BusinessMirror July 11, 2019

B.O.I. STILL 70% SHORT OF GOALS

By Elijah Felice E. Rosales @alyasjah

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HE Board of Investments (BOI) has a lot of catching up to do in the next half, as its investment haul—standing at P304.4 billion as of June—is still 70-percent short of its target this year.

In a report on Wednesday, the BOI disclosed investments it secured from January to June improved 27.41 percent to P304.4 billion, from P238.9 billion during the same period last year. Domestic capital accounted for bulk of the investments in the first half at P235.6 billion.

On the other hand, foreign investments grew nearly fivefold to P68.9 billion, from P14 billion, on strong commitments from Singapore (P35.4 billion), the Netherlands (P9.2 billion) and

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FDI flows down 14% from January to April $2.9B L

By Bianca Cuaresma

day, as the meager net inflow in April was not enough to prop up the overall influx of investments toward the country in early 2019.

FDI are often the more coveted type of investments as they stay longer in the economy and create job opportunities for locals. They

The total net inflow of FDI in the first four months of 2019, representing a decline of about $500 million from the $3.4 billion in the same fourmonth period last year

are also usually an indicator of long-term sentiment of the global community to the Philippines’s economic dynamics, as FDI are not easily pulled out of the market unlike their shorter-term counterpart, the foreign portfolio investments.

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Collective bargaining: The undeveloped instrument for wage fixing and labor policy formulation Rene E. Ofreneo

LABOREM EXERCENS

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HE divisive and conflict-ridden system of minimum wage fixing in the Philippines requires the development of alternative policy approaches to make the system meet the multiple and yet colliding development goals set by the minimum wage law: decent living wage for the workers, reasonable returns on investments, higher employment, increased productivity and general socioeconomic stability for the country. The joke is that even Albert Einstein would not be able to come up with the mathematical equation that can successfully combine all the factors listed in the law.

See “FDI,” A2

DBM vows to hike IRA of local govts

Continued on A7

‘PHL economy’s engine can’t hack a 7-8% growth, more investments needed’

By Bernadette D. Nicolas

By Cai U. Ordinario

@BNicolasBM

HE Department of Budget and Management (DBM) vowed that the estimated P300-billion increase in the internal revenue allotment (IRA) of local government units (LGUs) would be given in 2022.

Along with the hike, DBM Officer in Charge Janet B. Abuel also said on Wednesday during a preState of the Nation Address forum that the agency is still studying the possibility of “re-devolving” services to LGUs. In April this year, the Supreme Court affirmed its decision declaring that the IRA share of all LGUs should be based on the collections of all national taxes, and not only from national internal revenue taxes collected by the government.

The SC also moved to implement the new computations in 2022.

The High Court ruling stemmed from a petition filed by Batangas Gov. Hermilando I. Mandanas in 2012, questioning the basis of the IRA. Abuel said the DBM is “happy” to provide the increase but the government is not prepared to do it this year.

See “IRA,” A2

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@BcuaresmaBM

ONG-TERM investments made by foreign players in the Philippines are slowing this year, despite better economic conditions for the country compared to 2018, data from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) showed.

Foreign direct investments (FDI) were down by about 14 percent in the first four months of the year, the Central Bank reported on Wednes-

See “BOI,” A2

BusinessMirror

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Thailand (P8.5 billion).

By sector, power made up almost two-thirds of the first-half investments, as it grew 77.81 percent to P192.4 billion, from P108.2 billion in the first semester of 2018. Manufacturing more than doubled to P45.3 billion, from P19.8 billion.

Commitments in information technology and communication also jumped to P33.2 billion, from P340 million, while those in tourism leaped to P8.6 billion, from P1.2 billion.

Trade Undersecretar y and BOI Managing Head Ceferino S. Rodolfo said the investment body is working double time to meet its objective of getting P1 trillion in investments this year.

He said big-ticket projects are in the pipeline and, once they are registered, should inch the BOI closer to its target.

T THE skyline at Makati City, the country’s main financial district, is seen in this July 9, 2019 photo. Despite recent positive economic developments and major reforms, the Philippine economy as it is now is not built to post a growth of 7 or 8 percent, unless investments were infused, an economist said on Wednesday. However, foreign direct investments were down by about 14 percent in the first four months of the year, the Central Bank reported. BERNARD TESTA

Online casinos to overtake call centers in Manila

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NLINE casinos in the Philippines that employ tens of thousands of foreign workers are set to surpass call centers as Manila’s top new office space users.

POGOs, short for Philippines offshore gaming operators, are expected to take up as much as

PESO EXCHANGE RATES n

480,000 square meters of new office space by the end of the ye a r a g a i n st a b out 4 50,0 0 0 square meters by the businessprocess outsourcing sector, accord ing to L eec hiu Proper t y Consultants.

As of end-June, online casinos leased 242,000 square me-

ters in Metro Manila against the call-center industr y’s 244,000 square meters, Leechiu said. POGOs are expanding aggressively and they pick locations faster while the outsourcing industry is stalling, CEO David Leechiu said at a briefing in Manila.

See “Online casinos,” A8

@caiordinario

HE Philippine economy is not built to post a growth of 7 or 8 percent, Ateneo Center for Economic Research and Development (Acerd) Director Alvin P. Ang said in a forum on Wednesday, even as a ranking government official admitted that growth is not the end-goal of the Duterte administration, but reducing poverty and creating opportunity.

Ang said investments are needed to meet the targets of the Philippine Development Plan (PDP), the country’s medium-term socioeconomic blueprint.

“The Philippine growth story is intact, that’s a fact, albeit at a slower speed. You cannot expect a 1300 engine car to run like a 2500, so don’t dream that we will grow 7 percent every time because the engine is not built for that yet. We are still getting this infrastructure to run,” Ang pointed out in the Pathways to Peace and Development in the Philippines forum.

Ang expects the Philippine economy to post an average growth of only 5.9 percent this year. This is a downward revision from the

Acerd’s 2018 projection of 6.2 to 6.5 percent in 2019.

In the second quarter this year, Ang said growth could reach 5.9 percent before increasing to 6.1 percent in the third quarter. In the last quarter of the year, growth is expected to reach 6 percent.

He also sees the country’s exchange rate averaging P52 to the dollar; average interest rates for the 91-day T-bills, 5 percent; and inflation to slow to 2.5 percent this year.

Remittances growth, Ang said, will likely average 3 percent in 2019.

This, he attributed to his observation that remittances are already plateauing.

He said that on average, the economy can grow GDP at 5.9 to 6.3 percent. Ang said anything more than this could overheat the economy.

“If the government can assure that all the priority bills [are] passed on time, maybe the economy can grow faster but not sustain a 7-percent growth. The economy cannot handle that, it will overheat because there are no other sectors that contribute to economic growth,” Ang told BusinessMirror.

See “Growth,” A2

US 51.3270 n JAPAN 0.4716 n UK 63.9996 n HK 6.5740 n CHINA 7.4517 n SINGAPORE 37.6905 n AUSTRALIA 35.5542 n EU 57.5376 n SAUDI ARABIA 13.6869

Source: BSP (10 July 2019 )

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BusinessMirror

A2 Thursday, July 11, 2019

Fund for rice farmers to get ₧5B from DBM this year T

By Bernadette D. Nicolas

@BNicolasBM

HE Department of Budget and Management (DBM) said on Wednesday that it will soon release P5 billion for a fund that seeks to improve the competitiveness of Filipino rice farmers.

The DBM also maintained that it has already released P5 billion for the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF) last year, even before the effectivity of Republic Act 11203, which mandated its set up.

Once the P5 billion is released, the DBM told the BusinessMirror that no further releases for the P10billion RCEF will be made this year.

This is the first time that the DBM broke its silence about the fund after the BusinessMirror reported the “misunderstanding”

over the purpose of the P5 billion given to the Department of Agriculture last year through a Special Allotment Release Order.

The P10-billion RCEF was supposed to consist of tariffs collected from rice imports after the rice trade liberalization law took effect in March. The national government, however, set aside P10 billion for the RCEF annually.

When the rice trade liberalization bill was not passed by Congress last year, the P5 billion released by the DBM was channeled instead

to the National Rice Program of the DA, according to National Economic and Development Authority (Neda) Regional Development Office Assistant Secretary Mercedita A. Sombilla. Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel F. Piñol said, however, that the P5 billion released to his department last December was not part of the RCEF. In May, Piñol said he was asked by the Neda to consider the P5 billion as part of RCEF. However, he said he refused to grant this as he would violate the law. Piñol is the only government official who is accountable for the use of the RCEF. RCEF aims to provide farmers tools and equipment, assistance in the production, promotion, and distribution of certified rice seeds, upgrading of post-harvest storage facilities, credit assistance, irrigation support, and research and development (R&D) support.

Since part of the RCEF should go to the provision of cheap credit, the agriculture chief said he gave P1 billion to the Land Bank of the Philippines and the Development Bank of the Philippines, as requested by the Neda.

Former Budget Secretary Benjamin E. Diokno also told the BusinessMirror earlier this year that the government has already released P5 billion of the RCEF but the remaining P5 billion was included in the 2019 national budget.

During a pre-State of the Nation Address forum on Wednesday, DBM Officer in Charge Janet B. Abuel made an assurance that P10 billion would be allocated for the RCEF under the proposed 2020 national budget.

Abuel also said the government will fund the implementation of the Universal Health Care law and the Bangsamoro Transition Authority.

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PHL faces another intl probe–this time on labor-related slays

By Samuel P. Medenilla @sam_medenilla

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HE country may soon be the subject of another international probe, this time on the alleged high number of local laborrelated killings in the country.

The International Labor Organization (ILO) has asked the government to accept its high-level mission later this year regarding the said matter.

Partido Manggagawa (PM), Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) and Federation of Free Workers (FFW) said ILO’s Committee on the Application of Standards (CAS) made the recommendation during the 108th International Labor Conference last month.

“The Committee calls on the Government to accept a high-level tripartite mission before the next International Labor Conference [ILC],” the CAS said.

The ILC is usually held every June.

Tentative schedule

Female envoy not Sung Kim’s replacement–US embassy

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HE US Embassy in Manila has denied reports that Ambassador Sung Kim will be replaced by a new female ambassador named Mina Chang, the assistant administrator of the US Agency for International Development for the Bureau of Asia.

“We’ve seen this claim. It is not true,” the embassy said in an answer to queries after Chang’s name surfaced in social media and was picked up by some mainstream outlets.

“In September 2018, the White House announced the President’s intent to nominate Mina Chang to be an assistant administrator of the US Agency

for International Development for the Bureau of Asia.

“The nomination was referred to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee in January 2019. There have been no additional White House announcements regarding her nomination to the USAID position,” the embassy said with finality.

The US embassy’s denial is seen as a way to quash rumors of the imminent arrival of an ambassador of Chinese descent, who—it was claimed by some social-media commenters— would be an effective foil against President Duterte, who is criticized for his pivot to China since his election in 2016.

In the last few days, some posts on Twitter had reported that due to the supposed failure of Sung Kim to persuade President Duterte to turn pro-American, he is being replaced by Chang, a ChineseAmerican whose good looks are topped by her impressive academic credentials and experience.

A regular news web site said, “The second female United States ambassador is expected to be named as Washington’s next top diplomat in the Philippines.

“Mina Chang, US State Department deputy assistant secretary for the Bureau of Conflict and Stabilization Op-

erations, has extensive experience in conflict areas such as Afghanistan, Iraq, Somalia and Nigeria. She is reportedly the choice to succeed US Ambassador Sung Kim.” The first female US ambassador to the Philippines was Kristie Kenney, who served in Manila from 2006 to 2009.

Chang was described in the news site as an alumna of the Harvard Business School, a graduate of the US Army War College National Security Seminar, a Harvard John F. Kennedy senior executive in National and International Security and a former international security fellow at New America. Recto L. Mercene

IN an advisory, PM said the high-level mission is expected to arrive in the country

by September 2019.

ILO Media and Public Information Officer Minette Rimando, however, clarified the CAS recommendation for the deployment of a high-level mission is still not final.

“It may be one of the recommendation, but it will depend on the Philippines if it will be accepted, including [the] agreed schedule,” Rimando told the BusinessMirror in an SMS. The Philippine government has yet to manifest its acceptance of the mission.

ILO deployed its first high-level mission to the Philippines in 2009, also to look into reported trade union rights violation.

International intervention

Growth. . .

Continued from A1

Boost agriculture

HE said the government should boost the agriculture sector not only by addressing the needs of rice farmers but by all farmers. Ang said the Department of Agriculture is aware of this and knows where best to plant certain crops.

Ang said “rebooting agriculture” is needed given that a third of the country’s labor force depends on the sector.

For a “largely agricultural population” such as the Philippines, more private investment is needed in agriculture.

Further, in the medium to long term, Ang said there is a need to focus on efforts to address the poverty and inequality not only in Metro Manila but in all regions.

The government also needs to address airport and traffic congestion especially in Metro Manila; the water crisis; slow Internet; corruption; large housing backlog; the drug war; and the long-running armed struggle of the Communist Party of the Philippines.

More to be done

AS the President moves to the second half of his term, the Duterte administration admits that much needs to be done to usher in the Chief Executive’s promise of change through its zero to 10-point agenda.

Finance Assistant Secretary Antonio G.

FDI. . .

Continued from A1

The total net inflow of FDI in the first four months of the year dropped by about $500 million to $2.9 billion in January to April this year from the $3.4 billion seen in the same four-month period last year.

According to the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) statement on Wednesday, the decline was due to lower net equity capital investments as placements dropped by 44.5 percent to $712 million from $1.3 billion in 2018, while withdrawals rose 204.9 percent to $377 million this year from $124 million last year.

Equity capital placements during

Lambino II said in the same forum that priorities for the remaining three years are the “Build, Build, Build” (BBB) and the passage of the remaining tax-reform packages, as well as increasing investments and jobs.

Lambino said other priorities include the improvement of the implementation of existing reforms and the productivity of agriculture, including distribution of individual titles to land reform beneficiaries.

“Growth is not the final goal of our efforts.

Our real goal is to reduce poverty and create more opportunity,” Lambino said.

“All these [efforts] will help us ensure faster GDP growth, lower poverty and more opportunities to all Filipinos. They will also help achieve in full the zero to ten-point socioeconomic agenda and allow us to forge ahead to AmBisyon Natin 2040, when there will be zero extreme poverty,” he concluded.

Lambino said the administration has made good on the President’s zero to 10-point socioeconomic agenda. However, some goals related to rural development, land management, science and the arts and reproductive health still have to be addressed.

He said these will be addressed through the key priorities that the Duterte administration aims to implement in the next three years.

Efforts to fast-track the BBB, Lambino said, include addressing land valuation reform to resolve right-of-way conflicts and the implementation of proper zoning through National Land Use Plans nationwide.

On tax reform, there are four packages that remain, all of which must be passed before the President steps down from office in 2022.

The packages are Package 2 on corporate income tax and incentives reform; Package 3 on property valuation; Package 4, capital income and financial taxes; and Package 2+ which refers to the pending proposal to increase excise tax on alcoholic beverages.

In order to increase investments and jobs, Lambino said the Duterte administration will prioritize the amendment of the Public Service Act (PSA) and the passage of the Retail Trade Act. The PSA will liberalize various“public service sectors”including telecommunications while the Retail Trade Act will liberalize the retail sector.

Lambino said in terms of existing reforms, the government will strengthen the implementation of the national ID or PhilSys; Ease of doing business; Universal Health Care; rice liberalization; social programs to increase investment in health, education and social protection; and build resilience to climate change.

The DOF official also cited the need to improve the productivity of agriculture, including distribution of individual titles to land reform beneficiaries.

“We aim to bring up the growth of our agriculture sector to at least 2 percent per annum,” Lambino said. He said the agriculture sector must grow faster than the population growth rate to ensure that all Filipinos will have a stable source of food.

the first four months of the year were sourced mostly from Japan, the United States, China, Singapore and South Korea.

For April alone, FDI inflows were down 11.8 percent to hit $961 million for the month.

Net inflows of net equity capital also declined in April by 85.5 percent to hit $39 million from $272 million in the same month for 2018. These were channeled mainly to the financial and insurance, real estate, manufacturing, electricity, gas, steam and air-conditioning supply and construction industries.

Meanwhile, nonresidents’ investments in debt instruments—consisting mainly of loans extended by parent companies abroad to their local

affiliates—increased by 12.6 percent in April to $830 million. Likewise, reinvestment of earnings reached $92 million, higher by 14 percent than the $80 million recorded in April 2018.

RCBC team sees recovery SOME economists, however, believe that the country’s FDI numbers will recover toward the end of the year.

Rizal Commercial Banking Corp.

(RCBC) Head of Economics & Industry Research Team Michael Ricafort, for example, said earlier that the low interest rate regime in the country, as well as the recent S&P Global rating upgrade given to the Philippines will be positive for the country’s image in the international investing community.

IRA. . .

Continued from A1

“The contention of the Office of the Solicitor General was that the year the decision came out should be the base year, and since IRA is [based on collection] three years prior, the implementation would be 2022. That is [also] the position of the DBM.”

Help for LGUs THE acting budget chief said even before the grant of the increase mandated by the High Court, the national government has been helping LGUs since they lack funds.

“There have been different options and one option that we are looking at is the need to re-devolve services to the LGUs because if you place additional IRA to local governments, you will need to reduce [the burden] from the national government,” she said.

“Not totally obliterating what we have done so far but that is where we will share. What can the LGUs do and what can the NGAs [national government agencies] or NG [national government] do to help. So we will become partners,” Abuel added.

“S&P upgraded the Philippine credit ratings by one notch to BBB+, two notches above the minimum investment grade. This reflects improved international investor sentiment/confidence on the Philippines, and may increase the inflows of foreign direct investments into the country,”the RCBC economic team said.

“The lower interest rates will encourage more borrowings/loans needed to finance more FDI both new investment and expansion projects by foreign investors,” it added. In terms of developments outside the country, Ricafort said several scenarios from the ongoing tensions between the United States and China may also bode well for the Philippines’s FDI numbers.

THE CAS made the decision amid the significant number of countries which raised concern over the Philippines’s compliance with human and labor rights.

FFW Vice President Julius Cainglet said the Philippines generated a recordbreaking number of interventions, which came in the form of a question, clarification or a statement, among the participants of the CAS session that time.

“It gathered a lot of interest...during the hearing of our case. That is four times the normal [number of interventions per country],” Cainglet said in an interview.

This was after labor representatives from the Philippines reported that 43 trade unionists were “assassinated” during the current administration, a number disputed by Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III, who said govern-

BOI. . .

Continued from A1

In need of P695.6 billion, the BOI has to secure an average of nearly P116 billion every month until the end of the year to hit the P1-trillion goal.

“Year on year, investments are still increasing. We are confident of surpassing our target at the end of the year. There are big-ticket projects in the pipeline, but we are exercising, as we do in all cases, prudence in diligently assessing their eligibility for incentives,” Rodolfo said.

Trade Secretary Ramon M. Lopez, for his part, told reporters he will be traveling to China by the end of July to talk to some manufacturing firms there about possibly setting up shop in the Philippines.

The Duterte administration is banking on China to deliver on its trade and investment commitments as part of improving relations between Manila and Beijing. President Duterte has repeatedly put aside the country’s arbitral victory in the West Philippine Sea in exchange of loans and business deals from China.

“I’m going to China to talk to other companies [that] are big investors,”Lopez said. “China is a big player now. It used to

ment records only list five laborrelated murders.

Among the countries which issued their interventions were Romania, Thailand, Brazil, India, Finland, South Korea, Japan and Canada.

International observers such as the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) and the Building and Wood Workers’ International (BWI) also gave their comments on the issue.

Only 5 killings on record T HE number of killed trade unionists raised at the CAS, however, was belied by the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE).

Citing official government data, Bello earlier said there were only five laborrelated killings in the country in the last three years.

Still, Bello said they are ready to investigate the 43 labor-related killings being claimed by labor groups.

Labor Assistant Secretary Benjo M. Benavidez said they already requested labor groups to submit the information related to the 43 cases.

“Once we have the list, that will enable us to validate if they [can help] in the prosecution [of their perpetrators],” Benavidez told the BusinessM irror in an interview.

“This is necessary because [some] of the cases may not be related to trade unions,” he added.

PM said it will meet with Benavidez on Thursday to submit information on the 43 cases, which they sourced from the Center for Trade Union and Human Rights (CTHUR).

Economic impact TUCP President Raymond Mendoza urged the government to promptly resolve the 43 cases since it negatively affects the country’s trade relations with some countries.

He recalled how in the previous administration, similar labor-related complaints led to the suspension of the country’s preferential access of its exports to the United States and Europe.

“We gently remind the government that the General System on Preferences, which give us zerotariff access to some export markets like the US, is tied to validation that the Philippines upholds labor rights,” Mendoza told the B usiness M irror in an SMS. Cainglet said this could be prevented if the government could go after the people behind the killings of trade unionists.

“A concrete response from the government is to jail the people responsible [for the killing] of trade union members,” Cainglet said.

“Otherwise the country will be an embarrassment before the international community [in terms of labor rights protection],” he added.

be quiet [in investing in the Philippines], but China is a big factor now.”

Last year China was the country’s largest source of offshore capital at P48.7 billion, from P575.8 million in 2017. However, this year is a different story so far, as China is not ranking among the highest sources of foreign investments.

Among the projects approved by the BOI in June were Rio Norte Hydropower Corp.’s P4-billion, 19.7-megawatt hydropower plant in Isabela; Cebu Air Inc.’s P4.7-billion purchase of newest models of Airbus planes; and DMCI Masbate Power Corp.’s P2.3-billion thermal power plant in Masbate.

The investment body also authorized the P47-million export production of coconut products of Aseniero International Trading in Zamboanga del Norte. The project will involve the annual production of 324,000 kilograms of coconut sugar, 246,240 kilos of coconut syrup and 2.88 million liters of coconut vinegar.

The BOI approved the project—expected to generate 530 jobs and $3 million in yearly export sales—in line with the intent of the coconut industry and the government to add more value to traditional coconut exports, such as crude oil, copra and desiccated coconut.

News BusinessMirror

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Security officials confirm 1 of 2 bombers in Sulu attack a Filipino

By Rene Acosta @reneacostaBM

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HE Philippine National Police (PNP) and Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) confirmed on Wednesday a report attributed to a senior military official that one of the two bombers of an Army camp in Sulu nearly two weeks ago was a Filipino, but stopped short in officially declaring that the attack was a case of suicide bombing.

A joint statement issued by PNP Spokesman Col. Bernard Banac and military Spokesman Brig. Gen. Edgard Arevalo issued during a news briefing at Camp Aguinaldo said that Norman Lasuca’s DNA samples matched with that of his mother, Vilman Alam Lasuca, and his brother, Alhussin Alam Lasuca, Armed Forces Western Mindanao Command commander Maj. Gen. Cirilito Sobejana said earlier that Lasuca was identified by his family members, three days after the bombing at the camp of the 1st Brigade Combat Team in Indanan, Sulu.

He was identified by his mother and a brother who retrieved his head at a military morgue in Busbos, Jolo.

While Sobejana declared that Lasuca was among the two bombers, he would not say that if the attack was a case of a suicide bombing as the bomb which was strapped on Lasuca’s body could have been remotely detonated by somebody from a distance.

“After thorough investigation and forensic examination, the Regional Crime Laboratory Office [RCLO] of the Police Regional Office 11 has revealed that one of the suspected suicide bombers in 1st Brigade Combat Team tempo-

rary headquarters in Indanan, Sulu, last June 28 can be concluded as a Filipino,” the joint PNP and military statement.

“Moreover, the DNA results examined by RCLO 11 forensic DNA analyst, Police Maj. Florepes Pallado concluded that there is 99.99 percentage probability match on the DNA sample taken from Vilman Lasuca and samples of the alleged suicide bomber,” it added.

Eight people died in the bombing, including Lasuca and another bomber, whom Sobejana said could be the son of a Moroccan who blew himself up last year when accosted by soldiers while on his way to a large gathering of children in Lamitan City, Basilan.

The PNP and the military said steps are being taken to identify, or even confirm the nationality of the second bomber, described as Caucasian-looking whose body was shred into pieces.

With the DNA results on Lasuca, both the PNP and the military declared that “one of the alleged suicide bombers is the son of Vilman Alam Lasuca.”

Banac said that the attack, and even the bombing of the Jolo Cathedral on January 27 this year, was perpetrated by the Abu Sayyaf Group despite claims by the Islamic State that it was behind the two “suicide bombings.”

He said the government is still validating the claims of the IS. On the other hand, Arevalo said the military still considered the latest attack as an isolated case, although he admitted it has changed the security landscape of the country, particularly Mindanao.

He said additional security measures would be taken and implemented in Mindanao without providing any further details.

Probe into biz tax undercollection under way, San Juan mayor assures

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AN Juan City Mayor Francis Zamora has assured that a thorough investigation is being conducted to determine on who should be held responsible following the reported P736-million undercollection of business taxes by the previous city administration.

“To be upfront, the COA [Commission on Audit] findings [on the undercollection of business taxes] did not come as a surprise,” the mayor, fresh from an election victory over former Mayor Guia Gomez, said in a news statement issued on Wednesday.

“This merely confirms our initial

findings as a result of our quick due diligence of the documents transmitted to us during the transition period before i started my term on June 30, 2019. At that time, we were perplexed to discover the questionably low revenue in real property tax and business tax,” Zamora said.

He added that “San Juaneños should also take comfort in the fact that the improvements in our system will not involve the passage of a new tax ordinance that will further burden them. We are here to make sure that our constituents ultimately do not continue to suffer.”

Editor: Vittorio V. Vitug • Thursday, July 11, 2019 A3

POEA backs OFW bid to delay SSS fee rule

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By Samuel P. Medenilla

@sam_medenilla

HE Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) is now pushing to defer the implementation of a new rule, which, if applied, would make it mandatory for overseas Filipino workers (OFW) to remit premium payment to the Social Security System (SSS) prior to the issuance of their overseas employment certificates (OEC).

The POEA submitted a recommendation to the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) to suspend the said rule stipulated in Rule 14, Section 7 of the implementing rules and

regulations (IRR) of Republic Act (R A) 11199, or the Social Security Act. POEA Administrator Bernard P. Olalia said the deferment of the rule, together with Rule 15 of the

IRR containing the provision of date of effectivity of SSS coverage, stays until the completion of further review by the Joint Committee of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), DOLE and SSS. He said POEA made the decision based on the unanimous opposition by the recruitment sector and OFW, and migrant advocates against the said policy during sectoral consultation. “ T he bone of contention is the incoherence of the prov ision of Section 9 -B of the law and Ru le 14, Section 7 of the IR R ,” Ola lia said in his memorandum to Labor Secretar y Silvestre H. Bel lo III submitted last June 27.

He noted the participants of their dialogue agreed the said rule “should be determined by a joint committee of the DFA, DOLE and SSS and not solely by the SSS.” They also concluded the “tying-up” of payment of SSS con-

tribution to OEC issuance is an ultra vires act since it is not stipulated in the provision of R A 11199.

An OEC is a requirement issued

by POEA for aspiring OFWs before they could work abroad.

Olalia also said it is not the mandate of POEA to collect SSS premium and that contributions from OFWs should only be collected after their deployment abroad.

To recall, these same issues were raised by concerned stakeholders during the stakeholder consultations. However, the said concerns were not addressed in the published IRR of RA 11199.

The Blas Ople Policy Center (BOPC), one of the migrant advocacy groups opposing the linking of OEC and SSS premiums, lauded POEA’s stand against the rule.

“I hope DOLE will uphold this stand which is backed by the OFW sector,” BOPC head Susan Ople said in her Twitter post.

Senate sets scrutiny of unfilled government posts

By Butch Fernandez @butchfBM

S

ENATE President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto is pressing for a Senate scrutiny to check what the Duterte administration is doing to fill up government job vacancies when senators tackle the 2020 budget bill soon as Congress convenes on July 22.

R ec to on Wed nesd ay sa id t he upcom ing Senate rev iew of Malacañang’s 2020 national budget proposal will “include a scrutiny on how fast agencies are hiring teachers, policemen and health personnel.”

The Senate President Pro Tempore asserted that while lawmakers traditionally focus “on problems in project implementation, of equal importance are the delays in personnel hiring.”

In a news statement, Recto reminded that while “one can rapidly build classrooms or hospitals, but if there is a lack of teachers and nurses, then there is a mismatch in available infrastructure and human resources.”

He added that the same “can also be said of roads, if we have the funds but lack the engineers to build them.”

For instance, Recto noted that this year, based on the 2019 national budget, the Philippine National Police (PNP) will create 10,000 new positions, while the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology, 2,000; and the Bureau of Fire Protection, 3,000.

In addition, he said the Department of Health was also given P8.6 billion “to retain or recruit” 435 doctors, 15,893 nurses, 324 dentists, 441 med techs, 4,000 midwives, and 3,508 other health workers under its Human Resources for Health (HRH) Deployment program.

Recto added that at the Department of Education (DepEd), some P32 billion has been included in its 2019 budget to, among others, “fill up vacancies and create new teaching positions.”

He, however, acknowledged that “personnel hiring in government has always been hobbled by red tape, lack of qualified applicants and delays in the release of funds.”

“The result is that the national bureaucracy was forecast to end 2018 with 246,596 job vacancies,” Recto rued, citing, for instance, the case of the PNP, which in the middle of last year reported almost 26,000 policemen positions vacant.

The senator asserted that “If all of these positions are filled, and distributed equally to the country’s 1,489 towns, each will have an additional 17 policemen. If 20 percent of the slots will be allotted to cities, each will receive 35 new policemen.”

Recto also noted that in the case of DepEd, it is still grappling with the surge of new hires required by the additional school years mandated by the K to 12 program, adding that from April 2016 to August 2018, it received funding for 188,078 teacher items, but only 114,019 had been filled as of September last year. “So mayroong natira na mga [more is left of the] 74,000. I hope that their catch up resulted in the hiring of 75,000 more teachers since then. Or at least malaki nabawas sa [could

lessen the] backlog, because this year, dinagdagan pa ’yan ng [we added] 10,000 new positions,” he added.

Citing a surplus of applicants for teachers and policemen, Recto said, “there is, however, a shortage for positions requiring technical expertise.”

At the same time, the Senate President Pro Tempore also acknowledged that the government ’s “ Bu i ld , Bu i ld , Bu i ld ” program led the Department of Public Works and Highways to scout for talent, noting reports placing at 1,500 the number of engineers it needs.

Moreover, Recto added that the administration’s plan to build multiple rail lines in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao, including a subway in Metro Manila, would need at least 30,000 workers. “What I mentioned are for new positions. Agencies do not require congressional authority for the replacement of the holder of the position who has resigned, retired, was fired, separated from, or died in office,” the senator clarified.

BI bares new human-trafficking trick at Naia DOH to public: Take precautions vs dengue

By Recto Mercene @rectomercene

A

NEW huma n-tra f f ic k ing scheme was discovered at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (Naia) following the recent arrest of two men who were pretending to be seafarers as they were about to board a plane bound for Dubai via Hong Kong.

The passengers were intercepted at the departure area of the Naia Terminal 3 last July 2, according to Bureau of Immigration (BI) division chief Grifton Medina.

Medina said the duo presented bogus overseas employment certificates (OECs), seaman’s books and letters of guarantee from their alleged shipping agent.

“During questioning, both of them admitted that they paid their handler P5,000 each for the spurious documents,” Medina said.

He added that “the recruiters may have believed that we will be lenient in screening the papers of departing seamen,” and that “they [recruiters] are mistaken because we screen all departing passengers thoroughly to prevent Filipinos from being victimized by these schemes.”

Immigration’s travel control and enforcement chief Timotea Barizo said agents who pored through the papers of all OFWs, including seafarers, are all certified cleared before departure.

Barizo said that in the case of the two intercepted passengers, their

scheme was immediately uncovered when the immigration officer found that their OECs are not registered, or encoded with the database of the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA).

She stressed that “faking these OECs is an exercise in futility because “our systems are now integrated with the POEA.” “One click and we’ll be able to see if an OFW is properly documented,” Barizo said, adding POEA personnel are, likewise, stationed at the airports to conduct secondary verifications.

The two passengers, whose names were not divulged due to legal prohibitions, were turned over to the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking for further investigation.

By Claudeth Mocon-Ciriaco

Correspondent

A

MID a notable rise of dengue cases across the country, the Department of Health (DOH) is reminding the public to take necessary precautions against the deadly mosquitoborne disease.

The DOH’s Epidemiology Bureau reported that there were 3,610 dengue cases reported from June 16 to 22 alone.

The health department said that this number brings the cases recorded from all over the country since January 1 to June 22 to a cumulative total of 98,179 with 428 deaths.

The reported cases for June 16 to 22 alone is eight percent higher compared to the same period last year of 3,330 cases.

“The rains have come and it only takes about two weeks for mosquitoes to breed and fully mature into dengue-causing mosquitoes, hence, it is time to implement the 4S strategy in our households,” Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said.

4S stands for search and destroy mosquito-breeding sites, employ self-protection measures (i.e., wearing long pants and long sleeved shirts, and daily use of mosquito repellent), seek early consultation, and support fogging/spraying only in hot spot areas where increase in cases is registered for two consecutive weeks to prevent an impending outbreak.

Since January, the highest number of cases were registered in Western Visayas (11,285), Calabarzon (10,313), Central Visayas (8,773), Soccsksargen (8,297) and Southern Mindanao (8,289).

“The rains have come and it only takes about two weeks for mosquitoes to breed and fully mature into denguecausing mosquitoes, hence, it is time to implement the 4S strategy in our households.”

— Duque

Diokno smells ‘something fishy’ in withdrawal of West Philippine Sea writ case

By Joel R. San Juan @jrsanjuan1573

H

UMAN-RIGHTS lawyer Jose Manuel Diokno on Wednesday maintained that the fisherfolk from Palawan and Zambales consented to the filing of a petition for writ of kalikasan with continuing mandamus before the Supreme Court ostensibly for the protection of the country’s territories in the

West Philippine Sea (WPS).

Diokno issued the statement following Solicitor General Jose Calida’s submission of affidavits executed by fishermen denying their involvement in the filing of the petition and that they are withdrawing the same.

“Fisherfolk from Zambales and Palawan filed the petition for writ of kalikasan for them to be protected by the government. They did this

with full knowledge because they just want to fish in our seas and earn sufficient money for a living,” Diokno said.

He also expressed belief that the government may be behind the decision of the fisherfolk to withdraw their petition, noting that the fisherfolk reportedly decided to withdraw, or desist from pursuing the case, they held a talk with the legal counsel of the Philippine Navy.

“The stealthy meeting of the government with our client is not only suspicious, but is also contrary to legal ethics. It looks like Filipinos will be put in the same situation as the 22 fishermen in Recto Bank,” Diokno said.

The SC on Tuesday suspended the conduct of the second oral argument on the petition after Calida moved to submit 19 affidavits from the fisherfolk who

are withdrawing their petition.

The magistrates then summoned all the parties to a closed-door conference and afterward ordered the suspension of the oral argument.

Calida said during the conference that both the petitioners and respondents have agreed to dismiss the petition by Friday.

SC Spokesman Brian Keith Hosaka said it is not in a position

to confirm Calida’s account.

The petitioners have accused the Duterte administration of neglect and failure to preserve and protect the WPS from harmful activities, including poaching and illegal fishing by foreign fishermen.

But Calida said their is no need for a writ of kalikasan since the government is doing it’s job and mandate to secure the WPS.

A4

TheBroa

Business

Thursday, July 11, 2019

Universal Health Care law: No grand c

By Samuel P. Medenilla & Cai U. Ordinario

N

EARLY 140 days after President Duterte signed into law the Universal Health Care (UHC) Act, its implementing rules and regulations (IRR) have yet to be finalized. And almost every stakeholder awaits this with bated breath.

Labor groups are among these stakeholders as their demand for the regularization of thousands of contractual workers received an unexpected shot in the arm with the implementation of the UHC law, or Republic Act 11223.

To note, the law and its IRR come at a time when a study released through Mercer (Philippines) Inc. believes medical and health care are becoming expensive, especially for poor Filipinos.

Public Services Labor Independent Confederation (PSLINK) advocacy head Jillian T. Roque said they are now eagerly awaiting law’s IRR, particularly its provision on the regularization of medical workers.

Roque is referring to Section 23 of UHC law, which states “to ensure continuity in the provision of health programs and services, all health professionals and health care workers shall be guaranteed permanent employment and competitive salaries.”

In an interview, she told the BusinessMirror, “We don’t know how this made it to the law. But this is a big victory for us.”

Roque explained they will use the provision to demand the regularization of public sector employees, who are not given regular status.

Regularization of workers

FEDERATION of Free Workers (FFW) Vice President Julius Cainglet said they will also use the provision to make a similar push in the private sector.

“It implies that the provision for permanent employment and competitive salaries applies indeed to ‘all’ health care professionals and workers,” Cainglet said.

“Labor groups will definitely invoke this, together with the presidential directive to ‘end’ contractualization,” he added.

For their part, Private Hospitals Association of the Philippines (PHAPi) President Dr. Rustico Jimenez told the BusinessMirror that PHAPi will be seeking a clarification from the Department of Health (DOH) if the said provision will also apply to the private sector.

Jimenez said they will comply with whatever the DOH decides on the issue.

The 2016 data of the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) showed that out of the 137,173 workers in

the private health and social work activities industries that have 20 or more workers, 19,501 were nonregular.

Of these non-regular workers, 11,188 or 57.3 percent have a probationary status.

Casual workers and contractual workers each made up about 20 percent of the employees in the non-regular category with 3,962 and 3,707, respectively.

The remaining 3 percent of those employed in the said category are seasonal workers or apprentices.

Intent of the law

EFFORTS by the labor sector to maximize the use of the UHC law in their anti-contractualization campaign, particularly in the private sector, may face a legal question.

Quezon 4th District Representative Angelina D. Tan, one of the sponsors of the UHC law at the Lower House, said their intention when they approved the said provision was to regularize the large number of job orders in government medical facilities.

“We were only talking about the government setup,” Tan told the BusinessMirror on June 18 during the first leg of the DOH’s public consultation in Metro Manila for the crafting of the IRR for the UHC law.

Labor Assistant Secretary Benjo Benavidez agreed with Tan, stating the provision is also limited to the public sector due to its wording.

“It used the term permanent employment, which is jargon of the Civil Service. For the private sector, its counterpart is regular employment,” Benavidez said.

Furthermore, the labor official said the constitutionality of the UHC law provision may also be put into question if it is applied to the private sector.

“It may be found unconstitutional in a sense because you cannot mandate permanent employment because we have the Labor Code of the Philippines,” Benavidez said.

“Under the Labor Code we have probationary, regular, seasonal and project-based employment,” he added.

Going progressive

BASED on the current draft of the UHC law’s IRR, the DOH, in con-

sultation with the Department of Budget and Management (DBM), is tasked to “progressively” raise the number of permanent worker in government medical facilities.

It also states all health workers to be hired in priority areas must be given permanent positions.

DOH-licensed private medical facilities are merely encouraged by the IRR to hire a certain number of health care workers with competitive salaries determined by the government’s health department.

Health Undersecretary Mario C. Villaverde explained that the provision for the private sector is currently an aspiration to ensure it will not interrupt their operation.

“Of course, we considered the survival [of private sector medical facilities],” or particularly, “how they could maintain the sustainability of their operation because they also have to have some return of investment,” said the lead DOH official in charge for communicating the UHC law.

“If they close down, we will lose more health services,” he added.

Villaverde, however, said they hope the private medical facilities will eventually regularize all their employees.

“It is one factor that can improve the quality of our medical services,” he added.

Health workers

EVEN if the UHC law’s provision for regularizing workers is currently limited to the public sector, it is still expected to benefit thousands of workers with non-regular employment arrangement.

Citing data from the PSA, Bureau of Local Employment (BLE) Director Dominique R. Tutay said the number of workers under “human health and social work activities” has been slowly increasing.

Since 2012, the number of workers in the said category rose from 438,000 to 469,000 the following year.

Their number grew to 480,000 in 2014; 494,000 in 2015; and, 502,000 in 2016. Their number dropped to 484,000 in 2017 before recovering to 517,000 by last year.

“These numbers include both regular and contractual workers,” Tutay said. “But it should be noted that [the number includes] social workers.”

Separate data sets sourced from the DOH and the PSA specifically showed the number of government doctors, nurses, dentists and midwives also increased since 2012.

In 2012, the total number of government medical workers was composed of the following: 2,983 doctors; 2,072 dentists; 5,294 nurses; and 17,514 midwives.

In 2016, the latest available data from PSA showed these numbers at: 3,177 doctors, 1,953 dentists, 6,009 nurses and 17,200 midwives.

Toll on staff

VILLAVERDE admitted that, as it is, there is still a shortage in the

number of medical workers to sufficiently provide for the medical services to the country’s growing population.

He noted that the current ratio for public doctors is 1 is to 20,000; the same ratio applies to nurses.

“For midwives, the ratio is 1 is to 5,000,” he said. “This is not enough.”

As of September 30, 2018, the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) has registered 141,067 doctors, 905,027 nurses and 176,832 midwives.

The prevailing lack in manpower leads to unhealthy working conditions for medical workers.

Among them is a nurse who spoke to BusinessMirror on condition of anonymity. She has worked at the Philippine General Hospital (PGH) for at least five years now.

The 28-year-old nurse shared how they would usually be serving 10 to 20 patients per day, which is more than the ideal four to five patients per nurse.

“Even if we lack nurses and medicine, we still have to admit every patient, as the PGH is the end-referral hospital in the country,” she said. “You can go to private hospitals; but if you no longer have enough funds, your end point is PGH.”

Because of this, she added, “we can’t provide the quality of care that we would have wanted to give to our patients. We really need help on this.”

The condition of nurses like her also takes its toll on their health, making them prone to burnout and even to different kinds of diseases.

The right number

VILLAVERDE is hoping the shortage in workforce would be finally addressed by the provision in the UHC law that allows institutions to hire more medical workers.

