BusinessMirror June 12, 2019

DTI: DEREGULATION OF SUGAR INDUSTRY WON’T PULL DOWN LOCAL SUGAR PRICES

By Elijah Felice E. Rosales

S

ORRY, food processors. The government is shunning plans to liberalize the sugar trade industry, as it instead wants to deal with producers and traders in keeping prices competitive and supply sufficient.

Trade Secretary Ramon M. Lopez told the BusinessMirror the government is determined to pull down sugar prices, as requested by food manufacturers, but not through deregulation. The Department of Trade

WORKERS cook brown sugar in a factory in Bacolod, Negros Occidental. Trade Secretary Ramon M. Lopez told the BusinessMirror the government remains firm in keeping sugar prices low by shunning plans to liberalize the sugar trade industry. NONIE REYES

DEPT. OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

PHILIPPINE STATISTICS AUTHORITY

2018 BANTOG DATA MEDIA AWARDS CHAMPION

@alyasjah

and Industry (DTI) is looking into probable manipulation on the part of traders that could be the reason for the higher cost of local sugar.

“As a policy, directionally, we want to make sure that sugar prices will be competitive,” Lopez said.

“To the extent that the local sugar producers can assure a competitive pricing and supply, then frankly there is no need to liberalize. We may not need liberalization,” he added.

Last week food exporters asked the government to expedite efforts to liberalize sugar trade, as it is becoming

See “Sugar industry,” A2

BusinessMirror A broader look at today’s business

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Wednesday, June 12, 2019 Vol. 14 No. 245

New laws to boost PHL external trade–Neda

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By Cai U. Ordinario

@caiordinario

MID the decline in the country’s total trade, the National Economic and Development Authority (Neda) said passing new laws will improve the country’s external trade performance.

On Tuesday the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reported that the country’s total merchandise trade declined by 1 percent to $14.5 billion in April 2019, from $14.7 billion in April 2018.

The Neda said this was due to the 1.9-percent contraction of the imports bill, which offset the

0.4-percent increase in exports in April. “To further drive exports up, we are looking at continuously increasing market access for Philippine products, and reforms to improve productivity and lower production costs,” Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Ernesto M. Pernia said.

To support the export sector, Pernia said Congress must pass measures amending the Public Service Act, the Foreign Investment Act and the Retail Trade Act. He said the successful passage of the “Trabaho” bill will also modernize the country’s tax regime while streamlining the grant of fiscal incentives.

The total value of the country’s merchandise trade in April, 1 percent lower than the level recorded a year ago “With the passage of these reforms, we can leverage the Philippines’s attractiveness to both foreign and local investors. These investments can help our industry to improve production efficiency and product diversification,” Pernia added.

He said there is a need for “gamechanging actions” in selected domestic regulations, such as streamlining the issuance of the Food and Drug Administration’s License to Operate and Certificate of Product Registration.

Continued on A2

PESO EXCHANGE RATES n

Teddy Locsin Jr.

FREE FIRE Philippine statement delivered by H.E. Ms. Kira Christianne D. Azucena, Chargé d’Affaires, Philippine Permanent Mission to the United Nations UN Alliance of Civilizations Consultations on The Plan of Action to Safeguard Religious Sites, June 11, 2019, at the Trusteeship Council Chamber.

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R. High Representative, Excellencies, “What if a shooting happens here?” This is now the main question of faith-based communities in the wake of the horrifying attacks on worshippers and religious gathering places immemorially regarded by all religions as sanctuaries. They have turned into slaughterhouses.

Continued on A6

Solons urge DOJ to file economic sabotage raps vs PhilHealth fraudsters & Jovee Marie N. dela Cruz @joveemarie

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@sam_medenilla

See “Growth hubs,” A2

What if a shooting happens here?

@butchfBM

BUYERS and sellers of different vegetables on a cart along Hidalgo Street, Quiapo, Manila. Consumer spending is expected to rise in the coming months as inflation is expected to continue its downward trend to settle at below 4 percent for the year, the Department of Finance said. NONIE REYES

‘Lower food prices to keep inflation below 4%’

By Rea Cu

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@ReaCuBM

HE Department of Finance (DOF) said inflation for the year may settle below 4 percent if average month-on-month (MOM) price increases would reach 0.4 percentage points.

Based on its inflation simulation, the DOF said in its economic

bulletin that if the prices of goods record rise by as much as 0.4 percentage points, inflation for June may hit 3 percent; July, 2.9 percent; August, 2.4 percent; September, 1.9 percent; October, 2 percent; November, 2.6 percent and December, 3.6 percent.

If the average uptick hits 0.5 percentage points, the DOF said inflation could reach 5.1 percent

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By Samuel P. Medenilla

SIDE from improving safety protocols, the government is also targeting to boost economic activity outside of the National Capital Region (NCR) as a way of minimizing casualties due to natural disasters in Metro Manila.

During a Cabinet meeting on Monday, officials pitched the idea of reducing disaster risks in the NCR by drawing people away from a region that houses a number of business districts, such as Makati City.

Providing incentives to improve economic activities outside of the NCR was proposed by Mitigation and Disaster Risk Reduction Chairman and Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Roy A. Cimatu and National Defense Secretary Delfin N. Lorenzana.

Presidential Spokesman and Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Salvador S. Panelo said the proposal was approved by most members of the Cabinet.

“We approved the motion for that suggestion,” Panelo said.

To further improve development

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$14.5 billion

Growth hubs outside NCR seen crucial vs disasters

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difficult for processors to compete with their regional counterparts due to the higher cost of local sugar.

For Lopez, this is no longer needed as long as producers and traders commit to keep prices of refined sugar below P2,000 per 50-kilogram bag.

He said this price range is reasonable, and should keep food manufacturers competitive.

The average price of refined sugar in Metro Manila is P2,214 per 50kg bag as of June 4, according to the price monitoring report of the Sugar

or higher by December. The figure is higher than the government’s target of 2 to 4 percent for 2019.

May inflation reached 3.2 percent, higher than the 3 percent recorded in April. The DOF said MOM inflation dropped slightly to 0.17 percent in May, from 0.25 percent in April.

See “Inflation,” A2

AW M A K ER S on Tuesday asked the Department of Justice (DOJ) to file charges of economic sabotage through largescale estafa against those involved in the filing of fraudulent Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) claims.

Senior Citizen party-list Rep. Francisco Datol Jr. said cases should be filed against every single person who participated in these elaborate scams to steal at least P154 billion from PhilHealth with fraudulent claims.

“The massiveness, elaborate, and conspiratorial nature of their crimes constitute economic sabotage because they can seriously impair the proper delivery of health security service to all Filipinos. This is why economic sabotage should be the charge and why those responsible must never get out of jail after final judgment of conviction,” Datol said.

The lawmaker also asked the DOJ “to make sure the criminal and civil charges against the fraudsters are ironclad so that the fraudsters do not escape justice.” President Duterte earlier ordered PhilHealth to initiate the filing of cases against those involved in the payment of benefits for patients who have long been dead to a private center in

Novaliches, Quezon City.

The state insurance fund said it has already filed 28 administrative complaints against the WellMed Dialysis Center and Laboratory Corp.

Anakalusugan Party-list Representative-elect Mike Defensor said criminal charges must be filed against all individuals, especially officials or personnel of the PhilHealth.

“Stealing from PhilHealth is worse than plunder. Every centavo stolen means depriving another person’s life,” Defensor said.

“This is also gross negligence on the part of PhilHealth personnel who allowed this to happen. All persons involved in this scam must be held accountable and meted out the highest penalties provided by law,” he added.

Defensor, however, said filing an administrative complaint is not enough and urged the filing of criminal charges.

Fraud investigation

SEN.Juan Edgardo Angara asserted the need for PhilHealth to tap veteran fraud investigators to help check bogus claims draining the state-run agency’s funds, amid alleged collusion with PhilHealth insiders.

“Good fraud investigators would easily determine bogus claims,” Angara said, noting that hospitals and wellness centers could not “make fake claims without the help of PhilHealth insiders.”

See “PhilHealth,” A2

US 52.0750 n JAPAN 0.4803 n UK 66.0728 n HK 6.6400 n CHINA 7.5139 n SINGAPORE 38.1195 n AUSTRALIA 36.2494 n EU 58.9333 n SAUDI ARABIA 13.8867

Source: BSP (11 June 2019 )

News

BusinessMirror

A2 Wednesday, June 12, 2019

Rice inventory rose to nearly 3 million tons in May–report

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By Jovee Marie N. dela Cruz

@joveemarie

HE country’s rice inventory reached nearly 3 million metric tons (MMT) a few weeks before farmers started planting for the wet season based on the latest data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).

In its latest report, the PSA said Philippine rice stocks reached 2.947 million metric tons as of May 1, 1.3 percent higher than the 2.909 MMT recorded in the same period last year.

On a monthly basis, however, data from the PSA showed that rice

inventory during the period was higher by 12.2 percent compared to the April level of 2.627 MMT. Rice harvest in the Philippines reached its peak in April. Farmers usually begin planting their wetseason crop in May. According to the PSA, stocks

2.627 million metric tons

The total rice stocks of the Philippines in April held by the National Food Authority (NFA) jumped the most as it surged by 15,952.4 percent year-on-year to 558,140 metric tons (MT) in May. The surge could be attributed to the implementation of the rice trade liberalization law, which limited the role of the NFA to buffer stocking. The food agency stepped up its purchases of rice from local farmers to beef up its inventory.

Compared to the April 2019 level of 576,190 MT, however, NFA’s rice stocks were lower by 3.1 percent.

On an annual basis, stocks held by households and commercial warehouses fell by 9 percent and 25.9 percent, respectively, data from the PSA showed. The rice

inventory of households reached 1.265 MMT while commercial warehouses had stocks of 1.123 MMT. The PSA also reported that the country’s total corn stocks stood at 829,110 MT as of May 1. The figure is more than w double the 338,310 MT recorded a year ago.

The latest figure was also 35 percent higher than the April inventory of 614,000 MT, according to the PSA. The corn inventory of households and commercial warehouses was higher by an annualized rate of 72.6 percent and 160.2 percent, respectively. The NFA, according to PSA data, did not have corn stocks during the period.

On a monthly basis, corn stocks in households were lower by 30.1 percent. The inventory of commercial warehouses, however, was higher by 55.1 percent.

Of the current corn inventory, households accounted for 12.2 percent while commercial warehouses held 87.8 percent.

Inflation. . .

Continued from A1

“This moderation in MoM inflation is largely attributed to the continued stabilization of food prices, in particular rice. However, several food items including vegetables, fruits and food products, rose by 3.79 percent, 0.42 percent and 1.75 percent, respectively, due primarily to the El Niño phenomenon which dented production,” the economic bulletin read.

Food inflation rose by a slight 0.16 percent MoM with rice, fish and sugar registering MoM declines of 0.58 percent, 0.44 percent and 0.17 percent, respectively.

The declines were attributed to the President’s memorandum orders streamlining the flow of food supply and the passage of the law liberalizing rice imports.

The DOF expressed confidence that the slower hike in inflation would encourage consumers to spend more in the coming months.

“Slower inflation will continue to boost consumption spending. The passage of the General Appropriations Act will enable government to resume public construction growth and bring back GDP growth above 6 percent in the quarters ahead,” the DOF said.

Sugar industry. . .

Continued from A1

Regulatory Administration. “If producers and traders can give us the price below P2,000 per sack, I think it is what we can consider as an acceptable competitive sugar costing. Apart from that, we are working on several reforms to keep prices competitive,” Lopez said.

The trade chief added the DTI tapped the assistance of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to look into allegations that traders are involved in manipulation and overpricing.

“The DTI is also now looking into the issue on traders to make sure no manipulation or overpricing is happening. That is an effort we are working with the NBI, as it requires intelligence work to help us in that aspect,” Lopez explained.

Asked if the government’s determination to deregulate sugar trade remains the same, he replied, “the determination is to make sure sugar prices will be competitive.”

“When we say that, we have to have that commitment from producers and traders to give us the competitive price. If they can, there is no need to liberalize, no need to put in place like a rice trade liberalization program,” Lopez said.

In a statement, the Philippine Food Exporters Inc. (Philfoodex) appealed to the government to expedite measures that will deregulate sugar trade and allow the open importation of the staple.

Philfoodex President Roberto C. Amores said small firms are most injured by the import restriction, as it makes them less competitive in Southeast Asia. He claimed refined sugar in Thailand is priced between P31 and P34 per kilo, cheaper than the P60 to P65 per kilo range in the Philippines.

Food processors are hoping the government can make good on its commitment to liberalize sugar trade, as pronounced in January by then-Budget Secretary and now Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor Benjamin E. Diokno.

“Our domestic processors, comprised mostly of small entrepreneurs, are really hurting from Asean competition. The high cost of sugar in the local market is killing the local industry, but favoring foreign competition,” Amores said.

In response to proposals to allow open importation, National Federation of Sugar Workers Secretary-General John Milton Lozande in February said it could result in the displacement of over 700,000 sugar workers and 75,000 planters.

This could spell the doom to the agriculture sector, Lozande warned. He said this will add up to job losses in agriculture that went up to 1.8 million from July 2016 to July 2018.

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New laws to boost PHL external trade–Neda Continued from A1

Other focus areas include the full implementation of the longoverdue National Single Window/ TradeNet System, as well as the issuance of the long-awaited joint administrative order to improve the efficiency in the movement of cargoes and to regulate international shipping costs.

Due to the decline in imports, the country’s trade deficit contracted by 5.4 percent in April, the first time since September 2017, when the balance of trade in goods (BOTG) contracted by 13.2 percent.

The country’s trade deficit narrowed to $3.5 billion in April, from $3.7 billion a year ago. In the January-to-April period, the trade deficit slowed to 12.4 percent compared to 54.1 percent in the same period in 2018.

Neda said the decline in the value of imports was mainly due to reduced payments for raw materi-

PhilHealth. . .

Continued from A1

He pointed out that these hospitals and wellness centers could not make these claims without knowing someone on the inside, adding: “It appears that safeguards are weak, which allowed collusion between those in the private and the public sectors.”

Citing reports reaching the senator’s office, Angara also observed there were instances of so-called overclaims, meaning no dialysis was done but was paid for full treatment, or, in other instances, a minor cough is listed as pneumonia to collect higher fee.”

“So, instead of PhilHealth paying P2,000, it paid P15,000,”Angara noted, adding, “maybe, there’s kickback under the table.”

In an interview with CNN Philippines,the senator suggested this was not the first time that the PhilHealth was embroiled in fraudulent claims scandal, recalling that “every now and then, there is a scam that crops up,” citing the earlier uncovered fraudulent claims for pneumonia and cataract surgeries.

Angara affirmed the need for PhilHealth management to promptly adopt institutional reforms to effectively end what the senator described as its “perennial problem of bogus claims and other irregularities”in the state-run agency.

He also prodded the Duterte administration to make sure all those involved in PhilHealth’s “ghost dialysis”scandal will not go unpunished, stressing that “we need some punitive measures...to punish those who are guilty, as well as preventive measures to ensure it is not repeated.”

Duterte’s choice

MALACAÑANG announced on Tuesday the name of the possible new head of PhilHealth after President Duterte ordered

Growth hubs. . .

Continued from A1

outside of NCR, Panelo said Cabinet officials are now considering the recommendation of National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon to formalize the designation of the Cabinet Officers for Regional Development and Security through an executive order.

The administration is currently bracing for the so-called “Big One” or the anticipated movement in West Valley Fault in the NCR, which is expected to cause a 7.2-magni-

Subway. . .

Continued from A8

Apart from the subway, the Dreamplan includes the construction and repair of missing links such as C-3, C-5, bridges and others; 137 kilometers worth of new roads; flyovers; sidewalks and pedestrian facilities; and secondary roads in peri-urban areas.

It also includes the construction of 426 kilometers of intercity

als and intermediate goods, which declined by 16.3 percent.

Data also showed that there was zero growth in capital goods imports and a slowdown in the growth of purchases of consumer goods to 7.6 percent in April, from 20.6 percent in March.

Exports in April rose by 0.4 percent to $5.506 billion from last year’s $5.481 billion. The positive exports growth in April can be attributed to the continued recovery of agro-based products, which recorded an increase of 31.1 percent in April, from 11.9 percent in March and the 2-percent uptick in the sales of manufactured goods in April.

Top export gainers during the period include fresh bananas, gold, machinery and transport equipment, coconut oil, other manufactured goods and electronic products.

Shipments to the United States expanded by 10.6 percent; China, 20.4 percent; and South Korea, 46.5 percent. its executives to hand in their courtesy resignation.

In a press conference, Presidential Spokesman and Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Salvador S. Panelo said Duterte is considering a certain Dr. Jaime Cruz, who is currently engaged in private medical practice, to lead PhilHealth.

He said the President mentioned Cruz’s name during the eight-hour Cabinet meeting on Monday.

“He said he is still waiting for the response of Dr. Cruz to an offer I think he made to him,” Panelo said.

This was confirmed by former presidential aide and now Senator-elect Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go, who said Cruz has yet to accept the offer.

Last Monday, Duterte called on PhilHealth Acting President and CEO Roy Ferrer, as well as the members of the PhilHealth board to submit their courtesy resignation.

Panelo said Ferrer has already filed cases against the erring medical institutions involved in the said anomalies even before news reports about the amount lost by PhilHealth came out.

Duterte also directed the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to probe the incident.

Panelo, however, stressed that Ferrer and the other PhilHealth officials still enjoyed the trust of Duterte.

“He reiterated his trust on the integrity of Roy Ferrer, as well as the members of the Board. But he says he needs a clean slate, so that the investigation will proceed [unimpeded],” Panelo said.

Depending on the outcome of the investigation, he said Duterte may consider reappointing the officials who resigned, or give them other government posts.

Panelo said PhilHealth will be temporarily managed by its second-level officials until the matter related to the claims is resolved.

With a report from Samuel P. Medenilla

tude earthquake.

Based on government projections, fatalities from the incident could reach 31,000.

Panelo said Cimatu and Lorenzana have suggested legislation that will create the Department of Resiliency to operationalize government efforts aimed at making the country an “earthquake-resilient archipelago.”

Until the creation of the new department, Panelo said they required all government agencies to come out with their public-service continuity plans in case the Big One happens. expressways and 78 kilometersworth of urban expressways. The plan calls for the construction of urban and suburban rails such as six lines or 246 kilometers in the main line; around 72 kilometers or five lines of the secondary line; and integrated lines and improved accessibility.

The plan involves the provision of a modern fleet and operation of buses and jeepneys; a rationalized route structure; and improved terminals and interchange facilities.

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Deals and wagers: Party-list bloc expected to name House speakership bet next week

By Jovee Marie N. Dela Cruz @joveemarie

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HE Party-list Coalition is expected to name next week its bet for the House speakership race, its president said on Tuesday.

1-Pacman Rep. Michael Romero, Party-list Coalition president, also denied a statement that the coalition is narrowing down its choices to Marinduque Rep. Lord Allan Velasco of the administration PDP-Laban and Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez of Lakas-CMD. “There is no official PCFI [Partylist Coalition Foundation Inc.] position as we have to meet all our congressmen-members by next week. But we give utmost importance and respect to the sentiments of each and PL [party-list] members.

In the end, the PL Coalition, after the process, will still vote as one big bloc,” Romero told reporters.

The Party-list Coalition—with its 61 members—will do a bloc voting during the speakership election next month.

On Tuesday, Puwersa ng Bayaning Atleta Rep. Jericho Nograles, in a news statement, said the party-list bloc is down to two choices in the fight for the speakership.

Nograles added that the partylist congressmen have decided to narrow down their choices to Velasco and Romualdez because they be-

lieve that they are the only ones who are truly serious in their respective bids for the speakership.

Earlier, Alliance of Concerned Teachers Party-list Rep. Antonio Tinio challenged members of the House of Representatives in the 18th Congress to look seriously into the bribery issues hounding the speakership race in the chamber.

Tinio issued the comment as PDP Laban members are expected to meet on Wednesday night to pick their bet for the House top position.

Allegation of vote buying was first confirmed by former Speaker Pantaleon D. Alvarez. Alvarez, who is still eyeing the House’s highest position, claimed that other candidates for the race are handing P1 million to each congressman to get his or her vote.

Mar induque Rep. Lord A llan Velasco, who was reportedly tagged as the one who is allegedly offering the bribe money, denied bribing his colleagues. Velasco’s speakership bid is backed by Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte and an unnamed business magnate.

Earlier, House Minority Leader Danilo Suarez said businessmen who have interests to protect could be behind the vote-buying scheme in the chamber.

Pampanga Rep. Aurelio Gonzales has also claimed that from P1 million, the alleged bribe money has ballooned to P7 million.

Editor: Vittorio V. Vitug • Wednesday, June 12, 2019 A3

Power, manufacturing propel 40% jump in investment approval from Jan to May

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By Elijah Felice E. Rosales

@alyasjah

NVESTMENTS approved by the Board of Investments (BOI) from January to May jumped 40 percent to P290.6 billion on large capital inflows in the power and manufacturing sectors.

The BOI on Tuesday disclosed that its approved investments in the five-month period grew 40.04 percent to P290.6 billion, from P207.5 billion during the same period last year. Domestic capital accounted for nearly 77 percent of the total investments, but foreign commitments improved triple digits.

Approved investments from local firms went up 11.47 percent to P223.5 billion, from P200.5 billion, while investments from overseas jumped to an impressive 871.01 percent to P67 billion from P6.9 billion.

Singapore is the largest source of foreign capital with P35.4 billion, followed by the Netherlands with

₧207.5B to ₧290.6B Investment approval growth reported by the BOI from January to May compared to the same period last year P9.1 billion. Thailand (P8.5 billion), Japan (P5.5 billion) and the United States (P2.4 billion) round up the list of largest offshore investors for the five-month period.

Japan is also expected to bring in more investments to the Philippines after President Duterte’s visit there

in May, which resulted to nearly P289 billion in business deals expected to generate at least 80,000 jobs.

By sector, power made up over half of the total investments, as it expanded 74.08 percent to P185.4 billion from January to May, from P106.5 billion during the same stretch last year. Further, commitments in manufacturing more than doubled to P44.6 billion, from P19.4 billion.

Investments applied in the information and communications technolog y sector jumped to P33.2 billion, from P340 million, while in tourism to P8.4 billion, from P1 billion.

Trade Undersecretary and BOI Managing Head Ceferino S. Rodolfo said it is understandable that power projects account for the lion’s share, as they are crucial in meeting the demands of the government’s infrastructure program. He added they complement infrastructure projects the government will put up over the next months.

“At the end of the day, we have to ensure our power supply will accommodate the strong demand not only of our massive infrastructure projects and population, but also the

rapid expansion of our industries led by the manufacturing sector,” Rodolfo stated.

In May, the BOI approved several manufacturing and service facility projects, including eight low-cost housing projects valued at P2 billion in Central Luzon and Southern Tagalog. It also gave the green light to Southwest Gallant Ferries Inc.’s P700-million shipping project that will service the Batangas, Romblon and Roxas City routes and Tren2 Agri-Industries Inc.’s P400-million Cavendish banana facility in Agusan del Sur that will be utilized for export activity once operational.

Trade Secretary and BOI Chairman Ramon M. Lopez said the Philippines is seen to sustain business confidence with its four-notch jump in the IMD World Competitiveness Rankings 2019 and the midterm elections win of administration bets and allies.

The BOI is targeting to haul P1 trillion in investments this year.

Last year commitments registered with the investment body expanded 47.08 percent to P907.2 billion—its highest in its 51 years of existence— from P616.7 billion in 2017.

Real-estate companies doing business decline 11.1% to 519 in 2017–PSA data

By Cai U. Ordinario @caiordinario

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HERE were fewer real-estate firms operating in the country in 2017, latest data released by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) showed.

Based on the preliminary results of the 2017 Annual Survey of Philippine Business and Industry (ASPBI) for Real Estate Activities Sector For Establishments with Total Employment (TE) of 20 and Over, there was an 11.1-percent contraction in the number of establishments.

Data showed that there were only 519 real-estate firms with a TE of 20 and over in 2017, 65 firms less than the 584 operating in 2016.

Bet ween the t wo industr y groups of the sector, real-estate activities with own or leased property posted a higher number

of establishments of 456 or 87.9 percent of the total. However, this was 11.1 percent lower than the 513 firms in 2016.

Real-estate activities on a fee or contract basis, on the other hand, recorded 63 establishments or a decline of 12.1 percent from 72 firms in 2016.

In terms of location, Metro Manila or the National Capital Region (NCR) played host to the majority of the real-estate firms in the country with 357 establishments, or 68.8 percent of the total in the megacity.

Central Visayas and Central Luzon placed second and third with 35 establishments, or 6.7 percent, and 34 establishments or 6.6 percent, respectively.

PSA data showed that the Ilocos region recorded the least number of real-estate firms nationwide with only three establishments,

Marine battalion fresh from retraining to be deployed to Sulu to fight ASG

By Rene Acosta

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@reneacostaBM

MARINE battalion fresh from a retraining course would be deployed to Sulu to support the ongoing counterterrorism operations in the province.

Just last week, the Army also sent its 1st Battalion Combat Team to Sulu to augment the forces there that have been running after the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG), which President Duterte wanted annihilated.

Maj. Gen. Alvin Parreno, commandant of the Philippine Marine Corps, declared the 8th Marine Battalion as an “operational unit” during a ceremony on Tuesday following its retraining and refurbishment.

The battalion, which originally came from Santa Ana, Cagayan, was recalled to the Marine headquarters where it underwent months of skills, doctrine and armament upgrading prior to its redeployment.

Capt. Felix Serapio Jr., spokesman of the Marines, said the Marine battalion would be sent to Sulu, although a date had not been fixed yet for its deployment to the province.

Earlier, Col. Gerry Besana of the Armed Forces Western Mindanao Command, said that soldiers are poised to intensify their operations in Sulu, since the terrorists are reportedly no longer holding any captive.

The beefing up of forces in the province is a prelude to the bigger and more focused offensive. Sulu is already hosting the Army’s 11th Infantry Division (11th ID), whose forces are being supported by elite units from the Army, the Marines and even the Navy. Army forces operates in areas under Sulu’s first district, while the Marines take charge of the second district, whose areas and municipalities are known as traditional strongholds of the ASG. Serapio said the 8th Marine Battalion, which underwent nine months of retraining and refurbishing, will be operationally attached to the 11th ID or the Joint Task Force Sulu.

or 0.6 percent of the total.

Meanwhile, the total employment of the sector for establishments with TE of 20 and over was estimated at 52,421 workers in 2017, a 1.3-percent decline compared with the 53,128 workers in 2016.

The majority of the sector’s workers were paid employees numbering 52,382, or 99.9 percent, while the rest were working owners and unpaid workers.

By industry, real-estate activities with own or leased property employed 47,007 workers, or 89.7 percent of the total. The remaining 5,414 workers, or 10.3 percent, were engaged in real estate activities on a fee or contract basis.

At the regional level, the NCR recorded the highest share to total employment, comprising 38,576 workers, or 73.6 percent, of the industry’s total work force.

Central Luzon followed with

National ID system test run set in Q4

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HE government is set to pilot test the Philippine Identification System (PhilSys), or national ID system, from September to December this year, Malacañang on Tuesday said.

“There will be a pilot testing which will run from September to December 2019 to register a substantial number of Filipinos nationwide,” Presidential Spokesman and Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Salvador Panelo said in a news statement.

Panelo said Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Ernesto N. Pernia and newly appointed National Statistician Dennis S. Mapa gave updates on the PhilSys implementation during the 38th Cabinet meeting in Malacañang on Monday (June 10).

“By the end of the President’s term in 2022, 107 million Filipinos are targeted to be registered,” Panelo said.

The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) earlier said in a House oversight committee hearing that it will be targeting an initial batch of about 6 million individuals for the PhilSys. The PhilSys is one of the social protection programs agreed upon by economic managers to be implemented faster.

President Duterte, in earlier reports, ordered the best and safest approach in the implementation of the PhilSys amid security concerns from various groups.

On August 6, 2018, Duterte signed Republic Act 11055 creating PhilSys, or the National ID, which serves as a single official identification card for all citizens and resident aliens of the Philippines.

Under the law, the national ID shall contain a person’s PhilSys number, full name, gender, blood type, place of birth, date of birth, marital status (optional), mobile number (optional), address, front facing photo, full set of fingerprints and iris scan. PNA

4,616 workers, or 8.8 percent, and Central Visayas came third with 2,368 workers, or 4.5 percent. However, Zamboanga Peninsula registered the lowest in employment with 115 workers or 0.2 percent.

The average number of workers for establishments with TE of 20 and over was registered at 101 per establishment in 2017.

Real-estate activities with own or leased property slightly sur-

passed the sector’s average with 103 workers per establishment.

On the other hand, real-estate activities on a fee or contract basis recorded an average of 86 workers per establishment.

A BusinessMirror Special Feature

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Wednesday, June 12, 2019 | www.businessmirror.com.ph

121TH YEAR OF INDEPENDENCE

From flag day to independence day

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By Stephanie Joy Ching

E all know the story: Emilio Aguinaldo walked up to the balcony of the white-walled house in Kawit, Cavite. The late afternoon sun coated everything in a golden glow as the band played “Marcha Nacional Filipina.” Aguinaldo unfurled a tapestry of red, blue and white, adorned with an eight-rayed sun and three yellow stars. if the Philippines did not receive its full independence on June 12, 1898, why then do we celebrate it as our Independence Day?

From Flag Day to Independence Day

FROM the late 1940s to the early 1960s, June 12 was known as Flag Day while July 4 was the official Independence Day of the Philippines.

For President Diosdado Macapagal and many other nationalist Filipinos, however, the fourth of July only triggered painful memories of foreign invaders and years of continued oppression. Despite being celebrated as Independence Day,

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The voice of Ambrosio Rianzares Bautista rang with authority, and the Philippines declared its independence from the Spanish rule. That day was June 12, 1898, what we now celebrate as Independence Day. However, we also know that, shortly after that day, the country was sold off to America and later taken by Japan on the second World War. The Philippines did not become truly independent until July 4, 1946, when America officially recognized the Philippines as its own state. Coincidentally, that day was also the 170th anniversary of America’s own independence.

Now, the question remains:

the date was a symbol of conquest and overreliance of the country on American aid. To add salt to the wound, the American holiday also

greatly overshadowed the Filipino holiday. In his autobiography, A Stone for the Edifice (1968), Macapagal wrote:

“When I was a congressman, I formed the opinion that July 4 was not the proper Independence Day for Filipinos and should be changed to June 12—the date General Emilio Aguinaldo proclaimed the independence of the Filipinos in Kawit, Cavite, in 1898”

In 1962 Macapagal was able to act on that belief. He signed the proclamation declaring June 12 as a national holiday. Two years later, the proclamation became Republic Act 4166, officially cementing the day as the declaration of Philippine independence. According to Manuel Satorre Jr., the move was done to promote “healthy nationalism” and “spur the search for national identity” among the people, particularly the youth.

The symbolic meaning of June 12

WHEN Macapagal made his speech at the first June 12th celebration, he said that there were other dates

proposed to be declared as Independence Day. Namely, the 21st or the 23rd of January in 1899, which marks the inauguration of the Malolos Congress and the birth of the First Republic, respectively. When independence was announced that June, they argued, the country was under a temporary dictatorship with Aguinaldo as its head. It symbolized authoritarian rule by fellow Filipinos rather than the freedom of all Filipinos. January 21 and 23, on the other hand, symbolized the birth of Philippine democracy, and, by extension, the freedom and rights of every Filipino.

Despite the opposition, June 12th was unanimously chosen. Macapagal stated that a “celebration of independence” symbolized the first proclamation of independence regardless of what kind of government was in power at that time.

He also stated that Aguinaldo, who was the guest of honor in the 1962 celebration, was steering the country toward a democratic route via the Malolos Congress at that time.

Moreover, Macapagal believed

that “a nation is born into freedom on the day when such a people molded into a nation by a process of cultural evolution,” affirmed when they “assert its natural right to liberty and is ready to defend it with blood, life and honor.”

The Philippines had certainly proved that, with the likes of Bonifacio, Rizal and the Gomburza, despite the different ideologies they believed in, they all fought for the same freedom. Their deaths, whether they agreed with the Aguinaldo government or not, had led up to that gold-tinted moment under the setting Cavite sun. In addition to that, Macapagal also pointed out that the Philippine flag and national anthem, both important elements in the birth of any nation, were first formally displayed in Kawit on June 12.

Regardless of when the country won its freedom, “the historical fact” Macapagal said, “is that the Filipinos proclaimed their independence from foreign rule on June 12.”

Why June 12 will always be my special day ‘O H, they say when you marry in June you’re a bride all your life, and the bridegroom who marries in June gets a sweetheart for a wife…”

Thus said the opening lines of the song ‘June Bride’ from the movie “Seven Brides for Seven Brothers.”

