BusinessMirror May 18, 2019

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V

ETERAN senators do not foresee the next Senate being transformed into a “rubber stamp” of Malacañang given the number of proadministration bets barging into the winning circle of the May 13 midterm senatorial elections.

“The Senate will not be subservient to anyone, yesterday, today and tomorrow,” Senate President Vicente Sotto III declared in a text message to the BusinessMirror.

Sotto shared the assertion of other senators who sought to ease apprehensions that a huge proDuterte bloc, with the entry of trusted presidential aide Bong Go and other Palace-backed senatorial bets in the 24-member chamber, could prevent it from performing its traditional role as counterbalance to the Executive.

Among others, the Senate is vested by the Constitution with treaty-ratifying powers and more important, the sole power to try a President if he or she is impeached by the House of Representatives.

This, not to mention the formidable oversight powers of senators and their power to call inquiries in aid of legislation, especially by the Blue Ribbon committee.

The notion of senators being independent is so ingrained in the political psyche that people routinely refer to the chamber as “24

independent republics.”

However, with most of the candidates endorsed by Duterte and his daughter Sara DuterteCarpio with her Hugpong ng Pagbabago (HNP) making it to the Top 12 in the Senate race, there had been fear that this independence might be compromised.

At press time, except for independent candidate Grace Poe, candidates from parties allied with the President—Nacionalista, PDP Laban and those endorsed by HNP like Imee Marcos—were in the

MARIO SORIANO | DREAMSTIME.COM

SENATE LEADERS REJECT SCENARIO OF A CAPTIVE CHAMBER AS DUTERTE BETS WIN winning column. Even the 12th placer, reelectionist Sen. Nancy Binay from the United Nationalist Alliance (UNA), is part of the majority. The three bets personally and strongly endorsed by the President—Bong Go, former special assistant to the President, former National Police chief Gen. Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa, and former Metropolitan Manila Development Authority chairman Francis Tolentino—appeared assured of seats.

The leading administration Continued on A2

China vows ‘People’s War’ as trade fight takes nationalist turn

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MONG China’s most surprising responses to the trade war has been its reluctance to use its vast state media empire to rally the home front. That’s changed since US President Donald Trump’s latest tariff barrage.

In recent days, the oncebanned phrase “trade war” has roared back into widespread use in Chinese media. Meanwhile, official news outlets gave high-profile play to commentaries urging unified resistance to foreign pressure, including an editorial from the nationalist Global Times calling the trade dispute a “people’s war” and threat to all of China.

Such sentiments have found

an eager audience, with a state television video vowing a “fight to the end” attracting more than 3 billion views since Monday. The clip was the most-read piece on China’s Twitter-like social media platform Weibo earlier Tuesday.

The rhetorical shift underscores the risks that China’s Communist Party veers toward a more nationalistic position as the trade war drags on and weighs on eco-

PESO EXCHANGE RATES n US 52.4090

RED flags fly in front of the Chinese national flag at Tiananmen Gate in Beijing, China, on March 2, 2015. TOMOHIRO OHSUMI/BLOOMBERG

nomic growth. Chinese President Xi Jinping, like Trump, has promised to rejuvenate his country and can’t afford to look weak in the face of foreign power.

So far, China’s state media have sought to tamp down the kind of patriotic passions that fueled a backlash against Japanese interests when a territorial dispute flared in 2012. Even now, state media commentaries focused the blame on the US government, rather than the country as a whole.

For instance, a commentary published in the Communist Party’s flagship People’s Daily newspaper avoids any mention of Trump’s name and refers only to “certain people in America who brood over the so-called massive trade deficit,” said David Bandurski of the China Media Project, an independent research program affiliated with the University of Hong Kong.

Continued on A2

n JAPAN 0.4771 n UK 67.0783 n HK 6.6769 n CHINA 7.6131 n SINGAPORE 38.1906 n AUSTRALIA 36.1203 n EU 58.5723 n SAUDI ARABIA 13.9765

Source: BSP (May 17, 2019 )

News

BusinessMirror

Rubber stamp?

Continued from a1

senatorial candidates include reelectionist Sens. Cynthia Villar, Sonny Angara, Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III, Taguig Rep. Pia Cayetano, Imee Marcos, and Duterte’s endorsed trio of Go, dela Rosa and Tolentino.

Assuming all those on the Top 12 win seats, only four minority members would be left when the 18th Congress convenes—Senate Minority Leader Frank Drilon, Senators Francis “Kiko“ Pangilinan and Risa Hontiveros, and detained senator Leila de Lima. The only Otso Deretso bet who appeared to still have a fighting chance to make it to the winning circle at press time is reelectionist senator Bam Aquino.

Drilon, in an SMS to the BusinessMirror, said that while “I have no crystal ball, we will do everything to maintain the Senate’s independence.”

“But if the Senate becomes a ‘rubber stamp,’ we assure our people that we will not be part of it,” said Drilon, noting “that will be the decision of the majority.”

Drilon added: “Having said that, I have no doubt that any reorganization in the Senate will need the President’s blessing.”

Reforms easier to push

THE plus side of a Senate dominated by the President’s allies, according to some quarters, is the continuity of reforms.

The latest to express that view was Fitch Ratings Associate Director Sagarika Chandra. “Early results of the midterm elections suggest President Duterte and his allies would secure a majority in the Senate. This outcome, if confirmed, could bode well for policy continuity during the President’s remaining term,” said Chandra on Thursday.

Earlier, Security Bank chief economist Robert Dan Roces said, “With a Senate likely to be composed of admin bets, future budget proposals may most likely be passed within the timeframe and the tax reform program will likely be revived.”

Roces was referring to the rest of the Duterte administration’s Comprehensive Tax Reform Program (CTRP), of which the first, the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN), was passed in December 2017 after prolonged debates.

The chairman of the Senate ways and means panel who shepherded the first batch of tax reforms, Juan Edgardo “Sonny” Angara, was enjoying a comfortable slot in the Magic 12 as of press time.

ING Bank Manila senior economist Nicholas Antonio Mapa echoed the view about a dominant bloc sponsoring reforms, saying the results will lead to faster budget implementation in the future.

“The election returns point to what most of us had expected, a strong showing for administration candidates. This will help further Duterte’s legislative reform agenda with more bodies to drive TRAIN packages and hopefully lead to faster implementation and passage of budgets in the future to avoid the 1Q snafu,” Mapa said.

Drilon, meanwhile, did not signal any plan to deliberately oppose, for the sake of opposing, reforms to be endorsed by the Executive. In the 17th Congress, senators had voted for or against sensitive legislation regardless of their party affiliation, and the veteran senators are pointing this out to prove their point that the chamber cannot be a rubber stamp despite the huge proadministration bloc.

As for what pending Senate bills are likely to be frontloaded for

passage when Congress convenes in July, Drilon said, “the opposition does not decide the legislative agenda; that is determined by the majority.”

Sen. Joel Villanueva, responding to the BusinessMirror’s query, voiced a similar assurance that the new Senate is not likely to become a Palace rubber stamp.

Sen. Richard Gordon played down such apprehensions, saying he would have no part in it because “I am not made of rubber; neither am I a robber.”

Villanueva asserted that “independence” is an honored Senate tradition, pointing out that “we have seen time and again that the senators, while affiliated with the administration, are capable of deciding according to public interests.”

What is needed, added Villanueva, “is for the public to continuously be vigilant and hold us accountable,” adding that he will even “urge my colleagues to be transparent and engaging of different stakeholders to strengthen democracy.”

Villanueva indicated he intends to enlist senators’ support, as chairman of the Labor Committee, to ensure early passage of pending labor reform bills. Among others, he vowed to “push for my bill on 100 percent service charge/ tips for our workers, look at how we can improve social protection policies of low-income households, improve the competitiveness of our workers through training and education.”

Villanueva added he is also keen to push passage of his Land Use Plan bill, as well as the Freedom of Information (FOI) bill.

A leading member of the House of Representatives also believes the victory of administrationbacked senatorial candidates may help Duterte fast-track his legisla-

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“The Senate will not be subservient to anyone, yesterday, today and tomorrow.”

—Senate President Vicente Sotto III

ROY DOMINGO

A2 Saturday, May 18, 2019

tive agenda for the 18th Congress.

Camarines Sur Rep. Luis Raymund Villafuerte said these candidates will give the administration a fresh mandate to push further reforms and initiatives in keeping with his agenda to sustain the growth momentum and reduce poverty incidence to just 14 percent by 2022 or before the President’s term ends.

All the priority bills of the administration, which have been approved by the House, are still under deliberations at the Senate.

“The election results show that the people want the Senate to remain supportive of, instead of being an obstructionist chamber to, the reforms and initiatives that President Duterte wants to push

in the incoming 18th Congress in support of his inclusive growth agenda,” he said in a statement.

According to Villafuerte, the results show that voters support the President’s decisive leadership in steering through Congress his priority bills to improve the ease of doing business, reform taxation, liberalize rice trade and other bold reforms to keep the economy on a high growth path, attract foreign investments, create jobs and reduce poverty incidence to just 14 percent by 2022.

He added the midterm elections are likewise a vote of support not only for President Duterte’s fast-track rollout of the “Build, Build, Build” program, on which his high-growth agenda is an-

chored, but support as well for his foreign policy rebalancing that has enabled the government to raise hundreds of millions of dollars in official development assistance (ODA) for the anti-poverty and probusiness programs from the country’s regional partners Japan, China and South Korea.

That all sounds good for the country, but most people expect the undercurrent of tension to continue, nonetheless, in the next three years, as critics continue to hold the administration accountable for, among others, the high casualty toll in the war on drugs, corruption, and its perceived failure to assert the country’s rights against China in the West Philippine Sea.

China vows ‘People’s War’ as trade fight takes nationalist turn General animosity

Continued from a1

THE article “tries to avoid any sense of general animosity toward the US and stresses that the American people and businesses are losing out as a result of tariffs,” Bandurski said. “Right now the messaging from the leadership through the state media is all about treading the line.”

Although increased use of the term “trade war” in official media suggests a hardening of rhetoric, some media outlets are still prohibited from using the term, according to a person familiar with the matter. The suggested alternative is “an unclear external environment,” the person said, adding that publicity authorities have directed outlets to stress the stability and resilience of Chinese economy.

Maintaining that balance is difficult in a country where all school children are taught about the country’s “century of humiliation” at the hands of colonial powers. China’s top trade negotiator, Vice Premier Liu He, has already found himself targeted by unflattering comparisons to the Qing dynasty official who signed an 1895 treaty with Japan that surrendered the island of Taiwan.

Liu stressed in remarks to state media after failed trade talks Friday in Washington that any deal should be “balanced” to ensure the “dignity” of both nations.

On Wednesday, the People’s Daily ran another commentary saying China will never make decisions that “give up power and humiliate the country,” a phrase used in school textbooks to describe the treaties China signed at the turn of the 20th century. “The Chinese people’s belief in upholding the rights and dignity of the nation, their determination, is rock solid.”

Popular revolt

TRUMP’S tweets announcing the tariffs landed at a particularly awkward time—the day after China marked the 100th anniversary of a popular revolt against the country’s leaders. The so-called May Fourth Movement, which led to the Communist Party’s founding, stands as a reminder of the risks of failing to stand up to foreign powers.

Last Tuesday was also the 20th anniversary of the US’s bombing of the Chinese embassy in Belgrade. While the American side called the incident an error, Chinese protested outside the embassy and relations plunged to a modern low.

The “people’s war” mentioned in the Global Times editorial was introduced by party patriarch Mao Zedong in an oft-cited 1938 speech in which he argued that China would eventually repel the Japanese invaders. Mao argued that while conflict was affected by political, economic military and geographic elements, the people are the decisive factor.

Earlier on Tuesday, the People’s Daily, the mouthpiece of the Communist Party, posted an image on its WeChat account of the Chinese flag with the words “Talk—fine! Fight—we’ll be there!

“Bully us—delusion!” superimposed over it. Bloomberg

PEDESTRIANS walk past Chinese national flags displayed along the Nanjing Road pedestrian street in Shanghai, China, on October 2, 2015. QILAI SHEN/BLOOMBERG

T

HE rhetorical shift underscores the risks that China’s Communist Party veers toward a more nationalistic position as the trade war drags on and weighs on economic growth. Chinese President Xi Jinping, like Trump, has promised to rejuvenate his country and can’t afford to look weak in the face of foreign power.

News BusinessMirror

Editor: Angel R. Calsoz

Koko: What happened to Smartmatic warranty when it sold VCM to govt?

By Butch Fernandez

T

HE vote-counting machines (VCM) sold

by Smartmatic to the Commission on Elections (Comelec) after the 2016 polls came with a guarantee they would last for many years, so the breakdown of hundreds of units on May 13 is unacceptable and deserves an explanation from the supplier, Sen. Koko Pimentel said on Friday.

Pimentel, cochairman of the bicameral oversight panel on automated elections, said he will raise this warranty issue when the committee opens on June 4 its first hearing on the post-midterm polls assessment.

A reelectionist who at press time was in the Magic 12 circle in the official and unofficial counts, Pimentel said he personally did not experience any problem when he voted last Monday.

But, Pimentel said, he was dismayed by the numerous cases of VCM malfunctions, rejected ballots, and substandard markers and

Secure Digital (SD) cards that were reported.

These, he said, undermine public confidence in the integrity of the elections and should be addressed right away. The Comelec, Pimentel added, should explain to lawmakers on June 4 why, eventhough May 13 was the country’s fourth exercise using the automated systems, many problems still marred the voting and even the transmission to the Comelec transparency server housed at the Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV) center in Manila.

Not solid?

HOWEVER, Pimentel expressed his deepest concern on a Friday radio interview over the cases of VCM breakdowns.

Across the country, machines either would not run or rejected even properly filled-out ballots.

“As far as I can remember, when the government bought the VCM that we used to rent from Smartmatic, the Comelec was assured that these were good for 25 years,” Pimentel

said, partly in Filipino.

He noted that if the VCM were new when they were rented by the government in 2016, “then they should not be breaking down yet because they are only three years old.”

The VCM malfunction is just one of the key issues expected to be tackled at the June 4 hearing. Also slated for discussions are the substandard markers that Comelec issued to voters to fill their ballots with, but which ended up smudging— thus causing these ballots to be rejected by VCM. The defective SD cards that delayed the transmission of results from the precinct level will also be focus of scrutiny.

The Comelec also came under fire for the sevenhour data outage late Monday night, delaying the unofficial count at PPCRV. Comelec earlier said it was willing to share its computer audit logs with concerned parties like PPCRV and the media, if necessary, to prove that there was no manipulation of the results.

Saturday, May 18, 2019

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BSP signals more reserve ratio cuts T HE Philippine Central Bank will consider reducing the reserve requirement ratio (RRR) for lenders further if banks don’t misbehave and speculate against the peso, Governor Benjamin Diokno said.

Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) will “closely look at how banks will use funds freed up by RRR cut,” Diokno told a forum in Manila on Friday, a day after a n nou nc i ng a 2- p e rce nt a ge point reduction in the funds that large banks must hold in reserve. “Proper use will encourage further cuts and speculation will do otherwise.”

The reserve ratio will be lowered in three stages: to 17 percent from 18 percent on May 31, then to 16.5 percent on June 28 and 16 percent on July 26. The move follows a 25-basispoint reduction in the benchmark interest rate, providing more stimulus to the Southeast Asian economy after it grew at the slowest pace in four years in the first quarter.

