BusinessMirror May 13, 2019

DEPT. OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

PHILIPPINE STATISTICS AUTHORITY

2018 BANTOG DATA MEDIA AWARDS CHAMPION

BusinessMirror A broader look at today’s business

www.businessmirror.com.ph

n Monday, May 13, 2019 Vol. 14 No. 215

ERC alarmed by new plants’ breakdowns T

By Lenie Lectura

@llectura

HE under-5 mortality rate in children is always a priority concern for health authorities, and when it comes to power plants, new ones—meaning, operational in just five years or less—that conk out are causing worry to regulators still reeling from the fallout of recent unscheduled brownouts in Luzon.

The Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) said it was “disturbing” to find out that relatively new power plants conked out more than

20 times from March 5 to April 25 this year.

“This is a very interesting slide because zero to five years so far

exceeded the 26 to 30-year-old plants...[the] zero to five power plants [conking out is] disturbing,” said ERC Chairman Agnes Devanadera.

20

The number of times power plants aged zero to five years conked out from March 5 to April 25, including the recent spate of unscheduled Luzon brownouts The ERC chief was referring to the data presented to media last Friday. Based on the “Distribution of Plants in Outage by Age” from March 5 to April 25, power plants with age zero to five years encountered more than 20 outage incidents during the period.

See “ERC,” A2

Pag-IBIG posts ₧9-B net income in Q1 2019

See “Pag-IBIG,” A4

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PHL set to be second biggest rice importer again–USDA report

By Jasper Emmanuel Y. Arcalas @jearcalas

T

HE opening up of the Philippine rice market will whet traders’ appetite for cheaper staple, pushing the country’s total rice imports this year to a record high of 2.8 million metric tons (MMT), the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) said.

This would be the second consecutive year that the Philippines would become the second-biggest buyer of the staple since the 2008 rice price crisis, USDA data showed.

The country’s projected total rice purchase from abroad this year is expected to rise at an annualized rate of 12 percent to 2.8 MMT, eclipsing the nearly 2.4 MMT it bought in 2008.

In its monthly global grains situation report, the USDA revised

upward its 2019 import forecast for the Philippines from the earlier estimated 2.6 MMT. The Philippines imported 2.5 MMT of rice last year, USDA data showed.

The USDA attributed the double-digit increase in imports to the “rapid” purchases abroad by the private sector after the liberalization and deregulation of the Philippines’s rice trade.

“The quantitative restrictions on rice imports have been replaced with tariffs, with a tariff advantage for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations member-countries,” the USDA said in its report published over the weekend.

“Consumption is expected to rise on both abundant local supplies and relatively low-priced imports,” it added.

See “USDA,” A4

Water agency, sugar lib top govt priority list for pitching to 18th Congress

By Cai U. Ordinario

P

AG -IBIG Fund recorded higher earnings in the first three months of the year as demand for its loan products surge and collections continue to improve.

For the first quarter of 2019, the fund’s gross income amounted to P12.05 billion while net income reached P8.96 billion, up by 17.3 percent and 10.5 percent, respectively, from its earnings in the same quarter last year.

“In January, we reported that Pag-IBIG Fund recorded its highest ever income of P33.17 billion in 2018, which is 10 percent better than the previous year.

2017 EJAP JOURNALISM AWARDS

T

IT’S A GO Comelec officials take custody of official ballots as they are delivered on the eve of elections. Everything is set for Monday’s midterm elections, according to Comelec Chairman Sheriff Abas. Meanwhile, watchdog Namfrel said it was still conducting election-related duties despite having backed out of being Comelec’s partner in the random manual audit (RMA). See election-related stories on page A12. ROY DOMINGO

PESO EXCHANGE RATES n US 52.2480

“We first need to make an inventory of all existing laws, and update many and find out which are not funded. There’s no point adding new laws by neglecting the others.”—Ang

@caiordinario

HE National Economic and Development Authority (Neda) will include sugar liberalization and the creation of a Department of Water Resources on the list of priority bills for the 18th Congress.

Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Ernesto M. Pernia also told reporters that if the Public Service Act (PSA) does not get approved by the 17th Congress, the administration will pitch it as well to the 18th Congress.

Pernia said the full list of priority bills will be included in the midterm update of the Philippine Development Plan which is already under way. The Neda

began the midterm update of the PDP last week.

“We’ll discuss it first in the DBCC [Development Budget Coordination Committee],” Pernia said. “We still don’t have sponsors [for the Department of Water Resources], but I think it’s easy because water is a popular thing.”

See “Govt priority,” A2

n JAPAN 0.4761 n UK 68.0164 n HK 6.6573 n CHINA 7.6548 n SINGAPORE 38.2966 n AUSTRALIA 36.5109 n EU 58.6484 n SAUDI ARABIA 13.9320

Source: BSP (10 May 2019 )

News

BusinessMirror

A2 Monday, May 13, 2019

BSP: Banks performed well amid global volatility in 2018

T

HE Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) reported that the local financial system was in the pink of health toward the end of last year despite global volatility in financial sectors worldwide.

In its report on the Philippine financial system for the second semester of the year, the Central Bank said the positive performance of the banking sector was “evident across banking groups” and was seen as sustained growth in assets, loans, deposits and capital.

In particular, the BSP said the universal and commercial bank industry primarily financed the growth of the major economic sectors, such as real estate, wholesale and retail trade, and manufacturing.

Meanwhile, the thrift bank and

rural and cooperative bank industries supported the retail lending segment, particularly in providing loans to consumers, the micro, small and medium enterprises and the agri-agra sector.

“The financial soundness indicators affirm that the banking system is stable and resilient despite global uncertainties,” the BSP said.

Banks’ capital —which is mainly comprised of common equity and retained earning—remained well above domestic and global benchmarks while credit quality was sat-

isfactory notwithstanding doubledigit loan growth.

The BSP also said profits generated primarily from core income were at a record high and the banks’ high-quality liquid assets were sufficient to absorb shocks while adequately providing the financing needs of the growing economy.

The BSP’s surveillance activities, the Central Bank said, are complemented by proactive engagement with supervised financial institutions promoting effective management and monitoring of incipient risk to the system.

Foreign bank branches and subsidiaries, the foreign currency

deposit system, trust operations, quasi-banks and other nonbank financial institutions all registered positive growth contributing to the resilience of the overall financial system.

“As a whole, the strong fundamentals of the financial system provided a solid foundation for its sustained positive performance in 2018. These, together with the BSP’s sustained implementation of financial sector reforms and support from industry participants, will enable the financial system to remain in the growth trajectory moving forward,” the BSP said.

The financial soundness indicators affirm that the banking system is stable and resilient despite global uncertainties.”—BSP

‘No work, no pay’ scheme in place on election day

W

ORKERS may have to vote at their expense in the 2019 midterm polls after it was declared by Malacañang as a special nonworking holiday.

During such a holiday, a “no work, no pay” scheme will take effect except if it is stipulated otherwise by their respective collective bargaining agreement (CBA).

Those who will work during a special nonworking holiday will get 30 percent more of their basic wage and another 30 percent of their hourly rate

ERC. . .

Continued from A1

Meanwhile, power plants aged 26 to 30 years old recorded nearly 20 outage incidents, followed by plants 16 to 20 years old with nearly 10 outage incidents; plants over 30 years with over five outage incidents; and 21 to 25 year old plants with nearly five plant outages during the period.

“Plants that are 16 years old and above contributed 62 percent of the plant outage from March 5 to April 25. The 26 to 30, we can say that it’s because of wear and tear. But the zero to five, we are still looking at their reasons for outage,” said ERC Spokesman Atty.

Rexie Digal.

According to ERC commissioner Catherine Paredes Maceda, owners of the new power plants told the agency that power plants— whether old or new—are complicated.

“We called them to a meeting. Their explanation was that, it doesn’t follow that just because a plant is new it won’t break down; they said a power plant is complicated,” Maceda said.

Regulators, added Maceda,“are also looking at what technology they utilized, the materials, etc. Because of what happened, we are closely looking at the certificate of compliance.”

The ERC recently conduc ted site inspections of the following plants: GN Power Mariveles coal plant of AC Energy Inc. and Aboitiz Power Corp.; SCPC (San Miguel Consolidated Power Corp.) Limay coal plant; SLTEC 1(South Luzon Thermal Energy Corp.); Santa Rita power plant of First Gen Power Corp.; SLTEC 2; SLPGC 2 (Southwest Luzon

Higher grant. . .

Further, the share of youth aged 16 to 19 who completed elementary education based on 2008 Annual Poverty Indicators Survey (APIS) data was higher for girls at 94 percent than boys at 87 percent.

Paqueo and Orbeta said the same data also indicated that the gap in completion rate between boys and girls was much larger among the poorest 30 percent than the richest 30 percent.

The data showed 95 and 89 percent for

if they will work overtime. If it happens to be the worker’s day off, he/ she will get not just 30 but 50 percent additional over his/her basic wage.

“For work done during a special day that also falls on his/her rest days, he/she shall be paid an additional 50 percent of his/her basic wage on the first eight hours of work,” Labor and Employment Secretary Silvestre H. Bello III said in a new advisory.

The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) reminded employers to comply with the special rules

Power Generation Corp.); Pagbilao 3 of Team Energy Corp. and Aboitiz; state firm’s Malaya 1; and Sual 1 of Team Energy.

“Boiler tube leak” was the reason provided by the owners and operators of GN Power Mariveles and SLTEC 1 for the outage.

Pagbilao 3 experienced “boiler slagging” while Sual 1 reported “boiler circulating pump piping leak.”

A“motor boiler pump trouble”was reported by the Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corp. (PSALM), which operates the Malaya plant.

SCPC Limay coal plant experienced “high furnace pressure.”

A “gas line vent valve trouble” was reported

by FGEN Santa Rita.

A tripping of the manual turbine was experienced at SLTEC 2 plant.

Meanwhile, SLPGC 2 blamed “primary air fan, high stator winding temperature and primary air fan B high motor bearing vibration” as the cause of the outage.

“As a background, we are seeing that 30 percent of our plants that are 30 years and above would constitute 15 percent of the capacity,” Digal said.

“We still have, I think the biggest [batch]—29.8 percent will be 16 to 20 years in operation,”and followed by the 21 to 25-year age group accounting for 23 percent of capacity.

The oldest batch of plants, aged 30 and above, constitute 15 percent.

Plants that are six to 10 years old account for around 10 percent of capacity and the newest, or from zero to five, around 15 percent.

“We found that 16 years and above plants in operation constitute 72 percent of the Luzon capacity,” said Digal.

Continued from A12

girls and boys, respectively, for elementary completion, and 79 and 64 percent for secondary completion.

“The hope is that this research would lead to greater awareness among parents, teachers and school authorities of the social, cultural and economic factors that are hurting [perhaps unintentionally] the well-being of the young simply by virtue of being a boy or being a girl,” the researchers said.

“Equally important, the goal is to find tools

to avoid facing possible sanctions.

Malacañang traditionally declares election day as a special holiday to give time to Filipinos to votes. Many of them, particularly in Metro Manila would travel to their home province to cast their votes.

Over 61.8 million voters will be trooping to 85,756 clustered precincts nationwide to participate in the 2019 midterm polls.

Calabarzon is the most vote-rich region with 8.6 million voters. It was followed by National Capital Region

Vote-buying. . .

with 7 million voters, and Central Luzon with 6.8 million voters.

Comelec Spokesman James B. Jimenez said most of the voters nationwide are middle aged or those in the 30 to 44 age group. It was followed by those from the youth sector, who are aged 18 to 29 years old.

“Each one will contribute to a lot of voters, but perhaps most voters will probably come from the youth because they are very engaged [in the elections,” Jimenez said.

Samuel P. Medenilla

Continued from A12

Among the accused voter-buyer were barangay officials.

“We recovered P4,100 in P500 denomination...among six accused of vote-buyers, three were a barangay official, barangay treasurer and an administrative officer,” Eleazar said.

Eleazar attributed the higher number of their vote-buying related arrests to their intensified implementation of election rules as well as the recently launched interagency task force, Task Force Kontra Bigay, to combat the illegal activity.

Despite being common knowledge, the incidents are usually hard to observe by authorities as they happen in private homes, Comelec Spokesman James B. Jimenez pointed out.

The government is now banking on the anti-vote buying campaign task force to increase the number of those reporting vote-buying in their areas.

counting immune to tampering.

Eleazar said this forced unscrupulous candidates to resort to influencing voters instead through vote-buying.

Aside from cases handled by PNP, Comelec reported it has 10 pending vote-buying cases in its law department, and got three other reports of similar case in its call center.

For its part, the Philippine AntiCorruption Commission (PACC) also reported 15 vote-buying cases, which it endorsed to Task Force Kontra Bigay for action. Comelec said it is anticipating even more incidents of vote-buying to happen this morning before the start of the actual elections to be held from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.

“Usually it happens a few hours before election day. If anyone, witnesses this they should report it immediately” Jimenez said.

Additional cases

Palace’s warning

INSTITUTE for Political and Electoral Reform (IPER) Executive Directory Ramon Casiple lauded the new initiative, which he said will help end the culture of “money politics” in the country.

“We are glad the government is now taking notice of this problem. This has worsened over the years, now being more widespread and now involving higher rates,”Casiple said. Government officials attributed this trend to the AES, which have so far made the elections

MALACAÑANG has warned candidates not to push through with their plan to use dirty tricks in today’s midterm elections.

At the same time, the Palace appealed to Filipinos to exercise their right to vote. Presidential Spokesman and Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Salvador S. Panelo also reminded them to be alert of any irregularities that they may observe.

that are proven to work cost-effectively to enable and motivate the boys to catch up with girls in education, even as the latter continue to improve their progress,” they added.

In 2015, another study titled“How has basic education in the Philippines fared and what else needs to be done?” showed the disparity between girls and boys when it comes to education.

Pids Senior Research Fellow Jose Ramon Albert and University of the Philippines Professor Clarissa David said more boys than girls are still dropping out from school.

The study stated that dropout rates among

boys are twice that of girls. The study also said boys are more likely to dropout in schools where student-teacher ratios are high.

The authors explained that having smaller class sizes will encourage boys to pay more attention in class. Albert said that there is no ideal number of students in a class but at the current level of having an average of 60 students in a class, more boys are likely to lose interest in their subjects.

Apart from smaller class sizes, the government can also consider increasing the incentive for sending boys to school through a higher CCT.

Samuel P. Medenilla, Bernadette D. Nicolas

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Briones reminds teachers, DepEd execs to stay neutral at all times during poll duty

E

DUCATION Secretary Leonor M. Briones reminded all officials and employees of the agency at the weekend that they are prohibited from electioneering and engaging in any partisan political activity as the midterm polls are conducted Monday (May 13).

“As we salute our teacher and personnel volunteers, we likewise reiterate that all officials and employees of the agency are prohibited from electioneering and engaging in any partisan political activity,” Briones said.

Briones said Department of Education (DepEd) officials are also barred from using their position of authority to influence teaching and/or nonteaching personnel under their supervision of jurisdiction to support any preferred candidate or political party.

“On May 13, our teachers and personnel will once more volunteer their time and energy to ensure that the conduct of the 2019 national and local elections is credible and orderly,” she added.

Govt priority. . .

However, instead of creating a list of new laws to pass, the government should focus on creating an inventory of laws that are not funded, according to Ateneo Center for Economic Research and Development (Acerd) Director Alvin P. Ang. Ang said he has been an advocate of the conduct of an inventory even during the administration of President Benigno S. Aquino III. He said this should be done by Congress “motu propio,” but the President could certify this as urgent in order to be done.

In 2016, the Congressional Policy and Budget Research Department (CPBRD) said 62 laws remained partially funded, while 75 laws were not funded at all as of October 2015.

By sector, the CPBRD said it is the economic sector-related laws that had the biggest funding deficiency of P79 billion, representing 33.1 percent of their total funding requirement.

Although General Administration, Public Order and Safety had the lowest funding deficiency (P10.4 billion), it is highly underfunded, percentage-wise, at 89.7 percent, while Social Services and Defense were also short of funding by P15.5 billion (37.2 percent) and P20.3 billion (27 percent), respectively, the think tank added.

“We first need to make an inventory of all existing laws, and update many and find out which are not funded,” Ang said. “There’s no point adding new laws by neglecting the others.”

Bank secrecy

Meanwhile, other economists offered suggestions on what new bills can be pushed for passage under the 18th Congress. Action for Economic Reform (AER) Coordinator Filomeno S. Sta. Ana III told the BusinessMirror the list could include the lifting of the bank secrecy law and fiscal incentive rationalization.

Sta. Ana also supported Pernia in his plan to include sugar liberalization on the list.

Private sector economist Calixto V. Chikiamco said the liberalization of the sugar sector will “make [the] agriculture and food industry more competitive.”

‘Bloody undertaking’

HOWEVER, Pernia recognizes that the economic team is facing an uphill battle with regard to the liberalization of the sugar sector, which aims to remove the licensing powers of the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) and the cost involved in sugar importation.

Pernia said the liberalization of the sugar industry will help bring down the cost of sugar in

Namfrel. . .

Continued from A12

While they have fewer volunteers compared to the Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV), Caritos said the current setup of the RMA is less cumbersome.

She said Lente will deploy only about 15 volunteers to serve as supervisors for the RMA. Caritos added that they are now ready for the RMA after undergoing

T he DepEd, Br iones sa id, is grateful to the teachers “for continuing to be on the front line of the foremost exercise of democracy in the country notwithstanding the demands and challenges that the season entails.”

The DepEd is mobilizing 531,307 officials, teachers and personnel, while a total of 36,830 of the schools will be used as poll centers.

“The current administration of DepEd have been relentless in working closely with the Commission on Elections and other agencies involved so that both our volunteers receive better incentives. Through DepEd’s Election Task Force, we also ensure that are properly oriented and trained to serve in the polls,” the DepEd chief added.

She said DepEd stands one with the country in hoping and working for honest and peaceful elections.

“We call on all our officials and personnel to maintain neutrality, focus on nonpartisan public service and remain a beacon of integrity,” she concluded.

Claudeth Mocon-Ciriaco

Continued from A1

the country, similar to what the administration is doing with rice through tariffication.

The SRA was created through Executive Order (EO) 18 of former President Corazon Aquino. It is tasked to issue permits and licenses, as well as collect fees and levies on the processing and manufacture of sugar and its by-products.

EO 18 was strengthened by Republic Act 10659 or the Sugarcane Industry Development Act (Sida) of 2015. Under Section 9, the SRA is tasked to classify imported sugar to meet domestic sugar requirements.

Under the Sida, the Bureau of Customs (BOC) will also require importers or consignees to secure from the SRA the classification of the imported sugar prior to its release.

“That [liberalization of the sugar sector] will be a bloody [undertaking],”Pernia commented.

Other bills

APART from these, Chikiamco said it would also be noteworthy to include the Farmland as Collateral bill, TRAIN 3, Apprenticeship bill, and, if it is not passed by the 17th Congress, the Open Access in Data Transmission Bill.

Chikiamco said the 18th Congress should also consider Charter change to remove foreign ownership restrictions in the Constitution. This, he said, will help diversify the investments that are coming into the country.

Despite the recent rapid increase in Chinese investments, removing foreign restrictions will help open the Philippine market to other investments that may bring better jobs and economic opportunities.

“We should diversify foreign investments.

Non-Chinese investors don’t want to skirt the law. Chinese investors may be more willing to use dummies. In any case, we should welcome increased investments even from Chinese so long as they comply with the law. Foreign ownership liberalization will increase nonChinese investments and allow us to diversify,” Chikiamco told the BusinessMirror.

The 1987 Constitution limits foreign ownership of local firms to only 40 percent. It is often cited as one of the major reasons for the country’s low level of FDI. A study released by state-owned think tank Philippine Institute for Development Studies (Pids) in 2014 showed the Philippines’s FDI increased to only $2.8 billion in 2012 while other Asean five countries were significantly higher.

The Philippines’s highest FDI level was recorded in 2006 when FDI reached $2.921 billion; and in 2007, at $2.916 billion. The lowest FDI level was recorded in 2001 at $195 million and in 2003, $491 million. the necessary training.

“We took on the task despite the time limitations because the random manual audit is a necessary process and it ensures credibility in the elections,” Caritos said.

The Comelec will randomly select the municipalities and the 715 clustered precincts for the RMA on May 13 and 14, respectively. The actual auditing process will commence on May 15.

The RMA aims to check if the results of the AES are the same as the actual votes.

www.businessmirror.com.ph

The Nation BusinessMirror

Editor: Vittorio V. Vitug • Monday, May 13, 2019 A3

DFA cites Pinay caregiver Duterte warns he’ll send more for saving Israeli employer troops to curb Lanao violence F ILIPINO caregiver Charmaine Fernandez recently received a special citation from the Philippine Embassy in Tel Aviv after her employer’s family in Israel reported her bravery and selflessness in saving the 95-year old employer, a Holocaust survivor.

In a ceremony at the Philippine Embassy, Ambassador to Israel Neal Imperial cited Fernandez for her bravery and quick action which helped save Missa Schindler from being run over by a wayward vehicle.

According to Dr. Abraham Schindler, the Filipina caregiver was walking on a pedestrian lane with his 95-yearold mother when a speeding vehicle came toward them.

Fernandez quickly shielded Schindler with her own body, protecting her from harm. The driver managed to bring the car to a halt within inches of the two women, crushing Schindler’s walker. He was later detained by the police.

Dr. Schindler later contacted the embassy to report the incident and convey his gratitude. He said Fernandez’s instinct to protect his mother had brought back memories of his own touching encounter with Filipinos, this time as a recipient of urgent care from Filipino medical personnel when he was attacked by a mob in Libya in the 1960s.

Ambassador Imperial welcomed Fernandez at the embassy that morning to hand over the citation, with Ms. Schindler and her son proudly watching.

In the citation, Imperial commended Fernandez’s “selfless display of courage beyond the call of duty,” adding that her example “has elevated the dignity of Filipino caregivers in Israel and has given honor to all Filipino workers in the world.”

“Our workers are the Philippines’s best ambassadors of goodwill here in Israel, and we are lucky to have about 24,000 living and working here at the moment,” Ambassador Imperial said. “They fulfill a vital role here, helping Israelis care for the elderly and infirm members of their families. Ms. Fernandez is an outstanding example of how, on a daily basis, Filipino caregivers do their best to make sure that their patients are given the best of care.”

During their call, the Schindler family was warmed to

By Manuel T. Cayon

D

@awimailbox Mindanao Bureau Chief

AVAO CITY—President Duterte warned over the weekend he may send more troops to Lanao del Sur to quell a brewing conflict between rival candidates, and told them to behave or he may apply drastic action for which “you may hate me for a long time.”

HOLOCAUST survivor Missa Schindler is flanked by Philippine Ambassador Neal Imperial (left) and Ms. Charmaine Fernandez (right) after the awarding ceremony on April 17, 2019, at the Philippine Embassy. TEL AVIV PE PHOTO

hear the story of how the Philippines provided a safe haven for Jews fleeing persecution in the 1930s through the Open Door policy of then-President Manuel L. Quezon.

Ms. Schindler, who was brought from Italian-occupied Libya to a concentration camp in Germany in the 1940s, is herself a Holocaust survivor.

The collaboration of the Filipinos and Jews is enshrined today at the Rishon Lezion Monument Park and remains a symbol of Filipino humanitarian assistance during the Holocaust.

“You must remember that until now martial law exists in Mindanao. Do not force me. Do not force my hand to do something which you might not like and hate me for all time,” he warned, in a speech during the miting de avance of the administration party Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban).

The Ulama and Imams Association of the Philippines has asked Duterte to stop what it described as “massive” vote buying in Marawi City by politicians identified with an old political family in Lanao, saying the combined buying of votes from five candidates of the same clan have

reached P6,000.

The association has also urged the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to place Lanao del Sur and Marawi City under its control.

Other Moro organizations signed the letter.

Duterte said the politicians must stop their “violent and coercive activities or else the government would respond harshly.”

“Pagka ganun, pagbalik ko diyan, magdala na ako ng maraming sundalo [If that’s the situation, when I return to that place, I would bring more soldiers],” he added. Those groups, he said, “could disrupt the election on Monday through intimi-

dation and plain terrorism.”

He reminded the police and the Army to remain neutral and for candidates to have a maximum of only two security details who should come from the police.

Members of the Philippine Army and the Citizen Armed Force Geographical Unit were not allowed to provide security “and police officers posing as bodyguards are only allowed to carry pistols and not long firearms.”

However, Duterte instructed both the Army and the police to check on everyone when they pass through the checkpoint.

When the candidates’ convoys pass a checkpoint, he said he instructed the Army and the police “to neutralize those who will refuse to submit themselves to authorities while carrying high-powered rifles.”

“The order is applicable to everyone all across the country,” he said. “ That’s the order of the day.

Kaya sinasabi ko nga na baka lilipad ako doon para pagsabihan lang [That’s why I am saying that I would f ly there just to tell them],” he said.

T he Come le c e x p e c t s more than 61 million Filipinos to vote in the 2019 midterm national and local elections.

Economy BusinessMirror

A4

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Monday, May 13, 2019 • Editor: Vittorio V. Vitug

Q1 infra spending up 13.4%–DBM

By Bernadette D. Nicolas

the DBM said in its report.

“The said agencies were unable to implement new CO projects such as the construction of police stations, purchase of equipment under the Capability Enhancement Program of DILG, and repair and rehabilitation of school buildings due to limitations in release of funds under the reenacted budget,” the DBM added.

Lower infrastructure spending in March was also partly because of the timing of the recording of the Constructive Cash Receipts or those goods and services directly paid to the supplier for foreignassisted projects of the Department of Transportation-Philippine Coast Guard (DOTr-PCG) and other agencies.

“In March [2018], some P2 billion was directly paid by the Japan International Cooperation Agency [Jica] in connection with the DOTr-PCG’s Maritime Safety and Capability Improvement Project. However, for this year, payments are expected in the latter quarters depending on the schedule of delivery of goods or services,” the DBM said.

Nonetheless, infrastructure spending also contributed largely to the overall spending performance of the national government for the first quarter. Government disbursements for the first three months of the year reached P778 billion, 0.8 percent or P6 billion more than the level from the comparable months in 2018.

Since lower infrastructure spending was recorded in March alone, NG expenditures for the same month contracted by 8.2 percent year-on-year mainly due to limitations on release of funds under the reenacted budget. This brought disburse-

@BNicolasBM

I

NFRASTRUCTURE spending rose at an annualized rate of 13.4 percent in the first quarter due to payables from prior years’ public projects, according to the Department of Budget and Management (DBM).

The DBM said in its latest report that expenditures on infrastructure and capital outlays (CO) have already reached P178.1 billion as of end-March, P21 billion higher than the P157.1 billion recorded last year.

The DBM attributed the increase in infrastructure spending to payment of prior years’ accounts payables for completed infrastructure projects.

For the month of March alone, infrastructure spending slid by 5.7 percent or P3.6 billion from the same month last year.

From 63.4 billion in March 2018, expenditures for infrastructure and capital outlays as of end-March this year just reached a total of P59.7 billion.

Some government agencies were “unable to implement” new projects under Capital Outlays since the government is operating under a reenacted budget.

“Despite the growth in the Department of Public Works and Highways’s [DPWH] disbursements for payment of prior years’ accounts payables for completed roads, bridges and school buildings [P11.7 billion or 42.7 percent yearon-year], a significant decline in capital expenditures was recorded in some agencies such as the Department of the Interior and Local Government [DILG] and Department of Education [DepEd],”

Pag-IBIG ... continued from a1 The double-digit growth of our income continues in the first quarter of 2019. Because Pag-IBIG Fund stands as one of the most profitable government corporations, we remain in a strong position to provide social services to more Filipino workers. This is in line with President Rodrigo Roa Duterte’s directive of providing social benefits to Filipinos, especially the low-wage earners,” said Secretary Eduardo D. del Rosario, who heads both the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC) and the Pag-IBIG Fund Board of Trustees.

From January to March this year, demand for Pag-IBIG Fund’s loan programs spiked. The amount of home loans released surged 22 percent year-on-year to P17.21 billion while the number of borrowers increased 13 percent to 19,696.

Short-term loans (STL) or cash loan releases rose 8 percent to P12.05 billion as the number of borrowers grew to 593,269, which is 12 percent higher compared to the same period last year.

Collections, on the other hand, amounted to P40.24 billion, an overall increase of 13 percent year-onyear. Collected members’ monthly savings jumped 16 percent to P11.15 billion. Meanwhile, payments for home loans amounted to P15.25 billion and STL payments totaled P13.67 billion, growing 15 percent and 8 percent, respectively.

“While the first three months of the year are usually slow for most companies, we have once again bucked the trend as we continue to achieve double-digit growth. The demand for our home loan and cash loan programs exceeded our projections by a considerable margin and marked increases from the same period last year. As of March, our total assets have reached P552 billion which is about 12 percent higher than last year’s figures. Our Q1 financials prove once again how robust the workers’ Fund really is.

We achieved our best year yet in 2018. If the upward trend continues in the next three quarters, we may well be on the way to achieve another best year in 2019,” said Pag-IBIG Fund Chief Executive Officer Acmad Rizaldy P. Moti.

ments for March this year to P287.3 billion, lower than last year’s P313.1 billion.

Following the President’s signing of the 2019 budget last month, the DBM also said government spending is expected to “normalize with the coming months, especially after the election ban.”

The department also downplayed the potential negative impact of the President’s decision to directly veto P95.4 billion worth of allocations of the DPWH budget under 2019 national budget, saying the effect is just “minimal.”

Despite the veto, this year’s budget of P3.662 trillion is still higher by 10.1 percent or P335.7 billion when compared to the cash-based equivalent of 2018 national budget at P3.326 trillion.

While the DBM acknowledged that this could still result to lower disbursements, the reduction may “partly be offset” by payables from prior years’ infrastructure projects.

The DBM is also expecting that expenditures for Personnel Services will pick up following the issuance of the Executive Order 76, which amended EO to identify the funding source for the implementation of the fourth tranche of the Compensation Adjustment pending the enactment of the 2019 budget.

A National Budget Circular 575 has already been issued to prescribe the guidelines for the implementation of the fourth tranche Compensation Adjustment for civilian personnel in the national government.

It also provides for the charging of the requirements of the compensation adjustment against any available appropriations under the 2018 budget, as reenacted, pursuant to EO 76.

‘Red tape, tight rules discourage investments in renewable energy’

By Elijah Felice E. Rosales

@alyasjah

R

ENEWABLE energy may be one of the government’s new top sources of investment, but industry players have complained it is difficult to develop clean power projects in the Philippines largely due to bureaucratic red tape.

Renewable Energy Association of the Philippines President Erel B. Narida lamented the procedure for getting a project approved is just too tight. He cited, for one, putting up utility farms, which requires over 250 signatures from energy and environment officials, as well as from local government executives and stakeholders.

“Under the regulatory process, it is really by the numbers, so you have to follow all of that. If you are building a utility farm, some of the developers say you need about 250 signatures in order for that to be on the ground. If one official did not sign today, you cannot finish it in a year,” Narida told reporters on the sidelines of a business forum last week.

“The regulations are just too tight because [the government wants] to protect the consumers. Little by little though, the regulatory process is changing,” he added.

In spite of the restrictive procedure, Narida urged renewable energy investors to just adhere to the entire process, as it will only create complications if they do otherwise. “Any investment who would like to come here, we always advise them: follow the process. It would take time, but you are more secured doing that,” Narida said.

USDA. . . continued from a1

The country’s rice consumption this year will rise to 13.9 MMT, nearly 5 percent higher than the 13.25 MMT estimated demand last year, USDA data showed.

Due to the anticipated influx of cheaper rice imports, local milled rice production will fall by 1.92 percent to 12 MMT from 12.235 MMT last year, USDA added.

However, Philippine rice imports next year could fall slightly to 2.7 MMT due to higher-thanexpected ending stocks this year, USDA said.

“The Philippines is down 100,000 tons to 2.7 million on ample stocks and larger forecast production,” it added.

The Philippines’s ending rice stock this year is projected to expand by 48.07 percent to 3.388 MMT, from 2.288 MMT amid higher imports.

With the country’s rice imports next year projected to remain above the 2-MMT level for the third consecutive year, ending stocks for 2020 are pegged at 3.838 MMT, according to USDA. Philippine rice demand next year is estimated to reach a record-high 14.45 MMT with local staple

Further, Martin Henkelmann, executive director of the German-Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said another problem developers face is the difficulty of getting the necessary technologies here.

“Some of the machines needed for the projects, they are quite complicated. There arise issues on the side of installing them, but also sometimes in getting the equipment. It is quite a typical issue. We probably would have to look at each project and see where the problems arise, where the obstacles arise,” Henkelmann said in an interview with reporters.

“The thing is it is not importing a normal [unit].

They are very tailor made, made very specific. There is a criteria, there is energy involved, electricity involved, so a lot of things have to be standardized and tested,” he added.

Last week seven German power firms in a business forum presented their portfolio to an audience of local firms in search for investment partners. Most of them are engaged om renewable and efficient energy systems, of which many are providers of solar power technologies.

The investment climate for renewable energy is favorable for the German delegation, as the government has been approving power projects left and right.

Power projects made up nearly two thirds of investments approved by the Board of Investments from January to April. BOI approvals of energy projects after the first four months of the year stood at P185.4 billion, which is 64.66 percent of the investment body’s total for the period.

production recovering to 12.2 MMT. “The Philippines is forecast to increase its stocks amid larger crops,” USDA said.

In March, the USDA noted that Republic Act 11203, or the rice trade liberalization (RTL) law would pave way for higher purchases abroad as it deregulated the industry, making importation easier for the private sector.

Under the RTL law, importers just have to secure a sanitary and phytosanitary import-clearance (SPS-IC) from the Bureau of Plant and Industry prior to shipment arrivals. The law also deregulated the National Food Authority (NFA), removing all its power over the rice trade in the country.

Government data submitted to the World Trade Organization indicated that this could be the biggest volume of rice to be imported by the Philippines in history, overshadowing the volume it purchased in 2008.

In 2008, the Philippines imported 2.39 MMT of rice, with 2.297 MMT of the total volume being bought by the NFA; while in 2010, the country purchased 2.369 MMT.

Regions BusinessMirror

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Editor: Dennis D. Estopace • Monday, May 13, 2019

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Untapped P6-B Epira fund must go to rural devt, and quickly–Gatchalian DENR exec seeks funding for El Nido rehab, study of carrying capacity C

By Butch Fernandez

@butchfBM

ITING the P6-billion unused income from the implementation of the Electric Power Industry Reform Act (Epira) due to red tape, Sen.Sherwin Gatchalian moved over the weekend to tap the idle funds for rural electrification, development and livelihood, rehabilitation of watersheds, as well as environmental enhancement projects.

Gatchalian, who sits as cochairman of the Joint Congressional Power Commission (JCPC), is set to ask Congress to amend the Epira’s implementing rules and regulations (IRR) when lawmakers reconvene regular sessions next week (May 20).

The senator indicated that the remedial legislation is expected to address “the need to amend the IRR concerning benefits to host communities of the Epira law, to empower and to speedily give host communities the benefits mandated by law, but also to promote harmony and cooperation among the LGUs, residents and generation companies or energy-resource developers.”

Gatchalian pointed out that the total fund that could be tapped to benefit host communities in the entire country

added up to P12 billion. He noted that as of August of last year, “only P6 billion has either been utilized or allocated for use because of red tape.”

The senator lamented, however, that these funds take years to trickle down to host communities because of the current procedure in the Epira IRR. He noted, for instance, that under the present setup, “generation companies will remit the funds to the DOE, which in turn will release the fund to host communities that will implement the projects subject to submission of various documentary requirements.”

In a statement, Gatchalian reported that the JCPC had given the go-ahead to the amendments to the implementing

rules and regulations of the Epira “in order for communities to feel the benefits of hosting power-generation facilities as quickly as possible.”

He recalled that at the last JCPC hearing for the 17th Congress, both the Senate and House panel members sitting in the Commission approved Department of Energy Circulars 201803-005 and 2018-08-0021, which seek to include indigenous cultural communities and indigenous peoples in the list of host communities, and “fast-track the release and use of the funds to host communities.”

Gatchalian also made it clear that Department Circular (DC) 2018-08-0021 “removes DOE from the picture and allows the generation companies to directly remit the funds to the host communities.”

On the other hand, he added, DC 201803-005 “expands the benefits to indigenous cultural communities and indigenous peoples who were previously not included as beneficiaries.”

He expects these twin department circulars to eliminate the red tape that complicates the process of giving the funds to the host communities. “On behalf of the Senate, after reviewing thoroughly the proposals of the Department of Energy, we definitely want to empower and to give the benefits as quickly as possible to the LGUs,” the senator stressed.

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HE top official of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) in the Mimaropa region is seeking an additional fund of P10 million to step up the rehabilitation of tourist spots in El Nido, Palawan.

Mimaropa, which stands for Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon, and Palawan, is home to a number of ecotourism sites, including the world-renowned El Nido.

Mimaropa Regional Executive Director Henry Adornado said the P10-million funding is necessary to boost the DENR’s logistics to strictly enforce various environmental laws.

“We’ve already asked for an additional funding of P10 million and we are hoping that it will be approved for us to sustain our effort,” Adornado told the BusinessMirror.

Also, Adornado, a former director of the DENR’s Ecosystems Research Development Bureau (ERDB) said they have appealed for funding support from the Department of Tourism (DOT) to conduct a comprehensive study that will determine El Nido’s biological carrying capacity.

He said the funding requirement for such is estimated to be P5 million.

The study will identify El Nido’s strength, as well as weakness and vulnerabilities as a tourist attraction, Adornado said.

Adornado supports the idea of placing El Nido under government control to effectively implement various programs and projects that will address environmental problems on the island paradise. “[We] welcome the proposal to place El Nido under government control similar to what took place in Boracay,” Adornado, speaking in Filipino, told the BusinessMirror. He thinks Boracay was successful, because of the concerted effort of the DENR, DOT and Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG).

Compared to Boracay, however, El Nido is far cleaner and healthier in terms of the level of fecal coliform observed in its surrounding waters, he said. “Only the main beachfront in El Nido has poor water quality.”

