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Friday, November 30, 2018 Vol. 14 No. 51

DBCC retracts proposal to suspend fuel tax hike

By Rea Cu @ReaCuBM & Bernadette D. Nicolas @BNicolasBM

MONTH after recommending the suspension of the second tranche of the hike in fuel excise taxes next year as a way of reining in inflation, the country’s economic managers said on Thursday that the measure is no longer necessary. Members of the Development Budget Coordination Committee (DBCC) said they will recommend to the President the continued implementation of the scheduled increase in fuel excise tax to P2 per liter in 2019 under the Tax

Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) law. The economic managers told reporters in a news conference at the Department of Finance headquarters in Manila that the scheduled increase in fuel excise tax must be

implemented in light of the favorable outlook in world oil prices. The DBCC noted that Dubai crude oil prices have gone down by 14 percent to $68 per barrel in November, from $79 per barrel last month. The average price, the DBCC

said, may maintain a downward trajectory and drop below $60 per barrel next year. Finance Secretary Carlos G. Dominguez III also told reporters that the DBCC considered the impact of the suspension on the government’s revenues and expenditures program for next year. Dominguez said suspending it for one year would lead to an estimated net revenue loss of P43.4 billion, assuming that Dubai crude oil prices average $65 per barrel next year. Dominguez said the erosion in revenue may force government to cut spending just to ensure that the programmed deficit level of 3.2 percent of GDP for 2019 will not be breached. Inflation, the DBCC said, continues to decelerate due to government Continued on A2

@BcuaresmaBM

HE growth of consumer prices slowed down in November, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) forecast on Thursday, as global oil prices started to go down during the month. In its monthly inflation forecast, the BSP Department of Economic Research announced in a statement that it projected inflation to settle within the 5.8 to 6.6 percent range for November. This means that even if inflation hits the ceiling of its range for the month, it would still record a slowdown from the October print of 6.7 percent. “The deceleration of inflation for the month could be attributed to the sharp decline in petroleum prices,” the BSP said in a statement. The normalization of supply conditions in rice and other agricultural commodities, as well as the positive performance of the local currency during the month, also contributed to the tamer forecast. Data from the Central Bank showed the peso averaged at 52.819 to a dollar as of November 29, a stronger value compared to the 54.009

FACEBOOK, GOOGLE FAIL TO GIVE DOCS ON 6 BETS By Samuel P. Medenilla

@sam_medenilla

NTERNET giants Facebook and Google may face charges from the Commission on Elections (Comelec) for failing to submit documents of their transactions with six national candidates during the 2016 elections. In a media forum, Mazna Lutzchavez of the Comelec Campaign Finance Office said the two firms did not submit the records for their ad deals with Senators Emmanuel “Manny” Pacquiao, Gregorio Honasan, Leila de Lima and Antonio Trillanes IV. They were also unable to produce the ad records of vice presidential candidates Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Maria Leonor “Leni” G. Robredo.

SOCE proof

THIS, even after the six candidates officially declared in

average in the previous month. “These could be offset in part by the adjustments in jeepney and bus fares, as well as higher electricity rates in Meralco-serviced areas,” the BSP said. “Moving forward, the BSP will remain watchful of economic and financial developments to ensure the achievement of its primary mandate of price stability conducive to balanced and sustainable economic growth,” it added. Earlier this month, in their November policy meeting, BSP officials announced revised inflation forecasts for this year, and for 2019 and 2020. Continued on A4

PESO EXCHANGE RATES n US 52.6080

their Statement of Contribution and Expenditure (SOCE) their transactions with Facebook and Google. Pacquiao spent P36,375.74 on Facebook ads, which was contracted out from Dublin, Ireland, and P728,740.75. This made him the biggest spending among the six. However, the total cost of the boxing superstar’s ad spending online is still only around 2 percent of his P35.7million expenditures in the 2016 polls. He is followed by Trillanes, who spent P658,804.39 for online ads, also with Facebook Ireland Ltd. De Lima spent P128,693.19 for her Facebook advertisements; and Robredo P110,000 also with the same company. In the case of Marcos, he paid P450,000 for his “promotions and ad placement in the Continued on A2

Swimming ban slapped on 2 Panglao, El Nido sites

5.8 to 6.6% Forecast inflation range for November by the BSP Department of Economic Research as decline in global oil prices, resolved supply issues on rice and a betterperforming peso are taken into account

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As global oil prices ease, BSP sees Nov inflation slowing By Bianca Cuaresma

2017 EJAP JOURNALISM AWARDS

By Ma. Stella F. Arnaldo

@akosistellaBM Special to the BusinessMirror

conditions remain supportive of the BSP’s price and financial stability objectives,” the Central Bank said in its statement on Thursday. The overall decline in cash supply growth is contrasted by the faster expansion of bank lending during the month, which remained elevated at 18.1 percent in October, from the 17.6 percent in September. In particular, loans for production activities increased at a brisker pace of 18.7 percent in October from

HE Inter-Agency Task Force on island destinations has ordered the local governments of El Nido and Panglao Island to implement a no-swimming policy in two beach areas. This was disclosed by Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo Puyat, who arrived Wednesday evening from an inspection trip of the two tourist towns, with Environment Secretary Roy A. Cimatu and Interior Secretary Eduardo M. Año. “We are not closing El Nido and Panglao, however, there should be no swimming in some beaches in El Nido and Panglao,” she said. The Department of Enviroment and Natural Resources (DENR) has been conducting monthly tests in the beach areas of the two tourist destinations and have determined Tawala 1 beach in Panglao and Buena Suerte in Panglao with “coliform levels exceeding the standard level.” As of October 2018, the fecal coliform count in Brgy. Tawala 1, where Alona Beach is located, is 16,000 most probable number

See “Cash supply,” A4

Continued on A4

TOURISM Secretary Bernadette Romulo Puyat (in orange cap) and Interior Secretary Eduardo M. Año (on Puyat’s left) oversee the measurement of the 3-meter easement on the beach of El Nido town on Wednesday. The two officials were with Environment Secretary Roy A. Cimatu to check on the reported environmental and easement violations by some establishments in the town. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

Cash supply eased further in October–BSP

ASH supply growth in the country remained at a single-digit expansion pace in October, easing further from the pace seen in the previous month. Data from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) showed domestic liquidity—broadly measured as M3 —grew 8.2 percent to about P11.1 trillion in October this year. This is a slowdown from the revised 9.8-percent growth seen in the previous month. A growing cash supply is often

beneficial for an expanding economy such as the Philippines, as it provides fuel to the productive sectors of the country. However, an excessively strong growth in M3 could further stoke inflationary pressures and pull prices upwards for the economy. An imbalanced cash supply growth is also an indicator that the economy is potentially overheating. “The BSP will continue to closely monitor domestic liquidity dynamics to ensure that monetary

n JAPAN 0.4630 n UK 67.4855 n HK 6.7231 n CHINA 7.5651 n SINGAPORE 38.3161 n AUSTRALIA 38.4564 n EU 59.8206 n SAUDI ARABIA 14.0236

Source: BSP (29 November 2018 )

News

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A2 Friday, November 30, 2018

WESM’s commercial run in Mindanao to start in ’19

By Lenie Lectura

@llectura

HE commercial implementation of the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market (WESM) in Mindanao may finally happen next year. “Latest timeline is middle of next year,” said Francis Saturnino C. Juan, president of Independent Electricity Market Operator of the Philippines (IEMOP), operator of the WESM. WESM’s commercial run in Mindanao was supposed start midyear but was later pushed to October this year. WESM started commercial operations in the Luzon grid in June

“WESM Mindanao will enable a transparent and fair mechanism to bring in more competition, more investors and a sustainable business climate that will eventually redound to empowering consumers from Mindanao of their power of choice.”— Cusi

2006 and in December of 2010 in the Visayas grid, while the intricacies of the Mindanao power industry delayed the establishment of WESM Mindanao. The Department of Energ y (DOE) launched WESM in Mindanao in June 2017, although it never became fully operational. Juan said trial operations are being conducted as part of the preparations, which include software audit of the new market system. “We’re doing trial operations already, conducting trainings and workshops with the market participants in Mindanao, attending DOE-organized meetings for the readiness assessment and resolution of issues,” said Juan when asked for the preparations being undertaken. “Regarding the market

system to be used, the New Market Management System, we’re in the final stretch of the software certification audit. We’re also registering participants already.” In recent years, the Mindanao grid suffered rotating brownouts due to generation deficiency. However, the entry of large generators significantly increased supply, now creating a surplus and prompting the extension of WESM operations to Mindanao. “WESM Mindanao will enable a transparent and fair mechanism to bring in more competition, more investors and a sustainable business climate that will eventually redound to empowering consumers from Mindanao of their power of choice,” Energy Secretary Alfonso G. Cusi said.

DBCC retracts proposal to suspend fuel tax hike efforts to address supply-side constraints as well as falling oil prices. “With month-on-month inflation moderating due to supply-side reforms initiated by the government, coupled with falling petroleum prices in the world market, the DBCC deems the suspension unnecessary,” Dominguez said. The recommendation is scheduled to be further discussed during a Cabinet meeting on Tuesday, December 4, and is still subject to the approval of President Duterte. “The ultimate target is not so much the fuel price increase but the overall inflation rate. And we believe that with the international prices of fuel as they are today, plus the effects of the implementation of the rice tariffication law, it is expected that the targets of the inflation rate will be met despite the fact that the second tranche of TRAIN will be implemented,” he added. The DBCC said it has revised its assumptions on Dubai crude oil prices—from a range of $75 to $85 per barrel, to $60 to $75 per barrel in 2019. “ T he circumstances have changed drastically and if we ignore this change we will not be acting as promised, basically, that is to act on facts and to make decisions rationally based on what are the prevailing information,” Dominguez said. The finance chief said a draft implementing rules and regulations (IRR) on the provision of

increasing fuel excise tax under the TRAIN is already in the works. The TR AIN law called for an excise tax of P2.50 per liter on diesel, with an additional P2 to be imposed next year and P1.50 per liter in 2020. This brings the excise tax on diesel to P4.50 per liter in 2019, and P6 per liter in 2020. From the previous P4.35 per liter, the excise tax on gasoline was increased to P7 this year, with an additional P2 increase in 2019, and P1 in 2020. For 2019 and 2020, the rates will be at P9 per liter and P10 per liter, respectively. Under the TRAIN law, the excise tax increase may be suspended if the international price of Dubai crude breaches the $80-per-barrel threshold for three months. The law was silent on the mechanism for lifting the suspension. In a memorandum dated November 8, Executive Secretary Salvador C. Medialdea informed the economic managers that the President has approved their proposal to suspend the hike in fuel excise tax.

Analysts weigh in

BUDGET Secretary and DBCC Chairman Benjamin E. Diokno said the second-round increase in fuel excise tax will not accelerate inflation next year. Diokno said inflation in 2019 and 2020 will still fall within government’s target. “We have the BSP [Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas] deputy governor briefing us on the oil price

situation earlier. We have made the decision based on that briefing, as he said that even with the P2 additional excise tax, we will still be within the projected inflation targets this year and next year and also for 2020,” he said. Analysts interviewed by the BusinessMirror agreed with the assessment of the country’s economic managers, saying their decision to continue implementing the increase in fuel excise tax was the right move. Calixto V. Chikiamco, president of the Foundation for Economic Freedom, noted that the government needs additional revenue to fund its massive infrastructure program. “In the end, this will make the economy more competitive and create jobs. As for inflation, it should go down because global oil prices are going down, massive rice imports arriving, peso is strengthening, and BSP hiked interest rates,” Chikiamco said, adding that oil prices are on the downtrend. “Even the United States economy is softening as shown by GM [General Motors] layoffs and stock market declines, indicating lower demand for oil in the future,” he added. University of Asia and the Pacific School of Economics Dean Cid L. Terosa told the BusinessMirror that oil prices have been going down and are projected to follow a more “predictable” trend in the future. “This must have prompted the

Continued from A1

withdrawal of the recommendation. If oil prices remain within a fairly stable range, inflation may not experience upward pressures,” Terosa said. Filomeno S. Sta. Ana II, coordinator for Action for Economic Reforms, said the government should adhere to the provisions of the law so they will not be accused of violating the law or politicking. “It has been time and again stressed that the impact of TRAIN on inflation is minimal. The real culprit is food inflation, a result of bad policy. Besides, oil rates are declining, recent rollbacks are even bigger than forthcoming increase,” he said. Former Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Romulo L. Neri also said retaining the excise tax on petroleum products will have a minimal impact on inflation. However, Jose Enrique A. Africa, executive director of IBON Foundation Inc., criticized the move, saying the increase in fuel excise tax will be inflationary. “The government is doing the wrong thing in imposing a higher consumption tax burden on the majority of poor Filipinos who can ill afford this amid low wages and growing joblessness,” Africa said. “Inflation next year only partly depends on new higher taxes and the eventual inflation situation also depends on how oil prices move, the exchange rate, whether government spending slows and many other factors,” he added.

Internet,” while Honasan had the lowest spending with only P5,000 for his “social media” budget. Lutzchavez said the records from the two firms is necessary since it will allow them to check the credibility of the submitted SOCEs. She said the six candidates are no longer liable since they made the necessary disclosure in their SOCEs.

International matter

COMPLICATING the matter, Lutzchavez pointed out, was the fact that some of the said transactions were done outside of the country and with multinational companies. “We intend to file election offenses, but we are still studying the matter because of the problem of jurisdiction. The case of Facebook, for example, was processed abroad...so how to do we go about it,” Lutzchavez said. Fortunately, she said, Facebook

and Google have established local offices in the country, which makes coordination with both countries easier. Still, both companies refuse to submit the necessary documents, even after Comelec already asked them to. Lutzchavez said they still have some years left to hold Facebook and Google accountable for the said case since they have five years in instituting a charge of election offense. She, however, said they hope both companies will cooperate without them resorting to filing charges. The Comelec earlier said it is now drafting a policy on campaign financing on social media, especially as it continues to gain ground in the campaign of election candidates. The poll body earlier admitted its current rules do not cover social media since it only started being used by candidates in 2010.

New Central Bank Act, Corporation Code up for signing

HE House of Representatives has recently endorsed for President Duterte’s approval the proposed New Central Bank Act and a measure providing for the revised Corporation Code of the Philippines. This after the lower chamber ratified late Wednesday the bicameral conference committee-approved bills. The ratified measures will be transmitted to the Palace for the President’s signature. House Committee on Banks and Financial Intermediaries Chairman Henry Ong of Leyte said the powers of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas have been boosted in the bicameral committee-approved bill, which amends the BSP charter. Besides raising capitalization to P200 billion from P50 billion, Ong said the BSP will soon have more forceful inspection and disciplinary authority over the banks and other financial institutions it regulates nationwide. “In layman’s terms, the amendments make it easier for the BSP to find out if bank officials and employees are doing things against the best interests of the depositors, clients and the economy,” Ong said. He said the amendments boosted some penalties and empower the BSP to require the submission of specific reports, as well as information on the acts of officials and employees. “ These amendments incorporate what the BSP has learned about gaps in its supervision powers and how banks and financial intermediaries...tried to wiggle through gray areas and loopholes in the past. The amendments fill the gaps and plug loopholes,” Ong said. Ong added, “raising the BSP’s capitalization to P200 billion is necessary because our country’s banking system is growing. Being the bank of last resort, the BSP must have higher capitalization.” Earlier, Eastern Samar Rep. Ben Evardone, former chairman of the House Committee on Banks and Financial Intermediaries, said, “In the last 25 years, the

OLLOWING the President ’s statement that he is planning to create a death squad to counter communist rebels’“Sparrow” unit, Malacañang said people should be “relieved” knowing that the President is doing everything he can to protect civilians. Presidential Spokesman and Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Salvador S. Panelo said in a briefing on Thursday that the President just floated the idea and it may or may not come into fruition. On Tuesday, the President said during a turnover of housing units for soldiers and policemen in Bohol that he wanted to form a “Duterte Death Squad” that will deal with communist armed partisans so that he can “match their talent in assassinating people.” The Sparrow Unit of the NPA that Duterte referred to was the Alex Boncayao Brigade, but it has been disbanded a long time ago. However, critics have slammed the

President’s idea, saying it is illegal since it could trigger a killing spree similar to his war on drugs. Commission on Human Rights Chairman Chito Gascon earlier said that the international humanitarian law requires states to use only regular armed forces to carry out security operations. Panelo, however, also assured that there will be no human rights violations under this plan. “I think, we should, in fact, be relieved that we have a President doing everything in his power to stop all acts of violence, all acts of criminality, all acts of terrorism against the civilians,” he said. The Department of National Defense and Philippine National Police have also expressed caution over the proposal. Defense Secretary Delfin N. Lorenzana said the creation of a death squad that directly reports to Duterte needs to be studied further as it poses a “great danger of abuse.” Bernadette D. Nicolas

scale and complexity of the BSP’s responsibilities have been magnified by the growth of the Philippine economy and the expansion of its financial system. “The capitalization of the Bangko Sentral, which has stayed fixed at P50 billion, is clearly inadequate to meet the requirements of a central bank in the midst of a growing economy and increasing complexity of the financial system,” he said.

Corporation Code

MEANWHILE, the reconciled Senate-House version of an updated Corporation Code was crafted to “strengthen and simplify corporate governance standards for a more business-friendly environment.” Among the approved reforms, the new code includes provisions removing the minimum number of incorporators, allows electronic filing of reportorial requirements and attendance in meetings via remote communication or in absentia—practices that were not recognized in the old law. The measure also encourages the creation of new businesses, contributes to the ease of doing business, strengthens corporate governance and better protects the rights of stockholders. It also deters corporate abuses and fraud and strengthens anticorruption measures, fortifying the regulatory authority of the Securities and Exchange Commission. The measure allows the perpetual existence of a corporation and the formation of a one-person corporation and removes the minimum number of incorporators. It also removes the requirement of subscribed and paid-up capital stock for purposes of incorporation. House Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability Chairman Xavier Jesus D. Romualdo, also principal author of the bill, said the measure will allow corporations in the Philippines to respond to and meet the needs and realities of the present times. Continued on A4

LTFRB chief urges Grab to be accountable in death of passenger in car crash By Lorenz S. Marasigan

L Planned death squad

FACEBOOK, GOOGLE FAIL TO GIVE DOCS ON 6 BETS vs rebels just a floater Continued from A1

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@lorenzmarasigan

AND Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) Chairman Martin B. Delgra III has called on Grab Philippines to acknowledge its accountability in the death of passenger Marko de Guzman. De Guzman figured in an accident last month, when the allegedly speeding GrabCar he was riding was hit by a private vehicle that suddenly turned left on a noleft turn road. As a result of the collision, the GrabCar hit a scaffolding of a train station, injuring his companion and eventually killing de Guzman, who suffered brain damage. Delgra said he “strongly urged Grab to take responsibility and appropriate action including providing financial and moral assistance to the bereaved de Guzman family, disciplining the involved driver without prejudice to any criminal action against the driver, and most especially by immediately putting in place reforms in their standard operating procedures to ensure that there will be no repeat of a similar accident.” He added that his office “puts high premium on safety” and will not “hesitate to go hard against any

transportation network company, or any other transportation company, that fails or refuses to take accountability for any accident involving their transport unit.” Brian P. Cu, who heads Grab, has said that his group has been in constant communication with the family of de Guzman. He claims his team has been offering the family financial assistance for de Guzman’s medication. De Guzman struggled for almost a month in the intensive care unit and passed away on Tuesday. Delgra noted that the accident is not a question of who’s at fault, but is a “legal obligation by any transport service company to provide safe and convenient transportation services to the riding public.” Under a memo issued in 2015, ride-hailing companies should provide insurance for all their passengers. Among others, the memo requires the insurance to provide P200,000 in case of death. Cu claimed that Grab is extending financial assistance “beyond its legal obligations,” but the de Guzman family continues to refuse them. For Delgra, his office “will not hesitate to use its full power and authority to go after any transport company that fails to assist victims of road accidents involving their transport units.”

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BLOC DEPLORES ARREST OF SOLON, SATUR OCAMPO IN DAVAO MISSION FOR LUMAD By Jovee Marie N. dela Cruz

@joveemarie

HE Makabayan bloc in the House of Representatives on Thursday condemned the detention and subsequent filing of charges against the delegates of the National Solidarity Mission (NSM), including ACT Teachers Party-list Rep. France Castro and former Bayan Muna Party-list Rep. Satur Ocampo in Davao del Norte. The bloc said the two and several others were arrested by the joint forces of the Talaingod police and the 56th Infantry Battalion (IB) with the Talaingod Municipal Social Work and Development Office. Castro and her 72 companions are detained at the Talaingod Municipal Police Station since Wedneday evening. “Based on the information that reached us, PNP-Talaingod fabricated the charge of ‘human trafficking in relation to child abuse law’ against them,” the bloc said. With this, Gabriela Party-list Reps. Emmi de Jesus and Arlene Brosas called on Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to make sure Ocampo and Castro are released as soon as possible, and that no fabricated charges are filed against them. “We challenge Speaker Arroyo to stand by the rights of all House members who wish to go to anywhere in the country, especially in areas where citizens need their attention and presence. Speaker Arroyo should tell the police and military to respect the rule of law, and the rights of legislators and the public, especially in martial law-infested Mindanao,” said Gabriela in a statement. According to the Makabayan bloc, Castro and Ocampo, along with 72 others, are participating in the NSM to provide humanitarian support to students and teachers of lumad schools in Talaingod, Davao del Norte, who are being harassed by paramilitary group Alamara and the 56th IB of the Philippine Army. The team was supposed to provide immediate food relief and medical services to the community, amid reported food shortage and food blockade for over a week by the Alamara and the 56th IB, the bloc added. “It is utterly deplorable and ironic that those who are helping the victims of militarization and abuse are now the ones being charged of human trafficking in relation to child abuse law,” the group said. “This latest incident speaks of the lengths at which state forces are willing to persecute and detain human rights defenders who are exercising their duties and advocacies. This also affirms our assertion against the extension of martial rule in Mindanao, as this latest case of illegal arrest attests to the vast powers arbitrarily wielded by the Armed Forces of the Philippines and Philippine National Police in Mindanao even over an incumbent lawmaker,” it said.

Editor: Vittorio V. Vitug • Friday, November 30, 2018 A3

Court convicts three cops in Kian slay case By Joel R. San Juan

@jrsanjuan1573

HE Regional Trial Court (RTC) in Caloocan City on Thursday sentenced to reclusion perpetua the three Caloocan policemen involved in the killing of 17-year-old student Kian Loyd de los Santos during an anti-illegal drug operation. In a 35-page decision, Caloocan RTC Branch 125 Presiding Judge Rodolfo Azucena Jr. found Police Officer 3 (PO3) Arnel G. Oares, PO1 Jeremias T. Pereda and PO1 Jerwin Cruz guilty of the crime of murder under Article 248 of the Revised Penal Code. Malacañang immediately hailed the verdict as “triumph of [the] justice system in the Philippines.” Presidential Spokesman and Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Salvador S. Panelo said the President vowed not to pardon the three convicted cops. “It is a testament that we have a robust and working justice system, contrary to what this administration’s detractors are depicting,” Panelo said. He added that the President will never tolerate policemen who “intentionally kills,” noting that it is the administration’s policy from the start to be intolerant of any kind of abuse from the military as well as the police. Caloocan Bishop Pablo David, for his part, said he hopes the conviction will give justice to the families of victims of extrajudicial killings.

The punishment

ASIDE from the prison term, the policemen were directed to pay the heirs of de los Santos P100,000 as

civil indemnity; P100,000 as moral damages; P45,000 as actual damages; and P100,000 as exemplary damages. The conviction of the policemen is the first in the Duterte administration amid its all-out war against illegal-drug operations in the country, which has reportedly resulted in the death of thousands of drug users, peddlers and reportedly some innocent civilians. Sought for his comment, Justice Secretary Menardo I. Guevarra said: “Not sure if this is the first conviction but what I can say is that we will continue to dispense justice, and let the hammer fall where it should be.”