Diokno, who took office in March, is following through on a pledge by his predecessor, the late Nestor Espenilla, to bring down Southeast Asia’s highest reserve ratio to single digits by the middle of 2023. The move should help ease a liquidity crunch after money supply grew at the slowest pace in more than a decade at 4.2 percent in March. Loan growth was the lowest since 2015 in the same month.

The Monetary Board initially planned to implement a series of four cuts of 50 basis points each but decided to move more aggressively “to reduce speculation and allow bankers to prepare,” Diokno told the Italian Chamber of Commerce.

“There is no point in postponing what should be done anyway.”

The governator

THE peso fell 0.1 percent to 52.55 per dollar at 11:47 a.m. in Manila on Friday as some analysts bet on an additional P180 billion ($3.4 billion) in the financial system by the end of July from the RRR cut. The benchmark stock index rose the most among Asian markets, gaining as much as 2.2 percent.

“I like this new governor of the BSP—he is like the governator,” Trinh Nguyen, senior economist at Natixis Asia Ltd., wrote on Twitter after Diokno said there’s no point delaying what must be done. “Decisive. I like.”

For Carel Halog, senior vice president at the Land Bank of the Philippines, the reserve ratio cut is a step in the right direction. “It’s very timely and a welcome relief for banks. It will help lower intermediation cost and encourage lending.”

Nations across Asia are turning to looser monetary policy to bolster their economies as a full-blown trade war between the US and China continues to weigh on the global outlook.

India lowered rates twice this year, while Malaysia and New Zealand eased this month. Bloomberg News

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Saturday, May 18, 2019

The World BusinessMirror

US places Huawei and 67 affiliates on export blacklist

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HE Trump administration said restrictions on Huawei Technologies Co. announced this week will take effect on Friday, placing China’s largest technology company and scores of its affiliates around the world on a blacklist that curtails its access to critical US suppliers.

In a Federal Register notice released on Thursday, the Commerce Department said the curbs apply to Huawei and 67 of its affiliates scattered across 26 countries from Germany to Madagascar. They were mainly private subsidiaries that the networking giant owns and uses to trade or conduct business in different cities or countries, and hence prime targets should the White House decide to pursue export restrictions.

The Trump administration is pulling out the big guns in its push to slow China’s rise, with potentially devastating consequences for the rest of the world. If the US blocks the sale to Huawei of critical components such as semiconductors, it could cripple Huawei’s businesses, depress the business of American chip giants from Qualcomm Inc. to Micron Technology Inc., and potentially disrupt the rollout of critical 5G wireless networks around the world.

The Commerce Department said on Wednesday it will soon put Huawei on an “entity list”—meaning any US company will need a special license to sell products to the world’s largest networking gear maker and second-largest smartphone brand.

Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross told Bloomberg Television the mea-

AN employee is seen through a window displaying the Huawei Technologies Co. logo as she stands in a reception area at the company’s cyber-security lab in Dongguan, China, on Wednesday, March 6, 2019. Huawei, China’s biggest smartphone maker, is using its financial and political clout to fight US allegations that the company was involved in bank fraud, technology theft and spying. QILAI SHEN/BLOOMBERG

sures limiting its access to US components become official on Friday.

Separately, he said President Donald Trump had given his department 150 days to establish a process to

This decision is in no one’s interest. It will do significant economic harm to the American companies with which Huawei does business, affect tens of thousands of American jobs, and disrupt the current collaboration and mutual trust that exist on the global supply chain.”

—Huawei statement

screen US companies’ purchases of equipment from the Chinese firm, and other equipment providers with which officials have concerns.

The threat is likely to elevate fears in Beijing that Trump’s broader goal is to contain China, igniting a protracted cold war between the world’s biggest economies. In addition to a trade fight that has rattled global markets for months, the US has pressured both allies and foes to avoid using Huawei for 5G networks that will form the backbone of the modern economy.

Ross dodged questions about whether the new moves against Huawei could lead to a negotiation with the company or the Chinese government. He insisted the growing campaign against Huawei remained a separate matter from broader trade negotiations between the US and China, which have stalled in recent days.

“The purpose we have in mind here is we think there is a significant danger to national security and to our foreign policy of the existing situation at Huawei,’’ Ross said.

In notice published on Thursday, the Commerce Department’s Bureau of Industry and Security said the US was adding Huawei’s affiliated companies around the world because they “pose a significant risk of involvement in activities contrary to the national security or foreign policy interests of the United States.’’

“This decision is in no one’s interest,” Huawei said in a news statement on Thursday. “It will do significant economic harm to the American companies with which Huawei does business, affect tens of thousands of American jobs, and disrupt the current collaboration and mutual trust that exist on the global supply chain.”

The US has long accused the telecommunications equipment giant of facilitating Chinese espionage and sought to convince allies not to purchase its equipment for new 5G networks. The Justice Department is prosecuting Huawei over accusations of bank fraud, technology theft and violating US sanctions against Iran.

Huawei’s chief financial officer Meng Wanzhou, the daughter of its founder, was detained in Canada in December at the request of the US, which seeks her extradition over allegations of violating Iran sanctions. Huawei has denied any wrongdoing and sued the US separately for a ban on American government entities from purchasing its equipment.

Teresa He, president of Huawei’s chipmaking unit HiSilicon, called the US ban “crazy” and “groundless” in a letter sent to employees and seen

by Bloomberg. While HiSilicon was seen as a backup plan for Huawei’s semiconductor supply, the ban will make it a primary supplier, she said in her letter. Bloomberg News

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Jet-powered urban flying taxi unveiled following first flight

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HE world ’s first all-electric vertical takeoff and landing passenger jet has been unveiled after completing its first f light.

German start-up Lilium aims to have a fleet of the five-seat aircraft—which can operate with a pilot or in drone mode—flying in cities worldwide by 2025, providing a pay-per-ride service that will be emission-free, five times faster than a car and produce less noise than a motorbike.

Lilium has $100 million in funds and must raise at least the same amount again to bring the model to market, while adding hundreds more jobs to its payroll of 300 people, Chief Executive Officer Daniel Wiegand told Bloomberg TV. The plane will have a 300 -kilometer range, allowing it to link New York and Boston. A s hor t ho p b e t w e e n Joh n F. Kennedy International A irport and Manhattan will cost about $70 per passenger, making it cheaper than a helicopter and competitive with top-end limousine services, Chief Commercial Officer Remo Gerber said in an inter view.

A full-scale, full-weight prototype made its debut flight from Lilium’s base near Munich on May 4 and has commenced flight tests, the company said on Thursday. The craft is powered by 36 jet engines that swivel after takeoff to provide forward flight in the manner of a standard plane, using

10 percent of the energy of multirotor drones based on helicopter technology. That saving in turn allows it to fly for 10 times the distance, overcoming the range issues regarded as a major obstacle to electric-powered planes.

As well as having jets instead of propellers, the model has no tail, no rudder, no gearbox and only one moving part in the engine.

That makes the design safer, the company said.

Airbus, Uber

Wiegand said he’s had interest from cities worldwide, and would initially like to deploy the Lilium in two or three locations each with about 20 planes—enough to make the individual operations profitable. The plan is to remain independent rather than seek a buyer, he said, with the company making its own engines, batteries and composite structures.

The Lilium has begun seeking approval from European and US regulators, making the model the first electric jet in history to enter certification.

There are more than 100 different electric-aircraft programs in development worldwide, according to Roland Berger, with Lilium’s biggest competitors including Joby Aviation and Kitty Hawk, whose models are electric rotor rather than jet powered, as well as planned offerings from Airbus SE, Boeing Co. and Bell Helicopter, partnered with Uber Technologies Inc. Bloomberg News

DANIEL WIEGAND, founder and chief executive officer of Lilium GmbH, speaks to a Bloomberg Television interview in London, on Thursday. MARY TURNER/BLOOMBERG

OIL JUMPS AS SAUDIS ACCUSE IRAN OF ‘TERRORIST’ PIPELINE ATTACK

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IL rallied to a two-week high as Saudi Arabia accused Iran of fomenting an attack on a key pipeline, escalating tensions between two of the world’s biggest crude producers.

Futures in New York rose as much as 2.4 percent on Thursday, advancing for a third straight day. Saudi Arabia’s vice minister of defense said on Twitter that this week’s drone strike on a cross-country pipeline was ordered by Iran, its regional adversary, although he offered no evidence. The US, meanwhile, ordered nonemergency staff to leave neighboring Iraq.

“Anyone who knows the Middle East knows that there are plenty of tripwires and the risk of escalation is always there,” Tamar Essner, director for energy at Nasdaq Corporate Solutions in New York, said in a telephone interview. “With every attack that goes off, the risk and the stakes go higher.”

The pipeline incident followed attacks on oil tankers, highlighting regional tensions in the Persian Gulf as relations between the US and Iran also deteriorate. That’s overshadowed concerns about an intensifying trade dispute between Washington and Beijing, as well as uncertainty over whether Opec and allies will extend output cuts after a meeting in Jeddah this weekend.

West Texas Intermediate crude for June delivery gained $1.26 to reach $63.28 a barrel at 11:40 a.m. on the New York Mercantile Exchange, after earlier rising to the highest price since May 2.

Brent for July settlement rose $1.52 to $73.29 on the London-based ICE Futures Europe exchange. The global crude benchmark

traded at a $9.74 premium to WTI, close to the widest gap since February.

Saudi Prince Khalid Bin Salman, brother of the kingdom’s de facto ruler, said on Twitter that the pipeline attack, claimed by Iranianbacked Houthi rebels, undermined political efforts to ease tensions.

“These militias are merely a tool that Iran’s regime uses to implement its expansionist agenda in the region,” said Khalid, who called the drone strikes “terrorist acts.”

Tensions have flared after the White House vowed to squeeze Iranian oil exports to zero and later dispatched an aircraft carrier group to the region. The US embassy in Baghdad said on Wednesday that most employees there will leave. Meanwhile, the Iraqi Oil Ministry contradicted a report that Exxon Mobil Corp. employees were being evacuated.

Crude was also riding a rebound in global equity markets. The S&P 500 headed on Thursday for its biggest three-day rally in two months, boosted in part by solid corporate earnings and strong housing data. Trade tensions festered, however, as the Trump administration threatened to blacklist China’s Huawei Technologies Co. and Wal-mart warned tariffs would lead to higher consumer prices.

Other oil-market news: Gasoline futures rose 2.6 percent to $2.0655 a gallon, a day after US data showed declining gasoline stockpiles. US crude is reaching new destinations around the world after Chinese buying slowed amid concern the trade dispute between the countries could result in a tax on American oil. Bloomberg News

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Trump wary of plunging into Iran war ahead of 2020 reelection campaign

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RESIDENT Donald J. Trump is wary of drawing the US into a war with Iran, in part out of concern that an armed conflict with the Islamic Republic would imperil his chances at winning a second term, according to people familiar with the matter.

There is division within the administration over the approach to Iran, some of the people said. At the same time, the president is cognizant that he was elected in part on promises to withdraw the US from Middle East wars—not start new ones, they said.

Privately, Trump has said he doesn’t want war with Iran, one person familiar with the matter said. “I hope not,” Trump told reporters on Thursday when asked about the prospect of war before a meeting with Swiss President Ueli Maurer.

Nat ion a l Sec u r it y Adv iser John Bolton and Secretary of St ate M ic h ae l Pomp e o h ave recently warned Iran against provoc at ions in increa singly bellicose language, raising concerns in Congress and among some Trump advisers that the president is preparing for war.

Since withdrawing from the 2015 ag reement t hat curbed Iran’s nuclear ambitions, Trump has steadily ratcheted up US tensions with Tehran. But Republican strategists said he can’t be seen as a warmonger in a reelection matchup with Democrats such as former Vice President Joe Biden or Sen. Bernie Sanders.

“He can’t be out there being the guy advocating for military involvement when for so long his brand has been going in the opposite direction,” said Lanhee Chen, a fellow at the conservative Hoover Institute who previously advised Republican presidential candidates Mitt Romney and Marco Rubio.

Saber-rattling

AT the same time, Chen said, Trump’s base wants him to show that the US won’t be pushed around.

Mere saber-rattling, he said, is unlikely to erode Trump’s political support as long as the economy remains strong.

A nd t he re i s u nc e r t a i nt y among some of Trump’s political advisers about whether an Iran war would surely damage his reelection prospects. One person close to Trump observed that President George W. Bush won a second term after starting two wars, and another suggested the American public might rally around the president in the event hostilities broke out with Tehran.

Democrats have trained much of their criticism on Bolton, infamous for helping Bush make a case for war against Iraq in 2003 that turned out to be built on fake or nonexistent intelligence.

“I remain mystified that anybody who had any hand in allowing for the Iraq war has any business near the situation room right now,” Pete Buttigieg, the South Bend, Indiana, mayor running for the Democratic nomination, said at a campaign event at the City Club of Chicago on Thursday.

T he US hastened the deployment of an aircraft car r ier to the Persian Gu lf this month and sent bombers and a Patr iot anti-missile batter y to the reg ion as a resu lt of unex plained Iranian threats. In addition, the State Department withdrew much of its d iplomatic staf f from Iraq this week. T he Pentagon is work ing to declassif y and release images that back

up the Tr ump administration’s claim of an increased threat, including pictures of t wo Iranian boats carr ying cruise missiles, in response to pressure from skeptica l a l lies and US law ma kers.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, a California Democrat, warned the administration on Thursday that it has no congressional authorization to take military action against Iran.

“I like what I hear from the president that he has no appetite for this,” she said. “Even though some of his suppor ters are ratt ling sabers.”

But Democratic Sen. Richard Durbin of Illinois, who has seen some intelligence related to Iran, said he opposes what he called a Bolton strategy of ratcheting up confrontations with Tehran and ditching the nuclear deal.

He said he worried that a “Gulf of Tonkin moment” could draw America into war, referring to the mysterious naval incident that precipitated deeper US involvement in the Vietnam War.

Swiss meeting

TRUMP has said in tweets that he hopes to meet or speak with Iran’s leaders, but the country’s vice president said on Thursday they will only talk to the US if it rejoins the 2015 accord.

One person familiar with the matter said Trump’s meeting with Maurer, the Swiss president, was symbolic: Were he planning for war, the person said, Trump would be seen motorcading to the Pentagon for briefings—not meeting with the president of neutral Switzerland.

T he t wo leaders discussed “crises in the Middle East and in Venezuela,” the White House said in a statement, and Trump “e x pressed h is g rat it ude for Switzerland ’s role in facilitating international mediation and diplomatic relations on behalf of the US.” Trump has insisted there’s no “ infighting” within his administration on Iran policy and that he alone will decide the US course. He offered again to talk with the Iranians in a tweet on Wednesday that seemed intended to lower the temperature in the dispute.

Still, Pompeo’s position differs from Bolton’s. While Bolton has long promoted regime change in Iran, Pompeo favors changing the current government’s behavior.

“Our aim is not war,” Pompeo said in a May 13 inter v iew w ith CNBC. “Our aim is a change in the behav ior of the Iranian leadership.”

Similarly, Trump has said he would talk to Iran’s current leadership, without advocating for a change in the government first.

“The president has been clear, the United States does not seek military conf lict with Iran, and he is open to talks with Iranian leadership,” Garrett Marquis, a spokesman for the W hite House National Security Council, said in a statement. “However, Iran’s default option for 40 years has been violence, and we will protect US personnel and interests in the region.”

O ut side of meet i ngs w it h his national security advisers, Trump doesn’t bring up Iran nearly as much as Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation, two people familiar with the matter said—an indication he’s not stewing over a potential Mideast conf lagration.

