Manila Standard - 2017 February 26 - Sunday

XPERIENCE•XCELLENCE•XCITEMENT

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VOL. XXXI • NO. 16 • 5 SECTIONS 20 PAGES • P18 • SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2017 • www.thestandard.com.ph • editorial@thestandard.com.ph

XPERIENCE•XCELLENCE•XCITEMENT

DUTERTISTS RALLY SUPPORT FOR RODY

By John Paolo Bencito and Francisco Tuyay

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HOUSANDS of people gathered at the Luneta Park in Manila on Saturday to show support for President Rodrigo Duterte’s war against illegal drugs, poverty and corruption.

Police said the crowd that gathered at the Quirino Grandstand numbered more than 15,000 in contrast to the 2,300 that flocked to the Edsa Shrine in Quezon City to mark the 31st anniversary of the 1986 People Power uprising.

The Luneta rally was only one of several gatherings that were orga-

nized by the Mayor Rodrigo Roa Duterte National Executive Coordinating Council (MRRD-NECC) in Davao, Cebu, Iloilo and Bacolod.

Duterte himself skipped the Luneta rally but several members of his Cabinet—Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre, Health Secretary Paulyn Ubial, National Security Ad-

viser Hermogenes Esperon—attended the event which was more like a religious rather than a political gathering.

DILG Undersecretary John Castriciones, secretary general of MRRD-NECC, was also present as was Cebu Rep. Gwendolyn Garcia and Bacoor Mayor Lani MercadoRevilla.

Aguirre appeared beside himself as he spoke to the crowd a day after the incarceration of Senator Leila de Lima.

“Sino ang gusto niyo isunod?

[Who do you want next?]” Aguirre asked the crowd, mostly wearing red and white, which shouted back: “Trillanes!”

A N N I V E RS A RY

At the Edsa Monument, former President Benigno Aquino III made a rare public appearance to mark the 1986 revolt but key players of the uprising—former President Fidel Ramos and former Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile and members of the Reform the Armed Forces Movement were nowhere in sight.

Aquino was wearing black instead of his signature yellow and led a crowd, mostly of young people, that began to thin at dusk as more people arrived at the Quirino Grandstand.

Earlier Saturday, Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella Turn to A2

BUSINESS/ C1

REGUS MANAGER DESIGNS OFFICE SPACE FOR MILLENNIALS

SPORTS / C4

PACIO, LEE HEADLINE 'WARRIOR KINGDOM'

WORLD / B3

SON OF BOXER MUHAMMAD ALI DETAINED AT AIRPORT FOR ‘ARABIC’NAME TWO FACES OF PROTEST. About 800,000 supporters of President Rodrigo Duterte gather at the Luneta Park in Manila to show support for the government's war against illegal drugs, poverty and corruption (above) while leftist acvitist march to decry the failure of the 1986 People Power revolution on Epifanio delos Santos Avenue in Quezon City. EY ACASIO, AFP

ACTIVISTS SCORE EDSA AS FAILED ELITIST REVOLT

By Francisco Tuyay HUNDREDS of leftist activists staged an alternative march on Epifanio delos Santos Avenue on Saturday to score the 1986 People Power revolution as a failed revolt that only restored the rule of the elite and imposed hardships on the Filipino people.

“The workers and the poor marches along Edsa not to celebrate the gains of a failed people’s revolt [and the] the restoration of elite democracy. Our rights were reinstituted in our laws but they are illusory in the everyday lives of the people,” said Leody de Guzman of the Bukluran ng Manggagawang Pilipino.

Turn to A2

2 MAUTE MEMBERS KILLED

By Florante S. Solmerin

EUROPEAN POLITICIANS MEDDLE IN DE LIMA DRUG CASES

By John Paolo Bencito and Sara D. Fabunan EUROPEAN politicians expressed concern at the criminal cases filed against Senator Leila de Lima and urged the European Union to take action against the Philippines “where there is no respect for the law whatsoever.”

Dutch politician Hans van Baalen, a member of the European parliament, said he has written High Representative of

the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini urging the EU to take action.

“The Philippines, under the leadership of President Rodrigo Duterte, is turning rapidly into an illiberal state, where there is no respect for the law whatsoever,” said Baalen, a former president of Liberal International, in a statement released by Liberal Party president Senator Francis Pangilinan on Saturday.

Another Liberal Internationtwitter.com/ MlaStandard

al official, German politician Markus Loning, demanded De Lima’s immediate release although she was ordered detained by local courts pending the resolution of charges that she abetted narcotics trafficking while she was justice minister.

“Leila de Lima is a highly respected human rights activist fighting against corruption and for the rule of law when she was the minister of Justice and now as an elected member of the

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Senate of the Philippines,” Loning said in the same statement.

“The president of the Philippines must respect and defend the laws of his country and human rights. That is his obligation towards his own people,” he said. “Liberals across the world will stand up for Leila de Lima’s immediate release,” he added.

The two politicians made the remarks as EU Ambassador Franz Jessen and the European Chamber of Commerce of the

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Philippines prepared for the Asean-EU Business Summit which will be held in Manila on March 10.

Austrian Florian Gottein, the ECCP executive director, said that while the EU remains bullish on increasing two-way trade with the Philippines, political controversies raises questions among European businessmen.

“As harsh as it sounds now, the Philippines is in the European headlines almost on a Turn to A2

GOVERNMENT troops killed Friday two gunmen from the terrorist group Maute while another one was captured in two separate checkpoint operations after the suspects staged a carjacking incident in Iligan City.

Captain Jo-Ann Petinglay, spokesperson of the Western Mindanao Command, said Azzam Ampua Tahir and a certain Wowie were killed in a shootout with soldiers and members of civilian auxiliary unit at a checkpoint at the boundary of Iligan City and Tagoloan.

The shootout was followed by the arrest of another suspect in a Turn to A2

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SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2017 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

BISHOP CONDEMNS MURDER OF CHURCH WORKER

By Vito Barcelo A CATHOLIC bishop on Saturday condemned the killing of a social action worker in the Diocese of Kidapawan, North Cotabato, claiming the church worker was a victim of extrajudicial killings or EJK. Kidapawan Bishop Jose Colin Bagaforo identified the victim as Wilerma Agorde, project coordinator of the agrarian reform of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines-National Secretariat for Social Action (CBCP-Nassa).

Bishop Bagaforo expressed alarm that even a Church worker who has been working for the poor fell victim to ''extrajudicial killings.''

“We condemn the many extrajudicial killings happening today which have become so common,” Bagaforo said, who added that Agorde’s murder is now causing fear and insecurity among civilians particularly among the human rights and peace advocates in the area.

The 64-year-old church worker was stabbed and gunned down in the presence of his grandchildren by unidentified assailants in Brgy. Illustre, President Roxas, North Cotabato last Feb. 19.

Agorde has been at the forefront of a campaign with his fellow farmers who have been struggling for decades for ownership of the unused agricultural land-reservation in Arakan town.

A 5,000-hectare property is owned

by University of Southern Mindanao but the 1,000-hectare portion was allocated to the Cotabato Foundation College of Science and Technology.

According to CBCP-Nassa, the disputed land had been occupied by the farmers for several decades.

ACTIVISTS...

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“From Cory to Noynoy Aquino, the people endured so much hardship as succeeding regimes implemented the neoliberal policies of liberalization, deregulation, privatization and contractualization,” he added.

De Guzman also scored President Rodrigo Duterte for using popular discontent against elite rule to win the presidency but failing to deliver the change he promised would come.

“In 1986, the masses were able to topple a dictator. In 2016, they dislodged “Yellow rule” in an election where they perceived Duterte as their champion [but] they [will] soon realize that the Duterte regime is no different from the previous administrations,” said Sonny Melencio, chairman of the Partido Lakas ng Masa.

To distinguish their “independent line” from the “pro-Yellow elite” who joined the Edsa celebrations, participants of the “Workers’ March against Fascism” wore red shirts and carried a huge streamer with the slogans: “Labanan ang pasismo”, “Itakwil ang elitistang paghahari”, “Isulong ang demokrasyang masa.”

“The recent fascist attacks on human rights and to civil and political liberties, are an insult to a people who, in 1986, were able to topple a dictator in the socalled People Power revolution,”said Sanlakas secretary-general Aaron Pedrosa.

EUROPEAN...

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weekly basis. I don’t want to say that we appreciate those headlines but it basically brings in a lot of questions,” Gottein told reporters during the launching of the Asean-EU Business Summit.

Jessen, for his part, said a high-level delegation from the EU will be attending the summit for the first time since the start of the Duterte administration.

“This summit takes on added significance as a platform for the exchange of ideas on how to further deepen and extend the trading and investment relationship between these two complementary regions,” said EU-Asean Business Council Executive Director Chris Humphrey.

UK ENVOY TO ABELLA: READ THE FULL REPORT U

By Sara Susanne D. Fabunan

NITED Kingdom Ambassador to the Philippines Asif Ahmad advised Presidential Spokesman Ernesto Abella to read the full news report and not just its headline.

Writing in Filipino, the British envoy posted in his official twitter account his reaction to Abella’s criticisms of his opinion on the Philippine government under President Rodrigo Duterte’s administration.

“Dapat nagbasa kayo ano ang nagsabi ako, di yun headline ng editor ng dyaryo lang [You should have read what I said, not just the headline [created by] of the newspaper’s editor],” Ahmad wrote.

Ahmad posted his reaction in response to the tweet of DWIZ about Abella’s reaction to the envoy’s opinion that under the Duterte administration, change has come in the Philippines but not in a good way.

Abella slammed Ahmad’s remarks for not understanding the “true sentiments of the common Filipino.”

“With all due respect to the British Ambassador, Mr. Asif Ahmad’s remark that ‘change has come in the Philippines but not in a good way’ does not reflect the true sentiment of the common Filipino,” Abella said in a statement.

He also urged Ahmad to look beyond “gated villages” to understand the perspective of the majority of Filipinos who, he claimed, support the President’s drug war.

“Confidence—both business and

consumers—is high in the Duterte administration. One wishes diplomats were more familiar with life beyond the rarefied atmosphere of gated villages,” said Abella.

Last Monday night, in a dinner graced by Ahmad in his residence, he described Duterte’s campaign against illegal drugs as “not successful” and criticized the revival of death penalty in the country.

Ahmad said the British government is concerned about the action of the Philippines which he said breaches an international agreement to pass the death penalty.

“I think there will be a severe blow. It basically says that the Philippines can walk away from international treaties. If you can walk away from an international treaty, it’s much more easy to walk away from a commercial treaty,” the British envoy told reporters.

“What I’m saying is the distractions that we see now, the noise as we call it, is almost un-Filipino. It’s not the bet we were making,” he added.

Agreeing to Abella’s statement, Foreign Affairs Secretary Perfecto Yasay Jr. said Ahmad’s opinion about changes in the Philippines may not be diplomatic and inaccurate.

“I'm not sure if that is a very diplomatic statement but I would take

issue with that statement as being not accurate. Change has come to the Philippines for the better. I think change has come to the Philippines because we have a President that is committed to make real and meaningful change happen as it is happening today,” Yasay told reporters during this week’s press conference.

“I don’t know why he says that change is happening in a negative way. I can see a lot of positive effects of the actions we have taken to make change happen,” he added.

Yasay, however, admitted that there are “some side effects” and downside of that change but stressed that the Duterte administration is trying to “manage” it.

“Of course there are some side effects and downside of that change but these are things that we ware trying to manage. These are things that we manage in a manner that they would not overpower the positive results and benefits that we are trying to pursue,” he explained.

Some critics from the international community had said that reviving death penalty and the ongoing drug campaign is against the country’s covenant to human rights.

On top of that, a senior trade diplomat warned last year that the Philippines may lose the GSP+ due to Duterte’s bloody war on illegal drugs.

The senior trade diplomat, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the Philippines could lose the GSP+ privileges, which brought total exports to the EU to €743 million during the first six months of 2015.

The source said President Rodrigo Duterte’s war against drugs which

United Kingdom Ambassador Asif Ahmad

DUTERTISTS...

Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella

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urged Filipinos to imbibe the spirit of Edsa but warned against political opportunists.

“We need people who are truly and sincerely patriotic, nation builders and somebody who takes advantage of political position for their own advancement,” he added.

“President Duterte had imbibed the spirit [and] the intent of Edsa, but not the politics,” Abella said in an interview with state radio dzRB. Abella echoed the earlier remarks of presidential daughter, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte, who on Friday lashed at Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Socrates Villegas for pontificating on the meaning of Edsa.

“I find it hard to understand why this bloodless revolution has become the standard definition of freedom for our country and this standard is forced down our throats by a certain group of individuals who think they are better than everyone else. These are the elite and their friends, including Archbishop Villegas,” she said.

She added: “Your group is sadly a bunch of delusional hypocrites. While all of you were up there riding high on your horses, you failed to notice that many of us down here empathize with what Rodrigo Duterte is saying because it is

led to a spate of extrajudicial killings may lead to a withdrawal of trade preferences by the EU. The EU-Generalized Scheme of Preferences (GSP+) allows the Philippines to export 6,274 eligible products with duty-free access to the EU market.

With the issue of death penalty, Yasay stressed that nobody from the outside should interfere in the domestic decision if the Congress will pass the bill.

“On the question of death penalty, I’m not too sure why the good ambassador has made mention about that statement. Maybe he was referring to the context of their own experience in the UK,” he said.

When asked about his reaction on Ahmad’s comment that the Philippines may breach the international treaty for reimposing the death penalty, Yasay said that the British envoy may not understand the any treaty is not above the country’s constitution, “I'm not too sure if the good ambassador is a lawyer but as a lawyer let me say this: treaties have the same force and effect of laws. The treaty as laws cannot supervene over paramount or override the constitution of a country. We have a constitution that doesn’t prohibit the death penalty,” Yasay said.

He said that the country has a constitution that mandates Congress to make sure that if it feels appropriate at a given time to impose the death penalty, the lawmakers can do so.

He said that the Congress has yet to decide on this therefore Ahmad’s remark may appear premature.

the hard truth. It is truly without the air of hypocrisy that we smell from your kind.”

The mayor pointed out that the President perfectly understood what the spirit of Edsa is, “otherwise, he would not have told me to never forget that night of 31 years ago. And I now believe that he understands it better than you do.”

She emphasized it was wrong accusing the President of defacing the memory of Edsa, recalling how her father woke her up on the night of Feb. 25, 1986, to bring her to San Pedro Cathedral.

She said she remembered her father telling her and her brother: “Remember this night. Never forget this.”

“I have a memory of myself standing on the stairs of the San Pedro church bell tower, listening to the incessant ringing of the bells. I did not understand what was happening, but I surmised that it must be something very important because my father had to get me out of bed to watch cheering and partying adults on the streets,” she recalled.

She told Villegas that freedom is living a life that is free from your selective moral standard.

“This is what the meaning of Edsa is,” she said.

dragnet operation along Camague Road in Iligan City. Petinglay identified the suspect as Eyeman Alonto, a native of Marawi City.

“Alonto was intercepted on board a white Elantra Hyundai. The car was used by his group in flagging down a white Ford Ranger XLT pick-up. Tahir and Wowie were on board the Ranger when intercepted by our soldiers,” Petinglay said.

At around 8:45 a.m., Petinglay said the armed suspects on board an Elantra flagged down the Ranger and forcibly ordered businessman Othelo Adiong, 36, to step out from the car at gunpoint.

Adiong’s mother, Elvira Adiong, 62, his wife Esthepanie Adiong and their son were also ordered to step out of the car.

The Adiongs were on their way to their store when stopped by the gunmen along C3 road in Barangay Ubaldo Laya, Iligan City.

After divesting the victims of their

valuables, the two suspects escaped on board the Ford Ranger while another one went the opposite direction on board the Elantra.

“The prompt response of the government forces, as well as the quick coordination made by the police with the military, have led to the successful neutralization and arrest of the members of the terror group and the recovery of their firearms,” Petinglay said.

She said that in the encounter with the two dead suspect, the troops recovered from them an M4 rifle with three magazines and 60 rounds of ammunition and a Caliber .45 pistol.

“I would like to laud the forces for the readiness and professionalism they have manifested. And I am assuring the public that the government forces will continue to look after cities and communities so that these bad elements will not be able to freely conduct any atrocities,” said Westmincom commander Major General Carlito Galvez Jr.

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P480-M GRAFT CASE MAY BE DEFECTIVE, SAYS DEGAMO

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EGROS Oriental Gov. Roel Degamo believes the graft case filed against him before the Sandiganbayan recently by the Office of the Ombudsman “may be defective” because the complainants had failed to submit some crucial documents as evidence that could have convinced prosecutors to dismiss the complaint.

Degamo said: “I have discovered one document that was not used or attached in the complaint filed against me before the Office of the Ombudsman.

“I’m confident this document is very crucial for the dismissal of the case. Since the beginning I have made it clear that this graft and criminal complaints filed against me are politically motivated.”

The governor is facing a graft complaint

before the Sandiganbayan in connection with the P480,775,000 disbursement of calamity fund.

The amount was part of the P961.55 million approved by then President Benigno Aquino III to rehabilitate the province ravaged by Typhoon “Sendong” in December 2011 and the magnitude-6.9 earthquake in February 2012.

Asked for the document, Degamo said he would make it public soon following consultations with his lawyer.

“Of all the legal documents provided and attached in the complaints, this document was not there. It is either they intentionally did not attach it or they simply ignored it. I can’t say for now if there was an element of deception when they filed the complaint before the Office of the Ombudsman,” he said.

Last month, Ombudsman Conchita CarpioMorales ordered the filing of graft charges against Degamo for alleged 11 counts of violation of Section 3(e) of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act. Also charged were Provincial Treasurer Danilo Mendez; Provincial Accountant

Teodorico Reyes; Provincial Engineer Franco Alpuerto; Alejandro Lim Jr. of Lim General Contractor Corp.; Mark Anthony Clemente of CTC Builders and Supplies Inc.; Danny Chan of Ajan Jeada Inc.; Wilfredo Chu of Bigfoot Construction and Supply; Farouk Macarambon of Fiat Construction Services; Maribel Ranola of Legazpi Premium Development Corporation; and Ricardo Abriol Santos of Richmark Construction and Supply.

Mendez and Reyes were also indicted for 11 counts of falsification of public documents.

Recently, Degamo went to the Sandiganbayan to post bail after he was issued an arrest warrant.

Pressed what kind of document he was talking about, Degamo just said it was a “memorandum” from the Department of Budget and Management addressed to the Office of the President in connection with the issuance of a “negative Special Allotment Release Order” issued in June 2012.

“The signatory of this negative Saro, I think, has no authority to issue one. In fact, my position on this issue remained unanswered up to now,” Degamo said.

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SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2017 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

LABOR DEPT AGENCIES HAVE NEW CLUSTERS LABOR Secretary Silvestre Bello III has reorganized the agencies and offices of the Department of Labor and Employment.

Through Administrative Order No. 41, Bello conducted the reclustering of the Department’s services to effectively implement its programs and render efficient public service.

“We have to do this for greater efficiency, cost-effectiveness and consistency in policy and program implementation to better serve the needs of the workers and immediately respond to their issues and concerns,” he said in a statement.

The order designated Undersecretary Joel Maglunsod as the head of Labor Relations and Special Concerns Cluster, who will supervise the policy and programs operations of Bureau of Labor Relations, Bureau of Working Conditions, Bureau of Workers with Special Concerns and National Conciliation and Mediation Board.

He will be supported by Assistant Secretary Ma. Gloria Tango in overseeing the bureaus and in reviewing orders arising from the conciliation and mediation cases that need immediate action by the DoLE chief.

On the other hand, Undersecretary Ciriaco Lagunzad III will lead the Workers Welfare and Protection, Human Resources, and Financial Services Cluster.

He will oversee the policy program coordination of the Overseas Workers’ Welfare Administration, Employees’ Compensation Commission, and Occupational Safety and Health Center.

Lagunzad will be supported by Assistant Secretary Amuerfina Reyes, as they will be also tasked to look after the DoLE’s human resources and financial affairs as well as to handle or take charge of the department’s internal auditing services.

Undersecretary Dominador Say will be leading the Employment and Policy Support Cluster, with the support of Assistant Secretary Alex Avila.

He will supervise the Bureau of Local Employment, Institute of Labor and Studies and Philippine Overseas Employment Administration.

They will be performing the cluster function, including the supervision of the Planning Service and Information and Publication Service. PNA

BRACE FOR HEAVY TRAFFIC, SAYS MMDA

By Joel E. Zurbano

SHORTER DRIVE. Senator Cynthia Villar, Las Piñas Mayor Imelda Aguilar and NCR District Engineer Wilfredo Mallari during the weekend drive through the 2nd phase of the Zapote River Drive, which extends from the Margie Moran St. in BF Resort Village to Pegasus St. in Moonwalk Village, which would mean a 10-minute drive, reduced from the original 60-minute run. Lino Santos

BANTAY KURYENTE BACKS SUPREME COURT’S TRO POWER sector watchdog Bantay Kuryente says it fully supports the Supreme Court’s Temporary Restraining Order preventing respondents Department of Energy and Energy Regulatory Commission from implementing new policies regarding the Retail Competition and Open Access.

In a statement, it said it was thankful the Supreme Court had recognized that the petition would benefit not only the petitioners, commercial and industrial establishments, but ultimately and more importantly consumers in general.

Earlier, Bantay Kuryente Secretary General Pet Climaco said: “If implemented, the policy will only result in higher electricity prices for consumers and businesses alike.”

