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VOL. XXXI • NO. 82 • 5 SECTIONS 20 PAGES • P18 • SUNDAY, MAY 7, 2017 • www.manilastandard.net • editorial@thestandard.com.ph
PH ENVOY TO UN TWITS RAPPORTEUR U By John Paolo Bencito and Maricel V. Cruz
NITED Nations Special Rapporteur on Extrajudicial and Summary Killings Agnes Callamard on Saturday challenged the Duterte administration to lift the conditions it imposed on her before she can make an official visit to investigate allegations of extrajudicial killings and human rights violations under the government’s bloody war on drugs.
Callamard made the statement as the country’s ambassador to the UN, Teodoro Locsin Jr., criticized the rapporteur in a series of stinging tweets where he also poked fun at her physical appearance. “I was right after all and people thought I was flippant: Never argue with people who don’t shower at least twice a day,” he said, calling Callamard a “standalone conceited fool...totally ignorant of the drug problem.” “Thank you Agnes, you just solidified the country behind Duterte and his drug war, and thoroughly discredited any criticism of him and it...Agnes Callamard did in one day what Jose Rizal used his whole life including his death to pull off:
give Filipinos a sense of their country,” the Philippine ambassador added. Callamard, for her part, said she remains committed to undertaking an official visit to the country, but it can only happen if President Rodrigo Duterte takes back the conditions he imposed on the planned probe. “I’m waiting for the government to lift the three conditions that they’ve imposed on my visit,” she said. Duterte has set three conditions for the official visit: a public debate for the two of them; that the President be allowed to ask the special rapporteur questions; and for Callamard to be questioned under oath. Turn to A2
BUSINESS/ C1
FORMER TRAINEE NAMED UNILEVER PH CHAIRMAN
YOUNG LIFE / E1
BEST CARE FOR BEST BUDDIES MADE EASY
TWIN BLASTS KILL 2, HURT 5 IN QUIAPO
By Francisco Tuyay
SATURDAY IN THE PARK. Bright red-orange blooms amid a blanket of green, fire trees provide a shelter for promenaders at Manila's Rizal Park and bring to mind the song made popular by the musical band Chicago. Ey Acasio
'DRUG MENACE ALSO NAT'L SECURITY THREAT' By Joel E. Zurbano THE narcotics problem in the Philippines will worsen even more, becoming a threat to national security, unless the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte gets rid of public officials and law enforcers who are protecting drug syndicates.
This was the warning expressed by Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency director general Isidro Lapeña at a forum in Quezon City, stressing that international drug syndicates are operating in the country in cahoots with government officials, making it easy for them to smuggle illegal substanc-
es in various seaports and airports. Lapeña said that methamphetamine hydrochloride, locally known as shabu, marijuana and party drug Ecstasy are the top three narcotics distributed in the streets and these prohibited substances are manufactured by Chinese, Taiwanese and Mexican drug syndicates.
Earlier last week at the Asean summit, President Rodrigo Duterte warned Southeast Asian leaders not to take the drug menace lightly. President Duterte recently revealed that 40 percent of barangay officials were linked to illegal drugs, emphasizing the extent of the problem. Turn to A2
GINA’S ILLEGAL ACTIONS COST HER JOB—SENATOR By Joel Zurbano SENATOR Alan Peter Cayetano on Saturday joined other legislators in saying that Regina Lopez had no one to blame but herself for her failure to obtain confirmation from the Commission on Appointments. Cayetano said that her illegal actions on mining companies cost her job. “I will always decide on what is right and not what is popular. I’m not surprised to see so much support and so much opposition to the voting of the CA regarding DENR Secretary Nominee Gina Lopez. I thank those who are open-minded and asking why? I’m not surprised that Gina and her group will go so low as to cast aspersions on why I voted the way I did and even accuse me of being in the pockets
of the mining industry,” said Cayetano in his official Facebook account. Cayetano went with other CA members in taking offense with criticisms that business interest swayed the bicameral panel in its decision to reject Lopez for the DENR post. CA members such as Senator Panfilo Lacson, congressmen Julieta Cortuna of A Teacher, Robert Ace Barbers of Surigao del Norte, Gus Tambunting of Parañaque and Rodolfo Albano III of Isabela took turns denouncing the defenders of the ousted secretary. In the words of Lacson, the insinuation about “lobby money” influencing the rejection of Lopez was a “sweeping assault on the integrity of the members of the Commission on Appointments but the CA itself being an independent constitutional body.” Turn to A2
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SELF-SERVICE. A male teener helps himself to a slice of watermelon being sold by an ambulant vendor in Manila's University Belt on a sunny Saturday. Ey Acasio
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TWO persons were killed and five others were wounded during twin explosions at a Muslim community in Quiapo, Manila on Saturday. Police said the first explosion took place at the vicinity of the Shia group office at Norzagaray Street corner Elizondo Street in Quiapo near the Golden Mosque at about 5:30 p.m. The second blast occurred some 50 meters away from the site of the first explosion at the Golden Mosque at about 8:30 p.m. while National Capital Region Police Office chief Director Oscar Albayalde was providing briefing among policemen. The identities of the fatalities and the wounded victims along with their affiliation were not immediately known. One of those killed was the supposed bomber. As to the type of explosive device used, Albayalde said elements of the Explosive Ordnance are trying to determine the presence of other explosive devices. Minutes before the explosion, an unidentified motorcycle delivered a box intended for a certain Atty. Abinar at the vicinity of Golden Mosque. While the box was being handed by the courier to the unidentified nephew of Atty. Abinar, the package exploded. The unidentified nephew and a companion were wounded while the courier of the package containing the supposed explosive device died on the spot. The wounded victims were brought to the Mary Chiles Hospital in Sampaloc, Manila. Police investigators are still clueless on the motive but reports said the incident could be attributed to the Sunni and Shia sectarian conflict since the site of the blast is a Shia group office. Last week, at least 14 people were hurt in an explosion in the Quiapo district as the Philippines hosted the 30th Association of Southeast Asian Nations Summit. Authorities blamed to gang war between Muslim groups although an alleged ISIS website claimed responsibility for the bombing. Authorities belied the IS claim.
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'DRUG... From A1 Lapeña said PDEA is closely coordinating with other law enforcement agencies such as the National Bureau of Investigation, National Police, and the Armed Forces, and the Office of the President their combined efforts to go after a number of state officials protecting and financing the drug trade. “We have the names but we can’t divulge it right now. We are working on it,” he said. The PDEA chief said that the country’s drug problem can now be classified as national security threat. In a study conducted by Philippine Center on Transnational Crime during the time of then President Joseph Estrada, it revealed that “the underworld has virtually taken a new role in the geopolitical order with the establishment of a semi-ideological institution known as Narcocracy, which replaced communism as the new threat to democracy and to the political, social, economic and military security of individual states. It stated that this institution has subtly invaded almost all countries of the world and is now actively participating in running the economic and political affairs of some states to the extent of dictating courses of action of governments or worst, monopolizing the administration of government. “Narcocracy has established an underground empire which has more power, wealth and status than many nations. It flies no flag on the terrace of the United Nations, but it has larger armies, more capable intelligence agencies, more influential diplomatic services than many countries do.” “It relies solely on underground capitalism with profit as its primary orientation and drugs as the main subject of commerce. Its strategy is bribery directed against those occupying sensitive positions in government or participating in political exercises by shouldering the bulk of the financial requirements of political parties. Its social activity is giving off dole outs in the form of money with the end in view of influencing decision making or exerting pressure on concerned personalities to further their interests,” the PCTC paper said. The PCTC also stated that the political system of the country including law enforcement is power and not serviceoriented making professionalization difficult to introduce. “Politicians and other government employees see themselves as masters and not servants of the people, a situation which is an open prey to graft and corruption. Enrichment in office is a primary motivation as manifested by the assets and liabilities of members of Congress as published in newspapers. This political environment aggravated by a meager salary is exploited by drug lords who have in their possession huge amount of money generated from the drug trade. Only professional public servants would reject the offer but many would sacrifice public service with self-interest,” it added. “... Apart from these are more shocking news that the Philippines is being utilized as a transshipment point of drugs by transnational criminal organizations, that government officials are involved in the drug trade, that shabu laboratories are operating in the Philippines, and that shabu are being sold in ordinary stores like any other commodity.” The PTCT revealed that the banking system of the Philippines provides a very safe haven for proceeds from the drug trade. “Philippine banks are among the most secretive in the world similar to Switzerland, Austria, Japan, Monaco, Cyprus, and The Netherlands Antilles but is not as secretive as Austria which allows anonymous bank accounts. “Philippine banks are not required to report suspicious currency transaction and may divulge bank accounts only upon lawful orders of the courts. Laws on the transport of Philippine currency are also very lenient. Thus, transnational criminal organizations take advantage of this banking environment because their funds will be definitely out of reach by law enforcement and BIR [Bureau of Internal Revenue] authorities.” The authorities vowed that the government’s crackdown on drug dealing in the country will continue with the goal of catching protectors and financiers of the illegal drug trade. The Philippine government also signed an agreement with the Chinese government to solve the alleged drug supply coming from the mainland. Police records showed that around 65,000 suspected drug dealers were arrested during joint operations of law enforcement agencies from July 1, 2016 to April 20, 2017. Law enforcers conducted 53,503 anti-drug operations which resulted in the arrest of the drug suspects. The operations also yielded 1,266,966 persons who surrendered while 2,692 drug suspects died in police operations.
PH-SPAIN TIES. Ambassador Philippe Jones Lhuillier arrives in Madrid in time for both countries to mark their 70th anniversary of bilateral relations.
LHUILLIER TAKES OFFICE AS PH ENVOY TO SPAIN
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MBASSADOR Philippe Jones Lhuillier has officially assumed his new post as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of the Philippines to the Kingdom of Spain with concurrent jurisdiction as Non-Resident Ambassador of the Philippines to the Principality of Andorra. Lhuillier arrived in Madrid, Spain recently accompanied by his wife Edna, welcomed by Senior Adviser of Protocol of the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs Nuria Reigosa
Gonzalez and Ambassadors of Asean-member countries with missions in Spain. Lhuillier also met with the Office of the Chief of Protocol of the Span-
ish Ministry of Foreign Affairs represented by Subdirector General of the Chancellery Pilar Terren Lalana to present the open copy of his credentials—a requirement under the rules of Spanish protocol every new Ambassador has to fulfill prior to his meeting with the King of Spain and before he can perform all his duties and exercise all his rights as his country's envoy to Spain. Noting that this year marks the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between the Philippines and Spain, Lhuillier also presented his intentions to
broaden the scope of the Embassy´s thrusts to include educational and cultural exchanges and security cooperation on top of trade and investments agreements. He officially kicked off his activities with a meeting with the Filipino community in Madrid at the Parroquia de Nuestra Señora del Espino where he also shared his plans and desire to improve the service of the Embassy to the Filipinos in Spain. Lhuillier previously served as Philippine Ambassador to Italy, Albania and San Marino, and most recently, Portugal.
PH...
From A1
The French rapporteur has rejected the conditions, which she said would violate the UN’s Code of Conduct and terms of reference for country visits. Locsin, however, said the issue should be brought to Geneva, Switzerland where the office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights is located. “In short, let’s move on. Geneva is the proper venue and Callamard will not be allowed to step foot in it or have anything to do with it,” Locsin said. Callamard is in the Philippines for an “academic visit” upon the invitation the Free Legal Assistance Group’s Anti-Death Penalty Task Force and the University of the Philippines for a two-day policy forum on the antiillegal drugs campaign of the Duterte administration. The UN special rapporteur likewise brushed off criticisms from Malacañang officials who questioned the legitimacy of her “academic visit.” “I’m used to it [bashing]. It’s a pity because the purpose of the forum is to open avenues of dialogue. It’s to provide expertise that you’ve heard in the last two days... and that should be the real focus not me,” Callamard said. “The real focus is: What are the lessons to be learned from the rest of the world? What can the Philippine government, the Philippine stakeholders can take from those experiences to build an effective response to the drug abuse in the country, which is real but also in order to stop the killings. That’s the real story,” she added. Callamard reiterated that Duterte’s war on drugs is not a long-term solution to the narcotics problem. “I have followed testimonies of the relatives of victims, I have seen the brave work of civil society actors, lawyers, human rights defenders, academics, senators. I have heard debates between politicians, explanations by government officials, and indeed I have watched footage, too of police and military men—and all saying there are other ways; better ways; other options, and better options,” she said.
BLAST SITE. Scene of the crime operatives look for tell-tale signs of explosion that rocked Quaipo's Islamic community, killing two and wounding five others Saturday afternoon. (Story on A1) Norman Cruz
GINA'S...
From A1
Cayetano, who is in Geneva, Switzerland along with 15 other delegates from the Philippines to attend the Universal Periodic Review on Monday, said since the 2007 election campaign, his stand on responsible mining and the strictest, highest standards for industries that affect the environment have been consistent. “At the time of the [CA] voting, I felt that for me to explain my vote at that time would be like rubbing salt in a wound, because I would have to enumerate all the reasons why she is not fit to be DENR secretary. I felt it would be cruel to reject then put her down. Yet she now singles me out when a vast majority of the CA voted to reject [after giving her a year to prove herself] her appointment,” he added. “I want to clarify that I gave Ms. Lopez enough chances to dispel fears that she would not observe the legal process in regulating the mining industry. I supported her in closing down mining sites
that were not compliant with the highest standards. Moreover, illegal mining and logging continue to proliferate,while other sectors that need both strict regulation continue to destroy the environment,” Cayetano said. “Unfortunately, the Secretary was adamant in defending her illegal actions. If she had carried on with her mindset, it would have embarrassed the Duterte administration sooner or later. She would have placed the administration in a predicament that would be hard to defend.” Lopez’s passion as an advocate for the environment must be respected, Cayetano said, but she “fails to understand that she cannot arrogate unto herself Constitutional powers reserved exclusively for Congress.” Cayetano said a number of government officials have invoked good intentions when they violated anti-graft and corruption laws, and President Rodrigo Duterte was left with no choice but to terminate them. “Ms. Lopez’s recent acts already bordered along these lines. Going by her unwillingness to comply with institu-
tional processes, she is not fit to head the DENR. She would have embarrassed the President in no time,” he said. Lopez was the second Cabinet official under the present administration who was rejected by the commission. The first was former Foreign Affairs secretary Perfecto Yasay Jr. whose citizenship was put in question. Senators belong to the Liberal Party led by Franklin Drilon voted in favor of Lopez’s confirmation. Senator Emmanuel Pacquiao, who chairs the CA’s committee on environment and natural resources, was the one who read the recommendation to reject Lopez’s appointment, which was later adopted on the floor. Senators Vicente Sotto III, Francis Pangilinan, Joel Villanueva, Loren Legarda and Joseph Victor Ejercito said they voted in favor of Lopez’ confirmation. A few weeks following her appointment as DENR secretary, Lopez ordered the closure of several mining firms across the country based on audit findings that they failed to comply with regulations under the 1995 Philippine Mining Act.
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PALACE INSISTS: LOWER CRIMINAL AGE By John Paolo Bencito
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ALACAÑANG on Saturday remained firm on its stand to lower the minimum age of criminal liability to nine years old even as most Filipinos preferred to keep the status quo at 15 years old based on the first quarter Pulse Asia survey. Presidential Spokesman Ernesto Abella said lowering the age of criminal liability would help ensure that young Filipinos would be responsible for their actions. “The stance of the President remains unchanged,” Abella said. “Lowering the age of criminal liability is part of the legislative agenda of President Duterte as a means to ensure that the Filipino
youth would accept responsibility for their actions and be subjected to government intervention programs,” he added. Abella said the government will embark on a communication campaign to educate the public on its proposal. “What the survey shows is that there is still a lot of work to be done, especially in explaining to Filipinos,
on the rationale behind lowering the minimum age of criminal liability,” he said. The 2017 First Quarter Ulat ng Bayan survey showed that a little over half of Filipinos, or 55 percent, favored keeping the minimum age of criminal liability at 15 years old—an opinion shared by big pluralities to sizable majorities across geographic areas and socioeconomic classes. Only nine percent favored Duterte’s suggestion for a return to 9 years old while 20 percent of the respondents said they are open to lowering the criminal age to 12 years old. In previous speeches, Duterte blamed the Juvenile Justice Act and its author, Liberal Party President Senator Francis Pangilinan, of
“producing generations of youth offenders who grew up without respect for the law.” “Now that they’re older, we have produced people who are of criminal minds. And that is why it is hard to stop the drug problem now,” the President said. Duterte said the law allowed youth offenders to walk free if they are below 15 years old, “regardless of the gravity of the offense.” Pangilinan authored Republic Act 9344, or the Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act of 2006, which raised the minimum age of criminal responsibility (MACR) from nine to 15. The law states that if children are caught in possession of illegal substances, the social welfare department must take them into custody for rehabilitation.
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TIPSTER GETS P1-M REWARD ZAMBOANGA CITY—The informant who helped the military in neutralizing a notorious Abu Sayyaf Group leader has received a P1-million cash reward from a group of donors in Sulu, the Western Mindanao Command announced Saturday. Lt. Gen. Carlito Galvez Jr., Westmincom chief, said the tipster received the reward for providing accurate information that led to the death of ASG sub-leader Alhabsy Misaya. “A reward was voluntarily generated by concerned individuals from Sulu who were elated with the confirmation by the JTF [Joint Task Force] Sulu over Misaya’s death,” Galvez said in a statement. Army troops killed Misaya in a firefight on April 29 in the town of Indanan, Sulu. Misaya is a known bomb expert and was involved in the string of bombings that killed an American soldier at the height of the Balikatan Exercises in 2002 in this city. He was also the primary suspect in the bombing of Salaam Bridge in Barangay Bato-Bato, Indanan, Sulu in 2009, and the 2011 bombing of Dennis Coffee Shop in Barangay San Raymundo, Jolo. Misaya was also involved in kidnapfor-ransom activities, including the abduction of Japanese Amer Katayama Mamaito and Malaysians Tung Wee Jie and Tung Wee Wei in nearby Sabah, Malaysia, and the abduction of Sugar Dianne Esperanza Buenviaje in TawiTawi. The military earlier said neutralizing Misaya is “a big blow” to the bandit group, as Galvez urged individuals to help the government fight the terrorists. “The group, which requested that their identity be kept anonymous, wishes to recognize the assistance extended by the informant to the government troops, as well as encourage other residents of Sulu to do the same,” Galvez said of the reward donors. “Misaya is one of the targets the AFP [Armed Forces of the Philippines] and PNP [Philippine National Police] had been seriously working on for the past years since the start of his notoriety,” the general added. The information disclosed by the informant “was crucial in the execution of the combat operation launched by the elements of the Philippine Marines Ready Force-Sulu” against the Abu Sayyaf, leading to the death of Misaya, who was projected as its next potential leader, Galvez said.
LAWMAKER SLAMS TAX PACKAGE By Maricel V. Cruz
BON VOYAGE. The Philippine Navy will have a send-off ceremony for the BRP
Gregorio del Pilar (FF15) as it begins its voyage to Singapore to participate in the International Maritime Defense Exhibition 2017 from May 16 to 18. Norman Cruz
PASSENGER GIVES BIRTH MID-FLIGHT By Joel E. Zurbano
AGRICULTURE INNOVATIONS. Leyte Rep. Yedda Marie Romualdez tours the Chang Hua Man Royal Project in Petchaburi Province in Thailand. The lawmaker aims to bring back innovative farming methods and technology to her province. Ver Noveno
A CEBU Pacific Airlines plane traveling from Kuwait to Manila was diverted to India after a passenger gave birth midflight late Friday afternoon. In a statement, the CEB management said 5J 019 bound for Ninoy Aquino International Airport was diverted to Kolkata, India at about 5:20 p.m. Friday as the passenger went into labor. The airline said the cabin crew and three passengers who were registered nurses helped deliver the baby. “The [passenger] was met by an emergency medical team upon landing of the aircraft at the airport and was taken to the nearest hospital. CEB has also contacted the Philippine Embassy in India for immediate assistance of the passenger,” the CEB management said, without identifying the woman and her nationality. The plane departed Kolkata, India at 9:01 p.m. on the same day and was expected to arrive in Manila around 1:20
a.m. Saturday. “We sincerely hope for our passengers’ understanding for any inconvenience this situation may have caused,” the airline said. This was the second time a baby was delivered on board a CEB aircraft. On Aug. 14, 2016, a baby girl, who was born four hours after Flight 5J015 left Dubai International Airport bound for Manila. The flight was diverted to Hyderabad, India to ensure that the mother and the baby received medical assistance. The newborn, called Haven, was given one million “Get Go” points, which she and her family can use for their future flights free of charge. “The one million Get Go points have equivalent number of flights. Baby Haven and her family members enrolled in Get Go’s sharing circle may book for as low as 100 points for one-way domestic flights during seat sales,” Hazel Gonzales, airline corporate communications manager, said.