Bloomberg News

Saturday, May 18, 2019

A5

‘No one is a winner’ in US-China trade spat, noted economist says

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HE whole world is going to suffer from a US-China trade war, which may be hard to avoid as the Trump administration resents China’s growing power, according to Jim O’Neill.

“I just don’t understand how anybody could be a winner,” the former Goldman Sachs Group Inc. chief economist and coiner of the BRIC acronym said in an interview in London. “Economics can be criticized for a lot of things, but one essential core aspect of international economic theory is that trade is in aggregate a winwin and less trade is a lose-lose.”

The US and China accounted for 85 percent of nominal gross domestic product that has been generated this decade, and a trade war between the two will have negative consequences for everyone in the world, O’Neill said, adding that some nations such as India might be more insulated.

Emerging-market stocks and currencies have slid in recent

weeks as the threat of new US tariffs on billions of dollars of Chinese imports sapped demand for risky assets. On Wednesday, less than a week after hiking import tariffs on about $200 billion worth of Chinese products, US President Donald Trump raised tensions again, moving to curb Huawei Technologies Co.’s access to the

JIM O’NEILL ALESSIA PIERDOMENICO/BLOOMBERG

US market and American suppliers. “Even if these trade tensions are solved for now, I think in the future there will be further escala-

Even if these trade tensions are solved for now, I think in the future there will be further escalations.

I don’t think the US is going to willingly accept China becoming bigger than the US easily.”—O’Neill

tions,” said O’Neill, also a former commercial secretary to the UK. “I don’t think the US is going to willingly accept China becoming bigger than the US easily.”

Emerging markets, nevertheless, offer the brightest investment opportunities even as they will remain volatile and vulnerable to changes in US interest rates, he said.

“Emerging markets are the future,” he said. “They will be the best to be whether you are a big company or whether you are an investor.” Bloomberg News

FRUSTRATED AND UPSET, THERESA MAY WAS TOLD HER TIME IS UP

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HE meeting was tense and at one point Theresa May was visibly upset. But by its conclusion, forced by her own party, she’d agreed to set a timeline to quit as UK prime minister.

The premier spent more than an hour in her office behind the Speaker’s chair in the House of Commons, locked in discussions with a panel of the most powerful rankand-file members of Parliament in her Conservative Party as she sought to buy time for her failing leadership so she could get her Brexit deal approved by the chamber, which has thrice rejected it.

After the rest of the panel—called the 1922 Committee—had filed out, May and its chairman, Graham Brady, hammered out a joint statement. Under the terms, May will try one last time to get the Brexit deal approved in a vote in Parliament at the beginning of June. After that, regardless of the outcome, she’ll meet again with Brady to chart her departure.

With May’s leadership time-limited, contenders to replace her have already begun campaigning. The upheaval in the ruling Tories throws the whole shape of Brexit in the air, as it will pit those who favor a softer Brexit retaining close EU ties against those arguing for a harder split. The pound weakened on Thursday as investors brace for more political turmoil and a leadership race that could put an uncompromising Brexit-backer in office.

On Thursday, former Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson, who has been arguing for a harder split from the bloc than May’s deal allows, became the latest and highest profile name to declare he will run. The contest is likely to take months, putting the divorce process once again on hold after May was forced to delay Britain’s departure twice, most recently to October 31.

Th e d e f a u l t re m a i n s a n o - d e a l departure, though the House of Commons has voted to reject such a scenario. It’s also rejected every other option put to a vote, including the deal May painstakingly brokered over two years with the EU. Without a general election, the math in the chamber remains the same. Nevertheless, May will put her Withdrawal Agreement Bill to a vote in the Commons in the week beginning June 3. The attendee at the meeting on Thursday said May couldn’t provide an answer when asked the chances of it passing.

Harsh sequence seen ONE of May’s biggest detractors within the Tory Party, Mark Francois, told BBC TV on Thursday that sentiment was “hardening” against it.

“It’s definitely going to fail,” Francois said.

“She’ll lose that vote, and then I think she will have to step down very quickly thereafter.”

The Tories lost 1,300 councilors in local elections this month, and polls indicate they’re

headed for a drubbing in European elections next week, providing more fodder for May’s detractors.

The attendee at Thursday’s meeting said the 1922 Committee executive was divided between those who want to do something to

oust May—it’s in the panel’s gift to change rules that currently give May immunity from a confidence vote until December—and those who think nature should be allowed to take its course. Bloomberg News

ExportUnlimited BusinessMirror

A6 Saturday, May 18, 2019 • Editor: Efleda P. Campos

AANZFTA eyes self-certification to facilitate trade of goods

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HILIPPINE exporters may soon find it easier to export under the Asean-AustraliaNew Zealand Free Trade Area (AANZFTA) agreement as the Asean and Australia-New Zealand are planning a pilot program allowing the use of a declaration of origin (DOO) as evidence that the imported goods meet the rules of origin (ROO) and are eligible for preferential tariff treatment.

DTI to conduct learning session on performance excellence program for exporters

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HE Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) aims to conduct a learning session on Philippine Quality Award (PQA) program for local exporters that intends to help them achieve world-class performance.

Already, 81 organizations in the private and public sectors which excel in quality and productivity were conferred the PQA over the past 10 years.

“It is not an award for product or service quality, but for a quality management system that hinges on improvement in the delivery of products and/or services, and provides a way of satisfying and responding to customers’ needs and requirements,” said a briefing paper on PQA program released by the DTICompetitiveness Bureau.

PQA provides an internationally comparable framework and criteria, patterned from the Baldrige Performance Excellence Program of the United States, for assessing organizational performance.

The highest level of national recognition for exemplary organizational performance, the program is a template for competitiveness based on the principles of Total Quality Management.

Competitive organizations are believed to possess 11 core values of the PQA program, including managing for innovation, focus on success, organizational learning and agility, management by fact, societal responsibility, ethics and transparency,

delivering value and results, systems perspective, visionary leadership, customer-focused excellence and valuing people.

“Innovation and continuous improvement are different, but complementary, concepts.

Successful organizations use both approaches to improve performance,” the briefing paper said.

It said they should also ensure their success “now and in the future” through understanding of the short- and longer-term factors that affect the organization and its market.

“Ensuring this ongoing success requires managing uncertainty in the environment, as well as balancing some stakeholders’ short-term demands with the organization’s and stakeholders’ needs to invest in long-term success,” it added.

These core values are embedded to the first six process criteria categories, which are leadership; strategy; customer; measurement, analysis and knowledge management; work force; and operations.

The highest level or the top award is the Philippine Quality Award for Performance Excellence.

“To win the top award, the organization must demonstrate the highest level of management excellence, deserving to be a national and global role model,” it said.

The PQA or recognition is given by no less than the President of the Philippines in appropriate ceremonies usually held at the Malacañang.

Philexport News and Features

Under the proposed DOO pilot, origin certification under AANZFTA can be provided by either the DOO or the existing certificate of origin (COO), it was disclosed at a recent workshop in Pasig City.

Thus, the pilot will make documentation of origin a dual system, with traders having the option to use either the COO or DOO. A DOO is a statement the goods are originating goods that meet AANZFTA requirements. It is a selfcertified document made by the manufacturer, producer, supplier, exporter or other competent person on a DOO form, a commercial invoice or other commercial documents.

A COO is a form identifying goods and containing a certification by an authorized body that

the goods are originating goods and meet AANZFTA requirements.

Unlike the self-certified DOO, the COO is issued and certified by an authorized body on the basis of an application and declaration by the exporter or manufacturer.

Both DOO and COO can serve as proof that the imported goods are originating in accordance with A ANZFTA’s requirements and are thus eligible for preferential duty rates.

Under the pilot, the importer will be required to possess either a COO or DOO when claiming preferential treatment on the import declaration.

The DOO scheme is seen to provide a number of benefits for exporters who will avail themselves of AANZFTA preferential duties.

With DOO self-certification, traders are equipped with a cost-effective measure to facilitate exports, while still providing adequate documentary evidence of origin.

DOO advantages include placing the documentary evidence requirements on traders; facilitating responsiveness to modern supplychain patterns; and speeding up the flow of trade because the exporter can export whenever he wants, not having to wait for the authorized issuing body to issue the COO. There is also a cost benefit to traders because a trader-issued DOO costs nothing, while an authorized issuing body may charge fees. The exporter also saves on transport time and fees as he no longer has to go and lodge and pick up a COO. The DOO

can be issued by the trader anytime, including weekends and midnight.

Further, the DOO is simple to use as all that is required is a declaration that the goods meet the required ROO to be placed in the sales invoice (or similar document).

Therefore, no new paperwork is required by the trader.

The use of DOO will not be mandatory. Exporters can choose to use either the DOO or COO depending on their level of ROO knowledge.

For those who will opt to use the DOO, they are advised to ensure the DOO is accurately completed to avoid delays.

AANZFTA parties are currently holding awareness workshops giving an overview of the DOO pilot program in preparation for its launch.

Swedish firms interested to do business in PHL

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WEDISH companies are keen on investing in the Philippine market, particularly in sectors that are picking up here, apart from infrastructure.

A report titled “PhilippinesOpen for Business” published by Business Sweden identified these sectors as manufacturing, retail and e-commerce, and information technology-business process management (IT-BPM).

“The manufacturing sector is expected to grow steadily in the coming years. It will be a priority investment area for both the public and private sector, given that it has higher employment, income and output multipliers compared to other industries,” it said.

The report underscored the need

for enhanced productivity in order for the country to make a significant leap forward in becoming a strong regional player in manufacturing.

“For Swedish companies, this represents a unique and almost untapped opportunity to educate the market in automation and lean manufacturing,” it said.

They also considered the ITBPM industry in the Philippines now a key contributor to socioeconomic development, with revenues reaching roughly $25 million in 2017, translating to over 9-percent contribution to GDP. “In the medium term, we see that industry dynamics will be driven by rapid technological advancements, such as automation, artificial intelligence, digital

transformation and the use of big data and analytics. In our view, higher value jobs, which are present in nonvoice services, would grow faster compared to the traditional voice subsegment,” it added.

The report noted the growth in the retail sector as a result of the bullish economy has been coupled with an increase in ecommerce.

It cited Google and Temasek reports indicating e-commerce is set to be the largest segment of the online economy in Southeast Asia by 2025, valued at a total of $88.1 billion.

“The Philippines’s slice of the ecommerce cake is expected to be $10 billion. As in many of the Southeast Asian countries, the younger generation is driving the ecommerce

wave and Filipinos are particularly eager to embrace the shift to online shopping,” it added.

On opportunities in infrastructure, Swedish suppliers that can offer equipment, solutions and services for critical applications will be able to “find a good, profitable and high growth market for years to come in the Philippines.”

“Private sector-led projects provide larger and more opportunities, as companies that are proponents to PPP [public-private partnership] projects prioritize quality and the actual business case in procurement. Swedish companies are well suited because of their high innovation level,” the report further said.

Philexport News and Features

ICC set to launch Incoterms 2020 to guide global traders

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HE International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) is preparing for the publication of Incoterms 2020, an update of the renowned regulations that define the responsibilities of buyers and sellers operating in the international trade system.

Facilitating trillions of dollars in global trade each year, the “international commercial terms,” or Incoterms rules, are a commonly accepted set of definitions and rules governing commercial trade activity.

Following a series of studies conducted in the 1920s, ICC discovered discrepancies in the interpretation of commercial trade terms used by traders from different countries. Based on these findings, ICC concluded there was a need for the creation of a common protocol for importers and exporters everywhere.

The first set of Incoterms rules was published by ICC in 1936.

Since then, ICC has periodically revised the Incoterms rules to reflect changes in the international trade system. Incoterms 2010 is the most current version of the rules to date. This latest edition of the Incoterms rules included an increased obligation for buyer and seller to cooperate on information sharing and changes to accommodate “string sales.”

For the past decade, Incoterms 2010 has provided critical guidance to importers, exporters, lawyers, transporters and insurers across the world. In its centenary year, ICC is preparing for the official release of Incoterms 2020 later this year. Today, more than ever, participants in the global trade system require guidance and clarity. With the emergence

of new technologies, government policies and environment regulations, Incoterms 2020 will provide a common framework for the future of trade. The development of Incoterms 2020 saw extensive consultation among economists, lawyers and trade experts, as well as insight from ICC’s global network of national committees.

The participating national committees, as well as ICC’s Knowledge Solutions Department, have provided substantial contributions to the new Incoterms rules. The final draft, to receive approval by the ICC Executive Board, will be published in 2020. The Incoterms 2020 Drafting Group formed by ICC in 2016 consists of nine experts from around the world, including ICC’s Trade and Investment directors: three from Asia, two from America and four

from Europe. In terms of expertise, the Drafting Group features four users of Incoterms rules and five commercial lawyers, who are specialists in international trade.

Since 2016, the Drafting Group has met at length to analyze, discuss and consider more than 3,0 0 0 subst a nt i a l comments provided by ICC national committees. Successive consultations took place with participation from ICC national committees in April 2017, October 2017 and May 2018.

This process also included two “user” global consultations, which took place in Beijing (2017) and London (2018). During the drafting process, the international editorial board met 12 times between July 2016 and September 2018 to discuss proposed changes, as well as recommendations from ICC national committees.

Sports BusinessMirror

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

Saturday, May 18, 2019

A7

GOLDEN State’s Draymond Green stresses a point by slamming the ball in Game Two on Thursday. AP

TEAM captain Maddie Madayag and the Lady Eagles want to ride the momentum of their Game Two victory.

TIGER WOODS (left) and Brooks Koepka shake hands after finishing the first round. AP

A10 Saturday, May 18, 2019 | Editor: Mike Besa

PRESIDENTS CUP U.S. TEAM CAPTAIN’S BLOG Y

OU can say that a lot of good things have happened recently and personally, I could not be happier after adding a fifth green jacket by winning the Masters Tournament. It was a pretty amazing final round with a lot of great players in contention and I’m fortunate that I finished on top.

Since playing in the Masters for the first time in 1995 and then winning it two years later, Augusta National has meant so much to me and my family. To be able to win there again, especially with my kids, Sam and Charlie, my mom and close friends there to share it with me is something I’ll always remember.

Earning my 15th major after 11 years from the last one and my 81st PGA Tour win capped a long, winding, hard road that included a tremendous amount of uncertainty. As you know, I’ve dealt with health challenges due to my back and there were times when I wasn’t sure if I could lead a normal life, let alone play competitive golf. I feel truly fortunate that I have won the Masters again and I guess everyone saw what it meant to me.

With the victory, I’ve jumped into ninth place on the latest US Team standings for the Presidents Cup which will be held at Royal Melbourne Golf Club in Melbourne, Australia, from December 9 to 15. While I’ve already got an important role as team captain, I have made it very clear that I also want to be a playing captain when we face the International Team led by Ernie Els. Qualifying automatically as one of the top 8 players would prevent me from being put in a tricky spot when my captain’s assistants and I sit down to decide on our four picks.

Speaking on assistants, another piece of exciting news happened during my Foundation’s event at the Genesis Open where I announced Freddie Couples, Steve Stricker and Zach Johnson as my three captain’s

assistants. With Freddie and Stricks on board just in case I make the team and have to play, it’s going to make things a lot easier for me. These guys have led our teams to victories before with Freddie winning at Royal Melbourne in 2011.

Zach is going to be a fantastic captain someday.

He has a competitive fire that matches anyone that I’ve been around. His strategy on the golf course is obvious. Remember, he won at Augusta National laying up on all of the par 5s and played them in 12-under-par and also won at Saint Andrews which is one of the longest courses out there. I’m going to rely on these guys for a lot of support and insight. Our team is certainly in great hands.

