Manila Standard - 2016 August 7 - Sunday

Give your best shot, Filipino Olympians told

Reds threaten to abort talks, seek amnesty

By John Paolo Bencito

By John Paolo Bencito and Francisco Tuyay

MALACAÑANG on Saturday challenged Filipino athletes competing at the Rio Olympics to give their best shot in giving pride and honor to the country. Next page

COMMUNIST rebels threatened to call off the peace talks if the government Next page

VOL. XXX • NO. 176 • 4 SECTIONS 20 PAGES • P18 • SUNDAY, AUGUST 7, 2016 • WWW.THESTANDARD.COM.PH • EDITORIAL@THESTANDARD.COM.PH

THE GAMES BEGIN. Fireworks explode at the Maracana Stadium moments after former Brazilian athlete Vanderlei Cordeiro de Lima (right) lights the Olympic cauldron during the opening ceremony of the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro on Aug. 5, 2016. AFP

Drug lords leave PH Du30’s ‘kill-order’ triggers exodus

P2-b shabu seized in Cagayan, Angeles

By Vito Barcelo and Francisco Tuyay

F

OREIGN drug lords operating in the country have started to flee the Philippines, moving to neighboring Asian countries and America in a supposed bid to relocate their operations, a source from the Bureau of Immigration said Saturday.

By Francisco Tuyay DRUG enforcers seized P2 billion worth of chemicals for making methamphetamine, locally called shabu, in Cagayan and arrested a Chinese national possessing 30 kilos of shabu in Angeles City in separate operations, the authorities reported Saturday.

The liquid substances believed to be used for producing shabu was found at a bushy area at the boundary of Barangay Ayaga in Ballesteros, Cagayan and Barangay Malekkeg in Sta. Marcela, Apayao on Friday morning.

The lawmen found chloroform and ether, both ingredients of methamphetamine, in 14 sixgallon jugs after a concerned citizen reported finding the chemicals which is enough to make P1.9 billion worth of shabu.

The drug enforcers, who asked not be identified, suspect that the newly-found chemicals were part of the chemical stash of a shabu laboratory in Lasam, Cagayan that the authorities raided and shut down in February 2015.

On July 4, police Anti-Illegal Drugs Group (AIDG) also recovered 180 kilos of shabu, worth P900 million, at an uninhabited farm, owned by Rene Next page

BREASTFEEDING MONTH. The importance of breastfeeding is emphasized during the ‘Hakab Na! 2016’ event featuring 700 nursing mothers who gather together in Pasig City to celebrate the Breastfeeding Awareness Month under the aegis of a non-government organization Breastfeeding Pinays. Manny Palmero

The source admitted they cannot hold or prevent from leaving foreigners, whose names are included in the order of battle of various law-enforcement agencies, because of the required court order or warrant of arrest.

But they are coordinating with foreign agencies in monitoring their movements since international drug enforcement agencies noted the presence in the country

THOUSANDS of Filipino workers stranded in Saudi Arabia can now return to the country after Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz al-Saud issued a royal decree waiving the penalties for foreign workers affected by a massive layoff and retrenchment.

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Rody snipes anew at US Digong’s speeches ‘toned down’ diplomat for ‘meddling’ By John Paolo Bencito

By John Paolo Bencito PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte again took an unprovoked swipe at outgoing US Ambassador Philip Goldberg over the envoy’s reaction to his controversial rape remarks during the campaign and called Goldberg an annoying homosexual.

Speaking before soldiers at Camp Lapu Lapu in Cebu City late Friday, Duterte re-

lated his talks with US State Secretary John Kerry who visited the country last July 27 and reiterated his dislike for Goldberg.

“I spoke US Secretary of State John Kerry with Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana. He was okay although I had a rift with his ambassador, his homosexual ambassador. Son of a bitch, I’m annoyed at him,” Duterte said in Filipino.

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JOURNALISTS covering Malacañang complained on Saturday at the apparent attempt of the Palace communications team to sanitize the official transcripts of the speeches of President Rodrigo Duterte.

The reporters complained that the transcript of Duterte’s August 5 speech at Camp Lapu Lapu in Cebu City did not contain his remarks about US Ambassador Philip Goldberg.

Members of the Malacañang Press Corps noticed that two of

The Philippine Embassy charge d’affaires and consul general Eric Arribas made the announcement after Philippine officials met with the Saudi Ministry of Labor and Social Development over the plight of the workers.

The workers could not leave the kingdom because of the penalties they had to pay after their work twitter.com/ MlaStandard

permits expired when they were retrenched by companies that went bankrupt because of the low oil prices.

The Philippine officials, led

by Labor Undersecretary Ciriaco Lagunzad, Philippine Overseas Employment Administrator Leo Hans Cacdac and Labatt Rustico

facebook.com.ph/ manilastandard

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S

President Rodrigo Duterte’s hardhitting remarks against the US ambassador, calling him an annoying homosexual were noticeably absent in the official transcript released by the Presidential Communications Office, led by Secretary Martin Andanar.

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Palace hits ‘trumped-up’ charges vs Pinoys in US

KSA waives fees on stranded workers

By Vito Barcelo

of persons of interest from Taiwan, China, Nigeria, Korea and citizens from unspecified Latin American countries.

Only recently, the authorities arrested a Nigerian in Marikina and a Korean at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport.

The Nigerian suspect, identified as Ejike Oyoke, was nabbed inside a bar in Marikina City in

BUBBLE TRIKE. A man rides a Bubble Trike, a three-seater commuter tricycle in Makati City on Saturday, Aug. 6, 2016. The environmentfriendly trike is produced by a local company in response to the threat of air pollution and carbon emissions. Danny Pata

thestandard.com.ph

THE Palace described as “unfortunate” American presidential candidate Donald Trump’s campaign call for restrictions on immigrants from the Philippines which he lumped with countries with high rates of terrorism during a political rally in Maine on Thursday.

“Let it be known that the Philippines and the Filipino people stand in solidarity with other Next page

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SUNDAY, AUGUST 7, 2016 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Gambling lords next—Rody

By Sara Susanne D. Fabunan

P

RESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte has ordered the Department of Justice to probe small town lottery (STL) amid reports that it is being used by gambling lords as a front for their illegal jueteng operations, an official said.

Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II told reporters Duterte ordered him to make recommendations about the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office and the STL. “I was mandated by the President to conduct an investigation, verify the status of our STL,” Aguirre said, noting that Duterte had earlier vowed to stop online and illegal gambling after the government finishes its war against drugs.

“He hasn’t touched illegal gambling for now because if he did, he said the people in illegal gambling may transfer to drugs,” Aguirre cited.

Jueteng is a popular illegal numbers game played mainly in Luzon and operated by local gambling lords, with the backing of politicians and police officials, who are usually bribed so that the numbers game can be operated in their jurisdictions without hindrance.

The game itself is a simple game where bettors pick two

Reds...

From A1

fails to release 22 jailed consultants of the National Democratic Front, adding that they will only declare an interim ceasefire if the Duterte administration declares a general amnesty.

National Democratic Front chief negotiator Luis Jalandoni and Communist Party of the Philippines founder Jose Maria Sison made the declarations in a video conference from Utrecht in The Netherlands as government troops clashed with communist rebels in Mindanao.

At least five soldiers and two rebels were killed in separate battles in Bukidnon and Compostela Valley on Friday.

Twelve soldiers and two rebels were also wounded in the gunfights while three New People’s Army rebels were also captured in the fierce fighting, said military spokesman Brig. Gen. Restituto Padilla.

“As of now, both sides we will continue the peace talks [set for August 20],” National Democratic Front chief negotiator Luis Jalandoni said in a video conference from Utretch in The Netherlands.

“But if the releases of the 22 people will not be realized for some reason or the GPH side will put up complicated requirements, the NDF together with its consultants will postpone again the resumption of peace talks to accomplish the releases,” Jalandoni said.

At the same time, CPP founder Jose Maria Sison said the Communist Party of the Philippines will only declare an interim ceasefire if the Duterte administration declares a general amnesty for all political prisoners.

“My confidence in the Duterte administration will only rise when it honors the agreement,” Sison said.

“For all planned political prsioners to be released under a general amnesty proclamation in exchange of an interim ceasefire... pending a comprehensive agreement on the end of hostilities.”

Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello on Saturday said they are working to give safety conduct passes to 22 NDF consultants in the peace talks.

Sison said that while it is not a condition in the resumption of the peace talks “that there should be a ceasefire,” an interim ceasefire for both could be declared “following the release of political prisoners and the resumption of formal peace negotiations.”

In the same video conference, Sison stressed that for the government to prove its sincerity about the peace talks, they should be able to propose an amenable comprehensive agreement on social and economic reforms to be discussed by both panels in Oslo.

“The best way to prove sincerity is to act for the benefit of the people. [The government] has come to terms with the proposed comprehensive social and economic reforms...[CASER]...People have democratic rights,” Sison said.

“As for the line which tasks the CPP-NPA-NDFP to prove its sincerity by ending the armed struggle, you cannot have peace talks where there is no armed struggle,” Sison said.

numbers, from 1 to 37, are drawn once to three times a day in exchange for a small bet that can potentially win a month’s salary.

Although illegal, a large number of people all over Luzon make their livelihood, from jueteng game operators to supervisors [cabo] to collector [cobrador].

The same model is also employed in the Visayas where the game is known as loteng and Mindanao where it is called masiao.

Duterte’s spokesperson Peter Laviña said the President has included illegal gambling in his anti-criminality campaign.

Other forms of illegal gambling that would be targeted, Laviña said, were “Last Two,” “Masiao” and “Swertres.”

Laviña said the Duterte administration will find ways to give alternative sources of livelihood to those who depended on illegal gambling for their income.

Laviña said the anti-illegal gambling campaign would need the “overhaul of the system and cleansing of police ranks.”

“The armed revolution is the not the cause, the resistance of the people is the result of oppression and exploitation. We must assert our own national and democratic rights and promote them inside and out of the peace negotiations,” he added.

Sison said he will no longer reply to the taunting of the ill-tempered Duterte.

“I’ll let it pass I cannot answer a comment that comes from an angry person. I would rather talk with President Duterte personally or behind closed doors about the substantive agenda of peace talks in order to push it forward. I have a high level of tolerance,” he said.

But fighting was fierce at Monkayo and Marusagan towns that resulted in the death of four soldiers, Padilla said, adding that army troops were able to recover several high-powered firearms from the rebels.

Padilla said the hostilities initially erupted Thursday afternoon at Kilometer 56 in Barangay Rizal in Monkayo leaving an army soldier killed and two others wounded.

After a lull, fighting resumed the following with pursuing army troops from the 25th Infantry Battalion interdicting around 60 fully armed rebels in the same spot.

In that encounter, three soldiers were killed by an improvised explosive device while nine others were wounded.

As the troops overwhelmed the insurgents and eventually cornered them, the rebel band withdrew leaving one of their comrade dead while three others wounded.

Hours later, fighting erupted anew after elements of the 71st Infantry Battallion caught up a 30man rebel band at the vicinity of Barangay Parasanon leaving a soldier and a rebel killed.

“One of our soldiers was killed in action while scores from the enemy side were also believed to have been killed or wounded,” Padilla said.

P2-b...

From A1

Dimaya, in Claveria, Cagayan, the first major shabu haul during the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte.Meanwhile, drug enforcers in Central Luzon arrested Chinese tourist Chen Yiye, 42, who was found in possession of 30 kilos of shabu at his residence at Hensonville Subdivision in Angeles City at about 4:30 p.m.

The 30 kilos of shabu were concealed in several tea bags that were found inside Chen’s residence. Several weighing scales were also found at the residence.

The suspect was arrested on the strength of a search warrant issued by Judge Bernilito Fernandez of the Regional Trial Court of Quezon City.

The suspect was brought to the Quezon City office of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency for further documentation and disposition.

PEP TALK. President Rodrigo R. Duterte delivers his pep talk before the Army's Central Command headed by Lt. Gen. Nicanor Vivar during his visit to Camp Lapu-Lapu in Cebu City on Aug. 5, 2016. Malacañang Photo

Rody snipes...

From A1

“He meddled during the elections, giving statements. You’re not supposed to do that,” he explained, referring to Goldberg’s reaction to Duterte’s remark about the rape and killing of Australian missionary Jacqueline Hammill in 1989.

Relating the incident during a campaign rally, Duterte said he ordered the killing of the jail inmates who took Hammil and several others hostage because of the rape of the beautiful Hammill, even beating the Davao City mayor to the rape.

Australian Ambassador Amanda Gorely responded with a post on social networking site Twitter that rape and murder should never be trivialized and Goldberg agreed with Gorely’s sentiments.

But Duterte interpreted the remarks of the two envoys as meddling in local politics and dared the United States and Australia to cut off diplomatic ties with the Philippines if he wins the elections.

After attacking Goldberg, however, Duterte boasted to his audience of troopers that the US granted the Philippines $33 million in training funds.

“After Kerry visited the Philippines, he left us $33 million. I told myself, ‘this seems cool. Let’s take a swipe at them again so they will make amends with money’,” he added.

On Tuesday, Espinosa surrendered following Duterte’s 24-hour ultimatum and admitted that his son Kerwin, who is still at large, was dealing drugs with Chinese drug triad leader Peter Co currently detained at the New Bilibid Prison.

The younger Espinosa is said to have flown to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on June 21, more than two weeks before Duterte assumed the presidency.

“I know Boholanos to be lawabiding and God-fearing, but why is drugs flooding all over? Where is this coming from? That mayor should be the culprit,” Duterte said of Espinosa, who authorities suspect of being the biggest drug dealer in the Eastern Visayas region.

Meanwhile, Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Socrates Villegas said he could no longer stomach the killings of suspected drug users and peddlers.

“I do not have to be a bishop to say this. I do not have to be a Catholic to be disturbed by the killings that jar us every time we hear or watch or read the news,” the prelate said in a statement.

“My humanity is in grief. I am in utter disbelief... This is too much to swallow,” Villegas said.

“A portion of my humanity dies when a fellow human dies. Who can say the killed is innocent or guilty?

Both the guilty and the innocent are

humans,” Villegas said.

He lamented the sight of a parent and a child grieving over loved ones killed on the sidewalk “or thrown in grassy areas hogtied or masked with tape”.

The Catholic prelate said he fears that the country would turn into a “killing fields” nation in its dream to wipe out drug addiction.

Villegas emphasized that he agrees that the youth need a safe and wholesome environment without the menace of drugs.

“We share the dream... It is a great dream for young humanity,” he said, noting however that the “little voice of humanity in us” that is disturbed by the killings is “drowned out by the louder voice of revenge or silenced by the sweet privileges of political clout.”

“I pray that humanity be regained so that the killers may listen to the voice of conscience--that conscience that has been dulled by the sight of too much blood everywhere,” he said.

Villegas meanwhile said he no longer cares if he gets bashed in the social media for his statement.

He however said he believes that reason will prevail and humanity will win in the end.

“I believe. I refuse to be forsaken in this belief. I believe in humanity,” he said.

Digong's...

From A1

marks of the President wherever he may have said it, but both the MPC and the Foreign Correspondents Association of the Philippines have noted edited transcripts under the leadership of Andanar.

One of the reporters lamented in the conversation that the President’s statements in official transcripts,

should not “be cleansed, with or without curses.”

Palace reporters complained to Communications Undersecretary for Media Relations Rachel “Queenie” Rodolfo, but all she could was she would forward the concern to responsible officials.

KSA...

From A1

“The first batch of officials would fly to Saudi Arabia on Wednesday “to provide immediate humanitarian, legal, and other consular assistance to the overseas Filipino workers [OFWs] stranded in work camps across Saudi Arabia,” the Department of Foreign Affairs said.

The immediate target is to bring aid to “those without food and in dire need of medical care and other support services,” the DFA added.

The Philippines said it would within days send government missions to Saudi Arabia to help thousands of jobless Filipinos left stranded across the kingdom after the plunge in oil prices.

“A high-level delegation of senior Philippine government officials will also be sent soonest to negotiate immediate and long-term solutions with counterparts in the Saudi government,” the DFA said.

“The directive of [President Rodrigo Duterte] is to bring all of them

home as soon as possible,” Bello told ABS-CBN television in an interview aired Saturday.

Labor rights monitors in the Philippines said last week some Filipinos have been forced to beg or sift through garbage to survive after going unpaid for months or after having been laid off from construction jobs.

The Philippine government estimates about 9,000 Filipino workers were affected, though the Manilabased labor rights group Migrante said as many as 20,000 could be in distress.

Asian activists and officials have said thousands of Indians and Pakistanis are also stranded in Saudi Arabia following the layoffs.

About 10 million Filipinos work abroad due to low wages or lack of jobs in their own country of about 100 million people. Oil-rich Middle Eastern countries have been a key destination since the 1970s. With AFP

peace-loving countries and individuals in fighting and opposing terrorism in all its forms,” Presidential Communications Secretary Martin Andanar said in reaction to Trump’s speech.

Andanar noted that Trump even professed his love for the Philippines when he was promoting the Trump Tower at Century City, a 57-floor residential high-rise in Makati City, that is owned and developed by Century Properties Group of magnate Jose Antonio.

“I’ve always loved the Philippines. I think it is just a special place and Manila is one of Asia’s most spectacular cities,” Trump was quoted saying.

The Palace official released the statement after Trump, the Republican candidate, launched new attacks on immigrants Thursday, telling supporters that Somalis and other refugees from “terrorist nations” should be barred entry to the United States.

“We are letting people come in from terrorist nations that shouldn’t be allowed because you can’t vet them,” Trump, who has built his campaign around an anti-immigration platform, said at a rally in Portland, Maine.

He then listed several immigrants, mostly from Muslim majority countries--Afghanistan, Iraq, Morocco, Pakistan, the Philippines, Somalia, Syria, Uzbekistan and Yemen--who were arrested for conducting or threatening to carry out violent attacks, teaching bombmaking to recruits, and otherwise supporting terror groups.

“We’re dealing with animals,” he seethed.

But Trump’s critics again jumped on the remarks and said the “reckless rhetoric... further proves [Trump] is unfit to lead our country.”

“For generations, Filipinos have made the United States their home... It is their vibrant culture, hard work and strong values that have enriched our communities and made this country great, not the ignorant, racist bigotry of Donald Trump,” the online news site Honolulu Civil Beat quoted Democratic Senator Brian Schatz as saying.

Schatz is the senior senator of Hawaii where Filipinos are the largest single ethnic group and comprise more than one-fourth of the state population.

Athletics will have two coaches-one will handle Tabal and Torres-Sunang--while the other will take care of the Fil-Am Cray. Swimming will also bring in two.

Taekwondo, boxing, weightlifting, golf, and table tennis have been appropriated one each as the Philippines bids to win its first Olympic medal in 20 years.

Meanwhile, the Rio Games launched with a flamboyant spectacle headlined by supermodel Gisele Bundchen as a doom-laden Olympic build-up gave way to an energetic party atmosphere at the fabled Maracana stadium.

Marathon runner Vanderlei Cordeiro lit the cauldron after an exuberant show of Brazilian cultural touchstones and breathtaking pyrotechnics—and a compulsory burst of samba.

Cordeiro was a left-field but touching choice after he was famously attacked by a spectator while leading the 2004 Athens Olympics marathon late in the race.

But in a reminder of Brazil’s parlous political and economic situation, boos and jeers greeted interim president Michel Temer as he declared South America’s first Olympic Games open.

Temer took over when impeachment proceedings started against President Dilma Rousseff, whose supporters accuse him of plotting against the suspended leader.

The jeering ended only when it was drowned out by a loud barrage of fireworks.

Despite the resentful undercurrent, and protests against the Games just hours earlier, spirits were high among the athletes, performers, fans and officials at the 78,000-capacity Maracana.

“The Olympic dream is now a wonderful reality. The best place in the world is here and now,” said organizing committee chief Carlos Nuzman, to rapturous applause.

Brazilian singer Paulinho da Viola sang the national anthem to set off the show of laser lights and elaborate

dances highlighting Brazil’s history and rise as an emerging power.

Brazil’s Gisele Bundchen strutted across the arena to the iconic “Girl From Ipanema” before Greece, home of the ancient Olympics, led out the colorful athletes’ parade.

More than 10,000 athletes from 207 teams took part, with the biggest cheers reserved for the specially formed refugee team and the joyous Brazilian contingent.

Iran’s flag bearer was wheelchairbound Zahra Nemati, their first ever female flag carrier who will compete in archery despite being paralyzed in both legs.

The Russian delegation, battling allegations of state-backed doping, got only lukewarm applause when they entered the stadium.

Each athlete was presented with a seed and a cartridge of soil to enable them to plant a native tree of Brazil, which will ultimately form an “Athletes Forest” made up of 207 different species--one for each delegation. With AFP

Drug...

From A1 possession of shabu. Oyoke is a suspected member of the West African drug syndicate.

A Korean woman who was supposed to leave for Busan was arrested after she was caught carrying 117 grams of hashish. Ahn Eun Ho was brought to the PDEA office after her arrest.

Meanwhile, the Duterte administration pressed its offensive against politicians who are allegedly protecting drug lords or are drug traffickers themselves, including a Leyte town mayor who recently surrendered to the police.

But President Rodrigo Duterte said he does not believe the claim of Albuera, Leyte Mayor Rolando Espinosa that he is not involved in the drug trade of his son Kerwin, hinting in a speech late Friday night that the elder Espinosa is trying to fool people.

“The mayor of Albuera, it’s good that he reached Bato. I ordered a shoot-on-sight order against him like a dog. What I think of him is that he’s a dog, because [Espinosa] is making dogs out of his people. Our sons have been made into stupid men,” Duterte said in a speech in Cebu City.

“You know, if someone in your family encounters drugs, then we already have a problem,” Duterte said.

Recordings of Duterte’s speech, however, confirmed that the President indeed said the words quoted by news agencies.

Palace-released transcripts have in the past been faithful to the re-

De la Fuente, made representations with Saudi officials for the royal waiver.

The Saudi king has also ordered his government to assist Filipinos in administering the transfer of employment to other Saudi companies who have vacancies for skilled Filipino workers.

“The lifting of penalties for the expired work permits of stranded Filipinos who are willing to work can still apply for work in other companies in Saudi,” said employment recruiter Emmanuel Geslani.

Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III said that affected OFW families will receive financial assistance from the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration amounting to P6,000 while those who will be repatriated will be given P20,000 each upon their arrival in the country.

Give...

From A1 “The President wishes and challenges our Philippine contingent

to give 100 percent and he wishes them the best of everything,” Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella told state radio dzRB in an interview.

Before the 11 athletes and 8 coaches left for Rio, Duterte announced an increase in the allowances of the Philippine contingent to encourage them to “just to do their best for the country.”

“Not everybody is given the honor to serve this country,” Duterte said in send-off rites at the Palace.

