THE MANILA TIMES | APRIL 06, 2019

Monetary easing now more likely as inflation slows to 3.3% ÂťB1 ++

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SATURDAY, APRIL 6, 2019

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Trusted since 1898

UNDER REVOLUTIONARY GOVT

Robredo will become president – Macalintal IF President Rodrigo Duterte makes good his threat of declaring a revoLUTIONARY GOVERNMENT 6ICE 0RESIDENT -ARIA ,EONOR g,ENIu 2OBREDO WOULD BECOME PRESIDENT HER LEAD legal counsel Romulo Macalintal SAID ON &RIDAY

-ACALINTAL A VETERAN ELECTION LAWYER SAID 2OBREDO WOULD ASSUME THE FUNCTIONS AND OFkCE OF THE 0RESIDENT if Duterte declare a revolutionary GOVERNMENT gHAVING DIVESTED HIMSELF OF THE PRESIDENCY u

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PALAWAN CAMPAIGN

President Rodrigo Duterte delivered a speech during a campaign rally of the ruling Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan held at the Puerto Princesa Coliseum on April 4. MALACAĂ‘ANG PHOTO

D U T E R T E WA R N S C H I N A :

Back off Pag-asa Island

BY CATHERINE S. VALENTE

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Jim Paredes, the Yellows’ poster boy

RESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday warned China not to touch Pag-asa (Thitu) Island in the South China Sea (West Philippine Sea) where hundreds of Chinese vessels have massed, circling the area.

3

) . IN MY LINE '%2 OF SIGHT composer and activI S T * I M 0AREDES

who adopts a holier-than-thou attiTUDE LIKE A PRURIENT #ATHOLIC PRIEST WAS CAUGHT WITH HIS PANTS DOWN LITERALLY Caught masturbating on a selfie VIDEO 0AREDES IS AS HUMAN AS THE REST OF US AFTER ALL 0AREDES AN !TENEO GRADUATE LIKE HIS IDOL FORMER 0RESIDENT .OYNOY abnoy KUYAKOY IS A POSTER BOY OF THE gYELLOWTARDS u ÂłTulfoA5

RAMON T. TULFO

3PEAKING TO REPORTERS ON THE SIDELINES OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY OF PROSECUTORS IN 0UERTO 0RINCESA 0ALAWAN

Duterte maintained that Pag-asa Island belongs to the 0HILIPPINES g0AG ASA )SLAND BELONGS TO US Hindi ako papayag kung pati ‘yung Pag-asa i-occupy nila (I will not allow them to OCCUPY 0AG ASA )SLAND .O OF COURSE NOT u $UTERTE SAID The President issued the warning following reports from the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) that hundreds OF #HINESE COAST GUARD AND kSHING VESSELS HAD gSWARMEDu THE -ANILA HELD 0AG ASA )SLAND

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ICC starts probing case filed vs Duterte

What’s inside DUTERTE DEFENDS SON FROM DRUG ALLEGATIONS

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4 SAYYAF, 3 SOLDIERS KILLED IN SULU CLASH RegionsA7 LIZA SOBERANO GIVES UP DARNA

BUCKS BEAT 76ers TO SECURE TOP SEED IN EAST

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EntertainmentD1

Ex-Laguna gov gets 6 years for graft THE 3ANDIGANBAYAN S &OURTH Division convicted on Friday former Laguna governor *EORGE %STREGAN OF GRAFT IN connection with an insurance DEAL HE ENTERED INTO IN when he was the municipal MAYOR OF 0AGSANJAN The deal with First Rapids Care Ventures (FRCV) was for the provision of accident PROTECTION AND kNANCIAL AS-

sistance to tourists and boatmen plying the Pagsanjan 'ORGE 4RANSIT :ONE )N A PAGE DECISION THE court found Estregan; former municipal councilors Arlyn ,AZARO 4ORRES 4ERRYL 'AMIT 4ALABONG +ALAHI 2ABAGO

%RWIN 3ACLUTI AND 'ENER $Imaranan; and FCRV owner and proprietor Marilyn Bruel

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THE International Criminal Court (ICC) at The Hague said it HAD BEGUN THE gPREliminary examination�

OF A CASE kLED BEFORE IT by a Filipino lawyer in AGAINST 0RESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte and OTHER OFkCIALS FOR gMASS MURDERu AND gCRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY u The ICC added that it had received another letter of communication on the Philippine government’s campaign AGAINST ILLEGAL DRUGS

THIS TIME FROM THE .Ational Union of PeoPLE S ,AWYERS .50, In a letter dated April

THE )## S /FkCE OF THE Prosecutor confirmed THE RECEIPT OF THE .50, S COMPLAINT kLED ON !UG

AND SAID IT ALREADY gRELATES TO A situation under preliminary examination� by THE OFkCE g)T APPEARS THAT YOUR communication relates to a situation already under preliminary examination

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‘Funding Reds may turn into transnational crime’ THE Armed Forces of the Philippines WARNED HOMELAND SECURITY OFkCIALS IN !SIA 0ACIkC COUNTRIES THAT THE gFUNDing schemes� perpetrated by groups linked to the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) could become a gTRANSNATIONAL CRIME PROBLEM u -AJ 'EN !NTONIO 0ARLADE THE military’s deputy chief of staff for CIVIL MILITARY OPERATIONS SOUGHT THE

COOPERATION OF VARIOUS NATIONS TO kGHT THE gWIDE INTERNATIONAL NETWORKu OF THE ORGANIZATIONS gINkLTRATEDu BY THE #00 In his speech at the Milipol Asia-PaCIkC CONFERENCE HELD IN 3INGAPORE ON 4HURSDAY 0ARLADE SAID SOME GROUPS HAVE BEEN gMASKING THEMSELVESu AS humanitarian nongovernment orgaNIZATIONS gTO SECURE FUNDS FROM INTERnational donors — which are used to

CONDUCT TERRORIST ACTIVITIES u !CCORDING TO HIM THE #00 ESTABlished an international network comPOSED OF ORGANIZATIONS BASED IN COUNTRIES )T ALSO SET UP CHAPTERS across the world through the InterNATIONAL ,EAGUE OF 0EOPLES 3TRUGGLE ),03 HEADED BY #00 FOUNDER *OSE -ARIA g*OMAu 3ISON

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News

˜ The Manila Times SATURDAY April 6, 2019

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Measles cases have decreased – DoH

Duterte defends son from drug allegations

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BY RALPH EDWIN U. VILLANUEVA AND BERNADETTE E. TAMAYO

RESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte on Friday defended his son, former Davao City vice mayor Paolo Duterte, from allegations that he is involved in the illegal drug trade.

In an ambush interview in 0ALAWAN ON 4HURSDAY NIGHT THE President said the video is merely gPROPAGANDA THAT HAS BEEN REPEATED ALL THE TIME u g) ASSURE YOU WE ARE NOT INTO IT u HE ADDED The President said the opposition was behind the video against HIS SON g.OW THE PURVEYOR OF THAT IS NUMBER ONE ;OPPOSITION 3EN Antonio Trillanes 4th] and the rest OF THE YELLOW 3O ) AM JUST LETTING 4RILLANES THAT HAS BECOME HIS PASSION ) WILL NOT kGHT BACK u HE SAID ! CERTAIN g"IKOY u WHO INTROduced himself in the video as a former member of a large drug syndicate whose job was to record THE GROUP S TRANSACTIONS ALLEGED that Paolo was among the syndicate leaders who received kick-

BACKS FROM THE ILLEGAL DRUG TRADE Bikoy said the dragon tattoo on Paolo’s back proves the latter’s ties TO A DRUG TRAFkCKING TRIAD 4HE CODE located at the upper portion of the dragon is similar to one of his supposed codenames in the Tara: !,0(! 4)%22!

Bikoy noted that a syndicate LEADER WITH A CODE NAME g0OLO $ELTA ' u AND g!LPHA 4IERRA u which Bikoy later on revealed to be 0AOLO $UTERTE RECEIVED 0 MILLION AND 0 MILLION IN FOUR BATCHES through the bank accounts named UNDER #!20)/2%9%37!,$/ AND #!20)/7!,$/ !CCORDING TO "IKOY THE SUPPOSED owner of Paolo’s dummy accounts is Department of Agriculture UnderSECRETARY 7ALDO #ARPIO THE BROTHER OF -ANASES #ARPIO WHO IS MARRIED TO 0AOLO S SISTER $AVAO #ITY -AYOR

3ARA $UTERTE #ARPIO Paolo has denied his alleged involvement in the illegal drug trade in a recent INTERVIEW CLAIMING THAT A CERTAIN g*3u whom he described as a smuggler of rice and sugar was responsible for the UPLOADING OF THE VIDEO (E ALSO POINTED to Trillanes as the man behind the RELEASE OF THE VIDEO 4RILLANES HOWEVER SAID HE HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH IT (OWEVER THE SENATOR CONGRATUlated the people behind the videos that linked the Duterte family to ILLEGAL DRUGS g4HE ACCUSATIONS OF THE WITNESS WERE VERY SERIOUS QUITE POINTED AND WELL EXPLAINED ) WISH ) WAS part of the making of the videos so I could relish these moments but SADLY ) AM NOT )N THE MEANTIME

) AM LOOKING FORWARD AS EVERYONE ELSE TO THE NEXT EPISODE u HE SAID IN A TEXT MESSAGE 4RILLANES AND DETAINED 3EN ,EILA de Lima reiterated their challenge to Paolo to show his tattoo on his back to disprove allegation that he is not a MEMBER OF A (ONG +ONG DRUGS TRIAD g4HERE S JUST ONE EASY THING TO do on the part of Paolo Duterte to put closure to this lingering issue about his alleged involvement in THE ILLEGAL DRUG TRADE 3HOW HIS

BACK $OES HE HAVE A TATTOO OR NOT )F SO WHAT TATTOO 3IMPLEÜ )S THAT TOO MUCH TO ASK !REN T TATTOOS MEANT TO BE SHOWN OR DISPLAYED u DE ,IMA ASKED 3EN !NA 4HERESIA g2ISAu (ONTIVEROS ON THE OTHER HAND SUPPORTED THE PROPOSAL OF 3ENATE Minority Leader Franklin Drilon to reopen the investigation on illegal drugs after a video went viral accusing Paolo of receiving payola FROM ALLEGED DRUGS SYNDICATE g) FULLY SUPPORT THE MOVE TO REOPEN THE HEARING ON ILLEGAL DRUGS

ESPECIALLY IN LIGHT OF THESE VIDEOS The videos presented disturbing documents and data trail that canNOT BE IGNORED u (ONTIVEROS SAID 0ALACE 3POKESMAN 3ALVADOR 0ANelo also dismissed the video as black PROPAGANDA g*UST LIKE THE OTHER FALSE NARRATIVES AGAINST THE 0RESIDENT

it will not succeed as the overwhelming majority of the Filipino PEOPLE TRUST HIS SINCERITY AND kDELITY to his duty as President in serving and protecting the citizenry as well AS BELIEVE IN HIS INCORRUPTIBILITY u g;4HE 0RESIDENT S= ENEMIES AND detractors will always try to discredit him but they are doomed to FAIL u 0ANELO SAID IN A TEXT MESSAGE ON 7EDNESDAY

-%!3,%3 cases had dropped in the past weeks as the Department of Health (DoH) reached its vacCINATION TARGET According to data from the epideMIOLOGY BUREAU OF THE DEPARTMENT

THERE WERE MEASLES CASES FROM -ARCH TO LOWER THAN THE

RECORDED FROM -ARCH TO g7E RE MONITORING RIGHT NOW WE know that the number of cases has been decreasing and in fact some provinces and municipalities have had no new cases in the past few WEEKS "UT THE TREND HAS TO BE VALIDATED AND IT HAS TO BE NATIONWIDE u Health Undersecretary Rolando $OMINGO SAID ON &RIDAY Domingo added that cases involving the highly avoidable disease were going down because response to vacCINES GOT BETTER The public somehow has regained its confidence in vaccines after a measles epidemic was declared in EARLY &EBRUARY $OMINGO SAID He noted that parents’ refusal to have their children innoculated over the Dengvaxia anti-dengue vaccine CONTROVERSY gAGGRAVATEDu THE COUNTRY S LOW IMMUNIZATION LEVELS Dengvaxia was part of the mass immunization program of the DoH FROM UNTIL ITS MANUFACTURER 3ANOk 0ASTEUR DISCLOSED IN .OV

THAT VACCINE RECIPIENTS WITH gSERONEGATIVEu STATUS OR THOSE WHO NEVER HAD DENGUE INFECTION MIGHT BE AT RISK OF A MORE SERIOUS DISEASE

"Y THEN ACCORDING TO $O( DATA

A TOTAL OF CHILDREN FROM #ENTRAL ,UZON #ALABARZON #AVITE

,AGUNA "ATANGAS 2IZAL AND 1UEzon) and Metro Manila have already been administered the Dengvaxia VACCINE AT LEAST ONCE The DoH has immunized

CHILDREN AGED SIX TO months after the department intensikED ITS EFFORTS TO CONTROL THE MEASLES OUTBREAK IN kVE REGIONS ‡ #ALABARZON -ETRO -ANILA #ENTRAL ,UZON

#ENTRAL 6ISAYAS AND 7ESTERN 6ISAYAS The DoH is catching up to vacCINATE MILLION SCHOOL AGED CHILDREN AS FEWER THAN HAVE RECEIVED PROTECTION AGAINST MEASLES

$OMINGO SAID g4HE COVERAGE IS STILL LOW 7E HAVE NOT REACHED PERCENT OF MILLION CHILDREN 4HEY ARE GOING TO BE VACCInated in the community during sumMER BREAK 7HEN THE CLASSES START WE will continue to vaccinate in schools just to make sure that even the older CHILDREN ARE COVERED u HE ADDED He also noted that there was low vaccination rates among children IN KINDERGARTEN TO 'RADE BECAUSE government health workers have just started with school-based imMUNIZATION Domingo said the measles outBREAK ALERT STAYS Declaring the outbreak over would mean that no new cases for about six WEEKS WERE REPORTED HE ADDED CATHERINE A. MODESTO

Q REDS FROM A1

Funding Reds g7E FORESEE THAT THIS PROBLEM IF NOT CHECKED

can turn out to be a hybrid scheme that can be A TRANSNATIONAL CRIME PROBLEM u 0ARLADE SAID g4HE PURPOSE OF THIS PRESENTATION IS TO make you aware that there is such a thing and because of how intricate these international FUNDING IS BEING DONE IT MAY NOT BE IN OUR RADAR u HE ADDED Parlade named some Philippine-based organizations that are supposedly connected WITH THE ),03 4HESE GROUPS INCLUDE )"/. &OUNDATION 'ABRIELA !LLIANCE OF #ONCERNED 4EACHERS +ARAPATAN AND .ATIONAL 5NION OF 0EOPLES ,AWYERS 4HESE ORGANIZATIONS THE OFkCIAL SAID WERE FOUND TO BE CONDUCTING gINTERNATIONAL SOLIdarity missions where they publish inaccurate to portray a tyrant and oppressive Philippine GOVERNMENT u g!T THE SAME TIME THEY LOBBY FUNDS FROM foreign institutions claiming that they will be USED FOR PROJECTS TO SOLVE THE FABRICATED ISSUES

but will rather be used to fund terrorist activiTIES u 0ARLADE CLAIMED %ARLIER THIS YEAR A CONTINGENT FROM THE 0HILippine government went to Belgium to inform OFkCIALS THERE THAT SOME GROUPS BEING FUNDED by the European Union were using the money TO CONDUCT ACTIVITIES LINKED TO THE .EW 0EOPLE S !RMY .0!

THE ARMED WING OF THE #00 Belgian Ambassador to the Philippines Michael 'OFkN SAID "RUSSELS IS INVESTIGATING THE MATTER DEMPSEY REYES

VETERANS WEEK Filipino war veterans join the wreath laying ceremony on Friday at the Libingan ng mga Bayani in commemoration of the Philippine Veterans Week. PHOTO BY DJ DIOSINA

Q GRAFT FROM A1

Ex-Laguna guilty beyond reasonable doubt and sentenced them to a minimum of six years imprisonMENT g"ASED ON THE FACTS AS ESTABLISHED ABOVE ACCUSED %Stregan’s actions were attended

BY EVIDENT BAD FAITH IN THAT there was a clear and conscious transgression of procurement LAWS PER THE ,OCAL 'OVERNMENT #ODE AND 2! 'OVERN-

MENT 0ROCUREMENT 2EFORM !CT He likewise exhibited manifest partiality in favor of accused Bruel’s company by declaring ITS CAPACITY WHICH IS EQUIVALENT TO PRE QUALIkCATION TO RENDER THE SAID SERVICE u THE COURT SAID It added that his fault was further accentuated by the fact that FCRV was not authorized to ENGAGE IN THE INSURANCE BUSINESS 4HE COURT GAVE THEM kVE DAYS to post additional bail for their PROVISIONAL LIBERTY 4HE /FkCE OF THE /MBUDSMAN kLED THE CASE IN AL-

Q MACALINTAL FROM A1

Robredo g$ECLARING A REVOLUTIONARY GOVERNment would mean that President Duterte becomes the leader of a revolutionary government while Robredo becomes the LEADER OF A DULY CONSTITUTED GOVERNMENT u -ACALINTAL AN /TSO $IRETSO CANDIDATE FOR SENATOR SAID IN A STATEMENT g$ECLARING A REVOLUTIONARY GOVERNMENT IS NOT THE FUNCTION OF THE 0RESIDENT /N THE OTHER HAND IT IS HIS SOLEMN DUTY UNDER THE Constitution to protect our government and country from any act that would topple or PUT DOWN OUR GOVERNMENT u HE ADDED (E SAID IF THIS HAPPENS THERE WOULD LIKELY BE gA SHOW OF FORCEu BETWEEN Duterte’s government and the government LED BY 2OBREDO 4HIS -ACALINTAL ADDED WOULD PUT TO A test the loyalty of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) as to which government IT WILL SUPPORT The President’s threat of suspending the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus and DECLARING A REVOLUTIONARY GOVERNMENT ACCORDING TO -ACALINTAL ARE TWO INCONSISTENT ACTS AS SUSPENDING SUCH PRIVILEGE MEANS adhering to the provisions of a Constitution that will not be recognized by his ENVISIONED GOVERNMENT Robredo called out the President for his gIRRESPONSIBLEu STATEMENT g(INDI PWEDENG DAHIL PARANG NAG ALBU-

leging that the memorandum of agreement (MoA) was entered into with FRCV without public BIDDING )N ITS DECISION THE COURT SAID

g.O MATTER HOW THE DEFENSE wants to paint the picture of what services were procured by THE -UNICIPALITY NOTHING ON records supports their position THAT BIDDING WAS NOT REQUIRED u g4HEIR ACTS LED TO THE PROCUREMENT OF SERVICES FROM &2#6

which in fact was not legally capacitated to engage in the BUSINESS OF INSURANCE IN THE kRST

ROTO KA PARANG TATAKUTIN @YUNG TAUMBAYAN sa isang paraan na hindi CONSTITUTIONAL Tingin ko hindi ito responsable na response ;*UST BECAUSE YOU RE THROWING A kT YOU CAN T just scare the public in an unconstitutional WAY ) THINK HE MADE AN IRRESPONSIBLE RESPONSE= u SHE SAID /N 4HURSDAY $UTERTE WARNED 3ENATE Minority Leader Franklin Drilon and other members of the opposition not to push him TO THE WALL OR HE WOULD DECLARE A gREVOLUTIONARYu GOVERNMENT SUSPEND THE PRIVILEGE OF THE WRIT OF HABEAS CORPUS AND ARREST ALL OF THEM Duterte made the statement after Drilon asked HIS ADMINISTRATION TO EXERCISE gEXTREME CAUTIONu in reviewing contracts the government has entered INTO WITH PRIVATE kRMS AND FOREIGN COUNTRIES g) HAVE ENOUGH PROBLEMS WITH CRIMINALITY

DRUGS REBELLION AND ALL Pero kapag ako ang pinaabot niyo ng sagad ;"UT IF YOU PUSH ME TO THE WALL= ) WILL DECLARE THE SUSPENSION OF the writ of habeas corpus and I will arrest all OF YOU u $UTERTE SAID IN HIS SPEECH DURING the annual convention of the Prosecutors’ League of the Philippines in Puerto Princesa #ITY 0ALAWAN ON 4HURSDAY NIGHT g3O HUWAG NIYO AKONG +ASAMA KAYO SA MGA REBELDE MGA KRIMINAL PATI @YUNG MGA DURUGISTA Then pahirapan mo ako ;3O DON T PUSH ME 9OU ALONG WITH REBELS CRIMINALS

including drug offenders want to make me SUFFER= ) WILL DECLARE A REVOLUTIONARY WAR UNTIL THE END OF MY TERM 4HEN PASENSYAHAN TAYO ;) DON T CARE= #OME WHAT MAY HELL OR OTHER WAY ) M WILLING TO BE HANGED ) M WILLING TO DIE u HE ADDED !CCORDING TO THE 0RESIDENT THERE WAS NOTH-

PLACE !LSO

BY FOREGOING THE ENTIRE QUALIkCATION PROCESS THE municipality was deprived of the opportunity to determine whether the rates and terms as agreed upon in the MoA were the most advantageous to the GOVERNMENT u IT ADDED !SSOCIATE *USTICE "AYANI *ACINTO PENNED THE DECISION WHICH was concurred in by Associate *USTICE !LEX 1UIROZ WHO LEADS THE 3ANDIGANBAYAN S &OURTH $IVISION AND !SSOCIATE *USTICE 2EYNALDO #RUZ REINA C. TOLENTINO

ing wrong with his recent directive to review ALL THE CONTRACTS SAYING THE OBJECTIVE WAS TO determine if there were deals that were detriMENTAL TO THE COUNTRY S INTERESTS g) ORDERED THE REVIEW OF THE CONTRACTS AND HERE COMES $RILON SAYING THAT ;) SHOULD= BE CAREFUL "E CAREFUL OF WHAT u $UTERTE ADDED g7HY SHOULD ) BE VERY CAREFUL IN REVIEWING contracts that are not to the interests of the PEOPLE !ND THE ONEROUS AND BURDEN;SOME= PROVISIONS THERE THAT PEOPLE HAVE TO HONOR

so you think that I will allow it just because we cannot impair the obligation of our conTRACTS u HE SAID

‘He can’t do it’ 3EN 0ANkLO ,ACSON ON &RIDAY SAID HE BELIEVES that Duterte is smart enough to know that he cannot declare a revolutionary government AND SUSPEND THE WRIT OF HABEAS CORPUS g(E WILL NOT DO IT BECAUSE HE IS TOO SMART AND INTELLIGENT TO KNOW HE CANNOT DO IT u ,ACSON SAID IN A TEXT MESSAGE 3ENATE 0RESIDENT 6ICENTE 3OTTO RD SAID $UTERTE ISSUED THE STATEMENT OUT OF FRUSTRATION g) M SURE HE WILL HAVE A BETTER OUTLOOK ONCE his programs against criminality becomes MORE SUCCESSFUL 3USPENSION OF THE WRIT HAS proper constitutional safeguards while a REVOLUTIONARY WAR IS A METAPHOR u 3OTTO SAID 3ENATORS &RANCIS 0ANGILINAN AND 2ISA (ONTIVEROS ALSO REJECTED THE 0RESIDENT S THREAT g)NSTEAD OF THREATENING HIS CRITICS WITH ARrest he should arrest the big-time drug lords and his (Bureau of) Customs appointees who have repeatedly brought in tons of shabu

Q Former actor and former Laguna governor Jeorge Estregan.

PHOTO BY J. GERARD SEGUIA

WORTH BILLIONS OF PESOS 7ITH THE ARREST of these bigtime druglords he would have proven his drug war is for real and his critics WILL BE SILENCED u 0ANGILINAN SAID g)N THE MIDDLE OF #HINA S MASSIVE ILLEGAL and deep incursion into our territories and our VERY OWN WORKPLACES 0RESIDENT $UTERTE WOULD rather pick on his own people than confront THE COUNTRY S REAL INVADER u (ONTIVEROS QUIPPED g)NSTEAD OF STANDING UP TO #HINA S AGGRESSION 0RESIDENT $UTERTE THREATEN HIS OWN PEOPLE WITH WARRANTLESS ARRESTS AND WAR 7HAT should be suspended are not the people’s civil liberties but the onerous contracts entered into by President Duterte with the Chinese GOVERNMENT u (ONTIVEROS ADDED

No reason 3ENATORIAL CANDIDATES AND MEMBERS OF THE House of Representatives also criticized THE 0RESIDENT "AYAN -UNA 2EP #ARLOS )SAGANI :ARATE said there was no reason to suspend the writ of habeas corpus or declare a revolutionary GOVERNMENT g(INDI PWEDENG DAHILAN NG PAGTANGGAL nito ay napikon lang ang Presidente 9OU cannot suspend the writ just because the 0RESIDENT GOT PIQUED u :ARATE SAID -AKABAYAN SENATORIAL CANDIDATE .ERI #OLMENARES AGREED SAYING THERE THERE WAS no constitutional basis for such a suspenSION OF THE WRIT

CATHERINE S. VALENTE, GLEE JALEA AND BERNADETTE E. TAMAYO

News

˜ The Manila Times

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President will not identify celebrities linked to drugs PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte is not keen on releasing the list of celebrities allegedly involved in illegal drugs.

In a speech during the 31st A n n u a l C o n ve n t i o n o f t h e Prosecutors’ League of the Philippines, Duterte said he has no reason to release the list since the celebrities are not running for public office.

He said he would release only the names of those who are seeking government posts. “I am morally, legally bound to tell people these are the candidates, it is up to you. If they still vote for you, fine. It’s a democracy. But, the people ought to know, that is my solemn duty to inform the public and to know who the idiots [are],� he said.

The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency last month said 31 celebrities are included in the drug list.

In March, Duterte released a list containing 46 politicians allegedly linked to illegal drugs.

The list of celebrities allegedly involved in illegal drugs came to light after John Steve Pasion, an alleged supplier of party drugs, was killed in an operation.

Authorities said Pasion’s phone contained the names of celebrities who got their supplies from him.

PDEA Special Enforcement Service Director Levi Ortiz said a well-known actor and actress, who are “always appearing on TV,� ordered 200 tablets of ecstasy from Pasion.

The PDEA said 11 famous actresses were on the agency’s watchlist.

PDEA Director General Aaron Aquino said most of those on the list were “big names.�

RALPH EDWIN U. VILLANUEVA

Arroyo: From speaker to Pampanga consultant WHEN former president Gloria Macapagal proceeded to hear a Thanksgiving Mass at Arroyo steps down as representative of San Agustin Church with her constituents.

Pampanga in June this year, she would In her birthday message delivered have a new job waiting: as consultant of after the Mass, Arroyo looked back at her her province. legacy, which may not be as “dramatic� as Arroyo, who celebrated her 72nd that of western leaders such as statesman birthday on April 5, is in her final term as Winston Churchill or former US president representative of the second district of John Kennedy, but rather a legacy, which, Pampanga. hopefully, centered around the restoration “Sinabi ni Governor [Lilia] Pineda na of the Philippines’ fiscal stability, having sabihin ko sa inyo na upang patuloy ko been a politician for 27 years. pa na matulungan ang Pampanga, ako “Unfortunately, I don’t think I will have ay magiging consultant ng probinsya as dramatic a legacy as those giants of the (Governor Pineda asked me to inform you world history. I like to think that my legacy that in order for me to continue serving the will center around restoring our country’s people of Pampanga, I will be a consultant fiscal stability after a storm on financial of the province),� she told the public. crisis here and abroad,� she said. “Above all, I thank the Filipino people “The restoration of fiscal stability for the opportunity to serve. Dacal pung was the platform for my program that salamat kekayungan (Thank you very built more and better infrastructures, much to all of you),� Arroyo ended. and that reduced our poverty from 39 Arroyo had been spending her final percent when I assumed the presidency, months taking a “sentimental journey� to 26 percent when I left the presidenback to the previous projects, particularly cy,� Arroyo added. on housing and transportation, which she Meanwhile, President Rodrigo Duterte implemented under her administration. wished for Arroyo’s success and good Claiming that “we all have to move health in a short birthday message. on,� Arroyo expressed confidence that she “Isang maligayang pagbati sa ating would be leaving the House with a new dating presidente at ngayon ay Speaker generation of younger congressmen who Gloria Macapagal Arroyo sa kanyang kaarwould be “very good in taking over the awan. Maraming salamat sa iyong suporta reins of government.� mula noon hanggang ngayon (A happy When asked for her plans after her birthday to our former president and now retirement takes effect on June 30, Arroyo Speaker Gloria Macapagal Arroyo on her birthday. Thank you for your said that she would be writing support from then until her memoirs before she takes now),� he said. on the role of a consul“I will always pray tant of the province. for your good health “For the good of the and continued sucFilipino people always.� cess. Happy birthThis was the wish day!! More birthdays of Arroyo on her 72nd to come!� the Presbirthday, which she ident added. spent in her Lubao GLEE JALEA hometown in Pampanga.

She started the day by attending the opening of a hot air balloon festival activity at Pradera Verde early Friday morning, Q House Speaker Gloria Arroyo then

SATURDAY April 6, 2019

A3

Duterte OKs arming of state prosecutors P

BY CATHERINE S. VALENTE

RESIDENT Rorigo Duterte said he was open to the proposal to arm state prosecutors to protect themselves following the killing of several government lawyers.

In his speech during the national convention of the Prosecutors’ League of the Philippines in Puerto Princesa, Palawan on Thursday night, Duterte, a former prosecutor, said he recognized the important role of prosecutors in the administration of justice and the danger that comes with it. “I also encourage the leadership of the Prosecutors’ League to work with the Philippine National Police, National Bureau of Investiga-

tion and relevant agencies to come up with solutions on how to better protect our prosecutors and their families,� Duterte said. “I’m ready for any suggestions, options. All are on the table. Ano ang gusto ninyo (What do you want)? Baril (Guns)? I will allow it,� he added.

Duterte, a gun enthusiast, suggested prosecutors use Glock 19. “Huwag kayong kumuha ng (Do not get) .45, it’s too heavy. Go for the Glock 19. Ang Glock hindi

talaga nagja -jam ‘yan (It does not jam). I’m not advertising the Glock, but it’s a fact. That’s why we bought it for my policemen.

And maintenance-free, hindi magkakalawang ‘yan (it does not get rusty),� he said.

The President said he understands that a prosecutor’s job involved “antagonizing lawless elements, hardened criminals and their powerful backers.� “The assassination of prosecutors across the country highlighted the danger that prosecutors and their respective families endure,� he added. “Rest assured that our law enforcement agencies in our help are expediting the investigation of these assassination cases,� he added.

Duterte admitted that he had been carrying a gun since he was

Chief Justice reorganizes high court

ILLEGAL POSTERS Personnel of the Department of Public Works and Highways dismantle campaign posters tacked on an electric post in Manila.

The Commission on Elections had warned politicians to take down illegal posters or face charges. PHOTO BY DJ DIOSINA

Manicad backs task force to fight hunger S E N AT E h o p e f u l R o d r i g o “Jiggy � Manicad Jr. backed the Duterte administration’s move to create an inter-agency task force that would focus on eradicating hunger in the country by 2030. “Hunger is the root cause of a lot of problems in our society. Why do people resort to theft, prostitution and even drugs? Many times, it’s because of the desperation of not being able to put food on the table,� Manicad said.

On Tuesday, Cabinet Secretar y Karlo Nograles said President Rodrigo D uter te approved the creation of the Ze ro H u n g e r I n t e r - Ag e n c y Task Force that would formulate a “national food policy.�

The former journalist said the government’s action jived with his advocacy to ensure food security particularly for poor Filipinos. “ B u o n g - p u s o ko p o n g s i nusupor tahan ang paglikha ng task force na ito. Sa aking karanasan bilang mamamahayag, nakikita po natin na libo-libong mga Pilipino pa

a prosecutor because he had to investigate military and police OFkCERS AS WELL AS REBEL LEADERS Meanwhile, the President lauded the prosecutors for their unwavering commitment to fight criminality, illegal drugs and corruption. “I will do everything to protect you,� the President told the prosecutors, saying they should not have to suffer for doing their job. “With the valuable help of the 0ROSECUTORS ,EAGUE ) AM CONkdent that we can further strengthen, improve and reform the entire National Prosecution Service so THAT YOU MAY ALL BECOME EFkCIENT

credible, impartial and incorruptible prosecutors, upon whom our people may depend on whenever they feel wronged or aggrieved,� he added.

rin ang kadalasa’y isang beses lang kumakain sa isang araw (I fully support the creation of this task force. In my experience as a journalist, I saw how thousands of Filipinos suffered. O f ten, they have only one meal a day),� Manicad said.

Nograles said the task force aims to attain zero hunger and eliminate poverty.

He said data indicated that 2.4 million families experienced moderate to extreme hunger in 2018, 13.7 million Filipino children were undernourished, while a fif th of children aged five and below were underweight. “The President and the members of the Cabinet recognize that we have to adopt additional measures to combat hunger given how data shows that it is problem that cannot be ignored,� Nograles said in a statement. “ I t i s a p p a re nt t h at c u r rent effor ts aren’t enough, and that at this point an inter-agency task force that can focus and align the different

work being done to address the different aspects of hunger is needed,� he added.

Manicad said the task force would be “instrumental� in his campaign to “bring forward sweeping reforms and more investments in agriculture to ensure food security and sustainable livelihoods for farmers, fisherfolk and agricultural workers.�

H e a d d e d t h e s u cce s s o f t h e t a s k fo rce wo u l d h ave a “d o m i n o e f f e c t � o n t h e e ve r yd a y p r o b l e m s o f Fi l ipinos. “We will prevent crime. We will help our children have more energy and focus when t h ey g o to s c h o o l. Marami sa ating mas makakatutok sa kanilang negosyo, hanapbuhay (Many will be able to focus more on their business and livelihood),� Manicad said. “The move is also very timely because the effects of climate change are already upon us. Food security and hunger should be on top of the nation’s agenda,� he added.

CATHERINE S. VALENTE

CHIEF Justice Lucas Bersamin has ordered the reorganization of the Supreme Court.

Bersamin signed Special Order 2643 that would revamp the court’s three divisions in view of the appointment of Associate Justice Amy Lazaro Javier.

Javier succeeded Associate Justice Noel Tijam, who retired in January. The high court is sitting in full court en banc, WITH JUSTICES OR kVE justices in each of its three divisions.

In the directive of Bersamin, he will now sit as the permanent chairman of the Supreme Court’s First Division.

The working chairman of the said division will be Justice Mariano del Castillo.

Other members of the First Division are Justices Francis Jardeleza, Alexander Gesmundo and newly appointed Rosmari Carandang.

The Second Division will still be headed by Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio with Associate Justices Estela Perlas Bernabe, Benjamin Alfredo Caguioa, Jose Reyes Jr. and Amy Lazaro Javier.

Meanwhile, the Third Division will be chaired by Associate Justice Diosdado Peralta, with Associate Justices Mario Victor Leonen, Andres Reyes Jr. and Ramon Paul Hernando as the regular members.

Another vacancy will be the post vacated by Bersamin as associate justice after his promotion as chief justice.

At present, there are only 14 justices in the 15-member high court, and the replacement of Bersamin’s associate justice post will be announced by the palace anytime.

The Bersamin appointment was supposed to be due last Feb. 26, 2019, but Duterte has not yet made his choice.

JOMAR CANLAS

No automatic cancellation of adverse claims Dear PAO, I own a parcel of land in the province, which I used as collateral in a loan contract that I entered into. I initially failed to pay the loan and my creditor caused the annotation of his adverse claim upon my title.

However, I was able to pay the total amount of the loan. I now want to cause the cancellation of the adverse claim that was annotated in my title. Should I STILL kLE A CASE IN COURT FOR THE cancellation of the adverse claim or is the same deemed automat-

DEAR PAO

PERSIDA ACOSTA ically cancelled?

Auring

Dear Auring, The Supreme Court, in the case of Spouses Jesus Ching and Lee Poe Tin vs Spouses Adolfo and Arsenia Enrile (GR 156076, Sept.

