Manila Standard - 2016 November 20 - Sunday

VOL. XXX • NO. 281 • 5 SECTIONS 20 PAGES • P18 • SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2016 • www.thestandard.com.ph • editorial@thestandard.com.ph

Scan this icon to view the PDF

LEFTIST OFFICIALS NIX RESIGNATION

By John Paolo Bencito

D

ESPITE their opposition to President Rodrigo Duterte’s decision to allow the burial of former President Ferdinand Marcos at the Libingan ng mga Bayani, his leftist Cabinet members said they saw no need to resign and will continue to work on the reforms they envision.

GUIDING LIGHT. Cows rest near a lighthouse on Batanes Island, northern tip of the country. Roland Jumawan

Social Welfare Secretary Judy Taguiwalo, a former political detainee under Marcos’ Martial Law from 1972 to 1980, reiterated her opposition to the burial but opted to remain quiet because she did not want to “keep rubbing it in.”

“When I was interviewed upon my appointment, I was asked about that [Marcos burial]. I told them that for me, I’m really against it,” Taguiwalo said in Baguio on Friday.

But she will remain with the government and pursue her vision to implement improvements in social services to the people.

Former Gabriela party-list congresswoman Liza Maza, now secretary of the National Anti-Poverty Commission, said history has already judged Marcos when he was ousted in 1986.

“Certainly, my position is different from the President’s. I do not believe that Marcos is a hero. I am opposed to the revision of history.

“Marcos committed human rights violations and was a despotic leader and that history already judged him when the Filipino people toppled him through people’s uprising at Edsa,” Maza said.

Labor Undersecretary Joel Maglungsod, meanwhile, said that while he is not in favor of Duterte’s decision, he “is just following what the law is saying.”

“I don’t have a problem where he is buried so long as he won’t be declared a hero,” he said.

Maza likewise stressed that her mandate in the agency won’t necessarily be affected.

“All these are being weighed,” Maza said. “Even from the start, both President Duterte and the left were aware that there are issues we agree on, like independent foreign policy, peace process and some reforms that can be realized during his term, and there are issues that we don’t agree on.” Turn to A2

GOVT SETS P450-M FUND FOR PORT IN PAG-ASA

By Maricel V. Cruz THE government has allocated P450 million for the construction of a new seaport in Pag-asa Island in the Spratlys, a congressman revealed on Saturday.

Surigao del Sur Rep. Johnny Pimentel, a member of the House committee on appropriations, said the allocation was made under the P3.98-billion budget of the Department of Transportation in the House-approved 2017 General Appropriations Act. Pimentel said the new port would vastly improve accessibility to the area and bolster the country’s claims in the West Philippine Sea, citing a DOTr report submitted to Congress.

Located 480 kilometers northwest of Puerto Princesa City, Pagasa is administered by the town of Kalayaan in Palawan.

The entire Spratly archipelago and its many ridges are being claimed by China, Pimentel said, but a tribunal of the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague ruled in July that Philippine territories in the West Philippine Sea could not be overlapped by any possible entitlement of China.

“We support the port development project, which will surely help encourage human settlement in the remote Philippine island that now has less than 400 Turn to A2

RODY KICKS OFF DEBUT AT 24TH APEC LEADERS MEET LIMA—President Rodrigo Duterte kicked off his debut at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation on Saturday by attending the APEC Business Advisory Council Dialogue between 21 leaders and 63 executives from the world’s top corporations at the Lima Convention Center.

This year’s Apec chairman, Peruvian President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski, is expected to deliver the welcome remarks.

The Abac dialogue will be followed by the breakout sessions where leaders will discuss a wide range of topics.

After the Abac, Duterte is scheduled to participate in the 2nd Informal dialogue with the Apec-Pacific Alliance, comprised of Chile, Colombia, Mexico and Peru.

Duterte is also expected to attend another informal dialogue between Apec leaders and Facebook chief executive officer and co-founder Mark Zuckerberg, where the latter will discuss digital connectivity and the key challenges he has been facing.

The President’s day will be capped by the gala dinner to be hosted by Peruvian President Kuczynski at the Parque dela Reserva (Park of the Reserve).

Turn to A2 Turn to A2

PRAY FOR MERCY—BISHOPS

By Vito Barcelo CATHOLIC bishops weighed in on the controversial burial of former President Ferdinand Marcos at the Libingan ng mga Bayani and urged the faithful to pray that the nation moves forward and people learn to forgive in the church’s Jubilee Year of Mercy.

But civil groups, among them the anti-Marcos August Twenty-One Movement, vowed to press their opposition via a massive protest that will be staged at still unannounced locations on November 25.

Meanwhile, at least 2,000 supporters of the Marcos family visited the grave of the former president at the Libingan, a day after he was buried without state honors but with military rites befitting a former president of the Republic.

Lipa Bishop Ramon Arguelles urged people to let their faith in God reign in accepting the burial of the late dictator since it is important that the dead be given peace.

“It is said that [Marcos’ burial at the Libingan] diminishes the spirit of Edsa [Revolution of 1986]. I don’t believe that,” Arguelles said.

“But faith in God is certainly diminished. If we are truly for God, we will pray for him after death even if he is a dictator. Let us pray for his soul. Let us respect his remains,” the prelate said in an interview over Radio Veritas.

“He sinned. We should not say that he did good. But let us not be hateful. He is already dead,” Arguelles added.

But Atom issued a statement that forcing-through the burial was “a finishing touch worthy of the dictator Marcos’ long list of sneaky tricks he did on the Filipino people.”

“To avoid continued friction in the country on the issue, his supporters should have accepted the supposed offer of the American government to have him buried between George Washington and Richard Nixon somewhere in the US. The logic behind the proposal?

Turn to A2

twitter.com/ MlaStandard

facebook.com/ ManilaStandardPH

ALWAYS IN MOTION. Christmas lights in Makati City are photographed in motion to depict the pace of the country’s principal financial center. Sonny Espiritu

S

thestandard.com.ph

Missed your copy of Manila Standard? Call or text our Circulation Hotline at 0917-8848655 or email: circ@manilastandardtoday.com

News

A2

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2016 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

EXPERT WARNS VS SUB PATROLS

By Sara Susanne D. Fabunan A JAPANESE maritime expert warned the Philippines of four nuclear capable Chinese submarines that have been deployed in the South China Sea for nuclear deterrent patrols within the year.

Japan Institute of International Affairs senior official Tetsuo Kotani said China has secretly deployed four nuclear submarines in the disputed waters.

“Japan is concerned about Chinese submarine program in the South China Sea, particularly the strategic ballistic missile submarine program facing Hainan,” Kotani said in his presentation during the Maritime Challenges in the Asia Pacific forum at Discovery Primea Hotel, Makati City.

Citing a Pentagon report revealing that those submarines are expected to start the nuclear deterrent patrols within this year, Kotani said such action may undermine the credibility of US deterrent nuclear umbrella.

“So this is not only a concern for Japan, this is also a concern for the US allies including the Philippines,” Kotani said. “If China successfully deploys seabased nuclear deterrent in the South China Sea, it might undermine the credibility of US deterrent nuclear umbrella.”

Kotani said the deployment of nuclear capable submarines may affect the Philippines’ claim over the West Philippine Sea as the US, its long-time ally, could not come to the aid of the country since the submarine can target and reach the American continent.

“For example between Japan and China we have the Senkaku issue, and you have South China Sea issue, if China makes reactions, we expect your support. If china can hit directly the United States from under water, US should start to think twice before making decision for intervention,” he said.

“We can’t ignore the militarization in South China Sea,” he said, lamenting that there is no international rule for any submarine activities in the sea.

“I don’t think we can have an international rule for submarine activities because submarines operate in secret.”

MARCOS FAMILY ASKS FILIPINOS TO UNITE T

By Joel E. Zurbano

HE family of the former President Ferdinand Marcos has asked Filipinos to unite amid the ongoing protests following the burial of the former president at the Libingan ng mga Bayani, which took the public by surprise on Friday.

“Let my father’s burial be the first day amongst many days of our continuing to work for the unity and the progress of our country,” said Marcos’ namesake and only son former Senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. who, along with his mother Imelda and sisters Imee and Irene, returned to the cemetery on Saturday for a holy mass.

Bongbong said it was his father’s fervent wish that when he came to

the end of his days, that he be buried in a simple soldier’s ceremony.

“This was in keeping with his idea that he was but a soldier doing his duty, a citizen serving his country. We have waited 27 years to fulfill that wish that he left us with. But we are here today and we are able to grant him that wish,” he said.

“We heard news that there was a plan to make turmoil. What we don’t want to happen is innocent

people to get hurt or injured,” he said.

Imelda also thanked the supporters. She said her husband stood pat for what is right and good for the people. “If you’re in the side of the truth, God is in your side,” she said.

The family also thanked President Rodrigo Duterte for his recognition of Marcos’ service to the nation, and all the members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines who came to pay their last respects.

Marcos was buried at the Libingan Friday noon, a week after the Supreme Court decided in favor of the burial.

Metro Manila Police director Oscar Albayalde said the burial was made unannounced to ensure peace and order situation during the solemn event.

Marcos’ eldest daughter and Ilo-

cos Norte Gov. Imee Marcos said they made the burial to be private because they want a solemn and peaceful funeral march. She apologized to the people for the family’s sudden decision.

The camp of former Vice President Jejomar Binay revealed that during the term of former President Benigno Aquino III, the Marcos family already agreed to the proposal that the burial be made in Batac, Ilocos Norte. But Mr. Aquino ignored it and failed to act on the proposal of Binay.

“The Aquino administration missed an opportunity to lay the Marcos burial issue to rest when it did not act on former Vice President Binay’s recommendation made as early as 2011 to allow the burial of Marcos in Batac, Ilocos Norte,” said Binay’s spokesman Joey Salgado.

GOVT...

From A1

residents, mostly fishermen,” Pimentel, also a member of the House committee on national defense and security, said.

Pimentel said the University of the Philippines’ Marine Science Institute and the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources should now consider putting up a research station in Pag-asa.

He likewise urged the Department of Energy to find ways to provide the 37.2-hectare island a renewable and stable source of electricity.

At present, only a 75-KVa generator set supplies some of the electricity needs of the island.

A low-lying landmass surrounded by shallow coral ranges, Pag-asa has been occupied by the Philippines since 1970.

President Ferdinand Marcos established the Municipality of Kalayaan in 1978 to administer the Kalayaan Island. Pag-asa is the lone barangay of Kalayaan, which is the country’ smallest municipality.

At present, Pag-asa is guarded by a small military detachment led by an officer with the rank of lieutenant. The Philippine Navy also has the Naval Station Emilio Liwanag in the island.

Pag-asa used to be a purely Philippine military installation, until government allowed civilians to settle in.

The island has an unpaved 1.3-kilometer airstrip, a one-classroom primary school and a five-bed clinic.

RODY...

From A1

On the second day on Sunday, President Duterte is scheduled to attend an informal dialogue with International Monetary Fund managing director Christine Lagarde, where she is expected to discuss the current global economic outlook.

The President is also scheduled to participate in two retreats to discuss trade and investment as well as food security, climate change, access to water, and connectivity. The Philippine leader will then witness the adoption of the 24th Apec 2016 Leaders’ Declaration.

On the sidelines of the meetings, he is expected to hold bilateral meetings with other heads of state but these have yet to be finalized. PNA

REST IN PEACE, MR. PRESIDENT. An honor guard carries the remains of former President Ferdinand Marcos to his grave in private rites at the Libingan ng mga Bayani on Friday. On Saturday, hundreds of Marcos supporters went to the graveyard to pay their final respects.

LEFTIST...

PRAY...

From A1

From A1

Washington couldn’t tell a lie. Nixon couldn’t tell the truth. Marcos couldn’t tell the difference,” the group said in a statement.

“Marcos buried beside legitimate heroes here could only lead to the rest of the citizenry to scream profanities -- and they could pick up a curse or two hundred from the Marcoses’ principal patron,” the group added.

For his part, Military Ordinariate Bishop Leopoldo Tumulak said both sides of the controversy have valid reasons for their positions.

“I respect the people who are against the burial of President Marcos at the Libingan and I also respect the desire of Marcos people to have him be buried at the Libingan,” he said in a separate radio interview.

“I just pray that this can be resolved peacefully, that’s all I can say about this case. I hope a dialogue is on because this will have to be resolved someday,” said Tumulak, chairman of the CBCP Episcopal Commission on Prison Pastoral Care.

Bishop Noel Pantoja, national director of the Philippine Council of Evangelical Churches, said it is important that the country moves on.

“We can truly move on as a nation and release forgiveness if truth is established and transgressions are acknowledged,” he said in a statement.

“We should respect the decision of the Supreme Court with all the dissensions and differing views of justices. That’s how our system works,” he said. “I submit also to the President’s decision as it is his prerogative based on personal bias within the bounds of law.”

“We cannot ignore the historical facts that thousands were killed, tortured and deprived of human rights during the rule of Marcos.

Millions thronged the streets in 1986 to depose him.”

At least 2,000 supporters of the former leader, meanwhile, visited Marcos’ grave to pay their respects for the former president.

The supporters were ferried to the military cemetery by 51 buses and 49 private vehicles around 7

a.m. They were led by members of the Marcos family, including Ilocos Norte Rep. Imelda Marcos and children, Bongbong, Imee and Irene.

Supporters of the Marcos clan said they paid for their own transportation and miscellaneous expenses.

They hope that the sudden relocation of Marcos to the heroes’ cemetery in Taguig City would eventually be accepted by the entire country and, like them, see it as an act of unity.

But the Bagong Alyansang Makabayan called a press conference at the University of the Philippines in Diliman, Quezon City to announce a big protest rally.

“On November 25, it’s a weekday, let us get together around 4 p.m. for a big rally,” said secretary-general Renato Reyes. “We need to do this immediately after [President Rodrigo] Duterte returns from Peru.”

He said they may stage the protest action at the Rizal Park, Liwasang Bonifacio and Mendiola in Manila, and in Makati City but the venues are not yet final.

“At this point, there is still space for common agenda that can be maximized in the service of the people.”

Taguiwalo’s media officer, Ina Silverio, likewise stressed that there is no need for a resignation.

“The Secretary has marching orders from the President on improving social services and cutting red tape in the DSWD. This issue of the Marcoses is very hard for the Secretary... but their professional relationship won’t be affected by this,” Silverio said, quoting Taguiwalo.

“This is about Marcos. This is not about President Duterte and the Secretary. The President knows that there is a personal issue with the Secretary and he will not hold that against her,” she added.

But Renato Reyes, secretary general of the leftist Bagong Alyansang Makabayan, admitted that while Duterte’s decision affects the alliance, there are still other issues to be considered.

“They have registered their opposition in various ways. I am not aware of any decision on resignation. But if the question is whether the burial affects the alliance, yes it does. It is testing the alliance. There will be a collision here,” he said.

“There are also other issues where the alliance will be tested and those will also be factors in determining where the alliance will go.”

News

A3

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2016 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

KERWIN: RELEASE NARCO LEDGER

By Francisco Tuyay

MILES TO GO. A couple in Sarangani province turns a lengthy motorcycle ride into quality bonding time as they head for home. Sonny Espiritu

ZIKA NO LONGER INTL HEALTH CRISIS—WHO T

HE World Health Organization has announced that Zika outbreaks and associated neurological abnormality no longer constitute a Public Health Emergency of International Concern but require a robust longer-term technical mechanism to manage the global response.

The announcement came after the fifth meeting of the Emergency Committee on Zika, microcephaly and other neurological disorders convened by WHO in Geneva on Friday.

The committee originally recommended a PHEIC in February 2016 on the basis of an extraordinary cluster of microcephaly and other neurological disorders reported in Brazil, following a similar cluster in

French Polynesia and geographic and temporal association with Zika virus infection which required urgent and coordinated research.

Even though research has now demonstrated the link between Zika virus infection and microcephaly, the committee said many aspects of this virus and associated consequences still remain to be understood, but this can best be done through sustained research.

The committee agreed that Zika virus and associated consequences remain a significant enduring public health challenge, requiring intense action but no longer represent a PHEIC. It recommended that Zika response should be escalated into a sustained program of work with dedicated resources to address the long-term nature of the disease and its associated consequences. Based on this advice, the director-general declared the end of the PHEIC. However, Pete Salama, executive director of WHO newly-established Health Emergency Program, warned in a virtual press briefing that “the virus has continuous spread geographically to areas where there is a competent vector,

all countries with Aedes mosquitoes are potentially at risk for mosquitoborne Zika virus transmission.”

“We are not downgrading the importance of Zika, in fact, by placing this as a longer-term program of work, we are sending the message that Zika is here to stay and WHO’s response is here to stay in a very robust manner,” Salama noted.

He highlighted long-term issues, including management of neurological complications in children and adults, family planning and maternal reproduction as well as long, comprehensive research and development agenda are requiring sustainable financing and multiple years to deal with.

PNA/Xinhua

CUSTOMS IMPROVES DAILY COLLECTION

By Vito Barcelo THE Bureau of Customs has improved its revenue collection performance as its mid-November collection shows an average of 7.6 percent positive deviation versus its daily target.

Data from the BoC Financial Service showed while the daily target was P1.762 billion, the bureau was able to achieve an average daily collection of P1.896 billion.

A total revenue collection of P18.965 billion has so far been collected for the first 15 days of the month. The projected target for the month of November is P36.495 billion.

Six collection districts have significantly contributed to this positive performance.

The ports are: Manila International Container Port, with an average daily collection of P623.94 million (20.4

percent above its daily target); Port of Batangas, with an average daily collection of P393.17 million (2.9 percent above its daily target); Port of Limay, with an average daily collection of P141.65 million (11.1 percent above its daily target); Port of Cebu, with an average daily collection of P80.63 million (14.9 percent above its daily target); Port of Subic, with an average daily collection of P74.59 million (9.9 percent above its daily target) and Port of Davao, with an average daily collection of P55.78 million (13.3 percent above its daily target).

Customs Commissioner Nicanor Faeldon is optimistic the collection target for the month of November will be surpassed, considering all reform actions done by the bureau.

Meanwhile, the Customs chief strongly urged employees and stakeholders to help rid the bureau of corruption, which deprives the agency of more revenue.

CATICLAN WELCOMES BIG PLANES

By Joel E. Zurbano

HOUSE OF SANTA. A salesperson arranges popular Santa Claus creations at the House of Santa in Sampaloc, Manila. Lino Santos

RECTO URGES DIGONG TO FREE SICK, OLD INMATES FOR CHRISTMAS SENATE Minority Leader Ralph Recto has appealed anew to President Rodrigo Duterte to give “the gift of clemency” next month to frail prisoners who have stayed in jail too long.

“The President granting parole or pardon to prisoners on humanitarian grounds should be restored as a Malacañang Christmas tradition,” Recto said in a press statement.

There are many candidates for executive clemency as the country’s penal system is full of old, infirm, gravelyor terminally-ill prisoners, especially those who are convicted of non-violent crimes, Recto said.

Recto said the presidential tradition of releasing prisoners during the holidays should extend to directing agencies to work out the release of detainees awaiting sentencing but have stayed beyond what would be their maximum time in prison.