However, rather than just relying on population alone, he said they have partnered with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to find out other salient factors to more accurately determine the number of additional medical practitioners they will need.

Among the factors they are considering is the workload of the employees as well as the terrain where they are deployed.

Also included in their planned reform, he said, is to update their existing ratio of medical workers per population.

“We are studying how we could update our standard. I think this is no longer enough, since we have more programs compared to the 1980s, when we first set the said standard,” Villaverde said.

Finally, he said they are also looking at how they could address the insufficient number of medical professionals available in the local labor force by offering scholarships to qualified students with a threeyear return service contract.

During the public consultation, Villaverde disclosed they plan to make the scholarship more attractive by developing it into a program wherein its participants could get a Master’s degree and even career opportunity in DOH. He cited their pending twotrack program for doctor scholars, wherein applicants could either chose to become a doctor-to-the barrio and get a Master’s degree in public administration, or pick an academic track and take a medical specialization to be determined by the DOH. Tutay emphasized the importance of increasing the number of professional medical workers amid the increasing demand.

“There is really a need for more workers in the health sector because of our increasing population,” Tutay said. “And then, second, you have to serve both the overseas and the local market.”

Other questions THE state-owned Philippine General Hospital in Manila TUPUNGATO | DREAMSTIME.COM

UNTIL the government can hire additional medical workers, the

PATIENTS wait for their doctors at a hospital in Quezon City. RECYAP8 | DREAMSTIME.COM

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Editor: Dennis D. Estopace | Thursday, July 11, 2019

A5

cure to what’s ailing PHL health sector

A NURSE at a government hospital in Manila. The DOH is tasked to “progressively” raise the number of permanent workers in government medical facilities. HRLUMANOG | DREAMSTIME.COM

DOH said it will have to tap the private sector to help implement the UHC law.

However, Philippine Medical Association (PMA) Legislation Committee Chairman Dr. Oscar D. Tinio expressed concern over the IRR of the UHC law. Tinio claims the law’s provisions on the role of the private sector still remain vague.

“It [the IRR] should be clear on the role of the private sector, physicians and clinic. It should also state who should pay medical facilities which participated and ensure the payment will be completed promptly,” Tinio said.

He added there is more uncertainty especially since the UHC law indicates they would now have to negotiate their contracts with the local government units instead of, previously, with the Philippine Health Insurance Corp., or PhilHealth.

“Do they have an existing contracting system? Completed integration of the local health facilities of the government? They have yet to answer this so we don’t know what will happen as of this time,” Tinio said.

Handling expectations

THE PhilHealth, to note, is currently in the process of beefing up its work force in preparation for the surge in the number of clients.

“This is now undergoing study by the consultant of the GCG [governance commission for government-owned and -controlled corporations]. Their review [on the additional employees] is expected to be completed this year,” PhilHealth Senior Vice President Rodolfo del Rosario Jr. said in an interview.

The initiative, del Rosario said, is also expected to allow their existing casual employees to finally become regular workers as stipulated in the UHC Act. As of July, Del Rosario said an initial 128 new plantilla positions have been granted to PhilHealth's legal and investigation department.

The PhilHealth is currently bracing for the expected increase in the number of its monthly clients, which is expected to double from 1 million to 2 million with the full implementation of the UHC law.

Expenses, costs

WHILE the IRR for the UHC law is being finalized, Mercer said Filipinos could experience even more expensive health-care costs this year on the back of more expensive medicines and medical services.

In the “Mercer Marsh Benefits 2019 Medical Trends around the World” report, medical inflation in the Philippines is expected to increase to 13.7 percent in 2019 from 13 percent in 2018.

This will make the Philippines the second most expensive country in terms of medical expenses in Southeast Asia. Vietnam currently has the highest medical costs in the region at 14.2 percent this year, lower than the 14.5 percent in 2018.

“The gap between medical inflation and actual inflation con-

tinues in the Philippines. Companies must make employer-sponsored medical plans competitive, and prioritize solutions that will provide quality health care in the long -term,” according to Maria Theresa E. Alday, Mercer (Philippines) Inc. CEO and health and business leader.

Medical costs, the report stated, are bound to continue increasing and will even outpace inflation by close to three times this year and even higher in 2020.

Mercer Marsh stated in its report that health care is becoming more expensive due to “high-cost pharmaceuticals, new diagnostics and procedures, and overprescribing of low-value health tests and procedures.”

A significant increase

GLOBALLY, the top three health risk factors influencing medical cost are still metabolic and cardiovascular risk, dietary risk and emotional/mental risk.

However, on a regional level, there is variation in the top risk factors. For Asia, environmental risks, which account for 52 percent of risk factors, are causing more citizens to spend more for health care.

Mercer Marsh said poor health in the region is being caused by the ill effects of high pollution levels, specifically in many of the region’s major cities.

The report showed a significant increase in the incidence of respiratory diseases, gastrointestinal diseases and those of the circulatory system.

In its fifth year, this latest report surveyed 204 insurers across 59 countries. It assessed how health conditions, supplier factors and consumer habits are driving cost, as well as providing insights into how insurers are responding.

Looking to the future

IN response, Mercer Marsh said the number of insurers investing in initiatives to enable qualityfocused care, to better guide members to the right care options for them more quickly, has more than doubled. Globally, 29 percent now name this type of investment as a top strategic priority.

Mercer Marsh said insurers are responding by helping members make smarter health-care choices, with 63 percent of insurers providing education, tools and incentives to drive positive behavior.

The Middle East and Africa had the highest rate of adoption of programs of this type, with 71 percent of insurers proactively using such consumer-focused tactics with plan members. Globally, 78 percent are now considering or already support virtual health consultations.

“It is clear that health is a business imperative. Supporting and nurturing the physical, emotional, financial and social well-being needs of employees returns many benefits to businesses,” Alday said.

“With the future of work demanding a healthy and engaging environment for employees, it is critical that companies assess how

medical plans can be reviewed through both cost optimization and employee engagement lenses,” she continued.

Total expenditures

BASED on the Philippine National Health Accounts (PNHA), total health expenditures at current prices grew 8 percent in 2017 to P712.3 billion from P659.3 billion in 2016.

Every Filipino spent P6,791 for health-care needs in 2017, a 6.3-percent growth from P6,389 in 2016. In real terms, per capita health expenditure of Filipinos amounted to P6,090, which is an 8.1-percent growth from P5,894 in 2016.

Household out-of-pocket payment (OOP) reached P372.8 billion or 54.5 percent of Current Health Expenditures (CHE) in 2017.

This was followed by government schemes and compulsory contributory health-care financing schemes at P225.9 billion or 33 percent. Voluntary health-care payment schemes contributed P85.7 billion or 12.5 percent.

More than half of OOP amounting to P186.6 billion, or 50.1 percent, went to pharmacies.

Private general hospitals came in second at P97.5 billion, or 26.1 percent; followed by providers of ambulatory health care at P50.3 billion, or 13.5 percent.

Hope for the best

FOR Dr. Policarpio Joves, president of the Philippine Academy of Family Physicians, the issue is with the IRR’s provision which demands salaries for medical workers be made competitive with that of their public-sector counterparts as a condition for private-sector medical facilities to be accredited

by DOH.

“This will force the private sector to raise the salary of its employees,” Joves said.

He noted, however, that this will be unsustainable for the private sector in the long run, especially as it is burdened by a no-balance billing policy of the government that bans hospitals from collecting direct medical expense from patients for the duration of the confinement.

“The government and the private sector are not equal. In the government, their personnel and electricity is paid for [through taxes]. In the private sector all wages and utilities are paid by the patients,” Joves said.

If implemented, he said the policy will lead to the closure of many medium-sized hospitals, leaving patients with poorer medical services.

Both Tinio and Joves appealed for providing the private sector with certain incentives to effectively participate in the implementation of the UHC law.

“The government should be able to provide for everything [in the implementation of the UHC law], but for now it is putting some burden [of the implementation] on the private sector. That is why they should not marginalize us [in the IRR drafting],” Tinio said.

A6 Thursday, July 11, 2019 • Editor: Angel R. Calso

Opinion BusinessMirror

www.businessmirror.com.ph

editorial

Dawning of cheaper, faster Internet in PHL

A

S more and more telecommunications operators in the world are priming for the rollout of 5G wireless technology, President Duterte has been resolute in his desire to fulfill a campaign promise of better telco services in the country. On July 1, 2019, the President swore into office former Sen. Gregorio “Gringo” Honasan II as secretary of the Department of Information and Communications Technology. A week later, he witnessed Honasan supervise the awarding of the certificate of public convenience and necessity (CPCN) to third telco player Mislatel Consortium, a group led by Davao-based businessman Dennis Uy.

In a speech during the awarding ceremony in Malacañang, Duterte said: “The entry of Mislatel Consortium is indeed a milestone in our efforts to provide fast, reliable, secure and more affordable telecommunication services to the public. Let me take this opportunity to pose this challenge to Mislatel: Break the prevailing duopoly in the telecommunications industry and fulfill your commitment to provide better telco services to our people.”

The awarding of the CPCN officially greenlighted the nationwide operation of Mislatel Consortium (composed of Mislatel, Udenna Corp., China Telecom and Chelsea Logistics), which will be renamed Dito Telecommunity Corp. Uy, the founder of Udenna Corp., accepted the CPCN on behalf of Dito Telecommunity Corp., which posted a P25.7-billion performance bond for their commitments as the new major player.

National Telecommunications Commission chief Gamaliel Cordoba, who pushed for lower interconnection fees among the country’s telcos, said public expectations of Dito Telecommunity Corp. seem huge and the stakes are quite high, as the third telco player is required to follow a strict set of rules over a five-year period. “On its very first year, the third telco should be able to service 15 percent of the population—that is, 25 percent of cities, as well as 10 percent of first- and second-class municipalities and 5 percent of third- and fourth-class municipalities,” Cordoba said.

Will Dito Telecommunity Corp. be up to the challenge? In the presence of President Duterte, officials of the new telco player promised to offer 55 Mbps of Internet speed that covers 84 percent of the population in five years. This is much better than the country’s prevailing Internet speed of 5.5 Mbps. Dito Telecommunity Corp. intends to spend P257 billion in infrastructure and service rollout during the period. Initially, it will launch only 4G services and will no longer offer legacy 2G and 3G systems. The plan is to first conduct a pilot user program toward the end of this year to test the network in order to come out with a better and more robust offering.

Although the second-generation and third-generation networks are still used in most parts of the world, the Philippines included, the third telco player is in a good position to ride on the wagon of the fifth-generation networks. Experts say 5G promises lightning-fast speed, incredibly low latency and the capacity to carry massive numbers of connections simultaneously, which will make the existing communication model obsolete.

Dito Telecommunity Corp. said in five years, it will be covering the country with 5G, with speed offerings that are much faster than what is currently being offered. It promises to offer cheaper and faster telco services without having to replicate the paths taken by its established competitors.

When this happens, more than a hundred million Filipinos, who have been suffering from slow and expensive Internet services for the longest time, will be the ultimate winner. After all, competition is the best tool to promote consumer well-being.

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BusinessMirror A broader look at today’s business

The Mafia, the ‘palengke’ and the stock market John Mangun

OUTSIDE THE BOX

I

F you genuinely want to understand how a stock market works, go watch The Godfather.

Beginning in the 1930s, the five Mafia crime families out of New York City organized into what they called the “Commission”. Founded for the most part on groups that came from specific areas in Sicily, each family has its own protected territories and criminal operations.

The influence and power of the Commission extended to “minor crime families” in other cities throughout the US. The “Five Families” helped settle local disputes and acted as a control to avoid any one family gaining too much power. It was not a perfect system, and rivalries and mob wars were frequent. However, it was better than the previous situation with a “Boss of all Bosses” being killed every few years.

The purpose was to allow everyone to conduct their business in relative peace with each other. Knowing that a group was watching, individual families would avoid stepping on

another family’s toes because of internal alignments.

When you enter a large palengke or wet market, it is obvious at first glance that there is a particular order. Dealers in meat—fish, poultry and pork—are separate from the vegetable and rice merchants. Further, the fish dealers, as well as the other purveyors of specific meats are grouped together. While those selling chicken would obviously prefer that no one buy pork, that is clearly impossible.

Like the Five Families, there is an “uneasy” truce. But then again, no chicken seller would be punished for reminding shoppers about

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in the new business of public companies doing airplane leasing. Another had an “exclusive” on the growing mobile home and recreational vehicle companies.

It was one big happy stock market family as long as everybody played by the “rules.” As with organized crime, government intervention changed the game. Law enforcement started sending the heads of the Five Families to prison and—particularly in the drug trade—many new players came in.

On May 1, 1975, the Securities and Exchange Commission deregulated commissions and for the first time in 180 years, trading fees were set by market competition. That evolved into the dominance of online trading that we have today.

However, the Commission still exists today although with less reach and power. And rumor has it that a Canadian—of all nationalities—is the second-in-command. In the US stock market, though, two firms do the majority of the trading in the FANG (Facebook, Amazon, Netflix and Google) shares.

E-mail me at mangun@gmail.com. Visit my web site at www.mangunonmarkets.com. Follow me on Twitter @mangunonmarkets. PSE stockmarket information and technical analysis tools provided by the COL Financial Group Inc.

Cyber-security threats to cost PHL organizations $3.5 billion in potential economic losses

✝ Ambassador Antonio L. Cabangon Chua Publisher

the dangers of Asian swine flu to humans.

Within the chicken—and the fish and pork communities—there are rules. No one should make an obvious effort to steal another dealer’s suki (preferred customer).

Further, prices are almost identical not only because the suppliers are often the same but also anyone trying to dominate the market share by whatever means would have problems. The palengke way of doing business is not much different from the Commission.

In the 1970s, retail customer stock trading in the US was dominated by three firms with dozens of others in their wake. Each morning on the desks of the thousands of individual stockbrokers of the largest firm was a sheet with three stocks to buy and one to sell. That firm’s research department would provide the information to justify that buying and selling. Often and regularly, the stocks were bought and sold from and to the firm’s own investment inventory.

Other companies were expected to “cooperate” and take advantage of this one largest firm’s trading action.

Certain smaller stock brokerages were given “protection” to follow smaller industry sectors. A “minor family” dominated the retail trading

A

STUDY by Frost & Sullivan, commissioned by Microsoft, has revealed that the potential economic losses in the Philippines due to cyber-security incidents can hit a staggering $3.5 billion or 1.1 percent of the Philippines’s total GDP of $305 billion.

The study—“Understanding the Cybersecurity Threat Landscape in Asia Pacific: Securing the Modern Enterprise in a Digital World”— aims to provide business and IT decision-makers with insights on the economic cost of cyber-security breaches in the region and identify the gaps in organizations’ cybersecurity strategies.

The study involved a survey of 1,300 business and IT decisionmakers ranging from midsized organizations (250 to 499 employees) to large-sized organizations (more than 500 employees).

More than half of the organizations surveyed in the Philippines have either experienced a cybersecurity incident (18 percent) or are not sure if they had one as they

have not performed proper forensics or data breach assessment (34 percent), the study said.

“As companies embrace the opportunities presented by cloud and mobile computing to connect with customers and optimize operations, they take on new risks,” said Hans Bayaborda, managing director, Microsoft Philippines.

“With traditional IT boundaries disappearing the adversaries now have many new targets to attack. Companies face the risk of significant financial loss, damage to customer satisfaction and market reputation—as has been made all too clear by recent high-profile breaches,” he said.

The study revealed that: n “A large-sized organization in

the Philippines can possibly incur an economic loss of $7.5 million, more than 200 times higher than the average economic loss for a midsized organization ($35,000); and n “Cyber-security attacks have resulted in job losses across different functions in seven in 10 [72 percent] organizations that have experienced an incident over the last 12 months.

“To calculate the cost of cybercrime, Frost & Sullivan has created an economic loss model based on macroeconomic data and insights shared by the survey respondents.

This model factors in three kinds of losses, which could be incurred due to a cyber-security breach: n “Direct: Financial losses associated with a cyber-security incident—this includes loss of productivity, fines, remediation cost, etc; n “Indirect: The opportunity cost to the organization such as customer churn due to reputation loss; and n “Induced: The impact of cyber breach to the broader ecosystem and economy, such as the decrease in consumer and enterprise spending.

“Although the direct losses from cyber-security breaches are most visible, they are but just the tip of the iceberg,” said Edison Yu, vice president and Asia Pacific head of Enterprise for Frost & Sullivan.

“There are many other hidden

losses that we have to consider from both the indirect and induced perspectives, and the economic loss for organizations suffering from cybersecurity attacks can be often underestimated,” he said.

In addition to financial losses, cyber-security incidents are also undermining the Philippine organizations’ ability to capture future opportunities in today’s digital economy, with more than half (57 percent) of respondents stating that their enterprise has put off digital transformation efforts due to fear of cyber risks.

Key cyber threats

ALTHOUGH high-profile cyber attacks, such as ransomware, have been garnering a lot of attention from enterprises, the study found that for organizations in the Philippines that have encountered cyber-security incidents, data exfiltration and data corruption are the biggest concerns as they have the highest impact with the slowest recovery time.

Besides external threats, the research also revealed key gaps in organizations’ cyber-security approach to protect their digital estate: n “Security an afterthought: Only 44 percent of organizations consider cyber security before the start of a digital transformation project.

See “Arillo,” A7

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Opinion

I’m going to miss Ross Perot

To be a neighbor

H

BusinessMirror

By Stephen L. Carter | Bloomberg Opinion

ERE’S my favorite memory of Ross Perot: During his 1992 run for the White House, he kept pointing out that Capitol Hill was the only workplace in America where the employees could park their cars but the owners couldn’t.

Zing!

“We’re the owners of this country,” Perot declared. “We don’t act like the owners.” He built his two presidential campaigns around the idea that the people (as he liked to say) should start acting as if they were the bosses, rather than scared rabbits (which he also liked to say).

The colorful and controversial billionaire, who died on Wednesday at the age of 89, is best remembered for his presidential runs in 1992 and 1996. After a stint in the Navy, he founded Electronic Data Systems in 1962 with an initial capital of $1,000.

In 1984, he sold the company to General Motors for $2.5 billion (over $6 billion today).

Perot made a virtue of wealth, and long before his presidential runs was somehow always in the news. This is a guy who in 1969 flew to Moscow to try to persuade Soviet authorities to let him add Christmas gifts for American prisoners of war to their next supply plane to North Vietnam.

Who paid for security for two narcotics agents targeted by drug traffickers. Who bought horses for New York City’s mounted police. In 1973, he paid for a weekend extravaganza, including a ticker tape parade, for US troops who had been imprisoned at North Vietnam’s notorious Son Tay prison camp—and for the Green Berets whose rescue mission went awry when the prisoners turned out to have been moved elsewhere.

When Perot spent 1991 and 1992 musing publicly about whether or not he should run for president, nobody took him seriously. But once he got into the race, he drew enthusiastic (or at least curious) crowds. To those who found themselves sick of the incumbents, Perot was attractive.

“The guys in Washington,” he would remind the crowds, “work for us.”

People liked him. He prefigured Donald Trump in the sense that he was, as one study notes, “a walking oxymoron—a billionaire populist, an extraordinary ordinary person.”

The scholar Roderick P. Hart referred to Perot’s grassroots supporters as “an assemblage of malcontents”— people who were for one reason or another unhappy with politics or with the country’s direction, but who found Perot relatable: “He’s like us, only richer.”

Only richer: Back then, a billionaire running for president was a new and strange thing. Few voters my age are likely to forget Dana Carvey’s delicious send-up of Perot on Saturday Night Live. Carvey/Perot promised to take no salary should the nation’s economy remain flat or grow by only one or two percentage points. But should it do better, he’d get paid: Now, here’s the deal. Here’s what I’m trying to tell you. 3-percent growth in our economy, $120-billion

Arillo . . .

continued from A6

Majority of respondents (56 percent) either think about cyber security only after they start on the project or do not consider it at all. This limits their ability to conceptualize and deliver a “secure-by-design” project, potentially leading to insecure products going out into the market; n “Creating a complex environment: Negating the popular belief that deploying a large portfolio of cyber-security solutions will render stronger protection, the survey revealed that 17 percent of respondents with more than 50 cyber-security solutions could recover from cyber attacks within an hour. In contrast, more than twice as many respondents (38 percent) with fewer than 10 cyber-security solutions responded that they can recover from cyber attacks within an hour; and n “L ac k ing c yber-sec u r it y strategy: While more and more

growth in our GNP—I get a billion dollars. Now, think about it, that’s a bargain! You’re up $119 billion. I’m telling you, 2.99-percent growth, I don’t see a penny, not one red cent.

But don’t feel sorry for me—I got $3 billion. I’m gonna be fine.

The skit was hilarious—and not only because Carvey is so talented.

It captured perfectly the zaniness of Perot’s campaign, the way he’d say whatever came to mind, but also the way that all these zany ideas made a certain weird amount of sense. And although Perot won not a single electoral vote, he drew an astonishing 19 percent of the popular vote.

A furious G.O.P. believed that Perot cost President George H. W. Bush his reelection. One might respond that there was a recession on, and Bill Clinton was a formidable campaigner. But it’s also true that Perot got an awful lot of coverage. No wonder. He was so much fun, and unlike some candidates who’ve garnered lots of coverage, never seemed to be mean. Also, as Hart points out, Perot stoked the anti-incumbent fervor from which Clinton profited.

To be sure, Perot had his missteps, including a series of apparent switches over his position on abortion. When he spoke before the NAACP convention, he offended many by referring to black Americans as “your people.”

Then there’s the matter of his unapologetic membership in a Dallas club without black or Jewish members. Asked about the controversy by Larry King on CNN, Perot essentially shrugged it off. “It’s a safe place for my family to swim and do things like that,” he said. He also promised to “quit immediately” if his association “bothers the people.” The exchange provoked a deliciously droll response from the journalist Hendrik Hertzberg, at that time with the New Republic: “There is a perfectly adequate swimming pool on the grounds of his own house. It is not far from the tennis courts.”

Fair enough. And there were reasons to doubt other aspects of Perot’s public persona. For example, the much-ballyhooed 1979 mission he paid for to rescue his company’s imprisoned employees in Iran may well have been responsible for the escape of thousands of violent inmates, including murderers and drug dealers.

Nevertheless, Perot was colorful, back when candidates for office were permitted to be colorful. His relentless populist attacks on the incumbents and the existing party structure are often said to have altered American politics. I’m not so sure.

Yes, some will rush to blame Perot for Trump, but I think a cleaner case is to blame the parties for their distance from the voters—a distance, I would suggest, that continues. organizations are considering digital transformation to gain competitive advantage, the study has shown that 46 percent of respondents see cyber-security strategy only as a means to safeguard the organization against cyber attacks rather than a strategic business enabler. A mere 25 percent of organizations see cyber-security strategy as a digital transformation enabler.”

“The ever-changing threat environment is challenging, but there are ways to be more effective using the right blend of modern technology, strategy and expertise,” added Hans.

“Microsoft is empowering businesses in the Philippines to take advantage of digital transformation by enabling them to embrace the technology that’s available to them, securely through its secure platform of products and services, combined with unique intelligence and broad industry partnerships,” he said.

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

Msgr. Sabino A. Vengco Jr.

ALÁLAONG BAGÁ

W

E have reflected on our being sent by Jesus with urgency as laborers in the abundant harvest. Now the gospel account (Luke 10:25-37) invites us to meditate on the love of neighbor as the fundamental operating principle of any true believer and coworker of Jesus.

To inherit eternal life TO believe in God is to believe in eternal life, the life that comes to full communion with God. A believer wanting to inherit eternal life like many others asks Jesus the teacher what he must do to belong to God’s people sharing eternal life.

To test Jesus was his ulterior motive for asking the question, hoping perhaps to engage the talk of the town in a debate and thus make a name for himself. But Jesus led the questioner, a scholar of the law, to answer his own question in terms of what is clearly written in the law, therefore what is really not for debate.

“You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart...and your neighbor as yourself.” This combination of two familiar Old Testament prescriptions (Deuteronomy 6:5 and Leviticus 19:18) as the two great commandments encompasses what one

must do in order to be considered belonging to God’s people. But by combining and correlating them as of equal importance the narration wants to show that here it goes already beyond the traditional Jewish perception of the double command.

The gospel narration takes up the second of the two commandments as of immediate concern. (Next Sunday will tackle the first of the two.) And the extent to which Jesus expects this prescription to be carried out reveals the uniqueness of the Christian interpretation of the commandment.

Like a good Samaritan

TO justify himself, the scholar asks who his neighbor to love is. Once more he is obviously expecting to pick on some arguable points with Jesus. But the way Jesus answers the man’s additional question

Thursday, July 11, 2019 A7

renders further discussion moot.

Jesus provokes His listeners with a parable, which only Luke recounts.

Jesus challenges traditional Jewish values and exposes the inadequacy of stereotypical behaviors, as He offers in His parable the new and radical alternative of a truly lovedriven life of faith.

For the Jews a countryman or a fellow believer qualifies as neighbor. In the story the man on the roadside bloodied, naked and left half-dead by robbers does not easily come under consideration as a neighbor, because he may very well be a liability. The priest and the Levite as two temple people, who see the victim but pass by on the far side of the road, are paragons of religiosity and precisely on that account dare not stop for the man for fear of incurring ritual defilement by contact with a corpse (Numbers 9:9-12). They are correctly following the law. Jesus shocks His audience because in His parable not only are the respected clerics presented negatively, the preferred hero is a Samaritan, a representative of a people despised by the Jews. Disregarding the ancient animosity against Samaritans, Jesus portrays this heretic as the one who correctly follows God’s commandment. With compassion the Samaritan immediately attends to the wounds of the victim, lifts him up to his own animal of burden, takes him to an inn and cares for him. The next day

he gives money to the innkeeper for what may still be needed for looking after the man, with the commitment to pay on his way back for whatever may be additionally spent for him.

Alálaong bagá, whereas the scholar wants to discuss with Jesus a functioning definition of a neighbor in view of implementing the divine command to love one’s neighbor, Jesus turn the issue inside-out by illustrating an example of “neighborliness” (pakikipagkapuwa-tao), a behavior based not on whether the other may be considered a neighbor or not, but on whether one realizes that one must be a neighbor to the other. It is not about finding out who my neighbor is but about the divine command to behave as a neighbor to others. Jesus demands for a radical change in the people’s attitudes toward one another. He asks for the benevolence and generosity that all should expect from any true believer, going beyond narrow alliances and affinities, not motivated by what one gets out of it but by the good that one may be able to do for the other. And it is not in competition with the love of God, nor can it be suspended because of the latter inasmuch as it is its self-expression and proof.

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

Collective bargaining: The undeveloped instrument for wage fixing and labor policy formulation Dr. Rene E. Ofreneo

LABOREM EXERCENS Continued from A1

S

O far, the work of the various Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Boards has been focused mainly on the monitoring of the movement of prices and how wages should be adjusted to the resulting inflation. Industry productivity and better worker lives beyond the minimum are hardly discussed. Thus, the perennial lament of the workers and their unions that the RTWPBs are stuck with inflation-based wage adjustment system. No progressive movement toward the attainment of decent living wage.

But are there alternative approaches available to the policymakers?

There are. One of them is the institution of collective bargaining. The International Labor Organization (ILO), which observes its centenary this year, has long been promoting the system of collective bargaining as the modern, enlightened and democratic way of determining wages and conditions of work. In integrative bargaining, the system of collective bargaining involves social dialogue and social consultation on how both parties can resolve problems at the workplace and how the two sides can prosper together.

In fact, collective bargaining played a major role in the growth of Europe, North America and Japan in the post-war decades of the 1940s1970s. These are often referred to by economic historians as the “golden decades” of capitalist growth and social development in these countries. These were the decades that saw the tremendous expansion of the trade union movement and the acceptance by these countries of the system of collective bargaining as the primary means of addressing wages, hours of work, social security, dispute settlement and other conditions of work. One outcome of the foregoing historical development is the transformation of these countries into welfare states, which are able to provide strong social protection to workers such as universal health care, unemployment insurance, and so on. In turn, the programs of social welfarism and social protection gave these countries the social

stability and societal cooperation needed to bring them at a higher level of economic growth and development.

In short, the healthy social partnership between industry and unions, nurtured through collective bargaining and social dialogue, became a pillar for the sustained growth of the economy. This is best illustrated by the case of Germany where the system of collective bargaining was further reinforced by the Law on Co-Determination, which requires companies with 2,000 or more workers to have in the company supervisory boards representatives of the workers, and for the smaller companies, to have “work councils”, or forums for sustained dialogue between management and the workers on various work and productivity issues. The German system was further strengthened by the industry participation in the dual system of skills development and continuing support of the State for technological upgrading.

In Japan, labor relations were tumultuous after World War II. However, in the 1950s and 1960s, unionism grew (to as high as almost 50 percent) and Japanese industry learned to accept the unions as a partner in productivity programs. As a result, a majority of the unionized firms set up joint consultation system featuring a system of two-way communication which had to deal not only with workers’ concerns (e.g., leave, safety and health, bonus, pension, work schedule, welfare and cultural activities, etc.) but also “management issues” such as business plans, new

technology, organizational changes, production and sales plans, and so on.

By the late 1960s, Japan was hailed as a miracle economy.

But the Japanese miracle was a product of the joint effort of unions and industry, made possible by the system of collective bargaining and social dialogue. In some industries, collective bargaining and labor-management consultation/communication also gave birth to productivity “gain-sharing” arrangements, where the gains of productivity were distributed equitably to industry (as added profits or investible funds), to unions and workers (as added income or bonuses) and to consumers (in the form of reduced prices).

Now, how about the Philippines?

The country has a relatively long history of unionism and collective bargaining compared to other Southeast Asian countries. The Minimum Wage Law was enacted in 1952 and the Industrial Peace Act, which introduced the right of unions to bargain collectively, in 1953. Both laws were drafted with the help of the US Mutual Security Agency (the forerunner of the present USAID). Both laws were part of the social reform package which the US MSA tried to push in order to help the country contain the Communist-led insurgency and social-labor unrest, which raged in 1948-1951.

Both laws were opposed by the nascent Filipino industrializing class led by the Araneta business family.

However, the rapid growth of industry in the 1950s and 1960s, under the program of import substitution, rendered the business complaints against unionism and collective bargaining meaningless. In fact, Central Bank surveys in the 1960s showed that CBA wages were much higher than the legislated national minimum wages. The CBA wages were the wage leaders, or reference wages for new industries being formed.

The 1950s-1960s happened to be the golden age of Philippine industrialization. This was also the period that saw the tremendous growth of unionism and, like in Europe, the acceptance by industry of the institutions of unionism and collective bargaining.

However, things changed when martial law was declared in 1972.

Strikes and peaceful assemblies were prohibited in the early years of martial law. Meantime, the

government, with the help of the IMF-World Bank, introduced a new economic blueprint called “laborintensive export-oriented industrial” development or LIEO. The assumption behind the blueprint was that jobs would mushroom with the inflow of investments into LIEO industries, such as garments and electronics industry. It was against this backdrop that the twin institutions of unionism and collective bargaining weakened, while the minimum wage became a “wage leader”. Then President Marcos presided over the annual May 1 celebration in order to announce any new adjustment in the minimum wage or cost-of-living allowance.

The problem is that the LIEO jobs promises were not delivered; instead, more and more workers began looking at the overseas labor market in search of greener pastures. Those who stayed at home had to reconcile themselves to low wages and the repressive atmosphere against unionism. The late Professor Perfecto Fernandez, the leading UP legal scholar on labor laws, summed up the sad decline of unionism in this environment by writing that LIEO and martial law had transformed collective bargaining into “collective begging”.

In the 1980s (1980-1987), there was a revival of unionism, fueled largely by the socioeconomic crisis that consumed the country due to the explosion of the debt crisis, assassination of Ninoy Aquino, flight of capital and the crisis of the dictatorial regime. The People Power Revolt and the rise of the Corazon Aquino regime also gave the union movement added energy.

Unfortunately, the opportunity to have a Social Accord involving the unions, industry and government in support of a new era of enlightened industrial relations and strengthening of the system of collective bargaining and social dialogue as the way forward was missed by the EDSA Regime and the succeeding administrations. After 1987, unionism began a steady decline, and so is the system of collective bargaining. In 2017, the ILO Manila office, in its diagnostics on decent work, estimated that the number of workers covered by CBAs for 2016 was roughly around 200,000 —in a country with a labor force of 43 million or so!

What happened? More in the next column.

2nd Front Page BusinessMirror

A8 Thursday, July 11, 2019

www.businessmirror.com.ph

BPI issues 1,518 rice import permits in 4 mos

By Jasper Emmanuel Y. Arcalas @jearcalas

T

HE government has issued a total of 1,518 import permits to traders that sought its permission to import rice following the effectivity of the rice trade liberalization law in March, data released by the Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI) showed.

Figures from the agency indicated that 190 cooperatives, t raders a nd inst it ut ions ap -

plied for sanitary and phytosanitary import clearances (SPSIC) from March 5 to June 30

for the purchase of 1.478 mill ion me t r ic ton s ( M M T ) of imported rice.

The BPI was mandated to facilitate private-sector importation by issuing SPS-ICs once the rice trade liberalization law took effect on March 5.

Under the new trade regime, pr ivate ent it ies must sec u re an SPS-IC from the BPI, an attached agency of the Department of Agriculture (DA), prior to br inging imported r ice into the country.

Republic Act (RA) 11203 dereg u lated t he Nat iona l Food Author it y (NFA), which used to i s sue i mp or t l ice n ses to qualified traders.

The agency’s records indicated that among the applicants, Indian

grocery store Assad Mini Mart accounted for the biggest volume at 59,500 metric tons.

Puregold Price Club Inc., the grocery-chain operator owned by businessman Lucio Co, was among the top 5 import applicants with a volume of 37,435 MT. BPI data indicated that importers would buy rice from India, Pakistan, Thailand, Vietnam, Italy, Myanmar and Spain.

More than half of the rice importers are cooperatives, while about 65 applicants are companies and millers.

Arrivals

A TOTAL of 150 eligible importers used 755 SPS-ICs and brought in 707,909.503 MT of rice as of endJune. The imports were sourced

from Myanmar, Pakistan, Thailand and Vietnam.

BPI’s end-June import arrival figures are less than half of the 1.43 MMT declared by the Bureau of Customs (BOC) under the new trade regime.

During the four-month period, Arvin International Marketing Inc. accounted for the bulk of arrivals at 25,268 MT. It used 29 out of its 57 SPS-ICs. Under RA 11203, the BPI is mandated to act on every application within seven days. Failure to do so would mean automatic approval of the application.

imported rice that entered the country’s ports from March 5 to June 30.

However, the amount collected by the BOC is being disputed by some rice industry groups due to possible undervaluation by traders and importers.

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) said in a report that the country’s rice imports this year will rise by 20 percent to a record high of 3 MMT, making the Philippines one of the world ’s top buyers of the staple.

T he U S DA s a i d p u rc h a s es of impor ted r ice rose a fter the gover nment removed the quantitative restriction on rice with the implementation of RA 11203.

Tariff collection doubted

T HE BOC ea rl ier a nnou nced that it has collected P5.9 billion in tariffs from 1.43 MMT of

US-China trade row fallout eyed in PHL imports dip SEN. BONG GO CITES

By Cai U. Ordinario

T

@caiordinario

HE Philippines is already starting to feel the heat from the United States-China trade tensions as the country’s imports posted its biggest decline in at least three years, according to economists.

With imports suffering a 5.4-percent decline in May, economists expect the country’s exports to also decline in the third quarter. This is mainly due to the fact that over 40 percent of the country’s exports are also imported

from other sources abroad.

Ateneo Center for Economic Research and Development (Acerd) Director Alvin P. Ang said this is especially the case for the Philippines since the country does not export finished products.

“We can turn the US-China trade tensions into a gain if we have finished products. But we don’t sell finished products abroad, only labor,” Ang told BusinessMirror. He added that the country is just one part of a global value chain.

Ang said the decline is also a testament to the weakness of the manufacturing sector. He said the manufacturing sector “seems to be losing steam.”

In his presentation in a forum in Quezon City on Wednesday, Ang noted the manufacturing sector has been slowing since the fourth quarter of 2017. Except for a slight growth in the last quarter of 2018, factory output has followed a downward trajectory.

Ang said this does not bode well in terms of boosting the country’s exports, one of the best ways to create a

new dollar source for the Philippines.

He said traditional dollar sources, such as overseas Filipino worker remittances and even businessprocess outsourcing, have been plateauing in the past few years.

World market trends

“IT’S really world market trends dictating the pace of import and export growth given the negative effects of the seemingly unending trade rift between the USA and China,” University of Asia and the Pacific School of Economics Dean Cid Terosa said on Wednesday.

Terosa added that in order to cushion the impact of weak imports and exports on GDP, the government must strengthen domestic spending and ramp up its infrastructure investments.

HOUSING OPTIONS FOR POOR FILIPINOS

Neda: Still hopeful SOUTHWEST MONSOON AFFECTING EXTREME NORTHERN LUZON as of 4:00 pm - July 10, 2019

MEANWHILE, the National Economic and Development Authority (Neda) remained confident the country’s external trade performance will still end the year on a high note.

In a statement on Wednesday, Neda said imports and exports of goods are expected to be better in the second half of 2019 due to the country’s economic outlook remaining positive for the year.

Neda said the World Bank and Asian Development Bank estimate that the Philippine economy is poised to grow at 6.4 percent and 6.5 percent in 2019 and 2020, respectively.

This optimistic view, Neda said, is also supported by the latest International Monetary Fund forecasts of 6.5 percent in 2019 and 6.6 percent in 2020.

“Global economic outlook for 2019 remains subdued as policy uncertainties and some geopolitical tensions continue to pose risks to many economies. But amid these external developments, the country’s economic outlook remains upbeat,” said Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Ernesto M. Pernia.

Neda also said the approval of the Philippine Export Development Plan (PEDP) 2018-2022 should further support external trade.

The PEDP, anchored on the PDP 2017-2022, will provide a more focused approach in improving the country’s export position.

The PEDP lays down crucial broadbased reforms that will improve the overall climate for export development by removing regulatory impediments, enhancing trade facilitation, and fostering supply-chain linkages, among others.

“The Philippines should, likewise, continue to aggressively pursue regional integration and cooperation to dampen the effects of increasing trade tensions,” said Pernia.

He also noted that efforts to promote a more accommodating business climate must be sustained to attract more investments in the country.

“Investment promotion should be intensified with special priority given to investors who not only provide employment, but also increase the value added of firms located in the country,” Pernia added.

SEN. Bong Go listens to the problems of Bacoor residents as he visited the Cavite town to find out what issues resonate with them. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

C

ITING the bill he filed last week for a National Housing Development, Production and Financing Act of 2019, Sen. Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go told fire victims in Bacoor, Cavite, of the housing options they may avail themselves of to rebuild their homes.

Go explained that if the proposed measure becomes a law, these options will be made available to all Filipinos who are poor and left homeless.

In his short message to the fire victims early this week, Go listed two options for now as he had initial talks with the National Housing Authority (NHA). In the first option, Go explained that since most of the lands where the houses of illegal settlers are located are privately owned, he proposed that if the titled land owner agrees that the land can be bought through the Community Mortgage Program (CMP), Filipinos could organize their own associations so they can easily pay the mortgage and eventually own the land.

On the other hand, the government’s housing projects in Naic, Cavite, offer another option for those left homeless by the recent fire in Bacoor, he said.

Go said he filed the bill last week— along with nine other priority measures—to reduce the number of the homeless. “Sa susunod na mga taon,

wala na dapat squatter sa sariling bayan [Next year, there should be no more squatters in their own land],” he told the public.

Go also addressed barangay officials and employees, saying part of his legislative agenda is to protect their welfare and to ensure that their programs for their constituents are properly implemented.

Go filed a bill seeking to extend the terms of office of current barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan officials to give them “ample time and continuity to pursue and implement the programs they have set in their respective jurisdictions.”

Barangay and SK elections are slated in May 2020, and Go proposed deferring this to October of 2022 to give barangay officials ample time to finish their respective programs and projects.

During his visit to Bacoor, Go also gave the fire victims immediate relief assistance. He offered grocery packs and provided uniforms and school supplies to students so they could go back to school right away. Go also assisted those who needed medical attention and offered to pay the fare for those who want to go home to their respective provinces. He also shared a meal with some TODA members of the barangay through a boodle fight.

Online casinos. . . received permits to operate since President Duterte began awarding licenses in 2016. The government estimates that 138,000 mostly Chinese are working in online casinos that cater to overseas Chinese punters.

By Leechiu’s estimates, the POGO sector employs about 345,000. “It’s not a question of how fast it will grow but how fast we can keep up

Continued from A1

with their demand,” Leechiu said.

The government’s tax hunt will not deter POGOs from expanding since their margins are wide enough to absorb the extra cost, Leechiu said.

POGOs are also beginning to set up shop in Pampanga and Laguna provinces near the capital. Bloomberg News

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If you have any information / objection to the above mentioned application/s, please communicate with the Regional Director thru Employment Promotion and Workers Welfare (EPWW) Division with Telephone No. 400-6011.

ATTY. SARAH BUENA S. MIRASOL REGIONAL DIRECTOR

Editor: Efleda P. Campos

Companies BusinessMirror

Thursday, July 11, 2019

Megaworld’s Visayas transport hub opens I

By Lorenz S. Marasigan

@lorenzmarasigan

LOILO CITY—Property giant Megaworld Corp. will open today, Thursday, a P350-million transport hub here that will facilitate the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board’s (LTFRB) first point-topoint (P2P) bus services.

Called the Iloilo Business Park Transport Hubs—because of the two separate terminals for pick up and drop off—the facility will be the center point of the first P2P bus services in Western Visayas.

It is located along the township’s Megaworld Boulevard.

The regional office of the LTFRB here also launched five P2P routes, which are part of an overall cam-

paign of the government for the modernization of the transport industry in the country.

The five destinations from the Business Park are Iloilo Airport, Caticlan Airport, Kalibo Airport, Roxas Airport and Antique. Buses will be dispatched every 30 minutes.

