Businessmirror June 29, 2019

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FREEDOM FROM TRAFFIC

PHL law stymies highoccupancy vehicle schemes that could help ease traffic congestion, but a few good practices may lead the way

By Cai U. Ordinario

F

REEDOM from traffic through a high-occupancy vehicle (HOV) scheme may not be forthcoming given the limitations of the country’s laws on carpooling and ride sharing, according to an expert.

In a recent Connect Forum at the University of the Philippines National Engineering Center, Bellwether Advisory Inc. Chief Executive Officer Rene S. Santiago said Republic Act (RA) 4136, or the Land Transportation and Traffic Code, does not allow vehicle owners to charge for carpooling or shared rides without securing a franchise.

Essentially, an HOV means having more passengers, an additional two to three or more riding a private vehicle. This can be done legally only if there is no exchange in money, even for fuel expenses.

“The biggest part that prevents HOV in Manila is actually our legal system. It is not invited

under the Transport and Traffic Law, RA 4136. The Land Transport and Franchising Board insists that if you share a ride and that rider gives you some share of the cost, it requires a franchise,” Santiago said. “Of course, there was a time when Filipinos like to do bayanihan and share a ride, but the cases of hold-up, crimes, emerged so they refused to do so.”

Santiago said one of the more successful uses of HOV in the country is found in universities like Ateneo de Manila through carpooling.

He said this was applied by issuing just one permit for three students.

This means two other parents, whose sons are in the elementary Continued on A2

Hong Kong protests raise alarm special freedoms are fading

By Elaine Kurtenbach | The Associated Press

H

ONG KONG—China promised that for 50 years after Britain gave up control of its last colony, this shimmering financial enclave would get to keep freedoms absent in the communistruled mainland. Twenty-two years on, those are rights many here believe Hong Kong cannot live without.

The hundreds of thousands who marched in a June 16 protest over a now-shelved extradition bill, and those still demonstrating, are raising alarm that Hong Kong may become just another Chinese city as those protections unravel and Beijing’s influence in the territory expands.

Activists are planning more protests for Wednesday, hoping to win attention and support from world leaders gathering in Osaka, Japan, for

the Group of 20 summit later this week.

“This is not about a power struggle,” said Bonnie Leung, a leader of the Civil Human Rights Front, one of a number of groups involved in organizing protests. “This is about the values that make the world a better place.”

“The whole world, whoever has connections with Hong Kong, would be stakeholders,” she said.

Continued on A2

PESO EXCHANGE RATES n US 51.3580

Continued on A2

TYPICAL traffic congestion at the intersection of Gil Puyat and Makati avenues in Makati City, December 7, 2017. MAREK SLUSARCZYK/DREAMSTIME.COM

n JAPAN 0.4765 n UK 65.1117 n HK 6.5717 n CHINA 7.4672 n SINGAPORE 37.9614 n AUSTRALIA 35.9917 n EU 58.4043 n SAUDI ARABIA 13.6955

Source: BSP (June 28, 2019 )

News

BusinessMirror

A2 Saturday, June 29, 2019

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Hong Kong protests raise alarm special freedoms are fading Continued from a1

All of those involved—the territory’s top official, Chief Executive Carrie Lam, the police, lawmakers, the protesters and the rest of Hong Kong—are caught up in tensions stemming from the “one country, two systems” colonial legacy that bequeathed a Western-style civic society under a political system controlled by Beijing.

The protests erupted after Beijing-backed Lam tried to push through legislation that would have allowed some criminal suspects to be sent to face trial in Communist Party-dominated courts in mainland China. Many in Hong Kong viewed the bill as another step toward curbing protections they expect from their legal system.

While they come from all walks of life, the protesters share a determination to preserve those freedoms, said Samson Yuen, a professor at Hong Kong’s Lingnan University.

“This protest has drawn everybody in town together,” he said.

“They really value the freedom to speak up and protest.”

Jerome A. Cohen, a leading expert on Chinese law and government, said the extradition bill would have deprived local authorities of the right to prevent forcible transfers by China of suspects, including visitors, “for detention, trial and punishment that violate international standards of justice.”

The bill also would have enabled China to require Hong Kong authorities to freeze and confiscate assets of alleged suspects, Cohen wrote in a recent blog post. Efforts to limit the cases subject to extra-

dition would not prevent suspects from being subject to China’s “incommunicado torture chambers, its denial of competent legal defenders and its unfair trials.”

Most Hong Kong residents belong to families that fled poverty and political upheavals in the communist mainland. British rule did not bequeath them democracy, but it laid the foundations for strong civic institutions, schools, health care—as well as a laissez faire trading regime dominated by business leaders deeply invested in keeping Hong Kong as it is.

Normally reluctant to wade into political matters or criticize Beijing, businesses also expressed concern over the extradition bill, with the Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce noting that the protests reflected “serious apprehensions.” The chamber welcomed the government’s decision to suspend the bill, as did its American and British counterparts.

It’s unclear if the turnout for another big protest planned for the July 1 anniversary of Hong Kong’s 1997 handover to Chinese control might match the earlier ones.

Lam’s push for the now-stalled legislation, ill-timed around the 30th anniversary of the June 4, 1989, crackdown on pro-democracy protests in Beijing’s Tiananmen Square, and the tear gas, steel batons and other aggressive tactics used by police, especially in June 12 protests that turned violent, helped draw people young and old into the streets.

Activists want an investigation into the complaints over police violence, along with Lam’s resignation and other demands. But the

IN this June 12, 2019, photo, a woman waves a British flag as policemen in anti-riot gear stand guard against the protesters on a closed-off road near the Legislative Council in Hong Kong. China promised that for 50 years after Britain gave up control of its last colony in 1997, this shimmering financial enclave would get to keep freedoms absent in the communist-ruled mainland that many here don’t want to live without. AP

continued protests reflect a deeper sense of grievance and unease, especially among Hong Kong residents coming of age in an era of declining economic opportunity, said Ken Courtis, chairman of Starfort

Investment Holdings.

“Social mobility is more and more theoretical in Hong Kong, so young people continue to be very dissatisfied. There’s a broader concern about China in Hong Kong.

The economy’s not growing like people thought it would grow,” Courtis said.

In many respects, Hong Kong faces the same sorts of challenges of other developed economies with aging populations and slowing growth.

The city of 7 million has an economy that is bigger than Vietnam’s and a per capita gross domestic product (GDP) of more than $46,000. But controls on land use favor property developers, and half the apartments available rent for $2,550 a month or more, while median monthly incomes are about $2,300.

In a city dominated by business leaders and other elites, the

only leverage protesters can wield is “the power of numbers,” said Yuen, noting that surveys of those participating in protests in recent weeks generally identify with the city’s “grassroots or lower classes.”

“They see themselves as lower class because of crony capitalism in Hong Kong. It’s very hard for them to get a fine paying job and also to buy an apartment in Hong Kong,” he said.

Brian Chow, one of the protesters sitting in the sweltering heat on a recent day outside the city’s Legislative Council building, said he wasn’t the “type” to get involved in violence.

“I’ll just carry on sitting here, sing some Christian hymns, show our resistance, keep the government paralyzed until it responds to us,” he said.

After protesters blocked lines in the tax and immigration offices downtown on Monday, the govern-

ment issued a statement appealing to them to “act peacefully and rationally when expressing their opinions and not to affect those in need of government services.”

In her apologies over the extradition bill fiasco, Lam appealed for “another chance” and said she would focus on improving the economy and resolving the housing crisis.

Chinese officials warned against “outside interference” but made a point of backing Lam’s decision to sideline the proposal. At a time of severe trade friction with the US, Beijing’s higher priority lies in preserving Hong Kong’s status as a financial hub and free port, Courtis said.

“People in Beijing are pragmatic. They see time in terms of many years,” he said.

“Step sideways here, if that’s not enough then step backwards. Now you focus on making the economy work and keeping people happy.”

Freedom from traffic Continued from a1

and high-school departments, must agree to share a ride with you if you want to get a vehicle permit in Ateneo. This led to a “sudden reduction” in the number of vehicles entering the campus, which used to issue car passes to every student.

This scheme, Santiago said, was complemented by a shuttle bus service in two locations where parents can drop off their children and be taken inside the campus. One shuttle bus is in TriNoma and the other one in Marikina.

“Why not try it in other universities? It is the best example of HOV that you can see working around,” Santiago said. “We cannot wait for light at the end of the tunnel. We have to light it up, put a fire not by money but with knowledge.”

In the same forum, Shell Business Operations Center Facilities Manager Christian M. Targos said their company has a “guaranteed ride home” scheme for employees. The system is a “door-to-door” service that takes employees from the Shell offices in Makati to their homes.

If the houses of employees are far from main roads, the employees will still be brought straight to their homes. Targos said Shell is not the only company that offers this scheme to employees, whether it’s a door-to-door service or there is a designated drop-off.

Santiago added that if the government is bent on implementing

an HOV, these vehicles must not be allowed on Edsa because there are many points of entry and exit on this thoroughfare.

He said an HOV can perhaps work somewhere in Cubao and unload passengers somewhere in Guadalupe. But there is no guarantee, given that it’s still a road and not a destination.

“The reason…I think HOV worked in Ateneo is it’s a destination. So there is a gate. Besides, all the users are students and they know their addresses. It’s so easy for the school to group them because their address is known, the schedules are almost always predictable. That’s why I said the easiest way to apply HOV is in universities,” Santiago said.

“If they apply it in Ortigas, the three big universities there—La Salle, Xavier and another one—I think the traffic on Ortigas Avenue will disappear. But if you’re going to apply it [HOV] on a road like in the United States, [it may not work because] we don’t have an urban freeway. In the US, when you enter the freeway, they rarely have an exit until your destination,” he explained.

Santiago said this is why not all transport solutions that work abroad are applicable in the Philippines.

Another example of a transport solution that may not yet work in the Philippines is the Bus Rapid Transit. Santiago said the BRT is a good transportation innovation,

but he said the context of the Philippines, especially Metro Manila, may not make it effective.

For one, constructing a BRT on thoroughfares like Edsa, Commonwealth, and even along Marcos Highway in the east going to Marikina, Antipolo and Cogeo, would not work, given that there are already railways placed there.

If the government really wanted to have a BRT system, Santiago said they should have built the BRT before the railway because of the space required.

“You don’t introduce a BRT when there’s an LRT [or a railway].

It’s supposed to go in before LRT [or a railway]. Inaprubahan sa Quezon Avenue pero may inaprubuhan ka ding LRT? If there’s no LRT, BRT would be good for Quezon Avenue, it could work there but not on Edsa,” Santiago told the BusinessMirror.

Currently, three BRT projects are included among the President’s 75 flagship projects: the Metro Manila BRT Line 1 along Quezon Avenue; Metro Manila BRT Line 2 on Edsa/Central; and Metro Manila BRT Phase 3, BGC-Naia Segment.

BRT Line 1 is being proposed for funding by the World Bank and the French Development Agency (AFD) and is estimated to cost P4.789 billion.

BRT Line 2 and Manila BRT Phase 3 are also being proposed for official development assistance worth P37.76 billion and P40 billion, respectively.

www.businessmirror.com.ph • Editor: Angel R. Calso

The World BusinessMirror

Saturday, June 29, 2019

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G-20 leaders urged to protect growth, open trade as Asian stocks sink ahead of meeting O

SAKA, Japan—World leaders attending a Group of 20 summit in Japan that began on Friday are clashing over the values that have served for decades as the foundation of their cooperation as they face calls to fend off threats to economic growth.

“A free and open economy is the basis for peace and prosperity,” Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe told his counterparts in opening the two-day G-20 meeting that comes as leaders grapple with profound tensions over trade, globalization and the collapsing nuclear deal with Iran.

Asian stocks, meanwhile, sank on Friday as investors waited for a meeting between Presidents Donald J. Trump and Xi Jinping that they hope will produce a truce in spiraling US-China trade tensions.

Benchmarks in Shanghai, Tokyo, Hong Kong and Sydney all fell. Crude prices declined.

Investors are hoping for a repeat of Trump and Xi’s December agreement to postpone new tariff hikes

and other action while they negotiated over trade and technology.

But analysts caution any new truce at the Group of 20 meeting of major economies in Japan is likely to be temporary because negotiators face the same disagreements that caused talks to break down in May. “We have watched this movie before: China and the US talk, leaks from policy-makers on both sides encourage speculation we are close to a deal, things fall apart,” said Hannah Anderson of J.P. Morgan Asset Management in a report.

The Shanghai Composite Index lost 0.9 percent to 2,970.42 and Tokyo’s Nikkei 225 retreated 0.4 percent to 21,256.79. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng shed 0.6 percent to 28,460.41.

Seoul’s Kospi was 0.2 percent lower at 2,130.67 and Sydney’s S&PASX 200 lost 0.4 percent to 6,642.10.

India’s Sensex was 10 points lower at 39,578.81. New Zealand and Indonesia gained, while other Southeast Asian markets retreated.

On Wall Street, Standard &

Poor’s 500 index rose 0.4 percent to 2,924.92. The Dow Jones Industrial Average slipped less than 0.1 percent to 26,526.58. The Nasdaq composite gained 0.7 percent to 7,967.76.

This weekend marks the first face - to - f ace meet i ng bet ween Trump and Xi since the American president said he was preparing to target the $300 billion in Chinese imports that he hasn’t already hit with tariffs, extending them to everything China ships to the United States.