He said if the President planned to release detained communist guerillas soon, a move that would bolster the peace process, “then let the doors through which they shall pass be enjoyed by other prisoners as well.”

Recto said the same template in granting full pardon to Robin Padilla could be used in setting free other

SUSPECTED drug lord Kerwin Espinosa has manifested his desire to declassify the supposed ledger containing the names of government officials benefited from the illegal drug trade so he could corroborate its contents.

Philippine National Police Chief Ronald dela Rosa said Espinosa expressed his willingness to execute an affidavit and affirm it in public to lessen the threats to his life.

“Espinosa hinted the involvement of government officials, but he has to include it in his sworn affidavit,” Dela Rosa said, quoting Espinosa as saying the officials were candidates whom he supported in the last election.

When asked if he knew then Department of Justice and now Senator Leila de Lima, Espinosa responded “no comment.”

“In the last election, Kerwin Espinosa had given financial support to candidates, but already lost contact with them,” Dela Rosa said.

Espinosa is also expected to identify the big-time drug lords who have been supplying him illegal drugs.

The PNP has decided to detain Espinosa at Camp Crame’s custodial center because of the threats against his life and Dela Rosa challenged criminal and drug syndicates wanting to silence Espinosa to attack Crame.

Espinosa admitted fearing for his safety following his arrest and the data he will be providing the authorities relating to his involvement and his top cohorts in the illegal drug dealing.

“We will not be cowed by these criminals,” Dela Rosa said as he challenged them (criminals) to attack Camp Crame and assured that “heads will roll if there are police protectors.”

“Espinosa is a very vital key,” Dela Rosa said referring to the alleged complicity of ranking government officials in the illegal drug trade.

Espinosa admitted he had no knowledge of his father’s supposed ledger and the affidavit he had executed before his death.

“We will cross-match in order to confirm the information he had and the ledger of his father,” the PNP chief explained.

He said Espinosa had already conferred with Sr. Supt Albert Ignatius Ferro, chief of the PNP Anti-Illegal Drugs Group, about the information he knew in illegal drug transactions.

“We will conduct a case buildup against all the personalities involved based on the information he would be providing to the AIDG that would bolster their campaign against illegal drugs,” Dela Rosa said.

prisoners.

Recto noted the power to grant executive clemency was rarely exercised during the Aquino administration despite completed paper work on the cases of recommended recipients.

“It shows the power and potential of reformative justice. Those who have passed the more than minimum requirements for parole should be given a second chance,” he said.

According to Recto, pardon and parole for deserving prisoners might be considered as part of the quick fixes that government needed to decongest the country’s jails.

In a Senate resolution, Recto called the government’s attention to the “worsening conditions” in the country’s prisons, which will cost taxpayers P10.1 billion to maintain this year.

Two government agencies run the “prison republic”—the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology, which is under the Department of the Interior and Local Government, and the Bureau of Corrections, which is attached to the Department of Justice.

Detainees awaiting trial and those who have been sentenced by the courts to serve time for three years and below are committed to BJMP.

THE Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines announced Saturday the Godofredo Ramos Airport, also known as Caticlan Airport, had started aircraft operations of bigger variants like Airbus A320 plane.

CAAP spokesman Eric Apolonio said Philippine Airlines PAL Express flight from Manila took its inaugural touchdown on the airport’s newly expanded runway 06/24.

Apolonio said the newly constructed Nabas Apron at Caticlan Airport with nine parking bays would be opened for aircraft operations under the safety oversight by CAAP, adding the airports runway 06/24 had a length of 1,800 meters.

Before, Caticlan airport could handle only turbo propeller aircraft. But with the improvements and expansion of its single runway and apron it is expected to accommodate more passengers per flights.

PAL Express will initially operate two flights daily using an Airbus A320 while Cebu Pacific Air is expected to operate same aircraft variant tentatively on November 23 with AirAsia expected to follow soon.

TransAire Development Holdings Corp., a San Miguel Corp. affiliate, developed the Godofredo Ramos Airport under a build-operate-transfer scheme and will operate the airport for 25 years based on the agreement with the national government.

CAAP said the airport was the seventh busiest airport in the Philippines and the third-busiest in the Western Visayas region, serving more than 800,000 passengers.

A4

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2016 Francis S. Lagniton, Issue Editor mst.daydesk@gmail.com

News ‘CHINESE FACTORY’ PUZZLES LAWMEN

VENETIAN SCENE. The Venice Piazza at Mckinley Hill at the Bonifacio Global City in Taguig has become a favorite hang-out place as the Christmas season nears. Sonny Espiritu

GOVT FIRMS SCORED OVER REMITTANCES

By Maricel V. Cruz

A

BICOL congressman scored the Governance Commission for Government-Owned and -Controlled Corporations for failing to oversee at least 10 state firms that have apparently deprived the government of some P68.66 billion in unremitted or undeclared dividends over 10 years.

Camarines Sur Rep. LRay Villafuerte said the GCG should immediately probe the fund irregularity with the aim of reorganizing, privatizing or even abolishing GOCCs that have repeatedly violated their charters and other laws.

“We will first let the GCG do its job of evaluating the performance of these GOCCs,” Villafuerte said, citing the violations the CoA uncovered in its 2015 annual report.

“If the GCG is not up to the job, then I might file a resolution calling for a congressional probe into these GOCCs that have either not remitted, under-remitted, under-declared or not declared the dividends due the national government,” said Villafuerte, vice chairman of the House committee

on appropriations.

Villafuerte said among the GOCCs named in the COA are the National Food Authority with P937.602 million; Philippine Sugar Corp., P441.256 million; Philippine Postal Corp, P356.4 million; Local Water Utilities Administration, P343.191 million; Philippine Rice Research Institute, P82.274 million; Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corp., P27.279 billion; Philippine Deposit Insurance Corp., P23.817 billion; Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp., P15.401 billion; Philippine Aerospace Development Corp., P6.84 million; and Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines, which did not declare any dividends.

According to the CoA, these

GOCCs violated provisions of Republic Act No. 7656, or the law requiring GOCCs to declare dividends under certain conditions to the national government.

Villafuerte noted that Section 3 of the law states that, “All governmentowned or -controlled corporations shall declare and remit at least 50 percent of their annual net earnings as cash, stock or property dividends to the National Government.”

The law exempts GOCCs tasked “to administer real or personal properties or funds held in trust for the use and the benefit of its members,” such as the Government Service Insurance System, Pag-IBIG, Employees Compensation Commission, Overseas Workers Welfare Administration, and Philippine Medical Care Commission, Villafuerte explained.

But all other GOCCs are required to remit at least half of their annual net earnings to the national government, which “shall be received by the National Treasury and recorded as income of the General Fund,” he said.

Villafuerte said the GCG should get to the bottom of this CoA-discovered fund irregularity because

the agency’s charter, RA 10149, precisely grants powers for such purposes.

“Section 5 of the GCG law specifically states these powers of the Governance Commission,” Villafuerte said.

“In fact, looking at this CoA list of erring GOCCs, some of them should be evaluated by the GCG regardless of whether they have failed to remit or declare the correct amount of dividends to the Treasury because their functions, if you examine them, are best performed by the private sector instead of by statecontrolled firms,” he said.

The GCG law specifically states the Commission can conduct periodic study, examination, evaluation and assessment of the performance of the GOCCs, and also receive, and in appropriate cases, require reports on the operations and management of the GOCCs including the management of the assets and finances of the GOCCs, Villafuerte said.

“Thus, the GCG is within its powers to investigate the GOCCs in the CoA list and even look into the management of their assets and finances,” he added.

BI SHOULD ISSUE PASSPORTS, SOLON SAYS A MINDANAO lawmaker wants to transfer the task of issuing passports from the Department of Foreign Affairs to the Bureau of Immigration.

“The expertise of the Department of Foreign Affairs is diplomacy. Its officials should focus their attention on good diplomatic relations with other countries, not the issuance of passports that distract them from their regular duties,” Surigao del Sur Rep. Prospero Pichay said.

Pichay expressed belief that the immigration bureau is the best agency which can handle the 15,000 passport applications per day, or 3.5 million a year, since it is close to the work of the BI which monitors the trips abroad of Filipinos.

“The proposal is also for better monitoring of Filipinos traveling abroad,” Pichay said, adding that the transfer of the function from the DFA to the BI in terms of processing and issuance of passports “is just a matter of transition.”

“I know it is not easy, [but] I will draft it and then I will file it. I’m very serious about it,” Pichay said, adding that the idea was adopted from the policy of Hong Kong where Immigration handles the issuance of passports.

Immigration Commissioner Jaime Morente earlier welcomed the idea of Pichay provided the administration will be able to provide the bureau the “needed infrastructure, as well as additional personnel and budget allocation.”

Maricel V. Cruz

MOMENT OF PEACE. A man enjoys a moment of peace with pigeons while waiting for a companion in Taguig City. Sonny Espiritu

THE authorities are puzzled why a factory for fake cigarettes in Villasis, Pangasinan had to hire 24 Chinese nationals and gave themselves away by weird employment arrangements.

An inter-agency group consisting of agents from the military and the police, the Bureaus of Customs, Internal Revenue and Immigration and even the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency conducted the raid.

The lawmen raided the factory in Barangay Unzad in Villasis and arrested 50 workers, all from the distant town of Bolinao, and not a single one from the town and village where the factory is located.

The raiders said they were acting on reports that there were up to 50 Chinese nationals alternating as overseers in the factory but only 24 were found at the site at the time of the raid.

All the suspects, who do not speak English, were placed under arrest and investigation by the immigration bureau, which may require them to produce their travel documents.

The lawmen did not find any illegal drugs at the factory but they found tons of fake cigarettes stuffed in packs of Marlboro, Fortune, More, Jackpot, Mighty, and Winston packs as well as expensive manufaturing equipment and apparatus.

Antero Prado Jr., Bureau of Customs special assistant, considered the discovery as beyond imagination because the equipment that manufacture the fake cigarettes cost billions of pesos. All of the equipment and other raw materials found at the site are believed to have originated from China.

But the factory did not have a business permit from the local government of Villasis nor a clearance from the barangay where it is located. Barangay officials confirmed that the workers found inside the factory were not locals.

Prado said the customs bureau will also verify whether the factory is connected to similar factories busted in Cagayan de Oro City and Davao City where they earlier seized P25 million and P63 million worth of fake cigarettes, respectively.

A similar raid was undertaken by customs bureau operatives in Pampanga province against another fake cigarette factory, also on Friday. PNA

DOT PAYS P650M FOR SLOGAN THE creation of the new 2017 slogan for the Department of Tourism cost about P650 million, DoT Secretary Wanda Teo disclosed Saturday.

Teo said that the new slogan will be handled by global advertising agency McCann Erickson which won the bid to develop the slogan during the previous administration under then DoT Secretary Ramon Jimenez Jr. “McCann is the one handling [the slogan]. P650 million submitted by the previous administration,” Teo told reporters in a press conference in Davao City.

The P650 million was leftover budget from the previous administration which was supposed to be for promotions but Teo later came up with the decision to use it to change the slogan.

Teo admitted that the “It’s More Fun” slogan was a hit, but believed that it needed to be “upscaled.”

“When I was in Madrid, UN [World Tourism Organization] told me ‘“It’s More Fun” is a good slogan why change it?’ So I said, let’s upscale it. Why is it more fun?

We might consider on keeping it but adding more to it,” she said.

To recall, Teo previously said that she would be keeping the current slogan “It’s More Fun in the Philippines” until the new slogan is launched during the Miss Universe pageant coronation night on Jan. 30, 2017.

DoT Undersecretary for Media Affairs Kat de Castro said that the amount would cover TV all media placements all over the world including commercial, billboards, radio jingles and the like.

She said that the deal between the DoT and McCann was signed a few weeks ago while bidding took place during the previous administration.

B1

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2016

Opinion

Adelle Chua, Editor mst.daydesk@gmail.com

EDITORIAL

Scan this icon to view the PDF

POP GOES THE WORLD JENNY ORTUOSTE

HOW COULD HE NOT HAVE KNOWN? P

67TH US NATIONAL BOOK AWARDS WINNERS A FEW days after the National Book Development Board announced the winners of the 2016 Philippines N at i o n a l B o o k Awa rd s ( w h i c h I mentioned in my column last Thursday), the US National Book Foundation released its counterpart list, both bodies giving much-needed and much-appreciated recognition and incentives to writers.

The US National Book Awards nominates twenty works in four categories each year, five nominees per category.

This year’s winners are March: Book Three by John Lewis, Andrew Aydin, and Nate Powell (Young People’s Literature); The Per formance of Becoming Human by Daniel Borzutsky (Poetry); Stamped from the Beginning: The Definitive History of Racist Ideas in America by Ibram X. Kendi (Nonfiction); The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead (Fiction).

The writers over at Vox.com have read all 20 nominated books. Here are their reviews of the winning works: Constance Grady on March: Book Three —Congress member John Lewis, who led the House sit-in for gun regulation this summer, is the last living member of the Big Six of the civil rights movement. That makes him more or less the closest thing America has to a real live superhero, and March is his origin story...Book Three, the final volume, is the darkest of the March trilogy, starting with the Birmingham church bombings and climaxing with Bloody Sunday itself. “I thought I was going to die,” says Lewis in one unforgettable panel, in a pool of his own blood, as police officers swing their batons around him.

Constance Grady on The Performance of Becoming Human— The second most bleak thing about The Performance of Becoming Human is the way it renders our world as an Orwellian dystopia, all tortured political prisoners and corrupt capitalist bureaucrats. The most bleak thing is that it considers itself to be complicit in that dystopia…

Borzutsky’s language is purposefully rough, even ugly; he stays away from anything that might be described as lyrical. That deliberate roughness gives lines like this their force and power…

[This] is not an easy book to read, but it is a powerful one.

Aja Romano on Stamped from the Beginning—A scholar of African-American history, Ibram X. Kendi kicks off this fiery book with equally fiery words from the past: an 1860 indictment from then-Sen. Jefferson Davis, later president of the Confederacy, that “this Government was not founded by negroes nor for negroes … but by white men for white men.” Kendi admits that he is not writing to change the minds of those who produce and espouse racist ideas. Rather, in his honesty about how deeply he himself had held multiple racist ideas before embarking on the historical odyssey

resident Rodrigo Duterte is in Peru, attending a meeting of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation.

When he left, the issues at the top of mind of Filipinos were the war on illegal drugs here at home and what jarring—embarrassing—pronouncements he might make again on the international stage.

It’s either one of two things. If it is true Mr. Duterte was clueless, then he is a weak commander-in-chief, left in the dark by the people under his authority. Friday’s interment was not just a family event; it was a ceremony with personalities and protocol. Government resources, funded by taxpayers’ money, were used at every step.

But if he knew about what was going to happen Friday beforehand, then it was also sneaky on his part. There can never be any mistake as to the Marcos family’s loyalties and priorities. Mr. Duterte, however, is president of all Filipinos, whether or not they voted for him, whether or not they think the Libingan is an apt place for Marcos, and whether or not they think he should even be considered a hero.

We cannot help imagining then: Perhaps the date of the burial was specifically set for a time when the President was scheduled to be out of the country, so it would be easy to say that he had nothing to do with it.

A clear intent to deceive and mislead, or at best to feign innocence, is not encouraging from somebody who styles himself as a strong and decisive leader.

But news came Friday morning that the remains of the late President Ferdinand Marcos would be buried at the Libingan ng mga Bayani at noon that same day, unleashing a wave of protests across social media and on to some streets in Metro Manila. The move was derided by the public as a sneaky act despite the fact that the Supreme Court had already ruled, 9-5-1, in favor of the burial. Many did not believe that the ruling was immediately executory because there had yet to be a decision on the appeal.

The Marcos family, meanwhile, prepared for the burial in tandem with the Armed Forces and the Philippine National Police, bringing their patriarch to his final resting place 27 years after his death. At the outset, the family has made no secret of its desire to inter the former president in the Libingan despite the more homogeneous reception they enjoy in their northern province of Ilocos Norte.

Amid the shock and indignation, people now ask: What was the extent of Mr. Duterte’s participation in the surprise burial?

It could not have been last minute. As early as the campaign season, Mr. Duterte had promised to put closure to the issue by ordering the burial—and he won, and by a significant plurality, anyway.

When he mentioned the burial again after being sworn into office, several groups took their petition to the Supreme Court, submitting themselves to its jurisdiction.

When the court rendered, after deferring twice, a ruling, people complained but again recognized the High Court’s authority over the issue. They said they would ask the court to reconsider.

What makes the burial stealthy, suspicious and galling in the eyes of many is its timing. How convenient, then, for the President to be away at this time and to avoid the fallout of what had just happened.

And even now, his own officials cannot agree on whether he knew this was going to happen at all, or not. Typically themselves, they utter conflicting things: some are obviously trying to shield the President from what could be an underestimated reaction from the people by saying he did not know it would happen, while some, notably the chief of the police, Ronald dela Rosa, said Mr. Duterte knew about Friday’s surprise all along.

Turn to B2

WHAT CHILDREN KNOW AND SAY ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE LONG STORY SHORT ADELLE CHUA

I RECENTLY had the opportunity to get into the minds of high school students— campus journalists all—from a region in Luzon and ask them what they thought the Filipino youth can do in the fight against climate change.

The resulting essays, 60 of which

were written in English and another 60 in Filipino, were instructive. Assuming that the children were representative of other adolescents in the country, then the work is cut out for those whose job it is to educate the young—and perhaps move them enough to act.

Climate change is more than fickle weather. Not a few kids described climate change as fickle weather. “One day it is warm; the next day it is cold.” Some pinpointed the source of the problem with absolute certainty: “Usok” —smoke that comes from vehicles and the burning

of garbage.

These are not necessarily wrong but they are not all right. A more accurate description of climate change would be the general warming of the globe because of gases that are trapped in Turn to B2

Rolando G. Estabillo Publisher can be accessed at: thestandard.com.ph

Benjamin Philip G. Romualdez Former Chief Justice Reynato S. Puno

Philippine Press Institute The National Association of Philippine Newspapers

Anita F. Grefal Baldwin R. Felipe Edgar M. Valmorida

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) 832-5554, (Advertising) 832-5550. P.O. Box 2933, Manila Central Post Office, Manila. Website: www.thestandard. com.ph; e-mail: contact@thestandard.com.ph

ONLINE MEMBER

PPI

Chairman Board Member & Chief Legal Adviser Treasury Manager OIC-Ad Solutions Circulation Manager

Ramonchito L. Tomeldan Chin Wong/Ray S. Eñano Francis Lagniton Joyce Pangco Pañares

Managing Editor Associate Editors News Editor City Editor

Emil P. Jurado

Adelle Chua Honor Blanco Cabie Romel J. Mendez Roberto Cabrera

Chairman Emeritus, Editorial Board

Opinion Editor Night Editor Art Director Chief Photographer

Opinion

B2

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2016 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

EVERYMAN

THE ART OF THE MEAL

By Robert Harland

UNLIKE Bill Clinton, a committed vegan, Donald Trump is a junk food aficionado, all set to become America’s fastfood president.

