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SANS POLICY, DOLE VOWS FEW ‘ENDO’ CASES IN 2022

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By Samuel P. Medenilla

ESPITE the absence of a new law or government policy prohibiting contractualization, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) vows to reduce this illegal employer practice nationwide and regularize 1.2 million workers by 2022.

The DOLE’s confidence rests on its ongoing campaign against laboronly contracting (LOC), an illegal working arrangement where companies contract out jobs that form part of their main business. The catch-all colloquial for such illegal schemes is Endo, which was actually coined from the varied “end-of-contract” setups in firms that lay off workers just before they reach six months and must be regularized.

“Our target [for regularization] this year is 300,000,” Labor Secretary Silvestre H. Bello III told the BusinessMirror. “If we could get 300,000 per year and then the President has four more years, that means we could regularize more than a million.”

Bello said this campaign is the marching order of President Duterte: for the DOLE to eliminate illegal contractualization.

Of this figure, only 80,928 have been regularized for 2018.

The labor department admitted it is still falling behind in meeting its 300,000 target due to lack of manpower. It currently only has 574 labor inspectors, who are tasked to assess over 900,000 firms nationwide.

From 2016, the labor inspectors were only able to probe about

“You heard his Labor Day speech where he said he is really serious in ending unlawful contractual arrangement,” Bello said.

Campaign

FROM June 2016 to April 2018, the DOLE said it was instrumental in the regularization of 176,286 workers through its ongoing drive against illegal contractualization.

Continued on A2

Culion: Symbol for a health nightmare a century ago, leper colony’s archives are now an important part of global memory

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By Roger Pe

HE United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (Unesco) Memory of the World Committee for Asia and the Pacific (Mowcap) has inscribed the Culion Leprosy Archives to the Mowcap Regional Register during its 8th General Meeting in Gwangju, Republic of Korea, last May 30. can pathologist who carried out unprecedented investigations into the natural history, pathology and practical problems of leprosy.

Majority vote

THE Culion Leprosy Archives garnered a majority vote from the 28-member Mowcap after having been strongly recommended by the Mowcap Register Sub-Committee for Inscription. Dr. Arturo Cunanan, chief of the Culion Sanitarium and General Hospital (CSGH),

PESO EXCHANGE RATES n US 53.1220

EQUIPMENT and facilities in Culion Leper Colony, once the biggest in the world.

THE POOR TRAVELER

Housed at the Culion Museum and Archives in Culion, Palawan, the Culion Leprosy Archives boast of a wide collection of rare journals and reference materials on leprosy, as well as clinical records and letters of the island’s residents since 1906.

The archives also feature publications, such as the International Journal of Leprosy and Other Mycobacterial Diseases, of which the first editor in chief was the late Dr. Windsor Wade, an eminent Ameri-

spearheaded the nomination of the archives with the support of the National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP) and the facilitation of the Unesco National Commission of the Philippines (Unacom).

The archives are the second documentary collection to be inscribed from the Philippines after the inscription of the Presidential Papers of Manuel L. Quezon in 2010. The regional register also includes Cambodia’s TuolSleng Genocide Museum Archive, Australia’s Landmark Constitutional Documents of the Commonwealth of Australia, Fiji’s Polynesian Immigrants Records from 1876 to 1914, and Vietnam’s Royal Literature on Hue Royal Architecture from 1802 to 1945, among others.

In addition to the Culion archives’ being part of a prestigious list of documents and archives, inscription to Mowcap also allows documentary heritage workers and custodians to become part of an active community that advocates for the preservation of, and access Continued on A2

n JAPAN 0.4816 n UK 71.0666 n HK 6.7690 n CHINA 8.2994 n SINGAPORE 39.7828 n AUSTRALIA 40.2452 n EU 62.6468 n SAUDI ARABIA 14.1663

Source: BSP (June 14, 2018 )

NewsSunday BusinessMirror

A2 Sunday, June 17, 2018

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Sans policy, DOLE vows few ‘endo’ cases in 2022 Continued from A1

11 percent, or 99,526, of the total number of establishments.

To address the labor shortage, the labor department said it will be hiring an additional 200 labor inspectors.

Labor Undersecretary Joel B. Maglunsod earlier gave assurances they can achieve their goal this year once they complete the inspection of sectors with large concentration of contractual workers.

These include plantations, fastfood chains, hotel and restaurants, business-process outsourcing, malls and locators of the Philippine Economic Zone Authority.

Impact

DESPITE the labor department’s optimistic pronouncement, the Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) remains unconvinced the campaign will make any significant impact for the millions of contractual workers nationwide.

“There are about 4.5 million to

about 8 million contractual workers. The DOLE’s target of 300,000 hardly makes a dent on that number,” TUCP Vice President Luis Corral said. “So, to us, it [DOLE campaign] is tokenism.”

Jerome Adonis, leader of the militant group Kilusang Mayo Uno, also played down the achievement of the DOLE’s anti-regularization drive.

“We still have no final assessment [on the DOLE’s anti-illegal contractualization drive] but currently their achievement is still minimal,” Adonis said.

Both TUCP and KMU acknowledged, however, that the current administration is the first to make a significant effort against illegal contractualization.

“Since [the] DOLE started its campaign, there were more cases of illegal contractualization [being] reported,” Adonis said sans citing sources of this information.

“This opened the eyes of the public to the worsening problem of contractualization.”

Government statisticians estimate the number of nonregular workers nationwide in 2016 at 1.1 million. These include casual workers, contractual or project-based workers, seasonal workers, probationary workers and apprentices.

In 2016 the number of casual workers, contractual/project-based workers and seasonal workers—the forms of nonregular workers covered by the DOLE’s policy on contractualization—was pegged at 811,971.

About 24.4 percent of these workers (around 198,310) are in the manufacturing industry. It was followed by administrative and support services activities (161,432) and construction sector (147,760).

Debates

IN his first few months in office, Duterte said he will issue a new executive order (EO) ending contractualization.

On the eve of Labor Day, the Commander in Chief issued EO

51, as the labor movement signaled stronger unity. However, the DOLE admitted that the EO only reiterated the existing provisions of Department Order (DO) 174 and the Labor Code.

Duterte conceded that reform on contractualization being sought by labor groups should go through legislation. He then directed the DOLE to intensify its campaign against companies engaged in LOC. TUCP’s Corral, however, said EO 51 was still not a complete waste for labor groups since it contained a provision allowing the National Tripartite Industrial Peace Council (NTIPC) to declare jobs that could be contracted out.

The NTIPC is the policy recommending body of the DOLE, which has representatives from the government, employers and labor groups.

The Employers Confederation of the Philippines (Ecop) said it is not keen on implementing the provision of EO 51. The Ecop added that the council should just wait for the outcome of the pending security of tenure bills in Congress.

Corral said they will push for the enforcement of the said provision during the next NTIPC meeting.

“We are now [building a] stronger database in preparation [for] arguments from the business sector,” Corral said.

Culion…

IN Congress, pending bills on security of tenure (SOT), which have provisions on contractualization, fared well.

“We were surprised at how fast the bill made it through the third and final reading,” said Party-list Rep. Raymond Democrito C. Mendoza of TUCP, referring to House Bill (HB) 6908. “Before, it didn’t even pass through the committee level.”

A counterpart bill in the Senate, Senate Bill (SB) 1826 is currently being finalized, which also aims to further restrict the practice of contractualization. It is currently being tackled on second reading.

Labor groups are supporting both bills, which they hope would address the gaps in DO 174 and EO 51.

“It looks like we have a fairly good fighting chance in the Senate,” Corral said. “We are currently looking at 10 senators, who may support the bill.”

The Ecop has expressed opposition against the bills, which it said are unconstitutional. The bill violates management prerogative and proposes an excessive P5-million fine for firms found violating its provisions, the Ecop argued.

It warned that passage of the

SOT bills will scare away more foreign investors.

Solutions

THE complete impact of the government’s ongoing campaign against widespread contractualization in the last two years remains to be seen.

Even the labor department’s campaign naming firms practicing LOC has been scrutinized.

“We support the name and shame campaign as long as it, as I said, leads to a final resolution, where workers actually get regularized and it is not just a PR [public relations] effort,” Corral said.

Adonis also hit the apparent lack of transparency in regularization reports issued by the labor department.

“We are asking for the list of the 80,000 regularized workers, but they have yet to release it,” Adonis said.

Last, Corral said the list issued by the DOLE should be backed by supporting evidence to protect law-abiding firms.

“It must be well processed because, otherwise, it is going to result in damage both to the employer, who will lose market share because of the stigma that will be attached to being a violator of workers’ right,” Corral said. “And it will also lead to jobs losses.”

Continued from A1

to, documentary heritage. Inscription has also helped custodians and member-states promote, publicize and pool resources to maintain collections.

‘Ghastly place’

THE Philippine delegation to the 8th General Meeting of Mowcap was composed of Prof. Nick Deocampo, chairman of the Philippine National Committee for Memory of the World (MOW); Dr. Rene Escalante, chairman of the NHCP; and Joana Rizza Bagano, program officer of Unacom. The Philippine National Committee for MOW envisions increased promotion of Philippine documentary heritage, and more inscriptions to the national, regional and international MOW registers.

Culion was made a national dumping ground for people afflicted with leprosy in the early 1900s. Given a government, police and monetary systems of its own, it even had a separate cemetery for those who perished without seeing a cure.

On its early years of operation, the leprosarium was a ghastly place no one wanted to see. Hundreds of deaths were a daily occurrence.

Moving piles of dead bodies to give them decent burials was a daunting task.

From 370 patients in 1906, lepers in the colony ballooned to 5,303 on its fifth year. Of these, 3,154 eventually died, 33 paroled and 114 escaped.

Ships would arrive at the port of Culion every three months bringing new patients. By 1931, its patient population would explode to 16,138. It reached an all-time high of 31,803 by the end of 1980.

It was the health nightmare that would frighteningly become the world’s largest.

