Businessmirror june 10, 2017

media partner of the year

United nations

2015 environmental Media Award leadership award 2008

BusinessMirror

www.businessmirror.com.ph

A broader look at today’s business n

Saturday, June 10, 2017 Vol. 12 No. 240

2016 ejap journalism awards

business news source of the year

P25.00 nationwide | 12 pages | 7 days a week

A child back from school rests by the rice fields in the municipality of Banaue in Ifugao. Sourasky22 | Dreamstime.com

Public-school walls continue to echo decades-old litany of woes

New school year,

old problems

S

By Claudeth Mocon-Ciriaco

hortage of classrooms, lack of teachers and learning materials remain among the top problems that are yet to be solved, as the country’s public-school system opened its doors to around 27.7 million learners nationwide this week, including the first batch of Grade 12 students since the full implementation of the K to 12 Program.

The Teachers’ Dignity Coalition (TDC) said that even with the help of the yearly Brigada Eskwela, there is just not enough manpower and resources to repair and refurbish all the aging classrooms, school buildings and other facilities that are lacking.

“Kulang pa rin ang mga kagamitan sa maraming paaralan sa bansa.

Maraming guro pa rin ang obligadong pumasan ng mabigat na trabaho dahil sa mga kakulangang ito [We still lack the essential resources for schools, and the burden is left to the teachers to shoulder],” Benjo Basas of TDC said.

Basas added that classes for school year 2017-2018 have already started, but the Department of Education (DepEd) has not supplied enough needed materials up to now.

“Hanggang ngayon ay kulang-

kulang ang learner’s materials, teachers’ guides at curriculum guides na esensiyal na pangangailangan natin sa ating pagtuturo. Kung mayroon man, ito ay kailangan pa nating i-download at i-print o i-reproduce gamit ang sarili nating pera [Until now, the necessary materials that were supposed to have come from the DepEd come in trickles and we have to spend out of pocket to reproduce some of these learning materials],” he lamented.

A year after Secretary Leonor M. Briones took over the DepEd post, the same festering problems in the education sector persist.

“Hanggang ngayon ay wala pa ring dayalogo sa pagitan natin at ng mahal na kalihim upang matalakay nang mabuti ang mga usaping ito [A dialogue with Secretary Magtolis to thresh out these problems is yet to materialize],” he added.

Worrisome

Basas said the TDC also expressed worries over the crisis in Marawi affecting students and teachers.

“Kasabay sa pagbubukas ng taong-pampaaralan 2017-2018 ay ang mga pangyayaring naganap at patuloy na nagaganap sa ating bansa. Nasa estado ng batas militar ang Mindanao. Patuloy ang bakbakan sa Marawi kasunod ng paglusob ng mga armadong grupo sa lungsod. Hindi bababa sa libong katao pa ang nananatiling bihag o naiipit sa nagaganap na sagupaan, ilan sa kanila ay mga kapatid natin sa propesyon [The raging violence in Marawi City broke out just as we were about to begin the school year, prompting the President to declare martial law. A number of our teachers are among the thousand caught in the middle of the Marawi City violence],” he said.

No major problem

But the DepEd, for its part, reported that there have been no reports of major problems encountered by schools nationwide, even as Briones said the department has been exerting efforts to address the number of rising school dropouts nationwide.

She emphasized that poverty and school distance are some of the reasons school-age children drop out of school.

To address this, she said, the DepEd is expanding the alternative learning system (ALS) to encourage more out-of-school youths to return to school, “Mayroon tayong alternative learning system kung saan may night school para sa mga bata na nagta-trabaho. Nagseset up din tayo ng learning centers para sa mga bata na kailangan matuto See “School,” A2

PNP preempting possible terror attacks in Metro Manila, other key cities

W

By Rene Acosta

ith the stricter security being implemented across the country, notably in the capital in response to this year’s hosting by the country of the Asean Summit, authorities say Metro Manila is safe from any terrorism threat that may come from Mindanao-based terror groups.

PESO exchange rates n US 49.5450

The security efforts were further boosted by steps taken by the Philippine National Police (PNP) and other law-enforcement agencies in the aftermath of the “burning incident” at the Resorts World Manila, and by the raging battle against the Dawla Islamiyah Mindanao in Marawi City.

Still, agencies tasked in securing Metro Manila are not taking chances, according to PNP chief Director General Ronald M. dela Rosa, who disclosed that the police are constantly monitoring individuals and groups who can be considered as possible threats.

In fact, policemen were continuously panning the capital from potential threats, including individuals who are relatives or may have connections with terrorists and their leaders, especially the Mautes, who are now battling government forces in Marawi City.

“We are looking for their [Maute] relatives who can hide them in case they escape from Marawi and come to Metro Manila, we are monitoring them,” dela Rosa said, referring to the relatives of the brothers Omar and Abdullah Maute, key leaders of the Marawi City siege.

The relatives of the Mautes, the PNP found out, live in Marikina City.

‘Peaceful’ Mautes

Dela Rosa, however, said the Mautes who are in the capital are entirely different from the Maute brothers, who are leading the terrorists in their battle against government forces in Marawi City. The same goes with the duo’s relatives in other parts of Lanao del Sur.

“It is not because your surname is Maute, you are already a criminal, a terrorist,” the PNP chief said, adding that Maute chil-

dren and women in Lanao del Sur, who have no involvement whatsoever in the terrorism activities of the brothers, are pitiful.

Following their investigation, dela Rosa said the relatives of the Mautes in Marikina were nothing, but peaceful Moros who are legally and earnestly working to earn a living for their families.

The profiling and monitoring of the Mautes in Metro Manila were among the measures taken in order to ensure that the ongoing conflict in Marawi City will not spill in the metropolis.

See “PNP,” A2

n japan 0.4505 n UK 64.1855 n HK 6.3541 n CHINA 7.2866 n singapore 35.8996 n australia 37.3668 n EU 55.5697 n SAUDI arabia 13.2113

Source: BSP (9 June 2017 )

News

BusinessMirror

A2 Saturday, June 10, 2017

School…

Continued from a1

magsulat at magbasa. [We have implemented twin measures to create these ALS for working students who want to learn, as well as learning centers for those who want to learn how to read and write].”

Briones also expressed the intention of the department to build more school buildings to address the concern of lack of school facilities, but she hastens to add that the problem with land space arises.

Based on 2014 to 2016 data, the department has registered more than half the completion rate in classroom construction, with the 2014 and the 2015 backlogs close to accomplishment at 84.11 percent and 72.38 percent, respectively. Of the total physical target of 107,920 classrooms, only 41,880 are under way.

PNP…

TLE classes

DepEd-National Capital Region

Marawi learners

Briones noted that based on records, around 20,000 learners are expected to be displaced from Marawi City, and it would take time for them and their families

to return, given that many houses and establishments were destroyed amid the violence.

Staying committed to DepEd’s goal to reach all learners, Briones mentioned anew efforts in accommodating these displaced learners from Marawi. “Nagbigay naman ang DepEd Central Office ng orders sa mga regional at division offices na huwag pahirapan ’yung mga naglilipat na mga estudyante. Maaari silang mag-enroll nang hindi kumpleto ang mga enrollment requirements [I have issued orders to be lenient in accommodating these learners, no matter if they lack the complete requirements to enroll at school],” she said.

Surrounding DepEd offices in Marawi have already conducted mapping of displaced learners to better accommodate their learning needs, Briones said, adding that an influx of Marawi student-transferees in

Dela Rosa said the PNP is doing everything possible within its power to ensure that Metro Manila is safe from terrorism activities and even with the other areas around the country.

“We are on alert,” he said, ensuring that the ongoing terrorism in Marawi City will not fan out in

other areas of the country, especially in Metro Manila.

The declaration of martial law in the whole of Mindanao by President Duterte as a result of the fighting in Marawi City has further heightened security in the capital, with more policemen sent out to the streets, increased visibility of law enforcers in places of public convergence and the increased conduct of checkpoints. Vital installations were also secured.

Key entry and exit points in the metropolis and even in other key areas of the country, especially in Mindanao, have also been sealed off, with individuals and cargoes going through the airports and seaports being strictly checked.

A few days ago, a reported memorandum issued by the PNP Maritime Group to shipping lines and owners of other sea-going vessels, warning them about the supposed plot of terrorists to smuggle explosives and homemade bombs out of Mindanao by ports, has caused a stir after it leaked publicly.

Zamboanga and Cotabato may also happen, considering that some Marawi residents have relatives in these locations.

“The usual impulse is to go to your relatives, kaya aside from Iligan, Cagayan de Oro and Lanao, may mga lumilikas din sa Zamboanga at Cotabato.”

Brighter side

Briones said the commitments of other agencies, such as the Philippine National Police (PNP), contributed to the smooth opening of classes.

She explained that the department is mobilizing and coordinating with the PNP in heightening the security arrangements throughout the school year, not only during school opening.

The DepEd has also expressed its commitment in contributing to the normalization of the learners’ welfare. In schools, tarpaulins and

Philippine troopers man a checkpoint on the outskirts of Marawi City on June 8. Fighting in Marawi between government forces and Muslim militants, led by the so-called Maute group, is now on its third week with casualties on both sides and civilians rising close to 200 and displacing tens of thousands of residents. AP/

Continued from a1

The Eastern Police District (EPD), which has operational jurisdiction over Marikina City, had interviewed the Mautes and their Moro acquaintances, but found out that this city-based branch of the Maute clan disdain crimes and violence, and like other peaceful Moros, were in the capital with the only purpose of providing a living for their family members.

“They are law-abiding citizens and not interested in terrorist activities,” Chief Supt. Romulo Sapitula, director of the EPD said, adding the Mautes works as vendors in Quiapo, barely to sustain their daily basic needs while sending their children to school.

On alert status

“Kaya nga we are considering, maybe in the near future, magbuild tayo ng school communities outside the urban centers. Tapos i-bus na lang ’yung mga bata sa lugar na ito [We are eyeing to build school communities beyond the confines of cities, and buses will be the means of transport to ferry students],” Briones added.

Another solution being considered by the DepEd in addressing the problem of classroom shortage is to build high-rise school buildings.

“An alternative is to build high-rise school buildings…[but that would] necessitate the cooperation and the generosity of the local governments,” she said.

Director Ponciano Menguito, meanwhile, clarified that they have not issued any directive to merge Technology and Livelihood Education (TLE) classes to be taught by one teacher. He stated, however, that in some remote cases, this may be the contingency measure of the school principal if there are no teachers available to teach the subject.

Menguito also explained that junior high school (JHS) teachers in Metro Manila are not forced to teach in senior high school. Teacher hiring for Grades 11 and 12 have been opened since February and is also open for JHS teachers, if they have the expertise.

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Aaron Favila

The leakage of the memorandum, supposedly coming from a unit of the Maritime Group in Mindanao, is already being investigated by the PNP leadership, according to PNP Spokesman Chief Supt. Dionardo Carlos.

The notice to shipping lines owners told them to be wary of six vehicles reportedly bearing explosives, which are being spirited out of Mindanao by way of roll-on, rolloff travel.

Crisis drill

In order to further beef up security in the capital and around the country, the PNP has decided to exhaust and further develop the capabilities of private security agencies, as they serve as the first line of defense and force multipliers in times of security crisis and in any situation requiring the presence of law enforcers.

The necessity was heightened by what happened at the Resorts

World, wherein a lone attacker, who was a disgruntled casino addict, triggered a fire at the hotel that killed more than 35 people by way of smoke inhalation.

At the security summit for firm owners and security agencies on Tuesday, the PNP has required security providers manning business establishments to conduct a crisis situation drill at least four times a year.

Director Camilo Pancratius

signages indicating that schools are zones of peace are now being displayed.

The DepEd executive committee members were set to visit different regions to personally monitor the school opening from June 5 to 10.

Despite the prevailing problems, Briones said there are still things that the department should be happy about.

“The usual image of a child, of children having classes under the mango tree, of course, is long past.

That happened during my time, when I was still a student,” she said.

She added, “We don’t have children anymore under the mango tree because there are school buildings beside the mango trees under our learning spaces and we have dealt with the shortages, this perceived shortages in as creative a manner as possible.”

Cascolan of the PNP directorate for operations said the drill should inculcate among the security personnel and employees alike the knowledge and skills on how they should respond at a given crisis situation, including a possible attack.

He said security personnel, office employees and even the public should not only be learning and training responses and what they should do in times of fires and earthquakes, but even when man-made catastrophe and disasters occur.

Cascolan said that aside from the quarterly crisis drill, security agencies were also obligated to submit updated security plans, which contain their crisis management measures and responses.

In the case of the Resorts World, a number of security lapses have been noted by the Philippine National Police-Supervisory Office for Security and Investigation Agencies (Sosia), which is investigating the incident.

Among others, the security provider and the casino do not have a “command and control” or a crisis management team and it does not have a reactionary force that could respond to any crisis, according to Senior Supt. Jose Mario Espino, chief of the Sosia.

RWM presents longer CCTV footage, to review security and safety protocols Resorts World Manila (RWM) has committed to review its security and safety protocols following the incident last week involving a lone gunman who torched casino tables, creating thick smoke that suffocated 37 people in the process.

“Our systems are at par with prevailing standards but because of that incident, it is prudent to take another look. We must put in place tighter controls with the least intrusion into the overall tourism experience of our customers,” said Kingson Sian, RWM president and CEO. Sian led senior executives of RWM at a congressional inquiry conducted yesterday at Naia’s Terminal 3. They presented a more comprehensive CCTV footage of the June 2 incident to help the body better understand what happened.

“The longer video footage clarifies and answers a lot of misimpressions in the public domain. Specifically, it showed that our sprinkler system worked; the evacuation of thousands of people within minutes of the incident activated; and that our people tracked the gunman throughout on CCTV to help the police and our own security people subdue him,” he said.

Sian added: “Just to reiterate, we are fully compliant with the Fire and Building Codes. We were able to evacuate a mass of people within minutes, and we extended support to the police. But our goal moving forward is to prevent its repeat and to be able to cope better with even worse situations.

“Resorts World will come back stronger because of this incident.

In the interim, we are focusing on helping those who were injured, and the families of those who died. We grieve with them and we grieve for our employees whom we lost as well.”

The World BusinessMirror

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Saturday, June 10, 2017

A3

Oil slumps back near pre-Opec deal levels as glut stays unabated O il headed for a third weekly drop on concern rising supply from the US to Nigeria will undermine Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (Opec)led output curbs, with crude back near levels before the group agreed on the cuts in an effort to prop up prices.

Futures were little changed in New York, down 4.5 percent this week. US data released on Wednesday showed oil and fuel stockpiles rose, going against expectations

US bucks trend amid global rise for clean energy research

B

EIJING—Energy ministers from around the world gathered in Beijing this week to report increased spending to help counter climate change. Yet one prominent voice, that of US Energy Secretary Rick Perry, delivered a starkly countervailing message as the Trump administration seeks to roll back spending on clean energy and promotes fossil fuels.

Even as India, France, Norway, Canada, Australia, Japan and others said they were on track to double research budgets, Perry said Trump’s proposed budget “reflects an increasing understanding” that private companies must transform technological breakthroughs into commercial projects.

Still, Perry, who is facing proposed deep cuts in energy research programs back home, emphasized in a private meeting with his counterparts from other nations that early stage scientific work remained a priority.

“We will pursue cost-effective research that leverages the expertise of the private sector,” Perry said on Wednesday.