Whether it’s a Big Mac, Quarter Pounder or a Wendy’s Baconator, to the Donald “they’re all great.”

In an age of fine dining and lots of pretentious restaurants boasting of “heritage tomatoes” or “line-caught red snapper” Trump is a throwback to an earlier, more carefree time in American eating, when nobody gave a monkey if the tomatoes were locally grown or shipped in from Peru.

He is a lover of diner fare—eggs, bacon, hash browns and, naturally, welldone steaks. He goes for burgers and meatloaf, Caesar salads and spaghetti, candies and Diet Coke.

But his image of a man of the people who eats buckets of KFC fried chicken on his multi-million dollar private plane is also a carefully crafted strategy to appeal to the blue collar workers who voted him into the top job.

“There’s nothing more American and more of-the-people than fastfood,” said Russ Schriefer, a Republican strategist and ad maker. “It is the peculiarity of the brand that he’s able to be on his multimillion-dollar jet with the gold and black branding and colors, and at the same time eat KFC, and what makes it perfect is he does it all with a knife and fork, while reading The Wall Street Journal.”

Or, as Kellyanne Conway, a senior adviser and pollster on the Trump campaign, put it, “It goes with his authenticity.”

But there is another side of Trump’s personality that links to his love of fast food. Like the late Rumanian dictator Nicolae Ceauescu, Trump is a cleanliness freak. He says he suffers from “germophobia”and hates shaking hands.

His germophobia extends to food.

“One bad hamburger, you can destroy McDonald’s. One bad hamburger, you take Wendy’s and all these other places and they’re out of business,”Trump told CNN. “I’m a very clean person. I like cleanliness, and I think you’re better off going there than maybe someplace that you have no idea where the food’s coming from. It’s a certain standard.”

Though he often orders from the Trump Grill when working out of Trump Tower in New York, he eats fast food several times a week while on the road because “it’s clean, it’s quick and it’s consistent.”

And, he added, “I think the food’s good.”

Trump has even suggested doing away with state dinners, in the interests of cost and time savings. “We could be eating a hamburger on a conference table, and we could make better deals with China and others and forget the state dinners,” he said.

The president-elect’s food choices keep his team on its toes. “There’s never any real planning for food,” said one, “It’s always just whatever he is craving, which is more often than not McDonald’s.”

Trump’s diet would certainly seem to be a tad unhealthy, but last December his personal doctor, Harold Borstein, said in a letter that in the past 39 years, “Mr. Trump has had no significant medical problems.”

Robert Harland is a British national based in Bacolod and Makati.

WHAT...

From B1

the atmosphere. Furthermore, young people need to grasp the link between the warmer global temperature and the occurrence of severe weather patterns— with the danger and disruption it brings to people’s lives.

It is never as easy as “either or.”

Industrialization and technology, per se, are not the enemies, and it is not more virtuous to reject them just to profess one’s love for the environment.

In fact, as some of the children pointed out, technology can be used to study renewable energy sources, help transfer knowledge, and for their part, amplify the voice of the youth in demanding action from the people who are supposed to speak for and act on behalf of them.

IN THE POST-TRUTH ERA, SCIENCE IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN EVER

By Pecier Decierdo MANY say that we live in the era of post-truth politics, the era when political discussions are largely about appeals to emotion rather than to accurate facts. In post-truth politics, facts are seen as “dry.” Statistics are “boring.”

Accuracy does not go viral. In fact, the opposite of accuracy is what goes viral.

In this era, we need science more than ever.

As a species, we’ve always needed science. While other animals have talons or fangs, we had our big brains to help us make weapons. While other animals can fly or swim, we made things that flew for us and floating things we can ride on. While other animals had senses that helped them navigate, we used oursmarts and the stars to find our way.

But our understanding of the world was, for tens of thousands of years, primitive. It was still mixed with myth, and the inborn flaws in our ways of thinking still dominated how we understood the world.

That’s why the rise of modern science was a revolution. In fact, the word ‘revolution’ gained its meaning as an “overthrow in the established system” only then.

Before, it simply meant ‘turning

around,’ as in the revolution of the planets around the Sun. The discovery that our Earth is not the center of the universe overthrew the established system. The discovery was revolutionary.

The revolution was not just about our place in the universe, either. It was also about how we know what’s true. Before then our greatest philosophers just thought about reality. They used their intelligence to reason, and they reasoned really well.

However, during the scientific revolution, G alileo, Kepler, and others discovered that simply thinking well was far from enough. In order to really understand how the world works, and in order to beat the defects of our thinking, we need to test our ideas against the results of observations and experiments.

Themethods of science entered their maturity.

Ever since then ideas, no matter how beautiful or whoever said them, had to pass the strict tests of science. And they had to pass it over and over again. Even if they passed it for hundreds of years, as the ideas of Newton had, they still had to be tested to their limits. In their limits, we see that they break and had to be replaced. Einstein had to replace Newton in the area of the very large. Quantum

mechanics did the same in the area of the very small.

In science, there is no authority.

There are experts, scientists who dedicate their lives to understanding one aspect of the world. But even the experts are not exempt from the tests of science. No matter who you are, your ideas never become immune from the same tests, even from harsh criticism.

The scientific revolution and its twin, the Enlightenment, ushered in a culture where even the most powerful people had to answer to the truth just like everybody else.

It didn’t matter if you were king or the pope or an influential imam.

Your ideas were never immune from scrutiny and criticism.

Politicians have always lied. But before the scientific revolution, the ruler’s word was taken as fact, as law, as unquestionable. The Enlightenment introduced the idea of holding politicians to the truth. If caught lying, that could spell the end of their political career. All of a sudden, it pays to be truthful and to have a command of the facts in the political arena.

This should still be the case. If it’s not, we must make it so. Now more than ever, the survival of the human race depends on our accurate understand of how the world works.

CONSIDER THIS: TRUMP MIGHT BE A GOOD PRESIDENT

By Clive Crook THE idea that Donald Trump might be a good president seems as unlikely as the idea that he would win the election.

Yet, as we see, strange things sometimes happen.

Actually, I wasn’t as stunned by his win as many other observers. If he proves to be a good president, that will surprise me more. One always comes back to his character. What happens when such a vain, impulsive, bullying and proudly ignorant man meets resistance, or has to deal with a crisis?

That’s certain to happen. The risk with such a leader isn’t so much that he will be a routinely disappointing president, but that he might be a disastrous one.

Nonetheless he has one or two things going for him. The first is expectations.

His supporters are said to be in for a colossal disappointment. Yet they might be less crestfallen than you’d think. After all, how many will really be surprised that Trump can’t and won’t keep his promises to them? For many of his supporters, the biggest benefit of electing Trump has already been banked: They told Washington what they think.

His critics, on the other hand, have been so harsh that it won’t be difficult for Trump to prove them wrong. Respectable opinion has declared itself so violently against Trump that he’ll be held to a very low standard. Small acts of civility and moderation will seem like remarkable achievements. The view that he’s a farright racist zealot, a 21st-century Hitler, shouldn’t be hard to refute: He just needs to avoid dressing his supporters in paramilitary uniforms, declaring martial law in the inner cities, and building a network of concentration camps.

President Obama and Hillary Clinton tapered their denunciations of Trump once he was elected, choosing to be

Contribution can range from the big to the little things, from the general to the specific. The old examples of using electricity wisely, throwing candy wrappers and pieces of paper in the trash bin—even avoiding refrigerators and hairspray!—were cited often. But some expressed preference for advocacy through the different media forms available, in an attempt to reach out to actual decision-makers and demand tangible action.

It is also not enough to describe climate change in general terms as “the exploitation of Mother Nature.”

The main dilemma among developing countries is balancing energy needs (greenhouse gas-spewing coal-fired power plants are arguably a lower-cost source) with the obligation to cut back on emissions. Renewable sources are available but still costly and it will take

gracious and open-minded. Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren have both said that, much as they detest Trump, they’ll work with him if he comes forward with policies to advance the people’s interests. Of course they’re right to do so—but only because a lot of what they said about Trump before was over the top. If they were right last month about the evil Trump is bent upon, what they’re saying now would be wrong.

In that respect, I have to give credit to Slate’s Jamelle Bouie. He wrote recently that all Trump supporters (not just half of them) are just plain bad people, because they’ve put an irredeemably evil man in power. And he says Sanders and Warren shouldn’t do business with Trump, issue by issue, because this will help him advance his vile whitesupremacist purposes. Bouie is the crazy zealot here, obviously—but at least he’s consistent. If Trump were indeed a Hitler for our times, you would be right to refuse any and all cooperation, and to stop him by any means necessary. It makes no sense to call him evil and then start making deals, as some Democrats now propose.

The question is whether these deals will be any good. It’s possible—because, again, the orthodox line of attack on Trump is wrong. He isn’t “far-right.” In the agreements he’ll aim to reach with Republicans in Congress, he’ll often be a moderating influence, pulling to the left. “Congressional Democrats,” writes the New York Times, “divided and struggling for a path from the electoral wilderness, are constructing an agenda to align with many proposals of President-elect Trump that put him at odds with his own party.”

Trump has said he wants to cut taxes and increase spending on infrastructure.

A big fiscal stimulus is exactly what many liberal economists have been calling

It’s throwing a candy wrapper in the trash —and so much more. time for countries like the Philippines to adopt them at a level where they can replace the more traditional sources. It is, after all, by knowing the specifics that people are able to find concrete solutions.

Clichés and motherhood statements just do not cut it anymore. Yes the problem of climate change is all encompassing, but it does not mean it

This understanding is our only answer to the challenges of climate change, a fast-growing population, the threat of pandemics, resources that are running out, and other problems associated with living together in a connected world.

More importantly, science now arms us with the tools to understand the flaws in our thinking. Through science, we begin to see why we tend to be susceptible to the preaching of demagogues and why emotions hold so much sway on even the smartest of us. We also understand how our bad tendencies such as racism, fundamentalism, greed, or apathy can be replaced by our good tendencies such as empathy, critical thinking, and altruism.

They say we have entered an era of politics when emotional impact rather than truth is what counts. In the end, however, reality kicks in. It always does. Unless we are prepared for its challenges, we are doomed. The politicians who act as if facts and truth do no matter will eventually have to face the music. If we can make them face the music sooner, maybe we can yet save the human race from self-destruction.

Decierdo is resident astronomer and physicist for The Mind Museum.

67TH US...

From B1

for these past several years. Today, as you might expect, they’re no longer so sure. Some damn-the-torpedoes Keynesians now see the merit in fiscal conservatism. They’re right about the need to make fiscal policy sustainable and get value for public money in infrastructure programs, points not hitherto emphasized. In the short run, though, a Trump presidency could give them a macroeconomic policy that’s closer to the one they’ve been advocating than anything they’ve seen so far. And in the short run, it would boost growth.

In economic policy, the biggest danger is that Trump’s idiotic views on trade will start a cycle of protection and retaliation, maybe even a full-scale trade war. (I’ll be interested to see whether Trump’s victory produces an adjustment in expert opinion like the one we’re seeing on fiscal policy—from “We’re all trade skeptics now” to “Liberal trade is vital for our prosperity.”) Yet trade, so central in his campaign, is apparently not among the three things he wants to address right away. Those would be tax reform, immigration and health care. In each case, to be sure, a Trump administration could easily do more harm than good. We’ll see.

On all these matters, bear one more thing in mind. It will help that Trump has no ideology. This could be his biggest asset. His views, expressed with total conviction, are lightly held, insofar as they even exist. His goal isn’t to drive through, at any cost, some radical transformation of America’s society and economy, or to reorder international relations and remake the world. It’s to prove his critics wrong, and keep on winning.

I’m betting he won’t. For the reasons I mentioned, I’m worried he’ll fail spectacularly. But you never know.

Bloomberg

of this book, he gives the reader permission to accompany him on that eye-opening journey…Kendi leaves plenty of room for self-questioning, and for drawing connections between the racist apologetics of the past and those of the present. The process makes for a compelling, thoroughly enlightening, unsettling, and necessary read.

To d d V a n D e r W e r f f o n T h e Underground Railroad—What’s most surprising about The Underground Railroad, Colson Whitehead’s hugely acclaimed novel about slaves seeking their freedom along the titular route, is what a page turner it is… [ The book] takes the form of a 19th-century picaresque—a vignette-strewn travel novel, featuring one character’s visits to several unlikely locales (think Gulliver’s Travels for an early version of the form)… Whitehead …[explores] the ways that white Americans could know—can still know—that slavery was a moral abomination, but also benefit from its existence, how they could keep from noticing the double exposure that was their lives by cropping out the unpleasant information.

Three of these four books explore issues of race in America, a timely topic given Donald Trump’s win of the US presidency and the post-election rise of hate crimes against non-whites.

Do these books sound interesting to you? Add to these the PH National Book Award-winning books, and those of the 2016 Man Booker Prize (winners announced last month), and you have a mighty list of works to choose from for holiday buying, for your own burgeoning library and as gifts. Happy Tsundoku!

has to be communicated in nebulous language.

Terms like “Mother Nature” or a recitation of Jose Rizal’s statement that “the youth is the hope of the nation” are stuff we’ve heard and used for years. We have to find other compelling ways to communicate the message.

That message needs to be decisive and powerful without bordering on the dramatic. Depictions such as “the door of the living hell” trivializes the situation and reduces it to science fiction. But this is not science fiction—this is reality.

The Paris Agreement will not defeat climate change. It is not likely climate change will ever be defeated at all. We just have to minimize its consequences and prevent it from getting worse. The agreement is a pact undertaken by the nations of the world. They set for themselves targets for cutting emissions

—out of the recognition that everyone has a stake and a responsibility.

Finally, climate change is a global issue. The devastating effects of climate change know no borders or nationalities, and the solutions can be effected by no single nation or personality. This is not about the Philippine president, environment secretary, energy secretary, the president-elect of the United States or even the secretary general of the United Nations. This is about taking our place in the community of nations, influencing what we can in our own sphere.

It is important that the youth understand what the world is facing.

They will be here longer than we will, and will have to contend with more adverse conditions. It’s their elders’ job to ensure they know what they’re up against.

Dr. Ortuoste is a California-based writer. Follow her on Facebook: Jenny Ortuoste, Twitter: @jennyortuoste, Instagram: @jensdecember.

adellechua@gmail.com

World TWO SWEDISH JOURNALISTS DETAINED IN TURKEY ISTANBUL—Police on Saturday detained two Swedish TV journalists in the sensitive Kurdish-majority province of Diyarkabir in southeastern Turkey after they filmed near a military zone, a local news agency reported.

The pair, identified only by their initials as L.N.B. and R.A.S., were arrested after they filmed in an area near where a military headquarters is located, the private Dogan news agency reported.

After questioning, the two were transferred to the foreigners department, a section of the police service that deals with deportations, according to Dogan.

There were no immediate other details.

Turkish authorities this month expelled a French reporter after being detained near the Syrian border in the southeast.

Olivier Bertrand from online news media Les Jours was detained in Gaziantep province, where he was working on planned stories on post-coup Turkey.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault called his detention “deeply shocking, unacceptable.” AFP

B3

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2016 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

DONALD TRUMP LOOMS OVER FUTURE OF CLIMATE ACTION

M

arrakesh— From across the Atlantic, Donald Trump eclipsed a UN conference which fought valiantly in Marrakesh to preserve momentum on curtailing climate change amid fears the mogul will fragment the global effort and starve it of cash.

UK LAWMAKERS APPROVE ‘MOST SWEEPING’ SPY POWERS LONDON—The British parliament this week gave the green light to new bulk surveillance powers for police and intelligence services that critics have denounced as the most far-reaching of any western democracy.

The Investigatory Powers Bill would, among other measures, require websites to keep customers’ browsing history for up to a year and allow law enforcement agencies to access them to help with investigations.

Edward Snowden, the former US National Security Agency contractor turned whistleblower, said the powers “went further than many autocracies.”

“The UK has just legalized the most extreme surveillance in the history of western democracy,” he tweeted.

The bill, the first major update of British surveillance laws for 15 years, was passed by the House of Lords and now only needs rubber-stamping by Queen Elizabeth II. Prime Minister Theresa May introduced the bill in March when she was still interior minister, describing it as “world-leading” legislation intended to reflect the change in online communications. AFP

THOUSANDS PROTEST AGAINST SCANDAL-PLAGUED MALAYSIAN PM KUALA LUMPUR—Thousands of yellow-clad Malaysians flooded the capital Saturday to demand Prime Minister Najib Razak resign over a corruption scandal, as feared clashes with pro-government rightists failed to materialize.

Leading reformist group Bersih, whose colour is yellow, turned out huge crowds for the second time in 15 months to vent anger over allegations that billions of dollars were looted from Najib’s brainchild investment fund, 1MDB. Tensions in the Muslim-majority country had spiralled in recent weeks following threats by the “Red Shirts” ethnic-Malay rightist group to disrupt the demonstration.

The government arrested the leaders of both sides in the hours leading up to the rally.

That did little to stop Bersih’s momentum, but the Red Shirts turned out in far smaller numbers and began dispersing early. No clashes were reported.

Bersih’s demonstration shut down much of Kuala Lumpur, with riot police fencing off large areas at its symbolic heart.

Rivers of yellow flowed downtown as Bersih marchers blew vuvuzelas, carried caricatures of Najib and other 1MDB figures, and chanted “Catch the Thief in Chief,” and “Hidup Rakyat!” (“Long live the people!”).

“We want a clean government. We want fair elections,” said Derek Wong, a 38-year-old real estate agent. AFP

Alexandra Stepanova and Ivan Bukin of Russia perform during the ice free dance at the Cup of China ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating in Beijing on November 19. AFP

World leaders, CEOs, negotiators and activists at the two-week meeting, which closed Friday, were clearly unsettled by the pending White House takeover of Trump, who has vowed to withdraw the US from a hard-won global agreement on climate change.

Analysts say a US exit would make it harder to achieve the 196-nation pact’s goals to limit planet warming, and likely result in a shortfall of billions of dollars promised to help developing countries fight against climate change and cope with its impacts.

“The biggest impact, I think, is on financing... the US federal government’s commitment to continue to finance clean energy,” Alden Meyer of the Union of Concerned Scientists told AFP. “The thing that people seem to be most concerned about is: will the US fulfil the remaining $2.5 billion of the $3 billion pledge President Obama made to the Green Climate Fund (GCF)?”

The fund supports projects to make the shift away from greenhouse gasemitting fossil fuels to renewable sources.

Trump, who has described climate change as a “hoax,” remained mum for the duration of the conference on whether he will execute his pre-election threats.

Amid the uncertainty, delegates to the 22nd UN climate conference put on a brave face.

Heads of state and cabinet ministers attending a “high-level segment” from Tuesday to Thursday this week reaffirmed their countries’ determination to push ahead, with or without Washington.

But no-one could ignore the elephant in the room.

“The process has taken a huge hit following the US election results,” said climate activist Mohamed Adow of Christian Aid, which represents the interests of poor countries at the UN negotiations. “There is a lot of uncertainty about what’s going to happen next.”

Trump’s election has recalled the shock of 2001, when George W. Bush refused to ratify the Paris Agreement’s predecessor, the Kyoto Protocol.

