Manila Standard - 2017 August 20 - Sunday

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VOL. XXXI • NO. 187 • 5 SECTIONS 20 PAGES • P18 • SUNDAY, AUGUST 20, 2017 • www.manilastandard.net • editorial@thestandard.com.ph

PH JOYFUL AFTER FIRST GOLD IN KL

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By John Paolo Bencito MALACAÑANG on Saturday expressed joy after runner Mary Joy Tabal delivered the first gold for the Philippines at the 29th Southeast Asian Games in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

“We congratulate Mary Joy Tabal for giving the Philippines its first gold medal with her performance in the women’s marathon at the 2017 Southeast Asian Games in Kuala Lumpur,” Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella said in a statement.

“Congratulations to our athletes and good luck to the rest of the Philippine team. The whole nation is solidly behind you.

Mabuhay po kayo!”

PSC Chairman Butch Ramirez likewise expressed his elation over Tabal’s win.

“First gold, wow! I informed the President through Secretary Bong Go about the news,” Ramirez said.

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DAGHANG SALAMAT. Joy is on the face of Cebuana Mary Joy Tabal who earns Saturday the Philippines’ first gold medal of the 2017 Southeast Asian Games with a dominant performance in the women’s marathon at the Palace of Justice here. Tabal, a Rio Olympian, was well ahead of her pursuers, Vietnam’s Hoang Thi Thanh (2:55.43) and Thailand’s Natthaya T (2:58.17) with her 2:48.26. PSC

CC TOP COP SACKED OVER TEENER'S SLAY N

By John Paolo Bencito

ATIONAL Capital Region Police Office chief Director Oscar Albayalde on Saturday relieved, effective immediately, Caloocan City police chief Sr. Supt.

Chito Bersaluna “to pave the way for an impartial investigation” into the death of 17-year-old Kian Loyd delos Santos during an anti-illegal drugs operations earlier this week.

Police implicated in the killing alleged that Delos Santos, who was wearing loose clothing at the time, had shot at officers which prompted them to fire back.

Caloocan City Mayor Oscar Malapitan, meanwhile, called for an emergency meeting of the local peace and order council for a parallel investigation being done by police.

Earlier, Albayalde said he still needed to see the CCTV footage for his appreciation of what, in his view, happened during the shooting incident, Malacañang in a statement condemned what it called Delos Santos’“deeply regrettable” death, reminding law enforcement authorities “to be wary of the reckless exercise of power and authority.

In the Senate, Senator Nancy Binay joined in the outrage and vowed policemen involved in the killing of minors during anti-drugs operations would have their “day in the Senate investigations.”

“We in the Senate will act on this. To the rogue cops, you will have your day in the Senate investigations, you will all be made accountable for murder,” Binay said as she expressed outrage over the latest killing of a minor in the Duterte administration’s war on drugs.

The senator named a few minors killed in the ongoing war on drugs, including five-year-old Danica May Garcia; five-year-old Francisco Manosca; Kristine Joy Sailog, 12; and Emmanuel Lorica, 17.

She said these children were victims of mistaken identity and “collateral damage.”

A FATHER’S GRIEF. Saldy delos Santos, father of 17-year-old student Kian Loyd, speaks Friday to journalists next to the coffin of his son who, witnesses say, was shot dead by police Wednesday during anti-drug operations Oplan Galugad in Caloocan City. AFP

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The three policemen involved in the killing of Delos Santos during an anti-illegal drugs operations have been relieved from their posts, according to their senior officers.

The NCRPO chief said the Regional Investigation and Detective Management Division and Philippine National Police-Internal Affairs Service had started a probe on the incident.

Albayalde said during the interview that the IAS will get a copy of the video footage from Barangay 160 for review.

Presidential Spokesman Ernesto Abella’s latest pronouncement was in stark contrast to what observers were his insensitive remarks Friday, calling the Delos Santos killing a “happily isolated” case.

Saldy delos Santos, father of victim Kian Lloyd, accused the police of unjustly killing his son after footage from the barangay CCTV showed two men, not in uniform, dragging the teenager to where he was found dead.

The police,owever, maintained the teenager fought back, saying “the boy opened fire at them first, so they were compelled to return fire...” the Caloocan police spot report read.

The family of Delos Santos said they would use a footage of a barangay CCTV camera that showed policemen carrying the teenager, contrary to claims he fired a gun while trying to escape.

“The deaths of these children are extremely enraging and brought me a heavy heart. And like every parent, I fear for the safety of my children. Kian could have been my son or daughter, or any policeman’s child for that matter,” Binay said.

In her statement, Binay raised rumors policemen were given a “quota” as part of the campaign against illegal drugs.

“I also call on the leadership of the PNP to not turn a blind eye to Turn to A2

DRUG-FREE BARANGAYS NCR'S DREAM DESPITE 'WAR'

By Maricel V. Cruz

MORE than a year after President Rodrigo Duterte’s war on drugs, only 34 of the hundreds of barangays in Metro Manila have been cleared of illegal drugs.

National Capital Region Police Office chief Director Oscar Albayalde told radio dzBB in an interview that only 34 of the 1,706 barangays in the capital region have been cleared from drugs.

Albayalde’s interview coincided with a House leader seeking to institutionalize the program that grants full scholarships to children of police officers killed in the line of duty.

Camarines Sur Rep. LRay Villafuerte said the proposed initiative, as contained in his House Bill 6058, would come from the government’s annual national budget rather than merely relying on license fees for firearms collected by the Philippine National Police.

Villafuerte’s proposal, also widens the coverage of the educational benefits granted to surviving kids of slain PNP officers to include Turn to A2

HALF-MILLION BIRDS CULLED IN SAN LUIS THE Agriculture Department on Saturday said that over 500,000 birds have been culled in San Luis, Pampanga and its periphery to prevent the further spread of the avian influenza virus as the Palace called on the public to refrain from spreading “fake news” which may cause distress and panic.

“Agriculture Regional Director Roy Abaya reported early today that a total of 214, 506 birds [chicken, ducks, quails] involving 29 farms inside the 7-kilometer controlled radius whose owners volunteered to support the cleanup were culled,” Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol said in a Facebook post.

“The last remaining farm inside the 1-kilometer contained radius is expected to be cleared today by volunteers, mostly members of the 48th Infantry Battalion of the Philippine Army. An estimated 500,000 fowls within the 7-km. and 1-km. radius would be culled by the end of the day today,” he added. Turn to A2

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HALF-MILLION...

PINAY HURT, SON MISSING IN SPAIN

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After the culling operations are completed—bio-security teams will be disinfecting the farms and wait out for another 21 days before the next step of fielding “sentinel birds” in the area will be undertaken, Piñol said.

The agriculture chief said that once the “sentinel birds” did not show any symptoms of the AI virus, the Bureau of Animal Industry will declare San Luis and the periphery as free of the bird flu virus.

“If there are no other reported cases of bird flu outbreak 21 days after the completion of the clean-up and disinfection operations in Jaen and San Isidro, the Agriculture Department will lift the ban on the shipment of poultry and poultry products to other parts of the country,” he said.

“I am hoping and praying that Jaen and San Isidro would be the last of our AI problems,” he added.

However, farmers in the 1-km controlled radius will not be allowed to raise chickens, ducks or quails and other feathered fowls for another 90 days.

On Friday, Piñol confirmed that the outbreak has reached the towns of Jaen and San Isidro in Nueva Ecjia, which had the same strain in the previous case in San Luis.

The Palace, meanwhile, said that it is keeping a close watch on the developments in Nueva Ecija following reports of poultry deaths.

“We are closely monitoring the situation in Nueva Ecija following the confirmation of poultry deaths in the province yesterday by the Department of Agriculture [DA]. We ask our people to remain calm yet vigilant and to refrain from spreading unverified information that may cause undue alarm and panic,” Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella said in a statement read over Radyo Pilipinas.

Abella added that concerned government officials have been quick in their response in avian flu investigation and containment activities and have established heightened surveillance and community action teams for detection of other fowl deaths and possible flu cases in humans.

He added that the government has also put up advance command posts in San Nicolas, Pampanga and San Isidro, Nueva Ecija with the capacity to respond 24/7.

According to Abella, health officers have trained AFP personnel and have provided Personal Protective Equipment and Prophylaxis Meds (Tamiflu) good for 10 days for soldiers who would do the culling.

The Palace official reiterated that bird flu is transferred via respiratory routes and that properly cooked chicken meat and eggs remain safe to eat.

“As of this time, there has been no report of bird-to-human contamination in the Philippines,” he added.

Meanwhile, Pampanga farmers whose chicken, ducks and quails were culled as part of the effort to contain the spread of the avian influenza virus in San Luis town will get paid starting Aug. 22, Pinol said.

Following a clearance from the Department of Budget and Management, P31 million in calamity funds will be released, estimated to cover 300,000 birds affected by the disease.

“The amount will be the first in a series of releases to be made by government through the Agriculture Department to cover the losses of the farmers,” he said.

“I will personally go to San Luis on Tuesday to hand the first checks to farmers as a proof of President Rody Duterte’s commitment to help poultry, duck and quail raisers recover from the calamity,” he added.

In addition to the compensation for the birds which were culled, the Department of Agriculture is also preparing grants and loans through the Agricultural Credit Policy Council for farm workers who will be jobless because of the closure of the farms.

John Paolo Bencito

PH...

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He said he hoped this first win could break the gates of victories to come pouring in and improve the country’s medal standing.

“It should inspire our athletes there to give their best [for country]” he said.

By Sara Susanne D. Fabunan

Foreign Affairs Undersecretary for Migrant Workers Affairs Sarah Arriola said the 43-year-old Filipina is the wife of a British subject and has been based in Australia for the past three or four years.

She and her son were in Barcelona to attend the wedding of a cousin from the Philippines when the incident happened.

Arriola said Honorary Consul Jordi Puig Roches visited the victim in the hospital after he was notified by local authorities.

She said the DFA is in touch with her relatives in the Philippines.

Arriola, Cayetano’s political appointee, said the woman’s husband is also on his way to Barcelona to help locate his son who got separated from his mother during the attack.

Thursday’s attack, which involved

F

OREIGN Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano has instructed the Philippine Embassy in Madrid to extend all possible assistance to a Filipina who was seriously injured in Thursday’s terrorist attack in Barcelona and to exert all efforts to help locate her son who remains missing.

Cayetano also ordered Embassy Chargè d’Affaires Emmanuel Fernandez to proceed immediately to Barcelona to assist the Filipina who remains in serious condition at a hospital there.

“It saddens us to inform the public that a kababayan of ours from Australia and her seven-year-old

son are among the victims of last Thursday’s terrorist attack in Barcelona,” Cayetano said in a statement.

“I have directed our Embassy in Madrid to proceed to Barcelona and extend all possible assistance to our injured kababayan and to exert all efforts to help find her son,” Cayetano added.

a van that plowed through crowds gathered in Barcelona’s Las Ramblas tourist district, also resulted in injuries to members of an Irish family of Filipino descent.

Arriola said the Honorary Consul continues to monitor the condition of the father and his son and reported the success of the surgery performed on the five-year-old son who suffered a leg injury as a result of the attack.

“We will continue to exert all efforts until we are sure that there are no other Filipinos among the victims of this dastardly act,” Arriola said.

She said the Embassy and the Honorary Consulate are working closely with members of the Filipino community in checking if there are other Filipinos who were among those who were killed or injured in the attack.

SCANDAL-HIT POLL CHIEF URGES PRAYERS FOR SON COMMISSSION of Elections chairman Andres Bautista said he was thinking—and praying—of taking a leave of absence amid allegations by his estranged wife that he had stashed ill-gotten wealth as a government official.

“Pinagiisipan at pinagdadasalan...” said Bautista in a television interview. Bautista is also asking for prayers for one of his children who refuses to go to school following his conflict with wife Patricia Bautista.

Bautista declared a net worth of P176.3 million last year, but his

wife said she had discovered bank and real property documents in her husband’s name and those of his relatives that were not reflected in his 2016 Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth.

Patricia also accused the Comelec chairman of employing ghost employees during his stint as chairman of the Presidential Commission on Good Government.

Bautista denied the accusations, saying that he had earned money from financial investments with his family even before he entered public service in 2010.

USEC LEYCO TAKES OVER SOCIAL WELFARE AS OIC

By John Paolo Bencito PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte on Saturday appointed Undersecretary Emmanuel Leyco as officerin-charge of the Department of Social Welfare and Development following the powerful Commission on Appointment’s rejection of Judy Taguiwalo’s confirmation as the agency’s chief.

“The Palace wishes to announce the designation of Mr. Emmanuel A. Leyco as the officer-in-charge of the Department of Social Welfare and Development, effective immediately,” Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella said.

“Mr. Leyco is not new to the DSWD. He is currently the undersecretary for Finance and Administration. We wish him all the best,” Abella added.

Leyco obtained his Bachelor of Arts degree from De La Salle University and earned his Master

in Public Administration degree from Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government and a Master of Arts degree from Columbia’s University Teacher’s College.

A professor of public finance and economics, Leyco is currently a professor (on leave) at the Asian Institute of Management’s W. SyCip Graduate School of Business.

He teaches analytical finance topics that include asset backed securities analysis, credit rating, and project financing.

Leyco is also president of the Credit Rating and Investors Services Philippines Inc., a private corporation that provides credit ratings on asset backed securities, corporate bond issuers and risk assessment services to debt issuers and investors. The company is one of only two accredited credit rating agencies in the Philippines by the Securities and Exchange Commission.

He also filed criminal complaints against his wife.

The television report also said Comelec employees in Region III expressed their support to Bautista.

Meanwhile, a poll watchdog has urged Bautista to take a leave of absence while he faces allegations of amassing unexplained wealth.

The National Citizens’ Movement for Free Elections supported calls for Comelec chairman Andres Bautista to go on leave while the accusations against him are being investigated.

“The least harsh and more prudent action would be to take a leave first while hearings and investigations are conducted,” said Namfrel secretary-general Eric Alvia.

Alvia also advised the embattled Comelec chairman to “remain steadfast, cooperate and pray as investigations commence,” adding that “the truth will always prevail.”

Earlier, poll watchdog, Kontra Daya, has also appealed to Bautista to go on leave to ensure the credibility of any investigation that he may face.

DRUG-FREE...

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not only the cost of tuition and miscellaneous fees, but also reasonable allowances for books, school supplies, transportation, clothing, as well as food from the moment such children are orphaned until their completion of tertiary education.

“Recent developments in our country bring to our attention the noble, yet dangerous task of protecting national safety and internal security,” Villafuerte, vice chairman of the House committee on appropriations, said in pushing for the passage of his bill.

Villafuerte cited the intense fighting between government troops in Marawi City and the government’s war on drugs which have both claimed the lives of policemen, along with the deaths in 2015 of 44 members of the PNP’s elite Special Action Force.

HB 6058 is the counterpart bill to Senate Bill 1123 filed by Senator Grace Poe for the same purpose.

Villafuerte said that under the current law, Republic Act 6963, surviving children of police officers killed in the line of duty receive educational grants through the PNP Educational Benefits Trust Fund, which is dependent on the proceeds from the license fees for firearms collected by the

PNP. To ensure the sustainability of this program, Villafuerte proposed under HB 6058 “that the PNP Educational Benefits Trust Fund shall receive an allocation in the Annual Appropriations, on top of various other sources.”

These other funding sources include proceeds generated from examination stamps, clearance and certification fees and other service income of the National Police Commission (Napolcom); proceeds from license fees for firearms, and fines and penalties collected by the PNP; all interest income of the trust fund; and grants, donations and endowments from domestic and foreign sources, pursuant to existing laws and regulations.

Under the bill, the PNP Educational Benefits Trust Fund shall be administered by the Napolcom.

Villafuerte said: “This bill deems it necessary to prioritize the educational grant to the orphaned children of our fallen police forces in consideration of the increasing cost of education in the Philippines.

“Additionally, it recognizes education’s incomparable rate of return to the individual and the nation as a whole.”

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these deaths; and investigate and arrest those responsible for the killings,” she added.

The National Union of People’s Lawyers, meanwhile, used the terms “happily, haply, hapless, or helpless”—alluding to a controversial statement from Abella about the killing of Delos Santos.

In an allusion- and alliteration-filled statement, NUPL president Edre Olalia demanded accountability for the slay of Delos Santos during an anti-illegal drugs operation in Caloocan City last

Wednesday.

“Make no mistake about it,” NUPL president Edre Olalia said in a statement.

“The responsibility for the coldblooded, unmitigated, premeditated and brutal murder of Kian Lloyd and the culling of hapless and helpless others ultimately goes straight all the way up. Neither happily nor haply,” he added.

In audio and video recordings of a Mindanao Hour briefing on Friday,

Abella—asked about Delos Santos’ killing—could be heard saying the incident “happily, I think, is isolated.”

Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre himself has directed the National Bureau of Investigation to probe Delos Santos’ killing.

Abella reiterated that “mistakes and illegal acts will not be tolerated,” despite the President’s own endorsement “to plant guns to show that drug suspects resisted arrest.”

“Having said this, the President, who

continues to vigorously pursue the dismantling of drug apparatus, ensures that erring enforcers will be properly investigated. The task of building a nation worthy of all demands participation of all citizens, and this incident challenges the nation to be more vigilant,” he said.

Rights groups have warned Duterte, who has said he would be “happy to slaughter” three million drug addicts, may be orchestrating a crime against humanity.

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PALACE YET TO ACT ON QUIT BIDS OF CUSTOMS OFFICIALS

By John Paolo Bencito and Maricel V. Cruz

P

RESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte has yet to take action on the resignation letters filed by two Bureau of Customs officials accused of accepting bribes to allow the entry of smuggled goods in the country, Malacanang said Saturday.

“The Office of the President has received these resignation letters of Retired Colonel Neil Anthony L. Estrella, Director III, Bureau of Customs; and Mr. Milo D. Maestrecampo, Import Assessment Services Director, also from the Bureau of Customs,” Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella said in a statement.

“We will update you of any development on the matter,” he added.

Maestrecampo resigned earlier this month after customs broker Mark Taguba claimed in a House inquiry that he had been giving bribes to a group of IAS officials.

Although Taguba later clarified that he did not give grease money or ever met Maestrecampo, the official said “it was too late” because he was already dragged into the corruption scandal.

Estrella, a former Marine colonel, likewise resigned “out of delicadeza” as the “sensitivity of my office and the methodology it entails have now been compromised by unnecessary publicity.”

On Friday, the Palace said that retaining embattled Customs Commissioner Nicanor

Faeldon in his post is part of President Rodrigo Duterte’s “concrete action” towards addressing the P6.4-billion shabu mess that slipped his agency.

“So far as we can see, he has retained Faeldon,” Abella said. “So I suppose that’s part of his concrete action.”

On Thursday, Duterte said he had rejected Faeldon’s appeal to be relieved as head of the Bureau of Customs thrice. He also said Faeldon is here to stay because he wasn’t the type of person who could be corrupt.

As this developed, House senior deputy minority leader and Buhay Rep. Lito Atienza has filed House Bill 6220 which seeks to require prior inspection abroad of all shipments destined for the Philippines.

Atienza said he filed the bill to avoid a repeat of the P6.4-billion shabu smuggling case through the Port of Manila.

“All merchandise imports should be physically examined and valued at the port of origin, before the shipment leaves for the Philippines. This is one sure way to prevent the entry of illegal drugs and other contraband into the country,” Atienza said.

“Mandatory pre-shipment inspection is our ‘silver bullet’ against the monsters of smuggling.

It is also our best antidote to the poison of systemic corruption at the Bureau of Customs [BOC],” Atienza said.

Atienza’s HB 6220 calls for “the compulsory advance clearance” of all foreign cargoes headed for the Philippines.

Under the bill, the exact nature of all Philippinebound commodities, to include their quality, quantity and prices, would have to be checked and verified at the country of origin, before the

goods are put in containers and loaded onto ships.

The BOC has been reeling from accusations that crooked officials turned a blind eye to the 604-kilo shabu shipment from China that was later seized from a warehouse in Valenzuela City only after the Chinese Customs Ministry issued an alert.

“Pre-shipment inspection is beneficial to everybody. Government will collect higher duties.

Legitimate importers will avoid costly product defects and get shipments faster without having to haggle with corrupt BOC agents,” Atienza said.

There are only three groups of people that have historically resisted pre-shipment inspection, Atienza said.

“Those opposed to our proposal are the BOC officials who stand to lose their hefty cuts from the usual misdeclaration or undervaluation of imports; the dodgy traders who will be compelled to cough up the correct duties and taxes; and of course, the politicians moonlighting as ‘padrinos’ of shady merchants,” Atienza said.

Atienza’s bill seeks to amend Section 440 of Republic Act 10863, or the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act, which Congress passed only in February 2016.

Atienza said that when the House in the previous Congress passed its version of what would later become the CMTA, the bill actually contained a provision on the mandatory preshipment inspection of imports.

“But the provision was opposed by a number of senators at the bicameral conference committee, so it was dropped from the final version of the measure that was eventually ratified by both chambers,” he said.

DON’T SHAKE IT.

Hundreds of students from Sta. Lucia High School in Novaliches, Quezon City were brought to the nearest hospital after a food poisoning incident reportedly caused by chocolate shakes sold at the school canteen. Photo shows students being loaded at an ambulance van on their way to a hospital.

Manny Palmero

USON SAYS ‘YELLOWS’ USE TROLLS FOR LENI PALACE official on Saturday accused ‘yellows’ of employing trolls to make Vice President Leni Robredo win in an unofficial Twitter poll on who would be the next Social Welfare secretary.

