 3.03 3.08 3.1 3 3.01 1623000 4901860 BLOOMBERRY 10.4 10.5 10.8 10.8 10.4 10.4 5728200 60260906 PACIFIC ONLINE 9.47 9.79 9.51 9.51 9.47 9.5 17100 162317 LEISURE AND RES 3.26 3.32 3.36 3.38 3.26 3.26 307000 1020640 PREMIUM LEISURE 0.89 0.9 0.88 0.9 0.87 0.9 13970000 12435010 TRAVELLERS 5.8 5.81 5.5 5.84 5.49 5.81 1452200 8107854 METRO RETAIL 2.66 2.7 2.66 2.7 2.65 2.7 1580000 4214980 PUREGOLD 44.9 45.5 45.5 45.8 44.9 44.9 2097500 95422705 ROBINSONS RTL 85 85.5 85.5 86 84.05 85 690360 58682226 PHIL SEVEN CORP 117 121 121.5 121.5 117 117 930 110790 SSI GROUP 2.42 2.43 2.37 2.5 2.37 2.43 10623000 25911990 WILCON DEPOT 13.2 13.3 13.18 13.36 12.96 13.2 1580800 20928336 APC GROUP 0.445 0.455 0.44 0.455 0.44 0.455 1010000 446650 EASYCALL 16.3 16.6 15.88 17.98 15.88 16.6 1044800 17652292 GOLDEN BRIA 349 350 344 355 332 349 6820 2380566 IPM HLDG 7.23 7.25 7.22 7.23 7.22 7.23 7900 57078 PAXYS 3.33 3.67 3.56 3.67 3.38 3.67 37000 126220 PRMIERE HORIZON 1.05 1.06 0.89 1.08 0.86 1.05 387522000 382778140 SBS PHIL CORP 8.19 8.2 8.41 8.55 8.12 8.19 1556200 12767191

MINING & OIL APEX MINING 1.56 1.59 1.57 1.61 1.56 1.59 1878000 2961820 ABRA MINING 0.002 0.0021 0.0021 0.0022 0.0021 0.0021 198000000 416600 ATLAS MINING 2.84 2.85 2.82 2.87 2.8 2.85 338000 958110 CENTURY PEAK 2.03 2.05 2.03 2.03 2.03 2.03 117000 237510 DIZON MINES 7.76 7.92 7.8 7.91 7.77 7.91 500 3905 FERRONICKEL 1.48 1.49 1.46 1.51 1.43 1.49 3874000 5729460 GEOGRACE 0.217 0.222 0.22 0.221 0.218 0.221 70000 15390 LEPANTO A 0.119 0.122 0.125 0.125 0.118 0.119 2780000 338190 LEPANTO B 0.121 0.129 0.129 0.129 0.129 0.129 10000 1290 MANILA MINING A 0.0075 0.0077 0.0075 0.0076 0.0075 0.0076 8000000 60300 MARCVENTURES 1.15 1.19 1.19 1.2 1.18 1.19 83000 99100 NIHAO 1.1 1.15 1.17 1.17 1.1 1.15 656000 744810 NICKEL ASIA 2.5 2.52 2.42 2.52 2.41 2.52 2906000 7230190 OMICO CORP 0.67 0.69 0.67 0.67 0.67 0.67 1000 670 ORNTL PENINSULA 0.97 0.98 0.96 0.99 0.96 0.98 310000 300200 PX MINING 3.9 3.91 3.9 3.98 3.83 3.9 1736000 6766370 SEMIRARA MINING 23.05 23.15 23.15 23.5 23.05 23.05 1357700 31422820 UNITED PARAGON 0.0071 0.0075 0.0069 0.0075 0.0069 0.0075 13000000 95600 ORNTL PETROL A 0.012 0.013 0.013 0.013 0.012 0.012 27900000 351300 ORNTL PETROL B 0.012 0.013 0.013 0.013 0.013 0.013 30000000 390000 PHILODRILL 0.012 0.013 0.013 0.013 0.012 0.013 74500000 964500 PHINMA PETRO 3.66 3.74 3.77 3.77 3.74 3.74 3000 11250 PXP ENERGY 15.06 15.08 14.92 15.1 14.88 15.06 349600 5241484

PREFFERED HOUSE PREF A AC PREF B1 AC PREF B2 ALCO PREF B DD PREF SMC FB PREF 2 FGEN PREF G GLO PREF P GTCAP PREF B LR PREF MWIDE PREF PNX PREF 3A PCOR PREF 2B SMC PREF 2B SMC PREF 2C SMC PREF 2E SMC PREF 2G SMC PREF 2H SMC PREF 2I

95.05 472 498 100.5 98 980 103 453.2 899 1 101.2 99.75 1015 74.9 76 72.55 73 73.5 73

PHIL. DEPOSITARY RECEIPTS ABS HLDG PDR

21

1.91

SMALL & MEDIUM ENTERPRISES ITALPINAS 4.82 XURPAS 1.31

119.4

-341010 -31800 -16878365 5059262.5 12009168 3177300 2529865 2751902 -5363130 7866505 38844111 1052491 -4526668 -600 7509710 -41000 10560 212989985 -14865483 -137500 -16660 54263845 -467829.9998 -1367960 -1484100 -3950 1665305 -304567 -3598970 68501 4353150 11412932 21300 12161460 9930 197248625 -15316989 18876900 160897885 -3129684 -906910 -2266100 -1652040 128800 15256814.5 460560 10453980 3942306 32696 -183720 540 -84670 8920 -37434708 3792 6620 -339530 -3367379 -15177715 24503420 -59200 1497920 -6601172 -1515230 -67180 -816600 2207830 1080540 -7249110 -387400 -838530

95.2 472 498 101 98 980 102.5 480.4 900 1.01 100.6 100 1010 75.25 76.3 72.55 73.5 73.75 73.35

95.2 474.8 498 101 98.5 980 102.5 480.4 900 1.01 101.2 100 1020 75.25 76.3 72.55 73.5 73.75 73.35

95 472 498 101 98 980 102 480.4 900 1 100.6 100 1010 75.2 75.5 72.5 73 73.75 73.3

95 472 498 101 98.5 980 102 480.4 900 1 101.2 100 1020 75.2 75.5 72.5 73 73.75 73.3

4420 130 1000 1000 430 1200 9000 500 80 204000 2750 4800 280 1010 20200 1000 52790 10000 20800

419942 61416 498000 101000 42301 1176000 918340 240200 72000 204140 278074 480000 283000 75952.5 1528041 72510 3862733 737500 1525145

-4720 -3936 20500 -240200 29000 30000 -1512781 -

21.1

20.1

21.15

20.1

21.1

592200

12,329,565(

2,335,384.9997)

1.95

1.91

1.96

1.9

1.96

149000

285180

-

4.84 1.32

4.86 1.45

4.88 1.48

4.78 1.31

4.82 1.31

435000 28204000

2101300 38546360

1082110

EXHANGE TRADE FUNDS FIRST METRO ETF

34663355 20065275 -164628.5 -11351664 -468270 -2518478 18250 -13382150 -2162838 -73900100 -1350720 -8946 1117298 3262106 279215 -13235680 7993247 33417652 42000 46372980 74894874 -1587004 -558280 24120 96752945 471350 -7877270 928650 -33400 1375102 4078691.9998 919.9999 -57600 -90060 66110 -21980 -256680 1007070 1899184 -1323280

96 473 499 103 98.5 989 103.5 496.8 900 1.01 101.4 100 1120 75.2 76.5 73.95 74.5 73.75 73.35

WARRANTS LR WARRANT

-59600 106638319 -33756591 -543205 -2870460 6980235.5 5374340 9276392 -900016.5 93500 -286918 -

119.5

119.9

120

119.5

119.5

14360

1722381

714520

Banking&Finance BusinessMirror

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Reform State Audit Code, lawmaker urges A LAWMAKER has filed a resolution urging the JointLegislative Executive Development Advisory Council (Ledac), national government agencies, local government units (LGUs) and the Commission on Audit to convene within this year a Government Auditing Reform Summit.

In House Resolution 2441, Rep. Juliette T. Uy of Misamis Oriental called for reforms in the State Audit Code of the Philippines by amending Presidential Decree (PD) 1445 of 1978.

Uy, a vice chairman of the House Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship Development, said the widespread, profound changes in auditing, finance, technologies make updating of the auditing code necessary.

“In the 41 years since PD 1445 took effect and 32 years from the time EO [Executive Order] 292 became law, there have been profound and widespread changes in the conduct of government auditing worldwide and in the fields of operations management, management science, organizational development, and business practices which have bearing on how government agencies and other institutions are designed and operate,” Uy said.

“The fields of accounting, auditing, finance, communication and information technologies have continually changed how government agencies and other institutions are built and function,” she added.

According to Uy, “changes and innovations since 1978 have also transformed and upgraded the standards

and expectations of the citizenry as regards the quality, efficiency, effectiveness, integrity and swiftness of public services rendered by national and local governments.”

She added the modernization of government auditing throughout the country needs cross-sectional and multisectoral inputs and deliberation involving national government agencies, LGUs, governmentowned or -controlled corporations, civil-society institutions and international observers.

Uy said the proposed summit would consist of multiple, multisectoral, in-depth sessions supported by intensive technical and research analyses, for the purpose of crafting a draft comprehensive bill to reform, update and futureproof the conduct of State Audit in the Philippines.

The State Audit Code of the Philippines, also known as the Government Auditing Code of the Philippines, became law in 1978 as PD 1445. It established the basic design, architecture, policies and processes that govern the operations and functions of the Commission on Audit (COA).

According to Uy, PD 1445 was later amended by the Administrative Code of 1987, which came in the form of EO 292 issued by thenPresident Corazon C. Aquino who also possessed legislative powers at that time.

Then in 1987, the new Constitution affirmed the status of the COA as an independent Constitutional Commission, she added. Jovee Marie N. dela Cruz

GSIS to lend P36.9M for drought-hit Marinduque

T

HE Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) said it has earmarked P36.94 million in emergency loan for its 1,228 active members who were affected by drought in Santa Cruz, Marinduque.

The loan application deadline is February 9.

A total of 609 active members in the calamity areas who have no existing emergency loan may apply for a P20,000 loan. A total of 619 members who have not yet fully paid their emergency loan may apply for an amount of P40,000, from which the outstanding balance will be deducted.

Qualified borrowers are active members who are working or residing in the said areas, are not on leave of absence without pay, have no arrears in paying monthly mandatory life insurance or social insurance premium contributions and have no unpaid loans for more than six months. They should also have a minimum net take-home pay of P5,000 after monthly premium contributions and loan amortizations have been deducted.

Active members may apply through the GSIS Wireless Automated Processing System kiosk located in all GSIS branch and extension offices, provincial capitols, city halls, selected municipal offices and government agencies such as the Department of Education. Applications could also be filed at select shopping malls.

The GSIS said the emergency loan is payable in 36 equal monthly installments at 6-percent interest per annum. It is covered by a loan redemption insurance, which deems the loan fully paid in case of the borrower’s demise, provided that loan repayment is up to date.

Loan proceeds are electronically credited to the borrower’s GSIS electronic card or unified multipurpose identification card.

I

B3

Govt tax holiday incentive snubbed by garment firms

T

By Samuel P. Medenilla @sam_medenilla

WO years on but the government’s tax holiday offered to garment firms still has no takers, according to the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE).

Launched in 2017 in an attempt to revive the local garment’s industry, the Joint Order of the DOLE and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) provides for dutyfree access to exported products from labor law-compliant and qualified garments firm as provided by the General System of Preference (GSP).

To qualify for the incentive, interested companies must be accredited by the DTI’s Accrediting Board (DAB) based on the recommendation of the Workers’ Rights Review Committee (WRRC).

“We still have not received any applicants [for the program],” Labor Assistant Secretary Benjo M. Benavidez told the BusinessMirror in an interview.

Before a company is given the necessary certification by the WRRC, a company must be found to be compliant with all labor-

related laws and regulations including those on contractual employment and occupational safety.

Complete guidelines

BENAVIDEZ said they are still identifying the reasons for the lukewarm reception of the program. He said a factor they are considering is the lack of internal rules guidelines of the program, which was issued in October last year.

The set of internal rules is a separate issuance from the implementing rules and regulation (IRR) of the program, which was already issued in 2017.

“The internal r ules contains [the guidelines] for setting up the meetings and conducting

Health-care fund at risk sans tobacco-tax hike

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EMBER S of fiscal policy think tank Action for Economic Reforms (AER) are warning that “without the additional funds from alcohol and tobacco taxes, the people will not receive the promised benefits of Universal Health Care (UHC).”

In a statement, the AER said it is appealing to Sen. Juan Edgardo M. Angara, chairman of the ways and means committee, to pass the bill increasing sin taxes in the senate before the session takes a break for the elections.

The 2019 budget for health in the senate is P172 billion or only P1 billion higher than the health budget in 2018, Jo-Ann Diosana, fiscal policy team coordinator and a trustee of AER, explained.

“We are alarmed of the marginal health budget increment when the UHC intends to increase the number of health-care workers, expand PhilHealth membership and give primary care outpatient benefits to all Filipinos,” Diosana said.

Senate President Vicente C. Sotto III was quoted earlier as citing the resources for UHC include existing sin tax incremental revenue for health and subsidy for Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (premiums of sponsored members. Resources also include the existing budget of the Department of Health (DOH), 40 percent of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) charity fund, 50 percent of the national government share of Pagcor earnings and PhilHealth premium contributions.

According to Diosana, the first three

items in the list are actually overlapping.

The DOH declared that the total budget need for the UHC on the first year of its implementation is P257.5 billion pesos.

“It is really crucial that Senator Angara spearheads the passage of the increase in sin taxes,” Diosana said. “The P172-billion health budget for 2019 will be augmented only by the P17 billion pooled from PCSO and Pagcor, which is not exactly new money. These agencies have been using this for their own health programs that are consolidated under the UHC.” According to the annual report of PhilHealth, a total of P57 billion was collected from the premium contributions of nonsponsored members in 2017. The DOH reported that they expect to collect P60 billion premium contributions for 2019.

Overall, they see the shortfall in funding at P40 billion.

“If Angara will not be able to get the bill out of the committee and approved in the plenary before the session breaks in February, the Duterte administration has very little additional money for UHC implementation this year,” Diosana said.

She added that new sin tax measures have to be filed again in the House of Representatives next Congress, “considering the legislative calendar and the elections this year.”

“Goodbye to the hiring of new healthcare personnel to take care of the primary care, outpatient benefit package for PhilHealth members,” Diosana said. “And who do we think are responsible for all these?

It’s up to the people to decide in May.”

Indonesia scouts for investment targets for $8-B Hajj fund NDONESIA is seeking new avenues to deploy a part of its $8-billion Hajj funds.

But there’s a catch—potential suitors need to be Shariah compliant.

The government agency managing the Hajj fund in the world’s largest Muslimmajority country has accumulated 111 trillion rupiah ($7.9 billion) as the waiting list to make the holy pilgrimage for applicants stretches to 15 years, according to official data. With the cost of subsidizing the trip rising every year, the agency is exploring ways to generate higher returns, according to Beny Witjaksono, a

Monday, January 28, 2019

member of the board of Badan Pengelola Keuangan Haji.

The agency’s ability to boost returns is crippled by a law curbing direct investment to 20 percent of the corpus, forcing it to mostly park the money with the banks and in sukuk. As Indonesia offers limited Shariah investment opportunities, the agency is exploring opportunities overseas, Witjaksono said.

“Why do we need direct investments?

Because the return rate in Islamic bonds is limited,” Witjaksono said. “We have the potential to reach 10-percent direct invest-

ment, but it’s unlikely for us to execute all of those in pipeline this year.”

Badan Pengelola’s direct investments include a small stake in PT Bank Muamalat Indonesia, an Islamic bank, an agreement with state energy firm PT Pertamina on discounted jet-fuel price for Hajj flights and a $270-million investment deal with national carrier PT Garuda Indonesia.

The agency recently inked a 300-billionrupiah deal with a catering service near Mecca and is exploring partnerships with accommodation providers or hotels in Saudi Arabia. Bloomberg News

the quorum [among the pertinent agencies] to implement it,” Benavidez said.

He hopes some companies would finally avail themselves of the program this year.

“We will be conducting orientations about the program, but even those who will not attend could avail of it [as long as they are qualified],” Benavidez said.

The DOLE’s latest JobsFit 2022 report has identified the manufacturing sector as one of the keyemployment generators in the next three years.

“The planned revival of the manufacturing sector aims to generate more than half a million jobs, coming from the government identified priority sectors, namely electronics, food processing, automotive, chemicals, iron and steel and garments,” the JobsFit report said.

Last year around 8.8 percent or about 3.6 million of the 41 million workers came from the manufacturing sector. This is higher than

recorded 3.4 million workers in the same sector in 2017.

Implementable by March

MEANWHILE, Benavidez said they are targeting to release the IRR for the recently signed Republic Act (RA) 11165 or the telecommuting law during the first quarter of the year.

With the publication of the law last week, he said the DOLE could finally start the drafting proper of the law’s IRR, which will include the industries which the legislation will cover.

Under RA 11165, the DOLE will have 60 days from the laws effectivity to release its IRR. “Our marching orders from the [Labor] Sec. [Silvestre H. Bello III] is to release it within 45 days.

We could do that...the law would probably take effect by March,” Benavidez said.

R A 11165 institutionalizes the voluntarily work-from-home scheme with the permission of their employers.

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Green Monday BusinessMirror

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

Community seed banks create tomorrow’s biodiversity Edens

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Story & photo by Michael A. Bengwayan

ontrary to scientific perception that high-tech gene banks hold the future of flora in its vaults, tomorrow’s plants for food and medicine are in jars in many obscure rural villages globally, awaiting their turn to be planted for humanity’s needs.

Gene banks, especially those of international research agencies under the Rome-based Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research and the giant profit-oriented seed companies, hold most seeds of the world.

CGIAR has 15 member-agencies.

As climate change worsens and threatens flora, especially of food crops of millions of people today, and worse, the future, scientists are scrambling to collect and save seeds, many of which are nearing extinction.

Seeds in farmers hands

But this is easier said than done.

Farmers’ distrust and suspicion of scientists’ motives remain fresh after years of biopiracy that saw thousands of traditional food varieties lost as genetically tinkered varieties took over farms in Asia, Africa and South America.

When researchers usually from transnational companies take, use and profit from biological resources and traditional knowledge without permission, or exploit the cultures from less affluent countries or marginalised people, it is called biopiracy.

“It is not surprising,” said chief agriculturist Pandey Napradeyah of Bharatiyah Agro-Industrial Foundation (BAIF), a peoples’ r ural dev velopment group of scientists in India.

“For too long, local rice, other cereals, vegetables and spices were lost through the false promises of the Green Revolution. What did not disappear due to the onslaught of laboratory-bred varieties suffered from the effects of dangerous chemicals,” he continued. This author visited the BAIF headquarters in Pune, Maharahstra.

Traditional crop biodiversity have, for centuries, been selected by farmers for the seeds’ unique suitability to local growing conditions, making scientists claim they are more likely to adapt to changing climatic conditions.