His action was a major blow to the global effort to rein in planet warming that scientists warn threaten the human way of life. AFP

POPE CREATES 17 CARDINALS, ‘PRINCES OF THE CHURCH’ VATICAN CITY—Pope Francis will create 17 new cardinals from across the globe Saturday in a time-honored ceremony, elevating them to an elite body that advises and elects popes.

Three of them are from the US, while others come from corners of the world where the Catholic Church needs a boost.

Dressed in red robes, these “princes of the Church” will kneel before the pontiff to pledge their allegiance in a solemn ceremony known as a consistory.

Thirteen of them are under 80 and therefore eligible to take part in the next secret conclave to elect or become the head of the world’s 1.2 billion Catholics. They are known as cardinal electors.

History’s first Latin American pope is famed for wanting to reach out to far-flung dioceses often overlooked

by Rome and he has shunned European candidates almost entirely, favouring low-key, pastoral figures or men he knows.

The cardinal electors come from Bangladesh, Belgium, Brazil, Central African Republic, Italy, Mauritius, Mexico, Papua New Guinea, Spain, the United States and Venezuela.

The pope will give each man a three-cornered red hat, telling them that the colour symbolises “your readiness to act with courage, even to the shedding of your blood” for the Catholic Church.

They will also be handed a gold ring of their high office.

The unexpected pick of three Americans reverses a trend that saw Francis pass over US candidates in his first two consistories.

By choosing archbishops Blase Cupich of Chicago, Joseph Tobin of Indianapolis and Bishop Kevin Farrell of Dallas, Francis has “engineered what may prove to be a seismic shift in the Catholic hierarchy in the United States,” wrote expert John Allen on the US Catholic website Crux.

The three, from Church’s “progressive wing,” may help counterbalance a strong conservative presence among US cardinals, particularly at a moment when the authority of reform-minded Francis is being challenged by US-led traditionalists.

The youngest of the new cardinals is 49-year old Dieudonne Nzapalainga, the archbishop of Bangui, who organised the pope’s 2015 visit to Central African Republic, where Fran-

cis opened the first “Holy Door” outside of Rome.

Others from developing countries are Sergio da Rocha, archbishop of Brasilia,

Patrick D’Rozario, archbishop of Dhaka, Baltazar Porras Cardozo, archbishop of Merida in Venezuela, and Maurice Piat, bishop of Port-Louis in Mauritius. AFP

Tinkerbelle The Dog, who took the internet by storm with her series of YouTube cover versions of pop hits by artists such as Carly Rae Jepsen and Taylor Swift, attends her birthday party over the weekend in New York City. AFP

B4

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2016 mstdaydesk @gmail.com.ph

World

PROTESTS CONTINUE AGAINST SOKOR’S PARK

S

EOUL—Tens of thousands of protestors gathered in Seoul on Saturday for the fourth in a weekly series of mass protests aimed at forcing President Park Geun-Hye to resign over a corruption scandal.

The demonstration— among the largest seen in South Korea since the pro-democracy protests of the 1980s—have provided a stark challenge to Park’s authority, but the president has defied calls to step down.

After claiming a turnout of around one million for last week’s protest, organizers said they expected some 500,000 people on Saturday, while police predicted one-tenth that number.

So far the candlelight protests have been largely peaceful, with many families participating, but there was still a heavy police presence, with buses and trucks blocking access roads to the presidential Blue House.

“We want to have a peaceful protest,” Nam Jeong-Su, spokesman for the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions, told AFP. Nam said he expected the ranks of protestors to be swelled by thousands of students who sat the national college entrance exam earlier in the week.

And this being South Korea – with the world’s highest smartphone penetration rate – many had downloaded a special app showing a burning candle to hold aloft during the rally.

Hours before Saturday’s protest was scheduled to start, a crowd of around 50,000 had already gathered along Seoul’s ceremonial Gwanghwamun boulevard, south of the presidential Blue House.

“We’re here to show my children the site where history is being made”, said Kim Myung-Hee, 30, who came with her husband and two daughters.

“Park simply doesn’t feel ashamed of the wrongs she and her friend did. She must go,” Kim said.

The anti-Park rallies have continued despite two televised apologies from the president over a scandal linked to her friendship with long-time confidante Choi Soon-Sil, who has been arrested for fraud and abuse of power.

Prosecutors said they would formally indict Choi and two other alleged accomplices on Monday, prior to trial.

They have been investigating allegations that Choi, 60, leveraged her relationship with Park to coerce donations from large companies like Samsung to non-profit foundations which she set up and used for personal gain.

AFP

ACAPULCO, Mexico—Gunmen have kidnapped at least 12 people, including two children, in a southern Mexican region where gangs have perpetrated a series of mass abductions, authorities said over the weekend.

The van that was used to transport the group was found burnt on a road between the hamlets of San Jeronimo and San Cristobal, Guerrero state security spokesman Roberto Alvarez said, citing witnesses.

He spoke of around 30 armed people who abducted “a group of between 12 and 14 people.”

Some of the relatives of the missing have received phone calls from kidnappers demanding ransom money.

The abduction may have been perpetrated by a criminal group known as Los Tequileros, Alvarez said.

The mass kidnapping took place in a region known as Tierra Caliente, or Hot Land, where 21 men were kidnapped in January and found alive days later. AFP

YEMEN ADOPTS 48-HR TRUCE

A protester wearing a mask gestures during an anti-government protest at Seoul city hall plaza on November 19. Up to half-a-million protestors were expected to take to the streets of Seoul for the fourth week in a row, demanding President Park Geun-Hye resign over a corruption scandal. AFP

SALE OF TINTIN DRAWINGS SET TO BREAK RECORDS

Tintin, a fictional hero of the comics series of Belgian cartoonist Hergé, is a reporter and an adventurer who travels around the world with his dog Snowy.

GUNMEN KIDNAP 12 IN MEXICO

PARIS—Two original Tintin comic strips are expected to break records Saturday when they go under the hammer in Paris.

The first from “Explorers on the Moon,” widely regarded as one of the two best Tintin adventures, could fetch up to up to $1 million.

The page, entitled “We walk on the moon,” has the boy reporter, his dog Snowy and blundering sidekick Captain Haddock making their first moon walk from their red and white rocket.

With the 1954 book viewed as one of the artist Herge’s masterpieces, the Paris auction house Artcurial values it at least 900,000 euros ($950,000).

The late Belgian artist already holds the world record for the sale of a comic strip.

A double-page ink drawing that served as the inside cover for all the Tintin adventures published between 1937 and 1958, sold for $3.7 million to an American fan two years ago.

Saturday’s sales are expected to break records for single strips.

Rival auction house Christie’s is putting drawings from another rare Herge strip up for sale later in the day in Paris.

It said the page from the unfinished story “Tintin and the Thermozero” – estimated at 250,000 euros – was the first ever to come to market.

Why the artist never finished the tale of espionage and a terrifying secret weapon set against the backdrop of the Cold War, is one of the great mysteries for Tintin-ologists.

Herge wrestled with it for years, “starting it at the end of the 1950s,” said Christie’s, but never got further than eight pages.

Artcurial’s comics expert Eric Leroy described the “Explorers on the Moon” as “a key moment in the history of comic book art... it has become mythic for many lovers and collectors of comic strips.” AFP

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia—A Saudiled coalition supporting Yemen’s government against Iran-backed rebels declared a 48-hour ceasefire to begin in Yemen Saturday, it said in a statement on the kingdom’s SPA news agency website.

“It has been decided to begin a 48-hour ceasefire from 12:00 noon in Yemen’s timing (0900 GMT) on Saturday,” the coalition statement said, adding that the truce could be renewed if the Huthi rebels and their allies abide by the deal and allow aid deliveries to besieged cities.

The coalition announcement followed a request for a ceasefire

by Yemen’s President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi – himself based in Riyadh – to Saudi King Salman, the statement said.

“Coalition forces will abide by the ceasefire,” it said, but warned that should the rebels or troops loyal to former president Ali Abdullah Saleh make any military moves in the area the coalition would respond.

The naval and air “blockade” will also remain in place and surveillance jets will continue to fly over Yemen, it added. AFP

US CONVICTS NEPHEWS OF VENEZUELA FIRST LADY NEW YORK, United States—A jury on Friday convicted two nephews of Venezuela’s first lady of plotting to smuggle 800 kilograms of cocaine into the United States, with Caracas saying the pair were essentially framed.

Efrain Antonio Campo Flores, 30, and Francisco Flores de Freitas, 31, were arrested in Haiti in November and flown to New York by US Drug Enforcement Administration agents.

Their week-long trial in federal court in New York resulted in the guilty verdict for conspiracy to import cocaine into the United States as well as manufacturing and distribution with the intent to import.

Lawyers for both defendants tried to argue that the nephews were not crafty enough to plot or carry out the scheme and that they had fallen into a trap set by the DEA, in a covert operation in which $20 million was offered for the drugs. AFP

C1

Business

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2016 Ray S. Eñano, Editor / Roderick dela Cruz, Issue Editor business@thestandard.com.ph

UP ALUMNI HARNESS HEAT TO PRODUCE ICE

T

wo University of the Philippines alumni believe that a technological irony could be the next big thing in the local refrigeration industry.

They want to harness the heat of the sun to produce ice.

King Karl Seroje and Brian Tan Seng established a company that promotes using the heat of the sun, instead of electricity, to activate a sustainable refrigeration system and help the country reduce its carbon footprint.

Seroje and Seng are the entrepreneurs behind Cleverheat Thermal Technologies Inc. which revives the use of heat pipe technology for refrigeration and cooling solutions.

Another irony is that it is actually an old technology predating the era of electricity, they say, but it is something that can best provide cooling solutions amid today’s global warming.

“It is using heat to refrigerate. It is an old technology, but now we are seeing its huge potential, because of the global warming issue,” says 24-year-old Seroje, who obtained a BS Physics Degree from UP in 2015.

Seng, 39, describes CleverHeat as “a hardware startup seeking to provide low-carbon footprint solutions to airconditioning and refrigeration by harnessing heat from the sun.” Seng is already a successful IT professional, being the president and chief executive of 98Labs Inc. He graduated from the University of the Philippines-Diliman with a degree in Electronics and Communications Engineering in 2002.

Cleverheat’s technology uses heat pipes that absorb and transfer heat from one interface to another.

“Cleverheat is developing a non-electric, solar heat-powered refrigeration system, so that industries would reduce the use of electricity for their refrigeration operations.

Ice plants, for example, can use Cleverheat for their operations, instead of spending too much on electricity,” says Seroje.

Seroje says the same technology can work for air-conditioning needs of households.

He says Cleverheat can be installed together with existing electric-powered refrigerator. “Since it is heat-powered, when the sun is up, Cleverheat starts to work and it automatically shuts down the electric powered refrigerator. Once the sun is down, then the conventional refrigerator or air-con can take over. This way, electricity cost is reduced,” he says.

Seng explains that compared to costly

photovoltaic system that uses solar panels, Cleverheat uses heat pipes. “We have heat collectors that look like tubes which trap the heat from the sun. That is what drives the refrigeration cycle,” he says.

He says the technology is timely because “we have reached a point we are consuming a lot of electricity that contributes to global warming.”

“We are reviving this heat technology which is sustainable, because it is using solar heat,” says Seng.

Cleverheat is one of the three groups that won the six-month fellowship program and P800,000 in financial support from Impact Hub Manila, World Wide Fund for Nature, Peace and Equity Foundation and the Asian Development Bank. Other awardees are HiGi Energy Pte. Ltd. and

Solar Sari-Sari Store.

The two-man team is working on a demo unit that they can showcase to potential customers.

“Using the funds that we received from Impact Hub, we want to create a much bigger unit to match the cooling requirements of ice plants,” says Seng.

“So far, we have been able to build a proof of concept that really works. There is a solid science behind that,” he says.

At least two ice plants have expressed interest in using Cleverheat. “They are just waiting for us to complete the product, then we can install,” Seroje says.

Seroje estimates that it would cost P750,000 to build a complete Cleverheat unit designed for ice plants.

“In the future, it would be cheaper than electricity, because Cleverheat could pay for itself maybe in one to two years,” says Seng.

The plan also involves providing refrigeration or air-conditioning system for households, says Seroje.

“Our primary goal is to close the first customer. We are perfecting the product. Once we have the success story that can be applied on business, hopefully it will roll in more customers,” says Seng.

Cleverheat is now being incorporated as a company. “So far, we are just two in the team, but we are recruiting more team members to help us in this project because it will be huge,” says Seng.

Roderick T. dela Cruz

Scan this icon to view the PDF

HEAT HARVESTERS.

Cleverheat Thermal Technologies Inc. co-founders Brian Tan Seng (left) and King Karl Seroje

INTERNET RELIANCE RISKY FOR CHILDREN R E S E A R C H conduc ted by iconKids & Youth for Kaspersky Lab has uncovered the harsh impac t of I nternet overdependency among children across the globe.

About 55 percent of children were qualified by the research as dependent on the Internet. These children are twice as likely to conceal potentially risky online activities from their parents and use content, inappropriate for their age.

The survey of 3,780 families with children aged 8 to 16, conducted across seven countries, found that dependency on the Internet has a marked impact on kids’ behavior and actions.

When asking children to score key aspects of their daily life between 1 and 10, their ability to learn and interact with peers and parents suffers as children get older. This trend was most notable in relationships with parents, with Internet dependent children showing a steady worsening in their parental relationships as they get older.

A third (36 percent) of kids dependent on the Internet freely share their home address details online, compared to just a quarter (25 percent) of those who are non-dependent. They are also more likely to share information about the places they visit often (60 percent vs. 41 percent), expensive purchases made (41 percent vs. 27 percent) and where their parents work (36 percent vs. 26 percent).

Children at the younger end of the internet dependent spectrum are more likely to share this information than older kids.

Family relationships are also at risk, with Internet dependent children twice as likely (50 percent) to communicate less with their parents than those not dependent on the Internet (25 percent), as a result of their connected devices.

DAVAO CHOCOLATES REACH THE US SHORES MALAGOS Premium Chocolates, which are produced in the Philippines, are now available in the United States, according to the Trade Department’s Philippine Trade and Investment Center - Los Angeles.

This followed the announcement made by Davao-based Malagos AgriVentures during its recent participation at the North West Chocolate Festival in Seattle, Washington on Nov. 12 to 13.

The Malagos line of chocolates has received acclaim from international fine food and chocolate award-giving bodies in Europe for its premium qualities. The products are single-origin, having been manufactured fully on-site on its farm in Davao.

Jojie Dinsay, trade representative of the Philippines for the US West Coast and head of the Philippine Trade and Investment Centers in Los Angeles and San Francisco said this is another success story for the promotions efforts of premium food products in the US market as a result of the partnership

between government and the private sector.

“We are very happy and proud to have another premium product from the Philippines enter this market,” Dinsay said. “The Philippine Trade and I nvestment Centers as par t of our mandate will continue to support companies like Malagos in promoting their products all over the world”.

Featuring 110 exhibitors, the Nor thwest Chocolate Festival is known to be among the top shows for artisan chocolates in the world today with around 12,000 visitors. Malagos Premium Chocolates, a multi-awarded Philippine chocolate from Davao, was introduced not only to choco-loving consumers but to traditional and artisan chocolatiers, chefs and baristas present at the show.

Malagos Agri-Ventures’ participation at the NW Chocolate Festival was supported by the DTI’s Export Marketing Bureau. Prior to this, assistance from the

DTI regional office in Davao was also recognized by Malagos.

The Malagos brand is also expected to be introduced by Ampac International Inc., its importer in the United States, to Uni-Mart Niles in Niles, Illinois and Uni-Mart Hoffman in Hoffman Estates.

Rex Puentispina, sales and marketing head of Malagos Agri-Venture, said joining the festival validates his belief that their chocolates can match the quality and taste of US and other international brands. “ We have received a lot of good feedback from chocolate lovers visiting our booth,” said Puentispina. “There were even some who say that this is one of the best they have ever tasted.”

I n 2 0 1 5 at t h e I nte r n at i o n a l Chocolate Awards, Malagos 65-percent Dark Chocolate was named one of world’s best drinking chocolates. In the same year, it won at the Academy of Chocolate Awards when its 100-percent Unsweetened Chocolate won the

Bronze Award for Best Unflavored Drinking Chocolate.

In 2016, its Premium 100-percent Unsweetened Chocolate won the silver at the Drinking Chocolate competition of the Academy of Chocolate’s Eighth Golden Bean Awards in London. It also won this year a blind-taste competition when its Unsweetened Chocolate earned two of the maximum three stars awarded by Great Taste, the world’s most prestigious food accreditation body.

The company continues to invest in equipment and technology, producing its premium, single-origin chocolate products such as Malagos 100-percent Pure Unsweetened Chocolate, Malagos Roasted Cocoa Nibs, Malagos 65-percent Dark Chocolate, Malagos 72-percent Dark Chocolate and Malagos 85-percent Dark Chocolate.

With its expansion in the United States, Malagos is expected to generate more jobs for Filipinos back in the Philippines.

Trade and Investment Center-Los Angeles and San Francisco trade representative Jojie Dinsay (left) with Rex Puentispina of Malagos Agri-Ventures at the NorthWest Chocolate Festival.

Business

C2

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2016 business@thestandard.com.ph

FILIPINO SPACE SCIENTISTS THE Philippines has the capability to become the hub of space technology and space applications in Southeast Asia where engineers, scientists and industry stakeholders around the region can converge, instead of the country sending its professionals abroad to learn and be trained.

This was stated by astrophysicist Dr. Rogel Mari Sese in an interview during a press conference for the 23rd Session of the Asia-Pacific Regional Space Agency Forum at the Sofitel Philippines Plaza Manila.

Sese is the focal person for the Philippine Space Science Education Program of the Department of Science and Technology-Science Education Institute.

“These are the areas where we would like to have an impact thru space technologies: national security and development, hazard management and climate studies, space industry and capacity building, and education,” Science Secretary Fortunato de la Peña said.

He said the government earmarked P1 billion for space technology from 2017 to 2018, after which the yearly allocation would be around P2 billion.

M e a nw h i l e, t h e g ove r n m e n t invested around P840 million prior to the launching of Diwata 1 – the first microsatellite designed and built by Filipinos, and deployed into orbit from the International Space Station on April 27, 2016.

“The initial strategy is to send our scholars abroad,” de la Peña said. “ The best strategy is to institute some academic programs here in the Philippines and that might involve the invitation of some foreign experts to help us initialize some of these programs. But eventually, we hope that we will be able to train our own.”

“We’re looking toward building our own space industry,” said Sese. “We are a little bit behind. But if we do things right, we can take the lead in the Southeast Asian region.”

Sese, a member of the APRSAF Space Environment Utilization Working Group, claimed that having a space industry in the Philippines will translate into jobs not only for astrophysicists, engineers and others directly involved with the space industry, but also for support personnel.

“It had been stated that we need around 800 aerospace engineers and scientists in the next 10 years. Studies have shown that for every one person that is directly involved in the space field, there are four other people who serve as support personnel,” Sese said.