Cure at last

Legislation

THE 100-bed Culion leprosarium originally had one physician, Dr. Charles F. de Mey, four French sisters from the Order of Saint Paul Chartres, a Jesuit priest and several other employees.

The staff eventually grew with a chief physician, 12 clinical physicians, a dental surgeon, a pharmacist, 21 graduate nurses, 150 nursing aids and 13 more sisters from the same French charity.

Soon, scientists from all over the world converged in Culion, making it the world’s most organized and equipped leprosaria.

Further research and scientific studies resulted in a major breakthrough. In the 1980s a multi-drug therapy was developed, signaling the beginning of a new era. Cure for leprosy was found at last.

In 2006, a century later, the World Health Organization declared Culion leprosy-free. When that happened, clamor for recognition of Culion as a regular municipality started. On June 22, 1988, Congress passed a law authorizing qualified residents of the colony to vote for officials of the province.

The mandate

UNESCO is the only United Nations agency with a mandate in culture preservation. To date, the Philippines has ratified two Unesco Conventions:

n 1972 Convention on the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage

n 2003 Convention on the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage

The work of the Philippine National Commission for Unesco (PH NatCom) in relation to these two conventions involves the coordination between different cultural institutions and their stakeholders to align them with Unesco’s vision. This is achieved by training site managers of both actual and potential World Heritage Sites throughout the Philippines.

Moreover, PH NatCom also participates in numerous capacitybuilding workshops and fora on different culture- and heritagerelated topics through Unesco’s regional oOffices in Bangkok and Jakarta.

Aside from heritage-related work, PH NatCom also works to-

ward the protection and promotion of cultural diversity through the creative industries by disseminating Unesco’s programs and projects on creativity and sustainable development. These include efforts to ratify the 2005 Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions, as well as helping introduce the Unesco Creative Cities Network to cities interested in being included in the network.

PH NatCom secretary-general

ASSISTANT Secretary Lila Ramos Shahani currently heads the Philippine National Commission for Unesco. During the Aquino administration, she was assistant secretary and head of communications of the Human Development and Poverty Reduction Cabinet Cluster, which covered 26 Philippine government agencies dealing with poverty and development. She was also spokesman of the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking.

Prior to this, she was assistant secretary and head of communications of the National Anti-Poverty Commission and deputy director of the Museum of Philippine Humanities at the Cultural Center of the Philippines.

She also taught at the Asian Institute of Management, the Ateneo School of Government and the University of the Philippines.

Shahani spent many years in New York, where she worked for Oxford University Press, the United Nations Children’s Fund and the United Nations Development Program.

She has published widely, both in academic and journalistic contexts. She grew up in such far-flung places as Romania, Australia, Austria, Kenya, India, the US and the UK, but is finally delighted to be back home.

She did her undergraduate work at Brown University, received a masters degree from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University, and is now a doctoral candidate at Oxford University.

Faith

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

Sunday

Sunday, June 17, 2018

A3

‘Escalating violence’ alarms churchmen

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atholic bishops bewailed the “escalating violence” in the country against clergymen, following the killing of another priest in Nueva Ecija province.

A rchbishop Romulo Valles, president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), said the killing of Fr. Richmond Nilo is nothing but an “outrageously evil act!”

“We make our appeal once again to the police authorities to act swiftly in the investigation and to go after the perpetrators of this heinous crime and bring them to justice,” Valles said as quoted by CBCPNews.

The archbishop lamented that the recent attacks against church people happened in the Year of the Clergy and Consecrated Persons.

“I am deeply saddened and bothered because Father Nilo is the third priest to be killed in these recent months,” Valles said.

Nilo was murdered six months after Fr. Marcelito Paez in Jaen, Nueva Ecija, on December 4, 2017, and Fr. Mark Ventura Gattaran, Cagayan, on April 29.

The attack occurred just four days after Fr. Rey Urmeneta of the Saint Michael the Archangel Parish in Calamba was wounded after being shot by unidentified assailants on June 6. Urmeneta, a former police chaplain, suffered wounds to his left upper back and left arm was rushed to a nearby hospital for treatment.

Nilo was gunned down and died on the spot inside the Barangay chapel of Mayamot in Zaragoza town as he was about to celebrate the Mass late last Sunday afternoon.

Nilo, 43, was the parish priest of Saint Vincent Ferrer Parish in Zaragoza town and, at the same time, the Financial Administrator of the Diocese of Cabanatuan.

Besides serving vital positions, he was also known for his active

“We beg the Lord to wake up our people, now walking in darkness and numbed by fear, to stand up for the Lord and courageously correct error and sin,” Villegas said.

De Lima hits Duterte for devious effort to discredit Catholic Church

involvement in the apostolate for the deaf and mute in the diocese.

Tagle: Do not to be enslaved by violence

The head of Manila’s Roman Catholic Church called on Filipinos to resist being enslaved by violence as the spate of killings continue across the country.

In his message on Independence Day, Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle said that such freedom is worthless if the country is being engulfed by crimes, corruption and poverty.

“It’s a false freedom when we are toying around with justice.

We repeat: It is against the will of God to destroy life. Killing is not a solution to personal and societal problems,” he said.

The cardinal lamented the killings of many Filipinos, including Nilo and Henry Acorda, an overseas Filipino worker who was killed in Slovakia.

“I hope no one will be next. We weep for them, their families and our society. We seek justice for them,” Tagle said.

T he Manila archbishop ca l led on the people not to respond to violence with violence and for the assassins to stop the k il lings.

“When you are being ordered or paid to hurt or kill others, do not follow. Do not be a slave. A true free Filipino does not take advantage, destroy and enslave others,” he added.

Ta g l e a l s o c a l l e d on l aw m a k e r s t o re v ie w pre v a i l i n g l aw s on o w n i n g f i re a r m s a nd a m mu n it ion s .

“We are calling the attention of our lawmakers and those in charge of peace and order: Why are there

Fr. Richmnond Nilo is shown in this undated photo. Nilo was gunned down when he was about to celebrate Mass in the chapel of Barangay Mayamot in Zaragoza, Nueva Ecija, on June 10. Photo courtesy of Ilsa Reyes/CBCPNews

too many guns and weapons on the loose?” he asked.

‘Irreparable loss’

Bishop Sofronio Bancud of Cabanatuan said the priest’s death was “tragic” and was an “irreparable loss” for the diocese.

“We condemn in the strongest possible terms and deeply mourn the brutal murder of Father Nilo, and the escalating violence and culture of impunity in the country even against helpless clergymen,” Bancud said.

He said that no priest, and no human being, for that matter, deserves to be killed with utter brutality, disrespect and impunity.

“To kill a priest then, for whatever motive or cause, is not only un-Christian and inhuman, it is also un-Filipino,” he said.

Bishop Bancud demanded justice for Nilo who served his diocese for nearly 17 years.

The bishop asked the faithful to pray for the soul of the slain priest as well for an end to killings in the country.

“We demand for justice, for thorough and impartial investigation of the case and for its swift resolution, as we likewise appeal

to those who might have material knowledge on this matter to please cooperate with police authorities,” he said.

PNP eyes leads in killing of priest

Police are following up on leads on at least two possible assailants in the killing of Father Nilo.

Phi l ippine Nationa l Pol ice (PNP) chief Director General Oscar D. A lbayalde met with Zaragoza, Nueva Ecija, policemen and with Police Regional Office 3 head Chief Supt. Amador Corpuz on Tuesday to follow up developments in the case.

“So far, what we have seen was a CCTV [footage]. We now have a follow up. The investigator and the regional director asked for two days. They already have persons of interest. At least two. We have seen them riding motorcyles. They got a sketch. We cannot publish it now because operations are ongoing. After two days, we can publish their artist’s sketch,” Albayalde told newsmen.

Corpus said they are looking at the possibility that complications arising from land disputes the priest was mediating in behalf of persons who sought his help could

be a possible motive for the killing.

“He received death threats because of that. We already have documented leads and we are gathering more evidence,” Corpus said.

The PNP chief said the police are currently attempting to access the slain priest’s cell phone for clues with the help of relatives.

Villegas calls a ‘Day of Reparation’

Archbishop Socrates Villegas of Lingayen-Dagupan invited the faithful to observe a “day of reparation” on June 18, urging the faithful to oppose killings.

Ju ne 18 i s a Mond ay, t he n i nt h d a y a f t e r t h e b r u t a l k i l l i ng of Ni lo.

He said, “Today, the murderers are commended, and the king is undisturbed.”

“God’s justice be upon those who kill the Lord’s anointed ones. There is a special place in hell for killers.

There is a worse place for those who kill priests,” Villegas said.

He even invited priests from other dioceses and religious congregations to join the initiative with the consent of their bishops and superiors.

Opposition Sen. Leila M. de Lima has chided Duterte for his deliberate and devious effort to discredit institutions, such as the Catholic Church, which have been critical of his administration’s policy and its propensity at corrupting good Filipino values.

De Lima, the staunchest critic of the administration’s all-out war on drugs, said Duterte’s move to distribute books about alleged corruption in the Catholic Church is highly suspicious aimed at discrediting it and besmirching the reputation of its clergy.

“I find it maliciously and recklessly incendiary for a President to give out books about alleged corruption in the Catholic Church as an official gift to Filipino workers abroad. Instead of sowing hope, he opts to sow intrigues and hatred,” she said.

“It is obvious that he wants to undermine the very institution that continues to speak out against the injustices happening in this country, as well as prompt the citizenry to form negative opinions against the Church,” she added.

In a gathering with the Filipino community in Seoul, South Korea, on June 3, Duterte gave the book Altar of Secrets to an OFW and eventually gave her a kiss on the lips, which prompted criticism across social-media platforms.

The book, published in 2013, supposedly revealed alleged scandals involving Filipino churchmen—from fiscal dishonesty to the breaking of the celibacy vow.

The senator from Bicol noted that it was not the first time that Duterte promoted the book to the public, saying that the President has, in earlier public appearances, encouraged his audience to buy a copy of the book.