While groups like the G-20 endeavor to forge consensus on broad policy approaches and geopolitical issues, the rifts between them run both shallow and deep.

Speaking before the formal opening of the summit, European Union President Donald Tusk blasted Russian President Vladimir Putin for saying in an interview with the Financial Times newspaper that liberalism was “obsolete” and conflicts with the “overwhelming majority” in many countries.

“We are here as Europeans also

to firmly and unequivocally defend and promote liberal democracy,” Tusk told reporters. “What I find really obsolete are authoritarianism, personality cults, the rule of oligarchs. Even if sometimes they may seem effective.”

As Trump, Xi, Putin and other leaders met on the sidelines of the summit, Tusk told reporters that such comments suggest a belief that “freedoms are obsolete, that the rule of law is obsolete and that human rights are obsolete.”

Putin praised Trump for his efforts to tr y to stop the f low of migrants and drugs from Mexico and sa id t hat libera lism “presupposes that nothing needs to be done. That migrants can kill, plunder and rape with impunity because their rights as migrants have to be protected.”

A planned meeting between Trump and the Chinese president on Saturday as the G-20 meetings conclude has raised hopes for a detente in the tariffs war between the world’s two largest economies. AP

BITCOIN ALMOST WIPES OUT MEGA GAIN JUST AS SWIFTLY AS IT CAME

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ITCOIN’S rise was meteoric this week­— and its decline has been just as swift. It’s easy come, easy go in the crypto world, where a frenzy over Bitcoin pushed its price to nearly $14,000 on Wednesday, its highest level since January 2018. The largest digital asset then reversed course in a matter of minutes after a prominent cryptocurrency exchange reported an outage. The retreat accelerated on Thursday and put the coin’s price back to nearly the same level as just five days ago.

The jump in prices brought back memories of the crypto bubble that burst at the end of 2017, when Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies—beset by regulatory setbacks and fraud-related issues­— fell from grace. Bitcoin’s price, for instance, languished around $3,600 just six months ago.

Crypto bulls were heartened this year after numerous Wall Street mainstays showed increased interest and wider acceptance of cryptocurrencies and their underlying blockchain technology, helping to push prices

higher. Things turned parabolic earlier this month when Facebook Inc. unveiled plans for its own digital currency­—many proponents cited the move as long-sought validation of the potential digital assets have to drastically alter the global financial system.

But Thursday’s reversal prompted one of Bitcoin’s biggest proponents, Mike Novogratz, to lament on not having taken more money off the table before the coin lost nearly all its gains. That may have contributed to its swift demise, according to John Spallanzani, portfolio manager at Miller Value Partners.

It’s a ver y “tight-knit market,” said Spallanzani. “Most likely Novo hitting bids spread like wildfire.”

Bitcoin dropped as much as 19 percent on Thursday, paring the loss to 16 percent at the end of the day. It was up 4.2 percent to $11,137 as of 10:50 a.m. in Hong Kong on Friday. Volatility is near the highest levels since early 2018, when the crypto bubble was bursting. Bloomberg News

ExportUnlimited

A4 Saturday, June 29, 2019 • Editor: Efleda P. Campos

BusinessMirror

Asean trade ministers: RCEP must be concluded this year

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ANGKOK, Thailand—Trade ministers of the Asean countries are united in their commitment to conclude the seven yearlong negotiation of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) agreement this year.

Philippine Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez said, with the challenges being faced by the multilateral trading system right now, and the protectionist stance of some countries, there is a need to reinforce the trust on the inter-

national trade rules, and the free interface of economies, especially in the Asean region and its trading partners.

“In this era of globalization and the advent of new technologies, countries need each other and we

have to work in a stable and predictable economic environment.”

Lopez said.

During the special economic ministers meeting, the trade ministers reaffirmed their commitment on the trade pact, settling several

pending issues, and reminded participating countries that it is highly crucial to conclude the negotiation this year.

RCEP is envisioned as the biggest trade deal. With 16 trading partners, it is equivalent to almost

Apec regional growth seen to slow down to 3.8 percent

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HE Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) region is projected to grow at a slower pace by 3.8 percent this year, and within the 3.5-percent to 3.7-percent range from 2020 until the medium term, depending largely on the resolution of trade conflicts and reduced policy uncertainty.

T he newest Apec Regional Trends Analysis, or Arta, said the projected growth was notably lower than its 4.1-percent gross domestic product (GDP) growth in 2018, while the rest of the world slowed down to 2.8 percent.

The report said the upside potential for growth could come from the quick and positive resolution of trade tensions.

“The ongoing pause in tariff measures as the US and China go back to the negotiating table is a welcome development,” it noted. “A trade deal, achieved in a quick and orderly manner, should significantly reduce

policy uncertainty and lead to a turnaround in trade and investment, potentially powering another round of global economic momentum.”

The Arta report pointed out a greater-than-expected economic slowdown in China could also impact on global growth and Apec growth in particular, with repercussions to its partner economies via such channels as trade, investment and tourism.

“Moreover, economic and financial conditions prevailing in other major engines of global growth such as the US and the Eurozone could affect global demand,” it added.

It further underscored the need for Apec to sustain economic growth amid trade tensions and policy uncertainty. This entails the “delicate balancing act” of implementing measures to support continued expansion while ensuring that growth remains sustainable and inclusive, the report said.

Philexport News and Features

DTI to hold the 2nd PHL National Halal Conference

By Raison D. Arobinto

O

The second day showcased women-led SMEs from the Apec region. Titam Rebueno, Business Development lead for Olivia Technology Group Inc., discussed how Olivia app can help freelancers and micro entrepreneurs manage their finances.

Other presenters were: Online Media and Agentima of Russia, Kiddocare Sdn Bhd of Malaysia, BELX BioPharmaceutical Co. Ltd., YC Consultants Ltd. and Bened BioMedical Co. Ltd. of Chinese Taipei, and PT Indo Natura Gemilang Abadi of Indonesia.

The fair also provided networking and knowledge sharing among grant providers and women-led company representatives in the Asia Pacific.

Jocs Pantastico, the founder and CEO of Olivia, said they are glad to be part of Apec’s financing opportunities fair because it is what their company is committed to

Senior Trade and Industry Devt Specialist Halal Section, DTI-EMB

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SHIPBUILDING, SHIP REPAIR AT PHILMARINE EXPO 2019

The Philippine Board of Investments (BOI) presented an overview of the Philippine shipbuilding and ship-repair industry during the Philmarine Expo 2019 on June 18, 2019, at the SMX Convention Center, Pasay City. As the BOI continues to strengthen its support for the industry, prospective investors should take advantage of the opportunities the industry has to offer now that the country is among the global leaders in shipbuilding. The three-day event, on its sixth edition, gathered local and foreign companies and industry players to showcase the latest shipbuilding and maritime technology developments to trade buyers. Left photo shows Reynaldo Lignes, BOI Sectoral Champion for Shipbuilding Industry, presenting an overview of the shipbuilding industry, as well as the BOI’s various programs and services to assist investors during the Maritime Industry Authority (Marina) Technical Conference. Right photo shows Lignes receiving a certificate of appreciation from Marina Director Ramon Hernandez for being one of the resource speakers for the conference. BOI INFOCOMMS

PHL FINTECH PARTICIPATES IN APEC FINANCIAL OPPORTUNITIES FAIR FOR WOMEN-LED MSMES LIVIA Technology Group Inc., a Philippine fintech company, participated in the Apec Financial Opportunities Fair for Women-led MSMEs held in Tomsk, Russia on June 14 and 15, 2019.

The company, the lone Philippine representative, was nominated by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), through the Export Marketing Bureau (EMB) based on the qualifications of the organizers.

The Apec event aimed to increase women SME entrepreneurs’ access to finance by developing a strong capacity-building platform providing knowledge, strategies and experiences.

On the first day of the event, the sessions and workshops were focused on government support measures for womenled MSMEs and international grant programs and success stories of companies awarded with grants.

50 percent of the world population and almost one-third of the world economy and trade. The next round of negotiation will be held next week in Melbourne, Australia. It is expected that substantial progress will be achieved in that round.

do—“empowering women across the region to manage their finances.”

“I’m very happy and proud to have been part of this financing opportunities fair in Tomsk. The networking with really awesome women leaders was invaluable.

Olivia looks forward to near future cooperation with them and the Asia Pacific. We are very grateful to DTI for supporting us in this event,” Rebueno said.

The event was hosted by Chinese Taipei Small and Medium Enterprises Administration, Ministry of Economic Affairs and Ministry of Economic Development of the Russian Federation.

The organizers were SMART Business Trips, Lingvista Translation Agency, Taiwan Institute of Economic Research, and The Sun Yat-Sen Management Education Foundation.

CHEMICAL FIRMS EYE 5% EXPORT GROWTH

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OCAL chemical firms expect to register a modest export growth of five percent this year as importers, particularly Europe, impose stricter quality requirements.

Oscar Barrera, trustee for the chemicals sector of the Philippine Exporters Confederation Inc. (Philexport), pointed out Europe prescribes exporters to register six months prior to export, and is strict on chemical qualifications and requires international certifications.

“So if you are just a small medium-sized company, you get discouraged to go through all that things which are basically regulatory requirements,” he said.

But Barrera said industry players are working to increase export revenues while also tapping the domestic market. Chemical exports now comprise a measly five percent of the country’s total export industry, he added.

Barrera noted that companies engaged in the production of beauty products and essential oils are the

ones “doing well” in the overseas markets, especially in Europe and Hong Kong.

“The local market is still there. That’s our hope.

Local lipstick, local cream, beauty lotions, formulations, that’s what we are hoping; we keep increasing,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Philippines The Philippines has one of the most amazing biodiversities in the world, and the richness and uniqueness of our ecosystem needs to be protected because it is key to the survival and growth of businesses and industries, according to an environmental expert.

Dr. Theresa Mundita Lim, executive director of the Asean Centre for Biodiversity (ACB), said enterprises should start mainstreaming biodiversity into their operations rather than just making it a part of their corporate social responsibility.

Chemical firms eye 5 percent export growth

Philexport News and Features

OLLOWING the success of the first Philippine National Halal Conference last year held in Davao, the Philippine Halal Export Development and Promotion Boardmember agencies chaired by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), will once again spearhead the conduct of the second Philippine National Halal Conference, with the theme “Leveraging on United Opportunities for All-inclusive Growth in the Philippine Halal Export Development and Promotion,” from July 2 to 4, 2019, in Clark Freeport Zone, Pampanga.

The conference will feature several components such as the Assembly of the Muslim Scholars in the Philippines for the religious sector to have a common approach in terms of the new halal policies of the government. Another component is the cascading of the Philippine Halal programs through the Negosyo Centers of the DTI and other regional offices of the Halal Export Board member-agencies.

Another component of the conference is the conduct of the second Philippine-Brunei Joint Committee Meeting.

This is pursuant to the memorandum of understanding on halal cooperation signed by the two countries in 2017.

The conference will also feature an exhibition of companies with halal-certified products and business-to-business meetings of the halal suppliers, manufacturers, traders and certification bodies.

The conference proper, which will gather local and international major stakeholders in the global halal industry, will feature various topics related to market access, market opportunities, emerging sectors in the halal industry, as well as the halal-related services including Islamic finance and tourism, with international speakers from Singapore, the United States, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia and Pakistan.

This conference is also part of the government’s efforts to prepare Central Luzon as a Muslim-friendly tourism destination, especially for the upcoming 30th Southeast Asia Games this year which will be hosted by the region. The SEA Games is expected to welcome a large volume of Muslim athletes, delegates and visitors who would be looking for Halal food and related services.

The conference is held in collaboration with the Philippine Trade Training Center, De La Salle College of Saint Benilde, Subic­—Clark Alliance for Development and Clark Development Corp. with financial support from Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, Department of Science and Technology, Mindanao Development Authority and the Department of Agriculture.

www.businessmirror.com.ph • Editor: Efleda P. Campos

OurTime BusinessMirror

Saturday, June 29, 2019

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SM CARES CONDUCTS PREPAREDNESS FORUM FOR SENIOR CITIZENS, PWDS IN CLARK FREEPORT

By Ashley Manabat Correspondent

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LARK FREEPORT—Considering that senior citizens and persons with disabilities (PWDs) are the most vulnerable during emergency situations like disasters and calamities, SM Cares conducted an Emergency Preparedness Forum (EPF) for their safety and awareness. Venus

Manalang, SM City Clark public relations officer, said the EPF was conducted on June 21 at the mall with Dr. Arturo Daag, chief science research specialist of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) and Dr. Ted Esguerra of the International Disaster Response Network.

With the theme “Robust Preparedness Programs for SM-wide Resiliency Campaign,” SM Cares, the corporate social

responsibility (CSR) arm of SM Prime Holdings Inc., said the EPF is its continuing thrust to make PWDs and senior citizens more resilient and better prepared in times of disasters.

SM Cares now brings the forum across five SM malls nationwide from June 21 to July 12 in observance of the National Disaster Resilience Month. This is the fifth EPF from what started in a single venue and

with now five SM malls nationwide.

The project is in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 11: To make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable.

It is projected that by 2050, 70 percent of the world’s population will be living in cities, making sustainability a critical priority.

SM, together with government agencies and community members, are collectively

engaged in pursuing objectives to make cities safer, more resource-efficient, resilient and inclusive.