17, 2008), through Chief Justice

Teresita Leonardo de Castro, stated that there is no automatic cancellation of an adverse claim. ! VERIkED PETITION FOR ITS CANCELLATION MUST BE kRST kLED IN COURT IN order to determine the propriety or impropriety of the adverse claim, to wit: “xxx. In the 1996 case of Sajonas vs Court of Appeals, we explained that a notice of adverse claim remains valid even after the lapse of the 30-day period provided by Section 70 of PD 1529. Section 70 provides: “xxx. The adverse claim shall

be effective for a period of 30 days from the date of registration. After the lapse of said period, the annotation of adverse CLAIM MAY BE CANCELLED UPON kLING OF A VERIkED PETITION THEREFOR by the party in interest. Provided, however, that after cancellation, no second adverse claim based on the same ground shall be registered by the same claimant.’ “In the same case, we held that for as long as there is yet no petition for its cancellation, the notice of adverse claim remains subsisting: Thus:

“After the lapse of said period, the annotation of the adverse CLAIM MAY BE CANCELLED UPON kLING OF A VERIkED PETITION THEREFOR by the party in interest. “If the rationale of the law was for the adverse claim to ipso facto lose force and effect after the lapse of thirty days, then it would not have been necessary to include the foregoing caveat to clarify and complete the rule. For then, no adverse claim need be cancelled. If it has been automatically terminated by mere lapse of time, the law

would not have required the party in interest to do a useless act.� (Emphasis supplied) This opinion is solely based on the facts you have narrated and our appreciation of the same. The opinion may vary when the facts are changed or further elaborated.

We hope that we were able to enlighten you on the matter.

Editor’s note: Dear PAO is a daily column of the Public Attorney’s /FkCE 1UESTIONS FOR CHIEF !COSTA may be sent to dearpao@manilatimes.net

A4

Opinion

SATURDAY April 6, 2019

˜ The Manila Times

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E d i to r i a l Inflation slowdown also has a sad side story to tell

F

ILIPINO consumers received some welcome news on Friday with the announcement by the Philippine Statistics !UTHORITY 03! THAT PRICE INlATION HAD SLOWED TO PERCENT AS RECORDED IN -ARCH THE kFTH STRAIGHT MONTH OF DECLINE 3O THE GOVERNMENT S kNANCE AND ECONOMIC OFkCIALS WERE RIGHT WHEN THEY ASSURED THE PUBLIC LAST YEAR THAT INlATION was going to decelerate toward the end of 2018 and ease further into 2019.

That assurance was reaffirmed by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) in its statement issued on Friday shortly after the PSA’s release of inflation data: “The latest inflation outturn is consistent with the BSP’s expectations that inflation will continue to settle within the target range for 2019 and 2020.�

4HE -ARCH INlATION RATE WAS MUCH SLOWER THAN THE percent recorded in February, and was milder than analysts’ consensus forecast of 3.5 percent for the past month. Last MONTH S INlATION WAS ALSO THE MOST BENIGN SINCE $ECEMBER 2017, when the rate stood at 2.9 percent.

Price increases in key commodity goods, in particular food, housing, water, electricity and fuel, all showed an easing in PACE THE 03! kGURES SHOW Moreover, we can also say the increase in imports had boosted the supply of goods in the country and in effect, reduced prices to some extent. The water shortage last month ALSO LIKELY PLAYED A SMALL ROLE IN THE EASING OF INlATION ALthough it was undesirable in every other respect. The decision of the BSP to maintain interest rates also had a stabilizing EFFECT ON INlATION ALTHOUGH IT IS NOT SOMETHING THAT WOULD be noticed in most people’s day-to-day lives.

Credit must be given where credit is due. Those are all positive factors, and their impact can at least be attributed partly to effective government policy.

At the same time, a closer look into the numbers would show that the slowdown in inflation was also caused by limited government spending imposed by the delays in the enactment of the 2019 national budget.

This year so far, the government has been operating within the constraints of the 2018 budget.

Thus, the BSP warned: “Meanwhile, the potential slowdown in domestic economic activity due to the budget impasse, as well as continued uncertainty in the global economic enviRONMENT COULD PRESENT DOWNSIDE RISKS TO INlATION u 4HAT MEANS INlATION MAY FACE FURTHER DOWNWARD PRESSURE all right, but the total picture also indicates slower growth for the economy in the near future.

Government spending, of course, has been reduced under the reenacted 2018 budget. Projects and programs planned for 2019 have not yet been funded, and in practical terms that means goods and services are not being purchased, and NEW JOBS ARE NOT BEING kLLED The budget impasse caused by the wranglings between the two chambers of Congress before the enrolled 2019 budget bill was submitted to President Rodrigo Duterte is having an even more direct impact on consumers than most people realize. The government is the country’s single biggest employer, with about 1.4 million workers. Those workers have not received an expected pay increase. They will soon, but an executive order funding the increases from part of the 2018 budget was only signed by President Duterte on March 15, too late to have an effect on consumer prices last month. Reduced spending by nearly one-and-a-half million workers uncertain about their nearTERM WAGES HAS A SIGNIkCANT RIPPLE EFFECT ADDING TO THE stagnation caused by interrupted government spending.

4HUS WHILE LOWER INlATION IS A BENEkT IN AN IMMEDIATE sense, in another respect it is another indictment of the lawMAKERS WHO WOULD PLAY POLITICS AND PUT THEIR INTERESTS kRST before the nation’s economic well being. ~

SATURDAY April 6, 2019

The Manila Times

VOLUME 120 NUMBER 175

DANTE A. ANG, Chairman Emeritus RENE Q. BAS, Publisher Emeritus NERILYN A. TENORIO, Publisher-Editor ARNOLD E. BELLEZA, Executive Editor FELIPE F. SALVOSA II, Managing Editor LEENA C. CHUA, News Editor LYNETTE O. LUNA, National Editor TESSA MAURICIO-ARRIOLA, Lifestyle Editor PERRY GIL MALLARI, Sports Editor LEA MANTO-BELTRAN, Supplements Editor JOMAR CANLAS, Chief of Reporters RENE H. DILAN, Chief Photographer DANTE F. M. ANG 2ND, President and CEO BLANCA C. MERCADO, #HIEF /PERATING /FkCER RODA A. ZABAT, Advertising Director VICENTE P. CRUZ, JR., Circulation Director DENISE O. CALNEA, Marketing Communications and Services Director Telephone All Departments: 524-5665 to 66; Subscription: 524-5664 Local 222 Advertising: 524-5664 Local 121 Telefax: 310-5895 or e-mail advertising@manilatimes.net XXX NBOJMBUJNFT OFU t F NBJM OFXTEFTL!NBOJMBUJNFT OFU Letters to the Editor THE MANILA TIMES is published daily at 2/F Sitio Grande, 409 A. Soriano Avenue, Intramuros, Manila 1002 The owners, managers, publishers and editors do not necessarily share the opinions expressed and the statements made by individual authors of columns, commentaries and other articles published in The Manila Times.

Eugenics and global warming: Contest in baloney First word ILIPINOS should not dismiss outright the connection that scientists and scholars have drawn between the theories of global warming and eugenics, a subject WHICH ) BRIElY DISCUSSED IN MY column, “Catastrophe: Green New Deal crashes in US Senate� (Manila Times, March 31, 2019). “The White Man’s Burden,� the infamous poem of Rudyard Kipling that called America to the challenge or duties of imperialism in 1899 and led to the annexation of the Philippines by America, was written at around the same time that saw the birth of the eugenics movement in England.

The poem had as its subtitle, “The United States and the Philippine Islands.� It is unapologetic in its racism.

Kipling wrote the poem in the closing years of the 19th century. It was published in McClure’s magazine in the US in February 1899.

In the same month, the Philippine-American war broke out.

Earlier, on June 12, 1898, Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo proclaimed the independence of the Philippines. The United States annexed the Philippines following the signing of the Treaty of Paris in

F

OBSERVER YEN MAKABENTA December 1898 and the payment of a measly $20 million to Spain.

The Philippines and the Filipino people would not regain their independence until 1946, when the US formally gave up control of the islands.

The documentation and scholarship on eugenics and global warming are substantive.

Both had English origins. And both were promoted as science and sought acceptance by sowing fear and catastrophe.

Letters and materials from readers I want to acknowledge receipt of numerous letters and materials from readers on the subject of eugenics and global warming, They were evidently triggered by my column of March 31.

I have become aware that besides Dr. Richard Lindzen, many scientists and scholars

have been probing the eugenicsglobal warming connection.

The stigma of eugenics has become an additional burden for climate alarmism to carry. It will in future help in the dismissal of the falsehoods being spread by the pseudoscience of climate change.

Two significant new materials sent me are particularly enlightening. They are: 1. An article by Ralph B. Alexander, PhD, “Belief in catastrophic climate change as misguided as eugenics was 100 years ago.�

2. An article by Megan Beets, head of the science research team at Larouche PAC, “The Green New Deal: Just more austerity and population control.�

These are serious scientists talking, so I want to express my thanks to them for sharing their research and reflections with me. It is only fitting that I share them also with readers.

Climate alarmism as misguided as eugenics Ralph B. Alexander (PhD in physics, University of Oxford), wrote me to express interest in my comments on eugenics and global warming. He disclosed

that he had written a blog post on the topic, to which he gave a link. Here are excerpts from his article, “Belief in catastrophic climate change as misguided as eugenics was 100 years ago�: “Last week’s landmark report by the UN’s IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change), which claims that global temperatures will reach catastrophic levels unless we take drastic measures to curtail climate change by 2030, is as misguided as eugenics was 100 years ago. Eugenics was the shameful but little-known episode in the early 20th century characterized by the sterilization of hundreds of thousands of people considered genetically inferior, especially the mentally ill, the physically handicapped, minorities and the poor.

Although ill-conceived and even falsified as a scientific theory in 1917, eugenics became a mainstream belief with an enormous worldwide following that included not only scientists and academics, but also politicians of all parties, clergymen and luminaries such as US President Teddy Roosevelt and famed playwright George

ÂłMakabentaA5

The naked truth about Jim Paredes’ perversion ON THE “T CONTRARY ODAY, I wish to express my feelings freely. Today, I wish TO EXPRESS MY TRUTH ) AM A lAWED person, a human being, much like everyone else. I made a mistake, I was irresponsible. And I am truly sorry.�

At their face value, these words from singer Jim Paredes could easily win him the accolade of being an honest, principled person who just committed the mistake of chatting in the internet naked while performing a lewd act.

But then he followed his apology with these words: “There are already too many lies and liars in this world. I do not wish to be part of that cabal. I have chosen to be truthful because I know that painful as truth can be, it will eventually set me free.�

Hence, his words no longer constitute a sincere act of contrition but were actually loaded with a not-so-subtle attack. In fact, it can be construed, knowing Paredes and considering the prevailing contentious issues in Philippine politics, that his words appeared to be aimed at those he and his friends have recently accused of dishonesty.

His very first reaction when confronted with his scandalous performance caught on camera and broadcast in cyberspace was a one-word denial that it was fake. He later made a complete turnaround and admitted it was true, and he is making us believe that he is sincerely sorry.

He is not. In fact, his is a carefully worded press release that reeks of a partisan attack hiding behind the mask of an apology.

as if he were above moral reproach, such as when he condemns the sins of President Duterte and the Marcoses. He is seen more as someone who looks down upon and insults those with whom he disagrees It would have been more au- politically, as shown vividly in the thentic had Paredes simply apolo- manner he once arrogantly stared gized, and stopped there. It would down pro-Duterte demonstrahave been a sincere gesture of an tors in front of the People Power imperfect man who was caught Monument on EDSA, with eyes with his pants down, literally. brimming with disdain, if not con!FTER ALL HE WOULD NOT BE THE kRST tempt. He speaks as if he has moral person to have engaged in a cyber- superiority over all of us. sexual act. Even Paredes, like any Paredes is the face of the elitist other person, is entitled to his own crowd that has heaped scorn for kinky fetish, or sexual fantasy. It so long at people who support the is not the business of the public, President and who voted for Bongactually, if people enjoy being tied bong Marcos. His misfortune is that up or whipped, or if they get high he is not morally superior over us, ON kLMING THEMSELVES WHILE DOING a fact that he himself has admitted, their own private thing. but in fact tried to hide with an air Paredes asserts that his indiscre- of arrogance. He spoke like an icon tion was supposed to be private. of decency, and had this video not Indeed, it should have been. And it surfaced, he would have continued is actually easy to concede that he to remind us of the perversions of was more of a victim here, and it is the Marcoses as though he himself apparent that either he was betrayed were unblemished. by the one at the receiving end of the What undermines Paredes’ video communication and leaked pretense at a sincere apology is the supposedly private content, or his readiness to politicize it. He someone hacked his computer or quickly blamed his enemies for that of the audience of his private causing his misfortune when he show. Obviously, Paredes’ right to said: “I can only surmise that in his private fantasies was violated this ugly season of toxic politics, and now has become a public per- muckrakers determined to neuversion. It is also obvious that a TRALIZE MY INlUENCE BY VIOLATING cybercrime has been committed in my privacy and digging up dirt which Paredes is the victim. on me are at work.�

5NFORTUNATELY IT IS DIFkCULT FOR Yet, supporters and defenders many to see Paredes as a victim. of Paredes make it appear like his What many see as the naked truth critics were the ones politicizing about him more than his actual nu- the issue. In defense of Paredes, dity is that of a man who behaves they make it appear as though

ANTONIO CONTRERAS

his political enemies forced him to strip naked, sit in front of his computer monitor, and engage in a sexual performance for someone at the other end of the cybersexual encounter.

But then again, this is characteristic of the cabal to which Paredes BELONGS 4HEY kND IT EASY TO PROJECT onto others what they are experts at doing. They appear to be paragons of virtue and honesty. They pounce on President Duterte’s sexual sins and vulgar conduct, even as they gloss over Paredes’ perversion. They incessantly remind us of the ill-gotten wealth of the Marcoses but not the illgotten votes of Leni Robredo. They taunt Imee over her allegedly fake diplomas and credentials, even as they turn a blind eye to Rappler’s false representation of itself as a Filipino-owned mass media company. Paredes blaming his enemies for his misfortune is just so characteristic of Noynoy Aquino’s proclivity to blame others.

May this be a learning moment for Paredes and for anyone who is in the habit of demeaning others, and this is true for all regardless of political color and persuasion. This is particularly true for social media bloggers and INlUENCERS WHO LOVE TO TAKE DOWN others, behaving and perceiving themselves as demigods. They just have to make sure their closets are clean, and their perversions are truly hidden. If they can’t be good, they just have to avoid being careless or they may end up like Paredes whose naked truth was exposed for all the world to see and mock.

˜ The Manila Times

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SATURDAY April 6, 2019

Q TULFO FROM A1

The honorable secretaries, along with a drunkard and cocaine-sniffing senator, would have the pimp’s broads wait for hours on end while they dined and drank and played billiards.

The procurer, or the one who paid for the whores, was a guy with the moniker “ Putol � who happened to be a brother-in-law of one of the Cabinet members.

Another procurer for the hedonistic group was then a Cabinet member from the Visayas.

The Cabinet official, who is related to Putol, and the drunkard and cocaine-sniffing senator would get drunk until the wee hours of the morning in MalacaĂąang and make the kitchen staff wait on them.

The Cabinet official was seen sleeping on the couch at the lobby of a five-star hotel in Makati City early one morning after a drinking binge.

I was told that during the time of Noynoy abnoy kuyakoy , a

high official was not content with copulating with whores. He would also have a gay man do fellatio on him once in a while.

I was not surprised to hear the above story because a whore told me that this guy was a pervert.

The prostitute told me that before this weirdo had sex with him he had one of his bodyguards do it with her first.

When the bodyguard was done, the whore told me, the then-young man followed next but “ate� her first.

And then this high official during Noynoy’s watch also figured in a disgusting sex episode: while he was having sex with a movie actress, his bodyguards were watching.

Now, after reading all these lurid details about what the Yellows did when they were in power, are you still shocked Paredes did what he did? **** Immigration Commissioner

Jaime Morente recently sacked Nino Oliver Dato, warden of the immigration jail in Bicutan, for the shenanigans at the facility.

A surprise inspection of the immigration jail yielded laptops, chargers, speakers, knives, lighters, casino chips, carpentry tools and cellphones, which are all banned inside the facility.

A total of P100,000 in cash was found in the wards among the detainees.

The inspection was conducted based on a tip from this columnist to retired police general Charles Calima, former intelligence chief of the Bureau of Immigration and Morente’s classmate at the Philippine Military Academy.

The tip-off came from a former detainee of the immigration jail.

I will write about more irregularities at the immigration jail in the next columns based on what the former detainee told me.

The what incarnate?

F

ILL in the blank if it suits you, but that was just the instant retort a friend uttered over my observation: “Why is it that wherever there is evil, there is Lacson?�

No offense meant with that question. You see, I wrote an article some three columns ago ABOUT )TALY kNALLY BREAKING WITH the European Union (EU) to join China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). The immediate reason I cited was Brussels demanding that Italy conform to EU standards in crafting the Italian national budget for 2019. “Hey,� I exclaimed to myself as I began elaborating on the matter, “Brussels slamming Italy’s national budget is just the kind [of thing] Lacson is doing to the Philippine national budget!�

On Feb. 8, 2019, the congressional bicameral conference committee approved the General Appropriations Act (GAA) for 2019. Mainly through Lacson’s maneuvers, transmittal of the bill for signing by President Duterte has been effectively stalled. This immediately proved bad, since as former Budget secretary Benjamin Diokno would put it, a reenacted 2018 budget would reduce disbursements, which

MY SAY

MAURO GIA SAMONTE could impact the growth target for the country’s gross domestic product, bring about reduction of employment by 600,000 jobs, and push close to half million Filipinos into poverty.

But looks are deceiving.

Though Lacson appears alone in trying to block the 2019 national spending, he could not have succeeded so far in derailing the budget proceedings if Senate President Vicente Sotto 3rd has not been acting in tandem with him. With the bicam having already approved the budget bill, Sotto’s one single remaining task is to transmit it to the President for his signature. But no, he wouldn’t. For this reason, Sotto’s own motive should be suspect. Why wouldn’t he sign the budget measure all because one colleague is calling it out?

One thing has been evident though, albeit not that obvious.

The so-called impasse over the budget measure gave Lacson the space to make an impact. He

hogged the headlines, got himself splashed all over social media and above all accomplished a damning of House Speaker Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.

And by Sotto’s inaction, he actually actively made Lacson’s aria possible.

But why such damning of GMA? Lacson won’t say, of course.

He is a military man, a former police general at that. I’d expect him to be a believer of Sun Tzu who in his Art of War writes: “Make your plans be as dark as night, and when you move, strike like lightning.�

What dark thoughts could be lurking in Lacson’s mind when in cahoots with the Senate president he caused an effective blockade of the nation’s spending?

Lacson’s grand performance takes place just as the midterm elections are crescendoing to a climax. Up for grabs are 12 Senate seats, to replace those due for expiration midway into President Duterte’s term. As I see it, midterm elections serve to gauge how well or badly the incumbent president has performed over the first three years

of his administration, thereby already presenting a barometer of how well or badly he will continue performing in his last three years in MalacaĂąang.

Now Lacson, who serves as senator up to 2022, is a member of the majority — meaning allied with President Duterte.

It becomes intriguing that he should vigorously block passage of the 2019 budget, knowing that it will damage the administration he is aligned with. The only plausible reason is that damage to the Duterte administration would result in a gain for Lacson. Make that out.

Going by numbers in the composition of the Senate, Lacson appears to be building his own private turf, and going by colors, he definitely has been less red than yellowish. He has endorsed the candidacies of Yellow stalwarts Mar Roxas and Bam Aquino, among others.

It’s really not a long way off to 2022, when the next presidential election is held. As we say, early birds catch the worm. Lacson’s grandstanding (one colleague calls it showboating) now can amount to diligent homework for the presidency already.

ÂłSamonteA6

Q MAKABENTA FROM A4

Eugenics and global warming: Contest in baloney Bernard Shaw. In the US, where the eugenics movement was generously funded by organizations such as the Rockefeller Foundation, a total of 27 states had passed compulsory sterilization laws by 1935 — as had many European countries.

Eugenics only fell into disrepute with the discovery after World War 2 of the horrors perpetrated by the Nazi regime in Germany, including the holocaust as well as more than 400,000 people sterilized against their will. The subsequent global recognition of human rights declared eugenics “a crime against humanity.�

The so-called science of catastrophic climate change is equally misguided. Whereas modern eugenics stemmed from misinterpretation of Mendel’s genetics and Darwin’s theory of evolution, the notion of impending climate disaster results from misrepresentation of the actual empirical evidence for a substantial human contribution to global warming, which is shaky at best.

Instead of the horrors of eugenics, the narrative of catastrophic anthropogenic (human-caused) global warming conjures up the imaginary horrors of a world too hot to live in. The new IPCC report paints a grim picture of searing yearly heatwaves, food shortages and coastal flooding that will displace 50 million people, unless draconian action is initiated soon to curb emissions

of greenhouse gases from the burning of fossil fuels‌.

But such talk is utter nonsense. First, the belief that we know enough about climate to control the earth’s thermostat is preposterously unscientific.

Climate science is still in its infancy and, despite all our spectacular advances in science and technology, we still have only a rudimentary scientific understanding of climate‌Second, the whole political narrative about greenhouse gases and dangerous anthropogenic warming depends on faulty computer climate models that were unable to predict the recent slowdown in global warming, among other failings‌.

Third, the empirical climate data that is available has been exaggerated and manipulated by activist climate scientists‌.

Eugenics, too, was rooted in unjustified human hubris, false science, and exaggeration in its methodology. Just like eugenics, belief in apocalyptic climate change‌will one day be abandoned also.�

Environmentalism and depopulation Mike Billington, who regularly corresponds with me, copied me an article by Megan Beets, head of the science research team of Larouche PAC. In the piece, “The Green New Deal: Just more austerity and popu-

lation control,â€? Beets reported some highly explosive information about the environmentalist movement. Here are key excerpts from the article: “The modern environmentalist movement, to which so many deluded people in the West today pay obeisance‌never had anything to do with saving the Earth.

It was created and promoted from the beginning by the British Empire to stop development: as a depopulation policy. “Emerging out of the eugenics movement, which became somewhat unpopular in the wake of Hitler’s genocide, the re-branded ‘ecology’ or ‘conservation’ movement continued the goal of maintaining the pre-war colonial system in the post-WWII world. “In 1960, Julian ‘Master Race’ Huxley, co-founder of the World Wildlife Fund and once-head of the British Eugenics Society, made very clear the ‘conservation’ movement’s colonial intentions: “‘These newly independent African nations cannot be trusted with the protection of natural spaces and endangered species. Therefore, we must have an international body which can take stewardship of these lands’‌ “In 1968, money from some of the biggest oligarchical families in the West was deployed to found the Club of Rome, which declared, “‘In searching for a new enemy to unite us, we came up with the idea that pollution, the threat of global warming, water shortages, famine,

AND THE LIKE WOULD kT THE BILLw “In parallel the United Nations sponsored a series of conferences on population in the mid-1970s to promote the idea that human population growth is a cancer on the planet, and launched the hoax of ‘sustainable development.’ Out of this process — not honest scientific work — came the formation of the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) in 1988, with a goal of inducing nations into signing binding agreements to limit their own development and industrialization based on lies of the dangers of CO2 and a coming climate apocalypse.�

Who has links to the holocaust?

These are explosive and troubling articles.

Climate alarmists, including the United Nations, never answer such damning criticism.

Still less do they agree to debate on the alleged settled science of climate change or their forecast of climate apocalypse.

Most of the time they just call critics and skeptics names, like “climate-change deniers,� to suggest that they are like holocaust deniers.

If Ralph Alexander and Megan Beets are right in their critiques, it is climate alarmism which has ties with the holocaust.

yenmakabenta@yahoo.com

A5

Asean ‘green lungs’: Heritage parks

Jim Paredes, the Yellows’ poster boy And it’s not even stiff and rigid as an erect penis should be. It was flaccid.

This guy must be so narcissistic he couldn’t resist the temptation to see himself coming over and over again. He was probably saying to himself. “Oh, how handsome I still am even with my face contorted in climax with my tongue coming out!�

Those who know what the “yellows� did when they were in power were not surprised at what this poster boy of the yellowtards did to himself.

For example, it was public knowledge that Paredes’ idol in Malacaùang at the time was like an alley cat that prowled the streets looking for a wham-bam every night.

That’s why our former president looked pooped and haggard from all those nightly binges.

A gay pimp told this columnist that many of Noynoy’s Cabinet members were his clients.

Opinion

C

OLLECTIVELY known as national parks or protected areas, they are also referred to as heritage parks for the purpose of the Asean Heritage Parks (AHP) program.

The rich resources found in Asean’s heritage parks directly sustain more than 635 million people and provide valuable sources of food, clean water, shelter, medicine and livelihood. But “green lungs�? It is because in this age of climate change adaptation/resilience, they absorb CO2 which travel by air and knows no boundaries. Hence, the string of AHP's is counted among Asean’s most prominent environmental achievements.

The AHP's comprise a category of protected areas conceived for a select group of national parks and nature reserves that have outstanding wilderness and other values.

The Asean Declaration on Heritage Parks and Reserves of 1984 recognized “the uniqueness, diversity and outstanding values of certain national parks and reserves of Asean member states that deserve the highest recognition so that their importance as conservation areas could be appreciated regionally AND INTERNATIONALLY u 4HE IDENTIkED AHP shall be “managed to maintain ecological processes and life support systems; preserve genetic diversity; ensure sustainable utilization of species and ecosystems; and maintain wilderness that have scenic, cultural, educational, research, recreational and tourism values.�

The above-mentioned Asean $ECLARATION CREATED THE kRST GROUP of 10 heritage sites which have now grown in number to 38. The Philippines, with eight, leads in the inscription of its protected areas as Asean heritage parks, while Singapore and Laos have one each.

AMBASSADORS’ CORNER

AMADO S. TOLENTINO, JR. showcase their traditional culture and customs to visitors. — Mts. Iglit-Baco National Park (Philippines) – Stakeholders participate in decision-making of the protected area management board. Park authorities coordinate with tribal communities to curb poaching. — Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve (Singapore) – A master plan strengthens conservation of the wetlands. New facilities include OBSERVATION HIDES COASTAL lOATING decks and educational play area. — Khao Yai National Park (Thailand) – Studies on carrying capacity have been conducted to limit the number of tourists. This would ensure resources are effectively managed and conserved. — Ba Be National Park (Vietnam) – Park managers cooperate closely with local governments to develop strong collaboration in conservation ACTIVITIES "ENEkT SHARING MECHAnisms in ecotourism projects and reforestation activities are in place.

Asean Heritage Parks visĂ -vis World Heritage Sites

Unesco’s World Heritage Sites (WHS) refer to localities designated as the world’s cultural and natural heritage listed in the World Heritage List of the World Heritage Convention (1972).

It covers historical buildings, a natural phenomenon of aesthetic, GEOLOGICAL OR SCIENTIkC IMPORTANCE

or a habitat for threatened plant or animal species. These resources can be naturally occurring made by man or made in interplay between man and nature. The Criteria and categories background was the risk that polFor a protected area to become an lution, tourism, war or general AHP, it must meet the following decay would destroy natural areas, criteria: ecological completeness, archaeological monuments and representativeness, naturalness, cultural resources. Under the 2003 high conservation importance, Asean Declaration on Heritage legally gazetted conservation ar- Parks, on the other hand, AHPs eas, approved management plan, are described as protected areas of transboundary, uniqueness, high high conservation importance preethnological significance, and serving in total a complete specimportance for endangered or trum of representative ecosystem of the Asean region. They should precious biodiversity.

The major categories of AHPs are be given the highest regional recas follows: 1) Natural park – major ognition so that their importance potential for education, recreation as conservation areas would be and ecotourism; 2) Natural reserve appreciated internationally. In – high conservation value but low that regard, common cooperaaccessibility or potential for tour- tion is necessary to conserve and ism and recreation; 3) cultural site manage AHPs for the development – cultural practices symbolize the and implementation of regional concept of community living in har- conservation and management mony with nature; 4) prehistoric site action plans as well as regional – protect essential chapters of evo- mechanisms complementary to lution and prehistory of mankind national efforts to implement in Asean; 5) peace park – straddle conservation measures.

WHS are selected as globally international frontiers or disputed territories where mutually agreed outstanding sites while AHPs are upon management for conservation selected as regionally representacan serve both to protect valuable tive sites. Some sites may merit biodiversity and defuse political ten- recognition under both headings sions as well as promote coopera- but others may not. In fact, some tion between neighboring countries. AHPs are also WHS. Among them: Progress in the management Lorentz National Park and Sumatra’s Gunung Leuser National Park of some AHPs: — Tasek Marimbun Heritage (Indonesia); Sarawak’s Gunung Park (Brunei Darussalam) – Na- Mulu National Park and Kinabalu ture interpretation trails for aware- National Park (Malaysia); and the ness and camera traps have been Philippines’ Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park and Mt. Hamiguitan Range installed to monitor wildlife. — Preah Monivong (Bokor) Wildlife Sanctuary.

The Asean Center for Biodiversity National Park (Cambodia) – A portion of the park has been (ACB) located at UP Los Baùos, placed under community control Laguna, serves as the secretariat of SO THAT COMMUNITIES CAN BENEkT the AHP program. As a permanent regional center of excellence, it helps from conservation activities. — Kerinci-Seblat National strengthen the capacity of member Park (Indonesia) – Activities to states to formulate and coordinate monitor and control forest dis- biodiversity-related policy, strategy turbance have been strengthened and action. The ACB’s capacity develby routine patrols, intelligence opment program includes conducting operations and integrated patrols workshops on parks management, ecotourism, transboundary protected with other agencies. — Namha National Protected area management, wildlife law enArea (Lao PDR) – The place is forcement, biodiversity information known for its eco-guide services that management and addressing gaps in include forest trekking, river trips terrestrial and marine protected areas. and village homestays. — Gunung Mulu National Park Before joining the Philippine for(Malaysia) – Park management eign service, the author was director introduced a licensed park guiding of the Environmental Management Bureau (DENR) and concurrent system for park guides. — Hkakaborazi National Park COORDINATOR !SEAN 3ENIOR /FkCIALS (Myanmar) – The park features a on the Environment. It was during botanical garden and park manage- his incumbency Asean issued its ment works closely with hilltribes to Declaration on Heritage Parks.

A6

Opinion

˜ The Manila Times

w w w.manilatimes.net

SATURDAY April 6, 2019

Castrillo’s dream

I

SAID in my last column that sometimes I did not understand Eduardo Castrillo’s most recent monuments. As I read more about his art, I realized why. As I said, his pieces like “The Spirit of 1896� (also known as “The Spirit of Pinaglabanan�), “The Bantayog ng mga Bayani� and even the “People Power Monument,� were more about the spirit of a nation and its history and not much about personalities. Before he died on May 18, 2016, he was able to build monuments to Cardinal Jaime Sin, Cory Aquino and Ninoy Aquino. Aside from abstract interpretations of their spirit more than accurate representations, I realized that, for me, the “Tatak Castrillo� is more of storytelling than portraitmaking. To put it more clearly, I am not used to seeing Castrillo monuments of heroes without

artists and craftsmen in realizing a unique monument to greatness.�

National Parks Executive DirecTOR !NTONIO %VANGELISTA kRST CONsulted Ed in 1989. The artist then proceeded to work on his garden of masterpieces. A bas relief by Castrillo welcomes the visitor deother people or elements. !S ) SAID LAST WEEK MY kRST #AS- picting the most important stages trillo was “The Martyrdom of Dr. OF 2IZAL S LIFE 4HE lAME AND *OSÂź 2IZAL u WHICH ) kRST SAW WHEN the moth; 2) scholastic brilliance; I was 11 years old in 1995. Built 3) the internationally sought-after on the site of the historic execution eye doctor; 4) the man of science by firing squad of the national and art; 5) the First Filipino; and hero (used to be marked only by a 6) the exile. The memorial inside simple stone), the Castrillo statues HAS BRONZE kGURES DIVIDED INTO were enhanced by narration by seven clusters: 1) “the trialâ€? shows Lamberto Avellana, “Bagumbayan, Rizal being accused of rebellion Field of Martyrdom,â€? and other and sedition in a mock trial; 2) landscape and light and sound “the last meetingâ€? shows Rizal artists. President Cory Aquino, bidding farewell to his mother in the original souvenir program and sisters; 3) “the last farewellâ€? of the inauguration on Dec. 30, shows Rizal writing his last poem 1991, described the project as in a cell in Fort Santiago; 4) “Rizal “an inspiration that has served to and Josephineâ€? shows Rizal with unite the creative minds of many his wife Josephine Bracken for the

WALKING HISTORY MICHAEL “XIAO� CHUA

last time; 5) the “death march� shows Rizal walking with his hands bound from Fort Santiago, through the Postigo Gate to the place of execution; 6) “taking the pulse� shows Rizal calmly accepting his fate as a military doctor kNDS THE PULSE OF THE CONVICTED normal; and finally, 7) a larger than life centerpiece called “the execution� in which Rizal falls as HE WAS SHOT BY THE kRING SQUAD ‡ A kNAL GOODBYE TO THE NATION You see, it was a tribute to Rizal but even if it was modern and interpretative, Rizal was not taken out of his context — his last days, his trial, his family and his executioners. With this, his heroism was highlighted more.

It was he same with Castrillo’s 1998 Andres Bonifacio monument, which is actually a sculptural mural depicting Bonifacio’s whole struggles in life and the people who collaborated with him in

Busting the veracity of pre-election surveys

E

LECTION surveys, technically known as election polls, are a human research survey of public voting preferences from a particular sample.

Properly crafted election polls are designed to extract the voting preferences of a population in response to a series of questions. Naturally, the election poll should likewise be conducted “properly.�

According to the Pew Research Center, determining voter preference among the candidates runNING FOR OFkCE WOULD APPEAR TO be a relatively simple task: Just ask them who they are going to vote for on Election Day. In fact, differences in how this question is asked and where it is placed in the questionnaire can affect the results. While most voters have usually made up their minds and are not likely to be affected by how the question is posed, many people have given less thought to the campaign or are genuinely ambivalent about the choices.

For these voters, certain features of the question (and options for answers) can make a difference.

Let us take an example. What is your color preference when it comes to cars? According to a study by American paint company PPG Industries Inc., customers around the world are still partial to white for their cars of choice, whether it’s a sedan, a luxury car, an SUV or even a sports car. In Asia-Pacific, including the Philippines, white is still the most preferred at 44 percent.

Black is second at 16 percent, natural and silver both at 10 percent, and gray at 7 percent.

What will be the results if a survey on car color preference will be conducted in the Philippines and the selection of answers will be limited to the following colors — red, blue, black, silver and gray (to the exclusion of white)? Obvi-

ALL INSIGHT

AL S. VITANGCOL 3RD ously, the survey results will be inaccurate because one of the most preferred color, white, is missing in the list of choices. This is what is happening in the election polls conducted in this country.

Factors affecting election polls The reliability and accuracy of the election survey is affected by several factors — the sample size, the margin of error and the confidence level, among others.

One of the most frequent problems in statistical analysis is the determination of the appropriate sample size. The correct sample size is very important because it validates the accuracy of the results. If the sample size is too small, it will not yield valid results. An appropriate sample size can produce accuracy of results.

Moreover, the results from the small sample size will always be questionable. As a rule of thumb, the bigger the sample size, the more accurate the results.

The margin of error is the positive and negative deviation allowed on the survey results for the sample. Or, in other words, the deviation between the opinions of the respondents and the opinion of the entire population. So, if the margin of error is 5 percent, then it is likely that the results of the survey will be correct from 85 percent (90 percent minus 5 percent) to 95 percent (90 percent plus 5 percent). For extremely close election races this is not acceptable. The margin of error should be set to 1 percent.

The confidence level shows how often the percentage of the

population actually lies within the boundaries of the margin of error. Suppose the 95 percent confidence level is chosen (which is pretty much standard in quantitative research, but not in closely contested election surveys), then 95 percent of the time, between 85 percent and 95 percent, the choice of the actual population will mimic that of the survey results. However, this is not acceptable for closely contested elections. In this instance the confidence level should be set to 99 percent.

The most important factor to consider in conducting “honest and truthful� election polls is the method of sampling. For election polls it should be stratified sampling and not simply random sampling. Stratified sampling is a probability sampling technique wherein the researcher divides the entire population into different subgroups or strata, then randomly selects the final subjects proportionally from the different strata. It is important to note that the strata must be nonoverlapping. Having overlapping subgroups will grant some individuals higher chances of being selected as subject. This completely negates the concept of stratified sampling as a type of probability sampling. Equally important is the fact that the researcher must use simple probability sampling within the different strata.