A PARTY-LIST lawmaker on Saturday slammed the passage of the administration’s tax reform package at the House of Representatives, saying the proposal—once enacted—does not bode well for poor Filipino families and the middle class despite the income tax reduction under the measure. Gabriela party-list Rep. Arlene Brosas said the savings from the lowering of income tax under House Bill No. 4774 “will just be gobbled up by hikes in the prices of oil and other commodities due to higher excise tax and the expanded coverage of Value Added Tax.” “The lowering of income tax serves as the icing on top of a very bad, stale cake. Underneath, we see an avalanche of price hikes arising from higher excise tax on oil and the expansion of VAT coverage that will surely hit both the poor and the middle class,” Brosas said. “Rents, gas prices, jeepney and bus fares, money remittance fees, airfare, electricity bills, among others will increase under the proposed tax reform. In particular, poor women will bear the brunt of increased budget pressures due to costlier utilities and consumer goods,” she added. Last week, the House committee on ways and means approved the proposed Comprehensive Tax Reform Package that seeks to lower personal income taxes but increase taxes on petroleum and other products to offset revenue losses of the government. The bill provides that these tax rates shall also be increased by four percent every year thereafter effective Jan. 1, 2020 through revenue regulations issued by the Finance secretary.
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EO ON PH SMOKING BAN ON ‘FINISHING TOUCHES’
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RESIDENT Rodrigo R. Duterte’s intention to make the country 100 percent smoke-free in public places is “never waning,” according to Health Secretary Dr. Paulyn Jean B. Rosell-Ubial. “Actually, the President is really bent on implementing the EO [executive order on smoking in public places]. The instruction was really to pass an EO following the ordinance passed in Davao City,” Ubial said during a press briefing on the results of Global Tobacco Surveillance Survey on Friday at Hotel Rembrandt in Quezon City. Ubial said she had submitted and presented to Duterte another draft EO last March 6. “However, you know with an EO, there’s, shall we say, a process of alteration, vetting, comments from all the legal and policy team of the President,” Ubial said, adding the EO was now in its “finishing touches” and that the President would sign it “very soon.” When asked if there was truth to
reports that the delays in forging the EO came from tobacco companies, Ubial said she did not think tobacco companies “in any way could influence the process.” She said some of the factors for the delay might be because the President had been busy on previous visits to other countries, and his engagement in activities like the Asean Summit the country just hosted. The delays “were just like any other normal process” that usually happens whenever an EO is being awaited, she added. In comparison, Ubial said her office submitted the draft EO on family planning to the Office of the President in 2016, which was signed only last January, or four months after. In the case of the EO on a smoke-
free Philippines, the Health secretary said it was barely two months since she presented the amended EO. Ubial believes it will not take so long before it will be signed. There’s already a law in the Philippines banning smoking in public places, Republic Act 9211 or The Tobacco Regulation Act of 2003, and the Philippines has been a signatory to a tobacco control treaty for more than a decade. According to lawyer Jim Asturias of Health Justice Philippines, an NGO focusing on overlapping issues of health and law, and public health policy, the EO is necessary to address certain gray areas, including the definition of “public places” and the kinds of tobacco products that will be banned. “If the President will indeed follow Davao ordinance it will also cover shishas [water pipes], electronic device systems, e-cigarettes,” he said. Smoking will be prohibited in all public outdoor spaces, enclosed and partially enclosed public spaces, accommodation and entertainment es-
tablishments, and work places. The no-smoking policy will also cover drivers, conductors, and passengers of public utility vehicles. Ubial said designated smoking areas will be allowed in places where the public will not be exposed to second-hand smoke. The smoking areas will have highly visible signage—alongside a graphic depiction of the negative effects of smoking to one’s health and also to those inhaling the second-hand smoke. “Designate a smoking area away from the public. At the back of a hotel, at the parking area,” Ubial said in March. At the time, Ubial hoped Duterte signed the EO before the month ended, or before the full implementation of the graphic health warning law in November. Davao City’s smoking ban has been recognized by the World Health Organization as an effective smoke-free order in an urban setting. WHO noted that Davao’s smoking policy “demonstrates that smoke-free laws can work in the Philippines.” PNA
KOREAN FIRM KEEN ON PPP FOR 5 LOCAL AIRPORTS By Vito Barcelo
HELPING MOTHERS. As Mother’s Day is fast approaching, moms in Quezon City are bringing their children to local health centers for their regular check-ups, like this young mother pictured, being assisted by a nurse in drawing milk for her baby to drink later. Manny Palmero
SSS MEMBERS FEAR LOSS OF PROPERTY MEMBERS of the Social Security System expressed their indignation on the possible loss of the 7.5-hectare property of the state-run pension fund in Pasay City, following an unexpected court order for SSS to vacate the area. During the celebration of the nationwide Pensioners’ Day on Friday, the Federation of Senior Citizens Associations of the Philippines strongly opposed the move of the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines to sequester a part of the SSS property in Pasay. Of the total property area, NGCP eyed a 6.08-ha part of the land for the construction of their Pasay 230kV Substation Project, supposedly aimed
at improving its power quality and system reliability. “There are technicalities in that issue, however, for the benefit of the elders, there should be a consideration that the land should remain a property of SSS,” said FESCAP president Jorge Banal during a meeting with Social Security Commission Chairman Amado D. Valdez. “It is only fair that SSS pursues its plan in developing the area because it will provide a lifetime of assistance to its pensioners and members,”Banal added. The disputed property at the Financial Center Area along Diokno Ave. in Pasay City is earmarked for the con-
struction of the SSS Corporate Center of the South, adjacent to the office of the Government Service Insurance System that houses the Senate of the Philippines, the state pension fund said. The property sought for expropriation is also currently leased by the Senate for its fire station, parking space, and lodging space for its personnel. The SSS legal team pointed out the NGCP’s requisition of the land was unintended, as it was not included in its long-term development plan. “It was not clearly shown why it was chosen, considering there are other privately-owned vacant lots in the area,” Valdez said.
A KOREAN company expressed interest to improve and upgrade five domestic airports in the country by participating in Public-Private Partnership or PPP projects being undertaken by the government, the Department of Foreign Affairs said. In a statement, a team from the Korea Airports Corp. led by Director Youn Sang Gyu told Philippine Ambassador to South Korea Raul Hernandez its “keen interest” to bid for management and operation rights for five unbundled regional airport contracts under the PH government’s PPP scheme. The DFA said the Department of Transportation invited several foreign companies, including KAC, and prospective investors to pre-qualify and bid for the development, operation and maintenance projects of the Bacolod-Silay, Davao, Iloilo, Laguindingan (Cagayan de Oro), and Bohol (Panglao) airports worth a total of P108.18 billion. Hernandez said the Philippine Embassy welcomes the avid interest of KAC to participate in the bidding, given its excellent track record in airports management. The ambassador expressed hope that “if the KAC succeeds in its bid, the KAC would be able to contribute its technological expertise in developing and upgrading the Philippines’ five regional airports as the KAC is known for ensuring the efficiency and timelines of flights at regional airports it oversees and manages.” KAC specializes in the construction, management and operation of airports and is currently the world’s third-largest air control devices manufacturer, the DFA said. The firm operates 14 regional airports in Korea, including Gimpo International Airport in Seoul, which was that country’s main international terminal before being replaced by the Incheon airport in 2001. KAC has also developed its own aviation technologies, such as the DVOR (Doppler Very High Frequency Omni Range), FIS (Flight Information System), and RFID (Radio Frequency Identification).
‘INFORMAL WORKERS TO FORMAL ECONOMY’ THE government is helping informal sector workers transition into the formal economy, Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III said over the weekend. Speaking before a joint Labor Day celebration with the National Anti-Poverty Commission Workers in the Informal Sector Council in Davao, Bello said the Labor Department backs the recommendation of the International Labor Organization to provide the sector with an enabling atmosphere to be absorbed by the formal economy. “Despite their economic and social contributions, workers in the informal sector are insufficiently covered by labor laws and standards. That is why DoLE is vying for the ILO’s edict,” Bello said, referring to ILO Recommendation No. 204. The Labor Department, together with the NAPC-WISC, has conducted consultative workshops to identify key policy gaps and challenges in relation to the government’s thrust in addressing informality. They have also explored models for transition from informal to formal economy. The workshops will yield a law that will address the root causes of informality and formalize the informal economic units and its workers. In partnership with the Department of Trade and Industry, the DoLE launched an initiative called Trabaho, Negosyo, Kabuhayan (TNK) where part of the key outputs are the Blueprint for Decent Employment and Entrepreneurship for 2017-2022 and the Livelihood Agenda 20172022. It seeks to transform livelihood into competitive, resilient, and sustainable enterprises by encouraging the formalization and growth of micro, small, and medium enterprises through the full implementation of the GoNegosyo Law, the MSME Development Plan, and the AsiaPacific Economic Cooperation 2015 Action Agenda to Globalize MSMEs. The Bureau of Workers with Special Concerns implements the DoLE Integrated Livelihood and Emergency Employment Program to reduce the vulnerability to risks of the poor, vulnerable, and marginalized workers. Since July last year, about 54,643 workers have been provided with livelihood assistance which included Starter Kits or Negosyo sa Kariton (Nego-Kart), Enterprise Development Program, Workers Income Augmentation, and Youth Entrepreneurship Support. Bello has also issued Department Order No. 173 raising the maximum per capita assistance to beneficiaries from P10,000 to P20,000, providing micro-insurance, and tools for livelihood projects. The Occupational Safety and Health Center, an attached agency of the DoLE, also offers free OSH appreciation course to help ensure the safety and protection of informal sector workers, thus improving their productivity.
IN TRAINING.
Female members of the Philippine Coast Guard carry a rubber boat to their headquarters in Pier 15 at the South Harbor in Manila as part of their Rescuer Training and Diver course. Norman Cruz
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SUNDAY, MAY 7, 2017 Adelle Chua, Editor
Opinion
Joyce Pangco Pañares, Issue Editor
mst.daydesk@gmail.com
EDITORIAL
POP GOES THE WORLD JENNY ORTUOSTE
SHORT STORY COLLECTION FICTIONARY LAUNCHES TWICE
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IT WAS with tender sweetness and happiness that my book Fictionary was launched twice in three weeks, with the help and support of friends and family. The book is published by the University of Santo Tomas Publishing House, under the directorship of UST literature professor Dr. John Jack Wigley, ably supported by his deputy Prof. Ailil Alvarez. Last April 25 at the Tanghalang Teresita Quirino on the UST campus, USTPH held a grand launch of titles it published in 2016. Fictionary was among them. On May 4, I held a solo book launch at Conspiracy Garden Café in Quezon City. More on those events in a while; first let me tell you about the book. Fictionary is a collection of 16 short stories written over the years. I wrote “The Cups” in 1988 while in college and entered it in a competition sponsored by Clover Typewriters some years later, where it earned third or fourth place. The rest of the stories were written when I started writing fiction again in 2011. Three of the stories have placed in the Nick Joaquin Literary Awards— “How I Spent My US Vacation” (2011), “Wolves I Have Known” (2012), and “Marry Me” (2013). Eight of the sixteen stories have been published elsewhere (Philippines Graphic magazine, Philippine Speculative Fiction Vol. 9), and the other eight were written new for this collection. This is a grab-bag of stories, ranging from the humorous to the gothic, and in that sense may be seen as an erratic or eccentric compilation. University of the Philippines professor emerita Dr. Cristina Pantoja-Hidalgo had it right when she said in the foreword to the book: “There is an unevenness about the book—some stories are clearly better than others. But this is not unexpected in first collections.” But Dr. Hidalgo goes on to say, “What never disappoints is the language. Sometimes it is gritty…At other times it is lyrical…And as a tool to capture emotion, it is spot on…” Any writer will deem their work a success if it touches, moves, disturbs the reader. As a reader said after reading “The Cups”: “I dreamt about it that night, with my family and I replacing the characters in the book. As we neared the ending, I saw everything happening in slow motion, cinematic way.”That was most gratifying to know. The grand launch held by UST-PH featured 28 titles. Among the books were one by playwright Rody Vera, two by historian Dr. Jose Victor Torres (The Camino Real to Freedom and To The People Sitting in Darkness and Other Footnotes of Our Past), three by cultural studies expert Dr. Roland Tolentino (compilations of essays on indie cinema, new media, and youth popular culture), and one by Ailil Alvarez (Slivers of the Sky). All the books are available at the UST Bookstore on campus and at commercial bookstores. Due to insistent public demand (by my younger daughter), I held a solo launch which was well-attended by friends, family, and members of the public (all three of them—Michelle Ramos, Raynand Dizon, and his friend Joanna). I was very happy to see multi-awarded writer and Philippine Star columnist Krip Yuson; UST-PH’s Dr. Wigley, Ms. Alvarez, and their bookseller Paul; Manila Standard’s opinion editor
CRUSADERS
T’S ALWAYS good to have some kind of advocacy, to live by and for principles that govern our vision of how the world should be.
Having a cause reminds us that we are part of something bigger than ourselves. The advocacy could take on any form: Fighting corruption, eliminating illegal drugs, preserving the environment, empowering women, protecting children, providing jobs or shelter to the poor. There are many such advocates in our midst. Society is all the richer because of them. Great feats have ben achieved because of their passion, hard work and temerity. Advocates, however, enjoy precarious status in their public and private lives. Because they push relentlessly for that which they believe is right, their entire lives—their history, relationships, economic interests—are placed under scrutiny. They must then make sure they have no secrets that will cast
doubt on their credibility. If even a tiny conflict of interest is discovered, for instance, or if some pronouncements are misunderstood, the cause being fought for is diminished. In some instances, advocates may not be the best persons to hold official positions in their areas of interest. Advocacy presupposes a definite, unequivocal stand. It is charged with emotion—and rightly so. A government post, on the other hand, requires openness to other points of view and willingness to look at where other parties are coming from. It entails the implementation of established regulations—a task that needs objective leadership and a stable hand. Perhaps we run into much dissatisfaction because we confuse the demands of one from that of the other.
Turn to B2
ALL THE SINGLE MOTHERS LONG STORY SHORT ADELLE CHUA
I AM a single mother and I am proud of it. I got pregnant at 17, was married at 18. When I got my AB I was 21 and had two children. At 26, I was a mother of four: a girl, a boy, and then another girl, then another boy.
“Starting young” was an understatement. At 31, after years of turbulence, I left my husband and took the two older children with me. On that first night we only had one lightbulb, no refrigerator, no bed. We slept on
the floor. All this happened ten years ago but the details are vivid. On that monster of a day, I took a break for a few hours by editing op-ed columns and writing an editorial. Only after a lawsuit was I
able to gain custody of the two younger children. At that time, the children were 13, 11, seven and five. The primary struggle was money. There were exam days the kids were sent home because they were behind
in tuition payments. Ordering fastfood was a luxury reserved for special occasions. I once had to slice a birthday cake so thin because it was small and there were so many well-wishers who came by. Six months Turn to B2
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HOW FAR CAN THE RCEP SHIP SAIL? By Maura Ada Décosterd PAINTED against the backdrop of a platinum-standard Trans Pacific Partnership, the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership appeared, at least for those commentators outside the inner circle of the Asean 10 member-states and their six dialogue partners, to be more market accessoriented, less WTO-plus-inclined and covertly China-driven. Some of these assumptions are true, some are false, and some require qualification. Now, with the all-but-demise of the TPP, more attention has been directed to this Asean-led initiative that promises to grow into a pan-regional role that few would have ascribed to in its ‘versus-the-TPP’ days. A promise alone, however, is not sufficient, and concerted efforts must be made by negotiators and stake-holders alike to drive a trade-creating and substantively significant deal. The RCEP is ‘the only viable game in town’—that is to say, the one regional integration pact formally left standing, albeit far from completion. While the legacy of the TPP is rich, the likelihood that it ever enters into force as it was meant to, is slim. There remain, however, hopeful supporters who dare believe in a potentially Australian or Japanese-led TPP-11, fitted with revised enactment rules and rebalanced provisions compensating for the loss of US market access. For the former, the example of the failed International Trade Organization that organically morphed into the World Trade Organization we know today, all without US-Congressional approval, is a guiding light in the sea of the President of the United States-induced global trade panic. Whatever its fate without the US buy-in, the TPP has already impacted individual economies’ regulatory regimes and prompted changes in global economic governance to an extent that must move the RCEP to emulate its ‘platinum-standardness’ to the greatest extent practicable. The RCEP as it stands involves complex dynamics between the 10 Asean member states and the Asean Economic Community that binds them, the six dialogue partners and their Asean+1 Free Trade Agreements, and the dialogue partners in their trade relationship with the world. This makes for a rather rich set of interactions based on an equally complex set of interests. Tariff reductions, rules of origin, trade in services, and investment are issue-areas that present some degree of difficulty to negotiators as would be expected of an agreement that aims to include China and India on the one hand, and Japan, Australia and New Zealand on the other, all while evolving on the margins of the AEC. Agreement on the RCEP should practically result in new FTAs for the Dialogue Partners, deeper levels of tariff liberalization, wider coverage of trade in services, an overall increase in WTO-plus content, and the streamlining and improvement of rules of origin. So far, for lack of faster alternatives, some suggest that agreement should be had on the less-sensitive, low-hanging type of concessions, to be further complemented with built-in agenda type of clauses. But for RCEP to be truly modern, argue others, labor, the environment, electronic commerce, state-owned enterprises and the like, should be firmly covered before the deal is sealed. The breadth, depth and solidity of the RCEP matter inasmuch as lately, it has caught the attention of fora such as the Asia Pacific Economic Community that aim to construct their own pan-regional initiatives on the architectural foundations of the RCEP. And for that to happen, the agreement itself must be rendered appealing for partners such as Russia, Canada or Peru. Little incremental pressure on the negotiating 16 states flows from Apec’s own vision for the RCEP, instead, the brunt of compulsion emerges from the magnitude of the occasion presented by Asean’s 50th anniversary. Whether they succeed by the end of 2017 is anyone’s bet and everyone’s wish. Décosterd serves as a Senior Trade Law and Policy Officer at the Economic Research Institute for Asean and East Asia.