He said the problem is in El Nido is manageable given the resources to conduct a resortto-resort inspection, and island-to-island observation, which entails costs outside the DENR Mimaropa’s regular budget. Jonathan L. Mayuga

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Monday, May 13, 2019

Banking&Finance BusinessMirror

Buoyed by TRAIN’s year 1 results, DOF looks forward to rest of CTRP

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HE Department of Finance (DOF) expects to sustain the performance of the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) law in terms of revenue generation in the coming years, as the measure breached its target collection for 2018 by 8.1 percent.

The confidence also stems from a presumption that the so-called losers among the TR AIN’s tax segments will eventually perform better, as the government completes its audit of why collections in these sectors did not reach target. Specifically, the tax on sugarsweetened beverages (SSB), and the value-added tax collections are being scrutinized for their underwhelming results.

This, as Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III called on the DOF to continue working hard to see through the congressional approval of the remaining

packages under the Comprehensive Tax Reform Program, citing the positive results of the TRAIN law as the best argument for the completion of the entire CTRP. DOF data indicated measures under the TRAIN law generated actual collections of P68.4 billion in 2018 compared to the full-year target of P63.3 billion.

“Overall, TRAIN revenues exceeded its targets, providing additional public resources for infrastructure and human capital development programs. We expect the performance to be sustained in the coming years,” the DOF said.

Big gains collected from excise taxes on automobiles, tobacco and documentary stamp tax (DST) enabled the TRAIN law to breach the revenue goals.

Broken down, the government collected P20.6 billion in 2018 from excise taxes on automobiles, higher by 43.1 percent compared to its target for the year of P14.4 billion.

Excise taxes collected from tobacco products amounted to P9.9 billion, an expansion of 130.2 percent compared to its P4.3-billion target for the year.

Collections from DSTs amounted to P33.8 billion, higher by 16.2 percent than the target of P29.1 billion.

According to Dominguez, the TRAIN law also returned P111.7 billion to the pockets of 99 percent of wage earners in its first year of implementation in 2018, with the higher ceiling on tax-exempt individual incomes.

The DOF projected losses of P146.6 billion from the slashing of the personal income-tax (PIT) rates under the TRAIN law, but instead reported a gain of P35 billion as the losses only amounted to P111.7 billion in 2018.

Collections from excise tax on

oil, with actual revenues amounting to P60.7 billion, also breached the target of P60.2 billion for the year.

The losers, audit

MEANWHILE, provisions that failed to meet their respective targets for the year were excise tax collections on SSB, with a collection of P42.6 billion compared to a target of P54.5 billion; and collections from valueadded tax (VAT), which amounted to only P7.7 billion, way below its P39.2-billion target.

“Sweetened beverage excise is short by P11.9 billion as the industry claims that no high-fructose corn syrup [HFCS] has been used since January 1, 2018,” the DOF added.

Beverages containing HFCS are taxed at P12 per liter instead of only P6 per liter under the TRAIN law.

“The BIR [Bureau of Internal Revenue] is conducting an audit to ascertain this claim. At the same time, the FDA [Food and Drug Administration] is also in the process of verifying if firms did submit applications to reformulate from HFCS to regular sugar. This is required before firms can legally market a new formulation,” the DOF said.

In terms of VAT collection, the Bureau of Customs (BOC) has pointed out that only eight industries reported importations, which led to the VAT shortfall. Among these industries are power transmission, jewelry, as well as government institutions.

Losses from the estate tax provision under the law amounted to P2.8 billion, higher than the expected P2.1 billion in revenue losses; while losses from donor’s tax were also higher at P2.6 billion, compared to its P1.7-billion full-year target.

Dominguez, meanwhile, pointed out that the TRAIN law as well as the enactment of the rice tariffication law are among the recent game-changing initiatives that best illustrate the Duterte administration’s resolve to carry out the bold reforms and sound economic policies embodied in its 10-point socioeconomic agenda.

According to Dominguez, liberalizing rice imports will not only make quality rice more affordable and accessible to Filipino families, but will also lower the country’s inflation rate, revolutionize the agriculture sector and help farmers become more productive and competitive in the global economy. Rea Cu

BMAP officers meet Central Bank PDS Group, The Asset Gov. Diokno to boost partnership cite BPI for excellence in capital markets

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BSP Governor Benjamin Diokno (sixth from left) with the BMAP 2019 Board of Directors and Officers. From left: BMAP Director for Ways and Means Hannah Regina Lopez (BDO); BMAP Auditor Janette Abad Santos (Robinsons Bank); BMAP Director for Membership Judith Songlingco (PBB); BMAP President Mike Villa-Real (Veterans Bank); BSP Deputy Governor Chuchi Fonacier; BSP Center for Learning and Inclusion Advocacy Head and Managing Director Pia Tayag; BMAP Secretary Charina Balanquit (UCPB); BMAP Director for Programs Aileen Lamasuta (BPI); BMAP Director for Publicity and Digital Marketing Mai Sangalang (Standard Chartered Bank) and BMAP Chairman for Election Yayu Javier (Avanza Inc.). Not in photo are: BMAP Vice President Mary Ann ReyesDucanes (China Bank); BMAP Treasurer Emmanuel Mari K. Valdez (RCBC); BMAP Director for Industry Relations and Banking Code and Financial Inclusions Catherine Rowena Villanueva (Land Bank of the Philippines).

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HE 2019 Board of Directors and Officers of the Bank Marketing Association of the Philippines (BMAP) met with Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor Benjamin Diokno and other BSP officials recently at the BSP complex in Manila. They were joined by BSP Deputy Governor for Financial Supervision Sector Chuchi Fonacier

and BSP Managing Director and Head of Center for Learning and Inclusion Advocacy Pia Tayag.

BMAP, the premier association of bank marketing and communication professionals in the country since 1974, has been working closely with the BSP in support of its flagship advocacy programs such as Project BSP Reaches Out (Project BRO), Banking On Your Future (BOYF) Kiddie and Teen Account Program, Financial Education and Inclusion Program and the Annual Financial Education Expo.

BM A P assured the BSP officials that it will

continue to intensify its support to improve delivery, reach and outcome of the Central Bank’s advocacies particularly on financial inclusion, consumer protection and financial education.

Other initiatives discussed were the 3rd Bank Marketing Awards and helping the BSP in disseminating information on digitization and electronic payment system, and understanding of the amendments to “The New Central Bank Act,” which was signed into law last February, which will bolster the capability of the BSP to safeguard price and financial system stability.

HE Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) recently bagged three major awards from the prestigious PDS Group and The Asset for the outstanding performance of its Global Markets Segment, which contributed to a strong domestic and international capital market.

BPI Global Markets received multiple accolades from PDS during its annual awards night recently held in Makati City, taking home the awards for Top 5 Corporate Securities Market Maker 2018 and Top 5 PDDTSPvP Participants. The PDDTS-PvP stands for Philippine Domestic Dollar Transfer Service System-Payment versus Payment.

The PDDTS/PvP recognition puts BPI among the banks that have generated the highest volume for the year as measured by the total number of transactions made.

With the Corporate Securities Market Maker award, BPI has been recognized as one of the active Dealing Participants who have been committed liquidity providers for listed corporate fixed income securities for the year, as measured by the number of corporate security market making activities.

BPI also bagged the Best New Bond award, with its $600-million bond, conferred during The Asset Asian Awards 2018 recently held in Hong Kong.

The award recognizes BPI’s bond as the largest-ever debut

BPI bags the Best New Bond award during The Asset Asian Awards 2018. Shown here are Antonio V. Paner, BPI treasurer and Global Markets Segment head (left) and Dino R. Gasmen, head of BPI Global Markets Asset and Liability Management Division.

issuance for a Philippine bank, enabling it to diversify liquidity sources, lengthen its maturity profile, and manage the growth of its balance sheet.

The Asset Awards are Asia’s preeminent recognition for those who have excelled in their respective industries. With close to 20 years of experience conducting awards programs, The Asset has gone from strength to strength in distinguishing best-in-class organizations and individuals.

For its part, the PDS Group, since 2006, has been acknowledging members of its community and market stakeholders who exhibit outstanding performance, leadership, innovation and continued pursuit of a robust domestic capital market.

www.businessmirror.com.ph

The great shift left

M

ODERN delivery builds on the agile principle of “shift left,” which moves the quality focus from the end of the development process to the beginning—as a way to reduce defects, cost and rework while increasing customer satisfaction.

Accordingly, in modern delivery, business functions that have traditionally been siloed will instead be integrated into collaborative, full-stack product teams that can apply their domain expertise to the development and iteration of technology. These teams will include functions that are sometimes relegated to the end of the process, such as security, risk, compliance, customer care and IT operations.

Meanwhile, for efficiency and auditability, organizations will automate as many review and transactional tasks as possible, while creating a DevOps process and tool chain that are traceable through and through. Many companies have already started down this path, but most are missing the opportunity to also improve the complex, collaboration-based activities that cannot be automated. The reorganization of these activities is critical to the success of modern delivery and the connected enterprise.

Therefore, in identifying tasks for automation, successful companies will also take a step back, examine the bottlenecks in how work is performed, and consider ways to break down silos in the organizational structure. For example, is there an opportunity for the product engineering group to partner with security and risk teams to implement “controls as code” or “compliance as code” as a fundamental development and organizational asset? This kind of change can improve speed and safety throughout the entire value chain.

Shifting left can ultimately help organizations make skillful decisions before development. For instance, one regulated company used continuous integration and continuous deployment (CI/CD), along with infrastructure as code, to automate a SOX-based application. But would this automation comply with SOX requirements?

Because the company had shifted its internal audit capabilities leftward in the DevOps design continuum, the audit team served as a compliance advisor, helping teams make controls-and-design decisions before development began.

The excerpt was taken from the KPMG publication, entitled “Preparing for modern delivery: The need for collaboration and integration in the future of IT.” © 2019 R.G. Manabat & Co., a Philippine partnership and a member-firm of the KPMG network of independent member-firms affiliated with KPMG International Cooperative (KPMG International), a Swiss entity. All rights reserved. Printed in the Philippines.

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

GSIS offers ₧288-M loans to Davao del Sur El Niño victims; deadline on May 23

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HE Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) is allocating P288 million for its active members and old-age pensioners in Davao del Sur, which has been affected by El Niño. The deadline of application for the loan is May 23, 2019.

Under the program, members with no existing emergency loan may borrow P20,000, while those who still have outstanding balance in their previous emergency loan account may be granted a P40,000 loan. Old-age pensioners in the area may apply for a P20,000 loan. At present, a total of 10,497 active mem-

bers and 1,933 old-age pensioners in the area are qualified to apply for the loan.

To qualify, active members must be working or residing in the calamity declared area, not be on leave of absence without pay, have no arrears in paying monthly mandatory life insurance or social insurance premium contributions, and have no unpaid loans for more than six months. They should also have a minimum net take-home pay of P5,000 after the monthly premium contributions and loan amortizations have been deducted. Pensioners who are also active members may apply for

the loan only once.

Active members may apply through the GSIS Wireless Automated Processing System kiosk in all GSIS branch and extension offices; provincial capitols; city halls; selected municipal offices; large government agencies such as the Department of Education; Robinsons Malls; and selected SM City branches in North Edsa, Manila, Pampanga, Cebu, SM Aura in Taguig, SM Southmall in Las Piñas, and Mall of Asia in Pasay City (subject to approval of their agency authorized officer [AAO]). Old-age pensioners must personally apply for the loan.

www.businessmirror.com.ph

BusinessMirror

Monday, May 13, 2019 A7

Green Monday BusinessMirror

A8 Monday, May 13, 2019

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

‘High north’ ice is melting as US defends Arctic policy

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OVANIEMI, Finland—The Arctic is melting, but don’t ask US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to talk about climate change.

Nor even to agree on a text that mentions it.

For the Trump administration, disappearing sea ice in the world’s “high north” appears to be first and foremost an economic opportunity to exploit rather than a crisis to mitigate.

That position was made clear

by Pompeo over two days of meetings in the northern Finnish Arctic city of Rovaniemi involving the foreign ministers of the eight members of the Arctic Council— Canada, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Russia, Sweden and the United States.

“Steady reductions in sea ice are opening new naval passageways and new opportunities for trade, potentially slashing the time it takes for ships to travel between Asia and the West by 20 days,” he said in a speech last week, which was met with polite but muted applause.

“Arctic sea lanes could become the 21st centur y’s Suez and Panama canals.”

Fi n n i s h Fore i g n M i n i s te r Timo Soini, whose country is wrapping up its two-year chairmanship of the council, said there was no joint declaration given the inability to get the US to agree on a text that included language about climate change.

Instead, a brief joint statement reaffirmed a “commitment to maintain peace, stability and constructive cooperation in the Arctic.” Soini told reporters that he didn’t want to “name and blame anybody” and called the outcome “good enough” for all parties. Finland’s chairmanship of the council had largely focused on climate change concerns.

A senior US official, speaking to reporters on condition of anonymity, downplayed the

failure to craft a declaration and defended Pompeo’s omission of “climate change” from remarks.

“Just because you don’t have a certain phrase in it, you can’t infer that the United States has taken a position that is anti-environment,” the official said.

Pompeo did acknowledge environmental concerns, and told the meeting that “the Trump Administration shares your deep commitment to environmental stewardship.” “ The Arctic has always been a fragile ecosystem, and protecting it is indeed our shared responsibility,” Pompeo said.

Over the summit, Pompeo also defended President Donald J. Trump’s decision to pull the US out of the Paris climate accord in 2017, a day after a UN biodiversity report warned that extinction loomed for over 1 million species of plants and animals.

“Collective goals, even when well-intentioned, are not always the answer,” Pompeo said. “They are rendered meaningless, even counterproductive, as soon as one nation fails to comply.”

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said his country is “open to the widest kind of cooperation in the Arctic” and that “there are no reasons for conflicts and for getting military methods involved in solving any issues arising here.”

Bill Erasmus, the chairman of the Arctic Athabaskan Council, a Canada-based group of indigenous people, expressed disappointment that a joint declaration had not been reached.

“We recognize that climate change is real,” he said. “Climate change is man-made, and our elders tell us that we are clearly

Norwegian Foreign Minister Ine Marie Eriksen Soreide (from left), Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, Sweden’s Foreign Minister Margot Wallstrom and US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo stand for a group photo during the Arctic Council Ministerial Meeting in Rovaniemi, Finnish Lapland last week. Vesa Moilanen/Lehtikuva via AP

in trouble.”

Official US statements and doc u ment s prepa red for t he meeting did not refer to “climate change” and their scientific focus was limited to reductions in US carbon emissions that predate the administration.

According to statistics Pompeo presented, US energy-related carbon dioxide emissions fell by 14 percent between 2005 and 2017, while global energy-related carbon dioxide emissions increased more than 20 percent.

In ter ms of bl ac k ca rbon, which is a particular threat to the Arctic, US emissions were 16 percent below 2013 levels in 2016 and are projected to nearly halve by 2025, he said.

“I’m sure it was a good party,” Pompeo said of the negotiations in Paris. “I’m sure it felt good to sign the agreement. But at the end of the day, what matters to human health, what matters to the citizens of the world, is that we actually have an impact on improving health. And our technology, our innovation, the R&D we put in in the United States, that’s what will drive better climatic outcomes, that’s what will create cleaner air and safer drinking water, and that’s what I hope the whole world will focus on.”

Pompeo again declined the opportunity to mention “climate

U.N. environment agency warns of effects of rising sand use

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ENEVA—The UN’s environment program is warning about the overuse of sand resources, saying a three-fold increase in demand over the last 20 years amid increasing population, urbanization and building work has contributed to beach erosion, flooding and drought.

In a new report launched last week, the United Nations Environment Program (Unep) urged a rethink about the use of the world’s second-most extracted resource, after water, by industry, governments and the public.

The Unep said demand for sand and gravel amounts to 40 billion to 50 billion tons every

year, and pointed to the need for conservation, recycling and a look for alternatives like sawdust.

Pascal Peduzzi, director of a Unep program with the University of Geneva, said more thought needs to be taken: “We aren’t very smart about how we use sand, because we think: This is just sand.” AP

New Zealand’s climate bill to make it carbon neutral

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ELLINGTON, New Zealand—New Zealand’s government last week introduced an ambitious climate change bill that aims to make the nation mostly carbon neutral by 2050 while giving some leeway to farmers.

However, some farming industry groups say the measures remain too onerous and threaten the future of regional communities, while some environmentalists say the bill doesn’t go far enough because there are no penalties for noncompliance.

The bill represents a campaign promise from the liberal government that was elected 18 months ago. The government has also promised to plant 1 billion trees over 10 years and ensure that the electricity grid runs entirely from renewable energy by 2035.

T he bi l l wou ld require a l l greenhouse gases except methane from animals to be reduced to net

zero by 2050. Methane emissions would be reduced by 10 percent by 2030 and by between about onequarter and one-half by 2050.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said climate change was the biggest single challenge facing the world.

“We know the climate is changing. People can see that,” Ardern said. “This legislation makes a start on tackling climate change because the alternative is the catastrophic cost of doing nothing.”

Agriculture is a key source of overseas revenue for New Zealand, which is home to just under 5 million people but more than 10 million cows and some 28 million sheep.

Those animals burp and fart methane, resulting in an unusual greenhouse-gas emission profile for the country. Almost half of total emissions come from agriculture.

The bill says the lower targets for methane reduction reflect that it stays in the atmosphere for a much shorter time than carbon dioxide.

Tim Ritchie, the chief executive of the Meat Industry Association, said meat processors and exporters are alarmed at the targets, which could only be achieved by reducing herds.

“This will impose enormous economic costs on the country and threaten many regional communities who depend on pastoral agriculture,” he said in a release.

Meanwhile, Russel Norman, the executive director of Greenpeace in New Zealand, said the bill would have little clout because there was no mechanism to hold anybody to account.

To come into effect, the bill would need to be passed by the majority in the Parliament. A final vote is expected later this year. AP

change” when he met with Canadian Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland who pointedly referred to the phenomenon as she played down a dispute with the United States over the sovereignty of the Northwest Passage.

“We have a very close, very fruitful collaboration,” she said.

“And actually, as we see the conditions of the Northwest Passage changing with our changing climate, I think that’s actually grounds for closer collaboration with the United States.”

Pompeo replied by saying the US is more concerned about Russia and China in the Arctic than ownership of the Northwest Passage.

“The challenges in the Arctic aren’t between the United States and Canada, let me assure you,” he said. “There are others that threaten to use it in ways that are not consistent with the rule of law.”

Canada’s Freeland also noted that “unpredictable weather patterns caused by climate change” are causing security threats and navigational issues.

Iceland’s foreign minister, Gudlaugur Thor Thordarson, was bleak in his assessment.

“We can expect due to climate change more drastic changes in the next two decades than we have seen in the last 100 years,” he said. AP

There’s a lot to be done to make Manila Bay ‘swimmable’

By Rizal Raoul S. Reyes

@brownindio

D

espite the massive efforts being implemented by the government through the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) to rehabilitate Manila Bay, there is a lot to be done in terms of making it 100 percent clean and “swimmable.”

Dr. Robert So, chairman of Ecosystems Technologies Inc., told the BusinessMirror in a recent e-mail interview that fixing the Manila Bay problem, requires a holistic approach.

“Technology alone won’t solve the problem because there is more than one problem; or that there are many problems, that contribute to the main problem that is the state of the Manila Bay,” So said.

Part of the problem, he explained, is the “enforcement of regulations, which we are seeing an improvement of.”

Another is coming up with the “appropriate regulations based on many perspectives, including that of science and technology. But if we are solving the particular problem that is the lack of space to locate a working treatment facility for sewage, then there is a technology solution that we can discuss.”

To develop a comprehensive road map on cleaning-up the Manila Bay, So urged stakeholders to take time to listen to each other and from other sectors.

In the discussion, So said each stakeholder group must give their perspective as contributions to the effort.

For the organizations that will implement the plan in the cleanup, he suggested it would be well to educate themselves in the science and technology of pollution treatment, as well as the history of environmental rehabilitation efforts around the world.

As far as the business sector is concerned, So said they should be required to treat their eff luent sewage and acquire technologies from an unregulated market of suppliers. “ T hen I wou ld inc lude members of t he sc ience a nd tec hnolog y sector who a re t r ue e xper ts in sewage in wastewater t reat ment,” he sa id.

To develop an environmental mindset among the masses, he said there must be a change in behaviors and cultural norms in

Maine is 1st state to ban single-use foam containers

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UGUSTA, Maine—Maine has banned single-use food and drink containers made from polystyrene foam, commonly known as Styrofoam, becoming the first state to do so.

Democratic Gov. Janet Mills signed the bill, which takes effect in 2021, into law this past week.

Environmental groups have sought such bans amid rising public awareness of throwaway plastic that accumulates in the oceans, but the Natural Resources Council of Maine said that Maine is the first state to enact a ban.

Si m i l a r leg isl at ion pa ssed Maryland’s Legislature in April, but it’s unclear whether that st ate’s R epubl ic a n gover nor, Larry Hogan, will sign it.

Oregon, Vermont and Connecticut are also considering banning the containers, and dozens of communities from Berkeley, California, to New York City have already passed their own bans, some of which date back to the late 1980s. Several companies, such as Dunkin’ and McDonald’s, have also pledged to or have already eliminated foam cups.

In December, European Union

officials agreed to ban some singleuse plastics, such as polystyrene food and beverage containers, in an effort to curb marine pollution.

“With the threats posed by plastic pollution becoming more apparent, costly, and even deadly to wildlife, we need to be doing everything possible to limit our use and better manage our single-use plastics—starting with eliminating the use of unnecessary forms like plastic foam,” said Sarah Lakeman, Sustainable Maine director at the Natural Resources Council of Maine.

Mills called it an “important step forward in protecting our environment.” The governor said it creates consistency for businesses while providing time to adjust.

The law will prohibit “covered establishments”—like restaurants and grocery stores—from using polystyrene containers.

Hospitals, seafood shippers and state-funded meals-on-wheels programs will be exempt.

Maine has banned foam food containers at state facilities and functions since 1993. Some communities in the state had also already banned polystyrene.

Philippine society, specifically valuing long-term security over immediate convenience. He said this would have a huge impact in the decisions of the people on what they buy or are willing to pay for.

“Are we willing to pay more in association dues as a tenant or homeowner in a development that needs to install, upgrade or maintain a sewage treatment plant? Are we willing to live in a less convenient address if we know that the development has invested in superior sewage treatment or is reusing water for nonpotable purposes,” So explained.

Putting environmental sustainability will play a big role in buying green products and implementing pro-green measures, he said.

“Owners of businesses, developers and property managers, and owners have always considered treating sewage and wastewater as an expense instead of an investment. While there is a cost associated with protecting the environment, it is indeed an investment for the benefit of future generations,” he stressed.

On the government side, it must pursue good governance for the benefit of the people. Moreover, it needs to become experts the way private interests employ experts.

“This is so we, as citizens, have experts on our side, and not only the private interests,” he said.

So said the cleanup of Manila Bay “will take more time than what has been announced.” Nevertheless, he commended that the effort of the government is the “humility it displayed when the leaders acknowledged that the government did not do its job.”

He admitted this is a complex undertaking and stakeholders must now invest in learning and developing true expertise.

As an expert in environmental technologies for over 30 years, So said he is willing to support them and willing to learn with them as a fellow contributor to environmental sustainability.

“I am also willing to share what I, myself, have learned as an environmental technologist, and advocate for over 30 years.

“Grand pronouncements can inspire, say ing that the Manila Bay w i l l be sa fe for sw imm ing is inspir ing. T hat language has its pl ace. It ma kes me wa nt to help ma ke it happen,” he pointed out.

The legislation faced strong opposition from the plastics industry, food service container manufacturers and Maine business and tourism groups, which argued polystyrene is economical and a better than other materials at keeping food from spoiling.

Such industry groups argue Maine’s new law doesn’t mean consumers will stop littering and doesn’t ensure alternatives will be better for the environment.

“It is our sincere hope that Governor Mills and the Maine Legislature will reconsider this legislation next year after they see how it will negatively impact the environment and local businesses and consumers,” said Omar Terrie, a director in the American Chemistry Council’s plastics division.

T he plastics industr y a lso says they’re taking voluntar y steps to make plastic packaging reusable, recyclable or recoverable by 2030. The industry in January committed to spending $1.5 billion over five years to end plastic waste through a new nonprofit, The Alliance to End Plastic Waste, according to A mer ican Chemistr y Counci l lobbyist Margaret Gorman.

“A l l pack ag ing leaves an env ironmenta l foot pr int regardless of the mater ia l t y pe,” Gorman told Maine law ma kers in w r itten testimony. AP

Biodiversity Monday BusinessMirror

Asean Champions of Biodiversity Media Category 2014

Monday, May 13, 2019

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

Asean strategizes to meet 2050 Vision on biodiversity

‘I

t is an aspiration to reform the world as we know it, to be the one that we wish for it to be.”

This is how the vision for the post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework was descr ibed by Dr. Suneetha Subramanian of the United Nations UniversityInternational Institute of Global Health during the Asean Regional Consultation Meeting on the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework in Manila recently.

Organized by the Asean Centre for Biodiversity, with support from the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity (BD), the consultation meeting was attended by representatives from the Asean member-states (AMS) and from international nongovernment organizations, such as Food and Agriculture Organization, Wildlife Conservat ion Societ y a nd Tebtebba Foundation.

The meeting was supported by the Asean through the Asean Development Fund (ADF).

Wit h t he a im of assisting the AMS in identifying priority actions in implementing their Nationa l Biodiversit y Strategies and Action Plans and in the achievement of the Aichi Biodiversit y Targets by 2020 and beyond, the meeting identified milestones for sustainability transition to happen in the region onwards to fulfill the 2050 Vision.

The 2050 Vision, as decided upon by Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity, is “Living in Harmony with Nature.”

“In all consultations, whether regional or national, you may want to consider these questions: Are the current targets still relevant? Do we need to have new biodiversity targets?

Or do we need to keep the Aichi Targets, add new ones and increase the level of ambition?” asked Dr. Theresa Mundita Lim, executive director of the ACB, to the participants during her opening message.

She added: “One day is not enough to summar ize the achievements and gaps in meeting the Aichi Targets, but this workshop should inspire us to susta in consu ltat ions at t he national level. Today, we are focusing on opportunities and challenges related to ecosystems agriculture, business, and indigenous peoples and local communities.” “ W h at ne e d s t o t r a n s for m w it h i n A s e a n t o a c h ie v e t he 20 5 0 go a l s? ” w a s t he g u id i n g question g iven to the part ic ip a nt s du r i n g one of t he w or k s ho p s e s s ion s .

After the participants’ consultation within their respective workshop groups, it surfaced that there is a need for transformation of mindset such that Asean may be aware of what it can provide to the region, given its myriad of challenges post-2020.

The consultation workshop will have a second round of discussions in Lao PDR. The commitments that will be gathered during these two activities will be considered part of elements of the post-2020 Global Biodiversit y Framework, which in turn is expected to be adopted at the CBD COP 15 in 2020.

Meanwhile, coinciding with the celebration of the Earth Day 2019, the Regional Workshop on Accelerating A ichi Target 11 Implementation in the East and Southeast Asia regions was held with representatives from A MS and f rom inter nationa l nongovernment organizations in attendance.

The capacity-building work-

shop held in Manila recently was one of the activities conducted under the cooperation between the ACB and the National Biod iversit y Aut hor it y of Ind i a (NBA-India). The workshop was supported by the ADF and the Secretariat of the CBD. A ic h i B io d i v e r s it y Ta r ge t 11, or simply A ichi Target 11, states that, “By 2020, at least 17 percent of ter restr ia l and inland water, and 10 percent of coasta l and mar ine areas, especia l ly areas of par ticu lar i mp or t a nce for bio d ive r s it y a nd ecos y stem ser v ices, a re conser ved through effectively and equitably managed, ecologica l ly representative and wel lconnected systems of protected areas and other effective areabased conser vation measures, and integrated into the w ider landscapes and seascapes.”

The two-day workshop aimed to gather updates in achieving the target on the coverage of terrestrial and marine protected areas in the East and Southeast Asian regions, and engage other partners and in assessing progress on ecological representation, areas important for biod iversit y a nd ecos y stem s ser v ices, and other ef fective area-based conser vation measures, among others.

Dr. Jeyaram Soundrapandi of NBA-India, served as one of the resource speakers for the workshop, along with experts from the International Union for Conservation of Nature, Wildlife Conservation Society, Fauna and Flora International, World Wildlife Fund, Haribon Foundation, Tebtebba Foundation and United Nations University-International Institute for Global Health.

One of the highlights of the workshop was the development of national Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic and Timely Action Plans to accelerate implementation of Aichi Target 11 in 2020.

T he A MS identified activ ities they w il l pr ior itize until October 2020. Some of the action plans include to increase the number of protected areas, stop per i meter de ve lopment for mining projects, and promote sustainable use of nont i mber a nd forest produc t s, among others.

Lim highlighted the alarming rate of species extinction.

However, she showcased the activities that the ACB has been undertaking to address and find solutions for these concerns. “ We ba rely have 18 mont hs before COP 15 — ou r dead l ine t o m e e t t h e A i c h i Ta r g e t s .

L et us use t h is work shop to strengthen our resolve to work together to achieve Target 11,” Lim sa id.

She added, “the ACB reiterates its commitment to regional cooperation to ensure t h a t b i o d i v e r s i t y, t h r o u g h ac hievement of A ic hi Ta rget 11, is mainstreamed in all development sec tors, ensu r i ng that our planet’s species and their ecosystems will sur vive and continue to contribute to sustainable development.”

T he ACB was established in 2005 by the A MS as a response to biodiversit y loss in the reg ion. It suppor ts and coordinates the implementation of activ ities in the A sean leading to t he conser vat ion a nd sustainable use of biolog ica l d iversit y, for t he benef it of the reg ion and the A MS. T he ACB was tasked by the CBD Secretar iat as the node for the Regional Implementation Suppor t Net work on the A ichi Biodiversit y Targets on protected areas and endangered species.

A9

Loss of biodiversity puts current, future generations at risk

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ARIS—An alarming report about the massive loss of biodiversity around the world warns that future generations will be at risk if urgent action isn’t taken to protect the more than 1 million species of plants and animals threatened with extinction.

Such extinction could happen “within decades” and could affect 40 percent of amphibian species, more than a third of marine mammals and nearly 33 percent of reef-forming corals, said the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES).

“Biodiversity is important for human well-being, and we humans are destroying it,” Sir Robert Watson, the outgoing chairman of the IPBES, when the report was launched last week.

The body, formed in 2012 and comprising more than 130 government members, stated in its comprehensive review that nature is “declining globally at rates unprecedented in human history.”

The IPBES Global Assessment Report added that the rate of species’s extinction is also “accelerating,” and that this entails serious effects for the world’s human population as well, with an increasing impact on food, water and energy security, and on peace and stability.

“It’s a security issue in so far as the loss of natural resources, especially in poor, developing countries, which can lead to conflict,” Watson said.

In a media briefing at the end of a six-day plenary—hosted by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (Unesco) in Paris—scientists called for bold measures at all levels of society to save the planet’s biodiversity, putting the issue at the same level of urgency as climate change.

“Unless we act now, we will undermine human well-being for current and future generations,” Watson said. “It’s a moral issue: We should not destroy nature. And it’s an ethical issue because the loss of biodiversity hurts the poorest of people, further exacerbating an already inequitable world.”

While climate change up to now has not been a dominant factor in biodiversity loss, it is expected to equal or surpass the issues of overfishing, pollution of sea and land (with toxic waste, plastics and heavy metals), the spread of invasive species decimating native ones, and the destruction of natural forests, the IPBES said.

Scientists said the “picture is less clear” for insect species, but the available evidence points to about 10 percent being threatened.

IPBES experts further state that at least 680 “vertebrate species” (or species with backbone) have been driven to extinction since the 16th century, and more than 9 percent of all domesticated breeds of mammals used for food and agriculture had become extinct by 2016, with at least 1,000 more breeds still threatened.

This has happened at a faster rate than in previous eras.

The 455 experts involved in the report analyzed upwards of 15,000 scientific papers among their fields of research, said IPBES Executive Secretary Anne Larigauderie. They ranked the five “direct drivers of change in nature with the largest relative global impacts” on the

world’s estimated 8 million species.

These five drivers are: changes in land and sea use; direct exploitation of organisms; climate change; pollution; and invasive alien species, according to the report.

Ocean pollution, with toxic waste and tons of plastic devastating marine life, is now common knowledge, but perhaps people are less aware that the use of fertilizers has created some 400 coastal ecosystem “dead zones,” affecting 245,000 square kilometers (sq km).

Despite the disturbing statistics, Larigauderie said the IPBES still wished to send a message of hope.

“We don’t want that people feel discouraged, that there’s nothing that can be done, that we’ve lost the battle, because we’ve not,” she said.

Conservation efforts over the past decade have reduced the extinction risks for mammals and birds in 109 countries, and more than a hundred highly threatened birds, mammals and reptiles are “estimated to have benefitted from the eradication of invasive mammals on islands,” according to IPBES experts.

They emphasized that there was still time to give nature a chance to recover if the world takes transformative action for global sustainability, including the use of renewables, ecological farming methods and reducing run-off pollution into oceans.

“What we offer is scientific evidence never put together before,” said Eduardo S. Brondizio, one of the three cochairman of the report and professor of anthropology at Indiana University.

“This is evidence that can be taken seriously, and people can be awakened to take action,” Brondizio told IPS. “This report is important for change.”

During the briefing at Unesco, Brondizio had clear words for society at large and for the financial sectors and policy-makers.

“We need to change our narratives,” he said. “Both our individual narratives that associate wasteful consumption with quality of life and with status, and the narratives of the economic systems that still consider that environmental degradation and social inequality are inevitable outcomes of economic growth.”

“Economic growth is a means and not an end,” he added. “We need to look for the quality of life of the planet.”

He said that “positive incentives” were required to “move away from harmful subsidies” that were contributing to unsustainable business models.

The report says there has been a 15-percent increase in global per-capita consumption of materials since 1980 and a 300-percent increase in food crop production

A Ceiba Biological Centre study investigated the impact of global warming on tropical ectotherms, namely butterflies and lizards, whose body temperatures are determined by the environment. Amazonian ectotherms may be adjusting their behavior to cope with the heat, but at the expense of the normal activities required for survival and breeding. Desmond Brown/IPS

since 1970, reducing the habitat of some species and causing pollution through fertilizers.

Meanwhile, 85 percent of wetlands present in 1700 had been lost by 2000, and 3.5 percent of domesticated breeds of birds were extinct by 2016.

Among the “cross-sectoral solutions” that the report proposes, Brondizio highlighted complementary and interdependent approaches to food production and conservation, sustainable fisheries, land-based climate-change mitigation and “nature-based ” initiatives in cities—which are crucial for overall sustainability.

He pointed out that over the past decade, the “largest portion of urban growth has been in the urban South,” with the largest portion being among the poor who live in cities with stressed environmental issues.

If adequate action isn’t taken to halt the loss of biodiversity in cities, to deal with climate change and to improve the quality of life for urban residents, the negative impact will be globally felt, he said.

Brondizio equally called for the need to recognize the knowledge, innovations and practices, institutions and values of indigenous peoples and local communities.

“They are equal partners in this journey, and we need their inclusion and participation in environmental governance,” he said.

Also addressing the report, Unesco’s Director General Audrey Azoulay stressed the importance of education in ensuring sustainability and of sharing knowledge to heighten awareness.

“Following the adoption of this historic report, no one will be able to claim that they did not know.

We can no longer continue to destroy the diversity of life. This is our responsibility toward future generations,” she said.

Here are four ways humanity depends on nature, according to the report and scientists:

Food

Nearly all food comes directly from nature, said report coauthor Kai Chan, an environmental scientist at the University of British Columbia. Even though overall the world is growing more food, pressure on crops from pollution, habitat changes and other forces has made prices soar and even caused food riots in Latin America, he said.

Pollinators across the globe, not just bees, are in decline. Three quarters of the world’s food crops, including fruits, vegetables, coffee and cocoa, require pollination. The report said pollinator loss could

Biodiversity is important for human well-being, and we humans are destroying it.”—Watson

cost the world $285 billion to $577 billion a year.

Medicine and health

About 70 percent of the drugs used to fight cancer “are natural or are synthetic products inspired by nature,” the report said. About 4 billion people rely primarily on natural medicines.

G e or ge M a s on Un i ve r s it y ecologist Thomas Lovejoy points to a single heat-thriving microbe that comes out of Yellowstone Nat iona l Pa rk ’s hot spr ings.

Pieces of its genetic code are the key to a scientific technique called polymerase chain reaction that is used for medical, genetic and forensic tests and much of modern biotechnology.

“Nature underpins all dimensions of human health,” the report said.

Fighting climate change

The world’s forests and oceans suck nearly 6.2 billion tons (5.6 billion metric tons) of heat-trapping carbon dioxide out of the air each year, the report said. That’s about 60 percent of what humans produce through burning fossil fuels.

Earth would be warming more and faster without forests and oceans, scientists said.

Climate change and biodiversity loss are equally huge environmental problems that make each other worse, report Chairman Watson said.

Storm protection

People can build expensive timeconsuming sea walls to fight the rise of oceans from climate change, or the same protection can be offered by coastal mangroves, the report said.

But mangroves are in trouble, Watson said.

“They often act as a nursery for fisheries basically,” Watson said.

“And they clearly help to protect land from severe weather events and storm surges from the sea.”

The problem, he said, is that many mangrove systems have been converted to shrimp farms, leaving the land vulnerable to storm surges and devoid of biodiversity.

Living planet

People may think of biodiversity or endangered species as something detached from their daily lives. But those people don’t understand that Earth functions as a “living planet” with many parts dependent on each other, George Mason’s Lovejoy said.

“We’re here in Paris. Can you experience Paris without nature?” asked Brondizio. “Every place we turn here we see biodiversity exposed to us in the streets. When we open the tap here, we drink excellent water. When we look at the parks, when we look at the atmosphere here in the city, it’s all about nature.”