The athletes include Mary Joy Tabal (marathon), Eric Cray (hurdles) and Marestella Torres-Sunang (long jump) of athletics, Jasmine Alkhaldi and Jessie King Lacuna of swimming, Rogen Ladon and Charly Suarez of boxing, Nestor Colonia and Hidilyn Diaz of weightlifting, Ian Lariba of table tennis, and Kirstie Elaine Alora of taekwondo.

Palace...

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News

SUNDAY, AUGUST 7, 2016

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Congress readies for Cha-Cha meet

By Maricel V. Cruz

HONORARY MERCHANT MARINE. Former senator Ferdinand 'Bongbong' Marcos Jr. is mobbed by supporters during the homecoming of the Class of 1983 of the Philippine Merchant Marine Alumni Association in Manila which adopted him as an honorary member.

IN BRIEF Cagayan vice mayor shot dead TUGUEGARAO CITY—The vice mayor of Pamplona town in Cagayan was shot dead by two motorcycle-riding gunmen at about 11:20 p.m. Friday at the house of a close friend, police said.

Vice Mayor Aaron Sampaga, 39, was gunned down with an M-16 Armalite rifle and a cal.

45 handgun by two men, who wore black jackets, blue shirts and caps, Pamplona town police chief, Senior Insp. Francis Pattad, said.

Pattad said the gunmen rode through the river control makeshift road to enter the compound of Sampaga’s close friend, Rodolfo Guzman, and fired at Sampaga. Guzman and their companions were unhurt.

Sampaga was a three-term town mayor before he ran and won as vice mayor during the May 9 elections. His sister, Arnie Angelica Sampaga, won as mayor against former vice mayor Edwin Ifurung. PNA

Group warns vs products with parabens THE Ecowaste Coalition demanded the removal from the market of Belo Essential Products line containing isobutyl paraben, which the group claimed, pose health risks to the public.

This came at the heels of the Food and Drug Administration’s Advisory No. 2016-032 on April 20 reiterating its ban on isobutyl paraben and four other types of paraben in line with the Asean Cosmetics Directive.

The five parabens that the FDA banned “must not form part of the composition of cosmetic products.”

Authorities identified parabens as endocrine-disrupting chemicals based on evidence that they interfere and mimic hormones, particularly estrogen, which is the primary female sex hormone. Joel Zurbano

LEADERS of the House of Representatives and the Senate will meet on Tuesday to discuss strategies on how to go about the Duterte administration’s push for federalism by rewriting the Constitution.

House majority leader Rodolfo Fariñas of Ilocos Norte said lawmakers and senators are expected to reach a consensus on how they will vote on the proposed changes to the Constitution, whether both Chambers will sit jointly or separately to exercise its constituent powers.

“We will vote separately [if that’s what senators want],” Fariñas said, adding that the meeting will be led by Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez and Senate President Aquilino Pimentel III. The lawmakers are expected to agree on “clear boundaries” in the process of amending the Constitution—which Fariñas has said would be a gargantuan task that the lawmaking function of Con-

Solon urges moratorium on hikes in govt charges

By Joel E. Zurbano

T

HE government should not raise fees and charges on passports, driver’s licenses and other public service documents over the next six years to spare the people from spending more on inefficient service, Senator Ralph Recto urged Saturday.

Recto proposed a bill seeking to impose a six-year moratorium on all increases in government fees and charges to provide relief for the people who can barely afford to avail of these services.

The senator claimed both the national and local government units have been collecting more than P53 billion yearly from fees for various

licenses and permits, regulation of the different professions and the issuance of passports and driver’s license, among others.

He said the national government alone, as reported by the Bureau of Treasury, collected P36.406 billion in 2015 from fees and charges for services rendered.

In its 2014 report, the Bureau of

Local Government Finance stated that local governments through the Revenue Generation Program collected P17.36 billion in fees and charges for 2014, exceeding their targets and posting a collection efficiency of 104.20 percent.

“The efficiency of our government employees in the collection of these fees and charges is truly admirable. It is our sincerest hope that they also show the same level of zealous efficiency in the delivery of these services,” the senator said.

Recto said what he is calling for is a moratorium on any hike in fees for documents and permits issued by the government, “and not a rollback.”

“This is without prejudice to refunds government agencies should

grant the public like in the case of car registration stickers which have not been delivered,” he said.

Recto explained while public coffers are kept brimming partly due to collection from government fees and charges, the government has been frequently under fire for various complaints with regard to the inefficient delivery of public services.

“There have been numerous reports on the delays in the processing of clearances and in the release of documents and licenses. In the light of these criticisms regarding inadequate government services and coupled with the escalating increases in the cost of living, increasing the current rates for these fees and charges is not

Easier exemptions for dependents eyed BECAUSE of the K to 12 curriculum that added two more years to the country’s educational system, the age bracket of a taxpayers’ dependents should be increased from 21 to 23 years old, a congressman said Saturday.

In House Bill 183, Rep. Eric Olivarez of Parañaque City said a person affected by the K to 12 Law is now expected to complete his or her education at age 23 on the average, instead of 21.

As such, Olivarez said income earners would have to sustain the education of their children or immediate relatives, like a brother or a sister, a little longer, or two years longer than before.

“Because of this, it is only proper to

amend the sections of the National Internal Revenue Code which provides for the age limitation of household members who may qualify as dependents for purposes of availing tax exemptions, if only to avoid defeating the purpose and wisdom of the abovecited specific provision of the NIRC,” said Olivarez.

The lawmaker said the NIRC provides certain tax exemptions to income-earning individuals to avoid unreasonably burdening a person who has to provide for a number of household members who are unable to support themselves.

“The State understands that an income-earner has an obligation first and foremost to his or her family and the latter supports or assists

the former by imposing lesser taxes accordingly,” said Olivarez.

In HB183, or the proposed “An Act Increasing the Age Bracket of Taxpayers’ Dependents,” Olivarez proposed amendments to Section 35 items (A) and (B) of the NIRC, as amended by Republic Act 9504 titled Allowance of Personal Exemption for Individual Taxpayer.

The bill has been referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.

The proposed amendments provide that there shall be allowed a basic personal exemption amounting to P50,000 for each individual taxpayer.

Moreover, there shall be allowed an additional exemption of P25,000 for each dependent not exceeding

four. The additional exemption for dependent shall be claimed by only one of the spouses in the case of married individuals.

In the case of legally separated spouses, only the spouse who has custody of the child or children may claim additional exemptions. The total amount of additional exemptions that may be claimed by both shall not exceed the maximum additional exemptions herein allowed.

The term “head of the family” means an unmarried or legally separated man or woman with one or both parents, or with one or more brothers or sisters, or with one or more legitimate children living with and dependent upon him for their chief support. Maricel V. Cruz

MMDA impounds 80 vehicles THE Metro Manila Development Authority has impounded more than 80 vehicles in its continuing operations against illegallyparked vehicles and other road obstructions in the metropolis.

The latest operation was conducted along Jose P. Rizal Street, Chino Roces Avenue, Kalayaan Avenue from Epifanio de los Santos Avenue to Circumferential Road 5 (C-5 Road), Rockwell and Lawton Street, all in Makati City.

Roldan Aban, head of the MMDA Anti-Illegal Parking Operations Group, said a total of 84 illegally-parked vehicles were towed and brought to the University of Life (Ultra) impounding area in Pasig City after the day-long operations.

“The drive against illegally parked vehicles is part of the government’s effort to decongest Metro Manila thoroughfares,” said Aban. Joel Zurbano

gress might be affected.

“That is the purpose [to resolve the issue of how we should vote],” Fariñas said. “But who knows? It is possible that we will disagree with each other.”

“We will have to discuss it first because if, for instance, the Senate does not have the numbers, we will have to abort it since you need both Houses [to change the Constitution],” he said.

Opposition leader Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman earlier said the Supreme Court must have the final say on how the proposed Cha-Cha will be voted upon by members of Congress, saying the Constitution is silent on how the voting should be done.

Article XVII, Sec. 1 of the Constitution provides that “any amendment to, or revision of, this Constitution may be proposed by the Congress, upon a vote of three-fourths of all its Members.”

Should members of Congress vote jointly, a total of 238 votes of all members—293 congressmen and 24 senators—is needed.

COURTESY CALL. Officers of the Federation of Filipino-Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry Inc. recently paid a courtesy call on Philippine

National Police Director General Ronald dela Rosa. FFCCCII executive vice president Dr. Henry Lim Bon Liong and vice president Domingo Yap, who is also adviser of the External Affairs Committee led the officers in meeting the PNP chief to present FFCCCII’s peace and order advocacies, and express the federation’s steadfast support to PNP. Present during the meeting were FFCCCII corporate secretary and secretary general Dr. Fernando Gan, External Affairs Committee chairman Nelson Guevarra, vice chairmen Eduardo Yao, Gan Tiak Kheng, Carpio Cao Ang, Tomas Valles; Council member Pedro Tan; and Committee member Jimmy Cheng.

Consumer group joins calls vs DTI official THE Filipino Consumer Federation has joined calls to replace Undersecretary Victor Dimagiba who is said to be responsible for the proliferation of substandard products like steel, cement, electrical wires, plywood and other construction materials in the country.

“Aside from the questionable actions of Dimagiba, he is already above the mandatory retirement age of 65 since he is now 67 years old,” FCF chairman Juanito Galvez urged Trade and Industry Secretary Ramon Lopez.

“He was once accused by victims of pyramiding scams because of his inability to confront the pyramiding companies. A case was also filed against him in the Ombudsman by victims of Mitsubishi Montero Sport sudden unintended acceleration for his evasive and non-committal action and has been under investigation since May 2015.”

The group joined earlier calls by the National Consumer Affairs Council and Cement Manufacturers Association of the Philippines

to replace Dimagiba for various reasons.

Earlier, National Consumer Affairs Council chairman Jose Pepito called for speedier government action against the proliferation of substandard cement products in the local market, and took to task government officials for failing to act promptly on the problem.

He questioned why dangerous cement products continued to be sold around the country despite the issue having already been brought by local manufacturers before the DTI.

justifiable,” Recto said.

He said even the World Bank, in its 2016 Report on ‘Ease of Doing Business’ which pegged the Philippines at 103rd place out of 185 economies, noted it takes an average of 29 days to obtain the necessary permits to start a business in the country.

“President Duterte, who is the former mayor of Davao City, has always been proud of the fact that in Davao City it takes only three days to obtain permits from city hall,” the senator said.

“If other local government units can perform a service in only three days, there should be no reason why other local government units and other national agencies cannot do the same,” he added.

Gulf Air airplane probed for glitch THE board of inquiry of the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines is still trying to determine the cause of the glitch that forced a Gulf Air flight bound for Bahrain to return and make an emergency landing at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport on Friday.

The agency tapped members of its Aircraft Accident Investigation and Inquiry Board to conduct the probe to determine the cause of the glitch Gulf Air flight GF 155, an Airbus 330 plane, which was carrying 207 passengers and 12 crew members.

The Manila International Airport Authority said the pilot of the twin-engine plane, who was identified only as Capt. Ra Beeh, requested an emergency landing clearance after its engine number one stalled while airborne shortly after it took off at 1:10 p.m.

The captain safely landed the plane at 1:31 p.m. at the Naia’s runway 24 where it was met and escorted by fire trucks and rescue personnel.

MIAA officials said as the twin-engine A330 jet lands safely, firemen trained their fire trucks mounted water hoses to the affected engine.

Aircraft technicians on the ground later speculated that high temperature might have caused the plane’s engine number one to burst and later stalled.

One of the passengers, identified as Floramina Munzon who was seating beside the left wing of the plane, said she heard something like an explosion after the plane lifted from the ground.

Another passenger, who refused to be identified, said that while the plane is gaining height the pilot announced that they are returning to Naia because of engine trouble while assuring passengers “not to worry because the situation is under control.” Joel E. Zurbano

A4

Opinion

SATURDAY, AUGUST 2016 SUNDAY, AUGUST 7, 6, 2016

mst.daydesk@gmail.com mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Adelle Adelle Chua, Chua, Editor Editor

AReasonable festering dilemma doubt

EDITORIAL

D C

earning the ire ofown numerenjoyed the political posed violation remains—because in Batac, Ilo- to URING theChange cam- mausoleum HARTER has determined campaign amend Change willthe drop further, per- of to human makinghas amendments—but national good over their paous groups? capital—and possessed rights during his 20-year former president was a cos Norte. paign, President always been a divisive the Constitution to replace to- haps, as Mr. Duterte lends his also the most expensive, given rochial interests when it comes But aitconstitutional is a good thing theelection. resoluteness—to to putenforcing Filipino soldier. The AFPunitary, has jurisdicRodrigo issue. TheDuterte July surveyTheday’s presidential form popularity to anrule. information the cost of an ban the burial is being talked the festering issue on the Despite the loud oppocommission has released tion over the cemetery in said he of is in favor of inPulse Asia showed of government with a federal, campaign to support his plan Mr. Duterte’s preference was on political dynasties. Are we have good deal with vehement sition,toward the former Presi- intable, document just City and has set a 26-page to terring remains of Taguig that thosethe divisions continue. parliamentary system. move the country a reflected a resolution filed in then toabout trust now. these We same lawmakreason believe some opposition and actually dent’sfar-flung son placed that argues, the guidelines for ascended who lastto month former President The survey, basedFerdion face-toMr. Duterte the federal system where thesecond House by his ally, Speaker ers, who couldto just as well reaction is forthcoming. set the matter to rest, during last May’s vice precisely, why Marcos and who may not be burnand Marcos at the Libface interviews with 1,200 re- presidency by winning 38 per- provinces will no longer suffer Pantaleon Alvarez. move the bothersome provision The arguments been however divisive andpolitical presidential race and hasAlvarez, should beneglect buriedofatimperial ied atcent the Libingan. ingan ng mga Bayani. showed spondents nationwide, of the popular vote.

Thisnotthe Manila.

It was however, who on dynastieshave or tinker heard, a deciemotional it is. and with their fact filed protestcorrected the much Libingan.Still, Thethe claim subject remains As44the late president’s that percent of Filipinos stillThemay not sound like very push into amend the aquickly himself ownand termnow limits? sion has to be made. we It is so tempting to put against the victory of to being a soldier, the sensitive for many Filipibirth anniversary nears, do not support moves to amend of a plurality, but in the frac- Constitution will be an uphill declared that a Constituent As- Speaker Alvarez’s callIf for at leastofagree to get our theupissue in the backburnVice President sembly Leonor commission says, is administration groups.

The Na- system talksConstitution. are rife that the buri- nos the A smaller 37 and tured multi-party of battle, and the made of senators and the creation a Constitutional act together and move er again andthe focus Robredo. myths, fac- too Historical Com-Mr.“fraught al will besaid sometime next tional ommission—composed of percent they believe the Philippine politics, Dutertewith cannot afford many mis- congressmen, was now pre-on Cthe forward law despite differmany complex and imMr. Duterte has been tual inconsistencies, and mission of the Philippines, month.

There are reports experts as Constitution should be amend- was among the most popular steps. ferred mode of amending the constitutional then we would let unequivocal about his in- mediate for instance, is objecting thatwhile the Marcos family is they well ences, as representatives from ed, 19 percent said presidential candidateslies.” in his- When Mr. Duterte took ofConstitution, because issues it was now the President do as he the country.non-governmental It to allow cheaper the Mar-andhounding Numerous groups have tention to the 16,601,997 idea as already coordinating with vehemently organizawere undecided. tory, with votes, fice, he declared his preference more practical. fit and and live other with is also convenient thisis not also preregistered im- cos burial, it assails Mr. Duterte’s the Armed Forces of tions, deems the academe But opposition to the Charter surpassing his immediate for atheir Constitutional Conven-saying There mucha public trust ploy for abetter drown out noisesectors of that fosterwho healing passioned objections be- will reasondecessor, for allowing theAquino Philippines the transof decision, society—is step or in Change hasfor actually declined Benigno III, tion with elected delegates in among Congress,tohowever, andthe those for worse. disagreement—why risk Filipinos.

No other leader cause of Marcos’ supinterment of the Marcos fer of the remains from a from a high 49 percent in a who won with 15,208,678 votes would propose amendments to who oppose Charter Change the right direction in addresssimilar survey two years ago. in 2010, and Joseph Estrada, the Charter. This mode, one of have found yet another reason ing the reasonable doubt about These numbers gain signifi- who won with 10,722,295 votes three allowed by the Constitu- to object to it. We are, after all, Congress’ ability to draft a new cance against the backdrop of in 1998. tion, is widely regarded as the talking about a group of politi- Charter that is good for all, not President Rodrigo Duterte’s Opposition to Charter most representative approach cians who cannot even put the just for themselves.

Brexit killed HAIL TO Britain’s THE CHAIR VICTOR new vibe AVECILLA

By Leonid Bershidsky Duterte and Alvarez on federalism

ISMIT 08-07-16

A launderer’s tale

LONG STORY SHORT

ADELLE CHUA FIRST, pick a day. If you can, try to stay away fromPOWER weekends and POINTis guarholidays. The laundromat anteed to be fullELIZABETH by then, and the washing and drying machines will ANGSIOCO be stretched to near-breaking point. You’d have to wait for your I WONDER how many mothnumber be called, andas then you ers (and to fathers) worry much canI be you would as do sure because of all not the finish killwithinhappening the two-hour window you ings daily.

Let me havethat set for say as yourself. a mother, it has not Most you’d be launderbeen mylikely, practice to constantly ask kids howclothes—no they are doing, ing my your own one or strictly monitor whereaelse’s.

Most of thetheir people in the bouts.

I trusted, and still trust laundromat are students from the that they have enough sense not nearby university, or young proto get involved in anything foolfessionals.

Your other family ish and/or irresponsible. I felt members may or may not be with secure that for as long as they you,nobut eventoifothers, they are, do harm nochances one is are they would get their own going to harm them. stuff their ownAll machine.

Notonanymore. these Gone killare the when tossed ings are days making me you scared for yourkids. clothes into a communal my Nowadays, I find myselfto hamper for the househelp worrying (maybe more than I wash, hang, fold and farm back should) about what could go out to your respective closets. wrong.

Whenever read, orora If you’re missing Ia shirt, hear about someone getting pair of jeans, or a sock, then blame killed, my heart would skip a nobody yourself. If you accidenbit. What if one of my children tally leave food or coins horhappen to be in the wrongor, place rors, yourBecause pockets, preat thelipstick, wrong in time? repare for the rate dire consequences. ally, at the people are mur-

Remember to bring your own detergent and fabric conditioner.

There are some for sale at the laundromat, sure, but they are priced more steeply than the ones at the supermarket. Measure exactly how much you will need dered, nobody knows who can given the volume of your current be next. load.

Too little, and you don’t President Rodrigo Duterte’s wash Too much, and you war enough, on drugs has already would to pay for extra rinsclaimedhave hundreds of lives.

Deing time. on your source and pending theChoose period the covered, thefor counts settings your range from more than 400 to machine. Is your load light, memore than 700 deaths.

The big dium, or heavy? The machine majority of deaths the can accommodate up are two in weeks’ hands of the police.

And the worth of clothing of a reasonably story line is consistent, police well-groomed person. The heavy comes to make an arrest, sussetting—34 always pect resists, minutes—is and the police are ideal so all could left with no traces choiceof butsoap to shoot. be out. It’s not death a longpentime In rinsed a country where to wait. alty is not allowed, it seems that There’s wifi, killing has aircon, becomethere’s a pastime for some. and comfortable pink-and-white True, for notyou all and killings were couches your fellow done by the PNP. But the Presilaunderers. You can get lost in a dent’sorpublic support for methe book spend time on social killings has emboldened peodia. Ponder the things you did ple and groups. How easy is it and did not do. If you’re lucky, now to murder someone who the onhave duty anything will play mayemployees or may not songs that drugs you yourself to do with and just might label have on your If not, the victim as aplaylist. drug pusher?

ManilaStandard

Published Monday to Sunday by Philippine Manila Standard Publishing Inc. at 6/F Universal Re Building, 106 Paseo de Roxas, corner Perea St., Legaspi Village, Makati City. Telephone numbers 832-5554, 832-5556, 832-5558 (connecting all departments), (Editorial) 832-5546, (Advertising) 832-5550. P.O. Box 2933, Manila Central Post Office, Manila. Website: www.thestandard. com.ph; e-mail: contact@thestandard.com.ph

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make sure you have your earphones with you. But don’t get too lost—you have to put in the fabric conditioner at the designated pod, ideally with 16 minutes remaining of the washing time. This is optimal, according to the staff.

cle. Think of how his or her own basket contains a story, as well.

Move your basket to the dryer —spacious machines with big windows. The heaviest settings —this time, 29 minutes—are also the best. The price differThere is a reason why I do not ences areterm justextra-judicial 10 pesos anyway use the killfor five minutes more. ingsevery to describe these deaths.

When you go that “heavy,” is EJK assumes there there is judino chance your clothes, cious killing.

Since we doeven not your would come have bedsheets, death penalty here, whatout is happening murder, plain and still damp inissome places. simple.

Be amazed at how you can Make through no mistake aboutround it: I observe, the large stand for the eradication of the windows of the dryer, your drug menace.

I believe that we, clothes tumbling upon each other the people will feel secure if —as if in a dance— as the barrel the incidence of illegal drugs inside turns clockwise.

Waitasfor is minimized.

But the war it the next few minutes to pass by. is waged does not make people You yourself Malaysian feel can that get sense of security.

On coffee from apeople Belgian waffle the contrary, are scared stand justfor outside the laundro—scared their lives, for their lovedSay ones.

Friends from mat. hi to a friend whoother just countries to who were happened drive by. scheduled Get yourto come self some have milk canceled tea from their next trips.

Several of my friends are door. Finish your book, upload seriously thinking of leaving your Facebook status, or even the country for good to keep write an editorial for your newstheir families safe. paper.

Plan yoursay week reconWhat some thator people cile finances. haveyour nothing to fear for as long minas Before they doyou no know crimeit,isthe untrue.

Killing the heart

We have learned to just turn Everything away and say is fragrant, fresh, ‘tough luck.’ ” hot—and almost new.

Anyone with a gun can just decide that someone has to die.

Cardboard justice—some call your pushcart or thisGet as hold such of because a piece of basket and saying be ready your cardboard thatwhen someone time up. Gather your articles of is a isdrug dealer—is all that’s clothing when you think needed toand make it appear that you’re done,islook again and run the murder justified.

Andhands then along come news reports your the inside of saying that the President has the machine to make sure nothgiven theorshoot to killTry order ing is left stuck inside. not against politicians involved in to blush when the fellow beside the illegal drugs trade and drug you stares at everything you lords. Is this even legal here? wore over the past week or so, I’m afraid that these murders from the most overused jeans is to will continue.

Our country the intimate, delicate artifast most becoming the killing fields.