“We have invested P350 million to construct the state-of-the-

art transport hubs here in Iloilo for the first point-to-point buses in Western Visayas,” Megaworld Head of Estate Management Jose Arnulfo Batac said.

Both terminals, sitting on a 4,000 -square-meter lot each, will feature their own Traveler’s Lounge, an air-conditioned facility where passengers can relax and wait for their trips at the Departure Terminal, and also wait for their transits or pickup vehicles at the Arrival Terminal.

Each lounge will have shower rooms and toilets, all for the convenience of departing and arriving passengers.

Passengers will also have the convenience of booking and purchasing their tickets at the ticket booths of the traveler’s Lounge.

The terminals are also equipped with free Wi-Fi connectivity, parking slots for vehicles, breastfeeding stations and a dedicated Food Park.

Toyota PHL optimistic sales this year will surpass 2018 record

By Elijah Felice E. Rosales @alyasjah

I

NDUSTRY leader Toyota Motors Philippines Corp. (TMP) sold nearly 73,500 units in the first half, and officials are optimistic their firm will beat its sales performance last year.

At the launching of the all-new Toyota Supra on Tuesday, TMP President Satoru Suzuki said the firm sold 73,454 units from January to June. As the automotive industry little by little recovers from its dismal showing last year, TMP is anticipating it can best its 2018 sales of some 153,000 units.

“We expect a single percentage growth compared to last year.

Last year we sold 153,000 [units].

We are expecting a [single-digit] growth [this year],” Suzuki told reporters.

The automotive industry is targeting to expand sales by 10 percent this year. Suzuki said this is slightly difficult for TMP to hit,

as the market is only adjusting to the fiscal changes the government introduced last year.

Although the market is recovering, TMP’s sales “compared to last year is still same, almost same” and that it is too ambitious for the vehicle assembler to expand sales by 10 percent, Suzuki added.

Sales in the first semester were only 0.43 percent higher than the 73,136 units sold by TMP in the same period last year. This, even as inflation—which accelerated last year and weakened vehicle appetite—is settling within the government’s target range.

Inflation in June decelerated to 2.7 percent—the lowest since September 2017—from 5.2 percent during the same month last year, according to data from the Philippine Statistics Authority.

Still, Suzuki believes the market will eventually recover over the next months and vehicle appetite will return to its normal

level. Proof of this is TMP’s introduction of the all-new Supra to its vehicle lineup in the Philippines.

Priced between P4.99 million and P5.09 million depending on the color of the unit, the Supra will be marketed by TMP to the higher-income households, as well as to car enthusiasts.

TMP Vice President for Corporate Affairs Rommel R. Gutierrez said most of those who initially inquired about the Supra are earning at least P450,000 a month.

Nearly all of them are male, mostly collectors of sports cars.

Buyers of the Supra will have to wait for at least four months before receiving their unit, as it will be imported in bulk by TMP from Austria, where it is assembled.

According to Suzuki, the Supra is its most expensive offering in its passenger car roster. Only 16 of TMP’s 70 dealerships nationwide are certified to sell the vehicle, and all of them are permitted to do maintenance and service.

Filinvest breaks ground on office building in Mimosa Clarkfield

By VG Cabuag @villygc

G

OTIANUN-LED Filinvest Land Inc. on Wednesday said it broke ground on one of its key office buildings in Mimosa+ Leisure City in Clarkfield, Pampanga, and held a topping-off ceremony in another building within the complex.

The company said it broke ground on 7Workplus and topped off its 4Workplus in the 201-hectare township project.

Workplus is the green-oriented office campus that spans 4.6 hectares. It is expected to feature eight midrise buildings with a total expected gross leasable area of approximately 126,000 square meters.

“Workplus is an important component of this township, together with the 130-hectare golf

course and the luxurious Quest Plus Conference Center as they complement each other to provide a balanced mix of developments. This project also brings us closer to our vision of making Filinvest Mimosa+ a top-of-mind, year-round business and leisure destination,” Janette Cordero, Filinvest Cyberzone Mimosa Inc. first vice president, said.

Workplus is designed to cater to different locators in the Clark area as it is fully equipped to accommodate the round-the-clock operations of business-process outsourcing firms.

There are already two green office buildings—1Workplus and 2Workplus—which are completed and substantially leased. Both buildings are equipped with a retail area on the ground floor and advanced fiber-optic facilities, the company said.

“Workplus will attract locators not only because of its state-ofthe-art features but also because of its refreshing, green campus environment. People working here will be inspired to be productive because of the work-life balance that it offers,” Cordero said.

Workplus will benefit from being surrounded by residential offerings, leisure components, and a future high-end gaming complex that is all in the pipeline.

Both 4Workplus and 7Workplus are targeted for completion in 2020. When completed, the two are expected to deliver an estimated 5,040 seats.

The remaining Workplus buildings will follow over the next three years, which will further propel Filinvest Mimosa+ to becoming a key tourism and commerce destination in the Clark region, the company said.

B1

“All of our townships, especially those in urban centers, serve as convergence points of motorists and commuters. Thus, we integrate transport hubs in our developments to meet the transport needs of the local community,” Batac said.

The group, he added, hopes this terminal will be a “model for other transport hubs in the region.”

The terminals have direct access to Festive Walk Mall. This gives Megaworld a boost in foot traffic for its retail business.

“This is an effort for the city.

What we want is for the economy inside the city to grow because we directly benefit from that, aside from the direct impact on the mall. There will be a huge economic impact,” Batac said.

Megaworld developed the Iloilo Business Park in the Mandurriao District. It is a 72-hectare integrated urban township.

PLDT tops speed race

D

IGITAL services provider PLDT Inc. claimed on Wednesday that it led the speed race in both the fixed line and mobile segments in the first half of 2019, citing data from speed testing group Ookla.

Mario G. Tamayo, the company’s SVP, said PLDT widened its lead versus its competitor in the fixed line segment, while Smart’s lead in the wireless segment versus its rival continued to grow.

Citing Ookla’s report, Tamayo said PLDT achieved a Speed Score of 20.44 points, after clocking in a 51.36 Mbps top download speed and a 54.22 Mbps top upload speed.

Globe Telecom Inc.’s Speed Score was at 10.04 points. Its fixed broadband had a top download speed of 27.47 Mbps and a top upload speed of 12.72 Mbps, while Sky Broadband had a top download speed of 30.52 Mbps, and a top upload speed of 5.77 Mbps. It had a Speed Score of 11.76 points.

For fixed, Ookla assesses the best network speeds attained across a given network, accounting for tests that are taken on various speed test applications that connect to a fixed network, including tests taken on mobile phones over a Wi-Fi connection. Each top carrier accounts for at least 3 percent of the sample size in the geographic area.

Smart, on the other hand, gar-

nered a Speed Score of 17.07 points, with average download speed of 19.33 Mbps and average upload speed of 9.16 Mbps. Globe has a Speed Score of 10.05 points with average download speed of 11.38 Mbps and an average upload speed of 4.74 Mbps.

For mobile, Speed Score incorporates a measure of each provider’s download and upload speed to rank network speed performance. Tests used to calculate the Speed Score exclusively come from “modern devices,” which are devices capable of connecting to the market’s fastest, generally available technology.

“Our network investments have considerably improved customer experience so that they can now watch videos without buffering, update their social-media accounts, or easily check their e-mail and open attachments while on the go,” Tamayo said.

Currently, PLDT has a fiber-optic cable footprint of 259,000 kilometers, while Smart has equipped 71 percent of its 18,000 base stations with LTE-Advanced Technology.

“Now that our subscribers use more data, and as we continue to bring in new customers, we have to ensure they get fast and reliable connection all the time. We continue to build and expand our fiber and LTE network to meet those needs,” Tamayo said. Lorenz S. Marasigan

B2

Companies BusinessMirror

Thursday, July 11, 2019

PSE STOCK QUOTATIONS

July 10, 2019

Net Foreign Stocks Bid Ask Open High Low Close Volume Value Trade (Peso) Buy (Sell) FINANCIALS ASIA UNITED BDO UNIBANK BANK PH ISLANDS CHINABANK EAST WEST BANK METROBANK PBCOM PHIL NATL BANK PSBANK PHILTRUST RCBC SECURITY BANK UNION BANK BRIGHT KINDLE BDO LEASING COL FINANCIAL FERRONOUX HLDG IREMIT MEDCO HLDG MANULIFE NTL REINSURANCE PHIL STOCK EXCH SUN LIFE VANTAGE

58 142 78.45 27 12.1 71.4 20.55 53.9 58.1 110 26.25 172 60.7 1.18 2.4 18.68 4.76 1.31 0.475 765 0.96 188.8 1760 1.12

58.8 142.3 78.5 27.05 12.12 71.5 21.35 54 58.15 115 26.35 173 61.8 1.26 2.44 18.7 4.8 1.35 0.5 789.5 0.98 189.5 1810 1.2

58.9 142.5 78.05 26.9 12.12 71.4 20.55 52.75 57.7 112 26.6 173 61.8 1.22 2.45 18.76 4.79 1.35 0.48 789.5 0.96 189.1 1800 1.12

58.9 142.9 79 27.15 12.2 72 20.55 55 58.15 115 26.6 174 61.95 1.28 2.5 18.76 4.8 1.35 0.49 789.5 0.99 193 1800 1.12

58 141.5 78.05 26.85 12.08 71.3 20.55 52.75 57.7 110 26.2 171.8 60.6 1.17 2.4 18.7 4.76 1.35 0.475 765 0.96 188.7 1800 1.12

58.8 142.3 78.5 27.05 12.12 71.5 20.55 54 58.15 115 26.35 173 61.8 1.26 2.4 18.7 4.8 1.35 0.475 765 0.98 189.5 1800 1.12

24160 1537610 692750 14800 491900 5808700 300 111870 370 430 31100 91550 380 739000 257000 4200 17000 3000 360000 160 105000 80 565 10000

1409387 218436999 54380643 398770 5974894 414970546 6165 6037596.5 21462.5 47820 820110 15823381 23417 870400 629270 78546 81190 4050 172050 122895 101840 15184 1017000 11200

INDUSTRIAL

1398263 21466783 -1431896.5 -59235 -1160586 -25281024 -4110 3620118 4812298 -3636 -115000 -48500 3782 -

ALSONS CONS ABOITIZ POWER BASIC ENERGY FIRST GEN FIRST PHIL HLDG MERALCO MANILA WATER PETRON PETROENERGY PHINMA ENERGY PHX PETROLEUM PILIPINAS SHELL SPC POWER VIVANT AGRINURTURE BOGO MEDELLIN CNTRL AZUCARERA CENTURY FOOD DEL MONTE DNL INDUS EMPERADOR SMC FOODANDBEV ALLIANCE SELECT GINEBRA JOLLIBEE MACAY HLDG MAXS GROUP MG HLDG PEPSI COLA SHAKEYS PIZZA ROXAS AND CO RFM CORP ROXAS HLDG UNIV ROBINA VITARICH VICTORIAS CONCRETE A CONCRETE B CEMEX HLDG EAGLE CEMENT EEI CORP HOLCIM MEGAWIDE PHINMA TKC METALS VULCAN INDL CROWN ASIA EUROMED CONCEPCION GREENERGY INTEGRATED MICR IONICS PANASONIC SFA SEMICON CIRTEK HLDG

1.34 36.7 0.26 26.95 89.9 383 25.2 5.79 4.68 2.44 12 38.75 6.49 16.12 14.18 99 16.66 14.72 6.09 10.26 7.55 102.7 0.77 55 281.6 9.1 13.62 0.183 1.71 13.9 1.3 4.9 1.96 174.6 1.18 2.5 92.95 107 2.72 15.36 10.76 13.86 18.8 9 1.18 1.38 1.98 1.62 40.15 2.59 10.08 1.68 5.55 1.08 18.4

1.35 36.75 0.265 27 90 383.4 25.5 5.8 4.69 2.45 12.18 38.95 6.5 16.96 14.26 99.9 17.34 14.8 6.14 10.28 7.68 105 0.78 55.4 282 9.34 13.72 0.193 1.72 13.96 1.32 4.94 2.07 175 1.19 2.59 95 110.9 2.73 15.38 10.86 13.88 19 9.3 1.19 1.39 2.04 1.73 40.9 2.62 10.1 1.7 5.8 1.1 18.5

1.37 36.9 0.27 27.3 91.5 387 25.4 5.9 4.65 2.37 12.16 38.95 6.56 16.08 14.36 89.05 17.4 14.32 6.1 10.28 7.6 104.5 0.8 54.8 284 9.05 13.8 0.189 1.8 13.94 1.35 4.93 2.08 177.5 1.21 2.6 99 119 3.02 15.54 10.78 13.88 18.78 9.39 1.21 1.33 2.01 1.65 40.95 2.5 10.22 1.7 5.8 1.1 17.4

1.37 37 0.27 27.3 91.5 387 25.5 5.9 4.68 2.47 12.18 38.95 6.56 16.1 14.36 99.9 17.4 14.8 6.19 10.3 7.65 105 0.8 56.4 284.2 9.41 14.1 0.189 1.84 14 1.36 4.93 2.08 177.5 1.21 2.6 102.5 121 3.03 15.54 10.96 13.9 19 9.39 1.21 1.41 2.01 1.65 40.95 2.62 10.22 1.74 5.8 1.1 18.74

1.34 36.55 0.26 26.95 89 383 25.15 5.76 4.62 2.37 12 38.65 6.49 16.08 14.2 89 16.7 14.32 6.09 10.24 7.5 102.5 0.77 54.6 281 9.05 13.62 0.183 1.7 13.9 1.3 4.9 1.95 173.6 1.17 2.59 90.2 106 2.7 15.38 10.76 13.8 18.7 9 1.18 1.32 1.99 1.65 40.2 2.5 10.08 1.68 5.8 1.07 17.4

1.34 36.7 0.265 27 89.9 383 25.5 5.8 4.68 2.45 12 38.95 6.49 16.1 14.28 99.9 16.7 14.8 6.09 10.28 7.55 105 0.77 55 282 9.1 13.62 0.183 1.71 13.94 1.3 4.9 1.99 175 1.19 2.59 92.95 107 2.72 15.38 10.86 13.86 19 9.3 1.19 1.38 1.99 1.65 40.2 2.62 10.1 1.7 5.8 1.1 18.5

774000 2278400 510000 2469300 486840 88440 215100 2721100 21000 17588000 10600 491000 263700 1000 844500 760 26100 83400 54700 377100 416800 671090 1958000 107870 745130 9600 939500 1300000 20195000 602600 299000 2019000 20000 1270610 3783000 3000 34810 15870 19300000 1256300 103700 920300 1392100 12100 761000 5963000 258000 3000 200 7631000 122200 359000 2000 695000 1717500

1058690 83434770 134800 66783265 43917293 33909076 5472145 15783401 98160 42714630 128898 19065340 1714127 16082 12060504 67765 439962 1230436 333865 3874466 3140592 69082655 1526870 5944630.5 210148228 86981 12974762 242050 35474920 8401172 393190 9893130 39880 222168818 4489560 7790 3282160.5 1747707 54888250 19398224 1119550 12754378 26219686 112488 900280 8159060 515800 4950 8115 19647590 1236152 615860 11600 751010 31365598

-54937750 21484955 -13227238.5 -5144228 4341140 -2406094 -3292240 5861400 6500 808238 451270 -34732 -1662386 895083 -43280370 19500 4080652.5 -21267526 37728 18700 -1400000 3383526 4900 29640038 -260840 -671832 1628130 -284810 449070 -1500970 -60760.0003 3720 -236000 -246620 4950 4020 -206079.9999 -143656 27500 -1066452

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

0.98 12.58 909 55.8 15.4 3.78 6.94 0.72 1.28 1.3 1251 6.96 10.02 13.78 0.231 845 6.39 69.2 4.4 15.44 0.6 4.79 0.039 1.77 1.35 431.2 979.5 174.8 0.82 2.47 260.8 0.238 0.29

0.99 12.7 910 56 15.44 3.79 7 0.73 1.29 1.33 1481 6.98 10.12 13.98 0.24 849.5 6.41 69.7 4.41 15.58 0.61 4.8 0.04 1.78 1.39 463.8 980 174.9 0.83 2.48 261 0.239 0.295

0.93 12.7 919.5 55.05 15.22 3.8 6.9 0.74 1.3 1.3 1251 6.95 10.12 14 0.23 846 6.4 68.9 4.42 15.5 0.6 4.77 0.039 1.65 1.38 431.2 956 174.6 0.81 2.48 263 0.232 0.3

0.99 12.94 920 56 15.48 3.88 7 0.76 1.31 1.38 1251 7.08 10.12 14 0.24 850 6.41 69.7 4.47 15.74 0.62 4.82 0.039 1.8 1.38 431.2 981 175.3 0.85 2.48 263 0.238 0.3

0.89 12.58 905 54 15.22 3.78 6.9 0.71 1.27 1.28 1251 6.9 10.02 13.62 0.23 835 6.4 67.3 4.36 15.34 0.6 4.75 0.039 1.61 1.35 431.2 956 174.6 0.8 2.48 260.8 0.228 0.285

0.98 12.7 910 56 15.4 3.78 7 0.73 1.29 1.35 1251 6.96 10.02 13.98 0.24 845 6.41 69.7 4.41 15.58 0.62 4.8 0.039 1.77 1.35 431.2 980 174.9 0.83 2.48 261 0.238 0.295

46974000 37200 104640 612560 5145900 3084000 203800 1574000 2951000 312000 5 3310500 3826400 5900 20000 84920 51900 928970 730000 1626100 676000 25685000 4200000 10336000 335000 10 257120 392170 557000 3000 1670 2870000 8160000

44609730 472288 95326450 33785435 79258232 11795030 1426590 1143310 3777360 409200 6255 23121651 38497194 81368 4700 71501345 332411 63885016.5 3226470 25268632 408230 123268910 163800 17813580 456430 4312 249939175 68591540 459390 7440 436070 667480 2359950

-39800 35580 -28675945 2787425 1228622 760830 894600 201210 -1503303 -22411538 -50816 -32746155 -288250 14678582.5 -739890 -5580468 60000 26065540 331410 27100 85206640 7835096 -39158 23000 -104050

HOLDING & FRIMS

PROPERTY

ARTHALAND CORP 1.13 1.14 1.11 1.15 1.08 1.14 49798000 55583450 -398280 ANCHOR LAND 11 11.3 11 11 11 11 4300 47300 AYALA LAND 51.25 51.3 51.55 51.6 51 51.25 6420600 329415456.5 13604514.5 ARANETA PROP 2.03 2.07 2.01 2.07 1.99 2.03 614000 1245840 BELLE CORP 2.3 2.33 2.31 2.32 2.3 2.3 280000 644770 -324040 A BROWN 0.83 0.84 0.84 0.84 0.82 0.83 1141000 947080 8400 CITYLAND DEVT 0.89 0.92 0.92 0.94 0.92 0.93 212000 196100 CROWN EQUITIES 0.238 0.24 0.238 0.24 0.238 0.24 1010000 242040 4760 CEB LANDMASTERS 5.11 5.14 5.07 5.15 5.07 5.11 590400 3019481 126800 CENTURY PROP 0.6 0.61 0.6 0.62 0.6 0.61 28092000 17191350 880830 CYBER BAY 0.45 0.455 0.46 0.47 0.445 0.455 1450000 654350 22750 DOUBLEDRAGON 24.25 24.45 24.45 24.5 24.05 24.45 374700 9074555 607665 DM WENCESLAO 9.81 9.87 10.02 10.02 9.75 9.81 279300 2750001 -776353 EMPIRE EAST 0.465 0.475 0.465 0.475 0.465 0.475 440000 206900 -52250 FILINVEST LAND 1.79 1.8 1.83 1.85 1.78 1.8 50948000 91935290 -31336740 GLOBAL ESTATE 1.37 1.38 1.36 1.38 1.36 1.38 2053000 2810320 677250 8990 HLDG 15.46 15.48 15.3 15.5 15.3 15.46 492100 7580326 -799416 PHIL INFRADEV 1.73 1.74 1.7 1.78 1.7 1.73 6146000 10708950 22530 CITY AND LAND 0.78 0.8 0.78 0.8 0.77 0.77 237000 184820 MEGAWORLD 6 6.01 6.01 6.05 5.96 6.01 18330800 109852193 -45092468 MRC ALLIED 0.345 0.35 0.335 0.35 0.33 0.345 16150000 5570250 -69200 PHIL ESTATES 0.47 0.5 0.495 0.495 0.47 0.495 9393000 4619885 24750 PRIMEX CORP 2.13 2.14 2.14 2.19 2.13 2.14 2882000 6231420 ROBINSONS LAND 26.65 26.7 26.6 26.7 25.95 26.65 1881400 49892075 21363405 PHIL REALTY 0.4 0.41 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.4 570000 228000 ROCKWELL 2.28 2.29 2.23 2.3 2.23 2.29 983000 2227810 -22700 SHANG PROP 3.15 3.17 3.13 3.17 3.13 3.17 1103000 3475680 STA LUCIA LAND 1.94 1.96 1.98 1.98 1.94 1.96 399000 780770 -97500 SM PRIME HLDG 38.35 38.5 38.45 38.65 38.25 38.5 2926200 112594410 -15209325 STARMALLS 6.18 6.2 6.21 6.25 6.13 6.2 143500 888612 SUNTRUST HOME 0.75 0.78 0.73 0.78 0.73 0.78 41000 31890 VISTA LAND 7.18 7.19 7.2 7.21 7.17 7.19 2655200 19083844 2203194

SERVICES ABS CBN 17.5 17.54 17.96 17.96 17.5 17.54 167800 2947962 ABS CBN 17.48 17.58 17.6 17.7 17.48 17.48 267100 4704864 GMA NETWORK 5.39 5.4 5.38 5.44 5.38 5.4 31100 167724 MANILA BULLETIN 0.51 0.52 0.51 0.51 0.51 0.51 290000 147900 MLA BRDCASTING 14.42 15.3 14.4 15.38 14.4 14.4 7100 103818 GLOBE TELECOM 2170 2174 2132 2174 2132 2174 64300 138603180 47373330 PLDT 1193 1198 1194 1200 1188 1198 76470 91457330 1432275 APOLLO GLOBAL 0.044 0.045 0.044 0.044 0.044 0.044 3900000 171600 IMPERIAL 1.91 1.95 1.91 1.95 1.88 1.95 470000 889380 ISLAND INFO 0.116 0.117 0.118 0.118 0.117 0.117 210000 24580 23400 ISM COMM 5.63 5.65 5.91 5.95 5.59 5.63 28764900 163483448 -13685271 JACKSTONES 2.97 3.1 2.95 3.11 2.95 3.1 12000 36480 NOW CORP 2.41 2.43 2.37 2.45 2.36 2.43 1448000 3488540 -342430 TRANSPACIFIC BR 0.34 0.345 0.355 0.355 0.34 0.345 8590000 2997700 69000 PHILWEB 3.9 3.95 4.15 4.15 3.85 3.9 8575000 34088920 549760 2GO GROUP 10.7 10.72 10.94 10.94 10.7 10.7 19000 204070 2152 ASIAN TERMINALS 21.05 21.5 21.5 21.5 21.5 21.5 1100 23650 CHELSEA 7.35 7.36 8.15 8.15 7.33 7.35 21697500 164650596 -4458337 CEBU AIR 87 - 87 87 87 87 7060 614220 INTL CONTAINER 141 142.5 141.7 143 138 142.5 1088400 152917588 -1523669 LORENZO SHIPPNG 0.87 0.9 0.85 0.93 0.85 0.9 2044000 1809190 -36000 MACROASIA 19.44 19.46 19.48 19.5 19.3 19.46 246000 4783500 2109240 METROALLIANCE A 1.53 1.58 1.53 1.53 1.53 1.53 55000 84150 METROALLIANCE B 1.56 1.64 1.56 1.56 1.56 1.56 10000 15600 PAL HLDG 9.3 9.39 9.05 9.41 9.05 9.39 18300 171281 HARBOR STAR 2.12 2.13 2.2 2.22 2.1 2.12 3749000 8051770 457510 ACESITE HOTEL 1.34 1.42 1.34 1.42 1.34 1.42 7000 9620 BOULEVARD HLDG 0.056 0.057 0.055 0.057 0.055 0.056 11100000 618440 WATERFRONT 0.83 0.84 0.77 0.84 0.75 0.83 29533000 23852220 FAR EASTERN U 890 894.5 890 890 890 890 690 614100 IPEOPLE 9.63 9.89 9.9 9.9 9.89 9.89 600 5937 STI HLDG 0.78 0.79 0.8 0.81 0.77 0.79 10019000 7953700 3624390 BERJAYA 2.48 2.49 2.46 2.49 2.4 2.48 942000 2276690 BLOOMBERRY 11.42 11.46 11.32 11.46 11.32 11.42 2856600 32589488 -21014348 PACIFIC ONLINE 3 3.05 3.01 3.06 3 3 110000 330500 -180110 LEISURE AND RES 3.63 3.64 3.66 3.72 3.64 3.64 742000 2714920 -723650 MANILA JOCKEY 3.14 3.21 3.19 3.19 3.14 3.14 209000 660110 3160 PH RESORTS GRP 5.25 5.5 5.6 5.6 5.25 5.5 209100 1170190 1148000 PREMIUM LEISURE 0.72 0.73 0.75 0.75 0.72 0.73 3635000 2664200 -1505600 TRAVELLERS 5.48 5.49 5.37 5.52 5.37 5.48 1355000 7452593 -3954314 METRO RETAIL 2.53 2.54 2.61 2.61 2.52 2.53 2575000 6577280 -135830 PUREGOLD 45.15 45.5 44.95 45.5 44.5 45.5 632100 28586280 9049250 ROBINSONS RTL 77.4 78 77.15 78.45 77.15 78 230190 17921137.5 14887074.5 PHIL SEVEN CORP 140 141 140 143 139.5 140 30980 4349685 2143525 SSI GROUP 3.49 3.5 3.46 3.51 3.44 3.49 3997000 13934360 5043450 WILCON DEPOT 16.88 16.9 16.9 16.94 16.86 16.88 416600 7039332 1442428.0003 APC GROUP 0.52 0.53 0.52 0.53 0.52 0.52 1336000 696090 EASYCALL 9.49 9.6 9.98 9.98 9.42 9.49 150400 1445917 GOLDEN BRIA 420 440 427 445 401.4 422 23850 10047476 IPM HLDG 5.8 6 5.95 6 5.95 6 5100 30520 PAXYS 2.93 3.07 3.07 3.07 3.07 3.07 1000 3070 3070 PRMIERE HORIZON 0.85 0.86 0.84 0.87 0.83 0.86 19023000 16194640 -227520 SBS PHIL CORP 9 9.29 9.39 9.39 9 9.29 67000 603735

MINING & OIL ATOK 11.14 12.28 12.38 12.38 12.08 12.28 900 10972 APEX MINING 1.12 1.13 1.14 1.14 1.1 1.12 3389000 3781690 -90740 ABRA MINING 0.0017 0.0018 0.0018 0.0018 0.0017 0.0018 1665000000 2903200 34000 ATLAS MINING 2.69 2.7 2.8 2.81 2.7 2.7 18000 49130 BENGUET B 1.15 1.3 1.15 1.15 1.15 1.15 7000 8050 COAL ASIA HLDG 0.28 0.285 0.28 0.28 0.28 0.28 2890000 809200 CENTURY PEAK 2.8 2.81 2.81 2.84 2.8 2.81 73000 204920 DIZON MINES 7.81 7.86 7.82 7.85 7.82 7.85 300 2349 FERRONICKEL 1.44 1.45 1.44 1.45 1.43 1.45 760000 1093280 17220 GEOGRACE 0.217 0.219 0.223 0.223 0.217 0.217 640000 139260 73780 LEPANTO A 0.11 0.111 0.106 0.112 0.106 0.11 2120000 232830 MARCVENTURES 1.23 1.25 1.18 1.27 1.16 1.23 1779000 2178240 -93350 NIHAO 0.99 1.03 1.05 1.05 1.03 1.03 2000 2080 NICKEL ASIA 2.15 2.2 2.16 2.18 2.16 2.16 1754000 3794300 -2710820 OMICO CORP 0.52 0.55 0.53 0.56 0.52 0.54 119000 62210 4320 ORNTL PENINSULA 0.85 0.87 0.86 0.86 0.85 0.85 53000 45480 PX MINING 3.4 3.44 3.5 3.5 3.4 3.4 526000 1807690 560110 SEMIRARA MINING 23 23.05 23.25 23.25 22.75 23 1385000 31837545 1282200 UNITED PARAGON 0.0062 0.0066 0.0064 0.0064 0.0061 0.0061 7000000 43600 ORNTL PETROL A 0.012 0.013 0.013 0.013 0.012 0.012 8600000 106300 PHILODRILL 0.01 0.011 0.01 0.01 0.01 0.01 17300000 173000 PHINMA PETRO 4.68 4.69 4.8 4.93 4.67 4.69 232000 1111060 PXP ENERGY 7.7 7.71 7.8 7.8 7.6 7.71 385100 2955672

PREFFERED

AC PREF B1 465.2 499.8 479.8 488.2 479.8 488.2 1220 589938 SMC FB PREF 2 970 980.5 970 980 970 980 850 830000 723200 FGEN PREF G 104 107 104 107 104 107 130 13610 GLO PREF P 480.2 499 480.2 480.2 480.2 480.2 100 48020 GTCAP PREF A 900.5 960 940 940 940 940 600 564000 GTCAP PREF B 900 940 940 940 940 940 520 488800 MWIDE PREF 100 102.4 102.4 102.4 102.4 102.4 20 2048 PNX PREF 3A 100 101.8 100 100 100 100 13790 1379000 PCOR PREF 3A 1010 1011 1010 1011 1010 1011 13320 13456220 PCOR PREF 3B 1007 1011 1010 1010 1007 1010 3730 3767225 SMC PREF 2B 75 75.1 75.2 75.2 75.1 75.1 880 66112 SMC PREF 2C 76.2 76.85 76.1 76.85 76.1 76.85 760 58329.5 SMC PREF 2D 73 73.5 73 73 73 73 1070 78110 SMC PREF 2E 73.5 74.95 73.5 74.95 73.5 74.95 15170 1134168 SMC PREF 2H 72.5 73.85 73.85 73.85 73.85 73.85 10 738.5 -

PHIL. DEPOSITARY RECEIPTS ABS HLDG PDR

16.82

17

16.84

16.86

16.82

16.82

116200

1956830

WARRANTS LR WARRANT

1.84

SMALL & MEDIUM ENTERPRISES ITALPINAS 4.9 XURPAS 1.06

1.85

1.83

1.86

1.83

1.86

142000

260460

-

4.92 1.07

4.98 1.14

4.98 1.14

4.92 1.05

4.92 1.06

310000 28423000

1529620 30843870

86090

EXHANGE TRADE FUNDS FIRST METRO ETF

119.9

-1950096

120.8

120.6

120.8

119.5

120.8

6120

736611

93912

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Semirara to DOE: Lift cease and desist order vs coal trading

By Lenie Lectura

S

@llectura

EMIRARA Mining and Power Corp. (SMPC) has asked the Department of Energy (DOE) to lift the cease-and-desist order (CDO) imposed on its coal trading operations.

The DOE said SMPC violated the guidelines on the Accreditation of Coal Traders and Registration of Coal End-Users.

SMPC was told to submit its verified answer allegedly for illegal coal trading operation in Pulupandan

Port in Pulupandan, Negros Occidental, until July 7. At the same time, a CDO to SMPC’s coal trading activities and operations was issued by the agency.

The Consunji-led firm said Wednesday that it wrote the DOE

last July 5 to ask the DOE to immediately lift the CDO/suspension and to not impose any administrative fine.

SMPC supplied Semirara coal to a buyer on May 23 for a trial shipment of 4,768.73 metric tons in order to tap additional markets, with representation on the part of the buyer that it has accordingly submitted and applied for a Coal Accreditation Certificate with the DOE on April 5.

Under the rules, the DOE will issue the Certificate of Accreditation and/or Registration or reject the application within 15 working days from receipt thereof.

On shipment date, the buyer was unable to submit the said accreditation as it was still pending with the

DOE. Thereafter, SMPC stopped doing business with the buyer.

“In order not to interrupt SMPC’s ongoing operation and renege on its contractual commitments to its coal buyers, SMPC have requested reconsideration of the DOE order and that the implementation thereof be held in abeyance pending resolution of the alleged violation, and allow SMPC to proceed and continue its current trading activities and operations,” said SMPC. The company said there is an ongoing discussion with the DOE to have this matter resolved immediately and that it does not expect the incident to have any material effects on its business, financial condition and operations.

PA Properties breaks ground for Phase 2 of Lipa project

By Roderick L. abad @rodrik_28 Contributor

P

ROVINCIAL real-estate firm PA Properties has broken the ground for the second phase of its P441.9-million horizontal housing project in Batangas due for completion by the first half of 2024.

The event coincided with the blessing and inauguration of the community’s clubhouse and basketball court. Land development has started. House construction will start in 2021.

L o c ate d i n B a r a n g ay K a yumanggi, NuVista Homes Lipa Phase 2 will feature the model lofted house, Marya, with a floor area of 32 square meters and a lot area of 36 sq m (inner units) and

54 sq m (end units).

P roper t ies a re rea son ably priced from P450,000. They may be payable in cash through bank financing or housing loan from the Home Development Mutual Fund of Pag-IBIG Fund.

“The 2.64-hectare Phase 2 will cater predominantly to low-and medium-income earners, who are working in the big city but still prefer a more laid-back home life,” said PA Properties Senior Executive Vice President Engr. Reynaldo Ascaño.

“With the nearby Star Tollway and excellent road and transport connections, professionals can easily commute to and from work from NuVista Homes Lipa in as little as an hour,” he added.

NuVista Homes Lipa offers a secured, attractive gated community. It is accessible to differ-

Clark: Where investments and community care thrive

C

LARK FREEPORT—Part of the main focus of Clark Development Corp. (CDC) this year is to increase the Corporate social responsibility (CSR) programs in order to reach out to less-fortunate residents in the Metro Clark areas.

With the influx of investments here, CDC also steps up its CSR projects, targeting mostly programs on health, education and livelihood.

Partnerships and special projects geared toward the promotion of inclusive development for its nearby communities are also given new impetus.

In Clark, there are now 1,038 locator-firms with actual investments of P154.6 billion. The value of exports is pegged at $4.7 billion.

Thus, the increase of social amelioration projects can only be achieved by implementing programs and projects crafted to promote inclusive growth. People in adjoining communities themselves will feel that they are part of the growth that this free port is gaining.

According to a report by the CDC External Affairs Division (EAD) to CDC President-CEO Noel F. Manankil, four health-related projects, seven educational programs, nine livelihood initiatives, one partnership activity and 10 special projects were already implemented as of January to May 2019.

CDC-EAD reported that under their health-related projects, the state-firm extended assistance to selected indigent communities and persons with disabilities (PWDs) from nearby Angeles City and Mabalacat City. Other health initiatives being conducted by CDC are medical and dental missions, distribution of

hygiene kits, feeding programs and health education activities. More than 1,200 indigent and indigenous patients benefited from the medical and dental mission conducted by CDC last year.

Educational assistance

VALUING the importance of education, 21 students who excel in academe were recently recognized as CDC Academic Excellence Awardees and were given cash incentives and allowance for the incoming school year.

Some assistance was also extended to several schools in the provinces of Tarlac and Pampanga in terms of materials and improvement of facilities. The schools are Aranguren Integrated School, San Vicente Elementary School and Mabalacat City College. Pertaining to the students, Manankil said the various developments in this free port will help bring about more opportunities for them in the future.

“I think with what is happening in Clark right now, there are a lot of opportunities for students and for those who graduate,” he said.

Moreover, since Brigada Eskwela was launched by the Department of Education (DepEd), the CDC with some locators and partner agencies supported 48 schools from Lubao, Porac, Angeles City, Mabalacat City, San Fernando—all in the province of Pampanga—and several schools in nearby Tarlac province. Various construction materials were distributed to selected schools to help maintain and beautify school facilities and premises prior to the opening of the school year.

ent institutions, such as schools, medical facilities, government agencies, and a number of commercial and shopping centers, entertainment venues, retail shops, restaurants, parks and industrial zones—all within the site’s 5-kilometer radius.

Laguna-based real-estate com-

MUTUAL FUNDS

pany PA Properties is among the largest low-to medium-cost housing developers in key growth areas of Luzon.

With a capitalization of P3.8 billion as of December 2018, it has already built around 19,000 housing units in Laguna, Batangas, Bulacan, Cavite, Pampanga and Metro Manila.

July 10, 2019

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

PER SHARE RETURN* RETURN STOCK FUNDS ALFM GROWTH FUND, INC. -A 267.68 8.55% -0.15% 0.99% 6.14% ATRAM ALPHA OPPORTUNITY FUND, INC. -A 1.6615 16.34% 7.99% 3.16% 15.32% ATRAM PHILIPPINE EQUITY OPPORTUNITY FUND, INC. -A 4.1669 6.68% -0.07% 0.31% 6.76% CLIMBS SHARE CAPITAL EQUITY INVESTMENT FUND CORP. -A 0.9518 10.42% N.A. N.A. 5.64% FIRST METRO CONSUMER FUND ON MSCI PHILS. IMI, INC. -A 0.8836 8.67% N.A. N.A. 7.66% FIRST METRO SAVE AND LEARN EQUITY FUND,INC. -A 5.5396 8.73% 0.74% 0.97% 5.05% MBG EQUITY INVESTMENT FUND, INC. -A 123.82 16.45% N.A. N.A. 6.59% ONE WEALTHY NATION FUND, INC. -A 0.8902 6.89% -3.75% N.A. 6.39% PAMI EQUITY INDEX FUND, INC. -A 53.0302 11.52% 0.65% N.A. 7.73% PHILAM STRATEGIC GROWTH FUND, INC. -A 551.22 9.96% -0.35% 0.9% 7.09% PHILEQUITY DIVIDEND YIELD FUND, INC. -A 1.3406 11.3% 1.62% 3.17% 6.91% PHILEQUITY FUND, INC. -A 39.369 11.98% 2.31% 2.71% 7.47% PHILEQUITY MSCI PHILIPPINE INDEX FUND, INC. -A,3 1.0648 N.A. N.A. N.A. N.A. PHILEQUITY PSE INDEX FUND INC. -A 5.3803 12.49% 1.64% 3.1% 8.5% PHILIPPINE STOCK INDEX FUND CORP. -A 898.56 12.55% 1.36% 3.06% 8.47% SOLDIVO STRATEGIC GROWTH FUND, INC. -A 0.9431 13.54% 0.8% N.A. 9.66% SUN LIFE PROSPERITY PHILIPPINE EQUITY FUND, INC. -A 4.3915 12.21% 1.56% 2.49% 8.19% SUN LIFE PROSPERITY PHILIPPINE STOCK INDEX FUND, INC. -A 1.0323 11.95% 1.31% N.A. 8.17% UNITED FUND, INC. -A 3.7805 10.58% 3.21% 3.26% 7.99% EXCHANGE TRADED FUND FIRST METRO PHIL. EQUITY EXCHANGE TRADED FUND, INC. -A,C,2 120.3018 12.96% 2.27% 4.12% 8.63% ATRAM ASIAPLUS EQUITY FUND, INC. -B $0.99 -2.98% 5.79% -0.54% 6.55% SUN LIFE PROSPERITY WORLD VOYAGER FUND, INC. -A $1.3146 2.71% 10.1% N.A. 18.95% BALANCED FUNDS PRIMARILY INVESTED IN PESO SECURITIES ATRAM DYNAMIC ALLOCATION FUND, INC. -A 1.7544 7.82% -1.38% -1.17% 6.25% ATRAM PHILIPPINE BALANCED FUND, INC. -A 2.3434 5.66% 0.07% 0.95% 6.07% FIRST METRO SAVE AND LEARN BALANCED FUND INC. -A 2.6834 6.67% 0.2% -1.22% 5.52% GREPALIFE BALANCED FUND CORPORATION -A 1.3638 4.58% N.A. N.A. 4.56% NCM MUTUAL FUND OF THE PHILS., INC. -A 1.954 7.69% 0.6% 1.46% 6.02% PAMI HORIZON FUND, INC. -A 3.774 7.99% -0.67% 0.66% 6.93% PHILAM FUND, INC. -A 17.0011 8.93% -0.45% 0.71% 6.87% SOLIDARITAS FUND, INC. -A 2.1662 6.83% 0.77% 1.85% 4.69% SUN LIFE OF CANADA PROSPERITY BALANCED FUND, INC. -A 3.9178 9.88% 0.53% 1.65% 7.3% SUN LIFE PROSPERITY ACHIEVER FUND 2028, INC. -A,D,4 1.0248 N.A. N.A. N.A. N.A. SUN LIFE PROSPERITY ACHIEVER FUND 2038, INC. -A,D,4 1.0258 N.A. N.A. N.A. N.A. SUN LIFE PROSPERITY ACHIEVER FUND 2048, INC. -A,D,4 1.0225 N.A. N.A. N.A. N.A. SUN LIFE PROSPERITY DYNAMIC FUND, INC. -A 1.0051 10.9% 0.84% 1.39% 9.05% PRIMARILY INVESTED IN FOREIGN CURRENCY SECURITIES COCOLIFE DOLLAR FUND BUILDER, INC. -A $0.03752 7.82% 1.47% 2.05% 6.29% PAMI ASIA BALANCED FUND, INC. -A $0.9924 -1.01% 3.56% -0.96% 8.61% SUN LIFE PROSPERITY DOLLAR ADVANTAGE FUND, INC. -A $3.7827 3.84% 6.81% 2.94% 14.33% SUN LIFE PROSPERITY DOLLAR WELLSPRING FUND, INC. -A $1.1138 4.33% 4.27% N.A. 10.28% BOND FUNDS PRIMARILY INVESTED IN PESO SECURITIES ALFM PESO BOND FUND, INC. -A 350.6 3.44% 1.99% 2.2% 2.08% ATRAM CORPORATE BOND FUND, INC. -A,1 1.9007 2.25% -0.15% -0.16% 2.23% COCOLIFE FIXED INCOME FUND, INC. -A 3.0518 5.47% 5.26% 5.27% 2.54% EKKLESIA MUTUAL FUND INC. -A 2.1899 3.39% 0.94% 1.88% 2.85% FIRST METRO SAVE AND LEARN FIXED INCOME FUND,INC. -A 2.3141 4.45% 0.98% 1.38% 4.94% GREPALIFE FIXED INCOME FUND CORP. -A P 1.6052 2.15% -1.83% 0.01% 2.61% PHILAM BOND FUND, INC. -A 4.1908 6.4% -0.29% 1.25% 6.91% PHILEQUITY PESO BOND FUND, INC. -A 3.6857 5.66% 0.75% 1.42% 4.79% SOLDIVO BOND FUND, INC. -A 0.9375 3.97% -0.76% N.A. 5.2% SUN LIFE OF CANADA PROSPERITY BOND FUND, INC. -A 2.963 8.09% 0.96% 2.12% 7.13% SUN LIFE PROSPERITY GS FUND, INC. -A 1.6448 8% 0.48% 1.65% 6.81% PRIMARILY INVESTED IN FOREIGN CURRENCY SECURITIES ALFM DOLLAR BOND FUND, INC. -A $459.21 3.7% 1.63% 2.73% 2.41% ALFM EURO BOND FUND, INC. -A Є218.11 2.39% 1.39% 1.51% 2.56% ATRAM TOTAL RETURN DOLLAR BOND FUND, INC. -B $1.1853 6.66% 1.77% 2.52% 5.29% FIRST METRO SAVE AND LEARN DOLLAR BOND FUND, INC. -A $0.0257 4.05% 0.92% N.A. 3.63% GREPALIFE DOLLAR BOND FUND CORP. -A $1.7149 1.34% -2.16% 0.59% 1.46% PAMI GLOBAL BOND FUND, INC -A $1.0865 5.07% -0.6% -2% 4.84% PHILAM DOLLAR BOND FUND, INC. -A $2.3502 9.17% 0.79% 3.23% 8.26% PHILEQUITY DOLLAR INCOME FUND INC. -A $0.059309 4.56% 1.59% 1.86% 4.05% SUN LIFE PROSPERITY DOLLAR ABUNDANCE FUND, INC. -A $3.0865 7.17% 0.03% 2.69% 7.46% MONEY MARKET FUNDS PRIMARILY INVESTED IN PESO SECURITIES ALFM MONEY MARKET FUND, INC. -A 123.65 3.76% 2.44% 1.95% 2.29% FIRST METRO SAVE AND LEARN MONEY MARKET FUND, INC. -A,5 1.0156 N.A. N.A. N.A. N.A. PHILAM MANAGED INCOME FUND, INC. -A 1.2162 4% 1.77% 1.09% 2.9% SUN LIFE PROSPERITY MONEY MARKET FUND, INC. -A 1.246 3.76% 2.68% 2.06% 2.2% PRIMARILY INVESTED IN FOREIGN CURRENCY SECURITIES SUN LIFE PROSPERITY DOLLAR STARTER FUND, INC. -A $1.0287 2.18% N.A. N.A. 1.26%

A - NAVPS AS OF THE PREVIOUS BANKING DAY. B - NAVPS AS OF TWO BANKING DAYS AGO. C - LISTED IN THE PSE. D - IN NET ASSET VALUE PER UNIT (NAVPU).