Not a shootout

THE trial court, however, found the three policemen not guilty of the charges of violation of Republic Act 9165, or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act, for planting of dangerous drugs and RA 10591 or the Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act. The trial curt said the prosecution failed to prove the guilt of the accused beyond reasonable doubt. On the other hand, the court archived the case against the alleged police asset Renato Loveras, who pinpointed de los Santos as drug pusher pending his apprehension. An alias warrant was issued against him by the court. In its ruling, the trial court did not give credence to the claim of Oares that de los Santos’s death was a result of a shootout. Oares’s version, based on the rul-

ing, is contrary to the physical evidence presented by the prosecution. The court noted that the three policemen were positively identified by witnesses Princess Ann Alano and Ma. Luisa Walican as the ones who accosted and brought de los Santos at the dark-end side of the Tullahan River in August 16, 2017, where he was shot dead. The court also did not give weight to the alibi of his co-accused that they did not conspire with Oares to kill de los Santos. It pointed out that witnesses saw the two policemen together with Oares when the victim was accosted at the sari-sari store/pharmacy and brought to the Tullahan River. Pereda was identified as the second shooter while Cruz provided assistance as he stood guard to ensure the death of the boy.

Last resort

IN its ruling, Judge Azucena reminded policemen that the use of violence should be the last resort in the performance of their duty as law enforcers. “A shoot first, think later attitude can never be countenanced in a civilized society. Never has homicide or murder been a function of law enforcement. The public peace is never predicated on the cost of human life,” the judge said. In its resolution issued early this year, the Department of Justice (DOJ) found probable cause to indict the policemen and Loveras in the said crimes. The DOJ panel of prosecutors

dismissed the claim of the accused that de los Santos was killed after engaging them in a shootout to avoid arrest. The DOJ gave credence to the testimonies of eyewitnesses who saw the victim talking to the policemen before he was dragged to near the Tullahan River where he was shot dead. The panel noted the absence of gunpowder nitrates on the hands of de los Santos, disproving the allegation that he fired shots at the policemen. Likewise, the panel pointed out that based on the forensics reports provided by the Philippine National Police and the Public Attorney’s Office, the bullet entries and trajectories indicated that the victim was shot at close range. Furthermore, the handgun allegedly belonging to Kian was found on his left hand, which runs counter to witnesses’ account that he is actually right-handed. The panel dismissed the claim of the respondents that it was their asset who was being dragged by Pereda and Cruz and not de los Santos, as captured on the CCTV footage. The panel said several witnesses have testified that it was Kian who was in the CCTV based on what he was wearing at the time he was killed. The DOJ, on the other hand, found no probable cause to file criminal charges against 13 other policemen who were earlier named as corespondents in the case. With Bernadette D. Nicolas and Samuel P. Medenilla

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A4 Friday, November 30, 2018

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Gunman slays CEO of Subic auction giant By Henry Empeño Correspondent

UBIC BAY FREEPORT—A prominent businessman was shot dead by a lone gunman here early Wednesday evening, prompting authorities to order a lockdown in the Subic Freeport to flush out the killer. However, the masked assassin who pumped four bullets into United Auctioneers Inc. (UAI) Chief Executive Officer Dominic Sytin has so far eluded a police dragnet thrown all over the free port and neighboring communities. Police investigators said Sytin and his bodyguard, Efren Espartero, were about to enter the Lighthouse Marina Resort Hotel in Subic’s busy Central Business District at about 7:30 p.m. on November 28, when

an unidentified male suspect fired at close range, shooting Sytin at the back and left part of the head. Espartero tried to fire back, but the assailant turned on him, too, hitting his right arm and right torso. A CCTV footage taken at the hotel front reportedly showed a lone assailant firing a final shot at the already prone body of Sytin. Witnesses in the vicinity later recalled hearing several more shots that sent them scampering for safety.

‘Silent worker’

SEN. Ralph G. Recto, in news statement issued on Thursday, described Sytin as a “silent worker for Philippine progress [whose] niche was not in fancy cars that ferry people from point A to B, but in vehicles which move the economy forward.” Sytin made heavy equipment

affordable to the small businessman, the countryside trader, to the promdi farmer, and to local governments, the senator said. He added: “His was the classic story of guts and grit. He inherited neither great wealth nor a famous name. Far from being discouraged, he harnessed these handicaps to fuel his dream. And with a good head on his shoulders, which is matched by a good heart, he and his brothers were able to grow their business portfolio, adding a P2-billion car assembly plant in Clark, resorts and one of the country’s biggest chemical companies.” Recto said Sytin was a “good friend to me, as he was to many others, from all walks of life, in all parts of the country. He was a UP double business major who was a source of brilliant ideas. His death must be given justice, and his works honored.

Dead on the spot

POLICE said Sytin died on the spot, his body crumpled at the steps of the hotel when responders arrived. Esparto was brought to the Baypointe Hospital and Medical Center two blocks away where doctors later pronounced him in stable condition. The BusinessMirror arrived at the scene half an hour later and counted at least six empty bullet casing strewn on the street in front of the Lighthouse Hotel. Investigators said three other casings were found near the body, all from a .45 caliber pistol. A report from the Olongapo City Police Office the following morning described the male suspect as 5’8” to 5’9” in height, with medium body build. The assailant, who was said to be wearing a blue polo shirt on top of a black t-shirt, gray pants, and a red veil covering his face, reportedly fled the scene on board a black Mio sporty motorcycle that headed toward the nearby Kalaklan Gate.

Police have yet to establish a motive for the killing, as of press time.

‘Dastardly crime’

THE Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) immediately condemned the killing, calling it a “dastardly crime” and an apparent “targeted assassination of a business locator in the Subic Bay Freeport Zone.” “This is sad news for us, not only because a prominent businessman who has been a very active member of the Subic Freeport community has fallen prey to violence, but also because one life has been snuffed out just like that,” SBMA Chairman Wilma T. Eisma said in a news statement issued on Wednesday night. Eisma, who arrived at the crime scene an hour later, said she has ordered a lockdown in the free port as soon as she heard the news and directed the SBMA SWAT team to double security at all the gates. She said her orders included the thorough search of all persons and vehicles ex-

iting the Subic Freeport. The 51-year-old Sytin is the president and CEO of what is reputed to be the biggest vehicle auction operation in the country. According to the CEO Magazine, UAI conducted its first auction in Subic in March 1999 and only four years thereafter, gained No. 1 ranking in the business. Since then, Sytin’s firm has reportedly sold more than 110,000 units of industrial, transport and construction machines to more than 40,000 local and foreign buyers. On an eerie note, Sytin’s death recalled the killing of another vehicle trader here some 12 years ago. News reports indicate that Uldarico Tubig, who was into the importation of used vehicles, was shot dead by one of five assailants, as he was about to board his car at Boton Highway here at about 7 p.m. on June 23, 2006. His security aide, Rommel Pineda, was also killed when he traded fire with the suspects. With Butch Fernandez

New Central Bank Act, Corporation Code up for signing continued from a2 “Our current Corporation Code was enacted in 1980. Obviously, much has changed in how the world does business, communicates and undertakes commercial transactions over the last 38 years,” said Romualdo. “By updating and modernizing our main body of corporate law, the Revised Corporation Code will encourage entrepreneurship and the creation of new businesses, contribute to ease of doing business, strengthen corporate governance, better protect the rights of stockholders, deter corporate abuse and fraud, and bolster anti-corruption measures and the regulatory

authority of the Securities and Exchange Commission [SEC],” Romualdo said. E a rl ie r, S e n ate M i nor it y L e ade r Franklin M. Drilon, principal author of SB 1280, said the amended Corporation Code was designed to “strengthen corporate governance standards and provide protection to minority stockholders” by requiring corporations vested with public interest to have independent directors, among others. Once signed into law by President Duterte, the remedial legislation is seen to enable a “business-friendly Philippines”

to keep up with its neighbors. Drilon added that the new Corporation Code will improve ease of doing business in the country by allowing a one-person corporation, removing the minimum capital requirement and providing for perpetual existence of corporation. “With the new code allowing a one-person corporation, local business owners and investors could already stop the practice of naming their entire household as incorporators simply to comply with the stringent requirement of the law,” added Drilon. Jovee Marie N. Dela Cruz

Swimming ban slapped on 2 Panglao, El Nido sites (MPN) per 100 milliliter (ml.), while Buena Suerte (El Nido) has a fecal coliform level of 1,300 MPN/100 ml as of November 2018, according to the DENR. The acceptable standard coliform level is only 1,000 MPN/100 ml. In March, however, eight of the 10 beaches in Panglao Island had extremely high levels of fecal coliform contamination, some reaching peaks of 240,000 MPN/100 ml, which Romulo Puyat said could be due to the vacation season. Buena Suerte’s fecal coliform levels likewise reached 16,000 MPN/100 ml in July, so the task force has asked the DENR to revalidate the November data. “We were told the recent typhoon may have caused the coliform to dissipate, thus the lower numbers in November,” explained the DOT secretary. Romulo Puyat explained that most of the coliform contamination of said beaches was determined to have come from the boats, which do island hopping tours as these don’t have sanitary toilet facilities. Also, there are no sewerage facilities in both towns, although the El Nido LGU has said it would already work on installing a sewerage system for the main town. The DOT chief, however, expressed frustration that the mayors of El Nido and Panglao seem to be very stubborn in enforcing even their own easement ordinances. “As soon as we left El Nido [Wednesday afternoon], the boats were back, anchored near the beachfront, while tables and chairs

were back within the easement zone,” she said. Romulo Puyat said she had instructed her staff to stay behind to monitor the town, and they sent her photos of the violations, copies of which were shared with the BusinessMirror. She said El Nido Mayor Nieves Cabunalda-Rosento had earlier agreed to anchor the boats in a spot away from the main beachfront. She noted that the municipality passed an ordinance converting the town into a highly urbanized city, thus supposedly making them entitled to a 3-meter no-build easement zone along the beachfront. “But based on our measurements, and if you look at the photos taken by my staff, they can’t even follow the 3 meters. They go over it.”

Easement breached

IN the case of Panglao, she said she walked along Alona Beach on Tuesday evening and saw massage beds on the beachfront. “The municipality has a “plus 10-meters” easement ordinance. So if you add that to the current 20-meter easement under the law, they should keep 30 meters of Alona Beach free of any structures,” Romulo Puyat stressed. She outed Panglao Mayor Leonila ParedesMontero, who owns Alona Beach Resort, as among the easement violators. “I don’t understand why they can’t just follow the law. Why do they create these ordinances if they

continued from a1

won’t implement them anyway?” asked the DOT chief in exasperation. The task force, originally set up to tackle the rehabilitation of Boracay Island, will be reconstituted into a body to oversee other islands and critical tourism destinations. President Duterte will issue an executive order soon for this purpose, according to Romulo Puyat. Because El Nido and Panglao have smaller beach areas, she said the task force didn’t see the need to close these down, like Boracay. “The task force is giving the LGUs the opportunity to immediately address their shortcomings in the environment, easement and governance aspects,” she explained. She acknowledged that the El Nido government has started building its own central sewerage system, which will take six months to finish, and have limited the number of visitors to the Big and Small Lagoons. “But we also want them to address the easement violations. They should also prohibit cooking on the boats [that bring tourists around the lagoons and islands]. These boats should also be outfitted with sanitary toilet facilities that don’t dump human waste into the waters,” she insisted. Romulo Puyat sought the help of the Tourism Congress of the Philippines to enjoin its members in both El Nido and Panglao to put pressure on their respective LGUs to enforce the easement and environmental laws.

Cash supply. . . continued from a1 the 17.4-percent growth in the previous month. These types of loans comprise 88.7 percent of the banks’ aggregate loan portfolio for the month. “The growth in production loans was driven primarily by increased lending to the following sectors: financial and insurance activities at 32 percent; wholesale and

retail trade, repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles at 19.9 percent; real-estate activities at 15.4 percent; manufacturing at 20.6 percent; electricity, gas, steam and air-conditioning supply at 11.9 percent; and construction at 39.1 percent. The BSP said bank lending to other sectors also increased during the month. Meanwhile, BSP said the loans for house-

hold consumption slowed down to 14.6 percent in October, from the revised 18.2 percent in the previous month. The BSP said this is due to the slower expansion in credit-card loans and motor vehicle loans, as well as the contraction in salary-based general-purpose consumption loans and other types of household loans. Bianca Cuaresma

As global oil prices ease, BSP sees Nov inflation slowing continued from a1 In particular, the BSP revised their 2018 inflation forecast from an average of 5.2 percent to 5.3 percent, taking into account international oil prices, adjustments in transport fares, updates in the latest inflation print and the third-quarter growth rate. Inflation at an average of 5.1 percent in

the first 10 months of the year. This means that the BSP expects inflation to average at 6.3 percent in the last two months of the year. For 2019, the BSP sees inflation hitting 3.5 percent from the earlier 4.3 percent forecast.

Officials said the downward adjustment in the 2019 forecast was a result of recent developments, particularly the legislation of the rice tariffication law, which is expected to be signed in December. For 2020, inflation was adjusted from 3.2 percent to 3.3 percent.

Economy BusinessMirror

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Group affirms push for ‘inclusive globalization’ amid global uncertainties By Elijah Felice E. Rosales @alyasjah

LOCAL business network is urging members of the AsiaPacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) to back Manila’s call for inclusive globalization in the face of uncertainties in the global economy. The Apec Business Advisory Council (Abac) Philippines said in a news statement that it reaffirms the push for inclusive globalization as sought by the country’s four-point agenda. The call to make free trade expansive to the margins came after the Apec failed to come out with a communique in its recent summit. The failure was largely attributed to the escalating trade tensions between the United States and China. The former has been accusing the latter of intellectual property theft, forced technology transfers and unfair trading practices. “Now more than ever, world economies are being challenged to bring in the benefits of free and open trade, especially to the developing economies and for the people at the margins. The global trading system can definitely do more—but we need to work on strategic areas with our economic partners, such as those from Apec, to unleash the growth at home and the rest of the region,” Abac Philippines Chairman Tomas I. Alcantara said. During the summit, Abac Philippines recommended growing globally competitive micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), as well as accelerating economic growth through infrastructure buildup. It

also pushed for championing the services sector in the global economy and harnessing digital innovation as the future of trade. The Abac Philippines said it will work closely with the trade department to help provide an enabling ecosystem for MSMEs, which will include enhancing finance availability, boosting capacity for scale and improving linkages in the domestic and global value chains. “[The] Abac Philippines supports its [Southeast Asian] peers—Brunei [Darussalam], Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand—in promoting Islamic infrastructure investment. It is continuing its ongoing work with counterparts, such as Malaysia, to explore other financing mechanisms to support the government’s infrastructure drive,” the statement read. “It also looks forward to collaborating with Apec bodies to tap the catastrophe bonds, which is critical for a disaster-prone economy like the Philippines,” it added. The group added the services sector is one of the stronger driver for productivity and economic growth of the Philippines, and affirmed that it will continue to engage the government “to facilitate trade in services—by implementing structural reforms and enhancing physical, institutional and people connectivity.” Abac Philippines also urged Apec economies, as well the Philippine government, to develop a futureready work force. This should include education on the digital economy that can suit the country’s large and young population.

Signing of Iloilo ministerial declaration caps 4-day international ocean confab By Jonathan L. Mayuga @jonlmayuga

LEVEN countries have affirmed their commitment for the conservation and sustainable development of shared coastal and marine resources, capping a fourday international confab focusing on the Seas of East Asia in Iloilo City. Entitled “East Asian Region Moving As One to Secure Healthy Oceans, People and Economies,” the Iloilo ministerial declaration was adopted by the environmental ministers and heads of delegation to the sixth Ministerial Forum on Thursday, the culmination of the East Asian Seas Congress 2018 held from November 27 to 30. Over 1,000 environmental ministers, government officials, nongovernment organizations, academe and youth took part in the events, which highlighted the importance of conserving and protecting the Seas of East Asia and the implementation of Integrated Coastal Management (ICM) as a core strategy. The Iloilo declaration recognizes the significant value and critical contribution of coastal and marine ecosystems goods and services to securing food and jobs, helping to eradicate poverty, and building resilient coastal communities and blue economies in East Asia. To achieve this, member-nations, including Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Japan, Lao PDR, North Korea, Singapore, South Korea, Timor-Leste, Vietnam and the Philippines—all members Partnership in Environmental Management for Seas of East Asia (Pemsea) that signed the declaration, acknowledged the need to protect coastal and marine ecosystems from the impacts of climate change and other threats, including marinerelated disasters, destruction and loss of habitats, and natural coastlines, biodigersity loss, and degradation, and overfishing and lack of food security. Pemsea is an intergovernmental organization operating in East Asia to foster and sustain healthy and resilient oceans, coasts, communities

and economies across the region. To ge t he r w it h t he D e pa r t ment of Environment and Natura l Resources (DENR), Pemsea facilitated the ministerial forum chaired by the Philippines and represented by DENR Undersecretary Rodolfo Garcia. In a news statement, Environment Secretary Roy A. Cimatu highlighted the Seas of East Asia “as the most diverse marine areas in the world.” However, he said, the Seas of East Asia face severe threats from climate change and densely populated coastal communities. “The declaration, supported by the respective countries’ plans of action, will ensure that partnercountries will work together in addressing complex issues faced by this region,” he said. As signatories to the Iloilo declaration, the countries vowed to work together to achieve by 2021 the remaining targets set under the 2015 Da Nang Compact on Integrated Coastal Management coverage of the region’s coastlines and the adoption and implementation of ICM national laws and policies in all countries in the region. They also agreed to significantly reduce or prevent marine pollution of all kinds, in particular, from land-based and sea-based activities, including marine litter and nutrient pollution. The Pemsea member-nations committed to implementing adaptation and mitigation strategies to respond to climate change given the urgency and seriousness of its threats to sustainable development in the region. The signatories also promised to step up the cooperation with regional organizations to achieve the targets under the Sustainable Development Strategy for the Seas of East Asia (SDS-SEA). “We are determined to continue working together as Pemsea country partners to deliver our common objectives in line with the SDS-SEA and our regional and global commitments,” the Iloilo declaration further stated.

Editor: Vittorio V. Vitug • Friday, November 30, 2018 A5

Fewer applicants for drivers, nurses in tourism industry, PSA data show

By Cai U. Ordinario

@caiordinario

HE diminishing number of applicants had made certain occupations, such as nurses and drivers, for the tourism industry difficult to fill up, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA). Based on the results of the 2015/2016 Integrated Survey on Labor and Employment (ISLE), the PSA said the total of job vacancies in the tourism sector reached 55,000 between January 2015 and June 2016. Around 74.3 percent or 40,600 occupations were considered easyto-fill positions, but 25.7 percent or 14,100 jobs were considered hardto-fill jobs. “The top hard-to-fill occupa-

tions in tourism industry during the period were: nursing professionals [27 percent]; bus and tram drivers [14.8 percent]; medical imaging and therapeutic equipment technicians, and waiters at both 4.7 percent,” the PSA said. In absolute numbers, PSA data showed the tourism industry needed 3,800 nursing professionals; 2,100 bus and tram drivers; 700 medical imaging and therapeutic

equipment technicians; and 700 waiters during the period. The main reasons these positions remained difficult to fill, PSA data showed, was there were few applicants for the jobs. This accounted for 40.2 percent or 1,200 of all hard-tofill occupations. Other top reasons include applicant’s lack of competency/skills, which accounted for 20.1 percent or 600 jobs, and lack of experience, which accounted for 12.2 percent or 400 hard-to-fill occupations. Meanwhile, more than half or 52.1 percent of tourism establishments engaged in subcontracting. The PSA said these firms employed as much as 81,100 agency-hired workers on-site. Only 11 percent or 600 of the workers hired from agencies were engaged in work outside the premises of tourist establishments. As of June 30, 2016, around 6,000 establishments were engaged in

tourism-related industries. These firms employed 456,500 workers during the period. Six out of every seven or 85.2 percent of the total employed were rank and file workers. Managers/executives accounted for 6.4 percent; supervisors/foremen, 7.7 percent; and those considered working owners/unpaid workers, 0.8 percent. The PSA data also showed that five in every seven rank-and-file workers or 71.8 percent were regular workers, while two out of seven were non-regular workers or 28.2 percent. Moreover, three-fourths or 75.2 percent of non-regular workers were contractual/project-based workers and probationary workers followed by casual workers at 17.4 percent; seasonal workers, 4.2 percent; and apprentices/learners, 3.2 percent. The ISLE is a nationwide sample survey conducted by the PSA. It covers about 12,926 establishments with 20 or more workers.

Bill to strengthen PCA awaits Duterte’s okay By Jovee Marie N. dela Cruz @joveemarie

M E A S U R E t o f u r t he r streng then the Phi lippi ne Co conut Aut hor ity (PCA) is now awaiting President Duterte’s signature. This, after the House of Representatives ratified late Wednesday the bicameral committee report on House Bill 8552 and Senate Bill 1976, or the proposal to further strengthen the PCA, amending the Presidential Decree 1468 or the Revised Coconut Industry Code, as amended. The lower chamber has already ratified its twin bill, or the “Act Establishing the Coconut Farmers and Industry Development Trust Fund, Providing for its Management and Utilization,” also on Wednesday. The coco-levy bill mandates the creation of the Coconut Farmers and Industry Trust Fund, which shall be for the ultimate benefit of coconut farmers and the coconut industry. After more than four decades, Majority Leader Rolando G. Andaya Jr. said the country’s coconut farmers may finally enjoy the fruits of the coco levy as Congress approved these measures that institutionalize the system on how to plow the cocolevy funds back to farmers. Andaya described the approval of the twin measures as “timely and necessary” given the continuous decline in the price of copra, a major issue facing the coconut sector for the past years. “Copra used to sell over P40 per kilograms a few years back. Now, prices have plummeted to as low as P20 per kilogram. Paano pa mabubuhay ang mga magsasaka ng niyog niyan [How would coco farmers survive]?” Andaya said. “More than ever, now is the time to rush to the aid of this dying industry. The price of copra in the world market is falling to dangerously low levels. The coco-levy fund is a lifeline that will not only help our coconut farmers survive; it could make the coconut industry a viable one once more,” the House leader added. The measure strengthening the PCA grants a reconstituted PCA the powers to supervise and manage the money and the new Coconut Farmers and Industry Development Plan. The board of PCA is now composed of eight government agencies, including the Departments of Agriculture, Finance, Budget, Science and Technology, Trade and Industry, Land Bank of the Philippines and the Development Bank of the Philippines. Six farmer representatives will also compose the board, including two each from Luzon, the Visayas

and Mindanao. Another representative from the coconut processing industry sector will also be included.

The coco-levy funds have been stuck in court disputes until 2012, when the Supreme Court awarded

the shares bought with the coco-levy funds to the government to be used for coconut farmers and the industry.