In a Facebook post, sex guru-turnedCommunications Assistant Secretary Margaux “Mocha” Uson contested the results of a Twitter poll that she herself conducted last Friday, wherein Robredo led over two other possible contenders.

“Ang resulta na ito ay nagpapatunay lamang ng ang mga dilawan ay organisado. Noong unang mga oras ng paglabas ng Poll hindi po nangunguna si Leni.

Ngunit makalipas ang ilang oras biglabigla itong tumaas at ni-retweet ng mga poser accounts,” Uson said.

(The results only show that the yellows are organized. In the first hours of the poll, Leni wasn’t leading. But after a few hours, her votes rose and [the post] was re-tweeted of poser accounts.)

“Hindi ko po sinasabi na ang entire poll ay binoto ng mga fake accounts ni Leni pero ito ay sabay sabay ni-retweet ng mga fake accounts at ito naman ay ni-replayan ng mga followers nito. Ganito po sila ka-organize sa Twitter.”

(I’m not saying that the entire poll was voted by Leni’s fake accounts, but these were retweeted all at the same time by fake accounts and were replied by their followers. These shows how are they well-organized in Twitter) Uson claims that the organized efforts by the yellows were meant to “fight and discredit the government.”

“Dito sa FB mahirap gumawa ng troll accounts hindi nila kakayanin ang dami ng DDS. Sigurado kulelat yan si Leni. Now bakit ko po ginawa sa Twitter pinapakita ko lamang po na ang mga dilawan ay organisado. Coordinated ang galaw nila.

I WANT TO MAKE THE DDS realize that unless we unite we will never win this battle,” the Palace official said.

Robredo led Uson’s poll with 82 percent of votes over another die-hard Duterte supporter, Social Welfare Assistant Secretary Lorraine Badoy at six percent and Nikki Prieto-Teodoro, wife of former Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro, at 2 percent.

Those undecided or expressed a different pick is at 10 percent.

The highly-divisive 2016 presidential elections had shown the rise of some social media personalities accused of propagating “fake news,” including Uson herself, some trolls and other hoax websites mimicking the name and logo of legitimate websites, but peddling unverified news. John Paolo Bencito

MALAYSIAN GOVT STAYS EXECUTION OF PH OFW

By Sara Susanne D. Fabunan

MINDORO WON’T HAVE NO 10-MONTH BLACKOUT —NAPOCOR

By Alena Mae S. Flores STATE-OWNED National Power Corp. assured that there would be no 10-month blackout in Oriental Mindoro amid fears raised by residents in the area.

In a statement, Napocor said it would wait for the Oriental Mindoro Electric Cooperative Inc.’s new power provider to finish the setup of its sixmegawatt generating sets before the shutdown of its 69-kV Calapan-Puerto Galera transmission line to give way for its rehabilitation.

“Napocor, along with its contractor, is currently doing rehabilitation works for the 41 km Calapan to Puerto Galera transmission line in Oriental Mindoro to improve its reliability and efficiency.

In order to complete the works, we have to shut down the transmission line,” Maximo delos Reyes, Napocor’s chief for Mindoro-Romblon Operations Division, said.

Delos Reyes said that before undertaking the shutdown for the rehabilitation project, it was agreed as early as March that Ormeco will ask its power provider, the Mindoro Grid Corp., to transfer 6-MW capacity to Puerto Galera to secure enough power supply for its customers.

Ormeco asked Mindoro Grid to execute the transfer immediately. How-

ever, some unforeseen circumstances delayed the transfer.

“To ease the situation and allay the fears of the local residents and tourists on the rumored 10-month blackout, Napocor decided to wait until MGC complies and receives the necessary permit it needs. We hope MGC and the local government unit of Puerto Galera can expedite the process so we can proceed with our rehab and be able to return the transmission line in service as soon as possible” Delos Reyes, said.

The official said ‘10 months’ refers to the duration of the entire rehabilitation works and not the schedule for shutdown.

Oriental Mindoro is one of the 14 “first wave areas to embark on privatization by virtue of DOE Circular No. 2004-01001 which sets the rules for private sector participation in existing Napocor power plants in missionary areas.

Based on the circular, electric cooperatives may conduct a competitive selection process or CSP to secure a new power provider that will take over the generation function of Napocor.

Since Ormeco’s successful conduct of CSP or bidding for its full power supply requirement, Napocor focused on building and upgrading the island province’s transmission and substation systems.

ELECTRIC DREAMS. Young boys ride an unregistered electric trike along the Pasay city portion of EDSA defying the strict ordinance banning unregistered light electric trikes/bikes along major thoroughfares. Ey Acasio

RESPONDING to the appeal of the Philippine government, Malaysian authorities postponed the scheduled execution of a Filipino convicted of murder in Sabah, the Department of Foreign Affairs said on Saturday.

Ejah Bin Jaafar, a Filipino overseas worker who was supposed to be executed on Friday, was spared after Sabah Governor Tun Datuk Seri Panglima Haji Juhad Haji Mahiruddin granted the Philippines’ last-minute appeal to postpone his punishment of death.

The DFA said the execution of Ejah Bin Jaafar was ordered postponed by the Sabah Governor following a lastminute appeal from the Philippine Embassy in Kuala Lumpur.

“We would like to thank the Governor of Sabah for responding to the repeated appeals of the Philippine Government on behalf of the family of Mr. Jaafar,” Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano said in a statement.

According to the Philippine Embassy there, the Sabah governor decided to refer Jaafar’s case back to the Sabah Pardons Board for review.

The embassy said that the Sabah Pardons Board which is headed by its Governor is scheduled to meet in December to review the Filipino’s case and decide whether to reduce the sentence to life imprisonment or proceed with the execution.

“The decision of the board will be final and executory without any further possibility of appeal,” the DFA said.

Jaafar was convicted for killing Haajan Jaiman, a fellow Filipino 2006. He was found guilty by the Sandakan High Court in the same year of September and was meted the capital punishment in 2009.

The decision was affirmed by both the Court of Appeals on Sept. 19, 2011 and by the Federal Court on Sept. 11, 2013

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ANTI-GRAFT COURT CONVICTS EX-GOV

HE Sandiganbayan first division has found former Sorsogon governor Raul Lee guilty of graft and corrupt practices for his involvement in the P728-million fertilizer fund scam.

In a 33-page decision, Lee was convicted of four counts of graft for the purchase of 133 liters and 2,000 liters of Bio Nature Liquid Fertilizer from Feshan Phils. Inc. through direct contracting.

Lee was sentenced to a minimum of six years and one month to a maximum of 10 years of imprisonment for each count of the graft charges against him.

The First Division also ordered Lee to pay the provincial government a fine of P2,591,595.

The decision was penned by Division chairperson Associate Justice Efren dela Cruz and concurred in by Associate Justices Geraldine Econg

and Bernelito Fernandez.

In its decision, the Sandiganbayan said: “The subject 2,133 liters of liquid fertilizers were procured in two batches.

“The first batch for 2,000 liters was purchased on April 16, 2004 as shown by Purchase Request No. 30004-04-405-A and the second batch for 133 liters was bought on April 22, 2004 per Purchase Request No. 30004-04-16.

“The fertilizers were procured through direct contracting. There were no documents proving that a public bidding was conducted.”

The Sandiganbayan said the purchase of the liquid fertilizers from

the Feshan Phils. Inc. was “unjustified” as there were suitable substitutes available in the market at a lower price.

The Sandiganbayan said: “The Province of Sorsogon spent a total of P3,199,500 (P1,500 per liter) for the 2,133 liters when it could have purchased Bio Nature Liquid at P180 per liter or a total of P383,940 for the 2,133 liters.

“This resulted in a loss to the Province in the total amount of P2,815,560.”

Aside from Lee, also convicted was provincial chief accountant Raul Hernandez, who is reported to have died.

The Sandiganbayan is waiting for the formal notice of his death.

It said: “Accused Lee and Hernandez should be made answerable for the contract. It was all accused Lee’s hand from the procurement to the payment of the subject fertilizers.

“On the other hand, accused Hernandez, by his certification as to the completeness and propriety of the documents supporting the transaction, aided accused Lee in the release of the funds from the Province of Sorsogon’s treasury to Feshan Phils. Inc.” Meanwhile, Provincial Chief Accountant Ofelia Velasco was acquitted on the ground of reasonable doubt.

“Accused Velasco cannot, however, be deemed liable for certifying as to the availability of cash for the fertilizers because, indeed, there was an available allocation for the expense,” the Sandiganbayan said.

The P728 million was allotted for the purchase of fertilizers for farmers in the country.

However, the amount was allegedly diverted to the 2004 election campaign fund of then President and now Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

RETRIEVING FROM RUINS. Now homeless residents look for reusable materials from their burnt houses that left many without shelter after a fire gutted a residential area in Manila’s waterfront district of Tondo during the weekend. Norman Cruz

MIAA REMOVES SECURITY DISPOSAL BOOTHS

By Joel E. Zurbano THE Manila International Airport Authority has decided to remove the disposal booths or cubicles which served as passengers’ luggage checking station before entering security screening checkpoints at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport.

The cubicle dubbed as the “Last Look Booth” was installed supposedly to help passengers dispose of items the airport authorities prohibit such as gun, bullets, knife and other deadly weapons and prevent delayed flights.

“The booths were removed because the passengers keep ignoring it (sic), while more and more passengers are being caught for bringing in banned items,”

said a MIAA public information officer.

On Friday, two more Chinese travelers bound for Macau and Shanghai were apprehended after they were found carrying 12 empty bullets.

Cheng Li Tan was about to board his Philippine Airlines flight PR-352 for Macau at Naia Terminal 2 around 11:45 a.m. when screening supervising officers discovered eight empty shells of .45 caliber inside his luggage.

Li Haonan, on the other hand, was found carrying pieces of empty 5.56 mm bullets, .45 caliber and .22 caliber at Naia Terminal 3.

The foreigners explained they kept the empty shells as souvenir items from the Philippines. They were allowed to board

their flight after documentation.

Octogenarian Fidela Galinato, of Cuyapo, Nueva Ecija was also caught in possession of a live ammunition, also of a .45 caliber firearm, while she was about to board her flight for Bangkok also on Friday morning.

Just recently, Qin Wei, also a Chinese national, was caught with two empty shells of .22 caliber, one empty shell of .9 mm pistol and one of .45 caliber. He was about to board Air Asia Z218 flight to Shanghai around 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday at Naia Terminal 3 when screening found the four empty shells in his possession.

Amid the numerous apprehension of air travelers caught in possession of bullets and other prohibited items, the

SOLON SCORES LTFRB INACTION

By Maricel V. Cruz and Joel Zurbano

A PARTY-LIST lawmaker on Saturday chastised the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board for its refusal to take drastic actions against taxi drivers who refuse to take passengers and those who demand additional fare for their trips.

Puwersa ng Bayaning Atleta Party-list Rep. Jericho Nograles said with the suspension of Uber which was his regular mode of transport, he decided Friday to use Grab to bring him to the airport.

To his disappointment, he was refused three times and at least two Grab drivers canceled on him before one finally decided to take him.

“This to me is a clear case of passenger refusal which is considered a violation by the LTFRB. They have been talking tough about imposing severe punishments against taxi drivers who refuse passengers but what about those who do the same through our ride-hailing applications?

Meanwhile, airport authorities caught and impounded 11 public utility vehicles since they began implementing a new policy against colorum and out-of-line PUVs operating at the Ninoy Aquino International Airports.

Those apprehended, according to Manila International Airport Authority general manager Eddie Monreal, included drivers of taxicabs, Grab vehicles and sports utility vans operating

illegally at Naia terminals 1, 2 and 3.

Monreal said most of those vehicles were caught loading arriving passengers at the taxi queuing lane from Aug. 10 to 18.

He added the vehicles were brought to the impounding area at the Nayong Pilipino compound until ordered released by the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board.

The latest operation resulted in the apprehension of a certain Jay on Friday at the Naia Terminal 3 where he accompanied nine newly arrived passengers from Cebu to the open parking and boarded them into a Mitsubishi Montero SUV. Investigation showed that the passengers were contracted to pay P1,250 from the terminal to Fairview ,Quezon City.

airport authority said there was no syndicate or erring personnel doing the socalled “tanim-bala.”

Based on records, 1, 214 cases of passengers caught with bullets listed in 2012 increased in 2013 with 2,184. The figure declined in 2014 with 1,813 cases and continued to drop in 2015.

Those who were apprehended mostly “used” the live ammunition and empty bullets as souvenirs, necklaces, talismans or amulets Airport officials have ordered the installation of additional close circuit television cameras to monitor personnel screening the luggage of passengers.

They also imposed a “no touch” policy to prevent incidents of “bullet-planting.”

HEAVY TRAFFIC SEEN IN METRO

HEAVY traffic is expected to build up along Commonwealth Avenue and other areas in Quezon City as the construction of the P70-billion Metro Railway Transit System-Line 7 (MRT-7) project goes full throttle on Monday.

More than 300 traffic enforcers will be deployed as part of the road management measure prepared by the Metro Manila Development Authority and the Quezon City government to help ease up traffic congestion in areas affected by the construction.

“We must realize that these infrastructure projects will benefit our countrymen in the long run. But for the meantime, we appeal to Metro Manila [residents] who would be inconvenienced by the construction to bear with us,” said Thomas Orbos, MMDA general manager and concurrent Transportation Undersecretary for Road.

The construction of the rail project has rendered the closure of two lanes from the center island on both directions of Commonwealth Avenue.

Quezon City officials also advised motorists and commuters to prepare for the expected traffic jam to avoid inconvenience and take alternative routes, whenever necessary.

In 2016, an annual average daily traffic of 272,255 vehicles was recorded along Commonwealth Avenue.

The construction of MRT Line 7 Phase 1 will be undertaken by stakeholder San Miguel Holdings Corp. through the consortium of Hyundai Rotem Co. and EEI Corp., its contractor.

Based on its profile posted at the official website of Private-Public Partnership Center, the project involves the financing, design, construction, operation and maintenance of the 23-km elevated railway line.

The MRT-7 line serves 14 stations from San Jose del Monte, Bulacan to MRT-3 North Avenue in Quezon City.

The stations are: North Avenue, Quezon City Memorial Circle, University Avenue, Tandang Sora, Don Antonio, Batasan, Manggahan, Doña Carmen, Regalado, Mindanao Avenue, Quirino, Sacred Heart, Tala and San Jose del Monte.

Once the project is completed, the road component will divert northern provincial buses operation to San Jose Del Monte, thereby decongesting Epifanio delos Santos Avenue.

Transportation Secretary Arturo Tugade and MMDA chairman Danilo Lim designated Orbos as head of the revived Inter-Agency Council on Traffic (I-ACT) which was also tasked to supervise the MRT-7 project.

The Council is composed of MMDA, Department of Transportation, Department of Public Works and Highways, Police-Highway Patrol Group and local government units.

“The contractor of the rapid transit line project and several traffic volunteers will also assist in directing traffic in the area,” said Orbos.

Aside from traffic management, I-ACT will also intensify its operations against illegally-parked, colorum and out-ofline vehicles, and illegal terminals along the stretch of Commonwealth Avenue to cushion the expected traffic build-up in the area.

The reactivation of I-ACT was deemed necessary by the government to ensure proper coordination among various agencies involved in traffic and infrastructure.

Antonio Gardiola, of the Police-Highway Patrol Group, was the first I-ACT chief when the council was created in September 2016.

It was formed to promote cooperation in the fields of traffic congestion, commuters’ safety, anti-colorum operations, and enforcement of traffic rules. Joel E. Zurbano

THE WOW FACTOR.

Pizza makers at Shakey’s 200th store in Paseo de Magallanes in Makati City, not far from the Manila Standard newsroom, bring their skills recently to a new wow in spinning dough as the outlet opened its facilities to customers.

Ey Acasio

B1

SUNDAY, AUGUST 20, 2017 Adelle Chua, Editor

Opinion

Joyce Pangco Pañares, Issue Editor

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

THE MEANING OF THE ECLIPSE

EDITORIAL

HERODOTUS described it plainly enough: “The sun left his place in the heaven and was invisible, though there was no gathering of clouds and the sky was perfectly clear; and instead of day it became night.”

Eclipses have preoccupied the Greeks and Romans, Chinese and Assyrians, Amos and Joel, Gilmour and Waters. They’ve signified different things in different eras: foreboding, good fortune, prefiguration. Across cultures, though, an eclipse has almost always been freighted with meaning—a sight so vivid and unsettling that it must portend something important.

Perhaps that’s still true. The total solar eclipse that will ripple across much of the US Monday—in an arc some 70 miles wide, from Oregon to South Carolina—has become a monumental happening. Millions of people are gathering, along with hopes of economic revival and fears of epic traffic jams. “Like Woodstock 200 times over,” says a Nasa official.

Why such a frenzy, in these harried times, for a two-minute event?

On one level, it’s simply a great show. As the moon passes in front of the sun, the planets and stars will emerge, the solar corona will flicker overhead, temperatures will plummet, animals will freak, people may scream. For an instant, the whole mad clockwork of the universe will reveal itself.

As the astronomer Jay Pasachoff once put it, an eclipse is “the perfect alignment, in solemn darkness, of the celestial bodies that mean most to us.”

Maybe something more worldly is at work, too. As you’ve no doubt noticed, these are dark days in national life—days of rage and resentment. The worst are full of passionate intensity. A communal act, unburdened by politics, has a forceful appeal amid the turmoil. As Annie Dillard wrote, of an eclipse in 1979: “It looked as though we had all gathered on hilltops to pray for the world on its last day.”

An eclipse is just an eclipse, of course. It won’t solve America’s deepening dysfunctions. But perhaps, in drawing so many together, it can offer a reminder of common bonds long forgotten.

As millions of Americans look up, if only momentarily, from their phones, maybe they can also look beyond the pettiness of so much of their politics. Among a crowd of strangers gazing at the unnerving splendor above, they might find a brief moment of grace.

Bloomberg Editorial Board

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THE ABOMINABLE CABBIE

M

ANY Metro Manila dwellers have an image of the typical taxi driver in their heads.

Sporting a red shirt, he stops reluctantly when you flag him down. If you are lucky, he rolls down his windows so you can hear each other when you negotiate.

He makes you feel defensive about your destination, or your decision not to take other forms of transportation instead. Even the weather, sometimes.

When you tell him where you are goaing, he just drives away dismissively making you wonder whether you did not just talk to a ghost. That, or he makes it known that going to your part of town is an absolute inconvenience to him. Plus 20, you offer, and he laughs as though you were a child. Plus 100, he says, until you meet halfway at 50. This is on a good day. Again, if you’re lucky, he agrees to let you into his vehicle. Other times he mumbles that the traffic is terrible, or he needs to stop by soon for a meal, or he is going somewhere else, or your destination is not along his way. You wonder when cabs started to have a pre-determined route.

Settle into your seat and get a whiff of how ill-maintained the vehicle is. You think twice about resting your back on the curduroy seat cover—it looks like it has not been washed in months. Look around and notice the grimy interiors.

While driving, the driver grumbles about the traffic, again and again, and if it’s really bad asks to jack up the tip. When you finally pay, they scold you if you do not have a smaller bill. They never give you back the change you are entitled to, either. You would be embarrassed to ask for it.

SAN FRANCISCO, California—Last Thursday, my sister and two of our cousins trooped to the historic Paramount Theater in Oakland for a milestone event in their lives—their naturalization day.

United States immigration law provides that a permanent resident— what we usually call a “green card holder”—may opt to be naturalized as an American citizen after five years

Not all taxi drivers are like this, of course. There are decent, courteous and honest ones—woe to their colleagues who smear their name and their profession.

Unfortunately, the deplorable behavior of erring drivers is justified by a representative of a taxi operators’ group. Lawyer Bong Suntay of the Philippine National Taxi Operators Association said cab drivers asking for additional fees is just akin to surges in Grab and Uber.

Suntay also said drivers stand to lose money if they bring passengers to places with heavy traffic, because they would be thinking of the high boundary they are supposed to meet.

But the burden to earn more should not be passed on to hapless consumers, especially now when they find themselves needing taxis with Uber’s suspension and its effect on the price of Grab rides these days.

The legal wrangling will continue but in the meantime, commuters are left with even less choices in going from one placetoanother,giventhesorrystateofpublictransportation— from the MRT and LRT to buses and jeepneys.

There is no excuse for greed or arrogance. If Suntay were truly concerned about how taxi drivers feel, then he should lead his organization to lower the onerous boundaries that lead them to forget that their business has a semblance of public service.

Then again, if the government were truly concerned about changing the lives of its people, it would seek to actually improve it, not make it stagnant or worse. It would create conditions where drivers are motivated, are behaved, and feel no need to pull one over their customers.

BECOMING FIL-AMERICAN of continuous residence. Actually the immigrant must have been in residence in the US for two and a half of those five years, but five years is what’s best to bear in mind.

Some people choose to retain Philippine citizenship for the duration of their residence in the US; this is not

unusual. My two cousins had been living in the Bay Area for close to 20 years before deciding to be naturalized. My sister, ever efficient and by the book, filed for citizenship five years to the day she arrived.

Thus it was that the three of them found themselves in Paramount Theater

POP GOES THE WORLD

on the same day raising their hands in an oath to “renounce and abjure” their former nationality, even if they had come into the country years apart.

The lavishly-decorated art deco theater, recently restored, gleaming in gold and copper and basking in the warm glow of golden light, was filled

JENNY ORTUOSTE with a throng that packed it to the rafters. There were 1,107 new citizens in the orchestra area, while the balcony and loge were packed with as many Turn to B2

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BECOMING...

