BusinessMirror November 21, 2019

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Thursday, November 21, 2019 Vol. 15 No. 42

P25.00 nationwide | 6 sections 58 pages |

‘Halting rice imports has no legal basis’ P

By Bernadette D. Nicolas @BNicolasBM Jasper Emmanuel Y. Arcalas @jearcalas & Cai U. Ordinario @caiordinario

RESIDENT Duterte may be inviting lawsuits as there is no legal basis for his decision—announced verbally in a late-Tuesday press conference—to prohibit the private sector’s importation of rice during harvest, according to an expert.

Apart from this, former Agriculture Secretary Leonardo Montemayor said the President’s order to suspend imports at this time will no longer help farmers, as harvest of the wet season crop is almost over.

Instead of suspending imports, economists and legal experts told the BusinessMirror that the government may impose safeguard duties, a trade remedy that is allowed by the World Trade Organization (WTO).

The President’s verbal order to ban rice imports was made as calls mounted for the government to stem the surge of imports— tracked since the rice trade liberalization law took effect in March—that far mers blamed

“Suspending the [implementation] of the law will just bring back the old system and remove the gains achieved by our consumers. Any kind of trade restriction will not solve the problem. The solution is a comprehensive reform of the agricultural sector.”

—Lanzona

for the plunge in their incomes as farm-gate prices of palay have hit record lows.

Lawyer Michael Ll. Yusingco, nonresident research fellow of the Ateneo School of Government, said on Wednesday he cannot recall any law allowing the President to stop the importation of rice.

PESO exchange rates n

Rene E. Ofreneo

laborem exercens

‘US-China trade row top risk to region’s stability’

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See “Vaping,” A2

»See story on A7

See “Rice imports,” A2

Ban vaping or regulate?

Duterte tilts the debate

HE Philippines may soon be the latest country to ban ecigarettes.

This, as President Duterte on Tuesday night said he will totally ban the use and importation of electronic cigarettes or vape following the first reported possible case of an electronic cigarette or vapingassociated lung injury (Evali) in the country.

At the same time, the President also said he is ordering law-enforcement agencies to arrest those who will be found vaping in public.

The President said he will be issuing soon an executive order on this matter.

Unctad’s ‘Green New Deal’ to overhaul ‘crocodile capitalism’?

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CFO OF THE YEAR The ING Bank and the Financial Executives of the Philippines have concluded the search for this year’s best chief financial officer in the person of the Ayala Group’s Augusto Bengzon. Fielding questions at a press conference in Makati City on Wednesday are (from left) Hans B. Sicat, managing director-country manager of ING Bank, NV Manila Branch; Bengzon, the 2019 ING Finex CFO of the Year who is CFO, treasurer and chief compliance officer of Ayala Land Inc.; Jose Jerome Pascual III, CFO of Pilipinas Shell Corp.; and Cecilio Paul San Pedro, chairman of the 2019 ING Finex CFO of the Year Award Committee and president of Sterling Bank of Asia. ROY DOMINGO

HE trade dispute between China and the United States is seen as the biggest risk to the region’s financial stability, according to the Asian Development Bank (ADB).

The ADB earlier said its forecast for developing Asian economies like the Philippines has dimmed because of US-China trade tensions, the sharp contraction in electronics and weaker investments.

The Manila-based multilateral development bank said escalating trade tensions could affect as much as 77 percent of US exports to China and 99.3 percent of China’s exports to the US by year-end.

“The ongoing trade dispute

between the People’s Republic of China [PRC] and the United States and a shar per-than-ex pected economic slowdown in advanced economies and the PRC continue to pose the biggest downside risks to the region’s financial stability,” ADB Chief Economist Yasuyuki Sawada said in the Asia Bond Monitor (ABM).

However, Sawada said the easing of monetary policies in advanced economies is helping keep financial conditions stable.

He said emerging East Asia’s local currency bond market posted steady growth during the third quarter of 2019.

See “Trade row,” A2

US 50.8040 n japan 0.4681 n UK 65.6947 n HK 6.4910 n CHINA 7.2296 n singapore 37.3312 n australia 34.6737 n EU 56.2807 n SAUDI arabia 13.5474

Source: BSP (20 November 2019 )

News

BusinessMirror

A2 Thursday, November 21, 2019

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Sotto: Bicam on 2020 budget for early Dec

By Butch Fernandez

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@butchfBM

ENATE President Vicente Sotto III has allayed apprehensions the Duterte administration may be forced to operate under a reenacted budget in January should Congress fail to pass the Palace-proposed P4.1-trillion 2020 budget bill before lawmakers adjourn sessions for the Christmas recess on December 20.

Rice imports. . .

Continued from A1

“As the head of the Executive branch of government, the President could have the authority to prohibit his administration from importing rice. But absent any national statute authorizing him to do so, the President cannot just prevent private entities from lawfully importing rice,” Yusingco said in an e-mail to the BusinessMirror.

He said the government may face lawsuits if it will stop the private sector from importing rice, a move which could affect the supply of the staple in the domestic market.

“Preventing private business from importing rice without the proper authority can open the government to legal action. More important, it may have an adverse impact on the rice supply market, which may ultimately affect consumers. It is never a good move for government to intervene in private matters without justification and proper authority,” said Yusingco.

Montemayor agreed with Yusingco, saying the rice trade liberalization (RTL) law does not give the President the power to suspend rice imports. He noted that the law only allows the President to hike tariffs to effectively limit the purchases of traders.

The BusinessM irror reported that Republic Act 11203, or the RTL law, effectively dismantled the government’s right to impose quantitative restriction on rice imports as a trade remedy.

“On the matter of stopping importation, the government could be questioned because under the law, [rice trade] is already liberalized. The government cannot just stop imports under the new law,” said Montemayor. “What is the legal basis of the government to stop imports?”

Legal remedies

Experts said there are other legal remedies outside of suspending imports.

“We’ve been proposing for some time now the general safeguard protection which has the same effect of stopping additional rice importation. Unfortunately, our economic managers rejected that proposal,” said Montemayor, who is also chairman of nongovernment organization Federation of Free Farmers.

“Imposing safeguard duties would discourage importers from bringing in more rice to the country because our total imported volume is already over and above our requirement,” he added.

The Philippine Chamber of Agriculture and Food Inc. (Pcafi) reiterated its call for the government to impose special safeguard (SSG) measures on rice imports as a legal remedy to limit imports.

Pcafi said the SSG may still be implemented by January or February next year to protect farmers during the summer harvest season.

“This is to ensure imports will not coincide with harvest by dry season in March to April

“The Senate is on track in its calendar for the approval of the 2020 national budget,” Sotto said, as senators resumed plenary consideration of the 2020 General Appropriations Bill (GAB) on Wednesday.

In a statement, Sotto acknowledged the well-timed transmission to the Senate of the House-approved version of the annual money measure. It is expected to still be tackled by a bicameral panel to reconcile the Senate-House versions and hammer out the final budget bill to be submitted to President Duterte for signing into law.

“It was submitted on time. We

“We are right on track of our timetable without sacrificing important issues being raised in the different departments.”—Sotto

are right on track of our timetable without sacrificing important issues being raised in the different departments,” the Senate leader said, acknowledging that this gave senators “plenty of time to bring up and clarify questionable

2020, the peak harvest of the two-season crop. It will help support farm-gate price of palay [unhusked rice] to at least P17 per kilogram,” Pcafi President Danilo V. Fausto said in a statement on Wednesday.

“It takes 30 to 60 days to implement the law. So it should be issued January to February. A suspension is against the prevailing law on ‘no QR’ [quantative restriction],” Fausto added.

The founding President and Chairman of the Society Towards Reinforcing Inherent Viability for Enrichment Foundation Inc. Leonardo A. Gonzales said the government can consider non-tariff measures (NTMs) to somehow help local farmers recover from the steep decline in farmgate prices.

While NTMs are the prerogative of the administration, former Tariff Commissioner George Manzano said the government should be able to provide a solid basis for this.

Manzano said if the government imposes NTMs, the Philippines must officially notify the World Trade Organization (WTO) to ensure that the country is not violating any of its commitments.

“Depends on the type of NTMs, provided the administration can defend it objectively. For example, sanitary measures provided that there is a justification. But government has to notify WTO. Not easy to use arbitrary NTMs,” said Manzano in an SMS to BusinessMirror.

Economist Maria Ella C. Oplas urged the government to amend RA 11203 to involve the National Food Authority in the monitoring of rice prices.

growth of the farm sector.

An example of these dubious projects, Ofreneo said, are connecting bridges between islands, as well as the “expensive”subway project in Makati. He said these projects limit the government’s ability to help other sectors of society.

He said abandoning the dubious projects is a better alternative than suspending rice imports at this time, when importers have already stocked up on the staple.

“The President, given his awesome power, can ask the big importers listed by the B usiness M irror ’s report [See “Pre- and post-rice trade lib law, big traders gaming farmer groups,” in the B u s i n e s s M i r ro r, October 31, 2019] to calibrate any importation program based on local production and harvesting schedule,” said Ofreneo.

“What the government is doing is fire fighting,” he said. “The lesson is that any major policy requires a comprehensive program of adjustment measures to smoothen the process. In this case, [the goal should have been] not to sacrifice domestic palay production and palay producers.”

Gonzales said the government should pursue sustainable agriculture. This means going for programs and projects that will help make agricultural value chains more efficient.

“The problem is that infrastructure projects, such as farm to market roads, are not linked [to specific] commodities,” said Gonzales.

Chuck ‘BBB’

Aside from suspending imports, the President also ordered the purchase of all unhusked rice produced by local farmers.

While Yusingco sees nothing wrong with this move, he said this cannot be a long-term policy as it can distort market dynamics.

He also noted that government’s “ultimate goal” should be to make rice farmers competitive and allow them to meet not just the requirements of domestic consumers but also that of the export market.

“This approach of government buying directly from rice farmers has to be well-thought of and well-timed.

It cannot be just a knee-jerk response on the part of the administration. But it can be a part of the economic and social safety net package to help rice farmers cope with the implementation of [RA 11203],” he said.

Oplas, who is also an economics professor at the De La Salle University, expressed concern over the feasibility and the impact of the President’s pronouncement to buy all the produce of local farmers.

“One, where will the government get the budget to buy?

New sets of taxes? Two, if government buys, they will now create an artificial floor price,” she said.

The creation of an artificial floor price, Oplas explained, could lead to market distortion and may make room for corruption as the government can sell rice at a lower price.

Ateneo Eagle Watch Senior Fellow Leonardo A. Lanzona Jr. said he believes the President’s decision will not yield the results that he is hoping for, and would only lead to suffering for consumers.

“Suspending the [implementation] of the law will just bring back the old system and remove the gains achieved by our consumers. Any kind of trade restriction will not solve the problem. The solution is a comprehensive reform of the agricultural sector,” said Lanzona. “[Government] must channel resources to rural areas and deal with the problems there. Forget ‘Build, Build, Build’ [BBB], and work on the basic needs like food, education and health,” he added.

Lanzona said that while it was true that a significant amount of funds have been set aside for the government’s ambitious infrastructure program, the impact on the economy and farmers has been “underwhelming.”

He said the infrastructure program would have a greater impact if rural areas received more projects. Thus far, Lanzona noted that the program “has no effect on the lives of farmers.”

“We have seen growth in the previous quarter but this is an empty achievement,” he said.

Economist Rene Ofreneo told B usiness M irror that abandoning “dubious” BBB projects would free up necessary resources that will hasten the development and boost the

Trade row. . .

Continued from A1

Local currency bonds outstanding in emerging East Asia reached $15.2 trillion at the end of

Money for procurement

September. This was 3.1 percent higher than at the end of June.Local currency government bonds outstanding reached $9.4 trillion, accounting for 61.8 percent of the total, while the stock of corporate bonds was $5.8 trillion.

A total of $1.5 trillion in local currency bonds were issued in the third quarter, up 0.9 percent versus the previous three months. However, the Philippines local currency bond market contracted 0.1 percent in the third quarter.

Local currency bonds reached P6.69 trillion at the end of September from P6.71 trillion at the end of June.

ADB said this was driven by a 0.7-percent

quarter-on-quarter decline in government bonds outstanding to P5.3 trillion.

Meanwhile, corporate bonds outstanding in the Philippines rose 2.1-percent quarter-on-quarter to P1.4 trillion at the end of September. The PRC remained emerging East Asia’s largest bond market at $11.5 trillion, accounting for 75.4 percent of emerging East Asia’s outstanding bonds.

Indonesia had the fastest-growing local currency bond market in the region during the third quarter, boosted by large issuance of treasury bills and bonds. A special theme chapter in the report examined the relationship between bond market development and the risk-taking behavior of banks.

The analysis finds that welldeveloped bond markets reduce the overall risk of banks and improve their liquidity positions.

This suggested that bond market development can contribute to the soundness of the banking system. An annual liquidity survey in the report shows increased liquidity and trading volumes in most regional local currency bond markets in 2019 versus 2018.

It also highlights the need for a well-functioning hedging mechanism and diversified investor base for both government and corporate bonds. Cai U. Ordinario

or ambiguous provisions in the budget bill.”

Sotto expects plenary deliberations on the budget bill, including the period of interpellations, as well as individual and committee amendments to be “completed by the last week of November.”

He indicated that senators are looking to approve the 2020 budget bill on second and third reading “by next week.”

This means that a Senate-House conference committee tasked to reconcile and hammer out a final version of the 2020 budget bill could convene “by the first week

Vaping. . .

Continued from A1

“I will ban it [vape] the use and the importation...You know why? Because it is toxic and government has the power to issue measures to protect public health and public intterest,” Duterte said in a late-night media interview.

Duterte, a former smoker himself, said vaping is akin to smoking. The President has also since issued an executive order also banning smoking in public places.

Moreover, he said vaping contains nicotine and other chemicals that are unknown to the public, adding that some of these vape products were not even approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

“I am now ordering the law enforcement agencies to arrest anybody vaping in public. That is like smoking,” he said.

The President’s statement followed a report by the Department of Health (DOH) that a 16-year-old girl from the Visayas was diagnosed with Evali and was confined in hospital for six days.

The DOH previously said they are in favor of an outright ban on the sale of e-cigarettes, or vapes, as soon as possible.

Health Undersecretary Eric Domingo

Farmer groups. . .

Renato Cruz, not his real name, said there are over 20 cooperatives who import rice in his province.

However, many of them not only lack the funds to import large volumes of rice, but also do not own warehouses that can be used to store their purchases.

Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) documents obtained by the BusinessMirror showed a glaring discrepancy between the financial capacity of some irrigators associations and the amount of rice they are importing.

For example, Pampanga-based Macagatal Irrigators Association Inc. imported 3,000 MT of rice from March 5 to October 30 —worth about P52.5 million based on the BusinessMirror’s computation at an average cost of $350 per MT. Based on documents submitted by Macagatal to the SEC, the group only had a cash a balance of P1,300 at the end of 2018. Macagatal reported a revenue or gross income of P16,000 last year.

BPI data showed that Macagatal has applied to import 8,000 MT, which could be valued at about P140 million, since the rice industry was liberalized.

Another group, Saint Vincent Sala-

EgovPay. . .

Continued from A8

The use of QR codes for payments has been gaining traction as an alternative to the traditional debit and credit-card payments. The QR technology has emerged as the most expedient means of payment since it essentially entails code scanning which is faster and easier to do than bringing out a card, tapping, dipping or swiping it, and signing a charge slip in most cases.

Earlier this year, the BSP thus

of December,” he added.

The Senate President acknowledged, however, that “bicameral debates will be unpredictable,” and said “healthy debates” were expected among members of the bicameral panel “as they thresh out and reconcile the differences in our respective versions of the measure.”

Sotto expressed his “hope they will remain level-headed and openminded during the discussions.”

The 18th Congress expects the money measure to be signed into law before the traditional holiday break.

has since warned the public not to use vape, as he belied claims that it is a safer alternative to e-cigarettes.

Regulation, not ban While several countries have decided to ban e-cigarettes, Domingo earlier said the country is taking a softer approach, which is regulation.

Early this year, the FDA issued an administrative order regulating vape products.

However, the regulation was put to a halt when two companies sued DOH and FDA. Meanwhile, the Department of Finance and the DOH are also pushing for the passage of Package 2 Plus of the Comprehensive Tax Reform Program, which would jack up excise taxes on alcohol and heated-tobacco products, as well as e-cigarettes.

The passage of the measure is seen to help fill the funding gap that the government needs for the Universal Health Care (UHC) Program.

When asked how the outright ban on e-cigarettes will affect the funding of UHC, Finance Assistant Secretary Antonio Joselito G. Lambino II said the possible ban would not affect the funding of the program as the projection for revenue collections for e-cigarettes is “relatively small” compared to regular cigarettes. Bernadette D. Nicolas

Continued from A8

pungan Farmers Association Inc., with a declared cash balance at end-2018 of P1,500, has imported 2,080 MT of rice—which could be worth about P37.856 million—since March 5.

Caniogan Balbalay Kali a Lakay Irrigators Association Inc., with a declared cash balance of P1,300 and net income of P800 last year, has imported 17,628 MT of rice from March 5 to October 30. At an average unit cost of $350 per MT, Caniogan has already imported at least P300 million worth of rice.

Govt scrutiny

The government has started scrutinizing rice importation players, including farmers’ cooperatives, as authorities seek to fully realize the benefits of the RTL law.

High-ranking officials interviewed by the BusinessMirror disclosed that parallel investigations have been launched by different agencies to ensure the proper implementation of the RTL law.

The investigations are concerned about the proper rice tariff collection, correct tax remittance, possible collusion between unscrupulous traders and cooperatives, and competition issues in the rice industry, among others. required all payment service providers to adopt the national QR code standard developed by the Philippine Payments Management Inc., as provided in BSP Circular 1055, in order to transform the fragmented QR-driven payment services into interoperable payment solutions.

The BSP said the EGovPay and the pilot payments using the QR Ph are only among the first set of initiatives that the BSP and the payments industry are working on to support the road map of shifting from a cash-heavy to a cash-light Philippine economy.

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Advocates seek sober assessment of vaping a By the BusinessMirror Broader Look Team

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HAT was once regarded as a way to celebrate life is now being regarded as a means to end it: cigarette smoking.

time the adverse effects of smoking are felt. We really need to educate and to stop [the cycle].”

Despite this, the last five decades saw millions of deaths and people afflicted with tobacco-related diseases.

The negative impacts of smoking have risen to alarming rates.

This is particularly the case in the Philippines. The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) said the top 10 causes of death in the country were mainly linked to smoking.

Top ten

IN 2016, 70 percent of the total 582,183 deaths (about 413,325) in the Philippines were caused by the top ten causes of death in the country, most of which relate to tobacco use.

The top five were led by ischemic heart diseases, which accounted for 12.7 percent or 74,134 deaths in 2016. This was followed by neoplasms (10.4 percent or 60,470 deaths), pneumonia (9.9 percent or 57,809 deaths), cerebrovascular diseases (9.8 percent or 56,938 deaths) and hypertensive diseases (5.7 percent or 33,452 deaths).

On a five-year average between 2011 and 2015, tobacco-related diseases also accounted for the majority of the top 10 causes of deaths in the country. These include diseases of the heart, malignant neoplasms, diseases of the cerebrovascular system, pneumonia, diabetes mellitus, all forms of tuberculosis and chronic lower respiratory disease.

Apart from the health risks, there are also economic costs to smoking. Health treatments for the various diseases it can cause are significant. A 2015 study by Dr. Antonio Dans showed that the Philippines lost P210 billion because of tobacco-related diseases.

The losses include treatment of lung cancer, COPD, cardiovascular disease and cerebrovascular diseases.

Tobacco expense

Such habit was given birth in the 19th century as siblings of industrialization and the tail end of imperialism. It was a time of great innovation and the boom of industry—just a few milestones for humankind to celebrate.

But today, people living in the modern world who seek to live longer while causing less stress on the economy and the planet have signed a death sentence for cigarette smoking. They found cigarette smoking guilty of causing poor health, disease and death.

Many governments, including that of the Philippines, have adopted policies banning smoking in public places, ordering the printing of graphic warnings on cigarette boxes and strict rules on advertisements. Officials even resolved to hike taxes in order to discourage tobacco consumption.

While the number of smokers dwindled over time, many continued with the vice. It is the hope of governments that the shift to “healthier” alternatives, such as e-cigarettes, would eventually do the trick and put an end to cigarette smoking.

Costs

ACCORDING to the United States Department of Health and Human Services, about 40 diseases are causally linked to smoking, whether through direct smoking or exposure to second-hand smoke.

Diseases directly linked to smoking include various cancers as well as chronic diseases such as stroke, blindness and tuberculosis, among others.

Children exposed to secondhand smoke may develop respiratory symptoms, impaired lung functions and middle ear disease, among others.

Adults, meanwhile, could suffer from a stroke, develop nasal irritation and lung cancer, among other diseases.

Lung cancer is primarily caused by smoking. However, smoking also increases the risk of acquiring other diseases. Some of these include Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), heart disease, stroke, asthma, diabetes, blindness, cataracts and age-related macular degeneration and other cancers in-

cluding colon, cervix, liver, stomach and pancreatic diseases. There are also negative reproductive effects in women like ectopic pregnancies and reduced fertility and premature lowbirth weight babies.

Smoke for nicotine, die for tar

HOWEVER, Dr. Lorenzo Mata Jr., lead convenor and president of the group called Quit for Good, points out that the deadly effect of cigarette smoking is not due to nicotine, a chemical compound present in tobacco, but rather to the combustion of the tobacco that releases carbon monoxide and more than 7,000 chemicals in its tar. A total of 69 of these chemicals, he added, have been established to be carcinogenic.

According to Mata, an occupational medical specialist, it was in the 1960s when British scientist Dr. Mike Russell said that “people smoke for the nicotine but die from tar.”

“It’s a known fact that nicotine is relatively benign by itself,” Mata said. “However, its addicting effect is the one causing a smoker to get hooked to the deadly effects of tobacco combustion.”

He feels that if the other aspects of smoking like the physical, behavioral and social influences are not addressed, it will be very difficult to make someone quit smoking. This is where Quit for Good comes in, he said.

The group aims to build a coalition that advocates smoking cessation and all standard ways to do so, including viable and less-harmful alternatives to smoking.

Alarming rates

ON the other hand, Dr. Earl Louis A. Sempio, an internist pulmonologist, said it is the lack of education about the effects of smoking on their health that makes people continue to smoke.

“A lot of Filipinos grew up thinking that smoking and following examples that they see and perceive as correct behavior are okay,” Sempio, also a professor at the University of Santo Tomas Medical School, said.

“Addiction has already set in by the

ACCORDING to the 2015 Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS), the average cigarette expenditure per month is P678.4. It is therefore no surprise that tobacco use also holds a significant amount in Filipinos’ expenditures.

Based on the 2015 Family Income and Expenditure Survey (FIES), about 12 million families nationwide spent P55.789 billion on tobacco.

The lower 50 percent of the population spent a total of P25.986 billion while the upper 50 percent spent slightly higher at P29.803 billion on tobacco.

Despite these, the GATS data revealed there are about 15.9 million people who smoke. Of this number, around 14.1 million are male and 1.8 million are female.

Among the youth, many are also hooked. The GATS data showed that among 13-year-olds and 15-yearolds, there are a million smokers.

Around 730,000 are males and 130,000 are females.

WHO report

IN its report, the World Health Organization (WHO) pointed out that one of the greatest concerns in the Philippines in terms of tobacco-related issue are the 13-to-15-year-old smokers.

“Of great concern is that 12 percent of school-based adolescents 13–15 years old (18 percent of boys and 7 percent of girls) are current smokers (Philippines Global Schoolbased Student Health Survey, 2015).

The smoking prevalence is still greatest among people with low income, who smoke cheap tobacco (Department of Health, 2018),” it said in the report.

The WHO said the Philippines only needs to invest about P2.637 billion for five years or P10 billion over a 15-year period to implement its recommended tobacco control package.

Doing this would save 71,130 lives in the process and yield a return of investment in terms of productivity benefits worth P97.8 billion, the WHO said.

“Certain policies, such as massmedia campaigns or protecting people from smoking, have large planned costs,” it said. “Nevertheless, a range of low-cost tobacco policies exists, including package warning labels, bans on tobacco advertising and raising taxes.”

Government interventions

ADDRESSING the crisis meant the Department of Health (DOH) and local government units had to be enterprising, if not relentless, in their respective campaigns against smoking.

However, it was safe to say that the degree of their commitment to these campaigns depended on who was sitting as president.

Under President Fidel V. Ramos, the DOH ran the “Yosi Kadiri” campaign, which animated cigarettes and turned them into nasty images of cancer. The campaign turned out to be the country’s most iconic anti-smoking campaign that has been revived under the current administration.

Under President Joseph Estrada, the DOH implemented “Hoy, Yosi Alis Dyan!,” a campaign that sought to shame indirectly the smokers but ultimately the habit of smoking. The succeeding regime seemed to focus on the fact that smoking kills.

When President Duterte was elected, one strong policy he immediately imposed was a smoking ban in all public areas, replicating a successful campaign he did in Davao City when he was still mayor of the southern Philippine city.

The President also went after the owner of cigarette manufacturing firm Mighty Corp. He ordered the arrest of its owners over accusations of economic sabotage for failing to pay the government about P30 billion in taxes.

Duterte was not bluffing about fighting smoking—though he was a smoker himself—because on top of the sin taxes, he also banned smoking from all enclosed spaces.

Sin tax for health: International model

IN a statement, the Department of Finance (DOF) said the WHO described the Philippines’s sin tax measures, such as higher excise taxes on tobacco products, as an “international model for cost-effective promotion of health and reduction of non-communicable diseases.”

This was revealed by the WHO in its recently published “Philippine NCD [Non-communicable diseases] Investment Case Report.” Quoting the WHO, the DOF noted that the Duterte administration’s “actions to prevent NCDs in the Philippines are relatively cheap and cost-effective.”

The WHO also noted that the Philippines’s excise taxes on alcohol, tobacco and nicotine vapor products to fund its Universal Health Care (UHC) program make it “a forerunner in allocating sin tax revenue to health programs,” the DOF added.

“Most of these policy interventions are also WHO ‘best buys’, that is, effective interventions with a costeffectiveness ratio of less than or equal to 100 international dollars per disability-adjusted life-year averted in low-income and middle-income countries,” the WHO report said of the country’s sin tax measures.

Comprehensive approaches

FINANCE Assistant Secretary Antonio G. Lambino II said the DOF is “one with our partners in the WHO in supporting comprehensive approaches to truly address the health impacts of sin products.”

“Tax reform is an important part of this effort, raising prices especially for the most vulnerable segments of society,” Lambino said.

“They also generate revenues to fund holistic health programs from the higher contributions of those who insist on consuming unhealthy products, the same consumers whose medical care will cost more to society in the future anyway,” he added.

Lambino pointed out that lawmakers such as Senate Committee on Ways and Means Chairperson Sen. Pia Cayetano “have been supportive of a dual approach where excise taxes go side-by-side with rehabilitation and quitting programs.”

The WHO report described increasing taxes on ‘sin’ products as “one of the most effective measures a government can take to reduce their consumption, improving population health while increasing government revenue for national development priorities,” according to DOF.

This report also noted that “the tax rate on alcoholic beverages remains low, at 22 percent of the retail price,” the DOF added.

62 52 PACKS

PACKS

2009

2015

The Sin Tax Reform Act of 2012 has resulted in lower cigarette consumption among Filipinos

7,000

Known toxicants, many of which are linked to an increased risk of cancer, and cardiovascular and pulmonary diseases, found in combustible cigarettes Source: American Cancer Society

Source: “Are Filipino Smokers More Sensitive to Cigarette Prices due to the Sin Tax Reform Law?: A Difference-indifference Analysis,” Austria and Pagaduan

Intensity vs prevalence

IN a journal article published earlier this year, De La Salle University professor Mryna S. Austria and Jesson A. Pagaduan of the Asian Development Bank said the increase in the country’s excise tax through the Sin Tax Reform Act of 2012 has resulted in lower cigarette consumption among Filipinos.

Austria and Pagaduan said so in their research titled “Are Filipino Smokers More Sensitive to Cigarette Prices due to the Sin Tax Reform Law?: A Difference-in-difference Analysis.” The researchers noted that the number of sticks consumed

by Filipino smokers declined significantly, outpacing the reduction observed in the number of smokers.

“The increase in excise tax due to the tax reform has been effective in lowering cigarette consumption in the country and in making cigarette demand more responsive to price increases,” Austria and Pagaduan said. “Specifically, the tax reform has reduced the number of cigarettes purchased by smokers more than the number of cigarette users.”

Based on their analysis, the authors said the average cigarette consumption declined to 52 packs in 2015 from 62 packs in 2009, after the sin tax measure was implemented. The study revealed that the number of smokers declined from 29.7 percent to 23.8 percent during the reference period.

“Decomposing the impact of the Sin Tax Reform Act [2012] into its effect on smoking prevalence and intensity, our empirical exercise reveals that the impact on smoking intensity is significantly higher than on smoking prevalence,” they said.

“The Sin Tax Reform Act (2012) has reduced the number of cigarettes purchased by smokers more than the number of cigarette users over the period 2009 to 2015,” they added.

The observations were “expected due to the addictive nature of cigarettes which attenuates the impact of the reform on the decision of smokers to quit,” the authors pointed out.

Higher taxes, proactive programs

THE authors noted that the findings of their study proved that the “increase in excise tax has been effective in reducing cigarette consumption in the country and in making cigarette demand more responsive to price increases.”

They added: “Specifically, the tax reform has reduced the number of cigarettes purchased by smokers more than the number of cigarette users.”

The study recommended that the annual increment in tobacco excise taxes should be continued and should be at least 4 percent as mandated by pertinent laws or indexed to current inflation rate, whichever is higher.

“The rising per capita income in the country will increase tobacco consumption in the coming years,” it said.

“To guarantee that cigarettes will continue to be less affordable, the policy goal is to ensure that the relative

increase in price due to an increase in excise tax should be higher than the rise in per capita income,” it added.

The study also recommended that the government’s tobacco treatment or rehabilitation program be “reviewed to make it more effective in increasing the proportion of smokers who successfully kick the habit.”

“Third, the finding supports the positive effect of higher education in lowering cigarette consumption.

This could be attributed to greater awareness by more educated people on the health consequences of smoking than by those with less education,” the authors said. “Making education more accessible and affordable to the poor will help reduce tobacco use in the country.”

Alternatives

ENTERPRISING businessmen and anti-cigarette advocates saw the narrowing regime for tobacco smoking as an opportune time for e-cigarettes or vapes to penetrate the Philippine market. When it first came here in the country around 10 years ago, vaping or electronic cigarettes were given a cold shoulder by most smokers.

But as vaping evolved and with the introduction of mass-based brands, this modern trend in acquiring nicotine became popular to millions of people all over the world.

Vaping became the motivation for those who say they want to quit, and an offshoot for those who can’t afford a pack of cigarette.

Based on the GATS, there were around 180,000 adults using ecigarettes in 2015, most of them, or 170,000, men. Among the 13 to 15 year olds, around 360,000 have “ever tried using e-cigarettes” composed mainly of 270,000 boys and 100,000 girls.

The expanded national nutrition survey conducted by the Food and Nutrition Research Institute (FNRI) of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), revealed that about 120,000 adults aged 20 years old and over used e-cigarettes in 2018. About 30,000 younger Filipinos aged 10 to 19.9 years also used e-cigarettes.

With the number of users, data from the DOF showed that excise tax collections from locally manufactured and imported cigarettes reached P133.66 billion in 2018.

Data obtained by BusinessMirror showed the country imported a total of $56.197 million worth of “Other Electrical Machines,” which may include e-cigarette machines from 2014 to 2018. In terms of the juice, during the same period, the country imported $577.053 million of these goods.

The shift

WITH the availability of alternatives, smokers shifted from cigarettes to e-cigarettes. A total of 100 proclaimed regular and heavy smokers, both male and female, were asked their individual reasons for turning to vaping.

Out of a hundred, at least 51 said they are transitioning to vaping

aderLook

sMirror

Editor: Dennis D. Estopace | Thursday, November 21, 2019

A5

as state strengthens strict rules vs. smoking continuous communication with the attending pulmonologist for updates regarding the condition of the patient.”

“All e-cigarette users should seek immediate medical help, and ask their doctors for ways to quit these harmful products,” Health Undersecretary Rolando Enrique D. Domingo said. “No e-cigarette product should be accessible to young children and adolescents, who are uniquely susceptible to the harms of e-cigarettes and nicotine.

I urge non-users not to even try ecigarettes at all.”

Lower-tax lobby

WHY SMOKERS TURN TO VAPING Transitioning to vaping because they want to quit smoking Can’t afford smoking anymore People who think vaping is chill

because they want to quit smoking.

Most of them have been smoking for at least nine years.

One of them is Johnny Chan, 33, a product trainor for one of the call centers in Pasay City. Chan said he has been smoking since he was 17 and now feels that smoking is taking a toll on his body.