Participating malls include SM City Marikina (July 2), SM City Dasmariñas (July 5), SM City Batangas (July 9), and SM Center Muntinlupa (July 12), all happening at the mall’s event centers from 10 a.m. to 12 noon. A forum was held at SM City Clark on June 21.

“For our elderly, we have our undeniable limitations such as mobility and sensory capacities. They may know that there is an emergency, but are unable to act upon it. We want to enlighten them that there are responses they can do that best fits their situation. This is one way we want to strengthen the communities of our senior citizens,” said Danilo Chavez, SM Cares program director for Senior Citizens.

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Saturday, June 29, 2019 | Editor: Mike Besa

Is the Fed still relevant?

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N June 12, 2019, the Federation of Golf Clubs circulated a memorandum to all its member clubs which stated that on June 11, 2019, the Unified National Handicapping System (UNHS) service provider Silicon Computer Telecoms Inc. (SCTI) “unilaterally and without justification, terminated its service of providing handicaps for individual golfers belonging to the member golf clubs of the Federation of Golf Clubs Phils. Inc. (Fedgolf) effective immediately.”

Fedgolf accused SCTI of discontinuing their service “despite serious efforts to negotiate and prevent the current situation and after settling all outstanding accounts.” The memo went on to say that, “since the system has again been hostaged (sic) by an external service provider, your Fedgolf board has decide to set-up and adopt a proprietary and internal handicapping system accredited with the USGA and R&A which will provide a reliable and independent golf handicap to all individual golfers of its member clubs.”

The Philippines is unique in the world of golf in that we have two bodies that claim the right to govern the game in the country—the National Golf Association of the Philippines (NGAP) and Fedgolf. How did we get into this mess in the first place?

Perhaps a history lesson is in order to gain perspective.

The NGAP is the recognized governing body of the game in the country and has been since the game was formally organized in the country. It is the national sports association (NSA) recognized by the Philippine Sports Commission, the Philippine Olympic Committee, the USGA and the R&A as the administrator of all matters golf in the Philippines.

The Federation of Golf Clubs came into being in 1996 when the government was formulating measures to raise taxes under the Comprehensive Tax Reform Program (CTRP), which proposed a tax on water usage by golf clubs. The general feeling then was that the law, although referring to private sports clubs in general, specifically targeted golf clubs because of the high-value transactions in the trading of shares, which the government viewed as a good source of tax revenue.

So it was that Alabang Country Club headed by thenpresident Rogelio “Ogie” Manalo and Manila Golf Club represented then by Ricardo “Richie” Garcia ably assisted by their respective general managers, Atty. Romeo D. Laig of Alabang Country Club Inc. and Jose P. Crespo of Manila Golf & Country Club Inc. invited other private clubs to band together to fight legislation inimical to the clubs and the golf industry as a whole.

They fought the proposed law; when the CTRP, otherwise known as Republic Act No. 8424, was passed into law in 1997, the provision, which would’ve revoked the income-tax exemption of nonprofit private sports clubs was indeed removed. With the initial battle won, Fedgolf turned its sights on other matters, chief among these were to assist and promote safeguarding of the environment and ecology of the golf courses and the surrounding communities, fostering collaboration between the clubs to solve common management and operational issues.

The NGAP, then known as the Republic of the Philippines Golf Association (RPGA), was mired in politics at the time and was doing little for the game of golf. Their inaction opened the door for the Federation to provide essential services to the golf clubs, chief among them was providing credible handicaps to the golf clubs.

Fedgolf commissioned Information Professionals Inc. (IPI) to create the first computerized, national handicapping

system for its member clubs. Fedgolf looked at the NGAP with contempt. Since the NGAP was struggling with internal matters, Fedgolf believed them to be unsuitable to lead the game in the country. Fedgolf went so far as to petition the USGA and R&A to withdraw their recognition of the NGAP so they could assume its responsibilities as stewards of golf in the Philippines. Both the USGA and R&A refused to have anything to do with the Federation.

The feuding continued until both the Federation and the NGAP came to terms in 2012 and agreed to work together for the betterment of the game in the country. The announcement was made during the November show of the Golf Distributors Association of the Philippines (GDAP) and welcomed by all Filipino golfers.

The Unified National Handicapping System (UNHS) was established and Silicon Computer Technologies, Inc. won the right to establish and administer the system for the two governing organizations besting four other service providers.

SCTI won by completely underbidding its rivals by proposing a 30 percent share of the P250 revenue sharing with both NGAP and Fedgolf.

SCTI, in effect, did not ask for an up-front hardware cost and charges a paltry P75 per golfer per year to maintain our handicaps. Most of its competitors were proposing P1,500 or more per year (plus a hardware cost up-front) to approximate what the USGA charges golfers to maintain their handicaps in the United States.

How did SCTI manage to underbid its rivals so comprehensively? We spoke to Rodel Mangulabnan, SCTI’s chairman and CEO, about this. He said that his bid to set up and manage the national handicapping system was born out of love of the game and the nature of his business. SCTI owns dedicated high-speed servers with much more capacity than is needed for a simple handicapping program.

SCTI’s standards are such that in January 2018, SCTI replaced its battery of dedicated servers as part of its practice to upgrade its hardware every five years without asking to raise handicap fees.

SCTI has so much bandwidth that it essentially donated its services for the UNHS. Being able to help Philippine golf was a matter of pride for Mangulabnan. It was payment enough to be of service to the game he loves so much.

So why would SCTI withhold services to the Philippine golf community?

In 2017, Fedgolf raised the handicap fee from P250 to P500 and persuaded the NGAP to do the same. NGAP agreed and pursuant to their arrangement with SCTI, increased their remittances to the service provider accordingly.

The Federation refused to do likewise. Fedgolf had, in fact, been remiss, not only in failing to remit the agreedupon fees to SCTI, but they neglected to inform SCTI of their plans to increase the handicapping fees. The Federation just settled a portion of their obligations to the service provider for the years 2013-2018 as of June 24 of this year.

Since Fedgolf had been in arrears for all these years, it was only because of Mangulabnan’s love for the game and his compassion for his fellow golfers that he continued to provide the service, despite the non-full payment of his fees. But like all good things, Mangulabnan’s patience wore thin by the Federation’s steadfast refusal to pay SCTI what it was due.

The Federation didn’t stop at refusing to pay SCTI. It contacted the NGAP and asked them to cancel the agreement with SCTI. The NGAP refused, as they were

satisfied with SCTI’s services and the Federation threatened to pull out of their 2012 agreement.

All these bring many questions to light. The clubs pay the annual handicapping dues directly to the Federation.

Why have they not remitted the proper fees to SCTI? What has become of the money? Can Fedgolf make good on their threat to create a “new and proprietary handicapping system” to replace the UNHS? The USGA and R&A recently announced a World Handicapping System (WHS) that will be implemented in January 2020. This new handicapping system will allow a golfer’s handicap to be more representative of how the golfer is currently playing, a major difference from the current system which endeavors to measure a golfer’s potential. There are other differences, but what the index measures is the greatest among them.

The formula for computing the handicap is proprietary to the USGA and R&A and will only be shared with each country’s governing body of the game. The formula for the current system is public domain, which enables anyone with expertise with a spreadsheet program to create a means to compute handicaps acceptable to the current standard.

The Federation achieved relevance by championing best interests of golf in the country and was aided by the NGAP’s inaction at the time. But today, the NGAP has a dynamic leadership that is completely transparent and intent on upholding to the organization’s objectives.

The Federation may have just shot themselves in the foot. By going it alone, they’ve alienated themselves from both the USGA and R&A and will have to give up any revenue they hoped to obtain from providing handicaps to their member clubs.

Fedgolf has other fires to fight. The Federation Men’s League had been so poorly administered that conflicts resulting from the competition have remained unresolved and interest in the competition has been cut by 50 percent.

Two years ago, a conflict between the Federation’s board of directors and the captains of each of the clubs led to the outright cancellation of the event. NGAP is now exploring a new team competition to fill the void left by the Men’s Federation League.

Just as this article was being written, we received the news that the Federation had settled with SCTI in full for the arrears dating 2013 to 2018. Perhaps it was the realization that if they pulled out of the agreement, there would be nothing left of the Federation and its projects except the Senior Care Program. It would be, effectively, the end of the organization.

To his credit, even after they suspended services to the Federation, Mangulabnan never took down the handicapping database, but merely suspended the updates to clubs associated with the Federation. By agreeing to settle, they acknowledge that they were on the wrong side of the issue all along. The system is back online, and all golf clubs now have access to the database.

By their actions, the nonpayment of the handicapping service provider, the false accusations they leveled at Mangulabnan and SCTI in the memo to the clubs of June 12, 2019, and the attempts to persuade the NGAP to join them in canceling SCTI’s contract, they proved to all Filipino golfers that they care more about power and the money they can make than being the champions of the game that they set out to be.

The clock is ticking for the Federation. At the end of the year, their agreement with the NGAP will effectively come to an end as the terms of the WHS are so restrictive that only each country’s national sports association will have the license to use it. That will be the death knell for the Federation. All that will be left to do is for the NGAP to pick up the pieces and move on. The Federation’s time is almost done. Mike Besa

MAGCALAYO at the Junior PGA qualifier

MOUNT MALARAYAT GOL

GOLF’S SPEC IN THE PHIL

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By Mike Besa

ET’S just get this out of the way...Mount Malarayat Golf and Country Club is one of the most beautiful and engaging golf courses in the country. Full stop. Check into the hotel, walk out on the veranda where the golf course and the Malarayat mountain range in the distance paint one of the most beautiful vistas in local golf and listen to your jaw hit the floor with a thud.

It is knock-your-socks-off beautiful.

Beyond the stunning good looks, Malarayat is a hoot to play. With 27 wonderful holes of golf at your disposal, it’s the perfect place to spend a day out of the city and totally immerse yourself in the game. Even better, stay the night and do it all again the next day before heading back to the city.

What is it that makes Mount Malarayat Golf and Country Club so special?

Nestled at the foot of the Batangas mountain range for which it is named, Mount Malarayat is 1,200 feet above sea level, the weather is appreciably cooler than lower locales. Laid

MAGCALAYO after qualifying for the US Junior Am

Magcalayo to fly flag at major US junior tourneys

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By Bobbet Bruce

OLO MAGCALAYO, a 16-year-old incoming student of De La Salle-Zobel, jump-started his 2019 US summer golf tour by qualifying to two major US junior events and placing second in an American Junior Golf Association (AJGA) open event.

Magcalayo booked his ticket to the 72nd US Junior Amateur Championship to be held from July 15 to 20, at the Inverness Golf Club in Toledo, Ohio, by placing second last June 24, 2019, at the Reading, Pennsylvania, Sectional Qualifiers held at the Berkshire Country Club with an even-par 70 score. He punched in six birdies against four bogeys and a double bogey as the strong winds whipped across the course during the entire round.

He becomes the first Filipino boy junior golfer to play in two consecutive US Junior Championship via qualifiers. In last year’s championships, he finished 16th in the stroke play classification round and reached the round of 32 in match

play before losing to the US’s third best ranked junior on extra holes. He was the best placed 15-year old and the best placed player from his 2021 graduating class.

Magcalayo made it two for two of the top two major US junior golf events for boys when he dominated the New Jersey Sectional Qualifiers to earn his place at the 45th Junior PGA Boys Championship at the Kenney Golf Course in Hartford, Connecticut, from July 30 to August 2 this year.

He scorched the Roosmor Golf Club course in Monroe Township, New Jersey with an eight-under-par 136 total (66-70) including a bogey free first round.

Despite being a non-resident of the state and not qualified to get an outright slot to the championships, he still found his way to Connecticut as he was given one of the few at-large slots available for running away with the qualifier crown. He won both the Boys overall and the Boys 15-18 titles.

Magcalayo earlier finished second at the AJGA’s Natural Resources Partners Bluegrass Junior Presented by BrickStreet

Insurance open event held from June 12 to 14 at the Bellefonte Country Club in Ashland, Kentucky.

He scored a four-under-par 206 total (66-70-70) in the par 70 course and led after the first day of competition. He fell back to second place despite an even-par card on the very windy second day. Making a run on the last day of play, Jolo took a two-shot lead with five birdies and a bogey through 12 holes. But the wind took the better of him as he bogeyed four of the last six holes to submit his second consecutive even-par card and fall back by two to the eventual winner. He now has exempt status until next year in all AJGA Open events.

Magcalayo also won the qualifier for The Memorial Junior AJGA open event at the OSU Golf Course in Columbus, Ohio, on June 3, 2019.

He will next compete in the 41st North and South Junior Championships in historic Pinehurst Resort in North Carolina from June 30 to July 3 and the qualifiers for the 119th US Amateur Championship on July 8.

www.pinoygolfer.com | Saturday, June 29, 2019

A7

LF AND COUNTRY CLUB

CIAL PLACE LIPPINES THE first hole on Mount Malipunyo is almost surreal in the early-morning light

FEW golf courses in the Philippines can match Mount Malarayat for its sheer beauty

out by Bob Moore of JMP Design Group, the three nines are named after peaks in the Malarayat range—Mount Makulot, Mount Lobo and Mount Malipunyo. Interestingly, the first tees of each of the nines orient you directly at the mountain for which the nine is named.