Roy Lagarde/CBCPNews and PNA

Saint Magdalene of Canossa, Foundress The parable of M the growing seed 11th Sunday in Ordinary Time: ‘Mark 4:26-34’

By Corazon Damo-Santiago

agdalene’s passion: To be close to every person to discover and experience together the concern God has for life, and proclaim the goodness of God. Her genius: To engage every possible energy in projects and dedicate her whole being for the fulfilment of the kingdom.

Her yearning: To promote the growth of the person, especially of the poorest: educate, evangelize and assist the sick.

Her horizon: To reach out to the world, go to the ends of the earth so Jesus maybe known and loved, according to Maddalenadecanossa.org.

No to cloistered life

Magdalene Gabriella of Canossa was born on March 2, 1774, in Verona, Italy. She is the second of the six children of Marquis Ottavio di Canossa and Marchesa Teresa Szluha Vincenzo, a Hungarian countess.

Her father died when she was 5 years old and after two years, her mother remarried. The children were left under the guardianship of Girolano, a Canossan uncle.

She lived with her sister Laura in a country villa, with a private governess, who was not so upright and trustworthy.

So the religious girl at 5 became attracted to the world in her teen years. She became seriously ill, which required “painful cures, isolation and interior withdrawal,” and was “vaccinated against temptations of the world,” according to Marina Airondi and Dorino Tuniz in Saint Magdalena of Canossa: Memoirs.

With a firm decision to consecrate herself to God, she entered the Carmelite Monastery of Saint Teresa outside Verona on May 12,

Saint Magdalene of Canossa Wikimedia Commons

1791, but she left after 10 months. Her confessors, Fr. Ildefonso and Fr. Stephen, both Carmelites, advised her to enter the Discalced Carmelite Convent in Treviso, on mid-1792. With Fr. Ildefonso, she met her mother in Conegliano to inform her about it.

While it seemed she has entered paradise, she felt a distaste for cloistered life. Although she “would have sanctified” herself, she “would not have been able to prevent sin or work for salvation of souls,” according to “Saint Magdalene of Canossa: A Woman with a Big Heart” at www.canossaphil.org. She left after three days.

Life’s uncertainties

She went into recluse to avoid “unkind looks

and criticisms.” But the strong desire to dedicate her life to the poor and the needy burned incessantly in her heart.

She devoted her time to care for the patrimony of the Canossa and took care of the household demands. Her new confessor, Veronese priest Fr. Don Libera, inspired her to continue her devotions and wait for God to reveal His will for her.

Magdalene was 15 when the French Revolution started in 1789. A member of the Lady of Brotherhood in 1788, she witnessed discontent and poverty.

The Brotherhood of Hospitaller priests with members of Patriotic Society and Free Masons were jointly involved in social work for the needy and the hungry. She “chose fidelity to church, silent involvement in social action and instruction and assistance to the sick,” said in win.canossian.org/ Magdalena of Canossa, Suore Canossiane.

On the advice of Don Libera, her confessor, she remained in the palace to care for the household and sick family members.

Despite her duties, she did not neglect to enhance her prayer life.

Fulfilment of vision

In 1803 she opened a school to suit the needs of women as capable, honest workers, responsible wives and mothers.

She also taught Christian moral principles for children.

Her family felt dishonored when she lived with her wards. Don Galvani, counseled her not to violently break with family. She went back to the palace and obtained approval to go regularly to visit the girls and spend holidays with them, according to www. magdalenecanossian.org.

Roberto Italo Zanini, in Magadalene of Canossa, described her as a “modern woman

who lived the travails, interior struggles of a modern woman in search for a way of life.”

On April 1, 1808, the Minister of Home Affairs, Kingdom of France, conceded freely The Monastery of Saint Joseph to Magdalene’s group.

O n M ay 8 , 1 8 0 8 , w i t h t r u s te d collaborations and 10 girls, Magdalene moved in the monastery and formed the Canossian Daughters of Charity.

The apostolate of the congregation are: education for girls in school, Christian formation, assistance to the suffering, preparation of teachers and spiritual exercises for noble ladies.

Other houses were formed in succeeding years—Venice in 1812, Milan in 1816, Bergamo in 1820 and Trent in 1824.

Pope Leo XII approved the rules of the congregation on December 28, 1828.

Magdalene invited Fr. Francisco Luzzi to initiate a congregation to care for the males, which started on May 23, 1831.

Saint Magdalene died on April 10, 1835.

She was beatified on November 8, 1941, by Pope Pius XII and canonized on October 10, 1988 by Pope John Paul II. The Canossian Congregation is composed of the Daughters of Charity; Servants of the Poor with 2,700 sisters in 336 communities in 32 countries; the Canossian Sons of Charity with 200 brothers and priests; Canossian Tertiaries or Collaborators and International Canossian Voluntary Service, as said in Wikipedia.

Damo-Santiago is a former regional director of the Department of Education National Capital Region. She is currently a faculty member of Mater Redemptoris Collegium in Calauan, Laguna, and of Mater Redemptoris College in San Jose City, Nueva Ecija.

Msgr. Josefino S. Ramirez SUNDAY GOSPEL IN OUR LIFE

T

oday’s gospel gives us an insight on the Kingdom of God likened to how when a seed is planted, a host of factors contribute to its growth.

The growth of the Kingdom is mysterious because even the farmer who sows the seed does not know how it will grow, as its mystery remains hidden beneath the soil.

He could, however, unearth the seed and check how it is growing, but no. He knows that patience, his act of faith, hope and trust will yield a bountiful harvest.

T h e K i n gd o m t h at Je s u s speaks of initially is not a place, but essentially a way of life. A life started by His example and carried out by the work of the Holy Spirit. And by example, His death and resurrection that saved the world from the throes of evil is what will change the world in any lifetime to come.

And with the power of the Holy Spirit, we can live a way of life that reflects God’s will. The goodness that we live out does not mean we do it to accomplish God’s

work. We simply do it because we are working toward the moment that He comes again and finish what he began.

Jesus is teaching His parables to us who have chosen to follow because we will believe. We will hear what is being said because of our exponential faith.

The Kingdom of God is like the person who goes out and scatters the word of God, which is the seed, and trusts that God will make it grow. When it grows, the assurance is that God will come again and reap the harvest.

I have said countless times that there is no one who is truly beneath anyone. And if you feel small and weak because the world sees you that way, do not worry. That is when God's strength transcends through us, that is when our faithful way of life is all for his glory.

Therefore, every action we do today should bring us closer to God's Kingdom.

Let us allow Him to plant the seed in our hearts and see the wonderful things that can happen.

Science

BusinessMirror

A4 Sunday, June 17, 2018

Sunday

Closing N. Korea’s vast nuke program poses challenges S

EOUL , South Korea—A n unknown number of nuclear warheads. Stockpiles of weapons-g rade plutoniu m and highly enriched uranium.

Intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs). Weapons factor ies—and the scientists who work at them.

The list of what it would take for the “complete denuclearization” of North Korea is long.

North Korea has said it’s willing to deal away its entire nuclear arsenal if the United States provides it with a reliable security assurance and other benefits.

But there is lingering skepticism ahead of last Tuesday’s summit between US President Donald J. Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un that Kim would fully give up the nuclear weapons he has pushed so hard to build.

It wouldn’t be hard to hide at least some of the warheads and rad ioactive mater ia ls in the countr y’s vast complex of underground facilities.

A look at the many pieces of a secrecy-clouded bomb program that has rattled the region for decades:

The warheads

The size of North Korea’s nuclear arsenal is a mystery, with estimates ranging from 10 bombs to as many as 60 to 70.

How sophisticated they are is also unclear. It’s one thing to conduct a nuclear test—North Korea has carried out six underground explosions since 2006, including what it says were two hydrogen bomb tests.

It’s another thing to make the warheads small enough to be carried by a long-range missile that can strike the US mainland.

Kim said last November that his country had mastered that technology, and many foreign experts and governments believe North Korea is at least getting there. “ They are close enough now in their capabilities that from a US-policy perspective, we ought to behave as if we are on the cusp of them achieving” the ability to strike the United States, thenCe nt r a l I nte l l i ge nce A ge nc y (CIA) Director Mike Pompeo said last October.

Closer to home, many analysts believe North Korea is able to mount nuclear weapons on shorter-range missiles that could

reach South Korea and Japan, where 80,000 American troops are stationed.

The ingredients

Nuclear bombs can be made from plutonium or highly enriched uranium, and North Korea has both.

A 2016 South Korean government report says that North Korea is believed to have produced 50 kilograms of weaponized plutonium, enough for six to 10 bombs.

North Korea shut down the plutonium-producing factor y at its main nuclear complex in Nyongbyon in 2007 as part a disarmament-for-aid deal, but the accord later fell apart, and satellite imagery indicates the North has resumed extracting plutonium in recent years. Pluton iu m pl a nt s a re genera l ly large and generate much heat, ma k ing it easier for outsiders to detect.

A uranium-enrichment plant is more compact and can be easily hidden from satellite cameras. The centrifuges to enrich uranium can be clandestinely operated underground.

Stanford University scholars,

including nuclear physicist Siegfried Hecker who visited North Korea’s centrifuge facility at Nyongbyon in 2010, recently wrote that North Korea is estimated to have a highly enriched uranium inventory of 250 kg to 500 kg, sufficient for 25 to 30 nuclear devices.

South Korean and US experts s p e c u l at e Nor t h K ore a m ay be running several additional uranium-enrichment plants. It doesn’t take much plutonium or highly enriched uranium to make a bomb, and North Korea could hide some of either or both in the more than 10,000 underground tunnels and structures it is reported to have.

About 6 kg to 8 kg of plutonium is needed to make a bomb, which would be about the size of a softball, according to experts.

For highly enr iched uranium, it’s about 20 kg for a bomb about as big as a 1-liter water b o t t l e , s a y s nu c l e a r e x p e r t W hang Joo-ho of South Korea’s Ky ung Hee Universit y.