Chan said he used to smoke at least 30 sticks to 35 sticks of cigarettes a day and felt the need to stop or minimize his habit. He has been into vaping for more than a year now.

Chan said when he tried it the first time in 2016, it was distasteful but overwhelming at the same time. As he tried to experiment on his juice and brand, he finally decided to stick to it. He still smokes but only consumes about six sticks a day now.

Debbie, 29, another call center agent, has the same motivation for vaping. She used to light 22 cigarettes daily and felt the urge to stop because it was affecting her breath and her teeth. The discoloration in her teeth and the blackening of her lips really turned her off.

She said smoking cigarettes also affected her relationship. She is using a mod system that her exboyfriend gave her two years ago.

Can’t afford smoking

THE other group, 38 of 100, said they are now vapers because they can’t afford smoking anymore.

Some of them have been smoking for years as well. Majority of the group are non-heavy smokers with an average consumption of 13 sticks and maximum of 21 sticks a day.

One of them is Bobby Tagasa, 30, a sales staff at a three-star hotel in Manila. Tagasa said he used to smoke at least 30 sticks a day but shifted to vaping because he can’t afford to buy cigarettes anymore.

He started smoking at the age of 16 and used to consume around eight sticks in his first five years.

He only turned to vaping this early this year because smoking is now an encumbrance for him.

“Hirap na magyosi ngayon, bukod sa mahal na hassle pa, sa kulungan ka pupulutin pag nagkataon, di katulad ng vape, kahit nasa labas ako nagagamit ko pa siya kahit sobrang kapal ng usok, siguro dahil mabango siya at legal [It’s difficult to smoke now; besides the hassle, you could end up in jail. But with vape, even if I’m outside and I emit smoke it’s allowed; maybe it’s because it smells good and is legal],” Tagasa explained.

Better satisfaction

TAGASA claims he still smokes now but does not exceed six sticks a day.

Most of the time he only asks for sticks from friends since he does not want to buy anymore. He is using Nord now but is saving money to buy a pod system very soon.

Another vaper in the group is

“S

houldn’t we consider harm-reduction options for these smokers? So now, we have a science-based viable and less harmful alternative to smoking that are available and these are Ends [electronic nicotine delivery system] or vaping products.”

—Dr. Lorenzo Mata Jr., lead convenor and president of Quit for Good CJ Evasco, 22, a professional dance instructor and part-time model.

Evasco said he has been smoking for at least four years and would normally consume 18 sticks daily but transitioned to vaping two years ago.

He used to smoke when he was stressed from work-related and home-related issues. He said he is using a certain vape brand but would like to try other brands to see if these would give him better satisfaction.

He even said he is making a choreograph for his group while they are vaping.

The last group, 11 of 100, are mostly the young people who think vaping is chill. They also hate the smell of smoke emanating from the cigarette. Four of these 11 persons said they have never tried a cigarette before; one 40-year-old guy thinks vaping is safer than smoking; while the rest have been smoking for three years only.

Learning to play tricks

BUTCH QUIZON, 19, a college student, is not a smoker although he tried a few sticks before but would only finish half of the cigarette, then throw it for fear that his mom would not let him inside their house if he is caught smoking. His father, a smoker, however, allow him to vape, just to keep him away from smoking.

The youngest in the group is Jenny Panis, 17, a waitress at a club in Quezon City. Panis uses a second-hand e-cigarette sold to her by her co-worker for only P350. She used to smoke eight sticks of cigarettes before but was able to minimize it to only three since starting her e-cigarette June this year.

“Syempre parang sosyal ka pag naka-vape ka, di ba, saka mahirap na magyosi ngayon bukod sa bawal na, e mahal pa [You look more glamorous when vaping; besides, it’s hard to smoke these days—besides the widening ban, it’s costly]. She said she is now learning to play tricks using her vape.

Tax on e-cigs

NOW that vape or e-cigarettes are slowly gaining ground, naturally the government has seen the opportunity to make money out of it again. And for the same purpose: to raise more resources for universal health care.

To further establish how this

policy move would affect vapers’ behavior, the same persons were asked how they would react to it, if the next round of excise taxes covers the e-cigarettes as well.

The response was near unanimous.

Quizon said he would definitely give up his mods and switch back to smoking if plans to tax ecigarettes push through.

“Precisely why I turn to vaping is because I believe it’s cheaper and safer,” Quizon said.

Panis and Evasco agreed.

“Kaya nga kami nag-ve-vape dahil mas matipid ito at mas cool pero kung ganun din magagastos namin, e wag na lang, yosi na lang kami uli [We vape because it’s cheaper and cool; but if we’ll spend the same amount, never mind, we’ll just go back to tobacco].”

Debbie, who enjoys a bigger income than most of the members of the study group, said she might stick to vaping because she believes it’s a lot safer for her wellness and convenient at the same time.

Caveats

IN a statement last week, the DOH revealed that it has received its first official report of an “e-cigarette or vape-associated lung injury,” or what it termed as “Evali.”

The report came from a private pediatric pulmonologist based in the Visayas, the DOH said.

According to the case report, the patient is a 16-year-old female adolescent who had been using ecigarettes for six months while concurrently consuming combustible cigarettes, referred to as “dual use,” the DOH said on November 15.

The DOH said the patient, who was admitted on October 21, initially presented with sudden-onset severe shortness of breath, required oxygen supplementation and ICU admission.

Upon admission, the clinical impression was initially considered to be infectious in nature, it added.

However, upon further evaluation, the patient met the case criteria for Evali based on the guidelines of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), according to the DOH. The patient has been discharged after receiving appropriate care from the attending pulmonologist, the DOH said.

The DOH added that it is “in

APART from ensuring that ecigarettes are safe to use, there is also an uphill battle to persuade lawmakers to impose lower taxes.

Citing studies by health-related departments in the US and the UK, Philip Morris-Fortune Tobacco Corp. President Denis Gorkun said the taxes on e-cigarettes or smoke-free products like their IQOS should be proportionate to the risks.

Filipino smokers, he said, should be encouraged to switch to a much, much better alternative.

This means, he said, the taxation must be risk-proportionate so as not to make the alternative to cigarettes expensive.

“The taxation must be lower than cigarettes,” Gorkun said.

“The key for all nicotine and tobacco products is to be regulated. A good example is the United Kingdom. There are millions of people who use this product. They need to be regulated appropriately. But if we want to make the Philippines smoke-free, we need to make sure that the regulation allows us to talk to smokers and explain the product to them. That is the key,” he added.

Gorkun supports the idea of

regulating e-cigarettes, like all other tobacco and nicotine products, so as to ensure the safety of the products and their use by Filipino consumers.

Beginning of the end

IF you really want to stop smoking, consult your doctor first, Sempio said, adding the doctor can recommend ways how to quit smoking. It is even better if you go cold turkey and stop smoking without going through the process.

“There are processes that a patient can follow in order to facilitate his quitting this bad habit,” he said. “There has to be support for the patient, the symptoms have to be addressed and, if he has nicotine addiction, there’s nicotine replacement therapy like nicotine patches, lozenges, gums and nicotine pill.”

These nicotine-replacement therapy products, Sempio said, are supported by studies and endorsed by the Council of Tobacco Health and Air Pollution through the Philippine Clinical Practice Treatment of Tobacco Use and Dependence 2017.

While there are smoking cessation programs in place, Mata pointed out that since their inception, the success rate of quitting successfully has only been 4 percent. This means that “96 percent of Filipino smokers, or 16.6 million of them, are statistically unable to quit.”

“Shouldn’t we consider harm-reduction options for these smokers?” Mata surmised. “So now, we have a science-based viable and less harmful alternative to smoking that are available and these are ENDS [electronic nicotine delivery system] or vaping products.”

Mata pointed to the Public Health England Royal College of

WHAT HAPPENS TO THOSE SEEKING ALTERNATIVES TO CIGARETTE SMOKING WITH DUTERTE ‘BAN’?

AS we were going to press, President Rodrigo Duterte said in a press conference late Tuesday night he was banning vaping in the country and the importation of vaperelated devices and chemicals.

The announcement, made without any written order yet, has raised questions about whether the government policymakers—in health and finance, particularly— have already laid down a clear roadmap on how to treat vaping, which has been billed as an alternative (read: far less harmful) to tobacco smoking, for which a host of diseases have been blamed by countless studies here and abroad.

However, a 2015 survey by the World Health Organization (WHO) indicates the narrow options of adult smokers shunning the traditional combustible cigarettes.

The survey showed that 77 percent of adult smokers have tried to quit, but only 4 percent succeeded.

Anti-tobacco groups had strongly lobbied the previous Congress for higher excise taxes on cigarettes, in order to raise billions more for universal health care.

These days, they are lobbying the 18th Congress for the second wave of higher sin taxes, for alcohol as well as for e-cigarettes.

To tax or not to tax? To ban or just to regulate? The government, in light of the President’s verbal order on Tuesday night, must now sort this out.

In radio interviews early Wednesday, Health Secretary Francisco T. Duque III expressed support to the presidential ban but clarified that no executive order has been issued yet.

Until then, officials will have to reckon with the reality that the 16 million Filipino adult smokers who were pitched the vaping habit as “a simple, clean and satisfying alternative to cigarette smoking” will need clear answers on where to turn.

To recall, it was just in June 2019 when JUUL Labs, the leading vapor brand in the US, announced the launch of its JUUL vapor device and JUUL pods in the Philippines. And last week, on the sidelines of the Brightleaf Awards, Philip Morris Fortune Tobacco Corp. Inc. President Denis Gorkun declared plans to formally launch their own alternative to combustible cigarettes, the IQOS.

A MODERN e-cigarette charging on a USB dock.

JUUL had been marketing itself as on a mission to help improve the lives of an estimated one billion adult smokers worldwide with its touted viable alternative to combustible cigarettes. Its launch in June this year was made as an exclusive partnership with Better For You (BFY) Corp., a Gokongwei-owned company.

JUUL Labs was co-founded by Adam Bowen and James Monsees, who described themselves as former smokers increasingly dissatisfied with the health and social impacts of cigarettes but unable to find good substitutes. They started designing concepts for alternatives in the mid-2000s at Stanford, and after a decade of research and development, launched their product—a closed vaping system with pods and a patented temperature control design, without buttons or switches. It touts “a clean experience, free from ash and odor.”

What happens to the products touted as healthier alternatives? How will health and product standards regulators distinguish between harmful devices and risk-free ones? How can the use of chemicals with vaping be regulated? And finally, what happens to millions seeking a way out of what has been proven as the deadly habit of cigarette smoking?

These questions will certainly stir much debate in the next few days.

Physicians and Cancer Research UK as having recognized that ENDS is at least 95-percent less harmful than cigarette smoking. He added these institutions have openly endorsed ENDS as a viable alternative to tobacco cigarettes.

“Allow me to qualify this by saying that I am not advocating this openly,” he explained. “For those who want to quit smoking and are unable to do so, smokers can switch to the less harmful alternative to tobacco cigarettes and that is ENDS. This should never be marketed to the youth.”

Entry point for youth

UNFORTUNATELY, this is not the case, as Sempio points out that vaping has now become an entry point for the younger generation to start smoking. The new ENDS devices strongly appeal to a younger and new generation of smokers.

“Initially, the electronic cigarette is being marketed as a smoking cessation product,” Sempio said. “What is happening now, however, is that children and young adults are seeing it as an entry point for cigarette smoking. Vaping is not actually safer because studies that have been published are being downplayed.”

“The problem lies in the fact that they do not know what is being put into the e-cigarettes because it is completely unregulated so that is why there has to be regulation,” he added. “Even they themselves know that there is something harmful that is being put in.”

Sempio said he “definitely supports regulation.”

“If something is found to be harmful, something has to be done in order to lessen the harm that will potentially affect the patient.”

According to Mata, one of the goals of the Quit for Good group is to push for the regulation of ENDS.

“Regulation will ensure that the device and the e-liquid in the device will have the appropriate safeguards to protect its users. We will push a fair regulation that will not unduly restrict the accessibility of ENDS for smokers to switch to.”

Mata explained that “if the government tightens the regulations on ENDS in the same breath as tobacco cigarette, then we will be sending the wrong signal to smokers that ENDS is as harmful as tobacco cigarette, when in reality it is at least 95-percent less harmful.”

Such wrong signal, he said, could prompt smokers to continue with their habit.

“The government should allow limited choices of flavors other than tobacco and menthol, that will entice smokers to switch,” Mata said. “At the same time, restrictions should be imposed to ensure that the youth will be prevented from using ENDS.”

He added all this will contribute to Quit for Good’s goal of making tobacco smoking obsolete within the next 10 years and reduce the prevalence of smoking by 10 percent every year for the next decade.

“We have to aim high to act fast but we need the cooperation of all stakeholders, especially of the endorsement of the Department of Health of the less harmful alternatives such as ENDS,” Mata said. “We should harness the popularity of ENDS, a technologically advanced product, as a conduit to help transition smokers into quitting.”

With reports by Cai U. Ordinario, Jasper Y. Arcalas, Nazarene Leyco and Anne Ruth dela Cruz

A6 Thursday, November 21, 2019 • Editor: Angel R. Calso

Opinion BusinessMirror

www.businessmirror.com.ph

editorial

Nurturing a gifted child’s abilities

E

very child is special. Some kids, however, are smarter than others. Still others are in the leagues of Albert Einstein, Charles Darwin, Leonardo da Vinci and Isaac Newton—intellectual elites and great thinkers.

On November 15, 2019, Jack Guy wrote a CNN article about a child prodigy from Belgium that is on course to gain a bachelor’s degree at the tender age of nine. The child genius, Laurent Simons, is currently studying electrical engineering at the Eindhoven University of Technology (TUE), and plans to embark on a PhD program in electrical engineering after graduation in December, while also studying for a medicine degree, his father told CNN. The TUE has allowed Laurent to complete his course faster than other students. Sjoerd Hulshof, education director of the TUE bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, said in a statement: “That is not unusual. Special students that have good reasons for doing so can arrange an adjusted schedule. In much the same way we help students who participate in top sport.”

Parents have a role in nurturing gifted children. In 1761, a four-year old Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart began composing his first piano concerto. His father, a composer himself, quickly realized the potential in his child. He quit composing and devoted much of his time to schooling the young Mozart in music. At age eight, Mozart wrote his first symphony, then went on to compose several opera pieces by the time he was 16.

Close to home, we have nine-year-old child prodigy Worth Lodriga, our own “Little Picasso,” who won twice (2016 and 2018) in the 7-Star Artist Award from the Junior Picasso 2018 contest held in India. Worth’s mom, Wendy, noticed his interest in art when he was just two years old. As she was teaching him how to read by writing on a whiteboard, she noticed Worth would love to use the marker to draw a human figure. Mom right away spotted the talent she had to nurture. Apart from the Junior Picasso contest, Worth has won in other international competitions, including the Frogs Are Green International Art Contest 2016 in New Jersey, against 1,441 entries globally; the 2017 Airtime Watertime International Flotation Suit Design Contest in Santa Barbara, California; and the Mars Society in Colorado.

Very few individuals are gifted with an IQ that tips the scale. These are the people being sought by Mensa, the largest and oldest high IQ society in the world. Mensa Philippines is the local chapter of Mensa International. The first Filipino child genius accepted by Mensa-Philippines was five years old Alrescha Mikaela “Reese” Gabriana, and the youngest member of the local high IQ society is four-year-old Samuel “Sam” Pelingon, who became a member in 2014.

The Washington-based National Association for Gifted Children estimates that 3 million children in America are gifted. They define “gifted” as “those who demonstrate outstanding levels of aptitude or competence in one or more domains.” There’s no current data for exceptional children in the Philippines. So, how do we help Filipino parents determine if they have a gifted child?

Assessing whether a child is a genius is far more complicated than simply relying on test scores. In fact, many educators look for other signs of exceptional intelligence that cannot be measured by a test or exam to figure out if they have genius in their classroom. For parents, you should recognize the following signs of a future Mensa member: Your child has an unusual memory; passes intellectual milestones early; learns how to read early; has unusual hobbies or interests or an in-depth knowledge of certain subjects; intolerance of other children; awareness of world events; high achiever; prefers to spend time with adults or in solitary pursuits; loves to talk; asks questions all the time; learns easily; has a developed sense of humor; musical; and likes to be in control. It’s important for parents to be aware of the signs of giftedness so they can nurture their child’s abilities.

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The stock market: ‘L’ is for loser John Mangun

OUTSIDE THE BOX

A

merican comedian George Carlin said in 1990, “Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that”. Of course if Carlin were alive today and said that, all the stupid people would be triggered and complain about their human right to be stupid being violated.

I admit I am not a sympathetic or empathetic person when it comes to certain issues. In this case, losing money in the stock market. In fact, losers get exactly what they deserve for being part of the “half of them are stupider than that” group.

If you follow the Philippine stock market groups on social media you can find posts every day that whine about losing money in the stock market. Why isn’t there complaining about losing money in last night’s lotto draw. Maybe lotto investors are

smarter than stock market investors.

When I was coaching kid’s basketball, the one thing I would not tolerate was complaining about the referees. First, bad calls are only bad if they go against you. Otherwise, it is just that the referee saw things from another angle.

Second, bad refereeing is part of the game. “But it’s not fair!” To which I would reply, “Kid, if you want fair, you better consider becoming a priest.”

There are situations that arise every day in the stock market that

do not follow rules. At least with lotto everyone has an equal and fair chance of winning and losing. Further, if you think the stock market is rigged, manipulated and crooked, stay out of the game. And honestly, if you are not smart enough or conscientious enough to protect yourself from nefarious stock market practices and do invest, I have no sympathy for you. I would think that owning a siomai kiosk is more suitable for you. Be aware, though, your employees will steal you blind.

I know, that’s not fair but is a fact of business life.

Assuming you went into stock market investing with your eyes wide open and are losing, I will try to help. But you still do not have my sympathy because you should have done more homework.

“The best defense is a good offense” is my motto. You are guaranteed to win if the other team does not score any points.

You bought a stock and it is now down 50 percent, and you are asking for advice. Did you ask when it was down 25 percent? Most likely not,

and that is why you are a loser with a capital “L.” Now the price has to double for you to break even. Good luck with that. Maybe prayer will help, but probably not.

I can give you hours of instruction about technical analysis and trading but I will not waste my saliva or your time. Besides, you are already a “Loser.” So sell everything, walk away, and do whatever you are comfortable with that is the equivalent of getting drunk.

Next time, though, remember this: The first time you get that little feeling in your stomach that something is going wrong, sell out immediately. You may still lose money but you will not be a loser.

Roman historian Tacitus said: “He that fights and runs away, may turn and fight another day; but he that is in battle slain, will never rise to fight again.”

E-mail me at mangun@gmail.com. Visit my web site at www.mangunonmarkets.com. Follow me on Twitter @mangunonmarkets. PSE stockmarket information and technical analysis tools provided by the COL Financial Group Inc.

Israel’s Arabs are having a political moment

By Daniel Gordis | Bloomberg Opinion

O

n September 22, five days after Israel’s second round of 2019 elections, Ayman Odeh, who heads the consortium of Israeli Arab parties, tweeted in Hebrew a verse from the Book of Psalms (118:22). “The stone that the builders rejected,” he quoted, “has become the chief cornerstone.”

The tweet was clever, for the playfulness it combined with the seriousness of its message. Israeli Arabs, for whom the Koran and not the Bible is a sacred text, do not often quote biblical verses. But Odeh’s tweet was meant to suggest that something had shifted in the political balance of power. “You have long rejected us in coalition negotiations,” the quote was widely understood to imply, “but now we have become the cornerstone.”

No Israeli party has ever won 61 of the Knesset’s 120 seats, so every government has been a coalition of parties, each making its own demands for joining. This time, Benny Gantz of the new Blue and White centrist alliance won 33 seats, while Benjamin Netanyahu, the incumbent prime minister from the conservative Likud, had 32. Suddenly, the members of the Joint Arab List, which had won 13 seats (an increase of three from the previous election) saw themselves as potential power brokers. It was clear that to cobble together his own coalition, Netanyahu would

need other right-wing parties, which would certainly not sit with the Arabs. But might Gantz?

That would have been a first. For decades, most Jewish Israeli voters have viewed Israel’s Arab parties with suspicion, understanding that they have a complex attitude to the State of Israel. These Arab citizens know that, often, who is a Palestinian refugee and who is an Israeli Arab citizen is a product of luck during the 1947 to 1949 War of Independence.

Those Arabs who succeeded in fleeing the fighting and went to Lebanon, Syria, Jordan or Gaza ended up stateless. Those Arabs who did not or could not escape the combat ended up as citizens of Israel, now a wholly first-world country. They have passports, world-class medical care, excellent universities—all the rights of citizenship. Yet, they would quite understandably prefer that Israel become a liberal democracy in which Jewishness would be a private matter, not a state one. They also remain deeply committed to the Palestinians outside of Israel, sometimes feeling more than their share

of guilt that they ended up where they are while other parts of their families remain stateless refugees.

Despite these complex feelings, Israel’s Arab parties are increasingly participating in its political processes. Some Arab members of the Knesset (though not all) are willing to acknowledge “the Jewish people’s right to self-determination”—as close as they will get to endorsing the Jewishness of the state. After the September election, their joint list endorsed a Zionist candidate (Gantz) for prime minister for the first time in 27 years, and later met with him as he explored his options in forming a new government.

Two months later, Gantz has not made a coalition deal with the Arab parties and is unlikely to do so. But he has spoken about them with respect, and has assiduously avoided the Arab-baiting for which Netanyahu is well known. With the clock on negotiations running out on Wednesday, and the prospect of a third election—which almost everyone would like to avoid—looming large, Netanyahu has resumed using the issue of the Palestinian conflict to distinguish himself from Gantz. (This despite the fact that Gantz, a former chief of staff of the Israeli Defense Forces, is hardly a left-winger.) Israeli troops went to battle with Islamic Jihad in Gaza last week. Netanyahu got

a lifeline tossed to him on Monday

by US President Donald J. Trump in the form of an American shift on the legality of West Bank settlements. And the prime minister has also resumed proclaiming that Israeli Arabs want to “destroy the country,” ignoring the subtle but important shifts taking place in the Arab community. Gantz has notably stayed far from such rhetoric, while on Tuesday, President Reuven Rivlin sternly rebuked Netanyahu for his characterization of Israel’s Arabs. His office issued a statement that expressed his “strong objection to recent statements against members of the Knesset and Arab population.”

It is almost certain that Israel’s Arab parties will not be part of the next coalition. We are not there yet.

But the progress that has transpired ought to serve as a reminder to both Jews and Arabs of the potential that ought not be squandered. Given that 20 percent of Israel’s population is Arab, and that number is unlikely to diminish, it would serve everyone for Arab citizens to feel more included in Israeli society, to have more money spent on infrastructure in their villages, to have the quality of their schools improved—and to have the discourse of right-wing politicians change.

Yet, Israeli Arabs also have some soul-searching to do. They would See “Israel,” A7

Opinion BusinessMirror

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Peco, on the death throes King as no other Msgr. Sabino A. Vengco Jr.

Val A. Villanueva

Businesswise

P

hilippine commerce is replete with stories of failed family businesses that in their time reigned supreme.

We can wax nostalgic, travel through time and be awed by how these companies were embraced and looked up to by millions of Filipinos. There were Ang Tibay and Elpo shoes, both owned by the late Don Toribio Teodoro; Halili Beer of the late former Bulacan Gov. Fortunato Halili; Cosmos Bottling Corp. of the late Henry Wong. Then, there were, Ang Bayani Soft Drink Co., Good Earth Emporium, Glenmore Shoes, Arcegas Department Store…the list goes on. The long and short of it is that most of these businesses were gobbled up by competitors, while many flopped due to complacency and neglect by the heirs of these trailblazing Filipino firms.

Perhaps the remarkable permanence of Japan’s—and the world’s oldest (based on available records) —family-owned commercial empire, Kongo Gumi, a construction company founded 1,400 years ago, could never be replicated here and elsewhere. Until today, it continues to build and refurbish religious temples and administer general contracting from its Osaka headquarters. It is believed that just a third of businesses last into the second generation of a family, let alone for over half a millennium. The oldest Filipino companies Destileria Limtuaco (1852) and Ayala Corp. (1834) (although publicly listed) of the Zobel-Roxas clan have centuries ahead to prove their longevity in relation to Kongo Gumi’s.

According to Matthew Fleming of Stonehage Fleming: “No financial legacy, business or otherwise, can survive through the generations, without addressing key issues around a family’s culture, values and the purpose of wealth.”

Could this be the case of the 1923born Panay Electric Co. (Peco), which has lost its grip on a business that many have considered the Cacho family’s birthright?

Peco has been Iloilo’s lone electricity provider since its founding. The company was incorporated by Don Esteban de la Rama; Jose Ma. Arroyo, a former senator; lawyer Mariano Jalbuena; Emiliano Lizares; Jose Lopez-Vito; Modesto Ledesma; Marcos Alfaras; Jose Tiongco; Yap Seng; Eulogio Hernandez; Jose L. Jalbuena; Jose G. Paramos, and GM Saul. They sold it in 1927 to Candelaria Ditching Cacho who converted Peco into the first 100-percent Filipino-owned private enterprise in the province.

The company then was managed by Don Mariano M. Cacho.

What happened between 1923 and 2019?

The heirs could have fallen into complacency, probably unsure of the company’s values and purpose of wealth. The Cacho family wasn’t even prepared when Congress stripped it of its franchise after complaints piled up against the poor service provided by the company and the exorbitant rates they were charging. House Bill 8032 granted More Electric Power Corp., a company owned and controlled by business tycoon Enrique K. Razon Jr., the legislative franchise to distribute electricity in Iloilo City.

The harsh truth is that it is Peco’s own customers who have condemned it for bad service, high electricity

Israel . . .

continued from A6

do well to ask themselves if they are well-served by their elected representatives walking out of the chamber when Israel’s national anthem is sung at the Knesset’s swearing-in ceremony. Can their leadership help them frame a national narrative that enables them to show ongoing loyalty to their families on the other side of the border, while convincing ever more Israeli Jews that they want to be part of a flourishing Jewish and democratic state?

There will be nothing easy about

rates, old and dilapidated equipment, and a penchant for overbilling its customers. Its purpose of wealth from their customers’ view point has been making money at the expense of the people they were supposed to serve, and at the government’s behest. In a rare public statement, Razon decried Peco’s practice of declaring annual dividends in the hundreds of millions of pesos, instead of investing such funds to improve its transmission facilities.

The Cacho family did not take the loss of their franchise sitting down.

Perhaps embarrassed at losing their prime business through a congressional act, they launched a legal battle to stall More’s takeover of its distribution assets. The Cachos sought their own franchise, thinking that Congress would gloss over the law it passed to rationalize the power industry 15 years ago. The law prevents uneconomical and political-largesse type of electricity distribution businesses in the country.

Peco’s tax arrears have also risen steadily since 2006 when the City Treasurer’s Office first directed the company to pay real-estate tax on the land where its estimated 30,000 electricity poles around the city nestle. The city government rebuffed Peco’s settlement package and instead demanded full cash payment of its P89-million realty-tax arrears.

While Peco is questioning the legality and accuracy of the tax assessment before the Local Assessments Board, the Iloilo government has scheduled on December 12 an auction of Peco’s distribution assets.

Peco’s operations would be threading on thin ice for the next one-anda-half years. Its interim permit from the Energy Regulatory Commission stays valid only as long as the city’s new distribution utility has yet to fully take over the city’s electricity distribution assets. If Peco loses ownership and control of these distribution assets in the December 12 auction, including the 30,000 electricity poles that dot the city’s streets, the company would have no reason to continue operating, although the law provides it with a one-year allowance to redeem these assets.

Unless the company is able to stop the auction, settle its tax arrears or redeem within one year its auctioned-off assets, Peco could land itself ignominiously in the history of the country’s failed family businesses.

For comments and suggestions, e-mail me at mvala.v@gmail.com

this process, for either side. The slight thaw we have witnessed in recent months, though, is a hopeful indication. One change that any further progress will require is the seating of a prime minister who has a vision for the country that is both Jewish and deeply democratic, a nuanced worldview that Israel’s incumbent has long since stopped expressing. Nobody knows what sort of coalition will emerge in the coming days or weeks, but one thing is clear: Regardless of what the government looks like, there is reason to hope that Israeli Arabs may just be one step closer to becoming a cornerstone of Israel’s democracy.

Alálaong Bagá

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very year at the end of our liturgical calendar the solemnity of Christ the King is like a summit from where we can gaze at the vast expanse and the winding road we have traveled since the first Sunday of Advent. Like the finale of a symphony under the inspired direction of St. Luke (23:35-43), we are here given a resume of the salvific significance of Jesus on the cross.

A King on the cross IN Luke’s gospel, the title “King” is only given to Jesus in the accounts related to his passion. Riding on an ass in entering Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives, Jesus was hailed by the crowd of disciples as “the King who comes in the name of the Lord” (Luke 19:38). Brought before Pilate by his enemies, they charged him saying, “We found this man misleading our people; he...maintains that he is the Messiah, a King” (Luke 23:1-2).

When queried by Pilate, “Are you the King of the Jews?” Jesus replied, “You say so” (Luke 23:3). Above him on the cross was the inscription: “This is the King of the Jews.” Jesus was condemned to the cross for the “crime” of being King, and He would

be uniquely a King on the cross.

For a distinct group of people, it is an absurdity to be a King on the cross. The leaders of the people mocked him, “Let him save himself if he is the chosen one, the Messiah of God.” The soldiers jeered too, repeating what the leaders shouted, “If you are King of the Jews, save yourself.”

And one of the criminals hanging there with Jesus, joined in and said, “Are you not the Messiah? Save yourself and us.” This threefold mockery ironically confesses the identity and the power of Jesus. Yes, He is a King who can save others—but while on the cross, not by fleeing it.

A savior on the cross

Another group of people on

Thursday, November 21, 2019 A7

Calvary “stood there watching.”

Luke used the word theorein, which means to contemplate. These were the people contemplating what was happening, as we do today on the solemnity of Christ the King and as Saint John Paul II had urged all Christians to do in this third millennium. A person with a contemplative eye of faith was the other criminal also condemned to death.

He heard what the leaders, the soldiers and his fellow convict said, and he disagreed with them. Gazing at Jesus, he saw more than what met the eyes. “Jesus, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.”

Jesus—was the man conscious that the name he appealed to means “God saves?” Yes, God remembers His mercy (Luke 1:54). The sinner bravely appealed to the saving power of Jesus and testified to his sovereignty, even as they both hung on the cross.

“Amen, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.” The solemn response of Jesus embodies the full force of His authority. Where Jesus is, the “today” of salvation becomes guaranteed. Salvation was present on Calvary, as when it was announced to the shepherds at Bethlehem: “Today, in the city of David, a savior has been born to you who is Messiah and Lord” (Luke 2:11), or when Jesus proclaimed in the synagogue in Nazareth,

“Today this scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing” (Luke 4:21).

When Zacchaeus made the turnaround in his life, Jesus declared, “Today, salvation has come to this house” (Luke 19:9). Wherever Jesus is encountered in faith, there the reign of God is at hand.

Alálaong bagá, Jesus alone can promise anyone Paradise, the heavenly dwelling that he has prepared for his followers (Luke 22:29-30).

Peter, before the Sanhedrin spoke for all believers when he testified for Jesus: “There is no salvation through anyone else, nor is there any other name under Heaven given to the human race by which we are to be saved” (Acts 4:12). We are the people who contemplate Jesus on the cross as our Savior-King. Even as we are painfully aware of the blasphemies and mockeries uttered against him, we identify with the sinner’s plea: “Jesus, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.” We are affirmed by His words: “Amen, I say to you, today you shall be with me in Paradise.”

On the cross, Jesus is the Messiah, our Savior, not a victim—but our victorious King!

Join me in meditating on the Word of God every Sunday, from 5 to 6 a.m. on DWIZ 882, or by audio streaming on www.dwiz882.com.

Unctad’s ‘Green New Deal’ to overhaul ‘crocodile capitalism?’

Dr. Rene E. Ofreneo

LABOREM EXERCENS

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ome UN agencies no longer equivocate on their assessment of the present global economic order—unequal, unjust and unsustainable. Nor do they equivocate on who are the culprits for the unjust and unequal economic order: World Bank, International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the Washington Consensus ideologues.

The UN Conference on Trade and Development, an agency established in the 1960s to help speed up industrial transformation in developing countries, did the above when they came up with their 2019 report, “Global Green New Deal.” It is probably the boldest report Unctad has published since the 1970s. Five decades ago, the hottest topic then among the Unctad memberstates was how to establish a “new international economic order,” in order to complete the decolonization process for the newly independent countries from the three A continents—Asia, Africa and Latin America.

The report pointed out that the Bretton Woods twins—IMF and the World Bank—turned neoliberal in the 1970s and became promoters worldwide of the Thatcher-Reagan privatization counterrevolution. In short, the twins, which mark their 75th this year, abandoned their original Keynesian development orientation, notably the central role of government in directing the economy, strict regulation of speculative financial flows and public spending, to hasten growth and mop up unemployment.