Election polls are erroneous In my research (I always do a thorough research before sitting down to write a piece), I found an excellent paper published in the Annual Review of Statistics and Its Application , Vol. 5:1-24 (March 2018). It is titled “Election Polls — A Survey, A Critique and Proposals� written by

Ron S. Kenett (Technion-Israel Institute of Technology), Danny Pfeffermann (Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Department of Statistics), and David M. Steinberg (Tel Aviv University, Department of Statistics and Operations Research).

The published paper confirmed my observations and theories. The paper established that election surveys “have been under severe criticism because of apparent gaps between their outcomes and election results.�

The basis used in the paper were survey election poll performances in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada and Israel.

A widely publicized failure of opinion polling to date in the US was the prediction that Thomas Dewey would defeat Harry S. Truman in the 1948 US presidential elections. Major polling organizations, including Gallup and Roper, indicated a landslide victory for Dewey. Election polls widely predicted that Donald Trump would lose the 2016 US presidential election to former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. Yet, Donald Trump was elected the 45th President of the United States.

Why are there gaps between the survey firms’ outcomes and election results? Simple answer — the election polls were conducted using a margin of error greater than 1 percent, a confidence level other than 99 percent, a very small sample size (e.g. 1,200 to 1,800), and random probability sampling instead of stratified sampling.

According to the leading survey firms here in the Philippines, their election polls are accurate. Busted!

allinsight.manilatimes@gmail.com www.facebook.com/All.Insight.Manila.Times

Q SAMONTE FROM A5

The what incarnate?

But the astute politician that Lacson is, and, again, a military strategist at that, he perforce recognizes that a formidable hindrance to one’s presidential ambition is the strong potential of a federal government coming into place between today and the elections of 2022.

Drive toward federalism Notice the silence of President Duterte on the budget measure impasse. It’s the sound of that silence that’s truly ringing strong.

It sends the signal that the wheeling and dealing by Lacson, Sotto et al as regards the budget ultimately targets a derailment of his entire Build! Build! Build! initiative. And impairing the President’s grandiose infrastructure program by crippling the budget for it can — and will — ultimately frustrate President Duterte’s obstinate drive toward federalism which he sees as the most effective way of solving the

many ills of the country.

Such must be the objective of anybody wishing to succeed President Duterte come 2022 — frustrate federalism now.

To be candid about it, the fastest way President Duterte can bring about federalism as he perceives it, is to gain control of the Senate. With reportedly eight Duterte allies already in place in the upper house, he should need nine more to achieve a two-thirds plus one — what the Constitution requires in order to pass an amendment for turning the present presidential form of government into a federal one.

As for the House of Representatives, Speaker Gloria Macapagal Arroyo has been put in place and is now well ensconced — ready to strike the magic wand.

Vengeance is mine For Senator Lacson, the case must be that if this develop-

ment is allowed to go unhindered, not only will it allow an arch enemy to soar back to power but also to frustrate one more time his own private obsession for the presidency.

In a past column, I wrote: “No political wound is deep enough unless you are an Aquino,� the allusion being to the Aquino-Marcos rivalry. This time around, I feel constrained to rephrase the words this way: “No political wound is deep enough, too, unless you are a Lacson.� The allusion surely is to the 2004 presidential elections when Lacson got a terrible trouncing by the pretty, petite GMA. I could feel Lacson’s hurt, but not his vengeance. That, says the Scriptures, is the Lord’s.

For the former president, rising again to the pinnacle of political power could be a done deal as early as when she deposed Pantaleon Alvarez as Speaker of the House at the SONA event last year. Political

pundits are one in perceiving GMA leading the government as prime minister come 2022.

Is it any wonder then that Senator Lacson could be moving heaven and earth to truly damn Gloria this early? The itemizations — done in good faith by the Lower House for a corruptionless, orderly apportioning of the general allotments among the various recipients of the budget — has given the guy just the kind of reason to keep on slamming the lady evidently to perdition.

To wit, although on March 26, Senate President Sotto finally endorsed with his signature the enrolled budget bill for the President’s signature, Senator Lacson lost no time in announcing to the media that he would elevate the matter to the Supreme Court if President Duterte does not veto those items in the budget that he deems unconstitutional.

The senator is getting desperate.

creating the nation. Bonifacio was not taken out of his context.

Castrillo’s daughter, Ovvian Castrillo-Hill, an internationally recognized sculptor in her own right, told me that in her father’s interviews you will hear from him his passion for the themes of God and country: “Yes. Sa art niya, lamang ang konsepto, technique at (baduy as it sounds, ha ha ha!), puso.â€? But it must be said that more than that, foremost also in the making of his art was public safety. In one conversation, Castrillo said that even if he was underpaid millions in the construction of the People Power monument, HE STILL DID NOT SACRIkCE THE QUALITY of the monument, “Hindi ko na binago ang kontrata kasi ito’y para sa atin‌Pag gumawa ka ng monumentong ganyan, yung hindi mo nakikita yun ang pinakamahal dun e tulad ng building,‌yung foundation ang mahal niyan. Hindi

mo nakikita iyon. Sa EDSA mga trailer ang dumadaan dyan (hand gestures the ground violently shaking), open area, pag yan naglindol at nagbagyo, isipin mo kung sino ang masasaktan.� Adds Ovvian: “ May mga reinforcement lahat yan, tested na mga gawa ni Papa.

Decades na yung public art niya.�

I said that Botong Francisco’s Philippine History murals had an equivalent in Ed Castrillo’s. Ovvian showed that it was actually his dream project to have sculptural mural that would show the whole of Philippine history, “Ed Castrillo’s Ang Ginintuang Kasaysayan ng Lahing Pilipino.�

His children, Mierro, Nixxio and Ovvian, were left with the plans and they are only waiting for the government or any individual willing to fund it.

Castrillo dreamed to make it, I now dream to see it, hopefully. May someone make a way to see it done.

Ambitions are affordable for Asia and the Pacific the planet protected.

Most of this investment is needed to protect and nurture BANGKOK, Thailand: Three years of people and the planet. Making implementation of the transfor- a better world for our people mative 2030 Agenda for Sustain- by ending poverty and hunger able Development in Asia and and meeting health and educaTHE 0ACIkC SHOWS THE REGION HAS tion Goals requires some $698 billion per year. Protecting some catching up to do.

Despite much progress, the our planet by promoting clean region is not on track to reach energy and climate action and the 17 Sustainable Development living in harmony with nature Goals set out in the United Na- requires $590 billion per year. tions 2030 Agenda for Sustain- Another $196 billion per year able Development. We are living is needed to invest in improving in a time of booming prosperity, transport and ICT infrastructure yet many are getting left behind. as well as access to water and Basic needs, such as the freedom sanitation services.

Of course, in a region as difor all from hunger and poverty, ill-health and gender-based dis- verse as ours, investment needs crimination, and equal opportu- vary considerably. Least develnity for all are elusive. Economic, oped countries need to invest the social and planetary well-being most at 16 percent of GDP while has a price tag. Calculations by South and South-West Asia has the United Nations Economic an investment need of 10 percent and Social Commission for Asia of GDP to reach the Goals by and the Pacific (Escap) show 2030. More than two-thirds of that it is mostly affordable for the investment in these countries WILL BE IN REDUCING SOCIAL DEkCITS the region. — poverty, malnutrition, lack of healthcare and education as well Realizing ambitions as job creation. Landlocked debeyond growth veloping countries need to invest What will it take to realize the most in improving transport and ambitious 2030 Agenda focused ICT infrastructure as well as water on strengthening the three pillars and sanitation services. East and North-East Asia and, to a lesser of sustainable development?

The 2019 edition of the Escap’s degree, South-East Asia, need to lAGSHIP PUBLICATION Economic focus on clean energy and cliand Social Survey for Asia and mate action investment.

THE 0ACIkC is asking for the region to raise ambitions beyond mere Paying the bill economic growth. Countries facing high and growing levels It should be remembered that of inequality and environmental the Goals support each other and degradation will have to change an investment in one area has a course from pursuing a growth positive effect on another. Good path that neglects people and health depends not only on access to healthcare services but also nuthe planet.

The 2019 Survey forecasts con- trition, safe water, sanitation and tinuing robust growth in the good air quality. Education for all region, which remains the engine also promotes gender equality. Reof the world economy. Amid rising SOURCE EFkCIENCY SUPPORTS CLIMATE global uncertainty that challenges change mitigation.

Besides harnessing these synTHE !SIA 0ACIkC REGION S ECONOMIC dynamism, there is a need for ergies, sustainable development investments that not only sustain financing strategies will have growth but also build social and to turn to public and private kNANCE 4HE GOOD NEWS IS THAT environmental capital.

Escap analysis shows the re- most countries in the region have gion needs to invest an addi- THE kSCAL SPACE TO INVEST IN THE tional $1.5 trillion every year to Goals. There is also a massive unreach the Goals by 2030. This is TAPPED POOL OF PRIVATE kNANCIAL equivalent to about 5 percent assets estimated at $51 trillion of the region’s GDP in 2018, IN DEVELOPING !SIA 0ACIkC COUNor about 4 percent of the an- tries alone. Enhanced regional nual average GDP for the period cooperation would also help the region offset external risks and 2016–2030.

At $1 per person per day, this build resilience by tapping into investment is worthwhile. It could regional resources.

Above all, leadership will be end extreme poverty and malnutrition for more than 400 million crucial in making the transition people. A quality education for ev- to a development strategy that ery child and youth would become balances all dimensions of hupossible, as would basic healthcare man and planetary well-being. The for all. Better access to transport, 2019 Survey aims to stimulate a information and communications regional dialogue and offers guidtechnology (ICT) as well as water ance on accelerating progress toand sanitation could be ensured. wards the Goals in the region. IPS Universal access to clean and modern energy, as well as energy- Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana is EFkCIENT TRANSPORT BUILDINGS AND United Nations Under-Secretaryindustry could be achieved. Cli- General and Executive Secretary mate and disaster-resilient infra- of the United Nations Economic structure could be built. Resources and Social Commission for Asia could be used more effectively, and AND THE 0ACIkC Escap).

BYÂ ARMIDA SALSIAH ALISJAHBANA

Regions

˜ The Manila Times w w w.manilatimes.net

SATURDAY April 6, 2019

A7

WOUNDED SAYYAF MALAYSIAN HOSTAGE RECOVERED ZAMBOANGA CITY: A Malaysian hostageD by the Abu Sayyaf Group(ASG)was shot and wounded following a firefight between pro-Islamic State bandits and government troops on Simisa Island off the province of Sulu.

Troops recovered Jari bin Abdullah, 24, on Simisa Island where security forces had enGAGED 3AYYAF kGHTERS UNDER .AJIR Arik in sporadic clashes since last month.

Abdullah was recovered on Thursday afternoon, but the Western Mindanao Command only rePORTED IT ON &RIDAY )N A CONlICTING report, it claimed Abdullah was retrieved by Marines who were pursuing the ASG gunmen, but

the military said that the hostage was shot by his captors while escaping. It was unclear whether soldiers saw the bandits shooting Abdullah. “Troops from the Philippine Marine Ready Force Sulu retrieved Jari Bin Abdullah near the Abu Sayyaf’s route of withdrawal, 15 minutes after troops engaged THE MILITANTS UNDER .AJIR !RIK on Simisa Island,� the Western Mindanao Command said in a statement.

It added: “The Joint Task Force Sulu, under Brig. Gen. Divino Rey Pabayo Jr., said Abdullah managed to escape, but was shot by his captors before he was secured by the troops.�

It also quoted Pabayo as say-

12-hr brownout hits Tarlac this Saturday TARLAC CITY: Residents of this city will have to sweat it out this Saturday as a 12-hour brownout is expected to affect at least 55 of the 76 barangay (villages).

Some areas of two other villages serviced by the Tarlac Electric Inc. would also be affected by the power interruption. !CCORDING TO THE .ATIONAL 'RID

Corp. of the Philippines, the power outages will be caused by the annual preventive maintenance of Luisita Industrial Park sub-station, including the various distribution line works in the said area and in PARTS OF "ARANGAY 3AN .ICOLAS AND the commissioning of 69kilovolts disconnector switch in Barangay Maligaya. JERRY M. HERNANDEZ

4 slain, 8 PNP officers wounded in Lanao ops MARAWI CITY: 4HREE OF THE kVE WANTed for murder and one civilian caught in crossfire, were killed during a police operation in Madamba town, southwest part of Lanao del Sur, police said.

Eight police officers were wounded, while one was reported MISSING AFTER THE kREkGHT Col. Madzgani Mukaram, Lanao DEL 3UR 0OLICE 0ROVINCIAL /FkCE chief, said police operatives were serving an arrest warrant against Usop Malubay Abdulazis; Abdulazis Macalantas Abomay; Zainodin Moro Macalantas Ameril; Alican Macabuntal, alias MkigUsman; and Usman Barating Macabuntal for murder issued by Branch 10 of the Regional Trial Court in Lanao DEL 3UR WHEN THE kREkGHT ENSUED between the operatives and the suspects.

Residents, however, related a different version of the incident.

Salic Mangompia Mai posted on social media that his relatives in Barangay Ilian were awaken by BURST OF GUNkRE AT ABOUT A M When they looked out they saw police mobile cars.

It was learned that some of those served with arrest warrant were members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) but the police did not coordinate with the Government of the Philippines-

MILF Coordinating committee.

0OLICE IDENTIkED THE SLAIN SUSpects as Abdulazis, Ameril, Macabuntal and Casara Macalatas, who was not included in the arrest warrant.

7OUNDED POLICE OFkCERS WERE identified as Capt. Glen Lyka Gevero, Capt. Mark Harry Boglosa, Senior Master Sgt. Marlon Panitan, Staff Sgt. Magno Olete, Staff Sgt. .IĂ„O #ADANO #ORPORAL #PL Ronald Rosco, Cpl. Omar Masakal and Patrolman Arnel Montallana.

Cpl. Gilbert Males was reported to be still missing as of the latest count on Thursday.

Mukaram said the law enforcers WERE MET BY A VOLLEY OF kRE FROM HIGH CALIBER OF kREARMS FROM THE suspects as they approached the area, which triggered an armed confrontation.

Recovered from the slain susPECTS THREE - 2IlES AN - Grenade Launcher, seven short magazines, two long magazines, and 102 live M16 ammunition.

"RIG 'EN 'RACIANO -IJAris, police regional director of Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, visited the wounded police at the hospital and awarded them the Medalya ng Sugatang Magiting.

MASIDING NOOR YAHYA AND ROY D.R. NARRA

ing: “The act of shooting the kidnap victim is indicative of the Abu Sayyaf’s hopelessness and desperateness as the militants are now surrounded by our pursuing troops. The Armed Forces of the Philippines in Sulu is now more motivated to hunt down these terrorists.�

The military said Abdullah was airlifted by a helicopter to a military hospital in Jolo.

Lt. Gen. Arnel de la Vega, chief of the Western Mindanao Command, said the ASG was still holding several hostages on the forested island and soldiers were deployed in Simisa to rescue the captives. “Marine troops continue their pursuit and offensives to run down militants and rescue captives

Q AÂ military photo shows Malaysian hostage Jari bin Abdullah who was shot during a clash between Abu Sayyaf bandits and government troops on Simisa Island off Sulu province.

on the island. Troops maximize combat and intelligence build-up to track down and close in on evading terrorists, delivering deliberate operations to ensure the safety of kidnap victims on Simisa Island,� he said.

The ASG had previously threatened to execute Abdullah along WITH TWO OTHER )NDONESIAN kSHERS Heri Ardiansyah, 19, and Hariadin, 45, if their governments or employer fail to pay ransom running into millions of pesos.

The captors also phoned AbdulLAH S WIFE .ADIN *UNIANTI IN February telling her that no Malaysian authorities or negotiators had contacted them to secure her husband’s release.

The gunmen said that her hus-

4 ASG, 3 soldiers killed in Sulu clash

BY AL JACINTO AND DEMPSEY REYES

Z

AMBOANGA CITY: Fresh fighting between pro-Isamic State militants and government troops erupted on Friday in Pakitul, Sulu, killing four members of the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) and three soldiers, with more than 20 wounded.

Lt. Col. Gerard Monfort, spokesman for the Philippine Army’s 11th Infantry Division, said the 5th Scout Ranger Battalion clashed with about 80 ASG gunmen under notorious commander (AJAN 3AWADJAAN AT 3ITIO

Atol, Barangay Latih in Patikul. g(EAVY kREkGHT ENSUED WHICH resulted in the wounding of 13 rangers and the death of three others, while casualties on the enemy side are yet to be determined. FirekGHT CONTINUES AS OF THIS REPORT u

said an earlier bulletin of the Western Mindanao Command.

But the latest update said the clashes, which lasted for about 30 minutes, also resulted in the death of four terrorists and the wounding of nine others.

4HE RECENT kGHTING CAME A DAY after Malaysian hostage Jari bin Abdullah, 24, was shot and woundED DURING A kREkGHT BETWEEN TROOPS and the bandits on Simisa Island off Banguingui town, about 5,100 kilometers away from Patikul. (See related story above.)

Marines recovered Abdullah and was brought to a military base in Jolo, but his condition remained

THE family of the reportedly abducted businessman who was identified with slain Tanauan Mayor Antonio Halili offered a P1-million reward for information that would lead to his safe return.

The announcement came two days after a group of 13 masked men, believed to be police officers, “abducted� Allan Fajardo, former head of the Mayor's Action Group of Tanauan City under Halili, and his driver Ricky Atienza while having dinner at Seda Hotel in Nuvali, Sta. Rosa, Laguna on Wednesday.

Fajardo’s wife, Noreen Amor, during a media conference on Friday said her husband had no standing warrant of arrest and was not facing any pending criminal case.

But in August 2018, his legal counsel Ferdinand Topacio wrote Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Oscar Albayalde asking him to order an investigation into the alleged crime group to which the regional police in Calabarzon (Calamba, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon) had linked him. They also appealed for protection against perceived threats to his life.

A copy of the letter obtained by The Manila Times ,

said certain members of the Batangas Provincial Police Office falsely implicated Fajardo as the supposed head of a criminal organization dubbed as “Fajardo Group� involved in “gun-for-hire and illegal drugs.�

Topacio said the accusations and harassment on the businessman caused an animosity between Fajardo and some officials of the PNP-Batangas.

Topacio added that Fajardo also filed a case before the Office of the Ombudsman against “more or less 200 policemen� from Calabarzon who raided his house alleging that he was part of a private armed group.

Noreen Amor said their family was supposed to migrate abroad this Saturday because of “many threats� her husband had been receiving.

She also filed a complaint before the National Bureau of Investigation-Special Action Unit on Thursday.

CATHERINE A. MODESTO

APPEAL Noreen Amor Fajardo, wife of missing businessman Allan Fajardo, aired an emotional appeal for the safe return of her husband who was reported abducted by masked men on Wednesday. PHOTO BY DJ DIOSINA

Q Senate aspirant Christopher Lawrence ‘Bong’ Go (inset) assures people of Palawan of help for infrastrute projects to boost tourism industry in the province. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO 4HE PROJECT ESTIMATED TO COST about P30 billion, will include the expansion of the two-lane national highway into six lanes THAT TRAVERSE %L .IDO TOWN IN THE north to Bataraza town in the south, spanning 600 kilometers of

unknown.

The ASG previously threatened to execute Abdullah along with TWO OTHER )NDONESIAN kSHERS (ERI Ardiansyah, 19, and Hariadin, 45, if their governments or employer fail to pay ransom running into millions of pesos.

Monfort said the wounded had been evacuated by Philippine Air Force plane to Kuta Heneral Bautista Station Hospital in Jolo.

He added that the soldiers suffered minor wounds from shrapnel and were now in stable condition, while the rest of Joint Task Force Sulu were pursuing the lEEING BANDITS

P1M offered for ‘missing’ anti-drug czar

Bong Go backs infrastructure projects for Palawan TAYTAY, Palawan: Former special assistant to the President (SAP) Christopher Lawrence “Bong�

Go on Thursday said he would support the government’s infraSTRUCTURE PROJECTS TO HELP BOOST the tourism industry of the province Palawan. g) WILL SUPPORT THE ONGOING PROJects of the administration, especially the ‘Build Build Build’ program,� Go said at the municipal theater here during a recent visit. “We want Palawan to have better roads to make travel more convenient for the locals, as well as tourists. With better roads, business will prosper and tourism will boom,� Go said.

4HE INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS IN the province completed under the current administration include the airport in San Vicente town and the P167 million farm-to-market roads in several municipalities. “There is also the superhighway PROJECT THAT WILL MAKE TRAVEL FASTER for both residents and tourists. It will also facilitate the transportation of products throughout Palawan,� Go added.

band would face difficulties if there was no contact from Malaysia. They also asked her for telephone contacts of Malaysian JOURNALISTS 4HE WOMAN HAS REpeatedly appealed to Malaysian authorities to help secure her husband’s release. She said it was the second time the kidnap group had contacted her.

The militants are believed to be holding nearly a dozen captives, mostly foreigners. Sabah Police Commissioner Datuk Omar Mammah said authorities were working with their Philippine counterparts to secure the release of the hostages who were kidnapped at sea off Sandakan in Sabah on Dece. 5, 2018.

AL JACINTO

the entire mainland of Palawan. It was expected to be completed in the next three years. “President Rodrigo Duterte and I have a lot of plans for Palawan in the next three years,� Go said.

He added that he would serve

the people with honesty and integrity, the way he served the President for over 21 years.

Go also said he would push for the Magna Carta for barangay (vilLAGE OFkCIALS SAYING THEY DESERVE dadditional government support

because they were in the forefront of the delivery of services to the people.

The former SAP stressed that one of his top priorities in running for the Senate was to push for improved delivery of health services, noting that many public hospitals lack necessary facilities to deal with the number of patients. “I will work for the institutionalization of the Malasakit Center so that even if President Duterte IS NO LONGER IN OFkCE THE PROGRAM could continue,� he said.

The Malasakit Center makes it more convenient for poor patients TO AVAIL OF MEDICAL AND kNANCIAL assistance from the government by bringing together in one room all concerned government agencies such as the Department of Health, Department of Social Welfare and Development, Philippine Charity 3WEEPSTAKES /FkCE AND 0HILIPPINE Health Insurance Corp. “There is a Malasakit Center here in Palawan. This is the fifth of 34 such centers nationwide,�

Go said.

Red tide up in Davao Oriental, Occidental

THE Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resource (BFAR) has issued a warning against gathering of and eating OF SHELLkSH FROM THE COASTAL WATERS of Davao Oriental and Davao Occidental where red tide toxin was found to be high. )N ITS LATEST SHELLkSH BULLETIN DATED April 4, BFAR said Balite Bay of Mati City in Davao Oriental and the coastal waters of Santa Maria in Davao Occidental had been added to the list of areas found positive of the red tide toxin. g!LL TYPES OF SHELLkSH AND !CETES sp. or alamang gathered from the area shown are not safe for human consumption,� the BFAR advisory said.

In the same bulletin, BFAR said SHELLkSH COLLECTED FROM 3AN 0EDRO Bay in Western Samar; Lianga Bay in Surigao del Sur and the coastal waters of Dauis and Tagbilaran City in Bohol were still positive for paralytic SHELLkSH POISON EIREENE JAIREE GOMEZ

News Duterte wants military to take over NAIA A8

SATURDAY April 6, 2019

BY RALPH U. VILLANUEVA

U

NLESS the situation at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) improves, the military might take over its operations, President Rodrigo Duterte said.

NAIA has been consistently cited as one of the worst airports in the world.

Last year, it was ranked the 6th worst airport in the world.

In a speech during the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan campaign rally in Palawan, Duterte said, “If those in NAIA do not improve, the Air Force will take over. That’s the only way,� Duterte said.

The President’s statement came ahead of the April 30 moratorium the government

gave the “super-consortium,� which is seeking to rehabilitate the airport.

Department of Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade, earlier said that the consortium, made up of AC Infrastructure Holdings, Aboitiz InfraCapital Inc., Alliance Global Group Inc., Asia’s Emerging Dragon Corp., Filinvest Development Corp., JG Summit Holdings )NC AND -ETRO 0ACIkC )NVESTments Corp. keep on delaying their talks.

“The talks have been dragging on. I want to set a cap. By April 30, if we have not come to an agreement, we will do the projects by ourselves,� Tugade told reporters last month. “They say we are delayed. We are not the ones causing the delay. They are the ones calling for extensions as to when we will meet,� he added.

This is not the first time Duterte mulled militarizing ofkCES OF THE GOVERNMENT Last year, he “militarized� the Department of Agriculture as he brought on board a former general, former Philippine Army chief Rolando Bautista. This year, the President appointed three former generals to the department.

Last year, Duterte also said he would “militarize� the Bureau

of Customs as he underlined the need to address the issue of smuggling.

After this pronouncement, Duterte appointed former military chief Rey Guerrero as the new Customs chairman, replacing another former military man, Isidro LapeĂąa, who was transferred to the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority.

Duterte occasionally says that he prefers dealing with military men because they did as they were ordered without question.

In the same speech, Duterte recalled how he asked Guerrero to address the smuggling issue in the country.

He said he ordered Guerrero to replace all guards in the bureau, destroy smuggled vehicles and, ultimately, kill the smugglers.

˜ The Manila Times w w w.manilatimes.net

FOR CENTENARIANS

Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada and Philippine Postal Corp. Chairman Norman Fulgencio present a personalized stamp to Neriza Reyes, a centenarian from Sta. Ana, Manila.

PHOTO BY CATHERINE A. MODESTO

PHLPost honors centenarians THE Philippine Postal Corp. (PHLPost) launched on Friday special stamps for living Filipino centenarians, as part of its 27th anniversary celebration.

The government-owned andcontrolled-corporation issued the first “Filipino Centenarian Special Stamps� to honor three 100-year-old and above senior citizens living in Manila, as endorsed by the Office of Senior Citizens Affairs of Manila.  They are Sabina Pelayo Santos of Tondo, Neriza Castaneda Reyes of Sta. Ana and Encarnacion Vinluan Pedroso of San Miguel.  PHLPost Chairman Norman Fulgencio said: “Living to 100 years old is one of life’s greatest achievements and definitely a milestone worth celebrating with their own picture imprinted on the postage stamp.�

Fulgencio added that it was a “social responsibility� to honor Filipino cente-

narians while they are still alive.  “Their collective wisdom and experience is an inspiration to us all. It is only fitting to treat them with the appreciation and respect they truly deserve,� he said.

PHLPost said in a statement that it would coordinate with other local government units so other centenarians may be given their own customized stamps.

The issuance of the personalized stamps is pursuant to Republic Act 10868, otherwise known as the “Centenarian Act of 2016,� which mandates the government to honor and grant additional benefits and privileges to Filipino centenarians.

The Philippines observes the National Respect for Centenarians’ Day every first Sunday of October and the Elderly Filipino Week from October 1 to 7 of each year.

CATHERINE A. MODESTO

Q PAG-ASA FROM A1

Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines Zhao Jinhua, however, said the Chinese vessels seen near the island were not armed.

4HE 0HILIPPINES HAD kLED A DIPlomatic protest with Beijing over the matter.

But Duterte said he was convinced that the presence of Chinese vessels in Pag-asa “has something to do with the greater game of geopolitics.� “It is not directed to us. And I assure you that if they kill or arrest people there who are Filipinos, then that would be the time that we will have to decide on what to do,� he added.

Duterte acknowledged that China had “gobbled up� the whole of the South China Sea on the belief it owns the territory.

But so far, he pointed out, China had not harmed any Filipino. “Para sa kanila, kanila ‘yan (For them, it’s theirs), so they felt free to roam [there], but they never harmed or arrested any Filipino,�

Duterte said. “We say it’s ours because of the economic zone that is given to us.

Then they say its part of their terriTORY THAT S WHY THERE IS A CONlICT NOT only with us, but with the peripheral countries around the [South] China Sea,� he added.

Since assuming the presidency in 2016, Duterte has sought to downplay Manila’s maritime dispute with Beijing in exchange for improved ties with the world’s second largest economy. $UTERTE HAS ALSO REFUSED TO lAUNT the Philippines’ victory against China in a United Nations-backed arbitration court also in 2016 that invalidated Beijing’s expansive claims to the disputed waters.

WITH AFP

Back off the Manila-held Pag-asa Island. “I will not plead or beg, but I am just telling you to lay off Pag-asa [Island] because I have soldiers there,�

Duterte said. “If you touch it, that’s another story. Then I will tell my soldiers ‘prepare for suicide missions.’�

The President, however, ruled out going to war with China over the territorial row, saying he would work for a “compromise� instead.

He explained that he was not ready to do battle with China and to send government troops to their death. “We go into a compromise for the time being [precisely because], if we go to war or there is a violent CONlICT WE WOULD NEVER WIN AND I would suffer beyond imagination. I would just go there to send my soldiers and policemen to be slaughtered. I am not prepared to do that,� the President said.

Duterte admitted that it would be suicide if the country resorted to use force against China. “Kung gusto natin (If we want), we have two options — we drive them away by force, can we do that?

Unless we want to commit suicide,� the President said. g)F YOU GO TO WAR THE kRST STEP OF China would be to launch its missile in seven minutes [and] it would arrive in Manila before you can make a fourth of your journey to where you want to go,� he added.

Earlier, the military said it had monitored a surge in the number of Chinese vessels around Pag-asa Island this year. The AFP’s Western Command said the vessels were part of China’s maritime militia.

Q PROBING FROM A1

ICC starts

BY THE /FkCE OF THE 0ROSECUTOR Accordingly, your communication will be analyzed in this context, with the assistance of other related communications and other available information,� it said. The letter was signed by Mark Dillon, head of the Information and EviDENCE 5NITY UNDER THE /FkCE OF the Prosecutor. “Analysis will be carried out as expeditiously as possible, but please be aware that meaningful analysis of these factors can take some time,� it said.

On August 28 last year, the NUPL convened families of victims of extrajudicial killings in filing a 50-page complaint addressed to Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda, call-

ing for “an end to madness and for President Duterte, who has likened himself to one of the most evil men in history, to be brought before the ICC and be held to account for crimes against humanity.� )N HIS COMPLAINT kLED ON !PRIL 2017, lawyer Jude Sabio accused $UTERTE AND OTHER OFkCIALS OF committing “mass murder� and “crimes against humanity� in the Philippines.

Meanwhile, NUPL chief Edre Olalia expressed optimism on the progress of the complaints. “We are glad to learn that the process for the inevitable is on track. No leader or government of any country should be able to brazenly violate basic rules of humanity, turn one’s nose up against those who say it’s unacceptable, and then get away with it in perpetuity,� Olalia told The Manila Times.

GLEE JALEA

CURRENCY RATE

Business Times

PSEi 7,873.18 UP 0.24%

P52.10 TO $1

ASIAN STOCKS: S h a n g h a i ( c l o s e d )

V Singapore 0.19%

What’s inside ASEAN BANKS SEEK WIDER USE OF LOCAL CURRENCIES BusinessB2

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FILIPINOS HAVE LOWEST RETIREMENT SAVINGS – POLL BusinessB2

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BDO RAISES P7.3B FROM LTNCDS

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VIVANT 2018 PROFIT UP 24% TO P1.76B

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SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS FLAGS 60% PLUNGE IN Q1 PROFIT Foreign BusinessB4

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B1

www.manilatimes.net

SATURDAY APRIL 6, 2019

V Seoul 0.14%

V To k y o 0 . 3 8 %

W Jakarta 0.32%

Hong Kong (closed)

V Bangkok 0.12%

Easing now more likely as inflation slows to 3.3% H

BY MAYVELIN U. CARABALLO

%!$,).% INlATION SLOWED TO A MONTH LOW OF PERCENT IN -ARCH THE 0HILIPPINE 3TATISTICS !UTHORITY 03! REPORTED ON &RIDAY BOLSTERING THE CHANCES THAT MONETARY AUTHORITIES COULD BEGIN RELAXING POLICY NEXT MONTH

4HE kGURE ‡ DOWN FROM &EBRUARY S PERCENT AND THE LOWEST SINCE $ECEMBER S PERCENT ‡ FELL WITHIN THE "ANGKO 3ENTRAL NG 0ILIPINAS "30 PERCENT FORECAST )T WAS BETTER THAN THE PERCENT

AVERAGE FORECAST IN A Manila Times poll OF ECONOMISTS #ORE INlATION WHICH EXCLUDES SElected food and energy items, eased to PERCENT FROM PERCENT A MONTH EARLIER

sible rise in global crude oil prices PROVIDE UPSIDE PRICE PRESSURES OVER THE NEAR TERM u HE ADDED Diokno also pointed to a potential SLOWDOWN IN DOMESTIC ECONOMIC ACTIVity due to a budget impasse as well as ‘Good news’ continued uncertainty in the global ECONOMIC ENVIRONMENT #ENTRAL BANK 'OVERNOR "ENJAMIN $IOg!GAINST THIS BACKDROP THE "30 WILL kno said the March result was “certainly CONTINUE TO KEEP A CLOSE WATCH OVER GOOD NEWS u BEING CONSISTENT WITH EX- PRICE DEVELOPMENTS IN THE COUNTRY AND PECTATIONS THAT INlATION WOULD END UP SHALL CONSIDER ALL RELEVANT INFORMATION WITHIN TARGET IN AND at its next monetary policy meeting on g(OWEVER THE POSSIBILITY OF A MORE 9 May 2019 to ensure that the monetary SEVERE %L .IĂ„O TOGETHER WITH THE POSÂłInflation B2

9EAR TO DATE CONSUMER PRICE GROWTH kNALLY SETTLED WITHIN THE CENTRAL BANK S PERCENT TARGET AT PERCENT A DEVELOPMENT THAT ANALYSTS HAVE SAID COULD SPUR POLICY EASING

US-China deal in four weeks – Trump PH dollar reserves

hit 29-month high

WASHINGTON, D.C.: President Donald Trump on Thursday (Friday in Manila) said the United States and China were a month from a potentially “epic� trade agreement.

But nine months into the two countries’ trade war, the announcement was anti-climactic as the White House had earlier stoked anticipation that Trump could announce a date for a summit to clinch a final deal with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping.