1 - ADJUSTED DUE TO CASH DIVIDEND ISSUANCE LAST JANUARY 29, 2018. 2 - ADJUSTED DUE TO STOCK DIVIDEND ISSUANCE LAST JUNE 5, 2018.

3 - LAUNCH DATE IS JANUARY 3, 2019. 4 - LAUNCH DATE IS JANUARY 28, 2019. 5 - LAUNCH DATE IS FEBRUARY 1, 2019.

Editor: Angel R. Calso

The World BusinessMirror

South Korean president denounces Japanese comments over sanctions

S

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EOUL, South Korea—South Korean President Moon Jae-in on Wednesday criticized comments by Japanese officials who questioned the credibility of Seoul’s sanctions against North Korea while justifying Tokyo’s stricter controls on high-tech exports to South Korea.

The issue has become a fullblown diplomatic dispute between the neighboring US allies.

In a meeting with South Korean business leaders at Seoul’s presidential palace, Moon said his government was committed to resolving the matter diplomatically and urged Japan to refrain from pushing the situation to a “dead-end street.”

Tokyo last week tightened the approval process for Japanese shipments of photoresists and other sensitive materials to South Korean companies, which need the chemicals to produce semiconductors and display screens used in T Vs and smartphones.

Japanese officials say such materials can be exported only to trustworthy trading partners, hinting at security risks without citing specific cases. Tokyo hasn’t elaborated but Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and his conservative aides have hinted there may have been illegal transfers of sensitive materials from South Korea to North Korea.

Mo on s p ok e hou r s a f te r Sout h Korean of f icia ls told a World Trade Organization meeting in Geneva that the Japanese measures would have repercussions for electronics products worldwide and called for their withdrawal. Japanese officials countered that the measures didn’t amount to a trade embargo, but rather a review of export controls based on security concerns. “[Our] government is doing its best to resolve the issue diplomatically...[I call for] the Japanese government to respond. It should no longer walk straight toward a dead-end street,” Moon said in a meeting with senior executives from 30 of South Korea’s biggest companies, including Samsung, Hyundai and SK conglomerates.

“The Japanese government’s move to inflict damage on our economy to serve political purposes and link [the issue] with sanctions against North Korea without any evidence is surely not ideal for the friendship and security cooperation between the two countries,” Moon said.

He called for the government and private companies to form an

“emergency response system” to deal with the impact of the Japanese trade curbs and prepare for the possibility that the dispute drags over an extended period.

Analysts say the Japanese measure won’t have a meaningful impact immediately on South Korean chipmakers Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix, which both have sufficient supplies of the materials for now, given the slowdown in demand for semiconductors.

But there’s concern that Japan might expand the restrictions to include other sectors.

Shin Hak-cheol, the CEO of LG Chem, a major producer of electric-car batteries, told reporters on Tuesday the company was planning for possible restrictions on battery materials.

South Korea, which has an export-reliant economy, sees the Japanese trade curbs as retaliation for South Korean court rulings that ordered Japanese firms to compensate aging South Korean plaintiffs for forced labor during World War II and plans to file a complaint with the WTO. Japanese officials have rejected any link to historical disputes.

South Korea has summoned a Japanese Embassy official to protest Abe’s suggestion that it could not be trusted to faithfully implement sanctions against Nor th Korea. South Korea’s trade minister on Tuesday said an inspection of companies that process and export the chemicals imported from Japan found no sign of illegal transactions allowing them to reach North Korea or any other country affected by UN sanctions.

At a meeting of the WTO Goods Council in Geneva on Tuesday, South Korean Ambassador Paik Ji-ah said South Korea was the only country affected by Japan’s trade curbs, and expressed concerns that Japan was also reviewing whether to further tighten trade measures, according to a Geneva-based trade official who relayed the ambassador’s comments in the closed-door meeting. Paik declined to speak to reporters after the meeting.

Japa n’s envoy in Geneva, Junichi Ihara, countered that t he Japa nese measu res were just a “c ha nge of appl icat ion of procedu res.”

“We applied the simplified procedures before to Korea, but now we changed, and just normal procedures will be applied—are applied—to [South] Korea.... So this is perfectly in conformity with our obligations to the WTO,” he said. AP

B3

Singapore pushes for mediation role as trade war breeds disputes

INGAPORE wants to position itself as a hub for business mediation to help resolve commercial conflicts, at a time when tensions between the US and China could affect investments and trade flows.

SOUTH Korean President Moon Jae-in speaks during a meeting with business leaders at the presidential Blue House in Seoul, South Korea, on Wednesday, July 10, 2019. Moon criticized comments by Japanese officials who questioned the credibility of Seoul’s sanctions against North Korea while justifying Tokyo’s move to strengthen controls on high-tech exports to South Korea, which triggered a full-blown diplomatic dispute between the neighboring US allies. BAE JAE-MAN/YONHAP VIA AP

Thursday, July 11, 2019

The city-state is looking to build on its reputation as a top arbitration destination in Asia as it prepares to sign the Singapore Convention on Mediation, which comes under the auspices of the United Nations. More than 10 countries are expected to sign at a ceremony in Singapore on August 7, after which they’ll ratify it in their national parliaments, Law Minister K. Shanmugam said in an interview this week.

“Dispute resolution is critical for anybody who is investing

cross border,” Shanmugam said.

“The dispute between US and China is bad for overall business, but in the short term, that may result in more people having to resort to dispute resolution.”

The Trump administration’s tar if f t hreats—whic h have caught Europe, Japan and India, among others, in its crosshairs— is contributing to a slowdown in global growth, potentially hurting trade-reliant Singapore.

Despite a restart in US-China talks, the city-state is concerned

the two largest economies have fundamental disagreements that will put ongoing pressure on business and consumer confidence.

‘Particularly important’

“I EXPECT a lot of people in Asia to choose Singapore as a place where they automatically will come and mediate,” Shanmugam said. “Our courts have a very strong reputation, our judicial system, our rule of law, all of this are well known.”

Mediation, where there’s a neutral party sitting down with both sides to figure out a solution, can be an alternative to litigation or arbitration, if companies aren’t able to carry on with their investments or continue with businesses due to the tariff situation, he said.

There would also be more opportunities for mediation when business flows improve.

“In any context, this is extremely important,” Shanmugam said. “But in the current context, even though this wasn’t in our

China’s looming deflation fears strengthen policy easing case

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HE case for Chinese policy makers to ramp up stimulus grew stronger, as tepid domestic demand and falling commodity prices increase the risk of a return to factory deflation.

Growth in China’s producer price index slowed to zero in June from a year earlier, the weakest reading in almost three years.

Prices fell 0.3 percent from May. The downward trend accentuates fears of a return of deflation for manufacturing, which would erode company profits and increase debt repayment pressures.

The prospect of falling prices adds to the case for the People’s Bank of China to increase stimulus to the economy, with policy-makers keen to keep output stable amid restarted trade talks with the US. The government will release gross domestic product and other data for the second quarter on July 15.

Factor y prices have “ fallen faster than I expected, and if they

continue to decelerate, it means overall domestic demand is weak,” said Liu Peiqian, Asia strategist at Natwest Markets Plc. in Singapore. “While a single month’s data wouldn’t be enough to alter their monetary-policy stance, the PBOC will likely take swift actions if it continues to drop at a rapid pace.”

On the other hand, consumer prices stabilized at 2.7 year-onyear, the same as in May and in line with estimates. Core inflation, excluding volatile food and energy prices, remained at 1.6 percent.

Historically, lower producer prices in China put pressure on the global inflation outlook as export prices usually follow those at factory gate.

If that also holds true this time, it would add to global concerns on growth and raise questions about what other central banks will do.

Given concerns over domestic asset price bubbles and the fragile yuan, China is unlikely to embark on an aggressive cycle of cuts to

the benchmark one-year lending rate. Economists have dialed up expectations that the PBOC will reduce the amount of cash banks have to deposit with the central bank, according to a recent survey

by Bloomberg. Borrowing costs of the PBOC’s daily open market operations are also seen declining.

US Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell’s scheduled testimony to Congress later on July 10 will also provide clues as to China’s room to maneuver on domestic policy.

“The PBOC and the economy will likely maintain an easing bias, rather than tightening,“ Chang Jian, Barclays Bank Plc.’s chief China Economist said on Bloomberg TV, noting that the central bank has been providing the markets with liquidity after the takeover of a small lender caused interbank lending issues.

“We do see some downward pressures to the data coming next week,” she said. Bloomberg News

Oil jumps on report of falling US stockpiles, Iran tension

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IL jumped the most in a week as an industry report showing a continued drawdown in US crude inventories tightened a supply outlook that’s being threatened by rising tension in the Middle East.

Futures in New York rose as much as 1.8 percent after closing up 0.3 percent Tuesday. The American Petroleum Institute reported nationwide stockpiles fell by 8.13 million barrels last week, according to people familiar with the data. That’s more than the median estimate for a 2.9 million barrel drop in a Bloomberg survey before Energy Information Administration figures due Wednesday.

After plunging almost 5 percent last Tuesday, crude has clawed back most of those losses as Britain’s seizure of a tanker carrying Iranian crude and the risk of retaliation by the Islamic Republic kept investors wary. A resumption of

US-China negotiations is providing some hope the trade war can be contained, while Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell’s twoday testimony to Congress that starts Wednesday will be watched closely for clues on rate cuts.

“The declining American inventories and Iran’s warmongering rhetoric pave the road further for bulls to make a comeback,” said Howie Lee, an economist at Oversea-Chinese Banking Corp. in Singapore. “But it promises to be a bumpy road ahead as there’s still a lot of concern about declining energy demand.”

West Texas Intermediate crude for August delivery gained 91 cents, or 1.6 percent, to $58.74 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange as of 7:40 a.m. in London after rising as much as $1.01 earlier. The contract has rallied 4.4 percent since last Tuesday’s close.

Brent for September settlement increased 71 cents, or 1.1 percent,

to $64.87 a barrel on the ICE Futures Europe Exchange. The contract closed 0.1 percent higher on Tuesday. The global benchmark crude traded at a $6.01 premium to WTI for the same month.

If the API report is confirmed by the EIA data, it will be the fourth consecutive weekly drop in US crude inventories. The stockpiles have shrunk by 3.5 percent since reaching the highest level in almost two years in the week through June 7.

There have been six oil tankers attacked near the Strait of Hor mu z since t he midd le of May, ra ising tension a round the biggest global choke point for crude. The chief of staff for Iran’s armed forces vowed on Tuesday to respond to Britain’s seizure of the tanker, highlighting the risks to shipping in a waterway where about a third of all seaborne petroleum travels through. Bloomberg News

minds when we started work on mediation, it becomes particularly important.”

Singapore has already moved to establish itself as an international dispute resolution center, including setting up the Singapore International Arbitration Center and the Singapore International Commercial Court.

Singapore has seen contribution from the legal services sector to GDP climb more than 50 percent to S$2.3 billion ($1.7 billion) last year from S$1.5 billion in 2009, while the value of legal services exported from Singapore more than doubled to about S$1.1 billion over the same period, according to data from the Department of Statistics.

Its aspirations to be a mediation hub create “significant” economic value for Singapore, said Shanmugam. “It’s not just the pure legal contribution,” he said.

“It’s an entire value proposition.”

Bloomberg News

U.K. ENVOY’S LEAKED VIEWS INSPIRE MORE INSULTS IN TRUMP TWEETS

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ONDON—US President Donald J. Trump lashed out at Britain’s ambassador to the United States for a second day, describing him as “wacky” and a “pompous fool” after leaked documents revealed the envoy’s dim view of Trump’s administration.

Trump fired off a series of tweets about Ambassador Kim Darroch hours after British Prime Minister Theresa May gave the veteran diplomat her continued support.

“The wacky Ambassador that the UK foisted upon the United States is not someone we are thrilled with, a very stupid guy,” Trump wrote in one tweet.

Darroch’s forthright, unfiltered views on the US administration—meant for a limited audience and discreet review— appeared in leaked diplomatic documents that were published in Britain’s Mail on Sunday newspaper.

The disclosures have caused embarrassment and an awkward situation for two countries that often celebrate having a “special relationship.”

In his Twitter comments Tuesday, Trump combined criticism of Darroch with a broadside at May, chiding the British leader for failing to get her Brexit deal with the European Union through Parliament.

“I told @theresa_may how to do that deal, but she went her own foolish way-was unable to get it done. A disaster!” Trump tweeted. “I don’t know the Ambassador but have been told he is a pompous fool.”

Darroch has served as Britain’s envoy in Washington since 2016. In one of his leaked memos, he said that to communicate effectively with Trump, “you need to make your points simple, even blunt.”

The published documents also included the ambassador calling the Trump administration’s policies on Iran “incoherent,” saying the US president might be indebted to “dodgy Russians,” and raising doubts about whether the Trump White House “will ever look competent.”

Darroch has had a close relationship with numerous Trump administration officials.

The president’s advisers have been frequent guests at British Embassy events.

An investigation is under way to find who was responsible for leaking the memos, a major breach of diplomatic security.

May’s spokesman said Tuesday that the prime minister phoned Darroch to tell him he still had her full support.

But the tweets by Trump, which followed a similar social-media barrage on Monday, ratcheted up pressure on Britain’s government. Darroch also has been accused by some Brexit-backing UK politicians of lacking enthusiasm for Britain’s departure from the European Union. AP

B4 Thursday, July 11, 2019

26TH NATIONAL PUBLIC RELATIONS CONGRESS NAVIGATES PUBLICITY TRENDS, ISSUES ISUZU JOINS LTFRB’S NATIONWIDE CARAVAN

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PURRED by the goal of elevating public relations (PR) practices in the country, the Public Relations Society of the Philippines (PRSP), the nation’s premier organization for PR professionals, puts the spotlight at this year’s National PR Congress on current trends, issues and challenges faced by the industry.

Set on September 24 and 25 at the SMX Convention Center, the 26th National PR Congress has the theme “Amplify” to initiate a conversation on issues related to communication and PR. This year’s congress brings together local and international industry leaders to headline its roster of high-caliber speakers.

With most Filipinos being active social-media users and, therefore, very much involved in social narratives, PR practitioners are increasingly hard-pressed to find the balance between engaging the public enough, particularly on the digital platform, and getting entangled in issues that could harm brands and clients. While some brands have had success riding on “woke-ism” and similar causes supported by millennials and the Generation Z—

the biggest demographics today—and tackling issues such as gender and environmentalism through their campaigns, many are reluctant or do not know how to proceed with caution.

“On one hand, you have consumers that demand brands participate in social narratives. But when brands do, they either do it right or fall on the wrong side of history.

On the other hand, there’s a huge number of organizations that remain apprehensive, probably cowed by consumers’ aggressiveness and the country’s predominantly conservative culture,” said Andy Saracho, PRSP president.

This year’s congress, according to Ana Pista, vice president of PRSP and chairwoman of the 26th National PR Congress, aims to equip PR professionals with the right approach to navigate such polarized conversations.

“These issues are being talked about in the digital sphere, with articles and maybe videos here and there. What we envision for the congress is to have industry leaders and communication professionals together and talk about these issues on a magnified platform.”

PANABO STUDENTS START 2019 WITH BETTER CLASSROOMS FROM SECURITY BANK

SUZU Philippines Corp. (IPC), the country’s leading assembler and distributor of brand new Isuzu trucks, joined the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board’s (LTFRB) Modern Public Utility Vehicle (PU V ) Caravan 2019 on July 4, a multisectoral program promoting nationwide adoption of modernized PUVs toward a cleaner, safer, more convenient, more efficient and more organized mass-transport system, thus, realizing the government’s Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program (PUVMP).

T he motorcade, composed of modernized PUVs from Isuzu and other manufacturers, had onboard representatives from participating sectors of the government and various industries: The Department of Transportation, the LTFRB, the Land Transportation Office, the Development Bank of the Philippines, Land Bank of the Philippines, the Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers of the Philippines Inc., the Truck Manufacturers’ Association, the Association of Vehicle ImportersandDistributors,theAutomotive Body Manufacturers Association of the Philippines, the Electric Vehicles Association of the Philippines and the Philippine Parts Maker Association.

The program launch in Clark was highlighted by various presentations of participating groups on their roles to the ongoing PUVMP, as well as a showcase of various new PUVs designed, developed and built by truck manufacturers and local vehicle-body builders.

IPC, for its part, brought in and showcased the brand-new Isuzu QKR77 and NLR77 light-duty trucks configured as modernized PUVs (BPS-PNS compliant), with body developed by one of the country’s leading body builders Almazora Motors Corp., Centro Manufacturing Corp. and Santa Rosa Motor Works Inc. Modernized PUVs from Isuzu can now be seen plying various routes in Metro Manila and across the Philippines, and have met local and international vehiclemanufacturing standards. They have also

satisfied PUVMP requirements, such as the automatic fare-collection system, a GPS tracking system, CCTV cameras and dash cameras, and a Wi-fi router.

Apart from the modern Isuzu PUVs offering more legroom, headroom and seat space for passengers, the QKR77 and NLR77 platforms—assembled in the Philippines—is equipped with Euro 4-compliant 3-liter 4JH1-TC CRDI diesel engine that delivers better fuel economy and cleaner emissions.

According to IPC President Hajime Koso, the Modern PUV Caravan 2019 provides a great opportunity for more Filipino commuters to be made more aware of the numerous benefits of riding in modern PUVs to their localities; and for transport cooperatives to gain easier access to acquiring such vehicles.

The grand caravan will be held in four phases, with the first phase covering North Luzon from July 4 to August 2: Clark and San Fernando, Pampanga (July 4 and 5); Tarlac (July 8); Urdaneta and Dagupan in Pangasinan (July 10); Baguio, Benguet (July 12); San Fernando, La Union (July 15); Vigan, Ilocos Sur (July 17); Laoag, Ilocos Norte(July 19);Tuguegarao,CagayanValley (July 24); Cauayan, Isabela (July 26); Solano,

Nueva Vizcaya (July 29); Cabanatuan, Nueva Ecija (July 31); and Marilao, Bulacan (August 2).

The second phase will be held in September covering South Luzon: The Parañaque Integrated Terminal Exchange (September 2); Antipolo,Rizal (September 4); Bacoor, Cavite (September 6); Santa Rosa City, Laguna (September 9); Lipa City, Batangas (September 11); Calapan, Mindoro (September 13); Lucena City, Quezon (September 16); Boac, Marinduque (September 18); Naga City, Camarines Sur (September 20); Legaspi City, Albay (September 23); and Puerto Princesa City, Palawan (to be discussed).

The third phase will cover the Visayas region and will be held in November: Catbalogan, Samar (November 4); Tacloban and Ormoc, Leyte (November 6); Tagbilaran, Bohol (November 8); Cebu City (November 11); Iloilo, Panay (November 15); Bacolod, Negros Occidental (November 18); and Dumaguete, Negros Oriental (November 20).

The fourth phase will cover the Mindanao region and is set on January and February 2020.

For more information, log on to www. isuzuphil.com.

ALL-NEW CRONER BY UD TRUCKS SET TO WIDEN ROAD UPTIME, PRODUCTIVITY

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ECURITY Bank Foundation continues to fulfill its promise of delivering better classrooms for public schools in the Philippines. For its first project in 2019, the bank’s corporation social-responsibility arm turned over two newly constructed two-story, six-classroom school building for Panabo Central Elementary School Special Education (SPED) Center and another two-story, sixclassroom school building for Panabo National High School in Panabo City, Davao del Norte.

Security Bank Foundation’s donation of twelve new and larger classrooms provided a ray of hope for the students.

“Dreams do come true that, someday, dilapidated classrooms at this site will soon become a high-rise school building. The new building will help solve the overcapacity of the school’s Grade 7 students,” said Memia Infiesto, principal of Panabo National High School.

Rosemarie Patriarca, principal of Panabo Central Elementary School SPED Center, recounted that the site of the newly constructed school building used to be the site of an old four-classroom building condemned for demolition.

“Even though we lost classrooms [at] that time, we gained more of what we have lost,” said Patriarca.

The inauguration was graced by the local government led by Former Governor Rodolfo del Rosario and Vice Mayor Janrey Gavina, who expressed their overwhelming gratitude on behalf of Panabo City and the province of Davao del Norte. “On behalf of the people and the students here in Panabo, thank you very much for your support, thank you for all your donations...Security Bank is the only bank [that] has this kind of project,” Gavina said.

Department of Education Panabo City Schools Division Superintendent Dr. Dee Silva also expressed her admiration for Security Bank Foundation’s “The Classrooms Project”.

“Sana hindi magsasawa ang Security Bank Foundation Inc. sa pagbibigay ng mga classrooms hindi lamang dito sa Panabo, pati na rin sa buong Pilipinas,” Dr. Silva said.

Security Bank Foundation is committed to continue reaching more areas in the Philippines to provide a conducive learning environment for Filipino learners. To date the foundation has already turned over 445 classrooms, benefiting 87 public schools in 47 cities and municipalities nationwide.

For the rest of of the year the foundation is targeting the construction of 120 classrooms in various schools in the country, bringing a total of 565 by the end of the year.

A SENSE OF TAIWANESE LIVING

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OUR hundred twenty thousand visitors came from the Philippines to Taiwan last year and enjoyed the Taiwanese lifestyle. Those returning and first-time visitors to Taiwan were invited to the Travel Madness Expo (TME) at the SMX Convention Center from July 4 to 7.

Visitors were provided with the latest and most valuable tourism information on Taiwan, along with do-it-yourself events representative of small towns throughout the island, including absorbent ceramiccoaster painting from Yingge (north), adorable wooden puzzle pig from Lukang Changhua (central) and creative blessingdrum charm from Ten Drum Tainan (south).

Also, in collaboration to the Formosa Summer Festival, the Taiwan Leisure Farms Development Association made a limited quantity of aiyu jelly drink onsite, for free tasting. Visitors to the Taiwan Pavilion had

to handmake their own Taiwanese items, as well as getting a taste of Taiwan.

So as to encourage Filipino travelers to tour Taiwan, a small, limited-edition gift was given by completing a travel questionnaire online. Anyone who purchased a Taiwan travel itinerary or an independent tour package at the exhibition received either an USB handheld fan or a double-layered insulated lunch box at the Taiwan Tourism Bureau counter. Great value deals, a wealth of events, exciting performances and unforgettable experiences were all at the TME Taiwan Pavilion.

In addition to the array of events, Taiwan’s Ten Drum art-percussion group performed live daily at the main stage.

The audience had the chance to live into Taiwan’s deep and diverse vitality through their innovative and exuberant drum art.

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D Trucks and Prime Quest Transport Solutions Inc. officially introduce the Croner, an all-new medium-duty truck, to continue its rich Japanese legacy of building the “truck that the world needs today.”

The Croner is a reliable and versatile truck range built with robust and quality components delivering extra productivity and superior uptime. By understanding customers’ demand and business needs, the Croner is engineered to help customers stay ahead of competition, through the simple concept of saving time.

“UD Trucks believes that more time spent on the road and less time in the workshop adds up to the success of our customers’ business. It is our aim for [the] Croner to make every moment count through maximizing productivity and minimizing downtime on every run our customers make,” said Jacques Michel, senior vice president, UD Trucks international sales.

Named after the Greek god of time Chronos, the Croner is designed to excel in the medium-duty segment to compete in growth markets.

The Croner in the Philippines has options for two GVW models: The LKE and PKE; and their wheelbase variants, which can offer up to several different basic configurations to suit specific demands of various industries.

In addition the air suspension on all variants is available as an option to protect customers’ cargo, especially when traveling on rough-road conditions.

“In the last few years UD Trucks has seen tremendous growth, especially in Southeast Asia, in some key markets like [the] Philippines. I strongly believe that the combination of the Japanese heritage of UD Trucks, the local ‘Gemba’ spirit where value is created and the strong support from the Volvo Group, UD Trucks can definitely bring customers’ success to the next level. [The] Philippines is a market where UD Trucks has historically

been strong, long ago earned customers’ trust across the nation,” commented Steve Hedouin, managing director of UD Trucks Philippines. “[The] new Croner is the truck that can help meet our customers’ requirements and expectations to manage their key business challenges,” Steve added.

Fuel is a high expenditure for fleet owners, considering the number of trucks and journey they make.

The Croner utilizes the fuel needed efficiently without waste because of the new GHE engine series, automatic transmission, a built-in fuel coach and a more aerodynamic cab that reduces the coefficient of drag more significantly, by 5 percent. The Croner is equipped with UD Telematics to maximize profitability and uptime with services, such as fuel utilization reports, track and trace and proactive support.

UD Trucks takes pride in its comprehensive set of UD Extra Mile support services, such as UD genuine service and parts, UD driver training and UD trust-service agreements. These were developed to ensure optimum condition, “Going the Extra Mile” over the years.

In addition to its UD Extra Mile suppor t, UD Tr ucks a lso offers professional telematics solution that provides customers with real-time information and reports to improve fleet operations. By connecting its trucks to the UD workshops, UD Trucks enables proactive and continued workshop support to its customers.

For more information and inquries, e-mail at inquiry@primequest.com.ph. For more information on the UD Trucks, visit http://www.udtrucks.com/en-int/home/ (global) and https://www.udtrucks.com/ philippines/ (Philippines).

GUTSY COMEBACK, 19 ACES LIFT SERENA W Sports

By Howard Fendrich

BusinessMirror

C1

| Thursday, July 11, 2019

mirror_sports@yahoo.com.ph Editor: Jun Lomibao

SERENA WILLIAMS reaches the semifinals at the All England Club as the Big Three of men’s tennis— Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer—do not appear to be slowing down, and if anything, they are as dominant as ever. AP

BIG 3 IN THE HUNT

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IMBLEDON, England—The Big Three sure do not appear to be slowing down. If anything, they are as dominant as ever.

Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic head into Wednesday’s quarterfinals at Wimbledon owning 14 of the last 16 championships at the All England Club. They have won the past 10 Grand Slam titles overall and 53 of 64.

And the way they made it through the fourth round, dropping a combined total of 19 games across their three victories, served as simply the latest reminder of the gulf between them and everyone else.

“The best guys now are fully engaged, they know exactly what to expect from the court and the conditions. That helps us to play better. I think with experience, that’s good. We haven’t dropped much energy in any way. It’s not like we’re coming in with an empty tank into the second week,” said Federer, an eight-time champion at Wimbledon. “All these little things help us to then really thrive in these conditions.”

Sam Querrey, the American ranked 65th whose task is to take on Nadal for a semifinal berth, was asked what message the trio has sent with its supremacy over the last 15 years.

“Just: ‘We’re better than you guys,’” Querrey replied.

Well put.

For the 24th time, Federer, Nadal and Djokovic reached the quarterfinals at a Grand Slam tournament together.

On 20 of those previous occasions, one eventually walked away with the trophy. Would be rather surprising if this doesn’t become the 21st.

In addition to No. 3 seed Nadal versus Querrey, the other matchups Wednesday are No. 1 Djokovic versus No. 21 David Goffin, No. 2 Federer versus No. 8 Kei Nishikori, and No. 23 Roberto Bautista Agut versus No. 26 Guido Pella.

The most excited member of the group was Pella, a 29-yearold from Argentina who eliminated 2016 runner-up Milos Raonic and 2018 runner-up Kevin Anderson on his first trip past the third round at a major tournament.

“It’s the first time in my career I feel important,” Pella said.

If Federer and Nadal both win, they would meet in the semifinals, just like they did at the French Open last month, when Nadal was on his way to a 12th championship in Paris.

They haven’t played each other in any round at Wimbledon since the marvelous 2008 final, when Nadal edged Federer 9-7 in the fifth set in dwindling daylight.

First things first, though.

Querrey’s serve could be the key to his matchup against has won two of his trophies on

Nadal, who 18 Grand Slam the All England Club’s grass.

Querrey—whose best showing at a major was reaching Wimbledon’s semifinals two years ago—leads the tournament with 100 aces and by winning 71 of 72 service games.

But Nadal, who is 33, is no slouch as a returner. He has converted 49 percent of his break chances so far, 19 of 39, which is second-best to Federer among the quarterfinalists.

“He doesn’t take a point off. Just being

Konta bristles at reporter after setback

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IMBLEDON, England—Johanna Konta didn’t appreciate having her performance questioned after losing in the quarterfinals at Wimbledon.

As the last British player remaining in the tournament, Konta was the crowd favorite against Barbora Strycova on Centre Court but lost 7-6 (5), 6-1 despite holding a 4-1 lead in the first set. She attributed Strycova’s comeback solely to her opponent’s good play and bristled at the notion that it was her own mistakes that were at fault.

Asked by a reporter whether she should “look at yourself a little bit about how you cope with these big points,” Konta shot back: “Is that in your professional tennis opinion?”

A testy exchange followed, with the reporter saying that if Konta wants to win a Grand Slam tournament one day she should be willing to learn from matches like this one. Konta interrupted him to say “please don’t patronize me.”

“In the way you’re asking your question, you’re being quite disrespectful and you’re patronizing me,” she said. “I’m a professional competitor who did her best today, and that’s all there is to that.”

After Andy Murray ended a 77-year wait for a British men’s champion at Wimbledon, the country’s tennis fans—and media—have become increasingly

hopeful that Konta could become the first homegrown female champion since Virginia Wade in 1977.

But Konta, who reached the semifinals at the All England Club in 2017, insisted it wasn’t the pressure that got to her when she was leading.

“I guess what happened is that I have an opponent on the other side of the court who has everything to say in how the match goes, as well,” she said. “I don’t think you need to pick on me in a harsh way. I mean, I think I’m very open with you guys [in the media]. I say how I feel out there. If you don’t want to accept that answer or you don’t agree with it, that’s fine. I still believe in the tennis that I play. I still believe in the way I competed.”

Konta wasn’t the only player to waste a 4-1 lead on Monday. Zhang Shuai and Karolina Muchova also did so before losing in straight sets in their quarterfinal matches. Zhang was beaten 7-6 (4), 6-1 by seventh-seeded Simona Halep and Muchova lost 7-5, 6-4 to No. 8 Elina Svitolina. AP JOHANNA KONTA engages in a testy exchange with a reporter, who says that if Konta wants to win a Grand Slam tournament one day she should be willing to learn from difficult matches. AP

lefty is kind of a challenge in itself. You know, he’s intense. He’s a shotmaker.

He’s energetic,” Querrey said. “You know when you go out there, he’s going to make you beat him.”

The same could be said of Federer, who seeks his 21st Grand Slam title as his 38th birthday approaches on August 8, or Djokovic, who is aiming for his 16th at age 32. While Nishikori has only been to one Grand Slam final, at the 2014 US Open, and Goffin has yet to reach the semifinals, getting to this portion of a major tournament is old hat for their opponents.

That, of course, makes a difference.

“The experience we have helps confidence.

Everything that we have achieved in our careers, obviously, we carry onto the court, then most of the players feel that, feel pressure,” Djokovic said. “For us, it’s another match on the center stage that we’ve experienced so many times.” AP

The Associated Press

IMBLEDON, England—Slowed by a balky ankle, trailing by a service break in the third set of her Wimbledon quarterfinal, Serena Williams appeared to be in trouble Tuesday against an opponent playing the tournament of her life.

Williams was down, yes. But out? No way. And now she is two victories from that 24th Grand Slam title that’s been barely eluding her.

Lifting her play a much-needed notch down the stretch to grab the last three games, capping the comeback with her 19th ace—at 121 mph, no less—Williams reached the semifinals at the All England Club by gutting out a 6-4, 4-6, 6-3 win over 55th-ranked Alison Riske.

“I had to just button up and play hard,” said Williams, who owns seven Wimbledon titles. “She was playing her heart out.”

That she was. Riske, a 29-year-old from Pittsburgh, was appearing in her first major quarterfinal. For Williams, this was No. 51.

That might have made all the difference. It’s Williams who possesses boundless muscle memory in these situations, who knows what it takes to come through in the tightest contests on the biggest stages.

“I definitely thought maybe I had a peek here and there at a couple openings, but Serena really upped her level, as only a champion would,” Riske said.

“It was really, actually, very interesting for me to be on the opposite end, because I felt her up her game and her intensity,” Riske said with a smile.

“Yeah, I hope she takes the title now.”

Next for the 37-year-old Williams will be a match against 54thranked Barbora Strycova of the Czech Republic, who reached her first Grand Slam semifinal at age 33 with a 7-6 (5), 6-1 victory over No. 19 Johanna Konta of Britain.

“A huge achievement for me,” said Strycova, who is playing in her 53rd major tournament.

The other semifinal Thursday will be No. 7 Simona Halep of Romania against No. 8 Elina Svitolina of Ukraine.

After edging Riske in singles, Williams cooled down by riding a stationary bike while holding her nearly two-year-old daughter, Olympia, in one arm. Then Williams went out and joined Andy Murray to win their second-round match in mixed doubles, 7-5, 6-3, against Fabrice Martin and Raquel Atawo.

Halep, a former No. 1 who won the 2018 French Open, followed up her elimination of 15-year-old sensation Coco Gauff by defeating Zhang Shuai of China, 7-6 (4), 6-1, to get to her second semifinal at Wimbledon. Svitolina will make her debut in that round at any major tournament thanks to beating Karolina Muchova of the Czech Republic, 7-5, 6-4.

These sorts of stakes, and this sort of setting, are unfamiliar for Riske, who mistakenly headed to her changeover chair thinking the match’s fifth game was over when the score was just 40-15.

Spectators chortled; she grinned and walked back to the baseline.

Even if Williams was hardly perfect, she got by, aided by her greatestin-the-game serve and Riske’s miscues. Most glaringly, Riske double-faulted five times in the final set, at least somewhat a result of trying to do too much against Williams’s superb returns.

“It’s no secret that Serena has an amazing serve. But Serena has an equally-as-amazing return,” Riske said. “I’ve never played anyone that has a return like Serena. That put a lot of pressure on my serve.”

Still, Riske played tremendously well for most of the afternoon, just as she did while going 14-1 on grass in 2019 until Tuesday.

She won two of Williams’s first four service games and finished 5 for 5 on break points. Her deep and flat groundstrokes off both sides jarred Williams repeatedly. Until, that is, Riske wilted late—which was understandable, given that she became the first woman in Wimbledon history to play threesetters in five consecutive matches to open the tournament, according to the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA).

Williams rolled her right ankle and her movement was hardly ideal. Late in the second set, she was visited by a trainer, who applied extra tape to the ankle. That was during a stretch when Riske, talking to herself between points, claimed four games in a row to take the second set and lead the third by a break at 1-0.

“I thought,” Riske said, “I was very close.”

Not close enough. Williams was not going to go quietly. She held at love to lead 4-3, and then came the key game. Riske saved a trio of break points and was a point from 4-all after claiming a point when Williams slipped along the well-worn baseline.

First Williams got back to deuce by using a drop shot to set up a volley winner. Then she earned yet another break point on a thrilling 10-stroke exchange, using a drop shot to bring Riske forward and delivering a volley winner. Williams lifted both arms and jutted her jaw. In the stands, her husband leaped from his seat, pointed his index fingers at her and screamed.

On the next point, Riske double-faulted, handing over the last break Williams needed.

After breaking Steffi Graf’s record for most Grand Slam trophies in the professional era by winning her 23rd at the 2017 Australian Open while pregnant, Williams took time off. Since returning to the tour last season, she came close to equaling Margaret Court’s Slam count of 24—which was accumulated in part against amateurs—but lost in the finals at Wimbledon and the US Open.

Williams dealt with injuries and illness this year, playing just 12 matches until last week.

“This is the first time since [January] that I actually felt, like, good,” she said at her news conference, while Olympia was held by Williams’s agent at the back of the room. “It’s been a really, really long year for me already, and hard year.”

That’s true. Also true: She’s Serena Williams.

And so here she is, back in Wimbledon’s semifinals for the 12th time.

“She’s something,” Riske said, “our sport has never seen before.”

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C2 Thursday, July 11, 2019

WORLD’S HIGHEST POLO MATCH

Spectators watch a polo match between Chitral and Gilgit in Chitral district in Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. The three-day annual Shandur polo festival is organized at the world’s highest polo ground 3,700 meters (12,139 feet) in Chitral. The festival also includes folk music, dancing and a camping village is set up. AP

Silver: Changes to rules on draft trades possible

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AS VEGAS—National Basketball Association (NBA) Commissioner Adam Silver wants the hat game fixed.

Mindful that it was awkward for draft picks this year who were selected by one team and had already been traded to another—but because of league rules, were unable to be introduced by their actual franchise for more than two weeks Silver said a discussion at the league’s board of governors meeting Tuesday was about how to change that going forward.

Several ideas are under discussion, including changing the rules about how and when draft-night trades can be announced. It could be earlier next season and not necessarily attached to the early July end to the moratorium on trades and certain signings.

“We’ve got to fix that,” Silver said.

First-round draft picks were issued hats to wear on stage at the draft, corresponding with the team that chose them. De’Andre Hunter went No. 4 overall, taken by the Los Angeles Lakers. His rights had been traded twice—first to New Orleans as part of the Anthony Davis deal, then to Atlanta. But since neither of those trades could be closed before July 6, Hunter wore a Lakers cap on stage.

“We talk about being fan-friendly, and that isn’t fan-friendly,” Silver said.

There are plenty of changes that will be under consideration in the next few months, including one about the rules regarding the start to the negotiating period for free agents. Silver said that was also a topic among the board of governors on Tuesday.

For the draft-night-traded players, it’s about more than the hats. Because some draftees couldn’t be part of their franchises before July 6, they were assured of missing the start of NBA Summer League. It cost a few players the chance to play in summer league at all, which disappointed many of them.

That won’t be an issue next year, with Summer League in Las Vegas scheduled to begin on July 10, 2020, and long after the NBA’s new league year is likely to begin. So any draft pick that gets traded on draft night should, in theory, be with their actual team in plenty of time to take part in summer contests.

But this year, it was an issue.

“I was really disappointed,” Phoenix rookie Ty Jerome said.

Former North Carolina forward Cam Johnson wound up with Phoenix after being drafted No. 11 by Minnesota. By the time the draft could be executed, the Suns felt it was too late to put Johnson and Jerome—the No. 24 pick whose rights were traded twice on his way to Phoenix—on the floor for summer league. AP

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COMMISSIONER Adam Silver: We have work to do. AP

AS VEGAS—The National Basketball Association (NBA) knows its rules about when teams can negotiate with free agents are not being followed.

So expect changes on that front for 2020.

The NBA’s board of governors discussed ways Tuesday to fix that process—either by changing rules, adding rules or potentially eliminating some rules that may be outdated—and decided that it’ll all be worked on over the next several months in an effort to ensure fairness across the league.

“The one strong conviction I have is that we should not have rules that are not strictly enforced,” NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said.