The approach outlined by Perry marks a sharp departure from past practice and illustrates a new reality emerging across the global energy landscape, where US innovations have long dominated the spotlight. Trump last week cast his decision to withdraw from the Paris climate accord in terms of economic selfinterest. He warned American jobs would be transferred overseas if the US remained in the agreement.

Renewable energy is widely seen as a major driver of future global growth and Trump was accused of fudging the figures on the agreement’s economic impact and on its projected effects on reining in rising global temperatures.

The Republic an’s announcement drew a quick international rebuke and firm assertions from other nations that they would proceed with the agreement regardless of the US position, a dynamic ver y much on display at this week’s gathering in Beijing.

That’s opened the way for other nations, especially China, to seize the mantle of leadership in tackling climate change.

“For us it’s not a political issue but a moral and spiritual issue,” Harsh Vardhan, India’s minister of science and technology, told The Associated Press. “We are working for the future of our children.”

One of the organizers of the Beijing event, Christian Zinglersen, head of the 23-nation Clean Energy Ministerial, said the spending reductions proposed

by Trump were no reason to panic and reflected a shift under way even before Trump took office.

“It’s a shift not just on the contributions side but also in leading more of the work.

That creates the need for others to step up and engage and that’s happening,” Zinglersen said. AP

of further declines. American crude output is also seen surging in 2018 to a record above 10 million barrels a day. In Nigeria Royal Dutch Shell Plc. lifted restrictions

on exports of a key grade halted for more than a year.

Oil has largely given up its gains after the Opec and its allies, including Russia, agreed late last year to curb output. A persisting glut as the US increases drilling has kept prices under pressure.

Even this week, the oversupply has kept oil in check amid turmoil in the Middle East, the world’s largest producing region, as a Saudi Arabia-Qatar diplomatic feud flared and suicide bombers struck Iran’s capital Tehran.

“It’s the ongoing theme of increasing supply and relatively high stockpiles, which can’t seem to fall,” said Daniel Hynes, an analyst in Sydney at Australia & New Zealand Banking Group Ltd.

“The inventory build in the US spooked the market with such a huge miss on expectations. There is a clear lack of any bullish catalyst at the moment.”

West Texas Intermediate (WTI) for July delivery was at $45.54 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange, down 10 cents, at 2:42 p.m. in Hong Kong. Total volume

It’s the ongoing theme of increasing supply and relatively high stockpiles, which can’t seem to fall. The inventory build in the US spooked the market with such a huge miss on expectations. There is a clear lack of any bullish catalyst at the moment.”—Hynes

traded was about 12 percent above the 100-day average. Prices lost 8 cents to close at $45.64 on Thursday, the lowest since May 4.

Brent for August settlement dropped 10 cents to $47.76 a barrel on the London-based ICE Futures Europe exchange. Prices are down 4.4 percent this week.

T he globa l benchmark cr ude traded at a premium of $1.97 to W TI for August.

Libya resumed production at the Sharara oil field, the nation’s biggest, and output will reach normal levels within three days, National Oil Co. said on its web site. It closed on Wednesday after a protest by workers, according to a person with direct knowledge of the matter. Bloomberg News

In war-shaken Marawi City, civilians struggle to escape

By Todd Pitman

The Associated Press

M

ARAWI, Philippines— It was during a lull in the fighting that Rohaina Salic first heard it, the bellow of a distant voice telling civilians trapped in the wa r-sha ken cit y of Ma raw i they could finally emerge from their homes.

She didn’t know whether the plea, projected from a megaphone many blocks away, had come from the Philippine army, or from black-clad militants linked to the Islamic State group who seized this mosque-studded southern town last month.

She had not set foot outside since the clashes—the worst to hit the Southeast Asian nation in years—began. But on this day, at least for this one precious moment, the guns had fallen silent.

And it was time to go. “ We d i d n’t re a l l y k no w whether it was safe to come out,” said the 38-year-old Salic, who walked out of the rubble of Marawi on Thursday with six members of her family. “We put all our faith in God.” More than two weeks after Islamic militants plunged the lakeside town into chaos with an unprecedented attack that has killed close to 200 people and triggered fears that extremists are trying to gain a foothold in the country’s restive south, hundreds of militants remain stubbornly lodged in Marawi’s city center.

And every day, civilians like Salic trickle out with harrowing tales of survival, and escape.

On Thursday the lucky ones numbered 45.

Some had managed to walk— or run—out on their own. Others were plucked by the army or civilian rescue teams that are launching risky missions near the frontlines with white f lags wrapped around their vehicles’ antennae.

The evacuees who end up at the provincial government’s headquarters are met by doctors and nurses who c hec k their vital signs and offer first aid and emergency care before sending them on to safer areas further inland.

Sittie Johaynee D. Sampaco, a health department volunteer, said the new arrivals appear deeply traumatized, hav ing spent days on end without food

Said Salic, the husband of Rohaina Salic, is pushed on a wheelchair after they fled their homes in Marawi city, southern Philippines. It was during a lull in the fighting that Salic first heard it, the bellow of a distant voice telling civilians trapped in the war-shaken city of Marawi they could finally emerge from their homes. It’s unclear how many people remain trapped in Marawi. Authorities have put the figure this week at anywhere from 100 to 2,000. AP

and water in a city crawling with insurgents that has been without electricity for weeks.

“We’re getting a lot of people with severe dehydration, fevers and coughs, hy per tension,” Sampaco said.

The fighting has also taken a mental toll.

“Some of the patients can’t even speak. Some just cry and won’t interact with other people,” Sampaco said. “This isn’t over. We’re expecting to get much more.”

It’s unclear how many people remain trapped in Marawi. Authorities have put the figure this week at anywhere from 100 to 2,000. They include at least a dozen hostages, among them a Catholic priest and parishioners who were seized when gunmen stormed their church shortly after clashes began on May 23.

Their status is unknown.

Lt. Col. Jo-Ar Herrera said the military’s main priority is to rescue trapped civilians, many of whom are in the same part of

the city center where the army estimates 240 Islamic fighters who have stockpiled food and ammunition for a protracted fight are also contained.

Despite days of punishing air strikes, Herrera said the military is treading lightly so it will not endanger the lives of those it’s trying to save.

He said the army is in cellphone contact with some of the trapped civilians and has helped direct them out of danger zones by telling them which directions they can safely move.

Herrera confirmed the army has also employed megaphones to implore people to leave parts of the city it has secured.

Thursday was largely quiet, but several firefights were reported. Salic said her family was able to survive for two weeks because part of their residence is a lso a grocer y, stocked with biscuits, instant noodles and soft drinks. They also had a large stock of drinking water, but used rain water

to wash their hands and the dishes. The family, she said, had not had electricity since May 24; they lit candles each night as the crackle of gunfire echoed outside.

When they finally made a move on Thursday to escape, it was the absence of gunfire that drove them out the door.

W hat they saw outside was astonishing: destruction, in every direction.

Salic, who was hauling two pink pieces of luggage, said her fa m i ly—t hree c h i ld ren and four adults—crawled over mountains of multistory homes and under downed electricity polls. Rubble from the fighting blocked many streets.

There was not a soul in sight.

“We were the only people walking,” Salic said. “I kept waiting for us to be hit by the guns.”

The hours-long journey was toughest on her husband, who h a s h ad d i f f ic u lt y wa l k i ng since a work-related accident.

Limping, he was helped along

the way by their oldest son.

Salic’s 7-year-old daughter, Aljannah, played another vital role. She carried a makeshift white flag, fashioned from a Tshirt and a pole they broke off of a household cleaning tool.

As they neared an army checkpoint in the afternoon, a single gunshot rang out. A ljannah made a move to run. It wasn’t clear whether the army or insurgents had fired. But Salic quickly grabbed her daughter’s hand and yanked her close.

“Don’t run,” she whispered.

“Trust in Allah.”

Shortly afterward, the troops helped the family onto a truck and drove them to the city’s western edge. Within minutes, they were being treated at an emergency health clinic inside the relative safety of the provincial government headquarters.

By Friday morning, explosions and bursts of gunfire downtown could be heard again, and smoke rose from city as helicopter gunships circled overhead.

A4

The World BusinessMirror

Saturday, June 10, 2017

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Comey says he was fired from FBI job over Russia probe, blasts ‘lies’

By Eric Tucker & Erica Werner | The Associated Press

W

ASHINGTON—Former Federa Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director James Comey asserted on Thursday that President Donald J. Trump fired him to interfere with his investigation of Russia’s ties to the Trump campaign, bluntly accusing the White House of spreading “lies, plain and simple”.

Comey also revealed that he’d orchestrated the public release of information about his private conversations with the president in an effort to further the investigation.

Comey’s testimony, at a hugely anticipated congressiona hearing that captured the country’s attention, provided a gripping account of his interactions with Trump and underscored the deep distrust that had soured their relationship before his stunning firing last month.

In occasionally explosive statements, Comey portrayed Trump as a chief executive dismissive of the FBI’s independence and made clear that he interpreted Trump’s request to end an investigation into his former nationa security adviser as an order coming from the president.

He expressed confidence that the circumstances of his firing, and Trump’s overal behavior toward him, could be investigated by specia counse Robert Mueller for possible obstruction of justice. But he declined to offer an opinion on whether it met such a threshold.

Trump’s private attorney, Marc Kasowitz, seized on Comey’s admission that he had told Trump on multiple occasions that he was not personally under investigation and maintained the testimony made clear that Trump “never, in form or substance, directed or suggested that Mr. Comey stop investigating anyone.”

Kasowitz also jumped on Comey’s revelation that he had released details of his private conversations with the president, casting the former FBI director as one of the “leakers” set on undermining the Trump administration.

Still, there’s no doubt the veteran lawman made for a challenging adversary.

“It’s my judgment that I was fired because of the Russia investigation,” Comey said toward the end of more than two hours of testimony before the Senate intelligence committee. “I was fired in some way to change, or the endeavor was to change, the way the Russia investigation was being conducted.

“That is a very big deal, and not just because it involves me.”

At one point he practically dared Trump to release any recordings of their conversations, a prospect the president once alluded to in a tweet.

“Lordy, I hope there are tapes,” Comey said, suggesting such evidence would back up his account over the president’s.

Thursday’s hearing was Comey’s first public appearance since his sudden May 9 firing and it brought Washington and other parts of the country to a standstil as Americans sat glued to their screens, harkening back to the Watergate congressiona hearings that held the nation rapt some four decades earlier.

Republicans mindfu of the gravity of the moment worked feverishly to lessen any damage from the hearing. They tried to undermine Comey’s credibility by issuing press releases and even ads pointing to a past instance where the FBI had to clean up the director’s testimony to Congress.

In his opening statement, Comey somberly accused the Trump administration of spreading “lies, plain and simple” in the aftermath of his abrupt ouster, declaring that the administration “chose to defame me and, more importantly, the FBI” by

claiming the bureau was in disorder. He then dove into the heart of the fraught politica controversy around his firing and whether Trump interfered in the bureau’s Russia investigation, as he elaborated on written testimony released a day earlier.

In that testimony, Comey said that Trump demanded his “loyalty” and directly pushed him to “lift the cloud” of investigation by declaring publicly the president was not a target of the FBI probe into his campaign’s Russia ties.

He said that when Trump told him he hoped he would terminate an investigation into Michae Flynn, the ousted nationa security adviser, he interpreted that as a directive.

“I mean, this is the president of the United States, with me alone, saying, ‘I hope’ this,” he said. “I took it as, this is what he wants me to do.”

Asked whether that February Ova Office discussion amounted to obstruction of justice, Comey said he expected that to be a matter for Mueller, the former FBI director who has taken over the Justice Department’s investigation.

He said that while he found the exchange disturbing, “that’s a conclusion I’m sure the specia

It’s my judgment that I was fired because of the Russia investigation…I was fired in some way to change, or the endeavor was to change, the way the Russia investigation was being conducted.

That is a very big deal, and not just because it involves me.”—Comey

counse wil work towards, to try and understand what the intention was there, and whether that’s an offense.”

In a startling disclosure, Comey revealed that after his firing he actually tried to spur the specia counsel’s appointment by giving a damning memo he had written about a meeting with Trump to a friend to release to the media.

“My judgment was I need to get that out into the public square,” Comey said. The February meeting was one of severa one-on-one encounters that Comey said made him fee such intense discomfort that he felt compelled to document them in memos.

“I was honest ly concer ned that he might lie about the nature of our meeting, so I thought it rea l ly impor t a nt to doc ument,” Comey said. “I knew there might come a day when I might need a record of what happened not only to defend myself but to protect the FBI.” Trump himself was expected to dispute Comey’s claims that the president demanded loyalty and asked the FBI director to drop the investigation into Flynn, according to a person close to the president’s lega team who demanded anonymity because t hey were not aut hor ized to discuss lega strateg y. Instead, K asowitz pushed back and the president remained conspicuously silent on Twitter during the hear ing despite ex pectations he might respond.

The disclosures that followed Comey’s firing have raised questions about why Comey, known in government for an independent streak and a willingness to buck protocol, did not speak out publicly while on the job, or at least make his objections directly known to the president.

Discussing the meeting where Comey says Trump asked him to back off Flynn, Sen. Dianne Feinstein of California asked: “Why didn’t you stop and say, ‘Mr. President, this is wrong,’?”

“It’s a great question,” Comey replied. “Maybe if I were stronger I would have. I was so stunned by the conversation I just took it in.”

Comey also made clear that politica entanglement in law enforcement has cut across party lines. During a discussion of the Hillary Clinton e-mai investigation, Comey disclosed that then-Attorney Genera Loretta Lynch, an Obama administration appointee, instructed him to refer to the issue as a “matter”, not an “ investigation”.

“That concerned me because that language tracked how the campaign was talking about the FBI’s work and that’s concerning,” Comey said. “We had an investigation open at the time so that gave me a queasy feeling.”

Many Democrats stil blame Comey for Clinton’s loss, leading Trump to apparently believe t hey wou ld appl aud h im for firing Comey. The opposite occurred, as the firing created a politica firestorm that has stalled Trump’s legislative agenda and taken over Washington. Under questioning on Thursday, Comey reaffirmed the intelligence community’s conclusion that Russia meddled in the election.

“There should be no fuzz on this. The Russians interfered,” Comey stated firmly. “That happened. It’s about as unfake as you can possibly get.”

Trump has begrudgingly accepted that assessment. But he has also suggested he doesn’t believe it, saying Russia is a “ruse” and calling the investigation into the matter a “witch hunt”.

May’s UK early election gamble backfires as Tories lose majority

L

ONDON —Br it i sh P r i me Mi n ister T heresa May ’s gamble in calling an early election backfired spectacularly, as her Conservative Party lost its majority in Parliament and pressure mounted on her on Friday to resign. The shock result throws British politics into chaos and could send Britain’s negotiations to leave the European Union (EU)—due to start June 19—into disarray. The pound lost more than 2 cents against the dollar.

With 636 of 650 seats in the House of Commons declared, the Conservatives had 310 to the Labour Party’s 258. Even if the Conservatives won all the remaining seats, the party would fall short of the 326 needed for an outright majority. Before the election the Conservatives had 330 seats and Labour 229.

May called the snap election in the hope of increasing her majority and strengthening Britain’s hand in exit talks with the EU with a “strong and stable government”. Instead, the result means the Conservatives will need to rely on support from smaller parties to govern, with more instability and the chance of yet another early election.

“This is a very bad moment for the Conservative Party, and we need to take stock,” Conservative lawmaker Anna Soubry said. “And our leader needs to take stock, as well.” The results confounded those who said Labour’s left-wing leader, Jeremy

Corbyn, was electorally toxic.