The success model for the Keynesian development framework was the “New Deal” program of US President Franklin D. Roosevelt. The Roosevelt Administration arrested the 1929 to 1933 Great Depression in America through an unprecedented government-led social and economic mobilization to stimulate the depressed economy and give jobs to the unemployed, who numbered over one-fourth of the labor force. Instead of repressing workers’ rights, Roosevelt strengthened these rights by passing progressive labor laws recognizing their right to form unions, right to bargain collectively, and right to social security and other benefits. Instead of simply tightening the financial belt through a harsh program of austerity, the Roosevelt government launched massive infrastructure and job-creating programs through deficit spending.

Some of the New Deal programs turned out to be environmental and

community oriented—rural electrification, construction of mains and sanitary sewerage systems, building of dams to control floods, planting of “shelter belt” of trees to tame the destructive dust bowls and development of park trails to combat forest fires. Clearly, Roosevelt’s New Deal economic recovery program had a green and social dimension.

Roosevelt’s green new deal is what Unctad is trying to replicate, this time on a global scale. Hence, the proposed “Global Green New Deal,” which is aimed at helping member-states also achieve the 2030 sustainable development goals. Both the GGND and SDGs cannot be realized if the present global order, which has caused financial turbulence (remember 1997 and 1998 Asian financial contagion and 2007 to 2010 global financial crisis), deepened inequality everywhere and has pushed the planet on the brink of a climate-change armageddon. Unctad, therefore, is proposing a rebuilding of “the rules of the global economy toward goals of coordinated stability, shared prosperity and environmental sustainability, while deliberately respecting the space for national policy sovereignty.”

The last item—space for sovereignty—means the WTO, international financial institutions and free-trade negotiators should respect the right of developing countries to develop at their pace and in accordance with their development priorities and realities.

This is the meaning of the principle of special and differential treatment, or SDT. It collides with the standard “equality” rule on trade and investment liberalization that the neoliberalizers have been pushing in the WTO, and various bilateral and regional freetrade agreements.

The recent rice tariffication/liberalization law is an example of the failure of Philippine policy-makers to use the SDT principle when they abandoned higher tariff protection, ignored the importance of assisting the domestic palay producers, failed to keep the NFA’s regulatory power to prevent

smuggling and nefarious operations of rice cartels, and so on. It appears that the economists who advised the Senate on the rice tariffication law simply used the argument that such tariffication is part of the government commitment to the WTO, and that the market will sort out things eventually. Such a naïve stance is unthinkable to a country like China, whose government tries to balance the interests of both rice producers and consumers by keeping a tight control over rice importation and distribution, while pursuing a program of 95-percent production self sufficiency at home.

At any rate, back to Unctad. The officers of this UN body, in partnership with Boston University, came up recently with a list of five principles to stop the global phenomenon of “predatory rent seeking” by the big corporations or multinationals lording over the present economic order.

In “A New Multilateralism for Shared Prosperity: Geneva Principles for a Green New Deal,” they explain that the “social contract” after World War II has been broken when these MNCs were allowed to roam the world market freely under free-trade rules, resulting in huge imbalances, meaning workers and the general public lose while these few corporations amass wealth in various ways, including through the speculative finance business. This predatory rent seeking or “crocodile capitalism” is reflected in the falling wages and incomes of the working population vis-à-vis rising wealth of the few, deteriorating capacity of humanity to stop the cataclysmic warming of the Earth and social unrest breaking out in different countries.

Unctad and Boston University came up with five goals to rebalance development, namely: 1. A productive global economy built around full and decent employment at livable wages, for all countries; 2. A just society that targets closing socioeconomic gaps, within and across generations, nations, households, race and gender; 3. A caring community that protects vulnerable populations and promotes economic rights;

4. A participatory politics that defeats policy capture by narrow interest groups and extends the democratic principle to economic decision-making; and 5. A sustainable future based on the mobilization of resources and policies to decarbonize growth and recover environmental health in all its dimensions.

To achieve the above goals, they are advancing five principles to guide a new multilateralism in trade and economic relations among countries.

These are as follows: 1. Global rules should be calibrated toward the overarching goals of social and economic stability, shared prosperity and environmental sustainability, and be protected against capture by the most powerful players; 2. States should share common but differentiated responsibilities in a multilateral system built to advance global public goods and protect the global commons; 3. The right of states to policy space to pursue national development strategies should be enshrined in global rules; 4. Global regulations should be designed both to strengthen a dynamic international division of labor and to prevent destructive unilateral economic actions that prevent other nations from realizing common goals; and 5. Global public institutions must be accountable to their full membership, open to a diversity of viewpoints, cognizant of new voices, and have balanced dispute resolution systems.

To many civil society organizations and people’s organizations, such as the Asia Europe People’s Forum, Freedom from Debt Coalition and the Fair Trade Alliance, the foregoing goals and principles are not really new. They have been advocating them as early as the 1990s, when they saw the imbalances that one-sided neoliberal economics has been causing everywhere. What is new is the courage of the Unctad leadership to be forthright about the sad state of global economic affairs under onesided multilateralism.

A8 Thursday, November 21, 2019

Farmer groups ‘top rice importers’–are they?

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By Jasper Emmanuel Y. Arcalas

@jearcalas

OOPERATIVES, irrigators’ associations and farmers’ groups continue to edge out corporations and other private entities in rice importation, bringing in over 970,000 metric tons since the industry was liberalized.

Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI) data showed that 118 cooperatives, including farmer-run ones, and irrigators’ associations have imported 971,192.51 MT of rice from March 5 to October 30.

The volume was more than half or about 57.33 percent of the total 1.693 MMT imported rice quantity during the reference period.

The volume imported by farmers cooperatives and irrigators’ associations was 248,493.88 MT higher than the 722,698.64 MT imported by corporations, traders and other private entities, BPI data showed.

₧300M Estimated worth of rice supposedly imported by one irrigators association, which, records show, declared a cash balance of P1,300 and net income of P800 in 2018

BPI records showed that the cooperatives and irrigators’ association used 1,055 sanitary and phytosanitary import clearances (SPSIC) to import rice.

Farmers’ cooperatives and ir-

rigators association accounted for more than half of the 209 total entities that imported rice during the reference period, according to BPI data.

The BusinessMirror earlier reported that farmers cooperatives and irrigators associations have been more active in importing rice after the industry was liberalized and deregulated by Repubic Act 11203, or rice trade liberalization (RTL) law. (Read related Broader Look https://businessmirror. com.ph/2019/10/31/pre-andpost-rice-trade-liberalization-

law-big-traders-gaming-farmergroups/)

Dummies of big traders?

How ever, BusinessMirror sources said that many of these farmers groups do not have the capacity to import and are just “dummies” for Metro Manila-based traders—an allegation that seems to be borne out by data indicating an incongruity between the groups’ meager financial capacity and the enormous resources necessary for their huge importations.

See “Farmer groups,” A2

BSP leads launch of ‘EGovPay’ House moves GARMENTS SECTOR ASKS to repeal

By Bianca Cuaresma @BcuaresmaBM

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NHANCED payments through digital means are expected to boost revenues into the economy, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Governor Benjamin Diokno said.

On Wednesday, the BSP spearheaded the launch of the electronic government payment facility—a payment solution that enables a streamlined digitalization of government collections and disbursements.

After a successful pilot run with the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) in mid-August this year, the formal launch of the “EGovPay” facility on Wednesday

is expected to bring more government agencies to the e-payments regime by participating as billers, thereby allowing more Filipinos to experience the secure, fast, and convenient way of electronically paying the government.

As of launch date, the following government agencies have been onboarded in the EGov Pay facility: (1) BIR; (2) Department of Trade and Industry; (3) City Government of General Santos; (4) City Government of Manila; (5) City Government of Valenzuela; (6) City Government of San Pedro, Laguna; (7) Local Government Unit of Baler; (8) Philippine National Police; (9) Quezon City Government.

LOW PRESSURE AREA (FORMERLY “RAMON”) VICINITY OF CARRANGLAN, NUEVA ECIJA TROPICAL STORM “SARAH” 540 KM EAST OF TUGUEGARAO CITY, CAGAYAN as of 4:00 pm - November 20, 2019

“Digitalizing payments to the government can help boost our economy. Hence, if revenues are collected more efficiently through digital payment solutions, funds become available to the government sooner allowing the government to quicken its spending which results in a higher gross national product [GNP],” Diokno said.

“Simply put, the efficient collection of revenues translates to faster funding of government programs and activitiest that benefit the nation as a whole,” he added.

The BSP also celebrated the launch of the first use case aligned with the National QR Code Standard (“QR Ph”) on Wednesday.

See “EGovPay,” A2

tax on vape

A

LEADER of the House of Representatives on Wednesday said the lower chamber will repeal the law taxing heated tobacco and vapor products.

This, after President Duterte said he will ban the use of heated tobacco and vapor products in public, as well as the importation of such devices.

In an interview, House Committee on Ways and Means Chairman Joey Sarte Salceda said they will repeal Section 2 of Republic Act 11346 even if it means a revenue loss of P1.4 billion for the government.

However, Salceda assured the public that implementation of the Universal Health Care will not be affected. Under the law, taxes from the “sin” tax products shall be allotted for UHC implementation.

“We will offset [the losses] from alcohol products. So I don’t think we will allow the UHC to be jeopardized by the ban. In fact, it can be helpful if the DOH [Department of Health] can implement the ban on vapes,” he said.

RA 11346, signed by President Duterte in July, imposes a new tax on electronic cigarettes, including heated tobacco and vapor products.

The law imposes a minimum P10 excise tax for 0-10 ml of liquid solution or gel starting January 1 next year. Every 10.01-20 ml is taxed P20; 20.01-30 ml, P30; 30.01-40 ml, P40; 40.01-50 ml, P50; and for more than 50 ml, P50 plus P10 for every additional 10 ml. Starting January 1, 2021, the rate will be increased by 5 percent every year.

“In the bicameral conference committee hearing [of House Bill 1026 ], the House Committee on Ways and Means will seek the repeal of Section 2 of Republic Act 11346 to implement the position of the President to ban vape and heated tobacco products,” he said.

“Tax policy will no longer be one of the state tools in controlling the negative effects of vape on health. It becomes now totally a health issue, no longer a tax issue. We don’t recognize vape anymore as a product that is being taxed. Just like there’s no taxes on prostitution,” he added.

In August, the House approved on third and final reading HB 1026 raising anew the excise taxes on alcohol products, heated tobacco and vapor products.

The measure stipulates that heated tobacco products shall now be levied with an excise tax rate of P45 per pack next year, with an incremental increase of P5 the following years until 2023. The tax imposed shall increase by 5 percent each year after that, starting in 2024.

Smoking ban

Meanwhile, Deputy Majority Leader Rep. Marlyn Alonte on Wednesday filed House Bill 5561, or the proposed Tobacco and Vaping Regulation Act to expand the smoking ban to include vaping products.

“There is mounting evidence of the harmful effects of electronic cigarettes on public health and safety, ranging from lung injury from the liquid nicotine and chemicals, to bone fractures and burns from exploding vaping devices.

Congress must step forward to protect the people,” said Alonte.

“High excise taxes are not enough to effectively counter this new health menace.

The same strict regulations applied to smoking must be applied to vaping,” she added.

Alonte said this bill is necessary to protect both the young and adults who have become addicted to the chemicals vaporized with the use of electronic device systems.

She said the bill covers electronic devices that vaporize nicotine and any other chemicals.

Jovee Marie N. Dela Cruz

GOVT FOR LOWER POWER RATES AMONG PERKS

By Elijah Felice E. Rosales @alyasjah

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HE garments industry is appealing to the government to come up with an incentives package reducing power rates for clothing firms in order to trim operational costs and lure investors to the Philippines.

Philippine Exhibitions and Trade Corp. (Petco) President Marisa D. Nallana said the government has to draw up an incentive package that includes a power rate cut to attract garments makers to the country. This will help reduce their business cost at a time their industry is trying to make a comeback in the international market, she explained.

“We’re one of the most expensive— if not the most expensive—in terms of power cost. That’s why very few companies would set up here in the Philippines,” Nallana told the BusinessMirror.

“Just the power cost, it’s a lot.”

“Maybe there’s an incentive that [the government] can lower [power rates], or there’s a certain number of years when they [investors] can pay a certain amount, which is much lower than the rest to be able to compete.

Otherwise, first production, it’s already expensive,” she added.

Nallana explained most garments firms choose to operate in Bangladesh, China and Myanmar “because their cost is cheap and they can sell cheap” in those countries. “[The Philippines] cannot compete globally, that’s why some people are shifting to Myanmar, to other parts of China, because their cost is cheap and they can sell cheap.

Even if we say that we have the best designs, we have the best minds to create, but bottom line, if your cost alone is high, you cannot mark up,” Nallana argued.

Last year the International Energy Consultants reported the Philippines has the second-highest electricity price across all of Asia at nearly P9 per kilowatt-hour (kWh).

In the continent, the Philippines only trailed Japan, which posted an

average P12.31 per kWh. The country’s power rate of P8.96 per kWh was costlier than those of Singapore at P8.83 per kWh, Hong Kong at P6.53 per kWh and Thailand at P6.23 per kWh. However, unlike in economies such as Indonesia, Malaysia, South Korea, Taiwan and Thailand, the government provides no subsidy to electricity to bring down price.

“We’re pushing the government to prepare incentive packages for foreign investments in the garments [industry]. In the program, electricity must be included and other costs that will help businesses set up something,” the Petco chief added.

Exports down Based on data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), exports of clothing products after three quarters declined over 6 percent to $700.05 million, from $753.03 million during the same period last year.

Last year’s shipments fell 15.57 percent to $927.92 million, from $1.09 billion in 2017, based on PSA figures.

Garments firms have been faced with uncertainty brought about by global and domestic issues, which include the government’s move to rationalize fiscal incentives granted to firms operating in economic zones.

Mostly located in economic zones, garments makers will need to give up their incentives once the Corporate Income Tax and Incentives Rationalization Act (Citira) bill is passed into law.

The Citira bill will cut corporate tax to 20 percent by 2029, from 30 percent at present, but will overhaul the set of tax perks honored to investors.

Among those that will be removed is the 5-percent tax on gross income earned (GIE) paid in lieu of all local and national taxes, which investors find crucial in maintaining their operations in the Philippines.

Garments and textile firms will head to SMX Convention Center in Pasay City from December 5 to 8 for their yearly expo, where over 80 enterprises are expected to participate—of which over half are from China.

Police told to arrest violators of vaping ban

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ATIONAL Police Officer in Charge Lt. Gen. Archie Gamboa directed on Wednesday policemen around the country to enforce the ban ordered

by President Duterte against the use of e-cigarettes.

Gamboa ordered all police units to enforce Duterte’s directive and arrest all users of vaping devices, but make sure the arrests are entered on the police blotter.

He said the vaping devices should be confiscated, and accounted for and disposed of properly, and directed the policemen to coordinate with local officials, government agencies and sellers for the enforcement of the ban.

On Tuesday night, Duterte imposed a prohibition on the use of vape following a report that a 16-year-old girl had fallen ill due to the use of e-cigarette, which he declared as toxic.

The Department of Health (DOH) said about 1 million Filipinos are users of e-cigarettes. Gamboa also directed all PNP personnel to refrain from violating the directive or “risk disciplinary sanctions.”

“All heads of offices and chiefs of police units in all levels are held accountable for the strict enforcement and compliance of their personnel with the ban,” he said. He also declared all camps and offices as “no-vape zone.” Rene Acosta

News BusinessMirror

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Leni to Duterte: Clear my role in campaign vs illegal drugs

By Rene Acosta @reneacostaBM & Bernadette D. Nicolas @BNicolasBM

V

ice President Ma. Leonor “Leni” Robredo on Wednesday said she would not push herself into the government’s campaign against illegal drugs and would leave if President Duterte will tell her to do so.

This was the reaction of the country’s No. 2 official after she was asked about the President’s statement that he had no trust in her because she had talked too much.

Robredo’s previous meeting with US anti-illegal drugs officials did not sit well with Duterte and some Palace officials, who even indirectly accused the Vice President of “sharing secrets” with “enemies of the country.” The US had been an international partner in the country’s drive against illegal drugs, supporting it with funds, logistics, training and other forms of assistance.

“Dapat diretsuhin na lang ako. Diretso naman akong kausap. Kung ayaw niya ako dito, in the first place, bakit ako in-appoint? Kung ayaw niya na, kung nagkamali siya sa pag-appoint sa akin at gusto niyang bawiin, sabihin lang. Kasi ako, madali akong kausap,” Robredo said.

“Pero habang mayroong ine-expect sa akin na trabaho, gagawin ko iyon,” she added.

The Vice President, who met with officials of the Dangerous Drugs Board on Wednesday, said she always work for something that she believes in, and would not shun from doing it despite the President’s “confusing messages.”

“I believe I can do a lot in the campaign against illegal drugs. I do not make a choice for whatever designation. If he would say this is what you will only do, it would be. But never did I shun from work, no matter how small it is,” she said.

Robredo is confused that while Duterte claimed he had no trust on her, he had also appointed her as cochairman of the Inter-Agency Committee on Anti-Illegal Drugs (Icad). “I could not also understand, it’s hard to understand that while he had no trust on me, he appointed me. But then again, as I have said, the mere fact that I was given a job, I have to do it wholeheartedly,” she said.

Robredo said that before Duterte held his news briefing on Tuesday night wherein he talked about the issue of trust on Robredo, the Vice President already forwarded a letter to the President wherein she asked a clarification on her mandate as cochairman of the Icad.

She said the letter was prompted by the letter of her cochairman, Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) Director General Aaron Aquino to President inquiring about the limits on her mandate.

“The other day, we got his response to DG [director general] Aquino, we were copy furnished, but it appeared he was returning to us the task of determining the mandate,” Robredo said.

“So I wrote a letter yesterday wherein I told [him] that we could not be the ones determining it because he is the appointing officer,” she added, admitting that her appointment as cochairman of the Icad was very general.

Bipartisan affair

Meanwhile, De La Salle University Political Science Senior Faculty Member Francisco Magno said Robredo’s appointment to the post was “part of confidence building measures to pursue drug war as a bipartisan affair.”

“The President wants a whole-of-society approach to combat the drug problem and VP Robredo’s good links with civil society and her public health approach to the drug menace would add value to the administration’s centerpiece policy. However, the President is not ready to appoint her to a Cabinet-level post,” Magno said in a text message to the BusinessMirror. While Robredo will not get full access to all the information she needs, Magno said the Vice President can leave the Enforcement Cluster of Icad to her cochairman from PDEA, Aquino.

“She has the expertise to coordinate the Clusters on Justice, Advocacy, and Rehabilitation and Reintegration.

These clusters alone require a lot of work,” he said.

“VP Robredo can, therefore, focus on the drug demand reduction side,” he added.

Thursday, November 21, 2019 A9

Terror group maintains presence in Western Mindanao–US report

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he Islamic State in Southeast Asia (ISEA) has maintained its presence, manpower complement, and capabilities in southern Philippines, and the group is still capable mounting “selective” attacks in some provinces of Western Mindanao, according to a recent US report.

The third quarter report of the Lead Inspector General (IG) for the Operation Pacific Eagle-Philippines (OPE-P), the US counterterrorism effort in the country in support of the Philippine government, said the ISEA had maintained its membership of roughly about

500, who are most likely to be also members of local terrorist groups.

“However, most of these individuals are members of other long-standing Philippine militant groups that have adopted the Isis [Islamic State of Iraq and Syria] brand and, to varying degrees, its

ideology,” the report for the Pacific Eagle, which is being implemented and carried out through the US Indo-Pacific Command (USINDOPACOM), said.

Citing the report of the US military, the lead inspector general said that the Asean unit of the international terrorist group is only capable of small-scale, or “suicide attacks” in Jolo, Sulu, and Mindanao islands in the southern Philippines.

“USINDOPACOM assessed that Isis-EA’s lack of network cohesion, support from the international leadership of Isis [Isis-Core], strong internal leadership, or adequate financing are factors that have impeded Isis-EA’s ability to conduct activity outside its base of operations, or carry out largescale attacks,” the lead inspector general’s report, covering July up

to September 2019, said.

The report, however, noted the pattern of attacks in Mindanao, which had been carried out by the ISEA, or its locally allied groups, through suicide bombings, one of which was the September 8 attack by a female suicide bomber at a checkpoint in Indanan, Sulu.

“As discussed in last quarter’s Lead IG report on OPE-P, Philippine insurgent groups have not historically used suicide attacks, but this appears to be changing,” it said.

“USINDOPACOM stated to the DoD [Department of Defense] OIG [Office of the Inspector General] that most suicide attacks in the Philippines have been conducted by foreign nationals who attempted and failed to travel to the conflict zone in Syria and Iraq, and they were likely radicalized prior to their travel to the

Philippines,” it added.

Still, the lead IG said the IS ideology and its emphasis on suicide attacks “has not resonated broadly among the Philippine population but…it has permeated some Isis-EA factions, particularly in the Sulu archipelago.”

The report also noted of the aggressive effort of the Philippine government in dealing with terrorists and their threats, as shown by the arrest on August 1 of Jordanian Mahmoud Afif Abdeljalil, an al-Qaeda financier and associate of the Osama bin Laden, in Southwestern Mindanao.

On September 24, the military also announced the arrest of a suspected Swedish male militant of Turkish descent, along with two local female Muslim militants, who were planning bomb attacks in Sultan Kudarat. Rene Acosta

Philippines, China sign accord on enforcement Package 3 of of antitrust rules and fight cross border cartels CTRP hurdles

By Elijah Felice E. Rosales @alyasjah

T

he Philippines and China have entered into a memorandum of understanding (MOU) intended to strengthen competition law enforcement and combat cross border cartels.

The Philippine Competition Commission (PCC) on Tuesday signed an MOU with China’s State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) geared toward improving bilateral cooperation on competition law enforcement. The MOU will put out a general framework for cooperation in the enforcement of antitrust rules and regulations.

As such, the PCC and SAMR are expected to exchange infor-

mation, cooperate on enforcement activities, notify cases of mutual interest and do technical cooperation and capacity building.

PCC Chairman Arsenio M. Balisacan said such MOU is important in promoting and protecting competitive markets and suppressing cross border cartels. The PCC has been working closely with its international counterparts in implementing its mandate.

“The PCC considers foreign competition authorities as partners and allies toward our shared commitment to promote and protect competitive markets and combat cross border cartels,” Balisacan said in a news statement issued on Wednesday.

The PCC this year coordinated

with the Competition and Consumer Commission of Singapore on the Grab and Uber merger case.

It also carried out exchange programs with the Korea Fair Trade Commission, and the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, and hosted the Myanmar Competition Commission’s study visit in the Philippines.

The antitrust body is also working with the Asean Experts Group on Competition, International Competition Network, United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, as well as with the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development Competition Division.

According to Balisacan, the MOU between the PCC and SAMR will

provide the two agencies a mechanism to do dialogues on economic issues and developments in their respective antitrust policies. Such mechanism is crucial, he argued, at a time markets are becoming “increasingly borderless and dynamic.”

“Our MOU marks the start of a productive partnership between the PCC and SAMR, recognizing that international cooperation is essential to safeguard competition in today’s increasingly borderless and dynamic markets,” Balisacan explained.

The SAMR is China’s consolidated state agency acting as the country’s competition regulator.

Its jurisdiction spans from competition, intellectual property, business registration up to product safety safety and standards.

House committee approves DDR substitute bill

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he House Committee on Reorganization on Wednesday has approved a Duterte administration measure creating the Department of Disaster Resilience (DDR).

In the committee-approved substitute bill, Albay Rep. Joey Sarte Salceda, principal author of the proposal, the bill adopted a “joint operational supervision” clause over four vital agencies, namely, Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) and the Philippine Atmospherics Geophysical Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa), the Geo-Hazard Assessment and Engineering Geology Section of the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB), and the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) in lieu of attaching them.

According to Salceda, only 66 out of 80 provinces have permanent disaster office.

The lower chamber is eyeing to pass the proposed DDR bill before the year ends.

The measure now provides that the “DDR shall exercise joint supervision with: DOST over Pagasa and Phivolcs; the DENR over GeoHazard Assessment and Engineering Geology Section of the MGB; and the Department of the Interior and Local Government [DILG] over the BFP. “The bill also requires that the DDR and these departments shall establish systems and protocols for sustained sharing of knowledge, data, information technology, facilities and other resources critical to DDR at all times.

“The measure added the DDR shall provide DDR training,

upgrading of equipment and other logistical requirement that the said agencies will be under the full supervision and direct control of the DDR in anticipation of, during and, as necessary, in the determination of the secretary, in aftermath of emergencies and disasters.”

“Marked as an urgent bill by President Duterte himself, this was the second time the Lower House has passed the DDR proposal after it was overran by the 2018 national elections in the 17th Congress. Public clamor for the measure ensued following a series of earthquake devastations in Mindanao,” Salceda said.

Under the bill, the DDR is envisioned to be the primary government agency that is “responsible, accountable and liable for leading, managing and organizing national efforts to prevent and reduce disaster risks; prepare for and respond to disasters; and recover, rehabilitate and build forward better after the destruction.”

It said the DDR will be a fullblown department headed by a secretary, supported by undersecretaries, assistant secretaries and directors with an initial budget of P10 billion.

It also provides “that Pagasa, Phivolcs and MGB Geohazards unit shall second dedicated staff to the DDR based on the requirement of DDR.” But the bill said the DDR will still have the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) as its core organization which, in turn, will be integrated to the Climate Change Commission Office, the Health Emergency Management Bureau of the Department

of Health (DOH), the Disaster Response Assistance and the Disaster Response Management Bureau of Department of Social Welfare and Development.

As conceived, the DDR will lead in the “continuous development of strategic, holistic and systematic approaches to disaster management, including prevention, mitigation, preparedness, response, recovery and rehabilitation, and anticipatory adaptation strategies, measures, techniques and options.”

The new department will also promote accelerated capacity building by local government units (LGUs) with relevant national agencies and other stakeholders, for the implementation of disaster and climate-change plans, programs, projects and activities.

“It will also be tasked to formulate comprehensive guidelines on the initiation, entry, facilitation, transit and regulation of international relief goods and personnel, as well as eligibility guidelines on how to legally assist international players, as well as provide sanctions for prohibited acts by public officials and private persons or institutions,” Salceda added.

The DDR will retain the OCD National Council with an expanded membership as the policy advisory board of the proposed department. It also creates a multistakeholders’ convergence unit to help align disaster resilience efforts of the private sector, CSOs, academe and other stakeholders with those of the DDR by assisting, coordinating, or providing them services that strengthen

public-private cooperation and coordination for disaster resilience.

Salceda said the DDR will also have a distinct National Disaster Resilience Fund scheme that allows fund inputs from both national and local government bodies.

Under its new fund scheme, only 20 percent of resources can be used for quick response or stand-by fund, while the remaining 80 percent is for climate-change adaptation; disaster risk, and vulnerability reduction and mitigation; disaster risk transfer; disaster preparedness; recover y; rehabilitation; and anticipatory adaptation.

Also, the bill said DDR will create a Disaster Resilience Support Fund that will be dedicated exclusively for the use of third to sixth class provinces and towns in planning, implementing, monitoring and evaluating their programs, projects and activities for climatechange adaptation, disaster risk prevention and mitigation, disaster risk transfer and disaster preparedness.

Based on the 2019 national expenditure program, Salceda said the budget of government agencies absorbed by DDR would amount to P31 billion.

“Together with the NDRRMF budget of P20 billion, the DDR would have a funding base of P50.1 billion. It is estimated that aside from the existing budgets, the DDR would require an initial P10 billion based on the new mandates. OCD would require P1 billion for new offices, especially field offices in the regions, excluding capital outlay,” he added. Jovee Marie N. Dela Cruz

2nd reading

By Jovee Marie N. dela Cruz @joveemarie

T

he House of Representatives has approved on second reading a measure providing for the Package 3 of the Comprehensive Tax Reform Program (CTRP), which institute reforms in the country’s realproperty valuation.

Through viva voce voting, lawmakers approved House Bill 4664, or real property valuation reform bill last Tuesday.

House Committee on Ways and Means Chairman Joey Sarte Salceda, principal author of the bill, said the proposal seeks to reorganize the Bureau of Local Government Finance (BLGF).

The bill seeks an allocation worth P58 million for the establishment of a real-property valuation service within the BLGF for 2020.

Salceda said pursuant to the Local Government Code (LGC) of 1991, the bill seeks to grant each local government units (LGUs) the power to create its own sources of revenue and to levy taxes, fees and charges.

He added this will enable the LGUs to become self-reliant and perform their role as development partners of the national government. Salceda said the real property valuation reform bill is pro-local government, saying “we expect P30.2-billion estimated revenue for the first year of the implementation for local government units.”

Also, Salceda said the Package 3 is also beneficial to the national government as it will address the issues on right-of-way.

“Without valuation reform, right-of-way acquisition could delay the delivery of much of these projects. With every year of delay, the opportunity cost to the economy increases,” the lawmaker added.

“This is beneficial to the national government because almost P150 billion in projects are delayed every year because of right-of-way acquisitions,” he said.

The lawmaker said the government would also save P25.2 billion per year due to the elimination of costs for notice, conduct of hearing, and publication of zonal values.

Also, Salceda said real property valuation reform is pro-investment, saying the real estate is best served by the passage of the proposed law.

The bill aims to harmonize the real-property valuation for taxation purposes, which releases the Bureau of Internal Revenue from promulgating the schedule of zonal values.

The bill establishes and maintains valuation standards to govern the valuation of real property in the country. It also provides a comprehensive and up-to-date electronic database of all real-property transactions. The measure also ensures transparency in realproperty transactions to protect the public and develop confidence in the work of appraisers and assessors.

For his part, Committee on Government Reorganization Chairman Mario Vittorio Mariño, sponsor of the bill, said the measure aims to promote the development of a just, equitable and efficient real-property valuation system.

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In the ad material of Notice of filing of Application for Alien Employment Permits published on November 15, 2019, the Name of Mr. Anantha Krishna under COLLABERA TECHNOLOGIES PRIVATE LIMITED, INC. should have been read as Mr. Bharath Anantha Krishna and not as published.

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

ATTY. SARAH BUENA S. MIRASOL REGIONAL DIRECTOR

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Companies BusinessMirror

Thursday, November 21, 2019

B1

Dennis Uy’s Udenna Land, Megawide start work on huge Clarkfield devt

By VG Cabuag

U

@villygc

DENNA Land’s Global Gateway Development Corp. (GGDC), a company led by Davao businessman Dennis Uy, on Wednesday said it held a groundbreaking with Megawide Construction Corp. for the Clark Global City, a 177-hectare masterplanned, mixed-use development.

Uy, Udenna Land Chairman and CEO, together with Megawide Chairman Edgar Saavedra and Clark Freeport officials and the existing real-estate developers of Clark Global City—the SM Group, Century Properties,

DataLand, W Group, Suyen— led the groundbreaking ceremony in Pampanga.

Earlier this year, Megawide was tapped as its general contractor.

“Bold and audacious proj-

ects such as CGC can only be done by partnering with people who not only share the same vision but are also equipped with topnotch execution skills. We are honored to work shoulder to shoulder with Megawide to

transform 177 hectares of land into a thriving business center and community,”​ Uy said.

After taking over the proper t y i n 2017, Uy ’s Global Gateway now holds the lease rights for CGC until 2085. To fast-track the development of what they envision to become a modern metropolis with its 22-month timeline target, Uy has been partnering with several locators.

“Megawide is proud to be working with Udenna and GGDC as contractor for the site development of Clark Global City. We’re excited to be working on s uc h a t r a n s for m at ive project not just for Clark but for Central Luzon. We

thank Udenna and GGDC for giving us the opportunity to help engineer a first-world Clark and a first-world Philippines together,” Saavedra said.

At present, 47 hectares of the 177-hectare estate have been developed with disaster-ready horizontal inf rastr ucture, 50 -year stor m water d ra inage systems, state-of-the-art sewer system, an underg r o u nd i n f r a s t r u c t u re network, and eight-road lanes with bike lanes and 50 meters of right-of-way priority.

Megawide commits to construct 12 km of roads and fully develop the remaining balance of infrastructure in 22 months.

ICTSI’s Croatian arm hails new intermodal service

By Lorenz S. Marasigan @lorenzmarasigan

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HE subsidiary of International Container Terminal Services Inc. (ICTSI) in Croatia has welcomed a new weekly intermodal service, “improving the port’s position as the Northern Adriatic Gateway for Central and Southeast Europe,” a company official said on Wednesday.

Adriatic Gate Container Terminal (AGCT), which operates

the Port of Rijeka, has started servicing the Cosco-operated Rijeka Land Sea Express, a new vessel that connects Rijeka and Piraeus via sea and rail, making transit periods faster.

“We would like to extend our gratitude to all the stakeholders involved for their cooperation and professionalism in this start-up, as well as their continuous support for this project which has strongly positioned Rijeka port and traffic route as the south entrance

for Far East to Central Europe trade,” Emmanuel Papagiannakis, AGT chief executive, said in a statement.