It has been the position of Bantay Kuryente that the implementation of mandatory contestability effectively forces consumers to abandon existing arrangements and enter into unfavorable contracts just to meet the unrealistic deadline of Feb. 26,

2017 set by the ERC. The petition that led to the issuance of the TRO was filed by the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Ateneo de Manila University, San Beda CollegeAlabang and Riverbanks Development Corp. Climaco said “This shows there is multi-sectoral opposition to the ERC’s new policy.”

Faced with unrealistic and anti-consumer policies, business groups, academic institutions, consumers and civil society must continue to rally together and have their voices heard,” Climaco concluded.

Climaco added: “Reforms in the industry should be undertaken to afford electricity end-users the opportunity to choose their own suppliers of electricity.

“The consumers, as the central partiesin-interest, should be made aware if there really is no basis for the mandatory migration being ordered by the DoE and the ERC through the questioned issuances.

LISTENING INTENTLY. Moro Islamic Liberation Front Chairman Al Hadj Murad Ebrahim and Bangsamoro Transition Commission Chairman Gadzali Jaafar listen intently as President Rodrigo Duterte delivers his speech during the launching Friday of the BTC at the Waterfront Insular Hotel in Davao City. Malacañang Photo

ACTING chairman Thomas Orbos of the Metro Manila Development Authority on Saturday advised motorists to brace for heavy traffic along the southbound lane of Epifanio de los Santos Avenue due to the unfinished drainage works near Magallanes interchange.

Orbos said the agency had asked the Department of Public Works and Highways-National Capital Region office to have the construction works completed

by Monday.

“As a temporary measure and to make it passable to motorists, we have put steel plates on the area. But this still causes the motorists to slow down which results to traffic buildup,” he said.

The drainage improvement project of the DPWH-NCR was granted permit

by MMDA last year but was temporarily stopped due to the moratorium on all road repairs and diggings issued during the Christmas season.

According to Orbos, C&F Construction, the contractor of the project, resumed its works on Thursday morning without prior coordination with MMDA. The agency is contemplating filing the appropriate charges against C&F Construction.

“If we were informed that they will resume construction, we would have prepared a traffic management plan on the area and at least augment the number of enforcers there,” he pointed out.

The construction along Edsa-Cabrera resulted in heavy traffic on the southbound direction up to Balintawak on Thursday.

Meanwhile, Orbos ordered the suspension of all DPWH road reblocking projects in Metro Manila until further notice.

He also required all DPWH contractors to submit to the agency their schedule of completion of projects.

Such completion schedule, if not followed, will incur penalties for all contractors, he said.

The road reblocking was supposed to be conducted by the DPWH last Friday along Mindanao Avenue, Tandang Sora Avenue, Quirino Highway, Congressional Avenue and Commonwealth Avenue, all in Quezon City.

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SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2017 Francis S. Lagniton, Issue Editor mst.daydesk@gmail.com

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PROVE KOREAN MAFIA LINKS, AGUIRRE DARED

By Sara Susanne D. Fabunan

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OUTH Korean Ambassador to the Philippines Kim Jae-shin has challenged Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II to prove his claim some Korean embassy officials were connected to a Korean mafia group allegedly operating in the country.

Kim criticized Aguirre’s remarks on Thursday in a Senate investigation on the abduction and killing of Korean businessman Jee Ick Joo, in which the Justice secretary said he received information some Korean embassy officials had links to supposed mafiosi here.

The ambassador said Aguirre’s remarks “put the embassy and its officials in a bad light”—which the Justice secretary personally heard

from Kim on Friday—as the Koreans sought to clarify Jee’s possible collaboration with the mafia.

On Saturday, Aguirre admitted Kim delivered the embassy’s statement to him personally, but downplayed the ambassador’s remarks, saying it was just a misunderstanding.

He also said the Koreans gave the National Bureau of Investigation the go-ahead to pursue the Korean mafia angle in Jee’s killing.

The Justice secretary said that when the South Korean Embassy released its statement, Kim also asked for an appointment with him, and eventually was able to clarify what he meant about his remarks during the Senate hearing.

“The Korean Ambassador, ConsulGeneral, and the Police Attaché and I, with Undersecretary Raymund Mecate and some Bureau of Immigration officials, discussed the matter [Friday] afternoon at the DoJ,” Aguirre confirmed.

“I explained to them the reason behind my statements, and it helped in clearing the apparent misunderstanding regarding my statements at the Senate hearing,” Aguirre added.

Still, the embassy also denied that Korean officials asked Aguirre to stop pursuing the Korean mafia

angle, a claim the Justice secretary stood by when asked about it by the media on Friday.

“They told me to stop pursuing the Korean mafia angle,” Aguirre had said.

However, the embassy statement said: “The Korean Embassy regrets very much that, based on wrong and unfounded information, Secretary Aguirre made some misleading statements involving so-called Korean mafia at the Senate hearing on Feb. 23, 2017.”

The embassy cited another meeting on Feb. 13 with Aguirre, along with its consul general, a police attachè, and Jee’s widow Choi Kyung Jin, assuring Aguirre that Jee “lived an honest life as a conscientious businessman, having no connections at all with any malicious Korean persons.”

FLOWER GIRLS. Young girls perform their routines in the street parade events of the annual Panagbenga flower festival in Baguio City. Students from the city's various schools, clad in their colorful floral-motif costumes, danced along the tourist-filled streets of Baguio's central business district. Dave Leprozo

COURT SETS DEPOSITION OF MARY JANE VELOSO THE Nueva Ecija trial court handling the trafficking case against the couple who recruited Mary Jane Veloso, the Filipina in death row in Indonesia, has scheduled her deposition on April 27 in Indonesia.

In a statement, the National Union of People’s Lawyers said Judge Anaarica Castillo-Reyes of Sto. Domingo Regional Trial Court Branch 88 said Veloso’s testimony will be scheduled at the Yogyakarta prison where she is currently detained.

“During the scheduled deposition, Mary Jane will answer the exhaustive written questions prepared by her Filipino private lawyers, which will be directly propounded to her by a Phil-

ippine consul with the facilitation and cooperation of Indonesian authorities,” the NUPL said.

The lawyer group is helping the Veloso family to prosecute recruiters Maria Cristina Sergio and Julius Lacanilao, and convince the Indonesian authorities to commute her death sentence for alleged drug trafficking.

Castillo-Reyes took over the trial of Sergio and Lacanilao after the original judge inhibited from the case.

“The deposition will be taken at almost the exact date two years ago when Mary Jane was magnanimously granted by the Indonesian government a last-minute standing reprieve from

the death penalty, after furious and intense efforts and overwhelming clamor to save her life,” the group noted.

The NUPL said Castillo-Reyes’ order allowing Veloso “to freely tell her whole story and cruel ordeal, which will be officially considered by the trial court” was “another legal vindication” for the worker and her family.

“Being the victim, Mary Jane is the most credible and competent witness that could prove not only the guilt of the accused in these Philippine cases but, eventually and more importantly, the full and unabbreviated circumstances that led to her conviction in Indonesia,” the group said.

Veloso, who was arrested at the Adisucipto Airport in Yogyakarta in April 2010 for bringing illegal drugs into Indonesia, was among the nine foreigners scheduled for execution in 2015, but got a last-minute reprieve after the previous Aquino administration intervened.

In October 2010, Veloso was sentenced to death by a panel of judges at the District Court of Sleman, Yogyakarta. She would be executed at Nusakambangan Prison in Cilacap, but no date has been set.

Veloso has been spared twice, following the presentation of a case in the Philippines that said she had been duped into smuggling heroin into Indonesia by a drug syndicate. Sara D. Fabunan

BILLS VS ABUSE OF ELDERS MERGED

By Maricel V. Cruz

A PANEL in the House of Representatives has consolidated several measures that seek to prohibit and provide penalties for abuse of elders in the country.

The House committee on population and family relations, chaired by Laguna Rep. Sol Aragones—also one of the principal authors of the measure— stressed the need for Congress to pass a law “that will protect the physical, mental and social well-being of the elderly because of their age.”

“They are very frail and vul-

nerable to any ill treatment, be it physical or psychological,” said Aragones.

The panel approved, as amended and subject to style, House Bill Nos. 865, 2989, 4708 and 4980, authored respectively

by Reps. Victor Yap of Tarlac, Wes Gatchalian of Valenzuela City, Magnolia Rosa Antonino of Nueva Ecija, and Ako Bicol partylist’s Alfredo Garbin.

Yap said the World Health Organization has defined elder abuse as “single or repeated acts or lack of appropriate action occurring within any relationship where there is an expectation of

trust, which causes harm or distress to an older person.”

“Physical, emotional or psychological, sexual, neglect or abandonment, financial exploitation—all these are the examples of a long list of elderly abuse,” he said.

Aragones said four bills with the same subject matter were approved by the committee during the 15th Congress, but did not prosper.

“The proposal was transmitted to the committee on appropriations, but was not acted upon by the said committee,” the lawmaker said.

WALK THE TALK. Militant groups walk along Edsa and call for the restoration of peace talks and the fulfillment of the government's promises on the 31st anniversary of the Edsa People Power Revolution on Saturday. Ey Acasio

PLANS SET FOR PUJ STRIKE ON MONDAY

By Joel E. Zurbano THE government has formed a special team and is preparing contingency plans to address problems that would arise from the planned transport strike on Monday, in protest of the reported phaseout of old public utility jeepneys.

The Metro Manila Development Authority, one of the government agencies included in the Quick Response Team, will reactivate its “Oplan Libreng Sakay” operation with the deployment of military trucks and rescue vehicles to pick up stranded passengers along major thoroughfares in the National Capital Region during the protest.

MMDA acting chairman Thomas Orbos also ordered his men to suspend the implementation of the Unified Vehicular Volume Reduction Program, or the number coding scheme, but for public utility vehicles only in connection with the strike.

“There will be no number coding so that buses and other public utility vehicles that would not join the strike can accommodate more passengers,” said Orbos.

For the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board, the agency asked operators of UV Express vehicles and city, provincial and inter-regional buses to assist the government in transporting passengers to be affected by the strike.

Other government agencies will dispatch their vehicles and other assets to provide free transportation to stranded passengers, while 100 private buses would charge minimal fares.

Several public transport groups planned the Feb. 27 strike to voice their opposition to the proposed phasing out of all public utility vehicles 15 years and older by the Department of Transportation.

The groups are also protesting the planned excise tax on petroleum products and the oil deregulation law, which could increase the price of crude oil by P6 by March 15.

Among those who will join the protest in Metro Manila include members of the Pinagkaisang Samahan ng mga Tsuper at Operators Nationwide or PISTON, No to Jeepney Phase Out Coalition, and the Stop and Go Coalition.

‘INVEST IN REHAB CENTERS’ A LAWMAKER has urged investors to consider bankrolling the construction of drug rehabilitation centers and the training of personnel to man these facilities, in light of the government’s updated investment priority list that includes healthcare services, including narcotics rehabilitation.

Camarines Sur Rep. LRay Villafuerte said the Duterte administration should encourage the business sector to invest in the training of skilled personnel to work in drug rehab centers to effectively deal with the drug scourge.

“Even in other countries like the United States, investors are pouring money into the construction of drug rehabilitation and treatment centers. With the Duterte administration’s war against drugs, demand for these facilities will remain high as hundred of thousands of drug dependents surrender to the authorities and seek treatment,” Villafuerte said.

Rehab centers should be wellequipped and adequately staffed with skilled personnel such as doctors and other medical personnel, addiction specialists, social workers and counselors, the lawmaker added.

“The quality and effectiveness of the treatment that drug dependents will receive in drug rehab centers will depend on the skills of the staff manning the center,” Villafuerte, the convenor of the House bloc of first-term legislators, said.

Villafuerte said investors should take the cue from San Miguel Corp., which last year donated P1 billion to the government for the construction of drug rehab centers.

“Big companies can either donate or implement projects, as part of their CSR [corporate social responsibility] for drug rehabilitation. An even better option is for them to invest in these facilities,” he said.

“Investors get to help the government in its war against illegal drugs and save lives in the process, while being assured of high returns on their investments,” said Villafuerte, vice chairman of the House committee on appropriations. Maricel V. Cruz

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SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2017 Adelle Chua, Editor

Opinion

Joyce Pangco Pañares, Issue Editor

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

EDITORIAL

REVISITING THE HANDMAID’S TALE

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WHAT I had enjoyed as a speculative fiction novel years ago is now, 31 years after its publication, deemed a prophetic insight into the rightist, conservative, religiousfundamentalist political environment that is America today.

Donald Trump’s ascension to the presidency and his recent anti-immigrant, anti-transgender, and anti-Muslim executive orders and others that curtail human rights upheld during the Obama administration echo to a degree the political environment of Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale.

The book is enjoying a resurgence in sales, along with other similar novels exploring fascist and authoritarian themes, including Sinclair Lewis’s It Can’t Happen Here, Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World, and George Orwell’s 1984.

All these books went into our intellectual hopper decades ago, but as cautionary tales of “what might have been” had dictators all over the world not been overthrown as most of them were after the two world wars when these books were written.

Nowhere in my imaginings did I conceive that these would turn out to be tales of “what will be.”

Atwood, a feminist, posits an antiwoman culture in her dystopian novel, set in a future Massachusetts where the status of women has been reduced to being the property of men, who have installed a Christian fundamentalist state called Gilead, where the word of Bible is the law.

Women are either Wives, Handmaids (bearers of children), Marthas (household servants, those who cannot bear children), and Econowives. They all wear color-coded uniforms and are barred from reading and enjoying many other freedoms.

The women serve the men, who are ranked in strict hierarchy, with the leaders of the state, the Sons of Jacob, called Commanders. Guards are Guardians, soldiers are Angels, and only those men who have served to the satisfaction of the regime are issued their own women.

And because sexual repression has been known to never work—there will always be conduits for pleasure— some women are Jezebels, recruited to dress up in tawdry sequined costumes from before to entertain the Commanders and their cronies.

The Handmaids do not have their own names but are called by a combination of the possessive ‘of’ and the first name of the Commander they are assigned to—such as “Ofwarren” and “Ofglen.”

The protagonist, Offred (we never learn her real name), is torn from her husband Luke and their daughter and assigned to serve a Commander by bearing him a child that he and his Wife will rear as their own. Her attempts to remedy her situation form the basis of the story.

In Gilead, religion is the state and is used as a framework for imposing patriarchal order upon society.

Contradictory thought and action

BETTER THAN BELIEVING O NE of the reason the current head of the Catholic Church is so popular is that he is not afraid to talk about social issues that plague the faithful.

It is arguable whether he or the institution he leads has done enough to challenge that injustices that prevail in the world—clerical abuse, environmental destruction, divorce, same-sex relationships, religious intolerance.

Pope Francis, however, has certainly been bold enough to raise these issues, telling us all that he at least recognizes them and their effects on the way we live.

Most recently he spoke about the scandal of leading a double life—saying one thing and doing another.

“There are those who say ‘I am very Catholic, I always go to Mass, I belong to this or that association,’” he said. They should also admit, however: “My life is not Christian.

I don’t pay my employees proper salaries. I exploit people. I do dirty business. I launder money.”

Earlier on, the Pope had said Christians should see atheists as good people if they do good.

This week, referring to those who lead a double life, he said: “There are many Catholics who are like this and they cause scandal.

How many times have we all heard people say ‘if that person is a Catholic, it is better to be an atheist?’”

Make no mistake about it: The Pope did not say it is better to be an atheist than to be a Catholic.

There are those who will twist

his words for their own purposes.

Perhaps even those less liberal would castigate the pontiff for the mere suggestion. We know what the Pope, leader of a 1.2-billion strong religious force, said, plainly.

Lead truthful lives and do not pretend to be who you are not.

Some people mistake religiosity for spirituality or even humanity.

Secure in their affiliation with a powerful group, and faithful to their nominal obligations therein—hearing Mass, donating money, participating in outreach programs or church activities, keeping close ties with church figures and uttering the right prayers at the right time—they believe they are doing more than enough as members of the church.

They think these would compensate for their duplicity and worse, their propensity to judge others not quite as zealous as they are.

We know too many of these.

Sometimes, we ourselves slip.

That it is the Pope exhorting the faithful to remain true to the life they profess gives us hope.

Faith, after all, is never a state of perfection but a process. It is wanting to become our best versions, failing, and struggling yet again. Ultimately this is better than believing—or putting up appearances of believing—and then smugly declaring we do so.

Turn to B2

LOVING LOVING LONG STORY SHORT ADELLE CHUA

IT IS 1958 in Virginia and a black young woman tells her white boyfriend that she is pregnant with his child. The man, Richard Loving, tells the woman, Mildred, that he would build a house for her. He asks her to marry him.

She says yes. They have to drive out

to Washington, D.C. to get married, however, because Virginia’s laws prevent inter-racial marriages.

They come back to their home state and begin their married life, but the beginning is not so blissful. Law enforcers barge into their bedroom

one night and arrest them for violating state laws. Richard points to their marriage license, framed and hanging on the wall, but the sheriff tells him it is invalid and jails them both.

As part of a bargain, they admit guilt in violating the anti-miscegenation

law. Instead of asking them to serve a one-year prison term, the judge tells them they should not return to Virginia, not together, for 25 years.

The couple lives in exile in Washington but return secretly to Virginia so Mildred can have her child Turn to B2

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SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2017 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

TRUMP’S ECONOMIC SUICIDE

By Joe Nocera THERE are a lot of things you can say about the Trump administration’s recently announced deportation plan.

You can say it is cruel, a policy that could only come from a president who lacks a heart. You can say it has more to do with President Donald Trump’s fevered imagination than the reality of the immigrant presence in the US. You can say that it’s counterproductive, likely to uproot the very people this country should embrace—people who have struggled to get to the US with the goal of working hard and making a better life for themselves and their children.

But if Trump is able to get the money from Congress to hire the 10,000 additional immigration cops and 5,000 more border agents he wants, if he gets local sheriff ’s departments to help the federal government round up undocumented immigrants, and if he does indeed begin to deport hundreds of thousands, and perhaps millions, of them, then I think you’ll be able to say something else about his policy: It will be economic suicide.

In 2014, the latest year for which numbers are available, there were 11.1 million undocumented immigrants in the US, according to the Pew Research Center. That’s down from a peak of 12.2 million in 2007. The numbers have shrunk primarily because Mexicans are no longer coming over the border in the numbers that they used to; as of 2014, there were 5.8 million undocumented Mexicans in the US, compared to 6.9 million in 2007.

America doesn’t need fewer undocumented immigrants. It needs more of them. The economy depends on it.

WHAT’S THE DEAL WITH TRAPPIST-1?

By Pecier Decierdo THIS week, scientists at NASA announced the discovery of not 1, or 2, or even 3 but 7 Earth-size planets orbiting another star. And not only that, scientists believe that 3 of those planets can potentially harbor life!

Not surprisingly, the discovery got the internet freaking out with excitement. How does this discovery advance our search for life elsewhere in the universe?

Let’s get back to the news first.

The newly discovered planets that got everyone excited this week were found going around the dwarf star TRAPPIST-1. The star got its name from the Transiting Planets and Planetesimals Small Telescope (TRAPPIST) in Chile.

The system around TRAPPIST-1 is a big deal because this is the most number of Earth-size planets ever found in a single system. It’s even more remarkable because of the 7 planets, 3 are thought to be in the “habitable zone” of their star.

The habitable zone is the region around the star that can have liquid water. If a planet is too close to its star, it can get too hot for water to exist in liquid form. If a planet is too far, it can get too cold and water can only exist as ice.

However, the definition of the habitable zone does not only

depend on distance from the star, but also on the composition of the atmosphere. In the case of the Solar System, the planets Venus, Earth, and Mars are in the Sun’s habitable zone, and so is the Moon. But conditions on Venus are infernal. Meanwhile, it is frigid both on Mars and the Moon.

Venus is too hot because its very thick atmosphere traps too much of the Sun’s radiation. In fact, conditions on Venus can serve as a warning to us here on Earth, where we continue to add more heat-trapping gases into our atmosphere.

Mars, on the other hand, has a very thin atmosphere, and the Moon has practically no atmosphere to speak of. Hence, most of the radiation coming from the Sun that reaches them just bounces back to outer space instead of staying to melt the ice and keep water in liquid form.

Despite its very thin atmosphere, however, Mars still manages to hold a bit of liquid water, so we’re not ruling out the possibility of life on Mars.

We need to know the atmospheres of the planets going around TRAPPIST-1 before we can confidently say which of them can really have oceans and seas of liquid water.

And we might find out soon!

The techniques used in searching for exoplanets (planets going around stars other than the Sun) are becoming more advanced with each passing year. And the longer we look, the more of these exoplanets we will find. We now have found thousands of them, and we’ve only been looking for a little more than two decades. And of the thousands we know are out there, more than three quarters were discovered in the last three years. The rate of discovery is accelerating exponentially.

The TRAPPIST-1 planets were discovered by accurately measuring the brightness of the star. As the planets move around their star, they sometimes pass in front of the star. This causes the star to dim slightly, depending on the size of the planets. By measuring the dimming on TRAPPIST-1, scientists learned than its seven planets are about the same size as the Earth.

More sensitive instruments will soon measure the light from the star even more precisely so that we can figure out what part of that light has bounced off the planet passing in front. This will allow scientists to figure out the composition of the atmosphere of the planet.

Only a few planetary systems

LOVING...

people’s hearts and makes them believe in goodness, justice, and love all over again?