The scientific community intends to put its hands on some of these. The Global Crop Diversity Trust recently approved millions of US dollars to fund the global seed collection effort.

Thousands of local and heirloom food-crop varieties are in farmers’ hands mostly treasured through home and community seed banks.

Community-based seed banking

Home and communit y-based seed banks are seed-saving initiatives that have existed in many countries around the world since farming was discovered by man.

Broadly speaking, community seed banks are local, mostly informal institutions whose core function is that of collectively maintaining seeds for local use Napradeyah elaborated: “They are usually part of farmers’ informal seed systems, in which the various stages of seed management—selection, conservation, exchange and improvement—

take place. The drivers underlying their establishment, evolution and sustainability vary considerably. [They are] mostly set up following a famine, drought or flood and the accompanying loss of local seed supplies.”

The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization’s (Unfao) Second Report on the State of the World ’s Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture acknowledged the relevance of community seed banks.

Unfao said, “ These act as platforms of community-based management of agricultural biodiversity that can ensure effective implementation of farmers’ rights through the recognition of local knowledge of agricultural biodiversity, participation in decisionmaking concerning its conservation, benefit sharing and the existence of a supportive policy and seed regulatory framework.”

Historically, community seed banks existed some 3,000 to 5,000 years ago. Biblical scholars studying the seven years of famine in Egypt during Joseph’s time said: “During the good years, the crops were excellent, and appear to have given more than double the harvest of a normal year. That would mean that even with Joseph’s 20-percent tax, each farmer would have 160 percent of the grain from a normal year. If they sold all of their regular harvest, that still leaves 60 percent for them to do with as they please, including saving seeds for future planting in their homes and communities.”

This belies some in the scientific community who claim community seed banks first appeared toward the end of the 1980s, established with the support of international and national nongovernment organizations.

Community Seed Banks by Ronnie Vernooy, Pitambar Shrestha and Bhuwon Sthapit say countries that pioneered various types of community seed banks include Bangladesh, Brazil, Ethiopia, India, Nepal, Nicaragua, the Philippines and Zimbabwe.

In the Global North, a particular type of community seed bank emerged known as a seed-savers network. Such networks were first established in Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom and the United States before spreading to other countries.

Over time, the number and diversity of seed banks have grown.

In Nepal, for example, there are now more than 100 self-described community seed banks whose functions range from pure conservation to commercial seed production.

In Brazil, community seed banks operate in various regions of the country.

Microcenters of biodiversity

In Bolivia, of the 4,500 potato varieties grown in South America, 1,000 to 3,290 varieties are found in its farmers’ hands. The great diversity of potatoes have survived eight millennia because of the life

A su-ulan, or rice storage, hangs over the hearth in the kitchen in the Cordilleras.

and culture of the Andean farmers and communities that grow the crop.

Ximena Cadima of the Proinpa Foundation, a farmers’ organization, said the diversity of Bolivian potatoes was and still is being conserved in situ (in the original place) under traditional farming systems in specific geographic areas known as “microcenters of biodiversity.”

Much of the diversity has been collected and conserved ex situ (off site) by Proinpa, integrating it in situ, combining the knowledge generated by farmers’ experiments with traditional knowledge of farming communities, Cadima revealed.

This has resulted in: n Community empowerment as local farming families are able to appreciate the value and uniqueness of their agricultural biodiversity; n Increased awareness as more sensitive social environments are being created that are open to conservation of agricultural biodiversity; n Strengthening of farming systems as the traditional ones reintroduce native potato varieties in farms where the varieties were lost; and n Create new markets as new initiatives link farmers to markets.

In the Wello region of Ethiopia, a farmer-run initiative, Ethno Organic Seed Action (Eosa), ensures seed-supply system enabling food security through reliable access to planting materials.

Regissa Feyeessa, Eosa president, said, “Our community-based seed banks for sorghum constitutes the sorghum bread basket of Ethiopia. It is hard to imagine that drought and famine devastated our regions. But over time, we developed a comprehensive approach that empowered farmers.”

“Community seed banks have been the key part of this strategy,” she added beaming, recalling Eosa’s experiences.

In Eosa’s communit y seed banks, farmers maintain the collection of germplasm. Each family contributes a share of seed, which is used to establish a “revolving seed fund” that involves a broad set of crops and varieties.

The fund consists of a seed and grain reserve that is dynamically linked to farmers’ fields.

Families can borrow seeds from the fund, plant it in their fields and return it with interest at the end of each cropping season.

This reliable point of access to diverse crops and varieties decreases the vulnerability of the entire community to genetic erosion, pests and diseases, and the increasingly extreme weather patterns brought about by climate change, Feyeessa explained.

The community seed banks provide areas for farmers’ experimentation, farmer-scientist collaboration and other activities aimed at increasing productivity of farmers without compromising local crop diversity.

Traditional practices endure

In the Cordillera region of the Philippines, home seed and community seed banking is as old as time.

The most popular traditional way of saving seeds is the su-ulan rice storage. Almost all farming homes in the Cordillera have a su-ulan, a structure where rice harvest for food and planting is stored and protected from rat, pest, fungus or mold infestation through smoke emanating from a hearth. It is usually over the hearth in the kitchen.

The traditional su-ulan does not only preserve, store and protect rice harvests but also corn, rootcrops and legumes.

The su-ulan system keeps the seeds dry, thereby stymying seed respiration and transpiration and prevents moisture from settling on the seeds, which usually is the cause of fungal and mold infestation.

Tried, tested and proven for centuries, it is the most effective traditional and effective seed conservation so far for grains, cereals, legumes and spices in this part of the country.

This and many more indigenous biodiversity approaches of local peoples deserve attention. Surpringly, community seed banks have rarely been the subject of systematic scientific enquiry. It is time they are given a second look.

Bengwayan has a masters degree and PhD in development studies and environmental resource management from University College Dublin, Ireland, as a European Union fellow. He is currently a fellow of Echoing Green Foundation in New York.

Japan whalers plans to resume commercial hunt on July 1

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OKYO—Japanese whalers discussed plans last Thursday to resume their commercial hunting along the northeastern coast on July 1, for the first time in three decades.

Their preparation follows Japan’s decision in December to leave the International Whaling Commission (IWC), abandoning decades-long campaigning in hopes of gaining support within the organization that has largely become a home for conservationists.

The Fisheries Agency said whalers in six Pacific coast towns, including Taiji, which is known for dolphin hunts, were expected to bring five vessels to form a joint fleet beginning on July 1, one day after Japan formally withdraws from the IWC. Taiji is leading the effort as a traditional whale town and will contribute one vessel to the fleet that will catch minke whales. Exact locations and hunting plans will be decided based on results of research operations planned by the end of June, said Shigeki Takaya, a Fisheries Agency official in charge of whaling.

Catch quota and hunting schedule are yet to be decided. Japan’s national broadcaster NHK said the coastal whaling will start from Hachinohe in northern Japan, or Kushiro, a main whaling hub farther north, on the island of Hokkaido.

Each vessel would then head southward to Chiba, near Tokyo, while making several stops along the coast before heading back to Kushiro for more hunts later in the year, NHK said.

Experts are deciding the sustainable catch quota using the IWC method. Japan plans to remain as observer of the IWC. While conservationists criticize Japan’s

move, whalers’ scope of operation would be much smaller than previous research hunts and would save hundreds of whales that Japan used to catch in distant seas.

Japan will stop its much-criticized hunts in the Antarctic, where it had conducted what it called research hunts since the IWC imposed moratorium in the 1980s.

At its peak, Japan caught as many as 1,200 whales in the Antarctic, but has increasingly cut back on its catch in recent years as international protests escalated and whalemeat consumption slumped at home.

Japan has hunted whales for centuries, but its Antarctic expedition began after the US postwar occupation in 1946 approved it to get protein from whale meat as cheaper alternative to other meat.

Records of parliamentary debate from that time show no reference to Japanese culture being linked to whaling. Today, conservative lawmakers, including Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, promote whales not only as delicacy but as Japan’s cultural heritage.

Fisheries officials plan to start with a modest plan to carefully gauge a market size, a former IWC negotiator, Hideki Moronuki, said.

Fisheries officials say Japan today annually consumes about 5,000 tons of whale meat from the research hunts, mainly by older Japanese seeking a nostalgic meal. It’s a fraction of the country’s whale-meat supply of about 200,000 tons before the IWC moratorium.

Critics say they doubt commercial whaling can be a sustainable industry because younger Japanese may not view the animals as food. AP

Iran’s parched lands hollowed by water pumping now sinking

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EHRAN, Iran—Fissures appear along roads while massive holes open up in the countryside, their gaping maws a visible sign from the air of something Iranian authorities now openly acknowledge: The area around Tehran is literally sinking.

Stressed by a 30-year drought and hollowed by excessive water pumping, the parched landscape around Iran’s capital has begun to sink dramatically.

Seen by satellite and on foot around the city, officials warn that what they call land subsidence poses a grave danger to a country where protests over water scarcity already have seen violence.

“Land subsidence is a destruc tive phenomenon,” said Siavash Arabi, a measurement expert at Iran’s cartography depar tment. “Its impac t may not be immediately felt like an earthquake, but as you can see, it can gradually cause destructive changes over time.”

He said he can identify “destruction of farmland, the cracks of the earth’s surface, damage to civilian areas in cities, wastewater lines, cracks in roads and damages to water and natural gas pipes.”

Tehran, which sits 1,200 meters above sea level against the Alborz Mountains on a plateau, has rapidly grown over the last 100 years to a sprawling city of 13 million people in its metropolitan area.

All those people have put incredible pressure on water resources on a semi-arid plateau in a country that saw only 171 millimeters of rain last year.

Over reliance on ground aquifers has seen increasingly salty water pumped from below ground.

“Surface soil contains water and air. When you pump water from under the ground surface, you cause some empty space to be formed in the soil,” Arabi told The Associated Press.

“Gradually, the pressure from above causes the soil particles to stick together and this leads to sinking of the ground and formation of cracks.”

Rain and snow to recharge the underground aquifers have been in short supply. Over the past decade, Iran has seen the most prolonged and severe drought in more than 30 years, according to the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization.

An estimated 97 percent of the country has faced some level of drought, Iran’s Meteorological Organization says.

That has caused the sinkholes and fissures now seen around Tehran.

Iranian authorities say they have measured up to 22 centimeters of annual subsidence near the capital, while the normal range would be only as high as 3 centimeters per year.

Even higher numbers have been measured in other parts of the country. Some sinkholes formed in western Iran are as deep as 60 meters.

Those figures are close to those found in a study by scientists at the GFZ German Research

Centre for Geosciences in Potsdam previously discussed by the journal Nature and accepted by the journal Remote Sensing of Environment.

Using satellite images between 2003 and 2017, the scientists estimate the western Tehran plain is sinking by 25 centimeters a year.

Either way, the numbers are alarming to experts.

“In European countries, even 4 millimeters [0.15 inches] of yearly subsidence is considered a crisis,” Iranian environmental activist Mohammad Darvish said.

The sinking can be seen in Tehran’s southern Yaftabad neighborhood, which sits close to farmland and water wells on the edge of the city.

Cracks run down walls and below windows, and waterpipes have ruptured. Residents fear poorly built buildings may collapse.

Th e s i n ki n g a l s o t h re ate n s v i t a l infrastructure, like Tehran’s Imam Khomeini International Airport. German scientists estimate that land under the airport is sinking by 5 centimeters a year.

Tehran’s oil refinery, a key highway, automobile manufac turing plants and railroads also all sit on sinking ground, said Ali Beitollahi, a Ministry of Roads and Transportation official. Some 2 million people live in the area, he said.

Masoud Shafiee, head of Iran’s cartography department, also acknowledged the danger.

“Rates [for subsidence] are very high, and in many instances it’s happening in densely populated areas,” Shafiee told the Associated Press. “It’s happening near sensitive infrastructures like airports, which we consider a top priority.”

Geopolitics play a role in Iran’s water crisis.

Since the country’s 1979 Islamic Revolution, Iran has sought to become self-sufficient across industries to thwart international sanctions. That has included agriculture and food production.

The problem, however, comes in inefficient water use on farms, which represents over 90 percent of the country’s water usage, experts say. Already, the drought and water crisis has fed into the sporadic unrest Iran has faced over the last year.

In July, protests around Khorramshahr, some 650 kilometers southwest of Tehran, saw violence as residents of the predominantly Arab city near the border with Iraq complained of salty, muddy water coming out of their taps amid the yearslong drought.

The unrest only compounds the wider unease felt across Iran as it faces an economic crisis sparked by President Donald J. Trump’s decision to withdraw America from Tehran’s nuclear deal with world powers.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who long has opposed Iran’s theocratic government, even released an online video in June offering his country’s water technology in a jab at Iran’s leaders. AP

Biodiversity Monday BusinessMirror

Asean Champions of Biodiversity Media Category 2014

Monday, January 28, 2019 B7

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

‘Love for exotic food hastens species extinction’ Story By Jonathan L. Mayuga @jonlmayuga

He cited the raid of an eatery that serves turtle meat and soup among its specialties conducted by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) with the assistance of various lawenforcement agencies in Cebu City last month. “ W hen we came, I noticed some of the customers have guns.

I immediately approached the customers and told them that they are not our targets and asked them to remain calm. Later, after our raid, I warned them that next time, they will not be spared,” the source told the BusinessMirror in Filipino.

A wildlife law enforcer for more than two decades, the source said it is common knowledge in a place where exotic food is being served that local officials are among the patrons.

“Otherwise, they could have easily ordered the illegal activity stopped,” the source said.

“Some of the patrons of exotic food believe eating marine turtles has benefits like life’s longevity,” he added.

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any species of marine wildlife are in the brink of extinction because of numerous threats.

Besides habitat loss, pollution, climate change, commercial overfishing that lead to accidental bycatch and the more serious crime of illegal wildlife trade are hastening their extinction.

Sharks, rays and marine turtles are all highly migratory marine animals and among the most globally threatened species. Despite various laws and international treaties adopted for their protection, consumption of threatened, some considered critically endangered animals, persist.

Wider, stronger shark protection In December last year, eight shark species received greater protection globally during a meeting at the Oceanographic Museum at the invitation of the government of the Principality of Monaco for the third session of the meeting of the signatories to the memorandum of understanding on the Conservation of Migratory Sharks.

The eight species include the dusky shark, common guitarfish, smooth hammerhead, oceanic whitetip, bottlenose wedgefish and two look-alike species, smoothnose and white-spotted Wedgefish, also known as the giant guitarfish, and the angel shark According to scientists, shark numbers have fallen dramatically in recent years primarily because of overfishing and bycatch, while prey depletion is also affecting their conservation status, with many species now categorized as critically endangered, endangered or vulnerable on the IUCN Red List.

Scientists estimate that onequarter of sharks and ray species worldwide are threatened with extinction.

Representatives of 34 governments, plus the European Union, attended the Morocco meeting along with several leading nongovernment organizations dealing with marine conservation. International organizations—the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES)— were also present. The Defenders of Wildlife, a group with 20 years experience dealing with sharks, was accepted as the memorandum’s 12th “cooperating partner.”

Love for exotic food

Filipinos’ love for cooking and eating exotic food create the demand for wild-caught species.

Unfortunately, this passion could hasten the extinction of the targeted species.

The demand for sharks, rays and marine turtles and their eggs, for instance, creates the demand—and automatically the supply—whether they are a result of accidental by catch or poaching.

In Sorsogon and Bohol, kinunot—a spicy shark or ray delicacy wherein the meat is cooked in coconut milk with malunggay leaves—is a favorite delicacy.

Marine turtle meat, on the other hand, is used for stew and exotic soup. Its eggs are harvested from beaches for household consumption or for sale in the market.

Besides the distinct taste, for many Filipinos, eating exotic food is often driven by the belief they have health benefits, including an aphrodisiac effect.

Income opportunity

For many fishermen, while it is not their intention to catch sharks,

rays or marine turtles, the opportunity to earn extra money is a known fact.

Instead of rescuing and releasing them back into the wild, some fishermen are tempted to bring them home for their own personal consumption, if not an opportunity to convert them into easy cash.

A A Yaptinchay, director at the Marine Wildlife Watch of the Philippines, said they continue to receive reports on the matter from netizens. By the way, MWWP has developed a protocol or guideline for rescuing, rehabilitating and releasing injured or accidentally caught marine wildlife, including sharks and marine turtles.

While some reported the good news that the marine wildlife are released back into the wild after successful rescue, there were horrible news that some species of sharks and rays are being sold in the market like any other fish, while marine turtles are being exploited for tourism purposes.

Lately, however, Yaptinchay noticed that the frequency of photos of slaughtered sharks and rays sold in the market being shared in social-media platforms has increased.

“Almost every day, I believe, I receive reports from netizens,” Yaptinchay said.

Intensified info drive

Apathy, lack of awareness, poverty

Despite netizens’ active engagement in reporting wildlife crimes, Yaptinchay said apathy and lack of awareness, plus desperation caused by poverty are the reasons for the demand for wild animals for food.

“Overpopulation plus poverty equals eating everything in the sea now. Don’t worry about tomorrow because right now, they are hungry,” Yaptinchay told the BusinessMirror in a recent interview via Messenger.

Yaptinchay said to effectively protect sharks and rays, stronger measure and enforcement of laws are key to saving these threatened species.

He added that only around 10 percent of sharks and rays are protected in the Philippines— whether by national law or by international treaty coverage.

Around 200 species of sharks and rays can be found in the Philippines, that is why enforcing the protection in catching certain sharks and rays become tricky.

Which is which?

Fishermen, he added, are not even aware which species are protected or not.

“Not all sharks and rays in the Philippines are protected species.

Not all endangered species are protected. Currently, our national laws only protect CITES-listed species,” he said.

Nevertheless, Yaptinchay said that seeing one or few sharks or rays in a market does not automatically mean there is an active fishing for these species. A lot of times they are caught accidentally in fishing targeting other fishes.

According to Yaptinchay, none of the Philippine protected shark and ray species are endemic specie.

He added that shark finning happens at sea. “A shark without its fins on land just means the shark was caught, landed and the fins sold separately,” he said.

The MWWP is supporting the

their fins because they are expensive, that is why they are now scarce,” the former Anak Pawis lawmaker said.

He said their group is one with Earth Island Institute, a nonprofit environmental group, in calling for the protection and conservation of marine mammals. They will start next year a nationwide advocacy and awareness project on the issue.

Local officials, police as consumers

The “Shakada” of the Marine Wildlife Watch of the Philippines walks at the pedestrian lane inside the DENR compound along Visayas Avenue in Quezon City during a creative protest calling for the complete protection of Benham Rise that was organized by Oceana Philippines on February 14, 2018. Oceana Philippines

proposed Shark Conservation Bill.

Although it does not aim to protect all shark and ray species, the proposed legislative measure will enable effective monitoring and ensure sustainable shark and ray fisheries, Yaptinchay said.

Advocacy, awareness campaign

The Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) acknowledged that some fishermen are tempted to bring home small sharks and rays, or even marine turtles which they accidentally catch.

“While some fishermen are

forced to bring them home, sharks, rays or marine turtles are not targeted by fishermen. But sometimes, because they have no catch, and they accidentally caught one, they are forced to bring them home for their personal consumption,” Fernando Hicap, national chairman of Pamalakaya told the BusinessMirror in a telephone interview on January 15.

