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Rosatom study may be the key to determining the fate of BNPP

By Lenie Lectura

uclear experts based in Russia have concluded their preliminary assessment on the possibility and viability of rehabilitating the 620-megawatt (MW) Bataan Nuclear Power Plant (BNPP), the first nuclear power plant built in Southeast Asia more than three decades ago that never went into operation.

Results of the study conducted by the Russian Federation State Atomic Energy Corp. (Rosatom), however, have yet to be turned over to Philippine authorities. According to Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi, Rosatom’s initial review on the power facility would be presented next month to the Nuclear Energy Program Implementing Organization (Nepio), a unit created by the agency. “The initial pre-feasibility study of Rosatom will be presented in the first week of December to Nepio. The recommendation is a result from the study of the six technical working groups,” Cusi told the BusinessMirror in a text message.

The six groups were assigned to come up with structural stability analysis; functionality analysis; documentation, safety and licenseability analysis; result analysis; report preparation; and owner’s support assistance. “The result will be one of the significant bases in coming up with an objective recommendation for the national leaders to come up with a national position. At the same time, this will help to come up with a specific decision on the best use of the existing structure and facilities of BNPP,” Cusi added. The Department of Energy (DOE) will announce the result of Rosatom’s initial findings after the

pre-feasibility study is turned over. In August Nepio, along with representatives from the Philippine Nuclear Research Institute (PNRI) and National Power Corp. (NPC), met with representatives from Russia’s Rosatom, Slovenia’s Gen Enerjia and internationally known nuclear firm Worley Parsons at the NPC Nuclear Village in Bagac, Bataan.

MOC

Boscorelli | Dreamstime.com

Resolving PHL’s nuclear-power quandary ₧50M The amount the government spends yearly just to “maintain” the mothballed BNPP

The study is being provided by Rosatom for free as part of the cooperation between the Philippines and Russia. Continued on A2

Duterte ends peace talks, threatens to unleash military might vs communists

War of attrition resumes

By Rene Acosta

he prospect of sealing a peace agreement with communist rebels may be over after President Duterte announced he will end—at least for now—the talks with the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) with a vow he would be a “fascist” to the insurgents. For those in the Left’s legal fronts, the striking pronouncement of Duterte, garnished with a warning of classifying the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) and its armed wing, the New People’s Army (NPA), as “terrorists,” forewarns of arrests and the conduct of an “all-out war” against them reminiscent of the Marcos-

era martial law. In moving to stop the negotiations with the guerrillas through their umbrella group, the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP), the Commander in Chief is seen straying from the belief that he is the destined leader to usher the legacy of peace with the Maoist-inspired rebels and end

PESO exchange rates n US 50.6140

Southeast Asia’s longest insurgency movement. After all, a tie binds him with the movement and its leaders. Duterte is a self-confessed socialist-centrist who yawns at the West, and communist leaders such as Jose Ma. Sison and Luis Jalandoni were also his “former” friends.

Ordinary criminals

In taking the latest spin, Duterte has decided to cut his ties with his former friends, declaring that he would now become a fascist to the guerrillas, and moved to charge them not with rebellion, but with ordinary criminal cases. He likewise vowed to build the Army. “If they want war, I will give it to them. I cannot do anything because I tried to talk to them and asked them if we can reach a settlement,” he said, partly referring to his past overtures with the Left. Duterte, and even military See “War,” A2

In this photo taken November 23, 2016, members of the New People’s Army march with their firearms before a news conference held at their guerrilla encampment tucked in the harsh wilderness of the Sierra Madre Mountains. AP/Aaron Favila

n japan 0.4551 n UK 67.3723 n HK 6.4798 n CHINA 7.6862 n singapore 37.6256 n australia 38.5932 n EU 59.9978 n SAUDI arabia 13.4963

Source: BSP (24 November 2017 )

News

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A2 Saturday, November 25, 2017

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Resolving PHL’s nuclear-power quandary Continued from a1

The DOE and Rosatom signed a memorandum of cooperation (MOC) during the 12th East Asia Summit recently held in Manila. “The cooperation with Russia is part of the government’s intention to develop a variety of applications of nuclear energy that are within our policies, particularly for power generation,” Cusi said. The cooperation will be implemented in the form of joint working groups that will undertake specific projects and tasks; exchange of experts; workshops; training and education of personnel; and sharing of technical information. The pact will run for five years and is renewable for the same period, unless one notifies the other in writing through diplomatic channels of its intention to suspend or terminate the same. Cusi said the undertakings in the MOC would support the Philippines in coming up with a national position and the crafting of a nuclear-energy policy that may lead to a nuclear-energy program.

‘No place for BNPP’

A lawmaker expressed concern about the possibility of reviving the BNPP, saying the mothballed power facility has

War…

“no place in the future of Philippine nuclear energy.” “The partnership forged between the DOE and Rosatom signifies the start of a new chapter for the prospects of nuclear energy in the Philippines. I welcome this opportunity for our country’s energy experts to gain more knowledge and craft strong regulatory frameworks, as we seek to build a comprehensive national nuclearenergy policy,” commented Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian. But the senator, who is also the chairman of the Senate Committee on Energy, is worried. “I remain cautious about the proposal to revive the Bataan Nuclear Power Plant. The controversial 40-year-old plant is a remnant of the failed nuclear-energy policies of the past. It has no place in the future of Philippine nuclear energy,” Gatchalian said. The BNPP is the country’s first and only attempt at nuclear-power development. It was supposed to be the first of two nuclear plants to be built in the northern province of Bataan. It was also the first nuclear power plant in Southeast Asia, and was identified as a solution to the 1973 oil crisis that had adversely affected the global economy, including the Philippines’. The $2.3-billion project, how-

Continued from a1

officials, has asked the rebels to stop their attacks and their demands for revolutionary taxes from businesses as a precondition to the resumption of the peace negotiations. At the extreme, the government even wanted the guerrillas to lay down their arms before the talks could be resumed, but Sison and others view this as a capitulation. The rebels also claimed that they have to defend their areas from military operations in justifying their refusal to lay down their arms. “I’ll be issuing a proclamation. I will remove them from the category of entity or at least, a semimovement which would merit attention, placing them, just like America [under the category of], terrorists,” Duterte also said. Duterte’s decision gathered

support from the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), which still sees and considers insurgency as the number-one threat that the country faces. “[The] government has done its part and negotiated with sincerity. We totally agree with the Commander in Chief in calling the NPAs terrorists because it is clearly reflected in the numerous criminal/lawless/terrorist acts that they have been committing against defenseless and innocent civilians,” military spokesman Maj. Gen. Restituto Padilla said in a news statement. In the aftermath of Duterte’s pronouncement, the Department of National Defense (DND) has also said that soldiers will carry out relentless operations against the rebels. “The President has had enough

ever, was mothballed in the wake of the Chernobyl disaster in 1986. But clamor for the reopening of the BNPP was revived during the power crisis in the 1990s and the skyrocketing oil prices in 2007. During these periods, the DOE actually came close to reconsidering nuclear power as a potential energy source for the country. But then the Fukushima nuclear-plant incident happened in 2011, creating global panic and concerns about the safety and integrity of nuclear plants.

‘Yes to BNPP’

The Philippine Nuclear Research Institute (PNRI) is urging the government to support nuclear energy use. “The promotion of nuclear energy is an important decision. We cannot go all out into manufacturing because of high power costs, and the cheapest cost and has no emission is through nuclear,” PNRI Director Carlo Arcilla had said. “I don’t want to promote nuclear energy on my own because part of the job is regulation…I will just wait for directives, but we have to understand that a small amount of nuclear fuel is equal to several tons of coal, and the plant will just be powered once every one-and-a-half years,” he added. Arcilla said an independent of the communist movement’s penchant for double-talk and continued acts of atrocities against the Filipino people,” the DND added in the same statement. “In keeping with the President’s guidance, the DND and AFP will continue to vigorously pursue operations against their armed components,” it added. Taking his barbs against the communists a notch higher, Duterte also warned organizations fronting for the Left and even businesses giving money to the rebels that he would shut them down if they would not stop supporting the group. “We have to decide once and for all. If I go against the communists, then everybody has to reconfigure their relationship with the NPA. I will close you down,” he said.

Expected

Duterte’s action did not come as a surprise to some groups, including Karapatan, claiming the Presi-

regulatory nuclear agency and an effective management of nuclear waste must be formed should there be firm plans to pursue nuclear use. Former Pangasinan Rep. Mark Cojuangco had said that the country’s demand for electricity is expected to grow and can be addressed once the BNPP is opened. “There is a need to revive the dormant Bataan Nuclear Power Plant,” he said, adding that BNPP is a source of alternative energy and is a technology from natural reactors reported to be safe, clean and a cheap source compared to other renewable-energy source used by the US and Switzerland. He cited that the country’s demand for electricity is expected to grow at an average of 5 percent per year until 2030, or around 126 tera-watt hours (TWh) from the 2015 level of 82 TWh.

What to do with BNPP

If revival and rehabilitation are no longer options for the BNPP complex, then the next step that needs to be undertaken would be to determine what to do with the property. “As the authority, we have to put a closure to it. Are we going to proceed and make it a nuclear power plant? If we are not going to operate it as a nuclear power plant, dent has already taken the stance of the United States against the CPP, especially after his meeting with his US counterpart Donald Trump during the recent Asean Meeting in Manila. “Duterte’s cozy relationship with the US and his contempt for just and lasting peace drive such statements, for he very well knows that issues concerning international humanitarian law can be addressed in peace-process mechanisms,” said Karapatan Secretary General Cristina Palabay. “As Duterte cements his ‘friendship’ with the US, he has also openly declared himself a puppet who favors militarism and interventionist policies,” she added. The military aligns the human-rights group with the Left. Karapatan said it was not also surprised by Duterte’s statement that he would charge rebels with criminal cases, which are nonbailable, rather than rebellion. “Duterte and all the previous

then what are we going to do with the structure? What are we going to do with the property?” Cusi said. If the BNPP will not be operated, the DOE will also have to find other options on the facility’s use. “If we can’t use it anymore, then what are the options? Can it be transformed into a bomb shelter? Library? Hotel? Data center? If we are not going to operate it as a nuclear power plant, then what are we going to do with the structure? What are we going to do with the property?” Cusi asked. Should there be a green light to proceed with the BNPP rehabilitation, Cusi said this would definitely entail replacement of existing machineries, which translates to more expenses.

Social acceptance

It will also have to hurdle through opposition on the use of nuclear power in the country. “What we want is acceptance of the community, as long as there is a community, province, willing to host it,” Cusi said. “We are going in to the process of resolving all the concerns that are being raised against it,” he added. The energy chief earlier identified Sulu province as a possible site for a modular nuclear power plant. Since it’s modular, it can have a administrations have long been in the business of filing trumpedup criminal charges against those whom they allege as armed rebels. However, all they have accomplished is the unjust arrest and detention of activists and ordinary folks who have been subjected to torture and other forms of violations on their right to due process and to a fair trial,” Palabay said. The human-rights group claimed that Duterte has no one to blame but himself for his administration’s woes. “It is his policies and the overall direction of his regime that further justify the need for protest and resistance,” Palabay said.