Global markets had also rallied in recent days, roused by the hope that an end to the skirmish be-

Q China’s Vice Premier Liu He (left) listens as US President Donald Trump speaks during a trade meeting in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington, DC, on April 4, 2019. AFP PHOTO

ÂłTrump B2

PCCI optimistic despite lower economic growth forecasts 4(% business sector remains hopeful that economic growth will remain strong despite SCALED DOWN FORECASTS g7ITH THE POSITIVE FEEDBACK WE HAVE BEEN RECEIVing as indicated by the number of inbound trade AND INVESTMENT MISSIONS WE HAVE BEEN HOSTING WE LOOK FORWARD TO A BETTER YEAR u 0HILIPPINE #HAMber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) President !LEGRIA ,IMJOCO TOLD 4HE -ANILA 4IMES 4HE 7ORLD "ANK 7" AND !SIAN $EVELOPMENT "ANK !$" THIS WEEK CUT THEIR

T

ÂłForecasts B2

Our house is on fire

/$!9 I write about our future, and what little THERE MIGHT BE LEFT OF IT In October 2018, the 5NITED .ATIONS )NTERGOVernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) issued an alarm calling for action to reduce carbon emissions by at least 50 percent in 11 years’ TIME #ARBON EMISSIONS A MAJOR FACTOR behind global warming, reached an all-time HIGH IN 7ITHOUT DRASTIC MEASURES TO contain carbon emissions, the rise in temPERATURE COULD EXCEED DEGREES #ELSIUS

BY WITH DIRE IRREVERSIBLE CONSEQUENCES

I

0HILIPPINE GROWTH FORECASTS TO PERCENT

FROM PERCENT AND PERCENT RESPECTIVELY

DUE TO BUDGET APPROVAL DELAYS AN ONGOING %L .IĂ„O AND A GLOBAL ECONOMIC SLOWDOWN “The trimming of the growth forecast is understandable considering the downward risks w AS MENTIONED u ,IMJOCO SAID The PCCI, she claimed, has been busy meetING WITH POSSIBLE FOREIGN INVESTORS IN A BID TO sealing deals and partnerships that could prop

FOR MOST LIVING BEINGS /UR children and grandchildren WILL FACE RISING SEA LEVELS AND MORE SEVERE STORMS lOODS

ROBERT SIY droughts, famine, and epiDEMICS AND MORE 3IR 2ICHARD !TTENBOROUGH

who has shared the wonders of the natural WORLD IN NUMEROUS AWARD WINNING VIDEO documentaries, issued a stern warning at the 5 . #LIMATE #HANGE SUMMIT IN $ECEMBER 2018: “If we don’t take action, the collapse of OUR CIVILIZATIONS AND THE EXTINCTION OF MUCH OF THE NATURAL WORLD IS ON THE HORIZON u

MOBILITY MATTERS

ÂłMobility B3

Career hunting tips for fresh graduates

T is graduation season again and many young Filipinos will begin searching FOR THEIR kRST CAREERS (AVING experienced career hunting TWICE m ONCE AS A UNIVERsity student and another as A MASTER S GRADUATE ) HAVE EXPERIENCED THE FRUSTRATIONS NERVES AND PAINS OF CAREER HUNTING !T THE SAME TIME AS A HIRING MANAGER IN A DYNAMIC COMPANY ) HAVE kRST HAND EXPERIENCE of what it is like to be on the other end of the APPLICATION PROCESS "EING ON THE HIRING SIDE OF THINGS HAS GIVEN ME A NEW PERSPECTIVE ON HOW COMPETITIVE THE APPLICATION PROCESS FOR

POSITIONS IS &OR EXAMPLE IN the past three months it has TAKEN ME +ALIBRR PROkLES TO kND PROSPECTIVE CANDIDATES AND TO MAKE ONE HIRE Candidates need as much help as possible to increase their chances of being accepted into a comPANY 4HE FOLLOWING TIPS SHOULD HELP YOUNG PROFESSIONALS IN PURSUIT OF THEIR DESIRED CAREERS

SME FIRST CIRCLE

JAIME ZULUETA

Prepare a well-crafted resume ! BEAUTIFUL RESUME IS THE kRST STEP IN LANDING A

ÂłSME B2

4(% 0HILIPPINES GROSS INTERNATIONAL RESERVES ')2 ROSE TO A MONTH HIGH OF BILLION IN -ARCH A DEVELOPMENT THE "ANGKO 3ENTRAL NG 0ILIPINAS "30 attributed to its foreign exchange OPERATIONS AND INVESTMENT INCOME plus foreign currency deposits by THE GOVERNMENT 4HE kGURE ‡ THE LARGEST SINCE /CTOBER S BILLION ‡ WAS ALSO PERCENT AND PERCENT HIGHER RESPECTIVELY FROM February and a year ago, preliminary data released on Friday SHOWED The month-on-month increase WAS DUE gMAINLY TO INlOWS ARISING FROM THE NATIONAL GOVERNMENT S net foreign currency deposits,

"30 S FOREIGN EXCHANGE OPERATIONS AND INCOME FROM ITS INVESTMENTS ABROAD u THE CENTRAL BANK SAID IN A STATEMENT These were partially tempered

BY NATIONAL GOVERNMENT PAYMENTS for foreign exchange obligations AS WELL AS REVALUATION LOSSES FROM THE "30 S GOLD HOLDINGS AS GLOBAL PRICES OF THE METAL FELL 4HE LATEST RESERVE LEVEL WAS ENOUGH TO COVER MONTHS WORTH of imports, the same buffer as in &EBRUARY BUT LOWER THAN THE MONTHS POSTED A YEAR EARLIER )T WAS ALSO EQUIVALENT TO FIVE TIMES THE country’s short-term external obligaTIONS DUE WITHIN ONE YEAR AND TIMES BASED ON RESIDUAL MATURITY

ÂłHigh B2

B2

Business Times

˜ The Manila Times w w w.manilatimes.net

SATURDAY April 6, 2019

Asean banks seek wider use of local currencies &

BY MAYVELIN U. CARABALLO

OUR CENTRAL BANKS IN THE !SSOCIATION OF 3OUTHEAST !SIAN .ATIONS !SEAN HAVE TAKEN THE INITIAL STEP IN SETTING UP A LOCAL CURRENCY SETTLEMENT FRAMEWORK

of Thailand had also agreed to start exploring the possibility of expanding the scope of their existing local currency settlement FRAMEWORK “The greater use of local currencies in settlement of trade and other areas is aimed at reducing the transaction costs and foreign exchange risks particularly amidst THE CURRENT VOLATILITY FACED BY CURRENCIES IN ADVANCED ECONOMIES u THEY SAID The central banks further said that wider use of local currencies IN THE !SEAN %CONOMIC #OMMU-

nity would enhance economic AND kNANCIAL INTEGRATION AS WELL AS SPUR FURTHER DEVELOPMENT OF foreign exchange and financial MARKETS IN THE REGION ,ASTLY THEY VIEW THE ,/) SIGNING AS A WELCOME DEVELOPMENT TOWARD GREATER kNANCIAL INTEGRAtion in the region following the expansion of similar arrangeMENTS LAUNCHED IN NAMELY the memoranda of understandING CONCLUDED BETWEEN "ANK )NDONESIA AND "ANK .EGARA -ALAYSIA AND BETWEEN "ANK )NDONESIA AND "ANK OF 4HAILAND

)N A JOINT STATEMENT THE "ANGKO 3ENTRAL NG 0ILIPINAS "30 "ANK )NDONESIA "ANK .EGARA -ALAYSIA AND "ANK OF 4HAILAND SAID THEY signed three pairs of bilateral letTERS OF INTENT ,/)S FOR THE FRAMEWORK g4HE THREE ,/)S REPRESENT THE

concrete efforts of the four central banks in promoting their mutual interests by the potential establishment of local currency settlement frameworks among THEM u THEY STRESSED The monetary authorities added THAT "ANK )NDONESIA AND "ANK

Q HIGH FROM B1

Power consumption up 5.7% in 2018

PH dollar

ELECTRICITY consumption in the Philippines climbed by 5.7 percent to 99,765 gigawatt hours (GWh) in 2018, the Department of Energy (DoE) said.

In its 2018 Power Statistics report released on Thursday, the DoE said this was higher than the 94,370 GWh registered in 2017.

Among the three regions in the country, power use reached 73,502 GWh in Luzon; 13,491 GWh in Visayas and 12,769 GWh in Mindanao.

The residential sector consumed electricity the most at 28,261 GWh, followed by industrial sector, 27,587 GWh, and commercial sector, 24,016 GWh. In terms of installed capacity, coal remained the country’s leading source of energy last year at 8,844 megawatts (MW), up 9.9-percent from 8,049 MW in 2017. Renewable energy (RE) came in second at 7,227 MW, up 2.1 percent from 7,079MW. Among RE sources, hydro topped the list at 3,701 MW. Geothermal came next at 1,944 MW and solar at 896 MW. Wind and biomass hit 427 MW and 258 MW, respectively.

Oil-based sources climbed 3.3 percent to 4,292 MW from 4,153 MW while natural gas slightly rose to 3,453 MW from 3,447 MW. This brought total installed capacity to 23,815 MW as of end-2018 against 22,728 MW in the preceding year, of which coal accounted for 39.4 percent.

The DoE is expecting 6,398 MW of power generating capacity to be added to the grid this year, based on its latest list of committed power projects.

Coal-fired power plants topped the list with an estimated addition of 5,085 MW, mostly from the Luzon grid. Natural gas comes next with 650 MW, followed

by RE with 593.8 MW. One of the major power plants to go online is Energy World Corp.’s 650-MW Pagbilao Combined Cycle Gas Fired Power Plant in the Quezon province. The facility had its testing and commissioning in 2018, with target commercial operation set for this month.

Another is the San Buenaventura Power Ltd. Co.’s (SBPL) 500-MW coalfired plant, also in Quezon, whose commercial operation date is scheduled

in December this year.

SBPL is a joint venture between Meralco PowerGen Corp., the Manila Electric Co.’s power generation arm and New Growth BV, a unit of Electricity Generating Public Co. Ltd. of Thailand.

Meanwhile, the 600-MW coal power project in Zambales of Redondo Peninsula Energy, Inc. - a partnership between Meralco, AboitizPower Corp. and Taiwan Cogeneration Corp. has scheduled its commercial operation within this year.

The first unit of the 1,200-MW ultra supercritical coal-fired power plant in Atimonan, Quezon of Atimonan One Energy, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Meralco PowerGen, is to go online this month.

The Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) uses installed capacity as its basis for setting installed generating capacity and market share limitations annually, in accordance with Section 45 of Republic Act 9136, otherwise known as the Electric Power Industry Reform Act (EPIRA) of 2001.

JORDEENE B. LAGARE

INTERVIEW ROUND AND IS SCHEDULED for a phone or face to face interVIEW /NE WILL TYPICALLY HAVE TWO OR THREE DAYS TO PREPARE #ANDIDATES COMMIT THE FREQUENT ERROR OF UNDER PREPARATION -ANY HAVE no idea of what the company they are applying to does or what the ROLE THEY ARE AIMING FOR IS ABOUT They expect to be spoon-fed the INFORMATION DURING THE INTERVIEW This is a mistake that not only shows lack of effort on the candidate’s end, it also changes the PURPOSE OF THE INTERVIEW FROM a stage where the candidate can showcase their passion and skills TO AN INFORMATION SHARING SESSION (IRING MANAGERS AND INTERVIEWERS HAVE LIMITED TIME AND USUALLY SET a minimum expectation for their INTERVIEWS 4HE MORE TIME SPENT on explaining about the company AND THE POSITION EQUATES TO LESS TIME FOR THE CANDIDATE TO STAND OUT

sibility of getting a position that applies to his or her experience and background rather than one THAT DOES NOT &OR EXAMPLE A Finance graduate applying to a kNANCE ROLE WILL MORE EASILY GET ACCEPTED RATHER THAN A ,ITERATURE MAJOR (IRING MANAGERS ARE REVIEWing tens if not hundreds of resumes AND ARE kLTERING PROkLES BASED ON certain hit points: grades, college course and experience among OTHER THINGS 3O WHAT HAPPENS IF one is not studying or working in THE kELD OF THE DESIRED POSITION 4HIS IS WHEN ONE MUST PIVOT THEIR PROkLE TO MATCH THE POSITION )F AN !CCOUNTING GRADUATE DREAMS of entering a Marketing position, THEN THERE ARE METHODS TO DEVELOP his or her skills in the latter – online courses at online education sites such as Udemy and Coursera, offline certificate programs and BOOKS

4HE MORE TECH SAVVY &ILIPINOS should make use of technology to IMPROVE THEIR LIVES 0LATFORMS SUCH AS ,INKED)N AND &ACEBOOK CAN SERVE AS ENTRY POINTS INTO DESIRED COMPANIES %SPECIALLY ON ,INKEdIn, graduates can connect and message with recruiters of most COMPANIES 4HE NICE THING ABOUT this is that company recruiters are PRIMED TO RESPOND TO APPLICANTS !T THE SAME TIME SENDING AN APplication directly to a recruiter puts YOUR PROkLE ABOVE THE REST OF THE competition as only a small numBER OF APPLICANTS CONTACT RECRUITERS (OPEFULLY THESE POINTERS CAN help graduates perform better when hunting careers to win their IDEAL kRST JOB OUT OF UNIVERSITY Cheers and good luck!

,ET US SAY ONE HAS GOTTEN TO THE )N MY VIEW ONE HAS A HIGHER POS-

Jaime Zulueta is the Credit OperaTIONS -ANAGER AND (IRING -ANGER AT &IRST #IRCLE WHERE HE OVERSEES THE 2ISK /PERATIONS $EPARTMENT Maximize social media (E OBTAINED HIS -"! DEGREE FROM FROM 7ASEDA 5NIVERSITY IN *APAN The Philippines is one of the most AND CAN BE REACHED THROUGH JAIME CONNECTED PLACES IN THE WORLD ZULUETA kRSTCIRCLE COM

and the next, Mapa said “the door to ease monetary policy remains WIDE OPEN u (E EXPECTS THE "30 TO kNALLY CONSIDER REDUCING BANK RESERVE REpolicy stance remains consistent QUIREMENTS AND SLASHING THE POLICY WITH THE "30 S PRIMARY MANDATE RATE IN -AY gGIVEN SIGNS OF GROWTH OF PRICE STABILITY u HE SAID SLOWING AFTER SEVERAL INSTITUTIONS !BOVE TARGET INlATION PROMPTED SCALING BACK THEIR GROWTH PROJECTHE "ANGKO 3ENTRAL S POLICYMAK- TIONS FOR THE YEAR u ING -ONETARY "OARD TO HIKE KEY INTEREST RATES kVE TIMES LAST YEAR Food inflation down ONLY PAUSING AFTER INlATION BEGAN EASING IN .OVEMBER 4HE .ATIONAL %CONOMIC AND $EMonetary authorities continued VELOPMENT !UTHORITY .%$!

TO PAUSE FROM ADJUSTING POLICY AT MEANWHILE NOTED THAT FOOD INlAtheir last meeting on March 21, TION SIGNIFICANTLY SLOWED TO NOTING THE NEED FOR MORE DATA percent following softer price ad#OMMENTING ON THE LATEST INlA- JUSTMENTS FOR kSH RICE VEGETABLES

TION DATA ).' "ANK -ANILA SENIOR AND OTHER ITEMS ECONOMIST .ICHOLAS !NTONIO g4HE DECLINE IN kSH PRICES CAN Mapa said the “data-dependent be partly attributed to the end of "ANGKO 3ENTRAL NG 0ILIPINAS WAS THE THREE MONTH CLOSED kSHING SEAthrown another data point to chew SON IN SOME PARTS OF THE 6ISAYAS u ON WITH INlATION PRESSURE IN THE .%$! OFkCER IN CHARGE !DORACION 0HILIPPINES CLEARLY DISSIPATINGu .AVARRO SAID IN A STATEMENT 7ITH INlATION BACK ON TARGET %XPECTATIONS OF INCREASED SUPAND "30 FORECASTS SHOWING IT WILL plies following the enactment of LIKELY SETTLE AT PERCENT THIS YEAR THE 2ICE 4ARIFkCATION ,AW MEAN-

while, led to lower retail prices of THE STAPLE 4HE .%$! ALSO TAGGED %L .IĂ„O phenomenon, higher rates of ELECTRICITY AND WATER AND THE VOLAtility in global oil prices as risks to INlATION Citing a weather bureau report, IT SAID THAT MILD TO MODERATE %L NiĂąo conditions were expected to occur from March to October 2019 before weakening in the last three MONTHS OF THE YEAR g! PROLONGED DRY SPELL MAY affect the prices of food and utiliTIES IN THE SHORT TERM u .AVARRO POINTED OUT 4O MITIGATE THE ADVERSE EFFECTS OF %L .IĂ„O THE .%$! SAID THE INTER AGENCY %L .IĂ„O 4ASK &ORCE %.4& WOULD BE REACTIVATED AS RECOMmended by the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management #OUNCIL 4HE %.4& WILL REVISIT THE 2OADMAP FOR !DDRESSING THE )MPACTS OF %L .IĂ„O WHICH WILL BE EXpanded to include water security as AN AREA OF CONCERN AMONG OTHERS

Palace ‘confident’

.ET INTERNATIONAL RESERVES WHICH REFER TO THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ')2 and total short-term liabilities, inCREASED TO BILLION COMPARED TO BILLION A MONTH EARLIER MAYVELIN U. CARABALLO Q FORECASTS FROM B1

PCCI UP THE ECONOMY ,IMJOCO SAID THAT LAST WEEK ALONE SHE MET WITH REPRESENTATIVES FROM 0ORTUGAL #HILA "ELARUS AND .AMIBIA 3HE ALSO HELD MEETING WITH *APANESE AND )SRAELI BUSINESSMEN “These are markets we can look INTO TO EXPAND AND DIVERSIFY u SHE SAID Spending for the May elections AND THE UPCOMING 3OUTHEAST !SIAN games could also boost economic GROWTH AS WELL THE 0##) CHIEF SAID TYRONE C. PIAD

Q SME FROM B1

Career CAREER IN ONE S DREAM COMPANY )T will get one a foot in the door, also KNOWN AS AN INTERVIEW (AVING REVIEWED HUNDREDS OF APPLICATIONS AT THIS POINT ) HAVE REALIZED THAT a common mistake that kills the applicant is sloppiness – wronglyspelled words, poor grammar and OUTDATED EXPERIENCES 3LOPPINESS is a sign that a candidate has not placed enough effort for the appliCATION ) HAVE EVEN RECEIVED EMAIL applications that got the name of OUR COMPANY WRONG ! RESUME IS similar to a lawn which needs to BE GARDENED FREQUENTLY /NE MUST keep reading and editing their resume as time passes to make sure IT IS A POLISHED PRODUCT

Research everything possible for the interview

Q INFLATION FROM B1

Easing

Play the chances and pivot if necessary

MalacaĂąang, meanwhile, said the GOVERNMENT WOULD STRIVE TO KEEP THE INlATION DECLINE GOING DESPITE RISKS FROM %L .IĂ„O g7E ARE CONkDENT THAT THIS SLIDE would continue further for the rest OF THE YEAR u 0ALACE SPOKESMAN 3ALVADOR 0ANELO SAID IN A STATEMENT To mitigate the impact of dry spells and droughts, he noted that THE !GRICULTURE DEPARTMENT gHAS already distributed water pumps and shallow tube wells as part of ITS PRE %L .INO ACTION 7E ARE ALSO ready to conduct cloud seeding, if NECESSARY u Panelo also called for water CONSERVATION gTO INCREASE OUR RESILiency against this extreme weather PHENOMENON u Implementation of the Rice TarifkCATION !CT MEANWHILE IS EXPECTED TO LEAD TO LOWER PRICES gAND EVEN CUT INlATION BY TO PERCENTAGE POINT THIS YEAR u HE SAID WITH A REPORT FROM RALPH EDWIN U. VILLANUEVA

Filipinos have lowest retirement savings – poll &),)0)./ INVESTORS ARE SAVING LESS money for their retirement when COMPARED TO THEIR !SIAN PEERS A kNANCIAL SERVICES kRM SAID 2ESULTS OF THE -ANULIFE )NVESTOR 3ENTIMENT )NDEX -)3) SURVEY SHOWED THAT &ILIPINO INVESTORS ONLY HAVE PERSONAL INCOME EQUIVALENT TO MONTHS SET ASIDE FOR THEIR RETIREMENT “The Philippines is the lowest in !SIA 7E ARE FALLING A LITTLE BIT BEHIND our peers in terms of the amount OF MONEY THAT WE CURRENTLY SAVE FOR RETIREMENT u -ANULIFE 0HILIPPINES Senior Vice President and Chief -ARKETING /FkCER -ELISSA (ENSON SAID IN -AKATI ON &RIDAY 4HE INVESTORS IN 4AIWAN HAVE THE HIGHEST RETIREMENT SAVINGS WITH PERSONAL INCOME SET ASIDE GOOD FOR YEARS 4HEY ARE FOLLOWED BY INVESTORS in China and Indonesia who both HAVE RETIREMENT SAVINGS THAT CAN LAST FOR YEARS SHE ADDED /N AVERAGE

!SIAN INVESTORS HAVE ENOUGH RETIREMENT SAVINGS FOR YEARS g! HUGE GAP LIES BETWEEN &ILIPINO INVESTORS CURRENT AND IDEAL RETIREMENT SAVINGS u (ENSON ALSO SAID

pointing out that the retirement SAVINGS GAP AVERAGES AT OVER 0 MILLION ACROSS ALL AGE GROUPS She added that Filipinos also VIEWED THE LOWEST AMOUNT AS SUFkCIENT FOR RETIREMENT AS THEY BELIEVED THAT SAVINGS EQUIVALENT TO YEARS worth of personal income was ENOUGH

4HE -ANULIFE EXECUTIVE OBSERVED that this was remarkably low comPARED WITH THE REGIONAL AVERAGE OF 12 years, and with the regional highs OF 4AIWAN S YEARS AND #HINA AND (ONG +ONG S YEARS -EANWHILE THE SURVEY ALSO REVEALED THAT AS MUCH AS PERCENT OF &ILIPINO INVESTORS WERE LOOKING INTO continuing working after retirement, either on a full-time or part-time baSIS 4OP REASONS FOR ACTIVE RETIREMENT across age groups include keeping busy and occupied (66 percent), physical and mental health (65 perCENT PURSUING INTERESTS AND ENJOYING LIFE PERCENT AS WELL AS kNANCIAL considerations such as maintaining or IMPROVING LIVING STANDARDS PERCENT AND SAVING ADDITIONAL MONEY FOR THE FUTURE PERCENT -)3) IS A PROPRIETARY SURVEY MEASURING AND TRACKING INVESTORS VIEWS ACROSS EIGHT MARKETS IN !SIA ON THEIR attitudes towards key asset classes AND ISSUES RELATED TO PERSONAL kNANCIAL PLANNING 4HE LATEST SURVEY WAS BASED ON

ONLINE INTERVIEWS IN (ONG Kong, China, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, the Philippines AND )NDONESIA Respondents were middle class to AFlUENT INVESTORS AGED YEARS AND ABOVE WHO WERE PRIMARY DECISION MAKERS FOR kNANCIAL MATTERS IN THE HOUSEHOLD AND CURRENTLY HAD INVESTMENT PRODUCTS MAYVELIN U. CARABALLO

Q TRUMP FROM B1

conclude as soon as possible. “I hope the two sides of the economic and trade teams will continue to resolve both sides’ issues of concern in the spirit of mutual respect, equality, and mutual benefit, and finish negotiations on the China-US economic and trade agreement document as soon as possible,� Xinhua quoted Liu as saying, as he conveyed a message from Xi to Trump.

US-China tween the world’s two top economies was at last at hand. “We will probably know over the next four weeks. It may take two weeks after that,� Trump told reporters following a meeting with Beijing’s trade envoy Liu He. “It’s looking very good.�

The talks were due to continue for a third day on Friday. Trump had said as far back as February that a summit could occur within a month.

Despite Trump’s rosy gloss on the talks on Thursday, US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer told reporters that major issues were left to be resolved.

Both US and Chinese officials have projected cautious optimism for months, but the last mile is proving to be the hardest, with the two sides reportedly tussling over whether and when Washington should remove the punishing tariffs it imposed last year on Chinese goods.

Trump in early 2018 launched a trade war with China, seeking to slash that country’s soaring trade surplus with the United States, end alleged unfair trade practices such as the theft of American technology and China’s massive state intervention in markets.

Washington and Beijing since last year have imposed tariffs on more than $360 billion in twoway trade, biting into their manufacturing sectors as the world economy slows.

China has floated offers to make sizable purchases of US commodities and taken steps to show it will protect foreign intellectual property.

But Democrats have warned of the temptation to accept a superficial deal that does not extract profound changes to the Chinese industrial policies American officials have long denounced.

Trump reiterated Thursday however that, “if it’s not a great deal, we’re not doing it.�

Chinese state media later carried a report which said Xi has called for the talks to

A tariff compromise?

A final sticking point appears to be when and how Washington will agree to lift the steep tariffs it has placed on more than $250 billion in Chinese imports.

Last month, Trump said the tariffs would stay in place for “a substantial period,� although whether this would apply to both tranches of goods subjected to the new duties was unclear.

US officials demand that any agreement have teeth and Lighthizer, the US trade representative, has said tariffs offer crucial leverage should Beijing backslide on its commitments.

Gary Clyde Hufbauer, a former US trade official and senior fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics, said lifting the tariffs too early could encourage criticism from Democrats that he had gone soft in the negotiations. “The White House response to this drama is to keep the tariffs and only to slowly lower the rate as the Chinese fulfill their commitments,� Hufbauer told AFP. “The Chinese strategy is to have them get rid of it,� he said. “My guess is that something in between will be in the compromise.�

Analysts say any agreement is likely to include banner announcements that China has agreed to increase purchases of American commodities like soybeans and fuel.

This could perversely serve to give Chinese state enterprises a greater market role while making US exporters more reliant on the Chinese government’s purchasing decisions — both possibly contrary to US objectives and interests.

AFP

Corporate News

˜ The Manila Times w w w.manilatimes.net

SATURDAY April 6, 2019

B3

BDO raises P7.3B from LTNCDs

BY LISBET K. ESMAEL

B

$/ 5NIBANK )NC SAID ON &RIDAY IT HAD RAISED 0 BILLION FROM ITS OFFER OF LONG TERM NEGOTIABLE CERTIFICATES OF DEPOSIT ,4.#$ The Sy-led banking giant told THE 0HILIPPINE 3TOCK %XCHANGE that “solid demand from retail and INSTITUTIONAL INVESTORSu PROMPTED IT TO RAISE THE TARGET ISSUE SIZE OF 0 BILLION TO 0 BILLION TO ACCOMMODATE THE ORDERS

The lender also shortened the OFFER PERIOD TO !PRIL

ONE DAY AHEAD OF THE ORIGINAL END DATE 4HE DEPOSIT INSTRUMENTS HAVE A TERM OF kVE AND A HALF YEARS WITH AN INTEREST RATE OF PERCENT PER ANNUM 4HE ISSUE DATE IS SET

FOR !PRIL AND THE MATURITY DATE ON /CT

"$/ SAID THE ISSUANCE WAS PART of “efforts to lengthen the maturity of its funding sources and support BUSINESS EXPANSION PLANS u $EUTSCHE "ANK !'

-ANILA branch is the sole lead arranger AND SELLING AGENT "$/ AND "$/ 0RIVATE "ANK ARE THE OTHER SELLING AGENTS "$/ #APITAL AND )NVESTMENT #ORP IS THE LENDER S kNANCIAL ADVISOR The latest issuance followed THE 0 BILLION WORTH OF ,4.#$S

"$/ ISSUED LAST -AY " A N K S S E L L I N S T R U M E N T S LIKE ,4.#$S TO RAISE CAPITAL WITHOUT HAVING TO SELL SHARES 4HE BANK IS OBLIGED TO REDEEM THE FACE VALUE OF THE CERTIkCATE UPON MATURITY and pay out periodic coupons or interest payments during the life OF THE DEPOSIT The notes are similar to time DEPOSITS BUT HAVE LONGER MATURITIES AND HIGHER YIELDS 4HEY are negotiable and are insured with the Philippine Deposit InSURANCE #ORP UP TO 0 PER

DEPOSITOR ,4.#$S ARE ALSO TAX EXEMPT ON THE INTEREST INCOME FOR QUALIFIED INDIVIDUALS OR INSTITUTIONS IF HELD FOR AT LEAST FIVE YEARS )N LATE &EBRUARY "$/ REPORTED that it ended last year with a net INCOME OF 0 BILLION

PERCENT HIGHER THAN S 0 billion on the back of the strong PERFORMANCE OF ITS CORE BUSINESSES 'ROSS CUSTOMER LOANS INCREASED by 15 percent to P2 trillion, which the lender attributed to healthy inCREASES ACROSS ALL MARKET SEGMENTS

4OTAL DEPOSITS MEANWHILE JUMPED

BY PERCENT TO 0 TRILLION WITH LOW COST CURRENT ACCOUNT SAVINGS ACCOUNT RATIO AT PERCENT This resulted in the 20-percent EXPANSION IN "$/ S NET INTEREST INCOME TO 0 BILLION ON BETTER net interest margins, which imPROVED TO PERCENT FROM PERCENT IN 3HARES OF "$/ ROSE BY CENTAVOS OR PERCENT TO kNISH AT 0 APIECE ON &RIDAY WITH MAYVELIN U. CARABALLO

Vivant 2018 profit NestlĂŠ PH eyes double-digit growth for RTD segment up 24% to P1.76B '!).3 FROM FOREIGN EXCHANGE AND ASSET SALES LIFTED 6IVANT #ORP S NET INCOME TO 0 BILLION LAST YEAR In a regulatory filing in Friday, the listed, Cebu PROVINCE BASED POWER COMPANY SAID THE AMOUNT WAS A PERCENT INCREASE FROM 0 BILLION IN 6IVANT CREDITED THE IMPROVED BOTTOMLINE TO A 0 MILLION ONE OFF GAIN gFROM THE SALES OF ITS PERCENT SHAREHOLDINGS IN .2 THROUGH WHOLLY OWNED UNIT 6%# 62%# u AND A 0 MILLION FOREIGN EXCHANGE GAIN 2EVENUES MEANWHILE CLIMBED TO 0 BILLION FROM 0 BILLION IN 4OTAL GENERATION COST AND OPERATING EXPENSES FELL BY PERCENT TO 0 BILLION LAST YEAR FROM 0 BILLION IN #ONSOLIDATED TOTAL ASSETS REACHED 0 BILLION UP PERCENT FROM 0 BILLION A YEAR EARLIER 4OTAL CONSOLIDATED LIABILITIES SLIGHTLY ROSE BY PERCENT TO 0 BILLION FROM S 0 BILLION %ARNINGS BEFORE INTEREST TAXES DEPRECIATION AND AMORTIZATION JUMPED BY PERCENT TO 0 BILLION LAST YEAR FROM 0 BILLION IN )NCORPORATED ON -AY

6IVANT HAS INTERESTS IN VARIOUS COMPANIES ENGAGED IN ELECTRIC POWER GENERATION BOTH RENEWABLE AND NON RENEWABLE ENERGY ELECTRIC POWER DISTRIBUTION AND RETAIL ELECTRICITY SUPPLY BUSINESS These interests are managed by its subsidiaries and afkLIATES 4HESE INCLUDE #EBU 0RIVATE 0OWER #ORP OWNER AND OPERATOR OF A MEGAWATT DIESEL kRED POWER PLANT IN #EBU $ELTA 0 )NC WHICH RUNS A -7 DIESEL kRED POWER PLANT IN 0ALAWAN PROVINCE AND #EBU %NERGY $EVELOPMENT #ORP WHICH OWNS AND OPERATES A -7 COAL kRED POWER PLANT IN #EBU S 4OLEDO #ITY 3HARES OF 6IVANT #ORP ENDED lAT AT 0 ON &RIDAY LISBET K. ESMAEL

Q MOBILITY FROM B1

Our house 4HE STRONGEST WORDS HOWEVER

HAVE COME FROM 'RETA 4HUNBERG

YEAR OLD CLIMATE ACTIVIST AND LEADER OF THE 'LOBAL #LIMATE 3TRIKE -OVEMENT g) DON T WANT YOUR HOPE ) WANT YOU TO PANIC ) WANT YOU TO FEEL THE FEAR THAT ) DO %VERY DAY ) WANT YOU TO ACT ) WANT YOU to act as if you were in a crisis ‌ as IF THE HOUSE WERE ON kRE "ECAUSE IT IS u 3HE S ASKING US TO WAKE UP AND CHANGE WHILE THERE IS STILL TIME (ARMFUL EMISSIONS ARE NOT A DISASTER WAITING TO HAPPEN 4HE emergency is already here, and the VICTIMS COME IN ALL AGES !CCORDING TO THE 7ORLD (EALTH /RGANIZATION 7(/ OVER MILLION DEATHS EVERY YEAR GLOBALLY ARE LINKED TO AIR POLLUTION #HILDREN ELDERS AND THE POOR ARE THE MOST VULNERABLE )N 7(/ S REPORT DIRTY AIR IS CITED AS A MAJOR CAUSE OF ASTHMA AND LOW BIRTH WEIGHTS IN CHILDREN THE CAUSE OF PERCENT OF ALL deaths and diseases from chronic OBSTRUCTIVE PULMONARY ILLNESS percent of all deaths and diseases FROM LUNG CANCER PERCENT OF ALL deaths and diseases from ischemic HEART AILMENT AND PERCENT OF ALL DEATHS FROM STROKE %MERGING EVIDENCE SUGGESTS THAT AIR POLLUtion is also linked to diabetes and NEUROLOGICAL ILLNESSES 7HAT DOES THIS ALL HAVE TO DO with transportation and with OUR MOBILITY CHOICES ! LOT )N THE 0HILIPPINES AN ESTIMATED percent of carbon emissions and polluted air is linked to transportaTION AND MANY OF THE WORST VIOLAtors are in the public transport INDUSTRY !NY CAMPAIGN TO REDUCE harmful emissions has to focus on TRANSPORTATION )N OUR CITIES MOTOR VEHICLES‡ cars, motorcycles, trucks, buses AND JEEPNEYS SIT IN SLOW MOVING TRAFkC EVERY RUSH HOUR BURNING diesel and gasoline, adding to the tons of carbon and other harmful

TANAUAN, BATANGAS: NestlĂŠ Philippines expects its ready-to-drink (RTD) segment to post double-digit growth this year after its new plant opened here ON 4HURSDAY /N THE SIDELINES OF THE 0 BILLION facility’s inauguration, NestlĂŠ Philippines #HAIRMAN AND #HIEF %XECUTIVE /FkCER +AIS -ARZOUKO DECLINED TO SPECIFY kGURES BUT said “RTD is something important for us AND A BIG GROWTH DRIVER FOR THE FUTURE u ,AST YEAR THE 24$ SEGMENT PRODUCED OVER TONS OF BEVERAGES

4HE PLANT OCCUPIES NEARLY

SQUARE METERS OF LAND AND FEATURES WET process and ultra-high-temperature EQUIPMENT TO ENSURE THE PRODUCTS QUALITY !CCORDING TO .ESTLÂź ALL PROCESSES INside the factory are automated, includING THE PACKING AND PALLETIZATION LINE The plant has an annual capacity of 80,000 tons, which is seen to address the growing demand for RTD PRODUCTS The factory currently only produces

chocolate milk brand NestlÊ Chuckie, BUT ITS CREAM BRAND .ESTLŸ !LL 0URPOSE Cream will start production by midYEAR The facility is NestlÊ’s second in 4ANAUAN THE kRST IS DEVOTED TO POWDERED MILK PRODUCTION g!T .ESTLŸ 0HILIPPINES OUR INVESTments come from our faith in the country and signify our commitment to participate in nation-building as we HAVE DONE FOR MORE THAN A HUNDRED YEARS u -ARZOUKI SAID

NestlĂŠ Philippines, the official SAID HAS SPENT 0 BILLION AS CAPITAL EXPENDITURES IN THE LAST kVE YEARS

AVERAGING 0 BILLION ANNUALLY 4HE BULK OF THIS WERE USED TO kNANCE FACILity upgrades in its plants in Tanauan, #ABUYAO TOWN IN ,AGUNA PROVINCE

,IPA #ITY IN "ATANGAS PROVINCE AND #AGAYAN DE /RO AND TO FURTHER DISTRIBUTION CHANNELS !BOUT THE SAME AMOUNT IS EXPECTED TO BE SPENT IN THE NEXT kVE HE ADDED TYRONE C. PIAD

Asian markets mostly up on US-China trade talk hopes HONG KONG: Asian markets mostly rose in holiday-thinned trade on Friday on hopes that China and the United States would hammer out a trade deal after both sides sounded notes of optimism.

With top negotiators from the world’s top two economies huddled down in Washington for three days of talks, there has been a growing sense that they are close to an agreement to end a standoff that battered global equities last year.

Donald Trump on Thursday added to the sense of hope when he said the two sides were nearing a successful conclusion. “We will probably know over the next four weeks. It may take two weeks after that,� he told reporters following a meeting with Beijing’s top trade envoy and Vice Premier Liu He. “It’s looking very good.�

SUBSTANCES IN THE ATMOSPHERE !FTER A DAY OF MOVING AROUND the city, you can smell and feel the diesel residue on your skin, HAIR AND CLOTHES /N EVERY SURFACE

including in our lungs, a layer of black particulate matter is accuMULATING CONSTANTLY ,IVING UNDER these conditions, we can expect to HAVE SHORTER LIVES "ECAUSE THE ISSUE OF CARBON EMISSIONS AND AIR QUALITY IS A LIFE and death matter, we must harness all our energies and resources to REVERSE THIS PATH TOWARDS SELF DESTRUCTION (OW DO WE REDUCE CARBON EMISsions by 50 percent within 11 YEARS AS THE )0## REQUIRES )N THE Philippines, our highest priority should be to shift as many people OUT OF FOSSIL FUEL POWERED VEHICLES and into walking, cycling and LOW EMISSION PUBLIC TRANSPORT ! COMBINATION OF BIG AND SMALL INITIATIVES NATIONAL AND LOCAL LEVEL ACTIONS WILL BE NEEDED ,OCAL AND NATIONAL GOVERNMENTS SHOULD REVISE THEIR BUDGETS AWAY from car-oriented infrastructure AND INTO INVESTMENTS THAT ENABLE LOW CARBON MODES OF TRAVEL )Nstead of building and expanding roads for cars, funding should go into proper sidewalks, protected BIKE LANES AND MASS TRANSIT On key roads, lanes should be DEDICATED TO PUBLIC TRANSPORT USE EVEN IF IT MEANS MORE CONGESTION FOR CARS This may be politically challenging, but we need to get to the point where CAR USERS VIEW PUBLIC TRANSPORT AS AN ATTRACTIVE MEANS OF MOVING AROUND A CITY 0UBLIC TRANSPORT SHOULD BE REGARDED AS A SAFE EFkCIENT AND RELIABLE WAY TO TRAVEL CAR USERS NEED TO THINK

“if I took public transport, I would be HOME BY NOW u Streets can be redesigned to RECOGNIZE THE NEEDS OF PEDESTRIANS AND CYCLISTS 3IDEWALKS SHOULD BE widened and made fully accesSIBLE FOR WHEELCHAIRS AND STROLLERS Protected bike lanes should be ESTABLISHED ON EVERY MAJOR CORRIDOR !T EVERY STOP LIGHT TRAFkC SIGNALS SHOULD BE ADJUSTED TO GIVE

Later, Liu said they had “reached a new consensus on important issues,� according to China’s Xinhua. The news agency also reported that President Xi Jinping had called for the “early conclusion of negotiations�.