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From B1

family members and well-wishers.

The oath takers came from 90 countries. Some of those states no longer exist or now have different names.

Mexico was the most represented, Philippines the fourth. Second and third were India and China.

The cheering, hooting, and clapping shook the venerable Paramount.

The officials present from the State Department, Citizenship and Immigration Services (formerly Immigration and Naturalization Services or INS), Social Security Administration, and other government agencies beamed as they shared in the rejoicing of the new citizens.

What was glorious about that experience was the diversity of people in that venue. Everyone had come from all over the world for various reasons.

For my cousins, it was to make a fresh start. For my sister, to be with family.

All three wanted to explore the opportunities and learn from the challenges that living in a new country poses.

Those from other countries, however, came over for reasons that were more tragic or complicated. “Human rights are better here,” said a man from the Middle East. Others were escaping poverty, oppression, genocide, persecution. They found a haven in the US. When the “Star-Spangled Banner” was sung, everyone fervently raised their voices, hand over heart, grateful to officially belong here.

For my sister, there was a moment of pain when she said the words “I renounce and abjure.” I pointed out that Philippine laws allow for dual citizenship, and that is always an option down the road. Although her Filipino-ness is inextricably a part of her identity, to take on another nationality was not a step she had taken lightly; our cousins had taken decades to decide to do so.

Still, being an American citizen doesn’t mean, my sister says, that she feels less Filipino. She joins the ranks of Filipino-Americans and the greater community of Filipino-X, where many who were born in the motherland joined the diaspora for their various reasons, spreading the gospel of bayanihan and adobo all over the world.

After the oathtaking, the new citizens received their certificates of naturalization and listened to a music video of “America the Beautiful.” Some stayed to submit their applications for US passports to officials who had set up a booth. Others hung around to take photos, posing with little US flags and their naturalization certificates.

Everyone was dressed for the occasion; men wore suits, women frocks and high heels. I had laughed at my sister for wearing her stilettos, but after seeing everyone else I conceded that she was, after all, appropriately dressed.

It was a day of bittersweet joy, but also of gratitude, excitement, a new beginning. As new Fil-Americans, my sister’s and cousins’ journeys through life now take on a different dimension. As I took photos and shared their happiness under the glittering ceiling of the Paramount, I wished them good fortune, brave adventures, and the best of all that their new country has to offer.

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

By Brad Taylor

Maria Alexandrova, principal dancer of Russias Bolshoi Ballet ,performs a scene from the contemporary Spanish dancer/choreographer Blanca Li’s twowoman show called Goddesses & Demonesses during a dress rehearsal before opening night at the City Center in New York on March 30. AFP

By Timothy A. Clary NEW YORK CITY—You shoot a lot of pictures when you’re shooting dance. And it doesn’t matter whether it’s ballet, or modern dance, or ballroom dance—every time, you have one frame that’s just perfect. It can be something subtle, like a hand or a foot. But there is always one where everything is just perfect.

I suppose that’s why I enjoy shooting it so much—it’s a nice feeling having captured a perfect shot.

But there is another one. You see, I’m the worst dancer in the world. When I was little, my Mom put my sister and me into ballroom dancing lessons. It was a total flop. I liked it, I just couldn’t do it.

In high school, you had to dance to meet girls and I just couldn’t dance. So to see these people, who are the best in the world... I’m kind of envious of anyone who can do this. I wish I could do it, but I can’t, so I’ll do the next best thing—I’ll take pictures of it.

I’ve found that whatever type of dance there is, it all seems to point to ballet. Whether they are dancing modern or tango, they all seem to

have the same ballet training to give them those perfect poses. It just all seems to revolve around ballet.

Ballet is my favorite to photograph. I think out of all the dance that you can see, ballet would be the number one. Because it’s just so beautiful.

It doesn’t matter what ballet it is, or what company it is. It’s just beautiful to watch. The men and the women. It’s just aesthetically beautiful.

Sometimes it’s just a foot. Or the way they arch their back or point their hands. Or just a simple movement.

And then you have the shows, the outfits.

There is just something that sucks you into watching them. They do stuff that no-one else can do. I mean, who can move like that?

Over the years, I’ve witnessed some funny moments. One time I was at the child tryouts for the School of American Ballet. And there was this one little boy who was misbehaving a bit. And the director was there at the time and told him to keep it down, but the kid kept talking. So the director said, “Don’t you want to be a dancer and be in the Nutcracker?” And the kid, without skipping a beat,

said, “No, my Mom is making me do this.” Everyone around just smiled at that one.

I have to admit that once I got into it, I decided that maybe my kid would succeed where her old man had failed and put her in ballet class when she was four years old. But I guess she has my genes in that respect because that was as big a flop as me with ballroom dancing. She was having none of it.

As I went to more and more of these things, I also got to know a lot of the dancers, which has been a nice benefit. On top of being able to do what they do, they’re also all very interesting people. They all have the same walk, the same medical problems. Dancing, especially the ballet, is very difficult on the body. Some of them have careers that are pretty long and some of them burn out pretty quickly.

Funnily enough, I don’t like to go and just watch ballet. I need to have a camera with me. It’s hard to sit and watch something once you’ve shot it.

You’re just itching to capture those moments that you’re seeing. It’s always been something that I’ve wanted to do. But I can’t do it, so this is the next best thing. AFP

HOW TO BEAT NORTH KOREA AT NUCLEAR BLACKMAIL

“STRATEGIC PATIENCE” is out as the US approach to North Korea, and “strategic accountability” is the new term of art. That’s according to an op-ed article by Secretary of Defense James Mattis and Secretary of State Rex Tillerson. “The object of our peaceful pressure campaign,” they write, “is the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.”

While I heartedly approve of finally providing clarity beyond President Donald Trump’s bombastic statements, we should be realistic. I understand the reasons for the message—not the least of which is a shot across the bow to China—but let me deliver some tough love: North Korea is not going to give up its nuclear weapons, and any discussion indicating otherwise is wishful thinking.

There is only one way the Korean Peninsula will be “denuclearized,” and it’s through war. Not a surgical strike against a single facility, but a bloodbath—as Secretary Mattis knows.

Kim wants nuclear weapons for the sole purpose of preventing the fall of his regime to outside forces. The US can officially state that it has no interest in regime change, but Kim knows what happens when a dictator like him acquiesces.

President George H.W. Bush went to war with Saddam Hussein, but stopped short of removing him from power. In return, Saddam had to forgo

his programs for weapons of mass destruction and submit to United Nations inspections. This he did, and a little over a decade later, President George W. Bush destroyed Saddam’s regime. That same president also persuaded Libya’s Muammar Qaddafi to give up his nuclear ambitions and rejoin the world of respected nations.

Qaddafi complied, even helping the US in the war on terrorism. A decade later, Barack Obama’s secretary of state gleefully bragged of Qaddafi, “We came, we saw, he died.”

Kim is only 33 years old and plans to be the Supreme Leader for the rest of his life. He has no interest in what any current administration says, because the next one can change its mind— and likely will. That’s why he will never, ever, succumb to international pressure to dismantle North Korea’s nuclear capability.

Sanctions are often held out by the so-called experts as the solution.

They point out how the latest set was put in place by a vote of 15-0 at the UN Security Council—evidence that the entire world is behind them. But this is at least the seventh set of UN sanctions against North Korea passed unanimously since 2006—yet the Kim regime is now on the verge of a nuclear-tipped ICBM. I’m sure this time it will be different. Sanctions would only work against Kim if he came home to dinner one day and there was no food. It’s going to take a while for that to occur.

Some have pointed to the

apparent success of sanctions against Iran, which led to the international agreement to freeze its nuclear weapons programs. But the comparison is flawed for several reasons. First, Iran was just beginning its nuclear ambitions. North Korea, by the latest estimations, already has 60 fully functional nuclear weapons. Second, while Iran is not a democratic utopia by any stretch of the imagination, it does hold elections and has a middle class that can express a voice, and thus sanctions have bite. North Korea has no such institutions, and Kim does not care about his people, only about the survival of his regime.

It’s a simple equation, really: Denuclearizing the Korean Peninsula will require force. The weapons and the Kim regime are permanently intertwined. Deterrence theory isn’t that complicated. In order to alter a state’s behavior, one threatens something that state holds more valuable than the behavior in question.

Yet in the case of North Korea, they’re one and the same. Saying we’ll destroy the regime if it continues its nuclear program will not alter the action precisely because Kim believes that losing his nuclear capability will cause the destruction of his regime.

Why does Kim feel the need to develop a missile with the capability to strike America? In part because he hears the rhetoric of US officials such as Senator Lindsey Graham, who said, “If there’s going to be a war

… it will be over there. If thousands die, they’re going to die over there.

They’re not going to die here.” That’s a signal to Kim that his current capability isn’t enough to ensure his survival—but developing the ability to strike the continental US might be.

I’m not saying that we should roll over and let the regime do whatever it wants. We should continue with sanctions and to push all other pressure points that are available, but with a clear understanding of what we can and cannot accomplish. Yes, Americans face great risks associated with North Korea’s nuclear program, but some of them are clearly overblown.

For example, I hear a lot of talk about “nuclear blackmail” and how we’ve pretty much had enough of it. But I’m honestly confused by this argument.

When, in the entire history of our interaction with North Korea, has the US succumbed to a threat? This year we planned our annual Foal Eagle military exercise with South Korea, and Pyongyang screamed that they’d obliterate the South if we went ahead.

We did so. Nothing happened. That occurs every year.

Likewise, when Washington started generating support for this latest round of sanctions, Pyongyang stated that if they passed the UN, America would feel the pain a “thousand-fold.”

Yet the sanctions passed, and no pain has been felt. And will that change if the North Koreans develop the ability to strike the US? No, for two reasons.

First, Kim solely cares about the

survivability of his regime. It makes no sense for North Korea to attack us knowing our response would be its destruction. It’s why all this talk about Kim threatening the US forces on Guam is ridiculous. There is no way the North Koreans would ever actually strike Guam. That would be like getting into a shouting match in a bar, and instead of hitting the belligerent drunk, kicking his dog.

You’ve done nothing to alter your opponent’s ability to fight, and given him every reason to take you down.

Second, the crisis has reenergized the Strategic Defense Initiative debate from the Reagan years. If we had continued development of that system after the fall of the Berlin Wall, this entire discussion would be moot. Unfortunately, the Cold War ended, and with it most of our desire to develop a competent anti-ballisticmissile defense.

Currently, we have a nascent, inconsistent ability to defeat ICBMs; but it will get better because of Kim’s threat, and a hell of a lot faster than North Korea’s ability to develop an ICBM reentry vehicle. That, in my mind, is the way to go.

In the end, there are two ways to defeat blackmail: Kill the blackmailer, or make his threat irrelevant. In this case, killing him is inordinately painful, but making the threat irrelevant is not. We will never get Kim to give up his nuclear weapons, but making them worthless is not a bridge too far.

Bloomberg

World

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SUNDAY, AUGUST 20, 2017 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

WRITER NABBED FOR MURDERS 22 YEARS AGO BEIJING—Life may be stranger than fiction for an award-winning Chinese crime writer who has been arrested in connection with a quadruple-homicide that took place more than two decades ago.

For 22 years, police in eastern Zhejiang province tried to crack the cold case of how a family ended up dead in the guesthouse they ran.

They filled stacks upon stacks of notepads with possible suspects and leads, only to learn earlier this month that the answer may have been hiding in plain sight at the local bookstore.

According to a police statement, Liu Yongbiao, a 53-year-old author, was arrested last week at his home in neighboring Anhui province along with a villager with the surname Wang.

They have been charged with and confessed to the murders.

Authorities told The Paper, a Chinese publication, that Liu remarked as he was being handcuffed: “I’ve been waiting for you here all this time.�

Liu, who was a member of the prestigious Communist Party-led China Writers Association, worked with one of the country’s largest publishing houses and had a novel turned into a television series.

In the preface to his novel “The Guilty Secret,� according to The Paper, the writer revealed that he was working on a sequel starring a wordsmith who commits a series of murders but is never caught. AFP

KOREAN ARRESTED FOR DUPING THAIS INTO SEX TRADE BANGKOK, Thailand—A South Korean man accused of duping over 20 Thai women into forced prostitution in his home country has been arrested in Bangkok, an officer said Saturday.

Kim Hyoung Joon, 39, is believed to be part of a transnational gang funneling Thai women into the sex trade in South Korea, and his arrest follows efforts by Bangkok and Seoul to dismantle the group.

Thai police said Joon promised women jobs as masseuses in South Korea.

But upon their arrival they were instead forced into sex work by pimps who seized their passports and blocked any attempts at escape. “More than 20 women have been lured by this gang over the past two to three years,� said Songsak Raksaksakul, the deputy director of Thailand’s Department of Special Investigations (DSI). “Most of the victims are between 25 and 40 years old,� he added. “Pimps monitored them all the time.�

Joon was arrested at his Bangkok apartment on Thursday and charged with human trafficking. AFP

LEBANON ARMY BATTLES ISIS ON SYRIA BORDER BEIRUT, Lebanon—Lebanese troops launched an offensive against the Islamic State group on Saturday close to the Syrian border where the jihadists have been active for several years.

The operation follows one by Shiite militant group Hezbollah last month against jihadists in another border area further south.

Hezbollah is deeply embroiled in the civil war that has raged in neighboring Syria since 2011, fighting in support of President Bashar al-Assad’s regime.

The Lebanese army has sought to keep out of the conflict but has been forced to take action since jihadists of IS and then Al-Qaeda affiliate Al-Nusra Front assaulted the border town of Arsal in 2014 and abducted 30 soldiers and police. “In the name of Lebanon, in the name of kidnapped Lebanese soldiers, in the name of martyrs of the army, I announce that operation ‘Dawn of Jurud’ has started,� army chief General Joseph Aoun said Saturday.

He was referring to two mountainous border areas -- Jurud Ras Baalbek and Jurud al-Qaa -- where IS has been active. “The army is confronting the Daesh terrorists to chase them out and recover territory,� army spokesman General Ali Kanso said, using an Arabic acronym for IS. “We have no fear of Daesh.�

Kanso said the army believed there were around 600 IS fighters in the two areas, controlling some 120 square kilometers (46 square miles) of territory.

AFP

IN MEMORIAM. People write messages on the ground of the Las Ramblas boulevard in Barcelona on Saturday, in tribute to the victims of the Barcelona attack, two days after a van ploughed into the crowd, killing 14 persons and injuring over 100. Drivers ran over pedestrians in two separate, quick-succession attacks in Barcelona and another popular Spanish seaside city. AFP

CHINA CRACKS DOWN ON SPENDING SPREES B

EIJING—China is to restrict foreign investments in sports clubs, real estate and entertainment and is banning investment in pornography and “unauthorized� military technology.

The new rules were announced Friday by the government, which had previously encouraged overseas spending sprees, but then warned late last year of “irrational� acquisitions amid fears that powerful conglomerates were racking up dangerous debt levels.

The announcement came days after British football club Southampton said it had entered into a partnership with Chinese businessman Gao Jisheng, with press reports saying he and his family had paid 200 million ($259.5 million) for an 80 percent stake. “Foreign investments that do not conform to China’s efforts towards peaceful development, mutually beneficial cooperation and to macroeconomic regulation are subject to restriction,� said the government,

adding it wanted to “prevent risks.�

Chinese firms will no longer be able to invest in conflict zones and places that do not have diplomatic ties with China.

The rules also ban investments that could harm the country’s interests and security.

High-profile Chinese deals in recent years have grabbed the limelight including Fosun’s takeover of Club Med, HNA’s stakes in Deutsche Bank and Hilton hotels, Anbang’s purchase of New York’s historic Waldorf Astoria, and Wanda’s control of Hollywood studio Legendary Entertainment and 20 percent of the Atletico Madrid football club.

But authorities now appear to be concerned about the influence of these conglomerates, their mazes of subsidiaries and debt, and their

capacity to trip up the Chinese economy.

There have been indications since July of mounting government pressure.

Wanda has announced the sale of 77 of its hotels and 13 tourism projects to Chinese real estate developers Sunac and R&F properties for a whopping $9.3 billion.

Beijing has also ordered Anbang to sell all of its overseas assets, according to Bloomberg.

The entire private sector has suffered the consequences.

The only companies still permitted to make overseas investments are firms “supporting the real economy� or working with new technologies.

As a result, Chinese non-financial sector overseas investment plummeted 46 percent in the first half of 2017.

Meanwhile, China’s first “cyber court� was launched on Friday to settle online disputes, as the legal system attempts to keep up with the explosion of mobile payment and e-commerce.

Residents of the eastern city of Hangzhou -- home to e-commerce giant Alibaba -- can now register their internet-related civil complaints online and wait to log onto to their trial via videochat.

The cyber court will “offer regular people an efficient, low-cost solution to these new kinds of disputes that take place on the internet,� Du Qian, the cyber-court chief justice, told the official Supreme People’s Court news agency. “Not only will this make lawsuits as convenient as online shopping, but it will also give online shopping the same degree of judicial protection as consumption at brick-andmortar stores.�

The court will handle cases such as online trade disputes, copyright lawsuits and product liability claims for online purchases.

China is home to the world’s largest number of internet users -- 731 million at the end of last year -- and e-commerce is a vital part of the government’s efforts to turn China into a consumer demand-driven economy. AFP

VIDEO SHOWS WIDOW OF NOBEL LAUREATE LIU BEIJING—The widow of late Chinese Nobel laureate Liu Xiaobo has resurfaced in an online video, weeks after her friends raised concerns about her fate at the hands of the authorities.

Liu Xia was last seen in governmentreleased images of her dissident husband’s sea burial on July 15, and China has been under international pressure to free her and let her travel abroad.

Liu Xia, 56, has been under de facto house arrest since her husband won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2010, despite having never been charged with a crime. “I am recovering in a province outside of Beijing. I ask you to give me time to mourn,� said Liu in the minutelong video posted Friday on YouTube, a website blocked in Communistruled China.

Dressed in a black t-shirt and black trousers, Liu Xia was sitting on a sofa next to a coffee table while holding a lit cigarette. “I will see you one day in top form.

While Xiaobo was sick, he also looked at life and death with some distance, so I also have to readjust. I will be with you again when my situation generally improves,� she said.

The name of the film-maker, the place and date of filming, were not specified, but it would be unusual for the video to be released without the

knowledge of the authorities. Plainclothes security agents guard Liu Xia’s Beijing apartment. “It is certain that she was forced by the authorities to make this video,� Hu Jia, a Chinese dissident and friend of the couple, told AFP on Saturday. “How can anyone who does not even enjoy freedom express her will freely?�

Ye Du, another dissident close to Liu’s wife added: “She said that to protect her family, because the current situation is that even her family can not get in touch with her.�

Liu Xia’s lawyer, who has filed a complaint to the United Nations, has accused the Chinese government of her “enforced disappearance�.

But the local authorities have said she is a free citizen who was merely too grief-stricken by her husband’s death to be in touch with any friends or lawyers.

Beijing has arrested a string of critics, activists and human rights lawyers as part of a campaign to tighten controls on civil society that began in 2012 when President Xi Jinping took power.

This latest incident comes as the ruling Communist Party prepares for a congress later this year that is expected to cement Xi’s position as the most powerful Chinese leader in a generation. AFP

ALIVE. This handout file photo provided by the Shenyang Municipal Information Office shows late Nobel laureate Liu Xiaobo’s wife Liu Xia (left) and her younger brother Liu Xiaoxuan, holding flowers as they scatter Liu’s ashes at sea off the coast of Dalian, Liaoning Province, on July 15. China has been under international pressure to free the widow and let her travel abroad. AFP

B4

SUNDAY, AUGUST 20, 2017 Cesar Barrioquinto, Editor / Jimbo Gulle, Issue Editor

World

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

TRUMP FIRES BANNON; ‘GREAT MANIPULATOR’

W

ASHINGTON—When Steve Bannon gave a free-wheeling interview to a small left-wing magazine this week, he spoke as if he—the White House’s ‘great manipulator’—was back on top.

Steve Bannon, US President Donald Trump’s chief political strategist. AFP

By Friday, President Donald Trump had sacked him.

However, in a matter of hours Bannon vowed to go to war for the president and keep fighting what he called his enemies in Congress and elsewhere.

Some reports suggest that Trump’s strategy chief already knew his days were numbered when he picked up the phone to make a surprise call to the American Prospect.

But he gave no hint of it as he regaled editor Robert Kuttner with plans to push aside his rivals within Trump’s administration and start a trade war with China.

“To me, the economic war with

China is everything. And we have to be maniacally focused on that,” he declared.

This week, however, the national security establishment was focused on North Korea’s nuclear threat—a crisis dismissed as a “sideshow” by Bannon.

And much of the media and the US public was focused on a threat much closer to home: white nationalism and the rise of the so-called “alt-right.”

In his interview, Bannon was dismissive of the torch-bearing “clowns” in polo shirts and khakis who brought violence to Charlottesville last week.

But—for all he would like to be seen as the mastermind behind Trump’s improbable rise to power —Bannon’s image is still linked to those white nationalists.

Before joining Trump’s campaign, Bannon the self-described “economic nationalist” was the publisher of Breitbart, the provocative right-wing news outlet which

he rejoined within hours of leaving the White House.

This site was and is, in Bannon’s own words, a platform for the altright, a loosely defined movement of mainly young white men espousing far-right and white nationalist ideas.

Any temptation to laugh off the alt-right as online poseurs evaporated on Saturday when a white supremacist rally in Charlottesville degenerated into violence.