Best option

At a conference about the prospects of peace under the Duterte administration held for journalists early this year, which was also attended by the BusinessMirror, representatives from the government’s peace panel and even from the academe all agreed that both parties “should and must be ready to walk the extra mile” to ensure that the peace, which has eluded Filipinos for decades, would be achieved. “While our neighbors in the region are doubling their efforts to improve and develop their economy, we are busy fighting among ourselves. Is this the only thing we know? We could not be fighting forever,” said one of the representatives. “In war, everybody is a loser, but in peace, we are all winners,” he added. Another representative said that both parties should show sincerity over the talks, with the rebels restraining their attacks in deference to the negotiations, and the military reporting to the Commander in Chief the true events on the ground and not tend to bloat them. “Sometimes, events are hyped in order to demonize the other side, in this case the rebels in order to infuriate the President. But the government has already considered them as demons, terrorists, so what is still left to demonize about?” he said. He was reacting to some reports of burning that were blamed by the military on the rebels, but it turned out they were not done by the guerrillas, like the torching of a school in the Visayas, which arson officials later blamed to some faulty electrical wiring. The representative said both parties should allow peace monitors—in this case members of the cease-fire committee—to do their job by vetting and verifying reported attacks from both sides, which is a good way of deescalating the tense relations between the two sides, and

capacity of 100 MW, at most. Industry stakeholders also said social acceptance remains the biggest challenge. Federico Lopez, chairman of First Gen Corp., had said that “it pays to study the plan first before any final decision is made.” “At the end of the day, the safety issues are what’s important, especially because we are located in the Pacific Ring of Fire. If we do address the safety issues, then that’s a good thing,” he said. For the Manila Electric Co. (Meralco), the company’s president awaits a more detailed plan from the government. “We have to look at the entire package. We will see how this plan of the government progresses. In the end, what is important is that it delivers competitive, safe, reliable power,” said Meralco President Oscar Reyes. AC Energy President John Eric Francia said social acceptance is a major concern. “Apart from anything else, government must work on this. It is really important for the public to understand this,” he said. Whatever the government decides, it has to hurry because it continues to spend P50 million annually to maintain the dormant plant, while never producing anything.

took to task the guilty party. “While the government will never lose the war against the NPA and the rebels will never win it, both sides cannot be fighting forever to the detriment of the Filipinos,” he said. “We have tried fighting for decades and we are still doing it, but it is not bringing any [result]. Perhaps, it is high time that we should try the other formula, which is peacemaking. Let us not be exhausted” he added. The military has pegged the membership of the NPA to 3,000 to 4,000, but Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said recently that the number has spiked, with the rebels using the lull in the negotiations to recruit members. During the past days and weeks, encounters between the rebels and soldiers have been reported in Palawan, Batangas, Quezon, Nueva Ecija and Batangas, although most of these areas have already long been declared as “free from the influence of the NPA and are ready for development.”

Duterte factor

The government representatives agreed during the event, which was held as cracks in the negotiations begin to show, that of all the leaders who led the country and who have tried negotiating with the NPA, it could only be Duterte who could end the insurgency at the negotiating table. “He has the trust of the key leaders of the movement and some of them are his friends, including Sison,” said one of the representatives. “Remember that in any talks, trust is the number-one consideration. You cannot be talking to somebody you could not trust.” He said that if Duterte managed to hold the rebels at bay when he was still the mayor of Davao City because of the same considerations, then the more he could do it, now that he is the President. He said they believed that Duterte could leave the presidency with a legacy of peace with the rebels, something that no leader before him, including the “strongman” Marcos, failed to achieve. The representative said that the rebels are also ready to sue for peace under Duterte, as shown by the presence of all of their leaders during the past negotiations abroad. “Never in the history of the negotiations with them that I have seen such presence and attendance of their leaders. All of them are there, indicating their readiness to go through the peace efforts,” he said, adding that even Sison candidly admitted that he is already old and cannot be fighting forever.

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Saturday, November 25, 2017

US Black Friday merchants struggle to extend season of retail optimism

s Black Friday shoppers descend on stores this weekend, retailers are experiencing something that’s been in short supply: optimism.

Brick-and-mortar chains are coming off a generally positive earnings season, with companies such as Wal-Mart Stores Inc. seeing their shares reach record highs. Even the beleaguered department-store industry is finding reasons for hope. Macy’s Inc. and its peers rallied earlier this month after giving an upbeat outlook. Retailers are now taking that spirit into Black Friday weekend, which traditionally kicks off the holiday shopping season. W hile the event has lost some of its buzz in recent years—there will probably be smaller crowds and fewer shoppers’ fist fighting for big-screen TVs—stores aim to build on the momentum. Companies like Target Corp. have revamped their selection and staffed up in anticipation of a merrier Christmas. “We’re in a much stronger position entering this season,” Target Chief Executive Officer Brian Cornell said in an interview.

The overall increase in US holiday shopping this year at a total amount of $680 billion, according to the Washington-based National Retail Federation T he National Retail Federation (NR F) projects that about 16 4 m i l l ion con s u me r s — 6 9 p e rc e nt of A me r i c a n s — w i l l shop at stores or online over the long weekend that starts on Thanksgiving. Though Black Friday still has strong sy mbolism w ithin the industr y, consumers have become less loyal

Christmas signage is displayed as customers shop at a Wal-Mart Stores Inc. location in Burbank, California, on Thursday. Patrick T. Fallon/Bloomberg

to the event’s promotions. Instead, they’re spending more of their holiday budgets before or after T hanksgiv ing.

Sales growth

Overall holiday spending is expected to climb as much as 4 percent from last year, helped by low unemployment and rising home values. The purchases will amount to roughly $680 billion in November and December, the Washington-based NRF estimates. Retailers have been offering deals online and in stores all week, aiming to get a jump on Black Friday and cut through the noise. The early indications are positive, said Jerry Storch, head of Storch Advisors and the former CEO of Hudson’s Bay Co. “The question will be, who’s going to win and who’s going to

Japan Inc.’s prowess tarnished anew as another firm admits faked data

apan’s reputation for manufacturing prowess took another hit as Mitsubishi Materials Corp. admitted it faked data on some products just weeks after a similar scandal engulfed Kobe Steel Ltd. Buyers of Japanese industrial goods from Boeing Co. to Airbus SE were once again scrambling to confirm whether safety had been compromised after Mitsubishi Materials said three of its units had faked data on products that may have been delivered to more than 250 customers. Its shares plunged as much as 11 percent in Tokyo, the most in 18 months. Mitsubishi Cable Industries Ltd. falsified data on rubber seals, while Mitsubishi Shindoh Co. misreported the strength of brass strips for auto parts, according to a news statement issued on Thursday. The products may have been shipped to 229 Mitsubishi Cable clients and 29 customers of Mitsubishi Shindoh. A third unit, Mitsubishi Aluminum Co. Ltd., also supplied nonconforming products, although it has already confirmed with customers that they are safe, the company said, adding that its investigation hasn’t uncovered any cases that raise the possibility of legal violations or safety issues. The revelation is the latest in a series of scandals to dent the image of Japanese manufacturers and closely resembles recent admissions by Kobe Steel that it falsified data on the strength and durability of its products. In the auto sector, Nissan Motor Co. has said it conducted vehicle inspections that didn’t comply with regulations for almost four decades, while Subaru Corp. allowed uncertified workers to inspect vehicles before shipment. Takata Corp. filed for bankruptcy earlier this year because of faulty air bags. Mitsubishi Materials fell 8 percent to ¥3,765 as of 10:22 a.m. Its stock had hit a two-year high earlier in the month, buoyed by stronger global metals prices.

Government involved

Japanese Tr ad e M i n i s te r H i ro s h i ge Seko called the matter “extremely regrettable” at a br ief ing on Fr id ay, and sa id t he ministr y has asked related depar tments to investigate its causes and is seek ing an e x planation f rom Mitsubishi Cable on why it took so long to repor t its

problem. He added t hat he considers it a matter for t he companies and not an industr y-w ide issue. According to the statement, Mitsubishi Cable uncovered the misconduct in February and stopped shipping nonconforming products on October 23; the company told its parent two days later. Mitsubishi Shindoh found out about its problem in October and stopped shipments on October 18, alerting Mitsubishi Materials the following day. The company plans to hold a news briefing later Friday. Transport Minister Keiichi Ishii said Mitsubishi Materials will report on the misconduct, including products and customers affected, to the ministry later Friday. The ministry will order the company to put the highest priority on safety, he said. Kobe Steel’s crisis erupted in early October, collapsing its shares. Although 525 customers were affected, none has yet to report safety issues and no products have been recalled, allowing its stock to recover some of its losses. As of last week, shipments to 484 clients had been given the all-clear. Kobe blamed lax controls and too much focus on profit for its shortcomings, including unrealistically high standards that exceeded clients’ expectations, which encouraged staff to disregard quality guidelines for a decade or more. The company was forced to abandon its profit forecasts and has lost quality assurance certification—often demanded by customers as a condition of sale—at seven of its 20 plants. Aircraft maker Airbus SE said in a separate news statement it doesn’t directly procure any materials from the Mitsubishi Materials companies and is investigating whether any of its suppliers are affected. Boeing Co. said it’s reviewing the matter. “Even if Mitsubishi Shindoh and Mitsubishi Cable don’t make up a big portion of the company’s earnings, not just the short-term impact, but the mid and long-term impact on its orders is a cause of concern,” Keiju Kurosaka, senior analyst at Mitsubishi UFJ Morgan Stanley Securities, said in a note. Of the almost 25,000 workers at Mitsubishi Materials, Shindoh employs over 1,000 while the Cable unit has about 500, according to the latest figures on company websites. The parent’s revenue in the year to March was almost $12 billion. Bloomberg News

lose?” he said. Plenty of major retailers continue to languish, and it’s hard to tell if the holidays will bring them much relief. Comparable sales—a key measure—plunged 17 percent last quarter at Sears and 12 percent at J. Crew stores. Amazon.com Inc., of course, is poised to be one of the winners. The e-commerce giant recently overtook Wal-Mart as the top toy destination, helped by low prices, according to Jefferies Llc. analyst Stephanie Wissink.

Online king

Amazon will account for about 44 percent of US retail e-commerce sales this year, making it the undisputed leader online, according to EMarketer Inc. And e-commerce sales have started off strong this holiday season. So far, $30.4 billion has

been spent online in November, according to Adobe Systems Inc. data. That’s up 18 percent from a year earlier. But Internet sales represent less than 12 percent of total holiday retail purchases, EMarketer estimates. That means there’s stil l plent y of oppor t u nit ies for br ic k-a ndmortar chains to thrive. Stores also are getting smarter about how they do sales and discounts, said Charlie O’Shea, an analyst at Moody’s Investors Service. “The retailers are getting more tactical with promotions—with online marketing and a whole lot of other stuff happening,” he said. “You’re going to see more creative promotions.” About 77 percent of retailers that already reported thirdquarter earnings met or exceeded analysts’ projections, according to data compiled by research firm Retail Metrics. Analysts have boosted their year-end earnings estimates for the S&P 500 retail index over the past month by more than any year since 2009, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. That’s given investors more confidence that the sector is finally seeing a comeback. The S&P 500 retail index has risen 22 percent so far this year, compared with a 16-percent gain for the overall index.

