Manila Standard - 2020 January 20 - Monday

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TAAL WATCH

Phivolcs: Volcano already open

By Rio N. Araja THE Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology fears a “faster progression” of seismic activities at Taal Volcano in Batangas.

“The volcano is already open,” said

Ma. Antonia Bornas, chief of PHIVOLCS’ Volcano Monitoring and Eruption Prediction Division. “It would be easier for the magma to climb up. There would be nothing to stop the pressure.

Whatever that is blocking the volcano has already been removed.” Next page

VOL. XXXIII • NO. 340 • 3 SECTIONS 16 PAGES • P18 MONDAY, JANUARY 20, 2020 • www.manilastandard.net • mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Ashfall sickens many evacuees Health woes range from respiratory infection to flu to diarrhea—DOH

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CUTE respiratory infections caused by the ashfall from Taal Volcano’s eruption last week are the top complaint of “between 50 and 60 percent” of evacuees consulting with the Department of Health’s workers at evacuation centers, Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said Sunday.

Giving a glimpse of the burgeoning problems facing evacuees and aid workers alike, Duque said the main concerns of 2,342 evacuees who consulted with DOH doctors and volunteers were breathing problems, hypertension, diarrhea, skin infections or lesions, influenza-like illnesses, and eye irritations.

“We continue to give them the medicine that’s apt for the conditions they’re complaining of,” the secretary explained in an interview with GMA’s Balitanghali.

The DOH had enough medicines for the evacuees, Duque said, as his department had sent out over P9 million worth of supplies and aid to evacuation centers in Batangas and Cavite provinces.

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Visitors offer glimmer of hope TAGAYTAY CITY―Business in this usually bustling city has yet to return to normal, as business owners have decided to reschedule their openings because of the limited supply of water following the Taal Volcano eruption.

Even then, their impending reopenings have shined a ray of hope on this cool highland retreat for Metro Ma-

nilans, who flock to Tagaytay mainly to admire the views of Taal along the city’s ridge.

Power has been restored in parts of Tagaytay, but most of the city’s 2,295 commercial establishments still have to rely on water deliveries as the volcano’s restiveness downed power and water lines.

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JAMPACKED. Evacuees from towns affected by the eruption of Taal Volcano queue to have their children examined by medical personnel at an evacuation center in Tanauan, Batangas on Jan. 14. Photo above shows evacuees huddled inside their cube tents, as the threat of Taal’s eruption remains high, keeping them from their homes for an indefinite period. AFP

Rody sets visit Disaster resilience tops House agenda to volcano victims By Rio N. Araja

By MJ Blancaflor, Macon Ramos-Araneta and Rio N. Araja PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte is scheduled today, Jan. 20, to lead the ceremonial distribution of food packs to families affected by the Taal Volcano eruption at the PUP Gymnasium in Santo Tomas, Batangas.

Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo earlier said the President will be accompanied by Cabinet members in his visit.

President Next page

HOUSE Majority Leader and Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez on Sunday said Congress would expedite the passage of President Rodrigo Duterte’s priority measures, including bills creating executive departments for Filipino overseas workers, water resources and disaster resilience before the next adjournment in March.

“We aim to hit the ground running when session resumes on Monday [Jan. 20]. Time to roll up our sleeves once again and work double time on vital legislative measures,” Romualdez said.

“The speaker made a clear instruction to pass these bills. No less than President

Rodrigo Duterte himself called on Congress to work on these measures during his fourth State of the Nation Address last July.”

Congress would vote on third and final reading other vital measures, he cited.

“This includes House Bill No. 5673 authorizing the Department of Health to set and approve the bed capacity and service capability of all DoH-retained hospitals in all parts of the country,” he said.

Meanwhile, Albay Rep. Joey Salceda said Congress must prioritize mobilizing the necessary material and policy assistance for districts affected by Taal’s eruption and investigate alleged lapses in warning afterwards, when the crisis has passed.

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Coffee and pineapple growers in areas around Taal Volcano, who have to deal with the thick layers of ash it rained down on their plants, have suffered the most after its eruption, as a Department of Agriculture graphic shows the extent of damage to cash crops, fisheries and other commodities. AFP

Musical icon Hotdog Scientists warn SARS-like outbreak bigger than reported co-founder passes on ANOTHER musical icon from the famed Manila Sound has passed on.

Dennis Garcia, bassist and co-founder of the Hotdog band in the ‘70s, has died on Saturday night.

The news was relayed by Dennis’ youngest Next page

HONG KONG―The true scale of the outbreak of a mysterious SARS-like virus in China is likely far bigger than officially reported, scientists have warned, as countries ramp up measures to prevent the disease from spreading.

Fears that the virus will spread are growing ahead of the Lunar New Year holiday, when hundreds of millions of

Chinese move around the country and many others host or visit extended family members living overseas.

Authorities in China say two people have died and at least 45 have been infected, with the outbreak centered around a seafood market in the central city of Wuhan, a city of 11-million inhabitants that serves as a major transport hub.

But a paper published Friday by scientists with the MRC Centre for Global Infectious Disease Analysis at Imperial College in London said the number of cases in the city was likely closer to 1,700.

The researchers said their estimate was largely based on the fact that cases had been reported overseas―two in Thailand and one in Japan.

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News

MONDAY, JANUARY 20, 2020

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

DOJ scoffs at Robredo proposal

By Rey E. Requejo JUSTICE Secretary Menardo Guevarra rejected the suggestion of Vice President Leni Robredo that the Dangerous Drug Board, and not Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, should lead the Inter-Agency Committee on Anti-Illegal Drugs that was created in 2017 to spearhead the campaign against illegal drugs.

Guevarra said ICAD’s main focus is operation and enforcement of government programs, policies and projects pertinent to suppressing the drug problem.

“The reason why it’s PDEA and not DDB as chair of ICAD is because the thrust of ICAD is operations while that of DDB’s is policy-making,” Guevarra said.

Guevarra, who is also a member of the ICAD, was commenting on the statement made by Robredo that the chairman of ICAD should be the head of DDB and not PDEA. ICAD was established in 2017 under Executive Order No. 15 issued by President Rodrigo Duterte “to pursue an effective campaign against the trafficking and use of dangerous drugs and other similar substances through an integrated planning, implementation and enforcement of anti-illegal drug policies, programs and projects.”

The EO itself designated the head of PDEA as chairperson.

EO 15 also mandated the creation of an Anti-Illegal Drug Task Force, which, Guevarra said is “just a subsidiary of ICAD.”

Disaster...

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“We must help first and investigate later,” Salceda said.

The Palace on Sunday said it is open to a lawmaker’s proposal to create a commission that will oversee the rehabilitation of areas in Batangas and Cavite affected by Taal Volcano’s eruption.

“All good proposals will be studied and we will implement it if it will be for the benefit of the public,” Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo said in Filipino in an interview over radio dzIQ. Senate President Pro-Tempore Ralph Recto, a native of Batangas, earlier said he planned to file a bill creating a Taal Commission to be patterned after the Pinatubo Commission that helped victims of the 1991 volcano eruption in Central Luzon.

Panelo said it will be up to President Duterte to decide whether he will certify the bill as urgent.

Under Republic Act 7637, the Mt. Pinatubo Assistance, Resettlement and Development Commission was created in 1992 which set aside P10-billion funds to help victims in the communities affected by Mt. Pinatubo’s eruption.

The 11-member commission had the power to formulate policies and plans for the relief, rehabilitation, resettlement and livelihood services as well as infrastructure support in affected areas in Central Luzon.

On Monday (Jan. 20), Duterte is expected to lead the ceremonial distribution of food packs to families affected by the Taal Volcano eruption at the PUP Gymnasium in Sto. Tomas, Batangas.

Panelo said the President also decided to inspect the areas since he was unable to do so when he went to Batangas Sports Complex on Jan. 14.

Duterte’s second visit to Batangas is meant to determine whether there is a need to come up with additional contingency measures for evacuees who were forced to evacuate.

He first visited Batangas three days after the volcano started spewing ash to lead a situation briefing and comfort those who fled their homes due to the volcano’s unrest.

He also handed over P7.5 million to farmers and another P3.5 million to the fishermen for their livelihood.

To protect residents living near Taal Volcano from the threat of a hazardous eruption, Duterte has approved the recommendation of Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana to declare Taal Island as “no man’s land” with no permanent habitation.

In related developments: • The Alliance of Concerned Teachers party-list group said on Sunday schools should not be used to house calamity victims. Instead, the government should build more evacuation centers, it said. About 96,000 people are in evacuation centers in Batangas, Laguna and Cavite provinces due to the Taal Volcano eruption, and evacuees took shelter in about 19 schools in the CALABARZON area that can not be used for classes in the meantime. ACT Party-list Rep. France Castro said the government should instead build a common evacuation center for every two or three barangays.

With PNA

Trump invites Duterte to US Trump extended the invitation to President Duterte and other leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations through a letter dated Jan. 9, according to a press statement from the Palace.

It was first conveyed during the USASEAN meeting in Bangkok last November, which Trump and Duterte skipped.

Trump was represented then by his national security adviser Robert O’Brien, as Duterte was represented by Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. Among Southeast Asian leaders,

only prime ministers Thongloun Sisoulith of Laos, Nguyen Xuan Phuc of Vietnam, and Prayut Chan-o-cha of Thailand were present during the USASEAN Summit.

The Palace has yet to confirm if Duterte will attend the upcoming USASEAN summit after Trump approved America’s 2020 budget containing a provision that bans Philippine officials behind the detention of De Lima, a vocal critic of the administration’s anti-drug campaign.

The provision mandated US Secre-

tary of State Mike Pompeo to bar local officials from entering their territory, proven that they were linked to the “wrongful imprisonment” of the Philippine senator.

Malacañang has repeatedly slammed the provision, saying it was “affront” to the country’s sovereignty and legal processes.

If the US will enforce the ban, the Palace also said the country would require Americans―excluding Filipino-Americans or balikbayans―to secure visas before coming here.

Meanwhile, American lawmakers Richard Durbin, Edward Markey, and Patrick Leahy were barred by the Palace from entering the country, after they sponsored Senate Resolution 142 which called for De Lima’s release.

The US Senate Foreign Relations Committee passed that resolution.

De Lima has been in detention since February 2017 due to pending two counts of drug-related charges. She has claimed the President and Duterte’s allies had a hand in her detention.

Ashfall...

Mayor Sweet Halili, as they were asked to leave their IDs at a checkpoint and claim them back on their way out. Police said this was to ensure only residents will be allowed inside the town and prevent criminals from entering.

Police Captain Danilo Manalo, chief of Agoncillo Police, said the town is a danger zone, thus the lockdown.

On Sunday morning, a convoy with a funeral hearse tried to enter the town to bury the dead, but only two vehicles―the hearse and the family vehicle―were allowed inside by police.

In other developments: • The Tagaytay City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office in Cavite appealed for donations of cleaning supplies and reusable utensils for its evacuation centers housing evacuees, as it is trying to minimize the amount of trash collected at evacuation centers.

The office said they would rather have the evacuees use reusable cups, plates and utensils than paper plates, while the cleaning supplies will be used for the restrooms and the areas where evacuees stay.

As of Sunday, 5,721 evacuees remained at the city’s three evacuation centers.

Residents who were moved away from Taal’s volcano island, its lake and the connected Pansipit River, and areas around Taal’s 14-km danger radius should stay in evacuation centers, Phivolcs volcano monitoring division chief Mariton Bornas told reporters.

“Sometimes there are minor lava flows from the volcano’s crater, then there is of course strong gas expulsion. These are very dangerous,” Bornas said.

• Donors should treat the survivors of

Taal’s eruption with dignity by being mindful of the clothes they would give, a disaster management group said.

Photos of evacuees wearing donated school and work uniforms, and clothes with tears have made the rounds online, drawing the ire of netizens who called for sobriety in the donations “To those who are donating, please donate clothes that other people can still use... Let us treat the survivors with dignity,” the Citizens’ Disaster Response Center said on Facebook.

The group also urged those accepting and distributing donations to sort the clothes carefully and ensure they are appropriate for evacuees.

The Department of Social Welfare and Development discourages the donation of used clothes to disaster survivors “to safeguard the health of the people and maintain the dignity of the nation,” according to an administrative order.

• In Baguio City, 70 children with special needs who fled to the mountainous city after ash from Taal Volcano blanketed their homes need the help of donors to get by, their caretakers said.

The Chosen Children Foundation said it evacuated the kids, including nine toddlers, away from Silang, Cavite after Taal covered their houses there with about three inches of ash last Jan. 12.

The children were first brought to the St. Scholastica convent before being moved Thursday to a rented house in Loakan Road, the foundation said.

With some suffering colds due to Baguio’s cold climate, the children need financial aid, medicines, jackets and diapers, said social worker Joshua Flores.

lion worth of assistance by the Department of Social Welfare and Development, Department of Health and local government units.

In its situational report during the weekend, the NDRRMC noted that 22,472 families or 96,061 people have been affected in Batangas, Laguna and Cavite by Taal Volcano’s eruption.

Of this number, 16,174 families or 70,413 people are staying temporarily in 300 evacuation centers.

According to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology, alert Level 4 was still in effect over Taal Volcano Saturday morning, with a hazardous explosive eruption possible within hours to days.

A total of 691 volcanic earthquakes have been recorded by the Philippine Seismic Network from 1 p.m. of Jan. 12 until Saturday, Jan. 19.

Of this number, 175 had magnitudes ranging from 1.2 to 4.1 and were felt at Intensities I to V. As of Saturday, power has been restored in 17 cities and municipalities in Cavite, Laguna and Batangas.

The DOH deployed to Batangas five Health Emergency Response Teams from five DOH hospitals: Dr. Jose N. Rodriguez Memorial Hospital and Sanitarium, Rizal Medical Center, Quirino Memorial

Medical Center, Amang Rodriguez Memorial Medical Center and National Children’s Hospital.

The Department of Public Works and Highways said it has conducted cleaning and clearing of ash fall, hauling of ashes, and pruning of trees on road sections outside the danger zone.

The Philippine National Police-Balete Municipal Station, Philippine Navy and Philippine Air Force on Saturday patrolled the territorial waters of Balete, Batangas to prevent evacuees from returning to their homes.

Meanwhile, private donors in Quezon City, including transport and labor groups, prepared relief goods on Sunday for more than 10,000 evacuees in neighboring Batangas province who fled their homes due to the eruption of Taal Volcano a week ago.

The instant noodles, rice, canned goods, napkins, diapers, and hygiene kits will be sent to evacuees in San Luis town, south of the capital.

Senator Richard J. Gordon said the Philippine Red Cross is studying the best areas to put up an emergency medical unit in Batangas to accommodate ill residents following the closure of at least six hospitals due to the rage of Taal Volcano.

The way things are going, he said they have to prepare for a possible increase in cases of respiratory illness.

By MJ Blancaflor

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RESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte has been invited by United States leader Donald Trump to attend a summit between him and other Southeast Asian leaders on March 14 in Las Vegas, despite a recent US law banning entry of all Philippine officials supposedly behind the arrest of Senator Leila de Lima.

From A1

Health workers from Calabarzon, Mimaropa, Central Luzon and the National Capital regions were prepared to aid over 70,000 persons from Batangas, Laguna, and Cavite taking shelter in 300 evacuation centers across the region, he added.

Meanwhile, residents of two Batangas towns hardest hit by Taal’s eruption―and which had been locked down as early as Tuesday last week―were allowed to retrive their belongings from their homes that would ease their indefinite stays at the evacuation centers.

Residents of Tanauan were given window hours on Sunday, from 5 to 8 a.m. and 3 to 6 p.m., to check their possessions and feed their pets and livestock.

About 21 barangays in the town were identified as part of Taal’s 14-kilometer permanent danger zone, and susceptible to the effects of a major eruption of the volcano.

Residents of Agoncillo filled the entrance to their town on Sunday morning hoping to be allowed back in, despite Mayor Daniel Reyes’ announcement he would no longer give them a window to inspect their properties.

Being right by the shores of Taal Lake, Agoncillo became a ghost town. Fissures could also be seen on its roads, one of which led straight to the lake.

Tension rose in Tanauan on Saturday as residents appealed to authorities to give them just a few hours to get some items from their homes and feed their pets and livestock.

They were eventually allowed entry by

Rody...

From A1

Duterte went to Batangas on Tuesday for a situation briefing on the effects of Taal Volcano, which was also attended by Batangas Gov. Hermilando Mandanas and some Cabinet members.

During the meeting, the President approved the proposal that no one should live on the Taal Volcano island, which is part of the 14-kilometer danger zone identified by authorities.

After the briefing, Duterte also went to the Batangas Provincial Sports Complex, which currently houses hundreds of displaced families, and handed over P11million livelihood assistance to the farmers and fishermen affected by the eruption of Taal Volcano.

The financial assistance extended by the President came from the Department of Agriculture’s budget, according to a press statement from the Palace.

Meanwhile, Panelo on Sunday shot down the proposal to centralize relief and rehabilitation operations to those affected by the eruption, saying measures are in place to help the displaced families.

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council on Sunday said Taal victims have been given P17.23 mil-

Scientists...

From A1

The virus―a new strain of coronavirus that humans can contract―has caused alarm because of its connection to SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome), which killed nearly 650 people across mainland China and Hong Kong in 2002-2003.

China has not announced any travel restrictions, but authorities in Hong Kong have already stepped up detection measures, including rigorous temperature checkpoints for inbound travelers from the Chinese mainland.

The US said from Friday it would begin screening flights arriving from Wuhan at San Francisco airport and New York’s JFK—which both receive direct flights—as well as Los Angeles, where many flights connect.

And Thailand said it was already screening passengers arriving in Bang-

kok, Chiang Mai and Phuket and would soon introduce similar controls in the beach resort of Krabi.

No human-to-human transmission has been confirmed so far, but Wuhan’s health commission has said the possibility “cannot be excluded.”

A World Health Organization doctor said it would not be surprising if there was “some limited human-to-human transmission, especially among families who have close contact with one another.”

Scientists with the MRC Center for Global Infectious Disease Analysiswhich advises bodies including the World Health Organization—said they estimated a “total of 1,723” people in Wuhan would have been infected as of Jan. 12.

“For Wuhan to have exported three cases to other countries would imply there would have to be many more cases than have been reported,” professor Neil Ferguson, one of the authors of the report, told the BBC.AFP

Musical..

From A1

daughter Isa, who made the announcement in his father’s facebook account.

Isa, however, did not disclose the cause of his father’s death.

“For those of you who knew my father, it grieves me to inform you all that he passed away tonight. We will keep you posted regarding the details of the wake.”

“Our grief at his sudden passing is infinite and now so is he. Thank you for being with us through this difficult time,” Isa said in her post.

In 2018, Dennis’ brother and Hotdog co-founder and guitarist Rene Garcia died of a heart attack.

The brothers, along with some friends, formed the band, which has been credited as one of the pioneers of the “Manila Sound” in the ‘70s.

Visitors...

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Cheryl Agapay, who owns a bulalo (beef marrow soup) diner here, said she had already spent nearly P40,000 in three days to buy 24 truckloads of water to wash away the mud that had accumulated in her restaurant.

“We really needed the water to remove the thick mud from our roofs,” Agapay said in an ABS-CBN television interview.

“We can’t wait for the water supply to return to normal. We need to clean our restaurant, and water is a real need for our business,” she added.

Operators of SkyRanch, the city’s amusement park, also availed of hefty water deliveries in a bid to resume operations Saturday, six days after the volcano began spewing ash that spread to nearby areas, including Tagaytay.

“It’s not all about business. We do have a lot of employees that depend on us, that’s why we want to reopen soon,” said Ryan Go, SkyRanch’s operating officer.

Meanwhile, Tagaytay’s City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office chief Clyde Yayong said power companies have yet to restore electricity in the city, even as water providers are still checking the quality of Kaybubutong Spring, one of the city’s sources of water that was partly contaminated by Taal’s sulfuric ash.

Yayong said authorities may be able to fully restore power and water in one of Southern Luzon’s top tourism destinations by next week, as local authorities plan to hold a grand reopening of Tagaytay on Jan. 24 in time for the Chinese New Year.

Also, Agriculture Secretary William Dar said crops coated with ash from the eruption of Taal could still be saved by washing these off with water power sprays.

Dar said this after authorities demonstrated how pineapple and coffee farmers in Silang, Cavite could use this method.

“If there is a power spray, you can douse fruit trees covered with ashfall.

These can still be saved if the tree is not damaged. If it is damaged, it needs to be rehabilitated; it will be cut and it will grow again,” Dar said in a radio interview.

When it exploded on Sunday, Taal volcano spewed towering columns of fine grey ash, destroying at least P3.06 billion worth of crops, fish and livestock, offcials said.

In CALABARZON region, the government distributed an initial P21.7 billion worth of crops and livestock to help farmers, and were preparing seeds, fingerlings, and rice, according to a Department of Agriculture report on Facebook.

PHIVOLCS:...

From A1

She said PHIVOLCS stood firm on its recommendation that high-risk areas be evacuated.

Despite the lockdown in several towns around Taal Volcano, local governments gave evacuees window hours over the weekend to enter their homes, get their belongings, and even feed their pets and livestock.

While PHIVOLCS is basing their observations and information on scientific data, local government units would take into consideration the concerns of their constituents and the economic impact on their livelihood, Bornas said.

She advised residents in the evacuation centers to just stay there, since there is still a threat of a “hazardous explosive eruption.”

PHIVOLCS noted an increased in the number of volcanic earthquakes near Taal Volcano in the last 12 hours on Sunday morning.

Interviewed over Dobol B sa News TV, Phivolcs supervising science research specialist Wincelle Sevilla said there was a total of 787 volcanic quakes in 24 hours, more than the 366 quakes from 5 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday.

PHIVOLCS said Alert Level 4 was still in effect with “a possible eruption possible within hours to days.”

The main crater of the volcano had steady steam emission and infrequent weak explosions in the past 24 hours, PHIVOLCS said.

It recorded recorded white and dirty ash plumes from the Taal Volcano main crater with a length of up to one kilometer.

The ash was dispersed southwest of the main crater.

Sulfur dioxide emissions have remained at 1,442 tons per day.

Batangas officials said classes in all schools in the entire province would remain suspended.

On Jan. 12, Taal sent up a giant ash cloud that reached Metro Manila, driving tens of thousands of people into evacuation centers.