THE EU MUST CHANGE AFTER THE FRENCH ELECTION By Leonid Bershidsky THOUGH Emmanuel Macron looks poised to win the French presidential election on a passionately pro-European agenda, he still feels compelled to criticize European Union “dysfunction” and call for “in-depth” reform of the bloc to prevent Marine Le Pen from making a comeback and breaking it up. That’s in line with what European voters throughout the bloc are thinking. The EU is already changing to accommodate them, but it’s moving too slowly and it’s bad at selling the change to the public. It needs to do a better job for Macron’s expected victory not to go to waste. The results of a March poll of 28,000 Europeans, done by the Kantar Public research group, show that pro-EU sentiment is back at the 2007 level after a dip following the global financial crisis. Some 57 percent of respondents said their countries’ membership in the EU is “a good thing.” Just 14 percent believe it’s a bad thing. Positive sentiment is up 4 percentage points since last year. Most of this effect can probably be written off as a reaction to Brexit, which has shown many in the remaining EU countries where they don’t want to go. Significantly, about half of Europeans still think the EU is going in the wrong direction (4 percentage points less than last September, but still a plurality; only 25 percent say the union is on the right track). That attitude informs Macron’s comments and serves as a constant irritant for European Commission President
Jean-Claude Juncker. In his speech at the EU’s State of the Union conference in Florence on Friday, he referred to “this valley of tears in which we are all criticized and torn to shreds.” The EU is often accused of directing a fire hose of regulations at European citizens and companies. Le Pen’s National Front has said 80 percent of France’s laws are imposed by Brussels; the real proportion is closer to a third (though the EU’s own estimate is 20 percent). What’s clear is that a large share of national law flows from Brussels. The Juncker Commission has been trying to reduce the flow. In 2013, the year before Juncker was elected, the EU produced 2,209 legal acts, roughly in line with a decade’s annual production rate. In 2016, that number was down to 2,049. That’s still a lot of regulations; the French parliament passed 108 laws and 4,109 amendments in the year-long legislative session of 20152016. Though the Juncker commission is proud of its “better regulation” initiative, it has only resulted in the repeal of 32 “outdated” laws so far and a slight unclogging of the regulatory pipeline. Another major criticism of the EU is that it’s unable to protect its borders. In part thanks to joint European efforts, both in deal-making with Libya and Turkey and in patrolling the Mediterranean, this criticism has died down somewhat. After an enormous peak in 2015 and 2016, migrant arrivals by sea are below the 2014 level. But the EU is not in a position to sell this success to the public: Voters with a low tolerance for immigrants in general haven’t
internalized the migrant population increase from a year and two years ago. It’s pointless to tell these voters that the crisis is over until the people who came in that wave have had a chance to integrate better than they’ve been able to do in this short time. Meanwhile, the squalid conditions of camps in Greece and Turkey suggest refugees are paying a high price for the EU’s arrangements. Yet another criticism reflected in the Kantor survey is that many Europeans don’t feel their voice counts in the EU. Even though about 60 percent of respondents knew that the directly elected (and increasingly assertive) European Parliament votes for the European Commission president, only 43 percent said they believed their voice meant anything in Brussels, and 53 percent believed it didn’t. The balance is gradually shifting in favor of the EU, but Europeans still believe democracy works better in their home countries (63 percent say their voice counts there). Again, the EU in its current shape cannot do much about that perception. There are about 55,000 EU civil servants for the bloc’s 500 million population, a far smaller proportion than members have. But given the EU’s limited functions and smaller responsibility even that is quite an army to feed and explain. Juncker, who recently published a white paper on the future of the European Union, expects national leaders to tell him what to do next. But who will take up that baton? German Chancellor Angela Merkel
doesn’t want to dictate general EU policies: Anti-German sentiment is already strong in the south and east of the continent. Emmanuel Macron will be hemmed in by a fractious French parliament that may render him incapable of action. Juncker has already served half of his term as president, and he’s proved a mediocre salesman for the reforms he’s undertaken. It will fall to his successor to propose a plan that would enable the bloc to intervene more in areas where voters want it to do so. According to the Kantar poll, these areas include, above all, unemployment, tax fraud, terrorism and migration issues. The French commissioner, Pierre Moscovici, recently wrote a column proposing the creation of a euro-area finance ministry and budget by 2021—an arrangement that would enable the EU to acquire a more visible role in fixing social problems. But any such moves would need to be accompanied by major, not incremental, reductions in unnecessary regulatory activity and probably serious staff cuts in areas where voters don’t see a big EU role. The EU is getting a boost from Brexit, which has helped pro-European politicians from The Netherlands to Bulgaria win elections. These centrist victories—and especially Macron’s because of France’s importance to the bloc—will, in turn, amplify pro-European sentiment. Things will look rosy for some months. But the EU, too, needs to act to build on this support. Centrists may find it harder to win next time if they don’t get meaningful help from Brussels. Bloomberg
A LOVE LETTER TO CASSINI By Pecier Decierdo Dear Cassini, I AM writing because I am a huge fan of yours, and though you are just a chunk of metal containing some fancy science equipment, I would like you to know your work is appreciated here on Earth. And not just by scientists, by the way. Here, on the pale blue planet you left behind, millions of miles from where you are right now, people from all walks of life marvel at the amazing pictures you’ve taken of Saturn and its moons. The inspiration those pictures will bring to generations of young people who dream of understanding and exploring the universe is invaluable. I am also writing this because you are scheduled to crash into Saturn soon. That fact saddens me a bit, which is strange, because again, you’re just bits of metal and instruments. You are not going to feel any pain as you plunge into the roiling clouds of the great ringed planet. Still, I feel a bit of sadness over the end of you stint as Saturn’s planetary paparazzo. But what a run it was, eh? So instead of mourning your impending crash, let me celebrate the scientific feat that you represent. (And in so doing celebrate all the scientists and engineers here on Earth who, through their curiosity, ingenuity, and desire to explore the cosmos, sent you into the depths of space to be our eyes and ears in the Saturn system.) So let me do a rundown of your “greatest hits.” First, your journey. Oh, what a journey that was! And quite roundabout, too. After your launch from Earth in 1997, you did not yet
ALL... From B1 after I crossed over, my apartment was still sparse. We went without a couch for a long time and subsisted on old monobloc chairs. The TV was most definitely not large and not flat. For some art on the wall, I put a montage of the kids’ baby pictures on an illustration board and wrapped it in plastic. Along with the custody case I also brought a support suit before the court. At that time, I had this newspaper job whose rewards were mostly psychic. There was rent and school and food and medical issues to worry about. I took back rides on tricycles, brought baon of boiled corn to the office and sold—haggled over the price of—old appliances to junk shops. I like to think we carried it well. Case in point: My son attended his grade school ball with a long-sleeved shirt I got for P50 at an ukay-ukay shop in Quiapo. He was named Prince of the Night, anyway. But boy, I had to contend with talk. That’s what you get for getting hitched so early. People speculated
have enough speed to reach your very distant target. To reach the speed you need, you had to get a gravitational push from the planets, like a kid getting pushes from a grownup. You got a push from Venus in 1998, and then again in 1999. Then you went past Earth again, where you got another shove that pushed you past the Asteroid Belt and into Jupiter. But because your destination is very far away, you needed one last push to get there. And you got your last push from the meanest, baddest pusher of them all—Jupiter. Finally in 2004, after 7 roundabout years, you reach your destination. And you didn’t disappoint. Pioneer 11, Voyager 1, and Voyager 2 all took glorious pictures of Saturn, its rings, and its moons. We learned so much from those pictures. Generations of curious minds were sustained by looking at textbooks with pictures those probes took. But those missions were flybys— they flew close to Saturn and then went their merry way to the edge of the Solar System where they are now. They just zoomed past Saturn’s realm. You, on the other hand, came and stayed. You did this by entering into an orbit around Saturn. You let yourself be captured by the gravity of the second most massive planet in the Solar System, and you let this gravity swing you round and around Saturn. And round and around you swung, taking picture after stunning picture of Saturn’s surface clouds, its rings, and its varied moons for more than a decade. You even discovered several new moons! You showed us how the closest
on the reason for my leaving. There was stigma: who leaves a secure, conventional family structure? Who risks the material and psychological well-being of four impressionable young children? What selfishness! What nerve! The other camp’s friends called me Gabriela behind my back, and warned their wives against fraternizing with me. BI. As the years passed the struggles evolved. Expenses mounted, growing pains grew. There was less worry about schoolwork and more about the company the children were keeping. I felt I had to know their friends and make sure they don’t fall into bad company. It was also a good time for the kids to start exploring career paths. I felt that if they found what they were meant to do for the rest of their lives, they would never be poor. They would always have reason to get up in the morning. How we got from there to where we are now seems like a dream. The kids are now almost no longer children: they are 23, 21, near-17 and near-15. We’ve left our two-room apartment in Valenzuela and moved to a better-lit,
of these moons zipped along some of the gaps in the rings of Saturn, creating ripples in the rings as they go. Speaking of moon, you even landed your passenger, Huygens, on the surface of the biggest moon Titan. Thanks to your teamwork with Huygens, we now know that Titan is a world with thick clouds, a dense atmosphere, and lakes of liquid methane. Someday, we might come back to Titan to look for signs of life. Speaking of life, those pictures of the moon Enceladus you sent got us so intrigued with the possibility of finding alien life there. Why won’t we be excited, when you showed us Enceladus had geysers spewing water! But as if all those weren’t enough, you gave us another treat—a picture of the Earth from your vantage point. That pale blue picture of our world from so far away serves as a reminder of how small we are in the cosmic scale of things. So now you are running out of power. But we did not want you to die a cold, boring death as a space junk orbiting Saturn. We also didn’t want to risk the possibility that you would crash into Titan or Encaladus. We are not so sure if you are completely germ-free, and we didn’t want to contaminate those worlds. So instead, the scientists who have worked with you have decided to say goodbye to you in a blaze of glory. Cassini, on behalf of everyone on Earth who was and is being inspired by you, so long—and thanks for all the pics! Pecier Decierdo is resident physicist and astronomer of The Mind Museum.
airier home in Quezon City. Our home seems to attract as many visitors as our old place used to do. Furniture-wise, I aim for a minimalist look although it’s not always possible. I juggle multiple jobs which when combined provide me with an income that is at least a little more than psychic. At this stage, the kids seem to know the direction they will take. Best part is, apart from the usual family wrinkles—mostly to do with who does which chores when and how often—we’re pretty tight-knit. We bond over Netflix and music and food. I look forward to the next phases in our lives, all while savoring the present moment and treasuring the lessons from the past. “Na-ano?” I have a range of expletives in my mind but I know better than utter them. *** What I described above is my story, but I know countless other stories, more compelling, more inspiring, that deserve telling. Even if I were under a different set of circumstances, I would still accord single mothers awe and respect. Con-
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Adelle Chua and sports editor Riera Mallari; Market Monitor’s Alvin Dacanay; 35-time Palanca Award winner Ed Maranan; and writer Geraldine Maayo. Also there were a large number of high school classmates from the Pasay City Adventist Academy; friends Mars Hagedorn, Reggie Reginaldo, Jowell Tan, Gerry Rojas, Gary Alcasid; cousins Chichi and Doc de Leon; and Adelle’s daughter Sophie and her friend. Palanca Award-winning writer Yvette Tan dropped by to say hello and get a copy of my book. Writer Ime Morales gave the blessing. Readings from my work were performed by my elder daughter, writer Alex Alcasid; voice actor JM Torres; student Mark Martinez; Adelle, Mars, and Reggie. Music was provided by the fabulous Ian Lofamia Blues Band, courtesy of lawyer and theater impresario Allan Magturo, who also recommended the venue. Thanks to all who attended and participated. Some came from work and endured two hours of traffic to get there (thanks, Riera!). Everyone exerted time and energy, for which I am grateful. It was marvelous to feel the friendship and the love. My next book is a non-fiction work about Philippine horseracing culture and communication, and two compilations of my essays are also being prepared for publication. My thanks as well to you, the readers of my columns. Please continue to support Philippine journalism and literature. Dr. Ortuoste is a Californiabased writer. Follow her on Facebook: Jenny Ortuoste, Twitter: @ jennyortuoste, Instagram: @jensdecember, @artuoste
vention dictates that children be raised by two people, complementing and helping each other in building a home and ensuring their nourishment in all aspects. It’s a daunting task, raising kids, and I am sure few women set out to embrace this alone. But life happens. We realize we made bad or hasty choices, stumble into a surprise about our partners and ourselves, or simply watch love die. This is not to say we bolt at the first opportunity. Becoming single again is a last resort, especially when there are children in the picture. But sometimes you just have to take a stand, whatever the consequences. Often, the challenges can threaten to make you give up or question your decision. But when you look at the face of your children you would know: You cannot fail. So going back to the mindless ones who joke about the lot of single mothers—and those who laugh at these crass attempts at humor—you really should be ashamed of yourselves. You don’t know half the story, and likely don’t have a tenth of the guts. adellechua@gmail.com
World LOOTING RAVAGES VENEZUELA; DEATH TOLL REACHES 36 VALENCIA, Venezuela—A young man died Friday after he was injured in violence as looting broke out in impoverished Venezuelan cities, an official said, bringing the toll from unrest in more than a month of anti-government protests to at least 36. Hecder Lugo Perez, 22, died after he was hit in the head by a projectile in the northwestern city of Valencia, sources at the Valles de San Diego medical clinic said. City Mayor Enzo Scarano confirmed his death. Mass protests erupted on April 1 by demonstrators demanding elections to remove President Nicolas Maduro. They blame him for an economic crisis that has caused shortages of food, medicine and other basics. Anger boiled over Friday in the western municipality of Rosario de Perija, where young protesters burned, pulled down and then smashed a statue of former president Hugo Chavez, Maduro’s late predecessor and mentor, according to video posted on social media showing the incident in a public square. Looting broke out this week in cities such as Valencia, which looked like a disaster zone with bars on shop windows bent and windows broken. “There was a crowd of them. They broke through the walls and took everything. They destroyed everything” before police came and fired tear gas to disperse the looters, said Nuvia Torrealba, 42, who worked in a bakery. “My bosses have lost their home and we are out of a job. It was horrible.” AFP
CLERIC PUSHES FOR TALKS ON WOMEN’S INHERITANCE RABAT, Morocco—A former radical preacher is the unlikely instigator of a debate on a topic long seen as off-limits in Muslim-majority Morocco: women’s inheritance rights. The country’s Islamic family laws allocate female heirs half the amount men receive on the death of a relative. Abdelwahab Rafiki, a former hardline cleric who served time in jail following jihadist bombings in Casablanca, says it is time that changed. “I invite... religious scholars, sociologists and human rights actors to open a dialogue, primarily in order to uphold justice,” he said. Rafiki, also known as Abou Hafs, was one of around 100 male writers, journalists and artists who published a book in April called “Men Defend Equality in Inheritance.” He also appeared on a prime-time television show on the popular 2M channel, arguing that the social roles of men and women had changed since the early days of Islam, meaning it was time for a debate on inheritance rules. Since his TV appearance, he said, “I have been threatened with death and excommunicated, but I also received many messages of support.” The 43-year-old was once regarded as a leader of the Salafist-jihadist movement in Morocco. He was among 8,000 people arrested after jihadist bombings in Casablanca in 2003 killed 45 people. AFP
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MACRON BLASTS HACKING ATTACK
ARIS—French presidential candidate Emmanuel Macron’s team blasted a “massive and coordinated hacking attack” against his campaign after a flood of internal documents were released online barely 24 hours before the election. The centrist candidate’s furious staff said the release late Friday of thousands of emails, accounting documents and other files was an attempt at “democratic destabilization, like that seen during the last presidential campaign in the United States.” The documents spread on social media just before midnight on Friday – when 39-year-old Macron and his far-right rival Marine Le Pen officially wrapped up campaigning for Sunday’s decisive run-off vote – with his aides calling the leak “unprecedented in a French electoral campaign.” Hillary Clinton has alleged Russian hacking of her campaign’s emails was partly to blame for her
defeat in last year’s US presidential election to Donald Trump. The leak, posted by someone calling themselves EMLEAKS, came as an 11th-hour twist in what has proved to be one of the most drama-packed elections in French history. Macron’s team said the files were stolen weeks ago when several officials from his En Marche party had their personal and work emails hacked – one of “an intense and repeated” series of cyber-attacks against Macron since the launch of the campaign. “Clearly, the documents arising from the hacking are all lawful and show the normal functioning of a presidential campaign,” aides said
in a statement. But they warned that whoever was behind the leak had mixed fake documents with real ones “in order to sow doubt and disinformation.” The WikiLeaks website posted a link on Twitter to the trove of documents, saying it was not responsible for the leak but that it was “examining” parts of the cache, amounting to around nine gigabytes of data in total. Last month cybersecurity research group Trend Micro said Russian hackers called Pawn Storm had targeted Macron’s campaign, using “phishing” techniques to try to steal personal data. Senior Le Pen aide Florian Philippot suggested on Twitter that the leak might contain information that the media had deliberately suppressed. France’s presidential election commission advised media not to publish details of the documents, warning that publication could lead to criminal charges and that some of the documents were probably fake. The commission is due to meet later Saturday to discuss the
hack. The upset came at the end of a frantic final day of campaigning and as fresh security concerns emerged following the arrest of a suspected extremist. Polls released earlier Friday had showed Macron gaining momentum, forecasting victory for the pro-European, pro-business former banker with around 62 percent to 38 percent for Le Pen. He and Le Pen – who is hoping to ride a global wave of anti-establishment anger to the Elysee Palace – have offered starkly different visions for France during a campaign that has been closely watched in Europe and around the world. Le Pen has tried to portray Macron as being soft on security and Islamic fundamentalism, playing to the concerns of many of her supporters after a string of terror attacks in France that have killed more than 230 people since 2015. She has said she wants to copy Britain’s example and hold a referendum on France’s EU membership, sending alarm bells ringing in capitals across the bloc. AFP
FRIGID ZONE. A picture shows ice on a beach of the Jokulsarlon lagoon in the Austurland region in Iceland. AFP
CASSINI PROBE FINDS VAST VOID BETWEEN SATURN’S RINGS
JAPANESE NUN ARRESTED IN SEX ABUSE SCANDAL BUENOS AIRES, Argentina—A Japanese nun has been arrested in Argentina’s city of Mendoza and charged in dozens of cases of sex alleged abuse involving deaf school children, officials said over the weekend. The nun, Kosaka Kumiko, 42, had been on the run for more than a month before surrendering to authorities. “I am innocent,” she told judicial officials, who ordered her detained at a local women’s prison while the alleged crimes are investigated. She is suspected of complicity with two priests, Nicola Corradi and Horacio Corbacho, who were arrested in Argentina late last year on charges of child sex abuse at the Provolo school for deaf and hearing-impaired children. Three school employees, Jorge Bordon, Jose Luis Ojeda and Armando Gomez, were also arrested and remain in custody. Investigators are looking into more than 30 testimonies against the priests and teaching staff. AFP
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SUNDAY, MAY 7, 2017 mst.daydesk@gmail.com
PAPAL AUDIENCE. Pope Francis exchanges gifts with Doris Leuthard, President of Switzerland, during a private audience on May 6 in Vatican. AFP
WASHINGTON, United States—The unmanned Cassini spacecraft, after completing two passes in the vast unexplored area between Saturn’s rings has discovered not much else there, researchers at NASA said. Scientists have been surprised to find that not all that much – not even space dust – lies between Saturn’s iconic rings. “The region between the rings and Saturn is ‘the big empty,’ apparently,” said Cassini Project Manager Earl Maize of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, after the probe’s first pass. The rings themselves are made of fastmoving particles of ice and space debris. The 22-foot-tall (6.7 meter) Cassini spacecraft launched in 1997 and began orbiting Saturn in 2004. Cassini made a first pass to explore what lies between the rings in late April and a second one on May 2, at a speed of about 77,000 miles per hour relative to the planet. The gap between the rings and the top of Saturn’s atmosphere is about 1,500 miles (2,400 kilometers). Cassini is expected to make a total of 22 dives between the rings and the planet before making a death plunge into the gas giant in September. Cassini is a 20-year-old joint mission of NASA, the European Space Agency and the Italian Space Agency. AFP
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SUNDAY, MAY 7, 2017 Cesar Barrioquinto, Editor
World
/ Joyce Pangco-Pañares, Issue Editor
mst.daydesk@gmail.com
CHINA SENDS 20 TO PRISON FOR DEADLY LANDSLIDE
ACTIVE. Mount Sinabung volcano spews thick volcanic ash as seen from Tiga Kicat village in Karo, North Sumatra province, early on Saturday. Sinabung roared back to life in 2010 for the first time in 400 years. After another period of inactivity, it erupted once more in 2013, and has remained highly active since. AFP
2ND TRUMP NOMINEE FOR ARMY CHIEF OUT
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ASHINGTON—US President Donald Trump on Friday lost another nominee he had put forward to be his Army secretary, after lawmakers said the pick was unfit because of his past stances against transsexuals, Muslims and Latinos. Mark Green, Republican senator for Tennessee, said in a statement to NBC News he was withdrawing due to “false and misleading attacks against me.” “My life of public service and my Christian beliefs have been mischaracterized and attacked by a few on the other side of the aisle for political gain,” he charged. Green was Trump’s second choice for the post of Army secretary after his first, Vincent Viola, a billionaire, withdrew in February, saying he couldn’t overcome conflict-of-interest objections because of certain financial interests.
Chuck Schumer, head of the Democrats in the US Senate, said Green “should not have been nominated in the first place.” He cited Green’s record of supporting a law “to make it easier for businesses to discriminate against the LGBTQ community,” for opposing gay marriage, and for believing “being transgender is a ‘disease’.” Green also “supports constricting access to legal contraception and makes deeply troubling comments about Muslims,” and was thus “the wrong choice to lead America’s Army,” Schumer said in a statement.