The movie reminds us of our concept of home.

“I don’t care what they do to us, I am delivered by Richard’s midwife mother. They going to raise my family here,” Mildred says. are arrested again, saved only by the lawyer who tells the judge he mistakenly advised them they could return. They leave again.

But Virginia is home and even as the family grows—two more kids are born—the couple yearn to return to their roots. They see hope in the March on Washington where black people rallied for jobs and freedom. Mildred writes to Attorney General Robert Kennedy who refers them to the American Civil Liberties Union. A lawyer, Bernard Cohen, takes on the case, believing it has great potential not only of winning but also being landmark Before they were driven out of Virginia, jurisprudence.

The state of Virginia argues that children of the couple had identified a place where interracial marriages are bastards. The federal they would build their modest house. It Supreme Court, however, agrees to hear the would not be grand, but it was near their case. Increasingly, the case gains attention respective families. It would witness the and support. Legal victory comes in 1967 birth and growth of their kids and their when, through a decision now known as dreams. They wished to return and fought Loving vs. Virginia, the court invalidates state to do so when they could have stayed in Washington and lived in peace. laws prohibiting inter-racial marriages.

It also gives us insight into the minds of simple folk. *** The lawyers tried to convince the Lovings It is perplexing that Loving is not among the nine films nominated for Best Picture in to attend the Supreme Court hearings, but the Academy Awards, to be held Sunday night Richard insisted he did not want to go and (Monday here) even as Ruth Negga, who plays Mildred said she was not going anywhere without her husband. Richard did not see Mildred, is in the running for Best Actress.

Then again, who needs external validation their case for more than what it was and, from award-giving bodies when all you really in fact, seemed to resent the attention want to do is to tell a story that touches they were getting from the press. To him, From A1

There are a lot of reasons for the decline, not least the upsurge of good jobs in Mexico that have resulted from the North American Free Trade Agreement. But that decline has had a pronounced effect on any number of US industries that rely on manual labor: farms, building construction and factories among them.

“We’re really near full employment, and are likely facing a tight labor market for the next decade or so,” said Donald Grimes, a senior research specialist at the University of Michigan.

“The only place firms are going to be able to find workers will be migrants.”

Frank Gasperini, the president and chief executive of the National Council of Agricultural Employers, told me that of the 1.5 million seasonal agricultural workers, somewhere between 50 and 80 percent are immigrants, depending on who’s counting. With the labor market so tight, he said, many farms are as much as 50 percent short of the workforce they need. Farmers have adapted by planting fewer acres with only the most high-margin crops, like grapes and almonds. Less profitable crops, like olives, have been pared back. (The California drought has also influenced these decisions.)

Gasperini insists that farmers don’t purposely hire undocumented workers, but come on. They certainly know that many of their workers are in the US. Illegally—and that a wholesale effort by the government to round them up and send them back would be devastating. Native-born citizens, Gasperini said, simply don’t want to pick crops, so farmers would have to either plant fewer acres or pay significantly higher wages to lure legal immigrants. The result would be twofold: higher prices at the grocery store and an increase in imported fruits and vegetables. Oh, and what country would most likely be exporting those fruits and vegetables to the US? Mexico. Somehow, I don’t think that’s the result Trump has in mind.

The building trades, which also rely on immigrants, have much the same problem: not enough workers for too much work. As David Brooks pointed out in the New York Times, the shortage of workers means that projects aren’t being started, which means “less home-buying, less furniture buying, less economic activity.”

And then there are American factories. “Trump says he wants to bring back manufacturing,” said Dov Charney, “But you can’t manufacture without immigrant labor.” Charney, I realize, is something of a flawed spokesman. in 2014, he was forced

It’s good to be reminded of goodness, justice and love all over again.

out of American Apparel, the clothing company he founded more than two decades earlier, the result of sexual harassment charges and a string of unprofitable quarters. But Charney was one of the few clothing manufacturers to locate his factories in the US, which he insists can be done profitably.

“You are not going to have a ‘Made in America’ manufacturing resurgence with native Americans,” he said. Again, it is not the kind of work most Americanborn citizens want to do—even though Charney offered decent wages and benefits. “It is the motivated immigrant you need,” he added. “I employed thousands of immigrants. The secret of American Apparel was that very few of our workers were Americans.”

For years, Charney hired undocumented workers—but, as Nicole Gelinas noted recently in the New York Post, a federal inspection in 2009 forced him to fire 1,500 workers, making it even more difficult for him to find employees. “The country doesn’t support manufacturing,” Gelinas concluded. Charney would agree. If Trump really hopes to revive manufacturers, kicking out immigrants

is just about the dumbest policy he could devise.

There are other issues, too. In many parts of the country, the population is stagnating—except among immigrants. According to Grimes, between 2006 and 2015, US-born citizens in the prime working ages of 24 to 54 declined to 102.3 million from 104.5 million. During that same nine years, immigrants in the same age group—both legal and illegal – rose to 25.3 million from 22.6 million. The economy is going to need every one of those workers.

Finally, if America gets a reputation for being hostile to immigrants—or if the Trump administration pares back the various routes to legal immigration—it might well scare off the highly educated, highly skilled immigrants who have, for instance, helped make Silicon Valley such a font of innovation. No more Sergey Brins.

No more Andy Groves. No more Elon Musks.

The point is: America doesn’t need fewer undocumented immigrants. It needs more of them. The economy depends on it. Bloomberg

REVISITING...

From A1

are positioned in such a way to allow us to use this technique.

Hence, a vast majority of the exoplanets out there will not be discovered this way. The fact that we have already discovered so many using this technique speaks about the vast multitudes of planets out there.

The TRAPPIST-1 planets, in particular, prove to us that the universe is teeming with planets, many of them possibly Earthlike. So perhaps, the universe is also teeming with life. We’re quite probably not alone in the universe.

But even the nearest Earth-like exoplanets will be beyond our reach in the next few thousand years. Our fastest robotic spacecraft will take close to a million years to get to TRAPPIST-1.

Spacecraft carrying human passengers will take longer— hundreds of millions of years.

The search for Earth-like exoplanets will help us figure out our place in the universe. And for the foreseeable future, that place is here. Our search for other worlds is not a search for replacements. It should be a search that leads us back to our home and makes us see it with fresh eyes.

Decierdo is resident astronomer and physicist for The Mind Museum.

this was their life, their battle. He had no illusions that their case was something bigger than their situation or that they were representing something—even though it resonated across the US in those changing times.

Finally, it tells us that true love makes one fight, defy odds and endure tests.

Before going to the Supreme Court to argue the case, the lawyer asked Richard if he had a message for the justices. Richard did not launch into a big speech about equality or race or justice. He simply said: “Tell them that I love my wife.”

When the decision came out and the couple had to hold a press conference, they were not blinded by the camera lights or distracted by the incessant questions from reporters. They were too busy holding each other, staring into each other’s eyes.

After the 1967 decision, the Lovings were free to live in Virginia as they wished. Richard built the home he had promised Mildred.

Alas, he died in a car accident, hit by a drunk driver, in 1975.

Mildred continued to live in that home. She never remarried. Interviewed shortly before her death in 2008, she said: “I miss him. He took care of me.”

There is no impassioned singing or cute tap dancing here. It’s a historical, racial, legal narration. Without a doubt, though, Loving is one of the most romantic movies I have seen in a long while. adellechua@gmail.com

in her epilogue: ‘Salvaging’ had spread from its origin in the Philippines to become a general term for the elimination of one’s political enemies.)

Gilead clearly models the characteristics of an authoritarian state: the suppression of opposition, the curtailment of human rights and basic freedoms, and the strict regimentation of the economy and society. These are the autocrat’s ploys for gaining and maintaining control over the populace to benefit the few who are in power.

The Handmaid’s Tale is no longer a speculative tale, but one that could very well be reality in our lifetime.

Along with the lessons from the historical past, reading it will help us understand why fascism has never, and will never, work. Any dictatorship must be opposed, lest we once again lose our humanity.

are not tolerated. Under their version of Christian fundamentalism, the state and condition of women suffers.

They are stripped of their identities to curb individual thought and possible protest or uprising. Those below the rank of Wife are not seen as individuals in themselves but as entities with specific service functions. Even Wives have to toe the state line or be summarily executed.

To divert women’s pent-up rage and emotion into different channels, elaborate mandatory rituals are invented, such as Birth Day (when a baby is born), and Prayvaganza (for assemblies, mass weddings).

The Women’s Salvaging is the public execution of women who have committed crimes, while in Particicution—an echo of the secret Dr. Ortuoste is a California-based rites of the Maenead—a male offender writer.

Follow her on Facebook: Jenny is given over to the women to be torn Ortuoste, Twitter: @jennyortuoste, to pieces at their hands.

(Atwood gives a nod to the Philippines Instagram: @jensdecember

World

Turkish President Recep Erdogan

ERDOGAN BIOPIC TO HIT SCREENS AHEAD OF REFERENDUM

FILLON FACES PROBE OVER ‘FAKE JOBS’ P

aris—Francois Fillon, the conservative candidate in France’s presidential election, will face a probe by investigating magistrates into claims he gave members of his family fake jobs, prosecutors said over the weekend.

ANKARA, Turkey—A new film about Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is due to hit cinema screens weeks before an April referendum on whether to boost the president’s powers.

“Reis” (“The Chief”) stars well-known Turkish actor Reha Beyoglu as the Turkish strongman and shows his life up to 1999, beginning with the president’s childhood in a poor district of Istanbul to his rise to become the city’s mayor.

Turkish actress Ozlem Balci plays his wife Emine while child actor Batuhan Isik Gurel plays Erdogan as a boy.

The movie, the first-ever feature film about Erdogan, will be released on March 3 across Turkey before the Turkish public vote on whether to approve an executive presidency on April 16.

Beyoglu, who bears an uncanny resemblance to the younger Erdogan, delivers passionate one-liners in the trailer, including “A person dies only once; if we die, let us die like a man!”

The actor told Kanal D broadcaster this week he was “proud” when Erdogan said he could see his younger self in Beyoglu. AFP

TAIWAN REMOVES CHIANG KAI-SHEK SOUVENIRS TAIPEI—A Taiwanese memorial hall named after Chiang Kai-shek has stopped selling souvenirs depicting the former nationalist leader, authorities said Saturday, as the island deals with the “deep scar” left by his rule.

The decision comes as Taiwan prepares to mark the 70th anniversary of a brutal massacre of protesters by troops from his Kuomintang (KMT) party, when the now democratic island was still under martial law.

The massacre was followed by decades of political purges under Chiang and his son, known as the “White Terror.”

“Many of the victims and their families suffered long-term discrimination and pain. It is a deep scar hidden in the hearts of all Taiwanese,” Culture Minister Cheng Li-chun said.

The Chiang Kai-shek memorial hall, which was built after the leader’s death in 1975 and is one of Taipei’s most recognizable landmarks, will stop playing a song dedicated to Chiang at its opening and closing, a statement from the culture ministry added. AFP

SENIOR MYANMAR POLICE JAILED OVER RAKHINE BORDER RAIDS YANGON—Three senior Myanmar police officers have been jailed for failing to block deadly raids on border posts in October that threw northern Rakhine state into crisis, a police spokesman said Saturday.

The attacks left nine officers dead and unleashed a four-month military crackdown as soldiers swooped in to help police hunt for Rohingya militants blamed for the raids.

More than 70,000 of the Muslim minority have fled the area for neighboring Bangladesh, bringing with them harrowing accounts of systematic rape, killings and torture at the hands of security officers.

UN investigators who interviewed escapees said the violence was so severe it “very likely” amounted to crimes against humanity and ethnic cleansing.

On Saturday a police spokesman told AFP that three senior officers were handed between two and three years in jail for allowing the raids to happen under their watch. AFP

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SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2017 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

French presidential election candidate for the right-wing Les Republicains party Francois Fillon delivers a speech during a public rally in Maisons-Alfort, near Paris, on February 24. AFP

Fillon, one of the frontrunners in the presidential race, will be investigated for alleged embezzlement of public funds and misappropriation of corporate assets, prosecutors said in a statement.

The 62-year-old former prime minister has not been charged at this point, but under French law investigating magistrates can decide to bring charges.

With the first round of the election just two months away, on April 23, the timing of the decision could have a crucial bearing on the race.

Far-right National Front leader Marine Le Pen has been bolstered by the scandal and was leading in polls Friday.

Fillon has been fighting claims first made a month ago by Le Canard Enchaine newspaper that he used allowances to pay his British-born wife Penelope at least 680,000 euros ($720,000) over some 15 years as a parliamentary aide.

She is accused of having barely worked for the salary. Two of Fillon’s children were also put on the parliamentary payroll for brief periods.

The Canard Enchaine also alleged that Penelope Fillon was also paid tens of thousands of euros by a literary review, the Revue des Deux Mondes, owned by billionaire Marc Ladreit de Lacharriere, a friend of her husband.

Magistrates will investigate whether this amounts to misappropriation of corporate assets.

Prosecutors said the three investigating magistrates named to handle the case will also look at whether Fillon failed to declare the necessary information to parliamentary authorities.

Lawyers for the couple said they were confident the magistrates would find them innocent.

The Fillons have argued that Penelope was legitimately employed as a parliamentary aide and their lawyers say they have given investigators proof of the work she did.

But after the allegations emerged, French TV broadcast an interview that Penelope gave to a British journalist in 2007 in which she said she had never been her husband’s assistant.

Fillon has dismissed the claims as politically motivated but he acknowledged last weekend that his presidential bid had become “difficult,” with hecklers often massing at his campaign stops.

He was giving a campaign speech in Maisons-Alfort, to the east of Paris, when it was announced he would face investigation by magistrates.

The claims had taken a toll on Fillon’s standings in the polls, but this week surveys showed he had regained ground and was neck-and-neck with 39-year-old centrist candidate Emmanuel Macron as they fight for second place. AFP

SON OF BOXER MUHAMMAD ALI DETAINED AT AIRPORT FOR ‘ARABIC’ NAME WASHINGTON—A son of boxing legend Muhammad Ali was held for questioning for two hours at a Florida airport upon returning from Jamaica because of his Arabic-sounding name, US media reported over the weekend.

Muhammad Ali Jr., 44, who was born in Philadelphia and has a US passport, was traveling with his mother Khalilah Camacho-Ali, the late sports icon’s second wife, friend and lawyer Chris Mancini told the Louisville Courier-Journal.

Mancini told the newspaper that both were held for questioning on the Fort Lauderdale International Airport on February 7 because of their Arabic-sounding names.

Camacho-Ali however was released after she showed US Customs agents a photo of herself with her ex-husband.

Ali Jr. however had no such photo – and according to Mancini was held for nearly two hours and repeatedly asked: “Where did you get your name from?” and “Are you Muslim?”

When he said that he – like his father – was a Muslim, the agents asked further probing questions.

“To the Ali family, it’s crystal clear that this is directly linked to Mr. Trump’s efforts to ban Muslims from the United States,” Mancini told the Courier-Journal, a reference to President Donald Trump’s late January executive order imposing a 90-day entry ban for citizens of seven Muslim majority countries.

The travel ban has since been halted by a US federal court.

Mancini said that he and the Ali family are trying to find out how many other people were stopped for similar questioning, and are considering a federal lawsuit. AFP

INNER PEACE. Indian founder of the Akshar Power Yoga Foundation Master Akshar speaks to participants as they take part in a yoga and self-defense lesson for women at the foundation in Bangalore on February 25, 2017. AFP

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SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2017 Cesar Barrioquinto, Editor

World

/ Joyce Pangco-Pañares, Issue Editor

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

SUICIDE ATTACKS IN SYRIA’S HOMS KILL 42 B

EIRUT—Suicide attacks on two security service bases in the heart of Syria’s government-held third city of Homs killed 42 people on Saturday, overshadowing peace talks in Geneva, state television and a monitor said.

“There were at least six attackers and several of them blew themselves up near the headquarters of state security and military intelligence,” Syrian Observatory for Human Rights director Rami Abdel Rahman told AFP. He said a senior intelligence officer

was among the dead in the twin attacks in the heavily guarded Ghouta and Mahatta neighbourhoods.

Security forces locked down the city centre.

Homs has been under the full control of the government since May

2014 when rebels withdrew from the centre under a UNbrokered truce deal.

But it has seen repeated bombings since then. Twin attacks killed 64 people early last year.

State television paid tribute to the “martyrs” in the latest bombings.

There was no immediate claim for the bombings but they bore the hallmarks of the Islamic State group, which controls swathes of the largely des-

ert countryside east of Homs.

Government forces retook the oasis city of Palmyra and its Unesco-listed ancient ruins in a much heralded Russianbacked offensive in March last year but were then pushed out

by IS in December.

Since then, the focus of government efforts has been further north, on second city Aleppo, which they fully retook after a rebel withdrawal in December, and areas to its east and west. AFP

PELE’S SON SURRENDERS

SAO PAULO, Brazil—The son of football legend Pele turned himself in late Friday after being ordered by a Brazilian court to begin serving a nearly 13-year prison sentence for money laundering and drug trafficking.

Edson “Edinho” Cholbi do Nascimento, who briefly played for his father’s former club Santos, had so far avoided serving time while his case underwent a lengthy appeals process.

But on Thursday a judge reaffirmed the conviction, reduced Edinho’s original 2014 sentence from 33 years to 12 years and 10 months, and ordered him to begin serving time.

The 46-year-old former goalkeeper spoke to reporters before turning himself in at a police station in the Brazilian port city of Santos.

“There’s great frustration because I am being accused of money laundering, but I never did that,” he said, according to the G1 news portal.

Edinho – who was accused of laundering based on phone tap evidence – has said he will continue to fight the allegations and that his only contact with drug traffickers was as a drug user. AFP

EXTRADITION OF FORMER GUATEMALA VP SOUGHT

TRUMP’S RUSSIA RESET ON HOLD

A BLAZE OF COLOR. A dancer of the Tom Maior samba school performs during the first night of carnival parade at the Sambadrome in Sao Paulo, Brazil. AFP

WASHINGTON—President Donald Trump came to the White House promising a radical reset of US-Russia relations after years of rising tensions under his predecessor.

But barely one month into office, that plan appears to be on hold, and Trump’s White House team has taken on an increasingly Russophobic face.

After he repeatedly pledged to reach “a deal” with Vladimir Putin while hinting at downgraded relations with NATO and the European Union, Trump has yet to set a meeting with the Russian leader.

Meanwhile Vice President Mike Pence and top cabinet security and defense officials have gone to great lengths to reassure European leaders that Washington is not giving up on its allies.

While Trump still holds out the idea of striking up an amicable relationship with Putin, the administration took a distinct turn away from that stance last week with the replacement of pro-Moscow national security advisor Michael Flynn with Lieutenant General HR McMaster, a hawkish army veteran who sees Russia as the primary threat to US interests and global stability.

And next week, the Senate is expected to approve the appointment of Senator Dan Coats as Director of National Intelligence,

adding another Putin skeptic to Trump’s defense and national security team.

“There has been a major shift,” said Bruce Jones, vice president and director for foreign policy at the Brookings Institution think tank in Washington. “My sense is at least we’ve seen an evolution to an approach that is more sensitive to the threat Russia poses to Europe and the US.” Jake Sullivan, the former national security advisor to vice president Joe Biden, said the White House policy situation is “still unsettled.”

However, he said, McMaster’s arrival in Flynn’s place “could tip the balance.”

Trump has long expressed admiration for Putin and other hardas-nails Russian autocrats.

But his hope of launching into the presidency with a new approach to Russia has been set back by scandals that have allowed critics to paint him as suspiciously soft on Moscow: the intelligence conclusion that Russia interfered in the US election to hurt Trump’s rival Hillary Clinton; alleged links between some of his campaign advisors and Russian intelligence; and the need to fire Flynn over his private discussions on sanctions with Russia’s ambassador. AFP

GUATEMALA CITY—The United States said it will seek the extradition of Guatemala’s former vice president Roxana Baldetti and ex-interior minister Mauricio Lopez on drug trafficking charges.

Baldetti and Lopez were indicted in US federal court in Washington on Wednesday on charges of conspiring to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine from January 2010 to May 2015, knowing it would ultimately be imported illegally into the United States.

“The US Department of Justice has not yet forwarded an extradition request to the US embassy,” a statement from the mission in Guatemala City read. AFP

NASA WANTS ASTRONAUTS ON DEEP SPACE TEST FLIGHT

MIAMI, United States—The US space agency said it is considering putting astronauts on an upcoming test flight of the deep space capsule Orion as it aims to orbit the Moon.

Orion is being built with an eye to one day ferrying astronauts to Earth’s neighboring planet, Mars, perhaps by the 2030s.

Until now, the Orion test flight known as Exploration Mission-1 was scheduled for 2018 and was expected to be unmanned.

But NASA’s acting administrator Robert Lightfoot asked for the space agency to study the feasibility of putting people on board, and the findings of that study are expected in the coming months. AFP

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SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2017

Business

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

REGUS MANAGER DESIGNS OFFICE SPACE FOR MILLENNIALS

By Othel V. Campos

CONTRACTUAL employment is often perceived as temporary.

And with this comes the belief that it doesn’t offer any advancement options – one’s career is only as good as the length of his or her tenure. But these are all misconceptions according to the Philippine Association of Legitimate Service Contractors.

“That’s not the case. Just because you’re under service contracting employment doesn’t mean there’s no chance or hope for advancement or a better position. In the end, career growth is not dependent on your type of employment – it still about perseverance, hard work and your skills,” says Palscon president Rhoda Caliwara.