“Suspension of classes shall continue in all levels in all schools, both public and private, in the entire Batangas province while the Alert Level of Taal is at Level 4,” the province’s Public Information Office said.

Batangas earlier declared a state of calamity to tap emergency funds and impose a prize freeze on basic goods.

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MONDAY, JANUARY 20, 2020 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Du30 seeks review of LRT-1 contract

By MJ Blancaflor AFTER assailing Manila Water and Maynilad, President Rodrigo Duterte vowed to look into the P65-billion concession agreement for the operations of the Light Rail Transit 1 that was also awarded to the Ayala and Pangilinan group.

In his speech Friday, the President said he had sought the review of the government contract for LRT 1 operations after learning the involvement of the Ayalas and the Pangilinans, whom he had repeatedly slammed over the 1997 water concession deal.

“They have a lot of money. That’s too much. They are getting most of the contracts, LRT. I will look into it. They are also controlling it,” President Duterte said.

The Light Rail Manila Corp. is a joint venture company of the Metro Pacific Light Corp. under Manuel V. Pangilinan’s Metro Pacific Investment Corp. and the Ayala-led AC Infrastructure Holdings Corp.

In 2015, the company began running the operations and maintenance of LRT 1 which stretches from the Muñoz station in Quezon City to the Baclaran station in Pasay City, after the Department of Transportation and the Light Rail Transit Authority awarded them a 32-year concession agreement.

Last week, the President vowed to “correct” all government contracts before he steps down from office in 2022 as he sought to revise the water concession deals with Maynilad and Manila Water.

He specifically tasked the Office of the Solicitor General and the Department of Justice to check all government’s existing contracts with private firms.

His orders stemmed from his ire against the two major water firms, especially after the Singapore-based Permanent Court of Arbitration ordered the Philippine government to pay P3.4 billion and P7.4 billion to Maynilad and Manila Water respectively, for their supposed losses.

Exempt teachers’ pay from tax, senator says

By Macon Ramos-Araneta AS THE registration for the May 2022 polls opens on Jan. 20, Senator Win Gatchalian is urgently calling for the passage of a bill to grant tax exemption to the honoraria, transportation allowance, and other benefits of poll workers, especially public school teachers.

Gatchalian’s proposed measure, Senate Bill 1193, is seeking to amend the National Internal Revenue Code of 1997 so teachers can receive the full amount of their honoraria and other benefits.

“If their pay and benefits every elections will not be taxed, they can get their whole pay,” he said The Bureau of Internal Revenue started imposing a 5-percent withholding tax on poll workers’ election service honoraria and other allowances since the 2018 barangay elections.

The bill also aims to exclude their honoraria and allowances from gross income.

According to the lawmaker, the proposed measure is the best way to thank teachers and other poll workers for ensuring clean, honest and orderly elections in the country.

Under the Election Service Reform Act, chairpersons of electoral boards are entitled to receive P6,000. Each member of electoral boards receive P5,000. Department of Education Supervisor Officials receive P4,000 each while support staff receive P2,000 each.

A travel allowance of P1,000 is also allotted for each of these poll workers.

The ESRA, though, has no provision for tax exemption.

The lawmaker said that despite the continuous service that these poll workers render to ensure the transmission of results, they still have to pay income tax if their annual taxable income, which includes such honoraria and allowances, exceeds the P250,000 threshold under the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion Law.

HOLY MASS. A lay minister sprinkles holy water to devotees holding up their images of Sto. Niño following a mass at the Sto. Niño Church in Tondo, Manila on Sunday, Jan. 19. Norman Cruz

FIESTA. Residents of Lakandula Street in Tondo, Manila participate in various parlor games during their fiesta celebration on Sunday. Norman Cruz

Palace: Du30 records ‘far better than predecessors’

T

HE accomplishments of President Rodrigo Duterte’s administration during his three years in office were “far better” than his predecessors’, Malacañang said Sunday.

Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo said the current administration was trumpeting its achievements halfway through President Duterte’s sixyear term because it was proud of the President’s legacy.

Panelo’s statement came after Senator Panfilo Lacson said it was “too early” to flaunt the Duterte administration’s achievements.

But Panelo believed otherwise.

“That’s not true,” he told dzIQ, when asked if it was premature to present the government’s accomplishments under Duterte’s leadership.

“It’s being trumpeted because the President’s accomplishments in three years’ time are exemplary compared to the past administrations’ achievements.”

Meanwhile, Duterte will not launch a series of criticisms against the Catholic Church without any basis, Malacañang said Sunday.

In an interview with dzIQ, Panelo said it was no secret that Duterte had “personal” grievances against Catholic Church leaders.

“His attacks always have a basis.

He does not criticize without basis.

And his tirades are based on personal experience,” he said.

During the celebration of the 120year existence of Baptist churches in the Philippines on Thursday, Duterte took pride that he was the “first” politician who spoke against the leaders of the Catholic Church for their supposed abuses.

Duterte has persistently slammed the Catholic Church, which is critical of his administration’s policies and programs, including the anti-narcotics campaign.

He has also revealed that he was once a victim of sexual abuse by a priest when he was young.

He attempted to mend ties with the Catholic Church when he created on June 25, 2018, a four-man panel tasked to hold a dialogue with various religious groups.

However, the committee seemed to have failed to reconcile with the leaders of the Catholic Church.

On Friday, the Presidential Communications Operations Office launched the “Duterte Legacy” campaign that touts the successes, gains and even the sacrifices of the present

administration to improve the lives of the Filipino people.

The campaign focuses on the Duterte administration’s progress in three pillars: Peace and order, infrastructure development and poverty alleviation.

The government’s legacies on education, infrastructure, health, labor, freedom of information, press freedom and media protection, peace and order, and environmental protection were highlighted during the campaign launch.

Various narratives from the beneficiaries of the administration’s landmark projects were also presented during the launching of the “Duterte Legacy” campaign.

A magazine, podcast, and a documentary featuring the government’s priority policies and programs were also unveiled.

Panelo said the President remained focused on bringing peace and development to the entire country.

“He’s focused on developing the country, bringing peace to communities and improving the lives of the people,” he said.

During the launch of the “Duterte Legacy” campaign, PCOO Secretary Martin Andanar bragged that the President had been able to fulfill his promises “with great resolve and confidence.”

Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea, meantime, was elated that Filipinos appreciated Duterte’s resolve to bring “positive” and “real” change to the country.

Explain termination of PSA Helpline, Congress tells PSA

By Rio N. Araja CONGRESS said on Saturday that it wants the Philippine Statistics Authority to explain the abrupt termination of the PSA Helpline, which resulted in complaints for alleged poor online service for requests on authenticated birth certificate, marriage certificate, death certificate, and certificate of no marriage.

House Deputy Speaker and Surigao del Sur Rep. Johnny Pimentel said he would call a congressional inquiry should national statistician and PSA head Dr. Dennis Mapa fail to intelligently explain why the operations of PSA Helpline, the leading service provider in terms of volume, were stopped.

“I think that is not right. They are

depriving ordinary citizens of good basic service from the national government.

This is contrary to pronouncements of President Rodrigo Duterte that all government agencies should provide fast and efficient service to Filipinos and cut the red tape. I am considering to request for a legislative inquiry on this matter,” he reacted.

House Assistant Majority Leader and Quezon City Rep. Precious HipolitoCastelo said Congress must look into if the remaining online provider could be able to provide better service.

“We must get to the bottom of it why a tested, efficient and corruption-free practice shall be shelved. They must be ready to explain, otherwise their decision would be tainted. It was reported before

that National Statistics Office application has been a source of graft from brokers, peddlers and solicitors,” she said.

On the other hand, Anakalusugan partylist Rep. Mike Defensor said PSA must address the mounting complaints of the public.

“I don’t exactly know what the problem of the PSA is but they should fix this as soon as possible for the convenience of the public. Also, as a public agency serving thousands of people everyday, they should have made a proper announcement or at least an explanation regarding this. The public deserves that,” he said.

PBA Party-list Rep. Jericho Nograles said he was “dismayed as a frequent user of that service.”

Ombudsman orders Villar to suspend Region 5 chief THE Office of the Ombusman has asked anew Public Works Secretary Mark Villar to relieve the officer in charge of the department’s Region 5 office and four other officials who were slapped with preventive suspensions a year ago, an order that was not implemented by the agency.

On Feb. 1, 2019, Ombudsman Samuel Martires had approved the six-month suspension without pay of Department of Public Works and Highways Bicol Region officer in charge Virgilio Eduarte.

Also ordered suspended were DPWH-5’s lawyer Eulogio Laboga, quality assurance and hydrology chief; Brenilda Mendoza, equipment management division chief; Romy Gumban and Serafin Lago, heads of the Road Heightening and Tide Embankment sections, respectively.

But with the orders unenforced, Assistant Ombudsman Pilarita Lapitan wrote to Villar on Jan. 2, urging him to relieve the regional director and implement the preventive suspensions.

According to lawyer Mikhail Lenin Bueno, who represents construction owner Edgar Tiu, they appealed again to Villar to implement the suspensions.

“It is unbelievable that they did not receive copy of the suspension order on Feb. 1, 2019 because they managed to file an appeal to lift the order against them,” Bueno said.

The suspension order is rooted on the complaint of Tiu, owner of B. M. Marketing construction company, after his firm was disqualified by Eduarte, who served as chairman of the Bids and Awards Committee in the region.

Eduarte reasoned that the construction firm failed in the technical requirements for the bid.

But Bueno said Tiu’s firm had passed the BAC’s qualification requirements for the construction of a storm surge protector, road heightening and tide embankment project with an approved budget contract of over P264 million.

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Opinion

MONDAY, JANUARY 20, 2020

Man in the middle CROSSROADS

J.A. DE LA CRUZ WHETHER he likes it or not, Justice Secretary Meynard Guevarra is conflicted. Not for personal reasons but professionally.

The Justice secretary has done the job well.

As a lawyer and the government's legal honcho, he has to uphold the Constitution and the law, without fear or favor. He has to work within the existing legal framework no matter how fractured this may be. He has to observe all the processes and do justice to one and all in his best lights.

And in doing so, promote the public welfare, protect the national interest and enhance the institutions of democratic governance.

But he is not the government's lawyer. That is the job of the Solicitor General. In fact, he can rule against government and indict government officials if need be. At the same time, as a member of the Cabinet, he has to weigh in as the President's alter ego and make his principal's case stick as best as he can within the limits of the law without being slavish and overly technical or unduly taken in by the passions of the moment.

Guevarra’s mettle will now be tested to the limits as President Rodrigo Duterte has opened up another front, raging against what he calls the "oligarchic class" for what he believes as their sins against the people.

As the President exposes and de-

Adelle Chua, Editor

EDITORIAL

nounces the abuses of the water concessionaires, for example, Guevarra has gingerly walked the fine line as he outlines the administration's case against these companies and their enablers, in and out of government, both local and overseas including those past officials who officiated over the implementation of what the Chief Executive considers highly problematic and onerous contracts.

He has to ensure that reforming the contracts which the President wants and which a solid majority of consumers are looking forward to will not be compromised by any misreading or misinterpretation of the law or undue tweaking of the processes involved.

While the President has so passionately indicted the concessionaires to high heavens, Guevarra has calmly stuck to his role indicating the flaws in the contracts. He has identified 12 onerous contract provisions needing reformation and has publicly asked the companies to address these. Then again, even as President Duterte has emphatically said that five of those are non-negotiable, he has studiously pointed out why and told all concerned—specially the companies—to check these before even saying anything. He has, in fact, openly admitted that he would seek professional guidance insofar as the financials of the contracts are concerned noting that his department is not in the best position to discuss the details involved. Where the President has been so passionately engaged, boiling hot and spewing out venom at every turn, the latest just this week before an audience of top Baptist Church officials, Guevarra has been calm and collected minding possible ways by which a proper, reasonable and reformed contract can be entered into

Sustaining the bayanihan

T

RAFFIC is reportedly bad in the roads leading to the Southern Luzon provinces of Batangas and Cavite, because there are so many vehicles headed to the evacuation areas to distribute donations in kind. Residents started going to such shelters when Taal Volcano first spewed ash last Sunday, Jan. 12.

The help from individual citizens, non-government organizations and private companies is heartening. Aside from the material donations, the volunteerism in terms of time and effort have been overflowing.

Some donors choose to document their activity and take pictures of themselves hard at work. Others prefer to remain anonymous and eschew photos or videos of any kind. Others organize fund-raising drives to encourage their friends, relatives and colleagues to participate as well.

The response is a bright spot during these dark and uncertain times.

Those who have nothing better to do than spread lies and fake news, call out others for their so-called inadequate contributions, find fault in others even

those who are hard at work, and those who take advantage of the emergency for personal profit are the exception rather than the rule.

There is a bigger challenge, however, amid the spirit of resilience and bayanihan among the people. The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology has announced that the area remains on Alert Level 4 and that an explosive eruption, with all the danger it carries, is still imminent.

For us observing from a distance, the possibility is grim but it is one we can afford to conveniently shove out of our minds after, say, dropping off donation boxes, or transferring amounts to the bank accounts of trusted organizations, and reading the news in the comfort of our homes.

For those living in the danger zones, it’s a disruptive, life-changing eventuality that has already begun to unfold.

One of the most difficult aspects of this whole tragedy is the uncertainty that accompanies it. Since the danger remains imminent, there is no telling if, or when, the volcano will violently explode. As a result, people have to put their lives on hold, mostly in the inconvenient, crowded confines of evacuation centers. They have left behind their homes and have no idea when they would be able to get back to their normal routine, or whether they would find their belongings as they had left them, at all.

Bayanihan is not a one-time event.

It is not a box to be checked, that once you’ve made a donation you can already move on to other items on your list.

May the rest of us empathize enough with those whose lives and livelihoods are at stake, and act on the fact that their needs are both immediate and long term.

Turn to A5

In times of trouble THE end of 2019 and the beginning of 2020 have been marked by so many natural disasters happening one after the other. While we were celebrating the season of joy, strong typhoons lashed out in Eastern Visayas, the Bicol region, even Panay and the Mindoro provinces, And then, just as the New Year began, we had Taal Volcano erupting and throwing tons of ashfall over Batangas and Cavite. And worse may yet to come, as the danger of a major eruption still lurks.

Elsewhere in the world, man-made troubles have been quite unsettling, from Trump’s ordered assassination of an Iranian general to the accidental downing of a Ukranian plane, killing hundreds. The Donald, of course, after making a temporary trade war truce with China, has been impeached, and the evidence is mounting against him even as this is election year in the US of A. Though the usual horoscopes and feng shui geomancers tell us that the Year of the Metal Rat is an “auspicious” one, the actual happenings preceding its entry come the 25th of this month are not re-assuring.

The damage wrought by the ongoing eruption of Taal will have profoundly damaging effects on the economy, even as our officials assure us that effects will be minimal.

Batangas is one of our most productive provinces and a major supply source of food for the National Capital Region. If the Big One finally comes after the initial phreatic tantrums, the effects will go beyond mere economic loss, and rehabilitation will be a gigantic effort, even as giving temporary relief in evacuation centers for hundreds of thousands of our brethren could strain the resources of both government and the private sector.

In times of trouble, we need to pray as one.

*** We would like to extend our thanks to the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Manila, headed by Representative Michael Pei-yung Hsu, for the donation of a hundred thousand US dollars to the province of Sorsogon, which was devastated by the December typhoon in the region. Upon the request of Gov. Chiz Escudero which we transmitted to Representative Hsu, the assistance came quickly.

True friends rise to the occasion.

Quick too was the donation of several thousands of N95 face masks by Clement Yang, CEO of Med-Tecs which is a prime investor in the Bataan area. Med-Tecs manufactures medical disposables, which it exports throughout the world from its factory in the Philippines.

Clement, who is an ardent cheerleader for our country as an investment destination in Taiwan, also donated ordinary face masks through the Department of Trade and Industry, and will make more available as needed.

In times of trouble, true friends rise to the occasion. *** Meanwhile, just as the Philippines registered close to eight-million visitor arrivals last year, Taiwan also saw a record high number of 11.84-million tourists in 2019, an increase of 7 percent over 2018’s arrival record of 11.07 million.

Despite travel restrictions from mainland China, 2.71-million Chinese visited the island, followed by Japan and South Korea. Among Asean countries, there was a 6-percent increase year on year, with visitors from the Philippines reaching some 425,000.

On the other hand, some 300,000 Taiwanese visited the Philippines in 2019, the fifth largest source of tourists into our country after Korea, China, Turn to A5

Slam dunk IN THE NBA, Robert Horry earned the nickname Big Shot Bob because of his clutch shooting in important games. In fact, Big Shot Bob is widely considered to be one of the greatest clutch performers and winners in NBA history, being the only player outside of the legendary Boston Celtics to have won at least seven championship rings.

We also have our own version of Big Shot Bob, not in the basketball court, but in the field of politics— lawyer Larry Gadon.

Though not having occupied a high-ranking post in the government, Big Shot Larry has been a thorn in the neck of the political opposition.

In January 2018, Big Shot Larry filed an impeachment case against Ma. Lourdes Sereno whom former President Noynoy Aquino appointed as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court

in 2012 and would have served until 2030, apparently as an insurance against him and his cohorts.

Credit should go to this man for Sabio’s dropping of the charges against the President before the International Criminal Court.

And it was Gadon’s case against Sereno which dealt with her State State-

ment of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth, which led to the discovery that her appointment was void from the beginning because she had failed to comply with her SALN requirements.

This resulted in the filing of a quo warranto case that led to her ouster.

Two years, after, Big Shot Larry again scored big against the political opposition when he facilitated the withdrawal of fellow lawyer Jude Sabio’s case against President Ro Rodrigo Duterte which Sabio had filed before the International Criminal Court. It should be noted that when Sabio filed a case of crime against humanity through mass murder against Duterte, the political opposition hailed Sabio as a jewel and that would be the case which would eventually nail Duterte down.

Unfortunately for them, Sabio had Turn to A5

Rolando G. Estabillo Publisher can be accessed at: manilastandard.net Published Monday to Sunday by Philippine Manila Standard Publishing Inc. at 6/F Universal Re Building, 106 Paseo de Roxas, corner Perea St., Legaspi Village, Makati City. Telephone numbers 832-5554, 832-5556, 832-5558 (connecting all departments), (Editorial) 832-5554, (Advertising) 832-5550. P.O. Box 2933, Manila Central Post Office, Manila. Website: www. manilastandard.net

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Opinion The case for DDR THE FIFTH GOSPEL JUDE ACIDRE LAST week, the picturesque Taal volcano woke up from a 43-year slumber.

When news of the volcanic eruption first came out on social media, I thought it was simply one of those signs of unrest that said volcano would exhibit from time to time.

Hours later, images of the volcano spewing ash clouds and causing volcanic thunderstorms were being shown on television. The phreatic eruption caused the evacuation of hundreds of thousands along the coast of Taal Lake.

Thousands of residents from several municipalities were displaced and sought refuge in neighboring towns in Batangas and Cavite. Almost overnight, the town of Lemery in Batangas and several others became virtual ghost towns. Even Metro Manila, located almost 50 kilometers away from the volcano, experienced ash fall in the hours that followed.

Within 48 hours, however, the government’s disaster management apparatus quickly took control of the situation. Forced evacuation was imposed.

Evacuation centers were immediately set up by neighboring local government units to accommodate the growing number of displaced individuals and families. Security roadblocks were placed to manage the influx and movement of people. Within the day, both the national government and several other local government units as well as non-government organizations and private individuals began distributing the needed food and other relief items for the evacuees.

It was a far cry from how things were six years ago when Super Typhoon “Yolanda” struck the country, which resulted in an unparalleled loss of life and destruction of property. While Tacloban City and nearby municipalities had to wait for almost three days for the relief efforts to get organized and for aid to reach the local population—this time, the government’s effort was almost instantaneously set in motion, thus mitigating the possibility of an even more serious human catastrophe.

Admittedly, so much remains to be desired in the ways we prepare and respond to natural calamities such as typhoons, earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. But one cannot ignore the fact that there has been a significant improvement in terms of the greater attention that government and other stakeholders have given to disaster preparedness and the increased investments that have been made to upgrade their disaster response capabilities. The truth is, given that the Taal volcanic eruption happened almost unexpectedly, the situation could have been worse. But thanks to the national government’s efforts and the cooperation of the affected com-munities, its disastrous effects have been mitigated.

Clearly, we have learned a lot from the natural disasters that have affected our country in recent years.

Slowly, disaster preparedness is now becoming more of a priority. In the past, we only used to focus on disaster response efforts. This probably explains why despite a reduced calamity fund allocation this year, disaster management stakeholders are expected to remain ready and equipped in addressing natural calamities. The logic is, with the mainstreaming of disaster management in local governance and given that more efficient and effective disaster preparedness strategies are already in place, the cost to be afforded to disaster response will be much lower than before.

Of course, political naysayers will continue to criticize the move by Congress to reduce the calamity fund al-

located this year. But setting politics aside, there is more sense investing in disaster preparedness and education in order to reduce disaster response spending. With families living in safer and more resilient communities, and with disaster management personnel provided with the right skills and equipment, the adverse impact of natural disasters on the safety and wellbeing of the people—as well as on government spending—will be reduced significantly.

What are we waiting for?

This brings us to the need to fasttrack the passage of the bill creating the Department of Disaster Resilience.

With a comprehensive, focused and full-time government agency tasked to spearhead our disaster preparedness, response and recovery efforts, we can more effectively reduce the risks caused by and protect the people from natural hazards. The establishment of a specialized disaster agency will provide the right enabling apparatus for disaster preparedness, training and education, risk reduction and mitigation, humanitarian relief and response and post-disaster recovery and rehabilitation.

For example, while local governments are considered the first responders, this becomes a problem when local governments themselves are affected and debilitated. As in the case of the sudden eruption of the Taal volcano, there is a need for a single national disaster management agency that will always ready to take on leadership roles especially in a large-scale disaster situation. Having such an agency, it will be easier for other stakeholders from both local government and private sectors to coordinate their efforts. Our experience from Typhoon “Haiyan” have taught us that in a humanitarian emergency, closer cooperation and more effective coordination, however, can only happen if there is a single government agency to direct all actions, especially in determining and achieving measurable targets that will apply to all stakeholders.

Lastly, establishing the Department of Disaster Resilience would reinforce the fact that disaster management is a continuing, 24-hour process. In the long term, this means that disaster management-related spending should continually shift to preparedness and mitigation, instead of focusing entirely on disaster response efforts. With a permanent agency in place, it becomes possible to help LGUs strengthen their DRRM capacities by providing the right support, technology and expertise to be able to build community disaster resilience.