A suspected Nazi sympathizer then drove his car into a crowd of anti-racism demonstrators, leaving one woman dead.

When Trump himself drew fire for defending some of the rightwing crowd as “fine people,” eyes also turned to Bannon, as the figurehead of the “nationalist” camp within the White House.

In his first comments since his departure was announced, Bannon vowed to keep fighting for the president from outside the White House. AFP

MIAMI—Eclipse-chasers are a dedicated crew of scientists who travel the globe to catch a few moments in eerie darkness, and even after seeing dozens of eclipses, they say they can’t get enough.

Also known as “umbraphiles,” these self-described addicts live their lives in pursuit of the intense experience of falling under the Moon’s shadow.

“The sudden onset of twilight was so surreal and so electrifying,” recalled Fred Espenak of the first total solar eclipse he saw in the United States back in 1970.

“It is such an incredible, sensory-overload kind of event,” he told AFP. Once it was over, he said he “immediately started thinking about future eclipses.”

Espenak, now 65, is a retired NASA astrophysicist who goes by the moniker “Mr. Eclipse.” He has been to 27 eclipses, and seen 20 of them -- cloudy weather interfered with the rest.

Each one is unique, he says -the way the twilight falls in the middle of the day, casting shadows on the Earth; hearing birds return to their nests; feeling the temperature suddenly drop.

The most memorable, he says, was an eclipse he traveled to in India in 1995 with about 35 other people. AFP

6 US COPS SHOT IN SAME NIGHT, 1 DIES IN FLORIDA

ECLIPSE FESTIVAL.

WASHINGTON—Six American police officers were shot in one night in the states of Florida and Pennsylvania, one fatally, prompting President Donald Trump to tweet his support for the slain officer’s department early Saturday.

In the central Florida city of Kissimmee—close to the Walt Disney World Resort and other amusement parks—Officer Matthew Baxter was killed and Sergeant Sam Howard was left in “grave critical condition and the prognosis does not look good,” police chief Jeff O’Dell said at a news conference early Saturday.

The officers had been checking on suspicious people in an area known for drug activity around 9:30 pm Friday (0130 GMT Saturday). Five minutes later, authorities received a call that officers had been shot.

First responders found the officers “gravely wounded” in the road, O’Dell said. AFP

Costumed performers greet children and their parents at the familyfriendly Oregon Eclipse Festival on Friday at Big Summit Prairie ranch in Oregon’s Ochoco National Forest near the city of Mitchell. Oregon Eclipse 2017, produced by Symbiosis, is a seven-day international gathering celebrating the total solar eclipse on Monday. (See story on right). AFP

POLICE: FINLAND STABBING WAS TERROR ATTACK HELSINKI, Finland—Police are now investigating a stabbing spree in Finland that left two people dead as a terrorist attack, police said Saturday, identifying the suspect as an 18-year-old Moroccan citizen.

“The incidents were initially investigated as murders, but in light of further information received during the night, the offences include now murders with terrorist intent and their attempts,” police said in a statement.

The suspect’s “identity is known to the police. He is an 18-year-old Moroccan citizen,” it said, providing no other details about him.

Police shot and wounded the knifewielding suspect on Friday, arresting him minutes after an afternoon stabbing rampage at a busy market square in Turku in southwestern Finland.

Police on Saturday raised the number of injured in the attack from six to eight, adding that the injured included an Italian national and two Swedes. The other victims were all Finns.

Police also arrested five people in a Turku apartment overnight.

“There was a raid and we have now six suspects in custody, the main suspect and five others,” detective super-

ECLIPSE-CHASERS TROT THE GLOBE, ADDICTED TO SHADOW

intendent Markus Laine of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) told AFP. “We are investigating the role of these five other people but we are not sure yet if they had anything to do with (the attack)... We will interrogate them, after that we can tell you more. But they had been in contact with the main suspect,” Laine said.

In June, Finland’s intelligence and security agency Supo raised the country’s terror threat level by a notch, from “low” to “elevated”, the second notch on a four-tier scale.

It said at the time it saw an increased risk of an attack committed by the the so-called Islamic State (IS) group.

Police have said they are collaborating with the Finnish Immigration Service and international authorities in their investigation.

“Several national authorities are participating in the investigation. We are also working together with our foreign colleagues to investigate the case,” it said in a tweet.

The suspect is being treated in hospital in intensive care for a gunshot wound to the thigh.

The motive for the attack was not yet known. AFP

COLORFUL GARB. Three women wearing traditional costumes talk at a park in Yekaterinburg during a folk fest for the celebrations of the 294th anniversary of the city on Saturday. The city of Yekaterinburg will host several games of the FIFA Football World Cup 2018. AFP

SPAIN ATTACKER SHOWED ‘NO SIGN OF RADICALISATION’ MELOUIYA, Morocco—Residents of Melouiya, a village high in Morocco’s Atlas Mountains, are in shock at the news two of their sons were implicated in terror attacks in Spain.

The twin terror attacks left 14 people dead and some 120 wounded.

A traditional tent set up on a rocky patch of ground near the rough stone house of the Oukabir family, originally intended for a wedding reception, has been turned into a funeral tent.

“Joy has given way to sadness and pain,” said Abderrahim, in his forties, an uncle of the Oukabir brothers.

Driss Oukabir, 27, was arrested in the Spanish town of Ripoll on Thursday just hours after a van sped into crowds on the busy Las Ramblas avenue in central Barcelona, leaving 13 people dead.

His brother Moussa, 17, was one of five “suspected terrorists” shot dead after knocking down pedestrians in the Catalan seaside resort of Cambrils in a second attack in the early hours of Friday. AFP

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SUNDAY, AUGUST 20, 2017

Business

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

2 BIGGEST SOFTWARE FIRMS OPERATE GLOBAL HUBS IN PH

Digits vice president for customer experience and information systems management Glenn Ong

COMPUTER SHOP TURNS INTO TOP TECH HUB

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DIGITAL TRANSFORMER

Infor director for solution consulting in Asia Pacific Cas Brentjens

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WO of the world’s largest software companies that play crucial roles in the digital transformation of businesses actually employ thousands of Filipinos in their centers of excellence in the Philippines.

Infor, an American company considered as the third largest provider of enterprise applications and services, has its world’s second largest center of excellence in Bonifacio Global City, Taguig which serves clients around the world. Its largest is in India.

“We have a large center of excellence here. We have more than 1,700 employees here who work at projects around the world,” says Cas Brentjens, the director for solution consulting in Asia Pacific of Infor.

Infor, which took over Lawson Software in 2011, has been in the Philippines since 1998.

It has over 300 customers in the Philippines, including the likes of ePerformax and Wilcon Depot Inc. The US company develops business software for specific industries in the cloud. It has 15,000 employees across 168 offices globally, more than 1,650 partners, 1,200 support experts and over 90,000 customers in 194 countries.

Brentjens, a Dutch expatriate who is based in Singapore, says in an interview in Makati City that Infor’s center of excellence in Taguig provides implementation support and development support for clients around the world.

“Our development teams work closely with the team here on building new products and enhancing the products,”says Brentjens.“Almost every function that you can see in a software company, we have presence here, including sales, solution consulting, implementation consulting, development services and implementation services.”

SAP Philippines managing director Ryan Poggi (left) and head of analytics and insight Kathleen Muller

Meanwhile, SAP, a German company widely considered as the world’s largest business software provider, has more than 1,700 customers and over 1,800 employees in the Philippines.

“SAP Philippines started 22 years ago. We started with three employees, one location and one customer.

Today, after 22 years, we have more than 1,700 customers. Our employee base, including Concur [Technologies], is in the region of 1,800 employees.

And we have four locations across Metro Manila,” says SAP Philippines managing director Ryan Poggi, during the Asian Innovators Summit 2017 at Makati Shangri La Hotel.

“Those locations service not only the sales and operation side of the business, but also the offshore service centers. We have service centers servicing our customers globally in specific solutions sets. We also have our internal shared services base here,” says Poggi, a South African national.

“The last 22 years for SAP in the Philippines has seen tremendous growth, not only in terms of customer side, but also its contribution in terms of employee base to the Philippines,” says Poggi.

Both Infor and SAP believe that companies need to embark on a journey of digital transformation to stay relevant to customers.

Brentjens says companies that fail to join the digital bandwagon run the risk of being left behind. “If you look at the current Fortune 500, 40 percent of those companies were not in the Fortune 500 ten years ago. This also means that a lot of Fortune 500 have been replaced by newer ones. You see enormous growth of new companies becoming the largest companies in the world,” he says.

“There is a risk that companies will become irrelevant if they do not transform. Companies, when they do not transform, will become irrelevant and stay behind,” says Brentjens, in pushing for digital transformation of companies.

Brentjens says digital transformation involves having cloud-based and mobile solutions. “If you look at the elements of digital transformation, it is cloud based, it is often mobile and phone-based business transaction. It is happening everywhere.

Everybody has access to the same technology these days. Everybody has access to mobile platform. Everybody has access to e-commerce platform. I think it is happening everywhere,” he says.

Infor saw a 17-percent growth in revenue in the Philippines in 2016, according to Brentjens. “We always want to do better than last year,” he says. The company is promoting its solutions to all industries, particularly asset-intensive industries, service industries, healthcare, tourism, retail, logistics, Turn to C2

TRADITIONAL BREADS GET MAKEOVER IN THE coastal town of Balayan in Batangas, residents there live the sweet life. Home to major sugar manufacturer Batangas Sugar Central Inc. and with the thriving industries of sugarcane, coconuts, and corn, it is no surprise that even the town’s breads are tinged with a sweet flavor, memorable even to outsiders.

“I remember this ‘Balayan Bakery,’ they have this hot pandesal being sold all day long,” says Roy Tabocolde, a 21-year-old baking enthusiast from Iloilo City, referring to a hometown establishment whose owner was a native of Balayan, Batangas.

“It was so special that people

would wait for 30 minutes just to get their pandesal I could still remember the sweetness of their pandesal and have never tasted anything near to their version,” Greegy says, noting how Balayan Bakery gave Ilonggos a different “twist” on the traditional Filipino pandesal.

Roy went on to study at St. ThereseMTC Colleges La Fiesta in Iloilo City, but he never forgot the taste of the Balayan Bakery breads. Together with fellow student Greegy Cabarrubias, Roy went on to join and win last year’s Tinapay Natin Pinoy Bread Baking Competition, a nationwide baking contest organized

by Aboitiz food business unit Pilmico

(in partnership with Max’s Corner Bakery) that celebrates local bread creations and strengthens pride of local produce.

N o d o u b t , B a l aya n’s u n i q u e pandesal—sweeter and tastier than usual—was on Roy’s mind as they concocted their original breads that offered a modern take on well-loved food items: Caramel Sesame Roll, Cagayan de Oro Pastel, and Cream Cheese Ensaymada.

“When we tested the recipes that we submitted into the competition, we envisioned it to be a specialty of the house. One that can be taken as a pasalubong, a merienda or a potluck

treat for any social gathering,”Greegy says R oy a n d G re e g y h ave s i n c e graduated from college, finishing their final year as scholars, and their Caramel Sesame Roll, Cagayan de Oro Pastel, and Cream Cheese Ensaymada are now being sold as special edition items at Max’s Corner Bakery branches nationwide (until October 2017), with partial sales going to Roy and Greegy and their chosen charity.

This year, bakers, hobbyists, and even baking enthusiasts will now have the chance to join the second installment of Tinapay Natin, launched at Max’s Scout Tuazon in Quezon City in June.

WHO would have thought that a humble computer shop would transform into one of the most successful tech giants in the Philippines? Digits Trading Corp. began as a modest computer shop sidelining as a gadget assembling hub.

Charles Paw started the company back in 2002, carrying only his passion and grit, and envisioning a company that would become the foremost hub of gadgetry in the Philippines.

In time, the business included retail in its portfolio by launching Beyond the Box, which is an Apple premium reseller and authorized service provider, and Digital Walker, which is the premier hub of gadgets and accessories in the Philippines.

Additionally, Digits supplies to different dealers and organizations like Globe, Astrovision and Lazada.

Despite its current status, the path to success wasn’t easy. Glenn Richmond Ong, Digits’ vice president for customer experience and information systems management, says they faced various challenges, but the toughest and by far the most ironic was a backlog in their technology.

Describing how their situation used to be, he talks about their cashiers still using manual receipts and their IT teams receiving hundreds of tickets a month regarding unstable Internet connection.

When it was made clear that Internet connectivity was the most pressing issue, they decided as a company that investing in a stable and strong Internet connection was a must. Thus, they did a scan of four vendors selling network connectivity solutions, before finally deciding to go with Globe Telecom’s offered solutions.

Globe’s Managed Wi-Fi and wired connection were installed in their head office, a process which Globe took care of through network rehabilitation of the entire building.

The company also subscribed to many other digital solutions, such as service units relying on Globe postpaid, the use of G Suite (which Google hosts in partnership with Globe), and managed CCTV in their warehouses.

Besides the effectiveness of these solutions, what appealed to Glenn was the convenience. He shares, “I only had to speak to one company, and they were able to provide a lot of different solutions that really helped us. We really see how happy the employees are now. I think it’s my way of also changing the culture. If you are a digital company, and within your company you aren’t digital yet, how do you live out the digital lifestyle?”

More than anything, having reliable Internet connection has worked wonders for Digits’ owner and its employees. It provides them with a sense of assurance that whenever they work on something, the work that they have put effort into won’t go to waste.

Glenn states that this has improved productivity and allowed them to look forward to optimizing their other business operations through digitization.

Business

C2

SUNDAY, AUGUST 20, 2017 business@manilastandard.net

2FromBIGGEST...

C1 distribution, manufacturing, financial services and the traditional industries of food and beverage.

Infor has expanded its portfolio of solutions to include artificial intelligence, Internet of Things and data science. Brentjens says these solutions are designed to make jobs easier for people. “Everybody has to emerge and grow. At the moment, a robot can take over a job, that you may think means a loss of job, but you can also think that maybe it is not the job that you really want to have. Someone needs to program the robot, someone needs to maintain the robot. People have to move to the next level of jobs,” he says.

“We see any job is changing as far as digital transformation is concerned, including mine.

Artificial intelligence won’t take jobs away. But someone needs to program artificial intelligence. Everybody’s job is moving on,” he says.

Poggi of SAP says the recent years saw the biggest changes in technology.

“Our world is changing. Sometimes, it is said so often that we become immune to that. But the changes are real and they are bringing catch phrases like IoT, digital disruption, digital tsunami, across industries and economies into our daily lives. In the last two years alone, 90 percent of the world’s data has been generated. Over the next two years, there is an expectation of 40 percent growth in the adoption of business networks.

By the end of the decade, we expect to see 212 billion things, from cars to heavy equipment to home appliances, being connected,” says Poggi.

Poggi says these changes present opportunities for businesses. “They are opening new markets, creating new routes to revenue and providing unprecedented opportunities for companies,” he says.

Kathleen Muller, an SAP executive who heads its analytics and insights division in Southeast Asia, says the company sees massive opportunities in the Philippines.

“We see this manifest in organizations where the lines are starting to get blurred across industries and across the lines of business. When we talk about massive opportunities, we have an amazing population in the Philippines that is clamoring for the adoption of technology such as transportation platforms, social media platforms to allow us to live better, for us to focus further on most important things which is quality of life and quality of work. That challenges businesses today not just to look at their products and services, but improve the impact of products and services on consumers,” says Muller who grew up in the Philippines.

Poggi says digital technologies now enable small and medium enterprises to catch up with old conglomerates.

“What we see in the digital economy is that barriers to entry are reducing, which make competition from the outside much easier. It also means that opportunities for companies now have easier access to much broader market. The opportunity there is much more significant,” says Poggi.

“Roughly 98 percent of our customers are considered SMEs,” he says.

SAP recently launched a suite of IoT solutions as a part of the SAP Leonardo digital innovation system.

A new global study by SAP, supported

by Oxford Economics, says 84 percent of global companies believe that digital transformation is important to their survival in the next five years, but only three percent have completed company-wide efforts.

Enterprises in the Philippines, meanwhile, are predicted to attain a macroeconomic scale over the next three to four years.

A study by IDC says that as digital technologies emerge, it will also change the way local organizations operate.

By 2020, about 25 percent of top 1,000 companies in the Philippines will be dependent on their ability to create products, services and experiences that are digitally enhanced.

“As Philippine businesses transform to become digital enterprises, it is important for them to recalibrate their approach to technology and understand how digital solutions can help them intelligently connect people, things and processes across the enterprise. This is the winning mindset that will help them become digital leaders in their respective industries and we are excited to work with our customers to help them define their digital future,” says Poggi.

Roderick T. dela Cruz

A

TIP STUDENTS DEVELOP LAKE-ACTIVATED BATTERY

TEAM of engineering students from the Technological Institute of the Philippines topped a Lopez Group-supported interschool competition for the best renewable energy idea or solution for poor, rural communities.

“iLawa”, a submersible deferred-action battery system developed by Team Blade TIP, bested nine other finalists to win the grand prize in Pasig City during the Sikat Design Challenge interschool tilt.

One team each from the University of San Carlos and Ateneo de Manila University emerged runners-up. USC’s Team Kahayag entered “Kaplag”, a wind turbine for lighting and alternative gardening; while AdMU’s Team Agilas submitted “Buhawi”, a dynamic vertical axis wind turbine.

By topping the competition, Team Blade TIP members received from SSCFI a P200,000 cash prize and a free trip to Semakau Island, Asia’s first micro-grid hybrid facility located in Singapore. The USC and AdMU teams each received a P150,000 cash prize.

A portion of the cash prize goes to further developing the prototype and eventually, its full implementation in the community.

Sikat Solar Challenge Foundation Inc., a non-stock, non-profit company, holds the annual school competition, now in its second 11-month cycle, as part of its advocacy to promote renewable energy development and use. Sikat Design Challenge is the country’s first annual inter-university competition that focuses on attracting college students RE solutions for possible application in rural communities.

First Gen Corp., along with subsidiary Energy Development Corp. and their parent company First Philippine Holdings Corp., supports the Sikat Design Challenge.

First Gen, the primary holding company of FPH for power generation and energyrelated businesses, produces electricity using clean and low carbon sources of fuel.

Through EDC, First Gen taps RE sources such as hydro, geothermal, wind and solar, to produce electricity. All three are Lopez Group companies.

TIP students pose with a mock check of their P200,000 prize money and the prototype of a submersible deferred-action battery system, called “iLawa”, after topping a Lopez Group-supported interschool competition for the best renewable energy idea or solution for poor, rural communities. The winners are (from left) Erica Lois Vinculado, Niel Jon Carl Aguel, Eduardo Narciso Jr., Paul Vincent Nonat and Ana Luz Callao

TIP’s iLawa features a submersible metalair battery turned inside out. Through such design, the battery exposes the electrodes to a body of water that acts as the electrolyte. A buoy holds the batteries afloat while they harvest electricity for LED lights attached to the device. iLawa’s byproduct also offers the potential to alleviate the worsening algal blooms in Laguna Bay by reducing phosphate concentration in the lake water. Algal blooms hamper the growth of fish in the lake, thereby affecting the livelihood of fishermen in Talim.

“With iLawa, we are able to provide a cheaper and clean alternative source of electricity that increases productivity of fishermen at nighttime and also the security of community,” says TIP engineering student Paul Nonat.

The TIP students conceptualized their

winning entry while undergoing rural immersion in a fishing community in Talim, an island in the middle of Laguna Bay in Cardona, Rizal. All participants in the 11-month Sikat competition are encouraged to undergo the immersion.

The USC students conceptualized their entry during their immersion at the Upper Pilihan Area, Dalaguete, Cebu. The AdMU students, on the other hand, came up with their entry during their stay at Islas De Gigantes, Iloilo.

“What our 40 participating teams have achieved with their ideas and hard work, and the lives they have touched along the way is truly inspirational to us. From the start, it was our intention to ‘inspire the youth’.Little did we know that it would be a two-way street,” said SSCFI executive director Al Santos.

ODYSSEY EXTENDS HELP TO OVER 2,000 BENEFICIARIES ODYSSEY Foundation Inc., the corporate social responsibility ar m of CDO -Foodsphere, extended assistance to more than 2,000 beneficiaries under its Nutrition, Education, Environment, Livelihood and Service to Humanity program in fiscal year 2016-2017.

OFI executive director Alejandro Danao Jr. said the NEELS program represents the five pillars that the foundation is operating on, in its bid to contribute to nation building.

In its 2016 accomplishment report, OFI said 1,197 mostly undernourished children benefitted from its nutrition program called Gabay Nutrisyon.

Gabay Nutrisyon aims to provide the physical nourishment the children need to grow and become healthy and productive individuals.

In the fiscal year 2016-2017, OFI administered supplemental feeding projec ts in several barangays in Valenzuela City; Malvar, Batangas; and Dona Remedios Trinidad in Bulacan, yielding a total of 881 beneficiaries.

“An average of 75-percent increase in weight of the beneficiaries was noted based on National Nutrition Council standard,” OFI said in a report.

The foundation also teamed up with other non-government organizations such as ABS-CBN

Lingkod Kapamilya Foundation Inc., Trinity Home for Children and religious groups to conduct nutrition programs among 554 children in different parts of the country.

This brought the total number of children beneficiaries reached by Gabay Nutrisyon Program to 19,500 as of March 30, 2017, or since OFI launched the program more than a decade ago.

In its education program, OFI reached out to 300 beneficiaries, who are mostly indigent elementary school students and children with special needs. The foundation distributed school

supplies to four public elementary schools in Valenzuela City and hygienic kits to children with special needs.