A. D. McKenzie/IPS and AP

A10 Monday, May 13, 2019 • Editor: Angel R. Calso

Opinion BusinessMirror

www.businessmirror.com.ph

editorial

The future looks bright

T

ODAY, Filipinos go to the polls after a campaign season that can only be described as “nasty.” We are confident, though, that we are still making progress—even slowly—to reduce the “guns, goons and gold” mentality and behavior that plagues Philippine politics and elections.

“Vote-buying” is still a blight. Hopefully, though, more and more voters will be taking—if they can’t resist the vote buyers—the advice of the late Manila Archbishop Jaime Cardinal Sin: “Take the money, but vote according to your conscience”.

Money is always going to favor incumbent candidates. Part of the problem is that campaign financing and spending has never been adequately addressed by the legislature. It is a situation that no politician wants to touch not only because of their own self-interest but because the public has never been concerned enough. That is the fault of “We the People.”

Regardless of the cries of government oppression of the press, at least some campaign spending has been offset by a still-vibrant press and media that have offered the views of the nonadministration candidates if the public was interested in learning more.

Unlike some—maybe many—we hold firm in our belief that the average voter will mark his ballot based on what he sees as important personal issues and for the candidates he believes will best address those issues.

Those that call voters who disagree with their views “ignorant” are the real danger to representative democracy. That leads to another question about which is worse—a government that may want to stifle dissent or the people who wish to suppress the views of others?

Against the backdrop of this election is the economic well-being of the nation, which affects every person. The lower-than-expected first-quarter growth is on many people’s minds. This is a concern.

However, there is always a bigger picture that is often ignored due to laziness or political agenda.

At the end of last month, we were told that the nation is close to attaining its first-ever “A” credit rating after securing an outlook upgrade from Japan Credit Rating Agency Ltd. to positive from stable, citing the government’s twin efforts to accelerate infrastructure development and boost revenues through tax reform. Further, S&P Global Ratings has raised the Philippines’s credit rating by a notch, citing above-average growth and strong external and fiscal position, which have boosted the country’s economic profile.

Infrastructure development and the TRAIN law are contentious issues. But again, both are being used as part of the politics of the administration and opposition.

Perhaps more importantly because it involves real money in the real world is that the Philippine government returned to the euro debt market last week—after 13 years—selling €750 million in eight-year global bonds at a coupon of 0.875 percent. The offer was six-times oversubscribed and 75 percent bought by European governments and financial institutions. The big news is that the interest rate was only 70 basis points higher than top-rated European government debt rather than the 294 basis points when the Philippines previously borrowed in euros.

Most importantly, even with this euro-bond offering, the borrowing mix for 2019 is 76-percent domestic, 24-percent external.

The future for the Philippines continues to brighten if we do not let partisan politics stop our progress.

Stay awake and remain vigilant Atty. Jose Ferdinand M. Rojas II

RISING SUN

T

HE midterm elections are happening today, and I hope that you exercise your right to vote and will do so wisely. For the country, I wish that the election proceedings will happen smoothly, peacefully and honestly. It is everybody’s prayer that after this, the Philippines will be blessed with leaders that have the capability to steer the nation toward progress.

The capitalists are watching with everyone else, waiting to see how the results will affect the President’s remaining term in office. It will determine whether this administration’s economic policies will persist or continue, or be opposed and perhaps lose steam eventually.

Based on the country’s economic

performance last year, inflation was one of the issues that delivered a real blow to the economy. It is unfortunate that this particular economic issue has not been discussed thoroughly during the campaign period. It would be great if the winning politicians would have a strong and sound economic

Writ of Amparo and Habeas Data

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The petition may be filed on any day and at any time with the Regional Trial Court of the place where the threat, act or omission was committed or any of its elements occurred, or with the Sandiganbayan, the Court of Appeals, the Supreme Court or any justice of such courts.

The writ shall be enforceable anywhere in the Philippines.

This prompted then-Chief Justice Reynato Puno and the Supreme Court at that time to craft a legal remedy to address the problem of extrajudicial killings and forced disappearances. On September 25, 2007, the Supreme Court approved “The Rule On the Writ of Amparo” (AM No. 07-9-12-SC). “Amparo” literally means “protection” in Spanish. Chief Justice Puno noted that the model for Amparo was borrowed from Mexico. The right of “Amparo” is a legal procedure to protect human rights. Under this new legal remedy, State authorities can no longer use as a defense that they do not know where the missing persons are. They are required under the Writ of Amparo to locate the alleged victims or missing persons, and their movements will be closely monitored by Courts. The Writ of Amparo sets a standard for government agents to follow and, if they cannot satisfy this standard, then there would be proper reliefs

entity. The writ shall cover extralegal killings and enforced disappearances or threats thereof. The Writ of Habeas Data extends to those engaged in the gathering, collecting or storing of data or information regarding the person, family, home and correspondence of the aggrieved party.

The petition may be filed by the aggrieved party or by any qualified person or entity in the following order: (1) Any member of the immediate family, namely: the spouse, children and parents of the aggrieved party; (2) Any ascendant, descendant or collateral relative of the aggrieved party within the fourth civil degree of consanguinity or affinity, in default of those mentioned in the preceding paragraph; or (3) Any concerned citizen, organization, association or institution, if there is no known member of the immediate family or relative of the aggrieved party.

The petition may be filed on any day and at any time with the Regional Trial Court of the place where the

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platform, and I truly hope that this is one of the considerations of the voters as they line up to choose our leaders today.

Historically, election season has always been good for the economy.

This year is no exception. Economic experts agree that the Philippine peso will stabilize against the dollar and that the inflation rate will slow down. The spending that happens during this time definitely fueled the economy, increased the employment rate and gave the stock market a boost.

But I think it is even more important to consider the postelection environment. The quality of the elected officials and the policies that will be enforced when they are in position will largely determine whether investors will come and the economy will flourish.

However, it is not as simple as it may seem because the influx of investors does not always mean

Atty. Lorna Patajo-Kapunan

LEGALLY SPEAKING

T the height of extrajudicial killings and forced disappearances during the Arroyo administration, whenever victims would file a petition for Habeas Corpus, the State authorities usually denied having in their custody the subject missing persons. In a lot of instances in the past, State authorities were able to get away with this defense. that can be granted by the Court.

Subsequently, on January 22, 2008, Chief Justice Puno and the Supreme Court promulgated “The Rule On The Writ of Habeas Data”— referred to as Amparo’s twin writ.

Habeas Data literally means, “you should have the data” or “you should have the idea.” Habeas Data originated from the Council of Europe’s 108th Convention on Data Protection of 1981. It aims to protect the image, privacy, honor, information, self-determination and freedom of information of a person. It can be used to discover what is being held about his or her person, via rectification or destruction of the personal data held.

Under the Rules of the Supreme Court, the petition for a Writ of Amparo is a remedy available to any person whose right to life, liberty and security is violated or threatened with violation by an unlawful act or omission of a public official or employee, or of a private individual or

progress. There are many things at play, to cite one example: I believe it is more important for the nation to remain free to draft its own economic policies, and this sovereignty must never be given up for any kind of economic favor.

My final point has to do with vigilance. No matter who wins, we must remain watchful. The future of our nation and our children is at stake.

There have been costly mistakes in the past and we are paying the price for these to this very day.

I commend the men and women who went out of their way to campaign for the leaders they believed in.

The same kind of devotion and selfless service are needed postelection when the new leaders have assumed their post. We must continue to defend our rights and to firmly stand for our ideals. And we must make sure that our leaders are working hard to lead the nation toward peace and prosperity.

threat, act or omission was committed or any of its elements occurred, or with the Sandiganbayan, the Court of Appeals, the Supreme Court or any justice of such courts. The writ shall be enforceable anywhere in the Philippines.

The petitioner shall be exempted from the payment of the docket and other lawful fees when filing the petition. The court, justice or judge shall docket the petition and act upon it immediately.

Upon the filing of the petition, the court, justice or judge shall immediately order the issuance of the writ if on its face it ought to issue. Within 72 hours after service of the writ, the respondent shall file a verified written return together with supporting affidavits, which shall, among other things, contain the following: (1) The lawful defenses to show that the respondent did not violate or threaten with violation the right to life, liberty and security of the aggrieved party, through any act or omission; (2) The steps or actions taken by the respondent to determine the fate or whereabouts of the aggrieved party and the person or persons responsible for the threat, act or omission; (3) All relevant information in the possession of the respondent pertaining to the threat, act or omission against the aggrieved party; and (4) If the respondent is a public official or employee, the return shall further state the actions that have been or will still be taken: See “Kapunan,” A11

Opinion BusinessMirror

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Accountability in the electoral process

Prayer for the Motherland Siegfred Bueno Mison, Esq.

THE PATRIOT

Joel L. Tan-Torres

DEBIT CREDIT

T

ODAY, May 13, marks an important phase of the democratic system in our country. More than 61.8 million are registered to vote for our political leaders in this midterm elections. Around 43,000 candidates are running for about 18,000 electable positions in the Senate, House of Representatives and the various local government positions. This electoral process has long been the mechanism to hold our elected leaders accountable for their past and future actions while in public service. We can reelect the candidates who have performed well while in office or boot them out by electing the candidates who commit to serve the people better.

Accountability is the hallmark of Certified Public Accountants.

Wherever the CPAs are, they are focused on instilling accountability in their areas of engagement. Instituting control and oversight measures in work places, safeguarding the assets of enterprises, auditing the fairness of financial reports and disclosures are just some of the responsibilities of CPAs to promote accountability.

In addition to what the CPAs are doing, they are also expected to do their share in the electoral process.

We can recall the fine work done by CPAs who have been elected to office.

The more prominent CPAs elected as senators include Jose Diokno, Manuel Villar and Alberto Romulo. Sen. Diokno was both a Bar and CPA Board Exam topnotcher and excelled in the Senate halls. Villar headed both the Senate and House of Representatives and performed excellently, which was duly acknowledged by his fellow CPAs. Romulo served the Senate and several Philippine presidents as Cabinet secretary. As an accountant, he is held in high esteem by his colleagues in the profession. A quick Google search discloses that several CPAs are running for the Senate in this election, including, Antonio Valdez, Albert Alba, Rodel Navarro and Gene Nuega.

However, my Google search on CPAs who will be running for the House of Representatives as congressman did not result in any hit.

Perhaps my readers can inform me of the accountants who are pursuing to be elected as congressmen.

For the local government election, a CPA who is running for reelection as governor of the province of Batangas is Hermilando Mandanas. Gov. Mandanas initiated the Supreme Court case, petitioning for the higher determination of the internal revenue allotment (IRA) of the local government units in 2012. In July 2018, the SC ruled in favor of Mandanas’s petition that the IRA should be

Kapunan. . .

continued from A10

(i) to verify the identity of the aggrieved party; (ii) to recover and preserve evidence related to the death or disappearance of the person identified in the petition, which may aid in the prosecution of the person or persons responsible; (iii) to identify witnesses and obtain statements from them concerning the death or disappearance; (iv) to determine the cause, manner, location and time of death or disappearance, as well as any pattern or practice that may have brought about the death or disappearance; (v) to identify and apprehend the person or persons involved in the death or disappearance; and (vi) to bring the suspected offenders before a competent court. (vii) the location of the files, registers or databases, the government office and the person in charge, in possession or in control of the data or information, if known.

In case the respondent fails to file

To our CPA candidates vying for elective positions, we expect you to use your accounting and financial competencies in the discharge of your responsibilites once elected into office.

You should be fully accountable to the people who elected you to these privileged positions. determined by considering all internal revenue collections, including the value- added taxes collected by the Bureau of Customs. Moving forward, the higher IRA can be used by all local government units in their developmental work.

To our CPA candidates vying for elective positions, we expect you to use your accounting and financial competencies in the discharge of your responsibilites once elected into office. You should be fully accountable to the people who elected you to these privileged positions.

To the CPAs who will be elected as senators or congressmen, please support the bills pertaining to the accounting profession that are still pending in Congress. These include the Magna Carta for Government Accountants, the Revision of the Accountancy Law, and the remaining Tax Reform bills.

To all of us trooping to the voting precincts, let us be fully accountable to our children’s and our own future. Let us vote for the best candidates.

Joel L. Tan-Torres is a Certified Public Accountant who placed No. 1 in the May 1979 CPA Board Examinations. He was the former commissioner of the Bureau of Internal Revenue from 2009 to 2010 and the chairman of the Professional Regulatory Board of Accountancy from 2014 to August 2018. He is a partner of Reyes Tacandong & Co. This column accepts contributions from accountants, especially articles that are of interest to the accountancy profession, in particular, and to the business community, in general. These can be e-mailed to boa.secretariat.@gmail.com.

a return, the court, justice or judge shall proceed to hear the petition ex parte. The hearing on the petition shall be summary. The hearing shall be from day to day until completed and given the same priority as petitions for habeas corpus.

Upon filing of the petition or at anytime before final judgment, the court, justice or judge may grant any of the following interim reliefs: (a) Temporary Protection Order (b) Inspection Order (c) Production Order (d) Witness Protection Order The Supreme Court has been recently called upon by rights groups, families of alleged extrajudicial killings and forced disappearances, and other advocacy groups to grant Writ of Amparo and Habeas Data to protect them from threats to their lives, liberty and security, and to require the government to disclose and destroy all files or records gathered against them. These groups named the President, security officials and even Malacañang officials as respondents.

The nation waits with bated breath on the outcome of these petitions.

S

OME people refer to their country, like Germany, as Fatherland, whereas most people, like the Philippines, refer to their nation as Motherland. Either way, countries are referred to as such based on a person’s place of birth, nationality or allegiance.

What baffles me is why children would almost always say “Hi Mom,” instead of “Hi Dad” on TV. Come to think of it, the Philippines is perhaps commonly referred to as Motherland because Filipino mothers are closer to their children than Filipino fathers.

In our Motherland, prayers are consistently offered for honest, orderly and peaceful elections. Our collective prayers somehow worked as I think this 2019 elections have been relatively more peaceful than past polls. But aside from having peaceful elections, we, as a people, must also pray the Serenity Prayer. Coincidentally, in celebration of Mother’s Day, the Serenity Prayer is also my mother’s favorite prayer, which goes like this: “God, grant me the serenity to accept things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and wisdom to know the difference.”

It was an adaptation of a prayer written by Reinhold Niebuhr.

Serenity is a gift of absence of mental stress. I guess it’s a more formal way of saying “keep calm.”

In millennial lingo, serenity equates to “chill,” as my youngest daughter Regina Elena puts it.

As we complete another exercise of electing our leaders, we should accept the results, regardless. Some of our candidates might win; poor leaders might be elected. But, serenity

allows us to understand that while our electoral process is somewhat flawed—from the way candidates secure and spend their funds to the way some perennial issues of vote buying are addressed—we have to abide the verdict of the majority, at least for the time being. We have to accept, not necessarily embrace, the current system where popularity and finances dictate the outcome of the elections.

One person alone cannot change election rules and regulations unless he is a legislator, a commissioner of the Commission on Elections, or a powerful sorcerer who can magically reform the system overnight. Thus, let’s pray that ordinary Filipinos be gifted with serenity so they can accept the things that they cannot change and simply keep on praying for those who were elected although they did not vote for them.

Courage is never about the absence of fear but the ability to control fear to be able to do something despite the immense dif-

Monday, May 13, 2019 A11

ficulty or seeming impossibility.

Notable persons like Alex Lacson (2010), Susan “Toots” Ople (2010 and 2016), and Jose “Chel” Diokno (2019) all have the qualifications, the achievements, the pedigree, and most important, the heart, to serve our country as legislators. Despite not having the funds to sustain a nationwide campaign, they courageously ran for senators sacrificing their time, energy and resources to offer the Filipino people a decent alternative in terms of legislative leadership. They all displayed courage to change things that they could as they ran on platforms anchored on the values of integrity, humility, and patriotism—an endangered species in the legislature.

While other well-meaning Filipinos like them have tried and failed, they should abide by the words of British leader Sir Winston S. Churchill who said, “Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.” As I always tell my law students—“stay the course.” Regardless of inherent difficulties or criticism, Filipinos in the mold of Lacson, Ople and Diokno should stay the course. After all, the Philippines will never run out of people with great courage, if not audacity.

Wisdom is earned by experience and knowledge. And I am so pleased that my daughter Regina Elena has been actively asking others to vote wisely. Growing up, I did not see her to be as vocal in terms of voting our leaders. To her, wise leaders are those who are knowledgeable, trustworthy and put the greater good of the people before themselves. This is what our country needs today. While the current election process appears to favor those who are not as wise,

using my daughter’s definition, I think we should keep encouraging others to register, vote and vote wisely even if others do not.

While we certainly control what we do, we do not control what others will do. Wisdom in action requires us to make others become more aware of the need of our Motherland to have wise leaders. In the Bible, Proverbs 11:14 tells us, “The people in a country will fall if it has no wise men to lead it. But the words of many wise men make the country safe.”

Instead of just praying for peaceful elections, which prayers have been working during the past few years, we should also be praying for wise leaders. Some of those who will be elected might not be wise during the campaign, but our prayers might help them gain wisdom while in public office.

Serenity, courage, and wisdom: These three revered words will providentially affect the way we think as a people and dictate the direction of our Motherland in the future.

In the words of Swami Rama, “The poor long for riches, the rich long for heaven, but the wise long for a state of tranquility.” My prayer for the Motherland therefore is to be blessed with wise people who would know the difference between the things they cannot change, such as the electoral process, and the things they can change, such as themselves and their own mindset.

It is always good to pray for peaceful elections; it’s better to pray for a wise electorate. Post election: Out of love for our Motherland, let us all keep calm, stay the course and be wise by praying for our leaders.

For questions and comments, please e-mail me at sbmison@gmail.com.

Where’s the negative public externality in sugar-free drinks?

Dr. Jesus Lim Arranza

MAKE SENSE

D

URING the numerous deliberations in Congress on the then-proposed excise tax on sugar-sweetened beverages or SSBs, proponents presented studies and interviewed experts on how sugary drinks are causing obesity and diabetes, and consequently how these diseases are draining public funds for medical expenses.

These expenses fall under the so-called negative externality, also known as external cost or external diseconomy, because they negatively affect the public since the government had to funnel funding for them.

This negative public externality was the main argument used by proponents of the excise on SSBs, one of the contentious features of Republic Act (RA) 10963, or the Tax Reform for Acceleration and

Inclusion (TRAIN) law.

As chairman of the Federation of Philippine Industries (FPI), I’m naturally concerned over the effects of this law on domestic manufacturers. What immediately drew my attention was the decision of lawmakers to include noncaloric sweeteners on the list of items to be taxed under Section 47 of RA 10963 and Section 2e of Revenue Regulations 20-2018.

Because of this, even non-glycemic drinks like Coke Zero Sugar are now also being assessed excise taxes like other beverages that are sweetened using caloric sweeteners like sucrose, fructose, sucrose and high fructose corn syrup.

Come on! People can readily see the connection between sugarsweetened beverages and obesity and diabetes. But with noncaloric sweeteners? It is a readily known fact that sweeteners used in Diet Coke, Coke Zero Sugar and Pepsi Max do not cause diabetes or obesity. So where is the negative public externality there, which is the main reason lawmakers wanted to impose excise taxes on SSBs? We must always remember the primary reason for imposing excise taxes— it is the cost incurred by the public arising from the consumption of a particular product.

Not only that, taxing drinks with noncaloric sweeteners also runs in conflict with the law giving discounts to senior citizens to enable them to enjoy life to the fullest in their

twilight years. We all know that the elderly prefer Diet Coke, Coke Zero Sugar and Pepsi Max because they don’t spike up their blood sugar. The excise tax on these drinks negates the benefits of the senior citizen discount.

It is a maxim in lawmaking that a law—to be good and effective— should be true to its specific objective, which, in this case, is to protect the populace from sugary drinks that could cause obesity and diabetes.

If there is a provision that runs counter to this specific objective, then it is a bad provision, and must be expunged.

I hope that the next Congress will include this in its priorities and put everything in order immediately. Remove the beverages that use noncaloric sweeteners. They do not belong to the SSBs that need to be assessed excise taxes. We are calling on the oversight committees of both houses of Congress. We are hopeful that they will see the light in their review of the TRAIN law, so we thank them in advance.

Helping Filipino educators become world-class teachers

By Jocelyn S. Alipio

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ROM one of the most highly educated developing countries in the world in the 1980s, the Philippines’s educational outcomes had fallen short of potential. For example, results of the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study in 2003 placed the country in the lowest 10 percent of participating countries in Grades 4 and 8. Quality teaching, which is one of the most important factors that enable students to excel in the classroom, is unfortunately diminishing.

To help our teachers, especially in public schools, maintain high level of teaching, the Education department is encouraging teachers to continue their training in their field throughout their careers.

Seminars and workshops are popular ways for teachers to be always updated about the latest in the field of education, but there is also a formal

way to improve their skills—enrolling in short courses related to their specialization.

Continuing education courses can help teachers upgrade their skills in areas where they think they may need help. These courses also enable them to learn something new.

More and more universities are now offering various courses for advance learning, and teachers have the choice to enroll in night classes or distant education, whichever is more convenient to them.

School principals should encourage their teachers to continue their education, as well as make opportunities available to them, like attending seminars and workshops.

For instance, there are workshops on how to integrate technology into the classroom and how to make learning more fun.

Attending a seminar has numerous benefits, like improving communication skills, gaining expert

knowledge, networking with other teachers, and renewing motivation and confidence.

Seminars also give teachers the needed exposure to a topic through presentations and discussions led by experts. However, as Lillie Marshall, teacher-traveler from Boston, discovered, there are global opportunities for educators to improve their craft.

“Fund for Teachers,” for example, which gives grants to educators, can help enrich the personal and professional growth of Filipino teachers by supporting them as they identify and pursue opportunities around the globe that will have the greatest impact on their practice, the academic lives of their students and on their school communities. (Fund for Teachers will open its 2020 application for educators on October 1, 2019).

Marshall has listed other global programs and grants that help teachers: Teacher for Global Classrooms; National Endowment for

the Humanities Summer Institutes and Seminars; Fulbright Distinguished Awards in Teaching Program; Fulbright-Hays Summer Seminars; Fulbright-Hays Group Projects Abroad; Earth Expeditions; Global Competence Certificate; Turkish Cultural Foundation Study Tour; Korea Society Fellowships; Primary Source Study Tours; Goethe-Institut Transatlantic Outreach Program; Earthwatch Education Fellowship; among others. Interested teachers can Google and visit the respective program web sites for eligibility requirements and application information.

There are many things that educators and future school administrators can do to further their education, and increase or improve their teaching ability. With all these opportunities accessible online, becoming a world-class teacher should be a breeze.

The author is Principal II at Magapit National High School in Lal-lo, Cagayan.

2nd Front Page BusinessMirror

A12 Monday, May 13, 2019

Namfrel to monitor polls, conduct review of AES T

By Samuel P. Medenilla

STUDY: HIGHER GRANT MONEY COULD ENTICE BOYS TO STAY IN SCHOOL

By Cai U. Ordinario

@sam_medenilla

@caiordinario

W

HE National Citizens’ Movement for Free Elections (Namfrel) said it will still conduct a comprehensive review of the automated election system (AES) even if it is no longer accredited by the Commission on Elections (Comelec).

In a media forum, Namfrel Treasurer Lito Averia said his group will make a formal request for the operational logs of the vote-counting machines (VCM) for its review.

“These logs will contain the records [of activities of the VCM],” Averia said.

He said these records will become available after the conduct of the 2019 midterm polls on Monday.

Namfrel also said it will continue to monitor the conduct of the elections, particularly possible irregularities on the AES. “We will consolidate these reports and submit it to Comelec or the congressional oversight committee for automated election system,” Averia said.

He made the clarification amid

15

LEADERS and volunteers gather at the Ecumenical Prayer Service/Blessing and the Traditional Light a Candle Ceremony at the Namfrel 2019 National Operation Center in Mandaluyong City.

questions on Namfrel’s role in the elections after it declined its accreditation from Comelec. Averia said this was in reponse to Comelec’s inaction on their request to be granted access to data movement within the VCMs. Namfrel maintained the disclosure of the data logs is necessary

so they could verify if it accurately appreciated votes.

Namfrel was supposed to be Comelec’s lead partner for conducting the Random Manual Audit (RMA) on Wednesday to verify the results of the AES. The Legal Network for Truthful Elections (Lente) was selected

by Comelec to take on the role of Namfrel in the RMA.

The number of volunteers that Lente will tap to serve as supervisors for Comelec’s Random Manual Audit

www.businessmirror.com.ph

NONOY LACZA

The Comelec en banc made the decision after Namfrel declined the agency’s accreditation for the 2019 elections.

Lente Executive Director Rona Caritos said the group accepted the designation due to the new arrangement of the conduct of the RMA, which is now centralized, thus requiring fewer volunteers.

ITH more girls now in school, research fellows of the Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS) said increasing the Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) for boys could encourage them to stay in school.

In a study, titled “Gender Equity in Education: Helping the Boys Catch Up,” PIDS Distinguished Visiting Fellow Vicente B. Paqueo and Senior Research Fellow Aniceto C. Orbeta Jr. said there are now more girls in school than boys.

Paqueo and Orbeta said in some countries, like Mexico, a higher CCT is extended to encourage more girls to enroll and stay in school. In order to determine if this would have a similar impact in the Philippines for boys, a pilot study can be done to examine how a higher CCT for boys could improve their education.

“Mexico’s CCT program gives

households more grant money for girls’ than for boys’ education.

The idea behind this differential is to motivate households to keep their children enrolled in secondary schools,” the authors said.

“While undifferentiated cash transfers between boys and girls may have no differential impact on the enrollment between boys and girls, it has improved the frequency of school attendance of boys, which is expected to generate better education outcomes for them,” they also said.

Paqueo and Orbeta noted that based on the Census of Population and Labor Force data between 1948 and 2015, the proportion of the population aged 25 and above who finished college increased to 19.76 percent for women and 15.86 percent for men in 2015, from only 0.54 percent for women and 0.82 percent for men in 1948.

See “Higher grant,” A2

Red Cross eyes new services, will expand ‘Dysfunctional’ democracy: 34 bets unopposed dialysis center’s reach

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HE large number of congressional and local candidates running unopposed in Monday’s midterm elections has brought to light the country’s “dysfunctional” democracy, the Buhay party-list group said on Sunday.

“Having a lone candidate for an elective post is bad for voters who are left with no choice,” said Buhay Rep.

Lito Atienza, the House senior deputy minority leader.

“It is also bad for government and for our system of checks and balance, and bad for our political parties as well,” Atienza, former three-term mayor of Manila, said.

Commission on Elections (Comelec) records show that 34 congressional

LOW PRESSURE AREA 355 KM EAST OF HINATUAN, SURIGAO DEL SUR as of 4:00 am - May 12, 2019

“Just like in business, competition is absolutely necessary to provide consumers—in this case voters—greater freedom to choose, and to encourage fair play.”— Atienza

See “Namfrel,” A2

candidates are running unchallenged.

They are: Neptali Gonzales II (Mandaluyong City); Dale Malapitan (Caloocan City); Wesley Gatchalian (Valenzuela City); Abraham Tolentino (Cavite); Strike Revilla (Cavite); Luis Ferrer IV (Cavite); Alex Advincula (Cavite); Danilo Fernandez (Laguna); Joaquin Chipeco Jr. (Calamba City); Resureccion Acop (Antipolo City); Henry Villarica (Bulacan); Cristina Garcia (Bataan); Charlie Cojuangco (Tarlac); Mario Mariño (Batangas); Franz Alvarez (Palawan); Mark Enverga (Quezon); Angelina Tan (Quezon); Junie Cua (Quirino); Pablo Ortega (La Union); Elias Bulut (Apayao); Ramon Nolasco Jr. (Cagayan); Arnulfo Teves Jr. (Negros Oriental); Ma. Lourdes Arroyo (Negros Occidental); Leo Cueva (Negros Occidental); Jose Benitez (Negros Occidental); Vincent Garcia (Davao City); Isidro Ungab (Davao City); Corazon Malanyaon (Davao Oriental); Joel Mayo Almario (Davao Oriental); Lorna Bautista-Bandigan (Davao Occidental); Ruwel Gonzaga (Compostella Valley); Jose Tejada (Cotabato); Manuel Zubiri (Bukidnon); and Bai Rihan Sakaluran (Sultan Kudarat).

Dozens of candidates for governor, mayor and other local posts are likewise running without rivals.

“Just like in business, competition is absolutely necessary to provide consumers—in this case voters—greater freedom to choose, and to encourage fair play,” Atienza said.

“What is happening now is that many candidates are just negotiating among themselves, with the stronger ones usually buying out their weaker rivals,” Atienza said.

Atienza called for a return to the two-party system where two major political parties dominate the government. “As long as we have at least two dominant parties all the time, it is okay to have multiple political parties,” Atienza said.

“In the old days, under the twoparty system before martial law, there were no unopposed candidates at all,” Atienza said.

The two dominant parties then – the Liberal Party and the Nacionalista Party —had to put up candidates no matter what, according to Atienza. “They each had to look for and field candidates for every post. If a candidate withdraws for any reason, the party had to designate another runner,” Atienza said.

CHAIRMAN Richard Gordon (eighth from left) and the PRC Board of Governors join the National Awardees during the joint celebration of the World Red Cross and Red Crescent Day and the 72nd Anniversary of the Philippine Red Cross.

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HE Philippine Red Cross (PRC) is exploring new programs and services to address the humanitarian challenges in the country, especially in the area of health.

Chairman Richard Gordon revealed plans to enhance its newly opened dialysis center to accommodate more patients.

“We are planning on strengthening our dialysis center so more poor Filipinos can acquire affordable and adequate dialysis treatments,” Gordon said.

He added that the Red Cross is also looking at opening a diagnostics center to provide access to quality health care to the poor.

“This is to allow the poor people to have access to diagnostics

services like a CT scan,” as well as ICU confinement if needed, he said, speaking in Filipino.

“We got into different services because the humanitarian challenges in this country require us to be dynamic. This is why we opened our first dialysis center because it is hard to say no to the most vulnerable,” Gordon said.

As of today, the dialysis center, which had its soft opening in February, has provided 14 patients with 350 dialysis treatments.

Gordon revealed the PRC’s plans during the recent joint celebration of the 72nd anniversary of PRC and the World Red Cross and Red Crescent Day, where Red Cross partners were recognized for their contribution to the organization’s services.

With AES, vote-buying cases surge

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OLLOWING the advent of the “tamper-proof ” automated election system (AES), the government is bracing for its biggest number of reported vote-buying cases in recent years as it holds the 2019 midterm polls on Monday.

In a press forum, the Philippine National Police (PNP) reported during the weekend that it had arrested at least 84 people allegedly involved in vote-buying and vote-selling in Metro Manila alone.

National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) chief Guillermo Eleazar said 60 of these cases were

from Makati.

The other incidents came from Malabon, Muntinlupa and Quezon City. “ The NCRPO has the most number of arrests [related to votebuying] nationwide. Compared to previous elections, this was a significant increase,” Eleazar said.

More attention

PNP said the incident in Makati happened in a barangay hall on May 11 involving eight alleged vote-buyers and 52 supposed vote-sellers.

See “Vote-buying,” A2

Editor: Efleda P. Campos

Companies BusinessMirror

Monday, May 13, 2019

B1

New Kinpo Group to make PHL its main hub in SE Asia

By Elijah Felice E. Rosales

T

@alyasjah

HE world’s leading consumer electronics maker is eyeing to make the Philippines its Southeast Asian hub by enlarging its presence here over the next three years.

In a statement over the weekend, the Department of Trade and Industry and the Board of Investments (BOI) vowed to support the New Kinpo Group’s (NKG) expansion plans in the Philippines. The consumer electronics leader is planning to put up a new 24,000-square-meter facility in Lipa, Batangas.

In his meeting with trade officials last week, NKG CEO Simon Shen said the firm is developing its manufacturing complex in the First

Cosco income up 9% to P2.06B in Jan-March

C

OSCO Capital Inc., the retail holding firm of businessman Lucio L. Co, said its income grew 9 percent during the first quarter of the year to P2.06 billion from P1.88 billion last year on continued consumer spending.

The company said it used the core income as it did not include the proceeds of the sale from Liquigaz Philippines Corp., which when included, its net income grew by more than five times to P10 billion.

Without the gain from the sale of Liquigaz, core net attributable income to equity holders grew by 9 percent to P1.32 billion from P1.21 billion, it said.

“Excluding Liquigaz in 2018, all the business units achieved a consolidated growth in revenue of 13.26 percent, while consolidated net income grew by 15.35 percent in the first quarter of 2019 compared to its 2018 performance,” the company said.

Grocery retailing arm Puregold Price Club Inc. and S&R Membership Shopping Club contributed 58 percent of total profits, followed by the commercial realestate segment with 23 percent and the liquor distribution with 17 percent. The group’s specialty retailing segment led

by Office Warehouse Inc. accounted for 2 percent of net profit.

Puregold and S&R Membership Shopping grew its consolidated revenues by 12 percent to P34.83 billion from last year’s P30.87 billion, while consolidated net income increased by 12 percent to P1.51 billion from last year’s P1.35 billion.

The group opened eight new Puregold stores and one new S&R Warehouse Club in the first quarter.

The liquor-distribution business posted a 24- percent growth in revenues to P2.1 billion, on the back of a 36-percent increase in volume of cases sold for the period. Net income increased 28 percent to P230 million. “The growth is primarily driven by the continued strong sales performance of Alfonso Light Brandy and Alfonso Brandy brands,” it said.

Meanwhile, Office Warehouse’s revenues grew by 24 percent to P621 million, while net income increased by 212 percent to P29 million on the back of a strong same-store sales growth performance of 18 percent. Office Warehouse currently has 88 stores in operations.

The group’s commercial real-estate segment posted a 5-percent increase in total revenues to P641 million and a 10-percent increase in net income to P313 million, the company said.

VG Cabuag

Philippine Industrial Park in Santo Tomas, Batangas.

These expansions will reportedly increase NKG’s employment to 18,000, from 11,000 at present, over the next three years. They also form part and parcel of the manufacturer’s plans to position the Philippines as its production hub in Southeast Asia.

To bankroll the projects, NKG, through its subsidiary Cal-Comp Technology Philippines Inc., will

initiate an initial public offering this year.

Trade Secretary and BOI Chairman Ramon M. Lopez tendered the investment body’s assistance to NKG in finding the land needed for the expansions, as well as in introducing robot assistants in airports.

Popular for its robotics, NKG wants to bring robot assistants to the country’s gateways.

Lopez said he will link NKG with the Departments of Transportation and Tourism for this plan, which will allow robot assistants to guide passengers to their respective terminals by scanning their board passes.

“These robots can be a great future in some of our newer airports.

These technologies also help bring public awareness to the benefits of artificial intelligence [AI],” Lopez said in the statement.

“As the Philippines has its eyes on being an AI Center of Excellence

by 2025, we look forward to seeing more of these [robot assistants] and manufacturing them here in the country,” he added.

Taiwanese NKG, founded in 1973, is considered as a global leader in making solutions, such as electronic manufacturing services and original design manufacturing, among others. It has a wide range of product offerings, such as storage goods, printers, consumer electronics, smart home appliances, set top boxes and power supplies.

NKG also has its brands of 3D printers, smart beauty products, AIpowered robotics and smart speakers.

Among the group’s firms are Kinpo Electronics, Cal-Comp Electronics Thailand, Castlenet Technology and AcBel Polytech.

NKG is operating in many countries spanning from its headquarters in Taiwan to Thailand, the United States, China, Malaysia, Brazil, Mexico and the Philippines.

MPTC unit to bid for 2 road deals in Thailand

By Lorenz S. Marasigan @lorenzmarasigan

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ANGKOK, Thailand—Metro Pacific Tollways Corp.-backed Don Muang Tollway Public Co. Ltd. plans to join the bidding for two expressway deals to expand its presence outside of the Thai capital.

Sakda Panwai, the company’s CFO, said his group is keen on bidding for contracts M6 and M81, both of which are being implemented through the Thai government’s public-private partnership (PPP) program.

“Based on our equity, we are keen for toll-road development and toll-road business, as well,” he said. “We purchased two bidding documents, one for motorway M6

and motorway M81.”

M6 is a road being constructed by the Thai government that will run for 196 kilometers from Bang Pa-In to Nakhon Ratchasima. This will be extended all the way to Nong Khai, which is close to the boarder to Lao PDR. M81 will run from Bang Yao to Kanchanaburi with a total length of 96 kilometers, costing about $1.74 billion.

Both contracts being auctioned off by the Thai government are for the operations and maintenance components of the road.

Bid submission is set for June 27, and the results of the bidding will be known by September.

Metro Pacific Tollways, the largest expressway operator in the Philippines, owns a 29.5-percent share in Don Muang Tollway.

Rodrigo E. Franco, the Filipino company’s president, said his group is happy with its investment in the Thai tollway group.

“Relatively, the toll-road company is mature. It’s good. It’s earning very well, and we get comfort with that. It’s a solid contributor to our performance,” he said.

Aside from Thailand, Metro Pacific Tollways, through its equity and technical partners, operates expressways in Indonesia and Vietnam. It also eyes to expand its presence in Malaysia and Myanmar to create a Pan-Asean toll-road group.

In the Philippines, among the thoroughfares it operates are the North Luzon Expressway, the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway, the Manila-Cavite Toll Expressway, the Cavite-Laguna Expressway and the Cebu-Cordova Link Expressway.

EDC to expand geothermal assets

By Lenie Lectura

L

OPEZ-led Energy Development Corp. (EDC) said last week it would carry out “a small expansion” of its geothermal assets.

“We have a few plants lined up for EDC. They are small, less than 30 megawatts [MW],” said EDC President Richard Tantoco when asked what renewableenergy (RE) projects are in store for EDC this year.

Tantoco said these small expansion projects involve EDC’s geothermal plants at Leyte, Bacon-Manito (BacMan) and Mount Apo. “Just a couple in the pipeline and we are likely to issue notice to proceed on one of them within the next six months—geothermal, brownfield and within the existing assets for expansions,” he added.

