Manila Standard - 2017 July 16 - Sunday

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VOL. XXXI • NO. 152 • 5 SECTIONS 20 PAGES • P18 • SUNDAY, JULY 16, 2017 • www.manilastandard.net • editorial@thestandard.com.ph

DROPOUT SENDS SCHOLARS TO PRESTIGIOUS UNIVERSITIES

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MISSION ACCOMPLISHED FOR SHELL ACTIVE CHESS

DRY RUN. Rescue dogs Toby and Hachi, with their trainers, get ready during the weekend for the second day of the MMDA nationwide Shake Drill at an evacuation site in Manila’s old Walled City of Intramuros, the three-day drill ending Sunday aiming to prepare people for what officials anticipate as the 'Big One.' Norman Cruz

HOMICIDE CHARGES VS AQUINO PRESSED T By John Paolo Bencito and Joel Zurbano

HE recommendation made by Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales to downgrade the charges against former President Benigno Aquino drew condemnation from both the families of the slain “SAF 44” and officials of the Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption on Saturday. The families and the VACC instead said they want Aquino to be indicted for homicide. The reaction came following Morales’ recommendation to dismiss the charges of reckless imprudence resulting in multiple homicide against Aquino for “lack of probable cause” even as she ordered the former president to be tried for usurpation of authority and a violation of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act for “criminal negligence.” Also recommended charged were former Philippine National Police chief Alan Purisima and former SAF director Getulio Napeñas. Aquino, Purisima, and Napeñas face six to 15 years in jail if they are convicted of graft. Usurpation of authority, on the other hand, carries a penalty of up to four years. Under Article 177 of the Revised Penal Code, any person who performs duties of a public officer without being lawfully entitled to do so faces six months to six years in jail. The anti-graft law also makes

it illegal for any public officer to “persuade, induce or influence another public officer to perform an act constituting a violation of rules and regulations duly promulgated by competent authority.” In 2016, the VACC, together with the families of the SAF 44, consolidated their complaints, which alleged that Aquino committed gross and inexcusable negligence when he knew fully well that

the operation was flawed, and breached the chain of command when he allowed Purisima to participate in its planning. In their complaint led against Aquino last year, the bereaved families said the former President should be held accountable for authorizing the Jan. 25, 2015 operation and for failing to order a rescue as the commandos were being Turn to A2 slaughtered.

PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte said that there is no law preventing him from issuing threats against criminals, in an apparent snide against Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales, who said that his kill remarks were “not acceptable.” Speaking before Filipino-American tourists late Friday night, Duterte reiter-

By Sara Susanne D. Fabunan FOREIGN Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano on Saturday ordered a separate investigation into an alleged Turkish terrorist group that has branched out in the Philippines since 1997 . Cayetano said he was tapping all concerned agencies, the Bureau of Immigration and Bureau of Customs, to strictly enforce the law and rules on foreign individuals and businessmen coming to the country. “First of all, let me thank the people of Turkey and the ambassador for their concern for the Philippines,” Cayetano said. “We are doing our own investigation together with other agencies that have the capability of doing that.” Turn to A2

ABU LOSES 2, HOLDS 6 HOSTAGES By Florante Solmerin

FISTS FOR JUSTICE. At a news forum Saturday at the Anabel’s Restaurant, members of the Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption led by founding chairman Dante Jimenez and legal counsel Ferdinand Topacio as well as relatives of the 44 Special Action Force victims in the now called 2015 Mamapasano massacre call on the government to put into effect justice they have been looking for. Manny Palmero

DU30 TO MORALES: THREATENING FELONS NOT A CRIME By John Paolo Bencito

DFA HOLDS OWN PROBE OF TURKISH ‘TERRORISTS’

ated that his repeated threats against criminals is not a crime in the Philippines, in what appears to be his response to Carpio-Morales who criticized him for “goading people to kill.” “Point out to me a law in your country and in my country, which says you cannot threaten a criminal from destroying your country,” Duterte said in a speech during the 11th Ambassadors’ Tour Phil-

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ippine Reception at Davao City. “Is there a law, which says you cannot do it? Is there a law which says that you cannot blurt such statements as, ‘Do not bring our children to perdition because you’ll not only lose your funds, you’ll lose your life,’” he added. Duterte likewise said that it was “not fair” for criminals to cite human rights, considering the suffering they inflict on

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their victims—calling the idea as ‘b*** s***.” “You have the right—human right to go around wherever you want, you’re a citizen of this Republic, you can travel, you have all the Constitutional right,” Duterte said. “Kaya ‘yang sa pasahero, wala naman tayong pera, anak natin magsakay ng Turn to A2

ZAMBOANGA CITY—Gunmen believed to be Abu Sayyaf bandits seized six Zamboangueño construction workers in Sulu at dawn Saturday. The incident happened around 2 a.m. along Martirez Street in the capital town of Jolo, according to police authorities and relatives of the victims. But one of the six workers identified as Larry Velasquez escaped although he was shot and wounded in the leg. Taken captives by the Abu Sayyaf bandits were Edmundo Ramos, 37; Jayson Baylosis, Joker Adanza, Jun Guerrero and the fifth one remained unidentified. Two of the victim’s relatives—Amy Guerrero and Dayang Ramos—told the Philippines News Agency the Abu Sayyaf bandits had demanded P1-million ransom in exchange for the release of each victim. Turn to A2

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Purisima was later suspended as PNP chief over the alleged anomalous courier service deal the PNP entered under his leadership. VACC legal counsel Ferdinand Topacio, who also acted as the lawyer for the families of the slain commandos, said they will file a motion for reconsideration on or before Wednesday the Office of the Ombudsman. He vowed that the VACC will exert all efforts to push the homicide case against Aquino. “More than command responsibility... [there is] criminal negligence. Kasi sa sobra-sobrang kapabayaan, may namatay po,” Topacio said. Topacio added that “the fact na there were 44 who died, bakit graft? Eh hindi naman pagnanakaw ang pinag-uusapan dito e andaming namatay,” the lawyer said. The lawyer also questioned the timing of the Ombudsman’s resolution. “Pero kahit weekend tatrabahuhin ko ‘to mai-appeal lang namin,” the lawyer said. Topacio said the SAF 44 relatives would soon be traveling to Manila to sign the motion for reconsideration. He said the legal team is rushing to get travel funds for them as they have to meet the deadline for the filing of the motion. The VACC leadership, meanwhile, expressed fears that the downgrading of the charges may eventually lead to dismissal. “The VACC condemns the resolution made by Morales. Why? Because we filed a criminal complaint not just a mere administrative or minor criminal offense which is usurpation,” VACC founding chairman and president Dante Jimenez said. “Ombudsman Morales ‘wag mo kaming gagag*hin! Nagngingitngit ang mga pamilya. Tumatawag sa amin bakit hindi raw doon sa finile namin na reckless imprudence resulting to homicide [Don’t fool us. The families of SAF 44 are calling us asking why you did not recommended the filing of the case on reckless impudence resulting to homicide?],” Jimenez said. Jimenez alleged that the recommended usurpation of authority charge against Aquino may eventually be dismissed as the former president’s lawyers may play with the “loopholes” on the case. “Whitewash ito. Leading to dismissal sa kasong ‘to!” the VACC chief said. Aquino administration’s bid for peace in Mindanao as members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front were implicated in the bloodbath. Aquino’s camp, through spokesperson Abigail Valle, is also planning to seek reconsideration of his indictment, saying “there may have been a misappreciation of some facts surrounding the incident, leading to some erroneous conclusions.” Palace Presidential Spokesman Ernesto Abella, meanwhile, said that it respects the mandate of Morales and hoped that justice will be served to the families of the slain police commandos. Presidential Legal Counsel Salvador Panelo, for his part, said that the former President will soon pay the price of his incompetence. “Sooner or later, the law will catch up on those who use power or wealth to shield themselves from the majesty of the law. There is a time for reckoning and the time has finally come for the former President,” Panelo said in a statement. “Dura Lex Sed Lex, no power nor wealth can escape from it, it can only delay its coming, but when it does, it operates ex propio vigore [with full force and effect],” he added. Aside from the VACC and the families of the SAFF 44, the senators also weighed in on Morales’ recommendation, and as expected, offered differing opinions. “With all due respect to the findings and order of the Ombudsman to file criminal charges against former President Aquino, I stand by the findings and conclusions of the Senate Committee on Public Order and Dangerous Drugs per its Committee Report No. 120 of March 18, 2015,” said Senator Franklin Drilon. But for Senator Grace Poe, the move of the Office of the Ombudsman against the former Chief Executive must be respected. “Let us allow the mandated legal institutions to perform their duties as they act on this case and allow the former president to present his defense. In the end we should respect whatever the outcome will be, so we, as a nation will be able to put closure to this incident. However, we do hope that in the end, justice will truly be served,” said Poe. Senator Francis Pangilinan, president of Liberal Party, the political party of Mr. Aquino, said they are hoping Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales will oversee the handling of the case with fairness. “The Liberal Party expresses its faith in the ability of former President Aquino to defend his actions before, during and after the tragic Mamasapano event. We also express our trust in Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales that she will oversee this necessary process of truthseeking with fairness and credibility,” he said.

PH-CHINA TRADE HITS $19.4B FROM JAN TO MAY B By Macon Ramos-Araneta

EIJING—China’s Deputy Director General of the Ministry of Commerce Department of Asian Affairs Gang Peng, citing his country’s statistics, disclosed that bilateral trade between China and the Philippines reached US$19.4 billion during the first five months of 2017, up by 8.1 percent on a year on year basis. Interviewed by visiting Filipino journalists, Peng said this was sterling even against insufficient global demand. Since 2010, he said the bilateral trade had increased four years running with an annual average gross rate is 12.6 percent. Peng said China was the second largest trade partner of the Philippines in 2016. In the first four months of 2017, the bilateral trade volume reached $7.3 billion, up 16.1 percent year on year and accounts for 15 percent of the total trade volume of the Philppines. “So for the first four months of this year, China has become the biggest trade partner of the Philippines,” he said.

“Of course if we combine mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan together, we’ll find that China has already become the biggest trade partner of the Philippines for a long time and accounts for more than 20 percent of the trade volume of the Philippines,” he added. He noted that China attached great importance to expanding bilateral trade with the Philippines, especially expanding the import trade from the Philippines. Ever since last year, he said, China organized two procurement missions in the Philippines to purchase products including fruits, electronics, copper and aquatic products. The total amount reached $1.8 million. China and the Philippines have

also signed a Memorandum of Understanding and the quarantine of animals transportation. Peng said China restored the export license of 21 Philippine enterprises to export bananas and pineapples to China and approved the export license of seven Philippine exporters to export mangoes to China. He said China would continue to strengthen the cooperation with the Philippines in market access and customs facilitation and provide support and facilitation for the export of avocados, coconuts, durian, mangosteens, melon and dragonfruits from the Philippines to China. With this development—the turnaround—and improvement of relations between China and the Philippines, Peng noted Chinese investors were becoming more confident in the Philippines. Before that, he said many Chinese companies were interested in investing in the Philippines but were stopped by the policy of the previous administration. He said while there was a great potential for the two governments, last year the actual two-way investment was not that large. “It’s only a little bit more than $4 billion.” “Therefore I believe that with the

removal of the barriers, the great potential of our bilateral economic and trade cooperaton especially in the field of two-way investment will be released.” He said that when Duterte visited China in October last year, the leaders of the two countries achieved great consensus on cooperation and practical cooperation. “And because of this, our two countries realized the turnaround of our bilateral relations and our economic and trade cooperation has been constantly promoted and achieved great progress.” In March this year, Peng said Minister of the Ministry of Commerce of China and the Secretary of Trade of the Philippines Ramon Lopez co-chaired the 28th meeting of the Joint Committee of Economic and Trade cooperation between China and the Philippines which has been suspended for six years. He said this move had quickly promoted the bilateral economic and trade cooperation. In recent years, he said Chinese companies were greatly involved in construction infrastructure projects including water conservation, energy, roads and ports in the Philippines.

DU30 TOUGH ON CHILD RAPISTS By John Paolo Bencito PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte has once more raised the issue—sometimes taken as a joke—of rape, but stressed he was turned off by rapists who victimized children. In a speech before Filipino-American tourists at his hometown Davao City, Duterte recounted his problem with the 1980s anti-communist group Alsa Masa, who would often ransack houses, rape women and children, and turn them as hostages. Duterte said what he did not like most was having children raped by their attackers but would give a free pass on a Miss Universe—even if the rapist knew he could get killed afterwards. In a mix of Filipino and English, Duterte said: “What I don’t like is for children to be raped. If you mess up with a Ms. Universe contestant, may-

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jeep, sasaksakin, holdapin, kung anong pagawa. Pag-uwi, magsakay ng tricycle, a few kilometers away, pinatay na. And you just see these human rights idiots all around the world, ‘Ah, you know, human rights.’ That’s b*** s*** to me,” he added. On Friday, Carpio-Morales, who is related to Duterte by marriage said that Duterte’s repeated public calls to kill is “not acceptable” as she accused him of “goading people to kill” with his tough rhetoric against drug pushers and users. “He’s goading people to kill people. That’s a problem,” Morales told Japanese broadcaster NHK. “The directive to kill people under any situation in respective of the context to me, that’s not acceptable.” Morales also dismissed the usual defense by Duterte’s spokespersons and other administration officials that said Duterte’s tough talk are all just “hyperbole.” Malacañang, however, defended Duterte from Morales’ sharp criticism on his antidrug rhetoric, saying that the Ombudsman has taken the President’s statements out of context.

be I would even congratulate you for having the balls to rape somebody when you know that you are going to die,” Duterte said in his speech during the 11th Ambassadors’ Tour Philippine Reception at Davao City. There was no immediate reaction from the Ms. Universe pageant organizers nor from the usually vigorous women’s groups. This was the third time when the President would make off-color jokes about rape, following his earlier remarks of having mistresses and his often musings about women. While addressing military troops in Iligan City last May at the height of clashes in Marawi City, Duterte said he would back soldiers, even one who would be found guilty of rape while martial law was in operation there. “I’ll take your place in prison. If you rape three [women], I’ll take the

blame,” Duterte said. He also sparked outrage at the height of the 2016 presidential campaign, after he cracked a rape joke about a deceased Australian missionary, Jacqueline Hammil. Malacañang earlier defended Duterte’s rape comments, saying this was simply Duterte’s “heightened bravado.” Continuing with his rambling speech, which lasted more than an hour, Duterte admitted he had another younger girlfriend, despite his first marriage with ex-wife Elizabeth Zimmerman annulled, and having a common-law wife, Honeylet Avanceña. “I also had a younger girlfriend since the two are already old,” he said in Filipino, referring to Avanceña and his ex-wife Zimmerman. The President also confessed to diplomats of faking a diagnosis for tuberculosis, so he could graduate from

the San Beda College of Law even if he did not finish his ROTC training. Near the end of his speech, Duterte jested he could go to “hell” with one of his appointees, actor Cesar Montano who heads the Tourism Promotions Board and could join forces in finding Satan to make him suffer. Despite this, Duterte reiterated his vow to continue his bloody war on drugs despite accusations that thousands of suspects had been killed by police and vigilantes since he took office. “Human rights? That is bullshit to me,” he said, recalling how he called then-US president Barack Obama “a son of a bitch” after Washington criticized the wave of killings. Police say at least 3,200 people were slain in their anti-drug operations but rights groups charge that thousands more have been killed by vigilante groups. With AFP

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He said that the DFA is doing its own investigation in verifying the alleged terror links of Fetullah Gulen Movement in Zamboanga. “While the DFA coordinates and does its own investigation, we also of course make full use of the military and police and the national security intelligence apparatus,” Cayetano said. Turkish Ambassador Esra Cankour said the Fetullah Gulen Movement is active in a school in Zamboanga, opened in 1997, and two other schools in Manila. The Turkish government blamed Gulen, a US-based cleric, and his followers, for orchestrating last July’s attempted coup, in which rogue soldiers

commandeered tanks and fighter jets, bombed parliament and tried to abduct or kill President Tayyip Erdogan. More than 250 people died and 2,000 more were injured during the failed coup, Cankour said. Fetullah’s presence in the Philippines is “a bad thing,” she said, because it is a terrorist group. “We consider Fetullah Gulen as a terrorist organization,” the Turkish envoy said. Cayetano said that they are “taking the matter seriously” but could not consider the Fetullah right away as terrorist group unless there is a hard evidence that would prove them otherwise.

He said that there are processes about that but the government is now looking into the matter. He lamented that the Philippines is dealing two kind of terrorists: one, is the terrorist fighters; and the other are individuals, businessmen who are funding or bringing in money to support the local terrorists. “But I know that the Ambassador of Turkey will understand, that we have to do our own investigation. Any countries that gives us such information, we’re very thankful but we need to do our own investigation regarding that,” he added. He said that the DFA and other concerned agencies will

start to focus on individuals who came in to bring money or train the Filipino recruits to become a terrorist. President Rodrigo Duterte expressed gratitude for the assistance provided by the country’s foreign partners to help quell Islamic State-inspired groups in Marawi City. Speaking before FilipinoAmerican diplomats on late Friday night, Duterte said he welcomes the assistance given by the country’s traditional Western ally, the United States despite the Americans criticizing his bloody war on illegal drugs. He likewise recognized the support that he said was given by new allies Russia and China.

di alias Apo Mike. He said the simultaneous amphibious operations arrested Samindi at his hideout in Lagaan Island, Taganak while Harun was nabbed in Barangay Poblacion, also in Taganak. They were brought to the police station in Bongao town in Tawi-Tawi. “Samindi and Harun are connected to ASG sub-leaders Alden Bagadi alias Sayning, Majan Sa-

hijuan alias Apo Mike and the late Abraham Hamid and Alhabsy Misaya, all Sulu-based,” Parcon said. Misaya was recently killed by government security forces in Bohol. His group entered Bohol to kidnap tourists. According to Parcon, since the implementation of the border cooperation of the militaries of Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines (IndoMalPhi) to combat kidnap-for-ransom and ASG ac-

tivities, the cooperation has been successful so far in some of its operations. Parcon said the arrest of the two was a “significant” one under the Maritime Coordination Center of the three Asean countries. Guerrero and Ramos said the ransom demand was relayed to them through a mobile phone by a man who identified himself as a member of the Abu Sayyaf Group. With PNA

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Meanwhile, an Abu Sayyaf Group sub-leader and another member involved in several abduction incidents of seafarers in the Philippine-Malaysia border were nabbed Thursday in two separate locations by security forces in Tawi-Tawi. Joint Task Force Tawi-Tawi commander Brig. Gen. Custodio Parcon Jr. identified the arrested terrorists as ASG sub-leader Omad Harun alias Halipa and Ara Samin-

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DRUG PROBLEM AT ITS LOWEST IN 2022—DU30 By John Paolo Bencito and Joel Zurbano

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RESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte vowed to bring down the country’ s drug problem to its “lowest” before he steps down in 2022—that is, if he’s still alive by then. Speaking before FIlipino-American diplomats late Friday night, Duterte assured his audience that the four million drug addicts in the country will be at its historic low as soon as he ends his term “I assure you, by the time I make my—kung buhay pa ako—[if I’m still alive] five years from now, drugs will be at its lowest,” he said at the 11th Ambassadors’ Tour Philippine Reception at his hometown Davao City. The President then ordered the military to hunt down drug addicts—a job being done by the police— offering them of protection if they “kill” them. “Get out of my city if you’re doing drugs or other crimes, because if you don’t, I’ll kill you. It is never wrong for a President to say that,” Duterte said. “To all the military men and to all the police, go out and hunt for them and I will protect you,” he said “Anong gawain ng gobyerno with that kind of insidious— buhayin kita? Hindi kita patayin but I will destroy you. By

what? When you destroy a person, you destroy a person. He becomes extinct. That’s really what it is.” Duterte’s brutal drug war, which has been criticized by human rights groups saw the death of over 7,000 since he assumed office in July last year. Amid allegations that his administration is waging a culture of death following the spike of extrajudicial killings in the country, Duterte said in the latter part of his speech that he does not relish the term attributed to his bloody drug war. “I do not enjoy the extrajudicial killing term. I do not relish killing people,” he said. In a related development, Senate President Aquilino Pimentel III challenged village officials to prove President Duterte is wrong about allegations that several village leaders in the country are involved in illegal drugs. “If the report is wrong, then maybe there is no need to discuss appointments to replace barangay officials,” said Pimentel in his speech before participants of the Strategic Consultation and Workshop on Federalism, Barangay Reform, and Role of Barangays in National Security Concerns. Duterte earlier said that 40 percent of barangay officials are linked to illegal drugs or directly involved in drug dealing and trafficking. Philippine Dug Enforcement Agency officials also said the international drug syndicates are operating in

the country in cahoots with government officials and community leaders. Since July 1 last year, at least 39 village chairmen and 53 village councilmen have been arrested due to involvement in illegal drugs. Pimentel said the barangay chairmen would have to prove to the President and the anti-drug agencies like PDEA and Philippine National Police that there is no truth to the report. “So that is I think a challenge to each and every one of you,” the Senate President said. “If the barangay is drug-infested, heavily drug-infested, our intelligence community would believe that the barangay leaders are involved in drugs—that is a reasonable conclusion.” Pimentel urged community leaders to show policymakers that they are making a sincere effort to defeat the drug menace. He said if this is accomplished, the only question before Congress would be the postponement of barangay elections and there would be no discussion about the appointment of barangay officials. Pimentel reminded village chairmen that Congress and the President already postponed barangay elections in the previous year in the hopes of removing the influence of drug peddlers in the elections. He then discussed the upcoming barangay elections in October, and the President’s proposal to postpone the polls and appoint replacements for the incumbents.