Disaster recovery

Even so, recent hurricanes and other natural disasters still loom over the industry. Consumers in hard-hit areas may be more focused on getting back on their feet, A.T. Kearney partner Ryan Fisher said in a report. “ T his holiday per iod won’t be great for retailers ser v ing the char red remains of neighborhoods in Santa Rosa, Ca lifor nia, or the stor m-ravaged communities across the Gu lf of Mexico and the Car ibbean, where consumers are going to b e s p e nd i n g t he i r mo ne y — a s s u m i n g t he y h av e a ny t o spend— rebuilding rather than accessor izing,” he said. To maintain momentum, retailers will be tr ying to capitalize on shoppers combining in-store and e-commerce purchases. Though almost 90 percent of consumers are planning to visit physical stores, many plan to complete their shopping lists online, a sur vey by PricewaterhouseCoopers Llp. found. That means chains must make sure in-store shoppers are using their web sites, as well. It will take time to see how it all plays out, Storch said. “I expect Black Friday to be strong,” he said. “And then we’ll see what happens.” Bloomberg News

Saturday, November 25, 2017

The World BusinessMirror

Trump credits troops, himself for American military advances

President Donald J. Trump shakes hands with US Coast Guard Commanding Officer Chief Warrant Officer Gene Gibson after speaking with members of the US Coast Guard at the Lake Worth Inlet Station, on Thanksgiving on Thursday, in Riviera Beach, Florida. AP/Alex Brandon

By Jill Colvin | The Associated Press

ALM BEACH, Florida— President Donald J. Trump thanked US troops for their service on Thursday, assuring them “we’re really winning” against America’s foes, as he celebrated Thanksgiving at his private club in Florida and provided lunch for Coast Guard men and women on duty for the holiday.

Using t he occasion to pat h imsel f on t he bac k , Tr u mp told deployed mi l itar y members v i a a v ideo conference t hat t hey ’ve ac h ieved more prog ress in A fgha nista n a nd aga inst t he Isl amic State g roup u nder h is watc h t ha n had been made in yea rs of

the prev ious administration. “Everybody’s talking about the progress you’ve made in t he l a st fe w mont hs si nce I opened it up,” he told the 1st Brigade Combat Team of the 82nd Airborne Division, whose members are conducting operations in Kandahar,

Afghanistan. “We’re being talked about again as an armed forces— we’re really winning.” Speaking from a gilded room at his Mar-a-Lago club, Trump said: “ We’re not fighting any more to just wa lk around, we’re fighting to w in, and you people are rea lly, you’ve tur ned it around over the last three to four months like nobody’s seen, and they are ta lk ing about it, so thank you ver y much.” Turning to the 74th Expeditionary Fighters Squadron based at the Incirlik Air Base in Turkey, Trump suggested the Obama administration hadn’t allowed soldiers on the ground to do their jobs. “They say we’ve made more progress against ISIS than they did in years of the previous administration,” he said. “And that’s because I’m letting you do your job.” Throughout the day—at events and on Twitter—Trump boasted about the economy’s performance since he took office, pointing to recent stock-market gains and the unemployment rate, along with his efforts to scale back regulations and boost military spending. “So, you’re fighting for something real, you’re fighting for something good,” he told the service members Trump and his wife Melania also made a trip to a nearby Coast Guard station in Riviera Beach, Florida, where they delivered a lunch of turkey sandwiches, giant muffins, heaping baskets of fruit, chips and cookies to men and women on duty for the holidays. Dur ing his rema rk s, Tr ump singled out the service for its hurricane relief efforts during Harvey and the other storms that battered the country earlier this year. “ There’s no brand that went

up more than the Coast Guard,” Tr ump told them “ W hat a job you’ve done.” Trump praised the superiority of US military equipment, too, yet said he tries to make sure that equipment the US sells abroad—even to allies—is not quite as good as that kept at home. “I always say, make ours a little bit better,” Trump said. “Keep about 10 percent in the bag.” He added: “You never know about an ally. An ally can turn.” Among the equipment admired by Trump is the F-35 stealth fighter jet, which he recalled asking “Air Force guys” about once. “In a fight, you know a fight like I watch on the movies...how good is it?” he recalled asking. “They said, ‘Well, it wins every time because the enemy cannot see it, even if it’s right next to it,’” Trump recounted, prompting laughs. The F-35, plagued by development problems and cost overruns, is, in fact, not invisible to people nearby. Its stealth technology is designed to evade detection by radar and other sensors. At the earlier video conference, Trump cleared the room of press after about 10 minutes, so he could have “very confidential, personal conversations” with those on the line. Borrowing a line from his Apprentice days, he told the reporters “You’re fired,” then wished them a happy Thanksgiving, too. On the Trumps’ own Thanksgiving menu for family and friends at Mar-a-Lago: turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes and gravy, sweet potatoes with marshmallows, red snapper, Florida stone crab, baked goods, local produce and cheeses, and a selection of cakes and pies for dessert.

We’re not fighting anymore to just walk around, we’re fighting to win, and you people are really, you’ve turned it around over the last three to four months like nobody’s seen, and they are talking about it, so thank you very much.” —Trump

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Lawmaker Barton opts for silence after release of porn snapshot, video

A S H I NG T ON — Su g gesting he’s a victim of revenge porn from a jilted lover, Republican Rep. Joe Barton of Texas says he plans to go silent about the release of a nude photo of him online because police are investigating the disclosure as a possible crime against him. Authorities have not confirmed an investigation. The 68-year-old Barton, who joined the House in 1985, has acknowledged sharing intimate material with a lover and accused her of threatening to make it public when he ended the relationship. The unidentified woman told The Washington Post that she did not put it online and said the congressman sought to intimidate her by threatening to go to the authorities if she exposed his conduct. The he said-she said dispute erupted in the midst of sexual misconduct allegations drawing in several other members of Congress, as well as Senate Republican candidate Roy Moore of Alabama, who is accused of disrobing a 14-year-old girl. The consequences for Barton are not immediately apparent aside from his mortification: The relationship with the woman was evidently consensual. The Post published details of a secretly recorded conversation between Barton and his lover from 2015 in which he threatened to “take all this crap to the Capitol Hill Police and have them launch an investigation” if she did not agree to keep “inappropriate photographs and video” that he had exchanged with her from becoming public. He said she had already shared material with other women with whom he had been involved. In a statement after that report, Barton said the “Capitol Police reached out to me and offered to launch an investigation and I have accepted. Because of the pending investigation, we will have no further comment.” He said the woman’s comments on the tape could be evidence of a “potential crime against me.” Capitol Police have not said whether they have begun an investigation. A message left by The Associated Press at Barton’s district office in Arlington, Texas, was not returned. The voicemail for his office in Washington was full. Making explicit images available without the subject’s permission is a felony in the District of Columbia and a Class A misdemeanor in Texas under revenge porn laws passed several years ago. More than 30 other

states have such a law; there is no corresponding federal law. These laws have historically protected women whose boyfriends or spouses publish or publicize nude or embarrassing photos sent to them privately while they were in relationships. The jurisdiction responsible in this episode could depend on where the photos were taken or where they were put online. In a portion of the recorded conversation, the woman asked Barton what he would tell the police if he went to them. His reply: “I would tell them that I had a three-year undercover relationship with you over the Internet that was heavily sexual and that I had met you twice while married and had sex with you on two different occasions and that I exchanged inappropriate photographs and videos with you that I wouldn’t like to be seen made public, that you still apparently had all of those and were in position to use them in a way that would negatively affect my career. That’s the truth.” Barton is the longest-serving congressman in Texas and his seat has always been considered reliably safe for Republicans. The photo of Barton appeared on an anonymous Twitter account. It was not immediately known who posted the photo or when it was taken. Barton issued an initial statement saying that while separated from his second wife, prior to their divorce in 2015, he had sexual relationships “with other mature adult women.” Barton said each relationship was consensual and has since ended. “I am sorry I did not use better judgment during those days. I am sorry that I let my constituents down,” Barton said. Barton, a member of the conservative House Freedom Caucus, announced his reelection bid this month. His district includes several counties in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. Barton was a consultant in the oil and gas industry before he was elected to Congress. He is currently the vice chairman of the powerful House Energy and Commerce Committee. He was the committee’s chairman from 2004 to 2007. Barton has also been the longtime manager of the GOP congressional baseball team. He was taking part in a team practice in June when a gunman opened fire, injuring another congressman and others. AP

Myanmar to take back Rohingyas after US decries ‘ethnic cleansing’

yanmar has agreed to take back hundreds and thousands of Muslim Rohingya refugees who’ve been sheltering in neighboring Bangladesh, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Dhaka said in a statement. Bangladesh Foreign Minister Abul Hassan Mahmood Ali and Myanmar’s Union Minister U Kyaw Tint Swe signed the bilateral agreement in Myanmar on Thursday, just a day after US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson condemned Myanmar’s treatment of the Rohingya as “ethnic cleansing.” Under the agreement, the refugees’ return is expected to start within two months. A joint working group will be established in the next three weeks to oversee the repatriation, according to the statement. The crisis was sparked in August when militants from the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army attacked 25 police and army posts,

killing a dozen security officials in Rakhine state and prompting retaliation by Myanmar’s army. Describing the arrangement as a “win-win situation for both countries,” a statement from the Myanmar minister’s office said the matter had been resolved “amicably through bilateral relations.” “After a careful and thorough analysis of available facts, it is clear that the situation in northern Rakhine state constitutes ethnic cleansing against the Rohingya,” Tillerson said in a news statement issued on Wednesday. He said the United States would work through the United Nations and also “pursue accountability through US law, including possible targeted sanctions.” The agreement was signed following a meeting between Myanmar’s Aung San Suu Kyi and Bangladesh’s Foreign Minister Ali. Bloomberg News

Sports BusinessMirror

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

Saturday, November 25, 2017

DLSU-ATENEO VI ON! C ALL it a clash of titans, but expect the temperature to rise way beyond boiling point as De La Salle University stakes its men’s basketball crown against archrival Ateneo de Manila in Game One in Season 80 of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP). The opener of the race-to-two series starts at 4 p.m., but for sure, the grounds around the Mall of Asia Arena would turn into a sea of green and blue as thousands scramble for leftover precious tickets to the country’s biggest rivalry in collegiate basketball. This marks the sixth time that the two schools are facing each other in the Finals—with De La Salle, winners in 2001 and last year, hoping to even things up against the 1988, 2002 and 2008 champion Ateneo. For the defending champions, they have nothing in their minds but to repeat. “We don’t have any motivation but only to win the championship,” said De La Salle Head Coach Aldin Ayo, who is eyeing his own second straight—and third in the collegiate ranks after Letran in the National Collegiate Athletic Association—title, and 10th championship for the Green Archers in the UAAP. Ayo and the Green Archers went through several distractions in the first round and finished below expectations, losing to University of the Philippines and Ateneo. But they were back to their senses in the second round, which they swept and highlighted with a 79-76 vengeful win over the Blue Eagles. In the Final Four, the Green Archers were in championship form in their conquest of the Adamson University Falcons, 82-75. And now they are two wins away from making it two-in-a-row. “We only have one goal. Everybody has been very, very responsible for the things that we’re doing. Everyone’s doing a sacrifice and doing his job and we’re not going to stop working hard until we get the championship,” Ayo said. Back-to-back Most Valuable Player Ben Mbala would be a marked big man for De La Salle, which is expected to draw heads-up action from Ricci Rivero, Santi Santillan, Kib Montalbo, Abu Tratter and Aljun Melecio. Ateneo? Expect the Blue Eagles to be vengeful. “We’re a better team, as simple as that. We’re a proven better team all year long. We’ve proven as good as they [De La Salle] are,” Ateneo Head Coach Tab Baldwin said.