Wi t h a l o c a l s p a c e i n d u s t r y generating a lot of jobs, the brain drain that currently characterizes local manpower will hopefully be put to a halt.

“The Philippines is pursuing this space technology development because we are also asking our lawmakers to have a bill approved for the creation of a Philippine space agency and a national space development program for the next ten years,” said APRSAF co-chair and Science undersecretary Rowena Cristina Guevara. “I assure you space technology is very useful for this country.”

Del Monte’s pineapple plantation

GE TURNS DEL MONTE’S

WASTES INTO GREEN ENERGY

By Alena Mae S. Flores

C

AGAYAN de Oro City—Fruit producer Del Monte Philippines Inc. is now able to save 25 percent of its annual power costs, thanks to a waste-to-energy project developed by GE. Del Monte’s 2.8-megawatt waste-to-energy project is powered by GE’s Jenbacher gas engines and located at its cannery operations.

Wastewater from the pineapple cannery operations of Del Monte’s 23,000-hectare pineapple plantation in nearby Manolo Fortich, Bukidnon contains organic material.

The wastewater is gathered and treated in an anaerobic wastewater treatment plant, which turns the biowaste into biogas to fuel two of GE’s Jenbacher J420 gas engines installed at the cannery’s on-site power plant.

“As our demands for reliable and secure electricity continue to grow, we considered ways to generate on-site power that would fit into the region’s strategy to reduce the carbon footprint in the Philippines while also supporting our growing investment and employment in the country,” says Francisco Molas, Del Monte Philippines’ head for Mindanao operations.

“The anaerobic treatment is an excellent alternative to existing aerobic systems. We can turn our biowaste into biogas to produce on-site power and heat for the cannery,” he says.

The combined heat and power plant generates close to 2.8 MW while the company’s demand is about 8 MW. It powers the operations of the Del Monte cannery and the plant, and it uses the excess heat to power the boiler.

These energy solutions enable Del Monte to realize substantial savings of 25 percent in current annual electricity needs and 9 percent of its annual energy requirement for fuel, thereby lowering production costs and overall waste and carbon emissions. Del Monte spends about P20 million for its electricity bills monthly.

The company sources power from electric cooperatives at P6.50 per kilowatt-hour, higher than P4.23 per kWh from the waste-to-energy facility.

The company also successfully reduced its reliance on the national grid, thus freeing up power for local communities and contributing more to the development of the local economy.

The waste-to-energy project also supports the government’s initiatives under the Renewable Energy Act and Clean Air Act. “As the needs for reliable and secure on-site power and electricity are rising, and the world continues to experience the impacts of climate change, the ability to meet multiple needs through one solution is increasingly important. By generating electricity and heat simultaneously through GE’s Jenbacher gas engine technology, this CHP project could achieve overall efficiency of more than 82 percent with no additional fuel consumption,” says Daniel Icasiano, general manager for Asia Pacific sales and commercial operations of GE’s Distributed Power.

“The CHP technology of our Jenbacher gas engines produces power used as electricity for the plant and, at the same time, recovers heat from exhaust for use in heating the boiler,” he says.

Desco Inc.—GE’s authorized distributor and service provider for Jenbacher gas engines in the Philippines—is providing a full power plant engineering solution including the installation of the two Jenbacher J420 gas engines, balance of plant, engineering support and the overall maintenance of the units.

Del Monte manages the world’s largest fully integrated pineapple operations with a 23,000 hectare pineapple plantation in Bukidnon and cannery in Cagayan de Oro which processes 600,000 to 700,000 metric tons of pineapple a year.

Del Monte targets to increase the cannery’s annual capacity to 800,000 to 850,000 metric tons.

“We want to double our business in the next five years,” Del Monte

Inside Del Monte’s cannery plant

GE’s Jenbacher J420 gas engines installed at the cannery’s on-site power plant Philippines manufacturing director Alan Zalcedo says, adding that the company hopes to reach $1 billion in revenues from $350 million at present.

Del Monte is looking at adding two gas unit engines for the waste-toenergy project to support its planned expansion program.

“Apart from delivery and installation of the Jenbacher engines, GE’s multiyear agreement with Del Monte also includes technical consultation, equipment such as an activated carbon filter and exhaust gas heat exchanger, startup and commissioning of the engines as well as training,” says Joycelyn Yeo, regional sales leader of GE’s Distributed Power.

The CHP plant at Del Monte Philippines has been continuously providing power and heat to the cannery since its startup in 2015, with an average of 6,000 operating hours a year.

GE’s Distributed Power is a leading provider of engines, power equipment and services focused on power generation and gas compression at or near the point of use.

Distributed Power offers a diverse product portfolio that includes highly efficient, fuel-flexible, industrial gas engines generating 200 kW to 10 MW each of power for numerous industries globally.

WHIRLPOOL CELEBRATES 105 YEARS

Exatech president and chief executive Nixon Sioco

WHIRLPOOL Corp. is marking its 105th anniversary this year, commemorating its world-renowned legacy and excellence in the home appliance business.

An afternoon of thanksgiving and celebration was recently held at the ballroom of Luxent Hotel in Quezon City wherein Whirlpool took the opportunity to thank and give back to the people who have supported and trusted the brand for the past 105 years.

“As we mark another milestone for Whirlpool, we are reminded of its long-standing heritage and excellence in the home appliance industry,” said Blanco Wong, managing director of Whirlpool Southeast Asia.

“It’s a fitting tribute to the core principles of integrity and perseverance set by Whirlpool’s Lou Upton, Emory Upton and Lowell Bassford when they introduced the first electric wringer washing machine in Nov. 11, 1911. But while Whirlpool has a proud history, this is really about looking forward to the coming years and how the company will continue to improve home and family life for future generations.”

Even before coming to the Philippines in 1992, Whirlpool has become among the very few brands Filipinos trust. It has been Whirlpool’s passion to make home life better, which drove them to constantly

develop innovative home appliances worldwide.

Whirlpool Philippines kicked off the global company’s 105th anniversary with the unveiling of cutting-edge features on its world-class appliances that will introduce Filipinos to a whole new level of innovation and energy efficiency.

“At Whirlpool, we try to never lose sight of what performance means and how it should be delivered.

Our home appliances possessadvanced technology which are intelligent, intuitive and innovative,” said Joy Catiis-Cruz, marketing manager of Whirlpool Philippines. “The Whirlpool brand symbolizes what drives and inspires us to be consistent with what we do best--making home appliances with innovative technology that give our consumers better than expected results in everyday life at home.”

One of the products introduced is the IntelliFresh Refrigerator. Equipped with the exclusive TriSensor Technology, it guarantees to give you maximum energy savings that is better than inverter refrigerators. Whirlpool’s IntelliSense Technology has sensors that detect both internal and ambient temperatures so cooling is adjusted to achieve optimum cooling performance and ensures 70 percent faster ice-making.

Aside from refrigerators, Whirlpool has always been

a trusted brand for its line of washers, and their latest product offering, the 360o Bloom Wash is something worth watching out for. Promising to deliver “the most advanced washing technology”, it boasts of the 3600 Tumble Motion feature, which ensures complete soil removal. It also features an Anti-Allergy and Bacteria Cycle which utilizes Catalytic Soak, a hot concentrated soak that offers 99.9% germ protection.

Whirlpool appliances is exclusively distributed here in the country by Exatech. According to its president, Nixon Sioco, “True to our name, our company, Excellence Appliance Technologies, Inc., is founded on excellence in appliance retailing and customer service. Whirlpool is instrumental in helping us build on this foundation of excellence and this year signals exciting opportunities for us to widen and strengthen Whirlpool’s presence here in the Philippines. More than ever, we are confident in building a stronger, longer relationship with our loyal customers while strengthening our efforts to attract new ones.”

As the celebration drew to a close, Whirlpool and Exatech vowed to do more than just provide great products, but to also continuously create innovative solutions that will make life a little easier for families all over the world.

Sports

C3

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2016 reuelvidal@yahoo.com

PH KITE BOARDING HOPES TO PRODUCE MEDALS

By Peter Paul Duran

KYLIE VERSOZA (Star)

KIM DOMINGO (Barangay Ginebra)

BEVY OF PBA BEAUTIES OUT TO HOG SPOTLIGHT

DIANA MENESES (Blackwater)

VALEEN MONTENEGRO (Globalport)

JUSTINE MAE SAN JOSE (Rain or Shine)

ELISSE JOSON (Phoenix)

ANGELICA ALITA (TNT)

YASSI PRESSMAN (San Miguel)

By Jeric Lopez

T

ODAY marks a new beginning as the 42nd season of the Philippine Basketball Association formally opens.

A new breed of talent as well as teams raring for a solid campaign are set to show the stuff they are made of.

But before the slam-bang action on the court, a bevy of beauties is bound to captivate basketball fans with their charm.

Leading the list of head-turners are Star’s muse Bb. Pilipinas International Kylie Versoza, who was recently crowned Miss International 2016, and Barangay Ginebra’s Kim Domingo, a rising GMA-7 sexy star, who is a mainstay of comedy show Bubble Gang; and young star Yassi Pressman, the muse of the defending champion San Miguel Beermen.

Other muses out to capture the ordinary PBA fan’s fancy are Ciarra Bachmann of Alaska; Diana Meneses and Janelle Olafson of Blackwater; Globalport’ Valeen Montenegro; Mahindra’s Sophia Rankin (Miss

Global England 2015); of rookie big man Arnold Games Today Meralco’s Maxine Media Van Opstal.

(Smart Araneta Coliseum) Bb. Pilipinas Universe; Three-time reigning 4 p.m. Opening Ceremonies NLEX’s Margo MidwinMost Valuable Player June 6:30 p.m. San Miguel vs. Star ter (model/actress); Mar Fajardo, Arwind SanPhoenix Petroleum’s tos, Alex Cabagnot, MarElisse Joson and Sofia cio Lassiter and Chris Ross Andres; Rain or Shine’s Justine Mae San will once again lead the pack for San Miguel.

Jose (Mutya ng Pilipinas Miss Tourism InOn the contrary, Star is facing a brandternational); and TNT’s Angelica Alita (Bb. new day after undergoing a major rebuildPilipinas 1st Runner Up. ing process in the off-season.

Meanwhile, powerhouse teams test The Hotshots will no longer have their longeach other’s mettle as defending champi- time face of the franchise in James Yap after on San Miguel Beer takes on retooled Star they dealt him away. at 6:30 p.m. in the initial game of the seaInstead, Paul Lee will now take his place and son-opening Philippine Cup at the Smart is expected to likewise be a cornerstone of the Araneta Coliseum. team moving forward.

Prior to the formal start of hostilities, the Also, Star now has a new coach in Chito traditional opening ceremonies are to be held Victolero, who took over from Jason Webb in first at 4 p.m. the off-season.

The defending champion Beermen are conIn addition, the debut of touted rookie Jio sidered by many as the favorites to win it all.

Jalalon is also highly anticipated.

“Again, many consider us as the team to Star dealt away Garcia and Alex Mallari to beat and we’re getting used to that so we need make room for Jalalon and see how he can imto take the challenge again,” said San Miguel pact the team. coach Leo Austria.

Despite the changes, other usual suspects San Miguel Beer has kept its championship of Star like Peter June Simon, Marc Pingris, core intact and became even deeper with the Mark Barroca, Allein Maliksi and Ian Sangalang addition of prolific guard RR Garcia and entry are still all in tow.

THE Philippine Kiteboarding Association Tour is all set for its 4th season later this month, and with the crop of young prospects, organizers are optimistic that the tour will produce the country’s next Olympic medallist.

“This competition will be a perfect staging ground in discovering fresh new talents,” said PKA President Jay Ortiz during the launch of the tour in partnership, with the International Container Terminal Services Inc., at the Mango Tree in BGC. The exec’s comment comes after the recent announcement that kiteboarding will be included in the 2018 Youth Olympic Games and the organizing body is already taking steps for an Olympic gold to come from their sport.

“We have already outlined a two-year program for the 2018 YOG, and we will actually start that in Cuyo Island,” Ortiz said, referring to the first of stop of the tour in Palawan, which will be held Nov. 24 to 26.

The exec also said that they have already sponsored five young athletes, bannered by Boracay-native and Kiteboarding prospect Christian Tio. The PKA is also aimed at “building the next generation of Kiteboarding superstars by developing grassroots program for kids.”

Asked what are the chances for an Olympic gold medal in the Tokyo 2020, Ortiz bared that it could happen, but the tides would have to be favorable.

“If it’s going to be announced as a twin tip race, then we have a fighting chance because our athletes are very much experienced in that discipline,” he explained.

“But that’s still four years from now, and a lot of things could happen,” he added, noting that they are focused on training the young athletes at the meantime for the YOG. The PKA is sponsoring the expenses of the young athletes for the duration of the 4-stop tour.

After Cuyo Island, the next stops will be in Bantayan Island, Cebu (Jan. 13 to 15, 2017) and Boracay Island (Feb. 3 to 5), before capping it off in Cagbalete Island, Quezon on March 3 to 5, of which the airfare of the youth will be sponsored by Air Juan.

The 2016-2017 PKA season will also feature three different fields; Race, Freestyle and Hangtime, which are sub-classified to Men’s, Women’s and Masters’ Class with the inclusion of the Novice and Kids category.

According to the organizers, the tour could entice more than 160 participants across 20 countries.

A total of $40,000 in cash prizes will be given away throughout the 4th season of the PKT, sponsored by Cabrinha, Greenyard Boracay, Cobra Energy Drink and Brew Kettle Beer.

FOLAYANG...

From C4

China has a humongous population of 1.4 billion. A second tier city in China, and there are dozens, has a population of 10 million which is much more than enough to sustain the holding of regular live events.

Martial Arts have deep, deep roots in Asia which has been its home for 5,000 years. Asia is a continent of warriors. It is also home to more than half the 7.4 billion people on earth. On sheer potential alone the possibilities for ONE Championship are limitless.

There are 4.1 billion people in Asia.

There is a long, long avenue for growth ahead of ONE Championship which Chatri has always seen to become Asia’s first multibillion dollar sports media property.

The next step for ONE Championship will be to hold live events every weekend all across Asia within the next three to five years. The plan is to increase the number of events to 52 per year. Sort of Friday Fight Night. By this time ONE Championship will be embraced by Asia and already woven into the fabric of society and daily life according to Chatri.

All this becomes possible with the ascendance of Asian heroes like Folayang.

C4

Sports

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2016 Riera U. Mallari, Editor / Reuel Vidal, Issue Editor sports_mstandard@yahoo.com

NUVALI DIRT WINNERS QUALIFY TO GERMANY

ONE Championship lightweight world champion Eduard Folayang raises both hands in triumph after wresting the title from Shinya Aoki during the ONE Championship: Defending Honor at the Singapore Indoor Stadium last weekend. ONE Championship

FOLAYANG COULD BE ASIAN GLOBAL ICON

THE top 40 finishers of the Cross Country Marathon World Series qualifying race will be eligible to join next year’s world championship race in Germany.

The event was held at Nuvali’s Dirt Weekend bike festival, its eighth installment which gathered more than 1,500 cyclists representing different provinces and countries around the world, including Japan and Portugal.

In the men’s division, Japanese rider Motoshi Kadota won the race, finishing the 90-kilometer course in 4:06:17.87. In second place was Alvin Benosa of Team BMC Philippines with a time of 4:09:13.92, and in third was Eusebio Quinones, also from the Philippines, with 4:11:05.79.

Ariana Dormitorio finished first among women riders with 5:12:12, followed by Melissa Jaroda with 5:16:45 in second place, and Avegail Rombaon with 5:19:45 in third. All three riders are from the Philippines.

Nuvali partnered for the second consecutive year with the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI), the international governing body on sports cycling events, to host this year’s Asian qualifying leg of the 2017 Cross Country Marathon World Championship. The top 40 riders scored points for their UCI Mountain Bike (MTB) Marathon Series ranking.

By Reuel Vidal

I

T didn’t matter if you were Singaporean, Filipino, Malaysian or any other nationality.

Twelve thousand fans inside the Singapore Stadium just stood up as one and applauded lustily when Eduard Folayang’s arms were raised in triumph after his archetypal victory over mixed martial arts legend Shinya Aoki at the One Championship Defending Honor held at the Singapore Indoor Stadium last weekend.

Folayang scored the crushing victory early in the third round after barely surviving Aoki’s takedowns and submission attempts during the first two rounds.

As the third started Aoki swallowed a flying knee while lunging forward to attempt another takedown. He grabbed Folayang instinctively but the Filipino fighter pushed him aside.

Folayang pinned Aoki to the cage and delivered another vicious knee.

Aoki turned his back and assumed a fetal position while Folayang rained down vicious blows to the side of his head which forced Referee Yuji Shi-

mada to halt the bout.

It was a spectacular finish to a high-profile bout that drew the interest of millions across Asia.

ONE Championship chairman and founder Chatri Sityodtong believes Folayang could be the next Asian global icon who will follow in the footsteps of Manny Pacquiao.

Chatri said ONE championship fighters like Folayang are different from their western counterparts.

Connor McGregor and Floyd Mayweather are great draws in the American and European stage but Asians simply do not identify with their

ONE Championship lightweight world champion Eduard Folayang (right) kicks Shinya Aoki during their championship bout at ONE Championship: Defending Honor held at the Singapore Indoor Stadium last weekend. ONE Championship

Ariana Dormitorio (left) celebrates her victory with a stuffed toy and a bottle of champagne. Beside her are second placer Melissa Jaroda (left) and third placer Avegail Rombaon.

ONE Championship chairman and founder Chatri Sityodtong talks to reporters during a media scrum before the start of the ONE Championship: Defending Honor at the Singapore Indoor Stadium last weekend.

belligerent, boorish behavior.

Asian heroes are fighters like the humble, self-effacing Pacquiao and yes Folayang.

“If you look at Asia the reason we love Manny Pacquiao is because he’s a monster in the ring.

Beautiful.

B u t outside he’s humble. He’s kind. He’s gentle. This is the Asian hero. It’s a very different approach than the western counterpart,” said Chatri.

Asian fighters from South Korea, Japan, the Philippines, Mongolia and Thailand have already won ONE Championship titles.

ONE Championship has local relevance and global appeal because Asians genuinely are the best martial artists on the planet.

People simply love to root for heroes who remind them of themselves. Historically, Asians have never had many heroes on the global stage, except for Pacquiao and a few others. ONE Championship is changing that. It is creating

and building Asian heroes that the entire continent can rally behind according to Chatri in a report.

The National Basketball Association is the global basketball organization because of its heroes like Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant and now Lebron James. The UFC is the most successful fight promotion in Europe and America because of its heroes like Chuck Liddel, Ronda Rousey and now McGregor.

ONE Championship will enjoy a similar explosive growth into global relevance if they have their own heroes like Folayang.

ONE Championship live events are broadcast over one billion homes in more than 70 countries.

Events are held in Singapore, the Philippines, Myanmar, Indonesia, Malaysia, Dubai and China. The fighters come from all over the world. From Europe, the United States, Brazil, Japan, and Southeast and Central Asia.

According to Chatri ONE Championship has not even begun to scratch the surface of the opportunities in Asia.