Looking back six years ago, many of the challenges that ensued from the Haiyan response would have been averted if we had a single Department of Disaster Resilience. With the local government in need of national government support, the DDR could have provided a more focused and professional leadership in disaster management. The DDR could have taken the lead in monitoring response and early recovery strategies, with clear continuity and sustainability until the recovery and rehabilitation phase. The DDR could have helped create stronger convergence with other humanitarian actors, and learn best practices as a result of this collaboration. Not only would we have recovered sooner, but also we could have made the best out of learning from our mistakes and so improve the way we understand, respond and recover from disasters.

So, what are we waiting for? With the lives of people at stake, let us do better.

Let us pass the Disaster Resilience Bill now!

Man...

From A4

within the next six months.

Somehow, he has to strike a balance between the public welfare and the government's contractual obligations, specially since this involves a critical public service—provision of clean, potable water and proper sewerage services at reasonable cost. So far he has been fair, balanced yet uncompromising in his statements. He has remained focused on the job, even warning some pro-Duterte hotheads not to go overboard in their warnings about the "greed and insensitivity" of the concessionaires lest emotions overwhelm the cold and judicious reformation process.

Which is just as well. At this point, by his demeanor and actions, the good secretary has virtually ensured that the contracts will be reformed and the long-promised deliverance of the public from the curse of unreliable water service at unreasonably high rates and, yes, untreated sewage and unconnected sewerage systems in the concession areas will finally become a reality.

As the man in the middle, Secretary Guevarra has done justice to such a Herculean task.

MONDAY, JANUARY 20, 2020

A5

Disaster resiliency technologies IN ONE day, the sudden eruption of Taal volcano last Sunday disrupted the lives of millions of Filipinos in the Southern Tagalog provinces, the National Capital Region, with volcanic ash fallout even reaching Northern Luzon. As of this writing the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology under the Department of Science and Technology maintains its Alert level 4 warning of an imminent hazardous eruption.

Perhaps the happy memories of generations of Filipinos who have enjoyed many scenic trips to Tagaytay and the tourist attractions all-around the towns of Taal Lake is raising nationwide sympathy and boosting a rare sense of unity to help the relief efforts for thousands of families in hundreds of evacuation areas.

The fast deterioration from the volcano’s benign alert status 2 to its violent awakening has shocked even scientists and volcanologist worldwide and exposed our vulnerability. As one of the world’s high-risk countries for natural disasters such as extreme weather from typhoons, El Niño, climate change, tectonic and volcanic earthquakes, and 22 active volcanoes, our capacity to prepare and mitigate the human and economic risks should be a top-of-mind concern of the national and local government.

The fast innovations in convergent Information and Communications Technologies have developed end-toend solutions for the effective, efficient and transparent implementation of Disaster Risk Reduction programs on a local, national and even regional scale.

Casualties from floods, landslides and earthquakes can be greatly minimized local governments can strictly ban the habitation of “Danger Zones” that have been identified by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources. Investing in high resolution Geological Information System mapping technologies and sharing regularly updated data with all Local Government Units will enable constant monitoring and become basis for planning and executing relocation programs.

An October 2019 report of the World Bank Global Facility for Disaster Risk Reduction and Recovery cites how Japan, our neighbor in the “Pacific Rim of Fire” and likewise often hit by typhoons (many from the Philippine area

of responsibility), deploys its Early Warning System to enable citizens, government agencies and businesses to take pre-emptive action on hazardous events.

They have a well-developed integration of 3 ICT systems: The Earthquake Early Warning System immediately processes an earthquake’s hypocenter, magnitude and intensity and issues warnings seconds before an earthquake strikes and transmits warnings via their J-ALERT, a Nationwide instantaneous warning system and the Emergency Alert Mail—a cell broadcast early warning system to trigger immediate action to all affected individuals and critical infrastructure such as high speed rail systems and power plants.

There are end-to-end solutions for the effective, efficient and transparent implementation of DRR programs on a local, national and even regional scale.

Important elements of Japan’s EEWS that we can apply in developing our own warning ecosystem are: compatibility with local ICT context, redundancy, interoperability, periodic education and training at all levels for fast and effective response to alert levels, multi-functional or useful even when there are no disasters.

The report also discusses how Japan’s Disaster Information Management Systems effectively manages and processes big data and shares information needed for disaster response and recovery. The following are key insights in the report that were found critical in effective disaster management operations: Well defined roles, responsibilities and procedures in the implementation of Standard Operating Procedures at multiple levels of government and relevant organizations.

Pre-disaster outreach and engagement with the system in order to familiarize with it increase the use and effectiveness of DIMS during a disaster.

DIMS are more effective and affordable when they are based upon existing communication infrastructure and user contexts.

The first alerts that I received about Sunday’s Taal eruption was from my messenger app as many of my friends started posting at-the-moment “ATM”

Slam dunk From A4

already been contemplating for so long on the accuracy and morality of the case he had lodged before the ICC. And that was where Big Shot Larry came into play—convince Sabio to spill the truth. Spill them he did.

According to Sabio, he was contacted by Fr. Albert Alejo in 2016 after his article on the Matobato testimony, which dealt with the alleged testimony of Edgar Matobato, a self-confessed hitman and who claimed to be a member of the Davao Death Squad, was published in a national daily. He was asked by the priest to serve as Matobato’s counsel.

It was Fr. Alejo, Sabio narrated, who facilitated his trip to Manila and who brought him to former Senator Antonio Trillanes. It was Fr. Alejo, Sabio added, who brought him to jailed Senator Leila de Lima.

At first, Sabio said Trillanes told him he would only be handling Matobato’s case. But when Arturo Lascanas surfaced in February 2017, Trillanes reportedly told him he would be the one instead to go to the ICC. In collaboration with and upon the direction of Trillanes,

In times...

From A4

the US (mostly Fil-ams) and Japan.

Why does Taiwan, despite its small size of 36,000 square kilometers (the Philippines has 300,000 sq.km of land scattered over more than 7,000 islands) receive many more tourists than our country? A comparison of strengths and weaknesses as travel destinations will be provided in a future article. *** Finally, the importance of biotechnology is being recognized by our government.

The recently signed GAA for 2020 allocated more than half a billion pesos for the University of the Philippines in Los Baños Bio-technology department headed by Dr. Rose Monsalud.

accounts and photos. This then prompted me to check my newsfeed to verify with what the news networks were reporting. Social media have become the default communications medium of Filipinos who account for over 70-million Facebook users.

This huge influx of information updated in real time is seen by Artificial Intelligence developers as a potential resource for big data that can be analyzed for disaster prediction and response. The idea is to organize all existing data sets such as population, GIS, buildings (compliance to building codes), hazard zones, historical weather and earthquake data … etc., with information being gathered “live” as an event happens or posted in social media platforms.

Prompted by consecutive extreme weather hits, earthquakes and the ongoing major eruption affecting the most productive regions of the country, Congress has prioritized the passage of the Department of Disaster Resilience bill envisioned to be mandated to oversee, coordinate and implement a comprehensive disaster risk and vulnerability reduction and management program. P221.48-million capital outlays were also allocated in PHIVOLCS’ 2020 budget to upgrade monitoring and warning systems.

As we continue to develop the country’s digital infrastructure, government should tap a ready resource of best practices and experts from the highly regulated industries such as mining, power and energy, infrastructure and public utilities. These enterprises cannot operate without being compliant to the high safety and environmental standards in their mandate. We now see these companies mobilizing their resources and man-power to complement the government’s Taal relief and recovery efforts effectively expanding impact to thousands of families.

In the paper, “Disruptive technologies and their use in disaster risk reduction and management” by the United Nations International Telecommunication Union published in March 2019, “The rapid spread of supporting digital infrastructure and devices, especially wireless broadband networks, smartphones and cloud computing, has created the foundation for the application of disruptive technologies for disaster management. Disruptive technologies can spread critical information more quickly, improve understanding of the causes of disasters, enhance early warning systems, assess damage in new ways and add to the knowledge base of the social behaviors and economic impacts after a crisis strikes.”

in the last week of April 2017 when De Lima was already in detention, and as part of his professional legal work, Sabio said he went to The Hague, Netherlands, and on 24 April 2017, “I personally submitted to Rogier Emeric, ICC’s Chief of Preliminary Examination Section, a 77-page communication providing information regarding the alleged crimes against humanity through mass murder committed by Duterte and company in the war on drugs in the Philippines.”

It was an exuberant moment for the political opposition then. But that was then. Sabio, with the assistance of Gadon, is now singing a different tune—that the whole thing was nothing else but a political propaganda of the opposition effected through the machination of De Lima, Trillanes and company.

At the time of Sabio’s filing of the case before the ICC, the political opposition was ecstatic. Now they are in disarray. And in Gadon’s own words, “As the propaganda objective of the case has been demolished and destroyed, the purpose for which the ICC case has been filed has also been demolished.”

And while it was Sabio who has to take credit for demolishing the opposition this time, credit should also go to Big Shot Larry for facilitating a slam dunk.

There is a little back story to this.

In 2015, then Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte went to UPLB for a student’s forum. Before the forum, I arranged for him to tour the biotechnology building in the UPLB campus and along with Monsalud, impressed upon him the significant role biotech could play in our quest for food production and agricultural development.

Fast forward to 2018. We were able to get Senator Ping Lacson to meet Monsalud who gave him a briefing on what her department is doing. The senator then promised to help, and indeed, shifted some P80 million of funds in the House-submitted budget for UP Los Baños. But somehow the allocation got waylaid in the bicameral conference committee.

Monsalud tried again last year, writing us with some trepidation if it was

all right for her to seek the senator’s help once again. With the assistance of Lacson and his staff, they finally got the much-needed assistance to modernize the laboratory and equipment of the biotechnology department.

With bated breath, she and her staff prayed that this time, some enterprising legislator would not transfer the funds in the bicameral conference committee, to some other “pet” project.

So when the President finally signed the 2020 General Appropriations Act into law, and the funds that Senator Ping assured them remained intact, Monsalud and the entire UPLB biotechnology institute were close to tears in appreciation.

Finally, the national government recognized their importance, recalling that it was as far back as President Ferdinand Marcos who saw the significance of bio-technology in our everyday lives.

A6

News

MONDAY, JANUARY 20, 2020

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

In-city relocation wins backing for Bacoor B ACOOR CITY—The assurance of Mayor Lani M. Revila of an in-city relocation component of the proposed 420-hectare reclamation projects along the city’s coast, particularly for directly-impacted stakeholders, is among the major factors that helped secure widespread support for the planned development.

The proposed reclamation projects had clinched the overwhelming support of the city’s residents during the public hearing held by the Environ-

gay of Bacoor passed resolution No. 01-series of 2020, expressing support for the proposed reclamation projects in the city.

The resolution, signed by LnB President Reynaldo Palabrica, cited among others that the project “has a concrete plan for all informal settler families [that] may be affected, like decent housmental Management Bureau of the De- ing as relocation site within the city and partment of Environment and Natural being priority for employment in all job opportunities which will be created by Resources Jan. 9.

Last Jan. 5, the Liga ng mga Baran- the project.”

Bacoor City Mayor Lani M. Revilla assures stakeholders directly impacted by the proposed 420-hectare Bacoor Reclamation Projects of in-city relocation and a host of support programs to ensure them a decent livelihood during the public hearing held at the Strike Gymnasium on Jan. 9.

The Sangguniang Kabataan Federation of the city earlier signified their full support for the projects through a letter, dated Nov. 11, 2019, signed by SK Federation President Mac Raven Espiritu, and addressed to DENR Secretary Roy Cimatu.

The youth leaders declared that the projects would not only boost the city’s economy without compromising the environment but also “provide our fellow Bacooreños who have been legally or illegally settling at the 20 meters ease-

An entire generation of stakeholders was present during the public hearing on the proposed 420-hectare Bacoor City Reclamation Project.

PAO promises to pursue aiding victims despite budget cut

By Rio Araja DESPITE the removal of P19.5 million from its maintenance and other operating expense budget, the Public Attorney’s Office vows not to stop to help the victims of Dengvaxia.

PAO chief Persida Rueda-Acosta said PAO was able to serve over 1,000 children who received Dengvaxia vaccine shots “even until 2018” in last week’s three-day free medical-dental-optical

outreach program.

“The beneficiaries came from two barangays in Quezon City’s District 2,” she said.

Those who availed of the program presented their yellow cards as proof that they received partial or complete shots of the Dengvaxia vaccines.

“I was shocked to see that there are some who were just inoculated in 2018,” she said.

She vowed to pursue extending assistance not only to the kin of the children

whose deaths were linked to Dengvaxia, but also to children whose lives are still at risk of having severe dengue.

Parents of children who died after receiving Dengvaxia shots through PAO filed multiple counts of reckless imprudence resulting in homicide against former Health Secretary Janette Garian, Health Secretary Francisco Duque III, Philippine Children’s Medical Center executive director Julius Lecciones, other former and active health officials, and

executives of Sanofi Pasteur Inc. and its distributor Zuellig Pharma Corp. before the Department of Justice.

Civil suits were also filed with the Quezon City courts.

Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman and Garin, now Iloilo representative, along with other lawmakers, “inserted” a special provision in the 2020 national budget prohibiting PAO from using its MOOE budget to fund the operation of its Forensic Laboratory Division, according to PAO.

Revilla bill imposes 20% tax on idle lands A BILL has been filed in the Senate making mandatory the imposition of 20-percent ad valorem tax on idle lands to ensure funding for the local government units’ public health services.

Senator Ramon Revilla filed Senate Bill No. 1202, appropriating funds generated from the additional ad valorem tax on idle lands to the special health fund of the city or municipality where the land is located.

Under Republic Act 7160 or the Local Government Code of 1991, the annual tax on idle lands is five percent of the assessed value of the property, in addition to the basic real property tax.

Currently, the imposition of the idle land tax is optional on the part of the local government units concerned.

The bill aims to encourage real property owners to put idle lands into productive use, considering that land resources are getting scarce, Revilla said.

“Land owners and developers that opt to keep private lands idle and unproductive should, in exchange, share in the burden of the public health care delivery through an enforced tax contribution,” he stressed.

Under the measure, Revilla proposed that the local health boards manage the SHF to be collected from ad valorem tax on idle lands.

“The SHF shall be exclusively used to upgrade the facilities and equipment of local hospitals, rural health clinics, lying-in clinics, emergency hospitals, nursing homes and other health institutions found in cities and municipalities,” Revilla said.

The SHF under Section 20 of RA 11223 or the Universal Health Care Act, finances population-based and individual-based health services being implemented city-wide or province-wide by LGUs. It also covers the operating costs, capital investments, and remuneration of additional health workers and incentives for all health workers. Macon Ramos-Araneta

ment from the shores of the Manila Bay, within the jurisdiction of the City a better living situation through its relocation program.”

The City Government of Bacoor is the proponent of the reclamation projects, namely Bacoor Reclamation and Development Project, consisting of a total of 320-hectare islands, and the Diamond Reclamation and Development Project consisting of one 100-hectare island via Public-Private Partnership under the PPP Code of Bacoor.

IN BRIEF Oplan Likas: PCUP cites gains PRESIDENTIAL Commission for the Urban Poor chairperson and chief executive officer Alvin Feliciano on Sunday vowed to pursue the implementation of “Oplan Likas” program as part of the agency’s mandate to serve as the direct link between the government and the poorest of the poor communities.

In 2019, 1,050 beneficiaries have received financial assistance of P18,000 each, he said.

Feliciano said that the relocated beneficiaries have been “validated

by PCUP’s area coordinators to really locate the deserving beneficiaries of the program.”

The program is an initiative of the Department of the Interior and Local Government with help from PCUP to extend financial aid to residents along the waterways affected by eviction and demolition way in 2013 until 2016. Rio N. Araja

Transport firm elects ‘20 board

FAN FESTIVAL. The 'Buling Buling Festival' marks the feast honoring the Sto. Niño and the fiesta in Pandacan with colorful street dancing and Sto. Niño images. Diana Noche

7 killed, 3 others hurt in Agusan road mishap BUTUAN CITY—A family of seven died and three other people suffered injuries in a road accident on a national highway in Barangay Patin-ay in Prosperidad, Agusan del Sur on Saturday.

Prosperidad town police said the accident that happened 8:45 a.m. involved a tricycle where all the victims were onboard and a pickup truck.

Investigation showed the pickup turned sharply on the left lane of the highway an collided head-on with the incoming tricycle.

The collision resulted in the death of

passengers of the tricycle identified by the police as Dionesio Daga-ang Dahili, 27; Imelda Daga-ang Dahili, 50; Jenalyn Daga-ang Dahili, 28; Bernadeth Daga-ang Dahili, 25; Sabrena Dagaang Dahili, 3; Stephany Hular Dahili, 7; and Ysia Banque, 1.

All the victims were residents of Purok 4, Patin-ay, Prosperidad town.

Two more passengers of the tricycle identified as Dionebelle Llamas Dahili, 7; and Maria Diosebelle Llamas Dahili, 5, were brought to a nearby hospital due to serious injuries they sustained dur-

ing the road accident.

The passengers of the pickup truck were identified as Julieta Minoza Flores, 63; and Alfredo Arañez Minoza, 44, both residents of Pirada, Del Pilar Cabadbaran City.

Minoza was brought to a nearby hospital in Prosperidad for the injuries he sustained, while the other passenger only sustained slight injuries, the police said.

The pickup is owned and driven by a certain Mark Minoza Flores, 29, and a resident of Sitio Pirada, Barangay Del Pilar, Cabadbaran City.

THE stockholders of Mindanao Star Bus Transport Inc., sister company of Vallacar Transit Inc., the country’s largest bus transport company, held their annual stockholders’ meeting on Saturday Jan. 18, where they elected their board of directors, who subsequently re-appointed Leo Rey V. Yanson as the president of the company.

Under the Company’s By-Laws, the Annual Stockholders’ Meeting of the company should be held every third Saturday of January at its principal office. Pursuant thereto, the company’s stockholders held its annual stockholders meeting at its principal office at Bulua, Cagayan de Oro. The stockholders elected Leo Rey Yanson, Ginnette Y. Dumancas, Charles M. Dumancas, Arvin John Villaruel and Rey C. Ardo as members of the board of directors.

The elected directors shall serve for one (1) year until January 2021, or until their successors shall have been duly elected and qualified.

The meeting was presided over by its chairman and president Leo Rey Yanson, with Yanson matriarch Olivia V. Yanson as corporate secretary and treasurer.

Following the election of the directors, the board held an organizational meeting and reappointed Leo Rey Yanson as the president and CEO of the company and Yanson matriarch Olivia V. Yanson as treasurer and corporate secretary.

The stockholders also ratified the acts of the board of directors.

Sports

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MONDAY, JANUARY 20, 2020 sports_mstandard@yahoo.com

Lawmaker confident PH to gets its 1st Olympic gold

ALTAS WIN.

Members of the Perpetual Lady Altas celebrate after clobbering the San Sebastian College Lady Stags in four sets, 29-31, 25-13, 25-20, 25-20, during their game Saturday in the National Collegiate Athletic Association Season 95 women’s volleyball tournament at the Fil Oil Flying V Centre in San Juan City.

Dennis Abrina

By Maricel V. Cruz A LEGISLATOR on Saturday expressed optimism that the Philippines will bag its first Olympic gold medal in this year’s edition of the quadrennial event in Tokyo.

Valenzuela City Rep. Eric Martinez said the Philippine delegation to the 2020 Olympic games will ride their momentum in the recently concluded 30th Southeast Asian Games, and are expected to bring home the Philippine’s first Olympic gold.

“Having the biggest medal haul of the said biennial regional multi-sport event that the country hosted last year, the Philippine delegation in the Tokyo 2020 Olympics will be in high spirit, greatly motivated, and would no doubt give their best shot to grab the gold medal honor,” said Martinez, chairman of the House Committee on Youth and Sports Development.

Martinez’s committee earlier adopted a resolution giving tribute to the athletes, who contributed in giving the Philippines the overall championship in the 30th SEA Games, and the record high 149 golds.

“Give me the numbers and let the numbers do the talking: 387 medals, 149 golds, 117 silvers, 121 bronze, the biggest gold medal haul in the history of Philippine sports,” Martinez said.

“President Rodrigo Roa Duterte, the number one sports patron, our number one sports fan, and Senator Bong Go, you nailed it. We nailed it as a nation,” Martinez said.

“And finally, onwards to Hanoi, 2021; to Tokyo, 2020 and let the gains and momentum of Philippine sports from the Southeast Asian Games be carried on as we move forward and seek the first Olympic gold of this nation.

Mabuhay ang bansang Pilipinas.

Mabuhay ang atletang Pilipino,” Martinez said.

Djokovic, Williams lead ‘oldies’ into new decade

M

ELBOURNE—Old stagers Novak Djokovic and Serena Williams will aim to keep the younger generation of players waiting in the wings as Grand Slam tennis enters a new decade at the Australian Open on Monday.

After recent bushfire smog largely cleared in Melbourne, the view is all too familiar with Djokovic and Williams, who is seeking a recordequalling 24th Major title, installed as the bookies’ favourites.

Top seed Rafael Nadal, 33, is celebrating becoming world number one in a third decade while Roger Federer, 38, is trying to defy the Novak Djokovic ageing process and stay ahead of his rivals with a 21st Grand Slam win.

The start of 2020 is not dissimilar to 2010, when Federer and Nadal shared the four Grand Slam titles and Williams won in Melbourne and Wimbledon.

Ten years later, the men’s Big Three— who have won all but two Australian Open titles since 2004—occupy the top three rankings, and Williams is one step away from Margaret Court’s record for Grand Slam victories.

The men’s dominance is stark: since

Federer won his first Grand Slam title in 2003, only five Major finals have not featured one of the Swiss, Nadal or Djokovic.

Several challengers have come and gone but there is increasing hope for the men’s upand-comers, while nine women have won Grand Slam titles since Williams, 38, claimed her 23rd in Melbourne in 2017.

‘They’re very close’ While Djokovic and Nadal split last year’s Grand Slams, Dominic Thiem, Daniil Medvedev and Fabio Fognini won their first Masters trophies and Stefanos Tsitsipas, 21, became the youngest ATP Finals champion in 18 years.

“They’re very close. I don’t think that’s miles, miles away maybe as it was some years ago,” Djokovic of the NextGen winning a Major title. “I think they are definitely hungry. They’re challenging.