Benjamin Philip G. Romualdez Former Chief Justice Reynato S. Puno Anita F. Grefal Maan Ilustre Edgar M. Valmorida

Chairman Board Member & Chief Legal Adviser Treasury Manager Advertising and Marketing Head Circulation Manager

utes are up. Get your basket back, open the door of the dryer and try not to hurt yourself taking out each article of clothing from the oven-like contraption. Do not just toss the clothes into the basket; they become crumpled. Save With the way things are, we yourself trouble of because ironing all have the reason to fear and neatly stack themas against anyone can be labeled a drug each other. Be enraptured at how pusher. fragrant, fresh, hot, and damage. new evAnd ah, collateral erything Someoneseems. said that in a war, collateral damage cannot be onto preFinally, push your basket vented.

But how do we know the row of tables and begin the who diedtask as collateral damage? arduous of folding the All of them are dead and will clothes. As you fold, remember be able to tell their stotonever separate the tops from the botries. What about the innocent? toms, the towels from the sheets, They got killed, labeled as menand in between.

Put ace everything of society without even bethem back into the bagto you used ing given the chance defend tothemselves! haul them Is in. this Be meticulous, the justice so all you have to do when wethat want? youRemember get back tothat your house from is to scholar a poor was killed put eachfamily group who to where it bealongside a suspected drug longs. dealer? heart Stare atMy your neat bled closetfor andhis at mother whose grief I could fulthe now-empty personal hamper, ly understand. that and look forwardWhat to theabout next time young woman, who was liked you can get your clothes clean— by everyone who knew her but and your mind clear. repeatedly shot in a jeepney on her way to work? People adellechua@gmail.com Turn to A5

Rolando G. Estabillo Publisher Ramonchito L. Tomeldan Managing Editor Chin Wong/Ray S. Eñano Associate Editors Francis Lagniton News Editor Emil P. Jurado

THE UK’s enormous soft power, painstakingly built in the post-imperial era, looks weakened following Brexit. In fact, negotiating acceptable divorce terms or preventing an AFTER President Corazon Aquino power economicrelinquished decline may provein 1992, the restoring presidents much some easier ofthan who came after her made tacit British influence. attempts to amend the 1987 Some early indications of Constitution.

Their efforts how Brexit has damaged were the nipped in the bud by an electorUK’s international perception ate suspicious that the propocan beoffound in a recentwanted Ipsos nents the amendments poll conducted in 16 counCharter Change only to perpetutries.

In all of them by except ate themselves in power elimRussia, term Indialimits and enshrined the US, ain inating the fundamental plurality says law.

Brexit will The existing weaken the UK;Constitution 64 percent ofis, admittedly, an for imperfect docuGermans and, example, 44 ment.

It is a disappointing blue percent of Canadians think print for a government thatand was so—while only 13 percent born out of the high expecta15 percent in these countries tions of the Filipino people after believe will be the 1986 the Edsa UK Revolution.

For strengthened. instance, the Aquino charter Europeans are especially allows a multi-party electoral unhappybut about de-a system failsthe to Brexit mandate run-off election.

That omission cision. In Italy, 37 percent of allows president to bebeelected people asay they will less on a mere plurality.

Consequentlikely to go to the UK on vacaly, the tionpolitical and 43division percentamong are less people ensues for years followwilling to buy British. ing the election. There are many Even in countries that have other disturbing oversights in not charter. been spurned by the UK the theDespite way Europeans have been,of the imperfection a significant number of rethe current constitution, the spondents think less of people havenow repeatedly demonstrated collective33 relucthe UK. their For example, pertance charter21amendments cent oftoIndians, percent of initiated the past.

Their relucJapaneseinand 17 percent of tance emanates mainly the Americans, according from to Ipway many officials sos, are lessgovernment likely to buy Britof past administrations have eiish goods and services. ther brazenly abused power, or There are many otheronsigns have haughtily reneged their in the pollpledge that foreigners, campaign to work foresthe pecially Europeans, are ofpublic interest. fended bywords, Brexit.unless In France, In other a president and his political alliesand are Germany, Italy, Belgium really to seek seriSpain, determined a plurality want the UK ous change, amending to getcharter an unfavorable deal on or revising the existing Constiexiting the European Union— tution will remain a pipe dream. something that will make it From all current indications, politically difficult for these however, it looks like President countries’Duterte governments go Rodrigo and to House too easy on Britain as the diSpeaker Pantaleon Alvarez are vorce termstoare determined givenegotiated. the 1987 And everywhere in a Europe Constitution not only revision but a complete overhaul.

Duterte large pluralities consider and Alvarez havemove openly exBrexit the wrong for the pressed their intention replace UK, suggesting that to Europethe ans existing like theirunitary union government more than with federal set-up, and with somearecent polls indicate. some features of a parliamentary While the full impact of system thrown in. More specifiBrexit ongrand Britain’s cally, the plan influence is to reorwon’t be for some time,in ganize theclear different provinces the country immediate sugthe into aftermath at least 12 states gests the UK will once based on, more or less, theagain existbe in searchtemplates. of a role. The last ing regional Under unitary government, time theya did so was only a every aspect of running the nasemi-success. tionAfter needssome the approval of the post-imperial central government in the nafloundering, a 1997 report by tional capital. This is expected the think tank Demos kicked since local government units, off a rethinking of Britain’s despite their autonomy, still image for the 21st century: spend public money disbursed Britain’s is in flux. and auditedidentity by the national govRenewed In national confidence ernment. a federal system, in the arts, fashion, technolohowever, each state government

Joyce Pangco Pañares Adelle Chua Romel J. Mendez Roberto Cabrera

Chairman Emeritus, Editorial Board

Turnpage to A5 Next

City Editor Senior Deskman Art Director Chief Photographer

Opinion Brexit...

From A4 gy, architecture and design has coincided with the departure from Hong Kong, devolution, further integration with Europe, the imminence of the millennium and Princess Diana’s death.

The report resonated with Prime Minister Tony Blair, whose “New Labour” had just won the general election. The phrase “Cool Britannia” had already caught on by the time it was coopted for the Blair campaign, which stressed the UK’s creativeness and diversity, and the Millennium project to create new, ultramodern tourist attractions. Domestically, the effort fizzled, as Charlotte Werther wrote in her 2011 essay on “Rebranding Britain.”

Partly that was due to poor delivery and viciously hostile media reception. But under the rebranding, Britain remained a deeply traditional country that couldn’t easily associate itself with the image Blair appeared intent on building up. Globally, however, the image stuck and culminated in 2012 with the successful London Olympics— a feast of creativity and efficiency.

In 2012, Monocle Magazine’s soft power ranking put the UK in the first place in the world. It was easy to see why: There was the success of Skyfall, the most ambitious film in the modernized James Bond series; the phenomenon of Adele, who became the world’s bestloved female singer that year; the Tour de France victory of Bradley Wiggins and the triumph of tennis star Andy Murray at the Olympics and then at the US Open, making him the first British man to win a Grand Slam in 76 years. “The immediate consequence of this is that in 2013, British foreign policy has the capacity to promote positive change in the world, brought about through soft, rather than hard power,” gushed Lancaster University’s Simon Mabon.

That may have seem like an exaggeration now, but he had a point. This year, University of California Berkeley’s Andrew Rose established a relationship between a country’s soft power and people’s willingness to buy its products. “Countries which are seen to be exerting a more positive influence in the world tend to sell more exports to their admirers,” Rose wrote.

Britain’s charm attack has flagged a little since 2012. This year, before the Brexit vote, Monocle’s ranking had the UK in third place. Post-Brexit, it should fall further.

Just as in the late 1990s, the UK faces an identity crisis. It needs another conscious effort at image-building once it decides what it wants to be—a permissive offshore center with the best opportunities for startups and hedge funds, a traditionalist post-imperial state or some combination. Otherwise, post-EU Britain will remain hard for outsiders to place— and thus to admire. Bloomberg

A5

SUNDAY, AUGUST 7, 2016 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Why you should thank Donald Trump

By Pankaj Mishra POLITICAL life in the West, it is safe to say, has not witnessed a figure such as Donald Trump for decades. His attacks on the parents of Army Captain Humayun Khan, who died on duty in Iraq in 2004, is the latest jaw-dropping episode from his presidential campaign. But as he lurches toward what one hopes will be ignominious defeat in November, we must also acknowledge two positive contributions he has made, however inadvertently, to public life.

For one, with his merciless denunciations of Muslims, he established Islamophobia as an incontrovertible and toxic presence in our societies. Strange as it may seem today, many public figures strenuously denied that antiMuslim prejudice had exploded following the attacks of 9/11.

The writer Sam Harris wasn’t alone in proclaiming that “there is no such thing as Islamophobia.” Much crude prejudice and aggressive ignorance were aired under the rubric of “criticizing” and “reforming” Islam.

Trump’s proposal to ban Mus-

lims from the United States came out of this deepening climate of prejudice. The disturbing runaway success of his primaries campaign allowed us to look squarely in the eye the bigotry that held anyone with a Muslimsounding name, or dark skin, beard and turban (potentially billions of people), responsible for the crimes of a few fanatics.

Trump’s extreme and popular xenophobia enabled a real reckoning with the sheer craziness of a clash of civilizations.

His other contribution is even more vital. Like all demagogues, Trump has sought to rebuild the unity of his “tribe” by identifying its enemies—Muslims, Mexicans, immigrants in general. This scapegoating of innocent people has been a practice since the earliest human tribes. People losing their sense of cohesion always found an internal or external enemy to demonize. Indeed, most primitive religions centered on the ritualistic sacrifice of this victim.

The modern era did not do away with such archaic modes of violence. In the 19th century, as a global capitalist and industrial economy came into being, the

figure of the Jew became the scapegoat for people feeling traumatized by rapid and uncontrollable socioeconomic changes.

One demagogue after another in Europe tried to stigmatize Jews as money-grubbers, fifthcolumnists and international conspirators. These mass manipulators were calamitously successful in persuading many alienated and confused Europeans that stability and solidarity lay in persecuting the unassimilable and biologically different Jew, and his liberal, cosmopolitan and socialist supporters.

Today, political dysfunction and economic crisis have opened up fresh scope for tribalist politics in Europe and America as well as Asia and Africa. The hoary tradition of scapegoating has re-emerged in the heart of the secular and postmodern West; and its victims tend to be Muslims and immigrants. Trump is among many demagogues who promise to restore a state of primal wholeness, defining this unity of the people against the insidiously divided loyalties of transnational elites.

Recent terrorist attacks by de-

ranged and nominally Muslim young men have provided grist to his mill. And Trump clearly felt himself to be on a roll when he decided to attack Khizr and Ghazala Khan, the late Captain Khan’s Pakistani immigrant parents.

Inviting Trump to read the US constitution at the Democratic National Convention, Khizr Khan had spoken for many ordinary citizens who feel isolated and stigmatized in the country for which they have, often literally, sacrificed their lives. Trump could have chosen to ignore him.

But he decided to assault the Khans for their evidently suspect Muslim background. In this very public process, he carelessly did something that the exponent of scapegoating should never do: reveal to all the complete innocence of his victim.

Scapegoating worked for centuries, allowing groups to release their pent-up tensions, only because human beings collectively believed in the guilt of their victims. So fanatical was anti-Semitic passion in France in the 1890s that no amount of contrary evidence could save Alfred

Dreyfus, the Jewish army captain, from being held guilty of treason. This wholly blameless victim of virulent and widespread prejudice had to be sacrificed to appease the rage of all those who had been persuaded by demagogues to believe that Jews were traitors.

Captain Dreyfus, however, was eventually exonerated. Captain Khan, on the other hand, gave up his life for his country; and his bereaved parents—targets of Trump’s onslaught—have to live with the knowledge that their son died in a catastrophically ill-conceived war. Few such prominent victims of scapegoating have ever been as obviously innocent.

Trump will of course continue his persecution of the guiltless.

But he will now have to reckon with a rising tide of revulsion.

Having established Islamophobia as an undeniable fact, the Republican presidential candidate has now managed to expose the profound irrationalism of such tribalist hatreds. For such illumination, if nothing else, Donald Trump deserves our thanks.

Bloomberg

Dead bodies and hellish prisons on the Philippines police graveyard shift

By Noel Celis MANILA—Sometimes it takes the whole night, other times the dead bodies turn up early. What’s certain is that the Manila Police’s graveyard shift is now worthy of its sinister name.

After the May 9 presidential election I took to spending my nights at the capital’s larger police precincts—on top of my day job at AFP’s Manila bureau.

Rodrigo Duterte had been elected president by promising to kill thousands of criminals. I wanted to be on the streets if or when he carried out his threat.

A few days after the election, police began rounding up drunks, unaccompanied children, and shirtless men—enforcing new district-level curfews. We’d not seen this before.

It would be a few weeks before the bodies started to pile up.

I use radio to keep informed of what’s happening in the city.

The set is always on—even when I’m asleep.

It’s helpful on the crime beat to develop police contacts, but as a rule I avoid making friends with officers. A lot of police enjoy media coverage too much— they keep framed clippings of crimes they have solved on their desks. One officer kept texting me to ask me to photograph a thief he’d arrested.

It was the night of June 25 when the radio alerted the first killing that was walking distance from my apartment. Police had raided a slum in a Mus-

A suspected offender waits to undergo drug tests at Camp Karingal police station in Manila. AFP

lim area in northern Manila and killed three drug suspects.

To get there, I had to squeeze myself and 18 kilograms of camera kit and a laptop through a hole in a concrete wall that led to a long, dark, muddy alley.

“What if I get mugged here?” I thought. I was armed only with a flashlight. I had two camera bodies and three lenses—two of them expensive primes with large apertures for shooting in low light.

But I made it to the house without incident and found a gaggle of TV crews and other photographers.

The most memorable case was the July 22 shooting of a rickshaw driver on a busy intersection. The victim’s girlfriend broke through the police tape and clutched her dead boyfriend

as she cried out for help. The photograph of that scene—which looked like Michelangelo’s Pieta sculpture—went viral.

There were a lot of photographers there, shooting their third death of the night. The woman shouted “stop shooting and help us instead.”

We were shell-shocked. Some of us simply stopped shooting.

Many of us began to question our motives. Why are we doing this?

We’re like vultures. We couldn’t eat that night. We couldn’t talk on the ride back. Everyone felt guilty that we hadn’t been able to help.

Later, one local newspaper photographer who had been there that night quit covering the graveyard shift.

Death comes in three versions in this drugs war.

First, there is the so-called police “buy-bust” sting operation, where suspected dealers almost always end up with a bullet below the eye, their limp hands touching a handgun.

Second, there are the Philippine streets’ angels of death—the “riding-in-tandem” motorcycle gunmen. Their faces are always camouflaged with their helmets and scarves, according to witnesses and CCTV images of hits. One of the pair drives the getaway bike.

The gunman walks up to the target, fires and then hops onto the bike for a casual getaway.

The motorcycle gunmen were responsible for the death of the rickshaw driver in the Pieta-like image. They always leave behind their signature, a rectangular piece of cardboard saying in

Tagalog: “I’m a pusher, you’re next” or “I’m a pusher, don’t be like me.” Sometimes they even draw a Batman logo.

Third, there are mystery killers. All we see are their victims—left on lonely, poorly-lit streets or in vacant lots, the corpses riddled with gunshot or stab wounds. The faces—sometime the entire corpse—are wrapped in packaging tape, like some sort of Egyptian mummy.

The bodies all have the same cardboard signs accusing them of dealing in narcotics.

Some nights there are as many as 18 bodies reported. It’s physically impossible to photograph them all.

To show the full picture of the Duterte anti-crime campaign, AFP’s Manila bureau decided to try and meet people who were detained in the crackdown. I proposed visiting the jail in Manila’s Quezon district, which was built for 800 inmates but now houses nearly 4,000 prisoners.

What we saw shocked us. The inmates were packed like sardines in the courtyard. Inside the overflowing cells there was hardly any space for us to walk between the makeshift beds and hammocks. I had to ask some sleeping inmates to get up so we could get past them.

Covering that overcrowded jail was the closest I’ve ever been to hell. It reminded me of old paintings of Dante’s Inferno. If hell were real, that’s what it would look like. AFP

Facebook, I want my clickbait back

By Leonid Bershidsky FACEBOOK has stepped up its two-year-old anti-clickbait campaign, changing its news feed algorithm to weed out manipulative or deceptive headlines. The company says this is being done by popular demand, but the reality is probably more complicated. As a heavy Facebook user with more than 90,000 subscribers and about 4,200 friends, I don’t want Facebook to do this: It’s another dangerous step toward shrinking the view of the world people receive through the social network.

Facebook researchers Alex Peysakhovich and Kristin Hendrix explained the algorithm change in a post on Thursday.

Rather than reducing the distribution of links from which users quickly bounce back to Facebook (which means they were probably enticed to click and then disappointed), the company has tweaked the algorithm to look for phrases commonly used in clickbait headlines.

The definition of clickbait is important here. Facebook’s is

currently narrow: To be considered clickbait, a headline needs to withhold information necessary to understand what the story is about (“You’ll Never Believe Who Tripped and Fell on the Red Carpet…”), forcing users to click on the link to find out the answer.

Linguists call such tricks deixis (the use of words that require a context to be understood) and cataphora (a figure of speech in which an earlier expression describes a “forward” expression that hasn’t come up yet). Facebook also has a problem with headlines that exaggerate the impact of the story (“Apples Are Actually Bad For You?!” leading to a piece saying it’s a bad idea to eat 50 pounds of apples a day).

This would not rule out most headlines from BuzzFeed, which, according to the social content consultancy NewsWhip, is the second-biggest magnet for Facebook comments, likes and shares among news sites.

BuzzFeed claims it “doesn’t do clickbait”—but that’s using the same narrow definition Facebook uses. That’s not how most people understand it: To most of

us, BuzzFeed’s formulaic listicle headlines—a number plus a strong sales pitch for the subject, as in “23 Things That Will Make You Feel Like an Adult” (the content being a collection of “native ads” for everything from collapsible lunchboxes to wristwatches)—fall into the clickbait category. Just like cataphoric headlines (“Why This Father Feeds His Son Freakish Fruit and Vegetables”), they create what in 1994 behavioral economist George Loewenstein called a “curiosity gap”: They focus the reader’s attention on a gap in her knowledge, producing “a feeling of deprivation labeled curiosity.”

That makes them clickbait, too.

This year, a team from Bauhaus University in Weimar, Germany, published a paper on clickbait detection. They built a machine-learning-based model to analyze a set of news content links from Twitter (not Facebook), but the results of their work—following stricter criteria than Facebook says it’s using, 215 of them in all—are revealing. Here’s what they found: Business Insider sends 51 per-

cent clickbait, followed by Huffington Post, The Independent, BuzzFeed, and the Washington Post with more than 40 percent each. Most online-only news publishers (Business Insider, Huffington Post, BuzzFeed, Mashable) send at least 33 percent clickbait, Bleacher Report being the only exception with a little less than 10 percent. TV networks (CNN, NBC, ABC, Fox) are generally at the low end of the distribution.

Most online news publishers use headlines that, in the words of the Bauhaus paper, “exploit cognitive biases to increase the likelihood of readers clicking an accompanying link.” Yet content providers such as BuzzFeed pay it to promote its “native advertising” posts, and Facebook pays them to produce video content that helps Facebook sell more expensive ads. My guess is that this limits Facebook’s willingness to hinder the distribution of its content.

Facebook ends up only fighting certain obvious kinds of clickbait, but as it does so, it’s developing the capability to

block content from our news feeds based on certain words or expressions. Facebook has long been moving away from being an impartial platform on which users can place any content. Since late June, it’s been showing us more posts from friends and family and less from news organizations. Now, there’s the anti-clickbait change.

Facebook’s goal is to increase users’ engagement with every post and maximize the time spent on the social network: It’s good for revenue. Yet since news websites get more than 40 percent of referral traffic from Facebook, every such change limits the amount of information that reaches readers. And some changes, including the latest one, even create the potential for censorship and arbitrary selection.

I was happy with Facebook as a platform, and I’m not the only one. Readers are generally not dumb. In June, when the UK voted to leave the European Union, the Financial Times—which, unlike BuzzFeed, really doesn’t do clickbait—had one of the top percentages of shares among its

Facebook interactions, according to NewsWhip. The raciest tabloids with the flashiest headlines covered Brexit, too, but people wanted to share the FT’s sober journalism.

A Facebook user is usually smart enough to distinguish real journalism from entertainment.

She doesn’t click on manipulative headlines expecting to find serious content, and if some users complain about such experiences, they are not necessarily representative of Facebook’s enormous user base. They certainly do not represent me. I don’t want Facebook to curate— especially algorithmically—the already-curated output of professional news organizations.

If somebody wants to block certain types of headlines—because they are manipulative, or for any other reason—they should have access to filters to personalize their news feed. Instead, Facebook presents users with a black box for fear of having its algorithm reverse-engineered. That’s worse than not messing with the natural flow of posts at all. Bloomberg

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A future enshrined in hope

Former Brazilian athlete Vanderlei Cordeiro de Lima lights the Olympic cauldron with the Olympic torch during the opening ceremony of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games at Maracana Stadium in Rio de Janeiro. AFP

Environmental rallying cry as Olympic party under way R IO DE JANEIRO—A love letter to Brazil and a rallying cry to save the planet from environmental destruction launched the Olympic Games here Friday as Rio de Janeiro sought to forget its troubles for a night with a glittering opening carnival.

The ingenious four-hour spectacular at the Maracana Stadium took 78,000 spectators and athletes on a dizzying journey spanning the dawn of creation to the birth of modern-day Brazil.

Indigenous tribes, dueling dance groups and an eye-catching appearance from supermodel Gisele Bundchen were among the highlights of a show unashamedly low on technology but high on invention, a symptom of economic constraints faced by the recession-hit nation.

But the overwhelming theme of the evening was protection of the environment.

“It is not enough to stop harming the planet, it is time to start healing it,” programme notes from the ceremony’s organizers read.

“This will be our Olympic message:

Earthlings, let’s replant, let’s save the planet!”

An early opening sequence depicted the birth of life, culminating in the sprouting of a green entanglement of leaves from the stadium floor depicting the Amazon rainforest.

Indigenous Brazilians then performed native dances before creating huge “Ocas” or native huts in the center of the stage.

That gave way to an exuberant, joyous party which encompassed Brazil’s breathtakingly diverse musical and cultural traditions.

A memorable skit showed the rise of a metropolis, complete with roof-hopping parkour groups.

That was followed by a magical interlude paying tribute to beloved aviation pioneer Alberto Santos-Dumont, whose

wicker 14 Bis “aircraft” then took the audience on a night-flight across a twinkling Rio cityscape.

Supermodel Gisele entered to the strains of the bossa nova classic “The Girl from Ipanema”, walking into the stadium to loud cheers.