Turn to C3

“We are excited to be back here in Nuvali for Dirt Weekend. This year, we took the competition up a notch with new and longer routes at 90Km from 70Km last year, designed to challenge the local and international cycling community with a noteworthy qualifying race,” said Geoff Kronenburg, UCI Technical Delegate.

Nuvali is an Ayala Land sustainable estate that sits in the cities of Sta. Rosa, Calamba and Cabuyao in Laguna and features a diverse mix of residential and commercial developments.

“Nuvali is known as a popular destination for mountain bikers with its natural trails and dedicated lanes that encourage biking as a sport and a mode of transportation. We continuously aim to take this a step further and serve as venue for world-class competitions in order to recognize local talents as well as give our athletes a chance to compete globally,” said John Estacio, Nuvali General Manager.

Dirt Weekend also featured its signature yearly event, the 35-kilometer Dirt Weekend Cross Country Fun Race, which had over a thousand participants, ranging in age from 15 years old up to 50 years old and above in the Masters Category.

“Dirt Weekend is just one of our outdoor adventure activities that we hold to promote an active and healthy lifestyle. Along with the readiness of our trails and the willingness of people to participate, further boosts the presence of the Philippines in the global map of competitive mountain biking. ” said Estacio.

To get to Nuvali, private vehicles can pass through Mamplasan, Sta. Rosa, Eton-Greenfield, Silangan, or Canlubang exit along South Luzon Expressway (SLEX). Public transportation to Nuvali is available from major jump-offs such as Makati, Bonifacio Global City, and Balibago.

D1

LGUs

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2016 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Scan this icon to view the PDF

Women learn how to make bags and other accessories from strands of cornhusks at a livelihood seminar in this file photo. Residents of Santa Barbara in Pangasinan are learning to do the same, making corn husking a viable third livelihood source after rice planting and mango farming, as another local shows (inset).

STA. BARBARA GIVES WAY TO CORN HUSKING WORK

By Honor Blanco Cabie

S

anta Barbara, Pangasinan—This first-class farming town in the heart of Pangasinan does not have just rice and mangoes as economic gears for its residents: it has slowly become deeply involved in basic cornhusk transformation.

A great part of Santa Barbara, 170 kilometers from Manila, is fast getting urbanized, but the main economic activity remains farming.

Rice remains the town’s main crop with 6,662 hectares, or close to all its total tillable lands devoted to rice farming, followed by mango, of which the town is famous for as the home of age-old Philippine mango seedling nurseries— the two are the only crops raised in all its 29 barangays.

The third most important crop is a variety of vegetables, followed by corn. Legumes and root crops are grown in small quantities.

Their livestock include several head of cattle, water buffaloes or carabaos, hogs, goats and dogs. They also raise native chickens for their food and some poultry farms commercially produce chicken layers and broilers.

In recent months, the Agricultural Training InstituteRegional Training Center 1 conducted the Training on

Enterprise Development: Basic Corn Husk Transformation at the ATI-RTC 1I in Barangay Tebag here.

The training, in support of livelihood projects, included technical and financial assistance for the RBOs or ruralbased organizations.

The participants, who included 4-H club members and their coordinators, came from the upland town of Salcedo in Ilocos Sur, the river side town of Sudipen in La Union, as well as from Manaoag, San Carlos City, this town, and Mangaldan in Pangasinan.

Sources say the training covered an overview of the course followed by the actual application on sorting, coloring, dying and drying of cornhusks.

Various flower designs or arrangements using cornhusks were taught to the participants, with emphasis on quality finished products, according to the sources.

There were also hands-on demonstrations on how to make different corsages. Other handicrafts made by the participants were Christmas decors, ropes, mobile phone holders, and bags.

Sources quoted Jocelyn Ong-Perez, owner and manager of Crafter’s Joy Cornhusk Products, as raising words of encouragement in her message to the participants.

Perez, of Basista town, not far from here, said cornhusk is a promising enterprise.

But what is corn husking?

This is the process of removing the inner layers, leaving only the cob or seed rack of the corn.

Dehulling, as a separate process, is removing the hulls (or chaff) from beans and other seeds. This is sometimes done using a machine known as a huller.

In Third World countries like the Philippines, husking and dehulling are still often done by hand using a large mortar and pestle. These are usually made of wood, and operated by one or more people.

The husk is biodegradable and may be composted.

Sources have quoted Perez as saying: “At first no one knows how to make it, but everything could be learned through training and practice to improve the quality of the product. And you must love what you’re doing.”

ILLEGAL CHARCOAL KILNS IN SAMAR BUSTED CATBALOGAN CITY, Samar—Members of the Catbalogan Community Environment and Natural Resources Office team recently destroyed charcoal kilns in the towns of Villareal and Sta. Margarita.

CENRO officer Mar Torres said more than 45 charcoal kilns called “bulkan” in Villareal and “pugon” in Sta. Margarita were illegal, as they use mangrove wood for making charcoal.

The “pugon” in Sta. Margarita can

produce more than 30 bags in a single operation, Torres added. The charcoal is then shipped to Calbayog, Tacloban and this city, where demand is higher.

CENRO have identified the owners and are preparing charges for violation of environmental laws.

In Villareal, children in first grade are already experts in making “bulkan” that can produce at least two bags of charcoal, said a CENRO employee who

requested anonymity, saying he was not authorized to comment on the issue.

Provincial Environment Officer Elpedio Simon said an alternative job for these charcoal makers is planting trees under the National Greening Program, which has a P20-million budget to reforest the same areas like where the kilns were being operated.

“There are people’s organization here under contract with DENR for

NGP, yet it is sad that they are still doing this,” Simon said.

He also urged the coastal barangays to refrain from destroying the very mangroves that will protect them once calamities occur.

Mangroves are part of “the most diverse ecosystem” as fish, crabs and other marine life spawn in them, he added.

“It is absolutely illegal to cut mangrove species,” stressed Simon.

PIA

Local Gov’t Units

TESDA LENDS HAND TO 19 ‘REFORMISTS’ IN LA UNION SAN GABRIEL, La Union – In line with the government’s massive campaign against illegal drugs, the Technical Education and Skills Development AuthorityLa Union provided skills training for livelihood to 19 drug surrenderees here.

Marissa T. Alcantara, provincial director of Tesda-La Union, said the activity realizes what Tesda Director General Guiling Mamondiong’s about supporting the war on drugs by offering the drug surrenderees or “reformists” with skills training that would prevent them from returning to their illicit ways.

Through the Skills Training for Employment Program (STEP) facilitated by Tesda, the beneficiaries gained a 26-day training program on Shielded Metal Arc Welding and entrepreneurship training to let them fully utilize what they have learned for their livelihood.

“The program is an opportunity for indigent beneficiaries implemented at the barangays, communities to empower them to become employable and productive,” Alcantara said.

The graduates also received tool kits such as a portable welding machine with paraphernalia, a training allowance of P60 per day, and certificates of training.

“Based on the assessment conducted, the reformist are already qualified to apply for their national competency certificate for said skills,” Alcantara said.

As a commitment of the local government of San Gabriel, the Tesda graduates shall be tapped in all the municipal projects that require their learned skills. PIA

BARANGAY CAPTAINS NABBED BAYAMBANG, Pangasinan—Six barangay captains, a barangay councilman, a former municipal councilor and an accomplice— all tagged as high-value drug targets—were arrested following a law enforcement sweep here.

Joint forces of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency Region 1, the Philippine National Police and the Philippine Army arrested barangay captains Eduardo Alcantara, of Barangay Beleng; Roderick Casingal of Barangay Iton; Remato Soriano of Barangay Tamaro; George Balbin of Barangay Nalsian Sur; and Gildo Madriano, of Barangay San Gabriel.

Gerardo de Vera, a former municipal councilor of Barangay Zone 1, and Jose Sandy Gavino, a resident of Barangay Tamaro, were also arrested.

The joint police-military force found 20 plastic sachets containing suspected shabu weighing about 40 grams with an estimated street value of P120,000, two airsoft rifles, a Glock caliber .40 pistol, and a 9mm pistol with pieces of ammunition and several drug paraphernalia after searching the suspects’ homes.

From January to October this year, 11 barangay chairmen and 40 barangay kagawads, or 51 barangay officials nationwide, were arrested for violating the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act, PDEA-RO1 said.

In 2015, 65 barangay officials were arrested for drug-related offenses, an 18.8 percent increase compared to 2014 when 55 village leaders were arrested. Dexter A. See

LGUs

D2

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2016 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

DTI LAUDS WINNING LGUS IN CMCI LIST BAGUIO CITY—The Department of Trade and Industry, in partnership with the National Competitiveness Council, recognized the local government units in the Cordillera region that performed well in the 2016 NCC Cities and Municipalities Competitiveness Index in an awarding ceremony at Albergo Hotel here.

DTI Cordillera Regional Director Myrna Pablo, assisted by Philippine Chamber of Commerce Inc.–CAR Governor Johnny dela Cruz and Philippine Statistics Authority Regional Director Villafe Alibuyog, spearheaded the awarding of certificate of participation to all 56 LGUs that entered the 2016 CMCI. Plaques of recognition were also awarded to the top three ranking LGUs in every category.

For the provincial level, Benguet bagged the most competitive LGU award, ranking 21st out of the 68th provinces nationwide that entered the CMCI. Kalinga (25th) and Ifugao (35th) were second and third, respectively.

For the 1st to 2nd class municipalities category, top in CAR is municipality of La Trinidad, Benguet, which ranked 14th out of 490 LGUs nationwide. It was followed by Tuba, Benguet at 118th and Bontoc, Mountain Province at 147th.

For 3rd to 6th class municipalities, Tublay in Benguet bagged the top plum after being ranked 20th out of 755 LGUs nationwide, followed by Buguias, Benguet (23rd) and Lamut, Ifugao (24th).

Baguio City was awarded plaque of recognition for ranking 14th out of the 34 highly urbanized cities that joined the ranking, the same with the city of Tabuk in Kalinga that ranked 76th among the 110 component cities in the 2016 CMCI. Certificates were also awarded to the best performing LGUs in each of the CMCI pillars, namely infrastructure, economic dynamism and government efficiency.

Pablo stressed the importance of LGUs entering the Index, as it is a basis for businessmen and investors to place their trust in the localities. PIA

Senator Richard Gordon, as chairman of the Philippine Red Cross, hands a certificate of occupancy to a resident of Daanbantayan, Cebu, as the organization marked the third anniversary of Typhoon ‘Yolanda’ (Haiyan) last November 12 in Bogo, Cebu.

CEBU TOWN GETS NEW HOMES FROM PRC

B

ogo City—The Philippine Red Cross highlighted volunteerism and Typhoon Haiyan Operation completed projects as PRC Chairman and Senator Richard Gordon led the turnover of projects and the oathtaking of Red Cross 143 volunteers in this city in Cebu.

As part of the completion of projects in the municipality of Daanbantayan, Cebu under Typhoon Haiyan Operation, 901 families received the certificates of occupancy of their new homes, and nine schools were provided with water and sanitation facilities.

“This day is a celebration of life, a celebration of new beginnings, new hope, and chances for the people of Daanbantayan,” said Gordon. “The result would not have been possible without the untiring help of our

valued partners, the Japanese Red Cross who assisted and provided support since day one.”

In partnership with the Japanese Red Cross Society, PRC provided shelter, livelihood, water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) and health facilities in barangays Bateria, Bitoon, Calape, Lanao, Malingin, Maya and Poblacion of Daanbantayan, as part of the beneficiary programs for Typhoon “Yolanda” survivors.

The ceremony also highlighted the accomplishments of the PRC

and other partners in the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement through the Typhoon Haiyan Operation, in commemoration of the third anniversary of Typhoon “Yolanda” last November 3.

In its three-year progress report on Typhoon Haiyan, the PRC said it was guided by a coordinated approach as the whole Red Cross framework supported thousands of households across different provinces affected by the strongest typhoon to make landfall in country’s recorded history.

“The emergency relief operation was launched immediately to provide assistance to the people affected across the Central Visayas region” that includes Cebu, the report added. “Food, water, clothes and emergency shelter materials were dispatched and more than

8,000 volunteers were mobilized.”

To support recovery efforts of the affected people, Red Cross partners contributed to the operational plan of the PRC. “Coordination was maintained to ensure efficient and effective utilization of resources, and to reach the affected communities with quality service and appropriate assistance.”

The recovery of households “entailed support for shelter repair and reconstruction, recovery of livelihoods and income generation activities, construction of water and sanitation facilities, rehabilitation of health infrastructure and health promotion initiatives, and improved educational facilities.”

Awareness raising sessions were also carried out with the communities to improve their knowledge of disaster preparedness, the report added.

CADETS OF PMA SALUTE PHILEX WAY OF MINING

GADGETS FOR ORMOC. Ormoc city and education officials led by Mayor Richard Gomez (fifth

from right) accept the TechnoCart donation of Smart, represented by public affairs senior manager Atty. Jane Paredes (second from right), and Makati teenager Gaby Aldaba (fourth from right), who had raised P100,000 to help Salvacion Elementary School gain digital learning tools.

‘VAWC’ CASES RISE IN CORDILLERA BAGUIO CITY—About 1,065 cases of violence against women and children (VAWC) have been recorded from January to September this year, the Regional Council for the Welfare of Children (RCWC) in the Cordillera has revealed.

Florita Paragas, RCWC regional coordinator, said numerous VAWC cases go unreported, especially in the remote villages of the region, thus the number of cases could be larger than what has been recorded in the different social welfare and development offices.

“We are more concerned about the unreported cases, especially among the elite and those in the rural areas. We have to increase the awareness of our people to the importance of reporting VAWC cases to the concerned authorities so that appropriate interventions could be done to the parties,” Paragas stressed.

The Regional Inter-Agency Committee Against Trafficking and Violence Against Women and their Children obtained the data from the Department of Social Welfare and Development, Commission on Human Rights, Department of Health, Department of Justice, National Bureau of Investigation, Save Our Women, and the Police Regional Office-Cordillera, among other organizations.

Paragas said most of the reported VAWC cases are domestic violence and trafficking. Child abuse cases are also on the rise because of the information and education campaign being waged by some agencies for these vulnerable sectors, she added.

She called on the public to help the authorities in probing VAWC cases that happen in their places by reporting to the police or the social welfare offices, so that abused

women and children could be spared from imminent danger.

Children who are exposed to violence at an early age have the tendency to commit violence once they become older, Paragas warned, and that such incidents could be graver compared to what they have experienced.

She said it is difficult to monitor VAWC cases in rural areas because the concerned parties end up settling the case before it is brought to the authorities, considering the negative effect of these cases to the close ties among families in these places.

Paragas admitted that abused women and children belonging to elite families also seek assistance from concerned agencies not in the places where the abuses were committed but in other places where they are not known, to preserve the reputation of their families. Dexter A. See

TUBA, Benguet—Convinced that Philex Mining Corp. has played its part well in community development, economic progress and environmental protection, some 200 cadets and personnel from the Philippine Military Academy endorsed the company’s commitment to responsible mining during a recent visit to the mine camp.

“I now have a different outlook of mining, as I learned a lot after talking to some residents here and seeing a sustainable community built by Philex Mining,” Aurelio Torres, 21, a representative from the visitors’ Army group dubbed “Echo,” said.

Whereas before he had relied on anti-mining activists for his views on the industry, Torres said he had witnessed the benefits being derived from responsible mining.

He was one of 158 cadets who came to the mine camp of Philex Mining’s Padcal operations, spending the whole day doing a familiarization tour. They also talked to residents of the host towns of Tuba and Itogon, gave away books to students, and lectured about safety measures during disasters.

Six PMA officers, six faculty members, and 16 security personnel and drivers joined the cadets.

Paul Bronson Ciano, manager of the Padcal mine’s security department and a PMA alumnus himself, said the faculty of the school’s Humanities Department had chosen to visit the Philex operation.

There, the graduating PMA cadets could witness and learn how the gold-and-copper producer built its community and stayed true to its corporate social responsibility, he added.

“We are grateful that you have appreciated the sustainability of this community, as well as shared

your thoughts and learning about responsible mining,” Ciano told the cadets. “We are now one in believing that there really is life in mining.”

Before touring the mine camp and carrying out the rest of their one-day activity, the visitors, headed by Lt. Col. Agnes Linette Flores, paid a courtesy call on Manuel Agcaoili, Philex Mining SVP and Padcal resident manager.

Agcaoili explained to them how Padcal provides free housing, utilities, and health-care services to its employees, as well as the benefits granted to its other stakeholders.

“We also have livelihood programs for the employees and the host communities,” he added.

Nijar Basiri, 23, a cadet belonging to the Air Force group Foxtrot who hails from Jolo, said responsible mining exists, contrary to what many PMA cadets had thought based on the preaching of anti-mining activists.

Basiri and Torres joined the rest of the delegation in turning over a number of books and other reading materials to the Saint Louis High School–Philex branch in Itogon’s Barangay Ampucao.

They also shared with the students and community leaders their knowledge and training on emergency-response management.

“We appreciate the help that you have extended to the community— the social and economic aspects that have improved the lives of the people in your host and neighboring villages,” said Frederick Macalintal, 23, from the Navy group Bravo.

“We must help each other. We encourage the rest of the mining industry to emulate what Philex Mining has been doing as a responsible miner,” Basiri said. Dexter A. See

Gadgets & Games

D3

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2016 rumallari@thestandard.com.ph

VIVO Y55...

OPPO INTRODUCES LIMITED EDITION F1S

From D4

while heavy apps usage doesn’t seem to drain the juice quickly especially considering it has an octacore processor to feed.

The phone can still perform fast even if games and apps are still running on the background, and with the Fun Touch Operating system, you can customize a wide array of things using iThemes. The OS also allows you to put apps in folders and the motion is fluid without lag even with apps in constant running.

The OS also has an out of pocket feature which allows users to simply remove the phone from their pockets and it will automatically turn on thanks to its light sensors which also automatically adjusts brightness when outdoors.

It has a clean interface with attractive icons and swiping from the top to bottom will reveal notifications, while swiping from the bottom will show shortcut keys and recent apps.

The Y55 boasts of a split screen feature, which this writer thinks is a neat addition as users can read messages while watching a video.

Overall performance

From left to right: Simoun Ferrer, GMA artist Center AVP for Talent Imaging and Marketing; Alden Richards, the new face of Selfie Expert; TV5's Chot Reyes; Stephen Cheng, Brand Marketing Manager, Garrick Hung, Operations Manager

O

PPO may have already become the country’s second bestselling smartphone, but the brand remains committed to increasing its market share in Asean’s fastest growing mobile market.

In less than three months since “ This would not have been posthe F1s sold out immedisible without our partnerships, which ately after its debut in helped us achieve our current standAugust, OPPO introing today,” Cheng added. duces a limited edition metallic grey Continuing partnerships variant of its celA long-time partner of ebrated camera the smartphone brand, phone—the F1s e-commerce store LazaLimited. da has just added The F1s Limited the F1s Limited has the same features to its growing of the F1s including its roster of OPPO 16-megapixel front camphones for onera, large F/2.0 aperture, line shoppers. selfie-enhancing Beautify 4.0 Consumer app, and lightning-fast fingerfinance provider print recognition access.