They’re knocking on the door.”

The clash between old and new will be epitomised in the fi rst round on Monday, when Venus Williams, who turns 40 this year, plays 15-year-old rising star Coco Gauff—who wasn’t even born when her fellow American lifted her fi rst Grand Slam trophies in 2000.

Japan’s Naomi Osaka, 22, is defending a title for the second Grand Slam in a row after her repeat bid at last year’s US Open fell flat in the fourth round.

World number one Ashleigh Barty, fresh from winning the Adelaide International on Saturday, carries Australian hopes of seeing the first home-grown women’s winner since 1978.

“Obviously it’s the perfect preparation.

But regardless of whether I won the title or not last week, I feel like I’m well-prepared,” Barty said.

“I’m happy, I’m healthy. I’m coming into the first Grand Slam of the year with a smile on my face. That’s all I can ask of myself.”

The tournament is taking place against the backdrop of a bushfires emergency that has swept the nation and ramped up fears over global warming—and billowed choking smog across Melbourne and other cities.

After player anger during qualifying and practice, when several were hit by coughing fits and breathing problems, air pollution returned to ‘moderate’ levels over the weekend, with rain forecast for the start of the tournament. AFP

Ababa shoots for 3 straight Pradera Verde crown rd

JHONNEL Ababa will all have the drive and motivation as he guns for a record third straight championship in the ICTSI Pradera Verde Classic, armed with a game he polished during the break and a good track record on the Philippine Golf Tour Asia.

The winningest on the fledgling circuit with four victories, including back-to-back romps at the sprawling Pradera Verde Golf and Country Club complex in Lubao, Pampanga, Ababa is aware of the pressure but confident of extending his win run against a stellar international field all aiming for a big finish in the $100,000 event which gets under way tomorrow (Tuesday, Jan. 21.)

They include Aussie Damien Jordan, Peter Stojanovski of Macedonia, Americans Josh Salah, Lexus Keoninh and Charles Lee, Koreans Myung Chal Hwang, Sangun Lee and Jun Sung Park along with Spain’s Salvador Paya Vila, Thai Pachara Sakulyong, Singapore’s Gabriel Cheok, Finland’s Sean Avellan, and Japan’s Yuta Sudo and Toru Nakajima, among others.

“I’m ready and in top condition,” said Ababa, who also won at Eagle Ridge at Forest Hills in 2018 before going into some kind of slump after keeping his Pradera crown last year. He ended up tied for 25th in the Luisita Championship, shared 19th place at Southwoods, tied for eighth at Aboitiz,

wound up joint 10th at the CAT Open before finishing fifth at Summit Point.

But he hopes to flash his old magic this week although he remains wary of the opposition, particularly the other local aces who are all coming into the 72-hole championship raring to foil his bid for a record run in the third season (2019-20) of the circuit put up by ICTSI. Frontrunner Tony Lascuña, for one, is also out to press his bid for the Order of Merit crown while Clyde Mondilla is likewise priming up for his defense of the Philippine Open crown.

PGT OOM 2018 winner Jobim Carlos also vows to come out strong in a bid to end a string of soso finishes following a dip in form last year, along with veterans Jay Bayron, Elmer Salvador, Jerson Balasabas, Michael Bibat, Rufino Bayron and Gerald Rosales.

The young guns are also tipped to crowd the fancied bets in all four days of the event organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc. and backed by by PLDT Enterprise, Meralco, BDO and PGT Asia official apparel Pin High with Ira Alido due for a big win after a string of impressive finishes last year.

Others expected to contend are Reymon Jaraula, Keanu Jahns, James Ryan Lam, Justin Quiban, Nilo Salahog, Sean Talmadge, Rupert Zaragosa and former amateur hotshot Lloyd Go. Jhonnel Ababa

Sarangani, PSC draft rules of sports law THE Philippine Sports Commission and the Provincial Government of Sarangani jointly drafted the Implementing Rules and Regulations of Republic Act No. 11224 (An Act Establishing the Sarangani Sports Training Center in Alabel), signed into law last year by President Rodrigo Duterte.

Authored by Sen. Manny Pacquiao and Sarangani Rep. Ruel Pacquiao, the law provides for the construction of a regional sports complex within the Provincial Capitol Complex in Alabel town.

According to Sarangani governor Steve Chiongbian Solon, the center will be equipped with state-of-the-art facilities such as a covered track oval, lawn tennis, volleyball and basketball courts, venues for weightlifting, boxing, and taekwondo, and a three-storey, 200-bed dormitory.

The PSC has offered to declare Sarangani as Soccsksargen Region’s training center and support the deployment of coaches and trainers, and hosting of sporting events.

Shown here are Provincial sports coordinator Alma Corazon Gabuat, sports development adviser Paul Allen Villamora, Governor Solon, investment promotion and development adviser Jonathan Joson and Department of Education curriculum in-charge Mario Dunio.

San Juan nails 23rd MPBL win ILOILO CITY—What was perceived to be a possible championship preview turned out to be a dominant show by the San Juan Knights at University of San Agustin Gym here.

Using a 26-point second quarter bulge as buffer, the Knights battered the Davao Occidental Tigers, 84-65, Saturday in a showdown between the titans of the Chooks-to-Go/MPBL Lakan Season.

The Knights, the North division pacesetters only allowed the Tigers, the South frontrunners, the luxury of scoring the first five points before going on a scoring binge, capped by back-to-back triples by John Wilson and Jeffrey Tajonera, that propelled them to a 43-17 spread.

The Tigers responded with a 9-point flurry, but Renz Subido and Wamar knocked in a triple each against a triple

by Mark Yee and a layup by Marco Balagtas for a 49-31 halftime count.

From there the Tigers could only move to within eight points, 48-56, and the last at 57-65, following a triple by Yvan Ludovice.

Rather than tremble, the Knights became even fiercer, dropping 13 straight points and sealing the outcome, 78-51, going to the last four minutes.

Backed by Go-for-Gold, the Knights climbed to a league-leading 23-3 record and bared their readiness to duplicate their triumph in the MPBL Datu Cup, where they also claimed the Tigers as their victims in the National Finals.

Terengganu cyclists vow to keep momentum going

The 8-stage Jubilee edition is scheduled from February 7 to 14, 2020, covering a total distance of 1095.7km across 9 Malaysian states.

KUALA LUMPUR—Asia’s No. 1 cycling team Terengganu Cycling Team will be eager to keep up their winning momentum when they open their campaign in the 25th anniversary edition of the Petronas Le Tour de Langkawi on February 7 to 14.

Backed by the prowess of Russian Artem Ovechkin, LTdL 2018 yellow jersey winner alongside the sprint acumen of Mohd Hariff Salleh, the team from the East Coast of Malaysia will be out for more victories as they look to maintain their status as the top team in UCI’s Asian Tour calendar.

And even though TSG has yet to announce its squad for this year’s silver jubilee edition, it is expected that they will be putting up all their best riders in the front line with captain Mohd Zamri Salleh in the lead.

TSG’s head coach Jeremy Hunt will lay

down the tactic against a handful of World Tour teams with Algerian spinter Yousef Reguigui likely to be in the fray as Morey Drew (Australia), Metkel Eyob (Eritrea) and Malaysia national champion Nur Amirul Fakhruddin Mazuki, the likely domestiques for Ovechkin.

Nasirudin Wan Idrus, TSG Chief Executive Officer, said that the team is currently in camp in Melbourne, Australia until February 3 for several races to fine-tune the team further before flying straight to Kota Kinabalu.

Nasirudin said that while TSG did not specify any target for the 25th edition of LTdL, the team would want to make sure they make a strong impression and pick up from their successes in 2018.

“We are naturally very glad that we managed to take the mantle as the best team in

Asia in 2019. The target for this year would be to retain that title and of course aim for more stage victories internationally,” added Nasirudin.

“The successes that we have carved so far are the results of the strong backing that we have recevived from the Terengganu state government, and the several sponsors that have been with us all these years.”

TSG picked up a total of 2,658 points to take the top spot in Asia and 28th in the world.

The 8-stage Jubilee edition is scheduled from 7 to 14 February 2020, covering a total distance of 1095.7km across 9 states which include Sarawak, Terengganu, Pahang, Federal Territories (Putrajaya and Kuala Lumpur) Selangor, Perak , Penang and Kedah.

AFP

Sports

Riera U. Mallari, Editor; Reuel Vidal, Assistant Editor sports@thestandard.com.ph; sports_mstandard@yahoo.com

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MONDAY, JANUARY 20, 2020

Andrew Romualdez of Team White is about to hit the ball towards the goal in this bit of action in the fourth chukker of the Players Cup high goal event at the Enrique Zobel Field, Manila Polo Club Makati City, yesterday. Team White beat Team Black, 7-4. Ver Noveno

Tiger Cubs rout UPIS in UAAP HS hoops THE University of Santo Tomas Tiger Cubs banked on their outside shooting to put away the University of the Philippines Integrated School Baby Maroons, 87-63, yesterday in the 82nd University Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Junior Basketball tournament at the FilOil-Flying V Sports Center in San Juan.

Triples from Jacob Cortez, Jon Villaruz and James Maliwat in the second and third periods helped propel the Tiger Cubs to their fifth triumph in nine games.

The Tiger Cubs remained in third position and in contention for a Final Four semifinals berth.

John Lina showed the way for UST with 20 points, 11 rebounds and two steals.

Maliwat hit three treys in the last 5:38 of the second quarter and sent the Tiger Cubs to a 25-point edge, 43-18.

Treys from Cortez, Maliwat and Villaruz found their marks in the closing minutes of the first period, allowing UST to take a 29-14 spread.

This handed the Tiger Cubs their second straight win since blasting the University of the East Junior Warriors, 94-81.

The Tiger Cubs will go for their third straight win against the Far Eastern University Baby Tamaraws in their next game.

Vhors Marasigan fired 21 points for the UE Junior Warriors, who turned back La Salle-Zobel, 81-68.

The Junior Warriors, who also got 14 points from John Cruz, improved to 3-6. Peter Atencio

White leads Players Cup

By Peter Atencio

T

EAM White got four goals from Cole Aguirre to take the lead in the first leg of the Players Cup tournament.

Aguirre’s efforts in the last five minutes of the third chukker (period) gave Team White a good lead, which allowed them to stop Team Black, 7-4, in the high goal event yesterday at the rain-drenched Enrique Zobel field of the Manila Polo Club in Makati City.

This gave Team White a good head start in the opening events of the 2020 polo season, and after taking the top honors in this initial staging of this

ing the afternoon.

“For the team, it was a good game.

But, the field became slippery, and it was hard to move,” Zobel said.

Zobel, who was nursing a sore left shoulder after the game, added that they are just getting started with their season.

Earlier, Green took the low goal game with an 8-4 win over Yellow, with Jay de Jesus coming up with three points.

Behind, 3-4 in the fourth chukker, Team Green brought in their experienced players and slotted in goals in the final seven minutes.

Southeast Asian Games veteran Santi Juban equalized the count, before assaults from Julian Constantino and Jay de Jesus allowed Green to move away, 6-4.

Conor McGregor (left) bludgeons a bloodied Donald Cerrone who is tries to cover up on the floor of the cage. AFP

Fil-Am Morrison misses Olympic standard in US indoor competition FIL-AMERICAN William Morrison missed the qualifying standard to the 2020 Tokyo Olympics last Saturday.

Morrison, who represented Indiana, hurled 19.17 meter in the men’s shot put event of a two-day indoor meet at the Vanderbilt University Recreational Center in Nashville, Tennessee.

The 23-year-old Morrison, who took the 30th Southeast East Asian Games gold, finished second.

Hoping to hit the Olympic standard of 21.10 meters, Morrison though went on to set a Philippine indoor mark.

During the SEA Games, Morrison claimed the gold with his 18.38 meter effort.

Both his feats were below the national mark of 20.40 meters, which he achieved

competition that is sponsored by the Manila Standard and Peoples’ Journal.

Team skipper Iñigo Zobel came away with a steal and passed the ball to Aguirre, who drove in an attack in the last 4:20 for a 5-3 lead.

Argentinian Martin Espain tried to keep Team Black within range in the latter part of the chukker by scoring a goal to cut the gap to 5-4.

His brother Nicholas Espain scored another one for Team White before the chukker ended for a 6-4 edge.

With the playing condition of the field getting ruined by the rain, Espain charged the net for an assist for a final goal by Jay de Jesus.

The fifth chukker was called off by game officials because of the unplayable condition of the field, following light rains which trickled down dur-

last June.

Morrison, who is from Leavenworth, Kansas, was behind David Pless, who took the gold with 19.36 meters.

So far, only pole vaulter EJ Obiena has earned an Olympic ticket in athletics.

Female pole vaulter Natalie Uy, sprinter-hurdler Eric Cray, runner Kristina Knott, newly-added marathoner Christine Hallasgo and Mary Joy Tabal are also seeking entry to the Olympics through qualifiers, along with Morrison.

The Philippine Athletic Track and Field Association will support Uy, Cray, Knott and Morrison who will participate in the Asian Indoor this February and the World Indoor on March, both in China. Peter Atencio

Giannis lifts Bucks past Brooklyn LOS ANGELES, United States— The Milwaukee Bucks, led by 29 points from reigning NBA Most Valuable Player Giannis Antetokounmpo, ran roughshod over the Brooklyn Nets on Saturday (Sunday Philippine time), improving their league-leading record with a 117-97 victory.

Antetokounmpo added 12 rebounds in the victory, the Bucks’ sixth straight.

Milwaukee improved to 38-6 and lead the Miami Heat by 7 1/2 games in the Eastern Conference.

The Bucks led 57-42 at halftime and stretched the advantage to 93-71 heading into the final period.

Khris Middleton added 20 points for the Bucks, who had six players score in double figures.

Kyrie Irving led the Nets with 17 points, but Brooklyn never really looked like stopping the Bucks, who connected on 50.6 percent of their shots from the field, including 17 of 37 three-point attempts.

They held the Nets to 33.3 percent shooting, and never trailed after the opening minutes.

The Los Angeles Clippers launched a six-game road trip with a 133-130 victory over the Pelicans in New Orleans.

With forward Paul George out for a fifth straight game with a hamstring strain, Kawhi Leonard continued his red-hot scoring pace, delivering 39 points for the Clippers – who trailed by 10 points late in the third quarter.

Leonard has now scored at least 30 points in each of his past five games.

Lou Williams scored 14 of his 32 points in the final period, when the Clippers out-scored the Pelicans 31-20.

Williams put the Clippers up 133-127 with a three-pointer with 31.6 seconds remaining.

JJ Redick responded with a three and Leonard missed, but Redick’s attempt at a game-tying threepointer bounced off the rim. AFP

Eala reaches third round of Jr ITF tilt TEEN sensation Alexandra Eala outplayed China’s Na Dong, 6-2, 6-1, yesterday in the second round of the 2020 AGL Loy Yang Traralgon Junior International Tennis Tournament in Victoria, Australia.

The fourteen-year-old Eala went on to advance to the third round against Russian netter Elina Avanesyan.

Avanesyan fought off Darja Vidmanova of the Czech Republic, 6-1, 6-2, to get a chance to meet Eala.

Eala is coached Daniel Gomez of the Rafa Nadal Academy. He watched her closely as she pulled off a 6-1, 6-2 win over Hungarian netter Amarisa Toth in the first round.

In the doubles, Eala and partner Priska Nugroho of Indonesia prevailed over Australians Olivia Galecki and Amy Stevens, 6-2, 7-5.

Seeded fourth in the tournament, Eala is preparing for her stint in the Australian Open.

Eala is the no. 9 ranked junior in the world.

Her victory came after missing a days’ practice, and after Australian officials suspended practice on Wednesday.

Officials have warned that smoke and haze from regional wild fires have affected the playing conditions of the tournament early this week.

Peter Atencio

McGregor beats ‘Cowboy’ Cerrone with shoulder strikes

By Reuel Vidal CONOR McGregor displayed a new striking technique, using his shoulder to bloody Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone’s nose, then went on to score a spectacular first-round technical knockout victory in UFC 246 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada yesterday.

McGregor immediately jumped forward at the start of the UFC non-title fight and unloaded a knee to the head which missed Cerrone.

To neutralize McGregor’s superior striking Cerrone predictably clinched.

But McGregor then used an attack used regularly only by sneaky basketball centers when jockeying for rebounds.

McGregor hit Cerrone repeatedly on the face with his left shoulder, jump-

ing up several times to add force to his strikes. A hurt Cerrone unlocked his clinch and stepped back with his nose bloodied.

McGregor pressed forward and connected with his left foot with a kick to the head of Cerrone who staggered backward into the cage.

McGregor then wailed into a helpless Cerrone with his fists and the referee mercifully stopped the fight after just 40 seconds in the first round.

With the victory McGregor improved his career professional record to 22-4 with 19 knockouts. Cerrone, who owns the most wins in UFC history, dropped to 36-14.

This was McGregor’s first fight since a submission loss to Khabib Nurmagomedov in their UFC Lightweight

Championship bout on October 6, 2018.

The impressive victory over Cerrone may have assured him of another crack at the UFC title.

It was the third consecutive technical knockout loss for Cerrone. He also lost to Justin Gaethje by TKO (punches) at UFC Fight Night 158 on September 14, 2019; and to Tony Ferguson by TKO (doctor stoppage) at UFC 238 on June 8, 2019.

McGregor on the other hand has been comparatively inactive. His most recent victory came in November, 2016 when he beat Eddie Alvarez by knockout.

McGregor is the fourth ranked lightweight in the UFC and is 13th on the pound-for-pound ratings. Cerrone is ranked fifth among lightweights.

IN BRIEF Alsons Group seeks more hydro plants ALSONS Power Group plans to build more hydro projects to expand its renewable energy portfolio.

The company has two hydro power facilities in the pipeline, namely the 38-megawatt Sindangan Hydro in Zamboanga del Norte and the 42-MW Bago Hydro in Negros Occidental.

Once completed and operational, the hydro power plants will constitute the bulk of the company’s power facilities.

“In the next few years, in terms of the number of power facilities, renewable energy will constitute the largest segment in Alsons Power’s portfolio,” Alsons Consolidated Resources Inc. chairman and president Tomas Alcantara said in a statement over the weekend.

Alsons Power recently marked the start of construction of the 14.5-MW run-of- river hydroelectric power plant at the Siguil River basin in Maasim, Sarangani province.

The P4.5-billion Siguil Hydro is expected to begin operations in 2022 to provide power to the rapidly developing Sarangani/South Cotabato/General Santos City region.

Alena Mae S. Flores

PH Air Asia offers regional seat sale THE Philippine unit of Southeast Asia’s largest budget airline is offering a regional seat sale in a bid to entice more travelers to fly this year.

Air Asia Inc. said flights from Clark to Iloilo, Cebu, Puerto Princesa, Davao, Caticlan, Kaohsiung and many more destinations offer as low as P299.

Flights from Cebu or Cagayan de Oro offers as low as P499 and from Manila for as low as P599.

Promotional fares are available until July 19, 2020 for travel between September 1, 2020 and March 2, 2021.

The airline operates several flights to and from Manila, Davao, Cebu, Kalibo, Caticlan (Boracay), Tacloban, Tagbilaran (Bohol), Puerto Princesa (Palawan), Clark and Iloilo in the Philippines . Darwin G. Amojelar

Business

THE Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas plans to sell its own debt paper in the second quarter after conducting a soft launch in the first quarter, Governor Benjamin Diokno said over the weekend.

“We will have a soft launching by first quarter, and we will launch it formally in the second quarter this year,” Diokno said in a news briefing.

The BSP said it would conduct a market sounding exercise to discuss with counter parties the features of the new securities and get an idea on their preference.

BSP officials earlier said they would avoid competing with the national government in the issuance of debt paper after President Rodrigo Duterte signed the BSP Charter amendments into law early last year.

They said the operational details of the issuance of the central bank debt papers would be carefully coordinated with the national government, particularly in terms of tenor.

President Duterte signed into law Republic Act No. 11211 which amended RA 7653 or the New Central Bank Act. BSP officials said the amendments to the BSP Charter were both timely and attuned to a fast-evolving market landscape.

The new BSP Charter embodies a package of reforms that will further align its operations with global best practices, improve the central bank’s corporate viability and enhance its capacity for crafting proactive policies amid rising interlinkages in the financial markets and the broader economy.

The law removes money supply and credit levels as basis for determining monetary policy. The focus on these indicators declined among central banks over the years, as fostering price stability now considers a broader set of indicators.

MONDAY, JANUARY 20, 2020

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Gov’t spending P384b to unclog EDSA traffic

By Darwin G. Amojelar

THE Philippine Economic Zone Authority said it expects investments in the economic zones to rebound 10 percent this year following a 16.2-percent slump last year.

PEZA said investments approved by the agency declined to P117.54 billion in 2019 amid investor concerns over the second tranche of the tax reform law or the Corporate Income Tax and Incentive Rationalization Act. “We are projecting a conservative growth of 5 to 10 percent though we’re about to approve big-ticket industry projects like the Panhua Integrated Steel and Canada’s North Star Agro-industrial Company in our next meeting,” said PEZA director-general Charito Plaza.

Plaza also cited pending applications for expansion and new projects by existing locators but said they were still on wait-and-see mode over the CITIRA bill.

“That’s why we’re praying for the wisdom of the senators and the bicameral committee who will decide on the kind of the CITIRA law. We are expecting investments will be higher if an investor-friendly CITIRA is passed,” Plaza said.

Chinese steel maker Chinese firm Panhua Group Co. Ltd. is expected to sign a locator’s contract with PEZA within the week for the first phase of the integrated steel project worth $3.5 billion in Misamis Oriental.

Canadian firm North Star Valley Food Company is also looking for agricultural economic zones to establish cacao, avocado, mango, strawberry and raspberry plantations.

A 60-man American delegation will visit PEZA in February to explore investments in agro-industrial economic zones.

PEZA is the largest export investment promotion agency in the country contributing 63 percent of total commodity exports. Its locators also contribute 16.28 percent to the gross domestic product.

PEZA said some 1.5 million Filipinos are directly employed and another 7.5 million indirectly employed by economic zones and locators in the country.

It is also one of the top contributors of dividends to the national government among investment promotion agencies.

T

HE Public Works Department announced a massive decongestion program worth P384 billion to restore EDSA’s traffic flow to normal level.