The Blue Eagles won 13 straight but missed an automatic Finals slot with that second-round loss to the Green Archers. In the Final Four, the Blue Eagles’ wings looked to have wavered. They were forced to exhaust their twice-to-beat advantage following a 67-80 setback to the No. 4 Far Eastern University Tamaraws. But the good thing was they kept their poise under immense pressure and punched a Finals ticket by surviving the Tamaraws in overtime, 88-84, in the knockout game last Wednesday. “We didn’t play this season just to win in the semis. We played this season to go as far as this team is capable of going,” Baldwin said.

GOLDEN STATE’S Omri Casspi goes to the basket against Brooklyn’s Rondae Hollis-Jefferson. AP

Lance Agcaoili

STUCK ON THE SIDELINES N

EW YORK—Omri Casspi will try to keep up with his Israeli teammates when they open qualifying for the 2019 Basketball World Cup this week. That’s all he can do, because basketball’s best players are stuck on the sidelines in the new format. “It’s kind of weird, obviously,” the Golden State forward said. “No NBA [National Basketball Association], no Euroleague playing in these qualifications. Kind of taking away from the fun of the game, in a sense.” Fiba, basketball’s governing body, changed its qualification system starting this year so fans could see their national teams play at home. Instead of regional qualifying tournaments, teams will now play home-and-away games against regional rivals, similar to the system used by international soccer. The first window of games is at the end of this week, and the next comes in February. The difference is that club teams can’t prevent players from competing for their national teams in soccer qualifiers,

EXPECT Ben Mbala of De la Salle and Thirdy Ravena of Ateneo de Manila to carry much of the load for their respective teams.

Local bets seek PPS spotlight, ranking points

oewyn Pascua and Exequiel Jucutan hope to get some push from the hometown crowd as they slug it out with the regular campaigners in the Palawan Pawnshop-Palawan Express Pera Padala (PPS-PEPP) Urdaneta leg tennis tournament, which got under way yesterday (Friday) at the Urdaneta Tennis Club in Pangasinan. Pascua and Jucutan primed up for the Group 2 tournament with big reversals in the last PPS-PEPP leg in La Union last week, with the former clinching the boys’ 12-and-under crown against top seed JT Bernardo and the latter frustrating No. 1 Andre Jarata for the 14-U title. But they will be up against a host of talented rivals also out to gain ranking points in the five-day event, sponsored by Palawan Pawnshop headed by President and CEO Bobby Castro and presented by Slazenger, including Justin Erpelo, Prince Lim and Thomas Gabuat (12-U), while Jarata is raring to rebound together with Eric Bajet in the 14-U side. Raymond Gabuco, on the other hand, eyes a sweep of the boys’ 16- and 18-U plums, while fellow Pangasinense Anna Demyer is also fancied in the two premier divisions in the girls’ side of the tournament serving as the third of the four-stage Northern swing of the country’s longest talent search supported by the Unified Tennis Philippines, including PPS-PEPP, Cebuana Lhuillier, Wilson, Toby’s, Dunlop, Slazenger and B-MEG.

ABS-CBN Integrated Sports announces its partnership with Triple CH during a recent news conference. In photo are Philippine Azkals Team Manager Dan Palami (from left), Philippine Football Federation Secretary-General lawyer Edwin Gastanes, Demeter Managing Director Sorrakrit Lathitham, Triple CH Chairman Bernard Sumayao, Philippine Football League CEO Lazarus Xavier and ABS-CBN Intergrated Sports Head Dino Laurena. ALYSA SALEN

La Salle-Lipa, Holy Rosary in tough wins

World-class football TV broadcast deal forged

ILIPINO fans could watch world-class football action in English Premier League, La Liga and UEFA Champions League following ABS-CBN Integrated Sports’s partnership with Hong Kong-based holding company Triple CH. The partnership will bring football action to the country on free television via ABS-CBN S+A. Starting this December, Filipino fans could watch superstars like Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi on S+A with the live broadcast of select matches in three of the world’s most-watched leagues. ABS-CBN Sports and Triple CH, which acquired the broadcast rights to the three leagues from global sports entertainment company beIN Media Group, announced this big news on Thursday. ABS-CBN Integrated Sports Head Dino Laurena said the development further boosts ABS-CBN Sports’s programming, as well as its advocacy to promote sports development in the country. “Bringing these premier football leagues to free TV is part of our commitment to bring the best sports content to Filipinos.

unless they have a documented injury. The NBA said from the start it wouldn’t release players to compete during its season, and while the Euroleague didn’t ban them, it also didn’t alter its schedule as Fiba hoped so players would be available this week. That’s left European-based players caught in the middle, not wanting to disappoint their national teams or anger the ones that pay them. “I think it’s a good idea to have these windows, so people can go, like soccer, in the middle of the year and see your national team at home,” longtime Spanish guard Jose Calderon said. “That’s the nice part. But to be able to do that, you’ve got to be able to get everybody on the same page so players can go play like in soccer. “What you cannot do is ask the player to do something when they really don’t know what to do. They’re being pulled from both sides.” Knicks star Kristaps Porzingis said the change isn’t only tough on small countries like his native Latvia, which doesn’t have many top players, but also ones who have deeper fields. “The big, big teams, they have a lot of NBA guys. They have a lot of Euroleague guys that can’t maybe, or they don’t want to risk with the injury and things like that,” Porzingis said. “So it’s not going to be the top-level competition, but it is what it is and I know the guys are going to play hard.” NBA players would be able to play in the pair of twogame windows next summer, but their teams might already be behind. Casspi thinks Fiba will eventually change the format, but for now hopes his Israeli teammates can get by without him. “It’ll be hard to see the guys going and battling without being there, but that’s part of the game,” he said. AP

We hope that Filipinos will be more inspired to not just watch but also play the sport, as they get to see the football greats, such as Ronaldo and Messi, in action,” Laurena said. Triple CH Chairman Bernard Sumayao, meanwhile, revealed that the broadcast partnership is just the first of many projects the two organizations will venture on in support of Philippine football. “It’s a stepping-stone for bigger things that we want to do. We brought these matches here because we want to increase the awareness and involvement of Filipinos in football,” Sumayao said. “We want to see the level of football in the Philippines to go higher, to make them a powerhouse in football in the future, especially in Southeast Asia.” Also playing a huge role in this effort is Triple CH’s investment partner Demeter Corp. Sorrakrit Lathitham, its managing director, expressed his full support to the partnership. “We believe that the Philippines is a growing market and a very healthy market for sports,” he said. “We trust the goals and vision of Triple CH and we wish this partnership to grow and strengthen in the days to come.” Lance Agcaoili

e La Salle-Lipa and Holy Rosary College of Santa Rosa pulled through with a pair of tough victories to top Pool B and join fancied Nazareth School of National U and Hope Christian High School in the Final Four of the 18-and-under Rebisco Volleyball League at the Santa Rosa Multi-Purpose Sports Complex in Laguna last Thursday. The DLL spikers hung tough then outhit the Bacolod Tay Tung girls at the finish to post a 25-18, 25-19 victory, while host HRC held off FEU-Diliman in the second set for a 25-19, 25-23 win, netting them

the top two spots in their side of the tournament, sponsored by Rebisco, with 4-0 slates. Mirgie Bautista led DLL with 12 points, while Alleiah Malaluan added 11 markers for the Lipa City-based school, a perennial title contender in the country’s longest talent search organized by Metropolitan Sports and Events Group Inc., headed by Freddie Infante. “It was a close match, but I don’t mind because it helped the girls’ nerves and confidence,” said HRC Coach Lerma Giron, who drew nine points from Aliah Marce.

CARGO MOVERS STAKE UNBEATEN CARD

2 Logistics puts its unbeaten record on the line against two-time defending champion Foton in the Chooks-to-Go Philippine Superliga (PSL) Grand Prix today at the Batangas City Sports Center. The Cargo Movers, who have won all their six matches so far, will face their toughest opponent in the tournament, the Tornadoes, at 7:15 p.m. Foton is running second with a 5-1 won-lost card and a victory over F2 Logistics would force a triple tie at No. 1 with Petron. Petron, also toting a 5-1 card, faces inspired Iriga

City (2-4) in the day’s other match at 4:15 p.m. Foton Head Coach Moro Branislav had a week to prepare for Foton and made adjustments to guarantee that high-scoring import Sara Klisura, Dragana Perunicnic, Jaja Santiago, Maika Ortiz, Jen Reyes and Ivy Perez are ready for the Cargo Movers. “This is a very tough tournament and every game is very important,” Branislav said. “We can’t take anybody lightly. We always have to be at our best, work hard and go for the win.” Lance Agcaoili

OurTime BusinessMirror

A8 Saturday, November 25, 2017 • Editor: Efleda P. Campos

A new workout for seniors

EW YORK—There was a lot of whooping and hollering as a group of exuberant students gathered for recess time at Asphalt Green on the Upper East Side in New York. They were playing a game called “popcorn.”

“Listen up, everyone,” one of the instructors, Zack Cruz, yelled to quiet the noise. “We are going to throw the ball in the air, clap one time, catch it and then pass it to your neighbor. Everyone ready to go? Say yes!” One student crouched down. “We can do this,” she said. But the student was not 8; she was probably in her 80s. Most of the popcorn players that day were retirement age or older. Since the mid-1980s, Asphalt Green has specialized in creating athletic programs for children. One of the biggest initiatives at the nonprofit is sending coaches into New York City schools to play active games with more than 28,000 children at recess. This year, however, Asphalt Green trainers decided to apply their expertise to older generations, developing a class called Skills in Motion, which features adult versions of playground games. Older people “are just a different

type of kid,” Cruz said. “You have your young kids, and you have your big kids. They all want to be free and silly.” Over the next hour, the group mastered the game, adding more balls and more complexity, to the mix. They split into teams and played volleyball with colorful balloons. They formed a circle by holding hands and passed around a Hula-Hoop without letting go, using only their bodies. They beat rhythm sticks in the air, dancing to their favorite songs from the 1960s through the 1980s. They also played versions of dodgeball, tag and fireball, which required rolling a ball around a circle using their hands as paddles. “When I tell my friends I’m going to a 60-plus class, they think I’m sitting in a chair, stretching,” said Lois Siegel, 79. “But we are animals. We fight for that balloon or ball. I feel like a kid again.” The program is being tried out in

five locations across the city: both Asphalt Green campuses (on the upper East Side and in Battery Park City), the Carter Burden Roosevelt Island Senior Center, and at two Union Settlements in east Harlem. Right now, there are about 70 participants. Asphalt Green is hoping to make the program available to thousands more next year. Instructors say they are constantly surprised by their students’ competitiveness and enthusiasm for moving in more strenuous and creative ways. “Earlier we had them all go down to the ground, and one of them was starting to bear crawl,” said Samantha Frazier, one of the coaches. “We want to show that the floor is not your enemy,” said Marcy Simon, manager of senior-fitness programs. “You have to know how to get up from the floor without hurting yourself.” Preventing older people from falling, Ludwig said, is no small feat. According to the New York state Department of Health, the annual cost of hospitalizations, because of falls, is about $1.7 billion. On top of that, 60 percent of hospitalizations lead to stays in nursing homes or rehabilitative centers, which compounds costs even more. “I’ve never fallen, thank God,” said Jennie Lorenzana, 74, who lives on the upper East Side. “But I take the class because it makes me

feel more confident. The hour goes by very fast—too fast.” That said, balloon volleyball shouldn’t be the only prevention method for people, experts say. “Workout classes alone are not the best way to prevent falls,” said Kathleen Cameron, the senior director of the Center for Healthy Aging at the National Council on Aging. “Other factors include reviewing your medications, making your home safe, getting your eyes and ears checked regularly and talking with your doctor and family.” Cameron added it’s too soon to tell whether the Asphalt Green program, still in its pilot phase, will produce quantifiable results. But the nonprofit is trying to measure what it can by partnering with a team at the nearby Hospital for Special Surgery, which specializes in orthopedics, to survey and collect data on participants throughout the program’s 20week session. Participants do not need scientific data, however, to enjoy a more robust social life. Indeed, playground games seem to have the same advantage for schoolchildren looking to make friends as they do for the 60-plus crowd. Siegel is learning Spanish from some of her new friends, who teach her a new word every time she sees them.