She says there are already a number of employees of Palscon member companies who are enjoying good jobs and experienced career advancement. One of them is Corazon Llamoso.

M

ILLENNIALS demand more mobility and flexibility in work, leisure and personal space. This demand is also what Regus aims to meet, says Lars Wittig, the man behind the company which provides flexible work space solutions in the country.

Wittig, the country manager of Regus Philippines, oversaw the expansion of the company over the past five years. It now has 5,300 work stations across 25 centers, including one that has recently opened in Davao City.

Wittig introduced fresh ideas to improve, innovate and make working more relevant for professionals, entrepreneurs and people who value mobility. This led to the gradual, but steady acceptance of flexibility in work and work space in the Philippines.

“The trend is now more and more companies, regardless of size, are abandoning the concept of traditional workspace. Co-working is a absolutely a keyword today and that is what we are embracing now,” he says.

“Regus provides the flexibility to work anywhere in the world where there is Regus presence compared to when you enter a conventional work space where you sign up for minimum of six or seven years lease and make a very big capital investment. For office space flexibility, Regus is the best choice, regardless if you are an up and coming company or whether you’re a Fortune 500 company,” he says.

In 2016, demand for flexible work stations grew 65 percent. Driving the demand is the growing need for flexible working space.

As country manager, Wittig’s mandate is to keep up with the demand and respond to the growing need for flexibility.

“The need for work space five to six years ahead is impossible to predict. Majority of the upcoming office spaces in the country’s business districts have been pre-committed. If you are an entrepreneur or a start-up company, it will be prudent to go for flexible work space so you can work whenever, wherever you like and your capital is not tied up to assets that depreciate over time. Companies don’t to be stuck in big capital investments,” he says.

“With the traffic condition, don’t expect your employees to commute to office everyday. Sitting in coffee shops is not a way to work. And the millennials who are very successful in every way prefer to work at their own pace, at their own time, anywhere. To go forward we have to embrace the millennial thinking,” he says.

Wittig first moved to the Philippines over 20 years ago and worked for Coca-Cola Co. as a director for marketing, then with Dole Packaged Foods as marketing manager for Asia and with Philip Morris in the distribution network.

Now with Regus, he says human resource experts stepped up along with the changing times. They accept working flexibly, giving managers and select employees access to the Regus work site, where productivity is maximized by optimizing time that would have been spent on the road.

Right now, Regus has more than 5,300 work stations in 25 locations in the Philippines and continues to grow its network of flexible work space. It has plans to add 200 more stations to existing locations.

It biggest location in Davao hosts 360 work stations.

It first office in the Philippines, located at the Entreprise Building in Makati continues to draw crowds of professionals, students and foreign

CAREER ADVANCEMENT STILL POSSIBLE UNDER SERVICE CONTRACTING

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MANAGER.

Regus Philippines country manager Lars Wittig nationals.

Wittig says the company has no choice but to keep increasing locations and work stations.

It has over 30,000 square meters of prime commercial space.

As it continues to establish locations in megacities, Regus is looking at expanding to second tier cities. Zamboanga, Cagayan de Oro, Mactan, Iloilo and Bacolod are among the sites eyed for expansion this year.

Another expansion model Regus is working on is a partnership with property developers to allow Regus to operate and manage a Regus office in building owned by the developer.

“They [developers)] saw the opportunity. They appreciate the value of flexible work space. If we want to grow as fast as we would like to then we will go to these partnerships. It will accelerate our ability to grow. It is obvious that his type of operation will put in additional leg to their real estate business. It will feed in to their existing real estate business as incubator. To be honest this good business and a great advantage to developers,” Wittig says.

Regus does not pay rent. It has a formula for profit-sharing with the developers. It repays the

capital investment the landlord made through profit-sharing.

“The more locations we have, the more value we give to our customers,” says Wittig, noting that Cagayan de Oro City is one of the locations eyed for this type of expansion mode.

The company’s aggressive expansion program is a part of the strategy to raise the bar in 2017.

Regus wants to expand its presence to airports.

“I want airports to be destinations not just by airplanes but also destinations to different cities where you can go hosting a Regus meeting at the airport. That is part of our vision to continue to lead in terms of innovation of flexible work space,” he says.

“Through a range of office formats, as well as growing mobile, virtual office, and workplace recovery businesses, Regus enable people and businesses to work where, when, and how they want, with a range of price points.

Regus, a multinational corporation headquartered in Luxembourg, is the world’s largest provider of flexible work space solutions, with a network of 3,000 locations in over 1,000 towns and cities, across 120 countries, serving 2.3 million members.

“I started out as a promodiser.

But eventually I got hired at the office. Service contracting gave me an opportunity to grow, develop my skills, and learn almost everything that I need to know to become better in my job,” Corazon says.

Corazon sees her employment under service contracting as a big help to her family. Through this job, she is able to support her father, a farmer, and was able to help her younger sibling finish college.

“My younger sibling has just graduated from a four-year course. I funded her schooling.

Add to that the fact that I’m able to continuously help my family.

These are just a few of the benefits I’m enjoying under service contracting.”

Caliwara says that with the continuous operations of service contracting in the country comes Palscon’s commitment of providing hope and progress to a number of Filipino workers.

“As long as we, legitimate service contractors, are here, every Filipino worker could trust that that there will be a continuous provision of good jobs and fair labor. There will be more Filipino workers with better jobs making better lives for their families,” she says.

PHINMA CELEBRATES 60TH YEAR

Phinma Corp. executives led by president and chief executive Ramon del Rosario Jr. (third from left) and chairman Oscar Hilado (fifth from left) recognize the best employees of Phinma Group.

PHINMA Corp. recognized its best employees at the Fairmont Hotel in Makati City as a part of the Filipino holding company’s 60th anniversary celebration.

Phinma leaders and executives marked the activity as the first of a yearlong celebration. The event entitled ‘Phinma Honors Its Own’ recognized select men and women within Phinma, who on their own time, in their own way, exemplify its mission of making lives better.

The gala had Phinma employees

and executives toast to 60 fruitful years of service to the country and the Filipino people through its various businesses and affirm a commitment to decades more of making lives better.

Founded in 1957 by a group of young Filipino manager-entrepreneurs envisioning a vibrant and progressive Philippine economy, the company was one of the leaders in cement, oil, paper, roofing and coal.

With the turn of the century, Phinma refocused its participation in nation

building from the industrial base to services.

Beyond its businesses that seek to provide the essentials of a better life, it expressed its commitment to community service through the recently held one-day simultaneous outreach activity spread out through various areas in the Philippines.

Covering community development and environmental preservation, Phinma held coastal clean ups, tree planting, traffic assistance, house building, storytelling activities and more.

Business

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SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2017 business@thestandard.com.ph

AVIATION EXPERT SHARES

F&B GROUP HOLDING 1ST RESTAURANT, CAFE, BAR EXPO PHIL. ASIA Conferences and Exhibitions Inc. is holding the first expo on restaurants, cafés and bars on March 1 to 4.

With close to 100 exhibitors from at least 20 countries, the Philippine Restaurant, Café and Bar Expo will be held at Hall A of the World Trade Center Metro Manila in Pasay City on March 2 to 4, with a pre-show coffee event on March 1.

Philresca debuts as the country’s first dedicated sourcing event for the booming industry of beverages. It will feature events in partnership with World Coffee Events, including the anticipated Philippine National Latte Art Championship, Philippine National Barista Championship and Re:Verb, which comes to Manila for the first time.

“With nearly 100 exhibitors at Philresca, the event will cater to a growing number of industry players, professionals and students who are looking for a quality event on the business of restaurant, café and bar,” says May Juan, president of Phil. Asia Conferences and Exhibitions Inc. “As seats especially in our educational sessions are limited, we encourage visitors to take advantage of our online registration and book into our seminars in advance to reserve their slots.”

On March 1, Phil. Asia Conferences and Exhibitions and World Coffee Events will co-organize Re:Verb, a knowledge-sharing event that has made rounds in cities like Tokyo and Seoul. Re:Verb will feature a series of talks and dialog from global coffee experts in El Salvador, New Zealand, Denmark, United Kingdom and the US. Among the speakers are two-time Austrian barista champion Sonja Zweidick, Federico Pacas of Café Tuxpal, Michael Cleland of Assembly Coffee and Matt Graylee of Raw Material Coffee.

The expo proper is scheduled from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on March 2 to 4, with the last day open for the public. The three-day B2B exhibition will showcase suppliers, distributors, manufacturers and service providers in the sectors of baking, café, alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, charcuterie, condiments, confectionary, flavorings, herbs and spices, pasta/noodles, seafood, delicatessen and other allied services.

Philresca will also host the two Philippine coffee championships. For three days, the country’s most skilled baristas will compete at the Philippine National Latte Art Championship and the Philippine National Barista Championship, where champions are expected to represent the country in coffee competitions abroad.

In addition, the event will feature educational seminars such as The Cupping Exchange, which will highlight the best local coffee beans and their farmers, and the Philresca Sessions, a learning-filled discussion on business strategies, latest product and trends, and other essential knowledge and issues in the industry.

KNOWLEDGE WITH MILLENNIALS

A

VIATION expert Avelino Zapanta says that for the Philippines to leverage itself as one of Asia’s next aviation powerhouses and for related businesses to prosper, government and industry players must align their thrusts and work collaboratively to take advantage of impending developments.

Zapanta’s sterling reputation is from his almost 50 years of leadership experience and knowledge in the field of aviation. From a rank-and-file position as a cargo clerk in Philippine Airlines in 1966, Zapanta gradually went up the ladder, occupying various leadership roles before becoming president and chief executive of the flag carrier from 1999 to 2004.

In 2006, Zapanta joined Southeast Asian Airlines and was instrumental to the expansion of its operations from an all turboprop airline flying domestic routes to a regional airline operating Airbus 320s.

Zapanta recalls how local aviation has evolved dynamically and survived economic challenges throughout the years. “I’m happy with the state of commercial aviation in the country today, it is very healthy. Since the fuel crisis of 2008 where a lot of airlines really suffered, our carriers on the other hand were continuing to grow. New players entered the picture, and there were mergers and acquisitions, as well,” he says.

Zapanta cites the fuel price decline in 2015 to 2016 as a big help to carriers as fuel comprises the biggest operating expense for airline operators. “However, we don’t know if this will last as there are indications that fuel producers will once again begin their practice of closing and opening valves of fuel supply in order to play with fuel price. The last two years have been steady, this is the third year that we are enjoying good fuel price,” he says.

“When fuel prices went down at that time, operating costs went substantially low to almost 20 percent and airline passengers and even private motorists are enjoying

Aviation expert Avelino Zapanta relatively cheaper fuel,” he says, adding that this resulted in “our carriers expanding.”

“PAL and Cebu Pacific have aircraft orders. For the former, it is opening up more points to Europe, specifically London, then Amsterdam, Paris and Rome. For Cebu Pacific with their A350 being a long-haul aircraft, may be they have plans to open more regional points, may be they will fly in the mainland US as well as it is already operating in Guam. And that’s good news to the airline riding public,” Zapanta says.

Zapanta points out the behavior of economy as an influencing factor. “When the economy is down, passenger traffic is also down. When it is up, so is the airline industry,” he says.

“In terms of manpower, sad to say we still have shortage of mission-critical skills. These skills are so important that the airline can’t operate without them, you have to have the pilots and the mechanics basically. We have a shortage because they are being pirated by foreign airlines and big MROs,” he says.

With the anticipated increase in passenger traffic and the predicted expansion by many airlines, the time is ripe for training many highly qualified Filipino aviation personnel.

To ensure that the country has adequate supply of well-trained aviation people to meet the boom, WCC Aeronautical and Technological College is leading the way in offering courses that help aspirants get ahead in the industry.

“This is the main reason why we see the expansion of aeronautical schools in the country, which is good to go about training qualified people. And the WCC is at the forefront of making these happen,” Zapanta says.

In his new career as head and lead professor of WCC School of Aviation Business at the WCC Aeronautical and Technological College in Binalonan, Pangasinan, Zapanta’s

goal is to inspire and share his experience to the next generation of aviation professionals.

Zapanta will be responsible for developing and conceptualizing the contents of the new subjects that will be offered in the new courses that WCC president and chief executive Ramon Guico III has planned for the WCC Center for Aviation Business. The center aims to educate students how to organize the airline industry.

Zapanta says he is focusing on the commercial, business and management aspects of the center.

“A business aviation degree program provides students with a well-rounded business foundation exploring all facets of business administration and management like economics, aeropolitics, accounting, marketing, finance, human resources management and valuable global business strategies,” he says.

For aspiring aviation students to successfully thrive, Zapanta stresses the importance of having quality education – one that involves industry-standard competence training and holistic character transformation.

Under his expertise and academic guidance, Guico believes Zapanta will further boost WCC’s role as an institution that molds highly competent aviation leaders of the future. “We are pleased to have Dr. Zapanta in WCC. With him onboard we are confident that WCC can achieve its ultimate goal of producing high-caliber aviation professionals that will help propel the local industry into greater global heights,” he says.

“We must look at every possible angle, every advantage, to succeed. If we can get things right for the local aviation industry now, we can expect sustainable growth and brighter future prospects for the entire country ahead,” Guico says.

AIRLINES USE CLARK AIRPORT FOR STRATEGIC EXPANSION LOCAL and foreign airline companies are turning to Clark International Airport to boost their strategic expansion, according to a foreign investor in Clark Freeport Zone.

Mark Williams, chief executive of Global Gateway Development Corp., said the simultaneous expansion of airline companies at Clark is a clear indication of robust growth and strong demand in Central and Northern Luzon.

Officials of Clark International Airport Corp. are holding talks with more airlines to connect the premier airport north of Manila to different parts of the country, Asia and even North America.

CIAC president Alexander Cauguiran said the airport operator is currently in talks with air carriers on possible air connection between Clark and North America.

He said Clark has a huge market potential consisting of travelers coming from Northern Luzon, Cagayan

Valley Region, Central Luzon, and the northern part of Metro Manila or Camanava (Caloocan, Malabon, Navotas and Valenzuela). Together, these areas have a combined population of 24.2 million.

“Clark ought to be the most logical and practical airport of choice of the people from the morthern and central parts of Luzon,” Cauguiran was quoted as saying.

C I A C ’s m a s t e r d e v e l o p m e n t plan includes developing a new passenger terminal with an 8-million-passenger capacity. The Duter te administration plans to construct another terminal by 2019 or before President Rodrigo Duterte steps down from office.

Studies point to the strong growth in the number of passengers in Clark, with the increase in flights at CRK. In its report, CIAC seeks to maximize in the next two to three years the existing terminal with a capacity of 4.2 million

passengers annually.

The goal of decongesting Metro Manila’s Ninoy Aquino International Airport is on track to being achieved with more airlines mounting flights from the Clark International Airport, according to Philippine Airlines executives.

Philippines AirAsia, the local unit of Malaysian budget carrier AirAsia, is also set to resume flights from Clark International Airport in Pampanga to Kalibo, Aklan. Cebu Pacific also has flights to and from Clark.

More flights means good business for Clark International Airport, which was designed to accommodate 4 million passengers but only sees about a million a year.

More flights to and from Clark will not only decongest Metro Manila’s Ninoy Aquino International Airport, but will also help prop up the local economy.

Cauguiran said more flights to Clark will boost economic activities, including transportation, food and

other businesses down the line.

Airport authorities say less traffic, comfor t and a better passenger experience form part of the lure of Clark airport for those from Northern and Central Luzon and even people from Metro Manila.

Williams expressed optimism that as more flights land in Clark International Airport, Clark Freeport Zone will solidify its position as the next growth area in the country. He said GGDC’s huge investment in Global Gateway City is timely for new locators in the Freeport area.

“Global Gateway City, the 177-hectare development of GGDC is in the midst of riding on the crest of economic progress,” he said.

Williams said the multi-billion project is envisioned to provide support for various industries such as aviation that needs aeroparks and business process outsourcing complete with mix-used infrastructures.

Sports

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SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2017 randyproject@yahoo.com

The Colegio de San Agustin (CSA) spikers will take on the Jubilee Christian Academy

METRO’S TOP TEAMS SLUG IT OUT IN WVL SEMIFINALS LJ Gonzales and teammate Rhon Abarrientos prepare to double team an opponent.

FEU’S GONZALES SHOWS WHY HE’S THE FINALS MVP

By Peter Atencio

P

OINT guard Louell Gonzales said he did not focus when was in foul trouble in the first half. He knew the job at hand and he intended to finish it.

Gonzales had a slow start as he was of little use to the Far Eastern University Baby Tamaraws’ cause for most of the game. At the end of the first half, he already had three fouls.

The defending champion National University Bullpups jumped the gun on them and took an early lead of 10-to-nil.

With John Clemente, Karl Penano and Paul Manalang in charge, NU quickly took the upperhand, 26-15.

From there, NU stayed in control until the final period.

It was at this juncture that Gonzales showed to all what he’s capable of.

“Hindi ako nawalan ng loob. Nagfocus lang ako. Iyun, naabot namin,” said Gonzales, an 11th grader, before he broke into a celebratory laughter.

He sank crucial baskets that carried the FEU Baby Tamaraws to their first title in four years at the Arena in San Juan.

The 5’10 Gonzales knocked in 10 of 12 points in the 10 minutes of the game to lead the Baby Tams to an 81-73 subduing of the

LJ Gonzales celebrates his Finals MVP win with teammates.

LJ Gonzales

defending champion National University Bullpups.

This allowed them to claim the crown in the 79th University Athletic Association of the Philippines Junior Basketball tournament following a two-game sweep of their best-of-three finals series.

Gonzales will be going up to K12 next year and he’s given by the UAAP to join the college team of the FEU next year.

“For now gusto ko pa siguro one more year with the Baby Tamaraws,” said Gonzales, who added that he still love to enjoy the fruits of continuous training under Baby Tams assistant coaches Victor Pablo and Johnny Abarrientos.

Both Pablo and Abarrientos

were alumni of FEU and former stars in the Philippine Basketball Association.

Gonzales’s series heroics earned him the finals MVP honors, while University of the Philippines Integrated School’s Juan Gomez de Liano took home the season’s MVP plum.

“Buti, nakabawi siya sa foul trouble. Hindi siya makapaglaro masyado ng first quarter, second quarter at third quarter. Nung fourth, tinanong ko coaching staff kung kaya pa dahil kailangan namin ng penetrator. Buti, naka-catch up,” said FEU coach Allan Albano.

In Game 1, the Baby Tamaraws pulled off a stunning 66-65 victory over the Bullpups.

PADIZ TOPS REGION TILT, GETS TO DEFEND PALARO TITLE

Solomon “Monchie” Padiz Jr.

SPORTS run in the blood of Solomon “Monchie” Padiz Jr. His chosen sport may not be as popular as before but he’s willing to continue his quest all the way up the summit.

First he has to take the best in local turf.

Padiz, son of Dela Salle Calamba Solomon Sr., booked another ticket to the Palarong Pambansa following a smashing victory over familiar foe, Joel Albo of Antipolo City in the recent Southern Tagalog CALABARZON Athletic Association held in Whackers Badminton Academy in Victoria Laguna.

The 16-year old Padiz used his lethal jump smash lefty to outscore Albo 21-11,21-13 in their secondary boys singles

duel to qualify once again for another Palaro stint where he is the defending champion.

“My continuous and rigid training in the Philippine Badminton Association courts plus my advantage in height prove to be my weapon in this division and my ticket to Palaro finals in Antique this year”, said Padiz, who got his love passion sports from his father, a former sepak takraw and arnis national official.

A varsity player of Rexdei Academy,Inc in Santa Rosa City who ranked no. 1 in the Juniors national team and no.2 in seniors class, Padiz will try to better his last year’s Palaro gold romp in the secondary boy’s singles as he will also go for the gold in secondary

mixed doubles .

The left-handed Padiz will begin his comprehensive preparation for the national finals, his first step towards a bigger, ambitious goal to bring his act in international competitions and give honors to the country.

It’s not mission for impossible for someone who works hard. “Sabi lang po sa akin work hard, work it out lang po talaga and it will be rewarded.”

Hard work plus the support of his proud parents, PBA Smash Pilipinas, Rexdei Academy Dep Ed Sta Rosa, City Mayor Danilo Ramon Fernandez and Santa Rosa Badminton Center, success is never impossible for this young Laguna shuttler.

TOP-RANKED teams from across the National Capital Region will battle it out in the semi-finals of the 21st season of Women’s Volleyball League (WVL), one of the country’s biggest and longest running volleyball tournaments for girls.

Organized by BEST (Basketball Efficiency and Scientific Training) Center and sponsored by Milo, the games will be held on Sunday (February 26, 2017) at the Xavier School High School Gym. Four teams will be competing in each division which consists of 17 and Under Developmental Division, 17 and Under Competitive Division, 13 and Under Developmental Division, and 13 and Under Competitive Division.

Colegio San Agustin will face Jubilee Christian Academy in the first set of 13 and Under Competitive Division while Escuela de Sophia Caloocan and Kings Montessori School will face in another set.

Meanwhile, College of San Agustin will try to oust St. Paul’s College Makati while School of Holy Spirit will play against School of Saint Anthony in the 13 and Under Developmental Division.

On the other hand, Kings Montessori School will face Hope Christian High School in the first set of 17 and Under Competitive Division while La Salle College Antipolo will go against San Pedro Relocation Center National High School in another set.