A reported plan to feature a scene depicting the model being accosted by a street robber failed to materialize however.

Favelas and funk A clever sequence depicting Rio’s favelas saw the stadium rocking to the mesmerising dance style of “Passinho”, as Samba and funk had the audience on their feet.

Yet the party mood was halted in its tracks by a somber sequence titled “After the Party” which used NASA scientific maps to warn of environmental crisis facing the planet, detailing rising sea levels to melting polar ice caps.

It culminated with Oscar-winning British actress Judi Dench and Brazilian thespian Fernanda Montenegro reading Carlos Drummond de Andrade’s classic poem “A Flor e a Nausea” (“The Flower and the Nausea”).

The gloomy tenor was lifted with a hopeful message, showing a boy captivated by the emergence of a seedling in a concrete jungle.

The theme continued as the parade of more than 10,000 athletes from 207 teams across the globe got under way.

Each athlete was presented with a seed and a cartridge of soil to enable them to plant a native tree of Brazil, which will ultimately form an “Athletes Forest” made up of 207 different species—one for each delegation.

With the completion of the athletes parade, mirrored towers were cleverly opened to create five green Olympic rings of lush vegetation, symbolizing what the forest will one day look like.

The innovative reforestation scheme comes, however, after the failure of one of the most talked about attempts to create an environmental legacy for Rio —cleaning up the city’s polluted Guanabara Bay. Garbage, dead animals and human effluent continue to pollute the waters of the bay, into which the raw sewage of half the city is pumped daily. AFP

How to build a nation of champions MACTAN, Cebu—How do you build a nation of champions?

If you’re Alaska Milk, then you do it one child at a time through the numerous sports development program like the 2016 Alaska Iron Kids Triathlon Cebu held at the Shangri-La Mactan Resort & Spa. Alaska Milk Marketing Director Blen Fernando reminded the winners of the race about their meaning of their accomplishment.

“You now play a unique role as ambassadors of a healthy lifestyle because of your victory. Not only that you must exemplify the important values you’ve learned from Alaska IronKids. These include integrity, the value of hard work, discipline, teamwork and determination,” said Fernando.

Alaska IronKids promotes “outdoor play” through the Alaska Nutrition Action Champion program. Alaska remains committed to provide proper nutrition and instill an active lifestyle in order to shape and prepare Filipino children to be winners in life.

Girls category champion Tara Borlain said Alaska IronKids Triathlon affords her family a perfect opportunity to come together for a shared goal.

Alaska Marketing Director Blen Fernando (center) stands proudly beside two champions Tara Borlain (right) and Wacky Baniqued after the two won their respective categories in the 2016 Alaska IronKids Triathlon Cebu held on August 6, Saturda at the Shangri-La Mactan Resort & Spa.

“That’s what makes it so important. We get to be with your family during the race. I felt so excited because this event brought our family closer together. In addition I and my sisters were able to meet more new friends,” said Borlain.

Close to 400 youngsters, led by the multi-titled Borlain sisters Samantha, Tara and Franchezka, Singapore International Triathlon Sprint Category medalists Wacky Baniqued and Jane Macalalad took part in the event ahead of Sunday’s Co-

bra Energy Drink Ironman 70.3 Asia Pacific Championship presented by Ford.

The Alaska IronKids’ culminating race features competitions in the 6-8, 9-10, 11-12, and 13-14 age brackets pitting the best performers from the three

previous Alaska IronKids held in Manila and Subic.

Samantha and Tara are gunning for their third titles this year. Tara won the 11-12 class while Samantha reigned in the 13-14 in the Triathlon I race in Subic. After Tara moved up in class, they took turns finishing 1-2 in the Aquathlon I in Manila and Aquathlon II in Subic.

Wacky Baniqued won crown No. 3 this year to add to his triumph in the boys’ 13-14 Triathlon I and Aquathlon II in Subic.

Sunrise Events, Inc. organized the event sponsored by Alaska Milk Corp. The Alaska IronKids Triathlon is the junior version of the Ironman which also features swimming, biking and running events.

The Province of Cebu, this historic resort city, Mandaue, Talisay and Cebu City, rolled out the red carpet for the biggest triathlon event on Philippine soil.

Australian Tim Reed and Swiss Caroline Steffen and a first-class cast of 30-plus pros compete for the AsPac title in Sunday’s main fare while close to 3,000 Filipino elite, CEOs, age-groupers and relay teams, including celebrities like Matte Guidicelli, aim to make their presence felt in their respective divisions.

THE 2016 Olympic Games opening ceremony in Rio de Janeiro was an unmatched spectacle of singing, dancing and a riot of color so typical of the effervescent spirit and the beauty of the Brazilians.

There were moments of unabashed happiness among the huge throng that crowded into the sprawling Maracana stadium to savor the very best that Brazil had to offer in a truly historic event that captured the heart and soul of a nation and sent a timely message to the rest of the world that we need to take care of the environment in an amazingly relevant display.

The four-hour extravaganza kept us glued to our television sets as TV 5 carried the coverage to all corners of our country through the magic of Cignal TV, which enables Filipinos in the most remote areas of our nation to catch what must surely rank as the finest opening ceremony in the history of the Games.

Filipinos indeed must be grateful to TV 5 and esteemed businessman-sportsman Manny Pangilinan for his commitment to sports and his realization that by bringing such truly world-class events into our living rooms at a remarkable cost, he also reached into our hearts and indeed gave us a glimpse of what a nation and people could achieve even in the midst of economic hardships and problems of peace and order.

In a sense, we as a nation and people under President Rody Duterte, who is a prime agent of change, can learn from what we witnessed and drive us to greater heights of achievement if we work together to right the wrongs in our society and embark on a future enshrined in hope and a willingness to work hard and to work together to move at the very least to the fringes of greatness.

All this will require sacrifices from each and every Filipino and we can and we must draw inspiration from the example of Brazil.

When the Philippines hosts the much smaller-level Southeast Asian Games in Davao City, home of President Duterte in 2019 , we should be able to learn from the fantastic display

by Brazil.

We don’t need to approximate the splendor of the fantastic opening ceremony of the 2016 Rio Olympic Games, but we can introduce our own creative genius to make the 2019 SEA Games one that is truly leaves a touch of our own and one that would be worth remembering.

While congratulating TV 5 and Cignal TV for its commitment to sports and entertainment of the highest order, we’d also like to commend the TV 5 contingent in Rio and wish to single out Patricia Bermudez Hizon for an excellent job of anchoring the coverage obviously using a script that was succinct, had the essential elements viewers wanted to know and refrained from mushy, emotional hang-ups.

While we pay tribute to our Brazilian friends and commend TV 5 for its efforts, we look forward to the next few days in which we, hopefully, can earn a couple of medals that will add to the pride and joy of a nation and people yearning for an elusive gold medal or one of an even lesser hue.

Sports

By Peter Paul Duran

“I

N THE next 17 days, when the world watches the best athletes on the planet defy expectations, Nike enables Filipinos with the opportunity to do the same.”

This was bared by Nike Southeast Asia Senior Director for Marketing Bulbul Khera at the global brand’s launching of the video “Unlimited You” and the unveiling of the majestic Unlimited Stadium--a space in the heart of Metro Manila’s iconic running hub.

“The Unlimited Stadium is designed to encourage people to push beyond their limits, and to celebrate the spirit of doing more than what you thought possible,” added Khera at Nike’s media launch at White Space in Makati.

The 200-meter state-of-theart running track at the center of bustling Bonifacio Global City, is designed in the shape of a 100-foot sole print of the LunarEpic Low Flyknit, challenging Filipinos to unlock their potential through running events in the next 17 days from Aug. 5 to 21, coinciding with the Rio Olympics.

The stadium features a digitally enabled running track lined with LED screens bringing Nike experiences, products and services together to inspire and enable runners to go beyond their limits.

From 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. daily, runners are invited in a race against digital avatars of themselves--a neat feature of the track, motivating them to push and do more than they thought possible.

Runners will be rewarded as they complete each challenge, with an epic run experience by Nike as the ultimate reward.

Join and discover your unlimited potential through Nike+ challenges, powered by the Nike+ Running and Training Club apps, available for download at the Apple and Android store.

For more information on the challenges and schedule of events at the Unlimited Stadium, go to www.nike.com/ manila on 5 August, or call the hotline at 02- 463-4814.

Unlimited Colorway Nike also released its Unlimited Colorway collection, with selected styles available in the Philippines. The colors used in the collection represent not only the unlimited athletic abilities of each individual, but also the way in which Nike views the world: bursting with

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Unlimited Stadium, unlimited potential unlimited inspiration and design possibilities.

The Unlimited Colorway collection will be available in selected Nike stores and will be offered across the Running, Training, Basketball, and Nike Sportswear categories.

The following selection of styles from the Unlimited Colorway collection is available at the Nike Park BGC and Nike Stadium Glorietta 2: Running Nike LunarEpic Low Flyknit (P8,095); Nike LunarGlide 8 (P6,295); Nike Free RN (P5,295); Nike Air Zoom Pegasus 33 (P6,295); Nike Zoom Streak 6 (P5,795) Basketball Nike Air Zoom KD9 (P7,645); Nike Hyperdunk Flyknit 2016 (P9,895) Women’s Training Nike Metcon 2 (P6,745) Nike Sportswear Nike Air Max 1 Ultra Flyknit (P8,995) To access Nike’s latest innovations, consumers are encouraged to sign up as a Nike+ member and receive the best of Nike’s services at www.nike. com/manila. Share your experience with #JustDoIt and #UnlimitedManila.

The 200-meter state-of-the-art running track at the center of bustling Bonifacio Global City, is designed in the shape of a 100-foot sole print of the LunarEpic Low Flyknit.

The Unlimited Stadium is designed to encourage people to push beyond their limits. Peter Paul Duran

Runners test their endurance. Peter Paul Duran

2016 ENEOS PH MOTORCYCLE CHAMPIONSHIPS

Mascardo, Sobretodo ready for 4th leg 4S1M-SUM Racing riders behind his teammates Herbert April King Mascardo and Lopez in sixth and Paul Mark Eane Jaye Sobretodo could Doblada in seventh.

Despite a bad starting posinot wait any further and are both itching to go back to the tion, Mascardo had a fantastrack today (Sunday) after tic start and quickly overtook strong finishes in the third his teammates. Mascardo and leg of the 2016 ENEOS Phil- Lopez had an exciting battle for ippine Motorcycle Champi- a few laps until the worsening onships held at the Clark In- conditions proved to be advantageous for Mascardo. He was ternational Speedway.

It was an exciting wet race then able to pull away and climb up the ranks to finish second in filled with thrills and spills.

Despite the departure of the race. Lopez finished in fifth, tropical storm “Butchoy,” Sun- while Doblada was sixth in the day’s race was met by a con- 150 open category. tinuous deluge of rain which made the track slippery, challenging, and very dangerous.

The 4S1M-Sum Racing riders would have to dig deep and race on the edge to have a successful weekend.

Rain was a factor in qualifying as Mascardo, riding his Sniper, was only able to qual- April King Mascardo itching to go back ify in ninth position to the track today

Eane Jaye Sobretodo in action

In the 115 Novice category of the all underbone class, Sobretodo and Elijah Olayvar performed well in the slippery conditions.

Sobretodo qualified on pole position in his class, followed closely by Olayvar in second.

As the race began, Olayvar was

able to overtake Sobretodo, and was looking like he was going to stay in front to win the race.

Unfortunately, midway through their race, the clouds opened up and rain made the conditions more difficult. Olayvar miscalculated a corner and

slid into the tire grass injuring his right wrist. Olayvar finished in third. Sobretodo would go on to lead, have the fastest lap and finish in first place. Sobretodo also finished third in the 160 PSR class, while Olayvar finished fifth.

Doblada would do well in the SBK Novice and Intermediate categories. Qualifying in second overall, Doblada would control his race well and keep upright in the slippery conditions finishing second in the Novice category and third in Intermediate.

With half the season over, the team raced well and is showing hunger and determination to get to the podium every race.

With momentum on their side, fans can expect more exciting performances from the 4S1M- Sum Racing team.

4S1M Sum-Racing is powered by ENEOS Motor Oil, Marton batteries, MDS Helmets, FDR Tires, Panda, AST, RK, Frando Brake Systems, MP, and RK.

Bayron foils Green, bags Aboitiz title JAY Bayron pounced on a crucial two-shot swing on No. 15 to seize control then held on with clutch putts to edge Malaysian Gavin Green and win the hotly disputed $100,000 Aboitiz Invitational crown by two on a closing two-under 70 at Wack Wack’s East Saturday.

Bayron, one down behind third round leader Nicolas Paez of the US and three-up on Green at the start of the round, hit a solid drive and superb approach shot on No. 15 then made a delicate birdie putt from six feet before watching Green, who rallied to tie Bayron with four holes left, muff a four-footer for par to surge ahead.

Not even Green’s pressurepacked birdie feat on the par-3 16th could shake off the veteran Bayron, who parred the last three holes, including a par-save on No. 18, to clinch the victory on a sixunder 282 aggregate and keep the Aboitiz crown on home soil for the sixth straight year.

Bayron actually ruled the inaugural staging of the event put up by Aboitiz Equity Ventures, Inc. in Cebu in 2011 but failed to contend in the next four, finishing joint sixth in 2012, winding up tied for 29th in 2013, limping home to a joint 45th finish in 2014 and ending up tied for ninth in last year’s staging of the championship co-organized

by Asian Development Tour and Pilipinas Golf Tournamets, Inc. Though the two-shot swing on No. 15 fueled his title bid, the ace Davaoeño shotmaker said it was his chip-in birdie from 30 yards on the ninth that keyed his victory.

“That was the turning point.

In the first few holes, I was looking for something to inspire me and that chip-in birdie was the answer,” said Bayron, who bucked an opening hole bogey with birdies on Nos. 4 and 9 and made up for his other bogey mishap on No. 11 by birdieing Nos. 13 and 15 to pocket the top $17,500 purse (P822,500).

Down by one heading to the 72nd hole, Green, who pulled off a two-shot win over Singapore’s Koh Deng Shan at Manila Southwoods ADT last April, went for broke and ended up shattered – holing out with bogey for a 69 and a 284 worth $11,500.

Riera U. Mallari, Editor Reuel Vidal, Assistant Editor sports@thestandard.com.ph sports_mstandard@yahoo.com

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Sports

Familiar faces rule 2016 Alaska IronKids Triathlon Cebu

Wacky Baniqued crosses the finish line to rule the boys 13-14 years old category of the 2016 Alaska IronKids Triathlon Cebu held at the beachfront of the Shangri-La Mactan Resort & Spa, Saturday, August 6.

By Reuel Vidal

M

ACTAN, Cebu— Wacky Baniqued took the lead from the start while Tara Borlain had to overtake elder sister Samantha in the run part of the race - to rule the 2016 Alaska IronKids Triathlon Cebu held at the Shangri-La Mactan Resort & Spa, Saturday, August 6.

Learning from his experience in the Singapore International Triathlon just three weeks ago, where he settled for second place behind a Malaysian, Baniqued grabbed the lead from the swim start then hung on to win the boys’ 13-14 category of the prestigious national race.

Both Baniqued and Borlain are familiar faces in the podium after Alaska IronKids Triathlon races. Baniqued won two IronKids races this year before the big one in Cebu.

Borlain won all three other Alaska IronKids Triathlon prior to the Cebu event.

Borlain, on the other hand, was in second place through the swim and bike part of the race before taking the lead in the run part to rule the girls’ 13-14 category.

The 2016 Alaska IronKids Triathlon Cebu is the culmination of the year-long Alaska IronKids series of races for boys and girls, six to fourteen 14 years old.

More than just a race, it is a venue for families to bond in a shared activity, giving the parents a chance to show their children that being physically fit and healthy is more fun. It also fosters the importance of starting the day right with a combination of exercise and proper nutrition.

Other winners in the boys’ category include Hyonde Keum (11-12 years old), Matthew Justine Hermosa (9-10) and Connor Hodges (6-8). Other winners in the girls’ category include Catherine Angeli

Boys 13-14 years old charge into the water during the start of the 2016 Alaska IronKids Triathlon Cebu held at the beachfront of the Shangri-La Mactan Resort & Spa, Saturday, August 6.

Yu (11-12 years old), Kira Ellis (9-10) and Franchezka Borain (6-8).

Other placers in the boys’ category include Joe Bernard Sarmiento (2nd, 13-14), Jose Manuel Arao (3rd, 13-14), Eduard Russell So (2nd, 11-12), Joco Miguelle Delizo (3rd, 1112), Mark Grist (2nd, 9-10), Justin Christopher Yu (3rd, 9-10), Ythnmthw Orellana (2nd, 6-8) and Ryonde Keum (3rd, 6-8).

Other placers in the girls’ category include Samantha Borlain (2nd, 13-14), Karen Andrea Manayon (3rd, 13-14), Moira Frances Gabrielle Erediano (2nd, 11-12), Nicole Marie Del Rosario (3rd, 11-12), Isabella Diehl (2nd, 9-10), Mikele Katerina Jopson (3rd, 9-10), Zurielle Kenzie (2nd, 6-8) and Teya Aurelia Mora (3rd, 6-8).

Participants in the Play – Long Distance overall girls are Ativa Hannah Goldberg, Johanna Isabelle Elasigue and Frances Alissa Reyes.

Participants in the Play – Short Distance overall girls are Jessica Yap, Queen Charles Espanol,

Josh Ramos dashes out of the water after completing the swim part of the 2016 Alaska IronKids Triathlon Cebu held at the beachfront of the Shangri-La Mactan Resort & Spa, Saturday, August 6.

Gabrielle Lexi Sevilleja, Samantha Palacios, Xyza Niniah Molina and Sophia Angela Remigio.

The Alaska IronKids is another program of Alaska Milk in response to the latest national

study conducted by the Food and Nutrition Research Institute (FNRI) and the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) of the prevalence of obesity and malnutrition. Two out of 10 chil-

Tara Borlain exults after winning the 13-14 Girls Category of the 2016 Alaska IronKids Triathlon Cebu held at the beachfront of the Shangri-La Mactan Resort & Spa, Saturday, August 6.

dren are overweight while three out of 10 are undernourished.

Alaska Milk performs its share in nation-building by organizing and promoting such event.

For general information about

La Salle Greenies back in fighting form

By Peter Atencio WITH the first round about to end, the La Salle Greenhills Greenies are in the middle of a chase for the best seats in the Final Four semifinals of the 92nd National Collegiate Athletic Association junior basketball wars.

New coach Marvin Bienvenida and his assistant coach Allen Ricardo are aware of this with the Letran Squires, Lyceum Junior Pirates and the University of Perpetual Junior Altas fighting to keep up with them.

“We’re playing catch-up with our win. There are three other teams seeking to move up, we are aware of that,” Bienvenida said.

Bienvenida, who replaced John Flores, said this after the Greenies outplayed the EAC-ICA Brigadiers, 87-74, last Monday at the Arena in San Juan.

Their efforts allowed them to improve their win-loss record to 5-3 and stay in fourth place.

The Squires are in pursuit and so are the

Junior Pirates with their 4-4 record. The Junior Altas trail closely with their 4-5 card.

On the other hand, the Arellano University Braves are way ahead in the solo lead with their eighth consecutive win.

Defending champion San Beda follows at 7-1, and the Mapua Red Robins follow closely at 6-2.

It was never this tight last season, with the Junior Pirates as the only other team that’s seeking to be in contention.

In their game against the Brigadiers, Troy Mallinlin bannered the Greenies efforts with 22 points and seven rebounds.

He got support from Haribon Espinosa and Vincent David with 14 and 12 points, respectively.

It was close for the Greenies in the first half, and Bienvida said their sloppy execution of defensive plays which proved to be the culprit when the first half ended at 37-34.

“The boys had an attitude of being complacent in the first half. But it was the defense in the second half that did it,” said

Troy Mallinlin (14) of La Salle Greenhills Greenies fights to keep possession of the ball against EAC’s Roland Baliquig. Peter Atencio

the Alaska IronKids please visit http://ironkidsphil.com/ and www. alaskamilk.com. For live updates log on to www.playph.com follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter @AlaskaPlayPh.

LSGH coach Marvin Bienvenida.

After Sean Oriondo put the Brigadiers nearer with his drive, 36-37, the start of the third, and eventually tied the match, 40-all, the Greenies finally came to life.

The 5’9” Mallinlin struck hard with five points during a 7-0 blast, and LSGH moved ahead, 47-40, with 5:11 left.

Penetrations from Joel Cagulangan and Vincent David eventually gave LSGH a 53-42 spread with 2:54 to go.

When it was over, Mallinlin emerged as the league’s top scoring cager with his average of 21.5 points.

He is ahead of Arellano’s Guilmer de la Torre, who is now at no. 2 with 18.6 points per game.

Mallinlin emerged as one the players to watch in the Greenies roster this season since the time of the Rivero brothers, Prince and Ricci, and, most notably Kobe Paras.

His shift from being a mere power forward to a combo power forward and small forward is helping the team a lot this season.

“Dati kuwatro ako (power forward), ngayon, 4-3 ako (power forward and small forward). Mahirap ang adjustment. Pero hinasa na ako dito sa position na ito last summer,” said Malinlin.

Another player to watch is Unique Naboa, a guard who averages 14.8 points on a good day.

Filipino teens force telcos to change

B2

Business

Ray S. Eñano, Editor Roderick T. dela Cruz, Assistant Editor business@thestandard.com.ph extrastory2000@gmail.com

SUNDAY, AUGUST 7, 2016

B1

Three ‘yuppies’ reinvent house cleaning services

T

HREE young urban professionals have teamed up to provide cleaning services to condominium dwellers in Metro Manila using the social media and mobile application.

“It started last year when I was in my friend’s condo in Makati. She was busy and had little time to clean the unit. She said it would take her three weeks in advance to book the services of a cleaner. That’s when I realized the demand is there for cleaning services,” says Frances Wayne Rafio, a 26-yearold senior brand officer at Smart Communications Inc. Rafio, who graduated with a degree in Business Administration from the University of the Philippines in 2010, shared the business idea with jogging buddy and former UP classmate Jan Oscar King, a theater aficionado and a consultant at Hewlett Packard.

“I used to work for HP, an IT company. It was there where I met Yan,” King says, referring to Marianne Alonzo, a 33-yearold technology consultant with a degree in Management Information Systems from AMA University and an active volunteer of Gawad Kalinga.

Together, Rafio, King and Alonzo conceptualized Cleaning Lady, a mobile app that lets a user specify his/her cleaning services needs, hire a cleaner, book a schedule, get an upfront service quote and get the cleaning done.

More than a mobile app, King says Cleaning Lady is a social enterprise that seeks to bridge the gap between the privileged communities and the underserved communities by creating meaningful opportunities that bind them together and enable them to make a difference in each other’s lives.