Home Credit has “We are proud that OPPO has also extended its reached big milestones despite being partnership with OPPO relatively new in the Philippine smartto January 2017. Currently, phone market. It shows how Home Credit is offering much our smartphones appeal the F1s at zero percent The F1s Limited has the same to Filipinos, especially among interest at P1,449/month. features of the F1s. those who enjoy taking selfies,” said OPPO Philippines Brand Marketing Manager Title sponsor Stephen Cheng.

During the unveiling of the F1s Limited,

TV5 president Coach Chot Reyes joined OPPO executives to announce that the smartphone brand will be the title sponsor of the Philippine Basketball Association 2017-2018 season.

The upcoming season will air on Sports5, the sports division of the Kapatid network.

This year, OPPO served as the title sponsor of the PBA Governors’ Cup.

Available in prepaid and postpaid

OPPO also announced its new partnership with Smart for both prepaid and postpaid.

Three OPPO handsets, the A37, the Neo7, and the F1, are now bundled with an LTE SIM card with free 100MB for Facebook and games every month, as well as a 1GB monthly data reward for those who get P300 load.

Smart is also offering the F1s through its Giga Plan 999, which comes with a free 50-minute call to all networks, unlimited texts, free YouTube, and 5GB worth of free internet.

The F1s Limited are now available in concept and dealer stores, with the suggested retail price is P12,990.

OPPO is a global electronics and technology service provider that provides customers with the latest and most exquisite electronic devices and mobile Internet service. OPPO delivers customers with the most delightful electronic experience that is full of surprises, through meticulous designs and smart technology. For more information, please visit http://global.oppo.com.

CREATIVITY AT HOME WITH BROTHER BRING the joy of sewing to your homes this holiday season with the machines that will bring out your and your loved ones’ utmost creativity—the Brother Home Sewing Machines loved the world over.

Brother JS-1410 Entry-level Sewing Machine

For starting or rekindling you and your family’s love for sewing, the Brother JS1410 Mechanical Sewing Machine is perfect for you. It is affordable and easy to use with multiple functions.

All the basic features you need are packed in this compact and lightweight model – automatic buttonhole, 14 decorative and quilting built-in stitches, twin needle, top load bobbin, and LED sewing light. Just perfect for basic sewing and mending.

With this machine, one can make fancy pillow cases, trendy cloth bags, sleek blouses, or even a jacket for each family member this holiday. No other present could be more ideal for yourself or your loved ones who have passion for fashion and crafting.

Get the JS1410 at the Brother Sewing Machine Tradein Madness happening at the SM Megamall from Dec. 15 to 21, 2016 to get a 25 to 30 percent trade-in discount from the original SRP of P7,995.

Brother NV-55P Computerized Sewing Machine If you want to take your sewing passion to the next level, the affordable Brother NV55P Computerized Sewing Machine packed with numerous features will be your perfect tool. It has 135 built-in sewing, quilting and decoration stitches, including 10 buttonholes which you can conveniently access from the touchpad. What’s more, the built-in lettering allows you to personalise up to 35 dif-

With the JS1410, you can make fancy pillow cases, trendy cloth bags, sleek blouses, or even a jacket for each family member this holiday

ferent stitch patterns to create labels or monogrammes.

Handy central controls help to make sewing simpler.

Jog dials and electronic touch pads provide finger tip control of stitch functions. Its LCD display allows you to see at a glance information about your stitch – such as the length and width required.

It also has automatic needle threader, quick set bobbin as well as fast winder. Its seven-point feed gives extra teeth that ensure a smooth feeding action and superior stitch quality.

Get the NV-55P at the above-mentioned Trade-in Madness event to get from P2,000 to P3,000 discount

from its original SRP of P24,995.

The NV-980D Computerized Embroidery & Sewing Machine with Disney characters It is equipped with a wide variety of built-in exclusive 40 Disney-themed stitches, 196 embroidery designs, and 129 built-in stitches.

The unit also has an extension table that is perfect for working on large projects, providing ample work space.

The Mickey and Minnie adorned case lets you keep the unit neatly when not in use. Its space-saving design also includes a discreet storage for the power cord.

Other features include LCD touch screen, automatic needle threader and cutter, and super bright LED light.

The NV-980D model (SRP P59,995) is also available at the Trade-in Madness at P3,000 to P5,000 off with traded machines.

The choice of the brand conscious market, Brother Home Sewing Machines are indeed perfect for personal use and as Christmas gifts as well.

Visit brother.com.ph or call (02) 581-9888 for more product information.

If you are looking for a lot more ways to accent your projects, the Brother NV980D Embroidery and Sewing Machine is for you

The main camera can shoot at up to 1080p resolution at 30fps in MP4 format as well as an Ultra HD mode, which Vivo claims can ramp up the advertised 8 megapixels to 32.

The main shooter has the usual modes like HDR, Panorama and night shooting, but it also allows the Pro mode, hyperlapse and slow-motion features.

The front cam comes with brightness compensation and screenflash for the perfect selfie, even in lowlight conditions.

The face beauty feature automatically filters the face to cut out blemishes and enhances somewhat bland facial features.

It also has an array of intuitive options for shutters. The voice shutter lets you capture selfies by saying “cheese”, the gesture shutter captures pics when users hold out their palm and a gender detection feature, which, well, I don’t really know what for.

The display screen can handle HD resolution or 282ppi and the screen is discernible from all angles. The loudspeaker, well, can be loud, but compared to some mediacentric phones, it can pass off as average.

Doing screenshots isn’t as simple as with most phones but the super screenshot shortcut is very much enjoyable to navigate.

You can screenshot more than one page for a long screenshot, while rectangular screenshots lets you select what you only want to capture on the screen. Funny screenshots enable users to edit captured images then and there while the screen recording feature is just awesome that can record up to an hour of activity--perfect for demo videos because the shortcut lets users record voice while recording.

The phone doesn’t have a lot preinstalled apps. There are only a handful of Google apps which you cannot uninstall and other apps include Vivo’s Easy Share wireless file transfer, Facebook, and WPS Office.

There is a 16GB of internal storagewise, but only 8.95GB as usable. However, the phone compensates that with the expandable microSD card slot and a built in cloud service.

The verdict

The Vivo Y55 is a packed entry-level device which boasts some decent specs but an even more attractive P7,990 price tag.

The strong points are its elegant design, intuitive OS and processors, and the reliable battery life, but there are still minimal improvements that the phone may need especially with its plastic casing and screen that is susceptible to micro scratches, but with a sub-P8,000 phone like this, the best it can offer is its affordable price.

The phone is a perfect everyday companion even for heavy gaming geeks, selfie-centric peeps and everyone that wants a fairly-priced phone that can offer decent specs.

All in all, the Vivo Y55 can go toe-to-toe with most brands today, and with the holidays creeping in, this phone is certainly a prime addition to anyone’s Christmas shopping list.

GOOGLE...

From D4

Pichai said there should be “no situation where fake news gets distributed” and committed to making improvements.

“I don’t think we should debate it as much as work hard to make sure we drive news to its more trusted sources, have more fact checking and make our algorithms work better, absolutely,” he said.

On Monday, internet users searching on Google were delivered a bogus report saying Republican Donald Trump had won the popular vote in addition to the electoral college.

The numbers on a blog called 70News —contradicting official results tallied so far by states—said Trump received 62.9 million votes to 62.2 million for Hillary Clinton.

The blog urged those petitioning for the electoral college to switch their votes to reflect popular will to scrap their effort. AFP

D4

I

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2016 Riera U. Mallari, Editor rumallari@thestandard.com.ph

Gadgets & Games

KEEPING FACEBOOK SAFE FOR EVERYONE

By Peter Paul Duran

N a bid to underscore its commitment to privacy, safety and security of the Philippine social media community, Facebook launched new safety features and resources for its Filipino users.

An all-new Safety Center which features Tagalog video content, top tips and tools were tackled during the social networking site’s workshop for the media recently in Makati.

“At Facebook, we’re helping 54 million people in the Philippines connect and share with their family and friends and the things that matter to them,” said FB Director of Safety Mia Garlick during the workshop at the New World Hotel in Ayala.

“That’s why we invest in technology, controls, community standards and education to help keep people and their informations safe and secure,” added the exec, who will also head to Davao and Cebu for the remainder of the three-part lecture series for journalists in the country.

Facebook outlined the technology, tools, and resources it has to help keep its community and their information secure with the new Safety Center, now available in 50 languages, including Tagalog.

This new mobile friendly improvement from Facebook includes step-by-step videos to help people stay in control and feel safe being themselves.

This update also brings Facebook Bullying Prevention Hub to everyone on Facebook. Developed by the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence in 2013, The Hub is a resource for teens, parents and educators seeking guidance on how to prevent and address bullying.

The topics that were discussed included Facebook’s mission and its commitment to online safety, it’s Community Standards and its reporting tools and the latest safety resources and education programs from the site.

Facebook Safety was put on a premium and execs keenly to discussed some tips and strategies to help Filipinos have a positive experience on Facebook, aimed to help reporters understand how they can stay on Facebook, and also help inform their readers and the broader Facebook community on how to be a responsible online citizen and stay safe online.

Facebook is a global community of 1.7 billion people (54 million people in the Philippines), who connect and share with the people, places and things that matter to them, and for Garlick, keeping this community and the information they share safe is at the core of everything Facebook does.

“These controls and technology are powerful, but only when they know about it, that’s why we are constantly listening and learning, and are committed to developing resources with lock safety partners and experts to help keep our community in the Philippines safe.” Peter Paul Duran

REVIEW: VIVO Y55 A PERFECT EVERYDAY PHONE WHEN a phone brands itself as selfie-centric, people might expect that they’ll only be left with a handset, whose only strong point is its camera.

But when a handset adds sleek design and an intuitive OS into the mix, you’ve got yourself a do-it-all smartphone perfect for the busy millennial.

Launched a couple of weeks ago, the new Vivo Y55 is the latest smartphone from the company to hit Philippine shores- the first entry-level phone from the Chinese manufacturer.

For starters, the device has a 5.2inch display--giving it a “just right” feel, not too big or too small. Right off the bat, the phone offers the Funtouch OS powered by Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow and comes with 2GB RAM, 1.4GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 430 octa-core CPU. Certainly the definite phone fit for all of the apps and heavy processes, but we’re still not close to the good part.

First Glance

Of course, the phone already packs a punch with the specs mentioned, but the simple yet elegant design should also be highlighted.

TheY55 may remind you of another handset, with its rounded corners and white face, the Oppo F1s comes to mind, but that’s perfectly understandable as the two brands are under one mother company--BKK Electronics.

Up top, it has the standard 35mm jack for headsets, the dedicated micro SD card slot on the left side with the slots for micro and nano sims, which let you expand storage without sacrificing a sim tray unlike with other brands. On the right are the power/lock buttons as well as the volume keys.

Mia Garlick, Facebook Director for Safety (standing) and Clare Wareing, revealed that FB is invest in technology, controls, community standards and education to help keep people and their informations safe and secure. Peter Paul Duran

PIE IN THE SKY: A DRONE DELIVERY GOOGLE, FB WELLINGTON—The world’s first pizza drone delivery was claimed Wednesday by the New Zealand division of fast food giant Domino’s, as it looks to grab a slice of a potentially hot future market.

Domino’s said it used an unmanned aerial vehicle to deliver two pizzas to a customer at Whangaparaoa, just north of Auckland.

The firm’s boss Don Meij said drones were set to become an essential part of pizza deliveries.

“They can avoid traffic congestion and traffic lights, and safely reduce the delivery time and distance by travelling directly to customers’ homes,” he said.

“This is the future. Today’s successful delivery was an important proof of this concept.”

He said tests would continue at Whangaparaoa this week, with a view to expanding the delivery area

next year. the Netherlands, Japan and Domino’s said it was also Germany. examining using drones in In March, the company Australia, Belgium, France, unveiled a robot cart being

trialled in New Zealand that it claimed was the world’s first driverless pizza delivery vehicle. AFP

This undated handout photo received by Domino's Pizza shows a drone designed to deliver pizzas in flight in Whangaparaoa. The world's first pizza drone delivery was claimed by the New Zealand division of fast food giant Domino's, as it looks to grab a slice of a potentially hot future market. AFP

TAKE AIM AT FAKE NEWS

WASHINGTON—Google and Facebook moved Tuesday to cut off advertising revenue to fake news sites, after a wave of criticism over the role misinformation played in the US presidential election.

The move by the two tech giants aims to choke off funds to an industry fueled by bogus, often sensational“news”circulating online and seen as a potential influence on public opinion.

A Google statement to AFP said new policies“will start prohibiting Google ads from being placed on misrepresentative content, just as we disallow misrepresentation in our ads policies.”

The shift will mean Google restricts ads “on pages that misrepresent, misstate, or conceal information about the publisher, the publisher’s content, or the primary purpose of the web property,” the statement said.

Google chief executive Sundar Pichai said the company receives billions of queries daily and admitted errors had been made.

“There have been a couple of incidences where it has been pointed out and we didn’t get it right.

“And so it is a learning moment for us and we will definitely work to fix it,” he said in a BBC interview.

T h e 5 M P f ro n t f a c i n g c a m e ra also sits neatly with the proximity and light sensors, while below the screen are the unlit capacitive navigation buttons for Options, Home, and Back. At the bottom part are the microUSB port, speakers and the microphone.

At the back back are Vivo’s brand name , the 8MP camera, and the LED flash, making for a compact design without the unnecessary parts.

The Y55 has a matte metallic finish and a chrome lining that adds extra grip. The material can repel fingerprints and smudges, but one needs not worry as the model comes with a screen protector and casing off the box.

The Inside

Vivo’s Y55 has a non-removable 2650mAh battery, but it can last half a day with light calls and text, and 10 hours of constant WiFi connectivity, Turn to D3

E1

Young Life

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2016 Isah V. Red, Editor / Bernadette Lunas, Issue Editor isahred@gmail.com.ph

Baguio City hosted the 13th Hotel, Restaurant and Tourism weekend

LUZON

IS CHEF WARS CHAMPION

Scan this icon to view the PDF

THE LIGHTS SPARKLE

AT AYALA TRIANGLE GARDENS

By Bernadette Lunas Photos by Lino Santos

I

T already feels Christmas in Makati Central Business District today.

Not because the traffic situation has gotten worse or that more shoppers are flocking to the malls, but because the favorite hangout spot of many young professionals and residents in the Ayala area once again twinkles with colorful lights to bring holiday cheer to everyone.

For the sixth time this year, the Ayala Triangle Gardens transforms into a magical paradise as 1.6 million colored LED bulbs adorn the trees in the garden and dance to the beat of Christmas songs.

The Ayala Triangle is considered Makati City’s version of New York’s Central Park— albeit the former’s land area is only two percent of the latter’s—as it serves as a place where friends meet up, a respite for tired employees during lunch break or after work, and a space where health buffs run along the perimeter or do exercise routines for an hour or two.

It is a welcome breathing space amid the bustling district all year-round, but come Yuletide season, the Ayala Triangle Gardens becomes a tourist destination.

For two months, the 20,000-sqm space becomes more alive with its Festival of Lights, a lights and sound show which is “the only one of its kind in the Philippines,” that has made it on Conde Nast Traveller’s coveted list of “Seven Most Spectacular Lights in the World.”

This year’s edition of Festival Lights goes up a notch as award-winning directors Voltaire de Jesus and Luther Gumia work together with acclaimed musicians and composers Jazz Nicholas and Mikey Amistoso to stage a brighter and merrier show, happening every 30 minutes from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. until Jan. 8, 2017.

“We’ve prepared another magnificent show that will definitely spark everyone’s merry hearts, bringing families, friends and the whole community together and remind them of the joys of Christmas,” says Shiella Aguilar, project development manager for Makati.

The lights and sound show at Ayala Triangle features three themes, each with different light showcase and musical arrangement, namely Christmas Fiesta, Sweet and Magical Christmas, and Classic and Epic Christmas.

Christmas Fiesta is a three-minute showcase of upbeat music that encapsulates the festive Filipino Christmas celebration. The LED bulbs dance rapidly along the tune of “Kumukutikutitap.”

The second medley, Sweet and Magical Christmas, is sweet and nostalgic as old music inspired by magical, heroic and period films rearranged in a new way fill the air while sparkling lights glimmer in varying beats.

Meanwhile, Classic and Epic Christmas is indeed an epic five-minute spectacle that features lights dancing to the magical Disney music.

This year’s Festival of Lights marks the first time the organizers are using field lights on the ground to match the string lights on trees for a “fuller effect.”

Laser lights, which provide a three-dimensional showcase, are also used in two medleys.

Also for the first time, The Gourmand Market is bringing its well-loved gastronomic delights to the garden on Dec. 9 to 11. In addition, Thanksgiving Masses will be held at the Fountain Area every 6 p.m. from Dec. 15 to 23.

This yearly holiday tradition surely is a wonderful treat to the busy people in the business district. After all, who wouldn’t be delighted to catch up with friends or jog or sit back in a garden filled with stunning lights dancing to the beat of Yuletide carols? No one, because despite of vehicle and people traffic, the Christmas spirit is alive and well in Makati City.

FESTIVAL OF LIGHTS. The Ayala Triangle Gardens transforms into a magical Christmas paradise with the staging of its spectacular lights and sound show.

WHEN the main ingredient for Chef Wars was announced a week before the actual event, Culinary Arts students Jaime Banez Jr., Prince Jeffrey Tan and Carla Felize Cruz had to experiment with different dishes to present to the judges.

“We only started with concepts three weeks before the competition, but when it was finally announced that shrimp is the main ingredient, we did trial-and-error with the help of our mentors,” shared Cruz.

The efforts of the young students of Magsaysay Center for Hospitality and Culinary Arts in Manila did not go to waste as they bagged the top prize in the main event of the 13th Hotel, Restaurant and Tourism weekend held in Baguio City on Oct. 19 to 21.

The victory of Banez, 26 years old; Tan, 21; and Cruz, 23, gave Luzon its win in the live cooking competition, besting representatives from Visayas and Mindanao. They went up against Shangri-La Mactan’s Christopher James Solamillo, Analyn Bantucas and Betty Jane Facturan; and Cagayan de Oro-based Monster Kitchen Academy students Vahjna Mae Babia and Hosanah Macapaar.

The last minute announcement of the main ingredient for the final phase of Chef Wars really did unleash the creativity of the MCHCA students who prepared a three-course meal composed of Shrimp Flan with Calamansi Gelee (cold appetizer), Anchovy Glazed Shrimp (hot appetizer) and Shrimp and Lapu-lapu Roulade (main course).

“The concept came from our mentors (Joan Pineda and Michael Navarro), with some suggestions from us,” Cruz told Manila Standard. Their group’s inspiration, she said, was their mentors. “We really wanted to follow in their footsteps,” Cruz said.

Premiere food events

Chef Wars is part of the 13th edition of HRT and the 10th National Food Showdown. The culinary events showcase the passion, talent and creativity of the Hotel, Restaurant and Catering industry professionals and students of both culinary and HRM schools and universities nationwide.