Both camps have been cautiously optimistic for months, but the last mile is proving to be the hardest as they tussle over whether and when Washington should remove the painful tariffs it imposed on Chinese goods last year.

While the news was once again upbeat, Asian markets were unable to press ahead with the rally that has characterized the past two weeks, with Hong Kong and Shanghai closed for holidays.

Tokyo ended 0.4 percent higher, Singapore added 0.4 percent and Seoul put on 0.2 percent.

There were also advances in Mumbai and

SUFkCIENT TIME FOR PEDESTRIANS AND CYCLISTS TO CROSS SAFELY 0OLICIES THAT SUBSIDIZE MOTOR VEHICLE USE SUCH AS FREE OR CHEAP PARKING SHOULD BE ELIMINATED There are building regulations INCLUDING THE .ATIONAL "UILDING #ODE THAT REQUIRE A MINIMUM NUMBER OF PARKING SLOTS IN EVERY NEW DEVELOPMENT USUALLY IN PROPORTION TO THE TOTAL lOOR AREA of a building called “parking miniMUMSu 3UCH RULES END UP ATtracting more car use and creating HEAVIER CONGESTION ,ESS PARKING AND MORE EXPENSIVE PARKING ENCOURAGES PEOPLE TO LEAVE THEIR CARS at home and use climate-friendly TRANSPORT OPTIONS INSTEAD .EW 9ORK #ITY MAY SOON JOIN ,ONDON 3TOCKHOLM 'OTHENBURG and Singapore in implementing a de-congestion charge for motor VEHICLES THAT ENTER THE CITY CENTER 7HY NOT SOMETHING SIMILAR FOR -ETRO -ANILA OR -ETRO #EBU 3EVERAL RAIL SYSTEMS ARE BEING DEVELOPED UNDER THE GOVERNMENT S @"UILD "UILD "UILD 0ROGRAM 4HIS is most welcome, but urban rail EXPANSION BY ITSELF WILL BE INSUFkCIENT 2OAD BASED PUBLIC TRANSPORT IS WHAT THE VAST MAJORITY OF &ILIPINOS USE EVERY DAY AND IS A MAJOR SOURCE OF HARMFUL EMISSIONS In the Philippines, there is no BETTER TIME TO MOVE TO LOW OR ZERO EMISSION PUBLIC TRANSPORT !LREADY THE GOVERNMENT S 0UBLIC 5TILITY 6EHICLE 056 -ODERNIZATION 0ROGRAM REQUIRES THE REPLACEMENT OF BUSES AND JEEPNEYS THAT ARE NON COMPLIANT WITH THE %URO )6 EMISSION STANDARD /VER PERCENT OF THE CURRENT 056 lEET WILL NOT MEET THIS REQUIREMENT AND WILL NEED TO BE REPLACED The good news is that prices of ELECTRIC VEHICLES AND BATTERY STORAGE CONTINUE TO DROP YEAR AFTER YEAR fully electric buses will soon be at par OR EVEN CHEAPER THAN DIESEL BUSES %ASIER TO OPERATE AND MAINTAIN ELECtric buses report much lower total COST PER KILOMETER OVER A VEHICLE S lifetime, compared with combustionENGINE BUSES &OR THIS REASON MAJOR

Bangkok, but Jakarta finished flat.

Sydney, meanwhile, shed 0.8 percent and Wellington slipped 0.4 percent. “There’s a little bit of a risk that it’s a sellon-the-news event,� Ann Miletti, at Wells Fargo Asset Management, told Bloomberg News. “The devil is really in the details — how good is this deal going to look?�

Dealers are now awaiting the release of US jobs data later in the day for an idea about the state of the world’s top economy.

In forex trade, the pound edged up as traders keep tabs on the Brexit saga, with Prime Minister Theresa May set to hold a third day of talks with opposition Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn to find a way to avert a no-deal divorce.

With an April 12 deadline for leaving on the horizon, May is desperately searching for votes

BUS MANUFACTURERS SUCH AS 6OLVO ARE abandoning the production of fossil fuel-powered buses and focusing on ELECTRIC BUSES INSTEAD In this context, the Department of Transportation (DOTr) AND THE ,AND 4RANSPORTATION AND &RANCHISING 2EGULATORY "OARD ,4&2" NEED TO GUIDE THE TRANSPORT industry towards climate-friendly AND ENVIRONMENTALLY SUSTAINABLE TECHNOLOGY OPTIONS 2ATHER THAN CONTINUE WITH %URO )6 DIESEL AS the emissions standard (already an outdated standard), we should take a bold step and target electrikCATION OF THE ENTIRE PUBLIC TRANSPORT lEET AS MANY OTHER COUNTRIES AND CITIES ARE ALREADY DOING "ECAUSE OF THE SIGNIkCANT HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS OF clean air and carbon-neutral transPORT ATTRACTIVE INCENTIVES AND funding support should be offered for electrifying transport SERVICES OF ALL KINDS‡BUSES TAXIS

JEEPNEYS 56 %XPRESS AND DELIVERY VEHICLES INCLUDING TRICYCLES AND MOTORCYCLES 'OVERNMENT SHOULD WORK WITH THE PRIVATE SECTOR TO ESTABLISH INFRASTRUCTURE ON A MASSIVE SCALE

linked to new renewable energy supplies, such as wind and solar, so that public transport operations CAN BE TRULY ZERO EMISSION %LECTRIC SCOOTERS AND E BICYCLES

offered for sharing, will soon be appearing in many cities and “disRUPTINGu THE TRANSPORT INDUSTRY ! person using an electric scooter or ebicycle is likely to be someone who MIGHT OTHERWISE HAVE USED A CAR OR MOTORCYCLE "ECAUSE THESE INNOVATIVE DEVICES REPRESENT HIGHLY EFkCIENT TRAVEL WITH HARDLY ANY POLLUTION OR EMISSION CITIES NEED TO kND WAYS to accommodate and incorporate them, rather than to bar or limit THEIR CARBON REDUCING POTENTIAL The transport sector has a huge role to play in reducing harmful emissions and combatting climate CHANGE #UTTING OUR CARBON EMISsions by 50 percent in 11 years’ TIME IS A TALL ORDER 7E WILL NOT ACHIEVE THIS TARGET UNLESS WE UN-

to pass an agreement she struck with the EU months ago.

Brussels must decide whether to grant her plea for another delay to May 22, with one option being for a longer extension that could give Britain time to rethink Brexit and possibly reverse its decision to leave. “A Brexit extension is the most likely scenario from here, the length of which could be decided

by Labour backing Theresa May’s deal, in which case it would be a short one� said OANDA analyst Alfonso Esparza. “Or no deal is passed and the UK (asks) for a longer extension, the length of which would have to be decided by the EU and which could be the end of Brexit� if there is a new referendum or new elections, both of which he said are likely scenarios.

AFP

DERTAKE A MAJOR TRANSFORMATION of the transport sector and discard OUR PREVAILING CAR ORIENTED AND FOSSIL FUEL DEPENDENT APPROACHES For sure, a lot needs to be done, BUT THE ENVIRONMENTAL SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC BENEkTS ARE IMMENSE 7E NEED TO ACT NOW 7E HAVE

NO CHOICE /UR HOUSE IN ON kRE

2OBERT 9 3IY IS A DEVELOPMENT economist, city and regional planNER AND PUBLIC TRANSPORT ADVOCATE (E CAN BE REACHED AT mobiliTYMATTERS PH YAHOO COM or FOLLOWED ON 4WITTER 2OBERT2SIY

B4

SATURDAY April 6, 2019

Foreign Business

Samsung Electronics flags 60% plunge in Q1 profit

S

EOUL: The world’s biggest smartphone and memory chip maker Samsung Electronics warned on Friday of a more than 60 percent PLUNGE IN kRST QUARTER OPERATING PROkTS IN THE face of weakening markets. /PERATING PROkTS FOR *ANUARY to March would be “approxiMATELY TRILLION WONu THE kRM SAID IN A STATEMENT DOWN PERCENT ON YEAR Sales were about 52 trillion won, it said, marking a 14 perCENT DROP 4HE kRM IS THE lAGSHIP SUBSIDiary of the giant Samsung Group, by far the biggest of the familycontrolled conglomerates that dominate business in the world’s 11th-largest economy, and it is crucial to South Korea’s ecoNOMIC HEALTH It has enjoyed record profits in recent years despite a series of setbacks, including a humiliating recall and the jailing of its de FACTO CHIEF But now the picture has changed, with chip prices falling as global supply increases and DEMAND WEAKENS Samsung Electronics warned investors last week to expect weak operating profits, citing “unfavourable market conditions� for DISPLAYS AND MEMORY CHIPS “Amid weak demand for mem-

ory business, a drop in price for signature products is expected,�

IT SAID THEN “The company will seek to improve cost competitiveness through effective resource management,� it added, “while enhancing product quality in the SHORT TERM u Samsung was also launching the 5G version of its top-end Galaxy 3 SMARTPHONE &RIDAY ‡ THE kRST such device available anywhere — after South Korea this week won the global race to commercially LAUNCH THE WORLD S kRST NATIONWIDE ' NETWORKS But the company has to contend with increasingly tough competition in the smartphone market from Chinese rivals such as Huawei — which in 2017 surpassed Apple to take second place — offering quality devices AT LOWER PRICES Samsung supplies components to other manufacturers such as Apple as well as making ITS OWN DEVICES But market prices for liquid crystal displays have fallen 10 percent

quarter-on-quarter, said Sanjeev 2ANA AN ANALYST AT INVESTMENT kRM CLSA, while demand for smartphones in China — the world’s BIGGEST MARKET ‡ HAS BEEN WEAK Prices for NAND memory — used in smartphones and other DEVICES ‡ FELL PERCENT IN THE kRST quarter, according to market tracker DRAMeXchange, which pointed THE kNGER AT CONSUMERS TAKING LONger to replace their smartphones, and lower-than-expected sales for !PPLE S NEW DEVICES DRAM chips, used in computer SERVERS FELL BY SIMILAR LEVELS IT ADDED Riv al phone maker LG Electronics also predicted an operating PROkT FOR THE kRST QUARTER &RIDAY

FORECASTING IT WOULD DROP PERCENT TO BILLION WON Samsung’s earnings estimate WAS BELOW ANALYST FORECASTS OF trillion won, according to BloomBERG .EWS It would represent the firm’s LOWEST OPERATING PROkT SINCE THE third quarter of 2016, and comes AFTER IT REPORTED ITS kRST FALL IN QUARTERLY PROkT FOR TWO YEARS IN *ANUARY Samsung shares closed down PERCENT Markets have been buoyed in recent weeks by optimism over #HINA 53 TRADE TALKS AND POSITIVE #HINESE FACTORY DATA South Korean semiconductor EXPORTS ALSO ROSE FOR THE kRST TIME

in six months in March, according TO GOVERNMENT kGURES Samsung is also set to release the WORLD S kRST BENDABLE SMARTPHONE

THE 'ALAXY &OLD CLSA’s Rana predicted a “slight� rebound in the April to June period, saying: “This quarter is the BOTTOM IN TERMS OF EARNINGS u Samsung Electronics once had a 20 percent market share of China’s smartphone market but has seen that tumble to less than ONE PERCENT Its reputation suffered a major blow after a damaging worldwide recall of its Galaxy Note 7 devices over exploding batteries in 2016, which COST THE kRM BILLIONS OF DOLLARS AND SHATTERED ITS GLOBAL BRAND IMAGE It took another hit after the bribery conviction of Lee Jae-yong — the son and heir of the group’s ailing CURRENT CHAIRMAN ,EE +UN HEE The 50-year-old scion was a key kGURE IN THE SCANDAL THAT OUSTED former South Korean president Park Geun-hye following nationwide street protests, and was senTENCED TO kVE YEARS IN JAIL But he was released in February last year after several of his convicTIONS WERE QUASHED ON APPEAL 3AMSUNG WITHHOLDS NET PROkT and sector-by-sector business performance data until it releases ITS kNAL EARNINGS REPORT WHICH IS EXPECTED LATER THIS MONTH AFP

Bezos divorce settlement biggest in history NEW YORK: Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and his wife, MacKENZIE kNALIZED THE BIGGEST DIvorce settlement in history on Thursday, leaving him with 75 percent of their stock in the tech giant and giving her nearly $36 BILLION IN SHARES MacKenzie Bezos said she would give all of her stake in The Washington Post and the space exploration firm Blue Origin to her husband — the world’s richest man — as well as voting control of her remaining AmaZON STOCK Jeff Bezos, 55, and MacKenzie, 48, a novelist, married in AND HAVE FOUR CHILDREN Jeff Bezos founded Amazon in their Seattle garage in 1994 and turned it into a colossus that DOMINATES ONLINE RETAIL )N A kLING WITH THE 53 3Ecurities and Exchange Commission, Amazon, which has a market capitalization of some $890 billion, said MacKenzie Bezos will control four percent of the company’s outSTANDING COMMON STOCK At Amazon’s current share price that would be worth some BILLION According to Forbes magazine, the divorce settlement makes MacKenzie Bezosthe third wealthiest woman in the world after L’Oreal heiress Francoise Bettencourt Meyers and 7ALMART S !LICE 7ALTON Jeff Bezos, who now owns 12 percent of Amazon, remains the world’s richest man

Q In this file photo taken on July 10, 2013, Jeff Bezos, founder and CEO Amazon.com, and his wife Mackenzie Bezos arrive for the morning session of the Allen & Co. annual conference at the Sun Valley Resort in Sun Valley, Idaho. AFP PHOTO

and the largest shareholder in the company with an estimated fortune of $110 billion, Forbes said, ahead of Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates and Berkshire Hathaway chairman 7ARREN "UFFETT Jeff and MacKenzie Bezos announced their separation in January and posted Twitter messages on Thursday revealing the DIVORCE SETTLEMENT g'RATEFUL TO HAVE kNISHED THE process of dissolving my marriage with Jeff with support from each other and everyone who reached out to us in kindness,�

-AC+ENZIE "EZOS WROTE “Happy to be giving him all of my interests in the Washington

Post and Blue Origin, and 75% of our Amazon stock plus voting control of my shares to support his continued contributions with the teams of these incredible COMPANIES u SHE SAID g%XCITED ABOUT MY OWN PLANS Grateful for the past as I look FORWARD TO WHAT COMES NEXT u Jeff Bezos, in a Twitter message of his own, said his wife had been “an extraordinary partner, ALLY AND MOTHER u “She is resourceful and brilliant and loving, and as our futures unroll, I know I’ll always BE LEARNING FROM HER u HE SAID “I’m grateful for her support and for her kindness in this process and am very much

looking forward to our new relationship as friends and coPARENTS u "EZOSADDED Bezos has largely kept his personal life private during his YEARS STEERING !MAZON But it was thrust into the spotlight with the announcement in January that he and his wife were divorcing after 25 years of marriage and the revelation by the National Enquirer that he had been having an affair with a former news ANCHOR ,AUREN 3ANCHEZ When the National Enquirer, controlled by President Donald Trump’s ally David Pecker, threatened to release lurid, intimate pictures of Bezos and Sanchez, Bezosfought back by releasing the details of his EXCHANGES PUBLICLY “Rather than capitulate to extortion and blackmail, I’ve decided to publish exactly what they sent me, despite the personal cost and embarrassment they threaten,� Bezos wrote in A BLOG POST A lawyer for the National Enquirer denied that the supermarket tabloid had tried to extort and blackmail the Amazon FOUNDER Trump has been a frequent critic of the Post, which Bezos purchased in 2013, claiming that the newspaper is biased against him and calling it the “Amazon 7ASHINGTON 0OST u Amazon shares closed down PERCENT AT ON 4HURSDAY AFP

Amazon working on internet satellite network SAN FRANCISCO: Amazon on Thursday confirmed it is working on a project to deploy a network of satellites for high-speed internet service in underserved parts of the world.

Project Kuiper was first reported by tech news website GeekWire, which cited US regulatory filings disclosing the satellite project that could cost billions of dollars to complete. “Project Kuiper is a new initiative to launch a constellation of low earth orbit satellites that will provide low-latency,

high-speed broadband connectivity to unserved and underserved communities around the world,�

Amazon said in response to an AFP inquiry. “This is a long-term project that envisions serving tens of millions of people who lack basic access to broadband internet.�

The filings described a plan to put 3,236 satellites in low orbit at altitudes ranging from 367 miles (590 kilometers) to 391 mile (630-kilometer), according to GeekWire.

The frontier of space is

internationally agreed to be 62 miles (100 kilometers) above Earth, known as the Karman Line.

The Seattle-based online powerhouse was looking to partner with like-minded companies on the effort.

There was no indication that Project Kuiper thus far involved Blue Origin, the rocket company owned

by Amazon chief executive Jeff Bezos, which blasted off the 10th test flight of its New Shepard rocket early this year.

More test flights lie ahead, but the first flights

with passengers on board could start by late 2019.

Amazon would be one of several companies seeking to use satellites to deliver internet to remote areas including Elon Musk’s SpaceX and OneWeb, a venture-backed startup with funding from Japan’s SoftBank, Airbus and chipmaker Qualcomm.

Several companies have been attempting to use space-based internet systems since the 1990s including one backed by Microsoft’s Bill Gates and Saudi royal family investors. AFP

˜ The Manila Times

w w w.manilatimes.net

Court extends Ghosn detention to April 14 TOKYO: Former Nissan boss Carlos Ghosnwill remain in custody until at least April 14, a Japanese court ruled on Friday, as prosecutors quiz him over fresh allegaTIONS OF kNANCIAL MISCONDUCT The Tokyo District Court said in a statement it had accepted a request from prosecutors to detain the 65-year-old auto tycoon for a further 10-day period that can subsequently be extended ONCE MORE The “full term of the detention IS THu OF !PRIL THE COURT SAID Ghosn’s lead lawyer Junichiro Hironaka has vowed to appeal the decision, but the court rarely OVERTURNS ITS RULINGS Authorities are looking into new allegations that Ghosn transferred some $15 million in Nissan funds between late 2015 and mid-2018 TO A DEALERSHIP IN /MAN They suspect around $5 million of these funds were siphoned off for Ghosn’s use, including for the purchase of a luxury yacht and kNANCING PERSONAL INVESTMENTS Prosecutors say Ghosn “betrayed� his duty not to cause losses to Nissan “in order to BENEkT HIMSELF u Ghosn denies the allegations and says he is also innocent of the three formal charges he faces: two charges of deferring his salARY AND CONCEALING THAT IN OFkCIAL shareholders’ documents, and a further charge of seeking to shift INVESTMENT LOSSES TO THE kRM Stephen Givens, an American attorney practising law in Japan since 1987, told AFP the latest alleGATIONS WERE THE MOST SERIOUS YET g)F THE FACTS ARE TRUE THAT IS stealing from the company, that is embezzlement, that is terrible,� said Givens, who is not connected WITH THE 'HOSN CASE “If that’s true, it is a serious CHARGE )T DIFFERS VERY SIGNIkCANTLY from the previous charges that SEEM MINOR AND TECHNICAL 4HESE are hurting Nissan or Nissan shareHOLDERS AND BENEkTING 'HOSN u 'IVENS ADDED Justice Minister Takashi Yamashita, a former Tokyo prosecutor himself, hit back at growing criticism of the Japanese system, sometimes described as “hostage justice� due to long detention periods for suspects aimed at FORCING A CONFESSION “I understand that it is being handled appropriately in accordance with the stipulation of the CODE OF CRIMINAL PROCEDURE 3O

the criticism is not warranted,�

9AMASHITA TOLD JOURNALISTS Ghosn launched a counterattack in an interview with French channel TF1, recorded just before HIS DAWN ARREST ON 7EDNESDAY Describing himself as “a combative man and an innocent man�, he vowed to “defend mySELF TO THE BITTER END u And he voiced concern that he would not be given a fair trial, with around 99 percent of trials IN *APAN RESULTING IN A CONVICTION “I have doubts over the way THE JUDGEMENT WILL TAKE PLACE If there is a fair ruling, I am very CONkDENT BUT IF IT IS NOT FAIR ) am worried about what will hapPEN u SAID 'HOSN His rearrest came just days after news that Renault, which Ghosn also once headed, had handed French prosecutors documents showing suspicious transfers worth million of euros AUTHORISED BY THE AUTO TYCOON At the end of the initial 10 days of questioning, prosecutors can request a further 10-day extenSION !FTER THIS THEY MUST EITHER press formal charges, release him without charge or rearrest him to PROBE FURTHER ALLEGATIONS In his French TV interview, Ghosn lashed out at the conditions in the detention centre, saying he was deprived of his watch, forced to sleep with the light on and forbidden from conTACT WITH HIS LOVED ONES “I wouldn’t wish what I have suffered on my worst enemy,�

HE SAID Ghosn spent 108 days in the detention centre in northern Tokyo before being dramatically released on bail of around $9 million on March 6, emerging from incarceration dressed in a workman’s uniform and face mask in an apparent BID TO AVOID THE MEDIA He had since lived in a courtappointed apartment in Tokyo without commenting on his situation despite huge international and Japanese media interest in his case that has shocked and surPRISED FROM THE BEGINNING However, just as reports began to surface that he could be rearrested, Ghosnemerged on Twitter to announce plans to hold a news CONFERENCE ON !PRIL With this now impossible, his lawyer Hironaka said Ghosn had pre-recorded a video but refused to give details of the contents or WHEN IT WOULD BE RELEASED AFP

Venezuela GDP seen falling another 25% WASHINGTON,D.C:The economy in crisishit Venezuela is expected to contract a further 25 percent in 2019, the 7ORLD "ANK SAID ON 4HURSDAY g2EAL '$0 CONTRACTED BY percent in 2018 and is likely to FALL BY PERCENT IN

which would imply a cumulative fall in GDP of 60 percent since 2013,� the bank said in its most recent biannual report on Latin !MERICA AND THE #ARIBBEAN The report attributes this “continuing implosion� in Venezuela, which has the most oil reserves of any country in the world, to the management of the country’s economy rather than the global drop of oil prices and called the Venezuelan crisis “by far the worst IN THE REGION S MODERN HISTORY u Together with declining oil prices, “highly distortionary policies, from price controls to directed lending, a disorderly kSCAL ADJUSTMENT MONETIZATION OF THE PUBLIC SECTOR DEkCIT AND overall economic mis-manageMENT HAVE LED TO HYPERINlATION

devaluation, debt defaults, and a massive contraction in output and consumption� in Venezuela, ACCORDING TO THE 7ORLD "ANK The bank repeated the estimate that the country would see INlATION OF MILLION PERCENT

BY THE END OF THE YEAR A kGURE that was already predicted by the International Monetary Fund

)-& IN /CTOBER Nicolas Maduro has governed Venezuela since 2013, after the death of former president Hugo Chavez WHO CAME TO POWER IN Maduro’s authority has been under a cloud since January, with more than 50 countries recognizing the head of the National Assembly Juan Guaido’s claim to the presidency in response to what the opposition and some in the international community have called Maduro’s illegitimate REELECTION LAST YEAR The report, by the World Bank’s Latin America and Caribbean chief economist Carlos Vegh, stressed the “tragic growth collapse� in the South American country as “economic and social conditions CONTINUE TO DETERIORATE RAPIDLY u “Hunger and disease are spreading throughout the country,� it said, citing the 90 percent poverty rate (according to unofkCIAL ESTIMATES AND HIGHLIGHTING a rising infant mortality rate of 26 per every thousand live births between 2013 and 2017, a rate SIMILAR TO THE S “Crime and violence have also increased substantially, with Venezuela becoming the country with the highest homicide rate in the region (89 homicides per 100,000 inhabitants), a rate almost three times as high as that of countries at WAR u IT ADDED AFP

Green Industries SNAP pushes watershed protection ˜ The Manila Times

w w w.manilatimes.net

BY LEANDER C. DOMINGO

T

HE municipality of Lagawe and SN Aboitiz Power-Magat (SNAP-Magat) have executed a memorandum of agreement (MoA) for the Mount Binahagan Micro-Watershed Management Project (MBMWMP), which will help protect and restore the Upper Magat Watershed.

The MBMWMP is one of Lagawe’s initiatives now being supported by SNAP-Magat through the company’s Partnerships in Uplifting Upland Natural Resources, Livelihoods and Assets (Punla) program.

According to lawyer Mike Hosillos, SNAP vice president and chief corporate services officer, the Punla program’s goal is to support integrated watershed management projects in Lagawe, including the towns of Banaue, Hingyon and Mayoyao in order to protect and restore the Upper Magat Watershed.

On June 26, 1969, the Magat Watershed was proclaimed as a reservation under Proclamation 573 covering a total area of 430,861 hectares. It occupies the eastern part of Ifugao province

located within the municipalities of Mayoyao, Lagawe, Alfonso Lista and Aguinaldo in Ifugao; Santiago City and Ramon town in Isabela; and Diadi in Nueva Vizcaya.

The National Irrigation Administration (NIA) said the reservation supports the Magat Muti-Purpose Dam and other vital infrastructure THAT PROVIDE IRRIGATION lOOD CONtrol, hydroelectric power generation and other related uses.

Hosillos said the P1.7-million MBMWMP was set to run for three years and would involve six of the 20 barangay (villages) of Lagawe that were covered by the watershed area.

Led by Lagawe Mayor Martin Habawel Jr., a ceremonial tree planting ceremony was conducted as part of the signing of the agreement and the MBMWMP launching. He was joined by acting

SATURDAY April 6, 2019

Vice Mayor Vilma Alcayna and SNAP-Magat representatives led

by President and Chief Executive /FkCER *OSEPH 9U “I am thankful to SNAP-Magat.

Indeed, this is a blessing to the municipality of Lagawe, especially in the Upper Ayangan [area] because Mount Binahagan is rampant [with] illegal logging,�

Habawel said. &OR HIS PART 9U REAFFIRMED SNAP-Magat’s commitment to environmental stewardship. “We believe that the value we create is a value that we share with our host communities and partners. By helping to control the erosion, [this project] prolongs THE WATER lOW INTO THE -AGAT 2EServoir that allows us to continue to deliver more value to our community,� he said.

7ITH THIS 9U SAID THE COMMUNITY COULD BENEkT THROUGH THE project’s livelihood and sustainability components.

A multi-purpose dam used primarily for irrigating about 85,000 hectares of agricultural lands and lOOD CONTROL THE -AGAT $AM is also used to generate power through the Magat Hydroelectric Power Plant (MHPP).

Q Lagawe town Mayor Martin Habawel Jr. leads the ceremonial tree planting ceremony as part of the launch of the Mount Binahagan Micro-Watershed Management Project. He was joined by acting Vice Mayor Vilma Alcayna and SN Aboitiz Power-Magat representatives led by President and Chief Executive Officer Joseph Yu. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO SNAP-Magat owns and operates in Luzon. It is a joint venture be- Group, a leading provider and the 360 to 380-megawatt MHPP, tween SN Power of Norway and developer of renewable energy in one of the largest hydro facilities AboitizPower, and is part of SNAP the Philippines.

Should we abolish the Climate Change Commission?

(Second of two parts) a broad and compreALL ABOUT AST week, we prehensive perspective on sented the first six CHOICES pursuing resilience and arguments presented sustainable developby the Climate Change LUDWIG O. ment, consistent with Commission (CCC) as FEDERIGAN the mission of CCAM contained in its position as articulated in the Napaper submitted to the tional Climate Change Senate of the Philippines, namely: Action Plan (NCCAP).

1. While the CCC recognizes the creation 8. To strengthen and sustain the gains of the Department of Disaster Resilience of the CCC is to strengthen climate risk (DDR), its position paper provides perspec- GOVERNANCE AND CLIMATE kNANCE IN THE tives on the science, policy and governance country. Pursuant to Republic Act (RA) for disaster risk reduction and manage- 9729, as amended, the CCC formulates ment (DRRM) in the country in the context policy guidance and sets the standards of climate change, and why the proposed on CCAM, as manifested in the approved DDR should not subsume the functions of National Strategic Framework on Climate Change and the NCCAP. Using a wholethe CCC and require its abolition.

2. CCC as the country’s lead policy- of-government and whole-of-society apmaking body on climate change must proach, the CCC coordinates, monitors be strengthened and sustained instead and evaluates the programs and action of abolished given the urgent call from plans of the government and the private the global scientific community and sector on climate change. the United Nations for all countries to Notably, the CCC also represents the “rapidly strengthen national climate ac- country in the climate change negotiation plans, and urgently accelerate the tions, leading the panel of negotiators implementation of the Paris Agreement� to the UNFCCC and the formulation of to limit global temperature rise to 1.5 THE COUNTRY S OFkCIAL POSITIONS ON CLIMATE degrees Celsius. change negotiation issues and decision 3. Climate change adaptation and areas at the annual Conference of Parties. mitigation (CCAM) is a broader concept The crucial role of the CCC is further and sphere of development action than broadened by its mandate under RA DRRM, as it consists of climate actions 10771, or the “Philippine Green Jobs for societal resilience and sustainability Act of 2016,� to develop and administer that transform sectors to a low-carbon appropriate standards for the assessand green economy.

MENT AND CERTIkCATION OF GREEN GOODS 4. CCAM concerns sustainability be- and services, and green technologies and yond resilience. practices for the availment of incentives.

5. CCAM is recognized by the UN as In addition to this, the CCC serves as the separate and distinct from DRR. CCAM country’s National Designated Authority is governed by the adopted United Na- (NDA) to the Green Climate Fund (GCF), tions Framework Convention on Climate assuming focal point and broad strategic Change (UNFCCC), which aims to “sta- oversight functions over GCF-related bilize greenhouse gas concentrations in kNANCING AND PROGRAM ACTIVITIES IN THE the atmosphere at a level that would pre- country. Likewise, the CCC, as the NDA vent dangerous anthropogenic interfer- to GCF, ensures that projects submitted to ence with the climate system.� Therefore, the GCF for funding are consistent with the abolishing CCC is inconsistent with this NCCAP, NDC, and the country’s developinternational framework. ment plans, strategies and priorities.

6. CCAM is about transforming secMoreover, pursuant to Commission tors into a green economy — agriculture, Resolution 2019-001, the “Resolution waste, industries, transportation, forestry Adopting a National Climate Risk Manageand energy (AWITFE) — through the ment Framework to Address the Intensifydevelopment of the country’s Nationally ing Adverse Impacts of Climate Change,�

Determined Contribution (NDC). the CCC shall monitor the progress and With the objective to continue to pres- conduct quality assurance in the impleent the full text of the position paper, in mentation of the National Climate Risk today’s column, we lay down the remain- Management Framework, commencing ING kVE ARGUMENTS with the national stocktake of government 7. CCAM is transformative and future- actions on climate risk management.

ORIENTED IN NATURE WHICH JUSTIkES THE NEED All these considered, abolishing the for a policy-making, oversight body able CCC will seriously set back the country’s TO INlUENCE AND ALIGN THE PERSPECTIVES OF progress and negate all its gains towards government agencies to long-term climate climate resilience and sustainable degovernance. Likewise, CCAM supports the velopment goals. It is, therefore, an country’s Philippine Development Plan in imperative to sustain and strengthen the more ways than DRRM. CCC as an independent, science-based Subsuming CCC under a co-equal policy-making and coordinating agency agency dissolves its oversight func- of government on CCAM. tions over other government agencies.

9. Institutional cooperation strengthThe technical and policy indepen- ens CCA-DRRM. As CCAM and DRRM dence of the CCC is critical to ensure converge in adaptation or resilience-

L

B5

building efforts, this nexus could be strengthened through close coordination and cooperation between the CCC and NDRRMC or the proposed DDR. The need for cooperation and synergy between DRR and CCA has been established in recent studies (eg Shaw, Prabhakar and Chiba, 2016). The study “SDGs, DRR and CCA: Potential for Strengthening Interlinkages� underscored that “collaboration among related stakeholders with adaptive management — not just in drafting broad plans and policies but also actual implementation, monitoring and evaluation, via collaboration among local governments, local experts, nongovernment organizations and business sectors� is needed for strong convergence among the pursuits of sustainable development, DRR and CCA. 10. Strengthening local government units (LGUs) is key to strengthening DRRM. The foregoing considered, the desired enhancement of the country’s humanitarian preparedness and response system could be effectively achieved foremost by strengthening the DRRM systems and capacities of the LGUs and the local communities. Fundamentally, this would entail the establishment of a COMPREHENSIVE AND UNIkED RISK INFORMAtion system that integrates various riskrelated information sources and datasets, and a disaster loss and damage registry system that adopts standard protocols for valuation, validation and reporting of disaster impacts. The establishment of these systems enables and facilitates risk-informed local development planning,12 contingency planning, emergency preparedness and response planning, risk kNANCING AND TRANSFER AND IMPACT BASED forecasting and multihazard early warning for early and effective community action, among other disaster risk reduction measures. Community-based capacity building should also include skills trainING OF kRST RESPONDERS MOBILIZING AND ACCESSING kNANCE FOR $22- MEASURES

and implementing environmental laws and land development policies.

11. Strengthening local risk governance is consistent with RA 7160 or the “Local Government Code.� This approach to strengthening local capacities for risk governance and disaster response is consistent with the Local Government Code, which provides for the devolution of national functions to LGUs, strengthening local autonomy in decision-making and planning processes.

Local risk governance will be more effective with LGUs fully capable, responsible and accountable for DRRM, including the enforcement of sanctions, activation of its command system for emergency and crisis situations, with the national government agencies, along with subnational DRRM arrangements, constantly ready to reinforce the DRRM systems and services of the LGUs. 10 Resolution No. 2019-001 dated 25 January 2019.

Multi-sector group campaigns vs Manila Bay reclamation OVER kSHERFOLK ENVIRONMENTALISTS and students gathered on Thursday at the University of the Philippines (UP) Center for Integrative and Development Studies (CIDS) to gather support for the campaign against the Manila Bay Reclamation Project.

Speakers from various sectors such as the Commission on Human Rights, kSHERFOLK COALITION 0ANGISDA 0ILIPInas and environmental organization Oceana Philippines shed light on the impact of the looming reclamation project that could displace over

kSHER FAMILIES “The Manila Bay is a rich resource that feeds over 9 million people,� said Eduardo Tadem, CIDS convener, in his keynote address.

He added that if it pushes through, the Manila Bay Reclamation Project would be the most destructive project in the country as it was considered an “irreversible form of environmental degradation.� “When you convert sea into land, you can never return it to its original condition,� echoed lawyer Roger Guzman from Oceana Philippines.

Guzman stressed that the reclamation project would not only kill corals, seagrasses and mangroves, as it would also cause deforestation from inland quarrying activities and affect the overall ecological processes in the area.

He added that there would be geological hazards, including increased vulnerability to earthquakes, greater lOODS STORM SURGES RISING OF SEA LEVEL and land subsidence. “These locations where they are most likely planning to construct their business are hazardous areas at risk of liquefaction,� warned Guzman.

Tadem remarked that the reclamation project was said to be lacking proper stakeholders’ consultation and transparENCY AND IGNORING THE MANY SCIENTIkC ACcounts demonstrating its adverse effects.

An attack on the ‘poorest’ sector Pangisda, an organization advocating FOR THE INTERESTS OF SMALL SCALE kSHERfolk, said in a statement that the Manila Bay Reclamation Project was undoubtedly an attack against the poorest sector OF THE COUNTRY ‡ THE kSHERFOLK 4HE CONVERSION OF THEIR kSHING GROUNDS TO industrial and commercial use was said to be tantamount to various forms of displacement and uprooting of small kSHERS FROM THEIR VERY SOURCE OF LIVELIhood, identity and life. $ESPITE BEING AMONG THE TOP kSHING countries in the world, Guzman said THAT THE &ILIPINO kSHERFOLK WERE PART OF country’s poorest sector. “It’s over 44 years since the Fisheries Decree of 1975 (Presidential Decree 704) was made effective. But THE STRUGGLES OF THE kSHERS REMAIN THE

same,� said Pablo Rosales, president of Pangisda Pilipinas.