Trump, while putting former or current generals in key posts in his administration, has had a hard time in filling politically appointed positions at the Pentagon. The posts of secretaries of the Navy and the Air Force remain vacant. A number of other senior offices are not yet officially set to be filled. The Defense Department says several factors are slowing the process down, including notably an extreme political polarization in Congress between unbending Democrats and Republicans. Strict financial ethics rules are also problematic for candidates. And then there are internal party conflicts, for instance Trump’s refusal to put forward any Republican who derided him or his ultimately successful run at the White House. Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson discussed the conflict in Syria with Russian For-
eign Minister Lavrov on Friday, the State Department said. Their conversation took place a day after Russia, Iran and Turkey signed a deal setting up four “deescalation zones” in Syria during talks in Kazakhstan’s capital Astana. The United States did not take part. “The Secretary of State spoke by phone with Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov today about the efforts to de-escalate the ongoing conflict in Syria,” State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said in a statement. Experts are skeptical about Thursday’s Kremlin-brokered deal because neither the Syrian government nor the rebels were direct signatories and the opposition offered only a lukewarm reaction. Washington gave the deal an extremely cautious welcome, citing concerns about Iran’s role as a guarantor even as it expressed hope the agreement could set the stage for a later settlement. AFP
MURDER RAP FOR TEXAS COP IN BLACK TEEN’S KILLING
SORROW. A displaced Iraqi woman and children from the al-Haramat neighborhood, north of Mosul, react after leaving their homes as Iraqi forces advance towards the area during the ongoing offensive to retake Mosul from Islamic State fighters on Friday. Iraqi forces thrust into west Mosul from the north, opening a new front in the more than six-month-old offensive to dislodge the Islamic State group from the country’s second city. AFP
WASHINGTON—A Texas police officer who fired into a carful of teens, allegedly killing a 15-year-old African American boy, turned himself in on Friday after being charged with murder, authorities said. Roy Oliver, 37, who is white, was one of two police officers responding to a call about underaged drinking at a party in the Dallas suburb of Balch Springs the night of April 29, The Dallas Morning News reported. Jordan Edwards and four others were leaving the party in their car after hearing gunfire. Oliver fired a rifle into the car, hitting the teen in the head, media reports said. Oliver, who has reportedly been fired from the Balch Springs Police Department, turned himself in and was booked on a murder charge at the Parker County jail in Weatherford, about 60 miles (97 kilometers) west of Dallas, according to county records. He was released after posting
a $300,000 bond, the records showed. Police originally said Oliver opened fire because the car was backing up aggressively toward him, but the department changed its account after viewing body-cam footage, saying the car was driving away when Edwards was shot. Evidence suggested the police officer “intended to cause serious bodily injury and commit an act clearly dangerous to human life that caused the death,” the Dallas County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement announcing the arrest warrant. The shooting is the latest killing of an African-American by a white police officer in a string of similar cases that have fueled outrage across the United States and given rise to the Black Lives Matter movement. According to a Washington Post tally, Edwards was the youngest of the 339 people shot and killed by US police so far this year. AFP
BEIJING—Chinese courts have sentenced 19 government officials and one business leader to prison for up to 20 years for their roles in a landslide which killed more than 70 people. The disaster occurred in Shenzhen, a southern boom town bordering Hong Kong, at the end of 2015 when soil illegally piled some 160 meters (500 feet) high at an old quarry site turned to mud during heavy rains. Three local courts passed sentences at the end of April for 45 people who had been charged in connection with the landslide, China’s official news agency Xinhua reported late Friday. Long Renfu, the boss of Shenzhen Yixianglong, which was responsible for managing the site, was sentenced to 20 years in prison and a fine of 10 million yuan ($1.5 million) for negligence and corruption. AFP
TRAIL OF DAMAGE AS CYCLONE DONNA SKIRTS VANUATU WELLINGTON, New Zealand—The South Pacific island nation of Vanuatu began assessing the damage Saturday after being pounded by destructive winds from Cyclone Donna which brought down houses and buildings. The storm was upgraded late in the day to a category four severe tropical cyclone by the Vanuatu Meteorological Service which warned “damaging gale to destructive storm force winds” would continue to hit Torba province. The eye of the cyclone veered away from Vanuatu before making landfall, but Disaster Management Office director Shadrack Welegtabit said winds in excess of 200 kilometers per hour (125 mph) wreaked havoc in outlying islands. “The cyclone has passed through and we have now started our response, doing an assessment of the damage and what people need,” he told AFP. “It did not make landfall but the gale force winds affected some islands. There was damage to houses and buildings but we haven’t had any reports of injuries.” AFP
GAS TANKER LEAK SENDS 200 INDIAN KIDS TO HOSPITAL NEW DELHI, India—Nearly 200 school students were hospitalized Saturday after complaining of irritation in their eyes and throat following a gas leak in New Delhi, police said. Classes were underway when gas leaked from a container parked at a depot close to the school and filled with chemical meant for industrial use, police said. “Around 200 children were admitted to four hospitals for treatment. No one is serious. The situation is normal now,” police deputy commissioner Romil Baaniya told reporters. Police will initiate legal action against the handlers for negligence, Baaniya added. Images showed scores of disaster response personnel closely inspecting the premises of the government-run girls’ school. Gas leaks are not uncommon in India, with most caused by a failure to comply with safety standards. In 2014 a poisonous gas leak at one of India’s largest steel plants in central Chhattisgarh state killed six people. A toxic gas leak in Bhopal city in 1984 killed at least 25,000 people and remains to this day the world’s worst industrial disaster. AFP
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SUNDAY, MAY 7, 2017
Business
Ray S. Eñano, Editor / Roderick dela Cruz, Issue Editor business@manilastandard.net
CEBUANOS DEVELOP APP TO REFORM POSTAL SECTOR
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CHAIRMAN.
Unilever Philippines Inc. chairman Benjie Yap
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FORMER TRAINEE NAMED UNILEVER PH CHAIRMAN
former technical trainee who arranged boxes at the supply chain division of Unilever Philippines Inc. two decades ago is now the chairman of the local unit of the world’s largest consumer goods company. Benjie Yap, 43, became the first homegrown talent to hold the position in over 30 years. Yap, who grew up in Divisoria, Manila, joined Unilever after graduating from De La Salle University in Manila with a Bachelor of Science degree in Industrial Engineering (minor in Mechanical Engineering) in 1994. He completed his basic education at Chiang Kai Shek College. Unilever is a Dutch-British company behind consumer brands Axe, Ben & Jerry’s, Block & White, Breeze, Clear, CloseUp, Cream Silk, Domex, Dove, Eskinol, Lux, Lifebuoy, Master, Pepsodent, Perla, Pond’s, Sunsilk, Tresemme, Vaseline, Surf, Caress, Best Foods, Cornetto, Knorr, Lipton, Lady’s Choice, Magnum, Selecta, among others. As a technical management trainee in 1994, Yap had stints in manufacturing, engineering, research and development and packaging development. “I’ve been in the company for 23 years now,” he says. Yap was first assigned at the packaging section of Unilever’s factory in Manila. “Because I’m an engineer, I worked in the supply chain as technical trainee in the factory. So I did the rounds of working third shifts. I was packaging, moving and arranging boxes,” he says. From the supply chain division, he shifted career tracks and served as a product development manager in Port Sunlight UK in 1999. He became marketing director of home care in 2001. He later joined Unilever Philippines’ National Board of Directors as the food managing director at the age of 32, 11 years after joining the company. In 2009, he was assigned to Thailand as vice president for home care products. He returned to Manila in 2013 to lead home care and foods and
later as vice president of customer development, before being named chairman in March 2017. The company was formed by the Lever brothers in the UK as a soap company, with Lifebuoy as its first product. It merged with a Dutch maker of margarine in 1929, to form Unilever, which has diversified into ice cream and refreshment, food, personal care, home care, water, sanitation, environment, agriculture and livelihood. In the Philippines, Unilever has the largest advertising expenditures amounting to billions annually, supporting the businesses of broadcast networks. Yap received numerous accolades throughout his career, including the CEO Excel Award in 2007 and the Outstanding Achievement Award in Marketing Management from Agora in 2015, as well as being named one of the top alumni of De La Salle University in 2010. “I am deeply honored to be named chairman of Unilever Philippines. Having been with Unilever throughout my professional career, I have witnessed how the company has grown and has uplifted the lives of many Filipinos,” says Yap. “Being appointed as chairman at a time when the private sector is called to help address societal concerns, I am inspired by the work that we have begun and are continuing—creating real solutions in areas such as nutrition, livelihood, water, sanitation, and the environment. We take a long view of how we provide for the needs of Filipino families, offering products for their daily use and helping them in challenges they face,” Yap says. “At Unilever Philippines, we place a premium on sustainability. This is not just reflected in the Sustainable Living programs that we are implementing to address major social concerns. We are also committed to sustainable agriculture and sustainable manufacturing practices. Moreover, we are looking at strategic investments in the Philippines to better serve Filipino families,” says Yap. Yap has recently led the inauguration of Unilever Philippines’ head office in Taguig City. Located in the Bonifacio Corporate Center at Stopover, Unilever Philippines’ LEED-certified offices are also aligned with the company’s focus on sustainability. The new office marks Unilever’s continued investment in the Philippines, not just
to further grow the market, but to nurture young Filipino talent as well. Unilever’s new head office in Taguig City is just one among the big-ticket investments of the company, which also include the mega distribution center in Cabuyao, Laguna, its largest distribution center in the Philippines, and the world-class Unilever Cavite Foods Factory, which has Halal capability to address the needs of Muslims in the country. The mega distribution center spans 13.7 hectares and is expected to facilitate distribution and transport of Unilever’s products manufactured in its Cavite and Paco, Manila sites. Its location is also ideal for vessels going to Visayas and Mindanao via the Batangas ports. In addition to all these, the mega distribution center has future-ready capabilities to ensure efficient and sustainable operations. The mega distribution center’s design and technology will use materials intended to reduce environmental impact. Constructing the mega distribution center allows Unilever Philippines to enhance delivery of goods throughout the country and create a ripple effect of benefits to communities. Accessible to the mega distribution center is Unilever Cavite Foods Factory, which adheres to world-class manufacturing services and on which Unilever is investing a total of P1.7 billion. The factory is also expected to serve as the Halal Hub for South East Asia and Australia. To date, the Philippines has yet to realize the potential of the Halal market, which can be a driver for sustained socio-economic growth. The LEED-certified Unilever Cavite Foods Factory is utilizing renewable energy resources for its power requirements. “Unilever Philippines is committed to the Filipino people. Not only are we optimistic about prospects for growth, but we are also constantly on the lookout for emerging opportunities to better serve the market,” Yap says. Yap at 43 is the youngest Filipino chairman of a multinational corporation. “It’s a proud moment for my parents and my family to get this opportunity,” says Yap, who together with wife Karen, has two children who are now in their early teens. Othel V. Campos
T H E P h i l i p p i n e Tr a d e a n d Investment Center in Singapore is working closely with four Filipinos from Cebu to officially introduce Geopik, an app that can revolutionize the postal system in the Philippines. Singapore-based Francisco Liwa, Ivan Lacuesta, Rodessa Padrigano and John Ryan Loyloy utilize the digital address system using geohashing and geolocation technologies similar to that used by apps such as Waze or Google Maps. Geopik converts long addresses or the absence of house numbers which is common in the Philippines, into more exact, customizable and easy-to-remember single codes. The app reduces the hassle brought by additional information to the actual address such as “house with blue gate, in front of a mango tree” by simply converting addresses to simple digital codes. Seeing the inefficiency in the Philippines’ postal coding,Geopik set out to offer a solution to e-commerce, logistics and other location-dependent businesses. “It’s such a unique experience to help build something and be part of its growth from the very beginning. This is our way of taking charge of our future and making an impact back home in the process,” said GeoPik cofounder John Loyloy. Aligned with the Philippine government’s thrust to develop an innovative entrepreneurial culture, the Trade Department supports startups and helps strengthen the innovation ecosystem in the country through various initiatives such engaging startup entrepreneurs. The agency launched QBO Innovation Hub situated at the DTI International Building, Makati City in 2016. It is the first public-private innovation hub in the Philippines that aims to provide support services to startup and innovation entrepreneurs. DTI teamed up with incubator and accelerator Ideaspace Foundation, the Department of Science and Technology and JP Morgan. In Singapore, parallel initiatives are being done by PTIC led by commercial counsellor Glenn Peñaranda, who engages with the Filipino community by speaking at investment seminars and online channels on entrepreneurship with the goal of providing more job opportunities for Filipinos. “Startups play a pivotal role in driving innovation and economic growth hence we are happy to help GeoPik reach out to decisionmakers and to potential users. We also look forward to work with more Filipino startups here in Singapore and the region and help them scale up,” said Peñaranda.
TILAPIA ICE CREAM DRAWS CROWD IN CANADA THE Philippine’s “tilapia ice cream” was featured in Salon International de l’Agroalimentaire or SIAL Canada 2017 on May 2 to 4 in Toronto, Canada, drawing a crowd of interested exhibit attendees. Developed by Central Luzon State University and funded by the Bureau of Agricultural Research, tilapia ice cream won during the SIAL Asean-Manila 2016 held at the World Trade Center in Manila. The product received a gold medal as the Innovation World Winner. The Agribusiness and Marketing Assistance Service of the Agriculture Department invited tilapia ice cream to
be showcased during the SIAL AseanManila 2016. BAR, under its National Technology Commercialization Program, supported the technology enhancement and commercialization of tilapia ice cream along with the developed tilapia cookies which were optimally aligned to consumers’ preference. As part of the award, the two products will join the world tour in other SIAL exhibitions scheduled in Paris, Indonesia, Dubai and China. These exhibitions serve as venues to inform attendees, especially Filipinos working abroad, on the other products
of the Philippines. Filipinos who are based in Canada were able to visit the booth and showed interest in other locally-produced items. They got excited in exploring possibilities on how they can bring and promote Philippine products and possibly invest as livelihood opportunities in their families back home. SIAL is North America’s largest food innovation trade show, showcasing products from 25 countries around the world.
Business
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SUNDAY, MAY 7, 2017 business@manilastandard.net
ZEN ROOMS BRING COD CONCEPT TO HOTEL SECTOR BUDGET hotel franchise Zen Rooms is introducing transformational payat-hotel, credit card-free feature, becoming the first chain in Southeast Asia to allow 100-percent card-free bookings and enable anyone to book affordable hospitality, irrespective of card ownership. This is because 73 percent of population in Southeast Asia (438 million people) is unbanked, with most transactions paid in cash. The feature was successfully tested in the first quarter this year and subsequently rolled out to over 500 Zen Rooms locations, across 50 cities in Southeast Asia. Zen Rooms which was launched in 2015 by Rocket Internet has shaken the hospitality industry in the region by providing a more affordable, disruptive alternative to traditional hotel chains. The company is now announcing the release of a groundbreaking feature allowing anyone, irrespective of card ownership to book an affordable room and travel safely. Credit card penetration remains very low in the region, with 74 percent of transactions still paid in cash. The hospitality industry is particularly concerned, as a credit card is usually needed to secure a booking, even if the payment itself only happens at check-in. Zen Rooms said by introducing its pay-at-hotel feature, it becomes the first budget hotel chain in Southeast Asia to disrupt the status quo. The only thing required to confirm a booking on www.zenrooms.com is a valid phone number. The feature is currently available for over 500 Zen Rooms locations and is being rolled out to 1,000 ZEN locations in the next three months. The pay-at-hotel option will complement other payment methods available at the moment, such as credit card payment and bank transfer. “ We are really glad to finally announce this pay-at-hotel feature. This of course removes a significant barrier to travel in SEA. We founded Zen in 2015 to change hospitality in the region for the better with a full customer-centric approach and this is one important step forward to allowing more people travel across the region, in line with our motto and mission Travel More, Pay Less! Since introducing the feature in our first-quarter pilot, we saw a 100-percent increase in booking rate, above expectations, and only confirmed our view that this can transform hospitality industry in a similar way cash-on-delivery revolutionized e-commerce in the past few years,” said Zen Rooms co-chief executive Nathan Boublil. Founded in 2015 in Jakarta, Zen Rooms has since become the fastest growing budget accommodation franchise in South East Asia. It specializes in providing top value-for-money accommodation (hotels, B&Bs, guest houses, apartments) by guaranteeing all the key essentials needed for a comfortable stay and affordable rates starting at $10.
UNIVERSITY RESIDENCE BUILDER EXPANDS REAL ESTATE PORTFOLIO By Jove Tolaresa Moya and Angelo Yanga
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member of Davao’s Lorenzo family returned to the country after studying in the United States in the 1990s to redesign student housing which would soon become a lucrative segment of the Philippine property sector.
Tomas Lorenzo, a younger brother of former Agriculture Secretary Luis Lorenzo, led the development of Torre Lorenzo 1 along Taft Ave. near De La Salle University to provide homes for young and vibrant market through stylish and contemporary living spaces. “We were called dormitories, bed spacers and the like...What we’ve done is we’ve made it the place to stay if you are a university student in top universities. We are already a brand,” says Lorenzo. “University residences did not really exist before we started the first one,” says Lorenzo. “We bring to the market what the students need and a lot of it came from their parents who really feel a need for a home for their children away from home. So we said let’s come up with residential units for students which we can be proud of, which the parents don’t mind visiting.” His first project which opened in 2001 would be followed by more so-called university residences, a trend that will be replicated across the property sector in the next decade. Other university residences built by Torre Lorenzo Development Corp. are Torre Central near University of Santo Tomas and Torre Sur in Las Piñas City. TLDC, the company he established and led as president and chief executive, is now diversifying into other projects by creating new segments in the property sector. It is spending P30 billion to P32 billion to finance the construction of 22 projects until 2020. “We don’t just follow the trend. We want to make sure we’re first. We wanna make sure that before people even know they need it, we already know what is going to happen. So we watch demographics. We watch migration patterns. We talk to the markets,” Lorenzo says. Lorenzo, whose family controls fruit producer and trader Lapanday Foods Corp., is now looking to invest in other areas of the country. “Those of you who know our group and my family know that we are heavily invested outside Metro Manila. We are really thankful for the opportunities given to us especially in Mindanao where my family is from, and we are able to really tap into that provincial growth and there will be more provincial growth,” he says. He is bullish about growth in other parts of the country. “Many people would rather move back to the provinces where they grew up, and we want to make sure that we are there to give them what they need and the amenities that they want,” says Lorenzo. TLDC is building mixed-use developments, hotels and condominiums in Baguio City, Pampanga, other parts of Luzon, the Visayas and Mindanao. “Today, we are continuing to tell the world that we just don’t do university residences. Yes, we are very adept in coming up with innovations to the university residences concept, but at the same time we actually come up with newer offerings, newer products or portfolio such as the Tierra Lorenzo projects which are mixed-use developments in regional centers,” says Lorenzo. Lorenzo wants TLDC to be known as a small
Torre Lorenzo Development Corp. president and chief executive Tomas Lorenzo company that slowly expands until it becomes known because of its brand. “We really think out of the box. We see ourselves as a little company that dreamt big and a little company that you didn’t notice was there, but later on you realized that our projects are all around us already.” “We don’t want to have a very industrial type of business model... We want to have a personal touch. We want make sure people are happy and like I said we don’t leave our buyers behind,” says Lorenzo. Some Torre Lorenzo’s units are only open for leasing, because this provides the company
a recurring income. “The leasing of our units and retaining units serve several purposes. We have recurring income and it allows us to manage the building because we become owners as well. Also, I can look up to my buyers and not feel guilty and be very honest and say ‘I am not going to leave you behind.” TLDC is pursuing five projects this year, including Torre Lorenzo Malvar in Malate near University of the Philippines-Manila “This one, we are very excited of, because we really put everything that we feel to make the building a success.”
PHOTOGRAPHER SHARES TIPS ON HOW TO SELL PRODUCT CRAFT MNL in partnership with co.lab, Manila Workshops and Globe myBusiness has been holding a series of workshop sessions called “Growing Your Homemade Business.” I n a workshop, professional photographer Jeryc Garcia gave a short lecture on the basics of photography and a few DIY (do-it-yourself) tips and tricks to get small business owners to put out engaging and eye-catching product photos. The attendees peppered Garcia with questions and showcased their original products while he assisted them from conceptualizing to composing great photos. Selling a lifestyle Product photography is not just snapping a nice pic of your wares, hoping that people are going to want to buy it for its prettiness. Good product photography doesn’t just sell a product, it promises a lifestyle. You’ve got to get your product photos to tell stories, and not just any stories, but the stories of the people viewing them. Viewers have got to look at your product photos, and say to themselves, “I know how that is going
to add to my life.” Using your photography to tell those stories as creatively as possible is the best way to invite its viewers to the luxuries of homemade jewelry, the deliciousness of sweet or savory delicacies you’re serving up, or whatever lifestyle your product caters to. Set your product up Getting photographs of your products to tell those stories is a giant creative task. So the first thing you’ve got to do is make sure you know your product inside and out. What is it about? What’s it for? How many ways can it be used? When you’ve got a clear idea on what your photos are going to be saying about your product, you’ve got to figure out how to get the photos to actually say that. Visual language isn’t particularly difficult to learn and there’s so much of it all around. Go get pegs, lots and lots of pegs —turn to movies, paintings, Instagram, Pinterest and the trusty Google search bar. Then you’ve got to decide the setting in which to shoot your product. There are two basic set ups—first is the Seamless set
up, which is a closed set up. For anyone who has ever flipped through a catalogue, you’ve seen Seamless set ups. These are tasteful and elegant set ups, that identify the product clearly and straightforwardly. It’s a setup that says, “here it is, and it’s great.” The second is the environmental set
up—which is an open set up. It places your product in the world, and contextualizes it. It’s cookies on a plate on a kitchen counter. It’s soap gliding down the skin of an arm. It’s up to you. While this setup might seem ideal for product photography that tells stories, it’s important to keep in mind that environmental set ups can sometimes be
distracting, and can put your products out of context too. Maximize the product Getting the most out of your product in a photograph is not only a creative task, but also a technical one. So examine your product, and dissect its visual properties. Is it transparent, translucent, or opaque? Is it edgy, or rounded? Is it very colorful, or more muted? Is it a product that is actually attractive, or are you going to shoot the packaging instead? There are many things to consider because getting the product to look good in a photograph means picking its most engaging visual properties and highlighting them. This will be done with lighting. Lighting is the most immediately important consideration for any photographer because it is literally how your product will be seen. And the lighting will determine the mood of your photograph, and by extension the mood in which your product is received. Is the light soft, and warm? Is it hard, and edgy? What does that say about the product?
Sports
PEOPLE LOVE, HATE CORREIA’S HONESTY
Bethe Correia (left) connects with a left straight at the face of her opponent Jessica Eye during their UFC bantamweight battle. Correia won by split decision over Eye. UFC
By Reuel Vidal
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OVE her or hate her, Bethe Correia will always be honest and true to herself.