ALL SMILES. President Rodrigo Duterte shares a light moment with delegates who attended the 11th Ambassadors’ Tour Philippine Reception at the SMX Convention Center in Davao City on July 14, 2017. Presidential Photo

DUTERTE CONSISTENT IN TOUGH STANCE VS DRUGS—SOLON By Maricel V. Cruz AN ADMINISTRATION ally in the House of Representatives has defended President Rodrigo Duterte’s decision to reinstate Supt. Marvin Marcos to the police force. Davao City Rep. Karlo Alexei Nograles said the President was just being consistent with his vow to take responsibility for all actions committed by law enforcers in the war against illegal drugs. Nograles said Marcos’ reinstatement

is yet another sign that the Chief Executive is bent on using the full powers of the presidency to win the war against illegal drugs. “President Duterte has been very vocal about his hardline position against illegal drugs and he even declared that he would take the cudgels for members of law enforcement who risk life, limb and career in their efforts to bring down powerful drug lords,” Nograles, chairman of the House of Representatives’ committee on appropriations, said.

Nograles said the President should be given the benefit of the doubt as he has access to classified information and intelligence reports more than anybody else. “The President is also correct in reminding us that everyone should be proven guilty first and not presumed guilty until proven innocent. As a lawyer and former prosecutor, he knows what he is talking about.” Nograles, a lawyer, said that it is premature to declare any wrongdoing on the part of Marcos and his team when

they conducted the operation that killed Leyte town mayor Rolando Espinosa, a suspected drug lord. Since the case of Marcos is already in hands of the courts, Marcos said the legal process should take its course, Nograles said. “The Senate has released its own findings. The Executive branch already meted an administrative penalty. Now it’s time for the judiciary to act as the final arbiter of this case and to determine guilt of the accused.”

REFRAIN FROM IMPLEMENTING HALF-BAKED IRRS—LAWMAKER A HOUSE leader on Saturday warmed concerned government agencies against issuing “half-baked” Implementing Rule s and Regulations of new laws to avoid confusion once the new laws get implemented. Camarines Sur Rep. LRay Villafuerte made the statement as he welcomed reports by the Land Transportation Office that the revisions to the IRR of the antidistracted driving law to ensure that clear rules are now being implemented has led to better and smoother enforcement. “The confusion that characterized the initial implementation of the ADDA should be a lesson to all government agencies to refrain from enforcing new laws with halfbaked IRRs,” Villafuerte, vice chairman of the House of Representatives’ committee on local government, said. Villafuerte was among the legislators who took the task of reviewing the IRR

of the ADDA law a few months ago following the controversies and criticisms on the initial implementation of the new law last May. Several senators have also called for a suspension of the law’s implementation after the public complained about the confusion in the rules set by the LTO to enforce the ADDA. The amended IRR of the ADDA, which took effect last July 6, prohibits the use of any mobile communication devices and electronic entertainment gadgets to write, send or read a text, make or receive calls, play games, watch movies, and surf the Internet while the vehicle is in motion or stopping at a red light or intersection. The IRR also provides that drivers must stop and pull over before operating navigational aids, such as Waze, on their mobile phones or other GPS devices. Maricel V. Cruz

PRICEY GARLIC. A boy unloads sacks of garlic from a tricycle in Baseco Compound in Tondo, Manila on Saturday. Senator Cynthia Villar recently reprimanded government officials and businessmen with regards to importation and controlling the supply of garlic. Villar said that based on her study, prices of garlic have reached P200 to P300 per kilo. Norman Cruz

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‘GOVT WON’T REPEAT MARCOS’ MISTAKE’ FOLLOWING the Duterte administration’s aim to embark on an ambitious “Build, Build, Build” infrastructure program, Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno allayed concerns over the country’s debt and fiscal sustainability position, saying that the current regime won’t be doing a repeat of the Marcos regime, which saw a debt crisis that plagued the Philippine economy in the 1980’s. Diokno said that the administration will be focusing more on funding infrastructure through local spending rather than massive foreign borrowing and other capital outlays such as corporate equity and capital transfers to LGUs to avoid a repeat of the past. “We will finance the bold infrastructure program through a combination of taxes, non-tax revenues, borrowings—both external and domestic. And in borrowing, we will be guided by the 80-20 mix. Meaning, there will be a bias for domestic sources rather than foreign sources,” Diokno said in a Palace news briefing on Friday. “So that was the mistake of, for example, of Mr. Marcos then. He was heavily dependent on foreign sources. And because of a series of evaluation, like if you borrowed money at 4 to 1, and you have to pay it at 12 to 1, that’s 7 to 1 and eventually 45 to 1, that will be disastrous, okay. So that’s a big mistake. That is what we call foreign exchange risks. So our borrowing mix 8020 will minimize the foreign exchange risk,” he added. The government intends to spend some P8 to P9 trillion, or roughly $160 billion to $180 billion, from 2017 to 2022 to fund what is dubbed as the “Golden Age of Infrastructure” in the Philippines. The package includes an expansionary fiscal policy, increasing the planned deficit from 2 to 3 percent of GDP for the next six years and will be funded through an 80-20 borrowing mix in favor of domestic sources, which is expected to mitigate against foreign exchange risks. Despite the ambitious infrastructure program, Diokno said that they expect the country’s debt-to-GDP ratio to fall from 40.6 percent in 2016 to 38.1 percent in 2022. “With that kind of debt-to-GDP ratio, I’m telling you, the Philippines will gain the envy of many developed and developing economies. Put differently, we expect the economy to outgrow its debt,” Diokno claimed. He likewise said that the country’s economic conditions have already changed that will enable the Philippine economy to weather external headwinds and avoid an economic/debt crisis. “Lending rates are at an all-time low; the Philippines gross international reserves are hefty; its macroeconomic fundamentals are sound with declining debt-to-GDP ratios and prospective growth rate of 7% to 8% pegged for the medium-term. These factors cannot be said for the years leading up to the 1983 Philippine economic/debt crisis, which led to skyrocketing debt-to-GDP ratios and debt service payments,” Diokno said. John Paolo Bencito

ERROR ON SEAL NOT INTENTIONAL, PALACE SAYS MALACAÑANG on Saturday said that it has no intention to turn President Rodrigo Duterte into a national embarrassment, after the presidential seal was inadvertently placed upside down at the rostrum during his speech on late Friday night. “An error was committed in the installation of the presidential seal at an event in Davao City yesterday [Friday]. There was, however, no attempt to embarrass the President,” Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella said in a statement. Duterte’s rostrum at the 11th Ambassadors’ Tour Philippine Reception at his hometown Davao City, had the presidential seal turned upside down. The gaffe was observed during state broadcaster RTVM’s live feed until around the third minute, when the shot zoomed in on the President, cropping the seal out of the frame. Abella said the concerned offices already have apologized following the incident and renewed the shared commitment to uphold the highest standard of service and support for the President and all his engagements. He added that “appropriate measures have been taken against those responsible.” John Paolo Bencito

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SUNDAY, JULY 16, 2017 Adelle Chua, Editor

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JAPAN MAY CRIPPLE ITS CASINOS

EDITORIAL

ABANDONING A CLAIM

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By David Bonnet WHEN Japan’s parliament legalized casino gambling last year, it created a wave of excitement among casino operators and institutional investors. But sensitivities about gambling addiction have now focused the policy discussion on a concept known as responsible gaming. This is industry terminology for programs designed to deter customers with known gambling problems from entering casinos. Although wellintentioned, lawmakers are risking a litany of unintended consequences with these policies. Casinos could be an economic boon for Japan. By one estimate, they could bring in $25 billion a year in revenue. Yet lawmakers are now considering restrictions that could jeopardize those benefits. These include banning cash machines on casino floors, restricting credit card purchases of casino chips to foreign customers only, prohibiting casinos from extending credit to domestic customers, limiting how often domestic customers can visit gambling houses, and prohibiting Macau-style VIP junkets. The extent to which such measures could reduce problem gambling is debatable, especially since Japan’s gamblers already have plenty of other options, including horse racing and pachinko. But one thing is certain: They’d cripple Japan’s casino industry before it could get off the ground. One problem is that restricting casinos from lending to their own customers means that third-party creditors will fill the void. Japan has a long history of syndicated money-lending at pachinko parlors, and of organized criminal groups attempting to collect debts from insolvent gamblers. If casino patrons had to seek outside sources of credit, they’d be more likely to become targets for these groups. “The Japanese police have been using new organized crime exclusionary ordinances to clamp down on traditional sources of income for Yakuza groups,” said David Suzuki of the private security firm Blackpeak Group in an interview. “I believe they see the legalization of casino gambling as a massive, historic opportunity to resuscitate themselves.” Customers who borrow directly from a casino can also rest assured that any debt collection will be handled through the collections department or a relevant jurisdiction’s courts— and not through intimidation or other illegal methods. But these best practices are in jeopardy if traditional casino credit functions are outsourced to third parties. More important, from a business perspective, is that implementing restrictive lending practices would significantly reduce casino revenue. Casinos function much like financial institutions. Both handle customer accounts, extend credit and collect on unsettled debts. Gaming chips are company obligations—much like bank notes. In that regard, casinos provide substantial financial liquidity, not only for gambling but also for related businesses, such as restaurants, bars and entertainment. Limiting cash in a casino is analogous to limiting beer in a bar—it just doesn’t work.

that time, were lost to the novelty of the Duterte administration. A few months hence, we started getting a sense of the new President’s bent. As he blasted traditional allies like the United States and the United Nations, he became friendlier toward China. He never brought up the enforcement of the arbitral ruling in any of their meetings. There was, instead, mention of joint explorations in the disputed territory. Perhaps Mr. Duterte is being realistic; he knows that militarily, we are no match to our giant neighbor. Thus we cannot afford to challenge it openly. Still, we look to our President for leadership when it comes to protecting what is rightfully ours. Territory is essential to sovereignty—how can we be credible as this year’s leader of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, for instance, when we appear to cower before China? How can we get anybody to take our President’s tough talk seriously? It’s not threatening an ally or looking for war. We will remain friendly and congenial and fair to all. But we have to manifest, by words and actions, that we know our rights and we will not stand down when these rights are trampled over even—especially—by those who claim to be our friends. Respect is not demanded, we agree. It is earned. We hope that amid all the other problems the nation is facing, Mr. Duterte will find it in his heart to let the Philippines earn the respect of the international community by acknowledging last year’s victory and ensuring there is no turning back from here.

NE year ago, the Philippines scored a victory at the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague. The arbitration court ruled in our favor with regard to historic rights and entitlements in the South China Sea and the lawfulness of certain actions by China, under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

China, of course, said it would not have anything to do with the case because the court had no jurisdiction over it. The court later ruled that a party’s refusal to participate would not be a hindrance to the proceedings. And so the case was tried. According to the PCA, China did not have legal basis to claim resources to the disputed territory it says is covered by its nine-dash line. The implications of the decision, at

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DEGAS’ AND THE IMPRESSIONISTS’ LOVE OF HATS POP GOES THE WORLD JENNY ORTUOSTE

SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA—It’s always interesting when an art show has an unusual theme, and “Degas, Impressionism, and the Millinery Trade” at the Legion of Honor Museum in San Francisco is drawing people eager to see artworks and hats from a period spanning the late 1800s to the turn of the century.

The day I saw the exhibit, among the visitors was a group of women dressed in ‘40s and ‘50s retro. They wore hats and wide and voluminous skirts reminiscent of Dior’s post-war “New Look” style. They’d come to gaze and be gazed at themselves as tangible manifestations of the days when one had to

wear a hat when going outdoors. The hats on display ranged widely in design and purpose. Tiny bonnets meant to perch on top of the head dangled long ribbons for tying under the chin. On the front of a toque was pinned a taxidermied African starling with gorgeous peacock-blue feathers.

A wide-brimmed straw hat was festooned with lovely pink silk roses and a pale blue bow. Clearly some hats were decorative while others were more functional. Today, such hats seem inconvenient Turn to B2

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DEGAS’...

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and useless affectations. But they were once essential to one’s wardrobe and conveyed prestige and status as designer handbags do now. As the Impressionists and Degas veered from the historical themes popular during the time and became interested in portraying daily life, hats were included in their works because they were worn by everyone. Degas’ pastel portraits of friends Zacharie Zacharian and Henri Rouart show them wearing bowlers, the chapeau of choice of the intelligentsia and worn by Jose Rizal and other ilustrados in Europe before the Revolution. Another Degas portrait depicts his fellow artist Mary Cassatt wearing a mannish triangular hat. Berthe Morisot’s “Eugene Manet on the Isle of Wight” (1875) portrays her husband wearing a straw boater and looking out the window at a woman and young girl, both also wearing hats. Degas, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, and some of their other contemporaries were also, according to one of the museum captions, interested in the “materiality of hats”—their ribbons, trimmings, and artificial flowers. Degas, says his friend Paul Gauguin, “dared go into ecstasies in front of milliner’s shops,” while Renoir was described as being “obsessed” with hats, and on at least one occasion designed a hat himself. They considered millinery an art form. Tellingly, these artists also depicted the milliners themselves. Some are shown weary and haggard, as in Degas’s “The Milliners” (ca. 1882 to before 1905), perhaps after a night shift, or even ill from “Mad Hatter’s disease,” mercury poisoning (the chemical was used in curing felt). The exhibit’s centerpiece, Degas’s “The Millinery Shop” (ca. 1879 to 1886), shows a milliner— “modiste”—sitting on a chair, working on a peach hat, a pin between her lips, more hats on a table beside her. Also portrayed in these artworks was the hierarchy in that particular industry—from the “premiere” (designer) and her “seconde” to the “petit mains” (“small hands”—the workers) and “trottins” (apprentices who delivered hats to customers). Jean Beraud’s “Paris, rue du Havre” (1882) depicts what is likely a trottin walking along a boulevard with hatboxes in hand. James Tissot’s “The Shop Girl” (ca. 1883 to 1885) portrays the interior of a milliner’s, with a girl holding the door open while gazing straight at the viewer, the “customer.” These works bring to mind Juan Luna’s oils “Lady at the Racetrack” (ca. 1880s) which shows a woman wearing a black or midnight blue straw hat at a racecourse in Madrid, and “The Parisian Life” (1892), depicting a woman in a dark-colored bonnet in a café, three men seated at a nearby table. These works from the same time frame would not have looked amiss at the Legion of Honor’s exhibit. “Degas, Impressionism, and the Millinery Trade” is a fascinating look at a facet of Belle Epoque culture. The hats and artworks are not only artifacts of visual and applied art, beautiful and worthy in themselves, but they also serve as documentation. As such, they help us visualize and understand the period’s norms and conventions that governed one’s personal appearance and acted as indicators of social identity. They remind us how much we are creatures of our time and place. Dr. Ortuoste is a California-based writer. Follow her on Facebook: Jenny Ortuoste, Twitter: @jennyortuoste, Instagram: @jensdecember, @ artuoste

JAPAN... From B1 Combined with the proposed limits on domestic gambling and VIP junkets, the government would thus be inhibiting most of the casino industry’s key business segments. This will severely compromise the ability to generate cashflow, discourage institutional investors from committing the billions of dollars of capital needed to get major integrated resorts off the ground, and undermine the industry’s ability to create new jobs and boost economic activity. These measures would reduce potential gambling revenue by up to 50 percent. In short, the government would be forfeiting most of the potential benefits that casinos could bring to Japan— before anyone has even broken ground. A better approach is to try to address potential problems without needlessly scaring off investors and operators. For one thing, regulators should take a holistic view of the costs and benefits of casinos, and recognize

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COSPLAY IS NOT CONSENT By Alex Alcasid COSPLAYERS (“costume players”) are everywhere nowadays. They are the people you see at the mall dressed as anime characters or superheroes. While it may be a surprise to run into someone looking like they jumped out of a cartoon into real life, cosplayers are just people enjoying their hobby. There are several anime and pop culture conventions held in the country every year. Some focus on showcasing toys and collectibles, others celebrate Japanese culture or video games. These conventions are attended by cosplayers who wear costumes and wield props to represent their favorite characters. Cosplay is different from dressing up in a costume for Halloween, as conventions and cosplay events are not limited to one day a year. With the rise and exposure of the “Pastor Hokage” culture, wherein a number of Facebook groups share photos of women without their consent and trade pornography with each other, cosplayers have come forward with their own tales of sexual harassment. A July 7 post on the Facebook page “Catcalled in the Philippines” shared the experience of a female cosplayer during the Philippine Toys, Hobbies, and Collectibles Convention (Toycon) held last June 30 to July 2. The cosplayer said that a man dressed as Mario from the Nintendo games and his friends asked for a picture with her. They took close-up

pictures of her breasts, and “Mario” hugged and touched the cosplayer and her friend without permission. According to cosplay etiquette, while asking cosplayers for pictures is accepted, touching them without consent is not okay. There are those who bashed the cosplayer for wearing revealing costumes. As in all cases of sexual harassment, the clothes have nothing to do with it. The clothes the victim wears are not responsible for a pervert sliding their hands up the victim’s thigh. One of my friends, dressed as the courtesan Ran Mao from the anime Kuroshitsuji, wore a mini skirt with a slit to the hip and high stockings. Since that was the character’s costume, my friend dressed the same way to represent her. While she and her boyfriend were resting, a group of teenage boys came up to them and asked for a picture with only the girl. It is bad etiquette in the cosplay community to take pictures of cosplayers without their permission, or to bother them for pictures while they are resting and eating, but the two relented since the group of boys were rowdy and wouldn’t leave them alone. As my friend posed for a picture with the group crowded around her, she felt a hand slide up her thigh and squeeze her behind twice. Her boyfriend saw her becoming uncomfortable and told the boys that they were done. The group left, calling both of them rude and selfish, as if they were entitled to do whatever they wanted.

THIS is to clarify news report which came out in your newspaper entitled “DOTr expects to issue new vehicle plates in September” dated July 8, 2017. The Land Transportation Office would like to put on record that our chairman, Assistant Secretary Edgar C. Galvante, has not issued any statement that vehicle plates will be made available by September. What he did mentioned was that these will be available by the end of the year. This clarification is being issued so that you can rectify the inaccuracy committed by your reporter. The deficit in the license plates started two years ago when the Commission on Audit issued a notice of disallowance against the LTO’s five-year contract with Power Plates Dev’t. Concept and Dutch company Knieriem BV Goes. The Land Transportation Office is presently addressing this issue and we are working on improving the security features of the car plates to be issued to protect our clientele.

In another instance, a male cosplayer dressed in a leather suit and helmet was posing for pictures when he felt someone slap him on the behind and run away into the crowd. Even if it was meant as a joke, the act was unwanted. The man was left defenseless, confused, and upset. “Cosplay is not consent.” These are words repeated on signs at conventions in an effort to stem sexual harassment of the cosplayers. Sexual harassment in the cosplay community is not that different from the Pastor Hokage culture. The perpetrators believe they are free to do whatever they want, say whatever they like, because their victims are a captive audience. In the case of cosplayers, because they are in public, they don’t want to make a scene and cause more trouble and draw negative attention. The people being shamed and objectified in the Pastor Hokage Facebook groups aren’t even aware of the “pastors’” actions until they start receiving solicitations for sex in their Facebook private messages. Just because cosplayers decide to go out in public dressed as fictional characters, whether skimpily or otherwise, does not mean they can be taken advantage of. Just because someone takes a liking to a woman does not mean the woman’s pictures are free to be reposted and sexualized. Everyone deserves respect.

Respectfully yours, WENG C. OCFEMIA Consultant for Media LTO

Alex Alcasid, 25, is a writer and animation student who cosplays in her free time.