BusinessMirro

Friday, November 30, 2018 | www.businessmirror.com.ph

A CELEBRATION LI

MOUNT MALARAYAT G

By Leony R. Garcia

ORLD-CLASS Mount Malarayat Golf & Country Club is a golf course-country club-residential estate complex developed by the Active Group of Companies covering over 200 hectares in Lipa, Batangas. Characterized by the seamless integration of manmade and natural environment, the centerpiece of this family resort destination is the 27hole all-weather championship golf course designed by the internationally-renowned J. Michael Poellet Design Group. The grand dame of golf courses in the Philippines, celebrated its 20th year anniversary with two days of festivities on October 19 and 20, 2018. Teeing off the celebration was a member-guest tournament on October 19 with a format of a two-person team competition using the net aggregate stroke play and stableford scoring system. Over 170 amateur teams of Malarayat club members and guests registered to play. Hole-in-one prizes included a golf cart, golf set, and Php100,000cash. Exciting raffle prizes were also given to the participants: 30 country club associate memberships, 3 Golf club associate membership and a Rolex watch. On October 20, people from all ages filled the lawn area of the club as a family carnival fair was held from 3:00PM - 6:00PM with lots of entertainment, fun, games and food carts. Capping the day was sumptuous dinner lovingly created and prepared by worldrenowned Chef Billy King and his team at the driving range. Such was the grand celebration of Mount Malarayat Golf & Country Club for its 20th milestone year headed

by the company’s Chairman, Architect Antonio Turalba, Sr., and his family. The family of architects and realtors made sure that everybody’s trip to this side of Batangas was all worth it. After all, the entire Mount Malarayat project has been – and continues to be – unique in land development, combining features of a world-class golf course, the amenities of a deluxe resort hotel, and the exclusivity of an upscale gated community all these years. Today, it remains to be the golf course of choice by local and international golfers. Moreover, the estate complex stands as a model development worthy of emulation and replication. Chairman Turalba said he will just let others speak for the success of his company’s most iconic project having gone through three financial crises and survived the test of time. “We stood by our faith in the God-given, all natural features of the property: the vegetation onsite, an undulating terrain, the man-made lakes. We did not need to do any major interventions or alter the landscape in any way; all we did was work with what nature had provided and improve on it,” he said. The club is nestled in the bosom of the mountain range for which it is named for. Situated about some 1,200 feet above sea level, the weather is cooler than lower locales and provides the ideal climate for golf. Celebrated Chef Billy King likened the ambiance here as

the beautiful combination of Tagaytay and Baguio but without the pollution. “In the future, people will see more improvements in enhancing the property. We have to improve and continuously enhance that features. It will be for the generations to come, and this place will benefit them,” the amiable chairman said. The centerpiece of the golf and country club, the 27-hole allweather championship golf course, has hosted the 89th and the 93rd

Philippine Open and various international tournaments.In its 20 years history, it has reigned over other golf courses being the country’s “most photogenic course” and “the best golf course in the Philippines.” Its Par 5 Hole #7 has been voted by the editors of “Golf’s Magazine” as one of the “Top 500 Best Holes in the World.” Golf aficionados and experts have been impressed by the course’s “twotiered greens which require golfers to play precision golf,” and the fact

that “they did not cut any corners building this course” as the dream golf course is complemented by a driving range and putting greens for a complete. Moreover, the jaw-dropping overall scenery of the country club – with the famed Mount Malarayat mountain range on the backdrop – makes golfers, their families and friends, decide to constantly play, stay and return. You see, anyone can play and stay at Mount Malarayat provided they come along with a club member.

For those who would like to sleep over, the club’s hotel has wellappointed guest rooms and suites. The country club also pays tribute to the peaks in the Malarayat range: Mt. Makulot, Mt. Malapunyo and Mt. Lobo by naming the three nines after them, with the first tees of each of the nines pointing golfers directly at the mountain for which the nine is named. For the fitness buff guest, the country club has a fullyequipped gym, as well as sports

The country’s most-awarded golf course M

OUNT Malarayat Golf & Country Club currently has 800 active members and is open to private events such as weddings and other special celebrations. With a cooler, breezy climate compared to Manila, gorgeous scenery, and complete facilities that include a hotel, it is a perfect weekend getaway or home for a destination party. The sprawling property can host at least four big events at the same time and none of the groups will run into each other. The centerpiece of the Mount Malarayat Golf and Country Club, of course, is the 27-hole all-weather championship golf course, which has hosted the 89th and the 93rd Philippine Open and various international tournaments. In its 20-years history, it has reigned over other golf courses being the country’s “most photogenic course” and awarded “the best golf course in the Philippines.” With three separate nine-hole courses to tee off at, many golfers enjoy the challenge Mount Malarayat’s golf course offers. An added bonus is they can play safely, rain or shine: Under the course is a well-planned drainage and sand capping, which is around 6-12 inches of sand under the grass to absorb any water. With this assurance and confidence, the golf course has maintained this single policy through the years–that if your golf shoes get muddy at all any time

would like to sleep over, the club’s hotel has well-appointed guest rooms and suites. Following are the official list of awards given to Mount Malarayat:

Asian Golf Monthly Magazine Awards:

during their play, your green fee shall be waived. But they haven’t waived any green fees at all in the last 20 years, said the amiable chairman, Architect Antonio Turalba, Sr. In line with its 20th anniversary, Mount Malarayat continues to update its property, starting with the renovation of The Sand Trap Lounge, the Pro Shop, the men’s lockers, and the golf course, Mt. Makulot, which reopens for play in November 2018. The other two courses

will likewise have a facelift scheduled within the next two years. The property also continues to expand their roster of residential products, with condominium units planned for the near future. This is in preparation for Lipa City’s

commercial establishments and businesses boom especially with the opening of S&R in January 2019. Chairman Turalba said it is a great challenge to manage such a huge property but his team hopes to continue to offer their members

and guests good facilities, good service, and an enjoyable game for the players—with the hopes to get the next generation of players into golf, too. The good news: anyone can play and stay at Mount Malarayat provided they come along with a club member. For those who

n 2009 – Best Golf Course in the Philippines n2010 – Best Golf Course in the Philippines, 2nd Runner-Up n2011 – Best Golf Course in the Philippines, Top Ten List (Ranking: 5) n2012 – Best Golf Course in the Philippines, Top Ten List (Ranking: 5) n 2013 - Best Golf Course in the Philippines, Top Ten List (Ranking: 6) n2014 – Best Golf Course in the Philippines, 1st Runner-Up n2015 – Best Golf Course in the Philippines, 1st Runner-Up n2016 – Best Golf Course in the Philippines, 1st Runner-Up n2017 – Best Golf Course in the Philippines, 1st Runner-Up n 2018 –Best Golf Course in the Philippines

Asian Lifestyle Tourism Awards 2017 (ALTA2017) Singapore

n2017 – Outstanding Golf Tourism Destination in South East Asia.

or Special Feature

www.businessmirror.com.ph | Friday, November 30, 2018

IKE NO OTHER AT

GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB CHEF BILLY KING: THE MAN BEHIND SAND TRAP LOUNGE

By Leony R. Garcia

THE co-founders of the Active Group of Companies, Architects Antonio A. Turalba, Sr. and Maria Cristina V. Turalba, had a shared vision of a world-class golf resort community in Lipa, Batangas that eventually became reality with the Mount Malarayat Golf & Country Club and Residential Estates.

pavilions for basketball, tennis, and badminton. They can also for more leisurely activities like biking, billiards, darts, pingpong, tennis and fishing. Also available is an open-air swimming pool complex (which includes a children’s pool, an adult lap pool, man-made waterfall and perimeter fountain jets). For those who would like to celebrate special occasions or hold corporate activities right at the country club, the club hotel’s various function rooms/ activity

centers can accommodate from 50 to 1,500 persons. Sand Trap Lounge, the restaurant managed by the celebrated chef, Billy King, serves an international selection of delicious breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Mount Malarayat Golf & Country Club is only about an hour’s drive from Makati, via the South Luzon Expressway (SLEX) and the Southern Tagalog Arterial Road (STAR). For more information, call at 0917-6269278 or (043) 404-3000.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

ANTONIO A. TURALBA SR Chairman

NICETAS S. KATIGBAK Director

ANTONIO V. TURALBA JR President

FRANCIS C. LAUREL Director

MARIA CRISTINA V. TURALBA Managing Director

ALFREDO O. FOLLOSCO Director

ANTONELLA T. ABDON Vice President

ALEJANDRO M. PALINES JR. Director

MANOLO Z. ALCASABAS Treasurer

ANTONIO C. PANGANIBAN Director

TEODORO G. SALUD Director

E’S not the rock star of fine dining for nothing. From heading a fine dining establishment in a top hotel, to opening his own hugely successful restaurants, to event catering, and customizing menus for certain occasions, this Irishman seems to have perfected everything. But despite the accolades attached to his name Chef Billy King has remained grounded. “I think life is about having a good attitude and realizing you’re far from perfection. Perfection is a resignation that I can’t do any better so everything I do is not perfect. If it’s perfect, then I can’t do any better tomorrow,” he said during an exclusive interview for Business Mirror. In his long culinary journey, Chef Billy still finds excitement in his next assignment after another. The latest of which was “feeding” the more than 500 guests of Mount Malarayat Golf and Country Club during its recent anniversary. The world-class Golf & Country Club, in Lipa, Batangas, celebrated its 20th year anniversary with two-day of festivities on October 19 and 20, 2018. Teeing off the celebration was a member-guest tournament on October 19 and a family carnival fair on October 20. Capping the festivities was a sumptuous dinner held at the club’s main ballroom, Laurel Hall. “Today I have more passion now than when I was 20. I still learn along the way and I still look forward to preparing the good food, not fusion or not any style or name others call it, but simply good food which customers want to come back for more. We have a lot of repeat business and that means we’re doing something right. There’s nothing more rewarding than seeing empty plates and customers coming back (to eat more),” he said. Yes, Chef Billy is the man behind the now famous and byword Sand Trap Lounge, Mount Malarayat’s restaurant. For the last five years, Chef Billy has also been the menu creator for the property’s special events. Members and guests are spoilt for choice when it comes to eating at Sand Trap Lounge or hold a special event at the property because Chef Billy and his team

can prepare a wide variety of cuisines and customize menus for certain occasions upon the request of the client, such as the mouth-watering dishes during the anniversary. Chef Billy left the hustle and bustle of running restaurants in Manila to work as the executive chef of The Manor at Camp John Hay. Through his company, Le Chef, he also sealed the concessionaireship for Mount Malarayat. Chef Billy shuttles between Baguio and Lipa nowadays. “What more can I ask for? Here at Mount Malarayat we have clean, fresh air, it’s beautiful, we have birds, the beautiful mountain range at the backdrop and a golf course. It’s not just about golf—you can come here with family.” At Mount Malarayat Golf & Country Club, Chef Billy is doing exactly what he loves–cooking with his team, teaching them to believe in themselves, and watching them grow. “I have a very good eye for talent, and I can tell in a matter of a week if someone is going to be good, even if they have never set foot in the kitchen. I still feel being challenged just like 25 years ago when I started my career as chef. I always abide by the rules on quality and consistency,” the down-to-earth chef said. The most reviewed and interviewed international chef has definitely found his place in the Philippines – especially in the heart/tummy, and the evolving palate of the Filipinos. He said there is no magic switch, no short cut in the food business. “You’ve got to give all the best to prepare good food – the best ingredients and all,” he said. Asked if he was not a chef, what could he replied, “it would still be art-related. I have always been fascinated with designs and architecture. So maybe my designs would be the food we create and serve. And we spread happiness through it,” Chef Billy concluded. Members and guests may experience destination dining at its best at Mount Malarayat Golf & Country Club. To sample Chef Billy King’s latest culinary creations visit the Sand Trap Lounge or book an event through Batangas lines (043) 756 7000 and (043) 757 0044 or Manila line (02) 994 8541 and 09209835414 or e-mail sales@ malarayat.com.

The World BusinessMirror

Friday, November 30, 2018

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

China’s Xi highlights economic crossroads before Trump talks

UN: Climate change, depleted resources leave world hungry

Addressing the Spanish Senate on Wednesday, Xi said the world has to decide whether to continue working to support the global trading system. Failure to do so will lead to new barriers emerging between nations. “We’re at a crossroads, in economic terms, where we’ll either continue with economic globalization and free trade or resort

IN this October 1, 2018, photo, a malnourished boy sits on a hospital bed at the Aslam Health Center in Hajjah, Yemen. A United Nations report says feeding a hungry planet is growing increasingly difficult as climate change and depletion of land and other resources undermines food systems. A UN Food and Agricultural Organization report released on Wednesday, said population growth requires supplies of more nutritious food at affordable prices. But raising farm output is hard because of the fragility of the environment given that use of resources has outstripped Earth’s carrying capacity in terms of land, water and climate change. AP/HANI MOHAMMED

HINESE President Xi Jinping said the global economy is at a turning point as he prepares for a critical meeting with Donald J. Trump this weekend.

to unilateralism and protectionism,” Xi told lawmakers in Madrid. “The coordination and unity of the whole international community are needed to forge more consensus, to contribute more positive energy to help this world develop in the right direction.” Xi is due to hold talks with Trump at the Group of 20 meeting in Buenos Aires this weekend,

with the US president threatening tariffs on $200 billion of Chinese goods unless they can strike a deal on revised terms of trade. The Chinese leader hailed his country’s links with Spain during a state visit that culminated in a gala dinner hosted by King Felipe VI in Madrid’s Royal Palace. He also met with Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez for the signing of 18 commercial or institutional accords. In a joint statement, both countries committed to a “global, open, balanced” economy. In his speech in the Senate, Xi pledged that China would seek to open itself to the outside world and facilitate market access in areas such as investment and protection of property rights. “I give the greatest importance

to relations between China and Spain,” Xi said at a ceremony during which he was presented with the keys to the city of Madrid by Mayor Manuela Carmena. “For this reason, I hope to use this visit to continue increasing mutual political confidence between both parties.” Spain is backing the European Union’s own project to develop connections with Asia and for that reason won’t sign up to China’s Belt and Road Initiative that seeks to boost trade and transportation links throughout Eurasia, a government official said on Tuesday. Among the agreements to be signed on Wednesday are accords on taxes, cultural exchanges and opening up Chinese markets to Iberian ham and grapes. Bloomberg News

Trade exec calls China’s tariffs on American autos ‘egregious’

ASHINGTON—Three days before a US-China summit, the top US trade official is blasting Beijing for imposing “egregious” taxes on American-made cars. In a statement on Wednesday, US Trade Rep. Robert Lighthizer complained that China slaps 40-percent

tariffs on US auto imports—more than the 15-percent tariffs it imposes on other countries and the 27.5-percent US tax on Chinese auto imports. Lighthizer said the president had directed him to “examine all available tools to equalize the tariffs applied to automobiles.”

The statement comes before a dinner meeting on Saturday in Buenos Aires, Argentina, between President Donald J. Trump and his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping. The two leaders are expected to seek a resolution to a trade dispute between their countries that has shaken financial markets and

threatened the global economy. The United States has imposed import taxes on $250 billion worth of Chinese products and China has countered by targeting $110 billion in US imports. They are locked in a dispute over what Washington calls China’s predatory tactics to challenge American technology dominance. These include, the US alleges, hacking into US firms’ computer networks to steal trade secrets and demanding that American and other foreign companies hand over technology in exchange for access to the Chinese market. Separately, Trump hinted on Wednesday that he’s looking into imposing tariffs on auto imports, a day after threatening to slash federal subsidies to General Motors. The president is angry over the announcement on Monday that GM plans to close plants and eliminate 14,000 jobs in North America. Higher auto tariffs on China would have a limited impact. The Chinese last year shipped just $884 million worth of cars and light trucks to the United States—less than 1 percent of total auto imports. GM makes the Buick Envision in China, but so far this year has shipped fewer than 25,000 of the sportutility vehicles to the US. AP

ANGKOK—Feeding a hungry planet is growing increasingly difficult as climate change and depletion of land and other resources undermine food systems, the UN Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) said on Wednesday as it renewed appeals for better policies and technologies to reach “zero hunger.” Population growth requires supplies of more nutritious food at affordable prices, but increasing farm output is hard given the “fragility of the natural resource base” since humans have outstripped Earth’s carrying capacity in terms of land, water and climate change, the report said. About 820 million people are malnourished. The FAO and International Food Policy Research Institute released the report at the outset of a global conference aimed at speeding up efforts to achieve zero hunger around the world. “The call for action is very clear. It is possible in our lifetime and it is also realistic to end hunger and malnutrition,” Inonge Wina, vice president of Zambia, told the gathering. Food security remains tenuous for many millions of people who lack access to affordable, adequately nourishing diets for a variety of reasons, the most common being poverty. But it’s also endangered by civil strife and other conflicts. In Yemen, where thousands of civilians have died in air strikes by a Saudiled coalition, the aid group Save the Children says 85,000 children younger than 5 may have died of hunger or disease in the civil war.

In Afghanistan, severe drought and conflict have displaced more than 250,000 people, according to UNHCR, the UN refugee agency. FAO Director General Jose Graziano da Silva noted that the number of hungry and malnourished people in the world has risen to levels last seen a decade ago. “After decades of gains in fighting hunger, this is a serious setback and FAO and the UN sister agencies, together with member governments and other partners, are all very concerned,” Graziano da Silva said in a videotaped address to the conference. Hunger is still most severe in Africa, but the largest number of undernourished people live in the Asia-Pacific region, the report said. It said good public policies and technology are the keys to improving the situation. The FAO estimates that global demand for food will jump by half from 2013 to 2050. Farmers can expand land use to help make up some of the difference, but that option is constrained in places like Asia and the Pacific and urbanization is eating up still more land that once may have been used for agriculture. Increasing farm output beyond sustainable levels can cause permanent damage to ecosystems, the report said, noting that it often causes soil erosion, pollution with plastic mulching, pesticides and fertilizers, and a loss of biodiversity. China destroys 12 million tons of tainted grain each year, at a loss of nearly $2.6 billion, according to the report. AP

Oil slumps as US inventory rise adds pressure for supply cut

IL prices tumbled lower as an unexpectedly large increase in US crude inventories added to worries about a supply glut ahead of a meeting between top exporters Russia and Saudi Arabia. Futures fell 2.5 percent in New York, following a report by the Energy Information Administration that domestic oil supplies climbed for the 10th straight week, fed by rising imports. Traders remain focused on the meeting expected at the G-20 summit in Argentina between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and its allies are mulling over an output cut of 1 million barrels a day or more at a meeting next week in Vienna, as the group looks to stabilize prices that have plunged more than 30 percent since October.

“Everybody’s looking to the Opec meeting to determine a sense of where prices are going to go and that will depend largely on how severe the cuts are,” said Adam Wise, who manages a $9-billion oil and gas portfolio for John Hancock Financial Services Inc. in Boston. West Texas Intermediate for January slid $1.27 to $50.29 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. The US benchmark’s 14-day Relative Strength Index remains in oversold territory. Brent for January settlement declined 2.4 percent to $58.76 a barrel on London’s ICE Futures Europe exchange. Saudi Arabia and Nigeria are confident that the Opec and its partners will succeed in stabilizing prices, energy ministers Khalid al-Falih and Emmanuel Ibe Kachikwu told reporters in Abuja. But al-Falih was less definitive than in previous com-

ments and didn’t mention an actual production cut. Adding uncertainty, Putin said in Moscow that current Brent prices around $60 a barrel are “ absolutely fine” for his country. Two weeks ago, he said a level of $70 suited Russia. The US Energy Information Administration, meanwhile, said nationwide crude stockpiles jumped by 3.58 million barrels last week, well above the 1 million barrel increase predicted by analysts in a Bloomberg survey. Gasoline supplies fell unexpectedly, but not enough to overcome the pessimism. “It’s an elevated build relative to where consensus was on crude,” Nick Holmes, a director at Kansas-based Tortoise, which oversees a $16-billion energy portfolio. “People expected as refinery maintenance started to wind down we’d start to see some more draws.” Bloomberg News

The Regions BusinessMirror

Editor: Dennis D. Estopace • Friday, November 30, 2018

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Peza rejects Transco proposal for Baguio City Economic Zone

By Lenie Lectura @llectura

HE Philippine Economic Zone Authority (Peza) has rejected the proposal of the National Transmission Corp. (Transco) to operate, maintain and manage the power distribution system of Baguio City Economic Zone (BCEZ) for 25 years. According to Tereso O. Panga, Peza deputy director general for policy and planning, the investment promoter cited Transco’s tax liability of P1.7 billion as of October 2018 for the years 2006 and 2008. The said tax liabilities are subject of a pending application for abatement of penalties. Transco, however, separately said it has fully settled its basic tax liabilities of P875.037 million and it awaits results of its abatement application filed with

the Bureau of Internal Revenue of the remaining P855.560 million representing interest charges and penalties. “We request Peza not to take against Transco’s [sic] this tax liability for the purpose of evaluating its financial performance and capability under this transaction,” a statement by Transco said. Moreover, Peza said the joint venture between Transco and the Benguet Electric Cooperative (Beneco), which submitted a counterproposal for BCEZ distribution

rate of P0.26 per kilowatt hour for the duration of the contract, is not compliant with Peza’s board approval to retain BCEZ’s existing distribution rate of P0.3448 per kWh for the first four years of the concession period. Transco said that Peza neither published nor issued the content of Peza Board resolution to interested parties. “Peza’s declaration that the joint Transco-Beneco proposal is not compliant [to criteria that were never known to interested parties, if there is indeed a criteria] is not only irrational,” Transco said. “It fails to meet the required standard of governance to be transparent in all government transactions.” However, the Aboitiz group submitted a more superior proposal, which it has considered for a competitive challenge against the offer of Meralco as first proponent, Panga told Transco in a letter. Nonet he less, Tra n sco re quested the Peza to reconsider its decision. It also wants Peza to include a third-party observer to provide a reasonable conclusion that the transaction might be giving unwarranted benefits to a private entity.

A10 Friday, November 30, 2018 • Editor: Angel R. Calso

Opinion BusinessMirror

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editorial

PHL measles cases: Unacceptable

HE Persian physician Al Razi published “The Book on Smallpox and Measles” in the Middle Ages, the first to describe in detail the symptoms of smallpox and measles.

Measles is a highly contagious, infectious disease that can spread rapidly. Nine out of 10 people who are not immune and who share living space with an infected person will contract measles. No other preventable disease causes as many deaths as measles. However, after one dose of the measles vaccine, 85 percent of children nine months of age and 95 percent over 12 months of age are immune. Nearly all of those who do not develop immunity after a single dose develop it after a second dose. Nearly 90 percent of children worldwide are being currently vaccinated. The wholesale cost in the developing world is about $0.70 (P35) per dose. Measles vaccination resulted in an 84-percent drop in measles deaths between 2000 and 2016 worldwide. During the period from 2000 to 2016, measles vaccination prevented an estimated 20 million deaths, making the measles vaccine one of the best investments in public health. The measles vaccine is estimated to prevent 1 million deaths every year. Why then are we reading headlines like this? “At least 18 Lumad children die from suspected measles in Sarangani town.” “World Health Organization: Measles cases in PH up 367 percent.” This is completely unacceptable. Measles is virtually 100-percent preventable, and deaths from this disease should not happen, especially to the youngest and most vulnerable of our population. Except in the most remote areas of the nation, children—all the children—must be vaccinated. Here are the data: The “World Health Organization said there are 17,298 reported measles cases in the Philippines from January to November 2018 alone, a huge leap from the 3,706 reported measles cases for the same period in 2017.” There can be only two reasons: Either the Department of Health (DOH) is not doing its job, or parents are not doing their job to protect their children. Earlier this year in April, the DOH launched its “Ligtas Tigdas” program to curb the spread of measles through the provision of free vaccination among infants and children six to 59 months old. This came after 4,168 measles cases were reported nationwide from January 1 to March 26. After the last measles mass immunization in 2004, measles transmission nationwide significantly dropped. However, “Department of Health authorities in Region 7 [Central Visayas] have lamented the low turnout of children availing themselves of the government’s measles-immunization program in the four provinces of Cebu, Siquijor, Bohol and Negros Oriental.” Part of the reason as stated by Dr. Socrates Villamor is, “We have a big problem with regards our immunization program because of the Dengvaxia controversy since last year, that’s why we need the media’s help in informing our populace in disseminating the information that the vaccine for measles is safe, potent and effective since more than three decades ago with no record of serious side effects.” That is also unacceptable. As Dr. Villamor said, the press and media need to step up to help solve this problem. It is interesting that some of the news outlets that are most vocal about the importance of a free press have been absolutely silent on this issue since the Ligtas Tigdas began. Perhaps there is no political-agenda mileage to be gained by encouraging parents to vaccinate their children from this potentially killer disease.