“The mission of Cleaning Lady is to really empower women, to help their families also and to help other people as well. We provide jobs to them.

We also provide convenience to our clients,” Rafio says in an interview at IdeaSpace Foundation Inc. headquarters in Makati City.

Cleaning Lady is one of the ten Filipino startups, mostly

run by ‘millennials’ that won the support of IdeaSpace, the country’s largest business incubator and accelerator.

The ten groups, selected from nearly 600 applicants from all over the country, will receive P500,000 in equity-free funding, on top of non-cash benefits such as housing, transportation, incorporation, office space, communication, software support, trainings and mentoring from executives of companies under the First Pacific Group led in the Philippines by Manuel Pangilinan.

King says Cleaning Lady is about providing jobs to women from organized communities by providing them training on housekeeping at agencies accredited by Technical Education and Skills Development Authority.

Cleaning Lady links them to condominium dwellers who pay P350 per hour, P500 for 1.5 hours and P625 for two hours of service.

“Thirty percent of our revenues go directly to our cleaning ladies as part of their commission and on top of their monthly P3,000 basic allowance,” says King.

Cleaning Lady now has a Facebook page and a website where homeowners can book the services of cleaning ladies.

Alonzo is forming a team to develop a mobile app that will make the booking process more convenient.

The three founders agree to promote Cleaning Lady as a social enterprise. “It is not just a business that provides cleaning services, but it is also business with a heart that provides jobs to unemployed women,” says Rafio.

Rafio says the ‘Cleaning Lady’ brand was in fact inspired by a musical called ‘Leading Lady’ where King was a part of.

The idea of forming Cleaning Lady began in July 2015, with Rafio and King exchanging ideas during weekends of jogging at Cultural Center of

the Philippines complex. Alonzo came onboard in December last year.

Alonzo, a volunteer at GK Brookside in Bagong Silangan, Quezon City, proposed that they tap the unemployed women in the village to become a part of Cleaning Lady. “Prior to the launch, we hired our cleaning ladies and we got them from a Gawad Kalinga community in Brookside in April,” says Rafio.

King says from the original 30 applicants, they selected 10 cleaning ladies. “After the orientation, we had them trained at a Tesda-accredited agency along UN Ave. I also trained to learn about housekeeping,” he says.

The three founders invested P35,000 for the training of the 10 cleaning ladies for three days.

After the training, the cleaning ladies passed a one-day assessment conducted by another agency in Paco, Manila. “I also passed that exam,” says King.

Alonzo says they also invested in cleaning materials such as ecofriendly cleaning agents, polishers, disinfectants, mops and vacuum cleaners. A cleaning service would cost P75 in cleaning materials alone.

“Our initial target market is the millennials. When we launched the Facebook page, we generated a lot of Facebook likes, something like 800 overnight. Now we have 2,600 likes,” says King. Cleaning Lady’s first customer was a male condo unit owner on Shaw Boulevard who availed of the service on June 2, 2016.

Rafio says because of the Cleaning Lady brand of service, which is known to be warm, delicate and professional, the business quickly took off.

“From the time we launched it, we had 100 bookings in a month.

Thirty percent of that are repeat customers,” she says. “We have three to four bookings a day. Right now, we are focusing on Quezon City, Taguig, Mandaluyong, Pasig and Makati.”

Alonzo says the plan is to deploy cleaning ladies from other organized communities in other areas in Metro Manila. “Later on, we want to tap organized communities in Parañaque, Pasig and Taguig,” she says.

The three founders have so far invested P150,000 in the

Cleaning Lady founders Jan Oscar King, Marianne Alonzo and Frances Wayne Rafio.

venture. Rafio says with the P500,000 equity-free funding from IdeaSpace, they want to accelerate the growth of the business by developing the mobile app.

“We see the potential of expanding Cleaning Lady to different regions,” she says.

“In 2019, there will be 100,000 condo units. Right now, we are at 60,000 condo units in Makati, Fort Bonifacio, Eastwood, Pasig and Ortigas alone.”

Rafio says a customer would require cleaning services twice a month. “But we have clients who ask for our service every other

day,” she says.

Cleaning Lady, which now has 100 unique customers, expects to start generating profit by the second half of 2017. “By the end of this year, our target is to increase the number of cleaning ladies to 13 to maximize their utilization,” says Rafio.

“Eventually, our operation will be much more automated with the help of the dashboard and mobile app that we are developing with the help of IdeaSpace.”

“Our ultimate goal is to have a mobile app. But we have to build our client base first,” says King.

The Cleaning Lady founders

used to meet at restaurants to discuss their next move, but with the help of IdeaSpace, they now plan to establish their own office.

“We are looking at an office space that can be the training house also for our cleaning ladies,” says Rafio.

“Our ultimate goal is to lift the status of our cleaning ladies. Our aspiration is to help uplift their status in life,” she says.

King agrees, saying that their venture is more of a social enterprise.

“We inspire our customers to help our fellow Filipinos,” he says.

Roderick T. dela Cruz

Dusit goes to La Union

By Othel V. Campos GLOBAL hotel brand Dusit International has signed an agreement with RCL Realty and Consulting Services Inc. and Brightbeam Corp. to develop DusitD2 at Waves Beach Club and Residences in San Juan, La Union province.

“Our goal is to meet the increasing demand from the next generation of travelers looking for unique accommodation. With that in mind, we are pleased to be here today to announce the latest addition to our portfolio of the highest quality developments and to be able to create the most upscale and exclusive Malibuinspired developmental properties in Northern Luzon, Philippines,” says Philippine Hoteliers Inc. president and vice chairman Evelyn Singson at the signing ceremony at Dusit Thani Manila in Makati City.

DusitD2 will rise at Waves Beach Club and Residences, a seven-hectare luxury residential resort complex which is set to change the lifestyle and leisure landscape in San Juan. Opening

by the first quarter of 2019, Waves is being developed as a premium Malibu-inspired lifestyle, commercial, and residential hub tucked away at the surfing capital of Northern Luzon.

“Combining competitive pricing and the best quality for development and construction, Waves is ideal for young families and professionals looking to grow their future on a resort and private neighborhood managed by credible and experienced property developers,” RCL Realty and Consulting Services Chairman and CEO Fausto Liriano says.

“We are very happy to seal this partnership with a solid brand that’s been around for over 65 years. The Dusit International brand has always been synonymous with world-class hospitality,” Liriano says.

“The resort is a first-of-its-kind in the area, and we are pleased to be partnering with RCL Realty and Consulting Services, Inc. and Brightbeam Corp. on this project as they are also known for delivering high quality developments. We are confident that they will be able to help us

realise our plans for a resort that offers the distinctive combination of comfort, convenience, technology, and warm gracious service that the dusitD2 brand is world-renowned for,” says Dusit International chief operating officer Lim Boon Kwee.

The development is part of Dusit International’s aggressive expansion plan. Across the group’s four key brands are Dusit Thani, DusitD2, DusitPrincess, and Deverana.

After launching the Waves project in La Union, RCL Realty and Consulting is venturing to bring developments to higher ground, with Baguio and Tagaytay as initial sites.

Liriano says developments in major cities have already reached their peak. “Now is the right time to go to the provinces, the countryside, where opportunities for development is huge,” he says.

Liriano says big-scale developments in Metro Manila are not possible anymore, although there is still room for pocket developments for condominiums, condotels, apartments and small high-rise buildings where vertical

(From left) Waves Beach Club and Residences director Joseph Valero, Dusit International chief operating officer Lim Boon Kwee, Philippine Hoteliers Inc. president Evelyn Singson, Brightbeam Corp. director Aurelio Bautista, RCL Realty and Consulting Services Inc. chairman and chief executive Fausto Liriano, RCL Realty vice president for investor relations Francisco Custodio Rojas

expansion is the remaining option.

“We might take a chance with Baguio first. We’ve identified the location, possibly along Session Road, but we’re still assessing the merits of this one. Tagaytay is also a nice place to expand.

We are looking for a spot we can

develop that is overlooking the volcano and with great amount of scenery,” he says.

For the Waves project, the company is on schedule to deliver commitments, he says.

RCL in partnership with Brightbeam Corp. is working on

the project in three phases, the first involving the villa development that will rise on a five-hectare parcel. The second phase covers the development of boutique condohotel under the Dusit brand and the third phase will be the condominiums.

B2

Business

SUNDAY, AUGUST 7, 2016 extrastory2000@gmail.com

PH scores high in digital satisfaction

by Kathreen O. Abaya and Regina C. Lintag

A

SURVEY conducted

by AMR, a research firm based in Sydney, indicates that the Philippines has an overall digital experience score of 33 percent, based on services given by various brands.

The findings, reported by software company SAP Philippines, was based on the responses of 500 Filipino consumers who rated two to three brands each, resulting in at least 1,500 digital interactions.

The 15-minute online survey asked the respondents to rate their digital experience in the industries of banking, utilities, telecommunications, consumer retail and media and entertainment through the 14 digital experience attributes ranging from functional to emotional traits.

“It’s the overall interaction in the digital experience. Everything from the first engagement to transaction to delivery to sales, the survey was conducted in a four-spectrum interaction,” says SAP Philippines managing director Ryan Poggi.

The 33-percent score, which was obtained by subtracting the unsatisfied consumers from the satisfied ones, indicated that most Filipinos are satisfied with their digital experience.

The results show that 54 percent of Filipinos are delighted with the digital services offered by different brands in the country, while 21 percent are

SAP Philippines’ managing director Ryan Poggi (left) and Globe Telecom’s head of strategy and business development for consumer business Bennett Aquino.

unsatisfied, and 25 percent remain ambivalent.

“What we found is that the digital experience score here in the Philippines, which is 33 percent, is extremely high.

It is 6 percent higher than the Asean model in general and the reason for that is because it is based on the consumers’

expectations at the time they were taking the survey,” he says.

Of the 14 given attributes, Poggi says the top three most important in the Philippines are mostly from the functional attributes and at par with Asean model—brands must be safe and secure, available anytime and anywhere, and

are easy to access.

“Those were the same three we found in most of the Asean nations. The only difference was the third one being connectivity because it scored higher in other countries in the region,” he says.

However, internet speed and connectivity, which is what most Filipinos complain

about, is out of the picture in the consumers’ top three concerns given both the wireless and mobile internet connections are prorated in the survey.

“The study shows there is a strong correlation between digital experience performance and customer loyalty.

Over three-quarters said they were likely to remain loyal to the brand and only 9% will stay loyal from the unsatisfied batch,” the report says.

The lone brand that graced the event was Globe Telecom, one of the biggest telecommunications company in the Philippines. Their head of strategy and corporate development consumer business, Bennett Aquino, says the study will help them improve their services in the country.

“I think all of the information presented will help us ground to where we really are and whether or not we are able to predict it properly. We take in a lot of other information as well as far as global trends and other benchmarks within the world to see where we might potentially go,” Aquino says.

Poggi believes that aside from giving business their positions through this survey, the Philippines is ahead in terms of digital transformation in general.

“We find it extremely positive and that positivity has a real business impact in and around customer loyalty and customer efficiency. But being in the Philippines now in this state of the space of technology is exciting because it allows us, especially brands, that acknowledge the opportunity and are willing to invest ahead of that curve,” he says.

This is SAP’s second time of conducting such survey but first time in both the Asean region and in the Philippines.

Filipino teenagers force telcos to change TELECOMMUNICATION companies will do well if they listen to Filipino teenagers, according to an industry expert.

Young consumers, particularly those in the age group 15 to 18, think and behave in an entirely different way, with many of them acknowledging they have not prepared a handwritten letter, used a pay phone or bought a newspaper before.

With the future belonging to them, they dictate the way companies treat their customers. Together, they represent a generation that is so unique and influential they force telecom operators to reinvent their business models to adapt to their needs, says Hakon Jacobsen, vice president for consulting division in Asia-Pacific at Amdocs, a provider of customer experience solutions.

“Today’s teens are the future generation of paying customers. Therefore, it is essential for service providers to understand their lifestyle, their wants and expectations. But even currently, they already have an immediate impact on service providers’ business and brand perceptions, given their influence on parents, who are paying customers, as well as the wider impact on other customers as a result of their prolific use of social media,” Jacobsen, who is based in Singapore, says in a telephone interview.

“Ultimately, it is the extent to which service providers succeed in cultivating brand loyalty among teens that will determine their ability to remain relevant in the future,” says Jacobsen, a Norwegian national who has provided consulting services to major telecom operators in Asia-Pacific.

Jacobsen shares the results of a study on the digital lifestyle of teens, commissioned by Amdocs and conducted by Vanson Bourne, a technology market research provider, with the advice of generational expert and sociologist Paul Redmond.

The study, which surveyed 4,250 respondents (15 to 18 years) from the UK, the United States, Canada, Brazil, India, Germany, Russia, Mexico, the Philippines and Singapore, found that 38 percent of Filipino teens (versus 55 percent globally) have never used or could not remember using a pay phone, while 22 percent could not recall ever sending a handwritten letter (29 percent globally).

About 32 percent (29 percent globally) could not recall ever purchasing a hardcopy newspaper or magazine, while 62 percent (62 percent globally) say the same about listening to a vinyl record.

“This segment is a very, very important segment for the telecom operators because these customers have a differ-

ent view on how to interact and how to use telecom services,” says Jacobsen, a 54-year-old telecom solutions expert.

“I am more than 50 years and I have used a lot of telecom services in my life and I still know what a phone book is. I have still my CD and my vinyl record collection. This new generation, they are quite different in the way they interact,” he says.

Jacobsen says today’s teens grew up in the digital age. Results of the survey show that 52 percent of Filipino teens (43 percent globally) believe their smartphone makes them smarter and “cooler”, while 55 percent (52 percent globally) check their social media accounts first thing in the morning.

Almost half (33 percent globally) say they would probably not meet someone again if they didn’t have a Facebook account. About 55 percent of Filipino

teens prefer using emojis (47 percent globally) to sending emails, as they feel it allows them to express their feelings more clearly than words. A similar number say the same about posting photos (45 percent globally).

Internet connectivity is important among them. Teens demand constant Internet connectivity, with 66 percent of respondents (56 percent globally) saying they are likely to feel anxious and alone if separated from the Internet – similar to being separated from family (66 percent versus 52 percent globally).

The value of Internet access is so significant that 68 percent (55 percent globally) strongly believe that fast Internet access is a human right.

Free content streaming is a way of life for the respondents. Teenagers prefer to stream content rather than download it.

For videos, 50 percent (61 percent glob-

ally) stream, compared to 27 percent (14 percent globally) who download.

For TV, 49 percent (51 percent globally) stream versus 18 percent (11 percent globally) who download, while for music, 40 percent (46 percent globally) stream, compared to 39 percent (28 percent globally) who download.

And they are typically doing so for free, with less than a third saying they ever pay for content.

“This consumer group has a totally different set of expectations from the service providers and in the way they interact with providers of services around us. Our study has indicated quite a significant thing that at least the older generations have video, music, games; they have a CD collection, vinyl collection or Blu-ray collection and DVDs. This new generation, they don’t want to have the physical music or video. As long as they have access to music, and access to videos, TV or movies, they don’t care where it is,” says Jacobsen.

Teens consider content and app providers as “service providers” and love them more. Although 79 percent of Filipino teens (82 percent globally) know who their service provider is, they also perceive over-the-top players and Internet giants as service providers, despite them not being so.

When asked which companies they love, Filipino teens rank Google first at 66 percent (60 percent globally), followed by Facebook at (63 percent versus 48 percent globally) and Apple (52 percent versus 47 percent globally).

Jacobsen says findings of the survey only show that telecom operators need to change the way they interact with the new generation of consumers. “The new generation of consumers sees Facebook, Google, and other non-telecom service providers act as service providers as well. They don’t see the need to be connected to a telecom operator. They would much rather go to Facebook, and say take care of my access then I will not go to my telecom operator to connect,” he says.

“They believe that the telecom operators don’t understand their lifestyle and their needs because they don’t feel connected on an emotional level. The telecom operators really need to start to understand how to interact with the new generation of customers,” says Jacobsen.

Jacobsen says Philippine service providers can use the results of the survey to move in the right direction. “One very important finding and element from the study is that if the segment has a poor experience in terms of interaction with the service providers, whether that is

Amdocs vice president for consulting division in Asia-Pacific Hakon Jacobsen

poor network quality, slow connection, or a bad online service experience, and was forced to talk to a call center representative, they are more inclined to say ‘I am not interested in using the services from this company again. My experience is so bad, so I’ll move to another.’

That is not unique to any company,” he says.

“What is more unique is that they influence their social network and their peers. And because they are connected through social media, they have a much stronger ability to do it than previous generations. The key is that they are important customers; some of them build strong social relationships and are strong social influences,” says Jacobsen.

He says to succeed among the new generation, telecom operators need to leverage on partnerships. He says fortunately, telcos in the Philippines have been quite aggressive and are quite keen on looking forward to partner with different companies such as Spotify, HOOQ and Netflix. “They are also flexible. They understand that they need to adapt to new business models and putting the mobile digital lifestyle at the core. The Philippine operators are going into that direction and they are doing a lot of good things,” he says.

“The consequence for service providers is that they need to be agile, they need to continuously and very rapidly create new products and services and have even more product development.

This is a very key part,” he says.

Jacobsen says Amdocs solutions for telecom companies are targeted to help them create a better customer experience. “It all comes down to how you can provide a good service and good experience to your customers to keep them loyal and create an emotional bond,” he says. Roderick T. dela Cruz

Property

SUNDAY, AUGUST 7, 2016 jdlacsamana@gmail.com

B3

SPIRE OF LUXURY. Century Spire (Inset), the first luxury mixed-use tower in the Asia-Pacific region designed by Giorgio Armani, continues to draw interest from well-heeled Filipinos and foreign investors in search of rare finds. “Excitement always surrounds such developments, especially if its value is magnified by a design brand that is revered the world over,” said Robbie Antonio, managing director of the Century Properties Group.

“Through its interior design for Century Spire, Armani/Casa captures the Asian market with finer tastes in luxury,” he added. Complementing the elegance of Armani/Casa’s design is the arresting tower architecture of Daniel Libeskind. “I’m interested in the dialogue between two companies that have different “languages”: that of a rigorous Armani style and the unpredictable style of architecture called “deconstructive”, with shapes that seem to break the rules,” explained Armani. Shown in photo are (from left to right): Daniel Libeskind, Giorgio Armani and Robbie Antonio.

BUILDING MOGULS LINK-UP. Construction mover DATEM Inc. and SM Development Corporation recently celebrated its first project together in a joint cement pouring ceremony. The two giant firms launched the Fern residences located within the 5-hectare Grass Residences Complex beside SM City North EDSA. The two-tower development will be topped off in early 2017. DATEM Inc. At the ceremonies were (from left) : Elbert Ryan Ocampo, project manager, Arknet Inc.; Wilfredo M. Reyes, project engineering manager, SMDC; Mindy Althea J. Kaw, assistant project director, SMDC); and Gerry Sulit, operations manager, DATEM Inc.

TRANQUIL OPULENCE. Roxaco

Land Corporation, together with Fuego Hotels & Property Management, are pulling all the stops to create a 7.2-hectare paradise out of the Anya Resorts & Residences, a three-phase development currently being built along the Tagaytay ridge. Both companies combined to set up the Anya Hospitality Corp. which aims to lay out top-tier amenities for dining, wellness and service. “Anya aims to be worldclass resort brand infused with the warmth and hospitality Filipinos are known for”, said Santiago R. Elizalde, Anya president and CEO. After brisk sales of its open lots (phase one) and resort units (phase two), Anya is now focused on a limited vertical development consisting of 134 fully serviced condominium units (phase three). These units will feature bigger units of one to three bedrooms, all situated in three to five-storey buildings with floor areas ranging from 52 square meters (sqm) to 105 sqm, with a starting price of P9M.

8 steps...

From B4

• Sweat the small stuff. Decisions, decisions, decisions.

You’ll be asked to make many — more than you can imagine.

Just remember that God is in the details, so make sure that the details are there so that your home

will be uniquely your own and mor and work with your team to speak to who you are. address the issue. This is where having the right team in place can Accept the inevitable pay dividends. An architect, a con7. You’ve made the plans, got- tractor and others who can work ten the permits and secured the together and share ideas without money; now the only thing left to criticizing one another will go a do is build your house. long way to helping you keep your Oddly enough, stuff happens. sanity.

Stay calm, keep your sense of huAn important tip to stay sane

during construction: • Don’t change your mind. Early on make all of the decisions you have to, select all of your finishes and don’t change your mind. Yes, you’ll be enticed by that new thing that comes along. Just remember that once construction starts, it’ll cost you time and money if you change your mind.

Enjoy your new home 8. You’ve worked hard and spent your hard-earned money to create your new home, so enjoy it to the max.

Revel in the size of your master’s bedroom and 2nd floor balcony with a pocket garden, as well as koi pond which still

works like a charm to chase away your stress at the end of each day, as it did twelve years ago.

Find unexpected places to talk with family members. Discover how this place gives shape to your lives, and allow all of you to become the persons you want to be.

Property

SWEAT THE SMALL STUFF.

Whatever house design you are planning, make sure the foundations, columns, and beams are within the specifications of the Philippines’ Building Code. These standards will help assure that your house can last for the next 50 years.

By Joel Lacsamana

T

welve years ago, i built my dream home in southern Metro Manila. Before i went down that well-trodden path, my family had already looked at more than a dozen developments all over town.

In the end, we eschewed the slick marketing pitches of some of the country’s leading developers, and decided on our own journey to discover who we were, what we wanted, and how we wanted to live, and where.

Okay, the “where” was a nobrainer: my wife’s family lived in the village where the land, which I bought in the 90s for pre-Asian financial crisis prices, sat. But it was a decent spit of cogon-overgrown real estate, where we could set up roots, and define our relationship to the world.

Here is the short, eight-step sojourn on how we executed this dream, based

Joel D. Lacsamana, Editor jdlacsamana@gmail.com

SUNDAY, AUGUST 7, 2016

B4

8 steps to building your dream home

on my builder’s checklist from more from start to finish. A normal twothan a decade ago. level house that has a floor area of 150 sqm and a one-car garage will Set goals set you back between PHP 2.1 mil1. You’ll want to plan your trip. lion to PHP 2.7 million.

This means having a sense of what Other expenses not included in the end result should be, and how the construction process include much it will cost. It involves setting permits and other paperwork. These goals and taking the steps to achieve include the following: them. Some questions you’ll want A complete architectural plan, to answer to set these goals: which will be used as your referWhat do you want to achieve? ence in the house construction. This Where do you want to be? will provided by the contractor.

What will this cost?

A permit from the barangay that Can it really be achieved? has jurisdiction over the area you Does plan A make sense? chose. You will also need to ask What’s plan B? your neighbors to sign this.