In the 17 and Under Developmental Division, Saint Pedro Proveda College will battle against Colegio de Sta. Rosa while St. Paul’s College Makati will compete against School of St. Anthony.

Winners for each set will be competing against each other for the 21st WVL championship title to be held at San Beda College Gym in Metro Manila on March 5, 2017.

BEST Center is nationally renowned for its great contribution to sports development in the Philippines. Because of the clinic’s dedication to not only producing future champions but also promoting sports and physical fitness among kids, BEST Center is cited by the Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) and the Olympism Award from the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) as hall of famer.

Meanwhile, WVL has recently received a citation from the Philippine Sportswriters Association “for being a consistent breeding ground of young talents in volleyball for the past 20 years”.

By continuously organizing sports event such as WVL as well as SBPPasserelle Twin Tournament, an annual basketball competition for kids aged 9-14, BEST Center is confident that the sport in the country will continue to grow in both popularity and equality.

For more information about the BEST Center Women’s Volleyball League and BEST Center’s volleyball clinics and tournaments, call 411-6260, 3723066 and 372-3065, email bestcentersports@gmail. com or follow its official Facebook page at https://www.facebook. com/pages/BEST- Center-Spor tsInc/66172039922.

C4

Sports

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2017 Riera U. Mallari, Editor / Reuel Vidal, Issue Editor / Randy Caluag, Issue Editor

sports_mstandard@yahoo.com

PACIO, LEE HEADLINE ‘WARRIOR KINGDOM’ Kevin Martin

MARTIN LEARN ROPES IN SACTOWN

Promising Filipino MMA fighter Joshua Pacio (right) unloads a ferocious side kick against Yoshitaka Naito during their bout. ONE Championship

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ROMISING Filipino MMA fighter Joshua Pacio and reigning ONE Atomweight World Champion Angela Lee headlines ONE: Warrior Kingdom at the 12,000 seat Impact Arena in Bangkok, Thailand on March 11. \Pacio squares off with former ONE Strawweight World Champion Dejdamrong Sor Amnuaysirichoke on the undercard of Lee’s title defense against the unbeten Jenny Huang.

Pacio guarantees a better version of himself as he crosses paths with Dejdamrong.

“He is a former champion.

There shouldn’t be room even for a single mistake in this bout. One mistake took everything away from me in my last fight. This time around, I can’t be complacent. Moreover, I have to be two steps or three steps ahead of him,” Pacio said.

“Expect that I will be a better competitor inside the cage. My team has prepared a good strength and conditioning program to level up my cardio. I made sure to sharpen my striking. I also invested time in my ground game.”

Lee of Waipahu, Hawaii, is one of the promotion’s most outstanding athletes regardless of gender or weight class. Lee is of mixed Singa-

porean and Korean heritage and trains at Asia’s premier mixed martial arts gym, Evolve MMA in Singapore.

Lee’s beautiful combination of solid striking and grappling skills has proven to be a potent formula for success as she remains unbeaten in her MMA career. In her last bout, Lee captured the inaugural ONE Women’s Atomweight World Championship with an impressive victory over Mei Yamaguchi.

Lee makes the first defense of her title against Huang.

Twenty six-year-old Huang represents Chinese Taipei. Unbeaten with a professional MMA record of five wins and no losses, Huang also owns three impressive submission victories.

In her most recent bout, Huang electrified the arena by executing an extremely rare submission, the gogoplata, overcoming a spirited performance from the Philippines’ April Osenio.

Dejdamrong is a threetime Lumpinee Stadium Muay Thai world champion and has a 6-1 record as a pro-

fessional mixed martial artist.

He is known as a technical striker with quick hands and lightning feet, employing some of the most unique and creative combinations.

He has 25 years of competitive experience.

The other matches include Shannon “OneShin” Wiratchai of Thailand taking on Filipino OFW Richard Corminal; Kritsada “Dream Man” Kongsrichai battling Indonesia’s Adrian Matheis; Pongsiri “Punhod” Mitsatit facing Rabin Catalan of the Philippines; Rika “Tinydoll” Ishige facing Malaysian Audreylaura Boniface; and Chinese standout Ma Jia Wen taking on Yohan Mulia Legowo.

Wiratchai of Thailand is a staple in exciting and memorable battles inside the ONE Championship cage. A mainstay of Bangkok Fight Lab, he trains in various martial arts disciplines at home in Bangkok, including Muay Thai, boxing, wrestling and Brazilian jiu-jitsu. Wiratchai likes to be creative with his striking, employing a myriad of un-

ONE Atomweight World Champion Angela Lee (above) holds down opponent Mei Yamaguchi in a full mount during their fight. ONE Championship

predictable off-angle elbows and kicks.

Corminal is a Filipino mixed martial artist based in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. He holds a professional MMA record of four wins and one loss, with all of his career victories to date coming by way

of knockout.

Kongsrichai is a Thai national wrestling champion, and has a 4-3 record as a professional mixed martial artist.

He has not gone the distance yet in his young career, having two knockouts and two submissions under his belt.

KEVIN Martin went under the tutelage of some of the game’s best tacticians.

In truth, just before he retired a season ago, he was coached by one of the greatest minds in professional basketball, Gregg Popovich of the San Antonio Spurs.

But even after 12 years playing for the best coaches and alongside some of the best players in the NBA, the former Western Carolina standout still owes a debt of gratitude to the core of the “greatest show on court” and the main man at it’s helm.

“As a rookie, you wanna just get on the court, but coach (Rick) Adelman made me work hard for everything,” said Martin during an interview at the Buffalo Wild Wings in Capitol Commons, Pasig.

“I wouldn’t have made it 12 years without him,” added Martin who was in the country for the 2017 NBA All-star game viewing party.

Martin, who was selected

by Sacramento 26th in the first round of the 2004 draft, played his first six seasons with the Kings until he was traded to the Houston Rockets in 2010, but he still treasures his time in SacTown and the help he got from Adelman and the Kings players.

“I thank him for that first year, and just being surrounded by great guys like Brad Miller, Mike Bibby, Doug Christie, Chris Webber and also Bobby Jackson, they just taught me a lot,” said the 34-year-old Martin.

“It was a blessing to be around those group of guys.

They played the game the right way, they played for their teammates and they shared the ball. It was great just learning behind those guys.”

ONE MAY HOLD EVENTS OUTSIDE METRO MANILA ONE CHAMPIONSHIP, considered the frontrunner of mixed martial arts (MMA) in the Asian region, has become a staple of the growing local combat scene in the Philippines since its first venture on the country’s shores in 2012.

ONE has held nine of its last 52 events at locations such as the historic Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City and the state-of-theart SM Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.

When ONE Championship struck a lucrative broadcasting deal with ABS-CBN in 2016, it paved the way for the Asian brand of MMA to be viewed by millions of Filipinos on free television.

Company chairman Chatri Sityodtong revealed that the Philippines is one of ONE Championship’s primary destinations in its

yearly multinational itinerary.

“The Philippines is one of our biggest markets because the fans in the country are just so passionate about mixed martial arts,” Sityodtong said.

“The country is a very important market for us. I truly believe that ONE Championship can become mainstream where every single Filipino is enthralled with what ONE Championship has to offer.”

Sityodtong bared ONE Championship’s plans of extending its reach in the archipelago by staging an event outside Metro Manila.

“Our operations team has looked at various stadiums across the Philippines.

We’ve scouted places that could meet our standards in terms of size and quality. I will

not be surprised if in the future, we will see more events in the Philippines, not just Manila but in other cities,” he said.

According to Sityodtong, one of ONE Championship’s target destinations outside Metro Manila is Cebu City.

“We’re looking at Cebu City as a possible future destinations,” he said.

Cebu City is no stranger to sporting events as it hosted numerous blockbuster boxing cards in the past.

Meanwhile, fans from Baguio City are clamoring for a ONE Championship event to be held in the “Summer Capital of the Philippines” as its hometown hero Eduard Folayang currently reigns as the ONE Lightweight World Champion.

Sityodtong is not closing the doors on

the possibility of hosting a stacked card in Baguio City in the future.

“We are open to all options definitely.

I don’t want make any announcement or prediction right now, but there is a possibility,” he said.

ONE Championship returns to the Philippines for the tenth time on 21 April, with Folayang defending the ONE Lightweight World Championship title for the first time against a yet-to-be-determined opponent in the main event.

“Eduard Folayang is going to defend the ONE Lightweight World Championship in his home country for the first time.

I want the entire country, if you’re a Filipino or have a Pinoy heart, you’ve got to watch this fight,” Sityodtong said.

ONE Championship chairman Chatri Sityodtong says the promotion will eventually hold events outside Metro Manila. ONE Championship

D1

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2017

Jimbo Gulle, Editor

Roger Garcia, Issue Editor

LGUs

Local Gov’t Units

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LANG-AY FEATURES BIGGEST ‘PATUPAT’

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HARVEST TIME. Senator Cynthia Villar (standing back row, third from right) poses with drug surrenderers after the successful community-based drug rehabilitation training program conducted by the VIllar SIPAG Foundation. It coincided with the SIPAG Harvest Festival, where the drug surrenderers harvested vegetables they planted as part of the program. Also in photo are Dr. Ferdinand C. Eusebio, Las Piñas City health officer; Mary Ann Planas, DILG Las Piñas; Dory Fadriquela, Allied Botanical area sales manager; Narcing Eguia of Couples for Christ Foundation; and Las Piñas Police Chief Marion Balonglong.

BAGUIO FLOWER FESTIVAL BLOSSOMS WITH EVENTS

By Dexter A. See

B

AGUIO CITY—“Inspired by Beauty, Nurtured by Nature.” With this as the main theme the yearly festival of flowers, the country’s undisputed summer capital will play hosts to hordes of local and foreign visitors who will trek this city to catch the last phase of the cold weather and be inspired anew in the wondrous beauty of nature.

The Panagbenga, popularly known as the Baguio flower festival, has lined up for this year’s celebration several activities for visitors to “chill” in the nightly celebrations and “get chilled” with the cold weather, still being experienced here.

Residents and visitors will be in for a great with the upcoming conduct of the grand streetdancing and the celebrated float parades, two major highlights of the 22nd edition of the festival.

Some 21 streetdancing contingents will showcase their anticipated sterling performances along the five-kilometer parade route.

The magnificent parade will start from the Panagbenga Park along South Drive up to the Baguio Athletic Bowl passing through Upper Session road, Magsaysay Avenue, Harrison road,

and Burnham Lake Drive Saturday morning.

The participating contingents composed of 9 delegations in the elementary level, 4 in the secondary level and 8 in the open category will also be showcasing their performances to the public at the Baguio Athletic Bowl aside from their performances along the parade route wherein the winners will be judged accordingly.

On the other hand, some 22 floats will be paraded along the 3-kilometer parade route from Upper Session Road up to the Melvin Jones grandstand passing through Session road and Harrison road. The floats, which will be composed of 9 small floats, 10 big floats and 3 non-competing floats, will be displayed at the Melvin Jones grandstand on Sunday for the appreciation of the residents and visitors wanting to take their pictures with the said flower-decorated floats.

Anthony de Leon, co-chairman of the Panagbenga Executive Committee, said that starting Feb. 27 up to March 5, Session road, the city’s main road, will be closed to vehicular traffic to pave the way for its conversion into a virtual promenade area with the put up of sidewalk cafes by the establishments in the area and food and souvenir stalls with flower-inspired products.

Nightly performances by local and national stage performers will be conducted in the stage erected at upper Session road during the week-long closure of the road to provide the public with added attractions aside from being able to freely roam around the road line.

De Leon added security and traffic preparations are also in their final stages to mitigate the effects of the weeklong closure of the city’s main roads to vehicular traffic.

BONTOC, Mountain Province—Local makers of “Patupat,” a famous rice delicacy, have collaborated to produce the biggest serving during Lang-ay Festival this coming April.

The ‘patupat’ that will be prepared and served will be around four feet in height and six feet long. Likewise some 5,000 pieces of the regular delicacy (patupat) will be prepared for visitors of the province during its 50th Anniversary Celebration.

Paulino Tumapang, chairman of the Lang-ay Festival Organization, said that Lang-ay organizers will also be serving the traditional ‘sinab-ang,’ sticky rice with camote, side by side with the biggest ‘patupat’ to the public to make the festivities an enjoyable and fulfilling gastronomic experience for locals including foreign and domestic visitors alike.

“We are tapping the support of our local patupat makers to help make the Lang-ay festivities not only memorable but also to help boost the growth of the province’s tourism industry,” Tumapang stressed.

Tumapang added local organizers were also able to convince some businessmen to serve to the public their special products and delicacies during the Lang-ay on the Street so that there will be more than enough food that will cater to the needs of the residents and visitors that are expected to flock to the province to be part of the festivities that will be lined up.

Dexter A. See

NO LET-UP IN SURIGAO RELIEF EFFORTS RELIEF assistance remained steady for the victims of the magnitude-6.7 earthquake that hit Surigao City on Feb. 10, the Philippine Red Cross and the Department of Social Welfare and Development disclosed recently.

Social Welfare Secretary Judy Taguiwalo, however, aired her department’s appeal for help, particularly with the affected residents’ water needs.

“We need to continue the provision of relief assistance to the citizens of Surigao, and this includes water. There is no way that people can function well and survive without a steady supply of water for drinking and for other household needs,” she said.

The PRC started distributing safe water on Feb. 15 and has since then distributed thousands of liters of water to the residents of the devastated areas.

To date, the PRC has distributed 76,500 liters of water to survivors.

The strong-intensity earthquake severely damaged the water system of Surigao City and its neighboring municipalities.

“Water is essential to survival and survivors can go on without food for a few days, as long as they have water. We have been water tankering since Feb. 14,” PRC said in a statement.

DA MOVES TO FAST-TRACK APAYAO AGRI PROGRAMS

‘TYPE NG BAYAN.’ Following the recent national launching of Type ng Bayan free blood typing program held in Mandaluyong City, Pasig City followed suit with its launching at the Pasig City Sports Center. Over 2,000 Pasigueños benefitted from the launch. Turning over the testing kits to Mayor Bobby Eusebio is Edwin Ubial, husband of Health Secretary Paulyn Ubial, with members of the Cabinet Spouses Association and CBA executive director Ricky Reyes.

LUNA, Apayao—The Department of Agriculture’s Special Area for Agricultural Development has started to implement various livelihood as well as agri-based programs to benefit farming communities and their families in this province.

Different interventions, such as the distribution of seedlings, will be done after the organization, registration, and training of the target beneficiaries, to address the needs of beneficiaries.

Prior to the meeting of the council, the team conducted a four-day orientation and planning workshop on the SAAD program implementation at DA-RFO-CAR. They were able to prepare four (4) training designs: Slope Agricultural Land Technology (SALT); Livelihood Training on Livestock Production and Marketing;

Swine Production for fattening, and Vegetable Production.

Also, two project proposals were prepared, the Establishment of Chicken Layer Production Facility and, Livelihood Vegetable Production. A SAAD forum per municipality down to cluster barangays was also planned.

The survey of qualified familybeneficiaries is ongoing in the different municipalities of Apayao and is expected to be completed this month.

Warlito Madamba, project coordinator of Apayao, said the purpose of the survey is to properly determine the livelihood interests of the target beneficiaries including their economic status.

A Planning Workshop and Consultation with stakeholders attended by the seven

municipalities with one representative from the 4Ps beneficiaries and the different national line agencies was held recently in Luna, Apayao.

Results of the SWOT analysis for SAAD conducted last year and the presentation of the 2017 WFP will be presented for further discussions.

The SAAD is implemented in the Cordillera through its Regional Project Management Team headed by Dr. Lorenzo M. Caranguian, regional executive directorDA as project management director and Engineer Danilo P. Daguio, regional technical director for pperations-DA as deputy project management director and the organization of the Provincial Project Team with Prudencio Bosing, provincial agriculturist-Apayao as chairman. Dexter A. See

LGUs

Standard SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2017 Standard D2 TODAY TODAY Manila Manila

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CYAN CYAN MAGENTA MAGENTA YELLOW YELLOW BLACK BLACK

BATAAN SCHOOL ADOPTS MODEL MANGO FARM

By Butch Gunio

CALOOCAN BEAUTIES. Candidates in the Miss Caloocan 2017 pageant pose after the swimsuit and talent competition at the City Hall grounds. Caloocan Mayor Oscar Malapitan said the pageant’s grand coronation night was to be held at the Glorieta Tala covered dome on Saturday night. Andrew Rabulan

T

AUSTRALIAN AGENCY BOOSTS PH AGRI-FISHERIES RESEARCH

HE Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research or ACIAR recently held its Country Partnership discussions in Makati City aimed at mapping out the development of a 10-year strategy for the country’s agriculture based research.

Some 60 heads of agencies and representatives from national research institutions, state universities, private sector, civil society, local government and international development partners participated in the one-day meeting in partnership with the Department of Science and Technology–Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development.

ACIAR engages in annual discussion with its stakeholders to ensure that its priorities for research col-

laboration continue to align and complement the Philippine strategies for agricultural research and development in the next decade (2018-2028).

Australian Deputy Head of Mission Mat Kimberley, and DOST Undersecretary for Research and Development Dr. Rowena Guevara were keynote speakers of the event.

“We fully support the Philippine government’s initiatives on value chain and rural developments, especially helping farmers increase productivity, build their capacities to gain better access to markets and trade opportunities,” Kimberley said.

“Agriculture is a shared agenda of Australia and the Philippines noting its role in driving food security, poverty reduction and inclusive economic growth,” he added.

During the event, ACIAR general manager for Country Programs Dr. Peter Horne and PCAARRD executive director Reynaldo Ebora led working group sessions.

“ACIAR remains committed to funding longerterm programs in the Philippines and sustaining its

collaborative research partnerships that deliver science-based solutions to real world problems of farmers and fisherfolk,” Horne said Australia’s partnership with the Philippines involves a wide variety of development programs in education, gender, peace and stability, among others.

Horne said in the next 6-9 months, ACIAR will further consult and work with partners to finalize the plan.

ACIAR currently supports 17 projects valued at P840 million (A$24 million) and focuses on increasing agricultural productivity, and the marketability and international competitiveness of agricultural products, with, more recently an emphasis on reducing the adverse effects of climate change on the rural poor.

ACIAR’s Philippines program has a greater focus on Mindanao and Visayas.

For more information about the Australian Embassy’s programs, please check www.philippines. embassy.gov.au, like us on Facebook, Australia in the Philippines, and follow @AusAmbPH on Twitter.

MABALACAT CITY, Pampanga—Mango planters here held a field day on a Bataan university mango model farm highlighting best practices in raising and propagating the world’s best-selling tropical fruit.

The Bataan Peninsula State University and the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development jointly assumed the pilot mango farm project as they envisioned the farming methods to be applied a model for science and technology.

The mango model farm project is being implemented in collaboration with Zoocobia, a leisure zoo in Clark Freeport, and mango farmers belonging to Samanaka cooperative.

“This is a challenge to all mango farmers to follow.

The techniques and methods we are showcasing in this pilot farm is innovative and focused on maximizing yields of fruit-bearing trees such as mango, said Dr. Hermogenes Paguia, BPSU director of Research and Development Office and project leader of the mango orchards in the area.

For his part, TTPD PCAARRD Director Dr. Melvin Carlos said that there must be convergence and institutionalization in the farm and it is best for all to adopt the proven science and technology interventions in mango farming.”

The mango model farm project here came following the conclusion in 2015 of the research project Science and Technology Community-Based Farming (STCBF) on mango production in Bataan involving 15 mango orchard farmers.

Carlos assured the farmers the DoST will continue to help the farmers.

SOLON FILES VIZCAYA HOSPITAL UPGRADE BILL

BAGUIO MARKET SUMMIT SLATED

By Ben Moses Ebreo

BAGUIO CITY—Concerned stakeholders will have the chance to actively participate in crafting a short, medium and long-term plan for the city’s public market and other satellite markets in the different barangays during a summit scheduled on early next month.

“Our aim is to make our public market a world-class facility. If not, at least make it presentable to the city’s domestic and foreign tourists flocking to the city,” Councilor Leandro B. Yangot Jr., chairman of the City Council Committee on Trade and Commerce and Agriculture, told Manila Standard.

The councilor said that the conduct of the summit “will allow various stakeholders to actively participate in injecting their inputs relative to the multifarious issues and concerns surrounding the public, trade and commerce industry in the city.”

Earlier, Yangot conducted a dialogue with market stakeholders as an initial move for the conduct of the summit to gather and thresh out all the concerns to make business relations in the market thriving and organized beneficial in attracting the influx of more visitors to the city.

According to him, the goal to improve and further develop the present market into an added tourist attraction thereby making it safe, drug and crime-free, clean and orderly would essentially be the focus of the sustainable development program for the city’s public market.

For starters, Yangot urged stakeholders to tap peacekeeping volunteers and officers including clean and green advocates to help in recreating Baguio’s public market as one of the city’s show window.

Yangot said that stakeholders will be presented with the various legislative proposals from the city council concerning the move to make Baguio public market as one of the city’s tourist attraction.