Gilbert Reyes from the Pangisda ParaĂąaque said that prior to the reclamation projects around Manila Bay, their lives were simpler and more abundant.

He also recounted the time when they were displaced from Freedom Island in ParaĂąaque many years ago. “We were forced out of our homes where we get our livelihood and were transferred to a mountainous place,â€? lamented Reyes.

Reyes said that because of lack of LIVELIHOOD MOST OF HIS FELLOW kSHERS were compelled to either sell their homes or return to ParaĂąaque at that time. The same scenario may repeat itself if the Manila Bay Reclamation Project pushes through. g)T IS OUR DUTY AS kSHER FOLK TO FEED our families and bring food to the Filipinos,â€? said Rosales. “The reclamation of Manila Bay will take this role away from us.â€?

Tadem said the reclamation issue concerns a problem of governance as socioeconomic disparities would worsen. “The big businesses will benefit while millions of Filipinos will go hungry,� said Reyes.

Call for a ‘pro-people’ rehabilitation The Manila Bay Para sa Tao (MBPST) movement asserts that the solution to the Manila Bay problem remains the same. The group calls for a “pro-people� rehabilitation of Manila Bay that would GENUINELY BENEkT AND PROMOTE NOT ONLY the wellbeing of coastal communities, but also the future generations. Also, issues like food security and protection from calamities should be addressed. “It is the citizens’ duty to claim their rights amid this issue on reclamation,� said Melchor Cayabyab from the Commission on Human Rights.

Guzman also urged that there should be a moratorium against reclamation projects not just around Manila Bay, but in the entire Philippines.

Toward the end of Thursday’s event, the participants signed a unity statement in support of the ongoing campaign of the Manila Bay Para sa Tao (MBPST) for a people-centered rehabilitation.

Folk singer Bayang Barrios also performed during the event, while students of UP Diliman–College of Social Work and Community Development launched a video documentary featuring the life AND STRUGGLES OF kSHER COMMUNITIES IN Manila Bay’s Paraùaque area.

The forum led by the MBPST was participated in by groups from various sectors including individuals, student body and organizations, Pangisda chapters, environmental groups such as Wetlands International, Haribon Foundation and other civil society organizations.

˜ The Manila Times

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Republic of the Philippines ENERGY REGULATORY COMMISSION San Miguel Avenue, Pasig City

SATURDAY April 6, 2019

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Interconnection serves the paramount interest of the residents of Barangay Tumbod.

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JOSEFINA PATRICIA A. MAGPALE-ASIRIT Oversight Commissioner for Legal ___________________________________________________________________________

III.

The Supplemental Application Will Not Substantially Enlarge or Modify the original Application but only to aid the said application

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MT - Apr. 6 & 14, 2019

Ë&#x153; The Manila Times w w w.manilatimes.net

World

SATURDAY April 6, 2019

B7

SKorea declares national disaster over massive fire

RUINS

Scrapped vehicles lined up at an auto junkyard in Sokcho, South Korea after a massive forest fire broke out Thursday night. South Korean authorities have declared a rare national emergency due to the forest fire that is currently eating up around 500 hectares of upland trees, forcing over 900 fire trucks and tens of thousands of firefighters to put the fire under control. AFP PHOTO

Deadly showdown in Libya averted BENGHAZI, Libya: Forces loyal to Libyan strongman Khalifa Haftar were pushed back Friday from a key checkpoint less than 30 kilometres from Tripoli, checking their lightning advance on the capital, a security source said.

Militiamen from the coastal town of Zawiya, west of Tripoli, retook the base after a â&#x20AC;&#x153;short exCHANGE OF kREu THE SOURCE SAID ON condition of anonymity.

The militia is one of dozens that have proliferated since the overthrow of veteran dictator Moamer +ADHAk IN AN UPRISING BACKED BY the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) in 2011 and are variously aligned with the United Nations (UN)-backed unity government in the capital and a rival administration in the east backed

by Haftarâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s forces.

It can be recalled that Libyan Army Commander Khalifa Hifter on Friday ordered his forces to march on Tripoli, the capital of the UN-backed government, sparking fears of a major showdown with rival militias.

The order to his Libya National Army posted in an audio record-

ing online came as UN SecretaryGeneral Antonio Guterres visited the North African country and issued â&#x20AC;&#x153;a very strong appeal ... for ALL MILITARY MOVEMENTS TO STOP u Hifter also put at risk upcoming peace talks between Libyan rivals brokered by the UN aimed at drawing a roadmap for new elections.

The UN Security Council scheduled an emergency closed-door meeting Friday afternoon at Britainâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s request to discuss the unfolding developments.

The 2011 NATO-supported uprising that toppled and later killed longtime dictator Moammar Gadhafi led to chaos in Libya. The country has been split between rival governments in the east and WEST AND AN ARRAY OF MILITIAS kGHTING OVER POWER AND OIL kELDS Hifter is allied with the eastbased administration at odds with the UN-backed government based in Tripoli. Alongside the two rival administrations, mostly Islamic MILITIAS WIELD CONSIDERABLE INlUence and control large swathes of territory in the vast North African nation.

AP

SEOUL: ! GIANT FOREST kRE SWEPT across swathes of South Korea on Friday, as authorities declared a rare national disaster, deployING kRE ENGINES AND TENS OF thousands of personnel to bring it under control.

Apocalyptic images on television and social media showed walls of lAME LIGHTING UP THE NIGHT BUILDINGS ENGULFED IN lAMES AND CLOUDS of smoke billowing across hillsides during the day.

The blaze broke out late Thursday alongside a road in the town of Goseong, in the far northeast

of the country and only around 45 kilometers (28 miles) from the border with the nucleararmed North.

Fanned by strong winds, it quickly spread through the mountainous area, incinerating 400 homes and 500 hectares of land, according to the government.

Nearly 4,000 people were evacuated and one person died, authorities said, while 11 were injured.

More than 870 fire engines and some 10,000 emergency personnel were dispatched to kGHT THE BLAZE THE .ATIONAL &IRE

Agency said.

The military sent 32 helicopTERS ALONG WITH kRE ENGINES OF ITS own and 16,500 soldiers, to help. g&ORTUNATELY THE MAIN kRE HAS BEEN BROUGHT UNDER CONTROL u Provincial Governor Choi Moonsoon said in a radio interview with YTN, but added that others were still burning.

The central government declared a state of national disaster, entitling affected areas to special assistance, including goods and equipment, and banning entry to dangerous zones.

AFP

Border shutdown off, auto tariffs on â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Trump W ASHINGTON, D.C.: Abandoning his threat to immediately seal the southern border, President Donald Trump warned instead on Thursday (Friday in Manila) that heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d slap tariffs on cars coming to the US from Mexico UNLESS THE -EXICANS DO MORE TO STOP THE lOW OF migrants and drugs to the US.

In his latest backtrack in recent days, Trump told reporters he would TRY THE gLESS DRASTIC MEASUREu BEFORE resorting to his standing borderclosure threat. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Mexico understands that weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re going to close the border or Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m going to tariff the cars. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll do one or the other. And probably start off WITH THE TARIFFS u 4RUMP SAID (E added later: â&#x20AC;&#x153;I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t think weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll ever have to close the border because the penalty of tariffs on cars coming into the United States from Mexico, at 25 percent, will be MASSIVE u It was the latest,

seemingly sudden attempt at new leverage by a president struggling to solve what his administration has called A BORDER gCRISIS u !ND IT WAS A DRAMATIC departure for Trump, who last week tweeted that he would close the border or large swaths of it this week unless Mexico immediately halted â&#x20AC;&#x153;ALL illegal immigration coming into the United 3TATESu Â&#x2021; A SEEMINGLY IMPOSSIBLE TASK Trump said at the time that he was gNOT KIDDING AROUND u AND HIS ACTING chief of staff Mick Mulvaney said in a television

interview Sunday that it would take gSOMETHING DRAMATICu FOR 4RUMP not to close down the crossings.

Since then, however, White House advisers, border city leaders and US economists have warned that such a move would have enormous economic consequences on both sides of the border, interrupting supply chains and boosting US consumer prices on everything from avocadoes to autos.

Trump in recent days has also backtracked on his push for Republicans to again take on healthcare and surprised his own Education secretary by reversing a plan to ax federal aid for the Special Olympics.

Those actions have only added to longstanding concerns about whether Trumpâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s words can be trusted. Trump, who has long said his unpredictability was one of his greatest negotiating assets, has also followed through with some of his most bombastic threats, including forcing the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s longesternment shutdown ever govove r border funding.

Trump had

already appeared to be easing off his border threat earlier this week. Though he said Tuesday all options remained on the table, he shifted his goal posts, calling on Congress to pass immigration legislation to avert a closure and praising the Mexican government for doing more to apprehend migrants traveling through the country from Central America â&#x20AC;&#x201D; though itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s unclear anything has changed.

Marcelo Ebrard, Mexicoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s foreign relations secretary, said Tuesday his government had not changed its policies. And on Thursday, Mexicoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ambassador to the US Martha Barcena told The Associated Press the country was working to make its OWN BORDER gMORE ORDERLY u BUT gMIGRATION WOULD NEVER BE STOPPED u Jesus Seade, the Mexican undersecretary for North America, also brushed off the threat of new tariffs, saying OFkCIALS WERE gNOT CONCERNEDu AND noting the tariffs were not part of the US-Mexico-Canada Trade Agreement that the countries had agreed to but NOT YET RATIkED AP

Worldinbrief BIOPIC HOUNDS INDIA PMâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S REELECTION NEW Delhi: The planned release of a Bollywood biopic on Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi days before the start of Indian elections has run into trouble with a court challenge pending, and the censor board yet to clear its opening in theaters. Opposition parties are protesting that the filmâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s release would unfairly advantage Modiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Hindu Nationalist Party as it seeks reelection. The Supreme Court set a Monday hearing date for a Congress party petition demanding the movieâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s release be deferred until voting concludes in mid-May. The Hindi movie couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be screen as planned on Friday because the censor board hasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t certified it for release.

AP

NO EXPULSION FOR WIKILEAKS FOUNDER QUITO, Ecuador: A senior Ecuadorian official said no decision has been made to expel Julian Assange from the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s London embassy despite tweets from Wikileaks that sources had told it he could be kicked out within â&#x20AC;&#x153;hours to days.â&#x20AC;? A small group of protesters and supporters of Wikileaksâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; founder gathered Thursday outside the embassy in London where Assange has been holed up since August 2012. He has feared extradition to the US since WikiLeaks published thousands of classified military and diplomatic cables. Earlier, Wikileaks tweeted: â&#x20AC;&#x153;BREAKING: A high level source within the Ecuadorian state has told @WikiLeaks that Julian Assange will be expelled within â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;hours to daysâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; using the #INAPapers offshore scandal as a pretext â&#x20AC;&#x201D; and that it already has an agreement with the UK for his arrest.â&#x20AC;?

AP

VENEZUELANS BATHE AT MOUNTAIN PARK CARACAS, Venezuela: After generations of breathing life into Venezuelaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s crowded capital, the tree-covered slopes of El Avila mountain looming above Caracas are being transformed into a public bath amid worsening power failures that are disrupting life in the crisis-wracked country. Every day, hundreds of people without running water hike up from the city on Avilaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s winding trails to bathe, wash clothes and collect water to carry home. To the dismay of environmental activists, who fear the damage will be irreversible, people are littering its slopes and creeks with shampoo and water bottles, food wrappers, cardboard and old clothes. Wildfires in recent weeks that charred swaths of the drought-stricken mountain have compounded the damage, threatening to leave long-term environmental scars on the land declared a national park six decades ago.

AP

FB TO BLOCK FOREIGN ADS IN AUSSIE POLLS SYDNEY: Facebook (FB) will block election advertising from outside Australia ahead of polls next month, in the wake of growing criticism of the social media giantâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s role in the spread of disinformation. The restrictions â&#x20AC;&#x201D; already rolled out for polls in other countries such as Thailand and Indonesia â&#x20AC;&#x201D; will come into force when the government announces the election date in the coming days. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re temporarily not allowing electoral ads purchased from outside Australia ahead of the election in May,â&#x20AC;? Facebookâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Australia and New Zealand Policy Director Mia Garlick said in a statement. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The restriction... will apply to ads we determine to be coming from foreign entities that are of an electoral nature, meaning they contain references to politicians, parties or election suppression.

AFP

STORM DESTROYS HOUSES IN CAMBODIA A THUNDERSTORM on Tuesday destroyed six houses and caused flooding in 50 more in Preah Vihear provinceâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Chheb district. Colonel Chhour Mady, Chheb district police chief, yesterday said that strong winds blew down the six houses in Chheb 1 commune, but no one was hurt. He said that the storm also caused flooding in 50 houses, but waters have since subsided. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Whenever it rains in the commune there will be floods but the water will subside within a few hours,â&#x20AC;? Col Mady said, dispelling rumours that the flooding was caused by the opening of floodgates in Thailand.

KHMER TIMES

PUTINâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S PROTECTOR

Alpha, a 20-year-old female goshawk, spreads her wings in Moscow outside the presidential palace.

Alpha soars between the golden domes of the Kremlin, spreading panic among crows perched in nearby trees. The goshawk is one of a dozen birds of prey whose job is to protect President Vladimir Putinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s seat of power in Moscow. AFP PHOTO

NZ mosques attacker to undergo psycho test CHRISTCHURCH, New Zealand: A New Zealand (NZ) judge on Friday ordered that the man accused of killing 50 people at two Christchurch mosques undergo two mental health assessments to determine IF HE S kT TO STAND TRIAL High Court judge Cameron Mander made the order during a hearing in which 28-year-old Australian Brenton Harrison Tarrant appeared via video link from a small room at the maximum security Paremoremo prison in Auckland.

Mander said nothing should be

read into his order for the mental health assessments, as it was a normal step in such a case. Lawyers said it could take two or three months to complete.

The judge said Tarrant was charged with 50 counts of murder and 39 counts of attempted murder.

0OLICE INITIALLY kLED A SINGLE REPRESENTATIVE MURDER CHARGE BEFORE kLING the additional charges this week.

Tarrant was wearing handcuffs and a gray-colored sweater when he appeared on a large screen inside the Christchurch courtroom,

which was packed with family members and victims of the shooting, some in wheelchairs and hospital gowns and still recovering from gunshot wounds.

Tarrant had stubble and closecropped hair. He showed no emotion during the hearing. At times he looked around the room or cocked his head, seemingly to better hear what was being said.

The judge explained that from his end, Tarrant could see the judge and lawyers, but not those in the public gallery.

Tarrant spoke only once to conkRM TO THE JUDGE HE WAS SEATED

although his voice didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t come through because the sound was muted. It wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t immediately clear if his link had been deliberately or inadvertently muted.

4HE COURTROOM WAS kLLED WITH more than two dozen reporters and about 60 members of the public. A court registrar greeted people in Arabic and English as the hearing got underway. Some of those watching got emotional and wept.

AP

Report: Faulty sensor led to Boeing crash ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia: A doomed Ethiopian Airlines jet suffered from faulty readings by a key sensor, and pilots followed Boeingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s recommended procedures when the plane started to nose dive, but could not avoid crashing, according to a preliminary report released by the Ethiopian government.

The findings draw the strongest link yet between the March 10 crash in Ethiopia and an October crash off the

coast of Indonesia, which both involved Boeing 737 Max 8 jetliners. All 346 people on the two planes were killed.

Both planes had an automated system that pushed the nose down when sensor readings detected the danger of an aerodynamic stall, and it now appears that sensors malfunctioned on both planes.

Boeing acknowledged that the sensor malfunctioned and Chief Executive Officer

Dennis Muilenburg said Thursday a new software update would prevent future incidents. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s our responsibility to eliminate this risk,â&#x20AC;?

Muilenburg said in a video statement. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We own it, and we know how to do it.â&#x20AC;?

Thursdayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s preliminary report, based on flight data and cockpit voice recorders on the Ethiopian Airlines jetliner, showed that the faulty sensor touched off a series of events that caused the pilots to lose control of the plane. The

report from Ethiopiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau said the sensor problems began about a minute after the plane was cleared for takeoff.

It said air speed and altitude values on the left side of the Ethiopian Airlines 737 Max conflicted with data from the right sensor, causing flight control problems.

Eventually the pilots couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t keep the plane from plummeting to the ground, killing all 157 people on board.

AP

SSATURDAY AT URDAY APRIL 6, 2019

Public Square

B8 Public Square appears on Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday.

For contributions, email to publicsquare@manilatimes.net

publicsquare@manilatimes.net

St. Elizabeth Hospital ready for Universal Health Care Law S

T. Elizabeth Hospital Inc., Gen. Santos Cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s leading medical facility and the latest addition to the hospiTAL NETWORK OF -ETRO 0ACIkC (OSPITAL Holdings, Inc. (MPHHI), recently opened its Primary Care Center (PCC) ahead of the implementation of the Universal Health Care (UHC) Law. A 24/7 one-stop-shop for outpatient health care, it offers services and products such as consultation, laboratory, diagnostics, wellness check-up, and pharmacy. The PCC was designed to support a new collaborative care process between medical professionals and the hospital with a team-style treatment approach, as compared to the traditional approach where patients visit clinics that are separate from the laboratory, diagnostics and pharmacy.

The PCC houses six clinics with generalist and specialist doctors available for consultation 24/7 and can electronically prescribe the laboratory, diagnostics and medicine needs of patients who are then prioritized in a queueing system for a seamless outpatient healthcare experience

Q At the Primary Care Center opening were, from left, Ronaldo Veneracion, Maria Helena Veneracion-Garcia, Maria Catherine Veneracion-Juliano, Angelita Veneracion, St. Elizabeth Hospital Chairman Emeritus Jesus Veneracion and Chief Operating Officer Antonio Veneracion. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The implementing rules and under one roof and ideally in a single help sustain the growth by providvisit. It also accommodates prescribed ing quality outpatient health care regulations of the Universal Health laboratory, diagnostics and medicine services patterned after best practices Care Law will be out soon, which will requirements seen by external doctors. in Manila, Asia and the Americas. allow PhilHealth members to avail of Another outpatient pharmacy, now -ETRO 0ACIkC (OSPITALS HAS ALLOWED outpatient health insurance on top managed by MedExpress, was also us access to these practices through of their current inpatient insurance opened within the PCC to offer qual- its network of hospitals in the BENEkTS 7E ARE NOW READY FOR THAT ity and reasonably-priced medicines. country and its partners who have 7E EXPECT THE DEMAND FOR OUTPATIENT â&#x20AC;&#x153;Much thought and planning has global healthcare experience,â&#x20AC;? says services to increase, so we are adding been given to this project. Region St. Elizabeth Hospital President 50 clinics in the new 10-story Dr. Jesus 12 has a growing population and a and CEO Oslec Lopez, who is also C. Veneracion Medical Tower which will rise by the end of 2019,â&#x20AC;? he added. booming economy and we want to MPHHI special projects director.

Brownout in Iloilo power summit underscores need for reform in energy sector A 10-minute power interruption on March 22 marred the Iloilo Renewable Energy Summit, an event organized in part by the Murang Kuryente Partylist, hosted by the Archdiocese of Jaro, and held in the Archbishopâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Residence.

The event counted representatives from the Department of Energy (DoE), energy companies MORE AND 7E'EN CIVIL SOCIETY AS WELL AS consumers and communities from Iloilo, among its attendees. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Even in an event attended by power distributors, we are not spared the power interruption. This just goes to show how broken the electrical system is in Iloilo and the rest of the country, despite us paying sky-high rates to electric companies,â&#x20AC;? said Gerry Arances, partylist nominee

and a speaker at the summit.

Iloilo currently has some of the highest power rates in the Philippines, a country whose power rates rank second to Japan in Asia, despite the poor and unreliable electrical system.

The summit was called due to the problems besetting the POWER SECTOR IN 7ESTERN 6ISAYAS

particularly in Iloilo City.

Speaking on behalf of consumERS 76 (IDLAWANAY #OOPERATIVE 6ICE #HAIRMAN 7ILFREDO /RTIZ said â&#x20AC;&#x153;There has always been tension between electric cooperatives and member-consumers here in Iloilo. The lack of sincerity in consulting member-consumers in rate adjustments and other important processes have been largely unfavorable to us.â&#x20AC;?

Q Brownout strikes at RE Summit 3 Ortiz cited in particular the proposal of Philippine Rural Electric Cooperatives Association Inc. (PhilReca), a consortium of electric cooperatives across the country, to pass on to consumers the real property tax of elec-

tric cooperatives, as one of the sources of this tension.

Arances responded â&#x20AC;&#x153;The primary consideration, always, is the consumer. They need electricity, but they must never be held hostage by vested interests due to this need.â&#x20AC;?

Coca-Cola PH, PBSP provide clean water to Negros Occidental school ON HER kRST YEAR AS PRINCIPAL OF Cunalum Elementary School (ES) in 2015, Jessica Castrillo had to stop pupils from drinking through the schoolâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s water tank and other surrounding sources when one of her kindergarten pupils got ill.

The lack of potable water has always been a pressing issue of the school and the community in general. Cunalum is located approximately 23 kilometers from the city proper of Himamaylan in Negros Occidental.

Most of the residents are indigenous people and come from poor families that spending for their own water system is very difficult to achieve.

Since Cunalumâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s residents

couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t afford to buy drinking water, they would only source water through pipes they manually connected from the 13-year-old school tank to their own homes.

However, the initial neglect on tank maintenance and the communityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s manual assembly and disconnection of pipes further contributed to the possible contamination of water, making it more unreliable for drinking. #ASTRILLO WAS kNALLY ABLE TO PUT her worries to rest when Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP) came and fixed the schoolâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s water system through a grant given by the Coca-Cola Foundation.

4HROUGH 0"30 S 0OTABLE 7ATER Project, schools previously con-

Q PBSP representatives with Principal Jessica Castrillo (2nd from left) structed under Coca-Colaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Little project is Coca-Colaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s response to Red Schoolhouse Project are given governmentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s call for assistance to improved access to safe, drinking augment classroom shortage in the water. The Little Red Schoolhouse country a few years back.

FWD returns as title sponsor of the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;FWD North Pole Marathonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; &7$ IS PLEASED TO ANNOUNCE ITS SPONSORSHIP OF THE g&7$ .ORTH Pole Marathonâ&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x201D; to be held on April 9 â&#x20AC;&#x201D; for the third time.

As a title sponsor for the maraTHON &7$ WILL ALSO SUPPORT passionate runners from across Asia to embrace the challenge at the extreme 89° latitude North. g&7$ IS EXTREMELY PROUD TO CONtinue our support for this challenging and one-of-a-kind event, as it resonates with our philosophy of empowering people to explore a lifetime of limitless possibilities,â&#x20AC;?

SAID 4IM /LIVER &7$ 'ROUP #HIEF Customer and Marketing officer.

g7E ARE DELIGHTED TO SUPPORT AND provide protection for all of our 10 runners as they strive achieving their goal of completing a marathon in EXTREME CONDITIONS Â&#x2021; RElECTING THE determination and perseverance of the people across Asiaâ&#x20AC;?

4HE &7$ 4EAM !SIA CONSISTS of 10 runners from across Asia, namely actress Annie Liu, singer Andy Leong and accomplished full marathon runner Tsui Chi +IN FROM (ONG +ONG &7$ &INANCIAL 7EALTH PLANNER *OYETTE Jopson from the Philippines; fitness show host Ittiphol Samutthong from Thailand; adventure

Q FWD Team Asia expert Phan Thanh Nhien from and Group COO Rob Schimek Vietnam; Misaki Izuoki, Joe Vlog from Singapore.

For more information, visit and Hideaki Oono from Japan; AND &7$ -ANAGING $IRECTOR www.fwd.com.

NCCA, Agriculture department lead 1st Filipino Food Month celebration THIS April, savor and enrich Filipino native cuisines as the whole nation mounts the celebration of THE kRST EVER &ILIPINO &OOD -ONTH pursuant to Presidential Proclamation 469, signed in 2018.

As the Philippinesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; leading government agency for arts and culture, the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA), led by its chair-

man National Artist Virgilio Almario and Executive Director Rico Pableo Jr., along with the Department of Agriculture (DA), led by Secretary Emmanuel PiĂąol, lead the celebration of Filipino Food Month through series of activities with the theme Ang Sarap: Piyesta ng Pagkaing Pilipino.

The Philippine Culinary Heritage Movement (PCHM), an organiza-

tion dedicated to the promotion and preservation of Philippine cuisine led

by Chef Jam Melchor, also took part on the festivalâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s debut.

It was launched at Orchid Gardens, San Fernando, Pampanga on April 5, in collaboration with local government of Pampanga and Department of Tourism (DoT) Region III, which gave presenta-

tions, cooking demonstrations and lectures about food industry.

For the culminating activity, PCHM will hold a gala night titled â&#x20AC;&#x153;Ang Sarap! Philippine Food Festival Gala 2019â&#x20AC;? on April 30 at the Rizal Park Hotel, with the invited chefs from all over the country.

For more details, visit www. ncca.gov.ph.

Pagaduan takes oath before DoLE secretary

RETIRED Philippine National Policeâ&#x20AC;&#x201C;Higway Patrol Group (PNPHPG) Colonel Moises Pagaduan TAKE HIS OATH OF OFkCE BEFORE ,ABOR Secretary Silvestre Bello 3rd as newly

APPOINTED SECURITY OFkCER OF THE $Epartment of Labor and Employment (DoLE) during the simple ceremony at the Office of the Secretary in Intramuros, Manila, on March 22.

Belmonte to LGBT community: Quezon City is your home QUEZON City Vice Mayor Joy Belmonte assured that Quezon City will continue to raise the rainbow lAG AS SHE VOWED TO PROTECT THE rights of the members of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender (LGBT) Community in the city. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Our message to the LGBT sector is that you are safe here, we welcome you here, we protect your rights here and you can call Quezon City your home,â&#x20AC;? said Belmonte.

Belmonte made the statement in accordance to her platform of making the city â&#x20AC;&#x153;a millennial cityâ&#x20AC;? that embraces diversity, innovation and progressive ideas to encourage young people to reside in a city â&#x20AC;&#x153;full of potentialâ&#x20AC;?.

The vice mayor also mentioned THAT 1UEZON #ITY IS THE kRST CITY TO pass an ordinance that protects the

rights of the members of the LGBT community. Dubbed the Quezon City Gender-Fair Ordinance, the law prohibits any form of discrimination to any person on the basis of sexual preferences. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It was 2014 when we passed an ordinance that aims to defend the members of the LGBT community from any form of discrimination.

It is a clear message to everyone that Quezon City discriminates no one and the city government assures every citizen that your rights will be protected whatever your sexual orientation is,â&#x20AC;? she added.

Under the Quezon City Gender-Fair Ordinance, it is punishable to deprive anyone of employment, education, services, and accommodation on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity and expression.

Enjoy â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Family Break Offerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; at Regal Oriental Hotel MAKING plans for the coming family g e t away i n H o n g Kong? There is a lot to see and explore in the city.

7 I T H g & A M I L Y Break Offer,â&#x20AC;? one can enjoy as much as 40 percent off when booking with a minimum of 60 days in advance. Book now to plan your itinerary ahead for your exploration of Hong Kong and create happy memories for your vacation.

Privileges of â&#x20AC;&#x153;Family Break Offerâ&#x20AC;? include complimentary in-room Internet access for maximum four devices, complimentary hotel scheduled shuttle

bus service to and from Airport Express Kowloon Station and MTR Hung Hom Station per stay, complimentary use of fitness room and breakfast buffet at a special price HK$100.

This will available until Dec. 31.

For more information, visit http:// weibo.com/regalorientalhotel

12 hottest destinations in PH this 2019 7)4( 7,641 islands, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s definitely more fun in the Philippines when it comes to exploring famous tourist spots and hidden gems. There are numerous activities to do and places to explore for all types of travelers.

In fact, according to Traveloka, Southeast Asiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s leading online booking platform for hotels, flights as well as activities and attractions, the Philippines is becoming such a tourist hub that thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s been a 74 percent increase in tourist arrivals from 2018 to 2019 in 12 local destinations.

Topping their list of the current hottest local destinations with a whopping 386 percent increase in tourist arrivals is the postcard-worthy island of Batanes, which, thanks to the availability of CHEAPER lIGHTS HAS kNALLY GOTTEN the attention it deserves.

It is likely that most of the destinations on the list such as General Santos and Laoag City, have gained popularity after the six-month rehabilitation of the more mainstream island of Boracay, but it has been a long time coming. Both feature stunning

beaches and exciting activities such as paragliding and sandboarding, that surely put these provinces on the tourist radar.

Check out and make sure to add these hot local destinations right now to your 2019 bucket list: Basco, Batanes; Legazpi City; General Santos; Laoag City; Subic Bay; Angeles, Pampanga; Dumaguete City; Alaminos City; Cagayan de Oro; Naga and Tacloban City.

Sports

SATURDAY APRIL 6, 2019

C1

Q Milwaukee Bucksâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Giannis Antetokounmpo (No. 34) is fouled by Philadelphia 76ersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Shake Milton (No. 18) during the second half of an NBA basketball game in Philadelphia. AP PHOTO

www.manilatimes.net

Bucks beat 76ers to secure top seed in East L

OS ANGELES: Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 45 points and had 13 rebounds as the Milwaukee Bucks clinched the best record in the Eastern Conference with a 128-122 victory over t he P h i l a d e l p h i a 76ers on Thursday (Friday in Manila).

It is the first time in franchise history that the Bucks head into the playoffs as the top seed in the East. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I was just trying to make plays AND TRYING TO kND THE OPPORTUNITY TO attack,â&#x20AC;? Antetokounmpo said. +HRIS -IDDLETON kNISHED WITH points for Milwaukee, who locked up home court advantage in the playoffs and won the season series over the 76ers AFTER THE TEAMS SPLIT THEIR kRST TWO GAMES â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s been a really special year,â&#x20AC;?

Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer said.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m very proud of the team.â&#x20AC;?

Philadelphiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Joel Embiid recorded his second career triple-double with 34 points, 13 rebounds and 13 assists in his return from a threegame absence due to a sore left knee.

JJ Redick added 29 points and Mike Scott scored 22 for Philadelphia, who failed to solidify their hold on the number three seed in the East by losing their third straight game. Philadelphia dropped to 49-30 on the season.

The game got heated in the early

stages as less than three minutes in Milwaukeeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Eric Bledsoe was ejected after receiving two technical fouls.

Bledsoe got tangled up with Philadelphiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Embiid and was thrown out by THE OFkCIALS AFTER HE kRED THE BALL AT Embiid, hitting him in the stomach.

Embiid and Philadelphiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Mike Scott also received technicals.

Antetokounmpo scored 12 points IN THE kRST QUARTER AS THE "UCKS TOOK A 30-26 lead into the second. Milwaukee looked like they would take the

lead into halftime but Philadelphia ERASED A SIX POINT DEkCIT OVER THE kNAL FOUR MINUTES OF THE SECOND QUARTER TO jump ahead 58-56. )N THE FOURTH QUARTER !NTETOKounmpo made a free throw to cap a 6-0 run with 6:27 left to tie it 104-104.

It is the 42nd time this season Antetokounmpo has scored 25 or more points and 10 or more rebounds in a game. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s been doing it all for us this whole season,â&#x20AC;? Middleton said.

George Hill finished with 20

points, Sterling Brown scored 12 and D.J. Wilson had 11 for Milwaukee, while Ben Simmons dished out 13 assists for Philadelphia. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We struggled guarding them,â&#x20AC;?

76ers coach Brett Brown said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We gotta do better.â&#x20AC;?

Now that they have clinched the top spot, the Bucks will likely rest Antetokounmpo for a game. The league MVP candidate missed Milwaukeeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Sunday game at Atlanta because of a sore right ankle.

Elsewhere, DeMarcus Cousins scored 21 points as the Golden State Warriors boosted their chances of securing the top seed in the Western Conference by clobbering the Los Angeles Lakers 108-90.

The West-leading Golden State improved to 54-24 on the season with just four regular season games left. The two-time defending NBA champion Warriors have a two-game lead over the idle second place Denver Nuggets, who host Portland on Friday.

AFP

Roger Federer and Jim Paredes: Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s age got to do with it?

BY ROMY P. MARIĂ&#x2018;AS ROGER FEDERER is 37 and John Isner is 33.

And yet, not a few are saying that the Swiss maestro is old at that age, while I personally have not read any news report that says Isner is old, too.

This week, the oldie in Federer got the better of the YOUNGER !MERICAN IN THE kNAL match of the 2019 Miami Open, 6-1, 6-4, and never mind that the six-foot-ten Isner injured his left leg in the closing games of the second set, tarnishing a teeny weeny bit the 101st ATP singles title of the winner in the Florida sunshine.

Meanwhile, many are saying that Jim Paredes is too old at 67 to be doing what he admitted that he did, as if he should have done it when he was 18 and, if he did, everything would just be forgiven.

Forgive me but itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the per-

Q Roger Federer

AFP PHOTO

T

formance that counts, Federerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s that is, on court and it is none of my business what he does off it.

Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll spare you this cornerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s opinion if Paredes makes the, well, cut where theshow-must-go-on mantra that he has lived by since the start of his Apo Hiking Society days in the 1970s applies in his embarrassing predicament at present.

In this supposed age of political correctness, many sports fans are raising a racket about Serena Williamsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; age (also 37) but not about my personal favorite female tennis player, Hsieh Su-wei from Taiwan (33).

Williams, of course, is still a huge draw in any WTA event and her recent withdrawals from Indian Wells and Miami arguably affected ticket sales negatively.

Also arguably, however, the absence of the amiable, smart and intelligent Hsieh would not be missed by many who want to watch sluggers and power hitters and servers like Serena and her sister Venus, Maria Sharapova, Petra Kvitova and other 30 something players, not the Taiwanese who, hands down, is a joy to watch ESPECIALLY IF SHE IS SPORTING HER NINJA OUTkT The problem of people with an aversion for members of the Federer-Williams era is, well, their problem because there is nothing in the ATP and WTA rules that says tennis

COMMENTARY

How PBA could truly help Gilas

HE PBA will have its acid test this coming weekend. They will have MARQUEE MATCHUPS IN THE 1UARTERkNALS with Ginebra vs Magnolia, a best of three Manila Classico treat. The other matchUP HAS THE lAGSHIP TEAMS OF THE %MPIRES

San Miguel vs Talk nâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Text.

It was almost like a script, and if those MATCH UPS DON T kLL UP THE VENUES THEN the PBA really has a problem. Those are four of the most popular teams in the nation and it would be a shame if people donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t come to watch them.

Legends no more The Filipinos are a basketball nation.

Despite all the calls to focus on football or baseball, hoops will still reign supreme.

However, with the increased exposure of the Filipino audience to international BASKETBALL SPECIkCALLY THE ."!

OUR LOCAL superstars started to look like pedestrians.

This is why the awe has disappeared: the superstars are no longer the â&#x20AC;&#x153;legendsâ&#x20AC;? we cut them out to be. With that REVERENCE GONE IT BECAME A QUESTION of whether it was worth paying hardearned money to watch them live.

There was a need for validation. With the dawn of open basketball, there was a real demand for our Filipino players to

BASKETBALL SLEUTH

let them get whipped in China.

How can the PBA grant Gilas the valuable practice time without disrupting their precious three-conference calendar?

The simple, obvious MICHAEL ANGELO B. ASIS solution become competitive in the international stage. But they did the opposite.

From being next to China, the Philippines lagged behind with the emergence of Iran and South Korea.

And now we are in the same division as Australia and New Zealand.

Globalization has also reached basketball, and now your product has to be world class.

The ultimate sacrifice for a PBA renaissance 4HAT IS WHY QUALIFYING FOR THE 7ORLD #UP was so important. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s like our basketball ISO standard. There is already a regional league that emerged in the MPBL. The PBA needs to tap the metropolitan audienceâ&#x20AC;&#x201D; the urbanites with the internet and their cable TV with NBA League Pass.

The PBA needs Gilas to perform well in the World Cup. We cannot afford to

The PBA Commissionerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Cup will have the PBA teams parading 6â&#x20AC;&#x2122;10 imports. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the size of international centers. That could be great competition for our nationals. Our nationals who will be playing for their mother teams, watching the match-ups between the imports, and waiting for the kickout pass.