Written off by many pollsters, Labour surged in the final weeks of the campaign. It drew strong support from young people, who appeared to have turned out to vote in big ger-than-ex pected numbers. As she was resoundingly re-elected to her Maidenhead seat in southern England, May looked tense and did not spell out what she planned to do.

“The country needs a period of stability, and whatever the results are the Conservative Party will ensure we fulfil our duty in ensuring that stability,” she said.

Many predicted she would soon be gone.

“Clearly if she’s got a worse result than two years ago and is almost unable to form a government, then she, I doubt, will survive in the long term as Conservative Party leader,” former Conservative Treasury chief George Osborne said on ITV. Corbyn said May should “go... and make way for a government that is truly representative of all the people of this country.”

Speaking after being reelected to his London seat, Corbyn said the election result means “politics has changed” and voters have rejected Conservative austerity.

The result was bad news for the Scottish National Party, which lost about 20 of its 54 seats.

Among the casualties was Alex Salmond, a former first minister of Scotland and one of the party’s highest-profile lawmakers.

Ballot boxes are emptied to be counted for the general election, at the Emirates Arena in Glasgow, Scotland, on Thursday. Britain voted in an election that started out as an attempt by Prime Minister Theresa May to increase her party’s majority in Parliament ahead of Brexit negotiations, but was upended by terror attacks in Manchester and London during the campaign’s closing days. AP

The losses complicate the SNP’s plans to push for a new referendum on Scottish independence as Britain prepares to leave the EU. Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson said the idea of a new independence referendum “is dead.

That’s what we have seen tonight”.

May had hoped the election would focus on Brexit, but that never happened, as both the Conservatives and Labour said they would respect voters’ wishes and go through with the divorce.

May, who went into the election with a reputation for quiet

competence, was criticized for a lackluster campaigning style and for a plan to force elderly people to pay more for their care, a proposal her opponents dubbed the “dementia tax”. As the polls suggested a tightening race, pollsters spoke less often of a landslide and raised

the possibility that May’s majority would be eroded. Then, attacks that killed 30 people in Manchester and London twice brought the campaign to a halt, sent a wave of anxiety through Britain and forced May to defend the government’s record on fighting terrorism. Corbyn accused the Conservatives of undermining Britain’s security by cutting the number of the police on the streets.

Eight people were killed near London Bridge last Saturday when three men drove a van into pedestrians and then stabbed revelers in an area filled with bars and restaurants. Two weeks earlier, a suicide bomber killed 22 people as they were leaving an Ariana Grande concert in Manchester.

Rachel Sheard, who cast her vote near the site of the London Bridge attack, said the election certainly wasn’t about Brexit.

“I don’t think that’s in the hearts and minds of Londoners at the minute, [not] nearly as much as security is,” said Sheard, 22. “It was very scary on Saturday.”

Steven Fielding, a professor of politics at the University of Nottingham, said Britain had seen an election “ in which the personal authority of a party leader has disappeared in an unprecedented way”.

“If she had got the majority she wanted, she would have been a supreme political colossus,” he said. “She did not get that and she’s a hugely diminished figure.

She’s a zombie prime minister.” AP

Sports BusinessMirror

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

Saturday, June 10, 2017

A5

BEST TEAM EVER? C

By Brian Mahoney The Associated Press

LEVELAND—One victory left for the Golden State Warriors to claim another title.

Not the one as National Basketball Association (NBA) champions. The one as the best team ever.

Kevin Durant, Stephen Curry and the rest of the Warriors will be able to make that boast if they win on Friday to complete the most impressive postseason run in major sports history.

They moved to the brink of that with a 118-113 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday in Game Three of the NBA Finals. The Warriors are 15-0 and can finish off the NBA’s first perfect postseason with a victory here in Game Four.

Combine that with last year’s 73-win season, and a second title in three years—which could have easily been three consecutive championships—and foundation of the case has been made.

The Cavaliers are no match for these Warriors, not even with arguably the best player on the planet in LeBron James. Golden State’s only competition is with Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant, Michael Jordan and the Bulls, and other great teams from the past.

None won as dominantly as this team, which has four versatile All-Stars—including two former league Most Valuable Players—in their prime. These aptly named Warriors spent the last two months building big leads, then on Wednesday wiped out a late deficit.

Kevin Durant, Stephen Curry and the rest of the Warriors will be able to make that boast if they win on Friday to complete the most impressive postseason run in major sports history.

FINALS ON GLOBE, NBA LEAGUE PASS

T

HE Golden State Warriors and the Cleveland Cavaliers are again going head to head at the 2017 National Basketball Association (NBA) Finals, so never miss a moment with Globe and the NBA League Pass through the NBA app.

The rematch between the Cavaliers and Warriors continues to heat up, and fans can catch all the heart-pumping action of the Finals live through Globe and the NBA app.

The improved NBA app offers an easier way for NBA League Pass promo customers to access premium NBA content, including all live NBA Finals games, with just a few taps on their mobile device.

Upon subscription to any NBA promo, customers will receive a link via SMS. The link directs them to the NBA app to verify their mobile number. Afterward, fans can already enjoy the games live on their devices.

The NBA app gives millions of fans access to NBA League Pass where users can enjoy premium content via the Video Vault—a collection of archived NBA videos and TV shows, including Hardwood Classics games, NBA Inside Stuff and Shaqtin’ A Fool , among others. Customers can also experience all these in HD video, multigame viewing modes, as well as home and away game commentary and integrated game stats modules.

CLEVELAND’S Tristan Thompson (bottom) is stopped

by Golden State’s Kevin Durant in a first-half in Game Three. AP

CAVALIERSWARRIORS ON ABS-CBN

JAJA SANTIAGO is again expected to lead Foton’s campaign.

F

ILIPINO basketball fans are enjoying a massive treat from ABS-CBN, which has been bringing the National Basketball Association (NBA) Finals series live on free TV and on SKYcable since Game One between the Golden State Warriors and defending champion Cleveland Cavaliers on June 2.

Golden State is now one game away from hoisting its second NBA trophy in three years, and an unprecedented perfect postseason record.

Filipino fans caught the action with Filipino commentary on ABS-CBN Channel 2 on free TV and on ABS-CBN HD on SKYcable Channel 167, courtesy of ABS-CBN Sports’s Boom Gonzalez and TJ Manotoc, who are covering the Finals in the US. Meanwhile, NBA fans who prefer to watch the game with the original english commentary tuned to the game on S+A Channel 23 on free TV and on S+A SKYcable Channel 17 and S+A HD SKYcable Channel 166.

Those outside Metro Manila can also enjoy the games live and in the language of their choice.

For Sky subscribers in Cebu, Davao, Bacolod, Iloilo, Baguio, General Santos and Dumaguete, NBA Finals will be live in Filipino on ABS-CBN Channel 2 and ABSCBN HD Channel 700, and in English on S+A Channel 8 and S+A HD Channel 701. Sky Direct subscribers can catch the games on ABS-CBN HD Channel 2, S+A Channel 8, and S+A HD Channel 24.

Some people may argue their greatness, but James won’t.

“It’s probably the most, most firepower I’ve played in my career,” James said. “I played against some great teams, but I don’t think no team has had this type of firepower. So even when you’re playing well, you got to play like A-plus plus, because they’re going to make runs and they’re going to make shots and they got guys that’s going to make plays.”

The NBA’s best postseason run is the 15-1 mark of the 2001 Lakers, while the 1983 Philadelphia 76ers went 12-1. Jordan’s first title team in 1991 is one of three squads that went 15-2.

The Warriors thought they were carving out their place in history when they set a record with 73 wins last season. But history turned to infamy when they blew a 3-1 lead to the Cavaliers, the biggest collapse in NBA Finals history.

They spoke openly of their desire to beat Jordan’s 72-win team in 1996, but this time have downplayed the importance of 16-0.

“We obviously know how hard it is to win a championship, what all goes into it and how important each game is. And now that you can look ahead to Friday, all our focus is on that,” Curry said. “And just we obviously—we want 16 wins; it doesn’t matter how we get there. But now that we’re in this situation, why not take care of business and finish the job?”

They were winning by 16.9 points per game through the previous 14, which would easily be another NBA record. And when they finally got a close one, they showed why their roster is the envy of just about every other team, with the long-range shooting of Durant, Curry and Klay Thompson, and the defensive wizardry of Draymond Green and 2015 NBA Finals MVP Andre Iguodala.

That roster would give these Warriors a chance against any great team from the past—and gives most of their opponents no chance against them.

“They’re definitely a different team than they were last year that’s definitely in full effect that we’re all fully aware of,” the Cavs’ Kyrie Irving said.

That’s mostly because of Durant, the former NBA MVP who signed with the Warriors in July. Curry, winner of the last two MVP awards, is fully healthy after struggling through last year’s Finals.

Neither will turn 30 until next year, while Thompson and Green are only 27. Should the Warriors stay healthy and together—and it would cost them enormously in salaries and taxes—they should be a title threat every year.

They very easily could be playing for a third straight championship.

They look ready to play for many more.

“Just the combination of offense and defense, the talent that they’ve been able to amass, it puts them in position where this is a dynasty to me,” ABC analyst Jeff Van Gundy said before the NBA Finals. “They have their youth, they have their health. I see nothing preventing them from going to eight to 10 straight Finals. It will be a massive upset, I think, if they’re not there each and every year.”

Foton, Cignal go for 2-0 starts in All-Filipino meet

F

OTON and Cignal shoot for the solo lead of their respective groups when they take on separate foes today in the 2017 Philippine Superliga (PSL) AllFilipino Conference at the Filoil Flying V Centre in San Juan City.

The Foton Tornadoes eye their second win in Bracket B against Generika-Ayala at 5 p.m., while the Cignal HD Spikers also go for a 2-0 start in Bracket A against powerhouse Petron at 7 p.m.

Before the matches, a 3 p.m. ceremony will formally open the All-Filipino Conference. Proceeds from ticket sales will

go to the medical fund of Rio Olympian Ian Lariba, who is diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia.

Cignal opened its campaign by beating a stubborn Sta. Lucia in five sets, 19-25, 25-18, 25-13, 23-25, 15-12, in a Bracket A match last Thursday.

HD Spikers Head Coach George Pascua said he will correct the mistakes committed by his wards in their previous game.

Foton, on the other hand, opened its Bracket B campaign with Jaja Santiago, Maika Ortiz and EJ Laure playing sparingly

in beating newcomer Cherrylume, 25-21, 25-16, 25-17, last Tuesday.

The Tornadoes’ Serbian Coach Moro Branislav said he wanted to rest Santiago and Ortiz, who were still fresh from their Asian Volleyball Confederation Asian Women’s Club Championship campaign in Kazakhstan last week.

The Serbian said he gave recruits CJ Rosario, Mary Grace Berte, Kyle Negrito and Heather Guino-o the opportunity to show their wares against Cherrylume, a team composed mainly of University of the East players.

SAN MIGUEL Beer’s Leo Austria is figuring in his seventh semifinals appearance as a head coach.

BEERMENHOTSHOTS SEMIFINALS UNFURL S

AN MIGUEL Beer hopes to wield its power against an equally formidable Star as they kick off their semifinal showdown in the Philippine Basketball Association Commissioner’s Cup today at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Game One of the best-of-five semifinals duel is set at 5 p.m.

San Miguel Beer handily eliminated Phoenix, 115-96, to secure its sixth-straight semifinals appearance and seventh under Head Coach Leo Austria.

Star, meanwhile, tries to end a three-year title drought. They won the 2014 Governor’s Cup with Finals Most Valuable Player James Yap still onboard, dethroning Rain or Shine in the process.

The Beermen were the first team to reach the semifinals after imposing their twice-to-beat advantage over the Fuel Masters to the hilt.

Six players scored in double figures for the three consecutive All-Filipino champions, led by Marcio Lassiter with 26 points and Best Player of the Conference front-runner Alex Cabagnot with 20 points he iced with eight rebounds and six assists.

Three-time MVP June Mar Fajardo added 15 points, while import Charles Rhodes and Ronald Tubid contributing 14 apiece in a show of offensive prowess for a team that is highly rated to complete a Grand Slam.

“We are happy to meet the expectations of the people. The players know what is at stake. They wanted to be in the semifinals right away,” Austria said.

Star, on the other hand, also built a reputation of its own with a solid backcourt of Paul Lee, Marc Barroca and Jio Jalalon, and their trusted reinforcement Ricardo Ratliffe.

In their quarterfinals series against the Elasto Painters, the Hotshots limited their rivals to their lowest scoring output in six conference with a 84-69 beating last Wednesday.

In his second semifinals tour of duty, Head Coach Chito Victolero simply wants to maintain the aggressiveness of the players in facing the Beermen.

“We need to prepare for them. Hopefully, our defense and chemistry will click again, especially that we are facing a champion team,” Victolero said.

“As you see, I have eight new players.

This is not the same Foton team that you saw last year. This is completely a new Foton team,” said Branislav, who guided the Tornadoes to the Grand Prix crown last year. “We want to develop our players and give them confidence for big games ahead.”

Branislav hopes that his wards, especially his young players, will be cautious against vastly improved Generika-Ayala, which also won its first Bracket B match over Cocolife, 25-14, 23-25, 25-15, 25-15, also last Tuesday.

Lance Agcaoili

A6

BusinessMi

Saturday, June 10, 2017 | Editor: Jun Lomibao

INTERNATIONAL Cycling Union President Bryan Cookson begins reelection bid with new manifesto.

Cookson stays the course with four-year plan at UCI B

RYAN COOKSON’S manifesto penned in to become International Cycling Union (UCI) president in 2013 was called “Restoring Trust, Leading Change”, but his unnamed plan for the next four years, should he be reelected in September, is far humbler in its declarations.

When the Briton moved to unseat Pat McQuaid four years ago, the UCI was embroiled in controversy following US AntiDiping Agency’s (Usada) case against Lance Armstrong, and it faced accusations of failing in combating doping. Under Cookson, the UCI shifted its anti-doping operations to the Cycling Anti-Doping Foundation, overhauled the federation’s code of ethics, constitution and governance, created the UCI Women’s World Tour and expanded the men’s WorldTour calendar, ticking off much of his six-point plan from 2013.

For the coming campaign, Cookson said he is

“seeking the continued trust and support of the cycling community” to continue that progress.

“We are now proud to be a well-respected international federation, seen by Wada [World Anti-Doping Agency]and other anti-doping organizations as being the reference point in our work for clean sport,” Cookson said.

“I stood for the presidency of the UCI in 2013 as I felt strongly that the UCI needed to embrace a new way of doing things and address, head-on, the critical challenges facing our sport. I believe the record shows I have kept my promises and made real progress during my first term,” Cookcon added.”

Part of the changes made toward becoming a more transparent organisation was to introduce a two-term limit for UCI presidents, so should Cookson win again in Bergen this September, the coming term will be his last.

“We have made a great start, but there is

much more that needs to be done. That’s why I’m standing for a second and final term as UCI president,” Cookson said.

Cookson’s new plan is to increase growth in all cycling disciplines, further promote international development, ensure equal opportunities for men and women to compete, build on the UCI’s credibility and excellence in operations and to champion cycling for transportation and leisure.

“Over the next four years I want to build on the strong foundation we now have in place, but, of course, I cannot deliver this alone. I need your help and support to implement this plan, so that, together, we can continue the job and achieve a strong and truly global cycling community,” he concluded.