He noted that the express project has strengthened Cosco’s position in the existing market, as well as opened new ones: 65 block trains were transported to and from Hungary since March 2019; 10 to and from Slovakia; and 10 to and from Czechia.

Overall, Cosco throughput via Rijeka increased by 30 percent since the start of the project.

AirAsia’s Christmas tree, ‘parol’ light up Naia 3

By Recto Mercene @rectomercene

A

IRASIA has added a more festive atmosphere at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3 (Naia 3), turning on the lights of a 30foot Christmas tree, topped by parol (lantern) symbolizing the Filipinos’ close family ties.

The event was attended by Naia Assistant General Manager Atty. Germaine Pormento, Terminal 3 Manager Joycelyn Mapanao, Vice Chairman Sheila Romero, AirAsia Philippines CEO Ricky Isla and AirAsia Philippines Chief Commercial Officer Gilbert Simpao.

“Today, we welcome the festive season by sharing in the holiday spirit here at Naia 3, a time when most of our 11 million overseas Filipino workers come home just to be with their loved ones,” said Isla.

AirAsia’s 30-ft red Christmas tree is on display at the Arrival Hall of Terminal 3, and features bright lights, glistening ornaments, oversized passports and Christmas socks filled and displayed with AirAsia destinations. An AirAsia A320 aircraft model will be displayed at the top of the tree.

A month ago, AirAsia opened their new office called RedPoint, occupying some 2,000 square meters of office space at the second floor of Naia 3.

The media was given a tour of the area, with rooms themed by season—winter, summer, spring or autumn. It has a playful and relaxing atmosphere for the esti-

AirAsia executives and Ninoy Aquino International Airport officials presided over the inauguration of a 30-foot Christmas tree, topped by a huge parol (lantern) at the Naia Terminal 3 arrival area.

Recto Mercene

mated 500 employees out of the more than 2,000 comprising the AirAsia family across the country; there are hammocks, swing areas, gym, collaboration zone and creative lounges.

The carrier invites the public to snap a photo of AirAsia’s Christmas tree and have the chance to win free roundtrip tickets for two this Christmas.

Contestants are invited to take a photo with the AirAsia Christmas tree, upload it on Instagram and post why AirAsia should fly you to your dream destination.

“Be sure to tag @airasiafilipino on Instagram and use the hashtag #A irAsiaChristmas.

Winners will be announced on 23 December, 2019,” said Isla.

ICTSI plans to expand its Croatian port through a two-phase dredging scheme of 130 meters of quay over its Berths 1 and 2. This will make the port the first terminal in the northern Adriatic to have a capacity to berth vessels of up to 20,000 twenty-foot equiva-

lent units (TEU), with an overall length of 400 meters and beam of 59 meters.

AGCT recently deployed new quay cranes, rubber tired gantries and prime movers. It is currently being developed to have a total yard capacity of 600,000 TEUs per year.

Megaworld targets ₧2.5-B sales from village devt in Trece Martires

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EGAWORLD Corp. on Wednesday said it is expected to generate some P2.5 billion in sales from this first residential project inside Arden Botanical Estate in Trece Martires in Cavite.

The village is expected for completion in 2024.

Lot prices in Arden Botanical Village range from P18,000 to P22,000 per square meter.

The 18-hectare village forms part of the 251-hectare Arden Botanical Estate.

It will have 329 lots ranging from 280 to 609 square meters. It is designed by Filipino landscape architect and environmental planner Paulo Alcazaren. The gated village will be highlighted by the Centrera Park, which is surrounded by natural groves of mature trees, natural waterways and ponds, greeneries, open spaces, promenades and parks and jogging paths.

Other amenities include a village clubhouse and a natural swimming pool. The village landscape is a trend that has gained popularity in European neighborhoods.

“Arden Botanical Village will be built around the natural features that thrive in the estate, providing purposeful, livable spaces for its residents. Because the location is naturally gifted with greeneries that couldn’t be found in any other residential villages, we want to preserve and highlight them in our development,” Eugene Em Lozano, the company’s first vice president for sales and marketing, said.

“Future residents will find themselves enjoying quiet moments with nature around the village. This residential development’s suburban charm and unique landscape make it a perfect setting for personal retreat even for the generations to come,” Lozano said.

The estate is a joint development of Megaworld and its subsidiary brand Global-Estate Resorts Inc. Both companies are spending P18 billion to build the development in the next 10 years. VG Cabuag

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Thursday, November 21, 2019

Companies BusinessMirror

SM: Shopping malls in Phl still vibrant, upbeat T hE retail market in the Philippine, mainly the shopping malls, remain vigorous and upbeat, according to the SM Group.

In a recent Nikkei Business Philippines-Japan Investment Forum in Tokyo, Japan, SM Supermalls COO Steven T. Tan said the country runs counter to the global trend of rightsizing and even closing down many large-format stores that are rightsizing, as well as shopping centers.

Tan said robust overseas Filipino workers’ remittances and sustained activity in the business-process outsourcing industry are the main drivers of the consumer-driven economy of the country.

“Unlike how it is in many parts of the world, retail in the Philippines is vibrant, upbeat and full of opportunity,” Tan said in his speech.

As of end-September 2019, consumer confidence in the Philippines was the second highest in the world,

Mutual Funds

behind India.

“Optimism to spend among Filipinos is more than just a sentiment.

We see it translating into actual consumer behavior, especially retail,” Tan said.

“It is interesting to note how brick-and-mortar retail continues to dominate and how it will continue to grow alongside the growth of Internet retailing in the Philippines. The Philippine environment is conducive to all kinds of retail, both digital and brick and mortar as we look at opportunities in both channels,” he added.

Over the past five years, Tan said a growing number of foreign brands have been entering the local market, mainly in food and beverage, and clothing and apparel.

He then encouraged Japanese retailers to consider investing in three immediate opportunities in the Philippines: food, beauty and health and wellness. VG Cabuag

November 20, 2019

NAV One Year Three Year Five Year Y-T-D

per share Return* Return Stock Funds Primarily invested in Peso securities ALFM Growth Fund, Inc. -a 254.76 3.4% 1.06% -0.81% 1.02% ATRAM Alpha Opportunity Fund, Inc. -a 1.4857 9.27% 2.75% -0.29% 3.12% ATRAM Philippine Equity Opportunity Fund, Inc. -a 3.8328 0.61% -1.05% -2.59% -1.8% Climbs Share Capital Equity Investment Fund Corp. -a 0.9157 4.75% n.a. n.a.

1.63% First Metro Consumer Fund on MSCI Phils. IMI, Inc. -a 0.8619 6.34% n.a. n.a.

5.02% First Metro Save and Learn Equity Fund,Inc. -a 5.3901 5.11% 2.49% -0.4% 2.21% First Metro Save and Learn Philippine Index Fund, Inc. -a,6 0.8661 5.35% -1.34% n.a.

3.51% MBG Equity Investment Fund, Inc. -a 110.61 1.95% n.a. n.a.

-4.78% PAMI Equity Index Fund, Inc. -a 51.9683 8.2% 3.53% n.a.

5.58% Philam Strategic Growth Fund, Inc. -a 540.29 7.74% 2.26% -0.17% 4.96% Philequity Dividend Yield Fund, Inc. -a 1.3083 6.17% 2.89% 0.93% 4.33% Philequity Fund, Inc. -a 38.427 7.16% 3.8% 0.7% 4.9% Philequity MSCI Philippine Index Fund, Inc. -a,1 1.03 n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a.

Philequity PSE Index Fund Inc. -a 5.2861 9.4% 4.22% 1.76% 6.6% Philippine Stock Index Fund Corp. -a 882.74 9.4% 4.12% 1.68% 6.56% Soldivo Strategic Growth Fund, Inc. -a 0.8862 5.64% 1.9% n.a.

3.05% Sun Life Prosperity Philippine Equity Fund, Inc. -a 4.2677 6.79% 3.46% 0.75% 5.14% Sun Life Prosperity Philippine Stock Index Fund, Inc. -a 1.0137 9% 3.96% n.a.

6.22% United Fund, Inc. -a 3.7022 8.32% 5.25% 2.42% 5.75% Exchange Traded Fund First Metro Phil. Equity Exchange Traded Fund, Inc. -a,c 118.3747 9.78% 4.87% 2.69% 6.89% Primarily invested in foreign currency securities ATRAM AsiaPlus Equity Fund, Inc. -b $0.9867 2.99% 5.2% -0.11% 6.2% Sun Life Prosperity World Voyager Fund, Inc. -a $1.336 11.65% 9.47% n.a. 20.88% Balanced Funds Primarily invested in Peso securities ATRAM Dynamic Allocation Fund, Inc. -a 1.5803 -3.14% -2.46% -3.98% -4.29% ATRAM Philippine Balanced Fund, Inc. -a 2.2453 3.3% -0.07% -0.88% 1.63% First Metro Save and Learn Balanced Fund Inc. -a 2.6439 6.59% 2.42% -1.07% 3.96% First Metro Save and Learn F.O.C.C.U.S. Dynamic Fund, Inc. -a,5 0.2338 n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a.

Grepalife Balanced Fund Corporation -a 1.3446 4.53% n.a. n.a.

3.09% NCM Mutual Fund of the Phils., Inc. -a 1.968 8.3% 2.99% 1.07% 6.78% PAMI Horizon Fund, Inc. -a 3.8066 10.02% 2.24% 0.27% 7.86% Philam Fund, Inc. -a 17.032 9.2% 2.09% 0.18% 7.07% Solidaritas Fund, Inc. -a 2.1481 5.84% 2% 0.9% 3.81% Sun Life of Canada Prosperity Balanced Fund, Inc. -a 3.8875 7.79% 3.12% 0.62% 6.47% Sun Life Prosperity Achiever Fund 2028, Inc. -a,d,2 1.0214 n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a.

Sun Life Prosperity Achiever Fund 2038, Inc. -a,d,2 1.0066 n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a.

Sun Life Prosperity Achiever Fund 2048, Inc. -a,d,2 1.0037 n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a.

Sun Life Prosperity Dynamic Fund, Inc. -a 0.9845 7.4% 2.54% -0.27% 6.81% Primarily invested in foreign currency securities Cocolife Dollar Fund Builder, Inc. -a $0.03798 9.64% 2.6% 1.9% 7.59% PAMI Asia Balanced Fund, Inc. -a $1.006 6.85% 4.36% 0.37% 10.1% Sun Life Prosperity Dollar Advantage Fund, Inc. -a $3.8252 9.84% 7.33% 3.46% 15.61% Sun Life Prosperity Dollar Wellspring Fund, Inc. -a,7 $1.1133 8.02% 4.41% n.a. 10.78% Bond Funds Primarily invested in Peso securities ALFM Peso Bond Fund, Inc. -a 356.36 4.13% 2.72% 2.25% 3.75% ATRAM Corporate Bond Fund, Inc. -a 1.9265 4.02% 0.92% -0.31% 3.62% Cocolife Fixed Income Fund, Inc. -a 3.1063 5.08% 5.28% 5.24% 4.37% Ekklesia Mutual Fund Inc. -a 2.2146 4.25% 2.34% 1.81% 4.01% First Metro Save and Learn Fixed Income Fund,Inc. -a 2.3448 6.42% 2.03% 1.48% 6.34% Grepalife Fixed Income Fund Corp. -a P 1.6086 3.06% 1.05% -0.27% 2.83% Philam Bond Fund, Inc. -a 4.3361 12.28% 2.38% 1.47% 10.62% 2.62% 1.54% 7.01% Philequity Peso Bond Fund, Inc. -a 3.7636 8.23% Soldivo Bond Fund, Inc. -a 0.9548 8.09% 0.98% n.a.

7.14% Sun Life of Canada Prosperity Bond Fund, Inc. -a 3.0469 10.72% 4.64% 2.36% 10.16% Sun Life Prosperity GS Fund, Inc. -a 1.6818 10.17% 4.03% 1.81% 9.21% Primarily invested in foreign currency securities ALFM Dollar Bond Fund, Inc. -a $466.33 4.39% 2.5% 2.79% 4% ALFM Euro Bond Fund, Inc. -a Є219.6 3.21% 1.53% 1.38% 3.26% ATRAM Total Return Dollar Bond Fund, Inc. -b $1.2026 7.17% 2.92% 2.57% 6.83% First Metro Save and Learn Dollar Bond Fund, Inc. -a $0.0258 4.03% 1.33% 1.37% 4.03% Grepalife Dollar Bond Fund Corp. -a $1.7086 1.26% -0.46% 0.21% 1.09% PAMI Global Bond Fund, Inc -a $1.0933 6.68% 0.96% -0.92% 5.5% Philam Dollar Bond Fund, Inc. -a $2.3877 11.76% 2.96% 3.01% 9.99% Philequity Dollar Income Fund Inc. -a $0.0602425 5.88% 2.16% 2% 5.69% 9.85% 2.46% 2.55% 9.73% Sun Life Prosperity Dollar Abundance Fund, Inc. -a $3.1516 Money Market Funds Primarily invested in Peso securities ALFM Money Market Fund, Inc. -a 125.33 4.2% 2.76% 2.13% 3.68% First Metro Save and Learn Money Market Fund, Inc. -a,3 1.0285 n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a.

Philam Managed Income Fund, Inc. -a 1.2484 6.04% 2.54% 1.59% 5.63% Sun Life Prosperity Money Market Fund, Inc. -a 1.2604 3.81% 2.84% 2.27% 3.38% Primarily invested in foreign currency securities Sun Life Prosperity Dollar Starter Fund, Inc. -a $1.0353 2.1% n.a. n.a.

1.91% Feeder Fund Primarily invested in foreign currency securities ALFM Global Multi-Asset Income Fund Inc. -b,d,4 $0.99 n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a.

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

1 - Launch date is January 3, 2019. 2 - Launch date is January 28, 2019. 3 - Launch date is February 1, 2019. 4 - Launch date is August 1, 2019.

5 - Launch date is September 28, 2019. 6 - Renaming was approved by the SEC last October 12, 2018 (formerly, One Wealthy Nation Fund, Inc.).

7 - Adjusted due to stock dividend issuance last October 9, 2019.

"While we endeavor to keep the information accurate, the Philippine Investment Funds Association (PIFA) and its members make no warranties as to the correctness of the newspaper’s publication and assume no liability or responsibility for any error or omissions. You may visit http://www. pifa.com.ph to see the latest NAVPS/NAVPU."

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PSE STOCK QUOTATIONS

November 20, 2019

Net Foreign Stocks Bid Ask Open High Low Close Volume Value Trade (Peso) Buy (Sell) FINANCIALs

ASIA UNITED 53.75 54 54 54 53.7 54 5,760 311,025 157.5 157.8 156 157.8 155.3 157.8 949,100 148,651,221 BDO UNIBANK BANK PH ISLANDS 92.95 93 93.6 93.6 92.2 93 1,947,450 181,437,651.5 ( 25.2 25.3 25.25 25.3 25.15 25.3 135,500 3,423,965 CHINABANK EAST WEST BANK 13.04 13.06 12.9 13.06 12.58 13.06 1,104,300 14,103,534 67.5 67.9 67.9 68.1 67.05 67.5 1,999,170 135,288,061.5 METROBANK PB BANK 12.7 12.98 12.7 12.7 12.7 12.7 1,600 20,320 41.65 41.7 42.6 42.6 41.55 41.75 327,500 13,690,640 PHIL NATL BANK PSBANK 57.65 58.95 59.25 59.25 58.95 58.95 840 49,602 25.45 25.5 25.45 25.85 25.45 25.45 16,300 415,385 RCBC 201.6 203 203.8 203.8 199.9 203 218,440 44,020,181 SECURITY BANK UNION BANK 59.45 59.5 60.2 60.2 59.5 59.5 410 24,455.5 1.11 1.17 1.12 1.17 1.12 1.17 120,000 134,450 BRIGHT KINDLE BDO LEASING 1.9 2.08 1.9 1.9 1.9 1.9 6,000 11,400 1.22 1.32 1.32 1.32 1.32 1.32 1,000 1,320 IREMIT MEDCO HLDG 0.39 0.395 0.39 0.39 0.39 0.39 110,000 42,900 807.5 832 806.5 839.5 806 834.5 410 331,175 MANULIFE 0.86 0.89 0.89 0.89 0.89 0.89 1,000 890 NTL REINSURANCE PHIL STOCK EXCH 174 174.3 176 176 173.9 174 1,040 181,187 1,806 1,890 1894 1,894 1,894 1,894 15 28,410 SUN LIFE VANTAGE 1.07 1.09 1.07 1.07 1.07 1.07 10,000 10,700

INDUSTRIAL AC ENERGY 2.56 2.57 2.57 2.63 2.57 2.57 5,266,000 13,682,710 ALSONS CONS 1.22 1.23 1.22 1.24 1.22 1.24 59,000 72,360 35.65 35.7 36.4 36.45 35.65 35.7 1,566,400 56,413,170 ABOITIZ POWER BASIC ENERGY 0.236 0.241 0.241 0.241 0.241 0.241 10,000 2,410 22.75 22.8 23 23 22.6 22.75 2,583,800 58,666,180 FIRST GEN FIRST PHIL HLDG 77.05 77.75 78 78 76.8 77.75 77,360 5,994,649 323.6 325 330.6 331.2 322.2 323.6 148,900 48,448,964 MERALCO MANILA WATER 18.88 18.96 19.02 19.02 18.5 18.94 434,200 8,155,992 PETRON 4.67 4.7 4.73 4.73 4.65 4.7 1,772,000 8,299,400 4.07 4.26 4.1 4.26 4.07 4.26 19,000 77,780 PETROENERGY PHX PETROLEUM 10.9 11.1 11.08 11.1 11.08 11.1 10,400 115,312 32 32.3 32.3 32.3 31.95 32.3 199,500 6,394,280 PILIPINAS SHELL SPC POWER 7.88 7.89 7.8 7.89 7.75 7.89 48,700 383,388 14.16 14.48 14.48 14.5 14.16 14.48 485,100 7,013,364 AGRINURTURE AXELUM 3.73 3.74 3.78 3.78 3.61 3.74 4,005,000 14,801,780 90.5 101.7 101.9 101.9 101.8 101.8 20 2,037 BOGO MEDELLIN 18.04 18.78 18.36 18.38 18.36 18.36 3,600 66,114 CNTRL AZUCARERA CENTURY FOOD 15.1 15.12 15.14 15.14 15.1 15.1 1,104,000 16,671,374 5.1 5.3 5.3 5.3 5.3 5.3 400 2,120 DEL MONTE DNL INDUS 8.84 8.85 8.85 8.87 8.84 8.85 539,200 4,774,440 7.22 7.23 7.23 7.24 7.22 7.23 2,862,400 20,694,194 EMPERADOR SMC FOODANDBEV 89.95 90 90 90.95 89.9 90 267,860 24,108,101 0.59 0.61 0.6 0.61 0.59 0.61 229,000 136,460 ALLIANCE SELECT GINEBRA 42.55 42.6 42.6 44 41.75 42.55 24,600 1,036,790 JOLLIBEE 204 208 205 209.4 204 204 405,110 83,399,658 8.21 8.45 8 8.48 8 8.46 4,800 39,671 MACAY HLDG MAXS GROUP 12.54 12.92 12.5 12.94 12.5 12.54 19,900 250,686 0.182 0.192 0.182 0.182 0.182 0.182 10,000 1,820 MG HLDG PEPSI COLA 1.44 1.45 1.45 1.49 1.42 1.45 1,696,000 2,448,140 11.7 11.78 11.52 11.8 11.42 11.7 8,600 100,248 SHAKEYS PIZZA ROXAS AND CO 1.99 2 2 2.01 1.99 1.99 539,000 1,074,600 5.38 5.46 5.35 5.46 5.35 5.46 56,900 308,187 RFM CORP ROXAS HLDG 1.92 1.96 1.97 1.97 1.96 1.96 5,000 9,820 0.125 0.128 0.125 0.128 0.125 0.125 750,000 94,540 SWIFT FOODS 153 153.1 152 154 150.1 153.1 561,670 85,762,119 UNIV ROBINA VITARICH 1.2 1.21 1.2 1.22 1.19 1.21 14,312,000 17,237,400 2.43 2.52 2.52 2.52 2.52 2.52 2,000 5,040 VICTORIAS CONCRETE A 65.05 65.1 67 67 65.1 65.1 230 15,220 68.2 70 68.2 68.2 68.2 68.2 270 18,414 CONCRETE B CEMEX HLDG 2.46 2.48 2.57 2.57 2.42 2.48 1,267,000 3,135,720 5.34 5.46 5.34 5.34 5.34 5.34 100 534 DAVINCI CAPITAL 15.08 15.2 15.2 15.2 15.08 15.08 7,700 116,324 EAGLE CEMENT EEI CORP 10.3 10.34 10.3 10.34 10.3 10.3 112,300 1,156,730 13.94 14 13.9 14 13.9 14 265,200 3,705,780 HOLCIM MEGAWIDE 17 17.14 17.2 17.26 16.78 17.14 1,003,600 17,091,950(9, 9.6 9.69 9.4 9.69 9.4 9.69 8,600 81,819 PHINMA TKC METALS 1.03 1.05 1.05 1.08 1.02 1.05 566,000 588,430 0.99 1 1.02 1.04 0.99 0.99 1,608,000 1,611,000 VULCAN INDL CROWN ASIA 2.09 2.1 2.09 2.09 2.09 2.09 86,000 179,740 5.06 5.2 5.1 5.2 5.06 5.2 63,800 323,762 LMG CHEMICALS 28.1 29.15 29.75 29.75 28.5 29.15 11,600 343,415 CONCEPCION GREENERGY 2.05 2.06 2.04 2.06 2.03 2.06 2,843,000 5,813,770 7.82 7.83 7.85 7.87 7.83 7.83 37,800 296,461 INTEGRATED MICR IONICS 1.42 1.44 1.44 1.45 1.42 1.42 113,000 161,750 5.19 5.3 5.3 5.3 5.3 5.3 100 530 PANASONIC SFA SEMICON 1.05 1.06 1.03 1.06 1.03 1.06 96,000 100,200 6.49 6.5 6.36 6.54 6.1 6.5 1,360,300 8,752,876 CIRTEK HLDG

HOLDING & FRIMS

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

0.79 12.32 822 50.8 11.32 3.43 6.6 0.72 0.91 0.96 6.97 6.98 13.1 0.204 890 77.25 5.1 5.2 0.495 3.99 12.9 0.55 4.64 0.036 1.25 2.66 1.23 1,065 158 0.83 214.6 0.211 0.23

0.8 12.54 824 51.5 11.36 3.46 6.8 0.73 0.92 0.99 7.02 7 13.32 0.228 891 77.8 5.75 5.69 0.51 4.05 13.06 0.58 4.65 0.037 1.3 3.02 1.26 1,070 160 0.84 215 0.22 0.234

0.8 12.58 827 52.6 11.5 3.55 6.8 0.74 0.93 0.96 6.97 7.59 13.38 0.21 890 78 5.1 5.2 0.51 4.06 12.44 0.56 4.66 0.036 1.3 3.03 1.26 1070 157.7 0.83 217 0.211 0.226

0.82 12.7 828 52.6 11.56 3.55 6.8 0.75 0.93 0.97 7.03 7.59 13.38 0.224 898.5 78 5.1 5.2 0.51 4.06 13.1 0.59 4.66 0.036 1.3 3.03 1.26 1,070 160 0.84 217 0.211 0.234

0.78 12.28 818 50.8 11.32 3.43 6.8 0.72 0.9 0.96 6.97 6.96 13.38 0.204 885 77.25 5.1 5.2 0.5 3.97 12.44 0.55 4.63 0.036 1.3 3.03 1.26 1,051 156.7 0.83 215 0.211 0.226

0.8 12.56 824 50.8 11.32 3.43 6.8 0.73 0.91 0.97 7.02 6.98 13.38 0.204 891 77.8 5.1 5.2 0.51 3.99 13.06 0.55 4.64 0.036 1.3 3.03 1.26 1,070 160 0.84 215 0.211 0.234

13,972,000 1,500 234,840 849,050 7,913,300 3,430,000 7,300 19,000 1,682,000 183,000 2,330,300 48,091,500 200 1,140,000 47,390 715,260 100 300 4,000 71,000 4,529,000 336,000 5,943,000 1,400,000 20,000 6,000 1,000 122,665 59,190 51,000 2,050 20,000 210,000

11,120,930 18,730 193,004,295 43,512,005 90,363,984 11,883,050 49,640 13,810 1,543,810 176,500 16,330,261 341,605,906 2,676 240,430 42,204,950 55,574,339 510 1,560 2,020 282,990 ( 57,523,922 189,510 27,589,430 50,400 26,000 18,180 1,260 131,019,530 9,392,506 42,440 441,074 4,220 47,940

(17,108,285) 69,206,461.5) 4,950 3,820,764 36,729,726 (2,642,030) (277,915) (12,190,499) (21,480.5) (19,347) (765,940) (46,476,120) (43,094,775) (1,353,810) (21,575,618) (1,480,608) (2,704,460) 810,240 4,495,100 1,963,060 416,748 367,055 (2,539,140) 11,211,031 (167,970) (39,854,268) (36,308) (406,390) (10,706) 27,819.9999 (30,684,910) (205,570) 730,880 (40,730) (13,390) (2,253,352) 234,374.0003) (9,600) 10,000 (5,700) 70,585 (122,819) (1,860,510) (10,707,840) (22,752,438) (18,635,094) (68,980) (148,620) 215,852 (124,575,559) (6,059,890) 21,089,151.5 243,259.9999) 4,167,084 (7,759,170) 44,775,255 (882,756) (8,400) (262,424) -

PROPERTY ARTHALAND CORP 0.93 0.94 0.95 0.96 0.93 0.93 1,648,000 1,544,990 AYALA LAND 45.5 45.7 45 45.7 44.65 45.7 11,103,300 503,168,775 (155,574,575) 1.63 1.68 1.64 1.67 1.63 1.67 145,000 236,590 ARANETA PROP BELLE CORP 2 2.01 2.01 2.02 2.01 2.01 190,000 382,020 0.79 0.8 0.79 0.79 0.79 0.79 144,000 113,760 A BROWN CITYLAND DEVT 0.85 0.86 0.86 0.86 0.85 0.86 32,000 27,410 0.194 0.2 0.195 0.195 0.195 0.195 160,000 31,200 CROWN EQUITIES CEBU HLDG 6.32 6.4 6.3 6.4 6.3 6.4 24,400 154,104 4.79 4.8 4.79 4.85 4.79 4.79 68,000 326,540 (19,020) CEB LANDMASTERS 0.58 0.6 0.59 0.6 0.59 0.6 10,319,000 6,146,010 (24,190) CENTURY PROP CYBER BAY 0.435 0.44 0.435 0.435 0.435 0.435 340,000 147,900 19.6 19.7 19.76 19.84 19.52 19.7 194,500 3,835,290 400,470 DOUBLEDRAGON DM WENCESLAO 10.26 10.28 10.22 10.3 10 10.26 318,400 3,253,646 2,562,462 0.455 0.46 0.46 0.465 0.45 0.455 520,000 237,150 EMPIRE EAST FILINVEST LAND 1.57 1.58 1.57 1.6 1.56 1.57 6,123,000 9,652,490 (764,010) 1.24 1.25 1.26 1.26 1.24 1.25 136,000 169,470 GLOBAL ESTATE 14.8 14.82 14.84 14.86 14.8 14.8 261,600 3,881,940 (106,752) 8990 HLDG PHIL INFRADEV 1.35 1.36 1.39 1.39 1.35 1.36 449,000 612,330 0.73 0.75 0.73 0.75 0.73 0.75 8,000 5,880 CITY AND LAND MEGAWORLD 4.65 4.66 4.74 4.74 4.64 4.65 12,228,000 57,352,390 (15,165,200) 0.234 0.235 0.239 0.24 0.235 0.235 21,120,000 5,001,800 (59,000) MRC ALLIED PRIMEX CORP 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.04 2.02 2.03 147,000 298,360 25.6 25.85 26 26 25.25 25.6 1,357,600 34,738,875 (25,661,260) ROBINSONS LAND PHIL REALTY 0.365 0.37 0.365 0.375 0.365 0.37 300,000 109,800 2.2 2.21 2.22 2.22 2.19 2.2 21,000 46,220 15,330 ROCKWELL 3.15 3.2 3.2 3.2 3.2 3.2 11,000 35,200 SHANG PROP STA LUCIA LAND 2.48 2.49 2.41 2.54 2.41 2.5 288,000 720,360 (7,529.9999) 39.65 39.8 39.7 39.8 39.25 39.8 4,505,300 178,947,265 (16,927,640) SM PRIME HLDG VISTAMALLS 5.24 5.27 5.34 5.34 5.24 5.24 21,700 113,933 1.54 1.55 1.57 1.57 1.51 1.54 3,839,000 5,868,590 SUNTRUST HOME VISTA LAND 7.62 7.66 7.67 7.67 7.61 7.66 2,501,800 19,140,329 (9,433,803)

SERVICES ABS CBN 17.3 17.32 17.4 17.4 17.3 17.32 102,000 1,767,304 GMA NETWORK 5.27 5.28 5.3 5.3 5.27 5.27 27,600 146,018 0.5 0.52 0.46 0.53 0.46 0.51 11,670,000 5,790,550 MANILA BULLETIN GLOBE TELECOM 1,900 1,901 1900 1,917 1,885 1,900 33,345 63,280,885 (15,940,625) 1,099 1,100 1104 1,109 1,099 1,100 31,720 34,930,685 (26,151,125) PLDT APOLLO GLOBAL 0.039 0.04 0.038 0.039 0.038 0.039 1,800,000 69,200 (38,000) 5.17 5.79 5.39 5.8 5.39 5.8 75,100 428,990 DFNN INC ISM COMM 4.48 4.5 4.67 4.67 4.47 4.5 1,864,000 8,475,830 45,200 JACKSTONES 2.27 2.43 2.48 2.48 2.31 2.31 21,000 48,680 3.07 3.08 3.12 3.19 3.06 3.08 826,000 2,556,330 (367,280) NOW CORP TRANSPACIFIC BR 0.305 0.31 0.31 0.315 0.305 0.305 2,600,000 796,600 30,500 2.76 2.78 2.81 2.89 2.76 2.76 285,000 791,410 (35,940) PHILWEB 2GO GROUP 10 10.1 10.5 10.5 10 10.1 17,700 177,580 17.24 18 17.24 17.24 17.24 17.24 1,600 27,584 ASIAN TERMINALS CHELSEA 6.38 6.39 6.38 6.6 6.31 6.39 428,300 2,733,057 (220,188) 92.4 94.4 91.8 95 91.1 94.4 31,630 2,912,825.5 404,737 CEBU AIR 123.5 124 121.2 125.9 119.9 124 1,326,840 163,331,057 17,227,148 INTL CONTAINER LORENZO SHIPPNG 0.91 0.93 0.91 0.91 0.91 0.91 252,000 229,320 18.34 18.5 18.3 18.56 18.3 18.5 58,800 1,084,056 (108,914) MACROASIA PAL HLDG 7.95 8 8 8 7.9 7.9 1,200 9,545 3,950 1.4 1.42 1.45 1.45 1.36 1.4 1,204,000 1,691,530 (227,800) HARBOR STAR WATERFRONT 0.62 0.63 0.62 0.62 0.62 0.62 234,000 145,080 6.91 7 6.93 6.93 6.92 6.92 2,200 15,235 7,612 CENTRO ESCOLAR FAR EASTERN U 891 926 926 926 926 926 10 9,260 7.95 8 8 8 8 8 8,300 66,400 IPEOPLE 0.67 0.68 0.69 0.69 0.67 0.68 845,000 572,190 (29,920) STI HLDG BERJAYA 2.65 2.68 2.65 2.7 2.62 2.65 506,000 1,339,630 (2,650) 11.18 11.2 11.38 11.38 10.8 11.18 1,415,200 15,684,106 (1,740,058) BLOOMBERRY PACIFIC ONLINE 2.55 2.6 2.67 2.68 2.6 2.6 137,000 360,220 2.93 2.98 2.94 2.94 2.93 2.93 149,000 437,550 8,820 LEISURE AND RES PH RESORTS GRP 4.62 4.63 4.63 4.63 4.63 4.63 9,000 41,670 0.64 0.65 0.65 0.66 0.65 0.65 2,825,000 1,836,750 (1,628,100) PREMIUM LEISURE ALLHOME 11.64 11.66 11.6 11.82 11.6 11.66 15,920,900 185,771,970 (58,034,318) METRO RETAIL 2.34 2.35 2.35 2.36 2.34 2.35 468,000 1,098,470 (585,160) 39.65 39.9 39.9 40 39.65 39.9 679,700 27,132,775 17,112,545 PUREGOLD ROBINSONS RTL 74.5 76.5 75.2 76.5 74 76.5 308,160 23,404,370 (2,083,896.5) 2.74 2.75 2.8 2.83 2.72 2.75 1,915,000 5,273,770 372,279.9998 SSI GROUP WILCON DEPOT 17.98 18.04 18.2 18.2 17.8 18.04 1,089,500 19,584,102 5,783,472 0.465 0.475 0.48 0.48 0.465 0.47 1,580,000 737,800 46,550 APC GROUP EASYCALL 8.88 8.98 8.8 9.1 8.8 8.88 15,900 140,538 416 426 418 426 418 426 780 331,584 GOLDEN BRIA 0.435 0.44 0.415 0.45 0.415 0.435 12,160,000 5,288,900 (783,500) PRMIERE HORIZON SBS PHIL CORP 8.81 9.12 9.14 9.14 9.14 9.14 6,000 54,840