She has a polarizing effect on people because she’s always honest. Many don’t like her because they don’t want to hear the truth. Truth hurts said Correia in a conference call with Manila Standard last Friday morning, May 5. Correia has accepted the fact that everyone will always be divided in their opinion of her. But she will not change. The one thing she is not is being fake just to please people. Regardless of their opinion about her, everyone will love to see her fight. Correia once challenged Ronda Rousey for the UFC bantamweight title. She is coming off a majority draw after her fight with Marion Reneau last March. Prior to that fight Correia bounced back from consecutive losses with a split decision ovictory over Jessica Eye. Despite this respectable UFC record Correia thinks she is underestimated by everyone. Maybe this is because of the result of her one-sided loss to Rousey. But
fighting is relative. Rousey beat Correia decisively but she in turn suffered a devastating loss to Holm because of their styles in fighting. Holm and Correia will be the main event in UFC Fight Night 111 in Singapore on June 17. Holm enters the five-round bout on the heels of a threefight losing skid. A many-time kickboxing world champion Holm won her first 10 MMA fights with seven knockout finishes. This includes her spectacular victory over Rousey to win the UFC world bantamweight title. Holm has since lost to Miesha Tate, Valentina Shevchenko and Germaine de Randamie for the inaugural UFC featherweight title. Correia believes it is Holm who is pressured because of the high expectations for her. Holm is under pressure because after her victory over Rousey. Holm has not lived up to those expectations built up after that victory. On the other hand Cor-
A confident Bethe Correia raises her hand after making weight before a UFC fight. UFC
reia considers herself a warrior. She has evolved as a fighter because of the trials she has gone through. She has no doubt she will win
over Holm. Correia said the biggest flaw in the fighting style of Holm is that she has to fight from a distance. When
someone blocks her attacks or closes the gap, then Holm is lost. This is how Correia will win. She will not fight from distance. She will immediately close the gap between her and Holm. She has no doubt she will win. Correia says Mixed Martials Arts is her life. She was already working in an Accounting job before she became a fighter. But she didn’t find herself in her job in Accounting. She was frustrated in her other jobs. Everything changed when she found MMA. She fell in love with MMA and trained everyday. Everything seemed right in her world after that. Everything suddenly made sense because of MMA. She had a good life with her husband. MMA changed her life for the better. Correia is upbeat and confident that she will fight for the world title soon. After she wins her fight against Holm, Correia wants a title shot next. She wants to fight for the UFC belt next. It doesn’t matter against who. She doesn’t care who she fights next. She just wants to fight for the belt after she beats Holm.
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SUNDAY, MAY 7, 2017 reuelvidal@yahoo.com
MARCIANO DISCOVERS THAT LIFE’S A BEACH LIKE most female athletes Janine Marciano thought that she could get a free college education through a sports scholarship as a varsity volleyball player. Because of the strides made in local women’s volleyball Marciano is happy to find that her life’s a beach. She did get a college education when she and Frances Molina led San Beda College to their best years in the National Collegiate Athletic Association. But she hasn’t yet gone on to a career as a regular employee. Marciano is happy instead to find a career as a volleyball player. After her stint at San Beda College she graduated to the Premier Volleyball League (then Shakey’s V-League) with Cagayan Valley then PLDT Home Ultera then Bali Pure before finding a home in the Philippine Super Liga with Cignal HD. Marciano finds herself playing in the sands of SM By the Bay in the Mall of Asia representing Cignal HD B in the 2017 Belo PSL Beach Volleyball Challenge Cup. Cignal HD B carved out a three-set, 2510, 24-26, 15-10 victory over F2 Logistics B last Thursday to stay in the hunt for a berth in the playoffs. Marciano teamed up with Mylene Paat to beat Aby Marano and Cha Cruz of the Cargo Movers. “Nung third set, nag-usap na talaga kami. Iniisip namin na simula ulit kami kaya sinubukan talaga namin na i-lessen ang mga errors naming. Hindi naman sa nag-relax kami nung second set, pero lumaban talaga ang F2 (Logistics) nung first set. Gusto din talaga nilang makabawi. Mabuti na lang at gumanda ang inilaro namin nung third set at nakuha namin ang panalo,” said Marciano. The HD Spikers bounced back from a loss to the tandem of Fiola Ceballos and Patty Orendain of Generika-Ayala A in the opening day late Thursday. “Natuto na kami sa yesterday’s game na pagkatalo namin. So nag-stick na lang kami sa game plan namin at itinama lahat ng mga naging pagkakamali namin nung first game namin,” said Marciano. The power spiking duo of Marciano and Paat were brought back down to earth by the quick-stepping pair of Sisi Rondina and Bernadeth Pons of Petron Sprint 4T in the quarterfinals yesterday, May 6. Quickness and guile proved superior to height and dominance at the net as Marciano and Paat lost in two sets 11-21, 9-21. Rondina and Pons have been steamrolling the opposition and have not lost a single set in their march to the semifinals. Still, Marciano is happy to discover that her life’s a beach. Reuel Vidal
Janine Marciano prepares to receive the volleyball while playing in the sands of SM By the Bay in the Mall of Asia representing Cignal HD B in the 2017 Belo PSL Beach Volleyball Challenge Cup.
BARANGAY GINEBRA, ALASKA RESUME STORIED PBA RIVALRY IT’S time.
Barangay Ginebra guard Earl Scottie Thompson (6) protects the basketball against Alaska Aces counterpart Jvee Casio (42).
After a long hiatus to accommodate the Philippine Basketball Association All Star Week one of the most storied, most enduring rivalries in the PBA resumes when the Alaska Aces battle Barangay Ginebra in the 2017 PBA Commissioner’s Cup 6:45 p.m., today May 7 at the Smart Araneta Coliseum. Both squads are again title contenders this conference. Ginebra (4 wins, 1 loss) is at third place behind the Meralco Bolts (7-1) and the San Miguel Beermen (5-1). They are followed closely by TNT KaTropa (6-2) and the Star Hotshots (5-2). The Aces (4 wins, 2 losses) are in solo sixth place in the standings of this tightly
contested conference. A victory propels them to at least a tie for a berth in the quarterfinals. A loss drops them to a tie with the Rain Or Shine Elasto Painters (4-3). The other teams include the Phoenix Petroleum Fuel Masters (4-5), the Blackwater Elite (2-6), the GlobalPort Batang Pier (2-6), the Mahindra Floodbuster (1-7) and the NLEX Road Warriors (0-8). After the 11-game elimination round of the 2017 Commissioner’s Cup the top eight teams advance to the quarterfinals with the top four enjoying a twice-to-beat advantage over the fifth to eighth place squads. The ninth to 12th place squads will be eliminated outright. The Aces will try to arrest a two-game slide when they face Ginebra. Alaska bowed to the Fuel Masters, 86-94, in a defenseoriented game last April 21. Before that the
Aces almost erased a 25-point deficit in the last five minutes but ran out of time to yield a scrambling 91-99 decision to the Meralco Bolts last April 8. The last time these two teams met was in the quarterfinals of the 2017 Philippine Cup where the Aces could not take advantage of a twice-tobeat advantage and lost back-to-back games to Ginebra to bow out of the tournament. The Aces lost a big lead and fell behind, rallied to cut the gap but were outsteadied at end game to lose to Ginebra, 81-85, on February 5. The Aces again lost to Ginebra, 97-108, February 7 at the Smart Araneta Coliseum, to miss their second and final chance to advance to the Semifinals of the 2017 Philippine Cup The Aces will be motivated to avenge those playoff losses.
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Sports
SUNDAY, MAY 7, 2017 Riera U. Mallari, Editor / Reuel Vidal, Issue Editor / Randy Caluag, Issue Editor
sports_mstandard@yahoo.com
MAC’S CRANKIT TENNIS ACADEMY
BRINGING PH TENNIS TO HIGHER LEVEL By Nathaniel Mariano
Tabuena
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OACH Pat, as he she is fondly called by peers and her students, was born in Manila and migrated to Australia before she reached her teens. She was doing well as a junior tennis player but her calling was actually to become maker of champion. She pursued her talent for teaching until she became one of the few elite Level 3 coaches from the Australian Tennis Professional Coach Association (ATPCA). For all her accomplishments, her heart still belongs to her native country. “We want to help our talented (Filipino) kids reach their full potential,” said coach Patricia Albano-Concon-Puzon. In 2012, coach Pat put up Mac’s Crankit Tennis Academy in Australia, primarily to help disadvantaged youth and aspiring coaches. She discovered her love and interest of coaching after completing her ATPCA coach training from the Graduate Pro entry level accreditation to the highest Master Pro Level 3. Being on the level of a Master Pro Level 3, Puzon can certify coaches internationally, realizing that her true calling was tennis coaching and mentoring. “My priority is to actually help the community by sponsoring children who have potential in making it to the Big Open,” Puzon said, sharing that a solid and a successful coaching career in Australia made her realize to bring the standards of professional coaching training to her native land. Puzon believes that the ATPCA Coach Training will provide opportunities for coaches and children in disadvantaged communities and will pave a way forward to people who look for career options, both national and international, in tennis. “We all know that half of the class of athletes being sponsored from the Philippines to travel and create their dreams under the International Tennis Federation (ITF) is very scarce,” said Puzon. With Lebanese expat Fadi El Soury, coach Pat
TABUENA TURNS BACK KESYER IN PLAYOFF
Frances Angelica Santiago is one of the products of MAC Crankit’s tennis program
found a perfect ally and together they put up Mac’s Crank it Philippines. Fadi, owner of Fadi lines of tennis apparel and equipment, has made the Philippines is home and for him, the best way to give back is to help “develop world-class Filipino tennis players who can compete in top level international events.” Fadi is well aware of the politics currently engulfing Philippine tennis and he is quick to clarify that “we are not against or for anyone. We just want to help any kid who cannot even buy proper uniform and equipment. Any kid who has potential can be sponsored by MAC’s Crankit.” For a couple of years now, they have been sponsoring exchange students from Australia and the Philippines.
Officials of MAC’sCrankit Philippines (From left) chairman Fadi El-Soury, player Frances Angelica Santiago, founder/vice President and coach Patricia Albano-Concon-Puzon, president Georgina Ramos, corporate secretary Johanna Patricia Ramos.
Just recently, they brought young players with Filipino blood and others with foreign descent to play in an age-group tournament in General Santos City. One of their best products is Frances Angelica Santiago, currently no. 8 in the women’s national pool. The 16-year-old trained for three months in Australia and joined competitions. She won the 2016 New Southwales Age Group tournament and two more. Her feats allowed her to improve her rankings from 600 to 6,000 in the senior women’s players in Australia. The secret, according to coach Pat, is “to teach the coaches first before teaching out the kids. We want to teach coaches to become certified professional coaches and she is doing it in the Philippines “almost for free.” With Fadi and coach Pat in their mission are Georgina Ramos, president and Johanna Patricia Ramos, corporate secretary, and treasure Dalia Puzon. “Our mission is to standardized competencies in the sport of tennis for every level,” Mac’sCrankit president Georgina Ramos said, mentioning to achieve the aim of the organization in the country so that everybody is on the same page in the sport of tennis. Aside from establishing a tennis academy in the Philippines, Ramos shared that they also envision togive aspiring coaches a chance to have a career within the world of tennis. “We also aim to give community services by reaching out to the marginalized and the disadvantaged few,” added Ramos. MAC’s Crankit focuses on inspiring and developing tennis players, regardless of their financial background. “This is basically what we are here for. We also aim to let others know that MAC’sCrankit is here permanently,” Ramos ended.
TARLAC—Miguel Tabuena pulled off one of the most stirring comebacks in local golf history, battling from seven strokes down with a brilliant 65 then pouncing on South African Mathiam Keyser’s errant drive in sudden death to snatch the ICTSI Luisita Championship at the Luisita Golf and Country Club here yesterday. Though Tabuena needed to churn out a spectacular bogey-free sevenunder card to get a shot at the crown, the $60,000 event lived up to its pretournament hype—the championship decided on the last shot—with Keyser, who closed out with a 71 to tie Tabuena at 277, finding the water off the 18th mound and ending up with a double-bogey. “I’m very happy because I made it despite the odds where I trailed all throughout,” said Tabuena, who clinched the victory worth $10,500 with a routine par and whose 11-under aggregate with Keyser stood as the official record at the quaint par-72 layout, according to Luisita general manager Jeric Hechanova. Brimming with confidence after that 65 feat, Tabuena hit his 4-wood tee shot on their second trip on No. 18 into the fairway then watched Keyser hook his into the water. Pressure-free, the Filipino ace hacked a wedge shot from 104 yards barely on the green then pitched and putted for par from four feet while Keyser knocked his third shot from 148 yards then threeputted from 25 feet for a double bogey. “He’s good, he deserved the win,” said Keyser of Tabuena, who thus relived his glory days at Luisita where he ruled the CAT (Central Azucarera de Tarlac) Open and topped the rain-shortened Philippine Open, both in 2015. Tabuena did see action here last year but withdrew in the second round with a bad back with Tony Lascuña scoring a four-shot romp over Korean Park Jun Hyeok. Third round leader John Michael O’Toole actually padded his two-shot overnight lead with a birdie on the first hole but succumbed under pressure and double-bogeyed No. 4 while missing a couple of birdie chances for a 37. He made another 6 on the par-4 No. 10 and bogeyed the next to drop off the lead, paving the way for Tabuena, Keanu Jahns and Jhonnel Ababa’s takeover with Keyser trailing just a stroke behind. O’Toole limped with a 76 and fell to joint seventh at 280.
DICHAVES ELECTED MARHO PREXY, VOWS MORE QUALITY HORSE RACES THE Metropolitan Association of Race Horse Owners (MARHO) held its general assembly and elected James Albert Dichaves as president recently at the Chantilly Restaurant inside San Lazaro Leisure Park in Carmona, Cavite. MARHO’s Chairman Emeritus, Mayor Sandy Javier led the induction ceremony for the new set of officers that include vice president Antonio Tan Jr., Aurelio De Leon (secretary), Antonio De Ubago (treasurer),Victor Ferrer (auditor) and directors Luis Macario Asistio, Marlon Cunanan, JeciLapus, Vicente Go Bon, Felizardo Sevilla Jr. and Wilbert Tan.
“I want to thank mayor Sandy Javier for his continuous support to the group and our two major supporters Philracom chairman Andrew Sanchez and Atty. Boy Reyno of the San Lazaro Leisure Park,” said Dichaves. “We at MARHO will work with our partners in the industry to continue providing quality races and provide more incentives and prizes to winners in our races.” After the ceremonies, MARHO also hosted the 1st Leg of the Road to the MARHO Breeders Cup Classic and the 1st MARHO Invitational Race. The annual MARHO Breeder’s Cup Classic,
one of the biggest events in the Philippine racing industry, will take place in November after a series of high-powered elimination races. The 1st Leg of the Road to the MARHO Breeders Cup Classic was sponsored by the Philippine Racing Commission. Kanlaon, the horse owned by Benjamin Abalos Jr, won this race with a cash prize of Php 500,000 from Philracom. The 1st MARHO Invitational Race, which was sponsored by the Manila Jockey Club Inc with Php500,000 cash prize, the winning horse was Malaya, also owned by Benjamin Abalos Jr.
Chairman emeritus Sandy Javier (left) leads the induction ceremony for MARHO’s new set of officers, headed by president James Albert Dichaves.
D1
SUNDAY, MAY 7, 2017
Jimbo Gulle, Editor
Roger Garcia, Issue Editor
LGUs
mslocalgov@gmail.com
LONG ROAD AHEAD FOR DAIRY INDUSTRY
By Lance Baconguis
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AMIGUIN—The Philippine dairy industry, which earns P100 billion annually, still has a long way to go to sustain the country’s needs, experts said during the 20th National Dairy Congress held here. The Philippine imports about $800 million of dairy products each year, with local producers only supplying one percent of demand, they added. Dairy is the third-most imported agricultural product in the country, and 85 percent of what the country imports is in powder form. The powder is then processed into liquid form before it is shipped for local consumption. National Dairy Authority administrator Marilyn Collado was blunt when she told close to 600 participants the country won’t be able to see “within our lifetime” the full development of the local dairy industry. “But we have so much work
to do, we must do scientific approach and best practices to be able to make an improvement in production output,” Collado said. Rene Martin de Guzman, NDA Corporate Planning and management Services Department manager, said the country’s dairy industry needs at least 50 more years before it can be sustainable to provide a portion of the country’s dairy needs. Dairy-exporting countries “took at least 100 years to fully develop their dairy industries” while in comparison, the Philippines is still in its “teen years,” De Guzman said. However, he encouraged dairy growers and farm owners to look
at the value of the dairy industry. “You are part of a 100-billionpeso annual industry, there is so much room for growth,” De Guzman said. NDA data showed the country only has 2.8 million cows and buffalos, with only 45,439 used as dairy animals. These animals produced 21.16 million liters of milk in 2016, representing a measly 1 percent of the country’s consumption. Collado said dairy production grew four percent between 2015 and 2016. “We are optimistic that these trends will continue. Sustained dairy animal production and high demand for milk and milk products sustained the growth,” she added. Juan Lozana, director of the Dairy Congress, also said the country has a long way to go in attaining sufficiency in dairy production. Lozana suggested that dairy farmers should focus more on the quality of their milk production while expanding their number of dairy cows.
Local Gov’t Units
De Guzman said while the NDA is doing all it can to improve the dairy industry, it is also in the process of reviewing its 2010-2016 roadmap and harmonizing its plans with the Asean dairy roadmap. She said the new 20-year map from 2017 to 2040 would be coming in. “But not without consultation of the dairy farmers, we need your input,” De Guzman said. The NDA is also standardizing the education curriculum for dairy production and practices in the country. Collado said they are working with Technical Education and Skills Development Authority for that. The NDA is also undertaking a “Dairy Herd Buildup,” an enterprise enhancement program, a milk feeding program for children using locally produced milk with an annual budget of P300 million, and a milk safety and quality assurance program to help address the medium-term development goal of the dairy industry. Turn to D2
ISABELA TRADERS NIX RICE IMPORTS By Brenda Jocson SANTIAGO CITY, Isabela—The Southern Isabela Chapter of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry has expressed support to the Department of Agriculture’s moves against rice importation. Gary Chong, feed miller and PCCISIC president, said the chamber is supporting Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol’s position because the untimely rice importation would send palay farm gate prices plummeting once imported rice comes in during peak harvest season. In a Facebook-posted statement, Piñol said he is against any form of rice importation, whether government to government or importation through the private sector. He said there is no need to import rice because of the increased national average yield of local farmers. Chong said Regions 1, 2, 3, Davao and Mindoro is expected to exceed the rice production target considering the national average yield per hectare is now at 4.15 metric tons per harvest, up from 3.9 metric tons. “It is only rice millers and traders that would make lots of profit over rice importation, while farmers and the National Food Authority would lose money over the rice deal, especially here in Cagayan Valley where our farmers are expected to wrap up the wet harvest season,” Chong said.
SILLIMAN STILL IN LABOR DEADLOCK
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FUEL YOUR SCHOOL. Caltex’s multi-awarded Fuel Your School program is now set to help fund projects in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics for high-need public high schools in the Bicol region. From July 1 to Aug. 31 this year, Caltex will donate one peso for every liter of fuel purchased in the 22 Caltex stations in Bicol, with the firm aiming to raise P3 million for the program. Signing the agreement are (from left) American Chamber Foundation Director and Internal Auditor Roberts Sears; Southern Cross Distributors Inc., Chairman Jose Mari Delgado; CPI Country Manager Peter Morris; Department of Education Region V Asst. Regional Director Tolentino Aquino; and CPI Manager for Policy, Government and Public Affairs lawyer Raissa Bautista.
‘TRAIN’ TO USHER IN GOVERNMENT REFORMS THE Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion or TRAIN bill approved by the House Committee on Ways and Means earlier this week is deemed as the means for the Duterte administration to fulfill its promise to break the inequality between the elite and marginalized Filipinos. Originally crafted by Albay Rep. Joey S. Salceda, TRAIN is a comprehensive package of tax revisions and considered the most significant reform under the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte. Salceda said the finally approved TRAIN substitute bill drafted by the committees technical working group is “relatively not far from the original Salceda/Department of Fi-
nance proposal, with the inclusion of sugar sweetened beverage tax.” The House committee merged Salceda’s House Bill 4688 with another tax reform measure, HB 4774, authored by Quirino Rep. Dakila Carlo Cua, but retained most of the provisions as originally designed, including the unconditional cash transfers for three years. TRAIN has earned the popular support of both government and business sectors, the civil society and non-government organizations, and ordinary Filipinos who stand to gain from its package of reforms. The measure was approved with a 17-3 vote count, with three abstentions, and will be immediately submitted to the House plenary.