There’s nothing like match play, and my three US Amateur Championship victories remain part of my career highlights. Last month, I competed in my first World Golf Championships-Dell Technologies Match Play since 2013 and was disappointed to lose in the quarterfinals to Lucas Bjerregaard after progressing from the group-play format which included Aaron Wise, Patrick Cantlay and Brandt Snedeker, and then beating Rory McIlroy in the Round of 16.

I certainly enjoy competing under this type of pressure knowing I just need to beat the guy standing in front of me. The way Aaron and Patrick play are two more reasons why US golf is going to be in a good place for a long time. I remember watching Aaron when he was at Oregon playing under my old teammate Casey Martin. He’s an amazing talent who has already proven himself after winning the Byron Nelson Classic last year. Patrick is in the same boat. He’s already a winner on the PGA Tour after overcoming injuries of his own and we also saw how he moved into the final-round lead on the back nine at the Masters.

I was thrilled to see Kevin Kisner win the

Match Play since he lost to Bubba Watson in the finals last year. He’s another one of those guys who seems to enjoy the pressure that match play presents. I was able to get to know him during my time as a captain’s assistant at the 2017 Presidents Cup and it was cool to see him do well under the pressure of playing in his first Presidents Cup while partnering with Phil Mickelson. He’s definitely someone who will have my attention as we approach the end of the season.

Seeing Matt Kuchar’s play of late has been impressive. For someone who has won the Match Play before, Kuch will be the first to tell you that advancing to the Championship Match is a big accomplishment. With two wins already on the PGA Tour this season, he’s playing some of his best golf and is already in a great spot to qualify for the team.

He not only brings consistent golf to the team, but he’s one of the personalities that we love having in the team room.

Looking at the final leaderboard at the Masters,

LONG-TERM TEST

Callaway Epic Flash Sub Zero

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By Mike Besa

E previewed Callaway’s new Epic Flash drivers a couple of issues ago and noted that it was the most compelling driver in a year that every manufacturer introduced their best drivers ever. Think about it. Cobra came out with the F9, arguably their best driver ever. Mizuno introduced the ST190 and ST190G which, in addition to being Mizuno’s best drivers ever, now have a win on the PGA Tour.

The last time that happened was 19 years ago. Of course, TaylorMade’s updated M-twins are always in that mix and Ping

updated the formidable G400 and gave us the G410. This year, there’s a bumper crop of drivers.

The Internet golf blog/forum Mygolfspy.com, one of the most fiercely independent golf sites on the internet has named the Callaway Epic Flash as their most wanted driver of 2019. This accolade is particularly significant since the site prides itself on its independence from corporate influence of any sort and names its Most Wanted winners only after extensive player testing and data gathering.

So, what makes the Epic Flash so good?

In case you missed it, the defining technology of

TIGER WOODS poses with the Presidents Cup at a Brighton Beach Box decked to promote the event.

it was great to see a strong US presence with Dustin Johnson, Brooks Koepka and Xander Schauffele sharing second place and Tony Finau, whom I played with in the final round, and Webb Simpson tying for fifth. Along with Justin Thomas, Bryson DeChambeau, Rickie Fowler and Phil, who are all in the current top 10 of our standings, these guys can be important for this team. With a mix of veteran experience and young talent, I see this team as being one of the strongest ever from top to bottom. the Callaway Epic Flash is its clubface. The Flash face was designed with the help of Callaway’s newly acquired supercomputer, artificial intelligence and machine learning. Basically, Callaway programmed the computer to design the fastest, most durable clubface possible within the current rules of the game. Thea supercomputer came up with 15,000 virtual prototypes before coming up with Flash Face.

The result is completely unintuitive. The Flash Face looks like no other clubface ever designed; the pattern of ridges and low spots on the underside of the clubface looks more like a human ear than any other clubface on the market today. It is so completely different that it seems unlikely that humans could not have arrived at this design without the computational and learning capabilities of the supercomputer.

The supercomputer designed the clubface to work in concert with Callaway’s other technologies; Jailbreak, the ultralightweight carbon crown, the aerodynamic advancements and sliding weight track to produce the best possible results.

Sounds lovely, but how then does the Epic Flash fit into Callaway’s lineup with the Rogue? Both have regular and Subzero models. One has a Flash Face, the other doesn’t.

Should someone who games a Rogue upgrade to the Epic Flash? What’s a golfer to do?

Most golf equipment manufacturers offer two driver models and a variety of shafts to fit as big a percentage of the golf population as they can. Callaway has created degrees of differentiation with their four drivers. The Rogue duo are more forgiving and perhaps a bit more draw-biased than their Epic counterparts and lack the Epic’s adjustable weight track. This gives the consumer a choice of four heads and a large selection of shafts to find the ideal fit.

I played the Rogue Subzero for the bulk of last year and loved it. For what many consider a better player’s driver, it is remarkably easy to hit. Putting the Epic Flash Sub Zero down next to the Rogue Subzero, it is immediately evident that the Rogue is longer from face to skirt. The Epic Flash has a slightly deeper clubface and higher center of gravity.

In real world terms, the Epic Flash Sub Zero is perhaps a bit less forgiving than its Rogue counterpart, but only slightly so. In return, you gain faster ball speeds, a stronger ball flight and adjustable trajectory.

Having had so much success with the Rogue Sub Zero, it was my intention to just test the Epic Flash Sub Zero and go back to gaming the Rogue, older and a bit slower that it is. The reasons were simple; the results I had with it were as good as I’ve had with any driver. My confidence in the club was complete and with it at my disposal, there wasn’t a fairway that I couldn’t find. But the results were tough to ignore.

If you don’t get to set up your Epic Flash at one of

L

Bye for now.

Tiger Woods US Team Playing Captain (and reigning Masters Champion) THE Callaway Flash Face CALLAWAY Epic Flash Sub Zero driver

Transview’s fitting studios, put in the effort to set it up properly on the driving range then validate those settings on the golf course. The results will be worth the efforts. Expect to play more loft with the Subzero. This allows you to get the height you need without adding too much spin.

The Epic Flash Sub Zero surprised me. Hitting both back-to-back on Transview Philippines’s Foresight GC Quad, the Epic Flash was producing 2 miles to 3 miles per hour more ball speed than the Rogue. On the golf course that translated into a club less coming into the greens in practical terms.

The tradeoff was that dispersion was larger in the fitting studio and on the golf course. It wasn’t a huge difference, but it was certainly noticeable. It was necessary to focus more with the Epic Flash but when hit flush, the results were worth it.

Subjectively, my impression is that only part of the improvement is ball speed due to the Flash Face. The Epic Flash Sub Zero feels faster when you swing it. It cuts through the air very cleanly. Some opined that it felt like you were swinging a shaft with a weight on the end of it.

The aerodynamic work that Callaway did with this driver paid dividends. Extremely effective even if it didn’t make the marketing headlines.

So, if you’re gaming a Rogue, should you upgrade to the Epic Flash?

In absolute terms, probably not. Playing a club more into the greens is at best an inconvenience. The Rogue is a very, very good driver and in my results, was more accurate than the Epic Flash. The positioning of Callaway’s quartet of drivers allows a myriad of fitting options. The ability to match the correct shaft with a clubhead with the correct spin and trajectory profile provides the best opportunity for a proper fit.

If absolute performance is your goal, the Epic Flash Sub Zero is the club you want. This is the best marketing story in golf today. The color might not be everyone’s cup of tea, but Callaway Customs offers the opportunity to spec the Epic Flash and Epic Flash Sub Zero

Copok looks sharp ahead of Junior Worlds UCIANO ARMAND COPOK, a 10-year-old student of the British School Manila (BSM), finished third in the Boys 9-10 Division at the Australian Junior Age Championship held at the Pines Golf Resort, Gold Coast, QLD, Australia, last April 10 to 12.

Armand started tied for second after the first day with a one over score in the par 36 round. He duplicated his score on the second day to sit on third and with a great chance

It’s going to be fun when we get to Royal Melbourne in December and I encourage fans to get their tickets now on www.presidentscup.com. I’m told they’re selling fast.

to go for the win. However, he ran into some bad breaks as he tripled the very first hole on the last day and could not overcome the deficit to finish three over par 39 for the day and five over total for the tournament.

Armando is in the thick of preparations for the US summer golf season as he will be representing the Philippines in the 2019 IMG Junior World Championship in San Diego, California, USA, this coming July.

in the colors of your choice. You might have to wait a bit, but you’ll have the driver of your dreams.

Biggest con is probably price. Drivers these days are so rooted in science. The amounts of money that Callaway and the rest invest in their research and development are massive and must be recouped somehow.

Unfortunately, the burden is on us.

But that does little to change the fact that the Callaway Epic Flash Sub Zero is an amazing driver that sends the ball a very long way down the fairway when hit well. It might not be as forgiving as its Rogue counterpart, but the difference is small and the Epic Flash Sub Zero is very playable. It is the latest in a long line of amazing drivers from Callaway and one I’m very happy to have in the bag.

www.pinoygolfer.com | Saturday, May 18, 2019 A11

www.pinoygolfer.com

Magical Melbourne primed to the perfect host I T is apt and indeed worthy that a city many consider as a global sports mecca boasting some of the world’s greatest Sandbelt golf courses will host one of the PGA Tour’s crown jewels, the 2019 Presidents Cup, at The Royal Melbourne Golf Club from December 9 to 15.

Among its allure, Melbourne is famed for being sports-crazy, and the magnificent city of close to 5 million people will prove to be the ideal host when a Tiger Woods-led United States Team goes head-tohead with the International Team captained by South African legend, Ernie Els, over four days of match play drama and intrigue.

Royal Melbourne stands out imperiously as the pride of the Sandbelt where it will become the only international golf venue to host the Presidents Cup for an unprecedented third time. Els hopes it will deliver what will only be the International Team’s second victory since the event’s inception in 1994. The International’s lone triumph was achieved at Royal Melbourne in 1998, which also hosted the premier team event in 2001.

Designed by acclaimed British golf architect Alistair McKenzie, whose other masterpieces include gems such as Augusta National Golf Club and Cypress Point Club in the US, Royal Melbourne’s Composite Course will present a true test of golf to 24 of the finest American and International golfers (excluding Europe).

The best 12 holes from Royal Melbourne’s West course and six of the finest from its East course make up the Composite course which has since stood the test of time where its firm and fast conditions, coupled with large and dramatically shaped bunkers and lightning-quick greens, contribute to keep Royal Melbourne consistently among the best top 10 golf courses in the world.

Els, who has won previously at Royal Melbourne and holds the course record with a stunning 60 shot in 2004, is excited ahead of the Presidents Cup. “You know, it felt like my own golf course. It is one of my favorite courses and cities in the world,” said the World Golf Hall of Famer.

When Woods visited Melbourne last December, he enthused: “We are in probably one of the greatest sporting countries, cities in the world. Playing here in the Sandbelt golf courses, it’s just heaven.”

With tickets for the Presidents Cup now on sale and travel packages available on www.presidentscup. com, international sports fans and golf lovers from around the world will have every reason to travel to Melbourne to witness a truly premier team golf competition while experiencing everything that the vibrant city has to offer.

International visitors and travelers to Melbourne will be spoilt for choice when they seek a round of golf as apart from Royal Melbourne, other acclaimed courses along the Sandbelt include Kingston Heath, Metropolitan, Huntingdale, Commonwealth and Peninsula Kingswood.

The great Royal and Ancient sport is among a myriad of unique experiences that Melbourne has to offer. The city is home to many of the best-known cultural institutions in Australia, including the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground, the National Gallery of Victoria and the World Heritage-listed Royal Exhibition Building. It plays host to other sporting spectacles including the Australian Grand Prix, tennis Australian Open and the Melbourne Cup. As a vibrant city which continues to evolve, innovate and excite, Melbourne is renowned as

Adam Scott goes Vintage T

ADAM SCOTT

By Greg Monteforte

HROUGHOUT his career, Adam Scott has been one of the most stylish players on the PGA Tour. If there is a best-dressed list in golf, the Aussie’s name likely will be on it.

While athletic brands have made strong inroads into the game of golf, Scott has favored apparel labels that place a premium on fashion and performance. Not surprisingly, he subscribes to the “look good, feel good, play great” mentality.

“I’ve enjoyed the fashion on the golf course,” Scott said. “If I think back to my childhood, my favorite was always Greg Norman. I thought he presented himself very well.”

In 2013, Scott’s passion for fashion led him to Uniqlo. Scott was drawn to Uniqlo’s philosophy that clothing is lifewear. Trying to escape the typical golf uniform, he liked that the brand’s apparel could easily transition to off-course settings.

“They don’t really pigeonhole one product into a certain category,” Scott said. “The pair of pants I wear on the golf course could be the pair of pants somebody wears to the office. It could be the pair of pants they wear out to dinner at night. It’s whatever you want to make it.”

Scott began wearing Uniqlo’s threads at the Masters that year.

At the end of the week, he added another key piece to his new wardrobe—a green jacket.

Fast-forward six years and Scott was once again making a buzz at Augusta National in Uniqlo’s sophisticated looks. This time it was due to a double-pleated trouser, which is part of Uniqlo’s new U line.

This vintage golf look is one Scott will continue to sport at the other major championships this year, including this week’s PGA Championship.

“I think the skinny tapered trouser has certainly run on trend for a long time now,” he said. “We talked a lot last year about relaxing the silhouettes a little bit and then also relying on the team at Uniqlo U, which is headed by Christophe Lemaire, who’s an incredible designer, to add some detail and more fashion elements. So that’s when the pleats came back in.”

In working with Lemaire and his team, Scott turned to old photographs of Ben Hogan, Claude Harmon, Arnold Palmer and Sam Snead for inspiration. The result was a “new classic” trouser with a modern feel and a relaxed urban style.

Beyond the actual silhouette, Scott also worked with the design team to dial in the proper blend of fabrics. The pants are constructed of a wool-like polyester with the addition of Toray, a breathable, water-repellent fabric. The combination provides

well for its culinary and fashion scene, inspired laneways, art spaces and boutiques, iconic Australian experiences and destinations including the wine regions plus the stunning Great Ocean Road, its 12 Apostles and native wildlife.

Players currently in the running to qualify for the US Team include Dustin Johnson, three-time major winner Brooks Koepka, along with Rickie Fowler, Justin Thomas and Bryson DeChambeau. Add in Phil Mickelson and

recent Masters Tournament champion Woods, who looks to become the first playing captain since Hale Irwin in 1994, and the US Team has a strong mix of established stars and young talent.

International Team fans will be relying on a host of Australian players with home advantage including the likes of Adam Scott, Jason Day, Marc Leishman and Cameron Smith plus the likes of reigning Australian Open champion Abraham Ancer of Mexico, South Africa’s Louis Oosthuizen and China’s Haotong Li being in contention to win places in Els’s team.

With two legendary captains leading their respective teams in front of enthusiastic and loyal sports fans, the

2019 Presidents Cup will prove to be one of the most historic events in Australia’s golfing history.

With activities commencing with a free Melbourne city-center takeover on Monday, December 9, featuring players and celebrities, ticket options include practice rounds and competition days with daily, weekend and weekly ticket options, which start at AUD$45.

The Presidents Cup promises to deliver a magical week of world-class golf in Melbourne. And there’s probably no better city in the world to best host it. n Chuah Choo Chiang is senior director, communications of

the PGA Tour and is based in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

PRESIDENTS Cup trophy with the Melbourne skyline. PGA TOUR

him with the vintage drape he wants while also delivering the necessary performance qualities.