Yes, I am a June bride and I am happy that my wedding day took place on that fateful day of June 12. That makes both the month of June and the celebration of Philippine Independence Day extra special for me. In reality, my then boyfriend and I chose June 12 for the big day, as there is no other holiday to gather loved ones and special people. Of course, we

wouldn’t want to get wet on San Juan Day (the Feast of San Juan Bautista) which also coincide with Manila day on June 24.

Kidding aside, we couldn’t choose June 24 which is a local holiday only in San Juan and Manila because my wedding day was to take place in Quezon City.

So for 29 years now, I am a June bride with a nationwide and even worldwide celebrations taking place on my wedding anniversary.

Of course, like most marriages, mine is not made in heaven. To this day, we are imperfect partners trying to fit into each other's imperfection.

But we have committed to staying together no matter what.

By the grace of God, we have

already weathered several storms of our life. We have also agreed to disagree but we both place our children's welfare on top priority. And most important, we have sought and continue to seek the perfect love of God through His son Jesus Christ, who is love personified. And so we are enjoying this bumpy ride of adventure we call life!

Needless to say, I am a happy, fulfilled wife. Losing my independence as a single careeroriented person on the Philippine Independence day was all worth it after all. I have a good family: a supportive and loving husband, and beautiful, God-fearing children.

Thanks be to God for my greatest blessing—my family.

Leony Garcia

www.businessmirror.com.ph | Wednesday, June 12, 2019 A5

June 12th, according to Filipinos

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By Leony R. Garcia

NDEPENDENCE Day is one of the most awaited holidays in the Philippines. Since it is a day off for the general population, and schools and most businesses are closed, people from all walks of life, participate in nationwide parades.

However, the main highlight is the police and military parade in Manila headed by the country’s incumbent president, followed by a speech and a 21-gun salute. Many Filipinos spend the day in parks and malls. Many Filipino communities in other countries also observe the nation’s Independence Day.

The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority suspends the number-coding scheme on June 12 as the country celebrates Independence Day. But the public transport, such as buses, passenger jeeps and even tricycles, may have limited routes due to the closure of streets used for parades.

The Philippine flag is hoisted in various places across towns and cities on the country’s Independence Day. Many cars also sport miniature flags on this day. People joining the parade also hold small flags with them.

The flag of the Republic of the Philippines, representing the country, is symbolized by the following: Royal blue peace, truth, and justice; scarlet red patriotism and valor; white triangl— equality and brotherhood.

Three stars on the corners of the triangle—the three main geographical regions of the country namely Luzon, the Visayas, and Mindanao.

The sun at the center of the triangle – has eight rays representing the eight Philippine provinces that started the revolt against Spain.

Celebrating Independence Day abroad

FILIPINOS from all over the world join in to the celebration and the fun it brings as well. Meeting up with kababayans, cooking adobo or sinigang at home and drinking Filipino beer are just some of the things many OFWs take pleasure in. Here are some ways Pinoys abroad celebrate our country’s fight for freedom.

As they did each Philippine Independence Day, Filipino families and groups of friends, mostly from Bay Area cities, packed the Union Square in Francisco, the united state, which featured booths showcasing Filipino culture and heritage through products, services and food. They are entertained by exhibitions of Filipino martial arts, performances by different Filipino dance troupes, as well as musical talents.

Madison Avenue, one of the most popular roads in the US, becomes a Philippine territory every first Sunday of June. Thousands of spectators, Filipinos and foreigners alike, partake in a colorful and the grand celebration of Filipino culture and tradition.

The event includes a pageant called “Diwa ng Kalayaan,” a public ball, the grand marshall gala, and the most anticipated activity of them all—a cultural parade. At the parade proper, Philippine flags are waved around by children in costumes. Philippine festivals, such as the Sinulog of Cebu, is replicated in a lively sashay of masks and glitter.

Decorative floats glide across the streets, carrying Filipino celebrities and pageant winners. Filipino performers breathe life and music into Madison Avenue, transforming a New York landmark into a temporary concert venue.

In 2016 a distinct Filipino icon made a surprise appearance on the streets of New York during the parade: the Philippine jeepney bringing in Apl.de.ap, a Filipino-American singer and one of the festival’s performers.

Since then the singer has become the Philippine tourism ambassador in this side of the US performing his own

“national ditty” Today most New Yorkers including non-Filipinos, look forward to this joyous affair annually.

Over at the neighboring Asian countries, such as Japan, Thailand and Malaysia, the Bayanihan Philippine National Dance Co. has been giving gala performances before a by-invitation crowd, composed by members of the diplomatic corps, the business community and select members of the Filipino community.

“In its almost 60 years of existence, the Bayanihan Philippine National Dance Co. is one of our enduring cultural ambassadors, as their level of performance has not just enriched the Philippine dance scene, but also brought honor and pride to the Philippines and its people. It is our honor to bring the best of Philippine folk dance to Malaysians,” Malaysian Ambassador J. Eduardo Malaya once said.

A multi-awarded company, both nationally and internationally, Bayanihan showcases the best of the Philippines and the story of the Filipinos through music and exquisite dances.

The Philippine’ National Folk Dance Co. has actually performed in many parts of the world during special occasions aside from the celebrations of Philippine Independence Day.

Meanwhile, the Philippine Independence Day picnic in the Netherlands is full of performances and festivities. The Spaarnwoude Houtrak is this year’s host for the annual Philippine Independence Day Picnic (Iday).

Organized by the nonprofit organization Kalayaan Fiesta Foundation (KFFI), the goal of the celebration goes beyond the promotion of Filipino culture. As posted on KFFI’s Facebook page: “Participation to Iday is not bound by ethnicity, religion, or gender.” It invites the world to celebrate the joy of being a Filipino.

This year’s celebration has started on June 8 with various activities, such as a stall dress-up contest, a Cordillera ethnic dance performance, a Zumba demo and exciting games from sponsor companies. Visitors may also avail themselves of Pinoy delicacies sold in the Netherlands, such as Luneta ice cream and Pinoy Kitchen meat products. Pinoy restaurants such as Baryo Pilipinas will also offer crispy pata and halo-halo—treats for Pinoys yearning for a taste of home.

Catering to many OFWs, United Arab Emirates hosts numerous celebrations of Philippine Independence Day across seven states. According to the Bayanihan Council (https:// filipinotimes.net), which organizes the annual festivities in Abu Dhabi. For this year, the celebration will take place at the Abu Dhabi Breakwater Theater on June 21 with Himig Pinoy “(a singing competition)”, Mutya ng Kasarinlan (a beauty contest) and photography/art competitions showcasing Pinoy talents.

The Kabayan Beach Fiesta would be held in partnership with Yas Waterworld, a popular attraction in the area. Filipinos would be given a discounted price of 55 dirham per head to enjoy the park’s rides, slides and attractions. The park will also host a number of cultural performances, a Karaoke club and sari-sari stores.

In Dubai Filipinos celebrate Independence Day with a grand motorcade, a job fair, a beauty pageant, a battle of the bands, a dance competition, and fruit, vegetable and chocolatecarving competition.

Entertainers from the Philippines also perform in the celebration. Moreover, games are

held during the celebration, which raffles off exciting prizes, such as airline tickets to the Philippines.

In support of the festivities, the Dubai Parks and Resorts offers discounted prices to three theme parks for Filipinos. Pinoys would get to enjoy the theme parks of Legoland, Motiongate and Bollywood Parks for only 39 dirham.

This lowest rate (from the original price of 175 dirham to 245 dirham) applies on June 12 to June 15 in commemoration of Philippine Independence Day.

“Kalayaan 2019: Pagbabagong Ipinaglaban, Alay sa Masaganang Kinabukasan.”

THIS theme celebrates the economic success of the country through the years

and the struggles that it experienced to attain this status.

As required by the law, the Flag of the Philippines, first flown on that day in 1898, is displayed in homes and establishments from as early as May 28, Flag Day, or on a selected date of May by the National Historical Commission of the Philippines, which serves as the organizer of the celebrations, to the 30th of the month.

Fireworks displays are the norm.

Kawit, Cavite, holds a yearly commemorative act with the flag raising at the Aguinaldo Shrine and the reading of the Philippine Declaration of Independence. Worldwide, Filipinos gather on June 12, or a date close to it, to publicly celebrate, sometimes with their own Philippine Independence Day parade.

A6 Wednesday, June 12, 2019 • Editor: Angel R. Calso

Opinion BusinessMirror

www.businessmirror.com.ph

editorial

What if the Spaniards didn’t colonize PHL?

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N this date every year, Filipinos commemorate the Declaration of Philippine Independence. Flags are raised nationwide in celebration of the country’s emergence as a sovereign nation. Around the country, wreaths are laid at the monuments of Filipino heroes who paid dearly for the freedom we now enjoy. To complete the celebrations, speeches are delivered, abundantly praising the bravery of our heroes. This is our way to remember and honor the sacrifices of every Filipino who fought for our freedom.

Historical facts show that from 1946 to 1962, we celebrated Independence Day every July 4, the day that the Philippines was granted independence—on July 4, 1946—by the United States of America. However, on May 12, 1962, President Diosdado Macapagal (father of former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo) issued a Presidential Proclamation declaring, “Araw Ng Kalayaan should be celebrated every June 12, starting on June 12, 1962, to rectify the historical error.” Macapagal said President Emilio Aguinaldo proclaimed the independence of the Philippines on June 12, 1898, in Cavite el Viejo (Kawit, Cavite). The Philippine Congress thereafter passed Republic Act 4166 declaring June 12 as the Philippine Republic Day. Thus, on June 12, 1962, the “June 12” Philippine Independence Day was observed for the first time throughout the country. In Manila, both President Diosdado Macapagal and the aged General Emilio Aguinaldo took part in the afternoon ceremonies at Luneta.

In his speech, Macapagal reviewed the history of Philippine resistance to, and uprisings against, foreign aggression and domination, beginning with Lapu-Lapu’s defiance of Ferdinand Magellan who was killed in Mactan in 1521. He spoke of Rajah Soliman, Rajah Lakandula, Magat Salamat, Francisco Dagohoy, Diego Silang and his wife Gabriela, Apolinario de la Cruz, and finally, of Andres Bonifacio, Emilio Aguinaldo and Jose Rizal.

Macapagal said: “There had been other Asian revolutions before. But the revolution that culminated on June 12, 1898, was the first successful national revolution in Asia since the coming of the West, and the Republic to which it gave birth was the first democratic republic outside of the Western Hemisphere.”

All Philippine newspapers on June 12, 1962, carried a message from US President John Kennedy to President Macapagal: “It is with pleasure that I join the people of the United States in extending our best wishes and warmest felicitations to Your Excellency and the people of the Republic of the Philippines on the occasion of Philippine Independence Day.” Similar messages were received from a number of other heads of state, including Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek.

Here’s a curious thought: What if the Spaniards didn’t come to trample our sacred shores? What would have happened if we were not colonized at all? Obviously, there would be no Philippines and no Filipinos (as a people we would be called by another name).

In his article “Are Filipinos Asians?” published by The Diplomat, the premier international current-affairs magazine for the Asia-Pacific region, Mong Palatino wrote: “Composed of more than 7,000 islands, the Philippine archipelagic state was a political creation of Western colonizers. It was Spain during the 16th century that united the major islands of the Philippines.”

Indeed, what would have happened if our Spanish colonizers had not united the Philippine archipelago? By virtue of its proximity to the Asian giant, Luzon could have become a territory of China, while Mindanao could have become a province of Malaysia or Indonesia. As we celebrate Independence Day, let’s remember that it was Spain that united the major islands of the Philippines in the 16th century. As Palatino said, “if it hadn’t occupied the islands, the Philippine nation state wouldn’t have existed.”

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What if a shooting happens here?

Teddy Locsin Jr.

FREE FIRE Continued from A1

‘F

ROM Jolo in Southern Philippines to San Diego and Pittsburg, from Christchurch to Sri Lanka, the increasing trend is of extremists targeting places of worship to fuel the flames of fanaticism and spread fear for one purpose: submission.

“Places of worship represent a belief system that contradicts the extremists’ world view and defies their ideology; that ideology reduces peaceful religious worship to submission and conversion to what cannot by any stretch of the imagination be called another religion.

“Extremism is not religion; it is what it looks like—terror for the pleasure of it. Analysts point out that the scale and sophistication of extremist violence portend a larger and longer planned operation of terror.

“The Philippines therefore deeply appreciates the UN Alliance of Civilizations for convening today’s consultations toward a Plan of Action to Safeguard Religious Sites. We

commend the secretary-general for this timely initiative. But religious sites should be expanded to mean any place where people gather to worship and not just historic places.

“Excellencies, “The Philippines condemns terrorism anywhere in the world, however inspired — by religious madness or individual perversity. In this case, both serve one purpose: the sick indulgence of violence. We abhor terrorism in all its forms and manifestations by act or speech; wherever, by whomever, and against whomsoever committed; and whatever the excuse.

“The Philippines wishes to submit the following inputs: “First, a Plan of Action to

Raped at the airport

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Susan V. Ople

T. Anthony C. Cabangon

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FILIPINO domestic worker had recently been raped while she was in Kuwait’s international airport. Based on news reports, the rapist was a member of the airport’s security unit. The same report said that it was the Kuwait employer of the domestic worker that reported the incident to government authorities.

Our kababayan had just landed in Kuwait when she came across the security officer at the airport’s passport control. Based on reports, the officer stamped her passport and asked the overseas worker to follow him. Details are scant on where the rape actually took place. One news item said that the airport security officer forced the victim into his car and drove to an isolated area where the rape happened. She was returned to the airport. It was also alleged that the perpetrator did not report back to work and is now missing. The Kuwaiti police had already issued a warrant for his arrest.

I am sadly aware of how several domestic workers have been subjected to rape and other forms of

sexual violence by their foreign employers, and sometimes even by the employers’ next of kin. This is the first time that a Filipino maid had been abducted from the international airport and raped by a member of its security personnel, then brought back to the arrival area as if nothing malevolent had transpired.

I say this now. Our government must make its outrage over this rape incident crystal clear. Can you imagine if this happened at Naia?

President Duterte would have a fit!

Heads would certainly roll and PNP chief Director General Oscar Albayalde would waste no time displaying the pervert’s bowed head before the media. Meanwhile, the victim’s physical and emotional well-being is

Safeguard Religious Sites must build on the Plan of Action for Religious Leaders and Actors to Prevent Incitement to Violence that Could Lead to Atrocity Crimes launched by the secretary-general in July 2017.

“Second, a Plan of Action must be a programmatic tool with specific thematic recommendations; and implemented at the regional, national and local levels.

“Third, a Plan of Action must come with a dynamic, multi-faith, social advocacy campaign led by the Department of Global Communications with UN Information Centers—and in partnership with faith-based networks. It must come down to the reality of faiths as actually practiced.

“Fourth, increase and strengthen the profile of women—religious and secular—connected to religious sites and religious work anywhere.

“Finally, identify security best practices and standards for faithbased communities across regional and religious boundaries.

“The Philippines also proposes the inclusion of the following key messages from GA resolution 73/129 adopted by consensus on December 12, 2018: Recognizing the growing importance of interreligious and intercultural dialogue in the context of the

global phenomenon of migration, which increases interaction among different traditions, cultures and religions; Encouraging and providing platforms for voices of moderation to be heard; and Promoting reconciliation by working with faith leaders and communities; through reconciliatory measures and acts of service; and by encouraging forgiveness and compassion.

“Excellencies, “As UN member-states and observers, we represent an ideal, an identity and a theme that aspires for a world at peace through mutual respect, tolerance, acceptance and reconciliation.

“We aspire to be inclusive societies with a belief that dialogue can prevent conflict and diffuse cultural tensions.

“The Philippines stands in solidarity with the civilized community of nations in defending peoples’ right to practice religion without fear or retribution.

“An attack on one faith is an attack on all faiths, religions or beliefs.

Such an attack can never be an act of religion. As all rivers flow into one allencompassing ocean, so all prayers go to God by whatever name She is called. Thank you.”

paramount. The innocent one desires only to work, and now a man in uniform had stripped her of that selfless dream. The Overseas Workers’ Welfare Administration led by Administrator Hans Cacdac can coordinate the necessary assistance in order for her to recover from this ordeal.

My sources tell me that the worker prefers that her family not be told. It breaks the heart to know that she would bear this wretched, undeserved, invisible scar for the rest of her life. We owe it to her and to all migrant women who intend to set foot in Kuwait, to make sure that the rapist is found and serve time for what he did. Castration would have been a more apt penalty, considering the brazen, diabolical manner by which this security officer chose to “secure” his victim.

I say this now. Our bilateral relations with Kuwait deserve reexamination if justice eludes the rape victim. If even at their airport, there is failure to secure the rights and welfare of our domestic workers, then how truly safe are they in Kuwait? The Department of Foreign Affairs must make sure that the rapist is caught and put behind bars, and for the airport authorities to make the necessary amends with our aggrieved worker. Considering that she is one of us, our embassy must also demand that security protocols

and reforms be undertaken to ensure that nothing of this sort ever happens again.

Dear Reader, what if this had happened to your daughter, or sister or mother? I don’t know the identity of the rape victim and she certainly is entitled to privacy. But, I certainly want to know the identity of the perpetrator. I want to see his ugly face plastered all over social media. I want him shamed not just in Kuwait and in the Philippines, but all over the world. I want him stripped of his uniform and his badge, and placed at the most crowded detention cell where bending down would expose him to a painful variety of penetrating options.

At the very least, the perpetrator must be punished under the full force of Kuwaiti law.

I wish him a Mount Everest of pain. And for our lovely sister, we send our collective hug. May we never know who you are because that darkest episode in your life should in no way define your present and future.

Justice must prevail. If not, can we please stop sending domestic workers to Kuwait?

Susan V. Ople heads the Blas F. Ople Policy Center and Training Institute, a nonprofit organization that deals with labor and migration issues.

She also represents the OFW sector in the InterAgency Council Against Trafficking.

Opinion BusinessMirror

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Wednesday, June 12, 2019 A7

Trump’s failures make Life and health insurance for persons with HIV/AIDS him even more dangerous

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of imprisonment of six months to five years, and/or a fine of not less than P50,000.”

By Timothy L. O’Brien | Bloomberg Opinion

NY remaining thoughts that President Donald J. Trump has been playing three-dimensional chess while everyone else around him is engaged in less sophisticated pursuits should perish with his sudden abandonment of tariff threats against Mexico.

The only thing Trump got from this stunt was yet another round of abundant attention as everyone tried to decipher the riddle of “whatis-this-unusual-and-loopy-man-up to-this-time-because-he’s-breakingthe-norms-of-generally-acceptedpresidential-behavior?” For Trump personally, the opportunity to generate and then bask in that kind of media buzz is, of course, far from nothing. Self-aggrandizement and selfpreservation have motivated almost all of his thinking for decades; first as an unknown outer-borough tyro, then as a closely-watched developer and carnival barker, finally during his years as TV celebrity and now president.

Trump certainly grabbed the spotlight last week. After all, by unexpectedly threatening, via Twitter, to impose onerous tariffs on Mexico if it failed to help solve the immigration and humanitarian crisis spilling over from Central America and into the US, Trump set the global business and political communities on edge.

And how many of us get a chance to pull off something that cool ourselves? Not just anybody can look and act the part of a Bond villain.

Trump once told me, while driving together to one of his golf courses, that his favorite Bond villain was Auric Goldfinger, the chunky thug who wanted to wreck the global economy and help China and his own fortunes by tainting the US’s gold supply at Fort Knox. “I thought Goldfinger was just a great character,” Trump said.

“To me, he was the best of all the characters. Semi-believable.”

So over the course of a week, Trump got into character and played chicken with global trade, the economy, the southern border of the US, the lives of migrants and the financial security of tens of millions of people—before having to cave once the costs and peril of all of this became apparent. Trump’s enablers in Congress helped put an end to the madness because something more important (to them) than the rule of law, civility, ethics, equality, global stability, mature policy-making and the environment was at stake: money.

By Friday evening, Trump had to close down his show, taking comfort on Twitter the following day that “reviews” of his role-playing “have been very good”—with the exception, he said, of the movie critics populating the “Fake and Corrupt News Media” at NBC, CNN, the New York Times and the Washington Post.

The truth of the matter is that Mexico, other than stepping up its own role policing the southern border in accordance with an earlier agreement, has conceded nothing—as Michael Shear and Maggie Haberman pointed out in the Times.

After so much noise and distress, the

author of The Art of the Deal was left empty-handed. “The decision marks a victory for Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, whose administration had been pressing Trump to drop the tariff threat,” noted Bloomberg News reporters Josh Wingrove, Nick Wadhams and Shannon Pettypiece.

But let’s not kid ourselves that this is an end to the White House playacting. This has happened before and will happen again. Trade negotiations with Japan and the European Union are coming and tortuous head butting on trade and tariffs is already under way with China. There’s lots of room for Trump to turn incendiary in all of that. He knows little about policy but a lot about how to stoke the passions and resentments of his base. And he’s content to fabricate things to seduce his supporters into accepting the idea that he never loses and that he always has a secret card to play.

“We have been trying to get some of these Border Actions for a long time, as have other administrations, but were not able to get them, or get them in full, until our signed agreement with Mexico,” he wrote on Twitter on Sunday. “Importantly, some things not mentioned in yesterday press release, one in particular, were agreed upon. That will be announced at the appropriate time.”

A ha. T here’s a “not-mentioned” that can be uncorked “at the appropriate time.” Hmmm.

While nobody other than the president seems to know what that secret agreement might be, he also warned that should Mexico not play ball the way he wants in the future, there will be hell—and tariffs—to pay. In the meantime, everyone should remain off-balance. “We can always go back to our previous, and very profitable, position of Tariffs,” he concluded on Twitter. “But I don’t believe that will be necessary.”

This is a man flailing, much as he did several months ago after threatening to keep the US government shut down unless he got the funding to build a wall along the southern border. More experienced and deft politicians than him torpedoed that gambit and the government reopened.

Trying to govern by threat and blunt force isn’t really governing at all, and if enough bluffs get called, the players on the other side of the table tend to stiffen their spines. That’s not a good scenario for anyone involved, because a predictably unpredictable person lacking self-confidence, restraint and principled, courageous advisers may eventually try burning things down just to prove his point.

The president of the United States isn’t playing chess. But, like a kid with matches, he’s only too happy to play with fire.

Atty. Dennis B. Funa

INSURANCE FORUM

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HERE are now two landmark legislations providing for parameters on insurance for persons living with human immunodeficiency virus (PLHIV) and acquired immune deficiency syndrome. These are Republic Act 8504 (Philippine AIDS Prevention and Control Act of 1998) and RA 11166 (Philippine HIV and AIDS Policy Act), which was approved on December 20, 2018.

Nondiscrimination rule under RA 8504 THE foremost features of RA 8504, with respect to insurance, are the prohibition against discrimination and the guarantee of access to health insurance. Under Section 39 (Exclusion from Credit and Insurance Services), “All credit and loan services, including health, accident and life insurance shall not be denied to a person on the basis of his/her actual, perceived, or suspected HIV status: Provided, that the person with HIV has not concealed or misrepresented the fact to the insurance company upon application. Extension and continuation of credit and loan shall, likewise, not be denied solely on the basis of said health condition.” Section 26 (Insurance for Persons with HIV) of RA 8504 likewise provides: “The secretary of health, in cooperation with the commissioner of the Insurance Commission and other public and private insurance agencies, shall conduct a study on the feasibility and viability of setting up a package of insurance benefits and, should such study warrant

it, implement an insurance coverage program for persons with HIV. The study shall be guided by the principle that access to health insurance is part of an individual’s right to health and is the responsibility of the State and of society as a whole.”

Nondiscrimination rule under RA 11166

THIS nondiscriminatory policy is reiterated in the Philippine HIV and AIDS Policy Act of 2018. Under Section 42 of RA 11166, “no PLHIV shall be denied or deprived of private health insurance under a Health Maintenance Organization [HMO] and private life insurance coverage under a life insurance company on the basis of the person’s HIV status. Furthermore, no person shall be denied of his life insurance claims if he dies of HIV or AIDS under a valid and subsisting life insurance policy.” Giving teeth to this rule, Section 50 provides that any person “who violates the provisions of Section 42 of this Act on health insurance and similar services shall, upon conviction, suffer the penalty

Bloomberg Opinion

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ARNES & Noble Inc. had been buyout bait for so long it should not have been a surprise when the company announced on Friday that Elliott Management Corp. had agreed to buy the big-box book giant for $683 million, including debt. The bookseller had said in October that it was exploring strategic alternatives. Even before that, smart observers such as my colleague Tara Lachapelle had noted it would be a tempting takeout target.

Still, when the moment came, it seemed to be, if not exactly a shock, then certainly an important turning point. Without a doubt it was a humbling moment for a company that has been humbled again and again by retail’s massive transformation. Of course, Barnes & Noble

was among the earliest companies to feel the punishing competitive pressure of Amazon.com Inc., with Jeff Bezos’s ruthless convenience machine putting books on shoppers’ doorsteps quickly and reliably. Bezos dealt Barnes & Noble another blow when his Kindle device ushered in the e-books era, threatening to exile the bookseller to oblivion the same way Apple’s iTunes doomed Tower Records and Sam Goody.

Given that history, perhaps it is inevitable that Barnes & Noble is a smaller, less influential retailing force now than it was at the height of its powers. But it was not preordained that Barnes & Noble has become as irrelevant as it has.

As one piece of evidence, look at the extraordinary resurrection of Best Buy Co., the electronics chain that also experienced early encroachment from Amazon. Less than a

IMPLEMENTATION of these legal provisions can be described as “ticklish” at best. Since insurance underwriting calls for an evaluation of risks before the insurer issues an insurance policy, the directive of the law prohibiting insurance discrimination against a person with HIV needs clarification. The evaluation of risks may lead to either the denial or deferment of the application, or the adjustment of premium rates.

This clarification was provided by Circular Letter 2017-11, dated February 14, 2017, (Guidelines in the Life Underwriting of Applicants with Actual, Perceived or Suspected to be with HIV). Under this circular, “the insurer may postpone the acceptance of newly discovered HIV [+] positive individuals for a period of not more than one year from the start of continuous Anti-Retro Viral Treatment in order to evaluate compliance and efficacy of treatment.” In other words, any person with HIV who wishes to obtain life insurance may be required to undergo an evaluation period to determine responsiveness to treatment. Indeed, as stated by the United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), “as a result, for many of the 4.9 million people living with HIV, the disease is no longer a death sentence, but a manageable chronic condition.” However, it is noted that in the Philippines, as of 2018, it is one of the 12 countries accounting for more than 90 percent of PLHIV, and also one of those with 90 percent of new infections.

The case for HMOs

THE foregoing underwriting process applies to HMOs, as well. HMOs make their products and services available in the form of either individual/family accounts or corporate/group accounts. The bulk of HMO accounts are in the form of corporate/group accounts, as it makes the most marketing-sense. The pricing concern is that HIV treatment can be expensive.

With its chronic nature, this expense will have to be spread out among the HMO’s universe of members.

Dennis B. Funa is the current insurance commissioner. Funa was appointed by President Duterte as the new insurance commissioner in December 2016.

E-mail: dennisfuna@yahoo.com.

Maybe Carlos Ghosn wasn’t so bad after all

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By Lionel Laurent | Bloomberg Opinion

S the Renault-Nissan Alliance stronger than the man who led it for two decades?

The omens don’t look good. The downfall of Carlos Ghosn over allegations of financial misconduct has opened up a Pandora’s Box of Franco-Japanese political hostility, grudges and pressure tactics—supposedly all in the name of “strengthening” the 20-year alliance. For all Ghosn’s flaws and delusions of grandeur, he did manage to balance the interests of two prickly G7 economies in the highly sensitive auto sector (at least until he came a cropper).

His successors will do well to last a fraction as long.

On the French side, Renault SA’s Chairman Jean-Dominique Senard was parachuted in to rescue relations with Nissan Motor Corp. Ltd. after Ghosn’s arrest. But he’s failing to live up to his billing as a veteran captain of industry and diplomat’s son. First he tried to rush his Japanese counterparts into accepting a full Renault-Nissan merger. Then he tried and failed to get Nissan’s blessing for a tie-up with Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV, an embarrassment for French President Emmanuel Macron. Not a great start.

Having failed to win the Japanese around with blandishments, an increasingly desperate-looking Senard has reached for the stick. He’s

now threatening to use Renault’s 43-percent stake in Nissan to block the latter’s attempt to shake up its corporate governance. This looks like more of a tactical play than any genuine desire to stall much-needed reforms at the Japanese carmaker, which is only now waking up to the need for separate remuneration, audit and nomination committees.

But that won’t make it any more palatable to Tokyo.

Optically, it looks a lot like a Renault attempt to get more control over the new committees. Even if it works in forcing Nissan to the negotiating table to sort out other issues, it’s a mightily clumsy about-turn for a chairman who said in April that the

Barnes & Noble can’t blame Amazon for everything

By Sarah Halzack

Clarification on the need for underwriting

The insurer, after evaluating the risks during the evaluation period, consequently, may deny or defer the application of person with HIV “when presented with comorbidities, medical conditions or other risk factors, not on the basis of their being positive for HIV but on the basis of such comorbidity, medical condition or other risk factor which by itself alone [i.e., even without being HIV positive] would lead to the same underwriting decision based on the insurer’s underwriting guidelines.”

Meaning, an application may be denied not because of the HIV but because of other underwriting factors normally considered if the applicant did not have HIV. A person with HIV faces a host of “opportunistic infections.” In any case, should the insurer accept the application, “the insurer may, upon prior approval of [the] Commission, set limits of acceptance for persons with HIV as to plan of insurance, maturity term, payment term, age, and policy amount” and set premium rates correctly.

decade ago, many industry watchers were convinced it was destined to crumble like rival Circuit City did.

But CEO Hubert Joly gave people a reason to choose Best Buy—he made prices more competitive, drastically improved customer service and shored up its e-commerce offering.

He didn’t let the company wallow in the past, ditching its 250 small-format Best Buy Mobile stores, which no longer made sense as the smartphone market matured.

Barnes & Noble couldn’t have followed Best Buy’s playbook exactly; selling books is simply a different business from selling big-ticket items like 4K TVs. But Best Buy’s example shows it is possible for specialist retailers to remain differentiated and exciting in 2019.

Barnes & Noble even had a solid foundation to build on: It was an experiential retailer long before that

term became an overused industry buzzword. Its cavernous spaces with plenty of seating let customers thumb through lots of books before settling on a purchase; its Starbucks cafés gave them permission to linger even longer.

Apple, often lauded as retail visionary, started referring to its stores as “town squares” in 2017, a nod to the idea that it would be advantageous for them to be community-gathering places. Barnes & Noble had understood the power of retail-store-as-hangout-spot at least two decades ago. And then it squandered it by not continuing to evolve how the concept was executed and by failing to marry it with a more compelling online shopping experience and e-reader.

Barnes & Noble’s new CEO, James Daunt, has some obvious opportunities to steady the chain, starting with

Japanese would not respond well to “humiliation” tactics.

Still, Ghosn’s replacement at Nissan, CEO Hiroto Saikawa, is hardly covering himself in glory. Like Senard, he seems incapable of wielding power without looking weak. Nissan owns just 15 percent of Renault, so it’s at a disadvantage in terms of shareholdings. But if Saikawa was trying to take back control with his ousting of Ghosn and the governance changes, the limits have been laid bare this week.

Nissan will have an incredibly tough time pushing these reforms through without Renault’s support, a painful reminder of Saikawa’s constraints. The Japanese carmaker’s poor financial performance isn’t helping. Former Nissan executive Greg Kelly is also ratcheting up the pressure by accusing Saikawa of approving Ghosn’s pay structure.

Only now do we realize Ghosn’s skill—and maybe his good fortune —when it came to balancing the needs of two countries with a history of national pride and state interference in industry. Renault has a very big stake in Nissan, yes, but not the majority control. In retrospect it’s remarkable that Ghosn was able to

push a sickly Nissan into adopting truly revolutionary changes after the creation of the alliance: An end to cozy deals with historical suppliers, massive job cuts and the ceding of control to non-Japanese executives.

To be fair to Senard and Saikawa, Ghosn’s personal empire-building and his ability to hoover up all the top jobs probably helped—at one point he was running Renault and Nissan simultaneously, as well as their alliance. Arguably too much power was concentrated in the hands of one man. But he’s clearly left a void, which has been filled by squabbling.

In response to Parisian meddling, Nissan has woken up to its own ability to pressure the French even with a smaller stake. These power games are very risky for both firms given the economic benefits offered by the alliance, something that’s doubly important now that the auto industry is facing the epochal challenge of the death of the combustion engine and the possible decline of car ownership.

Bankers are still confident that the partnership will survive. But the distrust that is setting in, as well as the lack of leadership, portends a long-term weakening.

slimming down. The company still has more than 600 physical stores.

That number could soon prove unsustainable even for, say, Macy’s Inc., and the clothing and home goods businesses have not even shifted online as much as the book business has.