According to Hicap, commercial fishers targeting sharks in open waters, specifically for their fins and other internal organs, are to be blamed for the problem.

“They are hunting sharks for

Overpopulation plus poverty equals eating everything in the sea now. Don’t worry about tomorrow because right now, they are hungry.”

—Yaptinchay

Speaking on condition of anonymity, a wildlife law-enforcement expert in the Philippines told the BusinessMirror in a telephone interview that poaching of wildlife happens under the nose of local officials and the police.

“In some cases, they are even the consumers of exotic food,” the source said.

The DENR, acknowledging the persistence of illegal wildlife trade, whether as a result of commercial fishing, accidental bycatch or poaching, vowed to intensify the information campaign against violating the Wildlife Act, including eating “exotic food.”

Ex pressing alarm over the reported rampant killing of marine turtles in Cebu City and the still unidentified species of sharks and rays in some provinces in the Bicol region and in the Visayas, Josefina de Leon, chief of the Wildlife Division of the DENR-Biodiversity Management Bureau (BMB) said their campaign through the DENR’s Regional Offices has no let up to educate various stakeholders.

“We continue to engage the local government units and coordinate with other concerned agencies to prevent illegal wildlife trade,” de Leon told the BusinessMirror in a telephone interview on January 15.

According to de Leon, while sharks and rays are within the mandate and jurisdiction of the Department of Agriculture-Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (DA-BFAR), the DENRBMB maintains that poaching them in protected areas covered by the Expanded National Integrated Protected Areas System Act are restricted.

“When it comes to sharks and rays, since it falls within the mandate of BFAR, our job is coordinate illegal activities,” de Leon said.

The official said they also coordinate with local government units that are supposed to be at the forefront of enforcing various environmental laws, including activities that violate the Wildlife Resources Conservation and Protection Act, or Wildlife Act.

Canadian meat giant debuts with new plant-based burger

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atch out, Impossible. B ewa re, Be yond. A new competitor is entering the plantbased burger market.

Lightlife Foods, the brand behind Gimme Lean meatless “beef,” Tofu Pups hot dogs, Organic Fakin’ Bacon Tempeh Strips and other vegetarian staples, is joining the looks-like, cookslike, smells-like, tastes-like-thereal-thing veggie burger fray.

The new patties are expected

to reach food service clients in February and will begin shipping to the United States and Canadian retailers by the end of March, the company said.

Like its well-publicized competitors, the new burger is meant to be more like beef than its hockey puck-esque forebears. Unlike Impossible Foods Inc. and Beyond Meat Inc., which mostly rely on venture capital, Lightlife has the resources of a giant meat producer to help sell it. Bloomberg News

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MERALCO, HORIZON HOMES LAUNCH ELECTRIC-VEHICLE CHARGING POD ISUZU TOPS CATEGORY 3 SALES IN 2018, DOMINATES MARKET FOR 19 YEARS

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N the recently released joint year-end sales report of the Truck Manufacturers’ Association (TMA) and the Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers of the Philippines (Campi) for 2018, Isuzu emerged as the top-selling brand in the light-duty truck (Category 3) segment, with total unit sales of 3,965 from last January to December, capturing 55.5 percent of market shares.

Isuzu, likewise, increased its market shares compared to 2017 sales figures, when it had a 53.7-percent share of the market.

Isuzu Philippines Corp. (IPC), thus, continues its market dominance in the light-duty truck category for 20 consecutive years, dating back to 1999.

The Isuzu brand also topped the overall Category 3, 4 (medium duty and buses) and 5 (heavy-duty trucks) segments in the TMA-Campi year-end sales report, extending its dominant streak to 19 consecutive years.

IPC President Hajime Koso attributed the brand’s continued success to Isuzu’s global reputation as a worldclass truckmaker, the adaptability

and versatility of its trucks, and the full aftersales service of an extensive nationwide dealership network. This comprehensive suite of products and services embodies IPC’s commitment as a “professional partner” to its customers.

“For decades now, Isuzu has been known globally for its durable and dependable trucks that can withstand any challenges in transport operations. And, with our collaboration with local body builders, our trucks have also been creatively engineered and designed to be suitable for whatever purposes our customers demand. Equally important is the aftersales support we provide to our clients along with every purchase.

This is the Isuzu Advantage.”

The Isuzu Advantage is the sum of IPC’s different customer support programs bolstering its world-class lineup of vehicles. The first advantage is IPC’s roster of durable, reliable, fuel-efficient vehicles. The second is its nationwide dealer network that now counts over 42 outlets complete with servicing facilities. The third is the reliable and prompt nationwide

parts availability. Finally, IPC’s team of expert service technicians and field support personnel are on call to provide technical assistance whenever and wherever needed.

Koso added, “By being professional partners, IPC does not just supply worldclass vehicles and treat our customers as mere clients; we treat them as partners.

Their growth is essential to IPC’s growth, the development of the Philippine transport sector and of the economy in general. Hence, we provide total support to our partners’ businesses with great products and aftersales support.”

IPC’s aftersales support has been proven to be of world-class standards, with technical teams from IPC consistently winning in global competitions. The most recent just last December 6, when Team Pilipinas was hailed Grand Champions at the Isuzu I-1 Grand Prix World Technical Competition at the Isuzu Monozukuri Service Training Center in Fujisawa, Japan.

To know more of Isuzu’s roster of light-, medium- and heavy-duty trucks, log on to www.isuzuphil.com.

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ORIZON Homes by Shangri-La at the Fort, Manila’s luxury residential condominium in Bonifacio Global City, recently unveiled its electric-vehicle (EV) charging station built in partnership with the Manila Electric Co. (Meralco).

This innovative partnership made Horizon Homes at the Fort the country’s first residential complex with an EV charging facility.

As Horizon Homes’ end-to-end service provider, Meralco tapped MServ, the country’s premier electrical-engineering and energy-service company; and eSakay, Meralco’s corporate arm for EV ventures.

In support of this project are ABB, one of the world’s leading power and automation technology firms; and Mitsubishi Motors Philippines Corp., which showcased its globally successful Outlander plugin hybrid EV (PHEV) to test the charging pods. The facility can cater to any type of EV. Horizon Homes at the Fort property director Gaile Moreno said the EV project is part of their goal to provide homeowners the best property features

in the country. Moreno adds that this initiative opens opportunities and possibilities of using EVs in the future for residents, patrons and guests of the Shangri-La at the Fort.

Shangri-La at the Fort director for engineering Antonio Dizon is positive that building the EV power station at the Horizon Homes will help both Meralco and Shangri-La at the Fort achieve their objective of shaping sustainable means of transportation while providing an archetype for other residential properties to follow, ensuring a greener environment for all.

In photo at the Meralco-Horizon Homes EV power-station launch are (front, from right) Dizon, Horizon Homes Condo Corp. Chairman lawyer Karlo Estavillo, eSakay President Raymond Ravelo, Mitsubishi Motors Philippines Corp. assistant manager for corporate public relations Arden Oco, ABB President and country managing director Olivier Coquerel, Moreno, Meralco lead relationship manager Bernice Garcia and Meralco relationship manager Arnold de Guzman.

SECURITY BANK OPENS NOMINATIONS FOR 8 BRAVO AWARDS 2019

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ECURITY Bank, and Zonta Club of Makati and Environs are now accepting nominees for the 8 Bravo Empowered Women Awards 2019.

Now on its third year, the 8 Bravo Empowered Women Awards program recognizes outstanding Filipino women whose unwavering commitment to their advocacies have led to social and economic progress, and have empowered women towards nation-building.

An awardee will be chosen for each of the eight categories: Arts, Culture and Heritage, Business, Culinary Arts, Education, Media and Public Affairs, Science and Technology, Social Services and Sports.

Nominees must possess the following qualifications: (1) Filipino citizen; (2) of good moral character; (3) with outstanding track record in her profession; (4) involved in an advocacy for the last three years; and (5) sustained a project for the improvement of society.

Zontians and Security Bank employees are not allowed to be nominated.

Aside from the recognition, this year’s winners will also receive P50,000 each, which they may use for their chosen advocacies. They will also join the distinguished

roster of Bravo women: Sr. Mary Placid C. Abejo, OSB, and Maribel Ongpin (Bravo Woman for Arts, Culture and Heritage); Zarah Jane D. Juan and Raquel Choa (Bravo Woman for Business); Susana P. Guerrero and Jessie Sincioco (Bravo Woman for Culinary Arts); Elsie Maria M. Romano and Carmen Lourdes Valdes (Bravo Woman for Education); Sadhana Buxani and Chona Gosiaoco (Bravo Woman for Media & Public Affairs); Mary Beth B. Maningas and Dra. Jacqueline Dominguez (Bravo Woman for Science and Technology); Susan V. Ople and Ruth Callanta (Bravo Woman for Social Services); Yvette K. Medalla and Jaymie Pizarro (Bravo Woman for Sports); and Jessie Lichauco (special awardee) Those interested to submit nominations may visit https://www.securitybank.com/bravoawards/ to download the submission form and view the guidelines.

Deadline for submission is on March 31, 2019.

SHARP PHILIPPINES INKS CONTRACT WITH RED SPORTS FOR FUN RUN

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HARP Philippines Corp. (SPC) recently signed a contract with RED Sports for their first-ever Fun Run For Every Juan 2019. This is a familyoriented event, which aims to promote family and friendship through a fun-filled, festive environment. Expect thousands of participants will gather at Filinvest Grounds Alabang, Muntinlupa City on March 17.

The event promotes healthy lifestyle and welcoming relationship among the Filipino people through combination of sports and fair-like atmosphere. In fact, the event will be an annual gathering of Filipino families.

SPC President Kazuo Kito and SPC public relations and advertising manager Amor Golifardo, RED Sports cofounder Alexandra Faith Garcia and RED Entertainment founder Richie de Quiña were present at the contract signing. Furthermore, the

executives from both parties expressed their excitement on this new partnership.

Meanwhile, this is part of We Love Philippines’s campaign, which empowers its Filipino work force by entrusting them to offer innovative locally made products for every Filipino household. This is in accordance with the ingenuity and talents of Filipinos through the global brand.

As part of the event, runners will be able to avail themselves of huge discounts in select Sharp products. Moreover, exciting prizes and giveaways await all participants.

Expect also huge discounts thru the planned one-day RED tag sale from Sharp.

It is expected to be the largest presummer fun-run event of 2019 as it honors every Filipino family.

For sponsorship details, e-mail at cziannica.balcos@spc.sharp-world.com/ redsportsph@gmail.com.

Sports BusinessMirror

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| Monday, January 28, 2019 mirror_sports@yahoo.com.ph Editor: Jun Lomibao

OSAKA! OSAKA! OSAKA!

By Howard Fendrich

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The Associated Press

ELBOURNE, Australia— Like the 21-yearold she is, Naomi Osaka stepped into Rod Laver Arena for the Australian Open final with a cellphone in her right hand and music in both ears.

The headphones she wore carried the swirling brass, bouncing beat and boastful lyrics of Jay Rock’s “Win,” the same pre-match song Osaka listened to throughout the tournament—and at last year’s US Open, too.

“You might wanna keep score,” the rapper says. “I win, win, win, win.”

Right now, that’s how Osaka is living at tennis’s most important events. Her championship at Melbourne

Park, via a 7-6 (2), 5-7, 6-4 victory over Petra Kvitova on Saturday night, gave Osaka two straight Grand Slam trophies.

Just a few hours later, she found herself discussing such matters as what her goals are now—answer: winning the upcoming hard-court stops in Indian Wells and Miami—and whether it’s too soon to think about being halfway to collecting four consecutive majors.

“The way the tennis world is, there’s always the next tournament, the next Slam, and we all just want to keep training hard and winning more,” said Osaka, who was born in Japan and moved to the US at age three. “So I’m not really sure if I’m satisfied.”

Heady stuff for someone who already has

JAPANESE CELEBRATION T

OKYO—Led by a congratulatory tweet from the prime minister, Japan reveled in Naomi Osaka’s dramatic Australian Open win on Sunday.

Osaka beat Petra Kvitova, 7-6 (2), 5-7, 6-4, on Saturday to claim a second consecutive Grand Slam singles title. The 21-year-old Osaka also became the first tennis player from Japan to reach No. 1 in the rankings.

Osaka was born in Japan—her mother is Japanese, her father is Haitian—and she moved to New York at age three.

“What an impressive performance,” Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe tweeted. “Congratulations to Naomi Osaka on winning the Australian Open!”

Osaka’s grandfather, who lives in the remote fishing village of Nemuro on Japan’s northernmost island of Hokkaido, said on Sunday that he was relieved.

“My blood pressure is up,” 74-year-old Tetsuo Osaka said. “I’m really proud of how she won. She is so dear to me.”

When asked he was going to give her a congratulatory gift, Tetsuo Osaka said he hoped to be on the receiving end of a gift from his granddaughter now.

Beyond dignitaries and relatives, average fans took pride in Osaka’s win.

“As a Japanese person, I’m very proud,” said 28-year Satoshi Mizutani, who works in finance. “She showed a lot of character in coming back after dropping the second set. I think she is an inspiration to young people in Japan who can learn to do whatever they want if they work hard for it.”

Osaka has been a star in Japan since she beat Serena Williams in the US Open final last year. She became the first woman to win back-to-back majors since Williams in 2015.

Her performance at the Australian Open has topped daily news coverage in Japan.

“Osaka becomes first Japanese Australian Open champion, Heading to World No. 1,” read the headline of the Nikkansports online edition.

Osaka’s results on the court and her quirky sense of humor have sent her popularity skyrocketing, and her list of endorsements now includes major brands like Adidas, Nissan, Yonex, Citizen, Nissin and Shiseido.

Osaka’s victory at the US Open was the first Grand Slam singles title by either a man or woman of Japanese nationality.

Kimiko Date reached the semifinals of the Australian Open in 1994, the 1995 French Open and Wimbledon in 1996 but never made it to a Grand Slam final.

On the men’s side, Kei Nishikori was runner-up at the 2014 US Open, losing to Marin Cilic in the final.

Osaka’s rise to the top of the tennis world couldn’t come at a better time. With the 2020 Tokyo Olympics just over a year away, she could become the face of the Games.

“It would be fantastic to see her represent Japan,” Daisuke Aizawa said. “I think she would be the favorite to win gold, and that would be a huge boost for Japan.”

When asked about being the face of the Olympics, Osaka was her usual quirky self.

“Yikes! if that happens, I’d be very honored,” Osaka said.

“Hopefully for their sake, they don’t do that.” AP

accomplished so much in such a short amount of time.

A year ago, Osaka was ranked 72nd.

She had lost by the third round in seven of her eight appearances at Grand Slam

tournaments. The lone exception was a fourth-round run at the Australian Open in January 2018. That’s as far as she’d been by then.

So Osaka was getting impatient.

Look at her now.

She is the first woman with backto-back major championships since Serena Williams—the player Osaka beat in the US Open final last September—captured four in a row from 2014 to 2015.

Osaka also guaranteed that she will ascend to

No. 1 in the Women’s Tennis Association rankings for the first time on Monday, making her the youngest player to hold the top spot since Caroline Wozniacki was 20 in 2010.

Does it feel as if this all happened really quickly?

“I mean, to me, it doesn’t.

I guess looking from the outside, from your guys’ view, it does,” Osaka said. “For me, every practice and every match that I’ve played, it feels like the year is short and long at the same time. But I’m aware of all the work that I put in. I know all the sacrifices that every player does to stay at this level. I mean, in my opinion, it didn’t feel fast. It felt kind of long.”

Maybe. But her growth as a

NAOMI OSAKA is the first woman with back-to-back major championships since Serena Williams—the player Osaka beat in the US Open final last September—captured four in a row from 2014 to 2015. AP

MERELY standing at Rod Laver Arena in the final was enough to stir Petra Kvitova’s emotions. AP

player and a competitor has been so swift.

She won four threesetters in Melbourne.

She beat a trio of top-10 women.

Then there was the way Osaka pulled herself together after failing to convert three championship points at 5-3 in the second set against Kvitova, much as she ignored all the chaos surrounding the final against Williams at Flushing Meadows.

“As a whole, this tournament was very eyeopening for me,” Osaka said as Saturday turned to Sunday in Melbourne.

“I had a lot of matches that were very tough, and I was behind in some of them. I think it showed me that I could win matches from behind, just on willpower alone.”

Kvitova endures pain, on and off tennis court M ELBOURNE, Australia—Petra Kvitova really wanted to be the Australian Open champion. Of course she did.

That she lost the final at Melbourne Park to Naomi Osaka, 7-6 (2), 5-7, 6-4, on Saturday night was “painful, for sure,” to use Kvitova’s words. It was not, however, what caused her eyes to well up during the trophy ceremony.

Merely standing there was enough to stir her emotions.

“I can’t really believe,” Kvitova told the Rod Laver Arena crowd on Friday night, “I played the final of a Grand Slam again.”

This was her first major title match since she won her second Wimbledon championship in 2014.

More poignantly, it was her first such appearance since December 2016, when an intruder at her home in the Czech Republic cut her left hand—the one she uses to play tennis—so badly that hours of surgery were required to repair it.

“I mean, I’ve been through many, many things. Not really great ones,” the 28-year-old Kvitova said. “As I said on the court, I didn’t know if I [was] going to hold the racket again.

I’m holding it, so that’s good.”

The final nearly ended in the second set, when Osaka was up a break at 5-3 and held three championship points at love-40 on Kvitova’s serve. But Kvitova played terrifically there, while Osaka began to get jittery.

A remarkable run in which Kvitova grabbed five games in a row and 23 of 27 points gave her the second set and a 1-0 lead in the third.

“Petra played unbelievable,” Osaka’s coach, Sascha Bajin, said. “She started swinging from the fences.”

But Osaka steadied herself after a trip to the locker room before the third set. A service break put Osaka ahead 2-1 in the third and there would not be another lapse.

So in the end, Kvitova did not collect what would have been her third major trophy; instead, Osaka got her second.

And Kvitova did not get to move all the way up to No. 1 in the Women’s Tennis Association rankings for the first time; instead, Osaka achieved that.

But there was this, which was no small thing: Kvitova, who will now be ranked No. 2, proved to herself that she can be the player she used to be, and can contend for Grand Slam championships.

“I wanted to win and have the trophy. But I think I already won two years ago,” she said.

“I feel great. I’m playing great tennis,” Kvitova said. “I don’t think that I could really imagine...[being] kind of this player again.” AP

FRANCE’S Pierre-Hugues Herbet (left) and compatriot Nicolas Mahut pose with their trophy after defeating Finland’s Henri Kontinen and Australia’s John Peers, 6-4, 7-6 (1), in the men’s doubles final at the Australian Open on Sunday. The pair completed a career Grand Slam in men’s doubles and now own four major doubles titles—they won the US Open in 2015, Wimbledon in 2016 and the French Open in 2018. They are the eighth men’s doubles team in tennis history to win each Grand Slam tournament at least once. AP

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CURRY VS. CURRY IN 3-PT. SHOOTOUT

CHRISTIAN STOINEV balances on one arm as he and his Chihuahua, Scooby, take part in a halftime performance during the Denver-Philadelphia game on Saturday in Denver. AP

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Warriors win 10th straight at TD Garden

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OSTON—After beating the Lakers without LeBron James and the Wizards without John Wall, the Golden State Warriors were eager to test themselves against a full-strength opponent.