Salceda, senior vice chairman of the ways and means committee, said among the benefits the bill aims to deliver is the transfer of some P170 billion annually from the country’s rich to the middle class and low income households. “It represents the single largest direct transfer of wealth in personal income taxes [PIT],” he added. The Albay lawmaker. a noted economist, said the measure is expected to “ultimately reduce poverty to single digit, grow the economy by 9 percent, and transform the Philippines into an Asian economic powerhouse by 2028, with $1.2-trillion Gross Domestic Product.” He noted the bill’s pro-poor feature has lent it unprecedented sup-
port from both the government and private sectors, civil society and nongovernment organizations making it a better understood and appreciated piece of legislation. TRAIN carries a load of benefits for local governments. In three years, 40 percent of TRAIN revenues go to the Internal Revenue Allotments or IRA of barangays, towns, cities, provinces and the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao. Salceda stressed TRAIN is “the only tool that could make the tax system more efficient, equitable and pro-poor, as the government cannot exclusively tax the rich because such a measure would immediately be struck down as class legislation.”
DUMAGUETE CITY—A bargaining deadlock continues between Silliman University and its SU Faculty Union or SUFA after marathon talks in the presence of the National Conciliation and Mediation Board of the Department of Labor and Employment in the Negros Island Region failed to reach a consensus. SUFA president Jan Antoni Credo said in a press statement the Union will “continue to exercise its rights protected and guaranteed by the Constitution and by the Labor Code.” The conciliation-mediation meetings started early this year after SUFA filed in January a Notice of Strike. The decision to go on strike was reached after the SU administration “failed to present improved counteroffers to the reduced demands of SUFA.” The Union, however, withdrew in March the Notice of Strike “so as not to disrupt the graduation exercises.” Credo said the lifting of the strike notice was also the Union’s way of giving the administration another chance to go back to the drawing board for two weeks, and reconsider its position in relation to the teachers’ reduced demands. The Union’s reduced demands include: improvement in the retirement pay of 1.5 or 45 days; bonuses of P5,000 for Founders Day, P3,000 for Christmas; class size of 20 pupils per section in Kinder 1 and 2 and 35 pupils in 1st and 2nd grades; K+12 faculty scholarship subsidies of P20,000 without conditions; across-the-board increases of P1,500 for 2017 and P2,500 in 2018; a one-time bonus of P40,000; and an acceptance of the Administration’s offer of a Productivity Enhancement Incentive but without conditions. PNA
NEW WASHERS FOR BUKID CHILDREN’S CENTER
BEKO Philippines, a global domestic appliance and consumer electronics brand, recently extended its support to the St. Mary Euphrasia Integrated Development Foundation Inc.- Bukid Kabataan Center at Sitio de Fuego, San Francisco in General Trias City, Cavite. The company donated two units of 11-kilogram top load fully automatic washing machines as assistance to the foundation, in line with Beko’s aim to provide the institution with more efficient laundry operations “so they need not waste more time in washing and [instead] spend more quality time with the children.” “Beko has always been dedicated in providing meaningful solutions that positively impacts communities,” said
Dyeun Zapanta, Beko Sales and Marketing head. “We saw the need to offer our assistance to Bukid Kabataan Center, especially when we found out that the volunteers are still using twin tub washing machines that consumes more water and drains their time and energy during laundry day.” Beko’s Top Load Fully Automatic Washing Machine “will help save time and energy” as it only consumes P1.37 per wash cycle based on Meralco testing, Zapanta said. “Surely this will not only save cost on the Foundation’s monthly electric bill but will also help provide cleaner clothes to the Children,” she added. Bukid Kabataan Center is a founda-
tion that helps at-risk children, especially girls ages seven to 15 years old. The center provides life-giving environment for its beneficiaries through a community that offers protection and fosters physical and psychological healing. Since most of their beneficiaries are at-risk children, the center’s program and services include providing for their basic needs like food, shelter, and clothing. It also gives counseling and eco-therapy, as well as activities that foster socialization. Education services are also given to the beneficiaries that are focused on building knowledge, fostering right attitudes, instilling of good values, and building capabilities, talents, and skills.
A Beko marketing officer demonstrates how to use the Beko 11-kilogram top load fully automatic washing machine to the staff of the St. Mary Euphrasia Integrated Development Foundation Inc.-Bukid Kabataan Center in General Trias, Cavite.
LGUs
D2
SUNDAY, MAY 7, 2017 mst.daydesk@gmail.com
BRIGHT LEAF AGRI AWARDS IN TARLAC By Jessica M. Bacud TARLAC CITY—The 11th Bright Leaf Agriculture Journalism Award recently held its second roadshow here in search of the best agriculture stories and photographs in the country for 2017. Didet Dangulian-Santiago, communication manager of Philip Morris Fortune Tobacco Corp. Inc., which is sponsoring the awards, said: “As one of the pioneer award-giving bodies in agriculture journalism, we will continue to honor and give due recognition to journalists and photographers who are the people behind the stories that pay tribute to the struggles and successes of our country’s farmers and other producers. “They are the brave couriers who bring to public attention the importance of agriculture.” With this year’s theme “A Tribute,” Bright Leaf recognizes the agricultural sector’s pivotal role in nation-building, through the journalists and their stories, Santiago stressed. The Bright Leaf Agriculture Journalism Awards aims to support agriculture and honor Filipino journalists by giving recognition to outstanding work in media that promotes the development of, and creates awareness on issues relating to Philippine agriculture, Santiago disclosed. Initiated by PMFTC Inc., the Bright Leaf caravan will embark on a fivemonth nationwide swing, stopping over at 10 key cities and provinces the invite agriculture journalist to submit entries to the competition, which will culminate with the awarding ceremonies in November. Media practitioners in print, radio, and TV based in Nueva Ecija attended the roadshow. This is the first time Bright Leaf came to the province and the journalists were excited to learn about the competition. During the roadshow, details of the awards were discussed. Bright Leaf invites journalists nationwide to submit entries to the following categories: Agriculture Story of the Year; Agriculture Photo of the Year; Tobacco Story of the Year; Tobacco Photo of the Year; Best Television Program or Segment; Best Radio Program or Segment; Best Agriculture News Story National; Best Agriculture News Story Regional; Best Agriculture Feature Story National; and Best Agriculture Feature Story Regional. Since its launch in 2007, the Bright Leaf Agriculture Journalism Awards has become the premier competition for agriculture journalists all over the Philippines. For the past 10 years, print, TV, radio and photo journalists have actively and eagerly participated in this competition to find out who will be chosen as the creme of the crop.
LONG... From D1 In June 2016, Manila Standard spoke with Felix Tanedo, national coordinator for the Philippines-New Zealand Dairy Project. He said that contrary to the popular belief that the country is not a milkdrinking nation, “It is completely the opposite: we drink a lot of milk, although we mostly get it in powder form.” The PNZDP is a five-year program with a $3.71-million Grant Funding Agreement aimed to enhance local dairy farmer’s productivity through improved animal nutrition and introduction of new forage grasses and legume mix. Tanedo has been overseeing the national government’s scientific project to develop the country’s dairy industry with the help of the New Zealand government. He said the country is embarking on a roadmap to develop the dairy needs of the country, a daunting tasks considering the present challenges, especially with the advent of climate change. Tanedo said that focus dairy farms are being set up across the country to help the industry develop. The current approach of grazing needs to be re-invented with the introduction of grasses more appropriate for dairy development. The local carabao grass is not too appropriate for dairy production, as it lacks the necessary nutrients and growth volume to produce milk in cows, he said. The government is now propagating Mulato and Mombasa Guinea grasses as graze feed for cows intended for dairy production. Napier is also a popular grass feed, but is only useful for cut and carry practice, he added. “These tall grasses are appropriate for dairy production and they are resistant to dry spells, they can also be grown under shades of trees,” Tanedo said.
IMUGAN: SHARING A LESSON FOR THE COMING ‘BIG ONE’ By Abe Almirol
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ANTA FE, Nueva Vizcaya— When the ground trembled violently in this town on July 16, 1990, a giant crack opened like a monster’s mouth about to gobble up its prey.
A mother, hearing the cry of her child who fell into the crack, instinctively jumped in and dug the ground using her bare hands. Adrenaline pumped through her veins as she succeeded in unearthing the head of her child, then she cried loudly for help until she passed out. That was the vivid account of Leticia Puguon, a rural health nurse in Barangay Imugan here. The village is located on top of the Caraballo mountain range, which the Digdig fault line straddles from Carranglan, Nueva Ecija in the south to Kayapa, Nueva Vizcaya in the northwest. “That survivor is now a grown woman,” Puguon concluded her story, as visitors from Bayombong listened intently. “A scar on the woman’s forehead remains today, caused by a wound from
a shovel that untrained rescuers used when they dug the mother and child out from the bottom of the crack.” One of Puguon’s visitors, a geology student of Adamson University, noted the locals have gained enough courage to rise from the ruins, seeing the big structures built there today. Despite warnings that the village is traversed by a fault line, the resilient indigenous community of the Kalanguya tribe continued to develop their local economy based on agriculture and eco-tourism. The cool waters and preserved forest of Imugan is a favorite summer getaway of tourists from nearby cities and urban towns. Puguon, who was born in Imugan, is now a resident of Bayombong. She invited some friends to have a picnic at the waterfalls as she made a homecoming to attend the death anniversary of her father. On a Monday afternoon, they saw friends and their acquaintances, who came to enjoy the falls for swimming and a picnic. Imugan’s cool climate makes it a perfect place to grow salad vegetables. Its rich ecosystem is home to exotic herbs and other edible plants that health-conscious consumers and organic food enthusiasts are looking for. Max Lintag, an agriculturist and an expert in or-
ganic farming and honeydew melon production, returned to Imugan to start his own farm. Honeydew is a green melon usually served in fruit and salad bars in five-star hotels. “I want to give myself and my relatives here the chance to enjoy the breakthroughs of organic farming technologies. I am introducing my own formula of a vermicast and vermin tea to boost our production here,” he said. Lintag was glad to meet one of the visitors from Bayombong who is planning to establish an organic vegetable distribution business in Parañaque City. After enjoying a swim at the waterfalls, the local tourist then visited the organic farms. For the people of Imugan, life must go on. The July 16, 1990 tremors taught them how humans should respect the forces of nature. These days, people are very much aware that another earthquake might happen anytime. This time, they know better how to rescue someone who may be buried under the ruins. Their houses are stronger and bigger, and they know that the forest will be their ally in recovering from disasters. The Kalanguya tribe of Imugan learned that precious lesson—after every storm, there is always a day the sun will rise again. After 26 years, business has been back to usual for the villagers.
The Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council of Santa Fe in Nueva Vizcaya has built a signboard warning residents of the presence of a fault line traversing the middle of Barangay Imugan. Leticia Puguon (in white cap) recounts to visitors how the earthquake hit the village on July 16, 1990. The shock had a surface wave magnitude of 7.8 and is so far the most destructive earthquake that hit Northern Luzon in recent history, killing 1,621 people. Abe Almirol
‘GREAT TRAVERSE’ EXPLORES CORDILLERA TRAIL
By Dexter A. See
BAGUIO CITY—Ultra-running enthusiasts, environmentalists and trekkers get the chance to explore the region’s richness within a span of 18 days passing through Baguio City, Benguet, Ifugao, Mountain Province, Kalinga, Abra and Apayao through the “Cordillera Great Traverse.” The elite trekking route covers approximately 351 kilometers, through mountain passes, forests, rivers, waterfalls, rice terraces, villages, and ancient and historical trails. It also passes through a highlighted scenic route and major tourist attractions, presenting to foreign and local hikers and trekkers the natural beauty of the Cordillera mountains.
Leonard Soriano, CGT project leader, says the route reveals some of the best trekking destinations in the world, like the Appalachian Trail, the Great North Walk, Drakensberg and GR20. He explained the CGT is driven by a three-part action plan that will eventually involve public participation; establish the longest and most scenic trekking or hiking trail destination in the Philippines through research, mapping, immersion with the locals; and actual reconciliation of the trails of each province. The CGT trails were mapped in 2014 to 2015 and was completed by the expedition team when it embarked on a single-push travel from April 1 to 18 two years ago to cover its entire expanse. One of the objectives of the tra-
verse is learn and share the culture of each of the ethnic groups who have occupied the mountains as their home for centuries, with the locals as guides to establish the trails and lead the organizers to discover the richness of the region. Soriano added the expedition allowed them to mutually exchange knowledge with the locals on how to protect the mountains, and together with the natives, be the advocates of protection of the Cordillera. CGT operates under Philippine Trail Conservation Events Inc. The Traverse 2015 expedition team consisted of National Geographic explorers, adventurers, nature lovers, ultra runners, environmentalists, mountaineers, and fitness enthusiasts. To date, CGT consists of strong
team members contributing not just their solid athletic background but also their talent and skills as professionals in order to move the project forward after the expedition two years ago. Soriano said CGT is looking for volunteers to join the team, and applications can be sent via email to info@ cordilleragreattraverse.com. Among the targets of CGT for 2017 and beyond are establishing a trail system that will promote eco-tourism across the Cordillera; become a leading source of information for natural and trails in the region; conduct biological survey of plant and animal species; discover and promote cultural and historic significance of the trails.
‘SUMMER SIREN’ FESTIVAL GOES TO SUBIC FREEPORT By Butch Gunio
DONATIONS TURNOVER. The Santa Rosa Business Club turned over food packs and various equipment to the Dangal ng Pagbabago Rehabilitation Center for drug surrenderers on Tuesday in support of the programs of the city government. Pictured are Laguna 1st District Rep. Arlene Arcillas with Santa Rosa City Mayor Dan Fernandez, Vice Mayor Arnold B. Arcillas, members of the City Council, Santa Rosa Business Club president lawyer Rommel Gutierrez, and ecozone locators such as Toyota Motor Phils., Mitsubishi, Enchanted Kingdom, Ayala Land, Greenfield, KCD, Asia Brewery, Coca Cola, and San Miguel to name a few as well as NGOs like Centro Aerobics Group to support the program of city government for being hands-on to campaign program for drug surrenderees in this city. Roy Tomandao
SUBIC BAY FREEPORT—One of the biggest and most exciting beach events this time of the year is coming to the Subic Bay Freeport on May 12 to 14. The Summer Siren Festival, touted by organizers as one of the country’s most exciting destination festivals, will be held for the first time at Subic’s waterfront area, and is expected to provide a whole new summer experience to visitors in this premier tourist mecca. “This brings the Subic summer experience to a whole new level,” Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority Administrator Wilma Eisma said as she announced the three-day event on Tuesday. “Subic’s popular waterfront area will be transformed into a giant entertainment park with beach music and arts theme, and we’re very much excited because this has been one of the entertainment concepts for Subic that
we really like to push,” she added. The festival was previously staged at beach venues in Zambales, but the SBMA and festival organizer Travel Factor signed a memorandum of agreement last week to bring it to the Freeport. Eisma said the SBMA, along with the Subic Bay Freeport Chamber of Commerce and the Subic Bay Hotels, Attractions and Tourism Stakeholders Visitors Board, will sponsor the event. Meanwhile, festival organizers have agreed with partner resorts in the area to put up a series of various themed pool parties, three days of art workshops and fitness activities by the shore, and two evening concerts featuring some of the country’s biggest rock, alternative and pop acts. The featured artists will include Ron Poe, Quest, Ronthug, Ace Ramos, Borhuh, David Ardiente, DJ Highrise, Up Dharma Down, and Gab and John of Urbandub.
Gadgets & Games
SUNDAY, MAY 7, 2017 rumallari@thestandard.com.ph
ACER UNVEILS 2 ADDITIONS TO SWIFT SERIES NOTEBOOKS
AKAMAI BRIDGES GAP BETWEEN STREAMING, BROADCAST TV
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CER recently announced two new additions to its Swift series notebook line up, the Acer Swift 3 and Swift 1, both featuring Windows 10. The Acer Swift 3 is a sleek and portable device with great performance that’s ideal for getting things done on the road and everywhere else. Meanwhile the ultraslim Acer Swift 1 offers users essential features for productivity in the office or classroom and a beautiful design, all without breaking the bank.
Acer Swift 3—Essential Features at a Compelling Price
Measuring in at 0.71 inches (17.95 mm) in height and weighing 3.9 pounds (1.8 kg), the Swift 3’s svelte and lightweight design features a sturdy brushedaluminum body that offers a robust feel and beautiful tactile touch. It features 7th Generation Intel® Core™ processors, Intel® HD or NVIDIA® GeForce® graphics, and offers up to 10 hours of battery life to help users power through a full day of work and beyond. In addition to its battery life, Swift 3 sports a collection of other indispensable features for achieving maximum productivity, including vivid 14-inch or 15.6-inch Full HD IPS anti-glare displays, fast 512GB SSDs or spacious 1TB HDDs, up to 8GB of memory and 2x2 MIMO 802.11ac wireless technology for fast and reliable internet connectivity. Additional must-have features include a USB 3.1 Type-C port and an HD webcam with Super High Dynamic Range. Lastly, the optional backlit keyboard makes typing in dimly lit environment effortless and a spacious Precision Touchpad provides ample room for navigating, scrolling and zooming. A special edition of the Swift 3 is available with a top cover with Vibrant Corning® Gorilla® Glass, providing the unique flexibility to customize the top cover with pho-
HOW LIGHTING... From D4 cities to operate more efficiently and more sustainably than ever before.
In Practice
Philips Lighting recently implemented one of the world’s largest connected street lighting systems in Jakarta, Indonesia. The project, a significant milestone in Jakarta’s ongoing transformation into a smart city, involved upgrading nearly 90,000 street luminaries with energy efficient LED lights connected to a Philips CityTouch lighting management system. This initiative helps the city reduce energy expenses and improve public services while enabling citizens to live safely and comfortably. Before the project, the city’s streets and public areas relied almost entirely on
torealistic images that are highly durable and damage-resistant.
Acer Swift 1—Light and Budget-Friendly
Lightweight and priced right for a student or others on a budget, the Swift 1 is highly portable and includes essential features for productivity anywhere, making them great value. Measuring in at 0.7 inches (14.95 mm) in height and weighing 2.87 pounds (1.3 kg), the Swift 1’s all-metal chassis is available in three
colors (Pure Silver, Luxury Gold, and Sakura Pink). With up to 10 hours of battery life, the Swift 1 is a reliable notebook, with a few extra hours to spare for late night studying or web-surfing. The Swift 1 features a 13.3-inch Full HD IPS1 display, an Intel® Pentium® or Celeron® processor, 4GB of memory and either 64GB, 128GB, or 256GB of SSD or eMMC storage. Like the Swift 3, the Swift 1 also includes ultra-fast 2x2 MIMO 802.11ac wireless technology, providing seamless connectivity. Both of the notebooks support Windows Hello through fingerprint readers for fast and secure logins, while Skype for Business certification ensures crisp and lag-free communication and a great Cortana with Voice experience. They also feature Acer
BluelightShield™, an application that allows users to control how much blue light is emitted for reducing eye strain, and Acer TrueHarmony™, which delivers bolder, more lifelike audio for a richer and immersive media enjoyment experience.
Price and Availability
To learn more about availability, product specifications and prices in specific markets, please contact your nearest Acer office via www. acer.com. The new Acer Swift 3 and Swift 1 were unveiled today at the next@acer press event held in New York, where the company announced a range of new devices and solutions for gamers, creators, families, students and professionals. For more information, visit www.acer.com/nextatacer.
STYLISHLY slim and highly capable, the Swift 3 sports a lightweight and easy-to-carry form factor that’s great for productivity on the go with up to 10 hours of battery life, up to a 7th Generation Intel® Core™ processor, optional NVIDIA® GeForce® graphics, and 14-inch or 15.6-inch Full HD IPS anti-glare displays
conventional lighting technology with no remote monitoring capabilities. The key benefit of Philips CityTouch is that each light point is connected and performance data is sent through existing cellular networks to the city’s lighting office or operator. The data enables the city officials to efficiently monitor the city’s lighting infrastructure and remotely manage illumination levels to match different needs by district. For example, in the late evening when traffic is low, Jakarta’s lighting office can dim the lighting by 50 percent, resulting in additional energy savings. On the other hand, the state of Melaka was the first in Malaysia to successfully deploy a cloud-based, intelligent street lighting management system through Philips CityTouch. The system upgrade is part of Melaka’s Green City Action Plan (GCAP) to make Melaka a Green Technology State
by 2020. This reflects the state government’s commitment to uphold the heritage of the city with more sustainable developments for its residents and tourists. Over 1,060 units of 250W conventional streetlights were replaced with 150W Philips CityTouch LED luminaires in the central parts of Melaka and major arteries into the city. Through customizable settings and remote management, the new lighting system can potentially offer savings of up to 80%. Operational efficiency is also improved with less reliance on manpower to determine faulty or non-functioning lights. Maintenance cost is sharply reduced, while faster response and more accurate diagnostics are rendered. Although Jakarta and Melaka vary in terms of the size of installation, Philips CityTouch technology can be scaled to deliver significant benefits for small- or medium-sized cities. The combination
of LED luminaires and remote monitoring using the Philips CityTouch lighting management system enables energy and operational savings.