MINING & OIL ATOK 11.4 11.68 11.5 11.78 11.4 11.68 3,600 41,706 APEX MINING 1.09 1.1 1.1 1.11 1.1 1.1 735,000 809,020 (56,610) 0.0015 0.0016 0 0.0016 0.0017 0.0016 0.0016 1 ,365,000,000 2,184,100 59,200 ABRA MINING COAL ASIA HLDG 0.28 0.295 0.29 0.29 0.29 0.29 50,000 14,500 2.52 2.53 2.53 2.54 2.52 2.52 425,000 1,073,430 CENTURY PEAK FERRONICKEL 1.89 1.9 1.8 1.92 1.8 1.9 20,236,000 38,317,460 (381,920) 0.203 0.209 0.213 0.213 0.203 0.21 1,720,000 352,190 GEOGRACE LEPANTO A 0.103 0.105 0.103 0.105 0.103 0.105 470,000 48,870 0.104 0.107 0.104 0.108 0.104 0.108 50,000 5,280 LEPANTO B 0.0086 0.0088 0 0.0088 0.0088 0.0088 0.0088 5,000,000 44,000 MANILA MINING A MARCVENTURES 1.02 1.05 1.03 1.05 1.02 1.02 214,000 219,070 51,000 1.02 1.07 1.07 1.07 1.05 1.07 16,000 16,870 NIHAO NICKEL ASIA 3.4 3.41 3.33 3.45 3.31 3.41 5,514,000 18,742,200 (1,907,260) 0.495 0.57 0.54 0.57 0.54 0.57 15,000 8,280 OMICO CORP ORNTL PENINSULA 0.81 0.82 0.81 0.82 0.81 0.82 101,000 81,820 3.26 3.35 3.28 3.3 3.26 3.3 153,000 502,310 65,600 PX MINING 21.85 21.9 23 23.05 20.35 21.85 8,647,400 187,446,945 14,797,410 SEMIRARA MINING AC ENEXOR 10.6 10.68 11.88 12.12 10.38 10.68 3,652,000 40,531,678 (467,158) 0.011 0.012 0.011 0.012 0.011 0.012 13,300,000 156,300 ORNTL PETROL A ORNTL PETROL B 0.012 0.013 0.011 0.012 0.011 0.012 3,900,000 44,800 0.011 0.012 0.012 0.012 0.012 0.012 400,000 4,800 1,200 PHILODRILL PXP ENERGY 837,800 11.92 11.94 12.1 12.3 11.92 11.92 324,400 3,896,350

PREFFERED

HOUSE PREF A 97.55 99.7 97.5 99.7 97.5 99.7 15,000 1,494,074.5 AC PREF B1 502.5 508 503.5 503.5 502.5 502.5 5,660 2,847,115 100 101 100.5 100.5 100 100 23,000 2,300,018 ALCO PREF B DD PREF 100.2 101 100.3 101 100.2 100.2 31,840 3,211,292 1.01 1.02 1.02 1.02 1.02 1.02 20,000 20,400 LR PREF PNX PREF 4 1,025 1,030 1025 1,030 1,025 1,030 3,210 3,299,300 51,500 1,030 1,050 1049 1,049 1,049 1,049 10 10,490 PCOR PREF 3A PCOR PREF 3B 1,055 1,060 1065 1,065 1,050 1,060 735 772,725 77.95 78 78.35 78.35 77.95 78 14,230 1,109,820.5 SMC PREF 2C 74.95 75.5 75 75 74.8 74.95 48,200 3,611,757 SMC PREF 2E SMC PREF 2F 76.6 77 76.55 77 76.55 77 12,850 988,990 75.15 75.2 75.2 75.2 75.15 75.15 12,300 924,660 SMC PREF 2G SMC PREF 2H 75.2 75.5 75.2 75.2 75.1 75.2 57,200 4,301,100 75.2 75.3 75.2 75.3 75.1 75.3 40,320 3,031,151 SMC PREF 2I PHIL. DEPOSITARY RECEIPTS ABS HLDG PDR GMA HLDG PDR

16.9 5.09

17 5.2

17 5.09

17 5.09

17 5.09

17 5.09

3,000 5,000

51,000 25,450

WARRANTS LR WARRANT

1.45

SMALL & MEDIUM ENTERPRISES

ITALPINAS KEPWEALTH XURPAS

4.95 11.92 0.96

FIRST METRO ETF

118.2

(51,000) -

1.51

1.56

1.56

1.45

1.45

3,000

4,460

-

4.96 11.96 0.97

4.95 12.52 0.98

5.24 12.52 0.98

4.93 11.82 0.96

4.96 11.96 0.96

302,000 1,502,100 3,284,000

1,529,400 18,124,170 3,157,890

-

EXHANGE TRADE FUNDS 118.6

118.2

118.4

118

118.2

3,480

411,309

-

-0)

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

The World BusinessMirror

Thursday, November 21, 2019

B3

US Senate passes Hong Kong bill, drawing China’s ire

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he US Senate unanimously passed a bill on Tuesday aimed at supporting protesters in Hong Kong and warning China against a violent suppression of the demonstrations­— drawing a rebuke from Beijing.

China reiterated on Wednesday a threat to impose unspecified retaliation if the bill became law and urged the United States to stop meddling in Hong Kong affairs. Ma Zhaoxu, vice minister of foreign affairs in Beijing, later summoned William Klein, a US embassy official, and raised strong objections about the bill. Separately, Hong Kong’s government expressed “extreme regret” and the legislation would negatively impact relations with the US. The vote marks a challenge to the government in Beijing just as the US and China, the world’s largest economies, seek to close a preliminary agreement to end their trade war.

The Senate measure would require the State Department to certify annually whether Hong Kong remains sufficiently autonomous from Beijing to justify special trade privileges, as

well as protect US citizens from rendition to China through measures including sanctions on mainland officials.

The bill’s passage, as well as China’s threat of retaliation, hit stocks around the globe. The Hang Seng Index lost as much as 1.1 percent on Wednesday after surging 2.9 percent in two days, while US stock index futures fell. Japan’s Topix index extended losses.

The legislation comes at a difficult time for President Donald J. Trump as his administration is trying to complete the first phase of a long-awaited trade deal with Chinese leader Xi Jinping. Vice President Mike Pence said Tuesday that it would be tough for the US to sign a trade agreement with China if the demonstrations in Hong Kong are met with violence.

“China is likely to take of-

fense and with, that there will be negative effects for the ongoing trade war negotiations,” said Justin Tang, head of Asian research at United First Partners.

“China is already fighting fires on both fronts and the Senate’s decision is unlikely to be well received. The market won’t receive this well either, given the uncertainly it creates.”

Hong Kong’s position as a global financial hub has already been shaken by months of protests and police responses that have grown increasingly violent. US lawmakers have voiced strong support for the demonstrators and warned China against responding with violence, while Hong Kong authorities have said they are simply trying to enforce the law.

The likelihood of the US government using the power in the near future to revoke Hong Kong’s special trading status—like similar anti-China legislation requiring high-level diplomatic and military visits to Taiwan—is very low. That’s not least because many Americans stand to lose money if some $38 billion in two-way trade is thrown into doubt.

I n it s s t at e m e nt , Ho n g Kong’s government noted the US had a larger trade surplus with the city than any other jurisdiction, and mentioned

that many American companies and citizens live there.

“Any unilateral change of US economic and trade policy toward Hong Kong will create a negative impact on the relations between the two sides, as well as the US’s own interests,” it said.

US Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, a Kentucky Republican, on Monday urged Trump to personally voice support for the protesters, which he hasn’t yet done. Nor has Trump indicated whether he would sign the legislation if it got to his desk.

The House unanimously passed a similar bill last month, but slight differences mean both chambers still have to pass the same version before sending it to the president.

‘Strong countermeasures’

The time line for completing the trade agreement could collide with this legislation landing on Trump’s desk. A congressional aide said the Senate measure was drafted with help from Treasury and State Department officials, but a senior administration official on Monday cautioned that Trump’s seal of approval is the only one that matters.

China has repeatedly warned that there would be “strong countermeasures” for passing legislation supporting the Hong Kong protesters. “President Trump may very well use this as a bargaining chip,” Teresa Kong, a portfolio manager at Matthews Asia in San Francisco, said in an interview on Bloomberg Television. “If he doesn’t

sign the bill, it would very much be seen as an olive branch.”

The Senate measure passed by unanimous consent, which means there was no roll call vote because no senators objected to it. Republican Senator Marco Rubio of Florida, the bill’s lead sponsor, said on Twitter before the vote on Tuesday that the bill, S. 1838, would “head over to the US House, and then hopefully swiftly to the President.”

The Senate on Tuesday also unanimously passed a bill to ban the export of munitions, such as tear gas, pepper spray and rubber bullets, to the Hong Kong police force.

The House would still have to pass the same version of this measure, as well, for it to go to Trump to be signed into law. Bloomberg News

B4 Thursday, November 21, 2019

Ways to celebrate the holidays over at Sheraton Manila

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HE holiday season in the Philippines has got to be the merriest with festivities made grand in many ways. Sheraton Manila took inspiration from how the holidays is celebrated in the local community because there is simply nothing like being home for Christmas.

Culinary elves of the hotel whipped up delightful treats to make your gift-giving easier. For simple sweet

nothings, there are flavored Pastillas in ube and mango (Php 200), Box of Pralines (Php 900 for 12 pcs), and pack of Santa Cookies (Php 300 for 6 pcs).

Score a smile from anyone with goodies in Christmas designs like Gingerbread Nipa Hut (Php 450) and Chocolate Santa (Php 500). Smell and taste the Yuletide season with freshly baked breads like Choco-Banana Raisin (Php 525), Carrot

Pineapple (Php 525), and Fruit Cake (Php 450).

Classic Hamper is inclusive of items Filipino made and flavored such as Christmas cookies, fruit cake, pralines, guava tea, Benguet Arabica coffee, melba toast and dulong oil pairing, honey, and a bottle of red or white wine.

Buffet at S Kitchen in Sheraton Manila will be decked with holiday signature foods from glazed ham, leg of lamb, roasted turkey, steak, and all other appetizing trimmings. Mark your calendars for these special festive buffets that will start on Thanksgiving Day on November 28 (6pm to 10:30pm) for Php 2,300 only. While on December, skip the heavy preparations at work, and just go straight to feast for Php 2,900 only – both for lunch and dinner - during Noche Buena, Christmas Day, New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day. Sheraton Manila collaborated with their partner beneficiary Save the Children Philippines for a Christmas Gift Tag with proceeds will be donated to the foundation’s Sustainable AreaFocused Empowering (SAFE) programs.

This gift tag is priced for Php 25 per piece and Php 200 for 10 pcs. Drop by the life-sized gingerbread nipa hut by the S Kitchen to purchase the treats and gift tags.

IGT and MPL to provide state of the art waste management to LGUs

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GT (Integrated Green Technology) thru their founder & co-founder Michael Coronel-Jimenez & A. Leilani T. Cruz and CMPL (CNIM Martin Private Limited) based in Chennai India represented by Denis Bauer, CEO, hosted their first “Waste to Energy Summit 2019” on Nov. 15 at the Grand Ballroom of Seda Hotel Vertis North Quezon City. This is to showcase their expertise in Renewable Energy and explain their patented European technology which is manufactured in India to cater to the Asian market such as the Philippines. The Foreign technology CNIM is based in Paris France using a German Technology (Martin Gmbh) and has a combined 50 years experience in Waste to Energy EPC and FGT (Flue Gas Treatment) who has the highest emission standard that is in compliance with our RA 8749 (Clean Air Act) of the Philippines.

The technology provider has built more than 170 WTE plants in 23 countries and soon the 24th country will be in the Philippines. With a combined cooperation of the LGU (Local Government Units), DENR (Department of Environment and

Natural Resources) and DOE (Department of Energy) IGT and CMPL believes this project investment of all stakeholders will come to reality. It is fully supported by all European funders and back up with debt insurance and bank guarantees which are all in place for the financial support for the first three projects ( 2 Provinces of Cebu and Province of Pangasinan) that has a total investment of $230M USD for the

Philippines thru Allied Project Services Limited of London.

IGT and CMPL goal is to provide state of the art waste management, energy sustainability and environment protection per LGU’s. Not to mention this will also reduce the rate of electricity to the host Cities and Municipalities and generate employment in the community.

“A Clean and Green Country-Philippines”.

BSP approves Metrobank merger with credit card subsidiary

L

AST October 25, 2019, the Monetary Board of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) approved the merger of Metropolitan Bank & Trust Co. (Metrobank) with its wholly-owned subsidiary, Metrobank Card Corporation - A Finance Company and General Insurance Agency (MCC).

Customers can look forward to more meaningful banking experiences as the bank continues to provide them with the best payment solutions they have come to expect.

Moreover, all MCC cardholders are assured

of a seamless transition and will continue to enjoy high-quality service without disruption.

All credit cards bearing the logo and trademark of MCC will continue to be honored and active until further notice.

The merger is expected to expand the bank’s retail capabilities and to further strengthen its sustainable growth plan. The bank is now completing all other merger requirements of the Philippine Deposit Insurance Corporation (PDIC) and Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

MBCI provides high-tech system, skilled digital professionals to provide quality processing

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HE newly opened healthcare delivery outsourcing company, Medical Benefit Clearinghouse Inc., is powered by a highly advanced technology system operated by a seasoned workforce that allows it to deliver quality medical processing results on time.

Dr. Erwin P. Fabros, president and chief operating officer of MBCI, explained that in medical billing, clearinghouses are intermediaries that forward claims information from healthcare providers to health insurers and patients. In what is called claims scrubbing, clearinghouses check the provider’s claim for errors to verify that it agrees with the health insurer and patient’s claim.

MBCI, the first healthcare delivery outsourcing company in the country, is fully Filipino-owned and duly registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), holds office at the 5th Floor, CityState Centre Bldg., Shaw Boulevard, Pasig City.

As a healthcare servicing company, it specializes in providing various healthcare services from enrolment, membership eligibility, service support, utilization management, claims processing, provider payment and also medical data analytics. “We exist to efficiently

manage patients’ medical utilization in order to help them save more,” Fabros said.

The company has a mix of medically experienced processors and reviewers with a wide range of expertise in medical terminology and health coding used to identify and report medical, surgical and diagnostic procedures and services to healthcare providers, health insurance companies and accreditation organizations.

Maqqo Synergy Engineering kicks off its operations in the Philippines

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AQQO Synergy Engineering, Malaysia’s leading distributor of compressed air system equipment such as air compressors, air filtration systems, air dryers, air receivers and other engineering products, kicked-off its operations in the Philippines during the 67th National Convention of the Philippine Society of Mechanical Engineers (PSME NatCon) held recently at SMX Convention Center at the Mall of Asia complex in Pasay City.

Aiming to revolutionize and empower local factories, manufacturing plants and other industries that utilize air compression systems in their production and operations, Maqqo Synergy Philippines entered into dealership contracts with some of the Philippine’s distribution companies to pole-vault the sales of its globally recognized brands such as MaqQuine, Blue Storm and Monster Air series.

The grand launch was attended by the Malaysia Trade Commissioner Siti Azlina, Malaysia Deputy Chief of Mission to the Philippines Rizany Irwan Muhamad Mazlan, Deputy Trade Commissioner, Irvin Francis and the officials of Maqqo Synergy Engineering led

by the company president Kirsten Fung. The dignitaries led the ribbon cutting rites along with Polymer Link Holdings Ltd. Chairman Eddie Koh and Director Edward Koh. With the intention of expanding its operations to more international markets such as Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, Singapore and India, Maqqo Synergy Engineering considers the launching of its Philippine operations as a milestone towards a stronger global presence.

Maqqo Synergy Engineering is located at No. 5 &6 Aguinaldo Commercial Complex, Aguinaldo Highway Brgy. San Agustin 2, Dasmariñas, Cavite. Mobile Number: 0925 673 1136.

A new solution from the well-renowned Tiger Balm brand comes to the Philippines

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ANY of us grew up with the scent of Tiger Balm wafting throughout the house. For generations, those jars of Tiger Balm White and Tiger Balm Red were a staple in every home’s medicine cabinet as an all-around solution for itchiness, headaches, and muscle and joint pains.

And this Tiger Balm tradition of healing is something that many of us carried as we grew up and moved out of our parents’ or grandparents’ house. It gave the comfort and nostalgia of our mom’s care and love, and gave us assurance that what we’re putting on our body won’t cause us any harm since its core are herbal ingredients.

In this day and age, where everything is fast-paced, and work and school are ever-demanding, there’s no escaping stress. Did you know that being exposed to long periods of stress tends to push the muscles to tense up for long periods of time, leading to chronic muscle tension?

Surely, we all have learned to become used to stress, and this has driven us to achieve more in a day. And as they say, there’s no

stopping passion! So, whether it’s stressinduced muscle pains or soreness from last night’s work-out session, that’s where Tiger Balm comes in.

Tiger Balm by Haw Par Healthcare, one of the world's leading and most versatile topical analgesic brands for nearly 100 years, is offering Filipinos a new solution for an existing problem based on an age-old remedy. Do you know about how the Chinese has long been relieving their pain problem with poultice, which is a medication that is applied onto the painful area and wrapped up with bandage? Tiger Balm, based on the same concept, has now developed a new product that will provide long lasting relief with a more convenient method.

Many consumers around the world have been benefitting from this amazing product and in several countries it has become a top seller. Filipinos may not be too familiar with such a unique concept of pain relief but it is our belief that it is now time to introduce it to them.

Sports

A FAN cools off during the Tokyo 2020 beach volleyball test event at Shiokaze Park as several heat countermeasures will be enforced to ensure the safety of athletes and spectators.

BusinessMirror

C1

| Thursday, November 21, 2019 mirror_sports@yahoo.com.ph sports@businessmirror.com.ph Editor: Jun Lomibao

COUNTERING TOKYO HEAT A Sun Yang and his legal team argue the testers did not have the proper accreditation. AP

Tester at center of Sun doping hearing a construction worker

O

NE of the testers at the center of the case involving three-time Olympic swimming champion Sun Yang has reportedly claimed he is a construction worker and not a professional doping control assistant.

In an anonymous interview with Chinese state news agency Xinhua, the man said he had never been trained in doping control and claimed he knew nothing about the test or his role on the night which could cost Sun his career.

He claimed he had provided written testimony to the World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) and the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) several days before Sun’s public hearing in Montreux, last Friday.

In the latest twist to a case which could see Sun banned from Tokyo 2020, the man also insisted he had offered to tell his story via video prior to the hearing but his request was never followed up.

“I am a builder and I am always busy at work, day and night,” he told Xinhua. “No one ever trained me about the doping test, and it is unnecessary for me to undertake such training.”

At the CAS hearing, the first to be held in public for 20 years, Sun and his legal team argued the testers who arrived at his home in Zheijang province, on September 4 last year were not properly accredited.

Wada, challenging the decision from the International Swimming Federation (Fina) to let Sun off with a warning despite a member of his entourage smashing his blood vial with a hammer, disputed this and said the credentials of the officials were in order.

In its ruling, the Fina doping panel cited the “extremely unprofessional” conduct of a

chaperone, who took photos and video of the 11-time world champion on his phone during the ill-fated test.

The unidentified builder admitted the claims in an earlier interview with Xinhua, where he said he had been asked to help with the test by the doping control officer who happened to be a former classmate.

“Sun is a big star in China and it was my first time being near him,” he said. “I was excited. I took a couple of pictures outside the room with my cell phone. “ “When I tried to take pictures of him again when we were sitting in the room, Sun told me not to do so.

“Then he asked every one of us to identify ourselves,” he said. “I showed my ID card. Sun pointed out that I was not an accredited tester and should not stay in the test room.”

The lack of accreditation sparked the row which ended up in a blood vial given by Sun being destroyed.

Lawyers for Wada, seeking to ban Sun for up to eight years, argued at the hearing that the 27-year-old was guilty of tampering before the vial was smashed.

Wada appealed as it believed Fina had been too lenient in issuing Sun with a warning.

Sun, winner of the 400 and 1,500 metres freestyle gold medals at the 2012 Olympic Games in London, and the 200-m freestyle in Rio de Janeiro four years later, is facing a stricter punishment due to an earlier suspension for a banned substance in 2014.

A ruling from CAS could come in January, depending on how long it takes to translate Sun’s opening and closing statements following issues with the simultaneous interpretation during the hearing.

DDITIONAL cooling periods during competition will be implemented by Tokyo 2020, following discussions with International Federations (IFs) on heat countermeasures for the Olympic Games.

During the last few months, a series of measures were put into practice at Tokyo 2020 test events to ensure protection for athletes, spectators and Games officials.

A heat wave in Japan in July and August saw more than 50 people die from heatstroke, as more than 18,000 people were admitted to hospital in temperatures soaring up to 40 degrees.

Cooling mist sprays and shading tents proved popular and a heatstroke alert system was published through a test event web site.

Working alongside Tokyo Metropolitan Government, organizers have reviewed the range of measures and added a number of new countermeasures.

As well as adequate cooling breaks, a special consideration has been given to spectators attending outdoor competitions, such as tennis, canoeing and equestrian events.

A commitment to increasing the number of shading tents and water fountains has been discussed, with specifics including one tap per 500 people at venues, including Shiokaze Park, scheduled to host beach volleyball at Tokyo 2020.

Spectators will be allowed to carry their own nonalcoholic drinks under 750 milliliters into venues, while paper fans and neck cooling towels—both of which were successfully used at test events—are expected to be available.

Visors and hats will also be sold as official licensed products, while information on heatstroke and its prevention will be more readily available across Games venues.

A number of items, classed as heat mitigation goods, will include ice creams and salt tablets, as

As well as adequate cooling breaks, a special consideration has been given to spectators attending outdoor competitions, such as tennis, canoeing and equestrian events. well as wet wipes and cooling packs.

A Tokyo 2020 Cooling Project was launched in June, to produce initiatives aiding athletes, spectators and officials at the Olympics. The campaign started with 13 partner companies, but has since risen to 24, with each company offering expertise in their respective fields.

Among the latest companies to join the project are Asics Corp., Nomura Holdings Inc., Fujitsu Ltd. and Google Japan GK. Asics will supply uniforms for the Field Cast, including volunteers aimed at reducing the effects of heat, incorporating moisture-repellent fabric and breathable mesh sections, while four air conditioning units in open booths were installed by Google Japan at a countdown event for the Paralympic Games.

Volunteers will be given training on the heat countermeasures while paid staff will be utilized to raise awareness of the dangers of extreme heat.

Following negative feedback from the test events that some volunteers were unable to take their rest breaks, the rotation and break shifts policy will be reexamined.

During the summer test events Tokyo 2020 claimed they showed their flexibility around weather conditions with the movement of “Ready Steady Tokyo” surfing finals to an earlier day, owing to the size of waves, rain and fog, while the modern pentathlon event was

switched to an indoor location because of a thunderstorm.

In September, 28 women dropped out of the International Association of Athletics Federations World Athletics Championship marathon in Doha, as a consequence of extreme heat.

In response, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) took the decision to switch the Olympic marathons and race walks from Tokyo to Sapporo, a decision which has since been met with anger from Tokyo 2020 officials and athletes.

The start time for the eventing cross-country has been proposed to move forward from 8.30 a.m. to start between 7:30 to 8 a.m., and a final decision will be taken at the IOC’s executive board meeting in December.

They will also decide whether to bring forward the triathlon start times by one hour.

Underwater screens will also be installed to secure water quality and temperatures while the Tokyo Metropolitan Government and Tokyo 2020 will continue to analyze causes of poor water quality and odors.

Marathons and race walks at next year’s Olympic Games, controversially moved from Tokyo to Sapporo, are set to start and finish at Odori Park, following a proposal put forward by organizers at a meeting today.

Tokyo 2020 met city officials to discuss plans for the events following the IOC decision to move

them 800 kilometers from the Japanese capital to Sapporo because of fears over extreme heat.

Organizers are aiming to make a detailed proposal on the arrangements for the marathon and race walks, including the course and other logistical issues, to the IOC executive board at its December 3 to 5 meeting.

A spokesman for Tokyo 2020 confirmed they had proposed Odori Park, the start and finish point for the annual Hokkaido Marathon, as the main location for the events.

A “loop-designed course” was among the topics during the meeting, and Tokyo 2020 said the remaining course details are “still under discussion.”

According to Kyodo News, the proposed marathon route will see athletes lap the roughly 20-km route twice.

The Sapporo TV Tower, Sapporo Station and the Sapporo Campus of Hokkaido University are among the landmarks which will be passed along the planned course.

It is likely to be similar to the one used for the Hokkaido Marathon each year.

The IOC established a working group, which includes representatives from World Athletics, to coordinate the arrangements for the events after it took the decision to switch them to the capital of the Hokkaido Prefecture.

Its main task is to devise the route and course for the races at the Games.

The late move from the IOC has sparked widespread criticism in Japan, led by Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike.

A new dispute between the IOC and Tokyo 2020 has emerged as organizers have warned the men’s marathon, due to be held on the final day of the Games, would have to be rescheduled for logistical reasons.

If the men’s race remains on August 9, athletes would have to be flown to Tokyo to attend the Closing Ceremony.

Top sports lawyer tapped to draw new AIBA statutes

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ROMINENT sports lawyer François Carrard has been drafted in to help devise changes to the International Boxing Association’s (Aiba) statutes as part of the latest attempt to improve the embattled body’s governance.

According to Aiba, Carrard, a former director general of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), will review proposals sent by member federations and “recommend amendments according to good governance standards and international best practices.”

He will work with a team from his law firm, Kellerhals Carrard.

It is not clear if Carrard is being paid for the role as the cash-strapped federation Aiba remains in serious financial difficulty.

Changes to the statutes at the crisis-ridden organization—suspended as the Olympic governing body for the sport by the IOC in June— are set to be voted on at an Extraordinary Congress in March, next year.

The meeting was due to be held in Lausanne, next month but Aiba has decided to postpone it until March 20, to give more time to reform the statutes, which several members within the governing body feel are outdated.

Aiba at one point was considering holding two Congresses—one to revamp the statutes in December, and one to elect a new President in March.

Insidethegames has been told the Presidential election will be held during Congress in March.

Aiba’s governance issues were a factor in the IOC stripping Aiba of its recognition, a sanction which means it has no involvement in organizing the boxing tournament at next year’s Olympic Games in Tokyo.

Aiba Interim President Mohamed Moustahsane, who reversed a decision to step down from the position in September, and will continue through to the election in March, revealed the body had asked Carrard to help draft new regulations.

The Swiss lawyer has performed numerous roles within the Olympic Movement and led a taskforce which devised reforms for Fifa following the widespread corruption scandal.

Carrard caused controversy just weeks after his appointment by Fifa after he claimed Sepp

Blatter had been unfairly treated and there was no evidence of him being involved in corruption.

He also made derogatory statements about women’s football in the United States.

Fifa was forced to clarify his comments, insisting they were made in a personal capacity and not on behalf of the worldwide body.

Carrard was chosen to oversee a review into all aspects of the corporate governance at the International Swimming Federation in January 2016.

He remains a member of the Board of Directors at Olympic Broadcasting Services and also sits on the Gymnastics Ethics Foundation, an organization setup in response to the Larry Nassar sexual abuse scandal in the US.

Spo

Business

C2 Thursday, November 21, 2019

KING JAMES RECORD L

LeBron James becomes the first player in National Basketball Association history to record a triple-double against every team in the league. Carmelo Anthony, on the other hand, scores just his 10 points in his return. AP

SANTOS, NABONG, TUBID SUSPENDED S

OS ANGELES—To LeBron James, triple-doubles are not a goal.

They are only a side effect of the consistent, brilliant allaround play he has been dishing out for 17 National Basketball Association (NBA) seasons, with no slowdown in sight.

Triple-doubles also don’t mean much to James without wins attached to them, so James was pleased when his latest statistical superlative occurred during yet another successful night for the surging Los Angeles Lakers.

James became the first player in NBA history to record a triple-double against every team in the league, and Anthony Davis scored 34 points during the Lakers’ fifth straight victory, 112-107 over the Oklahoma City Thunder on Tuesday night.

James finished with 25 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists to post a tripledouble against his 30th opponent for the NBA-leading Lakers, who have won 12 of 13 after a perfect four-game home stand.

James was more surprised than thrilled by his latest statistical achievement, particularly while a different statistic glared at him from the box score.

“Coach [Frank] Vogel came in here and said, ‘Congratulations,’ and I thought he was joking about my seven turnovers,” James said. “I really don’t know what to think about it. I just think it’s a pretty cool stat to know, and I’m glad it happened in a win.”

James has five triple-doubles in the Lakers’ last 10 games, getting four in victories. There’s a reason for this spree: Although James has constantly filled the stat sheet since he joined the league in 2003, he is leading the NBA this season with 11.1 assists per game, nearly four more than his career average. He has at least 10 assists in six consecutive games, the longest streak of his career.

Vogel has put the ball in James’s hands constantly on offense, and his playmaking acumen has grown along with his chemistry with Davis, as they demonstrated repeatedly against the Thunder. Seven of James’s assists came on baskets by Davis.

“Amazing,” Davis said. “To be able to do that against every team is something special.

I mean, [it’s] trippy that he’s been playing for a long time, so it was a matter of time before it happened, but just a tribute to all his hard work.”

James is fifth in NBA history with 86 triple-doubles, but the four players in front of him—Oscar Robertson, Russell Westbrook, Lakers great Magic Johnson and Lakers Assistant Coach Jason Kidd—hadn’t done it against 30 teams. Kidd, who did it against 28 teams, has served as a role model for James’s

Santos

Nabong

Top celebrities join Cycle PH cast

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we will work doubly hard and play our very best, for our fans and for the organization,” the Beermen assured.

Because of the sudden change in playing venue at the start of the Governors Cup, the PBA Press Corps Sportswriting Contest, meanwhile, has been moved on Sunday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Following the change in date, the group also decided to extend the deadline for submission of entries until Thursday, still on a first-come, first-served basis.

Only college and senior high students are qualified to join, with each school allowed entry of two writers and one photographer.

The inclusion of a photography category for the first time in the history

Tubid

Qualifier steals show in Treñas tennis tourney ocal bet Stephen Catipon, who had to go through a qualifier to earn a berth in the main draw, swept his way to the boys’ singles 18-under championship and added the 16-under plum to cap his two-title run in the Palawan Pawnshop-Palawan Express Pera Padala (PPS-PEPP) Mayor Jerry Treñas national age-group tournament at La Paz Tennis courts in Iloilo City, last Tuesday.

Catipon, playing out of the St. Robert’s International Academy, crushed Lorenz Delfin, 4-0, 4-0, in the elims then held off Jan Jimenea, 4-1, 5-4(3) in the first round, eased out No. 4 Joshua Raymundo, 4-1, 4-1, toppled second seed Rewel Justiniani, 6-0, 6-2, before besting third seed Nikhel Nowlakha, 6-1, 6-2, in the finals of the premier class in the Group 1 tournament presented by Dunlop.

He earlier dominated the 16-U play as one of the unranked players in the 32-man draw, dropping just seven games before blasting John Santiago, 6-0, 6-2, in the finals of the event put up by PPS-PEPP and sanctioned

by Unified Tennis Philippines made up of PPSPEPP, Cebuana Lhuillier, Wilson, Toby’s, Dunlop, Slazenger and B-Meg. “It’s inspiring to see new faces emerging and Catipon’s feat should motivate the others who want to make it big in the sport someday,” said Palawan Pawnshop President and CEO Bobby Castro, whose long-running circuit continues to help boost the country’s talent-search program in the sport.

Central Philippine University’s Althea Martinez, meanwhile, sustained her hot run as she, likewise, ruled the girls’ top 2 divisions to share MVP honors with Catipon. She overpowered Jasmine Jaran, 6-0, 6-2, in the 16-under finals and whipped Avril Suace, 6-0, 6-0, for the 18-under trophy, duplicating her feat in last week’s leg in Roxas City.

CARMELO ANTHONY smiled easily in a hallway outside the Trail Blazers’ locker room and asserted that he “felt great” after the first game of his 17th NBA season, even if his new team couldn’t keep pace with Jrue Holiday, Brandon Ingram and a largely revamped Pelicans squad that is showing signs of figuring some things out.