Cookson may be challenged by two men—Belgian federation Head Tom Van Damme and European federation Chief David Lappartient. Cyclingnews

DOES CYCLING MAKE YOU LIVE LONGER?

Kiwi cyclist riding on wave of success

S

imon van Velthooven’s most memorable sporting moment to date is sharing the podium with cycling great Sir Chris Hoy, after winning bronze in the keirin at the London 2012 Olympic Games.

Fast forward less than five years and the Kiwi cyclist is now a key member of the Emirates Team New Zealand sailing crew, which is in Bermuda this week for the Louis Vuitton America’s Cup Qualifiers.

It would be a touch presumptuous, however, to talk about a total sporting reconversion, as his role on the catamaran is “cyclist”.

Indeed, the New Zealand challengers have taken the innovative decision to use cyclists instead of traditional grinders on their catamaran. The job of four of the crew members is to pedal on cycle stations to power the control systems for the wingsail and foils.

And that is where van Velthooven comes in. After a successful track-cycling career which, besides the Olympics, also saw him win medals at the International Cycling Union World Championships and Commonwealth Games, the 28-year-old was approached to join Emirates Team New Zealand. He was involved early on in testing the pedal-based grinding systems, and has also helped train the other cycling sailors. UCI News

THERE is an encouraging finding for cyclists who enjoy riding their bikes more “gently”, but it should definitely not demotivate those who occasionally like to push their limits.

W

ITH around 2 billion bicycle users worldwide, cycling is one of the most popular physical activities.

In the US the National Sporting Goods Association’s 2017 survey found that over 35 million people aged 7 years and older ride a bicycle as part of their leisure time activities.

Interestingly, in the Physical Activity Council’s annual study tracking sports, fitness and recreation participation in the US, cycling was found to be among the top three activities that those who never participate in sports or exercise aspire to engage in. These figures show the great public health potential of cycling.

A group of epidemiologists from Australia, Austria, Finland and the UK realized that, although there is sound evidence of the numerous health benefits of physical activity, surprisingly little is known about how specific sports affect health.

To strengthen the evidence on the health benefits of cycling, racquet sports, running, swimming, aerobics and football, the researchers analyzed data on participation in these sports collected among 80,306 British adults. The baseline survey data were linked with records of deaths from all causes gathered over a

follow-up period of nine years.

The cyclists in the study sample were 15 percent less likely to die from any cause, when compared to those who did not ride a bicycle. Interestingly, results also indicated that cycling at a lower perceived intensity level might potentially be associated with somewhat greater reduction in the risk of premature death than cycling at a high intensity.

This is an encouraging finding for cyclists who enjoy riding their bikes more “gently”, but it should definitely not demotivate those who occasionally like to push their limits.

The findings of this large study suggest that cycling is not only a fun leisure-time activity and a fast, cool and environmentally friendly mode of transport, but also a simple way to a healthier lifestyle and a potentially longer life.

This study shows that many individuals are likely to reap great health benefits from cycling. We can only imagine how large could the positive impact of cycling on population health become, if more people cycle more often. At the UCI, we therefore hope individuals and governments around the world will be inspired by this research, and support initiatives to get even more people on bikes.

UCI News

FORMER ski instructor and coach Tess Lawson has embarked on a new career.

The former British national crosscountry runner and competitive cyclist did not take long to decide to apply for the course at the World Cycling Centre in Aigle, Switzerland.

After passing the Level 1 qualification the first week, she has gone on to complete the Level 2 course.

A NEW C IN CYCLI I

T took a serious ski accident and major knee surgery to push Tess Lawson into her decision to try bike mechanics. She has not looked back.

A ski instructor and coach in the popular Swiss resort of Verbier, Tess found herself in hospital and out of action in November last year. It was the beginning of the ski season and there was no chance of her continuing her winter job.

“It gave me time to sit back and think about what I really want to do,” she said. “I utterly love cycling and wanted to be involved in the sport, but not necessarily coaching, or working with athletes as I have done in skiing.

I wanted to try something different and work with my hands.”

The former British national cross-country runner and competitive cyclist did not take long to decide to apply for the course at the International Cycling Union World Cycling Centre (WCC) in Aigle, Switzerland. After passing the

Level 1 qualification the first week, she has gone on to complete the Level 2 course.

Although she had no experience in the profession before starting the course, Tess had learned about bike maintenance from her four brothers, all of whom cycle. She realizes that most women do not have that chance.

“My brothers taught me a lot, so I have always been able to maintain my own bike. But I know lots of girls who won’t go out riding alone because they need to be with someone who can help if they have a problem or even just a flat tire.”

Improving the bike-shop experience for women She adds that bike shops can be intimidating places for women, with some old-school mechanics unable to take female customers seriously.

“I’ve had some bad experiences dealing with mechanics who don’t even look at me then just give my bike back saying, ‘yeah it’s fine’. One shop

ENJOYING EVERY MINUTE OF IT

C

ONTROL the controllable, deal with the unexpected and have fun.

That more-or-less sums up the philosophy of Donna Rae-Szalinski when talking about her role as sport director with International Cycling Union (UCI) Women’s Team Wiggle High5.

Her girls, as she refers to them, have nicknamed her Mama Bear. At 57 years old, she may be a mother figure, but she is a straight shooter and encourages the team to be the same. No beating around the bush. Tell it straight.

“I try to create a culture based on communication,” she explained. “There is nothing the girls can’t say to me if it’s said with respect and vice versa. We have lots of good discussions.”

She says the openness leads to constructive and positive post-race debriefing sessions, even if they can be quite intense depending on the situation.

“If they’ve had a good race, they usually chat on the bus on the way back to the hotel,” RaeSzalinski observed. “But if things haven’t gone to plan, I let them settle down and we talk later.”

As the sport director points out, there is only one winner, and with the depth of talent in the women’s peloton, nothing can be taken for granted.

“Sometimes we might have the potential to win and we don’t. In those cases, we have to review the race, what worked, what didn’t and why. None of it is wasted if you sit down after

the race and talk together,” she added.

From competitor to coach to DS

A former competitive cyclist—she represented Australia in the late 1980s and early 1990s— Donna Rae-Szalinski has her own coaching business in Geelong, Australia, and has also worked as sport director for Cycling Australia and the Victorian Institute of Sport. In 2015 she completed a course for UCI Sport Directors (in French Directeur Sportif—DS) at the UCI World Cycling Centre in Aigle, Switzerland.

She didn’t hesitate for long when Wiggle High5 founder and team representative Rochelle Gilmore called her last year to offer her the position of DS. “I’d just arrived back in Australia from Europe and was driving home from the airport when she phoned. I wanted to say yes immediately but given that my husband was in the car with me, I asked for a couple of days to discuss it with my family!” she said.

Two weeks later Rae-Szalinski was back in Europe, working with one of women’s cycling’s most prominent teams racing in the prestigious UCI Women’s WorldTour. She had been thrown in at the deep end.

“I couldn’t have asked for a better welcome.

The girls are amazing and so much fun to work with. They are also seasoned professionals. They can win races and I am fortunate to be working with them,” she added.

One of her first events with Wiggle High5

NICKNAMED Mama Bear and at 57 years old, Donna R straight shooter and encourages her cyclists to be th

was the 2016 Giro d’Italia Internazionale Femminile. Bingo. Team member Giorgia Bronzini won the first stage and the girls persuaded their new DS to celebrate with red wine, oblivious to the fact that she drinks very little alcohol and did not like red wine.

The week got no easier for the newest member of the team’s management: “We had a very successful Giro and by the end of the race I was ready to join Alcoholics Anonymous,” laughed the DS who has since learned to “tolerate” red wine.

After the Giro, her new team continued a successful season finishing second in the teams ranking of the UCI Women’s WorldTour. But RaeSzalinski is always seeking to improve.

“I’m definitely still learning: learning about

irror CYCLING

mirror_sports@yahoo.com.ph | Saturday, June 10, 2017 A7

Froome names toughest rivals in Tour de France

TEAM SKY IN WHITE

C

CAREER ING even damaged my bike and tried to cover it up.”

Tess firmly believes all customers— whether men, women, competitive cyclists or leisure riders—should get the same consideration and service.

“I utterly love cycling and would like to make it more approachable and accessible to other women,” she declares.

On graduating from the UCI WCC, she already has some workshop experience lined up in a shop where she will put into practice what she has learned during her five weeks in Aigle.

“It has been an awesome course,” she says. “I’ve been able to work on road bikes, mountain bikes and track bikes, and I’ve built lots of wheels.”

“It’s been incredibly intense and an inspiring experience. And what an amazing environment to work in!”

She has many projects in mind which will be easier with her new mechanical know-how, not least to undertake a self-supported long-distance

bike trip abroad. She is also involved in a new alpine-cycling training venture.

“I would like to pursue a career as a race mechanic, but, at the moment, I need to get more experience. I want to continue learning and come back to the UCI World Cycling Centre and do my level 3 qualification.”

Twenty-two mechanics have graduated from the UCI WCC’s course since it was launched in 2013. Tess Lawson is the second woman to follow the course after South Korean Audrey Ji-yeong in 2016 As well as training courses for mechanics, the UCI World Cycling Centre offers twoday courses dedicated uniquely to wheelbuilding. More details about both courses and the course calendar can be found on the UCI web site.

The UCI also offers its member National Federations the chance to apply for the UCI/WCC level 1 mechanic course to be held in their own country. UCI News

HRIS FROOME has named Richie Porte (BMC Racing), Alberto Contador (TrekSegafredo) and last year’s runner-up Romain Bardet (AG2R La Mondiale) as his main contenders for the Tour de France.

Froome did not, however, point to Nairo Quintana (Movistar), saying that the Colombian may suffer from the challenge of doing the Tour and the Giro d’Italia in the same season.

“My biggest threats come from guys who did not do the Giro, Richie Porte, Alberto Contador and Romain Bardet,” Froome told Reuters. “I think it is going to be tough for Nairo to do the Giro and the Tour.”

Quintana embarked on a Giro-Tour double attempt this season, but fell short of the mark last month when he was beaten by Tom Dumoulin by just 31 seconds. Froome told Reuters he did not see much of the Giro d’Italia due to altitude training in Tenerife, but admitted that Quintana could be in better shape come July.

“He may then be doing better on the Tour because he is a rider who is better in the second than the first grand tour,” said Froome.

It is his former right-hand man Porte that has been the leading light of the general classification lot so far this season. Porte opened his account at the Tour Down Under, and despite a failed GC bid at Paris-Nice, he came home with a stage win. His last outing was the Tour de Romandie, where he beat Simon Yates to the title by 21 seconds. Froome suffered from back problems during Romandie, eventually finishing 18th overall.

“Richie has been amazing this season, winning the Tour Down Under and recently the Tour of Romandie. I think this year’s Tour suits Richie really well,” said Froome. “He’s definitely got a chance to be up there for the win. This season he has been showing what he is capable of. I always believe in Richie.”

Porte finished fifth in last year’s Tour de France after losing time in the opening week due to a mechanical problem.

Without Porte behind him, Froome looks to Geraint Thomas and Wout Poels to be his last men in the mountains these days.

Neither will be with Froome at the Criterium du Dauphine, which starts later this week.

Thomas was given an opportunity to lead a Grand Tour for the first time at the Giro d’Italia. However, he left in the second week after injuries he sustained in a heavy crash on stage 9 to Blockhaus. Froome sympathizes with his teammates but says that it could prove beneficial for the Tour de France.

“On the one hand, it was a huge setback for Geraint that he was not able to finish the Giro, but for the Tour, it will be only a good thing for the team because he will be fresher and have more time to prepare,” he said.

After a lengthy spell training at altitude, Froome will begin the final stages of his Tour de France preparation at the Criterium du Dauphine. It has been a quiet season so far for the Team Sky rider, but he is happy with how things have panned out thus far.

Cyclingnews

CHRIS FROOME models the special edition white uniform.

T

EAM Sky will wear a special edition white jersey for the Tour de France with the British team unveiling the new design recently.

The new Castelli jersey retains the fragmented lines—representing key victories—of the original black jerseys, while the blue vertical stripe on the rear also remains. In a separate special edition, which will only be worn by riders at the Tour de France team presentation in Düsseldorf on June 29, the blue stripe will feature the names of fans, who can apply to

have their names printed on.

“Castelli looked at different colors during the design process last year,” team principal Dave Brailsford said . “We all loved the white.

We are always up for doing things differently and decided the best time to unveil it would be at the Tour—the world’s biggest bike race.

We can’t wait to get racing wearing it.”

“The backing we get from Team Sky fans means so much to the riders, and it really makes a big difference to us wherever we are racing,” three-time Tour champion Chris Froome said. “Giving fans an opportunity to

Cyclingnews

SEND-OFF FOR SEAG BETS

I

N line with its commitment to advocate safe cycling, British life insurer Pru Life UK will send off Marella Salamat and George Oconer who are set to train for the 2017 Southeast Asian Games happening in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, in August.

Multisport athlete Salamat, who won a gold medal in the 2015 Singapore SEA Games, will defend her crown in the 30-kilometer Individual Time Trial for women. She will lead the three-member women’s Road team.

Oconer, a multiawarded Go for Gold squad member and son of two-time Olympian Norberto Oconer, will lead the men’s team.

Both Salamat and Oconer clinched the top grand prizes of the Road Bike Male and Female Open categories of PRUride to London, the first criterium race at the McKinley West in Taguig City.

PRUride to London is part of the celebration of Pru Life UK’s 20th anniversary in the Philippines.

In 1996 the Insurance Commission granted the British subsidiary a license to operate and sell life insurance in this country.

Since then, Pru Life UK has expanded its

PRU Life UK President and CEO Antonio de Rosas (center) with George Oconer (left) and Marella Salamat.

reach to over 80 branches in the Philippines, with the biggest life agency force of more than 17,000 licensed agents, and has

CYCLING FOR ALL: SPOTLIGHT ON SYRIA

Rae-Szalinski may be a mother figure, but she is a he same. No beating around the bush. Tell it straight.

the girls and getting to know their strengths and also learning about the different events, especially the ones I haven’t been to before “We always go into a race with a plan and we do everything we can to stick to that plan. It’s all about process. How will we race? How will the other teams race?

“Unexpected things can always happen, for example when a key rider punctures or crashes at a critical moment. It’s a matter of controlling the controllable and dealing with other situations when they happen.”

Ask her what she sees as the best part of her work, and the answer is out almost before you’ve finished the question: “Race day!”

“When the action starts and you’re in the convoy...I love it.” UCI News

be right there with us as we kick off this year’s Tour de France is just a small way for us to say thank you for that support.”

The design of the jersey does seem to clash with the maillot blanc, which is worn by the best young rider on the general classification. Historically, teams have altered their regular jersey so as not to clash with the leader’s jersey at the Tour de France. In 2011 the team wore a custom green ‘Rainforest Rescue kit’ at the Tour de France when Adidas provided its apparel.

emerged as one of the top 5 life insurers.

Pru Life UK is headquartered in Uptown Bonifacio, Taguig City.

Alive” ride and the “Yalla Let’s Bike”, aimed to encourage Syrian people to ride bikes rather than use their vehicles, to combat the problems of air pollution and cope with rising energy prices.

On the back of the success of these two events, the federation created a Cycling for All committee last year to increase community participation across all categories and ages.

Their message is that a better quality of life will lead to the population having more fun and enjoyment. The federation president believes that participating in a cycling event can help rebuild social cohesion.

The Cycling for All committee aims to hold several cycling events throughout 2017, in cooperation with political and public organizations.