OFI said its environment program had 100 beneficiaries last year. The program involved tree planting and waste management activities as well as Adopt-AnEstero project.

Another 501 beneficiaries benefited from Gabay Hanapbuhay, the livelihood program of OFI last year. The foundation conducted livelihood training to equip beneficiaries with the necessary skills in several barangays in Quezon City and Valenzuela City.

OFI is now using post-evaluation tools to assess the effectiveness of the project.

On the Service to Humanity leg of the program, OFI reported 232 beneficiaries, including 50 families in Tacloban City, Leyte who transferred to their new homes in June 2016, after their former houses were flattened by typhoon Yolanda in 2013.

OFI teamed up with Habitat for Humanity Philippines for the housing project for Yolanda t yphoon vic tims. OFI also conducted medical missions in Valenzuela City and Malvar, Batangas last year.

The foundation is led by CDOFoodsphere founders Corazon Ong and Jose Ong as chairwoman and vice chairman, respectively.

Sports Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) commissioner Mon Fernandez celebrates with Tabal

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Tabal whoops it up with a group of Filipino supporters

SWEET GOLD, REVENGE FOR MARY JOY TABAL

By Randy Caluag

P

UTRA JAYA, Malaysia—Playing true to form—and her words—Rio Olympian Mary Joy Tabal poured her might in the women’s marathon event to hand Team Philippines its first gold medal in the Southeast Asian Games here.

The Cebuana lass, standing no taller than five feet, negotiated the 42.195-kilometer footrace with the best time of 2 hours, 48 minutes at 26 seconds and stood tallest at the podium against rivals from Vietnam and Thailand.

It was a dominating performance for Tabal as she led from start to finish despite the lack of sleep going into the early morning event.

She was both excited and nervous.

“Kada hakbang ko noong una ay napakabigat dahil parang bitbit ko ang lahat ng mga paghihirap ko bago lumaban. Ninenerbiyos ako nung umpisa pero tuwing naririnig ko ang hiyawan ng mga Pilipino sa ruta lumalakas ang katawan ko,” she said.

Tabal, with the Philippine flag wrapped around her, celebrated with a throng of Filipino supporters after crossing the finish.

Tears fell as she received her gold medal, which was made sweeter by dethroning the SEA Games defending champion in Natthaya Thanaronnawat of Thailand, who placed third with a clocking of 2:58:17 behind silver medal finisher Hoang Thi Tanh of Vietnam (2:55:53).

Enjoying a wide lead over Hoang, Tabal received a bottled mineral water from Philippine AthleticsTrack and Field Association president Philip Ella Juico. They hugged each other after the race.

Also waiting at the finish were Philippine Sports Commission Commissioner Ramon Fernandez and PSC Executive Director Atty. Carlo Abarquez.

Jeson Agravante, the Philippines’ bet in the male division, failed to finish the race after suffering cramps

on the left leg in the last five kilometers.

Back in Manila, PSC chairman Butch Ramirez congratulated Tabal for her victory and expressed hope “it (feat) can break more gold medals.”

Ramirez said he informed President Rodrigo Duterte right away, through his executive assistant Bong Go “that Ms. Tabal just gave us the first gold, 49 to go (on Cynthia Carrion’s medal projection)” Carrion, the chef de mission of Team Philippines, is looking at 50 gold medals for the country’s campaign.

Kayla gives up sprint crown

On the track, reigning Southeast Asian Games sprint queen Kayla Richardson will relinquish her crown in the women’s 100-meter run to focus on the 200-meter and relay events when the athletics competition of the 29th SEA Games gets going Tuesday at the KL Sports City here.

The 17-year old Richardson said she’s more comfortable competing in the 200-meter run as well as in the 4x100 and 4x400-meter relays despite becoming the youngest century dash champion in the history of the biennial meet in 2015 in Singapore.

“I don’t really want to say that I am giving it up, but this is not the event I have been training for,” said the University of Southern California (USC) freshman. “I will also be running in the 4x100 and 4x400-meter relays.”

Richardson’s father, Jeffrey, said pulling his daughter out of the century dash is a logical move.

“The only reason Kayla is skipping the 100 is that she hasn’t run the race in

Mary Joy Tabal kisses her gold medal

over a year and her coach at USC wants to focus on the 200-meter race,” he said.

“She is very capable of winning the gold in the 200.”

Cray ready to defend titles

Filipino-American Eric Shawn Cray will be bracing to defend his men’s 100-meter and 400-meter hurdles titles on the same day on Tuesday.

Cray, a two-time Olympian and record-holder in the century dash, vowed that he will not surrender his crowns despite the very tight schedule in which both events will be played less than an hour apart.

His schedule begins at 3:10 p.m. with the start of the 100-meter heats followed by the 400-meter low hurdle preliminaries at 4 p.m.

“I’ll go for both. I’m not gonna hold off and I’ll go out there to win the gold,” said Cray, who is bracing a tight finish in the century dash against a rising Malaysian sprinter.

Injuries deal major blow

In the midst of the athletics team’s celebration, it suffered a major blow when

Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association president Popoy Juico (first row, right) joins Tabal and the other winners at the podium

gold-medal prospects Ernest John Obiena and Patrick John Unso crashed with injuries few days before the competitions begin.

The European-trained Obiena suffered an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in his left knee while Patrick Unso had a recurring hamstring injury that makes it hard for him to compete.

Juico admitted that the development is a major setback, but they have to move

on and pin their hopes on other athletes who are ready to surpass the federation’s five gold medals in the previous SEA Games in Singapore.

“We win some, we lose some; that’s the way of life,” said Juico shortly after Tabal’s gold-medal victory.

“We are all saddened by the bad news, but we have to live with it. It’s just that the kid (Obiena) really wanted to win and is so determined to bring honor to the country.”

GILAS BEGINS BID FOR GOLD KUALA LUMPUR—The Philippines kicks off its quest for its 17th gold medal when it battles Thailand in the men’s basketball competition of the 29th Southeast Asian Games on Sunday at the MABA Stadium here.

After reigning supreme in the Southeast Asian Basketball Association (Seaba) Men’s Championship in Manila last May, hopes are high on Gilas Pilipinas despite the vast improvement of its competitors.

For one, Thailand, whom they will face at 9:30 pm following the 7:15 pm battle between the Philippines and Singapore in the women’s division, had shown tremendous improvement after winning the bronze medal in the Seaba tourney and nearly pulling the rug from under the Filipinos in the semifinals of the previous SEA Games in Singapore, 75-80.

The Filipinos also had some anxious moments before escaping Indonesia, 72-64, in the gold-medal match.

And Gilas Pilipinas head coach Jong Uichico humbly acknowledges that.

“That’s why we have to be consistent,” he said shortly after arriving in this bustling Malaysian capital late Friday. “The field had greatly improved. Everybody’s now playing well. We now have to work hard and prove that we deserve the crown.”

Gilas will not have the luxury of having a Marcus Douthit or Andray Blatche, but Filipino-German Christian Standhardinger will serve as its naturalized player to add power and ceiling to the relatively thin frontline that only has 6-foot-7 Troy Rosario and 6-foot-5 Kobe Paras as inside operators.

Despite suffering a stiff neck in the Fiba Asia Cup in Beirut, Standhardinger flew in here from Manila late Saturday to make himself available against the Thais.

Two-time SEA Games gold medalist Mac Belo also made the team as he was tapped as a last-minute replacement for injured Carl Bryan Cruz while Gilas coach Chot Reyes is also expected to be in town to help Uichico plot the Nationals’ goldmedal campaign.

“With Christian on board, at least we’ll have some size,” said Uichico, shooting down concerns about the Nationals’ lack of a natural center.

“Christian would be able to help Troy and Kobe. At least medyo hindi tayo maagrabyado sa rebounding.”

Also campaigning for the Philippines are Ray Parks, Mike Tolomia, Baser Amer, Kiefer Ravena, Von Pessumal, Almond Vosotros, Kevin Ferrer and Raymar Jose.

Uichico reiterated that the tourney wouldn’t be a cakewalk, especially since they are playing in Kuala Lumpur – the site of the Philippines’ historic setback in the SEA Games in 1989.

“There’s always pressure in the SEA Games,” he said. “We just have to work hard to be able to handle it.”

SAN LAZARO LEISURE PARK HOSTS 9TH MAYOR RAMON BAGATSING MEMORIAL RACING FESTIVAL MANILA Jockey Club Inc. (MJCI), the premier horseracing club in the country and one of Asia’s oldest, will be hosting the 9th Mayor Ramon Bagatsing Memorial Racing Festival on the first weekend of September at the San Lazaro Leisure Park in Carmona, Cavite.

The two-day annual event brings together the fastest thoroughbreds in the country today, featuring stakes races from Philracom’s Division I to Division III, including special races from major corporate sponsorsand partners of the Bagatsing Family.

The Bagatsing Racing Festival is held in honor of the late Manila Mayor and former Congressman, Ramon D. Bagatsing Sr. The memorial event aims to continue his legacy of supporting the horse racing industry and provide social and public welfare assistance through the Kabaka Foundation, mirroring two of his past office’s mandate the Philippine Charity

Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) and the Philippine Red Cross.

Already in its ninth installment, the racing festival brings more excitement and premium horse racing prizes across the weekend.

Sponsored cash prizes spread over the two-day event await the winners.

The cash prizes, along with the traditional gift prizes for the winning horse’s team, will be awarded beginning September 2, while the more luxurious prized races will be held the following day.

Major sponsors include the Philippine Racing Commission (PHILRACOM), Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO), Resorts World Manila and Solaire Resort & Casino.

Among other race sponsors include Manila Jockey Club (MJC), City of Dreams, Tiger Resorts & Leisure, EEG Development Corporation, and Smart Communications.

A parallel gaming industry entity,

the Manila Cockers Club (MCC), will sponsor one of the races in a show of support and unity with the horse racing industry.

The theme for this year’s Mayor Ramon Bagatsing Racing Festival is: “UNITY: Race as One” and will feature horses from all three Racing Clubs in a special feature race.

The Philippine Racing Commission has fully supported the rejuvenation of the industry and this year’s Bagatsing Racing Festival will serve as the springboard for more collaborated efforts to usher in a new era of milestones for the horse racing industry.

In nearly a decade of its continued existence, the Bagatsing Cup and the Mayor Ramon Bagatsing Racing Festival, have been established as some of MJC’s premier events in its racing calendar.

To this day, it continues to bring in a record number of viewers, participants and sales both on and off the race track.

Thus far, the record breaking

sales of the Bagatsing Racing Festival is P43,281,228.00 garnered from the 2014 edition of the memorial racing event, the highest total gross sales in recent memory.

The festival is now likened to the Gran Copa de Manila of yesteryear. It is well well-matched that the revival of the Gran Copa de Manila was initiated by the late Mayor Ramon D. Bagatsing Sr. during the 70s at MJCI’s San Lazaro Hippodrome, now his legacy lives on with the Bagatsing Racing Festival at the San Lazaro Leisure Park.

The Manila Jockey Club was established in 1867 and is one of the oldest existing racing clubs in the Asia Pacific region. MJCI, as a business entity, was formally incorporated in1937.

MJCI operates the San Lazaro Leisure Park (SLLP) in Carmona, Cavite, featuring world class horseracing, gaming, and hospitality facilities. It is the first “racino” in Asia, combining a race track andcasino in one venue.

Mayor Ramon Bagatsing

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SUNDAY, AUGUST 20, 2017 Riera U. Mallari, Editor / Reuel Vidal, Issue Editor / Randy Caluag, Issue Editor

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WATER DEFENDERS GET THEIR REVENGE

ALIPURE Water Defenders exacted revenge from erstwhile tormentors Pocari Sweat with a decisive sweep of their best-of-three championship series to win the Premier Volleyball League Open Conference crown.

Two months after getting foiled at the first crack at a PVL title, BaliPure came back better, stronger and hungrier.

BaliPure beat Pocari Sweat in Game 2 – 25-20, 19-25, 25-23, 26-24 – to sweep their best-of-three series and capture the championship diadem at the Filoil Flying V Center in San Juan.

The Water Defenders squandered a huge lead midway in the fourth but fought back from one down late in the frame behind superb blocking then leaned on setter Jasmine Nabor’s smarts to finally foil the Lady Warriors in a wild ending to a thrilling finale.

BaliPure, which took Game One via sweep, 25-22, 25-19, 25-22, thus avenged its finals setback to Pocari Sweat in sudden death in the Open Conference, which stretched the Lady Warriors’ run of championships to three in as many

at 18-13 in the fourth, the Water Defenders lost their poise in the face of the big Pocari rally with the Lady Warriors racking up six of the next seven points to force a 19-all count then Myla Pablo soared for a kill to lift Pocari to a 22-21 lead.

But after an Aiko Urdas push that forced another tie, the Water Defenders came through with back-to-back kills blocks, only to yield the next two points, the last a block off Soltones before Soltones, who later copped the Finals MVP honors, and Nabor delivered the winning points for the Water Defenders.

There will not be a repeat of their previous failure. BaliPure won the first set of their sudden death for the Reinforced Conference crown last June but wavered in the next three.

This allowed Pocari Sweat to nail the victory and seal a third straight champion-

Members of the BaliPure Water Defenders team whoop it up at center court after completing their surprise sweep of threetime champion Pocari Sweat to capture the Premier Volleyball League Open Conference crown. PVL photo

tries.

Nabor, coming in late for Angelica Cayuna, opted not to set up their hitters and instead came through with a dump, catching the Lady Warriors’ defense offguard for the championship point.

Grethcel Soltones shoved the Water Defenders to 25-24 lead on a power crosscourt hit in the earlier BaliPure offense.

Up 2-1 in sets and ahead

ship in the country’s premier women’s volleyball league.

A more mature, disciplined Water Defenders came back strong to beat Pocari. BaliPure now had the tools and experience.

They used that and won to savor the sweet taste of a championship victory.

“It’s a different kind of feeling winning a championship. I just relied on my players’ aggressiveness,”

Christian Standhardinger

FIBA.com

CHRISTIAN REINFORCES GILAS TEAM TO SEAG

By Peter Atencio

BaliPure Water Defenders spiker Grethcel Soltones (right) hammers in a kill past Pocari Sweat blocker Gyzelle Sy (12). PVL photo

said BaliPure coach Roger Gorayeb, whose team had to get past an Alyssa Valdez-less Creamline in sudden death as well.

Pocari Sweat advanced to the championship first with a playoff victory over Hairy Fairy Air Force.

BaliPure matched Pocari Sweat’s victory by repeating over Creamline, 25-22, 2725, 25-23, in their side of the sudden death to seal a title clash with the Lady Warriors for the second consecutive conference.

After a two of five-setters in the semifinals, the Water Defenders won the game that mattered most. The Water Defenders jumped on Julia Morado’s service error and then banked on Risa Sato’s quick attack to beat the Cool Smashers.

BaliPure lost the Reinforced Conference crown to Pocari Sweat last June. They wanted another chance and got it. The Water Defenders dropped the semis opener, 19-25, 25-13, 26-28, 25-15, 7-15, but won the second 25-19, 19-25, 25-16, 18-25, 15-13 to force a deciding Game 3.

This championship didn’t come easy. The Water Defenders first had to over-

BaliPure Water Defenders Risa Sato (11) and Grethcel Soltones (5) try to block the spike attempt of Pocari Sweat’s Myla Pablo (right). PVL photo

come the disappointment of missing a championship last conference when they bowed to Pocari Sweat.

BaliPure then had to survive the spirited challenge

of Creamline before gaining a second chance at redemption.

They made sure this time around to win their first PVL crown.

GILAS Pilipinas will not be playing too many powerhouses in the 2017 Southeast Asia Games but head coach Jong Uichico doesn’t want to take any chances.

Uichico has summoned Fil-German cager Christian Standhardhinger, who will join the national squad in its opening game today, Sunday.

His presence will add height and heft to the Gilas Cadet squad led by their younger players including Kiefer Ravena, Troy Rosario and Mike Tolomia. Uichico wants to make sure they won’t be shorthanded against dangerous Thailand which will be the team’s opening game opponent.

Uichico says he feels uncomfortable with their schedule in the 30th Southeast Asian Games men’s basketball tournament.

Thailand is their opponent in their opening game tonight and they are not to be taken lightly.

“We prefer not to play Thailand in our first game, but it’s there already,” said Uichico before the team left for Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

The Thais will have half-American standout Tyler Lamb in their roster, and the Gilas Cadets will face a big challenge with him around.

“That’s why mabigat ang Group A,” said Uichico.

The Fil-German Standhardinger will be a key addition to the SEA Games squad.

Standhardinger was born on July 4, 1989 in Munich to Filipina mother Elizabeth Santos Hermoso who traces her roots to Angono, Rizal. Growing up in Germany, Standhardinger’s maternal grandfather, Boy Hermoso – who played in the Philippines’ CYMCA basketball championship in the 1950s – introduced him to basketball.

Standhardinger played for the national under-18 team of Germany in 2007.

He acquired his Philippine passport after he became 16 years old and is eligible to play for the Philippines but only as a naturalized player .

Standhardinger joined the Philippine national men’s basketball in June, 2017. He played with the team at the 2017 William Jones Cup and the 2017 FIBA Asia Cup. Standhardinger replaced Andray Blatche as the team’s naturalized player after the latter reportedly pulled out because of concerns over the situation in the host country Lebanon.

Team Pilipinas is not only bracketed with Thailand, they are also in the company of Myanmar and Malaysia.

According to Uichico’s scouting reports, Thailand wil be a very different team from the one they faced in the Southeast Asian Basketball Association men’s championship.

This is why Gilas Pilipinas Cadets needs to adjust right away.

WALKER, SUMANG TOW BLACKWATER TO VICTORY

By Reuel Vidal

SOMETIMES the stars align and a team of overachieving underdogs beat their favored counterparts to post an unlikely victory.

This is what happened when perennial whipping boys Blackwater Elite surprised this conference’s surprise team NLEX Road Warriors with a shock, 107-106, decision in the 2017 Philippine Basketball Association Governors’ Cup. Blackwater leaned on a pair of unwanted heroes in Roi Sumang and import Henry Walker. Sumang scored a career-high 32 points.

Walker had 29 points, 15 rebounds

and six assists. The Elite are unbeaten since Walker arrived.

Despite a stellar collegiate career Sumang dropped all the way down to the third round before being picked 26th overall

by GlobalPort in the 2015 PBA Draft. The Batang Pier didn’t have any use for him and he was lucky to be picked up by Blackwater.

Walker is the consummate basketball journeyman. He played in 14 other professional basketball teams all over the world – including Alaska and NLEX – before ending up at Blackwater.

These two unwanted heroes showed that they’ve got game

as they led the Elite to an unlikely victory.

Sumang set a milestone of sorts as he drilled 5-of-10 three pointers to finish with 32 markers and become the first player drafted in the third round to score the most number of points since Peter June Simon tallied 42 points against the Air21 Express.

The Elite seems to have the number of the Road Warriors.

They’ve won all three encounters against NLEX this season.

With the win Blackwater (2 wins, 3 losses) climbed to 8th place ahead of the Phoenix Petroleum Fuelmasters (2-4), the Globalport

Batang Pier (1-1), the Alaska Aces (0-4) and Kia Picanto (0-6).

Leading the standings are the unbeaten Star Hotshots (30). Trailing them are the Meralco Bolts (5-1), Barangay Ginebra San Miguel (3-1), NLEX (5-2), the San Miguel Beermen (2-1), TNT Katropa (2-1) and the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters (2-2) Sumang and Walker will not lead the Elite to a PBA championship any time soon. But sometimes, when the ball bounces just right and their opponents are not watching out carefully, they can lead Blackwater past any other PBA team on any given night.

Blackwater Elite gunner Roi Sumang (12) fires another threepointer over the blocking hands of NLEX Road Warriors defender Kevin Alas (6) even as Road Warriors coach Yeng Guiao watches.

PBA photo

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Jimbo Gulle, Editor

Roger Garcia, Issue Editor

LGUs

Local Gov’t Units

mslocalgov@gmail.com

'MORO KIDS NEED MORE PUBLIC ACTIVITIES'

By Nash B. Maulana

QC WINS. Quezon City Mayor Herbert Bautista shares with other city government officials the award given by the National Competitiveness Council recognizing QC as the most competitive city among all highly urbanized cities in the Philippines for the second consecutive year during the 5th Regional Competitive Summit held recently at the Philippine International Convention Center. Manny Palmero

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QC, MANILA, DAVAO, PASAY TOP COMPETITIVENESS LIST Q

UEZON City remains the country’s most competitive city after the recent 5th Regional Competitiveness Summit at the Philippine International Convention Center.

Mayor Herbert Bautista received the award given by the National Competitiveness Council, which Quezon City also won in 2016.

The National Competitiveness Council conducts an annual awarding to local government units in recognition of their roles and efforts in promoting competitiveness.

Quezon City also topped the infrastructure category, beating Manila and Davao City, and placed second in resilience, government efficiency and economic dynamism.

Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada said his city took home the top spot in government efficiency, was second in infrastructure, and third in resiliency.

“We are very proud and pleased that the City of Manila has been named again as one of the

Philippines’ most competitive cities, and we’re number two,” Estrada said.

“The accolades belong not to me but to every Manileño, every taxpayer, and every city government employee and official who cooperated and worked hard to transform our formerly bankrupt city to an economically progressive city today,” he added.

Davao City was awarded the Third Most Competitive City in the highly urbanized category, and is the only highly urbanized city outside of Metro Manila to make the Top 3.