“It felt great just to be back into the flow of the game, be back on the court, be back to where I think I belong,” Anthony said. “As far as conditioning, though, I felt absolutely great out there. There was minor things, but it was more of the flow of things, and getting used to how the team plays and sets and getting used to the guys on the team.”

Holiday had 22 points and 10 assists, Ingram added 21 points in his return from a four-game absence, and New Orleans beat Portland, 115-104, on Tuesday night for its second straight victory and, third in four games.

Anthony finished with 10 points, while Portland leading scorer and four-time All-Star Damian Lillard missed his first game of the season with back spasms. AP

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not tolerate unsportsmanlike behavior,” the statement said.

“Basketball is a physical game where emotions can run high, but we believe that PBA players have to be held to a higher standard of professionalism and sportsmanship at all times,” it added.

The suspension came at a crucial time when the Beermen are trying to complete a grand slam in the Governors’ Cup. SMB is playing with reinforcement John Holland for the third straight game after Wells was relegated to the injured list.

“It is for this reason that we’ve come to this decision, even if it impacts our bid for a second franchise grand slam. Our commitment now, moving forward, is that

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PELICANS SPOIL ANTHONY DEBUT

UAAP stars on ‘Dayories’

AN MIGUEL Beer (SMB) has indefinitely suspended Arwind Santos, Kelly Nabong and Ronald Tubid as a result of a melee that broke during team practice last Sunday.

The Beermen management confirmed that a scuffle ensued after import Dez Wells retaliated from a hard pick by Santos. Tubid rushed to defend Santos, while Nabong went to hold ground for Wells.

SMB, however, clarified that things are already ironed out but the ill behavior of the players has forced management to mete out sanctions.

“While the conflict has been resolved, and the incident occurred away from the public eye, the San Miguel organization does

iolo Pascual and Matteo Guidicelli, along with a number of Star Magic artists and other celebrities, gear up for another ride with beginners and bike enthusiasts as they spice up the Sun Like Cycle PH on Saturday, at Bonifacio Global City in Taguig.

Around 1,200 bikers aged two and above are setting out for the friendly ride in various categories, including the tricycle ride (100-m distance for two to three years old), kids’ ride (500-m for four to five years old) and the family

efforts as a tall point guard.

ride (30-minute ride for six to15 with adult companion). The event was launched last year

by Sun Life and Sunrise Events Inc., now part of the Ironman Group, with Pascual as one of the spearheads. Participants will also get the chance to ride with three-time Tour de France green jersey winner Robbie McEwen. The entire family will also be kept entertained during the weekend with a wide range of fun activities lined up in the cycling and lifestyle expo.

Other categories on tap are the solo ride

of the competition is in line with the 25th anniversary celebration of the contest first held in 1994.

Participants are required to submit valid school IDs and should be a bonafide member/staff of their respective school publication.

Cash prizes will be awarded to the winners of both categories.

A sportswriting and photo seminar are going to precede the contest proper at 2 p.m.

Registration starts at 1 p.m. at the South gate of the Araneta Coliseum.

For further details, please contact Ms. Hazel Ancheta of the PBA office (09568717835) or Gerry Ramos of the PBAPC (0915-2034869). Ramon Rafael Bonilla

(30-minute ride for six to 15), short distance ride (20 km for 10 and above) and long distance ride (40 km for 10 and above) where riders will pedal alongside McEwen, Pascual and Guidicelli, among others. Pascual and Guidecelli are two of showbiz’s most active participants in sports, having competed in various Ironman races, their presence expected to help draw more participants, particularly the families, to the event also aimed at promoting family bonding and encouraging people to live healthier lives.

TENEO’S Ange Kouame, University of Santo Tomas’s (UST) Rhenz Abando and University of the Philippines’s Ricci Rivero will tell the stories behind their inspiring journey to the collegiate league in the iWant original sports documentary “Dayories.”

Produced by iWant with the ABS-CBN Sports Digital team and director Enzo Marcos, Dayories traces the roots of Kouame, Rivero and Abando, and the grit and grind it took for them to make an impact in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP).

The first episode, which is now streaming on iWant, focuses on the big man from Ateneo.

Football Para sa Bayan offers free clinics

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M Football Para sa Bayan (TM FPSB), in partnership with Green Archers United Football Club are offering free football clinics to young street footballers and disadvantaged kids.

The clinics, which kicked off last Saturday, will be sustained every Saturday at the BGC Football Turf from 10 a.m. to 12 noon.

The learning sessions for both boys and girls as young as five to 13 years old, will be facilitated by professional football coaches from Green Archers United FC, who are currently competing in the Philippine Football League.

The club also tapped Futbol Funatics Academy to help lead the learning sessions through coaching and mentoring support for the participants.

The clinics are part of TM FPSB’s aim of supporting holistic and community based football programs that benefit underprivileged, high potential footballers.

“A key component of the TM Football

AFC secures exclusive paint sponsor

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HE Asian Football Confederation (AFC) U-23 Championship 2020 has secured Mycolor, a key brand under leading decorative paint company 4 Oranges, as its exclusive paint sponsor.

The partnership was brokered

by Lagardère Sports, the exclusive commercial partner of the AFC. As an official supporter, Mycolor will get opportunities for brand exposure in Southeast Asia through multiple touch points.

The brand will be featured on stadium advertising boards and official tournament collaterals.

It will also acquire tournament image rights and enjoy access to other marketing activities.

“Mycolor has always been an active supporter of Vietnamese football, and for the first time ever, through this partnership

with the 2020 AFC U-23 Championship, we are proud to also support Asian football at a regional level,” Chalermsak Pimolsri, vice general director (Marketing) of 4 Oranges, said.

“We are confident that this collaboration will be mutually beneficial for both parties and look forward to working with Mycolor to promote its premium decorative paint brand to football fans across Asia, as we anticipate a thrilling few weeks of competition during the tournament,” Tom Smith, president of Football (Asia) at Lagardère Sports, said.

The AFC U-23 is set January 8 to 26, and boasts of an exciting field of nations that will see the top 3 teams from the tournament qualify for the men’s football competition in the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.

Born and raised in Africa, Kouame has been living in the Philippines since 2016 to get his education and pursue his National Basketball Association dream.

The second episode features highly touted small forward Rivero, who shares the challenges he encountered transferring schools from the De La Salle University to University of the Philippines.

Viewers will also get to know more about Abando, a Pangasinan native whose meteoric rise from being an unknown recruit to one of the league’s most exciting players is one of this season’s best story lines.

PROFESSIONAL coaches from Green Archers United Football Club are supervising the clinics.

Para sa Bayan program is to provide disadvantaged youth with an environment to thrive in the sport they love through exposure to top caliber coaching, quality football equipment and a premium playing venue,” Miguel Bermundo, Globe’s head of Citizen Advocacy Marketing, said.

So far, the clinics have received strong following from various football communities in Metro Manila, such as from street programs based in Mandaluyong, Muntinlupa, Pasig, Quezon City and Valenzuela.

An ongoing collaboration with the Youth Football League is also aimed at encouraging emerging football players in these communities to be involved with various football clubs through scholarship.

In recent years, TM football clinics have collectively involved the participation of more than 100 football clubs in at least 63 cities and municipalities all over the Philippines.

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Barredo makes quarterfinals

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ATIONAL team stalwart Sarah Joy Barredo dominated Daisy Preglo, 21-2, 21-3, to advance to the quarterfinals of the Smart National Open Badminton on Tuesday night at the Muntinlupa Sports Complex.

Barredo completed the victory in only 25 minutes, giving up only five points in the process. The 30th Southesat Asian SARAH JOY BARREDO is living up to expectations.

Games bound shuttler will face Samantha Ramos in the next round.

Second-seed Jochelle Alvarez also advanced following her two-set victory over Patricia de Leon, 21-11, 21-17.

Fellow national team members Geva de Vera and Chanelle Lunod also took care of business in women’s doubles event. The duo stopped Camille Buagas and Jiselle Capillo, 21-13, 21-12, to book their place in the Last Eight.

Lunod later partnered with Carlo Remo in beating Petronilo Nim II and Capillo in the mixed doubles opening round, 19-21, 21-13, 21-9.

In men’s singles open, top seeds Ros Pedrosa and Lyrden Laborte stayed on track after disposing of Benny Divinagracia and Kyle Basilio, respectively, both in straight sets.

The top-ranked national team duo of Ariel Magnaye and Alvin Morada also clinched their spot into the next round of men’s doubles after sweeping Keeyan Gabuelo and Paul Gonzales, 21-6, 21-12.

MEMBERS of the Ateneo Blue Eagles complete a season sweep of 16 games form the eliminations to the Finals. ROY DOMINGO

PERFECT CHAMPS!

By Ramon Rafael Bonilla

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THE 30th Southeast Asian Games has Morris Garages as its mobility partner. Shown above are (from left) SAIC Motors International’s Xu Shengyu, Morris Garages Philippines EVP and Director for Marketing Communications Lyn Buena and President and CEO Atty. Alberto Arcilla, Philippine Southeast Asian Games Organizing Committee Senior Managing Director Jojit Alcazar, MG Head of Business Development Sherman Tan and MG Director of Sales China Vance Lim. ROY DOMINGO

SEAG draws mobility partner

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orris Garages—better known today as MG—has signed an agreement with the Philippine Southeast Asian Games Organizing Committee and Mediapro Asia to be the official mobility partner of the 30th SEA Games and the 10th ASEAN Para Games.

As part of the sponsorship, 80 MG vehicles will feature with the 30th SEA Games logo and they will be used to ferry athletes and teams to and from games.

The special-edition MG 30th SEA Games edition vehicles will be seen in various parts of the country during the November 30 to

December 11 Games.

With the partnership, MG supports all the athletes on their path to the gold medals as they #DriveToWin. “To be part of the 30th Southeast Asian Games—an edition that features so many milestones and firsts—is a distinct honor for us at MG Philippines,” MG Philippines President and CEO Atty. Alberto Arcilla said.

“We are thrilled to have another partner on board through us. With MG, we hope this sponsorship turns the Philippines into a stronghold for the brand,” Lars Heidenreich, managing director of Mediapro Asia said.

Tessa Jazmines tessa4347@gmail.com

PART OF THE GAME

Learnings from Beda-Letran Finals

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HERE’S been no dominant force in collegiate basketball stronger than the San Beda Red Lions in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) this season.

The Red Lions ran roughshod over competition from Day 1, abusing them with double digit leads, averaging 20 points per.

Even the Ateneo Blue Eagles—the lords of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) basketball tournament— did not have that kind of absolute power over their opponents.

But well, we know now how the Season 95 NCAA Season ended. The absolute power that the Red Lions commanded in the eliminations went poof in the last two chapters. In Game one of the much-awaited finals, the San Juan de Letran Knights dealt San Beda only its first loss of the season, stunning the whole San Beda gallery from bench to bleacher crowd.

The unkindest cut of all came two games later—in the decisive Game Three—when the Knights erased all the advantage San Beda ever held from June to November.

Since 2006, the Red Lions have been the ruling class in the NCAA, allowing just two schools—San Sebastian College and San

Juan de Letran to steal some thunder from Mendiola in 2009 and 2011 (San Sebastian), then 2015 (Letran).

This year, the Letran Knights wrote a new chapter in their history and the NCAA’s own.

They toppled the mighty Lions anew using a blitzkrieg attack in the finals—in a season when the erstwhile champs seemed at their strongest ever. They delivered the knockout punch that dethroned the winningest team in the NCAA for several decades now in a real steal of a ball game. Nay, of the season.

With the final outcome, we have some takeaways from the season to share with you.

1. Anything is possible.

KG said it best after the Celtics won Banner No.17 back in ’08. No matter how the odds may look, no matter how big the obstacles may seem, you can create your own outcome and own the world, the moon and the stars.

San Beda was 18-0 in the elims, Letran a much humbler 12-6 when they collided with the San Sebastian Stags (11-7), whom they defeated in the stepladder semis. Then the Knights took on the higher-ranking 13-5 Lyceum Pirates, whom they defeated, as well. And when they bumped against the imposing, undefeated

TENEO completed a three-peat in grand fashion—an 86-79 victory over the University of Santo Tomas (UST)—in Game Two of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines Season 82 men’s basketball Finals on Wednesday at the Mall of Asia Arena.

The Blue Eagles soared to double-digit leads in the first half, lost some steam against the last-minute effort of the Growling Tigers but regrouped just the same to clinch their third straight title.

It was nothing short of pure domination as the Katipunan-based dribblers—once winners of the rare five-peat—swept all of their 16 games this season to cap an impressive streak of 26 matches dating back to last season.

Third’s a charm for graduating wingman Thirdy Ravena as he bagged his third Finals Most Valuable Player award in as many championships with the Blue Eagles.

The second generation Ravena was the thorn UST couldn’t blunt. He finished with 17 points, seven rebounds and five assists.

In two games, he averaged 24.5 points on 55-percent shooting clip to easily hoist the trophy.

Coach Tab Baldwin was all praises for his wards whom he said “worked together and sacrificed everything” in their incredible unbeaten run. “They sacrificed everything but not their love of the game. The fight that they showed in these Finals, it flattered us, what they gave us really flatters us.”

“It wasn’t easy. But this team fought hard.

It was a battle, but we’re pleased to come out as victors,” he added.

Big man Isaac Go, part of the graduating core of Ravena, twins Mike and Matt Nieto and Adrian Wong, calmly sank two free throws to put the lead to a high of 16, 31-15, with 26 seconds left in the first quarter.

Those charities highlighted a 9-0 run ignited by a triple of SJ Belangel, who had a career-best 15 points in the game.

From there, season MVP Soulemane Chabi Yo carried the fight for the Tigers, scoring seven in the shade as UST slowly carved its way to a manageable distance from Ateneo.

Belangel again hit a three-pointer that doused the Tigers’ 9-2 assault that made it a 60-62 game with more than a minute left in the third quarter.

A basket from CJ Cansino pegged the count at 66-67 in the 7:54 minute mark of the final frame. Sensing danger, Ravena and Belangel drilled clutch baskets to lift their team to safety.

Matt Nieto had 14 points, six rebounds and five assists, while Ivory Coast center Ange Kouame and Wil Navarro added seven points apiece.

Rhenz Abando, who was at the center of controversy and had his numbers plummet from thereon, had his best game in the Finals with 16 points and four boards.

UST went home with individual awards as consolation—Chabi Yo and Nonoy, the Rookie of the Year, were officially announced as the season’s top performers.

But that hardly mattered, as Mark Nonoy and Chabi Yo chipped in only 14 and 11 points, respectively.

Didal all geared up for SEA Games bid

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SIAN Games gold medalist Margielyn Didal is ready for the 30th Southeast Asian (SEA) Games.

To prepare for her upcoming competitions, Didal underwent months of therapy at Cardia Olympia coupled with an intense assessment last July, at the Red Bull High Performance Training Center in Santa Monica, California, to address a lingering injuries.

“Last December 2014, I had a very severe ankle sprain that didn’t seem to get better,”

Didal said. “Until recently, it affected my skating because I kept thinking it might happen again.”

The 20-year-old’s assessment included a series of exercises that improved her flexibility and core reflexes, allowing her to build up confidence.

In addition, Didal worked on fine-tuning her trick executions.

“The best part about them [Red Bull] is when they would torture me during rehab,” Didal joked.

“But really, they have the best team, therapist and equipment. They helped so much—especially with

18-0 wall of San Beda, they scaled it and went over it, simple as that. The Lions, true champions that they are, came back in Game two to show everyone who’s boss. But in Game three, the school from Intramuros rewrote history and showed you can steal the rug from under anyone. You just have to want it more.

have been a big moral victory for them to win against all the odds the opponent stacked against them. But in the end, the whole Letran community—not just the stellar names in the coaching staff or the coaching board— enabled the Knights to take the trophy home to Intramuros. The Letran energy overpowered the Bedans in this one. Some would call it moral bullying. But others would call it a successful formula for winning all the marbles.

4. The basketball Gods decide everything Honestly, Game Three could have gone either way. Despite the fact that the Blue and Red carried the game for most of its stretch, the Mighty Lions and their big hearts willed a comeback in the fourth and had fans of both sides biting their nails and sending urgent prayers to gain favor from heaven. The end game could have been San Beda’s. But it turned out to be Letran’s. Every turnover, every missed foul shot, every uncollected rebound and referee’s call add up to determine the ultimate result of the ball game. The basketball gods always speak, and they have spoken.

5. Basketball fans won Letran fan or Beda fan, it doesn’t matter.

The winner in Game Three was basketball and the Pinoy basketball fan. From start to finish, it was a classic rivalry that has taken center stage once more. The odds were enormous, the pride at stake more so. The tit-for-tat battle left everyone guessing from Game One to Game Three, with the outcome only being decided at the last minute. It was the greatest show on earth that will be remembered for many years to come. Congratulations, Letran, and it’s not the end of the world, San Beda.

See you next season!

2. You can reinvent yourself Bonbon Batiller and Fran Yu played for the University of the East Red Warriors in the UAAP. Larry Muyang was a Green Archer before he was Knighted. Jerrick Balanza had a brain tumor that many thought would end his playing career. But did they stop searching for the pot of gold? Nope. All four had a rebirth and a second chance at greatness with the Letran Knights, and did they shine like gold in their new situations. Yu shot the daylights out of the MOA Arena in Games One to Three and was responsible for the two charities that placed Letran ahead by 5, 15.9 seconds left in the ball game. Batiller contributed 19 points and left it all on the floor. Muyang made the points that wrested the lead away from San Beda in their early game domination. Balanza held the team together and hurt the Lions most in the shooting exchange. There’s always a second chance and more for anybody who dares to dream.

3. It takes a village Much has been said about the coterie of coaches and board of advisers of the Letran Knights—the presence of big names in basketball from different benches and playing courts. It really did look like it was San Beda against the world, with the Letran bench sporting some former Bedans in its fold, who were, let’s accept it, just doing jobs that they couldn’t not do. Had San Beda won, it would

my ankle concerns and other key areas. Now we’re focusing on a lot of ways to improve my skills.”

Didal’s effective rehab program helped her to a fifth-place finish at the recent Street League Skateboarding (SLS) World Tour in Los Angeles, California, establishing her as the highest-ranked Filipino skater in the world today. With a top-10 finish at the SLS World Tour, Didal has her sights set on a podium finish in the SEA Games in order to secure her place at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.

“I’m always prepared and ready to compete, no matter where it is. That’s why I recently spent time in Rio de Janeiro and Los Angeles to get the best place training possible. I’ve also got some new tricks prepared but will stick to the game plan,” she said.

With a series of accomplishments, Didal has established herself as one of the top skaters in

THERAPY helps Margielyn Didal improve on her tricks. the world today. And as such, she has become an influential figure among aspiring athletes in the Philippines.

“I’m honored to be an inspiration to the next generation of skaters,” Didal said. “In the future, I am keen on doing more projects like clinics to share with them what I’ve learned.”

SEAG cauldron, national Artist’s work–DUTERTE

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By Bernadette D. Nicolas

resident Duterte expressed doubt that there was corruption involved in the construction of P45-million cauldron at the New Clark City in Capas, Tarlac.

“It’s the work of a national artist,” Duterte told a late night press conference in Malacañang on Tuesday.

The Chief Executive attempted to fend off criticisms more than a week before the country’s hosting of 30th Southeast Asian Games by trying to turn the tables on Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon.

The President made the remark in response to Drilon’s comment on the cost of the cauldron that will be lit during the opening ceremony on November 30.

The cauldron was designed by the late National Artist, Architect Francisco “Bobby” Mañosa.

“You know, there can never be corruption in that situation because you commissioned a national artist.... Si Mañosa was commissioned by the government to create ‘yung nakita mo ‘yung kaldero ngayon. It is a product of the mind. You cannot estimate how much nalugi ka because it is the rendition of the mind of the creator,” Duterte said.

In the same press conference, the President also called out Drilon for the alleged overpriced “coliseum,” referring to Iloilo Convention Center.

“Ilang kilometro magagawa sa presyo sa coliseum ni Drilon? Is it used everyday? Well, if it is used and making money, fine,” he said. “But how many kilometers of those public structures there in Iloilo kung ginamit ‘yun to cement all the highways there?”

“So if we agreed ang sabi niya ang presyo niya is 45, so how big is big and how small is big and how small is small? Tanungin ko kayo ngayon. And it can build so many schools. Well, that is debatable, my friend Senator Drilon. I said you have yours and you also can build so many kilometers of what you spent there—public money in your place,” he added.

In 2014, journalist Manuel Mejorada filed complaints against Drilon before the Ombudsman, claiming the ICC was overpriced.

However, the Supreme Court affirmed in August this year the jail sentence of Mejorada who was convicted of libel.

On Monday, House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano, who is also the chairman of the Philippine Sea Games Organizing Committee, clarified that the price tag for the cauldron was P45 million, noting that is “cheaper” than Singapore’s which was priced at P62 million.

While Cayetano admitted that is expensive, he also dismissed that the cauldron was overpriced.

On the same day, Malacañang also vouched for Cayetano’s integrity, claiming he does not misuse public funds.

Sports BusinessMirror

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| Thursday, November 21, 2019 mirror_sports@yahoo.com.ph sports@businessmirror.com.ph Editor: Jun Lomibao

NADAL, SPAIN NIP RUSSIANS

By Tales Azzoni

The Associated Press

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ADRID—Rafael Nadal kept Spain’s hopes alive, then Marcel Granollers and Feliciano López completed the comeback in the decisive doubles match to give the hosts a 2-1 win over Russia in the inaugural Davis

Cup Finals.

Granollers and López defeated Karen Khachanov and Andrey Rublev, 6-4, 7-6 (5), to seal the victory for Spain in a marathon series that ended close to 2 a.m. local time (0100 GMT) on Wednesday.

The top-ranked Nadal earlier defeated Khachanov, 6-3, 7-6 (7), to level the series 1-1 after Rublev had rallied to beat Roberto Bautista-Agut, 3-6, 6-3, 7-6 (0), in the first match. “It was a difficult situation for us,” López said.

“We needed this win, otherwise we could be close to being out of the tournament. Now we are in a good position to advance.”

Although only one of the matches reached three sets, it took nearly eight hours to complete the series at the “Caja Mágica” (Magic Box) center court. Spain will be back in action on Wednesday against defending champion Croatia.

Russia beat Croatia on Monday.

In the revamped Davis Cup format debuting this year, teams play only two singles and a doubles in each tie, with the group winners advancing to the knockout stage along with the two best second-place finishers in the six groups.

“The format makes things very difficult because every mistake puts you in a position that you don’t want to be,” Nadal said. “And losing that first match, we were under pressure.”

Serbia’s Novak Djokovic and Britain’s Andy Murray will make their first appearance on Wednesday. Serbia takes on Japan and Britain plays the Netherlands.

The Davis Cup Finals is being played in World Cup-style with all 18 teams playing in a single venue in the same

In the revamped Davis Cup format debuting this year, teams play only two singles and a doubles in each tie, with the group winners advancing to the knockout stage along with the two best second-place finishers in the six groups. week. It is the result of a 25-year partnership between the International Tennis Federation and Kosmos, a group cofounded by Barcelona soccer player Gerard Piqué.

Brazil star Neymar was among the more than 12,000 in attendance, which also included a marching band organized by Spanish fans that fired up the crowd throughout the matches.

FRANCE TRIUMPHS

TWO days after clinching the doubles title in the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) Finals, French duo Pierre-Hugues Herbert and Nicolas Mahut secured France an opening win.

Herbert and Mahut rallied to defeat Ben McLachlan and Yasutaka Uchiyama of Japan, 6-7 (4), 6-4, 7-5, in the deciding doubles match in Group A, giving top-ranked France a 2-1 victory.

The French duo squandered two match points while serving at 5-4, but capitalized on their chance at 6-5 to clinch the victory for last year’s Davis Cup runner-up.

The teams were tied after Jo-Wilfried Tsonga cruised past Uchiyama, 6-2, 6-1 and Yoshihito Nishioka defeated Gael Monfils, 7-5, 6-2.

Herbert and Mahut did not drop a single set in five matches at the ATP Finals, where they defeated Raven Klaasen of South Africa and Michael Venus of New Zealand in the final on Sunday.

“We know we’ve arrived late from London, but the captain had a lot of confidence in our team,” Mahut said.

“There was a lot of intensity in the win but we’re really

happy today. This was a really difficult tie.”

ARGENTINA CRUISES

ARGENTINA comfortably got past Chile 3-0 in Group C, with Guido Pella beating Nicolas Jarry, 6-4, 6-3, and Diego Schwartzman defeating Cristian Garin, 6-2, 6-2.

The tie was already decided when Máximo González and Leonardo Mayer topped Jarry and Hans PodlipnikCastillo 6-3, 7-5 in the doubles match.

“It’s the end of the season but I think I played one of the best matches for sure of the year, maybe in my career,” the 14th-ranked Schwartzman said. “I think Guido helped me a lot to be more confident in this match and I played unreal tennis.”

KAZAKHSTAN WINS AGAIN

KAZAKHSTAN also needed the doubles match to beat the Netherlands 2-1 and clinch its first away Davis Cup win since 2011. The Group E victory came after Mikhail Kukushkin and Alexander Bublik defeated Robin Haase and Jean-Julien Rojer 6-4, 7-6 (2). Kukushkin had beaten Botic van de Zanschulp 6-2, 6-2, while Haase defeated Bublik 7-5, 3-6, 7-6 (5).

“I almost died there,” Bublik said, jokingly.

AUSTRALIA AHEAD

RAFAEL NADAL in his usual fired up self as Russia’s Andrey Rublev lays on the court during his match against Spain’s Roberto Bautista Agut. AP

AUSTRALIA beat Colombia behind Nick Kyrgios’s 6-4, 6-4 win over Alejandro González and Alex de Minaur’s 6-4, 6-3 victory over Daniel Elahi Galan.

Colombia had lost to Belgium on Monday.

NEUTRAL VENUE I

Canadians, finally, beat Americans in Davis Cup M ADRID—Canada beat the United States in the Davis Cup for the first time on Tuesday, defeating the Americans, 2-0, on the second day of the revamped team competition to end a run of 15 straight losses.

Vasek Pospisil edged Reilly Opelka, 7-6 (5), 7-6 (7), and Denis Shapovalov defeated Taylor Fritz, 7-6 (6), 6-3, to give the Canadians an insurmountable lead in Group F of the inaugural Davis Cup Finals.

It was Canada’s first win in 16 meetings with the United States in the 119-year-old competition, although the teams had not played since 1965. The Americans had lost only three matches in total against their neighbors in the previous 15 meetings.

“It’s extremely disappointing because I felt like I definitely could have won, and it would have been big for the team,” Fritz said. “Unfortunately, I didn’t come up with the right shots at the right times sometimes. Ultimately, that’s why I lost.”

The result leaves the United States needing to beat Italy on Wednesday to have a chance of advancing to the knockout stage. Italy lost to Canada 2-1 in the opening group tie on Monday.

“This is the toughest group, I think, so there is no easy match,” US team captain Mardy Fish said. “But you never know.

We are going to go out there tomorrow and try to win the first one and try to put ourselves in position to do that.”

In the new Davis Cup format, teams play only two singles and a doubles match in each tie, with the group winners advancing along with the two best second-place finishers in the six groups.

The doubles match was not played.

“They’ve got a great team,” Fish said. “They’re going to be around for a long time.... I imagine that we’re going to have quite a few battles with them over the years.”

The US has won 32 Davis Cup titles, but its last came in 2007. If it fails to win in Madrid, it will equal the team’s longest gap between titles.

Opelka and Fritz said they were not surprised by the small number of American fans cheering for the team in the Spanish capital. The Canadians largely outnumbered the Americans and were much louder throughout the matches.

“Being an American tennis player, you are kind of used to not getting the support,” the 22-year-old Opelka said.

Fritz said there are just “more dedicated tennis fans in Canada.”

“I’m not going to lie, I think the US has so many other great sports, tennis isn’t really the focus,” he said. “The Canadian fans were strong and they flew out and they came out. I don’t think it has anything to do with the federations or anything.”

The new Davis Cup is being played in a World Cup-style format with all 18 teams playing in a single venue in the same week, instead of the head-to-head confrontations that used to take place at varied sites over four weekends throughout the year.

“I think the new format is great,” Opelka said. “I think it is easier to follow, it’s easier to understand what’s going on. The tournament starts, the tournament ends, you have a winner, you know when it’s over. It’s not dragging on throughout the whole year.”

The revamped tournament is the result of a 25-year partnership between the International Tennis Federation and Kosmos, a group cofounded by Barcelona soccer player Gerard Piqué. The ITF said the change was made to make the competition more attractive and lucrative.

Vasek Pospisil paves the way for Canada’s win over the United States. AP

SLAMABAD—The International Tennis Federation has moved Pakistan’s Davis Cup matchup against India to a neutral venue in Kazakhstan.

The best-of-five series between the fierce political rivals will be played in Nur-Sultan on November 29 and 30.

The ITF says “the Davis Cup Committee has voted in favor of the tie being hosted by the ITF on neutral ground.”

Aisam-ul-Haq, Pakistan’s top player, expressed his disappointment after India refused to play in Islamabad. He now says he will not play in Kazakhstan.

India last traveled to Pakistan for the Davis Cup in 1964 and went on to win 4-0. Pakistan last visited India in 2006, losing 3-2 in Mumbai.

Dominika Cibulkova, meanwhile, said she has retired from tennis.

The 30-year-old Slovak, who reached the 2014 Australian Open final and won the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) Finals in 2016, announced her retirement on Tuesday.

WTA President Micky Lawler praised Cibulkova’s “extraordinary finesse, speed and feel of the court.”

Cibulkova never won another tour-level title after the 2016 WTA Finals and played her last match at the French Open in May, losing to Aryna Sabalenka.

Unusually short for a professional tennis player at 5 feet and 3 inches, Cibulkova’s careerbest ranking was No. 4, achieved in May 2017.

Cibulkova has a tennis academy and a charity focused on helping Slovakian athletes adapt to life after elite-level sport. AP

Lover of the poor

D

EAR God, You judge justly and affirm righteous living.

In faith we pray: Shine Your light of truth on us, oh God. Inspire Your Church to know and live the dignity to which You have called us as sons and daughters in Christ.

Strengthen Your Church in the preferential option for the poor and in concern for refugees, immigrants, children and youth at risk. Gift families with the blessings they need to grow together in wisdom, age and grace. May God give us the mind and heart of Christ, that we may live in joy and peace, and proclaim the good news of Christ’s victory over sin and death. Amen.

GIVE US THIS DAY, SHARED BY LUISA LACSON, HFL Word&Life Publications • teacherlouie1965@yahoo.com

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

Life BusinessMirror

REELING: ‘WISH YOU WERE HERE, TORA-SAN’: A VERY PERSONAL REVIEW D4

Thursday, November 21, 2019

D1

FROM left: Rose Villamor, International Bazaar Foundation Inc. adviser; Consul Helen M. Ong, IBF president; Alice Tesoro-Guerrero, IBF treasurer; Susan B. Fries, president of Spouses of Heads of Mission; and Maria Lourdes B. Locsin, IBF chairman NONOY LACZA

❶

❷

IBF TO SHOWCASE GLOBAL FLAVORS, PRODUCTS THIS WEEKEND

❸

BY JT NISAY

❹

❺

❶ THE inside of

Palau de la Música Catalana.

PHOTOS: AP

❷ THE Basílica

de Sagrada Família

❸ SEAFOOD paella at a restaurant in Barcelona.

❹ CHURROS

and other fried treats on display at Xurreria.

❺ COLORED

light filtering through the stained-glass windows of Basílica de Sagrada Família, Anton Gaudí’s unfinished landmark.

❻ TOURISTS

walking along a narrow street between two old buildings in the Gothic Quarter.

❻

Paella for one: Barcelona dazzles when you’re traveling solo

B

BY COURTNEY BONNELL The Associated Press

ARCELONA, Spain—They were on girls’ trips, guys’ trips, family vacations and honeymoons.

They were on the train, sharing massive platters of seafood paella and packed into Anton Gaudí’s mind-bending architectural jewels.

And then there was me. The solo female traveler in Barcelona. If you’re taking a solo trip for the first time, a European city like Barcelona is a good place to start. The city is dynamic; the streets and cafes are always packed, it’s safe to walk around at night and people mostly speak English.

Barcelona on your own means meandering the Gothic Quarter’s narrow streets or the Eixample neighborhood’s high-end stores and 19th-century architecture at your speed.

And no judgment when you stop for gelato or churros and chocolate twice a day.

If you’re planning a trip, be aware of the political conflict that’s turned violent at times in Catalonia’s capital. Spain’s highest court sentenced leaders of a Catalonian independence movement to prison last month, setting off waves of protests.

I was in the city the day the ruling came down and luckily only saw peaceful protesters blocking roads and rallying with flags. In roughly four days in Barcelona, here are some mustdos and need-to-knows for navigating the city solo.