The missiles

The United States would want Nor t h K orea to i nc lude a ny ICBMs in its disarmament steps as they are the delivery vehicles for nuclear weapons targeting the US mainland.

Last year North Korea testlaunched three ICBMs that it says are all nuclear-capable.

E x per t s say, t hough, t h at North Korea has yet to demonstrate the technolog y needed to protect its bombs from the severe heat and pressure that a long-range missile is subjected to on returning to the Earth ’s atmosphere.

Lee Choon-geun, a missile expert from South Korea’s Science and Technolog y Policy Institute, says he believes that North Korea has “several but less than 10 ICBMs.”

The facilities

Most of the key nuclear facilities are at the Nyongbyon complex, about 100 kilometers north of Pyongyang. They include a 5 -megawatt, Sov iet- desig ned reactor; a radiochemical laboratory where weapons-grade plutonium can be extracted from spent fuel rods and centrifuges to enrich uranium.

Military commentator Lee Illwoo said denuclearization measures would also have to include closing off uranium mines in North Korea.

In May North Korea demolished its sole nuclear test site deep in the northeastern mountain in a show of commitment to denuclearization.

However, the closing of the Punggye-ri site in the presence of a small group of foreign journalists isn’t an irreversible move and experts say many other significant measures should follow to realize the country’s complete denuclearization.

The scientists

In a 2017 report, Lim Young-nam at Seoul’s state-run Nuclear Safety and Security Commission said more than 10,000 people work in nuclear-related sectors in North Korea. About 300 of them were believed to be directly involved in the development of nuclear weapons, he said.

Lim says that relocating key nuclear scientists and engineers to other sectors is as important as scrapping nuclear warheads.

Adds Whang, if they are left intact, North Korea could enrich uranium and build new bombs “in a year or two.” AP

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

Your outdated US sunscreen exposes you to cancer risk

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ermatologist Steve Wang treats skin-cancer patients all day at a Sloan Kettering hospital in New Jersey, so he knows better than most that US sunscreens aren’t up to the job.

The oily stuff Americans are slathering on before heading to the beach this summer probably won’t give them as much protection as the products sold in other countries.

Europe, Japan, Australia and Canada: All have sunscreens that do a better job shielding against cancer-causing skin damage, and feel better on the skin, too.

Meanwhile, stricter approval standards in the United States have brought innovation to a standstill and limited options to defe nd a g a i n st t he su n’s harmful ultraviolet radiation.

That means Americans don’t have access to more-effective filters developed by chemicals makers—such as BASF SE and cosmetics companies like L’Oreal SA— which have been widely used for years in sunscreens outside the US. “I don’t know why this is being held up,” said Wang, who has researched and published his findings on the inferiority of US versions. “If you had a better sunscreen, perhaps more people would want to use it.”

And that would “theoretically prevent more skin cancers,” he said.

Congressional help

The $1.2-billion sunscreen industry has turned to Congress for help in clearing the way for better sunscreens. Pending legislation aimed at speeding approvals took on even more urgency this month when Hawaiian lawmakers voted to ban two of the ingredients most relied on in the US because the chemicals may harm coral reefs.

“With Hawaii, we are going in the wrong direction,” said Michael Kaplan, president of the Melanoma Research Alliance. “It’s a real concern from my perspective, because over 9,000 people die every year from melanoma.”

US sunscreens protect against the type of ultraviolet rays that cause sunburn, known as UVB, but most aren’t as good at blocking UVA, said Wang, director of dermatology at Memorial Sloan Kettering Basking Ridge.

UVA penetrates deeper into the skin and can accelerate aging and cause genetic changes that lead to cancer.

Ick factor

Many European sunscreen formulas contain filters that provide better protection against UVA while also protecting against UVB. And they’re less oily, which make them more appealing to use, said Parand Salmassinia, a vice president at Dutch cosmetics company DSM Personal Care.

Wang in a study last year found that nearly half of US sunscreens he tested didn’t offer enough UVA protection to meet European Union standards. The situation won’t improve until the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approves modern ingredients with better protection, he said.

One in 5 people will develop skin cancer in their lifetime, including 2.3 percent of Americans who will be diagnosed with melanoma, the most deadly form of the disease. The incidence of melanoma has doubled since 1985, according to the National Cancer Institute.

Oxybenzone and zinc oxide— the white stuff—are the only two UVA filters broadly permitted in the US. DSM sees the Hawaii ban— which would apply to oxybenzone—as boosting its plans to seek approval from the FDA this year for its sunscreen alternatives. Its Parsol Max and Parsol Shield have

been available in Europe for years and provide protection against both UVA and UVB.

1990s vintage

No new sunscreen filters have been approved in the US since the late 1990s, mainly because they’re regulated as over-the-counter medicines, which have stricter standards than cosmetics.

The European Union and most other countries treat sunscreens as cosmetics.

The industry first turned to Congress in 2014 for help in forcing the FDA to make a decision on long-pending applications. The agency responded by rejecting all eight new ingredients and asking for more testing data to prove the chemicals are safe when absorbed by the skin.

Two that are still under FDA rev iew, BA SF ’s Tinosorb and L’Oreal’s Mexoryl, offer the most promise for improved UVA protection and low toxicity, said David Andrews, a senior scientist at the Environmental Working Group, which publishes an annual Guide to Sunscreens.

In an example of how confusing FDA requirements can be, L’Oreal in 2006 won narrow approval for a handful of specifically formulated and packaged sunscreens containing Mexoryl, sold in the US under the brand name Anthelios. But the agency’s over-the-counter drug program denied permission to use the ingredient more broadly.

A company spokesman declined to say whether L’Oreal would continue with its application.

Expensive process

The testing required for US approval is too time-consuming and expensive for many companies to justify.

In addition, some of the ingredients under review have been around so long they’ve lost patent protection, taking away a key financial incentive.

Reviews are still stalled because none of the manufacturers has submitted additional safety and efficacy data, said FDA Spokesman Sandy Walsh.

That’s because ingredient makers are negotiating with the FDA over some of the study requirements, said Joel Roberson, a partner at Holland and Knight, which leads a lobbying coalition called Public Access to Sunscreens.

One particular sticking point has been a complicated new test to determine skin absorption—a requirement that doesn’t apply to products already on the market, Roberson said.

Baby safety

The FDA issued draft guidance this week on how companies can evaluate absorption characteristics. “We are particularly interested in learning how these products af fect v u lnerable populations, such as children, the elderly, and pregnant and breastfeeding women,” Theresa Michele, d irector of nonprescription drug products at the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, said on the agency’s web site.

Some dermatologists see the FDA’s cautious approach as reasonable, particularly with sunscreens that are “slathered all over babies,” said Sancy Leachman, chairman of the Dermatology Department at Oregon Health and Science University.

Sen. Johnny Isa kson is spea rhead ing t he new push in Cong ress w it h a bi l l to ma ke rev iews easier.

“The process is antiquated,” the Georgia Republican said when he introduced the bill for a successful committee vote last month.

Sunscreen, he said, is “the best example” of over-the-counter regulatory failings. Bloomberg News

A BusinessMirror Special Feature

FATHER’S DAY Sunday, June 17, 2018

www.businessmirror.com.ph

A5

Honoring the dads away from home

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By Bea Nicole M. Amarille

member your presence even if he’s far away. If you are feeling kind of extra, you can include some video clips of you and your family members singing to your father’s favorite songs or dancing to his favorite tune! All these can make your father jive in his office or working space, even he’s thousands of miles away from you.

This virtual gesture of expressing your love to your father can still not be replaced by personally spending time with him. But even time, place and continents apart, you still have a million creative ways to show your love for him.

HAT TIME of the year has come again, wherein we celebrate the lives of the pillars of our homes—our dads.

Our fathers are in for endless surprises again, while we share in the happiness of our fathers’ efforts, sacrifices and love for us.

While Father’s Day is easily one of the happiest celebrations for some, most families do not experience the same luxury of having their fathers with them on this special day. Fathers who are working abroad–in the military, or away from home in general– need much appreciation because the time being spent away from their loved ones must be reciprocated with much endearing appreciation. The unfilled spaces among

family members who have fathers working away from home widen once these gaps are emptied of the family’s warm love and effort.

Perhaps, you have been wondering what you can do to express affection to your father who is currently miles away from you, working hard to give you the best life he could offer. We got you covered, as we have here some tips to honor and celebrate the awesomeness of your dad!

nMake a video-greeting surprise. IN the vast array of technological applications that can help

you make creative videos, produce a short and simple video that you can send to your father working

away from home. A simple greeting and message in a video will surely warm his heart and make him re-

nWrite your dad a poem.

REMEMBER how women frequently like handwritten love letters?

Well, you can also write a love letter for your dad but, this time, challenge yourself to dedicate him a poem. The traditional ways of expressing affection to your loved ones are much heartfelt. In writing one, a three-paragraphed poem describing your love to your father can do. You can unleash your most creative thoughts in expressing your love for him. Remember, it’s not Continued on A7

A BusinessMirr

FATHER A6 Sunday, June 17, 2018 | www.businessmirror.com.ph

WANTED: PERFECT FATHER

By Leony R. Garcia

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EVERAL scientific studies on fatherhood reveal that fathers are important for a child’s development. Children with involved fathers are less likely to break the law and drop out of school. Guided by a close relationship with their dads, these kids disproportionately grow up to avoid risky sex, pursue healthy relationships and hold down high-paying jobs.

When fathers are actively involved with their children, they do better. Children are more likely to have higher IQ scores than their peers at the age of three. This is according to Paul Amato, a sociologist who studies parent-child relationships at Pennsylvania State University.

In the longer term, with the father around, children suffer from fewer psychological problems and may be less prone to obesity– call it “The Father Effect”, the umbrella term for the benefits of a paternal presence. These effects can be numerous when fathers actively participate in family life.