In Miag-ao James Jimenez

SPOX

AST weekend, I was at the Miag-ao campus of the University of the Philippines in the Visayas (UPV), talking about voter education to around 500 college freshmen. I was there at the invitation of the National Service Training Program (NSTP) director, who intends to send these bright-eyed and bushy-tailed young people out to every barangay of Miag-ao in order to bring voter education that much closer to the people who need it most. Considering time constraints, I decided to focus on fundamentals, and the most basic question I was asked was “what makes the midterm elections important?” The context for this question, of course, is the thinking that midterm elections are somehow not as important as Presidential elections. I can go on and on about how this sort of notion feeds the cult of personality with which countless

generations of voters have cloaked the Presidency, but that ought to be self-evident. What is not always properly appreciated—both by the uninformed public and the NSTP students getting ready to become voter educators—is that the midterms are absolutely critical to the survival of the government. And no, I am not being overly dramatic about it. During the midterms, we need to elect 12 out of 24 senators; that’s a

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whole 50 percent of the upper chamber of Congress. And speaking of Congress, we need to elect 243 out of 243 members of the House of Representatives, plus 60 out of 60 party-list representatives. Put otherwise, that’s 100 percent of the entire lower chamber. Outside of Congress, 81 out of 81 governors and vice governors have to be elected, along with 1,634 out of 1,634 city and municipal mayors and vice mayors. Local legislatures would be veritable ghost towns without the midterm elections where we get to elect 14,324 out of 14,324 Members of Sanggunian Councils at the provincial, city and municipal levels of government. And in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, 26 out of 26 elected ARMM officials need to be chosen. All told, that’s 18,095 elected positions up for grabs in the midterms. Those 18,095 elected officials constitute the vital energy—the life force, if you will—of a democratic republic. People may not always realize it, but these elected officials appoint bureaucrats who run the nuts and

Thomas L. Friedman

NEW YORK TIMES

IMA, Peru—Kamala Harris, the Democratic senator from California, recently raised eyebrows when she asked Ronald Vitiello, President Donald J. Trump’s nominee to lead Immigration and Customs Enforcement, whether he appreciated the “perception” that ICE spreads “fear and intimidation” among immigrants the way the Ku Klux Klan did among blacks. Harris carefully worded her question around the “perception” of ICE—and it was raised in part because Vitiello had once shamefully tweeted that Democrats were “the NeoKlanist party.” Nevertheless, with Harris a likely Democratic presidential candidate in 2020, Republican media pounced on her with variations of: “Hey voters, get this: Democrats think the ICE officers protecting you from illegal immigrants are like the KKK. You gonna vote for that?” ICE does seem to have a bad culture, but it is not the KKK. At the same time, I don’t think the Democratic Party is just for open borders. Alas, though, I’m also not sure what exactly is the party’s standard on immigration — and questions like Harris’s leave it open to demonization. Since Republicans have completely caved to Trump’s craven exploitation of immigration as a wedge issue, the country, as usual, needs the Democrats to be the adults and put

forward a realistic, comprehensive approach to immigration, which now requires two parts. The first is a way to think “about the border,” and the second is a way to think about all the issues “beyond the border”—issues that are pushing migrants our way. You cannot think seriously about the first without thinking seriously about the second, and if you don’t, this week’s scenes of Customs and Border Protection officers firing tear gas to keep out desperate migrants near Tijuana will get a lot worse. Regarding the border, the right place for Democrats to be is for a high wall with a big gate. Democrats won’t do as well as they can nationally without assuring Americans that they’re committed to securing our borders; people can’t just walk in. But the country won’t do as well as it can in the 21st century unless it remains committed to a very generous legal immigration policy — and a realistic pathway to citizenship

for illegals already here—to attract both high-energy, low-skilled workers and high-IQ risk takers. They have been the renewable energy source of the American dream — and our secret advantage over China. But thinking beyond the border is where Democrats can really distinguish themselves; it’s where Trump has been recklessly AWOL. This is how we got to where we are today: During the 19th and 20th centuries, the world shifted from being governed by large empires in many regions to being governed by independent nation-states. And the 50 years after World War II were a great time to be a weak little nation-state. Why? Because there were two superpowers competing for your affection by throwing foreign aid at you, building your army, buying your cheap goods and educating your college students; climate change was moderate; populations were still under control in the developing world; no one had a cell phone to easily organize movements against your government; and China was not in the World Trade Organization (WTO), so everyone could be in textiles and other low-wage industries. All of that switched in the early 21st century: Climate-driven extreme weather—floods, droughts, heat and cold—on top of man-made deforestation began to hammer many countries, especially their small-scale farmers. This happened right as developing-world populations exploded. Africa went from 140 million in 1900 to 1 billion in 2010 to a projected 2.5 billion by 2050. Syria grew from 3 million people

bolts of government. Equally important, elected officials craft legislation, from national laws to municipal ordinances, that literally define what we can and cannot do with our lives; quite literally, from womb to tomb. In those positions of power and authority, their competence essentially determines what quality of governance we, the people, get. “So, the next time someone whines about how midterms are not as important,” I told these aspiring voter educators, “hit them with these facts and watch realization dawn on their faces and in their eyes. It’s a beautiful sight.” As I said, however, I was unfortunately there for only a very short time; hardly enough opportunity to cover what I wanted to share, let alone everything that needed to be shared. But that’s how it always is with voter education. You always need more time to say what you need to say than you have time to say it. Many thanks to the students of UPV and NSTP Director R.G. It was a distinct pleasure to have had even that brief moment with all of you.

in 1950 to over 22 million today, which, along with droughts, totally stressed its water resources. Guatemala, the main source of the migrant caravan heading our way, has been ravaged by deforestation thanks to illegal logging, farmers cutting trees for firewood and drug traffickers creating landing strips and smuggling trails. A satellite map just released by University of Cincinnati geography researchers demonstrated that nearly a quarter of the Earth’s habitable surface changed between just 1992 and 2015, primarily from forests to agriculture, from grasslands to deserts and from wetlands to urban concrete. Meanwhile, the Internet has enabled citizens to easily compare their living standards with those in Paris or Phoenix—and find a human trafficker to take them there. Also, China joined the WTO, dominating low-wage industries, and the end of the Cold War meant no superpower wanted to touch your country, because all it would win was a bill. So it’s now much harder to be an average little country. The most frail of them are hemorrhaging people, like Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Sudan and most every nation in sub-Saharan Africa. Others— Venezuela, Syria, Afghanistan and Libya—have just fractured. Together, they’re creating vast zones of disorder, and many people want to get out of them into any zone of order, particularly America or Europe, triggering nationalist-populist backlashes. See “Friedman,” A11

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More Electric Power to set aside 30% of stocks for the public Val A. Villanueva

BUSINESSWISE

T’S high time that the government requires all public utility companies to go public. This is to ensure that their patrons are amply protected from poor service and inadequate customer support. Government regulators are often not up to the task, so an additional layer of supervision is a must, especially for companies which provide essential infrastructure that people rely on to do their daily tasks, whether in their workplace or in the comfort of their homes. The importance of rigid supervision recently came to light when complaints started piling up against the poor service provided by Iloilo’s Panay Electric Co. (Peco) and the exorbitant rates they were charging. The scenario was not conjured out of thin air. There were actual written protestations by people who have had enough of Peco’s overbilling, arrogance and worn-out facilities. The House committee of franchises had its hands full in addressing complaints from nearly 1,800 people who claimed to have been victims of the company’s overcharging and frequent power outages. With the unanimous passage on Monday by the Senate of House Bill 8032 on its third and final reading, Peco’s fate was sealed. The bill grants More Electric Power Corp., a company owned and controlled by business tycoon Enrique K. Razon Jr., with the legislative franchise to distribute electricity in Iloilo City. I don’t usually agree with what both chambers do—what with all the grandstanding and dirty politicking they spew—but I commend their collective decision to end Peco’s congressional franchise for the welfare of Iloilo’s long-suffering electricity consumers. What is laudable is that the franchise approved by the House and the Senate requires it to set aside 30 percent of its stocks to the public. No other details have been obtained by BusinessWise, but it is likely that the company will be issuing an initial public offering, the share price of which is still being ironed out. One of the major reasons a company stays private is the stringent reporting requirements. A private company like Peco is not subject to Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) rules, which require annual reporting and third-party auditing. Power distribution must operate in a free-market environment, and the price which the company can charge for transmitting power should be monitored and regulated. Now, the House of Representatives and the Senate would be threshing out their differing versions, particularly the Senate’s recommendation that Peco be granted a temporary license to continue operating until it has completely turned over its operations to More Power. A bicameral committee will be convened to settle all the issues, including the proposed two-year transition period from Peco to More Power. The unified House and Senate version will then be sent to President Duterte for signing. For 95 years, Peco was Iloilo’s lone power distributor. Unfortunately, it fell into the trap of complacency. The company must have thought it inconceivable that the time will come when it will lose its franchise. The Iloilo power consumers have had enough! Based on records obtained by BusinessWise from Congress, one Edcel Castro of Rizal Street grumbled about receiving a staggering bill of P180,000, even though his previous monthly bills averaged only P8,000. The formal complaint he sent to Peco

What is laudable is that the franchise approved by the House and the Senate requires it to set aside 30 percent of its stocks to the public. No other details have been obtained by BusinessWise, but it is likely that the company will be issuing an initial public offering, the share price of which is still being ironed out. fell on deaf ears. The most that the company could tell him was that he had the option to pay in installments, or face losing his power connection. Castro’s case was only one of several complaints filed against Peco that we were able to sift through. From the same records came reports of the company having undersized and crowded feeders; leaning poles; disorganized service drops, and unsafe clearances of lines and substations and transformers that all resulted in frequent power outages and service interruptions. Having been Iloilo’s lone power distributor for almost a century, outliving perhaps many of the city’s residents, Peco must have thought it had the birthright to continue lording over Iloilo’s power distribution landscape. Evidently, Peco has failed to fully appreciate and understand the situation, including the way it is perceived by its own customers in Iloilo City. This is truly sad, considering the history the company shares with about four generations of the city’s populace. Peco Chairman Mariano Cacho’s recent declaration in a live television interview that there are no consumer complaints against his company is therefore quite appalling. Cacho sought to illustrate that Razon was lying when the latter claimed that it was the thousands of complaints from Peco’s own customers that convinced him and his company to work on taking over the electricity distribution business in Iloilo City. As Razon pointed out in a public statement last week, the harsh truth is that it is Peco’s own customers who have condemned it for bad service, high electricity rates, old and dilapidated equipment, and a penchant for overbilling its customers. Cacho’s outright denial that there were no such consumer complaints only proves that he and his relatives who were running Iloilo’s electricity distribution service acted like oligarchs of the old days, making money at the expense of the people they were supposed to serve on the government’s behest. Razon rightfully cited Peco’s practice of declaring annual dividends in the hundreds of millions of pesos, instead of investing such funds to improve its transmission facilities, as further proof that Peco had shirked its responsibility to serve the people of Iloilo. Assuming that Peco has finally seen the light and decided to invest hundreds of millions needed to modernize its transmission facilities, the commitment has come too late. A franchise is a privilege, not a right, even by a company that has been in existence for close to a century. It is granted by Congress to an entity that can be trusted to provide good, if not the best, public service to the people. For comments, suggestions e-mail me at mvala.v@gmail.com.

The Three Angels Tito Genova Valiente

ANNOTATIONS

HIS happened millions of years ago. The sun was still a cool condensation of all that is golden in the entire universe. The moon was hotter than it is today. This was before it started to assume shapes depending on its moods and long before the gods and goddesses saw how impertinently impatient and prone to depression the moon is and cursed it to be pallid forever. The divine beings then were not yet distant from the human beings. They mingled with ordinary persons becoming their friends and companions. This was the beginning of great men and women, they who were touched by the higher spirits. Before this the gilded age was about men and women who tilled, foraged and domesticated animals. Some of our ancestors became the favorite of particular gods and goddesses. They were given brighter brains that could accommodate the myths and mysteries. No one could explain why there were humans who could explain the origin of clouds and rains. No one could even understand where the knowledge of beings higher than men and women came from. These knowledge that would be complicated by other men by calling them transcendental were really gifts from the divine. They were not about things higher than ordinary things. They were above the normal. In another period, a group of men who called themselves scientists started using the word abnormal. On the other side of the huge mountain ranges and deep oceans that separated the world, there were men, mostly men, and some women who were brave enough, to think of things above normal as religion. This system they call was supposed to respond to the works of the scientists who called their tasks scientific. Again, there was nothing unusual and divine about scientific matters. These men of science were merely playing with words. The men of religion (and some women who insisted they be part of this other enterprise) also were good with words. Again,

there was nothing extraordinary about religion. It was, like science, an invention of man. Above these men of religion and science were the gods and goddesses who were always up there. After some years, they got tired of being ordinary and they opted to distance themselves from all kinds of men and women. But distance can be lonely. One day, the gods and goddesses gathered in a special committee meeting. They called the ritual en-banc divination. How do we guide these men and women below? They had realized just by looking that not everyone was created equal. There were two groups of human beings then: those who believed that they could live by themselves, form a family and have friends. They worked regularly guided by the Sun that, by this time, had become a hot ball of fire, and inspired by the Moon, which, by this time, had turned into a pallid source of the softest light. Sometimes, these men and women would form kinship with others but it was a link that was not ruled by anything hidden or mysterious. These men and women were free spirits: When they get tired of the group, they would leave that group and form another group. Sometimes, they lived alone. These men and women were not all that good everyday but the fact that they were free, they gossiped and they told lies. But their groups knew they

Friday, November 30, 2018 A11

could tell lies and they could spread bad words about each other. As the gods and goddesses contemplated on the conditions of this group, they decided to summon an Angel of First Solitude. This being kept to himself. He read poetry at the foot of the rainbow or sang songs of isolation where the rains were formed and the morning mists conjured. This Angel of Solitude was good with men and women who did bad actions but did not possess complex principles to explain their bad deeds. This Angel of Solitude could look at you in your eyes when in fact he is inspecting your heart and trying to break it a bit. He is the Angel who invented candor and simplicity. The Angel of First Solitude was assigned to this group. He is the Angel for labor leaders and cultural workers. Next, the gods and goddesses called upon the Angel of Second and Therefore-Self-Conscious Solitude.

This being was extremely sociable and, with his bright white wings that flapped uncontrollably for each word he uttered, he called attention to himself. He was assigned to take care of the second group of men and women who called attention to themselves so much they needed to hide in specially constructed organizations. These men and women believed in codes and secret signs. Being wealthy and outrageously in-

telligent—so intelligent that they could engage the Angel of First Solitude in a debate and expose his simplistic notion of the public good —they needed brotherhoods and sisterhoods to protect their interests and resources. It was therefore perfect that the Angel of Second and Therefore-Self-Conscious Solitude was tasked to guard and guide them. He is the Angel for Presidents, Prime Ministers, Dictators and all types of Politicians. As the gods and goddesses were marveling at their creations, a rumble that was so quiet it became so loud ensued from the middle of the hall. It was the Universe listening, and speaking. Characteristic of this universe, S/he/It whispered: Are you not forgetting anything? Too black and too white. Too blackand-white. The Universe whispered. It was obvious (take note, anthropologists), that the Universe antedated by millions of years the Structuralism of the French School. Where is the gray? The Universe whispered. Whereupon, the gods and goddesses rushed to the center of the hall and opened a secret door. It was the kind of door on which Pandora’s Box was modeled after. So this was before Prometheus and Epimetheus. This was before the stealing of the fire. Out came from the door, the handsomest of all Angels. He swaggered and swayed from side to side. He was in permanent drunkenness, and his eyes red from rage and his mouth always wet with spittle. He was the Angel of Vomit. This Angel was assigned to guard and guide writers so that they may not always agree with what any groups say. The Angel of Vomit is the one who permits writers to throw up and turn their vomit into words angry at how men and women can hide within principles of privacy and politics whenever the Universe allows us to listen to them and their bad thoughts. The Angel of Vomit is Eternal. Pray to him now.

E-mail: titovaliente@yahoo.com

Social consciousness: Are we aware of it?

Italian for “Praise Be to You”) is the second encyclical of Pope Francis. In it, the pope critiques consumerism and irresponsible development, laments environmental degradation and global warming, and calls all people of the world to take “swift and unified global action.” The human environment and the natural environment deteriorate together; we cannot adequately combat environmental degradation unless we attend to causes related to human and social degradation. This should start from within ourselves if we want change to happen.

us to change the way we think and to set a good example to the youth, our future leaders. We can say the campaign was a success because many people participated. This kind of movement should be extended to clean up the drainage system, creeks and rivers. Sometimes, many of us forget that

this is our social responsibility. Paco de Estero and Estero de San Miguel in Manila used to be known as the big “trash cans” where different kinds of waste are being dumped. But now these waterways have seen a great transformation, thanks to the River Warriors—mostly residents of Paco de Estero—who joined forces to clean them up. The effort to clean up these esteros came following a 2012 project with the Asian Development Bank, some nongovernment organizations, ABS-CBN, Maynilad and the local government units who helped put up an infrastructure that cleans wastewater before being released to the creeks. Today, the communities of Paco de Estero and Estero de San Miguel are beaming with pride because they succeeded in cleaning up the esteros. Thanks to the responsible citizens who participated without letup in cleaning up their surroundings. Laudato si (Medieval Central

economic crisis has seen more than two million citizens leave since 2014, causing regional tensions as neighboring countries struggle to accommodate them.” The story added, “The UN— whose migration agency has warned that the continent faces a refugee ‘crisis moment’ similar to that seen in the Mediterranean in 2015—is setting up a special team to coordinate the regional response. More than half a million Venezuelans have crossed into Ecuador this year alone and more than a million have entered Colombia in the past 15 months.”

There are now more climate refugees, economic migrants searching for work and political refugees just searching for order than at any point since World War II—nearly 70 million people according to the International Rescue Committee, and 135 million more in need of humanitarian aid. A responsible presidential candidate in 2020 needs a policy that rationally manages the flow of immigrants into our country and offers a strategy to help stabilize the world of disorder through climate-change mitigation, birth control diffusion, reforestation, governance assistance

and support for small-scale farmers. This is our biggest geopolitical problem today. Forget the “Space Corps”; I’d make the “Peace Corps” our fifth service. We should have an Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and Peace Corps, to send Americans to help stabilize small farms and governance in the world of disorder. And this has to be a global project, with the US, Europe, India, Korea, China, Russia and Japan all contributing. Otherwise the world of order is going to be increasingly challenged by refugees from the world of disorder, and all rational discussions of immigration will go out the window.

Rev. Fr. Antonio Cecilio T. Pascual

SERVANT LEADER

OT so long ago a campaign was launched with the slogan “tapat ko, linis ko,” a cleanliness drive aimed for students and Metro Manila residents, before it spread to some provinces. The campaign was to encourage households and neighbors—basically the whole community—to take responsibility of cleaning their surroundings and not just depend on the public cleaners or the LGUs. The movement has a good objective because it empowers the community to have a sense of responsibility. Oftentimes, we are just concerned about our “own” household’s cleanliness and we forget that we are equally responsible to ensure the cleanliness of our environment. This campaign teaches

Friedman. . .

continued from A10

But not only. I was in Argentina last month and am in Peru now; in both countries I found people worried about the refugee flows from Venezuela. Peru has taken in 600,000, and it’s beginning to stir resentment here among lower socioeconomic classes. The BBC reported in August: “Tens of thousands of Venezuelans are fleeing their country amid chronic shortages of food and medicines. The country’s longstanding

To know more about Caritas Manila, visit or follow us on Facebook: CaritasManilaInc. For your donations, please call our DonorCare lines 563-9311, 564-0205, 0999-7943455, 09054285001, and 09298343857. Make it a habit to listen to Radio Veritas 946 in the AM band, or through live streaming at www.veritas846.ph and follow its Twitter and Instagram accounts @veritasph and YouTube at veritas846.ph. For your comments, e-mail veritas846pr@gmail.com.

BusinessMirror Special Feature

A12 Friday, November 30 , 2018

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SM Aura Premier Celebrates

Christmas in the Wild

The giant Christmas tree is designed with giant LED leaves, as well as gold, silver, green and red giant Christmas balls in different textures.

SM COO Steven Tan with (center) with (from left to right) SM AVP for Operations Bernice Baculi, Taguig City Economic Officer Chie Bocobo, Pilipinas Got Talent Grand Winner Kristel de Catalina and SM SVP for Marketing Jon Jon San Agustin during the Sparkling Christmas In The Wild launch at SM Aura Premier

HRISTMAS is all about magic, and after last year’s Under the Sea Digital Underwater Experience, SM Aura Premier takes shoppers on a holiday expedition to the sparkling wild. The centerpiece at the mall’s atrium is designed with life-size installations of Safari’s majestic creatures - elephants, giraffes, deer, leopards, lions, hippopotamus, rhinos and giant eagles in hues of gold and green. They stand proudly beside a giant Christmas tree embellished with giant LED leaves, and dazzling gold, silver, green and red giant Christmas balls in different textures. SM Aura likewise pushes the envelope of art even further by creating Prism of Lights, an immersive display in partnership with Huawei Mobile Philippines Here, mallgoers can experience the interactive light show which interprets beauty and wonder of the pristine night sky. The exhibit is open to all for free, and is perfect for capturing those pictureperfect holiday memories. During the tree lighting cer-

CNN’s Janelle Baretto Squires with Patrick Pacla

emony, the audience was treated to an African-inspired ensemble, with a drum circle and dancers by Animo Tierra and was capped off by a jawdropping spiral pole dance performance by Pilipinas Got Talent grand winner Kristel de Catalina. In the following weeks, SM Aura Premier makes the season more unforgettable with familyfilled events such as Santa’s Meet and Greet and the Letters to Santa Workshop on December 9 and 16, chorale performances on December 8 and 15, and other musical acts on December 14, 21, and 23. Everyone is welcome to experience this one-of-a-kind adventure into the sparkling wild at SM Aura Premier. For more information, follow SM Aura Premier on Instagram @SMAuraPremier and Facebook / SMAuraPremier.

Mickie and Marc Cantor

SM SAVP for Operations Bernice Baculi (left), AVP for Marketing Stephanie Henares with actress and model Rhian Ramos

Actress Divine Lee with her sister Danes

Erna and Michael Hartung

Cristalle Belo-Pitt with Justin Pitt

Pilipinas Got Talent Grand Winner Kristel de Catalina thrilled guests with her breathtaking aerial stunt and spiral pole dancing act during the Sparkling in the Wild Christmas launch at SM Aura Premier

Companies BusinessMirror

Editor: Efleda P. Campos

Friday, November 30, 2018

DMCI unit hits ₧33.48-B sales in 9 mos

By VG Cabuag

@villygc

ROPERTY developer DMCI Homes Inc. on Thursday said it recorded P33.48 billion in reservation sales for the first three quarters of this year, up 7 percent from the P31.34 billion it made during the same period last year.

Consistent strong sales performance of key projects put the company on track to meet its P40-billion adjusted sales target for the year, the company said. One key contributor was Kai Garden Residences in Mandaluyong, which posted P8 billion in total sales revenue as of end September, while other top contributors for the first three quarters were Pasig projects Fairlane Residences and Prisma

Residences, which earned P7.26 billion and P3.18 billion in sales and reservations, respectively. This year, DMCI Homes launched three new residential projects, including Fairlane Residences, Atherton in Parañaque and Satori Residences in Pasig. The community developer also increased its total land value to P9 billion, from P4.9 billion for the same period last year, which

included new acquisitions in the Visayas and Mindanao. “This is part of the company’s plan to expand outside Metro Manila, which started with Outlook Ridge Residences in Baguio City and Verdon Parc in Davao City. We are also hoping to help address the housing needs in other key cities like Cebu in the near future,” DMCI Homes President Alfredo Austria said. For the year, the company com-

pleted 10 buildings in various projects, including in Bristle Ridge in Baguio City, Brio Tower in Makati, Asteria Residences in Parañaque, Mirea Residences and Lumiere Residences in Pasig and Ivorywood in Taguig. DMCI has been developing residential projects taking on resortinspired communities nationwide since 1999. To date, the company has launched a total of 72 projects.