The aim is to raise awareness of the benefits of cycling, and to increase the number of people riding bikes, including children and women.

Cycling festival in schools

CYCLING for All is now a main priority of the Syrian Arab Cycling Federation, which has established a Cycling for All committee to organize events, encourage all citizens to cycle and, thus, improve the population’s health.

I

N a country devastated by war, the Syrian Arab Cycling Federation is attempting to renew the population’s interest in one of life’s simple pleasures: the bike.

Cycling for All is now a main priority of the federation which has established a Cycling for All committee to organize events, encourage all citizens to cycle and, thus, improve the population’s health.

In many ways, it’s a return to basics for a country whose Golan international road races for men and women used to feature on the International Cycling Union (UCI) international calendar and whose national riders enjoyed success in Arab and Asian competitions.

The federation President Mohamad Khuder explained: “The situation in our country and the suffering of our people led to a lack of structure

and necessary equipment for the Syrian team to continue. In addition, there was a general decline in physical activity amongst Syrians, coupled with an increase in traffic and air pollution.”

He said despite the conflict, the federation had continued to organize national championships and local festivals with the aim of spreading the culture of cycling.

In May 2014 around 500 men and women

took part in a bike ride in Damascus under the name of “Syria is Still Alive”.

The following year, another initiative “Yalla Let’s Bike” attracted around 1000 participants in the Syrian capital. Journalist Yazen Kalash said the ride was “a clear message to the world that Syria will survive despite the barbaric aggression of gangs, murder and destruction.”

Khuder adds both the “Syria is Still

“A bike, clean environment and good health”, was the motto of Syria’s first cycling festival organized recently for school children in cities across the country, in Lattakia, Tartus, Hama, Damascus and its surroundings, and Al Sweda’a.

In total 1145 children aged 8 to 12 took part in the races which were around 2km long.

Some 3000 spectators, including proud family members, lined the routes.

Khuder said his federation was able to organise these races, thanks to the collaboration with the Ministry of Education and a large number of volunteers, sponsors and partners, including a popular children’s magazine Osama. Khuder commented: “The event was a hope to all families and children after seven years of troubles in Syria.”

UCI News

OurTime Our Time Cavite’s ‘Masa’ programs benefit nearly 8,000 A8 Saturday, May 13, 2017 • Editor: Efleda P. Campos

A8 Saturday, June 10, 2017 • Editor: Efleda P. Campos

BusinessMirror

BusinessMirror

TBlind, elderly tourist beckons others

RECE MARTIRES CITY, Cavite— The provincial government of Cavite disbursed more than P28 million for medical, burial and various assistance that benefited 7,772 socially disadvantaged Kabitenyos, a first quarterly disbursement summary report Azer N. Parrocha | disclosed onBy Monday.

IFE feels better when with Provincial Social Welfare DevelopCavite province, which ranks eighth Filipinos. is the claim made ment Office (PSWDO) officer in chargeThis among the country’s top 10 high-per-by Ma. Felipa R. Servanez said the disforming provinces has embarked on a blind, elderly tourist from Japan bursements were in pursuit of Cavite its “6-17 Challenge” thrusts to put up Governorwho Jesus Crispin Remulla’s vari- name vital and necessary social infrastrucgoes by the “Mr. Uchimura” ous programs to uplift the lives and ture to help meet and satisfy the needs inof the campaign advertisement well-being Cavite’snewest children, youth, and requirements of the prospective 6 senior citizens and persons with dismillion Caviteños by 2017. of the Department ofBurial Tourism abilities (PWDs). assistance for(DOT) senior citizens “The shown provincial government protopped the list of disbursements, with to the mediaP2.321 onmillion Wednesday. grams ‘Mula sa masa-para sa masa’ that benefited 1,203

garnered the highest, with more than 2,500 persons.

PSWDO said under the social-protection program for displaced families, individuals in crisis are those living in hazardous places or victims of fire, delivery of “food to work” for disaster-related activities/events.

This category also includes other development services or special cases like the abandoned women and children, or children who have problems withhave the law. to see to feel you are home,” Other “help” include Uchimura saidprograms in the voice over. medicalItassistance in the form cash was only revealed in of the last or medicines and livelihood training in part of the 60-minute ad that the food or nonfood categories.

Uchimura, who was shown wearPSWDO also provides ing sunglasses, was blindbusiness and used start-up kitstounder self-empowering a cane helpits him navigate Calle assistance for those who wish to open Crisologo. a sari-sari store orwho a feasible business Uchimura, was having what in their barangay. seemed like meryenda (snacks) with Assistance for children Vigan locals, reached are outcategofor his rized based on their rights. wallet to pay, but he was stopped For “survival” category, by the a man who said, “Next assistime.” tance is in the replied form ofwith supplemental Uchimura an Arigato feeding, food you” for growth projects and (“thank in Japanese) and nutritious-food training to parents. walked home.

TheHe PSWDO first-quarter report was last shown walking saidCalle the development assistance inCrisologo, where the words cludes access support to Alternative “Life feels better when with Filipinos” appeared on the screen.

The ad faded to reveal the words “Experience the Philippines.”

DOT Undersecretary Kat de Castro, in a news conference,

Learning Training System, financial and capability development assistance for out-of-school youth, capability development for child development workers and financial assistance for child laborers.

Children who are in conflict with the law are given protection assistance and various projects, such as the governor’s “give-a-gift”, children’s month event and the children’s congress that is held annually.

PWDs extended educational said theare new ad is based on a ort rlearning advancement ue p erson’s e x p er“sulong-duie nce — a nong” and who capability building trainings tourist decided to retire in and seminars, not only for students, but the Philippines. also,This theirnew teachers. ad comes after the suc“Applicants walk in anytime cessful “Anak”may ad, which featured a and per the governor’s directive, blonde-haired tourist visitingthese the various formsRiver of assistance aredel open Enchanted in Surigao Surto alland Kabitenyos,” Avila said. claiming that “When you’re TheFilipinos, amount ofyou’re financial with withassistance family.” the applicants can avail It was launched duringthemselves the Miss ofUniverse depends pageant on the evaluation and30. recon January ommendation of the social worker asDe Castro said the ad was signed thepromote case, Avila said. meanttoto PWD-friendly The processing time takes one tourism and senior-citizen tour-to two and all financial assistance ismweeks, for retirees. is distributed en masse at the Meanwhile, she said theProvinad is cial Gym every Tuesday, Avila added. expected to be launched nationGladys S. Pino/PNA wide in simultaneous flag-raising ceremonies on Independence Day (June 12).

“Eventually, the ad will make its way to emerging markets and will be shown worldwide,” she said.

to ‘experience PHL’ in new DOT ad Philippines News Agency

L

[from the people, for the people] are to senior citizens. give back toThe the people the service they the highest number of peo-and new ad shows Uchimura ForPaoay Sand Dunes in Laoag; deserve,”“experiencing” Provincial Socialactivities Welfare Of-in topple who were afforded help, the asstrolling around the cobblestone ficer IV Darylvy Avila said. sistance for individuals in crisis tourist destinations, including Calle Crisologo in Vigan. island-hopping in Hundred Is“Here, you don’t have to see the lands in Pangasinan; dancing sun to discover radiance; you don’t with locals at the Banaue Rice have to see colors to experience viTerraces in Ifugao; sitting on the brance; you don’t have to see smiles backseat of an ATV ride in the to know you are safe; you don’t

Macao prepares to embrace rapid220 aging of centenarians in Central Luzon localreceive population plaque and cash incentive

news@businessmirror.com.ph

MC

news@businessmirror.com.ph

TheRetirement ethical dilemma Intl Migration: of aged care inthe PHL Understanding market Marc A. Daubenbuechel

The Age of Eldercare

I

We are starting a columnIon Eldercare thisThere week,are authored

by Marc N last week’s column, wrote three stages before the Daubenbuechel who has been based in the Philippines since 2006.

Heis made. about the potential of the Phildecision to retire abroad is an expert in elderly care and assists in developing the geriatric sector ippines in International RetireFirst, the potential retiree discovers in the Philippines through international projects. ment Migration. I came to the concluthe country as a tourist after visitMarc earned a bachelor of arts degree in international business sion that, while the Philippines has ing for two to three weeks. The next management from the Cologne Business School.

He worked for 4 years big potential to become a key player in sees the retiree “test-live” the with the Sozial Betriebe Köln, an operator step of nursing homes and homeattracting foreign retirees, the counPhilippines for three to six months. care services in Germany, and has in-depth experience in running restry has not yet reached its potential.

In the third and final step, the retiree taurants, hotels, spa and wellness institutions.

InFrom this 2009 week’stocolumn, let uswas look decides to buy of a second home and/or 2016 Marc the executive director the Retiredeeper at foreign retirees and howawe permanently retire in theof country. ment and Healthcare Coalition, project of the European Chamber can segmentof them into different marRetirees are getting more and Commerce the Philippines. kets which, in return, webeen would more attractedconsultant to travel.for The num Since 2015 Marc has anneed independent health-care tovarious develop differentinterested products for. berinof companies to get involved theEuropean Philippineretirees geriatrictraveling Sinusand Sociovision did aninstitutions extensive wanting abroad doubled in about the last market for Philippine to learn more ge-10 years. riatric care andSilver education in Germany. research on the Generation and The tourism industry starts discovergrouped them into different groups. ing the generation 50 plus for themstatement when I bring up the topic nursing homes, They callCOMMON these three groups Old Agselves and of creates new products and home-care services or geriatric-care services is “We do not need ers, Best Agers and Old Kids. services for them. any of thesethe facilities or services. OurAs tradition is to lookthe after The Old Agers, first group, an example, UK-based ourvery owntraditional elderly.” and conservative are Saga Group has been offering its haveto heard comment in different ways a few hundred times to overthe genand Itend staythe in their houses and services exclusively the last 10 years in the Philippines.

Almost every time, there is a fierce neighborhoods and spend time with eration 50 plus since 1950. The reaction fromItsome people in the crowd I talk aboutwith the necessity their families. would be difficult to when group began low-cost trips to of nursing homes. This might be due to the fact that I am a foreigner, but tap into this cluster for international British destinations. Today, it has the same reaction can be seen when fellow Filipinos bring up the same retirement migration as travel or relomore than 2.6 million customers topic. So what is leading to this denial? cation does not interest them. visiting destinations worldwide, Why is it okay to have seniors for several months in the most exThe second group, Best Agers, making it UK’s leading provider pensive hospitals of the country (which ruins families financially for has a different set of values.

They productsofand services specifiyears)? But the moment you bring up theofpossibility transferring see aging as a good opportunity to cally designed for the target your parents to a nursing home, you are criticized for “giving your group spend more time for themselves and 50 plus. parents away”, or for “disposing those that loved you all your life”. enjoy their lives. Part of their enjoyThe TUI one the world’s This common perception and judgment of society is theAG, cause forof many ment is their love ofamong travelfamilies and theand suffering largestfor tourist firmsinwith emotional conflicts the elderly needinterests discovery of new things. across Europe, need founded Club Elan in of professional care.

On oneThey hand,are families are in desperate for help, also willing to explore forms caters tocommunity senior clients and but on the other, they fearnew to seek for help as 2003. familyIt members, ofand housing ofblame living.

Best hotels. they society and might them forAgnot beingfirst able offered to “lovethree and take careToday, of ers are,parents therefore, a very their as they are interesting supposed to do”. have 18 hotels with about 4,000 beds Where is geriatric or aged care in the Philippines headed?

What are the target group. exclusively for senior market. measures taken to come withisservices for local Have The third group, Old up Kids, foTheseniors? question is, we canever the Philipasked on ourselves there isand a national agency mandated cused travel,why fashion con- government pines proactively developtoproducts attract foreign to the Philippines, but there is no national agencymarket”? sumption.

Theyretirees see themselves as and services for the “silver looking after the welfare of Filipino seniors and their families? pioneers and are open to new ways The first steps have been made.

We can the Department of Social The Welfare andofDevelopment of living andargue lifestyle trends, as well Bureau Immigrationisapproved to doand so. Yes, but only who are “poor, vulnerable asmandated new services products.

Asafter par-the elderly the Long Stay Visitors Visa Extension and disadvantaged individuals”, leaving seniors and atheir whoThe visa ticipating in international retirement (LSVVE) few families years back. are not “poor, vulnerable and disadvantaged” without anyone to turn migration is a new lifestyle, this target is intended for those whoto.decide to To show the urgent need for action, let us look at the statistics from group is the most promising. extend their 59-day visa and go into Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA). The number of senior citizens is the test-living stage. increasing faster than the growth of the total population in the PhilipTourism factor The Philippine Retirement Aupines. In 2000 there were 4.6 million senior citizens, (6 percent of the RETIREES do not just go to a country thority (PRA) became an attached total population). By 2010 this grew to 6.5 million seniors, or about 6.9 and retire there.

There is a pre-stage agency to Department percent of the total population. The PSA projects that bythe 2030, older people of Tourtowill themake decision of retiring in a or forism (DOT) under the Tourism Act up around 16 million, 11.5 percent of the total population. eignThe country.

Studies conducted in of 2009. issue of aging previously merited only little attention in the counSpain and Thailand show thesince strong It is up was to these agencies, totry. For example, it was only 2014 that Philhealth mandated to relationship between tourism and its gether with the private sector, to cover senior citizens. Prior to this, no health-care coverage was available. positive international makedointernational retirement Sadly, upinfluence until now,on most of the private insurers not cover senior citiretirement migration. migration a “priority area” and to zens, putting families under tremendous financial pressure.

Retirees who have no experience allocate time and efforts While improvements are happening, the speed infunds, which the Philipwith will not take theand more into driving thetoindustr pinesaiscountry aging demands faster action geriatric services ensure y and dignity intogrowing old. They first decision retire there. working together in developing places forthe abandoned and I saw the pressure on the wantI visited to experience countryseniors, as a holistic approach. system. Whatever the reasons—family financial constraints, tourists to “test-live” it. The deci- conflicts, In next week’s column, I will fearto ofretire judgement and “burned out syndromes” among family memsion abroad derives mainly discuss thethe different products and bers—seniors from all classes ofthe society are being abandoned at sector a rate should out of former experiences with services the private faster than new facilities can be established.

Othertofamilies their country as tourists. develop attract hide foreign retirees.

A

ACAO—Macao’s statistic department MayFERNANDO, 6 pubDirector Gemma Gabuya said the ITY OFonSAN lishedPampanga—A the detailed results payout is continuously being untotal of 220 of 2016 population by censusin carried dertaken untill all the 342 cencentenarians Central Luout in the special re- their tenarians in the region received zon haveadministrative so far received gion (SAR), showing accelerated their cash incentives.

P100,000 cashanincentives each, the population growth ofcoupled with and Under the law, the awards and Department Social Welfare continued population(DSWD) aging in the incentives are given to the cenDevelopment said. last five years. tenarians on the first Sunday of The DSWD Field Office III, in The Statistics and Census Service October, declared as the Nationcoordination with the concerned said the population of Macaounits totaled al Respect for Centenarians Day local government (LGUs), 650,834led in the August 2016, up 17.8 (NRCD), in line with the Elderly payout and even used the percent door-to-door from 552,503scheme in the as 2011 Filipino Week celebration. mode of Population Census, to a who However, considering the age of payment to attributable the centenarians surge in could nonresident workers the centenarians, the DSWD will no longer travel,living are bedridin Macaoden andor a rebound in birth rate. release the cash gift to the identiin the hospital.