“In close coordination with national government agencies, local government units and the private sector, we are pushing for the swift completion of our flagship infrastructure projects that will provide lasting solution to gridlocks in the National Capital Region,” Public Works Secretary Mark Villar said.

Villar said the agency’s Right-of-Way Task Force for Flagship Projects were directed to intensify ROW acquisition efforts to ensure the timely completion of road and bridge projects in Mega Manila.

“In order to bring EDSA back to its original capacity, we need to take out about 200,000 vehicles,” Villar said earlier.

About 380,000 vehicles use EDSA, the biggest thoroughfare in Metro Manila, daily.

The government expects to complete

major road and bridge projects this year such as the 2.6-kilometer NLEX Harbor Link, R-10 Exit Ramp which would reduce the travel time of 1 hour and 30 minutes from Port Area to NLEX towards the northern provinces of Luzon to 10 minutes.

It said the 3.2-km Mindanao Ave. Extension Segment 2C would reduce travel time between Quirino Highway and General Luis Road of the cities of Quezon, Valenzuela and Caloocan from 1 hour and 30 minutes to 20 minutes while the 18.30-km Metro Manila Skyway Stage 3 would cut the 2-hour travel from Buendia, Makati City to Balintawak, Quezon City to 15 to 20 minutes.

Other projects include the 6.94-km Laguna Lake Highway that would cut travel time from Taytay, Rizal to Bicutan from 1 hour to 30 minutes; the 3.3-km Fort Bon-

ifacio-Nichols Road (Lawton Avenue) widening to accommodate more vehicles; and the Bonifacio Global City-Ortigas Center Link Road Project that would reduce to 12 minutes the travel time between BGC and the Ortigas central business district.

Villar said the department would begin civil works on several projects this year, including the 8.35-km NLEX Harbor Link Segment 8.2 that would cut the 45-minute travel time from Mindanao Avenue to Commonwealth Avenue in Quezon City to 10 minutes; and the Pasig River & Manggahan Floodway Bridges Construction Project that would include three bridges: North & South Harbor Bridge, Palanca-Villegas Bridge and the Eastbank-Westbank Bridge 2 crossing Manggahan Floodway.

The department said the public could expect the opening of the 8-km NLEXSLEX Connector Road, the 680 meter Binondo-Intramuros Bridge connecting Intramuros and Binondo and the 506-meter Estrella-Pantaleon Bridge connecting Estrella, Makati City to Barangka Drive, Mandaluyong by 2021.

AS THE proper security tools and competent governance are already in place, the biggest priority of the Philippine banking industry in 2020 is to continue spreading awareness and promoting vigilance against cybersecurity threats.

East West Banking Corp. chief information security officer Joey Regala said fraudsters and attackers would continue to focus on and exploit customers. Frauds such as phishing, vishing (the act of scamming someone over the phone), the use of malware and social engineering cons operate on users letting their guard down and inadvertently surrendering important personal information.

By Julito G. Rada

business@manilastandard.net extrastory2000@gmail.com

PEZA expects investments to rebound 10%

EastWest: Customer security priority in ‘20

BSP plans sale of debt paper in second quarter

Ray S. Eñano, Editor Roderick T. dela Cruz, Assistant Editor

BUSINESS AS USUAL. Factories in the CALABARZON Region resume operations after a temporary disruption of one to two days, according to Trade Secretary and Board of Investments chairman Ramon Lopez. The DTI and BOI checked the status of industries in the region following the eruption of Taal Volcano. Shown is the shop floor of a factory based in the Carmelray Industrial Zone, two days after the volcanic eruption. The factory has a clean room capability tolerance of 100 particles per million.

By Othel V. Campos

Batangas electric cooperatives report large drop in power demand

By Alena Mae S. Flores DEMAND for power in Batangas province drastically declined this month as thousands of residential customers evacuated and businesses closed amid the unrest of Taal Volcano, the National Electrification Administration said over the weekend.

NEA administrator Edgardo Masongsong said he recently visited the offices of Batangas I Electric Cooperative Inc. and Batangas II Electric Cooperative Inc. to check the status of their power distribution operations.

Masongsong extended his sympathy to the residents affected by the calam-

ity, including rural electrification workers. BATELEC-I has 157 internally displaced employees while BATELEC-II reported 91.

“Let us not lose hope. We are doing everything as a movement, so we can rise again,” the NEA chief said.

Masongsong assured the electric cooperatives that the leaderships of their regional and national organizations would provide support during the calamity.

BATELEC I reported a 7-megawatt drop in demand, while BATELEC II estimated the loss in demand at 12 MW to 15 MW. Masongsong said the drop would have an effect on the electric coopera-

tives’ operations including financial and technical aspects, system loss rates and collection efficiency.

BATELEC II general manager Octavious Mendoza said the municipalities of Talisay and Laurel were on forced power shutdown as both towns were placed on total lockdown by authorities to prevent residents from going back to their homes.

BATELEC II also enforced a mandatory shutdown of electricity to 21 barangays of Tanauan City that are within the 14-kilometer danger zone starting Friday noon.

Covered by the temporary shutdown were the barangays of Ambulong, Ba-

ñadero, Gonzales, Wawa, Boot, Maria Paz, Bagbag, Balele, Mabini, Tinurik, Banjo West, Janopol Oriental, Janopol Occidental, Talaga, Bilog-bilog, Maugat, San Jose, Natatas, Luyos, Montaña and Santor.

BATELEC II assistant general manager Mary Ann Dimaano said efforts to restore power to villages not included in the list of “critical areas” by the local government would continue.

Dimaano said the barangays in Tanauan City with ongoing restoration activities included Altura Bata, Altura Matanda, Altura South, Cale, Malaking Pulo and Santol, with a total of 2,605 households.

PH wary of Chinese state-backed hackers THE Philippine government is mindful of the security risks brought about by increased Chinese control of its infrastructure and the reported Chinese statebacked hackers’ cyber attacks and other threats around the world.

A security company based in the Netherlands called Fox-IT reported in December that a hacking group with links to the Chinese government remained active –quietly targeting companies and government agencies for the last two years. The hackers, likely belonging to a group known as APT20, were harvesting private data after stealing passwords and circumventing two-factor authentication processes designed to prevent such attacks.

The security company said that the group’s attacks extended to 10 countries including the US, the UK, France, Ger-

many and Italy. The Chinese hackers carried out their international espionage campaign against industries including aviation, construction, finance, health care, insurance, gambling and energy.

In the Philippines, the threat level remains high as various industries and military installations are susceptible to Chinese spying and control. Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, for instance, warned last year that Philippine offshore gaming operators which largely employ Chinese nationals may shift their operations to spying.

“It’s very easy for these people to, probably, shift their activities to spying, kung mayroon man mageespiya [if anyone is spying.] So mabilis lang [it’s just fast,]” Lorenzana told reporters in an interview.

COCA-COLA’S DONATION. Coca-Cola mobilizes volunteers for relief operations in CALABARZON Region and distribute more than 40,000 liters of Wilkins water to thousands of families in evacuation centers. Coca-Cola’s facilities in Sta. Rosa, Canlubang and Silangan in Laguna were also affected by Taal’s unrest, and CCBPI prioritized the safety and welfare of its personnel.

B2

Business

MONDAY, JANUARY 20, 2020 extrastory2000@gmail.com

Market monitoring Taal situation

By Jenniffer B. Austria

S

HARE prices are expected to continue with their sideways movement this week on concerns about the possible impact of the Taal Volcano eruption on the economy.

Philstocks Financial Inc said the investors were weighing the uncertainties brought about by Taal volcano’s activities.

Improving developments overseas due to the signing of phase one trade deal between United States and China and the improving US economy, however, are expected to boost the local equities market.

First Metro Investments Corp. sees the Philippine Stock Exchange Index climbing to the 8,600-point to 8,900-point level this year, with corporate earnings projected to grow by at least 10 percent.

The growth in corporate earnings will

be supported by robust macroeconomic fundaments like low interest rates and the low inflation environment.

With consumer spending expected to continue to drive the economy this year, FMIC chose JG Summit Holdings Inc., Ayala Land Inc., SM Prime Holdings Corp., Puregold Price Club Inc., Wilcon Depot Inc. and Robinsons Retail Holdings Inc. as its stock picks for this year in terms of growth.

The PSEi last week fell 0.7 percent to 7,722.58, while the broader All Shares Index plunged 1.2 percent to 4,551.19.

Four of the six sectoral indices posted

week-on-week gains, namely industrial which advanced 1.2 percent, financial which was up 1.1 percent and services and mining and oil index which rose 0.5 percent and 0.44 percent, respectively.

Holdings firms declined 2.1 percent while property dropped 1.9 percent on a week-on-week basis.

Foreign investors were net sellers for the week by P1.4 billion, while the average daily value traded improved to P7.4 billion from the previous week’s average of P5.6 billion.

Weekly top price gainers were Fruitas Holdings Inc., which rose 11 percent to P1.61; Universal Robina Corp., which climbed 9.4 percent to P153.50; and Globe Telecom Inc., which advanced 5.9 percent to P2,098.

Weekly top price losers were DMCI Holdings Inc., which declined 10 percent to P6.36; San Miguel Food and Beverage Inc., which dropped 7.6 percent to P73.50; and ABS-CBN Corp., which fell

7 percent to P17.20.

Meanwhile, global equities rose on Friday, with Wall Street stocks ending at fresh records, as solid Chinese economic data brightened the global outlook following the landmark US-China trade deal earlier in the week.

European markets were all higher following signs the Chinese economy is stabilizing.

“China released some broadly positive economic reports, which has boosted sentiment around the globe,” said CMC Markets analyst David Madden.

Apart from a blip last week caused by the US killing of Iran’s top general, markets have had a strong start to the new decade, building on the rally of late 2019.

The gains have been fanned by the “phase one” trade agreement signed this week by the United States and China as well as signs of improvement in various economies, lower interest rates, government stimulus and easing Brexit concerns.

MANILA STANDARD BUSINESS WEEKLY STOCKS REVIEW STOCKS

JANUARY 13-17, 2020 Close Volume

Value

Vantage Equities Union Bank Sun Life Financial Security Bank RCBC `A’ PSE Inc. Philippine trust Co. Phil. Savings Bank Phil. National Bank Phil Bank of Comm PB Bank Natl. Reinsurance Corp.

Metrobank MEDCO Holdings Manulife Fin. Corp.

I-Remit Inc. First Abacus Filipino Fund Inc. Ferronoux Holding Eastwest Bank COL Financial China Bank Bright Kindle Resources BDO Leasing & Fin. INc. Bankard Inc. Bank of PI Banco de Oro Unibank Inc. Asia United Bank

1.04 57.70 1889.00 191 22.55 173.5 112.8 57.8 31.70 20.50 12.2 0.9 65.05 0.350 855.00 1.14 0.6 6.81 3.78 12.48 18.48 25.05 0.89 2.80 25.1 87.50 157.50 53

502,000 41,950 615 1,853,530 54,600 3,160 40 24,160 2,196,500 7,200 170,600 1,080,000 12,703,340 270,000 290 50,000 29,000 1,600 357,000 2,051,700 3,300 455,000 16,000 5,353,000 24,400 10,307,740 11,700,720 1,980

FINANCIAL 526,180.00 2,444,690.00 1,129,800.00 347,780,694.00 1,242,795.00 547,707.00 4,512.00 1,399,517.00 71,258,865.00 148,020.00 2,072,212.00 941,770.00 828,834,853.00 96,250.00 246,510.00 57,540.00 17,370.00 10,896.00 1,352,830.00 25,250,606.00 60,026.00 11,383,465.00 14,230.00 15,816,240.00 611,380.00 878,550,077.00 1,811,407,866.00 105,939.00

Aboitiz Power Corp.

AC Energy Agrinurture Inc. Alliance Tuna Intl Inc. Alsons Cons.

Axelum Basic Energy Corp.

C. Azuc De Tarlac Cemex Holdings Century Food Chemphil Cirtek Holdings (Chips) Conc. Aggr. ‘A’ Conc. Aggr. ‘B’ Concepcion Crown Asia Da Vinci Capital Del Monte DNL Industries Inc. Eagle Cement EEI Emperador Euro-Med Lab First Gen Corp.

First Holdings ‘A’ Fruitas Holdings Ginebra San Miguel Inc. Greenergy Holcim Philippines Inc. Integ. Micro-Electronics Ionics Inc Jollibee Foods Corp.

LMG Chemicals Mabuhay Vinyl Macay Holdings Manila Water Co. Inc. Maxs Group Megawide MG Holdings Mla. Elect. Co `A’ Panasonic Mfg Phil. Corp.

Pepsi-Cola Products Phil.

Petroenergy Res. Corp.

Petron Corporation Phinma Corporation Phinma Energy Phoenix Petroleum Phils.

Pilipinas Shell Pryce Corp. `A’ RFM Corporation Roxas and Co. Roxas Holdings SFA Semicon Shakeys Pizza SMC Food and Beverage SPC Power Corp.

Swift Foods, Inc. TKC Steel Corp.

Universal Robina Victorias Milling Vitarich Corp.

Vulcan Ind’l.

32.55 2.26 12.46 0.53 1.27 2.82 0.235 18.78 1.59 14.86 169 9.64 67 70.75 32.4 2.14 5.46 5.15 9.000 13.6 9.00 7.23 1.58 21.05 67 1.61 37.85 2.1500 13.36 7.85 1.370 213.60 4.8 3.3 6.80 10.06 11.18 14.96 0.170 291.00 5.34 1.61 4.25 3.93 9.96 9.98 12.00 32.95 4.79 5.30 1.91 1.71 1.04 9.75 73.4 8.81 0.118 0.99 153.5 2.56 1.22 0.96

6,269,600 12,569,000 5,146,400 2,694,000 632,000 14,729,000 3,460,000 74,000 95,687,000 2,918,000 580 64,770,700 790 3,780 625,700 236,000 300 25,800 7,107,000 1,596,800 1,316,300 136,154,100 9,000 6,625,900 301,900 138,100,000 70,200 27,359,000 767,600 2,283,500 2,581,000 1,940,580 30,000 22,000 71,600 30,601,800 4,351,800 6,274,200 140,000 838,300 8,800 2,767,000 4,000 4,301,000 17,300 4,000 92,700 638,600 709,000 1,437,000 3,297,000 86,000 2,010,000 5,428,700 1,149,130 752,100 3,700,000 20,000 4,100,200 162,000 10,950,000 8,785,000

INDUSTRIAL 208,145,120.00 28,963,140.00 65,300,136.00 1,442,500.00 801,020.00 42,220,790.00 809,870.00 123,458.00 150,706,720.00 44,058,992.00 100,403.00 576,588,355.00 51,012.50 258,143.00 20,155,070.00 503,960.00 1,593.00 129,275.00 66,175,579.00 21,923,950.00 11,717,495.00 983,111,109.00 14,220.00 145,406,725.00 20,083,887.50 213,384,410.00 2,682,025.00 57,142,550.00 10,372,778.00 17,912,189.00 3,548,920.00 401,513,688.00 142,420.00 74,100.00 497,486.00 306,459,467.00 48,820,886.00 92,531,390.00 24,040.00 249,059,234.00 46,268.00 4,939,440.00 17,000.00 17,165,950.00 171,059.00 38,790.00 1,107,852.00 21,045,460.00 3,375,470.00 7,495,218.00 6,312,270.00 147,360.00 2,045,690.00 52,461,306.00 86,777,641.50 24,603,823.00 431,840.00 19,710.00 612,033,833.00 401,050.00 13,171,740.00 8,501,460.00

Abacus Cons. `A’ Aboitiz Equity Alliance Global Inc. Anglo Holdings A Anscor `A’ Asiabest Group ATN Holdings A ATN Holdings B Ayala Corp `A’ Ayala Land Log Cosco Capital DMCI Holdings F&J Prince ‘B’ Filinvest Dev. Corp.

Forum Pacific GT Capital House of Inv. JG Summit Holdings Jolliville Holdings Lodestar Invt. Holdg.Corp.

Lopez Holdings Corp.

LT Group Mabuhay Holdings `A’ Metro Pacific Inv. Corp.

Pacifica `A’ Prime Media Hldg San Miguel Corp `A’ SM Investments Inc. Solid Group Inc. South China Res. Inc. Top Frontier Transgrid Wellex Industries Zeus Holdings

0.910 54.00 11.02 0.69 6.40 11.6 0.970 0.990 803 2.830 6.53 6.36 3.61 13.16 0.208 789 5.41 72.00 6.67 0.495 3.71 11 0.600 3.5 4.4000 1.230 152.50 1055.00 1.23 0.84 203.800 194.00 0.2060 0.235

41,787,000 4,509,690 11,042,800 604,000 90,800 103,600 14,884,000 2,951,000 2,298,350 5,562,000 2,593,600 41,865,600 5,000 227,300 170,000 577,900 4,011,000 13,179,230 111,000 666,000 1,594,000 4,065,800 115,000 149,237,000 384,800 544,000 905,990 1,202,380 20,000 2,989,000 3,150 2,960 440,000 12,410,000

HOLDING FIRMS 37,608,670.00 236,821,662.00 122,426,962.00 404,260.00 578,927.00 1,196,868.00 14,509,370.00 2,858,470.00 1,817,548,835.00 15,862,380.00 17,302,589.00 275,979,328.00 18,050.00 2,972,268.00 36,170.00 461,979,385.00 21,659,420.00 977,279,730.50 729,942.00 327,405.00 5,957,960.00 45,931,022.00 68,310.00 545,560,420.00 1,872,909.00 648,650.00 138,963,087.00 1,270,850,945.00 23,880.00 2,408,050.00 650,856.00 576,925.00 92,360.00 2,791,070.00

2,011,100 709,000 5,500 161,000 8,970,000 55,173,400 3,531,000 1,192,000 267,500 22,474,000 143,000 197,000 340,000 280,000 319,400 1,020,100 690,000 30,000 75,387,000 2,223,000 119,076,000 205,360,000 8,923,000 280,000 2,670,000 3,193,000

PROPERTY 29,604,794.00 509,240.00 49,300.00 215,460.00 7,701,420.00 2,396,575,055.00 6,684,680.00 5,608,930.00 1,807,397.00 12,315,190.00 108,590.00 168,530.00 61,760.00 112,650.00 3,041,918.00 18,716,634.00 290,300.00 3,150.00 115,640,580.00 2,415,400.00 513,840,220.00 50,235,260.00 10,800,150.00 115,300.00 896,250.00 7,061,360.00

8990 HLDG A. Brown Co., Inc. Anchor Land Holdings Inc. Araneta Prop `A’ Arthaland Corp.

Ayala Land `B’ Belle Corp. `A’ CEB Landmasters Cebu Holdings Century Property City & Land Dev. Cityland Dev. `A’ Crown Equities Inc. Cyber Bay Corp.

DM Wenceslao Double Dragon Empire East Land Ever Gotesco Filinvest Land,Inc. Global-Estate Megaworld MRC Allied Ind. Phil Infradev Phil. Estates Corp.

Phil. Realty `A’ Primex Corp.

14.720 0.73 9.00 1.350 0.860 43.550 1.86 4.68 6.7 0.550 0.77 0.860 0.188 0.405 9.640 18.22 0.420 0.107 1.54 1.09 4.3 0.255 1.2600 0.4100 0.345 2.26

JANUARY 6-10, 2020 Close Volume Value 1.07 58.10 1855.00 186 22.75 175 112.7 57.1 33.85 20.00 12.2 0.82 67 0.360 860.00 1.2 0.68 7.00 3.82 11.86 18.48 25 0.92 2.11

190,000 49,540 760 2,159,320 171,500 23,690 40 3,030 1,412,300 26,000 241,000 799,000 7,556,500 730,000 1,650 44,000 6,000 21,200 146,000 667,600 39,500 454,700 225,000 270,000

201,300.00 2,880,079.50 1,404,100.00 402,664,919.00 3,895,155.00 4,145,590.00 4,681.00 173,666.00 48,953,950.00 529,810.00 2,999,164.00 631,480.00 491,506,700.00 237,800.00 1,403,660.00 52,660.00 4,080.00 148,160.00 556,630.00 7,976,336.00 725,118.00 11,295,435.00 204,150.00 537,380.00

86.50 153.00 53.75

7,516,540 10,021,160 20,600

648,100,973.50 1,533,882,190.00 1,103,722.00

34.25 2.35 12.98 0.56 1.32 3.06 0.245 18.58 1.68 15.24 165.5 7.49 62.7 71 32.4 2.16 5 5.2 9.200 14.02 9.07 7.22 1.59 22.35 66.05 1.45 38.00 2.0200 13.90 8.1 1.300 206.60

4,722,300 13,671,000 3,947,400 4,693,000 4,779,000 23,105,000 12,510,000 18,600 82,502,000 1,756,900 860 61,917,200 6,490 2,330 10,700 500,000 5,000 86,900 3,533,500 1,358,100 1,536,300 1,574,000 28,000 8,884,100 336,990 142,664,000 55,400 44,035,000 2,248,600 3,339,200 3,998,000 2,404,290

162,141,820.00 32,323,950.00 51,771,484.00 2,570,170.00 6,184,090.00 70,111,970.00 3,035,490.00 333,736.00 146,461,520.00 26,765,502.00 146,670.00 394,224,904.00 410,016.00 158,562.50 332,050.00 1,080,850.00 25,000.00 425,449.00 32,354,199.00 19,306,386.00 14,022,390.00 11,361,808.00 44,510.00 197,218,620.00 22,416,885.50 201,608,850.00 2,087,155.00 87,322,510.00 31,171,394.00 26,729,191.00 5,181,770.00 507,632,164.00

3.4 6.80 10.2 11.36 14.82 0.170 308.00 5.38 1.92 4.24 4.04 10.00 10.00 11.98 33.4 4.7 5.28 2.09 1.76 0.98 9.3 79.5 8.8 0.120 1.00 140.3 2.58 1.25 0.95

79,000 104,000 154,231,700 1,678,300 1,654,200 1,130,000 737,760 3,400 11,990,000 47,000 18,364,000 17,200 48,700 154,500 1,885,800 1,878,000 61,400 10,482,000 227,000 2,974,000 3,606,900 842,830 1,000,600 1,930,000 471,000 3,953,720 211,000 36,645,000 8,135,000