THE GLORY OF BEING BAFFLED BY ‘GAME OF THRONES’ By Stephen L. Carter ALLOW me to confess a shameful secret: I am constantly losing track of “Game of Thrones” characters. This debility afflicts me particularly during the long winters between seasons. When someone who vanished from the story years ago suddenly reappears, I don’t shout, in the manner of the true Throner, “There he is!” I’m more likely to frown and say “Who’s that again?” and reach for my iPad. “Game of Thrones,” which returns for its seventh season this weekend on HBO, is the most complex and convoluted television show in the history of the medium. That complexity is half the fun. And fun it is. Last season, the show averaged 7.7 million live viewers per episode—10.6 million when we include those who viewed it on other media within seven days. Total viewers per episode averaged in excess of 23 million. The season finale drew a 4.4 rating in the 18-to-49 demographic advertisers love, a figure that beat every scripted show on broadcast or cable except “Empire” and “The Walking Dead.” “Game of Thrones” is special. No other scripted show generates an online community of a richness and depth usually reserved for bigscreen franchises with “Star” in the title. Apart from the Super Bowl, nothing else on television sparks parties where fans expert and casual mingle as they await every twist and turn. The show has been called, with reason, the last bit of television monoculture. People watch it, and discuss it, and argue about it; and

that they can increase oversight at any time. Placing arbitrary stipulations on casino operations at the outset of the license application process will only discourage global gaming companies from investing in Japan in the first place. Macau—which in recent years has rolled out increasingly sophisticated regulations, while remaining the world’s top gambling hub—offers an example of how a more flexible approach can work. Likewise, adopting a framework to address problem gambling similar to those that have worked in Las Vegas and Singapore—through public education, funding for addiction treatment and prevention, training for casino workers, and other prudent measures—could allow people to sensibly enjoy casinos in Japan without destroying the industry’s proven business model. To date, operators have expressed unbridled enthusiasm at the prospects for casino gambling in Japan. But that will quickly change if these proposed measures are put in place. Japan should be careful not to kill off its casino industry before it even has a chance. Bloomberg

in a certain age and cultural cohort, those who would rather skip it are left out of the conversation. But millions of us outside the cohort also tune in. Why do we watch, captivated? Part of the reason is that everyone else watches. Potential viewers – younger ones particularly – do not want to be left out. But there are other reasons. Many fans cite the complexity of the worldbuilding, both in the books and in the television show. And the world-building is indeed a delight, even when one spots the holes. (How can the society exist with only one bank? Why don’t the various would-be conquerors loot it?) Other viewers point to the constantly shifting alliances ... and betrayals. The sets are remarkable. (At $10 million per episode, they had better be.) There are wonderful villains (Tywin Lannister) and wonderful antiheros (Tyrion Lannister). And White Walkers. And dragons. There are the constant surprises— particularly the willingness to kill off major characters, not just minor ones, often without warning. If you miss an episode you might miss a major death. This technique, pioneered by “The Sopranos,” has become a staple of so-called “prestige” television drama (“Breaking Bad”; “Sons of Anarchy”). But “Game of Thrones” has raised the killing of characters to an art form, setting up sequences in which fan favorites are cut bloodily and suddenly from the story. Still, I bet I’m not the only fan who can’t keep all the storylines and characters straight. I am always confusing

the Maesters. I have only the vaguest memories of Dontos Hollard and the High Septon. If I want to know what “valar morghulis” means, I have to look it up. I am aware that Gendry is still rowing but I have trouble remembering that the place he escaped from is called Dragonstone. (I also used to forget which Clegane was which, but I finally have that one straight.) And none of this matters—not to me, and not to all of the other millions of viewers who don’t have the map of Westeros committed to memory and can’t quite recall all the clues in Bran’s visions. For some of us, not being able to keep track is part of the fun. “The Sopranos” never called upon viewers to hold in their minds the details of more than perhaps a dozen characters in any given season (except, arguably, the last). The number who really mattered at any moment of “Breaking Bad” (or in the first season of “The Handmaid’s Tale,” say) was even smaller. But in “Game of Thrones,” the viewer never knows which long-vanished cast member will suddenly show up to save the day or ruin it. (Lancel Lannister, for instance.) Over six seasons, the total number of named “Game of Thrones” characters is—wait for it—553. How many of these should be considered major characters? Estimates range from around 50 to around 150. It’s preposterous to think that many of those who are attending this weekend’s kickoff parties can tell them all apart. On the contrary, most of the record number of view-

ers expected for the season opener are surely more like me. The impossibility of keeping track of everything and everyone is a feature, not a bug. I enjoy the way that I am constantly surprised. The plot, too, is of such stupefying complexity that hardly anybody can reasonably claim to be following it all. We know that everyone is battling over the Iron Throne, and that anyone who gains it probably has but little time to live. The rest is betrayal and blood, blood and betrayal, and, every now and then, character growth. (Brienne of Tarth.) But in truth, there’s no real need to keep track. The twists and turns, the swords and the legends, the angry diatribes and snappy dialogue all work even if you don’t remember who’s who. If I should happen to tune in halfway through some longforgotten episode from Season 2, I would be engrossed at once. There are blind spots. Too much rape, for one thing. Too much talky exposition about details from the books. Too much effort put into trying to get us to root for a character who in Season 1 threw a child out the window in an effort to cover up his own incest. Yet, that said, “Game of Thrones” remains the most remarkable television phenomenon of our time. I’m excited that Season 7 is about to begin, and sorry that Season 8 will be the last. I will never remember all the characters but I will never forget the experience. Television’s golden age will surely outlast “Game of Thrones.” But I don’t think we’ll ever see a show like this again. Bloomberg

THERE’S RUMBLING ON THE RIGHT OVER TRUMP By Albert R. Hunt A POLITICAL brawl is brewing in Washington that doesn’t involve Republicans fighting Democrats or liberals battling conservatives. It’s a conflict within the political right about whether to start putting some distance between conservatives and President Donald Trump. The clash has intensified with the revelation this week that the president’s son and son-in-law, Donald Trump Jr. and Jared Kushner, met with a Russian lawyer during the 2016 presidential campaign in hopes of getting dirt on Hillary Clinton. The Justice Department and committees in both houses of Congress are investigating the Trump campaign’s connection to Russian efforts to undermine the Democratic candidate. One set of conservative elected officials and influential media figures wants to find a way to start withdrawing support from Trump, worrying that the drumbeat of revelations about his team’s contacts with Russia could derail their policy agenda. The contrary view is that Trump’s continued popularity with Republican voters gives them a chance for substantive

achievements if they stick with him, whatever his deficiencies. The issue is further complicated by what Republicans in close contact with the White House describe as a dysfunctional presidency. White House Chief of Staff Reince Preibus, they say, now focuses mainly on directing the Republican National Committee, which he used to head, and which is described as impotent. Kushner, who has been given a wide policy portfolio, is distracted by investigations into the Russia probe. Chief Strategist Steve Bannon, the nationalist adviser, is seen as the keeper of the hard-core flame, but not as a manager capable of curtailing the chaos, at times bordering on panic, afflicting this presidency. One closely connected conservative says the president’s functional chief of staff is Trump himself. If true, that would be as self-destructive as a doctor diagnosing his own serious illness or a lawyer defending herself in a big case. Many conservatives are sticking with Trump. Representative Ted Yoho of Florida dismissed the significance of the meetings with the Russian lawyer, saying he might have done the same thing. Senator Orrin

Hatch of Utah called the story “overblown.” The right-wing media, spearheaded by talkradio host Rush Limbaugh and Fox television anchor Sean Hannity, are attacking Trump critics, especially Republicans. But there are cracks. The New York Post, owned by the conservative power broker Rupert Murdoch, editorially called Trump Jr. “an idiot.” A story on the Fox News website charged that the junior Trump’s meeting will provide fodder for the Justice Department investigation led by special counsel Robert Mueller, predicting that “much of it will be unhappy for the president,” and asking, “What else is the campaign hiding?” Conservative journalists – the Trump right disparages them as the elites – like columnist Charles Krauthammer and David French of National Review, suggested that emails between Trump Jr. and a gobetween for the Russian lawyer show that Trump associates at least tried to assist Russian efforts to aid the campaign. That complicates the efforts of Trump allies like Newt Gingrich to discredit Mueller, and undercuts the president’s charge that the investigation is a partisan “witch hunt.” Bloomberg

World INDIA NEW HEAD OF STATE FROM LOWEST CASTE NEW DELHI—India’s next president will emerge from the Dalit caste -- a community so marginalized they were once known as “untouchables” -- with the victory of the ruling party candidate set to strengthen Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s grip on power. Ram Nath Kovind, 71, is hot favorite to be elected Monday by national and state lawmakers to become titular head-of-state as the candidate of Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). It will be only the second time, after President K.R Narayanan, who served from 1997 to 2002, that a member of the downtrodden caste has assumed the post. The result will be announced Thursday. And for Modi, with one eye on reelection in 2019, it will send an important message to a key, long disdained electoral group. Dalits, who number around 200 million, are among the poorest communities in India and have traditionally been relegated to activities on the margins of society. Despite legal protection, discrimination is rife and Dalits are routinely denied access to education and other opportunities for advancement. AFP

‘NO COMPLAINING’: POPE FRANCIS TAKES ON MOANERS

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6 WOUNDED IN EGYPT RESORT STABBING C

AIRO, Egypt—An attacker wounded six female tourists when he attacked them with a knife on a beach in Egypt’s Red Sea resort town of Hurghada on Friday, the interior ministry said. The assailant has been arrested and is being questioned to determine his motives, the ministry said in a statement. Their nationalities were not immediately clear, but at least one of the tourists is a dual Ukrainian-Russian national, according to Russian media citing the consulate in Egypt. The ministry said the assailant swam to the beach before attacking the tourists. In January 2016, three tourists in Hurghada were wounded in a stabbing attack by two assailants with apparent Islamic State group sympathies.

Hurghada is one of Egypt’s most popular beach resorts, especially with Ukrainians and European tourists. Security has been boosted in tourist resorts around the country, as the industry provides Egypt with much needed revenues. An Islamic State group bombing of a Russian airliner carrying holidaymakers from a south Sinai resort in 2015 killed all 224 people on board and decimated the country’s tourism sector. Russia suspended all flights to Egypt in response and has yet to resume them. IS has been waging a deadly in-

surgency based in the north of the Sinai Peninsula that has killed hundreds of policemen and soldiers. Meanwhile, in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Saudi Arabia on Friday hailed the Iraq government’s recapture of Mosul city from Islamic State group jihadists, stressing its solidarity with Baghdad in combating “terrorism” despite their rocky relations. The kingdom “congratulates the Iraqi government and people for recapturing Mosul city and liberating it from the Daesh terrorist organization,” the foreign ministry said in a statement, using the Arabic acronym for IS. The statement carried by SPA state news agency stressed that Riyadh “stands by Iraq and its efforts to combat extremism and terrorism in all its form, as well as its financing.” Iraq declared victory in Mosul this week after a nearly nine-month battle that ravaged the city and took a heavy toll on residents and security

forces. Riyadh and Baghdad have made efforts to improve their bumpy relations, with Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, a Shiite, visiting the predominantly Sunni kingdom last month. Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir travelled to Baghdad in February for talks with Abadi, on the first visit of its kind since 2003. Saudi Arabia has long expressed concern about Shiite Iran’s “interference” in the region, including through Iraq’s paramilitary Hashed al-Shaabi which has played a major role in fighting IS. Saudi Arabia cut ties with Iran in early 2016 after years of strained relations. Although Saudi Arabia officially supports the fight against the Sunni jihadists of IS, Iraq and some other countries have argued it needs to do more to help defeat the terrorists. AFP

VATICAN CITY—Pope Francis carries the weight of the world’s poor and suffering on his shoulders: the last thing he needs is people turning up at his apartment for a whining session. “Vietato lamentarsi” (no complaining) reads a sign in Italian hung on the door to Pope Francis’s private rooms in the Vatican that was given to him by a psychologist, according to a religious expert close to the pontiff. Psychologist Salvo Noe, author of motivational guides, gave it to Francis at the end of an audience on Saint Peter’s Square last month, journalist Andrea Tornielli said on the “Vatican Insider” website. “I will put it up on my office door where I receive visitors,” the pope is said to have promised with a smile. But in the end he chose to hang it at the entrance to his modest living quarters in the Santa Marta hotel in the tiny state. The Argentine often tries to buck up gloomy believers by telling them to cast off their melancholy and stop grumbling. The sign’s small print warns offenders “are subject to developing a victim complex, resulting in a lowering... of their capacity to solve problems.” AFP

AFGHAN ISIS LEADER KILLED IN US STRIKE WASHINGTON—US forces have killed the head of the Islamic State group’s Afghanistan branch, the Pentagon said Friday, marking the third time in a year the franchise has lost its leader. Abu Sayed was killed in a July 11 strike in Afghanistan’s northeastern province of Kunar on the headquarters of IS-Khorasan Province (IS-K), which also killed additional jihadists, the Pentagon said in a statement. “You kill a leader of one of these groups and it sets them back,” Pentagon chief Jim Mattis told reporters. “It’s obviously a victory on our side in terms of setting them back. It’s the right direction.” First emerging in 2015, IS-K overran large parts of Nangarhar and Kunar provinces, near the Pakistan border, but their part in the Afghan conflict had been largely overshadowed by the operations against the Taliban. Afghan and US forces had killed Abu Sayed’s two predecessors atop the group’s Afghan branch -- Hafiz Saeed in July 2016 and Abdul Hasib in late April of this year, the Pentagon said. Hasib and other top militant commanders were killed in a joint raid by US Army Rangers and Afghan special forces. At the time, the US military had said Hasib’s death would “help reach our goal of destroying them in 2017.” “We will continue until they are annihilated. There is no safe haven for ISIS-K in Afghanistan,” said General John Nicholson, who leads US Forces-Afghanistan. Pentagon officials say the group now numbers fewer than 1,000 in Afghanistan. AFP

BURNED. The charred exterior of the Marco Polo Building is pictured after a fire broke out on the upper floors in Honolulu, Hawaii, on Friday. At least three people were killed and a dozen injured when a massive fire tore through a 36-story apartment complex in Honolulu, local media reported. AFP

ITALIAN HAMLETS STRUGGLE WITH ‘HUMAN WAREHOUSES’

RAHMAN ROCKS. Bollywood music composer and singer AR Rahman performs at IIFA Rock Friday at the MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey during the 18th International Indian Film Academy Festival. AFP

CONETTA, Italy—They used to be sleepy hamlets on Italy’s sun-baked Padan Plain. But two years with hundreds of asylum seekers packed into overcrowded centers dubbed “human warehouses” are taking their toll -- on both migrants and villagers. Inside vast white tents erected in a former military zone on the outskirts of the tiny village of Conetta, some 1,400 men from across Africa while away their days, packed onto endless rows of bunks as the temperatures rise. Many escape for a few hours to cycle around the area: they are met with hostile banners calling for them to leave. “I used to call this place a modern lager,” Cona mayor Albero Panfilio told AFP, referring to concentration camps. The commune of Cona includes the little village of Conetta. “After two years this is (still) a place where human beings are squashed in together, with no hope for the future. “Now I call it a human warehouse. The migrants arrive, they don’t know where to put them, they have a warehouse, they dump them here.” The asylum seekers were treated “like garbage”, he added. Panfilio says the 190 residents in Conetta have also suffered. Among several protest messages scrawled on sheets and hung up in the village square, one reads simply “Repatriate the migrants”. Around 10 kilometers away (6.2 miles) in Bagnoli di Sopra, some 700 migrants are crowded into another former military base. There are more barbed wire fences among the endless fields of soybean and corn, and no access to journalists. Mayor Roberto Milan said the residents there had held sitins demanding the migrants be removed, but to no effect. “The tension is great, there’s a lot of hostility. There are many of them and it’s not possible to create ties (with the local population). That leads to mutual distrust,” he told AFP by telephone. AFP

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SUNDAY, JULY 16, 2017 Cesar Barrioquinto, Editor / Jimbo Gulle, Issue Editor

World

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

BEYONCE UNVEILS PHOTO OF TWINS: BOY SIR, GIRL RUMI

This handout photo provided by the Shenyang Municipal Information Office shows Liu Xia (right, in black), wife of Liu Xiaobo, and family members standing next to the late Nobel laureate’s body at a funeral parlor in the Chinese city of Shenyang, Liaoning province, on Saturday. Liu’s body was cremated after a private ceremony attended by his wife and friends, two days after the dissident lost a battle with cancer while in custody. AFP

CHINA CREMATES BODY OF DISSIDENT LIU XIAOBO S

HENYANG, China—The body of China’s late Nobel laureate Liu Xiaobo was cremated Saturday after a private ceremony attended by his family, as Beijing faces international pressure to let the dissident’s wife leave the country.

Liu’s remains were incinerated “in accordance with the will of his family members and local customs” in the northeastern city of Shenyang, said Zhang Qingyang, an official from the municipal office. Officials released photos showing his wife, the poet Liu Xia, with her brother, and two of Liu Xiaobo’s brothers in front of the body, which was covered with white petals and surrounded by flowers at a funeral home. Zhang also said “friends” were

at the ceremony, but Amnesty International’s China researcher Patrick Poon told AFP that he did not recognise any of the row of non-family members in the official photo and people close to the Liu couple identified at least one “state security police officer” among them. Chinese dissident artist critic Ai Weiwei, who lives in Berlin, tweeted a photo of the funeral and called the display “disgusting” and a “violation” of the deceased.

China’s government faced a global backlash for denying the democracy advocate’s wish to be treated abroad. After his death, the United States and European Union called on Beijing to free Liu Xia, who has been under house arrest since 2010, and let her leave the country. “As far as I know, Liu Xia is in a free condition,” Zhang said, though it was unclear whether she was released as he did not answer questions about her whereabouts. Authorities have severely restricted Liu Xia’s contact with the outside world and Jared Genser, a US lawyer who represented the Nobel Peace Prize winner, said she has been held “incommunicado” since her husband’s death. “The most preposterous thing is that even during his cremation and funeral he still was not

free. And now it’s been passed on to his wife, who will continue to lead on that same freedom-less existence,” Hu Jia, a Beijing-based activist and family friend, told AFP. Liu was jailed in 2008 after co-writing a petition calling for democratic reforms. The veteran of the 1989 Tiananmen Square pro-democracy protests was sentenced to 11 years in prison for “subversion” a year later. He died of multiple organ failure at a Shenyang hospital on Thursday at age 61, more than a month after he was transferred from prison due to late-stage liver cancer. At his funeral, Mozart’s Requiem was played and Liu Xia “fixed her eyes on him a long time, mumbling to say farewell,” Zhang said, adding that she was “in very low spirits.” AFP

‘BEING AMERICAN ALMOST AN EMBARRASSMENT’ NEW YORK—JPMorgan Chase chief executive Jamie Dimon ripped into the political gridlock in Washington and said Friday that they dysfunction threatened US economic prospects. “It’s almost an embarrassment to be an American citizen traveling around the world and listening to the stupid shit we have to deal with in this country,” Dimon said on a conference call with analysts. Dimon, who is a member of President Donald Trump’s business advisory council, said the US will have trouble accelerating growth about its 1.5 to 2.0 percent trend if it fails to come together in favor of pro-business policies. “I was just in France, in Argentina, Israel, Ireland. We met with the Prime Minister of India and China and it’s amazing to me that every single one of those countries understands that practical policies to promote business growth is good for the average citizens of those countries for jobs and wages,” he said. “And somehow in the great American free enterprise system, we no longer get it.” Dimon, who also is chairman of the Business Roundtable lobbying group, reiterated his call to reform the US tax code to make it more competitive compared to other nations. He also railed against excessive regulations that impede building of bridges and other key infrastructure. “We have become one of the most bureaucratic, confusing litigious societies,” he said. “It would be much stronger growth had we made intelligent decisions to end that gridlock.” Meanwhile, US officials said Friday they plan to confiscate $144 million in corruption-tainted assets of Nigerian oil executives found in the United States including an $80 million yacht the “Galactica Star.” AFP

BASTILLE DAY. French President Emmanuel Macron (left) greets his predecessors Francois Hollande and Nicolas Sarkozy during a commemorative ceremony marking the first anniversary of a jihadist truck attack which killed 86 people in Nice, southern France, on Bastille Day, Friday. Bastille Day celebrations were tinged with mourning, as the Mediterranean city of Nice paid tribute to the victims of the attack claimed by the Islamic State group. AFP

NEW YORK—Pop diva Beyonce unveiled her newborn twins to the world on Friday, posting a glamorous photo on Instagram and announcing their names. “Sir Carter and Rumi 1 month today,” reads the caption on the photo, which focuses much more on the 35-year-old yummy mummy than the little ones. That wording puzzled many people on social media -- is the first child named Sir Carter or simply Sir, Carter being the last name of their rapper father JayZ? Others wondered about the gender of the babies. Beyonce’s mother Tina Knowles cleared it all up later in her own Instagram post: one twin is a boy named Sir, period, and Rumi is a girl. “So Happy my baby shared a photo of her babies with the world,” Tina Knowles wrote. “Proud grandma hello Sir Carter and Rumi Carter... boy and girl what a blessing.” In the photo, Queen Bey is shown barefoot, standing on a lawn with the ocean in the background. Towering over her is a large display of colorful flowers. AFP

TRUMP TO APPEAL NEWEST SETBACK TO TRAVEL BAN WASHINGTON—US Attorney General Jeff Sessions blasted a Hawaii federal court Friday for weakening the Trump administration’s travel ban on six mainly Muslim countries, pledging to again take the case to the Supreme Court. Sessions said Federal Judge Derrick Watson was undermining national security and improperly micromanaging presidential powers when he ruled to expand the definition of “close family relationships” which determines which people with family in the United States can be excepted from the 90-day-ban. Watson said Thursday the government’s definition of “close family” was too narrow. He said “common sense”, as well as accepted US practice, means that grandparents, grandchildren, aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews and cousins should be included for exceptions. But Sessions said the Hawaii court was overstepping its powers. AFP

CASTRO: DONALD’S STANCE A ‘SETBACK’ IN US-CUBA TIES HAVANA—Cuba’s president said Donald Trump’s hardline stance towards the country was a “setback” in relations with the United States after ties were gradually restored in 2015. Raul Castro criticized Trump’s partial rollback of his predecessor Barack Obama’s rapprochement with the communist island in comments ahead of the second anniversary of Havana embassy’s reopening in Washington on July 20. “The announcements made by the current president... mean a setback in bilateral relations,” Castro said Friday in remarks broadcast on state television at the closing of the first session of Cuba’s parliament. The remarks came after Trump last month stood before a crowd of anti-Castro activists in Miami’s Little Havana and announced tightened rules for Americans traveling to Cuba, banned ties with a military-run tourism firm and reaffirmed the existing US trade embargo. He framed his measures as a move against a “cruel and brutal” regime, saying progress on bilateral relations would hinge on concessions related to human rights. AFP

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SUNDAY, JULY 16, 2017

Business

Ray S. Eñano, Editor / Roderick dela Cruz, Issue Editor business@manilastandard.net

DROPOUT SENDS SCHOLARS TO PRESTIGIOUS UNIVERSITIES RISE OF THE HAPPY COWS

H

E dropped out of college in 1992 to start working, yet he now supports dozens of scholars who are enrolled in prestigious universities.