The average of 2 of fied beneficiaries earlier.

Theannual-growth move is under rate Section Despite his age, farmer Cornelio Sebastian still manages an organic tomato farm right at the border of the the Macao population betweenor2011 Centenarians who died upon the Republic Act 10868, the “CenOceanaGold Sustainable Agro-forestry Inc. central nursery in Tucod Village, Cabarroguis, Quirino. He believes mining and agriculture can coexist. and 2016tenarians reached 3.3 percent, the higheffectivity of the law, will be given Act of 2016”, which LEONARDO PERANTE II est in thestates past 20 years.

Local populaa posthumous plaque of recognition that all Filipinos who reach tion, excluding nonresident workers together with the cash incentive to the age of 100 years old, whethand foreign students in living Macao, be received by their nearest surviver residing the in Philippines or totaled 537,018, up bybe 10.7 percentwith a ing relative or family. abroad, shall honored compared with 2011.

To avail themselves of the cash Letter of Felicitation from the The result also showed SAR pop- conincentive, a centenarian must President of thethe Philippines ulation continued to age.

The elderlyfor his present their birth certificate or gratulating the celebrant population 65 and olderand increased Philippine passport for those livor aged her longevity; a cash gift substantially by 48.6 percent from five ing overseas. amounting to P100,000. years ago toLikewise, 59,383, accounting for 9.1 will CITY, Cavite—Bacoor age and physical disability.

ACOOR If said documents are not (Osca) Head Bayani de Leon. the centenarians percent of the total population, up by and City Mayor Mercado-may The Rev. Father Erickson Santos She also reiterated her support for available, theLani centenarian receive a plaque of recognition 1.9 percentage points. from their respective Revillantledt the them, who are provided funds by the prese he i rinauguration se n ior - c itof i z e n consecrated the new facilities as city cash incentive Moreover, percentage share of a new identification building for senior citizens city government for their free admis(ID) card and or any officials, councilors and beneficiaries city orthe municipal governments. the elderly population to the theadditional youth in-persons with Philippine disabilities (PWDs) on toured the facilities. sion to movies in all theaters in the other government The amount of population under 14 rose by 15.6 perMonday at the Bacoor Government The two-story building has six ofcity washes every piles Sunday, Monday, GINGER GALORE After harvest, an elderly woman of ginger in a creekTuesday in issued ID showing their citizencentive shall be determined by the centage points to 76.3 percent.

PopulaCenter, Bayanan. fices that will attend to various services and Thursday.

Quezon, Nueva Vizcaya.

The spicy rhizome is a popular crop among upland farmers in the ship and date of birth.

LGU concerned. tion aged 55DSWD to 64 took upOffice 13.5 percent officiated the for province. the city’s Osca and She said Bacoor City is the only LEONARDO PERANTE II PWD group’s

Field III Regional Mercado-Revilla Froilan E. Magtoto/PNA “difficult” seniors at home because dementia is still a topic of shame, and (87,583) of the total. The pace of popuribbon-cutting rites with the PWD 66,000 members. local government so far that profamilies do not know who to turn to for help. Thankfully, this is still the lation aging is expected to accelerate group President Jerwin Bautista, who The city mayor also thanked the vides free admission to movie houses exception, but if you visit or volunteer in a place for the abandoned, you further in the next decade. is also the Panapaan village chief, Osca and PWDs who serve in their for the elderly and PWDs four days can see it with your own eyes.

The by census found the female and Office of Senior Citizens Affairs respective communities despite their a week. PNA Today, nursing homes in the Philippines are associated with the negapopulation outnumbered the male tive perception that only seniors “given away” by their families are living population. Females and males totaled there. Many people do not consider the possibility that nursing homes 336,816 By and 314,018, ward in Thanh Hoa City.

Crosby and her grandmother Frederick Crosby was buried Julie Watsonrespectively, | The Associated Press can be happy places. A home away from home. Places where specialized accounting for 51.8 percent and 48.2 According a 50-page report made a pact to someday bring at Fort Rosecrans National Cemgeriatric nurses, caregivers and dedicated doctors give their to loving care percent of theAN total.

The gender ratioCrosby given to Deborah Crosby, the home her father’s remains and etery with full military honors DIEGO—Deborah to seniors. Some seniors are entirely alone at home as all members of the was 93.2, corresponding to 93.2 males flagLMOSThim 3 million grandparents in of down a very high fever.”

But ice baths can grandchild had negatively affected their 89-year-old told investigabury in his hometown and a Navy flyover. touched her father’s family are working. Others are stroke victims, have a form man of dementia per 100 females.

As regarding the US are raising their grandchilcause hypothermia. spouse or relationship. he couldn’t recallofthe month Deborah Crosby never doubtdraped casket the as local her three San Diego. or just simply need assistance in performingtors the most basic activities population, the gender ratio dren, outdated practices The study also revealed oneMany of the grandparents were interor year, but he remembered dured the fact her fathernearly was killed. brothers hugged herdropped in a tearful A but year ago, health military invesdaily living. In some instances, it is simply not possible to age at home. from 92.7 five years to 90.2, at and may befound puttinghis someremains of those in quarter thegrief grandparents knowin ested in receiving counseling (43 percent) ing the war he was cooking limeButofher seemed didn’t to linger embrace on ago the tarmac the Sanand myths tigators Some seniors also prefer to age in a nursing home to keep the “burden” the surplus of females males at risk, newin research shouldinside be puther to until sleep on or joining a support group (61 percent), and stone to reinforce his house when deep space she Diego airport,over ending anwas over 50-youngsters a fishpond northcontends.

Vietnam. that a“infants off of their families. more apparent. up to Crosby the theirreceived back, not news on theirhis stomach or side” those without an adequate support system heold heard andto-ran to the remains had year search to find and bring home “When Lategrandparents last month,step Deborah Without a doubt, most of us prefer to grow in ourgunfire own homes The number of households totaled can be wonderful for grandchildren, risk of sudden infant-death were less likely to report feeling generally nearby levee to investigate.

He her promise to her late to reduce been the recovered, finally giving the remains of Lt. Cmdr.

Frederickplate, itfulfilled gether with our family. So do I. This is, however, not always possible.

Rapid 188,723,P.an increase 10.5 as percent also pose challenges in terms of syndrome. happy (54 percent versus 86 percent). urbanization, increased cost of living, the fact that 10 million saw two planesFilipinos headed toward her closure.

Crosby, shotofdown a Navy pilotbut cangrandmother. compared five years ago.

The averlifestyle, finances and mental andthrough physical the In two studies surveying “In their questionnaires, a fairly large are living abroad, are proofs of the burden thehis traditional systems house. family One was on fire as it “Itrelated just changed my lifenearly in so into the Vietnam War. Passengers watched age household size was 3.07 persons, to a somewhat older or elderly same research team sample size of grandparents felt they were are under. To make matters worse, cardiovascular and He said glideddiseases, towardstroke the levee. many ways,”the the energy consulDeborah Crosby, now 58, washealth windows of a Delta Air Linescojet as 800 grandparents, a slight decrease from 3.08 in homehort,” senior investigatorcasket Dr. Andrew thatwho one in 10 grandparents raising doing a good job, but acknowledged they dementia are on the rapid rise. he could see its wing and tail tant lives in New York said only 6 when she persons was sent the flag-draped wasAdesremoved found 2011. Analyzed by the He isthe chief of developmental theirearlier grandchildren have any“It supdidn’t have the support they often needed We should start to consider that aged-care serviceswere in their various The airsurfaces missing. in an didn’t interview. refrom the firsthousehold grade tosize, learn herman said. from hold by six sailors.and three-person households predominatpediatrics Crosby at Cohen walked Children’sfor- portlieved systems,aand percent said and that their role could be alienating in forms are a much-needed service and a direct response to the rise fishpond craft rolled as itrapid hit the lotanother of the12sadness I’ve father was presumed dead, thoughbehavioralDeborah of aging of the Philippines. ed, accounting for 24.5 percent of the Medical Center in New Hyde Park, New York. their support system didn’t meet their most terms of their own peer group,” Adesman in front of his house, splashing been carrying around in my heart his body had not been found. ward, touched the casket and emI do not claim that nursing homes and geriatric-care services the and mud. total households, up by 1.3could percentage than 600 raisingThe important needs. said in a Northwell Health news release.

Van Truong with are water braced hergrandparents three brothers. very quietly.”

Her mother never talk More DEBORAH Crosby (center right) touches her father’ s casket after its arrival at the airport last Friday, May ultimate solution.

Rather, they should be seen as an option for those in flying topoints from five years earlier.

By contheir grandchildren completed a quesAlso, 71 percent of those grandparPediatricians can help grandparents The other aircraft kept aviator’s elderly sister, Sharon, and T he U S m i l it a r y a c t i v e l y about that day, but she gave Cros26, in Sangrandchildren Diego, California. by Brothers John Crosby (left) andneed Steven look on.services After spending moreelderly. After all, we wouldn’t refuse ofCrosby health-care for the trast, thebyproportion of four-person tionnaire for the study.

Their answers ents said their grandchild responsibilities raise their updating them ward the sea. brother, David, also hugged, and he sea rc hes for missing ser v ice and her brothers a binder with half ahealth centurycare on getting her father’s methremains recovered from Vietnam after hisfor Navy plane was shotHow much more to our seniors? health-care services our children. households fell by 1.6 percentage points planerevealed that 44 restricted their from ability conflicts to socializeworldwith onthan current and parenting Based on the new information, members wiped an percent eye. mistakenly bearticles about her father’s down there in 1965, Crosby watched last Friday as his casket was removed from a Delta Air Lines jet at San to 21.4 percent.

Xinhua bathsjust are a overwhelmed good way to bring Nearly one-thirdto said raising their ods, he said. New York Times News Service US military investigators decided wide.

According the National with friends. zooming low through the cloudslieved “ice“I’m Diego’s airport and six sailors transferred it to a hearse. AP PHOTO/GREGORY BULL to comb the bottom of the pond in League of Families of American seeing the plane drive up and all on a bomb-damage assessment 2015. When they emptied it buckPrisoners and Missing in South1,611 remain a mystery. and grandmother both died before of the uniforms and all of the mission before it was gunned down et by bucket, they found bones, east Asia, 969 missing service Deborah Crosby called to inquire investigators got a breakthrough respect and the honors that he’s

by North Vietnamese ground forcpieces of fabric from the pilot's members have been accounted for regularly about the military’s progon their third trip to the area receiving,” Deborah Crosby said. es in 1965. The 31-year-old pilot uniform, his chrome lighter and since the end of the Vietnam War ress on her father’s case. when they met Pham Van Truong, The sailors saluted before the was armed only with cameras, his a wedding band. AP in 1975, while the whereabouts of Decades passed and her mother a lifelong resident of Nam Ngan casket left in a hearse. daughter said.

GRANDPA’S CONTOUR FARM

Mayor inaugurates new building for senior citizens, PWDs in Bacoor City

B

Finding Dad: Pilot’s remains back on US soil from Vietnam after 52 years

S

Are grandkids safe when grandparents raise them?

A

news.businessmirror@gmail.com

The Millennials BusinessMirror

Saturday, June 10, 2017

A9

On Facebook, remember basic rules of etiquette Maxine Mamba

MILLENNIAL UNIVERSE

A

T the center of etiquette is just respect. And though it may seem like we are not dealing with real people with feelings in virtual reality, we are.

That is why it is very important to know that real people will be reacting to whatever you haphazardly post. It helps to be guided by basic rules of etiquette:

In this May 22 photo, a motorcycle delivery driver of the Bamilo online-shopping site rides in the capital Tehran, Iran. Iran remains in many ways cut off economically from the rest of the world, fueling a surprisingly active local tech start-up scene. It’s driven by a growing number of Iranian millennials who see their country as a market ripe with opportunity. AP

Isolation by the West fuels a tech start-up boom in Iran

T

EHRAN, Iran—Mostafa Meisami has given up on the farming life, trading his old job raising cattle for a better-paying gig ferrying commuters through the notoriously traffic-clogged streets of the Iranian capital Tehran.

The 38-year-old father-to-be plies his trade in a brand-new, locally assembled Chinese hatchback, scrolling for fares using an app on his Samsung smartphone.

Yes, even in Iran, there’s an app for that—and quite a few other things too.

The Islamic Republic remains in many ways cut off economically from the rest of the world.

Big-name Western brands shun the market for fear of violating sanctions that remain in place even after the country’s landmark 2015 nuclear deal with world powers.

That means no KFC—just local upstarts like “Iran Fried Chicken”—or credit and ATM cards connected to globa l bank ing networks. Visitors to the country must carry in thick wads of dollars. Many popular social-networking sites like Facebook are blocked by government censors.

Order from Amazon or call an Uber? Forget about it.

In their place, a surprisingly active tech start-up scene has sprung up. It’s driven by a growing number of Iranian millennials who see their country of 80 million people not as an isolated outcast but as a market ripe with opportunity.

Uber-like app

A MONG t he fastest-g row ing companies in the digital transformation is Snapp, the ridehailing app Meisami uses.

He estimates he makes more than $900 working in a good month, pulling in a much larger

cut per fare than he would driving for a traditional taxi-style car service. His hours are long—12 hours a day most days a week— but he likes being able to pick when and where he works.

“This opened a door to people like me who had financial problems,” he said.

Launched in 2014, Snapp operates a sleek Uber-like app that runs off of Google Maps and has a launch page featuring the Tehran skyline. It boasts 100,000 drivers and has carried more than 5 million passengers on some 50 million rides, according to its enthusiastic CEO, Sharam Shahkar, 32.

He’s among the older employees in the company’s northern Te h ra n headqu a r ters, where bearded hipsters and fashionable young women in loose-fitting hijabs squeeze their laptops into a cramped workspace while builders across the hall rush to double the office space. It looks like a tech start-up anywhere in the world, except for the Iranian flag in the corner.

Consumer-friendly

SHAHK AR speaks in tech buzzwords like “onboarding” for the process of running background checks and training new drivers, and sees the company as a longterm solution for Tehran’s nightmare traffic and parking woes.

“Our vision is to make it so convenient, so affordable that people will no longer have incentive to own a personal vehicle,” he said. In addition to its basic ser-

vice, Snapp offers premium rides in nicer cars as well as femaledriven vehicles for women and families. It recently expanded to the nearby suburb of Karaj and the central city of Isfahan, and is considering rolling out a motorcycle delivery service.

The company says it undercuts taxi prices by 30 percent to 50 percent—a consumer-friendly move that has rankled the old guard.

In February, dozens of local taxi drivers angry over the competition gathered outside parliament and chanted “American Snapp should be destroyed” in an effort to link it wrongly to Iran’s arch enemy, the United States.

A formal request by the taxi association that authorities shut down Snapp and a smaller competitor known as Tap30 were ultimately rejected. The taxi federation has responded by launching a ride-hailing app of its own.

Subtle differences

SNAPP is owned by the Iran Internet Group, which has emerged as one of the leaders in the country’s start-up scene. It is backed by telecom Irancell, which state-linked investors have stakes in, as well as South African telecom MTN. Its other businesses include a food-ordering app called Zoodfood and a hotel booking site know n as Pintapin—a useful service in a country that most booking portals don’t touch.

The company’s online shopping site Bamilo competes against Iran’s biggest e-commerce site, Digikala , which ranks behind only Google and a local sports portal as Iran’s third most-visited website, according to web traffic data site Alexa.