Davao City had consistently ranked fifth for two consecutive years in 2015 and 2016.

Therecognitionasacompetitivecitydemonstrated Davao City’s business-friendly environment—how the city integrates innovation and technology in its policies and processes in serving investors, tourists, and the public, said Mayor Sara Duterte.

For 2017, Davao City claimed the top spot in the resiliency pillar. This is the first year that an LGUs resiliency was included in the index, which highlights the city’s ability to stand tall and strong amidst challenges and difficulties.

The city also showed an improved ranking in the pillars of economic dynamism and infrastructure,

bagging the fourth and third spot, respectively. It ranked fifth in government efficiency.

Meanwhile, Pasay City ranked first in economic dynamism and was awarded one of the top four Highly Urbanized Cities.

Mayor Antonino Calixto received the award and thanked members of the NCC for recognizing Pasay as one of the fast-emerging business hubs in the country.

"This only shows that the steady rise of our city’s economy and development is brought about by a common vision of Pasay’s leadership.

I am confident that this recognition will open more opportunities for our city and its current and potential investors,” Calixto said.

Pasay also ranked third in Most Improved Highly Urbanized City in Metro Manila and fourth in government efficiency, fourth in infrastructure, and seventh in resiliency among HUCs. Calixto said Pasay City may soon be the premier business and investment hub in the country. With the list of projects and developments that the city is planning, he added, he is certain that this vision will become a reality in the coming years.

Rio N. Araja, Bill Casas, F. Pearl Gajunera and Joel Zurbano

TACLOBAN REACHES 'SUMMIT' FOR CITIES

Tacloban City Mayor Cristina Gonzales-Romualdez (center) receives the award from officials of the National Competitiveness Council as NCC co-chairman Guillermo Luz (right) watches. Robbie Pangilinan

ALMOST four years after Typhoon “Yolanda” pounded the city and left thousands dead and millions worth of damage in its wake, Tacloban has been awarded first place for being the Most Improved Local Government Unit among the Highly Urbanized Cities during the 5th Regional Competitiveness Summit.

Tacloban City Mayor Cristina G. Romualdez received the award during the summit on Wednesday at the Philippine International Convention Center, CCP Complex, Roxas Boulevard, Metro Manila.

“In Tacloban we know how far we have reached and how strong we have become as we worked together to improve the city the past years, but being recognized as such is a great honor. I share this award to the Taclobanons, they truly deserve this recognition,” said the mayor.

Tacloban bested other HUCs by the standards of the Cities and Municipalities Competitiveness Index.

Present during the awarding were Local Government Undersecretary Austere Panadero; Guillermo “Bill” Luz, private sector co-chairman of the National Competitiveness Council; Vincent Tempongko, director, Site Acquisition and Management Network Technical Group; Trade Undersecretary Ruth B. Castelo; Tacloban City Administrator lawyer Irene Chiu; OIC City Budget officer Vicente Dy; Assistant City Treasurer Fe Napoles; Local Economic and Investment Promotions Officer Janis Claire Salvacion; and city employees. Robbie Pangilinan

GRAB PH AIDS 'MISISKOLARS' OF ITS DRIVERS

By Rio N. Araja TRANSPORT network company Grab Philippines has held the first of a series of its financial literacy and livelihood program for wives of its drivers, dubbed "MisisKolars."

At least 750 wives of Grab drivers received entrepreneurial and financial management skills from earning, saving, handling money and starting a business.

Brian Cu, Grab Philippines country head, invited speakers from the Truly Rich Club, headed by a Catholic preacher and inspirational author, Bro. Bo Sanchez.

"We have people who have become multimillionaires," Sanchez told the participants in a video message.

Also present to give inspirational talks were

couple Seph and Carmen Romana, family financial advocates, bloggers and educators, and Burn Gutierrez of Angat Pilipinas Coalition for Financial Literacy and the Truly Rich Club.

"You can be stockholders," Gutierrez told the wives.

"Our vision is to financially empower the families of our Grab community and ultimately foster their success," Cu said.

Grab Philippines is set to hold its second leg of seminar-workshop in Cebu on Aug. 27.

"As the leader in ride-hailing in Southeast Asia, Grab ensures that drivers on its platform are holistically aided by providing educational and financial assistance in the form of gas discounts and other livelihood programs beneficial for their families," the TNC firm said.

ANTI-MICROBIAL RESISTANCE. Officials from different government and private health organizations recently gathered to discuss “Fighting Anti-microbial Resistance In Resource-Limited Setting.” Photo shows (from left) Dr. Rontgene Solante, adviser of the Philippine Society of Microbial and Infectious Diseases, Health Assistant Secretary Dr. Eric Tayag, Clinical Microbiologist Dr. Adrian Brink, and Dr. Aileen Dualan, regional director of medical firm MSD, holding placards to demonstrate their topic during a press conference in Pasig City. Manny Palmero

BULUAN, Maguindanao—Moro children and youth should be exposed more to public activities and given the right education to get them off the perils of extremism, Gov. Esmael Mangudadatu said Friday.

Mangudadatu said education is the only long-term solution to increasing concerns on the massive recruitment of young individuals into terror groups—some purportedly offering big amounts in cash.

The governor held a series of dialogue with students, orphans, and young professionals on Aug. 15, which senior provincial staffer Eeman Aljani said was Mangudadatu’s birthday.

Students spoke to Mangudadatu about their learning experiences and on how the Maguindanao Peace (MagPeace) Study Grant Program helped them overcome the challenge of poverty, and eventually became professionals.

A youthful Maguindanaoan said he had his own biases on politicians, until he learned it was Mangudadatu who established the MagPeace Study Grant Program to help poor-and-deserving students finish college education.

Ramina Pandian, a young teacher, said she almost grew hopeless in life after surviving a motorcycle mishap which crippled her for quite a time.

She said the MagPeace lit her path with fresh motivation to finish college education, and become the young school teacher that she is now.

Mangudadatu said dozens more of Maguindanao children orphaned in armed conflict needed institutional guidance to get into the right track towards brighter future.

“These children should be exposed to the real world. Their only way through freedom from the perils of violence is education,” Mangudadatu said, as he and Maguindanao employees watched orphans enjoy the presence of the popular mascot of a fastfood chain.

SOLAR ROOFTOP LIGHTS MALL IN CAUAYAN CAUAYAN CITY, Isabela—SM City Cauayan will set a trailblazing sustainability effort with the launching of its solar rooftop, company officials said.

As an advocate of environmental conservation, SM is extremely active in the promotion of sustainability and environmental awareness.

“SM City Cauayan’s solar rooftop is the first industrial solar project in Cauayan City. It is composed of 342 panels that can produce approximately 105,678 kWh annually,” the company said.

The solar panels, which also serves as the building’s roof, can produce enough power to energize 9,700 units of 10 watts bulb or charge 26,358 cellphone at the same time.

The power generated from the solar facility could offset 74.0 tons of carbon dioxide that is equivalent to an average of 400 trees per year. The facility functions for 25 years.

“This initiative to use renewable energy resource aims to locally promote cleaner air and to save electricity. It also aims to serve as a model to commercial and industrial establishments as it will not only make business sustainable but make future generations live in a safe and healthier environment,” the statement added.

SM City Cauayan continuously takes sustainability initiatives that includes use of LED lighting systems to optimize electrical consumption for illumination, use of ceiling fans in the mall and energy-efficient office equipment and use of solar-powered rooftop. Abe Almirol

LGUs

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SUNDAY, AUGUST 20, 2017 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

FARMERS LEARN HOW TO BE‘CLIMATE-SMART’

By Abe Almirol ANGELES CITY, Pampanga—At least 30 farmers from northern and central Luzon gathered at the Grace Crown hotel here on Tuesday to take up a twoweek course on establishing a climate-smart farm business school.

The training, which is expected to wind up on Aug. 25 was jointly organized by the Agricultural Training InstituteRegional Center for Central Luzon and Villar Social Institute for Poverty Alleviation and Governance (Villar SIPAG).

“We aim to equip farmers with knowledge to operate a farm business school or learning sites. The course is designed to provide a set of skills to combat the effects of climate change in agriculture,” said Veronica Conception V. Esguerra, ATI-RTC 3 Center director.

As an example, she mentioned the ongoing bird flu infestation as an indicator of the need to learn disaster adaptation measures.

A copy of the schedule of

activities given to participants reveal that the “first half of the training period would deal with five modules discussing trends in the Asean economic community, leadership principles, climate change as a risk, climatesmart agriculture, and farming as a business.”

The other half of the training period would be spent on farm business planning practice and visits to existing farm schools and learning sites in Central Luzon.

Speaking on behalf of Villar SIPAG, lawyer Engracia B. Tamaña, representing Senator Cynthia Villar, said “successful trainees are expected to multiply learning sites where ordinary farmers can be taught agriculture and farming as an earning business.”

The 30 trainees who are expected to open farm business schools or learning sites came from the provinces of Apayao, Benguet, Isabela, Nueva Vizcaya, La Union, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, Nueva Ecija, Tarlac, Pangasinan, Pampanga, Bataan and Bulacan.

RIBBON CUTTING. Pagsanjan Mayor Girlie ‘Maita‘ Javier Ejercito (center) and former Laguna governor Jeorge ‘E.R.‘ Ejercito Estregan (in black jacket) lead the ribbon cutting at the new Arch, donated by the Ejercito family, marking the E.R. Ville Homeowners Association Inc. during the 3rd Foundation Day celebration of the LGU-CSAP Housing Project in Barangay Dingin, Pagsanjan, Laguna.

Also present are Councilors John Paul ‘Jet‘ Ejercito and Januario Ferry Garcia, Nadie Cortes Navara, president of the village association, and barangay chairman Rico Cavalles. Roy Tomandao

ILOILO CITY MARKS 80TH CHARTER DAY

T

HE City of Iloilo, one of the country’s fastest-growing urban centers, marks another milestone as it observes its 80th Charter Day in a month-long extravaganza.

Themed “Celebrating 80 years of Ilonggo Culture and Pride,” the 40-day celebration kicked off last July 17 and concludes on Aug. 25, a special non-working day based on Proclamation No. 253 by President Rodrigo Duterte.

“We have seen the recent development and growth in the city especially on infrastructure.

We are hoping to position our-

selves to be a local government unit that is globally competitive and a premier globally-competitive SMART city of excellence,” said Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog.

SMART, the city’s vision, stands for Services, Manufacturing and agri-business, Arts and culture, Research and technology, and Tourism as priority potential areas of investments and inclusive growth.

He said the event is also an opportunity to showcase the strides the city has made over the decades in terms of governance, disaster resiliency, environmental protection, tourism and preservation of heritage and culture.

The mayor said Iloilo has embarked on a 10-point agenda which covers education, health and social services, anti-criminality and anti-illegal drugs, anti-corruption programs, jobs and livelihood, family and spirituality, infrastructure and utilities, environment, traffic management and sustainable land

governance.

In recent years, Iloilo has been earning raves for its ability to balance preservation of cultural heritage and environmental protection with urbanization, as showcased in the restoration of the Iloilo River and the development of the River Esplanade.

The City was named Champion in the Livable Cities search of the Asian Development Bank, and First Place in the Government Efficiency among Highly Urbanized Cities for 2015 by the National Competitiveness Council.

Meanwhile, Mabilog was named in the Top 5 World May-

ors in 2014 by the City Mayors gent Maria Cristina bestowing Foundation, the only Filipino in it the title “La Muy Leal Y Noble the prestigious list.

Ciudad” (Most Loyal and Noble The highlight of the festivities City) and later “Queen Regent’s is the Iloilo City Charter Day Ball City in the South.” on Aug. 24 outstanding IlongIt was chartered in 1937 ungos and employees of City Hall der the Philippine Commonwill be recognized. wealth and was later declared a The Manila Symphony Or- highly urbanized city. chestra will hold concerts fea“The Charter Day time will also turing Filipino and Western give meaning and will call on all classics at the St. Anne Church Ilonggos to cooperate, partner, in Molo and the Iloilo Conven- and collaborate with the City tion Center on Aug. 25 and 26, Government in various programs respectively. to ensure the success of every enThe capital of Iloilo province, deavor that would benefit everyit first became a city under the body, especially the underpriviSpanish regime with Queen Re- leged,” Mabilog said.

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

Manila

'GENTRI' TOPS NCC AWARDS COMPONENT CITIES LIST

Standard DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT AND NATURAL RESOURCES TODAY National Capital Region

REGIONAL BIDS AND AWARDS COMMITTEE INVITATION TO BID DENR-NCR GOODS NO. 2017-001 FOR INSTALLATION & REHABILITATION OF WATERING SYSTEM AT THE PRODUCTION NURSERY 1.

The DENR-NCR, through the GAA-CY 20171 intends to apply the sum of ONE MILLION SIX HUNDRED THIRTY FIVE THOUSAND ONE HUNDRED NINETEEN PESOS & TWENTY CENTAVOS (PhP1,635,119.20) being the Approved Budget for the Contract (ABC) to payments under the contract for “Installation & Rehabilitation of Watering System at the Production Nursery”. Bids received in excess of the ABC shall be automatically rejected at bid opening.

2.

The DENR-NCR now invites all interested Phil-GEPS registered contractors, manufacturers, suppliers, dealers, authorized franchised dealers to submit Letter of Intent (LOI) and to Bid for the following project, to wit: Description (Purchase Request No. 2017-440)

• Sprinklers • G.I. Pipe 2” • G.I. Pipe 1” • High Density Pipe 1/2” • High Density Press Pit Tee • High Density Press Pit Elbow • PPR Pipe 1” • PPR Pipe 1/2” • PPR Pipe Gate Valve 1” • 80 Gallon Pressure Tank gauge #1 • 2.0HP Shallow Well Pump (made in Italy) • Pressure Switch • Pressure Gauge • Cement • Sand • Water Filter • G.I. Wire #16 • Assorted Nail • Plywood ½ x 4 • 10mm RSB • Enamel Paint (Black, Green) • Paint Brush 2” • Paint Thinner • Welding Rod Total Materials

Quantity 500 80 160 45 280 120 90 40 80 2 2 2 2 30 2 4 8 2 20 20 8 10 5 25

Unit pc pc pc roll pc pc pc pc pc unit unit pc pc bags cu.m. unit roll box pc pc gallon pc gallon kilo

Unit Cost

Approve Budget for the Contract (PhP)

284.00 1,428.00 977.00 7,000.00 331.00 284.00 870.00 790.00 550.00 32,000.00 45,000.00 850.00 450.00 248.00 1,500.00 9,000.00 1,650.00 1,750.00 830.00 148.00 578.00 55.00 318.00 140.00

Add: Labor/Installation & other materials

142,000.00 114,240.00 156,320.00 315,000.00 92,680.00 34,080.00 78,300.00 31,600.00 44,000.00 64,000.00 90,000.00 1,700.00 900.00 7,440.00 3,000.00 36,0000.00 13,200.00 3,500.00 16,600.00 2,960.00 4,624.00 550.00 1,590.00 3,500 1,257,784.00 377,335.20 1,635,119.20

TOTAL

Delivery of the Goods is required as indicated in the Bid Data Sheet of the Bidding Documents.

Bidders should have completed a contract similar to the project in the last five (5) years. The description of an eligible bidder is contained in the Bidding Documents, particularly, in Section II. Instruction to Bidders.

3.

Bidding will be conducted through open competitive bidding procedure using a non-discretionary “pass/fail” criterion as specified in the 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 and subject to Commonwealth Act 138.

4.

Interested bidders must submit their Letter of Intent from August 15, 2017 to August 22, 2017 and may obtain further information from and inspect the Bidding Documents at the address given below during 8:00 -5:00 P.M.

5.

A complete set of Bidding Documents may be purchased by interested Bidders on August 15, 2017 to September 1, 2017 from the address below and upon payment of a non-refundable fee for the Bidding Documents in the amount of Five Thousand Pesos (Php5,000.00).

It may also be downloaded free of charge from the website of the Philippine Government Electronic Procurement System (PhilGEPS) and the DENR-NCR website (http://www.ncr. denr.gov.ph) provided that bidders shall pay the non-refundable fee for the Bidding Documents not later than the submission of their bids.

6.

The DENR-NCR will hold a Pre-Bid Conference on August 23, 2017, 2:00 o’ clock in the afternoon, at the Conference Room, 4th Flr., DENR-NCR Bldg., National Ecology Center, East Avenue, Quezon City which shall be open to all interested parties.

7.

Bids must be duly received by the BAC Secretariat at the address below on or before of 10:00 a.m. of September 04, 2017. All Bids must be accompanied by a bid security in any of the acceptable forms and in the amount stated in the ITB Clause 18.

Bid opening shall be at 10:30 a.m. September 04, 2017 at the Conference Room, 4th Flr., DENR-NCR Bldg., National Ecology Center, East Avenue, Quezon City. Bids will be opened in the presence of the Bidders’ representatives who choose to attend at the address below. Late bids shall not be accepted.

8.

The DENR-NCR 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 its IRR, without thereby incurring any liability to the affected bidder or bidders.

9.

For further information, please refer to: BAC Secretariat Procurement Section, 3rd Flr, DENR-NCR Bldg.

National Ecology Center East Avenue, Quezon City Tel. 3740091 August 11, 2017.

(SGD) ATTY. ALVIN JOSEPH G. CONSTANTINO Chairperson, Regional Bids and Awards Committee DENR-NCR National Ecology Center, East Avenue, Diliman, Quezon City Telephone No. (078) 304-1800

1

In the case of National Government Agencies, the General Appropriations Act and/or continuing appropriations; in the case of GOCCs, GFIs, and SUCs, the Corporate Budget for the contract approved by the governing Boards; in the case of (LGUs, the Budget for the contract approved by the respective Sanggunian. (Section 5(a), R.A. 9184) (MS-AUG. 20, 2017)

NEW HOSPITAL. Mayor John Rey Tiangco joins Vice Mayor Clint Geronimo, city officials and department heads in unveiling the building plans for the construction of the Navotas Medical and Wellness Center. The four-story building with deck will replace the former Navotas Emergency and Lying-in Clinic in Barangay San Jose. Jun David

'AGRIMUSEUM' TO EDUCATE ASEAN YOUTH

By Brenda Jocson IN the 50th year of “One Asean,” cooperation among the 10 member countries has never been tighter with the Asean Economic Community paving the way for a single market and production base of which agriculture is an important component.

Yet employment and interest in agriculture has been in decline even as it remains the main source of livelihood in the majority of Asean Member States with the exception of Brunei Darussalam and Singapore, though both are nonetheless dependent on agriculture for food and commerce.

Seeing that the future of food and agriculture is hinged on attracting the youth to become a new generation and breed of farmers, the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture or Searca is poised to build

an AgriMuseum.

It is an alternative approach to educating the young populace and other publics on the importance of agriculture and its centrality to food security, survival, and overall development of economies in the Asean region.

The Southeast Asian AgriMuseum and Learning Center will showcase the evolution and changing face of agriculture, its interconnectedness across landscapes from the mountains to the sea, its shared characteristics and diversity among Southeast Asian countries.

It will also articulate current issues and challenges, gamechangers and innovations, and the envisioned futures of agricultural and food systems in the region.

“Seeing the AgriMuseum’s value in drawing attention to agriculture as a field of study, a future career, and a lucrative livelihood, it has

already gained the support and endorsement of the education ministers of the 10 Asean countries plus TimorLeste,” said Searca director Gil C. Saguiguit Jr. Recently Dr. Saguiguit has personally presented the museum's concept in the biennial meeting of the Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization held in Jakarta, Indonesia July 24-27.

He said it could be counted as Searca’s contribution to the celebration of Asean’s first 50 years and to the future of agriculture in Southeast Asia.

The $1.8-million AgriMuseum will rise adjacent to Searca’s headquarters on the campus of the University of the Philippines Los Baños.

The education facility will also be a major destination in the planned science ecotourism program of the Los Baños Science Community Foundation, Inc.

THE City of General Trias in Cavite took home first place among the country's Component Cities in Economic Dynamism during the 5th Regional Competitiveness Summit and Awards on Wednesday at the Reception Hall of the Philippine International Convention Center.

Trade and Industry Secretary Ramon Lopez, NCC chairman, and NCC co-chairman Guillermo Luz handed out the prestigious awards to the locality during the conference.

Clinching the 2nd place was the City of San Fernando, Pampanga, and 3rd place went to Naga City in Camarines Sur. Cainta, Rizal; Taytay, Rizal; and Sto. Tomas, Batangas took the top three places in the firstand second-class municipality category for Economic Dynamism.

The towns of Mambajao, Camiguin, Tayug, Pangasinan and Dumunjug, Cebu were first, second and third, respectively for the third- and fourth-class municipalities.

Naga City got the top spot for component cities in Government Efficiency, followed

by Cotabato City and Antipolo City.

General Trias City Mayor Antonio Ferrer was surprised and overwhelmed by the award from the NCC. “We thank the NCC for this honor from your organization.

You can be assured that we will work even harder to improve our service to our city and our country,” he said.

Last year, “GenTri” was third among the Most Competitive Municipalities and first in Economic Dynamism for first- and second-class municipalities.

Gadgets & Games

NOKIA 8: HALLMARK OF TRUE FLAGSHIP PHONE

H

MD Global, the home of Nokia phones, recently announced the Nokia 8, a high performance, beautifully crafted smartphone, designed with content creators in mind.

The Nokia 8 brings three worldfirsts to Android smartphones, including a debut collaboration with ZEISS optics. With performance and pure Android at its heart, as well as the most advanced aluminium unibody design to date, the Nokia 8 represents all the hallmarks of a true flagship Nokia smartphone.