“And we know that’s the case right now. And whether that’s by virtue of practice, whether it’s because just the world around us has changed, whether it’s because players have power that they didn’t use to have ... let’s step back, let’s reset, let’s talk to our players’s association about what system

CONGRATULATIONS, TEAM U.S.A.!

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MEGAN RAPINOE makes the No. 4 sign for the US’s fourth World Cup title. AP

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37 Russians to compete as neutral athletes Dmitrii Nikitin and Artem Chermoshanskii.

Others include high jumpers Nadezdha Andryukhina and Evgeniy Ermakov, discus throwers Sergey Demidov and Violetta Ignateva, hammer throwers Anna Korobova and Sergey Zverev, and 800 metres runners Savelli Savlukov and Anastasiia Eremiants.

Completing the list are 100m hurdler Irina Boldyreva, 400m hurdler Valeria Chehovich, 400m runner Nikita Mateev, 1,500m runner Artem Popov, 3,000m

Leonard signing—both players are headed to the Los Angeles Clippers—get finalized, it’ll mean five of the 10 All-Star starters from last season will have changed teams this summer. Durant went from Golden State to Brooklyn, Kyrie Irving went from Boston to Brooklyn, Kemba Walker went from Charlotte to Boston, George is leaving Oklahoma City and Leonard is leaving Toronto.

Seeing big names on the move is nothing new in the NBA, of course. Of the 25 players who were on the 2017 All-Star rosters, 17 have changed teams since and seven of them have switched jerseys at least twice.

“Players want to know that they’re in a fair system as well, where they have the opportunity to compete,” Silver said. “You want to know that the rules are known, and that they’re being enforced. Again, I think we have some work to do there when it comes to free agency. There’s always been stuff around the edges that have gone on. It may have moved to a new level.” AP

Soccer star: Please return my dog

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sure to be feted around the city all week, capped with a ticker-tape parade Wednesday up the Canyon of Heroes.

“I think everyone’s feeling just incredible right now,” said Alex Morgan, who swapped out her imaginary teacup for a gold bottle of bubbly on the flight.

Rapinoe converted a penalty kick in the second half and Rose Lavelle added a goal in the championship game, kicking off a party that carried over to the tarmac in Newark. Players gathered for a toast and posed for pictures as they sang “We Are The Champions.”

“We kind of went through stages,” Morgan said.

“Initially everyone was excited, and then a little hungover, and then we slept a little bit, and then we

in Swedish city Borås from July 18 to 21, and the European Youth Olympic Festival (EYOF), scheduled to be held in Azerbaijan’s capital Baku from July 21 to 27.

A total of 26 athletes have been approved for just the European Athletics Under-20 Championships, including combined events athletes Stepan Kekin, Vladena Komarova, Andrey Rodikov, Yulia Sokhatskaya and Ksenia Trubinova, and long jumpers Evgeniy Karavaev, Daria Kushnir,

leaked before 6 p.m. on June 30 that Durant had made his decision and would announce it on social media, they were concerned—since they had not spoken with him yet.

“We weren’t even sure we were getting a meeting that night,” Nets General Manager Sean Marks said.

Durant eventually came in that night and spoke with the Nets, but after he made the announcement that he would be signing a max contract—four years, $141 million—with the team.

Teams couldn’t sign players until the off-season moratorium ended, which this year meant Saturday. Some deals that are known to be happening still aren’t completed, meaning teams still have not had the chance to celebrate certain signings or acquisitions. And by now, in some cases, the buzz surrounding those stillunannounced moves is largely gone.

“We have work to do,” Silver said.

When the Paul George trade and Kawhi

OS ANGELES—European soccer star Daniel Sturridge says his beloved dog was stolen from his Los Angeles home and he’s appealing through social media for its return.

Sturridge says in an Instagram post Tuesday that he’ll pay anything for the return of the little Pomeranian named Lucci.

He tells KABC-TV that pets are just like family.

Sturridge posted a video showing a shattered

EW YORK—Megan Rapinoe stepped off the plane with champagne in hand—a fizzy souvenir from a most memorable trip overseas.

“Thank you, France, for the hospitality,” the US soccer star said. “But wow, we are very excited to be back in America.”

The US women’s national team arrived in New York on Monday, a day after beating the Netherlands, 2-0, to capture a record fourth Women’s World Cup title. Players and staff touched down at about 4:30 p.m. at Newark Liberty International Airport, where they were met with cheers and a banner saying “Congratulations Team USA!” More fans waited at their hotel in Manhattan, and the players are

HE International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) Doping Review Board has granted its approval to the applications of 37 more Russian track and field athletes for them to be allowed to compete in global events as Authorised Neutral Athletes (ANA) in 2019.

Among them are pole vaulters Ilya Dolbin and Dmitriy Kachanov, both of whom have been approved for international competitions.

Triple jumper Vladislav Aleksandrin and long jumper Natalya Spiridonova have been approved for the European Athletics Under-20 Championships, due to take place

got up and started just celebrating a little more.”

The team got shoutouts across social media— including from President Donald Trump and former Presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton, two-time World Cup winner Mia Hamm, Stephen Curry, Snoop Dogg, Ellen DeGeneres and many more. Dozens of politicians offered congratulations, and Congress’s top Democrats have invited the team to Washington.

That was all news to players when they landed,

makes sense going forward.”

This year’s free-agent negotiating period was to begin on June 30 at 6 p.m. Eastern. But it was known within the first few minutes of that period that several deals had already been agreed upon—and in a few cases, deals were apparently struck even before the negotiating window opened.

There’s always been an understanding that some players are talking to other players about teaming up, which is legal. And there’s also been the same sort of understanding that teams will talk to their own free agents to strike deals before negotiations are technically supposed to begin.

This year, the rules simply seemed to be ignored.

“It’s pointless, at the end of the day, to have rules that we can’t enforce,” Silver said.

Kevin Durant’s decision to join the Brooklyn Nets was one of the major pieces of free-agent news this summer. The Nets said Tuesday that when word

glass door and said thieves also took bags, but he did not say what they contained.

Los Angeles police say they received a burglary report involving a stolen dog and miscellaneous property.

Sturridge most recently played for Liverpool of the Premier League, which announced last month that the striker will leave this off-season when his contract expires. AP

Wada confirms involvement in doping operation that smashed crime groups since their flight back to the US did not have Wi-Fi. “Crazily enough in this day and age in 2019, we’ve been in the dark for nine straight hours,” Rapinoe said. “We’re sort of catching up on everything.” AP

steeplechaser Irinia Shipitsyna, sprinter Ruslan Kislykh, long-distance runner Dmitriy Zyuzin, pole vaulter Viktor Pintusov and triple jumper Maria Privalova.

A further seven athletes have been approved solely for the EYOF, including 400m hurdlers Fedor Ivanov, Maria Tarabanskaya and Olga Topolskova, discus throwers Semen Borodaev and Stepan Rukhov, javelin thrower Viktoria Cherviakova and shot putter Daria Shinkevich. AP

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HE World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) has confirmed its role in a project which smashed 17 organized crime groups involved in the trafficking of counterfeit medicines across Europe. Operation Viribus was led by Europol, the law enforcement agency of the European Union, and involved 33 countries.

Described as a “massive crackdown” on the trafficking of doping material, the operation led to 234 arrests and the closure of nine underground labs.

Officials seized 3.8 million illicit doping substances and medicines, including nearly 24 tons of raw steroid powder and opened 839 judicial cases.

Almost 1,000 people have been reported for the production, commerce or use of doping products.

Wada provided practical support and intelligence during the investigation.

“We would like to congratulate all member states and other organizations that contributed to this successful operation,” said Gunter Younger, Wada’s director of intelligence and investigations (I&I). “This is the sort of multiparty collaboration

that produces real results and can make a significant impact on the availability of counterfeit and illegal drugs used by some athletes globally.”

“Wada I&I is pleased to have been involved in Operation Viribus and we stand ready to continue this sort of role in any ongoing operations in what is a collaborative fight against sport fraud across the continent,” Younger added.

A Europol statement said “over the last 20 years, the worldwide trade in anabolic substances has increased significantly. The trade in doping substances is normally decentralised and highly flexible, open to anyone willing to order online or travel to producing countries and buy the substances in bulk from legitimate manufacturers.”

“Mainly the final consumer, often gym fanatics and bodybuilders, determines the patterns of this trafficking,” the statement added. “Athletes use anabolic-androgenic steroids and/or substances to improve endurance and performance, to reduce body fat and stimulate muscle growth.” Insidethegames

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HICKMAN, QUE 1-2 ON WINDY DAY

EFTY Christopher Hickman of the US and Angelo Que slowed down despite a change in tee-time but moved up the rankings just the same with 66 and 67, respectively, with half of the field still battling it out in the heat and wind in the second round of the International Container Terminal Services Inc. (ICTSI) Manila Southwoods Championship at the Legends course on Wednesday in Carmona, Cavite.

Hickman and Que bucked a late first round start to shoot a pair of 65s Tuesday with the former coming through with superb iron shots to birdie five of the last 11 holes yesterday for a couple of 33s and the latter hitting three birdies in the first six holes at the back then overcame two bogeys with three more birdies, the last on the ninth that capped a 34-33 card.

Hickman, who toughened up in the Professional Golfers’ Association SeriesChina the last four months with a top 5 finish in the Sanya Championship in Haikou last April, thus took the clubhouse lead at 11-under 131, one stroke ahead of Que (132), who, for his part, had taken a break from his Japan PGA Tour campaign to join the title hunt in this $100,000 event serving as the third leg of the third season of the Philippine Golf Tour Asia.

“I had a lot of birdie chances and I’m glad I made most of them,” said Hickman, who moved 36 holes away from marking his first foray on the Philippine Golf Tour (PGT) Asia with a victory.

“This is my first time to play on the PGT and at Southwoods, whose greens fit my short game. I love the humid weather, just

like our weather back home,” added the 25-year-old journeyman from Maryland, who birdied No. 5 for the second straight day but yielded the stroke on the next, also for the second straight time.

Que defied the early gusts with steady play but rued his missed birdie putts inside 7 feet on Nos. 5, 8 and 13, which had he made would’ve pushed the former Philippine Open champ past Hickman.

“The course is in good condition but the wind came into play right on the first hole,” said Que, who placed third in Kansai Open last month but didn’t fare well in the Japan PGA Championship last week.

Clyde Mondilla, the reigning Philippine Open champion making a comeback of sorts from an injury, likewise held back with a 68 after a 66 for provisional hold of third at 134, three shots off the

TNT conducts hoops camp in Pansol

T CHRISTOPHER HICKMAN and Angelo Que buck a late first round start to shoot similar 65s on Tuesday. AP

HE TNT KaTropa and coaches from the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) gave back to the community by holding a hoops camp for children and teens at the Kaingin II covered court in Barangay Pansol, Quezon City, recently.

Around 50 young basketball players aged eight to 15 years old learned the fundamentals of the sport—from ball handling, defense, shooting skills and footwork—from KaTropa Head Coach Bong Ravena and coaches Mark Dickel, Alton Lister, Yuri Escueta, Josh Reyes, Dex Aseron and Migs Fernandez.

KaTropa Ryan Reyes, Harvey Carey, Don Trollano, JK Casino, Frank Golla, Yousef Taha and Terrence Jones also joined the event.

Filipino boxers’ busy sked focused on worlds, Tokyo Olympics, SEA Games

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HE final two quarters of the year will be a busy stretch for the Philippine boxing team as it competes in three major tournaments capped by its bid in the 30th Southeast Asian Games the country is hosting in December.

Men’s team Coach Roel Velasco said the Filipino boxers are now in the thick of their preparations for the World Championships in Yekaterinburg, Russia, this September, followed by the SEA Games three months later, and then possibly, the Olympic qualifiers beginning in January 2020.

Although the world championships is next in the radar of the Alliances of Boxing Association in the Philippines (ABAP) as the tournament is set from September 7 to 15, the SEA Games is a priority of the team because they will be staged in the country after 14 years.

Velasco confidently told Tuesday’s Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) Forum at the Amelie Hotel-Manila that the boxers are capable of surpassing the two-gold, one-silver and

two-bronze medal finish the country achieved in Kuala Lumpur two years ago.

“We can surpass that,” said Velasco, a bronze medalist in the 1992 Barcelona Olympics.

The gold medalists, Eumir Felix Marcial and John Marvin, along with bronze winner Ian Clark Bautista were with Velasco in the forum presented by San Miguel Corp. Braska Restaurant, Amelie Hotel, and the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp.

The 26-year-old Marvin, who won the lightheavyweight gold in Malaysia, will be out to retain his title before an expected frenzy Filipino crowd at the PICC, venue of the boxing events.

“Anything less than a gold medal. I’m after that gold,” said Marvin, a member of the British Army, whose father is from the United Kingdom while his mother hails from Pampanga.

Velasco hopes to trim the final roster to eight boxers for the men’s team and five for the women’s side by late October or early November.

pace with 36 holes left to play in the event sponsored by ICTSI and organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments Inc. First day leader Tim Stewart of Australia and the likes of early contenders Thai Tawit Polthai and local ace Justin Quiban, Thai Ratchapol Jantavara were still on the fairways at presstime, trying to sustain their big first round charge but in tougher conditions.

Charles Hong, who missed matching Stewart’s opening 63 with a last-hole bogey late Tuesday, struggled on an early start, mixing three birdies with the same number of bogeys and ended up with an even-par 71 to slip to 135, now behind the new leader.

Sharing the spotlight is amateur Josh Jorge, who put in a second 68, missing joining Hong at fourth with a bogey on No. 18. He fell to joint fifth at 136 with Thai Sutijet Kooratapisan and Korean Shin Seung Woo, who fired identical 66s.

Thai Chonlatit Chuenboonngam also safely made it to the last 36 holes of the event backed by PLDT Enterprise, Meralco, BDO and PGT Asia official apparel Pin High with a 137 after 68 while Aussie Jack Sullivan shot a 67 for provisional joint 10th with Ferdie Aunzo, who carded a 69, at 138.

Likely to miss the 50-plus ties cut tabbed at one-over (143) at presstime are Mars Pucay, who skied to a 77 after a 68 for a 145 and reigning PGT Order of Merit winner Jobim Carlos (75-151), while fighting for a slot is last year’s champion Jay Bayron, who stood at two-over after six holes.

Scorpions favored in Foundation Cup

It was the first basketball clinic hosted by the team, in partnership with the PLDT-Smart Foundation, Amigo Foundation and the local government unit.

“This is a way for the team to give back to the community by building the skills of the youth, supporting their dreams and fueling their love for basketball,” said Gabby Cui, Smart assistant vice president and head of community development and partnerships.

Former NBA player Jones also stressed the importance of holding camps for young athletes.

“I started playing basketball when I was around four years old and attended hoops camps when I was probably eight or nine years old, and for me it was important growing up because it was a lot of fun, and it was something that made me want to become better, to learn more about the sport,” Jones said.

“Hopefully one of them will believe that it’s possible for them to make it to the NBA,” he added.

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HIS early, Centro Escolar University (CEU) has emerged as the frontrunner to romp away with the title in the coming Philippine Basketball Association Developmental League Foundation Cup. All eyes will be on the Scorpions when the tournament kicks off on July 25 at the new Paco Arena following a remarkable campaign in the season-opening conference that saw them finish runner-up behind champion Cignal HD-Ateneo Blue Eagles despite Coach Derek Pumaren using only eight players.

CEU Assistant Coach Gabby Velasco, however, was quick to deflect the tag of the Scorpions as title favorites saying they are fielding a different team.

“The seven or six players from last conference would still be there, but the rest will come from our training team, while the others are from our recent tryouts. So this is going to be a totally different team,” said Velasco, speaking

on behalf of Pumaren in the Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) Forum at the Amelie Hotel-Manila on Tuesday.

“We wanted to improve and raise the basketball program of CEU that’s why we joined the D-League,” Velasco, a former De La Salle and Saint Francis of Assisi coach, said. “So I don’t think it would be fair to look us at again with the same caliber and same strength that we have last conference.”

Velasco was joined in the weekly forum presented by San Miguel Corp., Braska Restaurant, Amelie Hotel and the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp.

by Technological Institute of the Philippines (TIP) Coach Potit de Vera, Marinero Pilipino’s Jonathan Banal and D-League officials Mauro Bengua and Rosc Teotico.

CEU is one of the six school-based teams seeing action in the tournament that will run until October.

The other school-based teams according to Teotico are the AMA Titans, TIP Engineers, BRT Sumisip Basilan-Saint Clare, NailtalkSaint Dominic Savio and McDavid La Salle Araneta University.

Marinero Pilipino Skippers, iWalk Chargers, Italianos Homme Shoes, Hyperwash Laundromat Vipers, Sterishred Medical, Alberei Kings (Zamboanga) and Hazchem Inc. complete the field.

Bengua, the tournament director, said a 14th team is still negotiating its possible entry.

The Scorpions were racked by a gamefixing controversy last conference where seven players were found guilty of the infraction, leading to their expulsion.

But the school found a way to compete and even made the finals of the Aspirants Cup behind import Maodo Malick Diouf before losing in four games to the Blue Eagles.

FATHER AND SON

Manny Pacquiao trains with his son Jimuel at the Wild Card Gym in Los Angeles, California, on Monday. Pacquiao fights American Keith Thurman for the World Boxing Association super welterweight belt on July 20 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada.

PHOTO COURTESY of WENDELL ALINEA

CARGO MOVERS EYE 1ST-ROUND SWEEP IN SUPERLIGA RUNNERS jockey for position as they wait for the gun start.

Kenyans dominate Manila Bay run

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ENYANS Matthew Kipkorir Sigei, Leonard Kimboi and Jackson Circhir emerged as the top 3 finishers in the 21K race at last Sunday’s Manila Bay Clean-Up Run, while Christine Hallasgo, April Diaz and Maricar Camacho topped the women’s division.

James Kevin Cruz, Gilbert Laido and Anthony Nerza ruled the men’s division, while marathon veteran Luisa Raterta, Jocelyn Elijeran and Rica Moreno took the top 3 spots in the women’s side

of the 10K race.

Immuel Camino, Evelon Abutas and Rowel Galvero were 1-2-3 in the men’s division, with Joida Gagnao, Joneza Sustituedo and Emmalyn Taypin taking the medals in the women’s category of the 5K category.

Erwin Mancao, Michael Gomez and Norbert Cailao occupied the men’s podium and Lina and Liza Abutas and Angel Mendoza clocked fastest in the women’s division of the 3K run.

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OWERHOUSE F2 Logistics goes for sweep of the first round when it faces struggling Marinerang Pilipina in the Philippine Superliga All-Filipino Conference on Thursday at the Muntinlupa Sports Center.

Action is set at 4:15 p.m. with the Cargo Movers looking for their seventh consecutive win.

Generika-Ayala, meanwhile, aims to get back on the winning track as it tackles PLDT Home Fibr in the second game at 7 p.m.

Bannered by Filipino-American Kalei Mau, the Cargo Movers raced to six straight wins, leaving rival Petron (5-1), Generika-Ayala

(4-2) and Foton (4-3) settling for the second, third and fourth spots, respectively.

Mau, the former Arizona star who moved to the Cargo Movers following the disbandment of United VC, is getting better each day as she finally developed chemistry with mainstays Aby Marano, Dawn Macandili, Ara Galang, Kianna Dy and Majoy Baron.

In fact, in their previous 25-15, 25-14, 25-21 victory over Sta. Lucia in Silay City, Mau provided the offensive muscle early on before Marano and Galang finished the job to keep the Cargo Movers’ immaculate slate intact.

But for F2 Logistics Head Coach Ramil de Jesus, they haven’t achieved anything.

“Our record in the eliminations is not important. It’s just a confidence booster for us,” said de Jesus, who is looking to regain the All-Filipino crown that had eluded them for the past two years.

“The quarterfinals are the most important because even if you end up on top but losses to a lower-seed team, all your effort in the elimination round will be wasted.”

Also tipped to draw attention is the battle between Generika-Ayala and PLDT. After riding the crest of a four-game

winning streak, the Lifesavers came crashing back following a sorry 18-25, 12-25, 16-25 loss to Petron Tuesday at the Bacoor Strike Gym in Bacoor City.

The Lifesavers found themselves bowing to the Blaze Spikers’s suffocating net defense as attackers Patty Orendain and Fiola Ceballos had a very forgettable performance.

But it wouldn’t be easy as the Power Hitters are also looking to stop the bleeding after suffering three straight setbacks, including a 16-25, 27-29, 22-25 defeat to Petron also over the weekend in Malolos City.

Sports BusinessMirror

TRACK SPECIALIST TOPS STAGE 4

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| Thursday, July 11, 2019 mirror_sports@yahoo.com.ph Editor: Jun Lomibao

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By Samuel Petrequin The Associated Press

ANCY, France—Elia Viviani had left the Giro d’Italia utterly disappointed.

Two months later, the Italian rider left bitterness and his sprinting rivals in his wake to claim his first career stage win in the Tour de France after storming a bunch sprint on Tuesday with an impressive display of power and speed.

The 30-year-old track specialist, arguably the fastest man in the peloton this season, had left his home race empty-handed in May under controversial circumstances.

Viviani, who has now posted stage wins at all three Grand Tours, was stripped of a victory in Italy after the race jury ruled he had irregularly changed his line and blocked an

France’s magnificent monuments provide inspiration for cyclists

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EIMS, France—On quiet days at the Tour de France, when even the commentators on French TV talk about the boredom of flat, long, meandering stages where not much happens until the sprint finish, there’s always another star that comes to the fore: France and its magnificent monuments.

The Gothic cathedral in the Champagne city of Reims formed a breathtaking backdrop for the start of Tuesday’s Stage 4, won five hours and 213 mostly uneventful kilometers later in Nancy by Elia Viviani, an Italian sprinter.

The towering 13th-century edifice where France’s kings were crowned stands as a symbol of hope for the future of another great French cathedral, Notre Dame in Paris.

Like Notre Dame, ravaged by fire in April, the towering cathedral in Reims also endured disaster, when it was heavily shelled in World War I. The ensuing inferno shattered and blackened its massive stone pillars and exquisite sculptures and heavily damaged luminous stained-glass windows that, now restored, bathe its cool and cavernous interior in a rainbow of color. Flames also melted the lead roof, which dripped through the gargoyles.

“The most appalling drama for this cathedral was the bombing of 1914,” said Veronique Palot-Maillart, a cathedral guide and historian. “The stained-glass windows were impacted. The stone was scorched. The frame burned for days. It was an absolute drama.”

After the war, there was talk of turning the mutilated cathedral—hit by more than 300 shells from German forces that occupied forts on the outskirts of Reims—into a memorial of German aggression. Instead, the decision was taken to rebuild, taking decades.

Restoration work on the North Tower, which suffered the worst fire damage, was completed in 2011.

Renovations were still going on as recently as three years ago, with the equivalent of $3.7 million spent on the huge rose-shaped window on the cathedral’s face.

And more than a century after the war ended, the work isn’t over.

“We’re still restoring parts of the cathedral that were weakened, destroyed in 1914. So our greatest hope is that won’t be the case in Paris, that we’ll rapidly rediscover a cathedral that’s been fully restored,” said Bernard Poret, head of the Society of Friends of Reims Cathedral that raises funds.

The cathedral was the standout among numerous monuments and sites of interest that the Tour zipped past, keeping TV commentators supplied with talking

points as riders took it easy before cranking up the speed for the sprint finish, where Viviani hammered on his pedals for a career-first stage win at the Tour.

Julian Alaphilippe, the first Frenchman to wear the yellow jersey in five years after his solo victory in Stage 3, kept the overall lead. AP

THE pack rides by the Reims Cathedral during the fourth stage on Tuesday. AP

ELIA VIVIANI storms in front of a bunch sprint to win Stage 4. AP

opponent in the sprint.

There was no such hiccup on the finish line in the eastern city of Nancy, and Viviani was clearly the best.

The 2016 omnium Olympic champion was ideally set up by the Deceuninck-Quick-Step leadout train in the finale and made the most of the slight uphill finish to prevail. Viviani edged Alexander Kristoff and Caleb Ewan, claiming the fourth stage of the three-week race.

“It means a lot. Probably I can’t believe it. It was a big goal of the year,” said Viviani, who dedicated his win to his fiancée and parents.

The 213.5-kilometer flat route from Reims to Nancy did not pose any major difficulty and was a perfect opportunity for sprinters to get a stage win, a day after Viviani’s teammate Julian Alaphilippe seized the yellow jersey with a solo effort.

“My father and mother were on the finish line today, they were set to leave yesterday but finally decided to stay because the stage was for sprinters,” Viviani said.

Alaphilippe, the first Frenchman to wear yellow in five years, kept the overall lead, with no change at the top of the overall standings. Both men hugged warmly after their team produced a second straight stage win.

“I just need to thank the team, they were really unbelievable,” Viviani said.

The Italian speedster might soon be racing without his favorite teammates, however, amid reports he might join Cofidis next season as the French outfit seeks to replace its top sprinter.

Viviani said he has yet to make up his mind and that his Tour campaign will determine his future.

After Alaphilippe led the Deceuninck-Quick-Step train to the front, Max Richeze and Michael Morkov set a very fast tempo to launch Viviani’s final acceleration. Kristoff opened up the sprint in the final stretch but could not hold off Viviani on the left side of the road.

Alaphilippe was cheered throughout the stage. After several dozen fans greeted him at his team hotel in the morning, supporters lining streets across the small villages of eastern France wildly cheered him on, shouting “Loulou, Loulou!”—the Frenchman’s nickname.

Alaphilippe enjoyed a day free of pressure, well protected in the main pack by teammates, and then played a role in the final sprint to launch Viviani’s final effort.

Defending champion Geraint Thomas and other main contenders enjoyed a calm day too, just making sure they rode at the front to avoid crashes or splits. Thomas and his Ineos teammate Egan Bernal remained seventh and sixth, respectively, in the overall standings.

“The team has been amazing. I haven’t had to do anything, just follow the wheels, and everyone has done their job perfectly. It’s been ideal,” Thomas said.

Under bright sunshine in Reims, three riders attacked from the off.

On long stretches of flat roads, Yoann Offredo, Frederik Backaert and Michael Schär built a lead that never exceeded three minutes and 40 seconds as the peloton kept them on a leash before sprinters’ teams organized the pursuit and sped up the pace.

The trio was eventually caught with 17 kilometers left, in the small Côte de Maron climb, leaving the spotlight on the fastest men of the peloton.

Bieber bags MVP, Cleveland C shines in All-Star Game

SHANE BIEBER is a late All-Star injury replacement, only added Friday to give the Indians four representatives. AP

LEVELAND—Michael Brantley came back, took a welldeserved bow and delivered like always. Shane Bieber pitched a perfect inning and took home an MVP trophy and a shiny new pickup truck.

Carlos Carrasco stood up to cancer.

On an idyllic night for baseball, Cleveland connections shined brightest at the All-Star Game.

Even Sandy Alomar Jr., whose storybook home run the last time the game was played at Progressive Field in 1997 made him an MVP and local legend, enjoyed another moment on the star-studded stage.

And then Bieber matched him, winning MVP honors after striking out the side in the fifth as the American League staff combined for 16 strikeouts in a 4-3 win over the National League and returned pitching to prominence a night after Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Pete Alonso and Joc Pederson knocked balls over Progressive Field’s walls with stunning ease.

“It’s an incredible feeling now, now that it’s kind of sinking in,” Bieber said. “Just to be able to do it in front of the home crowd and my first All-Star Game is definitely not something I expected, especially being added to the game four or five days ago.”

Bieber was a late All-Star injury replacement, only added Friday to give the Indians four representatives.

The 23-year-old, who soared through Cleveland’s minor league system and won 11 games as a rookie in 2018, showed a veteran’s poise in the fifth when he fanned Chicago’s Willson Contreras, Arizona’s Ketel Marte and Atlanta’s Ronald Acuña Jr. in succession while protecting a 1-0 lead.

The crowd chanted “Let’s Go Bieber,” during his performance, and it’s an anthem that will likely be heard each time he takes the mound going forward.

“Kind of stepped off the back of the mound after one of the pitches and wasn’t totally able to look up and see everything, just because there was so much going on, but I heard everything and really soaked it all in,” Bieber said. “I can’t really thank the fans enough for creating that moment for me and making it really special.”

While Bieber’s unexpected MVP put a perfect cap on Cleveland’s magical night—in fact, he donated his hat to the Hall of Fame— Carrasco’s appearance served as the most poignant moment.

The 32-year-old was recently diagnosed with chronic myeloid leukemia, and during Major League Baseball’s “Stand Up to Cancer” campaign, Carrasco stood in the third-base coach’s box, flanked by his teammates and Indians manager Terry Francona.

Carrasco held a sign that read “I Stand’” while Lindor’s said: “Cookie,” the pitcher’s nickname. AP

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Your words, oh God

EAR GOD, Your words are spirit and truth. Strengthen us to hear and respond to Your voice, as we pray: God of justice, hear our prayer. Further the work of evangelization, ecumenism and just care for immigrants. Heal us of prejudice, exclusivity and false judgment. Heighten our awareness of the effects our choices have on the poor and the environment. May God bless us and remain with us always, by the power of the Holy Spirit, in Christ. Amen.

GIVE US THIS DAY, SHARED BY LUISA LACSON, HFL Word&Life Publications • teacherlouie1965@yahoo.com

Editor: Gerard S. Ramos • lifestylebusinessmirror@gmail.com

Life

REELING: CRITICAL RITUALS: THE MANUNURI FILM D4

BusinessMirror

Thursday, July 11, 2019

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Spend your summer getaway in Andana Resort Guimaras

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BY PAU GUTIERREZ

Y trips to Western Visayas had been limited mostly to Iloilo and its capital city, so the only thing I knew about its closest neighboring island, Guimaras, is that it is the Mango Capital of the country (it exports to both the White House in the US and Buckingham Palace in the UK).

I’d read and heard a lot about the province over the past few years, but I never really considered putting it on top of my travel bucket list. It wasn’t that I did not find it beautiful (it actually is a tropical haven, as I found out after this trip), but I’d been told that there weren’t too many resorts in the area.

Of course, if you’re traveling either solo or with friends and family, the first thing that you research about is accommodation. In my case, and thank heavens I got lucky, I didn’t have to because I was sent to Guimaras for an assignment. I was honestly not expecting much, so just imagine my shock when I first saw Andana Resort tucked in the coastal municipality of Nueva Valencia.

THE FIRST FIRST-CLASS RESORT IN GUIMARAS COCOONED in lush forest at the center of the mountain, Andana Resort is like a secret cove that looks out to the clear serene waters and turquoise sky of Guimaras. Watching the hazy summer sun disappear into the horizon as wafts of salty air touched my sand-soaked skin was simply memorable, and it is definitely an experience you should try for yourself.

HOTEL LOCATION ANDANA Resort (www.andanaresort.com) is in Sitio Talisay, Poblacion, Nueva Valencia. From Iloilo, you can take a 15-minute pump boat ride going to Jordan

Wharf in Guimaras from the Iloilo City harbor or Ortiz Wharf. Fare for this costs P14 as of this writing, with operations at 5 am to 6:30 pm daily. If you’re coming from Bacolod, go to Pulupandan Wharf, then take a pump boat to San Lorenzo, Guimaras. Travel time is around 45 minutes and the fare is P75. The ferry leaves five times a day.

From Jordan/San Lorenzo, there are vehicles that you can hire to go to the resort, like airconditioned SUVs that start at P600/one-way trip.

Andana Resort also offers transport from any part of Guimaras starting at P1,200 to P2,000 (maximum of eight per van).

Take note there are no direct flights to Guimaras, and the cheapest way to get there is by booking a flight to the Iloilo International Airport, which is the nearest, or the New Bacolod-Silay International Airport. The provincial capital, Jordan, is about a 30to 45-minute drive from Andana. Here, you can see the Mango Research Center; the “Smallest Plaza in the Philippines,” as per Guinness Book of World Records; the Trappist Monastery; and Museo de Guimaras. There’s also the San Lorenzo Wind Farm and the historical Guisi Lighthouse.

While you’re at it, don’t miss out on such repast destinations like Olivia’s (which sells famous mango pizzas) and Biking’s, a little diner that serves fresh seafood. You have the option to tour these destinations via jeep, multicab, or hotel van rentals.

my room number. He was also quick to extend a cold towel to me.

ARRIVAL EXPERIENCE THERE were four hotel staff at the resort lobby when I arrived last March. They quickly offered me coffee and water, and they asked me how my trip was as they prepared my room. The resort’s receiving area is spacious, and there are comfortable sofas that you can sit on just parallel to the small pasalubong center also in the lobby. One of the bell boys, I assume, assisted me with my luggage right after his colleagues told him

FOOD ANDANA Resort has two in-house restaurants: Estrellita and Danilo’s alfresco dining bar. Both offer scrumptious Filipino dishes from starters to mains.

In Estrellita, I recommend the Chicken Binakol (sweet and savory) and Pinakbet (with plenty of succulent pork and just the right amount of bitterness). For seafood, there’s Sinigang na Hipon, Sinigang na Isda, Shrimp Rebosado and Buttered

ROOMS AS I mentioned earlier, I wasn’t expecting much before I set foot on the property. However, I was routinely surprised. The Poolside Room I stayed in was sparkling clean and spacious, and the outdoor patio overlooking the infinity pool and the blue sky outside was just mesmerizing.

There was also a wreath of flowers and a small card wishing me a pleasant stay at the resort.

A trek down the steps to the beach area led to accommodation pods—air-conditioned and compact private dwellings for a maximum of three people that opens out onto a small terrace all facing the beach.

Like the Seaside Suites, the pods are also equipped with a flat-screen TV and all the standard amenities you will find in a four-class hotel.

Those looking for a bigger villa can choose from two Presidential Suites with more space and personal Jacuzzi. More interesting is the luxurious Seaview One-Bedroom Suite aboard a boat owned by the resort in the ocean. The firm behind the property, R.G. Simbulan, is responsible for outfitting the interiors of Shangri-La Boracay and Shangri-La Fort, Resorts World Manila, as well as Grand Hyatt Manila and Sheraton Manila, and a number of hotel projects in the Middle East and Maldives.

Shrimp—fresh from the islands’ fisheries.

Danilo’s Beach Bar was named after the founder of the resort, Danilo Ang. Here, have a bite of gambas and sisig and enjoy your personal concoction of tropical alcoholic drinks.

RESORT FACILITIES FOR adventure junkies, Andana offers off-site activities, such as snorkeling and diving. The use of the Water Park and water sports equipments can be arranged at the front desk with additional charge, but the resort also offers deals that will be included with the guests’ accommodation package.

The infinity pool is often empty, so I didn’t really have to worry about people watching me as I pose for many Instagram photos.

Wi-Fi is available throughout the property free of charge, while parking spaces will also be reserved to guests upon check-in. Airport shuttle services will also be provided with additional charge, as well as the use of the business center. The concierge and the 24hour front desk will be available to extend assistance with booking meeting/banquet facilities inquiries and general inquiries.

DEPARTURE DEPARTURE was a breeze because the checkout process was orderly and quick, all thanks to the attentive staff manning the desk. They also offered to buy mangoes for me from a farm and it only cost me P120 for a kilo of sweet, almost-ripe mangoes.

The Andana managerial team of John Michael Vinas, Mary Jane Galero and General Manager Benedict Bryan Alava were all there to wish me safe travels as I loaded my baggage to the van.

To sum it up, I had a very relaxing stay in Andana.

It kept at bay the bustle of city life, even for just a few days, and it was all I needed to restart my pace and give myself the time to clear my mind. n

France to slap new ‘ecotax’ on plane tickets from 2020 PARIS—France will introduce a new charge on plane tickets from next year, with revenue used to fund environment-friendly alternatives, the country’s transport minister said on Tuesday.

The “ecotax” costing between €1.50 ($1.7) and €18 ($20) will apply to most flights departing in France, Elisabeth Borne said.

The only exceptions will be for domestic flights to Corsica and France’s overseas territories, and connecting flights that pass through France. It will not apply to flights arriving in France. Shares in Air France/KLM and budget airlines EasyJet and Ryanair dropped following the announcement.

Industry group IATA, which favors a system that allows airlines to offset their emissions by paying for carbon reduction efforts elsewhere, called the French ticket charge “misguided.”

“National taxes will do nothing to assist the aviation industry in its sustainability efforts,” IATA spokesman Anthony Concil said, warning that instead of helping airlines invest in cleaner fuels and technology it could end up harming the French aviation industry and jeopardize jobs.

But the move received a cautious welcome from environmental campaigners, who argue that the airline industry needs to curb its greenhouse gas emissions as part of wider

efforts to combat climate change.

“This alone won’t do much, but it’s at least a recognition by the French government that more is required,” said Andrew Murphy, an air travel expert at Brussels-based group Transport and Environment.

According to Borne, domestic and European flights will be taxed at €1.50 for economy tickets and €9 ($10) for business class, rising to €18 for business flights outside the European Union (EU). By comparison, Britain’s air passenger duty for standard passenger planes starts at 13 ($16.20), rising to a maximum of £172 ($214.20), and generates more than £3 billion in

Treasury revenue every year.

The French tax is expected to raise over €180 million ($200 million) from 2020 to invest in eco-friendly transport infrastructure, including rail. It comes on top of a similar ticket charge introduced over a decade ago by former French President Jacques Chirac, the proceeds of which go toward medical aid for poor countries. Murphy said the French move could boost efforts to introduce a Europe-wide tax on aviation to reflect plane travel’s environmental impact. Germany, Italy and some Nordics nations also have ticket taxes. Several European countries are meanwhile pushing for the VAT

exemption that airline fuel enjoys in Europe to be dropped.

Germany’s Environment Ministry said Tuesday it supports discussions on additional CO2-based pricing systems for air travel to reduce the industry’s contribution to man-made greenhouse gas emissions, currently estimated at more than 2 percent but forecast to grow significantly in coming decades.

“What’s more, the conditions for competition between air, road and rail travel need to be made fairer,” the ministry said in a statement. “This is something we in Europe need to achieve together.” AP

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Entertaining BusinessMirror

Thursday, July 11, 2019

Make nicely glazed, unimpeachable peachy grilled chicken PEACHGLAZED Grilled Chicken, the recipe for which appears in the cookbook Master of the Grill. AP

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z

By America’s Test Kitchen The Associated Press

Pat chicken dry with paper towels and sprinkle with 2 1/4 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon pepper. Place in 1-gallon zipper-lock bag and refrigerate for at least one hour or up to 24 hours.

Just before grilling, soak wood chips in water for 15

By Eugenia Last

CELEBRITIES BORN ON THIS DAY: Justin Chambers, 48; Lisa Rinna, 55; Richie Sambora, 59; Sela Ward, 62.

a

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Look for opportunities to discuss your thoughts with and get feedback from people you respect who are qualified to offer good advice. The information you gather will help point you in the right direction. Don’t lose sight of your goals. HHHH

b

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Information is powerful. Don’t get into a debate without having the knowledge and experience to make your point and to validate your reasons for making the choices you do. Your opinion counts. Personal improvements will turn out better than expected. HHH

c

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Don’t let your emotions take over. Be realistic when dealing with affairs of the heart or situations that can affect your relationship with someone you live with. Fair solutions will be the only way to reach an agreement. Be willing to compromise. HHH

d

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Before you complain or criticize someone, take a closer look inward and consider how you can improve. Your personal achievement will motivate others to follow suit and make positive adjustments, as well. A kind word can make a huge difference. HHH

PEACH-GLAZED GRILLED CHICKEN Servings: 4 Start to finish: 1 hour, 20 minutes

3 pounds bone-in chicken pieces (split breasts cut in half, drumsticks, and/or thighs), trimmed Salt and pepper 1 cup wood chips 1 cup peach preserves 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper 1 (13 by 9-inch) disposable aluminum pan 1 peach, halved and pitted 1 jalapeño chile 2 tablespoons cider vinegar

Today’s Horoscope

HAPPY BIRTHDAY: Fill this year with new beginnings.

The changes you make will enhance the way you live and bring you one step closer to a lifelong dream. Take responsibility for what transpires. Refuse to give anyone a chance to rain on your parade or take advantage of your kindness. It’s OK to offer help, but it has to be on your terms. Your lucky numbers are 2, 13, 19, 22, 25, 33, 42.

OO many recipes for glazed grilled chicken give you meat that’s scorched or sickeningly sweet—or both. We wanted nicely glazed, unimpeachable peachy grilled chicken.

To start, we sprinkled the chicken with salt and pepper, and let it sit for at least an hour before cooking to season the chicken and enable it to retain more moisture. Then we faced the main challenge: balancing real peach flavor with the necessity of not incinerating our dinner.

Cooking chicken covered in sweet preserves led to intense scorching on the grill, but just applying a glaze at the end of cooking didn’t yield much flavor.

We created a setup that cooked the chicken most of the way through in the sauce without exposing it to open flame by using a disposable aluminum pan.

We started the chicken skin side down to render some fat before flipping the pieces skin side up to dry off and crisp up. We then finished the meat over the coals for perfect browning.

A fresh peach and a jalapeño chile cooked alongside the chicken and incorporated into the sauce added heat and flavor to the finished dish.

Chef’s note: Leave the jalapeño whole for grilling.

Note that the salted chicken needs to rest for one to 24 hours before grilling. Since the preserves cause the food to brown quickly, move the items around as necessary to manage any hot spots. If you’d like to use wood chunks instead of wood chips when using a charcoal grill, substitute one medium wood chunk, soaked in water for one hour, for the wood chip packet.

www.businessmirror.com.ph

minutes, then drain. Using large piece of heavy-duty aluminum foil, wrap soaked chips in 8 by 4 1/2-inch foil packet. (Make sure chips do not poke holes in sides or bottom of packet.) Cut two evenly spaced 2-inch slits in top of packet. Whisk preserves and cayenne together in disposable pan. Place peach halves (cut side up), jalapeño and chicken (skin side down) in pan.

For a charcoal grill: Open bottom vent halfway.

Light large chimney starter filled with charcoal briquettes (6 quarts). When top coals are partially covered with ash, pour evenly over grill.