The club has a small hotel just adjacent to the clubhouse with additional lodging available at the Suites of Malarayat, a short walk away from the golf clubhouse. The rooms have all been refurbished and add to the experience of golf here.

The driving range and practice area are among the best in the country. It’s so easy to spend the whole afternoon here working on your game. The setting is truly idyllic.

The golf course is relatively short, playing from the blue tees, whichever combination of nines you choose to play, the course you’ll be playing will come out to about 6,400 yards, which is well within the abilities of most golfers. There are a couple of holes that will test those challenged for length from the tee, what fun would the course be without them.

On paper, Mount Malarayat seems like the sort of golf course on which you can bomb it off the tee and make it up as you get close to the green, but this approach is fraught with danger. The course may be short but the rough is long and sticky, which adds a lot of difficulty to the recovery shot. Then you must deal with the greens.

The few that don’t appreciate Mount Malarayat take issue with the greens. Some appear to be three of four small greens mated together to form a small green complex. Others have deep valleys in the center of the green putting a premium on the accuracy of the approach. Critics complain that the greens are too tricked up, but they are part of the charm of playing here. If you strike the ball well, you will be rewarded. There’s a lot of satisfaction to playing well here.

Each of the nines has its own unique character. The Lobo nine is the shortest of the three but offers you some very interesting shots off the tee. The first hole sets the tone for the course. Longer hitters can drive the ball over the cross bunker

MAGNETIC THERAPY

Why it might be the solution to your aches and pains

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WAS diagnosed with osteoarthritis in my right ankle in 1996. It was the end result of a severe ankle injury suffered when I was playing squash in the United States in the late 80’s.

As an extremely active athlete it was the worst possible scenario. I played all kinds of sports but in midlife, I had been completely caught up in endurance sports. I was always a runner. I loved it and the peace and tranquility I found when on the run. It cleared my head and settled my often tumultuous emotions.

Then I started cycling. The benefits to me were the same as my running but I could keep it up longer than I could on the run. I was hooked. I started modestly, but with a high level of base fitness, it wasn’t long until I rode my first century (a 100mile ride). It only got more intense from there.

I was crushed to have to give it all up. I slipped into depression.

After a couple of weeks, I came to the realization that I needed another sport that wouldn’t tax my body as much as my active sports did. So it was that I came to golf. I dove in with the same energy and passion as I did with my other sports. It was a lifesaver.

But osteoarthritis is a degenerative disease and the condition of my ankle worsened. I went back to my doctor and was put on a steady diet of painkillers; mostly nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs that I rotated with the new Cox-2 inhibitors to avoid stomach distress.

But I knew that the continued use of the drugs would take a toll on my liver and kidney down the road, so I continued my search for alternative cures. It was then that a dear friend of mine introduced me to magnetic therapy.

I was introduced to an elderly Korean gentleman that put a series of magnets on my fingers and behind and inside my ears attached by tape.

It was miraculous. I was almost pain free for most of the day and was able to play golf (walking, mind you) without the need to take a pill before or after the game. It was nothing short of amazing.

At the same time, I noticed that professional golfers of the day were all wearing these colorful, very attractive bracelets as they played. Some even wore necklaces of similar designs. I later found out that these had magnets in them that supposedly helped

circulation, balance and even cured some aches and pains.

A bit of research and I found that those bracelets were made by a company called Colantotte. I went out and got a couple of necklaces and a few bracelets. I wrapped one of the necklaces around my afflicted ankle, wore another necklace around my neck and put a bracelet on while I played. The effect was the same as the magnets prescribed by the Korean gentleman.

The effect was the same. I really didn’t need my pain pills to walk or play and they were much easier to put on than the Korean magnets.

Then on a golf trip to Baguio, one of my friends complained that he woke up with a stiff neck. He was miserable. I took my necklace off and told him to put it on.

He was in so much discomfort that he agreed. Half an hour later and most of the pain was gone.

Colantotte’s technology is based on alternating the north-south polarity orientation of the magnets. The net effect is increased circulation. Colantotte’s website has several infrared images that show increased bloodflow in people that wear the support gear which leads to the lessening and eventual elimination of the pain.

All of this is anecdotal, I know. But if you were in as much pain and discomfort as I was, you’ll try anything to relieve the pain. A necklace or a bracelet is a convenient, noninvasive solution that has no ill-effects downstream. They are attractively designed and come in many different styles in a wide price range. They look cool and make you feel better.

Colantotte is available at the Colantotte concept store at S Maison at the Conrad Hotel Manila. Mike Besa

COLANTOTTE Loop Quon bracelet

that guards the dogleg to leave a wedge into the elevated green. You can avoid the bunker by playing out to the left but that will leave you with a significantly longer approach shot.

The seventh hole on the Lobo nine is a driveable par four.

It’s a fun hole with a very difficult, multi-tiered green. There are so many ways to play it; length alone doesn’t guarantee a good score. Get it wrong and you could be faced with an impossible up-and-down.

The closing hole of the Lobo is a favorite of both patrons and guests alike. It’s a beautiful, double dogleg, reachable par five. Take your tee shot over the bunker guarding the dogleg and you could be left with less than 200 yards over water to the elevated, undulating green. It’s an exhilarating hole to play.

The Malipunyo nine is the Goldilocks of the three, it isn’t too long or too difficult; it’s just right. That doesn’t mean that it’s the poor stepchild of the three—nothing could be further from the truth. It may lack some of the flamboyance of the other two nines, but there are some very interesting holes on this side.

The first hole on Mount Malipunyo is almost surreal in the early-morning light, the humps and hollows of the fairway recalling a links course in Scotland. Number 3 on Mount Malipunyo is a strong par-4 featuring a split fairway offering two approaches to the pin.

The three closing holes define the Mount Malipunyo nine.

Seven is a classic risk-reward hole requiring the golfer to drive the three bunkers on the right for the optimum approach to the green.

Eight is a narrow undulating par 5. The tee shot must hug the left side to provide the preferred line of play. Nine is another strong par 4, 450 from the tips winding around the lake on the right with the green adjacent to the closing hole on the Lobo course.

The Makulot nine is the most difficult of the three; the greens are the most severe and each shot here matters. You need to plot your way around this nine more than the others, but you are rewarded by some of the most beautiful holes on the property.

The closing three holes are stunning. Seven is possibly the most beautiful hole of golf in the country. Once named to Golf Magazines’

100 most beautiful holes of golf outside of the United States, it is Mount Malarayat’s signature hole. Drive the cross bunkers and you have an outside chance of reaching the green in two. Fail, and you send your golf ball to a watery grave.

Eight is a glorious par 3 that plays downhill over water.

The green is divided into three distinct sections and thus puts a premium on the approach shot. The closing hole is one of the most difficult on the nine. Water is in play off the tee and on the approach shot, so there’s a lot of pressure to find the correct part of the fairway to give you as easy a shot into the green as possible. The best time to play the ninth on the Makulot Course is in the late afternoon; watching your second shot arc towards the green with the Malarayat range in the background is one of the truly amazing sights in Philippine golf.

Earlier this year, Mount Malarayat celebrated a milestone, its 20th anniversary. The club celebrated in part by re-sodding the greens. The variety the club chose is called Sunday ultradwarf Bermuda; a variety that was developed in Florida, one of the few US states where the weather is similar to that in the Philippines. Sunday putts like an ultra-dwarf bermudagrass, manages like a dwarf bermudagrass, and feels like a bentgrass. With a massive root system, Sunday offers excellent durability and can be mowed as low as .100 inches.

This ultra-dwarf has an exceptionally fine texture, uniform grain and consistent surface for smooth ball roll.

The club has completed the transformation of the greens on the Makulot and Malipunyo nines while the greens on the Lobo course remain a work in progress. The Lobo nine should be playable well before the end of the year, so we’re already planning another trip back.

In our estimation, Mount Malarayat Golf and Country Club occupies the highest echelon of Philippine golf. It might not be the strongest golf course in the country when evaluated by the metrics that we use to rate golf courses, but it certainly has one of the very best golf experiences in the Philippines today.

It is one of our favorite golf courses in the country today.

A8 Sunday, June 30, 2019

Sports BusinessMirror

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

PASTOR, MENOR GO UP FRONT MARCOS PASTOR chips his way into contention as three superb rounds put Rene Menor (below) in the title hunt. BERNARD TESTA

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PAIN’S Marcos Pastor holed out with a 6-foot birdie to highlight an eaglespiked 68 and match local pride Rene Menor’s output for the third straight time yesterday, as new leaders emerged in as many days in the International Container Terminal Services Inc. (ICTSI) Iloilo Golf Challenge heading to a gripping finish on Friday in Iloilo.

Pastor’s last feat complemented his birdie putt on the par-5 14th that checked a rollercoaster round that featured two birdies against two bogeys and an eagle against a double bogey that put the Spaniard to within reach of a dream victory on the Philippine Golf Tour (PGT) after topping the PGT Q-School (foreign) at Splendido last February.

But it will take more than talent, skills and momentum to achieve that goal as Menor likewise pressed his bid for a second career win with his own version of a two-under card, aided by a four-birdie binge from No. 6, as the duo, who missed the cut in Marapara last week, surged ahead at seven-under 203 after 54 holes of what has been a fierce battle for top honors in this P3-million event sponsored by ICTSI. And if the first two rounds were any indication, Pastor and Menor, who carded identical 69s and 66s in the first two days, will have to toughen up to foil the expected final-round charge by a host of bidders, led

by Sydney-based Filipino Fidel Concepcion, who also carded a 68 to seize solo third at

204, completing an unexpected troika in the championship flight.

Japanese Makoto Iwasaki opened with a 64 but tumbled with 76 and 77 and Thai Kammalas Namuangruk stumbled with a 74 after wresting the halfway lead with 66-68.

But looming large is Juvic Pagunsan, who broke a run of pars and a bogey on No. 7 with three birdies in the last six holes, netting him a second straight 68 for joint fourth with Reymon Jaraula (69) and Michael Bibat (70) at 205, just two strokes behind the new joint leaders.

Menor, whose house is located near the 17th hole, rued his poor putting on a course he calls home, marred by misses from short range on Nos. 3 and 8.

“I could’ve taken the lead if not for those missed putts,” said Menor, whose form took a dip since scoring a breakthrough at PGT Asia in Splendido in 2017.

“I played aggressive and pretty good,” said Pastor, hinting at a closing five-under card to win it tomorrow (Saturday).

Jaraula hit an eagle for the second straight day and gunned down two birdies but fumbled with three bogeys, although his one-under card kept

him in the hunt for a breakthrough victory in the circuit organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments Inc. Bibat also went up-and-down on the short but tricky layout that continued to bedevil the games of the surviving 40-player field but the former Asian Games bronze medalist fought back with birdies on Nos. 11 and 14 to salvage a 70 and stay on track of ending a long title spell since scoring his maiden win in 2013 at Rancho Palos Verdes.

Former all-Filipino Philippine Open champion Gerald Rosales also recalled fierce form to fire a bogey-free 66, jumping from joint 24th to a share of seventh at 207 with Art Arbole, who groped for a 71, four shots off the pace.

Namuangruk failed to rebound from a twoover 38 start with three bogeys against a birdie at the back as he limped with a 74 and fell off the leaderboard to a share of ninth at 208 with Ira Alido, who rallied with a 67, Jhonnel Ababa, Anthony Fernando and Colombia’s Mateo Gomez, who all matched par 70s.

The rest bowed out of the title race, including Aussie Tim Stewart, who faltered with a 74 and dropped to a share of 14th at 209 with Cebu leg winner Guido Van der Valk of the Netherlands and rookie pro Rupert Zaragosa, who both struggled with 71s in the event backed by Custom Clubmakers, Meralco, Champion, Summit Mineral Water, K&G Golf Apparel, BDO, Sharp, KZG, PLDT and MY Shokai Technology Inc.

Brazil defeats Paraguay in quarterfinals shootout

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ORTO ALEGRE, Brazil—Facing early elimination in the Copa América at home, Brazil finally found a way to get past Paraguay in a penalty shootout.

After two consecutive eliminations against its southern neighbor, Brazil came out on top on penalties on Thursday to avoid an embarrassing elimination in the quarterfinals of the South American tournament.

Goalkeeper Alisson made a save and Gabriel Jesus scored the decisive penalty as Brazil defeated Paraguay, 4-3, in the shootout to return to the semifinals for the first time since 2007.

Alisson dived to his left to stop the initial penalty by defender Gustavo Gómez, and Gabriel Jesus sealed the victory to keep Brazil on track for its first Copa América title since 2007.

Brazil will next face either Venezuela or Argentina, which play on Friday in Rio de Janeiro.

Brazil had lost to Paraguay the last two times the teams met in the Copa América quarterfinals, in 2011 and 2015, both times in penalty shootouts.

Derlis González also missed from the spot for Paraguay, while Roberto Firmino failed to score

for Brazil. Both players sent their shots wide.

González, who also missed a penalty in Paraguay’s 1-1 draw against Argentina in the group stage, had scored the decisive goal in the 2015 shootout. He was one of the five players back from that team that eliminated Brazil.

Willian, Marquinhos and Philippe Coutinho converted their penalties for Brazil, while Miguel Almirón, Bruno Valdez and Rodrigo Rojas netted for Paraguay.

“My teammates did their part, they took on the responsibility and succeeded. That was crucial,” Alisson said. “This was an important step toward our goal of winning the South American title.”