Once you have the barangay Establish a budget permit, you will present this to the 2. While a budget should be in city hall together with the archiany goal statement, it’s such an im- tectural plan to secure the building portant piece that it’s included here permit. Only after being issued a as a separate task. When making building permit can you start conyour budget, of course you’ll begin struction. with what you can afford, and how When the construction is done, the cost of your house fits in with you will also need to secure the ocyour overall plans for the future. cupancy permit.

In the Philippines, the cost of building a house nowadays can Healthy contingency range between PHP 14,000 to PHP As with any complex project, 18,000 per sqm, if you get a con- the road from point A to point B tractor to deal with the construction will have a detour or two. Make

LIVE A LITTLE. Allow for the few places where you’ll want to splurge in the budget, say, the kitchen….if you spend a lot of time cooking, allow yourself to splurge a little on something you’ll enjoy. sure these little side trips won’t send you over the edge.

A spreadsheet program, such as excel, is a good tool to use for developing a budget, as you can continuously update and modify it as you work your way through the project.

Building a house in the Philippines means that there is more than one party involved, and all need to coordinate with each other for the construction to be successful.

And if you already have access to funds, know what your budget allows you to do all the way up to the completion of your home. You may end up spending a lot on building the first floor where the living room and kitchen are, but come to realize later that you have run out of money for the completion of the bedrooms on the second floor.

If you are borrowing from a bank, know how much equity you can afford.

Location, location, location

LAKESIDE LIVING. Ayala Land’s Nuvali was recently recognized by the “Integrated Resource Manage-

ment in Asian Cities: the Urban Nexus” project, as a quality model for urban planning and sustainable resource management. The Urban Nexus project seeks to foster sustainable urban development by embedding resource management policies at the national and global levels. The project is headed by the German International Cooperation Agency (GIZ) in partnership with the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP, and the ICLEI Local Government for Sustainability. Nuvali is Ayala Land’s flagship eco-community and its largest development to date at 2,290 hectares, straddling the cities of Santa Rosa, Calamba and Cabuyao in Laguna.

3. The location of the lot where your house will be built on is important . You have to know the following about the area you are looking into: Is the neighborhood prone to flooding?

Is it within a subdivision or a gated community?

How is the water supply?

Are there informal settlements in the area?

Are your neighbors conducting

any business that may affect the throughout the journey that creating peacefulness of the area? your home is.

Is the price of the lot within the As you embark on this journey, prevailing market value in the area? you will likely want to add team members. A kitchen and bath deGetting the right contractor signer, perhaps; maybe an interior 4. Getting the right contractor designer, too. Certainly a landscape is crucial. You have to check the fi- architect, who shouldn’t be the last nancial capability of the contractor, person hired when all the money is and see if the company can afford to gone. finance the project.

Check the previous projects they have done and interview if possible, Plan, plan and plan some more the owners of the houses the contractor built. Get a highly recom6 . Every large project has one mended contractor if you want to thing in common. The owner, lessen the headache of monitoring whether a private developer, govthe construction, since they will ernment agency or corporate entity, take care of not only of the mate- knew the importance of planning rials, but also the labor needed for the project in detail before starting building the house. to build. Some sensible planning Based on your budget, the con- tips I learned from my experience tractor can give you an estimate on ten years ago: how far your money can go in terms • Play the “what if?” game. of the total area of the house and Sometimes the first answer is the the quality of the finishing that you right answer, sometimes it’s the want. An average finish will cost you 31st. Just remember not to settle unaround PHP 14,000 per sqm, while a til you’ve explored all the possibilifirst-class finish will cost you around ties; you don’t want to say after the project has been built, “We should PHP 30,000 per sqm. have done ...”

Assemble a team • Go big, or go home. And I 5. Assembling a team of tried don’t mean big as in size (that’s a and true professionals is the best ap- whole separate discussion), but big proach when building your home. as in big ideas. Building a home, The architect and the contractor (if be it from scratch or a renovation, not one and the same) are going to is an exercise in making something be your most important team mem- that’s yours. So dream big and have bers. These people will act as guide, grand plans. Don’t sweat the small therapist, advocate and counselor stuff… for now.

Turn to B3

LGUs

Vizcaya finishes P29-m projects FIVE infrastructure projects here have been completed through funding from the provincial and national governments and party-list organizations.

Nueva Vizcaya Gov. Carlos Padilla said they had just acquired a new ambulance, the P12-million multi-purpose building of the Lt. Tidang Memorial Hospital(LTMH), the P7.7-million Besong Bridge and the P10-million concreting of the BesongKayapa Proper Road.

The multi-purpose building’s funding came from the COOPNATCO party-list and the national government.

“Former governor Ruth Padilla should be the one speaking here because it was during her time that these

projects were implemented but since they were completed after her term, I am now speaking in her behalf, “ said Carlos.

According to him, 80 to 90 percent of the projects’ funding came from the provincial government while the rest he raised when he was congressman of Nueva Vizcaya.

Provincial Engineer Manolo Norial said the new infrastructure were additional projects of the provincial government which earlier poured in around P91 million only for infrastructure projects in Kayapa town.

LTMH serves more than 20,000 indigenous people belonging to the Kalanguya, Ifugao and Kankanaey tribes.

PNA

LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS

SUNDAY, AUGUST 7, 2016

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Caloocan revives nutrition council

By Jun David THE Caloocan City government was recognized for implementing the “Most Improved Nutrition Program Management” by the National Nutrition Council (NNC) of the Department of Health.

Mayor Oscar Malapitan said the award which was given in a simple ceremony at the Heritage Hotel in Pasay City was the fruit of the complete overhaul of the city’s nutrition programs.

Malapitan vowed “we will not stop here, we will continue to strive to be better in keeping up with our battlecry ‘Tao ang Una’ or people-first policy, and we will work harder to completely eliminate malnutrition in Caloocan.”

The Malapitan administration beefed up the nutrition council, inactive since 2013, by hiring competent nutritionist-dietitians.

In response to these nutrition challenges, Malapitan reorganized and revitalized the city nutrition committee (CNC) through an executive order “Reorganizing the CNC and Organizing the City Nutrition Cluster with its new members and designating his wife Edna Malapitan, as the City Nutrition Officer.”

A city nutrition program

coordinator was given a seat in the local health board secretariat that paved the way for nutrition issues and concerns to be discussed and acted on by the board.

The CNPC’s active involvement in the Gender and Development Focal Point System, Local Council for the Protection of Children and Local Poverty Reduction Alleviation Program provided opportunities for integrating nutrition concerns in the programs and obtaining funding support.

The good working relationship among the CNC members, particularly the Department of the Interior and Local Government, the Liga ng Barangay and the city council facilitated the passage of local ordinances and resolutions in the nutrition program.

The CNC also worked on the documentation of their nutrition programs, projects, and activities as an important aspect of good nutrition program management.

This allowed the mayor, the CNAO and members of the CNC to keep track of the status of their nutrition program implementation, appreciate their accomplishments and identify ways to improve further their local nutrition programs to yield better results.

PARADISE. Beautiful sunrise view by the East Philippines Sea awaits visitors to Barangay Villa Norte in Alabat, Quezon province. Oliver Marquez

ARMM fish ports assured of P200m

By A. Perez Rimando

C

OTABATO CITY—The Philippine Fisheries Development Authority recently allocated close to P200 million for the construction of fish ports in seven coastal municipalities in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.

Eduardo Chu, PFDA general manager, said the move “is a part of a comprehensive peace and development intervention for the economic recovery and development of Muslim Mindanao, con-

sidered a depressed, distressed and underserved area.

Chu added the project seeks to help uplift the living condition of the region’s indigenous tribes of Maranao, Tausug, Yakan, Ira-

RED OR WHITE?

of the management, supervision and administration of the MFPs to the concerned local government units.

He noted that Lamitan, Sumisip, Parang and Panglima Sugala teem with high-value marine products like tuna, tanguigue and tamban (sardine fish) even as Marawi and Buluan are along the boarders of fish-rich Lake Lanao.

Chu said each of the seven ARMM MFPs would later be provided with ice plants and cold storage facilities to supply the ice requirements of the local fishing industry.

Audit of Mindanao miners completed

The country’s high unemployment rate drives many Filipinos to try their luck and kill boredom by betting at the local cockpits. Sonny Espiritu

By F. Pearl A. Gajunera

Tuguegarao hosts Pav-vurulun Afi fest THE city government of Tuguegarao showcases the Ibanag culture and tradition during the celebration of Pav-vurulun Afi Festival, the highlight of the 292nd Patronal fiesta of the city from Aug. 8 to 16, 2016.

Pav-vurulun is an Ibanag word that means a get-together.

It gathers Tuguegaraoeños to a week-long festivity culminating with a Mass and procession of the patron saint on Aug. 16. The patronal fiesta is in honor of St. Hyacinth, the city’s patron saint.

The festival has for its theme:

non, Maguindanaon and Samal.

The municipal fish ports (MFPs), he said, will be established in Sumisip town in Basilan; Buluan and Mangudadatu in Maguindanao; Parang in Sulu; Panglima Sugala in Tawi-Tawi and the cities of Lamitan, Basilan, and Marawi, Lanao del Sur. Once completed, each of the MFPs will create more than 500 jobs and will be capable of handling 25 tons of marine products daily, Chu said, adding that a part of the project implementation is the training of personnel on port operation and maintenance for the eventual turnover

“Pagyaya anna Pappabalo” (an Ibanag term which means enjoyment and thanksgiving) City Mayor Jefferson Soriano said the activities include a trade fair exhibit at the Mall of the Valley; a Bangkarera contest on Pinacanauan River; a pansit festival featuring a pansit eating contest; a street dancing competition; a battle of the bands to be participated in by elementary and high school students; a Nuang Karera (Carabao race), a Kabayu Karera (Horse race) and piglet catching at the sports complex, the soft

opening of the Ibanag Library and Museum, and a fireworks display, among others.

A music festival will also be staged, featuring local bands and a local government units night honoring the people behind the yearly success of the Pav-vurulun festival, Soriano added.

The mayor also invited neighboring towns along the Pinacanauan and Cagayan rivers to compete with local boatmen in the Bangkarera competition.

The city invited participants from the other towns of Cagayan

and Isabela province.

The Bangkarera aims to promote sustainable fishing along the Pinacanauan River, which flows to the Cagayan River. It draws its headwaters from the Sierra Madre Mountains in Peñablanca and is home to delectable fresh water fishes like Tilapia mori and birut, Soriano said.

The Bangkarera is a rowing competition in two categories: single and double using canoetype hollowed-out wooden paddle boats used for fishing by the locals. PNA

DAVAO CITY—Department of Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Gina Lopez vows to finish the audit of all mining companies in Mindanao next week.

In a press conference at Ateneo de Davao University on Thursday afternoon, Lopez said they are monitoring whether the firms are practicing responsible mining.

She said they are now auditing the Greenstone Gold Mines, San Roque Metals Inc. and Taganito Mining Corp.

“In auditing these mining companies, we will not just look on the technical side but also the social practices, what are the effects of these firms on the residences, water and etc,” Lopez said.

She said she will not be hesitant to impose whatever recommendation the auditing team will submit.

“All those mining companies who will not pass the audit, they will be stopped immediately,” Lopez said.

On Thursday, the DENR suspended the Claver Mineral Development Corp. in Surigao due to several violations committed by the company. Lopez said it did not pass the auditing of the DENR. She said that the mineral resources in Mindanao must be shared with the people of Mindanao and it should not affect the environment.

Lopez said that in the following days, the DENR will sign a memorandum of agree-

ment with the chief of the Philippine National Police, chief of staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines and Department of Interior and Local Government secretary for assisting the DENR in protecting the environment.

“The PNP, AFP and DILG will help the DENR in protecting the resources of the country,” she said. “They will not allow any negative project that will affect the environment and commit social injustice.”

Lopez said the stoppage order for the mining companies will not affect the economy.

She said all firms have a rehabilitation budget for fixing the damaged resources of the country.

While rehabilitation is being done, the company must hire their miners and continue providing livelihood to them.

After the rehabilitation program, the DENR will start building an eco-tourism project for the community and to develop the affected area.

Lopez said the billions that the government may lose from closing mining companies can be recovered through the ecotourism project.

“In Palawan, we developed an area there, we just spent P250,000 but now the community is earning P30 million,” she said.

She said the DENR has created an e-mail address to which people can send their complaints about irresponsible mining.

The people can air their concerns at aksyonkalikasan@ denr.gov.ph.

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SUNDAY, AUGUST 7, 2016

LGUs

1st regional rehab set in Tacloban T

By Mel Caspe

ACLOBAN CITY— President Rodrigo Duterte has promised to put up the first regional rehabilitation center for drug dependents in Tacloban City.

This was disclosed by Mayor Cristina Gonzales Romualdez who met with the President on Wednesday. Romualdez said that he informed her that Tacloban will be the site of the first regional rehabilitation center he promised during his first State of the Nation Address.

“He told me to continue our program to help rehabilitate drug dependents. He will extend assistance to us,” Romualdez said. “He said that so I will rely on his word. I pray that this will happen.”

Tacloban like other local government units in the country does not have its own drug rehabilitation center for drug users who voluntarily surrender.

A private drug rehabilitation center in the city charges each “client” P25,000 every month.

The rehabilitation process lasts for nine months.

Since the start of the “Oplan Tokhang,” more than a thousand drug users and pushers in the city have surrendered. As part of the program of the city government, spiritual renewal and promise of a livelihood assistance are offered to those who surrender.

Romualdez, however, was quick to say that trained personnel from the city government will “assess” those who have surrendered if they are qualified for assistance and if they are completely rehabilitated from the illegal drugs.

“We have to help them otherwise they will just return to the streets and commit crimes again,” the mayor said. “So we really need to address this to ensure our peace and order will not be affected,” she added.

Gingoog reforms 2,000 drug users

By Lance Baconguis CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY— Gingoog City Mayor Marie Guingona is implementing rehabilitation program for the city’s 2,000 identified drug dependents who turned themselves in to authorities in the last four weeks.

Guingona said the city police office and the Barangay Anti-Drug abuse council (Badac) will spearhead the 90days community-based rehab program.

The rehab program will be implemented simultaneously in the 23 clustered barangays in the city.

“With a great hope that our drug addicts, whom we humanely called ‘participants,’ would no longer go back to their previous dangerous vice, this administration has providing a temporary barangaybased rehabilitation to those who have decided to reform,” she said.

Guingona said the city government has forged linkages with non-government organizations and national government agencies to build and equip rehab centers as long-term solutions to drug dependency.

“Definitely, change has come to those who want to be rehabilitated,” she said.

“The 1987 Philippine Constitution mandated local government units to promote the quality of life of the people,

shall pursue undertakings to improve public morals, and shall maintain peace and order,” Guingona said.

“We join hands with the government of President Rodrigo Duterte in combating the illegal drug trade, our ‘Magpakabana Gingoognon Alang sa Kalinaw” (MGK) concerted efforts in the city’s 79 barangays.”

City Police Director Chief Inspector Esperidion Ragot Biado III applauded mayor’s program.

“Drug dependents seeking help and our city providing solutions to their problems is the best signal that our city has partially won the fight against illegal drugs,” Biado said.

The working MGK would be headed by the Office of the City Mayor, the City Police as overseer of the program. The Philippine Army under the 58th Infantry Battalion will be responsible for the daily physical regimen, the Badac for the close implementation, city health personnel for psycho-emotional reconditioning, religious groups like Gingoog Evangelical Pastors Association and Gingoog Movement Against Immorality and Drug Addiction for values formation and spiritual enhancement, business and private entities like Rotary Club for financial assistance, nutrition workers for checking attendance, barangay tanods for maintaining order, and community in general for uplifting support.

AMBULANCE. The Sasakawa Memorial Health Foundation and the Association of Professional Motor Boat Racers of Japan donated a sea ambulance to the Department of Health-Mimaropa and the Culion Sanitarium and General Hospital. Mimaropa is a region consisting of the island provinces of Mindoro Oriental and Occidental, Marinduque, Romblon and Palawan. PNA

Puerto Galera wind farm stops siltation

By Robert A. Evora PUERTO GALERA—The Puerto Galera municipal government has directed the management of a wind farm project here to install silt booms in Varadero Bay as a preventive measure to protect it from possible widespread siltation during this rainy day season.

The directive of Puerto Galera Mayor Rockey Ilagan to the executives of the Philippine Hybrid Energy Systems Inc. (Phesi), owner of the US$100-million 48-megawatt wind farm project, came on the heels of a complaint from local fishermen.

In their written complaint to Ilagan and the Sangguniang Bayan, through Vice Mayor Marlon Lopez, the 86 fishermen said mud and sand running from the site’s ongoing construction of a 10-kilometer access road in upper Bgy. Tabinay are causing siltation of the nearby Varadero Bay which was a source of their livelihood.

They said “90 percent of residents of Sitio Hondura, Bgy. Tabinay, are fishermen who depend mostly on fishing in Varadero Bay for their livelihood.” Another reason they are complaining is “our children can no longer play in the beach front and swim in the bay because they are already one-foot thick in ‘banlik’ (silt), including mud and sand.”

In a field inspection, Phesi project engineer Arvin Vilan explained that since a year ago in 2015, the power company had tried to install three units of 20-meter silt booms in the affected area, “but we were stopped from doing it by the fishermen themselves.”

Vilan explained to Ilagan and the SB members that the installation of temporary silt booms in the affected area “will effectively contain the spread of silts in the adjacent areas of the bay.”

Silt ponds within the site of the road construction had been

built. “We’re assuring affected residents, including fishermen, that the problem of siltation is temporary and happens only during rainy days. But, the company has been addressing it even before the complaint was raised,”the Phesi project engineer told municipal officials.

“The debris of mud only occupies 30 meters in diameter of Varadero and containable.

We’ve to install the silt booms to avoid its spread although it happens only during rainy days,” Vilan explained.

Ilagan told the complaining fishermen, led by a Panying Candava, that their problem was “only temporary and being addressed by both the power company and the Puerto Galera municipal government.”

In allowing Phesi to install silt booms in Varadero Bay, Ilagan stressed the importance of protecting the environment and natural resources “since Puerto

Galera is not only one of Southeast Asia’s major tourist destinations, but it is adjudged by a Paris, France, based environmental club as ‘one of the world’s most beautiful bays’.”

The Phesi is starting to construct Phase 1 of its wind farm power project consisting of 16-megawatts of electric power to be generated by eight wind towers.

Mark Anthony Labay, Phesi reforestation officer, said the company has employed 116 Mangyan tribesmen working either as laborers, watchmen, skilled workers and tree planters in the firm’s reforestation projects in the area.

“Mangyans receive P300 a day as their minimum wage. It’s P100 higher than their counterparts in the local governments who only receive P200 a day.

The reason why, they now own cellphones and motorbikes they pay in installments,” according to Labay.

PTAA ups Mindanao tourism campaign

REHAB. Quezon City Mayor Herbert Bautista (center) unveils plans to build a rehabilitation complex in Barangay Payatas that will house a controlled rehabilitation center for drug dependents, a halfway home for children in conflict with the law and a facility for old-age HIV carriers who have been abandoned and neglected by their families. With Bautista is Vice Mayor Joy Belmonte (right).

Operation Smile offers free surgery on cleft lips, palates OPERATION Smile International (OSI) and its Philippine counterpart are bringing free cleft lip and palate surgical services to northern Palawan on Aug. 9 to Aug. 12 to help patients with facial and oral malformations.

Provincial information officer Gil Acosta Jr. said Wednesday the OSI and its counterpart Operation Smile Philippines (OSP) will bring the on-the-house surgical operation to the Northern Palawan Provincial Hospital (NPPH) in Taytay.

Currently, prescreening in the rural health units of northern Palawan municipalities are ongoing to ensure that the candidates for operations are in good

health and have the right weight.

He said the final screening of patients will be on Aug. 8 at the NPPH, and patients are advised to visit Taytay on this day to be included in the list of those who will undergo surgical operation the next day.

Dr. Lilian Arcinas, program manager of the Community Outreach Dental Program of the Provincial Health Office Dental Clinic, said the non-stock and noprofit OSI and OSP will be bringing volunteer surgeons, pediatricians, nurses, dentists and speech therapists experienced in cleft lip and palate treatment.

“Operation Smile is an international children’s medical charity that has been doing quality

and free life-changing surgeries to children with cleft lip and cleft palate to bring smiles to their faces,” Arcinas said, adding they believe all children with facial malformations deserve the right to have beautiful smiles and to avoid social stigma.

She further said that around 150 patients will be catered by Operation Smile on Aug. 9. The good news, she added, is that the Rio Tuba Nickel Mining Corp. and the Coral Bay Nickel Corp. will shoulder the transport expenses of patients from Southern Palawan to Taytay for the prescreening and the surgery.

In October, she said Operation Smile will also be brought to southern Palawan. PNA

THE Philippine Travel Agencies Association (PTAA) on Thursday vowed to step up tourism efforts in Mindanao as the country works to attract 10-million tourist arrivals by 2022.

After paying a courtesy call to President Rodrigo Duterte, PTAA president Maria Michelle Reyes-Victoria pledged to work closely with the administration to sustain, if not surpass the country’s tourism gains over the last four years.

“We will always work with the government to keep pushing the boundaries of the country’s tourism,” Victoria said noting higher potential for Philippine tourism with the administration’s priority which is peace and order.

She said this would translate to more Mindanao travel and tours.

“President Duterte is from Mindanao. He knows exactly what ails the region and what needs to be done to fix them. The southern part of the country has a lot to offer tourists and we have barely scratched the surface,” Victoria added.

She said the PTAA expects positive changes for the country’s tourism industry under Duterte and vowed full support.

The 500-member PTAA has been continuously working in partnership with the government since 1979 to develop and promote the country’s tourism industry.

PNA

World

SUNDAY, AUGUST 7, 2016

230 Sino boats, 6 ships in disputed sea—Japan T

okyo—Some 230 Chinese fishing vessels and six coast guard ships, including three apparently carrying weapons, sailed into waters close to disputed East China Sea islands on Saturday, Japan’s foreign ministry said.

The two countries are locked in a long-running dispute over uninhabited islets in the East China Sea known as the Senkaku in Japan and the Diaoyu in

China. However, it is rare for so many Chinese fishing vessels to be spotted in the area.

After catching sight of the coastguard ships in the contigu-

ous waters at 8:05 a.m. (2305 GMT, Friday), the Japanese foreign ministry’s Asian and Oceanian Affairs Bureau lodged a strong protest with the Chinese embassy in Tokyo, it said.

The foreign ministry, which also submitted a protest its embassy in Beijing, demanded the vessels leave the disputed waters immediately and “never enter Japan’s territorial waters,” the ministry said in a statement.