NEA collection reaches ₧1.7B in Jan-Sept

S ‘THE GAME CHANGERS’ Executives of the Asian Institute of Management (AIM), the Department of Science and Technology and top

Philippine companies field questions during an open forum at the 50 years of AIM’s “The Game Changers:The Impact of Innovation and Tecnology Entrepreneurship” held at Shangri-La at the Fort in Bonifacio Global City,Taguig. The panel was composed of Prof. Cris Monterola (from left), head of AIM’s School of Innovation, Technology and Entrepreneurship; Narayana Murthy, founding Chairman of Infosys; Stan Shi, Chairman of Acer Computers; Doris Magsaysay-Ho, president and CEO of the Magsaysay Group of Cos.; Jaime Zobel de Ayala, chairman and CEO of Ayala Corp.; and Science Secretary Fortunato T. de la Peña. ROY DOMINGO

TATE-RUN National Electrification Administration (NEA) said on Thursday that its nine-month collection slightly increased to P1.7 billion, from P1.627 billion in the same period last year. The amount represents payment collected from electric cooperatives (ECs). “Latest data show the NEA posted a 99-percent collection efficiency on the loan amortization payments of the ECs in the first nine months of the year,” it said. In the third quarter of the year alone, the NEA collected P495 million. “As always, through this program, aside from payment fidelity,

we expect better service, improved efficiency and well-capacitated operations from electric cooperatives,” NEA Administrator Edgardo Masongsong said. “This is not a cure-all remedy to the headaches besetting them. We, therefore, enjoin those who avail themselves of the agency’s assistance to be on the lookout for these parameters. Because they are utilities, it all boils down to service,” the NEA chief said. Since the inception of the NEA’s lending program, total loan collections from the ECs reached P22.377 billion as of end-September 2018, an increase of 1.61 percent over the P22.022-billion corporate target.

The state-run agency has been offering financial assistance to the ECs, through various loan windows, to finance their capital expenditure projects and rehabilitation of power-distribution systems. The NEA’s lending program includes regular, calamity and concessional loans, stand-by and short-term credit loans, singledigit system loss loan, renewableenergy loan and modular generator-sets loan. The short-term credit facility is meant to finance the ECs’ monthly cash shortfall in settling their power accounts with the powergeneration companies. Lenie Lectura

Companies B2 Friday, November 30, 2018

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Huge volume not enough to lift PSEi on last Nov trading day

HARE prices closed lower on Thursday, the last trading day of the month, but volume surged to more than P20 billion on window dressing of companies and the effect of MSCI’s rebalancing on local listed firms. The benchmark Philippine Stock Exchange index (PSEi) gave up 14.58 points to close at 7,367.85 points. The main index reached a peak of 7,482, but late selling pulled down the index. “The last-minute selling was on account of MSCI’s rebalancing. Note that volume today was extra heavy, with 77 percent foreign participation as against the usual 52 percent,” said Arbee B. Lu, head of marketing and business development, of Papa Securities Inc. Total volume of trade reached P20.08 billion on 1.32 billion shares traded. Luis Limlingan, managing director at Regina Capital Development Corp., said the last-minute selling was also due to MSCI’s rebalancing of its basket, which local fund managers track. “Philippine shares finished slightly lower, but overall, closed the month on another strong rally on the combination of window dressing, MSCI rebalancing,” he said. “A couple of weeks ago, the MSCI released the new weighting for its Phil-

ippine index, and most fund managers aligned with the portfolio. The biggest change was Metrobank, which saw huge fund flows this week,” he said. Metropolitan Bank and Trust Corp. was the day’s most active with value of trade reaching P4.6 billion, but it shed P1.25 to P74.60. BDO Unibank Inc. gained P1.10 to P130.20. Ayala Land Inc. rose P1.40 to P41.65; SM Investments Corp. fell P6.50 to P908.50; Ayala Corp. was up P3 to P951; and SM Prime Holdings Inc. added P0.70 to P34.70. Gainers led decliners 112 to 78 and 52 shares were unchanged. Most of the subindices were down led by the broader All Shares index that shed 2.05 points to 4,441.33; the Financials index gained 4.62 to 1,758.25; the Industrial index lost 55.65 to 10,655.14; the Holding Firms index fell 51.99 to 7,230.90; the Services index was down 9.63 to 1,401.55; the Mining and Oil index decreased 22.29 to 8,487.63. The Property index rose 59.47 to 3,601.14. VG Cabuag

Filipinos confident of opportunities to advance in life FILIPINOS are innate enterpreneurs who value the opportunity of venturing into a business and succeed through hard work. They believe that amid economic hardship, venturing into their own business will improve their lives, a study revealed. Based on the first LinkedIn Opportunity Index in Asia Pacific, the Philippines ranked third in terms of how people perceive opportunity and barriers that may prevent them from succeeding. Garnering a score of 106, this country, tied up with China, is considered “most confident” in gaining access to and pursuing opportunities. They are of the same level of optimism with Indonesia (116 points) and India (111 points), taking the top 2 spots. Malaysia, meanwhile, is the fifth most-confident nation in the region, with 101 points. More developed markets, however, such as Singapore (91 points), Australia (90 points), Hong Kong (85 points) and Japan (79 points) trailed in the ranking from sixth to ninth places, respectively. The research showed that people in these markets are concerned with their country’s economic outlook and, generally, more cautious on their chances of accessing and achieving success with opportunities that are significant to them. “We believe access to opportunity should be universal and for everyone,”

said Olivier Legrand, managing director of LinkedIn in Asia Pacific. “With the inaugural LinkedIn Opportunity Index, our aim is to gain an insight into the aspirations of people across the Asia-Pacific region, how they feel about the opportunities they want to pursue, as well as the barriers that may stand in their way.” He said the region’s growing labor force is “a key asset that, if harnessed effectively, is going to continue to drive the economies.” Compared to feedbacks in the entire Aspac region, respondents in the Philippines were more positive on opportunity when it came to aspects linked to education, career, work and other life-related matters. Starting their own business is a top opportunity for them, with over half or 53 percent agreeing to this. They are similar to Indonesians (50 percent), who are interested in entrepreneurial pursuits. On the contrary, respondents in Australia (13 percent), Hong Kong (13 percent) and Japan (7 percent) are least likely to embark on new ventures. Overall, only a quarter or 25 percent of Aspac survey participants were likely to embark on new ventures. Akin to their neighbors, many Filipinos (44 percent) hope to achieve or maintain an opportunity to get a job that offers good work-life balance.” This is slightly above the average of 40 percent in the region. Roderick L. Abad

ICTSI works with Ecuador to boost Guayaquil Port growth

NTERNATIONAL Container Terminal Services Inc. (ICTSI) said on Thursday the bridge projects of the Ecuadorian government will help spur growth in the port of Guayaquil. The Ecuadorian government is building two bridges that will span a total of 44.2 kilometers, which will directly link the port to the south side of Guayaquil to the province of El Oro. “This infrastructure project will vastly improve the logistical competitiveness of the Port of Guayaquil by significantly reducing the travel distance and time of goods entering and leaving the port,” Contecon

Guayaquil CEO José Antonio Contreras said. The viaduct will serve as a direct corridor from the seaport to the Naranjal Canton via the Puerto Inca-Naranjal road. It will cut travel distance to the southern banana estates, such as El Oro, by as much as 60 kilometers to 100 kilometers, translating to around $90-million reduction in transport costs. Aside from benefiting the economy, the viaduct is also expected to minimize traffic congestion in the city by at least 45 percent to benefit the public. Annually, roughly 12 million tons of products pass through the Port of Guayaquil. Lorenz S. Marasigan

Agriculture/Commodities BusinessMirror

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Editor: Jennifer A. Ng • Friday, November 30, 2018

Incentives allow NFA to buy more local rice

By Jasper Emmanuel Y. Arcalas @jearcalas

he National Food Authority (NFA) said its purchases of locally produced rice have surpassed the volume it bought last year, as the incentives offered by the government had enticed farmers to sell their crop to the food agency.

The NFA said it has purchased over 800,000 50-kilogram bags, or some 40,000 metric tons (MT), of palay from local farmers. NFA Assistant Administrator Maria Mercedes G. Yacapin said the grains agency is now able to procure more rice from local farmers after the government offered more incentives, effectively hiking its buying price to P20.70 per kilogram. “We are doing good in our pa lay procurement compared to last year. Right now, we have purchased 800,000 bags cumulatively,” Yacapin told reporters in a recent interview. “And it is even

higher now as we speak, as we are still buying [palay].” Yacapin said local field offices were encouraged to overshoot their palay procurement target for the year. “Number 1 right now is Mindoro Occidental. The NFA office there has reached its target, but we asked them to surpass their targets,” she said. Last year the NFA failed to achieve its goal of procuring 3 million bags, as its purchases reached only 588,820 bags, or 29,441 MT. This year, the NFA is eyeing to procure 2.6 million bags or about 130,000 MT of palay.

Land distributed to farmers hits 4.77 million hectares–study

HE cumulative accomplishment of the government’s land-distribution program from 1972 to 2017 reached 4.77 million hectares, or nearly 88 percent of the target area of 5.425 million hectares, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA). In its latest report titled, “Redistribution of Land,” the PSA noted that land distributed by the government benefitted a total of 2.841 million farmers. “Among regions, the biggest accomplishment in land distribution was achieved in Ilocos region at 99.3 percent of the region’s working scope,” the report read. “Other regions with high accomplishment rates in land distribution ranging from 94.04 percent to 96.9 percent were recorded in the Cordillera Administrative Region [CAR], Central Luzon, Mimaropa, Zamboanga Peninsula, Northern Mindanao, Davao region and Soccsksargen,” it added. The PSA observed the least achievement in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) at 66.59 percent of the region’s target farm area for distribution. “The number of farmer-beneficiaries from 1972 to 2017 summed up to 2.84 million. The majority of the farmer-beneficiaries were reported in Western Visayas at 319,175, accounting for 11.23 percent of the national count of agrarian reform beneficiaries [ARBs],” the report read.

A FARMER in Central Luzon plants rice in this file photo. The Philippine Statistics Authority said the government distributed 4.77 million hectares of land to farmers from 1972 to 2017.

In contrast, the PSA said CAR and ARMM had the least number of ARBs at 81,600 and 70,561, respectively. Each accounted for less than 3.0 percent of the national count of farmer-beneficiaries. Last year, the PSA said a total of 28,403 hectares of agricultural lands were awarded to qualified farmers nationwide. This represents an annual accomplishment rate of 0.52 percent of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program’s (CARP) national target area for distribution. “At the regional level, the high-

est accomplishment rate in 2017 was recorded in Soccsksargen at 1.32 percent of the region’s target, covering 9,640 hectares of distributed agricultural lands to farmerbeneficiaries,” the report read. “Accomplishment rates of 0.48 percent to 0.67 percent were reported in Central Luzon, Bicol region and Northern Mindanao with corresponding distributed agricultural land areas of more than 2,000 hectares each. Meanwhile, the least accomplishment with only 1 hectare covered for land distribution was noted in ARMM,” it added.

The PSA said the year-on-year rate of accomplishment of the program in terms of land distributed and number of farmer-beneficiaries denotes the rate of transfer of arable land to the ownership of qualified farmer-beneficiaries. It noted that this can serve as an indicator of the results of the government’s efforts to improve the quality of life of the farmers and promote agriculture and rural development. The government through the Department of Agrarian Reform started the implementation of the CARP in 1972.

This means that agency attached to the Department of Agriculture still needs to purchase around 1.8 million bags, or about 90,000 MT, of palay to hit its target. Since the approval of its buffer stocking incentive of P3 per kilogram, the NFA has been optimistic that it would be able to hit its palay procurement target for 2018. The NFA is banking on local palay procurement to continuously beef up its stockpile and avert the depletion of state-subsidized rice sold in local markets. N FA OIC- A d m i n i s t r ator

DA-built solar irrigation system in Bukidnon ready to operate

HE Department of Agriculture (DA) said it recently commissioned the fourth unit of the solar-powered irrigation system (SPIS) in the Central Mindanao University (CMU) compound in Musuan, Maramag, in Bukidnon. Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel F. Piñol said the SPIS of the CMU was built a cost of P8.2 million and was completed in 10 months. It was designed to irrigate 66 hectares. “The [CMU SPIS] has a development cost of P124,000 per hectare, much lower than the usual development cost of up to P450,000 per hectare under the conventional irrigation systems,” Piñol said in a Facebook post. He said the irrigation coverage area will be developed for hybrid rice production, which will also serve as a learning center for students and farmers in Northern Mindanao. Unlike the previous SPIS units which draw water from creeks and rivers, Piñol said the CMU unit sources its water supply from an underground spring. Farmers from Northern Mindanao, who attended the commissioning and blessing ceremonies, requested for more SPIS units in their area during the open forum. Since the SPIS was rolled out in March 2017, the DA has funded some 169 units of solar-pow-

This Chinese pig breeder is gaining from swine fever for now

analyst with China Post Securities. About half of Wens’s revenues came from Guangdong and Guangxi, according to the company’s latest interim report. The two provinces have not reported any outbreak of African swine fever yet. The disease has been detected in 20 provinces and 47 cities in the country, resulting in some 600,000 hogs being culled, according to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs.

Shares jump

THE gain in pork prices is expected to accelerate in consuming areas ahead of peak seasonal demand during the Lunar New Year holiday, which may further widen the price gap with the producing areas, said Feng Yonghui, chief analyst with pork industry portal www.soozhu.com. The price in the southwestern province of Sichuan was nearly 70 percent higher than in Jilin in the northeast, according to data provided by China’s agriculture ministry. Wens’s shares have risen about 25 percent since August 20, the month when African swine fever outbreaks were first reported in China. The shares have outperformed an 2.7-percent decline in the broader A-share market and a 17-percent gain in rival Muyuan Foodstuff Co. Another Chinese pig breeder, Chuying Agro-Pastoral Group Co., based in Henan province, which reported the disease in August, has seen a steep decline in its shares as a cash crunch due to the outbreak made it struggle to repay debts. THREE-WEEK-OLD pigs stand in a nursery at the Paustian Enterprises farm in Walcott, Iowa, on April 17. DANIEL ACKER/BLOOMBERG

HINA’S top hog and chicken breeder may benefit rather than be hurt by the outbreak of African swine fever in China. The highly contagious disease, which has led to the culling of more than half a million pigs in the world’s largest pork market, has hardly touched the Pearl River delta in southern China, where most of Wens Foodstuffs Group Co.’s farms are. The cut in supply from major producing areas mainly in northern and central China has pushed up chicken and pork prices in the country’s south and east, where Wens sells most of its products. China’s hog prices rebounded to the highest in nearly two years in October after a government ban on the transport of live hogs triggered a shortage of the meat, particularly in consuming areas in the south. More Chinese are also shifting to poultry as the spread of African swine fever worries consumers, sending prices of chicken meat to the highest level since the end of 2015. “Wens will benefit from rising hog prices because these consuming areas can not produce enough to meet local pork demand after the transport ban,” said Yang Hao, an

Revenue drop

THE recent rally in its share price is making Wens more expensive. The company’s Shenzhen-listed stock is trading at about 22.4 times estimated forward earnings per share, after touching a record high of 26 times last month, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. Consensus forecast for the company’s earnings for this year were revised up by 5.41 percent in the past month, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. Still, Wens’s future is not without threat. The company said pig revenue fell more than 10 percent in October from the previous month after the spread of African swine fever disrupted transport and sales. Also, the outbreak may spread farther in China, hurting the nation’s $128-billion pork industry. Feng Zhongwu, deputy head of the animal husbandry department at the agriculture ministry, said last week that efforts to control the disease are “very arduous and extremely urgent” because a large number of family-run farms have made prevention difficult. Bloomberg News

Tom a s R . E sc a re z told t he BusinessMirror earlier this week that the agency’s rice stockpile would last up to 55 days based on its current market participation rate of 10 percent. Agriculture Secretary and NFA Council Chairman Emmanuel F. Piñol earlier announced that the country will start 2019 with a buffer stock equivalent to 134 days of national consumption. He said his estimate does not yet include rice that will be brought into the country by the Department of Trade and Industry and additional imports of the private sector via the out-quota scheme.

ered irrigation systems all over the country. In August Piñol said the Duterte administration would spend some P43.7 billion to irrigate an additional 500,000 hectares over the next four years through SPIS to improve farm productivity. Piñol said the President vowed to allocate at least P43.7 billion for the construction of around 6,250 SPIS until the end of his term. An SPIS, which could irrigate an average of 80 hectares, costs about P7 million. “The [2019] budget will only allow us to build 10 additional units,” he said. “I told the President that the DA will have to abandon some of its nonessential programs and realign the funds to the SPIS program for 2019, with a target of at least 100 additional units.” T he add it iona l 50 0,0 0 0 hectares would be able to produce at least 2 million metric tons of rice, according to Piñol.

B4 Friday, November 30, 2018

GLOBE TELECOM PROVIDES P2-M FUND FOR CENTEX SCHOLARS

LOBE Telecom has turned over to Ayala Foundation Inc. (AFI) P2 million in scholarship grants for 120 economically disadvantaged Grade 1 pupils from the Center of Excellence in Public Elementary Education (Centex) schools in Manila and Batangas. The funds represent savings derived from toned-down Christmas gift giving and parties by Globe last year. The donation will enable Globe to adopt four Grade 1 classes in two Centex schools. The students will be provided with books, meals, uniforms and enrichment classes while teachers will be given free training. This is part of a campaign initiated by AFI called “A Class of Your Own”, which was designed to encourage companies and private institutions to support Centex, particularly on teacher training and student development. “For the second year, we have chosen the Gift of Donation to our valued partners. We wanted to give them something that goes beyond material things, which has a longterm impact on the lives of the beneficiaries and will live long after many Christmas have passed,” said Ernest Cu, Globe president and chief executive officer. “We are grateful to Globe Telecom for its commitment to support Centex by making it the beneficiary of the project. Together, we hope to bridge the gap between privileged

and underserved students, especially in terms of access to quality education. By building partnerships like this and taking a multistakeholder approach, we hope to continuously provide a nurturing learning environment for our children,” said Ruel Maranan, AFI president. Last year Centex Manila and Batangas also received storybooks and textbooks from Globe, aside from scholarships for students and teachers’ training programs. “In behalf of Centex Batangas community, I would like to express our sincere gratitude for your unwavering support to our kids and their families. A lot

of kids not only from our school, but from neighbor schools, benefited from your bookdrive donation...Through your generosity, I know our hopes and dreams for Centex kids will turn into reality,” said Movita Cruzat, principal of Centex Batangas. In photo are (second row, from left) AlbertdeLarrazabal,Globechiefcommercial officer; Riza Maniego-Eala, Globe chief financial officer; Cu; Maranan; Rebecca Eclipse, Globe chief customer experience officer; Joanna Duarte, AFI senior director for programs; Yoly Crisanto, Globe chief sustainability officer; and Gil Genio, Globe chief technology and information officer.

THE BIRTH OF NOUVELLE HAUTE COUTURE

ARIAN Martin is fashion designer best known as the head of Nouvelle haute couture, a fashion powerhouse specializing in luxury goods for women. Famed fashion designer Ianne Martin was born Marianne Martin on December 23, 1975, in Manila. She is the youngest child and only daughter of a businessman Eddie Martin and his wife Jeng Martin. Her mom and grandmother raised her, as her father was very active in the business during her childhood. During her early years, Ianne used to created bows and bags and have them sold to her classmates and teachers. She became popular in school not only because of her beautiful face, but more so of her scholastic and entrepreneurial abilities. Ianne’s creativity was honed by her grandmother. She was taught how to create things out of spare fabrics, ribbons laces and beads. She was trained how to perfect her craft during her early years. She continued creating and selling her crafts even during her high school and university years and, because of that, she represented the Youth Foundation and became the ambassadress of beauty and brain in her university. She also pursued modelling at a very young age of 14. True to her words, she mastered herself on how to be productive. Due to her perseverance, one of her goals is to earn her first million by the age of 20. She opened a business while studying, a store of ready-to-wear clothes that she brought in from Hong Kong, Thailand and Korea. With her family and friends’ support, she earned her first million exactly how she believed in. Marianne finished Bachelor of Science major in Tourism. During that time, the influx of China-made clothes played a major role of bringing her ready-to-wear clothing business into bankruptcy. That became her deciding factor to change her line of business, hence the birth of M Travel Agency. She is without any experience in joining the work force. Not having work experience did not stop her to pursue her becoming an entrepreneur. Passion for travel and fashion are the only

bullets she had in her hands to jump-start her business once again. In her every travel, she is hell bent in discovering latest trends in fashion and entrepreneurship. In these times she met a good friend from Indonesia and they ventured on additional product that is furniture. She did not have any idea on furniture making, but her keen sense of style and design lead her to be successful in the furniture business. She met the man of her dreams at the peak of her entrepreneurial career, which hindered her to build her own family. She had difficulty in her pregnancy and, little by little, withdrawn herself from the career she loved and worked hard for, as her husband’s request. But as the saying goes, “Once an entrepreneur, always an entrepreneur”. Up until her only son Joshua’s sixth birthday, she started to get back to working again but, this time, without her husband knowing. She even went back to school and formalized her interest in fashion by studying in Philippine Fashion Institute and then came the birth of Nouvelle Haute Couture. Nouvelle Haute Couture characteristics that are known to its clients are clean lines, elegant and comfortable. By having Nouvelle Haute Couture, you are not just getting fabulous clothing line, but also help Nouvelle’s long-serving and loyal team. In the next few years Marianne will focus on Nouvelle Haute Couture’s transition to Marian Martin Fashion House. She may have been quite reserved in the beginning, but she is now ready to take her position as the design lead of Nouvelle Haute Couture.

SETTING THE STAGE AT THE READY

ROFILES Entertainment Productions (Pep) Inc. is an events-production company that was initially launched in 2010 and started as a small agency providing concepts for provincial events until its execution. PEP is composed of staff and individuals who do not only have the creativity, but possess the artistry to make a vision become a reality, be it on stage, camera and in print. With its newfound passion to provide world-class talents for production and events, it is now more equipped to fully satisfy its long list of clients. In fact, PEP opened its newest production house that will be the home of the stateof-the-art facilities for: Movie and television editing, soundand music-recording studio, studio for live production

rehearsals and training, and fashion boutique. Since its conception, PEP is known to provide the following production and events services: Talent coordination (i.e. print ad, TV, movies), production choreography, fashion styling, pageant coaching and events management, including beauty pageant, corporate events. This year PEP has evolved toward becoming a better production agency that will be of world class and more ready to face the demand of the entertainment industry. Most important, each and every staff of PEP has that innate concern to uplift the name and reputation of the Filipino talent and artistry not just in the Philippines, but also internationally.