EDC ’s geot her m a l- pl a nt portfolio is composed of the following: 140-megawatt BacMan, 588.4-MW Unified Leyte,

A

Contributor

ROUND 27,000 riders will be back to the road soon as ride-sharing app Angkas was given the green light to operate again in Metro Manila and Metro Cebu starting next month.

In a statement issued on Friday, Angkas CEO Angeline Tham confirmed the Department of Transportation (DOTr) approved an official motorcycle taxi pilot with Angkas in acknowledgment of the valuable service it brings to millions of Filipinos looking for better transport alternatives. She welcomed this as a good news, especially for the bikers, after Angkas operations were shut down a number of times since 2017.

The approval is based on the recommendation of the Technical Working Group (TWG) composed of representatives from the DOTr, Land Transportation Office (LTO), Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB), Philippine National Police-Highway Patrol Group (PNP-HPG), Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA), Senate, Congress, commuter-welfare groups, road-safety advocates, motorcycle manufacturers, motorcycle organizations and academe.

In aid of legislation, she said the trial run seeks to help Congress to enact a proper motorcycle taxi bill, now undergoing revisions in the Senate.

“We hope the Angkas pilot will serve to show legislators and regulators the viability of this mode of

transport so we can fully pass it into a law. We are set to launch in June once all operating procedures are finalized, so sit tight,” Tham said.

The motorcycle taxi pilot is effective starting on June 8. Prior to this, there will be a public awareness campaign to inform the commuters on its implementation. The trial will run for a period of six months.

Per the TWG’s general guidelines for the pilot implementation, safety for both motorcycle driver and passenger must always be observed. The requirements include the wearing of safety gears like helmet, reflectorized vest and vest-based strap or belt; compliance to speed limit of 60 kilometers per hour; proper maintenance of the motorcycle; and wearing the appropriate driver’s uniform.

All riders need to render a maximum of 10 hours of service daily.

An accident insurance must be provided in an amount that is the same or higher than the Passenger Personal Accident Insurance Program (PPAIP).

For the kickoff run in Metro Manila, the fare will be P50 for the first 2 kilometers and an additional P10 per km for succeeding distance of up to 7 km and additional P15 beyond that. There will be a 1.5x cap on surge rates.

For Metro Cebu, the initial fee will be P20 for the first kilometer and additional P20 per km up to 8 km and P20 per km for destinations beyond that.

The guidelines also state the motorcycle taxis could only operate through the app of Angkas. The latter should submit comprehensive data

to the DOTr to include all incidents of road crash, passenger complaints, trip details and fares collected.

To ensure the initial run’s success, the transport agency sets key performance indicators (KPIs), including accident threshold not exceeding 5 percent, reporting of traffic violations and feedback from regular passengers.

Tham expressed her gratitude to the DOTr and Secretary Arthur Tugade “for having the openness to hear out the people, and the vision to explore a mode of transport straight from the grassroots.”

“Our approval of the pilot implementation of the motorcycle taxi operations is proof that the government is listening to and addresses the woes, concerns and suggestions of our riding public,” the transport chief said.

The CEO of Angkas also thanked Winnie Castelo who started their journey of regulation in Congress, as well as senatoriables Grace Poe and JV Ejercito for supporting their cause in the Senate that will now enable their bikers to seek better livelihood. She also extendeded their gratitude to all their riders and passengers who form the backbone of their community.

“We are all extremely grateful and proud of this community we have built. The hard work of getting this off the ground now begins, and we have much ahead of us to ensure Angkas reaches more Filipinos properly and safely. We look forward to seeing more of you on the roads.

Thank you all again very, very much,” Tham said.

123-MW Tongonan, 172.5-MW Palinpinon, 49.4-MW Nasulo and 106-MW Mindanao plant.

This year, the company expects normal geothermal plant operations after the full restoration of the Leyte plants. It has also invested in various resiliency programs to better mitigate the company’s vulnerability to natural calamities and quickly recover from their effects.

EDC’s Leyte plants were hit by two calamities in 2017—a 6.5-magnitude earthquake in July and Typhoon Urduja in December.

EDC is a subsidiary of the First Gen Corp., the country’s largest clean-energy company, with a portfolio that includes natural gas, geothermal, solar, wind and hydro.

The company also continues to explore and assess growth opportunities in Indonesia, Chile, Peru and other countries in the Asia Pacific and Latin America regions. It owns a number of geothermal concessions in these areas, and various predevelopment works are ongoing.

Citystate Tower Hotel celebrates 20th anniversary

Angkas lauds approval of pilot run C

By Roderick L. Abad @rodrik_28

@llectura

ELEBRATING its 20th anniversary in the hospitality business, Citystate Tower Hotel has one big claim to fame. It has been a leader in the efforts to beautify and restore the Ermita district to its former glory as the tourist belt of Manila, along with nearby Malate district.

Today, Ermita is back to its old glory as one of Manila’s vibrant districts, once again a major tourist area close to the city’s most historically and culturally significant landmarks and institutions.

The formal opening on May 12, 1999, of Citystate Tower Hotel marked one big step toward the revival of Ermita as a center of leisure, entertainment and gracious accommodations for tourists, foreign and local.

As guest of honor, no less than Lito Atienza, then Manila mayor, had praised the opening of Citystate Tower Hotel as a private-sector initiative that boosted the city government’s efforts to rehabilitate the Ermita and Malate districts as the city’s tourist and recreation belt.

Atienza commended the group of Citystate Tower’s investors led by Ambassador Antonio L. Cabangon Chua for converting what was an eyesore for more than 20 years into an impressive-looking standard-class hotel.

Completely rebuilt in record time in 1999, the flashy 12-story building with its glass and concrete façade reigns over the area as a shining landmark of Manila.

Its current president, D. Edgard A. Cabangon, continues his father’s commitment to promote and preserve Citystate Tower as a favored destination of foreign and local pleasure and business travelers.

Today, 20 years since its opening, Citystate Tower Hotel receives a steady flow of arriving guests from abroad and from all over the country looking for pleasant rooms to stay in. It also hosts a variety of business and social gatherings held by different professional, civic and social organizations. Families celebrating milestones are also among its regular clients.

Over the years, it has built a name as a center of world-class entertainment and fine-dining establishments, stylish accommodations and convenient business facilities for the budget-conscious traveler.

From its ideal location on 1315 A. Mabini Street, Ermita, Manila, it has been a favorite destination of business and pleasure travelers who want to experience total comfort and convenience amid the bustle of the district, which now houses many business shops.

In terms of service and facility, Citystate Tower Hotel is known in the industry as a leader among standard-class hotels, a perfect place to dine in and unwind, and an ideal base to stay during visits in Manila, for being close to business and commercial establishments, embassies, historical sites and landmarks.

Housing a branch of Citystate Savings Bank at the ground floor, the hotel has 214 rooms, five function halls at the fifth floor, two smaller halls at the 12th floor and one boardroom at the 11th floor.

Since the opening of the fifth-floor function halls, they have been the preferred venues for social events, particularly weddings and debuts, because of their size and high impressive ceilings.

The fifth-floor function rooms can be collapsed into one big hall that can accommodate gatherings like conventions of up to 700 people.

The 12th-floor halls, one boasting a glorious view of the Manila Bay and its famed sunset, are used for smaller events and seminars.

Its fine-dining outlets include Tower Café offering guests an international fare, Ristorante d’Amore specializing in Italian recipes and Ka Freddie’s Bar featuring singer Freddie Aguilar.

Those familiar with the 1960s and 1970s vibes of the old Ermita district will agree that at Citystate Tower Hotel, one can experience the ambience of the district’s gentler glory days.

B2

Companies BusinessMirror

Monday, May 13, 2019

PSE STOCK QUOTATIONS

May 10, 2019

Net Foreign Stocks Bid Ask Open High Low Close Volume Value Trade (Peso) Buy (Sell) FINANCIALS ASIA UNITED 58 58.5 58.05 58.05 58 58 510 29,587 BDO UNIBANK 135 135.8 134.2 136 133 135.8 1,489,030 201,088,411 BANK PH ISLANDS 83.85 84.75 82.35 84.75 82.2 84.75 1,526,140 126,456,263.5 CHINABANK 27.3 27.35 27.5 27.5 27.3 27.35 65,000 1,778,695 EAST WEST BANK 11.24 11.3 11.5 11.5 11.2 11.24 349,800 3,941,576 METROBANK 72.5 72.6 72.7 73.2 72.5 72.5 1,892,260 137,435,620.5 PHIL NATL BANK 53.7 53.8 54.15 54.8 53.7 53.7 129,040 6,975,507 PSBANK 58 58.5 58.5 58.75 58 58.5 2,730 159,655 PHILTRUST 110.4 120 110.3 110.4 110.3 110.4 30 3,311 RCBC 26.9 27 27 27.25 26.85 27 217,500 5,869,645 SECURITY BANK 170 171.9 170.1 173.6 169 171.9 365,650 62,521,735 UNION BANK 59.9 60 59.8 60 59.8 59.9 14,970 896,684 BRIGHT KINDLE 1.3 1.34 1.35 1.35 1.32 1.34 12,000 16,020 BDO LEASING 2.16 2.18 2.16 2.19 2.16 2.16 46,000 99,420 COL FINANCIAL 18.9 18.92 18.92 18.92 18.92 18.92 100,200 1,895,784 FIRST ABACUS 0.55 0.59 0.55 0.55 0.55 0.55 1,000 550 FERRONOUX HLDG 4.48 4.69 4.54 4.7 4.49 4.69 65,000 294,070 IREMIT 1.36 1.39 1.39 1.39 1.35 1.35 12,000 16,600 MEDCO HLDG 0.47 0.485 0.485 0.485 0.485 0.485 50,000 24,250 NTL REINSURANCE 0.89 0.92 0.9 0.9 0.89 0.89 216,000 192,520 PHIL STOCK EXCH 179.1 182.5 181.5 181.5 180 180 640 115,573 SUN LIFE 1,795 1,825 1800 1,800 1,795 1,795 10 17,975 VANTAGE 1.12 1.14 1.12 1.12 1.12 1.12 204,000 228,480 INDUSTRIAL

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

1.38 35.2 0.244 20.7 76.85 371.2 21.5 5.99 4.42 1.97 11.92 43.5 6.76 15.54 14.6 15.02 5.5 10.54 7.52 111.9 0.76 36.75 302 46 9.22 13.92 0.19 1.18 13.34 1.62 4.8 2.04 0.128 160 1.26 2.5 2.64 5.34 15.98 9.1 15.3 22 9.45 0.91 1.02 1.91 3.93 3.21 4.8 2.41 10.1 1.76 5.66 1.24 26.25

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

0.64 15.1 890 48.6 13.6 6.5 0.75 1.33 1.35 7.11 10.38 13.7 0.255 849.5 6.17 61.5 0.49 4.42 16.46 0.55 4.28 0.038 3.02 1.07 1.35 430 925 189 0.8 2.38 270 0.235 0.34

1.39 35.3 0.25 20.75 77 373 21.55 6 4.5 1.98 12 43.75 6.8 15.58 15.92 15.4 5.6 10.76 7.56 112 0.77 37.5 302.8 50 9.79 14 0.198 1.2 13.6 1.74 4.85 2.11 0.134 161 1.27 2.57 2.65 5.35 16 9.3 15.32 22.05 9.46 0.93 1.03 1.94 4.2 3.4 4.85 2.42 10.12 1.78 5.8 1.25 26.5

1.38 34.55 0.255 20.8 76.6 373.2 21.55 6.01 4.4 1.77 11.96 44.6 6.8 15.6 14.6 15.02 5.6 10.78 7.56 114 0.79 35.5 302 45 9.21 14.8 0.19 1.23 13.68 1.61 4.8 2.05 0.134 159.5 1.23 2.52 2.48 5.45 15.98 9.1 15.02 21.95 9.48 0.95 1.07 1.89 3.92 3.28 4.82 2.42 10.12 1.76 5.95 1.26 27

1.39 35.5 0.255 20.9 77.2 379.8 22.15 6.02 4.5 2.03 12.1 44.65 6.85 15.64 15.96 15.38 5.6 10.78 7.56 115 0.79 38 305 50 9.21 14.8 0.19 1.23 13.7 1.75 4.8 2.05 0.134 162.8 1.27 2.59 2.65 5.45 16.04 9.1 16 22.3 9.48 0.97 1.09 1.9 3.92 3.49 5.15 2.45 10.16 1.78 6 1.27 28

1.38 34.55 0.242 20.3 76.6 371.2 21.5 5.93 4.4 1.77 11.92 43.5 6.7 15.2 14.5 15 5.5 10.5 7.51 112 0.76 35.5 302 45 9.21 13.76 0.19 1.17 13 1.61 4.8 2 0.128 158.1 1.2 2.5 2.45 5.35 15.8 9.1 14.7 21.95 9.48 0.91 0.99 1.89 3.92 3.25 4.8 2.35 9.9 1.76 5.8 1.22 26.4

1.39 35.2 0.25 20.75 77 371.2 21.55 5.99 4.48 1.97 12.1 43.75 6.8 15.6 15.92 15.02 5.5 10.76 7.52 112 0.77 37.5 302.8 50 9.21 14 0.19 1.2 13.34 1.75 4.8 2.02 0.128 160 1.27 2.57 2.65 5.35 15.98 9.1 15.3 22 9.48 0.93 1.02 1.9 3.92 3.49 4.85 2.41 10.1 1.78 5.8 1.25 26.5

281,000 1,800,100 1,260,000 3,283,300 54,520 171,460 2,360,900 2,535,600 128,000 76,927,000 135,600 371,000 224,300 226,700 13,400 3,471,400 4,400 855,100 7,143,000 333,040 957,000 697,500 431,890 510 900 2,012,600 160,000 5,910,000 433,000 108,000 7,000 94,000 230,000 1,523,100 6,233,000 188,000 78,346,000 143,500 3,123,900 115,100 50,859,500 2,321,800 9,500 326,000 6,301,000 326,000 1,000 14,000 61,000 8,259,000 1,427,400 31,000 30,500 113,000 93,000

387,940 63,480,925(25 310,590 67,781,930 4,191,312 63,889,908 50,917,825 15,164,544 566,350 147,987,000 1,629,092 16,246,945 1,520,902 3,524,492 195,652 52,152,944 24,240 9,054,928 53,714,955 37,657,141 731,950 25,827,230 130,750,970 23,000 8,289 28,347,302 30,400 7,042,600 5,788,628 176,960 33,600 190,640 29,500 243,713,427 7,695,910 472,220 200,330,100 768,915 49,926,070 1,047,410 776,640,028 51,079,315 90,060 305,170 6,452,260 617,140 3,920 46,080 294,240 19,846,550 14,372,409 5 54,950 178,822 140,910 2,520,780

HOLDING & FRIMS 0.65 15.28 891 49.9 13.8 6.7 0.76 1.34 1.36 7.23 10.4 13.8 0.275 850 6.18 61.55 0.51 4.5 16.92 0.56 4.29 0.04 3.04 1.14 1.37 485 926.5 190 0.84 2.45 274.8 0.238 0.345

0.66 16.2 889 51 13.62 6.5 0.78 1.34 1.36 7.26 10.52 14.5 0.275 845 6.17 60.9 0.59 4.52 16.72 0.55 4.23 0.039 3.04 1.15 1.35 430 931.5 192.5 0.85 2.39 274 0.24 0.345

0.66 16.2 897 51.2 13.96 6.5 0.78 1.35 1.36 7.4 10.6 14.5 0.28 865 6.17 62 0.59 4.52 16.92 0.55 4.3 0.039 3.08 1.15 1.35 433 955 192.5 0.85 2.39 275 0.24 0.35

0.62 15.1 887.5 48.6 13.42 6.5 0.74 1.32 1.35 7 10.32 13.8 0.25 845 6.17 60.9 0.51 4.42 16.32 0.55 4.23 0.038 3 1.15 1.35 430 917 186.8 0.8 2.39 269.8 0.234 0.335

0.65 15.1 890 48.6 13.6 6.5 0.76 1.33 1.36 7.11 10.38 13.8 0.28 850 6.17 61.5 0.51 4.42 16.92 0.55 4.29 0.039 3.04 1.15 1.35 430 925 190 0.8 2.39 274.8 0.238 0.345

16,584,000 98,100 506,040 3,521,790 12,240,300 78,300 551,000 3,277,000 584,000 574,200 3,440,800 151,300 160,000 313,820 4,700 2,783,210 6,000 408,000 690,300 177,000 9,973,000 10,000,000 1,145,000 5,000 53,000 100 282,970 294,730 563,000 7,000 2,330 600,000 6,230,000

10,576,790 1,508,764 451,117,485 176,389,250.5 167,062,378 508,950 411,000 4,365,580 790,900 4,094,884 35,908,396 2,106,400 43,000 267,088,560 28,999 171,118,124.5 ( 3,250 1,830,720 11,540,212 97,350 42,538,000 389,400 3,487,470 5,750 71,550 43,080 261,713,110 55,655,564 459,030 16,730 639,106 141,320 2,131,250

(580) (32,834,615) (28,352,867) (604,440) (441,202) (86,239,641) (166,088.5) (852,645) (33,088,061) (802,639) 1,892,000 550 (8,910) (111,973) ,244,579.9996) (12,867,950) (2,142,809) (38,354,166) (8,909,245) (2,038,690) (1,682,860) (1,388,715) 79,560 1,050,654 29,000 (509,482) (2,240) (5,045,538) (24,402,122) (15,119,261) 2,968,000 (53,830,356) (6,581,872) 2,425,120 202,134 7,377,920 (197,920) 125,000 42,508,810 9,473,870 (83,720) 34,532,188 46,704,060 19,420 (231,000) 1,751,950 ,203,435.0003 (270,000) (63,630) (126,320) 25,232,035 (67,261,718) (81,962,982) 32,500 136,000 (1,318,640) (16,706,166) 153,422 (21,490,270) 48,301,566.5) (989,210) (879,300) 97,350 (24,659,290) 811,030 (134,555,665) 991,343 (350,394) 357,650

PROPERTY ARTHALAND CORP 0.77 0.78 0.77 0.78 0.76 0.77 444,000 341,430 ANCHOR LAND 10.24 11.22 11.28 11.28 11.28 11.28 100 1,128 AYALA LAND 47 47.2 47 47.5 46.1 47 11,832,700 555,660,410 28,319,620 ARANETA PROP 2.16 2.22 2.26 2.26 2.14 2.22 355,000 768,050 BELLE CORP 2.38 2.4 2.38 2.4 2.35 2.38 31,000 73,530 (7,110) A BROWN 0.73 0.75 0.73 0.75 0.73 0.75 488,000 357,480 CITYLAND DEVT 0.86 0.89 0.89 0.89 0.85 0.85 199,000 169,310 CROWN EQUITIES 0.235 0.238 0.234 0.238 0.232 0.238 2,560,000 597,800 CEBU HLDG 6.32 6.4 6.3 6.4 6.3 6.4 8,500 53,894 CEB LANDMASTERS 4.67 4.69 4.64 4.73 4.62 4.69 980,000 4,589,840 CENTURY PROP 0.52 0.53 0.52 0.54 0.52 0.53 14,141,000 7,495,330 (36,040) CYBER BAY 0.375 0.39 0.375 0.375 0.375 0.375 10,000 3,750 DOUBLEDRAGON 23.65 23.75 25.5 26.35 23.2 23.65 2,391,800 58,183,625 (11,749,045) DM WENCESLAO 10.72 10.74 10.88 11 10.72 10.74 509,100 5,519,490 1,236,950 EMPIRE EAST 0.475 0.48 0.48 0.48 0.475 0.475 2,560,000 1,219,900 EVER GOTESCO 0.125 0.134 0.125 0.125 0.125 0.125 660,000 82,500 FILINVEST LAND 1.56 1.57 1.55 1.59 1.55 1.56 8,603,000 13,543,200 (1,822,630) GLOBAL ESTATE 1.34 1.35 1.32 1.35 1.32 1.34 1,259,000 1,680,670 8990 HLDG 14.2 14.22 14.42 14.46 14.22 14.22 210,900 3,028,408 (476,920) PHIL INFRADEV 1.84 1.85 1.75 1.86 1.74 1.84 4,547,000 8,259,020 (1,018,550) CITY AND LAND 0.76 0.78 0.78 0.78 0.78 0.78 10,000 7,800 MEGAWORLD 5.33 5.42 5.41 5.58 5.33 5.33 27,318,000 148,051,089 5,653,379 MRC ALLIED 0.335 0.34 0.34 0.34 0.33 0.34 13,440,000 4,510,950 215,900 PHIL ESTATES 0.485 0.49 0.48 0.485 0.48 0.485 900,000 433,950 PRIMEX CORP 2.67 2.75 2.78 2.78 2.65 2.75 230,000 625,360 ROBINSONS LAND 23.15 23.8 23.15 23.8 22.95 23.8 1,479,300 34,688,610 (10,593,280) PHIL REALTY 0.45 0.46 0.46 0.46 0.45 0.45 350,000 159,750 ROCKWELL 1.95 1.98 1.96 1.97 1.94 1.94 493,000 962,760 3,880 SHANG PROP 2.95 3 3 3 2.95 3 61,000 180,340 STA LUCIA LAND 1.9 1.91 1.85 1.92 1.85 1.91 1,671,000 3,177,680 SM PRIME HLDG 38.45 38.5 38.6 39.65 38.5 38.5 11,533,800 445,839,385 (183,208,100) STARMALLS 6.65 6.7 6.74 6.76 6.61 6.7 269,800 1,799,917 SUNTRUST HOME 0.72 0.75 0.75 0.75 0.75 0.75 1,000 750 PTFC REDEV CORP 45.5 49.1 49.45 49.45 49.45 49.45 200 9,890 VISTA LAND 7.11 7.21 7.1 7.21 7.07 7.21 2,821,900 20,217,272 (8,429,457)

SERVICES ABS CBN 19.02 19.1 19.2 19.2 19 19.02 43,500 829,574 GMA NETWORK 5.2 5.23 5.2 5.2 5.14 5.2 164,800 851,315 MANILA BULLETIN 0.53 0.54 0.55 0.55 0.53 0.54 1,260,000 681,460 GLOBE TELECOM 1,995 1,996 2000 2,012 1,975 1,995 90,365 180,310,380 68,874,585 PLDT 1,240 1,254 1288 1,288 1,240 1,240 167,310 212,543,815 40,398,885 APOLLO GLOBAL 0.043 0.045 0.042 0.045 0.042 0.045 8,800,000 374,300 DFNN INC 6.38 6.46 6.4 6.87 6.38 6.46 103,800 678,086 (368,648) ISLAND INFO 0.123 0.126 0.123 0.127 0.123 0.126 720,000 88,630 ISM COMM 5.81 5.82 5.68 5.84 5.66 5.82 5,442,600 31,530,856 587,986 NOW CORP 2.07 2.08 2.06 2.07 2 2.07 2,376,000 4,811,760 (32,800) TRANSPACIFIC BR 0.325 0.33 0.325 0.33 0.32 0.325 6,050,000 1,968,700 422,500 PHILWEB 2.82 2.84 2.85 2.85 2.8 2.82 799,000 2,253,510 2GO GROUP 11.68 12 12.24 12.24 12 12 42,400 510,626 ASIAN TERMINALS 16.08 16.48 15.9 16.08 15.9 16.08 17,300 276,890 CHELSEA 5.88 5.9 5.83 5.95 5.83 5.88 1,077,600 6,357,170 (96,439) CEBU AIR 81.55 83 81 83.75 81 83 101,930 8,388,815.5 1,365,870 INTL CONTAINER 131.1 133 133.6 134.1 129.9 133 1,754,930 230,861,006 (27,339,529) LORENZO SHIPPNG 0.75 0.79 0.79 0.79 0.75 0.79 135,000 103,120 MACROASIA 19.9 19.92 20.5 21 19.9 19.9 984,300 19,719,238 768,239 METROALLIANCE A 1.66 1.69 1.67 1.67 1.65 1.66 87,000 144,310 METROALLIANCE B 1.63 1.88 1.66 1.66 1.64 1.64 2,000 3,300 PAL HLDG 9.85 10 10 10.2 10 10 3,600 36,160 HARBOR STAR 2.48 2.49 2.64 2.64 2.48 2.49 3,335,000 8,431,400 25,000 BOULEVARD HLDG 0.066 0.067 0.067 0.068 0.066 0.067 26,030,000 1,728,700 GRAND PLAZA 10.04 10.98 10.04 10.04 10.04 10.04 500 5,020 WATERFRONT 0.69 0.7 0.71 0.71 0.69 0.7 490,000 340,980 CENTRO ESCOLAR 7.04 7.42 7.05 7.05 7.04 7.04 1,200 8,455 IPEOPLE 10.8 11 10.98 11 10.98 11 1,800 19,780 STI HLDG 0.65 0.67 0.65 0.67 0.65 0.65 723,000 475,180 (110,480) BERJAYA 2.54 2.55 2.6 2.64 2.54 2.55 302,000 780,200 BLOOMBERRY 10.9 10.92 11.18 11.32 10.6 10.9 16,087,200 176,095,968 (62,807,892) PACIFIC ONLINE 3.19 3.2 3.24 3.36 3.2 3.2 169,000 553,630 283,680 LEISURE AND RES 3.91 3.92 3.85 3.95 3.85 3.91 1,069,000 4,166,000 542,850 MANILA JOCKEY 5.31 5.38 5.32 5.44 5.25 5.38 1,514,100 8,084,091 PH RESORTS GRP 4.18 4.37 4.1 4.38 4.08 4.38 9,000 37,520 PREMIUM LEISURE 0.67 0.68 0.69 0.69 0.67 0.67 7,141,000 4,829,730 (124,480) TRAVELLERS 5.63 5.65 5.63 5.63 5.63 5.63 482,100 2,714,223 (2,252,000) METRO RETAIL 2.77 2.79 2.87 2.89 2.72 2.79 6,953,000 19,332,850 331,980.0001 PUREGOLD 44.35 44.5 44.75 44.75 44 44.35 425,900 18,868,330 (754,585) ROBINSONS RTL 72.4 72.5 72.35 73.5 72.25 72.5 493,440 35,780,866(30 ,870,194.9996) PHIL SEVEN CORP 113 117 114 115 110 113 960 108,550 64,160 SSI GROUP 3.18 3.2 3.23 3.31 3.14 3.2 25,966,000 83,850,710 2,769,950 WILCON DEPOT 16.2 16.22 15.82 16.4 15.8 16.2 1,459,900 23,576,760 (2,553,862) APC GROUP 0.4 0.41 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.4 60,000 24,000 EASYCALL 10.48 10.5 10.6 11 10.5 10.5 76,400 810,980 GOLDEN BRIA 400 409.8 400 409.8 395.8 409.8 2,020 825,380 IPM HLDG 6.84 6.88 6.88 6.88 6.85 6.85 10,500 72,110 PRMIERE HORIZON 0.89 0.9 0.9 0.92 0.89 0.9 19,208,000 17,353,200 (1,813,880) SBS PHIL CORP 9.46 9.5 9.23 9.54 9.17 9.5 245,300 2,299,947

MINING & OIL ATOK 11.22 11.88 11.1 12.1 11.1 12.1 2,500 28,250 APEX MINING 1.24 1.26 1.24 1.26 1.23 1.24 807,000 1,001,580 (397,000) ABRA MINING 0.0018 0.0019 0.002 0.002 0.0018 0.0018 50,000,000 91,200 ATLAS MINING 2.79 2.84 2.81 2.81 2.79 2.79 61,000 170,210 BENGUET A 1.25 1.3 1.39 1.39 1.3 1.3 6,000 8,250 CENTURY PEAK 2.83 2.84 2.82 2.85 2.75 2.85 422,000 1,183,220 DIZON MINES 7.72 7.88 7.72 7.91 7.72 7.87 1,200 9,298 FERRONICKEL 1.62 1.63 1.63 1.63 1.6 1.63 50,214,000 81,110,100 934,090 GEOGRACE 0.233 0.239 0.241 0.243 0.232 0.24 510,000 119,560 LEPANTO A 0.113 0.115 0.115 0.115 0.115 0.115 100,000 11,500 MANILA MINING B 0.0079 0.0085 0 0.0079 0.0079 0.0079 0.0079 2,000,000 15,800 MARCVENTURES 1.03 1.05 1.02 1.05 1.02 1.05 127,000 129,570 NIHAO 0.97 1 1 1 0.97 1 24,000 23,560 NICKEL ASIA 2.3 2.31 2.35 2.37 2.3 2.3 2,039,000 4,744,150 (240,690) ORNTL PENINSULA 0.88 0.89 0.89 0.89 0.88 0.89 168,000 149,380 PX MINING 3.06 3.1 3.08 3.14 3.05 3.06 654,000 2,007,100 (30,740) SEMIRARA MINING 21.7 21.75 22.5 22.5 21.5 21.7 3,096,600 67,282,860 27,797,390 UNITED PARAGON 0.0068 0.0074 0 0.0068 0.0068 0.0068 0.0068 7,000,000 47,600 ORNTL PETROL A 0.011 0.012 0.011 0.012 0.011 0.012 30,900,000 354,900 ORNTL PETROL B 0.011 0.012 0.011 0.012 0.011 0.012 1,800,000 19,900 5,500 PHILODRILL 0.011 0.012 0.011 0.011 0.011 0.011 13,300,000 146,300 PHINMA PETRO 3.69 3.7 3.61 3.81 3.61 3.7 405,000 1,524,250 PXP ENERGY 7.8 7.83 7.8 7.9 7.74 7.8 690,800 5,383,442 (609,960)

PREFFERED

HOUSE PREF A 92.5 97.5 91 97.5 91 97.5 40 3,835 AC PREF B2 495.8 500 495 498 495 498 3,390 1,682,176 DD PREF 96.25 98 98 98 98 98 230 22,540 SMC FB PREF 2 967 975 975 975 975 975 6,710 6,542,250 GLO PREF P 485 494 494 494 494 494 1,020 503,880 (503,880) GTCAP PREF A 875 917 917 917 917 917 130 119,210 GTCAP PREF B 955 959 955 955 955 955 1,680 1,604,400 LR PREF 0.98 0.99 0.99 0.99 0.98 0.98 365,000 357,750 PCOR PREF 2A 970.5 999 975 975 975 975 60 58,500 SMC PREF 2B 74.95 75 75 75.5 74.85 75.5 370 27,705.5 SMC PREF 2C 76 76.1 76.1 76.1 76.1 76.1 460 35,006 SMC PREF 2D 71.5 71.85 71.5 71.5 71.2 71.5 17,700 1,265,340 SMC PREF 2F 73.7 73.75 73.75 73.75 73.7 73.75 24,600 1,814,112.5 SMC PREF 2G 73.7 74.35 73.7 73.7 73.7 73.7 5,360 395,032 SMC PREF 2H 72.3 73.65 72.75 73.7 72.75 73.7 71,800 5,229,214.5 SMC PREF 2I 71.65 73.5 73.5 73.5 73.5 73.5 6,800 499,800 PHIL. DEPOSITARY RECEIPTS ABS HLDG PDR GMA HLDG PDR

18.62 5.02

19.1 5.29

18.62 5.24

18.62 5.3

18.62 5.02

18.62 5.02

4,000 40,200

74,480 212,007

WARRANTS LR WARRANT

1.91

SMALL & MEDIUM ENTERPRISES ITALPINAS XURPAS

4.9 1

FIRST METRO ETF

116

1.95

1.88

1.95

1.88

1.95

79,000

151,540

4.94 1.01

4.95 1.05

5.05 1.07

4.84 1

4.9 1

1,109,000 15,705,000

5,441,280 15,847,960

EXHANGE TRADE FUNDS 116.5

117.1

117.1

115.8

116

7,130

828,850

(74,480) 1,054,380 (1,686,400) 2,326

www.businessmirror.com.ph

PTT remains CebuPac’s biggest jet-fuel supplier

P

TT Philippines remains the major jet-fuel supplier of Cebu Pacific with more than half of the country’s largest airline’s total demand, following the recent signing of new contracts for 2019.

The supply agreement for the direct importation of 260 million liters of jet fuel was signed recently between PTT Philippines Trading Corp. represented by its president, Danilo

Alabado, and Cebu Air Inc.’s Lance Gokongwei. PTT Philippines Corp.

President Thitiroj Rergsumran and his predecessor Sukanya Seriyothin were there to witness the signing.

A separate supply agreement was also signed for Cebu Air’s domestic consumption of 12 million liters of Jet A-1 in Clark International Airport between PTT Philippines Corp. and Cebu Air. Earlier, both companies, together with PTT’s parent company PTTOR, sealed an agreement for the refuelling of Cebu Air at Hong Kong International Airport. The contract involving 24 million liters of aviation fuel was signed at the PTTOR Head Office in Bangkok, Thailand.

PTT has been a long-time partner of Cebu Air, supplying Jet A-1 fuel

for the airline for 20 years already.

Alabado said PTT Philippines also supplied around 5 million liters of Jet A-1 fuel to US military aircraft during the recently concluded Balikatan Exercises in Subic and Clark.

Meanwhile, Rergsumran said PTT Philippines is also aggressively participating in Jet A-1 supply in various international airports in Asia with the collaboration of PTTOR. “PTTOR has a system in place, that’s why it’s easy for us to serve international airports in Asia just like the one we recently signed with Cebu Air for Hong Kong International Airport,” Rergsumran said.

SAS seeks more govt projects for growth

By Roderick L. Abad @rodrik_28 Contributor

S

AS Institute (Philippines) Inc. bared on Thursday it continues to work with the government to sustain its business growth, given their ongoing collaborative efforts and discussions on how to further improve the delivery of public service in the country.

The analytics software company has been working closely with the government in the recent past, according to SAS Philippines Country Manager Ryan C. Guadalquiver.

In a sideline interview during the SAS Government Forum 2019 Agenda held at the Shangri-La Hotel in Mandaluyong City, he told the BusinessMirror their business relationship with the government has been “very good.”

“The way SAS works, we really identify the problem areas on a consultative [approach],” he said, adding they have been working with state agencies, mostly on the financial side.

For instance, SAS has been servicing the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) on its financial

projection to further optimize its tax collection.

The BIR has been also using SAS data-management modules to gather data and the visual analytics that comes with it for revenue collection forecast.

State-owned Land Bank of the Philippines (LandBank) is tapping the analytics firm for credit scoring and tracking illegally sourced money.

Meanwhile, the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) is using its very own anti-money laundering system, which is also used by most of the large banks in the country.

Given such ongoing initiatives, Guadalquiver expects their government portfolio will be a key growth driver of their business. At present, it accounts for 15 percent of the total revenue of SAS Philippines, next only to telco and bank that both comprise 80 percent of the company’s top line.

“Basically, the ‘Build, Build, Build’ programs are there. We just have to inject the analytics side to make it more valuable for the citizens in terms of services,” he said of their plans to leverage on the massive infrastructure projects under the Duterte administration.

STOCK-MARKET OUTLOOK Last week

SHARE prices fell almost 3 percent last week. The country was not spared from the US-China trade war as local news of a lower-than-expectation gross domestic product for the first quarter did not help lift investors’ sentiment.

The benchmark Philippine Stock Exchange index (PSEi) fell 225.78 points to close the week at 7,742.20 points.

It was a busy week with inflation for April coming in at 3 percent, a 16-month low, which is good news for the market. First-quarter GDP figures were only at 5.6 percent, below expectations due to lower government spending because of the delay in the passing of the 2019 budget. The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas also cut interest rates by 25 basis points, ending the fiscal tightening they started early last year.

“The bottom line is investors continue to be cautious and even took money off the table this week, which caused more weakness in the market,” said Christopher Mangun, research head at Eagle Equities Inc. Volume of trade slightly picked up, reaching an average of P6.77 billion for the week, while foreign investors were net sellers at P2.7 billion, breaking an eight-week net buying streak.

“This may have been a bigger factor of why the market ended lower rather all the other info that came out,” Mangun said.

All other subindices ended on the red. The broader All Shares index was down 114.8 points to 4,791.26; the Financials index fell 35.63 to 1,738.83; the Industrial index declined 303.78 to 11,528.32; the Holding Firms index shed 246.37 to 7,345.91; the Property index gave up 155.31 to 4,118; the Services index retreated 18.88 to 1,595.57; and the Mining and Oil index plunged 413.08 to 7,325.28.

Gainers managed to lead losers for the week, 110 to 101, and 35 shares were unchanged.

Top gainers were Ginebra San Miguel Inc., Phinma Energy Corp., Cemex Holdings Philippines Inc., Holcim Philippines Inc. and Apollo Global Capital Inc. Top losers were Metro Retail Stores Group Inc., Pacific Online Systems Corp., Metro Alliance Holdings and Equities Corp. B, Vulcan Industrial and Mining Corp. and Double Dragon Properties Corp.

This week

SHARE prices may go either way this week, another four-day work week as the country holds its midterm elections on Monday, May 13.

“We may see investors start to come back into the market as the awaited election ends next week, hopefully without any surprises. First, corporate earnings have also started to come in, which will have better results than they did last year because of higher costs and inflation,” Mangun said.

Broker 2TradeAsia said that after the PSEi failed to climb past 8,000, it will test its strength staying above 7,500 points.

“While the picture remains gray on the US-China trade issue, both sides would need to work on a winwin solution to ensure growth momentum is maintained,” it said.

It sees immediate support for the main index at 7,700 points and resistance at 7,850.

Stock picks

BROKER Regina Capital and Development Corp. advised to cut losses on the stock of Robinsons Retail Holdings Inc. as its share price fell.

“The significant nosedive for the stock brings it closer to its five-month support of P72.45, last tapped back in December 2018. This is also followed by another weak support at P71.28,” it said. It placed a weekly target of P71.25 for the stock.

Shares of Robinsons Retail closed Friday at P72.50 apiece.

The broker gave the same recommendation on the stock of Metro Retail Stores Group Inc. (MRSGI) after its stock “displayed a very clear breakdown, as it breached past the weeklong resistance of P3.35 to drop to as low as P2.97.