The opportunity
Connected lighting can serve as the backbone of a smart city. The ease with which LED light points can be connected, coupled with their ability to be monitored and controlled wirelessly in the Internet of Things, offers game changing innovations in city, office, retail and residential environments. With the rapid technological evolution of lighting and the prospects these advancements present, we will likely see local governments look for continued efficiency when it comes to lighting. In addition, we expect to see more dynamic, responsive and interactive solutions applied across cities, as governments realize the full potential of lighting.
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LAS VEGAS—Akamai Technologies, Inc., the world’s largest and most trusted cloud delivery platform, is bringing the consistency and reliability of broadcast television to the Internet. The next generation of its Media Services Live system for delivering 24/7 live/linear online video capabilities is designed to support over-thetop video service providers, broadcasters and telcos that are operating or launching full-time television channels online. Media Services Live includes four new components, together known as liveOriginTM, that operate in concert to support the same level of quality for linear video streaming that is expected of traditional broadcast television: Broadcast-Quality Ingestion: The transfer of video from its origination point to the delivery network is a crucial step in linear streaming. Akamai has built a highly distributed ingestion network using the Company’s proven mapping technology to match encoders to the most optimal entry point, creating a system that can automatically route content to different entry points with no viewer impact if the connection is interrupted. Those capabilities are complemented with ingest acceleration, based on Akamai’s Media Acceleration technology, to support throughput of higher bit rates and also mitigate and circumvent poor network connectivity. Low Latency: Akamai is introducing 10-second latency as part of Media Services Live, addressing the need for online and broadcast content to play back for viewers near-simultaneously. Particularly important for broadcasters and live sports and news providers, the feature dramatically reduces what has traditionally been a 30-second-or-more delay between broadcast signals and online streams. Self-Healing Network: Akamai has incorporated multiple layers of redundancy into Media Services Live in which content is replicated to multiple locations across the network. The design allows for immediate failover if performance is in any way degraded. Monitoring & Reporting: Akamai’s new Media Services Live includes near real-time reporting that affords customers critical insights into content and ingest performance. The capabilities replace the minutiae and time inherent to pouring over log files with at-a-glance visualizations of critical, stream-level metrics such as average bitrate, latency, packet loss and error rate among others. Users can set custom thresholds for key metrics that activate alerts when exceeded. “Most broadcast video distribution solutions neglect the first critical link of the video chain, content ingestion. Packet drops or outages cause drops in quality or total loss of the feed. This crisis leaves operations teams scrambling to get the content back online as customers look for alternative sources for critical live matches or first-broadcast linear content,” said Sam Rosen, Vice President at ABI Research. “Akamai’s latest addition to Media Services Live – liveOrigin – uses multiple technologies and operational capabilities to bring broadcast-quality reliability and redundancy to OTT services.”
ACCELERATING DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION THRU AMIHAN CLOUD BLOCKS LOS ANGELES AND MANILA—Amihan Global Strategies announces the immediate availability of Amihan Cloud Blocks, a cloud-native infrastructure solution that accelerates digital transformation by augmenting the existing IT systems of large enterprises with the agility of remote servers in the cloud. Amihan Cloud Blocks merges the best of two worlds: world-class technology, based on Google’s pioneering Kubernetes Platform, and regional expertise catering to the specific needs of the largest enterprises in the Asean region. Designed as a fully managed service solution and a 100 percent OPEX subscription model, Amihan Cloud Blocks is the only cloud solution that is optimized for Southeast Asia.
Infrastructure for Innovation
“The cloud is step one of digital transformation,” said Winston Damarillo, Executive Chairman of Amihan. “It’s the infrastructure for innovation that allows you to experiment, grow, and adapt in ways that are necessary to keep up with the pace of customers’ digital appetites.” Amihan Cloud Blocks enables companies to deploy new services faster, harmonize legacy and
next-generation apps in a unified ecosystem, and perform complex data analytics all in a single platform. It aims to transform the IT infrastructure of legacy companies, starting with their data center: the nucleus that powers business applications and houses business intelligence. Amihan Cloud Blocks is based on Kubernetes, a container management tool that was initially developed by Google and is now managed by the Cloud Native Computing Foundation, of which Amihan is a member. Furthermore, Amihan Cloud Blocks is built on the NEC DX 2000 hardware platform, which delivers world-leading density of compute, memory and storage. “NEC is excited to collaborate with Amihan to deliver a state-of-the-art Cloud Native Platform in Southeast Asia,” says Tatsunori Shibata (Head of Goto-market, Bigdata & Cloud platform business, NEC Corporation). “The NEC DX 2000 is a perfect fit for the workloads of the fastest growing digital companies in the region.”
that involves drastic changes in culture , business practices and IT Systems. Amihan Cloud Blocks simplifies this by minimizing time spent on compatibility issues, unifying data sources, investing in new systems, and ensuring latest cybersecurity and data privacy standards. Amihan Cloud Blocks enables a deliberate transformation of a company’s existing IT systems to the cloud through its virtualization platform based on OpenStack, which will house legacy Linux and windows servers; Acaleph Storage, a data-secure enterprise wide storage platform; and Kubernetes-managed Docker to accelerate application development. In addition, Amihan Cloud Blocks can seamlessly federate with Google Cloud Platform to enable a scalable hybrid-cloud across all its services. “Enterprises are using open source technologies like Kubernetes to deploy cloud native architecture models that support fast, agile application development,” said Dan Kohn, Executive Director of The Cloud Native Computing Foundation. “We A simpler digital transformation, are pleased to support our members in their efforts on demand to deliver engineered solutions for the modern Digital transformation is a complex process enterprise.”
Winston Damarillo
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SUNDAY, MAY 7, 2017 Riera U. Mallari, Editor rumallari@thestandard.com.ph
Gadgets & Games SHOP AT POWERMAC, GET A CHANCE TO WIN TRIP TO BORACAY
BAMBOO AS PART YOUR NEXT CAR? FORD THINKS SO
While tests on bamboo continue, Ford is already making use of sustainable and recycled materials in the company’s vehicles in Asia Pacific.
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ANJING, China—You’ve probably sat on it, built with it, and maybe even eaten it, but did you know that your car could be next to benefit from bamboo—one of the world’s strongest natural materials? While investment in research has led to breakthroughs in new materials like super strong carbon fiber and lightweight aluminum, nature’s wonder material may have been growing all along—at up to one meter in a day—in our own backyard. “Bamboo is amazing,” said Janet Yin, a Materials Engineering Supervisor at Ford’s Nanjing Research & Engineering Centre. “It’s strong, flexible, totally renewable, and plentiful in China and many other parts of Asia.” The benefits of bamboo have been recognized for more than a century –Thomas Edison even experimented with it when making the first light bulb. In building, its tensile strength (or how much it can resist being pulled apart) is well known, as it can rival or even better some types of metal. And, because it grows to full maturity in just two to five years—compared to up to decades for other trees—bamboo also regenerates easily. Over the past several years, Janet and her team have worked with suppliers to
evaluate the viability of using bamboo in vehicle interiors and to make extra strong parts by combining it with plastic. The team has found that bamboo performs comprehensively better than other tested synthetic and natural fibers in a range of materials tests, from tensile strength tests to impact strength tests. It’s also been heated to more than 100 degrees Celsius to ensure it maintains its integrity. While tests on bamboo continue, Ford is already making use of sustainable and recycled materials in the company’s vehicles in Asia Pacific. Before a sustainable or recycled material is given the green light, it needs to meet all of Ford’s global standards. In Asia Pacific, Janet leads a team who conduct thorough testing and analysis on each material to prove that it is as good—if not better and more durable —than its original material equivalent. One material that has made the cut and can now be found in Ford vehicles across Asia Pacific is high quality nylon fiber from carpet and garment factories.
The team uses it to make the cooling fan blade found inside the Ford Focus and Escort. By working with suppliers to tap into this excess nylon fiber (or yarn), which typically makes up around 1-3 percent of all yarn used in some factories, Ford saves over 700,000 kilometers of yarn from landfill every year in Asia Pacific—nearly enough to travel to the moon and back. Perhaps just as surprising is that Ford uses carefully selected, durable parts from washing machines to make air deflectors, which sit just under a vehicle’s floor and reduce air drag force and improve fuel efficiency, ultimately saving drivers money. Recycled materials aren’t just confined to hidden parts either, thanks to Ford’s use of seat fabrics with REPREVEbranded fiber, which is made from 100 percent recycled materials, including plastic bottles. In Asia Pacific, Mondeo, Escort and Edge owners can feel especially good about what they’re sitting on. To date, Ford’s use of REPREVE seat fabric has diverted nearly 25 million plastic water bottles from landfill. In each of these cases, the original raw material is first made into a more malleable form to allow it to transform into the end product used in Ford vehicles. Before becoming cooling fan blades and air deflectors, yarn and
washing machine parts become resin pellets, while prior to being turned into seat fabric, plastic bottles are melted into PET fiber, then PET yarn and fabric. Because it can be hard to picture bottles in seats and yarn in fans, Janet says her role as a green advocate continues outside the lab: “When I first tell people about how we’re using sustainable and recycled materials in vehicles, they either love the idea straight away, or want to be assured that the materials are of a high quality. All the work my team does ensures they are not just great quality, but are strong and sustainable in every way. After they understand that, they’re convinced.” Ford’s commitment to reduce, reuse and recycle is part of the company’s global sustainability strategy to lessen its environmental footprint while accelerating development of fuel-efficient vehicle technology worldwide. In recent years, Ford has increased its use of recycled nonmetal and bio-based materials. With cellulose fiber-reinforced console components and rice hull-filled electrical cowl brackets recently introduced, Ford’s bio-based portfolio now includes eight materials in production. Other global examples are coconut-based composite materials, kenaf fiber composite for door trim inner, and soy foam seat cushions and head restraints.
FB ADDING 3,000 PEOPLE TO WEED OUT VIOLENT CONTENT WASHINGTON—Facebook said Wednesday it is hiring an extra 3,000 staff to remove violent content like the gruesome killings and suicides broadcast on its video platform. The move ramps up efforts by Facebook to filter content amid growing criticism of the social media giant for allowing the platform to be used to promote violence and hateful activity. “If we’re going to build a safe community, we need to respond quickly,” chief executive Mark Zuckerberg said on his Facebook page. Zuckerberg’s announcement came a week after a 20-year-old Thai man broadcast live video on the world’s most popular social media platform, showing him killing his baby daughter before committing suicide.
The previous week, a US man dubbed the “Facebook Killer” shot himself to death after three days of a frantic nationwide manhunt.
The murder and a video sparked outrage across the world and renewed scrutiny of the growing number of grisly videos being posted on social media. Facebook removed the footage hours after the attack. Zuckerberg acknowledged that the world’s largest social network had a role to play in stemming the worrisome trend. “We’re working to make these videos easier to report so we can take the right action sooner -- whether that’s responding quickly when someone needs help or taking a post down,” Zuckerberg said. The 3,000 new recruits, added over the coming year, will increase by two thirds the size of Facebook’s community operations team, which currently numbers 4,500.
DOESN’T this heat make you wanna just pack your bags and go to the beach? What if we say you can take that trip for free? This summer, premier Apple reseller Power Mac Center is giving you a chance to win a trip for 4 to the white sand paradise of Boracay! Simply shop any of the participating products from JBL, Catalyst, Zerotech, Olloclip, Otterbox, and Energea at any Power Mac Center store to earn raffle entries. The winner will get to fly with three friends to and from Boracay, party, and chill in a secluded resort, complete with a deluxe room accommodation for 3 days and 2 nights. “This contest kicked off Power Mac Center ’s Beach Vibe 2017 campaign, which invites everyone to rediscover their passion for exploring from the urban jungle to white sand beaches and deep sea waters. We want you to just go ahead and have unlimited fun under the sun because we’ve got you covered with waterproof products and accessories from some of the best brands in the market worldwide,” said Marketing Director Joey Alvarez. Participating products include cases for iOS devices and Apple Watch, floating lanyards, portable chargers, power hubs, lightning cables, Bluetooth speakers, clip lenses, and pocket drones. Each item has a corresponding number of electronic raffle entries. The more entries you have, the more chances of winning. Also part of Beach Vibe 2017 was the exclusive Power Mac Center yacht party over Laboracay weekend. In partnership with TV100, the Apple partner hosted about 200 partygoers and brand ambassadors for an afternoon of music and drinks aboard a yacht that sailed around the island. Spotted in the summer revelry last April 29 were Robi Domingo, Carla Humphries, Alex Diaz, and vloggers Wil Dasovich and Daniel Marsh. Excitement grew when Power Mac Center gave away an iPad Air 2 and other premium accessories to lucky attendees. “There’s more to expect from Power Mac Center as the summer season continues. We want to bring the party to our current and future loyal customers with our newest campaign,” said Alvarez. The Beach Vibe promo runs from April 17 to May 21 only. For full contest mechanics, check out Power Mac Center on Facebook or visit any of its branches. The winner will be announced on May 24, 2017 online and in stores.
HOW LIGHTING HAS BECOME MORE THAN A PRACTICALITY
By Jagan Srinivasan
TODAY, light is used in a number of different ways, with emphasis not only on its technical characteristics, but also on light’s relationship with a city and its population. As the landscape around lighting continues to evolve due to urbanization, so too will the role that light has to play in public spaces—from parks to roads, and sidewalks to public squares. Indeed, we are already seeing this happen across many forwardthinking cities. One of the key trends to date has been a shift away from lighting for cars towards lighting for people and more than that, a shift
away from just street-lighting specifically. Historically, public lighting has been synonymous with street-lighting, and its main function inadvertently defined as providing visibility for drivers. This resulted in a uniform approach to public lighting as the audience was simply defined as drivers. Now more than ever, we are seeing a trend towards accommodating the general public, including pedestrians and cyclists alongside drivers, which is delivering better lighting outcomes for the public and local governments than the former approach to lighting. While it has yet to take off in the Philippines, the public sector is steadily taking note of the outcomes of
digital lighting solutions. Major cities such as Manila, Pasig, San Juan, and Taguig have recognized the advantages of light-emitting diode (LED) usage, converting and installing new lampposts across the metro. Outside Metro Manila, new wave cities like Baguio, Cebu, and General Santos are working on upgrading their respective municipalities as well.
The benefits of digital lighting in public spaces
LED lighting delivers on CO2 emission reduction targets by up to 1400 million tons per year, by replacing a uniform approach to lighting with tailored technology that is fit for use and
cuts unnecessary energy consumption. LED allows for flexibility in lighting that has not previously existed. With a programmable lighting system, local governments are able to take advantage of smart lighting systems in the event of an emergency and be able to assist in its swift resolution. Aside from sustainability and energy-efficiency, programmable lighting diversifies the community. In early applications, lighting has proven an ideal platform for systems and software that enable people to see, feel and function better, while allowing individual structures and entire Turn to D3
Philips CityTouch in Jakarta, Indonesia
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SUNDAY, MAY 7, 2017 Isah V. Red, Editor
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Young Life
Bernadette Lunas, Issue Editor isahred@gmail.com.ph
SLANG WORDS
OF TODAY’S YOUTH (Part 2)
BEST CARE
FOR BEST BUDDIES MADE EASY PET TALES
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BY DESIREE CARLOS
HE is soft, warm, and cuddly. He is the best walking companion.
Her smile brightens your home. His silent presence calms your mind and body after a stressful day. They are always attentive to your every command, always ready to please you, and they never complain. They are your pets. They are the “bestest” of your best friends and a partner for life. The good news is: You have the power to prolong your pet’s life. You have the power to give your pet what is called quality life. You can be the most responsible pet owner. This column will share tips on how to take better care of your pets. Most of the tips come from experience in caring for our eight shih tzus and eight puspins (pusang Pinoy), and over 300 dogs and cats rescued or assisted by Save Animals of Love and Light (Save ALL), an animal welfare group, for more than three years now. I will also share what we learned from veterinarians and from literature on dogs and cats. It took time for me to personally get things right when it comes to being a better “furparent.” I would like to share what I have learned so you don’t have to experience the problems we encountered when we knew too little about dogs and cats then. For one, did you know some human foods are bad for your dog? Worse, they can have ingredients that can kill them. Did you know there are good and bad food for your kitten? Good food will make your kitten grow up into a beautiful, healthy cat. Did you know you can train your dog yourself? There are some DIY tips this column will share with you. Did you know there are pets that need homes you can adopt?
This column will lead you to animal welfare groups and rescuers looking for loving, lifetime adopters for abandoned or abused puppies, dogs, kittens, and cats. And did you know there are pet-friendly places in town? And the best news is there are a lot of pet restaurants or cafes—yes, restaurants—that serve good cooked food and even prepare birthday cakes for your pets. This and more will be featured in this column.
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In the meantime, let me share the story of Cole. Cole, a shih tzu, was given to a vendor in Cubao, Quezon City by a young man in 2015. The vendor told us Cole was kept in a bathroom when his owner went to work. His condition worsened while on the street. He had wounds all over his body from scratching, his hair was matted, and some parts of his body seemed to be “burnt” because he had black spots in some areas. He was, to many, an ugly doggy. Save ALL, a non-profit organization registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), rescued Cole with the help of Loribert Sobrio Bersabe and Jhet Manio, and decided to bring him to the clinic immediately. Cole was diagnosed with a severe case of general demodicosis or the kind of mange that affects a large part of the body. Demodectic mange is also known as galis, a skin disease that is either inherited or develops in a dog due to poor nutrition or a dirty environment, among others. Demodectic mange is triggered by a weak or compromised immune system. It leads to hair loss and in severe cases, wounds that look like burns in the body. If left untreated, the wounds Scan this icon to can lead to bacterial infection or even view the PDF gangrene in some cases. Although is it not a disease that can be transferred to another dog or to a human, it is an illness that you would not want your pet to suffer from. It is easy to cure if you detect it early. Please see a veterinarian when your dog starts to have wounds due to continuous scratching, there is hair loss in some parts of the body, the skin Turn to E2
A HAPPY DOG IS A HEALTHY DOG. Cole, a shih tzu diagnosed with a severe case of general demodicosis, has been rescued and rehabilitated by animal welfare group Save ALL, and is now living his happy and healthy life.
TRAVEL BY FOOT
THE best way to fully and truly explore new places is on foot. You can take your time to immerse yourself in the life and culture of the destination and be up close with sights in each spot and corner. Walking, however, can get pretty tiring. Hence having the right footwear to support your feet and make walking comfortable and effortless is of utmost importance. Global brand Skechers understands this need and has come up with an impressive solution through its most innovative shoe made for walking—the Skechers Go Walk. “This shoe is purpose-built to be the comfiest pair you can use while walking, standGive your tired feet the comfort they deserve with the help of comfortable pair of shoes
ing, and commuting around town,” says Skechers in a statement. Travelers and Sino Pinas founders roadtested Skechers Go Walk 4, the latest in the Go Walk series, during their 12-day Indochina trip wherein they transferred from one country to another by land. “Wearing shoes that are really designed for walking can really mitigate pains that may hold you back,” shares Sino Pinas cofounder John Austria. Good thing they were wearing Go Walk as they explored temples, walked on sand dunes, and stood for almost seven hours during a Coldplay concert in Bangkok, according to Austria. “Go Walk is very effective in providing comfort while exploring places you’re unfamiliar with.”
SO YOU think you’re cool? Well, tbh, you ain’t lit if you don’t know what these words mean. Young folks are savage af. They may throw shade at you and will be so dead once they hear you use these terms in a v wrong way. If you want to be “in” or at least understand what millennials (Gen Y) and edgers (Gen Z) are saying, brush up on your “youthspeak.” Go here: manilastandard.net/lifestyle/younglife/234750/slang-words-of-today-s-youth.html if you missed the first part of our youth slang dictionary.
v Definition: (adj.) Short for “very”; born from and mostly used in short messaging and online conversations How to use: “If you don’t understand what I’m saying, I’d be v upset”
TBH Definition: (phrase) Abbreviation of “to be honest”; usually used right before or after saying an opinion or a comment How to use: “TBH, I think millennials are misunderstood” / “You’re being unreasonable, tbh”
GOAT Definition: (title) Acronym for “greatest of all time”; used mostly in, but not limited to, describing athletes and musicians How to use: “Rihanna is good, but Beyonce is GOAT” / “For many Filipino boxing fans, Manny Pacquiao is still GOAT”
Cancel Definition: (verb) To reject something: a person, a place, or a thing; usually used when said object is no longer trendy or officially over How to use: “Don’t swipe right on him, cancel right away!” / “The man-bun trend is cancelled” Turn to E2
Equipped with the 5GEN midsole material for high energy return, each pair effectively combines comfort from the cushion with a more efficient high energy return. Its soft and comfy foot bed is courtesy of Skechers Goga Max insole. To top it all off, Skechers Go Walk comes in easy to pull off style in a wide array of colors and designs. “The style is very minimalistic so it easily complemented the outfits we were wearing during the trip,” avers Austria. In essence, based on Sino Pinas’s trip, the right pair of walking shoes is easily the most important piece of your wardrobe to ensure a fun and fulfilling travel experience by foot. Visit www.skechers.com.ph to know more about Skechers Go Walk.