So, what was the reaction to Scott’s pleats from the other players?

“It was noticed, that’s for sure,” he said. “I certainly don’t think anything I wore at the Masters was outrageous. It was paying tribute to the great vintage golf styling of the past. The trousers were obvious because they were much roomier than most of the other guys’ trousers. A few guys looked like they would be pretty happy to dig in their closet from 15 years ago and bust out their double pleats again.”

Looking forward this week to Bethpage Black, Scott will continue the vintage look that he debuted at Augusta.

He’ll start the tournament in a soft, yet energetic lilac polo before turning to classic navy, white and black shirts the remaining three days. With temperatures expected to be

cool, Adam will layer up with one of his go-to pieces— Uniqlo’s Merino sweater.

“The Merino sweater is a Uniqlo staple,” he said.

“It’s one of my favorite items to travel with. The ones I’m wearing out of the Uniqlo U range have more detail on the shoulder and collar, plus more stretch, which is very nice.”

“At the moment I’m into the whole vintage thing,” Scott said. “I’m really enjoying having a bit of a change of pace at the majors with the clothing and the silhouettes this year. Some of those colors are more me, too.”

Of course, these new classic looks wouldn’t be complete without proper kicks. After a bit of experimenting, Scott decided to lace up shoes from FootJoy’s 1857 Collection with premium Italian calfskin leathers, leather outsoles, full leather linings and traditional stacked heels.

“I played in FootJoy Classics for the first 10 years of my career and it’s almost like walking back into my youth,” he said. “They have a little bit more of a pronounced heel and the angle from the heel to the forefoot is a little different from what I’ve been wearing. I got into a setup position with them and they felt really good. I’m going to continue wearing them for the time being, and certainly through this major season where I think they complement the clothing very well.”

Scott is careful to mention that his new looks aren’t about recreating outfits from the past, though. Instead, he is creating modern versions of classic looks that can go anywhere and do anything.

“Certainly, we’re not trying to go back and be like Ben Hogan,” he said. “This is more about the modern classic, but also being able to walk right off the course and out to dinner or into the office and be stylish.”

OurTime

A12 Saturday, May 18, 2019 • Editor: Efleda P. Campos

BusinessMirror

Makati centenarian still votes despite age

M

By Aerol John Pateña

ANY elderly voters in Makati City went to the polling precincts early Monday to avoid the long queues that typically build up from midday to late afternoon of election day.

One of them was 100-year-old Marolina Mendoza, a registered voter in Makati for more than 40 years, who voted at a polling precinct in Barangay San Antonio.

“Hindi naman ako nahirapan sa pagboto. Tumulong yung anak ko sa paghanap ng pangalan ko sa listahan.

May polling precinct sa ibaba para sa mga senior citizens [I did not encounter any problem in voting. My daughter was the one who checked my name on the voter’s list. There was a designated precinct for senior citizens at the ground floor],” Mendoza told the Philippine News Agency (PNA).

She said she made a list of candidates a few days before the election to reduce the time she would spend at the polling precinct.

She also said she was satisfied with the performance of the Makati City government, especially in the delivery of health and social services to senior citizens like her.

“Malaking tulong ang yellow card sa gastos ko sa mga gamot. Yung mga gamot ko pinadadala na mismo sa bahay ko [The city government’s yellow card is a great help in shouldering my medical expenses. My medicines are delivered right to my house],” Mendoza said.

Meanwhile, poll watchers in Barangay Guadalupe Nuevo said polling precincts had backup vote- counting machines on standby that could be used in case some VCM malfunction during the elections.

“Sa ngayon, maayos naman ang botohan. May second votecounting machine na pwedeng magamit in case magkaroon ng problema sa makina [So far, voting went smoothly. There was a second votecounting machine that could be used in case there were malfunctions],” said a poll watcher of the political party United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) assigned at the San Jose Elementary School.

Former Vice President and Makati City Mayor Jejomar Binay was not able to cast his vote earlier in the day after his ballot was rejected eight times by the VCM. Binay, who voted at the San Antonio National High School at about 7 a.m., was disappointed as polling officers were unable to explain why his ballot was rejected by the machine.

“Galit ako! Galit ako! Bakit na-

disenfranchise ang boto ko [I’m furious. Why was my vote disenfranchised]?” Binay told reporters, noting there was no reason for his ballot to be rejected as it did not contain any stray mark.

He said the ballot of the voter who was ahead of him was rejected, as well.

The voter got some dirt on the ballot so the VCM considered it as stray mark, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) personnel later explained to Binay.

Binay was eventually able to vote anew at about 11 a.m. after he proceeded to the headquarters of the National Board of Canvassers at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC) in Pasay City to report his rejected ballot.

Binay ran as representative in the first congressional district of Makati against former acting city mayor Romulo Peña.

Makati City has a total of 397,587 registered voters, according to data gathered by the Comelec during the 2016 national and local elections. PNA

Asian beauty, personal-care trends driven by aging concerns

P

REFERENCES in beauty and personal-care products and regimens are changing for consumers in Asia-Pacific, and suppliers will do well to know the latest trends, a new report from Mintel stated.

In the latest “Asia Pacific: The Beauty and Personal Care Landscape,” Mintel observes the major developments shaping consumer trends in the region—the growing aging population, the rise of the single consumer, and the emergence of the “lazy economy.”

“The beauty industry in Asia holds boundless opportunities to cater to consumers, young and old, looking to prevent or tackle the issue of aging,” Mintel said.

“Consumers are starting their antiaging beauty regimes as young as in their 20s, in hopes of prolonging their youth and delaying the signs of aging.”

For example, 32 percent of Chinese female beauty consumers aged 25 to 29 are interested in base makeup products with antiaging claims, while Indian consumers are increasingly concerned about hair aging, with 21 percent of Indian consumers aged over 18 using hair color to cover greys.

In Southeast Asia, wrinkles are no longer the only signs of aging to cause concern. Also plaguing Southeast Asian skin types are spots, hyperpigmentation and uneven skin tone. As a result, regional consumers are now looking beyond products toward aesthetics treatments such as skin peeling, also known as microdermabrasion.

The report also highlights another key trend: the power of the oneperson household.

“The global economy is recognizing the rise of the single consumer and the spending power they possess—and this includes the beauty industry. These consumers are single by choice and are happy to undertake activities alone,” said the report.

Philexport News and Features

GRANDMA’S COCONUT JUICE

An enterprising elderly woman sells coconut juice along the road near the provincial capitol grounds in Ilagan City, Isabela. She claims her ice-cold buko juice beats the summer heat. CEASAR M. PERANTE

Health care for all? China has it but needs far more

By Adam Minter Bloomberg Opinion

O

NE wouldn’t think Chinese in their 60s worried about the cost of cancer treatment would be a demographic slice that interested high-flying technology companies. Earlier this week, however, Ant Financial Services Group, an affiliate of Alibaba Group Holding Ltd., announced a new product targeted especially to them, part of its Xiang Hu Bao platform. For a small monthly fee, participants will be guaranteed up to $14,700 specifically for cancer care if they ever receive that dreaded diagnosis.

It’s only the latest innovation from Chinese technology companies looking to tap into fears over rising health-care costs on the mainland. Even as politicians in the US champion a version of socialized medicine, Communist China is desperately looking for ways to make private insurance work. And hightech companies, even more so than traditional insurance providers,

could well lead the way.

Xiang Hu Bao, which Ant initially launched last October for individuals between the ages of 30 days and 59 years, is one of several “mutual aid” platforms that have sprung up in recent months. The idea is simple: Users agree to pay membership fees up to $28 per month to cover the health care of other members. In return, they’re guaranteed reimbursement for treatment of 100 “critical illnesses.”

(Payouts for noncancer care top out at approximately $44,000 for those younger than 60 years old.) The only criterion for joining is a decent credit score, as calculated by Ant’s Zhima Credit, which collects data on hundreds of millions of Chinese.

Before announcing its cancerfocused extension on May 8, Xiang Hu Bao had already attracted 57 million users, most of whom earn low incomes and would otherwise struggle to afford traditional private health insurance. And it’s not alone: At least two other mutual health plans claim more than 50

million members each, including Waterdrop, owned Beijing Shuidi Mutual Insurance Technology Co., a company backed by Tencent Holdings Ltd. and food-delivery giant Meituan Dianping.

Waterdrop is gambling that mutual aid is just the gateway to other insurance-like products. It also operates an online insurance-distribution platform that, presumably, members can join as their incomes allow.

Like so much else in China, demographics are driving these innovations. At the end of 2018, 18 percent of China’s population— roughly 250 million people—had reached retirement age. That’s the world’s largest population of elderly, and it’s growing.

Paying for their health care won’t be easy. China’s state-sponsored insurance system provides near-universal coverage and reimburses 60 percent to 90 percent of medical expenses. But it generally covers only treatment at government hospitals, and only for basic services and the most common diseases.

www.businessmirror.com.ph

The gift of an unhurried day

By Nick Tayag

MY SIXTY-ZEN’S WORTH “Dawn pours into the steaming cup We drink the light of day Our days are garlands— strung berries in life’s tree Smell, taste, touch and see.”

—Gunilla Norris

A

H, to wake up early at dawn, waiting for the sun to spread its glorious orange-tinge glow gently and silently over the leaves, the grass in my pocket garden, over the books on the table in my tiny terrace as if to prepare the table for the day’s quiet banquet.

This is what life after retirement is all about, when you can enjoy days without any pending pressure to attend an early-morning commitment or errand!

Oh, to mute all these mobile gadgets and just listen intently to the chirpy conversations of little birds, dashing here and fro! If you are sharply attuned enough, they say you can learn to hear the leaves and the grass talk, the insects communicate and even the wind whisper a word or two.

I sit on my old rattan chair slowly as I sip the un-sugared black coffee from my slightly chipped mug.

Unmindfully, I catch snatches of chatter from neighbors rushing by out there in the street, but thankfully, our walls shield me from seeing their faces. They need to out rush, out-elbow others to get into public transport to make it on time for work. I can see it all in the eye of my mind: stressed commuters coming from various parts like tiny rivulets converging toward and overfilling the main river.

But I shut my mind from that scene and, instead, I dip my bread into the mug of coffee. Out on the garage, mother cats and respective kittens are asleep, cozy in their mutually agreed and duly pisssprayed territories. In just a few years, the original eve, a stray who found a home in our backyard, has spawned at least four generations of cats.

Now, I look forward to a day I can spend at home with my wife. I am a simple man of simple tastes, and by inclination, I like simple ordinary endeavors, that’s why I like my day to be as uneventful and un-busy as possible. I am reminded by Marcus Aurelius, who said: “Remember: Very little is needed to make a happy life.”

This is the one day in the week which I reserve for myself, my “staycation” day to enjoy unhurried moments. This is my “mindfulness day” in which I strive to pay attention more intently to the moments of the day, to see life unfolding through my eyes. Spiritual seekers have another term for paying attention: mindfulness. It is that sense of awareness, concentration, recollection, those moments of grace which show signs of the presence of spirit.

Jean-Pierre du Caussade, a French Jesuit priest of the 18th century, calls it “the sacrament of the pres-

ent moment.” A holy moment in small letters.

It is a day when I do one thing at a time, unhurriedly. I keep my mind focused on whatever I happen to be doing at the moment.

It is through the mundane and the familiar that we discover a world of ceaseless wonders. It is also my way of training myself to notice details.

A Sufi master once said that the best way to express gratitude for a gift is to use it well. As for me, I like to express my gratitude for the gift of this ordinary day by savoring each moment well, experiencing the presence of the divine, mindful that He is here now moving through our everyday activities, no matter how trivial they might seem. Giving up the illusion of control allows me to feel grateful for the equanimity and serenity of doing simple mundane activities, including sitting around not doing anything in particular and relishing the sense of the quiet joy of just being alive.

I hear the soft strains of an old Simon and Garfunkle song: “Slow down you’re moving too fast, you got to make the moment last…” which aptly sets the mood. I pick two soft-bound books from a pile of second hand books I have been collecting (hoarding, my wife would call it) and lay them on the table. One is a biography on Saint Thomas More, and the other is about the life and times of Billy Wilder, a director whose films I admire. Both will do for the day. They will transport me to other worlds and other times. But that’s for later.

The excitement stirs.

But first, I peel a banana and savor its freshly ripened lusciousness. It’s a perfect balance of tartness and sweetness with a suggestion of bitterness.

My wife, my life journey’s companion, and I casually pick up a thread of running conversation about trivial matters, immediate concerns, but nothing too urgent nor too dramatic to rile up our gastric juices and rattle the day’s tranquility.

The telephone rings, but I tune it out of my thoughts. I let my wife pick it up. She knows I don’t like to be disturbed. Mercifully, it’s a wrong number.

Many things must not be hurried. Like creativity, a relationship, a good book, a good conversation or even a good dinner. Life needs time in which to meander its way to revelation and insight.

Moments of grace, epiphanies and the wisdom in little things are often lost to us because we are in too much of a hurry to notice them. Through the ages, spiritual gurus, painters, filmmakers and poets have been encouraging us to slow down and notice the precious texture of the ordinary day.

So today, I heed them and let the day come to me without haste, receiving each moment with all my senses and sensibilities, an open mind and a grateful heart.

104-year-old grandma casts ballot in Iloilo town on Monday I LOILO CITY—A 104-year-old grandmother of 13 grandchildren amazed her fellow voters in Barangay Cabilauan, New Lucena, Iloilo on when she cast her votes around 10 a.m. on Monday.

In a radio interview, Lucila S. So-

bremisana, who will be turning 105 on October 31 this year, shared that despite her age, she makes sure to always vote every election because it gives her happiness.

“I will choose those who will do good

for our town,” she said in the dialect.

She claimed she would never tolerate candidates who buy votes and even branded them as corrupt.

“I will never vote for them, I will never accept money coming from them,”

she said as she attributed the P100,000 cash gift for centenarians, of which she is a recipient, good governance.

The gift from the national government is given through the Department of Social Welfare and Development

(DSWD) on top of the other cash gifts from the local governments.

Using her wheelchair, Sobremisana braved the scorching heat of the sun, but was also thankful that senior citizens like her is given a privilege through an

express lane, thus she was able to vote ahead of the others.

She also scored younger voters who do not value the electoral process. “They do not understand the significance of choosing good leaders,” she added. PNA

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

BusinessMirror

High-tech sex toy for women wins back a rescinded award ARLINGTON, Virginia—A trade group has reinstated an award to the makers of a robotic sex toy for women that it had taken away four months ago for not keeping with its image.

The Consumer Technology Association on Wednesday restored the Consumer Electronics Show’s 2019 Innovation Award in the robotics and

/

drones category to the Osé “robotic massager” by the Lora DiCarlo company.

The association says it recognizes the “innovative technology” and “reiterates its sincere apology” to the developer.

Association Spokesman Jean Foster says in a statement that “CTA did not handle this award

properly.”

An independent panel of judges had selected the Osé last fall, but the Consumer Electronics Show’s organizer later said it was ineligible.

Lora DiCarlo called it sexism, noting that “a literal sex doll for men was launched on the floor at CES in 2018.” AP

The gamer’s choice

MATTHEW CHAN of Innovista Technologies

PRIMETIME

DINNA CHAN VASQUEZ @dinnachanvasquez luckydinna@gmail.com

M

ONITORS are an integral part of the gaming experience. If a gamer’s monitor is subpar, then the whole experience is ruined. Unfortunately, many brands are too pricey for gaming cafés and beginners.

AOPEN was launched in the country recently to address this need and serve the growing gaming industry.