“Even though the breakdown was expected, following the consolidation of the stock between P3.35 and P3.52 for weeks, the amount was still surprising since MRSGI was on a year-to-date uptrend, blocked at P3.52. At this point, MRSGI is now treading to find a stable support, expected to reach 2.87 or its YTD support established back in February 2019,” it said.

Metro Retail shares closed last week at P2.79 apiece. VG Cabuag

With “Smart City” on the rise, SAS is trying to work with the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) for the New Clark City.

“Their vision is great. So we’re trying to see how we can help on the automation piece there.

We have had some used cases that we can probably apply there,” the country manager said.

Another area they are looking to collaborate with the government is public security and safety by working with the Philippine National Police.

“These are still exploratory. We’re in talks, but nothing is finalized yet. The intention and the initiatives are there,” he reiterated. “It’s basically

mutual funds

more on the government process that we have to go through. But I think the interest is there.”

As for other verticals in the private sector, SAS Philippines seeks to cater more to retail, health care and education. Currently, they collectively contribute 5 percent to the company’s revenues.

“We’re trying to expand [those] other industries where we can put some value,” Guadalquiver said, citing the firm’s 20-percent top-line growth last year. SAS was established in 1976 in North Carolina, USA. It is the largest advanced analytics software company in the world and a leader when it comes to advanced analytics.

May 10, 2019

NAV One Year Three Year Five Year Y-T-D per share Return* Return Stock Funds Primarily invested in Peso securities ALFM Growth Fund, Inc. -a 258.61 -0.16% 1.56% 0.58% 2.53% ATRAM Alpha Opportunity Fund, Inc. -a 1.593 3.43% 10.72% 2.52% 10.56% ATRAM Philippine Equity Opportunity Fund, Inc. -a 4.0276 -2.23% 1.89% -0.43% 3.19% Climbs Share Capital Equity Investment Fund Corp. -a 0.9238 1.04% n.a. n.a.

3.74% First Metro Consumer Fund on MSCI Phils. IMI, Inc. -a 0.8584 2.19% n.a. n.a. 4.59% First Metro Save and Learn Equity Fund,Inc. -a 5.3911 0.9% 1.17% 0.39% 2.28% MBG Equity Investment Fund, Inc. -a 123.66 7.87% n.a. n.a.

6.18% One Wealthy Nation Fund, Inc. -a 0.8616 -0.44% -3.6% n.a.

3.51% PAMI Equity Index Fund, Inc. -a 51.2402 2.48% 2.76% n.a.

4.14% Philam Strategic Growth Fund, Inc. -a 534.39 1.51% 1.62% 0.48% 3.82% Philequity Dividend Yield Fund, Inc. -a 1.3005 3.3% 3.38% 3.02% 3.71% Philequity Fund, Inc. -a 38.1955 3.38% 4.18% 2.56% 4.27% Philequity MSCI Philippine Index Fund, Inc. -a,3 1.02 n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a.

Philequity PSE Index Fund Inc. -a 5.1903 3.18% 3.73% 2.81% 4.67% Philippine Stock Index Fund Corp. -a 866.41 3.27% 3.41% 2.75% 4.58% Soldivo Strategic Growth Fund, Inc. -a 0.9171 4.87% 2.61% n.a. 6.49% Sun Life Prosperity Philippine Equity Fund, Inc. -a 4.2671 4.26% 3.81% 2.02% 5.13% Sun Life Prosperity Philippine Stock Index Fund, Inc. -a 0.9962 2.79% 3.4% n.a. 4.39% United Fund, Inc. -a 3.6724 3.72% 5.72% 2.62% 4.9% Exchange Traded Fund First Metro Phil. Equity Exchange Traded Fund, Inc. -a,c,2 116.0021 3.65% 4.54% 3.83% 4.74% Primarily invested in foreign currency securities ATRAM AsiaPlus Equity Fund, Inc. -b $0.9978 -8.52% 6.58% 1.04% 7.39% Sun Life Prosperity World Voyager Fund, Inc. -a $1.2783 -0.36% 8.71% n.a. 15.67% Balanced Funds Primarily invested in Peso securities ATRAM Dynamic Allocation Fund, Inc. -a 1.701 0.24% -0.34% -1.74% 3.02% ATRAM Philippine Balanced Fund, Inc. -a 2.2838 -0.51% 1.26% 0.36% 3.38% First Metro Save and Learn Balanced Fund Inc. -a 2.6146 0.81% -0.53% -1.79% 2.78% Grepalife Balanced Fund Corporation -a 1.345 0.17% n.a. n.a.

3.12% NCM Mutual Fund of the Phils., Inc. -a 1.9096 3.13% 1.72% 1.14% 3.61% PAMI Horizon Fund, Inc. -a 3.6466 0.75% 0.33% 0.16% 3.32% Philam Fund, Inc. -a 16.4814 1.95% 0.63% 0.25% 3.61% Solidaritas Fund, Inc. -a 2.1229 1.99% 1.78% 1.74% 2.44% Sun Life of Canada Prosperity Balanced Fund, Inc. -a 3.821 4% 1.78% 1.29% 4.64% Sun Life Prosperity Achiever Fund 2028, Inc. -a,d,4 0.992 n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a.

Sun Life Prosperity Achiever Fund 2038, Inc. -a,d,4 0.9885 n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a.

Sun Life Prosperity Achiever Fund 2048, Inc. -a,d,4 0.9858 n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a.

Sun Life Prosperity Dynamic Fund, Inc. -a 0.98 4.68% 1.91% n.a. 6.33% Primarily invested in foreign currency securities Cocolife Dollar Fund Builder, Inc. -a $0.03634 4.55% 0.68% 1.57% 3.09% PAMI Asia Balanced Fund, Inc. -a $0.9775 -6.83% 3.66% -0.52% 4.41% Sun Life Prosperity Dollar Advantage Fund, Inc. -a $3.693 1.09% 6.32% 2.87% 11.62% Sun Life Prosperity Dollar Wellspring Fund, Inc. -a $1.0891 1.23% 3.74% n.a.

7.83% Bond Funds Primarily invested in Peso securities ALFM Peso Bond Fund, Inc. -a 348.3 2.97% 2.1% 2.18% 1.43% ATRAM Corporate Bond Fund, Inc. -a,1 1.8872 1.48% -0.1% -0.24% 1.51% Cocolife Fixed Income Fund, Inc. -a 3.0283 5.41% 5.3% 5.27% 1.94% Ekklesia Mutual Fund Inc. -a 2.1641 2.47% 1.26% 1.83% 1.58% First Metro Save and Learn Fixed Income Fund,Inc. -a 2.2707 2.47% 0.64% 1.01% 2.78% Grepalife Fixed Income Fund Corp. -a P 1.6035 1.47% -0.66% 0.28% 2.5% Philam Bond Fund, Inc. -a 4.0644 2.18% -0.1% 0.91% 3.69% Philequity Peso Bond Fund, Inc. -a 3.6154 3.74% 1.1% 1.14% 2.79% Soldivo Bond Fund, Inc. -a 0.9225 1.26% -0.47% n.a.

3.35% Sun Life of Canada Prosperity Bond Fund, Inc. -a 2.9005 5.76% 1.55% 1.88% 4.87% Sun Life Prosperity GS Fund, Inc. -a 1.609 5.32% 1.05% 1.42% 4.49% Primarily invested in foreign currency securities ALFM Dollar Bond Fund, Inc. -a $455.01 3.13% 1.86% 2.79% 1.5% ALFM Euro Bond Fund, Inc. -a Є216.05 1.56% 1.42% 1.52% 1.6% ATRAM Total Return Dollar Bond Fund, Inc. -b $1.1694 5.1% 1.66% 2.18% 3.87% First Metro Save and Learn Dollar Bond Fund, Inc. -a $0.0253 2.43% 0.8% n.a. 2.02% Grepalife Dollar Bond Fund Corp. -a $1.7139 1.03% -1.23% 0.77% 1.4% MAA Privilege Dollar Fixed Income Fund, Inc. N.S. N.S. N.S. N.S. N.S. MAA Privilege Euro Fixed Income Fund, Inc. ЄN.S. N.S. N.S. N.S. N.S. PAMI Global Bond Fund, Inc -a $1.0659 3.26% -0.59% -2.41% 2.73% Philam Dollar Bond Fund, Inc. -a $2.2706 6.17% 0.63% 2.67% 4.58% Philequity Dollar Income Fund Inc. -a $0.0582865 3.1% 1.21% 1.71% 2.29% Sun Life Prosperity Dollar Abundance Fund, Inc. -a $2.9946 3.7% 0.11% 2.1% 4.27% Money Market Funds Primarily invested in Peso securities ALFM Money Market Fund, Inc. -a 122.79 3.53% 2.27% 1.83% 1.61% First Metro Save and Learn Money Market Fund, Inc. -a,5 1.0104 n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a.

Philam Managed Income Fund, Inc. -a 1.2002 2.98% 1.32% 0.83% 1.55% Sun Life Prosperity Money Market Fund, Inc. -a 1.2372 3.4% 2.54% 1.91% 1.49% Primarily invested in foreign currency securities Sun Life Prosperity Dollar Starter Fund, Inc. -a $1.0249 2.09% n.a. n.a. 0.89%

a - NAVPS as of the previous banking day. b - NAVPS as of two banking days ago. c - Listed in the PSE. d - in Net Asset Value per Unit (NAVPU).

1 - Adjusted due to cash dividend issuance last January 29, 2018. 2 - Adjusted due to stock dividend issuance last June 5, 2018.

3 - Launch date is January 3, 2019. 4 - Launch date is January 28, 2019. 5 - Launch date is February 1, 2019.

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Trump warns China to act on US trade deal or face worse terms

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RESIDENT Donald J. Trump said it would be wise for China to “act now” to finish a trade deal with the US, warning that “far worse” terms would be on offer for them after what he predicted would be his certain reelection in 2020.

“I think that China felt they were beaten so badly in the recent negotiation that they may as well wait around for the next election,” Trump said on Saturday in a pair of earlyevening tweets. “The only problem is that they know I am going to win.”

Trump’s comments came a day after talks between the two economic superpowers ended without a resolution, the US increased its tariffs on billions of dollars of imports, and China made clear what it wants to see from the US in talks to end their trade war.

In a wide-ranging interview with Chinese media after talks in Washington ended on Friday, Vice Premier Liu He said that in order to reach an agreement the US must remove all extra tariffs, set targets for Chinese purchases of goods in line with real demand and ensure that the text of the deal is “balanced” to ensure the “dignity” of both nations.

Liu’s conditions underscore the work still to be done if an accord is to be reached between the world’s two largest economies. Trump’s own negotiators told China it has a month to seal a deal or face tariffs on all its exports to the US. That threat was made during talks on Friday in Washington, hours after Trump upped the ante by imposing a second round of punitive duties on $200 billion in Chinese goods.

China vowed retaliation, but hadn’t announced any details as of early Sunday morning in Beijing.

US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer said the administration on Monday would release details of its plans for tariffs on an additional $300 billion in imports from China, setting the process in motion for Trump to deliver on the threat to hammer all Chinese trade.

US officials insist they have been working on a deal that would bring an end to what they portray as China’s rampant theft of Ameri-

can intellectual property and rein in the industrial subsidies that have fueled the rapid ascent of Chinese corporate giants.

Trump’s move to raise tariffs on Friday came after China backed away from prior commitments to enshrine changes promised at the negotiating table in Chinese law, according to US officials. During his meetings in Washington this week Liu said China was ready to commit to pushing reforms via State Council directives but again balked at changing any laws, according to one person familiar with the discussions.

In his interview Liu said both sides agreed to keep talking despite what he called “some temporary resistance and distractions,’’ and to hold future meetings in Beijing. He dismissed the idea that talks had broken down. “It’s normal to have hiccups during the negotiations. It’s inevitable.”

Liu also struck a note of defiance.

“For the interest of the people of China, the people of US and the people of the whole world, we will deal with this rationally,” the vice premier said.

“But China is not afraid, nor are the Chinese people,” adding that “China needs a cooperative agreement with equality and dignity.”

‘Candid and constructive’

IN a series of tweets that cheered markets, Trump declared on Friday that the talks with China had been candid and constructive. “The relationship between President Xi and myself remains a very strong one, and conversations into the future will continue,” he said. Further talks are possible, but there’s no immediate plan for the next round, according to a person familiar with the negotiations.

Liu’s comments, however, revealed yet another new fault line: a US push for bigger Chinese purchases to level the trade imbalance than had originally been agreed.

According to Liu, Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping agreed “on a number” when they met in Argentina last December to hammer out the truce that set off months of negotiations.

That “is a very serious issue and can’t be changed easily.”

The amount of purchases by China should be “in line with reality,” according to a commentary by state news agency Xinhua on Saturday. China also sees the removal of all the extra tariffs that have been imposed since last year as a precondition to a deal, whereas US negotiators see retention of some duties as a key mechanism to enforce a deal.

The lack of progress left major question marks hanging over the search for a deal on trade—just one source of tensions in a growing geopolitical rivalry that’s already shifting supply chains and testing established economic and security alliances.

Trump, who is seeking reelection on the back of a booming US economy, on Friday sought to justify his decision to hike tariffs, as well as to convince businesses and financial markets that he wasn’t walking away from a deal.

No rush

“THERE is absolutely no need to rush,” the US president said. In another tweet, Trump proposed a vast new plan to use income from tariffs to buy up the crops of American farmers who’ve watched their exports to China collapse, and send them to poor countries as aid.

The presidential good humor hid what people familiar with the discussions say has been an increasingly gloomy mood around the negotiations in recent days.

Asian economies set to dominate 7-percent growth club during 2020s

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HE 2020s are set to be the Asian decade, with the continent dominating an exclusive list of economies expected to sustain growth rates of around 7 percent.

The Philippines, India, Bangladesh, Vietnam, and Myanmar should all meet that benchmark, according to a research note on Sunday from Madhur Jha, Standard Chartered’s India-based head of thematic research, and Global Chief Economist David Mann. Ethiopia and Côte d’Ivoire are also likely to reach the 7-percent growth pace, which typically means a doubling of gross domestic product every 10 years. That’ll be a boon to per-capita incomes, with Vietnam’s soaring to $10,400 in 2030, from about $2,500 last year, they estimate.

The South Asian members of the group should be GDP standouts as they’ll together account for about one-fifth of the world’s population by 2030, Standard Chartered reckons. The demographic dividend will be a boon for India, while Bangladesh’s investments in health and education should juice productivity.

The Asian dominance of the list is a change from 2010, when the bank first started tracking the economies it expected to grow by around 7 percent. Back then, there were 10 members evenly split between Asia and Africa: China, India, Indonesia, Bangladesh, Vietnam, Nigeria, Ethiopia, Tanzania,

Uganda and Mozambique.

China is a notable absence from the latest ranking after being a member of the club for almost four decades—reflecting both a slowdown in economic growth and a progression toward higher per-capita incomes that makes faster growth rates more difficult to sustain. Standard Chartered estimates the world’s No. 2 economy will keep up a 5.5 percent economic growth pace in the 2020s.

Sub-Saharan African countries also have faded, which the analysts attribute to “waning reform momentum, despite a slowdown in commodity prices.”

While faster economic growth isn’t a panacea—think income inequality, crime, pollution—it tends to come with a lot of positive knock-on effects, Jha and Mann wrote.

“Faster growth not only helps to lift people more quickly out of absolute poverty, but is also usually accompanied by better health and education, as well as a wider range of— and better access to—goods and services,” they say in the report. “Higher incomes resulting from faster growth also usually reduce sociopolitical instability and make it easier to introduce structural reforms, creating a virtuous cycle.”

In addition, 7 percent club members tend to have savings and investment rates of at least 20 percent to 25 percent of GDP, according to the report. Bloomberg News

Before a rebound late Friday, US equity markets had posted their worst week of the year, as the trade truce that had been in place for months was shattered by the new US tariffs.

The S&P 500 recovered from earlier losses on Friday, ending the day 0.4 percent higher.

Election year

THIS week’s tariff move is likely to have significant short-term consequences for retailers and other US businesses reliant on imports from China. But extending it to all trade would increase the economic and political stakes even further for Trump and American businesses.

Such a step would see price increases on smartphones, laptops and other consumer goods—the kind that Trump’s advisers have been eager to avoid, out of concern for the domestic fallout. It would likely provoke further retaliation, and some economists are predicting it could even tip the US economy into recession just as Trump faces reelection in 2020.

‘Gets harder’

THIS week’s talks have also amplified the differences that remain between the two governments as they navigate their own domestic politics, as well as a growing international rivalry.

Liu’s interview underlined the need for any agreement not to be seen as undermining Chinese sovereignty— as the US demand to change domestic laws surely would be.

The text “must be balanced” for the dignity of a country, Liu said, repeating China and the US are “trying to meet halfway” despite different views on some crucial issues. Bloomberg News

Editor: Angel R. Calso • Monday, May 13, 2019 B3

Europe’s newest finance minister wants to keep his country white

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E wants to keep his country racially pure and makes gestures used by white supremacists. And this week he will sit down with the rest of the euro region’s finance ministers.

The new man in charge of Estonia’s national wallet, Martin Helme, will take his seat for the first time at the heart of the continent’s mainstream policy-making at the Eurogroup meeting in Brussels on May 16. He’s a member of the anti-immigrant EKRE party that secured some of the Baltic country’s key government positions after winning 18 percent support in a March election.

Located on the European Union’s eastern frontier with Russia, Estonia is the latest triumph for a growing band of anti-immigrant populists from Rome to Helsinki.

Led by Italy’s deputy prime minister, Matteo Salvini, they’re looking to make inroads in votes for the European Parliament this month.

Helme, 43, took his oath of office in April and marked the occasion by flashing a white supremacist hand sign also used by the perpetrator of this year’s deadly New Zealand terrorist attacks. Like his father, EKRE Chairman Mart Helme, he wants an Estonia free from all other nationalities. In March, he stood by an earlier remark about how to decide who should live in his country, saying “if he’s black, send him back.”

“Martin Helme, to my mind, is the dangerous fanatic of the family,” said Andres Kasekamp, an expert on the radical right at the University of Toronto. “He’s intelligent and he’s been very purposefully working in this direction for a long time. He sincerely holds on to these principles that he espouses.”

Helme said by e-mail that there’s a tendency to label people “too lighthandedly.” “Every person has a right to their own opinion and I’ll always stand for personal freedoms,” he said in response to questions.

Despite a population of just 1.3 million people, Estonia is important. It’s seen as an example of successful post-Soviet economic transition, a front-runner in digital government and a model of fiscal conservatism inside the euro region. The country is also among the EU’s staunchest backers of sanctions against President Vladimir Putin’s government over Ukraine, while being home to a sizable Nato

troop contingent from Western members. There have been blemishes. Estonia is grappling with its part in a $230 billion moneylaundering scandal. But burgeoning support for the far right in the wake of Europe’s refugee crisis had gone largely unnoticed as Estonia successfully branded itself as a modern, western state, according to Cas Mudde, a professor at the University of Georgia and an expert on populism.

“In many ways, Martin Helme reflects classic Estonian nationalism,” Mudde said. “He’s added remarkably open racism to it.”

EKRE, the country’s third biggest party, has links to political bedfellows in neighboring Finland and eastern European countries, and has applied to join Salvini’s nationalist group. It has the usual credentials. As well as railing against immigrants—the Helmes complain of a “replacement of indigenous people” in Europe—EKRE opposes same-sex partnerships. In 2016, US alt-right figure Richard Spencer tweeted a photo of himself with EKRE’s youth-wing leader, now a lawmaker, writing “my new Estonian friend.”

Meanwhile, they have escalated criticism of President Kersti Kaljulaid after she attended the April 29 swearing-in of the cabinet wearing a sweatshirt with the slogan “speech is free.” They also said she had dishonored her office by failing to congratulate the government.

Helme has backed away from some earlier inflammatory statements. Having accused politicians of complicity in money laundering, his first statement as finance minister was to “keep the country’s financial environment fair and transparent.” In his e-mail to Bloomberg, Helme said he pledged to nurture open economic relations and fight money laundering. He will use his four years experience on the Estonian Parliament’s finance committee, he said.

Indeed, the meeting of finance ministers will give him the chance to help tackle the economic issues of the day—and hone his skills.

A history graduate who’s been a lawmaker since 2015 after running a publishing house, Helme once told a local weekly that he’s “completely inept at math” and “can’t even play cards because I can’t count the tricks.” Bloomberg News

A4 B4 Monday, May 13, 2019

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Landmark UN plastic waste pact approved, but not by US

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ENEVA—Nearly every country in the world has agreed upon a legally binding framework to reduce the pollution from plastic waste except for the United States, UN environmental officials say.

An agreement on tracking thousands of types of plastic waste emerged on Friday at the end of a two-week meeting of UN-backed conventions on plastic waste and toxic, hazardous chemicals.

Discarded plastic clutters pristine land, floats in huge masses in oceans and rivers, and entangles wildlife, sometimes with deadly results.

Rolph Payet of the United Nations Environment Program said the “historic” agreement linked to the 186-country, UN-supported Basel Convention means that countries will have to monitor and track

the movements of plastic waste outside their borders.

The deal affects products used in a broad array of industries, such as health care, technology, aerospace, fashion, food and beverages.

“It’s sending a very strong political signal to the rest of the world—to the private sector, to the consumer market—that we need to do something,” Payet said. “Countries have decided to do something which will translate into real action on the ground.”

Countries will have to figure out their own ways of adhering

IN this October 2, 2016, file photo, a man guides a raft through a polluted canal littered with plastic bags and other garbage in Mumbai, India.

United Nations officials say nearly all of the world’s countries have agreed on a deal to better manage plastic waste, with the United States a notable exception. A “legally binding framework” that affects thousands of types of plastic waste emerged on Friday, May 10, 2019, after a twoweek meeting of UN-backed conventions on plastic waste and toxic chemicals. AP PHOTO/RAFIQ MAQBOOL

US warship deployments across Mideast factor in Iran tensions in Yemen amid the Saudi-led war against the Houthi rebels. The US also carries out a years-long dronestrike campaign there targeting suspected members of al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula.

US presence from the Carter dostrine to the war years

In this Thursday, May 9, 2019, photo released by the US Navy, the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln transits the Suez Canal in Egypt.

The aircraft carrier and its strike group are deploying to the Persian Gulf on orders from the White House to respond to an unspecified threat from Iran. MASS COMMUNICATION SPECIALIST SEAMAN DAN SNOW, US NAVY VIA AP

D

UBAI, United Arab Emirates—A US aircraft carrier strike group rushes toward the Persian Gulf. Decades-old B-52 bombers rumble down runways at desert air bases. The Pentagon, meanwhile, routes a Patriot missile battery and an amphibious supply ship to return to the region.

These military deployments in the Persian Gulf, beginning with a sudden May 5 order from the White House citing still-unspecified threats from Iran, comes as Tehran has begun setting its own deadlines over its unraveling nuclear deal that President Donald J. Trump pulled America out of a year ago.

Yet, even without these movements, the US has maintained a vast network of bases across the Persian Gulf dating back to the 1991 Gulf War against Iraq. Allied Gulf Arab nations, many rich from oil reserves, equip their own forces with billions of dollars of American arms, as well.

Here’s what military assets the US has across the Persian Gulf, those it is now bringing in, and why America has maintained its long presence in the region.

‘Unrelenting force’

JOHN BOLTON, Trump’s national

security adviser, announced the deployment of the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier and its strike group on May 5 over “troubling and escalatory indications and warnings” that still have not been specified. He warned Iran any attack on US interests or allies would face “unrelenting force.”

The Lincoln, which left the US in April on a scheduled deployment, had planned to come to the Persian Gulf on its around-the-world trip to San Diego, California. Now it is steaming there earlier. Alongside the Lincoln are three destroyers, the USS Bainbridge, the USS Mason and the USS Nitze, as well as the guided-missile cruiser the USS Leyte Gulf and a Spanish frigate, the ESPS Mendez Nunez.

Separately, B-52s from the 20th Bomb Squadron of Barksdale Air Force Base in Louisiana have landed in Qatar and elsewhere in “southwest Asia”—possibly the United Arab Emirates—in recent days.

On Friday, the Pentagon announced it would be returning a Patriot missile battery to the wider Mideast, as well as sending the USS Arlington, an amphibious warship carrying US Marines. The USS Kearsarge, an amphibious assault ship

carrying Marines and warplanes, just left the Persian Gulf and is nearby in the Arabian Sea.

US bases, personnel in the region

THE Persian Gulf hosts a series of major American military installations.

The US Navy’s 5th Fleet, which oversees the region, is based in Bahrain, an island nation off the coast of Saudi Arabia that is home to over 7,000 American troops.

Kuwait hosts over 13,000 American troops and the US Army’s Central forward headquarters. Dubai in the United Arab Emirates is the largest port of call for the US Navy outside of America. The UAE hosts 5,000 US military personnel, many at Abu Dhabi’s Al Dhafra Air Base, where American drones and advanced F-35 jetfighters are stationed. The forward headquarters of the US military’s Central Command is at Qatar’s sprawling Al Udeid Air Base, home to some 10,000 American troops. In Oman, the sultanate allows thousands of overflights and hundreds of landings a year, while also granting access to ports and its bases.

Meanwhile, US Special Forces personnel reportedly are on the ground

DURING the Cold War, the US pledged to defend its Persian Gulf allies from the Soviet Union. By the start of 1980, however, the region was in turmoil.

The Islamic Revolution in Iran had thrown out the American-allied shah. The Soviet invasion of Afghanistan sparked fear in the administration of President Jimmy Carter that Moscow could be within striking distance of the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow mouth of the Persian Gulf through which a third of all oil traded by sea now passes.

The president’s eponymous Carter Doctrine emerged from that. It holds that the US would use military force to defend its interests across the energy-rich Persian Gulf.

But what would cement the US presence in the region came in 1990, when Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein invaded his oil-rich neighbor Kuwait.

Defense agreements struck with Gulf Arab nations then grew into a series of major military installations across the region. The presence of American troops in Saudi Arabia, home to the Muslim world’s holiest sites, served as a chief complaint of al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden ahead of the September 11, 2001, attacks. Those attacks led to the US war in Afghanistan, which continues today over 17 years later.

The 2003 invasion of Iraq and the chaos that followed, including the rise of the Islamic State group there and in Syria, only increased the importance the US holds on its bases in the region.

The view from Iran

IRAN’S Shiite theocracy long has looked at the presence of US forces ringing its country with suspicion.

One flash point is the Strait of Hormuz in the territorial waters of Iran and Oman, which at its narrowest point is just 33 kilometers (21 miles) wide. The width of the shipping lane in either direction is only 3 kilometers (2 miles). AP

Houthi rebels begin withdrawal of forces from key Yemen ports

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A NA A , Yemen—Yemen’s Houthi rebels on Saturday began a long-delayed withdrawal of forces from the port facility in the key city of Hodeida, the group said, following the terms of a December cease-fire aimed at alleviating the world’s worst humanitarian crisis. The government described the Houthi claim as a “farce.”

Mohammed Ali al-Houthi, the head of the rebels’ Supreme Revolutionary Committee, said the pullout from Hodeida, as well as the two smaller ports of Salif and Ras Issa, began in the morning.

But leading Yemeni negotiator Ahmed al-Kawkabani told The Associated Press late Saturday that his team “won’t recognize any redeployment outside what the UN proposed,” which includes the removal of land mines, inspections and end of all military presence at the port.

The country’s bloody civil war erupted in September 2014, when Shiite Houthi rebels swept into the capital city of Sanaa. A Saudiled coalition soon intervened to back the government of President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi. The cease-fire in Hodeida, which halted months of heavy fighting in the city, called for the mutual withdrawal of rebel and government forces from the city’s port, and the two smaller ports in the province.

Sadek Dawad, a government negotiator, said he welcomed the “first step of the first phase of redeployment” of rebel forces in the area. He urged the UN to verify and watch the pullout.

He also called for the removal of land mines laid by the Houthis.

The information minister of Yemen’s internationally recognized government, Moammer alIryani, warned of “attempts by the [Houthi] Militia to mislead” the UN Security Council before an expected meeting next week.

The UN Mission to Support the Hodeida Agreement said on Saturday that it was monitoring “the initial unilateral redeployment” of Houthi rebels form the ports, which is to be completed on Tuesday.

Hodeida is the main international entry point for 70 percent of imports and humanitarian aid to Yemen, where the four-year

IRAN LEADER’S AIDE DISMISSES PRESIDENT TRUMP’S OFFER FOR TALKS, ISNA SAYS

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TOP foreign policy adviser to Iran’s supreme leader rejected US President Donald J. Trump’s offer to have talks as “irrelevant” and a propaganda stunt, the semi-official Iranian Students’ News Agency reported.

“Trump has not only shown that he has no respect for the signature of the previous US government but that he’s

willing to violate UN Security Council resolutions and other international agreements,” Kamal Kharazi, the head of Iran’s Strategic Council on Foreign Relations—a state-funded policy center that advises Ayatollah Ali Khamenei—was reported as saying.

Hours earlier, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told CNBC TV the White House would be pre-

pared to speak with Iran to try to sort out differences.

Antagonism between the US and Iran—already high over Washington’s withdrawal from the 2015 nuclear deal with Tehran and reimposition of sanctions—heated up this month after the Trump administration didn’t renew waivers that had let eight governments buy Iranian

oil. The US also deployed an aircraft carrier strike group, a Patriot missile defense battery, a warship and B-52 bombers to the Gulf in response to unspecified threats from Iran.

Iran responded to the US moves by threatening last week to stop abiding by the nuclear deal’s limitations on uranium enrichment if Europe doesn’t remove obstacles to

to the accord, Payet said. Even the few countries that did not sign it, like the United States, could be affected by the accord when they ship plastic waste to countries that are on board with the deal.

Payet credited Norway for leading the initiative, which first was presented in September. The time from that proposal to the approval of a deal set a blistering pace by traditional UN standards for such an accord.

The framework “is historic in the sense that it is legally binding,” Payet said. “They [the countries] have managed to use an existing international instrument to put in place those measures.”

The agreement is likely to lead to customs agents being on the lookout for electronic waste or other types of potentially hazardous waste more than before.

“There is going to be a transparent and traceable system for the export and import of plastic waste,” Payet said. AP

foreign investment into Iran and ease the flow of Iranian oil within 60 days. While Iran has always denied its nuclear program had a military component, its uranium enrichment activities had been controversial because Western powers said it could potentially be used in bomb making, so the threat to abandon limits drew another round of US sanctions, this

civil war has killed an estimated 60,000 people and pushed much of the country to the brink of famine.

Nearly two thirds of Yemenis are in need of some sort of aid and 3 million displaced. Thousands have died of malnutrition, preventable diseases and epidemics.

British Foreign Minister Jeremy Hunt welcomed the Houthi pullout from the ports. “We appear to be approaching implementation of the mutual redeployment of forces—a key step to ending this brutal war,” he tweeted.

Kurt Tjossem, the International Rescue Committee’s regional director for the Horn and East Africa, said in a statement “it is crucial that the force redeployments move forward and are verified, and are followed by sustained commitment by all parties to make good on their Stockholm obligations.”

An official from the internationally recognized government said officials would meet with the head of the UN operation monitoring the cease-fire, Lt. Gen. Michael Lollesgaard, later Saturday. The official spoke on condition of anonymity, as he was not authorized to speak with the media.

Lollesgaard said on Friday that the Houthis’ withdrawal from the three ports marked the first practical step toward realizing the cease-fire. He added that the Houthis must commit to following fully through with the redeployment, which is expected to take place over three days.

Lollesgaard said the full implementation of the Hodeida deal remains instrumental to ensuring life-saving humanitarian access inside Yemen.

The UN-brokered deal was vague on who will control Hodeida’s strategic ports after the sides withdraw, saying a “local force” would take over without specifying further.

The pullout was scheduled to take place two weeks after the cease-fire went into force on December 18. But a lack of trust between the government and the Houthis hampered agreement on details of the withdrawals.

Each side has accused the other of violating the Hodeida cease-fire, and fighting has continued in other parts of the country. AP

time on Iranian metals.

Kharazi said Europe could show its willingness to keep the nuclear accord alive by making a trade channel for Iran operational. But the economic sanctions Trump imposed last year have made it tough, if not impossible, for European companies and banks to risk defying the US and getting caught in its sanctions net. Bloomberg News

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Editor: Jennifer A. Ng • Monday, May 13, 2019 B5

PHL rice inventory up 20.5% in April

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By Jasper Emmanuel Y. Arcalas @jearcalas

HE increase in the stockpile of the National Food Authority (NFA) boosted the country’s total rice inventory to 2.629 million metric tons in April, 20.5 percent higher than last year’s 2.182 MMT, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).

In its monthly rice and corn inventory report, the PSA noted that the stockpile as of April 1 was 18.4 percent higher than the 2.221 MMT recorded on March 1.

The PSA report indicated that rice stored in NFA warehouses ballooned by 4,609.3 percent to

576,190 metric tons from just 21,920 MT last year.

The NFA has been beefing up its stockpile since late last year after its buying price was effectively went up to a total of P20.70 per kilogram, making the food agency competitive against private traders.

The food agency’s buffer stock was almost wiped out by April 2018 as it was not able to buy more unhusked rice from farmers due to its low buying price.

Also, the NFA was not allowed to import rice as economic managers deemed the national supply enough to meet the demand for the staple.

“Of this month’s total rice stock inventory, around 44.8 percent were in the households, 33.3 percent were in commercial warehouses and 21.9 percent in NFA depositories,” the PSA said in the report published recently.

Rice held by households during the period reached 1.177 MMT, while those in commercial warehouses reached 875,240 MT, PSA data showed.

“Relative to previous year’s inventory level, households stocks displayed a decrease of 14.4 percent,” it said, adding that stocks in commercial houses grew at an annualized rate of 10.2 percent.

“With reference to the previous

month, the existing stocks in all sectors were higher than the last month’s level. Stocks in the households, commercial warehouses and NFA depositories showed increments of 13.9 percent, 25.8 percent and 17.1 percent, respecticely,” the report read.

Last week, the NFA announced that its purchases of local unhusked rice from January to April have already exceeded 3 million 50-kilogram bags as planters were enticed by the agency’s high buying price.

The food agency’s total palay purchases of 3.073 million bags, or 153,665.5 MT, in the first four months of 2019 was 55 times higher than the 55,509 bags it bought a year ago.

The 5,436.59-percent increase in procurement was “not surprising” since the NFA is buying unmilled rice at a price that is higher than the offer of traders after the rice industry was liberalized, NFA OIC-Administrator Tomas R. Escarez said.

The NFA said it would “aggressively” purchase local palay to beef up its buffer stock and cushion the impact of uncertainties that may be created by a new trade regime on the rice sector.

The food agency has already shifted its focus to more aggressive palay procurement after the President signed the rice trade liberalization law or Republic Act (RA) 11203, and the subsequent signing of its implementing rules and regulations.

The NFA said it is confident of hitting its paddy rice procurement goal of 14.46 million bags, or 723,000 MT, this year. It increased its palay procurement target for this year after the rice trade liberalization law took effect on March 5.

The NFA’s new goal is nearly double its original procurement target of 7.78 million bags, or 389,000 MT, for 2019. It is also significantly higher than the 1.24 million bags, or 62,000 MT, purchased by the food agency from farmers last year.

Groups call for creation of separate fisheries department

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HE creation of a Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (DFAR) will allow the government to combat illegal fishing and better manage the country’s marine sources, according to various nongovernment organizations.

Groups led by Oceana Philippines urged lawmakers to consider their push for the creation of a separate fisheries department, which they said, will help conserve the country’s marine resources.

“Fishermen have long been advocating for the creation of a separate department for the fisheries sector,” Ruperto Aleroza, vice chairman for Basic Sectors of the National AntiPoverty Commission (NAPC) said during a recent symposium on fisheries sustainability.

The symposium brought together for the first time fishermen from across the country to discuss fisheries policy issues. Close to a hundred leaders representing fishermen associations and people’s organizations attended the symposium.

Representatives of the National Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Management Council (NFARMC), basic sectors of the National AntiPoverty Commission, fisheries scientists, and nongovernment organizations working in fisheries also participated.

“We wanted to highlight fisheries sustainability in the Philippines as an

important policy topic in this year’s elections,” Oceana Vice President Gloria Estenzo Ramos said during the symposium.

“Poverty in coastal communities, the progressive decline of fish population and catch, the pervasive encroachment of commercial fishing vessels in municipal waters heavily impact in real ways the national economy, food security, the health of our oceans, employment, and our response to the climate crisis,” Ramos added.

She spoke about how illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing exacerbates poverty in coastal communities, threatens food security in the Philippines, and undermines national and local efforts to manage fisheries and conserve marine resources despite the mechanisms to fight IUU fishing under the Fisheries Code, as amended by Republic Act 10654 in 2015.

Former agriculture chief, Dr. William Dar, also presented the case for the creation of a separate fisheries department.

“By elevating the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources into the proposed DFAR that will be independent of the Department of Agriculture, we will have a centralized agency that will give more attention to, and support for the sustainable development of our fisheries and aquatic resources,” Dar said.

He said the creation of a fisheries

GOLDEN LEAVES Farmer Arnold Elefante hangs newly harvested green tobacco leaves in his barn in Santiago, Ilocos Sur. Mang Arnold waits for a month for the leaves to become dry and turn golden brown before selling these to traders. LAILA AUSTRIA

department is needed to strengthen the protection of the country’s oceans through “science-based, wellenforced” fisheries management.

The department’s policy priorities would include regulating fishing efforts and protecting marine habitats to arrest the progressive decline of fish catch, as well as implementing

the Fisheries Administrative Order establishing Fisheries Management Areas in the country.

Dar also said the conflict between municipal and commercial fishers must be minimized by encouraging and providing incentives to commercial fishers to acquire modern fishing gear to enable them

to go farther into deep waters into the country’s exclusive economic zone and beyond.

“The creation of a DFAR will pave the way for increased funding and intervention in research and development to maximize the potentials of our vast territorial waters for food and economic security,” he added.

Cassava production down 5.6% in Q1–report

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HILIPPINE cassava output continued to decline in the first quarter, as the lack of buyers due to low demand from feed manufacturers forced planters to shift to other crops, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) said in a report.