“Japan can never accept activi-

ties by (Chinese) official vessels near the Senkaku islands, because it will unilaterally escalate the situation and raise tensions in the area,” it said.

Saturday’s protest came a day after Japanese vice foreign minister Shinsuke Sugiyama summoned Cheng Yonghua, Beijing’s ambassador to Tokyo, to protest over intrusions into its territorial waters by Chinese coast guard and fishing vessels on Friday afternoon.

Tensions over the islands have seriously harmed bilateral relations.

The two sides have gradually taken steps to ease tensions through dialogue but the fundamental divide over the islands remains unresolved and tensions occasionally flare up.

Japan also lodged a protest in June after it said a Chinese navy frigate sailed close to territorial waters near the islands for the first time. AFP

DISPUTED. This hand out picture released by the Japan Coast Guard on Saturday shows the China coast guard ship 35104 sailing near the waters of disputed East China Sea islands. AFP

Turkey ruling party sets 30 die of measles in Myanmar purge after failed coup ISTANBUL—Turkey’s ruling party on Friday ordered a purge from its ranks of supporters of US-based Islamic preacher Fethullah Gulen, accused of plotting last month’s failed coup.

The “urgent clean-up in the party organization” was aimed at expelling those linked with the Fethullah Terrorist Organization, as Ankara calls the movement blamed for the July 15 attempted putsch, state-run Anadolu news agency reported.

It comes as Turkey announced a visit later this month from US Secretary of State John Kerry, which would be the first by a western diplomat since the failed effort to unseat President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s government.

Turkey’s hardline response to the coup has escalated tensions with Europe, while the United States, where Gulen has been in self-imposed exile since 1999, has not yet confirmed the key visit by its top diplomat.

Ankara has accused Erdogan’s arch-foe Gulen of running a “parallel state” and on Thursday issued a warrant for his arrest for “ordering the July 15 coup”— which the reclusive cleric vehemently denies.

The Muslim cleric has denounced the arrest warrant as meaningless, and his lawyer told reporters in Washington Friday that Turkey did not have any evidence linking Gulen to the failed coup.

“We haven’t seen any evidence, direct or indirect... a scintilla of evidence, electronic or otherwise, implicating Mr Gulen,” said attorney Reid Weingarten.

Turkey has frequently called on the United States to extradite Gulen, sending documents to Washington as evidence of his alleged involvement in the putsch attempt.

But Weingarten accused Erdogan of betting on “power and politics” to make Washington grant the extradition. AFP

YANGON—Myanmar health officials have confirmed that a measles outbreak is behind the deaths of more than 30 people, mostly children, in a remote part of the country as authorities rush to treat victims.

The outbreak has struck the far corner of Myanmar’s northern Sagaing region, a remote and mountainous area which borders eastern India and is populated by people from the Naga tribes.

The deaths began in June and highlight how vulnerable Myanmar’s more isolated populations are in a country where healthcare was never prioritized under decades of brutal and inept junta rule.

It is one of the many crippling legacies that the newly installed civilian government of Aung San

Suu Kyi is trying to tackle.

Than Tun Aung, deputy director general of the disease control department at Myanmar’s health ministry, said labwork from the worst hit town of Lahal had come back positive for measles.

“It’s measles,” he told Agence France Presse late Friday. “So we are sending more team members and cooperating with medical doctors from the military as well.”

Local Naga representatives had previously accused the central government of being slow to act.

The region is impoverished and very remote, a mountainous border area where roads and electricity are scant.

“It took our first medical team about six days to reach the villages. Communication there is also

difficult,” Than Tun Aung said.

He said they had confirmed a total of 31 deaths in Lahal region, half of whom were under 15.

The Council of Naga Affairs gave a higher toll of 39 dead in nine villages with all the deceased children.

Although health budgets slightly increased in the last few years of outright army rule—which ended with last November’s elections—Myanmar is still one of the lowest spenders in the world on healthcare as a share of GDP. Last year, with the help of the World Health Organization and the United Nations, Myanmar embarked on a mass vaccination program with the aim of eradicating measles and rubella by 2020.

AFP

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15 killed in India market attack KOKRAJHAR—The death toll from an attack in India’s northeastern Assam state, where gunmen opened fire on a busy market, jumped to 15 on Saturday as three more people succumbed to their injuries.

The dead included a militant from a faction of the outlawed National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB), which has waged a decades-long campaign for an independent homeland for the indigenous Bodo people.

Police say that around six gunmen were behind Friday’s attack, one of whom was later killed by security forces who were searching for the other attackers.

“One person died on Saturday morning and another two succumbed to their injuries overnight. The death toll from the attack is now 15 including one militant,” Assam state health minister Himanta Biswa Sarma told AFP on Saturday.

Sarma said that around 900 soldiers and police reinforcements had reached the site of the attack in Balajan, around 220 kilometers (140 miles) west of Assam’s main city of Guwahati and near the border with Bhutan.

“They have started a massive combing operation for the attackers and are being supported by the security forces on other side of the international border,” he added.

Several security check points were put up a day after the attack, and there was a massive and visible presence of the security forces. The area was tense but peaceful early Saturday.

Assam’s newly elected Chief Minister Sarbanand Sonowal, from Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), condemned the killings and pledged strong action against the perpetrators.

On Friday, Modi too expressed his grief at the loss of life on Twitter.

“Saddened by the attack in Kokrajhar (district). We strongly condemn it. Thoughts & prayers with the bereaved families & those injured,” the prime minister said.

Northeast India, which is linked to the rest of the country by a narrow land bridge, has seen decades of unrest among ethnic and separatist groups.

Assam has been relatively peaceful in recent years, but tensions between the Bodo and other communities in the area persist, particularly over land rights.

Bodo guerrillas have in recent years launched ferocious attacks on both Muslim settlers and other tribal communities in the teagrowing state of Assam.

In 2014 thousands of people fled their homes in Assam after a series of coordinated attacks by armed rebels left at least 69 people dead, 18 of them children. AFP

Japan observes 71st year of Hiroshima bombing TOKYO—Japan on Saturday marked 71 years since the city of Hiroshima was destroyed by a US atomic bomb, as its mayor urged the world to unite in abolishing nuclear weapons.

The annual ceremony came just months after Barack Obama became the first sitting US president to visit the western Japanese city, paying moving tribute to victims of the devastating bomb.

American B-29 bomber Enola Gay dropped its deadly payload, dubbed “Little Boy,” on Hiroshima at 8:15 am local time on August 6, 1945.

Much of the city was incinerated by a wall of heat up to 4,000 C (7,232 F)—hot enough to melt steel—killing tens of thousands.

About 50,000 participants, including Prime Minister Shinzo

Abe and representatives of more than 90 countries and regions, observed a minute’s silence at the exact time the atrocity occurred some seven decades ago.

During the solemn ceremony, Hiroshima mayor Kazumi Matsui recalled the visit by Obama in his peace declaration, citing the president’s historic speech. “(His visit) was the proof that Hiroshima’s strong wish not to tolerate the ‘absolute evil’ was shared by President Obama,” he said.

The mayor urged the world to take action towards the abolition of “the ultimate form of inhumanity, united and with passion”.

Obama in May embraced survivors as he made his visit to the city and the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park. AFP

MOGUL. Indian businessman and chairman emeritus of Tata Sons, Ratan Tata (right) is greeted on his arrival at the launch of new concept, ‘Tajness’ in Mumbai on Friday. AFP

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World

SUNDAY, AUGUST 7, 2016

MOURNERS. Friends of Paul O’Neal attend a vigil to remember him August 5, 2016 in Chicago, Illinois. O’Neal, an unarmed 18-year-old man was shot and fatally wounded July 28, when Chicago Police officers tried to arrest him for allegedly stealing a Jaguar car from the suburbs. The Chicago Police department released videos of the shooting to the public and media, which was captured by body cameras and dashboard cameras. AFP

Bitcoin not real money, says Florida circuit judge NEW YORK—Bitcoin, a Florida judge says, is not real money.

Ironically, that could provide a boost to use of the crypto-currency which has remained in the shadows of the financial system.

The July 22 ruling by Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Teresa Pooler means that no specific license is needed to buy and sell bitcoins.

The judge dismissed a case against Michel Espinoza, who had faced money laundering and other criminal charges for attempting to sell $1,500 worth of bitcoins to an undercover agent who told the defendant he was going to use the virtual money to buy stolen credit card numbers.

Espinoza’s lawyer Rene Palomino said the judge acknowledged that it was not illegal to sell one’s property and ruled that this did not constitute running an unauthorized financial service.

“He was selling his own personal bitcoins,” Palomino said.

“This decision clears the way for you to do that in the state of the Florida without a money transmitting license.”

In her ruling, Pooler said, “this court is unwilling to punish a man for selling his property to another, when his actions fall under a statute that is so vaguely written that even legal professionals have difficulty finding a singular meaning.”

She added that “this court is not an expert in economics,” but that bitcoin “has a long way to go before it is the equivalent of money.”

Bitcoin, whose origins remain a mystery, is a virtual currency that is created from computer code and is not backed by any government. Advocates say this makes it an efficient alternative to traditional currencies because it is not subject to the whims of a state that may devalue its money to cut its debt, for example.

Bitcoins can be exchanged for goods and services, provided another party is willing to accept them, but until now they been used mostly for shady transactions or to buy illegal goods and services on the “dark” web.

Bitcoin was launched in 2009 as a bit of software written under the Japanese-sounding name Satoshi Nakamoto. This year Australian programmer Craig Wright claimed to be the author but failed to convince the broader bitcoin community.

AFP

Canada denies visas to social forum delegates M

ontreal—Organizers of the World Social Forum (WSF) set for next week in Montreal said Friday that Canadian authorities have denied travel visas to more than 200 delegates invited to the anti-globalization event.

Others are still waiting word from Canada’s immigration ministry, which issues travel documents. The summit is set to open on Tuesday.

Currently “234 guests were refused visas, and the number

is increasing day-by-day,” WSF spokesman Safa Chebbi told Agence France Presse (AFP).

Rejected visa applicants were told their travel history, financial situation or concerns they may not leave Canada after the sum-

mit were cited as reasons for the rejections, Chebbi said.

They appeared to largely target delegates from Africa and the Middle East, including from the Democratic Republic of Congo, Morocco, Iran and Nigeria. Haitian and Nepalese delegates were also turned away.

Government officials declined to comment on specific cases, citing Canada’s strict privacy laws.

Nancy Caron, spokeswoman for Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, said a team within the federal department had

offered to work with WSF organizers to facilitate delegates’ entry into Canada.

But, she said in an email, the organizing committee had so far made no contact with the department’s special events unit to inform it of “any issues or difficulties in obtaining participants’ visas.”

Those who were denied visas include Mali’s former culture minister Aminata Traore and the president of the Palestinian postal union, Imad Temiza.

This is the first time the World Social Forum, which gathers civil-

society organizations, will be held in the northern hemisphere and in a Group of Seven industrialized nation.

As many as 100,000 people have attended past gatherings. But far fewer are expected at the Montreal event due to the relatively higher travel and hotel costs, said organizers.

The event, something of a counterweight to the capitalist-aligned World Economic Forum, was first held in Brazil in 2001 seeking to promote alternatives to neoliberalism. AFP

13 dead, 6 hurt in Rouen bar fire

Venezuela throttles Congress

RENNES—At least 13 people were killed and six injured in a fire early Saturday during a birthday party at a bar in the northern French city of Rouen, officials said.

The blaze was sparked by the candles of a birthday cake, which ignited the polystyrene ceiling of the basement room where the celebrations were taking place.

The victims were poisoned by a toxic mix of gases released by the burning plastic, a senior police official told AFP. “There wasn’t an explosion, it was candles used for a birthday party,” he said.

The blaze started at around midnight at the Cuba Libre bar in the city centre, and the firemen were at the scene by 00:20 am (2220 GMT Friday).

“A fire broke out in a bar in the city centre of Rouen this evening, according to an initial investigation, 13 are dead and six are injured, and more than 50 firemen attended the scene,” Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve said in a statement.

One of the injured was in a critical condition, the secretary general of the Seine-Maritime prefecture Yvan Cordier told AFP. Local official Laurent Labadie who was at the scene of the fire described the blaze as accidental.

Jittery France is on edge after a series of recent attacks by Islamic State-affiliated jihadists, including the killing of a priest in nearby Saint-Etienne-duRouvray. AFP

C A R A C A S — Ve n e z u e l a ’s opposition-led legislature is fighting for air as the crisis-hit country’s government throttles it, threatening to cut off its cash and even its electricity.

The National Assembly is the one institutional weapon the opposition has in its fight to oust President Nicolas Maduro, whom it blames for a severe recession, chronic food shortages and mounting chaos.

But since opponents of the leftist leader won control of the legislature in December elections, the Supreme Court has stripped them of their powerful two-thirds majority and quashed about 20 bills they had passed.

The controversial rulings have fueled opposition accusations that the high court is loyal to Maduro.

But the opposition majority refuses to surrender.

“The parliament is judicially neutralized,” said political analyst Luis Vicente Leon, head of the polling firm Datanalisis.

“But it is still the stronghold of the political struggle” against Maduro, he added. “That is where the real battle in Venezuela will be fought.”

Venezuela, the country with the world’s largest oil reserves, has hurtled into chaos with the crash in global crude prices.

Maduro blames the country’s deep recession and hyperinflation on wealthy business magnates he says are conspiring against his government. AFP

MIRACLE. A child enjoys the snowfall soap scum during the reenactment of the “summer snow miracle “ in front of the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, in central Rome on Friday. In 358, the Madonna appeared in a dream to Pope Liberius asking him to build a church dedicated to her. The same morning, on August 5, a snowfall whitened the very place where now stands the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore. AFP

US Navy replaces camo uniform WASHINGTON—The US Navy is ditching its much-maligned blue-and-gray camouflage uniform that sailors complained was uncomfortable and joked made them harder to spot if they fell into the ocean.

Enlisted sailors and naval officers alike invariably grumble that the “aquaflage” clothing makes them feel self-conscious, and some worry the colorful camo fatigues—which are not flame retardant—put them at greater risk of burn injuries.

Navy Secretary Ray Mabus this week said the so-called

Type I uniforms—also known as “blueberries”—were to be phased out over the next three years.

“One of the issues (sailors) consistently want to talk about are uniforms,” Mabus said in a statement.

“They want uniforms that are comfortable, lightweight, breathable... and they want fewer of them. We have heard the feedback and we are acting on it.”

Sailors will instead wear a more muted “Type III” uniform, featuring a conventional

green-and-black camouflage.

US lawmakers have criticized the proliferation of camouflaged uniforms in recent years.

Before 2001, American troops all wore the same camo, a green version for temperate climates and a beige model for the desert.

But as military spending mushroomed after the September 11 attacks, the US Marine Corps, Army, Navy and Air Force crafted their own combat uniforms for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. AFP

Life

Isah V. Red, Editor Bernadette Lunas, Writer isahred@gmail.com SUNDAY, AUGUST 7, 2016

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SUNDAY LIVING

A new batch of scholars joins Bantay Bata’s ‘Bantay Edukasyon’ program which is supported by Singapore Airlines and ABS-CBN Lingkod Kapamilya Foundation

A partnership with

Bantay Bata S

INGAPORE Airlines forged another year of partnership with ABS-CBN Lingkod Kapamilya Foundation to support Bantay Bata’s “Bantay Edukasyon” program. The airline and foundation kicked off the new school year with an opening assembly with the theme, “Edukasyon Ang Sandigan Tungo Sa Maunlad na Kinabukasan” (Education is the foundation towards a progressive future).

Singapore Airlines has been Bantay Bata’s sponsor for the last 13 years.

Since 2003, the airline has provided financial support to children from Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao with the help of the foundation. Support covers school supplies, transportation and allowances to assist the scholars in their educational needs. For the school year 2016-2017, the airline is pleased to welcome 128 scholars into the scheme.

“Year after year, we continue to collaborate with Bantay Bata because of the results we see. Our

scholars’ remarkable achievements in school makes this program meaningful to us.” says Carol Ong, Singapore Airlines general manager. “In particular, we are really happy to see our scholars graduate and actively contribute in helping the next generation in the society,” she added.

A scholar’s testimonial

A fourth grade student who lives and studies in Imus, Cavite said that the scholarship program has helped her in so many ways. She said, “Natutulungan po

ako na magawa yung mga kailangan ko sa school at mga projects (The program helps me accomplish my school requirements and my school projects).”

She wants to be a lawyer one day— to help people wrongfully accused and arrested, as well as victims of injustice—and has been, even in her young age, very precocious and intuitive. She has been consistently in the Top 3 of her batch. She enjoys studying her favorite subjects, English, Science and Math.

“Sana madami pang matulungan na bata at marami pa sila masuportahan” (I hope they will continue to help and support many more children), said about SIA’s efforts to bring education to children who truly deserve a better future.

With this message, Singapore Airlines remains committed to be part of Bantay Edukasyon’s advocacy in changing the lives of the children.

Ong leaves a message to the scholars: “The sky is the limit, so always reach for the highest. All of you have wings for success.”

A Singapore Airlines scholar is flanked by Bantay Bata 163’s Freda Agustin, Marketing and PR Camille Pacis and SIA General Manager Carol Ong

Celebrating Eid’l Fitr 2016 MEMBERS of the diplomatic corps, government officials, prominent members of the Muslim community, and corporate executives recently gathered to celebrate Eid’l Fitr Festival recently at Samsung Hall, SM Aura Premier.

Hosted by the Department of Foreign Affairs Office of Middle East and African Affairs (OMEAA) in partnership with SM, and the Magbassa Kita Foundation, Inc. (MKFI), the festival shared a better understanding and appreciation of Muslim culture among Filipinos of ethnic, racial and religious diversity in the country.

Department of Foreign Affairs Secretary Perfecto Yasay, Jr. graced the event, sharing a special Eid’l Fitr message from President Rodrigo Duterte who hoped that “all the members of the Muslim Filipino communities unite with other Filipinos to achieve lasting peace, political stability, economic growth and development.”

Toym Imao’s Slow Boat to Manila is one of the series of sculptures depicting Dr. Imao’s life

Earlier, a ribbon cutting ceremony was held with DFA Office of Middle East and African Affairs Assistant Secretary Hjayceelyn Quintana, NCMF Secretary Yasmin Busran Lao and MKFI Chairman and former Senator Santanina Rasul.

Members of the Diplomatic Corps from Middle East and African Countries led by the Dean of Islamic Ambassadors to the Philippines, Her Excellency Malai Hajah Halimah Malai Yussof, Ambassador of Brunei Darussalam graced the event, as did their counterparts from North America, Europe and Asia.

The works of National Artist Abdulmari Imao and his son Toym Imao were also showcased at the event. Cultural performances mirroring the traditional Muslim culture through dance and music by DFA’s very own Ang Klung Ensemble and the renowned Ramon Obu-

NCCA International Affairs Office Head Mary Anne Luis, NCCA Executive Director Adelina Suemith, DFA Office of Middle East and African Affairs Asec.

Hjayceelyn Quintana, SM SVP for Marketing Millie Dizon and Toym Imao

san Folkloric Groups were also a big hit among the audience.

Resident Embassies from Muslim countries Kuwait, Iran, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Oman also displayed mini-exhibits for this occasion, providing the international context of the global Muslim community.

Eid’l Fitr, also known as the Festival of the Breaking of the Fast, is an important celebration for Muslims worldwide. It marks the end of the month-long fast during Ramadan and marks the beginning of the month Shawwal. During Eid, families and friends reunite to celebrate and offer thanksgiving to Allah. Eid’l Fitr has been proclaimed a national holiday in the Philippines since 2002 to foster peace and goodwill between major religions in the Philippines.

The Eid’l Fitr Festival is one of the many exciting cultural events at SM Aura Premier.

The Ramon Obusan Folkloric Group’s Royal Dance showcases authentic movements and costumes of Muslim people

Life

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SUNDAY, AUGUST 7, 2016 isahred@gmail.com

Change is coming, even in learning W

ITH a new breed of learners comes new challenges to educate and engage them through new methods and tools of instruction.

Robert J. Marzano Ph. D., a leading education researcher, believes that “blended learning’’ is the right way to engage 21st century learners, including millennials.

Marzano is the keynote speaker at the Philippine International Conference on Teacher Education 2016 (PICTE), on Sept. 13 to 15 at the SMX Convention Center, Mall of Asia, Pasay City. PICTE brings together noted international and local experts in education and will share theories, trends and best practices in engaging 21st century learners.

A University of Washington alumnus, Marzano specializes in standards-based assessment, classroom interactions and its impact on learning, and outcomesbased assessment. His researches primarily revolve around classroom interaction, and how observational evidence of the classroom should be put into education policymaking and instruction.

“The problems that we have with the current system are that we are still using strategies and structures that go back a hundred years—the classroom where students are sitting, sometimes very passively. The 21st century learner, if anything, is very averse to that,” said Marzano.

An advocate and expert in evidencebased education, a proactive methodology aimed at creating newer teaching methods and systems based on evidence and observation, Marzano said that the traditional “brick-and-mortar” schools may have to change dramatically over the next 10 years because of new educational reforms and trends. With the amount of available online resources, the blended learning approach has become ideal as a direct method of instruction, said Marzano who has authored more than 30 books and 120 scholarly articles on education and classroom instruction, including his most notable work The Art and Science of Teaching and Effective Supervision.

“Blended learning is the biggest innovation happening in the field of education,’’ he added. The blended learning approach entails student learning through digital and online media. The method can also realize the 21st century digital literacies of the Illinois-based National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE).

“Twenty first century education will certainly still focus on important content, but there will be much more efficient ways to provide that to students

that don’t demand as much from the classroom teacher, especially in areas that can be better exemplified and introduced using internet-based tools.

The 21st century education focuses heavily on cognitive skills,” said Dr. Marzano, who also founded Coloradobased education research center Marzano Research.

Dr. Marzano said changes and trends have just been felt and that the education community is slowly embracing it.

“It’s a critical time right now and a very disruptive time in that we’re only becoming aware now of how schooling has to change—the structure, the scheduling, and maybe the whole physical environment. But it’s a very exciting time, too, as a function of those changes that are just starting but are absolutely necessary.” said Marzano.

Marzano will discuss Evaluating 21st Century School Effectiveness: Teachers’ Roles and Instructional Practices, Strategies for Cultivating Teacher Effectiveness, and Highly Engaged Classroom at PICTE 2016, and will be joined by other leading experts in the field of education: Marc Helgesen, renowned education researcher; Vincent Ribiere, Ph.D., leading expert in Knowledge Management; Allan Bernardo, Ph.D., professor of psychology and a leading researcher on the various psychological and mental aspects of learning; Ester B. Ogena, Ph.D., president of Philippine

Leading education researcher Dr. Robert Marzano is a strong proponent of ‘blended learning’

Normal University, the country’s premiere institution for teacher education; education technology specialists Galvin Ngo and Mark Anthony C. Sy, Joey Javier Reyes, senior professional lecturer, College of Liberal Arts, De La Salle University, and Alan Davis, curriculum consultant at McGraw-Hill Education, Singapore.