According to event host Hotel and Restaurant Association of Baguio (HRAB), this year’s HRT weekend had participants from 67 schools and 16 professional establishments.

“Every year we have to have enough participants, not only in Baguio, but in different parts of Luzon as well. We also invite Turn to E2

Luzon representatives and MCHCA students Prince Tan, Carla Cruz and Jaime Banez, Jr. are named the Chef Wars 2016 champion

Young Life

E2

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2016 isahred@gmail.com

MINNIE MOUSE ON YOUR FEET FOOTWEAR brand Keds taps beloved style icon and cartoon character Minnie Mouse for its new Disney-themed collection.

The 100-year-old brand collaborated with Disney to empower women by celebrating the classic, feminine aesthetic for which Minnie Mouse and Keds are known.

Minnie’s favorite red, black and white colors are paired with Keds’s iconic blue. All over prints of her silhouettes are applied to the shoe label’s signature canvas styles, including the Champion, a tailored lace-up; the Champion Triple, a lace-up style with a platform for added height; and the Triple Decker, the Champion Triple’s sister but in slip-on form.

Finishing touches include cobranded gold foil printed footbeds and gold metallic hardware.

“Minnie is known for her confidence and fun-loving personality, and is celebrated by the women who also love our shoes. This collaboration highlights the ageless features of these two iconic brands and has resulted in a truly exciting collection,” said Keds chief marketing officer Emily Culp.

The Keds Minnie Mouse Collection is available at keds.com.ph and Keds stores nationwide. To know more about Keds, visit keds.com.ph, facebook.com/keds, and follow @kedsph on Instagram.

WHERE DO THE YOUNG ONES GO?

5 NEW HANGOUTS OF MILLENNIALS

G

ONE are the days of spending the weekends in malls or meeting with friends in coffee shops. This bunch of young adults is all about trying something new everyday, which also means hanging out somewhere that offers more than good food and pleasing ambiance.

So, where do millennials go and what do they do during their free time? Perhaps one of these:

Defying gravity at Trampoline Park

Many people bounced with joy as their dream to jump and fly came true when this trampoline park in Mandaluyong City opened its doors.

Trampoline Park, whose concept came from Britain, has dozens of trampoline mats—in lieu of walls and floors—where guests can jump and cartwheel their stress away.

While it looks fun to bounce around, the park serves as a sort of fitness center where Zumba classes and plyometrics, among others, are held. Those who dream of slam dunking can also do so as Trampoline Park has mounted basketball rings for all basketball lovers. Guests can also try parkour and do aerial tricks in the facility.

According to Trampoline Park, working out on trampolines burns up to 1000 calories an hour, improves balance and strengthens heart, among others.

Visit trampolinepark.ph for more details.

Reminiscing childhood at Ball Pit Manila

Keds launches its Disney footwear collection featuring Minnie Mouse

Luzon...

From E1 participants from Visayas and Mindanao,” said HRAB President Anthony de Leon.

He added, “And of course, what brings prestige to the event is the kind of judges that we bring in. We bring in the best and the brightest in the industry to join us up here.”

The series of skills contests were judged by an elite roster of Food and Beverage professionals such as executive chefs, hotel and restaurant owners and managers, and culinary experts from leading food manufacturers and suppliers.

However, due to typhoon Lawin that battered the northern part of Luzon on the same week, the organizers had to cancel many competitions to ensure the safety of participants, guests and judges.

Since ball pits in amusement parks actually have age limit, Ball Pit Manila was conceived to be the playground for adults who want to feel like a child again.

Guests can dive into a pit of 80,000 white balls in this first and biggest adults-only ball pit playground cafe located in Makati City.

Wall climbing at Climb Central Manila The standard entrance fee of P349/ hour comes with free coffee Those who want to try their hand at wall climbing are most or iced tea. And remember, in this playground: the older, the better. likely in the 750-sqm indoor sport climbing venue at The Portal Details are available at ballpitmanila.com. in Greenfield District, Mandaluyong City.

Climb Central is open for both beginners and experienced climbers who want to use the air-conditioned facility at their own pace. Guided climbing programs are also available for those who want to learn more about the sport.

Climb Central is open to children and adults, and offers a new way to bond with family and friends. Climbing equipment are available for rent.

Check out climbcentral.ph for more information.

A salute to agriculture

This year’s complementing themes for the National Food Showdown — “Bringing Farm to the Table!” and HRT’s “Agree to Agri, Putting Our Best Food Forward!” — recognize the agriculture sector’s valuable contribution to the Philippine hospitality industry.

“We continuously align our theme with helping the farmers. [Their contributions] are things we normally take for granted especially if we live in urban centers,” said De Leon.

The themes are also in line with the current industry trend among hotels and restaurants, which is “healthy options,” according to De Leon, who is also General Manager of Baguio Country Club.

“It’s all about health. Every food item that we put on the table does not have preservatives,” he emphasized.

Solving mysteries at Breakout Manila

Thrill-seekers who love to play detective and live in different scenarios with well-crafted storylines can be found in one of the rooms at Breakout Manila.

Mind-boggling puzzles, unexpected twists and hidden clues abound as players try to escape the room in 45 minutes--or lest they will be “locked forever” (but not really).

Breakout Manila, which now has three branches: Pioneer in Mandaluyong, Serendra in Taguig and Katipunan in Quezon City, is the first real-life escape room game in the Philippines.

One thing’s certain though, friendships and relationships will surely be tested in this frustratingly fun game.

Go to breakout.com.ph to know more.

Playing board games at Ludo

From classic board games to new card games, Ludo Board Game Bar and Cafe got them on the shelf.

Ludo, which is Latin for “I play,” has about 700 in-store games available at the guests’s disposal.

This gem of a bar and cafe in Quezon City is a haven for board game lovers who want to spend time playing with friends while having a drink or one of the establishment’s “crazy Asian” meals.

Ludo Board Game Bar and Cafe is open until 12 a.m. or until as late as 2 a.m.

Details are available at ludogames.ph.

ADULT PLAYGROUNDS. These new hangouts prove that it takes more than

sumptuous food and pleasant ambiance to attract millennials to come to an establishment. Photos from website and Facebook page of Trampoline Park, Ball Pit Manila, Climb Central Manila, Breakout Manila, and Ludo Board Game Bar and Cafe.

Showbiz

STANDARD’S CHOICE

WHO SHOULD WIN ‘PINOY BOYBAND SUPERSTAR’?

By Nickie Wang

H

OW to form a boyband? First, it has to have members and they must be diverse in terms of looks, personality and talent. Not everyone should fit the same mold, otherwise you’re not forming a boyband anymore.

But the members must have something in common, they must know how to dance and hit some decent notes. All members don’t need to be power belters or vocally gifted since you’re not forming a chorale group. Remember, the strength of the group lies on how each member complements each other.

Each week, one contestant is eliminated in the talent reality search that aims to form a five-piece sing and dance group otherwise known as boyband.

Members of the soon five-piece group are expected to immediately

hit the concert stage and performance venues as the winners will win a talent management contract from Star Magic, a recording contract from Star Music and a total cash prize of P5,000,000.

In this week’s Standard’s Choice, we are listing down the strongest contestants that we believe are fit to be part of the boy group that Pinoy Boyband Superstar wants to form. Given that they already have what it takes to be music artists, our choice is based on everyone’s idea on what a boyband should look like.

Niel Murillo In a boyband, there’s always this member who has a large following. And Neil has it. He has the biggest fan base among the contestants in the reality talent competition. YouTube will tell you how popular this innocent looking lad is among fans.

Tony Labrusca The showbiz scion has the model look that registers well on the boob tube. He’s the strong silent type that can be the group’s lead. Tony’s got mysterious smile that makes everyone guessing what actually goes inside his head.

Joao Constancia He is the weakest link in the vocal department but he has the most striking stage presence. Besides, a boyband doesn’t need five frontmen. Joao is a girl magnet, the real ladies’ man in the entire competition.

He just needs to maintain he’s being flat out good looking and he’s perfectly fine.

Tristan Ramirez He is not the best looking in this bunch, but he’s got this magnetic charm that makes all the girls swoon. Also the tallest contestant in the competition, Tristan athletic built appeals to a different market, exactly what the other contestants lack.

CROSSWORD PUZZLE Sunday, November 20, 2016

ACROSS 1 Sorted, as eggs 6 Utter confusion 11 Widespread damage 16 Cartoon woodpecker 21 Fountain for wishes 22 Striped animal 23 Coliseum 24 “Devil With — — Dress On” 25 Loosens, as a grip 26 Queen — lace 27 Storms about 28 Ocean motions 29 Bar mem.

30 Chili con — 32 Bossa nova kin 34 Tempe inst.

36 Dot in the Seine 37 Clues 39 Diadem 41 Bringing off 43 Take stock of 45 Raises the alarm 47 Chamonix’s Mont — 49 Undeliverable mail 51 Bedding plant 54 Like a slug’s trail 55 Donut center 56 Places of refuge 60 Kitty of “Gunsmoke” 61 Nudges, perhaps 62 Anchors’ places 63 Ewe homophone 64 Ocean fish 65 Tooth cleaner 66 Bagel purveyors 67 Tight-knit team 69 Summer in Savoie 70 Nozzles do it 72 Warm-ups 73 Music teacher’s bane (2 wds.)

74 Remainder 76 Kind of caterpillar 77 Under — (secret) 78 Sharp replies 79 Griffith or Zola 81 Blunders 82 Took a toll on 83 Snoozes 86 Knight’s combat 87 — fide 88 Idyllic spot 92 Pericles’ city 93 Bogart’s Mad Dog — 94 Playing possum 96 Weep over 97 Trot and gallop 98 Veered off course 99 — hoping!

100 Goddesses’ statues 102 Sooner than anon 103 Troubadours’ strings 104 Stoop 105 January stone

106 108 109 110 111 113 114 115 118 120 122 126 127 129 131 133 134 136 138 140 142 143 144 145 146 147 148 149

Narrow fissure Dry as dust Neutral color Facades Admitted (2 wds.)

Be informed of Michelangelo work Apollo’s message Broil Greek sage Frame of mind Cousins of “um” Suffix for forfeit Drops Totally opposite Fumble for words Hunted and pecked Jeweler’s lens Dark complexion Become less intense Dais VIP Recurring theme Water-lily painter Gourmet mushroom Nurtures Loses a coat, perhaps Big pitchers Discrete

DOWN 1 It can be rare 2 Fit to be tied 3 Tangy 4 Festival opener 5 Kind of brake 6 Russian empress 7 Reddish dyes 8 Pansy Yokum’s son 9 Sourdough strike 10 Lip, slangily 11 Barbershop quartet’s goal 12 Kind of numeral 13 Human herbivore 14 Four quarters 15 Senor’s house 16 1960s dance 17 Kimono sash 18 Any Elvis recording 19 Sword fights 20 Toady’s answers 31 Open-air lobbies 33 Entertainer Edie — 35 Jazz instruments 38 Threw a haymaker 40 Most capable 42 Mystical knowledge 44 Neptune’s kingdom 46 Gump and Rooney 48 Sprawls 50 Varieties 51 Cover the walls 52 Steal the scene 53 Container weights 54 Blow, as a horse 55 Gives a hand

57 Famous golf cup 58 Green-eyed Thai feline 59 Plaintiffs 61 “Soapdish” actor 62 Ocean trenches 65 Feeds the fire 66 Pub order 67 Quote 68 Battery terminal 71 Wax removers (hyph.)

72 Ordinary language 73 Stetson wearer, perhaps 75 Doctrine 77 Was willing 78 Rajahs’ spouses 80 Minds the phone 81 Injures a matador 82 Subway fare 83 Knick or Laker 84 Video-game pioneer 85 Pickpocket 86 Yakked 87 Canal sight 89 Talk in a monotone 90 Big name in calculus 91 Wildlife shelters 93 At the table 94 Dissembles

95 98 99 101 103 104 105 107 109 110 112 113 114 115 116 117 119 121 123 124 125 128 130 132 135 137 139 141

Mammoth Cosmonaut — Gagarin Legacy recipient Sleep phenomenon After a while Bought and sold — Davis of “The Fly” RN’s forte Isms Meadow flowers Avoids capture Perfectly clear Killdeer On the fringes — nor reason Humane org.

Itinerary Hazard a guess Tara’s owner Cisco Kid flick Lived Shade trees Not all Hindu epic hero Poetic adverb Admirer’s response Feeling blue Strut along

Russel Reyes He’s got the best set of vocal pipes among the remaining contestants in the show. His vocal ability is best used when the band is performing difficult to reach high notes. He’s going to be the Bryan Littrell, Jeff Timmons or the Zayn Malik of this boyband.

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2016

E3

SHOWBIZ ROUNDUP Derricks’ blurred crotch NETIZENS have pointed out that on the teaser of the Tsuperhero action-sitcom, Derrick Monasterio’s crotch area was purposely blurred.

A screenshot of the scene with Derrick wearing a tight-fitting costume is now making rounds online. The young actor instantly made a statement regarding the incident saying that it was probably a move of the network to comply with MTRCB. During the press conference of the new GMA action-sitcom, he showed up wearing his superhero costume and bragged that the costume was not padded. That must be the reason why his crotch area was intentionally blurred – to hide something that’s too obvious. #Photoscandal Ronnie Alonte, one of Hashtags’ more popular member, is the subject of a lewd photo scandal that made everyone’s eyes pop out. The shocking photo, which shows a young man with his legs wide open and showing his family jewel, is now being shared from one blog to another. If one is resourceful enough, the person would realize that the photo’s authenticity is questionable. Come on, Photoshop can do a lot of wonders.

Don’t touch my booty—Rhian Someone fumbled Rhian Ramos’ posterior and she wasn’t happy about it, but of course no one would be. Rhian has taken to Instagram to call out the attention of the pervert who sexually harassed her. The Kapuso actress shared that she and her friends went out to party when the incident happened.

In a lengthy Instagram post, the Kapuso actress recounted the gross details of how she was sexually harassed twice by the man who apparently has two kids. She also revealed how the pachyderm even posted it on social media a few days after the incident. Now, Rhian encourages men and women to stand up against sexual and street harassment after she experienced it herself. Don’t worry, Rhian, we got your back.

E4

Showbiz

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2016 Isah V. Red, Editor / Nickie Wang, Issue Editor isahred@gmail.com

SARAH LAHBATI

IS ONE HOT MOMMA

BEAUTIFUL FAMILY. Sarah shares a snap of her with partner Richard Gutierrez and son Zion

5 EXCITING

FACTS ABOUT 65TH MISS UNIVERSE MISS Universe Organization and its local partners have signed the contract to formalize the Philippine hosting of the world’s most prestigious beauty contest. And in less than 70 days, we will witness the crowning of the new queen. Indeed, the Miss Universe fever has officially started.

Here are exciting facts that promise to make the pageant’s 65th edition the best “Miss Universe ever”:

1. The venue The coronation night will be staged at the Mall of Asia Arena, which has a seating capacity of 15,000. A hundred Pinoy pageant fans in Vegas overwhelmed Planet Hollywood last year when Pia Wurtzbach was competing for the crown. Same thing happened when Venus Raj paraded the very same stage with the Philippine sash on in 2009. Imagine how 15,000 screaming pageant fanatics would sound like.

By Nickie Wang

A

S LONG as she’s not in high heels, Sarah Lahbati can easily keep up with her three-year-old son, Zion. The two love doing fun things together. From swimming to going to different places, they enjoy a very active and fun lifestyle.

Looking at the 23-year-old actress, it’s really hard to believe that she is already a mother. While it takes years for some women to lose baby weight, Sarah lose it like it’s nothing. She showed off her enviable toned physique on the promotional cover of her single “BatoBato Sa Langit,” which she launched on her birthday last month.

And it’s not surprising that the secret to her already slimmed-down figure, apart from good genes, is proper diet and exercise. Additionally, she credits good old fashioned breastfeeding with helping her bounce back so quickly.

“But I didn’t do anything after giving birth, no exercise or strict diet. I was breastfeeding that’s why I made sure I was heathy. After five months, I started cutting on carbs and started brisk walking. I did my own research, if you would diet and exercise right away, which I believe impossible to begin with, you might lose your milk,” Sarah told Manila Standard.

In our interview with the statuesque actress, she revealed that she’s working on two film projects. She has just finished a film helmed by Carlo J. Caparas and she has just started filming another movie last week, this time with multiawarded director Erik Matti.

On her most recent post on Instagram, the actress shared a short clip that shows her first day of training for her new movie. Dressed in comfortable clothes, Sarah teased her 2.2 million followers with her agility of a female action star effortlessly running from one point to another while shooting a few bullets in between.

Sarah could only discuss what her role is going to be. She said she’s not allowed to divulge the premise of the film yet including the actors who will complete the cast.

“This is a very exciting project. I’m a cop in this movie. It’s one of the roles that I’ve been wanting to play. As for the premise of the film and the actors I’m going to work with, I can only tell so much,” she said.

Sarah just shared that she’s going to work with theater actors for the first time and that she’s working with a great team whose members are talented and creative and they have a vivid vision of the whole story.

Apart from her movie projects, Sarah is also the face of numerous brand endorsements. The most recent being is the Nido’s child nutritional campaign called “check the label.”The campaign aims to encourage mothers to read and have a better understanding of food labels so they can make smarter and healthier choices for their children.

SMOKING HOT. Looking beautiful and sexy is something that comes naturally to young female celebrities. But Sarah Lahbati left people speechless wondering how she manages to stay fit and gorgeous even after having a baby.

Reigning Miss Universe Pia Wurtzbach

2. The official residence Okada Manila is one of the major partners of the 65th Miss Universe.

The casino resort and hotel complex is due to open in December in time for the arrival of the candidates in January.

The $2.4 billion phase one of the casino project includes 993 hotel rooms, an indoor night club with a man-made white beach complex that can accommodate 4,500 people, and a dancing fountain that will rival the world’s biggest.

3. Live telecast The show will be telecast live worldwide reaching more than half a billion audience in 190 countries and territories. The spectacle will run for three hours and will train the spotlight not just on the candidates but also on what the host country has to offer including the country’s culture and tourist attractions.

4. The delegates As of this writing, 78 confidently beautiful candidates have been confirmed to join the annual “Olympics of Beauty.” A dozen more countries are yet to hold their national pageants. As early as now, pageant fanatics’ eyes are on Philippines’ Maxine Medina who will attempt for a back-to-back win, Colombian model Andrea Tovar who has been preparing for the pageant for over a year now, the feisty United States Army Reserve lieutenant Deshauna Barber, and the almost 6-foot tall models Mariam Habach (Venezuela) and Alena Spodynyuk (Ukraine).

5. Pre-pageant events Miss Universe 2016 will hold prepageant shows in Cebu, for the swimsuit competition, Davao, Iloilo, Palawan, Boracay, Baguio, Bicol, Cagayan de Oro, Zamboanga and Vigan in an effort to support local tourism. Additionally, a reality-documentary television program entitled Journey to the Crown: A Celebration of Beauty has just premiered on ETC, one of the pageant’s media partners. The show will continue leading to the crowning of Pia Wurtzbach’s successor.