CAN BASKETBALL SAVE THE WORLD? NORTHWESTERN’S AJ Turner (left) and Georgia Tech’s Jose Alvarado battle for a loose ball during the first half of their NCAA game on Wednesday in Evanston, Illinois. AP

Sports BusinessMirror

| Friday, November 30, 2018 mirror_sports@yahoo.com.ph Editor: Jun Lomibao

By Brian Mahoney

The Associated Press

EW YORK—Basketball is moving from the court to the classroom at New York University (NYU), though students won’t be tested on dribbling or shooting. Nor will they spend much time on the game’s role as exercise or entertainment. The theme is how it can save the world. That’s the ambitious belief of Prof. David Hollander, who has seen the game grab people from his hometown gymnasium in New Jersey all the way to pickup courts in China, and in so many other places in between. “Basketball seems like one of the few things that everybody in the world is OK with,” Hollander said. “Even the most closed societies, like North Korea, who wouldn’t allow anybody in, was OK with allowing a group of basketball players and Dennis Rodman.” Hollander, in his 11th year teaching in NYU’s sports business program, had been developing ideas for a basketball-themed course for years, but it wasn’t until seeing the way his

passion was articulated in the recent Basketball: A Love Story documentary that aired on ESPN that the plans really kicked into high gear. One of the producers working with Dan Klores, the filmmaker behind the project, was taking classes at NYU and told him of Hollander’s interest. Hollander came to an early screening of the 10-part

series and outlined for Klores how he was going to combine his ideas with aspects of the film to highlight the importance of the game to politics, culture, the arts and more. That led to “How Basketball Can Save The World: An Exploration of Society, Politics, Culture and Commerce Through the Game,” a four-credit course that will debut for the summer 2019 session—right as the National Basketball Association (NBA) postseason heats up—with plans to be available as an elective to undergraduate and graduate students in the traditional fall or spring semesters. Hollander’s selection for the title was borrowed in part from Franklin Foer’s book How Soccer Explains the World: An Unlikely Theory of Globalization. Klores thinks save might be too big of a word—”help is a safer word,” he said—but he otherwise agrees with Hollander about what the game can accomplish. Soccer remains the world’s most popular sport, and Fifa President Gianni Infantino thinks it can bring peace to the Middle East, a central theme of his pitch for an expanded 2022 World Cup in Qatar. But Klores thinks basketball, invented in the US by a Canadian and now being played by more than 300 million people in China, has a more extensive reach. “It has become a global common denominator, and what I mean by that is you can go almost any place around the world, there’s only a few things we really all share,” Klores said. “You can introduce food, you can introduce God, you can introduce sex or love, you can introduce music and I think you can introduce basketball. “As popular as soccer is, you can’t do that in the United States yet—a big part of the world. But you can go anywhere in the world now and the ball, particularly the basketball, has historically opened doors and opportunities and cultures to one another.” The NBA has offered its support, perhaps in the form of providing speakers or access to its events and facilities. The sport might not be able to rescue the world, but a league filled with international players knows it can have an impact.

“It’s not a question of saving the world, but we have certainly seen firsthand the impact and the difference the game of basketball and the outreach work done by current and former NBA and WNBA players and coaches has on communities and people all over the world,” NBA President of Social Responsibility and Player Programs Kathy Behrens said, “from teaching how values of the game like respect and teamwork build bridges in communities [off the court] to promoting physical fitness and positive mental health, particularly among young people.” The course plans to chart basketball’s growth in popularity, from its appeal to Irish and Jewish immigrants in urban US areas to the way success in the sport has provided a national pride for countries in the former Soviet Union or Yugoslavia, such as Lithuania and Serbia. It also examines the game’s role in politics, from US relations with basketballcrazed China to Rodman’s friendship with Kim Jong Un and visits to North Korea. “There’s something about basketball that seems to reflect what society is going through and that certainly was true of society’s struggles with race in the ‘60s and even until now,” Hollander said. “It was certainly true of society’s engagement of culture—hip-hop, fashion, the sneaker business—and it continues to be true in terms of society’s open question faced today: How global do we want to be?” Klores and his team conducted more than 500 hours of interviews with people connected to basketball for his documentary, and he’s eager to see the sport’s history taught to young people. He and Hollander say there are plans to develop a textbook so the course could be taught at other colleges, or even adapted to the high-school level. Perhaps some who take it will go on to find ways to use basketball to make a difference. “I met so many people in this film that there’s no question in the world they are better leaders and I’d vote for president of the United States way before I’d vote for a bunch of these characters,” Klores said. “You ask me, I’d pull the lever for Mike Krzyzewski, for Pat Riley, for John Thompson. I’d vote for them. That’s who I’d want to follow. I don’t think it’s an accident that they come from basketball.”

Spo

Business

C2 Friday, November 30, 2018

GALANG, BARON POWER F2 GALS F

2 LOGISTICS flashed a chemistry that’s an envy of their rivals to overcome a hard-fighting Cignal, 25-22, 23-25, 25-14, 25-17, and stretch its winning streak in the Philippine Superliga All-Filipino Conference on Thursday at the Bacoor Strike Gym in Bacoor City. Ara Galang and Majoy Baron led the attack of the Cargo Movers, who extended their winning streak to five. Smart, meanwhile, made short work of Foton, 25-21, 25-19, 25-18, to notch its first back-to-back victories in the tournament. Despite missing setter Jasmine Nabor and middle blockers Celine Domingo and Czarina Carandang because of their academic commitments, the troika of Aiko Urdas, Grethcel Soltones and Jerrili Malabanan powered the Giga Hitters to their second win in the second round to improve to 4-5 won-lost. Urdas unleashed 18 points off 16 kills and also made two service aces. Soltones, who struggled with five points against Sta. Lucia, had 13 hits and as many excellent receptions, while Malabanan added 12 points and 10 digs. Galang dropped 18 points built on 16 spikes and two aces she laced with 10 excellent receptions, while Baron unloaded eight kills, five blocks and three aces for 16 points. F2 Logistics improved to 7-2 won-lost to

claim solo second spot. Cha Cruz-Behag was also instrumental with 12 points and 23 digs, while Aby Maraño added 10 points for F2 Logistics, which finished the job in one hour and 36 minutes. Kim Fajardo made 45 excellent sets as F2 Logistics continued to miss Kianna Dy for the second straight game because of soreness in her knee. She also attended the wake of her grandmother in Davao. “I’m happy even we lost the second set because somehow I saw the determination of my players to win the game,” F2 Logistics Head Coach Ramil de Jesus said. “Even though we’re not complete, they were composed.” The Cargo Movers fought back from a 17-24 deficit in the second set to trim the gap to 23-24. But Mylene Paat nailed a kill to end the frame and level the match to one-set apiece before the Cargo Movers recovered their groove en route to the victory. Cignal managed to keep F2 Logistics within striking distance in all departments as it had a 12-10 advantage in blocking, trailed only three in attacking, 42-45, and had 10 team aces each. The Cargo Movers also played more fluid with only 14 errors, while the HD Spikers committed 33 miscues. Paat had 18 points, while Rachel Anne Daquis delivered 15 hits, including 15 excellent receptions, for the HD Spikers, who dropped to a 4-5 card.

MITCH MORENTE saves the ball for F2 Logistics as her teammates Ara Galang and Dawn Macandili look on.

WESTBROOK DAZZLES O

KLAHOMA CITY—Russell Westbrook was more introspective than usual on Wednesday night. The 2017 Most Valuable Player moved into a tie for third place on the National Basketball Association (NBA) list for triple-doubles with 23 points, 19 rebounds and 15 assists, and the Oklahoma City Thunder completed a regular-season sweep of the shorthanded Cleveland Cavaliers with a 100-83 victory. Westbrook’s triple-double was his third this season—all in the last four games—and the 107th of his career, matching Jason Kidd and trailing only Oscar Robertson (181) and Magic Johnson (138).

Kidd took 1,247 games to reach 107, while Westbrook needed only 760. The 19 rebounds were one off Westbrook’s career high, set in last season’s finale against Memphis. And when the star guard addressed the media long after the game ended, he spoke more from the heart than he often does. “I am extremely blessed and humbled to be able to go out and play and compete in the NBA,” Westbrook said. “Just to be named with Jason Kidd and Magic and Oscar and those guys, I could have never dreamt about being able to even sit here talking to you guys. I take everything in and never take anything for granted.” Jerami Grant added 21 points, one shy of his career best, on 8-of-12 shooting for the Thunder, who have won 13 of 16 after a 0-4 start. Jordan Clarkson led Cleveland with 25 points, while Collin Sexton (21 points, 10 rebounds) and Cedi Osman (14 points, 10 rebounds) each had a double-double. The Cavaliers agreed to trade Kyle Korver to Utah after the team had arrived at Chesapeake Energy Arena, leaving them with only nine players in uniform. Eight got into the game. Oklahoma City trailed 55-51 in the third quarter when Westbrook started a 13-0 run with a three-pointer. He capped it by assisting on a dunk by Grant with 5:36 left in the period that completed the triple-double and put the Thunder up, 64-55. By the end of the quarter, the Thunder, led 73-62, and the Cavaliers got no closer than nine the rest of the way. “I just thought they physically wore us down,” Cleveland Coach Larry Drew said. “They wore us down and our execution wasn’t as good in the second half as it was in the first. We kind of looked like we were tired in that second half. They took away our

ability to move and to try to make plays.” Cleveland took advantage of early offensive sloppiness by the Thunder to twice go up by 11 points, the latter time at 38-27 after a three-pointer by Osman with 7:01 left in the second quarter. Oklahoma City used a 20-6 run to get back in the game, which was tied 47-all at halftime. Drew’s job is to scheme ways to stop opposing stars like Westbrook, but that proved nearly impossible on a night when the Thunder guard was on top of his game. “He’s an elite point guard and he does it every night, so I take my hat off to guys that do it every night,” Drew said. “He does it at a high level every night. He’s a complete player. He’s as complete as they can be and he’s relentless with his attack. He’s a phenomenal guard.” Thunder Coach Billy Donovan liked how Westbrook read the game and made the correct play, time after time after time. “Everything that he did tonight flowed out of our offense,” Donovan said. “When the floor was spaced correctly, it gave him opportunities on double-teams to make some reads.... He did an incredible job organizing and running the offense.” Giannis Antetokounmpo had 36 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists, and Khris Middleton made a tiebreaking three-pointer with 5.2 seconds left to lift Milwaukee over Chicago, 116-113. Antetokounmpo and the Bucks (15-6) won an entertaining duel with former teammate Jabari Parker, who put up 24 points, eight rebounds and five assists in his latest return to Milwaukee. Parker signed with the Bulls last off-season after spending his first four NBA seasons with the Bucks. Malcolm Brogdon smartly passed the ball back to a wide-open Middleton at the top of the three-point arc to set up the winning shot. Justin Holiday missed a three for Chicago that would have tied it in the final seconds. AP

NBA RESULTS Charlotte 108, Atlanta 94 Philadelphia 117, New York 91 Utah 101, Brooklyn 91 Dallas 128, Houston 108 Milwaukee 116, Chicago 113 Minnesota 128, San Antonio 89 New Orleans 125, Washington 104 Oklahoma City 100, Cleveland 83 Portland 115, Orlando 112 LA Clippers 115, Phoenix 99 OKLAHOMA City’s Russell Westbrook shoots over Cleveland’s Collin Sexton. AP

Abaring pads lead to six in qualifiers

ICHARD ABARING ended his impressive run of under-par scores in the Philippine Golf Tour (PGT) Qualifying School with a two-over 74 but instead padded his lead to six as he zeroed in on one of the cards for next year’s tour. Abaring, who took control of the field with a 69 and 70 start, birdied the first two holes at the back to level par but bogeyed two of the last five and wound up with a 38-36 for a 213 aggregate, now six strokes ahead of amateur Rupert Zaragosa, Efren Robles Jr. and Orlan Sumcad, who all pooled 219s. Zaragosa, who has dominated the ranks for years, failed to a sustain a strong 69 on Wednesday with a 75 for joint second with Robles, who squandered a threeunder card with three bogeys in the last five for a 72, and Sumcad, who holed out with a bogey for a 73. Francis Morilla (70), Marvin Dumandan (73) and Charles Hong (74) and another amateur Noel Langamin (73) also virtually assured themselves of spots in next year’s PGT season with identical 220s along with Cookie La’O, who assembled a 222 after a 73 for solo ninth. The top 50 players from the surviving field of 72 will gain Category 5 status for next year’s bigger, richer PGT circuit while the rest would settle for Category 7 in the 2019 PGT starting fields. In joint 50th with 243s are Miko Pactolerin (76), Art Arbole (77), Jesselito Zaragosa (77), Henry Bolano (78), Jessie Hernandez (79) and Danilo de los Santos (79), while a shot behind at 244 are Ricar Candinato (76) and Romeo San Jose (83). Others in the top 15 are Jet Mathay (73-223), Chris delos Santos (72-224), Erwin Arcillas (75-224) and Joseph Suarez (77-224) along with amateur Mel Cubillo (72-226), Rey Pagunsan (77-226) and Jun Bernis (77-226).

Bayani, Chavez top PA Foundation golf

USTY BAYANI topped Class A, Boni Chavez ruled Class B and Nards Santiago dominated Class C of the recent Ninth Pelagio A. Alvarez Foundation (PA Foundation) Golf Tournament at the Manila Southwoods Golf and Country Club. Organized by PA Foundation, the annual golf event has attracted more than 120 players this year, the majority of who have played in the tournament since it started in 2009. Vietnam Ambassador Ly Quoc Tuan and Deputy Chief of Mission of Germany Roland Schissau hist the ceremonial balls along with Cavite Fifth District Rep. Roy Loyola and Ladies Professional Golfers’ Association campaigner Dottie Ardina. Hankyu Hanshin Properties Overseas Business Division General Manager Masahiko Toda, PA Properties Chairman Romarico “Bing” Alvarez and President Jonathan Lu also graced the event. “We are incredibly grateful to our generous sponsors and to everyone who participated in this year’s tournament,” Alvarez said. “We appreciate the many people supporting the foundation’s advocacy of uplifting the lives of Filipinos. We know that with your help, we can do more.”

orts

sMirror

Friday, November 30, 2018

MISSION: BEAT KAZAKHS

EAM Philippines squares off with Kazakhstan on Friday hoping for a crucial victory that could bolster its campaign for a berth in the 2019 Fiba World Cup in China. The match—falling under the fifth window of the Asia Qualifiers—is set at 7:30 p.m. at the Mall of Asia Arena. There won’t be an Andray Blatche for an added ceiling for Team Philippines this time, and in his place is GlobalPort’s 6-foot-1 spitfire who will be manning the point for much of the game against the Kazakhs. The Philippines enters the court as the favorite by virtue of its 96-59 rout of Kazakhstan in the 18th Jakarta Asian Games in August. But Head Coach Yeng Guiao is not relaxing and is wary of the Kazakhs stunning his wards before their home fans. “Home court will be an edge for us, but I don’t think we would beat them the way we did in Asian Games. It will not be easy,” Guiao said. The Philippines is 5-3 won-lost in the qualifiers to stay

in third spot in Group F behind Australia (7-1) and Iran (6-2). Kazakhstan has a 3-5 card, followed by Japan (4-4) and Qatar (2-6). The top 3 from the group will advance to the China worlds. “We need these crucial win to stay at third place. We need these to stay ahead of Japan,” Guiao said. “I think that if we win these two home games, we could have one foot inside the World Cup.” The team faces Iran in the second of two home games in the same venue on Monday. Guiao named his final 12 on Wednesday, and joining Pringle are Alex Cabagnot, Scottie Thompson, LA Tenorio, Matthew Wright, Marcio Lassiter, Gabe Norwood, Beau Belga, JP Erram, June Mar Fajardo, Greg Slaughter and Japeth Aguilar. The Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas decided not to field the 6-foot-11 Blatche to make room for local players. Guiao, however, will utilize San Miguel Beer’s Christian Standhardinger against the Hamed Haddadi-

STANLEY PRINGLE will provide the spark for Team Philippines.

led Iranian side. The team trained for only three weeks, but the coach of the NLEX Road Warriors believes his wards have developed the needed chemistry. “I think we’re ready. I think we have done enough to familiarize ourselves with Kazakhstan’s tendencies both on offense and defense,” Guiao said.

PARKS APPLIES FOR P.B.A. DRAFT H

IGHLY touted Bobby Ray Parks finally made himself available for the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Rookie Draft. Parks, son of the late many-time PBA Best Import Bobby Parks, submitted his application at the league offices on Thursday. The two-time University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) and Asean Basketball League Most Valuable Player (MVP) Player was accompanied by his agent, Charlie Dy. The 25-year-old out of National University brings to 34 the total number of players who have so far applied for the draft with the Monday deadline just a few days away. Also throwing their hats to the draft are high-scoring guard Robert Bolick of San Beda, highly sought big man Abu Tratter, triple-double machine Bong Quinto and Letran teammate JP Calvo. San Sebastian hotshot Bong Calisaan, Lyceum’s MJ Ayaay, former UAAP Rookie of the Year Kyles Lao of University of the Philippines, Jose Rizal University’s Teytey Teodoro and Centro Escolar University’s Joseph Manlangit

were the other notables who applied. Earlier, seven Filipino-foreign players applied for the draft led by former National Collegiate Athletic Association MVP CJ Perez, Trevis Jackson, Robbie Manalang, Matthew Salem, Paul Varilla and Carlos Isit. The qualified Filipino-foreign aspirants based on their submitted documents and eligibility will be released by the league on Monday. The aspirants will participate in the traditional Draft Combine on December 12 and 13 before the league releases the final draft list for its 44th Season on December 14. The draft is set on December 16 at the Robinson’s Place Ermita. FINALLY, Bobby Ray Parks makes himself available for the Philippine Basketball Association.

Perpetual Help on right track in volleyball wars

NIVERSITY of Perpetual Help System Dalta beat Emilio Aguinaldo College (EAC), 25-20, 25-16, 25-23, on Thursday to zoom to the top of the men’s section of the 94th National Collegiate Athletic Association volleyball tournament at the Lyceum of the Philippines University Gym in Intramuros, Manila. Ridzuan Muhali, Ronniel Rosales and last year’s rookie Most Valuable Player Joebert Almodiel conspired for 32 points to power the Altas to their second straight win. The victory came a week after Perpetual Help blasted San Beda also in straight sets, 25-20, 25-23, 25-15. Perpetual Help stayed on course to keeping its billing as the most

ASIAN ATHLETICS COUNCIL MEETING The Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association (Patafa) hosts the 90th Council Meeting of the Asian Athletics Association (AAA) recently at the Asian Institute of Management in Makati City. Qatar’s Dhalan Al-Hamad (seated, fifth from left) and Patafa President and AAA Vice President Dr. Philip Ella Juico (seated, sixth from left) are joined by the other members of the council, which tackled coaches and technical officials’ skills enhancement and development.

dominant team of the decade after capturing six of the last eight crowns. EAC, which relied on Joshua Mina’s 15 points, slipped to a 1-1 win-loss record. In juniors’ play, defending champion Perpetual Help crushed EAC, 25-19, 25-12, 25-16, to share the lead with Arellano University with with a 2-0 card. Perpetual Help capped its day by overpowering EAC, 25-15, 25-8, 25-16, for its first victory in two starts in the women’s section. Team Captain Maria Aurora Tripoli and Necelle Mae Gual led the Lady Altas with nine hits each that soothed the pain of a painful 21-25, 26-24, 25-20, 24-26, 12-15 loss to the San Beda Lady Red Spikers last week.

PSC basketball tilt unwraps in Bohol

ORE than 400 young players from 47 municipalities in Bohol will compete in the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC)Invitational Basketball Games on Friday. Philippine Sports Institute Deputy Director for Grassroots Marlon Malbog led Thursday’s opening ceremony along with former Secretary Leoncio B. Evasco Jr. at the Holy Name University Basketball Gym in Tagbilaran City. “This project is one of the methods the PSC is using to search for future athletes who will represent the country, and also provide sports for the grassroots level,” Malbog said.

“We Filipinos love the game of basketball. We thank the PSC for using basketball to promote the well-being of our youth here in the province,” the Bohol-native Evasco said. Competitions will be held simultaneously at the Holy Name University Basketball Gym, Dao Basketball Gym, San Isidro Basketball Gym and Tiptip Basketball Gym for boys 18 to 24 age group. The final is set on Sunday. PSC Commissioner Ramon Fernandez, a Philippine Basketball Association legend, is also expected to attend the games.

SPORTS PLUS

SS Foods wrests solo Wang’s hoopfest lead SECRET Spices Foods (SS Foods) took the solo lead after two days of action in the Wang’s Basketball Chairman’s Cup following consecutive wins over Megaworld Asiatic and Couriers to practically assure itself of a finals seat in the tournament now on its 18th year. The Pablo Lucas-coached SS Foods squad beat Megaworld Asiatic, 98-93, on opening day at the Aquinas Gym in San Juan behind Rainier Kinga and Lacoste Lucas, who scored 29 and 18 points, respectively. SS Foods then beat Couriers, 114-106, last Wednesday with the Kinga, Lucas and Janiel Ilac combining for 77 points SS Foods will go for a sweep on Saturday against the Bankers, who are presently tied with Megaworld

Asianic with a 1-1 win-loss record in the tournament backed by Royal Tern Ceramics, Union Bank, China Bank-Boni and Aquadys Inc. The other game pits Megaworld Asianic against the Couriers, both winless after two games. Megaworld Asianic rebounded from its opening-day loss with a 103-97 beating of the Bankers. The Bankers suffered its first loss after beating the Couriers, 111-101, a game that was decided by the 23 three-point shots the Bankers made. “Despite my team losing both games, I am happy with the turnout of this long-running tournament that we started way back and is open to all players who have at one time or another played for Wang’s Basketball,” sportsman-businessman Alex Wang said.

45 squads grab berths in ‘Survival’ playoffs FORTY-FIVE teams have advanced to the playoffs of the Rules of Survival Tournament in the country hosted by Nimo TV. The two-day qualifiers were staged in three venues in Metro Manila with more than 300 teams of different caliber taking part. “The qualifier brought out the best among the best, and this is just a preview of what will happen in the coming playoffs and finals“ Henry Zhao, Nimo TV Overseas Executive, said. “We want to discover squads which have the grit to compete on a professional level.”

The playoffs are set this weekend. The top 4 squads from each branch will move to the finals along with the top two squads from the entire tournament. The crowd favorite will also join the 15 squads in the finals. The champion will win P100,000, while the second placer gets P80,000 and third placer 50,000. Besides cash and in-games items, the top 5 teams will also represent the country in the Rules of Survival Southeast Asia tournament.

Moto ace Buyten wows in Quirino Challenge AMERICAN motocross superstar Matt Buyten—a seven-time X Games Step Up medalist—wowed the crowd in the recent Quirino Motocross Challenge at the newly built Capitol Motocross Mountain in Cabarroguis town. The Nevada-born Buyten won in 2011, 2010, 2006 and 2003, sixth in 2014 and fifth in 2015 in the annual extreme sports event hosted, produced and broadcast by ESPN. In 2012 he dedicated his X Games performance to the Autism MX Project to bring awareness to autism among children within and via the motocross community. Buyten’s death-defying acrobatic exhibition is an

exciting sidelight to the Motocross Challenge races which was participated in by riders from the Cagayan Valley region and neighboring provinces. According to Quirino governor Junie Cua, the event showcases the province as a haven for motorcycle sports and tourism because of its splendid and scenic road networks. He said the provincial government has been promoting the sport for more than a decade, including the annual Quirino Motorismo. The event featured a 1,000-km Endurance Challenge, a bike show, habal-habal challenge, Motokana obstacle course, a drag race and an exhibition by Canadian daredevil Billy John Kohut.