Daunt should also further reshape how Barnes & Noble’s allocates space in its stores. I was shocked on a recent visit to a Barnes & Noble store by how much square footage was still devoted to physical copies of movies and music. The company has experimented with remodels to condense those areas and use the space for toys and games. That seems like something worth rolling out chainwide, especially given the disappearance of Toys “R” Us. Maybe some fresh marketing, too, could drive traffic to Barnes & Noble.

Millennial parents are often worried about overdoing screen time for their

kids. Why not court them with ads that will make them feel like Parent of the Year for taking their children to pick out an old-fashioned book?

Remember, even A ma zon, Barnes & Noble’s mortal enemy, clearly believes in the enduring potential of the physical bookstore.

It has opened several of them in recent years, a somewhat ironic bit of validation for Barnes & Noble’s legacy business.

Going private has been anything but a guarantee of salvation in retail. In fact, in several cases, it has been a prelude to grave trouble. Toys “R” Us, most notably, was forced to liquidate after it was crushed by its debt load. Private-equity owned Payless Shoe Source is now shuttering its US stores after filing for bankruptcy; private-equity-backed Wet Seal and The Limited have vanished from the mall.

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www.businessmirror.com.ph

‘Safeguard duty to hike prices of cheap tiles’

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By Elijah Felice E. Rosales

@alyasjah

HEAP tiles used for low-cost housing could increase prices by as much as P33 per piece once the safeguard duty on ceramic floor and wall tiles takes effect, importers said on Tuesday.

In an interview with reporters, Napoleon Co of the Philippine Ceramic Products Importers Association Inc. said the P3-per-

kilogram (kg) safeguard duty on ceramic floor and wall tiles will be a burden to property developers. He said the tariff will make

more expensive cheap tiles, which are usually placed on the flooring of low-cost houses.

“The safeguard duty has yet to apply, but we have to pass that on because the margin [between landed cost and selling price] is too little,” Co said.

Cheap tiles, he explained, usually weigh at least 11 kilograms.

With the P3-per-kg safeguard duty, importers will shoulder an additional cost of about P33 per unit.

“The difference between our landed cost and selling price is around P20 to P30 on gross add-on.

With the safeguard coming in, we have to add on [to our selling price].

₧3 per kilogram The safeguard duty imposed by the Department of Trade and Industry on imported ceramic floor and wall tiles

For the high end [tiles], there will be no problem,” Co said.

“Those cheap tiles go to the low-cost housing. You don’t see cheap tiles on five-star hotels,” he added, emphasizing the impact of the safeguard duty will hit the poor the most.

The Tariff Commission on Tuesday started its investigation on whether to apply a definitive safe-

guard measure on ceramic floor and wall tiles as endorsed by Trade Secretary Ramon M. Lopez.

Lopez in May imposed a P3per-kg tariff on imported ceramic floor and wall tiles to protect local manufacturers. Under Department Administrative Order 19-06, he said the domestic industry’s market share and profits were seriously injured by the surge in imports between 2013 and 2017.

“During the POI [period of investigation], despite significant increases in market size, the market share of domestic manufacturers declined from 96 percent in 2013 to 15 percent in 2017 and 2018,” the order read.

Further, earnings before interest and tax of local producers crashed 71 percent in 2014, 203 percent in 2015, before recovering 92 percent in 2016. However, the industry suffered its highest earnings decline of 1,067 percent in 2017.

Further, the order reported imports of ceramic floor and wall tiles jumped in absolute terms between 2013 and 2017.

In 2017 imports were lower by 13 percent from the 2016 volume, but higher by 2,170 percent from the 2014 level. Lopez argued the conditions of the market point to a displacement of local players, and thereby in need of a trade remedy.

Expert warns vs partial operation of subway ‘WE SHARE SO MUCH IN COMMON,’ RABBI TELLS CARDINAL TAGLE F AT SYNAGOGUE VISIT

By Cai U. Ordinario @caiordinario

ILIPINO taxpayers may end up paying more for the country’s first subway if the government will insist on making it partially operational by 2022, according to investment and projectdevelopment services firm Bellwether Advisory Inc. In the Connect Forum held at the National Engineering Center in Tuesday, Bellwether Advisory Inc. Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Rene S. Santiago said making the subway available to the public in 2022, before its full completion, would double, or even triple the cost of the project.

Santiago, who has been working in the transport sector for the past 40 years, said this has to do with the tunnel boring machine. He said he was able to see how these boring machines worked from inside

during a construction of a subway in Europe. Stopping the machine prematurely is expensive, he said.

“The tunnel boring machine, once it goes underneath, it just continuously moves, maybe every hour there is 1 meter so it automatically puts in the walls. I have a rare experience going inside a tunnel boring machine underneath one of the European cities at one time so I knew how it operates,” Santiago said.

“That’s why I disagree with the order of the current [transport] secretary saying ‘finish a portion of the subway, make it operational by 2022’, that is for political effect.

But from an engineering standpoint and cost and economy, that is a stupid order,” he added.

Santiago said the tunnel boring machine that will be used for the subway is a new technology.

The tunnel boring machine, he said, worked like a worm, making it difficult to transfer it or stop

its operation, even temporarily to make a portion of the tunnel it is boring usable.

He said the tunnel boring machine has many moving parts and would not only be costly to transport but also expensive to put in place in another location. It will require careful excavation to ensure that the new location can withstand the pressure to be exerted by the tunnel boring machine—and this can be very expensive.

“It will be very expensive. You will have to take out the machine again and dismantle it, then you put it in the other end. A boring machine is like a worm, when you transfer it to operate in another location, you have to know where the dirt from the construction will go. You can create another hole, but that will also lead to more costs,” Santiago told the BusinessMirror.

Santiago said the subway project, which is novel in the Philippine

context, has been around for many decades in other countries, such as the United States and those in Europe. He said he was part of the team that recommended its construction.

He said he helped create the Metro Manila Transport Masterplan or “Dreamplan,” which was crafted by the Japan International Cooperation Agency. The Dreamplan recommended the creation of the subway.

The P356.96-billion Metro Manila Subway Project-Phase 1 entails the construction of a 25.3-kilometer underground rail from Quezon City to Taguig with an extension to the Ninoy Aquino International Airport.

The project is funded by a loan from the Japanese government and is now currently being constructed.

The target completion date for the project is 2025.

See “Subway,” A2

Duterte to DOTr: Prepare Sangley for commercial flights by Nov SOUTHWEST MONSOON AFFECTING WESTERN SECTION OF LUZON as of 4:00 pm - June 11, 2019

By Samuel P. Medenilla @sam_medenilla

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A L AC A Ñ A N G on Tuesday said Sangley Air Base in Cavite may be ready to accommodate domestic flights by November to help ease air travel in Metro Manila.

Chief Presidential Legal Counsel and Presidential Spokesman Salvador S. Panelo confirmed President Duterte has ordered Transportation Secretary Arthur P. Tugade to cut short its timetable in preparing Sangley for commercial use during the Cabinet meeting on Monday.

“The original target date for that was supposed to be in December. But the President said that is too long, and they should make it November instead,” Panelo said.

The plan to open Sangley Air Base to airline companies was floated by Tugade during the Cabinet meeting after Duterte expressed his displeasure of the flight delays at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (Naia) during his inspection there on Monday.

Currently, the former United States Naval Station is being managed by the Philippine Navy and Air Force.

In March, Tugade said they are faced with a funding issue in developing Sangley Airport since they will need around $10 billion for the project.

Aside from the funding woes, Panelo said the DOTr is now addressing other issues concerning the opening of Sangley Airport for domestic flights, including the transfer of passengers and its security.

“Secretary Tugade reported that he had already initiated the testing of ferries that can operate from the Mall of Asia to Sangley within 18 to 24 minutes,” Panelo said.

Panelo added Duterte is pushing the military and police to secure the said airport.

“Secretary Tugade will be preparing an appropriate executive order for the President’s consideration,” Panelo said.

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E L I G I O U S tolerance and understanding became the highlight in the first-ever visit of Manila Archbishop Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle at the Jewish synagogue in Makati City on Tuesday.

The Embassy of Israel invited Tagle for the event for the 25th anniversary of the diplomatic relations between the state of Israel and the Vatican.

During the event, Tagle talked with the leaders of the Jewish Association of the Philippines, including Rabbi Eliyahu Azaria.

Tagle was also able to view the photo exhibit of Pope Francis’s trip to Israel this year.

“It is a great honor to have the cardinal in the synagogue...it] shows the friendship between the Catholic Church and the Jewish people,” Azaria said.

“When we can come together, even though our beliefs may be a little different, but we share so much

in common...That is actually the key message. The message of tolerance,” he added.

Israel Ambassador to the Philippines Rafael Harpaz said the meeting also affirmed the close ties of Philippines with Israel.

“The Philippines has this amazing history with the Jewish people.

Its always opens its doors to Jews.

There is no anti-semitism here,” the envoy said.

He cited how the country opened its doors to Jewish refugees from the Holocaust and supported the move in the United Nations for the membership of Israel.

“I think this visit symbolizes in all spectrum where our relations [with the Philippines] is... flourishing, especially after this recent visit of the Pope in Israel, our relationship is diverse in both tourism, economic relations security cooperation,” Harpaz said.

Samuel P. Medenilla

Pact binds PCC, DOE to push competition, coordinate probes in power sector

By Lenie Lectura

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@llectura

HE Philippine Competition Commission (PCC) and the Department of Energy (DOE) signed on Tuesday a memorandum of agreement (MOA) meant to promote market competition and coordinate investigations in the power sector.

“The PCC and the DOE share a common vision of a more robust competition landscape in the power industry. With the energy department having the technical assets and ensuring proper functioning of the energy sector, we are confident this complementation of efforts with PCC’s own investigative capacity will lead to a stronger push for competition enforcement,” said PCC Chairman Arsenio M. Balisacan.

Under the MOA, both agencies have identified collaborative mechanisms where the PCC and DOE can count on information sharing, investigation support, technical audits, joint task forces, and continued capacity building and consultations. It also paves the way for the creation of a technical working group to coordinate investigation efforts into alleged collusions or abuses of dominance in the energy sector.

This after the PCC said in April

that it will look into allegations of possible collusion or abuse of dominance of certain power generators following simultaneous power-plant shutdowns that may have caused an artificial supply shortage and consequently a hike in electricity prices.

The PCC warns power-generation companies from engaging in anticompetitive or collusive behavior, which is punishable by the competition law with fines of up to P250 million, and imprisonment of responsible officers of up to seven years.

“Ensuring consumers are provided adequate supply of electricity on fair terms and prices, while allowing market players of all sizes to operate on a level playing field is at the center of our partnership,” Balisacan said.

The DOE’s role is to implement policies ensuring reliability, quality and security of supply of electric power. On the other hand, the PCC, as the country’s competition authority, is mandated to prohibit anticompetitive agreements and conduct in all sectors of the economy, and impose fines and penalties for violators.

The PCC-DOE MOA is the latest in a string of partnerships with government agencies and institutions in strengthening a coordinated, interagency approach to promote fair market competition.

Editor: Angel R. Calso

The World BusinessMirror

UN panel: Connect half the world, and $20 mobile phones can help

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NI T ED NAT IONS —A n independent UN panel called Monday for much g reater cooperation to br ing digital technolog y to roughly half the world ’s people, and a senior Google executive said mobile phones with Internet access are being created to sell for about $20 that can help make this possible.

Google Vice President Vinton Cerf said at a news conference after the panel’s report was officially launched that “it’s going to cost a lot of money” to end the digital divide.

But w ithout dr iv ing dow n costs of phones and communications, he said, “we won’t succeed in getting the other 4.5 billion, or 3.5 billion, people online.”

Nonetheless, Cerf was optimistic. “I think that we’re going to see the investment made primarily out of pure, simple incentive on the business side and demand on the consumer side,” he said.

He said the new cheaper cell phones won’t have all the features of a $1,000 smartphone, “but they have enough to be useful—they have enough to get access to the content of the Internet and the applications that it offers.”

Cerf is one of 20 members of the panel established by Secretar y-General Antonio Guterres in July 2018 to advance a global dialogue on how the world can work better together to realize the potential of digital technologies to advance the well-being of all people while mitigating their risks.

It is led by Melinda Gates, cochairman of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and by Jack Ma, executive chairman of China’s Alibaba Group.

“We are living at the dawn of a new digital era,” Ma said in a statement. “Global cooperation among all parties—private sector, gover nment, citizens, academics and civil society— is needed to use technology to achieve more prosperity, more opportunity, and more trust for people around the world.”

Cer f, who is a lso Google’s “c h i e f I nt e r ne t e v a n ge l i s t ,” said the most significant places without access to digital technolog y are in rural areas, not only in countries in Africa but in the United States, where perhaps 10 percent to 15 percent of the population doesn’t have reliable Internet access.

In addition to costs, he said, hav ing Inter net appl icat ions that are useful is also a problem.

It’s not helpful if on the web “you can discover a plumber in

New York but you happen to be in Bogota,” and you can’t find much in the language you speak, Cerf said.

Norway’s minister of digitalization, Nikolai Astrup, also a panel member, said he strongly believes new technologies can help developing countries make “that quantum leap” to achieving UN goals for 2030, including ending extreme poverty while protecting the environment.

“Digital technology is no longer a luxury,” he said. “It is essential for development, also for a developed country like Norway.”

W hatever the cost, Astrup said, it will be overshadowed by the benefits of improving people’s lives, solving some major global challenges and using big data, for example, to predict and prevent famine.

But Gates said in a statement that “ digital technologies can help the world ’s poorest people transform their lives, but only if we are willing to address the inequalities that already keep them from fully participating in the economic and social lives of their countries.”

The report recommends that every adult in the world have affordable access to digital networks and digital financial and health services by 2030.

But the panel also cautioned that growing opportunities from digital technologies “are paralleled by stark abuses and unintended consequences.” It noted the serious problem of harmful content on social media and challenges to privacy, and it called for more effective action to prevent the erosion of trust by the proliferation of irresponsible uses of cyber capabilities.

The panel also urged Guter res to conduct a globa l rev iew of how hu ma n r ights apply to d ig it a l tec hnolog ies.

Panel member Nanjira Sambuli of Kenya, who is a senior policy manager at the World Wide Web Foundation, said a key recommendation is that technology companies “shouldn’t only consult on the human rights element as an afterthought.”

“They have to start figuring out among themselves the proactive steps to engage at every step of the way on the human rights implications,” she said.

Guterres said that every day he sees how digital technology can advance the UN’s mission to promote peace, human rights and development—but also “news of the disruption digital technology can cause and the threats it can bring to that mission.” AP

Telecom giant Huawei hints US pressure hurting sales

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HANGHAI—Chinese tech giant Huawei said Tuesday it would have become the world’s No. 1 smartphone maker by year’s end if it were not for “unexpected” circumstances—a hint that pressure from the US may be hurting its sales.

“If we had not encountered anything unexpected, we would have become No. 1 in the world by the fourth quarter,” Huawei’s chief strategist, Shao Yang, said at the Consumer Electronics Show in Shanghai.

“But now we have to wait a little bit longer to achieve that,” he said, without referring directly to President Donald J. Trump or the trade war.

Washington last month put Huawei on a blacklist that effectively bars US firms from selling to the company without

government approval. The action was part of a broader trade dispute between China and the US, which has accused Chinese technology companies such as Huawei of stealing trade secrets and threatening cyber security.

While Huawei has denied it would share user secrets with China’s ruling Communist Party, Trump is on a mission to persuade US allies to exclude Huawei equipment from next-generation 5G mobile networks.

Shao said the company will march on in its development of the technology.

“People see 5G, but we see beyond that,” he said. “Those who are not brave will not progress, they will lag behind. So everything that we do is to define our direction in the new round of competition.” AP

Wednesday, June 12, 2019

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Trump says he’ll raise China tariffs if Xi won’t meet at G-20

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RESIDENT Donald J. Trump threatened to raise tariffs on China again if President Xi Jinping doesn’t meet with him at the upcoming Group of 20 summit in Japan.

Trump told reporters at the White House on Monday that he could impose tariffs of 25 percent, or “much higher than 25 percent” on $300 billion in Chinese goods. “We’ve never gotten 10 cents from China and now we’re getting a lot of money from China,” the president said.

Trump was asked in an interview with CNBC earlier in the day whether the additional tariffs would be enacted immediately if there’s no meeting at the summit later this month.

“Yes, it would,” he answered. “I think he will go and I think we’re scheduled to have a meeting. I think he’ll go, and I have a great relationship with him. He’s actually an incredible guy, he’s a great man. He’s very strong, very smart, but he’s for China and I’m for the United States.”

Trade talks with China hit an impasse last month after the president accused Beijing of reneging on provisions of a tentative agreement. The two countries have since escalated their trade war.

“C h ina is going to ma ke a dea l because t hey ’re going to

have to ma ke a dea l,” Tr u mp sa id on Mond ay.

The Shanghai stock market opened higher on Tuesday and rose about 1 percent as of 10:30 a.m.

The yuan was stronger on Tuesday.

Huawei, trade

TRUMP again suggested that an eventual trade deal could involve Huawei Technologies Co. The Trump administration is campaigning to block the company from emerging 5G telecommunications networks around the world and has moved to cut off Huawei from US suppliers, citing national security concerns.

“I do see it as a threat,” he said on Monday. “At the same time, it could be very well that we do something with respect to Huawei as part of our trade negotiation with China. China very much wants to make a deal. They want to make a deal much more than I do, but we’ll see what happens.”

When asked whether US actions against Huawei could set the US back on 5G, Trump said “No.” The US is “actually going to be

leading very shortly. You know, we’re leading in everything,” he said. Of China, he said: “As great as they are—and they are great— they don’t have near the capability of our geniuses in Silicon Valley that walk around in undershirts and they’re worth $2 billion.”

But by consistently linking the company to trade talks, Trump has suggested his aim is to stunt China’s growth as an economic rival to the US. “Huawei is very powerful, very strong,” he said in the interview.

He said that he wants China to do well, but that “I don’t want them to do as well as us.”

Trump’s reversal on a threat to impose new tariffs on Mexico over migration from Central America lifted the mood at the G-20 finance ministers’ meeting in Fukuoka, Japan, over the weekend. But the US delegation left without any significant breakthrough on China.

Trump is scheduled to meet both Xi and Russian President Vladimir Putin at the G-20 leaders’ summit in Osaka.

Of the tentative meeting with Xi, Trump said: “We’re expected to meet and if we do that’s fine, and if we don’t—look, from our standpoint the best deal we can have is 25 percent on $600 billion.”

Trump added: “If we don’t have a deal and don’t make a deal, we’ll be raising the tariffs, putting tariffs on more than—we only tax 35 percent to 40 percent of what they said then they had another 60 percent that’ll be taxed.”

For some Chinese experts, this sounds again like threat and trick. “Trump wants to use maximum pressure to force China to come back to the negotiation table. And if there’s no meeting between the two leaders, Trump will put the blame on China,” said Zhou Xiaoming, former Mofcom official and diplomat. China’s foreign ministry did not immediately respond to a fax seeking a response to Trump’s comments.

If Trump carries out his threat to extend the 25 percent charge to all imports from China, it will start hitting vital communication tools and everyday consumer goods.

Mexico secret

TRUMP, meanwhile, again hinted that part of the deal he struck with Mexico is not yet public.

He has claimed that the country agreed to purchase large amounts of US agricultural products as part of the agreement, but Mexican officials say there is no such provision. Trump said on CNBC that the US purposely isn’t discussing one of the aspects of the agreement yet, claiming that it is another “very powerful tool” for the US. He tweeted earlier on Monday that “we have fully signed and documented another very important part of the Immigration and Security deal with Mexico, one that the US has been asking about getting for many years. It will be revealed in the not too distant future and will need a vote by Mexico’s Legislative body!” Bloomberg News

Iran revokes ‘New York Times’ correspondent’s accreditation

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UBAI, United Arab Emirates—Iran has revoked the press accreditation for The New York Times’s correspondent based in Tehran without explanation, the newspaper reported Tuesday.

While the newspaper said it remained hopeful Thomas Erdbrink soon would be allowed to work again, the revocation comes amid heightened tensions between the US and Iran stemming from President Donald Trump’s withdrawal from Tehran’s nuclear deal with world powers a year ago.

Iran pulled Erdbrink’s government-required authorization to work as a journalist four months ago, the Times said. He’s been unable to work since February and the Times said it decided to go public with his situation “after recent speculation and comments on social media.”

“Officials of Iran’s Foreign Ministry have repeatedly assured The Times that Mr. Erdbrink’s credential would soon be restored but have offered no explanation for the delays or for why it was revoked,” the Times reported, quoting international editor Michael Slackman. “He added that there are some indications this will be resolved soon.”

Iran’s mission to the United Nations did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

There was no immediate response in Iranian state-run media.

Erdbrink, a Dutch national, previously worked as a correspondent for The Washington Post, as well.

He’s married to Iranian photographer Newsha Tavakolian, who is represented by the Magnum photo agency.

Both he and Tavakolian were the focus of Our Man in Tehran, a 2018 documentary about his work and life as a Western journalist in Iran.

Journalists in Iran face harassment from security services, while others have been imprisoned for their work. While local journalists face the brunt of that, foreign journalists in Tehran, especially those with Western ties, have been imprisoned, as well.

The last major case involved Iranian-American reporter Jason Rezaian of the Washington Post, who was convicted in an internationally criticized, closeddoor espionage trial in 2015. A 2016 prisoner swap negotiated between Iran and the US amid the start of the nuclear deal freed Rezaian and three other Iranian-Americans in exchange for pardons or charges being dropped against seven Iranians.

That deal also saw the US make a $400 -million cash deliver y to Iran. AP

IN this April 28, 2009, file photo, The New York Times’s correspondent based in Tehran Thomas Erdbrink walks on a sidewalk in Tehran, Iran. Iran has revoked the press accreditation for The New York Times’s correspondent based in Tehran, the newspaper reported on Tuesday. AP/VAHID SALEMI

U.S. BULKS UP COAST GUARD IN PACIFIC TO COUNTER CHINA

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HE US Coast Guard is touting increased operations in the Western Pacific, thousands of miles from American shores, as China’s coast guard and civilian fishing militias increasingly assert the countr y’s territorial claims.

A presence in the South China Sea and elsewhere will help enforce the sovereignty of partner nations in the disputed waters, US Coast Guard Pacific Area Commander Vice Admiral Linda Fagan told a conference call.

Coast Guard cutters USCGC Bertholf and USCGC Stratton are being deployed with the Seventh Fleet based in Yokosuka, Japan.

The ships will help “law enforcement and capacity-building in the fisheries enforcement realm,” Fagan said.

The move comes amid complaints from Asian nations about Chinese efforts to assert territorial claims in the East and South China seas. Besides a growing navy, China has centralized military control over its 200-ship

China Coast Guard, equipped the force with larger ships and deputized civilian vessels to assist in the operations.

The resource-stretched US Navy has already put the American coast guard vessels to work, with the Bertholf joining a transit through the Taiwan Strait in March. Last month, the US Coast Guard staged a joint exercise with two Philippine vessels in Chinese-claimed waters, reportedly sailing past two Chinese ships in the process.

It was the first visit by the US Coast Guard in seven years, Fagan said, adding the return to engagement was in line with prior actions and consistent with international law. “It is a recognized international strait and our ships sail through there,” Fagan said.

China asserts control over more than 80 percent of the South China Sea, a key shipping route also claimed by Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam. Bloomberg News

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Companies BusinessMirror

Wednesday, June 12, 2019

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PLDT on track to meet ₧26-B telco core income guidance

D

By Lorenz S. Marasigan

@lorenzmarasigan

IGITAL services provider PLDT Inc. is “on track” to meet its P26billion telco core income guidance for the year, as its wireless business continues to recover from years of decline coupled with the constant increases in revenues from its enterprise and home verticals.

Akulaku bullish on ‘double’ growth rate in Philippines

M

ARKING the third year of its operations in the Philippines, Indonesian online installment shopping application provider Akulaku said on Tuesday it expects to double the growth of its business here by end of the year on the back of its expansion plan to widen its coverage on a national scale.

The company provides an online shopping channel, offering a wide range of deals from gadgets, fashion, accessories, health and beauty products, kitchenware and many more. It opens business and employment opportunities for Filipinos since it engages small and medium enterprises to sell their products and services on the platform.

What separates Akulaku from the competition is that it also operates as a financial technology or fintech firm that extends monetary assistance to its customers through cash loans at a very reasonable interest and installment rates.

“We know that there’s a low rate of penetration of credit cards in the Philippines and also in other parts of Southeast Asia. So we came up with this kind of thing,” Akulaku Philippines Chief Operating Officer Sean Du told reporters during a media briefing held at their office in Ortigas.

Beyond shopping and credit, Akulaku also gives a convenient way of paying utility bills with its hassle-free payment options. What’s more, it provides game credit, as well as online and offline payment solutions. “For the past three years since we’ve brought Akulaku here in the Philippines, we saw a big adoption rate for [our platform among] Filipinos,” he said.

“We are surprised with how Filipinos rapidly accepted and enjoyed the services we offer at par with the existing online shopping mobile applications in the country,” added Sure Xu, marketing manager of Akulaku Philippines. At present, there are over 2 million registered users of the app, generating about $3 million worth of monthly transactions.

With over 5 million downloads in Apple Store and Google Play at present, the official said the company wants to provide the most innovative yet convenient, safest and fastest way to improve the lives of Filipinos through its financial services catering to its merchandisers straight to customers.

“We are very happy that we are revolutionizing the way how Filipinos think about online services, like shopping, cash loan, bills payment and others,” Du said.

Bullish on the country’s economic growth, Akulaku is expanding its footprint not only in the Greater Manila Area and Metro Cebu, but also in the Visayas and Mindanao. “We can see customers purchasing products from these kinds of places in the provinces using full payment. So we are also looking toward extending credit services for these locations,” said Zack Choo, business development manager of Akulaku Philippines.

Aside from the Philiuppines, Akulaku is also present in other Southeast Asian nations, such as Indonesia, Malaysia and Vietnam. Collectively across these four locations, the online marketplace provider already has more than 100,000 sellers, over 30 million download base on Google Playstore and Apple Store, and more than 20 million registered users. Du told the BusinessMirror that in the Philippines, they expect the number of download of their app to reach 10 million from about 4 million users, transacting an average amount of $6 million per month by the end of the year.

When it comes to increasing local merchants onboard the platform, which currently stand at about 1,000, he said they are quite stringent in choosing the “right and quality partners.” Roderick L. Abad

Manuel V. Pangilinan, the company’s chairman, said his group is optimistic for the rest of 2019, as initial earnings from the first half “are looking good.”

“I think we’ll be better than P26 billion,” he said in a chance interview. “[It] will be fuelled mainly by the significant growth of wireless. Enterprise rises consistently, and it will grow by low double digit. Wireless is surprisingly on the upside.”

PLDT booked a net income of P6.7 billion in the first quarter of 2019, while its consolidated revenues increased by 7 percent to P38 billion, with wireless individual, home and enterprise accounting for 94 percent of the total service revenues.

Telco core income amounted to P7.2 billion, up by 6 percent from the year prior.

Shares of PLDT remained flat at P1,230 apiece on Tuesday.

Empire East allots ₧25-B capex for next five years P

ROPERTY developer Empire East Land Holdings Inc. said it will spend P25 billion in five years to develop its properties in the country.

Anthony Charlemagne Yu, Empire East president, said the company will continue its growth trajectory in the next few years, as it rides the growth momentum of the economy.

“We have 404 hectares of properties in our landbank and that would last for the next five to seven years.

The company also continues to construct many of our development. In fact, there are 13 towers simultaneously being constructed, in various stages of completion as of end-December 2018,” Yu said.

“In 2019, your company is projected to complete seven additional towers with 2,200 total units. Also this year, we will commence the construction of five additional towers, which means an additional 3,000 units,” he said.

Yu said this will complement the company’s reservation sales of P25 billion generated, up about 28 percent from last year’s P19.47 billion.

Last year it sold 200,000 square meters (sq.m.) of residential units across different projects, while completing close to 100,000 sq.m. of units.

“Over 2,700 condo units were completed, spread across nine resi-

dential towers,” Yu said.

“Given these indicators, the company remains strong and confident that we will be able to sustain our growth in the coming years,” Yu added.

This July, the company will launch its biggest project, the 24-hectare Empire East Highland City in Cainta, Rizal, a P20-billion project.

The development will also have an 8,000-sq.m. green and open park, which will also have some retail areas and a 500-seating capacity church. The park will elevate toward the mall. On both sides of the park will be a six-lane road that will serve as the main-street entrance to the township.

DNL confident of consumer pickup in Q2

C

HEMICAL manufacturer D and L Industries Inc. is optimistic the second quarter will be better than the first three months of the year as consumer spending picks up.

D and L President and CEO Alvin D. Lao said the prices of commodities continue to remain low, which means it could boost consumer spending, while borrowing costs are expected to go down as the government’s move to reduce banks’ reserve requirements is injecting more liquidity into the market.

“While there is more liquidity, the cash requirements of corporations remain the same so banks will have to be more competitive by lowering their rates to be able to lend more,” Lao said after the

company’s stockholders’ meeting.

Lao, however, added the second quarter has less working days this year because Holy Week fell on April while it was in March last year.

The midterm elections, meanwhile, had a lesser impact on consumer spending this year because of the delayed budget.

“We didn’t see any impact because there was no budget,” Lao said.

During the stockholders’ meeting, D and L declared cash dividend amounting to P2.04 billion, or an increase of 10 percent from last year’s P1.86 billion. This is equivalent to 64 percent of last year’s recurring income.

The dividends consist of a regular cash dividend of P0.223 per share plus a special cash dividend of P0.063

MOUNTAIN MAID TRAINING CENTER

per share to shareholders of record as of June 26. Ex-date is on June 21 and payment will be made on July 22, 2019.

In total, shareholders will receive P0.286 dividends per share, or a dividend yield of 2.8 percent based on June 7’s closing price of P10.20.

For the first quarter of 2019, net income increased by 1 percent yearon-year to P748 million, partly as a result of the delay of the passage of the national budget.

Including this year’s payment, the company has returned a total of P8.8 billion in cash to shareholders through dividends since the IPO in 2012. The company also paid a 100-percent stock dividend in September 2015. VG Cabuag

A long queue of local tourists in Baguio City wait for their turn to buy Good Shepherd Products like ube jam (inset), strawberry jam and various baked products. Led by a nun, the Mountain Maid Training Center’s classy food items started to attract buyers since 1976. SUZANNE JUNE G. PERANTE

Coca-Cola maker to build ₧1-B PET recycling plant

By VG Cabuag @villygc

B

OTTLING firm Coca-Cola Beverages Philippines Inc. will spearhead a P1-billion project to put up a food-grade recycling facility that will transform used PET plastic bottles into new and recyclable beverage bottles.

The company, now of a unit of Atlanta’s The Coca-Cola Co., said it plans to use at least half of the recycled content in their packaging by 2030.

Gareth McGeown, president of the local bottling firm, said the facility will be located outside Metro Manila. It will collect, sort, clean and wash post-consumer plastic bottles and turn these into new bottles that the company itself will use or be sold to other beverage firms, even if these are their competitors.

McGeown said the facility will have a capacity of 16,000 tons a year and will be the first in Southeast Asia.

It will start construction of the facil-

ity toward the end of the year and may be operational by 2020.

The total being produced in the country using PET bottles are about 130,000 tons.

He did not state where it will be located, only that it will be 100 kilometers outside of Metro Manila.

McGeown said the local Coke softdrink maker will only own a portion of the said facility. The rest will be its local partner and an international technology partner.

The company also did not state the equity ownership. “We are covered by a non-disclosure agreement with our partners. Our overall goal is do the right thing on a world without waste. We will he dependent on our local partners, local collection partners and its strategy,” he said.

The facility is not new since CocaCola is also doing it in Mexico and South Africa, and the journey for the company to use all or most of its bottling supplies from the recycling facility will take between five years to 10 years.

Grab asks LTFRB to allow deactivated drivers to continue operations temporarily

G

RAB Philippines has requested the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) to temporarily allow the deactivated drivers to continue their operations, as any sudden downtrend in the supply of drivers may result in greater inconvenience to the riding public.

Brian P. Cu, the company’s president, said his group has sought the approval of the regulatory body for the resumption of the operations of 5,000 deactivated drivers, who were removed from the system due to their lack of permits to operate.

Previously, Grab announced there were 8,000 drivers up for deactivation. Cu clarified on Tuesday that the number dwindled down to 5,000, as 3,000 transport network vehicle service (TNVS) operators were able to produce their necessary documentation to operate.

“The best scenario for the Filipino people is to have more drivers, which results in passenger convenience, and less traffic as car owners will just need to hail a ride, instead of bringing their cars out. If the LTFRB will allow the deactivated drivers to resume work while it processes the application of 10,000 new drivers, that would be the best win for the Filipino people,” he said.