248,220.00 681,722.00 1,575,197,715.00 19,326,498.00 25,718,798.00 182,300.00 224,975,694.00 17,799.00 22,996,170.00 194,160.00 78,634,640.00 170,678.00 486,815.00 1,838,336.00 63,346,685.00 9,057,170.00 323,738.00 22,952,200.00 405,050.00 2,960,610.00 34,133,781.00 68,537,049.50 8,693,327.00 231,340.00 448,880.00 568,296,456.00 511,010.00 44,443,320.00 7,597,830.00

0.920 52.00 11.18 0.69 6.40 11.8 0.930 0.950 795 2.920 6.59 7.07

137,441,000 3,670,660 23,039,700 1,969,000 59,300 212,700 4,967,000 2,387,000 1,045,130 13,825,000 5,689,000 85,741,000

126,554,640.00 190,976,972.00 255,902,884.00 1,309,740.00 374,378.00 2,356,728.00 4,535,930.00 2,164,620.00 824,218,530.00 40,801,230.00 37,954,221.00 593,817,411.00

13.16 0.205 795 5.47 77.05 6.64 0.5 3.83 11.4 0.600 3.74 4.7000 1.240 158.50 1079.00 1.20 0.79 213.800 192.00 0.2030 0.198

287,000 110,000 704,700 409,900 6,544,430 352,700 186,000 3,452,000 5,162,800 1,375,000 228,646,000 217,000 751,000 1,084,970 1,766,105 431,000 168,000 6,570 4,000 460,000 1,590,000

3,767,518.00 22,550.00 578,500,020.00 2,142,151.00 442,252,828.00 2,310,217.00 91,790.00 13,293,200.00 61,130,268.00 823,880.00 819,600,370.00 962,270.00 914,080.00 174,672,052.00 1,873,602,470.00 519,920.00 130,140.00 1,346,080.00 764,372.00 93,290.00 315,800.00

14.700 0.74 8.80 1.400 0.820 44.350 1.99 4.76 6.7 0.560 0.77 0.820 0.184 0.410 9.220 18.4 0.420 0.101 1.53 1.17 4.25 0.230 1.2000 0.4150 0.310 2.16

2,706,500 2,630,000 12,300 131,000 6,800,000 63,496,300 831,000 1,391,000 197,700 43,572,000 51,000 80,000 980,000 1,940,000 1,223,900 2,501,300 2,240,000 240,000 55,826,000 1,343,000 127,041,000 181,540,000 10,553,000 1,250,000 510,000 3,518,000

39,861,908.00 1,876,290.00 109,705.00 179,710.00 5,522,580.00 2,809,113,150.00 1,658,100.00 6,596,340.00 1,305,211.00 23,679,680.00 41,580.00 66,880.00 178,570.00 782,600.00 11,638,787.00 46,831,118.00 941,300.00 24,030.00 85,120,310.00 1,551,960.00 533,808,590.00 39,654,280.00 12,558,340.00 506,600.00 164,150.00 7,637,570.00

STOCKS

JANUARY 13-17, 2020 Close Volume

JANUARY 6-10, 2020 Close Volume Value

Value

Robinson’s Land `B’ Rockwell Shang Properties Inc. SM Prime Holdings Sta. Lucia Land Inc. Suntrust Home Dev. Inc. Vista Land & Lifescapes Vistamalls

27.70 2.13 3.24 40.70 2.46 1.860 7.350 5.870

6,643,900 409,000 152,000 57,001,500 2,136,000 67,333,000 27,455,800 181,100

182,695,395.00 880,270.00 492,450.00 2,314,179,885.00 5,045,860.00 115,618,780.00 202,631,143.00 1,051,616.00

2GO Group’ ABS-CBN Acesite Hotel AllHome APC Group, Inc. Apollo Global Asian Terminals Inc. Berjaya Phils. Inc. Bloomberry Cebu Air Inc. (5J) Centro Esc. Univ.

Chelsea DFNN Inc. Discovery World Easy Call “Common” FEUI Globe Telecom GMA Network Inc. Golden Haven Grand Plaza Hotel Harbor Star I.C.T.S.I. Imperial Res. `A’ IPeople Inc. `A’ IPM Holdings Island Info ISM Communications Jackstones LBC Express Leisure & Resorts Lorenzo Shipping Macroasia Corp.

Manila Bulletin Manila Jockey Metro Retail MetroAlliance A MetroAlliance B NOW Corp.

Pacific Online Sys. Corp.

PAL Holdings Inc. Paxys Inc. PH Resorts Group Phil. Seven Corp.

Philweb.Com Inc. PLDT Common PremiereHorizon Premium Leisure Puregold Robinsons RTL SBS Phil. Corp.

SSI Group STI Holdings Transpacific Broadcast Waterfront Phils.

Wilcon Depot

9.83 17.2 1.3 11.42 0.420 0.046 18.3 3.32 10.90 87 7.05 5.33 5.10 2 8.70 892 2098 5.43 439.00 11.90 1.40 132.7 1.66 8.17 7.50 0.103 3.9200 1.9 12.32 2.49 0.90 13.40 0.405 3.07 2.14 0.96 1.00 2.580 2.27 7.40 2.88 4.51 134.50 2.65 1086.00 0.385 0.580 40.00 78.30 9.39 2.82 0.610 0.27 0.630 18.600

27,800 937,300 481,000 4,423,400 4,440,000 49,200,000 351,900 7,592,000 14,691,900 360,070 1,000 2,305,400 386,200 44,000 210,200 280 262,625 785,700 127,620 2,300 12,641,000 6,446,030 30,000 300 35,000 9,400,000 38,086,000 1,000 1,000 280,000 227,000 12,297,600 530,000 1,038,000 2,760,000 87,000 8,000 6,139,000 187,000 36,000 1,000 42,600 1,376,640 2,913,000 667,335 80,300,000 22,926,000 1,861,000 1,157,960 518,300 10,231,000 44,146,000 17,800,000 1,981,000 15,965,200

Abra Mining ACE Enexor Apex `A’ Atlas Cons. `A’ Atok-Big Wedge `A’ Benguet Corp `B’ Century Peak Metals Hldgs Coal Asia Dizon Ferronickel Geograce Res. Phil. Inc. Lepanto `A’ Lepanto `B’ Manila Mining `A’ Manila Mining `B’ Marcventures Hldgs., Inc. Nickelasia Nihao Mineral Resources Omico Oriental Peninsula Res. Oriental Pet. `A’ Oriental Pet. `B’ Philex `A’ PhilexPetroleum Philodrill Corp. `A’ Semirara Corp.

United Paragon

0.0014 8.7000 1.05 2.53 10.88 1.1000 2.96 0.270 7.18 1.610 0.212 0.098 0.101 0.0079 0.0083 0.88 3.45 1.06 0.4650 0.7500 0.0110 0.0120 2.96 9.35 0.0110 21.80 0.0060

MINING & OIL 1,043,000,000 1,460,800.00 3,734,700 33,201,337.00 5,259,000 5,473,970.00 1,689,000 4,253,670.00 4,400 47,220.00 30,000 33,010.00 8,556,000 24,782,070.00 4,910,000 157,350.00 17,000 121,205.00 13,754,000 22,149,440.00 30,220,000 6,743,560.00 3,140,000 306,000.00 3,410,000 330,830.00 29,000,000 228,000.00 1,000,000 8,300.00 1,006,000 899,800.00 39,348,000 127,078,020.00 1,721,000 1,833,560.00 1,060,000 450,700.00 72,000 54,390.00 82,500,000 907,500.00 17,200,000 195,900.00 2,307,000 6,942,430.00 2,587,500 24,543,743.00 172,300,000 1,807,100.00 2,521,800 54,923,425.00 2,000,000 12,000.00

ABS-CBN Holdings Corp.

Alco Preferred B Alco Preferred C Ayala Corp. Pref `B1’ Ayala Corp. Pref ‘B2’ CPG PREF A DD PREF First Gen G GLOBE PREF P GMA Holdings Inc. GTCAP PREF B House Preferred MWIDE PREF PCOR-Preferred 2B PCOR-Preferred 3A PCOR-Preferred 3B PF Pref 2 PNX PREF 3A PNX PREF 3B SMC Preferred 1 SMC Preferred B SMC Preferred C SMC Preferred D SMC Preferred E SMC Preferred F SMC Preferred G SMC Preferred H

16.5 101.5 105 502 500 100.6 100.9 107.5 498.4 5.4 970 99.75 100 1040 1050 1060 100.2 107 1026 1000 76.6 74 75 76 75.1 75.5 76.2

839,000 1,010 14,100 11,710 770 15,620 174,780 26,610 20,040 207,700 760 27,390 71,540 90 6,560 13,785 2,120 1,330 6,940 1,370 212,570 2,900 37,030 69,620 41,200 113,400 182,340

LR Warrant

1.320

80,000

SERVICES 269,538.00 16,765,396.00 636,170.00 50,749,916.00 1,839,900.00 2,240,500.00 6,439,770.00 26,802,760.00 159,593,164.00 31,774,889.50 7,050.00 12,607,912.00 1,935,208.00 81,130.00 1,858,991.00 249,330.00 536,662,290.00 4,276,007.00 56,079,932.00 26,278.00 17,240,070.00 852,864,885.00 50,140.00 2,451.00 273,048.00 984,110.00 152,039,110.00 1,900.00 13,778.00 684,420.00 203,620.00 170,676,730.00 214,400.00 3,305,230.00 5,792,010.00 80,380.00 8,000.00 15,868,230.00 422,960.00 269,966.00 2,880.00 195,406.00 185,765,090.00 7,675,270.00 729,522,035.00 25,949,950.00 13,448,750.00 73,564,640.00 90,841,706.50 4,834,540.00 28,183,270.00 26,733,410.00 4,865,250.00 1,210,570.00 296,460,146.00

PREFERRED 14,400,304.00 102,504.00 1,480,442.00 5,870,190.00 385,000.00 1,580,883.00 17,609,722.00 2,841,031.00 10,044,650.00 1,122,851.00 737,440.00 2,732,143.00 7,177,022.00 93,600.00 6,855,900.00 14,534,850.00 212,630.00 144,789.00 7,139,250.00 1,369,250.00 16,391,911.50 215,340.00 2,777,280.00 5,283,611.00 3,097,930.00 8,550,010.00 13,877,557.00 WARRANTS & BONDS 100,890.00

27.15 2.09 3.24 42.00 2.47 1.650 7.530 5.840

10,364,500 698,000 173,000 44,089,100 2,952,000 69,869,000 35,222,100 372,100

288,674,165.00 1,468,110.00 558,890.00 1,845,783,580.00 6,982,900.00 106,129,960.00 264,942,058.00 2,157,867.00

9.65 18.5 1.35 11.52 0.405 0.046 18.5 3.26 10.60 86.55

50,800 4,420,500 339,000 5,235,700 3,770,000 46,300,000 439,800 7,947,000 44,272,100 1,861,430

491,730.00 81,857,268.00 456,110.00 60,453,106.00 1,518,500.00 2,037,700.00 8,050,100.00 27,520,100.00 459,966,154.00 162,003,694.00

5.32 5.00 2.01 8.75 891 1980 5.45 439.80 11.98 1.34 132.5 1.77 8.15 7.30 0.102 3.7300 1.9 13.94 2.47 0.88 14.18 0.410 3.23 2.12 0.95

4,769,300 238,500 61,000 163,300 2,510 238,650 1,175,900 50,230 4,500 22,830,000 7,993,900 7,000 5,800 29,500 14,990,000 12,543,000 108,000 4,600 1,436,000 103,000 5,765,800 4,730,000 522,000 2,137,000 6,000

25,561,026.00 1,234,445.00 107,920.00 1,417,862.00 2,235,160.00 479,338,955.00 6,425,896.00 21,972,064.00 48,632.00 28,304,820.00 1,057,850,229.00 12,540.00 47,223.00 206,051.00 1,558,910.00 45,604,480.00 205,800.00 61,950.00 3,564,960.00 90,640.00 87,465,986.00 2,011,050.00 1,709,840.00 4,524,700.00 5,700.00

2.480 2.4 7.50

6,231,000 203,000 19,700

15,567,000.00 498,070.00 148,963.00

5.14 140.00 2.58 1090.00 0.340 0.590 39.70 79.50 9.08 2.66 0.610 0.28 0.620 18.200

200 1,537,160 3,007,000 652,130 31,620,000 13,461,000 3,613,800 1,555,580 6,627,700 11,105,000 8,183,000 47,460,000 1,803,000 4,369,500

1,028.00 215,036,660.00 7,634,350.00 688,572,337.50 11,267,200.00 7,865,150.00 144,134,645.00 122,929,132.50 60,820,004.00 29,373,740.00 4,893,930.00 12,689,900.00 1,109,750.00 79,649,842.00

0.0014 9.5800 1.09 2.50 10.90 1.2000 3 0.270 7.13 1.630 0.199 0.100 0.103 0.0085 0.0097 0.9 3.11 1.02 0.4800 0.7500 0.0110 0.0110 3.20 10.22 0.0110 22.00 0.0060

800,000,000 5,301,900 12,276,000 1,313,000 5,300 39,000 10,737,000 870,000 80,600 15,295,000 1,070,000 31,510,000 15,650,000 163,000,000 42,000,000 1,512,000 41,635,000 204,000 200,000 1,136,000 203,000,000 2,564,600,000 5,392,000 6,094,100 260,200,000 2,325,200 22,000,000

1,157,100.00 51,938,076.00 13,605,620.00 3,273,320.00 58,004.00 45,540.00 32,366,080.00 234,900.00 572,711.00 25,357,740.00 211,900.00 3,242,250.00 1,596,210.00 1,447,300.00 377,200.00 1,359,200.00 131,035,640.00 204,180.00 93,550.00 784,070.00 2,174,200.00 30,809,100.00 17,273,110.00 58,796,562.00 2,816,800.00 51,246,105.00 125,000.00

17.9 100.1 100.8 501 500 100 100.5 103.7 505 5.49 999 99.75 101

3,414,300 18,210 110 44,060 12,850 34,350 65,540 2,550 70 114,300 2,550 50,530 37,790

60,729,038.00 1,826,989.00 11,088.00 22,045,452.00 6,311,260.00 3,477,603.00 6,570,995.00 271,945.00 35,314.00 613,606.00 2,546,450.00 5,002,045.00 3,815,840.00

1050 1050 100.5 108 1029 995 76.8 75 74.9 76.5 75.1 76.5 76

4,990 11,070 13,440 3,300 9,450 7,590 61,730 2,900 20,430 58,420 69,230 55,940 297,550

5,186,865.00 11,627,620.00 1,340,086.00 356,400.00 9,719,980.00 7,569,850.00 4,775,952.50 217,500.00 1,532,212.50 4,457,771.00 5,203,953.50 4,200,613.00 22,605,949.00

1.250

231,000

287,740.00

SME 3,847,310.00 9,480,289.00 20,393,240.00

4.02 10.34 0.87

2,335,000 1,743,800 26,594,000

9,224,690.00 17,813,875.00 21,994,760.00

Italpinas Kepwealth Xurpas

3.89 9.62 0.91

979,000 953,400 22,678,000

First Metro ETF

115.6

EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS 42,790 4,938,326.00

116.3

23,330

2,717,800.00

10 0.95

DOLLAR DENONIMATED SEC. 7,940 79,400.00 1,300 1,235.00

10 0.95

17,330 85,800

173,300.00 79,043.00

USD DMPL A2 USD TECH B2

WEEKLY MOST TRADED STOCKS Abra Mining MRC Allied Ind. Philodrill Corp. `A’ Metro Pacific Inv. Corp.

Fruitas Holdings Emperador Megaworld Cemex Holdings Oriental Pet. `A’ PremiereHorizon

VOLUME 1,043,000,000 205,360,000 172,300,000 149,237,000 138,100,000 136,154,100 119,076,000 95,687,000 82,500,000 80,300,000

STOCKS Ayala Land `B’ SM Prime Holdings Ayala Corp `A’ Banco de Oro Unibank Inc. SM Investments Inc. Emperador JG Summit Holdings Bank of PI I.C.T.S.I. Metrobank

VALUE 2,396,575,055.00 2,314,179,885.00 1,817,548,835.00 1,811,407,866.00 1,270,850,945.00 983,111,109.00 977,279,730.50 878,550,077.00 852,864,885.00 828,834,853.00

Finance, PSE to sign revised regulations on REITS today THE government is set to finally sign today the much-anticipated revised rules on real estate investment trusts (REITS), a move that will unlock billions worth of new capital and further spur the real estate industry.

The Securities and Exchange Commission, Bureau of Internal Revenue, Department of Finance and the Philippine Stock Exchange are scheduled to conduct a joint signing ceremony on the amendments to the implementing rules and regulations of the REIT Law this afternoon.

The meeting is expected to be attended

by Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III, BIR Commissioner Caesar Dulay, SEC chairman Emilio Aquino and PSE president and chief executive Ramon Monzon.

One of the expected revisions in the implement rules of the REIT law is the lower minimum public ownership.

The SEC earlier said it was willing to reduce the minimum public ownership to 33 percent from current version of 40 percent in first year and 67 percent in the second year.

The higher public float requirement was one of the reasons why real estate investors shied away from the REITs for nearly 11 years after it was passed into law.

In exchange for lower public float requirement, the DOF wants capital to be raised from REITs offering reinvested in the domestic economy.

Another unfavorable provision of the previous REIT rules was the transfer of real estate assets to a REIT vehicle, which was subject to the value added tax.

This taxation issues were resolved with the passage of package 1 of Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion Act. Among the companies that have expressed plans to conduct REIT offerings are Ayala Land Inc., Double Dragon Properties Inc., SM Prime Holdings Inc., Robinsons Land Corp., Century Properties Group and Megaworld Corp.

Ayala Land last year announced plans raise $300 million in the country’s first real estate investment trust listing.

Jenniffer B. Austria

Megaworld bares plan to build 2 more towers in Iloilo City MEGAWORLD Corp., the country’s largest developer and lessor of office spaces, is expanding its office portfolio with the construction of two new office towers inside the 72-hectare Iloilo Business Park in Mandurriao, Iloilo City Megaworld said in a statement over the weekend two new office towers— Enterprise One and Enterprise Two— each 12-story high, will rise along the bustling stretch of Megaworld Boulevard in the city’s modern business park.

The two new office towers will offer around 78,000 square meters of new office spaces. Both buildings will be applied for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification.

“The demand for office spaces in Iloilo Business Park has been steadily growing the past years. Most of the companies that want to set up operations in Iloilo prefer the township concept that we offer because it helps ensure convenience and comfort necessary for the retention of their employees,” said Megaworld Premier Offices first vice president Roland Tiongson.

Megaworld to date has nearly 65,000 square meters of office spaces in eight buildings that are fully operational within Iloilo Business Park.

The towers—One Global Center, Two Global Center, Richmonde Tower, One Techno Place, Two Techno Place, Three Techno Place and Festive Walk Office 1 and 2—are fully leased out.

An additional 35,000 square meters are now under construction, which are expected to be completed next year.

These are One Fintech Place A, One Fintech Place B and Two Fintech Place.

Among the first-time locators in Iloilo Business Park are StarTek, iQor, Reed Elsevier, WNS, Nearsol and Connectsys. Companies like Transcom and HGS have also expanded their Iloilo operations in the township.

“By 2022, we expect our office stocks to reach around 175,000 square meters, the biggest for a single developer in Iloilo City. These office towers are able to generate approximately 62,000 jobs in the BPO sector,” added Tiongson.

Megaworld last year opened its P350million transport hub inside the Iloilo Business Park Jenniffer B. Austria

Business/World Missile attack kills 70 soldiers

Snow hampers search for trekkers KATHMANDU―Heavy snow and poor visibility hampered the search Sunday for four South Koreans and three Nepalis caught in an avalanche in the popular Annapurna region of the Himalayas, officials said.

Relatives of the missing Koreans have arrived in Kathmandu alongside several officials sent by Seoul to help with the emergency rescue efforts, Ang Dorjee Sherpa of the Korean Alpine Federation told AFP. The missing group was near the Annapurna base camp around 10,600 feet above sea level when the avalanche struck after heavy snowfall on Friday.

“Search and rescue efforts are underway but weather and snow in the area has made it difficult to make much progress,” Mira Acharya from Nepal’s tourism department told AFP. Helicopters were sent out on Saturday to rescue about 200 people stranded around Annapurna and other nearby mountains after the incident.

Photos from the area shared on social media showed guesthouses along the trekking route blanketed in a thick layer of white.

Six of the missing were part of the same expedition, while one Nepali porter was escorting a different group.

The four foreigners were part of an 11-member team of South Korean nationals. Others from the team were safe.

Education officials in Seoul said they were part of a team of volunteer teachers working with children in Nepal.

Two more South Koreans were due to arrive in Nepal on Sunday to help with the search, the country’s foreign ministry said.

Sherpa said it had snowed heavily around Annapurna in recent days, making the trek risky. AFP

17 new cases of mystery virus BEIJING―China reported 17 new cases of the mysterious SARS-like virus on Sunday, including three in a severe condition, heightening fears ahead of China’s Lunar New Year holiday when hundreds of millions of people move around the country.

The new coronavirus strain has caused alarm because of its connection to Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome, which killed nearly 650 people across mainland China and Hong Kong in 2002-2003.

Of the 17 new cases in the central city of Wuhan―believed to be the epicenter of the outbreak―three were described as “severe”, of which two patients were too critical to be moved, authorities said.

Those infected range from 30 to 79 years old.

The virus has now infected 62 people in Wuhan, city authorities said, with eight in a severe condition, 19 cured and discharged from hospital, and the rest remaining in isolation receiving treatment.

Two people have died so far from the virus, including a 69-year-old man who died on Wednesday after the disease caused pulmonary tuberculosis and damaged multiple organ functions.

Authorities said they had begun “optimised” testing of pneumonia cases across the city to identify those infected, and would begin “detection work... towards suspected cases in the city” as a next step, as well as carrying out “sampling tests.”

Scientists with the MRC Centre for Global Infectious Disease Analysis at Imperial College in London warned in a paper published Friday that the number of cases in the city was likely to be closer to 1,700, much higher than the number officially identified. AFP

B3

CESAR BARRIOQUINTO, Editor mst.daydesk@gmail.com

UK’s Harry, Meghan to give up their royal titles

IN BRIEF DUBAI―At least 70 Yemeni soldiers have been killed in a missile attack launched by Huthi rebels on a mosque in the central province of Marib, medical and military sources said Sunday.