“There needs to be a minimum amount of time spent together, but the quality of time is more important than the quantity of time. Just watching television together, for example, isn’t going to help much,” the sociologist stressed out.

That’s why the emerging consensus on the importance of fathers in the every stage of a child’s development is worth the monitoring. Their findings support a

conclusion that might change how we parent our children.

More than just sperm donors

THERE is, perhaps, no greater and more universal Father Effect than genetic information.

While we tend to blame mothers for ruining the genetic information in their eggs with drugs and alcohol, we have few knowledge of how fathers’ vices might impact their sperm. We now know that the decisions a man makes before conception can have lifelong impacts on his kids. Studies suggest that men who drink before conception are more likely to have sons who abuse alcohol, and that poor dietary choices in men can lead to negative pregnancy outcomes. At least one study suggests that men who are stressed before conception may predispose of their offspring to high blood sugar.

“We know the nutritional, hormonal and psychological environment provided by the mother permanently alters organ structure, cellular response and gene expression in her offspring,” said Joanna Kitlinska of Georgetown University, who ran a study on the subject in 2016. “But our study shows the same thing to be true with fathers— his lifestyle and how old he is can be reflected in molecules that control gene function.”

The earlier a dad gets involved, the better

IN a 1997 book on the subject, researchers argued that fathers who are actively involved in labor are

effectively developing relationships (albeit one-way relationship) with their children as early as possible, and subsequent studies suggest that this leads to stronger early attachment to the baby.

In a 2011 literature review on paternal involvement during pregnancy and labor, the authors claim that the preponderance of evidence suggests that dads who are actively involved and invested in the baby before he or she is born disproportionately remain involved in the child’s life. And, as numerous studies have shown, more paternal involvement means better outcomes for kids.

That’s why, nowadays, dads no longer exist just to teach their toddlers to walk and play catch, but they are encouraged to take part in parent groups, to participate during labor or to care for their infants.

Talk about engaged fathers

DADS who live with their kids and take time out of their days to attend important events are far more likely to have a positive impact than those of absent fathers.

For dads who live apart from their kids, there are limited options for engaging fatherly interactions. “Writing letters, phone calls—even if you’re not in physical proximity–and knowing your dad cares and wants to be involved to the extent that they can is really important,” Marcy Carlson, a sociologist at the University of Wisconsin. If you can’t even do that, buying love isn’t the worst idea.

“There’s tons of evidence that fi-

nancial support of kids is good for their outcomes,” she said. “If dads can provide for their children, that goes a long way.”

Most studies suggest that, until children hit puberty, the Father Effect is roughly equal for boys and girls. Both boys and girls who are fortunate enough to have dads in their lives excel and, in some cases, outperform their peers. But when raging hormones kick in, studies demonstrate that dads suddenly become the arbiters of sexual behavior, too. And that is most acutely felt by teenage daughters who a take fewer sexual risks if they have strong relationship with their dads.

“Numerous past studies find a link between low-quality fathering and daughters’ sexual outcomes, including early and risky sexual behavior,” said Danielle del Priore, who has studied how dads impact risky sex. “A father who is cold or disengaged may change daughters’ social environments and sexual psychology in ways that promote unrestricted sexual behavior.”

Del Priore suggests that daughters might learn from disengaged fathers that they shouldn’t expect men to invest meaningfully in long-term relationships, and so they settle for riskier casual flings.

It’s also possible that “daughters with disengaged fathers receive less parental monitoring and are more likely to affiliate with sexually promiscuous friends,” she added. “On the other hand, having a father who is warm and engaged can protect against these outcomes.”

Del Priore defined “engaged fathers” as those who warmly behave and meaningfully interact with their kids. They’re the sort of dads who help with homework and attend sporting events, seldom insulting their children or behaving coldly. “When it comes to daughters, taking the time to listen to them, learn about their lives, show up for important events and provide emotional support could protect [them] against early and unrestricted sexual behavior,” she said.

“Dads do not have to be perfect, and making a genuine effort to

be there for their daughters could make a big difference.”

Dads do matter. They need to realize that their kids are always watching and that what they do matter. How well a dad parents influence a child’s psychological, cognitive and social development, and strongly steers him or her toward adulthood and even beyond.

My favorite story would be that of a loving and compassionate father recorded in the Gospel of Luke.

“But when he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him. And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and, in your sight, and am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet. And bring the fatted calf here and kill it, and let us eat and be merry; for this, my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ And they began to be merry.” (Luke 15:20-24).

Pancho Piano: Enriching Local Art Culture

By Marane A. Plaza

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HERE’S an acclaimed visual artist who has put the Bicolano culture in the spotlight for 35 years through his art works. Over the course of 35 years, Pancho Piano is a true blue visual artist who has created incredible works of art through his distinctive paintings, impressive murals, as well as liturgical stained glass designs.

Pancho Piano has been respected for creating artworks through paintings, wood carvings and clay sculpture. Although he uses a wide range of art platforms, most of his works feature Bicol’s many interesting myths, legends, culture, and traditions thematically, as he was born in a quaint town in Lagonoy, Camarines Sur. He was raised by a father who was a teacher and a stay-at-home mother.

Second to eight siblings, Piano discovered his love for the arts early in life.

Some of Piano’s favorite themes to paint are indigenous deities such as Haliya, the moon goddess of abundance and fertility; Daragang Magayon in the folktale of ill-starred lovers; as well as myths surroundings the origin of Albay province

and festivals like the Our Lady of Peñafrancia water festival.

“I want my art to be a way to bring the beauty of the Bicolano culture, and the Filipino people in general, to the forefront. When people look at my work, I want them to think, reflect, and appreciate the beautiful culture that we have,” said Piano.

With a penchant for realism and abstractionism, Piano’s paintings often portray beauty of humanity, with a signature stroke where softness and loudness are both in harmony, as well as a “jolly” vibe seen in his striking and evocative paintings in pastel colors. He has won over 10 major national competitions in the Philippines. These days, he spends his time mentoring younger artists in a group he organize- the Salingoy Art Group, an organization of Bicol-based artists; and Bicol Expression, a group of Manila-based artists whose roots originate from Bicol. He also organizes various solo art shows, counting to 50 shows to date.

Currently, he is exhibiting “Hagod” in Okada until June 23. His upcoming exhibit dubbed as “Merging of Colors” opens at the SM Aura on June 21. It also features over 200 group shows, locally and overseas.

SUPER MOM PAYS TRIBUTE TO THE SUPER DAD AND FOUNDER OF ORGANIQUE ACAI BERRY SUPERFOOD

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AD, Joseph Elton Salimbangon is the man of the hour, a super dad and super hero too! For he is practically here, there and everywhere – a busy body, trying to save the day. As founder of Organique Inc, together with super mom Cathy who happens to be a nurse by profession, they have indefatigably shared to the Filipinos the best news ever! With the couple’s very timely introduction of the highly touted superfood Organique Acai berry, harvested from the Amazon’s virgin rainforests of Brazil, hundreds of thousands have been benefitted largely by the super nutrients of the purplishcolored berry, contained in every bottle.

As the defender of our immune system, Joseph Elton accomplishes the most daunting tasks for the love of his family, and the extended family, the Filipino people who suffer from a weakened immune system, the cause of many failing health.

What panacea! It’s wonderful to know that the world’s most potent superfood, superbrand, USDA approved, USDA accedited and HALAL certified Organique Acai Berry Premium Blend is always on hand to keep him healthy, active and strong to win over the demands of work, sustained energy level for leisure time with the whole family.

And it's all in a day’s work! Joseph Elton multitasks the entire operation of the company, not leaving a stone unturned to ensure quality and excellence are maintained to satisfy the voluminous loyal users of this super tasty Organique Acai Berry Premium Blend. Well, didn’t the voice over say, “…faster than a speeding bullet, able to fly high up in the sky”? “It’s a plane, it’s a bird, no, it’s…it’s super dad!” Marvel and DC may have their own roster of super heroes, but the guardian of the family, this side of the universe has his roots planted firmly on terrafirma.

Besides, even superheroes get tired too. They need nourishment, nutrients to keep them energized, to stay active, alert, strong 24/7, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. Organique Inc.'s own version, super dad Joseph Elton Salimbangon, Organique Inc., the cofounder and better half of super mom Cathy needs to

be able-bodied, healthy and invincible to take on the daily mental, strategic and physical challenges.

Thus, the superhero of Cathy’s life also needs this daily dose of superfood - a shotglass, which is equivalent to an ounce - that’s got the most powerful, superior anti-oxidants to expel the most odious pollutants, obnoxious toxins and poisonous free radicals that invade, harming the body and the environment. Organique Acai Berry Premium Blend contains pure acai berry and is processed in the USA using the most stringent asceptic technology. It is exclusively distributed by Organique Inc. and are available in Mercury Drug stores and other leading drugstores and supermarkets nationwide.

On his special day this year, supermom Cathy, including their three children, Luisa, Martina and

Nathan have prepared something super-special for super love, super dad Joseph Elton: a moment of peace while sipping a refreshing smoothie before breakfast. And to keep her superhero’s immunity at a high level, his senses alert and his physique youthful and robust, she's adding a super booster! Crunchy Organique Acai tossed salad – fresh, crispy romaine and lettuce greens garnished with walnuts, apple, melon or avocado slices (or whatever fruits are in season), with Organique Acai Berry generously poured over and mixed for super flavor (* to get other delish recipes to delight your super hero, log on to www.organique.com.ph).

Yes, Father’s Day may well be called Super Hero day because Tatay, Papa, Daddy is and will always be a super dad, reigning supreme in our hearts.

ror Special Feature

R’S DAY www.businessmirror.com.ph | Sunday, June 17, 2018

A7

Honoring the dads away from home Continued from A5

everyday you get to write something for your father. Even if you feel like you can’t write one, this can be a little challenge for you to make one for him. nCreate a playlist track for your dad. MUSIC has been much a part of life, some times, it’s someone’s way of life; Make a playlist track for your dad and include all his favorite songs in the record. You can also include songs that are your mom’s favorites, so he can remember his wife

even he’s away from home. Think of a special title that you can name to the soundtrack and send this playlist to your dad! This playlist will make him feel at home and near to his loved ones through the songs that made up his younger years. nSend your dad a package of all his favorite goodies. YOUR father may be a thousand miles away, and he surely misses all the goodies he likes to spoil himself back home. This Father’s Day gives you the time to send your dad his favorite goodies.