Gabriel Jesus had missed a late penalty in Brazil’s 5-0 rout of Peru in its last group game, but calmly found the net with his shot from the spot as Paraguay goalkeeper Roberto “Gatito” Fernández went the other way, igniting the Brazilian crowd of more than 48,000 at the Arena Grêmio.

“I was confident, I knew that if I took the penalty the way I’m used to taking it, I would have more chances of scoring,” Gabriel Jesus said. “I was upset after the other match because

BRAZIL’s Gabriel Jesus celebrates scoring his side’s fourth goal against Paraguay. AP

I didn’t take the shot my own way. This time I waited for the goalkeeper to move and just sent the ball the other way.”

Gatito had been key in regulation as the visitors held on to a 0-0 draw despite having a defender sent off in the 58th minute. In the Copa America quarterfinals, extra time is not played and the match proceeded straight to penalties.

Paraguay played with 10 men after Fabián Balbuena was sent off for a foul that was initially called a penalty kick but was reversed after video review determined the foul happened outside the area.

“We have to be proud of the character shown by this team,” said Paraguay coach Eduardo Berizzo, an Argentine.

“We could have been rewarded with a wonderful and heroic triumph in the penalty shootout, but that doesn’t take anything away from my players’ great performance.”

Brazil controlled possession but struggled to create scoring opportunities against Paraguay’s solid defensive system. AP

BATANG GILAS VS. GREEKS IN FIBA UNDER-19 MEET

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HE Gilas Pilipinas Youth team opens its International Basketball Federation (Fiba) Under-19 World Cup campaign against host Greece on Sunday in Heraklion with the Filipinos hoping to cash in on their big men and the lessons learned from training camp.

Bannered by the towering duo of 7-foot-2 Kai Sotto and 6-foot-10 AJ Edu, the squad faces its first real test against Greece at 1:30 a.m. (Manila time) at the Heraklion Arena.

Height will be never be an issue as, aside from Sotto and Edu, there is an abundance of tall bigs in 6-foot-8 Geo Chiu, 6-foot-7 Carl Tamayo and 6-foot-5 JB Lina.

Also part of 14-man pool are Terrence Fortea, James Spencer, Xyrus Torres, Gerry Abadiano, Rhayyan Amsali, Joshua Ramirez, Miguel Andre Oczon, Sean Dave Ildefonso and

Fil-Italian Dalph Panopio.

Despite the unlimited ceiling, the road to the top remains a challenging one, especially against the higher-ranked teams in the group stage.

The 30th-ranked Filipinos are bracketed in Group C along with Argentina (No.9) and Russia (No.19). The first opponent of the team, the host nation, is No.15 in the world.

Before flying to the port city in the island of Crete, the team swept its tune-up games in Doha, Qatar.

Gilas Youth toppled Al Rayyan in a twogame series, highlighted by a 93-64 beating on Thursday.

Sotto, Edu, Tamayo and Panopio showed brilliance in both games as Head Coach Sandy Arespacochaga banks on the team’s short buildup in facing world-class teams.

Ramon Rafael Bonilla

Kiwis eye strong finish in Penong’s 5150

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EW ZEALAND’S Kieran McPherson and Laura Wood hope to make the most of their first-ever stints in Davao, aiming for no less than a sweep of the men’s and women’s pro crowns in the inaugural Penong’s 5150 Triathlon unfolding on July 7 at the Waterfront Hotel.

Winner of Xterra Pan American Tour last year, McPherson has vied in other endurance races in the country but will be setting out for the upcoming event over the Olympic distance of 1.5-km swim/40-km bike/10-km run in the country’s emerging triathlon hub with high expectations given his top form.

“This will be my first time here racing in Davao and first nondrafting race in 5-6 years,” said McPherson. “My fitness is very good at the moment and I look forward to racing some of the best road athletes in the world. I have raced several fantastic Sunrise events in the past [Xterra] and I look forward to joining the Ironman family.”

But he will be as much tested as Aussies Mitch Robbins and Alex Polizzi and Czech Jakub Langhammer, who banner the early roster of bidders in the men’s side of the centerpiece pro division of the event organized by Sunrise Events Inc. and sponsored by Davao’s favorite barbecue house Penong’s Barbecue and Seafoods Grill.

Like McPherson, Wood also exudes confidence coming off a third-place finish in the Ironman 70.3 in Subic recently, polishing her biking skills by training in Thailand.

“I’m very excited to race in Davao for the

first time. I had a recovery week following Subic Bay 70.3 and then had a few solid weeks of training in Thailand. I was a bit disappointed with my bike in Subic so that has been my focus.

I look forward to putting it all together on race day and then enjoying some more time in the Philippines,” said Wood, who will be facing multititled Dimity Lee Duke and Lisa Tyack, also from Down Under, and Guam’s Manami Iijima for the women’s pro diadem.

Also on tap is the Sunrise Sprint, to be disputed over the 750-meter swim/20-km bike/5-km run distance. Other titles up for grabs are those in various age categories and relay competition.

For details, visit www.ironman.com/ philippines, http://penongs.5150philippines. com and with official hashtags #Penongs5150, #5150Davao.

“All of us from Penong’s are excited to headline the inaugural 5150 triathlon in Davao City. This race is a great opportunity to welcome new and upcoming endurance athletes, showcasing the growth of Penong’s as we started out as a marketing sponsor for Ironman 70.3 and now we have our own race, right here in the company’s hometown,” Penong’s liaison officer JJ Sarona said.

SEI founder Wilfred Uytengsu also said that two short-distance races are ideal for newbies to the sport, as well as those who have graduated from the IronKids, the youth version of the Ironman 70.3, and who want to continue in the sport.

BusinessMirror

Editor: Gerard S. Ramos • lifestylebusinessmirror@gmail.com

Saturday, June 29, 2019 A9

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MACAULY LOFGREN and Julian Rodriguez share their OOTD tricks using the Galaxy A50.

Five ways to maximize the Galaxy A50 SOCIAL media is all about sharing moments with the world, whether it’s through photos of someone’s everyday life, or vlogs of their most memorable experiences. For this generation of tech-savvy individuals, the right smartphone opens a plethora of real-time possibilities. The Samsung Galaxy A50 (www.samsung.com/ph) lets its users go live and connect all over the globe.

Here are five things users can do with the Galaxy A50: GO LIVE. The Galaxy A50 is powered by an allaround triple camera to make content creation better and more exciting. The 25MP main camera is built to take beautiful shots, whether it’s a food flat lay, or an action shot at the beach. It’s also the smartphone to launch a vlog. With its 123° UltraWide Video lens, Slow-Mo and Hyperlapse features, users have the tools to capture and create captivating content to share with their followers, wherever they are in the world.

TAKE AWESOME SELFIES AND OOTDS. Portraits get an upgrade with the 5MP Live Focus Camera to blur the background for a bokeh shot. Selfies are improved and further enhanced by the 25MP front camera lens and fun AR emojis.

SHARE THE WONDERS OF THE WORLD. The Galaxy A50 is the perfect smartphone for traveling. Its 8MP Ultra-Wide lens can capture panoramic travel photos without any interruptions, while the F1.7 aperture guarantees clear photos—even at night. The device is also the perfect companion when users want to virtually bring friends to their trip via live videos.

MASTER PHONETOGRAPHY. Users can better express their passions and ideas with the Galaxy A50’s 20 different settings in the Scene Optimizer feature.

Whether they’re taking photos of food, their pets, or urban architecture, shots automatically get optimum levels of brightness, saturation, and more.

WATCH YOUR FAVORITE VLOGGERS. The Galaxy A50 is the perfect smartphone to view other people’s content because of its Infinity U Display. It comes in a sleek edge-to-edge 6.4” Super AMOLED screen to watch scenes as they were shot or filmed. Users won’t have to worry about power since the smartphone is powered by a long-lasting 4,000 mAh battery and fast-charging technology.

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PARUL SHAH, co-owner of Casa Consunji (from left); Maggie Wilson-Consunji, GoDaddy brand ambassador and owner of Casa Consunji; and Tina Shieh, GoDaddy marketing director, Asia

PRESENT during the launch of HOOQ Philippines are HOOQ Philippine Country Manager Sheila Paul, actor Christian Bables, Dr. Margie Holmes, actress Nadine Lustre and HOOQ Chief Commercial Officer Vishal Dembla

VOD service gives free access to quality content PRIMETIME

DINNA CHAN VASQUEZ @dinnachanvasquez luckydinna@gmail.com

T

HEY say the best things in life are free and it’s true. But these days, one needs to pull out all the bells and whistles to get the attention of a generation spoiled by everything on demand.

HOOQ, which claims to be Southeast Asia’s leading video-on-demand (VOD) service, is expanding its freemium offering with the launch of HOOQ Free, which gives Filipinos access to its vast library without the need to register and pay monthly fees.

HOOQ is also introducing the HOOQ Freeplay Festival, a quarterly streaming festival that will bring local content onto the freemium layer.

“It took some time because we wanted the

experience to be perfect. We did Indonesia first because we wanted to see how it did there before we brought it here. We took the best from them and implemented it in the Philippines,” said Sheila Paul, HOOQ Philippines country manager during the launch of HOOQ Free at Power Mac Center Spotlight in Circuit Makati.

The move, she said, is in response to the wants and needs of VOD consumers.

For the first-ever festival, HOOQ will bring over 1,000 local titles from HOOQ VIP, HOOQ’s SVOD (subscription video-on-demand) layer onto HOOQ Free for the duration of one-month, from June 21 to July 20. The Nadine Lustre-starrer Ulan, which was coproduced by HOOQ with Viva Films, was introduced onto the HOOQ Free platform.

In Ulan, Nadine is paired with Carlo Aquino. She plays Maya, a woman who is obsessed with rain.

Carlo plays Peter, a volunteer for a nongovernment organization.

There will also be an all-new HOOQ Original, titled Sex Talks with Dr. Holmes. The 10-episode series is a helpline for those who have questions and concerns about sex. There will be a dramatization of the letter senders’ situations but the approach will be light with a bit of humor.

“Yes, there are other HOOQ Originals in the pipeline. We [will] be announcing these as the months roll,” said Paul.

HOOQ Free also boosts the HOOQ live TV experience with two new channels—CNN Philippines and PTV. With these, HOOQ increases the total number of live and feature TV channels to 20.

The revamped platform can be accessed via the Web, the HOOQ mobile app and on select TV models and set-top boxes.

“We are giving Filipinos the freedom to view over 1,000 titles for free. There will be no signups, no registration for a trial or paid subscription needed. Based on our data and insights, and our deep connection to the local audience, we know that video entertainment delight is all about instant enjoyment, consumption that’s mobile, and the power of bitesized and binge-worthy content with local relevance,” said Jennifer Batty, chief content officer, HOOQ. Those who want full access to HOOQ’s vast catalogue of the hottest Hollywood and regional series and movies, including Krypton, John Wick, La La Land and Marvel’s The Avengers, as well as the latest HOOQ Originals, plus Korean dramas like Jewel in the Palace and Winter Sonata, can sign up to a HOOQ VIP plan on www.hooq.tv. ■

Maggie Wilson-Consunji: ‘No-nonsense gets the job done’

BY PAULINE JOY M. GUTIERREZ THE path forward for Casa Consunji, a home interior retail shop owned by former beauty queens Maggie WilsonConsunji and Parul Shah, is fairly straightforward: reach as many people in as many markets as it can. And this entails making one no-nonsense decision after another.

“Casa Consunji has not spent a single centavo on marketing,” shared Wilson during EntrepHERneur, a conference/workshop on brand-building hosted by GoDaddy, an Internet domain registrar and Web hosting company, at Casa Consunji’s physical store in Acacia Estates, Taguig.

Instead, they focus on the quality of the materials (which they source themselves), and of meeting their deliverables with little to no details overlooked. The business name should be able to speak for itself, they believe, and true enough, the duo have sold out collections of one-of-a kind furniture pieces after only seven months of operations without the overhead cost for integrated public relations.

Currently, they are looking to expand Casa Consunji outside of Luzon as inquiries and orders come in from Bacolod, Cebu, Davao and abroad. The site www. casaconsunji.com, built using the GoDaddy Website Builder, acts as the company’s storefront to prospective customers in the online marketplace. “We’re focusing on updating the catalog online,” said Wilson-Consunji, adding that they already saw a 30-percent growth in sales with orders coming in from around Asia, the United Kingdom and the United States since the web site’s launch. “A web site legitimizes your business,” noted Tina Shieh, GoDaddy marketing director for Asia. A survey done by eCommerce Foundation, an e-commerce organization and platform, states that 88

percent of consumers will research product information before they make a purchase online or in the store. It also reported that businesses without a web site are seen as less credible, prompting consumers to move onto the next vendor.

Registering a domain, however, doesn’t automatically create a website; it only means that you’ve registered the domain. Web site hosting companies, such as GoDaddy, enable you to lease space on their Web servers where you can store your web site files and make them available for visitors to view.

“We [also] offer online tools that will help jump-start your

creative idea and turn it into a business opportunity,” added Shieh. She explained: “With the Website Builder, people can create a customized, professional looking web site in under an hour, even with a mobile phone, without having a lot of technical knowledge.”

According to Shieh, design draws viewers in and keeps them there. In the case of Casa Consunji, Wilson-Consunji and Shah opted for a clean template.