He explained that during the summit (scheduled to be held March 3), participants will take part in evaluating various concerns and challenges and come up with short, medium and long-term plans and solutions largely focusing on improving not only the public market but trade and commerce in the city as well. Dexter A. See

Republic Republic of of the the Philippines Philippines DEPARTMENT DEPARTMENT OF OF ENVIRONMENT ENVIRONMENTAND AND NATURAL NATURAL RESOURCES RESOURCES

National National Capital Capital Region Region

DENR-NCR DENR-NCR Building, Building, National National Ecology Ecology Center, Center, East EastAvenue, Avenue, Quezon Quezon City City REGIONAL REGIONAL BIDS BIDSAND ANDAWARDS AWARDS COMMITTEE COMMITTEE INVITATION INVITATION TO TO BID BID PROCUREMENT PROCUREMENT OF OF MOTOR MOTOR VEHICLES VEHICLES FOR FOR CY CY 2017 2017 The TheDENR-NCR, DENR-NCR,through throughthe theGAA-CY GAA-CY2017 2017intends intendsto toapply applythe thesum sumof ofTWO TWOMILLION MILLION PESOS PESOS (PhP2,000,000.00) (PhP2,000,000.00) being being the the Approved Approved Budget Budget for for the the Contract Contract (ABC) (ABC) to to payments payments under under the the contract contract for for “Procurement “Procurement of of Motor Motor Vehicles Vehicles for for CY CY 2017”.

2017”. Bids Bids received in excess of the ABC shall be automatically rejected at bid opening. received in excess of the ABC shall be automatically rejected at bid opening.

The The DENR-NCR DENR-NCR now now invites invites all all interested interested Phil-GEPS Phil-GEPS registered registered contractors, contractors, manufacturers, manufacturers, suppliers, suppliers, dealers, dealers, authorized authorized franchised franchised dealers dealers to to submit submit Letter Letter of of Intent (LOI) and to Bid for the following project, to wit: Intent (LOI) and to Bid for the following project, to wit: Purchase Approved Purchase Approved Budget Budget for for Request Description the Request Quantity Quantity Description the Contract Contract (PhP) (PhP) (PR) (PR) No. No. PhP2,000,000.00 2016-045 PhP2,000,000.00 2016-045 Two Two (2) (2) Vehicle Vehicle units units AUV AUV or or MPV MPV or or Passenger Passenger Van Van SPECIFICATION: SPECIFICATION: Dimensions Dimensions –– Overall Overall (LxWxH) (LxWxH) 4,735x1,839x1,795 4,735x1,839x1,795 Wheelbase Wheelbase –– 2,750 2,750 Engine EngineType: Type: •• 2.0 2.0 Liter Liter diesel, diesel, 44 cylinder, cylinder, in-line in-line valve valve •• Double Double Overhead, Overhead, Camshaft Camshaft •• Engine Engine Displacement Displacement –– 1,998 1,998 •• Minimum Minimum Power Power –– 136/5,600 136/5,600 •• Maximum MaximumTorque Torque –– 183/4,000 183/4,000 ••Transmission – 5 Speed Transmission – 5 Speed MT MT AUV AUV // MPV MPV Engine Engine Displacement Displacement –– 1,500 1,500 Passenger Passenger Van Van Engine Engine Displacement Displacement –– 3,000 3,000 Delivery Delivery of of the the Goods Goods isis required required as as indicated indicated in in the the Bid Bid Data Data Sheet Sheet of of the the Bidding Bidding Documents.

Documents. Bidders Bidders should should have have completed completed aa contract contract similar similar to to the the project project in in the the last last five five (5) (5) years. years. The The description description of of an an eligible eligible bidder bidder isis contained contained in in the the Bidding Bidding Documents.

Documents.

Bidding Bidding will will be be conducted conducted through through open open competitive competitive bidding bidding procedure procedure using using aa non-discretionary non-discretionary “pass/fail” “pass/fail” criterion criterion as as specified specified in in the the Implementing Implementing Rules Rules and and Regulations Regulations (IRR) (IRR) of of Republic Republic Act Act (RA) (RA) 9184, 9184, otherwise otherwise known known as as the the “Government “Government Procurement Procurement Reform ReformAct”.

Act”.

Bidding Bidding isis restricted restricted to to Filipino Filipino citizens/sole citizens/sole proprietorships, proprietorships, partnerships, partnerships, or or organizations organizations with with at at least least sixty sixty percent percent (60%) (60%) interest interest or or outstanding outstanding capital capital stock stock belonging belonging to to citizens citizens of of the the Philippines, Philippines, and and to to citizens citizens or or organizations organizations of of aa country country the the laws laws or or regulations regulations of of which which grant grant similar similar rights rights or or privileges privileges to to Filipino Filipino citizens, citizens, pursuant pursuant to to RA RA5183 5183 and and subject subject to to Commonwealth CommonwealthAct Act 138.

138.

Interested Interested bidders bidders must must submit submit their their Letter Letter of of Intent Intent from from February February 25, 25, 2017 2017 to to March March 18, 18, 2017 2017 and and may may obtain obtain further further information information from from and and inspect inspect the the Bidding Bidding Documents Documents at at the the address address given given below below during during 8:00 8:00 -5:00 -5:00 P.M. P.M. AA complete complete set set of of Bidding Bidding Documents Documents may may be be purchased purchased by by interested interested Bidders Bidders on on March March 3, 3, 2017 2017 to to March March 18 18 2017 2017 from from the the address address below below and and upon upon payment payment of of aa non-refundable non-refundable fee fee for for the the Bidding Bidding Documents Documents in in the the amount amount of of Five Five Thousand Thousand Pesos Pesos (Php5,000.00).

(Php5,000.00).

ItItmay mayalso alsobe bedownloaded downloadedfree freeof ofcharge chargefrom fromthe thewebsite websiteof ofthe thePhilippine PhilippineGovernment Government Electronic Electronic Procurement Procurement System System (PhilGEPS) (PhilGEPS) and and the the website website of of the the Procuring Procuring Entity, Entity, provided provided that that Bidders Bidders shall shall pay pay the the nonrefundable nonrefundable fee fee for for the the Bidding Bidding Documents Documents not not later later than than the the submission submission of of their their bids. bids.

The The DENR-NCR DENR-NCR will will hold hold aa Pre-Bid Pre-Bid Conference Conference on on March March 7, 7, 2017, 2017, 2:00 2:00 o’ o’ clock clock in in the the afternoon, afternoon, at at the the Conference Conference Room, Room, 44thth Flr., Flr., DENR-NCR DENR-NCR Bldg., Bldg., National National Ecology Ecology Center, Center, East EastAvenue, Avenue, Quezon Quezon City City which which shall shall be be open open to to all all interested interested parties. parties.

Bids Bids must must be be delivered delivered to to the the address address below below on on or or before before of of 10:00 10:00 a.m. a.m. of of March March 21, 21, 2017.

2017. All All Bids Bids must must be be accompanied accompanied by by aa bid bid security security in in any any of of the the acceptable acceptable forms forms and and in in the the amount amount stated stated in in the the Bidding Bidding Documents.

Documents.

Bid Bid opening opening shall shall be be at at 10:30 10:30 a.m. a.m. on on March March 21, 21, 2017 2017 at at the the Conference Conference Room, Room, 44thth Flr., Flr., DENR-NCR DENR-NCR Bldg., Bldg., National National Ecology Ecology Center, Center, East EastAvenue, Avenue, Quezon Quezon City.

City. Bids Bids will will be be opened opened in in the the presence presence of of the the Bidders’ Bidders’representatives representatives who who choose choose to to attend attend at at the the address address below. below. Late Late bids bids shall shall not not be be accepted. accepted.

The The DENR-NCR DENR-NCR reserves reserves the the right right to to accept accept or or reject reject any any bid, bid, to to annul annul the the bidding bidding process, process, and and to to reject reject all all bids bids at at any any time time prior prior to to contract contract award, award, without without thereby thereby incurring any liability to the affected bidder or bidders. incurring any liability to the affected bidder or bidders.

For For further further information, information, please please refer refer to: to: BAC BAC Secretariat Secretariat Procurement Procurement Section, Section, 33rdrd Flr, Flr, DENR-NCR DENR-NCR Bldg.

Bldg.

National National Ecology Ecology Center Center East EastAvenue, Avenue, Quezon Quezon City City Tel. Tel. 3740091 3740091 February February 22, 22, 2017.

2017.

DIR. DIR. SOFIO SOFIO B. B. QUINTANA, QUINTANA, Ph.D, Ph.D, CESO CESO IV. IV. Assistant Assistant Regional Regional Director Director for for Technical Technical Services Services and and Chairman, Chairman, Regional Regional Bids Bids and andAwards Awards Committee Committee Office of the Assistant Regional Director, Technical Services Office of the Assistant Regional Director, Technical Services DENR-NCR DENR-NCR Building, Building, National National Ecology Ecology Center Center Compound, Compound, East EastAvenue, Avenue, Quezon Quezon City City (MS-FEB. (MS-FEB.26, 26,2017) 2017)

Valley region after the Cagayan Valley Regional Medical Center in Tuguegarao City.

Once approved by the President, VRH will BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya—Representative Luisa Lloren Cuaresma here has filed a bill be transformed from 200 to 500 capacity bed in Congress in a bid to upgrade the facilities medical center along the national highway in and other resources of the Veterans Regional Barangay Magsaysay here.

“So far, there are no hitches during the deHospital in this town.

Cuaresma said the bill, now being deliberat- liberations and we hope that this will pass ed in Congress’ committee on health, will also through the regular process and becomes rename the VRH into R II Trauma and Medical a law this year, “ said Dr. Cirilo Galindez, VRH Center, a level III category medical center, the chief.

He said the upgrading of the VRH is timely second highest category hospital in Cagayan considering that the number of patients beRepublic Republic of of the the Philippines Philippines Department ing accommodated and Department of of Health Health CENTRAL CENTRAL OFFICE OFFICE BIDS BIDS AND AND AWARDS AWARDS COMMITTEE COMMITTEE treated at the hospital is increasing.

INVITATION INVITATIONTO TOBID BID Galindez said the VRH PROCUREMENT PROCUREMENTOF OFVARIOUS VARIOUSGOODS GOODS caters to patients not 1.1. The TheDepartment DepartmentofofHealth Health(DOH), (DOH),through throughthe theGeneral GeneralAppropriations AppropriationsAct ActCY CY2017 2017intends intendstotoapply applythe thesum sum ofofTwenty TwentyThree Three Million MillionPhilippine PhilippinePesos Pesos(PhP23,000,000.00) (PhP23,000,000.00)for forthe theprojects projectslisted listedbelow. below.Bids Bidsreceived received only within Nueva Vizininexcess excessofofeach eachABC ABCshall shallbe beautomatically automaticallyrejected rejectedatatbid bidopening: opening: caya but also from the Cost CostofofBidding Bidding Single SingleLargest LargestCompleted Completed IBIBNo. Name ABC No. NameofofContract Contract ABC(PHP) (PHP) Documents Contract Documents(Php) (Php) Contract neighboring provinces IBIBNo. Hiring No. HiringofofaaService ServiceProvider Providerfor forShort ShortHealth HealthMessaging Messaging 12,000,000.00 12,000,000.00 25,000.00 25,000.00 AtAtleast leastFifty FiftyPercent Percent 2017-124 2017-124 Service ServiceThru ThruText TextBlast Blast (50%) of Ifugao, Cordillera, (50%)ofofthe theABC ABCwithin within Upgrade UpgradeofofDOH DOHFlex FlexBlade BladeChassis Chassisand andSupply, Supply,Installation, Installation, the thespecified specifiedperiod periodininthe the IBIBNo. No. Commissioning, Commissioning, Integration Integration ofof Eleven Eleven (11) (11) New New Flex Flex Blade Blade 11,000,000.00 11,000,000.00 25,000.00 25,000.00 Section SectionIII. III.Bid BidData DataSheet Sheet 2017-125 Quirino, Isabela and 2017-125 Servers Servers TOTAL TOTAL 23,000,000.00 23,000,000.00 Cagayan.

2.2. The TheDOH DOHnow nowinvites invitesBids Bidsfrom fromeligible eligibleBidders Biddersfor forthe theprocurement procurementofofthe theabove-caption above-captionprojects. projects. Delivery Delivery He said that during ofof the the Goods Goods as as specified specified inin Section Section VI. VI. Schedule Schedule ofof Requirements.

Requirements. Bidders Bidders should should have have completed, completed, within withinthe thespecified specifiedyears yearsfrom fromthe thedate dateofofsubmission submissionand andreceipt receiptofofbids bidsaacontracts contractssimilar similartotoeach eachofofthe the the peak season, paabove-cited above-citedprocurement procurementprojects projectsstated statedininthe theBidding BiddingDocuments.

Documents.The Thedescription descriptionofofan aneligible eligiblebidder bidderisis contained containedininthe theBidding BiddingDocuments, Documents,particularly, particularly,ininSection SectionII.II.Instructions InstructionstotoBidders.

Bidders. tients flock even along 3.3. Bidding Biddingwill willbe beconducted conductedthrough throughopen opencompetitive competitivebidding biddingprocedures proceduresusing usingaanon-discretionary non-discretionary“pass/fail” “pass/fail” the corridors while criterion criterionas asspecified specifiedininthe theImplementing ImplementingRules Rulesand andRegulations Regulations(IRR) (IRR)ofofRepublic RepublicAct Act(RA) (RA)9184, 9184,otherwise otherwise known knownas asthe the“Government “GovernmentProcurement ProcurementReform ReformAct”.

Act”. under treatment and Bidding Biddingisisrestricted restrictedtotoFilipino Filipinocitizens/sole citizens/soleproprietorships, proprietorships,partnerships, partnerships,or ororganizations organizations with withatatleast leastsixty sixty medication due to insufpercent percent(60%) (60%)interest interestor oroutstanding outstandingcapital capitalstock stockbelonging belongingtotocitizens citizensofofthe thePhilippines, Philippines,and andtotocitizens citizens or or organizations organizations ofof aa country country the the laws laws or or regulations regulations ofof which which grant grant similar similar rights rights or or privileges privileges toto Filipino Filipino ficient rooms. citizens, citizens,pursuant pursuanttotoRA RA5183 5183and andsubject subjecttotoCommonwealth CommonwealthAct Act138.

138.

“This upgrading move 4.4. Interested Interestedbidders biddersmay mayobtain obtainfurther furtherinformation informationfrom fromthe theCOBAC COBACSecretariat, Secretariat,G/F, G/F,Bldg.

Bldg.6,6,Department Departmentofof Health, Health,San SanLazaro LazaroCompound, Compound,Sta. Sta.Cruz, Cruz,Manila Manilaand andinspect inspectthe theBidding BiddingDocuments Documentsatat8:00 8:00AM AMtoto5:00 5:00 will address the growPM, PM,Monday MondaytotoFriday.

Friday. ing number of patients 5.5. AA complete complete set set ofof Bidding Bidding Documents Documents for for each each procurement procurement package package listed listed above above may may be be acquired acquired by by interested interested bidders bidders on on 27 27 February February 2017 2017 toto 20 20 March March 2017 2017 from from the the address address above above and and upon upon payment payment coming for treatment in ofof aa nonrefundable nonrefundable fee fee for for the the Bidding Bidding Documents, Documents, pursuant pursuant toto the the latest latest Guidelines Guidelines issued issued by by the the GPPB GPPB Resolution our hospital. We can also ResolutionNo. No.04-2012, 04-2012,dated dated24 24February February2012, 2012,ininthe theamount amountspecified specifiedabove. above.

ItIt may may also also be be downloaded downloaded free free ofof charge charge from from the the website website ofof the the Philippine Philippine Government Government Electronic Electronic prevent the outbreak of Procurement Procurement System System (PhilGEPS) (PhilGEPS) and and the the website website ofof the the Procuring Procuring Entity, Entity, provided provided that that Bidders Bidders who who are are interested diseases caused by overinterestedtotoparticipate participateshall shallpay paythe theapplicable applicablefee feefor forthe theBidding BiddingDocuments Documentsnot notlater laterthan thanthe thesubmission submission ofoftheir theirbids. bids. crowding of patients,” Bidding BiddingDocuments DocumentsFee Feemay maybe berefunded refundedininaccordance accordancewith withthe theaforementioned aforementionedGuidelines Guidelinesbased basedon onthe the grounds Galindez said. groundsprovided providedfor forunder underSection Section41 41ofof2016 2016Revised RevisedIRR IRRofofRA RA9184.

9184.

6.6. The The DOH DOH will will hold hold aa Pre-Bid Pre-Bid Conference Conference and and the the Submission Submission and and Opening Opening of of Bids Bids at at the the COBAC COBAC He also said that the Conference Conference Room, Room, G/F, G/F, Building Building 6, 6, Department Department of of Health, Health, San San Lazaro Lazaro Compound, Compound, Rizal Rizal Avenue, Avenue, Sta. Sta. Cruz, bill will also address the Cruz,Manila, Manila,which whichshall shallbe beopened openedto toall allinterested interestedparties partieson onthe theschedule schedulegiven givenbelow: below: Activity Activity(Date (Date&&Time) Time) low number of medical IB Name IBNo. No. Nameof ofContract Contract Pre-bidding Pre-biddingConference Conference Submission Submissionand andOpening Openingof ofBids Bids IB No. Hiring of a Service Provider for Short Health practitioners and health IB No. Hiring of a Service Provider for Short Health 2017-124 2017-124 Messaging MessagingService ServiceThru ThruText TextBlast Blast 06 20 06March March2017; 2017; 20March March2017; 2017; workers within the VRH. Upgrade of DOH Flex Blade Chassis and Supply, Upgrade of DOH Flex Blade Chassis and Supply, 10:00 09:00 IB 10:00AM AM 09:00AM AM IBNo. No. Installation, Installation,Commissioning, Commissioning,Integration IntegrationofofEleven Eleven 2017-125 2017-125 (11) “We still have close (11)New NewFlex FlexBlade BladeServers Servers 7.7. Bids Bidsmust mustbe bedelivered deliveredtotothe theaddress addressstated statedbelow. below.All AllBids Bidsmust mustbe beaccompanied accompaniedby byaabid bidsecurity securityininany any to 200 unfilled medical ofofthe theacceptable acceptableforms formsand andininthe theamount amountstated statedbelow: below: positions and we hope Amount of Bid Security Amount of Bid Security Form FormofofBid BidSecurity Security (Not (Notless lessthan thanthe therequired requiredpercentage percentageofofthe theABC) ABC) through this bill, we can Cashier’s/manager’s Cashier’s/manager’scheck checkissued issuedby byaaUniversal Universalor orCommercial Commercial Bank.

Bank. encourage more appliBank Bankdraft/guarantee draft/guaranteeor orirrevocable irrevocableletter letterofofcredit creditissued issuedby byaa Two Twopercent percent(2%) (2%) Universal Universalor orCommercial CommercialBank: Bank: Provided, Provided,however, however,that thatititshall shallbe be cants,” Galindez said. confirmed confirmedor orauthenticated authenticatedby byaaUniversal Universalor orCommercial CommercialBank, Bank,ifif issued issuedby byaaforeign foreignbank. bank.

He added that Health Surety Suretybond bondcallable callableupon upondemand demandissued issuedby byaasurety suretyor orinsurance insurance Five Fivepercent percent(5%) (5%) company duly company dulycertified certifiedby bythe theInsurance InsuranceCommission Commissionas asauthorized authorized Secretary Paulyn Ubial totoissue issuesuch suchsecurity. security.

Bid No BidSecuring SecuringDeclaration Declaration Nopercentage percentagerequired required also vowed assistance Bids Bidswill willbe beopened openedininthe thepresence presenceof ofthe theBidders’ Bidders’representatives representativeswho whochoose chooseto toattend attendat atthe theaddress address to the upgrading of the below. below.Late Latebids bidsshall shallnot notbe beaccepted. accepted.

VRH. 8.

8. TheDOH TheDOHreserves reservesthe theright rightto toaccept acceptor orreject rejectany anyand andall allbids, bids,declare declareaafailure failureof ofbidding, bidding,or ornot notaward award the the contract contract at at any any time time prior prior to to contract contract award award inin accordance accordance with with Section Section 41 41 of of RA RA9184 9184 and and its its IRR, IRR, Galindez said Ubial without withoutthereby therebyincurring incurringany anyliability liabilityto tothe theaffected affectedbidder bidderor orbidders. bidders. made the commitment 9.9. For Forfurther furtherinformation, information,please pleaserefer referto: to: COBAC-C COBAC-CSecretariat Secretariat during the inauguraDepartment DepartmentofofHealth Health San SanLazaro LazaroCompound Compound tion and blessing of the Sta. Sta.Cruz, Cruz,Manila Manila Tel. Tel.Nos. Nos.651-7800 651-7800local local1625 1625toto1627; 1627;1650 1650toto52 52 newly-constructed P150Facsimile FacsimileNo.: No.:741-9775; 741-9775;740-6830 740-6830 million Out-Patient Build(SGD) MA. CAROLINA V. TAIÑO, CPA, MGM, CESO IV (SGD) MA. CAROLINA V. TAIÑO, CPA, MGM, CESO IV Assistant AssistantSecretary Secretaryof ofHealth Health ing in November last COBAC – B Chairperson COBAC – B Chairperson year.

(MS-FEB. (MS-FEB.26, 26,2017) 2017)

CYAN CYAN MAGENTA MAGENTA YELLOW YELLOW BLACK BLACK

Gadgets & Games

D3

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2017 rumallari@thestandard.com.ph

OPPO TEAMS UP WITH PH'S TOP MODELS

LIFEBOOK U747

FUJITSU RELEASES 3 MODELS IN LIFEBOOK SERIES

Hopefuls of the PNTM: High Street, the latest local incarnation of the international model reality search backed

by OPPO, strike a pose during a gala night at the Chaos Night Club, City of Dreams. Paul Duran

By Paul Duran

I

T WAS indeed a night full of selfies. Beauty and elegance merged during an evening with the aspirants of the new season of the Philippines’ Next Top Model, highlighting the line of OPPO smart phones, that will for the first time, be allowed inside the models’ mansion.