In its quarterly report on the performance of agriculture sector published recently, the PSA said cassava production declined by 5.6 percent to 514,230 metric tons in the January-to-March period, from last year’s 544,750 MT. The PSA noted that production in the fourth quarter of 2018 fell by 1.4 percent to 768,300 MT, from the previous year’s 779,210 MT. Output in the first quarter of 2018 was also lower by 7.77 percent than the 590,670 MT produced in the same period of 2017.

“The reduction in area planted to cassava for industrial use in Northern Mindanao was caused by the decreased demand from feed manufacturers,” the PSA report read.

“In Cagayan Valley, some areas shifted back to yellow corn production due to strict quality standard in buying cassava chips implemented by feed manufacturers,” it added.

The PSA farmers in other areas harvested smaller and fewer roots due to the effects of Typhoons Ompong and Rosita. “Other [cassava production] areas were kept in fallow to regain soil fertility.”

Last year, figures from the PSA indicated that the Philippines produced 2.72 million metric tons of cassava. The figure is nearly 3 percent lower than the 2.806 MMT produced in 2017.

The Department of Agriculture (DA) embarked on a large-scale propagation of high-yielding and pesttolerant cassava varieties as part of its efforts to develop additional production areas in 2008.

The DA noted that cassava is not only a staple foodstuff as it can also be used as an alternative for feed meal for the swine and poultry industries and feedstock for bioethanol production.

The country’s top cassava-producing regions are the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, Northern Mindanao, Bicol, Central Visayas and Eastern Visayas. In terms of provinces, the top producers are: Maguindanao, Basilan, Bukidnon and Sulu.

Trump farm aid is déjà vu for 80s traders skeptical of plan to help growers

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RADERS who lived through the 1980s United States farm crisis have a good reason to be skeptical of President Donald J. Trump’s new plan to help growers.

That’s because they question whether the US would really be able to ship all of the $15 billion in potential federal farm-good purchases as humanitarian aid to poor countries. Instead, they suspect the government will end up stockpiling. Keeping reserves in the country won’t solve the current overhang and, if history is any guide, the pile will just keep on growing.

The US government bought supplies from farmers in the 1980s after Jimmy Carter’s ban on grain exports to the Soviet Union sent prices tumbling.

The purchases were through the Commodity Credit Corporation—an entity established in 1933 to stabilize, support and protect farm income as well as prices. Corn and wheat stockpiles wound up climbing to a record in the mid-80s.

“Through executive order, Trump can buy the $15 billion through the Commodity Credit Corporation and then hold it for donation or long-term storage,” said Dan Basse, president of Chicago-based consultants AgResource Co. “I honestly see many pitfalls of all of this as it is a step backwards.”

American farmers are struggling to keep afloat as the tariff spat that started a year ago curbed soybean exports to top buyer China, sending prices tumbling and hurting grower incomes. A gauge of returns from grain futures is trading near its lowest since 1977 and farmer bankruptcies in six Midwest states rose 30 percent in 2018, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis.

commodities economist at brokerage INTL FCStone Inc. “It does help support cash prices, but it limits rallies in the market because the market knows if it rallies too much, there are all those bushels still in the bin that will come out.”

Food grade

Trump raised tariffs on $200 billion worth of Chinese goods on Friday, a move that the Asian nation vowed to retaliate and US farmer groups decried. Seeking to appease his rural voter base, Trump tweeted that the government would use money from the tariffs to buy American agricultural products “in larger amounts than China ever did” and send it to “poor and starving countries” for humanitarian aid.

Traders remained skeptical. In the 1980s, crops expanded just as the export ban caused Soviet Union countries to start buying grain elsewhere. At the

time, growers could deliver supplies to the Commodity Credit Corporation below certain loan rates.

It wasn’t until 1985 that the government cut that rate and stockpiles started to fall, said Pat Westhoff, director of the Food and Agricultural Policy Research Institute of the University of Missouri in Columbia. One of the worst droughts in history hit America in 1988, solving the overhang.

The purchases aren’t a “very effective” way to deal with overhang, “and that’s what the government eventually realized,” said Arlan Suderman, chief

AID programs are also too small. The US government’s Food for Peace program usually buys and ships about $1.5 billion worth of goods a year to other countries. On top of that, the nations in need are usually seeking food-grade commodities, such as rice and wheat, said Joseph Glauber, former chief economist at the US Department of Agriculture.

The vast majority of US corn and soy production is for use in animal feed or biofuel.

Many poor countries may also not have the facilities needed to process soybeans, which can also yield cooking oil. Some countries may also be opposed to large amounts of aid because it could hurt their farmers.

“Bangladesh does not want raw US soybeans— they want wheat, or wheat flour, milk powder and such,” Basse said.

Trump’s move could also generate disputes in the World Trade Organization (WTO) as the measures can be seen as market distorting. The aid could send prices lower, hurting countries like Brazil and Argentina, which are also major corn and soybean exporters.

“You can’t just dump grain at concessional prices,” Glauber said. “That would constitute an export subsidy. That is something the WTO members agreed not to do.” Bloomberg News

B6 Monday, May 13, 2019

8 OF 500 INCOMING SM SCHOLARS ARE FROM QUEZON PROVINCE

E MERALCO READY FOR 2019 MIDTERM ELECTIONS The Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) has prepared its 300 crew personnel, more than 150 generator sets and 300 floodlights to provide power and lighting to polling and canvassing centers, in case of unexpected power interruptions on today’s elections. In line with this, Meralco also reminded those who will be manning the polling and canvassing centers to avoid plugging in unnecessary appliances to avoid overloading and octopus wiring. Meralco Assistant Vice President and Public Information Office head Joe Zaldarriaga (third from right), Meralco operations management services manager and colead for networks of Meralco for midterm elections Efren Olpindo (fourth from right) and Meralco Assistant Vice President and HMB South business area head Benjamin Nolasco, also serving as Meralco project lead on this year’s midterm elections (right), present to the media the generator sets and floodlights that will be deployed today, May 13. For any election-related concerns or inquiries, Meralco advised the public to call its Halalan Hotline at 632-8118, 0920-9716211 (Smart), 0917-5516211 (Globe), or 0925-7716211 (Sun), or log on to Twitter @meralco or Facebook at www.facebook.com/meralco.

CHAMPIONING TRAILS, CREATING HISTORY

IG H T d e s e r v i n g i n c o m i n g college students from Quezon prov ince were welcomed on Wednesday by the SM Store Lucena p e r s o n ne l a s re c i p i e nt s o f S M Foundation Scholarship Program for School Year 2019-2020.

Most of the students came from cities of Tayabas and Lucena, and the town of Sariaya, saying they were really surprised to be chosen as scholars, out of hundreds who applied. They favored engineering and accountancy as courses, at Mamuel S. Enverga University Foundation.

P r i s c i l l a Te r re n a l , SM Store assistant branch manager, told the new scholars that, aside from the tuition fee and monthly allowance, they are allowed to work part-time at the store on school vacation.

Maricel Alquiros, mall manager, SM City Lucena advised the students to treasure the opportunity presented by the SM Foundation and not to stop striving hard to reach their goals.

The scholars also found an ally i n L i l ibet h A zores represent i ng SM Foundation, who guided them from the process of their qualifying

examinations to the final background i nt e r v i e w u p t o t h e a w a r d i n g ceremony. T he simple awa rd ing of college scholarships was held at the training room, SM City Lucena administration office.

The eight scholars from Quezon are part of the 500 incoming freshmen this year who were granted with SM scholarship, bringing the total number of scholars to 1,200 in the country for School Year 2019-2020.

Si nce 1993 t he prog ra m h a s produced 3,274 col lege sc hol a rgraduates who excel at their

c hosen cou rses.

SM scholars for SY 2019-2020 include (seated, from left) James Ragudo, Roanne Jezrel Asuncion, C h a rlene C l a i re C ac ao, M a n i l l a Moneth Narzabal, Chr ystal Jane R e yes, Gene A n ne Ma r ie L lego, K r istel le A nne Rea a nd Ma r v i n D o l l a n o. T h e y w e r e w e l c o m e d Ter rena l; A lquiros; 4th year SM s c hol a r M a r k Jo s e ph Mont e r a ; Eng r. Joh n Ja son Ter ren a l , SM senior assistant vice president; and Kirchtine Zoleta, human resource manager of SM Store Lucena.

INSULAR FOUNDATION WELCOMES MORE SCHOLAR-BENEFICIARIES THIS YEAR

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PRIL 28 was a momentous day for Salomon—the world’s leading trail-running brand—as it not only mounted another successful installment of the Salomon X-trail Run, but also launched further a whole new frontier with Salomon Ultra 50K. Known for its highly technical and thoroughly conceived trail routes that provide avid trail runners a cut-above-theirusual challenge, the Salomon X-trail has grown into a global phenomenon anticipated by the running community worldwide.

In the Philippines the Salomon X-trail has had a long history of execution dating back to 2010. And with eight years of expertise, the team that brought trail runners for the 2019 edition surely gave trail runners what they all had hoped for and more.

Staying true to its core message—constantly playing at the rules to discover both fun and undertakings—Salomon Pilipinas just set the bar a notch higher for themselves, with this X-trail installment.

The X-trail 2019 series set runners to 16K and 50K categories, the shortest and longest trails, respectively, replacing the 6K and 12K marathon.

Truly made for the most tenacious of runners, the 50K category was made to see what a runner has to give and, after a 13-hour run of their lives, leading pioneers were Manolito Divina

(7:45:43) and Patricia Ann Morata (10:21:10) at first place, for the male and female category, respectively.

Following the pair closely at second place were Salomon athlete Miguel Lopez (7:54:43) and Trisha Reyes (10:24:31), with Anthony Calixtero III (8:21:12) and Carmina Luisa Jereza (12:03:42) at third place.

History was made, and these names will go down as the top runners for not only the first-ever Salomon Ultra 50K, but as those who conquered the path with most resistance.

By 1 p.m. all other categories were done in sync. The 32K runners who rose above the ranks for the men’s and women’s categories were Welfred Esporma and Jocelyn Elijeran at first place, Alison Telias and Silamie Gutang at second place, and Juan Basilio Salaug and Joyce Tagongtong at third place.

For the 24K runners, up top for the male and female categories were Randolf Gonzales and Ma. Cecilia Cardo at first place, Jeffrey Reginio and Carly Relf at second place, and Roy Dacutanan and Jennifer Santana at third place.

The 16K runners were headed by Andre Mahilum and Anne Marindol Rongauinlla at first place, Samuel Ebuen Bada and Hersey Kaye Padre at second place, and Jose Mari de Castro and Iris Charine Torculas at third place.

For more information, visit www.salomonxtrailpilipinas. com.ph.

A.V.I.D. SALES INCREASE BY 8% IN MARCH AS INDUSTRY CONTINUES TO RECOVER

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ITH the automotive industry continuing to recover, the Association of Vehicle Importers and Distributors Inc. (Avid) reported 7,952 units sold in March, an 8-percent increase, compared to the 7,380 units sold last March. This bucks the trend in the first two months of the year, which saw a decline of 8 percent. For the first quarter of 2019, Avid sold 22,497 units, 3 percent lower than the 23,038 units reported in the same period last year.

“Avid’s first quarter 2019 performance indicates that the automotive industry has turned the corner and is now experiencing modest recovery. We expect a further upturn in the next three quarters—on the back of improved consumer sentiment—the introduction of exciting and innovative vehicles and the government’s aggressive infrastructure program.

Avid aims to be at the forefront of this growth in vehicle sales,” Avid President Ma. Fe Perez-Agudo said.

In March the light commercial-vehicle segment registered a 21-percent year-on-year increase with sales totaling 4,998 units, making it the primary growth and volume driver. The segment rose by 4 percent in the first three months of the year,

bringing the sales tally to 14,168 units. Ford leads the segment with 5,456 units sold in the first quarter.

The passenger-car segment declined 9 percent to 2,831 units in March, and fell 13 percent to 7,993 units in the first quarter of the year. Hyundai continues to lead this segment with 5,404 units sold during the period.

In the commercial-vehicle sector, sales slipped by 2 percent to 123 units in March and slightly dipped by 1 percent to 336 in the first quarter. As the leader in this segment, Hyundai posted strong gains with 239 units sold during the period.

“If positive economic fundamentals, including low inflation and rising living standards, are sustained, we can expect a renewed boost to motorization in the country.

And Avid is more than ready to offer customers up-to-the-minute innovation in our products and services,” Agudo added.

The combined effects of easing inflation, lower unemployment rates and near-term boost from election-related spending is expected to fuel private consumption for the rest of the year.

NSULAR Foundation, the corporate social-responsibility arm of Insular Life, has adopted 1,410 elementary pupils for the current school year.

Under the Adopt A Scholar program, a total of P1.4 million of educational assistance was distributed to scholarbeneficiaries from nine elementary schools nationwide.

According to Insular Foundation program manager Teresita Melad, the program aims to help pupils from poor families by providing for their basic school needs, such as bags, notebooks, shoes and other important school items.

Melad added that, this year, the sc hol a r -benef ic i a r ies h ave been increased to 1,410, from 160 last school year, due to the support of Insular Life (InLife) employees and agents who all made cash contributions.

At the recent turnover of bags, school supplies and shoes to 175 Grade 1 students at Alabang Elementary School in Muntinlupa City, Melad ex pressed hope that all scholarbeneficiaries w ill complete their

elementary education by 2024.

Marissa Andanza, school principal, encouraged the students to study well to show appreciation to InLife employees.

She also challenged the scholars’ parents to commit themselves in guiding their children to finish their education.

“The bag, school supplies and shoes that you received come from Insular Life employees who would like all of you to finish Grade 6. We hope to sustain 175 scholars with the commitment of the parents,” Andanza said.

Aside from Alabang Elementary School, the Adopt A Scholar program is being carried out in Itaas Elementary School in Muntinlupa City and Balili Elementary School in Benguet.

Also for this school year, InLife agents adopted scholars in Wangan Elementary School in Davao, Patagueleg Elementary School in Cagayan, Bangar Elementary School in Ifugao, Inaad Elementary School in Ormoc, Old Kawayan Elementary School in Tacloban and Tabok Elementary School in Cebu.

SECURITY BANK, A.F.F.I. PARTNERSHIP HIGHLIGHTS FRANCHISE OPPORTUNITIES

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ECURITY Bank and the Association of Filipino Franchisers Inc. (Affi) held the 17th Franchise and Business Expo at the World Trade Center in Pasay City.

With over a hundred participating booth exhibitors and several lectures conducted, this annual event let the public seek for franchising opportunities and learn of Security Bank’s exclusive loan offerings.

At the three-day event, SMEs were

able to showcase their products and services to other potential franchisees.

For the first time this year Security Bank led the Business Journey talks on “Banking for Business”. In these pocket sessions, the bank discusses options to finance a business through its business-loan products and shares ways to efficiently streamline business processes using DigiBanker.

T his award-w inning cashmanagement platfor m can help

significantly reduce operational costs by automating the payment and collection processes. Currently, it is being utilized by top companies from various industries, such as manufacturing and retail. Through the recently forged partnership between Affi and Security Bank, existing business franchises are given special rates to help grow and expand business through the business express loan (terms and conditions apply). More information about this special offer is available at www. securitybank.com/franchiseloan. “...We will be taking on a more active role in supporting our homegrown brands.

Offering exclusive loan products to Affi and its members is just the beginning,” said Security Bank President and Chief Executive Officer Alfonso L. Salcedo Jr. Security Bank and Affi also organize pocket events on franchising and entrepreneurship, which are open to the public.

The “Usapang Franchise” sessions are held every fourth Thursday of the month at Security Bank’s discovery hub, at the main office in Ayala Avenue, Makati City. The next run is slated on May 24 and June 27.

For more details, interested attendees may visit Security Bank’s Facebook page.

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

Sports BusinessMirror

SUPPORT POURS

FOR SEMENYA “The Commonwealth Games Federation has an interest in the welfare of all athletes and also the autonomy and accountability of sport organizations on the Commonwealth Games program.”

—Grevemberg

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OMMONWEALTH Games Federation (CGF) Chief Executive David Grevemberg has written to the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) with the view to holding discussions with the governing body over their differences in sexual development (DSD) regulations.

The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) ruled in favor of the IAAF in its landmark legal case against South African double Olympic champion Caster Semenya earlier this month.

The CAS decision means Semenya and other affected athletes will have to take medication to reduce her testosterone if she wants to continue running on the world stage at events between 400 meters and a mile.

Semenya, a two-time Olympic and triple world champion over 800m, had been hoping to overcome the regulations.

The legal team of the 28-year-old had argued the testosterone in her body was naturally occurring and so to ban her would be unfair.

With CAS ruling in favor of the IAAF, Grevemberg revealed the CGF would seek to find out the potential implications for the organization.

Grevemberg stated the decision to write to the IAAF came after the CGF had received questions from members. Semenya is a two-time Commonwealth Games gold medalist, having triumphed in both the women’s 800m and 1500m here last year when Gold Coast hosted the event.

The South African set a Games record time of four minutes and 0.71 seconds in the 1500m at the Games before setting a mark of 1:56.68 to win the 800m three days later.

Semenya had made her international breakthrough at the 2008 Commonwealth Youth Games when she won the 800m in a race where Scotland’s Lynsey Sharp finished third. Sharp has remained a rival for more than 10 years and has been vocal on the difficulties that come with facing Semenya. She claims she has received death threats as a result.

“The CGF has an interest in the welfare of all athletes and also the autonomy and accountability of sport organizations on the Commonwealth Games program,” Grevemberg told InsideTheGames during the SportAccord Summit, which concluded here today.

“In the case of the IAAF and the recent decision of CAS to uphold the DSD regulations, we have

written to the IAAF for the primary reason that Caster Semenya is a Commonwealth Games record holder in the 800m and 1500m women’s medal events.

“We want to better understand the implications, if any, there are as a result of this decision,” he said. “We also want to understand in better detail various aspects of the decision with regard to its consistent implementation and the safety and welfare of athletes.

“Before we want to take a formal position as a Movement in regard to this particular situation and the impact of this on one particular athlete, obviously from South Africa, we wanted to understand in more detail the facts, position and approach of the IAAF,” he added. “The IAAF have been one of our partners for many years governing one of the Commonwealth’s most prominent and prevalent sports.”

“It is the CGF’s intention to engage with South Africa when we have more information on their particular athlete, Caster Semenya, and the implementation of the DSD regulations. We look forward to further exploring how this regulation change fits within our scope of responsibilities.

“We require at this point a fact finding approach and we look forward to engaging with the IAAF through this process.”

The IAAF’s rules mean female athletes with

naturally high levels of testosterone who wish to participate in events from 400m to a mile must medically limit that level to under 5 nmol/L, double the normal female range of below 2 nmol/L. Athletes who want to compete at the 2019 IAAF World Championships, due to take place in Qatar’s capital Doha from September 27 to October 6, will have to start taking medication immediately.

Those affected by the rules must undergo a blood sampling by that date to measure their serum testosterone level and test their eligibility.

In its verdict, which followed months of deliberation in a highly contentious case, the CAS admitted the rules were “discriminatory” but also said the policy was “necessary, reasonable and proportionate” to protect the fairness of women’s sport.

Semenya has remained defiant despite the verdict, insisting she would “once again rise above and continue to inspire young women and athletes in South Africa and around the world”.

In a question-and-answer document posted on its web site, the IAAF dismissed claims the rules had been targeted at the South African.

The IAAF has hit back at the World Medical Association after the organization called on its members not to administer drugs which lower the level of testosterone in female athletes with DSD.

Monday, May 13, 2019 C1

SEBASTIAN COE is asked one question about Caster Semenya and says little. AP

COE: I DON’T WANT ANYMORE OF THIS

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OKOHAMA, Japan— Officials of track and field’s world governing body— the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF)—said before a news conference in Japan that President Sebastian Coe would not comment further on the landmark legal case involving twotime Olympic gold-medal winner Caster Semenya.

Coe was asked one question about it, anyway, and said little.

“I don’t think there is anything I am going to add to anything that we haven’t already observed,” Coe said, speaking at a news conference before Saturday and Sunday’s IAAF World Relays in Yokohama.

Semenya is a two-time Olympic gold medalist in the 800 meters from South Africa who lost a landmark case last week that said female runners like her with unusually high levels of testosterone must take medication to reduce the levels if they want to compete in certain events.

“Most of the answers to those questions we get regularly asked, we’ve already posted to our web site,” Coe added. “So I think I will probably leave it to that today.

This is really about the relays.”

Semenya, who is not running at the meet in Japan, raced in Doha last week just days after the ruling. She won the 800 meters there and was asked if she would now take hormonereducing medication.

“Hell no,” she replied.

The IAAF argued in sport’s highest court—the Court of Arbitration for Sport— that naturally high levels of testosterone give some women an unfair competitive advantage.

The court decision could open the door for similar rules in other women’s sports. AP

CHINA PUSHES 300M NEW SNOW SPORTS PARTICIPANTS FOR 2022 WINTER OLYMPICS

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CHINA opens Asia’s first year-round cross-country skiing tunnel.

HINA has opened Asia’s first yearround cross-country skiing tunnel as the country aims to introduce 300 million new participants to snow sports in connection with the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic Games.

The new Beishan All-Weather CrossCountry Ski Resort in northeast China’s Jilin Province features a 1,308-meters indoor ski run and a 1,616-m outdoor ski run.

It is reported to have cost 990 million yuan ($147 million) to construct.

The opening of the complex will enable Chinese athletes to practice crosscountry skiing all year round, Liu Yijun, a snow sports official in Jilin City claimed, adding that athletes from Japan and South Korea were expected to use it for training this summer.

The facility will also be open to the public.

About 10 indoor snow tunnels for cross-country skiing have been built in Europe, mostly in Finland, Germany, Slovenia and Sweden.

A combined downhill and cross-country ski center is under construction in Norway and is due to open in January 2020.

Winter tourism has boomed in China since Beijing won its bid in 2015 to host the 2022 Winter Olympics and Paralympics.

The China Tourism Academy reported in February that the country was on track to reach the target of getting 300 million Chinese involved in winter sports.

It claimed 197 million people had taken part in winter tourism from November 2017 to March 2018.

Former ambassador has called on the Canadian Federal Government to consider expelling Chinese athletes who are training in the country for Beijing 2022 as a diplomatic row between the two countries spilled into the Olympic world.

Guy Saint-Jacques, the former Canadian ambassador to China, made the claim in an interview with broadcaster CBC this week.

The bitter row between Canada and China was sparked by the arrest of Meng Wanzhou, the daughter of the founder of Chinese telecoms giant Huawei, in Vancouver in December.

It followed an extradition request from authorities in the United States related to Iran sanctions violations.

Since then, tensions have escalated and China has sentenced two Canadian residents to death.

Robert Lloyd Schellenberg was jailed for 15 years in November for

drug smuggling before a court in China upgraded the sentence to the death penalty.

Fan Wei was today given the same punishment for for producing and trafficking methamphetamine.

The rising tension has now led to Saint-Jacques suggesting Chinese athletes who have based their training camps and regimes in Canada, a nation with a rich Winter Olympic history, in preparation for Beijing 2022 should be sent home.

“The government has to take into account that, of course, any measure we will take will be looked at in Beijing and they will want to apply reciprocity, but again I think the course that has been pursued so far has not produced any result,” Saint-Jacques told CBC News Network’s Power & Politics program.

“I think we are at the stage where we have to be firm because this is the only language that China understands.”

It is not clear how many Chinese athletes are training in Canada.

China has attempted to tap into the expertise of other countries in a bid to improve their medal prospects at their home Winter Olympic Games in three years’ time.

Spo

Business

C2 Monday, May 13, 2019

PLENTY OF WORK TO DO H

OUSTON—The Golden State Warriors still have plenty of work to do if they hope to win their third straight championship.

But after fending off the Houston Rockets on Friday night without leading playoff scorer Kevin Durant to advance to the Western Conference finals, they did take a moment to celebrate the accomplishment.

“It shows you how much respect we have for Houston,” Coach Steve Kerr said. “We just finished the conference semifinals series. We’re only halfway home to where we want to be. And yet the celebration in there felt like a much bigger occasion and that’s because of the challenge that this team put before us.”

Stephen Curry scored all of his 33 points in the second half to lead the Warriors to a 118-113 win.

Klay Thompson added 27 points to help twotime defending champion Golden State reach the conference finals for a franchise-record fifth straight year and eliminate Houston for the fourth time in five seasons. The Warriors did it with Durant sidelined by a calf injury sustained in the second half of their Game Five victory.

“We’re all very happy, but now we’ve got to get home and get some rest, and prepare for the next round,” Kerr said.

There won’t be a lot of time to recuperate with the conference finals starting on Tuesday night in Oakland against the winner of the Denver-Portland series. Kerr said he’d give his team the weekend off after most of his key players logged heavy minutes in this series in which each game was decided by six points or fewer.

Though this team has had plenty of big victories as it won the National Basketball Association title in three of the last four seasons, Kerr and many of his players acknowledged that this win was pretty special.

“It’s one of the most satisfying victories we’ve had during this run,” Kerr said.

Draymond Green said that downing the Rockets again also meant a bit more since Houston has said since losing to the Warriors in last year’s conference finals that its main focus was beating them this season.

‘Nothing matters but Game Seven’

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YLE LOWRY was talking in Toronto on Saturday, discussing any number of topics, offering eloquent answers to every question that came his way. His last sentence was all that really needed to be said.

“Nothing matters,” the Raptors guard said, “but Game Seven.”

There may be nothing better in sports than a Game Seven—and the second round of these National Basketball Association (NBA) playoffs ends on Sunday with a pair of deciders: third-seeded Philadelphia at second-seeded Toronto in an Eastern Conference semifinal; third-seeded Portland at second-seeded Denver in a Western Conference semifinal.

The Portland-Denver winner will visit top-seeded Golden State in Game One of the West finals on Tuesday. The Philadelphia-Toronto winner goes to topseeded Milwaukee for Game One of the East finals on Wednesday.

“I’ve been fortunate to be in a few Game Sevens and they’re very unique,” Philadelphia Coach Brett Brown said.

“They’re special. They are a life lesson, a life opportunity.”

There have been 133 Game Sevens in NBA history—home teams have won 105, or 79 percent. Roughly one of every four Game Sevens has been decided by three points or less; 56 percent have been decided by a single-digit margin. Blowouts are rare, with only 14 Game Sevens getting decided by more than 20 points.

“It’s for our season, for all the marbles,” Portland guard Damian Lillard said.

Denver has already won a Game Seven this season, also at home, topping San Antonio in the first round. Nikola Jokic had a triple-double—21 points, 15 rebounds, 10 assists—in that game for the Nuggets, and Coach Michael Malone is fond of saying his team has the best home-court advantage in the NBA. But Jokic isn’t banking on home court being enough of an edge. He says it’s imperative to bring more energy on Sunday—and adds there’s no reason to get nervous.

“I’ve played basketball for 15 years,” Jokic said. “That’s what I’ve done my whole life. Why would I be nervous right now?...you control the game. You’re the one who’s playing. As long as you’re giving 100 percent, you can’t be nervous because you’re focused on the plays and actions and whatever you’re doing on the floor. You don’t have time to be nervous.” AP

FRANK VOGEL’S three-year contract with the Lakers has yet to be finalized. AP

LAKERS HIRE VOGEL AS COACH

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GOLDEN State’s Stephen Curry (left) and Draymond Green celebrate the team’s win over Houston in Game Six on Friday. AP “This one feels good...just because it was a team that said for years: ‘We’re built to beat them,’” Green said. “Then Kevin goes down and no one gives us a chance. You take all those things into account, this one feels amazing. If I said otherwise, I’d be sitting here lying to you.”

Curry struggled early, failing to score in the first half for the first time in 102 career playoff games, and had just 10 points through three periods. But he got going in the fourth, scoring 23 points.

There were questions entering the game about how the Warriors would weather the loss of

RAFAEL NADAL: It wasn’t my best night. AP

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ADRID—For the third straight time this season, Rafael Nadal won’t be fighting for a title on his favorite

surface.

Nadal’s slump on clay continued on Saturday at the Madrid Open with a third consecutive semifinal elimination, adding to his worst start to the clay-court swing since 2015.

He lost to ninth-ranked Greek Stefanos Tsitsipas, 6-4, 2-6, 6-3. Tsitsipas will try to win his third title of the year in a final against topranked Novak Djokovic, who defeated Dominic Thiem, 7-6 (2), 7-6 (4), and will have a chance to tie Nadal for the most titles in Master 1000 tournaments with 33.

In the women’s final, Kiki Bertens beat two-time Madrid champion Simona Halep 6-4, 6-4.

“It wasn’t my best night,” Nadal said.

“I knew what I had to do, it was clear to me, but I just wasn’t capable of doing it. I didn’t have a good feeling to do the things I wanted to do and that’s it. We don’t have to dwell too much on it.”

The second-ranked Spaniard, still seeking his first title of the season, had also failed to make it to the final in Monte Carlo and Barcelona, tournaments he had won the last three consecutive seasons. He lost to Fabio Fognini in Monte Carlo and to Thiem in

Durant—and his more than 34 points a game.

But they didn’t seem to miss a beat, getting 21 from Thompson in the first half before Curry closed it in the fourth. The team said on Thursday that Durant would be reevaluated next week and Kerr said after the game that it was too early to know if he could return at some point in the next series.

Though the Warriors were able to get past the Rockets behind big nights from Curry and Thompson, they know that their chances for defending the title are much better with Durant on the floor.

“I’m happy we won so we can get some rest and

get him healthy,”Thompson said. “Because if we want to get this three-peat, we desperately need him back.

He’s our best player, so we dearly miss him. We’ll hold it down while he’s out but it’s not the same.”

Curry finished out the series strong, but faced criticism for most of it as he struggled with his shot.

He discussed the “noise” surrounding him lately and how he never let it get to him.

“I know what I’m capable of and it’s bigger than me,” he said. “I don’t get caught up in that. I don’t need any extra motivation. I don’t need to hear who I am as a player. I know that. My confidence never wavers.” AP

NADAL LOSES TO TSITSIPAS AS CLAY SLUMP CONTINUES Barcelona. This is the first time since 2004 that Nadal had arrived in Madrid without a title.

“I’ve won a lot over the years on this surface,” he said.” But this year it hasn’t been the case. I’ve been really close, but I haven’t been able to win.”

Nadal, who was yet to lose a set in Madrid this year, had beaten Tsitsipas all three previous times they played, without losing a set, including in the semifinals of the Australian Open.

The 20-year-old Tsitsipas converted on his fourth match point to close out the victory on the Magic Box center court.

“I’m really happy that I managed to keep my nerves down and fight back.

Probably one of the toughest victories I’ve had in my life,” Tsitsipas said. “Adding variety and being unpredictable was the key today.”

The young Greek played aggressively from the start, breaking Nadal’s serve six times. He saved 11 of the 16 break opportunities he conceded.

“I really liked my fighting spirit,” he said.

“I went on the court and I was mentally prepared for a fight.”

Tsitsipas will be playing in his fourth final of the season and will have a chance to become the first player to win three titles this year, adding to his triumphs in Estoril

and Marseille. He is the tour’s winningest player in 2019 with 27 wins.

“I have to be mentally prepared for a tough match,” said Tsitsipas, who defeated Djokovic in Toronto last year. “He’s in a pretty good state of his tennis, so it won’t be easy.” AP

OS ANGELES—A person familiar with the search says the Los Angeles Lakers have hired Frank Vogel as coach and Jason Kidd as an assistant.

The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity on Saturday because Vogel’s three-year contract has not been finalized. Vogel flew to Los Angeles on Thursday and met with a group that included owner Jeanie Buss, General Manager Rob Pelinka and adviser Kurt Rambis.

The 45-year old Vogel worked for the organization before as an advance scout during the 2005-06 season. He did not coach last season following two years with the Orlando Magic. Vogel went to Orlando following five-plus seasons leading the Indiana Pacers, including trips to the Eastern Conference finals in 2013 and ‘14. He has a career record of 304-291.

Kidd interviewed with the Lakers last month.

The former star player who was a head coach in Brooklyn and Milwaukee was fired by the Bucks during the 2017-18 season. He has a 183-190 record.

The Lakers have missed the playoffs six straight seasons. The drought was expected to end this season but injuries to LeBron James, Lonzo Ball and Brandon Ingram, as well as internal discord, resulted in a 37-45 record.

It’s an interesting pairing in many ways, including how Vogel was fired by Indiana in 2016 and Orlando in 2018—and how he simply could never get past James in the playoffs.

The Pacers thought they had a title-contender in 2012, 2013 and 2014, and James and the Miami Heat eliminated them in all three of those postseasons. Vogel won 58 percent of his games in parts of six seasons with Indiana, but the lasting image of his tenure there is the fact that those clubs were always ousted by Miami.

Now, Vogel and James will be on the same side, both looking for a resurgence. This season was James’s first without a playoff appearance since 2005 and ended his streak of eight consecutive trips to the National Basketball Association Finals. Vogel is coming off a 54-110 tenure in two seasons with Orlando, while the Magic were rebuilding.

Vogel is known mainly as a defensive coach.

Rodman accused of stealing from yoga studio

N SO what’s up with Dennis Rodman these days? AP

Every takes Nelson lead midway through suspended third round

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ALLAS—Matt Every only needed half a round to go from a four-stroke deficit to a one-shot lead at the Byron Nelson. He will have 27 holes to play on Sunday before he can win the tournament.

Every opened the rain-delayed third round with a chip-in eagle, then had four birdies in a span of five holes to take the lead from Sung Kang before play was suspended because of darkness on Saturday night with that lead group through nine holes. Only 12 of 83 players finished the third round.

“It was like a normal round of golf for me, it felt like it,” said Every, whose two PGA Tour victories were both at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, in 2014 and 2015.

The start of the third round at Trinity Forest was delayed six hours because of heavy rain overnight and into the morning.

Kang matched the course record with a 61 in the second round to take a four-stroke lead

over Every into Saturday after the two also played together the first two rounds.

Every had a six-under 30 on the front nine on Saturday to get to 18 under, a stroke ahead of Kang after he was one under for the day.

“It was playing super easy, so it wasn’t like I had time to be nervous about anything,” Every said.

“I just needed to keep making birdies.”

The third round will be completed on Sunday morning. A secondary cut, to the low 70 scores, will be made before the fourth round. There is no rain in the forecast, with sunny skies and temperatures getting to the high 70s for Mother’s Day. Tyler Duncan, also in the final threesome, was three under and was third at 15 under a day after his wayward tee shot on his only bogey in the second round hit his wife on the head—she was OK. Scott Piercey was seven under through 13 holes to get to 13 under, tied for fourth with Sebastian Munoz and Rory Sabbatini.

Indiana led the league in defensive efficiency twice and was in the top 10 during his five-plus seasons.

The Lakers were tied for 13th in defensive efficiency last season. An official announcement announcing his hiring might not come until Monday, which would mark the start of a busy week for the Lakers.

They will take part in the draft lottery on Tuesday and will also be at the draft combine.

Vogel’s hiring is the first step in what will be— and has already been—an eventful and critical offseason for the Lakers, who will be on their sixth coach since Phil Jackson stepped down after the 2010-11 season.

The firing of Luke Walton as coach April 12 was not unexpected, and came three days after Magic Johnson stunned the team and just about everybody else by giving up his role running the club. Johnson, the former Lakers star, dropped that news in an impromptu news conference held roughly 90 minutes before the regular-season finale.

The Lakers pursued several other candidates, and appeared to be closing in on a deal with Tyronn Lue that would have looked to make sense in many ways. Lue played for the Lakers, was part of two teams that won championships there, and coached James to the 2016 NBA title in Cleveland. But that deal never got to the finish line, and the Lakers’ search quickly moved toward Vogel.

The Lakers also considered Monty Williams, who was hired by the Phoenix Suns, and Juwan Howard and JB Bickerstaff The Lakers expect to have more than $40 million in salary cap space this summer and will likely resume their pursuit of Anthony Davis—who would have to be traded by New Orleans—either around the draft or the July 1 start of free agency.

When that player-shopping window begins, the Lakers will likely try to land Kawhi Leonard and other big names who might be willing to play with James.

And there is a slew of roster work to do. The Lakers had several rotation players on either one-year or expiring deals this season, a list that includes Rajon Rondo, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Lance Stephenson, JaVale McGee and Tyson Chandler. AP

Nicholas Lindheim was making a run at his own 61, or better, at nine under for the day through 15 holes. At 12 under for the tournament, he was one of seven golfers tied for seventh.

“I had some really good opportunities on the last two holes I played I didn’t capitalize on,” Lindheim said.

“I always figured if you try it doesn’t happen. You just got to allow it to happen. We’ll see what happens.”

Also at 12 under was Brooks Kopeka, the world’s No. 3-ranked player who will go to the Professional Golfers Association Championship at Bethpage next week as the defending champion.

Koepka has four consecutive birdies late in his second round, then started on Saturday with birdies on the first two holes. But he was only one under through 10 holes when play stopped, his only other non-par hole being a bogey at the par-five No. 7.

Every chipped in from the fairway, about 90 feet from the cup, on the par-5 first hole and

immediately cut Kang’s lead in half. With birdies at Nos. 4-6, even with Kang’s nice par save on the short 318-yard fifth before his birdie at the next hole, Avery was within a stroke.

“Got in a nice rhythm,” Every said.

The lead changed hands at the par-3 eighth hole when Avery rolled in a 5-foot birdie. Kang, who said he unexpectedly felt calm throughout the round, had just three-putted for his first bogey in 38 holes.

“The good thing is, positive thing is, we only play nine holes and I made a couple mistakes I shouldn’t have,” Kang said. “We know how to adjust tomorrow. Just play like the last couple days and it will be just fine tomorrow.”

Jordan Spieth, without a win since the 2017 British Open and without a top-20 finish this season, was tied for 16th at 10 under. At the course where he is a member, Spieth was three under through 11 holes on Saturday. AP

EWPORT BEACH, California—The owner of a Southern California yoga studio is accusing Dennis Rodman of helping three people steal more than $3,500 in merchandise from his business.