The navigation menu allows for easy access through pages and more visible content above the fold. Visual clutter are kept to a minimum, and the Casa Consunji logo is

consistent and visible throughout for brand awareness.

Shieh said: “We value the customer experience and have a dedicated customer service that will not only assist in your technical problems but will also gladly give input about your web site and share tips, because you’re talking to an actual person and not a machine.”

Having someone that maintains and keep their web site current and running, said Wilson-Consunji and Shah, helps them to focus more on operations. “Since we do everything ourselves—from finding the right fabric, to jumping on beds to secure its stability, to updating our web site—we had to learn new things along the way,” Shah said.

In retrospect Maggie emphasizes that, more than business partners to help your business grow, it is also important that aspiring entrepreneurs have people who will support them in turning their ideas into reality.

“I told my husband Victor just how inspired I was with the beautiful architecture and interiors of hotels, shops and restaurants in Bali. Around the same time, he had asked if I’d be interested in interior decorating four model units he was building for his new development. He suggested that I open up a store because I knew where to source and find unique pieces, and he could see this was becoming my passion. Casa Consunji was a natural progression. When I invited Parul and Janela on a sourcing trip, both of them instantly fell in love with the concept.”

She added, “I’ve always been a ‘yes’ kind of woman. I always say, if it scares you, do it. Business is all about taking calculated risks and doing your market research. Be open to critique and ideas, especially from people with experience.

Take a class if you need to. But always remember, you have to be the one to make the first move.”

A10 Saturday, June 29, 2019

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IN this May 28 file photo, rescued hiker Amanda Eller (left) embraces her mother, Julia Eller, before a news conference begins at Maui Memorial Hospital in Wailuku, Hawaii. AP

BusinessMirror

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Tech makes it easier to search wilderness for missing people H

BY AUDREY MCAVOY The Associated Press

ONOLULU—Yesenia D’Alessandro loaded a GPS tracking app on her cell phone and trudged into a remote Hawaii forest, joining more than 100 other volunteers looking for a missing hiker.

She climbed through muddy ravines, crossed streams and faced steep drop-offs in the thick tangle of trees and ferns where her college friend Amanda Eller vanished last month.

“You have to search everywhere,” said D’Alessandro, who flew in from Maryland. “You have to go down to that stream bed, even though you don’t want to. She could be down there.”

D’Alessandro and others gathered GPS data of the ground they covered, and organizers put it on a specialized digital map to help better understand where to look next.

The technology led volunteers to Eller, who was found next to a waterfall and survived for 17 days in the Maui forest by eating plants and drinking stream water. Her dramatic rescue shows how emerging technology helps search teams more efficiently scour the wilderness for missing people.

“It kind of led us to search outside of that highpriority area to where we actually found Amanda,” her father, John Eller, said.

More US teams are turning to the technology that combines cell-phone GPS with digital maps detailing cliffs, caves, waterways and other hardto-search terrain. It helps manage the work of large numbers of volunteers. The system showed when Hawaii searchers had covered a 2-mile (3-kilometer) radius around Eller’s car. After that, searchers sent a helicopter farther into the forest, where they spotted the 35-year-old physical therapist and yoga instructor.

“We never would have pushed out if we hadn’t searched the reasonable area first. There’s no reason to start reaching further and further out of the box if we hadn’t completely searched the box,” said Chris Berquist, a volunteer search leader.

David Kovar, advocacy director for the nonprofit National Association for Search and Rescue, said most search and rescue teams use digital maps.

That could mean anything from basic Google Maps to specialized software called SARTopo, which California search and rescue experts used to advise Maui volunteers from afar. Search organizers in Hawaii asked volunteers to download a $3.99 app called GPS Tracks, which draws lines on a map showing where a user has walked.

GPS data revealed that searchers were covering the same areas repeatedly as heavy foliage or natural barriers like cliffs blocked their path, Berquist said. Organizers started dropping digital pins on volunteers’ maps to give them targets, pushing volunteers to cover more ground and making the search more accurate.

When searchers ran into cliffs or pools of water, Berquist had them place digital pins on their maps.

Organizers then sent drone pilots or rappelling experts to the cliffs and divers to the water.

Organizers fed the GPS data to the California team, which used SARTopo to overlay it on topographical

NASA OUT TO CONQUER ENTERTAINMENT AND ATTRACTIONS BUSINESS IN ASIA

maps, allowing everyone to see what areas had already been searched and what still needed to be checked. Matt Jacobs, a California software engineer and search volunteer, developed SARTopo more than eight years ago after noticing teams struggling to match details on wilderness maps drawn by different agencies. What started as a hobby project has grown in popularity in the past couple of years to become Jacobs’ full-time job. Search and rescue teams from Oregon to North Carolina have started using it.

Searchers used it in March as 100 volunteers fanned out in a Northern California forest, eventually finding eight-year-old Leia Carrico and, her five-yearold sister, Caroline, who got lost near their home.

Last month, teams used it to help locate a 67-yearold hiker who had veered off a trail in a state park north of San Francisco. A California Highway Patrol airplane using an infrared camera spotted the man.

SARTopo also is becoming available as a cell-phone app, which will make it even easier to directly connect the GPS data with digital maps so searchers can view them wherever they are.

Government officials are looking at adopting new technology, including in Hawaii. Most large searches are done by volunteers because many places don’t do enough of them to keep official teams on staff.

Maui firefighters used hand-drawn maps as they looked for Eller over the first three days of her going missing. That’s because the trail system in the Makawao Forest Reserve where she got lost doesn’t

appear on Google Maps. County officials also overlaid aerial searches onto a satellite map.

Maui County Fire Services Chief Rylan Yatsushiro said the Maui Fire Department would adopt similar technology used by volunteers—who kept the search going after the first three days—if firefighters found it helpful after studying available options.

Mike St. John, volunteer leader of the search and rescue unit at the Marin County Sheriff’s Office in California, said GPS tracking of where people have looked is “really critical.”

“It’s about using GPS maps and utilizing GPS to make sure you’re hitting your assignment,” said St. John, who was among those in California advising the Maui team.

St. John said his search and rescue experts are not set up to offer the same type of help to others that they gave to Maui but are trying to figure out how to do that in the future.

Berquist, the Hawaii search leader, visited California this week to talk with St. John about how Marin County’s volunteer program works. He aims to set up something similar back in Maui.

After technology helped find Eller, her father is donating software and other equipment to Berquist’s team, developing a search and rescue app, and giving $10,000 to support Hawaii searches and rescues.

“We saw a huge need. And we feel so lucky with everything everybody did for us, so we’re looking to give back,” John Eller said. ■

EMERGING as a leader in digitizing mass participation events and venues through the use of NFC technology, Nasa (www. nasa.com) has secured a Series B investment round from Traveloka and SPH Ventures. Nasa’s evolution and expansion has come with the success of its innovative cashless wristbands utilized in some of the biggest events in Asia: Zoukout, BeerFestAsia (Singapore), Good Vibes (Malaysia), Sensation (Thailand), etc.

“We are excited to be part of the Nasa success story, and to support the founders’ vision for the business,” said Sylvia Gunawan, vice president of Revenue and Growth, Traveloka Xperience. “We were impressed with the progress they have achieved so far in disrupting the entertainment industry, and are very proud to support the Nasa team to further evolve their product by leveraging the synergies with Traveloka’s key business to provide an end-to-end solution for travel and lifestyle needs. This is part of our efforts to strengthen our position as a discovery platform and to empower our users to discover the world around them.”

“This investment deal augments Nasa’s position as the leader in its sector, but also builds the fundamentals for a broader vision,” said Nasa CEO Ilya Kravtsov.

“The company plans to transition from being just a service provider for events and venues to being a leading entertainment platform that connects hundreds of thousands of event-goers and attraction seekers across Asia with e-commerce giants, brands and other players seeking to get visibility and exposure among their target customers.”

From its beginnings as a cashless payment wristband for events in 2014, Nasa has evolved to become a one-stop solution for the largest event organizers, theme parks and hospitality venues by providing services that range from ticketing/registration, to access control/security, cashless payments, brand activations, data collection/insights and others. Nasa’s system currently handles on average over $5 million in transaction value per month, a number sure to grow as the lineup of upcoming clients is growing significantly.

Besides its two existing verticals of PouchEvents and PouchVenues, the company will soon be launching its third line of product, PouchDigital, focusing on providing a more scalable and low-cost solution for event organizers with low budgets but with extremely high-volume events.

“We are very excited to launch our new vertical that will unlock a whole new segment of clients that currently still use very traditional methods to manage events and venues.

Furthermore, by digitizing more crowds and by collecting more consumer data, we are on a mission to attract more brand sponsorships to this industry, and to eventually create a totally new user acquisition channel in the region,” said Nasa COO David Rapaport.

Nasa is a leading offline-to-online solution for events and recreational venues space in Asia with offices in Singapore, the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam and Thailand. It provides clients across Asia with a simple, speedy and secure way to manage crowds, process payments, collect data and much more.

Dell customers can now access all solutions with evolved partner program

BY RODERICK L. ABAD | Contributor CUSTOMERS of Dell Technologies can now fully access its more holistic solutions portfolio with the Dell Technologies Partner Program.

Formerly called the Dell EMC Partner Program, the evolved initiative gives simplified engagement for partners to sell and procure products and solutions across the Dell Technologies family of brands.

“Our partners asked us to make it easier to do business across our full Dell Technologies portfolio, so we made it a top priority,” said Tian Beng Ng, senior vice president and general manager, APJ Channel, Dell Technologies. “By providing our partners with a clear road map, and investing in training and development,

partners will win even more deals and grow their business.”

The company announced in February that VMware solutions purchased through Dell would count toward Dell EMC Partner Program tier requirements.

“Today we are expanding this benefit to include all sales from strategically aligned businesses transacted through the Dell Technologies Partner Program,” he said. Two new solution badges are now available. They are comprised of already in-market certifications to validate a breadth of capability to support and deploy across a solution. These badges are for Dell Technologies Cloud Platform and Dell Technologies Virtual Desktop Infrastructure.

A new cloud competency under the former will

back up the latest Dell Technologies Cloud solution.

It will be composed of the Dell Technologies Cloud Platform Badge and few other certifications, including Services Delivery Competency on VxRail.

Last year many of the firm’s customers earned this competency. Now, they already have the foundational deployment certifications to accelerate this new cloud competency. Full cloud competency certification requirements will be made public in the third quarter of the year. Dell Technologies Partner Program, with these solutions, plans to honor related credentials/ certifications earned from the company’s strategically aligned businesses that support its joint solutions.

The initiative’s kick-off is timely as the company widens the opportunity for its clients around market-

leading storage and next-generation cloud solutions.

These include PowerVault ME4 and Compellent SC; Dell Technologies Cloud, a validated solution with VMware Cloud Foundation built on VxRail; Dell Technologies Unified Workspace, ProDeploy in the Unified Workspace utilizing VMware Workspace One and Endpoint Security, which combines the built-in security of a Dell laptop with Dell SafeGuard and Response.

The company, likewise, strengthened the value of its world-class financial services offerings, including Flex on Demand that was lately extended to HCI solutions, including VxRail and VxRack. The Dell Technologies family includes Dell, Del EMC, Pivotal, RSA, Secureworks, Virtustream and VMware.

www.businessmirror.com.ph

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Saturday, June 29, 2019 A11

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50 years later, the moon is still great for business N

DELOITTE Global Network Leader Jeff Jordan (left) and Deloitte Philippines Managing Director Uday Sreeram

BY ALEXANDRA OLSON The Associated Press

EW YORK—Fifty years after humans first visited, businesses are still trying to make a buck off the moon.

Hundreds of millions of people were riveted when Apollo 11 landed on the moon on July 20, 1969. Naturally, marketers jumped at the chance to sell products from cars and televisions, to cereal and a once-obscure powdered drink called Tang.

They are at it again in 2019, as the 50th anniversary of the giant leap for mankind approaches.

There’s the cosmically priced $34,600 limitededition Omega Speedmaster, a tribute to the watch that Buzz Aldrin wore on the moon. And the more down-to-Earth Budweiser Discovery Reserve, which revives a recipe from the 1960s and features 11 symbolic stars in the packaging.

There’s the playful Nasa Apollo 11 lunar lander set from Lego. And Nabisco’s indulgent purple Marshmallow Moon Oreo cookies. And who doesn’t need “one small step” t-shirts, Saturn V crew socks or an Apollo 11 travel tumbler?

But seriously, some brands take genuine pride at having been part of the first moon landing.

Omega Speedmaster watches have been an icon of space travel since Nasa chose them for its manned missions in 1965 after other watches failed tests. In 1970, the crew of the ill-fated Apollo 13 mission used a Speedmaster to time a 14-second engine burn to align themselves for reentry to Earth.

“It continues to be an important tool to have. You have to look only to the Apollo 13 mission,” said James Ragan, a retired Nasa aerospace engineer who tested the watches in the 1960s.

Omega’s gold Speedmaster is a version of the watches the company presented to astronauts at a gala dinner in 1969. A relatively more modest $9,650 stainless steel timepiece features a laser-engraved image of Aldrin descending from the lunar lander.

Then, there are the antigravity Fisher Space Pens, developed especially for the Apollo missions.

For luxury space enthusiasts, Fisher Space Pen Co. has a $700 limited-edition pen with authenticated materials from the Apollo 11 spacecraft.