The Huthis attacked a mosque in a military camp in Marib―about 170 kilometers east of Sanaa―during evening prayers on Saturday, military sources told AFP. A medical source at a Marib city hospital, where casualties were transported, said that at least 70 soldiers were killed in the strike.

Yemen’s internationally recognized government―backed by a Saudi-led military coalition―has been battling the Iran-backed Huthis since 2014, when the rebels seized the northern capital of Sanaa.

Yemeni President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi condemned the “cowardly and terrorist” attack, according to the official Saba news agency. The report did not give a death toll.

“The disgraceful actions of the Huthi militia without a doubt confirm its unwillingness to (achieve) peace, because it knows nothing but death and destruction and is a cheap Iranian tool in the region,” it quoted Hadi as saying.

The Huthis did not make any immediate claim of responsibility.

Tens of thousands of people, mostly civilians, have been killed and millions displaced since 2015, when Saudi Arabia and its allies intervened in the conflict to back the government against the Huthi rebels.

The conflict, which the United Nations says has caused the world’s worst humanitarian crisis, has pushed the country to the brink of famine. AFP

MONDAY, JANUARY 20, 2020

UNREST IN IRAQ. An anti-government protester with a national flag tucked behind his back flashes the victory sign while holding a cup in one hand as he rides in the back of a bicycle past a makeshift roadblock during a demonstration in the central Iraqi holy shrine city of Najaf on January 19, 2020. AFP

World powers to seek elusive peace in Libya

B

ERLIN―World leaders will gather in Berlin on Sunday to make a fresh push for peace in Libya, in a desperate bid to stop the conflict-wracked nation from disintegrating into a “second Syria.”

The presidents of Russia, Turkey and France are due for talks from around 2:00 pm (1300 GMT) held under the auspices of the United Nations, which wants to get foreign powers wielding influence in the region to stop interfering in the war, through the provision of weapons, troops or financing.

Leaders of both warring factions― strongman Khalifa Haftar and the head of Tripoli’s UN-recognized government Fayez al-Sarraj―are also expected at the first such gathering since 2018.

But hours ahead of the meet, proHaftar forces upped the ante by blocking oil exports at the war-ravaged country’s key ports, crippling the main source of income in a protest against Turkey’s decision to send troops to shore up Sarraj’s

Tripoli-based Government of National Accord (GNA).

The move underlined the devastating impact of what is described by the UN as foreign interference, which the United Nations’ special envoy Ghassan Salame said had to stop.

“All foreign interference can provide some aspirin effect in the short term, but Libya needs all foreign interference to stop. That’s one of the objectives of this conference,” he told AFP on the eve of the meeting.

The UN hopes all sides will sign up to a plan to refrain from interference, and commit to a truce that leads to a lasting end to hostilities, according to a draft of a final communique seen by AFP. That document also urges all parties to re-commit to a much-violated UN arms embargo and raises the prospect of political, inter-Libyan talks in Geneva at the end of the month.

If all goes to plan, the Berlin participants will hold an evening press conference.

Libya has been torn by fighting between rival armed factions since a 2011 NATO-backed uprising killed dictator Moamer Kadhafi.

Most recently, Sarraj’s troops in Trip-

oli have been under attack since April from Haftar’s forces.

Clashes killed more than 280 civilians and 2,000 fighters and displaced tens of thousands, until a fragile ceasefire backed by both Ankara and Moscow was put in place on January 12.

Although Sarraj’s government is recognised by the UN, powerful players have broken away to stand behind Haftar—turning a domestic conflict into what is essentially a proxy war in which international powers jostle to secure their own interests.

Alarm grew internationally as Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan ordered troops to Libya early January to bolster Sarraj.

Underlining the stakes involved, German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said “Europe and those players who are influential” in the region have all been called to Berlin, because “we have to make sure Libya doesn’t become a second Syria.”

“The conference can be the first step to peace for Libya,” Maas told the Bild newspaper.

Sarraj meanwhile issued a call for international “protection troops” if Haftar were to keep up his offensive. AFP

How integral is integrality in the workplace?

JERREL LOPEZ

Green LiGht WE ALL come from different backgrounds and so companies provide various trainings for their employees. Most often than not, these seminars and trainings are part of the benefits that employees get from the companies. Primarily, these trainings enhance the skills of the employees as they are more on content relevant to the employees’ line of work or expertise.

But there is this company called Institute of Integrality started by Dr. Cristine Margaret Atienza, a DBA graduate from De La Salle University, that offers transformative training that enables participants to determine and align their purpose in life. The priority is to ensure that the inner and outer self are aligned with each other and that they do not oppose each other. Employees are not expected to act differently in the office and to be another person when they are out of the office. There should be a coherence in the manner that employees behave and act wherever they are.

The topic integrality was discussed lengthily, more specifically the background of the company and what they do. The company was formed as a result of the speaker’s insider action research inspired by Coghlan and Brannick. The concept of the company is training and leading people to have a clear purpose in one’s life, have a positive outlook and work culture and ensure that the employee works well in congruence with the vision/mission of the company vis-à-vis the employee’s personal vision/mission.

The employees or human resources

are the most important assets of the companies. They manage and lead colleagues. They make things possible in terms of the directions that the board of directors would like company management to achieve.

So, to ensure that the most important persons in any organization are well taken cared of, the organization must ensure their completeness. The completeness of a person paves the way for an employee to be at his or her best all the time. His or her output transcends to the best output the employee can provide and not just merely to accomplish the task in exchange for monetary reward.

The company believes that when people are motivated, they know and understand their real purpose, they are guided in their decisions and their actions are in accordance with positive behavior. This enables individual to perform their tasks and relate well with others with dignity and integrity.

It is true that if all employees share the same attribute, they are in harmony with each other and that conflicts are prevented. Even if and when they arise, they are easily solved as there is a level of understanding that collaboration among peers is important and that every action will lead to a goal and that goal should be in accordance with the vision/mission of the company.

When people are happy, their engagement level is high. When they are engaged, they contribute and share their knowledge and they excel in what they do. They are positive and supportive of their colleagues. They think, feel and do well and that all things seem to be possible and reachable if all employees are united and are aligned with company’s vision/mission. Having to evaluate in-

tegrality in the workplace provides employees the opportunity to personally assess and align their values.

What seems to be more prominent in this Institute of Integrality, as I understood it, is that it prevents employees from being disengaged as it capitalizes on inclusivity regardless of the position in the company. Human resources research materials show that there is an increasing trend of resignations from employees due to their respective superiors. The Institute of Integrality has expertise in leading and managing leaders to become effective team builders.

I realized that companies who subscribe to such idea of providing work effectiveness, leadership trainings and positivity trainings to employees as offered by the Institute of Integrality help both the company and employees do away with office politics. Everyone in the company deserves respect, has responsibility, and is vital to the attainment of the overall vision of the company.

Companies that in turn are mindful of the welfare of their employees have low attrition rates as employees feel a sense of pride that they are valued and that they are integral in the operations and growth of the company. This is also in a way an advocacy of the organization as they truly care for the welfare of the employees who in turn can make every company great and sustainable.

The author is an MBA student at De La Salle University. This article is part of her reflections on her experiences in the course, Integral Human Development.

She can be contacted at jerrel.lopez@ dlsu.edu.ph. The views expressed above are the author’s and do not necessarily reflect the official position of DLSU, its faculty, and its administrators.

LONDON-Britain’s Prince Harry and his wife Meghan will give up their royal titles and public funding as part of a settlement with the Queen to start a new life away from the British monarchy.

The historic announcement from Buckingham Palace on Saturday follows more than a week of intense private talks aimed at managing the fallout of the globe-trotting couple’s shock resignation from front-line royal duties.

It means Queen Elizabeth II’s grandson Harry and his American TV actress wife Meghan will stop using the titles “royal highness”—the same fate that befell his late mother Princess Diana after her divorce from Prince Charles in 1996.

“Following many months of conversations and more recent discussions, I am pleased that together we have found a constructive and supportive way forward for my grandson and his family,” the 93-year-old monarch said in a statement.

“I recognize the challenges they have experienced as a result of intense scrutiny over the last two years and support their wish for a more independent life.”

Her comments referred to battles with the media that prompted Harry and Meghan to sue several newspapers in October over intrusions into their private lives.

The Queen said she was “particularly proud of how Meghan has so quickly become one of the family” and wished the couple “a happy and peaceful new life.”

A separate statement attributed to Buckingham Palace said “the Sussexes will not use their HRH titles as they are no longer working members of the Royal Family.” AFP

Mexico troops block travelers bound for US CIUDAD HIDALGO―Mexican troops urged some 1,500 Central American migrants to maintain “order and respect” on Saturday after the group attempted to force entry into the country from Guatemala in the hopes of trekking onward to the United States.

Standing on the wall above the Rodolfo Robles International Bridge that connects Mexico with its southern neighbor, National Guard General Vincente Hernandez told migrants they would be allowed to cross the border in a “controlled” manner.

“With order and respect, all will be served. There are opportunities for everyone,” said Hernandez, who also coordinates the National Guard operations along the Suchiate River, the natural border between Mexico and Guatemala.

“We understand the situation, you are our brothers from Honduras, El Salvador, Guatemala,” Hernandez told the caravan. His speech was met with applause.

Some 800 migrants agreed to regularize their status and seek employment in Mexico, an official from the National Institute of Migration (INM) said.

Earlier Saturday, troops had blocked the caravan, scuffling with the migrants as they attempted to cross the border.

One National Guard soldier standing guard at the bridge and speaking over a bullhorn told the travelers they could not enter without a visa or migration document, and that sneaking in was dangerous.

“Do not expose yourself to people traffickers. Your life is in danger,” said the agent, who also told them the idea that the United States will grant them asylum is false.

Most of the migrants left last Tuesday from Manila TO THE Honduras NOTICE PUBLIC and had ar- Standard TODAY be adviced rived Saturday Please that Mr. Jayne Canhe morning at the Cabagon, male, 65 years died on December 28, bridge over old 2010 and was interred at the Suchiate Heritage Park Cemetary in Taguig City.

River, which information and forms the bor- For concerns about this der between person, please call his at 0955-5820028, G u a t e m a l a wife with address at 349 and Mexico Apitong St., Comembo, Bonifacio, Makati to the north. For City .

AFP (MS-JAN. 6,13 & 20, 2020)

QC sends human milk to aid Taal evacuee mothers

Jimbo Owen Gulle, Editor lgu@manilastandard.net editor.lgustandard@gmail.com

B4

MONDAY, JANUARY 20, 2020

By Rio N. Araja

LGUs LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS

VIVA STO. NINO. Devotees carry their religious icons of the Santo Nino (holy child) to be blessed by priests during the annual festival in Manila on Sunday. The

Philippines is Asia’s bastion of Catholicism and Santo Niño or the Child Jesus is one among dozens of religious festivals honouring various saints and religious icons, a legacy of three centuries of Spanish rule across the archipelago. AFP

QUEZON City Mayor Joy Belmonte on Sunday tapped the city’s human milk bank to donate mother’s milk to infants to nursing mother in evacuation centers affected by the eruption of Taal Volcano in Batangas.

“Our human milk bank at the Quezon City General Hospital will help breastfeeding mothers affected by the Taal Volcano eruption,” she said in response to the provincial government’s call for breastmilk donation.

“This is just a simple gesture of help to our affected countrymen,” Belmonte added.

She said hospital director Dr. Josephine Sabando has already checked the supply of mother’s milk for distribution for Taal Volcano’s victims.

According to Sabando, the human millk bank would initially give 40 bottles (100 ml) of pasteurized human milk to some of the infants in the evacuation centers in Batangas.

If the need arises, she said 200 more milk bottles are available for immediate distribution.

Belmonte earlier deployed the city’s Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office to provide 360 blankets, 360 sleeping mats, 300 partition tents, and two mobile showers for the evacuees affected by the Taal eruption in Tanauan, Batangas.

Duterte kicks off Sinulog festival C

EBU CITY—President Rodrigo Duterte celebrated the Sinulog 2020 festival with Cebuanos on Sunday, arriving at the Cebu City Sports Center at 4 p.m. to witness the ritual showdown of the different competing contingents in the annual cultural and religious festival and the center of the Santo Niño Catholic celebrations in the country.

President Duterte was welcomed by Secretary Michael Dino of the Office of the Presidential Assistant for the Visayas and Cebu City Mayor Edgar Labella, among other officials, as he joined thousands of revelers in celebrating one of the most grandiose festivals in the country.

Duterte spoke inside the CCSC before the guest contingent from the Cebu

Provincial Government led by Governor Gwen Garcia.

The President’s visit came after Mayor Labella sent him a personal invitation to attend the Sinulog earlier this month, to which Duterte—the longtime Davao City mayor whose father hails from Cebu province—responded positively.

Sinulog is on its 40th year this year

with 31 dancing contingents from Cebu City, Cebu Province and other out-oftown delegations. Of the 31 contingents, eight are out-of-town, seven are from the province, and 16 from the city.

Last year, only 27 contingents joined the Sinulog.

On Saturday, about three million devotees of the Child Jesus joined the solemn foot procession of the miraculous image of Sto. Niño on the vesper of the 455th Fiesta Señor.

The devotees indulged in a 6.5-kilometer walk along the stretches of major thoroughfares in the city center’s downtown and uptown areas.

Col. Engelbert Soriano, officer-in-

charge of the Cebu City Police Office, said the solemn procession was generally peaceful and successfully conducted.

Lt. Col. Rowel Gavilanes, director of the 701st Community Defense Center of the Army Reserve Command that supervised Army reservists securing the passageways of the Sto. Niño image carroza, said the devotees were cooperative to the crowd control personnel.

“Generally, the procession started and ended smoothly,” he said.

The Army reservists manned the Osmeña Boulevard close to the Basilica Minore del Sto. Niño to control the ingress and egress of the churchgoers during the foot procession. PNA

Filipinos sweep Southeast Asian-wide photo contest LOS BAÑOS, Laguna—Four Filipinos won five of the six top prizes in the 13th Photo Contest of the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture, which focused on the theme “Cultivating Southeast Asia’s Youth Agripreneurs.”

The winners are Mariano Sayno, first prize; Phan Thi Khanh of Vietnam, second prize; Jose Ramos, third prize; and Christopher Andres, People’s Choice Award. Jaime Singlador bagged the SEARCA Director’s Choice and the Philippine Department of Education Secretary’s Choice, both new special prize categories.

Mariano Sayno’s photo shows a mother-and-son tandem in the town of Laguna, Philippines, known for its duck raising cottage industry. The photo that bested 761 other entries depicts a young boy cheerfully holding a duck as he watches his mother place freshly laid eggs in a basket full of eggs, which frames the pair.

Phan Thi Khanh’s photo captured a grandmother-granddaughter team patching up a fishnet in the coastal city of Hue, Vietnam.

Jose Ramos II’s winning entry is of a bright-eyed young boy who appears to be listening to an adult man as they gather weeds in a rice paddy field.

The People’s Choice Award winner

by Christopher Andres, which garnered over 1,400 likes on Facebook, shows two young men, the older one teaching the other how to plant seedlings.

The photo that bagged the SEARCA Director’s Choice, Dr. Glenn Gregorio, is a refreshing image of two young girls and their grandmother in a cutflower farming scene.

For the DepEd Secretary’s Choice, Dr. Leonor Briones selected a photo of children studying outdoors in a rural farming community.

With the contest, SEARCA hopes that more young people would be inspired to involve themselves in agricultural pursuits. Brenda Jocson

Citicore workers send relief packs to Batangas areas

By Brenda Jocson SANTIAGO CITY―Citicore, a renewable energy company, has joined other private firms in providing relief assistance to the victims of Taal Volcano’s recent eruption in Batangas Province.

In cooperation with the firm’s foundation, Citicore Foundation has mobilized employees to volunteer in the distribution of Malasakit Packs composed of approximately 5,000 bottled drinking water, 500 cup noodles, 1,000 assorted clothes and undergarments, 100 mats and 150 blankets.

The relief packs were distributed to volcano evacuees sheltering in emergency centers in the towns of Alitagtag, Balayan and Tuy in Batangas.

Citicore and its foundation continuously to coordinate with other concerned local government units in order to extend more relief assistance to other affected areas.

“Our teams are also helping in assessing immediate needs of the affected residents,” said Oliver Tan, Citicore President.

Local government units in and outside of Batangas Province have been seeking donations for the affected communities since Jan. 13.

Angeles boosts anti-drug drive, elder citizens aid

By Romeo Dizon

BEARS OF CARE. Stuffed toy bears are lined up on a table at Bahay Pag-Asa in Biñan, Laguna ahead of their distribution to indigent children by SM City Santa Rosa through the mall’s ‘Bears of Joy’ program. It is SM Supermalls’ yearly Christmas charity project where a customer is encouraged to buy a pair of bears worth P200, with one to be taken home and the other is left for donation to charity. The scene was repeated by SM City Rosario and SM City Trece Martires in Cavite alongside the distribution of relief goods to victims of Taal Volcano’s recent eruption, including 700 families who have moved to evacuation centers in Alfonso and Mendez towns. Roy Tomandao and Norman Cruz

Balanga SK joins fight against drugs, terrorism BALANGA CITY, Bataan―The Balanga Federated Sangguniang Kabataan is supporting authorities drive against illegal drugs and terrorism.

“We joined the organizing of Kabataan Kontra Droga at Terorismo by the Bataan police last year,” said SK

Balanga Federated president Jim Espinosa.

“We want protection of youths from the harmful effects of illegal drugs, and also not violate the law,” he said.

“We support the organizing and mobilizing the community by the po-

lice specifically the youths to protect our sector from the deceptive words of the terrorists,” he added.

Espinosa has been urging the youths of Balanga to be indulged in productive endeavors. He vowed support to all the programs of Mayor Francis Garcia. Butch Gunio

ANGELES CITY―The city government has intensified illegal drug dependents’ campaign and a door-todoor medical assistance program to better serve the residents of this highly urbanized city.

The campaign against illegal drugs, a signature program of the national government down to the barangay level is now being intensified to attain a drug free city by providing comprehensive activities for those who surrendered as means of total reformation from destructive use of the substance abuses.

The national program is being implemented by Angeles City Anti-Drug Abuse Council Council with 80-percent success rate of accomplishment in cooperation with other government agencies and non-government organizations.

Mayor Carmelo Lazatin Jr. stresses the importance of implementing of prevention and reformation during the graduation of the 34 drug surrenderers Sunday.

Lazatin said that the surrenders graduated from the city community rehabilitation program conducted by ACADAC. Under the program, the rehabilitated drug defendants underwent counseling and treatment, lectures, outreach program, tree planting and family intervention for several weeks in the city.

“The family intervention will boost a better relationship between the outpatients and their family to regain the trust and confidence with each other,” Lazatin said.

Life

Bernadette Lunas, Issue Editor manilastandardlife@gmail.com @manilastandardlife @MStandardLIFE

FOOD

MONDAY, JANUARY 20, 2020

C1

Bite into an

auspicious Year of the Rat

LUCKY SALAD. The lavish fresh Yu Sheng salad consists of food items that are believed to bring good luck, abundance, and harmony.

By Bernadette Lunas

W

HEN it comes to creating dishes that usher in good luck and abundance, the Chinese people have it mastered.

Salmon (a fish which in Chinese sounds like “surplus”) signifies abundance and excess throughout the year, colorful and sweet fruits like mango and cantaloupe bring good luck, radish wishes eternal youth, cashew nuts symbolize a household filled with gold and silver, carrots for good luck, pomelo (sounds like “to have” in Chinese) brings continuous prosperity.

Bring these food items together, add a generous drizzle of plum sauce for a sweet life and loving relationships, and you’ve got a colorful raw fish salad called Yu Sheng.

Eating this dish traditionally served during Chinese New Year has its ritual, too: everyone stands at the table and toss the salad seven times (a lucky number, as well) as high as possible, while shouting “lohei” and their new year’s wishes.

People at the table must push the ingredients toward the center, which according to Bonny Tan, et. al., “is an encouragement to push on the good luck of all at the table.”

It’s a messy practice for sure, but it’s all in the name of good fortune. And perhaps a bit of novelty for some.

Over at Cantonese restaurant Jasmine in New World Makati Hotel, diners are assured they can practice the traditional way of eating Yu Sheng as tables will be covered with plastic and cleaned up right after, officials said.

In addition to this auspicious salad, Chef Wong Kam On, a Hong Kong native living in the Philippines for over two decades, has prepared two special set menus in celebration of Chinese New Year.

Jasmine’s Lunar New Year dishes highlight auspicious ingredients such as fish; scallops or abalone, resembling gold coins for wealth; glutinous rice, whose stickiness pertains to together-

Assorted Nian Gao

Stir-fried scallop with shrimp in XO sauce

Lunar New Year feasts USHER in the Year of the Metal Rat together with family over an auspicious meal featuring dishes believed to bring good luck, abundance, and harmony throughout the year.

Braised shredded chicken with fish maw and dried scallop

ness or unity; and sweet desserts for healthy relationships. Both begin with Salmon Fish Yu Sheng.

The first set consists of braised shredded chicken with fish maw and dried scallop, the tasty and juicy stirfried scallop with shrimp in XO sauce, steamed live garoupa in soy sauce, braised pork knuckle with black mushroom and sea moss, deep-fried spare

ribs with salt and pepper and crispy milk, deep-fried crispy chicken with minced garlic, fried glutinous rice with Chinese marinated pork (a meal in itself), chilled red bean cream sweet dumpling, and an assortment of sweet Nian Gao desserts This menu is priced at P12,880++ for six guests.

Turn to C2

The flavorful fried glutinous rice with assorted Chinese meat is a meal in itself.

Magnificent Set Menu

Crystal Dragon

City of Dream’s Chinese restaurant Crystal Dragon serves a la carte and set menus for lunch and dinner until Jan. 31.

Diners can toss to a prosperous Lunar New Year with a bountiful serving of Prosperity Abalone Yu Sheng and choose between two set menus.

The seven-course Happiness Menu (P3,080++) consists of Braised Sea Treasure Broth; Deep-fried Crab Claws and Minced Shrimp Kataifi; Steamed Dried Oyster Stuffed in Bean Curd Skin; Sautéed Celery with Lotus Roots, Lily Bulbs, and Macadamia Nuts; Wok-fried Nian Gao and Minced Pork with XO Sauce; and Chilled Peach Jelly, Bird Nest, and Shredded Coconut.