Ali Shah says security cameras captured the former National Basketball Association star walking into Vibes Hot Yoga in Newport Beach on Tuesday with his alleged accomplices. Shah said the four worked together to distract an employee so they could steal clothes and a 400-pound (181-kilogram) amethyst crystal from the front desk.

Shah said Rodman returned on Wednesday and tried to distract a different employee while a female companion grabbed clothes that were on display.

Police told the Los Angeles Times they were investigating the matter and no one has been arrested.

Rodman told TMZ that the studio’s owner offered him the clothes as gifts in exchange for moving the crystal. AP

orts

sMirror

Monday, May 13, 2019 C3

DEL ROSARIO EYES 2ND STRAIGHT TITLE

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AULINE DEL ROSARIO hopes to stay hot at the rolling Midlands layout as she shoots for a second straight victory against practically the same field she dominated the last time out when the International Container Terminal Services Inc. (ICTSI) Tagaytay Midlands Ladies Challenge unwraps on Wednesday in Tagaytay City.

The former Ladies Philippine Golf Tour Order of Merit winner snapped a run of so-so finishes with a whopping 14-shot victory over Daniella Uy in the ICTSI Royal Northwoods Classic last month, making her the top pick in the upcoming 54-hole championship offering a total prize fund of P750,000.

But she remains wary of her rivals, who are all coming into the event ready

and raring to stop the former Philippine Ladies Amateur Open titlist following a stint in the just-concluded National ProAm at the nearly Taal Splendido Golf Club.

Uy, for one, is out to atone for her and brother Lanz’s fold up in the Pro-Am where they took the second round lead only to crumble in the last day and wound up joint fourth.

But the setback is expected to toughen up the former Junior World champ as she guns for her breakthrough victory in the circuit put up by ICTSI and organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments Inc. Also tipped to contend are Alex Etter, Apple Fudolin, Gretchen Villacencio, Marvi Monsalve, Sarah Ababa, Sheryl Villasencio and Lucy Landicho.

Multi-titled Chihiro Ikeda is also in the fold, confident of ending a long title

spell coming off a slight injury that has hampered her campaign in the last few tournaments.

Boosting the cast are some of the country’s leading amateurs, led by Eagle Ace Superal, who placed third in last week’s Asia-Pacific Junior Championship in Singapore, along with Nicole Abelar, Laia Barro, Mafy Singson, Sam Dizon and Arnie Taguines of Team The Country Club, Pam Mariano and Koreans Tae Yon Kwon and Yeun Jea Baek.

A number of Thai aces have also confirmed participation in the event backed by Custom Clubmakers, Meralco, K&G Golf Apparel, BDO, Sharp, KZG, PLDT, Empire Golf and Sports and MY Shokai Technology Inc. with the compact field to test the Midlands course in Tuesday’s pro-am.

LOCSIN ON PACQUIAO: TOTALLY MY HERO

LOCSIN

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PACQUIAO

By Recto Mercene

OREIGN Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. on Sunday expressed his appreciation for eight-time boxing champion and Sen. Manny Pacquiao, calling him “totally my hero.”

“He upholds the worldwide honor he alone gave our country—not by talking or posturing or worse sleeping on the job with eyes open so the public won’t note the somnolence but by slugging it out, putting his face in the line of repeated punches. That’s heroic,” Locsin tweeted, in a mixture of praise for the hardworking Filipinos, and acidic comment to the laggards in government payroll.

The secretary’s comment came in the heels of the announcement on social media that Pacquiao,

the only boxer to win 12 major world titles in eight different weight divisions, will return to the ring against undefeated champion Keith Thurman on July 20. This happens six months after the Filipino boxing legend retained his World Boxing Association (WBA) welterweight title. Pacquiao dominated Adrien Broner for 12 rounds in his last bout on January 19 at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

Thurman (29-0, 22 KOs), the reigning WBA super welterweight champion, is expected to give Pacquiao (61-7-2, 39 KOs) a stiff challenge which the fighting senator didn’t get against Broner and Lucas Matthysse, whom he stopped in seven rounds in July last year.

The 30-year-old Thurman edged Joselito Lopez by majority decision in his previous fight last January.

PAULINE DEL ROSARIO hopes to stay hot at the rolling Midlands layout.

TITLE WITHIN REACH FOR U.S.T. TIGRESSES

By Ramon Rafael Bonilla

RICK OLIVARES bleachersbrew@gmail.com

BLEACHERS’ BREW

Eaglets open post-Sotto era with a victory

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HE Ateneo Blue Eaglets opened the post-Kai Sotto era with an impressive 74-71 win over Adamson University in the Filoil Flying V Preseason Cup. Forthsky Padrigao scored the last five points including a triple that bounced in with 11 seconds left to give Ateneo a 74-69 lead. Adamson University could only score on a putback in the remaining time to peg the final count at 74-71.

Granted that Adamson University also lost a lot of its key players, the Junior Falcons were still the taller team while the Blue Eaglets paraded a lot of youngsters.

While I would caution any notions of a championship more so because National University (NU) still has the core of its title team from the previous season, I think there is potential for Reggie Varilla’s Blue Eaglets.

We said in a previous article that Varilla will do a better job this year after a season as head coach tucked under his belt.

Yes, there is promise.

I like the ball movement. More touches for everyone and with everyone getting a shot at the hoops. If these kids have a bit more seasoning, they will be all right.

Ateneo finished with 12 assists; three less than Adamson University. The Eaglets would have had much more but they botched so many gimmes. That is part of the learning curve.

I like the fight in this team. The Eaglets outrebounded a taller Adamson University team, 55-49.

Joshua Lazaro (two points), who transferred from San Beda to Ateneo, hauled down 12 boards while first timer Miggy Salvador pulled down 10 boards to go with his eight points.

And just because they lost Sotto and Gio Chiu, they didn’t lack in the shot blocking department. They rejected six shots to Adamson University’s three.

Impressive.

After Adamson University’s wondrous guard Matt Erolon hit a triple to cut Ateneo’s lead to two, 71-69, at the two-minute mark, Padrigao drove and scored.

Joaquin Jaymalin, one of the few holdovers on the team picked off a pass. A botched lay-up gave the ball back to Adamson University, but Padrigao stole the outlet pass to set up his game winner.

After the loss of Sotto, Chiu, Jed Diaz and Daniel David, I wondered where would they get their offense outside Padrigao and bantam-sized dynamo Ian Espinoza. Jaymalin was on target today from the outside, but more important, he did his share on defense.

I like that undersized forward-center Jynno Ladimo battled inside and gave a good account of himself (five points and six rebounds), Jeremy Felix looked so out of place but he played his butt off to provide six points, three rebounds and two assists. Sean Corral added five points and Lebron Nieto showed great court awareness for a young kid. Yes, that is the youngest brother of Matt and Mike Nieto.

It is a good start. As Coach Varilla said, “meron pa mga masakit sa mata” and true enough, they thrice surrendered double-digit leads. But what was pleasing was the fight in them.

And sometimes, that is all you ever ask for.

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HE feeling was surreal but University of Santo Tomas (UST) is far from celebrating as the team eyes to finish the business in Game Two of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines Season 81 women’s volleyball Finals on Wednesday.

A sea of yellow-clad fans rejoiced when the Golden Tigresses shocked the Ateneo Lady Eagles in straight sets, 25-17, 25-16, 25-20, to take the series-opener on Saturday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum and move a win away from the title they last took home to España in Season 72.

It was far from everyone’s expectations as UST controlled the match against the elimination round top-notcher Ateneo, whose seemingly invincible armor was repeatedly pierced by a barrage of power plays from Most Valuable Player Sisi Rondina.

The graduating spiker Rondina scattered

23 points off 20 attacks to mercilessly batter the Lady Eagles, while her accomplice and Rookie of the Year Eya Laure added 11 points to complete the 1-2 combo of the Golden Tigresses.

The victory was UST’s first after losing 15-straight matches to Ateneo.

Yet, Head Coach Kungfu Reyes set aside celebrating their victory in Game One as they ponder their next move that will earn them the trophy.

“We will be back on the drawing board like nothing happened,” Reyes said after the quick bout against the Lady Eagles. “We will review our flaws and make some refinements if necessary.”

“The Finals is not yet over, we will not stop until we get the prize,” he added.

It was all UST in the first two sets with Rondina smashing their opponents’ defense.

The Tigresses were in control that they led by as any as 16-7 in the second set.

The Lady Eagles tried to come back and cut the deficit to 14-18, but Laure sparked a 7-2 counter to seal UST’s 2-0 set lead.

In the third set, UST couldn’t be denied as Rondina pulled the Tigresses from a slim 21-20 deficit to a 24-20 margin with her relentless attacks. “I showed to my teammates that I really wanted to win. It motivated them to follow my lead,” Rondina said.

In awe of Rondina’s brilliance, Reyes said it was a collective effort.

“We don’t need to put all the burden on Sisi because her teammates are helping her.

Her aura is different now. Before, her room for error was very small, but today many players are giving Sisi the help that she needs,” Reyes said.

Kat Tolentino was the lone bright spot for Ateneo with her 12 points off 10 attacks and two blocks. Maddie Madayag and Bea de Leon were limited to six and four points, respectively.

PHL hosts FIVB beach volley tilt in Boracay

Borja captures boys’ crown, Andaya wins girls’ tiara in IronKids in Cavite

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HE Philippines will host the International Volleyball Federation (FIVB) Beach Volleyball World Tour 1-star event for the second straight year from May 23 to 26, this time in Boracay Island.

Organized by Beach Volleyball Republic, the four-day, double-gender tournament has attracted a total of 20 women’s and 28 men’s teams from 17 countries.

The Philippines will have four women’s teams in the main draw—Sisi Rondina and Bernadeth Pons, Dij Rodriguez and Bea Tan, Jackie Estoquia and DM Demontaño and Fiola Ceballos and Patty Orendain. A fifth pair—Babylove Barbon and Gen Eslapor—will go through the qualifiers.

Air Force’s Ranran Abdilla and Jesse Lopez will head the country’s campaign in the men’s contest, which also includes collegiate standouts James Buytrago and Krung Arbasto and Cebu’s Mike Abria and Jade Becaldo.

Tan and Rodriguez won three BVR on Tour legs this year, while Barbon and Eslapor ruled the Dumaguete leg last month. Abdilla and Lopez topped the first three legs this season before Abria and Becaldo dominated the recently concluded Lingayen edition.

In its efforts to promote sustainable sports tourism, BVR has partnered with the Boracay InterAgency Task Force, the municipality of Malay and

TRIXIE ANDAYA (center) holds her trophy as she poses with Princess Patilan (left) and Bernadette Cabatian after topping the girls’ 13-14 division.

ILOILO’S Jackie Estoquia and DM Demontaño will be one of the Philippine representatives to the International Volleyball Federation Beach Volleyball World Tour Boracay Open.

White House Beach Resort for the event.

The country’s premier beach volleyball circuit is coming off successful legs in Puerto Galera, Santa Fe, Bantayan Island in Cebu, Dumaguete City and Lingayen, Pangasinan.

Last year, the Philippines made its way in the international beach volleyball map by hosting the prestigious Beach World Tour at Sands SM By The Bay with Rondina and Dzi Gervacio finishing fifth, the highest finish for the country in the women’s competition.

Rondina, a Compostela (Cebu) native, along with Iloilo’s Estoquia and Demontaño are making

their second tour of duty for the Philippines in the Beach World Tour. Also making back-to-back stints in the men’s side are Abdilla and Becaldo.

In the Manila edition last year, Japan’s Ayumi Kusano and Takemi Nishibori topped the women’s division, while Germany’s Max-Jonas Karpa and Milan Sievers of Germany ruled the men’s side.

The main draw for women and men is set on May 24. The quarterfinals is scheduled on May 25, while the semifinals and finals will be played on May 26.

The qualifiers will be held on May 23.

EDRICK JAMES BORJA held off Tyrone Macalos to capture the boys’ crown while Trixie Andaya dominated the girls’ side in the premier division of the Alaska Fortified IronKids at the Vermosa Sports Hub in Imus, Cavite, on Sunday.

Borja clocked 15 minutes and 31 seconds to clinch top honors in the 13-14 bracket in a big rebound from his third place effort in the swim-run event in Davao last March. Macalos turned in a 15:58 clocking for second while Dash Ramirez finished third in 16:10.

Andaya, on the other hand, dished out to form to overpower the her side of the centerpiece event that was more than just a race and a healthy physical activity for the kids but staged to likewise help them develop good habits such as discipline and hard work as they try to become better athletes.

She timed 18:12, beating Princess Patilan, who placed second with 19:29, with Bernadette Cabatian

clocked 20:27 for third in the event put up by Alaska and organized by Sunrise Events Inc. Sharing the podium honors were Marc Dula (boys’ 11-12), Aubrey Tom (girls’ 11-12), Darell Bada (boys’ 9-10, and Jiana de Asis (girls’ 9-10).

Dula timed 12:13 to edge Jessly Roman (12:33) and Kristoff David (12:35); Tom clocked 11:57 to beat Kira Ellis (12:19) and Francesca Barretto (13:32); Bada turned in a 9:37 clocking to topple Rafael Ubiadas (10:16) and Rylee Marasigan (10:23); and de Asis timed 9:19 to nip Alyssa Cabatian (9:20) and Zabelle Eugenio (9:49).

Ethan Kyle ruled the 6-8 group in 7:55, nipping Jose Dimayuga and Cyler Alcantara, who both clocked 7:57, while Samantha Hodges took the girls plum in 8:11, beating Cathlene Yumang (8:42) and Ysabel Dalluay (9:14).

Isabelle Calolot and Christian Guido of Roas Autophile topped the relay 6-10 bracket in 6:08, edging Corrine Cruz and Eugenio of Team Rizal Alpha Dragons, who timed 6:10.

LETRAN BEATS NU FOR WIN NO. 3 IN FILOIL HOOPS

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ETRAN turned back a tough challenge from National University (NU) to post its third straight win, 76-69, in the Filoil Flying V Preseason Cup at the Filoil Flying V Centre in San Juan.

The Knights nursed a slim 67-63 lead with under five minutes to play when they nearly turned the ball over after guard Fran Yu opted to pass instead of taking the shot with the 24-shot clock winding down. Luckily for the Knights, Jap Pambid’s triple beat the buzzer for a huge 70-63 advantage.

A stop later, King Caralio tacked on a free throw for Letran, 71-63. NU’s Chino Mosqueda hit two free throws to come within five, 71-66, but Tommy Olivario scored on a big three-point play off NU’s Miguel Oczon for a 74-66 margin with 38 seconds left.

Letran was not threatened the rest of the way.

“I am very happy with the way the boys responded,” said first year Letran Coach Bonnie Tan, whose team went up to 3-0 in Group B. Veteran swingman Jerrick Balanza sat out the game after

incurring a mild knee injury during their previous game against Far Eastern University, while Bonbon Batiller was still not cleared for game action after also a bout in injury bay.

“We will need everyone’s contributions if we want to do well in the Filoil Flying V Preseason Cup and the NCAA [National Collegiate Athletic Association],” Reyson King Caralipio led Letran with 12 points while Ato Ular netted 10 points, the bulk he made in the second period.

Issa Gaye and Sean Ildefonso scored 14 points each for NU, which dropped to 0-2 won-lost.

Ateneo tipped off the post-Kai Sotto era with an impressive 74-71 win over Adamson University in the high-school division.

Forthsky Padrigao scored the last five points, including a triple that bounced in with 11 seconds left, to give Ateneo a 74-69 lead.

Adamson University could only score on a putback in the remaining time to peg the final count. Rick Olivares

PRO-AM CHAMPS Rey Pagunsan (right) and Aidric Chan kiss the glass trophies from their victory in the Delimondo Pro-Am at the Taal Splendido Golf Club in Laurel, Batangas, over the weekend. ROY DOMINGO

Sports BusinessMirror

C4 Monday, May 13, 2019

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

BOTTAS RECORDS SCORCHING LAP Valtteri Bottas smashed Lewis Hamilton’s track record at the BarcelonaCatalunya Circuit in qualifying, finishing the 4.6-kilometer (2.5-mile) track in one minute and 15.406 seconds to better Hamilton’s mark from 2018.

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ONTMELO, Spain—Valtteri Bottas is poised to become a major threat to teammate and defending Formula One champion Lewis Hamilton after clocking a scorching lap at the Spanish Grand Prix to take his third consecutive pole position on Saturday.

Bottas smashed Hamilton’s track record at the BarcelonaCatalunya Circuit in qualifying, finishing the 4.6-kilometer (2.5mile) track in one minute, 15.406 seconds to better Hamilton’s mark from 2018.

More importantly for Bottas’s hopes in Sunday’s race was the gap of more than half a second over Hamilton’s best effort.

With Hamilton second on the grid, Mercedes is in great position to extend its record start after the pair swept the top 2 spots at the first four races.

Bottas, who failed to win a race last season, leads Hamilton by one point in the standings after they have

alternated places in their run of one-two finishes.

“I really enjoyed that adrenaline rush from those laps,” Bottas said.

“It started well, this season. Just the way I hoped for. I am feeling better and better in the car.”

Hamilton praised his teammate, who after two years as a second fiddle has emerged as the No. 1 challenger to stopping him from winning a sixth world title.

“Valtteri did a fantastic job. He has been quick all weekend,” said Hamilton, who took pole in Spain in the previous three years.

“I just didn’t do the job on my side.”

Hamilton was quick to add he hoped to celebrate another Mercedes team victory on Sunday, but with him on top. “I’ll be giving it everything. Great for the team to have a one-two. If I can reverse it [in the race] I’ll be happy.”

Hamilton will look to turn the tables on Bottas in a race that he has won three times, including the last two years.

But Hamilton is getting accustomed to seeing the back of Bottas’s car. Bottas won the last race in Azerbaijan from pole

position.

He was fastest in practice on Friday, and the Finn showed no jitters in qualifying after spinning into gravel in the final practice.

Bottas shouted an emphatic “Yes!” over the car radio when he knew the top spot was his after Hamilton came up short on his last run, with some gravel strewn on the course possibly slowing him down. Bottas and Hamilton both said that the 66-lap race could be decided in the opening meters.

“The start and Turn 1 will be particularly important,” Bottas said. “Tomorrow, Lewis and I both want to win, so I’m looking forward to a hard and fair fight.”

Hamilton said: “My starts have been decent so far this year, so hopefully that will continue on Sunday as it’s not that easy to overtake on this track.”

Sebastian Vettel in his Ferrari will start from third, just in front of Red Bull’s Max Verstappen. Ferrari’s other driver, Charles Leclerc, will start from fifth.

Vettel has yet to top qualifying, and it is clear Ferrari has made up no ground despite bringing a new engine to Spain. Vettel is 35 points

VALTTERI BOTTAS is enjoying the adrenaline rush from his laps. AP

behind Bottas in third place.

“The car doesn’t feel bad, but the car is not quick enough,” Vettel said. “We are struggling a little bit to bring it together.”

Pierre Gasly had the sixth best time in his Red Bull, ahead of Haas pair Romain Grosjean and Kevin Magnussen.

Nico Hulkenberg was the only driver to go off the track in an otherwise clean qualifying session.

The German ran into the barrier and bent one side of his front wing under his Renault. After hasty repairs, Hulkenberg could not make it out of the first qualifying section,

which culls the slowest five drivers.

Renault partner Daniel Ricciardo finished qualifying 10th but will have to serve a three-place grid penalty that he carried over for causing an accident with Daniil Kvyat in Azerbaijan.

Williams’s woes deepened after George Russell lost control during practice before qualifying. Damage from the rear-end impact into the wall required a gearbox change, which incurred a five-place grid penalty.

Russell and teammate Robert Kubica were again at the bottom of qualifying with the slowest cars. AP

SÃO PAULO, RIO COMPETE TO HOST F1

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SEBASTIAN VETTEL (left) speaks with a Ferrari team member after clocking the third fastest time during the qualifying session at the Barcelona-Catalunya racetrack. AP

Ferrari remains slower than Mercedes despite installing new engine

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ONTMELO, Spain—Ferrari had hoped that a new engine would help the team finally get ahead of Mercedes.

Instead, Valtteri Bottas and Lewis Hamilton put themselves in an excellent position to extend their record start to the Formula One season after Mercedes took the top 2 spots in qualifying for the Spanish Grand Prix on Saturday.

Ferrari driver Sebastian Vettel will start Sunday’s race from third on the grid for the fourth time this season.

But the gap seems to have grown—not diminished—in the performance level between the Italian cars and their rivals during the two-week break since Bottas and Hamilton combined for Mercedes’s fourth one-two finish in Azerbaijan.

And this was after Ferrari had fast-tracked a new power unit for the first European race of the calendar to try to stop Mercedes from getting any further ahead.

Vettel already trails Bottas by 35 points and Hamilton by 34 after four races and call ill afford another race without a victory.

Seeing his best lap still 0.8 seconds slower than polewinner Bottas, Vettel said that some “daring” was called for if Ferrari wanted to turn it around.

“We are certainly not satisfied, but I am very happy with the approach, with the chance that we took in terms of trying something daring, something that ultimately will pay off,” Vettel said.

“It will help us in terms of pace for tomorrow, and hopefully it sets us off in the right direction for the next couple of weeks.”

Vettel said that while his and Charles Leclerc’s Ferraris seem fast enough to match the Mercedes in flatout speed on the straightaway, they are losing ground in the final stretch of the Barcelona-Catalunya Circuit that features several turns. “[That] seems to be more than an Achilles’s heel at the moment,” Vettel said.

Leclerc, the only non-Mercedes driver to claim a pole position this season, had a tougher time in qualifying after he clipped a curb and did some slight damage to his car.

“I don’t understand how I managed to lose that much of the car,” Leclerc said. “We broke quite a lot and in [the third qualifying session] the balance was strange so we need to check the car again.”

The 21-year-old Leclerc will start the race fifth behind Red Bull’s Max Verstappen. AP

ÃO PAULO—São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro have entered a fierce competition over who will host the 2020 Formula One in Brazil, after President Jair Bolsonaro said the race would go back to Rio. Two days after Bolsonaro’s comments, state and city officials in São Paulo—where the race is currently held—published a statement on Friday stressing that they had a valid contract with the organization until December 2020 and would fight to renew it after that. “Since December 2018, the prefecture of São Paulo has been working on renewing the contract of the Brazilian Grand Prix of Formula One. There is a conviction that our good relationship will prevail. We do not know of any obstacles that may prevent this renewal,” the joint statement read.

Bolsonaro said on Wednesday that the contract with São Paulo was “unviable” due to the partnership’s “huge debts,” which has public participation.

He also assured that the construction of a new circuit in Rio, which would be built from scratch, could be ready in six to seven months, once the works begin. However, Rio Motorsports, the consortium that heads the project told The Associated Press that it would take between 16 and 17 months.

“There is no dispute with Rio or Bolsonaro, but how can you imagine that an investment that does not yet exist, is not projected or planned...will get an international race track approved to organize the [Grand] Prix of Formula One in 2020?” São Paulo Gov. Joao Doria said during a news conference on Friday.

BRAZIL’S President Jair Bolsonaro attends a military ceremony celebrating “Victory Day” marking the participation of Brazil in World War II in Rio de Janeiro. AP

Rio has not held Formula One since 1989.

“We will not give up being the host of F1. São Paulo has a history, a vocation, a history and in addition to that, one of the circuits better evaluated by the pilots.

There is a contract, signed until 2020, with strict clauses and heavy fines if either party breaks the contract,” Doria added.

The director of the track that hosts the Spanish Grand Prix, meanwhile, said the circuit’s owners are seeking to strike a new deal with Formula One management amid speculation that the race’s days are numbered.

Barcelona-Catalunya Circuit director Joan Fontserè tells The AP that negotiations have been ongoing since regional government authorities met with Formula One Group CEO and Chairman Chase Carey in March.

“Since then we have been working with a team from [FI management] to identify their needs and ours,” Fontserè said on Friday.

The previous contract agreed to by ownership led by

the government for Spain’s northeastern Catalonia region and former F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone runs out this year.

Attendance has also fallen from 140,000 spectators attending the 2007 Spanish GP to 90,000 last year.

Those factors have sparked rumors that another race could replace the Spanish GP. Media reports point to the possibility of F1 adding a Dutch GP to the calendar.

Fontserè denied that the owners had wanted to close the new deal before this weekend’s Spanish GP. “It is a deal that must be done well, not with haste,” he said.

Sunday’s race is the 29th Spanish GP run at the track, where Michael Schumacher and Alain Proust are former winners.

Previously, it had been held at Jerez in southern Spain and other sites.

Lewis Hamilton has won here three times, including the past two years, en route to claiming five world titles.

Preseason testing has also been held at the track for several years. AP

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Glorious God

EAR God, of the risen Christ, You are the joy and exaltation of our hearts. In faith and love we pray: God of the living hear our prayer. Let your Gospel bear fruit in the risen Christ. Strengthen those who face lifethreatening circumstances and hopeless in their journey.

Help Your Church to model care and reverence for the Earth and humankind. May God lead us along the path of life and give us unending joy in Christ, the risen Lord. Amen.

GIVE US THIS DAY SHARED BY LUISA LACSON, HFL Word&Life Publications • teacherlouie1965@yahoo.com

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

Life

AND THEN SOME: WHY ANR IS ONE OF THE WORLD’S BEST-SELLING SERUMS D2

BusinessMirror

Dance XChange 2019: The grace of style PHILIPPINES Lahing Batangan Dance TroupeLyceum of the Philippines Batangas PHOTO BY

TOTA PULCHRA MISS CHARLIZE

@misscharlize

RODERICO TEVES

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ESIDES fashion shows, where I can observe the behavior of a dress, I also love watching dance concerts, where I can marvel at its movements.

The biggest dance concert hereabouts is Dance Xchange: The Philippine International Dance Workshop and Festival, organized by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts-National Committee on Dance.

The 2019 theme is “Cultural Connectivity through Dance,” with Roxas City, Capiz, as the venue. It was held on the last week of April, the “National Dance Week” as declared by Presidential Proclamation 154 and in time for International Dance Day on April 29.

“Allowing others to grow by helping and supporting them has been my way of life. Making available opportunities for upcoming and young dancers and dance groups has been my personal commitment. Providing the country with systematic and quality dance education is my legacy,” Dr. Shirley HaliliCruz, founder and festival director and head of the National

Committee on Dance, said in a prepared statement.

More than 40 dance groups from across the Philippines, Europe and Asia participated in the festival. Most of the delegates (dancers, choreographers, PE teachers) also conducted lecture workshops and performances at the nearby towns of Pilar, Panay, Sigma and Sapian, and Balete, Aklan. “The overwhelming interest of performing groups both foreign and Filipino, and that of the workshop participants has been inspiring, giving us the impetus to carry on and bring this project to fruition,” Halili-Cruz added. “It is truly a wonderful feeling to see on one stage the various dance forms representing the different cultures across the globe.”

In colorful costumes with some in outlandish headdresses, the foreign dance groups dazzled with their grace, artistry and elegance. Bangladesh was represented by the Turongomi Repertory Dance Theatre, performing Dhamal, a traditional Bangladeshi folk art focusing on the application of literature and poetry in dance and choreography.

Villa Dansa of Belgium performed classical jazz and contemporary dance. Cambodia’s Advance Learning Academy performed “Into the Angkor Wat,” a contemporary dance depicting the Khmers’ journey in search for the Angkor Wat Temple, with a beautiful Apsara dancer. Indonesia’s Indonesia Southeast Asian Dance Troupe promoted the region’s varied dances while India’s robust Bhangra Team Folk Blaster promoted the folk dance of Punjab, Luddi, a dance of joy and happiness.

Japan’s Senju Samurai Dance Company did “Goro,” a story about a man hitting a wolf that killed his father. Russians

CONTINUED ON D2

Monday, May 13, 2019

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Style

BusinessMirror

Monday, May 13, 2019

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Why ANR is one of the world’s best-selling serums THE Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair range

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AND THEN SOME DINNA CHAN VASQUEZ

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GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Gauge your time, and keep spending to a minimum. Put your energy into something that counts and will end up making a difference to the way you move forward. Pay closer attention to important relationships.

Romance is highlighted. ★★

Estee Lauder ANR is one of the world’s best-selling serums. It is formulated with the brand’s exclusive Chronolux CB Technology, which works with the skin’s natural renewal cycle.

Estee Lauder ANR has been described as a miracle antiaging product. Bifida ferment lysate is one of the serum’s major ingredients. This ingredient helps strengthen skin’s immunity, protects, repairs and makes the skin more resilient to environmental aggressors. It also has hydrating, calming and soothing properties.

Estee Lauder ANR also contains sodium hyaluronate, a form of hyaluronic acid which helps absorb moisture into the skin. Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair serum also contains tripeptide-32,

which helps cells produce collagen.

One of my favorite things about Estee Lauder ANR is the lightweight texture. I can even use it during the day alone or mixed with my favorite foundation. It’s not oily or heavy but when you use it during the day, you really wake up to plump and soft skin.

Oh, there’s one more reason why I love Estee Lauder ANR. It can be used on acne prone skin.

This is why I call Estee Lauder ANR a life-changing beauty product. It really improved the texture and tone of my skin.

You can actually visit any Estee Lauder boutique to ask for a seven-day ANR sample. A 20 ml size of Estee Lauder ANR is also now exclusively available at the Mall of Asia boutique. ■

Innisfree opens at SM Megamall

hesitate to try on different Innisfree line that will suit your skin’s needs.

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THE renowned Korean beauty and skin-care brand, Innisfree recently launched its second store in the Philippines at SM Megamall. The K-brand’s first store opened at the SM Mall of Asia last year.

As an innovative beauty brand and one of the fastest-growing brands in the Amorepacific group, Innisfree (www.innisfree.com) caters to consumers’ beauty needs and provides an exciting product line with natural benefits.

Innisfree offers innovative beauty solutions powered by the finest ingredients found on Korea’s pristine Jeju island. Thanks to its volcanic origins, this fertile oasis has a unique ecosystem of powerful ingredients to nurture beautiful skin. With the wonders of nature at the heart of Innisfree, they take care to preserve and protect the environment in all that they do, practicing green living and supporting causes that give back to the Earth and

the community. In the new store, customers will be happy to discover some the brand’s most-loved products around the world, including the Green Tea Seed Serum, Orchid Enriched Cream and Super Volcanic Pore Clay Mask.

“In today’s culture, Filipinos are naturally drawn to Korean influences, especially the K-beauty skin-care regimen,” says Stephen Lee, brand general manager of Innisfree, Amorepacific Philippines.

“With our brand, we are excited to offer our Pinoy consumers skin care with a quality selection of products and green sustainable practices. We are also committed expanding and establishing a long-term presence here.” The brand also invites consumers to help create a sustainable waste-free world by donating their empty Innisfree bottle to their Empty Bottle Recycling Campaign at the Innisfree stores in SM Megamall and SM Mall of Asia.

Dance XChange 2019: The grace of style Irina Ablitsova and Aleksandr Smolianinov danced on air as they performed excerpts from famous ballets. Taiwan’s The Luna Rhythm Dance Troupe showed how joy is cultivated by the youth of Yilan country, Taiwan, by carefully watering and nurturing the art of dance.

Malaysia’s Era Budaya Papar and NusPARC Dance Co. and Thailand’s Roi Et College of Dramatic Arts and BSRU Dance4Man also did powerful, applauded performances, while South Korea’s all-male Tae Geuk wowed the crowd with their dancing while playing musical instruments.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY: Consider what you want to accomplish, and don’t stop until you reach your goal.

Share your plans with people heading down the same path as you. Look for opportunities. Live in the present, and make the most of each day. Attitude will make a difference to the way your journey unfolds. Your lucky numbers are 3, 12, 22, 27, 34, 41, 45.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Make plans, pay close attention to detail and leave nothing to chance. You stand to gain if you play by the rules and set your sights on objectives that your skills and attributes are crafted to handle. ★★★★★

❶ DON’T

CONTINUED FROM D1

CELEBRITIES BORN ON THIS DAY: Candice King, 32; Lena Dunham, 33; Stephen Colbert, 55; Stevie Wonder, 69.

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Take any opportunity you get to communicate, travel or learn something new. Listen, and apply what you discover to help you get ahead. Love and romance are on the rise, and socializing and networking will lead to welcome benefits. ★★★

luckydinna@gmail.com

SUMMER’S more fun with Innisfree’s sun care range for your skin type.

By Eugenia Last

a

@dinnachanvasquez

HERE are some beauty products that I consider life changing. I can quickly think of two right now. One is MAC Strobe Cream, which I have been using since around 2000.

The second is Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair Synchronized Recovery Complex II, which I first started to use three or four years ago.

I am always asked to explain what ANR (as it is known) is and my reply is that it is a serum. The next question is: What is a serum?

A serum is a liquid beauty product with a more powerful concentration of active ingredients. I would normally apply this after cleansing, toning and using an essence. I use Estee Lauder’s Micro Essence Skin Activating Treatment Lotion, which helps the skin absorb ANR’s active ingredients.

Estee Lauder Philippines recently held a “Power of the Night” event at the Mall of Asia Atrium to celebrate the power of its best-selling serum.

To celebrate with them, Estee Lauder invited members of the press, bloggers, influencers and celebrities to try out mini facials using Estee Lauder ANR and makeup retouch sessions. After these, guests were able to have their pictures taken in a photo booth with a galactic theme.

Today’s Horoscope

the Philippines (Batangas) preserve traditional dances, while hip-hop champions J. Crisis Dance Crew takes acrobatics to contemporary times.

“The NCCA is one with the endeavor...in promoting, propagating, and pushing forward our praxis of dance as a shared and salient intangible heritage, all for the progression of the said creative expression, for the service to the people, and for ground-up nation-building,” NCCA Chairman Virgilio Almario, National Artist for Literature, said in a message.

“Here’s to hoping that the fruits of this project be catered to the needs of the people. May this endeavor replenish the needing spirit and soul of the Filipino people.” ■

As Sen. Loren Legarda said, “The Filipino spirit continues to move toward a greater aspiration of strengthening our national identity with a heartfelt appreciation of our artistic expressions,” and the Philippine contingent proved this with their energetic performances—enhanced by their well thought-out costumes that aided their storytelling through movements.

From the Halili-Cruz Dance Company/Quezon City Ballet to the Melengas Dance Ensemble of Zamboanga del Sur, the dance genres ran the gamut from classical to indigenous.

The Kislap Sining Dance Troupe of the Philippine Normal University and Lahing Batangan Dance Troupe -Lyceum of

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CANCER (June 21-July 22): Do what you can to please the ones you love without going into debt. Your actions will make a far bigger impression than presents or donations. Use your ingenuity, and you’ll come up with solutions that will encourage others to help. ★★★★

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LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Keep working toward your goal. Time is money, and how you use your time and skills will make a difference to the outcome. Physically taking the initiative to get things done will dilute any complaints or criticism from peers or competitors. ★★★

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VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Communication will be necessary if you want to avoid a disagreement. Personal and professional misunderstandings are apparent if you aren’t precise about what you want and what you are willing to do. ★★★

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LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): A business trip or meeting or engaging in something that will bring you greater knowledge should be considered. Personal improvements may require you to stand up to someone who has been too demanding. Personal gains look promising. ★★★

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SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): What you do for others will make a difference to the way you are treated. Personal changes will encourage better relationships with people you work alongside, as well as the ones you live with. An innovative idea will pay off. ★★★★

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SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Gullibility will be your downfall. Listen, but don’t take what someone tells you at face value. Gather facts and do what suits you. Personal improvements can be made if you live a healthier lifestyle. ★★

j

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Look for a good deal. You stand to come out on top if you negotiate and do things your way. A change at home will encourage greater stability, as well as secure future financial gains. ★★★★★

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AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Stick to selfimprovement, helping those less fortunate and physical challenges. Taking better care of your health will encourage an improved lifestyle, as well as bring you in contact with people heading down a similar path. ★★★

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PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Engage in something that will give you greater vision into new ways to use your attributes, skills and knowledge in order to get ahead. A partnership will help ignite your ideas and push you to follow your dreams. Favors will be granted. ★★★ BIRTHDAY BABY: You are practical, thorough and compassionate.

You are insightful and stylish.

‘cerealization’ BY SAM BUCHBINDER The Universal Crossword/Edited by David Steinberg

ACROSS 1 Shut tightly 5 Idiots 10 Gefilte fish fish, often 14 Rotating car part 15 Luxury Honda line 16 Exam aptly contained in “doctoral” 17 Knockoff square cereal?

19 Tidied, as a bed 20 From ___ Z 21 Airport org.

22 Oslo Accords signer Yitzhak 23 Comes up 25 Dwight’s wife 29 Initials in a poker pot 30 Rapper whose name sounds like a cold drink 31 Go phishing?

33 Oscars slight 35 “My parents are gonna kill me...”

36 Fruity cereal that fell on the floor?

38 “This doesn’t look familiar” 40 Pen points 43 Let It Be Forgotten poet Sara

44 46 47 49 50 52 54 55 56

Balkan native ___ and haw Tiger Woods’s clubs Doesn’t leave RSVP request in an inbox Play, as a 12-Down Longtime CBS series “Nick at ___” Why to eat a puffed-grain cereal when you’re full?

60 Colorful “sad” synonym 61 Request from 62 Foreshadow 63 Nile biters 64 Like Seattle weather 65 Wall Street debuts DOWN 1 Place to watch the big game?

2 Unusual plants and pets 3 The Hebrew Hammer of the Cleveland Indians 4 Part of a relay 5 Barq’s rival 6 ___’s razor

7 8 9 10 11 12 13 18 22 24 26 27 28 32 34 35 37 38 39 41 42 43 45 48

“Of course!”

Miner concern?

Lisa Simpson’s instrument, briefly Unresponsive state Coffee bean variety Pitch that’s heard but not seen Full assembly Klingons, e.g.

Enter, as data Piano practice pieces Plastic soldiers “Is it necessary?”

“Are you ___ out?”