In a gala night at the posh Chaos Night Club at the City of Dreams in Pasay, the mobile technology giant announced that it will be a major sponsor of the PNTM: High Street, the latest local incarnation of the international model reality search.

OPPO is teaming up with TV5 to present the latest season of the show. The broadcast company has aired the last two seasons of Asia’s NTM and in this season, former Binibining Pilipinas-World Maggie Wilson will head the panel of judges that will choose the winner out of 24 hopefuls.

“America’s Next Top model is a worldwide sensation that prompted several countries to have their own edition of the internationally renowned television contest. We are proud to be part of this show’s new Philippine edition,” said OPPO Philippines Brand Marketing Manager Stephen Cheng.

“Like the brand’s collaboration with the team behind America’s Next Top Model, we hope to be just as successful here in the country.”

While the phone for the upcoming PNTM cycle is yet to be revealed, OPPO announced that it will sign up the show’s top three models as online influencers.

“This is also an opportunity for us to show the other side of the OPPO brand which puts prime on fashion and lifestyle,”added Cheng, who later in the evening formally signed a contract with Media5, headed by Chot Reyes, before the models were presented to the public.

Apart from Wilson, other judges will include Preview Creative Director Vince Uy, celebrity stylist Rain Dagala, and Professional Models Association of the Philippines President Raf Kiefer.

In a teaser video released during the event, reigning Miss International Kylie Versoza was seen mentoring the girls, certainly an episode to look forward to.

America’s Next Top Model premiered in May 2003. Tyra Banks, the show’s creator and executive producer, served as the head judge for 22 cycles.

The model search aired semiannually until 2012, and then annually in 2013, the year British singer and actress Rita Ora replaced Banks as the head judge.

The Kapatid Network, which aired two seasons of Asia’s Next Top Model, announced auditions in early January this year after acquiring production and airing rights.

OPPO is a global electronics and technology

OPPO PH Brand Marketing Manager Stephen Cheng (left) with Media5 chief Chot Reyes

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.

HIGH-TECH FACILITIES AT MEDICAL CENTER

HIGH-TECH facilities are now a norm at the Fe Del Mundo Medical Center, a pioneer in child health care in the Philippines, as it launched its newly renovated buildings and facilities to become a fully-upgraded private-general hospital catering to communities in Quezon City.

The launch held last Feb. 17, marked the hospital’s full leap from being known as a child and maternal hospital to a holistic medical center offering medical services to patients of all ages, from pre-work to post-care.

Under the new management of Mount Grace Hospitals, FDMMC has

upgraded facilities in allergology-immunology, hemodialysis, physical rehabilitation, endoscopy, hematologyoncology, obstetrics and gynecology, surgery, with various subspecialties in Internal Medicine and Pediatrics, anesthesia and pain management, and comprehensive diagnostic services.

“We are continuously improving and expanding our services to achieve our goal of giving our patients quality and affordable medical services. Fe Del Mundo Medical Center has now grown into a bigger and better hospital capable of catering to the growing needs of our patients,” Marivic T. Lualhati, FD-

MMC General Manager, said.

The hospital was founded by Dr. Fe Del Mundo, a distinguished Filipino scientist and pediatrician who received various awards including the Elizabeth Blackwell Award as a “Woman Doctor of World Renown” and the 15th International Congress of Pediatrics Award as the “Most Outstanding Pediatrician and Humanitarian” in 1977.

Dr. Fe Del Mundo established FDMMC in 1957, first as a Children’s Memorial Hospital which had a 107-bed capacity and a wide-array of services mainly for pediatric patients. It later became known as Fe Del Mundo Medi-

cal Center in honor of Dr. Fe Del Mundo’s works and achievements.

Since the late 2013, when Fe Del Mundo Medical Center became a member of Mount Grace Hospitals, a dynamic and growing healthcare management group, FDMMC has transformed into a bigger and better general hospital continuously upholding its legacy of excellence in providing its patients with a warm caring experience.

Fe Del Mundo Medical Center is located at 11 Banawe Street, Q.C. You may contact (02) 712 0845 to 50 or check the website www.fedelmundo. com.ph for more information.

FUJITSU Limited and Fujitsu Client Computing Limited announced the recent release of five new enterprise models in its two product series earlier this month.

In its FUJITSU Notebook LIFEBOOK family of laptops, Fujitsu now offers the new LIFEBOOK U7 Ultra-mobile series, which include the U727, U747, and U757.

These models are embedded with Fujitsu patented palm vein sensor and processors from the latest 7th generation Intel Core processor family with Intel vPro manageability.

They also come in 12.5-inch, 14-inch, and 15.6-inch screens.

With its 12.5-inch screen and lightweight design at only 1.2kg, it provides excellent mobility.

The smart design also combines legacy interfaces like the full-size VGA and easy upgradeability with a thin and durable housing.

Meanwhile, alongside the new models of notebooks, Fujitsu also rolls out the ESPRIMO Q956/MRE to strengthen its support to the operations of customers across a variety of industries.

The Smart Meeting Room solution has the Intel Unite Solution which maximizes the efficiency of meetings through features such as wireless screen sharing and file sharing during meetings. By using this solution, the organization can support smarter business meetings and promote evolution of its workplace environment.

Fujitsu Group has always been supporting the business agility of its customers by innovating products, which have superior functionality and applicability that can be leveraged to meet the demands in the market.

Fujitsu is the leading Japanese information and communication technologycompany, offering a full range of technology products, solutions, and services. Approximately 156,000 Fujitsu people support customers in more than 100 countries. We use our experience and the power of ICT to shape the future of society with our customers. Fujitsu Limited (TSE: 6702) reported consolidated revenues of 4.7 trillion yen (US$41 billion) for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2016. For more information, please see http://www. fujitsu.com.

POWER MAC CENTER INKS PARTNERSHIP WITH ADAM ELEMENTS PREMIER Apple reseller Power Mac Center recently launched its exclusive partnership with Adam elements.

An innovator in smart mobile lifestyle accessories, Adam elements specializes in cables, smart health products, and on-the-go iOS storage units that facilitate easy transfer of files between devices.

“We Filipinos are massive photography enthusiasts. Whether selfies, documenting our travels or celebrations, we always make it a point to capture great moments and scenes that we almost always max out our phones’ memory capacity. But this problem is instantly solved by the extended storage provided by our new partner Adam elements,” said Power Mac Center Marketing Director Joey Alvarez.

The launch happened at the 21st Philippine International Hot Air Balloon Fiesta in Clark, Pampanga. The annual festival’s spectacular views of hot air balloon flying, aerobatic

exhibitions, formation flying, radiocontrolled aircraft flying, paragliding, skydiving, and dozens of on-ground activities was the perfect backdrop to test the product’s capacity.

Adam elements has a line of award-winning OTG flash drives in a range of styles, colors, and capacities.

Featured in the launch are the iKlips Duo and iKlips Duo+ line specifically made for the iOS and Mac market.

These portable storage devices allow you to view photos and documents, and playback music, TV series, and movies, with AirPlay support. You can use the iKlips Duo and iKlips Duo+ to back up and manage your files effortlessly, making it easy to share photos among friends after an epic trip.

The units have Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube integration as well, and a new Power Sort and Search feature, among others. And since there’s no need for Internet access when transferring files, your data

iKlips DUO+ A sidekick for your every turn. remains safe and secure as it is never sent through third party servers.

‘It works, promise’

Apart from mobile storage devices, Adam elements launched its Apple MFi certified PeAk Cable line made for iPhone, iPod, and iPad. They come in an array of premium colors that complement the sleekness of your Apple devices. They also work with your de-

vice’s case just as well, so you never have to take it off.

PeAk lightning cables are made of high quality nylon fiber with metallic braiding, making them resistant to bending and not easily tangled. The precision cut aluminum connectorshells meanwhile make the PeAk more durable and sturdier than normal lightning cables. In fact, they’re seriously that tough that a one-year

warranty is being offered, allowing patrons to get a free replacement should the PeAk cable break.

Completing Adam elements’ roster is the CASA USB Type-C line of cables and adapters perfect for the new MacBook, Chromebook Pixel 2, and the standards of tomorrow. The revolutionary USB Type-C is reversible and supports speeds for quick content transfers on a plug-and-play basis less hassle, more productivity.

The CASA series is built with premium materials and precision engineering, making it great for everyday use and fully compatible to the latest USB Type-C laptops and devices.

There’s an extra-long CASA sync and charging cable; an adapter for an external VGA display or projector suited for presentations or extending your desktop to a two-screen setup; and an HDMI adapter to get your sports, movies, music, and TV on an even bigger screen, perfect for

sharing experiences.

Health management solutions

Established in December 2013, Adam elements carries innovative solutions, including health management products. It has the BF1 Body Fat Analyzer, a digital scale that gives accurate weight readings and information on your body mass index, body fat, muscle, and bone mass, body water, and basal metabolic rate.

The BP1 Blood Pressure Monitor is a smart, portable blood pressure monitor, while the EF1 Infrared Ear & Forehead Thermometer is a digital body temperature thermometer that gives intelligent alerts, personal reminders, and easy-to-read charts for visualizations of body temperature trends. All three devices connect to the free GoHealthy mobile app that will help you get on the right track to a healthier lifestyle.

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SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2017 Riera U. Mallari, Editor rumallari@thestandard.com.ph

Gadgets & Games

MOTO Z RELEASES NEW ANDROID NOUGAT UPDATE

The 5.22mm-thin sleek and slender Moto Z also packs a Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ 820 processor, 4GB RAM, 64GB internal storage and up to 24 hours of battery life.

H

OT on the heels of its successful launch last year, the Moto Z continues to challenge norms in the smartphone industry with the release of the very stylish and sleek Rose Gold color variant.

Moto is now also offering an Android 7.0 Nougat update in its key smartphones.

Designed to deliver the ultimate Android experience, the Moto Z features the latest Android Nougat software. The 5.22mm-thin sleek and slender phone also packs a Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ 820 processor, 4GB RAM, 64GB internal storage and up to 24 hours of battery life.

The Android Nougat update features a bunch of new emojis,

multilock language settings and multiwindow view. It offers the ability to seamlessly switch between apps with just a double tap and features more efficient notification controls, and improved battery and data saver capability.

The Android 7.0 Nougat is also now available in the Moto Z Play and Moto G4 Plus.

In addition to the Android OS update, the Moto Z is ready for Daydream by Google™. With

this virtual reality platform, users can experience their personal VR cinema and play games that put them right smack in the middle of the action.

Perfect for mobile photography enthusiasts, the Moto Z is equipped with a high-resolution 12MP camera with optical image stabilization and laser auto-focus. These enable users to capture beautiful, true-to-life pictures in any light—features that are particularly useful for adventureseekers and those who are always on the go!

The phone’s front camera is ideal for taking groufies. The wide-lens 5MP camera boasts a front-facing LED flash and can take the best pictures even in low light.

“The Moto Z continues to break boundaries and challenge incrementalism in the smartphone industry. Moto is moving toward improving the digital lives of more Filipinos through the latest innovations. We aim to satisfy the preferences of the stylish Filipinos through the new Moto Z in rose gold and the Android Nougat update readily available for download,” shares Dino Romano, country manager for Lenovo Mobile Business Group Philippines.

The Moto Z Rose Gold variant will be available starting the last week of February. Pricing for Moto Z starts at Php33,999. It comes with a free Moto Style Shell so that customers can experience Moto Mods immediately.

LG REFRIGERATOR PLAYS ROLE IN NUTRITION OF FAMILIES

MODERN living has spawned several unhealthy lifestyles that have resulted in families’ poor focus on nutrition. This in turn has become a major health hazard, causing diet-related illnesses like obesity, diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, cancer and osteoporosis, to name a few.

Needless to say, eating nutritional foods and observing healthy eating habits should really be taken seriously in every household. If there is one prominent appliance that can play an important role in the food and nutrition of families, it is the LG Linear Inverter Dual Door-in-Door refrigerator, where global technology innovator LG has come up with the most advanced combination of technology and design.

“We at LG continue to bring technology innovation where it matters most—the lives of people. Our Dual Door-in-Door refrigerator is the first

in its market to have six doors built-in in its units, thereby maximizing functionality, design and convenience for healthier lifestyles,” LG Philippines Home Appliances Vice President Youngmin Chae said.

LG’s Dual Door-in-Door™ maximizes space, allowing you to stock weeks’ worth of nourishing supplies and have the right food for your family at your disposal, without the time-consuming trips to the grocery or worries of spoilage.

LG’s Hygiene Fresh+™ technology uses a five-stage filter that eliminates most food spoiling agents such as dust, fungi spore, acidic and alkaline odors and bacteria. The system removes up to 99.999 percent of air-borne food contaminants and purifies the air inside the refrigerator so that fresh produce and perishables last longer.

Buy a variety of fruits, store precooked meals that you and your kids can bring to the office or school or

toss up salads to put in containers inside the refrigerator so that you will never have to worry about skipping meals or buying greasy and artificial food from outside. The right refrigerator can help you plan your menu for at least two weeks and safely store the ingredients, maximizing time spent in the market or grocery.

Designed with exterior door storage plus another layer between the outer and inner storage, LG’s revolutionary refrigerator allows you to place your favorite food in an easyto-reach area while dramatically reducing cold air loss. The outer door area provides quick access to snacks and drinks without cold air escaping from the inside, which cuts energy costs and keeps food fresher longer.

Furthermore, LG’s standard Inverter Linear Compressor not only reduces energy consumption inside the refrigerator, but also brings down both

noise levels and internal friction so that more energy is used for cooling.

Equipped with next-level technology, the premium LG Inverter Dual Door-in-Door refrigerator is currently in the market for P169,995 (35 cu.ft) and is backed by a 10-year LG warranty. For more details, visit www.lg.com/ph, like LG Philippines’ official Facebook page or follow @LGPhilippines on Twitter and Instagram.

APPLE 'SPACESHIP' READY FOR BOARDING SAN FRANCISCO—Apple on Wednesday announced that workers will start boarding its futuristic new “spaceship” campus in Silicon Valley in April, fulfilling a vision set out by late founder Steve Jobs.

The process of moving more than 12,000 people to a new campus that Jobs envisioned as a “center for creativity and collaboration” was expected to continue late into the year.

A theater on the new Apple Park campus was named in honor of Jobs, who would have turned 62 on February 24.

“Steve’s vision for Apple stretched far beyond his time with us,” chief executive Tim Cook said in a release.

“He intended Apple Park to be the home of innovation for generations to come.”

The 175-acre campus with a ring-shaped main building clad in giant panels of curved glass blends workspaces and parkland, and is powered entirely by renewable energy, according to Cook.

Campus features include a fitness center, foot paths, research labs, a visitors center, and an orchard.

“We have approached the design, engineering and making of our new campus with the same enthusiasm and design principles that characterize our products,” said Apple chief design officer Jony Ive. Apple last month reported a rebound in iPhone sales that lifted the tech giant to record revenue in the past quarter, easing concerns of slowing growth.

Apple said that it sold 78.3 million iPhones—the most ever in a quarter—up five percent from the same prime holiday shopping period the prior year.

The sales made Apple the world’s top smartphone vender in the final three months of last year, overtaking Samsung, according to industry tracker Strategy Analytics.

Apple celebrated its 40th anniversary last year. The Silicon Valley legend sprang out of Steve Jobs’ garage to reshape modern life with trend-setting gadgets.

Jobs, the late tech-savvy marketing genius, and Steve Wozniak, who invented the Apple computer, formed what would become the world’s largest corporation with eye-popping annual profits.

The two college dropouts created the company that has changed the way people use computers, listen to music, communicate on the go, and made people at home in a world of “apps” tailored for work, play, education, health and more.

Apple’s hit products—the Mac, the iPod, the iPhone and the iPad— command a cult-like following, long after the company’s humble beginning in Jobs’ Cupertino, California garage on April 1, 1976.

The new campus is in Cupertino as well, with the Jobs Theater on a hill-top overlooking meadows and the main building.

“Steve [Jobs] was exhilarated, and inspired, by the California landscape, by its light and its expansiveness,” his widow Laurene Powell Jobs said in the release.

“It was his favorite setting for thought. Apple Park captures his spirit uncannily well.” AFP

ZENDESK OPENS NEW APAC 'CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE

ZENDESK, Inc. announced the launch of a new office in Metro Manila providing capacity for over 200 people, creating a ‘Customer Experience Hub’ for the APAC region.

The APAC region is a key focus for Zendesk with paid customer accounts growing by over 35% yearover-year. The number of employees grew by over 50% during the same period.

Zendesk chose Manila as its regional customer experience hub because of the access to a local pool of highly skilled, technical talent with strong English language ability. The local employees provide highly technical support and are part of a global team enhancing customer experience around the clock.

“The launch of the new office in Manila shows our commitment to grow in what is an important

market for us for both customer experience and sales,” said Mikkel Svane, founder and CEO, Zendesk. “We’re expanding into a space four times bigger than our previous location, with double the seats, in a unique and sustainable tower in Metro Manila. This investment also means we are able to contribute to local job creation.”

Zendesk first opened its offices in Manila in 2014 with a small team focused on sales, support and pre-sales.Located in the heart of Southeast Asia, the Zendesk Manila office is now made up of a talented and skilled workforce that has expanded to five times the size since the initial launch.

The new office is located at 30th floor of Bonifacio Global City’s Net Park Building, a 48-story green and sustainable corporate tower in Metro Manila. It measures over 2,200 square meters and, with the

increased capacity of the office, provides Zendesk’s Manila team the opportunity to continue to grow.

As part of the office opening, Zendesk also launched the Zendesk Neighbor Foundation in-region partnering with Hands on Manila, an umbrella organization that works to connect volunteers with a variety of nonprofit organizations.

“CSR is a key part of Zendesk’s culture. The launch of the Manila chapter of the global Zendesk Neighbor Foundation continues our commitment to supporting the communities in which we operate,” said Tiffany Apczynski, VP public policy and social impact, Zendesk. “This year, the Zendesk Neighbor Foundation is planning to give approximately 4,000,000 PHP in grants in Manila, and the local team has committed to 1,000 volunteer hours to support local causes.”

Mikkel Svane, CEO and founder of Zendesk

E1

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2017 Isah V. Red, Editor

/

Young Life

Bernadette Lunas, Issue Editor isahred@gmail.com.ph

WHY YOU NEED TO SAVE FOR RETIREMENT TODAY

By Bernadette Lunas

L

ET’S talk about retirement; particularly your finances once you set sail into your sunset years.

For today’s youth, thinking about saving for retirement seems unnecessary because we think we have more working years left to earn money. “Why not spend your hard-earned cash on things and experiences that you can enjoy while you’re still young and able, right?” argues a twenty-something professional.

While that person, which could be us in one way or another, is right, we have also been told time and again by older folks to start investing for our future while we’re young. And they might be right.

According to a recent study of an insurance company, millennials in the Asian region are at substantial risk of a cash crunch during their later years.

Millennial investors, surveyed as part of the Manulife Investor Sentiment Index (MISI), revealed very mixed expectations about the quality of their financial futures. Despite optimism about their retirement—nine out of 10 said they expect to be able to maintain or improve their standard of living in retirement—nearly one third or 30 percent expect to run out of money later on in life.

“Millennials may have been led to feel a sense of optimism for an improved post-retirement living standard, which is potentially misplaced,” says Michael Dommermuth, head of Wealth and Asset Management-Asia for Manulife.

Today’s young generation expect challenges that will threaten their financial security later in life. Four in 10 or 38 percent are expecting to take on the responsibility of financially supporting both their parents and children at the same time.

They are also concerned about the impact of health on their finances, with 39 percent expecting healthcare to become too expensive during retirement, and 43 percent foreseeing their health to deteriorate to the point where they can no longer work.

In addition, majority or 71 percent of millennials anticipate working past their retirement age.

“It’s sobering to see how many investors, especially young people, recognize that there are risks to their retirement. Longer lifespans and later retirement will place increasing demands on investment funds,” says Dommermuth.

With these findings, he emphasizes that younger generation should plan strategically to begin accumulating wealth at an early life stage.

A common rule of thumb is to accumulate around 25 times the amount you expect to spend in your first year of retirement.

To ease you up in your saving, you can sett aside P1,000 monthly for retirement, by doing this you can have P480,000 sure money once you retire after working for 40 years. You can augment this by adding more to your retirement fund and investing in real estate and other investment options.

Manulife officials however opine that millennials investing in emerging Asian countries will likely

Run errands or go to school looking comfortable and cool

5 RELAXED STYLES FOR ON-THE-GO GUYS

READY TO RETIRE. Having fun spending all your money on things and travels? You should probably consider saving up for your financially comfortable future that is full of worthwhile adventures.

fare better than those buying a home in maturing Asia where slowing growth and aging population can dampen real estate markets.

“They owe it to themselves to consider every option available to them in order to plan more effectively for their future,” says Dommermuth.

At the end of the day, the best time to save is now. As Manulife president and CEO Roy Gori puts it, “Young people today will need to start saving and investing sooner rather than later. Otherwise they face a retirement of anxiety, not adventure.”

IF YOU’RE a guy who leads a busy life and have little time to think about what to wear daily, having key wardrobe essentials— like classic clothes and quality shoes—that you can mix and match together is the way to go.

Contrary to popular belief, you don’t need to look stiff and rigid as you get things done; you can still be the man on top while looking chill and relaxed.