The eight-course Magnificent Menu (P5,680++) offers Double-boiled Black Chicken Soup with Chinese Ham, Conpoy, Maca, and Fish Maw; Steamed Cod Fish Fillet with Black Truffle Sauce; Wok-fried Tiger Prawn with Creamy Butter Lemon Sauce; Braised Sea Cucumber, Flower Mushroom, Abalone, and Brocolli; Sauteed Celery, Lotus Root, Scallops and Lily Bulbs; Wok-fried Fragrant Rice with Dried Scallops and Sea Urchin Sauce; and ends with a serving of Deep-fried Trio Layer of Tikoy with Osmanthus Sauce.

Deep-fried crispy chicken with minced garlic

Kobe Platter

Nobu Manila

Japanese-Peruvian restaurant Nobu Manila joins in the festivities with its special Lunar New Year dishes.

Among the celebratory dishes are the Sushi and Sashimi Platter (P3,500++) that comes with fresh salmon, tuna, white fish, ebi, toro, wagyu, ikura, uni, and oyster; the Lapu-Lapu served New Style in Black Bean Sauce (P4, 000++) with yuzu soy, chives, ginger, garlic, and sesame seeds; and the Kobe Platter (P6,000++), which consists of a filling medley of gyoza, tacos, sliders, and croquettes.

Nobu Manila’s Chinese New Year offerings are available for the whole month of January.

Turn to C2

Life

C2

MONDAY, JANUARY 20, 2020 manilastandardlife@gmail.com

On-demand food delivery service foodpanda offers customers discounts on orders from over 1,000 restaurants. Clockwise: Ooma’s Spicy Tuna Maki, Ooma’s Unagi Don, Din Tai Fung’’s Pork Chop Fried Rice, and Din Tai Fung’s Dry Noodles with Spicy Shrimp and Pork.

T

Start the year with discounted meals Diners craving burger or fries (8Cuts, McDon- form of celebration. Hence, foodpanda thought of tomers a reason to celebrate the new year more in HE year 2020 begins with a gift of alds) or pizza (Big Guys Pizza), or something Japa- giving out another deal this January,” says Camille the whole month of January.” food deals and discounts.

nese (Ooma, 102 Izakaya), or dim sum (Din Tai Fung), or well-loved Filipino food (Manam, Adobo On-demand food delivery service foodpanda Connection) may order using the foodpanda app to kicks off the new year with 20 percent off on over get discounts.

“We are a food-loving nation and to us, food is a 1,000 restaurants in all key cities it serves.

Lunar...

From C1

Hadjeri, international markets manager for foodpanda Philippines.

She continues, “Where can you find cheap eats with discounts? ‘jansafoodpanda!’ We believe these amazing deals will give our food-loving cus-

Pizza for one

Flame

Discovery Primea’s Flame Restaurant celebrates the Year of the Metal Rat with a special Chef’s Tasting Menu carefully prepared by Executive Chef Luis Chikiamco.

The meal begins with a Kung Pao Shrimp Salad with mandarin orange and cashew nuts, then followed by Pan-Seared Foie Gras with ginger-rice “soubise” theevinegar reduction, smoked duck breast, and soft egg sous vide.

The third course features tender Lemongrass-Steamed Chilean Sea Bass with XO risotto, Asian “gremolata” and scallions, followed by a Flame favorite, Five Spice Duck Confit the Five Spice Duck Leg Confit with take-out Dan Dan noodles, minced pork, sesame paste, peanuts, and bok choy.

The meal ends on a sweet note with Almond Panna Cotta with dragon fruit salad, sesame croquant, and lychee sorbet.

The multi-course Oriental feast exclusively available for dinner on Jan 24-25 is priced at P2,500++ per person.

Yeesang

Corniche

Chinese New Year celebrations start early at Dimoand Hotel as guests can enjoy Corniche restaurant’s Chinese chef Yang Yong’s vast selection of authentic Chinese specialties for P3,180 nett per person from Jan. 23 to 26.

For a minimum spend of P5,000 at the buffet, guests are entitled to Pick-aPrize at the hotel’s Prosperity Tree for a chance to win gift certificates and other premium items.

On Jan. 25, the day that marks the Chinese New Year, guests will witness an energetic Dragon and Lion dance at 11:00 a.m. by the Philippine Ling Nam Athletic Federation.

Free 10-minute feng shui consultations with expert Angel Macalino are also available on this day for a minimum spend of P5,000 at the Corniche lunch buffet. Diners at Corniche will also be gifted with ang pau containing vouchers up to 40 percent off at the restaurants on their next visit.

Corniche will also serve Chinese Lauriat set menu served at an exclusive dining area within the restaurant. Weekend Dim sum Delights, meanwhile, features an extensive choice of steamed, baked, and fried dim sum for P999 nett per person.

In addition to 20 percent restaurant discount, customers can get free delivery by using the code FREEJAN or NEWME for additional 20 percent off when using the pick-up feature of the app.

BITES

They say pizza is best enjoyed when shared, but no one said they couldn’t be eaten all by yourself.

Yellow Cab now offers its bestsellbestsell ing pizzas in nine-inch sizes starting at P299 each. The new variant may be small but is packed with the same edgeto-edge toppings according to the pizza chain.

Nine-inch pizza choices include the local favorite Hawaiian, iconic New York Classic, protein-packed Manhattan Meatlovers, fresh Garden Special, light Roasted Garlic and Shrimp, sweet and tangy BBQ Chicken, and flavorful 4 Cheese.

Get yourself a nine-inch at Yellow Cab stores nationwide.

Drink pink

Yellow Cab’s Hawaiian and BBQ Chicken

Japanese burger Japanese burger chain MOS Burger is finally opening its first branch in the Philippines.

Known for its Signature MOS Cheeseburger and Yakiniku Rice BurgMOS Signature er, its first outlet will open on Feb. 26 on Cheeseburger the second level of Robinsons Galleria (ADB Avenue Entrance).

According to officials, the chain’s menu mainstays will be part of the Philippine menu.

Prior to the store opening, MOS Burger held a two-day pop-up on Jan. 15-16, giving customers a taste of its bestsellers.

MOS announced that it is also opening four more branches this year: SM Megamall, Robinsons Magnolia, Yakiniku O Square Greenhills, and Robinsons Rice Burger Place Manila.

Bite...

From C1 The second set menu is composed of roasted suckling pig salad, dried scallop with shredded chicken, bamboo pith and crab meat soup, stir-fried scallop with celery, slice preserved duck leg meat, steamed live garoupa in soy sauce, braised baby abalone with black mushroom and sea moss, deep-fried minced shrimp ball and crispy milk, and fried glutinous rice with assorted Chinese marinated meat.

Finish off the meal with a chilled red bean cream and sweet dumpling, and a variety of Nian Gao delights.

Six diners can partake of this menu offered at P14,980++.

SIP

Guests who prefer to dine a la carte may opt for the Chef’s Recommendation menu that includes Yu Sheng salad, poon choi “big bowl feast,” braised pork knuckle with lettuce, steamed black mushroom stuffed with minced shrimp, and minced fish and sea moss.

Also comprising the a la carte choices are deep-fried minced shrimp balls and crispy milk, deep-fried crispy chicken with minced garlic, braised baby abalone with duck feet, fried glutinous rice with Chinese marinated meat, and stirfried scallop with celery and sliced and preserved duck leg meat. Prices start at P888 per dish.

The Chinese New Year set and a la carte menus are available from Jan. 24 to Jan. 26.

JUICE brand Tang launches a new flavor that’s not only refreshing but also lovely.

Infused with real lychee fruit flavor, the new Tang Lychee is a sweet and citrusy drink packed with vitamins A, B3, B6, and C. Made with no artificial flavors, it is great on its own or used to add a tropical punch to other drinks.

“We at Tang are always looking for new ways to satisfy every Filipino’s taste buds, and we are excited to share this new citrusy and unique Tang Lychee Flavor with everyone,” shares Princess Landicho, brand manager of Tang maker Mondelez Philippines.

Tang Lychee is available in supermarkets nationwide in 20 gram packs at P17 each.

Tang’s new Lychee juice flavor is packed with vitamins.

After the lunch or dinner, guests can check if their luck has increased by spinning New World Makati’s Wheel of Fortune.

Guests are granted one spin for a minimum spend of P10,000 for dinner on Jan. 24 and lunch or dinner on Jan. 25 at Jasmine. When they land on the rat icon, as it is the Year of the Rat, they win an overnight stay. Other prices include dining treats and premium gift items.

Those availing the Chinese New Year room package starting at P6,888 on Jan. 24-25 also get a chance to spin the wheel.

Call (02) 8811-6888 ext. 3679 or go to www.manila.newworldhotels.com.

Entertainment

monDAY, JAnUARY 20, 2020 nickie.standard@gmail.com

C3

SNAPSHOT

Queen takes ‘Rhapsody Tour’ to K-Pop capital QUEEN band members Brian May, Adam Lambaert, and Roger Taylor attend a press conference ahead of their Rhapsody Tour in Seoul, South Korea.

“I think this time, our visit to Korea may be on another level, after the fantastic success of the ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ movie on our career and Freddie,” Taylor said during the event held at the Conrad Seoul Hotel.

The band last performed in Seoul five years ago. AFP

The cast of Star Cinema’s ‘Block Z’ led by Joshua Garcia and Julia Barretto with director Mikhail Red (center)

W

HEN we say zombie, what immediately comes to mind is a reawakened corpse with a ravenous appetite for human brain or someone bitten by another zombie infected with a “zombie virus.”

Most of the times, zombies in cinema and television are presented as strong but robotic beings with rotting flesh with only one mission, which is to feed.

Why we are fascinated and terrified at the same time with these creatures, we have pop culture to blame, of course.

In the late ‘60s, specifically in 1968, George Romero’s Night of the Living Dead happened and since then, our “we love them, we hate them, we are mortified by them” affair with these creatures continue to this very day.

Some of the most popular and immensely successful zombie movies this millennium are World War Z, with Hollywood superstar as its lead,Train to Busan, with Korean megastar Gong Yoo playing hero and Warm Bodies, the most unlikely romantic movie about the weirdest pairing and relationship between a zombie portrayed by Nicholas Hoult and Teresa Palmer.

Now, the biggest film production outfit in Manila, Star Cinema, presents its initial offering for 2020, Mikhail Red’s Block Z. Headlining this genre film are Joshua Garcia and Julia Barretto, who are ex-lovers turned best friends supposedly, thus I cannot help but wonder, will their past romance and their admission of “missing” each other’s company will help this Red directed motion picture opus score more chances of winning at the box-office?

Teens versus zombies During the press conference of Block Z, most media members acquiesced to the request of the Star Cinema PR team to focus on the merits and strengths of the film.

What we heard from its stars, aside from Garcia and Barretto, Mc Coy de Leon, Yves Flores, Maris Racal, Ina Raymundo, Dimplkes Romana, Myrtle Sarrosa, and Ian Veneracion, are ramblings that one often hears from a Hollywood film press junket.

All of them talked about how physical their roles were because it involved a lot of running , shrieking and shouting. How many repeated to perfect a sequence and the number of film shots used per scene, whether it was an intimate one or a chase part.

Director Red was elated of the fact that a major film stake holder gambled on the zombie genre and he is most pleased with his cast, especially their level of commitment in giving life to respective characters.

What I found endearing was the manner director Red pronounced the word zombie. He said it as zam-bee, not zom-bi, som-bee, orthom-bee) and he also revealed that, “My zombies here are fast and the furious movers.

They are ferocious and really hungry for human flesh and brains.”

Adding more zombie dynamics to the press conference was Rayundo who portrays the mother zombie role in Block Z. She showed, to every one’s delight, her zombie moves.

Actor Ian Veneracion shared, “I am

happy with the fact that in this movie, I had fun because of my many action sequences. Alam niyo, namanaction star ako dati. Si direk Mik nga, there was instance that he doubted if I can jump from one end to another end, and I told him I jump off from airplanes for real.”

Veneracion added, “My biggest thrill in doing this film is every time I say good-bye to my kids prior to reporting for the shoot, I tell them, I am going to kill zombies today.”

Dimples Romana who portrays the role of security guard quipped: “It felt very empowering to hold a shotgun tapos kinakasa ko siya at pinambabaril sa mga zombie.”

She was blushing red when she related, “When it was my first time to use the high powered shotgun, hiyanghiya ako sa lahat kasi tumalsik at tumumba ako sa floor.” She ended her reveal with a guffaw.

In conclusion, let me answer my question if Garcia and Barretto’s feels of missing each other will be the major come on for people to be curious about this latest Mikhail Red film project.

One does not need a PhD to conclude that Block Z is going to be a fun and exhilarating movie ride with the perfect horrific elements, pinches of friendship and even budding romances and the unfolding of how all these character survive will surely be remembered for a long time.

Mikhail Red’s Block Z from Star Cinema is showing in cinemas nationwide on Jan. 29.

ANC’s Cathy Yang hailed as Asia’s best TV presenter ABS-CBN News Channel (ANC) anchor Cathy Yang brought honor to the Philippines anew at the start of the new decade after being named as Best News Presenter at the 24th Asian Television Awards held recently here in Manila.

Cited for her work in the ANC business news program Market Edge with Cathy Yang, Cathy said the award ‘takes her full circle’ as a journalist, during an interview with ABS-CBN News after her win.

“From being a Kapamilya where I learned all the ropes and then I went abroad from Manila to Tokyo to Hong Kong and back, here I am again. Thank you, ANC and thank you, Kapamilya for all the support,” she said.

In her acceptance speech, Yang talked about the great honor of telling the remarkable story of Asia’s growing economies from her homeland.

“As a financial journalist I am so proud to be the storyteller of that narrative and to be doing it with my Kapami-

’Westworld’ returns for third season THE Emmy winning drama series Westworld returns for its eight-episode third season same time as the U.S. on March 16 at 9:00 a.m., exclusively on HBO GO and HBO. A dark odyssey about the dawn of artificial consciousness and the birth of a new form of life on Earth, the show was created for television byJonathan No-

A scene from the Westworld’s last season

lan and Lisa Joy, who are also executive producers.

Returning cast members include Evan Rachel Wood as Dolores, Emmy winner Thandie Newton as Maeve, Ed Harris as Man in Black, Jeffrey Wright as Bernard, Tessa Thompson as Charlotte, Luke Hemsworth as Stubbs, Simon Quarterman as Lee Sizemore,

and Rodrigo Santoroas Hector Escaton.

Joining the cast this season are Aaron Paul (Breaking Bad, Bojack Horseman), Vincent Cassel (Black Swan), Lena Waithe (HBO’s A Black Lady Sketch Show, Master of None), Scott Mescudi (HBO’s upcoming We Are Who We Are), Marshawn Lynch (Brooklyn Nine-Nine), John Gallagher, Jr. (HBO’s The Newsroom and Olive Kitteridge), Michael Ealy (Stumptown) and Tommy Flanagan (Sons of Anarchy).

The first two seasons of Westworld received a combined 42 Emmy nominations. The second season’s 20 Emmy nominations resulted in three wins, including: Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series (Thandie Newton), Outstanding Makeup for a Single-Camera Series (Non-Prosthetic) and Outstanding Hairstyling for a Single-Camera Series.

Westworld was created for television by Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy, who are executive producers with J.J. Abrams, Athena Wickham, Richard J. Lewis, Ben Stephenson, and Denise Thé. Production companies: Kilter Films and Bad Robot Productions in association with Warner Bros. Television; based on the film written by Michael Crichton.

News presenter Cathy Yang

lya at work and my family at home.”

The anchor of The Boss and Business Nightly on ANC is now a four-time winner in the Asian Television Awards, after bagging the honor thrice for another regional news network. This year, she bested fellow broadcasters from the Philippines, China, Japan, India, and Taiwan.

The award also comes on the heels of her recognition as Best News or Current Affairs Presenter at the Asian Academy Creative Awards in Singapore last December 2019.

Catch Cathy Yang on Market Edge with Cathy Yang on weekdays at 3:00 p.m., on Business Nightly also on weekdays at 8:00 p.m., and The Boss every Thursday at 7:30 p.m. via ANC or iWant.

For the latest news, follow the ABSCBN News Channel on Facebook and Twitter (@ANCalerts) or visit news.abscbn.com/anc. For more updates, follow @abscbnpr on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, or visit abs-cbn.com/newsroom.

Nickie Wang, Issue Editor nickie.standard@gmail.com

C4

Entertainment

MONDAY, JANUARY 20, 2020

Cate Blanchett to head Venice Film Festival jury

Australian-American actress and theatre director Cate Blanchett.

ACTRESS Cate Blanchett will chair the jury of the Venice Film Festival in September, organisers said on Thursday.

The award-winning Australian actress will become the president of the jury for the festival’s 77th season, slated for Sept. 2 to Sept. 12.

“Venice is one of the most appealing film festivals in the world -- a celebration of this provocative and stimulating medium which is cinema in all its forms,” Blanchett said in a statement.

No stranger to festivals, the 50-yearold actress most recently headed the jury at the 2018 Cannes Film Festival, which has been criticised in the past for ignoring female directors in its prestigious lineup.

That year, she was among 82 women who ascended the famous red carpet steps of the Palais des Festivals in a march for gender equality.

Two of Blanchett’s films have premiered at Venice: 1998’s Elizabeth, a period drama about Queen Elizabeth I directed by Shekhar Kapur, andI’m Not There, by Todd Haynes, a 2007 biopic in which Blanchett plays Bob Dylan, for which she won a best actress award. AFP

How Hans Sy encouraged good Samaritans to support Childhaus IT WAS such a heart-warming surprise when Ricky Reyes (Mader Ricky) received a Viber message from an anonymous sender that reads: “My staff will deposit 100K to Childhaus today. Read an article about ChildHaus last Dec. 24 and since l have excess funds remaining for charity this year, decided to give it to ChildHaus.

God bless us all.- Dragon xs, Friends of Hans.@” Mader Ricky is happy with fact that ever since the young SM magnate Hans Sy came into the fold of ChildHaus, a temporary shelter for children with cancer, his good deeds created a ripple effect in his business circle and inspired others to come out of their way to help those sick and needy children in ChildHaus.

Because of his untiring support to help the sick children, some good Samaritan followed suit inspired by the sincere example shown by Hans Sy. “And, according to Mader Ricky, “who would expect that a busy young magnate like Hans Sy would still have the time to talk to me about the welfare of the Center and the children it serves”.

Hans would sometime cut short his trips and drop some appointments just to join in some important occasions at the Center. He would always come to Childhaus together with his wife Carol and their children. Last Christmas party was extra special since the family spent a lot of time with the children.”

“Most of the time, Hans would tag along some friends around his business circle and would personally show them around the Center, even bringing the NU Basketball Team one time, just to give cheer to the children. And always at his request, the children would always be Hans’ personal guests in some entertainment events in SM Malls and SM Arena, just like the previous visits of NBA superstar LeBron James, among others, “ adds Mader Ricky.

Last year, Hans even saw to it to do something about the mothers of the children so they could be more productive while spending time taking care of their children. A livelihood program was then prepared for them to augment their families income.

With Mader Ricky at the helm,

The director and cast on the set of Regal Entertainment’s initial film offering for 2020

Stars aligned for GB Sampedro and AiAi delas Alas

Childhaus child with Daniel Padilla

the parents/caregivers in ChildHaus collaborated efforts with some bag makers to help in accessorizing exportquality bags. Thee effort paid off that Hans committed to provide a free space in SM North EDSA for the products to be sold. It was just a beginning, and Hans and Ricky were just too happy with the fruitful result.

Of course, the impact created by the sincere and selfless contribution of Hans Sy did not go unnoticed. He was recently cited by Forbes magazine as one of the “Heroes of Philanthropy” for the year 2019.

“He is happy with the citation but quite a bit embarrassed as he is humbled by what he does for Childhaus. I think what he considered his big reward is seeing the happy faces of the children at ChildHaus and their grateful parents”, Mader Ricky enthuses.

Mader Ricky couldn’t be any happier by the sudden turn of events. Over the past years, ever since Hans Sy came into the fold of Child Haus, the center has turned a lot of people into good Samaritans (some anonymously like the one mentioned above); from the various sectors of society, that were just too inspired to lend a helping hand to the sick children of ChildHaus.

New Year surely brings a lot of cheers to people but most especially to the children at ChildHaus who have found somebody they now fondly call, Kuya Hans. The true hero of philanthropy.

From: left Ricky Reyes, Carol Sy, Hans Sy, Isabelita Mercado, Edna Calixto, Maribel Eusebio and Jeanette Cu.

GB Sampedro (leftmost) with the cast of D’Ninang led by the senior comedienne AiAi delas Alas (center)

R

EGAL Entertainment’s initial offering for 2020, D’Ninang, is a project almost two decades in the making.

In an exclusive interview with Manila Standard, seasoned director GB Sampedro revealed that he and the film’s lead star AiAi delas Alas have been planning to make a movie together for 15 years now.

“I’ve been friends with AiAi since Backroom days, maybe around 15 years.

Since then we’ve been planning to do a project together. We were talking on what concept and characters we would like to tackle. But it’s only now that our plan became concrete. Regal called me up, then she was talking with them, too, so it was like the stars aligned for us,” the director shared.

In D’Ninang, AiAi portrays a pickpocket with a big heart.

While it is apparent that her character is guilty of wrongdoing, Ninang extends help to her community, where she appears to be everybody’s godmother, thus they refer to her as Ninang.

She is just like the female version of Robin Hood.

She also takes under her wing a couple of protégés, who are also pickpockets (Angel Guardian and Kiray Celis) but still guided by Ninang’s unconventional way of living.

Her life then takes a different twist when she finds her long-lost daughter Mikhai (Kisses Delavin), who decides to live with her.

However, her daughter is unaware of her mom’s illegal business.

The irony of it is that her daughter wants to pursue a career to punish crooks.

Will their love for each other prevail when the mother and her daughter learn more about each other, including their flaws?

D’Ninang is a heartwarming story about human relationships and one’s struggles to keep the goodness in her heart despite hardships in life.

It tackles about continuing the fire of hope burning and one’s unwavering belief to change for the better.

D’Ninang hits close to home as far as Filipino family values are concerned.

With a superb cast headed by the Comedy Queen herself, D’Ninang is expected to appeal to viewers craving for a heartwarming family comedy story and eventually become a box office hit.

It also stars Joey Marquez, Kiray Celis, McCoy de Leon, Kelvin Miranda, Lou Veloso, and Angel Guardian.

D’Ninang will hit cinemas on Jan. 22.

Ninang, AiAi’s character in the movie, is just like the female version of Robin Hood.