Be less Selfie, be more Bothie: The Nokia 8 introduces a world-first in enabling Dual-Sight video to be livestreamed natively and in real-time to social feeds such as Facebook and YouTube. Dual-Sight simultaneously harnesses both the front and rear cameras in a split screen visual for both photos and videos. With just one touch, this world-first livestream capability gives more immersive experiences for those who love to create and share special memories.

Nokia 8 is also the first smartphone to feature Nokia OZO Audio, placing exclusive Hollywood technology in the palm of your hand.

OZO spatial 360° audio brings a fully immersive audio experience to your 4K video. Leading-edge 360° audio capture ensures the playback lets you truly relive the moment so your memories never fade.

At 4.6mm thin at the edge and just 7.3mm slim on average, Nokia 8’s seamless unibody is precision milled from a single block of 6000 series aluminium and its pure design has been refined through a 40-stage process of machining, anodizing and polishing. Select models feature a high-gloss mirror finish that has taken over 20 hours to complete to achieve a flawless look.The phone features Qualcomm’s powerful

The Nokia 8 brings 3 world firsts to Android smartphones, with performance and true Android at its heart, as well as the most advanced aluminum body to date.

SnapdragonTM 835 Mobile Platform and paired with the pure, secure and up to date Android experience ensures outstanding performance.

Be less Selfie, be more #Bothie There are two sides to every story and the Dual-Sight feature of Nokia 8 is designed to help you create and share the full picture. The front and rear-facing cameras on the Nokia 8 have been co-developed with ZEISS optics for an optimum all round experience. Content creators can natively broadcast their unique #Bothie stories to social media through the DualSight functionality located within

the camera app. Fans can also enjoy unlimited photo and video uploads to Google Photos.

A new dimension of sound with OZO Audio Featuring OZO Audio, Nokia 8 combines three microphones with exclusive Nokia acoustic algorithms to capture audio with immersive 360° spatial surround sound. Share your 4K videos with OZO Audio anywhere – binaural codecs enable high fidelity playback even on devices without OZO Audio.

Innovation and precision engineering Powered by the Qualcomm® Snap-

dragonTM 835 Mobile Platform, Nokia 8 doesn’t compromise on performance.

The Nokia 8 has been designed from the ground up with the consumer in mind to deliver unique content capture and sharing experiences.

This requires it to be as meticulously designed on the inside as it is on the outside. To keep your phone working harder for longer, the design, innovation and engineering teams worked hand-in-hand to deliver. The result is a full-length graphite shielded copper cooling pipe that dissipates the heat generated by the high performing system across the full length and breadth of the handset. The Nokia 8 runs cooler in even the most demanding situations.

Nokia 8 is Qualcomm® Quick ChargeTM 3.0 compatible, meaning when your battery is running low you can get back to recording your important moments sooner.

Juho Sarvikas, Chief Product Officer of HMD Global, said: “We know that fans are creating and sharing live content more than ever before, with millions of photos and videos shared every minute on social media.

People are inspired by the content they consume and are looking for new ways to create their own. It’s these people who have inspired us to craft a flagship smartphone which perfectly balances premium design, an outstanding experience and powerful performance.”

Always pure Android Nokia smartphones always offer a pure Android experience, with no unnecessary apps slowing down the performance of your device. And with Nokia 8, pure Android combined with our innovative engineering processes unleashes the full potential of the SnapdragonTM 835 Mobile Platform. With monthly security updates, the Nokia 8 is safe and up-to-date. Your device is secured with biometric fingerprint authentication, delivering enhanced security and making Nokia 8 a versatile companion whatever your needs.

Availability Nokia 8 will be available in four colours: Polished Blue, Polished Copper, Tempered Blue and Steel.

UPLIFTING LOCAL COMMUTE WITH SMART BIZ LTE LEADING digital services provider PLDT, through its business group PLDT Enterprise, has partnered with one of the country’s biggest bus operators to redefine the local commute and evolve the current bus transportation system for the benefit of local commuters. The partnership with the Provincial Bus Operators Association of the Philippines was announced on July 26 across the country.

The partnership’s key central focus is the improvement of bus wireless service quality throughout the country through Smart Biz LTE, PLDT’s newest and advanced wireless broadband solution.

To help improve the current state of public transportation in the country, a select number of demo units of Smart Biz LTE are to be deployed to bus companies for fast and reliable Internet connection inside the vehicles that will help make the commute experience more enjoyable. The Smart Biz LTE units can connect bus fleets with business-grade WiFi to address the connectivity needs of companies within the transportation industry and can connect up to 45 mobile devices at a time, allowing passengers to surf non-stop at speeds of up to 42 Mbps.

Apart from a wireless router, each package includes both a Smart Tracker

and Smart Cam: solutions designed to enhance security for the commuter’s peace of mind, both free of charge.

PLDT’s Smart Tracker enables bus companies to monitor real-time traffic conditions through a GPS tracking device to make the dispatching of fleets more efficient. It also allows business owners to monitor fuel consumption through distance travelled by their units, and alerts them if their drivers are overspeeding, idle or are going beyond a defined geo-zones through SMS, email and web alerts. The Smart Cam, on the other hand, allows business owners to view and monitor situations their vehicles encounter on the road for the security of drivers and passengers alike.

“This key partnership reinforces how we at PLDT Enterprise support the government’s initiative to modernize public transportation with improved connectivity that will provide Filipinos better services in their everyday commute.

We recognize the challenges for our mobile-first consumers who demand to be always online even in transit, so with our recently launched Smart Biz LTE, we are committing to continuously work to develop solutions that will further improve the lives of every Filipino,” states Jovy Hernandez, SVP & Head

ACER Day in the Philippines kicked off at the Glorietta Activity Center last August 7 with fun activities and live performances from bands and DJs. The event is in line with Acer’s first annual and global brand day celebration that will occur on every 3rd day of August.

This year’s theme, “Be Cool Everyday”, was embodied by the company’s AeroBlade™ 3D Fan, which has the world’s thinnest fan metal blade.

Five activity stations were placed on the activity area, namely: “Grand Ball Pit Tower”, featuring an inflated climbing course; “Volleycool”, which turns the ball pit area into a volleyball arena for four players; “Cool Runnings”, a race game that requires

a player to obtain the most balls; “Plunge into Coolness” which makes a volunteer drop into a ball pool by hitting a target and; “Jumpstart to Coolness”, which allows a person to take a selfie while he falls backward on a pool of white balls.

Acer also showcased exciting performances from the UP Pep Squad, Kwjan, Basti Artadi and DJs Euric and Nina, while the audience felt at home in the ball pit area.

Aside from the event, Acer also created an Acer Day website, wherein customers can log in everyday in order to complete 11 daily challenges such as memory puzzles and friendsharing games.

These challenges allow consumers to acquire “Cool Points” to be converted into raffle tickets. Prizes to be won are five Acer Swift 7, one Acer

CLICK! DIGITAL SUMMIT THAT INSPIRES PARAMOUNT personalities from iconic brands were the guest speakers of a one-day digital summit that delved into futuristic trends to inspire brands to immerse its consumers in unique and memorable ways.

Conducted by Publicis One Philippines and Google Philippines, the whole-day event called CLICK! was designed to aid marketers in overcoming the challenges of the exceedingly dynamic digital landscape.

“As the digital marketing landscape expands at an unprecedented rate, the only way to stay ahead and lead the conversation is by working collaboratively with our clients and their brands to deliver superior brand communication that combines creativity, analytics and technology. CLICK! Is the platform where we will meet and share our learnings so that we can be inspired and energized to lead transformation,” said the Chief Media Officer of Publicis One Philippines Jennifer Santos.

Aside from the prominent names of iconic brands in the country, industry leaders from across the region were also present during CLICK! to share their ideas of thinking in online consumer engagement and the speakers suggested ways for this engagement to accelerate business growth.

Among the list of speakers and presenters at summit were Paolo Mercado, the SVP Communications Marketing and Innovation of Nestle Philippines; Margot Torres, the EVP and Deputy Managing Director of McDonalds’s Philippines; Stephan Czypionka, the VP Marketing of Coca-Cola Philippines; Neil Hudspeth, the Chief Experience Officer of Publicis One Asia Pacific; Nic Burrows, the Digital Strategist of ZOO Asia Pacific; Candice Iyog, the VP Marketing and Distribution of Cebu Pacific; Rajesh Sheshadri, the Head of Agencies for Google Asia-Pacific, and Gareth Mulryan, the Chief Executive Officer of Publicis Media Singapore.

The exclusive event was only made available to clients and partners of Publicis One agencies. CLICK! facilitated discussions that were aimed to change the future trajectory of the consumer experience in the Philippines to parallel with global best practices.

“As the Philippines continues to embrace the smartphone we, at Google, are working with brands who are ready to face the challenges and opportunities of the new mobilefirst world,” said Ken Lingan, Country Head of Google Philippines. Patricia Bianca Taculao

UPGRADING...

From D4 If setting up through web browser is not your cup of tea, D-Link QRS app (IOS and Android) will able to guide you through the setup and running effortlessly.

Hassle-Free D-Link Smart Connect Technology

Representatives from PLDT Enterprise and Provincial Bus Operators Association of the Philippines (PBOAP) launch new partnership to introduce Smart Biz LTE and other innovations for enhanced public transportation experience in the Philippines.

of PLDT Enterprise.

“We at PBOAP understand the growing needs and demands of our everyday passengers. We are excited to partner with PLDT Enterprise to be able to provide secure, fast and nonstop Internet access to our passengers who travel out of town,”says Alex Yague, Execuitve Director, Provincial Bus Operators Association of the Philippines.

The event was likewise attended by representatives from various transport associations and groups such as the Philippine Association of Tourism Transport Operators Inc., Pasang Masada, AUV Transport Association, Land Transportation Franchising & Regulatory Board, Department of Transportation, and other organizations under the 1-UTAK Party List, among others.

ACER DAY PH WANTS YOU TO 'BE COOL EVERYDAY

By Nathanielle Punay

D3

SUNDAY, AUGUST 20, 2017 rumallari@thestandard.com.ph

Spin 1, and three Predator Helios 300.

“What we really want is to communicate to our consumers about the latest technologies and products that Acer has to offer,” said Sue Ong-Lim, Sales and Marketing Director for Acer PH.“We wanted to breathe new life to the brand and be able to showcase that to our customers.”

Acer Day is celebrated in 13 other countries such as China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, Australia, New Zealand and Vietnam.

Acer Inc. is a multinational hardware and electronics corporation, specializing in advanced electronics technology that has been going on for 41 years. Their products include desktops, laptops, tablets, servers, smartphones, storage devices, Virtual Reality devices, displays and peripherals.

Ever since the introduction of 5 GHz wireless technology, users have had to blindly guess whether the 5 GHz or 2.4 GHz band would provide them with the best networking experience. D-Link’s Smart Connect Technology eliminates this confusion by automatically distributing devices to the optimal network. Simply initiate a connection to the DIR-878 and its advanced algorithms will determine the best network for your device to connect to, thereby ensuring a faster, more reliable, and hassle-free experience for your friends, colleagues, and family.

Price and Availability

The DIR-878 AC1900 MU-MIMO Wi-Fi Gigabit Router is now available at authorized retailers, resellers and distribution partners at a recommended retail price of P8,775.

PH FINISHES...

From D4 the growing talent in the country, that Filipino students can compete with the best in the world. The only other Asean team to finish in the top 10 of the Imagine Cup World Finals was Nepal.

“At the forefront of innovation are young creative people who see the world and flip it on its head. Team Opticode is a prime example of how digital transformation can be used to improve lives. These young upstarts are pushing boundaries and turning their visions into reality,” said Launay.

Celebrating 15 years of empowering students to create the world of tomorrow

Acer held its first-ever “Acer Day: Ball Pit Party” at the Glorietta Activity Center.

Hosted by Microsoft Executive Vice President of Cloud and Enterprise Scott Guthrie and judged by dozens of prominent judges over the course of the competition—from Microsoft corporate vice presidents and technical fellows to college professors and venture capitalists—Imagine Cup 2017 was a momentous occasion marking 15 years of uniting some of the brightest students in the world in their passion for innovation, creativity, and problem solving through technology.

D4

SUNDAY, AUGUST 20, 2017 Riera U. Mallari, Editor rumallari@thestandard.com.ph

Gadgets & Games

SPHERO CREATES BUZZ WITH LIGHTNING MCQUEEN Manufactured with the approval of Disney-Pixar as part of its lucrative Cars franchise, this high-tech Lightning McQueen toy is Sphero’s first interactive remote control car.

Text and Photos by Dino Ray V. Directo III

I

F you’re a big Star Wars’ or Cars’ fan, you might probably have heard or have purchased already one of their interactive toys.

Sphero, a US-based company which creates robotic spheres which you can control using a smartphone app, has been creating quite a loud buzz when their BB-8 was sold to an enthusiastic global audience.

This innovative company has taken the concept of high tech toys even further with the release of their latest consumer/collectible blockbuster, the interactive Lightning Mcqueen car.

Manufactured with the approval of Disney-Pixar as part of its lucrative Cars franchise, this high-tech

toy is Sphero’s first interactive remote control car. According to Sphero CEO Paul Berberian, it took the company a year and a half to build Lightning McQueen.

“A big part of that time was spent going through numerous reviews with animators at Pixar. We had to make sure he’s as true to character as possible,” said Berberian.

What makes this toy special are features such as the animated eyes; the animatronic mouth, which is powered by six motors and touch sensitive panels; emotive suspen-

sion and versatile tires for some drift action moves. The scaled down version of Lightning McQueen feels like its alive and kids will surely go crazy with its adaptive controls which you can download for your iPhone or Android.

“Just a few minutes with it and you’ll be able to have hours of fun with Lightning,” added Justin Uy, local distributor of Sphero interactive toys.

“Being a Piston Cup Champion, Ultimate Lightning McQueen was born to race. Connect to the app, hit the gas, and see Lightning respond to your commands with his personality on display, thanks to emotive actions and speech.

Watch him lean into hairpin turns and drift like a pro. It is guaranteed to provide hours of fun and entertainment for you and your

kids,” added Uy, who also brings in Star Wars merchandise to the country. The Lightning McQueen interactive toy is compatible with iOS or android; has a 30-meter range; Bluetooth Smart v4.0; can run continuously for 40 minutes with speeds of up to 6mph; one hour charging time and comes with a free downloadable APP which is powered by Sphero and available in iTunes or Google Play Store.

The Ultimate Lightning McQueen is available in the Philippines at select branches of Hobbes &Landes, Toys R Us, Rustan’s Department Stores. You can also pre-order online on Lazada and Geek PH Store.

Stocks are expected to arrive in the Philippines by August 2017.

For more info, please follow Sphero Philippines on Facebook and Instagram.

MAXIMIZING YOUR ASUS ZENFONE 4 MAX ASUS Philippines’most celebrated smartphone model returns to the Philippine market with its latest and strongest variant yet – the Zenfone 4 MAX. With a 5000mAh high-capacity battery that can stand-by up to 46 days, this particular smartphone impeccably takes its known nickname, “Battery King”,to an entirely new level.

Perhaps, that’s the rationale behind its latest tagline – We Love Going Further.

But with a jam-packed energy that can last for 46 days (on standby), how do you maximize the Zenfone 4 Max 5.5, exactly?

Well, here are 4 tried-and-tested ways:

Binge watch your favorites in transit

out on Game of Thrones-Monday anymore!

CHARGE-UP ANOTHER DEVICE WITH THE ZENFONE 4 MAX 5.5 One of the unique features that the Zenfone 4 MAX 5.5 has been widely known is its capacity to turn into a powerbank and charge other devices – otherwise known as “Reverse Charging”.

As long as the on-the-go cable connects the Zenfone 4 MAX 5.5 to another, the Battery King will assist in charging.

This year around, however, the ASUS promises 2x faster reverse — which means whatever is being charged will gain 100% battery life in no-time!

Enjoy at least 3-hours worth of call with just 15% charge

The Zenfone 4 MAX 5.5 assures you at least 3 hours of call time in the event that the Battery King is left with just 15% battery life. With a capacity like this, you will never miss the chance to talk to your loved ones wherever you are and whenever it is.

Catch the most incredible time-lapse videos without fear

Not only does the Batter King sport an impressive 120-degree wide-angle camera to catch more breath-taking views but, through its manual controls, the Zenfone

With the Zenfone 4 MAX 5.5, gone are the long and tedious hours of waiting still in transit. The Battery King is not only powerful enough to stream all kinds series and movies but also strong enough to power-up up to 2-terabytes of hard drive, should signal be inaccessible.

There is no need to fret missing

4 MAX 5.5 also has the ability to shoot extended time-lapse with an automatic “power saving” mode – which is quite significant for time-lapse videos, since a shoot like that can consume a lot of battery power by snapping photos continuously and stitching them together into a stopmotion-esque video.

In this mode, battery life is saved by lowering the screen brightness and putting the

phone into plane mode whereitsradiosareswitchedoff.

So point your Zenfone 4 MAX 5.5 to the sky and wait for the entire universe to align for you and capture the most incredible time-lapse video without the dreading 0% battery!

For more information the Zenfone 4 series and other incredible moments, head on over to ASUS Philippines’ Official Facebook Page and ASUS ZenTalk Forum.

UPGRADING YOUR WI-FI ROUTER WITH D-LINK DIR-878 D-LINK, one of the world’s biggest suppliers of home networking products, launches a new AC1900 MU-MIMO Wi-Fi Gigabit Router, D-Link DIR-878. DIR-878 is a powerful wireless networking solution designed for Small Office/Home Office (SOHO) environments. By combining high-speed 802.11ac Wi-Fi with dual-band technology and Gigabit Ethernet ports, the DIR-878 provides a seamless networking experience with a high degree of convenience and flexibility for SOHOs. The DIR-878’s SOHO-class advanced security features help keep data safe from unwanted network intruders. These features together with the increased range and reliability of Wireless AC technology, help provide a protected network for devices in your home or office.

Wired and Wireless Connectivity

The DIR-878 upgrades your network to the latest dual-band high-speed wireless technology to bring you lightning-fast Wi-Fi speeds of up to 1,900 Mbps1 so you can meet the increasing demand from multimedia applications. Enjoy seamless high definition streaming media, Internet phone calls, online gaming, and contentrich web surfing throughout your home or office. In addition, 10/100/1000 Gigabit Ethernet ports give you solid, dependable wired performance for devices such as Network Attached Storage (NAS), media centers, and gaming consoles. The built-in Quality of Service (QoS) engine allows you to prioritize important traffic to ensure that your favorite applications are receiving optimal bandwidth.

Smooth Streaming with Wireless 802.11ac Wave II

The DIR-878 brings a host of new technologies to create the best wireless networking experience to date. With 802.11ac Wave II technology, the DIR-878 provides Gigabit wireless connectivity with combined transfer rates of up to 1,900 Mbps1 (1300 Mbps Wireless AC + 600 Mbps Wireless N). Featuring a 3x3 MUMIMO antenna configuration, the DIR-878 offers better data rates, fewer dead-spots, more coverage, and increased reliability.

Upgrade your home or office with the latest ACWave II technology by matching the DIR-878 AC1900 MU-MIMO Wi-Fi Gigabit Routers with AC Wave II devices like the DWA-192 AC1900 Wi-Fi USB 3.0 Adapter to take full advantage of this speed.

Easy to Set Up and Protect

Sharing your Internet connection doesn’t have to be a complicated process; just open a web browser to access the setup wizard and follow the easy step-by-step instructions to get started.

Configure, apply, and set up WPA/WPA2 wireless security in minutes with the wireless network setup wizard, or use Wi-Fi Protected Setup (WPS), which establishes an encrypted wireless connection to new devices without the need to enter settings or create passwords. The access control features allow you to restrict access to your network giving you greater control over Turn to D3 network users.

PH FINISHES IN TOP 10 OF IMAGINE CUP WORLD FINALS

Team Opticode impresses at world’s most prestigious student tech competition.

THE young trio of Team Opticode from the Philippines participated and wowed audiences at the 15th annual Imagine Cup, the world’s premier student technology competition where students from around the world team up to solve some of the world’s biggest problems with technology.

“This is a most impressive accomplishment for Team Opticode.

The Imagine Cup is the world’s most prestigious student tech competition and we’re extremely proud of the team for all they’ve accomplished,” said Microsoft Philippines Managing Director Bertrand Launay. “A top 10 finish among 54 other teams from 39 countries in the World Finals shows

that the Philippines can compete with the best in the world.”

Considered the“Olympics ofTechnology” by computer science and engineering students, the Imagine Cup brings together student developers worldwide to help resolve some of the world’s toughest challenges.

They compete for the chance to win US$100,000 and a mentorship session with Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella.

The Philippines was represented

by Team Opticode which was composed of Christian Lou Cepe, Jasmine Pearl Raymundo, and Rochel Reyes.

All of them are students of Lyceum of of the Philippines University-Laguna.

Their mobile app, Minerva, a virtual

assistant mobile application for the visually impaired that taps on the power of the smartphone camera to identify objects in the real world.

Using various cognitive services running on Microsoft Azure, Minerva identifies objects in the immediate environment of users. A user can simply point their smartphone cameras at an object, say a pizza, and Minerva describes it using the phone’s speakers.

The road to the top 10 in the world was a long one for Team Opticode, having to battle national and regional competition before qualifying for the final. They emerged as grand winners of the National Finals

before winning second runner-up in the Southeast Asia Finals, besting 7 other Asean teams.