Whether it’s his favorite snack, drink, books or tie, try arranging a package of all his favorite things that you can send to him. Also, your father might be missing out on new snacks or drinks from your hometown, perhaps, you can send some for him to try so he won’t feel that he’s been left out! This package will surely make him remember of all his favorite things at home and won’t make him sad because it’s you have arranged everything for him. nPlan a simple Father’s Day celebration at home. EVEN without your father’s presence at

home, you can still plan and prepare a father’s day celebration for him. Hone up your cooking skills by preparing his favorite dishes.

You can also order his favorite dessert and arrange everything simply on your dining table. Set up decorations in your dining area, take photos and directly send these to him! This simple celebration at home can make your father feel that he is remembered on his special day.

Working away from your family has always been a battle for most Filipinos. Many workers are sent abroad to earn sav-

ings for their families to sustain their basic necessities and to support their children’s education.

Most workers also experience a hard time coming home–may it be due to stricter regulations of the companies they are working in, the load of work they cannot leave or financial struggles they may face with however, it is not too late for family members left at home to make special plans for their father who is working abroad. Little do we realize that these simple gestures of appreciation for our fathers make them feel remembered at home, even

working from afar.

Making your dad feel special on Father’s Day does not have to cost a thing. Whether you have a planned or tight budget for this celebration, it does not tell how much it will cost to express your appreciation for your father. Your dad may be with or without you today, but there are countless ways that you can do to express your appreciation and love for him.

Remember that the most little gestures and efforts that you can make are what mostly stays in the heart, so make sure to make your father feel the most special today.

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Sports BusinessMirror

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

Sunday, June 17, 2018 A8

FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE

By Maria Danilova

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The Associated Press

OSCOW—Russian women and visiting World Cup soccer fans: be fruitful and

multiply.

After a lawmaker caused a backlash on social media by advising Russian women against getting involved with foreign soccer fans, one of her colleagues is urging love and procreation during the tournament.

“The more love stories we have connected to the world championship, the more people from different countries fall in love, the more children are born, the better,” state news agency Tass quoted parliament member Mikhail Degtyaryov as telling reporters on Thursday.

Degtyaryov appeared to be doing damage control after lawmaker Tamara Pletnyova warned Russian women on

Wednesday to think twice before entering into casual relationships with foreign tourists because they may end up rearing their children alone.

Pletnyova, who heads a parliamentary committee on children and families, also suggested that Russian women should marry local men and said that children born from mixedraced marriages are unhappy.

The comments prompted criticism on social media, with some saying that Pletnyova’s views were racist and archaic.

Degtyaryov, who heads a parliamentary committee overseeing sports, promoted a totally opposite view on Thursday.

“Many years from now these children will remember that their parents’ love story began during the World Cup in Russia in 2018,” Degtyaryov said, according to Tass. “I hope to God that there would be more

loves stories, more children, more mixed unions.”

“We welcome fans from all countries, skin colors, all religions, all genders and all [sexual] orientations,” Degtyaryov added.

The Kremlin weighed in, reluctantly, on the controversy.

Asked about Pletnyova’s comments, President Vladimir Putin’s spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, told reporters on Thursday that the Kremlin has nothing to do with the matter.

“As for our Russian women, they will make their own judgment,” Peskov said. “They are the best women in the world.”

Peskov noted that spectators attending matches receive special World Cup identification cards that have the phrase “Say no to racism” written on them.

“This is probably the best way to characterize the atmosphere of this holiday and Russia’s approach to it,” Peskov added.

SCALPERS JUST WON’T GO AWAY

At 45, El Hadary offers World Cup tale of tenacity

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OSCOW—Egypt’s 45-year-old goalkeeper Essam El Hadary says he feels like he’s 20 again.

That’s a dream combination: A 20-year-old with the vast experience gained from a career stretching nearly three decades.

“I have dealt with three generations of players, each one of them was different,” El Hadary said in a recent television interview. “But this generation is just great.

People go on about me being 45, but I feel I am like my teammates—like I am 20.”

El Hadary isn’t assured of getting any game time for Egypt in the World Cup in Russia but if he does, he’ll make history.

Whether he’s selected to start ahead of Sherif Ekramy or Mohamed Elshenawy or goes on as a substitute, El Hadary would become the oldest person to play in a World Cup. Colombia goalkeeper Faryd Mondragon, who was 43 when he played at the last World Cup in Brazil, holds the record.

Egypt opens its campaign against Uruguay on Friday and will meet Russia and Saudi Arabia in other Group A games.

El Hadary, who enjoys celebrity status in Egypt, has rarely spoken about the age record, preferring instead to focus on the ambitions of the Pharaohs in their first World Cup since 1990. It’s a return that has given many of Egypt’s 100 million people a welcome reprieve amid harsh economic conditions.

Being in the World Cup is a particularly special occasion for El Hadary, who gained fame and respect as the Pharaohs’ goalkeeper when they won three successive African titles between 2006 and 2010. It was a time when

EGYPTIAN national player and Liverpool star striker Mohammed Salah (right) shares a laugh with goalkeeper Essam El Hadary during Egypt’s final practice for the World Cup at Cairo Stadium in Cairo. AP

the Egypt team was peaking on the continental level, but kept on failing to qualify for the World Cup. They are here now, and El Hadary doesn’t hide what it means to him.

“I have a goal that I have dreamt of all my life: That we qualify for the second round,” he said.

This is far from certain since Egypt could be without Liverpool’s star Mohamed Salah, who is recovering from a should injury, at least for the Uruguay game. Salah’s knack for scoring—44 in all competitions in his debut season with the English club—would be sorely missed by a team that has heavily depended on him.

Still, El Hadary has been doing his part, showing full commitment to earning a starting spot.

During training sessions in Grozny, the team’s base in Russia, El Hadary appears raring to go, always walking energetically to the pitch ahead of his teammates, and

Jadambaa, 42: Age is a number

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HERE is no stopping Mongolian brute Narantungalag Jadambaa at age 42 At an age when many athletes have already decided to call it a day, former ONE Featherweight World Champion Narantungalag “Tungaa” Jadambaa is still aiming to reach the peak form of his professional career.

If anyone thinks that his best days are in the rearview mirror, the Mongolian veteran begs to disagree.

“Age is just a number. Anything is possible if you work for it,” Jadambaa quipped.

Jadambaa, a grappler known for his immense onepunch knockout power, will return to action for the first time since losing to arch-nemesis Marat “Cobra” Gafurov in their November 2016 featherweight title rematch.

Since then, the Mongolian has been on the sidelines, but he has remained active at the gym, working to add new dimensions to his mixed martial arts arsenal.

At 42, it may appear like he is at the tail end of his glorious stint as a mixed martial artist, but the trouper claims that he feels 10 years younger than his actual age and is motivated to make another run at the gold.

“After competing against Marat Gafurov, I thought that I needed to improve my wrestling and grappling skills, and my physical strength. Now, I think that I have improved myself even more than before,” he shared.

For his long-awaited return, Jadambaa is scheduled to take on Filipino hard-hitter Edward “The Ferocious” Kelly at “ONE: Pinnacle of Power,” which takes place at the Studio

WOMEN look over from the Krymsky Bridge that is adorned with banners of the 2018 World Cup in Moscow. AP

diving at full stretch for saves. In fitness drills, there’s no visible difference between El Hadary and teammates who are 20 years younger.

But age can take a toll and El Hadary, notwithstanding his tenacity, is no exception.

He has had an erratic season with his Saudi club Al-Taawoun and has of late shown glimpses of slower reflexes or bad judgment, most recently during a 3-0 loss in a warm-up against Belgium. The Belgians netted twice, while El Hadary was in goal in the first half.

El Hadary first rose to prominence with Cairo’s Al-Ahly club, but he fell out with management and left in 2008 for Switzerland, where his playing time was cut short by a transfer issue. Al-Ahly fans were upset by his departure, and he has become something of a football nomad, playing for several clubs in Egypt, Sudan and Saudi Arabia. AP

City Event Center in Macau on June 23.

Jadambaa promises to display the new and improved skills that he has developed and do something special inside the five-rope ONE Championship ring.

“I have been ready to fight anytime,” he assured. “I am in good shape, and I am happy to fight again. My heart is driven to fight. I have been preparing new techniques, and I will show something new in my next fight. You can believe it.”

Although getting back into world title contention is often at the back of every competitor’s mind, Jadambaa pointed out that he is taking one bout at a time for now.

According to Jadambaa, the only thing occupying his thoughts at the moment is his upcoming three-round clash with Kelly, who has ascended up the ranks of ONE Championship’s featherweight division.

“I am only thinking about the fight with Edward Kelly now,” he stated. “If I beat him, I think it would be right to continue to fight, and it will motivate me to train more as a result.”

OSCOW—Scalpers are still operating at the World Cup, despite claims of a crackdown by Fifa and Russian organizers on illicit ticket sales.

Sellers have been visible outside the main ticket office in Moscow, buying spare tickets from foreign fans and sell at inflated prices.

An Associated Press reporter was approached six times within an hour and offered tickets, including a luxury Category 1 seat at the opening game on Thursday between Russia and Saudi Arabia. One was offered at $700, or $150 above the standard price.

The most in-demand tickets, such as for Argentina’s opening game, are being offered online for as much as $2,300, though buyers have no guarantee they’re getting genuine access to the games.

Fifa has tried to cancel some tickets and last week filed a criminal complaint against ticket resale web site Viagogo.