Place wood chip packet on coals on one side of grill. Set cooking grate in place, cover, and open lid vent halfway. Heat grill until hot and wood chips are smoking, about five minutes.

For a gas grill: Remove cooking grate and place wood chip packet directly on primary burner. Set grate in place, turn all burners to high, cover, and heat grill until hot and wood chips are smoking, about 15 minutes. Turn all burners to medium. (Adjust burners as needed to maintain grill temperature between 350°F and 375°F.) Clean and oil cooking grate. Place disposable pan with chicken over side of grill opposite wood chip packet. Cover grill (position lid vent over chicken if using charcoal) and cook for 10 minutes. Flip chicken,

Exciting dining offers for rainy days THIS rainy season, New World Manila Bay Hotel (www.manilabay. newworldhotels.com) presents an array of exciting dining deals and new dishes that will surely give your palate a pleasant surprise.

Known for its premium steaks, The Fireplace is giving the spotlight to one of the ocean’s pride—the succulent Boston lobster, making it as the star of the evening. Choose from any of the lobster specials: Lobster Risotto at P1,350, twice Baked Lobster Soufflé at P1,500, or Surf and Turf at P4,000.

Meanwhile, nourish the body and

soothe the soul with a comforting bowl of Chinese Herbal Soup at Li Li. This special healthy dish is made from farm fresh ingredients, healing herbs and spices simmered to perfection for a warm and wholesome dining experience.

Surprise the palate, as well with gourmet meats and cheeses at The Lounge. Pair it with a glass of wine or a classic cocktail for a palate-pleasing combination. The antipasto platter comes with fine cheeses like French Brie and Swiss Emmental along with meats like Italian Salami Picante and German Black Forest Ham for only P800 per platter.

and rotate pan 180°F. (Open top and bottom vents fully for charcoal grill.) Continue to cook, covered, until breasts register 155°F and drumsticks/thighs register 170°F, 10 to 14 minutes.

Flip chicken, peach halves, and jalapeno to coat with preserves, then transfer to grill grate (skin side down for chicken). Leave pan on grill to let preserves thicken and caramelize slightly around edges, three to five minutes, then remove pan from grill.

Meanwhile, cook chicken, peach halves, and jalapeno until well browned on first side, two to five minutes. Flip and continue to cook until chicken breasts register 160°F and drumsticks/ thighs register 175°F and peach halves and jalapeño are well browned on second side, two to five minutes. Return chicken, skin side up, to pan with preserves, tent loosely with foil, and let rest for 10 minutes. Transfer peach and jalapeño to plate to cool slightly.

Remove any loose skin from peach halves and jalapeño (no need to remove all skin); then chop peach halves, seed and mince jalapeño, and transfer both to bowl. Arrange chicken on serving platter.

Pour preserves from pan into bowl with chopped peach halves and jalapeno; stir in vinegar. Season glaze with salt and pepper to taste. Spoon glaze over chicken and serve. n

SPICE UP THE NIGHT WITH A BIT OF SALSA TURN up the heat at night and get into a Latin groove as Vu’s Sky Bar and Lounge holds its first-ever Salsa Night tomorrow, July 12, at 9 pm onward. Vu is the favorite after-hours destination in Marco Polo Ortigas Manila (www.facebook.com/MarcoPoloOrtigasManila).

Spend the end of the week with the breathtaking view of the Metro and some Puerto Rican music. The sky bar brings salsa dancing to new heights on this special night.

For a P499 door charge (inclusive of two welcome drinks—a choice of Piña Colada or its Banana variation), dance the night away with the tunes from Bellissima Band starting at 9 pm. Come in your best salsa outfit to keep the vibe going.

e

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Exaggeration will play a factor in the outcome of a situation you face at home or at work. The changes that come about will leave you or someone you are dealing with at a loss if promises are not kept. HHHH

f

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Take on anyone making false claims. Keeping events straight and being clear in regard to who did what will help others make a positive decision that will assist you in reaching your set goals. HH

g

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Keep busy and move forward. Your instincts will help you determine your best move. Refuse to let anyone bully you into something that doesn’t fit into your plans. React sensibly and without feeling guilty. You cannot expect to please everyone. HHHHH

h

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Look for alternatives. If one door shuts, another will open. Have faith in yourself and your ability to get things done. Embrace the future with optimism and patience. Don’t cave under pressure. HHHHH

i

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Think matters through to the end. Understand the benefits, as well as the consequences of your actions. Use reason when dealing with anyone who doesn’t see things your way. HHH

j

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Share your thoughts and look for alternative ways to get what you want without damaging a good relationship. Incentives will make a difference to the way others feel about you and how you handle matters.

Romance will improve your personal life. HHH

k

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Keep your distance from inconsistent or unpredictable individuals. It’s in your best interests to avoid excessive behavior or anyone using emotional tactics to persuade you to get involved in something that isn’t good for you. Make a choice and stick to it. HHH

l

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Know your limitations as well as your attributes.

Be prepared to ask for what you want and to settle for what feels fair. Maintaining balance and integrity will also help you avoid repercussions.

Romance is in the stars. HHHHH BIRTHDAY BABY: You are passionate, imaginative and helpful.

You are appealing and realistic.

‘zoo-illogical’ BY DEB SHATTEN The Universal Crossword/Edited by David Steinberg

ACROSS 1 Like potatoes or rice 8 Reduce in status 14 Cross between a striped cat and a rodent?

16 Shows great joy 17 Individually 18 Dog Star 19 Mazatlan money 20 Cross between an ape and an Andean animal?

22 Clear (of) 25 ___-de-France 26 MI6 figure 27 Cross between a raptor and a Wonderland dozer?

32 Org. with UN observer status 33 Quickly reheat 34 Anise-flavored liqueur 38 Cross between a semiaquatic wader and a bivalve?

43 Two capsules, perhaps 44 “The same,” in footnotes 45 JFK stat 46 Cross between a four-legged reptile

and a legless reptile?

1 Busts, e.g.

5 54 Busy CPA month 55 Singer DiFranco 56 Cross between a crustacean and a bounding beast?

60 Modern credit card feature 64 Evening party 65 LeBron’s NBA team 68 Fill with love 69 The starred critters, e.g.

70 Some car bodies 71 Caulk, for one DOWN 1 Sign at a corner, often 2 Fork component 3 Matures, as wine 4 Like the mythical phoenix 5 “___ Me a River” 6 “Chernobyl” network 7 Hip-hop’s ___ Yang Twins 8 Original Star Trek studio 9 Adam and Eve, vis-a-vis Eden 10 Singer Ives 11 Name used by a 26-Across, perhaps

2 Clear-cutting remnant 1 13 Student paper 15 Virgo preceder 21 Summer Olympics host before Tokyo 23 Figure providing access: Abbr.

24 Decorate 27 Advertising award 28 “How clumsy of me!”

29 “Citizen Kane” studio 30 Took place at, as a class 31 Dawn goddess 32 Dissertation writer’s goal 35 Like many garage sale items 36 Z, to Persephone 37 Like many garage sale items 39 Smallest Canadian prov.

40 Court org.

41 Sparkly mineral 42 Noodle bar noodle 47 “Get ready to rumble!”

48 Stimulants, informally 49 Coach Parseghian 50 Coin featuring Monticello 51 Braying beasts 52 Lake Geneva feeder

3 Three-note chord 5 57 ___ la Douce (1963 film) 58 Bus. structure option 59 Massage reactions 61 Greek marriage goddess 62 Neighbor of Turkey 63 (Hey!) 66 Fib 67 Ob-gyn’s org.

Solution to yesterday’s puzzle:

Parentlife BusinessMirror

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Thursday, July 11, 2019

HOPE IN CARE PRODUCTS EVERY day, thousands of Filipino children still go to school without a proper classroom. Some even have to walk several kilometers just to reach school, only to find themselves studying in cramped environments or under the heat of the sun.

According to the Department of Education (DepEd), this academic year welcomed over 27 million students who enrolled from kinder to senior high school. While the number of students steadily increases each year, tight spaces and a severe lack of classrooms continue to negatively affect both teachers and students, getting in the way of quality education.

For Sanitary Care Products Asia Inc. (SCPA, www.scpa.com.ph), makers of Sanicare, improving the lives of Filipinos is its main mission. Fueled by its love and commitment to the country, the brand provides carefully crafted products that answer the hygiene needs of every Filipino without harming the environment, and involves itself in various community building efforts particularly providing a conducive learning environment for children. Education, after all, has been one of the main advocacies of the company.

For several years now, Sanicare has been an active supporter of the DepEd’s Brigada Eskwela by engaging its employees every back-to-school season to help refurbish and clean classrooms and other facilities like washrooms, faculty rooms, library, canteen and the school grounds.

In addition to the cleanup, Sanicare also provides hygiene kits that include tissue papers, cleansing wipes and toilet seat covers to partner schools to further educate students about the importance of proper hygiene.

In 2017, Sanicare also collaborated with Alex Eduque to design special limited-edition facial tissue boxes to support Molding Optimism and Values through Education (MovEd), an organization founded by Eduque that aims to give every Filipino child a quality early childhood education.

This year, Sanicare takes on a new advocacy as it partners with DepEd and HOPE to create more classrooms. HOPE is the first Philippine company to donate 100 percent of its profits to the building of public school classrooms. Through Hope in a Bottle and its partnerships with brands and retailers, they have built numerous classrooms across the country, positively impacting over 14,000 students.

The company furthers its mission as it joins HOPE’s efforts in building much-needed classrooms starting last June by constructing two classrooms in Lagao 2nd Bo. Elementary School, located in General Santos City, South Cotabato.

Through this effort, the brand also allows consumers to help Filipino students simply by making the conscious decision to choose products that advocate the creation of more classrooms.

“We at Sanicare value education and its powerful impact on our youth. That’s why we are constantly searching for innovative and creative ways to help with our country’s pressing problems. Just as we believe that every Filipino deserves access to high quality and innovative hygiene products, we also believe that every student deserves the right to a safe, comfortable and conducive learning environment like the Sanicare Hope classrooms we aspire to build. And hopefully with everyone’s continued support to Sanicare, we can contribute more to this worthwhile endeavor” says Lea Sio-Pacis, SCPA marketing director.

Nanette Medved Po, CEO of HOPE, says, “We believe the best long-term investment we can make for this country is toward the education of its children. Together with partners who also believe in business for good, we give consumers the chance to effect social change by voting with their peso—one purchase at a time.”

CLOCKWISE: My first day of preschool at Chiang Kai Shek when I was 4; Lourdes Haw, grade school head teacher of my daughter when she was Grade 2; Manrique and Haw were my Grade 6 advisers who guided me to graduate valedictorian in St. Jude Catholic School; my visit a few years ago to Tan, my first grade Chinese teacher; my recent photo with Winnie Cometa, the principal in Poveda Learning Center then who took a chance in accepting me for my last two years of high school and who, together with other teachers, fought for me to receive the Gerry Roxas and Alfonso Yuchengco Awards when I graduated high school; Java and I at Poveda last year, on my last exam day for education technology.

What is your child’s learning journey? (Part I) MOMMY NO LIMITS

MAYE YAO CO SAY

mommynolimits@gmail.com

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ID you ever like going to school? How about your kids? Is there a thing where kids actually love going to school? As a child, it was hard for me to wake up in the morning. Yet, I never missed a day of school unless I had a 40-degree fever. I did so because I knew it was hard to catch up on missed lessons. I did it well because I wanted my family whole and my future bright.

Did I truly love going to school? I started my own learning journey in a toddler class when I was sent to the girl’s toilet for being too talkative. This experience was uplifted by my next school, Chiang Kai Shek, with a teacher who nurtured and sent me off with a kiss in the forehead along with gold certificates for art and academics. I moved on to a traditional Chinese Catholic school environment for most of my school years.

St. Jude Catholic School gave me that arena of discipline and great teachers to push myself in grades and extracurricular achievements. By high school, I discovered a more fulfilling learning culture in my short stay in Clarkstown North in New York. I finished high school in a semi-progressive

Spanish high school, Poveda Learning Center, whose teachers and administrators stretched and fought for me, far beyond who I thought I was meant to be. I believe because my learning journey was multifaceted and enriching, I have developed that curiosity to continuously trek on a wider path of knowledge. I was in a management engineering course in Ateneo but put my energy down newer paths of philosophy and theology. It allowed me to try law school, quit, learn human-resource management through multiple trainings, then pursued my MBA at the Asian Institute of Management. Today, I just finished my education course to hopefully pass the teacher’s exam one day.

I share my experiences above to drive two points.

First, the differences in all the schools’ teaching styles and techniques have opened my perspective that memorizing knowledge for an “A” is not as important as loving “learning.” Second, when I look back, what made me smile and “rich” today did not come from the “highs” of being the best. What has stuck with me is the journey of each decision I made, recognizing the fear at the pit of my stomach over the possibility of failure, but saying to myself, “What the heck! If a person believes in you, then just do it!” From when my good friend Tim Yap recruited my nonsporty Grade 5 self to join the volleyball team, to Mr. Cedre pushing me to audition for a play and ending writing one up, to Jerome Uy pushing me to pursue my social marketing cause in the leading Ateneo Junior Marketing Association, these experiences that impacted me never involved grades. They involved opportunities and making choices.

When my kids were toddlers, I was confused on which school to send them. Which track do I follow?

I imagined my child’s future environment. Along the

way, I learned about the 21st century report card. It contained six Cs: collaboration, communication, content, critical thinking, creative innovation and confidence. I realized that the goal is to foster a love of learning in my kids to prepare them for their own future pursuits in life. This means that as much as it might be important for them to study for high grades, I want them to “want to learn.” I want to instill in them a “growth” mindset rather than “always achieving No. 1.” I believe that when they develop this hobby of seeking knowledge and wanting to learn, academic excellence becomes inevitable because the desire for excellence becomes second nature to them.

I have two kids: Meagan, 13, who is highly spirited and intense, and Marcus, 9, who is more of an introvert. I am constantly amazed at how different children develop in different ways. When Meagan was a toddler, I was clueless on where to send her for toddler school. I asked my friends. I attended parenting seminars. Do I choose traditional or progressive? This forced me to reflect on the results of my schooling. The focal point of my decision was to ensure that I set a good starting point and foundation for my child’s learning journey. Below are four important points to remember in guiding your kids toward their own learning journey: n Children need discipline and it should be given at home. n It’s up to the parents to choose and create the learning environment. n Children don’t need to learn only from books; they need to learn from and about life. n Children should enjoy learning.

Next week, I will expound on these four points and share my kids’ own learning journey to date. n

Lockton receives special citation from Pag-IBIG Fund THE Pag-IBIG Fund recently gathered its members and stakeholders at the Philippine International Convention Center for the 2018 Chairman’s Report, wherein the government agency’s record-breaking accomplishments were presented. As part of the event, the Pag-IBIG Fund also acknowledged the continuous support of its various partners.

Lockton Philippines Insurance and Reinsurance Brokers Inc. President and CEO Vic Valledor was present at the ceremony as the company was given a special citation for maximizing the existing insurance benefits of Pag-IBIG Fund housing loan borrowers and reducing its premium, thereby making housing more affordable. This contributes significantly to uplifting the lives of Filipino workers through homeownership, and in support of the Building Adequate Livable Affordable and Inclusive Filipino Communities program.

FROM left: Atty. Robert John S. Cosico, OIC deputy chief executive officer, support services cluster; Marilene C. Acosta, deputy chief executive officer, home lending operations cluster; Eduardo D. del Rosario, chairman, Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council; Victorio C. Valledor, president and CEO, Lockton Philippines Insurance and Reinsurance Brokers Inc.; Acmad Rizaldy P. Moti, chief executive officer; Alexander Hilario G. Aguilar, deputy chief executive officer, member services cluster; and Atty. Marcial C. Pimentel Jr., vice president, legal and general counsel.

D3

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Show BusinessMirror

Thursday, July 11, 2019

www.businessmirror.com.ph

LADY GAGA HERALDS THE COMING OF HER MAKEUP LINE ON AMAZON

ANNE CURTIS in the awardwinning Erik Matti film BuyBust.

NEW YORK—The last thing the world needs, Lady Gaga says, is another beauty brand. But that’s too bad.

The pop star made all her Little Monsters happy Tuesday when she released a video with that message on social media. It heralds the coming of her new beauty line, Haus Laboratories, reportedly to be sold on Amazon come September.

Gaga dropped the news in an interview with the Business of Fashion, coinciding with the video that encourages all to embrace their own ideas about beauty. Business of Fashion says the three initial products are multiuse color for cheeks, eyes and lips in six shade families. A kit with all three will sell for $49. Preorders begin July 15.

Gaga says in the video: “Beauty is how you see yourself.” She adds, “We want you to love yourself.” AP

Critical rituals: The Manunuri film REELING

TITO GENOVA VALIENTE

titovaliente@yahoo.com

FIRST IMAGES OF ‘DRACULA’ UNVEILED, AS FURTHER CAST JOIN NEW BBC ONE-NETFLIX SERIES

THE first pictures of Claes Bang as Count Dracula have been revealed, as filming continues on the forthcoming series.

Commissioned by BBC One, Dracula—written by Sherlock’s Mark Gatiss and Steven Moffat— will be produced by Hartswood Films and is a coproduction between BBC One and Netflix.

Joining the three-part reinvention of Bram Stoker’s iconic tale are Lyndsey Marshal (Trauma, The League of Gentlemen), Chanel Cresswell (The Bay, This Is England), Matthew Beard (An Education, The Imitation Game), Lydia West (Years & Years), Paul Brennen (Wild Bill, Happy Valley), Sarah Niles (Catastrophe, Beautiful People), Sofia Oxenham (Poldark, Grantchester), John McCrea (Everybody’s Talking About Jamie, God’s Own Country), Phil Dunster (Humans, Save Me) and television newcomer Millicent Wong.

They will appear opposite Claes Bang in the role of Dracula, and a cast which already includes Dolly Wells, John Heffernan, Joanna Scanlan, Sacha Dhawan, Jonathan Aris, Morfydd Clark and Nathan Stewart-Jarrett.

As previously announced, Jonny Campbell (Informer, Westworld), Damon Thomas (Killing Eve, Penny Dreadful) and Paul McGuigan (Film Stars Don’t Die in Liverpool, Sherlock) will direct Dracula’s three feature-length installments.

The series will premiere on BBC One in the UK and on Netflix outside of the UK and Ireland.

A

ND then there were three: Signal Rock, A Short History of a Few Bad Things and BuyBust.

Even after so many years of being with the Manunuri ng Pelikulang Pilipino, I still marvel at a point when, from a list of five or six or seven nominees for Best Picture, we are able to narrow down the list to three and, finally, to two.

For 2019, there were six nominees. Some two hours of deliberation went for the Best Film alone, and the hours do not include the informal discussions when we were considering the films in general and the hours devoted again to the films at the nomination level.

The discussion for the Best Picture comes after all the other categories have been decided upon.

For the 42nd Gawad Urian, we scheduled it on June 1. It was already about 9 in the evening of that day and films that were sort of favored had fallen on the wayside. Strangely, at that point, we did not have the luxury or the privilege of hindsight to see what films were not anymore in the running. The house, if we may call our group such, was clearly divided on Erik Matti’s BuyBust and Keith Deligero’s A Short History of a Few Bad Things. Every now and then, when the exchange was rallying between A Short History...and BuyBust, another critic would bring in Chito Roño’s Signal Rock.

One Manunuri spoke about the humor of Deligero’s Cebuano film in a whodunit that was a caper and a feast of characters. The tragic and the comic in the said film subverted the film noir mode of the narrative and made the otherwise old story truly

riveting and entertaining.

All of us agreed that BuyBust was a spectacle, a cinematic achievement. There was no question about that. There was a question, however, about the ethical dimensions of how the “poor” were depicted in the film, the total lack or the critical absence of human agency, and the fact that sites of extreme poverty had to be built. As if the real things were not real enough!

Not mentioned but hovering above the heads of the critics—unaroused—was the ghost of poverty porn.

Many of us were convinced about the pungent peripheral perspectives of A Short History...until one critic described it as manipis or “thin.” Another critic, however, raised the value of the content of the film, never mind the structure and form suffering from, perhaps, a post-production with not enough capital to make special effects and other necessary elements work to the benefit of the final product.

Maybe, out of exasperation (we all get exasperated anyway), a critic blurted out: “What will it take for a regional film to be considered excellent?”

It is good to note at this point that regional films have always fared well with the Manunuris. In 2010, the Gawad Urian for Best Picture was given to a film in Cebuano. The film was Remton Siega Zuasola’s An Damgo ni Eleuteria. Ignored by the other award-giving bodies, Damgo also won Best Director for Zuasola. In 2012, another regional film, Arnel Mardoquio’s Ang Paglalakbay ng mga Bituin sa Gabing Madilim was given the prize.

In 2019, the Gawad Urian for Best Picture was given to BuyBust. Roland Tolentino, present chairman of the Manunuri ng Pelikulang Pilipino, read the citation thus: Ipinagkakaloob ang pinakamahusay na pelikula sa BuyBust dahil sa maigting na representasyon ng isang hindi pangkaraniwang gabing pumpon ng aksyon, drama, patayan at diskurso sa ngalan ng digmaan sa droga ng pulisya at komunidad ng maralitang tagalunsod, masinop at maningning sa gamit ng mga elemento ng pelikula na angat sa kanyang mga kahanay (The Best Picture is given to BuyBust for its keen representation of an extraordinary night full of action, drama, killing and discourse in the name of war on drugs by the p0lice and community of the urban poor and its brilliant use of film elements above

those of the other films).

Patrick Campos, another Manunuri, writes how Erik Matti’s film is his “most ambitious and most technically daring work yet.” Campos continues: “Known for his visual inventiveness and visceral storytelling, Matti directs this high-energy action spectacle with virtuosity, allowing the cinematography, production design, editing, sound design, and musical score to work together seamlessly and deliver an intense somatic experience for the spectator.”

Gigi Javier Alfonso asks the questions that our readers may have asked also: “How can critics give their time to watch an action film that carries the usual slam-bang, shoot-to-kill, slash-oozing-blood, tumbling-blasts-breaking glass scenes?” Then Alfonso writes up a storm: “BuyBust bloodily splashes on our faces chaos, horror, senselessness, madness, and ridiculousness, bringing us into the absurd. It shows how much such a phenomenon turns all those who are part of the lurid scenario— the police, the criminals, the bystanders, the passersby, the concerned—are all turned into horrible creatures swarmed into a mob stripped of dignity and reason. And then silence creeps into the screen, allowing the viewers to breathe, a pause.

Then, in the last struggle, we hear what is blurted out in a whisper the question mark and exclamation point. ‘Nanlaban ang suspect.’ [Literally, this means ‘the suspect fought back’].” Alfonso concludes: “That makes BuyBust worth watching.”

But like any critic worth his or her credo and theory, Gigi Javier Alfonso, leaves us a caveat: “BuyBust, however, leaves me bothered and cloaked in sadness, as I read into the images of the women in it. The gun-toting women and the need for them to be armed and to be killers without hesitation. Fear and guilt are precisely what drive men who are obsessed and have romance with violence, and it is these that we protest against.”

That Manunuri’s last words usher us out of the cinema and into the real world: “The abuse of power and the calls for violence to solve abuse only strengthen the chains that bind us into the culture of impunity that plagues us today.” n

‘Karambola’ merges social, traditional media A POLITICAL and current events commentary program aired over dwIZ 882 AM, Karambola ranks today as one of the most popular radio programs in the country.

Besides radio listeners, it also enjoys increasing patronage among social-media users since its video and audio files began being uploaded to the Internet in 2018.

Over its 15 years on the air, Karambola can take credit for paving the way for two innovative concepts in broadcasting. Its karambola format with more hosts means more voices and more divergent views are expressed and debated. This is a departure from the usual two-host commentary programs. Its presence on the Internet through live streaming, its own Facebook page, and the web site of dwIZ operator Aliw Broadcasting Corp. (ABC) is a successful merger of traditional media and social media. With this bold and daring fusion, Karambola reaches the biggest number of people possible and delivers the best of what the two media platforms can offer in the service of the Filipino people.

Karambola was conceptualized by Aliw Broadcasting founder, the late Ambassador Antonio L. Cabangon Chua, as a no-hold barred radio talk show featuring a panel of several broadcasters and journalists who would look at

current and relevant issues from all angles. This format, he believed, would best fulfill radio’s role as an information medium that can shape an enlightened citizenry because of its extensive reach in the remotest areas.

He then initiated a series of meetings with dwIZ management to discuss the buildup on the program, particularly the possible panel members, the launch date, and the plugging of advertisements to announce the program.

Karambola was officially launched on April 11, 2005, as a daily morning public service and commentary show. It was introduced as a takeoff from Kontra Punto, an afternoon political commentary program hosted by Party List Rep. Jonathan de la Cruz.

Today, de la Cruz, Jonat to colleagues and constituents, is the lone holdover from the original Karambolistas. With him in the pioneer batch were Alvin Capino, his coanchor in Kontra Punto, and television personality Cielo Villaluna.

They were later joined a few weeks after by columnist Alex Magno and former Cabinet member and Rep. Salvador “Sonny” Escudero.

Magno and Villaluna, however, stayed for only a few months. They were replaced by Teodoro “Teddyboy” Locsin Jr., now the Foreign Affairs secretary, and Jesus Crispin “Boying” Remulla, now Cavite governor.

This first batch of Karambola hosts—Alvin Capino, Jonathan de la Cruz, Teddyboy Locsin and Sonny Escudero—worked together until Escudero died in 2012, for a total of seven years. Escudero’s wife Evie replaced him on an intermittent basis. Vice President Leni Robredo also joined the program for a few sessions.

Capino and de la Cruz were later joined by journalist Dodo Dulay, Cavite Gov. Boying Remulla and columnist Ed Javier.

This second batch stayed together as hosts until Capino died in 2014. Shortly after this, Teddyboy Locsin, Boying Remulla, Dodo Dulay and Ed Javier bid goodbye to the show, leaving Jonathan as host. At this time, Evie Escudero was requested to stay and spend more time in Karambola together with veteran journalist Joel Paredes. Joining de la Cruz in 2015 to comprise the third batch of Karambola hosts were columnists Jojo Robles, Conrad Banal, Alex Magno and Tonton Contreras. Magno and Contreras, however, left not long after.

In 2018, blogger RJ Nieto or “Thinking Pinoy” and lawyer Trixie Angeles came on board as Karambola cohosts. With Robles’s death on May 23, de la Cruz, Banal, Nieto and Angeles remain as the third batch of Karambola hosts.

These movements mark the past 15 years since Karambola kicked off in 2005. The dwIZ

KARAMBOLISTAS (from left) Rep. Jonathan de la Cruz, Atty. Trixie Angeles, RJ “Thinking Pinoy” Nieto and Conrad Banal

management led by D. Edgard A. Cabangon is confident that the coming days will be “more exciting, informative and fun-filled for listeners and viewers on Facebook Live and live streaming.” De la Cruz sums up the outlook for the program: “Karambola has served as host to all kinds of personalities: from politicians to business people to foreign dignitaries and even

ordinary citizens. It has also been at the center of controversy for its exposés and prescient commentaries.”

With its insightful unrestricted observations and analyses delivered in the Karambola hosts’ provocative and stimulating style, the program promises to draw in more and more listeners and viewers.

Envoys&Expats

www.businessmirror.com.ph | Thursday, July 11, 2019 E1

PHL-Canada connections too good to go to waste

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By Recto L. Mercene

@rectomercene

OR a fleeting moment, Canada and the Philippines had the diplomatic equivalent of a minor “heart seizure” over the row on the waste materials that emanated from the North American country and somehow found their way into our shores.

As a result, Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro L. Locsin Jr. recalled the Philippines’s ambassador and consul to Canada over the delayed “repatriation” of the domestic refuse in Subic Bay. The problem was soon “disposed of,” as our representatives and staff went back promptly to resume their posts.

In one of his first interviews after the “trans-Pacific mess” was resolved, Ambassador John Holmes

declared the re-shipment as “a success” during the BusinessMirror’s Coffee Club on June 27—and not a disaster—as critics would have it.

The Anna Maersk ship loaded with containers of Canadian garbage and e-waste finally docked at a ferry terminal in British Columbia, Canada’s westernmost province, on June 29.

Holmes said the issue was settled because of the cooperation of Filipinos and Canadians.

The envoy outlined the many technical and bureaucratic barriers that had to be hurdled, as he emphasized about the round-theclock work that was involved. He gave special mention to Locsin for settling the matter, then praised Environment Secretary Roy A. Cimatu and his senior officials for their tremendous support.

About the foreign affairs chief, Holmes had this to say: “He’s very colorful [and] very entertaining, but Secretary Locsin was extremely effective in helping ensure that everything went smoothly.”

The Canadian official went on to explain that part of the delay was the process of fumigating the containers. Subic Bay authorities notified the Canadian Embassy of the joint Filipino-American military training taking place that very same moment.

That required the temporary closure of the area all weekend long.

“I phoned the Secretary [Locsin, who was in Japan at that time]. So he said, ‘I’m on it.’ Because of him, our fumigation team was back on the job

that Saturday afternoon. A Canadian minister phoned him a couple of times to thank him for his help.”

Elucidating on how they managed to speed up the process of getting the waste away, he credited the close collaboration between Manila and Ottawa.

Rhetorically, he stated: “If our two countries can continue to work collaboratively as we did in resolving this matter, imagine what we can do to enhance our trade, our investments, our people-to-people contexts?”

Upon the shipment’s arrival in Canada, Holmes said it was scheduled to undergo inspection, then off to a facility, and then for destruction.

“It will be the end of the trash issue, forever, and for all time,” Holmes declared with finality.

Canada: Compassionate country

IN the course of our discussion, the participants realized that both countries have one very crucial thing in common: compassion to immigrants.

Canada, the good envoy said, would soon increase the volume of immigrants they would receive this year.

“The vast majority of Canadian people still support an open, migratory, regulated system,” the charismatic envoy shared.

Like the Philippines, Canada strongly endorsed the Global Compact for Migration (GCM), which Holmes believes is the responsible way to manage the worldwide movement of people.

“So we encourage others—even those who did not attend the Morocco summit—we urge them, to look at the guidelines again, and apply them in a humane fashion.”

The Morocco Conference took place in the capital of Marrakech in 2018. It launched a process of intergovernmental negotiations and led to the adoption of the GCM. “There are pluses and minuses. We don’t see it as a zero-sum game; either you lose or you win,” he said by way of looking at the immigration issue currently rag-

ing in developed countries.

“We see it as both economies, or all economies, benefiting,” said the Canadian diplomat (who confessed that he’s also mistaken as a dead ringer for the Beatles’s Paul McCartney).

That Canada is a beacon of hope for those escaping political persecution, war, famine, ethnic cleansing, poverty, and many of the ills that continue to haunt society, are the same ideals the Philippines shares with.

(In the pre-World War II era, former President Manuel L. Quezon opened the Philippines to thousands of Jews escaping Hitler’s pogroms, as major Western powers did the opposite. The country reprised the act to Vietnam’s “boat people,” who were evading the horrors of a two-decade war with America.)

Addressing global migration

AT almost 8,900 kilometers, Canada and the United States have the longest shared border between two countries.

Continued on E2

Envoys& BusinessMirror

E2 Thursday, July 11, 2019

‘Bilateral relations back to normal, would only get better’­–envoy T HE bilateral ties between the Philippines and Canada are now back to normal and are seen to improve further, following the resolution of the two nations’ issue on waste.

Thus declared Ambassador John Holmes during the recent commemoration of the 152nd Canada Day in the country.

“The final resolution of this problem—never mind how long it took—came about through tremendous cooperation between the government of the Philippines, the embassy, and the officials in Canada,”

he said in a speech at a reception hosted by the Canadian Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines.

Holmes said the Canadian government is “delighted” with Malacañang’s statement, which affirms that Ottawa and Manila’s relations are once again “cordial” and back to its normal state.

“Our relations are good, and are

only going to get better,” he added.

The Philippines and Canada are seeking to boost ties in the areas of agriculture, transportation, and information and communications technology.

‘Legal export’

ASKED if his country would pursue parties accountable for the garbage issue, the diplomat said it is a subject for the Philippines’s courts.

“I think that was one of the challenges that we had. There were court cases and court orders that we had to figure out how to work through and respect. One of them is the legal responsibility. That’s not a Canadian issue, [though],” Holmes explained. “[The] Canadian company, at that time, exported legally. So there are

no legal issues in Canada,” he added.

From 2013 to 2014, Canadian company Chronic Inc. exported containers labeled as recyclable plastics to two importers in the Philippines.

The shipment contained a mixture of plastics, metals and paper, as well as household waste.

While the export of such material was allowed then under Canadian regulations, the import of mixed plastics and household waste is prohibited under Philippines regulations.

Complying with regulations

IN 2016, courts in the Philippines ordered the importers to ship the containers back to Canada at their expense. They did not comply with the court order, though.

To prevent future exports of

such material, Canada amended its Export and Import of Hazardous Waste and Hazardous Recyclable Material Regulations that year.

According to Env ironment and Climate Change-Canada, the amendments now apply to waste that is controlled or prohibited in the country of import. Consequently, the shipment sent to the Philippines in 2013 and 2014 would be prohibited today.

“When we got different deadlines, the second one was more realistic because it was linked to the departure of one of the regular ships going through. We had a number of ‘little issues’ that emerged. I was in constant contact with Secretary Locsin, texting, phoning. He was in Japan, I was actually in Canada, but we were in regular contact,” he shared.

Relationship restored

AS far as the Palace is concerned, the relationship between the Philippines and Canada was restored.

After the tons of garbage were shipped back to Canada, Malacañang said it expects ties between the two countries to turn from being “trashy” to “cordial.” Presidential Spokesman Salvador S. Panelo made this remark following reports that the ship carrying 69 containers of garbage had finally reached Vancouver’s Deltaport on Saturday, June 29.

The waste, falsely labeled as recyclable plastics, is expected to be disposed at an incineration facility in Vancouver.

Canadian authorities said they are looking for ways to hold responsible parties accountable. Joyce Ann L. Rocamora, Azer Parrocha/PNA

PHL-Canada connections too good to go to waste Continued from E1

The amiable ambassador clarified how his country has managed to address today’s pressing conundrum: screening the “fit from the unfit,” without staining its long-held values of compassion, empathy and humaneness.

“At no time in our global history has there been so many people on the move: refugees, economic migrants escaping problems in their homes, countries or region,” Canada’s former envoy to Turkey, Indonesia and Jordan stated.

Holmes noted though, that the North American country has always been guided by the GCM— deemed the most important document to address this pressing issue today.

He admitted that like the Philippines, Canada strongly endorsed the GCM. “We believe [the compact] is the responsible way to manage these processes and movements of people.”

Compassion must have been imprinted in the DNA of Canadians because, as Holmes confessed, they do not mind seeing so many refugees streaming through his hometown.

“My brother’s house is actually on the border. [And] for technical reasons, we had quite a few people moving across into Canada.”

He said their only concern is not the volume coming through, but actually, it is about those who are coming.

“Our Prime Minister [Justin Trudeau] has announced we could take 300,000 every year,” Holmes boasted, then added this infusion of would-be laborers are crucial to Canada’s economy. He intimated they would soon increase the volume of incoming immigrants to a million.

“They are vital to us not only [as] workers, but also as experts in certain areas, like in [information technology and] finance.”

The ambassador acknowledged that those who have a lready gained access to Canada are also welcome to bring their families with them. As a word of caution, though, he warned: “The adverse reactions are aimed against the unregulated.”

Holmes was referring to the large-scale movement of unfettered migrants who pose some degree of concern. His govern-

AMBASSADOR of Canada John Holmes answers questions from members of the ALC Media Group during the BusinessMirror Coffee Club on June 27. NONOY LACZA

ment has recently announced some changes at the border, “to try to deal with this movement.”

“Many of the [said] people are not coming from Mexico and zooming into Canada, [but rather those who are] affected by changes in US immigration policies,” he revealed. “They fear that they will be sent back to their countries of origin. But we’re managing it.”

On China, Huawei

OUR discussion suddenly shifted toward the subject of Chinese relations. The BusinessMirror asked to Holmes about the circumstances behind the arrest of a global telecommunications executive in his homeland, as well as the consequences of such moves.

On December 1, 2018, Meng Wanzhou, a.k.a. Sabrina Meng and Cathy Meng, was apprehended at the Vancouver International Airport, at the behest of the US. Meng happens to be the deputy chairman of the board and chief financial officer of Huawei,

China’s largest private company, founded by the patriarch Ren Zhengfei.

She was jailed in Canada for allegedly defrauding multiple financial institutions, in breach of USimposed bans, specifically those dealing with Iran. In January, the US Department of Justice charged Meng with financial fraud.

Calmly, Holmes detailed the legal way his countrymen faced the issue.

“Canada is a country that believes in the rule of law. We have bilateral extradition treaties with many countries, including the US, and what happened in Vancouver was a direct result of the bilateral extradition treaty that we have.”

He enumerated those factors, and explained that China’s violations of the ban “has obviously led to the detention of the senior official from Huawei.”

However, Holmes revealed that a legal process is ongoing. “We have due process in Canada. Any person who is detained, whether

pursuant to an extradition request or another process, has all rights of appeal, so that the individual or any other can appeal for rights, and make a case of why he or she could not be extradited. I’m not going to comment on specifics.”

On the other hand, he admitted that the incident resulted in strained ties between Ottawa and Beijing.

“Unfortunately, it had an impact on the relationship. We can’t deny that. [But] we still have diplomatic relations.”

According to Holmes, who once held a number of positions in Canada’s Legal Bureau with a focus on human rights and humanitarian law, commented, “[Our] Chinese ambassador is still very present in Canada.”

Holmes went on: “We’re trying to work through these issues.

We’re willing to try to sit down and resolve [them]. We’re willing to dialogue. We think that [our] governments shouldn’t interfere

before the courts, until these things get sorted out.”

Further, he expounded, “We’re open to [talk with] our partners in China. We had very good relations up until that point.’’

Hot Arctic issue

IN the same vein, Holmes was queried about the possibility of another “flashpoint” being ignited in the Arctic region—similar to the raging South China Sea (SCS)/ West Philippine Sea conflict—because of the reported attempt by China to purchase an island near Denmark and establish a port in the area.

(Denmark turned down an offer last year from a Chinese mining company to buy an abandoned US naval base in Greenland, due to security concerns. Not wanting to offend the US as an ally, it also refused China’s bid to build a port on the island.)

He was quizzed too about China’s desire to create a “polar belt” scheme near the North Pole, similar to the

“Belt and Road Initiative” in Asia.

China also wants to navigate the Northwest Passage to find a shorter route for its ships en route the Eastern Seaboard of the US, in case the Malacca Strait closes during a conflict.

These new trade routes can be used by China to either import natural resources or to export its products to final markets. If eventually opened for commercial travel, the Northwest Passage could offer China and the rest of the world a 7,000-kilometer shortcut between Northeast Asia and the Atlantic seaboard of the US, instead of sailing through the Panama Canal.

Holmes thought for a moment before relaying his considered reply. He admitted not being abreast of the proposed “polar belt,” but made clear where Canada stands: “All I can say [about] our position is, that the entire [area, up until] near the North Pole, is Canadian sovereign territory.”

“We believe that the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea recognizes the right of archipelagic states. Our very firm position is, [those are] all part of Canada,” he insisted.

He reminded everyone in attendance that not all countries agree to those terms, “but there are some who argue that the Northwest Passage is an international waterway and therefore, they have the right to traverse it.”

The Canadian diplomat said the ability to sail through the passage could prove challenging, as it remains frozen for the rest of the year, except for brief bouts during summer.

“But that may be changing, unfortunately, due to climate change.”

The envoy opined: “We’re seeing very rapid changes in the climate throughout the world, especially in the north that it could be, in a very short period of time, the Northwest Passage [would eventually be accessible].”

He expressed the view that Canada is “supportive of the UN arbitration award,” referring to the Permanent Court of Arbitration’s historic decision to invalidate China’s historic sweeping claims to the 1.3-million-sq-km SCS. In pursuit of those objectives, he said Canada continues to work hand-in-hand with the Asean in the area of security.

&Expats

envoys.expats.bm@gmail.com | Thursday, July 11, 2019 E3

EMBASSIES, EVENTS, ETC.

Visiting Davao City, Mindanao for the first time

“The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only one page…”

LA VOZ DE MÉXICO

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Amb. Gerardo Lozano

ORE than 1,500 years after Saint Augustine of Hippo uttered those immortal words, the quote maintains its validity, undoubtedly applicable to the Philippines’s case.

Being in an archipelago and only knowing the island of Luzon is like reading only the introduction of a book on this diverse and multicultural nation. I had the opportunity to ratify this thought during my recent working trips to Davao City, the first time I traveled to Mindanao since my arrival to the Philippines two years ago. The invitation was from Dr. Malou Monteverde, Mexico’s honorary consul in Davao.

First, I need to say that I was not surprised when people received me warmly, as only the kind of hospitality Filipinos know. Indeed, this is a trademark of this country and a shared value we Mexicans and Filipinos have. The kindness was a mark of my journey in every single step: in visits to local authorities, universities, business people, as well as some friends in the local eateries and plazas.

For this reason, through the pages of the BusinessMirror, I want to express my gratitude to the Davaoeños! Daghang salamat!

I would grade this visit as “fruitful,” as it provided me the opportunity to forge people-to-people ties together with the institutional commitment of strengthening the dialogue and cooperation between Mexico and Davao. Indeed, this was the main topic of my meeting with Vice Mayor Bernard E. Al-ag and General Administrator Atty. Zuleika T. Lopez. There is a mutual understanding that we need in order to deepen and boost our bilateral ties.

In line with the above, talks were held to begin a collaborative project in which Mexico would provide technical assistance to address a type of illness affecting some of the coconut crops in the region.