“We’re very proud to bring AOPEN monitors here in the Philippines. Gaming is a rapidly growing sector here in the Philippines and we’re happy to serve that sector. AOPEN provides a superior gaming experience without the high cost,” said Matthew Chan of Innovista Technologies, which distributes AOPEN in the Philippines.

AOPEN delivers high-quality monitors—from entry level to curved screen—that meet the needs of new and upcoming gamers.

The curved screen models put every corner of the screen at the same distance from the gamer’s eyes for a uniform viewing experience. Curved monitors also reduce eye strain during long periods of viewing.

They also present a more immersive experience with a wider field of view and increased perceived area of peripheral vision compared to a flat display of the same size. A curved monitor creates a panoramic effect, so the gamer experiences more depth and perceives the image in 3D. AOPEN gaming monitors’ six-axis color range adjustment allows it to optimize the image quality, making images in low resolution an Ultra HD treatment. Gamers have the freedom to “blend” the colors they want, or the shades that best work for them by adjusting the six-axis color range that includes the basic RGB and CMY. AOPEN will unlock the doors for newbie gaming enthusiasts to have curved monitors at reasonable price points.

“The goal is to provide curved monitors at affordable prices for those who are just starting to enjoy gaming,” said Chan.

Curved monitors allow gamers to maximize peripheral view which is otherwise challenging with flat monitors. The thin bezel and metal stand give the monitors a feel of a real gaming nook. Setting it up is a breeze because it is designed for small places but with top-notch quality.

Gamers can adjust AOPEN monitors’ OSD settings through the Low Blue Light feature, which filters out the blue light that usually causes harm to the eyes.

The Flicker-less technology simply eliminates those

flickering screens that may not only affect the gamer’s game but also their sight.

AOPEN is a major electronics manufacturer from Taiwan building an expertise to highreliability gaming devices. The brand is also the only commercial devices provider developing technology across all operating systems with a specialty in Google Chrome OS. AOPEN targets not only new and upcoming gamers, said Chan, but also institutional users and gaming cafés.

Prices for AOPEN gaming monitors start at P8,000. ■

Saturday, May 18, 2019 A13

CAREER CLIMBING IN THE DIGITAL AGE

WITH 90 percent of people in employment going online several times a day, it can be hard for most workers to keep their private and work-life separate during the working day and beyond. The recently published Global Privacy Report from Kaspersky Lab (www.kaspersky.com) reveals that one in two (59 percent) consumers choose to hide social-media activity from their boss. This secretive position at work also extends to their colleagues, with 52 percent of people also preferring not to reveal online activities to their coworkers.

The average employee spends an astonishing 13 years and two months at work during their lifetime. Interestingly though, not all this time is directly related to solving work tasks or earning a promotion: almost two thirds (64 percent) of consumers admit visiting nonwork-related web sites every day from their desk.

Not surprisingly, nearly a third (29 percent) of employees are against their employer knowing which web sites they visit. However, more interestingly, one in two (52 percent) are even against their colleagues knowing about their online activities. This probably means that colleagues constitute an even greater threat to future perspectives of an office slouch, or maybe the relationships with colleagues are more informal and, therefore, more valuable.

Conversely, social-media activity appears to be a less private domain for many and, therefore, more suitable for sharing with colleagues but not the boss. This is probably because workers fear harming the public image of a company, or interest in decreased staff productivity motivates companies to monitor employees’ social networks and make career-changing decisions based on that.

Such policies have led to one-in-two (59 percent) people saying that they don’t want to reveal their social-media activities to their boss and 54 percent even don’t want to disclose this information to their colleagues.

A further 34 percent are against showing the content of their messages and e-mails to their employer. In addition, 5 percent even said that their career was irrevocably damaged as a consequence of their personal information being leaked.

Thus, people are worried about how to build a favorable internal reputation and how not to destroy existing workplace relationships.

“As going online is an integral part of our life nowadays, lines continue to blur between our digital existence at work and at home. And that’s neither good nor bad. That’s how we live in the digital age. Just keep remembering that as an employee, you need to be increasingly cautious of what exactly you post on social-media feeds or what web sites you prefer using at work. One misconceived action on the Internet could have an irrevocable long-term impact on even the most ambitious worker’s ability to climb the career ladder of their choice in the future,” comments Marina Titova, head of Consumer Product Marketing at Kaspersky Lab. To ensure workers don’t fall prey on Internet threats at work, here are some core guidelines to adhere to in the digital age: ■ Don’t post anything that could be considered defamatory, obscene, proprietary or libelous. If in doubt, don’t post.

■ Be aware that system administrators may at least in theory be informed about your Web browsing patterns.

■ Don’t harass, threaten, discriminate or disparage against any colleague, partner, competitor or customer, not on social networks or in messages, e-mails or by any other means.

■ Don’t post photographs of other employees, customers, vendors, suppliers or company products without prior written permission.

■ Start using Kaspersky Password Manager to ensure your social media and other personal accounts are not at risk of unauthorized access by someone else in an office. Install a reliable security solution such as Kaspersky Security Cloud to protect your personal devices.

WhatsApp flaw let spies take control with calls alone

BY FRANK BAJAK & RAPHAEL SATTER The Associated Press SPYWARE crafted by a sophisticated group of hackersfor-hire took advantage of a flaw in the popular WhatsApp communications program to remotely hijack dozens of phones without any user interaction.

The Financial Times identified the hacking group as Israel’s NSO Group, which has been widely condemned for selling surveillance tools to repressive governments.

WhatsApp all but confirmed the identification, describing hackers as “a private company that has been known to work with governments to deliver spyware.” A spokesman for the Facebook subsidiary later said: “We’re certainly not refuting any of the coverage you’ve seen.”

WhatsApp has released a new version of the app containing a fix.

The spyware did not directly affect the end-to-end encryption that makes WhatsApp chats and calls private. It merely used a bug in the WhatsApp software as an infection vehicle. The malware allows spies to effectively take control of a phone—remotely and surreptitiously controlling its cameras and microphones, and vacuuming up personal and location data. Encryption is worthless once a phone’s operating system has been violated.

Hackers are always looking for flaws in apps and operating systems that they can exploit to deliver spyware.

State-run intelligence agencies including the US National

Security Agency invest tens of millions of dollars on it. Indeed, Google’s ProjectZero bug-hunting team scoured WhatsApp last year looking for vulnerabilities but did not find any.

Instead, it was WhatsApp’s security team that found the flaw.

The development comes as Facebook looks to triple down on its messaging services by merging WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger and Instagram Direct, and bringing WhatsApplevel encryption to the others. The attack would not affect Facebook’s ability to do that.

The malware was able to penetrate phones through missed calls alone using the app’s voice calling function, said the WhatsApp spokesman, who was not authorized to be quoted by name. He said an unknown number of people—an amount in the dozens at least would not be inaccurate—were infected with the malware, which the company discovered in early May, the spokesman said.

John Scott-Railton, a researcher with the Internet watchdog Citizen Lab, called the hack “a very scary vulnerability.”

“There’s nothing a user could have done here, short of not having the app,” he said. The vast majority of hacks involve some sort of user interaction, such as clicking on an infected link. The WhatsApp spokesman said its flaw was discovered while “our team was putting some additional security enhancements to our voice calls.” He said engineers found that people targeted for infection “might get one or two calls from a number that is not familiar to them. In the process of calling, this code gets shipped.”

WhatsApp, which has more than 1.5 billion users, immediately contacted Citizen Lab and human-rights groups, quickly fixed the issue and pushed out a patch. He said WhatsApp also provided information to US law enforcement officials to assist in their investigations.

“We are deeply concerned about the abuse of such capabilities,” WhatsApp said in a statement.

Although WhatsApp urged all users to update the program on their phones, only a minuscule percentage run the risk of being targeted by such malware. NSO said in a statement that its technology is used by law enforcement and intelligence agencies to fight “crime and terror.”

“We investigate any credible allegations of misuse and if necessary, we take action, including shutting down the system,” the statement said. A spokesman for Stephen Peel, whose private equity firm Novalpina recently announced the purchase of part of NSO, did not return an e-mail seeking comment.

The revelation adds to the questions over the reach of the Israeli company’s powerful spyware.

Prior to the latest WhatsApp revelation, NSO’s spyware has repeatedly been found deployed to hack journalists, lawyers, human-rights defenders and dissidents. Most notably, the spyware was implicated in the gruesome killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, who was dismembered in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul last year and whose body has never been found.

Several alleged targets of the spyware, including a close

friend of Khashoggi and several Mexican civil society figures, are currently suing NSO in an Israeli court over the hacking.

On Monday, Amnesty International—which said last year that one its staffers was also targeted with the spyware— said it would join in a legal bid to force Israel’s Ministry of Defense to suspend NSO’s export license.

That makes the discovery of the vulnerability particularly disturbing because one of the targets was a UK-based human-rights lawyer, the attorney told The Associated Press.

The lawyer, who spoke on condition of anonymity for professional reasons, said he received several suspicious missed calls over the past few months, the most recent one on Sunday, only hours before WhatsApp issued the update to users fixing the flaw.

In its statement, NSO said it “would not or could not” use its own technology to target “any person or organization, including this individual.”

While the timing of the hack is unfortunate for Facebook as it trots out a “privacy-focused” vision centered on messaging, people quickly forget about these problems, said Nate Elliott, who runs the research firm Nineteen Insights.

Just a day after WhatsApp disclosed the flaw, Intel revealed a hardware vulnerability that could affect millions of machines around the world. The bug is embedded in the architecture of computer hardware and can’t be fully fixed.

But Intel said on Tuesday there’s no evidence of anyone exploiting it outside of a research laboratory, as it’s difficult to pull off.

A14 Saturday, May 18, 2019

BusinessMirror

www.businessmirror.com.ph

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THE Supreme Court is allowing consumers to pursue an antitrust lawsuit that claims Apple has unfairly monopolized the market for the sale of iPhone apps. AP

IDC MARKETSCAPE RECOGNIZES SAP CLOUD PLATFORM AS LEADER IN GLOBAL SYSTEMS

Apps cost too much?

Court allows suit adding to Apple’s woes

BY MARK SHERMAN & MICHAEL LIEDTKE The Associated Press

W

ASHINGTON—Consumers can pursue a lawsuit complaining that iPhone apps cost too much, the Supreme Court ruled on Monday, adding to Apple’s woes that already include falling iPhone sales and a European investigation.

The lawsuit could have major implications for the tech giant’s handling of the more than 2 million apps in Apple’s App Store, where users get much of the software for their smartphones.

While most of those apps are free to download, some impose fees for people to use the software and subscribe to the services.

In those cases, Apple charges a commission of 30 percent, a practice that the lawsuit contends unfairly drives up the price for the apps. Justice Brett Kavanaugh wrote the majority opinion that agreed the antitrust lawsuit can move forward in a lower court. The court’s four liberal justices joined Kavanaugh, one of President Donald J. Trump’s two high court appointees, to reject a plea from Apple to end the lawsuit at this early stage. The decision did not involve the merits of the suit.

Apple argues it’s merely a pipeline between app developers and consumers, and that iPhone users have no claims against Apple under antitrust law and a 1977 Supreme Court decision. Tens of thousands of developers create the software and set the price, Apple says. “We’re confident we will prevail when the facts are presented and that the App Store is not a monopoly by any metric,” Apple said in statement issued in response to Monday’s ruling. The lawsuit could take years to wind to its conclusion.

But Kavanaugh stressed in his opinion that Apple’s commissions also may affect consumers, as well as app developers.

“The iPhone owners purchase apps directly from the retailer Apple,” he said, describing a relationship sufficient to allow the lawsuit to go forward.

Justice Neil Gorsuch, Trump’s other high court pick, wrote a dissent for four conservative justices, saying that the consumers’ complaint against Apple is the kind of case that a 42-year-old decision, in Illinois Brick Co. v. Illinois, was intended to prevent. The court in that case “held that an antitrust plaintiff can’t sue a defendant for overcharging someone else who might [or might not] have passed on all [or some] of the overcharge to him,” Gorsuch wrote. “Yet today the court lets a pass-on case proceed.”

The ruling threatens to throw another monkey wrench in Apple’s efforts to increase the revenue generated from its app store at a time that its iPhone sales have plunged into their deepest slump since that

revolutionary product hit the market 12 years ago.

To counter the iPhone sales drop, Apple is trying to make more money from selling services such as its music subscription service, as well as a forthcoming Netflix-like video service while also taking a cut from the subscriptions and other transactions done on apps downloaded on iPhones and iPads.

The effort has been largely successful, helping to transform the Apple services division that includes the app store into the fastest-growing part of the company. Apple’s most recent quarter highlight the ongoing transformation as its services division revenue surged 16 percent from the previous year to $11.5 billion, while iPhone sales plunged 17 percent to $31 billion.

Meanwhile, Apple is under scrutiny in Europe because of claims of unfair business practices. The Dutch antitrust agency opened an investigation in April into allegations by companies including the Sweden-based online music service Spotify over commissions and other issues.

The Financial Times reported this month that the European Commission planned to begin a formal probe based on a separate complaint from Spotify.

Even before Spotify filed its complaint in Europe, Netflix magnified the attention on the issue late last year when it decided to stop accepting new subscribers through Apple’s app store.

Now the Supreme Court decision raises the specter of the legal dominoes falling in a way that could require Apple to slash its commissions or even abandon them.

The commissions are unlikely to disappear completely because it’s reasonable for apps to pay a fee for distributing their software just as manufacturers pay brick-and-mortar retailers to get the products on store shelves, said Danielle Levitas, executive vice president of market insights for App Annie, a firm that tracks the app market.

But even a reduction in the commission rate could deliver a financial blow that would even damage a company as profitable as Apple.

If Apple can maintain the current commissions in its app store at its recent rate of growth, it will produce revenue of about $17 billion in 2020, estimates Macquarie Securities analyst Ben Schachter. But if the average commission rate were to fall to 12 percent, the projected revenue from the app store would shrivel to $7.6 billion next year, Schachter predicts.

That possibility rattled investors already jittery about how the escalating trade war with China might make it even more difficult for Apple to sell more iPhones. Apple’s stock dropped nearly 6 percent on Monday to close at $185.72. With the China tariffs causing even more pressing concerns, Apple’s stock has fallen by about 11 percent in the past week alone to

erase $100 billion in shareholder wealth.

There has been exponential growth in the availability of apps since Apple created the App Store in 2008 with 500 choices. “‘There’s an app for that’ has become part of the 21st-century American lexicon,” Kavanaugh said.

The case is Apple Inc. v. Pepper, 17-204.

■ Liedtke reported from San Francisco. Associated Press writers Frank Bajak in Boston and Matt O’Brien in Providence, Rhode Island, contributed to this report.

WALLDORF, Germany—SAP SE announced it has been named a leader in “IDC MarketScape: Worldwide SaaS and Cloud-Enabled Operational ERP Applications 2019 Vendor Assessment.”

“SAP S/4HANA Cloud is a well-established operational ERP system, focused on utilizing artificial intelligence to optimize business processes,” said Mickey North Rizza, program vice president, Enterprise Applications and Digital Commerce at IDC. The report recognizes SAP S/4HANA Cloud as an intelligent ERP solution that enables various business processes such as idea to design, procure to pay, plan to production, order to cash, offer to project and core finance.

The key strengths are listed as: ■ A single in-memory, columnar data model for both transactions and analytics, which eliminates redundant data and provides real-time insight. Tied to an AI-powered set of functionalities within ERP to automate routine work and flag exceptions for human action, SAP S/4HANA Cloud has a strong commitment to automating half of all ERP activities in the next three years.