“Team Opticode’s win at the Regional Finals was huge for the Philippines, as we hosted the first ever Imagine Cup Regional in the country in line with the Asean summit. The Philippines is home to a lot of great tech innovators and is primed for a win in this competition since 2010.” said Launay.

The Philippines is embracing digital technology. The strong showing from the young technologists from Lyceum in this year’s Imagine Cup showcases Turn to D3

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SUNDAY, AUGUST 20, 2017 Isah V. Red, Editor

/

Young Life

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

WEAR

WHAT YOU FEEL

By Bernadette Lunas

O

UR teenage to early adulthood could be considered our fashion formative years. During this period we discover various styles, decide which suits our preference and personality, and display a part of ourselves through the clothes we wear.

4 TIPS

TO ENSURE SAFETY DURING DISASTERS NATURAL disasters cannot be controlled, others cannot be predicted. Despite this, and because of this, it’s only important that we take precautionary steps to mitigate its adverse effects.

LPG company Solane presents four basic things we must do in our household to ensure that we’re safe and ready once a natural disaster hits us.

More than art, fashion is a language, a self-expression. One’s outfit is more than a fabric that covers his body, it is who he is and what he feels, or as Miuccia Prada once said, “What you wear is how you present yourself to the world.”

Such is the theme of this year’s Ayala Malls’ Style Origin. Style Origin is an annual fashion event that showcases the latest trends in clothing and accessories from homegrown and global brands with outlets in Ayala Malls.

The fashion event, entitled “Emoticonic by Style Origin,” takes cue from the favorite form of expression of today’s youth: emoticons.

Youthful vibe was teeming during the fun fashion show at Greenbelt on Aug. 16.

Fresh styles for toddlers, pre-teens, teens, and young adults were showcased during the first leg of Emoticonic by Style Origin.

A variety of casual wear, activewear, and semi-formal ensembles from brands including Anne Klein, Asics, Banana Republic, Cotton On, Kikay, Lacoste, Mango, Marc Jacobs, Cotton On Kids, Gingersnaps, Mothercare, Osh Kosh, Marks & Spencer, Miss Selfridge, Onitsuka Tiger, Puma, Religioso, Tommy Hilfiger, Springfield, Topman, Topshop, Warehouse, XOXO, and Zara were highlighted.

Turn to E2

Prepare an emergency kit

An important step in preparing for unforeseen events is having an emergency kit ready for you and your family. Basic supplies kit should include: a gallon of water per person per day for the next three days, three-day supply of food, flashlight, extra batteries, first aid kit, seven-day supply of medicines, multi-purpose tools, cell phone with chargers, family and emergency contact information, copies of personal documents, extra cash, blankets, maps of the area.

Scan this icon to view the PDF

Know what to do in case of fire

FUN FASHION. Ayala Malls' Style Origin 2017, entitled Emoticonic, encourages the youth to express themselves in the clothes that they wear. (Photos from @iloveayalamalls on Instagram)

Some of the common causes of fire, especially during natural disasters like earthquake, are faulty electrical and gas lines. If you are caught in an establishment engulfed by fire, vacate the area immediately and ask for help. Do not hide in closets and small spaces, and remember to stay low and crawl as it is easier to breathe in a fire if you stay low.

Turn to E2

TEAM MANILA CLAWS PGS 2017 CHAMPIONSHIP

From left: Dong-A Pharma Philippines country manager Won Tak Son, president Amen Say, AVP for Global Business Dong Lee-Hoon, and general manager Choi Junho

IN A stunning display of strategic offensive plays, Team Manila Eagles, via reverse sweep, annihilated the Mineski League of Legends to claim the Bacchus Pro Gaming Series 2017 championship title at the World Trade Center in Pasay City on July 30.

Team Manila Eagles was undefeated during the best-of-five series highlight finale of the Rampage 2017 event. On top of winning P300,000, they will also represent the Philippines in the Garena Premier League regional competition.

Rampage 2017, which is now on its sixth run, is touted as the biggest and grandest annual convention among LoL community players and fans.

Summoners of all ranks and specialties enjoyed the jam-packed, day-long event, which featured fun activities including a cosplay competition, a Merchandise Caravan (for limited edition and exclusive LoL items), and a Celebrity Show Match featuring cosplay queen Ashley Gosiengfiao, Jack Reid, Sam Concepcion, Riot Spiffy, and Sinio Cagasan, among others.

The event was hosted by Bacchus, the leading energy drink of Korea, for the second time.

Dong-A Phils. president and CEO Amen Say said Bacchus is greatly pleased to sponsor the return of Rampage in the country.

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Young Life

E2

SUNDAY, AUGUST 20, 2017 isahred@gmail.com

WEAR...

From E1

It featured styles currently sweeping young fashionistas today and trends we expect to hit the streets soon such as patches (on everything), millennial pink, printed tops, print on print, cut off denim shorts, ripped jeans, and slip dresses.

Sneakers remain the footwear of choice, and several ‘70s trends such as bell bottom pants seem to be making a comeback this year.

Leading the fashion show were some of the trendsetters of this generation. LA Aguinaldo, Santino Rosales, Marco Suarez, Claudio Gutierrez, Mauritius Joseph Loosli, and Joshua Desequera presented various styles for men.

While Adela Mae Marshall, Tricia Santos, Maureen Schrivers, Aryanna Epperson, and Jodilly Pendre showed how to have fun in chic ensembles.

The next Emoticonic by Style Origin is happening at TriNoma (Sept. 3), Solenad (Sept. 9), Alabang Town Center (Sept. 10), Market! Market! (Sept. 16), and Harbor Point (Sept. 17).

'50 Years: A Glorious Journey to Greater Heights' coffee table book narrates the history and contributions to the country of Fatima Hospital and Our Lady of Fatima University.

OLFU CELEBRATES

4FromTIPS...

E1 Plan your escape routes and safe places

It’s important to have a sketch of your house so you know how to immediately get out when disaster strikes. Establish and record location of your meeting area, and be sure to practice this with your family members.

Be informed

Know the hazards within your community, and ask the local authorities about the emergency plans and warning signals. Being informed will help you gather a detailed plan for your own household.

TEAM MANILA...

From E1

“Following the success of last year’s LoL event, which had gathered more than 10,000 attendees, Bacchus is again honored in bringing ‘energized’ play to Filipinos by throwing its long-term support to the growing LoL/e-sport gaming community in the Philippines,” enthused Say. He continued, “It has remained our main thrust, to focus on e-games.

Bacchus, in fact, is the first energy drink brand to fully support esports/e-gamers.”

Say also announced its partnership with Mineski Infinity, a premier cyber cafe network brand owned and managed by Mineski.

Prior to the epic PGS finale, officials from Dong-A Korea led by assistant vice president for Global Business Dong Lee-Hoon, country manager Won Tak Song, and general manager Choi Junho, together with Amen Say and COO Eugene Say launched on stage SKT T1 Faker, a popular celebrity gamer in Korea as the official Bacchus endorser.

T

GLORIOUS GOLDEN YEAR

HEY say all things start from a vision.

Our Lady of Fatima University (then Our Lady of Fatima College of Nursing) was a dream of Jose Olivares, the co-founder of Fatima University Medical Center. The school, beside the hospital, was planned to serve as a training ground for nurses and midwives.

Fifty years and thousands of graduates later, OLFU and FUMC continue to develop healthcare providers through their legacy of excellent education and compassionate value formation.

OLFU consistently produces board top-notchers, while the FUMC is the only ISO-certified hospital with modern facilities in the Caloocan, Malabon, Navotas, Valenzuela (CAMANAVA) area.

The two institutions commemorate their 50th founding anniversary with a special edition coffee table book entitled “50 Years: A Glorious Journey to Greater Heights.” The coffee table book, according to its author Robert Bjorn Santos, narrates the history of OLFU and FUMC from their humble beginnings to where they are now, through the perspective of the people who were and are part of them.

“Our published materials are quite limited so we interviewed people such as retired employees, alumni, family members, scholars, current students, and faculty,” Santos told MS Young Life.

Santos, who’s also an OLFU alumnus and one of the university’s administrators and board of trustees, said they asked these people about their most memorable moments, how they ended up working in Fatima, and the learning and experiences they remember most.

The book also articulates the numerous accomplishments of Fatima as evidenced by the various recognitions and accreditations it received here and abroad. It also details the expansion of the university from Valenzuela to Quezon City, Antipolo, Pampanga, and Nueva Ecija; and the medical center from Valenzuela to Antipolo.

Furthermore, it summarizes the contributions of the institutions in the field of research; and its impact in society through quality education, healthcare, extension services, scholarships, and charitable works of the founders and current administrators.

Santos said the coffee table book is a follow up to Fatima's photo exhibit staged during its 45th anniversary.

In celebration of their golden year, they also launched the SPARKS (Synergizing Partnerships in Advancing Research Knowledge and Services) International Academic Conference of OLFU. The international conference is set on Sept. 15 to 16 at the Novotel Hotel in Cubao, Quezon City. The event brings together global and local academicians and professionals, all aligned to the theme, “Fusing Strengths in Building Academic Diplomacy in Higher Education in Asia.”

SPARKS’s registration is accessible at www.sparksconference.com.

For more information on the institutions, visit www.fatima.edu.ph for Our Lady of Fatima University and www.fumc.com.ph for the Fatima University Medical Center. -BL

Author Robert Bjorn Santos in the middle presents the coffee table book to Dr. Caroline Enriquez and Dr. Yvonne Guevara

A FURRY BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION PET TALES

BY DESIREE CARLOS Train your children in the way they should go and they will not depart from it. – Proverbs 22:6

Rhodora Lao and her daughter Sabine celebrate their birthdays with rescued dogs and cats of Save Animals of Love and Light

I am honored to have met parents—Rhodora and Dennis Lao—who have been living this reminder.

They have trained their children well.

With daughters Shannen and Sabine, they decided to celebrate their birthdays in a unique, lovepowered way: They visited 56 rescued dogs and cats of Save Animals of Love and Light (Save ALL) in three small homes, carried and hugged them, and gave them treats.

They also donated food, medicine, soap, and shampoo for the 11 rescued animals who are still in the clinic and for the 56 rescues in the homes.

Sabine turned 14 last Aug. 18, Shannen turned 18 last July 26, and Rhodora celebrated her birthday last July 10.

A happy, happy birthday to Dennis who is celebratContinued on E3 ing his birthday today.

Showbiz

SUNDAY, AUGUST 20, 2017

E3

IN THE MIX...

From E4

Two Door Cinema Club frontman and vocalist Alex Trimble

“Ang Manananggal sa Unit 32B” follows the story of a lonely woman (Ryza Cenon) with dark secrets falling for a broken-hearted guy (Martin del Rosario) amidst mysterious murders in the city.

A MODERN TAKE ON FILIPINO FOLKLORE

By Sundy Locus

M

ANANANGGAL sa unit 32B can be anybody’s love story... until it isn’t.

With its simple boy-meets-girl premise, the opening scenes subtly paved way to the spark of a blossoming romance between Jewel (Ryza Cenon) and Nikko (Martin Del Rosario),two lone strangers who, by fate, met by living in the same apartment.

The sudden shift of scenes from delicate to daring, however, inherently destructed the film’s sweet façade; replacing it with a bold and modern portrayal of a Filipino folklore that everybody is familiar of.

Director Prime Cruz, in his second movie, exquisitely challenged the cliché and opened up a world often overlooked by hundreds of portrayals of manananggals and other mythical creatures- the humanistic side of these so-called monsters and their struggle to fit inside a world entirely different from theirs.

The cinematography is definitely a stand-out in the movie.

Tey Clamor’s use of dark and electric hues complemented well with the mysterious narrative of the film. Its color grading along with the efficient use of music to intensify the emotions of the characters and highlight the riveting scenes is refreshing in a good way. The play of shadows to imply the way Ryza kills her victims is highly effective- both on essence and as aesthetic. The minimal depictions of her transformation intensified the scene where she changed completely as a mananananggal.

Nestor Abrogena Jr.’s excellent production design along with the tinge of CGI sealed the deal in delivering the pivotal moment. The chemistry between Ryza and Martin in the film is also something worth mentioning.

Manananggal sa unit 32B shows Ryza Cenon’s prowess as an artist. From her mysterious character to the controversial masturbation scene, her genuine portrayal of Jewel flawlessly showed her character’s battle against her fate and her internal conflicts as a human.

Ryza Cenon and Martin Del Rosario star in "Ang Manananggal sa Unit 23B," one of the films in the inaugural Pista ng Pelikulang Pilipino

The hours-long spectacle was opened by American singer and Grammy winner, Grace Martine Tandon, who is better known by her stage name Daya. The teen singer performed her Billboard 100 chart-toppers “Hide Away,” and “Don’t Let Me Down,” a collaboration with EDM superstar The Chainsmokers.

Next to perform was Dua Lipa, a London-raised singersongwriter and model of Albanian. Dua Lipa, who began her music career at 14, started recording covers for YouTube and Soundcloud, continuing those early rap and R&B influences by tackling tracks from artists like Chance The Rapper. During the concert, she made everyone jump to their feet with her hits “Be The One,” “Hotter Than Hell,” and her current single “Blow Your Mind (Mwah).”

Dua Lipa was then followed

by DNCE and then by the Irish alt-indie favorite Two Door Cinema Club. The band, which is currently on tour for its third album, is behind the hit songs “Are We Ready? (Wreck),” “Bad Decisions,” and “Gameshow.”

The band is composed of singer Alex Trimble, guitarist Sam Halliday, and bassist Kevin Baird.

Next big act to hit the MoA Arena stage was the 19-year-old Swedish singer-songwriter Zara Larsson who trended on Twitter with 1.5 million tweets right after the concert.

“Thank you Manila. Thank you for cheering on and for giving me so much energy last night. I can’t wait to be back,” the singer twitted early morning on Friday.

Larsson gained national fame for winning the 2008 season of the Swedish version of Got Talent. She released her debut EP, “Introducing,” with the hit single “Uncover” in 2013. Thereafter she released the singles “She’s Not Me,” “Carry You Home,” and “Rooftop,” which all reached top 10 of all major music charts in Europe. – Nickie Wang

Martin Del Rosario, on the other hand, is promising as a lead actor.

His natural and easy-going performance as Nikko blended well with Ryza’s.

Meanwhile, Vangie Labalan’s humorous depiction of Lola, however, completed the chemistry. The trio’s interaction made the film more realistic, peppered with effortless kilig and humor.

Overall, Manananggal sa unit 32B delivered more than what it promised.

With its right mix of darkness, solitude and mystery, the film narrated a love story that showed the viewers what’s beyond the kilig- it is the struggle of finding yourself and confront the uncertainties life has to offer.

International singing phenomenon Zara Larsson

PET TALES...

From E2

Dennis looked for most of the items in the wish list of Save ALL, a task that we believe is a great service to the Lord because one is helping His helpless but loving creations—the dogs and cats.

We are delighted that there are parents like Rhodora and Dennis, and kids like Sabine and Shannen who are compassionate towards animals, specially to those in need who were pulled out from illness-ridden pounds, from the streets where they were hit by vehicles or are dying of an illness or hunger, and from abusive owners.

We thank them and bless them.

The more people understand that dogs and cats have feelings and ask only for kindness, the more our world will be wrapped in a positive energy— that thing called Love—that heals us all.

We are glad that the young are now joining hands with older folks in creating a better place for animals. May their number increase.

Have a blessed Sunday everyone! Namaste!

(Photos by Paolo Jose C. Salgado, Anna Mozelle Liberato, Rhodora Lao and Niko Gabriel C. Salgado)

Cassie, a beagle who was bred till she was four years old, has discovered the joys of being held and kissed.

Sabine gives a treat to Pandora, a mama dog who would have been put to sleep with her six 10-day old pups in a pound last year.

Sabine meets Santi, the odd-eyed kitten who was thrown in a trash bin when he was only a few weeks old together with his brother Seb.

E4

Showbiz

SUNDAY, AUGUST 20, 2017 Isah V. Red, Editor / Nickie Wang, Issue Editor isahred@gmail.com

‘IN THE MIX’

MUSIC FEST CAPTURES MILLENNIAL HEARTS The "Dangerous Woman Tour" is the third concert tour of Ariana Grande, in support of her third studio album, Dangerous Woman (2016)

ARIANA GRANDE

‘DANGEROUS WOMAN’ IN MANILA

By Nickie Wang

I

T’S exactly two years ago when pop chanteuse Ariana Grande “bangbanged” Manila by staging the Philippine leg of The Honeymoon Tour where she performed the hits culled from her second studio album, My Everything (2014), and paid tribute to Whitney Houston and Madonna.

After winning the hearts of people around the world by returning to the stage just three weeks after a suicide bomber attacked her concert in Manchester in May, the petite millennial Mariah Carey is back in Manila, more polished, mature and experienced, to treat local fans with her Dangerous Woman World Tour.

The 24-year-old pop princess is arriving today from Bangkok via her private jet for a concert tomorrow at the Mall of Asia Arena.

While security details have not been specified as of this writing, they are expected to be similar to that of Britney Spears’ Manila concert in June. That means, security will be extra tight even the PNP has already expressed their cooperation following the deadly attack after her concert in England in May. At the venue, there will be no meet-andgreet (just what like happened in Seoul six day ago), and concertgoers will not be allowed to bring big cameras and big bags.

But of course, fans are going to the “already sold-out” concert and will not be disappointed on what their idol will dish out.

As seen in the previous legs of the concert, Ariana is expected to go big on production. The enormity of the catwalk, end-to-end video wall and extravagant staging for the Dangerous Woman Tour can easily dwarf an artist of lesser caliber. But not Ariana, of course.

She will perform against a stunning backdrop of lights and pyrotechnics perfectly set to the beat of her hit songs – but make no mistake, all eyes are on her.

While Ariana is known for her powerful vocals, the pop singer also proved that she’s got game when it comes to belting out high notes while being lifted, spinned and flipped. In this concert tour, she made dancing in 6-inch heels look effortless.

The 100-minute concert will feature more than 20 hits such as “Bad Decisions,” “Side to Side,” “Bang Bang,” “One Last Time,” “Problem,”and “Focus,” to name a few, has everything: from laser effects, and hydraulics, to pink balloons falling from the ceiling. A party bus will also be on site to give fans a taste of how to live like Ari while on tour.

Dangerous Woman Tour kicked off in Phoenix, Arizona, with concerts taking place in 84 cities in 28 countries. Since the announcement of her concert tour, Ariana fans’ excitement has been mounting on Twitter, with photos and videos of concert highlights and what they can expect from the multi-platinum young diva.

After the Manila concert, Ari will be visiting Hong Kong, Taipei, and F1 Grand Prix in Singapore as part of the Asian leg of the concert series.

MILLENNIAL CHANTEUSE. Known for her four-octave-anda-note soprano vocal range, and the whistle register, Ariana Grande has been regarded as the biggest diva of her generation

JAK ROBERTO IN NEW SITCOM

“Abs ng Bayan” Jak Roberto gears up for another TV project on GMA Network

GMA Network teases fans with another surprise as “Abs ng Bayan” Jak Roberto and the Meant To Be boys are rumored to go back on the boob tube with a new sitcom following the massive success of their rom-com series.

“We are already talking about the project. It’s not going to be a soap, more like a sitcom,” Jak said in a recent interview.

Rumor has it that the comedy show will be similar to Palibhasa Lalake, a popular TV series from the other network that ran from 1987 to 1998 and was directed by Johnny Manahan. Its original cast members were Joey Marquez, Richard Gomez, Miguel Rodriguez, Gloria Romero, Cynthia Patag, Amy Perez and Carmina Villaroel.

The show featured the humorous everyday lives of the original cast and spiced up by the groupies like The Gwapings (composed of Mark Anthony Fernandez, Eric Fructuoso, Jomari Yllana, and Jao Mapa), The Kutings (Claudine Barretto , Rica Peralejo, G. Toengi, Regine Tolentino, Lindsay Custodio, and Maria Kristina P.).

The roles of Jak Roberto and the MTB Boys are yet to be confirmed as no official word coming from the network if the show would push through. In the meantime, Jak and his former co-stars are busy with their respective TV projects and showbiz commitments. Sundy Locus

Australian rock band 5 Seconds of Summer closing the “In The Mix” music fest

IT WAS likely the first concert for a lot of young girls including boys in the crowd when In The Mix 2017, presented by MMI Live together with Smart and PLDT, kicked off at the MoA Arena on Thursday. Fans exploded and easily whipped into rabid frenzy.

The Twitter-trending indoor music festival returned this year with six of the hottest acts on the international music scene led by the Australian rock band 5 Seconds of Summer (5SOS).

Less than a year after they came to Manila for their Sounds Live Feels Live Tour, the Australian rock quartet showcased what kind of young rock ’n’ roll band they are, as evidenced by their show last Thursday night.

5SOS delivered the goods with their popular hits including crowd favorites “She Looks So Perfect,” “Amnesia,” “Don’t Stop,” “Hey Everybody!,” and “What I

DNCE performing a cover of a Spice Girls hit

Like About You.” But it was also the night of American dance-rock band DNCE fronted by singer and actor Joe Jonas. The band, which first introduced itself to audiences worldwide with the release of “Cake By The Ocean,” captured the hearts of the audience when its frontman waived the Philippine flag amid the raining confetti and while the giant speakers at the Arena was blasting the song “We are the Champion.”

Apart from performing its hits “Kissing Strangers” and Toothbrush,” DNCE was not short of any surprises. The band did an eclectic cover of Spice Girls “Wannabe” and Britney Spears’s “Oops!... I Did It Again.”

DNCE frontman Joe Jonas (left) rocking the MoA Arena