Russia has made World Cup scalping punishable by a fine for individual sellers of up to 25 times the ticket’s face value.

Despite the tough talk from Russian authorities, police stationed at the ticket office on a night earlier this week did little besides briefly inspect one seller’s documents.

Each World Cup ticket must be registered to an individual, but sellers exploit a loophole in Fifa’s system allowing fans to buy up to four tickets then change the registered names to three of them. So long as the new recipient has at least one ticket of their own—and so is registered in Russia’s Fan ID system—a switch is possible.

Jadambaa is well acquainted with the Kelly clan as he once shared the ONE Championship stage with the Team Lakay representative’s older brother Eric, whom he defeated by way of 44-second knockout in July 2016.

However, Jadambaa knows about the danger that the younger Kelly poses.

“I think he is strong, a good fighter. You can’t compare him with his brother. Stylistically, both of them are different. I have a tall order in front of me on 23rd of June,” he said.

Entering the marquee featherweight contest as the older man, Jadambaa believes that age will be an issue. AP Mongolian Narantungalag Jadambaa claims that he feels 10 years younger than his actual age.

“You just need ID,” said one seller, who said he was from France and had sold “lots” of tickets in the last month. He offered two tickets that had been issued under Russian men’s names while standing next to the ticket office sign that said “tickets are not available for most games.”

Like others, he declined to give his name because the reselling is illegal.

Another seller claimed he’d received complimentary tickets and was selling them to fund his World Cup journey.

“Because Fifa’s given me this ticket, it’s like a game to make money,” he said, displaying tickets to four different games.

He then exchanged phone numbers with a fan, apparently to arrange a handover elsewhere.

Five men with English accents worked as a group, splitting up to approach fans in the queue for the sales office. One held a thick wad of tickets.

Still, it’s a case of buyer beware. There’s no reliable way to check if the tickets are fake, have been canceled or whether the seller really changed the registration.

“A significant number of unauthorized online ticket sales, offered via web sites and on social media originating from various countries, have been stopped,” Fifa said in a statement. “Overall Fifa counts on the cooperation of the respective authorities to protect fans from scalpers in line with the applicable regulations.” Fifa didn’t respond to a question regarding scalpers operating outside the ticket office.

Fifa policy states registrations should only be changed to a person with “a preexisting relationship with the ticket purchaser.”

Fifa’s system doesn’t allow the original buyer of a group booking to change their own registration, only those of other guests, so a fan could end watching the game next to their scalper. AP

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Editor: Tet Andolong

Sunday, June 17, 2018

A9

The Rose Garden Mansions Randy S. Peregrino

The Fontana Leisure Parks

Northern weekend getaway like no other

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By Randy S. Peregrino

ers as well as tourists and corporate groups will surely appreciate what the American planned community has to offer, including conference and banquet rooms. They also serve a diverse array of international restaurants, cafés, bars and KTV. Interestingly, it only takes less than two hours, in light traffic conditions, to get to Fontana.

ONSIDERED as the country’s future premiere getaway, Clark, Pampanga, is continuously being developed as a modern hub for commercial, industrial, leisure and tourism.

Now known as Clark Freeport Zone (CFZ) and Clark Special Economic Zone (CSEZ), these zones have become the melting pot for the hotel and restaurant industry, which offer various types of accommodations, theme park attractions, golf and country clubs among others. Likewise, it is now one of the popular choices of destination for a short spree outside Metro Manila.

Situated at the central area of

the district is a unique hospitality establishment—the Fontana Leisure Parks. Regarded as the country’s largest and perhaps the most advanced integrated leisure park, Fontana sits in an expansive 300-hectare property within the CSEZ. Fontana is not your typical resort. It is the only one in the country which offers a wide-ranging R and R estate complete with a water park theme and golf course.

Couples, families, business travel-

The entrance with charming landscape presentation. Randy S. Peregrino

Wide-ranging accommodations

As soon as you reach the main entrance, you will be greeted with a charming landscape presentation. As you progress, rows of villas will start to surface along the wide path. All are positioned in succeeding streets facing one another with cul-de-sacs in each end.

These bungalow-type villas feature attractive architectures such as trellised yellow bells, which serve as canopy at the entrance and individual patios. The exterior spaces, meantime, are surrounded with trimmed lawns.

Continued on A12

Superior room in the mansion

The Mansion with a private pool

The mansion’s dining area Randy S. Peregrino

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A10 Sunday, June 17, 2018

Editor: Tet Andolong

Gems of the Orient

Kayaking into Sohoton Natural Bridge

Story & photos by Bernard L. Supetran

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HERE has been lingering historical gossip that the Allied Forces, led by Gen. Douglas MacArthur, returned to the Philippines via Leyte during World War II not just for its strategic significance, but because of its innate charm. It was a place where he could laze around after kicking out the Japanese.

An Oriental food feast

You need not be a military genius nor a travel guru to realize that this lovely province is a gem of eastern Philippines. Aside from MacArthur’s iconic larger-than-life tableau, which memorializes his monumental landing, Leyte and twin province Samar have a plethora of hideaways which have been largely overshadowed by the topof-mind destinations.

The good news is you don’t have to do a taxing and hit-or-miss do-

back to life to bring back the touch of style and luxury in what the late celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain would call as “parts unknown.”

Serendipity begins when you land in Tacloban, the aerial gateway and regional hub of Eastern Visayas, regarded as the ninthbusiest domestic airport. From here, a guest shuttle van will take you to the Oriental Hotel for the welcome amenities and the staff’s cheoreographed dance to make you

Rock formations in Marabut

it-yourself itinerary of the exotic spots. The Oriental Hotel, which is situated at the other fence of MacArthur’s landing site, can cook up a seamless tour to some of the most exciting natural gems in this side of the archipelago.

Devastated by Supertyphoon Yolanda in 2013, the area has bounced back and has sparked vigor in the local tourism landscape.

The star-rated resort hotel, which was totally destroyed, has come

A view of Leyte Gulf & the Pacific

instantly feel at home before you embark on your adventure.

A must-visit is Sohoton Natural Bridge national park in Basey town, Samar’s poster image and among the first ecotourism showcases in the 1990s. The 840-hectare reserve boasts of fascinating limestone boulders, rockholes, weathered formation rocks and subterranean rivers.

Traditionally, it can be reached by land across the San Juanico

Bridge toward Visitors Center at the river village of Wespal, the welcome lounge and launching area operated by a community organization for the 15-minute banca ride to the destination. Alternatively, you can have a customized chartered cruise to Wespal via tour outfitter Aqua Momentum.

Sohoton’s main cave is a cathedral-like dome, with a 50-meter high arch entrance. Its extensive system is composed endogen caves with angular limestone cliffs, which abounds with flowstones, dripstones and other jaw-dropping geological features.

Further down is the 23-meter high Natural Bridge and archshaped rock which connects two ridges spanning a river, which can be reached by a leisurely 30-minute kayak paddling.

In the heart of Basey is the hilltop century-old Saint Michael Archangel Church, which has a commanding view of the poblacion, Gulf Leyte and Tacloban in the horizon. The town takes pride in its age-old pandan mat, Samar’s trademark handicrafts, hand-woven by women’s skillful hands which makes for an exquisite pasalubong.

A best-kept secret is the neighboring town of Marabut, which is

San Juanico Bridge viewed from an islet at the Strait.

known for its rock islets of amusing shapes, lush coral gardens, limestone cliffs, and patches of greenery and white beaches.

Tucked behind towering rocks is Tinago Enchanted Lagoon, a rich wetland ecosystem teeming with mangroves which are habitats to various species of fishes and fowls. It can be reached through a low-ceilinged, tunnel-like opening aboard a paddle boat or kayak.

Marabut is, by and large, a frontier with only less than a handful tourist establishments which can cater to visitors’ needs, but its natural assets are more than enough to compensate for this shortcoming.

If time permits, you can take a 60-minute sunset cruise at the San Juanico Strait for a different point of view of the famed bridge which has captured the fancy of motorists and Instagram addicts. The 2.2-kilometer span, the longest in the country, can be admired from below and from the islets concessioned by Aqua Momentum to be its temporary resort.

At night time, you can feast in the hotel’s succulent specialties which gives you the authentic Oriental taste across Asia’s wellloved cuisines—which embraces Filipino, Chinese, Japanese, Thai, Vietnamese, Malay and Korean all-time favorites. Spicing up the otherwise uneventual dinner time is a 30-minute fire dance show, perhaps the only one of its kind of entertainment among mainstream lodging facilities.

Before hitting the sack, pamper yourself with a rejuvenating spa treatment after a daylong journey, to prepare you for yet another exciting odyssey.

The next day can be spent exploring Tacloban City and the suburban municipalities such of Dulag, Palo and Tolosa, which are dotted with heritage structures, mostly related to World War II. But if you are craving for the so-called vitamin sea, there is an infinity of fine sand and gin-clear water, which can rival Boracay even during its heydays. Be forewarned, though, of the lengthy road transfer, which takes at least two hours one way, plus the boat ride. But if you are a true-blue beach bum, these getaways are undeniably worth the trip.

There’s the island province of Biliran, which is a virtual waterworld because of its beaches, series of waterfalls, sandbars and scuba diving sites. Moreover, there is also Tres Islas in Inopacan and Kalanggaman Island in Palompon which is sought-after for its 200-meter powdery sandbar acclaimed as one of the best in the country.

For a slower pace, you can just laze around Oriental Hotel’s manicured grounds, dip in the infinity pools with a view of the Pacific horizon, read a book at the cozy lobby adorned with overwhelming Asian motifs, or simply make the most of a relaxing staycation at its wellappointed rooms.

If MacArthur were alive today, he will surely keep making a repeat of his “I shall return” pledge, not just for nostalgia’s sake but also for the Oriental gems that are slowly making Eastern Visayas among the nation’s hottest tourist hot spots.