EATING ALONE THE toughest part about on-your-own journeys can be mealtime. Sit at the bar, where you can chat with the bartender and get tips from locals or other tourists. But don’t be scared away from Barcelona’s patios and plazas. Cafés and bars—not the thumping-music, cruising-for-singles bars, but where most people grab tapas and wine—are everywhere and bustling. While tapas let you sample delicacies like cod croquettes and calamari, you don’t have to miss out on the paella that’s usually for two or more: chefs would make a solo serving of the rice dish.

Save most of your appetite for Spain’s traditionally large lunch. The menú del día will give you three courses, and beer or wine for €10 to €20.

WALK IT OUT YOU’LL now have plenty of fuel to hoof it 12 miles (19 kilometers) a day and truly breathe in the city. I took a train just once in Barcelona.

Many sights are blocks apart, including Anton Gaudi’s iconic Casa Batlló and Casa Milà—his wavy, mosaicencrusted modernist buildings on the bustling Passeig de Gràcia shopping street.

It only takes 10 minutes between his masterpiece, the unfinished Basílica de Sagrada Família, and the unmissable Sant Pau Recinte Modernista, a working hospital until a decade ago that was designed by Gaudí’s teacher, Lluís Domènech I Montaner.

But it’s going to take a couple of miles to get between those sights in the Eixample neighborhood and the older Gothic Quarter.

BREAKING DOWN SIGHTSEEING FIRST, grab a SIM card at the airport so you can Google the names of tapas and walking instructions.

One day, start at Gaudí’s Park Güell and get ready to climb a hill. Part of the park is free—you can see his viaducts and gardens—but don’t skip the paid area. It has a large square lined with a colorful smashed-tile bench and boasts views of the whole city.

It’s like a fairy tale—one that’s perfect for a selfie—with homes that look like life-sized gingerbread houses, mosaicencrusted stairs, grottos and a winding stone portico.

Walk back via Carrer Gran de Gràcia in the hip Gràcia neighborhood, bustling with cafes and shops tucked into modernist buildings. See Gaudi’s Casa Vicens, covered with tiles of yellow flowers, down a side street. Another day, book ahead the Basílica de Sagrada Família, Gaudi’s famous unfinished church with breathtaking stained-glass windows.

Cranes hoist stones above its towers, working to realize the architect’s vision a lifetime later. Pay for the audioguide.

Walk 10 minutes to Sant Pau Recinte Modernista, Barcelona’s best kept secret. Each of its brick wings has a sumptuous red- and yellow-tiled roof, embossed with religious sculpture. There are few visitors despite its proximity to the most visited landmark in the city.

It’s a Unesco World Heritage Site along with Montaner’s stunning Palau de la Música Catalana. A required tour of the music hall’s crescendo of colorful stained glass and mosaics is pricey but worth it, and you may even catch musicians practicing.

MONTSERRAT FOR a respite from city life, carve out a half-day for this mountain monastery. Load up on snacks and get to Plaça d’Espanya train station, where English-speaking workers will help you buy a ticket from the machines for the hourlong train.

The kiosks didn’t take cash or an American credit card unless it had a PIN attached, so bring your debit card and expect a foreign transaction fee.

Take the cable car up to Montserrat for 360-degree views of the green valley below and rocky peaks ahead. The church is beautiful, but the mountain was the star. Montserrat boasts

lots of walks, including a 3-mile jaunt on a paved path from the top of the peak to a viewpoint overlooking the monastery.

Afterward, you could fit in a visit to Casa Mila, which had no lines in the evening, and nearby Casa Batlló, with its eyelid terraces and acid-trip exterior that looks like crashing waves of water.

DON’T MISS THE OLD IT’S easy to lose yourself in the grand buildings in northern Barcelona, but the Gothic Quarter’s mysterious streets and cathedrals let you step into an ancient city.

Walk down the famed La Rambla street—a tourist haven of gelato, souvenir stands and people watching—until you reach the sea. Then veer into the Gothic Quarter and neighboring El Born area.

Wander through the stunning Barcelona Cathedral, spot the remains of the city’s ancient Roman walls and grab churros and chocolate at Xurreria to eat in a plaza.

Work up an appetite for Mercat de la Boqueria, a market where pig legs dangle near stands of colorful mounds of fruit, fresh fish or chocolate. Grab a cheap, but tasty, empanada and a €1 fresh fruit juice. ■

HOSTING BIANCA KING AND FRIENDS FOR PERFECT GETAWAY

DISCOVERY Country Suites in Tagaytay City recently hosted friends Bianca King, Mari Jasmin, Sambie Rodriguez-Tung and Kamille Canlas for an intimate birthday celebration among close friends. As Tagaytay continues to flourish as a drive-ready getaway destination, the Country Suites team was more than happy to collaborate with Bianca and company to help make their stay special. The group enjoyed a breakfast brunch by the garden with view of Taal, which was topped with an early preview of Restaurant Verbena’s now available brunch beverage: Mimosas.

“Country Suites regulars love the pocket locations for personal moments at the property, whether it be a teepee movie night in their room, or a picnic basket-style brunch enjoyed at the porch of one of our rooms by the garden,” shares Marketing and Communications Director Joe Josue.

To address the rising interest in Tagaytay getaways, Discovery Country Suites (www.discoverycountrysuites.com) has a special offer for guests planning their trip. Your Planned Getaway is a special offer of 10-percent off on any of the rooms when booking 10 days in advance. The promo includes breakfast for two, wine and cheese at sundown, and, milk and cookies. Pair this with well-loved brunch items and the new Mimosas at Restaurant Verbena, and you’re sure to have the perfect getaway.

THE International Bazaar Foundation Inc. (IBF) gathers under one roof the best offerings of more than 40 countries at the 2019 International Bazaar this Sunday, November 24, at the PICC Forums 1, 2 and 3, at the CCP Complex in Pasay City.

On its 53rd year, the one-day bazaar will feature more than 200 booths where guests can buy anything from food to furniture, including Australian wines, Lebanese baklava, Indian tunics and Swiss chocolates, to name a few.

“This bazaar will showcase the finest items from different countries together with the Philippines’s best communitybased products,” said Maria Lourdes B. Locsin, IBF chairman and wife of Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. “Make sure to bring your shopping bag, bring your money, bring your appetite.”

Organized in cooperation with the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), Diplomatic and Consular Corps, and the Spouses of the Heads of Mission (SHOM), the International Bazaar is a traditional annual fund-raising event of the IBF. The bazaar was initiated in 1966 by Angela Valdes-Ramos, wife of former Foreign Affairs Secretary Narciso Ramos and mother of former President Fidel V. Ramos.

“Considering that this bazaar has been going on for past 53 years, it only goes to show that we are doing something right and we are doing something good,” Locsin said of the event, which is held annually in late November.

The bazaar was initially conducted as a special project of the Ladies of the DFA, the Diplomatic and Consular Corps, the Armed Forces of the Philippines, other government agencies and the private sector.

Since then, the event has grown to “help change the lives of the marginalized sectors of society,” as stated by the IBF mission, whereby proceeds generated by participating embassies are remitted to the IBF, and then given to the SHOM for their own beneficiaries. Meanwhile, proceeds generated by the IBF during the bazaar are funneled to its various projects.

Among the chosen beneficiaries of IBF this year are 41 scholars in colleges and universities in Metro Manila. IBF also supports livelihood training and cultural preservation programs, and feeding drives, among others.

Entrance tickets to the bazaar are priced at P150, while donor cards go for P250. Both are available at Tesoros Store on Arnaiz Avenue, Makati City; at Special Projects Unit, 6th Floor, DFA Building, Roxas Boulevard, Pasay City; and at the PICC gate on the day of the bazaar.

D2

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Clockwise: Ham and egg cups; chorizo breakfast casserole; and banana bread with streusel topping

Entertaining BusinessMirror

Brunching in with Chef Noel dela Rama W

AKING up on a Saturday morning at your own time is one of the best parts of the weekend. You stretch your arms and stay in bed just a little bit more, unfazed by time. Once you’re ready to go about your day, it’s likely way past breakfast. And that sweet spot is called brunch, the love child of breakfast and lunch.

No doubt, brunch has become a favorite time for families and friends to hang out and catch up, usually during weekends, long holidays, or special occasions.

Over the years, it became so popular that restaurants started offering special menus and options to accommodate its loyal diners.

But here’s an idea: Instead of going out, why not whip up your own brunch spread at home? The Maya Kitchen (www.themayakitchen.com) brought New York-based caterer, culinary instructor, and personal Chef Noel dela Rama to show foodies how it can be done with little effort and maximum enjoyment.

In his 19 years in the industry, Chef Noel has catered to Manila’s most prominent names at private dinners—sometimes, at his own home—and served as a personal chef to New Yorkers who want to elevate their gatherings at their homes with bespoke menus that carefully blend specific food requirements and his own brand of farm-to-table dining experience.

At The Maya Kitchen’s Brunching in with Chef Noel dela Rama, Chef Noel proves that creating an appetizing brunch spread, especially when entertaining at home, is not an impossible task.

The menu combination here of savory and sweet provides a good base with room for more if you’d like to add to the selection. Best of all, these are recipes that anyone can easily recreate at home.

“You don’t have to be a pro to create a great brunch spread for your friends and family. Cooking may seem complicated, but it’s really a matter of practice and finding dishes that you’re comfortable with,” Chef Noel says.

CHORIZO BREAKFAST CASSEROLE 500 grams chorizo, hubad 2 tablespoons olive oil 250 grams fresh mushrooms, sliced 200 grams onions, small diced 200 grams red bell pepper, small diced 8 pieces large eggs 2 2/3 cups milk 1 tablespoon salt 1/4 tablespoons black pepper 1 1/2 tablespoons dry mustard powder 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped fine 12 oz day-old baguette, cubed into 1/2” pieces

z

Today’s Horoscope

By Eugenia Last

CELEBRITIES BORN ON THIS DAY: Carly Rae Jepsen, 34; Jena Malone, 35; Michael Strahan, 48; Goldie Hawn, 74.

Happy Birthday: Quality should be what drives you this year. Take your time and do things right the first time. Spend a little extra to get exactly what you want, but buy fewer items. Balance will be what promotes success, happiness and good health. Know your limitations and strengths, and use your attributes to impress, as well as to get ahead. Your lucky numbers are 3, 10, 18, 24, 26, 37, 49.

1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded 1/2 cup gruyere cheese, shredded chopped parsley and chives, for garnish

Sauté mushrooms in olive oil and cook until dry and caramelized. Set aside.

In the same pan, render chorizo in oil and cook until cooked through.

Drain and set aside.

In the same pan, sauté onions until translucent. Add peppers and cook until soft. Combine with mushrooms and chorizo In another bowl, add eggs, milk, salt, black pepper, mustard powder, parsley. Whisk together until well mixed. Combine both cheeses.

Toss bread cubes with chorizo mixture.

Add 1/2 bread mixture into buttered 9x13 pan, top with 1/3 cheese mixture, add remaining bread, add 1/3 cheese mixture.

Pour custard mixture over top.

Using wooden spoon, gently press down to soak all custard. Top with remaining cheese.

Allow to rest at least 30 minutes, or cover in foil and place in refrigerator overnight. If you place it in the fridge, allow to sit in room temp before baking.

Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until set and no longer runny in a 350˚F oven.

Serve hot.

a

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Hold on to your cash. Put your money, possessions and personal papers in a safe place. Refuse to let anyone bamboozle you into something you don’t want.

Keep an open mind and a tight fist. Joint ventures are best avoided. HHH

b

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Settle amicably any differences you have with a friend, relative or peer. Getting along will be half the battle when it comes to getting what you want.

Use a little charm and flexibility to forgo a dispute. HHH

c

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Look at what’s being offered, but don’t jump into something without checking out the downside. Risky ventures are best left alone. Someone is likely to mislead you if you are gullible. If you want to make a change, do so alone. HHH

d

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Listen carefully. If something is of interest to you, find out all you can before you proceed. A partnership can be developed, but get what you want and what you are willing to give in writing. HHHH

e

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Take a closer look at your responsibilities and what’s expected of you. Don’t take shortcuts or try to get others to do the work for you. Detail and precision will make a difference and help you avoid penalties, criticism or blame. HH

f

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): You’ll be right on the mark when it comes to implementing the changes necessary to get you where you want to go. Don’t let anyone confuse you or convince you to take on or spend more than necessary.

Do what’s best for yourself. HHHHH

HOMEMADE CHORIZO 500 grams ground pork/chicken 2 tablespoons garlic, crushed and minced 1.5 tablespoons smoked paprika 1 tablespoon salt 1/2 tablespoon red pepper flakes 1/2 tablespoon black pepper 30 ml red wine vinegar 1/2 teaspoon sugar Combine all ingredients and chill one hour to overnight.

BANANA BREAD WITH STRUESEL TOPPING Cake: 1 1/4 cups Maya All-Purpose flour 2 tablespoons Maya Cornstarch 3/4 teaspoon baking soda 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/2 cup butter, melted 1 cup white sugar 2 pieces large eggs, beaten 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1/3 cup plain yogurt 1 cup very ripe bananas, mashed Streusel: 1/2 cup butter, softened 1 cup Maya All-Purpose Flour 1/2 cup light brown sugar 1 teaspoon cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 cup pecans, toasted and chopped 1/2 cup rolled oats

www.businessmirror.com.ph

g

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Be careful when it comes to joint money matters. Disagreements are likely to take place that could end up being costly or lead to future problems. Be reasonable and upfront about expenditures. HHH

Streusel: Combine flour, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt. Stir in butter, pecans and oats until coarse crumbs form. Refrigerate or freeze until ready to use.

If it’s browning too quickly, cover with foil. Cool in pan 20 minutes before inverting on a wire rack. Cool completely before serving.

Banana Bread: Mash bananas, cover and allow to sit in refrigerator up to overnight. You want it to be very dark.

Butter and line a 9x5 loaf pan. Line with parchment paper and allow a 1-inch overhang.

In a large bowl, whisk together: flour, cornstarch, baking soda and salt. In another bowl, mix sugar, eggs, vanilla and yogurt until combined.

Stir in mashed bananas. Make a well in the flour mixture, pour in the wet ingredients. Stir just to combine. Do not over mix!

Spoon half of batter into prepared pan, add some streusel. Top with remaining batter. Cut batter with a knife. Top with remaining streusel topping.

Bake at 350˚F oven for about one hour and 10 minutes or until tester inserted comes out clean.

12 slices ham 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese 12 pieces eggs 3 tablespoons butter, cut into quarters salt and pepper to taste 1/2 cup diced tomatoes 1/4 cu thinly sliced chives cooking spray

HAM AND EGG CUPS

Preheat the oven to 400˚F. Coat a 12 cup muffin tin with cooking spray.

Press a slice of ham into each muffin well.

Divide the cheese evenly among the cups.

Crack an egg into each cup, then season with salt and pepper to taste.

Add a knob of butter in each cup.

Bake for 13 to 15 minutes or until yolks are at desired level of doneness.

Right before serving, top with tomatoes and chives. n

h

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Treat others with respect. Listen attentively and offer suggestions, but don’t meddle in other people’s affairs. Stick to the truth and offer unbiased opinions, and you’ll receive praise, as well as the support and help you need to get things done. HHH

i j

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Your expressive way of describing things will grab interest, but if you exaggerate, you will be questioned about your source of information. Stick to the truth, and avoid being called out. HHH

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Improvements at home will help ease your stress. Comfort and convenience, along with activities that help build strength and encourage proper diet and exercise, will make a difference in your attitude and your personal relationships with others. HHHHH

k

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): You can get ahead financially by applying your skills in different ways. A change you make will help you qualify for something you’ve always wanted to pursue. Use your intelligence, but don’t make promises you cannot deliver. HH

l

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Stick to the truth and don’t believe everything you hear.

It’s important to keep information straight if you want to avoid a blowout with a friend, peer or relative. Work by yourself if you don’t want someone to take advantage of you. HHHH Birthday Baby: You are steady, confident and in control.

You are unique and persuasive.

‘getting political’ by steven l. zisser The Universal Crossword/Edited by David Steinberg

ACROSS 1 Genius Bar whiz 5 The Middle East’s ___ Strip 9 Aladdin baddie 14 Puma competitor 15 Rewrite “right” as “rite,” say 16 Blazing 17 City on the Moselle 18 Former education secretary Duncan 19 Really cool 20 Support for a potential nominee?

23 Cause of overtime 24 Kosovo neighbor: Abbr.

25 ___ pie (kid’s “dessert”) 26 What “oui” or “ja” means 27 Politician’s footwear?

33 Tombstone letters 34 Wheel connector 35 Guitar pedal effect 38 Ilhan in The Squad 40 Old mattress woe 42 Satan’s doing 43 To a greater degree 46 Bandmate of Crosby and Stills 49 Big bird

0 Diligent voter at the ballot box?

5 53 Nightmarish street 55 Tide alternative 56 Charlottesville sch.

57 Stan who had a cameo in Black Panther 58 Political appointments?

64 Water Lilies painter 66 Bolognese sauce meat 67 State with certainty 68 ___ nous 69 Asian Risk territory that borders Europe 70 Morning joe 71 Choir platform 72 Like some straits 73 Designer Cassini DOWN 1 Pack down, as tobacco 2 Happily-after link 3 Big name in credit cards 4 Suit type for a disaster 5 Transmission, often 6 Not ___ eye in the house 7 About 97.5 percent of a modern

penny 8 Starting lineups 9 Anonymous woman 10 Movie list org.

11 Advertised number of Heinz varieties 12 Bandleader Shaw 13 Spanish kings 21 ___ Romeo 22 River to the Rhine 27 28-Down destination, perhaps 28 Hired wheels 29 Complex homes 30 Treasure Island monogram 31 Intended 32 First lady?

36 Frosty coating 37 Make hazy 39 Outdoor gear retailer 41 It’s priced to 9/10 of a cent in the US 44 King’s staff 45 Green ingredient in gumbo 47 Dustup 48 “___ Nagila” (bat mitzvah song) 51 Half a musical duo?

52 Native American code talker during

WWII 3 Hunter who bugs Bugs 5 54 Tea of Madam Secretary 59 Actress Garr 60 2020 or 2024 61 White House office shape 62 Be nomadic 63 ___ bag (gala handout) 65 Palindromic poetic preposition Solution to yesterday’s puzzle:

Parentlife BusinessMirror

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Thursday, November 21, 2019

D3

Clockwise: Celebrities Patrick Garcia, Nikka Martinez, Bianca Gonzalez, JC Intal, host Lexi Shultz, and Dr. Jose Rodolfo Dimaano Jr., area medical director of Abbott’s Asia-Pacific region; me with Patrick and Nikka; me with Japoy and Jan Lizardo, celebrity taekwondo couple; Dr. Joseph Regalado, guest child psychologist; me with JC Intal and Bianca Gonzalez.

Andi Manzano-Reyes on making the smart organic choice DECIDING what’s best for the family is a struggle for every mom. Andi Manzano-Reyes is no stranger to this. Although she considers herself a smart homemaker, she still struggles sometimes when it comes to making choices for her family’s health.

Having her first daughter, Olivia, was what motivated Andi and her husband GP to make a lifestyle check. “For me, being a mom has changed the way I make decisions,” she said. Health and nutrition became a priority for her, and it became increasingly important that she become more meticulous especially with the food she prepares for her daughter.

Andi was inspired by her fellow moms who lead a healthier and more natural lifestyle, and it was at this point that she gained a better appreciation of organically sourced food. Organic products follow a strict standard that ensures there are no artificial pesticides, growth hormones, and synthetic antibiotics used during its production process.

“There’s this concern that some products might be made with a lot of chemicals that aren’t going to be helpful for your child’s development—there’s always that fear.”

Olivia, now four years old, loves fruits and vegetables—food that Andi regularly includes in her diet. Since Olivia is very adventurous when it comes to food (especially spicy ones!), she and Andi make preparing food a fun time for them. They usually cook Filipino dishes, and make homemade fruit ice popsicles or salads together.

Although Andi doesn’t always serve organic food to her family, she chooses smart when it comes to Olivia’s milk. She wants to make sure that Olivia gets the best available milk that provides age-appropriate nutrition with the assurance of organic.

After doing thorough research and consulting fellow moms, Andi discovered Promil Organic (bit. ly/2NkXL9m), and choosing it for Olivia’s milk was an easy decision for her. First, Promil Organic is made by Wyeth Nutrition, the leading formula milk manufacturer in the Philippines with over 100 years of scientific expertise.

Second, the milk formula is made with 100 percent organic milk sourced from organic dairy farms certified by the Organic Certification Center of the Philippines Inspection and Services Inc., following strict organic requirements. Last, it is the only organic formula milk in the Philippines intended for preschoolers aged 3+ that contains DHA and AA— important nutrients that help support a child’s brain development.

The power of two mommy no limits

maye yao co say

mommynolimits@gmail.com

T

HE reality of today’s parenting life is multifaceted and demanding, to say the least. With information readily available and social media, we are pressured to study so many aspects of our child’s growth. Parents today cannot help but worry most of the time. Since 2018, my quest has been to seek and share advice on “simplifying parenting.” My hope is to allow each parent to have a calm, fulfilling and enjoyable parenting journey.

On November 13, I attended a parenting forum hosted by Abbott, a global health-care leader. The forum was called “When Mom and Dad Team Up, Amazing Learning Happens.” I learned further how the team parenting mindset can help simplify parenting.

For generations, moms and dads have had their differences when it comes to parenting styles and

FROM left: Russell Hobbs Power Crush, Russell Hobbs Cyclofry Plus Health Fryer and Remington Infinite Protect Hair Dryer

approaches. Raising a child requires cooperation from both parents; to put it simply, there must be teamwork. Celebrity couples Bianca Gonzalez and JC Intal, along with actor Patrick Garcia and his wife, Nikka Martinez highlighted the importance of team parenting. Guided by pediatrician and child psychologist Dr. Joseph Regalado, they shared the challenges encountered and the lessons learned firsthand with members of the audience. They also discussed the science behind team parenting, and how collaboration between parents makes a significant impact on a child—be it on discipline or the best nutrition.

Each parenting journey is unique. As such, there is no one-size-fits-all approach when it comes to raising a child. “Research suggests that the majority of parents display a certain parenting style that may or may not differ from that of his or her partner,” Dr. Joseph Regalado said at the forum. “Thus, team parenting is when these two different parenting styles work in harmony to achieve the common goal— raising their child to be the best he or she can be.”

“We all have our individual styles and approaches to being a mom or a dad because no two parents are alike,” Bianca Gonzalez said. Their game plan? “Team parenting isn’t about agreeing with each other all the time; it’s about communication, compromise and collaboration. JC and I have our differences, but we always try to meet halfway. Despite how different we are, we complement each other as we work together

Chef Nancy Reyes-Lumen introduces Russell Hobbs Power Crush and Russell Hobbs Cyclofry Plus Health Fryer.

Best innovation global products now available in PHL LIFE nowadays has definitely become easier with the coming of innovative products that make our daily routine sweat-free. From our kitchens to our vanity corners, we need only the functional products that we can find in the market.

October 23 marked as a special day when three

exciting global products finally reached the Philippine shores, and are now available in our local appliance stores and online channels, including depot.ph.

In an exclusive and intimate launch event held at Made Nice Restaurant in Rockwell Makati, guests got to know better about Remington Infinite Protect Hair

Dryer, Russell Hobbs Power Crush and Russell Hobbs Cyclofry Plus Health Fryer.

Guests also got to experience the wonders of these products firsthand through a live demonstration by invited celebrity hair stylist Renz Pangilinan and food critic Chef Nancy Reyes-Lumen.

as a team, and seeing how Lucia is growing up to be smart and strong, we’re confident that we’re doing a good job.”

As experts in science-based nutrition, Abbot has adopted a dual approach in creating the breakthrough formula in Similac GainSchool. According to Dr. Jose Rodolfo Dimaano Jr., area medical director for Abbott’s Asia-Pacific region, “Similac GainSchool provides children with the dual benefit of 2’-FL HMO, which strengthens a child’s immunity, and 10 key brain nutrients for faster learning. With these ingredients working together to shape a smart brain and strong immunity, children are able to achieve a more well-rounded sense of growth and development.”

Proper nutrition establishes a strong foundation for a child to thrive. Similac GainSchool, with 2’-FL HMO and 10 key brain nutrients, provides preschoolaged children with proper nutrition. It also helps parents fulfill their team parenting game plan: to equip their children with good health for faster learning.

I was also lucky to be able to get real-life advice from the celebrity couples with regards to their view on simplifying parenting.

Patrick Garcia and Nikka Martinez Patrick: “If you are enjoying what you do, it becomes really simple because it turns out to be fun.

Whether nagkakagulo sa bahay, as long as your mindset is simple, you’re having fun because having a family is fun...having children is fun, everything becomes so much easier.”

Nikka: “I’d like to believe that you make a decision once and live by it. When we decided to be parents, we make the most out of it. We committed to it so we both wanted to do this; so we’re both going to do it...so it makes it simple. At the end of the day, we want to be the best parents we can be.”

JC Intal and Bianca Gonzalez JC: “For me, based on my experience, as much as possible I want to be flexible. If I know my parenting style is not working, I try to do other things. Like Bianca, when I see how she communicates with my daughter, and if it’s working, I’m going to copy it. If it’s not working, then I will do my own thing.”

Bianca: “For me, in terms of guiding our child emotionally, I think the way to simplify it is, I read it in an article and it has worked for us...

Acknowledge your feelings, so even us as adults whenever we feel sad or mad, it’s important to us that we are acknowledged, right? That our feelings are acknowledged. More so with our child. So whenever our child feels something, we always tell her, ‘I know you’re sad, but...’ then we try to explain. ‘It’s okay that you want to cry. We understand.’ So understanding the feelings of your child is so important just so they know it is okay to feel things.”

The Power of Two truly simplifies parenting. n

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Show BusinessMirror

Thursday, November 21, 2019

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‘Wish you were here, Tora-san’: A very personal review REELING

TITO GENOVA VALIENTE

titovaliente@yahoo.com

O

NLY the Japanese can do this—to make a film that follows the past using the images from the cinema in which those images appeared in historical time.

This is the film about Tora-san. Played by Kiyoshi Atsumi, Tora-san was this character—loving and lovable, opinionated. A kind of Japanese Everyman with an attitude that straddled those that Japanese rural societies value, as imagined by those who long for the past, and who are at the same time missed and puzzled over by the modern men and women of Japan.

That was the character; the cinematic past is Kiyoshi Atsumi playing the character all throughout his life, in some 48 installments or episodes.

The series was known by its title, Otoko wa Tsurai yo (translated as “It’s tough being a man”). It was directed by Yoji Yamada, who is noted for his Samurai trilogy: The Twilight Samurai, The Hidden Blade and Love and Honor. The first film, The Twilight Samurai, was nominated for Best Foreign Language Film in the 76th Academy Awards.

The series is said to be, according to the Guinness Book of World Records, the longest-running movie series starring a single actor. Kiyoshi Atsumi was Tora-san and Tora-san was Kiyoshi Atsumi. When he passed away, the admirer of the films and the actor believed Tora-san also passed on.

I was in Japan when Kiyoshi Atsumi died. And I was there when the other series were screened.

Always, I remember the actor/Tora-san (for they were interchangeable) with a small luggage and an open road. The magic was that one never knew whether this elegant, rambunctious vagabond was leaving or arriving. Those were the two options. Tora-san was never in transit.

It was, therefore, with the magic of cinema and the grandeur of loyalty that I would have the privilege to see the 5oth Tora-san series as part of the opening film for journalists in the recently concluded Tokyo International Film Festival. It was also the opening film for the festival.

What the filmmaker, Yoji Yamada, did was to gather footages, which were in 4K restored condition from the more than 40 series, and continue each scene. The power and efficacy of this narrative was finding the same actors—with the exception of Kiyoshi Atsumi—as they are now.

The plot refrains from following the old template of Tora-san encountering a woman or getting

mixed up in a fight or a conflict, leaving the place and then coming back. This time, the film looks at a nephew, Mitsuo, beloved by Tora-san. The film opens with the young boy worried that no one will be with him during the sports festival in his school. His uncle promises to be around but the uncle has “grand” plans about his presence in the school and these plans carry with them a behavior that the boy feels will embarrass him. The boy shown in this part of the story is the same boy who acted years and years ago as that boy. He is Hidetaka Yoshioka. Later in the film, the actor plays the boy all grown up (or aged). The boy you see anxious about his overeager uncle is now a published author, a man who has just lost his wife.

Of course, Mitsuo had a girlfriend when he was a teenager, the young man hopelessly in love played again by a Hidetaka Yoshioka. The girl is Izumi, played

by Kumiko Goto. We see her in two ages: as the girl whose heart was treasured by Mitsuo and as the girl who became a sophisticated and cosmopolitan woman whose ambition to achieve something took her far from her first love.

The two lovers meet again. Izumi is back at home

for a much-needed break. She surprises Mitsuo, who is signing the book he has just launched.

Separation and reunion have never been caught in all its vibrant poignancy until these scenes between Izumi and Mitsuo. We view them and we see how the years have gone by.

If we are to look for the contribution of Yoji Yamada and this film to world cinema, it is in the daring and persistence to gather all living actors that were in the Tora-san series to tell the story of kinship and love once more presently. What makes the contribution monumental is how the film tracks the actors, and offer them to us in their aged and fabulous reincarnations.

The sense that one gets in watching the film, Wish you were here, Tora-san, is a feeling of omniscience and omnipotence. We become gods given the ringside as a filmmaker gathers perhaps for the last time the characters of this lovely fable. It is only in the first few minutes that we feel the odd and old color-grading of the old footages but as soon as the conflicts among the characters and the conflicted in many of them are held up for us to examine once again, we are buoyed by the emotions of the

landscape. It is a horizon mapped for us by Torasan and he is there once more with his erring and unerring advice. He is a presence as we look at what the years have wrought upon those whose lives he has touched or left untouched.

The half-sister of Tora-san, Sakura is here. With the notable actress Chieko Baisho, the person of Sakura seems to be the one who has aged well and gracefully. Gin Maeda as her husband provides an assuring presence. They still live in the village of Shimabata, a district in the outskirts of Tokyo.

One of the most colorful characters is Lily, played

by Ruriko Asaoka, she with the deep-throated voice of a woman made wise by heartbreak and personal tragedy. Older, Ruriko Asaoka is a more engaging and less deranged Norma Desmond of a Japanese shitamachi or downtown.

Regrets and just a whiff of resolutions are the gifts of Wish you were here, Tora-san. At the end of the screening, I vowed to travel to Shibamata and there, enjoy the early autumn chill of Tokyo and savor the nostalgia that Japanese films are experts in designing and marketing. Unashamedly, I am a rabid consumer of this rare Japanese commodity. ■

Michelle Obama signs ‘Becoming’ copies on book’s anniversary WASHINGTON—Michelle Obama marked one year since publication of her best-selling memoir at a book signing in the nation’s capital on Monday. “It’s so good to meet you,” the former first lady told patrons as she signed copies of Becoming at a Washington, D.C., bookstore. More than 11.5 million copies of the memoir have been sold worldwide since it was first published in November 2018.

Mrs. Obama then embarked on a rockstar-style tour of more than 30 cities in the US, Canada and Europe to promote the book.

Patrons did not seem to mind the hourslong wait outside in the November chill before

they were ushered inside the bookstore.

Behind a black curtain, Mrs. Obama sat at a table. The shelves behind her were stacked with copies of Becoming, along with an accompanying journal being released on Tuesday. “She looks so much younger than I thought,” one man was overheard saying as he waited in line.

“She looks beautiful,” exclaimed a woman.

“Oh my gosh. Oh my gosh,” gushed another woman in line.

Rosalind Myers, an attorney from Rockville, Maryland, told those still waiting outside as she left the store that “it’s worth the wait.”

Myers said she had missed two previous opportunities to see Mrs. Obama at her book events. But on Monday, Myers was 26th in line.

“She took the time to look me in the eye, to shake my hand,” Myers said. “She’s a beautiful woman inside and out.”

In Becoming, Mrs. Obama tells the story of her upbringing on the South Side of Chicago, her academic and professional careers as an attorney and health care executive, her marriage to Barack Obama, their daughters Malia and Sasha, the 2008 presidential campaign and the election that made them the first black US president and first lady. AP

Kylie Jenner sells stake in beauty empire to CoverGirl owner NEW YORK—Kylie Jenner is selling a stake of her beauty business to CoverGirl owner Coty, in a deal that values the reality TV star’s company at about $1.2 billion. Coty said on Monday that it will pay $600 million for a 51 percent stake in Kylie Cosmetics.

It plans to launch more products under the Kylie brand and sell them in more countries around the world. The deal is expected to be completed early next year.

Jenner, part of the Keeping Up with the Kardashians reality show family, founded her company in 2015, tapping into her hundreds of millions of social media followers to promote her popular lip liners and liquid lipsticks.

The 22-year-old, who is the youngest sister of Kim Kardashian West, will still be the face of the brand and be involved in creating new products.

“Kylie is a modern-day icon,” said Peter Harf, Coty’s chairman of the board.