Why not let Gilas Pilipinas play in the PBA Commissionerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Cup? This will be shot down: Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll be called crazy, naĂŻve and delusional but if you hear me out, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not that far-fetched.

The PBA teams will not give up their star players during the season, especially for one whole conference. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s too much of a disadvantage.

Out of the box, into the stands My suggestion is that the PBA could have a reward system for teams who lend their players to the National Team. If they offer two or

players should forever be sweet 16.

As long as they stay healthy, the likes of Roger and Serena can play as long as they want if, for one, they do not endanger their physical well-being and they begin to show only a shadow of themselves as A-1 athletes in their old age.

That health is wealth particularly applies to Federer, who probably has never had serious injuries that could have threatened his career, unlike his slightly younger rivals Novak Djokovic and Rafael .ADAL WHO HAD TO QUIT A FEW OF THEIR matches in 2018 and this year for some body pain or other.

Jim Paredes should have just enjoyed his retirement, instead of apparently toying with social media that all but

more players, they could have a second import.

The economics of having a second import is not out of reach for most PBA franchises. Many of them have resident imports. Some examples are Justin Brownlee of Ginebra and Eugene Phelps of Phoenix. They have an agreement with their teams so they would always be available when their tour of duty kicks in.

Teams have resident imports to prevent them from losing their talent TO OTHER COUNTRIES 1UALITY IMPORTS like Ricardo Ratliffe or Charles Rhodes have not returned as they got offers in other countries.

Imagine a scenario where Ginebra gives up Japeth Aguilar and Scottie Thompson, but in exchange they get to activate Brownlee along with their import. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not a bad deal.

Gilas Pilipinas can then assemble and play against PBA teams with imports.

This has been done before but the PBA can take a step further by actually counting the Gilas games as part of the winloss record, instead of just exhibition games that were not televised.

Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a pipe dream, it will cost more for all parties, but the basketball fans can make it worth the investment by returning to the stands.

E

destroyed his person and family when what he admitted to be doing in a â&#x20AC;&#x153;privateâ&#x20AC;? video went viral also this week.

What you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t hurt you, until it strikes you like a thief in the NIGHT MEANING QUIT WHILE YOU ARE AHEAD whether you are a blogger like Paredes taking apparent liberties with himself or a social-media activist, again, like the former APO out to restore the color yellow in the political spectrum and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that.

Roger Federer should not follow Paredesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; lead, however.

The Swiss great has always watched HIS BACK LITERALLY AND kGURATIVELY SO why should he give up tennis at the ripe old age of 38, 39, 40â&#x20AC;Ś?

Those 67 and above, however, had better drop it, seriously, the â&#x20AC;&#x153;act,â&#x20AC;? that is.

The Chosen One

VER Since Zion Williamson was playing high school hoops, he was already a projected Top-5 pick in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Before his single season at Duke University, Williamson was already making a name for himself by leading Spartanburg Day School (South Carolina) to three straight Class AA state titles, averaging a whopping 36.4 points, 11.4 rebounds, and 3.5 assists.

The 6-7, 285 pound forward led the Blue Devils to the No.1 seed in the NCAA but lost to Michigan State in the Elite Eight. The end of his season wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t diminish his status as the presumptive No.1 draft pick in the NBA draft. Already, lottery-bound teams are salivating over drafting this once-in-a generation talent sure to change their respective fortunes.

What makes Zion (aptly named after the biblical mountain in Jerusalem) so special is his combination of speed, athleticism, length, explosiveness, and size that some have labeled him a â&#x20AC;&#x153;freak of nature.â&#x20AC;? His ability to put all his gifts together makes him a great two-way player that can play and guard all posiTIONS MAKING HIM A PERFECT kT FOR TODAY S position-less NBA. He is unstoppable in the open and half courts and is also a great defensive player posting 1.8 blocks and 2.2 steals per game in college.

Already, he has drawn comparisons as a cross between Charles Barkley and LeBron James. The only weaknesses to his game is his lack of range and his tendency to play bully ball. In todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s NBA, big men with range are prized with their ability to stretch defenses, making it easier to score. He also has the propensity to use his talents to overpower or blow-by opponents. Against much bigger and more athletic opponents, this could make him easier to check as teams employ more complex defensive schemes.

"UT THE BIGGEST QUESTION IS HOW LONG can his legs take the wear-and-tear of playing above the rim and the great force he

CROSSOVER RAFFY LEDESMA produces with every moment. As he starts working with professional nutritionists and physical trainers, he may have to lose some weight to increase his longevity and even become a better player. Imagine how faster he could be 20 points lighter not to mention adding to that already ridiculous 44-inch vertical leap.

The top three teams that have the biggest shot at the top pick are the New York Knicks, Phoenix Suns, and the Cleveland Cavaliers. Out of the three, Zion would do well with the Knicks since there are already established stars in the Suns while the Cavs do not offer the same marketing opportunities a city like New York can.

Aside from his basketball skills and electrifying dunks, Zion is a marketing gold mine since he has a massive social media following.

He also has the charisma and personality to take any brand to the next level. Several bigname shoe companies are already knocking on his door, ready to pay him tens of millions BEFORE HIS kRST ."! GAME The sky is the limit for Zion Williamson.

SIDELINES. Hyundai Asia Resources, Inc. (HARI) recently unveiled two brand new vehicles at the Manila International Auto Show 2019 (MIAS) that are sure to â&#x20AC;&#x153;rockâ&#x20AC;? the automotive industry. HARI LAUNCHED ITS BIGGEST AND BOLDEST lAGSHIP SUV â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the Palisade â&#x20AC;&#x201C; to the delight of hundreds in the audience. The Palisade HAS kRST IN CLASS COMFORT AND SAFETY TECHnologies that will change the game in the big SUV segment. HARI also introduced THE kRST FULLY ELECTRIC VEHICLE IN THE COUNTRY â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the Kona EV. The Kona EV can run up to 415 kilometers on a single charge.

C2

Sports

Ë&#x153; The Manila Times

w w w.manilatimes.net

SATURDAY April 6, 2019

Best-of-three QF unfolds today

BY JOSEF T. RAMOS

B

ARANGAY Ginebra San Miguel battles Magnolia while defending champion San Miguel Beer clashes against TNT KaTropa at the start of the best-of-three QUARTERkNAL SERIES OF 3EASON 0HILIPPINE "ASKETBALL !SSOCIATION 0HILIPPINE #UP TODAY AT THE -ALL OF !SIA !RENA IN 0ASAY #ITY After finishing No. 3 in the elimination round, the Gin Kings (7-4 win-loss record) play the No. 6 Hotshots (6-5) in the 6:45 p.m. second game while the No. 5 Beermen (7-4) face and the No. 4 KaTropa (7-4) at 4:30 p.m.

Ginebra lost itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s last, non-bearing elimination round game to

Northport, 97-100. â&#x20AC;&#x153;More than it being the Manila #LASICO IT IS THE kRST GAME OF THE short series, therefore that makes it crucial for both teams,â&#x20AC;? said Ginebra coach Tim Cone, who will rely heavily on the highleaping 6â&#x20AC;&#x2122;9 Japeth Aguilar in the quarters opener. Aguilar averaged

16.5 points and 7.5 rebounds in the elimination round. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We know Paul Lee and company are going to be ready so we need to be at our best.â&#x20AC;?

Paul Lee scored 26 points with six three-pointers included in Magnoliaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 102-74 win over Northern Luzon Expressway on Tuesday. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Usually it is a grinding game every time we face each other. We expect an emotional game, we expect a big crowd thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s why we just try to be composed every time we face Ginebra. We should keep our focus on the game. Game one is very important,â&#x20AC;? said Magnolia coach Chito Victolero.

Meanwhile, TNT is bracing for a tough Game 1 against San Miguel Beer in the quarters. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We are the underdog in the

series so we have to focus on defense to stop June Mar Fajardo and Marcio Lassiter,â&#x20AC;? said TNT coach Bong Ravena, who will be missing Jericho Cruz due to foot injury. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We have to give our best effort in this series.â&#x20AC;?

Jayson Castro had an average of 15.3 points and 6.0 assists w h i l e Ro g e r Pogoy had 19.5 points and 7.6 rebounds after the elimination round.

The Beermen, on the other hand, are expected to count on Fajardo who averaged 22 points, 12.4 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.7 blocks in the elimination round.

Q Scottie Thompson of Ginebra (No. 6) shoots past Justin Melton of Magnolia during a Season 44 PBA Philippine Cup game at the Araneta Coliseum. PBA MEDIA BUREAU PHOTO

Batang LADY MAROONS GO FOR BROKE VS FEU Gilas names Arespacochaga as new coach SAMAHANG Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) President Al Panlilio announced on Friday that Ateneo De Manila University assistant coach Sandy Arespacochaga is the new head coach of the Batang Gilas Philippine junior basketball team.

Arespacochaga, also the assistant coach of TNT +A4ROPA IN THE 0"!

CONkRMED TO The Manila Times his appointment. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m happy to join the ranks of the other coaches who coached Batang Gilas in the past. All of them are good coaches,â&#x20AC;? said Arespacochaga, ADDING THAT HIS kRST ASSIGNMENT IS TO PREPARE Batang Gilas for the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) World Cup Under-19 this coming June in Greece.

After 40 years, Batang Gilas, under former coach Josh Reyes booked a ticket to the World Cup last !UGUST AFTER MAKING IT TO THE SEMIkNALS OF THE FIBA Under-18 Asian Championship in Thailand. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s going to be tough for us because in our bracket are Argentina, Greece and Russia, so we are going to have our hands full. We have to get the team together and practice. We have to prepare seriously,â&#x20AC;? Arespacochaga added.

Arespacochaga said he wanted to assemble the PH U-19 team the soonest. Included in the team are the 6â&#x20AC;&#x2122;11 AJ Edu and the 7â&#x20AC;&#x2122;2 Kai Sotto.

JOSEF T. RAMOS

Q University of the Philippinesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Diana Mae Carlos unleashes a power smash through Ateneo de Manila University defenders Ponggay Gaston (No. 9) and Bea De Leon (No. 14) during the UAAP Season 81 womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s volleyball tournament at The Arena in San Juan City.

PHOTO BY ROGER RAĂ&#x2018;ADA

UNIVERSITY of the Philippines (UP) eyes to strengthen its Final Four bid when it faces fellow contender Far Eastern University (FEU) in Season 81 University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s volleyball tournament today at the Araneta Coliseum.

The Lady Maroons and the Lady Tamaraws clash at 4 p.m. after the 2 p.m. collision between University of Sto. Tomas (UST) and University of the East (UE).

UP, FEU and UST are tied at the third to fifth spots on identical 6-4 records, with the semifinal race nearing the finish line.

Coming off a hardearned five-set win over UE without their star spiker Isa Molde, head coach Godfrey Okumu vows that his Lady Maroons will go all-out in their remaining elimination games. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t want to lose anymore. I want to make sure the team will win all its remaining games and fight until the end,â&#x20AC;? said Okumu.

Molde is hoping to re-

turn to action today while veteran hitter Marian Buitre, who stepped up in the formerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s absence in the last outing, is expected to deliver anew along with Tots Carlos and Justine Dorog.

Last seasonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s finalist FEU is also looking to boost its semifinal chances as it tries to rebound from a sweep to league-leader Ateneo De Manila University.

With rookie top scorer Lycha Ebon still recovering from a knee injury, mentor George Pascua will rely on veterans Jerrili Malabanan, Heather Guino-o and Celine Domingo to lead the Lady Tamsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; fight.

In the game day opener, UST also seeks to fortify its Final Four bid against UE (2-8), which is aiming to keep its flickering playoff hopes alive.

The Golden Tigresses have to bounce back first from a 25-21, 23-25, 19-25, 24-26 defeat to three-peater De Le Salle University while the Lady Warriors need to stop a two-game slide to avoid elimination.

JEREMIAH M. SEVILLA

Chooks-to-Go 3x3 tourney opens today PASIG Grindhouse and 1Bataan banner the Philippines in the 2019 Chooks-to-Go Asia-Pacific Super Quest 3x3 basketball tournament that kRES OFF TODAY AT THE 3- -EGAMALL Fashion Hall in Mandaluyong City.

The Kings and the Risers will test their mettle against 10 other teams from different countries for the trophy OF THE kRST EVER 3UPER 1UEST TOURNEY sanctioned by the International Basketball Federation (FIBA). â&#x20AC;&#x153;With the Super Quest, we want to show the region that we can compete with the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s best in 3Ă&#x2014;3 basketball,â&#x20AC;? said Eric Altamirano, commissioner of the Chooks-to-Go Pilipinas 3x3 league.

Pasig and Bataan were chosen to represent the country after emerging as the top two teams in the inaugural season of Chooks-to-Go Pilipinas Presidentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Cup. The Kings--composed of Joshua Munzon, Taylor Statham, Troy Rike and Dylan Ababou â&#x20AC;&#x201D; ruled two legs and the Grand Finals, clinching a spot

in the FIBA 3x3 World Tour Masters in Doha, Qatar on April 18 to 19 and taking home the P1 million prize.

On the other hand, the Risers-bannered by Alvin Pasaol, Santi Santillan, Sean Manganti and Anton Asistio â&#x20AC;&#x201D; won two legs as well and kNISHED RUNNER UP IN THE kNALS While Pasig already secured its slot in Doha, Bataan is eager to snag one of the two tickets up for grabs in the !SIA 0ACIkC 3UPER 1UEST The Risers though will have their hands full against world-ranked No. 19 3x3.Exe Premier of Japan and Anytours M1 of Hong Kong. The Kings, meanwhile, will take on Jakarta West Bandits of Indonesia and Absolute 3x3 of Chinese Taipei.

Ulaanbaatar of Mongolia, SSLC of China, Aotearoa of New Zealand, TSV Reading Cinemas of Australia, Enerskin of South Korea and Saigon Aces of Vietnam compose the two other pools.

Besides spots in the World Tour, the champion will secure a seat in the

Challenger Series in Penang, Malaysia and a chance to win the $20,000 grand prize while the runner-up will take home a ticket to the Challenger Series in Kunshan, China and $15,000.

Pasig will be reinforced by Serbian 3x3 veteran Nikola Pavlovic and Bataan by the 6-foot-6 American cager Travis Franklin.

Chooks-to-Go Pilipinas 3x3 was tasked by FIBA to host the level-eight Super Quest that will further boost the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s world 3x3 rankings needed to qualify for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. â&#x20AC;&#x153;This will accelerate the development of 3Ă&#x2014;3 in the Philippines,â&#x20AC;? said FIBA 3Ă&#x2014;3 managing director Alex Sanchez, who will grace the two-day event. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We are looking for tangible ways FOR THE COUNTRY TO kND ITS WAY TO THE Olympic qualifying tournaments. I know itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hard at this point but we will try everything. We are happy to BE CHOSEN TO HOST THE kRST EVER 3UPER Quest,â&#x20AC;? said league president Ronald MascariĂąas. JEREMIAH M. SEVILLA

Perpetualâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Anastacio gets share of lead PERPETUAL Helpâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s John Marx Anastacio downed Intug School of Bulacanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Jeremiah Cruz in 32 moves of a Queenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Pawn London System to seize an early share of the lead with three others at the start of the premier boysâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Under-20 division of the Gov. Amor Deloso National Age Group Chess Championships at the Zambales Sports Complex in Iba, Zambales Thursday night.

Anastacio, who qualified via the #ALABARZON QUALIkERS LAST WEEK WAS joined by Cebuâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Jeffu Dorog, Manilaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Melito Ocsan, Jr. and Lagunaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Jhoemar

Mendiogarin, who trounced Nueva Ecijaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Romulo Curioso, Zambalesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Lou Anton Rivera and University of the Philippinesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Brent Lenard Alanan, respectively, at the helm.

Anastacio, Dorog, Ocsan and MenDIOGARIN ARE EYEING TO kNISH IN THE TOP three in this six-day event sponsored

by Gov. Deloso and Congressman Cheryl Deloso, the Philippine Sports Commission and National Chess Federation of the PHâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Butch Pichay will represent the country in the Asean Age Group tilt in Myanmar in June.

There, they will be eyeing outright International Master and FIDE Master titles and possibly Grandmaster norms.

In the girlsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; 20-under, Bulacanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s May Ann Alcantara edged Cebuâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Angel Mae Orijuela in 63 moves of a Reti Opening to spearhead her diviSION ALONGSIDE kVE OTHERS Also coming through in the same division were Pampangaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Viona Nepascua, Misamis Orientalâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Bhea Buen Ecal, Rizalyn Tejada, Davao Cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Frince Ezra Ocliasa and Perpetual Helpâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Maria Angelica Illustre.

Ë&#x153; The Manila Times w w w.manilatimes.net

Sports Woods â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;on trackâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; for pursuit of fifth Green Jacket SATURDAY April 6, 2019

A

UGUSTA, United States: Tiger Woods heads back to Augusta National to resume his pursuit of a 15th major championship WITH A kRMER GRIP ON THE REALITIES OF HIS GAME AND kTNESS THAN HE COULD CLAIM IN HIS LONG AWAITED Masters return last year.

Q Tiger Woods AP PHOTO

â&#x20AC;&#x153;This year, to be able to ramp up a schedule and be able to know what I can and canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t do going into the event, is a lot more comforting than this has been in the previous years because itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s been kind of an unknown going into that event,â&#x20AC;? said Woods, who PLAYED TOURNAMENTS IN HIS comeback season along with the 2YDER #UP AND HAS TEED IT UP IN kVE events this season. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m right there where I need to be,â&#x20AC;? Woods said in March. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve gotten a little bit more consistent with my play, and I think that everything is headed on track toward April.â&#x20AC;?

For Woods, April is virtually synonymous with the Masters.

(E WON THE kRST OF HIS FOUR 'REEN

Jackets there in historic style in 1997, completed the â&#x20AC;&#x153;Tiger Slamâ&#x20AC;? there in 2001, successfully defended the crown in 2002 and won in dramatic style in 2005 with a chip-in to force a playoff in which he beat Chris DiMarco.

Reason to be optimistic In 2010, Woods chose the Masters for HIS RETURN TO ACTION kVE MONTHS AFTER HUMILIATING REVELATIONS OF INkDELITY that ended his marriage.

But his appearance last year was his first since 2015, a return that followed questions whether debilitating back trouble and multiple surgeries would allow him ever to

compete again at a high level.

Such was the hype surrounding Woodsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s comeback last year, fuelled by TOP kVE kNISHES IN TWO TUNEUP EVENTS

HE WENT INTO THE -ASTERS A BETTING favourite -- but didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t manage to post a round under par until Sunday.

He would go on to win the PGA Tour Championship last September, and has been in contention in the LAST TWO MAJORS HE PLAYED Nevertheless, expectations are more moderate this year as Woods comes off A QUARTER kNAL EXIT AT THE 7'# -ATCH Play that left him irked â&#x20AC;&#x201D;but lifted him two places to 12th in the world rankings.

Rory McIlroyâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;chasing a career Grand Slamâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;and world number one Dustin Johnson are favoured ahead of Woodsâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;the 43-year-old SUPERSTAR TRYING TO BECOME JUST THE FOURTH PLAYER TO WIN A MAJOR TITLE years on from a Grand Slam victory.

The most recent to do so was Ben Crenshaw when he added the 1995 -ASTERS TO HIS TRIUMPH AT !UGUSTA *ACK .ICKLAUS WHOSE RECORD OF MAJOR TITLES ONCE SEEMED kRMLY IN Woodsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s reach, has himself shown

C3

that age neednâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be a barrier at Augusta National, swooping for a VICTORY IN THAT MADE HIM AT 46, the oldest Masters winner and THE SECOND OLDEST TO WIN ANY MAJOR Woods has been steady, if not spectacular this year. A neck issue that forced him out of the Arnold Palmer Invitational was, Woods said, a problem that kRST lARED AT THE 'ENESIS /PEN IN ,OS Angeles in February and worsened at the WGC-Mexico in Mexico City. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It started to get a little tighter and tighter as I played more holes in Mexico,â&#x20AC;? Woods said at the Players Championship, acknowledging that it began to affect his putting.

It was behind him by the Players Championship Woods said, and some pundits reasoned that his exit at the 7'# -ATCH 0LAYÂ&#x2021;AFTER A CONkDENCE building round of 16 win over McIlroy â&#x20AC;&#x201D;may have been a blessing in disguise â&#x20AC;&#x201D;giving him a bit of rest.

Woodsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s caddie Joe LaCava told reporters he thought the Match Play was â&#x20AC;&#x153;a big step in the right directionâ&#x20AC;?. g$EkNITELY REASON TO BE OPTIMIStic,â&#x20AC;? he said.

AFP

MONDILLA ROARS TO 4-SHOT LEAD WITH 69 An injury-plagued season?

I

N the recent years, the UAAP has been the foremost indoor volleyball in our country. It exudes a sense of pride and raw passion that that is evident among its athletes, its thousands of fans whether at the stadium or online.

The league is on a rough ride this season as the WOMEN S DIVISION SEEMS TO BE PLAGUED WITH INJURIESÂ&#x2021;NOT JUST MINOR ONES BUT THE SEASON ENDING KIND AS WELL USTâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Milena Alessandrini, NUâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Joyme Cagande, and FEUâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Lycha Ebon are all key players in their respective TEAMS BUT THEIR SEASON WAS CUT SHORT BY INJURIES *UST LAST WEEK 50 S )SA -OLDE WAS INJURED BUT TO EVERYoneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s relief it was nothing too severe. DLSUâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Des Cheng was in tears during a game and had to sit out the succeeding match because of the extreme pain coming from her right shoulder. We could only hope and pray that no more mishaps would occur in the remainder of the season.

This begs the question, what are they doing wrong? I was able to chat with a career physical therapist currently working with a professional team, who shared with me her views on how an athleteâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s lifestyle greatly could affect THEIR SUSCEPTIBILITY TO INJURIES

Physical pressure A student-athleteâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s schedule is hectic. They are required on a minimum to complete a three-hour practice everyday and most if not all teams in the UAAP are having two practice sessions per day. It doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t stop there, as they need to rest and recover. Aside from this of course, they have TO MAKE SURE TO PASS THEIR SUBJECTS OTHERWISE THEY WON T BE ABLE TO PLAY THE SPORT IN THE kRST PLACE Looking into the training regimen, our country falls into the old-school category where a quality two-hour practice is inferior to a three-hour training. Court practices are the most important tool to winning but sometimes the athlete forget to supplement it with weights training. Most of our volleyball coaches are pretty old-fashioned and rarely takes advice from strength and conditioning experts. They only do when their way isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t working anymore.

It seems like the student-athletes are overworked WHICH RESULTS IN INJURIES $OES THE 5!!0 NEED TO STEP IN to regulate the number of training hours for every team, JUST LIKE IN THE 53 .#!!

Mental and social pressure My college coach would always say that volleyball is more mental than physical. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a game of strategies as mush as its about power, quickness and agility. But aside from the metal pressure of the game, the student-athletes face mental challenges outside the court. )T S AND THERE S JUST SO MUCH EXTERNAL FACTORS THAT adds to the pressure. About 10 years ago, athletes would only think about performing well both in school and in game for simple reasonsâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;excellence as student-athletes. Fast forward to today, one has so many people to please besides themselves and their coaches but also the sponsors, the managers, their future professional team, and of course the thousands â&#x20AC;&#x201D; hundred of thousands of fans and followers they have on social media. One wrong move and the bashers AND ALL THE NEGATIVE COMMENTS COME lYING IN A case in point is Des Chengâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s situation. She was FORCED TO MISS A GAME BECAUSE OF A SHOULDER INJURY 4WO matches later, she was back in the court, stronger, more CONkDENT AND EVEN BREAKING HER CAREER HIGH RECORDS That gave us an idea what adequate rest could do to an athlete, as well as how pressure pushes athletes to WORK HARDER DESPITE AN INJURY )S THIS A GOOD CULTURE and practice for student-athletes?

Are we putting a premium on an athleteâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s popularity over his or her health? It seems like so. Only time will tell when new coaches step up to cultivate a new system of training for the future stars in the collegiate arena.

And as fans, letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s choose to celebrate the hard work that THESE STUDENT ATHLETES INSTEAD OF CRITICIZE THEIR lAWS AND heckling them online. Choose kindness.

CLYDE MONDILLA took charge as the Thai leaders blinked and succumbed to The Country Clubâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s riddle, overcoming an early slip with four birdies for a three-under 69 as he stormed to a four-stroke lead over Tawit Polthai in the third round of the Solaire Philippine Open in Sta. Rosa, Laguna on Friday.

Mondilla shook off an opening hole bogey and birdied Nos. 2, 7, 14 and 17 in second-toLAST lIGHT THEN WATCHED THE LAST GROUP OF 0OLTHAI

Namchok Tantiphokakul and Fil-German Keanu *AHNS lOUNDER WITH FAT FRONTSIDE SCORES TO WREST control before pulling away with a solid backside 34 to edge closer to a dream crown in the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s premier championship at one-under 215. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I hit my irons pretty solid, my short game was good and I putted well,â&#x20AC;? said Mondilla, who moved in the threshold of a breakthrough victory in the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s premier championship sponsored

by Solaire Resort & Casino after miserably missing the cut in last weekâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ICTSI Riviera Challenge and after submitting the lone under overall total among the 66 players who survived severe wind AND HOT CONDITIONS IN THE kRST TWO ROUNDS Polthai, who closed out with back-to-back birdies Thursday to keep his spot at the top, groped to sustain his form and fumbled with four bogeys at THE FRONT FOR A THEN kNISHED WITH A FOR A that dropped him to second at 219.

Nirun Sae-Ueng, who kept Mondilla in sight with a 36 start, failed to match the Del Monte aceâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s superb kNISH HOBBLING WITH A FOR A FOR JOINT THIRD AT 220 then praised the new leaderâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s excellent game THAT HELPED PUT HIM HOLES AWAY FROM KEEPING the crown which absentee Miguel Tabuena won via playoff over Prom Meesawat last year.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Honestly, I didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know him (Mondilla) PERSONALLY 4HIS IS THE kRST TIME THAT ) PLAYED AGAINST HIM BUT HE S kNE EXCELLENT PLAYER (E HIT precise shots and putted well,â&#x20AC;? said Nirum of the soft-spoken 2017 PGT Order of Merit champion WHO WOULD UP JOINT TH HERE LAST YEAR Namchok Tantiphokakul, who also wavered with a frontside 41 before rallying with three STRAIGHT BIRDIES FROM .O MISSED JOINING 0OLTHAI AT SECOND WITH A BOGEY ON THE kNAL HOLE for a 75 and a share of third with Nirum.

Another Thai, Chonlatit Chuenboonngam, also stayed within striking distance of Mondilla with a one-under card after eight holes but bogeyed two of his last 10 holes and ended up with a 73 for a 221.

Though the wind did not blow as hard as IN THE kRST TWO DAYS THE REST OF THE BIDDERS STILL yielded to TCCâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s length and its last line of defense where pins were placed on strategic spots, forcing one to come up with precise approach shots or solid bump-and-runs. !NGELO 1UE TYPIkED THAT STRUGGLE AS HE HIT A yard chip shot on the par-5 14th, the ball bouncing off the edge of the green and rolling towards the cup, only to veer to the right side and outside the green again. He chipped in for second time but this time the ball found the hole for birdie.

4HE /PEN CHAMPION THEN WENT ON TO birdie the last two holes, including a curling CLUTCH PUTT FROM FEET OFF THE FRINGE ON THE TH to save a one-under 71 and a 222, still seven shots adrift of the new leader. â&#x20AC;&#x153;At least I was able to

recover in the last few holes. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a good signandhopefully,Icansustainthatrun tomorrow (today),â&#x20AC;? said the 40-year-old Que, who actually had reigned here as TCC Invitational champion three times.

Joining him at sixth is American Nicolas Paez, who came through with a 73 while Thai Poom Saksansin pooled a 223 after a 74 and compatriot Kasidit Lepkurte turned in a 73 for a 224 in a tie with young Korean and PGT leg winner Kim Joo Hyung, who rallied with a backside 34 for a 74, and Macedoniaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Peter StoJANOVSKI WHO LIMPED WITH A Jahns, who sparked hopes for a BIG kNISH FOR THE YOUNG &IL 'ERMAN AFTER MOVING TO JOINT WITH -ONDILLA and two others halfway through the event, backed by ICTSI, PLDT Enterprise, Meralco, BDO and PGT Asia ofkCIAL APPAREL 0IN (IGH BOWED OUT WITH A BIRDIE LESS THAT DROPPED HIM TO JOINT TH AT WITH !MERICAN "RETT Munson (73), Englandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Joshua Grenville-Wood (76) and another Thai Charng-Tai Sudsom (76).

Chan, Gabasa clinch PH Jr crowns AIDRIC CHAN outslugged Sean Ramos in a fierce frontside duel then held sway at the back to card a 74 and pound out a two-stroke victory while younger class campaigner Rianne Malixi snatched the overall crown over Junia Gabasa in the girlsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; side of the Philippine Junior Amateur Open Golf Championships at the Sherwood Hills Golf Club in Trece Martires, Cavite on Friday.

Tied with Ramos after 54 holes, Chan surged ahead with back-to-back birdies from No. 3 then went 4-up on a par and birdie from No. 6. But a double-bogey mishap on the par-5 No. 8 enabled Ramos to close within two before the latter drew level again as Chan dropped two strokes on the par-5 No. 10.

But just when Ramos thought he had seized the momentum and put the pressure on his fancied rival, he failed to match Chanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s birdie on No. 12, bogeyed No. 14 and fell by four again on a two-shot swing on the 15th (bogey-birdie).

That enabled Chan to scoot home to victory despite a double-bogey on the final hole, claiming

the overall crown on a 298 total in his final year in the event which served as the third leg of this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s PLDT Group National Amateur Tour.

Ramos, one of the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s leading junior players, finished with a 300 after a 76 and bagged the Albatross (15-18) title while halfway leader Paolo Barro also shot a 74 and a 303 for second with Josh Jorge, another future star, carding a 77 for joint third at 309 with Carl Corpus, who hobbled with a 79, in the event organized and conducted by the National Golf Association of the Philippines.

But Malixi, vying in the 12-14 age bracket, took the overall crown in the distaff side with a 302 after a 78, edging Gabasa, who pooled a 303 after a 74, in the event organized and conducted by the National Golf Association of the Philippines.

Gabasa actually saved her best for last, sizzling with a frontside 34 for a 74 to rally from third as erstwhile

leader Kayla Nocum fumbled with a 42 and ended up with an 82 and Korean Kang Da Yun struggled with a 40 and a 77.

Gabasa, who ruled the WExpress RVF Cup in Canlubang last January, settled for the Albatross title with Kang finishing second with a 304 and Maria Tee, who shot a 79, tied Nocum at third at 308 in the event sponsored by the MVP Sports Foundation, PLDT Group, Cignal and Metro Pacific.

In other results, Wiggam Tapdasan completed a wireto-wire romp in the Ace division (19-and-above) with a 79 and a 324 with Gerrard Park pooling a 350 after an 86; Korean Kim Tae Soo clinched the Eagle (12-14) title with a 308 after a 73 for a whopping eight-shot romp over Jet Hernandez and Miguel Ilas, who scored 316s after similar 79s; while Eagle Ace Superal, who made an 80 for a 306, bagged the Eagle (12-14) diadem with Arnie Taguines placing third with a 313 after a 76.

Q Solid iron play, clutch putts push Clyde Mondilla nearer to Open crown PHOTO BY ROGER RAĂ&#x2018;ADA

Kim Tae Won, also of Korea, and Celine Abalos shared top honors in the Birdie (11-and-below) division with the former carding an 86 for a 167 for a two-stroke victory over Shinichi Suzuki (82-169) and the latter scoring a 92 for a 172 and a nine-shot win over Stevie Umali, who pooled a 181 after an 86.

Next up for the amateur circuit is the the MVPSF Visayas Regional Golf Championship on April 8 to 12 at Cebu Country Club.

Gayosoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s brace lifts Ateneo past La Salle JARVEY GAYOSOâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S brace powered Ateneo De Manila Universityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 3-1 win over archrival De La Salle University in Season 81 University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) menâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s football on Thursday at the Far Eastern University (FEU)-Diliman Football Field in Quezon City.

National team forward Gayoso struck in opposite halves, helping the Blue Booters avenge their 1-2 loss to the Green Booters in the first round.

Ateneo kept the lead in the eight-team tilt with 19 points on six wins and a draw against three defeats.

Head coach Jaypee Meridaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s men also tallied their third straight win to remain unscathed in the second round so far.

Mauro Acot fired a screamer to give La Salle the opening lead in the 10th minute but Gayoso rifled home a left-footed strike from a tight angle for Ateneoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s equalizer just six minutes later.

The Katipunan-based squad snatched the advantage in the 42nd when Rupert BaĂąa went for a clinical finish on Mark Nacionalâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s low cross.

Gayoso got freed up by Luka Allejeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

through ball before chipping it over the opposing goalkeeper.

Coach Alvin Ocampoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Green Booters dropped to No. 5 with 19 markers on a 4-1-5 win-drawloss record and an inferior goal difference to University of the Philippines.

Meanwhile, FEU got back on the winning track with a 2-1 victory over National University.

Chester Pabualan and Dominique CaĂąonigo scored in the 48th and 59th, respectively, as the Tamaraw Booters snapped a two-game skid.

FEU also tightened its grip of No. 2 with an

improved 18 points on a 5-3-2 slate.

The Bulldogs, who got the opener from Angelo Paring, remained at No. 6 with their fifth loss against two wins and four draws for 10 markers.

In the other game, Steven Anotado scored in the 87th as University of Sto. Tomas downed University of the East, 2-1.

The Golden Booters solidified its hold of No. 3 with 17 points on a 4-5-1 card while the Red Warriors was stuck at No. 7 with seven markers on a 2-2-5 sheet. JEREMIAH M. SEVILLA

SSATURDAY AT U R DAY APRIL 6, 2019

Entertainment

D1 Q The actress with her erstwhile alter ego for the big screen at the ToyCon in July 2017.PHOTO FROM STAR MAGIC

www.manilatimes.net

Possible best actor award for Allen Dizon 2

!,34/. *OVER S LATEST kLM g0ERSON OF )NTERESTu IS ONE OF THE OFkCIAL ENTRIES TO THE TH 3INAG -AYNILA )NDEPENDENT &ILM &ESTIVAL *OINING HIM IN THE MOVIE IS HIS LEAD ACTOR !LLEN $IZON WHO PLAYS A DUAL CHARACTER !LLEN HAD PREVIOUSLY WON the Best Actor trophies in PAST EDITIONS OF 3INAG -AYNIla and many are saying that he might win another acting AWARD FOR HIS WORK IN THE MOVIE g%ACH ONE OF US HAS A CHANCE TO WIN AN AWARD FOR OUR RESPECTIVE FILMS )T DOESN T FOLLOW THAT JUST BECAUSE ) WON AN AWARD IN 3INAG -AYNILA BEFORE MEANS ) WILL WIN AGAIN 7E CANNOT SAY ) HAVE AN EDGE OVER THE OTHER ENTRIES "UT ) DO HAVE AN INTERESTING ROLE IN @0ERSON OF )NTEREST AND ) MUST SAY ) WAS CHALLENGED BY IT u THE ACTOR HUMBLY SHARED Allen also shared that it was a great challenge to DIFFERENTIATE HIS TWO CHARACTERS IN THE kLM g) BELIEVE ) HAVE A GOOD COLLABORATION WITH $IREK 2ALSTON )F THE people will say I did well in MY ROLE ) HAVE TO GIVE CREDIT TO MY DIRECTOR FOR GUIDING ME AND HELPING GIVE A GOOD PERFORMANCE Q Allen Dizon NNN 6ICE 0RESIDENT ,ENI 2OBREDO IS ELATED OVER THE GROWING SUPPORT FOR HER OFkCE S )STORYA NG 0AG ASA &ILM &ESTIVAL ).0&& AS IT HAS RECEIVED MORE ENTRIES FROM &ILIPINO kLMMAKERS FOR ITS SECOND RUN THIS YEAR !S IT CLOSED ITS CALL FOR ENTRIES THIS WEEK

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WHERE THE WINNERS WILL BE ANNOUNCED Â&#x2021; AS SELECTED BY AN ESTEEMED PANEL OF JUDGES FROM THE kLM AND ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY NNN %VERYONE HAS A BEST FRIEND But what happens when you FALL IN LOVE WITH YOUR "&& ;BEST FRIEND FOREVER= 7HAT HAPPENS IF SHE JUST WANTS TO STAY FRIENDS !ND WHAT HAPPENS IF SHE GETS A BOYFRIEND g&RIEND :ONEu IS THE PLACE THAT ANSWERS ALL THESE QUESTIONS 0ALM HAS BEEN STUCK IN THE FRIEND ZONE WITH 'INK FOR YEARS $URING HIGH SCHOOL

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'Pista' movies geared for millennials F

ILM Development Council of the Philippines much-needed effort to put her agency in the right (FDCP) Chair Liza DiĂąo was as usual in her direction as she has envisioned. unflagging mode the last time we had a close With her breakthrough proposals that are already encounter with her over seeing the light of day, Caveat President Rodrigo Duterteâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s thinks she has doubly intensified Proclamation 622. This pointin appropriating her charming, edly declared September 12, visionary ways to penetrate an 2019 to September 11, 2020 as otherwise smug mindsets of all the Centennial Year of Philipother agencies and instrumentalipine Cinema. ties of the National Government, Toward this end, Chair DiĂąo reminded the media including government-owned or controlled corporapeople that the FDCP was created through Republic tions as well as the private sector.