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His alma mater acknowledged him one of its most outstanding alumni in 2013, while a state university conferred on him an honorary doctorate degree in 2016 for his business insights and various charitable activities. Elmer Ngo, 46, is a co-owner and the president of Mileage Asia Corp., a company that provides high-quality roofs to Filipino families and played a crucial role in the rehabilitation of homes in Samar and Leyte which were destroyed by typhoon Yolanda in 2013. The company’s tagline is galvanizing the industry with Sumo GI sheets and roofing the nation with Cherrylume, referring to its two brands. Ngo is funding the education of several poor students at private institutions such as St. Scholastica’s College, San Beda College, University of Santo Tomas and De La SalleCollege of Saint Benilde. On why he is supporting these scholars, Ngo says: “This is a part of my frustration, because I did not finish my course in the university. Now that I have my own business, I want to give something back to the nation.”

By Joyce Pangco Pañares

Mileage Asia Corp. president Elmer Ngo is conferred Doctor of Humanities (honoris causa) by Polytechnic University of the Philippines. From Facebook page of PUP

Mileage Asia, his company, imports, distributes and produces roofing materials such as galvanized iron sheets. It has a market share of nearly 70 percent in the CD income segment, the largest in the housing sector. Ngo says he allows his scholars to choose the schools and courses they like, including prestigious private universities. His only condition is that the students should come from poor families. Some of these students were the first in their families to reach tertiary education. The tuition of some of Ngo’s scholars even exceeds those of his two children who are studying at Chiang Kai Shek College. Ngo is also a supporter of sports, with Cherrylume being a major sponsor of the women’s volleyball team of the University of the East where he studied mechanical engineering. The Cherrylume Iron Lady Warriors are now a professional team playing in the Philippine Super Liga. Ngo was in his third year as a mechanical engineering student at UE when he dropped out at the age of 22 in order to start working. “My father, who retired from his business early, said I had to begin working at that time,” says Ngo, who is the youngest of seven siblings. “I started working on May 1, 1992 as a dealer of GI sheets.”

SPONSOR

Mileage Asia Corp. president Elmer Ngo

The family felt a financial crunch when their mother died, and they had to resort to borrowing money to help finance the funeral expenses. Ngo says while they had several properties, they were not liquid at that time. His father was into trading plywood, but retired from the business early. With liquidity running out, Ngo and his brother Erwin had to earn money on their own and established Mileage Asia Marketing Co. to distribute GI sheets produced by Tower Steel Corp. and later Apo Puyat Steel Corp., PhilSteel Holdings Corp., Rizal Steel and other companies. Ngo says the business has flourished because of diskarte and pakikisama—two Filipino concepts with no exact English translation. After a few years of distributing and importing GI sheets, they decided to produce roofing materials on their own. “We distributed a number of local and international brands which became popular in the provinces. But we felt we needed to introduce quality products in the roofing sector, so we took the opportunity to partner with companies from Japan and Australia,” says Ngo. “We want to offer products that will benefit the people, particularly the CD market. When a Japanese company approached us in 2006

and invited us to become a dealer of Sumo, we grabbed the opportunity,” he says. Another partner from Australia introduced the best roofing technology, while a company from China exemplified its production capacity at affordable cost. Armed with this technical know-how, Mileage Asia decided to put up manufacturing plants. The company now employs 100 people in three production sites in Quezon City, Meycauayan and Davao City. Both Sumo and Cherrylume are known for their superior quality. Sumo is popular for roof, wall, mufflers, car body and appliances parts while the midpriced Cherrylume GI sheet is now preferred because of its aluminum and zinc coating that toughens the roofing material. “I can attest to our products. Houses with Cherrylume roof can last six to seven years without being painted. After being painted in the seventh year, it can last another 15 years,” says Ngo. He says to protect the brands, Mileage Asia is selective of its dealers, distributors and hardware stores. “We don’t pick distributors who also sell low-quality products,” says Ngo. “Our price is competitive, but not too low. But quality-wise and longevity-wise, we guarantee Turn to C2

SUN LIFE INTRODUCES ESTATE PLANNING FOR RETIREES By Katrina Delos Santos and Jamie Turalba SUN Life Financial, an international financial services organization, introduces estate planning in the Philippines with its Living and Leaving a Legacy campaign. The insurance company which has been in the Philippines for 122 years offers a new segment from Sun Smarter Life. Sun Smarter Life is an insurance product which targets clients who are retired and those who want to enjoy their retirement. The product offers double life insurance coverage to the client up until he/she reaches 100 years of age. “Our mission is really to provide lifetime

Sun Life Financial Philippines chief marketing officer Mylene Daez-Lopa, brand ambassador Charo Santos-Concio and head of distribution support Jenny Del Mundo

financial security for Filipinos. In other words, we want Filipinos to have money

in every need that they have as they go through the different stages of their lives,” says Sun Life Financial Philippines chief marketing officer Mylene Lopa. The new segment of the product is focused on estate planning by providing the beneficiaries insurance proceeds which can be used to settle estate taxes. “We have come up with this campaign to ensure that whatever they [client] worked for during their working years, they can pass on to the next generation and to their loved ones,” says Lopa. Lopa says estate planning is for those “who want to make sure that their family or loved ones are provided for adequately.”

“It is essential for those who want to control the disposition of their assets after their death and settle the tax imposed by the government on the estate,” she says. Lopa cites the importance of Sun Life focusing on the retirement stage and addressing the needs of those who are on their golden age. The insurance product is available in two variants: Classic and Elite. The two variants offer life insurance coverage until age 100 and an option to include supplementary benefits for accident, disability and illness. Only the Elite variant provides guaranteed cash benefits at the end of the 6th year and to the succeeding years.

“AUSTRALIAN cows are happy cows,” said Natasha Monks, trade commissioner of the Australian Embassy in the Philippines, as she happily dug into the Thai beef salad served at New World Hotel Makati, one of the several stops in this year’s Australian grass-fed beef “culinary trail.” “About 97 percent of cattle in Australia is grass-fed. One cow is allocated an entire hectare of land to graze,” she said. Australia exported 74 percent of its total beef and veal production to 84 countries. It was the world’s largest beef exporter in 2015, accounting for around 3 percent of the world cattle and buffalo inventory, with India, Brazil and China taking the top three places. As of last year, Australia accounted for 40 percent of the Philippines’ total beef imports, or 37.76 million kilograms out of 93.72 million kg, data from the Bureau of Animal Industry showed. Monks said the volume was expected to increase this year as Australia sought to export more premium cut meat to the Philippines. “Australian beef is gaining more popularity because of it is of premium quality, safe and traceable. Our export volume is going up. For the Philippines, manufactured products such as patties, sausages and meatballs comprise the bulk of imported beef from Australia,” she said. “Australian grass-fed beef is considered the healthier beef as it is naturally low in fat and cholesterol while offering a high level of Omega 3 fatty acids known to lower blood pressure and reduce the risk of certain cancers. It is not as marbled as corn-fed or grain-fed beef, which is sweeter. It tastes the way real beef should taste,” she said. For this year’s “Australian Grassfed Beef on the Menu” promotion, the embassy teamed up with 60 hotels and restaurants across Luzon, Cebu and Davao. Participating restaurants and hotels include Cafe 1228 in New World Makati; Red Ginger and Crystal Dragon in City of Dreams; Flame and Gilarmi Lounge in Discovery Primea; Raging Bull in Shangri-la The Fort; Blackbird; Bondi & Bourke; Chef Jessie Top of the City; Epicurious; Pink ’s; Dean & Deluca; Green Pastures; Abuela’s; Papa Diddi’s; Prime 101; and Vask Tapas Room. A c c o r d i n g t o Pa u l Pe r e z , consultant of the Meat and Livestock Australia, every major premium restaurant in the country carries one or two cuts of Australian grassfed beef. More local restaurants are also now offering a wide range of meat options, from restaurant grade cuts to hamburger patties and corned beef. “We at MLA also work closely w i t h va r i o u s a s s o c i at i o n s o f chefs, restaurateurs and high-end groceries. We give trainings on how to avoid mishandling the beef, especially since we are a tropical country and the meat can become stale if mishandled,” Perez said. Cafe 1228 executive chef Robert Davis said there was a marked difference between grass-fed and grain-fed beef. “Grass-fed cattle is very natural, well-adapted, chemical-free and hormone-free. It can be a little chewy but that is the way beef should be – it should have a little chew, a little bite to it,” he said. “I am sure if Australian cattle can speak English, they would say how happy they are, up until their last day at least,” Davis said in jest.

Business

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SUNDAY, JULY 16, 2017 business@manilastandard.net

DROPOUT...

From C1

that the product will last,” he says. His three manufacturing plants now produce a total of 5,000 pieces of roofing materials a day. Mileage Asia also imports 5,000 to 6,000 metrics tons of materials a month, which he estimates translate into 100,000 pieces. The International Organization for Migration, one of the largest groups that were involved in the rehabilitation of Samar and Leyte, tapped Mileage Asia in 2013 to supply roofing materials for homes that were flattened by typhoon Yolanda. “In my estimate, we supplied 60 percent of roofing materials to Tacloban, Samar and Leyte. Our plants in Quezon City and Meycauayan operated 24/7 that time to meet the requirements, and we supplied no less than 100,000 pieces,” he says. From manufacturing, Ngo is now diversifying into other businesses. He teamed up with broadcast journalist Arnold Clavio to put up Kapihan ni Igan, now a popular restaurant in Pasig City, with an outlet being considered in Makati City soon. He is also a partner in Rich Global Production, an events company that holds beauty pageants. He also plans to put up a consulting company on conference and seminars, a coffee shop at a new hotel along Makati Ave. in Makati City, a medical-aesthetic clinic in Fort Bonifacio and a resort in Antique province. He also is an investor in a foreign investment fund that helps companies grow. Moreover, Ngo is interested in teaming up with a foreign company to develop solar roofing for solar cars. Outside work, Ngo is an active member of Rotary Club of MakatiDasmariñas, where he participates in socio-civic activities. He supports the varsity teams of UE, as he himself was active in sports as a student. He plays golf regularly and finds time to jog around Ayala Heights in Quezon City where his family lives. Ngo says some of his scholars were able to complete their education and are now working at an airline company and an advertising agency. “I will continue the scholarship program as long as I can,” he says. UE awarded Ngo as one of its most outstanding alumni in 2013, although he did not complete his mechanical engineering course at the university. Ngo was the commencement speaker at the graduation ceremony of Polytechnic University of the Philippines in 2016 when he was conferred Doctor of Humanities (honoris causa). Looking back, Ngo says while he found success as a businessman without graduating from college, he still considers education as a key to success. “I believe that it still counts if you have knowledge and education,” the low-key businessman says. Ngo, a street-smart entrepreneur, says his business strategy is a c o m b i n a t i o n o f diskar te a n d pakikisama, sprinkled with luck. “You should know how to play your cards. You should learn how to play, how to lose and how to win,” he says. “Business is also like life, and its success depends on how you manage it. We need to find contentment. In being contented, you will be surprised once opportunity comes to you. I am now contented and good health is what I pray for,” says Ngo. Roderick T. dela Cruz

A Mice (meetings, incentive travel, conferences and exhibitions) activity in Taiwan

TAIWAN SET TO LIFT VISA TO WOO FILIPINO TRAVELERS By Othel V. Campos

T

HE Bureau of Foreign Trade of Taiwan has launched “Meet Taiwan,” a Mice (meetings, incentive travel, conferences and exhibitions) promotion in Manila, ahead of the lifting of visa requirement for Filipino travelers later this year.

To make events easier and hassle-free, Taiwan plans to extend visa-free privilege to Filipinos, with a formal announcement expected by September 2017. Holders of valid visa or permanent resident certificate issued by Australia, Canada, Japan, Korea, New Zealand, any of the Schengen countries, the United Kingdom, or the United States, are eligible for the visa exemption program. Meet Taiwan’s first networking event in Manila aims to introduce to the country Taiwan’s vast incentive travel options, Mice facilities and numerous resources. Meet Taiwan executive director Lily Su, brought over participants from Taiwan hotel representatives, travel agencies, professional conference and exhibition organizers, events companies to meet Philippine corporate buyers, and travel trade executives. Meet Taiwan introduces three themes woven into its “Asia Super Team” marketing campaign for Southeast Asian countries: team building, work and life balance and CSR activities. “The Mice agencies in Taiwan particularly travel agencies, hotels and conference/ exhibition companies are famous for their

creativity and innovation. We hope more companies in the Philippines would come to join us and learn about Taiwan’s vast MICE opportunities,” Su said. The networking event in Manila also targeted Taiwanese companies operating in the Philippines and who may bring their employees to Taiwan for meetings, trainings and leisure/travel. With this program, Taiwan hopes to bring more Mice visitors from the Philippines. Meet Taiwan underscores the region’s strengths and privileges that hope to put Taiwan in the Mice spotlight in the Southeast Asian region. It has implemented a number of successful programs that push for Taiwan’s role as a major player in Mice in the Southeast Asian region. The Bureau of Foreign Trade under the Ministry of Economic Affairs have been aggressively improving Taiwan’s Mice industry since 2009. For continued investment in the industry, Taiwan’s Mice Promotion Program or Meet Taiwan, was launched to steer Taiwan’s Mice industry to penetrate the global market. Taiwan’s Mice Promotion Program is aimed at turning Taiwan into a leader for outstanding Mice services with the long-term objective to enhance the quality and efficiency of services, strengthen Taiwan’s brand and sharpen the competitive edge in the global market and make Taiwan one of the top destinations for Mice business. The task force under the program will continue to exploit advantages of Taiwan’s Mice industry to attract more business opportunities, maximize the visibility of Meet Taiwan and increase international recognition of Taiwan’s Mice industry. By doing so, Taiwan’s Mice industry services could become more visible internationally, bringing more international Mice events to

Taiwan. Meet Taiwan provides incentives and measures to land better business opportunities and boost industry growth. Mice initiatives have helped bolster Philippines-Taiwan relations in recent years. Taiwan has been among the country’s top five sources of investments. A major investor throughout Southeast Asia, Taiwan has made a strong imprint in a wide variety of industries in the Philippines, among them electronics, telecommunications, information technology and construction. Founded in 2015, Meet Taiwan has achieved significant gains since its inception. According to statistics released by the International Congress and Convention Association, Taiwan ranked fourth in Asia, exceeding Singapore, Thailand and India in 2015. Taiwan, the 24th largest economy in the world, is the eighth-largest trading partner of the Philippines, with $7.1 billion worth of bilateral trade in 2016, according to Global Trade Atlas. C o r r e s p o n d i n g t o Ta i w a n’s N e w Southbound Policy, an important program objective for 2017 is to increase the visibility of Taiwan companies at major events in Asean. More efforts will go to attract visitors/ buyers from 10 Asean countries including the Philippines, six South Asian countries, New Zealand and Australia through Mice events. Taiwan is looking forward to substantially expand its economy through infrastructure and public enterprise investments in 2017. Taiwan currently hosts some 135,000 Filipino workers and has consistently been a source of substantial development cooperation assistance, particularly in industrial design, agriculture, aquaculture, weather forecasting and technical skills training.

TOPNOTCH RETAILERS, EXPERTS TO LEAD STORES ASIA EXPO 2017 WORLD-CLASS retailers and experts will present tips and solutions on how to prepare for the fast-changing digital age during the 24th edition of the National Retail Conference and Stores Asia Expo 2017 on Aug. 10 and 11, 2017 at SMX Convention Center Manila. Bringing together the key movers and shakers of retail and its allied industries in a two-day conference, NRCE 2017 with the theme “FutureProofing Retail” will put together CEOs and top-level executives of companies all over the Philippines to talk about topics including new trends in retailing, branding design, future of shopping malls, creating niche in diverse market, online retailing, fashion retailing, impact of music in the marketplace, food retailing and engaging the millennial consumers, among others. The annual NRCE – the biggest and most important retail event in the country - is the flagship project of the

Philippine Retailers Association, the acknowledged national organization of retailers and suppliers nationwide. The NRCE 2017 will feature talks and panel discussions from industry experts and personalities led by Leyte Rep. and TV personality Lucy Torres-Gomez, Senator Sonny Angara and Rustan Supercenters Inc. chief executive Irwin Lee as keynote speakers for the two-day conference. Torres-Gomez is the representative of the 4th District of Leyte. Some of her legislative accomplishments include Republic Act No. 10390 or Act Revitalizing the People’s Television Network and RA 10541 or Act Creating An Additional Branch of the Regional Trial Court in Ormoc, Leyte. She is also active in conducting various projects in her district including construction of new school buildings, scholarship program, and provision of boats to fishermen. Senator Angara, who has served as

the representative of Aurora province for three terms before he was elected senator in 2013, is the Senate’s leading voice for tax reform to raise the takehome pay of ordinary workers and to make our country a more attractive investment destination. He is now the chairman of the Senate committees on local government, and ways and means. Lee, CEO of Rustan Supercenters earlier served as a board director at Wm Morrison Supermarkets Plc. and a senior advisor at McKinsey & Co. He started his career at Procter & Gamble in the Philippines and rose to become chief financial officer in Indonesia, Japan/Korea and Greater China. He then held general manager and managing director roles in China and UK/Ireland, culminating as regional CEO for P&G Northern Europe. Other international speakers and presenters are Filipino Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers

vice president and noted musician Jim Paredes, Zalora Philippines chief executive Paolo Campos, Google Philippines marketing manager Gabby Roxas, Springtime Design Limited Creative and managing director Chris Dingcong and organization development advisor Susan Grace Rivera. Two panels composed of young and upcoming retailers such as Apartment 8 president Sheira Lim, Sunnies Café finance director Eric Dee Jr. and Genki Sushi wwner Eric Teng will discuss the new generation of retailers and food retail as mall anchors. New for this year’s NRCE is the launch of the Supermarket Track dedicated to supermarkets and food retailers which will discuss modern retailing with a responsive Department of Trade, spatial planning, and supermarket trends in Asia Pacific. NRCE 2017 overall chairman Lorenzo Formoso said this year’s event

aims to create a deeper understanding of modern retail as well as open more opportunities for partnerships and networking. Back to back with the conference is the only focused and dedicated retail suppliers’ expo showcasing the “tools for global retailing” from over 100 exhibitors offering products and solutions for the retail industry such as retail solutions, e-commerce and m-commerce, shop fittings and store designs, digital marketing, commercial and real estate developers, web developers, non-traditional advertising, financial services, storage and distribution, HR solution and billboard locations. The Stores Asia Expo, which is the biggest in the Philippines and is one of the longest running retail suppliers’ expo in Asia, expects to draw more than 3,000 visitors and decision makers from the retail and related industries.