The Boston Celtics were just what they were looking for.

Kevin Durant had 33 points and nine rebounds, Stephen Curry scored 24 points and Klay Thompson had 21, including two key free throws, for Golden State on Saturday night to beat Boston, 115-111, and give the Warriors their 10th win in a row.

“We needed this game,” said Steve Kerr, who became the fastest coach in NBA [National Basketball Association] history to 300 victories.

“We needed to be challenged and we were challenged big-time and it could have gone

either way.”

Kyrie Irving scored 32 points with 10 assists, and Al Horford had 22 points and 13 rebounds for Boston, which had won five straight and 10 in a row at home.

In a game that featured 21 lead changes, the Warriors went ahead, 113-111, with 47 seconds left on Thompson’s only free throws of the game and held on as Boston had three chances to tie it or take the lead. Marcus Smart rimmed out on a three-pointer, Irving airballed a fadeaway from the baseline and Marcus Morris was short on a three.

Draymond Green missed two free throws, but he got his own rebound, and then Curry made a pair of foul shots with 6.2 seconds left to ice it.

“I guess it’s just

good for us to come in here and grind out a ‘W,’” Durant said. “We’ll forget about it in the morning, but for tonight everybody felt good coming in here, knowing we haven’t played with this type of intensity in a long time, especially on the road. It was good to feel that. We know that this is different than any other type game, especially with what this team is building.”

The matchup of the two-time defending National Basketball Association champions and one of the top contenders in the Eastern Conference had a sold-out TD Garden standing for the final two minutes.

The

crowd included several New England Patriots on the eve of their departure for the Super Bowl, including owner Bob Kraft and twin defensive backs Jason and Devin McCourty.

“Two great teams going at it,” Curry said. “We bring the best out of each other.”

Curry was scoreless in the first quarter, but hit five three-pointers in five minutes in the second to help Golden State open a 56-47 lead.

The Celtics scored the next 10 points to erase it.

Asked about Curry not being “too active” the rest of the game, Celtics Coach Brad Stevens said: “The second-quarter spurt that he went on really hurt us.”

“You know, I wish we were all ‘inactive’ on our 24-point games,” Stevens said. “We let our guard down even for a split-second and they made us pay all night.” AP

PACQUIAO’S NEXT FOE? N

EW YORK—Keith Thurman’s elbow and hand looked fine, and his chin held up against a determined attack

by Josesito Lopez.

It was a good enough return that

Thurman might be ready for Manny Pacquiao next.

Thurman came back from a 22-month layoff to beat Lopez via majority decision on Saturday night to retain his welterweight title.

Thurman got off to a fast start with a second-

round knockdown, withstood a big seventh round from Lopez and regained control to improve to 29-0. It was the World Boxing Association champion’s first fight since March 4, 2017, before he was sidelined first by right-elbow surgery and

then an injured left hand.

Both looked back to normal inside Barclays Center and so did Thurman’s legs, as he moved well to mostly stay out of trouble against Lopez, who kept coming forward throughout the fight but often got caught with uppercuts and combinations for his efforts.

HARLOTTE, North Carolina—The National Basketball Association’s (NBA) All-Star weekend is shaping up to be quite the family affair, with the Curry brothers facing each other in the three-point contest.

Stephen Curry told ESPN he and brother Seth Curry of the Portland Trail Blazers will square off February 16 in Charlotte, their hometown.

The Golden State star says the contest will be fun, but he knows his brother is “going to be gunning for me, though. That’s the problem.”

The NBA has not released the full field of competitors for the All-Star Saturday Night events.

This will be the sixth time Stephen Curry has been in the contest and the first for Seth Curry. Their father, Dell Curry, was a two-time participant.

In an interview last week with The Associated Press, Dell Curry said his two sons love to compete at just about anything—and it’s impossible to say who’s more competitive.

“At my daughter’s wedding we played liar’s dice for about two hours—and that was the most competitive thing I have seen in a long time,” he said with a laugh.

“Anytime there is a game that somebody has to win or lose, you can’t give anyone the edge as to who is more competitive. We all are.”

That carries over to the golf course, as well.

Dell Curry said he plays golf with both sons—sometimes all three of them together— and it’s always competitive.

“Seth only plays two or three times a summer,” Dell Curry said. “He’s knocked 10 strokes off because of his short game.

He can hit the ball farther. But his short game for only playing a couple of times a year is really good. As for Steph,

San Antonio 126, New Orleans 114 Memphis 106, Indiana 103 Golden State 115, Boston 111 Denver 126, Philadelphia 110 Portland 120, Atlanta 111 people ask me if I beat him. I will tell them, yeah, I beat him twice—but we played about 25 times.

He’s a stick. Loves to play.”

Seth Curry is actually outshooting his two-time league Most Valuable Player brother from beyond the arc this NBA season.

Seth Curry is shooting a career-best 48 percent from three-point range, making 137 of 322 attempts. Stephen Curry is shooting 44.4 percent, but he has made more shots (191 of 430). Stephen Curry ranks behind only James Harden in number of three-pointers made this season (220).

The event could include even more intrigue if Charlotte Hornets point guard Kemba Walker decides to compete given this is his own court.

Walker, an All-Star starter, is fifth in the NBA in made three-pointers this season and one of the most popular professional athletes ever to play in Charlotte. AP

STEPHEN CURRY and his brother Seth will square off on February 16 in Charlotte, their hometown. AP

Viviani wins Evans race

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KEITH THURMAN (right) punches Josesito Lopez during the fifth round of their welterweight championship match on Saturday in New York. AP

“He came right for me,” Thurman said. “I said you wouldn’t see the best Keith Thurman tonight, but you’d still see a world-class performance, and I gave you that tonight.”

He’d likely need a better one against the 40-year-old Pacquiao, who showed he has plenty left with an easy victory over Adrien Broner last week.

“I would most likely definitely take the Manny Pacquiao fight this year,” Thurman said. “I feel good. That was a beautiful fight. I’m ready to fight wherever Pacquiao wants it.”

Judge Tom Schreck had it 117-109 for Thurman and Steve Weisfeld had it 115-111, while Don Ackerman had it even at 113-113.

The Associated Press had it 117-110 for Thurman.

Lopez (36-8) stalked all night and had Thurman hurt in the seventh round, but otherwise Thurman’s speed wouldn’t let Lopez get in good enough position to have enough

NBA RESULTS

power on his punches.

“I was disappointed I couldn’t finish him and get him out of there,” Lopez said. “If he thinks he’s the best welterweight out there, then I want two through five lined up for me.”

Thurman was back in the ring for the first time since he edged Danny Garcia in a split decision, also in Brooklyn, to unify 147-pound titles. He had surgery two months later to remove bone spurs from his right elbow, and when he resumed training after a lengthy recovery, he hurt his left hand.

That kept him out of the ring for nearly two years, and he had to vacate the World Boxing Council’s version of the title that he had won from Garcia.

Thurman showed no worries about his health, swinging hard with both hands in the opening round. And for sure there was nothing wrong with his legs, as he moved far too quickly for Lopez, getting into position to throw uppercuts and hooks and getting right out of the way for

EELONG, Australia—Italy’s Elia Viviani won the Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Cycle Race on Sunday, edging Australian Caleb Ewan in a sprint finish.

Viviani was runner-up in the race last year to Australia’s Jay McCarthy but was able to go one better this season with help from his powerful Belgium-based team Decuninck-Quick Step.

While Viviani went on to record 18 wins in an extraordinary 2018 season, his second placing in the Cadel Evans race was an irritation.

“Always when I’m asked about my amazing 2018, there are two second places I don’t like—this race and Gent Wevelgem,”Viviani said. “It’s the best way to start the season.”

Viviani was set up for the win by a brilliant lead-out by teammate Michael Morkov, while Ewan was boxed in and got out too late to bridge the gap. Ewan took second ahead of South Africa’s Daryl Impey. AP whatever Lopez threw back.

He then knocked Lopez down with a left hook to the chin in the second and appeared to hurt him again later in the round en route to huge advantages in power punches (168-100) and jabs (79-17) in the fight.

Things changed suddenly in the seventh, when Lopez hurt Thurman with a right hand and spent most of the round chasing him around and connecting with shots that appeared to have Thurman in trouble. Thurman recovered toward the end of the round and landed some good combinations in the eighth to regain momentum.

“He had me buzzed and shaken up in the seventh round, but I tried to stay on the outside away,” Thurman said.

In the co-main event, Polish power puncher Adam Kownacki, who is based in Brooklyn, stopped Gerald Washington in the second round of their heavyweight bout. AP

Alonso drives past Castroneves to lead at Daytona

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AYTONA BEACH, Florida—The Fernando Alonso retirement tour got off to a rousing start as he charged to the lead of the Rolex 24 at Daytona.

Alonso powered past three-time Indianapolis 500 winner Helio Castroneves to put his Cadillac DPi into the early lead in the twice-round-theclock endurance race at Daytona International Speedway. Once he settled in, Alonso put Wayne Taylor Racing out front by nearly 15 seconds during a lengthy opening stint to his year.

Alonso retired from Formula One (F1) in November and is embarking on a season full of bucket list events, and the Rolex is his kickoff.

His turn in the Cadillac lasted nearly three hours and impressed the throng of flag-waving fans who lined up three hours early to meet him in Saturday’s autograph session.

“I feel comfortable. I like sports-car racing,”

he said. “The nature of the endurance races is quite fun to experience.”

The two-time F1 champion was quite matterof-fact about a driving stint he rated “OK” before he headed off for a shower, some food and then a deep sleep. This is Alonso’s second year in the Rolex, last year was his sports car and endurance racing debut, and it was ultimately a test to see if he was up for the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

Alonso made it to the big race in France and won in his debut, checking off a second box in racing’s unofficial Triple Crown. He’s won at Monaco in F1 and has only the Indianapolis 500, where he’ll return to race in May, remaining on his list.

Winning at Daytona is most definitely also a priority, and Alonso this year joined the organization that won the Rolex two seasons ago. This year’s lineup is considerably different from 2017, when Jeff Gordon was the star driver. Gordon was moving

toward a legitimate retirement from racing, and his role in the Rolex victory was minor.

Alonso came to the Taylor team with Kamui Kobayashi, his teammate on the Le Mans victory, to create one of the strongest lineups in the field.

Jordan Taylor and Renger van Der Zande are the full-time drivers and have been adapting to Alonso’s fame. Jordan Taylor noted he didn’t have much work to do in the prerace autograph session as the crowd was there to see Alonso.

He noted the stark differences between Alonso and Gordon, who had a system to keep the line moving and only allowed one item to be signed.

“Fans showed up for Alonso with like 25 things to be signed. After a while we had to say, ‘OK, you can have five things signed,’” Taylor said.

“But it’s great because he brings all these people out to see him race. They never get a chance to see him or get his autograph.” AP

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Monday, January 28, 2019

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LADIES NIGHT AT P.S.A. AWARDS RICK OLIVARES bleachersbrew@gmail.com

BLEACHERS’ BREW

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OMAN power hogs the spotlight as the Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) honors the best of 2018 during its Annual Awards Night next month.

For making the country proud by winning four gold medals in the 18th Asian Games in Indonesia last year, Hidilyn Diaz, Yuka Saso, the women’s golf team (Saso, Bianca Pagdanganan and Lois Kaye Go) and Margielyn Didal will be honored as Athletes

PAGDANGANAN

of the Year in the San Miguel Corp.-sponsored affair set on February 26.

Diaz topped the women’s -53 kgs of weighlifting, Saso emerged individual champion in golf and steered the women’s team to the same finish, while Didal became the new toast of Philippine sports when she ruled skateboarding’s street event in the Asian Games.

The four gold medals were the most by a Philippine contingent since billiards’s Antonio Gabica, boxing’s Violito Payla and Joan Tipon, and wushu’s Rene Catalan won as many mints

GO

in the 2006 Doha Games.

Bea Lucero-Lhuillier, a former gymnastics and taekwondo champion, meanwhile, will serve as the inspirational guest speaker in the annual affair presented by Milo, the Philippine Sports Commission and Cignal TV. Lucero, married to sportsman Jean Henri Lhuillier, won two gold medals in gymnastics in the 1987 Southeast Asian Games in Jakarta and bagged a bronze in the 1992 Barcelona Olympics when taekwondo was still a demonstration sports.

DIDAL

This marked the first time in almost a decade that the PSA, currently headed by Eduardo “Dodo” Catacutan of SPIN.ph, will have an all-female recipient of the Athlete of the Year honors.

In 2009, pool champion Rubilen Amit, long-jump queen Marestella Torres and the poomsae team of Rani Ann Ortega, Camille Alarilla and Janice Lagman were also feted with the same award by the country’s oldest media organization established in 1949.

Other awards will also be handed out during the event also backed by Mighty Sports,

THAI CHAMP BACK IN HUNT S

UPAKCHAYA PATTARANAKRUEANG, who outlasted Cyna Rodriguez in a three-hole playoff at Luisita last year, returns to help anchor Thailand’s title drive in the Ladies Philippine Golf Tour’s (LPGT) International Container Terminal Services Inc. (ICTSI) Splendido Ladies Classic beginning on Tuesday at Splendido Taal Golf Club in Laurel, Batangas.

Also in the hunt are Thais Punpaka Phuntumabamrung, Chonlada Chayanun and Ornnicha Konsunthea, Pattaranakrueang, who has competed in various regional tours to hone and toughen up her game—including in India, Thailand and China—hopes to provide added push for a Thai side, which took a beating from the local aces last week at Beverly Place.

The Thais dominated last year’s edition of the

annual circuit put up by ICTSI, winning five of the 12 titles, including Pattaranakrueang’s thriller of a win over the former three-time LPGT Order of Merit (OOM) champion Rodriguez.

Veteran Yupaporn Kawinpakorn ruled the new season with a two-stroke triumph over compatriot Pimpadsorn Sangkagaro at Pradera Verde last December.

But Dottie Ardina, after placing third in Lubao, stamped her class at Beverly Place, putting in solid games in the last two rounds to run away with a six-shot victory over Pauline del Rosario.

The Filipinas hope to cash in on the 1-2 finish with Princess Superal taking the cudgels for the hosts this week as Ardina and del Rosario embark on tougher assignment in the Women’s World Championship Qualifying in Singapore.

Superal, the reigning LPGT OOM titlist, struggled to finish joint fifth with Konsunthea at Beverly but feels good about her chances at the rolling, wind-raked Splendido layout.

So do Chihiro Ikeda and Cyna Rodriguez, who gear up for a three-day battle of shotmaking, iron play and putting with a stellar field from Thailand, South Korea, Brunei Darussalam and the US with 10 amateurs joining the title chase.

Hwang Min Jeong, for one, poses a big challenge for the rest of the bidders with the former amateur hotshot, who toppled Superal and company at Mount Malarayat as an amateur in 2015, eager to launch her pro career on a winning note.

Chicano, Kilgroe top Subic triathlon

the Philippine Basketball Association, Rain or Shine, Northport, International Container Terminal Services Inc. and SM Prime Holdings.

To be recognized are the National Sports Association of the Year, Executive of the Year, Mr. Basketball, Mr. and Ms. Volleyball, and Mr. Football.

There will also be the regular President’s Award, Major Awards, Citations, the Tony Siddayao Awards, the Milo Junior Athletes of the Year, Posthumous, as well as a Lifetime Achievement Award.

SUPAKCHAYA PATTARANAKRUEANG hopes to provide added push for a Thai side, which took a beating from the local aces last week at Beverly Place.

Still, focus will be on the Thais, who are out to reassert their might in the circuit organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments Inc. with Pattaranakrueang as spearhead with support to come from Saraporn Chamchoi, Mookharin Ladgratok, Aunchisa Utama and former LPGT leg winner Wannasiri Sirisampant.

P.B.A. PARTNER

Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Commissioner Willie Marcial (second from left) presents the owners and manufacturers of the league’s latest partner, Milcu, recently at the Smart Araneta Coliseum. A proud Filipino company that manufactures hygienic products, Milcu celebrates its 60th anniversary as the official deodorant of the Philippine Basketball Association.

Also in photo are (from left) Milcu President and COO Teresita Cusi, Chairman and CEO Victor Cusi Chairman and Marketing Director Paolo Matias.

J

OHN CHICANO and Kim Kilgroe put on a dominating performance to run away with the top honors in the in the National AgeGroup Triathlon (NAGT) 2019 series opener at San Bernardino inside Subic Bay Freeport on Sunday.

Chicano, the 2017 Southeast Asian Games silver medalist, won the men’s elite contest with a time of one hour, 58 minutes and 47 seconds.

Kilgroe, a veteran of last year’s Indonesia Asian Games, topped the women’s race with plenty to spare in 2:14:57 in the event organized by the Triathlon Association of the Philippines in cooperation with the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority Tourism Department that attracted a record field of 731 entries.

JC Abad Kim Remolino was first out of the 1.5-kilometer swim of the men’s division, followed by 21-year-old Filipino-Spanish Fer Casares (Madrid) who is in the country aspiring for a slot on the national team.

Chicano was only fourth in the swim leg but breezed through the first transition to catch up with lead pack in the windy 40-km bike leg.

Chicano and Casares entered the second transition together and battled toe to toe in the 10-km run, but Chicano broke away in the final 2 kilometers to win the gold medal.

Casares finished with with 2:00:01 and last year’s top junior Andrew Kim Remolino of Cebu was third with 2:02:12.

Kilgroe led from start to finish in the absences of SEA Games gold and silver medalists Kim Mangrobang, who is in Portugal training, and Claire Adorna, who is attending to a family commitment. Comebacking Alexandra Ganzon (2:25:56) and Jacqui Lamparero (2:30:32) completed the women’s podium.

Tonito Alejo (1:17:19) topped the men’s junior elite division (750-meter swim/20-km bike/5-km run), followed with Jacob Taylor (1:17:55) and Juan Baniqued (1:18:37), while in the women’s side, Karen Manayon (1:26:59), Lauren Plaza (1:29:26) and Erica Bulatao (1:35:01) occupied the podium.

The standard distance age-group champions were Kris Dinglasan (19-24), Heinrich Gasacao (25-29), Jhon Quinones (30-34), Ronald Mulit and Ines Santiago (35-39), Jualyn Asugbog and Mary Grace Ollindo (40-44), Abe Tayag and Vanj Endaya (45-49), Celma Hitalia (Female 50-above), Neil Ong (50-54), Dean Recupero (5559) and Roman Totanes (60-above).

DIAZ

XAVIER REUNION IN DUBAI F

ORMER Xavier School stars hope to have a happy reunion in the United Arab Emirates when Mighty Sports vies in the 30th Dubai International Basketball Championship from February 1 to 9.

Ex-Rain or Shine guard TY Tang comes out of retirement for the second time to play with Joseph Yeo—his Xavier teammate in the 1990s—for the sports apparel and accessories squad co-owned by brothers Alex and Czar Wongchuking.