Young Life
E2
SUNDAY, MAY 7, 2017 isahred@gmail.com
THOUGHTFUL
SLANG...
From E1
MOTHER’S DAY
Dead
GIFTS THAT WON’T BREAK THE BANK
Definition: (adj.) Used when something is hilarious; can also refer to oneself when he/she is in stitches or in big trouble How to use: “I’m dead from watching SNL” / “I have so many unfinished projects. I’ll be dead soon”
Goals Definition: (noun) Something that is aspirational; typically used as a hashtag How to use: “Heart Evangelista’s shoe collection is goals!” / “Taylor Swift and friends are #squadgoals”
M
OTHERS deserve the world, but, sometimes, our budget won’t allow us to give them the gift that’s equivalent to our love and appreciation to them. But it doesn’t mean you can’t make her special day on May 14 much more special. Give her a kiss on the cheek and a gift that’s chic she wouldn’t believe you can afford it.
Lit Definition: (adj.) Used to describe something that is amazing or awesome How to use: “Last night’s party was so lit”
No chill
For the mama who loves pampering
EB Naturals Hand Cream’s (P100) vitamin E will provide her loving hands their much-needed moisture. Or for for the multi-purpose EB Naturals Sunflower Oil (P140), which moisturizes skin, lightens dark spots, regenerates dark skin, removes makeup, and smoothes hair.
For the always-ready momma
Definition: (phrase) Used to denote that someone is acting irrationally or reckless; used to describe an irrational behavior How to use: “The man who’s swearing loudly has no chill” / “Fighting fandoms are acting like they have no chill sometimes”
Does she always bring half the house with her wherever she goes? Help her carry her stuff in an authentic Rabeanco Casual Tote leather bag (P9,500). It is sleek, roomy, and lightweight, making it the ideal multi-purpose all-day bag.
Savage Definition: (adj.) Used to describe something that is bad ass or out of control; a person who says or does things as they please with little to no regard about consequences How to use: “Her reply to the inappropriate comment on her Facebook post was savage” / “The president can be savage at times”
Throw shade Definition: (verb) To show disapproval, judgement, or disrespect towards someone or something How to use: “It’s not difficult to see how you’re throwing shade at me” / “I don’t mean to throw shade, but her outfit is terrible”
BEST... From E1 is too pink, or there seems to be wrinkled parts in the skin. If you did not detect the illness early, do not fret. There are ways to heal your pet. Cole was given meds for the demodectic mange, as well as supplements. His diet was also changed. It took almost two years to bring him back to the handsome doggy that he was. He is now four years old. How do you avoid demodectic mange? It is quite simple: Keep your dog’s immune system strong. 1. Give good food, preferably natural food such as boiled beef with sweet potatoes and moringa (malunggay) leaves. Or you can give dry dog food that has the least preservatives and salt content. A word of caution: Some cheap dog food brands in the market have been identified as the cause of kidney stones/failure, liver problems, and skin disease. We tried different brands of dog food and chose some rather expensive ones to give to
For the mum with sweet tooth
Satisfy her chocolate cravings while telling her how important she is to you with Toblerone limited edition Mother’s Day art packs (P100, P202, P400). Choose from the colorful and whimsical designs of Abbey Sy, Anina Rubio, and Alexis Ventura, and personalize it with your very own message.
For the skin care junkie mommy
Up your mommy’s skin care regimen with Kiehl’s range of power serums. The Midnight Recovery Concentrate (P2,895) restores her skin as she sleeps. The Daily Reviving Concentrate (P2,895) keeps her skin looking radiant all day. The Clearly Corrective Dark Spot Solutions (P2,995) diminishes her dark spots and evens out her skin tone. And the Powerful-Strength LineReducing Concentrate (P3,675) combats signs of skin aging.
For the healthconscious mom
Give her the gift of unlimited consultations with a medical expert with My MediCard health card (P3,600 annual fee). It allows her to avail consultations with MediCardaccredited doctors in MediCard-accredited clinics and hospitals nationwide: family medicine, internal medicine, cardiologist, endocrinologist, pulmonologist, gastroenterologist, and dentist.
our dogs and rescued dogs of Save ALL. Although the dog food is pricey, the dogs’s health is better, thus, we avoided expensive trips to the vet and possible illnesses in dogs that might even lead to their death. These are important to follow to avoid mange flare-ups: *Do not give table food *Do not give food with fish sauce (patis), anchovy (bagoong), soy sauce (toyo), and cooking oil *Do not give fish *Some dogs develop allergy when given chicken or turkey. Some dogs, when used to eating chicken since a pup or for months, may develop allergy to beef. We have seen this happen to some dogs. So the rules for us are: (1) Observe the dog after being given new food, watch out for itching or if his skin becomes too pink; and (2) Ask the vet which food is best for your dog. The kind of food your dog needs can vary depending on breed and age. 2. Keep your place and where the dog stays very clean. Places with molds should be avoided. Clean areas with molds. Keep him away from the bathroom. 3. Keep your dog happy. Walk him. Play with
For the food-loving mother
Take your mom out to a lavish Japanese lunch (P1,232+) or dinner (P1,400+) at Kitsho Japanese Restaurant and Sake Bar in Hotel Jen Manila. Buffet spread includes sushi, sashimi, appetizers, sukiyaki, tempura, ala carte buffet of main courses, and desserts. For every five guests mothers bring, the sixth will be free of charge. In addition, she is entitled to an additional 15 percent discount from her total bill.
him. Give him toys. A happy dog has a strong im- give your dog with the help of your trusted vet. mune system. A strong immune system keeps I hope to be your partner in taking good care mange flare-ups away. of your pet. 4. Give multivitamins. Most dogs are given 3 See you next Sunday. ml. of multivitamins for dogs. Ask your vet for the multivitamins that is best for your pet. It is not expensive at all. About the author: Quite easy, isn’t it? Desiree Carlos is The hardest part is when you have to say NO to a former reporter, your pet when he or she looks at you with those editor, and lecturer. Today, she is a media “pabebe” begging eyes. Do not give in. Keep in consultant and an mind: “This is for his own good. No mange. No animal welfare advokidney problem. No liver problem. Long life.” cate. She is a furparWould it help if I tell you that dogs have a ent to eight shih tzus strong sense of smell, thus they beg for table and eight puspins, food because every dish smells different and they and a foster parent to want to taste it? many rescued dogs So keep table food away from your pet so that you and cats of Save Anidon’t have to fight the urge to give them food that mals of Love and Light (Save ALL). Save ALL is might contain ingredients that are bad for them. an animal welfare group that rescues and reI will give you a list of bad food and good food habilitates abandoned, abused, injured, and disabled dog and cats; promotes responsible in the next columns, including how to make your pet ownership; and controls animal populadog’s RECOMMENDED food more enticing to them. tion through spaying and neutering. In another piece, I will discuss in detail the different kinds of mange, symptoms, and cures you can
Showbiz
SUNDAY, MAY 7, 2017
E3
FUN FACTS...
From E4
TV SURFING
DERRICK AND BEA’S
DRAMA SERIES MAKES WAVES IN LATIN AMERICA “Captive” in English, did well on its pilot week with ratings almost twice of the program it replaced. According to forosperu, a popular entertainment forum in Peru, the series airs in the afternoon block. It remained at number two for two weeks before it became number 1 on its timeslot.
What’s next for LizQuen? After their blockbuster film, My Ex and Whys, which grossed over P340 million after its fiveweek run, fans of Liza Soberano and Enrique Gil are asking what’s next for the popular love team. Last month, the love team joined Piolo Pascual, Sam Milby, Jodi Sta. Maria, Kim Chiu, Xian Lim, Arci Munoz, Darren Espanto, and Eric Nicolas in a sold-out show in Vancouver, Canada for TFC’s “Star Magic 25” show held at the Queen Elizabeth Theater. After their perfromance, the group then headed to San Francisco for another show at California’s Great America. While in Cali, Liza and Enrique went to the romantic city of San Francisco to do a shoot for a popular lifestyle and fashion magazine. The magazine crew brought the two to some of the city’s iconic sights, including the Golden Gate Bridge and the Embarcadero. The magazine released exclusive clips on their Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter, exciting their readers and LizQuen fans about their upcoming collaboration. Also while in California, LizQuen revealed that they are currently working on a television series but did not disclose the roles that they would play including the plot of the drama. “It’s actually called Bagani. We’re allowed to name it already. But we’re only going be in the pilot week of it. And then we’re also be working on a movie pretty soon,” Liza said.
Bea Binene as a feral child in "Hanggang Makita Kang Muli"
H
anggang Makita Kang Muli, a romantic horror drama that aired on GMA Network from March 7 to July 15 last year, has won the hearts of Latin audience in Peru. Acquired by PanAmericana Television, the Peruvian television network that aired Puentes de Amor (Bridges (Bridges of Love) starring Maja Salvador, Jericho Rosales,, and Paolo Avelino, Hanggang Makita Kang Muli features the television tandem of Derrick Monasterio and Bea Binene. In the series, Derrick plays Calvin Manahan, an engineering student who comes from an affluent family. Bea, on the other hand, is Angela, a feral child. The series tells about a girl (Angela) who has lived isolated from human contact and has little or no experience of human care, behavior, or, crucially, of human language. It magnifies the unbearable pain and far-reaching consequences of disconnectedness, physically, and emotionally. Hangang Makita Kang Muli,, which carries the Latin title Cautiva or Derrick Monasterio in his breakthrough performance in the Kapuso romantic thriller
Liza Soberano and Enrique Gil working on new projects sadfdffdf
CROSSWORD PUZZLE Sunday, May 7, 2017
ACROSS 1 Surfing hazard 6 Gen. — Halftrack 10 Rumba relative 15 Flashy 20 Perk up 21 Snapshot 22 Do — — turn 23 Radium discoverer 24 Tea-party crasher 25 More peculiar 26 Artist’s plaster 27 Freezer name 28 Multiplex offering 29 Car-dealer’s option 30 Sorts again, maybe 32 Antelope habitat 34 Full of dandelions 36 Sun Devils sch. 37 Pedestal 40 Morticia’s hairy cousin 41 Lose — — whisker 42 Dugout VIP 44 Taunting remark 48 Pizarro’s quest 49 Rapper Dr. — 50 Wild guess 53 It swims with crocs 55 T. — 56 Station, as troops 58 Kids’ writer Roald — 59 Adds water 61 How some go it 63 Coarse person 64 Kids around 65 Smelled the coffee 66 Bears 67 Strike callers 69 Distance measure 70 Cacklers 71 Clutched 74 House shader 75 Puzzle-solvers’ aids 78 Advising strongly 81 Wheel buy (2 wds.) 82 Cartoon chipmunk 83 Loophole 84 Promoted GIs 86 Woodland creature 87 Hotel-suite amenity 89 Beat back 93 Genre 94 Mardi Gras follower 95 Roll of stamps 96 Lays 97 Makes a queue (2 wds.) 100 Sparta rival 102 Bad habit 103 Stuck in the mud 104 Has down pat 108 Polo or tee 109 Lantern parts 110 Grills, maybe 111 Medieval fool 112 Fleming or McEwan 113 Teams of oxen
115 116 117 118 120 121 123 124 125 127 129 131 136 138 142 143 144 145 146 147 148 149 150 151 152 153
Snake eyes Lo- — graphics Do lacework Brownish fruit SOYUZ destination Cry of wonderment Came to the suet — — song (cheaply) Sidekick Take a powder! Elvis’ hometown Summarize Chilled (2 wds.) Due for payment Nullifies Last “The Thinker” sculptor Baking need Helena rival Comets, to an ancient Ushers’ quests Insurance giant Requirements Binge She, to Marie Hepburn and —
DOWN 1 Basketball’s — dunk 2 Port near Kilauea 3 Tel — 4 Culinary how-to 5 Prepare to pray 6 Passionate 7 Golden-touch king 8 Rightmost column 9 Scatter 10 Kind of cactus 11 Meeting plan 12 Like a damp rock 13 Autumn pear 14 Foul stench 15 Swindles 16 Nonsense 17 Face-to-face exam 18 Purplish red 19 Roll-call votes 21 Civil 31 Senior cit. group 33 Not stifling 35 It goes with the flow 37 Whodunit must 38 Fringe — 39 Ex-frosh 42 Ore source 43 Family MDs 45 Raymond Burr detective series 46 Relax, as rules 47 New singles 49 Goner’s fate 50 Quaff with sushi 51 Not those 52 Pacino and Hirt 53 Outdoorsy type 54 Gabby Hayes films 57 Blaring
58 59 60 62 64 66 68 69 71 72 73 76 77 79 80 82 85 88 90 91 92 94 98 99 100 101 102 103 105
Attic window Wrings Plot inconsistency Sp. or Ger. Tumbler of rhyme It often follows “Aw” Lustrous earrings Handles roughly Fumble for words Capt.’s heading Shooting the bolt Trip itineraries Porcupine features Miss Piggy’s refusal Catch on Fairylike Skipped town Dutch colonist Huge-cast films Goalie’s concern Beethoven’s “Fur —” Med. staffers Exasperates Luau strings Oh, sure! (2 wds.) Far East cuisine Competes for PC competitor “Beetle Bailey” dog
106 107 109 111 114 115 116 119 121 122 123 124 126 127 128 129 130 131 132 133 134 135 137 139 140 141
Have on Baja Ms. Yr. parts Leap in a tutu Rembrandt paintings Gleeful cry Ages, as cheese Dug Gasoline rating Vague threat (2 wds.) Plexiglas Bird hunter Basilica parts More logical Code inventor Kind of wave Lite, on food labels (hyph.) Deadlocked It may be Roman Quote from Pilots’ sightings Wilted Eggnog time Modicum Now, to Caesar Cloudy
International Pop star Jessie J (left) with Rachel Peters during the first's recent tour in Manila
Beauty and brains According to her Bb. Pilipinas profile, Rachel completed her International Baccalaureate at the British School in Phuket, Thailand, and graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Business, Tourism and Events from La Trobe University in Australia. This explains why Rachel is comfortable with different cultures as she’s been exposed to them early in her life. Event Organizer Rachel had the opportunity to organize events for international artists. “I have been lucky enough to work with Katy Perry and Christina Aguilera,” she said in a short
Bb. Pilipinas video. Additionally, she’s worked with Midas Promotions to organize Jessie J and The Script’s shows when these international music acts visited Manila as part of their tour. A budding artist Apart from being an avid concertgoer, a pet lover, and a fitness enthusiast, the FilBrit beauty queen also has a passion for the art. During a trip to Sip & Gogh in Alabang, Rachel painted her own version of ‘Starry Night.’ She also did a couple small paintings of parrots and flowers, which proudly shared on her social media account.
E4
Showbiz
SUNDAY, MAY 7, 2017 Isah V. Red, Editor / Nickie Wang, Issue Editor isahred@gmail.com
FUN FACTS ABOUT
NEW MISS UNIVERSE PHILIPPINES
NEW GENERATION SUPERSTARS. (From left) Julia Barretto, Liza Soberano, Kathryn Bernardo, and Janella Salvador, billed as the biggest and brighter stars of their generation by Metro Magazine
RECREATING AN
‘ALL STAR’ COVER By Nickie Wang
M
ETRO Magazine’s June cover will stay in your social media timeline for a while. That’s for sure.
As soon as the photo of the full spread that features 12 young female stars made its way to social media, being a top-tending topic on Twitter for a day, fans started comparing it with other magazine covers that used similar theme. Additionally, fans couldn’t just appreciate the group shot as they see the stars only juxtposed with their closest rival. You see, even before it hits the magazine stands, the magazine has already achieved its goal, which is to generate public attention by training the spotlight on the most popular young female celebrities. The 28th anniversary issue of the popular fashion and lifestyle magazine recreated the now controversial 2010 cover, featuring the stunning stars of Star Magic. The cover, which celebrates “28 years of style, beauty, and culture,” and is dubbed “All Star,” has put together some of the brightest young female stars of their generation including Julia Barretto, Liza Soberano, Kathryn Bernardo, and Janella Salvador (too bad, Nadine Lustre is not a Star Magic talent, this cover would have been more
epic if not more controversial). The extension of the cover includes stars Maris Racal, Loisa Andalio, Sofia Andres, Sue Ramirez, Alexa Ilacad, Kira Balinger, Ylona Garcia, and Andrea Brillantes. BJ Pascual, the talented young lensman behind the iconic 2010 magazine cover, was the same person behind the 2017 cover shoot, which also celebrates Star Magic’s 25th anniversary. Pascual, in his Instagram post, went down memory lane recalling what happened in 2010. “Feels like yesterday, I was given this assignment not even knowing I was doing a cover shoot until I’ve already set up,” the bankable photographer said. Dubbed as the “Star Power” issue, the full spread cover of Metro Magazine’s August 2010 issue featured Carmen Soo, Erich Gonzales, Maja Salvador, Maricar Reyes, Shaina Magdayao, Kristine Hermosa, Kim Chiu, Bea Alonzo, and Angelica Panganiban. During the shoot, Pascual revealed that he had to endure shameless remarks from people
who purposely let him hear (within earshot) their doubts about his talent and capability. Although he didn’t drop any names, he just divulged encountering “diva moments” from some of the stars who participated in the photoshoot. “Little did I know the challenge it would present, from a studio full of people doubting me (hearing people say ‘sino ba yang photographer na yan? Marunong ba yan?’ right behind me), to diva moments (being told by a certain cover girl ‘Ilang shots pa? Overtime na kasi ako eh!’ Take note, I have only taken about 15 shots in less than a minute when she said this,” Pascual recalled. Imagine the photographer and the magazine coming up with the same cover again after a decade or so. We may not know the story behind the glamorous “All Star” cover, but who knows, by then we would be surpised on what challege Pascual encountered during the iconic cover shoot. We didn’t even had a clue on what transpired in 2010 until Pascual made this interesting revelation. So, who knows?
CELEBRITIES IN #LABORACAY
Carla Humphries shows off her prominent asset while vacationing in Boracay
spotted joining in the long weekend fun were teen stars Paul Salas and Barbie Imperial, model Luke Jickain, former Miss International Bea Santiago, Encantadia star Rey Talosig, Born To be Wild host Ferdz Recio, actor and VJ Alex Diaz, model and online influencer Lauren Reid, former PBB Teen housemate Kenzo Gutierrez with buddy Meant To Be star Ivan Dorschner, sexy actress Ellen Adarna, volleyball superstar Rachel Anne Daquis, reallife couple Luis Manzano and Jessy Mendiola, former child star and now DJ Tom Taus, and Pia Wurtzbach’s beau Marlon Stockinger, to name a few.
TWENTY-FIVE-YEAR-OLD Bicolona Rachel Peters beat 39 other hopefuls in a glitzy hourslong beauty contest focused on finding the next queens to represent the country on international pageant stages including the most prestigious Miss Universe. The new Miss Universe Philippines, a title she rightfully deserved after winning at the annual Binibining Pilipinas pageant last Sunday, has interesting facts about herself that make pageant fans believe she can replicate the success of the country’s third Miss Universe titleholder, Pia Wurtzbach. Miss World hopeful Before she entered Binibining Pilipinas, Rachel joined the Miss World Philippines 2014 pageant, where she placed 4th Princess to Valerie Weigmann. And as you can see, her dream to conquer an international pageant stage didn’t end there. She worked hard and trained even harder that’s why she’s one of the top bets of pageant fans to ultimately win the Binibini crown. An outdoorsy person Maxine Medina’s successor enjoys outdoor adventures a lot. She loves travelling to local and foreign destinations, and being a resident of Camarines Sur, the same province she represented in the pageant, Rachel loves the beach and the water. Based on her Instagram feed, the 5-foot-9 stunner is an avid fan of water sports being a professional surfer herself. Has a blooming love life Rachel is currently dating Camarines Sur Governor Migz Villafuerte. In an interview with reporters after coronation night, the young governor compared Rachel’s win to his victory during the 2016 elections. Villafuerte has been the beauty queens number 1 fan since the pageant started. He consistently cheered his girlfriend and even called her “the most genuine, sexiest, and most beautiful of them all” even before she won the crown. Continued on E3
Metro Magazine's iconic 2010 cover featuring female Kapamilya stars
IT’S that time of the year again when almost everybody headed to the island of Boracay to attend the long weekend celebration they call Laboracay. Laboracay is a summer party celebration in the resort island. Popular celebrities and artists both local and foreign often visit Boracay during this time. It is marked by intense partying by the beach, lots of booze, and good music. This year, more than 67,000 tourists flocked to the island paradise for non-stop beach events. Everyone was in a festive mood and partied from sun rise to sun down. Some of the celebrities
Newly-crowned Miss Universe Philippines Rachel Peters
Marlon Stockinger amps up the summer heat in Boracay on a jet ski
Rachel and her beau Migz Villafuerte