■ A conversational user experience with an intelligent digital assistant for the enterprise, SAP CoPilot.

■ SAP’s one code line, one data model and one user experience for both cloud and on-premise deployments, making it easier and cheaper to manage hybrid scenarios.

As a market leader in intelligent ERP, SAP S/4HANA offers unmatched intelligence and automation. Driven by machine learning, it is advancing at a more rapid pace than ever, resulting in happy customers and accelerated adoption, according to Jan Gilg, senior vice president and head of SAP S/4HANA. SAP S/4HANA is an intelligent business software suite that enables companies to address current challenges and future opportunities with flexibility, speed and insight. It is an important part of the digital core that drives digital transformation and delivers instant business value. The company offers customers a choice of deployment options including cloud, on-premise or hybrid so they can choose any scenario or combination that is right for them. Built to take advantage of SAP’s industry-leading in-memory computing platform, SAP HANA, SAP S/4HANA offers incredible flexibility and speed through a dramatically simplified data model.

Race to cashless shopping THE aspiration of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) for the country is to transform a fifth of total volume of transactions to noncash methods by 2020. Achieving this goal might sound to be a bit of a stretch, but it is highly doable, as the signs of the time point to two things: that Filipinos are now more receptive to disruptive technology, and that handling cash is quickly becoming a thing of the past.

The challenge now is how to entice the growing number of digital payments users to use financial technology (fintech) platforms for their daily needs.

Does access to terminals come first or does demand from consumers overtake this need?

For GCash, operated by Globe Fintech Innovations Inc. (Mynt), the race toward this goal of transforming 20 percent of cash transactions to noncash involves providing access first to users and merchants notwithstanding the demand.

Through its investor Ayala Corp., Mynt was able to quickly deploy QR payments system to a wide selection of merchants ranging from fat-tail enterprises to long-tail ones, including microentrepreneurs.

“We value the retail strength of Ayala Corp., which has a huge arsenal of malls from which we can deploy our services in at the fastest and most cost-effective manner. We plan to do the same with all the malls in the country, “ said JM Aujero, GCash vice president for merchant solutions.

With a total of 1.8 million square meter of gross leasable area across its portfolio of more than 30 malls nationwide, Ayala’s retail footprint is a tailor fit armor for GCash’s QR solutions.

Today, GCash’s QR payments systems span to 50,000 merchants across the Philippines, including popular summer destination Boracay, and areas in Visayas and Mindanao. Users of GCash can now experience a more convenient cashless shopping experience through the scan-to-pay feature of the

GCash app.

For Ayala mall goers, they can easily purchase items and even buy tickets to watch the movies in the cinemas.

QR payments started the cashless revolution in China, and this has bore fruit to other digital financial services such savings, loans, credit and even wealth management. Merchants also enjoy a lower capital and lower operational expense for QR systems. What they need are simply a print-out of their approved QR code, a feature phone and a person to man the counter.

“The QR payment mode is indeed a game changer for both consumers and businesses. What we envision with Ayala is to have a cash-lite Philippines akin to the goal of the Central Bank,” Aujero said.

BusinessMirror

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Saturday, May 18, 2019 A15

New French rules for Facebook?

Zuckerberg likes the idea Gino Quillamor on creating next-level gaming experiences SAMSUNG continues its PASS10N Lab, a series of workshops produced to let this generation of trailblazers find their tribe, whether it is in entrepreneurship, photography, videography, fitness or gaming. Those part of the SamsungMembers app, an online community of users, got to enjoy talks and activities with leaders of different passion points. For its fifth leg, the tech giant invited radio DJ and gamer enthusiast Gino Quillamor together with mobile gamers for a friendly tournament with the help of the nextgeneration Samsung Galaxy S10.

Quillamor is a self-confessed geek who traces his history with playing to childhood. His earliest memory is of a simple game where he simply had to jump over obstacles. Since then, he has graduated to full-blown roleplaying games (RPGs) on different platforms, especially mobile.

“On mobile, the smartphone can make or break the gaming experience,” says Quillamor. “Many of the good titles have heavy graphics so you need a high-powered device to fully enjoy it. The Galaxy S10 lets me be part of the match without any lags.”

The next-generation Galaxy S10 is a smartphone designed for gamers, as its 8nm mobile chipset boosts CPU and GPU performance. This way, Quillamor can play multiple games at once without slowing down. It also optimizes battery, CPU, RAM, and even device temperature so the radio DJ can excel in the multiple facets of his life, whether personal and professional. For longer hours of gaming, an astounding feature about the Galaxy S10+ that will surely benefit any gamer is its large battery capacity at 4,100 mAh (S10e3,100mAh; S10-3,400mAh), making sure an uninterrupted mobile gaming experience.

Playing takes on a life-like quality with the world’s first Dynamic AMOLED Display of the Galaxy S10. The smartphone delivers cinema-grade visuals with vivid colors and pictures, transporting the player to any competition he is in. The Galaxy S10 is also complemented by the near bezelless Maximized Infinity Display.

Its wider 19:9 screen-body ratio and punch-hole display for the front camera means players can enjoy an immersive experience without any interruptions. At the same time, they can play all day as the Galaxy S10 automatically reduces blue light emissions by 41 percent.

“The Galaxy S10 allows me to not just play the game but be in it,” shares Quillamor. “The combination of visuals and the borderless display makes every performance feels like an adventure I truly am a part of.”

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FACEBOOK CEO Mark Zuckerberg arrives to meet with French President Emmanuel Macron at the Elysee Palace, in Paris, on May 10. Zuckerberg is meeting President Macron as the tech giant and France try to pioneer ways of fighting hate speech and violent extremism online. AP

BY ANGELA CHARLTON The Associated Press

ARIS—France welcomed Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg to Paris on Friday with the threat of sweeping new regulations against his social-media behemoth—and Zuckerberg himself called that proposal a good thing.

With his company under fire on multiple fronts, Zuckerberg came to France to show that Facebook is working hard to limit violent extremism and hate speech shared online.

But a group of French regulators and experts who spent weeks inside Facebook facilities in Paris, Dublin and Barcelona as part of a pilot cooperation project say the company still isn’t working hard enough on that front and governments need to step in.

Zuckerberg’s visit came amid concerns about hate speech and disinformation around this month’s from May 23 to 26 European Parliament elections, which are taking place in all of the European Union’s 28 nations. Just before Zuckerberg met French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris, the 10 officials released a report calling for laws allowing the French government to investigate and fine social networks that don’t take responsibility for the content that makes them money.

The regulators recommended legally requiring a “duty of care” for big social networks, meaning they should moderate hate speech published on their platforms. The regulators say any new law should respect freedom of expression, but did not explain how Facebook should balance those responsibilities in practice.

To an average user, the problem seems intractable.

Mass shootings are being live-streamed and online mobs are spreading rumors that lead to deadly violence. Facebook is even inadvertently creating celebratory videos using extremist content and autogenerating business pages for the likes of Islamic State militants and al-Qaeda.

The French government wants the legislation to serve as a model for a Europe-wide management of social networks—and Zuckerberg does, too.

“We can make progress on enforcing the rules, but at some level the question of what speech should be acceptable and what is harmful needs to be defined by regulation, by thoughtful governments that have a robust democratic process,” Zuckerberg told reporters after meeting with Macron at the Elysee presidential palace. The ideas about better regulation stemmed from a pilot project between Facebook and France, and Zuckerberg said he’s “encouraged and optimistic” about the result.

He said France’s proposals are preferable to the mass control in authoritarian countries.

Other Facebook executives also praised the French ideas as better for companies like Facebook than tougher legislation in countries like Germany and Australia. Germany introduced a law in 2017

requiring social-media companies to censor extremist content such as hate speech or face big fines, while Australia passed legislation in April that could result in social-media executives being imprisoned if they don’t quickly remove violent content.

The French proposals still lacked crucial details and need to go through a legislative process.

“It’s going to be hard for us, there are going to be things in there we disagree with, that’s natural,” Zuckerberg said. “But in order for people to trust the Internet overall and over time, there needs to be the right regulation put in place.”

The French officials praised Facebook for hiring more people and using artificial intelligence to track down and crack down on dangerous content.

But they said Facebook didn’t provide the French officials enough information about its algorithms to judge whether they were working, and that a “lack of transparency...justifies an intervention of public authorities.” The regulators acknowledged that their research didn’t address violent content shared on

private chat groups or encrypted apps, or on groups like 4chan or 8chan, where criminals, extremists and those concerned about privacy are increasingly turning to communicate.

Facebook said Zuckerberg was in France as part of meetings around Europe to discuss future regulation of the Internet.

Next week, the leaders of France and New Zealand will meet tech leaders in Paris for a summit seeking to ban acts of violent extremism and terrorism from being shown online.

Facebook has faced multiple challenges over privacy and security lapses, and accusations of endangering democracy—and it came under criticism this week from its own co-founder, Chris Hughes.

Hughes said in a New York Times opinion piece that it’s time to break up Facebook. He says Zuckerberg has turned the social-media giant into an innovationsuffocating monopoly and lamented the company’s “slow response to Russian agents, violent rhetoric and fake news.” ■

PHL a viable market for IT consulting projects

BY RIZAL RAOUL S. REYES THE Philippines is a good market for the information-technology (IT) consulting sector, especially the small and medium enterprise (SME) sector, which needs organizational and management development skills to pursue growth.

“They need internal alignment attuned to the needs of the client,” said Marcelino Ballesteros, a communication and business continuity consultant of ProAct Business Solutions, in a recent interview with BUSINESSMIRROR. Ballesteros, also a former communication and public affairs manager of IBM Philippines, said business enterprises in the country need expertise in computerization, data analytics, automation and data base management to enhance their operations. “With our wide expertise in communications and IT, we can provide our clients the necessary tools to make their organizations more efficient,” he explained.

Moreover, Ballesteros said local companies like ProAct can also offer more

cost-effective consulting rates compared to their foreign counterparts. “We will be competitive not only in pricing but also in the quality of our work,” he said.

He said ProAct eyes to explore the foreign market for more growth at the soonest possible time. With its exposure and experience in handling clients both from the private sector and the government, Ballesteros said ProAct wants to prove that Filipinos can also be competitive in the overseas consulting market. Some of its clients include PhilHealth, UnionBank and the Taguig City Government.

Floyd Patrick N. Piedad, an IT consultant of ProAct, handles the ICT requirements of clients, such as data privacy, blockchain, and ICT operations management, among others.

The 28-year-old IT veteran said the emergence of technologies such as cloud computing and machine learning has been beneficial for him. “With my experience, I can provide our clients the things they need to manage and run their systems,” Piedad said.

“My hands-on experience in

managing businesses and operations around different computing technologies—from cloud-based, mobile and Web, up to client-server and mainframe environments—has become an asset to me and the company,” he added.

German Collantes Jr., the human resources and general management consultant, said his work experience in human resources would tackle the needs of necessary talent for clients.

Aside from his major engagement with IBM, he also served the company in various capacities: as executive assistant to the president; and manager of Management Development, General Purchasing Contracts and Practice, and External Relations and Public Affairs.

With his computing background, Collantes said he could also share his expertise in database recruitment which allows employers to search qualified applicants with varied skills from its manpower pool in a faster time.

ProAct offers the following services, namely, corporate reorganization, organization development, change

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FROM left: Floyd Patrick N. Piedad, Marcelino Ballesteros and German Collantes Jr.

management, business continuity, crisis management and communication, information-technology systems, human resource management, strategic planning and management, balanced scorecard (development and use), organization evaluation and measurement systems, communication management and training, professional development, marketing communication, corporate communication, corporate

advocacy development and implementation, and principle-centered leadership.

Established in 2006, the ProAct team has a combined of more than 80 years of combined experience and expertise as vendors, executive clients and consultants which they apply in mentoring and assisting local and international organizations to deliver performance beyond their expectations.

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

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Analytics software maker seeks more government projects to sustain growth

BY RODERICK L. ABAD Contributor SAS INSTITUTE (Philippines) Inc. bared that 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 recent years, according to SAS Philippines Country Manager Ryan C. Guadalquiver.

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

“The way SAS work, we really identify the problem areas on a consultative [approach],” the top executive said. According to him, 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), on the other hand, 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 that 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 topline. “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.

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 use cases that we can probably apply there,” the country manager said.

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

“These are still exploratory. We’re in talks, but nothing finalized, yet. The intention and the initiatives are there,” he reiterated. “It’s basically 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, while citing the firm’s 20-percent topline 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.

In the Philippines, it started in 1990 as a partnership with International Rice Research Institute. It offers both software and service in analytics to various companies and organizations nationwide.

Postpaid plans reimagined THE TECHNIVORE ED UY

whereiseduy@gmail.com

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HE “cat” is out of the bag, or should I say out on billboards—and it’s no other than 2018 Miss Universe Catriona Gray.

Remember those gigantic, mysterious ads that simply showed a gold streak against a black backdrop, and the Instagram handle @ReimaginePH? Well, social media has been a-buzz for the last few months, ever since those billboards appeared along Edsa-Guadalupe, C5, Slex, Pioneer, Ortigas, and several other places. Everyone had their own guesses, some thought it was political ad, or another one of those “viral” marriage proposals, while some assumed it was a new lifestyle brand based on its wellcurated Instagram account.

Well, now we know who was behind the ads as Smart officially announced their revamped postpaid offers with our very own Miss Universe Catriona Gray as the face of the new campaign.

The mobile services arm of PLDT ushers in a “reimagined” postpaid experience that promises to put customers first with their new Smart Signature Plans (www. smart.com.ph/signature). Now you can slay your goals like Gray as Smart Signature shatters the limitations of the traditional plans to deliver a prioritized, worry-free and incontrol mobile experience. Compared to the old plans, Smart Signature adds more GB of data as well as more call minutes for calling other networks.

Smart Signature gives priority to its subscribers on the Smart LTE network, touted as the country’s undisputed fastest mobile network as awarded by world-renowned network analysts including Ookla, OpenSignal, Tutela and P3. This prioritized network experience makes sure that subscribers enjoy consistent data to connect to their favorite apps, send messages in real time, and make uninterrupted calls—even during peak hours.

As far as the choice of packages, Smart Signature has simplified the options. I must admit, even as a longtime Smart Postpaid subscriber, their plans were a bit confusing and I

sometimes get surprised that I’ve incurred extra charges for phone calls and exceeding my text allocations.

Smart Signature comes in four sizes—Small (S), Medium (M), Large (L) and Extra Large (XL)—with generous open access data allocation for data-savvy customers, worry-free unlimited calls to Smart, Sun and TNT; worry-free AnyNet call minutes to PLDT landline and other networks; and unlimited texts to all networks—so you never have to worry about switching phones to call or text your family or friends on a different network.

For its SIM-Only Plans, Smart Signature starts with Size S at P999 per month, with 10GB data; Size M is at P1,499 per month, with 20GB data; Size L at P1,999 per month, with 30GB data; and Size XL at P2,999 per month with 60GB data. All plans come with unlimited calls to Smart, Sun and TNT; 100 to 600 free minutes of calls to other networks; and unlimited texts to any network.

What’s even better is that Smart Signature now features Data Rollover so if you have any unused data for the month you get to use it the next month.

Smart Signature also offers Device Plans, which offers the latest flagship handsets like the Samsung Galaxy S10 Series and Huawei Mate P30 Series, bundled with big-sized allocation for data, calls and texts.

To give customers full control of their plan, Smart Signature comes with the handy myPLDT Smart App, which lets users monitor and manage their usage and monthly bill in real time, and avail of Data or Call Boosters as needed.