Acknowledged as one of the smartest guards to ever play in

the pro league, Tang retired four years ago but is eager to prove that at 34 he can still play at the highest level.

Like boxing icon and Sen. Manny Pacquiao, the 5-foot-6 Tang believes age is just a number, claiming he’s feeling young after a recent US vacation.

Along with team captain Chris Tiu, they formed the deadly trio for the Golden Stallions that waged epic battles with rival Chiang Kai Shek College in the golden era of the Metro Tiong Lian League.

“I’m hoping they can still deliver the punches. They were Xavier’s formidable trio during their time,” said Alex Wongchuking who once played for the school in the 1970s.

Tang unretired last year to play for one game for Go For Gold in the Philippine Basketball Association D-League.

The team backed by SMDC, Go For Gold, Healthcube and Oriental Group leaves for

Dubai on Thursday looking confident of a better finish despite the limited time to prepare for one of toughest tournaments in the Middle East.

After playing for Xavier in the 1980s, Czar went on to become the team manager of Xavier starting in 2006 and produced stars like Charles Tiu, Woody Co, Gab Banal, Angelo Wongchuking and former Ginebra player Jett Manuel.

Tiu, who dabbles as anchor for CNN, will call the shots for the team with veteran strategist Jong Uichico, Ateneo’s Dean Castano and Co as assistants. Banal, Wongchuking and Manuel also reunite for one last time in an international tournament.

Beefing up the team are former LA Lakers star Lamar Odom, Ginebra resident import Justine Brownlee, Chinese league veteran Randolf Morris, University of the Philippines’s Juan Gomez de Liano, College of Saint Benilde’s Justine Gutang, De La Salle forward Santi Santillan, and FilAms Jeremiah Gray and Roosevelt Adams.

NEW CHAMP Brazil’s Adriano

Moraes is crowned the new world flyweight champion with a unanimous decision victory over the Philippines’s Geje Eustaquio in the ONE: Hero’s Accent on Friday at the Mall of Asia Arena.

Odom praises PHL dribblers

F

ORMER Los Angeles Lakers star Lamar Odom, a two-time National Basketball Association champion, praised the talent of Filipino players and expressed confidence the country could advance to the Fiba World Cup. Odom, who will play for Mighty Sports in the Dubai International Basketball Championship, said the country must keep its faith on the team whose qualification to the China World Cup in August hangs.

“Just have faith. Just put the best players out there no matter how tall the opposing teams are,” Odom said.

“You got to put in players who’s got Filipino pride,” the 6-foot-10 big man added.

After dismal results in the past windows, Team Pilipinas is on the brink of blowing away its aspirations of punching a ticket to China in the tournament set from August 31 to September 15.

The Filipinos will battle Qatar on February 21 and Kazakstan on February 24—both away games.

The squad’s consecutive defeat to Kazakhstan (8892) and Iran (70-78) in the fifth window relegated the Philippines to fourth place with a 5-5 won-lost record.

Japan, which Team Pilipinas beat twice in early in the qualifiers, has overtaken the country with a 6-4 card in Group F. The top 3 teams from the two groups will automatically qualify for the World Cup, with the fourth placer with the best record also advancing.

The 15-member pool will enter its second week of training with naturalized player Andray Blatche expected to arrive in the first week of early February.

Ramon Rafael Bonilla

Boystown hoopstown

FOR the 2,000 boys who call the Sisters of Mary Boystown in Silang (Cavite) home, the Chooks to Go National Basketball Training Center (NBTC) 3x3 event couldn’t come soon enough.

I spoke with Sister Lilibeth Gustilo of the Sister of Mary, and she said that it is a misnomer that the kids who live in Boystown are juvenile delinquents or runaways. These kids come from poor families and have no means by their families to raise them. At the sprawling Cavite grounds, they receive formal education, religious formation and a healthy dose of sports.

I laud what Chooks to Go and its president, Ronald Mascariñas is championing—the growth of the sport and a nationwide grassroots tournament, and helping the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) accrue the necessary points and qualifications to get the country in Fiba competition and the Olympics. And of course, to look for these hidden gems across the country.

A couple of weeks ago, there was a similar event at the Boystown and Girlstown in Cebu where a massive 3x3 event was held by the SBP and Chooks to Go. The ongoing Chooks to Go-NBTC 3x3—an extension of the NBTC grassroots five-onfive program—is a four-leg Under 20 and Under 18 tournament currently being played in Cavite, Quezon, Baguio, Dagupan, Cebu, Bacolod, Cagayan de Oro and Zamboanga. The winner will receive P10,000 and will receive the opportunity to participate in the NBTC National Finals this March.

According to Neil “Kobi” Antonio, a 17-yearold kid from Boystown who loves the game of basketball yet plans to apply for the Philippine Military Academy when he is done with senior high school, many of the kids couldn’t sleep a wink in anticipation of the event.

“Maganda rin kasi mayroon mga bisita rito sa amin,” he pointed out. “Tiyak na mayroon kaming matutunan sa paglaro ng basketball kalaban sila.”

Added Sister Lilibeth, “An event like this gives the boys a chance to interact with other boys their own age.”

One kid from Boystown named Michael said that playing against boys their age from other schools in the Cavite and Batangas area is a way for them to see how they fare in terms of skills. “Dito kasi napapanood namin lang madalas ’yung nasa TV—PBA, NBA, UAAP at NCAA. Pero dito malalaman namin kung ano ’yung mga skills na kulang pa sa amin.”

There were over a dozen teams from Boystown that competed and a few made it as far as the quarterfinals. But whether outgunned or sorely lacking in big game competition, the fact that they competed is a big thing for them. Win or lose. Not everything in this world can be quantified with by a trophy.

Case in point.

Marcus Hoeksel from Our Lady of the Holy Rosary School whose team fell to Tirona in the semifinals of the U18 bracket, pointed out that, “I had fun in this exciting event that is different. Our school takes part in the NBTC competition, and we are always happy for the opportunity, exposure and the experience.”

For the Cavite event, Saint Francis of Assisi made both the U20 and U18 finals. In the U20 division, SFAC, the SBP Pambansang Tatluhan champion team of two years ago, defeated Tagyatay Science, 16-11. However, their younger counterparts fell to Tirona, 21-17.

During the opening program that I hosted, I told the assembled crowd that aside from education and the Internet, the other great equalizer in life is sports and that it provides opportunities for education and a career.

In the basketball pyramid, the opportunities get smaller and more crowded on the way to its pinnacle, which is the PBA. For many of these kids, their high-school ball is it. And experiences like this are something they will remember.

Sports BusinessMirror

C4

| Monday, January 28, 2019 mirror_sports@yahoo.com.ph Editor: Jun Lomibao

ROSE IN CONTROL

By Doug Ferguson

S

The Associated Press

AN DIEGO—Justin Rose tracked the flight of his 3-wood until he saw it splash into the pond guarding the 18th green at Torrey Pines. He walked a few steps and pulled his cap down over his eyes, the look of a man who had just made a crucial mistake at the wrong time.

Not really.

This was only Saturday.

Rose wasn’t happy that he finished up the third round with a bogey at the Farmers Insurance Open, but it didn’t take away from a game so strong that having his lead cut in half over the closing five holes was no cause for alarm.

Even with three penalty shots on

the day, Rose still managed a threeunder 69 and a three-shot lead, the same margin with which he began the day.

He’s playing that well.

Adam Scott had the low round of the week on the South course with a 65, which pulled him within three shots, and it still felt like a consolation.

“As good as I’m playing, I feel like I’m a long way behind,” Scott said.

Rose had six birdies and an eagle that more than atoned for his mistakes. Even with two double bogeys and the bogey on the parfive 18th, he still matched the 54hole tournament record at 18-under 198, last set by Tiger Woods in 2008.

As for that bold attempt to go for the green?

He had an 8-iron from the first cut of rough to play it safe until he

EVEN with three penalty shots on the day, Justin Rose still manages a three-under 69 and a three-shot lead, the same margin with which he began the day. AP

Spieth, Reed reunite with a hug and a laugh S AN DIEGO—Jordan Spieth ended any speculation about his relationship with Patrick Reed with a hug.

Spieth and Reed played together on Saturday in the Farmers Insurance Open.

It was the most time they have spent with each other since sitting on opposite sides of a table in a closing Ryder Cup press conference amid questions why they weren’t partners in France.

WINNER! Javier Castellano crosses

the finish line aboard City of Light to win the Pegasus World Cup Invitational Horse Race on Saturday at the Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Florida. Going into retirement with an absolute flourish, City of Light runs away from Accelerate and every other challenger down the stretch and rolls to a five-and-three-fourthlength victory in the $9-million race— the richest race in North America, and the highlight of the $16-million Pegasus Day at Gulfstream Park. AP

Reed made it a divisive issue in a telephone interview with The New York Times a few hours earlier when he blamed Spieth for them not playing together. When asked at the end of last year whether he has spoken to Spieth, Reed said no and that Spieth had his number.

At Torrey Pines, it was as if nothing had ever happened—except for the first tee.

Spieth walked over and shook hands with

Reed’s caddie, John Chin and his caddie, and then he smiled and wrapped his arms around Reed as both laughed.

“It was more kind of sarcasm toward y’all,” Spieth told reporters. “We’ve seen each other plenty of times at Sony and here and everything has been the way it normally is. We knew the cameras were on and we knew people were interested in that, so I just thought it would be kind of funny.”

saw Ryan Palmer comfortably reach the green. Rose went to the 3-wood, knowing it could come out heavy, and that’s what it did.

“There was a long way to go,” Rose said. “So I wasn’t really playing with the lead in mind at that point. If I was running 30th in the tournament, that was a shot I would probably hit. But yeah, it didn’t work out.”

Jon Rahm had a 68 and was four shots behind, followed by 22-year-old Doug Ghim, the former No. 1 amateur playing this week on a sponsor’s exemption.

Ghim shot a 67.

Woods had the biggest gallery and didn’t make much noise. Woods birdied three of his last five holes to salvage a 71, leaving him 13 shots behind and in search of moral victories in his 2019 debut.

He was at five-under 211.

“I think if I can get to double digits (under par), it would be just a nice way to end the week,” Woods said.

“I’ve got to play a little better than I have.”

Scott was the only player to give Rose a serious run, and it didn’t feel like much.

Starting the day seven shots behind, Scott opened with an 8-foot birdie and then holed out from 103 yards for eagle on the next hole. He added four birdies in a five-hole stretch at the turn and delivered the low round of the tournament on the South course.

And he still wondered if it was enough.

“It’s almost all up to him tomorrow,” Scott about Rose, his neighbor in the Bahamas. “So that’s no pressure on me. But this is not a course I can go out and just fire at pins. It’s too easy to make big errors. I’ll just have to chip away and see if he can do the same.”

Rose made plenty of errors, though he atoned for them with plenty of exquisite shots.

After starting with two birdies Reed said the Ryder Cup moment was forgotten in his mind as soon as they got off the plane from France.

“It’s really nothing,” Reed said. “Jordan and I, we’ve moved on. We’re now just out here trying to play some good golf and trying to feed off of each other, as well as just trying to go out and shoot low numbers.”

Spieth and Reed were 4-1-2 as Ryder Cup partners in Scotland and Minnesota. At last year’s Ryder Cup, however, Spieth played with Thomas, and it was the most successful US team in France as they went 3-1. Reed played with Tiger Woods and went 0-2.

Spieth predicted a moment like this

through three holes, Rose pulled his shot from a fairway bunker on the fourth hole into the hazard well left of the green, and he missed a 10-foot putt to make double bogey.

He answered with two birdies and an eagle on the par 5s, reaching all of them in two, and appeared to be sailing along until he pulled his shot out of a bunker on No. 14 into the hazard for a second double bogey, and then found the water on the final hole.

Scott said he would not be thinking about winning overnight, not with Rose the player he is chasing.

Rose is No. 1 in the world, with five victories in the last 14 months and a game that is not showing many weaknesses.

“He’s just playing too good,” Scott said. “He’s the No. 1 player in the world, he’s played well for over two years. He’s feeling it. He wants to take advantage of all of his good golf, and that’s why he’s running away with this thing.”

Scott said the one positive about his position is only one player is front of him.

Rose has a 3-6 record when he has the lead going into the final round on the PGA Tour, and he knows now to take anything for granted, even the way he’s playing on a strong South course.

Rose and Scott are longtime friends, while Rahm won at Torrey Pines two years ago and has an explosive game, opening this event with a 62.

“I expect Jon and Adam to come out and play well tomorrow, as well as the chasing pack,” Rose said.

“But one of those guys is capable of something in the mid-60s.

Obviously, if I go out and shoot 68, then that’s a great round of golf. But a 68 on the South course isn’t anyone’s to lose. You have to go out and get it. I think it’s going to take a good round of golf tomorrow to get this done.” when he showed up in Honolulu two weeks ago and was asked about Reed.

“It will be interesting if we’re competing on Sunday, what will be talked about outside of us. Between us, it won’t be anything extra than what there always is, which is peers trying to win a tournament,” he said then.

And that’s how it looked on Saturday.

“Everything got blown up more than it should have been,” Spieth said. “It was just another round.”

Reed had a three-under 69. Spieth was making a run until a triple bogey on the 15th hole, and he had to settle for a 72. AP

12 IMMIGRANT WORKERS AT TRUMP COURSES FIRED N

EW YORK—A dozen immigrant workers at one of President Donald J. Trump’s golf clubs in New York who are in the US illegally were fired this month even though managers had known about their legal status for years, a lawyer for the workers said on Saturday.

As the president railed during the partial government shutdown against immigrants coming into the country illegally, a manager at the Trump National Golf Club in Westchester County called a dozen immigrant workers

into a room one by one January 18 and fired them, said lawyer Anibal Romero.

Many of them had worked at the club for a dozen or more years, he said, and managers knew they had submitted phony documents but looked the other way.

“This is bogus. People have been there for 12, 13, 14 years,” said Romero. He added, referring to one of the president’s sons, “One had the keys to Eric Trump’s bedroom.”

The firings come after workers at another Trump club in New Jersey came forward last month to say managers there had hired them knowing they were in the country illegally, and had even helped one obtain phony documents.

The crackdown at the New York club was first reported

by The Washington Post.

The Associated Press left messages with The Trump Organization seeking comment. Eric Trump depicted the firings to the Post as a normal course of business.

“We are making a broad effort to identify any employee who has given false and fraudulent documents to unlawfully gain employment,” he said. “Where identified, any individual will be terminated immediately.”

He added that the “the system is broken.”

MANY of the workers had served at the club for a dozen or more years, and managers knew they had submitted phony documents but looked the other way. AP

Trump has repeatedly cast the millions of immigrants in the country illegally as a scourge on the health of the economy, taking jobs from American citizens. He has said they also bring drugs and crime over the border.

Trump turned over day-to-day management of his business to Eric and his other adult son, Donald Jr., when he took the oath of office two years ago. The Trump Organization owns or manages 17 golf clubs around the world.

One man who was fired, a former maintenance worker from Mexico hired in 2005, told the Post that he started to cry when he was told of the news and pleaded with management to reconsider.

“I told them they needed to consider us,” said Gabriel Sedano. “I’d given the best of myself to this job.”

“I’d never done anything wrong, only work and work,” he added. “They said they didn’t have any comments to make.”

Romero, who also represents immigrant workers at Trump’s golf course in Bedminster, New Jersey, said he has called New York state authorities and the Federal Bureau of Investigation to look into hiring practices at the New York club.

“There was a don’t ask, don’t tell attitude at the club,” he said. “We are demanding a full investigation.” AP

M

Most High God

OST High God, You judge the world with justice. Hear us with Your grace: Favor us by Your mercy, Oh God. You are the stronghold for the oppressed; shelter those who live daily with political unrest or corruption. You are the refuge of those who seek You; grant safety to pilgrims and all who gather to pray. You are a haven for those who trust You; protect children from physical, sexual or emotional abuse. Bring to safety all the young at risk. May the Peace of God that surpasses all understanding keep our hearts and minds in the knowledge of Jesus Christ our Lord, by the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

GIVE US THIS DAY, SHARED BY LUISA LACSON, HFL

Word&Life Publications • teacherlouie1965@yahoo.com

Editor: Gerard S. Ramos • lifestylebusinessmirror@gmail.com

Life

Gift and take TOTA PULCHRA

MISS CHARLIZE @misscharlize

T

HAT guilt from the Christmas gift-giving splurge is—somewhat—gone. But the urge to give—and receive—can be justified again with the Chinese New Year and Valentine’s Day in the weeks ahead.

Don’t mind the commercialism. Or, better yet, appreciate the thoughtfulness.

KENNETH COLE A shoe company, which constantly reminds itself of “the importance of resourcefulness, creativity and innovative problem solving,” is celebrating its 35th anniversary. If you’re also marking a milestone with your loved one, this brand’s accessories are suited for you.

The “Re-Tailored Capsule Collection” revives the brand’s iconic pieces indicating the year it was launched, such as The Men’s Boot 84, The Women’s Riley Pump 83, The Moto 88, The Backpack 87, The Watch 96 and The Spinner Luggage 99.

Continued on D2

BusinessMirror

AND THEN SOME: WILL THESE LIPSTICKS BRING YOU GOOD LUCK?D4

Monday, January 28, 2019 D1

D2

Monday, January 28, 2019

Style

BusinessMirror

Gift and take Continued from D1

The celebration also includes honoring people who have served as like-minded inspirations to Kenneth Cole, the man and the brand. Called “35 Years Bold,” the social and digital campaign include legendary actor Robert Redford, actor Cheyenne Jackson, actor Alan Cumming, singer Jason Derulo and designer Diane von Furstenberg, as well as the causes they have championed with the brand as the platform for their voices.

The brand will also launch the on-trend slogan shirts and tote bags with “Kennethisms” like “Stand for Something or Step Aside,” “Power to the Equal” and “Don’t Judge Me By What I Wear.”

In the Philippines, Kenneth Cole (facebook.com/ KennethCole.Philippines) is exclusively distributed by Stores Specialists Inc. JOSIE NATORI BEFORE Victoria’s Secret or La Perla, Filipinas have already been enamored with Natori. A brand that’s sexy without being vulgar, suitable for the stillconservative tastes of some. Its Resort Ready-To-

Wear 2019 Collection is a “graphic assortment with seasonless appeal” featuring mix-and-match options for tops and dresses.

Printed, embroidered or draped, the silky kimonos and titillating tops are perfect gifts for your paramour—or yourself—who is ready to express the inner bombshell in her (or in you).

McJIM CLASSIC LEATHER The global gentleman deserves high-quality, well-crafted and functional real leather belts, bags and wallets whether he’s conducting business in Manila or cutting deals in Tokyo. McJim Classic Leather (facebook.com/OfficialMcJIM) can be that brand for him.

“McJim can keep up with and stand out in any mega fashion capital in the world, armed with its timeless philosophy of style, quality and elegance,” PR entrepreneur and award-winning filmmaker Chris Cahilig, who directed the shoot, declared.

“Tokyo’s fashion scene is very much alive; it has always pushed the boundaries of style. It can be laidback, it can be avant-garde, it can be formal.

But one thing is constant: It moves forward and adapts to the times, and that is what McJim also embodies as a brand.”

z

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Manufacturing and the Manila Cookie Story.