Act 9167 to undertake initiatives that will promote For one, she succeeded in persuading the private the growth and development of the local film theater owners to move the usual playdates of film industry, as well as establish, organize, operate and openings from Wednesday to Friday in maintain local and hopes of avoiding the first-day, lastinternational film fesday syndrome of films shown during tivals, exhibitions and the lean mid-week that comes with other similar activities. poor box-office returns.

One thing Caveat Also, all entries to FDCPâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s flagship notices in Liza is she program Pista Ng Pelikulang Pilipino knows a reporter when (PPP) this year will be spared of the she sees one. She is ever same pull-out syndrome if a film does ready with both sides of not do well at the box-office on its her cheek for the warm first day. All entries are guaranteed pecking order. And she maximum days of exhibition for the is always forthright in playing field, so to speak. thanking the media in So far, the three most lucky an instance even in the named PPP finalists for the lineup middle of her talks about of eight films are Rod Marmolâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s her mandate and projects â&#x20AC;&#x153;Cuddle Weather,â&#x20AC;? Perci Intalanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s in-progress. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Panti Sisters,â&#x20AC;? and Jade CasTalk stroking and you troâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s â&#x20AC;&#x153;LSS: (Last Song Syndrome).â&#x20AC;? do not lose a beat of her PPP runs from September 13 Q FDCP Chairman Liza DiĂąo impassioned speeches on to 19 nationwide. the industry and the filmmakers needing support Liza concludes that the aforesaid films have a financial or otherwise whether she does it improv niche millennial target audiences of their own in or through a prompter. In the language of acting, hopes of hitting box-office glory. This understandshe is Method personified. ably with viable quality content both for local and She went on to reiterate that the film â&#x20AC;&#x153;Dalagang international appeal and consumption.

Bukidâ&#x20AC;? directed by Jose Nepomuceno was considered the NNN first Filipino-produced and directed feature film. This was GUESS WHO? Hunky sexy actor (HSA) is reportedly premiered on September 12, 1919, and will be celebratindisposed due to a case of severe aching back. But ing its centennial year on September 12, 2019. wags in the know think otherwise. HSAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s well-known, Three years into her mandate Liza has more low-profile gay benefactor must have worked himself than walked her talk. With her androgynous so hard at his rear in a back-breaking speed. charms she knows when to pull strings for the Clue: HSA is an award-winning actor.

CAVEAT GEORGE VAIL KABRISTANTE

Liza Soberano gives up Darna Actress reveals how a year-long injury from â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Baganiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; is restricting her portrayal of the iconic Filipino superheroine

BY NIKA ROQUE

A

FTER rejoicing as far back as May 2017 for landing the role of iconic Filipina superheroine Darna in a Star Cinema production, popular PRIME TIME STAR AND BOX OFkCE ACTRESS ,IZA 3OBERANO HAS GIVEN UP THE COVETED ASSIGNMENT On Thursday night, the network released a press stateMENT CONkRMING THE YEAR OLD CELEBRITY S WITHDRAWAL FROM THE MUCH AWAITED REMAKE OF -ARS 2AVELO S CLASSIC KOMIKS SERIES ON kLM The statement read, â&#x20AC;&#x153;ABS-CBN and Star Cinema REGRETFULLY ANNOUNCE THEIR ACCEPTANCE OF ,IZA 3OBERANO S DECISION TO WITHDRAW FROM THE $ARNA MOVIE PROJECT DUE TO MEDICAL REASONS g,IZA SUFFERED A FINGER BONE FRACTURE WHILE DOING A FIGHT SCENE ON THE SET OF @"AGANI LAST YEAR 3HE IS STILL UNDERGOING TREATMENT AND RECOVERING FROM THE TRAUMA 5NFORTUNATELY AFTER CONSULTATION WITH HER DOCTORS IT WAS DEEMED BEST FOR ,IZA NOT TO PURSUE THE PROJECT AS THE INJURY SHALL HAMPER HER FROM EFFECTIVELY DOING THE MOVIE STUNTS REQUIRED g!"3 #". AND 3TAR #INEMA UNDERSTAND ,IZA S CONDITION

RESPECT HER DECISION AND WISH HER WELL ON HER RECOVERY g-EANWHILE THE PREPARATION FOR THE $ARNA MOVIE CONTINUES AS !"3 #". AND 3TAR #INEMA REMAIN FULLY COMMITTED IN TELLING THE WELL LOVED STORY OF THE &ILIPINA SUPERHEROINE AND HAVE STARTED THE SELECTION PROCESS FOR THE NEW ACTRESS WHO WILL BRING THE ICONIC CHARACTER TO LIFE ON THE BIG SCREEN u 4HE NETWORK ALSO AIRED AN INTERVIEW WITH THE STAR ON 4HURSDAY NIGHT WHERE A VISIBLY HEARTBROKEN 3OBERANO NARRATED HOW INJURY HAS RESTRICTED HER FROM PERFORMING $ARNA S STUNTS ERGO PREVENTING HER FROM GIVING HER BEST PORTRAYAL OF THE ROLE g) KNOW THAT IT S JUST A kNGER BUT IT S A HINDRANCE FOR ME BEING CONkDENT IN DOING THE SCENES na alam kong may hesitation ako WHEN DOING IT BECAUSE ) HAVE TO TAKE CARE OF THE kNGER u SHE TEARFULLY EXPLAINED

g/F COURSE ) REALLY WANTED TO DO $ARNA ) INVESTED SO MUCH TIME AND SO MUCH EFFORT PHYSICALLY ) WAS READY ) FELT LIKE ) WAS READY BEFORE THE INCIDENT BUT ) DON T WANT THE PROJECT TO SUFFER JUST BECAUSE ) DON T FEEL LIKE ) COULD GIVE $ARNA THE JUSTICE SHE DESERVES u 7ITH SUCH HIGH EXPECTATIONS AND ANTICIPATION FOR THE MOVIE 3OBERANO FURTHER CONFESSED SHE SUFFERED FROM INSECURITIES GIVEN HER INJURY g) FELT LIKE HINDI AKO BUO ANYMORE TO DO $ARNA ) WAS SCARED NA ) WOULDN T LOOK AS GOOD DOING MY STUNTS BECAUSE OF THE WAY MY kNGER LOOKS !ND ) M NOT SURE NA BABALIK siya sa dati, LIKE ) WOULD BE ABLE TO MAKE A kST 3O OF COURSE ) WANTED TO GIVE MY MANAGEMENT MY BOSSES THE BEST $ARNA THAT THEY COULD POSSIBLY HAVE BUT ) KINDA FELT INSECURE ABOUT IT na rin u 3OBERANO SAID SHE CONSULTED HER MANAGER /GIE $IAZ REGARDING HER DECISION AFTER WHICH THEY MET WITH THE NETWORK EXECUTIVES TO DISCUSS HER CONCERNS BEFORE kNALLY RESIGNING FROM THE PROJECT g4HEY RE ACTUALLY HELPING ME Â&#x2021; parang THEY RE INSPIRING me pa nga BECAUSE THEY TOLD ME THAT ) M GONNA HAVE OTHER projects naman AFTER ;$ARNA= Akala ko IF ) BACKED OUT OF $ARNA na ) MIGHT NOT HAVE A JOB ANYMORE BUT THEY TOLD ME THAT JUST BECAUSE ) M NOT DOING ;THE PROJECT= IT DOESN T MEAN NA ) M ANY LESS OF AN ARTIST TO THEM u !SKED FOR A MESSAGE TO HER LOYAL FANS WHO HAD BEEN ANTICIPATING TO SEE HER AS A SUPERHERO ON THE BIG SCREEN

3OBERANO SINCERELY SAID g) JUST WANT TO SAY SORRY TO THEM THAT ) LET THEM DOWN u 4HE INTERVIEW ENDED WITH THE ACTRESS BREAKING DOWN IN TEARS

Âťjustin!

D2

Funtimes

SATURDAY April 6, 2019

˜ The Manila Times w w w.manilatimes.net

FIRST THINGS FIRST

The defenders usually have more to think about than declarer because, unlike declarer, they can’t see each other’s hands. Declarer, however, with his partner’s hand in plain view, is in a much better position to formulate what needs to be done to secure the contract.

Take this case where West led a spade against three notrump following the

» CROSSWORD

auction shown. East won with the king after declarer played low from dummy and mulled over what to do next.

He then correctly decided there was no future in a spade continuation and shifted to a low club, sounding the death knell for declarer’s chances.

South played low, West winning with the eight and returning a low club to East’s king. There was no recovery for South, whatever he did, and he eventually lost three clubs, a diamond and a spade to go down one.

East unquestionably earned his success by abandoning spades and shifting to a club at trick two. But actually, he should never have had the opportunity to beat the contract. South erred grievously when he played low from dummy on the spade lead at trick one. He was asking for trouble, and he got it!

The bidding and opening lead had clearly marked East with the king of spades. It was therefore unnecessary to protect the queen by playing low from dummy.

There was far more pressing business to be taken care of. Dummy’s diamonds were screaming for attention, and this had to be done before declarer’s weak spot in clubs could be exploited. South should therefore have gone up with the ace of spades at trick one and attacked diamonds at trick two, which would have assured him of finishing with at least nine tricks. ©2019 King Features Syndicate Inc.

BY EUGENE SHEFFER

Solution to puzzle

By Samantha Weaver

»HOROSCOPE Today’s Birthday (04/06/19). Study and explore the wider world this year. Discipline with your work leads to professional gain.

Get a lucrative surprise. Have fun with your family this summer, before your career changes tack. Interesting professional opportunities arise next winter, inspiring home improvements. You’re learning valuable tricks.

To get the advantage, check the day’s rating: 10 is the easiest day, 0 the most challenging.

ARIES (MARCH 21-APRIL 19) -- Today is a 9 -- You’re in the money for the next few days. Take advantage of breaking news. Turn a surprising circumstance to your favor. Advance a personal cause.

TAURUS (APRIL 20-MAY 20) -- Today is a 9 -- You’re especially confident and powerful today and tomorrow. Consider your dreams, visions and desires. Make plans for what you want to create. Schedule actions.

GEMINI (MAY 21-JUNE 20) -- Today is a 7 -- Look at the world from a higher perspective. Make plans to realize a dream or vision for the common good. How can you contribute?

CANCER (JUNE 21-JULY 22) -- Today is an 8 -- Teamwork gets the job done. Collaborate over the next two days with people who share your goals and commitments. Make a brilliant revelation.

LEO (JULY 23-AUG. 22) -- Today is an 8 -- Focus on professional priorities for a few days. Schedule business trips, conferences and meetups. Make long-distance connections. An unusual yet fascinating option appears.

VIRGO (AUG. 23-SEPT. 22) -- Today is a 7 -- Study your options.

Travel entices through tomorrow. Explore a fascinating subject in person RU WKURXJK WKH H\HV RI DQRWKHU :KDW \RX¶UH OHDUQLQJ FRXOG JHW SUR¿WDEOH

» SUDOKU

• It was 20th-century French air force brigadier general and geopolitician — and bearer of the nickname “father of the French atom bomb” — Pierre Marie Gallois who made the following sage observation: “If you put tomfoolery into a computer, nothing comes out of it but tomfoolery. But this tomfoolery, having passed through a very expensive machine, is somehow ennobled and no one dares criticize it.”

• Fashion historians claim that England’s Queen Elizabeth I owned 3,000 of the elaborate dresses popular during her time.

• The Great Pyramid of Cheops in Egypt is so large that its base would cover 10 football fields.

• Without a bottle opener, a drunk homeless man in Belgrade, Serbia, was at a loss as to how to open his beer. So he hit upon the bright idea of using a hand grenade to pop the top. A live hand grenade, as it turned out. He popped his own top as well, dying in the incident. It’s not known how he got the grenade to begin with.

• Human skin is about 70 percent water, and the human brain is 80 percent water.

• At 140,000 square miles, the Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument, located (unsurprisingly) in Hawaii, is larger than all the other U.S. national parks put together.

• Those who study such things say that the European starling is one of the world’s great mimics. They have the ability to imitate a surprisingly wide variety of sounds, including a dog’s bark, a cat’s meow, a cow’s moo, the songs of 50 other bird species, the drumming of a woodpecker and a ringing telephone. *** Thought for the Day: “The reason why so few good books are written is that so few people who can write know anything.” — Walter Bagehot © 2019 King Features Synd., Inc.

BY NANCY BLACK LIBRA (SEPT. 23-OCT. 22) -- Today is an 8 -- Discover a rounding error in your favor. Plug a leak in your budget. Find an unexpected opportunity that leads to shared profits. Collaborate together.

SCORPIO (OCT. 23-NOV. 21) -- Today is an 8 -- Let someone else direct the show for a few days. Collaborate with a partner to get farther. Support each other’s health and wellness.

SAGITTARIUS (NOV. 22-DEC. 21) -- Today is an 8 -- Focus on your work and physical activities today and tomorrow. Prioritize health and fitness. Nourish your body, mind and spirit. Build strength to contribute.

CAPRICORN (DEC. 22-JAN. 19) -- Today is an 8 -- Your luck is on the rise. Relax and enjoy time with family, friends and someone special. Share your dreams and passions with people you love.

AQUARIUS (JAN. 20-FEB. 18) -- Today is a 7 -- Domestic comforts draw you in. Conserve resources and cook at home. Discover an unexpected treasure. Find creative ways to reuse something from the past.

PISCES (FEB. 19-MARCH 20) -- Today is an 8 -- Write down your brilliant ideas. Your research produces valuable results. Keep digging.

Follow the money trail. Profit through creative communications. Share your discoveries.

(Astrologer Nancy Black continues her mother Linda Black’s legacy horoscopes column. She welcomes comments and questions on Twitter, @LindaCBlack. For more astrological interpretations like today’s Gemini horoscope, visit Linda Black Astrology by clicking daily horoscopes, or go to www.nancyblack.com.)

NANCY BLACK.Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC

BY ROGER SEVILLA

Complete the grid so that every row, column and 3x3 square contains the digits 1 to 9 with no repeats.

Solution from yesterday’s puzzle.

Ë&#x153; The Manila Times

D3

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LIFESTYLE@MANILATIMES.NET

SATURDAY APRIL 6, 2019

M A N I L A G A L L E R I Aâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; S â&#x20AC;&#x2DC; S K Y H I G H â&#x20AC;&#x2122; FA S H I O N S H O W

A

Elevating couture to new heights

FIRST in its 25 year-history, Holiday Inn Manila Galleria of the InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) opened ITS HELIPAD ON ND lOOR AS ITS NEWEST EVENT VENUE !ND WHAT BETTER WAY TO TRUMPET THIS MILESTONE THAN HOLDING AN @ELEVATED FASHION SHOW FEATURING RENOWNED AND UP AND COMING DESIGNERS FROM THE &ASHION $ESIGNERS !SSOCIATION OF THE 0HILIPPINES The pret-a-porter collections highlighted womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s and menâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s wear with looks ideal for the summer season.

Comprising the line-up of designers were FDAPâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s President Gil Granado, Russ Cuevas, Rowell Panlilio, Red Zurbano, Maikee De Leon, Don Cristobal, Roxanne Hoey, James Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Briant, Simon Ariel Vasquez, and Jhun Ador.

Q Don Cristobal creation

Cuevas opened the show with his collection called â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Dusk in the Cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;: inspired by the colors of the sun with hues of yellow, red, maroon on mix and match fabrics of tweed, printed chiffon and crepe.

Panlilioâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s creations were inspired by a modern Fortunyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s muse or a fabulous Egyptian aristocratic woman,with the use of colored

Q Red Zurbano creation

electric pleats signifying power and luxury complemented by black neoprene fabric exhibiting good CHEMICAL STABILITY AND lEXIBILITY Zurbanoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s â&#x20AC;&#x153;Noir et Blancâ&#x20AC;? luxe menswear was made for the modern man who loves to travel in style matched with Cristobalâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s DC Travel Bayongs to complete the contemporary look of the collection.

De Leonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s urban jungle collection comprises cheetah and striped prints suited for the modern woman in the corporate world, because â&#x20AC;&#x153;dressing well is the best revenge.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;Travel in dtyle gone wildâ&#x20AC;? is Cristobalâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s theme inspired by winter, spring and summer with cheetah print, yellow gold and black combinations matched with overalls, jumpsuits and jackets paired with DC Travel Bayongs.

Q Russ Cuevas creation

Combining travel and architecture, Hoeyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s collection looks towards the futuristic view of clean lines, minimalism, structure and individuality. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Fashion Trafficâ&#x20AC;? by Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Briant is for stylish women on-thego for work, travel and leisure.

Plains and prints with playful colors of white, red, maroon, black and yellow, personify the modern and empowered woman of today.

Vasquezâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; ready to travel menswear is for work and pleasure anytime of the day; comprising mix and match suits, jackets and inner shirts with summer colors of gray, white, and primary hues.

Adorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s neo-ethnic collection showcases the tribal fabrics of Mindanao in MODERN SILHOUETTES kTTED FOR WOMEN on top of their game.

Finally, Granado presented a parade of new creations in checkered and highly functional styles with modern cuts and details as key elements.

Indeed, the Sky High Fashion: Elevating Couture to New Heights adheres to its mission to elevate Philippine fashion to uncharted heights and create a space for designers to be recognized in the industryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s global landscape.

The fashion spectacle was hosted

by Crowne Plaza and Holiday Inn Manila Galleria exclusively for its IHG Business Rewards Club members in appreciation of their support of the two hotels in the past years.

The IHG Business Rewards Club offers exclusive privileges to more than 5,600 IHG hotels and resorts worldwide across 16 brands including InterContinental, Crowne Plaza, Holiday Inn, and Six Senses, to name a few.

Glaiza de Castro embraces her womanhood with Symply G AFTER walking the runway for the VERY kRST TIME AT A BRIDAL FASHION show in February and signing her VERY kRST BEAUTY endorsement this week with homegrown hair and skincare manufacturers Symply G, lovely and talented TV star Glaiza de Castro tells The Manila Times Look Book she is eager to explore what more she can do in the fashion and beauty scene. g) VE kNALLY EMBRACED MY WOManhood,â&#x20AC;? chuckled the 31-yearold actress and rocker.

Admitting she wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t very much into fashion nor hair and skincare before, she recalled how she thoroughly enjoyed the challenge of the catwalk and how the offer of Symply G helped her to gain more CONkDENCE IN DRESSING AND DOLLING up that sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s very willing to accept modelling gigs or even share her recently acquired beauty routine in her social media accounts. â&#x20AC;&#x153;More than the excitement

this kind of work gives me now, I have to say that the offer from Symply G really came at the right time because my manager told me to use their products when the Brazilian treatment I had to have for my soap â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Contessaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; before really damaged my hair. And it really worked! So when the offer of the company president, Mr. Glenn Sy, came shortly after, I said yes right away.â&#x20AC;?

De Castro highly recommends 3YMPLY ' S lAGSHIP PRODUCT THE Symply G Keratin Shampoo and Conditioner, which she uses religiously, along with the brandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s whitening lotions and soaps, which are readily available in supermarkets nationwide. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I really believe in their products and Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m excited to be able to spread the word about the comPANY EVEN MORE WHEN ) kNISH OUR TV commercial. It will be simply gorgeous!â&#x20AC;? de Castro promised.

Âťbeautybox

How to â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Wear Your Cultureâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; everyday First-time Manila FAME exhibitor aims to tap every Filipinoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s closet by pushing forward chic streetwear featuring indigenous and ethnic materials THE countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s vibrant and colorful weaves and textile that reflects history and culture is more than just a costume for cultural occasions. They breathe heritage and art handed down

by Filipino artisans from generations to generations.

That is why couple Alvin and Evita Degamo of WLYC Apparel Manufacturing (WLYC), one of the rising startups in the apparel industry, is aiming to infuse indigenous and ethnic materials to the everyday wear of all Filipinos.

Motivated by their 20 years of experience in the modelling industry and their exposure to the different fabrics in the runway, the Degamos conceptualized a street wear collection that aims to level if not to surpass global fashion brands. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Our direction is for every Filipino to have a â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Wear Your Cultureâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; (WYC) jacket, polo or shirt in their closet. The designs in this collection are meant for everyday wear not limited to be used only in events but an everyday statement,â&#x20AC;? shared Alvin Degamo, president and chief designer of WLYC. The WYC brand follows a young, modern and cool approach. ch. Handwoven fabrics and weaves give new color and appeal to the clothing ing pieces. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I base my designs from m the fabrics of the weavers who are the real artists here; I just execute it to become an everyday couture,â&#x20AC;? added Alvin.

Q Philippine weaves and fabrics incorporated in everyday wear.

raw materials,â&#x20AC;? explained Evita, Vice President of WLYC.

Going global

Just one year in the business and yet many local patrons are already seeing the potential of #WYCeveryday.

The brand was well accepted in local fairs, so the couple decided to up the game by joining the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s premiere design and lifestyle event, the Manila FAME. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I have been going to Manila FAME as a buyer and I am always amazed with the exquisite work of art that Filipino manufacturers and exporters are producing in each edition. Coming to Manila FAME will really make you appreciate Filipino talent. This inspired me to contribute in producing global brands and here we are NOW ON OUR WAY TO OUR kRST EDITION u Alvin excitedly shared. of orders. Hence, helping them is part â&#x20AC;&#x153;I am eager for the world to see our of our drive to ensure that local artisans products in an international stage. We will stay and do their craft,â&#x20AC;? said Alvin. realized that we have a very small market â&#x20AC;&#x153;Weaving is a Filipino skill that will here in the Philippines; but every time go to waste if we will let them leave the we attend Manila FAME, we see how a country, and we deem that what will lot of peo people are interested make them stay is with Fili Filipino products and talents. We W wanted to grab a piece of that pie and show what w we got,â&#x20AC;? Evita further added. furthe !S A kRST TIME EXHIBITOR !S A and an a aspiring exporter FAME in April to Manila M [see sidebar], WLYC expects challenges as they Creating jobs pec for local artisans go along in the business; but the drive ne The best part of doing this busiusito help the weaving ness, according to the couple, ple, iindustry and the dream of making is being able to give back and d big in the fashion help their partner communities nities it b Q The WYC brand follows a young, modern and cool approach. sector fuels the passion of Filipino weavers in the differsect Hand-woven fabrics and weaves give new color and appeal to ent parts of the country such uch as of the t young couple to the clothes. move forward.

Davao, Basilan, IloIlo and Abra, to mo h renewed d demand d d for f their h i products. d the â&#x20AC;&#x153;We are really forward to name a few. â&#x20AC;&#x153; ll looking l â&#x20AC;&#x153;Sadly, weaving is almost a dying By creating a way to use it other than the possibilities and opportunities that industry as most of our local craftsmen the usual cultural costumes, we hope will come by joining Manila FAME,â&#x20AC;? now opt to work abroad because of lack to increase the need for these ethnic Evita ended.

Q Alvin and Evita Degamo, owners and brand ambassadors of #WearYourCulture.

Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s New at Manila FAME Manila FAME is slated on April 25 to at the World Trade Center Metro Manila in Pasay City. It is positioned as the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s best avenue to discover Filipino design, raw materials, craftsmanship and service, and a trade fair where buyers and visitors can experience the trademark hospitality of Filipinos.

This year, Manila FAME brings the online fashion marketplace to the trade show floor in the e-Tailer Special Setting. It will feature rising fashion entrepreneurs and designer commercial brands that will showcase the latest trends in both couture and ready-to-wear (RTW) fashion. Young and tech-savvy fashion enthusiasts will be enamored by a collection of this seasonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s trendiest styles.

Manila FAME is one of the longest-running trade shows in Asia-Pacific and is the only trade event in the country approved by the Union des Foires Internationales (UFI), the global association of the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s leading tradeshow organizers and fairground owners, exhibition associations, and selected partners of the exhibition industry.

The Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions (CITEM), the export promotion arm of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), organizes the Manila FAME as a signature event dedicated to Filipino design and craftsmanship.

Manila FAME is a launching pad for new Filipino export products and believes in the advocacy of helping talented Filipinos gain recognition in the global design industry.

Learn more about Manila FAME on www.manilafame.com. To receive show updates, follow Manila FAME on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.

D4

SATURDAY APRIL 6, 2019

EDITOR Tessa Mauricio-Arriola STAFF WRITERS Christina Alpad & Iza Iglesias DESKMAN Arlo Custodio

Talking fashion and beauty with Gary V F ASHIONISTAS AND STYLISTAS WILL ALWAYS REMEMBER THE @ S FOR THE ERA S DEkNING SHOULDER PADS BUT FASHIONISTAS STYLISTAS AND /0- FANS WILL ALSO REMEMBER THEM ON ONE OF THE 0HILIPPINES MOST TALENTED AND ICONIC SINGER SONGWRITERS 'ARY 6ALENCIANO

Mr. Pure Energy met with media this week at a luncheon hosted by Regal Entertainment matriarch Lily Monteverde and her daughter Roselle at Valencia Events Place in New Manila, Quezon City, whichâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;thanks to Garyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ever-devoted wife and manager, Angeli PangilinanValenciano â&#x20AC;&#x201D; was a wonderful blast to the past. The long hall was decked with the music idolâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s memorabilia â&#x20AC;&#x201D; from sold out concert and blockbuster movie POSTERS TO DEkNING PHOTOGRAPHS from his 35-year success in show business (and counting), and of course, to mannequins wearing his studded, shoulder-padded suits at the height of his career.

The T-Zone playfully asked, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Gary, whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the first thing that comes to your mind when you see your shoulder pads

THE T-ZONE TESSA MAURICIO -ARRIOLA suits from the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;80s?â&#x20AC;?

Truly one of the most gracious, genuine and genial guys you will ever meet in Philippine Entertainment, he didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t mind the cheeky question and threw his head back in a hearty laugh. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I think of three words actually,â&#x20AC;? he paused for drama, only to break into a chagrinned smile. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the past.â&#x20AC;?

Finally able to address his fashion choice during the socalled â&#x20AC;&#x153;decade of excessâ&#x20AC;? in fashionâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;and which by the way, despite his good-natured embar-

rassment, was as much a hit as his Platinum-breaking discography â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Gary recalled, â&#x20AC;&#x153;The real reason why I wore shoulder pads before was because hindi pa uso ang mga LED at that time for our concerts.

So you would only see the artist from a distance and if you were far up in the bleachers, ganito lang kaliit ang makikita mo on stage,â&#x20AC;? he explained, bringing his index kNGER AND THUMB ALMOST CLOSE TO each other. â&#x20AC;&#x153;So wearing the shoulder pads was an experiment that I tried at the [Araneta] Coliseum after I watched a group on MTV â&#x20AC;&#x201D; which at that time, in 1982, 83, was brand new by the way â&#x20AC;&#x201D; called Midnight Oil. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t really like their music kasi hindi ko genre yon, pero yung damit ng lead singer caught my eye. Kalbo siya, tapos ang liliit lang ng galaw niya,â&#x20AC;? Gary started moving his shoulders from side to side, â&#x20AC;&#x153;pero kitang-kita when youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d watch him. â&#x20AC;&#x153;So I said, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Teka muna, for those watching me from the very top of The Big Dome, if Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d wear something like that, makikita din

Q Surrounded by memorabilia from his 35-year-success, Gary Valenciano quips heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s grateful his shoulder pads from the 1980s are now a thing of the past.

Q Whoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d ever think with his cool fashion sense, trim physique and youthful good looks that the OPM icon is already 54?

nila yung galaw ko.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; So we tried it out and people said they would actually see me. The fans would come up to me and say, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Pina-

nood ka namin! Nandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;un kami sa pinaka-tuktok pero kitang kita namin yung mga galaw mo.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; And that made the decision for me that I needed to wear shoulder pads and it worked.â&#x20AC;?

The shoulder pads therefore served as â&#x20AC;&#x153;functional fashionâ&#x20AC;? and worn by Gary V thoughtfully for the fans. And for a generation who grew up with Gary Vâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hearttugging ballads and pulse racing dance tracks, we love him for his genius, his music and even more for his shoulder pads story! â&#x20AC;&#x153;Thankfully, come the 1994, 95, I started working out and building up and that was the time nawala na yung mga shoulder pads, thank goodness!â&#x20AC;? he quipped.

As for our beauty talk with Mr. Pure Energy, as T-Zone promised in the headline, we also got to ask how and why [this question full of envy to be honest] does he look ageless at 54 years old? â&#x20AC;&#x153;Even on HD, you hardly have any lines on your face and your SKIN IS SMOOTH AND kRMw WHY u The T-Zone exclaimed perhaps a bit too high-pitched this time.

Again, Gary V happily obliged the demand to know, and said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;I think a lot of artists spend time in "ELO THESE DAYSwu ;4HE 4 :ONE GOES g!AAAAHwu= â&#x20AC;&#x153;But I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t,â&#x20AC;? the music industryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Peter Pan landed the bomb. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I only go once in a blue moon, a phrase in this sense means hardly ever. I actually have very, very sensitive skin and I just really make sure itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s clean.

Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m very conscious kasi what I put on my face because my skin easily reacts to different products.â&#x20AC;? [â&#x20AC;&#x153;Oh,â&#x20AC;? The T-Zone could only say, tears welling in her eyes.] â&#x20AC;&#x153;As a matter of fact, if you watched â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;ASAPâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; two Sundays ago, I made the mistake before the show of shaving but with an old blade so I broke out instantly. My longtime makeup artist was challenged because he said, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;How are we going to do this?â&#x20AC;&#x2122; Kasi alam niya na mga HIGH DEkNITION CAMeras na ngayon and you canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t hide anything anymore. But somehow,

when I came out, medyo nag subside na ng konti with konting makeup lang as well so I guess Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m pretty lucky.â&#x20AC;?

[T-Zone thought bubble: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Oh yes you are!â&#x20AC;?] â&#x20AC;&#x153;With regard to the lines, I actually have them but people donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t notice because siguro since I was a child kasi I would always smile so that the lines have become such a part of my face. But trust me, theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re really there lines and standing ovation pa, but as always, thank you to everyone who say what they say about me and aging.â&#x20AC;?

NNN Down-to-earth and loveable as ever, it gives the T-Zone great pleasure to help the one and only Gary Valenciano spread the exciting news that he is going on a long-awaited US tour to perform for his countless Filipino fans in North America.

The announcement was the reason for the media gathering as Gary V shared, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Nakakataba ng puso talaga that after 35 years, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m still seeing the same faces [in media] that I used to see 35 years ago. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s good to see you guys smiling and just being here with me on this very important day for me to let people know that Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m back and Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m ready to go on a concert tour in the US. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m not going alone; Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m going with two very special guests and incredible vocalists in Jona and

Katrina Velarde whom I think are perfect to represent all female vocalists in the Philippines. Because you know that we have the best in the world and these two are no exception to the rule.â&#x20AC;?

More importantly, the US Tour, which kicks off on April 12 in Samâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Town Hotel & Casino in ,AS 6EGAS SIGNIkES THAT 'ARY HAS been given a clean bill of health by his doctors following his heart surgery in May 2018 and succeeding battle with kidney cancer.

In tip-top shape as he gave a preview of an â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;80s medley heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll be doing in the States â&#x20AC;&#x201D; a highpowered and updated arrangement of such favorites as â&#x20AC;&#x153;Hataw Na,â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;Wag Mo na Sanang Isipinâ&#x20AC;? and â&#x20AC;&#x153;â&#x20AC;&#x2122;Di Bale Na Lang,â&#x20AC;? among others â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Gary V was back to his â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;80s form (minus the shoulder pads) singing and grooving just as awesomely as the Biebers, Timberlakes and Marses of the world.

Fittingly, his concert series is titled, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Back: Gary V US Tour,â&#x20AC;? and it isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t an exaggeration to say that an entire nation is happy that isâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;healthy and pure of heart and energy as he should always be.

NNN Heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Back: Gary V US Tour is a joint production of Manila Genesis and Starmedia Entertainment in cooperation with TFC and ABS-CBN. For the rest of the concert dates, log on to www. garyv.com.

Beautederm renews ageless Sylvia Sanchezâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; endorsement MULTI-AWARDED actress Sylvia Sanchez has â&#x20AC;&#x153;Back then we started with 20 branches, and been with them from the very beginning, and I approached Ate Sylvia and asked her to try out sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll be there for Beautederm as it continues its my products, which she proved to be very effecrise in the market of skincare. tive in skincare and in treating skin On Thursday, the lovely and tireproblems,â&#x20AC;? the now highly successful less entrepreneur Rhea Anicochebusinesswoman recalled.

Tan, founder, president and CEO of the ever â&#x20AC;&#x153;She endorsed Beautedermâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s products growing beauty product line, renewed Sanchezâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; without any contract and even opened her own endorsement deal with an official contract sign- store in [her hometown of] Butuan. But when ing at Annabelâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Restaurant in Quezon City.

I started earning from the company already, With a growing crop of celebrity endorsers as I told her I wanted to sign her officially as her company approaches p its 10th yyearâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;amongg myy veryy first brand ambasthem Marian Rivera era for a sador because of everything new home sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s done fo for me. From 20 line called branches, weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re we now up to Rev60 and Ate Sylvia has been S erie, Sanchezâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; with us all the way, so really, popular son our relationship goes way relatio Arjo Atayde beyond this th endorsement and Carlo deal,â&#x20AC;? Tan added gratefully.

Aquino to name Sanchezâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Sanch contract rea fewâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;Tan told newal also a comes at the The Manila Timess kick off for Beautderm Look Book that the Corporationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 10th annihe Corpor seasoned actress is versary versar as the company very much on topp of steels its principle that her list because the achieving a happy, he achie latter has believed healthy ed heal and prosperin her products, ous life begins by used them and even taking ven tak care of oneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s sells them since they self. se became friends when As such, SanQ Top actress Sylvia Sanchez stays Beautederm was in its chez c said of prized youthful at age 47. very early days.â&#x20AC;? endorsement, â&#x20AC;&#x153;I e

Âťcheers!

Q Beautederm founder, president and CEO Rhea Anicoche-Tan. need to take care of my health and feel good about myself before I can spread love to both my family and my career, and Beautederm makes me feel beautiful inside and out. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The brand and its products have really been part of my daily regimen for many years and it never fails to refresh and invigorate my skin. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I am very thankful to Beautederm and Rei

and for trusting me with the brand because it has also opened so e, many doors for lot of people, rgiving a lot of women in particular the opportunity to bee financially independent. â&#x20AC;&#x153;And like Rei has told all of er you, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m not just an endorser because I am also depot seller in my hometown, andd Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve seen for myself how thee brand has given countless women jobs that they can be proud of and that enables them to help their families.â&#x20AC;?

In response, Tan said again, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Ate Sylvia is a huge inspiration to so many women who wear different caps in their Q At Sanchezâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s endorsement contract renewal, the actress lives â&#x20AC;&#x201D; women with and Beutederm owner showed their relationship goes beyond careers who are also wives and mothers, like business but a friendship that needs no contract in supporting one another in their endeavors. myself. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s why she A consistent Superbrands awardee, Beauteis trusted by countless derm is now comprised of several flagship Filipinos and truly an asset to Beutederm.â&#x20AC;? brands namely Beautederm Skin Care Sets for As one of todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s top homegrown leadboth the face and body; Reverie by Beautederm ers in the beauty and wellness industry, Home, which includes a collection soy candles Beautederm prioritizes safety and effectiveand room sprays; and Beautedermâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s perfume ness across their products by using only collection which includes Origin Senses perplant-based ingredients that are expertly fumes for men among many others. synergized to deliver immediate, effective, TESSA MAURICIO-ARRIOLA long-term and sustainable results.

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