The main objectives and guide-

AMBASSADOR Gerardo Lozano (from left), Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte and Mexico’s Honorary Consul in Davao City Dr. Malou Monteverde

LOZANO (from left), European ambassadors and Mayor Duterte

LOZANO (third from left) with executives of the Davao City Chamber of Commerce and Industry

lines to make possible all the initiatives discussed were outlined during a working encounter with our consul’s staff members, with the purpose of undertaking mutually beneficial projects to positively

promote Mexico’s image among Davaoeños and the people in Mindanao. I am confident that good achievements will be reached, as I had seen the potential of the Mexican consulate in this city.

Austria champions diversity, inclusivity

Subsequently, I held a meeting with the president of the Davao City Chamber of Commerce and Industry Arturo M. Milan, with whom I gave an overview of the Mexican economy and the several business

opportunities that exist. From his end, Milan expressed his interest in receiving a Mexican business delegation in Davao to explore trade and investments.

Further, I had the honor to attend the city’s investment forum, DAVAO ICON 2019, where I exchanged points of view with Mayor Sara Duterte, government officials and other business leaders from the Philippines.

One of the more interesting and enriching experiences of my visit was an encounter with the Philippine Women’s College of Davao. A group of talented designers, alumni and faculty members presented an exhibition on Mindanao’s textiles and designs.

Even to the least-trained eye, it is not hard to identify the differences between traditional Mexican designs and prints in clothes, and the ones that the culturally rich southern part of the Philippines has. In this context, talks were held to organize an exhibition of Mexican textiles to highlight the similarities and our shared legacies.

Last, the Mexican Consulate hosted a reception, as I had the opportunity to meet with the diplomatic corps in Davao, friends of Mexico, and most important, a gentle Mexican nun, Madre Maya, who has been working in the city for the past decades in all kinds of projects for social outreach and community development, showing once again the positive impact of the Mexican community in the Philippines.

Thus, I left Davao with the promise of a new phase of friendship and a more active presence of Mexico in the prosperous and dynamic city in Southern Philippines.

Sweden leads campaign versus gender-based violence

AMBASSADOR Harald Fries (from left), Vice President Ma. Leonor G. Robredo, with Bb. Pilipinas Supranational 2019 and #RespetoNaman ambassador Resham Saeed. EMBASSYOFSWEDENINMANILA(FACEBOOKPOST)

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AMBASSADOR of Austria Bita Rasoulian and Austrian drag queen Tamara Mascara

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HE Austrian Embassy in Manila, in partnership with the Intramuros Administration, recently unveiled a public mural in Intramuros, Manila, on June 28 during the “Smile at a Common V.2: For All LGBTQIA+” (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer or questioning, intersex and asexual) event.

Situated across Museo de Intramuros, the artwork was unveiled by Ambassador of Austria Bita Rasoulian and Austrian drag queen Tamara Mascara during the MNLxVIE Equality Fest 2019.

According to the embassy, Smile at a Common is a project that “attempts to influence perception of ourselves. A public wall mural, it inspires attitudinal change by forcing us to confront our sense of identity

RASOULIAN (third from left, second row) and members of De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde’s BHIVE

and togetherness.”

The mural, For All LGBTQIA+, is the second version of another artwork, For All Women. It features mirrored portraits of celebrated as well as up-and-coming artists who are also members of the LGBTQIA+ community.

Finding a home in Intramuros, the painting is a tangible artistic expression of the inseparability of identity, freedom, culture and sense of community.

This project, with the Austrian Embassy at the helm, is the complete creative fusion of Austrian artist Katharina Kapsamer’s urban adventure project, Smile At A Fire Hydrant, as well as Salzburg Global Seminar for Young Cultural Innovators Alumnus and Filipino artist Ralph Eya’s

new genre-public art initiative, “We Are Common.”

The MNLxVIE Equality Fest 2019 is a campaign against gender-based discrimination and violence by the Austrian Embassy in Manila, Frontrow and Love Is All We Need. The five-day festival championed human rights and the dignity of the LGBTQIA+ through creative activism.

Activists protecting the community CELEBRATING “Pride Month,” the Austrian Embassy in Manila also held a forum: “LGBTQIA+ Greatness in Leadership: An Equality Talk,” a panel discussion against genderbased violence and discrimination at the cinema of the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde (DLS-CSB)’s School of Design and Arts Campus.

Austrian artist and intersex rights activist Noah Rieser, 2018 Philippine Bar Exam top-notcher Sean James Borja, as well as Intersex Philippines members Jeff Cagandahan and Ruffi Yulo pointed out the importance of legislation to protect the LGBTQIA+ community from gender prejudice.

The panelists also agreed that the continuous campaign to gender equality will stop harassment, attacks and abuse, thus leading to fair treatment toward the members of the LGBTQIA+ community.

The symposium was also part of the first MNLxVIE Equality Fest 2019. It was held in cooperation with Benilde Hive also known as BHIVE, the first accredited LGBTQIA+-oriented student organization of the DLS-CSB.

ITH the aim to eliminate gender-based violence in the Philippines, the #RespetoNaman campaign has been making headway around the country since its launch in November 2018.

Inspired by the global #MeToo and #TimesUp movements, #RespetoNaman focuses on bringing the issue of rape and sexual harassment into the mainstream in the Philippines, while empowering women to rise up and speak up.

After its successful run in Metro Manila, the campaign is gearing up for its nationwide caravan, with stops in the cities of Cebu, Bacolod, Iloilo and Naga.

Ambassador Harald Fries announced in a media gathering that Bb. Pilipinas Supranational 2019 Resham Saeed will be the newest #RespetoNaman celebrity ambassador to help spread awareness and encourage discourse outside Metro Manila.

The campaign hopes to enlighten Filipinos of the issues’ presence in society, thus the call to act and change the norm. #RespetoNaman bats for better awareness, change in policy, better practices and rehabilitation for victims to “eliminate gender-based violence.” #RespetoNaman is a project of the Office of the Vice President Ma. Leonor G. Robredo, the Embassy of Sweden in Manila, UN Women, SPARK!, Empower, Terre des Homes, Girls Advocacy Alliance and Para sa Sining. In her message, Robredo expressed: “Women empowerment in the 21st century is no longer just about representation and activism. Each

one of us is called to go beyond lip service and be more proactive in championing the cause of making our spaces not only safe for women, but conducive to their success.”

For his part, Fries, who has been supporting the campaign since it started in 2018, reiterated the staunch support of Sweden for the campaign and noted the “the message of #RespetoNaman needs to reverberate not just in Metro Manila, but also in the farthest towns in the Philippines as it tackles important but overlooked questions, such as: Are there sufficient laws protecting the welfare of women and girls? Are there laws effectively enforced to protect females from exploitation, violence, harassment and rape? Are social norms enabling a culture of abuse of women?”

SPARK! Executive Director Maria Teves said, “We want women to know that they are not alone. Together, we will fight for our rights and for respect. Now, more than ever, is the time to shift the narrative, end victimblaming, and call for respect for women not because of what they wear or how they act, but by virtue of their being human.”

The campaign’s latest stop was in Cagayan de Oro City in June. It will take on its first Visayan leg starting July 18 in Cebu City.

Meanwhile, the “Don’t Tell Me How to Dress” exhibit will be at the Ayala Center Cebu. Then, the #RespetoNaman Forum is slated at the University of San Carlos, also in the “Queen City of the South.”

Envoys&Expats BusinessMirror

E4 Thursday, July 11, 2019

www.businessmirror.com.ph

PHL PRESENCE IN CANADA

Filipino-Canadian communities, consulate general celebrate Heritage Month

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ANCOUVER—The FilipinoCanadian communities in Canada are celebrating important milestones this year: the 70th anniversary of the establishment of the diplomatic relations between the Philippines and Canada, as well as the first Canada-wide celebration of the Filipino Heritage Month in June, which coincided with the annual commemoration of Philippine Independence Day.

FLAG-RAISING ceremony at the Richmond City Hall, with city officials as well as the consulate general officers and staff. VANCOUVER PCG

DEPUTY Consul General Tito Ausan addresses the Filipino-Canadian community in Abbotsford.VANCOUVER PCG

T he Ph i l ip pi ne Con su l ate General in this city also led the monthlong celebrations in Metro Vancouver of the 121st anniversary of the proclamation of Philippine independence.

The annual flag-raising ceremony, organized by the United Filipino Canadian Association of British Columbia, was held at the Filipino Plaza in Vanness, Vancouver, on June 1. Consulate general officers and staff attended the

rites, which was also graced by Member of Parliament Don Davies and representatives from the Filipino community.

Another flag-raising event was held at the Richmond City Hall on June 8. The Multicultural Helping House Society (MHHS) coordinated the whole-day event, which included the ceremony and singing of the Philippine national anthem, congratulatory remarks from various Filipino and Cana-

dian officials, and celebration of the rich Philippine cultural heritage through dances, songs and arnis exhibition.

A proclamation on the Philippine Independence Day signed by Richmond Mayor Malcolm Brody was also presented to MHHS President Tomas Avendaño.

The Abbotsford Filipino Canadian Society staged the first Philippine Independence and Filipino Heritage Month celebrations within the Fraser

Valley region at the Rotary Stadium in Abbotsford, British Columbia, early in June.

Deputy Consul General Leo Tito Ausan represented the Consulate General and delivered remarks on behalf of the latter. ­­Also in attendance were representatives from the Legislative Assembly and other local government officials. Adding color to the daylong celebration were various performances, including traditional dances and songs. DFA

Consul General fetes Filipino community champs

CONSUL General Gilberto Asuque speaks at The Filipino Champions of Canada (TFCC) Awards and Heritage Gala 2019. CALGARY PCG

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ALGARY—Consul General of the Philippines to Calgary Gilberto Asuque challenged 12 Filipino champion-awardees to reach out to Filipinos in Canada and be role models for change and improvement in their careers and family lives.

Asuque spoke at The Filipino Champions of Canada (TFCC) Awards and Heritage Gala 2019 on June 14, where 12 Filipinos and Filipino-Canadians were recognized for their outstanding achievements in their careers and business endeavors, as well as for their civic and philanthropic work for the community.

“There are over 950,000 Filipinos in Canada, and the TFCC awardees could set the benchmark for our kababayan to succeed in their work, careers and family life,” the consul general pointed out in his remarks.

During the presentation of the awards, each of the recipients spoke of their challenges, experiences, hard work and perseverance to achieve their goals as migrants in Canada.

Comprising the 12 TFCC 2019 awardees are the following: Marites Aielio (certified recruiter, coach and awardwinning community leader from Win-

ASUQUE (second from left) with the 12 TFCC awardees CALGARY PCG

nipeg, Manitoba); Jose Angeles Jr. (publisher, award-winning financial advisor and community leader from Edmonton, Alberta); Ramon Cairo (engineer and president of the Philippine-Canadian Centre of Manitoba; also from Winnipeg); Mark Calvelo (Complete Real Estate Group president and CEO, Calvelo Holdings and Investment Corp. director, and award-winning realtor and philanthropist); and Narima de la Cruz (among the Top 25 Canadian Immigrants Award recipients, Surrey Philippine Independence Day Society founder and awardwinning community leader from Surrey, British Columbia).

Completing the list are China Gapido (nurse and Ohana Care Health Services chief operating officer from Calgary, Alberta); Pilar “Pinky” Kowalchuk (award-winning fitness trainer, also from Calgary); Flora Kupsch (international award-winning female cowboy action shooter and Wild West Shooting Centre owner, also from Edmonton), Beverly Mendoza (McLeod Law wills and estate group lawyer, likewise from Calgary), Rosanna Penilla-Bharucha (awardwinning entrepreneur and community

leader from Toronto, Ontario); Rey Rosales (award-winning professor and MacEwan University-Department of Communication chair, also from Edmonton); and Desiree Tan (legal aid, Alberta Youth Office team lead and senior defense lawyer, also from Calgary).

Asuque also thanked the TFCC, headed by founder Jerry Caingcoy, along with its members and volunteers, for organizing the annual event. The consul general encouraged them to resonate to all the Filipinos the achievements—as well as the experiences—of the awardees, and be role models for life-changing paths in Canada.

He noted that the TFCC Awards 2019 form part of the celebration of Philippine Heritage Month, which was proclaimed by the Provincial Government of Alberta in June of each year, in recognition of the significant contributions of Filipino-Canadians in Alberta to the “social, economic, cultural and historical richness of the Province of Alberta” and who “represent a vibrant and dynamic component of our cultural mosaic.”

The House of Commons of the Federal Government also passed a motion that declared June of each year as Philippine Heritage Month all over Canada. DFA

A BusinessMirror Special Feature

PHILIPPINE PORTS AUTHORITY 45TH ANNIVERSARY

Project Manager: Rodel Surez

www.businessmirror.com.ph | Thursday, July 11, 2019 F1

‘SERBISYO AT MALASAKIT’ DEFINES PPA THE PAST 45 YEARS

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ELEBRATING its 45th anniversary today, July 11, the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) remains steadfast in giving service and care to the Filipino people.

With the theme “Apatnapu’t-limang taon na Malasakit at Serbisyo,” the PPA looks back in time, in its bid to further improve its services, to give better care to the country.

PPA general manager Jay Daniel R. Santiago explains that “Malasakit and Serbisyo” will be the mantra of the PPA in the next 365 days, with the end goal of providing care (malasakit) to the Filipino people through its port services (serbisyo).

“For the past 45 years the PPA is not only known as the port planner and port-service provider but, most special, a champion when it comes to extending care to the community,” Santiago says.

“These qualities have guided the agency for more than four decades and we have no reason to cease.

In fact, we are even doubling our efforts through building better communities surrounding our ports,” Santiago adds.

“The efforts are not confined to port services alone, but it also include empowering our economically challenged Filipinos by bridging the gap in terms of food sustenance, health care and even up to housing.”

As of the moment, after allotting close to 5 hectares and some P1 billion to Baseco residents in February this year, the PPA is crafting several guidelines on how to duplicate the initiative to other areas, even those areas without nearby ports.

The PPA is also looking at reducing the carbon footprint of all its ports by introducing the use of sustainable energy, equipment and products to complement the initiatives of the global sector.

The PPA will, likewise, continue to pursue better partnership with the private sector to guarantee that port services are given at the highest quality possible, particularly in ports with high concentration of people and cargoes.

“These are only

some of the plans of the PPA that are in store for the Filipinos, aside from our earlier accomplishments, particularly in the field of infrastructure, in support of the Build, Build, Build initiative of the current administration,” Santiago says.

Earlier this week the PPA says some 200 port projects have been completed in the first three years, under the Duterte administration. An additional 100 port projects are expected to be completed again at the end of the year.

The projects are aimed at trade facilitation and faster turnaround time of vessels, thus, resulting to lower cost and better purchasing power for the Filipinos.

Looking back

THE separation of the Philippines into many islands, particularly in the early part of the “Baby Boomer” generation, hopping from one island to another was not as easy as 1, 2, 3.

However, with the establishment of the PPA in 1974, through Presidential Decree 505 connecting the islands of Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao has steadily improved through the years:

n1977. The Philippines, through the PPA, started to come up with long-range port, development plans in order to further improve and render more effective use of ports;

n1982. A total of 114 ports nationwide have been transferred to the control of the PPA. This ports now comprise the entire PPA port system.

n1987. After taking away its corporate autonomy after the Edsa Revolution, the PPA regained its status in 1987 to guarantee that all port projects are effectively implemented; and that only port projects of viable markets are being carried out;

n1989. When PPA was first feted as the top performer among all GOCCs, at that time in giving dividend continued on F2

A BusinessMirr

PHILIPPINE PORT F2 Thursday, July 11, 2019 | www.businessmirror.com.ph

‘SERBISYO AT MALASAKIT’ DEFINES PPA THE PAST 45 YEARS continued from F1

to the national coffers, The PPA remains in the top 10 of the “Billionaires Club” of all GOCCs up to this time. In the last two years the PPA is averaging remitted dividend of at least P3 billion. These amounts are vital in carrying out the socio-economic and health-care program of the government;

n1996. Owing to the expertise of the PPA in planning and construction of ports, the government has transferred the control of ports included in the Pan Philippine Highway, or the first ever Ro-Ro node of the country, which was established during the Marcos administration;

n2001. The PPA, in partnership with the Visayan Forum Foundation, started to construct, establish and operate halfway houses in strategic ports as a first defense against human trafficking at ports. The operation of these houses have put the PPA on the world map after it was feted abroad by the World Bay Against Child Labor;

n2007. The PPA has transferred to its new corporate office along Bonifacio Drive in Manila. This has been the seat of power for the PPA for the past 12 years;

n2011. ThePPA has partnered with the Intellectual Property Rights Office to curb counterfeit and pirated goods passing through Philippine ports; and

n2013. With the devastation brought about by a magnitude 7.1 earthquake in Bohol, as well as the devastation of Supertyphoon Yolanda to the Samar and Leyte area, The PPA since has prioritized port projects in the area bringing back the ports to its pre-earthquake and Yolanda conditions or even better. While the major ports in the area have been utilized as early as the next day after the so-called disasters, repairs have been ongoing until now.

PPA in the past 3 years

IN each of the past three years, PPA’ dividend remitted to the government has been drastically increasing, posting the highest dividend remitted in 2018 with a whooping P3.5 billion, compared to the figure posted in 2017 at P3.1 billion and 2016 at 1.8 billion.

The PPA is, likewise, enjoying the highest growth percentage in terms of cargo volume passing through Philippine ports with 5.16 percent in the last three years, compared to the two immediate previous administrations with a growth rate percentage of 4.4 percent in 2010 to 2012 and a minus 6.6 percent for the 2004 to 2006 period.

The state-owned agency has, likewise, remained to sturdy foundation when comes to financial condition as it continues to rake in billions of pesos as port revenues, growing at least P1.5 billion annually for the period in review.

Shipcalls have also remained strong despite some operators deploying bigger capacity vessels. In 2018 shipcalls have reached to 468,439 compared to the P449,008 and 433,580 for

2017 and 2016, respectively.

Aside from the staggering dividend remitted to the government, the second-biggest achievement recorded by the PPA in the last three years was the increase in cruisetourism industry. Total tourist totaled to 50,000 as of end-2018, an increase of more than a thousandfold compared to the last five years. PPA has, likewise, netted regular cruise-tourism calls that include stops in Manila, Boracay, Bohol and Currimao in Ilocos.

“The steady increase in our finances, cargo volume, shipcalls and passage, is a testament that the PPA is able to meet the requirements and demands of the local-and foreign-shipping industry,” Santiago says.

In terms of infrastructure, among the notable locally funded projects that have been completed and are expected to bring better service and car for the Filipino people include:

nPort of Balanacan in Marinduque nPort Calapan in Mindoro nPort of Makar in Gen. Santos nPort of Cagayan de Oro

“These ports are only some of the projects that have been completed. A sound infrastructure is one of the many ways to render service and care to the public. PPA is bent in further improving these infrastructure in the next couple of years,” Santiago adds.

Capacity building

THE PPA is also continuously building the competitiveness of PPA employees by giving equal opportunities to each employee for local and foreign scholarships.

Among the courses offered include the United Nations Conference on Trade and Developoment’s Train for Trade program; the Modern Port Management; and the Public Management Development Program.

The agency is also pursuing

international standards relative to the vision of the PPA. So far, the PPA is compliant with ISO 9001:2015 on Quality; ISO 14001:2015 on Environment; and OHSAS 18001:2007 on Occupational Safety and Health.

In terms of security, the PPA is partnering with notable safety and security agencies in order to beefup security initiatives with Philippine ports.

Corporate social responsibility

PPA is, likewise, not letting down on its corporate social responsibilities (CSR). Aside from joining the usual cleanup drives along the Manila Bay in NCR, and several coast towns and provinces nationwide, the PPA is, likewise, taking its CSR to a bigger scale.

Among the projects being continued are the building of social-reform ports, or missionary ports, in order to connect the very far-f lung areas of the country to the seat of economic activity; and the rehabilitation of ferry terminals along the Pasig River, being dubbed as PPA’s legacy projects, in order to lure more passengers to use the Pasig River Ferry System.

On a more personal approach, the PPA, during this year’s Father’s Day celebration, a Malasakit Kit was distributed to all fathers at the port, passing through the ports or being at the port by accident as a tribute.

Lastly, the donation of some 5 hectare’s of lot is to be distributed to informal settlers along the Manila Bay; and some P1 billion as seed money for the construction of a residential building for the informal settlers.

“The PPA, along with the Department of Transportation, guarantees efficient and effective service—first to all port users and passengers and to community adjacent to all ports...., Santiago ends.

ror Special Feature

TS AUTHORITY 45TH ANNIVERSARY

www.businessmirror.com.ph | Thursday, July 11, 2019 F3

3 reasons you should choose Chelsea’s shipping and logistics services

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HE incessant growth of commerce within and outside the country continually pushes the expansion and evolution of efficient shipping and logistics in the Philippines.

At some point, your business will need to transport people and goods from one destination to another. Hence, selecting the right shipping and logistics provider is crucial as the reputation of your company may depend on the provider’s reliability to deliver.

Chelsea Logistics and Infrastructure Holdings Corp. (Chelsea), the shipping and logistics arm of the Udenna Group, steps up to demands for a reliable, punctual, efficient and safe logistics solution.

Chelsea is a one-stop shop for your shipping and logistics needs in both local and international setting.

Through its subsidiaries, Chelsea offers the following services: nMaritime-transport services

(tanker operations, cargo and passenger); nmaritime-auxiliary services (cargo handling, container yards and depot); nport services (tugs and tow services, fueling and watering); nwarehousing/trucking; nland/sea/air freight services; ncourier services; nship management; and ncrew manning With various providers professing to offer similar services, why should you choose Chelsea?

Safety

IN Chelsea safety is the highest priority. The group complies with the everchanging and stringent maritime

transport and logistics landscape.

In relation to the Occupational Safety and Health Standards Act, or Republic Act (RA) 11058, Chelsea has nominated safety officers who are required to undergo the 40-hour Basic Occupational Safety and Training (BOSH) Program, which is conducted annually and in partnership with the Department of Labor and Employment Occupational Safety and Health Center.

Chelsea ensures that all operational personnel are competent and skilled in safe procedures, and are aware of potential hazards and how to avoid them.

On the other hand, The Philippine Maritime Industry Authority (Marina) has issued a document of Compliance to Chelsea Shipping, Trans Asia Shipping and Starlite Ferries an evidence that its safety management system and company processes (safety operation and pollution prevention) are compliant with the requirements of International safety management code.

There is collective concern for safety shared throughout the Company at every level. And this is how

Chelsea makes sure that people and cargos are safely transported to their destinations.

Stability

FROM a single vessel in 2006, Chelsea has grown its fleet to 89 vessels, including 30 Ro-Ro passenger vessels, 11 fastcrafts, 15 cargo ships, 12 tankers, 15 tugboats, four barges and two floating docks.

In compliance with the applicable Marina regulations, Chelsea has strengthened its shipping modernization program by acquiring reputable shipping lines while entering into strategic partnerships with leading Japan-based shipbuilders, namely, Kegoya Dock, Fukuoka Shipbuilding and Kumiai Senpaku, for the construction of brand-new, vessels.

Chelsea has been expanding its footprint through its subsidiaries (i.e. Chelsea Shipping, Trans Asia, and Starlite Ferries) to cater to passengers and shippers from different regions of the country, further contributing to its market dominance and providing alternative reliable transportation to Filipinos.

The acquisition of the Philippines’s biggest registered vessel M/T Chelsea Providence with 29,877 gross registered tonnage brings the company at the forefront of oil-hauling sector and farther into international waters.

On the ground, Chelsea has been actively growing its logistics reach through Worklink Services, which broke ground on its 2.5-hectare property in Taguig City, for a warehouse complex development last year.

Continuously exploring and developing new routes, Chelsea has helped boost Philippine tourism with the range of destinations opened to the riding public. Chelsea also has the advantage of coloading among its subsidiaries, given the breadth of assets and operations of these companies, resulting in unparalleled efficiency and reach across the Philippines.

With Chelsea’s innovative business initiatives, strategic partnerships locally and abroad, and conformance to global standards, it stands ready to face various challenges ahead.

Sustainability

CHELSEA has taken steps to reduce the environmental footprint of its operations from services to transactions, such as reducing the volume of generated waste and increasing the percentage of recycled waste.

It consciously observes more efficient operations and employs technologies, which allow faster turnaround times and increased port capacity; better designed engines and systems; and change of fuel usage from heavy fuel oils to low-sulfur oils.

Together with local government units and non-governmental organizations, Chelsea aspires to strengthen its adaptive and preventive capacity to environmental threats and natural calamities.

Being an active end-to-end logistics provider with the people and the environment at the center of its initiatives, Chelsea continues to devote its resources to become the country’s prime mover of people, vital goods and cargoes.

Chelsea was built on the principles of safety, stability, and sustainability.

F4 Thursday, July 11, 2019

MAGSAYSAY TANKERS BAGS 7TH SHELL MASTERS’ BEST SHIP OWNER AWARD GET BEHIND A POWERFUL S.U.V. IN RESORTS WORLD MANILA’S ‘EXTREME ROVERS’

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N June 6 Magsaysay Tankers won Best Ship Owner at the Seventh Shell Masters Awards held at ShangriLa at the Fort. The ceremonies were attended by Shell’s top executives with major partners, including Magsaysay Shipping and Logistics (MSL) representatives Doris Magsaysay-Ho, president and chief executive officer of Magsaysay Group of Companies; Jesse Maxwell, president and chief operating officer of the Tankers’ division; and Abel Cagara, general manager of Tankers’ division. In addition, MSL bagged Best in Performance and Best Tanker for MT Samal Island.

Shell’s Maritime Safety and Technical Efficiency Recognition System (Masters’) Awards recognizes Shellchartered vessels exhibiting exemplary performance in delivering cargoes, operating within health, safety, security and environment (HSSE) guarantees and compliance, and

having no incidents and accidents.

Four shipping partners currently compete in the following categories: Best in HSSE—the vessel with the least incident, good ship inspection-report standing and outstanding safety record; Best in Performance— operational excellence where all guarantees are met, creates commercial impact to Shell and has the least unscheduled downtime; Best Barge—a combination of Best in HSSE and Performance criteria, plus commerciality (barge charter rate); Best Tanker—a combination of Best in HSSE and Performance criteria plus commerciality (tanker charter rate); and Best Ship Owner or Best Shipping Company.

Magsaysay Tankers has won in all other categories every year, including multiple recognitions for the Best Barge and Best Tanker. This year was special as MSL takes home the Best Ship Owner.

E don’t see a British auto icon stuck in busy Manila traffic often but, when we do, it’s definitely a sight to behold. With a handsome exterior that matches its spectacular SUV capabilities, the 2018 Land Rover Discovery is definitely big and powerful.

The Discovery Sport projects a dynamic attitude, exuding a striking visual impact without compromising the functionality and engineering excellence, for which the iconic Discovery nameplate is world-renowned.

At 4,589 millimeters (mm) long, the Discovery Sport’s compact footprint is 381mm shorter than the New Discovery and its generous wheelbase of 2,741mm creates exceptional legroom. Signature design features include the clamshell bonnet and distinctive two-bar grille with

hexagonal mesh. Smoothly contoured body surfaces, strong and dynamic lines, and robust detailing, including rugged skid plates, signal Discovery Sport’s incredible breadth of capability.

The headlamp design makes a strong visual impact with a slim, wraparound design and circular daytime-running lights (DRLs). The headlamps’ striking graphics are echoed in the tail lamps.

The front bumper houses large outboard air intakes with LED fog lamps, while a bold trapezoidal lower intake conveys a sense of strength and houses the central bumper beam and skid plate.

T he Discover y Sport delivers outstanding performance and efficiency courtesy of the four-cylinder 2.0-liter Ingenium Td4 150 diesel engine. Putting out a power of 150 ps and torque of 380 Nm, the Ingenium turbodiesel engine

SITEL APPOINTS CHIEF EXECUTIVE FOR ASIA PACIFIC

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ITEL Group recently announced the appointment of Ravi Iyengar (in photo), a seasoned IT-BPM executive and global leader, as its new chief operating office (COO) for India, the Philippines, and Australia and New Zealand.

Iyengar brings with him over 28 years of experience in IT, ITeS and customer experience across several business verticals. Before his role expansion, he was the COO of Sitel in India while additionally leading and managing the central work force, which supports Sitel’s operations globally. Under his leadership, Sitel India has taken big strides in the areas of talent management, learning and retention.

This is his second stint in the Philippines, having previously lived and worked in the country. “I am thrilled to be coming back to the Philippines for this exciting opportunity,” Iyengar shared. “I believe Sitel in Asia Pacific has tremendous potential, and I look forward to [be] working with the Philippine leadership team to implement a strong growth plan for the region focused on high performance, efficiency and sustainability.”

Prior to joining Sitel, Iyengar served in varying leadership roles with prestigious global IT-BPM companies. His vast experience in customer-center management, employee engagement and operations makes him well-positioned to lead the growth of Sitel’s Asian footprint and drive a high-performance, people-

centric culture across the region.

“We’re very excited to have Ravi leading our Asia Pacific teams in this capacity,” stated Olivier Camino, Sitel global COO. “He has showcased exceptional leadership skills and a keen understanding of the business, leading Sitel India to exceptional results across financials, people metrics and client deliverables.

I am confident that, working closely with our Philippine leaders, he will lead our Asia Pacific teams to phenomenal growth in 2019 and beyond.”

17,500 PLATES, A BOTTLE OF JOY DISHWASHING LIQUID AND THE #BESTEVERLIFE!

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ITH the launch of its new and best-ever formulation, leading dishwashing liquid Joy doubled its famous old record.

From 8,750 plates 20 years ago, 17,500 plates were cleaned with just single 495-milliliter (ml) bottle of the new Best Ever Joy, covering the entire length of the San Juanico bridge and back.

“With our effort to continuously innovate Joy to help Filipino families achieve their ‘Best Ever Life’, we introduce the new Best Ever Joy that can wash more plates with just one bottle. This means more savings for families that they can use to lead their best ever lives. The Best Ever Joy is so good that its new formulation was able to clean 17,500 plates with just one bottle, doubling our own record of 8,750 plates 20 years ago,” shares Meir Yap, dish care brand manager at Procter and Gamble.

Joy celebrated this momentous occasion through the nationwide #BestEverLife Salu-Salo on June 23 near the San Juanico Bridge. Joy celebrity endorser Michael V. was on the site to lay down 17,500 plates. Guest of honor Mayor-Elect Alfred Romualdez congratulated Joy on the launch of its new and improved product.

The event was filled with scrumptious regional cuisines and delicacies, and featured festive song and dance performances by regional prides, such as The Prodigals, Remo Tribe and the Rondayan.

Product experts established the new Best Ever

Joy’s superior dishwashing mileage with experiment videos that showed the product’s new and improved reformulation, a truly “Zero Sebo” result. The new Best Ever Joy’s mileage was even demonstrated live by how just one bottle of the Best Ever Joy can clean all of the plates utilized in the salu-salo.

The San Juanico Bridge was just the start of the celebration of the nationwide #BestEverLife Salu-Salo.

On June 24 celebrity mom Jolina Magdangal-Escueta led another celebration at Plaza Ibarra in Quezon City, filled with festive Filipino delicacies and festival performances.

Media guests watched Michael V. via his San Juanico Bridge greeting, where he showcased the incredible proof that 17,500 plates were washed by just one 495-ml bottle of the new Best Ever Joy. Fellow celebrity mom Rufa Mae Quinto and mommy blogger Momi Berlin joined Magdangal-Escueta on stage to talk about how the new Best Ever Joy has helped them lead the Best Ever Life for their families. “I tried using a different dishwashing product in the past but, even though, it was cheaper, we ended up spending more because we finished up one bottle so fast. When I use Joy—because the product is so concentrated—one drop goes a long way,” Momi Berlin shared.

In both events, Joy also extended the celebration of the Best Ever Life beyond the attendees of both events. Joy committed to support a month’s worth of meals each for the SOS Children’s Village Alabang and Tacloban, as part of helping children to live their best lives every day. They will also be donating thousands of plates washed with Joy lining the bridge to SOS and other organizations that support the feeding and nutrition of children.

The new Best Ever Joy comes in a limited offer of only P99 for the 495-ml bottle.

Joy is available in all leading supermarkets and grocery stores nationwide.

is the most fuel-efficient Land Rover diesel engine.

Advanced technologies include smart regenerative charging, which prioritizes charging the battery while the car is decelerating, greatly reducing the electrical system’s demands on the engine.

The 2018 Land Rover Discovery is truly a luxury vehicle that innovates the standards of its own line. And with a stroke of luck and a membership card, you might just have the chance to win one, as the country’s premier entertainment and lifestyle destination Resorts World Manila (RWM) is set to give away two brand new units in “Extreme Rovers”.

Draw dates for the luxury vehicles are slated on July 13 and 27 starting at 7:30 p.m., with another raffle draw for a grand prize of P1 million on July 20. All raffle draws will be held at RWM’s entertainment venue Bar 360, on the ground-floor level, gaming area, Garden Wing.

RWM members must simply earn at least 50 points from selected games in gaming floors at the Garden Wing, Grand Wing and Holiday Inn Express, to earn from one to a maximum of 50 raffle entries a day without point deductions.

Gear up for more Extreme Rovers to be given away, including three brand new Range Rover Velars and one Range Rover Sports this July and August, as RWM celebrates its 10th anniversary.

The Extreme Rovers promo is exclusive to RWM members. For more information, visit www.rwmanila.com or download the RWM Mobile App for free, via the Google PlayStore or the iPhone App Store.

MIDORI CLARK HOTEL HAS NEW OFFERINGS THIS JULY

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OSCANA Dining, Midori Clark Hotel’s main dining outlet, fills your appetite this July with new offerings that you’ll surely love.

Choose from a wide selection of authentic dumplings and dim sums, f lavorful Korean fried chicken, such as soy and chili garlic, roast or yang neum chicken.

A variety of savory barbecue is also available, such as Buffalo wings, chicken inasal, roast chicken and pork belly.

In addition to the favorites, side dishes, soup, noodles, sushi, desserts and drinks are inclusive in the semibuffet.

This semi-buffet offering is available from Monday to Thursday from 11 am to 2 pm for lunch; and from 6 to 10 p.m. for dinner. The “Super Feast” is priced at P899+/head and add P100 for an unlimited draft Beer.

Mark the fourth of July with Midori Clark Hotel’s “All American Buffet” the

entire weekend.

Satisfy your American cravings with the best hamburger, pork ribs or even the confectionery version of an American pie available at the themed buffet. A ll American Buffet also highlights the United States’ prime roast beef or whole baked salmon in a carving trolley.

Diners will also enjoy creating their own favorite American sandwich with the Subway Station. Choose from a selection of piled meat, homemade bun and dress it up with a variety of

toppings. Buffet will also feature the mobile carts of pork ribs, sausages and pork belly.

This is in addition to buffet staples of cold appetizers, salads, heat-lamp stations, live seafood cooking, dim sum station, KoreanChinese station and American sushi.

The US’s national favorite is available with the version of key lime-mer ing ue pie. A lso charmingly called “slump, grunt and buckle,” a banana cobbler is also available ramekins. Other famed American desserts that will be served are campfire smores, Banana Foster, giant chocolate chip and apple-caramel upside down.

All American Buffet comes with unlimited drinks, beer and wine at a price of P1,199+ for adults and P600+ for kids 4 feet below. Buffet opens every Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 6 to 10 p.m. For reservations, e-mail at restaurants@midorihotel.com.

HIGH TEA GETS FILIPINO TWIST AT SHERATON MANILA

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TAYING true to its promise of promoting authentic Filipino hospitality, Sheraton Manila Hotel has created a local twist to a famous English tradition. High tea is a lavish mid-afternoon meal of savories, or scones, and tea. Sheraton Manila reinvents this tradition to promote Filipino flavors for a deal.

For P550 only, the Filipino hightea set includes a choice of beverage and nine different bite-sized local delicacies. One can opt for the usual hot tea or a refreshing cocktail infused with lambanog, a Filipino distilled palm liquor from coconut. While still using the premium brand TWG Tea, the hotel specifically chose coconut and alfonso (mango) flavor variants to represent

the tropical country. Bite-sized delights showcase flavors from different parts of the country, such as beef kaldereta in malunggay pan de sal, Tinapa Ciabatta, eggplant bag uet te, toast w it h langgonisa from Lucban, Quezon, chicken inasal roll, ube leche flan, red mongo buchi, mango turon and maja cream cheese.

Apart from twist on flavors, this is available f rom 11 a .m. to 10 p.m., because a leisurely enjoyment of tea should be good any time of the day. This high-tea experience is available at

the hotel’s The Lounge.

For more information, visit www. sheratonmanila.com.

BusinessMirror

Health&Fitness July 11-17, 2019

WWW.FREEPIK.COM | DESIGNED BY KJPARGETER

THE BEST FRUITS AND VEGETABLES TO KEEP CANCER AWAY

GARGLE SOLUTION BRAND

RELAUNCHES ORAL HEALTH CAMPAIGN

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ORE throat, no matter how common an occurrence, should not be ignored and be left untreated. This was the key message at the recently concluded media conference by Pharex Health Corp. for their gargle solution Sorexidine.

Joined by select members of the press, the pharmaceutical company invited UP-PGH Consultant of Surgery in Otorhinolaryngology, Dr. Teresa Gloria-Cruz to talk about ways on how to avoid sore throat and how to take care of it when it happens.

“Sore throat is the third overall most common chief complaint presented to a family physician,” enthused Dr. Gloria-Cruz. She adds, “There is not a single day that an ENT clinic will not encounter a patient with a sore throat. Someone will always come in with a throat problem.”

It’s a throat problem

DR. Gloria-Cruz characterized sore throat as pain, scratchiness or irritation of the throat that often worsens when swallowing. She then went on to enumerate a number of causes of sore throat.

“It can be a viral infection which is the most common but is usually self-limiting, or it can be a bacterial infection that may need an antibiotic.”

Other causes of sore throat can be tonsilitis, allergies, air irritants, dry air, muscle strain, acid reflux and HIV, which according to Dr. GloriaCruz, simply represents all the other more uncommon viruses that can cause sore throat.

In cases of prolonged sore throat condition, Dr. Gloria-Cruz is quick to warn, “It can be a sign of something more serious like tumor so it’s better to have to checked by a medical professional.”

Ready solution

WHATEVER the cause of sore throat, Dr. Gloria-Cruz strongly advises hydration and rest.

“Water is your best friend. Your vocal cords function on hydration.

It’s also important that you rest because when you have an infection,

2 Health&Fitness July 11-17 2019

TOMAS LUKE MARCELO “Beau” Agana, III, Pharex Healthcorp president

your immune system is compromised.

“Warm fluids are also advised like clear soup, nothing very cold, very sweet and very spicy for two to three days.”

Dr. Gloria-Cruz also suggests warm saline gargle at the onset of a sore throat. One teaspoon of salt to 500 ml of water is recommended.

“We want the mechanical action of gargling as it will kill more bacteria and will be more preventive in the progression and the duration of the infection.”

Another safe and effective solution for sore throat is to gargle with chlorhexidine gluconate found in Sorexidine, the gold standard in antimicrobial oral hygiene. It fights off bacteria, virus and fungi, and reduces plaque-causing bacteria up to 60 percent. Gargling 15 ml for 30 seconds twice a day is the recommended usage.

Pharex Health Corp president Tomas Luke Marcelo “Beau” Agana III tells more: “Professional and occupational voice users now have an ally when it comes to fighting off a sore throat. Kapag boses ang puhunan, there is a superior product for your sore throat and that is Sorexidine.”

Rak on!

AS part of Pharex Health Corp.’s continuing efforts to educate people about the benefits of Sorexidine, the pharma company is sponsoring the 2019 restaging of Rak of Aegis.

Agana expressed the company’s pride to be part of the the well-loved Filipino musical. “We are proud to announce that Sorexidine is spon-

DR. Teresa Gloria-Cruz, UP-PGH consultant of otorhinolaryngology

soring Rak of Aegis now on it’s seventh season. We will make sure that there are Sorexidine gargle solution available para tuloy-tuloy ang rakrakan.”

Sorexidine is available in all leading drugstores nationwide and Lazada. For more information, visit www. pharexhealthcorp.com and www. facebook.com/pharexhealth.

Health&Fitness

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15 CANCER SYMPTOMS TO KNOW O

NE of the best things about how our body is designed is its capacity to protect from diseases and heal if we get sick. But in cases where our body can’t handle the dangers, it will eventually show signs and symptoms that there is something wrong. This teaches us that we have to know our body very well and we need to know if it saying something to us, especially when something unusual is happening in our system.

do an exam and may suggest a mammogram, MRI, or maybe a biopsy.

Webmd.com lists the 15 signs that can tell us that it may be a symptom of cancer.

issues as they get older, like the need to go more often, leaks, or a weak stream. Usually, these are signs of an enlarged prostate, but they could also mean prostate cancer. See your doctor for an exam and maybe a special blood test called a PSA test.

1Changes in your skin.

A new spot on your skin or one that changes size, shape, or color could be a sign of skin cancer. Another is a spot that doesn't look the same as all the others on your body. If you have any unusual marks, have your doctor check your skin. She will do an exam and may remove a small piece (called a biopsy) to take a closer look for cancer cells.

2Nagging cough.

If you don’t smoke, there’s very little

4 Health&Fitness July 11-17 2019

chance a nagging cough is a sign of cancer. Usually, it’s caused by postnasal drip, asthma, acid reflux, or an infection. But if yours doesn't go away or you cough up blood—especially if you are a smoker—see your doctor.

He or she may test mucus from your lungs or do a chest x-ray to check for lung cancer.

3

Breast changes. Most

breast changes are not cancer. It's still important, though, to tell your doctor about them and have him or her check them out. Let him/her know about any lumps, nipple changes or discharge, redness or thickening, or pain in your breasts. The doctor will

4

Bloating. You may have

5

Problems when you pee. Many men have urinary

a full, bloated feeling because of your diet or even stress. But if it doesn’t get better or you also have fatigue, weight loss, or back pain, have it checked. Constant bloating in women may be a sign of ovarian cancer. Your doctor can do a pelvic exam to look for the cause.

lymph 6 Swollen nodes.