NO SURPRISES FOR TIGER Sports

SHEIKH AHMAD AL-FAHAD ALSABAH delivers a speech during the Association of National Olympic Committees general assembly in Tokyo on Wednesday. AP

BusinessMirror

OLYMPIC ‘KINGMAKER’ RESIGNS, TEMPORARILY

| Friday, November 30, 2018 mirror_sports@yahoo.com.ph Editor: Jun Lomibao

By Doug Ferguson The Associated Press

ASSAU, Bahamas—Justin Thomas is paired with Tiger Woods in the Hero World Challenge for the second straight year, and just like last time, he has an idea what to expect from him. By now, so does everyone else. Woods was a mystery a year ago. He was No. 1,199 in the world ranking when he returned from a fourth back surgery, having competed in only one Professional Golfers Association (PGA) Tour event since August 2015. Thomas had played golf with him at home in Florida and thought he looked great, a tough sell to those who hadn’t seen Woods. “The consistency wasn’t there,” Thomas said on Wednesday after his pro-am round at Albany Golf Club. “But the great shots— the ones that made you stop and think a second—were. The more we played, the more we saw it. I wasn’t going to say anything because you don’t know what’s going to happen and how he’s going to feel. But I thought if he stays healthy, I think he’s going to win this year. “First off, it’s him. You always feel like he’s going to do what people don’t expect, because that’s what he loves to do.” There are no surprises this year. Woods now is No. 13 in the world as he hosts this holiday tournament for the 20th time. It’s his first 72-hole tournament since he ended his remarkable comeback by winning the Tour Championship in late September for his 80th career PGA Tour victory. He twice contended at majors, taking a brief lead on Sunday in the British Open and

challenging Brooks Koepka to the end at the PGA Championship. “Just being able to win a golf tournament again, considering where I was at this point last year and [before] that point, I think what I’ve accomplished this year has been pretty special,” Woods said. It’s another strong field at Albany with six of the top 10 in the world among the 18 players. Missing is Koepka, the US Open and PGA champion who returned to No. 1 in the world this week, along with Jordan Spieth, who got married over the weekend in Texas. Francesco Molinari, the British Open champion and Ryder Cup star, also chose to take this year off, leaving Masters champion Patrick Reed as the only major champion in the field. The unofficial event offers world ranking points, which matters most to Justin Rose because he has a chance to return to No. 1 in his seesaw battle with Koepka. The winner gets $1 million—everyone in the field earned at least $2.6 million on the PGA Tour this season. For Woods, it’s a chance to build on momentum going into 2019. “A guy like Tiger, just give him a speck of confidence or a speck of just feeling good, anything can happen,” said Keegan Bradley, a late entry at the Bahamas when Tommy Fleetwood withdrew. “You can see that with Tiger, where he’s just such a good player. He’s going to get some momentum and he’ll do great.” Henrik Stenson was among those who hadn’t seen Woods in nearly a year when he arrived at the World Challenge last year. They were paired in the second round, and Woods was hitting his drives alongside and often past the Swede. “I thought he was having a lot of speed

when I saw him coming back here a year ago,” Stenson said. “I thought he was going after the ball very strongly and he hit it a long, long way. I didn’t really imagine him being able to go flat out like I thought he was at that point. He was obviously ready to play and ready to go after it at full speed.” Woods hasn’t figured out his schedule for next year, only that he’s thankful he won’t have to play as much at the end of the season like he did this year. Because he was a late qualifier for a World Golf Championship at Firestone, Woods wound up playing seven times in nine weeks, all of them big events in hot weather, ending with the super-intense Ryder Cup matches in France. That was one week after his emotional win at the Tour Championship, and he says he was drained. This season, the FedEx Cup playoffs eliminated one tournament, and the Presidents Cup is not until December. The biggest stretch he would face is the British Open and a World Golf Championship, a week off, and then three FedEx Cup playoff events. He ended a busy stretch last year by winning at East Lake, so he knows physically he’s up for it. “Now it’s just about managing and making sure I’m fresh for events,” Woods said, “because I know I can win tournaments again.”

Wada visits Moscow lab seeking key doping data

OSCOW—A delegation from the World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) visited the Moscow laboratory at the center of Russia’s doping cover-ups on Wednesday, seeking data which could lead to more bans for the country’s top athletes. Russia must provide computer data from the lab before December 31 or risk having its national anti-doping agency suspended again, two months after its controversial reinstatement. With time running out, talks between Wada and Russian authorities on Wednesday failed to reach a deal on how to hand over the data. “Progress is being made but some points still need to be ironed out” in talks with Russian authorities before Wada can collect the data, Wada’s Science Director Olivier Rabin said. Wada has found extensive evidence that Russia routinely falsified drug-testing results, including at the 2014 Sochi Olympics, but must now hope authorities provide genuine data from past years. Russia must also submit athletes’ stored samples for analysis by June 30. Jim Walden, the lawyer for former lab director and Wada whistle-blower Grigory Rodchenkov, told The Associated Press he expects Russia to either hold back the data or provide false information. “I would posit that there is zero chance that Russia will give access to the backup data for the computers that were used during Sochi, and the lab equipment and the stored samples,”Walden said on Tuesday. “So the central question’s going to be: when the Russians refuse what will Wada do? And if it capitulates again, then unfortunately the world would know that Russia really was successful at killing anti-doping.” The head of the Russian anti-doping agency, known as Rusada, urged the government to cooperate with Wada, saying that time was running out to avoid new sanctions for noncooperation. “We need to work out what’s in that laboratory,”Yuri Ganus told the AP. “If the laboratory isn’t opened up, God forbid, or there isn’t an opportunity to test the samples...there

will be destructive consequences for Russia.” Wada visited the lab, where key evidence is sealed off by Russian law enforcement, on Wednesday to make arrangements for a second team to arrive and collect the files. Depending on how Russia reacts and what the computer files contain, the issue could draw a line under Russia’s years of doping scandals, or lead to more sanctions. “The sooner we can gain full access to the laboratory, the better,” Rabin said in a statement. “Clearly, there is a huge volume of data contained within it and we want to start analyzing it as soon as possible. Then, once the data has been fully assessed and verified to be authentic, we would be in a position to assert anti-doping rule violations against those athletes who cheated and to exonerate other athletes.” Russian Sports Minister Pavel Kolobkov, who met the Wada delegation late Tuesday, issued a LAB technicians work at Russia’s national drug-testing laboratory in Moscow in May 2016. AP

cautious statement after the lab visit. “It’s early at this stage to talk about time frames and the size of work ahead,” he said. “Soon all sides will work out a common position.” Any data can be checked against an unauthorized copy of the lab’s database which Wada obtained last year under unclear circumstances. Walden said Rodchenkov—who is under witness protection in the United States—wasn’t Wada’s source. If Wada does resuspend Rusada, that could severely obstruct the country’s ability to host major sporting events. The previous Rusada suspension didn’t stop Russia from holding this year’s soccer World Cup, when Fifa excluded all Russians from any role in collecting players’ drug-testing samples. AP

TIGER WOODS is now No. 13 in the world as he hosts the holiday tournament for the 20th time. AP

OKYO—The corruption case involving a powerful International Olympic Committee (IOC) member promised to sow confusion as 206 national Olympic committees—known by the acronym ANOC—started two days of meetings in Tokyo on Wednesday. It did just that and offered some good theater. Sheikh Ahmad al-Fahad al-Sabah, known as the “Olympic Kingmaker,” had stepped down temporarily earlier in the week as the president of ANOC. He said he needed to fight a criminal case in Switzerland, and was also reportedly pressured to step aside by the IOC. Because of the corruption case, the Kuwaiti sheikh last week also suspended himself from his 26-year IOC membership. The sheikh is accused by Geneva public prosecutors of forgery in an alleged faked arbitration case involving four others. He is also a longtime ally of IOC President Thomas Bach. Many credit him with swinging votes to get Bach elected in 2013. The sheikh was up for reelection to the ANOC presidency—unopposed—but asked the membership on Wednesday to leave the post vacant while he fights his court case. In the end, that’s what happened with no date set for the presidential election. In the meantime, Senior Vice President Robin Mitchell of Fiji will be in charge. In a lengthy debate, dozens of members urged him to run, defying the wishes of Bach and the IOC, which has been embarrassed by recent corruption cases. The sheikh told about 1,400 delegates of his wishes in the morning, clenching his fist to make a point, or waving a finger for emphasis. But he had to return in the afternoon to make his case again. “You missed me, I missed you,” he quipped to start his second address. “I will be there for you all the time,” the sheikh told delegates, hinting he’ll still be running the show. “You will see this face, you will never miss the face. Don’t worry. I request you accept my position.” They finally did in a voice vote. It’s unclear when an election will be held. Sheikh Ahmad has developed a solid power base since taking over ANOC as the interim president in 2012. His power rests on smaller countries in Africa, Asia, the Middle East and Latin America. Many of those delegates rose to his defense on Wednesday in a cavernous meeting room in a central Tokyo hotel. No ANOC members from North America or Europe spoke publicly on his behalf. His supporters—from Morocco, Sudan, Iraq, Peru and Papua New Guinea, to name a few—said his court case was a personal issue. And they also pointed out he’s innocent until proven guilty. “You must have the presumption of innocence, and we do not believe what is happening right now is fair play,” said Nasser Majali, the general secretary of the Jordanian national Olympic committee. “Sheikh has our respect and friendship for the excellence he has brought to ANOC.” Maxwell de Silva, general secretary from Sri Lanka, asked the sheikh to stand for reelection, then step aside if he wanted to. He said ANOC “was a dead body” until the sheikh took over. “This is a personal issue, it has nothing to do with sports,” de Silva told fellow delegates. “He has done a tremendous job in raising the profile of ANOC in the world.” The IOC has published a document from its own ethics commission written last week assessing the forgery case and a possible five-year prison sentence. The sheikh’s trial is expected to start in the first half of next year. AP

Kind and faithful God

IND and faithful God, Your steadfast love upholds us always. In trust, we pray: Lead us to Your light. Give courage and perseverance to the faithful who preach the Gospel amid adversity and resistance. Strengthen and encourage those whom You call to the single vocation and married life. Grant everlasting peace and joy in Your presence to our loved ones who have died. May the Spirit of God intercede for us and lead us along the path of life eternal through Christ our Savior. Amen. GIVE US THIS DAY SHARED BY LUISA LACSON, HFL Word&Life Publications • teacherlouie1965@yahoo.com

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

Life BusinessMirror

The 5 principles of IKEA’s ‘Democratic Design’

BY JT NISAY

HE cat is finally out of the Frakta. Multinational Swedish home furnishing retailer IKEA has ended the guessing games and officially announced last week its entry to the Philippine market. Slated to open at the SM Mall of Asia complex in late 2020, the country’s first branch will also be the company’s largest at 65,000 square meters, almost twice the size of a standard store.

»D4

FERMENTATION: MOONLIGHT AND PENFOLDS D2

Friday, November 30, 2018

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Moonlight and Penfolds

Today’s Horoscope By Eugenia Last

CELEBRITIES BORN ON THIS DAY: Kaley Cuoco, 33; Elisha Cuthbert, 36; Ben Stiller, 53; Billy Idol, 63. HAPPY BIRTHDAY: Traveling and dealing with authority figures will be taxing. Make sure you have all your personal documentation, licenses and financial interests updated. Offering an honest appraisal of situations you are involved in will be necessary to avoid setbacks. Embrace change, but don’t get involved with anyone trying to beat the system using false information or other means. Your lucky numbers are 8, 10, 21, 28, 37, 42, 49.

FERMENTATION CECILE MAURICIO

cecile.mauricio@gmail.com

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Look out for your own interests. Take control and stay on top of the little details. Someone will use emotional manipulation to lure you into something that won’t be financially beneficial. Don’t get involved in joint ventures. ★★★

ED was the expected dominant color at the launch of the Penfolds Collection 2018 just this October 25 in Bangkok. The 2014 Grange was, after all, the acknowledged star of the night, leading the charge of the collection’s seven varietals, spread over five vintages and 15 regions across Australia. But the whites made a dramatic entrance, the front act of the gala event that was unfolding that evening. The Bin 51 Eden Valley Riesling 2018 was poured from limited-edition magnums, specially made for the collection’s launch in key cities across the globe. Vibrant, poised—it was difficult to tear myself away from the Bin 51 and the equally gorgeous Bin 311 Chardonnay 2017, the latter a study in balance and restraint, like a ballerina en pointe. It is true: “Elegance is the art of not astounding.” Early afternoon was perhaps the time when the proceedings that were to define the evening had actually begun—at the group interview with Penfolds chief winemaker, Peter Gago. He had been on the road for five-and-a-half weeks now, he said, for the global unveiling of the Penfolds 2018 Collection. There was New York, London, (in late September), Hong Kong and now Bangkok. He would have preferred not to use a microphone, considering the small group, but his voice needed help to get him through the afternoon’s session and the evening that lay ahead. Would it be alright if he used a microphone? And then Peter Gago launched into a spirited annotation of the highlights of the collection. How he can rattle off the vintage conditions, winemaking details, tasting notes and historical references pertaining to each of the wines without skipping a beat was unreal. The winemaker as educator is a natural progression. Peter Gago takes that combination many notches higher with his gift for words and storytelling, holding his listeners captive. I was content to lean back and watch the show. The Penfolds Collection 2018 includes 17 wines: four whites and 17 reds, most of the latter from the 2016 vintage, except for the Grange 2014 and the St. Henri 2015. Peter Gago says of the Grange 2014, now on its 64th consecutive release since its first vintage in 1951: “This last Penfolds release from the 2014 vintage is now off from the starting gate...ready for the marathon! Grange—built for distance. Or a sprint. Your choice.” Peak drinking for the Grange 2014, matured 20 months in 100 percent new American hogsheads, is 2020 to 2045. St. Henri is FROM left: Lacoste Marketing Director Jessy Baretta, Ambassador of France H.E. Nicolas Galey, SSI Group Inc. President Anton Huang, SSI Group Executive Vice President Elizabeth Quiambao, Lacoste Chief Finance Officer Sebastien Fayet and event host Tim Yap

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Get along with your peers. You’ll accomplish far more if you have added support and the help required to reach your target. Timing is everything, and avoiding being shorthanded can make a difference. Leave no room for error. Offer concise instructions. ★★★★

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Be realistic about your plans. Don’t make promises you can’t keep. Concentrate more on self-improvement, not trying to change others. Discord will prevail if anyone’s honesty is questioned. Live moderately and avoid complicating matters. ★★

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Personal improvements will make you feel good but also lead to added stress if you go over the budget. Calculate the costs involved before you get started or your plans will turn into a multitude of mishaps. Unexpected problems can be expected.

★★★★

CLOCKWISE: Grange 2012 with its limited-edition crystal decanter; Bin 389 2016, also known as “baby Grange”; Robin Chua (left), managing director of Premier Wine & Spirits, with Marcus Ingleby of Treasury Wine Estates and Treasury Wine Estates Brand Ambassador Kate Rowe; Penfolds Chief Winemaker Peter Gago (left) with Yodi Mootoosamy, Southeast Asia general manager of Treasury Wine Estates; the Bin 51 Riesling 2018 in its special-edition magnum.

also peak drinking 2020 to 2045, but unlike Grange, it is matured in large, old oak vats imparting little, if any, oak characteristics. Penfolds wines offer early accessibility and yet have the power and complexity to develop over the next 25 to 30 years, Gago said again during the interview session. The launch of the Penfolds Collection 2018 was in full swing. Thai high society, as well as guests from all over Southeast Asia and as far as Mauritius had converged for this one gala night at the sprawling garden of the luxurious Anantara Riverside Bangkok Resort along the banks of the Chao Phraya River. A time tunnel set under a huge tent led guests through Penfolds history. Drinking kiosks, manned by Kate Rowe, Treasury Wine Estates brand ambassador, and Sam Stephens, Penfolds Winemaking ambassador, offered wine, as well as expert information on everything from storage and serving temperature, to winemaking

and wine-pairing. Wine flowed—Bin 389 Cabernet Shiraz, the “baby Grange”; Bin 128 Coonawarra Shiraz, Bin 28 Kalimna Shiraz, Bin 138 Barossa Valley Shiraz Grenache Mataro, Bin 311 Chardonnay, Bin 51 Eden Valley Riesling. (According to Kate Rowe, over 200 bottles of Penfolds including 15 bottles of Grange 2014 were poured that evening.) Dancers in traditional Thai costume performed while a local band played. Roving servers offered beautifully presented savory canapés from huge trays. A hot food station dispensed the likes of phad thai and ebi tempur a. Still more servers weaved their way through the crowd, refilling wine glasses. Fireworks lit up the sky. And then, as Peter Gago enjoined us to raise our glasses of Grange 2014 in a toast, the full moon gleamed, as though to give a benediction and to say, “Patience is rewarded, but impatience is given a glimpse of heaven.” n

LACOSTE CELEBRATES 85TH ANNIVERSARY WITH A POP COMMEMORATING its 85th anniversary, Lacoste created a pop-up exhibition at Central Square, Bonifacio High Street Central, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig. The exhibition, designed as a tribute to the legendary René Lacoste, showcased the 85th anniversary capsule collection, allowed visitors to know more about the story of René Lacoste, and the evolution of the famous L.12.12 polo shirt through eight decades.

Loyal patrons, including Hideo Muraoka, Fatima Rabago and daughter Daniela, Kerwin King, Mari Jasmine, Mikaela Martinez, Sean Go and Tim Yap, gathered at the official opening of the 136-square-meter exhibit, which was built with a modern design based on the 85th anniversary logo created for the campaign. In the Philippines, Lacoste (www. lacoste.com.ph) is exclusively distributed by Stores Specialists Inc.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): You can have fun without going into debt. Consider what you enjoy doing most, and look for ways to fit your plans to a set budget. Indulgent behavior can turn into a costly affair. Deception and disillusionment are apparent. ★★★

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Make plans that will bring you closer to someone you love and respect. Discussing sensitive issues will PAKI START: BASA PO _______ need to be handled with care. Getting your facts straight ’YUNG FINISH: CROSSWORD. _______ and having a reasonable solution in mind will help you THANKS. INITIALS: _______ avoid discord. ★★★

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Make changes to the way you handle your money. Gather information from an expert who can help you differentiate between what’s possible and what isn’t. It’s OK to dream, but when it comes time to decide, practicality will be required. ★★★

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Relying on others will be questionable. Someone you’ve known a long time will lead you astray. Stay away from individuals who are a poor influence or encourage bad habits or lifestyles. Do your own thing and avoid regret. ★★★★

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Look at the logistics of any deal you are trying to make and the people involved. If anyone or anything appears suspicious, back away and spare yourself the grief of the red tape and risk involved. Focus on personal improvement. ★★

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): An unusual opportunity will grab your attention. Before you decide to take a chance, consider who is involved and do a background check. A smooth talker is likely to take advantage of you if you aren’t informed. ★★★★★

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): A prospect will not turn out as planned. Before you make a change, get what you want in writing. A partnership is riding on a misconception or ulterior motives. Don’t leave anything to chance. Protect your assets, possessions and your heart. ★★★

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Stick to what and who you know best. Don’t trust in a new acquaintance who has wild ideas and plenty of charm. An emotional situation will escalate quickly if you are too trusting or you haven’t done your homework. ★★★ BIRTHDAY BABY: You are original, trendy and demonstrative. You are possessive and ambitious.

‘tv viewing’ BY TIMOTHY E. PARKER The Universal Crossword/Edited by Timothy E. Parker

ACROSS 1 Where the heart is, they say 5 Brat kin 10 Pyramid, e.g. 14 Rural life poem (var.) 15 Salk cured it 16 “... happily ___ after” 17 “And Then There Were ___” 18 Scions 19 Breathing rattle 20 GPS-equipped fleets, e.g. 23 U-turn from verbose 24 Clear a counter 25 Glowing or polished, old-style 28 Milky gem 30 Croat or Slovene, e.g. 31 “Cease!” on the water 33 The seventh of January? 36 Singing, dancing, acting, etc. 40 “This tape will self-destruct ...” org. 41 Jesse tearing up the track 42 Stinging rebuke? 43 Christian clothier?

44 Shrugger’s feeling 46 Desert respites 49 Mexican gentleman 51 Pinched AND poked? 57 “Later!” 58 Tater state 59 Scream star Campbell 60 “___ Brockovich” 61 Wrench type 62 Seed covering 63 Payment on the first 64 Ogles 65 Part of the foot DOWN 1 “You’re getting warmer,” e.g. 2 Carbon dioxide’s lack 3 Yakking bird 4 Non-required course 5 Earth’s shape 6 Certain classmates 7 ___ and well 8 Mucky land 9 Deluxe, as a suite 10 Bygone Toyota

11 12 13 21 22 25 26 27 28 29 31 32 33 34 35 37 38 39 43 44 45 46 47 48

Elliptical outlines Confused fight French harbor town Barbie’s old beau At pique’s peak? Wine province Verbal putdown It’s between quarters 2 and 3 Things in bireme banks Tire pressure abbr. State positively Moving roller Basketball’s Chamberlain “___, right!” Get a bead on Pollution type Snake-eyes count Female Winter Palace residents Pour off, as wine Some charged particles Peke kin Certain web-footed creature On top of things Campus protest variety

49 50 52 53 54 55 56

Butcher’s device Air, poetically Lab tube Eric of “Monty Python” Beetle Bailey character Severe wickedness Editorial command

Solution to yesterday’s puzzle:

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Relationships BusinessMirror

Friday, November 30, 2018

Toward an inclusive society SOMETHING LIKE LIFE

MA. STELLA F. ARNALDO

@akosistellaBM

T my old alma mater, St. Theresa’s College (STC), we would have annual exposure trips to underprivileged communities, schools for the physically disabled, retirement homes, orphanages and the like, as part of our social orientation program in high school. I’ve always credited STC for giving me and many of my classmates a rounder, more realistic view on life, as we interacted with those who had less than our families. The program took us out of our safe, sheltered cocoons and showed us how a larger majority thrived (or tried to) with smaller-paying jobs or no jobs at all. We were fortunate to have brief but meaningful experiences with the physically disabled, abandoned children and the elderly. As I look back on those years, those annual one- to two-week stints were some of the most meaningful engagements in all my years in high school. The program molded us to become leaders with much empathy toward the plight of others. I hear that STC has cut those exposure trips to just one day; I’m not sure what one can learn in those few hours, but I suppose it’s better than none at all. (Better than going to Eat Bulaga for the teachers’ entertainment.) In one of those exposure trips, we spent time at the Philippine School for the Deaf (PSD) in Pasay City. The smarter classmates helped out in the classrooms while I was assigned (or volunteered? I don’t remember) to the school library. I learned a few signs for certain useful words and phrases like “I love you” (and “Up yours!” which was a popular expression then), as well as the entire English alphabet. Watching those students diligently working in their classes, or playing rough-and-tumble games at the playground during breaks, made my classmates and I wonder what their lives would be like after school though. At PSD, they were all the same. They couldn’t hear, but they were getting an education. But once they leave

the school premises, they would have to contend with the pitiful looks, whispers, or even ridicule that face most people with disabilities. To this day, we have very little documentation on how many physically challenged or differently abled individuals are in the work force. The maker of Happee toothpaste, I know, hires people with some form of physical incapacity, which is one of the reasons I am loyal to the brand. I’ve also worked with an editor or two with physical disabilities, which didn’t for one minute affect the clarity and excellence of their prose. Of course, we’ve all seen the ubiquitous blind massage therapists at the airport or the visually impaired musicians welcoming visitors at the Duty Free Fiesta Mall. But many of them continue to languish in small jobs, still with inadequate chances at greatness. I’m not talking about aiming to become the next Stephen Hawking, John Nash, Vincent van Gogh or Beethoven; but to be truly inclusive in our society, we need to open up more employment opportunities for those with physical and mental challenges. Employers need to tear down their own biases and thinking that “disabled” means being less intelligent or being incapable of doing the work. So it’s heartening to know that we now have deaf tour guides who conduct tours for deaf visitors. Thirteen of them recently shepherded 30 students from the PSD to Manila’s historical spots, including Rizal Park, National Museum and Fort Santiago.

Put a ring on it THE promise ring has become a popular symbol of a couple’s romantic commitment to each other. Some couples simply use the promise ring to signify their devotion to one another, while most use it as a formal pre-engagement ring. The promise ring has paralleled the growing trend for couples who decide to marry later in life. These dispositions are personal, and are unique to each couple; therefore, the definition of a

promise ring varies. It means different things to different people. As for the promise ring design, almost anything goes, depending on the preference of the couple, although by comparison, it has a simpler design than an engagement ring. Favorites usually are in identical pairs or with heart details. For couples wanting to have their very own exquisitely made matching promise rings, My Diamond has the exceptional Devotion Collection that includes a pair of His and Hers identical rings of 14K white gold—the ring for her features 24 pieces of Baguette Diamonds with a total of 1.41 carats. Another pair comes in His and Hers promise rings of 14K yellow and white gold. The ring for her features heart cut-outs and four pieces of diamonds with a total of 0.18 carats. Now, go ahead and keep those promises.