“We’re very thrilled with our additions this year. We believe that DFPC is an effective vehicle to promote Filipino creativity because our products are sold to departing passengers for their consumption abroad,” said DFPC Chief Operating Officer Vicente Angala. “Locally made products in our stores have steadily grown to this day, and we expect for it to continue to grow in the coming years.”

Today’s Horoscope

By Eugenia Last

CELEBRITIES BORN ON THIS DAY: Ariel Winter, 21; Elijah Wood, 38; Sarah McLachlan, 51; Frank Darabont, 60.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY: You can achieve what you set out to by using intellect and experience. Think matters through and be willing to adapt and compromise.

Working with what you’ve got and sticking to a budget will be important factors in reaching your goals this year.

Don’t lose sight of personal needs. Reward yourself and those who love and support you. Your lucky numbers are 9, 17, 21, 26, 32, 43, 48.

a

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Use your intelligence to deflect adversity and those trying to hold you back. Opportunity is within reach, but it won’t come find you. Look at what’s available, and make good use of what you encounter. Be open to suggestions.

«««

b

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): A steady pace will get you where you want to go. Refuse to let anyone convince you that you should follow instead of leading or taking your own path. Be true to yourself, your beliefs and to the ones you love. «««

c

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Look at the fine print before you make a decision or offer your signature or a promise. An opportunity is only as good as how you make use of what you have to work with. Use common sense and experience. «««

DUTY FREE PHILIPPINES CORP. WITH a record-setting 7 million tourist arrivals in 2018, Duty Free Philippines Corp. (DFPC) is expanding its merchandise offerings to entice all these travel bugs and wanderers to buy world-class Filipinomade products.

Pasalubongs always warm the heart and the DFPC understands this very well, as the stateowned retail company will add about 27 local brands at the kiosk of Philippines’ finest at the newly opened Luxe Duty Free at the Mall of Asia Complex and about 11 brands at the DFPC Fiestamall in Parañaque City.

There are 39 Filipino brands showcased at the DFPC stores, including Malagos Agri-Venture, Theo and Philo Chocolate Factory, Filipinas Oro de Cacao, Ralph and Matthew’s Chocolate Enterprise, Gourmet Farms, Armson Foods, Freefood Coconut

d

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Go with the flow and see where it takes you. Let your intuition be your guide and your ability to reason be your safety net. A creative idea put into motion will attract interest, support and a worthwhile partnership. «««««

e

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Make choices that will help you improve your life, as well as your health and emotional well-being. Refuse to let someone play emotional mind games with you. Look for equality in relationships. Romance and personal growth are highlighted. ««

f

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Communication will help you decipher what’s true, as well as what’s best for you. Look at the facts and ask pertinent questions to reveal the truth. Don’t let anger set in when intelligence and common sense are what’s required. ««««

g

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Look inward and evaluate your life—past, present and future.

Once you are clear about what you want, it will be easy to mark out a path that will help you reach your goals. It’s up to you to make things happen. «««

h

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Learn all you can before you start something new. Don’t rely on someone who uses emotional tactics to get his or her way. Focus on what you have to offer and how best to use your skills. «««

i

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): You’ll crave change, but before you proceed, consider the consequences. It’s important that you do what’s best and right for everyone. Romantic encounters along with physical fitness, home improvements and updating your appearance will lift your spirits. «««

Calvin Klein to close New York flagship as brand shifts strategy CALVIN KLEIN is closing its Madison Avenue flagship store in New York this spring as the fashion label shakes up its strategy.

The apparel maker owned by PVH Corp. said it would begin using a “digital-first” approach and reorganize its North American division, combining operations in sportswear and jeans. Its higherend Calvin Klein 205W39NYC business will get a makeover, as well, relaunching with a new name and creative direction. Designer Raf Simons left in December.

“Our industry is witnessing a historic transformation in consumer behavior,” Chief Executive Officer Steve Shiffman said in a statement.

It’s especially important now to meet customers’ desires for “culturally relevant products and experiences.”

The Calvin Klein brand has struggled to draw shoppers with its new initiatives. Emanuel

Chirico, CEO of parent company PVH, expressed disappointment in the brand’s 205 collection and jeans business on a conference call with analysts last quarter.

Early signs show retailers had a rough time for fourth-quarter earnings The flagship is at 645 Madison Avenue, at East 60th Street. Shiffman said Calvin Klein is currently evaluating options for new retail locations, though he did not specify where.

Management wants to grow Calvin Klein to $12 billion in global retail sales “over the next few years,” Shiffman said.

PVH shares rose about 5 percent after the close of regular trading on Thursday, after the company said fourth-quarter profit likely beat its earlier projections. Adjusted earnings will be at least $1.75 a share, ahead of the $1.61 average estimate of analysts surveyed by Bloomberg. Bloomberg

j

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Don’t alter something in your life for the wrong reason. Be wary of unpredictable individuals who are pushing for unnecessary change or doing something that isn’t logical. Rely on your insight to help you make the best and the right choice. ««««

k

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Say what’s on your mind to save yourself some time.

Implement lifestyle changes that will encourage you to be fit and healthy. Physical improvements will help you excel. Walk away from abusive or controlling situations and people. ««

l

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Do what you can to help others, but don’t go into debt or try to buy love. Temptation will cloud your vision if you let your emotions overrule common sense.

Say no to anyone enticing you with indulgence or bad habits. ««««« BIRTHDAY BABY: You are smart, courageous and enthusiastic. You are loyal and flexible.

‘choral pieces’ BY JOHN GUZZETTA The Universal Crossword/Edited by Timothy E. Parker

ACROSS 1 It’s a virtue 9 1960 Hitchcock thriller 15 Thrift store charity 16 Took off to wed 17 ___ system (bones, etc.)

18 Traveled with a guide 19 Makes mistakes 20 Real downer 21 Custard apple’s relative 24 Went longer than scheduled 28 www address 29 Cruise amenity 31 “Golly gee” 32 Deny 36 Texas panhandle city 39 Separates...or what the block in row 3, 5, 11 or 13 does?

41 Layered pasta dishes 43 Cramming, perhaps 46 Declare confidently 47 Rainy 49 Space between 50 The decimal system

3 Eurydice’s lover 5 57 Wee 58 Certain 59 Cuban cigar brand 62 Gilligan’s vessel 66 Lacking iron 67 Ear doctor’s tool 68 Move to another row, say 69 Needles DOWN 1 Leaves in a book: Abbr.

2 Just fine 3 ___ the line 4 Less active 5 Water pitchers 6 The “N” in TNT 7 Joins, as hands 8 Loss leader?

9 Jordan ruins site 10 ___ Kettering Institute 11 Words of encouragement 12 EMT’s specialty 13 “___ Haw” 14 Strange

0 Real Housewives action 2 21 It sets in the west 22 “... ___ lack thereof” 23 President Grant 25 Juice measure?

26 TOEFL prep course 27 Pi follower 30 No longer in 33 When many solve crosswords 34 Tunisia neighbor: Abbr.

35 Yang’s complement 37 The Simpsons shopkeeper 38 Sing like Cardi B 40 Lion-colored 41 Yellow or chocolate dog, briefly 42 13th director DuVernay 44 Greek T 45 Short albums, for short 48 Throw at 51 Bone by the fibula 52 Sign into law 54 Supposed breakup, e.g.

55 Light splitter 56 Therefore

9 Tesla, for one 5 60 Washington’s bill 61 “For ___ a jolly...”

62 Drunkard 63 Prefix with “compliant” 64 Choose 65 Isle of Dogs director Anderson

Solution to Friday’s puzzle:

Show BusinessMirror

Monday, January 28, 2019

D3

Michael Jackson accusers’ film gets standing ovation, estate rebuke

By Lindsey Bahr

P

The Associated Press

ARK CITY, Utah—It’s not uncommon for audiences at the Sundance Film Festival to give standing ovations, but the ceremonial act took on a solemn air as two men who accuse Michael Jackson of molesting them as boys walked onstage following the festival’s only screening of Leaving Neverland, a documentary about their stories.

Wade Robson, who says Jackson abused him from ages 7 to 14, and James Safechuck came forward as adults with their abuse allegations after Jackson’s death in 2009.

The four-hour film, which will air in two parts on Britain’s Channel 4 and HBO this spring, is a sprawling account of how their lives intersected with Jackson’s at the height of his fame in the ’80s and early ’90s, and then later as adults when the trauma of what happened in their youth started to emerge in serious ways.

In addition to accounts from Robson and Safechuck themselves, the film also interviews family members including the boys’ mothers, wives and Robson’s brother and sister. Jackson’s voice is heard in the film, through voicemails he left for Robson and an “interview” Safechuck did with Jackson aboard his private plane, and the film also shows some of the many faxes he sent to Robson.

“We can’t change what happened to us. And we can’t do anything about Michael,” Robson said in a Q&A with the audience. But he said he hopes it makes other survivors feel less isolated and raises awareness for anyone who is responsible for children.

Safechuck added that they weren’t paid to participate in the documentary, nor did they expect to get anything from it.

Jackson’s estate sharply denounced the film Friday night, calling it “the kind of tabloid character assassination Michael Jackson endured in life, and now in death.” It accused Robson and Safechuck of being “two perjurers,” a

reference to sworn statements they gave while Jackson was alive stating he had not molested them. Robson, a choreographer who has worked with Britney Spears and other top acts, testified for Jackson’s defense at the 2005 trial that ended with the pop star’s acquittal on molestation charges.

“The film takes uncorroborated allegations that supposedly happened 20 years ago and treats them as fact,” the statement said.

It accused the filmmakers of relying too heavily on the stories of the two men and ignoring the accounts of others who have said Jackson never harmed children.

The Associated Press does not typically identify people who say they are victims of sexual assault unless they come forward publicly, which Robson and Safechuck have done in multiple ways.

Leaving Neverland has been denounced by Jackson’s estate and fans since the project was announced earlier this month.

Jackson was acquitted of molestation charges in 2005 in a case involving another young man. Robson testified at that trial, saying he had slept in Jackson’s room many times, but that Jackson had never molested him. Safechuck made similar statements to investigators as a boy. Then in 2013 Robson filed a lawsuit that said stress and trauma had forced him to face the truth that he was sexually abused by Jackson. Safechuck filed a similar lawsuit the following year. Both were dismissed for technical reasons and a judge did not evaluate the merits of the allegations.

Leaving Neverland director Dan Reed said he was entering new territory exploring an entertainment figure, instead of his usual subjects like terrorism and crime.

He told the men, who had talked to so many lawyers over the years, to just speak to him like he was an ordinary person on the street and not to worry about contradictions. He interviewed Robson for three days and Safechuck for two days before deciding that he also wanted to speak to their mothers.

“I was just blown away,” Reed said. “I knew we had something really big.”

WADE ROBSON (from left), director Dan Reed and James Safechuck pose for a portrait to promote the film Leaving Neverland at the Salesforce Music Lodge during the Sundance Film Festival on January 24 in Park City, Utah. AP

Safechuck and Robson say that being together through the process has been incredible.

“It’s all we’ve wanted for the past six years to be able to talk, communicate,” Robson said. It’s just been beautiful.”

Safechuck added: “It was a long time coming, just connecting to someone who has been through this. It’s amazing.”

The film has stirred up controversy since it was announced just a few weeks ago. Upon its announcement, the Jackson estate condemned it for

rehashing “discredited allegations.”

Before the screening, there were reports that there would be massive demonstrations outside and Park City deployed extra police outside the Egyptian Theater, which is in the middle of the festival’s busiest street.

But only a handful of people showed up Friday holding posters with the word “innocent” displayed over Jackson’s mouth.

An audience member brought up the reality that there are many Jackson fans

Larger than life ALL ACCESS RICKY GALLARDO rickygallardoTFI@gmail.com

THE campaign for the coming elections commenced as early as the Christmas holidays. Cruising along the major highways, we start to see images of those running for electoral positions taking over the major billboards. Those who have the money start really early, and their think tanks do not care even if it’s not the official campaign period yet. The early bird gets the fattest worms, so they say.

In the coming days, we will be seeing tarps, banners and posters of these politicians all over, greeting everyone from “Happy Fiesta” to “Kong Hei Fat Choy,” from “Happy Valentine’s Day” to “Happy Easter,” from “Congratulations Graduates” to “Happy Mother’s Day,” with their massive photoshopped faces and molar-to-molar smiles.

In the local entertainment arena, expect more life stories

and so-called bio-flicks of politicians and political aspirants on both the big and small screens in the coming days.

There’s Bato: The General Ronald de la Rosa Story that finished principal photography only on January 23 and will open in cinemas on January 30. With Robin Padilla portraying the bald general on the big screen, filmmaker Adolfo Alix Jr. chose to have an ensemble of actors to give Padilla strong support.

Playing pivotal characters in the general’s life on the big sceen are Ricky Davao, Gina Alajar, Mon Confiado, Jess Mendoza, Efren Reyes Jr., Joko Diaz, Kiko Matos and Beauty Gonzales.

There are a few disgruntled members of the industry and the opposition that are making noise and overreacting but when you think about it, there is no need to put color into every film project that one takes on. It is just work for these actors and members of the production team, and they are not answerable to anyone for whatever project they decide to accept or not.

Truth is, the producers and financiers have the means and resources, and they’re willing to invest in the material. The filmmaker did not have to fly out of the country to beg for grants from foreign entities, people were offered work and they accepted wholeheartedly, and no one got paid postdated checks. So it’s a win-win situation for everyone involved in the project.

We hope the finished product will not have a rushed outcome, considering that it will just have less than a week for post-production. Whether the film earns or not in the

box office, no one will know until it gets shown, and frankly, we do not think that making money is the topmost goal of the financiers when they bankrolled this movie. If people go and watch it, then good for them. If it turns out to be a good movie, then fine.

On the television front, expect the weekly drama anthologies to be flooded with life stories of political aspirants, too. We heard that a very wealthy lady senator has agreed that excerpts from her life story be made into a special episode of a weekend drama show. Her former senator husband who, many years ago, tried but failed in his bid for the country’s top post is supporting her every move.

And there is the life story of a good-looking senator from the eastern part of Central Luzon that will be shown probably very soon on the longest TV drama anthology on Philippine TV, probably airing on the same weekend.

We do not even have to make a wild guess what lures the networks to dramatize and feature the stories of these politicians who have both the money and machinery to drum up their candidacies. The answer is very obvious.

This is only a sampler of how colorful elections in our country is and will be. Election season has, and will always be, larger than life. And it has always been like this. Only the powerful and the moneyed will continue to manipulate everything—government, laws, economy, cinema, everything, including the future of this country.

Online program ‘The Boobay and Tekla Show’ now on TV AFTER a successful and hilarious run last year, comedic duo Boobay and Tekla remain unstoppable in spreading positive vibes and laughter to their loyal viewers and followers as their digital comedy program The Boobay and Tekla Show has made the transition to TV, making its debut last night, January 27, on GMA. From short-form online capsules on the network’s online portal, the well-loved and highly popular comedy program now becomes a weekend show on GMA with a complete mix of entertainment that viewers will surely enjoy. Every episode features celebrity guests, engaging in spontaneous and genuinely funny conversations with the hosts, as well as segments where the hosts interact with everyday people.

For longtime comedian Boobay, he said that he is thankful for the overwhelming support of their fans and he offers the program to them.

“Nagpapasalamat ako sa GMA kasi nakita nila ’yung chemistry namin ni Tekla as comedy duo. Pero para sa akin, fans ang may kagagawan kung bakit kami napapanood na sa telebisyon. Kung hindi dahil sa suporta nila—sa libu-libong likes

at views na binibigay nila sa amin sa bawat episode ng online show namin—hindi kami mabibigyan ng chance ng GMA. Kaya maraming salamat talaga, para sa kanila ito,” he said.

On the other hand, Tekla looks at comedy as a serious undertaking and he promises to exert more effort in putting a smile on people’s faces. “’Yung nararamdaman ko is tuwa and, at the same time, challenging din ito para sa amin ni Boobay kasi mabigat na responsibilidad ang comedy. Kung sa iba siguro pagpapatawa lang ’yun, pero para sa amin, seryosong bagay ito. Pero mas nangingibabaw ’yung feeling na nagli-level up na kami kasi dati sa online lang kami nakikita; ngayon sa national television na.

Buong mundo na ang makakanuod sa amin, so pinapangako namin na mage-exert pa kami ng more effort and ideas,” he said.

Witness another round of fresh gimmicks such as live performances, live pranks, outrageous interviews with celebrity guests, as well as the remake of the online hit “Dear Boobay and Tekla.”

The Boobay and Tekla Show is under the helm of director Rico Gutierrez. It airs at 10:25 pm every Sunday on GMA.

THE comedic duo of Boobay and Tekla

who don’t believe them, and asked if they had a message for them.

“I don’t feel like there’s anything I need to say to them, except that I understand that it’s really hard to believe,” Robson said. “Because in a way, not that long ago, I was in the same position they were. Even though it happened to me, I still couldn’t believe.

I still couldn’t believe that what Michael did to me was a bad thing. We can only accept and understand something when we’re ready.”

Style

D4 Monday, January 28, 2019

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Will these lipsticks bring you good luck?

E

VEN if you are not Chinese or the type to celebrate the Chinese New Year and all customs and traditions attached to it, you will find it difficult to resist MAC Cosmetics’ Lucky Red Collection for Lunar New Year 2019.

Five lipsticks, a blush duo and a brush are what is in the collection, every item of which is encased in a limited-edition red packaging.

There are three lipsticks from MAC’s regular line, including the iconic Ruby Woo, Russian Red and Lady Danger. There are two new limited-edition colors: Lotus Light (intense pinky red in Amplified finish) and Lucky In Love (midtone pinky mauve in Matte finish).

If I could only get one item from this collection, it would have to be the Powder Blush Duo in Melba/Lovecloud, both permanent shades. Melba is a Matte coral peach while Lovecloud is a Satin bright midtone pink. The collection includes 129SHSES Powder/Blush Brush.

The brand has also launched MAC in Monochrome, taking six of its most iconic lipstick shades and creating a fullface range for each that will make your monochromatic dreams come true.

Monochromatic looks are quite big right now. I am not sure if I can do a full monochromatic look but maybe I can be OK with two at a time—maybe eyes and lips, or cheeks and lips.

The shades include Velvet Teddy (deep beige), Heroine (bright purple), See Sheer (grapefruit pink), Diva (intense reddish burgundy), Candy Yum-Yum (neon pink) and, of course, Ruby Woo (vivid red).

Colors are matched to perfection with a Lipglass, matte and frost eye shadows, powder blush and glitter pigment, with the lipstick packaging being upgraded to color-coordinated tubes.

The MAC in Monochrome look is modern. You can play with the products and even diffuse the color so you do not look too matchy-matchy. For instance, you can wear See Sheer and Velvet Teddy lipsticks together.

MAC Versicolour Stain is a product from the brand that I love. I have the original version, which is a cream. I use it as a lipstick topper and a base for powder blush when I want my cheek color to pop.

“The gloss-stain fusion of Versicolour ascends to the next level. Captivate with a lip color hybrid that’s glossier, higher coverage and harder impact than ever before: new Versicolour Varnish Cream Lip Stain. Its watery-light formula glides on creamy and comfortable to impart long-wearing, saturated full coverage and an always-fresh wet finish,” said MAC Cosmetics in its web site.