Cu also asked the LTFRB to review the supply cap for TNVS operators in Metro Manila and increase it subsequently. Currently, the supply of TNVS for Metro Manila is capped at 65,000 vehicles.

“As painful and inconvenient as this is, we need to make sure that the vehicles on the Grab platform all have the legal right to service passengers. This was made clear to us in the various meetings with the LTFRB and in Congress. This inconvenience will be felt even after the 10,000 new slots are filled, as twice that number is necessary to provide the 70-percent allocation rate they said they want to maintain,” Cu said.

He said there needs to be an additional 15,000 vehicles to meet the current demand for the service. Grab currently has about 45,000 vehicles enrolled in its system.

“We are offering a solution to the riding public and livelihood opportunities to drivers, as well as supporting the car, banking and insurance industries. We will continue to be part of the solution in every way we can, even in businesses like on-demand deliveries

and payment systems, among others,” Cu said.

As this developed, Grab is currently holding a five-day job fair to help the affected drivers find an alternative source of income while the regulator processes their franchises.

“We can do more for the drivers, the public and LTFRB if given the leeway. We will continue to champion the best interest of the Filipino people, and we enjoin everyone to be partners in growth, service and transport efficiency for the country,” Cu said.

In a related development, super app Grab has strengthened its partnership with Citi through the introduction of an exclusive cobranded credit card in the Philippines, targeting to entice as many as 50,000 Grab users to avail themselves of the new product that promises to give Filipinos greater access, value and convenience.

The Citi-Grab credit card, which will also be launched in other Southeast Asian markets where Grab is present, caters to the mobilefirst and always-on consumers.

It offers Grab consumers with a free Platinum Tier upgrade and 10x points earning on every Grab spend. The new card also allows account holders to accumulate 3x points on dining, entertainment, and online subscription.

GrabPay Managing Director Ooi Huey Tyng said the partnership allows both companies to leverage on each other’s strengths, explaining that Grab will be able to offer its users creditcard benefits and rewards, and extend its offering to Citi’s cardholder base in the Philippines.

“Citi has been a long-term partner since 2016 and there is great synergy between both Citi and Grab. The Citi Grab credit card is a natural next step as we create more value for our digital first, always in GrabPay users,” she said.

Citi has been a partner of Grab since 2016. Since then, the partners have systematically widened the scope of their cooperation to include all of Grab’s services. This includes incentives for topping up the GrabPay wallet, to gifts and cash-back benefits for spending on Grab services.

It also participated in the latest Grab financing through Citi Ventures.

“We target to capture around 40,000 to 50,000 Grab users for the first year,” Citi Philippines Cards and Loans Director Mukul Sukhani said.

B2

Companies BusinessMirror

Wednesday, June 12, 2019

‘Power-shortage warning is call for more coal plants’

C

By Lenie Lectura

@llectura

ONSUMER group Murang Kuryente on Tuesday said the power-shortage warning raised last week by conglomerate San Miguel Corp. (SMC) is its way of pushing for more coal-power plants in the country.

“SMC wants more power plants and it wants them now. Unfortunately, they’re all powered by expensive coal, so they’re resorting to frightening announcements to scare the people into submission,” Murang Kuryente Spokesman Gerry Arances said in a statement.

The power business of SMC is keen on putting up more power plants to generate 1,200 megawatts (MW) of additional capacity to help address a foreseen power shortage in the Luzon grid, SMC President Ramon Ang said.

Ang directed SMC Global Power Holdings Corp. Senior Vice President and General Manager Elenita Go to look at the possibility of constructing power-generation facilities near the 1,200-MW natural gas-fired power

plant in Ilijan, Batangas.

SMC Global Power’s subsidiary South Premier Power Corp. (SPPC) is the independent power producer administrator (IPPA) for the Ilijan plant.

Ang said power shortage looms from 2020 until 2022 mainly because of lack of new power supply and regulatory delays in the approval of power plant construction, among others.

Murang Kuryente deplored the use of scare tactics by SMC in its bid to push for its coal-fired power plant projects in the face of opposition from consumer and environmental groups.

Murang Kuryente, a consumer group formed to fight excessive

power rates, have identified coal as the primary reason for the high prices of electricity and the unreliability of the country’s power grid in the so-called power crisis that occurred earlier this year.

“Almost all of the projects SMC has in the pipeline are fueled by coal. As much as we admired SMC’s announcement of its aim to complete 1,200 MW worth of renewable energy [RE] plants by 2024, we were wary it could be a token plan, meant to pacify those worried about the high costs of coal. This latest pronouncement from SMC seems to prove us right,” Arances added.

The rest of the world has been moving away from coal due to its high costs, the pollution it produces, and the health and social problems that come with its use, the group noted.

“It is the broken regulatory framework of the Philippines that lets private companies dictate the price of electricity, a basic need and a right of all Filipinos. It’s hilarious to hear SMC complain about it now,” he said.

Arances said that despite Meralco and SMC publicly committing to RE, they made no moves to reduce their coal projects.

“Filipinos have a right to afford-

able, reliable and sustainable electricity. Coal cannot provide that, but the power sector continues to prioritize profit over service and so they insist on coal, to the detriment of consumers’ wallets and health,” Arances said.

When sought for comment, Ang said maintaining a diversified portfolio of traditional and RE sources have always been SMC Global Power’s approach to address the country’s power needs.

“To ensure that progress is sustained with the continuing economic growth and aggressive infrastructure development, we have to build new power plants. But these can’t be just any power plant. New facilities should be able to address all the critical issues—affordability, reliability and, of course, environmental concerns,” Ang said.

“That’s why we are studying hydro, tidal and wind power technologies, and have identified certain locations for these projects. But along with these efforts, we will also continue to build new clean coal technology power plants,” Ang said.

Ang said all new power facilities that will be built will utilize the latest, cleanest and safest coal combustion technology. These are no longer the coal plants of old that burn so much fuel and emit so much pollution.

“We have been publishing weekly emission results of our new coalpower facilities on the front pages of major national dailies, to encourage transparency and show how very low its emissions are,” he said. “We have always taken environmental issues very seriously. We do recognize this and that is why we are taking major and important steps to ramp up our RE capacity. But the reality that persists today all over the world—that coal is among the major, most reliable sources of fuel—cannot be escaped.”

“Until renewables can produce the same high level of reliable capacity that is also economically viable for ordinary consumers—coal cannot be completely eliminated.

What we can work on and advocate is for more companies to put in the necessary investments to produce the cleanest, safest possible coal power as we completely transition to renewables,” Ang said.

San Miguel to put up food bank in Tondo, Manila

C

ONGLOMERATE San Miguel Corp. on Tuesday said it will put up its first food bank and community center in Tondo, Manila, to help address hunger, food wastage and poverty as it leads the charge toward creating sustainable solutions to pressing social issues.

Company president and COO Ramon S. Ang said the community center will be the first of its kind in the country and will serve as a food bank, soup kitchen and a livelihood training center for low-income families.

“This is just the first. By building more sustainable communities in the country, we hope to empower those in reduced circumstances to be able to transform their lives,” Ang said.

The 1,000-square-meter facility—which used to be a beer warehouse and distribution center—is located in Barangay 101 in Tondo, right across relocation sites Aromaland and Happyland.

The communities house an estimated 3,000 families, or about 15,000 people considered among the poorest of the poor. San Miguel Foundation has partnered with the local chapter of international organization Rise Against Hunger to help with the food bank and soup kitchen. “A lot of problems faced by lower-income families, especially hunger, is rooted in inequality. We are committed to bridge that gap,” And said. VG Cabuag

www.businessmirror.com.ph

PSE STOCK QUOTATIONS

June 11, 2019

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

57 139.9 80.7 26.8 11.46 71.5 13.7 19.06 55.3 57.15 112 28 170.9 59.35 1.2 2.23 18.74 4.43 1.38 0.51 0.98 183 1790

59 140 81.1 26.85 11.48 71.65 13.8 21.2 55.5 57.75 119.9 28.15 171.3 60.1 1.27 2.29 18.78 4.59 1.44 0.52 0.99 184.9 1800

59 139.5 82 26.9 11.5 71.55 13.8 21.5 56.5 57.75 110 28.1 172.4 59.9 1.2 2.3 18.74 4.5 1.38 0.52 0.99 184.9 1820

59.25 140.2 82.35 26.9 11.62 72.45 13.8 21.5 56.5 57.75 112 28.8 173 60.05 1.22 2.3 18.74 4.62 1.38 0.53 1 184.9 1820

55.35 139.5 80.7 26.75 11.48 71.5 13.7 21.3 55.1 57.05 110 28 170.7 59 1.2 2.3 18.74 4.37 1.38 0.5 0.97 183 1820

59 139.9 80.7 26.85 11.48 71.5 13.7 21.3 55.3 57.15 112 28 170.9 59.35 1.2 2.3 18.74 4.59 1.38 0.52 0.98 184.8 1820

21280 3402870 1164940 77000 244000 3650690 6500 200 287330 1190 70 167300 867190 15280 57000 4000 1500 54000 4000 67000 222000 1600 10

1256539 476226909 94888560 2066020 2810052 262008063 89200 4280 15945344.5 68405.5 7780 4713940 148873852 912342.5 68540 9200 28110 243850 5520 34690 217540 294789 18200

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

1.38 35.2 0.28 24.3 77.1 387.6 23.5 6.17 4.52 2.76 12 41.1 6.51 14.38 14.94 14.82 5.62 10.28 7.59 105.7 0.77 48.5 285 9.41 12.76 0.187 1.27 14 1.45 4.8 1.91 0.126 174.9 1.31 2.55 64.2 2.52 16 10.76 14.12 18.98 9.1 1.3 1.32 1.98 3.4 4.94 43.5 2.49 10.12 1.65 1.16 24.1

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

0.68 13.1 917.5 55.45 15.8 3.49 6.5 0.75 1.23 6.86 10.24 13.96 4.16 884 64 5.95 5 0.48 4.66 15.52 0.61 4.64 0.038 1.06 1.34 425 955 182.1 0.92 265.6 0.23 0.305

1.4 35.35 0.285 24.45 77.9 388.6 23.6 6.18 4.59 2.77 12.22 41.3 6.61 14.5 16.84 14.96 5.69 10.32 7.6 106.5 0.78 48.55 285.4 9.7 12.78 0.198 1.29 14.02 1.46 5 1.95 0.134 175 1.32 2.59 65.5 2.53 16.04 10.78 14.16 19 9.39 1.32 1.33 2.02 3.5 5.09 44.6 2.5 10.18 1.66 1.2 24.5

1.38 35.75 0.275 24.1 78 385.2 23.5 6.11 4.52 2.63 12.22 41.15 6.63 14.6 14.92 14.68 5.7 10.3 7.6 106 0.73 46.55 281 9.4 12.52 0.186 1.24 14.26 1.48 5 1.91 0.126 173 1.34 2.5 65.5 2.39 15.9 10.62 14.06 19.28 9.05 1.34 1.35 1.97 3.41 4.86 44.75 2.51 10.28 1.68 1.18 24.1

1.4 36 0.29 24.5 78 389.8 23.7 6.2 4.53 2.78 12.22 41.75 6.65 14.6 14.92 14.9 5.7 10.38 7.6 106.5 0.79 49 286.4 9.69 12.86 0.187 1.31 14.36 1.48 5 1.91 0.126 175.5 1.35 2.6 65.6 2.53 16.04 10.9 14.12 19.28 9.05 1.35 1.38 2.02 3.5 4.94 44.75 2.53 10.3 1.68 1.19 24.6

1.38 35.3 0.265 24 76.9 384.4 23.45 6.1 4.5 2.63 12 41 6.25 14.36 14.9 14.6 5.6 10.26 7.55 105.5 0.73 46.55 281 9.35 12.5 0.186 1.22 14.02 1.46 4.9 1.9 0.126 171.1 1.3 2.5 65.5 2.39 15.9 10.6 13.96 18.9 9.04 1.29 1.32 1.95 3.4 4.86 44.75 2.39 10.12 1.65 1.16 24.05

1.38 35.35 0.28 24.45 77.1 387.6 23.5 6.18 4.52 2.77 12.22 41.3 6.63 14.5 14.9 14.82 5.69 10.32 7.6 106.5 0.78 48.5 285 9.69 12.78 0.187 1.28 14.02 1.46 5 1.91 0.126 175 1.31 2.55 65.5 2.52 16 10.78 14.12 19 9.04 1.32 1.33 2.02 3.5 4.94 44.75 2.5 10.14 1.66 1.16 24.5

732000 1366300 13750000 5005700 58690 328710 4256000 1521800 58000 37781000 35700 148200 330200 564300 700 612500 4100 4209000 539200 295510 4760000 629500 536820 25900 1755500 140000 16391000 9015200 226000 155000 190000 300000 1732290 2907000 305000 490 13837000 360100 595500 515200 1401700 6000 1484000 5822000 15000 25000 19000 200 9936000 211300 108000 291000 257700

1022160 48529655 3823650 121320050 4546742.5 127434580 100080790 9348812 262130 102913100 435174 6098520 2120592 8178680 10440 9079910 23218 43280608 4091731 31260620 3668160 30268045 152982540 246380 22,372,364( 26060 20828430 128220396 331020 759750 361400 37800 301488740 3846330 776140 32113 34369200 5757700 6415302 7240738 26644804 54241 1938850 7843080 29990 85200 93570 8950 24509420 2146598 179840 341620 6271005

HOLDING & FRIMS 0.69 13.2 921.5 56 15.86 3.5 6.8 0.77 1.24 6.88 10.34 14 4.49 885 64.1 6.23 5.99 0.495 4.67 15.54 0.64 4.65 0.039 1.15 1.38 434 962.5 182.2 0.94 270 0.232 0.31

0.67 13.98 927 55.7 15.96 3.44 6.7 0.76 1.22 6.77 10.44 13.9 4.15 892 63.4 6.2 5 0.51 4.65 15.58 0.58 4.56 0.038 1.05 1.38 434 970 182 0.95 267 0.23 0.31

0.7 13.98 928.5 56.5 16.08 3.55 6.7 0.77 1.25 6.9 10.56 14 4.15 899 64.7 6.23 5 0.51 4.69 15.64 0.64 4.69 0.039 1.07 1.38 434 980.5 183 0.95 270 0.234 0.315

0.66 13.1 917.5 54.8 15.7 3.42 6.7 0.75 1.22 6.68 10.24 13.88 4.15 883 62.9 6.2 5 0.5 4.62 15.5 0.58 4.56 0.038 1.05 1.34 434 955 181 0.92 265 0.229 0.305

0.68 13.2 917.5 55.45 15.8 3.49 6.7 0.75 1.23 6.86 10.24 14 4.15 885 64 6.23 5 0.5 4.67 15.54 0.61 4.64 0.039 1.07 1.38 434 955 182.2 0.92 270 0.232 0.305

22823000 212400 165650 728710 4182200 8384000 40000 121000 741000 2410700 3019000 372900 3000 42590 2251090 1000 4000 20000 1352000 2774100 3094000 26605000 4100000 30000 18000 150 270260 601310 295000 10280 1380000 3220000

15494490 2854964 152443960 40456601.5 66520654 29090060 268000 91390 914540 16502612 31433158 5201058 12450 37967565 144393565.5 6227 20000 10100 6289710 43110166 1924950 123435450 157000 31780 24200 65100 261673905 109369795 273100 2754484 317550 995150

879991 202819984 4732309 -286980 -448990 -29596060 -124177 -1183 -1280910 572785 -555059.5 -73246 14176350 13450 14701090 -4296200.5 -24826780 80809375 -646576 -366970 -3034825 -253936 -1059172 -27354626 -814790 -372678 -62600 6836090 44624014 4705 5,535,873.9995) -5356290 -88792228 -735000 74059407 526080 -25500 4412460 226400 2952440 -21788236 74060 152850.0003 -1055822 491320 16 -258045 1137279.5 -2380244 -244470 246560 3827608 -13068814 -405900 13242485 -28526070 -1348470 -22792220 -62000 36145100 7600 -2760 21981510 -3349673 1799070 -28000

PROPERTY

ARTHALAND CORP 0.77 0.78 0.77 0.79 0.77 0.78 598000 466340 ANCHOR LAND 10.1 10.96 10.9 10.9 10.9 10.9 1000 10900 AYALA LAND 50.85 51 50.65 51.35 50.45 51 9236680 470656615.5 72967606 ARANETA PROP 2.04 2.06 2.06 2.06 2.06 2.06 59000 121540 BELLE CORP 2.28 2.3 2.28 2.31 2.27 2.28 439000 1001890 -79760 A BROWN 0.79 0.8 0.79 0.8 0.78 0.8 236000 186640 3900 CITYLAND DEVT 0.95 0.97 0.99 0.99 0.97 0.97 223000 219820 CROWN EQUITIES 0.227 0.229 0.231 0.231 0.231 0.231 10000 2310 CEBU HLDG 6.12 6.34 6.3 6.35 6.3 6.35 600 3790 -630 CEB LANDMASTERS 4.75 4.79 4.79 4.89 4.75 4.79 816000 3909830 -762319.9999 CENTURY PROP 0.59 0.6 0.59 0.6 0.58 0.59 16600000 9784770 801830 CYBER BAY 0.375 0.385 0.37 0.37 0.37 0.37 220000 81400 DOUBLEDRAGON 26.5 26.55 26.2 26.95 26.2 26.5 1445800 38381100 18603120 DM WENCESLAO 10.06 10.08 9.99 10.08 9.99 10.06 103000 1032679 22945 EMPIRE EAST 0.47 0.475 0.47 0.475 0.47 0.47 1400000 658150 -559450 FILINVEST LAND 1.78 1.79 1.81 1.82 1.78 1.78 17816000 32009650 -15025780 GLOBAL ESTATE 1.42 1.43 1.43 1.46 1.43 1.43 3107000 4477180 567980 8990 HLDG 15.62 15.78 15.8 15.8 15.52 15.78 437900 6826564 15660 PHIL INFRADEV 1.94 1.95 1.91 1.97 1.9 1.94 3514000 6827070 101990 CITY AND LAND 0.88 0.9 0.88 0.9 0.85 0.9 340000 297400 -8100 MEGAWORLD 6 6.04 6.08 6.16 6 6 25248100 153551506 19589365 MRC ALLIED 0.32 0.325 0.33 0.33 0.32 0.325 9160000 2975600 -3250 PHIL ESTATES 0.455 0.47 0.465 0.47 0.46 0.47 300000 138250 PRIMEX CORP 2 2.06 2.1 2.13 2 2 3042000 6201080 ROBINSONS LAND 26.95 27 26.95 27.2 26.7 27 3923900 105961495 39212745 PHIL REALTY 0.405 0.415 0.405 0.415 0.405 0.415 90000 37250 ROCKWELL 2.13 2.14 2.13 2.16 2.13 2.14 191000 410630 -34540 SHANG PROP 2.96 3 2.99 2.99 2.99 2.99 62000 185380 26910 STA LUCIA LAND 1.9 1.94 1.95 1.98 1.91 1.96 1194000 2311720 25380 SM PRIME HLDG 39.25 39.55 39.55 40.3 39.25 39.25 5982000 238235125 9586669.9997 STARMALLS 6.3 6.4 6.34 6.44 6.3 6.4 78300 495574 SUNTRUST HOME 0.74 0.78 0.75 0.75 0.74 0.75 90000 67420 VISTA LAND 7.07 7.15 7.11 7.15 7.04 7.15 3178700 22618932 -9646403

SERVICES ABS CBN 18.44 18.46 18.52 18.52 18.46 18.46 59100 1091926 GMA NETWORK 5.3 5.37 5.29 5.38 5.29 5.37 67200 359658 MANILA BULLETIN 0.54 0.55 0.54 0.55 0.54 0.55 353000 193660 MLA BRDCASTING 14.42 14.5 14.5 14.5 14.5 14.5 100 1450 GLOBE TELECOM 2200 2204 2230 2244 2200 2200 47025 104686840 -18290750 PLDT 1230 1231 1232 1262 1229 1230 158995 196635050 -41949275 APOLLO GLOBAL 0.044 0.045 0.044 0.045 0.044 0.045 2400000 105700 DFNN INC 5.8 6.27 5.9 6.27 5.68 5.8 436300 2529344 -1159000 IMPERIAL 1.77 1.87 1.79 1.87 1.76 1.87 193000 343200 ISLAND INFO 0.121 0.123 0.121 0.121 0.121 0.121 490000 59290 ISM COMM 6.63 6.64 6.35 6.66 6.33 6.63 17263300 112973767 5345625 JACKSTONES 2.99 3.11 2.91 3.16 2.9 2.99 103000 316540 NOW CORP 2.53 2.54 2.52 2.6 2.52 2.54 2796000 7182290 179840 TRANSPACIFIC BR 0.375 0.385 0.38 0.385 0.37 0.375 5030000 1890900 PHILWEB 3.58 3.59 3.56 3.64 3.56 3.58 3236000 11658290 -657750 2GO GROUP 11.3 11.32 11.28 11.32 11.28 11.32 16400 185474 11318 ASIAN TERMINALS 20.75 21.3 20.55 21.3 20.55 21.3 2700 57255 -42600 CHELSEA 6.82 6.84 6.6 6.85 6.6 6.82 1987900 13481590 1148907 CEBU AIR 89.1 89.2 88.3 89.1 87.95 89.1 129670 11494236.5 4736428 INTL CONTAINER 142.7 144 140 146.3 139.9 144 3225260 460254532 100890445 LBC EXPRESS 15 15.48 14.02 15 14.02 15 500 7300 1500 LORENZO SHIPPNG 0.84 0.89 0.84 0.89 0.84 0.89 98000 82750 MACROASIA 19.74 19.76 19.92 19.92 19.68 19.76 495600 9798330 -1814646 METROALLIANCE A 1.23 1.5 1.51 1.53 1.5 1.5 79000 119110 METROALLIANCE B 1.51 1.65 1.53 1.65 1.52 1.65 26000 41040 PAL HLDG 9.45 9.5 9.5 9.5 9.35 9.5 14600 137786 950 HARBOR STAR 2.21 2.22 2.26 2.32 2.22 2.22 3310000 7487970 102599.9999 ACESITE HOTEL 1.31 1.38 1.36 1.38 1.36 1.38 70000 95700 BOULEVARD HLDG 0.056 0.058 0.057 0.058 0.056 0.056 41100000 2324770 56000 DISCOVERY WORLD 2.05 2.15 2.16 2.16 2.16 2.16 5000 10800 WATERFRONT 0.72 0.73 0.71 0.73 0.69 0.73 2379000 1699030 CENTRO ESCOLAR 7.01 7.19 7.25 7.29 7.19 7.19 4000 28948 IPEOPLE 10.1 10.14 10.12 10.14 10.1 10.14 9200 93004 STI HLDG 0.7 0.72 0.71 0.72 0.7 0.72 891000 633270 98690 BERJAYA 2.89 2.9 2.9 2.96 2.8 2.89 855000 2435550 -2820 BLOOMBERRY 11.88 11.92 11.86 11.98 11.86 11.88 1313200 15613250 -7675936 PACIFIC ONLINE 3.17 3.2 3.19 3.2 3.18 3.18 67000 213330 3200 LEISURE AND RES 4.31 4.32 4.3 4.38 4.2 4.32 1026000 4399910 395660 MANILA JOCKEY 3.6 3.79 3.63 3.63 3.6 3.6 45000 162570 PH RESORTS GRP 4.95 5.1 4.82 5.1 4.82 5.1 72000 357720 PREMIUM LEISURE 0.8 0.81 0.78 0.81 0.78 0.8 3785000 3029050 735230 TRAVELLERS 5.17 5.19 5.18 5.3 5.17 5.18 2441400 12704850 -6441900 METRO RETAIL 2.57 2.58 2.6 2.61 2.57 2.58 2394000 6174430 259230 PUREGOLD 45 45.95 45.5 46.25 45 45 848200 38551105 -6152500 ROBINSONS RTL 75.5 75.85 75.8 76 74.4 75.5 182300 13781163 -5616098.5 PHIL SEVEN CORP 126 130 125.8 130 125 130 3240 408796 399948 SSI GROUP 3.43 3.44 3.51 3.56 3.4 3.44 13261000 45902170 10878830 WILCON DEPOT 17.02 17.06 17.1 17.12 17 17.02 2993300 50991096 899894 APC GROUP 0.43 0.44 0.43 0.43 0.43 0.43 510000 219300 EASYCALL 10.4 10.5 10.7 10.8 10.38 10.5 57700 606222 -5190 GOLDEN BRIA 403 410 407 415 403 403 790 321840 PAXYS 2.94 2.99 3.05 3.05 2.93 2.94 24000 71000 -41600 PRMIERE HORIZON 0.81 0.82 0.84 0.85 0.81 0.82 27129000 22330610 -741700 SBS PHIL CORP 9.19 9.3 9.19 9.3 9.19 9.19 26900 247543

MINING & OIL ATOK 10.8 12.34 12.38 12.38 12.34 12.34 200 2472 APEX MINING 1.15 1.17 1.16 1.17 1.14 1.17 1130000 1309620 -536270 ABRA MINING 0.0018 0.0019 0.0019 0.0019 0.0018 0.0019 91000000 172800 ATLAS MINING 2.72 2.81 2.8 2.8 2.8 2.8 10000 28000 BENGUET B 1.12 1.26 1.11 1.11 1.11 1.11 13000 14430 -14430 COAL ASIA HLDG 0.28 0.29 0.295 0.295 0.285 0.285 430000 122850 CENTURY PEAK 2.82 2.84 2.84 2.85 2.82 2.82 449000 1271580 -311400 DIZON MINES 7.63 7.65 7.64 7.7 7.63 7.65 1100 8413 FERRONICKEL 1.48 1.5 1.47 1.5 1.45 1.5 3298000 4848440 2087460 GEOGRACE 0.228 0.233 0.235 0.235 0.228 0.233 320000 73310 LEPANTO A 0.111 0.114 0.111 0.111 0.111 0.111 140000 15540 LEPANTO B 0.112 0.117 0.129 0.129 0.117 0.117 60000 7380 -3510 MANILA MINING A 0.0075 0.0079 0.0075 0.0075 0.0075 0.0075 5000000 37500 MARCVENTURES 1.03 1.04 1.02 1.03 1.02 1.03 30000 30730 NIHAO 0.97 1.01 1 1.01 1 1.01 9000 9010 NICKEL ASIA 2.24 2.27 2.28 2.28 2.24 2.24 1006000 2264310 -288620 OMICO CORP 0.55 0.56 0.54 0.57 0.54 0.55 111000 60250 2160 ORNTL PENINSULA 0.88 0.89 0.89 0.89 0.88 0.88 36000 31790 PX MINING 3.22 3.23 3.27 3.27 3.23 3.23 613000 1983720 -61400 SEMIRARA MINING 21.8 21.85 21.85 21.85 21.55 21.8 582500 12682145 10905 UNITED PARAGON 0.0065 0.0066 0.0066 0.0066 0.0065 0.0065 2000000 13100 ORNTL PETROL A 0.011 0.012 0.011 0.012 0.011 0.011 1200000 13700 ORNTL PETROL B 0.011 0.013 0.011 0.011 0.011 0.011 1700000 18700 -16500 PHILODRILL 0.01 0.011 0.011 0.011 0.01 0.011 5200000 55200 PHINMA PETRO 4.01 4.02 4 4.02 3.9 4.02 406000 1622160 -52000 PXP ENERGY 7.39 7.4 7.75 7.8 7.39 7.4 4944700 37368044 -1055087

PREFFERED

HOUSE PREF A 96.1 96.95 96.9 96.95 96.9 96.95 1350 130823 AC PREF B2 493 495 495 495 495 495 50 24750 ALCO PREF B 96.25 99.9 99 99 99 99 2000 198000 DD PREF 97.2 98.5 98 98.5 98 98.5 1410 138185 FGEN PREF G 104.5 106.5 106.5 106.5 106.5 106.5 140 14910 GLO PREF P 490 493 490 490 490 490 70 34300 GTCAP PREF A 917 920 918 920 917 920 70 64230 LR PREF 1 1.01 1.01 1.01 1.01 1.01 51000 51510 SMC PREF 2B 75.4 75.45 75.45 75.45 75.4 75.45 18660 1407896 SMC PREF 2C 77.1 77.55 77.55 77.55 77.55 77.55 1410 109345.5 SMC PREF 2D 72.1 73 72.2 73.35 72.1 72.1 37280 2699495 SMC PREF 2I 73 73.7 73.7 73.7 73.7 73.7 350 25795 -

PHIL. DEPOSITARY RECEIPTS ABS HLDG PDR GMA HLDG PDR

17.96 5.1

18 5.24

18.4 5.24

18.4 5.24

17.96 5.24

17.96 5.24

23800 100

428416 524

WARRANTS LR WARRANT

2

SMALL & MEDIUM ENTERPRISES ITALPINAS 5.05 XURPAS 1.08

2.05

2.07

2.07

1.96

2.05

118000

233700

-

5.09 1.09

5.08 1.02

5.17 1.09

5.02 1.02

5.05 1.09

286500 11664000

1453910 12444770

124750

EXHANGE TRADE FUNDS FIRST METRO ETF

119.9

-422936 -

120

120.3

120.5

120

120

11400

1371892

84350

Banking&Finance BusinessMirror

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Wednesday, June 12, 2019

B3

Diokno: Recent RRR cuts also ‘pro-poor’

T

By Bianca Cuaresma

@BcuaresmaBM

HE Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas’s (BSP) recent moves to cut the local banks’ reserve requirement ratio (RRR) is a pro-poor move, as it is confident that the freed-up funds will go to more productive sectors, including countryside development in the coming months.

In a recent forum with the BusinessMirror, BSP Governor Benjamin E. Diokno said fresh money from the Central Bank’s coffers and into the local cash stream, by virtue of the recent 2-percentagepoint cut, will make the banking system more efficient in delivering a more inclusive growth to the economy.

“We want the banking industry to be very efficient. So the way we

want to help the country from the rich to the poor and the poorest of the poor, as well as the smallscale industries, is by having a program of reducing the reserve requirement,” Diokno said.

After months of prodding from the local banking sector, the BSP on Thursday decided to cut its RRR down by 200 basis points.

T he Monetar y Board (MB) recently decided to reduce the

Perspectives

Are consumers still app happy?

Y

OU have probably heard of the phenomenon called “app fatigue.” Like Mark Twain’s demise, this has been much exaggerated.

In the US, more than one in five Americans will use a smartphone application to buy groceries at least once a month this year, according to eMarketer. In 2018, AppAnnie estimates that global app downloads topped 194 billion, 35-percent more than in 2016.

Consumers aren’t tired of apps, but they are tired of slow to load apps with tricky user interfaces that aren’t obviously useful. Give them an app that helps them to instantly locate an elusive item and they’re engaged.

They’re even more likely to be impressed by apps that offer them two-for-one price deals, enable them to reserve goods to collect and, using augmented reality, place 3D models of furniture into any space, creating an image they can share on social media.

Estimates of how many apps consumers typically download, how many they use, for how long and how satisfied they are with them vary so wildly that it is hard to authoritatively identify the extent of user fatigue—or what causes it. At the same time, given that Forrester Research estimates that by 2022 US consumers will make purchases on their smartphones that total $175.4 billion, this is not an opportunity that any brand can afford to ignore.

Yet the battle to keep apps on a consumer’s smartphone is only going to get fiercer: a 2017 survey by Internet developer Alligatortek found that 54 percent of US consumers said they delete apps at the same rate as they download them.

Social-media companies such as Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat and Pinterest are also investing heav ily to facilitate shopping—making their apps multifunctional. In China, 31 percent of users of WeChat, Tencent’s social-media app, have used it to make purchases, according to eShopWorld Insight.

The key to success, says Mark Larson, head of consumer and retail, KPMG in the US, is to put the customer at the center of your app development.

“You need to define the most urgent customer needs your app

has to satisfy. That will help you control costs and development time, focus on the minimum viable product—by testing that it can perform the one essential function—and let the users guide your development.

“Like the brick-and-mortar store, apps will always be with us—even if some of them evolve into chatbots—and the key, for retailers and manufacturers, is to ensure that they continue to meet rising consumer expectations.”

‘It’s in my DNA’

DISCOVERING your DNA profile no longer means going to a doctor. Around 12 million people worldwide have taken a directto-consumer DNA test.

Most are looking for long-lost relatives, but others want to know more about themselves and their likelihood to get certain illnesses.

They could also be prepared to use the results to scientifically select products and services.

There are various companies that offer DNA tests to help consumers use their genetic information to make healthy lifestyle changes. Skin care is another sector where DNA is making an impact. UK company GENEU uses genes to determine the rate skin ages and prescribes personalized antiaging serums.

Our genes can affect our taste buds too. Vinome analyzes consumers’ DNA to match wines to their taste palate. And last year, Spotify, in partnership with genealogy company Ancestry, introduced personalized playlists for subscribers, based on their DNA. “But it is open to question whether DNA profiles really are the next frontier in customer segmentation or just a fad,” says Joel Benzimra, global leader of consumer and retail, advisory, KPMG in France.