Like Amazon, the sites sell ever y thing from laptops and cellphones to clothes, kitchen supplies and cosmetics. But there are subtle differences too.

Both sites are currently running promotions for the Islamic holy month of Ramadan, for example. Digikala even sells cars , including a 2017 Lexus hybrid SU V on of fer for more t han

$90,000.

And Iranians would not accept having their purchases left unceremoniously on the doorstep like in the U.S. They expect handto-hand delivery, said Afshan Samani, Bamilo’s chief product officer.

Samani did graduate work in Sweden and Canada, but decided to return to her native Iran because she said she loves a challenge—and smelled opportunity.

“I noticed how kind of cultivated the environment is. It’s ready,” she said. “The huge difference I see right now is people say that ‘I want to do something.’”

Limiting competition

FIGURES released by Iran’s central bank last month showed that online shopping jumped 34 percent and accounted for sales of more than $370 billion during the last Persian year, which ends in March.

Nader Habibi, an Iranian expert on Mideast economies at Brandeis University in Massachusetts, said the rollout of 4G mobile connections and highspeed landline internet service over the past few years has fueled Iran’s tech boom.

So too have supportive government policies like loans for innovative start-ups and deferrals on military conscription for promising young inventors and tech professionals.

“The first goal is to create jobs and new industries that can help reduce the burden of unemployment,” he said. Fostering a strong tech sector could also support Tehran’s homegrown defense industries and cyber warfare capabilities, Habibi added.

And the same international sanctions that have kept Iran isolated have been a boon for the tech sector by limiting competition. “This is like a protected industry—not protected by the government, but by sanctions,” Habibi said. “You don’t need a lot of sophisticated machinery, just young talent with a background in coding and technology.” AP

1. If you are selling something, do not post it on someone’s comment or feed when it is totally out of the topic. This comes across as very rude and desperate.

More than this, if the people there did not ask for information about your product, they probably won’t be interested. There are group buying and selling sites for every particular item which you can use.

2. If you are crowdsourcing for a particular thing, make sure that what you are asking for is not readily available in Google. This means that if you are asking for the definition of amalgamate, for example, you not only come off as lazy, but also not very smart, for not thinking of typing those same words in Google.

Crowdsourcing is more correctly used for something specific which your network can provide.

It is also useful if you want to get personal reviews of something.

Be sure to thank anyone who has g iven any input to your crowdsourcing. That person took the time out of his or her busy day to give you a bit of advice, so the least you can do is to like their comment or say thank you.

3. When in a discussion about politics or anything else you may disagree on, make sure that you respect that the other person may not share the same views as yourself.

It doesn’t matter how many valid points you have, because if that person has made up his mind, no amount of links to prove your point can change that. Always remain respectful because whoever you are arguing with is someone’s friend, brother or daughter.

Like any good debater, know that your ideas are just that and not an extension of your ego or importance. You can be wrong, or they can be wrong, but if you conduct yourself with politeness, you will always be held at a high regard. Try to find a way to always end a thread at a common note, or else, agree to respect each other’s differing perspectives.

4. Do not like sad posts. There are now different feelings which you can put instead of a “like”, so a “sad” would be more appropriate. Make sure that your reaction is appropriate to how close you are in real life. In real life, a sad icon is not the same as typing, “Condolences to you and your

family in this time of grieving.”

Part of respect is treating the things that are important to people as important as they treat that topic or issue. It means you acknowledge their feelings about it, and that also shows that you acknowledge their importance to you.

5. Events are easily made on Facebook. However, if you really want people to go, your chances of success are tripled by personally sending a private message.

Being inv ited to a n event could open the possibility that you just randomly selected all of your friends. But if you personally invite someone even by PM (private message), they know that you really want them there.

Make sure that you address them by their names, and that they know that you didn’t just cut and paste your PM addressed as “Dear All”.

If you are going to a private party or event, it is better to ask the host if you may post it on Facebook.

6. When taking other people’s photos, it is also good to just ask if you may take their photo.

It is assumed that you may be posting it elsewhere already, and if the person refuses, then don’t include them in the photo. In a group photo, you can announce that you will be posting this, so that anyone who doesn’t want to be included can at least get out of the photo.

If you say you will be the one to take a photo for the group, you must upload it in a timely fashion, and possibly tag the ones that have requested a copy. If they do request for it, apologize for the delay.

They might have wanted to take a photo of it themselves, and when you are the “designated photographer”, you should be responsible in providing it for everyone.

7. Last, speaking badly about someone online is the worst that you can do. If what you are saying is, firstly false and, secondly, containing motive to besmirch their good reputation and they are private individuals and not public personas, then you will be liable to a law suit.

If however, your claims are evidenced then you would have the “right” to do so, but certainly that person should be able to give their response.

All this would be trouble with a capital “T,” and is only used for the common good. For example, if this person has defrauded you of money, or committed a crime and you wish to prevent it from happening to someone else, then social media is there for us to help each other. I’ve heard it said a million times, but it encapsulates anything you might say on the web: Is it true? Is it necessary? Is it kind?

Take this to heart and keep your good manners even in the World Wide Web!

BusinessMirror

A10 Saturday, June 10, 2017

news.businessmirror@gmail.com

HK logistics tech provider tweaks app for PHL mart

H

ONG Kong-based logistics technology provider EasyVan (SG) Pte. Ltd. introduced on May 26 a new app design executives hope will increase user number.

A lbert Go, EasyVan Philippines Inc. country director, said the company is quite aware that while technology is their prime enabler, it is just one facet of their business.

W hile we are aggressive in expanding operations in the outskirts of Metro Manila, our main focus is on improving logistics and services so that more and more people will try, choose and

remain loyal to Lalamove. EasyVan is the operator of Lalamove, the app founded in December 2013 by Chow Shing-Yuk. Its Philippines Digital Marketing Manager Mark Singson said the new design features the logo of a humming bird, which they hope will signify the swiftness by which L a l a move oper ates. Si ng son added the aesthetic design was also overhauled to make it more

appealing for the user during interface. Moreover, he pointed out the new version also looks cleaner, providing the customer with a less-cluttered experience when booking.

Singson said the new app also allows access to a customer’s contact book so one can link the number and details of that contact to the ongoing order.

But beyond design, he explained the new Lalamove App now allows for a quicker app experience from placing all the way to completing the order.

“With the new app, one can browse their delivery options— either through motorcycle, medium utility van or large utility van and pick which best suits their needs. The fees are also

carefully listed per transaction based on weight and size of package plus destination.

It also makes sure that the driver making the pick-up and drop off can be tracked real time on your screen so you can feel secure with every transaction.

Since tec hnolog y is ver y p e r v a s i ve t he s e d ay s , Si n g son sa id L a l a move ha r nesses t hese tools, such as t he mobi le phone, t ablet or PC , to ensu re easy t ra nspor t a nd del iver y of good s a nd ser v ices.

Dannah Majarocon, EasyVan Philippines operations director, said the company will introduce within the year six-wheeler trucks for delivery operations to enable them to serve clients with bigger requirements. Rizal Raoul Reyes

OK, Google Home, can you help me plan a vacation?

T

HE Google Home personal assistant, a voice-activated speaker powered

by Google Assistant, arrived in stores last November with some neat tricks for travelers: the ability to suggest nearby restaurants, translate foreign words, convert currency, track f light status and answer fact-based queries, such as “How much does Global Entry cost?”

Roughly six months later, it’s doing things it couldn’t before, like tracking flight prices, giving directions and providing sameday updates on traffic to airports.

Anyone vaguely familiar with other personal virtual assistants, like Alexa from Amazon or Siri from Apple, knows that this technology is a work in progress.

But I was impressed with how far Google Assistant and Google Home have come in a short period, and it’s not difficult to see them becoming a larger part of travelers’ lives in the near future.

gives Google Assistant an edge over its competition (A lexa has some f light-tracking and -pricing features powered by K ayak but not as many).

Just ask it how much flights are to the city of your choice and give it your dates, and you’ll get the current price and be asked if you want e-mail updates when the price changes.

An evolving sense of traffic

The Basics

THE Google Assistant lives not only within the Google Home speaker, but also on Android phones and smartwatches.

It is capable of a wide range of tasks beyond answering users’ questions. You can use your voice to control your home’s thermostat, play shows and movies on your television or play music throughout your house.

The first and most important thing to know about Google Home is that, while it speaks several human languages, it also has a language of its own.

Google recommends star ting each interaction with “OK, Google” (“Hey, Google” works as well), which will prompt the speaker into receiving a query properly. It will light up and flash its signals when it’s ready.

Patience is also crucial. If at first you don’t succeed, it may not be because of what you’re asking, but because of how you’re asking it.

In an undated handout photo, the Google Home personal assistant, a voice-activated speaker powered by Google Assistant. New York Times News Service

For example: Human: “OK, Google, when does Flight 3459 from Delta Airlines arrive at La Guardia Airport?”

Google Home: “Sorry, I’m not sure how to help. But my team’s helping me learn.”

Human: “OK, Google, when does Delta Airlines Flight 3459 arrive at La Guardia Airport?”

Google Home: “Delta 3459 from Pittsburgh to New York City is delayed and arrives in 32 minutes.”

Preparing a trip

I found this stage of my mock journey the most helpful and practical. Whether you need help deciding where to go or when to go there, Google Home has ideas.

One of the neater tricks is asking it about what time of

year is best to visit a city.

Human: “OK, Google, when is the best time to visit London?”

Google Home: “According to Visit London, autumn is a lovely time to visit London, as the weather is mild (11 degrees Celsius to 15 °C)”—52 degrees Farenheit to 59 °F—“and you can enjoy a variety of annual events, from Total Thames Festival to Halloween celebrations. To read more, look for the link in your Google Home App.” On my iPhone’s Google Home app, there was a link to a visitlondon.com page with more details.

W hat I found to be the most usef u l feature was the f indi ng a nd t rac k i ng of f l ig ht s, which harnesses the power of G o og le F l i g ht s. T h i s a s p e c t

WHILE you’re finishing packing, looking for your passport and checking (twice) to make sure the burners are off, you can get a quick update on how long it might take to get to the airport. This sense of traffic is not something Google Home had when it first came out, an example of its evolving capabilities. Before long you will also be able to book a car to the airport via voice, as the company says hands-free calls will be an option in the coming months.

But when asking the assistant for directions, you do not yet get the detail you would if you were searching on Google Maps. When I asked Google Home how to get to La Guardia, it gave me only a general idea: “via 77th Street and Grand Central Parkway.”

Similarly, if you’re trying to get from Point A to Point B once you’re in your destination city, Google Assistant gives you basic information, but it defaults to car directions, so you must specify how you want to get there.

The bottom line

THIS technology is still in its early stages, so unless you’re already using Google Home as part of your daily routine, chatting with it is more of a fun thing for travelers to experiment with than a replacement for what you would normally use to help plan a trip. But the foundation is strong and its potential is exciting, and, as Google Home will sometimes tell you when it’s stumped, it’s “learning more every day.” New York Times News Service

Global average connection speed up 15 percent YOY–Akamai

C

LOUD delivery platform provider Akamai Technologies Inc. announced on June 1 eight out of top 10 qualifying countries or regions saw double-digit annual increases in average connection speed.

“Increases in connection speeds and broadband penetration have helped enable the Internet to support levels of traffic that even just a few years ago would have been unimaginable,” sa id Dav id Belson, ed itor of Akamai’s State of the Internet Report. “One need only look to January’s US Presidential Inauguration, which broke traffic records for live coverage of a single news event delivered by Akamai, largely thanks to the combination of more viewers watching at increasingly higher levels of video quality.”

According to Akamai, global average connection speed in the first quarter was 7.2 megabytes (Mbps), an increase of 15 percent

year-over-year ( YOY ). Globa l average peak-connection speed increased 28 percent YoY to 44.6 Mbps during the period.

Akamai said South Korea again had the highest average-connection speed globally at 28.6 Mbps in the first quarter, while Singapore had the highest peak-connection speed at 184.5 Mbps.

T he company said average mobile-connection speeds ranged from a high of 26 Mbps in the United Kingdom to a low of 2.8 Mbpts in Venezuela. Germany had the highest peak mobile-connection speed at 200 Mbps in the first quarter.

A mong the qua lif y ing surveyed countr ies or reg ions, 37 had an average mobile-connection speed at or exceeding the 10 Mbps broadband threshold (up from 30 in the prev ious quar ter) while 70 achieved average speeds at or above the 4 Mbps broadband level (up from 58). Alladin Diega

briefs PLDT rolls out app targeting rural banks

TO return to its growth track, PLDT Inc. rolled out in early May a mobile-based loan application targeting rural banks. The user of the app is allowed to apply for a loan using an Internet-connected mobile device. The user gets notified of their loan application within the same day, PLDT said. The roll out of the app comes days after PLDT reported declining revenues year-on-year and a “negative momentum of the topline”. PLDT’s wireless service revenues (net of interconnection costs) was 16 percent lower than the previous year. Quarter-onquarter, fixed service revenues increased by 4 percent while wireless revenues declined 4 percent, the company said on May 16. Rizal Raoul Reyes

Hitachi unit launches new version of platform

HITACHI Data Systems (HDS), a wholly owned subsidiary of Hitachi Ltd., announced on May 25 it launched the latest version of its content platform “HCP Anywhere”. According to the company, the platform adds more collaboration, usability and data-protection capabilities with a refined user experience, allowing organizations to transform to a digital workplace that is virtual, mobile and highly collaborative.

The platform is the industry’s only private enterprise mobility solution that allows employees to collaborate with coworkers and external parties to share files or folders anytime, anywhere, on any device, without compromising security or control of corporate information, the company said. Ned E. Capotse

Tech4ED finalist in IDC awards T

HE International Data Corp. (IDC) announced it has selected government’s “Technology for Education, Employment, Entrepreneurs and Economic Development”, or Tech4ED, project as a finalist in its competition. IDC said Tech4ED has been chosen as one of the finalists in its annual Smart City Asia Pacific Awards (Scapa) 2017 under the category of Economic Development.

“Tech4ED follows in the footsteps of the country’s Project Noah initiative, which was

also chosen as a finalist and ultimately announced as the winner for the category of Public Safety in Scapa 2016,” IDC said in a May 31 statement.

Established by the Department of Information and Communications Technology, the project initiative sought to establish Tech4ED Centers nationwide. The center is expected to offer a one-stop shop to citizens “where services like platform usage, digital literacy, Internet usage

and skills training are available for free.”

“The platform also provides easy online application and processing of government documents, access to eLearning tools and other online resources,” IDC said.

“Tech4ED pushes national digital inclusion through eCenters scattered around the country, helping bridge digital divide, especially in digitally challenged areas,” IDC Philippines Head of Operations Jubert Daniel Alberto was quoted in the statement

as saying. “By addressing digital literacy, Tech4ED advances economic empowerment by engaging not just the youth but also the so-called digital aliens in the country.”

According to IDC, it created the Scapa to identify, benchmark and publicly vote on the best projects each year across 14 functional smart city strategic domains.

It is an intensive six-month process that tracks and evaluates hundreds of smart city initiatives in Asia Pacific. Tech4ED is one of

46 smart city projects across Asia Pacific (excluding Japan) that was shortlisted out of over 150 submissions from vendors, local governments and analysts as IDC Government Insights Asia Pacific undertakes the benchmarking of the top smart city projects in the 14 categories highlighted above.

All finalists will compete with other outstanding projects through public voting, IDC internal evaluation and judging from an International Advisory Council. Like 2016, 50

percent of the criteria for judging will come from public votes while the other half will be based on internal assessment from the IDC Research Team and the Advisory Council. IDC will declare one winner under each smart city strategic domain.