My favorite shade from Versicolour Varnish is Stuck In Love, a rose nude that I use as a lip color and a blush.

AND THEN SOME DINNA CHAN VASQUEZ @dinnachanvasquez luckydinna@gmail.com

All ready for summer FOR decades, Australian brand Seafolly has been empowering women across the globe, giving them a double dose of optimism and confidence, and allowing them to embrace summer living-free and fearlessly through fashion and fit.

This season, the brand captures the essence of this belief and shows us how summer is far more than a season or even a state of mind, but a

way of life.

The sun-kissed campaign shot along the pebbled shores of Es Vedrà, Ibiza, perfectly encapsulates exactly what the brand offers women everywhere: a made-tosummer attitude and a lifestyle like no other. The 2019 collection is available at Rustan’s in Makati, Shangri-La Plaza, Alabang Town Center and Cebu.

Seafolly invites women from all walks of life to live a carefree spirit 365 days a year, create a positive outlook and a summer like no other. Paving the way with on-trend colors, prints and superb detailing are Seafolly’s main summer trend stories: Inka Gypsy, include maillots with tie-fronts and cut-out details; Cut Copy, with square necklines, hi-rise bottoms and splitside Brazilians suits; Splendour, a vintage collection with purposely mismatched prints, on-trend scarves and feminine details; La Luna, featuring simple modern shapes including tie-front crop tops, highwaisted pants and high neck maillots, with a plunging back; and Ocean Alley, tropical and floral, reminiscent of Hawaii’s natural landscape.

BusinessMirror

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Monday, January 28, 2019 E1

SURVEYS ARE NO SUBSTITUTE FOR TALKING TO CUSTOMERS

F

By Graham Kenny

OR many organizations, surveys qualify as “talking to the customer.” But do they really qualify as customer consultation?

What can be done instead?

At the beginning of my public workshops on strategic planning I choose a convenience store as my business example, since everyone has been a customer of one, and ask what seems like a benign question: “How do you decide to shop at one convenience store versus another?” The responses come quickly, and they always yield the same six criteria: location, hours of operation, range of goods sold, store presentation, customer service and prices.

What my audience does not appreciate at the start is that it took a group of people to come up with all six factors. No one individual would have articulated the complete set. But how does this translate into gaining insights from customer interviews instead of surveys?

Consider a company I worked with recently that provides a range of civil engineering and planning services to clients nationwide. I’ll call it Command. In preparation for a strategic-planning exercise, which I was to facilitate, the CEO at Command asked me to interview a dozen of its key clients. If you’re like a lot of people, your initial response might be: “Twelve clients? The sample is too small. It’s not enough to tell you anything useful.”

But in conversations with clients, you’re after quality, not quantity. You want to get inside their minds. You want to get a feel for their needs, wants and pains. You can’t get that from a questionnaire.

The company’s management and board believed that Command would obtain a competitive edge through broadening its range of services. But this was not borne out by the customer interviews. Command was in the process of being restructured based on its false premise.

Clearly, there’s no way that traditional surveys could deliver this kind of deep strategic analysis. But what about the expense of conducting interviews with a large sample of customers? To get meaningful customer input, would you not need to conduct a great many?

The short answer is: You need enough interviews to get to the point at which you hear nothing new and material is being repeated. You can, it turns out, reach this point surprisingly quickly.

Graham Kenny is managing director of Strategic Factors, a consultancy.

THE INNOVATIONS CLOSING AFRICA’S ELECTRIC POWER GAP

A

Acha Leke, Mutsa Chironga & Georges Desvaux

FRICA’S shortage of electric power is one of the world’s great challenges, and the push to electrify the continent provides inspiring examples of entrepreneurial solutions.

Some see these challenges as reason to avoid Africa. But many are doing the opposite. A case in point: the “company to country” agreements between GE and several African governments. These represent a new frontier in the company’s

approach to public-sector clients.

For example, GE’s agreement with Nigeria supports the financing, design and building of vital infrastructure, with projects including the development of 10,000 megawatts of power-generation capacity,

as well as upgrades to airports and the construction of public hospitals and diagnostic centers.

Several government-backed initiatives are broadening opportunities for private-sector investors. One is the Power Africa program launched by President Barack Obama in 2013. As of 2017, it had leveraged more than $40 billion in commitments from the private sector to add nearly 7,000 megawatts in generating capacity across the continent. The African Development Bank is driving a campaign to “light up and power Africa.” It has committed $12 billion to energy projects between 2017 and 2022, and aims to attract a further $50 billion in private-sector

investment.

Although expanding Africa’s power grid is essential, it’s not the only part of the solution. A new breed of African innovators is harnessing mobile money, along with advances in solar power and battery storage, to leapfrog the continent’s gaps in electric-power generation. One example is Kenya-based M-Kopa, which provides solar-powered electricity generation and storage solutions to households that lack access to the grid—and finances payment over a 12-month period via mobile money accounts.

Such companies have struck upon a business model that enables even households with low incomes to get electricity for the first time.

That matters, as around 70 percent of African households earn less than $5,000 a year. As M-Kopa’s CEO, Jesse Moore, told us, “Ours is a displacement proposition. African households already spend a lot of money on crappy energy sources like kerosene and batteries. We enable them to stop that wasteful expenditure and switch to something cheaper and better.

It turns out that solar energy is a secret freer of cash.”

Acha Leke is the chairman of McKinsey & Company’s Africa practice.

Mutsa Chironga is an executive at Nedbank, a South African banking group. Georges Desvaux is a senior partner at McKinsey & Company.

Why data won’t fix the US education system Does having a bad boss make you more likely to be one yourself?

I

By Simon Rodberg

N 2001, Congress adopted No Child Left Behind, key legislation that mandated annual testing and led to data-based decision making for schools. That was the same year I started teaching.

The data—standardized tests required by the new law—revealed that our students, overall, struggled to read and do math anywhere near grade level.

Under President Barack Obama, the federal Race to the Top program demanded measurement of teacher impact as part of evaluations. By the time I became principal of a middle and high school, the data bug had infiltrated our methodology so much so that we effectively shut down all non-test-related activities for six days in the spring for state testing.

We’ve slid from a reasonable, necessary, straightforward question—are the students learning?— to the current state of education leadership: where school leaders and policy-makers expect too much of data, over-test student learning to the detriment of learning itself and get lost in their abundance of numbers.

Leading through data

THE leadership decision at stake is how much data to collect. The proper question for leaders to ask is: Will the data help us make betterenough decisions to be worth the cost of getting and using it? So far, the answer is no.

We wanted data to help us get past the problem of too many students learning too little, but it turns out that data is an insufficient,

© 2019 Harvard Business School Publishing Corp. (Distributed by The New York Times Syndicate)

even misleading answer. It’s possible that all we’ve learned from our hyper-focus on data is that better instruction won’t come from more detailed information, but from changing what people do.

What we do next

DATA, many times, is incredibly useful. But looking at it ever more closely, and ever more often, won’t make the students learn more. In every driven-by-data guide to instruction, the last step, after all the analysis, is to teach to where the student gaps are.

Don’t try to turn teachers into data analysts; try, instead, to help them be better teachers.

Simon Rodberg was the founding principal of the District of Columbia International School, a public charter middle and high school.

By Shannon G. Taylor, Robert Folger, Abhijeet K. Vadera, Matthew D. Griffith & Chaim R. Letwin

T

OXIC bosses harm employees in countless ways—for instance, by lowering morale, diminishing wellbeing and increasing work-family conflict.

When do supervisors perpetuate abuse in organizations, when don’t they and why?

To begin answering these questions, we turned to existing research from the nonbusiness world. Psychologist Albert Bandura, for example, developed social cognitive theory to explain how behavior—including abusive behavior—is learned from role models. For modeling to be successful, Bandura argued, an observer must pay attention to the modeled behavior, remember the behavior and be motivated to reproduce it. Despite what the theory suggests, however, other studies show that many individuals do not

model observed behavior.

These conflicting bodies of research suggest that the processes that interrupt cycles of abuse are not well understood.

So we turned to research on identity and identification to understand when and why abused supervisors in particular might change course by being less abusive and more ethical leaders.

We tested our idea across several studies and found that when they disidentified with their manager, those who experienced abuse demonstrated more ethical leadership behaviors than those who weren’t mistreated. In other words, being abused by a fictional manager and seeing yourself as different from him or her made participants more ethical than participants who weren’t mistreated.

In contrast, when supervisors relied less on their moral identity, abuse from their managers did not result in any significant disidentification. So what should

employees and leaders take away from our research?

Individuals might be able to inoculate themselves from the abuses of their supervisor through disidentification, which can lead to more ethical and less abusive behavior. This suggests the cycle of abuse isn’t inevitable in organizations.

But if efforts to short-circuit the modeling of bad behaviors are to be successful, organizations should select supervisors who have strong moral identities, or work to strengthen the moral identities of current managers.

Shannon G. Taylor is an associate professor at the University of Central Florida, where Robert Folger is a professor. Abhijeet K. Vadera is an assistant professor at Singapore Management University. Matthew D. Griffith is an assistant professor at the University of Texas at El Paso. Chaim R. Letwin is an assistant professor at Suffolk University.

E2 Monday, January 28, 2019 • Editor: Efleda P. Campos

Education BusinessMirror

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Ayala Education CEO wants to bolster critical thinking among Pinoy students

By Rizal Raoul S. Reyes @brownindio

C

Contributor

RITICAL thinking is the way to counter the so-called artificialintelligence (AI) tsunami, an executive of a leading educational services provider said.

Although computers and AI can work faster and handle bigger workload, Ayala Education CEO Alfredo Ayala said humans can do the creative and thinking part of the process especially if they are equipped with high-level critical thinking skills.

“AI may take over, but humans

can, too, especially if they go beyond traditional education. It’s not just about knowledge, but actual skills,” he said in his presentation during a recent forum held at the Bonifacio Global City.

“The critical-thinking skill is no longer prioritized for humans be-

cause computers can do it better. AI can tell what a cancer cell is or not,” he added.

He said when humans can develop a project or a program, it requires imagination and skills. What is hard for computer is to design a new approach to cancer because it requires imagination,” Ayala said.

Ayala said the youth must be prepared to face the AI challenge with new skillsets that need not be learned inside the classroom.

“We now see the death of the diplomas or degrees. More and more companies are saying that we don’t need college degrees in [hiring] people,” he explained.

“Companies will be looking for job skills. College students may take inspiration from freelancers who are among the first to recognize the

trend,” he added.

In the survey Freelancing in America 2018, data showed freelancers now give more emphasis on skills training. Out of the 6,000 surveyed, 93 percent with a four-year college degree said skills training was useful versus only 79 percent who said their college education was useful to the work they do now.

Moreover, the study reported 70 percent of full-time freelancers participated in skills training in the past six months compared to only 49 percent of full-time non-freelancers.

Ayala urged local educators to champion blended classrooms where it combines online and offline learning. Online learning offers access to the best teachers in the world, while offline learning provides personal interaction and

guidance from someone.

In the same forum, Accenture Philippines lead of Advanced Technology Center and the Global Artificial Intelligence Capability and Delivery Ambe Tierro said AI is “one of the most profound revolutions that we will see in our lifetime.”

She said workers who will be affected by the automation process must acquire new skills to remain employable.

“Unfortunately, these workers need to have training, but they don’t have access to the training which is compounding their disadvantage,” the AI expert said.

Tierro poised three solutions namely speeding up experiential learning, empowering the vulnerable and shifting focus to creativity. She said companies must hasten experiential

learning by immersions.

“There is an opportunity to do this in much more speed using technology, virtual reality and other forms of AI itself,” she said.

“Part of what we want to achieve is to encourage individuals and groups to empower these groups of learners, [who are] mostly adults, older people, or those who work in small companies,” she said.

“We should guide them. It’s easy for us to say upscale these skills, but in the real world, they need to be guided,” she added.

Tierro urged the concerned sectors to implement more modular courses where there are more flexible learning options. In Accenture, she said “rolled down learning boards, bite-size” so employees can take them home to study them.

Teleperformance PHL leads conversations on LGBTQIA issues 400,000 learners DepEd teaches punctuality match wits in MTAPand honesty values to learners Metrobank-DepEd

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EPARTMENT of Education (DepEd) Assistant Secretary Tonisito Umali recently said learners must imbibe the values of punctuality and honesty to better prepare them for their future and for the betterment of the nation.

During the recent Search for the Outstanding We Advocate Time Consciousness and Honesty (WATCH) Schools awarding at the Bulwagan ng Karunungan, DepEd Central Office in Pasig City, Umali highlighted the significance of this advocacy in inculcating the learners with proper values which promote self-respect and respect for other people’s time.

“Yung konsepto ng pagiging tama sa oras at pagiging matapat o totoo, no doubt, are basic values that we should all recognize, and that we should all instill in the minds of our youth,” Umali said.

“Kung ano ngayon ang ating ikikintal sa isipan ng mga bata, siyang magiging sila 30 taon o 40 taon mula ngayon, bilang isang abogado, doktor, inhinyero, dentista o ano pa mang propesyon nila sa hinaharap,” Umali stated.

Umali emphasized that aside from honing the learners to become better citizens of this nation, this effort also leads to the development of a stronger country.

“Ang ginagawa natin ngayon at ng mga paaralan ay hindi simpleng pagtuturo sa mga bata, tayo po ay humuhubog ng kamalayan ng mga mamamayan na siyang bubuo ng isang matatag, mahusay at magaling na bansa sa hinaharap,” Umali said.

The three best Project WATCH school implementers are Tagum City National Comprehensive High School (Division of Tagum City), Sto. Niño Elementary School (Division of Bulacan) and Cabarroguis National School of Arts and Trades (Division of Quirino).

Launched in 2008, Project WATCH aims to undertake effective programs, projects, and other activities to enhance the importance of punctuality and honesty as elements of success in our daily lives. The DepEd, Junior Chamber International (JCI) Senate Philippines, and other government and nongovernment agencies are campaigning for this initiative.

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HE first firm in the country to be certified as a Great Place to Work, Teleperformance Philippines continues to lead the workplace conversation on diversity and inclusion as it initiates employee programs that provide channels for continuous learning and development. One such initiative is QUEERies—a forum series to discuss the issues and topics of concern for the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex and Allied (LGBTQIA+) community.

Recently, the company held “QUEERies: Trans Health in Focus,” which featured subject matter experts who talked about the specific experience of transgender people (Transgender pertains to individuals whose gender identity, expression, and behavior do not conform to that of their birth sex), as they try to lead healthy and productive lives while undergoing their personal journeys.

Transgender health is an important inclusion issue as this population group has unique health-care needs. Unfortunately, accurate information coming from legitimate sources can be scarce and health practitioners with expertise in transgender health are very few. These leave many transgender people at risk as the alternative is to seek informa-

tion and advice among themselves or through unreliable sources.

Through the forum held at Teleperformance Alphaland Southgate, the company helped to bridge the gap by tackling some of the health and wellness issues, as well as share best practices that transgender people should know about through the help of the resource persons.

This event is also the company’s contribution to the annual Transgender Awareness Week, a global platform that aims to raise the visibility of transgender and gender nonconforming people, and address the various issues that the community faces.

Featured guest speakers were Dr. Jan Dio Miguel de la Cruz and YanYan Araña from Victoria by LoveYourself, the first community center in the Philippines that is focused on Transgender health and wellness services. Aside from basic physical health check-ups and baseline laboratory procedures, the center provides counseling services on transgender concerns, hormone management for transgender, pre-SRS assessment and counseling, as well as free HIV Screening for all.

Among the topics shared by Dr. Migs de la Cruz were Gender Affirming Interventions that are available in the country, as well as the

risks involved, what someone who is transitioning can expect in going through that journey—both physical and social, and where they can find professional support to help them.

Meanwhile, YanYan Araña provided the social context and shared anecdotes from the LGBTQIA+ community’s experiences, underlining the need for a change in the culture’s mindset and attitudes toward gender and its real impact on people’s lives. YanYan enjoined everyone to “stand up for your trans colleagues and trans friends,” saying t the LGBTQIA community are not the only ones who may stand up for each other. “There’s the ‘A’ which stands for ‘allies.’ Be our ally.”

It is a call for inclusion that is echoed by Teleperformance Philippines.

“Teleperformance embraces diversity and finds the common ground among everyone. This is a truly accepting environment, something we’re proud to have built and protected over the years,” said Philip del Rosario, Teleperformance Philippines’ manager for Diversity and Inclusion.

The forum was streamed live on the company’s official Facebook page to open the conversation to a wider audience.

Seminar on How to Import Zambo university to open climate-change center Goods to the Philippines

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N the advent of globalization and free-trade agreements where tariff barriers are lowered if not removed in international trade, importation of goods can be your new source of business and income. Take advantage of this rare opportunity to enter the Philippine market.

To teach you the secrets of importers, the Center for Global Best Practices will host a pioneering program, entitled “Best Practices Guide on How to Import Goods to the Philippines” scheduled on March 6, 2019, at the Manila Marriott Hotel, Pasay City. This special training will provide you a comprehensive step-by-step guide on the whole importation process in the Philippines—from applying for an import license to ensuring the safety and security of the delivery and arrival of your goods. This lecture will also arm you with the right knowledge and fresh insights to save you millions in costs, time, effort and even preventable mistakes committed by many importers.

Update yourselves on the free-trade agreements (with lowered to zero tariffs), rate of duty for the top 20 imported products in the Philippines, ways to get a faster customs clearance by unraveling the maze at customs and many more.

This special program will feature Maria Lydia “Deedee” A. Ledonio, author of the book The Basic Guidelines on Importing into the Philippines: A Handbook for Commercial Importers. With over 25 years of experience in the importing business, she has helped hundreds of importers to safely bring in various products from all over the world into the Philippine market—whether

it is for trading or for meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions (MICE). Currently, she is the president of Columbia Transport Inc. (Coltrans) and managing partner of Coltrans Exhibits Inc. She obtained her master’s degree on Entrepreneurship from the Asian Institute of Management and her bachelor’s degree in Commerce from the University of Santo Tomas.

She also founded Dee’s Gourmet Popcorn and many other businesses.

Registration is open to the general public.

CGBP is accredited by the Civil Service Commission. Attendees from the government can earn points for their career advancement and are exempted from the P2,000 limit when attending training conducted by the private sector based on DBM Circular 563 dated April 22, 2016. Interested participants are encouraged to avail themselves of the early registration savings and group discount for three or more attendees.

Seats are limited and preregistration is required.

For details and complete list of best practices programs such as Incoterms, Mastering the Use of Letters of Credit for Import and Export, Revised ISBP on LC Transactions, Revised ICC Rules on Bank Guarantees and Standby Letters of Credit, ICC Model International Sales Contracts, Understanding Trade Finance Practices and Compliance Issues for Auditors, and many more, you may visit our web site at www.cgbp. org, or call our Manila lines at (+63 2) 556-8968 / 69 or (+63 2) 842-7148 / 59; Baguio Line (+63 74) 423-2914, Cebu lines (+63 32) 512-3106 or 07.