New York Times News Service

www.businessmirror.com.ph

DSWD 6 needs P2.4M more incentives for Iloilo centenarians I LOILO CITY—The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) in Western Visayas has requested an additional P2.4 million for centenarians who have not yet received their P100,000 cash incentives. In an interview on Thursday, Judith Tanate, DSWD 6 focal for persons with disabilities and older persons, said the additional budget is intended for 24 centenarians in the region who are supposed to be beneficiaries of the incentive. Six of the centenarians turned 100 years old in 2016, while 18 of them turned 100 years old in 2017. However, they were not included in the list of the agency. Tanate said they are still waiting for the approval by the DSWD central office. She said they would immediately distribute the incentives once the request would be approved and the budget would be downloaded to their office. Tanate said the 24 centenarians earlier visited

their office to include them in their list after they learned about the incentive. They have already submitted the necessary requirements needed by the agency and have also been validated by DSWD 6. Earlier, the DSWD 6 identified 360 centenarians in the region in 2016 and 27 centenarians in 2017. To date, Tanate said 348 of the centenarianbeneficiaries in 2016 and all of the 27 centenarianbeneficiaries in 2017 received their incentive. The DSWD is yet to distribute the cash incentive for 12 remaining beneficiaries who are all in Negros Occidental. They have yet to fully comply with the needed requirements of the agency. She expressed hope to fully distribute the remaining cash incentives of the 12 centenarians before the end of this year. The cash incentive given to centenarians is mandated under Republic Act 10868, or the Centenarians Act of 2016. PNA

Makeup for the elderly T

HESE days many makeup artists are less likely to talk about hiding a woman’s age and wrinkles than about playing up her individual gifts. “For me to get a great result on an older woman, age is not what I see,” said David de Leon, a makeup artist who often works with Jane Fonda. “I look for her potential.” But finding the makeup that makes that woman look and feel great can be tricky. Application techniques that worked for years start to fail as one’s skin changes. Longtime favorites begin to detract, not enhance. Mature skin is typically drier, and those mattifying, pore-shrinking products don’t deliver like their hydrating and illuminating counterparts. For the best tips and tools, New York Times asked makeup artist Carolina Dali, whose clients include Ali McGraw and Sharon Stone, to illustrate the best techniques for mature skin in two looks—one day, one night. Eyebrows thin over time. Fill them in, but not with a pencil, Dali said. A powder will look more like the real thing. She likes the Chanel Brow Powder Duo for its hair-approximating shades. Choose a color that is close to your actual brow color, not darker. For eyeliner, Dali suggests gently tapping a black eye shadow directly on the lash line (between the eyelashes) with an angled brush. This technique creates a line that opens up the eye without overwhelming it. The same can be said of spare mascara application. “One coat is enough to thicken lashes,” she said. On the face, go translucent and dewy, not matte. Mattifying foundation can flatten the face because naturally bright places on the face, like the tops of cheekbones, lose their highlighting. Apply foundation only where needed—to red spots, discoloration or hyperpigmentation. “Both concealer and foundation should have a sheen to them,” Dali said. “Yves Saint Laurent Touche Éclat is a lightweight concealer that will attract light to where you apply it. If you have a line, say a smile line that you want to cover, light reflection will blur it.” Look for sheen, not glitter, which would draw more attention to the area. Liner keeps lipstick in place when lips begin to crinkle. “Most people match their liner to their lipstick or go darker,” Dali said. “But I like liner to match the color of the lips. Otherwise, it will look like 1990s makeup.” The nighttime face simply builds on the daytime basics. “You can afford to do much more blush at night,” Dali added. She likes cream blush, which gives the skin a natural flush. Stila Convertible Color goes on transparent but is easily buildable. “Start with two layers for night,” she said. “Use your fingers to tap on a thin layer, then repeat.”

Dali applied a darker coat of black eyeshadow on the lash line. If the skin on the upper lid is loose, a heavy line can make the eyes look tired, so keep the line light. “Make sure the line is super thin in the inner corner, slightly thicker as it comes to the outer corner, and wing it up just a little bit to lift and open the eyes,” she added. Add a second coat of mascara, and if you’re itching for a third, apply it to the outer lashes only, she said. Avoid dark colors on the lower lash line because they emphasize dark circles. Use champagne or bronze, instead. On the lips, Dali used Lorac Alter Ego Lipstick in Pin Up, a moisturizing matte formula. “Use an angled lip brush to apply lipstick,” she said. “It really allows you to get into the small folds and to be precise, which is important as lips get fine wrinkles along the edges.” Because certain products really sing on older skin, New York Times asked experts—makeup artists, a dermatologist, an aesthetician and women over 50—for their go-to makeup.

Giorgio Armani Maestro Fusion Makeup, $64

“THIS foundation comes in nice, warm colors, but it’s the consistency I love,” Christie Brinkley said. “When you’re older, you want your base to be thinner so it doesn’t cake and emphasize wrinkles. I also like being outside, and this is good in that light.”

Natura Bisse Diamond Mist, $94

DE LEON applies this spray before makeup and moisturizer. “It makes mature skin more plump and hydrated,” he said.

Malin & Goetz Lip Moisturizer, $14

DALI likes to apply this moisturizer on top of lipstick for an extra moisture boost, which can be especially useful for older clients. “And it doesn’t change the consistency of the lipstick,” she said.

Oxygenetix Oxygenating Foundation, $66

“WHEN I do antiaging procedures like microneedling, I’ll offer Oxygenetix because it heals the skin,” said Jeannette Graf, a dermatologist. “Older people with dry, sensitive skin who get redness will also love this. It goes on like a BB cream but with more coverage.”

Perricone MD No Mascara Mascara, $30

THIS two-in-one formula coats lashes and encourages growth with peptides. “The color is a brown-black, which doesn’t look harsh against older skin,” said Autumn Moultrie, a makeup artist who works with Viola Davis. “I’d go for that color, plum brown for darker skin or brown for fair skin to keep things soft.” New York Times News Service

‘LOLA’ IN THE FARM Maria Oclarino, 77, still helps in the farm in Pugo, La Union, to keep her physically strong. MAU VICTA

An upscale hamlet in NY weighs whether to be a village or not

REENBURGH, New York— Along the handsome byways of Edgemont, a small sea of blue-and-white political signs dot the front lawns, highlighting a heated issue that will not even be decided this Election Day. Residents of Edgemont, a prosperous community in Westchester County, are agitating to create their own village—a move that, after decades of being bandied about, seems to have real momentum. That has led to an unexpectedly pitched battle between those who favor incorporation and officials in the town of Greenburgh, a down-and-dirty fight featuring private investigators, accusations of greed and, naturally, a lawsuit. Edgemont is an unincorporated section of Greenburgh, and receives municipal services from the town. The possibility of Edgemont establishing its own government would seem to fly in the face of statewide efforts to eliminate layers of government and share services. But separatists say they are not getting

their money’s worth; indeed, while they insist they are not motivated by money, the arc of the conflict bends that way. A recent ta x reassessment in Greenburgh pushed the assessed values of Edgemont homes up by about 4 percent, effectively raising Edgemont’s share of Greenburgh’s taxes to 26 percent from 24 percent—even though Edgemont makes up just 17 percent of the population. If Edgemont’s 7,500 residents were removed from Greenburgh’s tax rolls, that could undermine the town’s finances, Greenburgh officials say. Edgemont’s median household income is $201,000, higher than that of the six existing villages in town. Paul J. Feiner, the Greenburgh town supervisor for more than 25 years, said services in the rest of unincorporated Greenburgh would suffer if Edgemont became a village. The town, he added, stands to lose about $17 million in tax revenue. He predicted that homeowners in a new village of Edgemont would see their property taxes rise, as well.

“People in Edgemont love the services they receive, and they are going to mess it up for everybody, including themselves,” said Feiner, a Democrat, who is running unopposed on Tuesday. “They may not like me, but they are going to make a decision that will last for many decades after I’m town supervisor. It’s really for spite that they will destroy the town.” Those who favor incorporation say the primary goal is not to save money on taxes. Rather, they want to gain control of land use, planning and budgeting decisions. Separatists also point out that with just 8 percent of Greenburgh’s overall population, they are poorly positioned to effect political change in the town. “The town government does not really follow a process for governing, and they ignore the law when it’s convenient,” said Jeffrey Sherwin, an entrepreneur and father of two who is helping to lead the campaign here. “The solution provided by New York state is if you’re unhappy, you too can become a village.”

New York Times News Service

The Millennials BusinessMirror

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Spam most-bought online by Pinoys on Singles’ Day

By Rizal Raoul S. Reyes

@brownindio

LAME a canned, cooked meat if your bandwidth was slow on November 11.

Apparently, Spam was lapped up by young, single and millennial Filipinos during an online shopping spree on Singles’ Day, data from technology firm Voyager Innovations Inc. (VII) showed. The product by Hormel emerged as the most-purchased item by Filipinos at Takatack, VII’s online shopping platform. The firm’s marketing campaign called “Hugot Week” offered huge discounts. Takatack competitor Lazada, on the other hand, saw millennials were perked up on coffee. In a statement, the platform by Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. said “millennials, who are known to demand higher value, saw the highest participation” in its own online sales promotion. “More than half of Lazada customers were aged 32 years old below,” the company said. “Top-selling items include coffee, digital goods, makeup and mobile accessories— essentials in every millennial’s daily survival kit.” For Takatack, the digital goods that followed Spam were the Jaguarbrand power banks, which emerged

as a closer second on Singles’ Day, widely acknowledged to be one of the biggest sale events around the world. Of the top 20 items bought from VII’s platform, more than half were composed of electronics items, while the rest were imported, canned food products. “This is the first time that Takatack ran a promotion in conjunction with Singles’ Day, and we were really overwhelmed, if not a little amused, by the reception of Filipino online shoppers,” Marc Concio, head for digital commerce at VII, was quoted in a statement as saying. “Our young people are also a practical bunch, as they spotted the best buys in preparation for the holidays.” The company said majority of the transactions on November 11 used VII’s digital payments service called PayMaya. The purchases were by users who belonged to the millennial category—or those aged between 18 and 34 years old. At least 80 percent of these transactions were online purchases, VII said. For PayMaya, the top payments destination on Singles’ Day was

Lazada, one of the biggest online marketplaces in the country, which held an “Online Revolution” event from November 9 to 11. PayMaya partnered with Lazada to offer a 20-percent discount on purchases, on top of an 11-percent rebate for all PayMaya transactions on Singles’ Day itself. Lazada Philippines claims its November 11 sales alone translated to over P550 million in savings for Filipinos, young and adult alike. “Millennials are the driving force behind the digital revolution, and this crazy demand for online goods and services on Singles’ Day is yet another indication of that phenomenon,” explained Raymund Villanueva, issuing head for PayMaya Philippines. “Making financial services, such as payments, especially the ability to pay online without a credit card, more accessible to Filipinos is making digital commerce grow faster like never before.” Aside from Lazada, shoppers spent their money through various digital services, freelance ventures, digital games, travel, fashion and groceries. Singles’ Day, likewise, showed the strong influence of mobile, as 7 in 10 online transactions performed in Takatack were from mobile devices. Lazada said over 70 percent of orders from Southeast Asia were placed from mobile devices. This heavy usage could be attributed to the free mobile Internet

access to online sites offered by platforms such as freenet, which gave subscribers of VII parent Smart Communications Inc. free data access to online shopping sites, such as Lazada and Takatack, and digital platforms, such as PayMaya and Lendr. “The growth of our platforms during the Singles’ Day event was phenomenal,” VII President and CEO Orlando B. Vea was quoted in a statement as saying. “Compared to the same period last year, PayMaya’s consumer business registered as much as a five-fold increase in transaction volumes, while sales transactions from Takatack jumped by a massive 4,500 percent.” Originating from China, Singles’ Day was established as a way for Chinese male and female individuals to celebrate being single. It eventually turned into one of the biggest e-Commerce events anticipated annually the world over. “We’re not China, so it’s a different flavor for Singles’ Day here. You can’t just copy the same playbook,” Vea said. “What we are doing is to provide easier access to digital services—be it through sponsored data, payments, digital lending and digital commerce.” Vea added the company sees these developments as “a positive indication of the growth of the digital economy in the Philippines and a challenge for us to continue helping build the ecosystem to foster further growth in the years to come.”