You have these small, bean-shaped glands in your neck, armpits and other places in your body.

When they’re swollen, it often means you’re fighting an infection like a cold or strep throat. Some cancers like lymphoma and leukemia can also cause this kind of swelling. Talk to your doctor to pinpoint the cause.

when you 7 Blood use the bathroom.

If you see blood in the toilet after you go, it’s a good idea to talk to your doctor. Bloody stool is likely to come from swollen, inflamed veins called hemorrhoids, but there’s a chance it could be colon cancer. Blood in your pee could be a problem like a urinary tract infection, but it may be kidney or bladder cancer.

8 Testicle changes.

If you notice a lump or swelling in your testicles, you need to see your doctor right away. A painless lump is the most common sign of testicular cancer. Sometimes though, a man may just have a heavy feeling in his lower belly or scrotum or think his testicles feel larger. Your doctor will do a physical exam of the area and may use an ultrasound scan to see if there is a tumor or another problem.

9Trouble swallowing.

The common cold, acid reflux, or even some medicine can make it hard to swallow once in a while. If it doesn’t get better with time or with antacids, see your doctor. Trouble swallowing can also be a sign of cancer in your throat or the pipe between your

mouth and stomach, called the esophagus. Your doctor will do an exam and some tests like a barium x-ray, in which you swallow a chalky fluid to show your throat more clearly on the image.

vaginal 10 Unusual bleeding.

Bleeding that’s not part of your usual period can have many causes, like fibroids or even some types of birth control.

But tell your doctor if you’re bleeding between periods, after sex, or have bloody discharge. She’ll want to rule out cancer of the uterus, cervix, or vagina. Be sure to let her know if you are bleeding after menopause. That’s not normal and should be checked out right away.

1

2

11Mouth issues.

From bad breath to canker sores, most changes in your mouth aren’t serious. But if you have white or red patches or sores in your mouth that don’t heal after a couple of weeks—especially if you smoke— see your doctor. It may be a sign of oral cancer. Other things to look for: a lump in your cheek, trouble moving your jaw, or mouth pain.

3

4

12Weight loss

Of course you can slim down when you change the way you eat or exercise. It can also happen if you have other issues, like stress or a thyroid problem. But it’s not normal to lose 10 pounds or more without trying. There’s a chance it could be a first sign of cancer of the pancreas, stomach, esophagus, lung, or other type of cancer.

9

6

8

13Fever.

A fever isn’t usually a bad thing.

Sometimes it’s just a sign that your body is fighting an infection. It can also be a side effect of some medicines. But one that won’t go away and doesn’t have an obvious cause could be a sign of a blood cancer like leukemia or lymphoma.

or 14Heartburn indigestion.

Almost everyone has this burning feeling sometimes, often because of their diet or stress. If lifestyle changes don’t work and your indigestion doesn’t stop, your doctor may want to do some tests to look for a cause. It could be a sign of stomach cancer.

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15 Fatigue.

A lot of things can make you very tired, and most of them aren’t serious. But fatigue is one early sign of some cancers, like leukemia.

Some colon and stomach cancers can cause blood loss that you can’t see, which can make you feel very tired. If you’re wiped out all the time and rest doesn't help, talk to your doctor.

Source: www.webmd.com

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Health&Fitness July 11-17, 2019 5

RADYO KLINIKA

By Marou Pahati-Sarne

COLON CANCER: STAGING, TREATMENT AND PREVENTION

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HE colon is also known as the large intestine, which could measure up to 6 feet in length. It is very important in the digestive system as it keeps the remaining liquefied food and absorbs the necessary vitamins and nutrients.

The large intestine has bifidobacteria or good bacteria which helps in the absorption of vitamin B12, vitamin K, biotin, thiamine and riboflavin, according to Dr. Edwin Bien, a Family Medicine doctor and a naturopath, in an interview on Radyo Klinika at DWIZ 882 KHZ AM. The colon has four segments: the caecum wherein the appendix is attached; ascending, transverse and descending colon; sigmoid; rectum or anus.

Bacteroids, according to Bien, form when a patient has colitis and colon cancer.

Most of the tumors, which form in the colon, are noncancerous or benign. These are also called as adenomatous polyps. But with unhealthy diet (low fiber, high in fat, lots of calories, excessive eating of red meat and processed food), lack of mobility or exercise, obesity, smoking and genetic predisposition, these tumors could become cancerous.

At first, you wouldn’t know that you have colon cancer unless you undergo medical screening. You won’t feel that a tumor is growing in your colon, said Bien, unless it gets bigger. Some of the symptoms are the following: diarrhea or constipation, blood in stool, painful abdomen, pain while defecating, rapid loss of weight and anemia.

6 Health&Fitness July 11-17 2019

Bien advised a colonoscopy for people with genetic predisposition or a family history of colon cancer at the age of 40 to 50. If a polyp is present, a sample must be taken from the tissue for biopsy.

Fecal occult blood tests and CEA tumor marker test, abdominal x-ray, barium enema, ultrasound or CT scan can help determine if a person has colon cancer, said Dr. Bien.

These are the stages of colon cancer: Stage 0: Cancer in situ or the cancer cells are limited at the inner lining of the colon or rectum.

Stage I: The cancer cells have transferred to the muscular layer of the colon but the lymph node hasn’t been invaded yet.

Stage IIA: The cancer cells have attached to the colon but no inflammation of the lymph nodes yet.

The tumor has grown through the outermost layers of the colon but is confined to the colon.

Stage IIB: The cancer has penetrated the wall of the colon into the abdominal cavity but does not invade the local lymph nodes.

Stage IIC: The cancer has grown through all the layers of the colon or rectum and has grown into nearby organs or tissues. But it hasn’t spread to the lymph nodes and distant organs yet.

Stage IIIA: Cancer has penetrated the wall of

the colon into the abdominal cavity, and invaded any of the local lymph nodes.

Stage IIIB: The cancer goes beyond the layers of the colon and has transferred to one to three lymph nodes.

Stage IIIC: The cancer has penetrated the colon and abdominal cavity and has transferred to four or more lymph nodes.

Stage IVA: The cancer has metastasized to the liver or lungs.

Stage IVB: The cancer has metastasized to other parts of the body.

To prevent having colon cancer, Bien advised everyone to eat less red meat and more fibrous food like vegetables and fruits. He also believes that eating more garlic, using olive oil for food and drinking plenty of water plus ginseng tea can help in maintaining a healthy colon. Daily diet should include selenium-rich foods like mushrooms, sunflower seeds and brown rice. Include also spices like ginger, turmeric and peppermint in your meals. Omega-3 oil from cold-water fish like salmon, mackerel and tuna can help in preventing colon cancer. Exercise is a must.

Dr. Bien holds clinic at LeBien Wellness Center (Cubao, Antipolo and Parañaque) and can be reached at 0999-414-5144.

Radyo Klinika is a health and wellness program which airs Tuesday to Friday, 7 to8 p.m., on DWIZ 882 KHZ AM. It is a KBP Golden Dove Awardee for Best Radio Magazine Program in 2016, and its host, Marou Pahati Sarne, was named KBP Golden Dove Awardee for Best Radio Magazine Program Host in 2016 and 2017.

VALUES TO EMBRACE

TO BE ABLE TO COPE WITH CANCER

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ANCER may be a tough disease to fight, but there are survivors to prove that it is not impossible to overcome. Dr. Gia Sison, a doctor specializing in Occupational Medicine, social-media influencer and host of CNN Philippines digital series G Talks, has been cancerfree since 2013. In an interview, she shared the values along with the type of mindset that helped her win against Stage II breast cancer.

“In going through cancer, it is important to take it slow—one day at a time. Be grateful for the small things. From diagnosis to treatment, the small milestones matter. I’ve learned to be thankful if I don’t vomit after a session of chemotherapy or if I get appetite at all that would push me to eat. It’s about being grateful of the small things that you tend to overlook,” recalled Sison.

Sison underscored the value of family that helped her go through the difficult times. “You can’t fight this alone. You need a strong support system and you usually get this from your family,” she said.

It was particularly challenging for Sison to jump roles, from being a doctor to being a patient. At first, she found it hard to face her condition. “I discovered the lump on my left breast incidentally. I knew right away that the lump was breast cancer. It had the characteristics of breast cancer—it was fixed, it had no definite shape, and it was big. I wanted to have mastectomy right away, before even having a biopsy.”

Skipping the facts of her disease was a form of expressing her denial. Fortunately, Sison’s friend, who’s also a doctor, convinced her to go through the whole process, from diagnosis to treatment, which should be taken slowly but surely.

“I had the biopsy and found out that I had Stage II breast cancer. My diagnosis made me realize firsthand the importance of early testing. The earlier the cancer stage, the easier it is to treat. Early detection really saves lives. I’m scared myself, until now, because I undergo testing every year to ensure that my disease hasn’t recurred. But it really takes courage to face your fears,” she stressed.

“There have been many times that I wanted to deny that I’m sick, or sad, or that I have to rest. It took me humility and courage to be myself, to admit that I’m sick, that I have to set aside my knowledge as a doctor and deal with cancer as a patient.”

Sison underwent six cycles of chemotherapy with the faith that her journey with the disease would soon be over and that she would

GOOD social support from family, loved ones and even with the doctors helps lessen negative emotions as proven from Dr. Gia’s experience and how she won against cancer.

DR. Gia Sison’s battle with cancer is not easy but it is one of her proudest moments—going through the psychological phases—and overcoming them with a positive attitude

live. “Faith kept me going. Faith will help a lot in making the journey better, that there is something greater than us that’s in control.”

Her experience with cancer strengthened Sison’s compassion as a doctor, especially in her dealings with patients. This also pushed her determination to advocate for patients and to form a support group for patients suffering from not just cancer, but chronic illnesses in general.

“I want to emphasize that there is hope after diagnosis. At third chemo cycle, I wanted to stop and discontinue my treatment. But before I knew it, I was already at my sixth and final cycle. Don’t let a diagnosis define you because the brain, your mindset, can be power-

ful against cancer.”

Sison is a cancer patient advocate fighting with the Hope From Within: Cancer Game Plan PH, which espouses early detection, access to treatment and improved patient navigation system in the Philippines.

“Our goal is that no patient dies because they don’t have financial support and access to treatment.

Everyone should get the chance to live and fight. We need funding, that is a given, and also increase access to clinical trials, to doctors and specialists, and to diagnosis and treatment facilities even in farflung areas in the Philippines.

“We need more volunteers to help care for cancer patients and create a more centralized hub that will assist them throughout their journey with the cancer disease,” she pointed out.

The recently launched Hope From Within: Cancer Game Plan PH is a campaign that aims to put the patients at the heart of the fight against the dreaded disease. Using powerful voices from leaders, advocates, policy-makers, survivors, support groups and patients, it boosted awareness of proper cancer care, sparking conversations and actions on how to reduce the burden of cancer-related mortalities and other challenges, and to spread information and increase access to new scientifically proven treatment options such as immunotherapy and targeted therapies.

Visit www.hopefromwithin.org to know more about where cancer patients can get support.

Health&Fitness July 11-17, 2019 7

PIA WURTZBACH CHAMPIONS SELF-LOVE

T

O be the best, we push ourselves to the limits—working long hours, spending weekends in front of the computer and saying yes to side gigs even if it means sacrificing time spent with loved ones. Neglecting our health in our quest to achieve our goals can have alarming consequences. From getting sick to experiencing burnout, there are signs we need to watch out for so we can hit the brakes just in time.

Now more than ever, we need to practice self-love so we can be the best version of ourselves while still being able to share the love we have with others. This is the reason behind Centuria Medical Makati’s newest advocacy, #WeSelfLove. “#WeSelfLove is [our way] of encouraging all of you to love yourself.

We truly believe that the best way for you to take care of others is for you to take care of yourself first,” said Dr. Chelsea Elizabeth Samson, medical director of Centuria Medical Makati.

How do we take care of ourselves better? Unplugging, taking a socialmedia break, and doing something for yourself are just some of the ways you can practice self-care.

By caring for ourselves better and practicing self-love, we commit to

8 Health&Fitness July 11-17 2019

achieving optimal health and wellbeing. To further promote the #WeSelfLove advocacy, Centuria held a self-care workshop series in June that aimed to help men, women and parents practice self-love.

Doctors and experts gave talks on overall health and wellness to help men and women be on the lookout for conditions they might encounter at a certain age. “The trend today is to be globally competitive. Everyone wants to be the best. There’s nothing wrong with that, but attached to it is a lot of stress and strain,” said Katherine de la Cruz, a registered psychologist from Prescription Psychiatry and Psychology. We need to know when to take a break, how to manage stress and how to prevent burnout.

Who can better champion

#WeSelfLove than Miss Universe 2015 Pia Wurtzbach? A role model for modern Filipinas, Pia knows how to juggle a ton of commitments on a daily basis too well. Shooting a movie, going to endorsement shoots and attending to other commitments in between can be tiring.

“It’s very timely now that we practice self-love because of the way we live our loves these days. It’s very fast-paced and we put a lot of pressure on ourselves with regard to work, our social circles, within our family, within our friends—just our whole lives. And with the involvement of social media, you tend to compare yourself to other people.

You always feel like you’re not doing enough and you just keep going and going, until you realize that you’re burnt out already,” the beauty queen shared.

Many might be wondering how she handles all the stress. A health and wellness advocate, Pia knows the importance of self-love. “You’re worrying about other people too much that you stop caring for yourself and that’s something that happens to everyone. I’m sure a lot of people can relate to that. ‘Teka, kailan ba pwedeng ako naman?’ We all go through it. We need to remind everyone to take care of ourselves,” she exclaimed.

To inspire others to love themselves and allot time for proper self-care, Pia led the recital of the WeSelfLove Manifesto, a commitment to love ourselves more so we can be the best version of ourselves while still being able to share love with others. Knowing that you are important can help you become kinder and happier with yourself.

Centuria Medical Makati is a 28-story, one-stop, outpatient medical-IT facility located in the heart of Century City. It has centers that address different medical needs— from the Asian Breast Center, the Executive Screening Center, the PET CT Center, and the Surgery Center, to the Urgent Care Clinic and Advanced Lab Solutions.

Stepping inside Centuria feels like checking in a posh hotel with its luxurious and comfortable ambiance. There are fully-furnished suites where guests can rest after a procedure. Round-the-clock assistance and services are also available to make sure patients get the best care.

To know more about Centuria Medical Makati, visit www.centuriamedical.com.ph. You can also follow Centuria on Facebook: facebook. com/centuriamedicaloffical and Instagram: Instagram.com/centuriamedical.

HEALTH MONITOR

DOH REVIEWS EFFECTIVENESS OF LIFESTYLE-RELATED PROGRAMS IN CALABARZON

T

HE Department of Health (DOH)-Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, Quezon) recently held a Program Implementation Review (PIR) to determine the success of lifestyle related disease prevention and control programs implemented at the local level.

Regional Non-Communicable Disease (NCD) Cluster Head, Dr. Marilou R. Espiritu stated that “the program review also aims to assess the program’s effectiveness and to identify factors affecting its implementation so that we can formulate strategic actions to improve the health status of the region and make it adaptable to the needs of the people in the community.”

“During the PIR, local government units with best public heath practices currently being implemented will be presented to inspire other LGUs to adopt or initiate another innovation in pro-

moting health care programs in their municipalities for the benefit of their constituents safeguarding their health against NCDs,” she emphasized.

NCDs such as cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes and chronic respiratory disease are among the causes of are the leading cause of deaths in the country.

In 2001, the DOH-Field Health Service Information System reported a total 994,707 deaths due to hypertension and rank as the second leading cause of morbidity.

“Although there are major breakthroughs in the fight against NCDs, including the establish-

ment of hypertension and diabetes clubs in health facilities including implementation of the Philippine Package of Essential NCD Interventions (PhilPEN), many Filipinos are still exposed to the risk factors brought about by NCDs,” Espiritu disclosed.

“Among these are physical in activity, unhealthy diets, alcohol and tobacco use. If this will be left uncheck, there will be millions of Filipinos who will develop NCDs in the coming years,” she added.

The Philippine Multisectoral Action Plan 2015-2025 envision an improved quality of life for all Filipinos with the goal of reducing morbidity, mortality and disability rates due to chronic lifestyle-related non-communicable diseases through an integrated, comprehensive and community-based program.

The objectives of the lifestyle related disease prevention and control program is to prioritized development plans for the preven-

tion and control of NCDs at the regional and local health level; strengthen leadership, governance and multisectoral actions; reduce modifiable risk factors for NCDs through health promotion; strengthen health systems and increase access to quality medicines, products and services at the primary health care level towards attainment of universal health coverage; promote and support research and development; monitor the trends and determinants of NC sand evaluate their progress. It is conducted once a year.

Among the essential NCD programs includes Lifestyle related diseases, tobacco control, renal disease control, violence and injury prevention, mental health, persons with disabilities, prevention and blindness and rare diseases.

A total of 120 NCD coordinators attended the four-day activity from July 16-21, 2019 at Ciudad Christia Resort in San Mateo, Rizal.

CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION CONFIRMS REASSIGNMENT OF PHILHEALTH OFFICERS

T

HE Civil Service Commission (CSC) recently released its decision upholding its earlier ruling on the motion for reconsideration of three regional vice presidents of the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth).

In three separate resolutions numbered 1900679, 1900681 and 1900491 dated June 18, 2019 (for the first two) and May 6, 2019, respectively, the CSC Commission En Banc denied the motion for reconsideration of Dennis B. Adre, Orlando D. Iñigo, Jr. and Arsenia B.

Torres for lack of merit.

Adre, Iñigo and Torres were among the senior officers directed by former PhilHealth Chiefs Dr. Roy B. Ferrer and Dr. Celestina Ma. Jude P. de la Serna to transfer assignments through Corporate Personnel Order (CPO) Nos. 2018-1278 dated July 4, 2018 and 2018-0763 dated April 23, 2018.

Their earlier appeal was first denied by the CSC in 2018, affirming that the CPOs issued by the agency are in order, with one decision clearly indicating that the

Order "was issued not in contravention of the applicable rules on reassignment".

The Commission’s recent decisions affirms that the reassignments are above board and recognizes the authority of its board of directors as delegated to the head of agency to rotate and reassign officers.

The state health insurer believes that reassignments and rotations are management tools to further sharpen the leadership and managerial competence of its officers and employees, maximize expertise of

its leadership bench, as well as to avoid familiarity with stakeholders in the area that could lead to corruption. It also maintains that reassignments are part and parcel of good governance especially that the entire organization is preparing for the full implementation of the Universal Health Care Law. PhilHealth is still awaiting CSC’s favorable decision on at least four more appeals lodged by other regional officers, many of who have been in their posts in the last 20 years.

Health&Fitness July 11-17, 2019 9

FITNESS RULES

Five random health and fitness facts

S

EPARATING fact from fiction is an integral part of embarking on a life of fitness, or achieving your fitness goals, whatever the case may be. We are bombarded with all sorts of information, not all of them helpful, some just blatantly wrong.

Here are five random health and fitness facts to set things straight.

Doing sit-ups/ crunches will not give you abs—This is something

I repeatedly emphasize for all who care to listen. Doing sit-ups, crunches or any form of abdominal exercise alone will not trim your tummy or let alone give you a six-pack. Your ab muscles exist but are covered by body fat. The key to melting this layer of fat is through a calorie deficit that can be

10 Health&Fitness July 11-17 2019

achieved through a combination of diet and exercise—but not through abdominal exercises alone.

You can get your protein from plants—

Knowing that dietary protein is key to building muscle, we are all conscious about consuming adequate amounts of protein. The more well-known sources of protein are from meat, fish, eggs and dairy.

However, for those who wish to shun animal protein for whatever purpose, plant-based protein sources

also abound. Soy, nuts, beans, quionoa are excellent sources of muscle-building protein.

A can of soda contains 10 teaspoons of sugar—

On the average, your favorite can of non-sugar-free or non-diet soda contains a staggering 38 to 40 grams of sugar. And why is excessive sugar bad for you? Because it contains empty calories that may increase the risk of obesity, diabetes and heart disease. An occasional soda here and there may not be so bad, but when it becomes a habit, coupled with lack of physical activity, problems may arise.

Exercise boosts your energy— Feel tired? Exercise!

While this may seem counterintuitive, exercising will give us more energy rather than empty our batteries. This is because

exercising trains the heart to work more efficiently, pumping more oxygen to our various organs. It also releases endorphins, or happy hormones—making us happy, and energetic.

There is no magic bullet that will make you lose weight—Weight loss is a top fitness objective for many of us. Given this, many products will offer you the perfect solution; a pill, a state-of-the-art exercise machine, a magical concoction and whatnot.

Truth is, none of these will work on their own. Losing weight, shedding fat is all about falling into a caloric deficit on a regular basis. This means eating less food than the energy that we expend. The magic lies in the hard work, discipline, consistency and grit that we have to exhibit to achieve our respective fitness goals.

WWW.FREEPIK.COM

By Greggy H. Romualdez

PIXABAY.COM

THE BEST FRUITS AND VEGETABLES TO KEEP CANCER AWAY A RECENT study suggests eating fruits and vegetables will help lower your risk of breast cancer. This post from Byrdie showcased the healthy foods that you should add to your diet chart.

“Eat your greens.” We’ve known this adage all too well, from the time we were rebellious vegetable-hating kids to our current state as more vegetable-tolerant adults (hopefully). We know that in general, veggies are rich in vitamins and nutrients that help our bodies run optimally, but we also know that some are better than others (corn being the worst due to its high sugar and starch content).

So what is the best vegetable?

According to a recent study published in the International Journal of Cancer, cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower, as well as yellow and orange veggies like carrots, yellow peppers and squash, were found to be the best for lowering the risk of breast cancer among women initially age 27 to 59 (researches

followed up with participants for 30 years to test efficacy).

Though researchers aren’t exactly sure why these vegetables come out on top, they cite high micronutrient, antioxidant and fiber content as the key reason, as well as their ability to prevent tumor genesis and growth.

“Although prior studies have suggested an association, they have been limited in power, particularly for specific fruits and vegetables and aggressive subtypes of breast cancer,” said first author Maryam Farvid, research scientist at Harvard Department of Nutrition. “This research provides the most complete picture of the importance of consuming high amounts of fruit and vegetables for breast cancer prevention.”

Researchers also found that women who ate more than

five-and-a-half servings of fruits and vegetables a day had an 11 percent lower risk of breast cancer than those who ate two and a half or fewer servings.

(One serving can be counted as one cup of raw, leafy vegetables, half a cup of raw or cooked vegetables, or half a cup of chopped or cooked fruits.) And with that, a higher consumption of fruits and vegetables was particularly associated with a lower risk of more aggressive tumors. So load up on the good stuff—it could save your life.

Kale

KALE is high in carotenoids, the pigment that gives fruits and vegetables their dark colors and helps prevent cancer. Beta-carotene, found in dark green and yellow vegetables, has been found to reduce the likelihood of cancers of the lung, breast, bladder, mouth, esophagus, and other sites.

Tomatoes

TOMATOES are rich in lycopene, a bright red carotene and carotenoid pigment, which is also known to help fend off cancer.

Watermelon

WATERMELON is also rich in lycopene.

Oranges

VITAMIN C has been found to lower risks of cancers of the esophagus and stomach. It’s also an antioxidant, which neutralizes cancer-causing chemicals that form in the body.

Peppers

PEPPERS are also high in vitamin C, the highest content being yellow peppers and the lowest being green.

Brussels sprouts

ANOTHER cruciferous vegetable is brussels sprouts, which contain flavones and indoles that have anti-cancer properties.

White grapefruit

WHITE grapefruit has 1.7 micrograms of selenium (which is more than most fruits) and has the same antioxidant effects as vitamin C and beta-carotene.

Spinach

SPINACH is high in carotenoids and selenium.

Source: www.bewellbuzz.com

Health&Fitness July 11-17, 2019 11

BULLETIN BOARD

MARCO POLO ORTIGAS MANILA: A CUT ABOVE THE REST ON ITS 5TH ANNIVERSARY MARCO Polo Ortigas Manila kicks off the season in five-star fashion in celebration of its fifth anniversary. The hotel, led by General Manager Frank Reichenbach, looks back on its multiple industry and global recognitions, since it formally opened its doors to the world last July 9 2014, as it continues to raise the service standards in the hospitality industry.

“Our first five years of operations have truly been meaningful, true to our purpose as a Marco Polo hotel. Within this time, Marco Polo Ortigas Manila received recognition as a Forbes Travel Guide five-star hotel for three straight years, and has consistently performed as the top-rated hotel in Pasig City on TripAdvisor,” said Reichenbach. “We are humbled by the support we receive from our partners, peers from the tourism industry and most especially, our guests. Our team remains passionate in delivering service excellence as one of the world’s leading five-star hotels,” he added.

Marco Polo Ortigas Manila is delighted to announce key promotions that guests can look forward to beginning July 9, coinciding with its fifth anniversary. Guests who reserve stays in any of the Hotel’s Continental Club rooms or suites at their best available rates are able to enjoy their choice of premium service during their visit. They may choose one service from the following: buffet lunch for two at Cucina, buffet dinner for two at Cucina, aperitivo for two at Vu’s Sky Bar & Lounge, a solo hour-long spa treatment at FLOW Spa, or one-way airport transfer (via sedan). Reservations may be made from July 9 to August 31, and applies to stays until December 30, 2019.

Award-winning restaurant Lung Hin is featuring a one-day exclusive promotion, also

on July 9, for its deep-fried Crispy Hong Kong pigeon specialty dish for P555++ during lunch and dinner. This authentic staple in Cantonese cuisine is masterfully prepared by Lung Hin’s Hong Kong-experienced culinary team, led by Executive Chinese Chef Ken Leung. Also on the 9th of July, guests can visit Cucina on Level 24 for dinner in support of the hotel’s fund-raising activities for its community development programs. For every table of five, the restaurant will donate the cost of the fifth paying guest to the Marco Polo Ortigas Manila Community Fund. Past projects benefited local schools in

high-risk communities within Pasig City. For more information about these exclusive offers in Lung Hin and Cucina, please contact restaurant.mnl@marcopolohotels.com.

Guests can look forward to even more delightful promotions in celebration of Marco Polo Ortigas Manila’s fifth anniversary. For more information, please log-on to www.marcopolohotels.com or call (02)7207777. Subscribe to updates via social media through the Hotel’s official accounts: facebook.com/MarcoPoloOrtigasManila and @MarcoPoloManila on Twitter and Instagram.

CRIMSON HOTEL CELEBRATES WORLD CHOCOLATE DAY CRIMSON Hotel Filinvest City, Manila, honors the international celebration of the most delicious day of the year for chocoholics with monthlong choco-filled feasts.

On July 7, a chocolate-coated Café Eight featured a Sunday brunch buffet that is filled with all things cacao. The hotel celebrated World Chocolate Day with a decadent culinary concoction of savory dishes including white chocolate baba ghanoush, cocoarubbed BBQ pork ribs, sinful desserts and more.

Executive Pastry Chef Benjamin Bourgeois also held a free chocolate clay class for kids.

Meanwhile, the Lobby Lounge welcomes all kinds of cookie cravings as they bring guests a collection of 100 cookie creations from July 12 to 21. Dubbed as

12 Health&Fitness July 11-17 2019

the 100 Cookie Project, cookie lovers are expected to give in to temptation with at least 100 cookie favorites, such as dark choco chip, matcha white choco, salted caramel, tablea, truffle honey, gooey nutella, smore, gluten free milk choco chip, coffee walnut, peanut butter and so much more.

If you both love chocolates and afternoon tea– you’re in for a treat. The Lobby Lounge’s dreamy Chocolate afternoon tea includes a savory section of chocolate salmon gravlax sandwich, mole poblano wrap, and roasted beef with chocolate sauce pie. Dig into sweet treats such as dark chocolate and tonka beans flexi ganache, white chocolate strawberry and basil tartelette and other divine desserts. This succulent afternoon tea is available for the whole month of

July from 3:00 pm to 6:00 pm.

Just right in time for the rainy season, warm up with hot chocolate or chocolate drink at the Lobby Lounge. Then pair it with the hotel’s bestselling ensaymada.

Crimson Hotel Filinvest City’s sensational chocolate loaded food and beverage promotions are made with luscious ingredients from Auro Chocolate. Auro Chocolate is a proudly Filipino, bean-to-bar chocolate company that sustainably sources cocoa beans directly from local farming communities in Davao while doing their part to restore the Philippines’s heirloom varieties.

For more information or for dining reservations, email: dining@crimsonhotel.com.

BULLETIN BOARD

DELUGE AND INDULGE AT F1 HOTEL MANILA SUMMER as we know it is over and now starts the cold showers but fear not on getting wet for F1 Hotel Manila opens up its roof of deals.

Find yourself relaxing in a classic City Suite from July 1 to August 30. For only P7,200 per night, try F1 Hotel Manila's Rainy Day Package good for two persons. Experience an overnight stay with free use of swimming pool and gym facilities together with complimentary in-room massage for two to end your day activities with every bit of relaxation in both your body and mind.

F1 Hotel Manila also indulges you to make your night a little exciting at the Canary Lounge with a glass of Frozen Margarita tropically mixed with guyabano and guava. And, pairing with this tropical thirst-quencher is the Seafood ala Plancha concocted with a variety of crustacean bits sizzled on a pan topped with mushroom and assorted spices for a more harmonious blend.

Nothing beats a fun night other than a freshly made breakfast in the morning. The Rainy Day Package also includes a breakfast buffet for two that would make your morning worth getting out of bed for.

Don't even mention lunch, for F1 Hotel Manila sets its tables up with a variety of traditional Filipino cuisines with its Pinoy Flavors. Available daily for only P600 net per meal, fill your tummy and appetite up with Luzon’s Finest for the whole month of June, Visayan Pride for the month of July, and Mindanao’s Delight for the whole month of August. Each served dishes will represent the three main islands of the Philip-

pines, LuzViMinda, in which flavors highlight what each region proudly offers.

And straying away from tradition doesn’t seem that bad when it comes to delightful desserts. Satisfy your deepest darkest craving with our Deep Chocolate Dark Forest Cake; a decadent chocolate cake layered with multiple stacks of sponge cake filled with whipped cream topped with cherries for only P1,200 net.

Bad weathers are starting to seem a bit alright with F1 Hotel Manila’s package that lets you have a good time on gloomy days. Indulge yourself, relax and have an experience of happiness along the raindrops.

Located at 32nd Street, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig, guests may call 908-7888 or follow @f1hotelmanila on Facebook and Instagram for inquiries and reservations.

NEW WORLD MANILA BAY HOTEL FEATURES EXCITING DINING OFFERS FOR THE RAINY DAYS The fireplace

KNOWN for its premium steaks, The Fireplace is giving the spotlight to one of the ocean’s pride—the succulent Boston lobster, making it as the star of the evening. Choose from any of the lobster specials: lobster risotto at P1,350 or twice baked lobster soufflé at P1,500, or you can go surf and turf at P4,000.

Nourishing Herbal Soup at Li Li

THIS rainy season, New World Manila Bay Hotel presents an array of exciting dining deals and new dishes that will surely give your palate a pleasant surprise. Discover new gastronomic delights in any of the hotel’s dining destinations nestled in the heart of Manila Bay.

NOURISH your body and soothe your soul with a comforting bowl of Chinese Herbal Soup at Li Li. This special healthy dish is made from farm fresh ingredients, healing herbs and spices simmered to perfection for a warm and wholesome dining experience.

The lounge

SURPRISE your palate with gourmet meats and cheeses at The Lounge. Pair it with a glass of wine or a classic cocktail

for a palate-pleasing combination. The antipasto platter comes with fine cheeses like French Brie and Swiss Emmental along with meats like Italian Salami Picante and German Black Forest Ham for only P800 per platter.

Pastry boutique

TAKE your meal to the next level and grab a bite of the specialty Cuban sandwich at Pastry Boutique. Savor freshly grilled sandwich layered with perfectly sliced braised pork shoulder and farmer’s ham, topped with Swiss cheese, gherkins pickles, caramelized onions, lettuce and tomatoes, placed on a skillet with butter and pressed on Cuban bread for only P300.

Inspire your adventurous appetite with these awesome dining deals available from July to September.

For inquiries and reservations, e-mail dining.manilabay@ newworldhotels.com. Visit www.manilabay.newworldhotels. com for more details.

Health&Fitness July 11-17, 2019 13

HEALTHY FINDS

n METRO SANITAS CORPORATION OPENS ITS ONE-STOP CLINIC

METROSANITAS Festival Clinic, a one-stop ambulatory clinic dedicated to serve the healthcare needs of individuals, families and businesses in the south of Metro Manila, officially opened its doors at the Upper Ground Floor, X-Site Wing, Festival Mall, Muntinlupa City.

Occupying almost 1,000 sqm. of space in Festival Mall, MetroSanitas Festival Clinic is the biggest and most complete clinic in Muntinlupa City. Equipped with the latest technologies in the medical arena, it brings forward a comprehensive range of outpatient health-care services designed to solve up to 80 percent of health cases in one venue. This onestop clinic offers top-quality medical services, such as general and specialty consultations, clinical laboratory, imaging diagnostics, dental services, outpatient cosmetic and clinical surgery and physical therapy sessions, among others.

“Receiving high-quality health care should not be tedious. We make the patient’s experience simpler through efficient processes and technology. Thanks to our technology system, the patient will be able to book an appointment online, see their medical records online, or be attended in any of our clinics without a new registration in each visit. This way, doctors will be able to focus on the patient instead of the paperwork. Patient’s information and his latest laboratory results will also be a click away. This is how we use technology to serve our patients better in terms of quality and efficiency,” said Anna Lacambra, CEO of Metro

METRO Sanitas Corp. recently opened its one-stop ambulatory clinic located in Festival Mall, Alabang, Muntinlupa City.

The ribbon-cutting ceremony was led by Martin Paituvi (from left) and Oslec Lopez, board member of Metro Sanitas Corp.; Augusto Palisoc Jr., chairman of Metro Sanitas Corp. and President of Metro Pacific Hospital Holdings Inc.; Anna Lacambra, chief executive officer of Metro Sanitas Corp.; His Excellency Jorge Moragas, ambassador of Spain to the Philippines; Diego Quintero, Keralty Global vice president for international business development; and Andres Licaros Jr., president and CEO of Asian Hospital and Medical Center.

Sanitas Corp.

MetroSanitas Festival Clinic is a gamechanger in the Philippine health-care industry because of its high quality yet affordable health-care services offered in an efficient and convenient way. It is part of MetroSanitas clinic network and it is designed with the patient at its core. Each patient is provided with the utmost attention and personalized care based on their medical needs. The clinic operates under the Keralty healthcare model using world-class processes and protocols and the

latest health-care technology.

“What sets MetroSanitas apart is our customer service. We care for our patients. We know that when patients come, they are already in pain or is not feeling well so we partner with doctors and employees who are compassionate and will treat patients like family because when you think of family, you want what’s best for them,” added Lacambra.

For more information on Metro Sanitas Corp., visit www.metrosanitas.com and www. keralty.com.ph.

n WHAT NOT TO DO WHEN YOU HAVE A SORE THROAT

TAKING ANTIBIOTICS

SUFFERING from a sore throat (pharyngitis and tonsillitis) is a downer, there’s no doubt about that. What usually starts as minor itch and a bit of scratchiness at the back of your throat can end up being extremely painful, throbbing and sensitive in just a matter of days without proper medication.

Whatever the cause of your sore throat might be, the first concern of most people is to ease the pain. But heads up! Instead of being better, you might be making it worse with these habits that you need to stop right now.

EATING COLD FOOD AND CONSUMING COLD LIQUID WHILE consuming cold food and beverages may help eliminate the discomfort of sore throat, it doesn’t stop your condition from getting worse.

In fact, it may even aggravate it because it only thickens the mucus and may eventually make your sore throat more terrible.

14 Health&Fitness July 11-17 2019

TAKING antibiotics when not needed may lead to antibiotic resistance.

GARGLING WITH A REGULAR MOUTHWASH A REGULAR mouthwash is only effective in removing food debris in your mouth and does not help in killing viruses, bacteria and fungi.

So when treating sore throat it’s important to reach for an oral gargle that is clinically proven to address the root of the problem quickly.

MUNCHING ON MARSHMALLOWS THERE’S this Internet urban legend that marshmallows can help treat sore throat, but you know what? This legend is full of hot air. Those fluffy, sweet treats do not contain anything that can treat your sore throat. Made up of sugar, water and gelatin, marshmallows are quite easy to swallow, but that does not mean that it does you any good. Sugar is a super acidic food that causes an imbalance in your body’s acid-base.

HEALTHY FINDS

Pathogens (infectious agents) love an acidic environment and thrive on such imbalances in the body. You don’t want your body, much more your throat, to be a hangout place of viruses and bacteria, do you?

TRYING OUT VARIOUS HOME REMEDIES MOST often than not, self-medication will not make your sore throat go away. So as soon as you experience the first signs of sore throat, use clinically proven products that can help kill viruses quickly.

TEMPORARY RELIEF TRYING currently available over-the-counter throat lozenges can gently numb the tissues in your throat, but this temporary relief from pain and burning won’t last long. Though it can keep your throat lubricated, it won’t be an effective treatment for your sore throat and you might find yourself needing relief soon again.

The moment you feel an itch on your throat, don’t let it get worse. Help stop sore throat fast with antiseptic products that can kill 99.99 percent of viruses, the root cause of sore throat.

Povidone-Iodine (BETADINE®) Throat Spray is your on the go buddy for a convenient all-day sore throat relief for the people on the move, while Povidone-Iodine (BETADINE®) Oral Gargle can be used at home. The active ingredient of BETADINE oral antiseptic, povidone-iodine, kills viruses in as early as 15 seconds, as well as bacteria and fungi.

appreciation to the previous generation who played a big part in cultivating and preserving our treasured cultural traditions.

Being successful through its seven years in the hospitality industry, F1 Hotel Manila wishes to extend its vision not only to its in-house guests but also by providing its beneficiaries a "Home of Happy Experiences”. F1 Hotel Manila believes that the success and the milestones it has achieved were attained through trust, partnership and compromise. Extending the hotel’s ability to nurture hospitality is naught compared to the support it has received through the years. As a way of showing gratitude, F1 Hotel Manila continues to provide quality service that would make guests and partners feel home and happiness at the same experience.

For inquiries, call (02) 908-7888. For online booking and more information, visit www.f1hotelmanila.com. For hotel updates and special offerings, follow them on Facebook and Instagram: @f1hotelmanila.

n MASTERING THE SCIENCE OF BEAUTIFUL SKIN AND BODY

n SHARING IS CARING

A GOOD deed goes a long way. With our foot in the door, a community is made better when these dots of caring people connected together become a line of compassion.

With the goal of promoting social awareness and giving back to the community, F1 Hotel Manila held the #F1Cares: Community Engagement Programme once again at Grace-Home for the Elderly or Golden Reception & Action Center for the Elderly and other Special Cases (formerly as Golden Acres Home for the Elderly), which is under the management of the Department of Social Welfare and Development. The activity was held June 1, Saturday, headed by General Manager Cindy Brual along with the hotel’s department heads to show gratitude and

THERE is an array of products, treatments and services in the market today that promise glowing and radiant skin, address the signs of aging, contour the face and body and so much more.

The choices are myriad and can be overwhelming. When one is faced with the question on which skin-care procedure will do wonders for the skin, there are several factors to consider— quality, technology and sustainability among them.

One new player in the country established to meet this need is Stelton Dermascience, which recently opened its maiden branch at the 2/F Ayala North Exchange, Makati City. With the tagline “Skin Science. Mastered,” it offers affordable and sustainable beauty and skin-care services using the most recent innovations and state-of-the-art technology.

“Stelton Dermascience offers beauty and wellness solutions that are pocket-friendly, allowing our clients to maintain their regular

regimen, and eventually achieve ideal results,” said Janyll Palisoc, marketing head. Its team is comprised of dermatologists, aesthetic doctors, plastic surgeons, registered nurses and highly trained aestheticians.

The clinic has a roster of services not only for women but for men, as well. In fact, there are professional skin-care treatments never before made available for men.

It has different facials and peels, such as the Revitalizing Facial (cleanses thoroughly to remove impurities, detoxify and allow the skin to breathe); Pimple Free (cleanses deeply to extract impurities and prevent break outs); DermaScience (radio frequency (RF) combined with a special massage technique) and Hydrajet Facial (a combination of serums and RF). Facials are recommended once a month because the skin cell turnover cycle is 28 days long and getting a professional treatment is advisable for better results.

For antiaging and laser treatments without surgery, Stelton Dermacience has S-Face contouring, a relaxing and feel-good 30-minute procedure that tightens the skin and contours face without any downtime. The CO2 laser, meanwhile, minimizes pores and even out the skin tone. The clinic also offers Ulthralift, a high-intensity focus ultrasound meant to lift and tighten the skin. This is a one-time procedure with results that can last for six months or longer.

Customers can also defy signs of aging through the Liquid Faclift, a botox technique that is done by doctors and delivers instant lifting of the face using only an injection. It prevents fine lines from becoming deep wrinkles.

Meanwhile, if you want to achieve a perfectly contoured face, Threadlift is for you. Also known as the new age facelift, it is minimally invasive outlining of the face, neck and chin to achieve a V-shaped face silhouette.

For those who want instant results with minimal downtime, using injectables is the route to take. These include Dermal Fillers, Glow–PRP, Varicose Vein Therapy, Fitness Drip, Botox and Keloid Injections.

Many people strive to attain lighter and glowing skin. Shine bright with IV Glutathione/ Placenta/Cindella, Clear Laser, Skin Reveal, White Crystal Drip and Ultima Drip.

Aesthetic surgery is in the portofolio of services with a professionally licensed plastic surgeon.

“We have the latest machines and technology that make treatments more effective. Our tagline, Skin Science, Mastered, means that we’ll always deliver innovation and excellent results, but at affordable prices,” Palisoc explained.

To inquire and book an appointment, call (0977-8555769). Follow Stelton Dermascience on FB, like it on IG: steltondermascience.

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