Back in 1969, both Omega and Fisher Space Pen Co. were quick to promote their Apollo 11 connections with media and advertising campaigns, as were Nasa contractors like Boeing and General Electric.

Stouffer’s made sure consumers knew it provided food for Apollo 11 astronauts once they were back on Earth, launching the ad campaign “Everybody who’s been to the moon is eating Stouffer’s.” Fifty years later, the Nestle-owned brand is celebrating with a media campaign to share some of the recipes from 1969.

But brands with no direct Apollo connections were not about to sit out an event that nearly every US household with a television watched.

In 1969, Zippo released a lighter saluting the Apollo 11 mission and its astronauts. A half-century later, Zippo has sold out of the 14,000 limited-edition lighters released in tribute to the anniversary, priced at $100 each.

Krispy Kreme, which says it served doughnuts

DELOITTE CONSULTING PARTNERS WITH LOCAL SCHOOLS TO BOOST ITS I.T. TALENT

BY RIZAL RAOUL S. REYES

THIS July 20, 1969, photo made available by Nasa shows pilot Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin in the Apollo 11 Lunar Module. For the 50th anniversary of the landing, Omega issued a limited-edition Speedmaster watch, a tribute to the one that Aldrin wore to the moon. AP

to witnesses at the Apollo 11 launch, conjured up a new treat—filling its classic glazed doughnuts with cream—in honor of the anniversary.

If many of the tributes have a vintage feel, it might be because public interest in space exploration has ebbed and flowed over the years, with no single event capturing the global euphoria of the first moon landing, and the Apollo program ending in 1972.

“Since 1972, human space travel has been dead boring. We’ve gone around and around and around the Earth a whole bunch of times, and that is not interesting to people,” said David Meerman Scott, a marketing strategist and coauthor of the book Marketing the Moon, which chronicles the public relations efforts that went into the Apollo 11 mission.

Still, Scott said the 50th anniversary comes amid renewed interest, with Nasa’s plans to send astronauts back to the moon by 2024 and to Mars in the 2030s.

Indeed, Lego conceived its lunar lander as a grown-up display set, part of its Creator Expert series aimed at adults. For kids, born to parents who themselves who have never known a world without space travel, the Danish toy company is releasing six new Lego City Mars exploration sets, designed in collaboration with

Nasa with futuristic rockets that would take humans to the red planet.

“It’s about giving kids something aspirational, where they can see themselves, versus trying to project them into a historical moment,” said Michael McNally, senior director of brand relations at Lego.

Budweiser, similarly, has declared its ambition to be the first beer on Mars, participating in barleygrowing experiments on the International Space Station. Still, the Anheuser-Busch brand saw marketing potential in evoking the patriotism that the Apollo 11 mission stirred in Americans during politically polarized times.

“Beer at its core is a very democratic drink. It brings people together,” said Ricardo Marques, vice president of marketing at Anheuser-Busch. “We like in particular to remind people of everything that is good and everything we shouldn’t forget.”

After all, watching the first moon landing was a personal experience for hundreds of millions of people around the world.

That was thanks to TV—a connection Samsung has seized for its media campaign promoting its QLED 8K TV, tied to CNN’s Apollo 11 documentary. ■

DELOITTE Consulting Philippines has partnered with local universities to boost its talent pool in the next five years to serve its global clients.

Uday Sreeram, managing director of Deloitte Consulting Philippine Development Center (PDC), told reporters in a recent press briefing that the company has partnerships with University of the Philippines, University of Santo Tomas and iACADEMY to discover and train in the consulting technology area. Furthermore, Sreeram said Deloitte said its Universe Alliance Program will also help in identifying potential talents that could be hired by the company once they graduate. Deloitte Consulting PDC currently has about 150 employees. It aims to double this number in a year and generate more than 1,000 jobs in the Philippines in the next five years.

“The Philippines is an ideal location given the convenience in time zones since we will be, for the most part, servicing our clients’ businesses and operations in Asia Pacific. Most important, there is an abundance of young talent from the local universities that have the passion and ambition to develop a career in the global IT arena,” shared Sreeram at the opening of the Deloitte Consulting PD Inc. With the establishment of Deloitte Consulting PDC, there will be unique opportunities for locals to gain global experience. “Filipino IT professionals will have a chance to enhance their skills and gain valuable experience from working on major international projects, and expand their knowledge and get valuable insights from our talented staff in Deloitte technology centers worldwide,” Sreeram said.

Deloitte Consulting PDC is the organization’s first global delivery center in Asia Pacific and will predominantly cater its clients in the region. Prior to establishing its global delivery center in the Philippines, Deloitte also set up regional delivery centers in China and Kuala Lumpur. All in all, the organization has about 26 global, regional and local delivery centers worldwide.

“Our business plans are expanding rapidly in Asia Pacific, and in order to cater to this growth, we needed a delivery arm to serve our clients in this part of the world,” said Jeff Jordan, Deloitte’s Global Delivery Network leader.

“This expansion is part of a series of strategic investments that will allow us to efficiently serve our clients across businesses and regions,” Jordan added.

Deloitte Consulting PDC will provide technology consulting services to various clients with a focus on Digital, ServiceNow, Robotic Process Automation, SAP and Workday.

Cryptocurrencies need close scrutiny, monitor warns

BY DAVID MCHUGH The Associated Press FRANKFURT, Germany—An international financial monitor warned world leaders on Tuesday that wider use by retail shoppers of cryptocurrencies like Libra, unveiled last week by Facebook, would need “close scrutiny” by regulators.

The chief of the Financial Stability Board (FSB) made the statement in a letter to the heads of state and government who will gather at the Group of 20 summit on June 28 and 29 in Osaka, Japan.

Finance officials are debating how to regulate cryptocurrencies after Facebook unveiled Libra, a digital form of cash linked to existing currencies.

Cryptocurrency is a form of digital money that uses encryption technology to make it secure.

Cryptocurrencies exist not as physical bills or coins but rather as lines of digitally signed computer code.

FSB Chairman Randal K. Quarles, whose letter doesn’t mention Libra by name, said technological

innovation could make the financial sector more efficient and inclusive, and that cryptocurrencies do not at the moment pose a risk to global financial stability. He warned, however, that “a wider use of new types of crypto-assets for retail payment purposes would warrant close scrutiny by authorities to ensure that they are subject to high standards of regulation.”

“Though crypto-assets do not currently pose a risk to global financial stability, gaps may occur where crypto-assets fall outside the scope of regulators’ authority or from the absence of international standards,” he wrote in the letter.

Leaders of the G-20, whose countries represent more than 80 percent of the global economy, only made a one-sentence mention of cryptocurrencies at their 2018 summit in Buenos Aires.

Their closing statement said they were concerned about the use of cryptocurrencies in money laundering and financing terrorism and would “consider other responses as needed.”

At the time, cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin were not considered a threat to financial stability because the amounts of money involved were tiny compared to the size of the global financial system.

Libra would be aimed at being a global currency used by billions of people, including those who have no bank account or other access to the financial system. Facebook played a key role in creating the underlying technology for Libra but after the launch in 2020, the currency will be overseen by a nonprofit organization, the Libra Association. Other members of the association include MasterCard, PayPal, Visa, Spotify AB, Vodafone Group, venture capital firms and nonprofits.

In addition to chairing the FSB, Quarles sits on the board of governors of the US Federal Reserve, where he is vice chairman for regulation. The FSB is an international body that monitors and makes recommendations about the global financial system.

It aims to coordinate national financial authorities and standard-setting bodies.

Editor: Gerard S. Ramos • lifestylebusinessmirror@gmail.com

What’s your data worth to Big Tech?

Bill would compel answer

BY MARCY GORDON The Associated Press WASHINGTON—As the US Congress bears down on big tech companies, two senators want to force giants like Google, Facebook and Amazon to tell users what data they’re collecting from them and how much it’s worth.

The legislation floated on Monday by Sens. Mark Warner and Josh Hawley, goes to the heart of the tech giants’ lucrative business model: harvesting data from platform users and making it available to advertisers so they can pinpoint specific consumers to target.

“When a big tech company says its product is free, consumers are the ones being sold,” Hawley said in a statement. “These ‘free’ products track everything we do so tech companies can sell our information to the highest bidder and use it to target us with creepy ads.

Even worse, tech companies do their best to hide how much consumer data is worth and to whom it is sold.”

The measure would require commercial services with more than 100 million active monthly users to disclose to their customers and financial regulators the types of data they collect. They also would have to provide their users with an assessment at frequent intervals of the data’s value to them.

It comes as bipartisan support grows in Congress for a privacy law that could sharply rein in the ability of the biggest tech companies to collect and make money from users’ personal data. At the same time, a House panel has opened a bipartisan investigation of Silicon Valley’s market dominance.

The Internet Association, the tech industry’s major trade group representing Facebook, Google and dozens of other tech companies including Netflix and Airbnb, said on Monday that it supports a comprehensive data privacy law.

“Data helps businesses, across all industries and of all sizes and business models, provide consumers with better products and services,” the group’s President and Chief Executive Officer Michael Beckerman said in a statement.

“The Internet industry supports a comprehensive, economy-wide federal privacy law that covers all companies...to give consumers the protections and rights they need to take full control of the data they provide to companies.” The group’s statement didn’t directly address the issue of mandating companies to put a value on users’ data.

Unlike many industrialized nations, the US has no overarching national law governing data collection and privacy. Instead, it has a patchwork of federal laws that protect specific types of data, such as consumer health and financial information, and the personal data generated by younger children. A national law would be the first of its kind in the US and could allow people to see or prohibit the use of their data.

Companies could be required to seek permission to provide the data to third parties. A law could shrink Big Tech’s crucial revenues from advertising.

There’s no parallel legislation in the House for the new Senate bill, called the Dashboard Act, and its prospects are unclear.

Warner, who amassed a fortune as a tech industry investor and executive before entering politics, and Hawley, a freshman and conservative who pursued investigations of Google and Facebook’s business practices as Missouri attorney general, have been especially active in the debate over big tech.

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Xiaomi joins the pop-up party TECHNIVORE ED UY

whereiseduy@gmail.com

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LIDE, flip, pop up, and maybe in the near future under screen. In a bid to get as close to a full-screen display as possible, smartphone makers have come up with different ways to avoid the notch made infamous by Apple.

Last year Android manufacturers introduced a couple of creative ways to hide the front facing camera, earpiece and sensors and achieve a completely bezel-less display—the Oppo Find X and Vivo Nex introduced the motorized slider, while Xiaomi (Mi Mix3) and Huawei (via Honor Magic 2) released phones with manual sliders.

However, it seems Vivo’s pop-up camera (which first appeared in its Apex prototype) that’s becoming the trend, and several devices like the Vivo V15 and Oppo F11 have already adopted the design.

And now its Xiaomi’s turn to join the fray, and it’s already crashing the other brands’ pop-up party.

Xiaomi announced the arrival of Mi 9T, the latest addition to its flagship Mi 9 family and much like its other devices, it looks to disrupt the mid-tier market once again. The Mi 9T sports the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon 730 processor, a 6.39-inch Full Screen Display, a 20MP pop-up front camera and a rear 48MP triple camera setup.

■ TURBO. The Mi 9T features the best-in-class Qualcomm Snapdragon 730 mobile platform, offering an increase of 35 percent for CPU performance, and 10 percent for GPU, as well as twice the AI performance, compared to its predecessor Snapdragon 710.

Also in the mix is an octa-core Kryo 470 chip processor based on the 8nm process for extreme power efficiency, along with the fourth-generation AI smart engine for delivering powerful AI performance.

It also has the new Game Turbo 2.0 for that upgraded gaming experience.

Touch response rate goes up to 180Hz, while click and touch response times are reduced to about 70 milliseconds, promising an eSports-level gaming experience. The Mi 9T has a notchless 6.39-inch AMOLED screen, and supports Reading and Sunlight mode 2.0, low-brightness color grayscale optimization, and 256-scale eye protection technology, delivering an incredible immersive viewing experience. It has also received low-bluelight eye protection certification by Germany’s VDE Testing and Certification Institute.

■ TRENDY. The Mi 9T applies a nano-holographic

technology to produce a unique flame design on its four-sided curved glass back. The combination of 3D-glass and extremely narrow frame gives the phone an incredibly comfortable hand-feel.

The device is equipped with the seventhgeneration in-screen fingerprint technology. The dual optimization of hardware and software significantly improves the fingerprint recognition rate and speed.

■ TRIPLE. Triple cameras were all the rage last year—but only for those who can afford premium devices. Xiaomi brings that hardware component to mid-tier devices instantly making it the best value option among the current bunch. The Mi 9T has a 48MP camera with a 1/2” Sony flagship IMX 582 sensor that can produce ultra-high resolution photos, a 13MP ultra wide-angle lens with a 124.8 degree field of view, and an 8MP telephoto lens. The options offered by the combination of these three lenses can cover most settings, delivering an SLR-like photography experience.

The Mi 9T sports a 20MP pop-up front-facing camera with a sapphire glass cover. When the front camera is raised, it will display lighting effects and is accompanied by one of six sound effects. The light ring on top acts as a notification light for incoming messages and charging status. Group selfies taken with the panorama feature, which allows panning the 20MP selfie camera, will let you include all your friends in a single shot.