Young Burlington employees sink foot into volunteerism

Saturday, November 25, 2017

’Dedmatology’: The art of ignoring John Patrick F. Solano

MILLENNIAL UNIVERSE

‘D

EDMA” is the shortened version of two English words, dead malice, meaning to ignore. It is the Tagalog translation of the expression “patay malisya.” In every institution, be it school, organization, or office, you’ll meet people with different personalities: the friendly, the shy type, the outspoken, the clown and the mean ones, among others. You have to adjust to every personality if you want to blend in. This is where I usually fail. Being an introvert, I get easily intimidated by extroverts, and I tend to keep silent the whole time. Sometimes you just can’t avoid having disagreements or arguments with other people. If disagreements or arguments escalated into heated discussions, you would have to learn and master “Dedmatology”—the art of ignoring. Here are some tips that I learned through experience: Learn to ignore mean people as if they don’t exist. Also, ignore their hurtful remarks, be it direct or indirect. Just dedma. Have a trustworthy support group. You’ll need every bit of encouragement and advice from your friends. Never assume unless otherwise stated. Don’t overthink that you’re always the one being talked about. Dedma. Unfollow the mean people on so-

cial media like Facebook. That way, you won’t see their posts on your news feed. Or block them if you must. If you have a share of mistakes in the disagreement, say sorry. Do not only forgive the person/s who hurt you but also forgive yourself for your own mistakes. Don’t think about your mistakes over and over again, because you’ll be paranoid all the time. If the other party doesn’t forgive you, then it’s his or her problem, not yours. Dedma. Yes, these are easier said than done. It was hard at first but, believe me, I made it. I learned the art of ignoring little by little, especially if you meet mean people often. I didn’t want to stress myself, assuming and overthinking about things that might be directed to me. Instead, I used my energy toward happiness. I developed a positive mind-set, always looking even at the smallest possible positive outcome of every experience. A friend told me “Weak people take revenge, strong people forgive and intelligent people ignore”. I chose to be intelligent. I chose to let bygones be bygones. I chose to dedma all the negativities that might be directed to me. John Patrick F. Solano, 26, a BS applied mathematics graduate at the Polytechnic University of the Philippines and currently a freshman of MS mathematics at the Prince of Songkla University in Hat Yai, Thailand. The views Solano expressed in this column do not necessarily reflect those of the BusinessMirror’s.

Millennials put their stamp on parenting

N the late-1980s and early1990s, Burlington became a byword among young Filipinos because of the brand’s association with sports. Hence, when the company reached its 50th year, Burlington Industries Philippines Inc. General Manager Ruddy Tan decided to involve millennials in its golden celebration. Tan decided to search for an organization that allows young people to have a role in a meaningful undertaking. They found the Caloocan East Fire and Rescue Volunteer Inc. (Cefrvi) an ideal beneficiary as, Tan said, the group promotes volunteerism among millennials and their younger counterparts. “We were looking for non-governmental organizations when an employee approached us for assistance to the Caloocan fire brigade of which he’s a member,” Tan told the BusinessMirror. “We selected the group [Cefrvi] because it encourages civic involvement, especially among the millennials,” he said. “Thus, it was the start of a fruitful partnership.” Tan added the company realized the value and importance of Cefrvi’s work, not only in the community but in other areas as well, when the need arises. “We acknowledge their importance in our daily lives,” he added. Peter John Dimal, 32, and Alan Gokioco, 37, lead the volunteers of the Cefrvi. The volunteering started among the group when one of their friends, a full-time fireman, urged Dimal and Gokioco to volunteer. To prepare them for job, Dimal and other volunteers had to undergo training once a week for one month. So far, 20 of the 30 volunteers remain active volunteers, according to Dimal, who explained that others be-

The much-examined generation born between 1980 and 2000 are now having children of their own, and parenting very differently from their forebears. Joyce Hesselberth/The New York Times

This October 28 photo shows some of the young employees of Burlington Industries Philippines Inc. who volunteer for the Caloocan East Fire and Rescue Volunteer Inc. Rizal Raoul S. Reyes

came inactive because of their work. “Distribution of duties is a constant challenge because a lot of the volunteers have full-time jobs,” he added. Aware of this predicament, Gokioco said they require the volunteers to spend their free time at the Cefrvi headquarters. Firefighting is a tough job, as some volunteers stay late after work to ensure there is a stand-by force in case fire breaks out at night. Based on their experiences, fires usually break out in slums. They

recommend that more awareness programs must be conducted in these areas to teach the residents in these areas the basic ways to prevent fires. Dimal said crowd control remains a big challenge for volunteers and firefighters alike. He said they experienced being harassed by people who wanted their houses and properties saved first. Dimal said these people are ignorant of the fact that there is a plan in fire control. In these delicate situations, the veteran firemen act as the leaders

of the younger and volunteer group. One of their most memorable experiences was the Kentex factory fire on May 13, 2015. That proved to be a tough undertaking because it involved saving trapped workers, Dimal said. Right now, Gokioco said they are satisfied with the size of the group, as it is easier to manage. Dimal said the millennial volunteers have a high degree of satisfaction because they know their effort benefits the community.

Rizal Raoul S. Reyes

HEN Anne Halsall, 34, brought her first son home from the hospital in 2012, she eagerly followed the best advice about breastfeeding. Her son, however, kept losing weight— first a little, then a lot. “It was a dark time for me,” she said. After getting conflicting advice from experts, Halsall, a Chicago native who was living in San Francisco with her fiancee, then did what many frustrated new mothers do these days. She turned to Google. “That’s when I realized I was a second-class citizen in the eyes of the Internet,” she said. “I tried to download an app for breastfeeding, and they were all clearly made by men, and they were all horrible.” So Halsall, an engineer, wrote her own, called Baby’s Day. “I was a frustrated mom who built an app for moms,” she said. “You can’t get more millennial than that!” The much-maligned generation of millennials, those born between roughly 1980 and 2000, has been chided for being selfish, spoiled, uncommunicative, overcommunicative and addicted to trophies, hookups and likes. But while the rest of society has been busy hating on millennials, the older ones have been busy growing up, settling down and having children. More than 16 million millennial women are now mothers, ac-

cording to Pew, a number that grows by more than 1 million every year. Eighty-two percent of children born each year are born to millennial mothers. That’s five out of every six babies. And their parents—let’s call them “parennials”—are challenging all sorts of commonly held beliefs about the American family. Let’s examine their innovations, one at a time.

#HashtagBaby

PARENNIALS spent their formative years steeped in personal technology. As a result they’re “high-information parents,” said Rebecca Parlakian, the program director for Zero to Three, an organization that has been studying new parents since 1977. “The good news is that parents know more about child development than ever before,” she added. “Google is the new grandparent, the new neighbor, the new nanny.” The bad news is that parents feel overwhelmed by the volume of information, confused about the “right way” to do things and harshly judged by friends and relatives. Kate Flynn, 32, lives in New York’s Brooklyn borough with her 11-monthold daughter, Isla, and her college sweetheart, Michael. Like many new parents, she felt unprepared for the responsibility. “We feel like kids who aren’t old enough to have kids,” she said. New York Times News Service

BusinessMirror

A10 Saturday, November 25, 2017

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Polaroid Originals rolls out all-new OneStep 2 i-Type EIGHTY years since Edwin Land changed the way we keep memories with his breakthrough invention, Polaroid is back to capture life’s best moments in the coolest way possible. Introducing Polaroid Originals (polaroidoriginals.primergrp. com), a new category of products dedicated to analog instant photography in its original, iconic format. Launched on September 13, the 80th anniversary of Polaroid’s foundation, Polaroid Originals marks the next step in a journey started by The Impossible Project that kept the dream alive since 2008. As the clamor for nostalgia peaks, it didn’t take long for the rest of the world to catch up as Polaroid stakes its original claim as the leading authority in instant photography. Recently, Polaroid Originals collaborated with self-taught photographer The London Vagabond to capture the backstage magic of punk royalty Vivienne Westwood’s Autumn-Winter 17/18 collection. As one of the most historic artifacts of the 1980s, Polaroid Originals also made an onscreen appearance in one of the episodes of the much-anticipated second season of sci-fi Web series Stranger Things, laying proof of the world’s enduring fascination with Polaroid. Fast-forward to this day, sentimental fiends and tastemakers alike can rejoice as Polaroid Originals rolls out with refurbished vintage cameras that are nostalgic as they are good as new. Leading the pack is the brand-new OneStep 2 i-Type camera.

THE ORIGINAL NEVER LEFT

MAKING sure that no one gets left out in all the action, Polaroid officially unveiled Polaroid Originals and the OneStep 2 i-Type camera in the Philippines with an exclusive press and influencers launch. Held on November 8 at The Gallery in Greenbelt 5, highlighting the event was a photo exhibit which juxtaposed old Polaroid Originals photos—some of which were submitted by photography enthusiasts—with those of new ones taken using the all-new OneStep 2 i-Type camera by guest photographers. Demonstrating the perfect imperfection of Polaroid Originals camera were photographer Patrick Diokno, chef Nicco Santos of Hey Handsome and digital influencer Ida Anduyan, each showcasing 24 unique images. A true blast from the past, guests also enjoyed getting up close and personal with various vintage cameras and photographs displayed in collaboration with the kind people of Film Folk.

PHOTOS YOU CAN FEEL

IN an era defined by the fleeting and the virtual, Polaroid Originals reminds us that memories are not something that can simply be captured and forgotten as quickly as they were taken. Redefining instant photography, Polaroid Originals invites everyone to refamiliarize themselves with the beauty of photos that we can hold onto with the OneStep 2 i-Type camera. Inspired by the original OneStep camera from the 1977, the OneStep 2 is an analog instant camera for the modern era as it blends classic design with contemporary style. Updated to create a simple easy-to-use instant camera which works as soon as you take it out of the box, it’s easy enough for a child to use. Upon closer inspection, the OneStep 2 boasts heavyweight features, with its built-in strobe flash, highquality two feet-to-infinity lens and self-timer function, users are assured of a completely unique photo each time. Plus, its long-lasting rechargeable battery means longer shooting time wherever and whenever in the world. To be precise, the camera has a 60-day battery life. And the best part? The OneStep 2 allows users to fully immerse in the glory days of analog photography as it runs on all the styles of Polaroid Originals’ i-Type Film and 600 Film. Whether it’s colored, black and white, or soaked in rainbow-hued frames, there’s a whole world of possibilities simply waiting to be developed. Decades later and there’s still nothing that beats the Polaroid Originals, which are available in white or graphite at following select Bratpack stores.