The specialized tour, the first of its kind, was curated to foster a nonhandicapped educational tour with inclusivity as a guiding principle for sustainable growth and development in tourism, initiated by the Department of Tourism-Office of Industry Manpower Development (DOT-OIMD), in partnership with the De La Salle College of Saint Benilde (DLS-CSB). At present, only 27 deaf tour guides have passed the rigorous training process of the DOT-OIMD. These aspiring special tour guides must successfully complete the seven-day training program based on the “Community Tour Guiding” module provided by the DOT. These new deaf tour guides will be assigned to the Intramuros Administration to serve tourists with special needs. They are all members of the Deafinite Tour Guiding Service (DTGS), a nonprofit, professional organization consisting of deaf tour guides committed to deaf identity, service excellence and professional ethics. The DTGS educates deaf local and foreign guests about the rich Filipino culture and history and strives to make Metro Manila accessible to deaf tourists around the world. They can be contacted at numbers (+63) 917-8281300 and (+63) 966-4081913. nnn

MEANWHILE, congratulations to Discovery Country Suites for taking home

some awards at the recent Haute Grandeur’s Global Hotel Awards at the Palazzo Versace Dubai. It went up against some of the world’s best hotels as the awards sought to celebrate the best hospitality experience by recognizing the world’s most exceptional hotels, spas and restaurants. Discovery Country Suites (www.discoverycountrysuites.com) won awards for Best Bed and Breakfast in Asia, Most Unique Guest Experience in the Philippines, Best Hotel View in the Philippines and Best Country House in the Philippines. As a proud member of The Discovery Leisure Co., the homey bed and breakfast in Tagaytay is known for its stunning view of Taal Lake and personalized service. Each of its seven suites is uniquely themed to depict a distinct feel of country living from different parts of the world. Restaurant Verbena, the property’s multi-awarded culinary gem, made the Best Bed and Breakfast in Asia award possible by making the Country Breakfast a highlight of each stay, along with the signature wine and cheese platter at sundown, which guests can upgrade into a romantic en suite or garden picnic. The house’s lakeside view of Taal and colorful garden also make for the perfect intimate wedding straight out of a fairytale. Staying at one of the property’s plush, thoughtfully designed suites, and waking up to a great breakfast and grand view of Taal Lake is just pure bliss. n

Friday, November 30, 2018

Cover Story BusinessMirror

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The 5 principles of IKEA’s ‘Democratic Design’

FROM left: IKEA Southeast Asia Managing Director Christian Rojkjaer, SM Supermalls Chief Operating Officer Steven Tan and IKEA Market Development Manager and future IKEA Philippines Store Manager in Manila Georg Platzer

From D1 “We don’t think anybody’s going to make a bigger one,” IKEA Southeast Asia Managing Director Christian Rojkjaer said during the launch. “We have the space to be the best we can be, and we have it right here in Manila.” IKEA has 422 branches in 50 countries as of August this year. The company’s massive global presence translates to brand awareness locally, with about 13 percent of people in Greater Metro Manila already familiar with IKEA, according to the company’s Market Development Manager Georg Platzer, also the future IKEA store manager in Manila who has been working on the store opening for two-and-a-half years now. Platzer said the remaining population unfamiliar with IKEA has two things to know about the brand. First, going to an IKEA showroom, web site, or

even mobile app is “like going to a giant furniture exhibition.” The Philippine branch, with the size of about 150 basketball courts, will carry over 9,000 products. Second, Platzer emphasized IKEA’s “Democratic Design,” or the belief that good home furnishing is for everyone. He said the idea is carried out in every IKEA product through five principles: 1. FORM: The time it takes for a product to go from a designer’s drawing board to stores is roughly two years, according to Platzer. Each design goes through a rigorous set of standards, including the eye test. “Our products should help make homes a little more beautiful,” he said. 2. FUNCTION: What good is beauty without anything else, especially purpose? Platzer said IKEA products should make life at home a little easier and more comfortable. “We learn about people’s needs and we design

products with the function in mind, so that things in your home work the way you want them to.” 3. QUALITY: IKEA tests its items to ensure that they meet the highest standards for safety and durability—not only to last, but to “age gracefully,” as well. According to Platzer, IKEA has even ramped up measures to guarantee that their products can hold up with the humidity in Southeast Asia. 4. SUSTAINABLE: “We find creative ways to make more from less,” Platzer said. This means products are made with as few raw materials as possible. IKEA product developers look for materials that are renewable, recycled or recyclable, and work with people on the factory floor to find smart production solutions. Another point of emphasis: Products should contribute to a sustainable life at home. For one, items should help in saving water or electricity. 5. AFFORDABLE: Platzer noted that usually, well-designed, quality home furnishings are exclusive. IKEA, he said, is different. “Our designers begin with the

price in mind from the very start. We always strive to offer the lowest prices in the market to make sure that our range is affordable to as many people as possible.” As Rojkjaer put it, IKEA is for everyone, from those who have a thick wallet to those who have a thin one, from big families to small families. “We are for everybody.” Meanwhile, Rojkjaer, who also owns IKEA stores in Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand, explained that IKEA took their time in establishing their presence in the Philippines to make sure that everything runs smoothly. Now that a date has been set, he underscored the brand’s commitment to the market: “Once IKEA commits to something, we commit a long, long time.” The executive also left the door open on the possibility of establishing more IKEA stores in the Philippines, but maintained that the company’s current focus on the local

market is the opening of its largest branch in the world, which will rise between the SM Mall of Asia Arena and the SMX Convention Center. According to SM Supermalls Chief Operating Officer Steven Tan, the brand will be their biggest tenant ever, adding that their partnership is “a marriage with no divorce.” IKEA Southeast Asia is making an initial investment of around P7 billion to fit out, stock, market and staff the first store for its opening. Only two of IKEA Philippines’s five floors will be allocated for brick-and-mortar retail, while the rest will house a call center and a supersized warehouse to accommodate e-commerce operations. “The IKEA vision is to create a better everyday life for the many people,” Rojkjaer said. “We are excited to be bringing our offer to a country where millions of people share our passion for home.” n

BusinessMirror

Motoring

DUCATI LAUNCHES THE PANIGALE V4 IN STYLE »8

1 Friday, November 30, 2018 | Editor: Tet Andolong

FULLY transformed front end EQUALLY striking rear end

THE ‘PRIME’ CHOICE ALL-NEW TOYOTA VIOS 1.3 E PRIME CVT

BusinessMirror

Motoring

Friday, November 30, 2018

ALL-NEW TOYOTA VIOS 1.3 E PRIME CVT

THE ‘PRIME’ CHOICE THUMBS UP n Revolutionized exterior design n New cabin layout with premium trims n Seven-inch touch-operated infotainment system n Fuel-efficient engine n Quiet and comfy ride THUMBS DOWN n Extended center console n Low-end torque on slight gradients SPECIFICATIONS n Vehicle: All-new Toyota Vios 1.3 E Prime CVT n Type: Subcompact sedan n Engine: 1.3-liter 1NR-FE, inline four-cylinder, DOHC, 16 valves with Dual VVT-i (Variable Valve Timing), petrol fed n Maximum power: 98 hp at 6,000rpm n Maximum torque: 123 N-m at 4,400rpm n Transmission: CVT (Continuous Variable Transmission) DIMENSIONS n Overall length: 4,425 mm n Overall width: 1,730 mm n Overall height: 1,475 mm n Wheelbase: 2,550 mm n Tire size: 185/60 15R PRICE AS TESTED n P933,000

THE 1.3 E Prime model’s cabin

Story and photos by Randy S. Peregrino

T was in July 2018 when Toyota Motor Philippines (TMP) finally revealed the much-awaited allnew Vios. Emerged in a completely remodeled exterior figure and interior layout, the brand’s best-selling sedan’s fresh look is unquestionably a big leap in terms of design. But apart from the notable design changes, the all-new subcompact sedan now comes with a newly introduced distinction—the Prime grade. According to TMP, the Prime grade is intended to capture the younger market in the country. Be that as it may, we’ve already seen how the Vios captured a wider range of demographics, particularly those seeking for the best all-rounder sedan. Several months back, we were able to experience both the top-of-the-line and base models on a long-distance drive during TMP’s media drive event. So for this month’s feature, we get to test the other dressed-up version in the midvariant class—the 1.3 E Prime CVT beaming in Thermalyte shade. Exterior-wise, the innovative look now sports a more flamboyant design worthy of being a standout. The fascia’s immense transformation puts this new model more consistent with the brand’s latest design cues globally. One in particular is the pronounced

bumper grille layout present in Toyota’s latest sedans. This further complements the known signature “keen look” coming from the slim and stretched headlights with subtle vents in between and a solid centerpiece housing the emblem. Even the standard fog lamps frame received a new frame design to match the bumper grille. The flanks, meantime, have numerous patterns of delineations and flowing lines matching those from the bonnet. But the black trims bordering the belt line and windows provided the accentuation. As for the equally stunning rear end, just like the front part, it received a substantial makeover. The newly shaped rear combination lights are now slimmer and extended. The new rear design brought more definitions to complement the fresh taillights and even got an additional fin-type

THRIFTY 1.3-liter 1NR-FE engine of the E grade

antenna on top. Moreover, providing more distinctions to the Prime variants are the exclusive add-ons such as the front and rear bumper skirts, side skirts, and rear spoiler. Completing the exterior enhancements are the new multispoke, 15inch alloy rims wrapped in 185/60 series rubbers. Inside is where you’ll also see more of the all-new Vios’s major changes giving you that different feel factor. The dashboard and three-spoke helm designs are now identical to what its subcompact hatchback sibling has. With modern and stylish layout, emphasis is now on the center panel with the infotainment, air vents, aircon controls and other switches in one cluster. It is also trimmed with polished metal border, piano black surface, and silver accents on the sides. Those velvety seats are now more snug with enough paddings and bolsters. Also, standard to the Prime, G and E grades is the seven-inch touchscreen display audio with CD/MP3, AUX, USB, Bluetooth, voice control, and Weblink for iOS/Android. Even the center console looks sleeker with its equal share of glossy finishes and

garnishes. We only noticed that it extends toward the rear. Nevertheless, rear passengers would definitely enjoy the generous legroom and comfy seat. Retained under the hood was the same 1.3-liter 1NR-FE motor for the E and J grades inherited from its predecessor’s engine upgrade. Generating 98 hp and 123 N-m of maximum torque, this particular engine series proved to be more responsive and efficient. This also gives the all-new Vios the ideal performance needed for city as well as highway dwellings. In fact, mostly during the test period, we had to go through urban routes with the worst traffic situations just to evaluate the powertrain’s fuel consumption. Even so, the vehicle managed to attain a theoretical reading ranging between 9-10 km/liter. The coupled CVT (Continuous Variable Transmission), as always, was as seamless as expected in terms of shifting. Torque registry becomes aggressive toward the midrange if you need a quick sprint. The low-end output, meantime, is more than acceptable if you just want to go easy and

steady on level roads. While the CVT is seamless on highways and level roads, dealing with gradients necessitated more push to retain revs within the optimum range. Good thing there’s manual mode to achieve that. On the road, the ride definitely leans toward comfort. The level of rigidity is just enough in favor of handling and control. Tire rebounds from certain road imperfections are less bothersome, thanks to the higher tire series. On turns and curves, the vehicle also demonstrated good maneuverability. Steering was also light yet responsive. We liked that feel of nice and steady stiffness as the speed goes up. But another notable element is the cabin noise insulation. Throughout the test period, it was like driving a bigger car in terms of quietness. As for safety, multiple SRS airbags from the front, side, curtain shield (driver side only), and knee area all came in standard across the board. Even the vehicle stability control, hill-start assist, and antilock brake system with electronic brake distribution, among others, are also available across all variants. But that’s not all, as the all-new Vios also received a fivestar Asean NCAP (New Car Assessment Program) score in terms of advanced safety features. The all-new Vios 1.3 E Prime CVT is for those who like the exterior add-ons for a well-dressed look but willing to let go several of the premium elements they can live without. It may have a smaller engine displacement, but it still gets the job done. The decent output along with essential safety features already makes this car an ideal all-rounder subcompact sedan for both urban and out-oftown jaunts.

BusinessMirror

Friday, November 30, 2018

Motoring

SHELL BIKE FAIR 2018

wraps up in epic fashion

Motoring Minder

Bicam panel approves child restraint in motor vehicle bill

FTER a successful kickoff in Baguio City, Shell Bike Fair 2018 recently held an epic finale at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC) in Pasay City with over 3,000 riders, bike club members, and motorcycle enthusiasts from different parts of the country in attendance.

As Shell’s way of thanking the riding community for its unwavering support for Shell Advance motorcycle oils and Shell V-Power fuels, Shell Bike Fair was launched in 2015 and continues to get bigger every year. “We hope to strengthen our relationship with our thousands of loyal riders not just by offering high-quality products but also by delighting them with this experience designed especially for them,” said Lorrie Ramirez, Shell Advance Brand Manager. A major highlight of the event was the awarding of the Shell Out-

riders Best Bike Club. The winners were picked out through careful screening of hundreds of entries over the past two months. “Shell Outriders is our nationwide search for the best bike club in the country,” noted Shell V-Power brand manager Mark Malabanan. “It is our way of acknowledging bike clubs for the activities that they do to promote moto-tourism and safe driving practices, as well as their respective advocacies and outreach programs.” Showing exceptional passion in achieving their collective goals, the Western Bicutan Riders club bagged

the grand prize. They exhibited personal and social courage in various ways, benefiting not only their bike club but also the larger community. The club received a cash prize of P100,000 and fuel vouchers worth P50,000. The Bicol Elite Mix Moto Club and Bull Riders Club Philippines were awarded first and second runners-up, respectively. The day’s activities included fun booth and stage games and a helmet design and modified bike competition. The crowd was also entertained by celebrities Daiana Meneses, Yam Concepcion and Phoebe Walker, while band Rocksteddy and Rico Blanco rocked the venue with electrifying performances. Five brand-new motorcycles were also raffled off to lucky winners: two Yamaha Mio bikes, two Suzuki Raiders, and one Honda CBR. Indeed, as bikers continue with their life’s journey while facing various challenges on and off the road, Shell commits to be their dependable road companion, providing products and services that best fit their needs. www.shell.com.ph

Petron presents Ford GT Collectibles THE second series of the much-awaited Petron Limited Edition Toy Car Collectibles is just days away. The Ford GT scale model comes to participating Petron stations nationwide, starting November 30 to December 15, 2018. Collectors can redeem their qualified purchases for the Ford GT scale model of high-quality die-cast metal for an affordable price of P250 each. To avail yourself of one toy car for P250, you must present a single or accumulated purchase of P500 worth of Petron fuels or Petron engine oils. These include Petron Blaze 100, Petron XCS, Petron Xtra Advance, Petron Turbo Diesel Max, Petron Blaze Racing, Petron HTP, Petron Ultron, Petron RevX, and Petron Sprint 4T. This promo is valid only for same station redemption. Cash and credit transactions, as well as bulk, PO and wholesale transactions, are qualified to participate in this promo. The Ford GT is a mid-engine two-seater sports car powered by 3.5L turbocharged V6 engine generating maximum power of 656PS and torque of 746 N-m. Its body is a lightweight carbon fiber monocoque bolted to aluminum subframes. The windshield is made of Corning Gorilla Glass similar to

smartphone screens. It has a pushrod suspension system, active aerodynamics, and dihedral doors. The Ford GT accelerates from 0–97 kph in 2.8 seconds and can reach a top speed of 348 kph.

Like other models in the Petron Toy Car Collection, the Ford GT is a 1:32 scale and has a pull-back to accelerate function. There are two color variations: Glossy red with black stripes and matte black with orange stripes.

JOVANMANDIC | DREAMSTIME.COM

(FROM left) Shell Technical Helpdesk JR Apolinario; Shell Lubricants Marketing Manager Anthony Wee; Shell Advance Brand Manager Lorrie Ramirez; Shell V-Power Brand Manager Mark Malabanan; Shell Brands and Communication Manager Cherine Capadocia; and Shell Retail Fuels Marketing Implementor Brandon Briones

A MEASURE giving protection to infants and young children from deaths and serious injuries arising from road crashes and other traffic-related incidents breezed through the bicameral conference committee on November 26, with no major disagreements on the provisions being pushed by both the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Senate Committee on Public Services, chaired by Sen. Grace Poe, and the House Committee on Transportation, chaired by Catanduanes Rep. Cesar Sarmiento, agreed to adopt major provisions in the Senate version in less than an hour of discussions. Sen. Joseph Victor Ejercito, principal author of Senate Bill 1972, or “An Act Providing for the Special Protection of Child Passengers in Motor Vehicles and Providing Appropriations Thereof,” said it’s about time to implement and craft laws that will protect the lives of the people, especially the children. Poe, Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto, Senators Joel Villanueva, Sherwin T. Gatchalian, Risa Hontiveros, Juan Edgardo M. Angara and Maria Lourdes Nancy S. Binay coauthored the measure. The House of Representatives passed its counterpart measure, House Bill 6938, in February. The measure provides that “drivers of private vehicles are mandated to secure a child 12 years old and below in a child restraint system while transporting a child on a road, street or highway.” “Child restraint system” refers to a device capable of accommodating a child occupant in a sitting or supine position designed to diminish the risk of injury in the event of a collision or of abrupt deceleration of the vehicle by limiting the mobility of the child’s body. These children are also prohibited from sitting at the front seat of the vehicles, unless the child is at least 150 centimeters or 56 inches in height and capable to properly fit in the regular seat belt in the front seat, the measure stated. “The child restraint system shall be appropriate to the child’s age, height and weight and approved in accordance with safety standards for child restraint systems,” Ejercito said. Even if they are wearing child restraint systems, drivers are prohibited from leaving the children unattended inside the vehicles, the bill stated. It can be recalled that in July this year, a two-year-old boy was left unattended for several hours inside a vehicle parked in Metrowalk, a commercial hub in Pasig City. The video of the incident became viral on social media. “This act should not be acceptable as this might endanger the health and life of the child,” said Ejercito, chairman of the Subcommittee on Special Protection for Child Passengers under the Committee on Public Services. For the protection of children using public utility vehicles, the Department of Transportation is mandated to adopt safety measures and issue regulations for the safe and secure transportation of children. A driver found violating this law shall be fined P1,000 for the first offense, P2,000 for the second offense and P5,000 and the suspension of the driver’s license for one year for the third and succeeding offenses. Following the hearing, on the other hand, was the opening of the photo exhibit in commemoration of the World Day of Remembrance (WDR) for Road Traffic Victims, which was also held at the Senate. Every third Sunday of the month of November, global road safety advocates commemorate the WDR for Road Traffic Victims to acknowledge and recognize the loss and suffering of those victimized by road crashes worldwide. The Global Road Safety Partnership (GRSP) coalition and other partner organizations participated in the global event through photo exhibits on road safety in the Philippines specifically of the five risk factors—Speed, Child Restraints System (CRS), Helmet, Driving Under the Influence (DUI), and Seatbelt as well as the five pillars on the Philippines Action Plan—Improved Road Safety Management, Safer Road, Safer Vehicles, Safe Road Users, and Improved Trauma Care and Rehabilitation.

BusinessMirror

Motoring

Friday, November 30, 2018

Anywhere you look at it, the new Ford Ranger is still the king of the hill.

Still the king of the

Story & photos by Patrick P. Tulfo

LL eyes are on the Raptor nowadays, which is Ford’s top-ofthe-line in the pickup segment.

Surprisingly, there are still some who are not aware that the Ranger, the country’s bestselling pickup, has also received major tweaks for this year. The Raptor is so popular, though, that some thought that it’s a different model from the Ranger altogether, but it’s not, as the Raptor is the most expensive variant of the Ranger. To show what the new Ranger has to offer, Ford invited several motoring journalists recently to test the pickup on varying terrains and driving conditions.

The interior boasts of new materials and class-leading ergonomics.

The group assembled at the new Luxent Hotel in Quezon City where we had our breakfast, product orientation, rules and regulation during the drive and who will be our partner in the two-day jaunt. I was paired with Paolo of C! Magazine. After getting our assigned vehicles, we quickly went to the parking and loaded our things on our vehicles. I didn’t get a good look at the new face-lifted Ranger, as it was quite dark at the parking area of the hotel. Only after we arrived at Clark, our first

Still boasting of a class-leading 800mm water-wading depth, it made short work of the river bed.

stop, did I get a good look at it. Still sporting the same body, the new Ranger now boasts of a

The top-of-the-line 2.0 Bi-turbo diesel engine that also powers the Raptor is the most powerful engine in the segment at the moment.

new grill that melds nicely with the new chiseled bumper. The design made the Ranger an even better-looking pickup than before. The drive to Subic from Clark after lunch gave me and Paolo the opportunity to ogle at its impressive interior. It now features a black interior that gave it a sporty feel, while the use of soft materials on the dash and door and contrasting detail elements, including shadow chrome and silver accent stitching, gave it an even more premium feel. Meanwhile, the powerful air conditioner ensured a cool cabin, especially on the long stretch of nicely paved road on our way to Candelaria, Zambales. The Ford Sync 3 entertainment system seamlessly paired with our respec-

The iconic Corvette is now in the Philippines

HE Covenant Car Co. Inc. (TCCCI), exclusive importer and distributor of Chevrolet automobiles and parts in the country, has announced that the Chevrolet Corvette is now in the Philippines, which was displayed at the Chevrolet Motorama 2018 from November 22 to 28 at the SM Megamall Fashion Hall. At the center of the Motorama exposition was the iconic red Corvette Stingray, proudly showcasing its 65year legacy of design, performance

and technology. “We are extremely proud that the Corvette’s first launch in Southeast Asia was in the Philippines,” said Atty. Alberto B. Arcilla, president and managing director, TCCCI. “As we preview the legendary sports car in the country— on its 65th anniversary no less—we are happy to provide the market with a driving experience like no other.” “Bringing such an iconic American supercar in the Philippines is a testament to General Motors’s commitment

in the country and the rest of the region,” said Ian Nicholls, president of GM Southeast Asia. “Throughout its history, the Corvette has proven the position of Chevrolet as a leader in producing vehicles with spirited performance and high-quality design.” On display at the Chevrolet Motorama 2018 was the Corvette Stingray Coupe 3LT, with a 6.2L V8 engine that produces 455 horsepower and 621 N-m of torque. The Corvette also features magnetic selective ride control and performance

data recorder. The suggested retail price of the Corvette is P8,546,888.00. MY19 Corvette units will be available in the Philippines by Q1 of 2019. The Chevrolet Motorama 2018 was powered by Caltex. To learn more about Chevrolet products and services in the Philippines, log on to www.chevrolet.com.ph, like the Chevrolet Philippines Facebook page, or follow the Chevrolet Philippines Instagram page.

tive smartphones to play our songs on the three-hour trip. The long trip from Subic to Candelaria also gave us the opportunity to sample the three dieselengine offerings of the Ranger: The new 2.0L Bi-turbo (which also powers the Raptor) that is rated at 213 hp and 500 N-m of torque; 2.0L Turbo that is rated at 180hp and 420 N-m of torque; and the trusty 2.2L Duratorq engine that is rated at 160hp and 385 N-m of torque. The 2.0L Bi-turbo diesel engine is mated to a brand-new 10-speed automatic transmission. This is also available as an option for those who will opt for the 2.0L turbo, which also offers a 6-speed manual. The 2.2L Duratorq can be had with either a six-speed manual or automatic transmission.

BusinessMirror

Motoring

Friday, November 30, 2018

Honda CR-V wins two major awards at Asean NCAP Honda’s Achievements at the ASEAN NCAP Grand Prix Awards: Model/ Technology