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SUNDAY, JULY 16, 2017 reuelvidal@yahoo.com

PONTILLAS POWERS PETRON TO THRONE

NE of the most underrated players in local volleyball, Aiza MaizoPontillas again stepped up her game to power Petron back to the throne in local women’s volleyball. Petron overcame a gritty F2 Logistics squad, 26-24, 24-26, 24-26, 2523, 15-11, in Game 2 of the Philippine Superliga (PSL) All-Filipino Conference best-of-three finals showdown at the Filoil Flying V Centre. Skipper Frances Molina delivered the crucial hits in the fifth set that powered the Blaze Spikers to the thrilling victory but the brightest star was the veteran Maizo-Pontillas, who finished with 13 kills for 14 points after the cardiac battle that lasted for two hours and 27 minutes. Petron thus won the crown of this prestigious women’s club tourney bankrolled by Rebisco, Gold’s Gym and Belo with TV5 as official broadcast partner. Molina had 10 points while Sisi Rondina spearheaded the attack with 16 markers for Petron, which survived the furious fight back of the Cargo Movers in the deciding set through sheer hard work and determination on both ends. The former University of Santo Tomas star capped her season-long brilliance with a Most Valuable Player (MVP) award in this tourney that also has Senoh, Mueller, Asics, Mikasa and Grand Sport as technical sponsors. It was sweet victory for the Blaze Spikers as they finally reclaimed the crown that eluded them for a year. It was also vindication for Maizo-Pontillas who not only led her team to the championship but also earned the tournament Most Valuable Player citation. Other winners of individual awards include: Ennajie Laure, 1st Best Outside Spiker; Ara Galang 2nd Best Outside Spiker; Majoy Baron, 1st Best Middle Blocker; Mika Reyes, 2nd Best Middle Blocker; Best Setter Rhea Dimaculangan, Best Opposite Spiker, Jaja Santiago; Best Libero Jheck Dionela. The first time Petron won the crown was in the Grand Prix of 2014

Steven Adams

ADAMS HEADLINES NBA 3X TOURNEY

Petron star player Aiza Maizo-Pontillas hammers the volleyball past a pair of F2 Logistics blockers. Maizo-Pontillas, finished with 13 kills for 14 points to lead her team to victory in the cardiac battle that lasted two hours and 27 minutes. PSL

with American sensation Alaina Bergsma and Brazilian playmaker Erika Adachi serving as reinforcements. The Blaze Spikers again clinched the title in the All-Filipino the following year as stars Aby Marano, Dindin Manabat and Rachel Anne Daquis assembled a powerful troika to register a historic 13-0 sweep of the tournament. Since then, it was all misfortune for Petron as Marano left to reunite with her former La Salle teammates while Daquis returned to the Philippine Army. Manabat also bolted out to join sister Jaja Santiago at Foton. The Blaze Spikers launched a massive overhaul and lured back Maizo-Pontillas as well as April Ross Hingpit, Bang Pineda and CJ Rosario to join holdovers Carmina Aganon and Molina. But the title remained elusive. The Blaze Spikers failed to advance to the finals of the Invitationals and All-Filipino last year before

Former teammates at perennial UAAP champion team DLSU Lady Archers Mika Reyes (3) and Kim Fajardo (9) find themselves at opposite sides of the net. Reyes plays for Petron while Fajardo is with F2 Logistics. PSL

bowing to the Tornadoes in the finals of the Grand Prix, prompting them to wage another wave of recruitment spree that led to the acquisition of Mika Reyes, Rhea Dimaculangan, Rondina, Bernadeth Pons, Remy Palma and Marivic Meneses. And with such a star-studded roster, Petron proved that hard work and sacrifice would lead to a fluid chemistry and, eventually, back to the title. “It’s been two years since the last time we tasted the crown,” said Molina, who is one of the two remaining players from the Petron squad that won the All-Filipino crown two years ago. “We wanted it very badly. We were hungry and determined to win.”

Petron outside spiker Sisi Rondina (16) elevates as she smashes the volleyball through a pair of F2 Logistics defenders. PSL

Both teams traded punches early on. The Blaze Spikers were buried, 2422, before Rondina and Pons buckled down to work and took turns in unloading bombs from the open spot to grab the lead and the set point, 2524, in the first set. Reyes denied Kim Dy in the ensuing play to give Petron a 1-0 lead. But the Cargo Movers refused to surrender. Trailing by four in the crucial stretch, 20-24, Galang connected back-to-back kills before Tin Tiamzon scored on a block for the set point, 25-24. Then, Fajardo dropped an ace to equalize the match at one-set apiece.

COACH AQUINO PROMISES GOOD SHOWING IN COMING TOURNAMENTS By Nathanielle Punay

Coach Patrick Aquino says the Perlas Pilipinas team is preparing for both the 2017 FIBA Asian Women’s Cup and the SEA Games.

Aquino also mentioned Perlas’ coordination with other teams as PERLAS Pilipinas coach Patrick “Pat” part of training. Aquino said his team is hard at work The team has been playing against preparing for coming tournaments. The various high school boys’ teams in order team has trained inside and outside the to see their progress and also went to a country in preparation for two of the mini-tournament in Malaysia last June. most-awaited games which are the FIBA Against high school teams, Perlas Asian Women’s Cup and the Southeast managed to score an average of 60-80 Asia Games. points which exceeded their coach’s “For now, we getting ready for the expectations. FIBA-Asia,” Aquino said. “It’s our first “The talent they have is not far time to be in Level One. So our competi- (from other teams). And I always say to tors here will be big-time countries. And them that they do not know how you we’re hoping that we will maintain our play and that the best strategy is to status as Level One.” represent Filipinas.” The Philippine team is in a bracket As for the teams competing in FIBA, with Japan, Australia and South Korea. Aquino said that Indonesia went to train The 2017 FIBA Asian Women’s Cup will for a month in the United States while be held July 23-29 in Bangalore, India. Thailand will field their veteran players.

“We’re going to fight,” Aquino said. “We’ll prove to them that we deserve to be the champion this year, especially in the SEA Games.” Perlas Pilipinas will be relying mostly on the same players and some new ones that are “younger but bigger”. “They really play together as a team. This team is really something.” Perlas Pilipinas will leave the country July 21 for FIBA while the SEA Games will be held on August 19-30 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The SEA Games is a biennial multisport event with participants from the 11 countries of Southeast Asia. The Southeast Asian Games Federation with supervision by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the Olympic Council of Asia supervises the games.

ANOTHER National Basketball Association (NBA) star will visit the country when Oklahoma City Thunder player Steven Adams attends the NBA 3X Philippines presented by AXA from July 22-23 at the SM Mall of Asia Music Hall. Former NBA coach Reggie Theus and the Laker Girls will be with Adams. NBA 3X Philippines 2017 will feature a 3-on-3 tournament featuring men’s and women’s teams of all skill levels as well as NBA entertainment throughout the weekend. The 2017 edition of NBA 3X Philippines began with a preliminary tournament July 15-16 at Don Bosco Technical Institute Makati that will determine the participants in the finals at the SM Mall of Asia. Additionally, the league will conduct an NBA Cares clinic for 10-14-year-old boys and girls at the indoor court of the Polytechnic University of the Philippines College of Engineering on July 19. “I’m looking forward to meeting the Filipino fans and experiencing the country’s vibrant culture. I’m also excited to work with the talented athletes from across the Philippines at NBA 3X,” said Adams. Theus was equally pleased to part of the event saying, “This will be my first trip to the Philippines, and I can’t wait to see the passion Filipinos have for the game of basketball. With the inclusion of 3-on-3 basketball in the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo, NBA 3X is a testament to the growth and popularity of the game internationally,” said Theus. “We are excited to partner with NBA 3X Philippines and see this as a platform to elevate 3-on-3 basketball in the country,” said Raul Hora, President and CEO of AXA Philippines. “In the same way that we assist clients in making sound financial decisions, we look forward to seeing boys and girls of all ages showcase their skills, exhibit teamwork, and execute their gameplan to win on and off the court. With Steven, Reggie, and the Laker Girls in attendance, this event is a great opportunity to provide the NBA experience to fans.” The competitive 3-on-3 tournament includes divisions for boys (under-13, under-16, under-18, and open category), girls (under-16 and open category), an invitation only Celebrity Division featuring local personalities, as well as a new division exclusive to AXA employees and distributors. Adams, a 7’0” center from New Zealand, was drafted 12th overall by the Oklahoma City Thunder in the 2013 NBA Draft. He was selected to the NBA AllRookie Second Team in 2014. During the 2016-17 season, Adams averaged 11.3 points, 7.7 rebounds, and 1 block per game. Theus was drafted 9th overall by the Chicago Bulls in the 1978 NBA Draft and selected to the NBA All-Rookie First Team in 1979. A two-time NBA All-Star, Theus played 13 seasons in the NBA before playing internationally. He was named head coach of Sacramento Kings during the 2007-08 season before becoming an assistant coach for the Minnesota Timberwolves from 2009-2011. He is currently the head coach of Cal State Northridge in the NCAA. NBA 3X Philippines 2017 is presented by AXA Philippines together with official partners CloudFone, Globe At Home and Globe Prepaid, Panasonic, as well as supporting partners SM Mall of Asia and Spalding. Official NBA broadcasters for the event are ABSCBN Sports and Action, Basketball TV, and NBA Premium TV. All participants in NBA 3X Philippines 2017 will receive an NBA 3X jersey with special prizes for the winners of each division. Registration fees for the age divisions run at Php 1,000 per team, while open divisions run at Php 1,600 pesos per team. For more information on NBA 3X Philippines 2017 log on to www.nba3x.com/ philippines and follow www.facebook. com/nba3xasia.

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SUNDAY, JULY 16, 2017 Riera U. Mallari, Editor / Reuel Vidal, Issue Editor / Randy Caluag, Issue Editor

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MISSION ACCOMPLISHED FOR SHELL ACTIVE CHESS

By Peter Atencio

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FTER 25 years of engaging the hearts and minds of young players, proponents of the Shell Active Youth Chess believe it had accomplished its mission and will be leaving a lasting legacy in the sport.

The longest-running grassroots chess program bid farewell with its NCR leg that served as the last and final competition at the SM Mall of Asia recently. “Shell Chess has been my training ground,” said newly minted Woman International Master Mikee Charlene Suede, who was guest speaker in the final leg, recalling how she achieved the WIM title and the GM norm. The tournament had been her training ground that helped her become one of only three Filipina chess players to get a grandmaster norm. “My cousins and I, together with my dad who had thought us the rudiments of the game, would prepare for Shell Active Chess months ahead. Aside from experience and the accomplishments I got, it sort of became a bonding moment for us as well, and it helped boost my personality. I‘m grateful to Shell for sponsoring tournaments like these for 25 years now,” she said. Most of the country’s top chessers started out as young prodigies who honed their skills with the help of their parents or mentors in school. In recent years though, grassroots programs like Shell Active Chess have also started to create an impact in creating awareness and better appreciation for this mind game Suede, now 22 years old, eventually plans to improve on her game and get the two remaining norms she needs for the WGM title by playing in chess competitions outside the country. When that happens, she’ll join Janelle Mae Frayna, also a Shell Chess alumna, as the second Filipina to secure a WGM title.

Francois Marie Magpily in full concentration as she looks for the winning moves.

threw caution to the wind and pressed for an early attack,” said Magpily. “Unfortunately, I lost. So I played more cautiously in the next rounds, settling for draws whenever necessary. What I learned from years of joining this competition—to not feel disheartened after a loss—has finally paid off,” added the student of General Pio Del Pilar National High School.

The Beginning

Executives of Pilipinas Shell conceived Shell Active Chess in 1992 to promote Filipino youth development as part of the energy company’s social investment efforts to give back to the community and contribute to nation-building. The mental sport was chosen because like basketball, chess was already becoming a part of Philippine culture, being a popular pastime at that time, thanks to GM Eugene Torre, whose own exploits in the board game in the 70s and the 80s has

inspired many others to play chess. Shell Active Chess was opened to all non-titled chess players age 7-20 years old. Participants are categorized into kiddies (8-12), juniors (13-16) and seniors (17-20). Players compete in qualifying legs conducted in NCR, Southern Luzon, Visayas, as well as in Northern and Southern Mindanao. Once the top players in each leg have been named, the final leg is then held in Manila. Winners in qualifying legs and in the grand finals are awarded trophies and cash prizes. Pilipinas Shell has living up to its commitment of fuelling dreams for many generations of Filipinos through innovative projects like Shell Active Chess and through initiatives promoting energy security and energy efficiency. Shell might have put an end to a long-running chapter of Shell Active Chess, but it’s opening a new window of opportunity for another social project which it will be announcing very soon.

Training for the brain

There are many scientific studies proving the benefits of playing chess in young children. And all of them found that it helps kids perform well in school by improving their intelligence. Because chess is a problemsolving game, the brain is trained to be alert, analyze, plan, strategize and make logical decisions. Equipped with such mental skills, students who play chess are able to learn faster than their classmates. Playing chess doesn’t only sharpen thinking in a developing brain. Studies have also shown that it improves emotional intelligence. Suede’s is just one of the many success stories of chess-playing students achieving success in school and in life. Another product of Shell National Youth Active Chess is 14-year-old is Francois Marie Magpily, who has

Women’s International Master Charlene Suede, who is one of the many products of Shell Active Youth Chess, sharing her stories to participants of the NCR leg

developed the attitude of never giving up. Magpily, this year’s top female performer and overall champion in the juniors division of the NCR leg of Shell Chess, has been joining this innovative competition for many years. “I’ve been playing to win each game at the start and was lucky to have won the first five games. My confidence was so high that when I faced the tournament’s top seed, I

Topping the seniors division of Shell’s longest-running chess tilt held at the SM Mall of Asia in Pasay City recently is Dale Bernardo (center) of Far Eastern University. With him are Francois Marie Magpily (right) of General Pio National High School, juniors champion and also the Top Female player awardee; and kiddies champ Cyrus Vladimir Francisco (left) of San Beda College. The three received their trophies and cash prizes from WIM Mikee Charlene Suede, a former Shell Active Chess participant and the first Filipina to win the Asian Juniors Chess Championship, and Karla Lukban Zarate, Shell ER Brand Adviser. Aside from Shell V-Power, Shell Advance, Shell Rimula, Shell Helix, Shell Fuel Save and Shell Card, the country’s longest-running search for chess talents sanctioned by the National Chess Federation of the Philippines is also being held in partnership with SM Supermalls.

OLIVAREZ CUP TENNIS FESTIVAL LIST-UP ON THE Olivarez Cup, an annual tennis festival featuring the leading and upcoming agegroupers and elite players, will be held Aug. 4-16 with another banner field tipped to clash for top honors in various divisions at the Olivarez Sports Center in Sucat, Parañaque. Registration is ongoing for the two-week long ranking tournament culminating in the Open Championship among the country’s top players, including members of the national pool and team. Deadline for listup is on July 24. Entries can be emailed to bobbymangunay@ yahoo.com. For details, call tournament organizer Bobby Mangunay, also the PPS-PEPP sports program development director, at 0915-4046464. All the winners in the various legs of this year’s Palawan Pawnshop-Palawan Express Pera Padala age-grouper are competing in the top-ranking tournament, ensuring a spirited chase for the 10-unisex and boys’ and girls’ 12-, 14-, 16- and 18-and-under singles titles and the doubles in 10-U, 14- and 18-U sides. “This is going to be exciting with all the winners of the previous PPS-PEPP legs competin and are raring to prove their worth against each other,” said Parañaque Mayor Edwin Olivarez, who helped put up the event along with Rep. Eric Olivarez and Dr. Pablo Olivarez as par t of the family ’s long-time commitment to develop the sport and help in the country’s talent-search. The age-grouper is set Aug. 4-9 while the InterSchool non-ranking tournament for men’s and women’s featuring the singles and doubles competitions will be played from Aug. 10-15. The centerpiece Open, to be led by defending champions Johnny Arcilla and Khim Iglupas, will be held Aug. 1016 with the qualifying rounds slated Aug. 8-10. Palawan Pawnshop, the long-time backer of Philippine tennis, is throwing its all out support to the event again with Slazenger as the official ball. “It is our desire to help and further help develop the sport and produce world-class players because we believe Filipino netters can be at par with the world’s best,” said Palawan Pawnshop president/ COO Bobby Castro.

STEPHAN LHUILLIER: YOUNG MAN WITH BIG DREAMS FOR TENNIS AS A young tennis player, Stephan Lhuillier had the opportunity to develop his game from some of the best instructors and coaches in the land. After all, his father is sportsmanbusinessman Jean Henri Lhuillier whose passion and support for sports, including tennis, is unquestioned. Stephan also had the chance to interact with tennis trainers, particularly in the provinces whenever he played in agegroup tournaments sponsored by his father’s firm, Cebuana Lhuillier. From what he has learned, this 17-year-old was prompted to do a personal advocacy and put up the Pinoy Tennis Trainers Program. The program was aimed specifically at

helping struggling tennis trainers to improve their skills and knowledge and improve their lives as they can get paid better. The program, with national coach Roland Kraut at the helm, was launched last year with three legs. And with its initial success, Stephan ramped up ten legs nationwide this year. The program had so far completed seven legs including those held in Bohol, Negros Oriental, Butuan, Cebu, Bulacan, and Palawan. The last three legs for the year are scheduled in Oroquieta, Cavite, and Olongapo, and incidentally, all the locations are also venues for the tennis grassroots development program initiated by his father and is currently the longest-running pro-

gram of its kind in the country, with the two programs perfectly complementing one another--one aimed at young players and the other at trainers and coaches. The best thing about this program, which is a combination of lecture and on-court instructional drills, is that it is free of charge for all the participants with some of them even receiving free tennis rackets as a result of Stephan’s Adopt-A-Racket program. Some companies and private individuals like Babolat and Dunlop and national players Treat Huey and Ruben Gonzales also helped in making the whole Pinoy Tennis Trainers truly a unique, sustainable program. In two years’ time, Stephan is looking at a yield of 200 new coaches, all former trainers, something that he speaks with

pride, “ I am happy about the response we have received from the participants, they really appreciate the program knowing it will benefit them and the sport as well, it is good to know that with this developmental program, I am able to help change and improve lives, “ said the young Lhuillier. This early, he is already looking far beyond 2017, aiming to hold an annual tournament for the program graduates, at the same time collect a total of 500 tennis rackets. He also aims to provide the chance to some of the top graduates to have the much needed international exposure in international tournaments and international coaching seminars, something that he actually already started last year.

Stephan Lhuillier in one of his lectures

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Jimbo Gulle, Editor

Roger Garcia, Issue Editor

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HIGH DEMAND SPURS FIRMS TO RECLAIM MANILA BAY LAND By Kariza Aycocho

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AND values in reclaimed areas in Metro Manila have risen sharply due to the growing appetite for office, residential, and retail projects, global real estate firm Colliers International said in a recent report. Coupled with the lack of developable land in established business districts in Metro Manila, this compels developers to look for alternative landbanking options, Colliers added. “The popularity of reclaimed developments in the Manila Bay Area such as Aseana City is gaining traction among developers and this reinforces the viability of reclaimed land as a highly feasible landbanking strategy,” the firm said. “The strong demand for office buildings will be complemented by residential and retail projects hence the need to reclaim more developable land,” said Paul Vincent Ramirez, Colliers International Philippines director for valuation. The leading Central Business Districts like Makati and Fort Bonifacio, Ramirez said, is only hovering between 1 percent and 3 percent

vacancies, which made the Aseana City areas in demand for the business process outsourcing industry to sustain the country’s 6 percent to 7 percent annual economic growth. “As developable land in Metro Manila’s major business districts becomes scarce and prices continue to surge, it is only practical for developers to look for viable landbanking alternatives such as reclaimed land in the Manila Bay Area,” Ramirez added. The Manila Bay area ranges between P200,000 to P250,000 per square meter, growing by an average of 30 percent annually over the past five years. Meanwhile, land in Makati CBD and Fort Bonifacio hovers between P500,000 to P600,000 per square meter, rising about 15 to 20 percent per annum during the same period. The cost of the reclaimed area is more viable compared to the land established in CBDs, Colliers said. At present, Manila Bay has five active reclamation projects—the New Manila Bay City of Pearl project; The Manila Solar City Project; Pasay City Reclamation Project; Navotas City Coastal Bay Development Project; and the Las Piñas-Parañaque Coastal Bay Reclamation Project. The “live-work-play-shop” lifestyle popularized by Aseana City added to the eagerness of the developers to reclaim the land. Additional to the viability of mixed-use projects is the proposed public infrastructure projects nearby, including the Naia Expressway, Light Rail Transit (LRT) 1 Cavite Extension, Southwest Integrated Terminal, Sangley Airport, and Metro Manila subway.

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FISH FLOAT. A float designed like a tilapia fish—which is plentiful in Lake Sebu—steals everyone's attention during a parade for the 51st Foundation Anniversary of South Cotabato province and the 18th Tnalak Festival. Amiel M. Cagayan

OIL FIRM, RED CROSS GIVE OUT‘BAGS OF LIFE’ BLOOD shortage has been one of the most pressing problems experienced by many hospitals in the Philippines. For this reason, the Philippine Red Cross has been working double time to make sure there is ample supply of blood for Filipinos who need it. To encourage more blood donations, Red Cross ties up with different institutions from both government and the private sector for bloodletting activities. Among the private companies who yielded to the call of the Philippine Red Cross is Phoenix Petroleum Philippines through its foundation arm Phoenix Philippines Foundation.

“When we started, we were only able to donate 12 bags,” said Ben Sur, Phoenix Philippines Petroleum manager for corporate affairs. “But eventually, our employees gained an appreciation of the bloodletting activities and now we can donate at least 300 bags of blood.” Sur said the partnership with Red Cross has helped both institutions in times of need, in life or death situations. Red Cross Blood program coordinator Rizh Abellano said the roles played by the partners of Red Cross are crucial to the success of the mission of the institution. “A bag of blood can save a life, and we are

Local Gov’t Units

thankful to Phoenix Philippines Foundation for heeding our call,” said Abellano. Sur, on the other hand, hopes to increase the donation from its employees every year by providing appreciation seminars and other programs. He also said the foundation is tying up with its adopted communities as well as industry partners for blood donations. “When you give blood, you don’t give so much, but the impact of that one bag is significant to the person who requires it,” Sur said. “We wish that as we go on this journey, we can encourage more people to donate blood.”