Consistent support for aspiring filmmakers PRIMETIME

DINNA CHAN VASQUEZ @dinnachanvasquez luckydinna@gmail.com

VERYBODY knows that if you love Filipino movies, you should get a Hooq subscription. Hooq, which claims to be the largest video-on-demand service in Southeast Asia, has over 1,000 Filipino movies spanning almost five decades and over 4,000 hours of local television. From studio hits to indies, Hooq has got the Pinoy movie fan covered. I’m a Sharon Cuneta fan and To Love Again, her movie with the late Miguel Rodriguez, is one of the most difficult to find in any form. I’m very happy that it’s on Hooq. Why am I talking about this? Hooq is a staunch and consistent supporter of the Philippine film industry and aspiring Filipino filmmakers. It was the exclusive presenter of the 42nd Metro Manila Film Festival last year and the festival’s New Wave category. Hooq has announced six titles for pilot development from its inaugural Hooq Filmmakers Guild 2017. The Hooq Filmmakers Guild attracted almost 500 entries for original content from across the region. The submissions were varied and ranged from science fiction to supernatural and even historical dramas. The dominant genres submitted were drama, horror/supernatural and comedy, with science fiction and fantasy a close fourth.

“The number of submissions was far more than what any of us were expecting,” said judge Puttipong Promsaka Na Sakolnakorn, a popular actor from Thailand. “The submissions took screen craft to another level. The level of detail and the amalgamation of brave ideas, Asian culture and stunning creativity brought out some of the most amazing submissions I have ever seen,” said Filipino director Erik Matti, who was also one of the judges. Judging was based on the relevance and potential appeal to Asian audiences, demonstrable creativity in storytelling and a well-told Asian story with an original point of view. The confirmed 2017 selections are Bhak (India), Suay (Thailand), Haunt Me (Singapore), How to Be a Good Girl (Singapore), Aliansi (Indonesia) and Heaven and Hell (Indonesia). The six were selected from some 500 submissions received by Hooq over a two-month period from all over Southeast Asia. The six entries that have been earmarked for pilots span a range of genres. India’s winning entry, Bhak, is a colorful dramedy that follows the adventures of two ambitious young filmmakers in the Bollywood film industry. Written by Arjun Chatterjee and Shreyom Ghosh from Big3 Media, it explores the themes of passion, betrayal and love. Suay, a Thai crime thriller by Marcelo von Schwartz, follows the story of ladyboy go-go dancer Lola, who receives a dismembered ear belonging to her best friend and mentor, Carly. She is forced to draw upon her past identity as a tough male private detective and descend into the underbelly of Bangkok. Supernatural drama Haunt Me, by Oman Dhas and Goh Ming Siu from Third Floor Pictures, follows the story of Kwong, a widower, who after his father’s death moves into his family ancestral home and discovers his family’s secret sacred destiny, which is

guiding lost souls to the other side. The other Singaporean entry, How to Be a Good Girl, comes from Abundant Productions and follows former socialite turned ex-convict Frances Lee, who is looking to reclaim her life after time behind bars. The Indonesian winning entries reflect two ends of the genre sprectrum. Aliansi is an offbeat comedy by Muttaqiena Imaamaa. It follows the story of a downand-out Jakarta-based creative executive, who gets a chance to start over when a mysterious millionaire approaches him to create advertising campaigns to convince the public that aliens are real. Bobby Prabowo and Eric Tiwa’s Heaven and Hell takes the viewer into the world of the Eastern Indonesia mafia. When a gang war is about to break out in Darmaga Batu, his adoptive hometown, Chris contemplates leaving the violent world of crime, until he realizes that the only way he can protect his jailed father is by becoming the head of the crime world. Hooq has also selected five more submissions for script development. The selections are Crazy in Love (Indonesia), Golden Star (Philippines), Merit Score (Thailand), ReLie (Thailand) and Trips (Singapore). While these submissions are not ready to be developed into pilots, they hold enough merit and potential to become compelling stories that will appeal to audiences around Southeast Asia. Hooq is investing in the potential of these ideas by developing them into scripts. “The Hooq Filmmakers Guild has really highlighted the immense talent out in Asia, and the selection process for the top six pilots announced earlier was not an easy task. The fact that we could pick out five more brilliant ideas on top of the six we already chose for pilot development means this region is a hot bed for creative talent. We’re excited and committed to developing these talents and helping them turn their vision into your next favorite series,” said Peter Bithos, CEO of Hooq. ■

BusinessMirror

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Saturday, November 25, 2017 A11

Blockchain technology rolled out, disruption in finance industry expected STORY & PHOTO BY RIZAL RAOUL REYES

HE next big disruption in digital technology is going to shake the country’s financial industry. Through the partnership between Filipino company Amihan Global Strategies and Hyperledger, the introduction of blockchain technology is getting a big push after they were asked by the Bankers Association of the Philippines (BAP) to establish an industry-wide facility anchored on the platform to enhance the country’s digital identity technology. “We welcome this development for the Philippines. The Bankers Association of the Philippines joins a global movement to benefit consumers using blockchain technology,” Hyperledger Executive Director Brian Behlendorf said in a news briefing on November 17. He said it is a milestone for Hyperledger as the country’s banking community is using open-source software from Hyperledger technology to strengthen data privacy and finance. A blockchain is a distributed ledger that allows people around the world to link their computing power to create permanent records of exchange and build systems that have trust, accountability, security and transparency at their core. Also known as distributed ledgers, it can be used to record promises, trades, transactions or simply items that a user doesn’t want to disappear. Mirrored exactly across all nodes in a given network, it allows everyone in an ecosystem to keep a copy of the common system of record. Furthermore, the records can never be edited or erased. Although the information or data is shared across the ledgers, the system will be anchored on self-sovereign identity. This means the individual will have an exclusive control and prudence of sharing his personal information to selected recipients of his choice. By using blockchain, Behlendorf said clients will have an easier time to process their transactions, as participating banks and accredited agents would be able to upload personal information at once through mobile phones. Once the uploaded information is confirmed and vetted by a participating bank, the client can now open a new bank account and access banking services of other participating banks in a much faster and easier manner. Although the project is still in a fledgling stage, the best is yet to come for the technology duo as some of the country’s major banks (Asia United Bank, Banco de Oro, Bank of the Philippine Islands, Citibank, East West Bank, Metropolitan Bank and Trust Co. and Union Bank) have already signed and verified customer data on the platform. “Having Citibank as one of the signatories means that Amihan is gaining recognition for this initiative,” Amihan Executive Director and Founder Winston Damarillo pointed out. The BAP, led by its president Nestor Tan, expressed optimism on the blockchain technology. Tan said it will be drastically change the verification processes in the banking industry. With this, Damarillo said the Philippines is one of the first few countries in the world to employ a powerful and sophisticated technology for identity management. “We are commented to pursuing the Philippine banking road map we have crafted with the support of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas. The initiative will enable the banking industry to provide a more convenient and faster way of delivering services to clients,” Tan said in a news statement. As of 2017, there are only 44 million out of 100 million Filipinos that deposit their money into bank accounts. Nevertheless, with the economic growth of the country and the propagation of digital technology, more Filipinos are

What is ‘net neutrality’ and why does it matter? NEW YORK—“Net neutrality” regulations, designed to prevent Internet service providers like Verizon, AT&T, Comcast and Charter from favoring some sites and apps over others, are on the chopping block. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Ajit Pai, a Republican, on Tuesday unveiled a plan to undo the Obama-era rules that have been in place since 2015. Here’s a look at what the developments mean for consumers and companies. WHAT IS NET NEUTRALITY? NET neutrality is the principle that Internet providers treat all Web traffic equally, and it’s pretty much how the Internet has worked since its creation. But regulators, consumer advocates and Internet companies were concerned about what broadband companies could do with their power as the pathway to the Internet—blocking or slowing down apps that rival their own services, for example. WINSTON DAMARILLO and Brian Behlendorf

expected to have easier access to financial services. “Digital is the best solution for financial inclusion in the Philippines,” Damarillo said. Amihan is also developing a blockchain-based universal ID that customers can use across different banks, businesses and government institutions. “The idea is to develop a self-sovereign identity,” Damarillo said, “where every individual has full access over their data and can share it with organizations and people that they trust.” “Ultimately, blockchain technology is about building more distributed, more accountable, and more open transaction networks and services. This will benefit companies and even everyday people,” Behlendorf said. “With Amihan’s partnership, we are excited to see new blockchain-based Asean solutions that will revolutionize the region, and the entire digital world.” The implications go beyond finance. Blockchain technology has the potential to solve problems that run the gamut, from storing health records to tracking ethical consumption, monetizing digital content, tackling voter fraud and more. “The possibilities are limitless,” Damarillo said. “Our ambition is to move beyond possibilities toward action and real innovations that can spur a new wave of economic opportunity in one of the fastest-growing economic regions of the world.” Meanwhile, digital-technology colossus PLDT recently disclosed it’s serious in implementing blockchain technology to protect and manage its data in a more efficient manner. Right now, PLDT Executive Vice President and ePLDT Group

Find Araneta Center’s best deals with Piip THE go-to mobile application for the best location-based promos and deals, Piip (www.piip.com/ph) officially launched its partnership with the Araneta Center at the annual treelighting ceremony held at the Times Square Food Park along Time Square Avenue in Araneta Center, Quezon City, on November 17. Launched in the Philippines in February, Piip is a mobile application that grants users access to a wide variety of product discounts and recommendations at the “Piip” of a button. Adding to the app’s algorithm for unique deal selection, Piip’s location-based feature helps shoppers find the nearest store where the products and services they need are available and even made more affordable. Piip also enables users of the app to directly contact their merchant of choice via its in-app messenger, making it easy for both to communicate and transact. “We at Piip are committed to giving consumers the best promos and deals to help them with their shopping even after the holiday season is over. Our partnership with the Araneta Center is the prime opportunity for merchants to bring their

businesses into the digital platform,” said Narciso Reyes, spokesman for Piip. This partnership with Piip provides Araneta Center and its wide portfolio of merchants an opportunity to offer new tech platform as they venture deeper into the digital space. With more shoppers going in and out of malls, including the Araneta Center, Piip is the perfect channel for merchants to fully showcase their promos, especially now that consumers are always online. Not only that, merchants also have an opportunity to curate personalized deals when they transact with consumers using Piip’s messaging feature. “Araneta Center has always been on the lookout for opportunities where we can drive more visibility for our merchants. With the rapid growth of technology, coupled with a young and vibrant customer base, we believe that Piip provides an avenue to bring the retail experience within our development further into the digital future, and that this collaboration will help us better engage with our patrons,” Senior Vice President John Castelo said.