■ TOUGH. The Mi 9T is tough enough to last you a day of use as it is powered by a large 4000mAh battery plus an AI energy-saving mode that will automatically adjust screen brightness and for activating sleep mode at night. It also supports up to 18W charging.

THE NEW STANDARD FOR VIDEOCONFERENCE CAMS LOGITECH Rally, the premium, modular conference cam, sets a new standard in videoconference as it delivers studio-quality video, exceptional audio clarity and an automated experience that can be tailored to your meeting space.

The Rally features Ultra-HD 4K video, modular audio components, expansive PTZ capabilities, and Logitech RightSense technologies that automatically frame people, optimize color and luminance for human faces, and improve vocal clarity for better meetings. The modular design makes it ideal for everyday conference rooms, as well as boardrooms, classrooms and large meeting spaces.

Unlike traditional videoconferencing systems, Rally separates the speakers from the microphones.

By mounting speakers near the display, the audio is better aligned with video, and voices of far-end participants come from the front of the room, which is what people intuitively expect.

A modular approach makes Logitech Rally an ideal solution for meeting spaces of almost any size and shape. Rally Camera features 4K optics and intelligent

PTZ features to capture every seat in room. The stand-alone microphones provide a superior audio experience and more effectively suppress noise and echo. The front-of-room speakers offer richer sound than tabletop speakerphones.

Thoughtful cable management enables custom deployments and integration by AV professionals.

Premium materials, streamlined cabling, and sleek industrial design complement architectural spaces and high-end furnishings.

Logitech Rally is compatible with almost any videoconferencing service, such as Microsoft Skype for Business, Microsoft Teams, Google Hangouts Meet, Zoom, BlueJeans and more.

Logitech is also introducing Logitech Tap, a touch control display that makes collaboration rooms easy to deploy and use. Tap is part of preconfigured room solutions for major collaboration platform providers, such as Google Hangouts Meet Hardware, Microsoft Teams Rooms (formerly Skype Room Systems) and Zoom Rooms. Like other Logitech conferencing equipment, Tap is built on open standards, enabling a broader set of integrations, for example with interactive whiteboards, room control functions and more. The tech challenges in meeting rooms—for example, starting video calls and managing the remote control—have continued to plague workers despite advancements in conferencing technologies. With the addition of Tap, Logitech Room Solutions simplify the deployment and use of videoconferencing in any meeting room. Coupled with intuitive software from leading collaboration service providers, it’s easier than ever before to deliver functions like one-touch start, calendaring and seamless content sharing.

As an integral component of Logitech Room Solutions, Tap couples the purpose-built utility and robust build quality of a meeting room touch control panel with the affordability and flexibility of a tablet.

It delivers one-touch video calling simplicity for users in an IT-friendly design ideal for mass deployments.

Logitech Room Solutions with Tap include all the necessary components in one package: the Logitech Tap touch controller, a small form factor computer with room-optimized videoconferencing software from Google, Microsoft or Zoom; and a Logitech conference cam.

Featuring a 10.1-inch touchscreen, HDMI input for content sharing, and robust cable retention, Logitech Tap is designed and engineered for reliable convenience in the meeting room.

A range of table, riser and wall mounts offer tremendous placement flexibility, while in-wall rated cabling enables topologies and room layouts that please the eye, as well as IT. Logitech Tap is expected to be available in July 2019 as part of preconfigured room solutions for Google Hangouts Meet Hardware, Microsoft Teams Rooms, Zoom Rooms and other leading collaboration platforms. ■

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

ATTY. SARAH BUENA S. MIRASOL REGIONAL DIRECTOR

A16 Saturday, June 29, 2019

SIARGAO ISLAND GOES GREENER MAPÚA TOPS HOLCIM’S SUSTAINABLE DESIGN COMPETITION

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IARGAO Island in Surigao del Norte has been known for its pristine white beaches, marine life, rich mangrove forests and world-class surfing spots.

With tourist arrivals expected to hit around half a million in 2019, the island’s leaders have started the path to sustainability. In 2018 the municipality of Pilar passed an ordinance banning the use of single-use plastics—a pioneering move for the island whose biggest industry depends on its rich natural resources.

Siargao Electric Cooperative (Siarelco), the island’s power distributor, pushed for the sustainability envelope even further.

The island, which was rated one of the world’s best in 2018 by prestigious travel magazine Condé Nast Traveler, is now mostly powered by clean and renewable energy.

“Siargao is one of the top tourist destinations. While we welcome more guests, local and foreign alike, we wanted to ensure that we continue to do our part in taking care of our island,” Siarelco general manager Sergio C. Dagooc said.

Siarelco’s demand for power has almost tripled in only three years, to an estimated 8 megawatts to 9 megawatts (MW) this year. Majority of the island’s supply come from the Private Sector Assets and Liabilities Management, which is powered by the Agus-Pulangi hydro-power complex; and the Mount Apo geothermal-power plants.

When it had the opportunity to get power from private suppliers, it added at least 1 MW from AboitizPower’s Hedcor hydro-power plant in Bukidnon, under the company’s Cleanergy brand.

“After the ban on single-use plastics on the island last year, led by our local government, we take pride in contributing our sustainability efforts for Siargao by adding more renewable energy to our energy-supply mix,” Dagooc added, an incoming party-list representative of the Association of Philippine Electric Cooperatives.

Siarelco entered into a renewable-energy supply contract with AboitizPower subsidiary Hedcor for 1 MW. The energy will come from the company’s recently completed hydro-power plant in Manolo Fortich, Bukidnon.

“We are excited to be a partner of Siarelco in its efforts to make Siargao more sustainable. This partnership highlights the high value that both Siarelco and AboitizPower place on sustainability, driven by our shared commitment to better the communities we serve.” AboitizPower First Vice President for Energy Trading and Sales Juan Alejandro Aboitiz said.

Aboitiz said more and more distribution utilities and Open Access customers are seeing the opportunities brought by a push for sustainability. Responding to this need is AboitizPower’s brand Cleanergy, coming from the company’s vast portfolio of geothermal-, hydro- and solar-power plants all over the country.

“With our portfolio and more than 50 years of experience in the energy sector, we are able to tailor fit solutions that will meet the demands of our customers,” Aboitiz added.

Hedcor is a wholly owned subsidiary of AboitizPower that operates 21 run-of-river hydro-power facilities across the country, with a total installed capacity of 258 MW.

CHEVRON EXTENDS FIVE-YEAR MARINE-SANCTUARY PROJECT IN LA UNION

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EAFFIRMING its commitment to support communities and the environment, Chevron Philippines Inc. (CPI), marketer of the Caltex brand of fuels and lubricants, has extended its marine protected area (MPA) project in Barangay Poro in San Fernando City, La Union until this month.

The Poro MPA project, which started in 2013 and is funded through a P7.2-million grant from CPI, has helped forge public-private partnerships. It has also set up self-reliant people’s organization and established sustainable livelihood for the community.

The Poro MPA project is comanaged with the Poro Sea Lovers’ Association (PSLA), a people’s organization based in Barangay Poro. Select members of the PSLA are also part of the Poro MPA Management Council (PMMC) and Bantay Dagat, which oversee the management, patrolling, monitoring, law enforcement and integration of the Poro MPA into the city’s MPA network.

CPI project partner Institute for Social Order proposed the extension after the five-year contract ended in 2018, to strengthen the operation of the Poro MPA and, in the case of the PSLA, in attaining financial sustainability.

CPI approved the extension proposal in pursuit of its goal of empowering communities to become active and productive members of society.

“It has always been Chevron’s mission to pursue projects that address community needs. We have seen how the MPA project significantly impacted the lives of the people in Barangay Poro. We hope the extension will bring even more opportunities for them and improve their quality of life,” CPI country chairman Louie Zhang said.

Aside from setting up the MPA, the project encourages residents to be MPA guardians while providing them with livelihood opportunities, such as an eatery, catering business, spicy dried-anchovy production and rice trading. These livelihood projects augment families’ income and help wean the community from overdependence on fishing.

Chevron operates three Caltex service stations in and around San Fernando, La Union, and a terminal in Poro Point. In line with its vision of lifting the lives of the people in the communities where it operates, Chevron provides training, opportunities and equipment through social investment programs geared toward producing globally competitive citizens.

TEAMfromtheMapúaUniversity Sc hool of A rc hitect ure, Industrial Design and The Built Environment topped leading cement maker Holcim Philippines Inc.’s sustainable design contest with a proposal for building spacious and cost-efficient public schools that are more conducive for learning.

Senior Mapú a a rc hitect ure students Dexter Pangan, Czarrina Hernandez, Kendrick Supnet and Erik Joshua Isip bagged the top spot at the 2019 Young Builders Challenge (YBC) with “Haraya: A New Typology for K-12 Schools”, which proposes a playful school layout to enhance learners’ ex per ience, though active socia l interaction. The proposed project also aims to reduce construction and maintenance costs through by using renewable local materials.

“We realize that schools’ design lack some elements that would make it more conducive for learning and encourage students’ imagination.

We believe that, by creating better facilities, we can prov ide better education for students. I am so happy that our team got this opportunity to share our ideas through this competition. I consider our win as a wake-up call for future builders on how important it is to focus on sustainable construction, as well as in promoting education,” Supnet said.

The Mapúa students topped 13 other entries from eight schools all over the country. They received a P80,000 prize and P20,000 for their school.

Meanwhile, juniors Marc Joseph Espino and Cheaster Marie Seville of the University of the Philippines Diliman College of Architecture won second place with a proposal for a modular and lightweight concrete house that is highly replicable and can easily adapt to the changing needs of the urban poor.

Ben John Basco, C hr ist i a n Bar rameda and Pau lo Piolino of

the Eulogio Rodriguez Institute of Science and Technology College of Architecture and Fine Arts bagged the third spot for a prototype coastalcommunity center that would act as a base of operations for evacuation during storm surges.

Holcim Philippines Vice President for Communications Cara Ramirez commended the w inners and a l l participants for outstanding design concepts the contest received from across the country.

“Sustainability has never been more imperative than now. It is important to instill this mind set to our future builders [in] their formative stage. We are glad to receive remarkable ideas from our future builders through this competition,” Ramirez added.

Holc i m P re s id e nt a nd C h ie f Executive Officer (CEO) John Stull

also noted that, “These proposals inspire us to continue advocating sustainable construction among our next generation of builders. The YBC is a testament that our young builders are capable of generating ideas that can benefit our society, leading to a more sustainable future.”

Inspired by the Next Generation c at e g o r y o f t h e g l o b a l d e s i g n contest Lafarge Holcim Awards for Sustainable Construction, the YBC aims to encourage aspiring builders to have a more holistic approach to building, encouraging them to ensure projects not just economically viable but also environmentally and socially beneficial.

In photo are Ramirez (left) and Stull (r ight) w ith the 2019 Y BC top-prize winners and class adviser Architect Perry Sanga at the awarding ceremony on May 5.

FILINVEST EXPANDS DEVELOPMENT FOOTPRINT IN RIZAL

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ILINVEST Land Inc. adds another feather to its cap as it recently held the groundbreaking of Mira Valley—its newest residential project—under the Aspire brand. This low-density enclave sprawls over 28 hectares ensuring spacious environs for families to flourish.

Mira Valley fuses suburban serenity with modern living. It boasts of lush greenery, scenic views and the mountain breeze, a considered luxury for urban dwellers. Ideally located within the thriving community of Havila, the 300-hectare townscape borders the municipalities of Taytay, Antipolo and Angono, Rizal.

Filinvest Senior Vice President and

northeast cluster head Francis Ceballos said the company is excited to offer its newest project that brings together natural features with modern development principles, giving its clients a modern minimalist-themed haven.

“Filinvest proudly offers Mira Valley.

This is the only development here in Havila with natural water features. It is really blessed by nature, and we want the residents to experience living in a community like Mira Valley. The amenities here are also nature-inspired, such as the river park, meditation garden, gazebo, view deck and mini events area,” Ceballos added.

Another unique aspect of the development is its close proximity to the

site of the “Miracle of Colaique”, where the story of how the city’s beloved Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage saved the townsfolk during the Second World War. “We celebrate this tradition here annually. It is inspiring to reside in a community with so much history, aside from the natural features we have here,” Ceballos said.

Mira Valley values nature’s diversity by developing a sustainable community that inspires a sense of comfort and peace of mind translated to its house-design model the Brahms. This model unit is characterized by modern-minimalist architecture, clean lines and light-filled spaces.

SENIOR CITIZEN’S DAY IN BACOOR CITY All senior citizens’ associations in Bacoor City were inducted on June 20 at the Strike Gymnasium, city hall of Bacoor. Mayor Lani Mercado-Revilla conducted the oath taking of the federation’s elected officers. In her inspirational talk, Revilla thanked the senior citizens for their support. Sen. Ramon Revilla Jr. was the guest speaker. The Camella Sorrento senior citizens’ association in Panapaan 4 was among those inducted. In photo are (from left) Generoso A. Macatangay, sergeant at arms; Marilai Galsote, secretary; Evelyn G. Binwad, business manager; Erlinda de la Cruz, treasurer; Carolina A. Alegrado; auditor; Andres S. Sontillana, president; Wilfredo N. Celso, vice president; Gloria Chiong, vice chairman, office of the senior citizens’ association; Bayani M. de Leon, chairman, OSCA; and Leonardo O. Canta, press relations officer.