HAGONOY: A TOWN OR A BODY OF WATER? THE town of Hagonoy in Bulacan has names of saints for almost all its barangays—San Jose, San Agustin, San Sebastian, Sto. Niño, San Miguel, San Pascual, San Nicolas, San Pablo, Sta. Ines, Sta. Elena, Sta. Monica, San Juan, San Isidro, San Pedro, Sta. Cruz, San Roque, and Sto. Rosario to be exact. The townsfolk have prayed to all these saints—and have sought more divine intervention—for a miracle for their seemingly eternal problem: flooding during the rainy season. Geographically, Hagonoy is on low-lying land near a coastal area —it sits on the northern shores of Manila Bay—which are primary factors for the community to submerge whenever it starts to rain heavily. The water released from the nearby Angat and Ipo Dams also cannot be held by the Bustos Dam, which caused the latter to overflow. The raging waters come down the Pampanga River (as its catch basin) and travels along different barangays on its path, including those in Hagonoy. With just a little downpour, the whole first-class municipality turns into a body of water. Another factor is the elevation of the town’s roads. The main roads were raised, but the residents who could not raise their homes to match them suffer. When it rains, the water flows back into the peoples’ homes, even if the rain is not falling anymore. Locals have also blamed the chronic flooding on improper waste management by some people. Even if the town is dismayed by the flood, the religious nature of the people in Hagonoy does not keep them from celebrating despite the natural calamity. There are still processions for the saints’ fiestas in the inundated streets, and devotees attend the church while dipping their legs into “normal” floods that sometimes reach two meters high. Visiting the muddied tombs, seeing fish on the streets, and watching children playing in huge “swimming pools” created by excess water from the dams, rivers, or by a monsoon rain, the people of Hagonoy have learned how to deal with this daily reality for almost four decades. According to the Bulacan Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, with the continued guidance of PRFFWC of Pagasa, they maintains and operates a network of rainfall, river and flood stage observation stations within the province as part of its flood disaster mitigation and management program. The local government unit in Bulacan claiming proper dam protocols can help to alleviate the perennial flood problems not just in Hagonoy but throughout the province of Bulacan. While the Municipality of Hagonoy, through its Environment Management Office in partnership with the Philippine Business for Social Progress last 2012 made an “eco-bike” project which helps in collecting the garbages in different barangays. The former mayor of Hagonoy, Angel Cruz participated and emphasized the value of initiative, but the issue of improper waste management became worst this 2017. Orlan Mauricio and Kariza Aycocho

USWAG DAREPDEP 2017 WINNERS NAMED THE Komisyon sa Wikang Filipino (Commission on the Filipino Language) recently announced the winners of Uswag Darepdep 2017, the literary contests for the youth using various languages in the Philippines. Uswag Darepdep is a competition organized by the KWF under the Office of the President for young writers aged 12 to 17. Every year Uswag Darepdep features four different languages to encourage the youth to use the native language in writing. The objective of the project is to cultivate the native language and to enrich the Filipino language. The winners received a medal and cash prizes worth P15,000 for the 1st prize, P10,000 for the 2nd prize, and P5,000 for the 3rd prize. These are the following winners categorized with the language used:

Kapampangan: Maikling Kuwento (Short Stories)— Darrel G. Sanchez for “Gintung Gracia”, First Prize; Carl Dave P. Santos won second place for “Ing Pamanyulapagpo Que Tune Mong Sarili; and Kisses B. Manalo for “Aldo King Dalumdum”, third prize. Tula (Poetry)—Janrey Chester M. Gomez for “Pamuntok” (1st prize); Christianne Nicole A. Giron for “Kopra, Mais at Palay” (2nd prize); and Angelica Sibal for “Crisotan” ( 3rd prize). Ibaloy: Maikling Kuwento (Short Story) —Misty Joy S. Tam-awen for “Sota Makina Nën Nanang” (first prize); Javier A. Galac for “Ayat Tan Namnaman Na’y Bulos” and Joefrey D. Toriano for “Ngantoy Kavol Na Shibaley Ni Bi-i Pengisi-Chaan Shani Kalon”(3rd prize). Tula (Poetry)—Avemichi A. Kilaban

para for “Adivay” (1st prize); Kertney M. Balagsa for “Biyag ni Aysshi’y Anak” (2nd prize); and Charlote Celo for “Eskweda Jën Medigdigat” (3rd prize). Waray: Maikling Kuwento (Short Story)— Van Raymond M. Ganaba for “ Duha Nga Kalibutan” (1st prize); Rocajane C. Salac for “Pama-agini Blogger” (2nd prize); and Kelly Jean Paolo M. Calapano for “Tugtog” (3rd prize). Tula (Poetry)—Renz Louie C. Caliwan for “Pagbulay” (1st prize); Johani T. Ceblano for “Pagsunod Han Uso” (2nd prize); and Dennis A. Carolino for “An Ato Makagarahom Nga Ginoo” (3rd prize). Bahasa Sug: Maikling kuwento (Short Story)— Darwisa J. Sahali for “Putli’ Bar’ Akkal” (1st prize) at Mershayna J. Sintin for “Maas’ Miskinan” (2nd prize).

DISASTER SUMMIT. Science Undersecretary and Phivolcs Director Renato Solidum (center) joins Director Olivia Luces of the Office of Civil Defense Region 4A (left) and San Pablo Diocese Monsignor Gerry Bitoon (right) during a press conference at the San Pablo Central School in San Pablo City, Laguna. The event held last Friday was part of a Disaster Risk Reduction and Management symposium and an exhibit of static and kinetic booths of various regional disaster management member agencies in the Calabarzon region. Roy Tomandao

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

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MGB EYES DIDIPIO MINE REHAB PLAN By Brenda Jocson

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AYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya—With the recent declaration of stoppage by OceanaGold of its open pit operations in Didipio village, the Mines and Geosciences Bureau said it has stepped in and is now focused on the company's open-pit rehabilitation plan.

Mario Ancheta, MGB Region 2 (Cagayan Valley) director, said the Bureau's move is also in response to the municipal government of Kasibu town calling on the national government to order the rehabilitation of the

company's gold-copper mine site in Didipio village. Earlier, the Kasibu town officials also made the call for the open-pit rehabilitation as soon as the operation was ordered suspended by then Secretary Regina Lopez of the

Department of Environment and Natural Resources. The suspension was lifted after the company filed its appeal with the DENR. MGB officials said that while the Bureau has been continuously and stringently monitoring the Didipio mine's ongoing preliminary rehabilitation, they will look into the company's rehabilitation plan which should have started when the company has stopped its open-pit operation while shifting to tunnel mining. “We will assess whether or not under its mine-rehabilitation plan, the company is now supposed to undertake rehabilitation of the area at this

time," Ancheta said. He said they will also monitor whether or not the company is continually complying in its obligation to make deposits for the mine-rehabilitation fund. In a resolution, the MGB was asked by the Kasibu town council to direct OceanaGold Philippines Inc. to repair a “gaping crater-like pit” in Didipio village. It also cited the Mining Act of 1995 which mandates mining firm to undertake rehabilitation of “excavated, mined out, tailings covered and disturbed areas." The resolution also said: "The town government believes

that [OceanaGold] should have already started rehabilitating the said open pit." Mayor Chito Bumolo of Kasibu town said they have yet to see a concrete rehabilitation plan of OceanaGold once it ceases its operations in Didipio. "We have yet to know what they intend to do with the mine site once they leave, and whether their rehabilitation plan, if any, is acceptable to the communities affected," Bumolo said. In 2013, after two decades of explorations and preparations, OceanaGold has started commercial operations which necessarily flattened what was then

Dinkidi Hill and dug up an open pit in Didipio. This has caused some concern among local officials, some villagers and environment groups. In a telephone interview, however, Ramoncito Gozar, OceanaGold senior vice president for communications and external affairs, said “rehabilitation and closure planning is an integral consideration of the company's [Didipio] operations." “We know the risks in rehabilitating and closing an operating mine and we intend to minimize these risks as far as possible by working closely with our regulators and the community,” Gozar said.

PHILEX SPENDS P2M FOR REHAB OF DRILLED SITES TUBA, Benguet—Philex Mining Corp. had spent a total of P1.56 million between 2015 and 2016 for its rehabilitation efforts—such as the replanting and reforestation of disturbed areas as well as the backfilling of abandoned drill sites—at its two production-sharing agreements with the government and in connection with its Padcal operations in this province. This according to Julius Bayogan, manager at Padcal mine’s Environmental Quality Monitoring and Enhancement Department, saying the environmental work at Philex Mining’s MPSAs 156-2000-CAR and 157-2000CAR in the host towns of Tuba and Itogon also involved the sandbagging of excavated soil, soil-erosion prevention, handling of toxic materials, socioeconomic mitigating measures, and protection measures for employees. An MPSA, or Mine Production Sharing Agreement, provides for the government to share in the production of a contractor (miner) in kind or in monetary value. Bayogan, a licensed mining engineer and mine environmental protection and enhancement officer, said backfilling and sedimentation ponds fall within the progressive

rehabilitation of areas subject to exploration under Philex Mining’s Environmental Work Program for MPSAs, while the sandbagging is part of the management of stockpile of removed earth. The replanting and reforestation activities, he stressed, got the lion’s share of the 2016 EWPM expenditure to the tune of P1.28 million. “We have always been consistent in our efforts geared toward environmental protection,” he said. “There was no replanting and reforestation done in the said areas in 2015 pending the evaluation of drilling results.” Bayogan also said Philex Mining had completed drilling six holes at the Bumolo Prospect of MPSA 156-2000-CAR, with an aggregate meterage of 17,782 meters, between July and December last year. It was also in July 2016 when surface exploration was started in the TAPSAN area of Itogon’s Brgy. Ampucao. TAPSAN stands for Sitios Tapaya, Saes, and Nayen. A geologic mapping and smallscale adit (a nearly horizontal entrance to an underground mine) investigation was also done at Sitio North Midway, also in Barangay Ampucao, during the second semester of 2016.

Republic of the Philippines Department of Health CENTRAL OFFICE BIDS AND AWARDS COMMITTEE INVITATION TO BID HIRING OF A SERVICE PROVIDER FOR SHORT HEALTH MESSAGING SERVICE THRU TEXT BLAST (REBID) IB NO. 2017-124-A 1.

The Department of Health (DOH), through the General Appropriations Act of 2017 intends to apply the sum of Twelve Million Philippine Pesos (PhP12,000,000.00) being the Approved Budget for the Contract (ABC) to payments under the contract for the Hiring of a Service Provider for Short Health Messaging Service Thru Text Blast (Rebid) under IB No. 2017-124-A. Bids received in excess of the ABC shall be automatically rejected at bid opening.

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The DOH now invites bids for the procurement of the above-captioned project. Delivery of the Goods is required within the period specified under Section VI. Schedule of Requirements. Bidders should have completed, within two (2) years from the date of submission and receipt of bids, a contract similar to the Project, equivalent to fifty percent (50%) of the ABC. The description of an eligible bidder is contained in the Bidding Documents, particularly, in Section II. Instructions to Bidders.

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Bidding will be conducted through open competitive bidding procedures using a non-discretionary “pass/fail” criterion as specified in the 2016 Revised Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of Republic Act (RA) 9184, otherwise known as the “Government Procurement Reform Act”. Bidding is restricted to Filipino citizens/sole proprietorships, partnerships, or organizations with at least sixty percent (60%) interest or outstanding capital stock belonging to citizens of the Philippines, and to citizens or organizations of a country the laws or regulations of which grant similar rights or privileges to Filipino citizens, pursuant to RA 5183.

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5.

Interested bidders may obtain further information from the COBAC Secretariat, G/F, Bldg. 6, Department of Health, San Lazaro Compound and inspect the Bidding Documents at the address given above during 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM, Monday to Friday. A complete set of Bidding Documents may be acquired by interested Bidders on 17 July 2017- 07 August 2017 from the address above and upon payment of an applicable fee for the Bidding Documents, pursuant to the latest Guidelines issued by the GPPB in the amount of Twenty Five Thousand Philippine Pesos (PhP25,000.00). It may also be downloaded free of charge from the website of the Philippine Government Electronic Procurement System (PhilGEPS) provided that Bidders who are interested to participate shall pay the applicable fee for the Bidding Documents not later than the submission of their bids.

6.

The DOH will hold a Pre-bid Conference on 24 July 2017, 10:00 AM at the COBAC Conference Room, Ground Floor, Bldg. 6, Department of Health, Sta. Cruz, Manilawhich shall be open to prospective bidders.

7.

Bids must be duly received by the COBAC-B Secretariat at the address below on or before 07 August 2017, 9:00 AM. All Bids must be accompanied by a bid security in any of the acceptable forms and in the amount stated in ITB Clause 18. Bid Opening shall be on 07 August 2017, 9:00 AM at the COBAC Conference Room, Ground Floor, Bldg. 6, Department of Health, Sta. Cruz, Manila. Bids will be opened in the presence of the bidders’ representatives who choose to attend at the address above. Late bids shall not be accepted.

8.

The DOH reserves the right to reject any and all bids, declare a failure of bidding, or not award the contract at any time prior to contract award in accordance with Section 41 of RA 9184 and it IRR, without thereby incurring any liability to the affected bidder or bidders.

9.

For further information, please refer to: COBAC B Secretariat Department of Health San Lazaro Compound Sta. Cruz, Manila Tel. Nos. 651-7800 local 1625 to 1627; 1650 to 52 Facsimile No.: 741-9775; 740-6830 (SGD) MA. CAROLINA V. TAIÑO, CPA, MGM, CESO IV Assistant Secretary of Health COBAC –B Chairperson

(MS-JULY 16, 2017)

NEW TOLLGATE. Valenzuela Mayor Rexlon Gatchalian (on pickup, left) joins Manila North Tollways Corp. and North Luzon Tollways president and chief executive officer Rodrigo Franco and city officials officially open the new NLEX Lingunan Exit in Valenzuela City. This project is made possible with the help of Johnny Sy of John Wilter Land, Robert Que of Flash Built Corp., and Winston Lim of Northgate Corp., who donated their properties for the construction of the new access road. Valenzuela City has the most number of exits and major entries to NLEX, according to MNTC. Jun David

1,300 NCIP SCHOLARS TO PLANT TREES IN BENGUET LA TRINIDAD, Benguet—Some 1,300 beneficiaries of the government's Educational Assistance Program under the Cordillera office of the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples will participate in the regreening of the region's forests through tree planting activities involving them and the members of their families. Lawyer Roland P. Calde, NCIP-CAR regional director, said under their new program, each of the scholars will be required to plant 10 tree seedlings per semester during the duration of their EAP scholarship to boost the efforts of the government in inculcating among the youth the importance of preserving and protecting the environment apart from their being educated on the region's renewed quest for regional autonomy.

Notice of Dissolution of HYDRO CHINA SUBIC LTD. CORPORATION Notice is hereby given of the dissolution of HYDRO CHINA SUBIC LTD. CORPORATION as of December 31,2016. Any party who has any interest in this regard may be give notice thereof at Sapalo Velez Bundang and Bulilan Law Offices, 11th Floor Security Bank Centre, 6776 Ayala Avenue, Makati City (MS-JULY 2,9 & 16, 2017)

NOTICE The State of Hawaii to Lawrence Antonio Lago, you are hereby notified that a petition for adoption of the child born to Marie Venensi Widmann has been filed in the Family Court, First Circuit, State of Hawaii. The petition alleges that your consent to the adoption of the above-named child by the petitioner above-named is not required and may be dispensed with pursuant to Hawaii Revised Statutes Section 578-2(c) as amended. A hearing on the petition will be held on Sep 5, 2017 at 1:30 pm at the Family Court located at the Kapolei Court Complex, 4675 Kapolei Parkway, Third Floor, Kapolei, Hawaii. If you fail to appear at the hearing on date and time and at the place noted above or if you fail to file a written response to the allegations reflected in the Petition for Adoption, further action may be taken including the granting of the adoption without further notice to you. Your written response should be addressed to the Presiding Judge, Family Court, First Circuit, Kapolei Court Complex, 4675 Kapolei Parkway, Kapolei, Hawaii 96707-3272. Failure to obey this notice may result in an entry of a default and default judgment against you. You are further notified that the child, the adoptive parent and the natural parent have rights under H.R.S. Section 578-15 regarding confidentiality of adoption records after the child reaches age 18. (MS-JULY 2,9,16 & 23, 2017

He explained if a grantee is enrolled in a four-year course and is a beneficiary of the EAP for the said period, the beneficiary could have planted at least 80 tree seedlings with a 100 percent survival rate. "We want to teach the youth the important role that our watersheds play in the country's agriculture sector through their active involvement in tree planting activities plus the fact that they will be educated on the importance of the region's renewed quest for regional autonomy so that they will be the ones to help us spread the benefits of the Cordillera achieving autonomous status," Calde stressed. The NCIP-CAR official said the tree planting activities will be launched in the different parts of the region from July 9-31 so that it will also be replicated by the EAP scholars' fellow youth in their places. According to him, the members of the families of the beneficiaries will also be required to help the students maintain the planted trees to guarantee their ultimate survival and for the immediate replacement of tree seedlings that die in the course of the project duration.

Calde emphasized the involvement of the youth in tree planting activities will help them understand the reason why indigenous peoples (IPs) continue to fight for their rights against the entry of multinational companies that will develop, exploit and utilize the region's natural resources, citing the fact that they will also be empowered to stand for the rights of IPs to their ancestral domain and the proper utilization of the resources that should result in bigger benefits for the host and neighboring communities. He said the monitoring of the planted trees will be done in coordination with concerned government agencies, local governments, and various stakeholders to make sure that the beneficiaries comply with their mandate of helping bring back the greenery of the Cordillera mountains. Calde urged the family members of the EAP beneficiaries to support their participation in the new rules that were crafted by the agency so that more tree seedlings will be able to survive and serve their purpose for the benefit of the present and future generation of Cordillerans. Dexter A. See

MEDICAL MISSIONS, BLOOD DRIVE MARK DZRH ANNIVERSARY THE country’s oldest surviving radio station—DZRH—marks its 78th anniversary with medical missions in provinces throughout the country, and a blood drive for soldiers wounded in Marawi. Partnering with public and private organizations through its “Makabagong Bayanihan” program, DZRH will underscore its commitment to public service via a series of events focusing on public health this month. On July 18, residents of Baseco Compound in Tondo will benefit from the Villar Sipag multi-services caravan, sponsored by Senator Cynthia Villar. Then, on July 20, DZRH will hold a bloodletting drive at the Georgetown Subdivision Covered Court, Brgy. Molino IV, Bacoor, in partnership with Dugong Alay, Dugtong Buhay. That same day, DZRH, together with some private companies will be extending assistance and providing recognition and

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

entertainment for soldiers wounded during the Marawi conflict who are currently confined at the AFP Medical Center, also known as the V. Luna General Hospital in Quezon City. On July 29, DZRH teams up with World Class Presidents, Rotary International District 3780, and the Baguio City Lions Club to hold a medical and optical mission at the Gov. Bado Dangwa Agro-Industrial School, Brgy. Balakbak, Kapangan, Benguet. The following day, July 30, DZRH and the Rotary Club of Downtown Session will be conducting a medical mission in Baguio. As the flagship station of Manila Broadcasting Company, DZRH operates the longest running and farthest-reaching radio news network in the country, which enables it to serve Filipinos all throughout the nation not only through its broadcasts, but also through social responsibility and outreach projects.