President and CEO Ernesto R. Alberto said the company is evaluating how to implement blockchain in its operations. “Digital enablement is far and wide. We will include blockchain as a platform as part of protecting our data assets soon,” he said. Rene Meily Jr., president of the Philippine Disaster Resilience Foundation, said some start-ups under the Ideaspace Foundation are using blockchain for their operations. “I think they’re now working out with the system,” he said. Earlier this year, software titan Oracle announced the launching of the Oracle Blockchain Cloud Service. The Redwood City, California-based company said the advanced, enterprise-grade distributed ledger cloud platform helps customers increase business velocity, create new revenue streams and reduce cost and risk by securely extending ERP, supply chain and other enterprise software as a service plus on-premises applications to drive tamper-resistant transactions on a trusted business network. Part of the Oracle Cloud Platform, it provides an enterprise-grade blockchain platform with industry-leading resiliency, scalability and security. It is fully managed by Oracle and provides customers rapid provisioning and simplified operations with built-in monitoring, continuous backup and point-in-time recovery. “Blockchain holds the promise to fundamentally transform how business is done, making business-tobusiness interactions more secure, transparent and efficient,” Amit Zavery, senior vice president of Oracle Cloud Platform, said in a news statement. ■

WHAT DID THE GOVERNMENT DO ABOUT IT? THE FCC in 2015 approved rules, on a party-line vote, that made sure cable and phone companies don’t manipulate traffic. With them in place, a provider, such as Comcast, can’t charge Netflix for a faster path to its customers, or block it or slow it down. The net-neutrality rules gave the FCC power to go after companies for business practices that weren’t explicitly banned, as well. For example, the Obama FCC said that “zero rating” practices by AT&T violated net neutrality. The telecommunication giant exempted its own video app from cell-phone data caps, which would save some consumers money, and said video rivals could pay for the same treatment. Pai’s FCC spiked the effort to go after AT&T, even before it began rolling out a plan to undo the netneutrality rules entirely. A federal appeals court upheld the rules in 2016 after broadband providers sued. WHAT TELCOS WANT BIG telecom companies say they don’t want the stricter regulation that comes with the net-neutrality rules. They say the regulations can undermine investment in broadband and introduced uncertainty about what were acceptable business practices. There were concerns about potential price regulation, even though the FCC had said it won’t set prices for consumer Internet service. WHAT SILICON VALLEY WANTS INTERNET companies, such as Google, have strongly backed net neutrality, but many tech firms have been more muted in their activism this year. Netflix, which had been vocal in support of the rules in 2015, said in January that weaker net neutrality wouldn’t hurt it because it’s now too popular with users for broadband providers to interfere. WHAT HAPPENS NEXT PAI distributed his alternative plan to other FCC commissioners on Tuesday in preparation for a December 14 vote. Although the FCC’s two Democrats said they will oppose the proposal, the repeal is likely to prevail as Republicans dominate, 3-2. The vote for net neutrality in 2015 was also along party lines, but Democrats dominated then. In the long run, net-neutrality advocates say undoing these rules makes it harder for the government to crack down on Internet providers who act against consumer interests and will harm innovation. Those who criticize the rules say undoing them is good for investment in broadband networks. AP

What is ‘net neutrality’ and why does it matter? A11

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

BusinessMirror

Saturday, November 25, 2017 A12

ALIBABA Founder and Executive Chairman Jack Ma (fourth from left) joins GCat, the GCash Mascot, as it shows a sample of the QR code that’s set to change the landscape of payments in the country. Together with him are (from left): Mynt President and CEO Anthony Thomas, Globe President and CEO Ernest Cu, Ant Financial Services Group CEO Eric Jing, Ayala Corp. President and COO Fernando Zobel de Ayala, Ayala Land President and CEO Bobby Dy and Ant Financial Senior Vice President and Head of International Operations Douglas Feagin.

Going cashless this Christmas THE TECHNIVORE ED UY

whereiseduy@gmail.com

“Everyone thinks cash is so simple and so easy and so fast and so secure. It’s none of those things. It’s really expensive to move it, store it, secure it, inspect it, shred it, redesign it, resupply it, and round and round we go!”

—DAVID WOLMAN, AUTHOR OF THE DEATH OF MONEY

OW many times have you heard this from the cashier: “Sir/Ma’am do you have ‘xx’ peso coins so I could give you ‘xx’ or Do you have a smaller bill?” (even though they’ve been already open for much of the day). As if the long queue wasn’t enough torment, now you have to put down all the other stuff you bought just to fumble through your wallet or bag to get a few coins. And if you immediately answer “No” without looking through your bag, chances are they’ll give you lots and lots of P1 coins in change as if to say, “Well, now you have lots of coins!” Talk about having a holly jolly Christmas. Christmas may be that most wonderful time of the year, but it could also be the most stressful and dangerous—especially for shoppers who are bringing lots of cash with them. There are times when bills and coins are necessary, but as life gets increasingly more digital, cashless will be the better way to go. But just to be clear: cashless is way different from being cash strapped. It’s a good thing we’re finally moving a step toward developing a more cashless society with the emergence of several “fintech” companies that are looking to serve the majority of the underbanked sector in the country. Mobile wallet service GCash, for example, recently had a relaunch to introduce its Scan to Pay feature, and that it’s adopting the cashless payment model of popular Chinese mobile and online payment platform Alipay. The launch held last month coincided with the visit of Jack Ma, founder and executive chairman of Alibaba. Ma was joined by Ant Financial Services Group CEO Eric Jing, Ayala Corp. President and COO Fernando Zobel de Ayala, Globe President and CEO Ernest Cu, Ayala Land President and CEO Bobby Dy and Mynt President and CEO Anthony Thomas, who tested the GCash system in several shops around Glorietta. “Imagine a day when you can shop and buy cinema tickets, bus and train tickets with a simple scan of your personal GCash QR code in your smartphone. The convenient daily life 520 million Alipay users are enjoying will soon be realized in the Philippines. In the past months, Ant Financial has worked closely with GCash, a product of Mynt, as we are dedicated to bringing digital financial services to our friends in the Philippines. Technology is helping more people to enjoy the benefits of digital financial services in a costeffective, efficient and safe way. I hope we may

share our technologies and experiences with our partner, helping them to better serve more local users,” Jing said. “We are happy to share the initial successes that will disrupt payment methods in the Philippines. In this country, only 5 percent of the population have credit cards, leaving almost everybody to carry cash all the time to pay for something. Now, we are introducing the third method of payment: GCash. With more people are using data on their smartphones, the time is ripe to enable digital payments using the smartphone and let this go mainstream. Our challenge today is to make digital payments the preferred choice among our customers instead of cash or credit cards,” Cu noted. Ayala seeks to promote financial inclusion for the underserved Filipinos. In doing so, it continuously invests in creating new channels and access points that broaden payment and lending options for all. The partnership between Globe and Ant, one of the world’s leading digital financial-service providers and parent company of Alipay, is aligned with Ayala’s recent strategic investments to meet the people’s changing needs, and accelerate the development of the Philippines’s digital economy. Just this weekend, GCash held #GDay during the TriNoma Greenlight Sale to give shoppers more incentives to switch to cashless shopping. Partner merchants gave an additional 20-percent (or up to P500) cashback on top of their sale discounts when customers used the GCash app’s Scan to Pay feature, while moviegoers who bought movie tickets at any Ayala Cinema nationwide got a P150 one-time cashback. GCash also partnered with Noel Bazaar to make shopping even easier with Scan to Pay, and to give customers a treat with 10-percent cashback for their purchases with GCash. Shoppers are awarded a maximum of P100 cashback for every stall they buy from when they use GCash to pay for their purchase. That means a lot of savings and opportunities to find the best Christmas gifts for your loved ones. Noel Bazaar, which opened its doors 16 years ago, is considered the granddaddy of all bazaars, with over 500 participating merchants and average daily visitors of around 6,500. It offers a wide range of gift suggestions from fashion and beauty products, gifts, toys and novelty items, to travel essentials and airline tickets. The shopping mecca also includes an International Food Feast for hungry shoppers. One of the highlights of the bazaar is the GMA Celebrity Ukay-Ukay and GMA Auction, featuring preloved items GMA Kapuso Stars sell at a very affordable price. As one of the most anticipated events of the season, shoppers now have more chances to visit Noel Bazaar in different venues. The first stop was at the World Trade Center in Pasay City from November 16 to 19, with a repeat from November 24 to 30. From there, the bazaar moves to its next venue at the Filinvest Tent in Alabang from November 30 to December 3. Last-minute shoppers have a final chance to catch the bazaar at the SMX Convention Center from December 14 to 17. Through GCash, particularly the Scan to Pay feature of the app, Filipinos can now experience the convenient cashless lifestyle. The new payment option is a game-changer for both consumers and merchants. It allows customers to pay for goods and services by simply using

THE award-winning collaboration between National Book Store and Kris Aquino

their smartphones to scan QR codes displayed by merchants and establishments. On the other hand, business owners also benefit from not having to install expensive machines as they are provided with a QR-code sticker which buyers can scan to pay. Customers pay the exact amount, removing the need for coins or change. GCash sees this solution working not just for organized trade but even for ambulant vendors. GCash is the internationally acclaimed mobile wallet service of Mynt, which can be used to buy load, pay bills, send money and pay for goods and services whether online or offline. Alipay is operated by Ant Financial and is the mobile and online payment platform of the Alibaba Group, founded by Chinese business magnate Jack Ma, who urged for the transformation of the Philippines into a cashless society when he visited the country late last month. “ I think [the Philippines] has the opportunity to make the world’s best fintech [financial technology] because you have so many mobile phones. You have more than 7,000 islands. It’s impossible for banks to have offices in 7,000 [islands] covering everywhere. But mobile phones [can] cover everywhere,” Ma pointed out. In his lecture, the Chinese business and tech wiz also urged the Philippines to promote cashless transactions as a way to eradicate corruption. “We should make the Philippines a cashless society. When you have cashless society, [there is] no corruption. A lot easier,” Ma added. To start enjoying the benefits of the GCash Scan to Pay feature, all you have to do is download the free app from the App Store or Google Play and register for an account. Once installed, you can cash-in or reload at any GCash kiosk and digitalpayment booth in Globe stores, and in over 12,000

GCash partner-outlets nationwide.

BEST USE OF AN INFLUENCER THE Queen of All Media Kris Aquino may not be on TV as much as she used to, but it seems to have had very little effect on her influence to a lot of people. Take, for example, her recent project for National Book Store, called “Kris Faves and Finds.” Conceptualized and developed by The Huddle Room for National Book Store, the video won a Bronze Award in the 2017 Native Advertising Award for the category Best Use of Influencer. The Native Advertising Awards is the biggest awards program for native advertising in the world. The awards aim to acknowledge and reward great native advertising, and to promote inspiring, effective and creative work that helps organizations worldwide achieve their goals and tell great brand stories in a nondisruptive way. The winners were announced at the Native Advertising Days 2017 in Berlin on November 9. A curated jury from across the industry has chosen this year’s winners based on native advertising work entered in categories covering the most important aspects of native advertising, such as strategy, organization, formats and channels. The jury counts experienced native advertising professionals, such as Stephanie Losee, head of content at Visa; Susan Borst, deputy director of Mobile IAB; Stuart Feil, custom publishing director at Adweek; Nick Drake, senior vice president of digital at T-Mobile; Rebecca Lieb, leading industry analyst on Native Advertising; and Irina Pashina, senior director for content marketing at SAP. Award submissions come from countries across the globe, such as Sweden, Mexico, Croatia, the United States, Germany, Russia, Denmark, Italy and the Philippines. ■