Like male pigs One under par Writer Calvino Tush Destructive beetles Put on a show for the cameras Covert mission Gets hitched League for Bulls and Grizzlies Some muscle car engines Used, as a chair

49 51 53 56 57 58 59

Broadway hit letters Casual shirts Unclear Mason ___ (pantry container) “Born in the ___” Emulate Lindsey Vonn Javier Baez stat

Solution to Friday’s puzzle:

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Show BusinessMirror

Monday, May 13, 2019

Not just for show ALL ACCESS RICKY GALLARDO

rickygallardoTFI@gmail.com

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LL roads lead to the polling places today as Filipinos choose their political leaders for the next few years. And just like many elections in the past, celebrities-turned-politicians are trying to secure their dream political posts at all expense, setting aside their careers momentarily and setting their sights on public service.

Vice Governor of Bulacan and respected actor Daniel Fernando is eyeing the governor’s post this time. We have seen Fernando in action—submerged

in thigh-deep murky waters during a devastating typhoon a few years ago, helping the folk from his province. He arrived without fanfare with his team and started emergency work at once. The scenes we saw are still very vivid in our memory.

In his many years of service as vice governor, Fernando had to turn down a lot of juicy offers for acting work. Two years ago, he squeezed in time to do Ikaw Lang ang Iibigin, a weekday morning drama series for ABS-CBN, and he even garnered a best supporting trophy from the Star Awards for Television for his performance.

“My responsibility to the people of Bulacan is my utmost priority. All else comes secondary. Public service is more than a commitment, it is a calling.

Although I admit that there are times that I miss acting, show business will always be there. Both fields give me different levels of satisfaction,” he told us.

Meanwhile, actor and television host Edu Manzano got into a recent setback when his certificate of candidacy was canceled by the Commission on Elections on the grounds that he was not a Filipino citizen when he filed his candidacy in 2018.

Guns N’ Roses sues brewery over its ‘Guns ‘N’ Rosé’ beer ROCK band Guns N’ Roses is accusing a Colorado brewery of piggybacking off their fame to sell beer and merchandise.

The band filed a trademark infringement lawsuit on Thursday against Colorado-based Oskar Blues Brewery, which sells Guns ‘N’ Rosé beer and merchandise and bandannas the group says are associated with singer Axl Rose.

The complaint says Oskar Blues applied to trademark Guns ‘N’ Rosé last year and abandoned the

effort after the band objected.

The lawsuit says the brewery is still selling the beer and the merchandise.

The band wants a court order blocking the brewery from misappropriating its name, destroying the products and turning over profits from Guns ‘N’ Rosé and other monetary awards.

Oskar Blues marketing director Kyle Ingram did not immediately return a telephone message seeking comment. AP

He and his legal team have countered that the Supreme Court has already validated that he is a Filipino citizen and that all the votes cast in his favor today should and will be counted.

We personally are aware that Manzano has quietly helped a lot of people we know—sending them to school, extending assistance during medical and personal emergencies, supporting the gifted in the field of arts especially self-taught painters, and other instances when his mere presence made difficult situations much easier for those going through rough times.

Manzano is running as congressman for the city of San Juan, after having lost in the 2016 senatorial elections. He also failed in his attempt to become the country’s vice president in the 2010 elections.

JV Ejercito is not unfamiliar with the showbiz industry. His father Joseph Estrada is a former actor who became the country’s president and his mother, Guia Gomez, is the outgoing mayor of San Juan. He is touted as “the good one” on a bid to keep his senate seat. Ejercito’s focus is national health care, something that is of utmost importance. He himself has gotten a

few health scares that involved his immediate family, and he continues to espouse the value of good health.

His programs for the Philippine General Hospital remain priceless to all who have benefited. Richard Gomez has done a lot of good stuff for Ormoc, the birthplace of his other half Lucy Torres. Although sometimes very intense, Gomez is a man of action who produces good results.

The Philippine chef de mission of many international athletic competitions, actor and black belter Monsour del Rosario is aiming for the vice mayoralty post of Makati City. He has two immediate goals: to make Makati as a truly first-class city, and to continue his advocacy on sports training and development.

And another vice mayoralty hopeful is character actor Roderick Paulate, who has years of experience as a councilor for Quezon City. Although faced with recent challenges, Paulate remains undaunted and continues to remain focused on his goal of serving his constituents.

Let’s see if these six personalities would succeed in parlaying their celebrity and their politics to a successful run in these mid-terms. ■

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D4 Monday, May 13, 2019

Style

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Wardrobe essentials for summer T

HE beloved British brand Marks & Spencer presents a perfect range of wardrobe essentials for summer, from beach vacays to city breaks, in practical, stylish and easy-breezy styles.

See spicy tones and earthy hues that resonate the summer sun, with relaxed silhouettes and tactile fabrics. Dresses are key trends of the season—think quality, comfort and style. Sift through the racks and find soft and breathable dress styles that are sure to keep you cool and comfortable on the warmest of days, including light cotton floral dresses, midi dresses adorned with pretty pinstripes, dresses for your beach

trips and sartorial linen dresses. Puff sleeves, gathered necklines and drawstring waist details elevate the overall collection. Pair your favorite pieces with either a standout aviator eye candy, or top it off with a classic straw flat top sun hat, and strut your best look this season.

Linen is another key trend, offering practicality, comfort, and versatility, with a breezy silhouette to match the lightweight fabric. From linen checked shorts, to striped linen jumpsuits, trend-led safari short-sleeved shirts, and straight-leg linen trousers—there is definitely a linen piece for everyone that will add style and texture to any outfit. â–

BusinessMirror

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Monday, May 13, 2019 E1

BOARDS ARE OVERLOOKING QUALIFIED WOMEN. HERE’S HOW TO FIX THAT.

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By Ram Charan & Dennis Carey

ing and development, but it also helps identify HR leaders who have the potential and/or capacity to serve on boards. Along with that, we recommend companies do the following:

ODAY’S gap between the demand and supply of female directors exists for two basic reasons: Boards are overlooking a pool of female talent that is in plain sight, and chief executives are missing the single best way to prepare women to serve on boards.

Consider the reality that most women executives have spent their careers moving up in a single functional silo: human resources. But things have changed, and perceptions should, too. Chief human resources officers of big companies are now deeply involved in planning the company’s future. They understand the high-level business issues, and because they attend some if not all board meetings, they know how to work with a board. At the same time, their expertise in

compensation, culture, recruiting and other high-level people issues is itself increasingly valuable as boards and managements prioritize talent.

Boards should mine HR for this new breed of leader, many of whom are female. And while there are fewer female chief financial officers, this too is a source to explore. But that still won’t meet the growing need.

To address the gap, CEOs can help develop this key talent pool

Search deeper and wider

THE pool of women who have relevant business experience, including profit and loss responsibility, is surprisingly large once you go three or four levels below the CEO. The names are hidden, and the résumés may be relatively short, but some of these people will have the maturity to be a director.

Take risks

while improving the quality and speed of strategic decisions. One of the best practices we’ve seen is the creation of what we call a group of three: a tight-knit three-way partnership with the CEO, CHRO and

CFO. Importantly, a G3 also gives the CHRO a deeper understanding of the company’s financial issues and expands the CHRO’s (and CFO’s) view of the enterprise.

The same idea applies to lower

organizational levels. HR leaders can cultivate broader skills by working closely with business leaders.

Structuring their work that way has benefits, such as improving placement, recruiting and learn-

BOARDS often back away from a first-time director. But to get the right talent, they should overcome that hesitation and take a chance on a younger and/or less experienced person who meets their criteria.

We know there are qualified women out there. Let’s go find them.

Ram Charan has been an adviser to the CEOs of some of the world’s biggest corporations and their boards.

Dennis Carey is the vice chairman of Korn Ferry.

Can AI nudge us to make better choices? The future of drug trials is better data and continuous monitoring

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By Bob Suh

N the online world, once expected to be a place of ready information and easy collaboration, lies and hate can spread faster than truth and kindness.

Artificial intelligence sits at the crossroads of this behavioral issue, with the potential to make matters worse or to elicit better outcomes from us. The key to better outcomes is to boost AI’s emotional quotient—its EQ—by training algorithms to mimic the way people behave in constructive relationships.

When people with high EQ interact with us, they learn our patterns, empathize with our motivations and carefully weigh their responses. They decide to ignore, challenge or encourage us depending on how they anticipate we will react. AI can be trained to do the same thing. While it’s still quite early, the fields of behavioral science and machine learning already provide some promising techniques, including:

Noting pattern breaks and nudging

PEOPLE who know you can easily tell when you are breaking a pattern, and react accordingly.

Encouraging self-awareness with benchmarks

BLUNTLY telling individuals they are performing poorly often backfires, provoking defensiveness rather than greater effort. A more diplomatic method simply allows people to see how they compare with others.

Using game theory to accept or challenge conclusions

IN most massive screening systems, the rate of false positives is often extremely high. Artificial intelligence, playing the role of a chess opponent, can decide to counter by accepting the analyst’s decision or challenging it.

Choosing the right time for insight and action

DECISIONS that need more thought could be presented at a time when the decision-maker has more time.

An algorithm based on the distinction between what one feels and what one is expected to say might conceivably be developed to address the tendency of people to say and do things under the influence of crowds that they would otherwise hesitate to do.

Bob Suh is the founder and CEO of OnCorps.

© 2019 Harvard Business School Publishing Corp. (Distributed by The New York Times Syndicate)

By Antoniu L. Fantana, Gina M. Cella, Charles T. Benson & Joseph C. Kvedar

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EW and proven digital technologies can make drug development smarter, better and faster. Consumers are also turning to these devices to help them lose weight, increase their daily activity and sleep better.

It’s time to apply them to drug development in order to more efficiently, frequently and accurately present actionable information to researchers and health-care providers.

What becomes possible

DIGITAL technologies will allow researchers to

measure the health data of clinical trial participants on a regular basis during the normal course of daily living without significantly disrupting them. They will make it possible to more accurately assess an individual’s health, as well as how the study drug is performing.

To put it in technical terms, the measurements need to be commensurate with the change in the variable being measured. Known as Nyquist frequency, this identifies how often measurements should be conducted and accounts for the natural variabilities in an individual’s health or their underlying disease, including changes in blood glucose, pain levels, blood pressure or heart rate.

Digital technologies can allow researchers to detect adverse events to a drug therapy earlier. These events include medication errors, drug reactions, allergic reactions and overdoses. The devices also can enable researchers to glean better insights into these events when they do occur.

Where do we go from here?

NEW technologies will make possible radically new designs for clinical trials—with more targeted interventions, shorter duration and fewer participants—thus lowering costs, increasing efficiencies and potentially bringing important new therapies to market faster.

By linking information about an individual’s genotype (genetic information) and phenotype (human traits and behaviors), digital technologies can lead to individualized diagnoses and therapies on a scale previously unimaginable.

Antoniu L. Fantana leads global patient safety analytics at Eli Lilly & Co. Gina M. Cella is a principal of Cella Communications. Charles T. Benson is a senior director at Eli Lilly & Co. Joseph C. Kvedar is vice president of Partners HealthCare’s Connected Health unit.

What putting patients first really looks like

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By Ghazala Q. Sharieff

BOUT a decade ago, when I was running the emergency department at Rady Children’s Hospital in San Diego, a woman showed up with her seven-year-old grandson, who had been suffering from unexplained fevers and pain that moved from one leg to the other. The staff obtained an x-ray which proved to be normal and the family was advised to follow up with the child’s pediatrician. I almost sent the boy on his way. But then I paused; the family had sought out a different ED four times, uncomfortable with the non-diagnosis each time. They knew something was wrong.

I asked the grandmother what her great-

est concern was. She feared her grandson had cancer. Roving leg pain, normal x-rays, unexplained fever—she could be right. I suggested that we obtain a blood test. Sure enough, the boy had leukemia.

The success of that training led to a program at Scripps, where I am now the chief experience officer, called One Thing Different.

The initiative, now a year old, asks front-line staff to do something different each day in their routines with patients and loved ones. It might be to ask what their patient’s greatest concern is. Or it might be to help a lost visitor find their way. The program is already having impact, as I’ll describe.

There are two critical reasons for providers to focus on this. One is that providing

empathetic care to people when they are at their most vulnerable is, simply, the right thing to do. The other, as everyone in health care knows all too well, is that failing to meet patients’ expectations is increasingly costly.

Here’s how our program works. Through a web site, videos and patient-experience training sessions we encourage the 15,000 employees, 3,000 physicians and 2,000 volunteers across the system to choose their own “one thing” to help patients and their families, and then share these with the organization on a dedicated web site.

The site categorizes staff by roles, so other employees in the same field can get ideas.

To date we have more than 4,000 entries, a measure of the enthusiasm with which staff

has embraced the concept.

It’s probably impossible to tease out the impact of the one-thing initiative alone on patient experience, as we have multiple patient experience efforts under way. But since the program launched we have seen a six-percentile improvement in patient experience scores systemwide, and in one unit saw a 20-percentile improvement in assessments of clerks’ helpfulness. And it’s well known that the more engaged healthcare employees are, the more satisfied their patients.

Ghazala Q. Sharieff is corporate vice president and chief experience officer at Scripps Health in San Diego.

E2 Monday, May 13, 2019 • Editor: Efleda P. Campos

Education BusinessMirror

AIM gets ₧500-M Aboitiz donation for data science

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By Elijah Felice Rosales

@alyasjah

HE Asian Institute of Management (AIM) has received from the Aboitiz Group over P500 million in donation to be used for the school’s program on data science and innovation.

The AIM last Wednesday secured the amount from the Aboitiz Group, through the Aboitiz Foundation Inc., in support of its data science initiatives.

The gift will be used to fund two data science professorial chairmen, an interest-free student loan program and future facilities improvement of the newly named Aboitiz School of Innovation, Technology and Entrepreneurship (Asite).

AIM President and Dean Jikyeong Kang said the donation fortifies the strong collaboration between the school and the conglomerate known for its investments in power, banking and financial services, food, infrastructure and land.

“Aboitiz Foundation and AIM

have a shared vision of thought leadership within the education, innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem. This gift cements the beginning of a long-term partnership to develop innovation and technology-oriented managers, leaders and entrepreneurs who will take the lead in transforming Asian business and society,” Kang said in a statement. Kang recalled there were two donations handed over to the AIM amounting to over P500 million before. Aboitiz’s gift is the largest cash donation granted to the academic institution.

“We are extremely grateful to the Aboitiz family for empowering AIM to continue to generate and sustain our mission of providing this region with future-ready leaders who can

create value for their organization and the communities within which they operate,” she added.

The gift will finance the establishment of two professorial chairmen, to be known as the Aboitiz Chairman in Data Science and to be held by faculty members Christopher Monterola and Erika Fille Legara.

Monterola is concurrently the head of Asite, while Legara is the program director of the Aboitiz School’s Master of Science in Data Science (MSDS) program.

Further, it will fund the zerointerest Aboitiz Student Loan Program for the MSDS and the Master of Science in Innovation and Business programs. The ASLP is expected to expand AIM’s social inclusiveness by assisting deserving but financially challenged students to obtain a postgraduate degree.

Aboitiz Foundation Chairman Erramon I. Aboitiz said the firm made the donation to the AIM as it believes in the history and vision of the school in sustaining businesses and societies not only in the Philippines, but in Asia as a whole.

“Over the past 50 years, AIM has contributed immensely to sustaining the growth of businesses and societies not only in the Philippines, but

in Asia, by developing professional, entrepreneurial and socially responsible managers and leaders. Similarly, sustainability is at the core of our growth story anchored on our philosophy that we can do well by doing good, always making the right long term decisions that balance the interests of people, planet and profit,” Aboitiz said in a statement.

“With the Aboitiz’s 100th Anniversary Commitment Fund, we hope this new innovation-focused school will be able to benefit AIM as it leads and blazes new trails, to inspire real-world learning and to transform principled leaders,” he added.

Asite provides a platform for innovators, data scientists and entrepreneurs to work collaboratively and produce actionable insights that foster new knowledge, create value across industries and generate positive impact, especially within the Asian context.

The Aboitiz school enrollees totaled 167 students in different masteral programs, a big jump from only 75 students in 2017. The AIM is targeting to enlist 200 students next year. “We are growing the number gradually to ensure that the quality of the teaching and learning experience is maintained,” Kang concluded.

Students showcase their creativity, ingenuity in robotics expo

PHL barista champion builds coffee school for Pinoys

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ICHAEL HARRIS LIM, the 2019 Philippine National Barista Champion and the first Filipino to make it to the semi-finals of the World Barista Championship in Boston, USA, opens the Institute for Coffee Excellence, an educational institution committed to developing a variety of educational initiatives that focus on instilling positive values that will help students grow and excel as coffee professionals.

After successfully sharing his advocacies in the international stage, Harris continues to carry out his life’s work of creating a fully sustainable coffee economy and takes another step toward realizing this vision— by officially opening the Institute for Coffee Excellence.

Since he first ventured in the coffee business in 2001, he has been committed to providing solutions to elevate the quality of local crops and equip Filipino farmers with tools and knowledge to help them keep up with the evolving industry. But through the competitions, Harris was able to see the industry in the perspective of a barista that made him realize they also need training in delivering the best coffee experience.

As he stated, “This journey has inspired me to create a space to nurture the baristas and our Filipino coffee farmers.” Thus, he built the Institute for Coffee Excellence to have its thrust work at both ends of the

spectrum: for farmers and baristas.

Harris envisions the institute as an instrument in fostering a community that works together for total sustainability to achieve the ultimate goal of having an increasingly steady food and coffee security for the Philippines and for the future generations to come.

“The transformation of a community begins with education. In the case of our coffee community, I believe we would have to start by empowering our farmers and baristas with the knowledge, values and passion to work towards a beautiful coffee future,” he said.

Prior to his participation in the national and world competitions, Harris makes vigorous effort in extending a helping hand to the thriving coffee industry as a social entrepreneur. While he actively supports coffee-producing communities in Benguet through the platforms he built such as the Foundation for Sustainable Coffee Excellence (FSCE) and The Giving Café, his eagerness to create greater initiatives that will benefit the local industry never ceased.

Driving his inspiration from the members of the coffee community, he’s also aiming to make the Foundation for Sustainable Coffee Excellence as the country’s National Body licensed by World Coffee Events to hold the next competitions in 2020.

NEW STUDENTS ADMITTED TO S.M. SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM FOR S.Y. 2019-2020

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OUR schools showcased their innovative robocar creations in the recently held Genyo e-Learning Do-It-Yourself (DIY) Robotics Workshop and Robocar Design Exposition. Spearheaded by Diwa Learning Systems Inc. (Diwa)—the leading provider of print and digital educational resources in the country—the event aims to boost students’ interest in robotics by providing them with the basic knowledge and allowing them to apply it. The schools were asked to develop a robocar that aids in earthquake rescue operations using the Genyo e-Learning DIY Robotics 3-in-1 Robocar given to them by Diwa.

The students of Colegio de San Francisco Javier of Palompon, Leyte designed their robocar based on the Mars Rover Model of NASA. The Mobile Earthquake Rescue Bot or MERB can run through rocky terrain and slopes, and detect the presence of survivors underneath rubble.

FAITH Catholic School of Tanauan City, Batangas made a robocar rescue using Simultaneous Localization and Mapping or SLAM, a synchronous location awareness and recording of the environment in a map of a computer, device, robot, drone, or other autonomous vehicles. Their robocar creation employed various types of sensors capable of understanding its environment, thus helping rescuers locate casualties.

Students of the Immaculate Heart of Mary College of Manila created Disaster Ready Emergency Aid for Man or DREAM Bot to deliver quick emergency supplies to a survivor during an aftershock to also help ensure the safety of the rescuers.

Saint Joseph College of Maasin, Leyte developed a versatile and low-cost model for their robocar using recycled materials. Its main purpose is to search for alternative routes to unreachable areas.

Aside from the design exposition, various schools were invited to undergo a seminar workshop that includes a short lecture by Engineering and Robotics expert Jun Bagaindoc.

He talked about the basics of robotics and the functional role of robots in our society. Participating schools were Emmanuel Christian School, Escuela de Sophia of Caloocan Inc., Espiritu Santo Parochial School, Immaculate Heart of Mary College Quezon City, Sacred Heart Academy Pasig, Saint Mary’s Academy Pasay, San Lorenzo School, and San Sebastian College Recoletos.

A line-tracing competition and pop-theballoon challenge were also held to let students explore the Genyo DIY Robotics kits.

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OFFICIALS from the Asian Institute of Management and the Aboitiz Group of Cos. field questions from the media during the event when Aboitiz donated P500 million to AIM’s program on data science and innovation. Leading the panel are (from left): Dr. Christopher Monterola, head of the Aboitiz School of Innovation,Technology and Entrepreneurship; Peter Garrucho Jr. OBE, Chairman of the AIM Board of Governors and Trustees; Dr. Jikyeong Kang, AIM president and dean; Maribeth Marasigan, COO of Aboitiz Foundation; and Dr. Erika Fille Legara, academic program director, Master of Science in Data Science. ROY DOMINGO

Seminar on New Customs Rules on Import and Export of Goods

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F you are importing and exporting goods to and from the Philippines or the customs broker for your client, it is your business to know the rules set by the Bureau of Customs (BOC).

Managing customs compliance is essential for all importers and exporters. With the clamor of the different players and stakeholders to address this important issue, the Center for Global Best Practices is launching a one-day training entitled “New Customs and Import Rules of the Philippines” to be held on Friday, June 7, 2019 at the Edsa Shangri-La Hotel, Mandaluyong City.

The implementing rules and regulations (IRR) of the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act (CMTA) have recently been released by the Bureau of Customs through various Customs Administrative Orders (CAOs) and Customs Memorandum Orders (CMOs) to clearly spell out the many changes that will impact on

your trade transactions.

Attendees of this training will learn compliance best practices and everything they need to know on the changes in the Tariff and Customs Code of the Philippines that will impact on their trade transactions so they may hurdle the challenges and avoid higher penalties in the form of administrative fines, surcharges and interests for misdeclaration, undervaluation and misclassification of imported goods, failure to pay correct duties and taxes among many others.

This will also include recent Depar tment of Finance issuances as well as relevant foreign and local jurisprudence on matters involving imported goods.

Managing your customs compliance obligations responsibly and proactively can make a critical difference in the success of your business.

This training is open to the general public and is also highly

recommended for business owners and the management of import-export companies, lawyers, CPAs, customs brokers, manufacturers and assemblers, logistics companies, Peza locators and other stakeholders.

Visit www.cgbp.org for details and a complete list of Best Practices programs including the “Revised ISBP on LC Transactions,” “ICC Model International Sales Contracts,” Incoterms 2010, Understanding Trade Finance Practices & Compliance Issues for Auditors, “Philippine Visas and Work Permits,” IRRs on the Tax Amnesty for Delinquent Accounts and Estate Taxes, “How to Import Goods to the Philippines,” 2019 Revised Corporation Code, Best Practices in Succession Planning and many more. You may also call landlines in Manila (+63 2) 8427148/ 59 and (+63 2) 556-8968/ 69, in Baguio (+63 74) 423-2914, in Cebu (+63 32) 512-3106 or 07, or Legazpi City (+63 52) 736-0148.

M Foundation welcomed 430 new scholars to its college scholarship program on Wednesday, May 8, 2019, as it continues the legacy of SM founder Henry Sy Sr. of investing in the future through education.

The awarding of the scholarship grants was done nationwide. This year, Bataan, Daet and Sorsogon have been added to the list of areas where the scholarship is available. The other areas covered by the scholarship program are NCR, Albay, Batangas, Benguet, Bulacan, Cagayan, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Cavite, Isabela, Laguna, Nueva Ecija, Palawan, Pampanga, Pangasinan, Quezon, Rizal, Tarlac, Zambales in Luzon; Capiz, Cebu, Iloilo, Leyte, Negros Occidental in the Visayas; and in Mindanao, Agusan del Norte, Davao del Sur, Misamis Oriental, South Cotabato and Zamboanga del Sur. The college scholarship program is the flagship program of SM Foundation. Under the program, scholars enjoy full tuition and miscellaneous fees subsidy. They are also provided with monthly stipend and job opportunities at SM malls during summer or Christmas breaks. They are given the option of pursuing courses in computer science, information technology, engineering (civil, electrical and electronics), education (elementary and

secondary); accountancy; and financial management, among others.

The new scholars join the more than 1,500 college grantees SM Foundation maintains at any given time since the scholarship program started. They are enrolled in 82 partner colleges and universities.

SM Foundation also supports technical-vocational scholars enrolled in various training centers.

Through the techvoc scholarship, SM Foundation gives the option of a two-year course in the areas of food and beverage, automobile mechanic, fitter machinist, electromechanical technician, refrigeration and Air-conditioning, Small Arc Welding and electromechanics are made available to those who do not want to pursue a four-year collegiate degree. By providing the scholars with skills in demand in the market, they are given better opportunities to improve their lives.

SM scholars who have finished their degrees and trainings are now employed and helping their families, a testament to Henry Sy Sr.’s belief that education is the best defense against poverty. For when one family member graduates from college, he/she is empowered to help another sibling go to school and serve as the key to lift their family out of poverty.

Naga City school uses e-learning to teach students about the electoral process

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IVICS and citizenship education is an essential part of a school’s curriculum. In efforts to bring the “real world” to the classroom, Minds That Matter, a school in Naga City, Camarines Sur, launched a program that let students experience a simulation of the electoral process.Amelia Cadiz, the directress of Minds That Matter, initiated this student election exercise that was modeled after the electoral process in the Philippines where voters would visit respective districts and line up to enter the polling stations. Over 800 students participated in the election, which was conducted through the school’s learning management system, Genyo e-Learning (Genyo).

Genyo e-Learning, the first fully integrated online learning management system brought to the Philippines by Diwa Learning Systems Inc. (Diwa) in 2007, houses rich, animated lessons and activities for the core subject areas—English, Science, Mathematics, Filipino, and araling panlipunan.

Aside from these, Genyo has different features that schools can use to support their initiatives.

With the help of Diwa, Minds That Matter became the first school to conduct an online student election in Naga City. Working with the Diwa Learning Integration Specialist (LIS) assigned to the school, Minds That Matter guided teachers in preparing for the online election.

“Diwa was very supportive,” Cadiz shared.

“They told us the ways where we can maximize the use of the e-learning system.”

According to Cadiz, for the elections, the school set up a room where students registered and used their account in Genyo to be able to vote. A live video was shared with the parents through Facebook Live. After the students voted, they were marked with indelible ink, imitating the process which is applied to voters.

Minds That Matter used Genyo’s survey feature to conduct their online election. Before adopting this system, the school conducted elections through manual voting. The slow process of counting and waiting for days to gather the results were taken out of the equation and consequently made a big difference in saving time.

E-learning was introduced in Minds That Matter in July 2017. Genyo gave the school an easy transition from traditional delivery to online education. Since then, the school has utilized the different tools in Genyo to create ways to help teachers provide a modern and holistic learning experience to their students.

Cadiz hopes the activity would help students become more aware of how actual voting works.

Minds That Matter is planning to make the online election a regular process which helps in obtaining faster results and provide more applications for e-learning.

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Marketing BusinessMirror

Editor: Efleda P. Campos • Monday, May 13, 2019 E3

Six undesirable business communication habits flagged C PR Matters

By Joy L. Buensalido

OMMUNICATION professionals are expected to be prime examples of how people can readily connect with their target audiences, whether these belong to their immediate circle of friends and associates or these are people they want to reach through business communication campaigns like advertising, marketing, public relations or digital programs.

Effective communication and fine business behavior are first demonstrated in the workplace.

Based on a recent research study conducted among 811 office workers, Ayaz Nanji, an independent digital strategist who is also a research writer for MarketingProf, flagged the most unacceptable communication habits in the work setting: using a speakerphone in shared spaces, gossiping, using all caps in e-mails and replying all to e-mails.

Other bad habits cited by this study are discussing politics, not silencing the cell phone, sending e-mails to the entire team, talking on the phone while in the bathroom, improperly using bold or italics and sending joke emails to the team.

While I agree with some of Nanji’s observations, one might argue that such behavior is commonly noted in the Philippine setting and is considered quite tolerable—although not necessarily correct—most of the time.

Still, I believe that Nanji’s findings can be useful if we put these in the proper perspective. Let me share how:

official e-mail correspondence? No, if serious business is being discussed.

But emoticons do no harm when used in casual and friendly correspondence. You can bend the rules a little bit as long as it’s meant for positive reinforcement.

can “reply to all” be used in 4When your e-mails?

I think “replying to all” is a function we resort to when our message is relevant or useful to the other recipients in the list. But if your message is meant for someone’s eyes only, you may drop the other names in the thread.

it proper to use a speakerphone in 1Isshared spaces? putting your cell phone on 5Not mute.

No, not when you’re in a co-office workspace and there are other people around that you don’t know. Strangers must not be made privy to your business discussions— they would likely feel more uncomfortable than curious about the goings-on in your office. Other places where using your speakerphone is a no-no: restaurants, beauty salons, small retail shops, crowded elevators, P2P buses or other public conveyances.

Yes, it may be appropriate to use a speakerphone when you’re confined to a closed room in your office and you need to talk to a client or supplier who may be out of the country, especially if you don’t have teleconferencing facilities. If there is official business to be discussed that requires a group to participate, using a speakerphone is not only acceptable, but necessary.

gossiping be allowed in 2Should the workplace?

No. Discussing the lives of your clients, your coworkers, your competitors or your perceived foes, and even the titillating details of celebrity scandals you happen to pick up from social media is a counterproductive habit that must be discouraged at any time. Gossiping becomes especially intolerable when it concerns a workmate’s personal affairs or a client’s foibles or a mishap that a coworker has had that sends you snickering about how they probably deserve it after being one of the most difficult people you’ve ever worked with.

But...Yes if your “tidbit” from the rumor mill helps serve up novel and creative ideas that your team could use in crafting a specific campaign. Reports from the trenches often spawn unique and innovative concepts around which memorable campaigns are made. Even the random event or celebration can offer outstanding opportunities for promoting your product, your client or your advocacy.

you use all caps in all your 3Should e-mails?

No, because using all caps is the digital version of shouting and is, therefore, considered rude or abrasive.

No, if you’re simply working on your regular, official, and client correspondence.

No, if your e-mails are read by or copied to global contacts or recipients because they are not accustomed to using all caps even as an expression of joy or emphasis.

In the local setting, an exception might be when a superior or senior executive is in pep-talk mode, encouraging the e-mail recipient with messages like: “GOOD JOB!” or “EXCELLENT WORK!” or “WE CAN DO THIS!” The use of all caps conveys the superior’s approval that, I believe, a staff will appreciate.

Still on e-mails: Is it appropriate to use emoticons like smileys or GIFS in

This to me is one of the most annoying habits that people in the workplace often take for granted. I must admit that I’ve overlooked this rule quite a few times, so that whenever my phone rang during a meeting, I’d hastily turn it off.

I distinctly remember this anecdote concerning a top company CEO who reportedly sent his subordinate’s cell phone flying across the room when it rang in the middle of a meeting. This happened years ago when cell phones were still a novelty, so I guess the temperamental CEO was simply making a point about focusing on the meeting.

Today, however, cell phones are considered an appendage of yourself and there is always the likelihood of urgent messages coming in. Please set your gadget on silent mode, of course, and just check it out discreetly from time to time.

Never read a message or take a call when someone is making an important point. That is rude. If you are expecting an important message, just courteously ask to be excused and step outside to do what you need to do.

At this point I’d like to give my personal opinion on one particularly sensitive or tricky issue that was likewise identified by Nanji’s study:

6Discussing politics.

In the Philippines, we live and breathe two things: politics and show business.

Nearly everyone—from the enclaves of the rich to the seedy neighborhoods of the Metro—has a mouthful to say about politicos or artistas. Chatting about controversial personalities per se is neither reprehensible nor distasteful, but only when done during break times.

And again, snippets of information on newsmakers from the political and entertainment arenas are occasionally helpful when planning certain publicity and marketing campaigns, so we can’t—and should not—rule these out completely.

In fact, communication professionals can become better advisers or consultants to clients when they are able to navigate the twin worlds of politics and show business.

PR Matters is a roundtable column by members of the local chapter of the United Kingdom-based International Public Relations Association (Ipra), the world’s premier association for senior communications professionals around the world. Joy LumawigBuensalido is the president and CEO of Buensalido & Associates Public Relations.

PR Matters is devoting a special column each month to answer our readers’ questions about public relations. Please send your questions or comments to askipraphil@gmail.com.

ILLUSTRATIONS BY ELBERT OR TAKEN FROM THE BOOK PINOY MANNERS, 2016

Perspective BusinessMirror

E4 Monday, May 13, 2019

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VALERIY KACHAEV | DREAMSTIME.COM

Our smartphone addiction is killing us–can apps that limit screen time offer a lifeline?

By Ashley Whillans | Harvard Business School

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THE CONVERSATION

E’RE squandering increasing amounts of time distracted by our phones. And that’s taking a serious toll on our mental and physical well-being.

Perhaps ironically, software developers themselves have been on the forefront of efforts to solve this problem by creating apps that aim to help users disconnect from their devices. Some apps reward you for staying off your phone for set periods of time. Others “punish” or block you from accessing certain sites or activities altogether.

But over the past year, Apple has been removing or restricting some of the top screen time or parental control apps from its App Store, according to a New York Times analysis. At the same time, Apple—which cited privacy concerns for removing the apps— launched its own screen-time tracker that comes pre-installed on new iPhones.

Limiting iPhone users’ access to other types of apps is a bad thing because certain ones may work better for some people than others.

And research by myself and others shows that excessive technology use can be problematic. In extreme cases, it is linked to depression, accidents and even death.

But what makes some apps work better than others? Behavioral science, my area of expertise,

can shed some light.

Why we need help

TECHNOLOGY is designed to be addictive. And a society that is “mobile dependent” has a hard time spending even minutes away from their app-enabled smartphones.

In 2017, US adults spent an average of three hours and 20 minutes a day using their smartphones and tablets. This is double the amount from just five years ago, according to an annual survey of internet trends. Another survey suggests most of that time is spent on arguably unproductive activities like Facebook, gaming and other types of social media.

This addiction has consequences.

The most serious, of course, is when it leads to fatalities, like those that result from distracted driving or even taking selfies.

But it also takes a serious toll on our mental health, as my own research has demonstrated. One experiment I conducted with a colleague found that looking at Facebook profiles of people having fun at parties made new college students feel like they didn’t belong. Another study suggested that

people who spent more time using social media were less happy.

Ultimately, our phones’ constant connection to the internet— and our constant connection to our phones—means that we miss out on bonding with those that we care about most, lowering everyone’s happiness in the process.

Trying to unplug

THE good news is that most of us aren’t oblivious to the negative effects of technology and have a strong desire to disconnect.

As you might expect in a market economy, businesses are doing their best to give us what we want.

Examples include a Brooklyn-based startup selling bare-bones phones without an internet connection, hotels offering families discounts if they give up their mobiles during their stay, and resorts creating packages built on the idea of creating sacred spaces where consumers leave their devices at home.

And app developers have also risen to the challenge with software aimed at helping us use our phones less.

Goal setting is key

APPLE’S screen-time app is a good first step because it shows you how much time you are spending on apps and websites—and possibly raise some red flags. However, many apps go much further.

Research suggests that you should download applications that ask you to set specific goals that are tied to concrete actions. Making commitments upfront can be a powerful motivator, even more so than financial incentives.

For example, Moment asks users to set specific technology-limit-

Constant connection to technology undermines happiness, relationships and productivity.

Applications that take advantage of the latest insights from behavioral science can help us disconnect and get on with living our lives. ing goals tied to their daily actions, such as setting up an alert when you pick up the phone during dinner time. Offtime prompts users with warnings when they are about to exceed the limits for an online activity they’ve set.

Flipd takes it a step further and actually completely blocks certain phone apps once users have exceeded pre-determined targets—even if you try to reset the device—making it the ultimate commitment app. Similarly, Cold Turkey Blocker prevents users from accessing literally any other function of their desktop computers for a certain period of time until they have completed self-set goals, like writing. While this might not affect phone use, it could help you be more productive at work.

Defaults are your friend

ANOTHER helpful trait in an application involves configuring default settings to encourage less technology use.

In their award-winning book Nudge, Nobel Prize winner Richard Thaler and Harvard law professor Cass Sunstein showed how adjusting the default for a company’s retirement plan—such as by requiring employees to opt out rather than opt in—makes it easier to achieve a goal like saving enough for your golden years.

Your phone’s applications can take advantage of that technique as well. Freedom, for example, is an app that automatically blocks users from visiting “distracting” apps and websites, such as social media and video games. Unfortunately, it is one of the apps that Apple removed from its store.

Ransomly alters the default setting of a room—such as the dining room—to be phone and screen free by using a sensor and app to automatically turn off all devices when they’re in the vicinity.

Rewards and punishments

OFFERING rewards is another strategy that is grounded in behavioral research.

We tend to highly value rewards earned through effort, even when they have no cash value. Indeed, smartphone software frequently takes advantage of this idea, such as in various apps that offer “badges” for hitting certain daily fitness milestones.

Productivity apps incorporate these rewards as well by providing users with points for prizes—such as shopping discounts and yoga ex-

periences—when they meet their screen-time goals. Since static rewards become demotivating over time, choose an application that provides uncertain and surprising rewards.

An even more powerful motivator than earning rewards can be losing them. That’s because research shows that losing has a larger impact on behavior than winning, so if you’re serious about changing your behavior try an application that incurs critical costs.

Examples include Beeminder, which takes US$5 from your credit card for every goal you don’t meet, and Forest, which provides you with the chance to grow a beautiful animated tree—or to watch it slowly wither and die—depending on whether or not you meet your technology goals.

Persistence pays

PERSISTENCE is one of the hardest parts of accomplishing any new goal, from losing weight to learning how to cook.

Research suggests that capitalizing on social motivations— like the need to fit in—can encourage persistent behavioral change.

Constant connection to technology undermines happiness, relationships and productivity. Applications that take advantage of the latest insights from behavioral science can help us disconnect and get on with living our lives.

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article here: http://theconversation. com/our-smartphone-addictionis-killing-us-can-apps-that-limitscreen-time-offer-a-lifeline-116220.