Gadgets & Games

SONY'S MID-RANGE WONDER NOW HERE

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SUNDAY, JULY 16, 2017 rumallari@thestandard.com.ph

New PowerEdge 14th generation servers —the bedrock of the modern data center—include performance gains to provide customers a secure and optimized platform for every workload with simplified management

DELL EMC LAUNCHES NEXT GEN OF SERVER PORTFOLIO Sony outs the highly anticipated Xperia XA1 Ultra in the Philippines

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FTER making waves at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona in February, the Sony Xperia XA1 Ultra finally lands in stores nationwide. Sporting a sleek borderless design and performance driven specs, Sony’s brand new XA1 Ultra sets the bar high for smartphones in its price range. A Screen to Love

in producing best in class digital cameras, Sony has equipped the XA1 Ultra with an impeccable rear camera that can shoot photos up to 23 megapixels in resolution with a large, 1/2.3-inch Exmor™ RS for mobile sensor and bright F2.0 lens so that photos will still come out beautifully. Combining Hybrid Autofocus and its quick launch and capture feature, the camera is able to capture subjects with speed and accuracy. The XA1 Ultra also features a Crisp Photos, Sharper Selfies 23mm-wide, 16 megapixel front Taking their decades of experience camera that’s equipped with an Op-

The XA1 Ultra touts a generous 6” borderless Full HD screen with 2.5D glass for a comfortable fit. An immersive viewing experience awaits you right at the palm of your hand when watching your favorite movies or playing action-packed games. With precision-edge detailing, aluminum sides and the endless loop surface, the XA1 Ultra’s polished design is a wonder to behold.

tical Image Stabilizer which helps eliminate effects of handshake, ensuring sharp selfies all the time. Its front camera is wide enough to take group selfies without missing anyone out, too. Topping off its selfie-enhancing features is a smart selfie flash which helps illuminate your face and a ‘Hand Shutter’ camera option that takes photos via simple wave of your hand.

ports quick charging, giving you hours of smartphone use in just a few minutes. Cache and unused apps are also automatically cleared by Sony’s Smart cleaner to ensure optimum performance. The XA1 Ultra is also equipped with Xperia Actions—it learns your usage patterns to simplify tasks by suggesting customizable settings and personalized recommendations. For example, your XA1 Ultra Every Bit Efficient can learn your bedtime routine to Built for efficiency, the Xperia automatically adjust the screen XA1 Ultra is powered by a MediaTek brightness and call volume. Helio P20 octa-core processor. This powerful processor assures your Colors That Stand Out phone stays lag-free while you You can get the Xperia XA1 Ultra browse online, watch videos, or in the following contemporary colorplay mobile games. The XA1 Ultra ways: Rainbow White, Black, Pink, also totes Qnovo Adaptive Charg- and Gold. Also available are a range ing technology that monitors the of accessories for a perfect match. battery’s health and adjusts chargThe Sony Xperia XA1 Ultra is now ing current at just the right levels available at Sony Centres, Sony Moto avoid damage and maximize its bile Stores, and authorized dealers lifespan. The XA1 Ultra also sup- for P21,990.

GET THE SAMSUNG J7 PRO THRU HOME CREDIT

WHEN it comes to smartphone photography, lighting is often a big factor, and can make or break a great shot. A scenery that yields a stunning pic during the day can all too often turn into a so-so image once the sun sets. With Samsung’s “Capture the Night” campaign, this problem is now a thing of the past, with an exciting new model that can take great-looking photos even at low lighting conditions. But there’s more: smartphone photographers are in for a double treat, as they can avail of this model at low monthly payments across 9 months with 0% interest— even without a credit card! Samsung is teaming up with Home Credit, a global Fintech company that helps consumers to purchase smartphones and other goods on installment, to offer the new Samsung Galaxy J7 Pro at 0% interest in Samsung concept stores and partner retailers throughout the country starting July 15. The Samsung Galaxy J7 Pro is the perfect flagship for the “Capture the Night” campaign, which has no less than popular actress Liza

Soberano as the endorser. With the Galaxy J7 Pro’s 13-megapixel main shooter and F/1.7 aperture, users can snap vivid, bright-looking photos even in low lighting conditions—letting them capture the night, literally! Selfies at night are likewise a cinch, thanks to a nifty front LED flash. And with a 5.5-inch Full HD Super AMOLED screen, you can enjoy your gorgeous pictures and videos to the fullest. When it comes to performance, the dual-sim Samsung Galaxy J7 Pro is no slouch, as it has an Octa Core 1.6GHz processor on the flagship Exynos 7870 chipset, running on the latest Android Nougat 7.0 OS. The ultra-large 3,600mAh battery life allows users to engage their smartphones more, for longer. Plus, LTE Cat.6 Double Carrier Aggregation Technology gives users faster data speeds on both networks. And if sleek looks are your thing, you came to the right place, as the Samsung Galaxy J7 Pro has an incredibly fluid design thanks to its full metal unibody, curved back, and 2.5D glass. When it comes to value-for-

money, the Samsung Galaxy J7 Pro is already a tough model to beat, as it packs all of the above features in an easy-on-the-pocket P15,990 smartphone. But with Home Credit’s 0% interest promo, consumers can get their hands on the Galaxy J7 Pro at low monthly payments that are even easier on your budget. All you need to do to avail of this promo is to go to any of the participating outlets, approach the Home Credit sales associate, present two valid IDs, fill in the form, and wait for the loan application result within minutes! “We know just how important having a great camera is to smartphone users, and the Samsung Galaxy J7 Pro is a great choice for anyone who loves taking photos, day or night,” said Home Credit Philippines Head of Sales Adam Bernasek. “Home Credit is excited to partner with Samsung so that more and more people are able to enjoy this smartphone, through a fast loan approval with affordable installments.” For more information on store lo-

Samsung J7 Pro

cations, new Home Credit promos for Samsung, and useful tips for customers and interested loan applicants, visit www.homecredit.ph.

CONNECTIVITY A MUST IN GOLDEN AGE OF INFRASTRUCTURE THE Philippine government would be the “third” telecommunication company within the next three to four years competing with such giants as Globe and PLDT-Smart in providing the country fast, efficient and reliable connectivity. This is envisioned in the government’s National Broadband Plan, which is being fast tracked to build the corresponding network infrastructure for the country under the administration of President Duterte. National Telecommunications Commission Commissioner Gamaliel Cordoba the NBP would require an estimated allocation of P77 billion to P199 billion to make the plan a reality before this decade ends.

Cordoba explained during the Philippine Telecoms Summit held recently, that all other ASEAN countries have telecom networks that are either wholly-owned, partly financed, or operated by their respective governments. It is only in the Philippines that the broadband networks are constructed, owned and operated by private companies. Cordoba said the lack of infrastructure for telecommunications makes the Philippines lag behind the connectivity factor, as compared to neighboring countries where their governments constructed and funded their respective national broadband network infrastructure.

The implementing agency for the NBP is the newly formed Department of Information and Communications Technology, headed by Atty. Rodolfo Salalima. According to Salima, the NBP is establishing broadband infrastructure from the northern to the southern parts of the country with a goal to deliver telecommunications services to areas in the countryside without access to the internet. He added that they prefer the option to build a broadband infrastructure that will be operated and managed by the government through the DICT.” In order to implement the plan, DICT needs operational telcos like PLDT-Smart and Globe Telecom to participate in the program.

However, the existing telcos – PLDTSmart and Globe Telecoms – might be affected by the aggressive intervention of the Philippine Competition Commission in the work, decisions, and actuation of both the National Telecommunications Commission and the DICT. There is a real fear among industry observers that the NBN program will be hindered by the PCC’s unjustifiable overlapping role with that of the NTC and the DICT. The bigger picture shows that the NBN program, as supported by PLDT and Globe, is a significant step forward in upgrading the state of the telecoms industry in the country for the benefit of a more connected public.

DELL EMC is announcing worldwide availability for its next generation of the world’s bestselling server3 to help customers of all sizes fuel their IT transformation initiatives. Recently previewed at Dell EMC World 2017, the award-winning design of the new 14th generation Dell EMC PowerEdge server portfolio forms a scalable, automated and secure compute platform for traditional and cloud-native applications, designed for new Intel® Xeon® Scalable processors. “The Dell EMC PowerEdge 14th generation servers improve upon the world’s bestselling server portfolio, designed to drive our customers’ IT transformations,” said Ashley Gorakhpurwalla, president, Server Solutions Division at Dell EMC.“Our modern infrastructure solutions are a game changer in today’s digital economy. With our cyberresilient architecture and performance innovations, we will enable our customers to unleash their business potential.” In a recent ESG 2017 IT Transformation Maturity Curve study commissioned by Dell EMC, organizations furthest along in their IT transformation initiatives are seven times more likely to view IT as a competitive differentiator. To achieve this, the priority for many IT transformation initiatives is a modern infrastructure that can securely deliver improved efficiencies while driving innovation that enables new business models. “There is an evolution in the role applications and the data center play in the organization of today,” Pang Yee Beng, Senior Vice President, APJ, Compute & Networking, Dell EMC commented.“The demands on today’s data center have changed – it has to deliver a modern infrastructure that can adapt and scale with business needs and ultimately enable faster IT transformation. The Dell EMC PowerEdge 14th Generation servers effectively modernize the core of the data center to meet these demands.” With its scalable business architecture, intelligent automation and integrated security, the new Dell EMC PowerEdge 14th generation server portfolio delivers on these desired benefits. PowerEdge servers, the bedrock of the modern data center, enable customers to push innovation further and faster to achieve their IT transformation goals. The scalable business architecture of Dell EMC PowerEdge servers helps customers efficiently meet their changing business needs with enhanced performance capabilities for traditional, virtualized and cloudnative workloads in a software-defined data center. The new Dell EMC PowerEdge server portfolio, highly optimized for non-volatile memory express (NVMe), helps customers accelerate deployment of software-defined data storage and hyper-converged infrastructure stacks with: Accelerated database performance and lower latency with up to 12 times more database IOPS1 and up to 98 percent less database latency in a VMware vSAN cluster. Faster and seamless live migration of virtual machines now up to 58 percent faster with up to 75 percent less CPU usage when using 25GbE with Remote Direct Memory Access (RDMA). Faster storage performance in compute to maximize application performance with up to six times more NVMe drives, up to five times total flash storage, 30 percent more input/output slots and 25 percent density improvement. Intelligent automation in Dell EMC PowerEdge servers enable IT professionals to focus on mission-critical tasks that drive greater customer and business value. Specifically, OpenManage Enterprise with a powerful RESTful API offers tools for automating deployment, updates, monitoring and maintenance. The new, more powerful OpenManage Enterprise management console offers users: Easy server lifecycle management from deployment to retirement and repurposing with enhanced Integrated Dell Remote Access Controller (iDRAC9). It gives up to four times more improved performance in user interface and experience and a 30% time reduction to set up iDRAC with QuickSync 22 mobile-based management. Up to 90 percent faster PowerEdge server issue resolution using ProSupport Plus and SupportAssist proactive and predictive technology.

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SUNDAY, JULY 16, 2017 Riera U. Mallari, Editor rumallari@thestandard.com.ph

Gadgets & Games

LG G6 BRINGS FULLVISION DISPLAY TO NEW LINEUP

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G ELECTRONICS Philippines announced that the LG Q6, part of its new Q series, will be the first smartphone to offer the FullVision display following the LG G6.

LG’s Q series is the company’s latest line of powerful, mid-range smartphones which boasts of the essential features of LG premium phones at exceptional price points. As the first in the Q series to be launched, the LG Q6 features some of the most desired innovations from LG’s premium G6 smartphone and packages them in a sleek, stunning body highlighted by its FullVision display with minimized bezels. At a time when minimized bezels are an emerging trend in premium smartphones, the Q6 is the first smartphone in the mid-price category to bring this feature to the masses. The unique 5.5-inch FHD+ FullVision display in the LG Q6 with its 18:9 aspect ratio makes video browsing, gaming and multi-tasking more immersive. The smartphone’s “bezel-less” form factor was designed to maximize the screen while still preventing accidental touching of the screen when being held. With no unsightly camera bump and sleek appearance, the Q6 features attractive curves with rounded corners of the body matching the corners of the display. Packaged in a stylish metallic frame, the Q6 manages to be both lightweight and sturdy for a more durable day-to-day usage experience. And not only does the Q6 look good, but it is also extremely easy to use. Benefiting from ergonomic research during the development of the LG G6, the Q6 is also comfortable to hold and use with

Motorola opens its new Motorola kiosk at SM MOA Cyberzone to better serve Filipino consumers in Southern Metro.

MOTOROLA BOOSTS LOCAL PRESENCE WITH OPENING OF SM MOA KIOSK LG’s newest Q6 brings the essential features of LG’s premium devices to a mid-range portfolio.

one hand. In another nod to user convenience, LG’s proprietary Face Recognition feature allows owners to unlock the Q6 faster and with less hassle than other facial recognition technologies currently available. As expected, the LG Q6 carries on LG’s heritage of excellence in optics. The smartphone incorporates a 100-degree wide angle selfie camera that allows shutterbugs to include a large group of friends and family in the shot without effort. The camera’s improved LG UX 6.0 takes full advantage of the 18:9 aspect ratio of the FullVision display. Square

Camera Mode makes it easy to “share your squares” or create photo collages using multiple square images. The LG Q6 is also durable. The metal frame surrounding the Q6 is constructed of ultra-strong 7000 series aluminum, one of the highest strength aluminum alloys available and used extensively in industries such as aerospace. The device is subjected to LG’s demanding regimen of over 20 battery tests which include heat, penetration and shock, conditions more stringent than international testing protocols. And to disperse heat

inside the unit, a thermal pad cooling system is placed and the components are also positioned as far from each other as possible. “We look forward to introducing the LG Q6 to the Philippine market,” LG Mobile Philippines VP Jay Won said. “We believe that its premium features, top-notch performance and competitive price point would really appeal to our digitally-savvy consumers. With Q6, LG again addresses consumer needs with advanced technology, and now many can enjoy it thanks to its affordability.”

LENOVO CALLING OUT ALL GAMERS LENOVO, the world’s leading PC manufacturer, recenly launched a call for all fans in the Philippines to join Gamers Legion, a new, exclusive and one-of-akind community in Asia aimed at taking the modern PC gaming experience to the next level. As a member of Gamers Legion, participants from the Philippines will not only play a pivotal role in Lenovo’s future product development, but will also be the first to know about Legion’s newest offers and events. Interested fans and gamers simply need to visit the dedicated Legion microsite at http:// www.legionlenovo.com/ph in order to fill out a short online questionnaire about their gaming habits, preferences and views. Lenovo will then select

30 gamers in the Philippines to join the exclusive community of 270 people across Asia that will make up Gamers Legion. What’s more, Lenovo Philippines will also be raffling off 30 tickets to Garena’s Rampage 2017. Everyone who submitted their applications via the microsite gets a chance to win. The Gamers Legion recruitment phase begins today and only lasts until July 20. All successful applicants will be notified on July 24 via email. All fans and gamers are also encouraged to visit the Facebook Page of Lenovo Philippines at https://www.facebook.com/ lenov ophilippines to follow the latest updates of the Gamers Legion.

Lenovo IdeaPad Y910

The kick-off follows Lenovo’s highly anticipated launch of its Legion sub-brand in the Philippines early this year. Legion offers both casual and professional gamers cutting-edge products that are inspired by, and co-created with, gamers based on their needs. In the Philippines, Lenovo

marked the launch of Legion through the introduction of the Legion Y520, IdeaPad Y910, and IdeaCentre Y710 Cube, stylish, powerful and portable plug-and-play devices with DIY flexibility that offer the most immersive experiences. “As PC gaming becomes more popular in the Philippines, our research shows that gamers are becoming increasingly discerning when it comes to expectations around performance, flexibility and immersive experiences,”said Michael Ngan, Lenovo Philippines Country General Manager. “Lenovo is committed to working more closely with gamers to create best-in-class experiences in eSports and gaming PC. With this in mind, we are proud to have launched Gamers Legion,

our one-of-a-kind community that ensures we are giving a voice and platform to our highly passionate customers, that continues our tradition of cocreating products that meet their continuously evolving needs.” “This campaign is but one in a series of initiatives that support our ambition of being the world’s leading gaming brand, bar none.” Pricing and Availability1 Prices for the Lenovo Legion Y520 Notebooks start from just P49,995. Prices for the Lenovo IdeaCentre Y710 and Y720 start from just P81,990 and P90,990, respectively. Lenovo Y27G curved gaming monitor retails at P29,999.

MOTOROLA continues to strengthen its retail footprint in the country with the opening of its new Motorola kiosk at the SM Mall of Asia in Pasay City. Say #HelloMoto once again as the new Motorola kiosk located at the 2nd level of SM MOA CyberZone brings the full Moto smartphone lineup to Filipino smartphone consumers in the Southern Metro. As part of its goal to become the definitive no. 3 player in the global smartphone market, Lenovo is continuously expanding its Moto smartphone presence across emerging markets, including the Philippines. The three strategic outlets in key SM Cyberzones—Megamall, North EDSA and most recently, MOA— increase the visibility of Motorola in high-traffic malls. “The Philippines is an important market for Motorola, and we are committed toward bringing the Moto experience to more Filipinos through our latest outlet in SM Mall of Asia. By continuously increasing our retail footprint, Motorola is definitely keen on revolutionizing Filipinos’ digital lifestyle,” said John Rojo, Country Manager, Lenovo Mobile Business Group Philippines. Exclusive freebies and discounts await those purchasing Motorola smartphones at the new Motorola kiosk from July 8 to 16. These include two free Moto Mods and free premium smartphone accessories like Moto Style Shell, Skull Candy earphones, Powerbank, and cash vouchers. All Motorola concept stores carry the Moto smartphone lineup: Its flagship family composed of Moto Z, Moto Z Play and the Moto Mods; its mid-range family, which consists of Moto M; and the newly launched Moto C, Moto C Plus and Moto E4 Plus.

SMART RETAILERS TURN DIGITAL PLDT subsidiary Smart Communications has made it easier for partnerretailers to keep track of their sales, receivables, inventory, and manage their cash flow better with the introduction of the Ka-Partner Retailer mobile application. The initiative is in line with the digital transformation that Smart is implementing across its operations and the way it does business. “Smart is in the midst of a digital pivot. Our partner-retailers play a very important role in our business. They are our frontliners in the community and it is imperative that we bring them along in this digital journey. With the mobile app designed exclusively for them, our partner-retailers will be able to digitize the way they do business,” said Alex O. Caeg, head of Wireless Consumer Division Sales and Distribution at Smart. Retailers play a crucial role in

Smart’s growth. Together, they account for 80-85 percent of Smart’s total prepaid revenues. The app is retailer-friendly, making navigation through the menu and browsing through the various load offers for selling easy. It also helps the retailer track his load wallet balance inventory and prompt him if the balance is already below the threshold. The app’s digital ledger feature effectively automates sales records, allowing the retailer to track his load sales without manually recording these daily transactions on actual paper. It also allows him to track the account receivables from his patrons for better cashflow management. New features have been added to the app allowing the user to check on historical performance not only of total sales but also of repeat customers, and to view digital ads of the latest

brand offers and promos from Smart, TNT, and Sun. For the next phase, the retailer will be able to place an order from the distributor through the app for faster and more efficient way of purchasing load credits. Smart has more than a million partner-retailers across the country. In recognition of their valuable contribution to the business, Smart has been giving incentives for every sale made via its Ka-Partner Rewards Program, with a number of retailers each year becoming instant millionaires. Every P100 Smart Load they sell every day is converted to one point. These points can be accumulated and used to avail of instant prizes and services such as free SMS and airtime, load wallet value, or e-raffle tickets for prizes of up to P1 million.

‘BOSSING’ USES CHERRY MOBILE DESIRE SERIES! Vic “Bossing”

Sotto recently switched to Cherry Mobile. In June, Sotto officially singed a contract with Cherry Mobile, the leading local mobile phone brand in the Philippines. Sotto joins the brand’s powerhouse endorsers such as Kim Chiu, Xian Lim, Piolo Pascual at Anne Curtis.

E1

SUNDAY, JULY 16, 2017 Isah V. Red, Editor

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Young Life

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

LEISURE BEFORE PRESSURE

8 FUN WEDDING IDEAS WEDDING doesn’t have to be boring and traditional. Here are eight unique and offbeat ideas to do on the day you say “I do.”

Use a witty hashtag Creating a unique wedding hashtag not only lets you see photos taken from your guests’ point of view but also adds your own flavor to the festivities. For a clever and memorable hashtag, make sure to keep things personalized and pun-ny.

By Marjelle Sy

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ROCRASTINATION isn’t bad after all, at least according to a study.

For most of our lives, we’re made to believe that we should do the hard stuff first before we can indulge in the fun stuff. Work comes first and leisure after—often serving as a prize. But what if we watch on Netflix first and deal with that deadline later? In a bid to understand what “leisure first” feels like, Professor Ed O’Brien of the University of Chicago Booth School of Business conducted three different experiments involving working adults and students. In the first experiment, O’Brien and his staff assigned 181 participants to complete two activities: first was the Fixed Labor Task, a strenuous battery of cognitive tests; and the Magic Maker game, a creative and fun iPad game. Half of the participants did the Fixed Labor Task first, while the other half did the Magic Maker game. They were asked to rate their enjoyment before and after playing, and while the “play first” group predicted they would enjoy the fun part less than the “play after,” when they rated it again after playing, “actual enjoyment” ratings were equally high. For the follow up experiment, O’Brien’s group built a makeshift spa complete with a massage chair and a footbath for 259 students of the University of Chicago. The students were free to choose to visit the spa either weeks before or weeks after their midterms. Same with the first experiment, participants were asked to rate their enjoyment before and after visiting. “We found that while students who visited the spa before midterms predicted that the experience would be less enjoyable due to looming midterm exams, they actually enjoyed themselves just as much as those who visited the spa after midterms,” O’Brien said in his article published in the Harvard Business Review. In the final experiment, they invited 332 students to perform two different tasks. One was the Cognitive Marathon, a stressful timed challenge; the other was framed as a prize after finishing the marathon, which consisted only of pure entertainment with complimentary snacks. The research team asked the students to complete the reward task first, leaving them thinking they had to go through the Cognitive Marathon after. But the participants did not go through the marathon, as the main goal of this experiment was to see how they enjoy the reward task despite of having not finished the harder task first. Apparently, participants were not at all bothTurn to E2

Hire an indie band What better way to enjoy your wedding day than to listen to your favorite local band perform live, right? Awesome live music sets the mood you want and is also a great way to get the after-party started.