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AMBOANGA CITY—The government-owned Western Mindanao State University (WMSU) is set to open a climate-change center, as well as a plant and animal clinic this year.

Dr. Milabel Enriquez Ho, WMSU president, said on Wednesday a total of P22.2 million has been allocated for the two projects: P21.2 million for the climate-change center and P1 million for the plant and animal clinic.

Ho said the climate-change center

will be located at the university property in Barangay La Paz, and the plant and animal clinic, at the College of Agriculture campus in Barangay Talisayan.

She said the climate-change center will be used for seminar and training activities related to the weather phenomenon, and will be useful to students of the College of Forestry, which maintains an experimental forest in Barangay Talisayan.

The establishment of the plant and

animal clinic, meanwhile, aims to complement the veterinary medicine course that will be offered starting next year.

Ho said the university aims to complete the two projects in December.

The WMSU, the premier and only state university in this city, ranks sixth among 68 universities across the country, according to a survey on the Top Academic Institutions in the Philippines conducted by the Commission on Higher Education. PNA

Math Challenge

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ORE than 400,000 public and private school learners all over the country competed in the elimination round of the 2019 Metrobank-MTAP-DepEd Math Challenge (MMC) conducted across 1,700 testing centers nationwide on January 17 and 18.

MMC is an annual Math competition carried out by Metrobank Foundation Inc. (MBFI), Mathematics Teachers’ Association of the Philippines (MTAP), and the Department of Education (DepEd), in cooperation with its regional and schools division offices. It aims to awaken greater interest in math among elementary and high-school learners, challenge them to strive for mathematical excellence, and empower mathematically talented learners with awards and recognitions for them to serve as models to the youth.

“In our schools, we should also campaign for our Math champions as idols, just as we idolize fellow learners who are basketball players, singers, and dancers, because they deserve to be admired,” Education Secretary Leonor M. Briones shared.

She added that through the MMC, mathematics is finally being given the attention it deserves.

Now on its 18th year, the MMC has engaged a total of 27,089 public and private schools from 217 division offices that registered online.

Division finals will be held on February 7 and 8, while the regional and national finals are slated on March 1 and 29, respectively.

The national finals and awarding ceremonies are scheduled on March 30.

UE to honor Chief Justice Bersamin S

UPREME Court Chief Justice Lucas P. Bersamin will be feted in a special gathering of the University of the East (UE) community, dubbed as “Testimonial Dinner” under the auspices of the University of the East, UE Alumni Association Inc., (UEAAI) and UE Law Alumni Association (UELAA) on Saturday, February 2, 2019, starting at 6 p.m., at the Manila Hotel’s Centennial Hall A. Bersamin is the first UE law alumnus to become the Chief Justice of the country’s highest court.

He received his Bachelor’s Degree in Law from the University of

the East, Manila, in 1973. He placed ninth in the 1973 Bar Examinations and was in the active practice of law from 1974 until his appointment to the Regional Trial Court in November 1986.

He earned distinction as an evenhanded and scholarly magistrate in trying and deciding sensational criminal cases, some of which were reported or featured in national and international media.

In 2000, the Chief Justice Fred Ruiz Castro Memorabilia Commission awarded Bersamin the muchcoveted distinction of having written the Best Decision in Civil Law

and the Best Decision in Criminal Law among Regional Trial Court Judges in the year 1999, the only time ever that the same judge earned both awards in the same year.

On November 28, 2018, President Duterte appointed then-Associate Justice Bersamin as the 25th Chief Justice of the Philippines, to serve as such until his compulsory retirement on October 17, 2019. Chief Justice Bersamin was appointed an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court on April 2, 2009,

by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. He was then sitting as a member of the Court of Appeals, to which

he had been appointed on March 10, 2003, also by President Arroyo.

Prior to his stint in the Court of Appeals, Bersamin had served as the Presiding Judge of Branch 96 of the Regional Trial Court Judge in Quezon City continuously since November 5, 1986.

Expected attendees in this gathering are the UE Corporate Officers, members of the Board of Trustees, and Academic and Administrative Officers, and the UEAAI and UELAA Officers, family members and close friends of the honoree, as well as judges, prosecutors and lawyers who are UE alumni.

Marketing BusinessMirror

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Editor: Efleda P. Campos • Monday, January 28, 2019 E3

Trust is not an issue. It is the issue.

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PR Matters

By Bong R. Osorio

UTURE Focus 2019: Searching for Trust, a research initiative of iProspect, a multinational digital marketing agency under the Dentsu Aegis Network, focuses on managing growth with integrity.

It explores the impact of digital on trust in an era of unprecedented disruption, and the implications for us all, and has defined the trust equation to be: trust = credibility + relevance + reliability.

Credibility is the capacity to be perceived as competent and legitimate. Reliability is the capacity to provide an experience that consistently and conveniently meets customer expectation during every interaction with a brand. To discover if one of the parameters of the equation dominates the others, iProspect asked marketers to single out the most critical one of the three. Interestingly, the response across the three components is relatively even, reinforcing our conviction that the combination of the three components is essential for achieving trust.

Trust is the reason behind stability of global financial markets, the motivation for the rise of political parties, the human trait that makes placebo drugs effective. It has always been the foundation for durable relationships, the power at play in the development of every positive aspect of our societies. The mechanics of trust are deeply complex, influenced by macro-factors like wealth, economic equality, education and political stability, but also by microfactors, such as personal relationships or individual moral values.

Despite unavoidable local variations, many sources report that trust tends to erode globally. This is particularly true for interpersonal trust, and trust in media, in institutions and in businesses.

tably holding highly publicized hearings of Facebook executives.

Second, the enforcement of European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) has created a global conversation around the protection of personal information. In this new context, consumers expect more responsibility, more transparency and more accountability before giving their trust.

The rise of the attention economy

AN authentic company purpose is embedded within every layer of business and is a key component of its decision-making process. Beyond galvanizing the organization, companies will increasingly work with partners outside their core expertise to meet unforeseen consumer demands. They can deepen their customer relationship through a set of clear values, but a critical driver of success is always the quality of their product and customer experience. A company with purpose articulated clearly and delivered competently and authentically earns credibility.

HUMAN attention has become a scarce commodity. With information overload intruding on our capacity to interpret, process and remember what we see and hear, it is no surprise to marketers and communicators that our attention has never been so fragmented. This fragmentation of attention combined with the climate of trust increases pressure on the advertising and PR industry and is driving a renewed focus on truth, authenticity and responsibility. To build, nurture, or regain trust, brands need to adopt principles that respect, respond and value the scarcity of a person’s time.

The new forces redefining credibility

IS our brand competent? Is what it says clear? Are its words followed by concrete actions? Is the company that manufactures it transparent? Does it protect my data? Is the brand’s promise authentic? Does the product deliver on its promise? Does it respect consumer preferences? These questions, the ways brands address them, and the public perception of their responses have always played an important role in building credibility, the first brick of the trust equation.

Fake news and data protection

OVER the last 24 months, two forces have collided with and evolved the notion of credibility: the rise of fake news and the new awareness around data practices. Fake news and misinformation are not new, but the current sophistication and scale in unprecedented. The formation of troll farms, the emergence of editing technology like “deep fake videos,” and the regular use of the term in the political sphere have all altered our notion of truth and helped feed the perception held by three in four people globally that their countries are divided.

Two important milestones have raised public awareness around data protection this year. First, the Cambridge Analytica scandal which was mass publicized in March 2018 revealed the company had harvested the personal data of millions of people without their consent by misusing the Facebook API. Following public outrage, several legislative bodies across the world investigated how technology platforms protect data, no-

media have increased accountability for brands. In that regard, brands can generally do a better job at clarifying their relationships with influencers.

Keeping people and brands safe

Rising expectations

THE positioning of a company’s higher purpose influences willingness—both of its employees and the consumers to engage with its offering and products.

By 2025, millennials will comprise three quarters of the global work force. What a company stands for and how it goes to market matters.

The majority of consumers around the world will buy from or boycott a brand solely because of its position on a social or political issue. They believe companies have a moral obligation to get involved in social issues, and they believe companies are credibly equipped to do so.

The evolution of social commitment

TRADITIONALLY, companies’ social involvement has taken the form of corporate social responsibility with varying levels of actual commitment, CSR often being secondary in the hierarchy of goals. The last several years revealed a considerable fatigue around CSR, where the primary purpose was to protect company reputation. More recently, however, we’ve seen companies focus increasingly on clearer and more meaningful definitions of purpose and purposefulness, with regards to their missions and brand propositions, respectively.

The importance of authenticity

The value of communication

MARKETERS and PR professionals believe the reputation of their brand is the main source of their customers’ trust. In the digital age, consumers are increasingly empowered to verify what brands communicate. People say social platforms now make brands easier to monitor. This consumer empowerment demands more valuable and transparent communications from brands, and more are willing to play by these rules. If what a brand says is not aligned with its actions, that brand will quickly find itself out of the consumer’s consideration set.

Strong communication is a priority for brands seeking to increase consumer trust in 2019.

Content, search and social

THESE are three of the marketer’s top priority channels for 2019. The central role of content makes it a key factor to build and nurture consumer trust. The best amplification tactics in the world are useless—and potentially harmful—if the content they are based upon is not legitimate, clear and connected to consumers. The first step toward credibility is legitimacy.

Too many brands fall into the trap of entering spaces where they lack ownership. Consumers easily see through that and it can heavily tarnish the brand.

Conversely, when brands properly evaluate their legitimacy when developing content, consumers trust them, resulting in strong business outcomes.

Search presents the unique opportunity for brands to build trust by responding to customers’ intent at the specific moments they’re looking for answers. When managed properly, a

paid search message can transcend being merely an advertising message and deliver the content the user is seeking.

Users on social platforms demand total transparency from brands

THIS is particularly true during PR crises: 85 percent of people are more likely to stick by a business during a brand crisis if it has a history of being transparent, and 89 percent believe a business can regain their trust if it admits to a mistake and is transparent about the steps it will take to resolve the issue. This highlights the importance for brands to have a crisis management plan in place so they can act quickly and credibly turn social media on and off. Transparency is also a day-to-day matter as 81 percent of people believe social

THE major technology platforms are multiplying initiatives to nurture consumer trust. Apple, Facebook and YouTube have all launched initiatives to help users better manage the time they spend with apps and devices.

Users can visualize how long they are connected, turn off their notifications temporarily, or set daily reminders to disconnect from these platforms. Technology can also help brands safeguard themselves from appearing in any context that may reflect negatively on them through ad verification.

Relevance is paramount

BEING relevant in an age saturated with pixels is not an easy task, and marketers will have to obey certain commandments to truly resonate with consumers. Brands need to acquire and maintain a thorough knowledge of their audiences’ behavior and preferences. Relevance cannot be approached in silos. To be trusted, brands cannot offer pertinent solutions on their web sites, but irrelevant in-store services to the same consumers. Consistency between environments is critical.

Marketers put convenience and reliability first

SEVERAL factors can explain why con-

sumers sometimes push convenience and reliability into the background when they shop. As discussed earlier in this report, it could be because of deep personal motives, for instance, if a brand better aligns with the consumer’s humanitarian or environmental beliefs. What started with millennials, but has now become more mainstream, is the significant increase in expecting a “moral compass” to come from brands, as human-rights efforts and political views have pushed that consumer focus into the limelight.

Future Focus 2019 explores how brands can build and nurture trust in the attention economy to sustain their growth with integrity. The report indeed examines how experience, personalization and commerce can help brands deliver solutions that are time well spent for their consumers.

PR Matters is a roundtable column by members of the local chapter of the United Kingdom-based International Public Relations Association (Ipra), the world’s premier organization for PR professionals around the world. Bong R. Osorio is a communications consultant of ABS-CBN Corp., SkyCable, Dentsu Aegis Network and government projects among others, after retiring as vice president and head of the Corporate Communications Division of ABS-CBN. We are devoting a special column each month to answer our readers’ questions about public relations. Please send your questions or comments to askipraphil@gmail.com.

ExecutiveViews BusinessMirror

Monday, January 28, 2019 E4 www.businessmirror.com.ph |

First Filipina GM

OF A 5-STAR INTERNATIONAL HOTEL

By Leony R. Garcia & Cedrix S. Hay

‘W

HEN I started my career in the hospitality industry, I really aimed to be the best that I can be in everything I do. Like all others, I wanted to grow in my career. But from my years of experience, the top role in the hotels was traditionally held by foreigners who are male.”

Anna Liza Vergara makes a remarkable distinction as the first Filipina general manager of a five-star international hotel, in a typical male-dominated industry. She has definitely and patiently worked her way into the corporate ladder of success.

Dedicating almost half of her life in the business, Vergara is ecstatic to lead the grand comeback of Sheraton Hotel in the Philippines, which had its soft opening mid-January in Pasay City.

“We’re actually [delighted] with the turnout. You know [as] how the Chinese do it...they open business on an auspicious day, according to their calendar. We really didn’t invite guests because, as you can see, we have limited facilities at the moment. We only have the lobby, restaurant and select guest rooms. But, [from] the first day until now, we have been getting a lot of inquiries. We are building up our occupancy.”

Luckily, Vergara has already understood the Marriott brand. She joined Marriott International two decades ago, after spending some 15 years at the Renaissance Makati. She held directorate and managerial positions at various Marriott

properties, on her way up the ranks to become the resident manager of Marriott Hotel Manila in 2009.

Being invited to be part of the Sheraton group in November 2015, she has not totally realized the career opportunity that was awaiting her.

“When I joined this project, the design has not been finalized yet. And when I was invited to apply for the position, I received a lot of encouragement from industry friends and mentors. I went through the selection process, and I was appointed to be the general manager, so like things just fell to right places....”

Now part of the Marriott International chain of properties, the 390-room Sheraton Hotel Manila is within the Resorts World Manila complex and caters to a wide variety of guests, from highprofile executives to convention participants.

A work in progress

IN her late adolescence, this fine lady started cutting a sack of calamansi fruit into halves as part of her on-the-job training. Later on, she formally joined the industry as a front-desk staff and head of housekeeping, with the main task of keeping the guests’ room spic and span.

Vergara rose from the ranks, experiencing the seemingly lowly and menial tasks in hotel operations. But for her, these are the things that prepared her the most for her current position as the general manager of Sheraton Hotel.

When asked on her style of leading people, taking limits of her managerial powers is a showmanship of true fairness in the workplace.

“I believe I will be the follower that I want my

associate to be. I ought to be the role model.”

Now with her new role, nevertheless, her equal footing in the work force is tantamount to the respect from her colleagues. “It’s not something you ask from people, and they will only give it once they see that you are worthy of it.”

Revitalizing the Sheraton brand

ENVISIONING being the country’s premier global gathering place with a mark of authentic Filipino hospitality, Vergara believes in the huge potential that the Sheraton brand has to offer and, thus, finally reintroduces the name in the Philippines.

Bringing authentic Filipino hospitality to life, for her, means “people would be able to do the things they need to do by themselves, even with the company of people that they don’t necessarily know.”

“We are a global brand, yet we would like to keep that DNA of Filipino hospitality that there is...where people [could] actually connect and be able to collaborate as may be needed.”

Privacy is just as important as keeping the hospitality thrust in spirit, and that’s what Sheraton Hotel makes its cherry on top. By being mindful of others, as what she emphasizes, guests “can actually do his [or her] thing with other people without prying on his [or her] privacy.”

“Now that we have smartphones, people still need a place to do telephone calls, [and] so we [provide] private booths... Likewise, we will have meeting spaces, which is not the typical [ones]; separated by...[a] glass wall for that feeling of inclusion, yet with privacy.”

Made for the Filipino people

CAPITALIZING on the Filipino way of life, Sheraton Hotel is built with historically and culturally inspired décors, which can be found from its lobby up to its grand rooms, to inspire guests from our ancestral roots as a pillar of strength.

“We have Barong Tagalog and art pieces, like shells, in our guest rooms; the Philippine map at the lobby; the galleon ship, like passage, at the hotel entrance; the ceiling décor, which are being used in catching fish in the olden times by the Filipinos. So, we’d like to bring that positioning of a global brand with [that] heartfelt Filipino hospitality,” Vergara says.

Sheraton Hotel is home to its guests no matter who and where he or she comes from, and that’s the mission to fulfill for the most part as the manager. Focusing on the “Filipinoness” of their service, bringing Pinoy home closer to the guests is Sheraton’s core objective.

“Here at Sheraton [Hotel], we shall treat people base on their individuality and personal needs. That way, we don’t just treat people as guests or customers. We will listen to them and do whatever it takes to understand them and make them feel important. [That’s the] culture we’re trying to build [in] here.” As she continues on her managerial journey by employing a Filipino sense of pride—she also looks forward to elevate world-class Filipino talent.

“I believe we really just have to be aggressive in showing our world-class talents [to the world]. And when we become successful on this, it’s going to be a game changer for the industry. That would be good for the people and

the Philippines, right? [That’s the] opportunity we are trying to seize.”

(Not only) Business, as usual

HOSPITALITY is, indeed, an evolving business.

Setting accountability while providing topnotch hotel service is a promise that Sheraton Hotel has been keeping for its clients.

“We used to have P2,000 to P3,000 room rate in the past. Now we’re selling rooms of P11,000, much more than what Bangkok is charging. Sometimes it’s even more than what the US [United States]—in New York—is charging. With that, we got to meet the people’s expectation. We really got to be on top.”

Following the fast-paced flow of the hotel industry, on that note, there are still infrastructure concerns in the country that need immediate attention from the government. Vergara, for her part, believes that today is the best time to showcase Sheraton’s signature style.

“Investors are building various facilities but how to come in is always the problem. It’s like ‘Which comes first, chicken or egg?’ We might as well build the infrastructure first, and then they hopefully find the reason to increase in more than one runway, [so that flight delays wouldn’t reach for about three hours] and they’ll be able to bring [in] more tourists.”

Upon learning the key to a successful hotel venture, she shares to the BusinessMirror team over a hearty lunch that she has actually developed a close relationship with her previous associates through her personal life experiences and as a mother.

“They come to me for advices, you know, on practically about everything, [whether for the] husband, boyfriend-girlfriend [talk], anak... And I actually enjoy doing [it] because I’ll be able to plant a seed. And I get to know little about these people, so it also creates a lot of opportunities for me, as well.”

Words of wisdom

FOR those who will pursue hospitality-related courses and careers, have that accommodating and genuine concern for others, as Vergara put into her words. “Well, hospitality is a good industry to be part of, but it’s either one is cutout for it or is not.... It’s basic for one to have the innate ability to look accommodating, and to entertain requests and needs of clients with [an] ever-smiling face. Like all other jobs, it’s not a 24-hour thing, but you have to be connected 24 hours.”

With the right help from mentors and superiors, starting from rock bottom to learn the nitty-gritty of things is also a crucial factor in cultivating a steady work focus and mindset.

“Now, you guys don’t have to wait for 25 years to become a general manager like me. With more hotels opening up, promotions [have become faster. Yet, don’t fall fast. Take] department head roles [first]. You still have to come face-to-face with people who are familiar with the culture of the industry.”

An optimistic moment to recall, she was surrounded with people who helped her land at a good company. “So, from there, the structure was already there, the opportunity was there and all I needed to do is to develop myself.”