Coty hopes that the celebrity-backed business can help boost its sales and connect with younger shoppers under 35, a group that traditional makeup brands have struggled to reach. Coty’s other brands, including Max Factor makeup and Sally Hansen nail polish, have been around for decades. Wendy Nicholson, an analyst at Citi Research, said that the deal could help Coty become a “faster growth company.” But she said a brand attached

to a celebrity comes with risks, like the possibility that Jenner’s popularity could fade. Coty said on Monday that Jenner “is not a fad,” citing her brand’s growing sales and social media followers. Kylie Cosmetics brought in about $177 million in revenue in the last year, up 40 percent from the year before, the company said.

And the brand’s Instagram followers grows by 7,000 a day.

Jenner’s products were only sold online when it was first launched, but last year the brand struck a deal to sell its goods in 1,100 Ulta Beauty stores. Jenner expanded her empire earlier this year with Kylie Skin, a line of moisturizers, under eye creams and facial scrubs. AP

DANCERS wave the CCP 50th anniversary flags.

ORLY DAQUIPIL

‘Sinag: Festival of Radiance’ at CCP SPECTATORS flocked to the front lawn of the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) recently to witness the launching of the evening light and sound spectacle, billed as “Sinag: Festival of Radiance.” The 10-minute sound and light show, which combines traditional arts and modern technology, showed the iconic building becoming a colorful canvas with beautiful lanterns created by the Kapampangan craftsmen from the renowned family of lantern makers, led by fifth-generation artisan Arvin Quiwa.

The lights danced gracefully to the music of “Pagdiwang sa Ginintuang Pagsilang,” with lyrics by National Artist Bienvenido Lumbera and music and orchestration by National Artist Ryan Cayabyab. The music for Sinag was especially commissioned by the CCP. An art installation by multimedia artist Abdulmari “Toym” Imao Jr.,

featuring a 20-feet lantern-type sundial at the CCP front lawn, also complemented the light and sound show.

The launching featured 100 dancers, choreographed by Novy Bereber and Marciano Viri. The light show was designed by John Batalla, and the opening spectacle directed by Chris Millado and Ariel Yonzon.

The annual lighting of the CCP façade, which started several years back, has become a beloved tradition which the community looks forward to each year.

The light and sound show will run from Tuesday to Sunday every hour from 6 to 9 pm. When there is an event at the Main Theater, showtimes are at 6 and 7 pm. It runs until January 5, 2020, except Mondays and during inclement weather.

Sinag: Festival of Radiance is part of the CCP’s 50th anniversary celebration.

Envoys&Expats

www.businessmirror.com.ph | Thursday, November 21, 2019 E1

Giving time and power back to commuters

I

N 1988, the English alternative rock band The Godfathers released a song on what they opined were four constant stages in life: “Birth, School, Work, Death.”

About a decade later, weary residents of Metro Manila and other key cities in the Philippines were starting to contend with a creeping phenomenon every waking and working day of their lives: terrible, exasperating (and even life-threatening) traffic.

Experts say it’s the curse of a developing country such as the Philippines. It has become an epidemic of monumental proportions. The scourge of metropolitan urbanites and, lately, their neighbors from nearby provinces, have earned worldwide notoriety as “the worst kind on the planet,” according to Waze. This paper has constantly reported about the price tag on the everyday economic losses brought about by this daily debacle: P2.4 billion in 2012, P3.5 billion in 2018 and P5.4 billion in 2035. In Cebu City, it’s a staggering P1.1 billion.

This problem in Metro mobility is being addressed head-on by Angkas, the very first app-based motorcycle ride-hailing service in the Philippines. Its CEO, Angeline Tham, believes that her company has what it takes to bring Pinoys from point A to point B more efficiently.

Reeling from a major setback a few months ago from the Department of Transportation with a total ban from our thoroughfares, Angkas’s service has now earned the nod by no less than the Philippine Senate. Legislators have vowed to help legalize the ride-sharing bikes-for-hire and other similar services, with the aim to bring a solution to the motoring mess enveloping Edsa and elsewhere in Manila, as well as downtown Cebu.

Angkas endeavors to rewrite a different tune in the cadence of transportation around the Metro and major cities, with high hopes that it will not take a lifetime for our traffic blues to make a significant turnaround. Here’s what its CEO had to say: ENVOYS&EXPATS: Tell us how you found your way to the Philippines.

THAM: I grew up in Singapore, where I launched one of the top online-auction outfits in Singapore called Sold.sg. That business brought me to the Philippines, and I fell in love with the people and culture.

After I sold the company, I started spending more time in this country, learning more about the things that makes it so special. At the same time, I also saw opportunities on how things could be done better.

That’s what eventually led me to start Angkas.

Please share with our readers your inspiration behind Angkas.

The Philippines loses billions of pesos every day because of productivity lost from what seems to be insurmountable traffic. Angkas was created to make the lives of millions of Filipinos everywhere a little bit easier by allowing them to get to their destinations in half the time and half the cost.

From my time here, I’ve seen how debilitating traffic can be for commuters. W hile we can quantify fairly well the economic cost of traffic, the complete and mostly intangible costs of traffic in our everyday lives and decisions is quite immeasurable: Think, for example, about unattended school days or classes, or unsuccessful job applications, due to length of distance. Or, how certain relationships in life

are strained or don’t prosper due to the difficulty of meeting in person.

As a Singaporean who has traveled and lived in both developed and developing countries, I’ve seen the juxtapositions and realized how crucial reliable public transport is to empowering people. So when I moved to Manila and suffered its worldfamous congestion, I was spurred even more to give people a faster, more reliable alternative.

If you look across Southeast Asia, the Philippines is unique in its love for cars as the primary mode of transportation. In Indonesia, Vietnam and Thailand—developing countries with still nascent mass-transit systems—all of them rely on motorcycles to get people around. Upon discovering that motorcycles were, in fact, gaining popularity in the country, albeit in the private sector only, and knowing ride hailing was no longer novel to Filipinos, it made perfect sense to apply the technology to the more agile motorcycle.

So far, how has Angkas performed vis-à-vis its original vision? Has the outcome been as initially planned?

We started with a simple goal: to help commuters get through traffic safely and reliably. Though we’ve been through quite a lot in the journey, we’ve always stayed true to this vision.

Our dedication to the onboarding process, training, professional conduct and 24/7 support is what has made us successful. It has taken a very passionate team and years of continuous improvement to get us to where we are today.

An unexpected outcome was the positive impact we’ve been able to bring to our hardworking bikerpartners. They have also been with us through this journey to prove that motorcycles can be used responsibly. Through the Angkas platform, we are now able to educate many Filipino motorcyclists about road safety, especially when access to such training is severely lacking in the country.

Though informal motorcycle taxis, or habal-habal, has been around for more than 40 years now, these were never widely adopted in the dense urban settings where congestion is worst.

When Angkas first came out, we were a novelty used mainly by very early adopters, adventurous types, and those whose jobs depended on being on time. Think of businessprocess outsourcing employees with strict shifts. Due to the stigma against motorcycles, it took us a long time to build trust, mostly through education campaigns and lots of word-of-mouth, despite the obvious savings in costs and travel time.

Since then, Angkas has evolved into somewhat of an accidental cultural icon—at least, our Twitter account is—and has become a crucial part of commuters’ daily lives. To date, we have gotten over 3 million downloads for our app, and over 27,000 biker-partners in the two regions we serve: Metro Manila and Metro Cebu.

Your thoughts on how Angkas is addressing the traffic situation and commuting woes in the country’s key cities.

Motorcycles are the only vehicles that can get through heavy traffic

easily. This is how we help commuters beat it. If we used four-wheeled vehicles in our service, commuters would still have to bear with the daily gridlocks, and the purpose of the service would be defeated.

Angkas provides commuters with a convenient, fast, and affordable way to go to their destinations, while providing biker-partners a decent means of livelihood.

More important, we give time and power back to the people.

With Angkas, you can get to work on time. You can now spend more time with your loved ones. And you can now choose to make decisions without being shackled to traffic.

Do you think Angkas has been accepted this time by society, the motoring community and the Filipino public, despite the past challenges it faced with Philippine authorities?

Use of motorcycles has always been stigmatized and is seen as unsafe. Through our experience, it is because most do not have the opportunity to learn how to ride safely.

We have been able to successfully professionalize the habal-habal service through technology on our platform. Education, attitude and continuous improvement are the keys.

We have shown that we can make them safe, as long as bikers adhere

to what they have learned during our stringent training process.

When we started, we had many skeptics and outright critics of our service. Fortunately, we have been able to win over different groups of people one step at a time. Our commitment to provide a safe and reliable service, along with friendly professional bikers and our bold marketing, really helped endear the public to us.

I’ve had friends before who didn’t want to be associated with riding a motorcycle. Even some of our hardcore fans were reluctant to be super vocal about their great experience on Angkas. We saw that change with

time as we consistently provided a service that helped solve a need.

I believe the reason we have grown to where we are today, is because we positioned our services at the core of what we do. On top of the convenience provided by ride-hailing apps, Angkas gives users the option to get to their destinations in half the time and half the cost. The experience can be very liberating.

While there are many people today who cannot live without Angkas, our journey is still ongoing, and we hope to be able to empower more Filipinos by helping them beat the traffic.

Continued on E3

Envoys& BusinessMirror

E2 Thursday, November 21, 2019

WOMEN AND BUSINESS

Philippines wins big in Apec forum

DR. VERONICA RAMIREZ (left), winner from the Healthy Women, Healthy Economies Research Prize. DFA

DALAREICH POLOT (left), awardee from the Apec BEST Award. DFA

JESSICA MOLDEZ-WU (rightmost) with other top participants at the Women in STEM Global Innovation through Science and Technology Pitch Competition. DFA

ANTIAGO—For the first time in an Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) Forum, advancing women’s issues and enhancing their contributions to sustainable economic growth have become major thematic pursuits by a host economy.

Women Chairman Dr. Rhodora Bucoy headed the Philippine delegation to the WEF, accompanied by Office of International Economic Relations Acting Assistant Secretary Jesusa Susana Paez, PCW Officer in Charge and Deputy Director Cecile B. Gutierrez, Apec National Secretariat Assistant Larisse Lausingco, Interior Assistant Secretary Marjorie Jalosjos, Trade Assistant Secretary Leila Rivera, Department of Trade and Industry Region 7 Director Asteria Caberte, Department of Agriculture Director Remielyn Recoter, as well as PCW Supervising Gender Awareness and Development Specialist and Focal Point for WEF Pamela Susara.

Several advocacies of the Philippines on women were highlighted during the forum. Together with

Women Overseas Filipino Workers.”

Ramirez is the holder of the University of Asia and the Pacific Center for Research and Communication Professorial Chairman for Migration and Overseas Filipino Work. As first-prize winner, she was invited to return to Chile this month to present her work at the 2019 Apec CEO Summit in this city.

Meanwhile, Jessica Moldez Wu, also from the Philippines, competed with her start-up Lesstics, and was awarded $3,000 for her work during the Women in STEM Global Innovation through the Science and Technology Pitch Competition. Lesstics is a start-up Moldez-Wu cofounded to help solve the garbage problem in her city. It recycles single-use plastics and converts them into different reusable object, such as floor tiles, insulators,

S

With this advocacy for Apec 2019, host economy Chile welcomed delegates to the Annual Women and the Economy Forum (WEF) held in the seaside city of La Serena from September 30 to October 5.

Composed of meetings of the Apec Policy Partnership on Women

and the Economy, the meeting of Apec Minister on Women, as well as workshops and seminars organized by member-economies, the WEF also saw ministers endorse the proposed Apec Roadmap on Women and Sustainable Growth.

Philippine Commission on

Chile and Chinese Taipei, the Philippines developed the “Policy Toolkit on Promoting Gender Inclusion in Smart Agriculture,” aimed at providing guidance and practical experiences to address gender concerns in smart agriculture under three main clusters: enabling environment; sustainable and inclusive development; as well as technological innovation.

The Philippine delegation, likewise, welcomed and celebrated the prominent success of Filipino women for being awarded prizes for their work and winning competitions held on the occasion of the WEF. Dr. Veronica Ramirez was awarded the first prize in the inaugural “Apec Healthy Women, Healthy Economies Research Prize” for her study, “Common Health Problems of

Consulate general hosts NYC women entrep confab

Lego bricks and many more.

The 2019 APEC Business Efficiency and Success Target Award on women entrepreneurship was awarded to Dalareich Polot, general manager of Dalareich Tableya. Regarded as the “Tableya Princess of Bohol,” Polot also serves as chairman of the Bohol Cacao Development Council.

For its part, the Philippines also acknowledged member-economies for their active participation in implementing the Boracay Action Agenda. The Philippines will be releasing a study of APE’s overall progress over the past five years regarding the BAA and shall be presented in the Global MSME (micro, small and medium enterprises) Forum to be held in the island-paradise in 2020 under the theme, “Bringing the MSME initiative back to where it started.” DFA

1st Pinay awardee of Russian state honored CEBU-based Consul to Russia Armi LopezGarcia poses with Russian President Vladimir Putin after she received the Russian National Order of Friendship. RUSSIAN EMBASSY IN MANILA/DFA

CONSUL General Claro S. Cristobal (from left), with WE NYC Director Diana Franco, Florencia Giordano and Cody Jacobs. AFRIKANSPOT/WE NYC

H WE NYC Director Diana Franco (from top row, left to right), FiBrick Founder Ramona Cedeno, #KillerPitchMaster Precious Williams, Ajoy Consulting Founder Tuesday Brooks, SMAKK Studios Founder Katie Klencheski and Luminoustudios Cofounder Sanja Jhankar AFRIKANSPOT/WE NYC, NEW YORK PCG

N

EW YORK—The Philippine Consulate General in New York hosted in June the “WE Master Money Conference: Get Your Business Funded,” organized by the Women Entrepreneurs NYC (WE NYC), an initiative of the NYC Department of Small Business Services dedicated to empowering and helping women start and grow their business.

In his remarks, Consul General to New York Claro S. Cristobal welcomed more than 80 women coming from the diverse NYC community.

Most of them were either in the early stages of their businesses, are looking to expand their enterprise or interested in opening one.

Cristobal expressed his hope that Fili-

pino and Filipino-American women would take advantage of the WE NYC programs and what the city offers, emphasizing that with New York being the world’s media capital, it is a good place to build their personal and business brands.

The one-day conference afforded participants the opportunity to get practical and inspirational insights from the distinguished women entrepreneurs and mentors. Ramona Cedeno, founder of FiBrick Financial Services—a certified minority and women-owned business enterprise (MWBE) accounting practice—talked about elements potential investors and lenders are looking for prior to making

PARTICIPANTS of the conference NEW YORK PCG

a decision to invest in a company.

Tuesday Brooks, founder of Ajoy Consulting, spoke about the conventional and alternative sources of funding that they can tap into. Precious Williams, founder of Perfect Pitches by Precious, revealed the art and science of the “killer” pitch that will help them “slay all competition” and keep their business top of mind.

Meanwhile, Sanja Jhankar, cofounder of Luminoustudios, demonstrated the creation of effective and high-quality videos for a successful crowdfunding campaign. Katie Klencheski, founder of SMAKK Studios, instructed on telling their story in a way that defines the brand’s

value, connects to the audience and explains differential advantage from competitors.

Free one-on-one credit consultations were also offered throughout the day, where participants consulted with volunteer financial counselors and received personalized assistance on building, repairing and improving their personal credit standing.

WE NYC Director Diana Franco and Deputy Consul General Kerwin Orville Tate cohosted the conference. The collaboration of the consulate and WE NYC was born out of the success of the WE Empower Fil-Am Women’s Entrepreneurship Forum organized by the consulate general in April 2019. DFA

ONORARY Consul to Russia Armi Lopez-Garcia was hailed anew in Manila for recently receiving the Russian Order of Friendship from no less than President Vladimir Putin.

At a reception, Russian Ambassador to Manila Igor Anatolyevich Khovaev congratulated LopezGarcia and praised her efforts in the past decade as a “highly efficient Russian honorary consul” covering the provinces of Cebu, Aklan and Bohol.

“For us, she is our very close friend and sister,” Khovaev told reporters during the reception.

Russia’s top diplomat in the country added that the award is significant because Lopez-Garcia is the first Filipina to receive the high-level state award of Russia in the Kremlin.

“It’s a clear message to all the Filipinos that Russia is a friendly country,” he said.

Lopez-Garcia is the Honorary Consul of Russia based in Cebu, as well as the founding chairman of the Philippine-Russian Business Assembly.

She was awarded the Order of Friendship for her “outstanding contributions to strengthening friendship and cooperation” between Russians and Filipinos during Russia’s National Unity Day on November 4. The decoration was conferred by Putin. As the first Filipina to receive this, LopezGarcia joins other prominent personalities who were bestowed with the same award, such as Singapore’s first Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew,

former United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and Malaysia’s Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad.

For Lopez-Garcia, her “excitement” since she got the award early November has not waned: “It was given to me at the point where the relationship between our countries is at its peak, and the [rapport] between Presidents Duterte and Putin is [extremely] good. I think this is a signal that we have to move forward,” she said in an interview.

Before her appointment in 2007, the honorary consul was already involved in bridging the friendship between the two nationalities, and has in fact initiated a sisterhood agreement between Cebu City and Vladivostok in the past.

Back then, she said a lot of people would often ask her, “Why Russia?” who apparently based their perception about the Russian people through movies that portrayed the latter as villains.

“My answer would always be ‘Why not?’ Before my appointment, I had already been helping them in cultural events since 1996,” she said.

She described that Russians are “really warm people, and very educated,” then added that “their values are similar [as] ours.”

Moving forward, Lopez-Garcia said she wanted to further promote understanding among Filipinos about friendship these foreign nationals offer. Joyce Ann L. Rocamora/PNA

&Expats

envoys.expats.bm@gmail.com |Thursday, November 21, 2019 E3

VIS-MIN MONITOR

PHL country-friends send aid to Mindanao

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EMBERS of the local diplomatic community have separately offered sympathies and humanitarian aid to the people of Mindanao following the series of earthquakes that hit parts of the islandregion late in October and November.

Ambassador of Australia Steven Robinson said Canberra is in solidarity with Filipinos, particularly those displaced by the powerful tremors.

“Our thoughts are with the people affected by the earthquakes that hit Mindanao.... The DSWD [Department of Social Welfare and Development] is deploying Australian-gifted humanitarian supplies to those in need,” Robinson said.

The DSWD has so far deployed AU$144,000, or approximately P5.4 million, worth of relief supplies from the “Land Down Under,” prepositioned at their National Resource Operations Center to field offices in Regions 11 (Davao) and 12 (Soccsksargen).

According to its embassy in Manila, the prepositioning of relief supplies is part of a broader partnership between Australia and the DSWD to enhance the agency’s disasterresponse capabilities.

“These supplies consist of 9,440 trapals [laminated sacks] for temporary shelter, as well as 400 solar lamps,” it said.

For its part, Austria’s Embassy in Manila also relayed its message of sympathy over the weekend to the families of those who perished in the earthquakes.

“My deepest sympathies and heartfelt condolences to the families and friends of the victims of the recent earthquakes in Mindanao. To all

those in the affected communities, please know that our thoughts and prayers are with you,” Ambassador Bita Rasoulian said.

Meanwhile, the European Union, in a statement, said: “We are very saddened by the devastation and loss of [lives] caused by the earthquake which hit Mindanao. The EU Delegation to the Philippines stands in solidarity with the Filipino people in this difficult time.”

In his message on November 2, Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi made an assurance that the People’s Republic of China is willing to offer assistance to the Philippines within its capacity, “and believes that under the strong leadership of Philippine government, [Filipinos] will overcome the disaster and return to normal life at an early date.”

China had earlier announced its donation of about P22 million in humanitarian aid to ease the effects of the earthquakes which, according to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, has already resulted in at least 37,716 families affected, and more than 30,000 infrastructures damaged.

Aid for Digos IN relation, China has sent a team to deliver truckloads of assistance to earthquake victims in Digos City on November 8.

Chinese Consul General Li Lin,

CHINESE Consul General Li Lin answers queries from journalists upon his arrival in Digos City. The Chinese government sent two truckloads of relief goods as its first batch of assistance to the locals. PNA/ELDIE AGUIRRE

accompanied by a delegation of Chinese volunteers, arrived with two 10-wheeler wing van trucks which carried approximately 4,000 packs of relief goods.

Mayor Josef F. Cagas received the assistance in a turnover rite at the Gallarde Hall, where the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council command post is based.

Li said the cargo was part of the first batch of relief assistance from the Chinese government, and that another 4,000 packs of food items will be coming in the following day.

He said they are also willing to work with local officials in the rehabilitation of the city through the provision of medical services, potable water and building of sewage facilities.

“We will try our best [and] what-

ever we can to help the people of Digos City, since we can see that local officials are very enthusiastic in helping the victims through efficient delivery of relief assistance,” Li said.

For the part of the Davao del Sur capital, Cagas said the local government is now focusing on helping families who are currently living outside of their homes.

‘Friends of suffering humanity’ MEANWHILE, Sen. Richard J. Gordon, chairman and CEO of the Philippine Red Cross (PRC), has knocked on the hearts of the different ambassadors posted in the country, as he requested for donations to be given to the families affected by the recent disasters.

After he hosted a fund-raising dinner, Gordon told the diplomats,

Giving time and power back to commuters Continued from E1

How is training conducted with your drivers? Do they have time for such, considering the high demand for the service?

Safety is Angkas’s priority. As such, we ensure that all our biker-partners are fully trained and qualified before they are given the go-signal to start serving their passengers. To ensure the best quality bikers are on the platform, only 30 percent of our applicants pass our onboarding process.

Our safety training features different modules that address the needs of the bikers and their passengers on the road: safety tips, road regulations, proper behavior, actual riding procedures and written tests.

We are continually improving this process to maintain our 99.997-percent safety record not just through our onboarding, but also through strict monitoring of their performance on the app.

Are you a motorcycle rider yourself? How do you find navigating around Metro Manila?

I actually enjoy using Angkas more as it is relaxing and more convenient. It also gives me a chance to learn more about the customer experience and chat with our bikers.

A lot would agree that Angkas has a very fun and witty socialmedia team.

It is composed of young and fun-loving folks with an incredible

our goal of giving commuters a safe and reliable motorcycle taxi-service platform. This helps me get through all the low points in running the business.

ANGKAS CEO Angeline Tham: Angkas gives users the option to get to their destinations in half the time and half the cost. The experience can be very liberating. ROY DOMINGO/JONATHAN ENRIQUEZ

sense of humor. They come from the same demographic as most of our main users: millennials and Generation Z, so the relatable content came naturally.

Nothing there was ever companymandated: We gave the team some freedom to experiment and, over time, they naturally found this voice that we’ve settled on as Angkas’s social-media persona.

Other than ensuring nothing breaks our own rules regarding user

safety, the team has earned my trust regarding content and is free to be as creative and irreverent as they need to be.

What is your leadership style?

How do you lead a company in a foreign land?

I’ve learned a lot from my team on the local culture and way of doing business. I’m blessed that Angkas has a very passionate and strong team working together to achieve

What does the future look like/hold for Angkas?

Since safety is Angkas’s priority, we hope to keep working with every single motorcyclist in the Philippines to help educate them in the proper and safe usage of their bikes. There are currently over 18 million motorcycles in the Philippines, and this number will only keep growing. Without proper training, Filipinos traversing the roads using motorcycles will endanger not only themselves but others, as well.

We also want to destigmatize motorcycles and remove the perception that they are inherently unsafe. We would like Filipinos to see the motorcycle as a legitimate form of public transportation, and we can only do this if we keep doing the work to train our biker-partners on every single safety measure we deem necessary.

If you were an Angkas driver, who would be that “dream” person you’d like to book a ride with you?

I’d love to take Lee Kuan Yew through Manila to give him a tour of the beautiful city and learn from his views on good governance. Though he has visited the Philippine capital many times before, he has never experienced it on a bike.

as well as representatives of the different embassies present in the event that the PRC is trying to raise funds to cope up with the different catastrophes, such as earthquakes, floods, typhoons and others.

“Right now, we’re trying to make sure that we generate more resources, because there’s just too many disasters occurring. A lot of people are in need of help. All of you should be a friend of suffering humanity. Sometimes, we deal with problems here in a way that first-world countries would deal with differently,” he said.

During the dinner, Gordon showed the different humanitarian assistance provided by the Red Cross, and pointed out that the foremost humanitarian organization in the country raises funds in various ways to ensure it could extend whatever

assistance is needed.

“We raise money; if you go to an MRT [Metro Rail Transit] or LRT [Light Rail Transit] [station, there are always tin cans] where people can drop coins. That’s just one of our sources of funds. We have donors, too. It’s always a partnership.

The Red Cross strategy is to be the preferred partner of choice by everyone,” he said.

Present at the fund-raising dinner were Ambassadors Anke Reiffenstuel of Germany, Bjorn Staurset Jahnsen of Norway, Songkane Luangmuninthone of Lao PDR, Vasin Ruangprateepsaeng of Thailand, Harald Fries of Sweden and Artemiz Sumer of Turkey. Joyce Ann L. Rocamora and Eldie Aguirre/PNA, with a statement from the Senate

Iloilo, Guangzhou agree on youth exchange program

ILOILO CITY Mayor Jerry P. Treñas (left) and Vice Chairman for Foreign Affairs Zhu Tuan Neng sign a memorandum of agreement for the youth exchange program on November 12. PNA/ILOILO CITY PIO

I

LOILO CITY—A memorandum of agreement for a youth exchange program was inked by Iloilo City and China’s Guangzhou City in Fujian province.

Vice-Chairman for Foreign Affairs Zhu Tuan Neng formalized on behalf of Guangzhou, while Mayor Jerry P. Treñas signed for the city government of Iloilo during a ceremony held at the city hall penthouse.

Both cities signed a letter of intent in July 2018 for the establishment of an amicable relationship to enhance “the understanding and friendship between the people of Iloilo and

Guangzhou, and to consolidate and develop friendly cooperation.”

“Promoting the sustainable development of friendship during the visit of [Guangzhou officials] in November 2019, both sides decided to make youth exchange a regular program under the support of governments or councils,” part of the agreement read.

The two cities agreed to organize youth delegations to visit each other regularly, with themes to include, but not limited to, youth exchange, Chinese education and training, among others. Perla Lena/PNA

Envoys&Expats BusinessMirror

E4 Thursday, November 21, 2019

www.businessmirror.com.ph

EMBASSIES, EVENTS, ETC.

DFA to open new embassies, consulates

T

HE Philippines will open foreign-service posts (FSPs) by yearend, an official from the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) bared.

“The DFA hopes to implement, with the President’s approval, congressional initiatives under General Appropriations Act 2019 to

establish six FSPs [or embassies and consulates general],” Foreign Affairs Assistant Secretary Eduardo Meñez said in a text message.

Meñez said four Philippine consulates general (PCG) are being eyed in Barcelona (Spain), Istanbul (Turkey), Melbourne (Australia) and Nagoya (Japan). Embassies are planned for opening in Sweden and Morocco.

He added that a consideration in opening the foreign posts was the number of Filipinos in those areas.

More than 15,000 Filipinos, with a concentration in the Cataluña region, are seen to benefit from the

Sale of rifles to PHL ‘work in progress’–envoy

A

MBASSADOR of the Philippines to the United States Jose Manuel G. Romualdez said talks are ongoing regarding Manila’s intent to procure M16 assault rifles from the US to help address communist insurgency and fight terrorism in the country. “[It’s a] work in progress,” Romualdez told the Philippine News Agency in a text message.

The statement was made as Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro L. Locsin Jr. reiterated that the government is waiting for Washington, D.C., to act on its request to provide the arms.

Locsin was responding to a report where Pentagon urged the Philippines to continue using America’s military equipment, amid Russia’s offer to boost its defense capabilities.

On his official Twitter account, Locsin said the US should give the Philippines “good deals” with no conditions, and it will pay.

Asked which aspects in the talks between the two nations are having a disconnect, Romualdez mentioned, “Only with the US Democratic Congress. [And the] concern about de Lima and Ressa cases,” he said.

To recall, a resolution was earlier intro-

reopening of the Barcelona PCG, an estimated 3,000 Filipinos with the establishment of the Istanbul PCG, at least 68,269 with the Melbourne PCG and around 75,000 with the Nagoya PCG. The assistant secretary said there are about 14,443 Filipinos in Sweden and 4,603 in Morocco.

Aside from the considerable number of Filipinos, Meñez said other considerations in opening these posts are to further explore relations

on trade and investments, as well as to adhere to the principle of reciprocity, and where such is extended to the Philippines.

“The DFA also views the establishment of FSPs from the lens of the Philippine Development Plan, the DFA Strategic Plan and the National Security Plan,” he said.

At present, the country has 88 FSPs, of which 61 are embassies, 23 consulates general and four missions.

Meanwhile, a senior DFA offi-

cial, who declined to be quoted, said the DFA is also eyeing the opening of six more posts in 2020 via Philippine Embassies in Sri Lanka, Ethiopia, Tunisia, Angola, Kazakhstan and Cuba.

“Primary considerations are servicing our overseas Filipino workers and enhancing Philippine diplomatic presence in Africa, [where there are three posts to be opened].” he said in a text message. Joyce Ann L. Rocamora/PNA

US congratulates VP on antidrug czar appointment

AMBASSADOR Jose Manuel G. Romualdez PNA

duced in the US Congress, which called on the Philippine government to free detained Sen. Leila de Lima and drop charges against online news site Rappler CEO Maria Ressa. The latter is facing charges of cyber libel, as well as violation of the anti-dummy law.

Said resolution also criticized the administration’s anti-illegal drug campaign.

Joyce Ann L. Rocamora/PNA

US Ambassador Sung Y. Kim US EMBASSY PHOTO/PNA

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MBASSADOR of the United States to the Philippines Sung Y. Kim congratulated Vice President Ma. Leonor G. Robredo for her appointment as cochairman of the Inter-Agency Committee on Anti-Illegal Drugs.

“We look forward to continuing to work together as friends, partners, allies to support [the] Philippine government drug demand-reduction efforts,” Kim said on his official Twitter account.

Earlier, a resolution was introduced to the US Congress condemning the government

over the deaths that have resulted from its campaign against illegal drugs.

However, between the State Department and some Philippine government agencies, cooperation in addressing the drug trade continues.

The US State Department’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs has collaborated with the Philippine Dangerous Drugs Board and the Sri Lankabased Colombo Plan to strengthen drug demand-reduction initiatives in the country.

In May, at least 52 officers from the Phil-

ippine National Police, the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology, the Philippine Public Safety College and Xavier University attended specialized training on substanceuse disorders, with the goal of providing the criminal justice sector through an evidencebased, public-health approach to reduce drug demand. The training was a component of the embassy’s comprehensive program on drug demand reduction, which covers prevention, treatment, recovery and policy development. Joyce Ann L. Rocamora/PNA

PCOO: PHL, China seek stronger media ties

A

MID improving relations between the Philippines and China, the two countries have agreed to further enhance cooperation through the media, Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) Secretary Martin Andanar said.

The commitment was made after China Media Group (CMG) editorial board member Huang Chuanfang paid a visit to Andanar at the Philippine Information Agency headquarters in Quezon City on November 7.

CMG is a state-media conglomerate unifying government-owned China Central Television, China National Radio (CNR) and China Radio International (CRI). China Global Television Network (CGTN), a multilanguage channel launched by CCTV, is also included in the merger.

During the courtesy call, Andanar expressed his hope that the good ties between the two nations’ state-owned media outfits will be sustained, even though Ambassador to the Philippines Zhao Jian-

hua had left Manila for a new assignment.

“The cooperation between the Philippine media and Chinese media escalated to levels that are unheard of,” the PCOO chief said.

“We hope that, even with the departure of Ambassador Zhao, we can maintain the same good relationship,” he added.

Multiple bilateral agreements

THE PCOO currently has multiple bilateral media and communications agreements with the Chinese government, covering commitments to pursue personnel exchanges, workshops, seminars, information exchanges, rebroadcasts, joint production and mutual visits.

Huang, meanwhile, looked forward to more exchanges in new media.

“Beside news exchanges and film cooperation, we expect to have more…in radio and new media,” the Chinese media executive said.

“We will promote cooperation between the Philippine media and Chinese media.

We are looking forward to working with you,” Huang added.

Fair reporting lauded

ANDANAR thanked the CMG for the fair coverage of developments in the Philippines by CCTV, CGTN, CNR and CRI. He said the good coverage was driven by the closer ties between the two countries under President Duterte’s watch.

“We are very grateful for the commitment of CMG. I experience very good coverage from CCTV and CRI whenever I go [to] different parts of the world,” he said.

“The relationship of the Philippines and China has elevated to a new level since President Duterte was elected into office,” Andanar added.

Huang, on the other hand, thanked the Duterte government for supporting Chinese journalists, especially when they are seeking requests for interviews, which allowed them to have a “deeper” understanding of issues concerning the country.

“We saw reports by our journalists in the Philippines from CCTV and CRI. From their newsworthy [coverages, they have shown to] us that they have a deeper understanding,” he said. Ruth Abbey Gita-Carlos/PNA