PLAY FIRST, WORK LATER.

Despite our belief that leisure is best enjoyed after finishing work, a study spearheaded by University of Chicago Booth School of Business professor Ed O'Brien revealed that actual enjoyment from engaging in fun activities first is just the same.

Bring pets Do you have a furry pal? Walk down the aisle with your best friend, dressed in frilly gown or dapper tux. Better yet, and if the venue permits, invite your bridesmaids and groomsmen to bring theirs, too.

Use polaroids for guestbook Instead of asking your guests to sign, have Instax cameras ready which they can use to snap their photos before entering the venue.

JOLLIBEE CHICKENJOY

Grab a bucket as Chickenjoy is all set for world domination

IS THIRD BEST FRIED CHICKEN IN THE US IT LOOKS like Chickenjoy is not only a hit among Filipinos, as American food website Foodbeast ranked Jollibee’s fried chicken the third best in the US. In his article, Constantine Spyrou declared that Jollibee will take over the United States because of its fried chicken. Spyrou noted that the gravy we all loved and grew up with is what makes Chickenjoy stand out. “The unique savory notes of that gravy compliment [the] fried chicken in a way that no other fast food chain on this list can

replicate, and it’s why Jollibee deserves such as high spot on this list,” he said. The homegrown fast food chain comes behind Chick-fil-A and Popeye’s, at second and first spot, respectively. Joining the list are Church Chicken (4), Wingstop (5), Shake Shack (6), Raising Cane’s Scan this icon to (7), Bojangles (8), Zaxby’s view the PDF (9), and KFC (10).

Prepare a hangover kit Help your friends recover from the night’s epic celebration. What’s inside? Advil, band-aids, mouthwash, mints, and bottled water. Turn to E2

Young Life

E2

SUNDAY, JULY 16, 2017 isahred@gmail.com

8FromFUN WEDDING... E1

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TREAT YOURSELF S THE fickle weather dragging you down? Do you feel like you could use a little update on your look? Maybe it’s time to treat yourself with makeover and pampering sessions. Who knows, a day of letting your hair down and putting your feet up might just lift your mood and spirits up.

Opt for colored gown Nothing says unconventional like wearing a colored wedding gown to your big day. Colors like blush pink, champagne, and even red, are pretty popular among (stylish) risk-takers today.

First stop: Waxing at Hey Sugar

Feel like you’re living in a new skin after you rid yourself of body hair in areas that you don’t want them growing. Sweetness will overload at Hey Sugar! waxing salon that uses 100 percent sugar to remove hair, from your upper lip down to your legs. Have a full face wax or an arm and leg service. Better yet, avail Hey Sugar’s packages, such as the half leg-underarm-Brazilian package for P1,280. You also have a chance win an iPhone 7 when you spend a minimum of P500 until Sept. 30. Go to heysugar.com.ph.

Wear quirky socks Let the groom and his groomsmen wear socks with fun prints. Choose from monograms to patterns and logos to photos of the couple.

Put your feet up literally as you enjoy a relaxing soak and massage at Nail-a-holics. The nail and spa salon gives off a getaway vibe with its beach-themed interior, meaning, you only need a drink (which is not offered, but would be a great idea) to feel like you’re on a holiday. Close your eyes while the caring nail technicians scrub your tired legs with sea salt with VCO, followed by a manicure and pedicure. Nail-a-holics offers a wide range of nail and spa services, as well as packages such as the Vitamin Sea (P690) which includes foot spa, manicure, and pedicure. Availing any of the salon’s packages until Sept. 30 will also give you a chance to win a getaway vacation of 5 days and 4 nights to London. Go to nailaholics.com.

Fourth stop: Lash extensions at Ooh La Lash

Third stop: Cut and color at Vivere Salon

Get that new look when you avail of bespoke haircut and face contouring hair color at Vivere Salon, whose hairstylists undergo regular trainings in the Vidal Sassoon Academy. Try this out and take advantage of the 15 percent discount on hair contouring until Sept. 30. Vivere Salon, which is known for its precision cuts, has a full menu of services, including haircut, color, hairstyling and makeup, Keratin Complex treatment—among other treatments, and nail and spa services. Go to viveresalon.com. Swap stilettos for sneakers Think about it: weddings are a whole day affair. Trade your pair of sky-high stilettos for comfy sneakers instead. Another option is to slip on the sneakers for the reception, the after-party, or photo shoots with the entourage.

Been wanting to have thick lashes to add more drama and dimension to your eyes? Ooh La Lash offers lash extensions services using FDA-approved synthetic and mink extensions. You can choose the curl, length, and thickness of your lashes—from Light and Natural looking lashes P690 to long and beautiful Vixen lashes P1,290. Special treatments, to maintain your lashes, are also available, as well as brow and tint services. Go to oohlalash.com.

Fifth stop: Brow arch at Max Wax Waxing and Brow design Studio

For the cherry on top of the grooming and pampering sesh, have your brows shaped by experts at Max Wax Waxing and Brow Design Studio. Women may choose from Color Me Dolly (P200), Brow Wow (P350), and Glam Brow (P500). While men have Color Me Bad (P200), Blastin Brows (P350), and The Browminator (P500) choices. Go to maxwax.com.ph.

LEISURE...

From E1

ered by enjoying the reward task even if they hadn’t earned it yet, according to data gathered. “Our findings suggest we may be over-worrying and over-working for future rewards that could just be as pleasurable in the present,” opined O’Brien. For some, leisure improves their work performance. They often work better after treating themselves to restful breaks. Just like Kevin Villanueva, he usually relaxes and enjoys his spare time before doing actual work. He believes that having a relaxed mind results to a quality work. Though he admits he often gets carried away and ends up procrastinating, he sees time pressure as an advantage, as it activates his imagination. But this is not for everyone. Jeshlin Gas, a student-athlete is a big procrastinator. She said she usually starts doing her schoolwork the night before or in the morning of the deadline. But she wants to change this habit, because for her, “you can do a lot better than the work you usually do when you procrastinate.” Nina Ibarrola agrees that procrastinating is not the way to go. “Procrastinating helped me survive, but not excel”. Having fun first isn’t bad, but, as O’Brien puts it, make sure it won’t undermine your ability to work, and engage in leisure first when the stakes are low. “Nobody is recommending having celebratory beers just before you run your 5k,” emphasized the professor.

Second stop: Foot spa and mani/pedi at Nail-a-holics

EVERYONE CAN SAVE A LIFE PET TALES

BY DESIREE CARLOS

Senator Nancy Binay receives the second batch of dog and cat food donation from Save ALL admin Niko Gabriel Salgado

SAVING a life takes many forms. Helping animals in a crisis or disaster area is one of them. As Dalai Lama said “People have to learn to think about animals in a different way, as sentient beings who love life and fear death.” While it is impossible at this time to rescue or get the abandoned pets out of war-torn Marawi City in Mindanao, animal lovers and animal welfare advocates looked for ways to send in food for the dogs and cats trapped in the area. Save Animals of Love and Light (Save ALL), the Animal Kingdom Foundation (AKF), and Hope for the Strays have separately sent care packages—dog and cat food—to Marawi via Iligan City. Many bashed animal welfare advocates for sending food for animals and not for humans. I believe these bashers are not aware that relief goods are prepared DAILY by the government agencies involved in providing help to HUMANS during a crisis or after a disaster hit an area. A lot

of private companies and individuals also send help for humans. They are not aware, it seems, that not one government agency has been provided funds or has been instructed to provide help for the animals in need despite the fact we have an Animal Welfare Act, a law which protects animals. Republic Act No. 10631, or an Act amending R.A. 8485 or the Animal Welfare Act of 1998, states in Section 1 that: “It is the purpose of this Act to protect and promote the welfare of all …animals in the Philippines…” It also states that “animal welfare pertains to the physical and psychological well-being of animals. It includes, but not limited to, the avoidance of abuse, maltreatment, cruelty and exploitation of animals by humans by maintaining appropriate standards of accommodation, feeding and general care, the prevention and treatment of disease and the assurance of freedom from fear, distress, harassment, and unnecessary discomfort and pain, and allowing animals to express normal behavior. Continued on E3

Showbiz

SUNDAY, JULY 16, 2017

YOUNG FIL-AM RAMP MODEL SHARES TEENAGE STRUGGLES

Teenage Filipino-American ramp model Ammilyn Deita

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TEENAGE Filipino-American ramp model found vacationing in the Philippines an effectively therapeutic way of dealing with her struggles growing up in the United States, no doubt the world’s most popular country of diversified populace. Thirteen-year old Ammilyn Deita, a morena beauty born and raised in California, spent the past weeks in Manila, mingling with relatives she rarely sees in person. Her vacation, involving going around the metropolis and attending Pinoy-style gatherings, enabled her to address the emotional strain she’s battling with. No thanks to stress experienced from bullying of others her age and the peer pressure to fit in. A straight A student, Ammilyn somewhat found herself adjusting hard to the pressures of being a millennial. A fact publicly accepted, today’s teenagers have to go through the puberty age with all the complications of modernized interconnectivity and digitalage norms. “Everyone is very judgmental. At my middle school it is known that I model and in most times I’m expected to always look perfect,” lamented Ammilyn, an 8th grader who has been ramp modeling over the past two years. Both her parents, Steve and Amelia, are pure Filipinos who, after getting married in 1996 at the Manila Cathedral, started raising a family in the US West Coast. Ammilyn has an older brother named Angelo who plays football. While the onset of adolescence triggered bouts of juvenile insecurities and paranoia, the mild-mannered, relatively quiet girl still managed to excel in numerous forms. For one, she has been ballet and tap dancing for the past nine years. Two years ago she began ramp modeling through the sponsorship of Kids Dream Design and Miss Philippines USA, both Los Angeles-based. She already has participated

twice in a Fashion For A Cause occasion annually held in L.A. Born in the town of Fontana, Ammilyn, a member of the student body and yearbook committee, further explained, “Modeling is tough. But the experience is very amazing. The whole process is cool to see in person instead of on TV or on social media. Before modeling I was just a scholar who danced.” Ammilyn’s mom Amelia Deita, sister of a Filipino entertainment journalist, said of her daughter’s success at addressing her problems, “She’s a brave girl because she’s not ashamed of telling people of her emotional struggles being a teenager in the 21st century. I can say she is getting better through regular selftherapy coupled with the love and support of her family and friends. She also wants other people to learn from her own story.” When asked if she’s open to trying it out in the Philippine modeling scene come her future visits, or if she’d rather pursue modeling in the international scene even past her teenage years, Ammilyn pointed out, “I’m very excited to see what I can teach others not only in the US West Coast but across the world. It’s very entertaining meeting new people and I hope to be a role model, someone to look up to.” An eloquent, school leader, Ammilyn hopes to be more active in empowering other millennials to feel good about themselves and not be bogged down by the pressures of teenage life and the ever-watchful social media.

E3

FANGIRLING

KIM CHIU GETS RESPONSE FROM

JUSTIN BIEBER A LOT of female celebrities are no stranger to fangirling. Some of them even fly outside the country just to meet some of the international personalities they idolize, and some of them regularly follow them on social media like what a normal fan would do. Take Kim Chiu for example. Back in May, the Ikaw Lang ang Iibigin star fangirl-ed hard when Kardashian sisters Kim and Khloe answered some of her questions when she dropped by their live chat. On Tuesday, she found herself shrieking again after Justin Bieber picked out her comment from the thousands who tuned in to his live video. The Canadian singer was doing an Instagram Live last July 11 when Chiu left a message saying, “see you in the Philippines!” to which Bieber responded, “Chinita, I will see you in the Philippines.” The Ikaw Lang Ang Iibigin star was clearly smitten by the singer’s response and immediately shared the clip with her over 3.5 million followers on Instagram. Chiu wrote, “Ok just had to post this ‘OMG’ moment. Check my stories for more fangirl moment with @ilovekaye. #BeiberFever! Hello @justinbieber”. The actress could also be seen dancing to Bieber and Luis Fonsi’s version of “Despacito.” Bieber will be performing in the Philippines in September. He will be holding a concert at the Philippine Arena in Bulacan as part of his world tour promoting his fourth studio album, Purpose, which includes the hits “Love Yourself” and “Sorry.”

Kim Chiu is an ultimate fangirl

PET TALES... From E2

thankful to Mr. Raffy Tima of GMA 7 who brought the plight of animals in Marawi to the attention of the public through his report. Save ALL is awed by the kindness of the soldiers who left or gave the food to animals in the area. Save ALL admires the donors who sent funds for Save ALL to send the second batch of food for ani-

mals—120 kilos of dog food and 54 kilos of cat food. The first batch included 80 kilos of dog food and 12.5 kilos of cat food. You are earth angels for animals, donors Renson Gamboa, Aileen Rull, Ivy Rull, Nicole Benedito, Miss ME, Keng Gatchalian, Liz Miguel, Cholo, Niwre Rossi Schumacher, Althea Prudente, Izzy Tish, JNS, Sheila Salao, Angela

Thakur, MC Chacha, PBS, and Kaye Advincula. Save ALL also greatly appreciates the Office of Senator Nancy Binay and Mr. Porky Porcalla for finding a way to ship the second batch of food for free. These acts of kindness of persons from different sectors made the impossible possible: food is now available for the abandoned animals.

These acts of kindness also make one feel there is still hope for this country. As Mahatma Gandhi once said: “The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated.” Please pray for both humans and animals in Marawi City, the evacuees in Iligan City, and an end to the crisis. Thank you. Namaste!

Animal welfare advocates, in line with the intent of the law, sent as much help as they can to animals who are hungry and are traumatized by the sound of gunfire and bombings. For this reason, Save ALL is grateful to Iligan city vet Dr. Dahlia Molo Valera and her staff who found a way to have the food brought inside Marawi. Save ALL thanks journalists who brought in the food for the animals, particularly Ms. Divina M. Suson of SunStar SuperBalita and her team who braved the rains and went around the city to leave the dog and cat food in military detachments and on Save ALL admins Sheila Sawit, Toni Mariz Munar, Anna Mozelle Liberato and Ruby Bautista repack dog and cat food into small packets and put stickers identifying which is the streets. We are also for dogs and for cats for easy distribution. Garfield, son of.

Showbiz

E4

SUNDAY, JULY 16, 2017 Isah V. Red, Editor / Nickie Wang, Issue Editor isahred@gmail.com

LOVE TEAMS

GIVE THE EDDYS MILLENNIAL FLAVOR By Nickie Wang

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T WAS a glitzy event that celebrated the best talents in the moviemaking industry. While most of the winners were no show, the awarding ceremony held at the Kia Theatrer last Sunday was never short of star power. From the red carpet, where fans and photographers patiently waited for the arrival of celebrities, to the venue where fans had a rendezvous with big stars, the first Entertainment Editors’ Movie Awards, or simply called The Eddys, was definitely a remarkable night people were still talking about it days after it was staged. The fast-paced program, which was taped as live and will be telecast tonight on ABS-CBN, started on a high note with James Reid and Nadine Lustre opening the two-hour show. The multimedia love team performed a few numbers including Jonas Blue’s “Perfect Strangers” and Justin Bieber’s “Let Me Love You.” Accompanied by G-Force, the couple rocked the stage igniting the whole Kia Theater with their fans shouting at the top of their lungs. Next to hit the stage were Viva artists Julian Trono and Ella Cruz singing their own single “Isang Tingin,” which is also the soundtrack of their upcoming film, Fan Gil/Fan Boy. Their well-choreographed number complemented the bubblegum pop genre of their song. The dance production was rounded out by one of the most applauded numbers of the night with Yassi Pressman and Arjo Atayde dancing to the tune of “Despacito.” While Yassi is known for her talent on the dance floor, people were surprised that Arjo actually had some moves keeping up with his partner from slow to upbeat steps. After pop production, the spotlight was trained on vocal powerhouse and rising pop divas Morissette Amon and Klarisse who joined singer-songwriter Ogie Alcasid and

Dance duo Arjo Atayde and Yassi Pressman

Elmo Magalona and Janella Salvador

It wasn’t an innocent question, it’s actually our lead to ask Nadine Lustre, who had her first public outing on Thursday a few days after she rested her voice, whether she thinks she’s a modern woman or not. She paused for a while, obviously thinking, then decided to decline answering the question. The people that organized the event, which witnessed her renewal of ties with the company that specializes on digital technology, cut the interview short. Apparently, the newly-crowned FHM sexiest woman didn’t want to answer any personal questions especially it involves her boyfriend. Rumors have been circulating that she’s been living in with James Reid, her boyfriend for more than a year now. And when

Luis and Fonsi, the Puerto Rican duo behind the global hit 'Despacito'

FUN FACTS

ABOUT WORLDWIDE HIT

‘DESPACITO’

Multimedia love team James Reid and Nadine Lustre opening The Eddys on a high note

Julian Trono and Ella Cruz doing a bubblegum pop number

Concert King Martin Nievera in a tribute to the late OPM legend Willy Cruz. Meanwhile, presenters Janella Salvador and Elmo Magalona, Maymay Entrata and Edward Barber, and Kisses Delavin and Marco Gallo drew loud cheers from the crowd. In fact, it was MayWard and Kisses who made The Eddys a trending topic on Twitter on the night it was being taped. Some of the celebrities that took everyone’s attention were Kapuso star Rhian Ramos, former FHM cover girl Phoebe Walker, and millennial moms Sarah Lahbati, Cristine Reyes and Jodi Sta. Maria who all came in their floorlength shimmering gowns fit for the fashionable and star-studded occasion. Big winners at the inaugural The Eddys were Vilma Santos, Paolo Ballesteros, John Lloyd Cruz, Angel Locsin, and Lav Diaz and his film Ang Babaeng Humayo. Boy Abunda and Lav Diaz respectively received the Joe Quirino and Manny Pichel awards for successfully crossing over to different fields from their original professions—Abunda from talent management to becoming a top TV host himself, and Diaz from being an entertainment journalist to a multi-awarded film director. Regal Entertainment’s matriarch Mother Lily Monteverde was recognized, too, as producer of the Year.

IS NADINE LUSTRE LIBERATED?

Nadine Lustre doesn't want to talk about living in issue anymore

asked if she’s living in with onscreen love team partner, she answered the question candidly. “If that was true, so what? ‘Di ba, it’s not new anymore,” she told TV Patrol. “Come on guys, it’s 2017.” But she still didn’t reveal the truth to the rumors. She just said that she knows of younger couples who are already living in together. “I’m not gonna confirm, I’m not gonna deny. But then, ano naman (so what)?” she said. It seems that Nadine is now more careful whenever she’s in front of the press. Perhaps, she can’t still let go of her sweet image amid her constant claim that she’d be more bold and daring in the next coming months.

ADMIT it, you immediately got the Last Song Syndrome or LSS upon hearing the smash hit “Despacito.” With its addictive beat and refreshing summer vibe, the collaborative track from Luis Fonci and Daddy Yankee has been hypnotizing the local and international crowd for weeks; proving that in music, language was never a barrier. The certified chart-topper which directly translates to “Slowly” has been breaking borders since its release. From dominating the Billboard charts to breaking YouTube records, “Despacito” is certainly a Latino history-maker. Here are the five things you need to know about the global soundtrack. 1. “Despacito” is the only non-English hit to top Billboard Hot 100 for seven times. Not only for topping the Billboard list for seven consecutive weeks but the successful track had stolen the international limelight for being the only Spanish-language single to hit Hot 100 at No. 1 in more than 20 years. 2. It is the fastest track to reach 2 billion views in YouTube. The song’s popularity is no joke as it broke records one after another. “Despacito”’s original version holds the most views in its debut month for the year after gaining over 250 million views in its first 30 days. It also ruled over Vevo’s history as it collected a massive viewership of 5.4 million in 24 hours, making it as the Spanish language video with most hits in a day. Its remix version also reached a YouTube milestone after garnering 20 million views 24 hours after its release and 70 million after a week. 3. It boosted tourism in Puerto Rico. Just like how KPOP promoted South Korea, “Despacito” umped up the tourism in Puerto Rico with its upbeat music. Upon its release two months ago, tourists became curious about the spots featured in the music video, resulting to 45 percent increase in foreign interest. Local tours added the places in their itineraries which includes La Perla sector and Club La Factoría in Old San Juan. 4. Justin Bieber came up with the idea of remix version. The 23-year-old pop star contacted Fonci to create a remix version of the song. The collaboration ended positively as they produced another top-tier that further popularized Fonci’s global hit. 5. Philippines didn’t miss out on the viral tune. Not only by reigning Spotify Philippines’ Top Tracks playlist but “Despacito”’s prominence was evident in the country as Filipino celebrities got infected by its groovy melody. Kristel Fulgar and Julie Ann San Jose even did their own renditions of the international hit. Sundy Locus