The excerpt was taken from the KPMG publication, entitled “Consumer Currents: Issues driving consumer organizations.” © 2019 R.G. Manabat & Co., a Philippine partnership and a member-firm of the KPMG network of independent member-firms affiliated with KPMG International Cooperative (“KPMG International”), a Swiss entity.

For more information on KPMG in the Philippines, you may visit www.kpmg.com.ph.

banks’ RRR from 18 percent down to 16 percent. The implementation of the cut will be in three stages: the first 100-basis-point cut will be effective on May 31; another 50-basis-point cut will be implemented on June 28; and the last 50-basis-point cut will be effective on July 26.

The RRR is one of BSP’s monetary tools. It is the portion of depositors’ balances that banks are asked to keep idle in the BSP’s vaults as reserves. Even at 16 percent, the Philippines still has one of the highest RRRs in the region.

This means that a significant chunk of the bank’s funds are kept in the BSP’s coffers instead of being lent out to fuel economic growth.

A week after its cut in the universal and commercial banks RRR, the Central Bank’s Monetary Board moved to cut its deposit requirement again—this time on smaller banks in the system.

Diokno said banks, so far, have been “ behaving properly” and are seen to be putting their recently freed-up money to the more productive sectors of the economy.

“They are really well-behaved

DIOKNO the banks, they are not using the money for speculative purposes,” the BSP chief said.

“If you want to make the bank-

ing system more efficient and become a partner in development, you let them lend more money. At the same time, we cannot direct

the banks to invest their money in this or that; that is too much.

T h at i s m ic rom a n a ge me nt ,” Diokno added.

Investor expectations on further cuts lead to drops in T-bond rates T

HE Bureau of the Treasur y (BTr) has awarded on Tuesday the full P20 bi l l ion on of fer for reissued 20 -ye a r Tre a s u r y b ond s ( Tbonds), with rates for the security dropping by as much as 154 basis points.

Deputy Treasurer Erwin D. Sta. Ana told reporters the cut in reserve requirement ratios (RRR), possible further rate cuts of the Central Bank and low inflation rates are factors that contributed to the decline in interest rates for

the government security.

“Well there seems to be additional liquidit y in the system because of the RRR cut; so we see that could be translated into bids in auctions. Although for t his auction, we can see that it’s a little just over the offer size,” Sta. Ana said. “But it’s still a good indication considering that you’re auctioning off a 20-year [paper].”

Tenders for the reissued 20year T-bonds, with a remaining life of 19 years and seven

months, amounted to P27.292 bi l l ion , prompt i ng t he auc tion committee to award the P20 billion on offer.

The average annual rate for the security settled at 5.170 percent, which is a decline of 154.6 basis points, from the previous auction rate of 6.716 percent.

At the Bloomberg Valuation Ser v ice, t he second a r y m a r ket rate for the security was at 5.413 percent.

“It’s 155 basis points lower than its rate in January, so it’s a very

good result for us. It just shows the trend in declining interest rates.

Of course, we all know the RRR cut, possible rate cut of the BSP, the trend in US [United States] treasuries and, again, inflation,” he added. “So these are possibly the sources of, the reasons why we got this result. And there’s a good appetite.”

A c c o r d i n g t o B Tr d a t a , the previous low in terms of rates for reissued 20 -year Tbonds was at 5.035 percent in June 2017. Rea Cu

Cashless transactions’ ubiquity Govt urges banks to boost level to exceed BSP’s target rate funding for ‘green’ projects

By Rea Cu

@ReaCuBM

T

HE Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) remains optimistic the ubiquity level of electronic transactions would exceed its target as the Central Bank aims for greater efficiency of channels for delivering banking and financial services.

BSP Governor Benjamin E. Diokno told the BusinessMirror that he is optimistic the 20-percent target set by the National Retail Payment System (NRPS) will be reached before the year 2020 deadline.

“We will exceed that, I believe, because the 20 percent was done last 2015. So they [monetary officials] are very optimistic we will exceed that [by 2020]. We have commissioned a group to study that,” Diokno said last Friday.

The NRPS, which is a regulatory framework of the BSP in line with institutionalizing retail digital payments in the country, includes two automated clearing houses (ACH). One is the “Philippine EFT [electronic fund transfer] System and Operations Network,” or PesoNet, while another is InstaPay. Launched in November 2017, PesoNet is a batch EFT credit-payment scheme, which can be considered an electronic alternative to the paper-based check system.

InstaPay is an EFT service that allows customers to transfer funds almost instantly between accounts of participating BSP-supervised

banks and nonbank e-money issuers in the Philippines. InstaPay was launched last year and allows real-time transactions for individuals, companies and even government agencies to send and receive funds of up to P50,000 per transaction a day.

Based on the BSP’s report titled “Financial Inclusion in the Philippines,” the number of electronic transaction inflows rose to 9.2 percent in 2017 reaching 73 million from the 67 million transactions recorded in 2016.

In terms of outflows, the number of transactions increased by 6 percent reaching 317 million in 2017 from the 2016 level of 299 million.

The amount of transaction inflows for 2017 totaled P481.7 billion, which also posted an uptick of 0.8 percent compared to the P477.7 billion reported in 2016.

The amount of transaction outflows for 2017 also recorded a 0.6-percent increase amounting to P481 billion coming from P478.4 billion in 2016.

Although the number of cashless transactions and amount has posted increases, the BSP report pointed out that the number of e-money accounts for 2017 registered a decline of 24.1 percent totaling 8.6 million from the 2016 level of 11.4 million.

The BSP launched the NRPS last year, aiming to drive the growth of electronic payments in the country from 1 percent to at least 20 percent by 2020.

T

HE government is urging financial institutions to provide innovative solutions and investment models that will spur financing on the green, climatesmart, and sustainable projects.

In a recent statement, the Climate Change Commission said the discussions focused on the role of public finance and private-sector investments in the implementation of the country’s Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) to the Paris Agreement, which is now being finalized through a “whole-ofgovernment-and-society” approach being facilitated by the CCC. The CCC statement was issued during a forum on climate finance held recently in Mandaluyong.

CCC Secretary Emmanuel M. de Guzman was quoted in the statement as saying that the government is addressing the shortage of risk information in the country in order to de-risk investments.

“We are working on the establishment of a National Integrated Risk Information System, an integrated platform that will converge all available vulnerability and risk information in the country. This will be made accessible to all stakeholders, including the financial and private sector,” de Guzman said.

“In addition to that, we are also assisting the Office of Civil Defense in developing loss and damage registry and protocols for valuation and validation, which could provide the insurance sector with a better picture of risk prevalence,” he added.

CCC Commissioner Rachel Anne S. Herrera noted that climate finance is currently limited in terms of availability. “There is no other recourse but to be strategic in terms of funneling in climate finance from various sources and channeling them to those who need it the most,” said Herrera, who is also the national designated authority/ focal point to the Green Climate Fund (GCF).

Herrera said the CCC is seeking funding under GCF’s “Readiness and Preparatory Support” program to establish a monitoring and verification system of climate finance flows in the Philippines.

She added that a GCF technical working group is now deliberating two multicountry funding proposals that aim to leverage GCF funds in order to attract more private-sector investments through equity sharing and de-risking of renewable-energy projects.

“This is an indicator of the private-sector confidence in investing in the Philippines for energy efficiency and renewable projects,” she said. Jonathan L. Mayuga

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QUEST CLARK SERVES CEBUANO TASTE THIS WEEK

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EQUENI Live brings “Flavors of Sugbo” to Clark, Pampanga, f rom Ju ne 11 to 16.

Partnering with Quest Plus Clark is its sister proper t y Quest Hotel and Conference Center Cebu, one of the top hotels in the Queen Cit y of the South. With the delicious f lavors of Cebu, Mequeni Live is ready to celebrate an Independence Day f u l l of color and Filipino pr ide.

T his specia l Independence Day treat sees col l aborat ion bet ween Quest Plus Clark ’s cu linar y team he a d e d b y C he f Je a n L e o n a nd specia l g uest Chef John Mang ubat of Quest Hotel Cebu. Specia lizing i n Fi l ipi no c u i si ne a nd a n at ive of the South, Chef John has been featured in var ious nationa l and g lob a l me d i a , w it h a d e c a d e of inter nationa l cu linar y ex per ience under his belt. He is a lso the sous

chef of Pusô bistro and bar, the award-w inning restaurant of Quest Hotel Cebu.

Fea st on to t he fa mou s Cebu Lechon, Sutuk il and so much more.

Plus, the g r il l is on for the Sugba, which is best paired w ith Pusô. For P1,399 net per person, either lunch or d i n ner, t he F l avors of Sugbo feat u res a d iverse a nd plent i f u l menu ex pected to immerse g uests into the Philippine food cu lture.

SITEL’S ONE BIG FIGHT AGAINST H.I.V.

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ITEL Phi lippines par tners w it h P rojec t R ed R ibbon C a re Management Found at ion Inc., an HI V-advocac y organization, and i m p l e m e nt s t h e c o m p r e h e n s i v e cor porate H I V prog ra m (C H I P).

T h rou g h t he prog ra m , P rojec t Red R ibbon teams up with cor porate pa r t ners to he lp s pread H I V aw a reness a nd i mprove t he qu a l it y of l ife of people l iv ing w it h HI V t hrough awareness, resources, t reat ment , c a re a nd suppor t .

Si mu lt a ne ou s l y, t he pro g r a m aims to help decrease HI V incidence t h rou g h proper educ at ion a nd be

the dr iv ing force of wellness w it h i n t he Ph i l ippi ne H I V- A I DS com mu n it y.

M a x i c a re nu r s e s , a l o n g w it h Sitel human resources shared s e r v i c e s m a n a ge r Ne m a b e l l e R .

Abainza, attended a comprehensive clinic-management training conducted by Icko Rodulfo Johnson, president and chief e x e c ut i v e of f ic e r of P ro j e c t R e d R ibbon. Work shop at tendees re c e i v e b a s ic H I V e du c at ion a nd awareness training, and lear n ho w t o a d m i n i s t e r a nd p r o c e s s HI V tests for onsite clinics.

T he w or k s ho p pro du c e s 17 H I V testing-certified nurses for d e plo y me nt w it h i n Sit e l s it e s .

“HI V is a g row ing problem in t he cou nt r y, a nd Site l wou ld l i ke to be a pa r t of t he solut ion by spread i ng awareness, and brea k ing the stig ma a nd d i sc r i m i n at ion ,” s a id H a idee En r ique z , Site l genera l m a n a ger for the Phi lippines. “ T hrough t h i s i mpor t a nt pa r t nersh ip w it h Project Red Ribbon, we can sh a re v it a l i n for m at ion w it h ou r 2 2,0 0 0 st rong work force, a s we l l a s prov ide f ree test i ng , c a re a nd suppor t .”

MERALCO RATES DOWN FOR TWO CONSECUTIVE MONTHS Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) announces a P0.19 per kilowatt-hour (kWh) power-rate decrease this month, equating to P39 in total bill savings for a typical household consuming 200 kWh per month. The second straight month of electricity-rate decrease represents a total downward adjustment of around P0.47 per kWh since May. Meralco Public Information Office Head Joe Zaldarriaga (in photo) explains that the overall rate decrease can be attributed to lower charges from the wholesale electricityspot market despite continued tight supply conditions. For more information, customers may visit Meralco’s web site at www.meralco.com.ph, or follow them on Twitter @meralco and Facebook at www.facebook.com/meralco.

MONTHLONG FATHER’S DAY CELEBRATION AT HOTEL CELESTE Avail of the Love Dad promo for only P6,900 net. The staycation package includes signature welcome drink, welcome foot and leg massage, breakfast for two, complimentary mini bar treats, local landline calls, a pampering whole-body massage, turndown tokens and special discounts. For inquiries and reservations, e-mail at info@hotelceleste.ph or reservations@hotelceleste.ph.

ALEX GONZAGA IS NEW GCASH AMBASSADOR

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V host and actress Alex Gonzaga is the new ambassador for the Philippines’ leading mobile wallet GCash, which is operated by Mynt (Globe Fintech Innovations Inc.).

The 31-year-old comedian and vlogger signed with GCash on May 30, bringing her well-known wit and humor to connect with GCash’s 20 million users and promote financial inclusion in the Philippines.

“Alex Gonzaga represents what our core users stand for—independence, kindness and empowerment. She is a wonderful person whose heart is in the right place. GCash is really excited about this long-term partnership,” said Ney Villasenor, head of Mynt’s corporate communications group.

GCash recognizes Alex’s success as a business owner,

an independent woman and a highly relatable influencer.

“We do not plan to change Alex as a person. We want her to maintain her brand of wit, humor and passion as she experiences GCash and shares it with her own base and reach,” Villasenor said.

Alex has more than 3.6 million subscribers on YouTube, where she tackles all kinds of topics, from style to makeup to relationships. Her latest music video Chambe is a top hit with over 24 million views. Alex also has 6.6 million followers on Instagram.

The actress, who entered show business in 2006, has won awards for her hosting stint, including the Students’ Choice of Reality/Game Show Host 2016 and the Best Talent Search Program Host for 2013 and 2014, all for hosting The Voice.

KINGLING MOTOR ISUZU AT TRANSPORT LOGISTICS SHOW

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HE Transport and Logistics Philippines, the largest international transport system, delivery vehicles, logistics and supply-chain equipment, and serviceprovider exhibition and conference, is to be held from August 15 to17 at the World Trade Center, and will gather thousands of industry professionals from the entire supply chain and its entire end-user market.

JAC Automobile International Philippines Inc., distributor of Kingling Isuzu, providing trucking solutions for various industries and for customers’ satisfaction, will be among exhibitors on the Seventh Transport and Logistics Philippines.

JAC Automobile International Philippines Inc. is

looking for local distributors as they exhibit light and medium trucks of Isuzu Kingling at the show. “Isuzu Kingling heavy-duty vehicles are equipped with topof-the-line Japanese engines and European full-sized cab with reliable quality at a reasonable price,” shares Cynthia Cruz, dealer development officer of Kingling Motors Philippines Inc. “Aside from offering the highest quality of our products, what we proudly offer is the excellent customer service we have. From presales to aftersales, our clients can be confident that they are well taken care of. For more information, visit www.transpor tandlogisticsphilippines.com.

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By Brian Mahoney The Associated Press

ORONTO—The Golden State Warriors aren’t letting go of the National Basketball Association (NBA) title just yet.

With Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson shooting and Draymond Green swatting, the champions found a way to win even after a gutwrenching loss.

Curry scored 31 points, Thompson added 26 and they led a season-saving surge long after Kevin Durant was injured again to give the Warriors a 106-105 victory over the Toronto Raptors on Monday night in Game Five of the NBA Finals.

Devastated by the loss of Durant, the All-Stars that the Warriors had left made sure there was celebration along with their sadness, pulling out what Green thought had to be the greatest win during their run to five straight NBA Finals.

“When you’re down six with a couple minutes to go in an elimination for these guys to win a championship, we could have thrown in the towel. We could have folded, but we didn’t,” Green said. “I said it before: I’ve never seen this group fold. And that stands true still.”

Curry and Thompson, nicknamed the Splash Brothers, combined for three straight 3-pointers in the closing minutes after Toronto had taken a six-point lead with under three-and-a-half minutes remaining in front of a raucous, red-shirted crowd.

“Even going down six with three minutes left, their ball, we didn’t panic,” Thompson said. “We just do what we do.”

The Warriors lost Durant barely a quarter after getting him back but got the win, cutting Toronto’s lead to 3-2 and sending the series back to Oracle Arena for Game Six on Thursday.

Kawhi Leonard scored 26 points for the Raptors but couldn’t get the final shot, which went to Kyle Lowry and was blocked by Green.

The two-time defending champion Warriors were minutes away from their title reign ending, having lost Durant and a 14-point lead during an emotionally exhausting game. They had controlled Leonard for three quarters, but he scored 10 straight Toronto points in the fourth and the Raptors were close to their first championship and a party that would have stretched coast to coast in Canada.

But even after everything the Warriors had lost, they still had two of the best perimeter shooters in the world on the floor. Thompson hit a three, and Curry followed with one to tie it at 103. Golden State got it back to Thompson and the Raptors lost sight of him just long enough for the tiebreaking shot with 57 seconds to go.

Toronto cut it to one when Lowry was credited with a basket and the Raptors got a final chance when DeMarcus Cousins was called for an illegal screen. Leonard had the ball but the Warriors forced him to pass and it ended up in the corner to Lowry, but Green sprinted over to get a hand on his shot as the buzzer sounded.

“He got a piece of it, that’s what great defenders do,” Lowry said. “He got a piece of it and we’ll continue to look at it and see how we can be

STAYIN’ ALIVE! Sports BusinessMirror

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| Wednesday, June 12, 2019 mirror_sports@yahoo.com.ph Editor: Jun Lomibao

Durant returns from injury —then hurts his Achilles

STEPHEN CURRY and the Warriors will themselves to extending the series. AP

TORONTO’S (from left) Kyle Lowry, Kawhi Leonard and Marc Gasol leave the court disappointed. AP

MISSED OPPORTUNITY FOR RAPTORS IN GAME 5

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ORONTO—They were up by six, in the city that Torontonians call The Six, with less than three minutes left.

The National Basketball Association (NBA) championship was there for the taking.

And the Toronto Raptors couldn’t finish it off.

The Raptors still lead the NBA Finals 3-2, even after losing at home to the Golden State Warriors, 106-105, on Monday night. But they’ll be heading back to California on Tuesday, and allowed the Warriors—the wounded two-time defending NBA champions—to have renewed life in their quest for a third straight ring.

“If you would have probably told me at the start of this thing, ‘If we could fast forward to a 3-2 lead, you want to take it?’” Raptors Coach Nick Nurse said on postgame. “I would probably say yes.”

Kawhi Leonard’s jumper with 3:28 left put the Raptors up 103-97. They were outscored 9-2 the rest of the way. They missed five of their last six shots—the only make was on a goaltending call—and went zero for three from three-point range in that crucial closing stretch. Klay Thompson and Stephen Curry scored all nine of Golden State’s points in that finishing kick.

The Larry O’Brien Trophy went back into its carrying case.

Off to Oracle it goes for Game Six on Thursday night, the final home game the Warriors will ever play in that building.

“We had a chance to win a championship tonight and we didn’t do it,” Raptors guard Fred VanVleet said. “We didn’t play well enough, we didn’t

better for the next game.”

Cousins had 14 points for the Warriors and Green finished with 10 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists.

Golden State is the only team to lose a 3-1 lead in the NBA Finals, when Cleveland came back to win in 2016.

Now the Warriors have a chance to pull off the feat themselves, but it became more difficult after Durant limped off in the second quarter after he had missed the previous nine games with a strained right calf.

“We understand the moment and I think we can rally, considering how the second half went tonight,” Curry said.

Durant, the two-time NBA Finals MVP, was attempting to dribble past Serge Ibaka early in the second quarter when he suddenly came to a stop, lost the ball and limped sideways before grabbing at his lower right calf as he fell to the court.

Fans at first cheered but then, spurred in part by some Raptors players, chanted “KD! KD!” as he was helped to the locker room area joined by Curry, Andre Iguodala and General Manager Bob Myers.

Durant left the arena on crutches with what a tearful Myers said it was an Achilles tendon injury and the Warriors said he would get an MRI on Tuesday.

They were initially OK without him because Cousins— who returned from injury himself in this series—came off the bench to score their next seven points before feeding Green for a lay-up that gave them a 48-37 lead. It got as high as 13 on Curry’s four-point play, and Golden State led 62-56 at halftime.

But eventually it would come down to Curry and Thompson, who both logged more than 41 minutes and will have to be ready to go again on Thursday in what will be the final game in Oracle Arena.

Lowry had 18 points and Marc Gasol scored 17 for the Raptors, who were trying to give Canada its first championship in one of the traditional major sports since the Blue Jays won the World Series in 1993.

Fans had been waiting through on-and-off rain all day—some since Sunday—to watch at one of the outdoor watch parties that have popped up in and around Toronto.

The crowd inside the arena that included hockey Hall of Famer Wayne Gretzky and former Raptors star Vince Carter thought it would witness history as Leonard powered past his defenders repeatedly in the fourth quarter.

But the Raptors needed one more basket, and the only way the local fans can see them win in person is if it goes the full seven games and Toronto wins it at home on Sunday.

“We had a chance to win a championship tonight and we didn’t do it,” guard Fred VanVleet said. “We didn’t play well enough, we didn’t execute enough down the stretch and that stings a little bit.”

execute enough down the stretch and that stings a little bit.”

The Raptors are still in control of the series. The worst thing that can happen to them in the next few days is to have a Game Seven in their Scotiabank Arena on Sunday night to decide the championship.

They’ve won three times at Oracle already this season. But they also knew this was a chance that slipped away. Kyle Lowry took the last shot, a 3-pointer as time was expiring that would have given the Raptors a title if it dropped.

“Felt great out of my hand,” Lowry said.

The problem was, Draymond Green got his hand—or at least a little bit of his hand—on the ball, just enough to make sure it would sail off Lowry’s intended path. It didn’t even get close to the rim.

“He got a piece of it,” Lowry said. “That’s what great defenders do. He got a piece of it and we’ll continue to look at it and see how we can be better for the next game.”

Against a team with such a championship pedigree, even with the Warriors now set to be without Kevin Durant for the rest of this series with an Achilles injury, any missed opportunity could be very costly.

The Raptors still have two chances to finish off this title.

But they also know the champagne could have been popped on Monday night.

“We’ll look at film. See what we did well, what we can do better,” Raptors center Marc Gasol said. “See what didn’t work so well and what we can do a lot better. Pretty simple.” AP

KEVIN DURANT is helped out of the court. AP

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ORONTO—Golden State forward Kevin Durant has an injured right Achilles, a massive blow for the perennial All-Star and two-time National Basketball Association (NBA) Finals Most Valuable Player who may be three weeks away from free agency and could also be facing a long rehabilitation process.

Warriors General Manager Bob Myers was teary when he gave the news after Game Five of the NBA Finals on Monday night. An MRI will be performed on Tuesday to determine the severity, but Durant’s season is clearly over and his recovery will likely take several months if the Achilles is indeed torn.

“He’s one of the most misunderstood people,” Myers said. “He’s a good teammate, he’s a good person, it’s not fair. I’m lucky to know him. I don’t have all the information on what really the extent of what it all means until we get a MRI, but the people that worked with him and cleared him are good people, they’re good people.”

Myers said Durant’s first injury of this postseason was a calf injury, as the Warriors have insisted throughout. Myers also said that he is willing to accept the blame for the decision to play Durant in Game Five.

Golden State won 106-105, cutting Toronto’s lead in the NBA Finals to 3-2.

“I don’t believe there’s anybody to blame, but I understand in this world and if you have to, you can blame me,” Myers said. “I run our basketball

operations department. And to tell you something about Kevin Durant, Kevin Durant loves to play basketball, and the people that questioned whether he wanted to get back to this team were wrong.”

Durant got hurt on a dribble on the right wing , coming up lame on a crossover move and falling to the floor. He grabbed the back of his leg, appeared to grab below the calf and more toward the Achilles area, and needed help to limp to the bench area and more help to get back to the Warriors’ locker room. Warriors forward Andre Iguodala was on Durant’s left side as they made the long walk back to the room, with Myers and Stephen Curry in the group immediately behind them.

“It sucks. I feel so bad for him, his camp,” Warriors guard Klay Thompson said. “He’s going to come back stronger though. That’s the kind of fighter he is and I’m going to miss him, man. It’s not the same being out there without him.”

Durant shouted an expletive as he left the floor, his frustration obvious.

He was supposed to be one of the marquee free agents this summer.

He may now end up exercising his $31.5 million option to stay with the Warriors, especially if he’s going to be sidelined for an extended period.

“I’m hurting deep in the soul right now,” Durant wrote on Instagram after the game.

His season is over.

The Warriors’ season isn’t.

“We do it for Kevin,” Thompson said.

Durant had been cleared by the Warriors’ medical staff after Game Four, and participated in both a practice session on Sunday and a shootaround practice earlier Monday. The Warriors had said throughout his monthlong absence that they did not want him back on the floor until he was right, for fear of a scenario where Durant aggravated the injury and had no chance of returning this season.

Their nightmare came true. And if it really only was a calf injury initially, this was worse.

“It’s a bizarre feeling that we all have right now,” Warriors Coach Steve Kerr said. “An incredible win and a horrible loss at the same time.”

Durant had 11 points in 12 minutes, making all three of his three-point attempts. He started and played the first six minutes, then had the lower leg wrapped with a heating pad to keep it loose before he returned about three minutes later.

“He gave us what he had,” Curry said. “He went out there and sacrificed his body.”

When the injury happened, a number of NBA players reacted on Twitter quickly—both to the injury, and to the sound of some Toronto fans cheering when Durant got hurt.

“Why are they cheering for his injury? Come on man,” Philadelphia center Joel Embiid wrote.

Added Washington’s Bobby Portis: “Raptors fans can’t cheer for a player getting hurt. That’s lame.” AP

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NEVER DOUBT NADAL

BARTY UP TO CAREER-BEST NO. 2 IN WORLD RANKINGS P ARIS—French Open champion Ash Barty’s first Grand Slam title allowed her to rise to a career-best No. 2 on Monday, almost three years to the day after she reentered the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) rankings following a hiatus from tennis while she played professional cricket.

Barty moved up six places and now trails only reigning US Open and Australian Open champion Naomi Osaka.

“New ground for me. New experiences, new feelings. A goal of mine this year was to try and crack the top 10. And we were able to do that,” said Barty, a 23-year-old Australian who ended last season at No. 15.

“And then it was chipping away, trying to get top five. It’s all happened pretty quickly over the last two weeks.

But we’re trying to take it in our stride and obviously we’ll have a couple of quiet days now to relax, to enjoy, to celebrate. And then set new goals.”

She never had been past the fourth round at a major tournament until getting to the

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ARIS—This time, about a month out, even Rafael Nadal had his doubts about what his chances were going to be for yet another French Open title.

He wasn’t alone. But that part was nothing new: Folks have been questioning him for years, wondering when his body would break down for good, when his impossible-to-believe run of success at Roland Garros would stop, when someone new would come along with the skill, strength and stamina to knock the crown off the King of Clay’s head.

This time, it was Nadal who was filled with real worry. He entered May without a title, the first season since 2004 that happened to him. He missed the end of last season with a bad right knee, needed offseason ankle surgery, then pulled out of a match in March because the knee flared up again. The health concerns, which long had cropped up, were now piling up.

“Too many issues the last 18 months. So that’s makes these last few weeks very, very special,” Nadal was able to say on Sunday night.

“Mentally, I was down. Physically and mentally,” he said, rapping his right fingers on his temple. “But for me, I always put more attention on the mental side.”

All of that angst he spoke about seemed so irrelevant to anyone watching Nadal as he took a tight final against Dominic Thiem and tore it open, quickly as can be, taking 11 straight points to open the third set and 12 of the last 14 games for a 6-3, 5-7, 6-1, 6-1 victory.

That gave Nadal a 12th trophy at Roland Garros and 18 major championships in all, just two behind Roger Federer’s record for men.

But here might be the biggest lesson for Nadal himself, and for those who follow, and talk about, tennis: Stop thinking Nadal can’t keep coming back and can’t keep adding to his resume.

Because he will do whatever it takes to not only stay where he is, but also to get better.

Just one example: Nadal has long been thought of as the ultimate baseliner, someone who will get to every ball back there and wallop it back over the net. Yet there he was in Court Philippe Chatrier, showing off a lessappreciated aspect of his game, by volleying impeccably and winning 23 of 27 points when he moved forward.

He’s constantly putting the work to adjust a stroke or element of strategy.

“He improves and develops his game,” Thiem said. “I mean, if he wouldn’t do that, for sure he wouldn’t have that success every year in this tournament.”

As down as Nadal might have felt, he was not going to give up.

“He had an unbelievable attitude in those bad moments, and that’s what took him here today,” said Nadal’s coach, Carlos Moya, the 1998 French Open champion. “Hats off to what he’s done this month and a half, because it’s easy to play well when all the things are working well. But what he’s been through these last couple of months is showing what a competitor he is and mentally that he’s a genius.”

Nadal’s next tournament will be Wimbledon, where play begins in three weeks. He won’t enter a grass-court tune-up event, figuring that time off to rest is what he needs more than anything else.

Inevitably, a reporter brought up the topic of chasing Federer, now that he’s so close behind.

And just as inevitably, Nadal played down such talk.

Did it charmingly, too.

“I never tried to think about, ‘Well, I’m going to catch Roger’ or not. Being honest, I am not very worried about this stuff, no?” Nadal said. “You can’t be frustrated all the time because the neighbor has a bigger house than you or a bigger TV or better garden. That’s not the way that I see the life, you know.”

A moment later, he went on: “If, at the end of my career, I am able to win a couple of more Grand Slams and be closer to Roger, [it] will be unbelievable. If not, for me, still unbelievable, no?”

Nadal said Federer’s record was the last thing on his mind before he was asked about it.

What was he thinking about, then?

“Here I am, at the age of 33, enjoying, playing good tennis,” Nadal said, “and let’s see for how long I am able to manage and to continue this.”

RAFAEL NADAL and Ash Barty proudly pose with their French Open trophies. AP

Carvajal grabs 2 singles titles in Kidapawan

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Tsonga serves 13 aces in Stuttgart Open

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TUTTGART, Germany—Jo-Wilfried Tsonga powered past 2017 semifinalist Mischa Zverev, 6-3, 6-0, before rain brought an early end to play at the Stuttgart Open on Monday.

Tsonga struck 13 aces as he wrapped up his debut at the grass-court tournament in under an hour to set up a second-round meeting with the sixth-seeded Milos Raonic

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or Australian qualifier Alexei Popyrin.

Raonic, who lost last year’s final to Roger Federer, is one of three seeded Canadians, alongside Felix AugerAliassime and Denis Shapovalov. Raonic is making his comeback after missing the clay-court season with a right-knee injury.

Shapovalov was due to play Germany’s Jan-Lennard Struff

NO GRASS IN TOKYO 2020

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OKYO—Cannabis has been legalized in some parts of the world. But the chief executive of next year’s Tokyo Olympics has reminded potential visitors to the games that the substance is against the law in Japan.

Toshiro Muto of the Tokyo Olympic organizing committee said at a news conference on Tuesday that at least one member of the executive board brought up the issue at a meeting.

“There are countries and some regions around the world that have relaxed rules recently,” Muto said, speaking through an interpreter. “Unfortunately, the use of cannabis constitutes

RUSSIAN ATHLETICS CHAMP MAKES CALL OSCOW—The only Russian track athlete currently holding a world title called on the country’s officials and coaches in the sport to be replaced because of the slow pace of anti-doping reforms.

High jumper Mariya Lasitskene’s message—in a country where top athletes rarely speak out against officials—came shortly after Russia’s ban from international athletics was prolonged on Sunday.

“I hope that the people involved in this never-ending disgrace still have the courage to leave. By themselves.

And don’t think I’m only talking about the management,”

Australian Open quarterfinals in January. She beat 19-yearold Marketa Vondrousova of the Czech Republic, 6-1, 6-3, in Saturday’s final at Roland Garros.

Barty took about a one-and-a-half-year break from tennis after the 2014 US Open, saying she needed time away from the pressures and rigors of life on the tour. She returned to competition in 2016, and on June 8 of that year, she moved back into the rankings at No. 623.

Look at her now, so close to No. 1.

“That’s kind of the next point, the next goal, the next situation I could see myself in,” Barty said about the idea of trying to overtake Osaka for the top spot. “But being No. 2 in the world’s incredible. It’s something I never dreamed of as a child and obviously we’ll keep chipping away and try our best to get to No. 1.”

Runner-up Vondrousova’s run to her first Grand Slam final helped her get from No. 38 to No. 16 on Monday.

Semifinalist Amanda Anisimova, a 17-year-old American, also made quite a jump, going from No. 51 to No. 26.

The player Anisimova upset in the quarterfinals, defending champion Simona Halep, dropped from No. 3 to No. 8. She used to be ranked No. 1.

Another former top-ranked player and past French Open champion, Garbine Muguruza, fell six places to No. 25.

The top eight spots in the Association of Tennis Professionals rankings stayed the same, with French Open champion Rafael Nadal at No. 2, behind Novak Djokovic.

Roger Federer is still at No. 3, and Roland Garros runner-up Dominic Thiem is No. 4.

This was the first time since the 2012 Australian Open that the top four men in the rankings all reached the semifinals at a tournament.

Karen Khachanov, a quarterfinalist in Paris, cracked the top 10 for the first time, rising two spots to No. 9, with Fabio Fognini at No. 10.

Top US man John Isner, who missed the French Open with a foot injury, dropped out of the top 10 to No. 11.