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Editor: Tet Andolong

BusinessMirror

Sunday, June 17, 2018 A11

Belmont Hotel Manila

Belmont undergoes SGS certification

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ELMONT Hotel Manila became the world’s first hotel to forge an agreement with SGS, the global leading inspection, verification, testing and certification company, on its Hospitality Experience (HX) certification program.

Launched in November last year, the certification program has been designed specifically for the hospitality industry to meet a

variety of needs and provide solutions to issues encountered by the industry.

Located at the Newport City

in Pasay City, the 480-room fourstar hotel, is part of the Resorts World Manila integrated leisure complex and is connected to the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3 via Runway Manila, an overhead air-conditioned walkway.

“SGS is known for assuring the quality and safety in brands.

Belmont strongly believes that our patrons deserve nothing less than that level of quality for their money’s worth. That is why we engaged SGS Philippines to be certified under the SGS Hospitality Experience, a program that infused international hospitality standards to various areas of hotel operations,” said Belmont Hotel Manila General Manager Lorenzo Tang.

The SGS HX certification consists of four modules—risk, sustainability, corporate social responsibility and quality of service experience. SGS Philippines Inc., the local affiliate of the Genevabased SGS, will be conducting the certification audits and other requirements under the program.

“We believe in providing and maintaining a high quality of service experience for our guests and a certification from SGS will confirm our commitment in doing this,” Tang added.

SGS is recognized as the international benchmark for quality and integrity, with more than 95,000 employees and operating a network of over 2,400 offices and laboratories around the world.

Belmont Hotel General Manager Lorenzo Tang welcomes SGS Global Product Manager for Travel and Hospitality John Reily Baluyot.

5 travel fails to avoid

El Nido Resorts meets Asean Green Hotel Standards

yourself ample time to prepare. While it’s good to have an itinerary, it’s also helpful to have a flexible schedule so you can immediately adjust to unforeseen circumstances.

2. Lost luggage

Representing TKDC were Javier Hernandez (from left) and Al Legaspi with Tourism Secretary Bernadette Fatima Romulo-puyat (third from left) and TKDC representative Joey Bernardino (right). Also standing in for TKDC holding company Ayala Land were Bobby Dy, Junie Jalandoni and Mariana Zobel de Ayala (fourth, fifth and sixth from left).

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YALA LAND Hotels and Resorts Corp. (AHRC) recently received an award from Tourism Secretary Bernadette Fatima Romulo-Puyat (third from left) recognizing that El Nido Resorts meets Asean Green Hotel Standards, which seek to heighten energy conservation and environment-friendly practices in the region. El Nido Resorts, which is owned by AHRC subsidiary Ten Knots Development Corp. (TKDC), is recognized in the country for setting the standards for responsible tourism in its operations and collaboration with community and local organizations. These guidelines are also being applied by another Ayala Land hotel brand, Huni, a 52-room bed and breakfast in its second ecotourism estate, Sicogon Island Tourism Estate in Carles, northern Iloilo. Huni is scheduled to open another hotel in Lio Tourism Estate in Palawan in 2019.

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RAVELING is such a wonderful thing! It helps you appreciate different cultures and teaches you so many lessons that aren’t taught in the classroom. To make each trip truly meaningful, you have to prepare very well for it.

But even seasoned travelers may run into unforeseen setbacks. Here is a list of common travel fails and what to do in case you find yourself in one.

1. Missed flight or other modes of transportation

Missing your flight or other transfers can be very stressful and costly as it can change your itinerary.

But don’t panic! Find out your options, such as travel alternatives to your destination.

Be flexible too! Know your schedule to give

Make your luggage easily identifiable by adding some personal touches, like a luggage cover protector or bag tags with your name and address. If the airline loses your luggage, report it immediately. Have the basic necessities and at least one set of clothes in your carry-on bag to tide you over as you wait for your luggage. If the airline is unable to recover your bag, your travel insurance can help.

Make travel insurance a part of your travel checklist. Get protection from Smart Traveller of Charter Ping An. Not only will it provide protection for your personal belongings, it also comes with a wide range of benefits, including 24-hour medical assistance, personal accident coverage, liability and personal safety coverage, and even refunds for unexpected expenses. Application is easy! Visit the AXA web site and choose the ideal coverage for your trip.

Eligible applicants must hold Philippine identification documents like birth certificate, long-term visa pass, dependent or student pass and employment certificate for adults 18 to 70 years old.

3. Luggage overload

Lugging heavy suitcases as you chase after a bus or train or try to catch your flight makes travel

more difficult, stressful and even costly because it could mean paying extra for excess baggage.

Pack light by choosing clothes that are suitable for any situation and occasion. Bring only the most essential. Have your toiletries in miniature containers and carry your jacket instead of putting it in your bag.

4. Lost or missing travel documents

Travelers who are rushing may misplace things like passports or other important documents.

When that happens, remember to keep calm and immediately ask for assistance from the nearest embassy or consulate. Keep electronic and paper copies of your passport and other necessary documents with you, and constantly check your valuables wherever you go.

5. Cash shortage

Having cash is the easiest way to pay for things when traveling, but if you’re not careful, you can run low on cash before the end of your trip. To make your cash last long, bring a refillable water container so you don‘t have to buy bottled water, or shop at local stores for affordable and authentic local cuisines. Create a daily budget for your trip and stick to it. Have a credit card for emergencies.

Traveling is a good investment. Enjoy a hasslefree vacation and always be protected by availing yourself of Smart Traveller now. For more information, visit www.axa.com.ph.

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A12 | Sunday, June 17, 2018 • Editor: Tet Andolong

Fontana’s Olympic-sized Pool

The Fontana Leisure Parks

Northern weekend getaway like no other Continued from a9

These fully air-conditioned and furnished luxury villas offer two- or three-bedroom setup.

Inside, you’ll find a living room, minibar, kitchen, dining, bathrooms and a maid’s quarter. The interior design presents a conducive arrangement, giving you that feeling of having your own home in a vacation. The two-story villas, on the other hand, offer more rooms, up to five, with two living rooms, reading room, dining, kitchen and a maid’s quarter. But if you wish to further uplift your experience, there are available villas with a private swimming pool, as well as a jacuzzi and sauna.

Meanwhile, Fontana raises the bar in terms of lodging big groups with its very own three-story villas or mansions. Away from where the typical villas and the main hotel building are located, the compound, with a cul-de-sac, sits in a secluded, fenced and secured area.

Imagine you’re inside a neighborhood with identical Beverly Hillslooking mansions, each with its own driveway and garage. Once inside, you’ll be in awe to see the posh arrangements and structures. For one, the high-ceiling living or receiving area is illuminated by a big chandelier with wall lamps on each floor. Not to mention the first-rate detail trims on the walls and edges. Then, there are four dining tables with chairs for the entire group, along with the minibar table with elevated chairs facing the kitchen room.

Offering seven bedrooms to as

ONE-story villas

much as 19 bedrooms, the Rose Garden Mansions are complete with amenities. Ultimately, it’s like having your very own posh mini hotel for the entire stay. This is what makes Fontana unique from the other hotels and resorts in Clark. Among the seven mansions, one has its own private pool area. Aside from these various villa lodgings, there are more luxurious rooms in the main hotel building for the couples and travelers. One of the best parts is that the property sits in a great vantage point of Mount Arayat along with an upmarket atmosphere and greeneries.

main hotel lobby

Splash adventures

Fontana’s Water Theme Park is an absolute treat for the water activity seekers. Here you’ll find giant slides and fun water facilities.

But the park also houses other sports and recreational facilities for basketball, tennis and badminton. There’s even an olympic-sized pool and other gaming centers to suit your active lifestyle.

One of the themes is the “Three Giant Aqua Thrill Slides.” This attraction lets you experience the thrill from covered body slide, full open body slides, or with inflatable tube. Another is the lazy river, where you can experience the 500-meter long pool hyped by water currents and fallen log with showers.

If you prefer a serene moment with your family, then there’s the hot spring and lagoon pool. Here, guests can go fishing in the manmade lagoon surrounded by age-

aqua thrill slides

old trees. This lagoon stretches to a pool with jacuzzi and a bar and the Fontana Hot Spring.

But if you really want to do actual swimming laps, the Fontana’s premium and well-situated olympic-sized pool is the one for you.

The pool, which measures 50x25 meters, has eight lanes made suitable for competitive swimming or lap ups. With all these wide-ranging accommodations and water at-

lazy river

tractions, your trip to Fontana with your family or friends is absolutely like the best summer, every time.

Backed by strong leadership and vision

With a strong 400-plus work force to deliver excellent service to guests, the entire group is helmed

by Fontana Hot Spring Leisure Parks General Manager Pak Chi Keung “Dennis” since 2009. Being

a 44-year veteran in the hospitality industry, Dennis has acquired the skills to blend science of hotel management with the art of professional hospitality that allowed him to achieve exceptional results.

His previous leadership roles involve various stints from midsize and high-end hotels in Hong Kong and mainland China.

As the general manager, he is responsible for managing the dayto-day operations and work collaboratively with his high-performance management team. He also provides leadership vision to the organization by assisting the board and staff with the development of long term and annual plans, including its evaluation and reporting of progress. He also has thoughts on what to do for Fontana in the near future. “I would love to continue the development and expansion of Fontana facilities, especially the Water Theme Park,” he shared.

Just like any other leader, he

The mansion’s posh living room Randy S. Peregrino

has also faced difficult challenges and along the way, accomplished achievements. “There’s a tight competition in the hotel industry inside and outside Clark but Fontana has always been able to overcome the challenges,” he said.

If there’s one thing he believes why guests keep on coming back to Fontana, he said, “Because they loved and enjoyed staying with us.

It’s the exclusivity of the place and its facilities that offer something for all types of travelers,” he explained. “Indeed, the resort offers a unique kind of experience. Fontana is the only resort inside Clark that offers both villa and hotel accommodation with huge recreational facilities. Fontana also contributes to the tourism industry by catering to international clients. Most of all, our staff members are very hospitable, friendly and are always happy to serve.” www.fontana.com.ph