Voting period started on May 31 and ends on June 30. The public is encouraged to participate by voting for the smart city initiatives that have made the biggest impact in their citizen life. Oliver Samson

BusinessMirror

news.businessmirror@gmail.com

Saturday, June 10, 2017

A11

Users generating ‘dark’ data–IBM D ARKNESS looms over the Internet. So says and IBM Philippines executive. Statistics shows that around 80 percent to 90 percent of data generated nowadays is actually “dark” data, Lope A. Doromal Jr. said on Tuesday.

“Our current IT [informationtechnology]systems are not really designed to process these [data],” said Doromal, chief technologist of IBM Philippines. “It’s dark to us because we don’t have visibilities to these data.”

Gartner, an American IT research and advisory company, defines dark data as “the information assets organizations collect, process and store during regular business activities, but generally fail to use for other purposes.”

Since dark data are unstruc-

tured and never analyzed most of the time, these data are used only in compliance purposes by businesses and organizations.

Doromal said these dark data became a “major driver” of IBM for producing technology that teaches computers to interpret these data in the same way people also assume and understand.

He cited the nuisances of IT securities from closed-circuit television cameras to firewall lags and posts on social media. Doromal explained during

a roundtable that once people start to complain about these problems, traditional computer systems would have a difficulty to work on the glitches.

He added that through IBM’s question-answering computer system for cyber security, various loads of information are monitored from public sites over the Internet. The platform, which IBM calls Watson, would start picking up clues to understand what may be unstructured or wrong.

“It can [also] bring some alert and people can start acting on that information,” Doromal said.

IBM’s Watson boosts a security analyst’s ability to trace and understand sophisticated threats, he added.

Unstructured data from millions of security blogs, online forums and white papers are tapped for checking threats unseen by other systems. The data are then connected with local security offenses, Doromal explained. Mary Noll Christine P. Caadyang

NEC PHL deploys UC solution at hospital

C

OMMUNICATION solutions provider for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) NEC Philippines Inc. announced on June 6 it has deployed its SL1000 Unified Communications Solution at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital.

Located in Daet, Camarines Norte, approximately 360 kilometers south of Metro Manila, the 100-bed capacity Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital serves the entire Bicol region. In cooperation with its sister company, the Our Lady of Lourdes College Foundation Inc., the hospital coordinates the annual Emilia Palencia Medical Mission to provide free medical

and dental care to local residents. “We understand that a robust and reliable communication system is extremely important in the healthcare industry, connecting clinicians and staff to obtain the right information,” Elizabeth Pangan, president of NEC Philippines said in a statement. “We are privileged and excited with this first installation in Daet and we hope that its collaborative and intuitive functions will help increase productivity within any business organization.”

The company said the SL1000 is an costeffective telecommunication system that packs affordability, efficiency, Internet

protocol-telephony and ecology all into one, and is equipped with the capabilities to adapt to functions for immediate or emerging business needs of SMEs and small offices and home offices (SOHOs).

The NEC SL1000 Unified Communications Solution system was installed by Clari-trade Multi Distribution Inc.’s Authorized Reseller, Fortle Telecoms. NEC Philippines also recently launched NECare Center, its support center that provides after sales and warranty support, information technology (IT) integration, project management and other IT- and networkingrelated services. Rizal Raoul Reyes

VIEWERS’ CHOICE: Executives of Skyworth Digital Holdings Viki Zhou, vice president of Overseas Business, and Mark Seidenfeld, head

of Android TV Business Development in Asia and the Pacific pose for a photo opportunity during the launch of the public company’s Android television on June 8 in Manila. Skyworth, a company engaged in the research and manufacturing of LCD and LED TVs, Digital TV Set Top Boxes, audio-visual products, security products and other digital products related to the TV industry, launched a TV model that can be controlled by voice. NONIE REYES

briefs Shopee, Facebook announce partnership

SOUTHEAST Asia mobile shopping app Shoppee announced recently it has partnered with Facebook to discuss with over 100 Filipino sellers how entrepreneurs can leverage digital marketing skills to increase online sales. “Currently, the Philippines is one of the highest digital population in the world. There are over 47 million active Facebook accounts in the country,” Deepish Trivedi, Facebook head of retail and ecommerce for Southeast Asia, was quoted in a statement as saying. “We see this as a great opportunity in helping Filipinos grow their business and guide them on how to optimize our marketing tools”. Alladin S. Diega

Sony launches color variants of PS4 units

SONY Interactive Entertainment Hong Kong Ltd. Singapore announced on June 9 the release of two new color variants of its standard PlayStation 4 (PS4) CUH-2000 series. The SRP of the gold and silver PS4 is at P15,500, the company said in a statement. Rizal Raoul Reyes

SellUP buys e-mail marketing agency

SELLUP Inc., an e-mail marketing company with offices in New York and Manila, announced on June 5 its acquisition of global e-mail marketing agency, Alchemy Worx. Established in 2001, Alchemy Worx currently creates, manages and deploys consumer and business e-mails for international brands and Fortune 500 companies. SellUP, who offer analytics-driven, global B2C strategies, will gain a formidable asset in Alchemy Worx, bolstering efforts to build relationships with larger companies reaching beyond retail.

SellUP said it will extend the support of its design and coding teams and data scientists to strengthen analysis and production for Alchemy Worx clients. Oliver Samson

Under scrutiny: Facebook’s role in the European elections L

AWRENCE Dodd lives in one of Britain’s most fiercely fought voting districts, and he has been peppered almost daily with ads from the country’s major political parties on Facebook. About a month ago, he tried to find out why.

Dodd, a maker of musical instruments in northern England, joined an experiment. He and around 10,000 others volunteered their data, allowing researchers to monitor in real time which political ads were showing up in their Facebook news feeds as Britain’s election approached.

Their goal: to shed more light on how political campaigns are using Facebook and other digital services—technologies that are quickly reshaping the democratic process, but which often offer few details about their outsize roles in elections worldwide.

“These political ads aren’t regulated; nobody knows what is being said on Facebook,” said Dodd, 26, who planned to vote for the Labour Party in Thursday’s elections, but who continued to be bombarded with online messages from the Conservatives. “Wherever politics is concerned, there needs to more transparency.”

Facebook provides little information on how political parties use ads to reach undecided voters on the site. And concern has been growing since the U.S. presidential election about the company’s role in campaig ns, including about how politically charged fake news is spread online.

Now, as voters head to the polls across Europe, groups in Britain, Germany and elsewhere

“Political advertising is fundamentally different; there’s a lot of concern about what’s being seen on Facebook,” said Sam Jeffers, the group’s co-founder and a former digital media strategist.

“The people deserve some sense of what’s going on.”

As the volunteer group is not completely representative of the British population, the data is by no means perfect, highlighting the difficulty of tracking political activity on Facebook.

Minority presence

Sam Jeffers, a cofounder of WhoTargetsMe?, a tool to monitor political advertising on Facebook ahead of the British election, in London, on June 5. The role of social media in politics is a heated issue in Britain, where outside groups were accused of spending lavishly to sway the Brexit vote. Andrew Testa/The New York Times

are fighting back, creating new ways to track and monitor digital political ads and misinformation on the social network and on other digital services like Twitter and Google.

The political ads shown to Dodd are being tallied by WhoTargetsMe?, a nonpolitical group that designed a digital tool to monitor Facebook ’s role before the British election.

Not perfect

COSTING less than $1,000 to build, the technolog y, which works as a plug-in on desktop web browsers and anonymizes users’ personal information, was created because the social network does not share information on political ads shown to its more than 36 million users in Brit-

ain, roughly half the country’s population.

That lack of information has ra ised hac k les about t he activities of both Facebook and politicians in a country where campaigns are highly regulated and political financing is tightly capped.

Q uest ions over t he soc i a l network ’s role in politics are pa r t ic u l a rly r aw i n Br it a i n , where outside groups were accused of spending lavishly on Facebook during a heated campaign before a referendum on the country’s membership in the European Union. In response, Britain’s privacy watchdog has started an investigation into whether such targeted political advertising breached its strict data protection rules.

IN the buildup to the election, for instance, the data showed that the Liberal Democrats—who are likely to remain a minority presence in Parliament—posted the largest number of political ads on Facebook. The Conservative Party was second, despite the political party’s pledge to spend 1 million pounds, or $1.3 million, on social media messaging.

The Labour Party, which planned to spend a similar amount, was in third place. Initially, all the British parties spent money on broad-brush messages that blanketed the social network without targeting specific voters. But as Election Day approached, that strategy began to change.

An analysis of the data by The Bureau of Investigative Journalism, a nonprofit media organization, showed the country’s major parties were increasingly targeting specific voting districts and wavering voter groups with direct Facebook ads.

Fundamental conversation

T HE number of ads seen by

WhoTargetsMe? volunteers has also roughly doubled in the last month, though political messages still represented 2 percent of overall ads displayed in Facebook feeds, according to the group’s analysis.

The ads have included Conservative Party messages about potential nuclear energy jobs in three areas in northern England with ties to the industry, and that are some of the country’s most contested districts. By contrast, the Labour Party targeted older women nationwide with directed ads about potential threats to their pensions.

“It’s a fundamental conversation to have about how we regulate this,” said Nick Anstead, a media and communications expert at the London School of Economics. “Facebook has a responsibility to tell its users who is buying advertising that is targeting their votes.”

In response, t he compa ny says its roughly 2 billion users worldwide have complete control over which ads they are shown on the network, and that it is the responsibility of individual political parties to comply with their countries’ electoral laws.

Facebook adds that its commercial agreements and protection of individuals’ privacy restrict it from sharing more data on how information is distributed on the platform.

“Facebook ’s goa l is to ma ke it easier for people to get t he infor mation they need to vote,” A ndy Stone, a compa ny s pokesm a n, sa id i n a st ate ment. “ We encou rage a ny a nd

a l l cand id ates, g roups and voters to use ou r pl at for m to engage in t he elect ions.”

Virtually impossible

FACEBOOK and other technology companies have tried to improve what is shared and circulated online, creating partnerships w ith news outlets to debunk digital falsehoods and cracking down on how fake news websites make money through advertising on social media. The social networking giant also sponsored get-out-the-vote campaigns, and encouraged political groups to create Facebook pages to promote their messages.

Yet during the recent French presidential election, which pitted the centrist candidate Emmanuel Macron against the farright hopeful Marine Le Pen, several media organizations including Le Monde said they had found it difficult—and overly cumbersome—to report potential fake news items about the candidates to Facebook.

Academics and others scrutinizing the vote also said the company’s failure to provide data on what Facebook users in France shared among themselves made it virtually impossible to determine if false reports spread on the network affected the overall result.

“Facebook ’s lack of transparency is a big concern,” said Tommaso Venturini, a researcher at the médialab of Sciences Po, a prestigious university in Paris, who tracked fake news across social media during the French election. New York Times News Service

BusinessMirror

A12 Saturday, June 10, 2017

Property consultant bares future of work Photo & story by Rizal Raoul Reyes

T

@brownindio

ELECOMMUNICATION companies and property developers will be having closer collaboration in the developing the future workplace, according to a document.

In a research paper titled “The Future of Work,” Jones Lang LaSalle Inc. head of corporate solutions research in Asia Pacific Susan Sutherland said the traditional office workplace is gradually going to be replaced by a new concept anchored on technology developments. Sutherland cited the Internet of Things, artificial intelligence and robotics as examples of the latter.

“We will see greater working relations between the developers and the telecom companies as clients will demand buildings that can be technology-ready for their operations,” Sutherland told the BusinessMirror. “Smart buildings are also way of the future.

They also want to optimize cost.”

She believes in the future, “there will be closer ties between developers and telcos to put up smart buildings”.

Sutherland said Philippine business leaders must embrace the changes in the workplace

such as the use of technology in their processes and operations to become more relevant to new environment and next generation of workforce.

For instance, Sutherland said a client in the business process outsourcing industry may need a facility for its automation process or robotics-driven operations.

“Automation is rapidly taking place into more service jobs”.

Although the Philippines is still considered an emerging market, Sutherland said the Philippines can still keep pace with the rapid changes in the workplace.

As long as organizations are receptive and have an open mind, they can join the march towards that change, according to Sutherland. She said these views were based from discussion with JLL’s clients about the role of technology in their operations. “’Future of Work ’ is really about how our clients can think of the future of the workplace

SUSAN SUTHERLAND, Jones Lang LaSalle Inc. head of corporate solutions research in Asia Pacific Susan Sutherland discusses the points of her research titled “The Future of Work”.

and the impact of the corporate real estate,” Sutherland said.

“Technology is a big factor in the discussion”.

She added the “work-fromhome” concept is one that can be adopted as one of the changes in the workplace, “especially for a place like Metro Manila where daily monstrous traffic jams is the ‘new normal’”.

“We certainly see that it can be beneficial but it is really up to the company to determine what their needs are”.

Sutherland also pointed out

that organizations can pursue future-proofing programs on its employees to ensure they are equipped to handle disruptions.

One future-proofing program is to provide them the skills and the knowledge such as data analytics to handle new trends in the business environment, she explained.

Fu r t her more, it wou ld be quite useful for an organization to also focus on the internet of things, artificial intelligence, robotics and automation and predictive capability, according to Sutherland.

news.businessmirror@gmail.com

Pinoys, Malaysians top Asians in online usage

F

ILIPINOS and Malaysians spend the most time online using their smartphones, a survey by Limelight Networks Inc. revealed. In its report titled “The State of the User Experience,” the Tempe, Arizona, US-headquartered firm said 47 percent of Filipinos and 42 percent of Malaysians consume an average of 16 hours per week online.

“Our new research shows that nearly half of adult consumers in Southeast Asia are online 16 hours or more each week outside of work and they have high expectations for website performance, especially when it comes to e-commerce,” Jaheer Abbas, Limelight Networks regional sales director, was quoted in a statement as saying. “Nearly everyone surveyed said that they’re likely to recommend a brand to a friend if they have a positive web experience and, on the flip side, that they’ll leave and go to a competitor if it isn’t a good experience”.

While there is a great deal of behavioral consistency throughout the region, Abbas noted they have identified regional differences were identified in their research. He said personalized web experiences were ranked as very important in all countries, but were slightly less so in Singapore.

Meanwhile, he said a big number of respondents in the region except in the Philippines said they will ditch a website if the experience is slow.

Despite these differences, Abbas said the report clearly indicates there is a significant need

for organizations to prioritize the optimization of mobile experiences, understand the expectations of consumers within each country rather than implementing a “one-size-fits-all” approach, and accelerate website performance to keep visitors engaged.

Abbas said there are also different i at ions on how people spend their time online. He said Filipinos spend the most time online closely followed by those in Malaysia. People in Singapore are online the least while in Thailand, millennials are online the least, with 34 percent online 16 hours or more a week compared to 42 percent for all other age groups. The gap is even greater in the Philippines, where 39 percent of Millennials versus 56 percent of all other age groups are online this amount of time.

These findings prompted Limelight Networks to encourage organizations to build a “mobile first” mindset, to optimize digital experience and create personalized offerings to online consumers in South East Asia.

Social media, being the dominant activity over the internet, is also used for online shopping especially for reviewing what the people think about a certain product.

The “State of the User Experience” report is based on a survey of 1,600 consumers aged 18 and over Limelight Networks said were chosen at random in Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand. Rizal Raoul Reyes & Maria Eden T. Dino