Three-time major champion Stan Wawrinka’s run to his first Grand Slam quarterfinal in two years after knee surgery boosted him nine places to No. 19. AP

Lasitskene wrote on Instagram.

“It’s also about the current coaches who are still sure that you can’t win without doping. They’re long overdue for retirement. A new generation of our athletes must grow up with a different philosophy, and for any athlete, it’s the coach who provides that.”

Lasitskene’s statement echoed Russian Anti-Doping Agency CEO Yuri Ganus, who said a month ago the Russian Athletics Federation was in “a world of illusion” and needed a purge of top officials. Ganus and federation President Dmitry Shlyakhtin held talks with Sports Minister Pavel Kolobkov on Monday.

a violation of law and that needs to be thoroughly communicated.”

Muto said the issue was not on the executive board’s formal agenda but came from a concerned member.

“The comment from the member is that it’s important that we inform all the participants that use of cannabis is prohibited by law in Japan.”

Cannabis is among banned substances listed by the World Anti Lasitskene won world titles in 2015 and 2017, but was barred from the 2016 Olympics because of sanctions against the Russian team. She competes internationally under a neutral flag.

Long jumper Darya Klishina, a world silver medalist in 2017, commented on Instagram that Lasitskene’s call was “right on target.”

Kolobkov said the Russian track leadership could struggle without the trust of its top athletes.

“I think that for the federation it’s a bad signal, a bad sign,” he said.

“They don’t have that direct connection with the young guys, the young athletes and it’s unpleasant information for the federation.

Of course, Dmitry Shlyakhtin should meet with them and say what kind of work is being done...and build complete support from our

but their match was put back to Tuesday due to the rain.

Earlier, Miomir Kecmanovic rallied to beat German veteran Philipp Kohlschreiber, 4-6, 7-5, 6-3. The 19-yearold Serb will next play Shapovalov or Struff.

Among Tuesday’s other scheduled matches, it’s the fifth-seeded Gael Monfils against American Steve Johnson, Auger-Aliassime against Ernests Gulbis and Matteo Berrettini against Nick Kyrgios.

The Stuttgart Open made the switch from clay to grass in 2015. AP Doping Agency for athletes at next year’s Tokyo Olympics.

Muto said that Japan would be strong in enforcing anti-doping measure at the games, which open next July.

Japan bans cannabis, but it does have relatively lax anti-smoking rules that allows smoking in many Tokyo restaurants and bars.

However, Tokyo Olympic organizers have enacted tougher anti-smoking rules for games venues.

Smoking and the use of vaping devices will be banned at all indoor and outdoor Olympic and Paralympic venues, plus within all perimeter areas of the Tokyo Games. AP clean athletes, the guys representing our country.”

Sunday’s International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) decision left Russia with little over three months to avoid competing under a neutral flag at the world championships in Qatar. After Russia was barred from international athletics in 2015 because of widespread doping, the country’s competitors participated at the 2017 worlds as neutral athletes.

The head of the IAAF’s Russia task force, Rune Andersen, said there was evidence the country was “backsliding” on anti-doping reforms. He cited evidence that banned coaches have continued to work with athletes, and an ongoing investigation into whether Russian officials provided fake medical documentation to give high jumper Danil Lysenko an alibi for failing to notify drug testers of his whereabouts. AP

ULIANA CARVAJAL powered her way to two singles titles while unranked Derek Napala nailed a victory in singles and two in doubles as they shared the Most Valuable Player honors in the Palawan Pawnshop-Palawan Express Pera Padala (PPS-PEPP) Dir. Alberto Aton national juniors tennis tournament at the Kidapawan City Tennis Club in Cotabato over the weekend.

Carvajal dominated her rivals in 14-U play she capped with a 6-2, 6-2 romp over Ayezza Dino, then the rising star from Digos toppled elder sister and top seed Coleen, 6-4, 6-4, in the 16-under finals to emerge the lone “double” winner in the Group 2 tournament presented by Dunlop.

The General Santos City-based Napala stunned top seed Reyman Saldivar, 4-0, 4-5(3), 10-6, in the semis then foiled doubles partner Gene Espinosa, 7-5, 6-3, to snare the crown in the boys’ 14-under division of the tournament sponsored

by Director Alfredo Aton of Department of Agriculture.

Napala then flashed superb condition in doubles play, teaming up with Espinosa to edge Saldivar and Kadil Jamal Raul, 8-6, in the 14-under class then linked up with Steve Aton to rout Saldivar and BJ Flores, 8-0, for the 18-under crown in the event and held under the auspices of the PPSPEPP headed by president and CEO Bobby Castro.

Other singles winners were Kabacan’s Jairo Ramirez (10-unisex), Klayton Dino (boys’ 12-under) and Saldivar (boys’ 16-under; local bet Brent Magno (boys’ 18-under); and Alamada’s Ysabel Wong (girls’ 12-under) and Zykla Cervantes (girls’ 18-under), while the Carvajals (girls’ 18-under), Avril Anito and Ayessa Dino (girls’ 14-under) and Kim Belotindos and CJ Ramirez (10-under unisex) also shone in doubles competition.

Ramirez routed Kim Belotindos, 4-1, 4-2; Dino wore down Flores, 2-6, 7-6(3), 10-8; Saldivar trounced Steve Aton, 6-3, 6-1; Magno ripped Aton, 6-2, 6-3; Wong crushed Sachena Francisco, 4-2, 4-0; and Cervantes blasted Coleen Carvajal, 6-4, 6-0.

MARIYA LASITSKENE is the only Russian track athlete holding a world title.

orts

sMirror

Wednesday, June 12, 2019

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PHL RIDERS READY FOR GRIND R

IDERS and coaches in this year’s Le Tour de Filipinas all agreed that Stage 2 of the five-stage race will spell the difference in the entire 822.2-km race that hits the road starting this Friday.

From defending champion El Joshua Cariño to former titlist Mark Galedo, the 194.9-km ride from Pagbilao in Quezon to Daet in Camarines Norte may well be considered the “killer stage” of the Tour that is celebrating its 10th anniversary.

“There is no Baguio-to-Baguio, therefore, the most difficult would be Stage 2,” noted Cariño, the national team member who is trying to become the first-ever back-to-back champion of the Category 2.2 race sanctioned by the International Cycling Union (UCI).

“The distance could not be taken lightly,” said Galedo, the 2014 champion representing Celeste Cycle. “You have to ride a tactical race.”

The two champions gave their opinion about the upcoming race at the weekly Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) Forum at the Amelie Hotel-Manila three days before the event kicks off in Tagaytay City on Friday with the 129.50-km Stage 1.

Marcelo Felipe made the same assessment, although he did not discount the possibility that Stage 1 could be as decisive—if not the most.

“Stage 2 is difficult, but don’t count Stage 1 out,” said the team captain of 7-Eleven Air21 Cliqq Roadbike Philippines.

The riders were joined in the forum

AL MENDOZA alsol47@yahoo.com

THAT’S ALL

Golden State still alive

LE Tour de Filipinas Chairman Donna Lina (fourth from left) make the “10” sign to signify the race’s 10th edition with (from left) Marcelo Felipe (7-Eleven Air21 Cliqq Roadbike Philippines), Ismael Gorospe and Daniel Ven Cariño (Go For Gold), El Joshua Cariño (national team), Reinhardt Gorantes (national team coach), Eusebio Quinones (Celeste Cycle coach), Mark Galedo (Celeste Cycle) and Dominic Perez (7-Eleven). ROY DOMINGO

presented by San Miguel Corp., Braska Restaurant, Amelie Hotel, and Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. by national team coach Reinhardt Gorantes, Go For Gold’s Daniel Ven Cariño and Ismael Gorospe, Celeste Cycle’s Eusebio Quinones, 7-Eleven’s Dominic Perez and Le Tour de Filipinas Chairman

Donna Lina.

The 75 cyclists seeing action in the race are really not familiar about this year’s route that will see them traverse the paved roads south of Manila.

Being a native of Bicol, however, gave Quinones a bit of an advantage.

QUIBAN SEEKS REPEAT AT PGT BACOLOD STOP J

USTIN QUIBAN sets out for his titleretention drive brimming with confidence, ready to slug it out with the best of the best, including a slew of foreign aces, in the International Container Terminal Services Inc. (ICTSI) Bacolod Golf Challenge firing off on Wednesday at the Bacolod Golf Club in Murcia, Negros Occidental.

Quiban banked on three solid rounds to rule this event last year with the young rising shotmaker upbeat of duplicating his fine start and sustaining it to the finish in what promises to be a slam-bang chase for the crown in this P2.5-million event serving as the second of the four-stage Visayan swing of the circuit put up by ICTSI. “I feel good about my chances to defend my title here,” said Quiban, who vowed to play aggressive at the tight par-70 layout unlike last week at Club Filipino de Cebu where emphasis was on iron game. He gets an early test as he drew veteran Tony Lascuña and Thai Pachara Sakulyong in the 11 a.m. flight on No. 10.

“I’ll use my driver more here to attack the reachable par-4s. I played a conservative game last week [in Cebu] but now it will be the opposite,” added the former amateur hotshot, who has also nailed a victory in the inaugural Philippine Golf Tour Asia at Luisita in 2017.

Like Quiban, Guido van der Valk is also coming into the event oozing with confidence following a wire-to-wire triumph last week with the Manila-based Dutchman likewise hinting at unleashing an attacking kind of game this week.

“There’s a big difference playing here and in Cebu. There’s a lot of opportunities to make birdies here with your driver. So we’ll see,” said Van der Valk, who will also start at 11 a.m. on No. 1 with Joenard Rates and Nelson Huerva.

Focus will also be on Juvic Pagunsan and Clyde Mondilla, two of the best of the old and new who are trying to mark their return to the Philippine Golf Tour with a victory. Pagunsan is taking a break from the Japan PGA Tour where he is based while Mondilla is coming off a two-

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month long layout due to injury.

But they are both tipped to figure prominently right in the opening round with Pagunsan to square off with Marvin Dumandan and Richard Sinfuego at 11:10 a.m. on the

JUSTIN QUIBAN targets back-to-back victories while Guido van der Valk eyes a second straight triumph. NONIE REYES

first hole and Mondilla, the reigning Solaire Philippine Open titlist, facing off with Mars Pucay and Jhonnel Ababa at 7:10 a.m., also on No. 1.

But a host of others are also raring to power their way into early contention in the 72-hole championship organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments Inc. and backed by Custom Clubmakers, Meralco, Champion, Summit Mineral Water, K&G Golf Apparel, BDO, Sharp, KZG, PLDT and MY Shokai Technology Inc., including Michael Bibat, Elmer Salvador and Frankie Miñoza, who are grouped in the 7 a.m. flight on No. 1, along with Jay Bayron, Keanu Jahns, James Ryan Lam, Rufino Bayron, Richard Abaring and Jerson Balasabas.

Meanwhile, a slew of foreign bidders are also out to duplicate Van der Valk’s romp in Cebu, headed by former PGT Asia leg winner and last week’s joint runner-up David Gleeson and Jack Sullivan of Australia, Englishman George Twyman, Spain’s Marcos Pastor, Korean Hwang Myung Chal and Japanese Ryo Nishimura.

P

Convention Center, where he was joined by Philippine Olympic Committee President Ricky Vargas and Philippine Southeast Asian Games Organizing Committee Chairman and Rep.-elect Alan Peter Cayetano.

Ramirez opened the discussion with the national coaches from 58 sports to assess and evaluate their level of preparation for the Games.

“If we are united, we can produce miracles in the Southeast Asian Games,” said Ramirez as he reiterated his call for unity. “The greatest job of a coach is to inspire the champion in an athlete.”

“We have cash prizes for individual and team champions,” said Lina, who thanked the support of the local governments of Tagaytay, Pagbilao, Quezon, Legazpi, Albay, Daet, Camarines Norte and Sorsogon, as well as OneSports by Cignal, the official broadcast partner of the event.

Chan, Corpus keep solid grip of 1-2 spots in golf qualifiers for 30th SEAG

RAMIREZ ASSESSES COACHES’ PREPS HILIPPINE Sports Commission (PSC) Chairman William Ramirez sat down with more than 150 national coaches to hear their concerns and get updates on their athletes for the 30th Southeast Asian Games the country is hosting later this year.

Ramirez exercised his function as chef de mission of Team Philippines to the Games on Tuesday at PhilSports Complex in Pasig City.

Last week, Ramirez met with top national sports association officials to jump-start his task for the Games at the Philippine International

“I’m from Bicol so I can pinpoint where the difficult parts of the stage are,” Quinones said.

Also not to be discounted are foreign riders from China, Japan, Thailand and Kazakhstan, among others.

Lina said a total of P1.8 million in prizes will be at stake in the race.

ARL CORPUS put on a superb four-under 68 as he firmed up his hold of the No. 2 spot even as Aidric Chan held sway with a 70 in the second round of the 30th Southeast Asian Games men’s team qualifier Stage 2 at the Luisita Golf and Country Club yesterday.

Eight behind Chan after the start of the last of the two-part elims for the three members of the SEA Games-bound national squad, Corpus went to work early and birdied three of the first five holes then rebounded from a bogey on the sixth with birdies on Nos. 14 and 16 to string a pair of 34s and keep his hold of second place at 428.

Chan, an incoming University of Arizona student, opened and closed out his bid with bogeys but gunned down four birdies in between to card a 70 and all but wrap up the top berth in the SEAG team with a 422, six ahead of Corpus heading to the final 36 holes of the grueling qualifiers organized and conducted by the National Golf Association of the Philippines.

But the fight for the third and last SEAG

Blue Eagles well-rested before finals

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AM JOSEF (SJ) BELANGEL and Jason Credo admitted the long rest could work either way for Cignal-Ateneo in the Philippine Basketball Association Developmental League finals that kick off on Thursday.

The Blue Eagles had the luxury of a oneweek break when Game One of the best-of-five title series unfurls at the Filoil Flying V Centre following their two-game romp of Valencia-San Sebastian in the semifinals.

That gave them the opportunity to dissect their finals opponent as Centro Escolar University and St. Clare College Virtual Reality dispute the remaining championship berth in a do-or-die battle.

Still, the weeklong break could either be a boon or a bane for Cignal-Ateneo, according to the two Blue Eagles.

“For us, it’s an advantage because we were able to rest. But coming off a win in a do-or-die game, they have the momentum,” said the 6-foot-5 Credo in Tuesday’s Philippine

Angels vs Perlas gals in Reinforced elims

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ETROGAZZ tries to open its second round elims drive the way it kicked off its campaign in the Premier Volleyball League Reinforced Conference—in emphatic fashion—as it faces BanKo-Perlas on Wednesday at the Filoil Flying V Centre in San Juan.

But while the Angels are fancied to repeat

seat is expected to go down to the last shot or putt as Sean Ramos and Luis Castro tied for third at 440 and Gab Manotoc lay just two strokes behind at 442 despite a disastrous 81.

Ramos, who dropped to fifth with a 75 on Monday, continued to grope for form and hobbled with a 76 while the erstwhile fourth-running Castro fought back from a woeful 45 start with three birdies at the back for a 33 to save a 78.

Manotoc, who moved to third with a 71 on Monday, dropped five strokes in the first four holes, including a double-bogey on the par-3 second hole. He failed to check his skid and finished with a 41-40 but remained in the fight for the last slot in the tournament sponsored by the MVP Sports Foundation, the PLDT Group, Cignal and Metro Pacific and hosted by Luisita.

Ivan Monsalve carded a 73 and kept his slim hopes alive with a 445 in a tie with Paolo Wong and Edward Dy, who turned in a 75 and 77, respectively, while Ryan Monsalve matched par 72 for a 448.

Kristoffer Arevalo and Lanz Uy both carded 78s for a 449 and 452, respectively, while Rolando Bregente and Alexander Bisera pooled a 456 and 459 after a 75 and 85, respectively.

over the Perlas Spikers, the league’s only unbeaten team will be hard-pressed to duplicate its 25-19, 25-21, 25-12 victory on June 1 with BanKo-Perlas expected to come into their 5 p.m. clash armed with the necessary adjustments to at least slow down the seemingly well-oiled PetroGazz machine.

The Angels set a record of sorts by sweeping

Sportswriters Association Forum at the Amelie Hotel-Manila. “You have the momentum when you’re coming off a win.”

“It’s difficult to beat a team that’s fresh from a victory because their confidence level is up there,” the 6-foot-1 Belangel said.

The Blue Eagles are not taking chances and are preparing physically and mentally for the finals—whoever their opponent will be.

“We should not be complacent,” Belangel told the session presented by San Miguel Corp., Braska Restaurant, Amelie Hotel, and the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp.

The Blue Eagles are entering the title series riding high on a nine-game winning streak dating back to the eliminations.

“We still have to work hard,” Credo said.

Winning the championship would be an additional boost to Cignal-Ateneo’s coming campaign in Season 82 of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines where the Blue Eagles are eyeing a third straight title. the first round elims without dropping a set with imports Wilma Salas and Janisa Johnson complementing well with the locals led by Jeanette Panaga, Cherry Nuñag, Maricar Baloaloa, Cienne Cruz and Djanel Cheng in stamping their class in the first phase of the two-part eliminations of the season-opening conference organized by Sports Vision.

BanKo-Perlas, on the other hand, hopes its loss-win-loss-win-loss roll would continue although it would take a lot of effort from reinforcements Kia Bright and Yasemin Yildirim and solid backup from locals Nicole Tiamzon, Kathy Bersola, Sue Roces and Dzi Gervacio to measure up with the talent-laden PetroGazz side.

MY initial pre-Finals stand was two wins for Toronto would be good enough. Three wins a bonus. Four wins a miracle.

I am not about to abandon that.

Brandishing three wins going to Tuesday’s Game Five for an impressive 3-1 lead in the National Basketball Association (NBA) playoffs, Toronto has gotten its threewin quota. From me. Fine.

It had appeared likely to stay that way because in 36 minutes of Game Five, Golden State led Toronto by six points in each of the first three quarters of the contest.

They weren’t solid margins, yes, but then, when Golden State posted a 14-point, 77-63 edge late in the third quarter, the Warriors gave us the impression they were serious in deflating the Raptors’ ego.

It helped that Kawhi Leonard was handcuffed to a mere solitary point in the third period after scoring 13 points in the first two quarters.

And then in the fourth, Golden State kept clinging to the lead using their red-hot shooting from beyond the arc.

After Leonard woke up with a short stab to shove Toronto to within 91-92, Draymond Green hit a three for a 95-91 Golden State bubble with 5:32 left.

That triple punctuated the Warriors’ virtual control of the rainbow country as it was their 17th triple in 36 tries.

But just when Golden State was gearing for a cruise mode, Leonard had something else in his mind.

After feeding Norman Powell for an open dunk, Leonard buried a three, quickly following that up with a jumper for Toronto’s 98-95 lead at the 4:39 mark.

Leonard’s 5-0 blast made the Scotiabank arena shook from the roars of the Raptor fans as the last time Toronto tasted the lead was at 23-21 in the first quarter.

Even Draymond Green’s quick two that inched Golden State to within 97-98 seemed not enough to stop Toronto’s run as Leonard strung up another 5-0 blast for the Raptors’ six-point, 103-97 lead, 3:19 left.

It was at this point that Golden State’s supposed resilience was to be tested—and more.

While other teams might just totally collapse under the severe pressure-cooker conditions, not Golden State.

In 91 seconds of the last 147 seconds of the game, the Warriors banged home nine points in dizzying succession—all on three 3-pointers by the Splash Brothers Klay Thompson and Steph Curry.

Thompson triggered the Warrior counterattack with his sixth triple of the game before Curry hit his own three. Next, Thompson tripled again to put Golden State ahead for good, 106-103, 59 seconds left.

With 15.9 seconds left after a swap of turnovers, Leonard got double-teamed by Thompson and Andre Iguodala and had to pass to Kyle Lowry.

But bothered by Green, Lowry was way off the mark with his desperately released tying three from the left as time expired.

With the series going back to Oakland, Golden State retakes home-court advantage. Don’t be surprised if by Friday (PHL time), the series is tied at 3-3.

This, even if Kevin Durant, who fired 11 points yesterday in his first Golden State game since May 8, will miss the remainder of the series after reinjuring his calf at the 9:46 mark of the second quarter.

Golden State, with its experience and the indefatigable pair of Thompson and Curry in full harness, sure know how to extricate itself out of imminent danger. Indeed, they aren’t two-time defending champ for nothing.

THAT’S IT Even as Golden State lost Kevin Durant in the NBA Finals for good, the prolific point-producer has done his job: Spark the Game Five victory yesterday by firing 11 points marked by three triples despite his being not 100 percent. What a guy! It pained my heart, though, to hear the Toronto crowd jeer Durant when he limped his way out of the hard court, favoring his right foot. This is sport, fellas, where character a.k.a. gentlemanly behavior is the prime consideration more than anything, including winning. It sucks.

Macau to skip World Cup qualifier K UALA LUMPUR—The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) said it has been informed by the Macau Football Association (MFA) that its national team will not travel to Sri Lanka for a 2020 World Cup qualifier on Tuesday at Colombo.

Although the AFC statement did not give a reason, soccer officials in Macau said they were concerned over the team’s safety following the deadly terrorist attacks in the country. On April 21, three churches in Sri Lanka and three luxury hotels in Colombo were targeted in coordinated terrorist suicide bombings which killed 358 people.

The Macau FA said it decided not to send a team “due to the recent terrorist attack in Sri Lanka and for the sake of the team’s personal safety.” The MFA said it asked Fifa, the AFC and Sri Lanka’s footballing authorities to switch the match to a neutral venue.

“MFA will have to put our players’ personal safety as a priority...we cannot afford to take the risk to put our players’ lives in danger,” the weekend statement said.

The Football Federation of Sri Lanka said it “fulfilled all security requirements” with Fifa and the AFC ahead of the match, and it had a right to play the return match at home. Macau won the first leg 1-0 in Macau. AP

PARKER RETIRING AFTER 18 NBA SEASONS TONY PARKER: It’s with a lot of emotion that I retire from basketball, it was an incredible journey! AP

Sports BusinessMirror

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HARLOTTE, North Carolina—Fourtime National Basketball Association (NBA) champion Tony Parker’s impressive career is over.

Parker announced on Monday he’s retiring from basketball after 18 seasons in the NBA. The 37-year-old guard said on Twitter it was an emotional decision.

“It’s with a lot of emotion that I retire from basketball, it was an incredible journey!” Parker tweeted. “Even in my wildest dreams, I never thought I would live all those unbelievable moments with the NBA and the French National Team. Thank you for everything!”

Parker played 17 seasons for the San Antonio Spurs and made the postseason every year of his career before joining the Charlotte Hornets last season and missing the playoffs. He was selected to the All-Star team six times and was named second-team AllNBA three times.

Spurs Coach Gregg Popovich said he’s loved Parker for a long time and praised him for an “amazing career.”

“It has been a blessing to be with him since he was 19 years old,” Popovich said on a USA

| Wednesday, June 12, 2019 mirror_sports@yahoo.com.ph Editor: Jun Lomibao

AS GOOD AS A WIN!

By Jerome Pugmire The Associated Press

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ARIS—At the final whistle of their Women’s World Cup opener, Argentina’s players dropped to their knees as if they’d won the entire tournament.

They didn’t even win the game.

But for the first time ever, they didn’t lose, either.

Argentina played to a 0-0 draw against Japan to earn its first-ever point at the World Cup. Argentina lost its previous six World Cup matches in 2003 and 2007, and missed the 2011 and 2015 tournaments.

For a nation that loves the game and worships its globally successful men’s team, the draw against Japan can be as good as a win. Argentina had been outscored 33-2 in six previous World Cup games.

“I think we can really inspire people a lot,” said midfielder Estefania Banini. “We can also start a new process.”

Argentina wants far more than points at the World Cup. The bigger goal is to touch more hearts and minds back home.

“For women’s football in Argentina it is great that we are starting to flourish,” Argentina C oach Carlos Borrello said. “We are starting on our way and just starting to face up to these powerful forces in football.”

Borrello said he hopes for a push for equality between the men’s and women’s games—and also across Argentinian society as a whole.

“We have started getting support now from the Argentinean football federation for the team. It’s true that results help a lot, and this will definitely

help and reinforce all the work,” he said. “It will help us to continue on the great path. We have to also strengthen the grassroots of our game.”

Things are changing in Argentina.

Previous concerns about a lack of uniforms and inadequate training conditions have been addressed, two years after players went on strike because stipends went unpaid. A movement for equality pushed the country’s soccer association into giving professional status to the national women’s league. This coincided with the country’s feminist movement taking to the streets with marches against violence and inequality.

Both national teams are in action this month—and maybe next month if they go far—with the men over in Brazil at the Copa America.

Before their respective departures, the two teams met.

Sharing a table were two No. 10’s—Banini and five-time Golden Ball winner Lionel Messi, among the all-time greats of the game.

“We were together with Messi and the whole team, the men’s and the women’s teams,” Borrello said. “We had a meal together before we left and were able to exchange together.”

The men’s team has not won the World Cup since 1986—its second victory—and won the last of its 14 Copa America titles in 1993.

Hence the understandable relief at holding 2011 champion Japan, evident as players mobbed goalkeeper Vanina Correa.

“For women’s football in Argentina it is great that we are starting to flourish,” Borrello said. “We are starting on our way and just starting to face up to these powerful forces in football.”

The 28-year-old Banini, who plays club soccer with Spanish side Levante, hopes this is just the start.

“We can become a national team that aspires to so much more,” said Banini.

Next up is England on Friday, while Japan faces Scotland in the other Group D game.

Japan took until the 50th minute to test Correa, who stopped forward Kumi Yokoyama’s low shot from about 35 meters out. Minutes later, Japan midfielder Yui Hasegawa botched a good chance, swiping left of the goal from close range after a cross from the right.

Correa then palmed away a low cross from the right in the last minute and dealt well with a corner kick deep into injury time.

Argentina was extremely organized. Japan, runner-up in 2015, was largely lackluster.

“We never look to play defensive football [but] in the first half we were very cautious,” Japan Coach Asako Takakura said. “We were not good enough to break down Argentina’s defense today.”

Takakura made it clear to her players how disappointed she was.

“The areas that have to be changed will be,” she said.

ARGENTINA’S Sole Jaimes sits on the field at the end of her team’s Group D soccer match with Japan—cheered on by young fans wearing Japanese flag hair ribbons. AP

Basketball conference call on Monday. “I have watched him develop as a player and human being and as a business man.”

Parker started 1,151 regular-season games and averaged 15.5 points and 5.6 assists per game. He also played in 226 playoffs games, averaging 17.9 points and 5.1 assists.

He won NBA titles with the Spurs in 2003, 2005, 2007 and 2014. He was named NBA Finals MVP in 2007.

Parker had one year left on his contract with the Hornets but was not a major part of Charlotte’s rotation late last season. He hinted after the season that he might be done playing, so the retirement announcement did not come as a surprise.

Hornets General Manager Mitch Kupchak congratulated Parker on a “remarkable career.”

“His impact on the game of basketball and the path he laid out for international stars have no equal,” Kupchak said in a statement.

“I’m grateful for the year he spent with us here in Charlotte and we wish him the best as he moves on to the next chapter of his life.”

Hornets Coach James Borrego said Parker is a Hall of Famer.

“I have never known the NBA without Tony as a part of it and I’ll truly miss him,” Borrego said.

“Tony’s leadership, his presence and his dedication to winning made an impact on shaping me and I’ll always be appreciative of him. I know our organization in Charlotte is grateful for what he brought to us in our year together. I wish him nothing but the best as he moves on to retirement.”

A member of the French National team, Parker was the Fiba Europe Player of the year in 2013 and 2014 and the league’s top scorer in 2011 and 2013. AP

Ex-NFL player convicted of raping 58-year-old homeless woman S

AN DIEGO—Former National Football League (NFL) player Kellen Winslow Jr.—the son of a Hall of Famer who himself earned more than $40 million during his career—has been convicted of raping a 58-year-old homeless woman last year in his picturesque beach community of Encinitas, north of San Diego.

A jury returned the verdict on Monday in San Diego Superior Court in Vista but was expected to continue to deliberating on two more counts of rape involving a 54-year-old hitchhiker and an unconscious teenage girl in 2003.

The jury also found the 35-year-old former tight end guilty of indecent exposure and lewd conduct involving two other women, but jurors found him not guilty of one count of a lewd act.

Winslow, who played for Cleveland, Tampa Bay, New England and the New York Jets, faces up to life in prison if convicted of all counts.

All five women testified during the nine-day trial. Winslow did not take the stand.

Defense attorneys pointed out inconsistencies in the accusers’ testimonies and argued the women invented the allegations to prey on the wealth of Winslow.

Prosecutors say the son of Hall of Famer Kellen Winslow felt empowered by his fame to abuse the most vulnerable.

Prosecutor Dan Owens told the jury of eight men and four women that Winslow is a “wolf in sheep’s clothing.”

The homeless woman in Encinitas, who was 58 at the time, testified that he befriended her and attacked her next to his vehicle after inviting her for a coffee in May 2018.

A 54-year-old hitchhiker said he drove her to an Encinitas shopping center parking lot and raped her in his Hummer in March 2018.

A 57-year-old woman said he exposed himself to her while she tended to her garden in May of 2018. The jury found him guilty of that charge on Monday.

After news of the attacks broke, a woman came forward and said Winslow had raped her when she was a 17-year-old high-school student in 2003. He was 19 at the time and had come home from college for the summer. She said she passed out at a party in a San Diego suburb and woke up to find Winslow assaulting her.

A 77-year-old woman who went to the same gym as Winslow in the beach community of Carlsbad said he committed lewd acts in front of her, including touching himself, while Winslow was free on $2-million bail in February. The jury found him guilty on the charge of touching himself in front of the woman at the gym, but not guilty of committing a lewd act while in the facility’s hot tub in front of the same woman who said it happened on a different occasion.

After the jury sent a note saying it was deadlocked on the eight other charges, the judge sent them back to deliberate. Jurors went home less than an hour later and were ordered to resume deliberating on Tuesday.

The panel on Friday sent a note to the judge indicating it was possibly struggling to find agreement.

“The jurors could benefit from an explanation as to what being under oath means,” the note said. “Additionally, how we should follow the law and not what we think the law means.”

The judge told jurors being under oath means telling the whole truth and that they should follow the law how it is written.

Defense attorney Marc Carlos questioned the credibility of the women’s claims, saying they had lied, misconstrued things or were unable to initially identify him correctly.

Defense lawyers also said the sex was consensual and that Winslow had cheated on his wife repeatedly with no-strings-attached sex.

Prosecutors said the crux of the women’s stories didn’t change and that evidence included traces of Winslow’s DNA on one of the accuser’s pants and GPS locations placing him where the women said the assaults occurred.

The five women testified that they didn’t know Winslow was famous when they met him. AP

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Eternal God

EAR God, You are forever faithful in Your love for us.

In gladness and hope we pray: Uphold us, oh God, by Your mercy. For those who bear the responsibility of servant leadership or confidentiality. For those who suffer from trauma or depression. For those who carry grief and sorrow in their hearts. For those who were defeated in the election that they may have luck next time. For the least, the lost and the youth at risk. May God lead us to rejoice in the paschal mystery that we share with Christ Jesus, crucified and risen. Amen.

GIVE US THIS DAY SHARED BY LUISA LACSON, HFL Word&Life Publications • teacherlouie1965@yahoo.com

Editor: Gerard S. Ramos • lifestylebusinessmirror@gmail.com

GOOGLE shows the controller for a videogame streaming platform called Stadia. Google will offer its Stadia streaming video-game service as part of a $130 package in November. AP

Life BusinessMirror

Google’s challenge to game consoles to kick off in November

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By mae anderson The Associated Press

EW YORK—Google will kick off its Stadia streaming service to challenge the videogame industry in November—but initially only as part of a $130 bundle that includes hardware and a pass for a friend.

Google announced the game service in March with few details. On Thursday, Google said it will start advance sales for the limited “Founder’s Edition” bundles right away, though it isn’t saying how many are available. Google won’t offer stand-alone subscriptions, for $10 a month, until next year.

Stadia is Google’s attempt to make traditional video game consoles such as the Xbox and PlayStation obsolete.

Games are stored online, and players can pick up where they left off on traditional computers with Google’s Chrome browsers and Chromebooks running Chrome OS. Players can also use Google’s Pixel phones, but not other phones with the company’s Android operating system. Unlike traditional games, the streaming service requires a constant Internet connection to play.

Much like movies and music, the traditional video-game industry has been shifting from physical hardware and games to digital downloads and streaming. The makers of leading consoles have their own subscription services as well, while Apple plans one this fall. The US video-game industry raked in

revenue of $43.4 billion in 2018, up 18 percent from 2017, according to research firm NPD Group.

Video-game streaming typically requires a strong connection and more computing power than simply streaming video, since there is real-time interaction between player and game. Google says it is tapping its massive data centers to power the system.