Dapper from 9 to 5

Take it easy in the office by dressing down your usual formal attire while still looking workappropriate with polo shirt in muted color, chinos and Skechers Relaxed Fit slip-on shoes.

Stylish scholar

Be well dressed as you work on acing that test in classic pieces, like white button down, khaki pants, and Skechers Go Vulc shoes. A style statement for students with its functional and stylish silhouette, this footwear looks effortlessly cool while on the go.

Cute and comfortable

Stay comfortable in style whether you’re chilling with friends or running errands outside. Opt for polo shirts, basic jeans and Skechers Relaxed Fit or Go Vulc.

Turn to E2

Scan this icon to view the PDF

Netflix and chill in relaxed outfits that you can also wear outside

BULLETIN BOARD

PUP CREATV CELEBRATES #4FECT ANNIVERSARY

By John Ray Villanueva

Students celebrate the 4th anniversary of PUP's online multimedia channel PUP CreaTV

THE Polytechnic University of the Philippines’s online multimedia channel PUP CreaTV celebrated its 4th anniversary as it strived its way to “#4fection.”

Founded in 2013, PUP CreaTV is the first university-based online channel in the Philippines. It aims to maintain its legacy as “Tanglaw ng Bayan,” not only to the students of the state university but also to a wider audience.

One of the founders, Communication Management Office director, Professor Kriztine Viray said the online channel started as a simple idea.

“Hindi namin alam kung paano uumpisahan, [dahil] wala kaming gamit. (At first we didn’t know how to make the idea come to life because we had no equipment),” Viray said in recollection.

Through the years, PUP CreaTV continues to manifest the success of a simple idea.

In keeping its promise to remain entertaining, critical and inspirational, the online channel re-launched its leading show.

The Observer Flash is a news program that provides deeper contexts to news and current events happening in the university and the whole country. V-PUPian is a values-formation program that talks about the values every PUP student embodies during their stay in the university. State U, on the other hand, is a documentary program that Turn to E2

Young Life

E2

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2017 isahred@gmail.com

5FromRELAXED...

E1

Get things done in ensemble with youthful vibe

Weekend warrior

Keep laid-back look on point during staycations with casual tops and shorts paired with comfy slip-ons in grays, blues or blacks.

Fashionable jetsetter

Keep your travels as easy as ever in ensembles that let you move freely and comfortably wherever part of the globe you might be. Layer up in versatile tops that can be easily interchanged and choose shoes that are versatile—most importantly those that provide extreme comfort as you go from one destination to another.

Skechers stores are located at Glorietta 2, TriNoma, SM North Edsa-The Annex, SM Mall of Asia, Robinsons Place Manila, Robinsons Galleria, Gateway Mall, Market! Market!, Lucky Chinatown, Alabang Town Center, SM Southmall, Festival Mall, SM Bacoor, SM Dasmariñas, Paseo Sta. Rosa, SM Fairview, Fairview Terraces, SM Clark, Marquee Mall, SM Pampanga, SM Iloilo, Ayala Center Cebu, SM City Cebu, SM Seaside Cebu, Pueblo Verde Cebu, SM Bacolod, SM Davao, Abreeza Mall, Gaisano Mall Davao, Ecoland Davao, LimKetKai Mall CDO, Centrio Mall CDO.

A KPMG International study reveals important facts about online consumers from different generations

ONLINE SHOPPING TRAITS OF MILLENNIALS I

T IS truly a great time to be a shopper and alive. Because while 71 percent of baby boomers say it is but important when shopping online. of the omnipresent Internet, today’s consumers no longer need to go to shops to buy goods; we can now do Millennials prefer personalized interactions than it anywhere, anytime. customer support

“Competition is no longer limited to local shops during regular business hours. Consumers can easily buy from retailers and manufacturers located anywhere in the world—or from those with no physical retail locations at all,” notes KPMG International’s global chair for Consumer Markets Willy Kruh.

Understanding that keeping pace with what drives people to shop online is critical to succeeding in the digital world, KPMG International commissioned Intuit Research to conduct a survey of global online shoppers. The study analyzes the online shopping preferences and behaviors of more than 18,000 consumers, ages 15 to 70, who have purchased at least one product online in the past 12 months. Respondents are from 51 countries.

Here are 5 notable things the study have found about millennial online shoppers:

Millennials spend the least among older generations

Apparently, tech-savviness does not equate to spending more money online.

Average purchase of Gen Y (born between 1982 and 2001) shoppers amount to $173, lesser compared with $190 for Generation X (1966 to 1981) and $203 for baby boomers (1946 to 1965).

“Stage of life and income levels are certainly primary factors driving both online and offline shopping. And Generation X consumers, many of whom are more established in their careers may be building homes and families, are likely buying more consumer goods than the younger millennials overall,” comments Kruh.

He remarks, however, that as millennials continue to enter workforce and adulthood, their online shopping activity is ex-

pected to surge and even surpass the levels currently exhibited by older generations.

Millennials are the least motivated to locate hard to find items

Online shopping websites have allowed consumers to find rare or limitededition items, but Gen Y shoppers would most likely be called out for being shorttempered once again as the KPMG study shows that they are are the least motivated to locate these products despite having Internet connection.

Only 17 percent of millennial respondents are motivated to search hard to find items online, lower compared with the 20 percent average among all consumers, and 20 percent for Gen X and 26 percent for baby boomers.

In fact, the young online shoppers are also the least concerned about being able to see real-time product availability—cited as important by 28 percent— versus 36 percent of Gen X and 37 percent of baby boomers.

Millennials are the least concerned about data protection

When it came to earning trust, consumers of all ages agree that protecting their data and information is most important (63 percent). Although among generations, millennials are the least concerned about this issue, albeit still considering it important, with 56 percent.

Sixty-six percent of Gen X ranks it as high priority,

The study reveals that excellent customer support is the number one loyalty-earning attribute for online shops, followed by exclusive promotions and offers, and loyalty membership programs. But across all generations, more baby boomers place high importance on customer support, at 74 percent, 66 percent for Gen X and 59 percent—lowest—for Gen Y. Younger consumers, on the other hand, tend to be more loyal to companies that offer personalized interactions, such as customized promotions, anticipation of needs, having a sense of community, oneon-one engagement on social media, online games, concierge services, and other interactive experiences.

Millennials are most likely to post a review

Overall, 31 percent of consumer respondents say their have shared a product review online, but millennials are most likely to post a review at 34 percent, more compared with Gen X at 29 percent and baby boomers at 28 percent. Nearly all (or 92 percent) of these reviews, however, are positive.

These reviews are posted on seller’s website (47 percent), Facebook (31 percent), and manufacturer’s or brand’s website (18 percent). Millennials also frequently post on other platforms such as WhatsApp, Instagram and Twitter.

Bernadette Lunas

SHOP ON YOUR LAPTOP.

Layer up in versatile tops whenever you travel, don't forget comfy footwear to take you from one destination to another

Young and old consumers no longer need to go to retail stores to shop, they're now doing it on their mobile devices anytime, anywhere.

PUP...

From E1

features true and inspiring stories of students, faculty members and employees of the community to encourage and motivate the viewers.

A magazine program, Pinakausap-Usapan sa Pamantasan talks about trending topics. Lastly, LOL: Learn On-Line is an educational program that serves as an alternative learning resource to students who want to learn more in various subjects such as Mathematics, Science, English and Filipino.

Co-founder Professor Kriztine Viray recounts how the multimedia channel started

WHICH JOB PAYS THE MOST?

EMPLOYEES in information technology industry apparently are the few earning the highest monthly salaries, according to recruitment website JobStreet.com.

In its Salary Report 2017, the website revealed that junior executives, or those who have one to less than five years of experience in IT-related industries earn an average of P37,304 a month.

Samples of IT specialists are web and software developers, system administrators and analysts, and project managers. In the Philippines, these employees make up only 367,000 or one percent of the total labor force, according to January 2017 data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).

On the second spot is law or legal services, whose employees earn a monthly average of P29,430—a far cry from the top-paying industry.

Those who are engaged in training and development take home P27,253 monthly on average.

Other top-paying industries, according to the website, are banking and financial services, actuarial science and statistics, public relations and communications, healthcare, journalism, customer service, and advertising and media planning.

Employees in the IT industry take home the most money monthly, according to a recruitment website

Showbiz

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2017

LOISA ANDALIO

PUTS BEST FACE FORWARD the roles I play where I always have to be different characters, both shows allow me to be myself and give me the freedom to have fun with different make-up looks.”

The self-confessed beauty enthusiast is also proud to say that she regularly does her own make-up for Showtime. She shared, “As a teenager, I have always liked beauty products.

I’ve been doing my own make-up for a long time, and this helped me discover the type of make-up look that works for me, which is usually feminine and fresh.”

BLOSSOMING. Loisa Andalio, 17, is one of the freshest faces on

O

NE of the most exciting— and challenging—parts of being a showbiz personality is being on social media. For upcoming talent Loisa Andalio, who has 537,000 Twitter followers and a whopping 1.7 million Instagram followers, social media presence is both an advantage and a disadvantage.

Nadine Lustre Known for her cohesive Instagram feed, the other half of the popular JaDine love team has an Instagram army of 3.4 million. She can attract hundred thousands virtual likes with her post that normally features her travels in and out of the country together with James Reid.

Marian Rivera She is one of the hottest millennial moms of Instagram. Since she gave birth to Baby Zia, the 31-year-old Kapuso star has been on everybody’s feed enjoying her latest posts about her life as a mother, a busy product endorser, and a visible TV star. She has 3.4 million followers.

Julia Barretto With 3.2 million followers, the young Barretto is by far the most popular teen star on the social media realm.

Fans can’t get enough of her daily updates on her latest movies and TV projects. Unlike other celebrities she rarely posts anything personal.

James Reid Excluding Vice Ganda, he is the only thorn in this list that is dominated by roses. Hence, it is safe to say that he’s the most influential local male celebrity on Instagram. Known for his username jaye.wolf, the 23-yearold hottie is a bit artsy when posting pictures. If you’re lucky, you would stumble upon some shirtless snap while he’s frolicking on a beach.

CROSSWORD PUZZLE Sunday, February 26, 2017

55 Exxon mergee 56 Far from land (2 wds.)

58 Terra — 59 They may be long 62 Warning floats 63 Milan’s La — 64 Large movie ape 65 Consumer advocate 67 “— fightin’ words!”

68 Dik-dik’s cousin 69 Milkmaid beloved of Krishna 71 Regularly 73 Makes public 74 Pilgrimage site 76 — Calhoun of oaters 77 Scent finders 78 Cagney’s partner 79 Firmed up 80 Missouri tributary 81 A king of Crete 82 Galvanizes 83 Thick of things 85 Pimiento holder 86 Actress — Day 87 Fencing needs 89 Bad, as weather 90 Gets hip, with “up”

Pia Wutzbach The former Miss Universe is confidently beautiful with 3.9 million strong Instagram followers. From a few hundred thousand her followers before winning a crown, she now earns the distinction of being the most followed Miss Universe titleholder.

Alex Gonzaga She’s just 1 hundred thousand short before she could eclipse the number of fans and likers that follow her elder sister. Alex generally promotes happy vibes with photos and video clips that go viral a few minutes after she uploads them. She likes posting photos of her nephew.

For one, it has made her more open to fans. At the same time, haters and bashers also have easy access to her account. And yet, the young celebrity believes it’s all part of the game.

In an interview during a shoot for Ever Bilena Cosmetics for which she is a brand ambassador, Loisa recognizes that having haters and bashers comes with the industry, and she is also wise enough to ignore them in favor of her fans.

A former member of a girl group named 3G, Loisa rose to fame when she became one of the teen housemates of Pinoy Big Brother where she was dubbed as the “Talented Darling of Parañaque” for her ability to sing, dance, and act.

She continues to live up to this title by making sure she looks and does her best in every performance on the Sunday musical variety show ASAP where she is a regular, as well as the daily noontime show It’s Showtime as one of the members of a 21-member girl group named Girl Trends.

“I love being (sic) on ASAP and Showtime because I am able to showcase my love for dancing and singing,” says Loisa. “Unlike

104 Cynic’s retort (2 wds.)

105 Folly 106 Small and shiny 108 Lip cosmetic 110 Oxford omega 111 Co-founder of GE 114 Burns and Allen 115 Braga of “Kiss of the Spider Woman” 117 A laughing matter 120 Topaz or opal 121 Gathered dust 123 Marmalade chunks 125 Compass before compasses 127 Pass, as a bill 129 Shaman’s quest 131 First-rate 133 Rich cake 134 “Like a Rock” singer 135 Fibber of radio 136 Fluffy quilt 137 He drove the Moors from Spain (2 wds.)

138 Hearty steak 139 Atlanta campus 140 Sorority members 141 Feels dizzy DOWN 1 Brake parts 2 Ready to go (2 wds.)

3 Sordid 4 Canal of song 5 Fine violin, briefly 6 Jane Eyre, for one 7 Nile sun god (2 wds.)

8 Like many models 9 Mouths, in biology 10 Lip- — 11 “The Rumba King” 12 Coral reefs 13 Pizza feature 14 Recurrent twitch 15 Maui neighbor 16 Nocturnal marsupial 17 Pal in Dijon 18 Fiery dance 19 Gullible person 20 — luego!

30 Chortle 32 Orchestra members 34 Cat calls 40 — Dawn Chong 42 Transvaal settlers 43 Mercury rival 44 Birch 45 Caviars 46 Turn — — ear 47 Smoke or mist 48 Gourmet mushroom 49 Ocasek of The Cars 50 Blond shade 51 Sci-fi’s Jules — 52 Turned white 54 Valerie Harper role

TOP CELEBRITIES...

From E4

Toni Gonzaga Like Marian, the TV host and actress also has 3.4 active followers. The mother-of-one rarely posts photos of her personal life, but when she does, the photos attract thousands of likes almost instantly.

TV. She's also a trusted brand endorser being the face of a popular cosmetic brand.

ACROSS 1 Gives medicine 6 Moon rings 11 Craft knife (hyph.)

16 Jeans iron-on 21 Like helium 22 Manicurist’s board 23 Posh hotel lobbies 24 Old cattle town 25 Ramp alternative 26 Goneril’s victim 27 Speak up for 28 Type of headache 29 Progressed (2 wds.)

31 Slinkies 33 Verbal stumbles 35 U.K. clock setting 36 Bond, for one 37 Holstein’s home 38 Money or safety — 39 A lover of Zeus 41 Merkel of the movies 42 Crass sorts 44 Kitchen emanation 46 Nothing special 51 Field mouse 52 Break ground 53 Ms. Bombeck 57 Breakfast pastry 58 Grazes 59 Green minerals 60 Summer forecast 61 Geologic period 62 Whirring sounds 63 Flatfish 64 Dials 66 NASA assent (hyph.)

67 Pivots 68 Yellow pigment 69 Rock band helper 70 Cold, in Cuba 72 Back from work 73 Mark the herd 74 Meditation aid 75 Norse love goddess 77 Toe coverers 78 Shelf 79 Small drums (hyph.)

82 “— the Greek” 83 Jet-speed unit 84 Took a taxi 88 Willow shoots 89 Child of Japanese immigrants 90 Good witchcraft 91 Prune 92 Au pair 93 Jet routes 94 Front of an LP 95 Bell tower 97 I, to Nero 98 Juicy pears 99 Finicky 100 Singer — Nicks 101 Fam. tree sprig 103 Live by one’s —

With her sweet face, gentle voice, and feminine personality, she is definitely the perfect millennial endorser to be chosen for the country’s leading cosmetics brand.

The most important thing about being in the public eye is to make sure you give it your best shot – whether it’s in your performance, your fashion sense or your looks. As Loisa explains, “I want to look my best and give my best performance all the time, because it’s the only way to thank and inspire my fans and followers to continue supporting me.”

E3

93 94 95 96 98 99 100 102 105 107 108 109 110 111 112 113 114 115 116 117 118 119 122 124 126 128 130 132

Burglar’s “key” Periscope sites Part of CST Briefcase item Safari leader Narrow inlet (var.)

— Hawkins Day ABC rival Tailors, at times Goddess who gave Easter its name Type of dive — -woolsey Went fast Discharge First-magnitude star Insect stage Ragu rival Lose traction Autumn flower Strength Prior to Has to have Large volume Blueprint, briefly Painted tinware One hundred yrs.

1900, in old Rome Sugarloaf locale

E4

Showbiz

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2017 Isah V. Red, Editor / Nickie Wang, Issue Editor isahred@gmail.com

EAT YOUR HEART OUT

KIRAY CELIS IS ONE LUCKY GIRL

By Nickie Wang

C

OMEDIAN Kiray Celis claims she’s a member of the NBSB group, an acronym for “no boyfriend since birth.”

But her relationship status from single might change into “in a relationship” if the events in her life are truly genuine and not just a product of publicity or a manufactured paring.

MOST FOLLOWED FILIPINO CELEBRITIES ON

INSTAGRAM

NO DOUBT, Instagram is the biggest engagement platform today. Ditch Facebook or Twitter, including YouTube, because with 500 million “active” users, Instagram is in a prime position to power the future of social media.

In this week’s listicle, we are listing down the most followed local celebrities on the popular photo sharing app, where they can easily attract attention, engage followers, and promote their brands one photo at a time.

Anne Curtis She lost the Queen of Twitter in the Philippines title to Angel Locsin a few months ago but she is still the Queen of Isntagram with a whopping 6.6 million followers. One of her latest posts garnered almost 200 thousand likes. It is something that only happens to international celebrities.

Unlikely pair? Kiray Celis and Kirts Viray set social media ablaze with their Valentine photo.

GREAT CATCH. Kirst Viray is a runway model and budding actor while Kiray Celis is one of the most effective comedy actors of her generation.

Social media was abuzz when a popular news curator reported that Kiray Celis is dating Cosmo Bachelor and model Kirst Viray. Everybody went crazy and their reaction was similar to Chokoleit’s kissing scandal caught on video that became a hot topic off- and online.

The diminutive comedian, has been posting photos on her Instagram account giving her more than half a million followers a hint that she’s dating the 24-year-old runway model. Viray is also doing the same. In fact, he is posting more photos of him and the 21-year old Kapamilya talent on his Instagram feed. Isn’t that sweet?

What’s really interesting about the two though is how people take this supposed paring. People consider Kiray, known for her alternative beauty, as one lucky girl for stealing the attention and probably the heart of Kirst, a 5-foot-11 model who rocks a chiseled physique that serves as his ticket to runway gigs here and abroad.

The fashion model who sports long locks has also walked for Canada Philippine Fashion Week, where he was named Model of the Year in the health and fitness category. He’s got a long list of magazine covers including Garage Magazine, Cosmopolitan, and Men’s Health. He’s also appeared in TVCs for big brands. As a budding actor, he’s been cast in an episode of Karelasyon (2015) and A1 ko sa’yo (2016).

Kiray, on the other hand, no longer needs too much introduction as people have seen her blossom from “Munting Miss U” finalist into playing BFF to big female stars on TV and in the movies.

In this respect, the unlikely pair may have something interesting to offer. But maybe they’re just good friends sharing some sweet moments together. Or maybe, the two are working on a project that requires them to be extra close and, yes, sweet. Take this for example, the two went out on a date on Valentine’s Day and Kirst gave Kiray a stem of white rose.

Prior to this romantic meeting, the two have shared photos of them together while sharing sweet moments at various places including a clothing store and a factory while wearing matching outfits.

The pair has yet to confirm whether they’re dating or just really close friends. But no matter what label they put in this relationship it’s definitely working in their favor. The only problem we have right now is, how are we supposed to call this pair. Showbiz is known for creating a portmanteau of love teams using the first syllable of their first name. Theirs don’t some appealing at all. (And it’s not printable!)

MICHAEL PANGILINAN

IN ANOTHER GAY-THEMED MUSIC VIDEO

Michael Pangilinan's latest single does not enjoy much attention compared to his previous hit.

AFTER the anthemic “Pare Mahal Mo Raw Ako,” which was released in August 2014, young singer Michael Pangilinan has just dropped another single that revolves around heartbreaks and not being able to move on.

Unlike the first single that talks about unrequited love between two men, the latest single entitled “Hanggang Kailan” does not feature any gay love in the lyrics. In fact, it just talks about someone’s inability to move on from a failed relationship – a perfect theme song for a romantic series or a movie. But the

music video is definitely inspired by Michael’s previous hit that garnered 10 million views on the popular video-sharing site.

Released on Feb. 17, the music video features a heterosexual relationship, and two gay affairs between two women and two men. But for some reason, the 4-minute clip is not getting the same response from people.

Perhaps, the song and the video are not cohesive enough. They could have picked up a better storyline to match the song’s lyrics by removing the gay plot altogether.

Liza Soberano She is blazing through the second spot with 4.9 million followers. The teen star known as one of the world’s most beautiful faces treats her fans with photos mostly from product endorsements. She treats her virtual army with some sensational selfies, project updates and yes, you guessed it right, her favorite subject – Enrique Gil.

Kathryn Bernardo She started changing the look of her Instagram account by using high quality photos early last year.

This effort caught the attention of Instagram users because she now has 4.7 million followers. Like the top two social media superstars, the former Teen Queen updates her fans on her latest projects and product endorsements.

Vice Ganda His account is the only unverified account on this list, but the gay comedian has 4.4 religious followers making him one of the most influential Filipino personalities online. Vice uses his Instagram feed generally to promote his TV shows and other showbiz engagements.

Turn to E3…