The app is also set to roll out more advanced features to give greater convenience to subscribers.

Smart Signature also features real-time billing and usage alerts, and notifies users when they are close to reaching their monthly data and call limit. Once their data and call allocation for the month have been fully consumed, they can top up by availing of Data or Call Boosters.

A WOMAN’S PRACTICAL COMPANION

WHETHER you’re buying a gift for a new mom, a grandma, mother-in-law or your own mom, its easy to focus on the brand and aesthetic rather than practicality. But this often underrated aspect turns out to be exactly what the women in our lives need, we just don’t pay enough attention. I remember one time, when my mom borrowed one of my Pacsafe bags during one of her vacations, which surprised me as she always used her big handbags. She said she needed something small and secure where she could just put her basics and her phone.

If you are still in search for a great post-Mother’s Day gift, you might want to check out the Pacsafe Citysafe CX. Combining a modern design aesthetic with superb security

features to keep her belongings safe wherever she goes, Citysafe CX is the multipurpose bag moms can use anywhere with maximum efficiency, allowing her to carry all her everyday essentials around with ease.

The Citysafe mini backpack offers a compact size without compromising functionality as it can fit an 11-inch laptop, phone, with internal pockets to organize your mom’s keys, wallets and other small items.

The Citysafe satchel, on the other hand, has enough space to fit a 10-inch tablet, phone, purse, passport and other small gear such as car key and accessories. It is the perfect everyday bag to withstand the daily demands of urban living.

The Pacsafe Citysafe CX bags offer the latest in anti-theft technology such as RFIDsafe blocking pockets and materials, TurnNLock security hook, and Exomesh slashguard to make sure valuables are secured at all times. With its practicality and flexibility, Citysafe CX makes a perfect gift fit for travel, work and play—a true triple treat for all the moms out there.

For even more choices, you can head to the Urbanize Store where they have a wide variety of international brands such as Cabinzero, Pacsafe, Hydrapak, Elecom and Moshi, just to name a few.

Though Urbanize’s product offerings have been versatile enough to cater to a huge market, they also offer “solutionsfocused” products that will prove useful for women who want to keep up with the fast-paced world.

The Matador Transit30 Duffel Bag is a lightweight and pacable bag that’s perfect to use for a quick weekend getaway, and spacious to carry all your mom’s things. The bag comes in muted colors, black and blue, to blend with her casual outfit. And if your mom is type to spend a lot of time at the grocery, she can go for the tote version which she can use as an everyday bag whenever she takes a trip to the grocery, or meet her girlfriends for brunch.

Another cool product from Urbanize that your mom will find extremely useful is the UNO memory foam neck pillow.

Now, before you dismiss this as a complete waste of money, think about the comfort it will bring to your hardworking mom—especially if she dabbles between being a full-time employee and a super mom who takes your younger siblings to school.

This 360 degree supporting neck pillow from Urbanize is guaranteed to give mom’s the power nap she so well deserves so she has enough energy to carry through the rest of the day.

Urbanize is a lifestyle store that focuses on curating the best and most innovative brands in the market; allowing consumers to own and personalize their lifestyle while at the same time making them well-equipped to take on the daily grind of city living. ■

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

ATTY. ANA C. DIONE, CPA REGIONAL DIRECTOR

A22 Saturday, May 18, 2019

SANDOZ, NOVARTIS RENEW COMMITMENT FOR #BALANCEFORBETTER SAVING TINIPAK RIVER, SIERRA MADRE

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ANDOZ Philippines employees benefit from flexible schedule, work from home and compensatory timeoff to help them manage work and personal priorities, and also Blue Sky Friday, when they can leave the office early to enjoy family time. The company also implements the Energized for Life program that supports employees in coping with psychological and physical demands of life, and be fully engaged in and satisfied with their work. Program activities include gratitude boards, fun runs, healthy snacks in the office, and other health and wellness activities.

Sandoz Philippines Corp., the local subsidiary of generics and biosimilars global leader Sandoz, recently launched the company’s Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) program for the year.

Diversity means Sandoz allows employees to bring a wide variety of experiences, backgrounds and approaches to their work. It enables Sandoz to provide patients and customers with quality and effective solutions, thus, further ensuring the company to attract the best talent.

“Our company [is] fully supporting the global observance of International Women’s Day 2019, which celebrates the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women. We also echo the call to action for accelerating gender balance. Our company has an equal proportion of male and female employees from different backgrounds, which provides a healthy mix of perspectives,” said Eleanor Lopez, country head, Sandoz Philippines Corp., the first Filipino and first woman to be appointed as the country head of Sandoz.

Cheryl Maley, president and managing director of Novartis Healthcare Philippines, shares three keys to maintaining work-life balance. “First, find a sense of purpose. Second, ruthlessly prioritize your time, identify tasks that must be done immediately and those that can wait. Third, inspire others to maintain work-life balance. If people are able to maintain this balance, they bring more passion, energy and commitment to the workplace.”

SVELT’I ‘FOUR’ EVERYONE

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N this fast-paced day and age, most of us juggle so many roles and responsibilities that we sometimes forget an important thing—looking after our personal needs. And while we are busy ticking off our to-do list, we must not forget one the most important facets in our life and that is self-care.

More often than not, we tend to forget to take care of ourselves and the effects take an alarming toll on our total well-being. No matter how complex or indulgent as it may sound, self-care is of utmost importance in achieving our best self ever.

Aside from healthy lifestyle choices, such as regular exercise and wholesome diet, pampering yourself is important, too. A regular trip to the salon, a relaxing massage or even getting a long overdue facial are needed in order to achieve your best self ever.

For the past four years SvelT’i Health and Beauty Centre has made its mission to ensure that each customer look their physical best all the time. That is why, over the years, SvelT’i has been providing advanced health and beauty services, using only state-of-the-art technology coupled with only the best professionals in the industry.

From the latest procedures to the most in-demand treatments, SvelT’i got them covered all for you. And to highlight its fourth anniversary, SvelT’i has a perfect treat for all its customers.

Exciting times are definitely ahead! In April SvelT’i has lined up great deals and huge discounts for its loyal customer as a way of thanking for their continued patronage over the years and helping them achieve their best self ever!

For inquiries, visit www.svelti.com.ph.

TAZA FRESH TABLE HAS NEW SEASONAL MENU

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AAL Vista Hotel’s specialty restaurant Taza Fresh Table recently launched its newest seasonal menu featuring culinary masterpieces delicately crafted by Taal Vista Hotel Executive Chef Jayme Natividad.

Awarded as one of the food destinations included in the prestigious Best Restaurant Guide for five straight years

by Philippine Tatler, Taza Fresh Table stays true to its origin of using the freshest and finest local produce as ingredients for its seasonal gustatory delights.

Available for a limited time only, the menu include offerings, such as grilled sweet corn and leeks soup, made from local sweetcorn, leeks, asparagus and pepper relish, priced at only P200; beet and citrus salad with roasted red beets, Davao pomelo, baby arugula and Dalandan vinaigrette for only P360 only; smoked fish tagliatelle pasta, made with home-smoked mackerel, cherry tomatoes, basil, aged ricotta and tagliatelle pasta, priced at P450 only; baked Palawan Lapu-Lapu fillet with herbed bread crumbs, cauliflower, potatoes and basil pesto, priced at P650 only; grilled Pangasinan prawns with couscous, roasted vegetables and caper tzatziki for only P840; and Sekaya

Earle Grey Mango Semifredo for dessert priced at only P200.

Promoting sustainable dining, the Taza Fresh Table’s new seasonal menu features in-season ingredients, such as corn rich in fiber, vitamins and minerals; a good source of antioxidant carotenoids, such as lutein and zeaxanthin; beetroot loaded with vitamins and minerals high in health-promoting compounds like antioxidants, carotenoids and nitrates; Lapu-Lapu fish sourced from the pristine waters of Palawan, rich in protein, Omega 3 fatty acid, vitamins D and B2 (riboflavin), calcium and phosphorus, minerals like iron, zinc, iodine, magnesium and potassium; and prawns that are good source of selenium, one of the most effective antioxidants, with high levels of zinc that boosts immune system.

Taza Fresh Table is inside Taal Vista Hotel, along Kilometer 60, Aguinaldo Highway, Tagaytay City. The historical Taal Vista Hotel is Tagaytay City’s first and only deluxe hotel famous for its refreshing gardens and spacious viewing deck overlooking the awe-inspiring Taal Volcano.

For inquiries and reservations, e-mail at foodandbeverage@ taalvistahotel.com.

HE Kaliwa Dam project threatens biodiversity and indigenous livelihoods in the Sierra Madre mountain range.

As one of the countries in the world most vulnerable to climate change, given the onset of stronger typhoons and longer droughts, the Kaliwa watershed-forest reserve (KWFR) in the Sierra Madre is a key biodiversity landscape that must be conserved.

The KWFR is home to the indigenous Dumagat-Remontado communities, who have been stewards of their ancestral domain within the Sierra Madre since time immemorial. The Tinipak River is a sacred site in Barangay Daraitan, within the Dumagat-Remontado ancestral domain and declared an indigenous

community-conserved area. Building the 60-meter Kaliwa Dam poses threat of inundation of portions of Barangay Daraitan and Tinipak River, as well as in the town of Infanta in Quezon province.

Barangay Daraitan and Tinipak River provide important economic activities to local communities, largely from tourism to nontimber forest products for livelihood.

Both are part of an ecologically important water system that enhances climate resiliency. It provides key ecosystem services to downstream areas, playing an integral role in regulating water flow to the National Capital Region.

The Kaliwa watershed is also home to rich biodiversity and threatened wildlife, including the critically endangered

Philippine eagle. Other important species include the endangered northern Philippine hawk eagle, the Philippine brown deer, the Philippine warty pig, the vulnerable northern rufous hornbill and restricted range birds of the Luzon endemic-bird area. The KWFR was declared a reserve by virtue of Presidential Proclamation 573 dated June 26, 1969. PP 1636 was also issued declaring Kaliwa watershed as a national park and wildlife sanctuary in 1977.

Forests have a crucial role in building and strengthening resilience. There is a need to explore other viable alternatives.

It is imperative to protect the critical Kaliwa watershed within the Sierra Madre range, and the lives and species that depend on these for survival.

A.I.M. GAINS THE AWARDS ASIA TROPHY FOR TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATION OF THE YEAR

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HE Asian Institute of Management (AIM) has won the Times Higher Education (THE) Technological Innovation of the Year trophy at the inaugural THE Awards Asia.

THE Awards Asia hails AIM as “exemplary” for its multifaceted approach to engagement within research.

Set up last March to complement its existing academic programs, AIM’s Analytics, Computing and Complex Systems (Access@AIM) laboratory seeks to bridge the gap between theory and practice for research-led teaching in higher education. “...In advocating the use of data science, artificial intelligence [AI] and computational models, Access@AIM is [a] concrete step toward improving the economy of developing countries in Asean and promoting partnerships that will directly impact business, society and communities,” said professor Christopher Monterola, Aboitiz data science chairman, head of the Aboitiz School of Innovation, Technology and Entrepreneurship, and executive managing director of Access@AIM. The lab, which is the first of its kind in the country, boasts of a multidisciplinary team of experienced scientists working

with a 500-teraflop supercomputer optimized for AI technology and is said to be the fastest in the Philippines.

Its impressive resources support the teaching and learning of the institute’s 106 Master of Science in Data Science (MSDS) students, providing them with real-world scenarios and direct links to industry partners.

“It is certainly [crucial] to find properly trained data scientists in the Philippines or elsewhere. [The] Access@AIM and the MSDS program hope to provide the region with well- trained, proactive datascience leaders who can create practical solutions to the multifaceted challenges faced by industries and governments,” Monterola added.

Since its l aunc h in 2018, Access@AIM has exemplified how collaborations across private industry, government agencies and other thirdparty research organizations can succeed and be impactful.

“Our goal is to empower business leaders and managers, government officials and policymakers to make data-driven decisions that go beyond business, in order to make a positive impact within society,” emphasized AIM President and dean Jikyeong Kang, “and

Access@AIM finds innovative ways to make this happen.”

Professor Erika Legara, Aboitiz d at a s c ie nc e c h a i r m a n , M SD S academic program director and deputy managing director at ACCeSs@AIM, was enthusiastic on the added validation the team has received for all their efforts. “...Building the platforms demand i mplement at ion of adva ncedlevel ana ly tics, and for mu lation of mathematical and mechanismbased models, not to mention a true understanding of business needs. I am happy that we’re helping build this culture of R&D [research and development] and [the acedeme] here at home....”

The judges were impressed by the scale of ambition and the impact already achieved by AIM, and they praised the project for its support of the national development of the Philippines.

The Access@AIM “has given students a vital ability to learn with leading-edge technology that they can take into their future employment,” adding that the project was an “exemplary initiative that perfectly illustrates strategic vision and technical innovation, creating positive opportunities for advancement.”

MOVING THROUGH THE NARRATIVE OF EREHWON DANCE SCHOLARS

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N a world that thrives in modernity, tradition and culture are tend to be laid aside. New forms sprout and prosper.

The same goes for the field of dance.

There are numerous dance genres that continue to develop as time goes on. And while this is a good thing because it adds up to the proliferation of performance, it also causes for other genres to become forgotten.

Fortunately, there are still youth of today who contribute their time and talent to the preservation of cultural dances.

In 2018 Erehwon Center for the Arts (ECA) chairman and Chief Executive Officer Rafael Rivera Benitez, and dance teacher Dante Ballesteros thought of forming a resident dance company for ECA. The inception of the Erehwon dance scholars began.

Ballesteros tapped Roldan Bonifacio and Janet Amor, who are both dance teachers specializing in folk dance. These three invited students to audition in order to form the group.

Initially, 18 senior high-school students (13 girls and 5 boys) aged between 14 and 19, from Batasan Hills National High School, Bagong Silangan High School, Diliman Preparatory School, Lyceum of the Philippines Manila and New Era High School, comprised the members of the Erehwon dance scholars.

These students have already graced the stage through different events, such as the Erehwon Fiesta 2018, Tugtog at Sayaw sa Erehwon 2018, Pasinaya 2019 and Indak ng Lahi, their very own concert.

According to Bonifacio, Indak ng Lahi

would always have a special place in their hearts, because it is through this concert where they became truly united as a group.

“Kasi doon talaga na-test ’yung mga bata kung ano ang kanilang mga natutunan within five months. At ayun ’yung naging bonding nila...Dito sa Indak ng Lahi talaga naging united pati galaw nila,” Bonifacio said.

Another inspiring thing to note about Indak ng Lahi is the fact that these students were so dedicated to their craft to the point that they were the ones who sold their own concert tickets to their friends and families, earning them two full-house shows, with an estimatednumberof500audiencepershow.

Proceeds of the concert went straight to the scholars’ funds to be used for their costume, transportation and other related expenses.

Though there are challenges that rise up from time to time such as schedule conflicts due to school-related activities and parental support, the Erehwon dance scholars see to it that they constantly train every Saturday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. As Erehwon Dance Scholars, their dance mentors see to it that their academics is always in good standing.

Currently, the Erehwon Dance Scholars would like to welcome new members.

Kindly contact Roldan Bonifacio at 09561421574 for details.

The Erehwon Center for the Arts is a Quezon City Gawad Parangal awardee, recognized for its contributions to the arts and culture. It is also a member of the Philippine Performing Art Centers Consortium, a project of the Cultural Center of the Philippines. It is at 1 Don Francisco Street, Villa Beatriz, Old Balara, Quezon City, and open from Monday to Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.