The service will mainly let players play games they buy separately, though some free games will be offered. Stadia will launch with about 30 games to buy, including “Doom Eternal,” “Assassin’s Creed Odyssey” and “Wolfenstein: Youngblood.”

R.W. Baird analyst Colin Sebastian said Google’s streaming technology is impressive, but there’s no “killer app” or game that would make the service indispensable.

“We do not expect Stadia over the near-term to be particularly disruptive to the traditional console or PC game ecosystem,” Sebastian said.

Randy Nelson, head of mobile insights at analytic firm Sensor Tower, said that while Stadia appears positioned to go after hard-core gamers, most of them already have a console to play games Google is offering. Casual gamers, meanwhile, might be confused by a monthly subscription package that still requires players to buy games individually.

“They might have been better served to let this bake a little longer and introduce it closer to the next generation of consoles,” expected around 2021, Nelson said. Stadia’s Founder’s Edition package includes three months of service and a three-month buddy pass that

someone else can use. It’ll come with a limited-edition controller and a Chromecast Ultra streaming video device. Google says the whole package is worth about $300 but costs $130. It will be available in 14 countries at launch, including the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, France and Germany.

Next year, Google will offer Stadia Pro for $10 a month and a free version, Stadia Base. With the free version, resolution will be lower, and players won’t get discount on games offered through Pro and the bundle. An optional Stadia controller will sell for $69.

The Wi-Fi-enabled controller has a button that lets players tap Google Assistant to ask questions about the games being played. Another button lets users share gameplay directly to Google’s video-streaming service, YouTube.

Google said playing video games will be as simple as pressing a “Play Now” button. Players won’t have to download or install anything.

Sony offers a PlayStation Now streaming service that’s $20 for a one-month subscription or $45 for three months. It offers unlimited access to 750 games for streaming or downloads, which allow for offline play. Microsoft’s $10-a-month Xbox Game Pass offers about 100 games for free download. Microsoft is also working on a streaming service, called Project xCloud.

The upcoming Apple Arcade subscription will feature more than 100 games for download, curated

by Apple and exclusive to the service. Apple hasn’t announced a price yet. The games can be played on Apple devices only. n

Perfect companion for daily adventures DIGITAL imaging solutions leader Canon (https://ph.canon) has released the EOS 200D II, the world’s lightest digital SLR camera equipped with an APS-C size imaging sensor and a Vari-angle touch screen LCD monitor. This latest addition to the popular EOS DSLR lineup boasts of a lightweight and compact body that is heavy on features and now powered by Canon’s latest DIGIC 8 imaging processor, unlocking

much-coveted 4K video recording. The EOS 200D II has been designed for those looking for a small and unintimidating camera that can be enjoyed anywhere, anytime.

“The new EOS 200D II marries form and function with its compact and stylish design and user-friendly features. This is an ideal companion to capture memories—from everyday moments to special, once-in-a-lifetime occasions,” said Benny Yu, head of Consumer Imaging and Information Division, Canon

Marketing (Philippines) Inc. “The new EOS 200D II simply makes everyday photography extraordinary.”

Powered by the latest DIGIC 8 processor and a 24.1MP APS-C CMOS sensor, users can expect to capture sharp, vibrant images with the best quality. A wide ISO range of 100 to 25,600 (expandable to 51,200) allows for shooting in a variety of lighting conditions, while noise level is kept to a minimum in low light conditions. And though similar in size to its predecessor, the new EOS 200D II weighs less at approximately 449 g (black/silver), making it the lightest digital SLR camera to date.

From shooting evening cityscapes or capturing a dish in a dimly lit restaurant, users will be able to achieve focus with the minimum AF luminance of EV-4, made possible with Dual Pixel AF technology.

Although the EOS 200D II is packed with full-fledged functions, even new DSLR users would love how easy it is to operate owing to its intuitive user interface, compact size, lightweight and a deeper grip design for a secure hold.

Capturing scenes like the dramatic gradations of a sunrise or sunset, or the rich hues of a grass field comes easy with the EOS 200D II’s Auto Lighting Optimizer.

While a continuous shooting rate of up to 5 frames per second makes tracking fast-moving subjects like live sports games simpler to capture.

The EOS 200D II also brings out the filmmaker in every user with high-quality movies in 4K resolution. Even in dim environments, every footage remains sharp with the Movie Digital IS, while the menu’s 4K Time-Lapse function makes recording time-lapse videos uncomplicated.

FILM REVIEW: ‘GODZILLA’ IS BACK AND DOING JUST FINE D3

Wednesday, June 12, 2019

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PLDT Global app for overseas Pinoys named Asia’s most innovative voice solution PLDT Global Corp. (PGC), the international arm of leading digital services provider PLDT, received a nod from Telecom Asia Awards for its Free Bee mobile application (www.freebeecalls.com).

A VoIP solution available in over 180 countries, Free Bee bested entries from the Philippines’s Globe Telecom, South Korea’s SK Telecom, and Indonesia’s Telin Telekom as Telecom Asia Awards’ Most Innovative Voice Solution category.

The innovation targets the estimated 2 million Filipinos who leave the country every year to augment their family’s financial standing and are in need of communication services to help them stay connected with their loved ones back home.

Now on its 22nd year, the Telecom Asia Awards is the region’s longest-running industry awards program which seeks to recognize the continent’s premier telecommunications service providers and executives. It is organized annually by Telecom Asia, the largest telecom publishing group in the region.

PGC’s advertising-based voice service delivers high-quality IDD calls to the Philippines for free.

For longer calls and an ad-free experience, users have the option to buy Premium Free Bee Voice buckets at affordable rates—as low as 1 US cent per minute—from global retailers or via in-app and online purchases.

A wholly owned subsidiary of PLDT, PGC has footprint in several countries across different regions worldwide. It provides international telecommunications services including wholesale and enterprise, voice, SMS and data, as well as a range of digital products and platforms designed to serve the 10.2 million Filipinos working and living abroad.

Aside from Free Bee, Telecom Asia also recognized innovations of Smart, PLDT’s wireless services subsidiary. The mobile provider received nominations for its education program School-in-a-Bag (Most Innovative Community Telecom Project category), Smart’s Credit Score Service (Most Innovative Approach to Analytics category), and Smart Free YouTube Everyday (Most Innovative Over-The-Top/ OTT Video Service category).

FACEBOOK STOPS HUAWEI FROM PREINSTALLING APPS ON PHONES LONDON—Facebook said on Friday it has stopped letting its apps come preinstalled on smartphones sold by Huawei in order to comply with US restrictions, a move that deals a fresh blow to the Chinese tech giant.

The social network said it has suspended providing software for Huawei to put on its devices while it reviews recently introduced US sanctions. Owners of existing Huawei smartphones that already have Facebook apps can continue to use them and download updates.

Facebook said people who have Huawei phones or buy new ones will still be able to download Facebook on their own.

Facebook’s move is the latest fallout in the escalating US-China tech feud. The Commerce Department last month effectively barred US companies from selling their technology to Huawei and other Chinese firms without government approval. China’s Commerce Ministry responded this week by warning it would release its own list of “unreliable” foreign companies in the near future.

US officials are pressing their global campaign to blacklist Huawei, the world’s No. 1 network equipment provider and second-largest smartphone maker. They say Beijing could use the company’s products for cyberespionage, though they haven’t presented evidence of intentional spying.

“We are reviewing the Commerce Department’s final rule and the more recently issued temporary general license and taking steps to ensure compliance,” Facebook said, referring to a 90-day grace period allowing continued support of existing Huawei equipment.

Huawei declined to comment.

Google, which makes the Android operating system used

by Huawei, has already said that while it would continue to support existing Huawei phones, future devices won’t come with its flagship apps and services, including maps, Gmail and search. Only basic services would be available for future versions of Android. AP

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Pet Corner BusinessMirror

Wednesday, June 12, 2019

Stressed out?

Your dog may feel it too, study suggests A STUDY published on June 6 in the journal Scientific Reports suggests that dog owners experiencing long bouts of stress can actually transfer the stress to their dogs like a contagious infection. AP

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By Eugenia Last

CELEBRITIES BORN ON THIS DAY: Dave Franco, 34; Robyn, 40; Scott Thompson, 60; Timothy Busfield, 62.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY: Concentrate on your relationships this year. Learn from experience, and choose to take your time when dealing with emotional issues. Spending unnecessarily or for the wrong reason should be dealt with quickly in order to ease stress. Learn to love who you are, and choose to be around people who treat you with respect and equality. Your lucky numbers are 8, 12, 22, 27, 30, 38, 49.

a

b

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Be careful while traveling or dealing with people in authoritative positions. Abide by the rules, and avoid situations that might implicate you as an accomplice. Pay attention; you’ll turn a negative situation into a positive. HHH

c

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Personal improvements, spending time with children or your lover or reviewing a relationship you have with someone and making adjustments that will encourage togetherness or greater equality will help you move in a positive direction. Romance is in the stars. HHHH

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CANCER (June 21-July 22): Truth matters.

Get the facts, and consider what’s best for yourself. Emotional situations will develop if you let someone meddle in your affairs. Before making a change, consider the consequences. HH

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LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Make positive adjustments to the way you live. Call upon someone you’ve helped in the past to get some valuable input, as well as hands-on help.

Don’t make comparisons or let what others have or do influence you. HHHH

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VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Get involved in organizations or events that interest you.

What you contribute will be well-received and encourage you to get involved in other projects that will bring you in contact with people who share your sentiments. HHH

is continually emerging, showing that people and their dogs have incredibly close bonds that resemble the ones that parents share with their children,” she said in an e-mail.

But she said there isn’t enough evidence to assume that the influence goes only one way; it may go both ways. “It’s not just as simple as owner gets stressed, dog gets stressed,” she said.

Many other factors could affect a person or dog’s stress levels and possibly even dampen them, she said.

Buttner said cortisol levels don’t necessarily indicate “bad” stress. They instead can indicate a good experience like getting ready to go for a walk, she said.

Roth and her team plan to investigate whether other dog breeds will react to their owners the same way. In the meantime, she offered advice to minimize how much stress dog owners may be causing their pets. Dogs that play more show fewer signs of being stressed, she said. So “just be with your dog and have fun,” Roth said. n

clinic’s Pet Memorial Garden.

He said pets not only become part of our lives, but parts of us, too. Laura Wade, who operates a dog rescue service, attended the ceremony, saying she’s gone through the grieving process 16 times.

“I think pets are here to teach us the purpose of unconditional love,” Wade said. “And when that time comes [when they die] we are tested to see if we have learned what unconditional love means.”

Dr. Larry Baker, who owns the clinic, said it doesn’t get easier telling pet owners grim prognoses despite working as a vet for nearly half a century.

“A lot of people will say ‘This is too hard, this is my last pet,’” Baker said.

“And then, two months later, they get another one. You can never replace the one you had, but you learn to go on.” AP

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LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): An opportunity is within reach. Don’t miss out because someone is playing with your emotions. If you don’t follow your heart and your dreams, you will have regrets and resent that you let someone stand in your way. HHH

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SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Explore new possibilities, but stay within budget.

Keeping your life balanced will be difficult.

You’ll be faced with temptation, as well as opportunity.

Use your intelligence and experience to help you do what’s best. HHH

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Illinois animal hospital gives pet owners a place to grieve DECATUR, Illinois—An animal hospital in central Illinois recently gave bereaved pet owners an opportunity to memorialize their beloved pets.

They gathered in Decatur on Sunday to pray and share stories at the service held by Northgate Pet Clinic, the (Decatur) Herald and Review reported.

Veterinary assistant Angie Litz, who helped organize the ceremony, said there can be a stigma around grieving a pet.

“Everybody should take however long they need to grieve,” said Becca Bebar, a technician at the animal hospital. “And we’re here for you.”

Macon County Court Security Officer Alan Engdale was there to remember Kid, a former K9 officer who died in 2017. Engdale had previously scattered some of Kid’s ashes in the

Today’s Horoscope

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Learn as you go, and don’t be fooled or put in a position by someone who is demanding or overbearing.

Concentrate on self-improvement, personal growth and doing what’s best for yourself. Align yourself with likeminded people. Romance is highlighted. HHH

By Jeremy Rehm The Associated Press

EW YORK—When dog owners go through a stressful period, they’re not alone in feeling the pressure—their dogs feel it too, a new study suggests. Dog owners experiencing long bouts of stress can transfer it to their dogs, scientists report in a study published on Thursday in Scientific Reports.

The Swedish researchers focused on 58 people who own border collies or Shetland sheepdogs. They examined hair from the dog owners and their dogs, looking at the concentrations of a hormone called cortisol, a chemical released into the bloodstream and absorbed by hair follicles in response to stress.

Depression, excessive physical exercise and unemployment are just a few examples of stress that can influence the amount of cortisol found in your hair, said Lina Roth of Linkoping University in Sweden. Roth and her team found that the patterns of cortisol levels in the hair of dog owners closely matched that found in their dogs in both winter and summer months, indicating their stress levels were in sync.

She thinks the owners are influencing the dogs rather than the other way around because several human personality traits appear to affect canine cortisol levels. The researchers don’t know what causes the synchronization in cortisol levels between humans and their pups. But a hint might lie in the fact that the link is stronger with competitive dogs than in pet pooches. The bond formed between owner and competitive dogs during training may increase the canines’ emotional reliance on their owners, she said. That, in turn, could increase the degree of synchronization.

But why do people influence their dogs rather than vice versa? Perhaps people are “a more central part of the dog’s life, whereas we humans also have other social networks,” Roth said in an e-mail.

The study results are no surprise, said Alicia Buttner, director of animal behavior with the Nebraska Humane Society in Omaha. “New evidence

www.businessmirror.com.ph

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): You can participate without taking on more than you can handle. Make it clear what you are willing to offer, and avoid any misunderstanding that puts you in an awkward position. HHHH

j

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Listen to what others have to say, and make plans and changes that will please everyone, including yourself. Keeping the peace and avoiding emotional discord are in your best interest and will serve you well when you ask for help. HH

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AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): A change at home will help lower your overhead. Roll up your sleeves and do the work required to reach your goal. A physical improvement will boost your morale. HHHHH

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PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Consider your options and the effects they will have on those you love or work with before you begin. Work with the majority to get the help you need to accomplish what’s best for everyone. HHH MACON County Court Security Officer Alan Engdale is shown with his new pet dog, Tazer, on June 9, in Decatur, Illinois. AP

BIRTHDAY BABY: You are emotional, caring and helpful.

You are receptive and playful.

‘hot meals’ BY PAUL COULTER The Universal Crossword/Edited by David Steinberg

ACROSS 1 Winter coaster 5 “Never ___ Give You Up” 10 Erupt 14 Mani’s partner 15 Coming up 16 Billionth: Prefix 17 Start of a quip 20 “No more for me” 21 Approves 22 A, to a rabbi 24 Didn’t have enough 25 Quip: Part II 31 Frequently 32 Swiss mathematician who nearly went blind 33 Future fish 34 Hi-___ monitor 35 “Let’s go, Gabriela!”

36 Lord’s Prayer start 37 Worst Yelp review 38 Baggins of the Shire 39 Creepy-crawlies 40 Quip: Part III

4 Qualified 4 45 Pouts 46 Prenatal test, for short 48 Go downhill fast?

51 End of the quip (which should be spoken aloud!)

56 Blackthorn fruit 57 Bring up 58 “I can’t ___!”

59 Be inclined 60 Accumulate 61 Kaput DOWN 1 Intel gatherer 2 Aquarius’ zodiac opposite 3 Dean’s e-mail address ender 4 Most risky 5 Leader of India’s Salt March 6 Cry of dread 7 Broadway brightener 8 ___ the Great (boy detective) 9 Blog’s revenue source, perhaps 10 Plumbers’ probes 11 Float path

2 It’s a sin 1 13 Troubles 18 Coachella blasters 19 Jenga structure 22 Actress Dahl or Francis 23 Dangerously unpredictable sort 24 Horace poems 25 Chocolate substitute 26 Author Zora ___ Hurston 27 Popular Creole dish 28 Cool and distant 29 Difficult spots for golfers 30 Brusque 35 Workbench attachment 38 Sunny von ___ (Reversal of Fortune role) 39 Turned red 41 Tolerated 42 Entertains 43 Very confused 46 ___ prof.

47 Ram’s gender 48 Con game 49 Green “pet”

0 Petroleum giant 5 52 SEP plan 53 December 24 or 31 54 The Crying Game star Stephen 55 Apt last answer

Solution to yesterday’s puzzle:

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Show BusinessMirror

Wednesday, June 12, 2019

ANGELINE QUINTO

JERICHO ROSALES

FILIPINO ARTISTS PERFORM AT ‘ISLAFEST’ FUSION FESTIVAL

GODZILLA: King of the Monsters is turn-your-brain-off summer fun, and doesn’t need to be anything more than that.

‘Godzilla’ is back and doing just fine

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By Lindsey Bahr The Associated Press

T’S been a bit since moviegoers had the chance to catch up with Godzilla, five years in fact, which in cinematic franchise time feels like at least a few decades. In other words, it’s understandable if you go into Godzilla: King of the Monsters a little rusty on just what went down in Tokyo and San Francisco back in 2014.

But Godzilla: King of the Monsters is a sequel in the loosest possible sense that requires minimal recall from the audience, which is likely a good thing for those whose brains have been overloaded with Game of Thrones, Avengers and Star Wars minutiae and

mythology. Worry not, Godzilla is here to provide some old-fashioned summer spectacle, no CliffsNotes required. It’s a low bar, sure, but at least Godzilla is comfortable with its place in the blockbuster ecosystem.

The filmmakers have even helpfully shifted the focus to another family entirely for this installment, from the inert Brodys (Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Elizabeth Olsen) to the Russells, a now-broken family of scientists who lived in San Francisco during the 2014 attack.

There are a few holdovers though, mostly employees of Monarch, the secret multinational organization that studies the titans, like Dr. Serizawa (Ken Watanabe) and Dr. Graham (Sally Hawkins), who are being accused of hiding Godzilla from world governments who’d rather just destroy them all.

As far as the newcomers go, Dr. Emma Russell (Vera Farmiga) also works for Monarch and has developed a machine called the Orca, which simulates the sounds of the various titans. She believes this can be used to help manage them. Emma lives with her 14-year-old daughter, Madison (Stranger Things’ Millie Bobby Brown in her first major film role), who is precociously enchanted by her mother’s work and admires the primordial creatures.

Madison’s father Mark Russell (Kyle Chandler, whose intensity is at level 10 for most of the movie) is not really in the picture, having left after the San

Francisco incident, but is drawn back in when Emma and Madison (and the Orca) are kidnapped by some militant ecoterrorists led by Jonah Alan (Charles Dance).

This group wants to use the titans, of which there are now “17 and counting” including a pretty dazzling Mothra and a less-enchanting three-headed “Monster Zero,” to help reset the planet and reverse climate change and overpopulation.

There’s some convenient explanation of why the radiation from the titans actually helps revitalize vegetation, which, like many of the silly plot devices in this movie, you kind of just let slide. That said, anyone currently watching Chernobyl on HBO will likely be very stressed out about the amount of radiation all the humans are likely absorbing just by being in proximity to all these creatures.

Michael Dougherty has taken the directing reins this time, from Gareth Edwards, and has done a fine job capturing the grandness of the titans, keeping the action coherent and balancing the human element thanks to a terrific cast that also includes O’Shea Jackson Jr. and Thomas Middleditch. His script is also pleasingly light and often funny, although Bradley Whitford’s Dr. Stanton goes a little overboard trying to be the comic relief.

But even that is easy to give a pass to. Godzilla: King of the Monsters is turn-your-brain-off summer fun, and doesn’t need to be anything more than that. n

SOME of the best Filipino artists come together for a momentous celebration, as the Philippine Expo Organizing Committee and TFC bring the first Filipino-Japanese fusion festival, dubbed “IslaFest,” which happens from June 14 to 16 at the Ueno Park in Tokyo, Japan.

The Filipino artists who will represent the country in each day of the festival are Inigo Pascual, Angeline Quinto, Maymay Entrata, Edward Barber and Jericho Rosales. They will share the stage with Japanese artists at the first-ever FilipinoJapanese fusion festival.

Fans in Japan can get the best experience of watching these performers live by availing themselves of the VIP ticket that costs ¥6,000, which is sold per day. VIP tickets can also be purchased via ktxglobal.abs-cbn.com.

Tickets are also available via ticket resellers WorldCom International, MTrend and New Nene’s Kitchen.

BLIND SPOT BRUCE C.

INFLUENCE-PEDDLING

A RECENT event, which caused an uproar in social media, brought to light the perks and privileges enjoyed by influencers and celebrities. They get free trips, designer items and lots of cash just to appear at events. For this controversial event, a number of influencers and celebrities were paid by the company to make an appearance and post on social media. But as it happened, the event drew the ire of the public, and the celebrities and influencers became the targets of their anger. Unfortunately, they couldn’t tell their bashers the truth—that they had been paid to attend the event. They didn’t ask for the tickets, as their bashers think.

ONE TRUE LOVE

THIS actress is being blamed for the breakup of the actor and his longtime girlfriend, who’s also in show business. But everybody who knows the actress is certain that she’s not really into the actor. Her real boyfriend is allegedly a guy she met while she was abroad, and he’s now living in her house in an extension she had specially built for him. Before this latest brouhaha, she was known as a gold-digger of sorts as she would only date rich men, regardless of how they looked.

Well, the actress seems to have found her one true love, and never mind that he isn’t rich or famous.

HE DID IT AGAIN

SO the actor and his girlfriend have split, just at a time when he is shooting a new drama with a new leading lady, who is very sexy. Network insiders say the split is because of the sexy actress, while others say it’s just a gimmick. So what’s the truth? The actor reportedly got tired and bored with his long-term relationship and, yes, he is flirting with his sexy leading lady. It’s not clear whether she reciprocates his feelings, or is also just flirting with him. What is definite is that there’s something there. We just don’t know what that is.

FILTERED

DISCOVERY Suites Director of Sales and Marketing Janice Tiambeng (from left), Atlantis Theatrical Entertainment Marketing and Sales Executive Mikee Lim, Discovery Suites General Manager Leeds Trompeta, Executive Chef Gerwin Bailon and Director of Marketing Communications Joseph Josue.

KAYLA RIVERA

Discovery Suites brings a ‘Beautiful’ surprise to guests

By Pauline Joy M. Gutierrez THE Tony-, Grammy- and Olivier-winning musical Beautiful: The Carole King Musical will open at the Meralco Theater in Pasig City on June 14 to July 17. To celebrate its Manila staging, Discovery Suites (www. discoverysuites.com) in Ortigas is giving guests the chance to see the Broadway megahit live.

“All guests checking in until June 16 will be entitled to a 20-percent discount on Beautiful tickets for specific show dates,” said Joseph Josue, Discovery Suites director of marketing communications, at a recent press event.

He added that two complimentary premium tickets to Beautiful were already given to each of the first 10 guests who booked with the recent “Room for More” promo: “It went so fast, we needed to release an additional 20 more complimentary tickets.”

With a book by Douglas McGrath, Beautiful tells the story of the early life and career of Grammy-winning

American singer-songwriter Carole King, featuring songs that she (along with Gerry Goffin, Barry Mann, Cynthia Weil and Phil Spector) wrote, such as unforgettable classics like “You’ve Got a Friend,” “One Fine Day,” “So Far Away,” “Take Good Care of My Baby” and “Natural Woman.”

The original production received its world premiere at the Curran Theatre, San Francisco, with direction by Marc Bruni and choreography by Josh Prince and starring Jessie Mueller and Jake Epstein, who continue to play Carole King and Gerry Goffin.

It made its Broadway debut at the Stephen Sondheim Theatre in January 2014.

A West End production starring Katie Brayben as Carole began in February 2015, while an ongoing US tour launched in September 2015.

Kayla Rivera and Nick Varricchio will play Carole King and her husband and writing partner Gerry Goffin, respectively, in this Atlantis Theatrical production, with Bobby Garcia directing.

“Beautiful is something close to the hearts of Filipino audiences, and we want to make them experience that feel-good ambiance [of Discovery Suites], too,” said Josue, noting that they also prepared a special menu that pays tributes to Carole King’s widely loved songs in 22 Prime, the hotel’s flagship restaurant.

“You can cap your night at the theater with dinner [here]. All Beautiful ticketholders can claim a complimentary ‘A Natural Woman’ cocktail when they dine from June 14 to July 15.”

The Beautiful promo coincides with Discovery Suites’s Father’s Day offering. 22 Prime’s “Dads’ Day Bundles” are designed for sharing among six to eight persons. Guests can choose from three bundles, all of which come complete with soup, two main courses and a dessert platter. For mains, they have a choice of Prime’s Tomahawk and Center-cut Salmon or Signature Steak Platter, and Turf King Prawns or Herb Garlic Chicken and Grilled Seafood Platter.

EVERYBODY uses filters in their pictures for social media but this male influencer is the most adept at it. He’s so good at using filters and editing his photos that when people meet him for the first time, they are startled that he doesn’t have poreless skin, nor does he look like the person in his photographs. People are also wondering how he is able to afford all the designer items he’s been sporting lately.

According to rumors, the items are on loan from online shops. Does that mean the said designer items will be resold to unknowing customers? Now that’s a scary thought.

THE LATEST ON EDDIE GARCIA THE legendary multi-awarded actor-director Eddie Garcia remains in critical condition at the Makati Medical Center, following an unfortunate accident while taping in Tondo, Manila, on June 8 for what should have been his newest series for GMA, Rosang Agimat. Contrary to initial reports claiming the actor suffered a heart attack, based on the latest reports it would appear he tripped while shooting a scene and suffered a neck fracture from the fall. Eddie Garcia, according to reports, remains in a coma. GMA has issued a new statement as an investigation being conducted by the network continues. The statement reads: “It has been the network’s practice to have medical personnel and ambulance crew on standby whenever the production is executing big action scenes during taping. This has been likewise the practice in other GMA programs. Given this, we are currently investigating the absence of a medical team on the set last Saturday, June 8. GMA Network is deeply saddened with what happened to Mr. Eddie Garcia, and the management is committed to getting to the bottom of this unfortunate incident.”

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Image BusinessMirror

Wednesday, June 12, 2019

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AMOREPACIFIC President Ahn Se-hong and Lazada Group CEO Pierre Poignant during the MOU signing.

Amorepacific, Lazada sign an MOU to strengthen partnership SEOUL, South Korea—Korea’s biggest beauty company Amorepacific signed in May a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Southeast Asia’s leading e-commerce company Lazada Group to strengthen its strategic partnership and work together to solidify their brand outreach in Southeast Asia.

The MOU is aimed at invigorating Amorepacific’s online business in Southeast Asia, a key global strategic region. Lazada will enable the beauty company to leverage the e-commerce platform’s extensive network, and accelerate the growth and enlarge its market share in the region by showcasing its innovative “Asian Beauty” products to a greater consumer base.

The MOU signing event was held at Amorepacific Global Headquarters in Seoul, in the presence of the key executives of both companies, including Amorepacific’s President Ahn Se-hong and Lazada Group’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Pierre Poignant.

Both companies will work together to provide a differentiated customer experience in the Korean beauty category to consumers in the region. The MOU is expected to strengthen Amorepacific’s leadership in beauty products and services by leveraging Lazada’s digital technology and competitive standing in the e-commerce space.

“With this MOU with Lazada Group, we expect to see some mutually beneficial outcomes,” said Se-hong. “Amorepacific will continue to create touchpoints with more Asean customers and promote innovation in the customer experience through the digital channel.”

“This partnership is our commitment and joint ambition to build our Asian beauty and skincare category, and provide an elevated shopping experience,” said Poignant.

“Beauty is one of Lazada’s top product categories across the region and we are excited to combine our digital expertise with Amorepacific’s offerings to create the best shopping experience for our customers.”

Amorepacific already uses Lazada Group’s digital platform to distribute its key brands, such as Laneige, Mamonde, innisfree and Etude House, in major Asean markets, including Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

Picking yourself up SUI GENERIS CARLO ATIENZA

biblisko@gmail.com

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T was my first time to handle such a technical project and I was dealing with a client known for their aggressive timelines and detailed requirements. Nonetheless, I took on the challenge because I knew my team could deliver.

What I did not consider was our dependency on another team for the platform. In the end, there were delays in delivery and I had to go to my director and tell her what happened before I was escalated to our vice president—but not without a good reprimand from her first. It was a mistake I took to heart for a long time.

We have all done something wrong at work at one time or another. But it does not have to be the end of your career. Mistakes are unavoidable at work if companies provide employees an opportunity to take risks at improving processes. The price of innovation is the risk of mistakes. And when you do something wrong, it is part of the learning process inherent in innovation. When you commit a mistake, there are many things you can do to pick up the pieces and rebuild your reputation and your self-esteem.

Take the time to reflect and think about what you have done. There is value in introspection if your goal is to look for ways to do it better the next time around.

I am not talking about the wallowing-in-self-pity kind of introspection where you incessantly blame yourself. I am talking about the kind where you objectively look at what you could have done better.

It will also be futile to look for people to blame for the mistake because it already happened. What you can do is to list down what could have been done to avoid repeating the same mistake. You will discover

that most of the time, the root cause is the lack of a process in place for checks and balances. Part of your professional development is to look for ways and means by which you can improve things at work.

And committing a mistake is an opportunity to create and put a process in place so others will not commit the same.

One of the most important things you should do is to take responsibility for the mistake. Admitting your fault takes a lot of courage and resilience, but it will impress your direct supervisor if they know the value of integrity. If you know that you are at fault, do not make excuses or blame other people because ultimately you are the project owner. The buck stops with you. Apologize and take responsibility for your actions and briefly explain why it happened. This will help you move on to the next step.

After you have owned the mistake, provide recommendations so it will not happen again.

Providing guidance will help alleviate some of the disappointment your direct supervisor might be feeling, and it goes a long way in restoring their faith in you and your capabilities. That is why it is important for you to reflect first before talking to your supervisor. This also signals to them that you have thought things through and you are willing to learn from the experience.

And to cement your willingness to rebuild your reputation, do restitution by doing great at work. Go the extra mile for some time to show you are working hard to repair the wrong that happened under your watch. Come to work earlier than usual and, if you can, extend for some time. Follow through on your recommendations for improving the process and present to your supervisor these recommendations and their progress. This will assure them that they have made the right decision to give you a chance to rectify your mistake.

For your other tasks, celebrate small wins. Of course you will feel disappointed for a time but do not let it stop you from celebrating small victories in your work. Your mistake does not define you unless you allow it. There are so many facets to your work and one mistake will not dictate your future in your present company. Excel where you can and take pains

in ensuring you perform way better than before.

This will also help so you do not fall into self-pity and depression, and it will go a long way in boosting your morale. So do not feel guilty about celebrating small wins. They go a long way in keeping you focused and engaged.

After you have done all of these, forgive yourself and let go. It happened, and there is nothing you can do about something which has already come to pass. But the lessons should not be lost in vain. And after you have proven yourself, and after you have done everything you can so it will not happen again, your superiors will scarcely remember your faux pas because you have risen over and above it.

Mistakes are inevitable, and from them arise opportunities for your professional and personal growth. It is up to you on how you will use these opportunities, so choose wisely. Mistakes can be stepping stones for your growth in the company, or the stumbling block that can send you crashing down. n

Mistakes are inevitable, and from them arise opportunities for your professional and personal growth. It is up to you on how you will use these opportunities, so choose wisely.

Miniso now open at Total Slex JAPANESE fast-fashion brand Miniso recently opened its 76th branch and first stand-alone franchised store in the Philippines at Total South Luzon Expressway (Slex) in Santa Rosa, Laguna.

The store opened with a Kagami Biraki ceremony led by Miniso Total Slex franchisees Ariel de Dios and Gina de Dios together with Miniso executives: Miniso International Representative Yuan, AVP Franchising John Agner and Senior Merchandising Manager Melody Hao. Also present at the event were Total executives: Managing Director Laurent Stouffe, Vice President for Retail Business Raymond Decena, Vice President for Finance Cecil Roccon and Vice President for Marketing Malou Espina.

Travelers along the northbound lane of Slex can now stop by Total and enjoy Miniso’s wide selection of creative and low-priced products ranging from Creative Home Necessities, Health and Beauty, Fashion Accessories, Stylistic Gifts, Office Supplies, Stationery Gifts, Seasonal Products, Boutique Package Decoration, Digital Accessories, and Food and Drink.

Just in time for back-to-school season, Miniso also has creative and affordable school supplies perfect for kids this coming school year.

There are We Bare Bears-inspired notebooks,

❶ MINISO

International Representative Yuan attended the opening of Miniso Total Slex.

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MINISO franchisees Gina de Dios and Ariel de Dios made their first purchase inside the store.

❸ Keep your new pens inside these cute Adventure Time pouches now available at Miniso.

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colorful pens and notepads. School will also be more fun and exciting with Miniso’s Adventure Timeinspired backpacks and pencil cases that kids would surely love.

Headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, Miniso was jointly founded by its Chief Designer Miyake Junya and young Chinese entrepreneur Jacky Ye with their three core values: quality, idea and low price.

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BusinessMirror E1 | Wednesday, June 12, 2019 • Editor : Tet Andolong

Avida Verra Community ARTIST PERSPECTIVE

Avida Land Corp.

A growth catalyst in Cavite

By Rizal Raoul S. Reyes

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@brownindio

YALA Land Inc., through its affiliate Avida Land Corp., is playing the role of catalyst for growth in Cavite. Avida Land Corp., the midrange brand of ALI, is focused in developing Vermosa Estate in Imus.

“Avida considers Cavite a very important territory, having established projects here since 2002. We have several residential subdivisions in the province: Avida Residences Santa Catalina, Avida Settings Cavite, Avida Village Santa Cecilia, Avida Residences Dasmariñas and Southgrove Estates. These residential villages cover 116 hectares with a total of 4,200 units [house and lots, and lots only],” Anne Jara, Avida Land South Luzon Project Strategic Management Group head told reporters in a recent press briefing held in Makati City.

Avida is developing the 700-hectare Vermosa into mix of residential, business, and retail elements fortified by sports and fitness amenities. The location is accessible as it will only take 55 minutes coming from Makati via South Luzon Expressway.

In the immediate future, accessing Vermosa would be easier as major infrastructure projects such as the Daang Hari Exit of the CaviteLaguna Expressway (Calax), and Molino Road flyover and Aguinaldo Highway flyover will be finished.

Jara said Vermosa will promote holistic development by advocating an active and healthy lifestyle. It will have the Vermosa Sports Hub which includes an Olympic-sized pool, track and field oval and the country’s first sports science laboratory. The sports hub is already operational and has been the place for many sports events. Moreover, Avida Settings will put sidewalks and bike lanes as part of promoting the green agenda to the residents.

The estate also boasts of the 14-kilometer Vermosa Greenway, large green open spaces that encourage wellness and recreational activities. Jara said residents of Avida Verra Settings will also enjoy a central amenity area. This will feature an adult pool, kiddie pool,

basketball court, children’s park and playground, and clubhouse. This will be a fenced community with open spaces and landscaped parks.

The shopping needs of the Vermosa community will be provided by the 65,000-square-meter (sq m) Ayala Malls Vermosa slated to open in 2020. Ayala Land Premier and Alveo Land will also conduct their respective development projects in Vermosa.

Furthermore, Starbucks has opened a branch and McDonald’s will start operating in the estate. De La Salle Santiago Zobel School already operates its Vermosa campus.

Jara said Avida Verra Settings Vermosa is considered a special project because it is the first and only Cavite subdivision within an Ayala Land estate. “This allows homebuyers access to all the developments in the estate while enjoying a healthy, sustainable environment.”

The residential subdivision will be just five minutes away by car from Vermosa Midtown, the estate’s midrise commercial center.

Model Macy ARTIST PERSPECTIVE

House designs

Avida Verra Settings Vermosa features two modern contemporary house designs, both efficiently planned for more livable space for its residents. There are ample windows for free-flowing air and sunshine to come in. Spaces are well-ventilated and designed for light conservation.

Aside from lots only and house and lots, Jara said Avida Land will offer buyers the option of a house and lot with the adjacent empty lot.

She added, this will enable buyers to expand and customize their living or outdoor spaces as they see fit.

“For example, they can choose to redesign the house with an extension or design the outdoor space with a water feature or garden patio.”

Avida Settings will offer two bi-level house designs, both with

Model Trista ARTIST PERSPECTIVE

three bedrooms and two toilet and baths. Macy has a standard floor plan of 67 sq m with a minimum lot size of 125 sq m. Trista has a floor size of 85 sq m with a minimum lot size of 138 sq m.

Both Macy and Trista have a modern contemporary design that is clean, simple and classical emphasizing a minimalist design approach. Jara said Avida Land applied a few upgrades such as weather-resistant stone chip roofing and stone cladding on the house façade for more aesthetic appeal.

Jara said the house models have a trimmed down design to minimize the need for maintenance and heavy cleaning.

“We have ample windows for more free-flowing air and more sunshine in these homes to conserve light energy. You’ll find simplified and unified earth tone colors. The designs of these homes boast of efficient space planning,” she said.

Although it has a single phase, Jara said Avida Verra Settings has three sectors.

Sectors 1 and 2 have a total of 245 units that are now sold out. Sector 3 with 125 units will be released by next month. Together, they will add up to 370 units which pertain to the total units in Avida Verra Settings.

Land development in the site will be completed by May 2021. Our target for turnover is in the second half of 2021. Average package price for Macy is P9 million while Trista will be priced at P9.5 million. Meanwhile, Avida is offering options to buyers. It is selling Macy with an adjacent lot option worth P12.5 million and Trista with also the same option is selling at P14 million.

“We offered this in consideration of our buyer’s discerning needs, particularly on the need for additional space or area for future expansion.

As mentioned, our target market comprises of upgraders, thus, we would like to upgrade their living experience by offering future-ready options,” Jara added.

Just like its earlier projects, Jara said buyer profile per project continuously evolves, due to changes in the market’s needs and their capacity to invest. Avida Verra Settings, for example, is geared toward a market that is upgrading or buying a second home. They are already established in their profession and have a solid career path, and an average household income of P150,000 and above.

Business

E2 Wednesday, June 12, 2019

Real Estate + Technology

Amor Maclang

first dibs in real estate

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Part Two

hat do you think about tokenization in real estate? How about payments and capital raises?

MV: Creating tokens that represent fractional ownership of real estate enables investments, capital raises and easy transfer of ownership. The tokenization can be controlled for KYC and property ownership restrictions through a blockchain platform like Stellar, which allows easy creation of tokens that represent assets, with some degree of control as to who can hold the tokens. In the Philippines, this could be done under proposed initial token offerings regulations, in the same way that any securities would be offered for sale to the public. At the moment, this is restricted to a REIT (Real Estate Investment Trust), of which only one has been created in the 10 years of regulations being issued. It requires minimum P300 million (approximately $6 million) capitalization and 66 percent MPO (minimum public ownership). If tokenization is used to raise or invest, more money could be raised to build, or more capital could be released for use in other endeav-

ors. Immense amounts of capital are tied up in real estate, mostly illiquid — f reeing up this capital would bring new stimulus to the economy.

ET: Being the owner of their own payment history, the residents are empowered to choose which MFI or banks they would like give their data to. Thus, providing the FIs is the initial data set to provide credit or financial services to the residents.

IT: For fintech people the buzzword on funding used to be initial coin offering and now more on security token offering (STO). The main difference of the two is most ICOs are called utility coins where said token holders are provided future access to a company’s product or service. In real estate it’s like a time-share concept.

Security tokens on the other hand, represent shares of company stock. In real estate, the practice on security-type token is

Investopedia.com

that token holders have a backup solid and tangible real-estate project so the tokens are more secured. This makes real-estate security tokens a more solid, lower-risk type investment.

Please note with Philippine regulatory body embracing technological changes, e.g., having an upcoming regulation on STOs (ICOs), we can predict that those real-estate projects, particularly those which are backed up and secured by realestate assets, are expected to pick up better in offerings and therefore eventually redound to our country having more FDIs thus, better economy.

It starts by having a digital ecosystem that allows real-time analysis of living and moving data. The end result is a greener city through optimal energy production, enhanced security via distributed ledger technology and an urban civilization that provides efficiency yet with simplicity.

This can be achieved by integrating blockchain technology into the physical real-estate assets, thus forming a digital network that connects urban cities into the daily lives of the residents that exchange information seamlessly in the background to bring convenience, efficiency and enhance security to their day to day business and life.

What is the role of Blockchain in real estate?

IT: A blockchain is in the simplest of terms, a time-stamped series of immutable record of data that is managed by a cluster of computers not owned by any single entity. Each of these blocks of data is bound to each other using cryptographic principles.

Because of these features, blockchain is in fact a major advantage in the real-estate business as it provides better transparen-

MV: Tokenization, payments, document archival and retrieval, along with transparency and accountability.

ET: We believe that in order to build a smart and efficient city, the city and its requirements need to be understood first.

cy, limits fraud (fake titles) and improves efficiency. n Better Transparency. A decentralized exchange has trust built into the system.

Since information can be verifiable to peers, buyers and sellers can have more confidence in conducting transactions. Fraud attempts would also be lessened.

Also if record office is converted to blockchain, this can limit or possibly eradicate issuance of fake titles as information cannot be changed or altered. n Cost efficiency. Blockchain can also trim down all associated costs with realestate transactions. Beyond the savings in cutting out intermediaries’ professional fees and commissions, there are other costs such as inspections costs, registration fees, loan fees and taxes associated with real-estate. n Operational efficiency—Blockchain introduces new ways to trade real estate, and can enable trading platforms and online marketplaces to support real-estate transactions more comprehensively.

Redefining work-life balance down Metro South F

OR city dwellers wanting a less stressful urban life, Filinvest City, a people-centric, green central business district (CBD) in Metro South, beckons.

Aiming to redefine the work-life balance down Metro South, Filinvest City has master planned a mixed-use development where buildings, road networks and open spaces are deliberately designed for pedestrians. The city has its own lifestyle hubs, multinational and local companies, top-notch schools, and universities and parks for recreation and relaxation for a true live-work-play environment.

States Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design in the Neighborhood Development Plan category.

All of life’s necessities within reach

Easily accessible to people

Green and eco-friendly, Filinvest City encourages people to rely less on private cars, and use other forms of transportation.

Streets and parks, including an integrated network of pedestrian-friendly landscaped pathways, are designed to encourage walking from one part of the city to another.

As part of this effort, construction along the Festival Mall’s boardwalk has been completed recently, connecting the Riverpark, Water Garden and South Station via walkways. With this, Filinvest Cityzens can now take a quick break for when work is getting too much.

Filinvest City also promotes biking by providing safe bike lanes. A nature trail has become popular with bikers, from beginners to experts. When the weather will not allow walking or biking, Filinvest Cityzens can ride the ever-convenient 360 Eco-Loop. The eco-friendly ride is an integrated, electric-powered transportation that can accommodate up to 25 persons, and with 31 stops all over the city.

More thoroughfares make Filinvest City easily accessible to people from neighboring areas like Las Piñas, Parañaque, Laguna, Cavite, Taguig and Makati. For even further convenience, provincial and city buses, as

well as vans are readily accessible—all by the entrance to the city.

A true work-live-play environment

Maintaining a work-life balance is not only essential to one’s health and relationships, it also improves efficiency and performance at work. Employees who are looking for a quick respite can easily do so at Filinvest City with its more laid-back vibe.

They can take a breather by strolling

through the city’s beautiful spaces adorned with lush greeneries, such as the Spectrum Linear Park and the soon-to-be constructed Creekside Park and Central Park. They can start a fitness routine by jogging, biking or other activities at Filinvest City’s functional open spaces.

Employees can also relax with friends after work as the city offers a wide array of restaurants where employees and residents can bond over good food and drinks.

Even visitors who wish to de-stress in the Metro South do not have to worry about getting lost in the city as they can easily find their way to their destination with Filinvest City’s wayfinding features that are strategically placed along its tree-canopied walkways.

Filinvest City’s green-oriented master plan is a reflection of its commitment to sustainable living. It is the first registered project in the Philippines under the United

Families and friends searching for fun and exciting bonding activities can always find something to do down Metro South. As a lifestyle destination, Filinvest City offers a slew of events for a wide-ranging market from senior citizens and people with disabilities (PWDs) to millennials and kids.

Senior citizens and PWDs can safely go around the city that has wide sidewalks with wheelchair access. Friendly security people are also always ready to help.

Regular events are also held to bring the community closer together. These include marathons, fun runs, music fests and Filinvest City’s very own community fair, the “Festival of Possibilities.” On Sundays from 5 a.m. to 10 a.m., Filinvest City closes off to cars one side of its Parkway, Commerce, Corporate and Filinvest Avenues to form a loop called the Shared Zone. Runners, bikers, fitness enthusiasts and families have used the car-less loop for over five years now.

Filinvest City is master planned to have all of life’s necessities well within reach. Its several lifestyle hubs cater to its Cityzens’ various needs, including the Festival Mall for shopping, Westgate Center for dining, and the Crimson Hotel and the exclusive Palms Country Club for leisure.

Without a doubt, Filinvest City is a selfcontained CBD for the people, serving as a breath of fresh air amid the Metro’s urban jungle. From the green, open spaces where they can relax and unwind to the wide and smooth pathways where they can safely walk to numerous activities that establish human connections, Filinvest City is designed to make urban life healthier, more enjoyable and stress-free.

sMirror

Wednesday, June 12, 2019 E3

DGT, home of De La Salle University campus in Davao

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NEW De La Salle University (DLSU) campus focused on professional development will be one of the key institutions of Davao Global Township (DGT), a 22-hectare business district master planned to be a world-class business hub and now emerging in the Southern Mindanao capital.

The Villa-Abrille Center for Professional Development

Jason Huang (from left), Edwin Reyes, Bro. Ray Suplido, Frederick Yuson and Jose Franco Soberano participated in the signing of the memorandum of agreement between YHEST Realty and Development Corp. and De La Salle University for the establishment of the Villa-Abrille Center for Professional Development in Davao Global Township (DGT).

DLSU’s Villa-Abrille Center for Professional Development was facilitated by the provision by YHEST Realty and Development Corp. of 4,000 square meters of prime office space rent-free in the premier Corporate Center office building at DGT, and a donation of P10 million for operational and other expenses.

YHEST is a joint venture between leading VisMin developer Cebu Landmasters Inc. (CLI) and the Yuson, Huang and Tan families belonging to the Villa-Abrille clan of Davao City. YHEST has begun ground works on Phase 1 of the P33-billion DGT which will also include two premier residential towers, a retail mall with a cineplex

and an expansive civic center.

Frederick Yuson, president of YHEST observed at the recent ceremonies marking the signing of the memorandum of understanding between YHEST and DLSU that “continuing education has become imperative for businesses today to thrive given the speed of developments in technology, business, engineering and other, fields.

Through the Villa-Abrille Center, we hope to bring the latest knowledge and learnings to Dabawenyos.”

YHEST Director and Cli Chief Operating Officer Franco Soberano pointed out that the presence of the DLSU facility will make DGT a comprehensive township. “The availability of ongoing education has proven to

be a critical element in many business districts, not only in Manila, but also in the other capitals of the world. The DLSU campus will inject a certain vitality to DGT.” Rafael Cabredo, dean of DLSU’s College of Computer Studies, disclosed that modules on data science and information security taught by DLSU experts would be among the offerings of the Villa-Abrille Center. “The quickest way for employees and managers to bring themselves up to speed on industry breakthroughs would be through short courses.” He was joined at the ceremonies by Raymundo Suplido, DLSU president, and key personnel from the schools of engineering and business who would also offer programs for continuing education.

DGT, CLI’s first township development, will have a wide diversity of uses to make a complete and truly sustainable community, according to Soberano. RTKL, a global planning and design firm responsible for the revival of some downtown centers, assisted in conceptualizing the overall scheme for the 22-hectare business park.

DGT will be a dynamic live-work-play community that will also offer a central park close to a kilometer in length. It is located in the Matina district, the densest residential area of the Davao metropolis.

Its office spaces, retail mall, park, civic area and residential towers will thus be highly accessible to a vast number of Davao residents seeking new lifestyle experiences.

The warehouse of tomorrow The most popular lifestyle destination up North

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Rick Santos (third from left) joined by (from left) Martin Marty (BDO), Kash Salvador (Santos Knight Frank), John Peterson (FedEx Express), Carlos Barrera (Lazada), Lourdes Guzman (Orca), Patricia Jacinto (QuadX), Ebb Hinchliffe (AmCham Philippines), Rombit Co (BDO) and Jaime Faustino (The Asia Foundation).

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RISING middle class, booming e-commerce market and the decentralization trend outside of Metro Manila are shaping the Philippines’s logistics industry and increasing the demand for warehouses and industrial properties, said Santos Knight Frank, the country’s leading real-estate advisory firm and service provider.

Santos Knight Frank recently unveiled its latest report, The Future of Logistics: A Real Estate Perspective, which looks at the evolution of Manila’s industrial property sector, new warehouse models and initiatives by developers to capitalize on the growth of the logistics industry.

The logistics sector is a catalyst of economic growth, delivering goods in a nation of more than 7,000 islands. Amid challenges in infrastructure and connectivity, the sector has seen strong demand for last-mile delivery hubs, inner-city distribution centers, cold storage and warehouse facilities, driven by strong domestic consumption from both e-commerce and traditional retail markets.

Decentralization

Santos Knight Frank’s report reveals that despite the rise of land prices in Metro Manila, warehouse rents have remained essentially stagnant. With the present land values, construction costs and lease rates, the traditional warehousing business is increasingly becoming less attractive to investors who seek shorter payback periods.

In addition, available land for industrial real estate in the city has become more limited as traditional industrial areas such as the C-5 Quezon City-Pasig City corridor continue to be transformed into mixed-use developments.

Rick Santos, chairman and CEO of Santos Knight Frank said, “The logistics sector is the next big thing to watch in Philippine real estate as it offers

a huge opportunity for developers. With the gentrification of urban areas in Manila and improving infrastructure in the region, areas such as North Luzon/Clark, Calabarzon, Cebu, Bacolod, Iloilo and Mindanao are new hot spots for real-estate developments that cater to the logistics industry.”

For industrial real-estate projects, developers are now exploring provincial locations which offer larger tracts of developable land, and also of reasonable land values. A number of property developers and companies have already entered this playing field, including notable players, such as Ayala, SM, Metro Pacific, JG Summit and Filinvest.

New business model

To improve profitability of warehouses in general, operators have offered add-on services and end-to-end solutions to occupiers. Technological innovations, such as the Automated Storage and Retrieval Systems (ASRS), have also made operations more efficient.

Kash Salvador, associate director for Investment and Capital Markets of Santos Knight Frank said, “Investors and developers are increasingly looking at innovative ways to leverage the growth of the logistics industry, offering value-added services, solutions and technology to improve efficiency, speed and profitability.”

Salvador added, “Will technology make warehouses obsolete in the future? Storage will still be critical for an archipelago of more than 7,000 islands, but technology will also continue to shape the form of warehouses that will keep up with the dramatic change in the market.” Santos Knight Frank is the most trusted property consultant by industrial occupiers and investors in the Philippines, providing a wide range of realestate solutions, such as advisory, transactional support, facilities management and appraisal, among other services, over the last 25 years.

VER Group of Cos. subsidiary Everscapes’s development, Calle Bistro—a lifestyle strip along Commonwealth Avenue—has become a “home away from home” for families and groups on the lookout for exciting food and beverage adventures.

People flock to Calle Bistro’s restaurants to taste mouthwatering selections that include best-selling appetizers, classic meal favorites, popular desserts and beverages.

Last year, Calle Bistro opened with the following tenants: Sisig Society, JTs Manukan, Adobo Connection, IMA Kitchen, PUB Express, Gerry’s Grill and Restaurant, ELM’s Kapihan and Winery, Hap Chan, Macao Imperial Tea, Cook the Bread, After Twelve and Starbucks. Just this year, Calle Bistro completes its lineup which now includes Tim Hortons, Samgyeopmasarap, Knicker + Bockers and Teriyaki Boy. Due to the overwhelming success of the tenants in terms of sales and rising foot traffic, Calle Bistro continues to hold various events such as celebrity bazaars, acoustic musical shows and seasonal promos.

According to Chie Arao-Santos, corporate marketing manager of Ever Group of Cos., Calle Bistro allows families t to experience flavorful discoveries, as it is now a must-visit foodie hub with diverse cuisine offerings.

“We are proud to say that after a year of

opening, Calle Bistro is the most popular foodie destination north of Manila. Calle Bistro offers a variety of culinary options for the large neighborhood along Commonwealth Avenue, from breakfast to chilling at midnight. As a brand, Calle Bistro is family-oriented, sincere and down-toearth. We have created not just a space for food, but a community through Calle Bistro where people gather for Great Eats and Great Meets—to exchange stories, make

memorable moments, and enjoy the best of life without driving too far away from their homes,” said Santos.

Built to complement the group’s Ever Commonwealth mall, Calle Bistro hosts more than a dozen of distinct food spaces that range from Chinese to Filipino restaurants, cafes and wine bars.

For more details and updates on events and promos, like and visit Calle Bistro Facebook and Instagram pages (@CalleBistroPH).

Solane launches Kitchen Hero Chefs’ Edition

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OLANE, the leading LPG solutions brand, recently launched its grandest culinary competition, the Solane Kitchen Hero Chefs’ Edition—a nationwide cooking competition which aims to recognize a new generation of local talented chefs. The competition is open to Filipino professional chefs with at least three years kitchen experience gained locally or abroad. The launch also kicked off the 16-leg regional competition, which will conclude in Metro Manila in September.

The winner of the Solane Kitchen Hero Chefs’ Edition will take home P100,000 and a culinary trip to Japan. Gracing the launch were Solane Kitchen Hero Director Nancy Reyes-Lumen, Solane Marketing Manager Valeri B. Villano, Solane Kitchen Hero Ambassador Chef Sau del Rosario, Isla LPG Corp.

CEO Ruben Domingo, Isla Petroleum and Gas Corp. (IPG) CEO Atsushi Onishi, and GM Business Development and Japanese Accounts Hironobu Amano.

Solane Kitchen Hero Director Nancy Reyes-Lumen (from left), Solane Marketing Manager Valeri B. Villano, Solane Kitchen Hero Ambassador Chef Sau del Rosario, Isla LPG Corp. CEO Ruben Domingo, Isla Petroleum and Gas Corp. (IPG) CEO Atsushi Onishi, and GM Business Development and Japanese Accounts Hironobu Amano.

Entrepreneur BusinessMirror

E4 Wednesday, June 12, 2019 • Editor: Vittorio V. Vitug

www.businessmirror.com.ph

DOLE unit, Facebook partnership to boost OFW digital literacy, entrepreneurial skills

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By Rizal Raoul S. Reyes

@brownindio

Contributor

OCIAL-MEDIA giant Facebook and the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (Owwa), an agency under the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), recently formalized a partnership that seeks to expand the digital literacy and sharpen the entrepreneurial skills of overseas Filipino workers (OFW) in areas where they are concentrated most, such as Hong Kong, Singapore and the Middle East.

Beth Ann Lim, Facebook’s head of community affairs for the Asia Pacific (AsPac), at a recent news conference said the improved digital literacy modules will cover digital discourse, online privacy, safety, and information literacy, among others, will be launched this year.

The announcement was made at the recent Migrant Workers Day celebration, which also marks the digital literacy program’s anniversary.

“We recognize that overseas Filipino workers depend on our platforms to stay connected to their families and everything important to them back home. Facebook will continue supporting OFWs and their families, to ensure they have a positive, safe and authentic experience on our platforms, wherever they are in the world,” said Lim. “It will have a breathe of topics, such as phishing, scams, fake news,

FACEBOOK’S Head of Community Affairs for the Asia Pacific Beth Ann Lim gestures to stress a point during a recent news conference unveiling the social media’s tie-up with the Department of Labor and Employment-Overseas Workers Welfare Administration to widen the digital literacy of overseas Filipino workers and enhance their entrepreneurial skills.

among others, “ Lim added.

She said Facebook apps can be used as platform by the small and medium enterprises especially when they are just starting their businesses. “Once they developed the confidence to build the business, they can now look for bigger growth,” she pointed out.

Empowered

ON its first year, the program t ra i ned over 14 0,0 0 0 OF Ws on digital sk ills for discer ning credible content online, and

respectful digital discourse. Over 600 returning OFWs were also

provided online business skills training to help them find alternative sources of income.

“We are glad to be expanding our digital literacy program with Facebook for OFWs based in Hong Kong, Singapore and the Middle East.

Our shared vision is an empowered OFW community that would have the critical skills to vet information they find online, and consistently use privacy and safety tools available to them,” said Hans Leo Cacdac, Owwa administrator.

Cacdac said the availability of social-media platforms such as Facebook develops a level playing field that will enable SMEs to compete with the bigger players.

Deployment

GOVERNMENT estimates indicate that there were 2.3 million OFWs deployed between April and September 2018. The top destination

for OFWs is the Middle East, including Saudi Arabia, where one of four OFWs (24.3 percent) worked; United Arab Emirates (15.7 percent); Kuwait (5.7 percent) and Qatar (5.2 percent). Other top destinations for OFWs include Hong Kong (6.3 percent), Taiwan (5.5 percent) and Singapore (4.9 percent).

Lim said Facebook aims to provide digital literacy training for OFWs in Hong Kong, Singapore and the Middle East by the end of 2020.

She added that over 140,000 departing OFWs and families had participated in digital literacy workshops during the program’s first year, while 600 returning OFWs took part in the digital business skills workshops conducted by Owwa and Facebook.

Enhanced digital literacy modules with OFW-specific challenges and situations will be launched for this year’s trainings.

We recognize that overseas Filipino workers depend on our platforms to stay connected to their families and everything important to them back home. Facebook will continue supporting OFWs and their families, to ensure they have a positive, safe and authentic experience on our platforms, wherever they are in the world.”—Lim

Novaliches-based co-op’s Resty Lagare holds charity fashion show for poor Butuan kids assets grew from ₧7,009 to ₧2.86B in last 43 years A

By Severino C. Samonte Philippine News Agency

F

ROM an initial capital of P7,000 put up in 1976 by its 15 founding members, the assets of the Novaliches Development Cooperative Inc. (Novadeci), based in the northernmost parts of Quezon City and Caloocan City, have increased to P2.86 billion as of April 2019.

As its assets continue to grow, the 43-year-old cooperative also has expanded its package of services and benefits to its members whose number has risen to 41,083 from just 70 when it was registered on September 3, 1976.

Such package of services and benefits include: Loans and savings deposits; memorial life and preneed plans; insurance coverage (life, fire, car and accident); medical-dental clinic and drug store; cooperative-run supermarket; and scholarship for children of qualified members.

As additional benefit for its members, it has put up a housing project, which was inaugurated in June last year.

Novadeci has also partnered with the Social Security System as an agent for collection/non-collateral services.

As a result of its impressive performance, Novadeci has reaped several awards, including the “Gawad Pitak sa Ginintuang Award sa Pinakatanging Kooperatiba” which was given by the Land Bank of the Philippines (LBP) in 2008.

In August 2007 the same cooperative was presented the elite “Gawad Pitak Hall of Fame” award, plus P100,000 fixed assets on a Non-Agricultural-Based Category.

In 2006 Novadeci was adjudged first place in the Non-Agricultural-Based Category.

The other awards received by the Novaliches-based cooperative include: “Cooperative-Loca Government Unit [LGU] Partnership Award” given by the Quezon City government on Jan. 23, 2007; “Most Outstanding MultiPurpose Cooperative” from the Cooperative Development Authority (CDA) on October 28, 2006; “Most Outstanding Organization” from the Quezon City government, October 11, 2006; 1st place, ”National Level

Non-Agricultural Category, Pinakatanging Kooperatiba,” 2006; 3rd place, ”Best Land Bank-Assisted Credit Cooperative in Metro Manila; and Land Bank’s “Gawad Pitak” in 1997.

Novadeci has branch and satellite offices in Fairview, Tandang Sora, Cubao, Muñoz, and Banawe, Quezon City; and Camarin, Bagong Silang, and Bankers Village in Tala, Caloocan City.

How Novadeci was born

ACCORDING to the Novadeci web site, in the latter part of the 1970s, an old slaughterhouse in Novaliches was ordered closed by the Quezon City government for noncompliance with sanitation and health requirements. This prompted the vendors in the privately owned Susano Market at the old Novaliches Poblacion to hold a meeting to address this concern.

Their agenda was mainly to provide solution to the meat vendors’ problem of lack of meat supply and need for additional capital to continue their businesses and to address the sanitation and health problems.

In a subsequent meeting, the idea of forming a cooperative was brought up.

There were 70 original members when the Novaliches Vendors Credit Cooperative Inc. (NVCCI), headed by Pedro de Jesus, was first registered in September 1976. The cooperative was later reregistered and renamed Novaliches Development Cooperative Inc. In 1984 Novadeci opened its membership even to nonmarket vendors.

Gradually, the number of its members grew in size and expanded its operations.

In 1989, the cooperative acquired a lot and constructed a four-story building at the corner of Buenamar Avenue and Sarmiento Street, just off Quirino Highway in Barangay Novaliches Proper. Nine years later, another six-story structure was built beside the first building.

Novadeci has been included in the “Gallery of Successful Cooperatives” listed in the Book on Cooperativism, An Urgent Call for Cooperative Revolution authored by former Bulacan governor and Presidential Adviser on Cooperatives Development Roberto M. Pagdanganan.

LMOST two decades since he left his home in Butuan City to pursue his dream to become a fashion designer, Kuwaitbased Filipino designer Resty Lagare recently went back to his roots to give back via “The Resty Lagare Charity Fashion Show.”

Lagare, who is also the resident fashion designer of Lovely Fashion, one of the biggest haute couture stores in Kuwait, has dressed up an array of high-profile clients, including the members of the Royal Family of Kuwait, celebrities for the Academy Awards and the Grammy Awards, and his creations have been showcased in New York Fashion Week, LA Fashion Week, Phoenix Fashion Week, among others.

However, it was the first time for Lagare to hold a fashion show in the country and he chose to hold a charity event in his hometown to help marginalized children.

Although he could not make it to the show because of “reasons beyond my control,” he made sure 29 dresses, most of which he created especially for the show, were brought by his friends to Butuan City from Kuwait.

He said the show was his “contribution to making Butuan City a fashion capital in the south.”

The charity event, which was produced by social enterprise One Closet and the Rotary Club of Butuan (Area 3I and Area 3J), had more than 450 people in the audience, including high ranking local officials.

“My parents worked hard selling fish in the market to provide for our family. I felt that I was so blessed.

My heart goes out to kids who were abandoned or abused,” the worldclass fashion designer said.

Two shelters for marginalized children, Gesu Eucaristico Children’s Inc. and Balay Silonganan, were the beneficiaries of the show.

“Butuan has a lot of talented designers. I want to inspire them to dream big and work hard to reach their goal. Together, we can realize a vision of Butuan as a fashion hub,” Lagare said.

Isabela Blancas, founder of One Closet, said, “The collection of Resty amazed and mesmerized us all. The

Kuwait, “Inshallah.” Second, I dream that Butuan City would be a fashion capital in the south. We have Manila in the north and Cebu in the Visayas, I will do my best to contribute to making Butuan to be known in the fashion scene in Mindanao. We plan to hold a charity fashion show in Butuan every year.

BM: What can we look forward to with regard to your brand?

RL: I promise to give my best to create dresses that will unceasingly delight my clients. Further, I want to show to Butuañons and other Filipinos that they have one of their own who persevered and made it in the international fashion arena. It will be a testimony to the Filipino talent

LAGARE

models of Butuan Beauties showcased well the dresses.”

Lagare told the BusinessMirror in an e-mail interview his thoughts and expectations of his business venture.

BM: We heard that you are opening your own shop in Kuwait. What made you decide to do this?

Resty Lagare: I am opening my own shop this month. My two decades of working for big fashion houses in Dubai and Kuwait City have honed my skills as a designer and craftsman. Modesty aside, I have created a global brand. It wasn’t a walk in the park. I dreamt, I attempted, I failed, I learned, I worked hard and I succeeded. It is time to venture on my own so I can have more liberty in creating my art and running my business. Further, I can enhance my brand to delight my clients and inspire my fellow Filipinos.

BM: What do you think would be your biggest challenges as an entrepreneur?

RL: Managing your own business has plenty of challenges. From making sure the finances are sound to keeping a cohesive group of artisans, I have to be on top of all these. I cannot be complacent with whatever success I had achieved. Competition in the fashion industry is fierce.

BM: How will you cope with these challenges?

RL: I will leverage my decades of experience, both professional and personal. I have managed to live a life filled with ups and downs. I have survived and thrived because I would persevere despite challenges. Along the way, I have partnered with a few trustworthy individuals, taken good care of my clients and mastered my craft. But I cannot rest on my laurels. I have to keep learning and innovating. On top of that, I always turn to God for His guidance and blessings.

BM: What do you dream of achieving?

RL: First, I hope that my entrepreneurial journey will be a successful one. I’m ready to face the challenges with God’s help. As they say here in

and grit. I want it to be my legacy to the next generation. I’m sure that if the young designers and entrepreneurs stay humble, keep honing their skills and keep working hard beyond selfish reasons, they will be successful and could even surpass whatever success I have reached.

BM: How do you feel about the recently concluded charity fashion show in Butuan?

RL: I’m very satisfied with how it turned out. Thanks to the event organizers and sponsors, most especially to the local government unit of Butuan City. I feel bad though that I couldn’t make it. I tried to but it was beyond my control to have my travel documents in place prior to the show.

Rizal Raoul S. Reyes