The education conference is made possible through the efforts of Abiva Publishing House, Inc. and is supported by the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) and the Department of Education (DepEd).

For registration and more information regarding PICTE, log on to www. phileduconference.com, or contact Primetrade Asia at (02) 897-0139.

How to store and handle LPG LIQUEFIED petroleum gas is a key component in every kitchen for it is used in cooking food. But as much as it is versatile, it can also be highly dangerous when not stored and handled properly.

Fortunately, even when a leak occurs in the LPG cylinder, valve and pipe connection, accidents like gas poisoning and explosion can be prevented or minimized if the cylinder is securely stored and kept in good condition.

Leading LPG provider Solane, shares the following safety tips for storing and handling LPG: Place the LPG cylinder in a wellventilated area. Ensure that the area is not susceptible to rises in temperature and is kept away from flammable materials, like curtains and solvents. Avoid

storing LPG in the basement. LPG vapor is heavier than air and any leakage will sink to the ground, accumulate and may be difficult to disperse.

Secure the cylinder in place. Position the cylinder upright and make sure that it is not at risk of being tipped over or damaged by children, and that the area is not prone to flooding and other natural disasters. If it is on its side, the liquid may escape.

Check it for damaged or incorrect parts before using. Ensure that the cylinder has the correct valve, regulator and hose. Do not accept and operate the cylinder without the right and complete parts.

Observe safety when cooking or replacing cylinders. When cooking, keep your kitchen well-ventilated so that any

leaked gas particles will not get trapped and accumulate around the kitchen.

Never leave your cooking unattended because the pot or pan could overflow and extinguish the burners—causing gas to leak. When changing the cylinder, do not do it near sources of ignition because the naked flame, including cigarette butts, could ignite any released gas. Never forget to turn off the gas appliance and regulator when not in use.

Always keep the LPG cylinder in good condition. Check for any leak from time to time by rubbing soapy water on the cylinder for even a tiny leak can make a soap bubble. Clean the valve outlet using plastic plugs. Make sure that no dirt and insects get inside the valve outlet. Also, it is recommended

Keep the kitchen well-ventilated when cooking to prevent accumulation of leaked gas particles

Proper handling and storing of LPG is important to ensure that it will function properly and people at home are safe from any risks

to replace the hose every two years and the regulator every five years.

Never tamper with your cylinder. Always follow the manufacturer’s instructions regarding the use and maintenance of your LPG cylinder. If you suspect or find anything wrong, call your gas provider immediately and ask for assistance.

With the Hatid Bahay service, Solane LPG provides the exclusive and free seven-point Safety Check to all its

home delivery customers nationwide.

Performed by Hatid Bahay riders, it involves the inspection of the environment and proper installation of the LPG cylinder after delivery to ensure the safety of customers.

For more information or delivery request, visit www.solane.com.ph.or call the Hatid Bahay hotlines at (02) 8875555 or text 0918-8875555.

NEW HOME CINEMA SYSTEM BRINGS MOVIES TO LIFE

LET your living room come alive with room-shaking power! The new HT-RT3 5.1ch surround Sound Bar system from Sony turns an ordinary room into a home cinema, delivering a phenomenal 600W of power through a slim, stylish Sound Bar plus dedicated subwoofer and rear speakers – all in just a few seconds of setting up.

Less is more – this is the core of the design principle for the new HT-RT3 Sound Bar. It is astonishing without being intimidating. Setting it up is refreshingly straightforward, with fewer boxes and wires to worry about than regular 5.1

systems. Simply plug it in to your TV via HDMI, wire up the speakers via the colorcoded connections, and you’re all set.

Expect deep, room-filling sound with a 3ch Sound Bar, and be enveloped in real surround sound when you pair it with the subwoofer for a loud and strong bass, bringing your movies to life. The two rear speakers ensure the delivery of a balanced, wide frequency audio response. Equipped with S-Master Digital Amplifier, the HT-RT3 minimizes distortion, producing only the purest sound quality for an ultimate home movie viewing experience.

Streaming music through the sound bar has never been easier. With Bluetooth® on board, you can enjoy music playback streamed wirelessly from your smartphone. One-touch connection via NFC technology further removes the need for complex set-up sequences.

The HT-RT3 5.1ch surround Sound Bar system is available in various Sony Centres and Authorized Dealers across the country.

For more information, visit www.sony. com.ph, or follow twitter.com/SonyPHinc and instagram.com/sonyPHInc.

Sony’s new home cinema system provides a deep, room-filling sound quality for an ultimate movie viewing experience

Showbiz

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SUNDAY, AUGUST 7, 2016 isahred@gmail.com

I

T HAS been a roller coaster ride for our favorite weekend barkada in Single/Single season 2. There were heartbreaks, anger, regret and disappointment and also laughter, kilig and excitement all throughout the entire show. Indeed, Single/Single has created relatable scenarios of life, love and friendship, which perfectly depict the everyday struggle of a millennial.

The season started in a heartbreaking moment with a death of a friend.

Through this unfortunate event, the barkada came to grips with the reality that life can be short and it has also driven them to step up in order to achieve their dreams.

We saw Joey’s transformation from being a carefree young musician to a hard-working businessman, managing his own bar, Bistro Biajo. Joee, on the other hand, tried to strike a balance between love and career, which, unfortunately, did not work out. The ever-busy Ranee was the one blessed with both a blooming love life and a flourishing career, but not after a splitting up and making up with her prince charming Randy, who chose her over his career in Canada. Meanwhile, Benny matures and has happily embraced singlehood. This season also gave Tita Bianca a second chance in love and marriage. And at the end, all of our worries were put to rest when Joey and Joee finally admitted that they have

One of the final scenes from the rom-com that promotes love, friendship and financial literacy

Explosive season finale of

‘Single/Single’ feelings for each other.

It was indeed a whirlwind of a season, not only for the barkada but also for the viewers who shared the struggles and laughter of our millennial gang. But will it be a happy

ending for each of our characters? Or will it be a cliffhanger series once again, paving way for another exciting season?

Tonight is the season finale of PhilStar TV and Cinema Ones’ breakthrough

Past episodes can also be viewed on series, Single/Single season 2. The show will air at 10 p.m., with no commercial philstartv.com.

For more updates, visit facebook.com/ breaks, on Cinema One. It will be with replayed on Wednesday, 8:30 p.m. and 9 SingleSingleC1 and @SingleSingleC1 on Twitter and Instagram. p.m. on Saturdays.

‘Ignacio de Loyola’ directors in ‘Art 2 Art’ THE filmmakers behind Ignacio de Loyola – an epic retelling of the life of the founder of the Society of Jesus – are the guests in today’s episode of Art 2 Art. Writer/director Paolo Dy and associate director Cathy Azanza-Dy relate to Art 2 Art host Lisa Macuja the challenges they faced filming in various locations in Spain given budget constraints and the language barrier.

Produced by the Manila Broadcasting Company, Art 2 Art airs Sundays, 3:30-4 p.m., on DZRH (666 khz on the AM band), on cable television via RHTV (Channel 18 on Cignal Cable)

and online livestreaming at http:// dzrhnewstelevision.tv. The show may also be viewed through the Facebook account DZRH News Television.

On Aug. 14, tour specialist and publisher Clang Garcia talks about her Jeepney Tours, which takes visitors on a tour of Manila aboard a customized jeepney, and her recently released book, Food Holidays, which explores the culinary culture of the Philippines.

On Aug.21, the a capella group, Acapellago, talks about the discipline and dynamics of singing sans instruments. The group – composed of Michelle Pascual, Almond Bolante,

Joshua Cadeliña, Ronnel Allen Laderas and Ricky Gavin Laderas – will regale Art 2 Art followers with their viral sensation “Tatlong Bibe” and other songs.

On Aug. 28, Joaquin Palencia shares his multi-faceted pursuits as painter, sculptor, filmmaker and new media artist. Though not formally schooled in the arts, he has a thriving career that has included doing largescale public artworks in local and international venues.

For inquiries, please e-mail art2artdzrh@gmail.com. On Facebook, check out the account Ballerina ng Bayan for updates on Art 2 Art episodes.

‘Art 2 Art’ host Lisa Macuja with Paolo Dy and Cathy Azanza-Dy sharing their humorous experiences while filming ‘Ignacio de Loyola’ in Spain

‘The Last Tycoon’ premieres on Celestial Movies Pinoy

Asian superstar Chow Yun Fat stars in a period drama, which is loosely based on the life of a mob boss in Shanghai

CHOW Yun Fat and Huang Xiaoming both play the character Cheng Daqi in the film that garnered two awards and five nominations across Asia, The Last Tycoon, which debuts tonight, 9 p.m., on Celestial Movies Pinoy’s Celestial Sunday Presents.

We all know Chow Yun Fat not just from the films From Vegas to Macau and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon but through many other great films like Anna and The King, Pirates of the Carribean: At World’s End, The God of Gamblers franchise, The Replacement Killers, Dragonball Evolution, and recently, the franchise of The Monkey King.

He starred in over 24 television series and 121 films including those

CROSSWORD PUZZLE Sunday, August 7, 2016

ACROSS 1 Sailing vessel 6 Freeloader 11 Tooth part 16 Green sculptures 21 Ms. Streep of films 22 Starry prefix 23 Kind of power plant 24 Light incense to 25 St. Teresa’s town 26 Led 28 Mundane task 29 Co. honcho 30 Asphalt jungle 32 Coffee or cocoa 33 Revolted 35 Dog sitters 37 Rap music fans (hyph.)

38 Imprint firmly 39 Lipstick shades 40 Vigoda or Fortas 41 Riding whip 42 Used-car concern 44 Dance band 47 Biceps exercises 48 Minute opening 49 Jousters’ weapons 53 Main rds.

54 Shaggy flower 55 Hard or soft ending 56 Vat 57 Feverish 58 Motorist’s woes 59 Decorated tinware 60 Nessie’s refuge 61 Width of a cir.

62 Japanese garden feature 64 Fall on deaf — 65 Allot 66 Patio alternative 67 Freaky 68 Raise one’s voice 69 Pirate captain 70 Young girl

71 NFL scores 72 It flies close to the ground (2 wds.)

74 Magna — laude 75 Cracked buckwheat 78 Ape 79 Diet successfully 80 Toast toppers 84 Empire builder 85 Lo-cal 86 Bro and sis 87 Queen’s subject 88 Explorer — Helen Johnson 89 Sardine holders 90 Quaker pronoun 91 Sits tight 92 Madrid Mme. 93 Hug, maybe 95 Spreadsheet worker 96 Leaf ribs 97 Whodunit suspect 98 Skiing style 99 Whaler of fiction 100 Has misgivings 101 They’re easy to see through 102 Atomic pile 104 Pardon me!

105 Tofu base 106 Obi-Wan portrayer 109 100-meter event 110 Put-downs 111 Gave a hard time 115 Deed 117 Dough 118 Archaeological sites 119 — Jima 120 Popped up 121 Lascaux artist (2 wds.)

124 Lightweight quilt 126 Bay 127 Cub Scout leader 128 Lessen the force of

129 Wading bird 130 Ebbets Field great 131 Basic requirements 132 Hunted and pecked 133 Impertinent DOWN 1 Punch 2 Flood barrier 3 Hunter constellation 4 Olive in the comics 5 Phony medicine 6 Keeps on going 7 Glimpse from afar 8 When Paris sizzles 9 Like a grouch 10 Chiller features 11 Processes food?

12 Clancy hero 13 7 and 11 14 Grapple with 15 Uh-uh (2 wds.)

16 Garage gadget 17 Disciple 18 “Lorna —” 19 Blew it 20 Pits or stones 27 Axton or Wilhelm 31 Land in “la mer” 34 The Holy Grail, e.g.

36 Slaps the cuffs on 37 Oxidizes 38 Cork locale 41 Give, as a price 42 Hoarder’s cry 43 Something to stitch 44 Vouchers 45 Large nestling 46 Balloon material 47 Refrain from 48 Boon companions 50 Grants, as territory 51 Ambler and Clapton

52 Winding 54 Favorable mentions 55 Less naive, perhaps 56 Lacking warmth 58 Jane or Henry 59 Chaucer offering 60 Miner’s quest 63 Kind of yoga 64 —, meeny, miny...

65 Cheap nightspot 66 Vaguely 68 Omigosh!

69 Part of SWAK 70 Tractor preceders 72 Scads 73 Wrapper 74 Loose change 75 Great Plains tribe

76 Photographer — Adams 77 Nature’s skull cap 78 Shalit’s forte 80 Teams up with 81 “Peer Gynt” dramatist 82 Spooky 83 Grills a steak 85 Citrus cooler 86 Singer — Wooley 87 Dangerous 89 Firm up 90 Bygone despot 91 Gets tiresome 94 Bread and — 95 Oops! (hyph.)

96 By word of mouth 97 Makes bales on the farm 99 Hanging in the balance (2 wds.)

100 Most odious

101 Have 103 High-kicking dance 104 Deceive with charm 105 Grow weary 106 Robin of balladry 107 Ben on “Bonanza” 108 Quebec school 110 Malt-shop orders 111 Took on 112 Seaside resorts 113 Big pitchers 114 Socially inept 116 Disburse 117 Lay down cards 118 Hockey feint 122 Two-finger sign 123 Circuit 125 Make — — double

in Hollywood.

Huang Xiaoming, on the other hand, became famous as Emperor Wu in one of Taiwan’s top television series Da Han Tian Zi (Emperor of Han Dynasty). The drama shows he starred in later all achieved high ratings in Asia. In the Philippines, he’s best known for his role as Yang Guo in The Return of the Condor Heroes. In 2007, he began focusing on his film career, appearing in films like The Sniper, The Message, Ip Man 2, and Insanity, which also premiered on Celestial Movies Pinoy in July.

The Last Tycoon is a period film set in early 1900s. Huang plays young Cheng Daqi, who travels to Shanghai in search of a new life.

There, he meets a mob boss and becomes his apprentice. Twenty years later, the older Cheng Daqi, played by Chow, becomes a tycoon and the mob boss himself.

The film won the Best Art Direction and Best Original Film Song at the 32nd Hong Kong Film Awards. It was also nominated for Best Cinematography, Best Original Film Score, and Best New Performer.

At the 7th Asian Film Awards, the film was nominated for Best Production Designer and Best Costume Designer.

Chow says Huang is “good looking, (has) great body and superb acting skills.” He says, “Among the new generation of actors, he is the

one to look out for. Apart from his looks, he puts a lot of effort in his acting. However, I think he should step out of Chow Yun Fat’s shadow and be himself.”

Although a lot of their scenes in The Last Tycoon were shot separately, they worked together closely when they were dubbing their lines, as Chow was better at Cantonese, and Huang at Mandarin.

The Last Tycoon is a drama and action film, weaving a tale of loyalty, romance, and politics. Don’t miss it on Celestial Movies Pinoy on Cignal channel 12 and across pay TV stations nationwide.

Celestial Movies Pinoy is from Viva Communications, Inc. and Celestial Tiger Entertainment.

Isah V. Red, Editor Nickie Wang, Writer isahred@gmail.com

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SUNDAY, AUGUST 7, 2016

Showbiz STURDY TANDEM.

Kathryn Bernardo and Daniel Padilla, otherwise known as KathNiel, share their “throwback” story in a new commercial Jessica Soho’s ‘KMJS’ is still the viewers’ preferred magazine show

GMA Network dominates Urban Luzon TV ratings

FIND

Kathryn Bernardo and Daniel Padilla T

true love

HINK of a perfect pair and chances are Kathryn Bernardo and Daniel Padilla, or KathNiel, will easily come to mind. One of the hottest love team in the country today, they are undoubtedly also the sweetest, on and off-cam.

Flashback: five years ago. In a world where love teams reigned supreme, Kathryn Bernardo still had to find a perfect partner.

Production was ready to give up and throw the towel in when Daniel Padilla stepped into the picture. It was like fate working its magic and the perfect love team was born. He, with his debonair boy-next-door looks, and, she, with her beautiful princess charms, the perfect pair was born. There has been no looking back since.

As the new endorsers of San Marino Corned Tuna, we get a peek of KathNiel’s story as their TV commercial offers a glimpse of that.

Daniel shares they may have done many ads together before, but the I Found My True Love in San Marino Corned Tuna ad shows how they first met and started on their new adventures as a love team.

As Kathryn adds, “May 15 seconds kasi na pinakita yung meeting namin hanggang sa paano kami…” she ends with a

giggle, preferring to keep things hanging.

Daniel is more vocal about what made him enjoy doing the commercial, “Happy na naman ako kasi, kasama ko si Kathryn dito kaya kumpletong-kumpleto.”

“Kilig ang commercial,” Kathryn pipes.

“Kilig, pero napaka-natural,” Daniel clarifies with a big smile.

Now it’s no secret how KathNiel’s love team onscreen has grown. But has that love translated into real life, too? Have they found true love in each other?

“Maybe!,” Daniel answers laughing, while Kathryn, throws the question back and says, “Siya na lang ang tanungin nyo dyan,” before admitting with a laugh, “maybe!”

This is what keeps the KathNiel fever alive – the kilig that keeps people guessing just how in love they are because there is no question that they are and dating, at that.

As Daniel describes it, dating the KathNiel way is

more than “getting to know each other.” It is already in the “dating comfortably” stage – eating together, watching TV, discovering new restaurants, going out on group dates or heading out of town with their barkada and even their moms.

And just like in their movies where they prefer to be paired off only with each other, they are exclusive and want to take it slowly, discovering new things, taking things to a different level one step at a time.

This year, they take their professional partnership one notch higher, too, with their newest movie, which was shot in the beautiful Spanish city, Barcelona, and is sure to be another box-office hit. That they are magic in the boxoffice is guaranteed, their fans are the most supportive in the land.

As Daniel says, “Yung mga fans namin, mga KathNiel, yun ang malupit. Yun ang mga recordbreaker talaga.”

The fans are their inspiration and that is why Daniel and Kathryn are bent on doing their best and offer more. They want to flourish in the industry that they have chosen to be part of, to mature, learn new things and at the same time grow with their fans. As Kathryn shares, “Masarap sa feeling na kapag matanda na sila, yun din kami.”

Five years as the no. 1 and hottest love team in the country, it is but natural that KathNiel teams up with San Marino Corned Tuna, as the original and no. 1 corned tuna in the land. Both are leaders in their field that many want to copy and emulate.

Overjoyed at being chosen as the new celebrity endorsers of San Marino Corned Tuna, Daniel said, “It’s a blessing,” adding how kind the owners of San Marino Corned Tuna are.

Kathryn, on the other hand, appreciated the welcome accorded to them, acknowledging that their newest TVC was a pleasure to shoot – with beautiful locations and a very warm crew.

Kathryn attests to the goodness of the San Marino Corned Tuna which is good for the heart, has less oil more tuna. It is rich in Omega 3 and DHA that are good for the heart and brain. “Actually, noong una ko pa lang natikman ang San Marino Corned Tuna, nagulat ako kasi, ang sarap!...and ever since, I like it with crackers.

Tapos, healthy pa.”

“Healthy pero ang sarap,” adds Daniel.

And just like their relationship with each other and their fans, you can be sure that KathNiel’s new partnership with San Marino is bagay and guaranteed to be a love that lasts.

Gil siblings in back-to-back Cinemalaya films TWO feature films on Filipino families will be shown back-toback today at the Cultural Center of the Philippines at the Cinemalaya Film Festival.

Mana, an award-winning film based on a Visayan folklore, delves on familial relations after the loss of the matriarch of the clan. The siblings find themselves in longdelayed confrontations, decisions, and debts.

Directed by Gabby Fernandez, Mana won the Best Feature Film at the Madrid International Film Festival 2015 in Spain, besting 14 other entries. Cherrie Gil, who costarred with his late brother Mark Gil, was also awarded Best Actress

The late actor Mark Gil in a scene from the indie movie, ‘Mana’

for her performance.

On the other hand, A Day With Grace tackles the life of a young lady and her struggles to free herself from an abusive father. It is a time for transformations and redemptions, and more importantly, it is about a woman’s courage to do whatever it takes to be able to move on.

A Day With Grace was the last film with Mark Gil. This thesis short was the first in a series of academe-film industry partnerships from the School of Design and Arts (SDA) Production Design Department of the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde.

The show will start at 6:15 p.m.

For more information, email Gabby Fernandez at gabbyfern@yahoo.com.

GMA Network (GMA) opened the second half of the year on a positive note as it continued to prevail over competition in viewer-rich Urban Luzon last July, based on data from Nielsen TV Audience Measurement, the industry’s trusted ratings service provider.

From July 1 to 31 (with the dates of July 24 to 31 based on overnight readings), GMA’s average household audience share in Urban Luzon reached 39.7 percent, higher than ABSCBN’s 32.5 percent by 7.2 points, and TV5’s 6.8 percent by 32.9 points.

GMA led across all day parts, including primetime, in Urban Luzon, which accounts for 77 percent of the total urban TV household population in the country.

Kapuso shows also dominated the list of

‘Encantadia’ tops the ratings race according to Nielsen TV Audience Measurement data

top-rating programs not only for Urban Luzon but for National Urban Television Audience Measurement (NUTAM) as well.

The much-awaited return of the fantasy series Encantadia, which is easily the Network’s biggest offering so far for the year, ranked highest among all Kapuso shows in NUTAM and Urban Luzon.

It was closely followed by 24 Oras, Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho (KMJS), Pepito Manaloto, Magpakailanman, newly launched Koreanovela Descendants of the Sun, 24 Oras Weekend, Ismol Family, Poor Señorita, and Eat Bulaga.

Hay Bahay!, Once Again, Hanggang Makita Kang Muli, Sunday PinaSaya, Wowowin, and Imbestigador were also part of both the NUTAM and Urban Luzon lists.

Other top-rating Kapuso programs for the month were Lip Sync Battle Philippines, Juan Happy Love Story, Del Monte Kitchenomics, Magkaibang Mundo, and Karelasyon.

Moreover, while change has come with the first president from Mindanao taking office, Filipinos’ trust on GMA Network remains steadfast with GMA News’ Du30: Unang SONA special coverage emerging as the viewers’ top choice during Duterte’s first-ever State of the Nation Address (SONA) on July 25.

Based on Nielsen data, the coverage posted a 38 percent audience share among urban homes across the country versus ABS-CBN’s Pangako sa Pagbabago SONA 2016’s 37.8 percent. The Kapuso Network’s special coverage was also ahead in Urban Luzon, leading rival by 12.3 household share points.

‘Descendants of the Sun’ continues the Korean wave on local TV